The Universe Is Governed By The Divine Principle Of Gradual Change
By S.
Arshad, New Age Islam
25 May 2021
The
Quranic Verses Say Prosperity Or Ruin Reach Man Gradually
1. Nothing in this universe happens suddenly
2. Success or failure in material life of man
comes gradually according to his good or bad deeds
3. Man advances on spiritual journey from stage
to stage
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The
universe is controlled by the Supreme Power or the Supreme Creator. All the
affairs of the universe are governed by principles laid down by the Supreme
Creator. There is an undisturbed discipline in the universe. The sun, the moon,
the planets are constantly in motion and follow a strict discipline.
Another
aspect of the universe is that the universe is governed by the divine principle
of gradual change. In the beginning the universe was in a raw form and has come
to acquire its present shape as a result of gradual development or evolution.
The morning breaks gradually and the night also falls gradually. Therefore
nothing in this universe happens all of a sudden. God plans his affairs and
executes them according to His principle of gradual development or evolution.
Similarly,
affairs in the lives of human beings and all other creatures also follow this
principle of gradual change. A living creature is born, grows up, reaches old
age and then dies. The life of human beings also follows this principle of
gradual change ( for better or for worse).The condition of the lives of human
beings changes gradually according their deeds and efforts. If a man's deeds
are good and he puts in hard work with right planning his material life
improves gradually not suddenly. Similarly, if he indulges in misdeeds and does
not make efforts to make progress his life perishes gradually. This is the
divine principle of gradual change.
According
to the holy Quran, the fortunes of good individuals improve stage by stage.
This also proves true in case of communities and empires. We have many examples
of individuals, or communities and empires before us. They prospered or
perished gradually. This is because the Nature or the Divine Power encourages
good individuals by showing the fruits of their good deeds to continue with
their good deeds and right efforts. In the same way, the Divine Power shows
loss or harm of misdeeds to the bad people and this way warns them against
further misdeeds. The Divine Power gives man the opportunity to reform himself
and abstain from misdeeds. The small loss and harm he suffers acts as a
warning. That's why he does not meet his doom suddenly. But if he still
persists on his wrongdoing despite warnings, he gradually meets his doom or
ruin and then cannot complain to God about what he gets in the end.
God hints
at this principle of gradual change in some of the verses in the Quran.
"You shall certainly travel from stage to
stage." (Al
Inshiqaq:19)
"And We shall bring them down step by step
from where they will not know."(Al Qalam:44)
The two
verses clearly point to the divine principle of gradual change ( for better or
for worse). This principle applies both in the religious and secular meaning.
In the religious sense, the righteous or those who struggle for the cause of
God will prosper from stage to stage and those who are the enemies of God or
righteous people, will descend to humiliation and ignominy from stage to stage.
In a
secular sense, those who do hard work and lead a disciplined life gradually
prosper and achieve their goal and those who waste time in unproductive or
destructive acts gradually perish.
This also
conveys the message that man should not wait for miracles. His prosperity,
success and dignity depends on hard work, wise planning and pure thoughts. God
wants man to have trust in Him but at the same time He wants man to have faith
in his own abilities that He has bestowed in him. On the other hand, God warns
man that if he embarks on the wrong path and persists on his misdeeds, he will
gradually reach his doom or ruin. In the past many communities, empires and
individuals perished gradually due to their misdeeds. They could not realise
how things went wrong and how they gradually lost their material and social
status.
The verse
in surah Inshiqaq may also be interpreted from the spiritual point of view. An
spiritual aspirant tries to acquire self-realisation through piety and rigorous
spiritual training under a spiritual guide. He strictly follows the path of God
and abstains from carnal desires and material ambitions. He attains
self-realisation or enlightenment after years of spiritual discipline.
Therefore,
the divine principle of gradual change governs the material and spiritual life
of human beings on earth.
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Sohail
Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.