I Saw Angels – The Tsunami Changed My Life

 

This is Muhammad Cheng’s story. He converted to Islam in 2005 after the devastating Tsunami hit his home town in Aceh, Indonesia.

I am of Chinese descent. My family has lived in Aceh, in present-day Indonesia, for three generations. We are traders. My ancestors came to this very Islamic part of Southeast Asia for trading. They stayed because they found it a conducive environment. The rulers were just and the people were friendly and did not bother us.

My family kept their old Chinese traditions of venerating and worshipping our ancestors. And I did the same. Before I opened my shop I usually gave offerings to the altar of our ancestors. During the day I repeated to offer incense several times.

My shop was very close to the Grand Mosque. I could hear the call for prayer everyday but it never occurred to me to become Muslim. Never until this fatal morning.

Just Like Any Other Morning?

I was just about to open my shop near the Grand Mosque of Banda Aceh on the 26th of December 2004. It was a regular morning. Nice weather. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least it seemed like that.

But something was strange. The birds had stopped singing. And the cats that usually waited in front of my shop for some leftover food were not there. I did not pay so much attention to these odds.

However, all of a sudden there was a strong rumbling and a loud sound. I ran outside. “It must have been an earthquake”, I said to myself. Other people also came out of their shops but after a few minutes we all went back inside.

Tsunami – The Sea is Coming

However, after a while people came running and screaming: “Water! The sea is coming. Water!” I was confused. Although I understood the words, I did not know what they meant. I went outside again. People were hysteric. Running towards the mosque. Screaming. Shouting.

And then I saw the water flowing. I ran to get my incense. I wanted to ask my ancestors for help. More water was coming. Flowing, gushing down the street and towards the mosque.

I became afraid and ran upstairs. I watched the tsunami from the small balcony. More and more water came. It was unbelievable.

They Lifted up the Mosque

Then I saw something very strange. There were tall men dressed in white clothes. They made movements like policemen directing traffic. They stood in different places in front of the Grand Mosque. And the water followed their directives. The water split a few meters in front of the mosque and flowed on the right and left side of the mosque.

However, then more water came. The full force of the sea just pushed its way into the city and towards the mosque. The men dressed in white did not run away like everybody else. Hundreds and hundreds of people rushed towards the mosque, running for their lives.

Some fell and the water took them. I saw all this from my balcony. More and more water. But the water did not go inside the mosque. And the people in the mosque were safe.

Then all of a sudden, more men dressed in white appeared and they lifted up the mosque. Yes! They lifted up the mosque, the whole mosque. Just above the ground. And the water gushed underneath. I was totally stunned. What was that?

My First Time in the Mosque Compound

If somebody had told me what I saw, I would not have believed him. Never! But I saw it with my own eyes. I was wide awake. “God protects this mosque”, I said to myself again and again.

Weeks after this horrific disaster, tsunami, I pushed myself to tell what I saw to the Muslim shopkeeper next to my shop. He advised me to meet the Imam of the mosque. I walked towards the mosque hesitant.

It was the first time in my life to enter the mosque compound although I had basically lived next to it my whole life. The Imam recognized me from afar and came outside to greet me. “Good Morning. Can I help you, Uncle”, he greeted me politely.

“I need to talk to you”, I replied.

We sat down and I told him the whole story. He sat quietly, tears flowed from his eyes. After I finished, we just hugged. It was this natural hug that people exchange because they went through the same horrific experience.

The Imam said:

“Uncle, what you saw were God’s angels following His command. God wanted that His mosque will not be destroyed by this devastating tsunami. Uncle, maybe God wanted to show you something to bring you closer to Him. Because He loves you. Because He sees you are a kind man. He wants to give you happiness in this world and paradise in the next. Would you like to become Muslim, Uncle?”

How Can I Become Muslim?

I was shocked about the Imam’s question. It confused me. How can I, a Chinese, become Muslim? As Chinese, we have our own traditions, rituals and beliefs. I thanked the Imam and left.

Then I went back to my shop. I kept the doors closed for the day and just sat quietly in the corner. Again and again I saw before my inner eye the scenes of the day when the tsunami hit. The men dressed in white cloth. Directing the water. Lifting up the mosque. God’s angels doing His work. And I was allowed to witness it. I did not open my shop for two days, I just sat there and pondered.

I Became Muslim

On the third day somebody knocked on the door. It was the Imam of the mosque looking for me. He was worried because he had seen my shop closed for three days and that had never happened before. “I was thinking, Imam”, I told him. “I think you were right. God gave me a sign. A huge sign. I should not be a fool now and just forget about it. Can you please tell me how to become a Muslim.”

