#if before he was considered an enlightened being or celestial creature

[yandere-daydreams]

okay but i love the idea of simeon (obm) trying to keep his darling pure and incorrupt from the demons; if they are corrupt then they can’t follow him to the celestial realm. so instead, he kidnaps them and locks them up until the exchange program is done, he’s constantly teaching them how to be a good person and how to repent for their sins, so once they die they can join him. somehow they escape and are sent to the human world but simeon sneaks his way into becoming their guardian angel.

I figured I should get back to requests with a little Simeon, if only because I’m really, /really/ hoping he’s in some of the new chapters. Consider this self-indulgent, at best, and only loosely related to the actual request, at worst. I like to stay on-brand.

Title: Safe-Guard.

TW: Imprisonment, Mentions of Kidnapping, and Mentions of Death.

~

You used to wonder why Simeon prayed.

You knew why Luke did. Whenever he was nervous or scared or more frustrated than he usually was, you could hear him muttering to himself, repeating the same verse of stilted latin until his temper cooled and he could get back to berating the reason for his distress. It was reassuring, to him, an involuntary, familiar way to comfort himself that he undoubtedly thought would show his commitment to whatever higher-power there was to listen. Simeon didn’t need something so childish, though. His prayers were hushed and mumbled, but they weren’t hasty or rushed or symptoms of an anxiety he had yet to grow out of. It wasn’t like Simeon needed to show his devotion to something holy, either, not from your perspective. To you, he was something holy.

He was still something holy, if you were being honest with yourself.

Even after everything he’d done, interrupting his little rituals felt wrong, like your interference would pervert a ceremony you had no right to play a part in. It didn’t help that you were so far below him, like this, sitting on the floor as he perched himself on the edge of your bed, the silver shackles wound around your ankles and wrists only working to cement your situation, the engravings carved into their metallic surface keeping you bound to whatever space Simeon desired you to occupy. Currently, that was one of the spare rooms in Purgatory Hall, one smaller than Luke’s or Solomon’s and far enough from the rest of the bedrooms to make all your screaming and yelling useless. Not that anyone would come, even if they did hear you. If Simeon said you were fine, you were fine. He was an angel, after all, and such a beautiful one, at that. There wasn’t a person in the world who had reason not to trust him.

“Is something wrong, (Y/n)?

His voice caught you off-guard. So deep in your own thoughts, you hadn’t noticed when his gentle mantras stopped, his beaded rosary falling into his left hand with a limp, ceramic rattle. He was facing you, now, watching as you pulled your knees to your chest and willed yourself to melt into the wall, your mind only bothering to process his questions after it floundered under the weight of his gaze, the intensity of his sudden concentration. You swallowed something jagged and thick, but you didn’t try to stop yourself from replying. You didn’t try to force yourself into disobedience, not when you didn’t have to. “I don’t know,” You mumbled, the answer coming more quietly than you would’ve liked. “I think someone might’ve kidnapped me, but I’m not sure. I think I’m being held hostage when I don’t want to be, and my captor keeps asking me why I’m upset.”

He clicked his tongue, curling his fist around his rosary before tucking it into some unseen pocket of his seamless, draping get-up, but he was smiling, his neutrality akin to pleasant amusement, the expression warm and vaguely condescending. “Such a shame,” He noted, his tone laced with faux-sympathy. “Maybe if you answered this captor of yours honestly, he wouldn’t have to ask so often.”

You pursed your lips, staying silent for a second or two, but a witty response alluded you as swiftly as you lost the will to find one. “I still don’t know why I’m here,” You admitted, somewhat hesitantly. “You said you were afraid the brothers would hurt me, but that wouldn’t drive a person to imprisonment. No one resorts to kidnapping because they’re scared.” You still couldn’t quite bring yourself to blame him, not aloud. He deserved your rage, you deserved to be furious, but for whatever reason, you’ve staved off the anger like an illness you’d never recover from. It was a coping mechanism, you guessed. You didn’t really want to find out if it was anything more than that. “I want an explanation. A real explanation.”

He sighed, the sound wistful, just a little disappointed. With a shake of his head, he stood, taking a moment to survey your position before letting himself fall to your side. Even on the floor, just as low and stooped-over as you were, he held himself with an air of casual grace, his posture strung with such an enlightened levity, he hardly seemed to have to hold himself up at all. It never failed to make you stare, if only for a moment. It wasn’t enough to make you love him, but it made him impossible to resent, your turmoil only getting worse when he bothered to look at you, his small smile instantly morphing into a soothing grin. He didn’t touch you, but you almost wished he would. If it was kind, you could melt into him, find solace in the reassurance that he wasn’t going to hurt you. And if it wasn’t…

If it wasn’t, you could stop hating yourself for wanting to hate him.

“I wasn’t lying,” He started, the declaration weighted despite his apparent light-heartedness. “I am trying to protect you. When I leave this place, I plan to take you with me. The Celestial Realm would make such a lovely home for us, and while I don’t expect you to grateful for the dislocation…” Another sigh, this one more of an unconscious exhale. He trying to be as honest with himself as he wanted to be with you. “You’ll be safe. Your world is difficult, it’s messy, and the Devildom isn’t any better. I don’t trust it to take care of you, not like the angels would.”

Not like he would. His selfishness was well-masked, but it lingered just below the surface. Dark and brewing, but deniable. “You could’ve asked,” You tried, weakly. “This isn’t my world, and I still have months before I’m supposed to go back. The Devildom is dangerous, but the brothers--”

“Demons corrupt.” It was a forceful interruption, one that left you equal parts concerned and confused. You moved to speak, but his hand found yours before you could, silencing you with a slight squeeze. Just tight enough to let you know he wasn’t finished. “Lucifer and the others mean well, but they’re… They fell for a reason. The more time you spend around them, the more you’re tempted to be like them. You would’ve become reckless, bloodthirsty, disobedient. They would’ve taken your soul and ruined it.” He forced himself to stop with a ragged inhale, a deep breath to remind himself not to let his explanation turn into a rant. As rigid and as disciplined as always, even in his moments of weakness. “You can be purified, but their intervention would make it near-impossible. If I let a demon get to you, if I let one touch you, the best I could hope for would be a cold reception. A warm welcome would’ve been out of the question.”

“Even then,” You said, tensing not but daring to pull away. “It’s not like I can stay with you. I’m not a demon or an angel, I’ll have to go home eventually.”

At that, every trace of his inhibition disappeared. “Not as you are,” He corrected, intertwining his fingers with yours in earnest, raising your hand and pushing a slow, easy kiss into the back of your wrist, just above your glinting cuff. If you were being hopeful, you’d call the gesture apologetic, but you weren’t nearly optimistic enough to assume he was remorseful. “Things can change, love. Humans are such beautiful creatures, gifted with the ability to ascend in exchange for their mortality. You’ll need a guiding hand, sure, but I’m patient. We have more than enough time to make the right arrangements.”

“And if I don’t want to be an angel?” It didn’t take a genius to guess what he had in mind, nor did it take any great amount of empathy to understand why you weren’t as pleased with his plans as he appeared to be. “That’s not what I… I’ll have to die, Simeon, won’t I? You’ll have to--”

Before you could finish, his lips were pressed against yours, stunning you into a frozen, paralyzed silence. It wasn’t an aggressive kiss, his touch tender and nothing short of loving as he cupped your cheek, urging you to come closer, nor did he stop you from pulling away when you finally remembered you could move. Rather, he only slipped down to your neck, his face soon buried in the dip of your shoulder. He hadn’t denied it, he hadn’t even tried, but you didn’t push him too.

The wide, giddy smile soon pressing against your skin was more than enough of an answer for you.

[therealvagabird]

The Zodiac of Auma-Maan

AKA: I made a star-sign chart! It references some occult setting themes I’ve used in several contexts. Feel free to find your astral avatar, as dictated by the ancient sages of the far galaxies...

Many species across countless reaches of time and space have crafted their own mystical star-charts to attempt to bridge the material and the divine. Yet the eldest and most powerful of all these zodiacs is held to be that of Auma-Maan, the star-cycle of the Ur-Aum, also known as the Dawn Celestials. Understanding of the Auma-Maan can enlighten one to many patterns within the fabric of creation, peeling back time and energy like the petals of a flower bud to expose the secrets within. To dissect the endless tessellations and trines of the Auma-Maan zodiac would be an infinite endeavor, and so what follows is the simplest form adapted for human use.

Jan 6 – Jan 20: Dormin, the Colossus

Lord of winter, Dormin bears similarities to legends of the Jotunn or other such elemental giants of Earth. He sleeps throughout the stellar cycles and is awakened only in times when all other things die or lay dormant. Thus is his warpath unchallenged when he arises at last in might. Those born in the time of Dormin are resolute and unflagging, with a fire burning ever in their chest, even if they appear outwardly stoic.

Jan 21 – Feb 3: Avaka, the White Horn

An omen of good fortune, Avaka is a mysterious being sometimes said to be bestial in appearance, though none know much more than that. Common traits of Avaka are the majestic horns it bears on its head, and that it moves like a rushing winter’s wind. Avaka appears to the worthy during their darkest times, glimpsed at the edge of one’s vision and thereafter forgotten, but forever imprinted upon their soul. Terrifying to the ignorant and the ignoble, Avaka is the enemy of evil spirits and inspires those born under it to be as enigmatic and powerful as it is.

Feb 4 – Feb 19: Vui Wanai, the Everborn

Sometimes called the “Fey” on Earth, Vui Wanai is the Ur-Aum representation of a “precursor god” to the Vuwana, the Everborn. The Everborn are a eusocial race of adaptable plantlike beings which were known at the dawn of time for their great magics, growing from among the youngest of the old Pentarchy into a powerful empire. Those born under Vui Wanai are attuned to nature and can never be cut off from it.

