Author: Alaaddin Başar (Prof.Dr.), 22-12-2005

Verses about returning to God end like: “You will be returned to us in the end.” or “Then you will be returned and taken to Him.” As there is no moment man goes out of the management of his Lord because he handles all his dealings with the power and other facilities God bestows upon him, how shall we understand returning to Him? The point mostly debated is that human beings who are subject to test with their small wills will go to the Presence of God. In the world of past eternity, our souls were addressed: “Am I not your Lord?” We replied, “Yes, you are our Lord.”When we were cast to the test of world, we were faced with the realm of causes. Always when the sun rose, it got bright; always when the spring came, flowers bloomed. We have always taken our cereal and vegetables from ground, and our fruits from trees. This caused some people to become oblivious, and some to give thanks. These two groups of people will eventually be returned to their Lord, after the world of test is closed, and through the grave, they will proceed to the Day of Judgment. Again, they will be gathered before their Lord. This gathering is a returning. This will be without our will. The term ‘being returned’ gives us this lesson. Another verse giving us the lesson of another returning: “How can ye reject the faith in Allah.- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return.” (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:28) When he is dead, i.e. his substance is in the realm of dead elements; man is resurrected and given the shape of human. Then, he dies again and the body returns to its original composition, i.e. becomes totally elements. This phase is followed by resurrection and proceeding to the Day of Judgment. So there are two deaths, two resurrections and two different returns: one from death to death…the other from life to life. Another verse about returning: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return" (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:156) Both the ones who surrender and the ones who rebel will gather before His Presence and return to Him. It is festivity for the one who lived as His slave and left this place of test with faith to return to his Lord in the Hereafter. But the ones who lived in the property of God without knowing Him and without obeying His commands will return to their Lord with unbelief and rebellion. Therefore, with the term ‘returning’ we should understand the Day of Judgment. We must put both scenes before our selves through imagination so that it does not deviate from the way of acceptance (of God), does not be taken in by the transitory pleasures of the world, and stays away from the off-limits. So that it takes lesson from the verse: “For the command that Day, will be (wholly) with Allah.” (Al-Infitaar Surah, 82:19) and without waiting for that day, today surrenders to His commandment and accepts His decree. So that it thus obeys the command of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “Die before you die.” and returns to the right path, God has shown, in the World. So that its return in the Hereafter results in bliss. God, who is above place and time, bound us His slaves to place and time. So wherever he dies, man returns to His Lord, who is above place. Likewise, whenever he dies, he returns to His Lord who is above time.