We believe in Allah's Divinity, that is He is the Lord,
the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Manager of all affairs.
We believe in Allah's Godship; that is, He is the True
God and every other deity is false.
We believe in His Names and Attributes, that is He has
the most magnificent Names and the sublime perfect Attributes.
We believe in His Oneness in all this, that is, He has
no associate in His Divinity, His Godship, His Names,
or His Attributes. Allah says in the Qur'an: "He is the
Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between
them, so worship Him and be patient in His worship, do
you know any equal to Him." (19:65)
We believe that He is "Allah there is no God but He,
the Living the Everlasting. Slumber does not seize Him,
neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the Heavens
and the Earth. Who is there that shall intercede with
Him except by His permission? He knows what is before
them and what is behind them, and they do not encompass
anything of His knowledge except what He wills. His Throne
extends over the Heavens and the Earth; the preservation
of them does not burden Him; He is the High, the Great."
(2:255)
We believe that "He is Allah, there is no god but He--the
Knower of the Unseen and the Visible, He is the Most Gracious,
Most Merciful. He is Allah, there is no God but He, the
King, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Keeper of
Faith, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Subduer, the Sublime.
Glory be to Allah above what they associate with Him.
He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper, His are
the most beautiful Names. All that is in the Heavens and
the Earth glorfies Him. He is the Almighty, the Wise.(59:22-4)
We believe that to Him belongs the kingdom of the Heavens
and the E.arth: "He creates what He pleases. He gives,
to whom He wills, females, and He gives, to whom He wills,
males, or He couples them, males and females; and He makes
whom He wills barren. Surely, He is the Knowing, the Powerful."
(42:49-50).
We believe that "There is nothing whatever like unto
Him, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. To Him belongs
the keys of the Heavens and the Earth. He enlarges and
restricts provisions to whom He wills. Surely He has knowledge
of everything." (42:11-12).
We believe that "There is no creature that moves in
the Earth but its provision depends on Allah. He knows
its dwelling and its resting place. All is recorded in
a clear Book." (11:6)
We believe that "With Him are the keys of the Unseen;
none knows them but He. He knows what is in land and sea;
not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the
deep darkness of the Earth, not a thing green or dry but
it is in a clear Book." (6:59).
We believe that "Allah alone has the knowledge of the
Hour, sends down rain, and knows what is in the wombs.
No soul knows what it shall earn tomorrow, and no soul
knows in what land it shall die. Surely, Allah is All-knowing,
All-aware." (31:34)
We believe that Allah speaks whatever He pleases whenever
He pleases "And Allah spoke to Moses directly." (4:164)
"And when Moses came at Our appointed place, and his Lord
spoke to him." (7:143) "We called to him from the right
side of the Mount (Sinai), and We brought him near in
communion." (19-52)
We believe that "If the ocean became ink for the words
of my lord, the ocean would be finished before the words
of my Lord came to an end." (18:109) "And if all the trees
that are in the earth were pens, and the ocean (were ink),
with seven oceans swelling it therefore, the words of
Allah would not be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Mighty,
Wise. " (31:27).
We believe that Allah's words are the most truthful
in conveying information, the most just in ruling, and
the fairest in conversation. He said, "The word of your
Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice." (6:115)
"And who is more truthful in his word than Allah?" (4:74).
We believe that the Qur'an is Allah's words. He literally
spoke it to Gabriel who conveyed it to the Prophet, peace
be upon him: "Say (O Muhammad) the Holy Spirit has brought
it down from your Lord in truth." (16:102) "Truly it is
the revelation of the Lord of the worlds brought down
upon your heart by the Faithful Spirit so that you may
be one of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue."(26:
192-5)
We believe that Allah is well above his creatures in
His person and His Attributes, because He says, "He is
the High, the Great." (2:255) "He is Supreme over His
servants, and He is the Wise, the All-aware. " (6:18).
We believe that He "created the Heavens and the Earth
in six days, then He settled Himself on the Throne; He
manages everything." (10:3) His "settling on the Throne"
means that He is sitting in person on His throne in a
way that is becoming to His Majesty and greatness. Nobody
except He knows exactly how He is sitting.