Feb 20 – Mar 5: Ka, the Leviathan

The great beast of the abyss, Ka symbolizes the unknown, the powerful and unfathomable forces of the outer dark, and the might of the gods. Ka is both a creator and a destroyer, and an aspect of the incomprehensible power of the tides of fate and nature beyond mortal skeins. To be under the dominion of Ka is to have the opportunity for untold power, but also for untold ruination – though fear of the unknown will never prove insurmountable.

Mar 6 – Mar 20: Akshia, the Vessel of Plenty

Likened to the cornucopia of classical myth, Akshia is a legendary invention said to hold the keys to true genesis. Akshia represents unfettered abundance, infinite resources, and boundless energy. It is associated with birth, creation, and life. Individuals born under Akshia can likewise expect bounty to flow their way and tend to have larger reserves of energy and good luck than most. Akshia is among the most powerful of the Terran signs and can be invoked for wealth and prosperity. The most powerful of races throughout history have placed the sign of Akshia upon the hulls of Genesis Engines as a point of ritual.

Mar 21 – Apr 4: Amon-Bal, the Horned Hearth

Incarnation of the home, the balance of nature and humanity, and the bounty of the divine. Most often represented by an ambiguous figure crowned with great, twisting horns, Amon-Bal has sometimes been mistaken for a demon or other fel creature of the outer dark. In truth, Amon-Bal stands for sustenance, fire, family, and other basic necessities which sustain mortal races long before they ever ascend to the stars. Those born in the time of Amon-Bal are often of temperate attitude and simple pleasures, but will not shy away from doing what is necessary to take care of them and their loved ones.

Apr 5 – Apr 20: Eanlil, the Egg

Eanlil is a powerful concept, representing dormant power which has yet to come into fruition. It mirrors the collective consciousness of sapient species, the biospheres of entire worlds, or the harmonic fields generated within the hearts of stars. Eanlil is perfect balance and unlimited energy, yet unborn and unrealized. The “Egg” which this astral avatar inhabits is the same type from which the Celestial Dragons were said to have been birthed. To be born under Eanlil is likewise to have limitless potential, and often a tendency to attract power in turn.

Apr 21 – May 4: Khar-Nin, the Primordial

Great beast of the deep earth, Khar-Nin is a personification of the raw forces which shape planets and entire terrestrial landforms. Khar-Nin embodies eternal change and the clashing powers of creation and entropy within the cosmos. While not so tied to life and the cycles of nature as some other avatars, Khar-Nin still grants those born under its sign the blessings of endurance and perseverance. The Primordial is strength, eternity, and power.

May 5 – May 21: Insar, the Demon

Insar is a distillation of all those traits which define demonkind, both positive and negative. Standing for selfishness, chaos, destruction, and mutation, Insar is also a patron to passion, survival, and change. Still, Insar is often regarded as one of the darker signs, and those who hold its power are said to be prone to demonic behavior in turn. None would deny the efficacy of such attributes, though one must always be careful that ambition is put towards constructive ends, and does not lead to ruination.

May 22 – Jun 5: Orhirat, the Eternal Serpents

Also referred to as the Orhirati in plural, this sign is oft represented by two snakes devouring each other in an eternal cycle. As such, Orhirat symbolizes rebirth and eternity, not unlike the ouroboros or the taijitu. Raw energy is held within the Orhirat, and it is often associated in turn with the Celestial Dragons and their boundless power. Those born under Orhirat are often subject to extremes of passion – love, anger, and the like. They attract energy and produce energy in great abundance, making them vivant and willful with the force of their personalities.

Jun 6 – Jun 20: Ohol, the Conquerors

Human interpretations of Ohol tend to evoke images like the Wild Hunt, great figures like Genghis Khan, or other ravagers which come upon galloping steeds and lay waste to their foes. Ohol is an elusive concept which contains many contradictory elements within it – pain and pleasure, love and tyranny, chaos and unity. A popular depiction of Ohol is a pair of beautiful yet terrifying riders on horseback. Those born to Ohol likewise can be prone to flairs of passion, great ambitions, and a love of life’s pleasures. Terran warlocks are fond of invoking Ohol for all manner of rituals, being that it is among the most powerful signs that can manifest on our world.

Jun 21 – Jul 6: Praven, the Mariner

Patron to the intrepid, the enduring, inventive, and the adventurous. Praven is an ill-defined figure who nonetheless seems to uphold many of the traits and skills lauded by seafarers, void-sailors, and all those who ply the treacherous expanses. Rewarding those of great skill and discipline with the boons of freedom and fortune, Praven is among the most powerful avatars which can be invoked upon Earth.

Jul 7 – Jul 22: Itamn, the Chitinous

A representation of the “precursor god” of the Kitan, another of the Pentarchy and considered among the most intelligent races in the cosmos, having long since ascended to a higher plane of existence. Itamn takes the form of a titanic, crab-like creature, and is a patron to science and arcane study. Those born in the time of Itamn are often highly erudite and adept in learning.

Jul 23 – Aug 6: Ekhissu, the Chimera

Embodying change, the power of the unnatural, and the complexities of opposites and the harmony and discord they bring in equal measure. On Earth, Ekhissu is often represented by the Greek chimera or the Persian lamassu, though more traditional depictions tend to bend the mind with their alien anatomies. Ekhissu shows the strength to be found in things which are not always considered “natural” and is a patron to science and invention. However, adversarial concepts war within Ekhissu. Those who can find harmony within themselves will find a wealth of creativity and focus born from the synthesis of their internal struggles, while those who fall prey to discord will become monstrous and unthinking.

Aug 7 – Aug 22: Sol Rosol, the Ruler

Depictions of Sol Rosol among Terran cults has diminished much since the ancient days. The visage of the Lion Lord was subsumed into more palatable sky-gods and humanoid avatars. Among the earliest humans who were made privy to the secrets of the Ur-Aum magics, Sol Rosol was regarded as one of the most powerful and fearsome avatars of all the celestials. Drawn as a great lion-headed warrior in solid armor, with the tail of a monkey and holding a flaming scepter, Sol Rosol stands for divine rule, tyranny, beneficent leadership, warfare, and peaceful prosperity all in equal measure. Those born under its sign are often destined to lead and can look to Sol Rosol for their providence.

Aug 23 – Sep 7: Anu, the Child

Representation of birth, beginnings, purity, curiosity, imagination, and innocence. Anu is often interpreted as the “child” to Panduma’s “mother”, though in truth Anu embodies the beginning of all things. The limitless potential and endless diverging paths which remain un-congealed with every new beginning are held within Anu, and it forms the start of all reality, just as entropy forms the end. Those born under Anu often maintain a childlike wonder throughout their lives, and may benefit from mental elasticity and curiosity even into their old age – the greatest boons of childhood.

Sep 8 – Sep 23: Panduma, the Mother

Aspect of fertility, love, and plenty. On Earth, Panduma is associated with mother-goddess figures and harvest matrons. To the Ur-Aum, Panduma is an embodiment of biological cycles, such as those expressed in reproduction, which are of obvious importance to all lifeforms, as well as the passage between life and death, which also maintains balance in the world. Panduma is a patron to civilization and order. Individuals born under this sign tend towards traditional values, loyalty to their families, and are rewarded for their hard labor with great bounty. Also one of the most powerful of the Terran signs, Panduma bestows the resolute with good fortune.

Sep 24 – Oct 7: Terthon, the Winged

Symbol of the air and the power of flight. Terthon is notable in that, within the rune-tomes of the ancient Pentarchy, Terthon is depicted as a divine flying machine as much as (if not more than) any biological winged creature. To beings like the Ur-Aum and the Ga-An, Terthon was a representation of their birthright, their mastery of the air. To other species, Terthon symbolized that which they coveted, and the promises of progress and technology. Invoking Terthon or being born under its sign grants lightheartedness, inventiveness, agility of both body and mind, boldness, and other virtues held both within the winds and by those beings which sail upon them.

Oct 8 – Oct 23: Volk, the Hunter

Patron of hunters, tamers of beasts, and the like. In Ur-Aum spirituality, it was the essence of Volk which compelled various intelligent species to tame other creatures rather than just slay them. Likewise, Volk grants power to those who hunt to survive or to fell terrible monsters. In this way does the great hunter symbolize balance in the natural world. To have Volk’s blessing is to likewise be given the guile, strength, and wisdom to uphold this balance. For occultists, one of the most notable spells of this sign is to summon the Hounds of Volk – terrifying beings from beyond the skein of the void, who nonetheless are beloved for their great loyalty and focus.

Oct 24 – Nov 6: Kur-Ana, the Abyssal

Precursor sign of the Anaman race, also known as the Nameless Things. Among the oldest races in the cosmos are the Nameless, who were spawned from the effluvium of entropy produced as a by-product of other life coming into being. Kur-Ana is a reflection of the virtues held within Anamani Annihilism, their sacred theology. To follow the tenets of Kur-Ana is to embrace pain over pleasurable distractions, to not fear the darkness and to feel equal compassion for all things. Some xenodaemonologists of Earth have posited that certain lessons of Annihilism were uncovered and embraced by the precursor cults of certain near-eastern religions, though these are just hypotheses.

Nov 7 – Nov 22: Nammu, of the Oceans

Sign of the oceans and all great waters, from the primordial puddles which later give rise to entire worlds of life, to the astral glaciers which hold within their hearts secrets incomprehensible. Of all the essences in existence, water is among the most powerful. Nammu shares traits with many sea gods of Terran lore, being both a bountiful provider and a bitter destroyer. Those born to Nammu’s sign often hold within them the strength of the sea, along with its deceptive nature.

Nov 23 – Dec 6: Zagaya, the Spear

Avatar of warfare and warriors. Long have been the millennia past since the Ascended have had to stoop to base warfare, but the struggle of conflict is never so far removed from the hearts of sapient beings. Battle is both an addiction, a lust, as well as a necessity at times – when horrors lurk always in the outer dark. Though mortal fighters may often prefer to trust in the strength of their own hands, or the favor of their personal conqueror-gods, Zagaya is always looking down upon them. To be held under Zagaya’s sign is to be a warrior true, even if one is so fortunate as to never know battle in their lifetime.

