How to be guided to the path of the Creator?

  How to be guided to the path of the Creator?

 Allah has created man and given him the reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice. 

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.”

[al-Kahf 18:29 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Allah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to convey the truth to all of mankind. Then they have the choice to do as they wish. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: ‘O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance).’”

[Yoonus 10:108] 

Islam is the religion of the natural state of man (fitrah), the religion of reason and thought. Allah has distinguished the truth from falsehood. He has enjoined all that is good and forbidden all that is evil. He has permitted good things and forbidden evil things. There is no compulsion in religion because the benefits or harms come back upon the created being, not upon the Creator. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in taghoot (false gods) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.”

[al-Baqarah 2:256]  

And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whosoever does righteous good deeds, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.”

[Fussilat 41:46] 

Guidance is in the hand of Allah. If Allah willed, He could guide all of mankind, for there is nothing that He cannot do on this earth or in the heavens. Nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He wills. 

“Say: ‘With Allah is the perfect proof and argument, (i.e. the Oneness of Allah, the sending of His Messengers and His Holy Books, to mankind); had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.

[al-An’am 6:149 – interpretation of the meaning] 

But in His Wisdom, Allah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his ownself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and I (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you.”

[al-An’am 6:104] 

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has no part in guidance; all that he and the Muslims have to do is to explain and convey the message, and show them guidance but they cannot force people to follow it, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 

Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allah alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.”

[al-Qasas 28:56]  

Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety.”

[Muhammad 47:17] 

But whoever disobeys Allah and turns away from Him, Allah will not guide him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.”

[al-Zumar 39:3] 

Allah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believe or disbelieve, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.”

[al-Insan 76:3] 

Man has the choice in terms of his reason only; if he loses his reason by which he is able to distinguish between the alternatives of good and evil, truth and falsehood, then he is not accountable. Hence according to Islamic sharee’ah (law), the pen is lifted from the insane person (i.e., he is not accountable) until he recovers his senses, and from the child until he reaches the age of understanding, and from the sleeper until he wakes up. None of these people are accountable until they gain or recover the reason by which they may distinguish between the alternatives of faith and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and so on. 

Whatever direction a person takes, there will be reward and punishment. If he obeys, there will be Paradise: 

The choice of one of these two ways is something about which a person will be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds. Hence it is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is a matter of personal choice. Allah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice: 

“Whosoever does righteous good deeds, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.”

[Fussilat 41:46] 

Whoever loves Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and desires good in this world and in the Hereafter, let him enter Islam, and whoever turns away from that and is content with this world and has no interest in the Hereafter and does not submit, then his abode will be Hell. The individual is the one who will benefit or harm himself. There is no compulsion to choose either.  Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, this (Verses of the Quran) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord (Allah).”

[al-Insan 76:29] 

Success and guidance are in the hand of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Whomever Allah wills to guide, He guides him, and whomever He wills to leave astray, He leaves him astray. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

The Muslim says in his prayer: “Ihdina as-siraat al-mustaqeem (Guide us to the straight path) [al-Faatihah 1:6], because he knows that guidance is in the hand of Allah, may He be exalted, yet at the same time the individual is required to take measures that lead to guidance; he is required to be patient and steadfast, and to take the initiative in adhering to the path of righteousness.

 Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has given him sound reason and free will, by means of which he may choose good instead of evil, guidance instead of misguidance. If he takes proper measures and is keen for Allah to bless him with perfect guidance, then help and guidance will come to him from Allah, may He be exalted. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And thus We have tried some of them through others that the disbelievers might say, ‘Is it these whom Allah has favored among us?’ Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?”

[al-An‘aam 6:53].

Thus Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, explains that the reason why He sends astray those whom He sends astray stems from the individual himself. The individual does not know what Allah, may He be exalted, has decreed for him, because he only comes to know of the decree after what is decreed has come to pass. So he does not know whether Allah has decreed that he will be misguided or guided.

