Surah 56
The Befall
1. When the befall befalls,
2. No untruth is about its befalling,
3. Lowering raising [people],
4. When the earth is shakenly shaken,
5. And the mountains are subdued to subduedness,
6. Are hence dust pulverised,
7. And you [the people] become pairs of threes,
8. The ones of the good, who are the ones of the good?
9. And the ones of the ill, who are the ones of the ill?
10. And the forerunners forerunning,
11. Are the ones made close,
12. In the gardens of providence,
13. A handful of the first ones,
14. And a few of the last ones,
[The indistinction in the Qur’an, and indeed in the Arabic language, between “right hand” and “good” has its roots in metaphysical concepts …
Good is always thought to be given and taken by the right hand, and the opposite in the left hand, while convenience and ease are “يُسر": from the root of “left” …!
The confusion has to be overcome in one’s own mind, so that the distinction between what enhances a good life on the earth: and what directs one’s life in a direction of mindful existence: becomes part and parcel of self-knowledge and a step towards freedom from attachment to physical constrictions, while being involved in them … …
The indistinction, however, seems to have filtered through to English, and perhaps other European languages, noticeable in the double meaning of “right”,
But regardless of linguistic origins, which can never be traced back historically to their origins: the concept has been rooted in the human psyche from the early times of existence,
The right hand or the right side stands for one’s “alpha”, as we’ve explained before, being one’s repository of physical existences and the knowledge acquired therefrom, while the left side represented the present physical existence,
In all the Books, across time and geography, the good is indeed the reunion of the present self with her alpha,
But that alone: is not Union (Tawheed), although a major step towards it,
So the verses in this Surah are describing the status of each mode of existence, with a lot of symbolism, since accuracy is impossible.
Islamic scholars, on the other hand, have been too certain of the meaning of those verses, and as if they’ve been there, they describe how people are handed their certificates at the end-of-days in their right hand, to enter a paradise of food and sex, making a monkey’s life a human’s ultimate hope,
If they find our reading of those verses farfetched, and ask whether it is deliberately made to veer the reader’s mind from wishing residence in an apes’ garden: we say yes, emphatically,
And until they have made an intellectual and a moral effort to find essences in those high reaching verses: their nations will remain backward, stuck in the stupor of their animal instincts, having no hope or desires in life except a very low form of physical existence,
They will hence continue to fight one another over the ownership of a fanciful place, while the rest of the world advances in every natural way ahead of them …]
15. Upon woven beds,
16. Leaning on them, facing one another,
17. Hover above them eternal children,
18. In/with glasses, jugs and a challis of essence,
19. They are not broken from it, nor are they made affluent [we read “يُترفون"],
20. And fruit of what they choose,
21. And the flesh of a flyer that they desire,
[The allusion here is to being able to fly, which is a capability that all humanity had in the past, but has lost since a long time …]
22. And the wandering eyes,
[Bodiless forms of consciousness …]
23. Like concealed pearls,
[Verse 23 confirms our reading of verse 22]
24. A reward of what they did,
25. They hear no nonsense in it and no blasphemy,
26. Except sleep in peace peacefully,
[The word that we’ve translated to “sleep” points to an altered state of consciousness, and is usually used in Arabic to point to an afternoon nap “قَيل".]
27. And the ones of the right/good, who are the ones of the good?
28. In worked timber,
29. And clustered trees,
30. And an extended light rain [we read “طَلّ”],
31. And water served,
32. And a plenty of fruit,
33. Neither out of season and nor forbidden,
34. And an elevated pegasus [we read “فرس”],
35. We have constructed them [the ones of the good] a [good] construction,
36. And made them [to the model of the] earliest,
37. Celibate [we read “عُزبًا”] and precious,
38. For the ones of the good/right hand,
39. A handful of the first ones,
40. And a handful of the last ones,
[So, here again, if Islamic scholars find our reading distortive, they’d better revisit their own reading and interpretation,
Their interpretation is based on their wishes,
Ours is a memory of early creation, that hasn’t dwindled yet in low physicality,
It would be better for them and for many generations to come, if they said: “we don’t know”, if they feel unready to open their minds to the correct reading,
But, as they see firsthand the long term effect of their understanding of the their Book: the reduction of intelligence that it has caused, and the debasement of morality, the cultural and social degradation …: if a shimmer of faith is left in them: they should welcome an invitation to quit the hell they’re in, to step forward to the vast and glorious world that their Lord has created for them: to learn and enjoy, to refine their character and polish their desire …]
41. And the ones of the ill/left, who are the ones of the ill?
42. In poison and burn,
43. And a rainfall [again we read “طَلّ”] of smog,
44. Neither bread shredding [we read “ثارد"] and nor generously giving,
45. They were before that: affluent,
[This is describing today’s world and civilisation …]