We believe that He is with His creatures while He is
still on His Throne. He knows their conditions, hears
their sayings, sees their deeds and manages their affairs.
He provides for the poor and the broken. He gives sovereignty
to whom He pleases and takes away sovereignty from whom
He pleases; He exalts whom He wills and He abases whom
He wills. In His hand is all good and He is powerful over
everything. Whoever possesses these qualities is literally
with His creatures even if He is literally above them
on His Throne. "There is nothing whatsoever like unto
Him; He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing." (42:11)
We do not say as the Incarnationists among the Jahomites
and others say, that is, Allah is living with His creatures
on Earth. We consider whoever says this a non-believer
or straying away because he attributed to Allah that does
not become Him of defects.
We believe in what His Messenger told us that He descends
to the near sky before the last third of every night and
says: "Who prays to Me and I will answer his prayers?
Who asks Me and I will give him? Who asks my forgiveness
and I will forgive him? (Bukhari & Muslim).
We believe that He will come at the Day of Judgement
to judge among His people because He said, "No indeed!
when the Earth is crushed to powder, and your Lord comes
down with the angels in rows after rows, and Hell is brought
out that day. On that day man will remember, but what
will remembrance avail him?" (89:21-23) We believe that
He is the Doer of what He wills.
BELIEF IN ALLAH'S BOOKS
We believe that Allah revealed Books to His Messengers
as proof against mankind and a guidance for the righteous
workers. They purified and taught them wisdom by these Books.
We believe that Allah sent down a Book with every Messenger
because He says "Indeed We sent down our Messengers with
the clear signs, and We sent down with them the Book and
the Balance so that people may uphold justice. " (57:25)
BOOKS KNOWN
1. The Torah which was revealed to Moses, peace be upon
him. It is the greatest among the Israelites' books."Surely,
We sent down the Torah, wherein is guidance and light; by
its laws the Jews have been judged by the Prophets who surrendered
themselves to Allah,the rabbis and the doctors of law because
they were entrusted the protection of Allah's book and were
witnesses thereto." (5:44).
2. The Gospel which Allah revealed to Jesus, peace be upon
him. It is a confirmation of the Torah and a complement
to it. "And we gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance
and light and confirming the Torah before it, as a guidance
and an admonition to the godfearing."(5:46) "And to make
lawful to you certain things that, before, were forbidden
to you." (3:50)
3. The Psalms which Allah gave to David, peace be upon
him.
4. Tablets of Abraham and Moses, peace be upon them.
5. The Glorious Qur'an which was revealed to His Prophet
Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets. It is "a guidance to
the people and clear signs of guidance and criterion between
right and wrong." (2:185)
THE QUR'AN IS PROTECTED
FROM CHANGE
The Qur'an is "confirming the scripture that was before
it and stands as a guardian over it." Thus, by the Qur'an
Allah abrogated all the previous Books. Allah has also guaranteed
its protection from any play or mischievous distortion.
"Indeed, We sent down the message and We will guard it."
(15:9) That is because the Qur'an is a proof against mankind
till the Day of Judgement.
PREVIOUS SCRIPTURES CHANGED
The previous scriptures were meant for a limited period
that ended with the revelation of what abrogated them and
exposed what had taken place in them of distortion and change.
That is why they were not protected from corruption. They
underwent distortion, addition and omission. "Some of the
Jews pervert words from their meanings." (4:46) "So woe
to those who write the Book with their hands, and then say,
'This is from Allah,' that they may sell it for a little
price. So woe to them for what their hands have written,
and woe to them for their earnings." (2:79) "Say, who sent
down the Book that Moses brought as a light and a guidance
to people? You put it into sheets of paper showing some
of them and concealing much." (6:91) "And there is a group
among them who twist their tongues with the Book, that you
may think it is a part of the Book, but it is not part of
the Book. And they say 'It is from Allah,' yet it is not
from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah and they know
it. It is not for any human being to whom Allah has given
the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophethood to say to men "Worship
me intead of Allah," (3:78-70) "People of the Book! Our
Messenger has come to you, making clear to you many things
you have been concealing of the Book and forgive you much.
