From: www.thetruereligion.org
By Abu Iman Abd ar-Rahman Robert Squires.
Some of the biggest misconceptions that many non-Muslims have about Islam have to do with the word "Allah". For various reasons, many people have come to believe that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews. This is totally false, since "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for "God" - and there is only One God. Let there be no doubt - Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus - peace be upon them all. However, it is certainly true that Jews, Christians and Muslims all have different concepts of Almighty God. For example, Muslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. This, however, doesn't mean that each of these three religions worships a different God - because, as we have already said, there is only One True God. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all claim to be "Abrahamic Faiths", and all of them are also classified as "monotheistic". However, Islam teaches that other religions have, in one way or another, distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief in Almighty God by neglecting His true teachings and mixing them with man-made ideas.
First of all, it is important to note that "Allah" is the same word that Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews use for God. If you pick up an Arabic Bible, you will see the word "Allah" being used where "God" is used in English. This is because "Allah" is the only word in the Arabic language equivalent to the English word "God" with a capital "G". Additionally, the word "Allah" cannot be made plural or given gender (i.e. masculine or feminine), which goes hand-in-hand with the Islamic concept of God. Because of this, and also because the Qur'an, which is the holy scripture of Muslims, was revealed in the Arabic language, some Muslims use the word "Allah" for "God", even when they are speaking other languages. This is not unique to the word "Allah", since many Muslims tend to use Arabic words when discussing Islamic issues, regardless of the language which they speak. This is because the universal teachings of Islam - even though they have been translated in every major language - have been preserved in the Arabic language.
It is interesting to note that the Aramaic word "El", which is the word for God in the language that Jesus spoke, is certainly more similar in sound to the word "Allah" than the English word "God". This also holds true for the various Hebrew words for God, which are "El" and "Elah", and the plural form "Elohim". The reason for these similarities is that Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic are all Semitic languages with common origins. It should also be noted that in translating the Bible into English, the Hebrew word "El" is translated variously as "God", "god" and "angel"! This imprecise language allows different translators, based on their preconceived notions, to translate the word to fit their own views. The Arabic word "Allah" presents no such difficulty or ambiguity, since it is only used for Almighty God alone. Additionally, in English, the only difference between "god", meaning a false god, and "God", meaning the One True God, is the capital "G". In the Arabic alphabet, since it does not have capital letters, the word for God (i.e. Allah) is formed by adding the equivalent to the English word "the" (Al-) to the Arabic word for "god/God" (ilah). So the Arabic word "Allah" literally it means "The God" - the "Al-" in Arabic basically serving the same function as the capital "G" in English. Due to the above mentioned facts, a more accurate translation of the word "Allah" into English might be "The One -and-Only God" or "The One True God".
More importantly, it should also be noted that the Arabic word "Allah" contains a deep religious message due to its root meaning and origin. This is because it stems from the Arabic verb ta'allaha (or alaha), which means "to be worshipped". Thus in Arabic, the word "Allah" means "The One who deserves all worship". This, in a nutshell, is the Pure Monotheistic message of Islam. You see, according to Islam, "monotheism" is much more than simply believing in the existence of "only One God" - as seemingly opposed to two, three or more. If one understands the root meaning of the word "Allah", this point should become clear. One should understand that Islam's criticism of the other religions that claim to be "monotheistic" is not because they are "polytheistic" in the classic sense, but because they direct various forms of worship to other than Almighty God. We will discuss the meaning of worship in Islam below, however, before moving on it should be noted that many non-Muslims are unaware of the distinction between simply believing in the existence of only One God and reserving all worship for Him alone. Many Christians are painfully unaware of this point, and thus you often find them asking how Muslims can accuse the followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, of being "polytheists" when they were all "monotheistic Jews". First of all, it should be clarified that the word "polytheist" doesn't really sound right in this context, since to many it implies simply believing in the existence of more than one God. So in an Islamic context, "associators", "man-worshippers" or "creature worshippers" might be more accurate and appropriate terms - especially since Christians believe Jesus to be both "100% God and 100% man", while still paying lip-service to God's "Oneness". However, as we're previously touched upon, what is really at the root of this problem is the fact that Christians - as well as the members of other religions - don't really know what "monotheism" means - especially in the Islamic sense. All of the books, articles and papers that I've read which were written by Christians invariably limit "monotheism" to believing in the existence of "One Sovereign and Creator God". Islam, however, teaches much more than this.
Suffice it to say that just because someone claims to be a "monotheistic" Jew, Christian or Muslim, that doesn't keep them from falling into corrupt beliefs and idolatrous practices. Many people, including some Muslims, claim belief in "One God" even though they've fallen into acts of idolatry. Certainly, many Protestants accuse Roman Catholics of idolatrous practices in regards to the saints and the Virgin Mary. Likewise, the Greek Orthodox Church is considered "idolatrous" by many other Christians because in much of their worship they use icons. However, if you ask a Roman Catholic or a Greek Orthodox person if God is "One", they will invariably answer: "Yes!". This lip-service, however, does not stop them from being "creature worshipping" idolaters. The same goes for Hindus, who just consider their gods to be "manifestations" or "incarnations" of the One Supreme God.
Everyone should be aware of the fact that throughout the long history of the "Abrahamic Faiths", there have people who, while believing in "One God", have adopted beliefs and practices that completely nullify their claim to "monotheism". This is the Muslim view of Christians. We're well aware of the fact that they claim belief in "One God" with their lips, but this doesn't mean that they don't nullify their claim in other ways. This is because many people simply haven't been taught everything that Pure Monotheism entails. From an Islamic point of view, "monotheism" can be nullified in many ways. For example, simply believing that it is permissible to rule by Western "liberal" and "democratic" laws in lieu of the Divinely Revealed Law of Almighty God makes one a "polytheist". Certainly, a person who does such a thing, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, doesn't ever believe that there is another Almighty Creator and Sovereign Lord. However, for all practical purposes, such a person has take another "god", whether they choose to admit it or not. In this way they are associating partners with Almighty God (Arabic: shirk), and thus become a "polytheist" in a practical sense, regardless of their lip-service to "monotheism". This holds true even if the person doesn't believe what they are doing is "worship". For example, Roman Catholics who pray to the Virgin Mary will staunchly deny that they are "worshipping" her. They instead call it "adoration" or some other watered-down term. However, from an Islamic point of view, what is worship if not this? Islam teaches that prayer and supplication are the marrow of worship, so if one directs their prayers to an intermediary (even if the pray is "ultimately" meant for God), then what is left of worship? Additionally, how can someone who believes in Almighty God follow man-made laws instead of God's Law, without admitting that they've begun worshipping other than God? Do they know better than God?
Additionally, the Old Testament makes it perfectly clear that making a "graven image" of any created thing (not to mention ones which are supposed to "represent" Almighty God) is prohibited. Please see Exodus 20:4-6, Leviticus 26:1 and Deuteronomy 4:16, 23, 25, 5:8 and Nehemiah 9:6 for some statements in regards to this point. Without addressing the issue that Christians commonly violate the unambiguous commandment not to even "make" representations of anything that is in the "heavens above or on the earth beneath", these verses not only teach that worshipping idols is prohibited, but also that Almighty God is eternally distinct from His creation and thus nothing in His creation can represent Him. To believe otherwise is to be a de facto idol worshipper - even if one claims belief in one, and only one, "True God". In Exodus 20:4-6 and Deuteronomy 4:16, Almighty God - who is a "Jealous God" - makes it perfectly clear that He is distinct from His creation.
By giving such clear and merciful guidance to human beings, God is establishing a universal and eternal Truth for the benefit of mankind. This eternal Truth is the bedrock of religious guidance, since once people begin to believe that Almighty God mixes with or can be represented by His creation, they can be duped into believing almost anything. Once someone accepts that God has become "incarnate" in His creation, or that someone or something is a "manifestation" - and thus representation - of Him, the floodgates are open and "Truth" becomes a matter of subjective guesswork. Once the first and most basic concept is violated - regardless of how complicated and sophisticated the rationale for it might be - it is very easy to fall further and further away from the Eternal Truth of Pure Monotheism. In the final analysis, it is not a question of whether God is capable of becoming a man, but rather a question of whether one bases their beliefs about God on clear, unambiguous and authentic guidance. Once it is left up to the human mind to decide what Almighty God can and cannot do, the stage is set for misguidance to take root. Human speculation about God only ends up leading to misguidance and despair, since no clear conclusions can ever be reached. For example, is God capable of creating an object so heavy that He is incapable of moving it? If not, does that mean that He is incapable? It is because of misguided questions like this that Islam clearly teaches that mankind should only say about God what He has said about Himself. This means all of our ideas about God must be based on Revelation - not human speculation. In short, the final prophet of Islam - Muhammad - was sent by Almighty God to preach the same Pure Monotheism that was practiced by Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus - peace be upon them all. This Pure Monotheism means not only believing that there is only One God in existence, but realizing that He is transcedent above His creation and that all worship is due to Him alone.
Before concluding, we should probably address the practice of those Muslims who insist on using the Arabic word "Allah" even when speaking English. Even though this practice certainly is not to be condemned when it is done around those who understand the meaning of the Arabic word "Allah", it is my experience - both during my years as a non-Muslim and my years as a Muslim - that such a practice can (and usually does) breed misunderstanding. It seems that often times, many of the Muslims who use the word "Allah" in lieu of the word "God", even when trying to attract people to Islam, are unaware of the severe misunderstandings that many non-Muslims have about Islam (and the distorted way which Islam has been portrayed in the West). Insisting on using the word "Allah" only fuels the flames of misunderstanding - so there's no good reason to do it. I've often wondered what value some Muslims think that using the word "Allah" adds to the Pure Message that they are trying to convey. ( . . . and I'm still waiting for an answer!) Unfortunately, those Muslims who insist on using the word "Allah" even when addressing non-Muslims who are unfamiliar with Islam and the Arabic language, do both a disservice to themselves and their religion. Unfortunately, this practice is usually based on the false assumption - by a non-native speaker of English - that the word "God" in English is incapable of expressing a pure and proper belief in Almighty God. This is certainly false. If someone says that the English word "God" cannot be used to express the Pure Islamic Belief in Tawhid, they are wrong not because they don't understand Tawhid, but simply because they don't understand the English language. Many people who insist on using the Arabic word "Allah" usually don't realize this, because in reality, they are not so much affirming the word "Allah" as they are rejecting the word "God" as unsuitable - based on incorrect assumptions. For someone to assume that the word "God" presupposes a certain theological point-of-view (such as the Trinity) is simply Wrong - and that's Wrong with a capital "W". To say the word "God" should be rejected because it can be changed into "god", "gods" or "goddess" is illogical because each of these words has a distinctive meaning and a distinctive spelling - at least to someone who knows how to speak English correctly. Using the same logic, I can demonstrate that the root letters "ktb" can be used to form the Arabic words "kitab" (book), "maktabah" (library), "maktab" (office) and "kaatib" (writer), but does that mean that these words have the same meaning? Do Arabic-speaking people go through life confusing libraries with writers and offices with books (both in conversation and in reality)? I think not! This is not to mention the fact that if the Arabic "Al-" was put in front of these words in order to make them definite, confusion would be even less likely! So the logic in both cases is the same, and this is because even though the same letters are used in "God" and "god", these two words have two different meanings in the English language. The capital "G" implies something different than the small "g" - and anyone who denies this simply doesn't know how to speak the English language.
In concluding this point, it should be mentioned that Arabic-speaking Muslims who believe in Pure Tawhid, Arabic-speaking Christians, the idol worshippers of Mecca and (so-called) Muslims who believe in "Wahdat al-Wujud" all use the word "Allah". However, does this guarantee all of them proper belief in "Allah"? Certainly not, because if they have a corrupt concept of "Allah" it doesn't matter what word they use!
This brings us to a more important point: It should be clearly understood that what Islam is primarily concerned with is correcting mankind's concept of Almighty God. What we are ultimately going to be held accountable at the end of our life is not whether we prefer the word "Allah" over the word "God", but what our concept of God is. Language is only a side issue. A person can have an incorrect concept of God while using the word "Allah", and likewise a person can have a correct concept of God while using the word "God". This is because both of these words are equally capable of being misused and being improperly defined. As we've already mentioned, using the word "Allah" no more insinuates belief in the Unity of God than the use of the word "God" insinuates belief in the Trinity - or any other theological opinion. Naturally, when God sends a revelation to mankind through a prophet, He is going to send it in a language that the people who receive it can understand and relate to. Almighty God makes this clear in the Qur'an, when He states:
"Never did We send a Messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people in order to make (things) clear to them."
(Qur'an, Chapter 14 - "Abraham", Verse 4)
As Muslims, we think that it is unfortunate that we have to go into details on such seemingly minor issues, but so many falsehoods have been heaped upon our religion, that we feel that it is our duty to try to break down the barriers of falsehood. This isn't always easy, since there is a lot of anti-Islamic literature in existence which tries to make Islam look like something strange and foreign to Westerners. There are some people out there, who are obviously not on the side of truth, that want to get people to believe that "Allah" is just some Arabian "god", and that Islam is completely "other" - meaning that it has no common roots with the other Abrahamic religions (i.e. Christianity and Judaism). To say that Muslims worship a different "God" because they say "Allah" is just as illogical as saying that French people worship another God because they use the word "Dieu", that Spanish-speaking people worship a different God because they say "Dios" or that the Hebrews worshipped a different God because they sometimes call Him "Yahweh". Certainly, reasoning like this is quite ridiculous! It should also be mentioned, that claiming that any one language uses the only the correct word for God is tantamount to denying the universality of God's message to mankind, which was to all nations, tribes and people through various prophets who spoke different languages.
Before closing, we would like everyone to be aware of the fact that some Christian missionary organizations print English literature intended to teach Christians about Islam which say such things as: "Allah is the god of the Muslims" and that "Muhammad came to get people to believe in the god Allah" - implying that "Allah" is some sort of false "god". However, when these same organizations print literature in the Arabic language, hoping to lead Arabic-speaking Muslims "to Christ", they use the word "Allah" for God. It seems that if they were on the side of truth, they would not have to resort to such inconsistencies. And on an even more ridiculous note . . . there are also missionary organizations that exceed this in ignorance (or deceit) by writing books that call on Muslims to give up their belief in "Allah", and instead worship the "Lord" Jesus, "the Son of God". Besides making it abundantly clear that they are outside the community of Pure Monotheism, the people who write such material don't even realize that if they wrote such a pamphlet in Arabic, it would be self-contradictory. This is because in an Arabic Bible Jesus is the "Son of Allah"! If an Arabic-speaking person gave up the worship of "Allah", they would have no God to worship, since "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for God!
