All examples and events that are narrated in the Quran are for the sole purpose of enabling humans to remember their essential reality, to know themselves, and hence to make better use of their current lives.
One of the most important things that deserves attention in regards to the style of the Quran is:
Everything, that is, the heavens, the earth and everything in between, is formed by the properties known as the Names of Allah. Hence, all perceivable and unperceivable things are invoking (calling upon) the One denoted by the Name Allah, by means of their life and function. Therefore, everything, with its natural disposition, is in a state of servitude to the qualities of the Names that comprise its existence, i.e. to Allah.
Due to this, the word ‘WE’ is used frequently in the Quran, emphasizing the reality that just as the ‘meaning’ aspect of creation has been created with the Names the ‘action’ aspect of creation also comes about with the properties of the Names.
Thus, by saying ‘WE’, the actions arising from the seeming multiplicities are actually being referred to their rightful owner.
‘The Rabb of the Worlds’ (Rabbul Alameen) refers both to the existence comprised of the Names and the actual Names comprising it.
This being the case, the structural properties of the pre-eternal Names and their expressions, i.e. the cosmos, are in no other state but that of absolute servitude to Allah. Creation is in a constant act of invoking and remembering Allah, displaying Allah’s knowledge and power, at all times. Allah informing mankind about this reality is nothing other than a confirmation. This is why Allah says ‘WE’ when referring to the Names.
This being said, in order to prevent one from conditioning or limiting Him with these meanings, the warning that His Absolute Essence (dhat) is ‘beyond and free (ghani) from the worlds’ is frequently made. Nothing in existence can be likened to or define His Absolute Essence.
This also means, His ‘governance of the worlds’ is through the paths of each of His Names, whether these Names manifest under the name of astrology, or as the known and unknown life forms within the cosmos; whether one calls it consciousness, or forms of consciousness, invisible beings, or heaven and hell, all dimensions of existence are various ways of His governance.
As for the real meaning of polytheism or duality (shirq): one who fails to recognize the One denoted by the name Allah in all that is implicit and explicit (within the self and in the outer world) as the manifestations of the Names is defined as a polytheist or a dualist in the Quran. In other words, assuming a separate and equal[1] existence to the manifestations of Allah’s Names is an act of fragmenting the Oneness of reality, and hence an act of advocating duality (shirq). (The original word that is used in the Quran is min dooni Allahi which means ‘as equal’ or ‘equivalent to’ referring to an existence that is ‘other’ than Allah. Whereas, Allah affirms that no other form of existence can be found outside of Allah as Allah encompasses the whole of existence. Thus, negating any possibility of the equivalence of other gods, lords, etc, the Quran uses the word min dooni Allahi.) That is to say, it is an act of committing shirq (assuming a separate existence) with the Names, to the Names.
As can be understood from above, Allah, who in respect of His Absolute Essence is free from concepts such as duality and non-duality, defines shirq to be a failure to recognize the true nature of existence. That is, when one fails to see that everything in manifestation is essentially comprised of the Names, one is assuming an equivalent existence to the Names, and this goes against the reality of non-duality. Hence, such a person falls short of truly understanding Allah and goes on living in an illusory world in his imagination.
Denial (kufr) on the other hand, rests upon the false belief that none is governing the individualized consciousness other than itself. Restricting the infinite consciousness to an individualized manifestation by calling it ‘I’ is a grave insult and limitation to the infinite qualities of the Names, which cannot be confined to a mere physical body. Such an attempt is termed denial (kufr) and is said to be going against the infinite qualities of the Reality of the Self, at least in terms of faith. Continual attempts in this way eventually lead one to confine the Self to the physical body alone, paving the path to pursuing a life of bodily pleasures, and adopting the view that death is extinction rather than a change of abode.
Hypocrisy is the lowest and densest state of the bodily life. A hypocrite (munafiq) is one who chooses not only to deny the Reality but also to take advantage of the believers for material benefits by imitating them! While even a dog approaches his owner for food with true sincerity and loyalty, a hypocrite lacks genuine intent and approaches others only with vested interests. The result upon realizing the truth of the matter is indefinite burning and no compensation.
Faith (iman) is the realization of consciousness, through the intellect, i.e. through analysis of various data, that beyond the seeming reality of forms and concepts lies infinity and it is this infinity that must be sought after. It is to know the ‘I’ness as consciousness, which cannot be confined into a material form, and to strive in this path. The hadith “He who lives by ‘La ilaha illallah’(“There is no God. There is only Allah.”) will assuredly enter heaven” points to this truth. This is applicable for those who have not encountered a Rasul. Those who have encountered a Rasul, whether by person or by teaching, are bound to believe in the Rabb of the Worlds (the source of the infinite meanings of the Names), or Allah, in accordance to the teachings of the Rasul, by having faith in the Rasul.
[1] The original word that is used in the Quran is min dooni Allahiwhich means ‘as equal’ or ‘equivalent to’ referring to an existence that is ‘other’ than Allah. Whereas, Allah affirms that no other form of existence can be found outside of Allah as Allah encompasses the whole of existence. Thus, negating any possibility of the equivalence of other gods, lords, etc, the Quran uses the word min dooni Allahi.