Dec 7 – Dec 21: Path, the Thunder Bird

Embodied by the lightning bolt, and herald of the storm, Path is a being of pure power and sometimes likened to the Celestial Dragons – most ancient and mighty of the primordial beings which shaped the cosmos. Path brings both destruction and creation, terror and exultation. Though not malevolent, all should be careful when dealing with the Thunder Bird. Those born during the time of Path are likewise noted for their sheer drive and natural ability in all that they do, no matter what stands in their way. Path is also among the mightiest signs to invoke upon Terra, due to our world’s astral positioning, and is considered among the greatest sources from which star-paladins can channel their power.

Dec 22 – Jan 5: Paramis, the Devourer

One of the darkest and most terrifying of the zodiac signs, Paramis is likened to the demons, the void-parasites, and the Hungering Blood. The house of Paramis is death, deception, and conquest. Paramis’ power lays in adaptability, using your opponent’s strengths against them, and always pursuing your own growth and empowerment. Despite this, Paramis is not considered “evil” in the confusing cosmology of the Ur-Aum, given that Paramis is held to be a tester, a tutor, an embodiment of survival, and one of the beings which brings about the end of kalpas. Paramis is also one of the most powerful signs that can be invoked on Earth and is a favorite of the most daring warlocks. To be born under Paramis is to have the will to survive at all costs, to fear nothing, and to crave everything.

[wisdomrays]

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Why Does the Qur'an Not Discuss Scientific Issues That Concern Us Today?: Part 2

In another verse, the development is explained in greater detail, and the distinct phases are emphasized more clearly:

We created man from a quintessence (of clay). Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed. Then we made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood. Then of that clot We made a lump (embryo); then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh. Then We developed out of it a new (distinct, individual) creature (23:12–14)

And

He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness ... (39:6)

These three veils of darkness can now be glossed in detail: the parametrium, miometrium, and the endometrium are three tissues enveloping three water-, heat-, and light-proof membranes (the amnion, corion and the wall of the womb).

• What the Qur'an says about milk and its production: And verily in cattle (too) will you find an instructive sign. From what is from their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it (16:66).

The Qur'an narrates the process in remarkable detail: the partial digestion of food and its absorption, followed by a second process and refinement in the glands. Milk is wholesome and agreeable for people, yet it is a secretion rejected by the cow's body and bloodstream as useless.

• The Qur'an reveals that all things in nature are created in pairs: Glory be to God, who created in pairs all things, of what the soil produces, and of themselves, and of what they know not (36:36).

Thus everything has a counterpart, whether opposite to it or complementary. This is obvious in the case of people, animals, and certain plants. But, what about the pairs in all things … and of what they know not? This may refer to a whole range of inanimate as well as animate entities, subtle forces and principles of nature. Modern scientific instruments confirm that everything does occur in pairs.

• The Qur'an recounts, in its own unique idiom, the first creation of the world and its inhabitants: Do not the unbelievers see that the Heavens and the Earth were joined together (as a single mass), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30).

The Qur'anic account is clear and should not be mixed with the different creation hypotheses put forward by others. It states that every living thing was created of water. The Qur'an does not concern itself with how this unique source of life came into being, but with the fact that the universe is a single miracle of creation. Everything in it is an integral part of that miracle, bears signs that prove it, and is interconnected. The verse emphasizes the vitality and significance of water, which constitutes three-quarters of the mass of most living bodies.

• The sun has a special and significant place in creation. The Qur'an reveals its most important aspects in just four words: And the sun runs its course (mustaqarr) determined for it. That is His decree, the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing (36:38).

In fact, mustaqarr here may mean a determined route in space, a fixed place of rest or dwelling, or a determined route in time. We are told that the sun has a specific orbit and that it moves toward a particular point in the universe. Our solar system, as we now know, is moving toward the constellation Lyra at an almost inconceivable speed (every second we come ten miles closer to that constellation, almost a million miles a day). We also are told that when the sun has finished its appointed task, it will abide by a command and come to rest.

Such words were spoken at a time when people generally believed that the sun made a daily circuit around the Earth.

• Another four-word inspiring and eloquent Qur'anic verse says that the universe is expanding: And the firmament: We constructed it with power and skill, and We are expanding it (51:47–48).

This verse reveals that the distance between celestial bodies is increasing, for the universe is expanding. In 1922, the astronomer Hubble claimed that all galaxies, except the five closest to Earth, are moving further into space at a speed directly proportional to their distance from Earth. Thus, a galaxy one million light years away is moving away at a speed of 168 km/year, one two million light years away at twice that speed, and so on. Le Maître, a Belgian mathematician and priest, later proposed and developed the theory that the universe is expanding. No matter how we express this reality, the Qur'an clearly presents the reality of this expansion.

• The Qur'an indicates various laws of physics, such as attraction and repulsion, rotation and revolution in the universe: God raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see... (13:2)

All celestial bodies move in order, balance, and harmony. They are held and supported in this order by pillars invisible to our eyes. Some of these "pillars" are repulsion or centrifugal force: ... He holds back the sky from falling on earth except by His leave... (22:65).

From this verse, we understand that the heavenly bodies may at any moment collapse on the Earth, but that the All-Mighty does not allow it. This is an instance of the universal obedience to His Word, which in the language of contemporary science is explained as a balance of centripetal and centrifugal forces.

• Qur'anic commentators have considered one verse as a reference to travelling to the moon, which is now a reality: By the moon's fullness! You shall surely travel from stage to stage (84:18–19).

Some earlier commentators understood this verse figuratively, as a reference to one's spiritual life considered as an ascent from one stage to the next, or as a general process of change from one state to another. Later on, Qur'anic interpreters tried to explain it in non-literal terms, for the literal meaning did not agree with what they "knew" about actually travelling such a distance. But in fact, the more appropriate sense of the words following the oath (By the moon!), given the verse's immediate context, is that of really travelling to the moon, whether literally or figuratively.

• The Qur'anic account of the Earth's geographical shape and change in that shape are particularly interesting: Do they not see how We gradually shrink the land from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will be victors? (21:44)

The reference to shrinking from its borders could relate to the now-known fact that the Earth is compressed at the poles, rather than to such earlier believed ideas as the erosion of mountains by wind and rain, of the sea-shores by the sea, or of the desert's encroachment of cultivated lands.

At a time when people generally believed that the Earth was flat and stationary, the Qur'an explicitly and implicitly revealed in several verses that it is round. More unexpectedly still, it tells us that its precise shape is more like an ostrich egg than a sphere: After that He shaped the earth like an egg, whence He caused to spring forth the water thereof, and the pasture thereof (79:30–32).

The Arabic verb daha means "to shape like an egg." The derived noun dahia is still used to mean "an egg." Some interpreters, who might have viewed it as contrary to what they "knew," misunderstood the meaning as "stretched out," perhaps fearing that the literal meaning might be difficult to understand and so mislead. Modern scientists have established that the Earth is shaped more like an egg than a perfect sphere, that there is a slight flattening around the poles, and a slight curving around the equator.

• As a final example, consider what the Qur'an says about the sun and the moon: We have made the night and the day as two signs; the sign of the night We have obscured, while the sign of the day We have made to enlighten you... (17:12)

According to Ibn 'Abbas, the sign of the night refers to the moon, and the sign of the day to the sun. Therefore, from the words the sign of the night We have obscured, we understand that the moon once emitted light and that God took its light from it, thereby causing it to darken or become obscured. While the verse thus accurately recounts the moon's past, it points to the future destiny of other heavenly bodies.

Many other Qur'anic verses are related to scientific facts. Their existence indicates that our quest for knowledge is a portion of Divine Mercy graciously bestowed upon us by our Creator. Indeed, Divine Mercy is one of the Qur'an's names for itself, and all that it contains of truth and knowledge is beyond our ability to relate or to hold in our minds.

We must remember, however, that while the Qur'an contains allusions to many scientific truths, it is not a science textbook. It is a book of guidance leading humanity to right belief and right action so that we may be worthy of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness. Muslims must ensure that the pursuit of scientific and other types of knowledge is guided by the light of the Qur'an, which so encourages and supports it, and not by the spirit of arrogance, insolence, and vainglory. The latter path, that of unbelievers, leads only to the mind's desolation, our own degradation and that of the Earth, our temporary home entrusted to us by God.

[thenationofnidar]

0 PS : The Planar Shift

1599 APS : The end of the last war between Sorashi and Nidar, and the signing of the Welkin Accord

1605 APS : Start of the Illuminated Era

1669 APS : The Superioriate usurps the the Raigents

1670 APS : The establishment of the Sacrarium of Welkin; the Resistance is created

1699 APS : The Awakening of the Statue of Illadel

Before the Planar Shift, before the disappearance of the Creation Gods, there were no mortals as they exist today; creatures and beasts of all shapes and sizes, and a sort of celestial hierarchy consisting of Gods, angels, Devils, and demons, roamed the earth, long before there was anything even remotely resembling a bipedal humanoid. The Creation Gods gifted chosen creatures with similarly godlike abilities, and as the years went on, as creatures evolved, as bipedal lifeforms began to emerge, they turned to worship these beings they saw as all-powerful. At the time of the Planar Shift, when the Creation Gods disappeared without a trace, the “new” gods replaced them as the primary deities of the continuously growing world.

In 1599 APS (After the Planar Shift), the island nations of Sorashi and Nidar signed the Welkin Accord, a treaty of peace between the two countries, thus ending their most-recent war of 5 years. Nidar, deciding the current rule of the King who was wont to start wars with Sorashi was no longer a suitable leader for the shifting tides of the nation, instead chose to implement a democratic commune known as the Raigents-- Representatives of varying origins and from varying towns and cities that were able to be removed should the people who voted them into power see fit. The Raigents held no single capital, and instead moved every five years from city-to-city in order to establish a more balanced sense of government and community.