“Uncle, it is very easy”, the Imam said.  “You just need to recite these words”. And he showed me a piece of paper. I recited the words and it was as if a bright light filled my shop.

Since that day, the Imam came every day to teach me about Islam. He showed me how to pray and how to read Quran. And since I can pray, I also join the prayer in the Grand Mosque. It is one of the most beautiful things in my life. Alhamdulilah.

About Claudia Azizah

Claudia Azizah is originally from Germany and mother of two children and writer. She served as Assistant Professor at the International Islamic University in Malaysia until August 2019. She is co-founder of the Ulu-Ilir-Institute in Indonesia. She regularly writes for the German Islamic newspaper. She is interested in Islamic spirituality, art and Southeast Asia. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram: #clazahsei

- aboutislam.net

Sha’ban: The Month before Ramadan

 

We are now in the month of Sha’ban and this is the month before Ramadan, according to the Islamic calendar. So what can we do in this month to prepare for Ramadan? Dr. Shabir Ally explains in details.

During this month, we should be doing some physical cleaning as well as preparing mentally for the holy month of Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would also fast quite a lot during the month of Shaban. - aboutislam.net

DESIGNED TO DISCOVER

 

"But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.  Would anyone trust in the convictions of a monkey's mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?"[1]

This is an excerpt from a letter written in 1881 by Charles Darwin.  What troubled him was the notion of trusting the human mind; if we evolved from lower life forms; if we can be reduced down to random, non-rational physical processes, how can our minds be rational?

Indeed, questions such as, "Can we trust our minds?", "Can we reason to the truth?", and, "Why and how have we acquired the ability to understand the universe?" have captured the minds of great thinkers throughout the ages.  Our minds are truly fascinating; we have mental faculties which outshine all other creatures, and we seem to have cognitive abilities which surpass the requirements of natural selection.

Natural selection is not concerned with truth value but rather survival value.  Both true, as well as false beliefs, can adequately result in survival.  Take this as an analogy: John and Mark are asked to run across a busy highway blindfolded.  John’s cognitive faculties are functioning perfectly; when he is asked to do this, he reasons to the conclusion that this would be extremely dangerous and declines the offer.  On the other hand, Mark’s cognitive faculties are impaired, which result in him believing that there is no traffic.  At the same time, he holds the belief that someone has just glued his feet to the ground, which results in him not running across the road.  This simple example illustrates that survival is not contingent on truth.

It isn't only our minds which are amazing, we also live in a rational universe.

Again, if everything was simply a by-product of non-rational, blind, random physical processes, how have we ended up with a rationally ineligible universe? A universe governed by distinctive laws and one which is mathematically coherent.  Many have been mesmerized by the rational nature and order of the universe; this is captured in the statement of Einstein, when he said, "What is inconceivable about the universe is that it is at all conceivable."[2]  We live in an ordered rational universe! Order does not come from disorder; we wouldn't expect scrabble pieces thrown into the air at random to land spelling a concise sentence.  Rationality does not come from non-rationality; believing such a thing would be absurd.  It would be the equivalent of claiming that something could arise from nothing.

As a race, humans have progressed in leaps and bounds in the sciences, yet the two fundamental requirements to do science—a rational mind and a rational universe—have gone unaccounted for.  Having one without the other would render science non-existent.  Both need to work uniquely together in a complementary way to make science possible.  An analogy which comes to mind is of a lock and a key: the rational mind being the key which has the potential to unlock the rational universe.

Here arises another problem for atheism: how is it that we have a mind which can comprehend the order and rationality of the universe? Keys do not just fit locks by chance, they are designed to fit.  This makes sense of God’s existence.  If rationality cannot come from non-rationality, and since we cannot trust our minds if they are just a result of blind, non-rational forces, then what best explains the fact that we do trust our minds and that rationality can only come from rationality? An All-Knowing and All-Wise being (God) that created the universe with the ability for sentient beings to have rational faculties is the best explanation for this.

In the Quran, seldom does God engage humanity in attempting to prove His existence.  Instead, He takes us from His existence, which is self-evidently true, to His worship.  One way God does this is by directing us towards His creation; encouraging us to look into creation wherein lie His signs.  It is through pondering and reflecting over these signs that we can appreciate His majesty and creative power, which naturally leads us to knowing and affirming that He deserves to be worshipped.

God says in the Quran, "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding." (Quran 3:190) We can draw a beautiful conclusion from this: God gave us a rational mind and a rational universe so we can reflect over this creation and through this, fulfil our purpose which is to worship God: the One who made us and gave us everything.  Indeed, the One who made everything and gave us everything deserves to be worshipped. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Darwin, C.  R.  to Graham, William.  3 July 1881.