A light has come to you from Allah and a glorious Book,
with which He will guide whoever follows His pleasure in
the way of peace, and brings them forth from darkness into
the light by His will." (5:15-16).
The Final Book (Qur'an
or Koran)
Some people reject God because they can find no evidence
for Him which satisfies both their hearts and minds simultaneously.
Then there are others who accept God on the basis of emotional
or irrational reasons which satisfy their hearts, but leave
their minds unsure. These two groups of people have never
found a satisfying answer to the question of their relationship
with God. Then there are yet others who have found the correct
path which God intended for us: to accept Him and His message
to us using our minds first and foremost, and the heart
follows easily and naturally as a consequence.
Instead of searching for the answer, there are also some
people who chose to simply brush the question aside and
ignore it unfortunately. This is the easy way out of what
appears to be a very difficult, mysterious question which
may seem to have no final solution. Most of these people
are unaware of a very powerful message which completely
and unequivocally establishes the correct path to God. This
message squares with both the mind and the heart, and it
has no equal since it comes to us straight from God Himself.
The message comes in the form of a book. In fact, God has
given us several Books of guidance through the years, but
each one was ultimately corrupted and changed by dishonest
people. Each Book essentially contained the same fundamental
message as the previous Books. Mankind was expected to guard
these Books from harm, but unfortunately failed to live
up to this expectation. Slowly but surely, each Book was
edited and tampered with, destroying its authenticity. This
is partly why God kept sending us more revelations.
However, almost 1400 years ago, God sent us another Book
with the same basic message as the earlier ones, but with
a small but very important difference. This time, God decreed
that this Book would be the last Book sent down to us because
God would protect it Himself. Regarding this Final Book,
God said,
"Behold, it is We Ourselves who have bestowed from on
high this reminder: and behold, it is We who shall truly
guard it" [Chapter 15, verse 9]
Today, if we compare the 114 chapters in every copy of
this Final Book with each other, we will find they match
perfectly word for word - from the oldest copies made 1300-plus
years ago to the ones printed just a few hours ago. No human
hand has changed it.
The rational person has every right to be doubtful, of
course, if he or she has never read this book. For such
people, here is a small sample of what the Final Book contains.
Suppose we wanted to ask God several questions about Him
and about ourselves. Short of Him speaking to us directly
(such a privilege has been granted to only one person out
of all humanity), the Book has the best answers one can
find. It is on the strength of these answers that an honest
person may be struck with the conviction that the Final
Book is from none other than God Almighty. Again, here is
only a small part of the information one might find.
1. On The Nature of God
Who is God? God explains in His Final Book that it is quite
simply impossible for us to completely understand Him. We
cannot pinpoint a definition of the Creator,
"Glory to the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth
- the Sustainer, in almightiness enthroned - from all
that they may attribute to Him by way of definition" [43:82]
Our inability to completely understand God does not mean
that He is completely remote from us. In spite of our limited
understanding, we are all quite capable of turning to God,
and He is not unaware of our efforts,
"...and unto thy Sustainer turn with love." [94:8]
"Behold, for those who stand in awe of God although
He is beyond the reach of their perception, there is forgiveness
in store and a great reward" [67:12]
God has not left mankind entirely in the dark regarding
His Nature. He refers to Himself by approximately 100 names
in various places throughout the Final Book. Each name is
a descriptive attribute of God, and they are all meant to
help us understand the Creator. To gain this understanding
involves simply thinking about God and reflecting on His
names, and this type of awareness is a central pillar of
faith (i.e. when one actively remembers God and is conscious
of Him). A second benefit of these names is that some of
them provide mankind with ideals to try to attain. For example,
since God is the Most Forgiving, Most Patient, and Most
Knowledgeable, we should each strive to be forgiving, patient,
and knowledgeable (educated in our case).
