It does not take place except with God’s permission because a person who God brings out from the darkness of ignorance, polytheism, and superstition to the light of faith, science, and true knowledge is a person who has a bright mind, insight, and conscience. The Almighty God referred to the Noble Qur’an as light as well.
… Certainly, there has come to you a light from God, and a manifest Book.[342]
The Noble Qur’an and the non-distorted (Torah and Gospel) were sent by Almighty God to His messengers for guiding people to get out of the darkness to the light, and thus, God associated the guidance with light.
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light…[343]
…We gave him the Evangel containing guidance and light, confirming what was before it of the Torah, and as guidance and advice for the God wary.[344]
There is no guidance without God’s light, and there is no light that can illuminate a person’s heart and his life without God’s permission.
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth…[345]
Here, we note that in Qur’an the light comes single in all situations, while darkness comes in plural, and this is very accurate in describing these conditions.[346]
As for those who strive in Us, We shall surely guide them in Our ways:
I remember that I received a call from a colleague of mine on the weekend, and he told me that a South American boxer, during his participation in an international boxing competition, wanted to know about Islam. He was only free on a Friday, and he didn’t speak English; they wanted someone who speaks Spanish to be able to talk to him.
I asked my husband, and he said that we can meet him together in a public place.
Eventually, I met him with my husband and daughter on Friday in a nearby cafe. He was accompanied by a delegation from the club who hosted him, and he announced his conversion to Islam at the end of the meeting.
Among his questions, he asked me: Are there saints in Islam?
I answered: No.
He exclaimed: So, you do not have righteous people? You do not sanctify the companions of the Prophet Muhammad?!!
I answered: We follow the righteous and the companions of the Messenger. We love them and try to be good like them, and we worship God alone as they did, but we do not sanctify them nor make them a mediator between us and God.
He said: For example, I carry a necklace with the Star of David because my name is David, so if I become a Muslim, should I take it off?
I told him: First of all, the Prophet David, peace be upon him, was one of the honored prophets in the Qur’an like other prophets. In the Holy Qur’an, God has cleared all the bad traits which were attributed to them from distortions in books of the Old and New Testament. The Qur’an mentioned how creatures praised God with Prophet David for the beauty of his voice.
We bestowed upon David favor from Us: “O mountains, and birds: echo with him.” And We softened iron for him.[347]
Muslims have no problem with the prophets; they have a problem with those who distorted God’s religion, and turned this star into a political symbol.
He said: What is the difference between Shiites and Sunnis?
I told him: Prophet Muhammad was not a Sunni nor a Shiite, but he was a true Muslim. Also, Christ was not a Catholic nor any other, but he was Muslim. Both worshipped God without a mediator. Christ did not worship himself nor worship his mother, nor did Prophet Muhammad beg himself, his daughter, or her husband.
In addition, when someone in Medina rumored that the sun was eclipsed by the death of Abraham who was the son of the Prophet, the Prophet spoke to them fourteen centuries ago. He said a valuable phrase, which was a message for everyone who adopts countless myths about the eclipse of the sun these days. He said:
The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of someone's death. So whenever you see these eclipses pray and invoke God (Allah) till the eclipse is over.[348]
The emergence of many different groups due to political problems or any other problem is possible, but it has nothing to do with religion. However, this term “Sunnah” means that you follow the Messenger’s approach entirely, and the term “Shiites” means a group of people who have defected from the approach which was taken by the Muslim consensus.
Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to God; then He will inform them about what they used to do.[349]
But who is better than God in judgment for a people who have certainty?
The young man asked persistently: What is the meaning of jihad?
I told him: “Jihad” means striving to stop oneself from sin. The mother’s Jihad in her pregnancy is to bear the pain of pregnancy. The student’s diligence in his studies, the struggle of the defender of his money, his family and his religion are examples of jihad. Even persevering in acts of worship such as fasting and praying on time is considered a type of jihad.
Islam appreciates life, so it is not permissible to fight both peaceful people and civilians. Additionally, property, children, and women must be protected even during wars. It is also not permissible to mutilate the bodies of the dead people, as it is not an ethic of Islam.
Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. God only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.[350]
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.[351]
A non-Muslim is one of four:
The secured people:
They are the ones who were given safety by Muslims.
The rule includes those who entered our country with a tourist visa, and those who resided on our land.
And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of God. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.[352]
People of the treaty “Ahd”:
They are the ones who are promised by Muslims to leave the fighting
The rule includes most of the countries of the world in our time.