Before we conclude, however, we would like to ask our readers to ask themselves what they think the reasons are behind all of these lies? If Islam was just some false religion that didn't make any sense, would so many people, from Western scholars to Christian missionaries, have to tell so many lies about it? The reason is that the Ultimate Truth of Islam stands on solid ground and its unshakable belief in the Unity of God is above reproach. Due to this, Christians can't criticize its doctrines directly, but instead make up things about Islam that aren't true so that people lose the desire to learn more. If Muslims were able to present Islam in the proper way to people in the West, it surely might make many people reconsider and re-evaluate their own beliefs. It is quite likely that Christians, when they find out that there is a universal religion in the world that teaches people to worship and love God, while also practicing Pure Monotheism, would at least feel that they should re-examine the basis for their own beliefs and doctrines.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Christianity
From: www.thetruereligion.org
Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him) [Qur'an 3:64]God is One.
There is no Trinity. Jesus(P) is a prophet of God, and like all his fellow prophets, he is a human being. We love him, and believe in him, and affirm all of his miracles, bestowed upon him as a favour from his Lord. He called for the worship of God alone and for righteousness - as every prophet of God has done. However, his pure monotheistic message was gradually changed by some 'Christians' into a polytheistic one, by transforming Jesus(P), the servant of God, into a mythological God-incarnate figure to be worshipped alongside God All-Mighty. This distortion of the message of Jesus(P) is the religion called Christianity.All praise is due to God, who is guiding many Christians to realise that God is truly One, the All-Mighty, free of all imperfections, and that everlasting salvation lies in turning to Him and Him only in all acts of worship, that Jesus(P) is the messenger of God, and that Muhammad is the last of the messengers of God. You are invited to read the testimonies of many former Christians who have embraced Islam, but bear in mind that this is only a drop in the ocean, as daily there are hundreds of conversions from Christianity to Islam all around the world. Amongst the most powerful and thought-provoking testimonies are those of former Christian priests and missionaries who have discovered the one true religion. If you are a Christian, then we invite you to embrace Islam, the one true religion of Abraham(P), Moses(P), Jesus(P), and Muhammad , by bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship but God and that Muhammad is the final messenger of God. In doing so, you will have taken the path of true guidance and submission to God. All human beings are born pure, and by embracing Islam, you will return to the original and sinless state in which God created you. You will experience true freedom - the pure, direct, and exclusive worship of the One True God, free of any intermediaries between you and Him. You will find that you have entered a religion pure and clear, free of confusion and contradiction, with a preserved Book and a beautiful way of life. And in the hereafter, you will abide forever in peace, in gardens beneath which rivers flow, and you will look upon the Face of the Lord.
Blogger Comment:
1- No one of us can compare himself by Jesus, He is a great prophet of God and along with Abraham, Moses, Noah and Muhammad are the most to suffer of the prophets.
2- Muslims are not trying to convert Christians to Islam for bias to their religion but for the love of Islam and the love for all people to be guided to the path of God.
3- It is never too late to convert to Islam. A Muslim convert can be to God as good as a Muslim who lived all his lives and died as a Muslim.
4- The conversion to Islam in the end of time is a promise of God to his prophet Muhammad and God keeps his promise. At personal level you are the one who decide to save his soul. Yes Jesus is the saviour but as a great prophet to God.
5- Islam can be well as some Christians believe the religion of Satan and the counterfeit to Christianity. Examine the high spirituality of Muslims and their morals and decide to yourself. Read the Quran and do not be a captive to a Christian leader or a preacher. A lot of them are good people but many did not examine the Quran well and the people who had examined faithfully the Quran became Islamic preachers.
Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him) [Qur'an 3:64]God is One.
There is no Trinity. Jesus(P) is a prophet of God, and like all his fellow prophets, he is a human being. We love him, and believe in him, and affirm all of his miracles, bestowed upon him as a favour from his Lord. He called for the worship of God alone and for righteousness - as every prophet of God has done. However, his pure monotheistic message was gradually changed by some 'Christians' into a polytheistic one, by transforming Jesus(P), the servant of God, into a mythological God-incarnate figure to be worshipped alongside God All-Mighty. This distortion of the message of Jesus(P) is the religion called Christianity.All praise is due to God, who is guiding many Christians to realise that God is truly One, the All-Mighty, free of all imperfections, and that everlasting salvation lies in turning to Him and Him only in all acts of worship, that Jesus(P) is the messenger of God, and that Muhammad is the last of the messengers of God. You are invited to read the testimonies of many former Christians who have embraced Islam, but bear in mind that this is only a drop in the ocean, as daily there are hundreds of conversions from Christianity to Islam all around the world. Amongst the most powerful and thought-provoking testimonies are those of former Christian priests and missionaries who have discovered the one true religion. If you are a Christian, then we invite you to embrace Islam, the one true religion of Abraham(P), Moses(P), Jesus(P), and Muhammad , by bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship but God and that Muhammad is the final messenger of God. In doing so, you will have taken the path of true guidance and submission to God. All human beings are born pure, and by embracing Islam, you will return to the original and sinless state in which God created you. You will experience true freedom - the pure, direct, and exclusive worship of the One True God, free of any intermediaries between you and Him. You will find that you have entered a religion pure and clear, free of confusion and contradiction, with a preserved Book and a beautiful way of life. And in the hereafter, you will abide forever in peace, in gardens beneath which rivers flow, and you will look upon the Face of the Lord.
Blogger Comment:
1- No one of us can compare himself by Jesus, He is a great prophet of God and along with Abraham, Moses, Noah and Muhammad are the most to suffer of the prophets.
2- Muslims are not trying to convert Christians to Islam for bias to their religion but for the love of Islam and the love for all people to be guided to the path of God.
3- It is never too late to convert to Islam. A Muslim convert can be to God as good as a Muslim who lived all his lives and died as a Muslim.
4- The conversion to Islam in the end of time is a promise of God to his prophet Muhammad and God keeps his promise. At personal level you are the one who decide to save his soul. Yes Jesus is the saviour but as a great prophet to God.
5- Islam can be well as some Christians believe the religion of Satan and the counterfeit to Christianity. Examine the high spirituality of Muslims and their morals and decide to yourself. Read the Quran and do not be a captive to a Christian leader or a preacher. A lot of them are good people but many did not examine the Quran well and the people who had examined faithfully the Quran became Islamic preachers.
How It Is Different To Think God Versus To Think Self
By: Maged Taman
Feeling important is very human. Each of us likes to hear his name called and his opinions listened to. However, it is much different when we think God instead of thinking self. Imagine a group of us are sitting on a large table. Imagine that we all seeing God or feeling his presence as we are talking. This will be the way it goes:
1- We will be feeling that God is watching us.
2- We will feel we are united by God, instead of everyone going his way.
3- We will feel that we are obliged to follow the good of God.
4- We will be just, facts-finding and considerate.
5- Instead of thinking how to win arguments we will lay our opinions without demeaning the other side.
6- The good instead of bad spirit will prevail.
7- Each one of us will feel important, very human. But we will be more productive.
8- We will create the consensus that we feel agrees with the just of God and the advance of humanity.
Thinking God when we argue is the solution to most of human problems.
Feeling important is very human. Each of us likes to hear his name called and his opinions listened to. However, it is much different when we think God instead of thinking self. Imagine a group of us are sitting on a large table. Imagine that we all seeing God or feeling his presence as we are talking. This will be the way it goes:
1- We will be feeling that God is watching us.
2- We will feel we are united by God, instead of everyone going his way.
3- We will feel that we are obliged to follow the good of God.
4- We will be just, facts-finding and considerate.
5- Instead of thinking how to win arguments we will lay our opinions without demeaning the other side.
6- The good instead of bad spirit will prevail.
7- Each one of us will feel important, very human. But we will be more productive.
8- We will create the consensus that we feel agrees with the just of God and the advance of humanity.
Thinking God when we argue is the solution to most of human problems.
Surah (Chapter) Name: Al-Infitaar Total Ayat (Verses): 19
In the name of Allah, the Benificent, the Merciful
إِذَا السَّمَاء انفَطَرَتْ
82.1 . When the heaven is cleft asunder ,
وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ
82.2 . When the planets are dispersed ,
وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتْ
82.3 . When the seas are poured forth ,
وَإِذَا الْقُبُورُ بُعْثِرَتْ
82.4 . And the sepulchres are overturned ,
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ
82.5 . A soul will know what it hath sent before ( it ) and what left behind .
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ
82.6 . O man! What hath made thee careless concerning thy Lord , the Bountiful ,
الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ
82.7 . Who created thee , then fashioned , then proportioned thee?
فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَّا شَاء رَكَّبَكَ
82.8 . Into whatsover form He will , He casteth thee
كَلَّا بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ
82.9 . Nay , but they deny the Judgment .
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ
82.10 . Lo ! there are above you guardians ,
كِرَاماً كَاتِبِينَ
82.11 . Generous and recording ,
يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
82.12 . Who know ( all ) that ye do .
إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ
82.13 . Lo! the righteous verily will be in delight
وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ
82.14 . And lo! the wicked verily will be in hell ;
يَصْلَوْنَهَا يَوْمَ الدِّينِ
82.15 . They will burn therein on the Day of Judgment ,
وَمَا هُمْ عَنْهَا بِغَائِبِينَ
82.16 . And will not be absent thence .
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
82.17 . Ah , what will convey unto thee what the Day of Judgment is!
ثُمَّ مَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
82.18 . Again , what will convey unto thee what the Day of Judgment is!
يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْئاً وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ
82.19 . A day on which no soul hath power at all for any ( other ) soul . The ( absolute ) command on that day is Allah ' s .
Translation to Pickthal.
Blogger Comment:
Two of the great translations to Quran were to two Muslims convert : Pickthal and Assad.
The day of judgement described by God as a great change in the universe. A change that only God is capable of.
God is merciful and is not surprising us he sent the prophets with the warnings before that day.
God explained to us in this life how he created us and what we should think of him.
He was generous with us. As you see he did not ask us for miracles but to follow his commandments and get along with each other.
The day of judgement is owned by God and the command is for God.
The meanings are great and the verses are simple. The reasoning is clear and the verses are well connected. Those who are trying to discredit the Quran will answer God in that day of judgement. They should be prepared and do their home work well since they will have to prove to him how they were able to discredit the Quran.
34:38 And as for those who strive against Our revelations, challenging, they will be brought to the doom.
وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ (34:38)
إِذَا السَّمَاء انفَطَرَتْ
82.1 . When the heaven is cleft asunder ,
وَإِذَا الْكَوَاكِبُ انتَثَرَتْ
82.2 . When the planets are dispersed ,
وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ فُجِّرَتْ
82.3 . When the seas are poured forth ,
وَإِذَا الْقُبُورُ بُعْثِرَتْ
82.4 . And the sepulchres are overturned ,
عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ
82.5 . A soul will know what it hath sent before ( it ) and what left behind .
يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ
82.6 . O man! What hath made thee careless concerning thy Lord , the Bountiful ,
الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ
82.7 . Who created thee , then fashioned , then proportioned thee?
فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَّا شَاء رَكَّبَكَ
82.8 . Into whatsover form He will , He casteth thee
كَلَّا بَلْ تُكَذِّبُونَ بِالدِّينِ
82.9 . Nay , but they deny the Judgment .
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ
82.10 . Lo ! there are above you guardians ,
كِرَاماً كَاتِبِينَ
82.11 . Generous and recording ,
يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
82.12 . Who know ( all ) that ye do .
إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ
82.13 . Lo! the righteous verily will be in delight
وَإِنَّ الْفُجَّارَ لَفِي جَحِيمٍ
82.14 . And lo! the wicked verily will be in hell ;
يَصْلَوْنَهَا يَوْمَ الدِّينِ
82.15 . They will burn therein on the Day of Judgment ,
وَمَا هُمْ عَنْهَا بِغَائِبِينَ
82.16 . And will not be absent thence .
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
82.17 . Ah , what will convey unto thee what the Day of Judgment is!
ثُمَّ مَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ
82.18 . Again , what will convey unto thee what the Day of Judgment is!
يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْئاً وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ
82.19 . A day on which no soul hath power at all for any ( other ) soul . The ( absolute ) command on that day is Allah ' s .
Translation to Pickthal.
Blogger Comment:
Two of the great translations to Quran were to two Muslims convert : Pickthal and Assad.
The day of judgement described by God as a great change in the universe. A change that only God is capable of.
God is merciful and is not surprising us he sent the prophets with the warnings before that day.
God explained to us in this life how he created us and what we should think of him.
He was generous with us. As you see he did not ask us for miracles but to follow his commandments and get along with each other.
The day of judgement is owned by God and the command is for God.
The meanings are great and the verses are simple. The reasoning is clear and the verses are well connected. Those who are trying to discredit the Quran will answer God in that day of judgement. They should be prepared and do their home work well since they will have to prove to him how they were able to discredit the Quran.
34:38 And as for those who strive against Our revelations, challenging, they will be brought to the doom.
وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ (34:38)
Difficulties facing a Christian girl who wants to take the decision to enter Islam
From: www.islamqa.com
Question:I am a young Christian woman and I have been reading about Islam for some months now. I have already read a translation of the Koran and several books about Islam along with articles and other material I have found on the internet and elsewhere. I do not pretend to know or understand everything, there are many things that still confuse me, and I have a hard time accepting some applications and interpretations of Islam that I have read about. However, I do believe in God and I do believe that Muhammad was his prophet and that the Koran is the revealed word of God. The question is what should I do about it? As I said there are still so many things that I do not know or understand and this is a major decision I am trying to make and to tell the truth it feels like an enormous responsibility and it is quite frightening. What worries me the most is that I don't know how well I could live by Islam if I converted. I have already changed some things in my life, I have stopped drinking, I avoid pork and I try to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants (or skirts) when I go out. But I also know that there are some things I would not be able to do immediately if I converted, for varios reasons, (at least that is the way it looks to me at this moment), such as wearing hijab. Also, I am currently studying abroad (in the US, but I am from Europe) but I am going home to my family over Christmas. I don't think I would be able to tell my family right away if I converted and thus I do not know if I could do things such as pray all the five daily prayers, fast or avoid pork while at home over Christmas.Would it be wrong of me converting knowing that I will not be able to fulfill all the obligations that follow (at least not immediately), and knowing that there are still many issues that I do not understand or have a hard time accepting wholeheartedly (due to lack of understanding and knowledge . Please guide me .
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have achieved in your quest for the truth is great indeed. All that remains to be done is the most important step you will ever take in your life, which is to pronounce the Shahaadatayn and enter Islam. We truly appreciate the great efforts you have made by reading the entire Qur’aan in translation, and other books and articles about Islam, and also by already giving up some haraam things such as drinking wine and eating pork. The most important thing that you have achieved is your conviction about Islam, the Prophet of Islam and the Book of Islam. From your question we can sum up the obstacles that you face in two points:
some social embarrassment
some matters that you do not yet fully understand
With regard to the second point, it is not a condition for becoming Muslim that a person should know the entire religion, because it is a vast ocean. You can become Muslim and then learn the religion and develop full conviction about all the rulings of Islam. At the beginning, it is sufficient to believe in the six pillars of faith in general terms (belief in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and predestination, both good and bad) and to understand and accept in general terms the five pillars of Islam (testifying that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, prayer, paying zakaah, fasting in Ramadaan, and performing Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah, for the one who is able and has the means). Realize that knowledge and conviction develop gradually, and that faith increases by doing acts of worship and obedience to Allaah, which in turn leads to a deeper understanding and acceptance of the rulings of Islam.