Of all His attributes, God emphasizes a single one above
all others in His Final Book: that HE IS ONE. God is not
two, three, four, or more beings. There is only one deity,
and He is God,
"Say: `He is God, Unique God the Eternal, the Independent.
He begets not, and neither is He begotten. And there is
nothing that could be compared to Him.'" [112:1-4]
In other places of the Final Book, God emphasizes His Greatness
and the impossibility of fully grasping Him by using the
plural sense of pronouns for Himself - but He is strictly
One and Unique with no other partners or deities.
After this aspect of Unity, God chose to emphasize two
of His other names more often than the rest in the Final
Book: "the Most Merciful, the One who acts Mercifully."
In fact, each chapter but one in the whole Book starts with,
"In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the One who Acts
Mercifully." These two names cannot be emphasized enough.
They are meant to stress we should not let our sins keep
us from coming back to God and calling to Him at all times,
in joy or sadness. The Creator is more aware of our imperfections
than we are, and so when we stumble and feel bad, God is
far more likely to be kind than angry.
The Last Messenger and Prophet of God (i.e. the person
whom God chose to deliver the Final Book to the rest of
mankind) commented on God's mercy by informing us that,
"When God decreed the Creation He pledged Himself by writing
in His book which is laid down with Him: `My mercy prevails
over my wrath.'" - the Last Messenger
"God says: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with Him
when He makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to
himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes
mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an
assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me a hand's
span, I draw near to him an arm's length; and if he draws
near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's
length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him with
speed." - the Last Messenger
2. The Nature of Man
Who are we, and what makes us different from all other
things? We are creations of God, along with the rest of
the universe. We are human beings, all descendants of a
common ancestry well known to most of us: Adam and Eve.
Humanity, however, is distinct from the rest of the universe
in a very fundamental way according to the Final Book,
"Verily, We did offer the trust to the heavens and the
earth, and the mountains: but they refused to bear it because
they were afraid of it. Yet man took it up - for verily
he has always been prone to be most wicked, most foolish."
[33:72]
Over the years, many scholars of the Book have tried to
understand exactly what God meant by "the trust". The most
convincing argument (based on other parts of the Book, and
on certain statements of the Last Messenger) is that it
refers to our ability to make decisions both freely and
intelligently. In other words, our uniqueness as human beings
stems from two gifts given to us by God:
* our ability to freely choose between actions (good and
evil)
* our ability to intelligently weigh and make those choices
The price of these gifts is a tremendous amount of responsibility
on our part; the responsibility not to abuse our gifts by
rejecting God or by hurting each other unnecessarily.
The blessings of these two gifts are immeasurable, especially
when God reminds us that He could have decided things otherwise
by depriving us of either gift,
"Now had it been Our will [that men should not be able
to discern between right and wrong], We could surely have
deprived them of their sight, so that they would stray
forever from the [right] way: for how could they have
had insight [into what is true]? And had it been Our will
[that they should not be free to choose between right
and wrong], We could surely have transformed them [rooted]
in their places, so that they would not be able to move
forward, and could not turn back." [36:66-67]
However, God did NOT will this, and as a result we are
blessed with will and reason. The Final Book clearly warns
against abusing these blessings, either by neglecting ourselves
when we don't think wisely, or by hurting others when we
deny them the right to choose,
"Verily, the vilest of all creatures in the sight of
God are those deaf, those dumb ones who do not use their
reason." [8:22]
"There shall be no coercion in matters of faith. Distinct
has now become the right way from error: hence he who
rejects evil and believes in God has indeed taken hold
of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way:
for God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." [2:256]
In spite of mankind's free will and reason, God warns us
in His Book always to remember that these gifts are limited
after all. The Final Word lies with Him in all matters.