In fact, man has power and he has the freedom to choose; the gate of guidance is not more hidden than the gates of provision. As is well known to everyone, man has a divinely-allocated share of provision, yet despite that he strives to take measures to earn his provision, in his homeland or overseas, and he explores all avenues of achieving that; he does not sit in his house and say, If my provision is decreed for me, then it will come to me. Rather he strives to take measures to earn his provision, for his provision, is connected to effort, as is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

This provision is also decreed, just as deeds, good or bad, are decreed, so why do you go explore all avenues and travel throughout the land seeking worldly provision, but you do not strive to do righteous deeds, seeking provision for the hereafter and to attain paradise?

So why do you not strive for the sake of the hereafter and do righteous deeds just as you strive for worldly gain?

We have noted above that what is decreed is secret and hidden, and you cannot know about it.

Now you have the choice between two paths:

·       a path that will lead you to safety, victory, happiness and honour;

·       and a path that will lead you to doom, regret and shame.

Now you have the choice between these two paths. There is nothing to prevent you from following the path on the right or the path on the left. If you wish you can follow one, or if you wish you can follow the other.

Thus it becomes clear to us that man has freedom of will with regard to the options before him: just as he strives for worldly matters and uses his free will to choose what is appropriate, so too with regard to the hereafter, he should use his free will to choose what is appropriate. Moreover, with regard to the hereafter, the appropriate choices are much clearer than the choices with regard to worldly matters, because the one who explains the paths that lead to the hereafter is Allah, may He be exalted, as He has explained them in His Book and on the lips of His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So the paths that lead to the hereafter must be clearer than the paths of this world. Yet despite that, man follows the paths of this world, which have no guaranteed outcome, but he neglects the paths that lead to the hereafter, of which the outcomes are known and guaranteed, because they are proven by the promise of Allah, and Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, does not break His promise.

One of the names of Allah, may He be exalted, is al-Hakeem (the Most Wise). In His wisdom, Allah, may He be exalted, decrees guidance for whomever He wills, for the one who He knows is seeking truth and whose heart is righteous. And He decrees misguidance for those who are not like that, for the one who, when Islam is presented to him, finds his heart constricted as if he is climbing up to heaven. The wisdom of Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, dictates that this person cannot be among the guided, unless Allah causes him to change his motives and intentions; Allah, may He be exalted, has the power to do all things, but the wisdom of Allah dictates that causes are

This is how the Muslim understands the issue of belief in the divine will and decree in connection with the deeds that man is required to do, on which his happiness or wretchedness depend. The cause of attaining guidance and admittance to Paradise is righteous deeds. Allah, may He be exalted, says of the people of Paradise (interpretation of the meaning):

“And they will be called, ‘This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do’”

[al-A‘raaf 7:43]

“Enter Paradise for what you used to do”

[an-Nahl 16:32].

The cause of misguidance and admittance to hell is disobeying Allah and turning away from obedience to Him. Allah, may He be exalted, says concerning the people of hell (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then it will be said to those who had wronged, ‘Taste the punishment of eternity; are you being recompensed except for what you used to earn?’”

[Yoonus 10:52]

“And taste the punishment of eternity for what you used to do”

[as-Sajdah 32:14].

SOURCE:  islamqa.com

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Prophet Muhammad: A Mercy for Mankind

Prophet Muhammad:  A Mercy for Mankind

A Mercy for the Believers 

The Messenger's compassion towards the believers was of the utmost degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse, which means:

"There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful." (Quran: 9:128)

Sa'd bin 'Ubaadah once became ill, so Allah's Messenger visited him in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he was moved to tears. Then, he said: "Allah does not punish because of tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this."- and he pointed to his tongue. (Al-Bukhari)

A Mercy Towards his Enemies

The prisoners of war were taken captive at the battle of Badr and were amongst his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery speaker and was denouncing the Prophet. 'Umar one the Prophet's closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet replied: "Were I to do this, Allah would disfigure me on the Day of Judgment, despite the fact that I am His messenger." (Hadith)

In Makkah, his people inflicted him with every kind of suffering, eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madinah, and then waged war on him for five years. However, when he conquered Makkah without bloodshed in the twenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers who were awaiting his decision about them: "How do you expect me to treat you?" They responded unanimously: "You are a noble one, the son of a noble one." He announced to them his decision: "You may go free! No reproach this day shall be on you; may God forgive you."

