The Bible Undressed

            No, this sura (chapter) of the Qur’an is not about the vibrant Washington Heights community in New York City as portrayed in the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In The Heights.”  The title refers to the height of the barrier separating the saved and the lost on the Day of Judgment.  Well, that doesn’t sound nearly as cheery as the musical!

“In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy”
(the standard intro to a sura)

            In many of the surahs Muhammad, speaking as if from Allah (God), warns people to listen to him as God’s messenger.  So too, this sura begins with a warning:

How many towns We [meaning God and his minions] have destroyed! Our punishment came to them by night or while they slept in the afternoon: their only cry when Our punishment came to them was, ‘How wrong we were!’  (7:4, 5)

I find this to be a common theme in Islam, Christianity and Judaism: rather than relying on the truth and beauty of God’s words to bring people to obedience there are always terrible threats given for disobedience.  People must be scared into listening, apparently.  Perhaps this idea started with one of the earliest stories in the Bible: the disobedience of Adam and Eve.  In fact, that is exactly where Muhammad then goes.  He describes Iblis (Satan) complaining to God that He is giving Adam an exalted place even though, ‘You created me from fire and him from clay.’ (7:12)  So Iblis is banished while Adam is given the Garden, ‘but do not go near this tree or you will become wrongdoers.’ (7:19)  He then relates the story of Satan tempting Adam and Eve, resulting in their disobedience, the shame of their nakedness, then expulsion from the Garden, as in the Bible. 

            An interesting thing is that the Jewish Bible (Old Testament) largely ignores the store of Adam and Eve after it is told.  It seems to be the Christians and then the Muslims who make more of this origin story.  To me it is also another sad reminder of how these three religions share so much of their lore in common, yet to this day they fight over the meaning of these stories rather than discussing them together in peace.

            Well, Muhammad’s point is that we should learn from this and not be disobedient ourselves.  Of course, the three religions may agree that we tend to be a disobedient (I prefer independent-minded!) bunch, but they can’t agree on exactly what it is we are supposed to obey!  There’s the rub!

            Now, couched in this discussion Muhammad says things like, “those whose good deeds are heavy on the scales will be the ones to prosper (7:8), and “My Lord only forbids disgraceful deeds…” (7:33).  He even makes the New Age-ish statement, “the garment of God-consciousness is the best of all garments.” (7:26)  But, alas, religion cannot leave it as simple as that.  Another thing the three religions have in common is that their followers spoil the potential simplicity of religion by raising their holy texts to the level of sacred worship; the books themselves are like idols.  Whether it be the Qur’an, the Torah or the Bible their followers see any questioning of the texts and their holy status as an affront to God Himself and worthy of condemnation, either from God or from His (supposed) followers.  And for Muhammad any questioning of him as God’s special messenger is also worthy of condemnation.  As in: ”But those who reject Our revelations and arrogantly scorn them are the people of the Fire and there they will remain.” (7:36)  I just can’t envision a Supreme Being so sensitive and insecure that He can’t handle some earnest questioning and even criticism.  I just can’t imagine such a being as the Supreme Narcissist.

            Yet Muhammad goes back to this simple statement of religion: “But those who believe and do good deeds– and We do not burden any soul with more than it can bear– are the people of the Garden and there they will remain.” (7:42)  Well, whatever religion you choose, the majority of people in the world are disbelievers.  So apparently God can burden us with more than we can bear.  Otherwise we’d all be on the same track.

            On a side note, why is God limited to revealing his Word to only a select few, whether it be Muhammad, or Moses, or Jesus, or whichever prophet you choose?  Why can’t He let us all in on His undeniable wisdom?  Why not let us all hear Your clear and unmistakable voice?  Why force us to believe fellow humans, that their words really are the words of God?  Especially given the Garden of Eden story, that we humans are inherently fallible and subject to error?  Why so many human middle men, God?  Especially when their messages are so often contradictory? 

            Now for some interesting Bible/Qur’an trivia.  In the Gospels Jesus tells his hearers, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)[1]  Now, in some translations of the Qur’an it is presented in the same wording, namely ‘camel.’  But some modern translations use an interpretation by the 12^th-Century commentary of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, who said the root of the words for ‘camel’ and ‘thick rope’ are the same in Arabic, and ‘rope’ makes more sense in this context,  I mean, who would try to thread a camel through a needle?!  Trying to thread a rope makes more sense, yet is still impossible.  I once had a Lebanese friend tell me the same was true in Aramaic, that the word probably meant a heavy rope, not a camel.  So, in the translation of the Qur’an I use it is: “even if a thick rope were to pass through the eye of a needle they would not enter the Garden.” (7:40)  Although Muhammad uses this expression in referring to those who “rejected Our revelations,” not specifically the rich.

