Two Paths

There is this scene from the movie Pulp Fiction where the two assassins, Vincent, played by John Travolta, and Jules, played by Samuel L. Jackson, go to their boss’s associate’s apartment to assassinate him and his friends. When they enter the apartment, they only see three people and assassinate two of them. Unbeknownst to them there was a fourth person hiding in the bathroom. That person kicks the door open, fires six shots, and completely misses both of them. They then promptly execute the person.

After this close call, Samuel L. Jackson’s character is stunned that they are still alive and is convinced that they should have been dead and that divine intervention kept them alive. John Travolta’s character, on the other hand, thinks the kid was just a bad shot, and there isn’t any point in reading more into the event than that.

I think about this scene a lot when it has to do with matters of faith as an example of how two people can experience the same event or see the same facts, yet it causes one person to draw closer to God while the other person is repelled from God.

What causes a person to go down one path or the other is a matter of belief? As we see in the Quran, God created a system that whatever it is that we believe, we will find a reason to reinforce this belief.

[19:75] Say, “Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them—either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power.”

 قُلْ مَن كَانَ فِى ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوْا۟ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلْعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا

[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns.

وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْا۟ هُدًى وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا

Our belief dictates how we see the world and how we react to the events that happen in our life. This is how God distinguishes the believer from the disbeliever in this world and allows us to see for ourselves where on the spectrum we fall.

[76:2] We created the human from a liquid mixture, from two parents, in order to test him. Thus, we made him a hearer and a seer.

 إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ سَمِيعًۢا بَصِيرًا

[76:3] We showed him the two paths, then, he is either appreciative, or unappreciative.

 إِنَّا هَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

For instance, the sun shines on the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous feel the sun’s warmth and reflect on so many benefits that the sun provides and becomes appreciative. This fills a righteous person’s heart with the love of God. On the other hand, the unrighteous feel the sun’s warmth and complain about the heat, and becomes unappreciative, drawing themselves further away from God. So the same event, but two polar opposite reactions.

Two people in a restaurant are served identical steaks. One mentions God’s name before they eat and reflects on the cow that gave its life so they could eat and the God who created that cow. The unrighteous gorges down a few bites without thinking about God, then spends his time complaining about how the stake is not cooked right.

[6:121] Do not eat from that upon which the name of GOD has not been mentioned, for it is an abomination. The devils inspire their allies to argue with you; if you obey them, you will be idol worshipers.

 وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَفِسْقٌ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَـٰدِلُوكُمْ وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ

Two scientists study the origins of life, and the righteous is awestruck at the precision and complexity of God’s design, while the unrighteous equate everything they see to blind chance.

[29:19] Have they not seen how GOD initiates the creation, then repeats it? This is easy for GOD to do.
[29:20] Say, “Roam the earth and find out the origin of life.” For GOD will thus initiate the creation in the Hereafter. GOD is Omnipotent.

 أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ يُبْدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Two people are in an argument and come to discover that their understanding was flawed. The righteous is humbled by the turnout and increases in knowledge, while the unrighteous feel humiliated by the outcome and doubles down on their misunderstanding in a desperate attempt to preserve their ego.

[21:58] He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it.
[21:59] They said, “Whoever did this to our gods is really a transgressor.”
[21:60] They said, “We heard a youth threaten them; he is called Abraham.”
[21:61] They said, “Bring him before the eyes of all the people, that they may bear witness.”
[21:62] They said, “Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?”
[21:63] He said, “It is that big one who did it. Go ask them, if they can speak.”
[21:64] They were taken aback, and said to themselves, “Indeed, you are the ones who have been transgressing.”
[21:65] Yet, they reverted to their old ideas: “You know full well that these cannot speak.”

(٥٨) فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَٰذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ
(٥٩) قَالُوا۟ مَن فَعَلَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
(٦٠) قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُۥٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ
(٦١) قَالُوا۟ فَأْتُوا۟ بِهِۦ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْيُنِ ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ
(٦٢) قَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَـٰذَا بِـَٔالِهَتِنَا يَـٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُ
(٦٣) قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُۥ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَـٰذَا فَسْـَٔلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا۟ يَنطِقُونَ
(٦٤) فَرَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
(٦٥) ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ يَنطِقُونَ

Two people do something they know is wrong. One gets a warning and becomes enlighted. The other gets the warning and get emboldened only to do it again.

[16:90] GOD advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens/warns you, that you may take heed.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

14	yaʿiẓukum	يَعِظُكُمْ	He admonishes / enlightens you [all]
15	laʿallakum	لَعَلَّكُمْ	so that you [all] may
16	tadhakkarūna	تَذَكَّرُونَ	[you all] take heed.

Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

We all come to this world and are promised the good news of Paradise and the warning of Hellfire. Which one we get depends on which one we choose.

[11:1] A.L.R. This is a scripture whose verses have been perfected, then elucidated.* It comes from a Most Wise, Most Cognizant.

 الٓر كِتَـٰبٌ أُحْكِمَتْ ءَايَـٰتُهُۥ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ

[11:2] Proclaiming: “You shall not worship except GOD. I come to you from Him as a warner, as well as a bearer of good news.

 أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ إِنَّنِى لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