A Mercy for Women

Prophet Muhammad was also very kind and affectionate towards women. Women were very badly treated in those times. The Noble Prophet gave them honor and dignity at par with men in the community. Allah's Messenger established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which improved their position and status."

A Mercy for Children

Allah's Messenger was particularly compassionate towards children. When he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he said: "I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the prayer short for the anxiety which the mother is feeling." (Al-Bukhari)

He would take children in his arms and embrace them. He was once hugging his beloved grandsons, Hasan and Hussain, when Aqrah bin Haabis told him, 'I have got ten children. So far, I have not kissed any of them.' Allah's Messenger responded: "The one with no pity for others is not pitied." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) According to another version, he said: "What can I do for you if Allah has removed from you the feeling of compassion?" (At-Tirmidhi)

A Mercy for Animals

His compassion encompassed not only human beings, but also animals.

The Prophet forbade his companions to keep the unintelligent creatures hungry or thirsty, to disturb or to overburden them. He commended that kindness and putting them at ease were meritorious acts tending to bring man nearer to Allah. Abu Hurairah reports the Prophet as saying: "A traveler who was thirsty saw a well in the way. He got inside the well and when he came out he saw a dog licking mud due to thirst. The man realized that the dog was as thirsty as him, so he got into the well again, filled his leather sock with water and carried it out holding it with his teeth. Thus, he quenched the thirst of the dog. Allah was pleased with this act of kindness and pardoned his sins." The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah is there recompense in the matter of beasts and wild animals also?" The Prophet replied: "There is recompense in regard to every creature that has a living heart."

'Abdullah bin 'Umar related that the Prophet said: "A woman was cast away to hell only because she had withheld food and water from her cat and refused to set it free so that the cat might satisfy its hunger by eating worms and insects."

Once on return from a military campaign, a few Companions took away the chicks of a bird from their nest to stroke them. The mother bird came back and when it could not find its chicks in the nest, it began to fly around screeching. When informed of the matter, Allah's Messenger became angry and ordered the chicks to be put back in the nest. (Abu Dawood)

 The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the greatest of creation in status before Allah, and no other created being has any status that is higher than his or any power of intercession that is greater than his. “And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the mankind”[al-Anbiya’ 21:107]. 

Allah sent the Quran to His Messenger, to guide people and bring them forth from darkness to light by the will of their Lord. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“(This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of belief in the Oneness of Allah and Islâmic Monotheism) by their Lord’s Leave to the path of the All Mighty, the Owner of all praise” [Ibrahim 14:1]

Prophet Muhammad: Exalted example of character 

Allah blessed His Messenger Muhammad greatly and enjoined upon him noble characteristics, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Did He not find you (O Muhammad) an orphan and gave you a refuge? And He found you unaware (of the Quran, its legal laws and Prophethood) and guided you? And He found you poor and made you rich (self sufficient with self contentment)? Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression. And repulse not the beggar. And proclaim the Grace of your Lord (i.e. the Prophethood and all other Graces)” [al-Duha 93:6-11]

 

Fasting in Ramadhan - A time for reflection

Fasting as an institution for the purification of the soul is common to all Divine religions. In Islam, fasting is primarily an institution for spiritual discipline and self-control. It is in fact an exercise in religious devotion in the form of cheerful and willing renunciation, for a definite period, of all the appetites of flesh lawful in themselves (the unlawful ones being ruled out of course).

The Qur'an says:

0 ye who believe ! prescribed unto you is fasting even as it was prescribed unto those before you. that you may become God-conscious (ii. 183).

Of all the creation of God only man deviates from His path. We will find that two things are mainly responsible for this: the love for material possessions and the temptations of the flesh. Islam has, through the institutions of Zakat and Sadaqat, purged the hearts of its followers from the love of wealth, and has inculcated in him the habit to part with it readily for the sake of God.