Following the end of the war, six years later, both nations found themselves in a period of enlightenment, a time where the economy flourished and invention and innovation were celebrated; known as the Illuminated Era, people were encouraged to push themselves and their abilities to the fullest, to go where none had dared before. Widely considered to be the apex of invention was the airship, an ingenious marriage between magic and technology that enabled people to quickly travel between cities, transport cargo, and fly over the wide sea without disturbing the creatures below.

However, not everything was as peaceful as they appeared on the surface; although Nidar had never been more in-tune with its citizens or successful in its governing, a growing group of people who disliked the class and economic equality began to stir-- People who found the superiority they felt over others was not tolerated by the current socio-political climate. Led by a mysterious figure known only as Father Superior, these usurpers calling themselves the Superioriate rose up, managing to storm the then-current Raigent capital of Welkin in 1669 APS. Forcing the Raigents from their position, they installed themselves in seats of power, quickly spreading their new ideology. Where once there were checks and balances, power held as much by the people who voted for their chosen representatives as the representatives themselves, now there was only a monolithic entity, faceless, all-powerful. Numerous wealthy and noble families found themselves at home within the Superioriate’s standings, holding positions of power or simply making a name for themselves and securing their legacies.

The Superioriate stationed themselves on the island city of Welkin, using the city’s docks as a base for their Navy and the nearby peninsula of the mainland as the foundation of their burgeoning religion.

In 1670 APS, the Sacrarium of Welkin had been completed, establishing and finalizing the Superioriate’s new religious wave; the Sacrarium stood as a place of worship for what the Superioriate recognized as the only God, Welkin, while renouncing all other deities of the Pantheonic faith. Believers of the pantheon were denounced as blasphemers and were claimed to deny the truth of the sole God by the Sacrarium of Welkin, which was run by a man known as the Progenitor. This new doctrine of belief dictated that there was only one God, the God Welkin, and where once artwork depicted the deity as a beautiful, multi-colored Couatl, He was now depicted as a human man. The remaining Gods were described to be “lesser” Gods, and their gifts and deeds were attributed to this new form of Welkin.

However, when Pantheonic believers attempted to dispute this, to honor and invoke the names of their chosen deities, they found themselves met with a strange, eerie silence. Where once believers found themselves deeply attuned to their Gods, now they only found an absence, a vacuum of space where their presence once resided. No Planar Shift had occurred, as it had over a millenia ago, when the Creation Gods disappeared into another plane-- Instead, it was as if overnight the Gods simply stopped responding.

The technological advancement that followed the Welkin Accord found itself halted and stifled by the Superioriate, particularly in the town of Lacaust which found itself denied of any governmental support, transforming what was once a hub of creation into a stunted bed of criminal activity and refugees wishing to hide from the ever-watchful eye of the Superioriate. Former Raigents were forced into imprisonment or into hiding, while others found enough comfort, if one could call it that, living on the fringes of their society-- However, there were others who chose to challenge this status quo that was being forced upon them.

By the time of the establishment of the Sacrarium of Welkin, enough frustration with the Superioriate had given birth to a small guerilla resistance; as time went on, the resistance grew into a more unified front, although still consisting primarily of multiple small sects and divisions. It was not led by a single individual, but these smaller groups found kinship with each other in their similar goals of returning Nidar to what life was like in the time of the Raigents. Many members of different walks of life found themselves working together, from varying origins to varying places they called home, from former Raigents to former Superioriates, former military to current criminals-- Those guided by a sense of justice to those guided by a sense of revenge. The Resistance welcomed all, and they continued to grow beneath the skin of the suffocating Superioriate.

Many born after the rise of the Superioriate and the standardization of the worship of Welkin in the many Sacrariums spread across the island know only the world as it is under this rule; although tales of the other Gods have been passed down through the families of those unwilling to bend to the Superioriate’s command, the Gods themselves truly interact little or not at all with those who remain faithful. Some have considered it a slight of the Gods, a punishment for allowing the Superioriate to enact such a monotheistic religion, while others believe this is the result of something far more sinister, a supposed “banishment” of the Gods, which as the believers say, is something that may only be done by another God.

Of the Superioriate’s innumerable deeds, perhaps the ones least talked about are the ones most damaging to the people of Nidar. From hushed whispers about genetic experimentation, the shutdown of the Artificer Warforged Guild and subsequent creation of a government-funded Warforged Corps, reports about the Superioriate Police Force performing raids on suspected Raigent or Resistance sympathizers, the razing of forests and temples in the name of urban development-- To those affected, it is clear that the purported care the Superioriate and Sacrarium holds for the people of Nidar extends only as far as those who either guilelessly or wholeheartedly support them.

[its-innerpeace-blog]

Remembrance/ Zikr of Heart

According to the Quran, all of entire creation bears witness to Allah's Magnificence. Each element and every particle of this universe is a masterpiece of creation and a mar­vellous manifestation of Allah's Greatness. His Glory expresses itself generously and overtly in the multifarious nature of creation. The earth and the heavens, along with their peculiar characteristics, and the creation they sustain, under regular systems and patterns set since the Beginning, contain innumerable signs pointing towards Allah's Greatness. Why then, despite this explicit expression, does the majority of mankind fail to envision His Greatness, feels no attraction towards Him, as well as disregards His authority?

Allah has answered this question Himself, in that it requires a certain level of vision and wisdom to see, understand and correctly interpret these signs; this vision, perception and wisdom is produced by Allah's Zikr. The brain is a material creation, so therefore it can only perceive and address something tangible. It can discover the properties of vari­ous objects and blend them to make something new, i.e., mixing colours to create a rainbow, mixing  different ingredients, even in a specific ratio, to prepare delicious foods. It can arrange bricks and mortar to make beautiful homes, or assemble various parts and invent machines. The brain can discover the needs and realise the comforts of its own body, as well as suggest the means to do so. It can also diagnose diseases of its body and even of itself and recommend their cures. In short, it can address everything that is associated with matter. But it cannot perceive anything beyond the Realm of Creation like the Divine Being, Divine Attributes, or other sublime realities. If the intellect could perceive them, it would be possible for every human being to realise Divine Greatness and there would be no further reason or requirement to depute Prophets.

A human being can attain to any level of material progress and excellence but he can never comprehend the sublime truths of the Transcendent World, such as the Hereafter, Angels, Reward or Retribution. Nor can he answer the most basic questions embedded in his subconscious about his own origin and destination. Where do billions of these people come from and wither do they perish after death? The human intellect simply has no answer! These fundamental issues were discussed only by Prophets who provided their logical and satisfactory answers, easily understood and accepted by the human intellect. Religion most naturally and effectively satiates the whole range of intellectual scrutiny; therefore, Islam is the most natural and logical of religions. But by itself the human intellect cannot discern religion's sublime wisdom and reason without Prophetic bless­ings, which unveil Transcendental truths to be perceived and accepted by the intellect. Only Prophetic lights can establish the human-Lord relationship through His constant Zikr.

It is not possible to fully comprehend the blessings and beneficence of the holy Prophet‑saw. A glimpse of his greatness is reflected in the fact that his company instantly infused Allah's Zikr in each cell of a believer's body. Every drop of blood, every limb and the entire skin of a believer’s body was charged with Allah's Zikr. The Quran describes the condition of his-sawCompanions, “So that their flesh and their hearts soften at Allah's remembrance,” - 39:23. It means that each cell of their bodies, from their outermost skins to the core of their hearts, started remembering Allah. Indeed, it is Allah's Zikr that bestows the vision to observe His greatness in every creation. Just by looking at a prod­uct you can appreciate the wisdom and ingenuity of the designers of cars, watches, houses and other machines; similarly, the lights and blessings of Allah's constant Zikr enlighten the human heart to observe Divine Glory in each straw and particle, the changing of the seasons, the movement of celestial bodies, the rise and fall of nations and all of the events of the world portray different shades of Divine Greatness before mankind. To observe the Creator in creation, however, one should be necessarily blessed with Prophetic beneficence gained through Allah's constant Zikr.

According to the Quran, the miraculous properties of the earth, the sky shading-over without support, the innumerable species of creatures residing within, the alternation of day and night and the unfailing, vast, miraculous universal system, all point towards the greatness of their Creator; but only for the one blessed with wisdom, “Those who constantly remember Allah, standing, sitting or reclining.” A human being will always be in one of these postures. This Divine verse implies that they are always engaged in Allah's Zikr under all conditions, at all times. Religious scholars have thus concluded that the alluded to verse doesn't refer to oral Zikr because the tongue cannot do Allah's Zikr all of the time; it has to translate many other human requirements, besides doing Zikr. Even if somebody doesn't speak a word except Allah's Zikr, his tongue will certainly remain quiet during his sleep. The only organ that can permanently perform Allah’s Zikr is the human heart and only Zikr-e Qalbi (Zikr by the heart) can fulfil the condition of constant Zikr. Once the heart learns Allah's Zikr, it never stops at any time, under any circumstances. During the time of the holy Prophet-saw, a moment of his company was enough to acquire this blessing. His Companions similarly blessed the Taba’in and they in turn passed these blessings to the Tab’a Taba’in. The mere company of these exalted souls was sufficient to transfer this blessing or Barakah to their visitors. No further effort was required to achieve this excellence. However, after this glorious era, the strength of the teacher and absorption of the seeker both decreased. It therefore became necessary, as determined by the Mashaikh (spiritual teachers) that the teacher and the student must sit together. The teacher should perform Zikr on his Lataif and focus the Divine lights attending him, towards the seeker. This process is known as Tawajjuh (spiritual atten­tion). The holy Prophet-saw didn't require giving special, conscious attention to any one. The sun doesn't have to make any effort to deliver its light, a person has only to come out to receive it. Similarly, the holy Prophet-saw didn't have to make any particular effort to give spiritual attention, the seeker had only to come to him to receive Prophetic Barakah. This spiritual power was retained by the Companions, the Taba’in and the Tab'a Taba’in, whereupon ended the period of automatic transfer of these blessings. Now a seeker had to strive hard to acquire them. The teacher and the seeker both engaged themselves in Zikr, the former gave spiritual attention and the latter tried to absorb the Barakah in his heart.

