Notes

WHAT DOES EXISTENCE MEAN? ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXISTENCES APART FROM THE ONLY ONE EXISTENCE?

“The one who exists means the one who proves His existence. The one who exists means the one who shows His existence.”

The proof of the presence of the existence is in its influence or in its visibility. When we observe ourselves, and our surroundings, we see that an existence is present and it is surrounding us from six directions. We also think and see the existence we observe and the creation of Him on the earth and in the sky accepted as His manifestations. Then, we both see and feel as well as we think about the presence of the existence. The problem is to accept it. The presence of the existence is clear just like the sun. Existence exists and He is infinite and eternal but non-existence is absent. Existence cannot be created out of nothingness and existence cannot be non-existent. If existence exists, there is no non-existence; if there is non-existence, there is no existence. Since the presence of the existence is proved, then there is no such a thing called as “non-existence”. The word “non-existence” is used in grammar as an agent in order to define “existence” more fluently.

“Whoever knows his self (his nafs), knows his Lord”. (1)

“O my God! Show me the origin – the essence, the reality – of the Creation.” (2)

These sayings of the Prophet Muhammad enlighten our subject and lead us to the essence – kernel- of the reality. What is the origin of the manifestations and the creation -the visible objects-? While our great Prophet was praying, he said: “O My Lord! Show me the origin of the creation!” God the Most High told him to look above. When the Prophet looked above, a Melekut (Angelic Kingdom) circle, a Ceberut (World of the All-Powerful) circle and the source of the Existence was seen to him as a Lahut (Heavenly Kingdom) circle. Then, that very thoughtful Prophet understood it. He picked up a piece of stone from the ground and broke it. He broke it into small pieces, put them in his hand and observed. He saw that a piece of stone consisted of some particles, in the shape of small circles and he learnt the reality by the help of his Lord. He realized that man (human) consisted of atoms -small circular pieces – as all the other objects did.

Thereupon, he said: “He who knows himself knows his Lord”. He knows his origin. The great Prophet absolutely knew that everything was the manifestation of the Great Eternal Existence who spreads everywhere. He definitely knew that the essence, the origin of the creation was God. He revealed this knowledge to humanity with the sacred saying mentioned above. So, big or small, the origin of everything consists of small, circular shaped particles and the essence of them is the absolute existence God- Allah.

A circle is 360 degrees, it does not have a beginning or an end, it enlarges and stretches out to infinity, it becomes small and stretches out to infinity. Let us have a look at our environment: We see and accept the Universe as a big circle. The circle is a big point and the point is a small circle. “Pi” (the symbol of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter) is the proof of it. When we divide the circumference of a point, which is a small circle, and a circle, which is a big point, even the circumference of the Universe by its diameter, we get the same Pi number.

An atom is the smallest particle. This is very important. Muhiddin-i Arabi, (3) Abd-al Qadir Gilani (4), Sayyid Ahmad ar Rufai (5), Jalaluddin Rumi (6) and all the Sufi saints had claimed that Plato (7), who accepted atom as the first cause, and Maturidy (8) and Ashari (9), who were influenced by him, were wrong. Today the theory of the first cause as supported by Maturidy and Ashary and their philosophy were disproved when atom was split.

The science of this age has proved that the Sufis of Islam were right and atom was not the First Cause. The scientists of Islam explained and proved that the First Manifestation of God was the Great Muhammadan Spirit -the Divine Light of Muhammad- that was created from the Divine Light of God’s person. When the smallest particle of atom was split, it did not vanish as Maturidy and Ashary had claimed, but just the contrary, it became larger and stretched out to infinity. This proved that nothing was created from absence (non-being) and the origin of everything is light, electricity, energy or the Divine Light called “NUR”.

Existence has no edge. It is endless, infinite. If the existence had a limit or an edge, then, there would be an absence in the place where it finished. Non-existence cannot be accepted by logic, intelligence and by science. Absence is not existed. The most beautiful explanation of this is as follows:

“The presence exists, the absence does not exist”. It is the meaning of “Lâilâhe illallah”; “Lâ” proves absence and “illa” proves presence; that is why, this beautiful word is called “Nef-i İsbat” (the proof of non-existence).