Fasting has been ordained as a religious duty for the Muslims for subduing their lust and keeping their appetites well within reasonable bounds so that man may not become their slave and lose control over himself. The Qur'an clearly states that a man cannot attain salvation unless he learns to restrain his self from low desires. 
"And as for him who fears to stand before his Lord and restrains himself from low desires, Paradise is surely the abode" (lxxix. 40-41).

Ramadan literally means ‘intense heat’, denoting the scorching summer month to which it was originally ascribed. It formed part of the pre-Islamic Arab calendar well before Islam came to Mecca, the holy city in today’s Saudi Arabia, in the seventh century.
The practice of fasting was familiar to the pre-Islamic Arabs, as the Quran mentions:
 “You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God.” (Quran 2:183

It was during Ramadan that the very first revelation of the Quran occurred. This took place in 610 AD, when Muhammad retreated to a cave on Mount Hira on the outskirts of Mecca for secluded contemplation. 

The timing of this initial revelation is given special significance as the “night of power”: 
“We have revealed it (Quran) in the night of power. And what will explain to you what the night of power is? The night of power is better than a thousand months.” (Quran 97:1–4). 
Ramadaan is one of the twelve Arabic months. It is a month which is venerated in the Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the other months by a number of characteristics and virtues, including the following:

Allah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
Allah revealed the Qur’aan in this month, as He says in the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning): 
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)…”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).”
[al-Qadr 97:1]

Allah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).
And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?
The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).
Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees,
(All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”
[al-Qadar 97:1-5] 

“We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]”
[al-Dukhaan 44:3]

Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Soorat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahaadeeth which also speak of that, such as the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” 
 
:
 
 
 
 
 
 

Quran : A proof of Existence of God

The miraculous aspects of the Qur’an are its

 

· Its amazing composition that is unlike any kind of composition that is known in Arabic or other languages…

 

· Its style that is unlike any other style in Arabic.

 

· Its cohesiveness, which is such that it could not have been produced by any created being at all…

 

· The manner of its expression in Arabic, which is such that no Arab could have come up with it, to the extent that all the Arabs are agreed that every single word is put in exactly the right place.

 

The fact that an unlettered man, who never read any book before and never wrote anything with his right hand, told about things that happened at the beginning of this world and until the time of its revelation; he told the stories of what happened with the Prophets and their nations, and past generations; he answered the questions that the People of the Book asked him and what they challenged him with of the story of the People of the Cave, the story of Moosa, and the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn.

 

Although he was an unlettered man from an unlettered nation, that had no knowledge of such matters on the basis of previously revealed books, he came to them with something the soundness of which they were aware.

 

Everything that Allah, may He be glorified, promises may be divided into two categories, according to whether they are general promises, such as His promise to cause His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to prevail and to expel those who had expelled him from his homeland, or promises that are subject to a condition, such as when He said (interpretation of the meaning):

 

 “And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him” [at-Talaaq 65:3],

 

 [at-Talaaq 65:2], “If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundred” [al-Anfaal 8:65] and the like.

 

 It tells of future events that come under the heading of matters of the unseen that could not be known except through divine Revelation. That includes the promise that Allah made to His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that He would cause His religion to prevail over all other religions, as He, may He be exalted, said (interpretation of the meaning):

 

 “It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it)” [at-Tawbah 9:33].

 

 And He indeed did that.

 

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the land, as He granted it to those before them”

[an-Noor 24:55]

 

“Indeed Allah shall fulfil the true vision which He showed to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) [i.e. the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw a dream that he has entered Makkah along with his companions, having their (head) hair shaved and cut short] in very truth. Certainly, you shall enter Al-Masjid al-Haraam; if Allah wills, secure”

[al-Fath 48:27]

 

“And (remember) when Allah promised you (Muslims) one of the two parties (of the enemy i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it should be yours”

[al-Anfaal 8:7]

 

The Romans have been defeated.

In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious”

[ar-Room 30:1].

 

All of these verses referred to future events that no one could have known except the Lord of the Worlds or one whom the Lord of the Worlds informed about that. This indicates that Allah, may He be exalted, told His Messenger about them so that this might be proof of his truthfulness.