With regard to the first point, we are sure that if you enter Islam and are sincere towards Allaah and do righteous deeds, then Allaah will give you the strength, steadfastness, courage and certainty to face all difficulties and overcome them. The experience of other women who have become Muslim before you gives you a good example of what you could be able to do in the future as regards following the rules of Islam, such as hijaab and other issues, despite being surrounded by an overwhelming atmosphere of kufr. We also say that if any woman were to ask us whether she should become Muslim despite not wearing full hijab or stay a kaafir, we would definitely tell her to become Muslim, because the seriousness and danger of remaining a kaafir is far worse than being a Muslim but committing a sin.
We understand totally the difficulties and social embarrassment that you speak of, and we know that going against one’s family and the society in which one lives are very difficult matters, but Allaah makes every difficult thing easy.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“… And Allaah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:68]
“…And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).” [al-Talaaq 65:2]
“… Allaah will grant after hardship, ease.” [al-Talaaq 65:7]
“As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e., Allaah’s Religion – Islamic Monotheism)…” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:69]
We also want to tell you that it is possible for a person, if he becomes Muslim and fears unbearable persecution or hardship, to conceal his Islam and keep it a secret, hiding his acts of worship from the people around him although it is difficult to do so. But for the sake of following the truth and saving oneself from the punishment of Hellfire, everything becomes easy and the believer can overcome all difficulties.
Finally, we can only thank you for the efforts you have made and for sending this question. We hope that the next step, which you should take immediately, is abundantly clear to you from our answer. We will be very happy to help you with anything you may need in the future, and we ask Allaah to guide you to the path of truth, to help you and to make things easy for you. Allaah is the Guide to the Straight Path.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Question:I am a young Christian woman and I have been reading about Islam for some months now. I have already read a translation of the Koran and several books about Islam along with articles and other material I have found on the internet and elsewhere. I do not pretend to know or understand everything, there are many things that still confuse me, and I have a hard time accepting some applications and interpretations of Islam that I have read about. However, I do believe in God and I do believe that Muhammad was his prophet and that the Koran is the revealed word of God. The question is what should I do about it? As I said there are still so many things that I do not know or understand and this is a major decision I am trying to make and to tell the truth it feels like an enormous responsibility and it is quite frightening. What worries me the most is that I don't know how well I could live by Islam if I converted. I have already changed some things in my life, I have stopped drinking, I avoid pork and I try to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants (or skirts) when I go out. But I also know that there are some things I would not be able to do immediately if I converted, for varios reasons, (at least that is the way it looks to me at this moment), such as wearing hijab. Also, I am currently studying abroad (in the US, but I am from Europe) but I am going home to my family over Christmas. I don't think I would be able to tell my family right away if I converted and thus I do not know if I could do things such as pray all the five daily prayers, fast or avoid pork while at home over Christmas.Would it be wrong of me converting knowing that I will not be able to fulfill all the obligations that follow (at least not immediately), and knowing that there are still many issues that I do not understand or have a hard time accepting wholeheartedly (due to lack of understanding and knowledge . Please guide me .
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have achieved in your quest for the truth is great indeed. All that remains to be done is the most important step you will ever take in your life, which is to pronounce the Shahaadatayn and enter Islam. We truly appreciate the great efforts you have made by reading the entire Qur’aan in translation, and other books and articles about Islam, and also by already giving up some haraam things such as drinking wine and eating pork. The most important thing that you have achieved is your conviction about Islam, the Prophet of Islam and the Book of Islam. From your question we can sum up the obstacles that you face in two points:
some social embarrassment
some matters that you do not yet fully understand
With regard to the second point, it is not a condition for becoming Muslim that a person should know the entire religion, because it is a vast ocean. You can become Muslim and then learn the religion and develop full conviction about all the rulings of Islam. At the beginning, it is sufficient to believe in the six pillars of faith in general terms (belief in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and predestination, both good and bad) and to understand and accept in general terms the five pillars of Islam (testifying that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, prayer, paying zakaah, fasting in Ramadaan, and performing Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah, for the one who is able and has the means). Realize that knowledge and conviction develop gradually, and that faith increases by doing acts of worship and obedience to Allaah, which in turn leads to a deeper understanding and acceptance of the rulings of Islam.
With regard to the first point, we are sure that if you enter Islam and are sincere towards Allaah and do righteous deeds, then Allaah will give you the strength, steadfastness, courage and certainty to face all difficulties and overcome them. The experience of other women who have become Muslim before you gives you a good example of what you could be able to do in the future as regards following the rules of Islam, such as hijaab and other issues, despite being surrounded by an overwhelming atmosphere of kufr. We also say that if any woman were to ask us whether she should become Muslim despite not wearing full hijab or stay a kaafir, we would definitely tell her to become Muslim, because the seriousness and danger of remaining a kaafir is far worse than being a Muslim but committing a sin.
We understand totally the difficulties and social embarrassment that you speak of, and we know that going against one’s family and the society in which one lives are very difficult matters, but Allaah makes every difficult thing easy.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“… And Allaah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:68]
“…And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).” [al-Talaaq 65:2]
“… Allaah will grant after hardship, ease.” [al-Talaaq 65:7]
“As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e., Allaah’s Religion – Islamic Monotheism)…” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:69]
We also want to tell you that it is possible for a person, if he becomes Muslim and fears unbearable persecution or hardship, to conceal his Islam and keep it a secret, hiding his acts of worship from the people around him although it is difficult to do so. But for the sake of following the truth and saving oneself from the punishment of Hellfire, everything becomes easy and the believer can overcome all difficulties.
Finally, we can only thank you for the efforts you have made and for sending this question. We hope that the next step, which you should take immediately, is abundantly clear to you from our answer. We will be very happy to help you with anything you may need in the future, and we ask Allaah to guide you to the path of truth, to help you and to make things easy for you. Allaah is the Guide to the Straight Path.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
THE SWORD OF ISLAM The Sunnah Islamic Page
From: www.al-sunnah.com
The first few who embraced the "new" religion in Makkah in the Arabian Peninsula at the hands of the Prophet, were his wife Khadijah, his servant Zaid and his eleven year old cousin Ali. Among the ones who later joined this faith were the honest merchant, Abu Bakr; the iron man of Arabia, Umar the Great; the shy businessman, Uthman; the Prophet's brave uncle Hamza and a slave of a pagan, Bilal. They simply couldn't resist the MAGIC SWORD of a humble and lonely Prophet? The negligible minority of the believers in this new Faith was soon exiled from Makkah and they arrived in the city called Yathreb which later became known as MADINAH. The Muslim emigrants to Madinah brought their SWORD with them. The SWORD continued to work and its magnetic force continued to "pull" people towards it until the whole of Arabia joined the Faith. Compared to the population of the rest of the world at that time, the Arabs constituted a tiny minority. A fraction of this minority decided to take the SWORD beyond the boundaries of the Arabian desert to the mighty Mediterranean, the coast of Malabar and the far away East Indies Islands. People after people continued surrendering to this SWORD and joining the Faith.
So sharp was the edge of the SWORD! It simply conquered the hearts; bodies yielded automatically. It is the SWORD OF TRUTH, whose mere shine eliminates falsehood just like light wipes away darkness.
HAS THE SWORD GONE BLUNT? NO, FAR FROM IT.
It Continues to pierce the hearts of countless men and women today - in spite of the relentless efforts by persons with vested interests who like darkness to prevail, so that they may rob people of their good things. Read below the impressions of some who were recently conquered by the same SWORD. They are from different countries, speak different languages and have different backgrounds. Their present addresses are also given. Perhaps you may like to ask them how it feels to be struck by the SWORD OF TRUTH.
1. LEOPOLD WEISS (now Mohammed Asad): Austrian statesman, journalist, former foreign correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung; author of Islam at Cross Roads and Road to Mecca and translator of the Qur'an. He embraced Islam in 1926.
"Islam appears to me like a perfect work of Architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other. Nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure."
2. AHMED HOLT: British Civil Contractor, traveler in search of the Divine truth, spent much of his time in research and comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He embraced Islam in 1975.
"The SWORD OF ISLAM is not the sword of steel. I know this by experience, because the sword of Islam struck deep into my own heart. It didn't bring death, but it brought a new life; it brought an awareness and it brought an awakening as to who am I and what am I and for what am I here?"
3. BOGDAN KOPANSKI (now Bogdan Ataullah Kopanski):originally Polish, now American; Ph.D. in history and politics, had a very interesting journey to Islam and faced severe hardships; was imprisoned twice by the Polish communist regime (1968, 1981-82). He embraced Islam in 1974.
"When I was 12 years old I rejected illogical and contradictory faith of the Church. Two years later in 1962 I was fascinated by the victorious struggle of the Algerian Muslim mujahideen against French colonialism. It was the first arrow of Islam...The high school and earliest days of my education in the University, I was a typical example of the 'rebel generation' of Reds...My way to the Truth of Al-Qur'an was slow and unpaved... In 1974 I visited Turkey, I wrote my M.A. dissertation about Sultan and Caliph Suleiman Kanuni's policy towards the Polish Kingdom. There I was hit by the most beautiful voice of mankind, Adhan, the call to prayer. My hair stood up. An unknown, powerful force led me to an old masjid in Istanbul. There, old, smiling, Turkish bearded men taught me Wuzu, ablution. I confessed to tears, Shahada, and I prayed my first Salah Maghrib...I swept out the rubbish ideologies...The first time in my life, my mind was relaxed and I felt the pleasure of Allah's love in my heart. I was a Muslim..."
4-VENGATACHALAM ADIYAR (now Abdullah Adiyar): Indian, noted Tamil writer and journalist; worked as a news editor inn Dr. M. Karunanidhi's daily Murasoli for 17 years; assisted 3 former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu. Received Kalaimamani Award (Big Gem of Arts) from Tamil Nadu Government in 1982. He embraced Islam in 1987.
"In Islam I found suitable replies to nagging queries arising n my mind with regard to the theory of creation, status of woman, creation of universe, etc. The life history of the holy Prophet attracted me very much and made easy for me to compare with other world leaders and their philosophies."
5. HERBERT HOBOHM (now Aman Hobohm): German diplomat, missionary and social worker. An intellectual who has been serving the German diplomatic missions in various parts of the world. Presently working as Cultural Attache in German Embassy in Riyadh. He embraced Islam in 1941.
"I have lived under different systems of life and have had the opportunity of studying various ideologies, but have come to the conclusion that none is as perfect as Islam. None of the systems has got a complete code of a noble life, Only Islam has it' and that is why good men embrace it. Islam is not theoretical; it is practical. It means complete submission to the will of God."
6. CAT STEVENS (now Yusuf Islam): British; formerly a Christian and a world famous pop singer. He embraced Islam in 1973.
"It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media. It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver if the car is drunk and he bangs it into the wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life - in it's spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. But we must find the sources of these instruction, the Qur'an and the example of the Prophet. then we can see the ideal of Islam."
7. MARGARET MARCUS (now Maryam Jamilah): American; formerly a Jews, essayist and author of many books. She embraced Islam in 1962.
"The authority of Islamic Morals and Laws proceeds from Almighty God. Pleasure and happiness in Islam are but the natural byproducts of emotional satisfaction in one's duties conscientiously performed for the pleasure of God to achieve salvation. In Islam duties are always stressed above rights. Only in Islam was my quest for absolute values satisfied. Only in Islam did I at last find all that was true, good, beautiful and which gives meaning and direction to human life and death.
8. M. HOFFMAN (now Murad Hoffman): Ph.D. in law (Harvard); German social scientist and diplomat; presently German Ambassador in Algeria. He embraced Islam in 1980.
"For some time now, striving for more and more precision and brevity, I have tried to put on paper in a systematic way, all philosophical truths, which in my view, can be ascertained beyond reasonable doubt. In the course of this effort it dawned on me that the typical attitude of an agnostic is not an intelligent one; that man simply cannot escape a decision to believe; that the createdness of what exists around us is obvious; that Islam undoubtedly finds itself in the greatest harmony with overall reality. Thus I realize, not without shock, that step by step, in spite of myself and almost unconsciously, n feeling and thinking I have grown into a Muslim. Only one last step remained to be taken: to formalize my conversion. As of today I am a Muslim. I have arrived."
9. CASSIUS CLAY (now Muhammad Ali): American; three times World Heavyweight Champion, formerly a Christian. He embraced Islam in 1965.
"I have had many nice moments in my life. But the feelings I had while standing on Mount Arafat on the day of Hajj ( Muslims' pilgrimage), was the most unique. I felt exalted by the indescribable spiritual atmosphere there as over a million and a half pilgrims invoked God to forgive them of their sins and bestow on them His choicest blessings. It was an exhilarating experience to see to people belonging to different colors, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equality in Islam."
(Speaking to the daily "Al-Madinah" Jeddah, 15 July, 1989)
These were the impressions of a few persons who had themselves been struck by the SWORD OF TRUTH, that is, the Message of Islam.
AS FOR THE PROPAGANDA THAT IT WAS THE SWORD OF STEEL, THAT IS, FORCE, WHICH WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE UNIVERSAL EXPANSION OF ISLAM, WE GIVE BELOW QUOTATIONS FROM THE WRITING OF SOME OF THE PROMINENT NON-MUSLIM SCHOLARS AND LEADERS REFUTING THIS BASELESS ACCUSATION.
1. M. K. GANDHI: "...I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These, and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble." YOUNG INDIA, 1924
2. EDWARD GIBBON: "The greatest success of Mohammed's life was effected by sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword." HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRE, London, 1870
3. A. S. TRITTON: "The picture of the Muslim soldier advancing with a sword in one hand and the Qur'an in the other is quite false." ISLAM, London, 1951, p. 21
4. DE LACY O'LEARY: "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslim, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated." ISLAM AT CROSSROADS, London, 1923, p. 8
5. K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO: "My problem to write this monograph is easier because we are not generally fed now on that (distorted) kind of history and much time need not be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations of Islam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth the name. The principle of Islam, there is no compulsion in religion, is well known." MOHAMMED THE PROPHET OF ISLAM, Riyadh, 1989, p. 4
6. JAMES A. MICHENER: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam...The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Qur'an is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience." ISLAM - THE MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION, READERS' DIGEST (American Edition) May 1955
7. LAWRENCE E. BROWNE: "Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword." THE PROSPECTS OR ISLAM, London, 1944.
