"Do you not reflect?"
Quran 37:155
This is one of many times in the Quran (others are cited below; Nasr tagged them, I'm not that great of a scholar) where we are instructed to reflect upon God, or, I guess I would argue, everything, because in Islam it is believed that everything is touched by God. As Nasr reminds us, "A hadith states, 'One hour of reflection [or meditation, tafakkur] is better than a night's vigil.'" Again, this is what I think is important about the daily prayers, not that God is so lonely or unsure of himself that he needs the positive affirmation, but rather that we take time to think about how everything fits together in the divine structure of things and the tiny role that we play in making the world a better place. The Quran never instructs us to remember mindlessly; rather, we are taught to reflect and think. If we're not then what's the point of all this? Other religions provide similar laws and punishment (and, so, for that matter, does the government). If religion is not a mechanism for making the world a better place then what is its point? And this brings me back again to Ramadan. If we're not taking that month and truly studying the Quran then all the hours spent fasting and listening to the Quran spoken in a language many of us don't understand is of limited value.
"Truly in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variation of the night and the day are signs for the possessors of intellect, who remember God standing, sitting, and lying upon their sides, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and earth . . ." (3:190-191)
"The parable of these two groups is that of one blind and deaf, and one hearing and seeing. Are they equal when compared? Will you not remember?" (11:24)
"O my people! Who would help me against God, were I to drive them away? Will you not remember?" (11:30)
"Is He Who creates like one who creates not? Will you not, then reflect?" (16:17)
"Do you not reflect upon their souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, save in truth and for a time appointed." (30:8)
"Hast thou considered one who takes his caprice as his god, God having led him astray knowingly, and sealed his hearing and his heart and placed a cover upon his sight? Who, then, will guide him after God? Will you not, then, remember?" (45:23)
"You have indeed known the first genesis. Why, then, do you not reflect?" (56:62)
Quran 37:155
This is one of many times in the Quran (others are cited below; Nasr tagged them, I'm not that great of a scholar) where we are instructed to reflect upon God, or, I guess I would argue, everything, because in Islam it is believed that everything is touched by God. As Nasr reminds us, "A hadith states, 'One hour of reflection [or meditation, tafakkur] is better than a night's vigil.'" Again, this is what I think is important about the daily prayers, not that God is so lonely or unsure of himself that he needs the positive affirmation, but rather that we take time to think about how everything fits together in the divine structure of things and the tiny role that we play in making the world a better place. The Quran never instructs us to remember mindlessly; rather, we are taught to reflect and think. If we're not then what's the point of all this? Other religions provide similar laws and punishment (and, so, for that matter, does the government). If religion is not a mechanism for making the world a better place then what is its point? And this brings me back again to Ramadan. If we're not taking that month and truly studying the Quran then all the hours spent fasting and listening to the Quran spoken in a language many of us don't understand is of limited value.
"Truly in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variation of the night and the day are signs for the possessors of intellect, who remember God standing, sitting, and lying upon their sides, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and earth . . ." (3:190-191)
"The parable of these two groups is that of one blind and deaf, and one hearing and seeing. Are they equal when compared? Will you not remember?" (11:24)
"O my people! Who would help me against God, were I to drive them away? Will you not remember?" (11:30)
"Is He Who creates like one who creates not? Will you not, then reflect?" (16:17)
"Do you not reflect upon their souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, save in truth and for a time appointed." (30:8)
"Hast thou considered one who takes his caprice as his god, God having led him astray knowingly, and sealed his hearing and his heart and placed a cover upon his sight? Who, then, will guide him after God? Will you not, then, remember?" (45:23)
"You have indeed known the first genesis. Why, then, do you not reflect?" (56:62)
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