 

What the Qur’an contains of knowledge which is essential for the well-being of mankind with regard to what is lawful and prohibited, and all other rulings.Ultimate wisdom which cannot be found in such abundance and greatness in any book written by a human being.Harmony among all that is mentioned in the Qur’an, both explicitly and implicitly, without any contradiction. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein many contradictions”

[an-Nisa’ 4:82].

 

As this was the way with every divinely-revealed message, we see that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, challenged every people with regard to that in which they excelled and which they regarded as a source of their pride. So we see that Allah challenged the people of Pharaoh with signs that surpassed the magic in which they excelled and which they used to divert people away from their Lord, and to assert the divinity of Pharaoh instead of Allah. And He challenged the people of JESUS (peace be upon him) with signs that surpassed their excellence in medicine, which they practiced and felt proud of their skill therein. So He gave ‘Eesa/Jesus the ability to breathe life into clay, to revive the dead, and to heal those born blind and lepers, so that they would be certain that the message was from Allah:

 

“a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe’”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:49].

 

No matter how much knowledge and understanding mankind attains, they will still inevitably make mistakes, forget things or fall short. If the Quraan were not the word of Allaah, there would be some contradictions and shortcomings in it, as Allaah says: 

 

Had it been from other than Allaah, they would surely, have found therein many a contradiction

[al-Nisa 4:82 interpretation of the meaning]

 

But it is free from any shortcoming, error or contradiction; indeed, all of it is wisdom, mercy and justice. Whoever thinks that there is any contradiction in it, that is because of his diseased thinking and mistaken understanding; if he refers to the scholars they will explain to him what is correct and clear up the confusion for him, as Allaah says: 

 

Verily, those who disbelieved in the Reminder (i.e. the Quraan) when it came to them (shall receive the punishment). And verily, it is an honourable well fortified respected Book (because it is Allaahs Speech, and He has protected it from corruption).

 

Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allaah)”

 

[Fussilat 41:41-42 ]

 

Allaah has guaranteed to preserve this Quraan, and He says: 

 

Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quraan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)”

[al-Hijr 15:9]

 

Every letter of it was transmitted by thousands from thousands down throughout history, and not one letter of it was altered. If any person tried to alter anything in it, or add something or take something away, then he would be exposed straight away, because Allaah is the One Who has guaranteed to preserve the Quraan, unlike the case with other divinely-revealed Books which Allaah revealed to the people of a particular Prophet only, and not to all of mankind, so He did not guarantee to preserve them, rather He delegated their preservation to the followers of the Prophets. But they did not preserve them, rather they introduced alterations and changes which distorted most of the meanings. The Quraan, on the other hand, was revealed by Allaah to all of mankind until the end of time, because the Message of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the final message, so the Quraan is preserved in mens hearts and in written form, as is proven by the events of history. How many people have tried to change the aayahs of the Quraan and deceive the Muslims, but they were quickly exposed and their falsehood was discovered, even by Muslim children. 

 

The great miracles which the Quraan contains of legislation, rulings, stories and beliefs, which could not be produced by any created being no matter how great his intelligence and level of understanding. No matter how hard people try to promulgate laws to regulate their lives, they can never succeed so long as they are far away from the teachings of the Quraan; the further away they are, the greater their rate of failure.

 

Reports of matters of the unseen, both past and future, which no human being could speak of independently, no matter how great his knowledge, especially at that time which is regarded as primitive in terms of technology and modern tools. There are many things which had not been discovered yet, and which have only been discovered after lengthy and difficult exploration with the most modern equipment, but Allah told us about them in the Quraan, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned them, fifteen centuries ago, such as the stages of embryonic development, the nature of the oceans, etc

 

Only 60 years ago, researchers confirmed that man does not come into existence all at once, but rather he passes through stages of development one after another. Only 60 years ago, science discovered this one Quraanic fact. 

 

He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness

[al-Zumar 39:6] 

What is the matter with you, that [you fear not Allaah (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allaah or you believe not in His Oneness).

