At the first instant of this explosion, there was an infinitely small, hot, and dense point — a sphere of energy, a singularity.

This was a form of power not yet bound by any rule. Within this primordial energy, particles capable of taking shape began to appear. Light elements such as hydrogen, helium, and lithium, as well as quantum particles, came into being.

Over time, four fundamental forces emerged — each balancing the other — and the universe took on the form we know today.

What we now call the laws of nature are, in essence, nothing more than the transformation of an infinite and unrestrained energy into a form governed by law and order.

Freedom as Disciplined Energy

From the creation of the universe — and thus of nature — we may infer that freedom arises when something free and unformed enters into order and discipline.

The transformation from the Big Bang into the cosmos exemplifies how energy, by bringing its own inner power (its nafs, or self-force) under control and within law, gives birth to meaning, harmony, and form — much as a human being can reveal his or her true essence through inner discipline.

The Human Will and the Construction of Freedom

Human will is the faculty that allows the various human qualities (looking like four fundamental forces of the universe) — reason, conscience, heart, intuition — to work together in harmony.

It is the force that builds freedom from within, and through which personal freedom gives rise to a healthy social order.

Just as clay becomes a sculpture, wood or pigment turns into art, and sound transforms into music, the raw materials of life must be shaped and disciplined.

Sound waves wandering freely in nature only become a musical composition when limited, measured, and arranged.

Every note and every tone must take on a small form, passing through instruments, strings, and breath, to become a melody.

In the same way, human life — from the individual to the global order — is a process of constant shaping, molding, and refinement.

The Self, Discipline, and Humanity

Human beings truly become human only when they mold the energy of their inner self (nafs) — that vital, restless force — into a disciplined form.

When the mind, conscience, heart, and intuition cooperate under this discipline, the person’s real nature shines forth.

Otherwise, an undisciplined self lives only for itself, acting on instinct, impulse, and desire — reducing human dignity to mere animal existence.

True freedom appears only when the self is subjected to law and order. Freedom is not the absence of limits, but the art of living meaningfully within them.

Stages of Human Freedom

To become a person, to develop a persona, an individual must pass through stages that mirror the processes of nature.

At first, the child clings to the mother, entirely dependent upon her.

As strength and ability grow, independence begins.

By age three or four, a new figure appears — the father — representing the first symbol of the social world outside the self: protective, yet limiting.

Adolescence is the second birth of freedom, the effort to separate from paternal authority.

Through this independence, the human being begins to form a self, a character, an ideal.

Freedom, then, is the process of shaping one’s personality, setting one’s own boundaries by respecting boundaries — entering into a hierarchy of norms and attaining harmony with one’s surroundings.

Freedom in Society

Participation in social life expands the individual’s sphere of freedom beyond the smallest unit — the family — into the larger realm of society.

Here, through both conflict and cooperation with social norms, human freedom continues to take shape.

When the individual reaches maturity within society, a new authority arises before him: the state, with which he must make a contract of freedom.

In this relationship, freedom is not lost but redefined — transformed into civic responsibility and moral order.

Cosmic and Human Order

The emergence of human freedom mirrors the formation of the cosmos.

Just as the universe turned boundless energy into form, law, and beauty, so too does the human being turn inner chaos into moral and spiritual order.

Freedom is not given; it is carved.

Like a sculptor chiseling wood, clay, or sound into art, man sculpts himself by giving form to his thoughts, disciplining his imagination, and refining his will.

Revelation and the Liberation of Humanity

With the revelation sent to Muhammad al-Amin (peace be upon him), humanity was offered liberation from three great forms of bondage:

The tyranny of the self, which overwhelms man with endless desires;

The oppression of the ruler, who governs without law or justice;

The domination of the cleric, who monopolizes religion for power and profit.

The Qur’an rose as a call to defend freedom against these three forces — to restore human dignity and establish justice.

It urged humanity to produce law and politics that protect liberty and uphold moral order.

Thus, it ignited one of the greatest transformations in the history of civilization — the awakening of humanity to its true freedom.

Mustafa Eren Bozoklu