The Mashaikh adopted different methods of Zikr. The method adopted by our Order is called ‘Pas Anfas’ or ‘The Guarded Breath’. Each ingress should carry the word 'Allah' to the core of heart and every egress should bring the word 'Hu' out to strike the heart or the desired Latifah. That would create a rhythm of Allah Hu in every breath. You should however, not try to make these words with the sound of your breath, because the Zikr is not done with the breath. Do take a careful note that we do breathe vigorously, but only perform Zikr with the heart. Zikr is always done with the heart and never with the breath - breathing is one of the means. Now you may ask, ‘If we do Zikr with the heart, then why do we breathe vigorously?’ The reason is simple, the absorption of Divine lights in the blood is directly related to the body’s temperature - cold bodies do not absorb these lights. Someone can give spiritual attention to a dead person and illuminate each cell of his body, but as soon as their attention is withdrawn, all of the lights would be instantly gone - because the body has lost its heat. Similarly is the case of a living person, the heat already present in the body is not sufficient to accept and absorb these lights. If you breathe normally during Zikr, you would require considerable time, probably years, to absorb the lights and illuminate your Lataif. That too, if you engage in constant Zikr and your teacher possesses adequate spiritual power. “The fountain must contain sufficient water to saturate the flowerbed. “

The Owaisiah Order has the closest and most direct connection with the holy Prophet‑saw and enables the seeker to access and absorb unlimited Barakah. Therefore the Mashaikh (spiritual teachers) of this Order have prescribed that the seeker should breathe rapidly and vigorously to generate sufficient heat in the blood to illuminate, not one but all of the Lataif in a single Zikr session. It is not possible to hear Allah Hu in the sound of the breath. We breathe freely and spiritually perceive that each breath is carrying the word Allah inside and bringing the word Hu out. The vigorous breathing, coupled with body movement and mental concentration, generates ideal conditions for the heart's Zikr. Unless these three factors combine rhythmically, one doesn't fully benefit from Zikr. The absurd criticism of ignorant people about our method of Zikr does not merit any consid­eration because such critics do not possess the basic knowledge and comprehension. It requires a thorough knowledge of a subject to fully comprehend its details and to gener­ate meaningful criticism.

I am addressing those who are blessed by Allah's grace and emphasise that Zikr is not done with the breath but by the heart. The breath is drawn in vigorously to generate heat in the blood and complete attention is to be focused on Zikr - that is important. Otherwise you would be physically engaged in Zikr but mentally wandering elsewhere. The rhythm of body movement and along with mental concentration both combine with the heat gen­erated by vigorous breathing to absorb the Barakah of the Shaikh in each cell of the body. For that reason, all distracting acts are prohibited during Zikr. If someone loses concentration or starts coughing or speaking or reciting Quranic verses or poetry during Zikr, the flow of Divine lights is immediately interrupted, therefore, it is extremely important to perform Zikr attentively and silently. One’s entire attention should be focused on the breath taking the word Allah inside and bringing the word Hu out.

I was amazed to hear someone explain the method as, "Raise the word Allah from your heart up to the heavens and strike Hu down on your heart" - this is absolutely wrong! Our Zikr method is very simple, every ingress takes the word Allah inside and every egress brings out Hu to strike the Latifah under Zikr, while vigorous and fast breathing gener­ates heat in the body. At times, one feels disturbed by the heat and coughs or speaks to lessen its effect, while such acts and distractions no doubt reduce the heat, they also decrease the absorption of Divine lights. Heat is necessary to weld pieces of metals like iron and gold or melt them for fusion. Similarly, a certain degree of body heat is required to absorb Allah's lights that actually belong to the Ruh (the Spirit), the body serves only as its abode. Unless the body absorbs these lights, the Ruh cannot be illuminated and conversely, a radiant Ruh lights up the body. It just cannot happen that one of them is bright and the other is dark. They are so intimately united that they always undergo similar experiences. Whenever any member of the Order engages in Zikr in any corner of the world, he instantly starts receiving the spiritual attention (Tawajjuh) of the Mashaikh. Now, it shall be up to him to absorb that Tawajjuh in his Lataif. The more he coordinates his breath, body movement and mental concentration, the greater shall be his absorption and the more he absorbs the greater would be the flow of lights towards him.

That, in brief, is our method of Zikr. Those who hold the Robe of Permission (Sahib-e Majaz) and others who conduct Zikr sessions need most to understand the whole process properly. I have heard them explain different methods based on their own understanding and interpretation. Those who are present should listen carefully and convey to others that we do Zikr with the heart and not with the breath; we breathe quickly to generate heat in the blood to absorb Divine Lights. The mind also joins the process by modulating 'Allah Hu' on every breath, so if the mind is inattentive the capacity of absorption decreases and the desired result is not achieved. It should be understood that reward and inner feelings are two different entities. A person who offers Salah according to its prescribed form at its proper time, even under compulsion and with total absence of mind and heart, will still deserve some Divine reward for fulfilling a religious obligation. But it is an entirely different experience to receive and absorb Divine lights related to this sublime worship. If anyone wants to feel and enjoy the Divine Presence in each moment of his Salah, he shall certainly need to devote greater attention and effort. Similarly, we don't only expect a reward for Allah's Zikr, we also desire a Divine Communion and the Light of His Countenance. We aspire to realise the Divine Presence as stated by the holy Prophet-saw, "Worship Allah as if you see Him.” We want to experience and eternalise the observation of the Divine Beatitude. The person, who doesn't want it, naturally doesn't have to put in any extra effort.

Allah has not ordained any particular method of Zikr, “Those who remember Allah, standing sitting and reclining “ - 3:191. There shall only be one restriction. Any form of Zikr which prejudices any religious injunction or causes any distraction or disturbance for others is not allowed. Except those particularly prohibited by the holy Prophet-saw, all other methods are permitted; nobody has the right to object to any of these. The Mashaikh of various Orders adopted different methods considering their relative usefulness in the light of their experiences. It is not proper to criticise any method that remains within the prescribed limits of Shari‘ah. We have no right to criticise others and similarly, nobody has the right to criticise us. It is necessary to criticise and stop anyone who crosses the religious limits under the pretext of Zikr but it is highly improper to object for the sake of objection. We are not obliged to satisfy such critics, nobody has the time and energy to tell and teach someone who doesn't want to know and learn.

Avoid such frivolity and devote your full attention to Zikr by your heart. Concentration, breathing and body movement should be rhythmically combined. Allah should accompany each in-coming breath to the depths of the heart and Hu should strike the Latifah under Zikr with each out-going breath, that is a simple way to explain our method of Zikr. Don't lose your attention or go to sleep during Zikr, that also precludes beneficence and interrupts the flow of Barakah. Do the Zikr attentively, vigorously; with speed and force, greater absorption would attract far greater blessings.

May Allah be with you and protect you. Ameen!

[heartofbarbelo]

A New Day

After much meditation and contemplation (and days spent on the Janite website) I have decided to convert to the Deanic faith. 

I consider myself a Sophian Deanist. This could be considered an independent/’blended path’, though I am mostly inspired by the Janite tradition, but I am discarding all of the patriarchal and heteronormative language and ideas that I held as a Christian and a Gnostic. What remains I have found closely parallels the beliefs that are compatible with Deanism and the lessons of the Daughter found in the Filianic Scriptures. 

The Gospel of Our Mother is one of the only religious texts, with the possible exception of the Dhammapada (which can be used in secular context), that I feel I can read with utter comfort and agreement. I do not have to dig deep in something that might sound offensive or aggressive to find a spiritual meaning; I know this is fulfilling religious practice for some, but in my current mental state I am tired of feeling the need to cherry pick or ‘read between the lines’. That is not to say the Filianic Scriptures are too simple or lack esoteric depth - I think there is a treasure trove of spiritual insight to be found in these pages - but there is no passage I’ve found so far that could inspire someone to discriminate or harm someone else. The message is clear on every page; we are all children of Our Mother, loved by Her, and called to love each other.

In a recent post I mentioned discarding my Gnostic belief about Sophia accidentally creating the seven archons; the malevolent rulers of the Universe. In an attempt to discover their holy equivalent, I came across the Seven Lower Sefirot of Kabbalah, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the Seven Titans of Eurynome - but I was always lead back to the Seven Janati. It was if they were calling me to know them, all of them offering out a hand of support, each one a different face of Dea Sophia. With them I feel aided to wrestle against the Archons in every day life, though now I see said Archons as parallel to the seven daughters of the Dark One. There is a balance now that I could not find in Gnosticism. I feel excited by the prospect of coming to know each Jana on a personal level, as I have with Sophia for so man years.

What held me back from properly converting before was the prospect of bringing my belief of the Father and Son into a religion centred on the Mother as the Supreme Creatrix. Even though the Janite tradition accepts those who still believe in the Father God, I felt that personally Deanism should remain a safe space for those wanting to focus only on the Divine Feminine and didn’t wish to spoil that. But that is all rather moot now as I don’t feel the same connection to the Divine Masculine as I once did. I believe that Male/Masculine interpretations of the Divine are valid and exist as much as the Feminine, which is where I may disagree with Orthodox Deanists, but I no longer feel he is a part of my personal faith. I do not see the Father as a consort or counterpart to the Mother, rather he is another way of looking at Her, and the same goes for the Son in regards to the Daughter. I cannot say that I am finally seeing the “true faces” of God for everyone, and never would, but I these are the faces and interpretations that feel right for me.

I am still a Perennialist. I don’t believe in or claim to know the One True Religion. I don’t think I am any closer to that truth before with Deanism than I was Christianity; only more comfortable. To quote Reza Aslan, I see all religion as a language used by humans to connect with God. And that God, being Divine, is incomprehensible by human understanding, but we all connect with God differently as She calls us to Her. I believe I am being called to recognise God as the Divine Feminine alone; as Great Mother, Daughter and Mother Spirit. But this does not mean I believe the Father or Son or Divine Masculine does not exist on another spiritual level - but they are no longer a part of my religious practice or Godhead. 