A circle is complete; there is no starting point or ending point in a circle. Every point of the circle is both the beginning and the ending point. Just like this, existence has no beginning or ending. He is the First and the Last.

Existence is eternal and never ending. There is no limit to the existence. If He has a limit, then the absence or nothingness starts and science does not accept non-existence (nothingness). Therefore, the Existence is unique, absolute and eternal. He is unique and sole because He does not have an edge or a limit and He cannot be split. Existence is whole and complete because absence is proved to be non – existent. He has no limit or no edge so He is endless and unique. He is the only One (sole).

All the things -objects- are the temporary beings seen on the Existence without being separated. They look like the foam of sea. The foam are limited, they may be big or small but they all belong to the sea which surrounds them. Between two waves, there is sea that connects and creates them. What surprises us is the objects and the shapes. Everything is the sign of this unique and endless Existence. There are not any objects that have a space between them. We think the emptiness as nothingness (absence). In fact, there is always something in the place we think as empty, such as: invisible gases or air bubbles etc…

Existence is one, sole and unique. For example, everything has a similarity, pair or a match. Man is one, trees and everything is one by one or one each, but there are other men, other trees or other things. God, who is edgeless or limitless, has no similar beings. God is One and He is unique. There are many things but God, who created everything from Himself and gave them a shape or a figure, who is absolute, endless and eternal existence, is Sole-One.

As mentioned above, a circle is a point and a point is a small circle. In geometry, the formula of a point and a circle is the same. Pi is the proof of it. A being is a point, it becomes big and stretches out to infinity, it becomes small and stretches out to infinity again. It never ceases to exist or becomes lost because non-existence is non-existent. If we pour out some water onto a flat surface, it spreads over a large space. If we put it back, it is again a glass of water. When it becomes larger or smaller, it does not increase or decrease in amount. Its weight does not change. An existence does not exist from nothingness and become non-existent. The presence of the existence is proved. There is no non-existence because existence has no limits. If we accept a limit or an edge, non-existence starts and intelligence (reason) refuses it. Therefore, “Non-existence” does not exist. Does it need any other explanations?

Can non-existence be present? If it is present, it becomes an existence. Then, whatever exists is in Existence. An Existence exists so that we can talk about and think about it. If non -existence existed, existence would not exist and we would not exist. There would be nothing and nobody who could think or could be thought about, who could see or could be seen. This life, these actions, this voice, this sound, these thoughts, excitements and pleasures would not exist. Accepting non-existence means looking for a second existence, which means forcing yourself to make the impossible possible. It is a kind of madness or stupidity.

There cannot be two existences because existence refuses duality. He is infinite and He has no edges or limits. Existence does not accept divisibility either. If it is divided, it is limited. There is no limit, no side to the Absolute Existence who is the essence, the origin of the creation.

Infinity… This means Divinity, Deity and Eternity.

Every single object consists of single points. Sea consists of thousands of water drops, matter consists of thousands of atoms, man consists of thousands of cells etc… Whatever we divide into parts, we see individual points. Raindrops fall one by one; every raindrop draws a circle and stretches out to infinity. When we mention stars or when we talk about houses, animals, human beings and so on, we observe a “Divine Unity” in them. They are the masses of single things.

A person calls his house “my house”. In fact, the children of the house, the maids and the cat even the mouse of the house call it “my house”. It is the same with God. God does not belong to anybody. He is the God of everybody and everything. Everything is under His dome of Mercy. He sees and cares for everybody. He protects, helps and gives everybody according to their wishes. We quarrel and do harm to each other. He never gives up looking after His creatures. How can He give up? Everything, good or bad, lofty or common are the manifestations -the visible signs- of His Merciful (Jamal-Divine Beauty) and Wrathful (Jalal-Divine Majesty) attributes.