            Next a passage I find a bit strange, almost humorous.  First, Muhammad tells us that of those few who are saved (who chose the right revelations to believe?), “We shall have removed all ill feeling from their hearts; streams will flow at their feet.” (7:43)  Yet then it says, “The people of the Garden will cry out to the people of the Fire, ‘We have found what our Lord promised us to be true. Have you found what your Lord promised you to be true?’ and they will answer, ‘Yes.’” (7:44)  It sounds like the saved are taunting those that are lost, even though it just said that “all ill feeling” was removed from their hearts.  Gee, I’d hate to hear what they would say to the damned if they still had ill feelings in their hearts!  It would probably be about what we hear religious people say today to people they consider infidels or heathens.  Sigh.

            Finally, ‘The Heights.’  (7:46-51)  Muhammad describes a high barrier between Paradise and the Fire.  But apparently there are people up on this high barrier, looking down on the people in each place, hoping to get into Paradise, and they do.  Is he describing a kind of Limbo, for those who just squeaked by?  And he has the people in the Fire ask those in Paradise for some food and water.  The people in Paradise reply, “God has forbidden both to the disbelievers.”  Not exactly taunting, but kind of cold.  (This exchange is similar to that described in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, found in Luke 16.)

Oh great! I didn’t know tightrope walking was going to be the final exam! I would have practiced!

            To further encourage people to obey he reminds them of how God created the world, and brings forth rain and vegetation.  He recalls the story of Noah and how people ignored his warnings.  He tells of a prophet named Hud who goes to the tribe of ‘Ad (in Arabia) to encourage them to repent.  Likewise with Salih and the people of Thamud.  God even sent a miraculous she-camel to them (it’s not clear what’s special about the camel), but the people destroyed the camel and were in turn destroyed by an earthquake.  Lot and his family were saved, but not the straying wife or the rest of the people.  (No mention of drunken Lot getting his daughters pregnant!)  Shu-ayb was sent to the people of Midian, who rejected him and his message, so were also destroyed by an earthquake.

            He takes some time to relate how Moses confronted Pharaoh, who refused to believe.  Then the Children of Israel were led across the sea to safety, but almost immediately turned to idols.  (Tough crowd; hard to convince, apparently!)  The unfaithful were punished and the faithful rewarded.

            He mentions a story not found in the Bible, of a town by the sea where God tested the people by having fish surface for them only on the Sabbath (when they were not allowed to fish), never on weekdays.  As one who has enjoyed fishing, I must say that seems like an excessively cruel test! 

            And so the message is basically an appeal to obey the revelations of God and do not be disobedient like so many others who have gone before us.  And apparently the people of Muhammad’s community were like those of Jesus’ day (and also today), as they wanted to know about “the Hour.”  “When will it happen?” (7:187)  And his answer is basically the same as Jesus’, “My Lord alone has knowledge of it…All too suddenly it will come upon you.”  So you better be ready.

            He concludes this sura thusly:

Remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings– do not be one of the heedless– [even] those who live in the presence of your Lord are not too proud to worship Him: they glorify Him and bow down before Him. (7:205, 206)

A call for humility is not a bad thing.  But he says that even those already in God’s presence are bowing to Him and worshipping Him.  Now, I understand why the Qur’an (and the Bible) tells us repeatedly to do good and be kind to one another.  But I don’t understand God’s need for continual and utter worship.  Is the Almighty that insecure?  I realize a lot of people in this world crave attention, the more the better, whether they be celebrities, politicians, athletes, the super-rich or whoever.  But I don’t understand this divine need for being worshipped by us lowly people.  It seems like a character flaw, not a worthy attribute. 

            I think of it this way.  Let’s say there are a thousand people in the world that know who I am.  The number of those who actually care about me is much smaller than that.  But even if a thousand people know of me I calculate that is only 0.0000125% of the world’s population.  And that’s only people who know of me, not that ‘worship’ me in any way.  And I’m fine with that.  I don’t need them to be groveling at my feet.  How about you?  So, why is God so obsessed in making all the people worship Him?  Shouldn’t He be happy just to see us happy and helping one another?  I can understand the desire to be loved, but to expect not just some love but complete and constant worship by everybody just seems to be a bit excessive.  A bit sociopathic, to understate it.  What do you think?

            Anyway, Muhammad warns: The Hour is coming!  All too suddenly!  So get ready!  Don’t be left high in ‘The Heights’ of the barrier, looking down and wondering what your fate might be!

Exercise:

Ask a religious friend, especially a Muslim friend, What do you think is the fate of people after death?  Heaven?  Hellfire?  Destruction?  Limbo?  And will it matter to the Supreme Being which specific religion you happen to subscribe to?

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[1] A message largely ignored by today’s Religious Right and the Prosperity Gospel.