As noted, my names for the Sophian Trinity remain as opposed to the traditional Deanic Trinity - but the meaning is still the same. The Great Mother / Barbelo, remains as the first mystery and source of all things. Unlike the other two, She cannot be anthropomorphised or have Her true name revealed (Barbelo itself is a mystery, an adverb, rather than just a name), but all can know Her as the Mother of all things, the Creatrix. After Her comes Sophia, the Genetrix, the Celestial Mother who can be known to Her children. From a Sophian perspective, She may also be called the Mother Spirit or Holy Bride - as She is the link between the Great Mother and all living beings, She is the assumption of our souls. I know the idea of being ‘wedded to God’ is not found in Deanism, as far as I’m aware, but it is a ritual I have already performed and do not wish to break. The Holy Daughter I will also continue to know as Zoe. My belief in Her sacrifice, coming from a Gnostic background, is more in line with the Janite perspective - that Her sacrifice meant the shattering of Her soul into creation, ensuring a part of Her resides in every living thing. I no longer believe in the necessary intervention of a masculine saviour - but rather that the Logos is a gift of Sophia aided to empower the sparks of the Daughter that are inside every one of us. 

I also feel that, running with Sophia’s Grecian theme, I will refer to the Janati by their Greek names in my personal practice. 

Apologies to any of my followers who followed me for being a Gnostic / Esoteric Christian blog. I still plan to reblog and be interested in what happens in the Christian community, as I will always feel a cultural tie to my first religion, as well as one that has such a huge influence on the world. I will always love Yeshua, but as I have done for years - as an enlightened spiritual teacher, rather than a divine figure. I believe he and many others are a good example of what it means to a true Child of Dea (no matter what gender he identified Her with). And yes, I am and will always be a huge Magdalene devotee. She remains my personal human avatar of the Holy Daughter (not to be confused with the idea of her being Sophia incarnate). 

To be honest, for myself, it doesn’t feel like too much is changing. Rather a lot of beliefs I already had feel easier to behold after letting go of a lot of unnecessary religious baggage. I no longer feel like I’m trapped in a world ruled by dark, false gods and hoping to go home - but rather She is with me and Her world is beautiful. I feel like I’ve been lost in a forest of thorns and now they’ve retreated back to show the bright path before me. 

I believe that I am created from before the dawn of time By the Eternal One, Madria Dea. I believe that She is One and there are none beside Her, And I believe that She is also Three.

I believe in the Celestial Mother, She Who is Pure Light; The Creatrix of the Earth and of the Heavens, And of all the infinite cosmos. And I believe in Her Holy Daughter, born of the Celestial Mother; She Who rules all the energies of Creation, Whose Nature is Perfect Love.

And I believe that there is She, Who stands beyond these Two, Whose Name has not been spoken upon this Earth; For She is the Beginning and the End,

The First Principle and the Final Cause, The unoriginated Origin of being; The Great Mother of all that is and all that is not; She, Who Is.

I believe in the Seven Janati, the Seven Great Powers of Dea. I believe that they are the Living Streams of Virtue who flow from the Mother and that together, these Living Streams form the River of Life.

And I believe that I was made a perfect creature, and I believe that at the dawn of time, my soul did turn from the Perfection of existence, that I may know of the other things, for many things I did not know. And thus I gathered infirmity in my sovereign will; I believe that through this choice, I needs must suffer the limitation of imperfect being, to learn and know the other things, for I believe within Her Divine Will, the darkness must be known to truly know the Light, And the Dark beyond the light.

And I believe that all Her Will might Be, that the Daughter of Eternity gave Herself to be cast down into darkness. I know that She rose from that darkness, triumphant, and reigns as Queen of Heaven. I know that through Her Shattering, the fault of my soul shall perish, And I know that through Her triumphant Life, My souls shall rise renewed in Her Perfection; That I may return to Eternal Communion with the Eternal One, Madria Dea, In the Completion of the Wholeness of Her Will.

Blessed be the Lady and all Her children.

[atrayo]

Jewels of Truth Statements and Favorite Quotes of the Month

Hello All, Now that I have a moment's breath I wanted to share a trio of "Jewels of Truth" statements channeled via the angels just yesterday. They'll be on the topics of our "Angelic Spirit of God" versus our perceived human embodied spirit as ghosts. The next one is "Spiritual Energetic Healing" be it Reiki, Therapeutic Healing Touch, Theta Healing, Quantum Touch and so forth as forms of spiritual healing. Lastly, is a heavy-duty topic of "Do No Harm" meaning a metaphysical perspective of karmic consequences of violence upon the world. All of the above took me around 2 hours to channel via longhand writing which is my preferred manner as an angelic channeler. May you find them intriguing even if you disagree with the premise it'll expand your mental horizons, to say the least. Angelic Spirit of God: 2797) All that you have surmised "Ivan the Atrayo" is accurate in so far no one Human person upon death has a plain Human spirit. The spiritual ghostly entity itself may be convinced it is a human apparition. But that again is ignorance and showcases the utmost lack of spiritual development of that soulful Child of God upon eternity. Every lifeform upon Creation as a reincarnation of the Macro Soul of God as a Singularity of Absolute Hope. It is actually an Angelic Spirit of God times Infinity. As reborn specks of the Creator of the Totality of the Alpha and the Omega simultaneously. No spirit is ever what it seems upon physical birth as a reincarnated endpoint. It is like one is saying when one wears X brand name of clothing as an example. That you belong to that clothing manufacturer as its solemn property. Far from it! Each of you are darling creatures be you as people and all of Mother Nature herself as to its native reincarnated inhabitants. As the angels in various eternal/infinite degrees of soulful evolution period. A human spirit is a non-sequitur each of you are Angelic spirits of God(dess). As he/she/it was the Original Macro Supreme Angelic Template upon Creation! Hallelujah!   ---Ivan Pozo-Illas / Atrayo. Spiritual Energetic Healing: 2798) All spiritual healing modalities belong to the identical corpus of rejuvenation of the Divine Holy One within to be awakened again. Such a spiritual awakening is meant to reset the doldrums of the human condition of the human physical body and the spirit mind/heart interface. To perturb the divine flow of a blessed life is to allow the tide in a running over capacity spiritually as divine energetic truths. The Intelligence of this energy metaphysically is none other but the direct application of the Immaculate Essence of God as the Lord/Lady Supreme God(dess) of all Creation(s) combined! The practitioners of Xyz of any spiritual healing energetic modality is given the Keys to the Kingdom of God. As the gift of Life even in a temporal manner. It is with such a pinnacle responsibility that the healer must develop this gift of God as a living grace of the Creator itself. As is its essence manifest wholly and completely upon the world again by faith. To be in this role isn't for the faint of heart nor should it be scoffed at as a curiosity. Those capable that are taught any of a near dozen-plus of energetic healing modalities and do nothing with it is a travesty indeed. It is a case of throwing pearls before swine that doesn't appreciate such a Power of Healing metaphysically. Even if it was a selfish endeavor of such a personal practice just to heal thyself as a solitary. That is way better than allowing such a delicate compassionate calling to go nowhere unapproached and undiscovered fully. It is the folly of men and woman that are given a thunderbolt of the angelic gods of the Heavens. To only toss it away akin to an unrecognized grace in action completely and thoroughly upon the world. A shame verily we say. However, all others that develop this Grace of God(dess) no matter if the pace is anemic with several false starts. The intention is noble nonetheless and deserves careful merit in exploring your Inheritance of God upon the world as Heaven on Earth par excellence! Be not fickle Children of God! Do begin taking responsibility for your grace with faithful actions. As the Angels reborn upon this deeply Ancient Eternal Infinity, you label as Creation. Amen. ---Ivan Pozo-Illas / Atrayo. Do No Harm: 2799) With all that has been stated prior to; "Thou Shalt Not Kill" upon the Judaic Commandment. However, the particulars are various degrees of understanding that merit further exploration spiritually speaking. Yes, one must slaughter all manner of lesser creatures including plants. As vegetation for nourishing harvests of the very human condition of a livelihood. But to still honoring that channel of grace that has blessed your physical form directly. Meaning to honor and bless that lifeform with the inherited Spirit of God equally upon them as your humanity upon this world and the next to come. A simple invocation as a prayer and/or a blessing can suffice with an open heart without forcing the act of a shared inclusive divinity upon Creation. All the rest that can lead to violence especially a barbaric species such as humanity that relishes cultivating Hell on Earth by corrupt agendas usually. Must refrain from violence if at all possible be it physical and certainly psychological. In all sincerity, each of you as entity souls of God reborn times Infinity are specks of the Holy of Holies. A continuation of the Divine "I Am" as a Constant Loop of Absolute Life and Death in cyclical dynamics you call as karmic. One speck of God to lash out and destroy another speck of God through hateful violence is beyond Blasphemy. It is an act of Apostasy of an Infidel knowingly and unknowingly all the same. Fortunately, there is Absolute Immaculate Mercy and Forgiveness by the Macro God Force Totality of the Supreme One Forever! However, as goes the Original Enlightened One as Omniscient as every entity reincarnated as a baby Spirit of God reborn. Must lay claim to this perfect mercy and forgiveness by free will without coercion unconditionally and in total sincerity. Short of this each of you will be forced to relive as victims of your original aggressions karmically speaking. Be it within this Identical lifetime where the transgressions took place or in the next rebirth of your Immortal soul upon Creation. To be forgiven isn't a hall pass out of Hell, however. It only clears your temporary record upon the Book of Life for a verse or three. As the devout supplicant under supervision by an Angel of Mercy, you must release that karmic debt responsibly. By being a blessing of like-kind to another victim and/or predator upon your world. As an example of what not to do turning your pain into a consecrated form of angelic wisdom with applied graceful actions. This provides a permanent release from the transgressions once incurred as it was recorded by the Omnipotent All-Knowing Supreme Forgiving God automatically. This is truly considered a form of Teaching Enlightenment to the former reincarnated spirit of God upon the Celestial Universe. Do unto others as I have done unto you as "Jesus the Christos" stated upon the Book of Matthew 7:12 of antiquity. Goes without saying in this solemn regard for all to see that has vision and hear deeply that has heart. Yes, the human condition can be a barbarous realm as a living Hell on Earth. This is on purpose and by metaphysical design to separate the Blessed Children of God from the Damned Children of God directly. Those that choose by free will to devolve into demonic forms just to survive upon the Earth plane have been deceived by appearances. Faith with actions even if it is Herculian in feats accomplished is the best medicine to overcome the world every time. All Terrian marshall forces be one police of the peace and soldiers, seaman, airman, and spaceman to come of any sovereign nation that was, is, and will be again. Must avoid outright destruction of another lifeform of one's own species and of any other as collateral damage in the scope of your missions. This may sound deeply ludicrous and oxy-moronic from your animalistic perspectives to your collective minds. You may continue to Protect and Service as defensive units in regards to subduing, arresting, and detaining lawfully. Please refrain from maiming and killing the guilty and the innocent alike. Many global Asian spiritual principles are coupled with this fundamental understanding when martial arts are taught responsibly. Accidental killings and/or maiming without premeditation is far better than outright wanton unhinged destruction of another person as a solemn spirit of God. Even here an accidental death or maiming by your actions must be coupled by a penitent heart indeed. To make it right again by whatever justified means that is compassionately noble and permissible. By the cultural society in situ and the sovereign State by all means possible. Those as conscientious objectors that fear for their livelihoods in disobeying what is otherwise a lawful order of your chain of command. Must transfer out to another station that isn't in direct opposition to the Will of God metaphysically speaking. Suicide here isn't an option only endurance to persevere in spite of the injustice confronted as madness upon this world. Do what you can humanely well and beseech for greater mercies to reach your predicament by the sake of providence. This may sound trivial but it is not. This avoids the reincarnated spirit of God from having to tackle this travesty upon the afterlife directly. As a forgiven penalty when making amends upon the world for commissions of violence. Do No Harm makes each of you stewards of the Garden of Eden. In conjunction as physicians of the Macro Soul of God to heal thyself and each other as the macro Angels reborn upon this mundane version of totality. Yes, it is very hard at times living a pacifist lifestyle in the Image and Likeness of God upon the world. The rewards are instant in terms of averted psychological wounds incurred. Aside from the rewards of Infinite Grace as Heaven on Earth even before gaining perfect heaven upon the afterlife. Amen.  ---Ivan Pozo-Illas / Atrayo. The light of a single candle can dispel the darkness of a thousand years. ---Joseph Goldstein. There are opportunities even in the most difficult moments.  ---Wongari Maathai. No matter where life takes you, the place that you stand at any moment is Holy Ground. Love hard, and love wide and love long and you will find the goodness in it. ---Susan Vreeland. When forgiveness is your path and love is your reason for being alive at all, and awakening is burning in your heart, then gratitude is never far away. ---Jeff Foster. It takes courage to break through the masks we have co-constructed and speak from the truth of our hearts. ---Terry Patten. In times of turmoil and danger, gratitude helps to steady and ground us. It brings us into presence and our full presence is perhaps the best offering we can make to our world. ---Joanna Macy. Life is not about "Or". It is about "And". It is magical and messy. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking. It is delight and disappointment. Grace and grief. Exquisite and excruciating, often at the exact same time.  ---Kristi Nelson. Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 24 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant Inspired automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan is the author of the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work are available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 14 years plus online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact Atrayo directly.