However, this is not to say that men's destinies are arbitrary
- not at all. We are able to make decisions that affect
our lives, but at the same time, God is also making decisions
about us and for us,
"And had thy Sustainer so willed, all those who live
on earth would surely have attained to faith, all of them:
do you then think that you could compel people to believe,
notwithstanding that no human being can ever attain to
faith otherwise than by God's leave, and [that] it is
He who lays the loathsome evil [of disbelief] upon those
who will not use their reason." [10:99-100]
"...Verily, God does not change men's condition unless
they change their inner selves..." [13:11]
3. Free Will and Reason
Applied
Has God given mankind a clear path to Him? In essence,
every rational reader would like to know if they can trust
the authenticity of the Final Book. It is perfectly natural
to feel that way; after all, this is the outcome of our
God-given gift of reason. However, our own skeptical minds
are the keys here: the Final Book, according to God, is
addressed to people who think, pure and simple,
"...In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people
who think." [39:42]
"Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people
who use their reason." [30:28]
No one but God can make a human being believe in the Truth
of the Final Book, but that human being has to read it with
an open mind, applying his or her powers of reason. The
price of limited free will is that we must choose to be
guided. Those people who do search for the Truth with an
open mind and heart may find that the Final Book, while
vast, is surprisingly clear,
"Nay, but this [divine writ] consists of messages self-evident
in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge
- and none could knowingly reject Our messages unless
it be such as would do wrong [to themselves]." [29:49]
"This divine writ - let there be no doubt about it -
is a guidance for all the God-conscious..." [2:2]
The guidance of the Final Book is available to anyone
who goes in search of it,
"[O men!] We have now bestowed upon you from on high
a divine writ containing all that you ought to bear in
mind: will you not, then, use your reason?" [21:10]
One of the most interesting aspects of the authenticity
of the Final Book is the quantity of scientifically accurate
statements in it - on subjects not even dreamed of 1300
years ago. A sample of these includes the following:
a large explosion marking the start of creation (Big
Bang) [21:30]
the initial smokey (nebulous) nature of the skies [41:11]
the expansion of the universe [51:41]
the presence of a huge amount of time before mankind
appeared [76:1]
the existence of sun and moon orbits [21;33]
the finite sun and moon lifetimes [13:2]
the final destination of the sun (Solar Apex) [36:38]
the origin of all life based in water [21:30]
In fact, God states that the amazing beauty and intricacy
of the natural world around us, as well as our own complex
biological makeup, will ultimately lead us to Him as we
grow in understanding,
"In time, We shall make them fully understand Our messages
[through what they perceive] in the utmost horizons [of
the universe] and within themselves, so that it will become
clear unto them this [revelation] is indeed the truth.
Is it not enough that thy Sustainer is witness unto everything?"
[41:53]
4. The Presence of Evil
Why does God allow men and women to be hurt? There are
some people who use the presence of suffering and evil in
this world as grounds to lose hope and perhaps even to reject
God. However, according to the Final Book, the limited free
will and reason of human beings destroys that argument.
We are responsible for what we do, and must bear the consequences
- that is the liability or price of freedom. The evil that
we do and suffer from is chosen by us and not by God,
"...God wills no wrong to His creation." [3:108]
However, God also guarantees us that aside from our own
evil actions and their effects, God Himself will put us
through some trials and tribulations here on earth - but
the key is they will never be more than we can handle, and
they may even be good for us,
"If misfortune touches you [know that] similar misfortune
has touched [other] people as well; for it is by turns
that We apportion unto men such days [of fortune and misfortune]:
and [this] to the end that God might mark out those who
have attained to faith, and choose from among you such
as [with their lives] bear witness to the truth - since
God does not love evildoers - and that God might render
pure of all dross those who have attained to faith, and
bring to nought those who deny the truth. Do you think
that you could enter Paradise unless God takes cognizance
of your having striven hard [in His cause], and takes
cognizance of your being patient in adversity?" [3:140-142]
"God does not burden any human being with more than
he is well able to bear: in his favour shall be whatever
good he does, and against him whatever evil he does..."