Except those idolaters with whom you have a treaty, who have not failed you in the least, nor helped anyone against you. Fulfil your obligations to them during the term (of the treaty). God loves those who take heed for themselves.[353]
People of the “Dhimma”:
“Dhimma” is a historical term referring to non-Muslims living in an Islamic state with legal protection by paying Al “Jizia”, which is a type of a (Poll Tax), imposed on non-Muslim citizens of an Islamic state, for which their lives, progeny, possessions, are protected by the State. They are entitled to practice their religion without any interference by anyone not from their faith. In addition, they are guaranteed to settle their intra community disputes according to their own traditions and laws, not according to the Islamic law (Sharia). They are exempted from military service while being entitled to full protection from alien enemies. It is similar to the tax paid by millions during our time in exchange for the state's care of their affairs.
Fight those who do not have faith in God nor [believe] in the Last Day, nor forbid what God and His Apostle have forbidden, nor practice the true religion, from among those who were given the Book, until they pay the tribute out of hand, degraded.[354]
The fighters:
They are the ones who declared the fight against Muslims, as these have no covenant, no obligation, and no safety. They are the ones in whom Almighty God said:
And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for God; but if they desist, then surely God sees what they do. [355]
This category of fighters is the one that we must fight only. God did not command killing, but fighting, and there is a big difference between them. Fighting here means confrontation along with war for self-defense, and this is what all statutory laws stipulate.
Fight in the way of God those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed, God does not like transgressors.[356]
He asked: Isn't the term infidel contempt for the other side?
I answered: Am I not considered infidel for a Christian because I do not believe in the Trinity doctrine? The term disbeliever means the person who denies the truth. The truth for me as a Muslim is Monotheism, and for Christians its Trinity.
He asked: Why does Islam reward those people who carry out suicide operations by obtaining virgins after death?
I answered: It is illogical for the giver of life (God) to order Man to end his life, and to take lives of others without guilt, while at the same time He says “Do not kill yourselves”. There are also other verses that forbade killing other souls unless there is a justification, such as retribution, or counteracting aggression without violating the rights of others. Suicide operations were found to serve the interests of groups that are not related to religion or its purposes. They are away from the grace and morals of this great religion. The bliss of heavens should not be based on that narrow view of obtaining virgins only, for Paradise has what no eye has seen, nor an ear heard, and no heart has perceived.
Young people today suffer from economic conditions, and the inability to earn money that should help them with marriage. This kind of suffering makes them become easy prey for the promoters of these heinous acts, especially those who are addicted and those who suffer from psychological disorders. If the promoters believed in this idea, first they would start by themselves, before they sent the youth to this task.
Conclusion:
We conclude that only Islam provides renaissance and real science within the framework of a rational understanding of the function of religion in life.
Islam provided harmony between reason and religion, reason and the information transformed through narrated chains (Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammed), along with harmony between the mind and heart. Therefore, there is no enlightenment, renaissance, progress, beauty, or true science except by embracing the religion of Islam.
There is also conscious balance between the requirements of Sharia (Islamic Law) and the requirements of life without violating the rule of the true religion, or giving away one of the established principles of religion.
The sense alone could not help those who depended on it to reach the whole truth, but rather it led to deviation and corruption of their opinions, because the sense is a part of a complete truth that is only completed by other factors.
Also, those who ignored the mind but they sought inner knowledge through intuition or conscience alone failed to reach the whole truth. Hence, the Islamic theory of knowledge provided a connection between the mind and the heart, and a connection between this world and the unseen world.
The Qur’an introduces the Creator to people with words that they do not find in the philosophy books or books of other religions. It also guides them to the way in which they should worship this Creator, and to the morals that people should take in treating each other. In addition, it also guides them to transcend their spirit, and forbids them to degrade their status.
The Qur’an provided them with an integrated life approach, from beliefs, worship, and morals, to the social system as an individual, family and society, and to relations with non-Muslims, in a balanced manner that meets the mental, physical, and spiritual needs
.…Thus, He completes His blessings upon you, so that you may submit.[357]
Whoever Seeks a Religion Other Than Islam?