[waiting-draft]

Maybe One Day

When there is beauty in every single thing but not the eye needed to become aware of it.

Zero

Beauty, whether it was the inner or the outer kind, possessed the mysterious ability to hide in what people do not notice in their hurry; to grow in places unknown to the conscious mind that was so convinced it knew everything there was to know it stopped learning; to bloom like a delicate flower during times the soul looked in the opposite direction. And yet, as unnoticed as it may be, it secretly found its way into every entity, no matter how small or brief. However, in order to spot it, to get mesmerized by it in a way that words failed to describe, it had to be appreciated. So that was what she did.

She appreciated.

 One

Pleasant silence filled every corner of the glorious library, the sunlight falling through the panels of crystal-clear glass to gently cover the antique bookcases it touched. A colourful wave of books rested on top of every wooden, polished shelf, each of its kind containing a story like no other, ready to enchant those who are yet to discover them. This place was where the human mind could temporarily escape the frightful claws of the cage called reality, drowning in the vivid worlds beautifully created since the very first page without ever wanting to leave; where the unreal seemed to surpass the real in every imaginable way, until, in the farthest corner of the library, the distance almost greater than the capability of the sense of sight, her eyes fell upon the most breathtaking, indescribable, stunning boy in the city, actually, scratch that, in the entire world, and this was the moment she knew. 

She didn’t even understand why. If it was gentleness he radiated, or if it was the peace he seemed to embody. She honestly didn’t understand. She only knew that she was willing to wait for him for infinity and beyond.

    Two

The calm peace that felt like stargazing in the middle of the night without a care. The soothing sound of branches gently swaying in the breeze like waves tenderly caressing the coast. These were things that went unnoticed every time she entered the enormous library of her High School, her eyes longingly wishing to land upon the boy who she has never been aware of up until now, and, no matter how many times she occupied her mind with the question, she could never understand why. There has been no major change in her environment, in fact, it stayed the exact same, so why, someone please enlighten her, does it feel like the celestial gates to paradise are being opened for her the moment the soft sound of the boy chuckling to himself reaches her ears?  

 Three

Lately, she found herself visiting the library more often then she initially intended to. Thinking about it, instead of her making conscious decisions with concrete goals set in mind, it felt like she was being magically drawn to the source of her recent inexpressible fascination. If he had been here during her absence today?, she kept wondering, her delicate cheeks showing a light tint of pink, her eyebrows that were partially covered by her silky bangs slightly furrowed, as she absent-mindedly continued the task of sorting all different kinds of books and write their labels down on paper and glue it to them on the wooden shelves. Yes, nobody forced her to do it, yes, she could have just said no when the elderly librarian politely asked for help even though she would have to deal with a terribly bad conscience afterwards, but, considering the little amount of free time she possessed, why did it have to be this day and hour? She internally let out an exhausted sigh, and suddenly, when she slowly lifted her head to inspect the bookcase in front of her, she unexpectedly spotted the boy, sitting in the most remote corner of the library like usual, being intensely immersed in his book like usual, simply just being there, and suddenly she forgot all reason to complain.

    Four

Pure, glistening snow crystals rested on her long, dark hair as she wordlessly stood in front of the school gates, bringing her hands together in front of her chest so the tiny snow flakes could land on her palms as they kept falling from the clouded yet shining sky, majestically covering the entire city. Standing outside in the depths of winter may not seem like the smartest idea, but right now, she was enjoying herself too much to care. With a fond smile on her face, she admired the way they effortlessly turned her normally loud, hectic and sleepless hometown into a simply remarkable piece of art. The faint sound of footsteps put an end to the short moment of appreciation. Slightly tilting her face to the side to find the source of the steps, she could make out two tall figures in the distance and, after looking so closely that she might as well become an eagle, she felt her heartbeat skyrocketing upon the sight of the soft blonde hair of the boy who just never seemed to leave her mind. However, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared without having ever really been near, and she was left imagining how it would be if maybe one day, they would admire the snow flakes together.  

 Five

A crush.

Quietly inhaling the mild smell of the Earl Grey Tea she just prepared for herself, she put her hands around the simple yet pretty mug and let the warmth spread to her palms as she remembered the - at least to her - special day when she first saw him. The memory of the time suddenly stopping for a few seconds, the dim sunlight somehow increasing in brightness, her body having completely forgotten how to move was so incredibly vivid it might as well have happened yesterday. So that was why they took the overwhelming feeling of her heart bursting without warning and decided to call it a crush. Because it didn’t knock on a door asking for permission before entering, no, it just tore the entire door down along with the walls, no matter how sturdy they had been. It may be beyond her control, but she wasn’t sure she didn’t like it. Actually, she could even sense her rosy lips sneakily forming a smile as warm as her hands. That day, she spent her afternoon sipping on her tea and having her mind wander to her crush.

Her first crush.

  Six

As usual, she sat alone at the table next to the long row of windows despite the huge cafeteria being filled with students, some of them attending the same classes as her. It wasn’t that her surroundings disliked her or anything like that, she even overheard freshmen excitedly whispering about how they wanted to approach her once, many have treated her with nothing but respect and kindness, which she of course happily returned. She felt comfortable enough to hold and initiate conversations, but not to form deep and long-lasting bonds, so she quickly learned to be content with her own company, an ability she supposedly mastered a long time ago. Yet she couldn’t help but turn around when she heard her crush laughing heartily from the table next to her, the softness in his voice immediately lifting her mood. It made her happy to just hear him being happy, and she wondered how much happier she would be if maybe one day, he would laugh because of her.

 Seven

Surprised. Blessed. Grateful. No word had been invented that completely and accurately described her emotions after the librarian had nicely asked her to sort the books belonging to the fantasy category, a genre which was found in the last bookcases of her recently beloved library and contained a variety of unique universes so vast one could spend days listing all the magical creatures and stories the authors wonderfully brought to paper. Now that she was presented with the extremely rare opportunity to minimize the seemingly impossible to overcome distance between her and him just for a while, she took it without hesitation. With her body turned to the shelves but her eyes always wandering towards the boy just a few steps away from her, she couldn’t help but admire the way his golden blonde hair gracefully reflected the light with every subtle motion, the way his beautifully shaped eyes blue like the ocean - it was the first time she could see them properly - were locked on the words printed inside the novel he was carefully yet firmly holding. Everything about him created an aura so peaceful and calm it was almost ethereal, and she felt like she was being drawn in by a mysterious force she couldn’t identify. But apparently she wasn’t the only one.