IF YOU TOO POSSESS A SOFT TENDER HEART AND AN OPEN MIND, DO WRITE TO US FOR SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAY OF LIFE CALLED "ISLAM". DO NOT BELIEVE THE HEARSAY AND LEARN FORM THE DIRECT SOURCES. WE ARE READY TO HELP - Email Us
The first few who embraced the "new" religion in Makkah in the Arabian Peninsula at the hands of the Prophet, were his wife Khadijah, his servant Zaid and his eleven year old cousin Ali. Among the ones who later joined this faith were the honest merchant, Abu Bakr; the iron man of Arabia, Umar the Great; the shy businessman, Uthman; the Prophet's brave uncle Hamza and a slave of a pagan, Bilal. They simply couldn't resist the MAGIC SWORD of a humble and lonely Prophet? The negligible minority of the believers in this new Faith was soon exiled from Makkah and they arrived in the city called Yathreb which later became known as MADINAH. The Muslim emigrants to Madinah brought their SWORD with them. The SWORD continued to work and its magnetic force continued to "pull" people towards it until the whole of Arabia joined the Faith. Compared to the population of the rest of the world at that time, the Arabs constituted a tiny minority. A fraction of this minority decided to take the SWORD beyond the boundaries of the Arabian desert to the mighty Mediterranean, the coast of Malabar and the far away East Indies Islands. People after people continued surrendering to this SWORD and joining the Faith.
So sharp was the edge of the SWORD! It simply conquered the hearts; bodies yielded automatically. It is the SWORD OF TRUTH, whose mere shine eliminates falsehood just like light wipes away darkness.
HAS THE SWORD GONE BLUNT? NO, FAR FROM IT.
It Continues to pierce the hearts of countless men and women today - in spite of the relentless efforts by persons with vested interests who like darkness to prevail, so that they may rob people of their good things. Read below the impressions of some who were recently conquered by the same SWORD. They are from different countries, speak different languages and have different backgrounds. Their present addresses are also given. Perhaps you may like to ask them how it feels to be struck by the SWORD OF TRUTH.
1. LEOPOLD WEISS (now Mohammed Asad): Austrian statesman, journalist, former foreign correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung; author of Islam at Cross Roads and Road to Mecca and translator of the Qur'an. He embraced Islam in 1926.
"Islam appears to me like a perfect work of Architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other. Nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure."
2. AHMED HOLT: British Civil Contractor, traveler in search of the Divine truth, spent much of his time in research and comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He embraced Islam in 1975.
"The SWORD OF ISLAM is not the sword of steel. I know this by experience, because the sword of Islam struck deep into my own heart. It didn't bring death, but it brought a new life; it brought an awareness and it brought an awakening as to who am I and what am I and for what am I here?"
3. BOGDAN KOPANSKI (now Bogdan Ataullah Kopanski):originally Polish, now American; Ph.D. in history and politics, had a very interesting journey to Islam and faced severe hardships; was imprisoned twice by the Polish communist regime (1968, 1981-82). He embraced Islam in 1974.
"When I was 12 years old I rejected illogical and contradictory faith of the Church. Two years later in 1962 I was fascinated by the victorious struggle of the Algerian Muslim mujahideen against French colonialism. It was the first arrow of Islam...The high school and earliest days of my education in the University, I was a typical example of the 'rebel generation' of Reds...My way to the Truth of Al-Qur'an was slow and unpaved... In 1974 I visited Turkey, I wrote my M.A. dissertation about Sultan and Caliph Suleiman Kanuni's policy towards the Polish Kingdom. There I was hit by the most beautiful voice of mankind, Adhan, the call to prayer. My hair stood up. An unknown, powerful force led me to an old masjid in Istanbul. There, old, smiling, Turkish bearded men taught me Wuzu, ablution. I confessed to tears, Shahada, and I prayed my first Salah Maghrib...I swept out the rubbish ideologies...The first time in my life, my mind was relaxed and I felt the pleasure of Allah's love in my heart. I was a Muslim..."
4-VENGATACHALAM ADIYAR (now Abdullah Adiyar): Indian, noted Tamil writer and journalist; worked as a news editor inn Dr. M. Karunanidhi's daily Murasoli for 17 years; assisted 3 former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu. Received Kalaimamani Award (Big Gem of Arts) from Tamil Nadu Government in 1982. He embraced Islam in 1987.
"In Islam I found suitable replies to nagging queries arising n my mind with regard to the theory of creation, status of woman, creation of universe, etc. The life history of the holy Prophet attracted me very much and made easy for me to compare with other world leaders and their philosophies."
5. HERBERT HOBOHM (now Aman Hobohm): German diplomat, missionary and social worker. An intellectual who has been serving the German diplomatic missions in various parts of the world. Presently working as Cultural Attache in German Embassy in Riyadh. He embraced Islam in 1941.
"I have lived under different systems of life and have had the opportunity of studying various ideologies, but have come to the conclusion that none is as perfect as Islam. None of the systems has got a complete code of a noble life, Only Islam has it' and that is why good men embrace it. Islam is not theoretical; it is practical. It means complete submission to the will of God."
6. CAT STEVENS (now Yusuf Islam): British; formerly a Christian and a world famous pop singer. He embraced Islam in 1973.
"It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media. It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver if the car is drunk and he bangs it into the wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life - in it's spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. But we must find the sources of these instruction, the Qur'an and the example of the Prophet. then we can see the ideal of Islam."
7. MARGARET MARCUS (now Maryam Jamilah): American; formerly a Jews, essayist and author of many books. She embraced Islam in 1962.
"The authority of Islamic Morals and Laws proceeds from Almighty God. Pleasure and happiness in Islam are but the natural byproducts of emotional satisfaction in one's duties conscientiously performed for the pleasure of God to achieve salvation. In Islam duties are always stressed above rights. Only in Islam was my quest for absolute values satisfied. Only in Islam did I at last find all that was true, good, beautiful and which gives meaning and direction to human life and death.
8. M. HOFFMAN (now Murad Hoffman): Ph.D. in law (Harvard); German social scientist and diplomat; presently German Ambassador in Algeria. He embraced Islam in 1980.
"For some time now, striving for more and more precision and brevity, I have tried to put on paper in a systematic way, all philosophical truths, which in my view, can be ascertained beyond reasonable doubt. In the course of this effort it dawned on me that the typical attitude of an agnostic is not an intelligent one; that man simply cannot escape a decision to believe; that the createdness of what exists around us is obvious; that Islam undoubtedly finds itself in the greatest harmony with overall reality. Thus I realize, not without shock, that step by step, in spite of myself and almost unconsciously, n feeling and thinking I have grown into a Muslim. Only one last step remained to be taken: to formalize my conversion. As of today I am a Muslim. I have arrived."
9. CASSIUS CLAY (now Muhammad Ali): American; three times World Heavyweight Champion, formerly a Christian. He embraced Islam in 1965.
"I have had many nice moments in my life. But the feelings I had while standing on Mount Arafat on the day of Hajj ( Muslims' pilgrimage), was the most unique. I felt exalted by the indescribable spiritual atmosphere there as over a million and a half pilgrims invoked God to forgive them of their sins and bestow on them His choicest blessings. It was an exhilarating experience to see to people belonging to different colors, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equality in Islam."
(Speaking to the daily "Al-Madinah" Jeddah, 15 July, 1989)
These were the impressions of a few persons who had themselves been struck by the SWORD OF TRUTH, that is, the Message of Islam.
AS FOR THE PROPAGANDA THAT IT WAS THE SWORD OF STEEL, THAT IS, FORCE, WHICH WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE UNIVERSAL EXPANSION OF ISLAM, WE GIVE BELOW QUOTATIONS FROM THE WRITING OF SOME OF THE PROMINENT NON-MUSLIM SCHOLARS AND LEADERS REFUTING THIS BASELESS ACCUSATION.
1. M. K. GANDHI: "...I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These, and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble." YOUNG INDIA, 1924
2. EDWARD GIBBON: "The greatest success of Mohammed's life was effected by sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword." HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRE, London, 1870
3. A. S. TRITTON: "The picture of the Muslim soldier advancing with a sword in one hand and the Qur'an in the other is quite false." ISLAM, London, 1951, p. 21
4. DE LACY O'LEARY: "History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslim, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated." ISLAM AT CROSSROADS, London, 1923, p. 8
5. K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO: "My problem to write this monograph is easier because we are not generally fed now on that (distorted) kind of history and much time need not be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations of Islam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth the name. The principle of Islam, there is no compulsion in religion, is well known." MOHAMMED THE PROPHET OF ISLAM, Riyadh, 1989, p. 4
6. JAMES A. MICHENER: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam...The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Qur'an is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience." ISLAM - THE MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION, READERS' DIGEST (American Edition) May 1955
7. LAWRENCE E. BROWNE: "Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword." THE PROSPECTS OR ISLAM, London, 1944.
IF YOU TOO POSSESS A SOFT TENDER HEART AND AN OPEN MIND, DO WRITE TO US FOR SOME BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAY OF LIFE CALLED "ISLAM". DO NOT BELIEVE THE HEARSAY AND LEARN FORM THE DIRECT SOURCES. WE ARE READY TO HELP - Email Us
Paul greater then Jesus and Moses ?
From: www.jews-for-allah.org
After Jesus returned to Heaven, the Rich and Powerful Paul claimed to have spoken to Jesus and then added to much of the later part of the GOspel we have today
Although we see from Paul's writings, that he often differs from the Teachings of Moses and Jesus, and seems to have a hidden Motive for adding to the Gospel
Paul said:"but to others I say, yes, I, not the lord…."(1 corin 7:12)
luke said:"I resolved also… to WRITE…" (luke 1:1,4)
Paul said:"now concerning…I have NO command from the lord, but I give MY opinion…" (1 corin 7:25)
Paul said:" therefore I think…" (I corin 7:26)
Paul said:"…. According to MY opinion.."(1 corin 7:40)
Paul said:" I certainly THINK…" (1 corin 7:40)
Paul said:" see! I, PAUL, am telling you…."(galat 5:2)
'Paul' did not preach according to Christ but instead according to himself and his own opions.
This will help us to distinct from Jesus himself and the man 'Paul'
It is all over the Bible that 'Paul' preached according to his own gospel, and Not the Gospel of Jesus.
For example;
"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:" 2 Timothy 2:8
Did God create 'Paul' from a miraculous birth? Were the Wise men expecting 'Paul', was 'Paul' one of the original disciples? Did 'Paul' ever see Jesus in the Flesh? No No No and No.
Have you ever found it odd that after Jesus spent all that time with His Disciples, his own Brothers and Friends who he Trusted and they grew to understant his mission and Parables, did you find it odd that Jesus would return unexpectedly and speak to 'Paul' and tell 'Paul' to tell everyone that the 'Law of Moses is a Curse'?
As a matter of fact, his purpose for makeing his own Gospel was that he could remove works to convert more gentiles, 'Paul' says;
"What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:18
The current Translations say a "without charge" in Greek it says "adapanos", this word is only used one time in the entire Gospel and could mean "Free from Works"
This Meaning is confirmed in the very next verses that Paul removed the Laws to convert more gentiles;
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more." 1 Corinthians 9:19
"To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law. 9:20"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law."
If any one is familiar with the Gospel, they would know there is no such thing as the 'Law of Christ' according to Jesus himself;
"He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me." John 14:24
Jesus Clarifies that the Law is not his, it is God's only, the Only Law is God's Law, and there is no such thing as Christs Law as 'Paul' Admits he does not follow God's Law and Makes up this term 'Christ's Law' which Jesus himself denies.
Pual wrote the Gospel to make it free from the the Law of God as he himself admits he did not follow the Laws of God.
Therefore Paul was makeing a anti-God gospel and used Christ as a scapegoat, God leaves it up to us to recognize the contradictions between 'Paul' and "Jesus"
We see here that Paul was against the Law;
"But now we are Delivered form the Law" (Rom 7:6)
"A man is not justified by works of the Law, but by faith f Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16)
"For as many as are of the works of the Law are Under the Curse" (Gal. 3:10)
"In that He said "A new covenant He had mand the first Old. now that which Decayeth and waxeht Old is ready to Vanish Away." (Heb. 8:13)
What does Jesus say about such a man?
"Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19
'Paul' not only taught men that the commandments are ole, a curse, vanishing, will not deliver, will not justify, etc.., but Also Admits that he himself did not follow the commandments of God but makes up a term called 'commandments of Christ' Which There are No Such Thing According to Jesus.
To summarize, 'Paul' made a gospel free from works to convert more gentiles in consicuence contradicting Jesus and upseting Jesus's disciples;
"And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs." Acts 21:21
Do you think any God loveing Jew would tell people to forsake Moses, but 'Paul' did as the Disciples were complaining because he wanted to convert Gentiles. Did Jesus preach to Forsake the Laws of Moses Or to Keep the Commandments?
Paul admits there is confusion and mystery in the Gospel of Jesus and says that he himself will fill in the blanks;
"And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel," Ephesians 6:19
Thus he used his status and wealth to spread his gospel.
'Paul's' inspiration Does Not comes from divine authority
If you consider 'Paul' a Saint, then why does he Admit that the Spirit of Evil is in his body? Also admiting that he is doing Evil and not incontrol of himslef all while writing his gospel.
"If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.""Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." (Rom 7:16-21
It suprizes me that Christians would take the words of a man who admits he is evil and does not follow the Laws of God and yet, ignore the Teachings of Jesus who was Sent By God.
After Jesus returned to Heaven, the Rich and Powerful Paul claimed to have spoken to Jesus and then added to much of the later part of the GOspel we have today
Although we see from Paul's writings, that he often differs from the Teachings of Moses and Jesus, and seems to have a hidden Motive for adding to the Gospel
Paul said:"but to others I say, yes, I, not the lord…."(1 corin 7:12)
luke said:"I resolved also… to WRITE…" (luke 1:1,4)
Paul said:"now concerning…I have NO command from the lord, but I give MY opinion…" (1 corin 7:25)
Paul said:" therefore I think…" (I corin 7:26)
Paul said:"…. According to MY opinion.."(1 corin 7:40)
Paul said:" I certainly THINK…" (1 corin 7:40)
Paul said:" see! I, PAUL, am telling you…."(galat 5:2)
'Paul' did not preach according to Christ but instead according to himself and his own opions.
This will help us to distinct from Jesus himself and the man 'Paul'
It is all over the Bible that 'Paul' preached according to his own gospel, and Not the Gospel of Jesus.
For example;
"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel:" 2 Timothy 2:8
Did God create 'Paul' from a miraculous birth? Were the Wise men expecting 'Paul', was 'Paul' one of the original disciples? Did 'Paul' ever see Jesus in the Flesh? No No No and No.
Have you ever found it odd that after Jesus spent all that time with His Disciples, his own Brothers and Friends who he Trusted and they grew to understant his mission and Parables, did you find it odd that Jesus would return unexpectedly and speak to 'Paul' and tell 'Paul' to tell everyone that the 'Law of Moses is a Curse'?