The Instinct God instilled in Humanity:
I was having a conversation with a British family consisting of a father, mother, and a ten-year-old child. While I was answering the mother’s question about the Muslim faith, the beautiful and smart boy asked me: So according to what I understand from your words, if I was taking an exam at school and there was a difficult question, if I supplicated directly to God without Christ, I am a Muslim? I answered him: Yes. I then remembered the noble verse: So, devote yourself to the religion of monotheism - the natural instinct God has instilled in mankind... [358]and I rejoiced with joy as I was able to tell from his understanding that the message I wanted to deliver arrived successfully.
And the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate:
I was having a dialogue with a famous Latin soccer player, his mother, and his doctor. The concept of monotheism entirely convinced them. One of the questions they had was about Muslims’ failure to express themselves and report the correct religion.
The player said: Cartoons that offend the Messenger Muhammad are a series of cartoons that also happen to offend Christ and the Creator himself. The people who draw these cartoons are atheists who devote their time and effort to mocking all critical symbols in religions. Why do Muslims not protest in anger when they offend the Creator, for example, or even Christ, and only demonstrate for the Prophet Muhammad’s sake? These actions resulted in a great misunderstanding, as we are sure that Muhammad is a god of Muslims.
I told him: This is true, but Muslims are imperfect. They are people who sin and strike.
I remember the story of a large group from the State of Panama. A big bus brought them to us, and they came very late after a busy day. It was clear that the tour guide who accompanied them brought them late because she didn’t want to allow them to listen to a brief presentation about Islam.
She told me that time is limited, and then she jokingly said: You look tired. There is not much time left for the call to Maghreb (sunset) prayer; the tourists will have to leave the mosque hall immediately.
I told her: No, I am not tired. I can end the visit before the call to Maghreb (sunset) prayer starts.
She reluctantly accepted. I began talking to them and was surprised when everyone sat on the ground. They then brought me questions that include the difference between Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad, etc.
I told them: The religion of Islam is the religion of monotheism practiced by many in your country by nature. It means worshipping God alone without a mediator, and the belief that Christ is one of the messengers of God.
They said: Who is Allah?
I told them: Christians, Jews and Muslims in the Middle East use the word {Allah} to refer to God, which means the One True God, the God of Moses and Jesus. The word {Allah} was mentioned 89 times in the old version of the Old Testament.
Someone said: I read the Qur’an. Why does the Creator refer to Himself in plural form if He is One and not a Trinity?
I told him: The reference of God to Himself as WE or US in many verses of the Qur’an denotes Grandeur and Power in Arabic. In the English language, this is known as the royal WE, where a plural pronoun refers to a single person holding a high office, such as a monarch.
For avoiding doubt, the Qur’an has consistently reminded us of the SINGULAR pronoun about God, when called upon by His servants.
The tour guide then became angrier when the tourists kept refusing every time she asked them to leave because of the limited time. When it was eventually time for prayer, they still refused to leave because of the many questions they had. They consistently kept saying: We found the truth, and our years of life were lost without knowing it.
I also remember the story of a Mexican basketball team who were a group of young people under twenty years old that were carefully selected for their height. Their crew accompanied them as well.
I told them: A Muslim is whoever believes in One God and worships Him alone without a mediator, and believes that Muhammad is a messenger, along with Jesus.
They shouted in one voice and said: This is what we believe in; more than half of the team declared shahada: “I bear witness there is no god but One God (Allah), and Muhammad is the final Messenger of God”. The rest rushed to ask for a Spanish translation of the Qur’an, including booklets for reading. Some of them wept too; I said to myself: What did I say that made them glow with joy? I spoke for only a few minutes. Glory be to Allah who created the pure hearts for the correct religion.
I met with a ninety-year-old British woman, a widow of a distinguished person in society. She came with her British friend and her Indian driver. The woman cried as soon as I started talking, and said: I believe that there is no god but God and that Jesus is the Messenger of God.
The lady returned about three months later with her grandson, his girlfriend, and the lady’s driver who came last time. She asked the reception staff about me, and I was thrilled to see her.
Should We treat the true believers and the wrongdoers alike?
An atheist once asked me: Why does God punish His servants if they do not believe in Him?
I told him: We must differentiate between faith and submission to the Lord of the Worlds.
The right required for the Lord of the Worlds, which no one can leave, recognizes His oneness and His worship alone. He has no partner; the Creator alone has the Kingship along with the command, whether we are satisfied or not; this is the origin of faith. We do not have another option, and accordingly, Man is accountable and punished.
Anything opposite to submission is a crime.
Shall We then treat the (submitting) Muslims like the criminals (polytheists and disbelievers, etc.)? [359]
Injustice is worshipping a partner along with the Lord of the Worlds.