[2]Santillana, Giorgio de and Hertha von Dechend.  Hamlet's Mill: an Essay on Myth and the Frame of Time.  Boston: Godine, 1977.

HOW DID THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE?

 

Islam instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation.  Within a few years of the spread of Islam, great civilizations and universities were flourishing.  The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas, and of new thought with old, brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history.  Many crucial systems, such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and the concept of zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from the Muslim world.  Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery, such as the astrolabe, the quadrant, and good navigational maps, were also developed by Muslims. - islamreligion.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Astrolabe: One of the most important scientific instruments developed by Muslims which was also used widely in the West until modern times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muslim physicians paid much attention to surgery and developed many surgical instruments as seen in this old manuscript.

The Quranic Verse of the Throne

 

From the book “The Emotional Side of Islam” by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Ghazali.

Translated and adapted by Haya Muhammad Eid and edited by Emily Katharine Richardson.

{Allah (1), there is no god except Him, the Ever Living, the Self-Sufficient Master Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.} (2)

The merit of the Quranic Verse of the Throne lies in the flowing force of its exalting words, which powerfully uproot and dislodge whatever falsities are on their way to calmly enroot themselves, with the same motion, true belief within the soul.

{Allah, there is no god except Him…}

Nothing in existence goes beyond being a mere slave of Allah. Anyone or Anything, other than Allah, is a slave to Him. He Alone is the Sole God in the heavens and on the earth.

Anyone who claims himself to be a god is a liar. Any person who makes such a claim about a human is a liar.

There have been several eras during which people worshipped inanimate objects or animals as gods. These are truly the worst periods of mental and spiritual decline.

The prevalent error today is worshipping righteous men as gods besides or instead of Allah, under the false belief that they emanated from Him or that He dwelt in them.

This is a blasphemy that brings Allah (the Most High and Most Great) down to the level of man, and elevates man to the level of Allah.

Allah is the Sole God Who creates all creatures, gives them life, and cares and provides for them from birth to death.

{They have taken besides Him gods which create nothing but are themselves created, and possess not for) themselves any harm or benefit, possess not (power to cause) death, life, or resurrection.} (3)

The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (4), who is the peak of human perfection, stresses this reality with his supplication:

“O Allah, I am but Your slave, son of Your slave man, son of Your slave woman. I am in Your Grasp. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your Decree over me is forever executed, and Your Judgment over me is just.” (5)

{the Ever Living…}

Living creatures have no power to give life to themselves; rather, life is bestowed on them from outside themselves.

It is impermanent. It will depart them one day and shall not be returned to them except by the Will of He Who Bestowed it, the Ever Living, Whose Life has no beginning or end. Life is inherent in His Nature. It has been self-existent for eternity and will last until infinity. That is the difference between the life of the Creator and the creation. Therefore, Allah says to His Prophet:

{Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die and verily, they (too) will die.} (6)

For He Alone is the Author, Owner, Giver, and Taker of life.

It is indeed appropriate – even essential – that Allah’s eternal and non-bestowed Attribute of Living be followed by His Attribute of Self- Sufficiency and Provision for all creatures: (…the Self-Sufficient Master Who sustains and protects all that exists.)

Every breath, motion, or pause in the universe and all creatures is powered by Allah. His Careful, Comprehensive, and Full Supervision covers all their events and affairs. They are the poorest and neediest they can be to Him, and He is beyond any need of them.

He is the Maintainer of every soul, knowing what it has earned, and the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. It is impossible that anything slips out of His Control or veers in a direction other than that which He has designed. Every tiny little thing relies for its existence, movement, and continuity on His Supreme Being. {Verily, Allah holds the heavens and the earth lest they move from their places. If they were to move from their places, no one could hold them in place after Him.} (7)

These two attributes, the Ever Living and the Self-Sufficient Master, destroy any Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and bear witness to the Creator’s Absolute Oneness.

{Neither slumber nor sleep overtake Him}

Slumber is light drowsiness, relaxation, and heaviness, whereas sleep is profound drowsiness and complete rest of the body and mind.

We, as humans, experience hours of inactivity and unconsciousness of anything going on or anything around us. Even while awake, our mental alertness and cognitive performance differ during the day.

With tiredness or fatigue, our concentration diminishes, our energies wane, and our errors increase.

Allah is something entirely different. One subject does not distract Him from another, and nothing whatsoever escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or on the earth. He feels no fatigue, feebleness, or exhaustion. His Ever-Vigilant Grasp, never for a moment falters, wavers, or lets go of an atom.