    Eight

For the very first time, the boy didn’t spend his day in the library reading all by himself like he always does. For the very first time, he was approached by a female sophomore, her chestnut-colored bangs long enough to cover her eyes, but not enough to hide her reddened cheeks. The nervousness in her shaking voice was something that couldn’t be missed as she bravely told the visibly surprised boy that she had been planning to talk to him for weeks because he was the most beautiful person she has ever laid eyes on - okay but honestly, who would disagree with that? - and that she would like to go on a date with him. Upon hearing the sophomore’s words, Shironumi was suddenly overcome with the urge to increase the distance again, feeling a painful sting in her chest which she desperately tried to ignore. How much courage it must have taken for the other girl to have asked him that, what a blessing it must be to be liked by someone willing to put aside their pride and fear of rejection in order to be with someone. She had just hoped that maybe one day, it would be her having the privilege of being by his side.

 Nine

The normally relaxed atmosphere in the library has turned incredibly tense within seconds, the answer to the confession had yet to be given. It was probably going to be a yes. During the months the boy had regularly visited the library he had given off nothing but positive energy, and her intuition, which had never made a mistake before, told her that he owned a kind soul. This was why her jaw was about to drop to the carpeted floor the moment he parted his lips to tell the girl that he was sorry, but he wasn’t going to go out with her, causing his admirer to stutter an apology and hurry out the door. At a loss of words, Shironumi watched him quietly whisper the word‘beautiful ‘ in disbelief before proceeding to continue reading his book, making her heart drop even faster than her jaw internally did the minute before. Just how exactly was it possible for this amazing person who had a laugh that could instantly lead to world peace to not be aware of how amazing they are? Letting out a small sigh, she returned to her task of sorting the books by number while wishing that maybe one day, he would think of himself the way she thought of him.

   Ten

If she had learned one thing from the sophomore during the confession a few days ago, it was that in order to avoid dreams remaining dreams, action had to be taken. As nerve-wracking as her plan was, as much as she wanted to keep admiring her crush from afar, somebody who was beautiful should recognize of their inner and outer beauty and if she could help at least a little bit, the intense nervousness she was experiencing right now and the trembling of her legs would be more than worth it. A little bit unsure, she dropped her gaze to the small piece of paper in her hands, considering rewriting the ‘poem’ she spent hours creating last night, but decided against it in the end because she meant every single word she wrote.

to the boy who makes time stop,

to the boy who embodies gentleness and peace wherever he goes,

to the boy who makes the sun shine brighter,

to the boy who has the most beautiful laugh, really

You deserve to know your worth.

Damn, was she being embarrassing. What happened to keeping her romantic side a secret? Noted and thrown out the window, apparently. At least she didn’t write down her name, or she might as well have told him everything directly. She glanced at the elegant, compared to the rest of the library modern clock on the black wall behind the librarian who was absent-mindedly going through some documents. About ten minutes remained before he would enter this place she has grown to love and pick one of the many books the library was home of before sitting down on the couch to do what he always did. Taking in a deep breath and making sure nobody was watching her - not that many people visited this place anyway -, she slowly approached his reading place, inspecting the white table in front of her and the couch for a second before laying her, uh, letter, poem, whatever it was, on top of it. After having carried out her plan, she clumsily threw her bag over her shoulder and went home as she had already completed her task today, thinking about how much of a relief it would be if maybe one day, she could say everything she was feeling out loud.

   Eleven

The next morning, she not only managed to oversleep and make the teachers glance at her in confusion from time to time, she also could barely follow the lessons as well. Thanks to her oh so great nervousness and her tendency to over-think her actions, she did not get a minute of sleep last night. Maybe her letter came off as creepy, she had thought while rolling around in her bed, maybe I shouldn’t have done that. Quickly shaking her head, she refused to wallow in self-pity as she only had good intentions while writing her message.

Due to her zoning out and almost bumping into the group of freshmen who had always wanted to talk to her during walking through the hallways, it took her longer than usual to arrive at the library, but as soon as she did, she immediately sensed an unfamiliar change in atmosphere, causing her heartbeat to become more rapid in the negative kind of way. The positions of the bookshelves stayed the same, the sound of branches being moved by the wind in the background could still be heard, everyone who regularly came here was present as well.

Everyone except for him.

“Shironumi?”The librarian’s friendly voice brought her back to the present as she felt the elderly woman’s warm hand on her tense right shoulder. “A certain young man wanted me to give you this.”She put a small piece of paper that has been folded twice onto her hand before distancing herself with a faint smile on her face.

Shironumi didn’t move as she stared at the object in her hand. Or rather, she was too scared to. After finally having gathered enough courage, after what felt like an eternity, she carefully unfolded the paper, her heartbeat drowning out everything around her.

To the girl who adds infinite value to definite time,

To the girl with a heart bigger than the sky,

To the girl who holds the stars in her eyes,

To the girl who has the most breathtaking smile, really

Thank you.

And during that moment filled with pleasant silence and comfort, she realised that maybe one day wasn’t as far away as she thought it was.

[wisdomrays]

WHAT DOES THE QURAN SAY ABOUT SCIENCE?

The Qur'an was revealed to make us aware of the Creator, affirm that He is known through His creation, direct us to belief and worship, and order individual and social life so that we attain happiness in both worlds. Today, many Muslims pursue science to obtain a better understanding of Him and His creation. Keeping this in mind, consider the following Qur'anic allusions to scientific facts:

Soon We shall show them Our signs on the furthest horizons, and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is truth. Is it not enough that your Lord witnesses all things? (41:53)

Our thinking and research affirms the Creator's Oneness, as the true nature and interrelationship of microcosm and macrocosm are further disclosed and better understood. Scientists seem to be very close to proving this Divine truth. Even now we feel that soon we shall hear and understand creation's testimonies and praises to God, as mentioned in 17:44.

O humanity, if you doubt the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like cloth, then out of a lump of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (what We will) to you... (22:5)

We created man from a quintessence (of clay). Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed. Then we made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood. Then of that clot We made a lump (embryo); then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh. Then We developed out of it a new (distinct, indi-vidual) creature. (23:12“14)

He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness ... (39:6)

These three veils of darkness are the parametrium, miometrium, and the endometrium, three tissues enveloping three water-, heat-, and light-proof membranes (the amnion, corion, and the womb's wall).

In cattle will you find an instructive sign. From what is from their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it (16:66)

The Qur'an details this process: food's partial digestion and absorption, followed by a second process and refinement in the glands. Milk is wholesome and agreeable for people, yet is rejected by the cow's body and bloodstream as useless.

Glory be to God, who created in pairs all things, of what the soil produces, and of themselves, and of what they know not. (36:36)

We know that people, animals, and certain plants have counterparts. But what about the pairs in all things and of what they know not? This may refer to a whole range of inanimate and animate entities, subtle forces, and principles of nature. Science confirms that everything occurs in pairs.

Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and Earth were joined together (as a single mass) before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30)

Every living thing was created of water. What is important here is that the universe is a single miracle of creation, not how life came about. Everything in it is an integral part of that miracle, bears signs that prove it, and is interconnected. The verse emphasizes water's vitality and significance.

The sun runs its course (mustaqarr) determined for it. That is His de-cree, the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing. (36:38)

In fact, mustaqarr here may mean a determined orbit in space or time, a fixed place of rest or dwelling. Thus the sun has a specific orbit, moves to-ward a particular point, and will rest when its task is finished. Such words were spoken at a time when people thought the sun orbited Earth.

The firmament: We constructed it with power and skill, and We are expanding it. (51:47“48)

This verse reveals that the distance between celestial bodies is increasing, for the universe is ex-panding. In 1922, the astronomer Hubble claimed that all galaxies, ex-cept the five closest to Earth, are moving further into space at a speed directly proportional to their distance from Earth. Le Ma tre, a Belgian mathematician and priest, later proposed and developed the theory that the universe is expanding.

God raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see... (13:2)

All celestial bodies move in order, balance, and harmony. They are held and supported in this order by invisible pillars, known to science as the balance of centripetal and centrifugal forces: He holds back the sky from falling on earth except by His leave... (22:65)

By the moon's fullness, you shall travel from stage to stage (84:18“19)

Some earlier commentators thought that this described one's spiritual ascent or a process of change. Later Qur'anic interpreters thought that it could not be taken literally. But given the context, this really means travelling to the moon, whether literally or figuratively.

Do they not see how We gradually shrink the land from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will be victors? (21:44)

The reference to shrinking could reflect Earth's being compressed at the poles, rather than to such earlier theories as the erosion of mountains by wind and rain, of the sea-shores by the sea, or of the desert's encroach-ment of cultivated lands. The Qur'an's depiction of Earth as egg-shaped (79:30-32) is also borne out by science.

We have made the night and the day as two signs; the sign of the night We have obscured, while the sign of the day We have made to enlighten you... (17:12)

According to Ibn Abbas, the sign of the night refers to the moon, and the sign of the day to the sun. Therefore, from the words the sign of the night We have obscured, we understand that God removed the moon's ability to emit light, thereby causing it to darken or become obscured. While the verse thus accurately re-counts the moon's past, it points to the future destiny of other heavenly bodies.

The Qur'an, although it contains many more such allusions, must not be considered a science textbook. Its only purpose is to guide us to right belief and right action. We must ensure that it, and not our arrogance, insolence, and vainglory, directs our pursuit of knowledge.

When modern science agrees with the Qur'an

Science is the language that most people speak and understand today. Thus Muslims should be well-versed in it to refute the claims of materialists and atheists. The Qur'an encourages us to pursue such knowledge, provided that we seek only to earn God's good pleasure and ensure understanding among the people.

Moreover, how can the eternal and unchanging Qur'an be proven by science, which is subject to change? Science only serves to awaken sleeping or confused minds. It cannot establish the truths of faith in our conscience, for faith comes only by Divine guidance. Our faith, not our knowledge, makes us believers. Objective and subjective evidence must eventually be dropped, so that we can make spiritual progress by following our heart and conscience within the Qur'an's light and guidance.