While He has created you in (different) stages

[Nooh 71:14]

 

Some of this information can only be discovered with an electron microscope which needs electricity, and electricity needs knowledge which should have been acquired by an earlier generation. It is not possible for this knowledge to have been acquired all at once in a single generation; the previous generation would have had to strive hard in developing science and transmitting it to the next generation, and so on. But for this to be the work of one man, with no one coming before him or after him, either in his own land or the neighbouring lands for the Romans, Persians and Arabs were ignorant and had no such equipment for one man to have all these instruments and tools which he did not pass on to anyone else this is not possible.

 

With regard to the many statements in the Quraan concerning the sea, some of these facts were not discovered until very recently, and many of them are still unknown. For example, these facts were discovered after hundreds of marine stations had been set up, and after images had been taken by satellites. The one who said this was Professor Schroeder, one of the greatest oceanographers in West Germany. He used to say that if science advanced, religion would have to retreat. But when he heard the translation of the verses of the Quraan, he was stunned and said, These could not be the words of a human being.   And Professor Dorjaro, a professor of oceanography, told us of the latest developments on science, when he heard the aayah: 

 

Or (the state of a disbeliever) is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it! And he for whom Allaah has not appointed light, for him there is no light

[al-Noor 24:40 interpretation of the meaning]

 

He said, In the past, man could not dive to a depth of more than twenty meters because he had no special equipment. But now we can dive to the bottom of the ocean, using modern equipment, and we find intense darkness at a depth of two hundred meters. The aayah says a vast deep sea . The discoveries in the depths of the sea give us an understanding of the aayah, (layers of) darkness upon darkness. It is known that there are seven colours in the spectrum, including red, yellow, blue, green, orange, etc. When we dive down into the depths of the ocean, these colours disappear one after another, and the disappearance of each colour results in more darkness. Red disappears first, then orange, then yellow the last colour to disappear is blue, at a depth of two hundred meters. Each colour that disappears adds to the darkness until it reaches total darkness.  With regard to the phrase waves topped by waves, it has been proven scientifically that there is a separation between the upper and lower parts of the ocean, and that this separation is filled with waves, as if there are waves on the edge of the dark, lower portion of the sea, which we do not see, and there are waves on the shores of the sea, which we do see. So it is as if there are waves above waves. This is a confirmed scientific fact, hence Professor Dorjaro said concerning these Quraanic verses, that this cannot be human knowledge. 

 

These are the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of Allah, which We recite to you (O Muhammad SAW) with truth. Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?”

[al-Jaathiyah 45:1-6] . 

 

This is a call to ponder and think about dozens of verses in the Holy Qur’an that encourage us to look at the visible signs and to think about them so as to increase in faith and certainty about the Creator and believe in His Oneness, may He be glorified.  

 

 

Holy Quran - Unmet Challenge to humanity

 

Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is different from that of all the other Prophets, for He is the Seal of the Prophets, and there is no prophet after him; his call is for all of the jinn and mankind, and is to abide until the Day of Resurrection. So it was appropriate that his greatest sign, that proves his sincerity and truthfulness, should abide until the Day of Resurrection, preserved by Allah and protected from change and alteration, to establish proof against the stubborn and be believed in by those of sound hearts. So the greatest sign of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the Holy Qur’an

Concerning that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:

 “There is no Prophet but he was given signs because of which people believed in him. That which I have been given is revelation that Allah has revealed to me, and I hope that I will have the greatest number of followers on the Day of Resurrection.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7274).

What this means is that the Holy Qur’an is the greatest of the signs given to the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It is a miracle in the utmost sense of the word; in other words, it is beyond people, and is in fact beyond the jinn and mankind, to produce anything like it. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: ‘If mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another”

[al-Isra’ 17:88].

Allah, may He be exalted, challenged them to produce the like thereof, or to produce just ten chapters like its chaptes, or to produce a single chapter only, like its chapters, even if it was like the shortest chapter that does not take up more than a single line, such as Sura al-Kawthar( the abundance) or Soorat al-Ikhlaas ( sincerity) and the like.

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Or they say, ‘He (Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) forged it (the Qur'an).’ Say: ‘Bring you then ten forged Soorahs (chapters) like unto it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah (to your help), if you speak the truth!’”