As a matter of fact, his purpose for makeing his own Gospel was that he could remove works to convert more gentiles, 'Paul' says;
"What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:18
The current Translations say a "without charge" in Greek it says "adapanos", this word is only used one time in the entire Gospel and could mean "Free from Works"
This Meaning is confirmed in the very next verses that Paul removed the Laws to convert more gentiles;
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more." 1 Corinthians 9:19
"To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law. 9:20"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law."
If any one is familiar with the Gospel, they would know there is no such thing as the 'Law of Christ' according to Jesus himself;
"He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me." John 14:24
Jesus Clarifies that the Law is not his, it is God's only, the Only Law is God's Law, and there is no such thing as Christs Law as 'Paul' Admits he does not follow God's Law and Makes up this term 'Christ's Law' which Jesus himself denies.
Pual wrote the Gospel to make it free from the the Law of God as he himself admits he did not follow the Laws of God.
Therefore Paul was makeing a anti-God gospel and used Christ as a scapegoat, God leaves it up to us to recognize the contradictions between 'Paul' and "Jesus"
We see here that Paul was against the Law;
"But now we are Delivered form the Law" (Rom 7:6)
"A man is not justified by works of the Law, but by faith f Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16)
"For as many as are of the works of the Law are Under the Curse" (Gal. 3:10)
"In that He said "A new covenant He had mand the first Old. now that which Decayeth and waxeht Old is ready to Vanish Away." (Heb. 8:13)
What does Jesus say about such a man?
"Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19
'Paul' not only taught men that the commandments are ole, a curse, vanishing, will not deliver, will not justify, etc.., but Also Admits that he himself did not follow the commandments of God but makes up a term called 'commandments of Christ' Which There are No Such Thing According to Jesus.
To summarize, 'Paul' made a gospel free from works to convert more gentiles in consicuence contradicting Jesus and upseting Jesus's disciples;
"And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs." Acts 21:21
Do you think any God loveing Jew would tell people to forsake Moses, but 'Paul' did as the Disciples were complaining because he wanted to convert Gentiles. Did Jesus preach to Forsake the Laws of Moses Or to Keep the Commandments?
Paul admits there is confusion and mystery in the Gospel of Jesus and says that he himself will fill in the blanks;
"And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel," Ephesians 6:19
Thus he used his status and wealth to spread his gospel.
'Paul's' inspiration Does Not comes from divine authority
If you consider 'Paul' a Saint, then why does he Admit that the Spirit of Evil is in his body? Also admiting that he is doing Evil and not incontrol of himslef all while writing his gospel.
"If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.""Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." (Rom 7:16-21
It suprizes me that Christians would take the words of a man who admits he is evil and does not follow the Laws of God and yet, ignore the Teachings of Jesus who was Sent By God.
Biblical phrophecy
From: www.thetruecall.com
“Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize him (Muhammad) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it” The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 , Verse 146
The Bible Foretells the story of “Al-Alak” (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 96) :
Isaiah 29:11-18 “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which [men] deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I cannot; for it [is] sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, [even] a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise [men] shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall beesteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? [Is] it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall beturned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness”.
Muhammad (pbuh) was illiterate. He could neither read nor write when the Qur’an was delivered to him, or after. The exact circumstances of this first revelation were as follows: It was the habit of Muhammad (pbuh) to frequently remove himself from the midst of his fellow Arabs and their heathenistic actions and spend many days secluded in the cave of “Hiraa” in the mountains of Makkah where he would pray to God according to the religion of Abraham (pbuh). After many years of this, and having reached the age of forty (610 AD), the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared before him and ordered him to “Iqraa!”(read, recite, repeat, proclaim). Muhammad (pbuh), in his terror thought he was being asked to read, so he stammered: “I am unlettered”. The angel Gabriel again ordered him to “Iqraa!”. Muhammad (pbuh) again replied: “I am unlettered”. The angel Gabriel now took a firm hold of him and commanded him “Iqraa in the name of Allah who created!”. Now Muhammad (pbuh) began to understand that he was not being asked to read, but to recite, to repeat. He began to repeat after him, and Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of the Qur'an, those at the beginning of the chapter of Al-Alak(96):
“Read (Iqraa): In the name of your Lord who created, Created man from a clot. Read(Iqraa): And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not”.
As mentioned above, the actual word Angel Gabriel used to address Muhammad (pbuh) was the Arabic word “Iqra”. It is derived from the Arabic root word “qara”. However, if we were to go back to the original Hebrew form of the verses of Isaiah 29:11, we would find that the actual word which is translated into English as “Read this [I pray thee]” is the Hebrew word qara’, {kaw-raw’}. Is it not an amazing coincidence that the Hebrew text used not only a word with the same meaning, but the exact same word itself ?
Verse 11 of Isaiah tells us that the final book (the Qur’an) was revealed to previous prophets, however, they could not read it. It was “sealed” for them because it was meant for the last prophet, and until the last prophet’s time came, the people would not yet be able to “bear” this message (John 16:13). It was also sealed for them because it was revealed in Arabic.
“A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Qur’an in Arabic for people who have knowledge” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 41 , Verse 3
“Had We made this as a Qur'an (in a language) other than Arabic, they would have said: ‘Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! not Arabic and Arabic?’ Say: ‘It is a Guide and a Healing for those who believe; and for those who disbelieve, there is a heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are as those who are called from a place far distant (so they neither hear nor understand)’” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 41 , Verse 44
Indeed, the Qur’an was revealed to a man who could neither read nor write so that it might be apparent to mankind that he could not have received it from the writings of man, but only from God almighty.
“Neither did you (O Muhammad) read any book before it, nor did you write any book with your right (hand). In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted Nay, it is but clear signs in the breasts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our signs.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 29 , Verses 48-49.
As we see in the above verses of Isaiah, by the time Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received this book from God, mankind will have been reduced to worshipping God in words alone, while their hearts shall be far removed from true belief. They will have forsaken the true belief in God in favor of “the precept of men” (the laws of men). A confirmation of this where “St. Paul” totally corrupted the message of Jesus (pbuh), and how the followers of Paul forced their new books upon the first Christians.
St. Paul also managed to reduce the message of Jesus (pbuh) to mere “words” of “faith” with no concrete actions or commandments required of them.
Verse 14 now goes on to explain how when mankind accepts this situation, then the wisdom of the wise men shall perish and all that shall be left is mankind’s corruption. Refers to how the followers of Jesus (pbuh) and the apostles were murdered and their books destroyed.
This is indeed the same situation described by Muhammad (pbuh) in one of his sayings. In Sahih Al-Bukhari (1.100) we read that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As said:“I heard Allah's Apostle (pbuh) saying, ‘Allah does not take away theknowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of themremain, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who whenconsulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.’”
In verse 15, we are told that there will remain among those corrupt individuals those who shall know the truth but shall strive to hide it from becoming known. Once again, when the Qur’an was revealed, it confirmed this situation, we read:
“Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this revelation) as they recognize their sons. But lo! a party of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2 , Verse 14
And whether you hide your word or publish it, He certainly has (full) knowledge, of the secrets of (all) hearts.”The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 67 , Verse 13
Verses 16 goes on to tell us how this treachery, concealment of the truth, and “overturning” of verses, laws, and obligations shall be exposed, and the wicked shall be held accountable for their deeds. Yet again, in the Qur’an we read:
“That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they used to do” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 36 , Verse 65
“O People of the Scripture! Now has Our messenger come unto you,revealing to you much of that which you used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now has come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture,” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 5 , Verse 15
Finally, we read in Isaiah 18 that when this final message is revealed to this “unlettered” prophet, those who have been lost in darkness and ignorance through the work of the corrupt shall be brought out of their ignorance and their darkness and shall be returned to the true message of God.
“Wherewith God guides all those who seek His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He brings them out of darkness unto light by His decree and guides them unto a straight path.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 5 , Verse 16
“And that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from thy Lord, so that they may believe therein and their hearts may submit humbly unto Him. Lo! Allah verily is guiding those who believe unto a right path.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 22 , Verse 54.
“Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize him (Muhammad) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it” The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 , Verse 146
The Bible Foretells the story of “Al-Alak” (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 96) :
Isaiah 29:11-18 “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which [men] deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I cannot; for it [is] sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, [even] a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise [men] shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall beesteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? [Is] it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall beturned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness”.
Muhammad (pbuh) was illiterate. He could neither read nor write when the Qur’an was delivered to him, or after. The exact circumstances of this first revelation were as follows: It was the habit of Muhammad (pbuh) to frequently remove himself from the midst of his fellow Arabs and their heathenistic actions and spend many days secluded in the cave of “Hiraa” in the mountains of Makkah where he would pray to God according to the religion of Abraham (pbuh). After many years of this, and having reached the age of forty (610 AD), the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared before him and ordered him to “Iqraa!”(read, recite, repeat, proclaim). Muhammad (pbuh), in his terror thought he was being asked to read, so he stammered: “I am unlettered”. The angel Gabriel again ordered him to “Iqraa!”. Muhammad (pbuh) again replied: “I am unlettered”. The angel Gabriel now took a firm hold of him and commanded him “Iqraa in the name of Allah who created!”. Now Muhammad (pbuh) began to understand that he was not being asked to read, but to recite, to repeat. He began to repeat after him, and Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of the Qur'an, those at the beginning of the chapter of Al-Alak(96):
“Read (Iqraa): In the name of your Lord who created, Created man from a clot. Read(Iqraa): And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not”.
As mentioned above, the actual word Angel Gabriel used to address Muhammad (pbuh) was the Arabic word “Iqra”. It is derived from the Arabic root word “qara”. However, if we were to go back to the original Hebrew form of the verses of Isaiah 29:11, we would find that the actual word which is translated into English as “Read this [I pray thee]” is the Hebrew word qara’, {kaw-raw’}. Is it not an amazing coincidence that the Hebrew text used not only a word with the same meaning, but the exact same word itself ?
Verse 11 of Isaiah tells us that the final book (the Qur’an) was revealed to previous prophets, however, they could not read it. It was “sealed” for them because it was meant for the last prophet, and until the last prophet’s time came, the people would not yet be able to “bear” this message (John 16:13). It was also sealed for them because it was revealed in Arabic.
“A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Qur’an in Arabic for people who have knowledge” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 41 , Verse 3
“Had We made this as a Qur'an (in a language) other than Arabic, they would have said: ‘Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! not Arabic and Arabic?’ Say: ‘It is a Guide and a Healing for those who believe; and for those who disbelieve, there is a heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are as those who are called from a place far distant (so they neither hear nor understand)’” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 41 , Verse 44
Indeed, the Qur’an was revealed to a man who could neither read nor write so that it might be apparent to mankind that he could not have received it from the writings of man, but only from God almighty.
“Neither did you (O Muhammad) read any book before it, nor did you write any book with your right (hand). In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted Nay, it is but clear signs in the breasts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our signs.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 29 , Verses 48-49.
As we see in the above verses of Isaiah, by the time Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received this book from God, mankind will have been reduced to worshipping God in words alone, while their hearts shall be far removed from true belief. They will have forsaken the true belief in God in favor of “the precept of men” (the laws of men). A confirmation of this where “St. Paul” totally corrupted the message of Jesus (pbuh), and how the followers of Paul forced their new books upon the first Christians.
St. Paul also managed to reduce the message of Jesus (pbuh) to mere “words” of “faith” with no concrete actions or commandments required of them.
Verse 14 now goes on to explain how when mankind accepts this situation, then the wisdom of the wise men shall perish and all that shall be left is mankind’s corruption. Refers to how the followers of Jesus (pbuh) and the apostles were murdered and their books destroyed.
This is indeed the same situation described by Muhammad (pbuh) in one of his sayings. In Sahih Al-Bukhari (1.100) we read that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As said:“I heard Allah's Apostle (pbuh) saying, ‘Allah does not take away theknowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of themremain, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who whenconsulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.’”
In verse 15, we are told that there will remain among those corrupt individuals those who shall know the truth but shall strive to hide it from becoming known. Once again, when the Qur’an was revealed, it confirmed this situation, we read:
“Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this revelation) as they recognize their sons. But lo! a party of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2 , Verse 14
And whether you hide your word or publish it, He certainly has (full) knowledge, of the secrets of (all) hearts.”The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 67 , Verse 13
Verses 16 goes on to tell us how this treachery, concealment of the truth, and “overturning” of verses, laws, and obligations shall be exposed, and the wicked shall be held accountable for their deeds. Yet again, in the Qur’an we read:
“That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they used to do” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 36 , Verse 65
“O People of the Scripture! Now has Our messenger come unto you,revealing to you much of that which you used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now has come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture,” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 5 , Verse 15
Finally, we read in Isaiah 18 that when this final message is revealed to this “unlettered” prophet, those who have been lost in darkness and ignorance through the work of the corrupt shall be brought out of their ignorance and their darkness and shall be returned to the true message of God.
“Wherewith God guides all those who seek His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He brings them out of darkness unto light by His decree and guides them unto a straight path.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 5 , Verse 16
“And that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from thy Lord, so that they may believe therein and their hearts may submit humbly unto Him. Lo! Allah verily is guiding those who believe unto a right path.” The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 22 , Verse 54.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Creation: God Versus Chance
By: Maged Taman
All mathematical and physical equations and other laws of science attest the presence of intelligence behind the laws of creation. There is no random creation, even the particles of air that appear to float in random follow precise laws.
The complexity of creation makes hard for chance to be this intelligence. An atheist who believe in theory of chance can tell you if a monkey continued to type in a typewriter for million of years he would end by drafting one of Shakespeare novels. I would love to see this monkey so I can hire him as my secretary.
Play this game with an atheist show him a chain of keys and tell him no one made it. It is the chance that brought these group of keys to existence. He will tell you that you are either silly or crazy. Do not yield and keep stone faced telling him that what you believe in. As his face change and start to leave you tell him why you would not accept these simple keys could not be found by chance while the very complicated human body did.
I challenge an atheist when he feels close to danger or death not to say Oh my God. I attack atheism as thought and not persons. Actually as persons we like them to jump on our wagon so if there is heaven they would join us.
There is no religious believers with faith of 0% or 100%. For 0% you need to deny a lot of evidences from both science and religion. During my life when I was facing a lot of frustrations from unjust treatments by other people I would ask God why is that. There were just a lot of reasons to believe in God. I was still believing in his path of righteousness as both true and just. For 100% faith you should have seen God. However your faith goes up when you pray, do the good deeds or think in depth in the intelligence and complexity of creation. At many times it reaches close to 100%.
Before my brother died he was religious for his last few years and was still joking to my cousin that whoever dies of them first to come to the other in a vision to tell him if there is heaven. When I was teaching human physiology I found almost everything created for a good reason. Red blood cells to carry oxygen to the cells, white blood cells to attack harmful bacteria and so forth. I did not see monkeys typing on typewriters. Everything is created for a reason.
The world was created for man and man was created to worship God and fill the earth with justice and equality. The mind, heart and soul of man have the surge to connect with their creator, too much for a chance. Man created for himself religions when there were no revelations from God. We have the revelations and the words of God in the Bible and Quran. There is no reason not to search for God.