[2:286]
An integral part of our being aware of God is hope and
patience in times of hardship. In fact, the loss of hope
is actually one of the symptoms of rejection of God,
"[Prophet Abraham] exclaimed, `And who - other than
those who have utterly lost their way - could ever abandon
the hope of his Sustainer's grace?'" [15:56]
The greatest source of hope is that God shall allow those
people who accept Him to enter Paradise and, more importantly,
to be close to Him. The Final Book contains many references
on Paradise, and also on Hell, the destination of those
people who knowingly reject God. Paradise is quite literally
a place of indescribable joy, whereas Hell is its indescribable
opposite (both places are given only partial descriptions
in the Book). While the inhabitants of Paradise are permanent
dwellers, the inmates of Hell are not necessarily imprisoned
there forever; there are some who shall ultimately be freed,
"[But] verily, as for those who attain to faith and
do righteous deeds - the gardens of Paradise will be there
to welcome them; therein will they abide, [and] never
will they desire any change therefrom." [18:107-108]
"And whoever rebels against God and His Apostle and
transgresses His bounds, him will He commit unto fire,
therein to abide; and shameful suffering awaits him."
[4:14]
"There shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said `There
is no deity except God' and who has in his heart goodness
weighing a barley-corn; then there shall come out of Hell-fire
he who has said `There is no deity except God' and who has
in his heart goodness weighing a grain of wheat; then there
shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said `There is no
deity except God' and who has in his heart goodness weighing
an atom." - the Last Messenger
5. This Life and the Next
What is the end to men's lives? There are two parts to
men's lives: the part here on earth, and the part in the
Hereafter. The dividing line between the two is known as
death, followed by the Day of Judgement or Resurrection.
As far as death is concerned, everyone must go through it,
but on Judgement Day people will be sorted out from each
other into different categories,
"Every human being is bound to taste death: but only
on the Day of Resurrection will you be requited in full
[for what you have done]..." [3:185]
Resurrection Day will actually be a huge period of time
(not a regular 24-hour day) in which every single human
will be resurrected and judged by God on his or her beliefs
and deeds. No human being - not even any Prophet - knows
when this Day will come, for this is knowledge known only
to God. The Final Book does describe it in several passages
as a giant disaster on many scales (physical and ecological
among others), and the Last Messenger was told of some of
its foreshadowing signs which he communicated to us.
6. Messengers and Prophets
Who delivered God's Message to mankind? God has sent us
many `reminders' of Him and of our obligations to Him over
the centuries, culminating in the Final Book almost 1400
years ago. Every one of those `reminders' was delivered
to us via a selected human being, one who was strong enough
to deliver God's message to his people. These human beings
are called the Prophets. They were not supernatural or immortal
or different in any way from other human beings except that
they were entrusted by God to speak in His Name,
"For [even] before thy time, [O Prophet], we never sent
[as Our messengers] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired
- hence [tell the deniers of the truth] `If you do not
know this, ask the followers of earlier revelation' -
and neither did We endow them with bodies that ate no
food, nor were they immortal." [21:7-8]
Some of the Prophets were allowed to perform supernatural
miracles but only with God's permission (i.e. if He willed
it). However, the Final Book stresses that every Prophet
is no more than a servant of God - they do not have a share
in His Divinity.
There is also a small group of Prophets who were also Messengers.
Every Prophet has called his people to the Truth, but Messengers
were additionally given a rejuvenated Message from God to
convey. Every Messenger is a Prophet, but not every Prophet
is a Messenger. There have been many Prophets, of which
here are the names of a few mentioned in the Book: Adam,
Noah, Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
Aaron, Elijah, Elias, David, Solomon, Jonah, Job, Zacharias,
John, Jesus, and, of course, the Last Messenger.
