liminal space

Imagine standing on a mountain ridge. On one side, a vast open valley stretches before you; on the other, a deep abyss drops away into shadow. You find yourself precisely on the boundary — not here, not there, but somewhere in between. That feeling of in-betweenness, of occupying a space where you haven’t yet arrived but can no longer turn back, is exactly what the seventh surah of the Quran speaks about. And it is an image that carries deep resonance within the traditions of Freemasonry. What Does This Surah Tell Us? The seventh surah of the Quran, known in Arabic as one of the longer chapters, bears a name that refers to elevated places or heights — Al-A’raf. Its central image is a liminal zone: a place where souls reside who do not immediately belong among the blessed, yet are not counted among those who have gone astray. These people on the heights can see both sides. They observe, they wait, and they hope. The surah also recounts the stories of prophets who called their communities toward righteousness. You read about Adam, Noah, and Moses — about the eternal struggle between truth and self-deception. But what makes this text […]