...So do not attribute to God equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him. [360]
They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. [361]
He said: What would I lose if I disbelieved in the Creator?
I told him: The condition of any disbeliever in the worldly life:
The saddest among people, even if he’s pretending to be happy.
And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.[362]
When calamity happens to a disbeliever, he is not rewarded.
And We will approach [i.e., regard] what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed. [363]
When no one can help the disbeliever, he does not know who else to ask.
…And those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with a thing, except as one who stretches his hands toward water [from afar, calling it] to reach his mouth, but it will not reach it [thus]. And the supplication of the disbelievers is not but in error [i.e., futility].[364]
The disbeliever’s best helpers are the weak creatures.
...And for (the ones) who have disbelieved, their constant patrons are the Taghut (i.e., false gods, idols, devils, and seducers) who bring them out of the light into the darknesses; those are the companions of the Fire; they are therein eternally (abiding). [365]
If something makes the disbeliever happy, he still knew that he would die; hence it won’t last.
…And they exult with (the present) life; (Literally: the lowly “life”, i.e., the life of this world) and in no way is the present life, besides the Hereafter, (anything) except a (passing) enjoyment (Literally: belongings).[366]
If the disbeliever suffers from injustice, he does not think that all the Ever-Living Sustainer of all creatures will support him.
Whosoever thinks God will not help him in the present world and the world to come; let him stretch up a rope to heaven, then let him sever it, and behold whether his guile does away with what enrages him. [367]
After all that, how does he not commit suicide?
The condition of a disbeliever in the afterlife:
He asks for safety, but he does not find any.
But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds God before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and God is swift in account. [368]
The disbeliever would ask for help from those who worshipped other than God, so they abandon him.
And it will be said, “Invoke your ‘partners’” and they will invoke them; but they will not respond to them, and they will see the punishment. If only they had followed guidance![369]
The disbeliever would seek bliss, but he does not find.
And the companions of the Fire will call to the companions of Paradise, “Pour upon us some water or from whatever God has provided you.” They will say, “Indeed, God has forbidden them both to the disbeliever. [370]
The disbeliever asks to win bliss, but he ends up losing.
On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believed, “Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light.” It will be said, “Go back behind you and seek light.” And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment. [371]
He even requests permission to get rid of the torment, yet he cannot.
And they will call, “O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!” He will say, “Indeed, you will remain.” [372]
Even the devil abandons him.
And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, “Indeed, God had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you obeyed me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I reject the way you associated me with God before.’ A bitter torment awaits such wrongdoers.[373]
The disbeliever will forever be immortalized in the fire.
As for those who were [destined to be] wretched, they will be in the Fire. For them therein is [violent] exhaling and inhaling. [They will be] abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will. Indeed, your Lord is an effecter of what He intends.[374]
If stones spoke, along with trees birds, they would have said: There is no god but God (Allah), the Mighty King.
If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of God. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.[375]
The sentence “There is no god but God”, is the Fort of God, the Key to Heaven, and Safety from torment. It is the best remembrance, and there is no barrier between it and God, and it is required for the Messenger’s intercession.
The Messenger of God said:
The happiest with my intercession on the Day of Resurrection is he who says: There is no god but God (Allah) pure from his heart or soul.[376]
The Messenger of God said:
The best remembrance is to say: There is no god but God (Allah), and the best supplication is to say: Praise be to God.[377]
The atheist asked: What do I gain if I convert to Islam?
I answered: The condition of the believer in this world and the Hereafter:
There is no fear for him or sadness.
Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is God,” and then remained on a right course - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. [378]
God promised the believer safety.
They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. [379]
God promised the believer the reward for calamity.
Rejoicing in what God has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them – that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. [380]
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. [381]
Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return”. Upon these are blessings and mercy from their Lord. These are the guided ones.[382]
The believer finds shelter in adversity.
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So, let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. [383]
God is the believer’s guardian.
God is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.[384]
The believer will be rewarded for his patience in this world and the Hereafter.
And those who emigrated for [the cause of] God after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know. [385]
Say, O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of God is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward with- out account [i.e., limit].[386]
God promised the believer victory in this world and the Hereafter.
Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand.[387]
God promised the believer eternal bliss.
And as for those who were [destined to be] prosperous, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will - a bestowal uninterrupted”. [388]
The atheist said: How do I practice monotheism in my life?