If you are looking for his reward, trying to avoid his punishment or more fairly because you think he deserves that read both of them and reconsider your belief.
All mathematical and physical equations and other laws of science attest the presence of intelligence behind the laws of creation. There is no random creation, even the particles of air that appear to float in random follow precise laws.
The complexity of creation makes hard for chance to be this intelligence. An atheist who believe in theory of chance can tell you if a monkey continued to type in a typewriter for million of years he would end by drafting one of Shakespeare novels. I would love to see this monkey so I can hire him as my secretary.
Play this game with an atheist show him a chain of keys and tell him no one made it. It is the chance that brought these group of keys to existence. He will tell you that you are either silly or crazy. Do not yield and keep stone faced telling him that what you believe in. As his face change and start to leave you tell him why you would not accept these simple keys could not be found by chance while the very complicated human body did.
I challenge an atheist when he feels close to danger or death not to say Oh my God. I attack atheism as thought and not persons. Actually as persons we like them to jump on our wagon so if there is heaven they would join us.
There is no religious believers with faith of 0% or 100%. For 0% you need to deny a lot of evidences from both science and religion. During my life when I was facing a lot of frustrations from unjust treatments by other people I would ask God why is that. There were just a lot of reasons to believe in God. I was still believing in his path of righteousness as both true and just. For 100% faith you should have seen God. However your faith goes up when you pray, do the good deeds or think in depth in the intelligence and complexity of creation. At many times it reaches close to 100%.
Before my brother died he was religious for his last few years and was still joking to my cousin that whoever dies of them first to come to the other in a vision to tell him if there is heaven. When I was teaching human physiology I found almost everything created for a good reason. Red blood cells to carry oxygen to the cells, white blood cells to attack harmful bacteria and so forth. I did not see monkeys typing on typewriters. Everything is created for a reason.
The world was created for man and man was created to worship God and fill the earth with justice and equality. The mind, heart and soul of man have the surge to connect with their creator, too much for a chance. Man created for himself religions when there were no revelations from God. We have the revelations and the words of God in the Bible and Quran. There is no reason not to search for God.
If you are looking for his reward, trying to avoid his punishment or more fairly because you think he deserves that read both of them and reconsider your belief.
How To Be The World Greatest Politician?
By: Maged Taman
There are a lot of people who studied that and wrote about the world leaders over the history. My ideas of who would be the greatest world politician is likely burrowed from other writings or quoted from other people during my periods of awareness. Many times as well words comes to me like an inspiration by a higher power or I imagine so:
1- You need to be humble and I can repeat that until people stop me or I get sore throat. People would love to see a humble person go up and succeed.
2- You need to believe that you are humble. Your brain is the collective thoughts of a lot of people that you may not even recall their names. You need them again and again in order to think right.
3- Consensus is always the way to go. The greater politician you are is the greater the diversity the people who are forming the consensus.
4- You should have the personality. You just have to have it. If you are selfish person or your life you just can not convince people. Great leaders are great persons to start with.
5- You need to have the humor. A person with no humor is a dry person. It is important to do it right in the dose, quality and with no humiliation to any person. I call it the genius of humor.
6- You have to win people minds and hearts. You just do not have an alternative you can not ask for their hands if you did not win their hearts and minds.
7- You need to have a strong personality. People can differ of what they look in a strong personality. For me I consider it the power of consensus. You make a strong decision when you have a great consensus and you convince people very well of your decision after you lay honestly all the facts and arguments.
8- You need to be a principled person but in same time you need to learn to compromise of what you think that it is still right and ethical to do it.
9- You need to be diplomatic in how to differ without criticizing and how to circumvent when you attack. Do not personalize anything. Even God hates the sins and not the sinners.
10- You have to always believe that your worst enemies can be your best friends. People change and policies change, this is the reality of life.
11- Always find common grounds like humanity. If you to find the common grounds first it becomes easier to solve the differences.
12- Be always honest it is the best medium of exchange. You commonly remember facts and not lies and you look very confused when you are quote on a lie. If you are a professional liar people will ultimately know that.
13- You have to anticipate criticism and shrug it off. It is part of the deal. If you are in politics for a great cause you will always consider the message more important than the messenger.
14- Last but probably first win the Jews. It is not only because they are in top of media, politics and finance but more so because a Jew is a hero. Forget about the misconceptions of the Arab world. A Jew is the one loves to fight for a good cause and the most to appreciate the word "Humanity".
There are a lot of people who studied that and wrote about the world leaders over the history. My ideas of who would be the greatest world politician is likely burrowed from other writings or quoted from other people during my periods of awareness. Many times as well words comes to me like an inspiration by a higher power or I imagine so:
1- You need to be humble and I can repeat that until people stop me or I get sore throat. People would love to see a humble person go up and succeed.
2- You need to believe that you are humble. Your brain is the collective thoughts of a lot of people that you may not even recall their names. You need them again and again in order to think right.
3- Consensus is always the way to go. The greater politician you are is the greater the diversity the people who are forming the consensus.
4- You should have the personality. You just have to have it. If you are selfish person or your life you just can not convince people. Great leaders are great persons to start with.
5- You need to have the humor. A person with no humor is a dry person. It is important to do it right in the dose, quality and with no humiliation to any person. I call it the genius of humor.
6- You have to win people minds and hearts. You just do not have an alternative you can not ask for their hands if you did not win their hearts and minds.
7- You need to have a strong personality. People can differ of what they look in a strong personality. For me I consider it the power of consensus. You make a strong decision when you have a great consensus and you convince people very well of your decision after you lay honestly all the facts and arguments.
8- You need to be a principled person but in same time you need to learn to compromise of what you think that it is still right and ethical to do it.
9- You need to be diplomatic in how to differ without criticizing and how to circumvent when you attack. Do not personalize anything. Even God hates the sins and not the sinners.
10- You have to always believe that your worst enemies can be your best friends. People change and policies change, this is the reality of life.
11- Always find common grounds like humanity. If you to find the common grounds first it becomes easier to solve the differences.
12- Be always honest it is the best medium of exchange. You commonly remember facts and not lies and you look very confused when you are quote on a lie. If you are a professional liar people will ultimately know that.
13- You have to anticipate criticism and shrug it off. It is part of the deal. If you are in politics for a great cause you will always consider the message more important than the messenger.
14- Last but probably first win the Jews. It is not only because they are in top of media, politics and finance but more so because a Jew is a hero. Forget about the misconceptions of the Arab world. A Jew is the one loves to fight for a good cause and the most to appreciate the word "Humanity".
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Best Way To Live And Die
From: www.muslimconverts.com
By: (Yahya) Donald W. Flood
The Qur'an: The Last Revelation
I comprehended that it was found imperative due to innovations attributed to Divine revelation that the need arose for another Prophet after Eesa (alaihissalam) with another revelation after the Gospel. This is why Allah sent Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) with the last Message, (i.e., the Qur'an), to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship of One Allah, without partners or intermediaries. According to Muslims, the Holy Qur'an, the permanent ultimate source of guidance for mankind, offers a rational and historical elucidation of the magnificent role of Eesa (alaihissalam). The name Eesa (alaihissalam) is cited twenty-five times in the Qur'an, which contains a chapter called Maryam (Mary), named after the mother of Eesa (alaihissalam). Regarding the Divine authenticity of this revelation, I found the following Qur'anic verses very compelling: "And it was not [possible] for this Qur'an to be produced by other than Allah, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the Worlds." (10:37) And "And indeed, it is the truth of certainty." (69:51) Similarly, I was concerned about the adulteration of the Qur'an since this was a major problem with the previous revelations. I read that the Qur'an will never change or be abrogated: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur'an], and indeed, We will be its guardian." (15:9)I was also informed about some of the scientific phenomena mentioned in the Qur'an, which give credence to the belief that the Qur'an is the literal word of Allah. There are verses describing human embryonic development, mountains, the origin of the universe, the cerebrum, seas, deep seas, and internal waves and clouds. It is beyond explanation that anyone, more than fourteen hundred years ago, could have known the facts, which were found or confirmed recently by advanced mechanisms and sophisticated scientific procedures.Islam: The Essence and Culmination of Revealed Religions
Muslims believe that the essential purpose for which mankind was created is the worship of Allah. As He said in the Qur'an, "And I did not create the jinn [i.e., a type of creation, created by Allah from fire] and mankind except to worship Me" (51:56) Related to this, a well known Islamic scholar from the West says, "The most complete system of worship available to humans today is the system found in the religion of Islam, The very name 'Islam' means 'submission to the Will of Allah'. Although it commonly referred to as 'the third of the three monotheistic faiths, it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all the Prophets of Allah for humankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.'' In addition he states, "Since there is only One Allah, and humankind is one species, the religion that Allah has ordained for humans is [essentially] one... Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created”.
Uncovering the fact that the message of Allah has always been the same, I realised it is the duty of all human beings to seek the truth and not just blindly accept the religion that their society or parents follow, According to the Qur'an, "You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority..." (12:40) Regarding fitrah [i.e., the inherent nature of man to worship Allah prior to the corruption of his nature by external influences], Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) said, "Every child is born on Al-Fitrah, and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism. As an animal delivers a perfect baby animal, do you find it mutilated?" Furthermore, Allah says, 'So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining toward truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. " (30:30) Moreover, I learned there is no other religion acceptable to Allah besides Islam, as He clearly states in the Qur'an: "And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. " (3:85). I deduced that man might neglect the guidance of Allah and establish his own standards of living. Ultimately, however, he will discover it is only a mirage that alluded him.
A Traveller
As I continued to read the Qur'an and learn about the sayings and doings of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) [the Sunnah], I noticed Islam views man as a traveller in this life and the 'Home' is in the next life for eternity. We are here for a short period and we cannot take anything with us from this life except our belief in Allah and our deeds. Thus, man should be like a traveller who passes through the land and does not become attached to it. As travellers on this journey, we must understand that the meaning of being alive is to be tested. Hence, there is suffering, joy, pain and elation. These tests of good and evil are intended to evoke our higher spiritual qualities. Yet, we are incapable of benefiting from these tests unless we do our best, have complete trust in Allah and patiently accept what He has destined for us. The Road to Paradise It was very meaningful to learn about Paradise since this must certainly be the ultimate goal of every individual. Regarding this eternal home, Allah says, "And no soul knows what has been hidden for it of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as a reward for what it used to do. " (32:17) 1 also became aware of a pleasure that is beyond all imagination, which is to be in the Presence of the Creator Himself. I wondered who are the souls worthy of such a reward? This reward of Paradise is too great to have a price. I was told the price is true faith, which is proven by obedience to Allah and following the Sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam).I grasped that mankind must worship Allah to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter Paradise. This means human beings have to comprehend that worship is as indispensable as eating and breathing and not a favour they are doing for Allah. Likewise, I found out that we need to read the Qur’an to find out what kind of people Allah wants us to be and then try to become as such. This is the road to Paradise. Overcoming an Obstacle At this point, I felt about 80% sure I wanted to become a Muslim, but something was holding me back. I was concerned about the reaction of my family and friends if they knew that I had become a Muslim. Shortly thereafter, I expressed this concern to a Muslim who told me that on Judgement Day, no one will be able to help you, not your father, mother nor any of your friends. Therefore, if you believe Islam is the true religion, you should embrace it and live your life to please the One who created you. Thus, it became very lucid to me that we are all in the same boat; every soul shall taste death and then we'll be liable for our particular belief in Allah and for our deeds.
A Meaningful Videotape
By this stage in my search for the truth, I was on the verge of embracing Islam. I watched an Islamic lecture on videotape about the purpose of life. The main theme of this lecture was that the purpose of life may be summed up in one word, i.e., Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of Allah). An additional point was that, unlike other religions or beliefs, the term 'Islam' is not associated with any particular person or place. Allah has named the religion in the following Qur'anic verse: "Indeed, the Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam..." (3:19) Anyone who embraces Islam is called a Muslim regardless of that person's race, sex or nationality. This is one of the reasons why Islam is a universal religion.Prior to my search for the truth, I had never seriously considered Islam as an option because of the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. Similarly, it was disclosed in this videotape that although Islam is characterised by high moral standards, not all Muslims uphold these standards. I learned the same can be said about adherents of other religions. I finally understood that we cannot judge a religion by the actions of its followers alone, as I had done, because all humans are fallible. On that account, we should not judge Islam by the actions of its proponents, but by its revelation (the Holy Qur'an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam). The last point I picked up from this lecture concerned the importance of gratitude. Allah mentions in the Qur'an that we should be grateful for the fact that He created us: "And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. " (16:78) Allah Almighty has also cited gratitude along with belief, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people when they give thanks to Him and believe in Him. He says in the Qur'an, "What would Allah do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? ..." (4:147) The Truth Unveils Itself As soon as the videotape had finished, I experienced the truth being unveiled to my spirit. I felt a huge burden of sins flying off my back. Moreover, it felt like my soul was rising above the earth, refusing the makeshift delights of this world in favour of the eternal joys of the Hereafter. This experience, coupled with the long process of reasoning, solved the 'purpose of life puzzle'. It revealed Islam as the truth, thereby replenishing my 'spiritual landscape' with belief, purpose, direction and action. I therefore entered the gate of Islam by saying the declaration of faith required to become a Muslim: Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah. (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger). I was informed that this formal testimony confirms one's belief in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, along with all of His Divine revelations in their original form, thereby updating and completing one's religion to the last of the Prophets [Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam)] and to the final revelation of Allah [the Qur'an]. The following point became overwhelmingly clear to me: Had Eesa (alaihissalam) been the last Prophet of Allah and had the Gospel been the final book of revelation, I would have attested to that. As a result, I have naturally chosen to follow the final revelation from the Creator as exemplified by the Seal of the Prophets (sallallaho alaihi wasallam).
Impressions of a New Muslim
During my search to find the truth, the lesson, which, transcended all lessons, was that all objects of worship other than Allah are mere delusions. To anyone who sees this clearly, the only possible course is to bring one's own will and actions into complete unison with that of Allah. Acquiescing to the Will of Allah has enabled me to feel peace with the Creator, with others and finally, with myself. Consequently, I feel very grateful, that by the Mercy of Allah, I have been rescued from the depths of ignorance and have stepped into the light of truth. Islam, the true religion of all times, places and peoples, is a complete code of life which guides man to fulfil the purpose of his existence on earth, and prepares him for the Day when he will return to his Creator. Following this path in a devout manner enables one to gain the pleasure of Allah and be closer to Him amid the endless delights of Paradise while escaping from the punishment of Hellfire. Another bonus is that our present life will be much happier when we make such a choice.