7. Eternal Salvation
Are certain people arbitrarily guaranteed the Favor of
God, while others are excluded? The Mercy of God is not
restricted arbitrarily to any one peoples. Everyone and
anyone is free to accept the path to God using their own
free will and reason,
"And they claim, `None shall ever enter Paradise unless
he be a Jew' - or `a Christian'. Such are their wishful
beliefs! Say [to them, O Prophet]: `Produce an evidence
for what you are claiming, if what you say is true!' Yea,
indeed: everyone who surrenders his whole being unto God,
and is a doer of good, shall have his reward with his
Sustainer, and all such need have no fear, and neither
shall they grieve." [2:111-112]
The consequence of this is responsibility - everyone will
be held accountable on the Day of Judgement. Some of us
may be uncomfortable with this, but it is simply the price
of freedom,
"It may not accord with your wishful thinking - nor
with the wishful thinking of the followers of earlier
revelation - [that] he who does evil shall be requited
for it, and shall find none to protect him from God, and
none to bring him succor, whereas anyone - be it man or
woman - who does good deeds and is a believer, shall enter
paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would
fill] the groove of a date-stone." [4:123-124]
8. Forgiveness of God
If we sin, what should we expect from God? If we subsequently
feel guilty and repent after doing something evil, God wants
us to expect Him to be forgiving, forgiving, and more forgiving.
However, there is one sin which God will not forgive: worshipping
anything besides Him (unless the person realizes his or
her error and returns to worshipping the One God),
"Verily God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity
to anything beside Him, although He forgives any lesser
sin to whomever He wills: for he who ascribes divinity
to anything beside God has indeed contrived an awesome
sin." [4:48]
"Say, `O you servants of Mine who have transgressed
against your own selves! Despair not of God's Mercy: behold,
God forgives all sins - for verily, He alone is much-forgiving,
a dispenser of grace.'" [39:53]
Again, the most common phrase in the Final Book is "In
the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the One who Acts Mercifully."
The Last Messenger commented on God's forgiveness on many
occasions as in the following case,
"God has said, `O son of Adam, so long as you call upon
Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have
done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins
to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask
forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam,
were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the
earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner
to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as
it [i.e. the earth]'". - the Last Messenger
9. The Straight Way
What is the name for the way of life described in the Final
Book? It is Islam, and it means "self-surrender [to God]".
Any man or woman who accepts Islam is a Muslim. The Final
Book is called the Qur'an (meaning "the Recitation"), and
it is addressed to all of mankind in spite of being revealed
in Arabic, the language of its Messenger and his people:
Muhammad bin Abd-Allah. Muhammad is the Last Prophet and
Messenger of God as the Qur'an says,
"[And know, O believers, that] Muhammad is not the father
of any one of your men, but is God's Apostle and the Seal
of all the Prophets..." [33:40]
And God has revealed to us His proper name, and it is ALLAH.
The Qur'an contains a great deal of guidance and information
for anyone looking for final answers. The information given
in this small essay is only the tip of the tip of the iceberg.
There is no substitute for reading the Qur'an itself in
its entirety - it is the closest we can come to having God
speak to us directly and personally here on Earth. The Qur'an
answers many questions which are commonly asked by today's
men and women. Its scope is wide: from fundamental issues
such as the nature of the Creator and mankind's limited
free will and reason, to the more mundane such as marriage
laws and whom to give charity to. Islam as described in
the Qur'an is vastly and almost completely different than
Islam as understood by most non-Muslims and even a few Muslims.
The negative image of Islam today is an incredibly misleading
deception. It is based on the moral weakness of some people
who claim to be Muslims, and also on the unawareness of
non-Muslims. Behind this image is the presence of a Truth
which answers the fundamental questions we have, and which
can reunite us with God. It is there for us to listen to,
or to ignore.
And Allah Knows Best.
"And [know that] We have not created the heavens and
the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play..."
[21:16]
"Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur'an?
Had it issued from any but God, they would surely have
found in it many an inner contradiction!" [4:82]
"We did not bestow the Qur'an on thee from on high to
make thee unhappy." [20:2]
"[O men!] We have now bestowed upon you from on high
a divine writ containing all that you ought to bear in
mind: will you not, then, use your reason?" [21:10]
"...so remember Me, and I shall remember you; and be
grateful to Me, and deny Me not." [2:152]
"Verily, those who attain to faith and do righteous
deeds will the Most Gracious endow with love." [19:96]
"Say [O Prophet]: `If you love God, follow me, [and]
God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is
much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.'" [3:31]
"Say: `If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words,
the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words
are exhausted! And [thus it would be] if we were to add
to it sea upon sea.'" [18:109]
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