[Hood 11:13]

“And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), then produce a Soorah (chapter) of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful”

[al-Baqarah 2:23].

Allah, may He be exalted, has truthfully told us that they will never be able to do any such thing, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers”

[al-Baqarah 2:24].

For more than fourteen hundred years, the enemies of the Qur’an have been trying to meet this challenge, which is still valid and still stands, and the Qur’an keeps telling them that their religions are false and that they are regarded as foolish, and it warns them of the Fire. This means that they have had a motive to produce something like it – namely the motive to prove the Qur’an to be false and their desire to show it to be false before people.

There is nothing to stop them from doing that, and there is nothing to prevent them from speaking or writing or responding to this challenge.Yet despite all that, we have never heard of anyone among them – and they number in the billions, and include eloquent and well-spoken people, literati, writers, scholars and the like…But we have never heard of anyone among them who accepted this challenge and was able to produce even a single line like the shortest soorah of the Holy Qur’an…

Apart from a few miserable attempts made by some of the eloquent Arabs, which caused them to become a laughing stock among their own people before they became a laughing stock among the Muslims!

This challenge still stands until today, and they keep hearing it and will continue to hear it until the onset of the Hour.

The jinn and mankind are incapable of producing anything like it.

After all that, how can it be right to say that it is possible for any person to produce three lines written in an elegant style that matches the eloquence of the Qur’an?!

This possibility is merely hypothetical, as it has no existence in reality, because if that were possible for them, why have they not done it?

So the challenge still stands:

“Let them then produce a recital like unto it (the Qur'ân) if they are truthful”

[at-Toor 52:34]

How to get guidance to worship the Creator of the worlds

 Praise be to Allah.

Allah has created man and given him reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice. 

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.”

[al-Kahf 18:29 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Allah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to convey the truth to all of mankind. Then they have the choice to do as they wish. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: ‘O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance).’”

[Yoonus 10:108] 

Islam is the religion of the natural state of man (fitrah), the religion of reason and thought. Allah has distinguished the truth from falsehood. He has enjoined all that is good and forbidden all that is evil. He has permitted good things and forbidden evil things. There is no compulsion in religion because the benefits or harms come back upon the created being, not upon the Creator. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in taghoot (false gods) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.”

[al-Baqarah 2:256]  

And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whosoever does righteous good deeds, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.”

[Fussilat 41:46] 

Guidance is in the hand of Allah. If Allah willed, He could guide all of mankind, for there is nothing that He cannot do on this earth or in the heavens. Nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He wills. 

“Say: ‘With Allah is the perfect proof and argument, (i.e. the Oneness of Allah, the sending of His Messengers and His Holy Books, to mankind); had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all.’”

[al-An’am 6:149 – interpretation of the meaning] 

But in His Wisdom, Allah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his ownself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and I (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you.”

[al-An’am 6:104] 

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has no part in guidance; all that he and the Muslims have to do is to explain and convey the message, and show them guidance but they cannot force people to follow it, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers?”

[Yoonus 10:99] 

And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly.”

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:18] 

Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allah alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.”

[al-Qasas 28:56]  

Allah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety.”

[Muhammad 47:17] 

But whoever disobeys Allah and turns away from Him, Allah will not guide him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.”

[al-Zumar 39:3] 

Allah is Omniscient and knows what has happened and is happening and what is yet to come. Allah knows the believers and the disbelievers, and what they will do, and He knows what their fate will be in the Hereafter. He has written all this in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And all things We have recorded in a Book.”

[al-Naba 78:29] 

Allah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believe or disbelieve, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful.”

[al-Insan 76:3] 

Man has the choice in terms of his reason only; if he loses his reason by which he is able to distinguish between the alternatives of good and evil, truth and falsehood, then he is not accountable. Hence according to Islamic sharee’ah (law), the pen is lifted from the insane person (i.e., he is not accountable) until he recovers his senses, and from the child until he reaches the age of understanding, and from the sleeper until he wakes up. None of these people are accountable until they gain or recover the reason by which they may distinguish between the alternatives of faith and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and so on. 