A Deceptive Enjoyment
Embracing Islam has given me more of an insight into the illusive nature of this life. For instance, one basic object of Islam is the liberation of man. This is why a Muslim calls himself 'Abdullah', the slave or servant of Allah because enslavement to Allah signifies liberation from all other forms of servitude, and although modern man may think that he is liberated, he is in fact a slave to his desires. He is generally deceived by this worldly life. He is 'addicted' to hoarding wealth, sex, violence, intoxicants, etc. But above all, he is often seduced by the capitalist system that tends to work through the invention of false needs, which he feels must be satisfied instantly, As Allah says in the Qur'an, "Have you seen the one who takes as his Allah his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except as cattle. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way. )” (25: 43-44) Correspondingly, we should not let our zeal to enjoy the pleasures of this fleeting life and jeopardise our opportunity to enjoy the ecstasy of Paradise. As Allah says in the Qur'an, "Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return [i.e. Paradise]. Say, "Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who fear Allah will be in gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah..." (3:14-15) Therefore, the real competition in this life is not the accumulation of wealth or the desire for fame; it is facing with one another to perform good deeds to please Allah, while having our lawful portion of enjoyment in this life.
The Right Path to Allah
There are many religious alternatives available to man and it is up to him to choose the one he wishes to follow. He is like a merchant with many goods in front of him, and it is his choice which one to trade in. He will obviously select the one he thinks will be the most lucrative. However, the merchant is unsure and has no guarantee of prosperity; his product may have a market and he may make handsome returns, but he could just as easily lose all of his money. In contrast, the believer in the Oneness of Allah who submits to His Will (a Muslim), is completely sure that if he follows the path of guidance [the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam)], there will undoubtedly be success and reward waiting for him at the end of this path. Fortunately, this success also starts at the beginning of the path. Narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (radhiallaho unho) - Allah's Messenger (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) said, "If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then Allah shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts: the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed, and an evil deed will be recorded as it is unless Allah forgives it.Epilogue Based on my search for the truth, I concluded that the precise way we believe in Allah and the deeds we perform determine our future condition for eternity. Our Creator is giving us all an equal chance, regardless of our circumstances, to earn His pleasure in preparation for Judgement Day, as in the following Qur'anic verses: "And obey Allah and His Messenger that you may obtain mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the Heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. " (3:132-133)If we sincerely seek the truth of this life, which is Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of Allah), Allah will guide us there, Insha Allah. He directs us to examine the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam), as he represents the best role model for mankind to follow. Furthermore, Allah directs us to investigate and ponder what He says in the Qur'an. One will see that the Qur'an is indeed like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep because they are just completely absorbed by this life on earth. The knocks and shouts appear one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! Allah is there! There is planning, trial, accountability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss!Clearly and unequivocally, the best way to live and die in this world is as a righteous Muslim! When one comes to the conclusion that Islam is the truth, he should not delay in becoming a Muslim because he may die first, and then it will be too late.
A few months after embracing Islam, I found two verses in the Qur'an that mirror what the American Muslim told me regarding how we should live and die: "And Ibrahim (alaihissalam) instructed his sons and [so did] Yaqoob (alaihissalam), [saying], “O my sons! Indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." (2:132) And “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]." (3:102)
By: (Yahya) Donald W. Flood
The Qur'an: The Last Revelation
I comprehended that it was found imperative due to innovations attributed to Divine revelation that the need arose for another Prophet after Eesa (alaihissalam) with another revelation after the Gospel. This is why Allah sent Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam) with the last Message, (i.e., the Qur'an), to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship of One Allah, without partners or intermediaries. According to Muslims, the Holy Qur'an, the permanent ultimate source of guidance for mankind, offers a rational and historical elucidation of the magnificent role of Eesa (alaihissalam). The name Eesa (alaihissalam) is cited twenty-five times in the Qur'an, which contains a chapter called Maryam (Mary), named after the mother of Eesa (alaihissalam). Regarding the Divine authenticity of this revelation, I found the following Qur'anic verses very compelling: "And it was not [possible] for this Qur'an to be produced by other than Allah, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the Worlds." (10:37) And "And indeed, it is the truth of certainty." (69:51) Similarly, I was concerned about the adulteration of the Qur'an since this was a major problem with the previous revelations. I read that the Qur'an will never change or be abrogated: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur'an], and indeed, We will be its guardian." (15:9)I was also informed about some of the scientific phenomena mentioned in the Qur'an, which give credence to the belief that the Qur'an is the literal word of Allah. There are verses describing human embryonic development, mountains, the origin of the universe, the cerebrum, seas, deep seas, and internal waves and clouds. It is beyond explanation that anyone, more than fourteen hundred years ago, could have known the facts, which were found or confirmed recently by advanced mechanisms and sophisticated scientific procedures.Islam: The Essence and Culmination of Revealed Religions
Muslims believe that the essential purpose for which mankind was created is the worship of Allah. As He said in the Qur'an, "And I did not create the jinn [i.e., a type of creation, created by Allah from fire] and mankind except to worship Me" (51:56) Related to this, a well known Islamic scholar from the West says, "The most complete system of worship available to humans today is the system found in the religion of Islam, The very name 'Islam' means 'submission to the Will of Allah'. Although it commonly referred to as 'the third of the three monotheistic faiths, it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all the Prophets of Allah for humankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.'' In addition he states, "Since there is only One Allah, and humankind is one species, the religion that Allah has ordained for humans is [essentially] one... Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created”.
Uncovering the fact that the message of Allah has always been the same, I realised it is the duty of all human beings to seek the truth and not just blindly accept the religion that their society or parents follow, According to the Qur'an, "You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority..." (12:40) Regarding fitrah [i.e., the inherent nature of man to worship Allah prior to the corruption of his nature by external influences], Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) said, "Every child is born on Al-Fitrah, and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism. As an animal delivers a perfect baby animal, do you find it mutilated?" Furthermore, Allah says, 'So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining toward truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. " (30:30) Moreover, I learned there is no other religion acceptable to Allah besides Islam, as He clearly states in the Qur'an: "And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. " (3:85). I deduced that man might neglect the guidance of Allah and establish his own standards of living. Ultimately, however, he will discover it is only a mirage that alluded him.
A Traveller
As I continued to read the Qur'an and learn about the sayings and doings of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) [the Sunnah], I noticed Islam views man as a traveller in this life and the 'Home' is in the next life for eternity. We are here for a short period and we cannot take anything with us from this life except our belief in Allah and our deeds. Thus, man should be like a traveller who passes through the land and does not become attached to it. As travellers on this journey, we must understand that the meaning of being alive is to be tested. Hence, there is suffering, joy, pain and elation. These tests of good and evil are intended to evoke our higher spiritual qualities. Yet, we are incapable of benefiting from these tests unless we do our best, have complete trust in Allah and patiently accept what He has destined for us. The Road to Paradise It was very meaningful to learn about Paradise since this must certainly be the ultimate goal of every individual. Regarding this eternal home, Allah says, "And no soul knows what has been hidden for it of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as a reward for what it used to do. " (32:17) 1 also became aware of a pleasure that is beyond all imagination, which is to be in the Presence of the Creator Himself. I wondered who are the souls worthy of such a reward? This reward of Paradise is too great to have a price. I was told the price is true faith, which is proven by obedience to Allah and following the Sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam).I grasped that mankind must worship Allah to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter Paradise. This means human beings have to comprehend that worship is as indispensable as eating and breathing and not a favour they are doing for Allah. Likewise, I found out that we need to read the Qur’an to find out what kind of people Allah wants us to be and then try to become as such. This is the road to Paradise. Overcoming an Obstacle At this point, I felt about 80% sure I wanted to become a Muslim, but something was holding me back. I was concerned about the reaction of my family and friends if they knew that I had become a Muslim. Shortly thereafter, I expressed this concern to a Muslim who told me that on Judgement Day, no one will be able to help you, not your father, mother nor any of your friends. Therefore, if you believe Islam is the true religion, you should embrace it and live your life to please the One who created you. Thus, it became very lucid to me that we are all in the same boat; every soul shall taste death and then we'll be liable for our particular belief in Allah and for our deeds.
A Meaningful Videotape
By this stage in my search for the truth, I was on the verge of embracing Islam. I watched an Islamic lecture on videotape about the purpose of life. The main theme of this lecture was that the purpose of life may be summed up in one word, i.e., Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of Allah). An additional point was that, unlike other religions or beliefs, the term 'Islam' is not associated with any particular person or place. Allah has named the religion in the following Qur'anic verse: "Indeed, the Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam..." (3:19) Anyone who embraces Islam is called a Muslim regardless of that person's race, sex or nationality. This is one of the reasons why Islam is a universal religion.Prior to my search for the truth, I had never seriously considered Islam as an option because of the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. Similarly, it was disclosed in this videotape that although Islam is characterised by high moral standards, not all Muslims uphold these standards. I learned the same can be said about adherents of other religions. I finally understood that we cannot judge a religion by the actions of its followers alone, as I had done, because all humans are fallible. On that account, we should not judge Islam by the actions of its proponents, but by its revelation (the Holy Qur'an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam). The last point I picked up from this lecture concerned the importance of gratitude. Allah mentions in the Qur'an that we should be grateful for the fact that He created us: "And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. " (16:78) Allah Almighty has also cited gratitude along with belief, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people when they give thanks to Him and believe in Him. He says in the Qur'an, "What would Allah do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? ..." (4:147) The Truth Unveils Itself As soon as the videotape had finished, I experienced the truth being unveiled to my spirit. I felt a huge burden of sins flying off my back. Moreover, it felt like my soul was rising above the earth, refusing the makeshift delights of this world in favour of the eternal joys of the Hereafter. This experience, coupled with the long process of reasoning, solved the 'purpose of life puzzle'. It revealed Islam as the truth, thereby replenishing my 'spiritual landscape' with belief, purpose, direction and action. I therefore entered the gate of Islam by saying the declaration of faith required to become a Muslim: Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah. (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger). I was informed that this formal testimony confirms one's belief in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, along with all of His Divine revelations in their original form, thereby updating and completing one's religion to the last of the Prophets [Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam)] and to the final revelation of Allah [the Qur'an]. The following point became overwhelmingly clear to me: Had Eesa (alaihissalam) been the last Prophet of Allah and had the Gospel been the final book of revelation, I would have attested to that. As a result, I have naturally chosen to follow the final revelation from the Creator as exemplified by the Seal of the Prophets (sallallaho alaihi wasallam).
Impressions of a New Muslim
During my search to find the truth, the lesson, which, transcended all lessons, was that all objects of worship other than Allah are mere delusions. To anyone who sees this clearly, the only possible course is to bring one's own will and actions into complete unison with that of Allah. Acquiescing to the Will of Allah has enabled me to feel peace with the Creator, with others and finally, with myself. Consequently, I feel very grateful, that by the Mercy of Allah, I have been rescued from the depths of ignorance and have stepped into the light of truth. Islam, the true religion of all times, places and peoples, is a complete code of life which guides man to fulfil the purpose of his existence on earth, and prepares him for the Day when he will return to his Creator. Following this path in a devout manner enables one to gain the pleasure of Allah and be closer to Him amid the endless delights of Paradise while escaping from the punishment of Hellfire. Another bonus is that our present life will be much happier when we make such a choice.
A Deceptive Enjoyment
Embracing Islam has given me more of an insight into the illusive nature of this life. For instance, one basic object of Islam is the liberation of man. This is why a Muslim calls himself 'Abdullah', the slave or servant of Allah because enslavement to Allah signifies liberation from all other forms of servitude, and although modern man may think that he is liberated, he is in fact a slave to his desires. He is generally deceived by this worldly life. He is 'addicted' to hoarding wealth, sex, violence, intoxicants, etc. But above all, he is often seduced by the capitalist system that tends to work through the invention of false needs, which he feels must be satisfied instantly, As Allah says in the Qur'an, "Have you seen the one who takes as his Allah his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except as cattle. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way. )” (25: 43-44) Correspondingly, we should not let our zeal to enjoy the pleasures of this fleeting life and jeopardise our opportunity to enjoy the ecstasy of Paradise. As Allah says in the Qur'an, "Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return [i.e. Paradise]. Say, "Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who fear Allah will be in gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah..." (3:14-15) Therefore, the real competition in this life is not the accumulation of wealth or the desire for fame; it is facing with one another to perform good deeds to please Allah, while having our lawful portion of enjoyment in this life.
The Right Path to Allah
There are many religious alternatives available to man and it is up to him to choose the one he wishes to follow. He is like a merchant with many goods in front of him, and it is his choice which one to trade in. He will obviously select the one he thinks will be the most lucrative. However, the merchant is unsure and has no guarantee of prosperity; his product may have a market and he may make handsome returns, but he could just as easily lose all of his money. In contrast, the believer in the Oneness of Allah who submits to His Will (a Muslim), is completely sure that if he follows the path of guidance [the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho alaihi wasallam)], there will undoubtedly be success and reward waiting for him at the end of this path. Fortunately, this success also starts at the beginning of the path. Narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (radhiallaho unho) - Allah's Messenger (sallallaho aliahi wasallam) said, "If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then Allah shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts: the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed, and an evil deed will be recorded as it is unless Allah forgives it.Epilogue Based on my search for the truth, I concluded that the precise way we believe in Allah and the deeds we perform determine our future condition for eternity. Our Creator is giving us all an equal chance, regardless of our circumstances, to earn His pleasure in preparation for Judgement Day, as in the following Qur'anic verses: "And obey Allah and His Messenger that you may obtain mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the Heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. " (3:132-133)If we sincerely seek the truth of this life, which is Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of Allah), Allah will guide us there, Insha Allah. He directs us to examine the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aliahi wasallam), as he represents the best role model for mankind to follow. Furthermore, Allah directs us to investigate and ponder what He says in the Qur'an. One will see that the Qur'an is indeed like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep because they are just completely absorbed by this life on earth. The knocks and shouts appear one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! Allah is there! There is planning, trial, accountability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss!Clearly and unequivocally, the best way to live and die in this world is as a righteous Muslim! When one comes to the conclusion that Islam is the truth, he should not delay in becoming a Muslim because he may die first, and then it will be too late.
A few months after embracing Islam, I found two verses in the Qur'an that mirror what the American Muslim told me regarding how we should live and die: "And Ibrahim (alaihissalam) instructed his sons and [so did] Yaqoob (alaihissalam), [saying], “O my sons! Indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." (2:132) And “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]." (3:102)
Faith As Simple As One, Two and Three.
The way to God, faith and religion is a simple. Three questions need to be answered and you are there:
1- Is there a God or no God? Just look at the very large universe and the smallest of atoms and you will find a very intelligent design to the world. No chances and no random in the order of universe. The DNA with arrangements of the amino acids is very complicated and intelligent process.
2- What we follow a religion from God or man-made religion? the bible and Quran what we call the scripture have in common the genesis of man, the fall from heaven of Adam and Eve, the evil Satan, the prophets, prophecies, the ten commandments and the same notion of spreading God message and to live by his ways and laws.