I told him: If you want to practice monotheism, then follow what the Messenger of God said:
O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of God and God will protect you. Be mindful of God and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask God (Allah) [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from God [alone]. Know that if the nation were to gather to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what God had already prescribed for you. If they were to gather to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what God had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried. [389]
I continued: Whenever you feel afraid, say:
...Sufficient for us is God, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.[390]
So, they returned with favor from God and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of God, and God is the possessor of great bounty.[391]
If you are deceived, then say:
... I entrust my affair to God. Indeed, God is Seeing of [His] servants.[392]
So, God protected him from the evils they plotted. [393]
If you want to ask for the present life and its enjoyment, then say:
...What God willed [has occurred]; there is no power except in God. [394]
...It may be that my Lord will give me [something] better...[395]
If you feel sad, then say:
There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrong doers.[396]
So, We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus, do We save the believers.[397]
Faith is an unseen issue that requires faith in God, His Angels, His Books and His messengers, the Last Day, and acceptance to God’s destiny.
The Bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey God and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Merciful.[398]
The verse above indicates that faith is of a higher rank and degree, contentment, acceptance, and conviction. Religion has different levels and degrees that increase and decrease. A person’s ability and the capacity of his heart to accommodate metaphysical matters vary from person to person.
Human beings are distinguished according to their understanding of the characteristics of Beauty and Majesty, along with their knowledge of their Lord.
A person will not be punished for his lack of realization of his narrow horizon. But God will hold Man accountable for the minimum acceptable level for him to avoid an eternity in Hellfire. He must accept monotheism, which means believing that God (Allah) is the Creator, and He is the only One worthy of worship. By this submission, God forgives all other sins of whom He wills. There is no other option for a person, either faith and victory, or disbelief and loss.
Indeed, God does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for. whom He wills.[399]
Faith is a concept related to the unseen. It stops when the unseen is revealed or the signs of the Hour appear.
... On the Day some of the signs of your Lord come up, its belief will not profit a self that did not believe earlier or earned some charity, (i.e., benefits) in its belief. Say, “Wait! Surely, we (too) are waiting. [400]
If a person wants to benefit from his faith by doing good deeds and wants to increase them, this must be done before the day of Judgment, and the Unseen are exposed.
As for a person who does not have good deeds, he should not leave the world except when he submits to God, by accepting the concept of monotheism, which means worshipping God alone, and that’s if he hopes to escape the eternity in the Hellfire. Other than disbelieving or associating with a mediator apart God, some people who sinned may temporarily fall in the Hellfire. It is under the will of God, if He decides to forgive them or to send them to the Hellfire temporarily.
O you who have believed, fear God as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]. [401]
Faith in Islam should be practiced by both verbally (faith) and physically (actions). It shouldn’t be only verbally, similar to the teachings of Christianity today, nor should be only actions, identical to the concept of atheism.
Actions of someone who believes in the unseen in this life and his patience, are not equal to whoever believed in the Hereafter, when the unseen is revealed. Also, whoever works for God’s sake in the stage of distress and weakness of Islam is different from the actions of whoever works for the sake of God when Islam is widespread and robust.
...Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all God has promised the best [reward]. And God, with what you do, is Acquainted. [402]
The Lord of the Worlds does not punish without reason. Man is either held accountable and punished for messing with people’s rights, or His rights.
- The minimum we must do to escape from eternal life in the Hellfire is to give the Lord of the Worlds his right, which is by worshipping Him alone, and acknowledge that He has no partner nor son. We must also say: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner nor son, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and I testify that God’s messengers are true and I testify that Paradise is true and Hellfire is true.”
- We are not allowed to stop the path of God or support any action intended to stand in the face of advocacy or the spread of God’s religion.
- We are not allowed to mess with people’s rights or commit injustice.
- We must stop doing evil things to creatures; if necessary, Man should distance himself from people.
- A person may not have many good deeds, but he has not harmed anyone, nor is preoccupied with any harmful activity to himself or people, and he has witnessed to God’s oneness. Hence, he is to be saved from the torment of Hell.
What would God do with [i.e., gain from] with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is God Appreciative and Knowing.[403]
Humans are classified into ranks and degrees, starting from their deeds in the real world until the rise of the Hour, the exposure of the unseen world, and the beginning of judgement in the Hereafter.
Some people will be tested in the Hereafter, as mentioned in the Prophet’s saying.
