1. Dr. M. Omar July 2012, Orlando www.islamfromwithin.net Contemplating the Quran in Ramadan-1 Particles Awaken to Presence Transform your life workshop series Inspired by Treatise on the Movement of Particles, authored by B. Said Nursi. See: Nursi, Words, 30 th Word.

2. The aim of these workshops is From blind-faith or Muslim as an ID tag to confirmation From saying “I witness the unity of God” to actually witnessing the unity of God From memorizing religion to reality based inner transformation From imagining “God up there” to knowing and communicating with my Creator who is actually witnessed paradigm shift

3. Aiming for the Prophetic Path of Transformation Muhammad (p): “The utmost beauty (Ihsan) is to worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, to be aware that He sees you ” to become certain of God’s Unity: through confirming belief by personal witnessing/experience This is the secret of pain-free inner transformation

4. Listening to the Speech of God in Ramadan through the meaningful universe Let us reflect on the movement of minute particles

5. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ And yet, they who are bent on denying the truth assert, “The Last Hour will never come upon us!” Say: “Yes, by my Sustainer, it will, by Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception!” Not a particle ’s weight [of whatever there is] in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge ; and neither is there anything smaller than that or larger, but is all recorded in a clear record” (Quran 34:3)

6. “Not a particle’s weight [of whatever there is] in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge” Movement of particles (or anything smaller than that, or larger) is coming into existence through Absolute Divine Intelligence Absolute Divine Knowledge Absolute Divine Power Is it so?

7. Quran’s main premise is to introduce reality! What is reality? How can we define it? Things are happening in front of my eyes… How are they coming into being?

8. Quran asserts that reality can only be defined as: In the name of God ( bismi Allah )… Every being comes into existence through the Source who possesses the necessary qualities What does this mean ?

9. It means: I cannot explain any thing any moment any movement in the universe without attributing it to the Source What does this mean ?

10. It means: Omnipresence of the Source is a reality We are invited through the “Conscious Speech” of this very Source to witness His Divine Presence

11. But the Quran does not expect me to accept this without confirming it. The Quran wants me to reflect on it witness it and confirm it… When I confirm this truth by my intellect, I can experience it in my heart

12. The more I reflect on it, the more I am transformed by this reality… The outcome of Quranic reflection is: Muhammad (p): “My Lord: Increase my bewilderment in You.”

13. Amazement Bewilderment Love Excitement Inner Joy Peace

14. Example: Movement of particles …Not a particle’s weight [of whatever there is] in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge…

15. Let’s start with an example: We see light on the water droplets. Who is the source of light we see on the droplets?

16. Input-Output Witness Model ①Look at the output: – What qualities are necessary to create it? ②Look at the input: – Can they be the source of these properties? ③If no : an Unseen One who possesses these qualities must be the Doer The water droplets do not possess the qualities that enables them to be the Source of this light The source of the light is a being that has the qualities of the light (Although, I don’t see it)

17. If I insist that the answer has to be “observable phenomena” I have to accept the fact that each sea droplet must possess Sun-like abilities by itself.

18. Implications of my answer: The Presence of the Sun is witnessed on each droplet of the sea. If the reflection of the sun was conscious, I could communicate with through every droplet…

19. One particle: Moves to different organisms Functions accordingly Has functions from microcosm to microcosm Works for a specific goal in each of the systems it is in.

20. Who is the source of the particle’s activities?

21. Input-Output Witness Model ①Look at the output: – What qualities are necessary to create it? ②Look at the input: – Can they be the source of these properties? ③If no : an Unseen One who possesses these qualities must be the Doer

22. One particle: If I insist that the answer has to be “observable phenomena” I have to accept that each particle movement must possess Absolute Intelligence by itself.

23. Who is the source of light after a moment? The water droplet itself or The Sun

24. One particle: Who is the source of the particle’s existence after a moment? The particle in the current moment or Timeless Divine Intelligence

25. We cannot explain any moment without the source! the Source of every movement is He … Continuous creation means Continuous dependence to the Source… Continuous Divine Presence

26. Quran asserts that reality can only be defined as: In the name of God ( bismi Allah )… Every being comes into existence through the Source who possesses the necessary qualities What does this mean ?

27. In the name of God ( bismi Allah ) is the explanation of reality: In the name of Being In the name of Knowing In the name of Intelligence In the name of Power In the name of Beauty And His are All the Divine Qualities!

28. Every moment comes into existence as a reflection of His Qualities …

29. The Quran asks: Do you want to meet your creator? Contemplate Ponder You will find Him right beside you near… Nearer to all things than themselves Nearer to you than yourself

30. Coming close to God is not “let’s be spiritual now” activity… The Quran offers an explanation of reality that can be confirmed by our faculties enable us to meet the Loving Grace … live joyfully in Divine Presence

31. The outcome of Quranic reflection is: Muhammad (p): “My Lord: Increase my bewilderment in You.”