3- Is Quran From God? We have three choices either Quran is from God or made by Muhammad or Satan inspired him. Read the verses to yourself and go through the Quran or go in many in may articles in the blog. Quran is the word of God for a lot of reasons.
1- The one who is the speaking to us talks in greatness and power that you feel he is a great God.
2- It has no single letter changed over 1426 years.
3- The millions of people who can recite you the Quran or long chapters from their memory even children is unmatched buy those who memorize the bible.
4- The linguistic miracle of the Quran is unparalleled.
5- The scientific miracles are astonishing.
6- The high moral value and the same just God of the bible.
1- Is there a God or no God? Just look at the very large universe and the smallest of atoms and you will find a very intelligent design to the world. No chances and no random in the order of universe. The DNA with arrangements of the amino acids is very complicated and intelligent process.
2- What we follow a religion from God or man-made religion? the bible and Quran what we call the scripture have in common the genesis of man, the fall from heaven of Adam and Eve, the evil Satan, the prophets, prophecies, the ten commandments and the same notion of spreading God message and to live by his ways and laws.
3- Is Quran From God? We have three choices either Quran is from God or made by Muhammad or Satan inspired him. Read the verses to yourself and go through the Quran or go in many in may articles in the blog. Quran is the word of God for a lot of reasons.
1- The one who is the speaking to us talks in greatness and power that you feel he is a great God.
2- It has no single letter changed over 1426 years.
3- The millions of people who can recite you the Quran or long chapters from their memory even children is unmatched buy those who memorize the bible.
4- The linguistic miracle of the Quran is unparalleled.
5- The scientific miracles are astonishing.
6- The high moral value and the same just God of the bible.
SIGNS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
From: www.quranmiracles.com
146- The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth, knowingly. 2-The Cow, 146 In this chapter, we shall be studying the implications in the Old Testament made to the Prophet, to the region where he lived and to the message he brought. The greater part of our book has so far treated such subject matters as physics, chemistry, geology and biology. Also we have tackled, in a separate category, philosophical speculations, and in another separate category archaeological issues. Now we shall be dealing with those parts of the Old and New Testaments that are of special relevance for our present study. Questions that have found answers in the natural sciences, based on observation, were followed by ratiocination in the chapters on philosophy and were followed by historical data calling for detailed analyses in the chapters on archaeology. Now we are to tackle the veracity of information contained in the Bible. According to the Quran, (some) Jews falsified their scriptures by changing the context and meaning of words. This misled the commentators in their interpretations of the signs heralding the advent of the Prophet: 46- Some among the Jews distort the words out of context and say with a twist of their tongues... 4-The Women, 46 41- They change the words from their right places and say “If you are given this, accept it, but if you are given anything different, beware.” 5-The Feast, 41 The fact that Jewish rabbis (some) have tried to misinterpret the signs related to Islam dates from the time of the Prophet. There is reference to this in the verse quoted at the head of the present chapter.
ALL PROPHETS HAVE PROFESSED ISLAM
The Quran accepts that all the prophets descending from Adam are Muslim (submitter). The word “Islam” has also the connotation of “peace.” The Jewish word “Shalom” and the Arabic word “Salam” stem from the same root. As for the prophet who prophesies peace (shalom), when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet. Jeremiah 28, 9 The word “peace” in this translation has the same root as the word “Islam.” The two prophets, Christ and Muhammad, who came after Moses, announced 1) that there was one God; 2) to worship only one God; 3) To believe in all messengers of God; 4) that man was to believe in the Day of Judgment; 5) that man should lead an honest life, 6) that man should not kill his kind or commit theft, and 7) that man should protect the needy and the orphans, etc. According to the expressions used in the Old Testament, the proof of prophethood was whether the message brought was one of peace (Islam) and whether his word turned out to be true. Thanks to the message brought by Muhammad, billions of people have believed in what he said and have loved God and believed in the Omniscience and Omnipotence of God and that the truth of the revelations in the Book transmitted by him came to be demonstrated by the ensuing historical events and developments in science. Nowhere in the Old Testament can we come across a statement to the effect that Moses is the last prophet. Someone who believes in the Bible can easily deduce from its contents the evidence of Muhammad’s prophethood. Moreover, the Old Testament’s criterion for the recognition of a prophet was his coming with the prophecy of peace, i.e., Islam in its etymological sense, which word came to be integrated with the name of Muhammad. 6- For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “Yet, once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7- And I will shake all nations so that the treasures (himada) of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts. 8- The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts. 9- The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace (shalom), declares the Lord of Hosts” Haggai 2, 6-9 The Hebrew word “himada” mentioned under verse 7 of Haggai stems from the same root as H-M-D in the Arabic language which is the root of the name “Muhammad,” carrying more or less the same meaning. Thus the name of the Prophet or the meaning of his name is mentioned with reference to a glorious event that was to take place in the future. What can be a more glorious event than the advent of Muhammad -who came after the Old Testament- and whose message announced God’s existence to billions? Remember that the word “shalom” (peace) in verse 9 comes from the same root as the word Islam.
A PROPHET LIKE MOSES
18- I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19- And whoever will not listen to My words that he shall speak in My name, I myself will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18, 18-19 In Deuteronomy the coming of a new prophet is predicted. Christians claim that reference is here made to Jesus Christ. However, Muhammad, in many respects, was more like Moses and had many more common traits with him than with Christ. It may be that both Jesus Christ and Muhammad were meant. Only God knows the exact reference. On the other hand, being of Jewish descent, it is quite possible that Jesus Christ was meant, although Arabs and Jews had common ancestors. Michael Hammer, from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in collaboration with some colleagues from the University of Israel, examined 18 divisions in the Y chromosomes of 1371 persons who came from 29 different communities. Among these were European Jews, Latinos, people from North Africa, Kurds, Iranians, Yemenis and Ethiopians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Israeli Durzis, Saudis and 16 non-semitic groups. The studies conducted have shown that Jews from different origins and Arabs descended from a common stock. This is in accordance with the belief that Abraham is the common ancestor of Jews and Arabs. If we may be allowed to go back to Deuteronomy, it is easy to establish the many traits Moses had in common with Muhammad, rather than with Jesus Christ. Moses, like Muhammad, established a realm. The Christians’ realm was realized after Christ’s death. Knowing that prophets transmit messages bearing common traits, it is difficult to decide whether this prediction refers to Christ or Muhammad.
ORIGIN OF THE PROPHET
1- This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before his death. 2- He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones with flaming fire at his right hand.” Deuteronomy 33, 1-2 Moses’ prayer just before his death is interesting. The place referred to as Sinai is where Moses had emerged; the second place, Seir is the place where Jesus came from; while the third place is the Paran Mountains and it is the place where Muhammad came from. Thus, in the Biblical statement quoted above, allusions are made to the monotheistic religions which had an outstanding influence on humanity. Here we also see the corroboration of the prophets to come, viz. Jesus and Muhammad; just as the Quran corroborated Moses and Jesus as prophets, so had the Old Testament done this. The prediction in Deuteronomy that the Prophet would come among the ten thousands of holy ones is a remarkable indication because while Muhammad was living, he had ten thousands of followers.
THE CHOSEN SERVANT FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF KEDAR WILL BREAK THE IDOLS
Accounts related to future events in Isaiah make allusions to Muhammad as Prophet. Accounts related to the future in the Old Testament (Isaiah, 42) are in perfect conformity with Muhammad’s ways, in that he broke the idols (8), that he established justice upon earth during his lifetime (3 and 4), that he received the message from Gabriel, the Holy Spirit (1), had ideal ethical values (2-3), shed light over the souls of men who had been blinded (6 and 7), carried over new messages he had received to mankind (10), and was a descendant of a community that had descended from the line of Kedar (11). 1- Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2- He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street. 3- A bruised breed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4- He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5- Thus says God, the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6- I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. 7- To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8- I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other; nor my praise to carved idols. 9- Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. 11- Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Isaiah 42, 1-11 A careful perusal of these verses may suggest to their reader that allusions to Muhammad are plain. What is still remarkable is that these statements would turn out to come true. This prediction was not made for the time of Isaiah but for later, as mentioned in verse 9. It is interesting to note that in the 17th verse of Isaiah it is said that idolaters would be put to shame, an event that had come true by the revelation of the Quran.
70- O people of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of God of which you are witnesses? 71- O people of the Book! Why do you clothe the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth, knowingly? 3-The Family of Imran, 70-71
146- The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth, knowingly. 2-The Cow, 146 In this chapter, we shall be studying the implications in the Old Testament made to the Prophet, to the region where he lived and to the message he brought. The greater part of our book has so far treated such subject matters as physics, chemistry, geology and biology. Also we have tackled, in a separate category, philosophical speculations, and in another separate category archaeological issues. Now we shall be dealing with those parts of the Old and New Testaments that are of special relevance for our present study. Questions that have found answers in the natural sciences, based on observation, were followed by ratiocination in the chapters on philosophy and were followed by historical data calling for detailed analyses in the chapters on archaeology. Now we are to tackle the veracity of information contained in the Bible. According to the Quran, (some) Jews falsified their scriptures by changing the context and meaning of words. This misled the commentators in their interpretations of the signs heralding the advent of the Prophet: 46- Some among the Jews distort the words out of context and say with a twist of their tongues... 4-The Women, 46 41- They change the words from their right places and say “If you are given this, accept it, but if you are given anything different, beware.” 5-The Feast, 41 The fact that Jewish rabbis (some) have tried to misinterpret the signs related to Islam dates from the time of the Prophet. There is reference to this in the verse quoted at the head of the present chapter.
ALL PROPHETS HAVE PROFESSED ISLAM
The Quran accepts that all the prophets descending from Adam are Muslim (submitter). The word “Islam” has also the connotation of “peace.” The Jewish word “Shalom” and the Arabic word “Salam” stem from the same root. As for the prophet who prophesies peace (shalom), when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet. Jeremiah 28, 9 The word “peace” in this translation has the same root as the word “Islam.” The two prophets, Christ and Muhammad, who came after Moses, announced 1) that there was one God; 2) to worship only one God; 3) To believe in all messengers of God; 4) that man was to believe in the Day of Judgment; 5) that man should lead an honest life, 6) that man should not kill his kind or commit theft, and 7) that man should protect the needy and the orphans, etc. According to the expressions used in the Old Testament, the proof of prophethood was whether the message brought was one of peace (Islam) and whether his word turned out to be true. Thanks to the message brought by Muhammad, billions of people have believed in what he said and have loved God and believed in the Omniscience and Omnipotence of God and that the truth of the revelations in the Book transmitted by him came to be demonstrated by the ensuing historical events and developments in science. Nowhere in the Old Testament can we come across a statement to the effect that Moses is the last prophet. Someone who believes in the Bible can easily deduce from its contents the evidence of Muhammad’s prophethood. Moreover, the Old Testament’s criterion for the recognition of a prophet was his coming with the prophecy of peace, i.e., Islam in its etymological sense, which word came to be integrated with the name of Muhammad. 6- For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “Yet, once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7- And I will shake all nations so that the treasures (himada) of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts. 8- The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts. 9- The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will give peace (shalom), declares the Lord of Hosts” Haggai 2, 6-9 The Hebrew word “himada” mentioned under verse 7 of Haggai stems from the same root as H-M-D in the Arabic language which is the root of the name “Muhammad,” carrying more or less the same meaning. Thus the name of the Prophet or the meaning of his name is mentioned with reference to a glorious event that was to take place in the future. What can be a more glorious event than the advent of Muhammad -who came after the Old Testament- and whose message announced God’s existence to billions? Remember that the word “shalom” (peace) in verse 9 comes from the same root as the word Islam.
A PROPHET LIKE MOSES
18- I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19- And whoever will not listen to My words that he shall speak in My name, I myself will require it of him. Deuteronomy 18, 18-19 In Deuteronomy the coming of a new prophet is predicted. Christians claim that reference is here made to Jesus Christ. However, Muhammad, in many respects, was more like Moses and had many more common traits with him than with Christ. It may be that both Jesus Christ and Muhammad were meant. Only God knows the exact reference. On the other hand, being of Jewish descent, it is quite possible that Jesus Christ was meant, although Arabs and Jews had common ancestors. Michael Hammer, from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in collaboration with some colleagues from the University of Israel, examined 18 divisions in the Y chromosomes of 1371 persons who came from 29 different communities. Among these were European Jews, Latinos, people from North Africa, Kurds, Iranians, Yemenis and Ethiopians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Israeli Durzis, Saudis and 16 non-semitic groups. The studies conducted have shown that Jews from different origins and Arabs descended from a common stock. This is in accordance with the belief that Abraham is the common ancestor of Jews and Arabs. If we may be allowed to go back to Deuteronomy, it is easy to establish the many traits Moses had in common with Muhammad, rather than with Jesus Christ. Moses, like Muhammad, established a realm. The Christians’ realm was realized after Christ’s death. Knowing that prophets transmit messages bearing common traits, it is difficult to decide whether this prediction refers to Christ or Muhammad.
ORIGIN OF THE PROPHET
1- This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before his death. 2- He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones with flaming fire at his right hand.” Deuteronomy 33, 1-2 Moses’ prayer just before his death is interesting. The place referred to as Sinai is where Moses had emerged; the second place, Seir is the place where Jesus came from; while the third place is the Paran Mountains and it is the place where Muhammad came from. Thus, in the Biblical statement quoted above, allusions are made to the monotheistic religions which had an outstanding influence on humanity. Here we also see the corroboration of the prophets to come, viz. Jesus and Muhammad; just as the Quran corroborated Moses and Jesus as prophets, so had the Old Testament done this. The prediction in Deuteronomy that the Prophet would come among the ten thousands of holy ones is a remarkable indication because while Muhammad was living, he had ten thousands of followers.
THE CHOSEN SERVANT FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF KEDAR WILL BREAK THE IDOLS
Accounts related to future events in Isaiah make allusions to Muhammad as Prophet. Accounts related to the future in the Old Testament (Isaiah, 42) are in perfect conformity with Muhammad’s ways, in that he broke the idols (8), that he established justice upon earth during his lifetime (3 and 4), that he received the message from Gabriel, the Holy Spirit (1), had ideal ethical values (2-3), shed light over the souls of men who had been blinded (6 and 7), carried over new messages he had received to mankind (10), and was a descendant of a community that had descended from the line of Kedar (11). 1- Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2- He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street. 3- A bruised breed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4- He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5- Thus says God, the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6- I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. 7- To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8- I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other; nor my praise to carved idols. 9- Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. 11- Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Isaiah 42, 1-11 A careful perusal of these verses may suggest to their reader that allusions to Muhammad are plain. What is still remarkable is that these statements would turn out to come true. This prediction was not made for the time of Isaiah but for later, as mentioned in verse 9. It is interesting to note that in the 17th verse of Isaiah it is said that idolaters would be put to shame, an event that had come true by the revelation of the Quran.
70- O people of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of God of which you are witnesses? 71- O people of the Book! Why do you clothe the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth, knowingly? 3-The Family of Imran, 70-71
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