The Lord of the Worlds punishes people separately each according to his evil deeds and actions. He either punishes people in the world or delays it to the afterlife. The punishments depend on the severity of the act whether it has repentance or not, and the extent of its impact and its harm on plants, offspring, and other creatures, and that’s because God does not like corruption.
The people at the time of other prophets, such as the people of Noah, Hood, Saleh, Lot, etc. didn’t believe in messengers, so God punished them during their lifetime because of their reprehensible actions and their tyranny. It’s not only that they never stopped their evil acts, but they also exceeded the limit. The people of Prophet “Saleh” killed the camel; people of the Pharaoh wronged the people of Prophet “Moses” and tortured them. Also, the people of Prophet “Lot” insisted on the obscene; the people of Prophet “Shoaib” insisted on corruption, and they committed injustice against people’s rights in the measure and the scale.
Also, the people of Prophet “Hood” were tyrants; the people of Prophet “Noah” insisted on polytheism, which is worshipping partners apart from the Lord of the Worlds.
So each We seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast [from the sky], and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. And God would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves. [404]
Whoever does righteousness – it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants. [405]
The atheist said: You are defending Islam because you were born in a Muslim family. If you were born in a Christian family, you would now preach to Christianity. No one can change the religion of his fathers and grandfathers.
I told him: You have made a person dependent on others, and decided that he will not leave his family’s religion! You robbed his right to intellectual independence and to distinguish between the right and wrong. You also monopolized his request for information! Not allowing him to access this information is a grave mistake because a person has the right to seek knowledge and research the horizons of this universe.
God Almighty has deposited in us these minds to use them, and not to disable them. Every person follows his father’s religion without using his mind, and without thinking and analyzing this religion, he is undoubtedly unjust to himself and despises himself. He hates this great grace that God Almighty has placed in him, namely, the mind.
I continued: Some people grew up in a polytheistic or Christian family that believed in the Trinity, yet eventually rejected this belief and said: There is no god but One God.
I went on: I will tell you a symbolic story to explain this point. A wife cooked a fish for her husband, but she cut off the head and tail before she cooked it, and when her husband asked her: Why did you cut off the head and tail? She said: My mom cooks it this way. The husband asked the mother: Why do you cut the tail and head when you cook fish? The mother answered: My mom cooks it this way. Then the husband asked Grandma: Why do you cut off the head and tail? She replied: The cooking pot in the house was small, and I had to cut the head and tail to insert the fish into the pot.
The reality is that many of the previous events that took place a long time ago stick to that age and time, and have their reasons associated with them. It’s catastrophic to imitate actions without rethinking despite changing conditions and changing times.
…God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves… [406]
The atheist asked: What is the fate of those whom the message of Islam didn’t reach them?
I answered: God Almighty will not oppress these people, but He will test them on the Day of Resurrection.
He said: How about the people who did not get the opportunity to explore Islam well?
I told him: These people have no excuse because they should not fail to search and think as we mentioned. If God Almighty’s judgment is torture, then it is not unjust after all these arguments that he made against them, from reason, instinct, messages and signs in the universe and themselves. The least they were supposed to do is getting to know Allah and worship only Him. If they had done that, they would escape eternity in Hellfire, and they would achieve happiness in this world and the Hereafter. Do you think this is difficult?
The right of God Almighty over His servants whom He created is to worship Him alone; the right of servants is not to torture those who do not worship anything with Him. The matter is simple. They are words that a person says, believes in them, acts accordingly, and is enough to survive the fire. Is this not justice? This is God Almighty’s rule, and He is the Judge, the Just, the Gentle, and the Expert. This is the religion of God Almighty.
The real problem is not committing sins, because it is the nature of Man to make mistakes, but the best of sinners is the one who repents.
But the problem is the persistence in committing sins and insisting on them while the person is continuously advised. He still wouldn’t listen to advice, nor work accordingly. He would be reminded, but did not benefit from the reminder. He would be preached, and did not hear, consider, repent nor seek forgiveness, but rather insists and walks away arrogantly.
And when our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard them, as if there was in his ears deafness. So, give him tidings of a painful punishment.[407]
The atheist asked: Why don’t we disobey God?
I told him: If you want to disobey God, do not eat from His provision, get out of His land, and look for a safe place where God does not see you. If the Angel of death comes to you to seize your soul, tell him to delay me until I repent a sincere repentance and do good deeds. If the angels of torture come on the Day of Resurrection to take you to the Hellfire, do not go with them; resist them and refrain from going with them, and take yourself to heaven[408]. Can you do that?
