Ramadhan in the Hijri Year (the Islamic calendar) of 1446 started on 1st March 2025. As part of my routine during Ramadhan, I usually do a study of one of the chapters in the Qur’an. This year, with the blog, I intend to do a reflection of natural phenomena found in the Qur’an. To frame it within the context of the key principles of:
- being still/silent
- observe
- reflect
- practice/action
this series has focused on the third key principle and give ideas on the fourth. If you would like to know more about the key principles, please click this link. If you want to see an example of how the key principles are applied, please click this link.
With Ramadhan leaving us in a few days, this post is the last in the series. This post will be longer and more personal than others.1 I hope the series have been beneficial. If so, please convey what you have learned to others. It is part of the call to action which I will touch on at the end.
Man
Often when we talk about nature, we talk about the natural world around us. The elements, the biodiversity, the landscape etc. But we seldom see ourselves, humankind as part of nature. Part of the reason is that we are so disconnected to the natural world and ourselves. The inner state reflects the outer state and vice-versa. We need to learn to connect back to our natural self and not the one corrupted by this materialistic world.
Natural Disposition
But what is our natural self? I alluded to it in my first post in this link when I wrote:
As autistic person, I feel that there is a childlike innocence and wonder in each of my encounters with nature. This is partly because there is no expectation imposed on either myself or the natural world to be other than who we are. I can be my natural self just as God created me as He has the natural world. To be able to connect and communicate authentically with the world around us is, I believe, key to restoring the balance within and without.
This natural self, as I call it, is called the ‘fitrah’ (natural disposition) in the Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum 30:30
فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفً۬اۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡہَاۚ لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)
AND SO, set thy face steadfastly towards the [one ever-true] faith, turning away from all that is false, in accordance with the natural disposition which God has instilled into man: [for,] not to allow any change to corrupt what God has thus created this is the [purpose of the one] ever-true faith; but most people know it not. (30)
More knowledgeable people than me have written and spoken on the natural self. If you would like to learn more, there is a good talk on it by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi here. For me, man’s natural self is simply defined as a pure and sincere (ikhlas) soul. One that exhibits all the good qualities espoused by the Qur’an, some of which:
- submission to God’s will
- acceptance and affirmation the truth and justice even against oneself
- excellence in one’s actions
- mercy towards others
They are not perfect as no man is but strive towards maintaining that sincerity. The Qur’an says of those with sincerity as that they would not be deceived by Satan in Surah Al-Hijr 15:39 – 40
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِى لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَأُغۡوِيَنَّہُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ (٣٩)
إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡہُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ (٤٠)Iblis) said: “O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong― (39) “Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by thy grace).” (40)
And in Surah Al-Nisa 4:146, we are reminded that the purity and sincerity of the soul can be worked on. And that when achieved, bear a great reward from God.
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصۡلَحُواْ وَٱعۡتَصَمُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَأَخۡلَصُواْ دِينَهُمۡ لِلَّهِ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مَعَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ وَسَوۡفَ يُؤۡتِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا (١٤٦)
Except for those who repent, mend (their life), hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion as in Allah’s sight: if so they will be (numbered) with the Believers. And soon will Allah grant to the Believers a reward of immense value. (146)
An Autistic Perspective on the Natural Self
What is an example of a pure and sincere soul today? A good example is in the innocent way a child interacts with the world. There is a sense of awe and wonder, a curiosity to learn more, and not knowing how to lie. In some ways, many autistic people keep part of that childlike innocence in adulthood. You can see it in the bewilderment of being told that a lie is better than telling the truth. Or in the passion in which they stand up for their convictions. Or in their hyper-empathy with others. Or in their joy in being with nature.
But society imposes expectations on us. The need to belong can be so overwhelming that we learn to ‘mask’ to fit in. I make no bones that I see ‘masking’ as akin to hypocrisy, though not for malicious intent. Nonetheless, I totally get it because I have done it myself before. I have learned though that being true to oneself, while harder, is better for my mental health.
I think the reason why most autistic people are find joy in nature is that authenticity. No masking is necessary. The other communities of beings, like the birds, the insects etc., are always their own natural selves. These natural selves fit in as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to complete the tapestry of creation. We recognise that each has a role to play and a purpose. As the Qur’an mentioned God has not created all of it without purpose in so many verses.
وَلِلَّهِ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ (١٨٩)
إِنَّ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّہَارِ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ (١٩٠)To Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and Allah hath power over all things. (189) Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of Night and Day,― there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.― (190)
Surah Ali Imran 3:189-190
أَوَلَمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُواْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۗ مَّا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَہُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّ۬ىۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِلِقَآىِٕ رَبِّهِمۡ لَكَـٰفِرُونَ (٨)
Have they never learned to think for themselves? God has not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth and a term set [by Him]. And yet, behold, there are many people who stubbornly deny the truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer! (8)
Surah Ar-Rum 30:8
Man’s purpose as stated by God in Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 is to know and worship Him.
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ (٥٦)
And [tell them that] I have not created the invisible beings and men to any end other than that they may [know and] worship Me. (56)
And his role is that of a trustee, the one to be responsible for improving the earth as God told the angels in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30
وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)
AND LO! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: “Behold, I am about to establish upon earth one who shall inherit it.” They said: “Wilt Thou place on it such as will spread corruption thereon and shed blood -whereas it is we who extol Thy limitless glory, and praise Thee, and hallow Thy name?” [God] answered: “Verily, I know that which you do not know.” (30)
We can only fulfill our purpose and role when we work to return our souls to the state of purity. We have our faults but that doesn’t stop us from purifying our souls. I can honestly say I need to work on my patience and tolerance. But that is where guidance, in both the Qur’an and nature, comes in.
Remembrance of God
Ramadhan is a time for returning back to the natural self. In this month, we put into practice the tools that God has given us to purify our souls. In this month of the Qur’an, we connect back to His words, finding comfort in His remembrance, for God said in Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:28
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ (٢٨)
those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God – for, verily, in the remembrance of God [men’s] hearts do find their rest (28)
It is that same comfort and rest that we find in nature. As I have set out in this series of reflections, everything in nature is but a manifestation of God’s attributes. A reminder of His Beauty and Majesty and of the lessons/virtues we can derive from them. Even when we are not consciously aware of it when we are out in nature, we feel that comfort.
We would gain more if we are fully present in nature and conscious of that connection to God. That is the aim of this blog. The practice of the four key principles below is another tool for us to increase our awareness of nature and God:
- being still/silent
- observe
- reflect
- practice/act
But, the remembrance of God is not the end goal. It serves as a means to push us to fulfill our role as trustees. It is our call to put into practice what we have learned through our reflections of the Qur’an and nature.
Call to Action
Man’s role is as a trustee but what a trustee looks like is different for each of us. We are all unique and with our own potentials, like the seed in my earlier post (link here). It is up to us to realise our potential and calling through excellent actions2. And it need not be big actions, just done with excellence.
I’m sharing the film below as an example of such actions. It is co-created by participants of the NatureAware project which I am one. Each one of us, in our various circumstances, found our voice in the defence of nature. Even if small, we all contributed towards positive nature and climate actions.
What is your potential, your calling? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What can you realistically do in your own circumstances and stages in life? Whatever it is, each action is a step towards God’s pleasure.
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