46. And they insisted on big/collective decadence,
47. They used to say: “so when we die and we become dust and bones, are we then reincarnated?
48. “Also our early forefathers?”,
49. Say [addressing the messenger]: “that the early ones and the last ones,
50. “Are all gathered to a timing on a marked day”,
51. Then [say:] “O you liars and lost people,
52. “You are eaters from the tree of Zaqoom [the tree of regeneration of potentiality],
53. “Till your stomachs’ full,
54. “And on top of it: drinkers from the [rainfall of the] smog,
55. “Drinking the drink of monsters”,
56. This is their dwelling on the Day of Redemption,
57. We created you [the people]. If only you believed,
58. Have you seen what you boast about?
59. Is it you who’ve created it, or is it Us?
60. We have destined death amongst you, and We weren’t overtaken:
61. To exchange likes of you, and We construct you in what you don’t know,
62. And you have known the first construction, if only you remember,
63. Have you seen what you multiply?
64. Is it you who sow it, or is it Us the sowers?
65. Will We, We would render it ruin, and you would remain revelers!
66. We are the chargers [we read “مُغرِمون”],
67. Nay, We are deprivers [we read “مُحرِمون"],
68. For, do you see the water that you drink?
69. Are you the droppers of it from the clouds, or is it Us the droppers?
70. Will We, We would make it pungent, if only you appreciate,
[The rhetorical questions are reminders that when humans learn a natural skill and become capable of interference with natural phenomena: it is by the existent laws of nature that they can do that,
The credit they can take is to their observation and diligence, but they should keep in mind that they have not “created” anything …
Although the questions and answers are worded to fit the understanding of that time: the philosophic connotations of them have not changed and will always be relevant,
For example, when a new technology is developed, to control the breeding of crops or cattle, or when genes which cause particular strengths and weaknesses in humans are identified …
Or when artificial intelligence will be fully developed, or when new forms of life will be concocted in a laboratory, or when “conception” is made to happen in a petri dish, rather than reproductive organs …:
The scientists and the corporations which have developed them boast about creating a new thing and want to put their stamp on it, and as if it is from nothing that it was done …
Ignoring totally the entire universe that has hosted those new things: because they are within the constraints of its ever-existing laws that they have been made …!
The worst of such delusions is when individuals or entities believe that they have the right to decide who lives and who dies, and in which way …, and that they can enforce their agendas on the world, and turn it upside-down, if it suits them …
Past civilisations have been totally annihilated when this low level of conceit was reached …
Hence the following verses, which are pointing back to the Tree of potentiality that was shown in earlier times to humans, and to the worlds of hell that exist down its mighty branches and roots …:]
71. For, do you see the Fire you’re being shown?
72. Was it you the constructers of its Tree, or is it Us the constructers?
73. We have made it a remembrance and pleasure to the strong ones,
[Indeed, it’s the intelligent and the strong spirited that is tempted to go down those branches of possibilities, to explore new modes of existence and experience new imagery and sensations …
The curiosity that is native to the human psyche is not an evil thing, and the Creator has not bestowed it on it for nothing …
The balance between curiosity and stupidity, however, is very delicate,
Hence messengers with messages will never cease to come to the earth, every time a danger line has been or about to be crossed …, every time forgetfulness overruns the human spirit, and a temporary form of a low form of life is desired to be permanent …
And the reminders of the suffering that any activity might incur … are loud and clear …]
74. Transcend in the Summum of your Lord the Almighty,
[Addressing the messenger and indeed every faithful reader …]
75. For, I swear by the stars’ positions,
76. And this indeed is a swear, if you know, most solemn:
77. This is a Qur’an Noble,
78. In a Book concealed,
[Indeed …, totally concealed from many who’ve memorised it or wrote volumes of texts pretending to explain it …: to remain in their heathen traditions and pagan worship, and the ideology of war and competition, in the hope of a paradise of food and sex …
Because they have failed to see any purpose for their lives …]
79. No one touches it, except the purified ones,
80. The Descent from the Lord of the worlds,
81. Is it by this Discourse that you are hypocritical?
82. And you make it your living that you lie?
83. For, no sooner than it [life power/soul] has reached the throat,
[A feeling that the practitioners of transcendental meditation are familiar with …]
84. And you are thence looking,
85. And We are closer to you than your own selves, but you see not;
86. And, were you unindebted,
87. You would return it [to its Origin], if you were honest,
88. Hence, if he [every person] was of the close ones:
89. Spirit and Self, and the Gardens of Providence,
90. And if he was of the ones of the good:
91. The peace be upon you from the ones of the good,
92. And if he was one of the liars, the lost ones:
93. Hence, a residence of fire [dense physical world, fueled by energy/fire],
94. Attended to by flames,
95. That is the Law of Certainty,
96. Transcend in the Summum of your Lord the Almighty