I continued: When you have a pet at home, the most you want from it is obedience, and this is because you only bought it and did not create it. So, what about your Creator? Is He not worthy of your obedience, worship, and submission? We are submitting in our worldly journey to a lot of things. Our heart is beating, our digestive system is working, and our senses are fully aware. We only must submit to God during the rest of our affairs in which we have been given a choice to arrive in safety.
He asked: What is safety?
I answered: The end of the journey and the arrival to safety are summed up in these verses.
And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the record [of deeds] will be placed, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and it will be judged between them in truth, and they will not be wronged. (69) And every soul will be fully compensated [for] what it did; and He is most knowing of what they do. (70) And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, “Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?” They will say, “Yes, but the word of punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers. (71) [To them] it will be said, “Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant.” (72) But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say, “Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein,” [they will enter]. (73) And they will say, “Praise to Allah, who has fulfilled for us His promise and made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in Paradise wherever we will. And excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers.” Or [lest] it say, “If only Allah had guided me, I would have been among the righteous.” [409]
The Message of Islam
Nothing in Islam’s teachings lead people to atheism; there are no mysteries or ambiguities in Islam that confuse the mind. Islam is simple and solid. The teachings of Islam are summarized as follows:
- Islam teaches that the universe has one God. He is the Creator of the universe and what it contains. Nothing is like Him. The Muslim must worship his Creator alone by communicating with Him directly upon repentance from sin or seeking help, not through a priest, saint, or mediator. God is the Most Merciful to His creatures, more than a mother to her children, so He forgives them whenever they sincerely repent to Him. It is the Creator’s right to be worshipped alone, and Man’s right to have a direct relationship with his Lord.
- Islam teaches that the Creator does not come to earth in human, animal, stone, or idol form. He has neither a partner nor child. God the Almighty sent many prophets like Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad to spread monotheism. Jesus was created without a father, and Adam was created without a father or mother. So, God creates but does not give birth. He instructed us to worship Him and go to Him alone as the prophets worshiped Him. The Muslim must worship God like what Jesus did, but must not worship Jesus himself. He also must worship God like what Muhammad did, but must not worship Muhammad himself.
- Islam teaches that the belief in the Creator is based on the fact that things do not appear without a cause or by chance, not to mention this vast inhabited material universe and its creatures who possess an intangible consciousness, and obey the laws of non-material mathematics. In addition, we need an independent, immaterial, eternal source to explain a finite, material universe.
- Islam teaches that God is Perfect; He does not need to die for us. He gives life and death. He does not incarnate in anyway. So, He did not die in the person of Jesus Christ nor was He resurrected. He saved His Prophet Jesus and protected him from the crucifixion as He helps and protects His chosen believers.
- Islam teaches that the lesson God gave to all humanity when He accepted Adam’s repentance for eating the forbidden fruit is the first instance of God’s forgiveness to humanity. There is no issue of the original sin; every soul bears the burden of its corruption. The lesson shows the merciful nature of God. People are born free of sins; they are held accountable for their sins after reaching puberty or maturity.
- Islam teaches that humans cannot be blamed for sins they did not commit, nor they can gain salvation for not attempting to be good. One’s life is a test, and each soul is responsible for its actions. God gave Man life and gave him the will to test him. Man is only responsible for his actions. The human being has the freedom to choose only within the limits of his knowledge and capabilities. Judgment follows responsibility. Thus, God will not judge us for our physical appearance, our social status, or tribal affiliations. Freedom with strife is more honorable to Man than slavery with happiness; judgment and reward is meaningless without choice.
- Islam involves believing in all the messengers of God sent to different people in different eras without differentiating between them; denying one of God’s prophets violates Islam. The belief establishes a powerful common bond with people of other faiths. [410]
- Islam involves believing in all earlier revelations of God (Abraham’s scriptures, the book of David, the Torah, The Gospel). Islam teaches that the original message in all sacred texts is Pure Monotheism (Unifying God in worship). Unlike the Divine scriptures that preceded, the Qur’an is not kept in the hands of any particular group or Muslims clergymen which could have led to its misinterpretation or alteration. The Qur’an’s text is still in its original language (Arabic) without any change, distortion, or alteration, and it is still preserved as it is until our time. It will remain so, as God promised to keep it. It is available to all Muslims. It’s known by heart to many Muslims. Current Qur’an translations in multiple languages are nothing but a translation of the Quran’s meanings. The Prophet Muhammad’s teachings were transmitted through confirmed chains of authenticated narrators.