Whatever direction a person takes, there will be reward and punishment. If he obeys, there will be Paradise: 

“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds.”

[al-Shams 91:9 – interpretation of the meaning] 

And if he disobeys, there will be Hell: 

“And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, or by doing every kind of evil wicked deed.”

[al-Shams 91:10 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The choice of one of these two ways is something about which a person will be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds. Hence it is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is a matter of personal choice. Allah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice: 

“Whosoever does righteous good deeds, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.”

[Fussilat 41:46] 

Whoever loves Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and desires good in this world and in the Hereafter, let him enter Islam, and whoever turns away from that and is content with this world and has no interest in the Hereafter and does not submit, then his abode will be Hell. The individual is the one who will benefit or harm himself. There is no compulsion to choose either.  Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, this (Verses of the Quran) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord (Allah).”

[al-Insan 76:29] 

“Whomever Allah wills - He leaves astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path”

[al-An‘aam 6:39]

“Whoever Allah guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray - it is those who are the losers”

[al-A‘raaf 7:178].

The Muslim says in his prayer: “Ihdina as-siraat al-mustaqeem (Guide us to the straight path) [al-Faatihah 1:6], because he knows that guidance is in the hand of Allah, may He be exalted, yet at the same time the individual is required to take measures that lead to guidance; he is required to be patient and steadfast, and to take the initiative in adhering to the path of righteousness. 

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has given him sound reason and free will, by means of which he may choose good instead of evil, guidance instead of misguidance. If he takes proper measures and is keen for Allah to bless him with perfect guidance, then help and guidance will come to him from Allah, may He be exalted. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And thus We have tried some of them through others that the disbelievers might say, ‘Is it these whom Allah has favored among us?’ Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?”

[al-An‘aam 6:53].

Thus Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, explains that the reason why He sends astray those whom He sends astray stems from the individual himself. The individual does not know what Allah, may He be exalted, has decreed for him, because he only comes to know of the decree after what is decreed has come to pass. So he does not know whether Allah has decreed that he will be misguided or guided.

So how can he follow the path of misguidance, then argue that Allah, may He be exalted, willed that for him.

Would it not be more appropriate for him to follow the path of guidance, then say: It is Allah, may He be exalted, Who has guided me to the straight path.

In fact man has power and he has the freedom to choose; the gate of guidance is not more hidden than the gates of provision. As is well known to everyone, man has a divinely-allocated share of provision, yet despite that he strives to take measures to earn his provision, in his homeland or overseas, and he explores all avenues of achieving that; he does not sit in his house and say, If my provision is decreed for me, then it will come to me. Rather he strives to take measures to earn his provision, for his provision is connected to effort, as is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

This provision is also decreed, just as deeds, good or bad, are decreed, so why do you go explore all avenues and travel throughout the land seeking worldly provision, but you do not strive to do righteous deeds, seeking provision for the hereafter and to attain paradise?

We have noted above that what is decreed is secret and hidden, and you cannot know about it.

Now you have the choice between two paths:

a path that will lead you to safety, victory, happiness and honour;

and a path that will lead you to doom, regret and shame.

Now you have the choice between these two paths. There is nothing to prevent you from following the path on the right or the path on the left. If you wish you can follow one, or if you wish you can follow the other.

Thus it becomes clear to us that man has freedom of will with regard to the options before him: just as he strives for worldly matters and uses his free will to choose what is appropriate, so too with regard to the hereafter, he should use his free will to choose what is appropriate. Moreover, with regard to the hereafter, the appropriate choices are much clearer than the choices with regard to worldly matters, because the one who explains the paths that lead to the hereafter is Allah, may He be exalted, as He has explained them in His Book and on the lips of His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So the paths that lead to the hereafter must be clearer than the paths of this world. Yet despite that, man follows the paths of this world, which have no guaranteed outcome, but he neglects the paths that lead to the hereafter, of which the outcomes are known and guaranteed, because they are proven by the promise of Allah, and Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, does not break His promise.

 “Enter Paradise for what you used to do”

[an-Nahl 16:32].

Source: From Usool Al-Deen Al-Islami By Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ibraaheem Al-Tuwayjri