- Islam teaches that all what exists in the universe is under God’s possession and domination. He has comprehensive knowledge, prevalent power, and absolute control. Everything is subjected to His Absolute Knowledge and Will. The Sun, planets and galaxies operate in precision without failure ever since they were created. This same precision applies to humans’ creation. Perfect harmony and order between body and soul show that God never puts human beings’ souls into animal bodies.
He never lets them wander between plants and insects (reincarnation), in a case which the person will never know what his past was in his previous life. God made the human civilized innately, gave him mind and knowledge, and assigned him vicegerent for earth and commander over other creatures. God will never humiliate human beings.
- Islam teaches that the true religion of God is always in harmony with human nature. It is one religion, easy, understandable, and straightforward. It is suitable for every time and place. The plurality of religions results from taking mediators between the Creator and humans in worship. The key to humanity towards harmony is when people worship the Creator directly without an intermediary, along with believing in Muhammad the final Messenger and following his teachings, then hearts will unite on one religion.
- Islam teaches doing good deeds and avoiding bad ones, such as the parents’ right by being kind to them, the children’s right by providing them a decent life, preserving the orphan’s money, observing correct measure, weigh with justice, and not cheat the balance, justice in words and deeds, the fulfilment of covenants, the prohibition of committing immorality or even approaching it, and the prohibition of killing the human soul unjustly. All these values are innate moral principles. Therefore, people are naturally and instinctively aware of these values.
- Islam teaches that treating each other with good manners to benefit humanity and reconstruct the earth does not substitute believing in the Creator and adherence to universal morals under religion’s umbrella. The reconstruction of the earth and good manners are not the purpose of religion, but they are means. The purpose of religion is to tell the human about his Lord, then about his source, path, and destiny. The excellent end and future are only achieved by obtaining God’s satisfaction. The way to that is through the reconstruction of the earth and good manners.
- Islam teaches that there is no priesthood in God’s religion, and faith is for all. People are equal, like the teeth of a comb before God, so there is no difference between an Arab or a non-Arab except with piety and good deeds.
- Islam teaches that one of God’s greatest attributes is ‘The All-Wise’; He does not create anything in vain, exalted be He! He creates things for reasons that reflect His Great Wisdom. He created us to have mercy on us, and to give us happiness. All beautiful human qualities are derived from His qualities. Our existence in this world is for a noble goal: knowing God Almighty, and turning to Him by repentance and seeking His direct help.
- Islam teaches that benevolence is the rule, while evil is the exception. Organized things will always collapse and dissolve unless something collects them from the outside, or to be good on a grand scale as it is, without the Creator organizing these random phenomena that appear in the beautiful things like beauty, wisdom, joy, and love.
- Islam teaches that the Creator established the laws of nature and the laws that govern them. It protects itself by itself when environmental corruption or imbalance appears, and it maintains this balance to reform the earth and continue living better. Therefore, what benefits people and life is what stays and remains on the earth. When calamities occur on earth, such as diseases, volcanoes, earthquakes, and floods, God’s names and attributes are revealed, such as the Strong, the Healer, and the Protector for example, when He heals the sick or preserves the survivor, or His name, the Just, in the oppressor’s punishment and the sinner. His name, Wise, is evident as well in the trials and tests of the non-sinner, for which he is rewarded for his patience and tortured if he complained instead. So, the person knows the Lord’s Majesty from calamities, similar to how he knows the Attributes of Beauty from gifts. If a person only knows Divine Beauty, it is as if he did not know God, the Exalted.
- Islam teaches that the worldly life that a person lives is only a moment compared to the eternal life. From then he forgets all that he suffered in this world with one dip in the bliss of paradise, as this worldly life is the beginning of an eternal journey that Man will resume after death by resurrection and Judgment, and then the reward.
- Islam teaches that the human in his freedom may act contrary to what satisfies God, but he cannot do anything in contradiction to His Will. God granted us freedom to transgress against His wishes (we disobey Him) but He gave no one the freedom to transcend His Will. This freedom is further affirmed by our experience that it is impossible under any pressure to compel the heart to accept anything it does not want to. We can force anyone through threats and force them to stay with us but no pressure whatsoever can make them love us. God has safeguarded our hearts from all forms of compulsion and duress. Therefore, God judges according to what is in the heart and rewards according to the intention, which is visible to no-one but Him.