{To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth}

Allah’s Kingdom is infinite. It is beyond words or thoughts, as limitless as the limitless horizons of the heaven, and as deep as the impenetrable depths of the earth. Visible and invisible realms of this vast cosmos of unknowable extents and energies all belong to Allah Alone. Those whom ignorant people think are partners of Allah own nothing of it, not even a speck.

Are they idols? Stones or wood shaped by human hands, then bowed to, treated like a god, and some lives maybe sacrificed for, although they are the own possession and making of humans!

Are they humans? These humans belong to their Creator who formed them in the wombs, made their chests heave up and down with breath, and can arrest their heartbeats at any moment He wills, and no one can prevent Him.

The truth is that humans are nothing more than metaphorical owners of whatever they have. Their unreal possessions may lead them to domineer and tyrannize over others, then death comes to them and they depart this world empty-handed, leaving it all to the True Owner, to Whom belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. {And truly you have come to Us alone (without wealth, companions or anything else) as We created you the first time. You have left behind you all that which We had bestowed on you.} (8)

{Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His Permission?}

There is no intercession for atheists or Mushrikin (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). No angel or prophet has the right to intercede with Allah on their behalf. Genuine faith in Allah and righteous deeds are the sole means of salvation.

{O you who believe, spend from that which We have provided for you before there comes a Day when no ransoming, nor friendship, nor intercession will avail. And the disbelievers, they are the wrongdoers.} (9)

{Verily, whoever associates others with Allah (in His Divinity or worship) Allah will forbid him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode. And there shall be no helpers for the wrongdoers.} (10)

{No bearer of burdens (sins) shall bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls another to carry some of its load, nothing of it will be lifted, even though he be near of kin.} (11)

Those whose good deeds will rescue them may, by a grace bestowed on them through intercession, be raised to a degree of eternal bliss higher than that which they deserve. Or those whose deeds have almost drawn them to the shores of salvation, but have not reached them may, by a pardon through intercession, land safely on them.

The intercession of the prophets or the righteous does not have the power to protect against or save from Allah’s Wrath. No one, neither angels nor prophets, would dare take such a stand before Allah.

They only intercede with His Permission and for those whom He consents to. {They do not precede Him in speech and they act on His Command. He knows what lies ahead of them (the hereafter) and what lies behind them (their deeds). They only intercede on behalf of those with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him.} (12)

{On that Day, no intercession shall avail, except that of the one to whom the Most Merciful has given permission and has accepted his word.} (13)

But the Plentiful and Abundant Mercy of Allah always precedes His Anger, without the need to ask. Intercession, therefore, is more a gesture of Allah’s Grace and Honor in the hereafter towards those who suffered in the worldly life for His Sake and in defense of His Cause, as consolation to their minds, joy to their hearts, and grace to their souls.

Their high status with Allah and generous compensation will thus be recognized by the rest of humanity, with feelings of love and gratitude within the hearts of sinners and the weak believers among them, for the forgiveness and blessings they shall attain by virtue of them.

It is no upset to the balance of justice or suspension of the scales of judgment.

It is of no need to those foremost in good deeds, and is of no avail to those who rejected the truth.

{He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the hereafter}

Nothing on the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah. Knowledge of yesterday, today, and tomorrow is the same for Him. All events, from the beginning of the world until its end, are one open page with everything, past or present, near or far, spread out before Him.

Naturally, the creator knows what he has created. It is unthinkable that a created thing can do something out of sight or without the knowledge of its creator.

Creation from nothing is in the Power of Allah Alone. Changing an already existing matter is the substance of human actions that only happen by the Decree of Allah, and from hence is His Perfect Knowledge of His creatures.

Anything existing is surely known by Allah, which is the meaning of His Words: {They worship besides Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, “These are our intercessors with Allah.” Say, “Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?” Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.} (14)

Every thought anyone thinks, every word anyone speaks, and every deed anyone does of all the past, present, and future countless generations… Allah knows them in detail. Thinking this over, one cannot help but humbly say: {Our Lord! You comprehend all things in Your Mercy and Knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and save them from the torment of Hellfire.} (15)

{And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills}

Springs of knowledge gush forth from the Will of the Creator, even perception of the things happening within sight and hearing could not have been possible without the tool of the mind installed in mankind.

Acquisition of further knowledge depends on the level of human intelligence, whose portions are allotted while humans are still in the wombs of their mothers.

The universe opening little windows for the human mind to peep through and discover new horizons of knowledge is governed by the natural or supernatural means that Allah furnishes.

Yet natural sources of knowledge are scattered everywhere in the wide open book of nature all around us and the life experiences of people. Through awareness, contemplation, and practice we can reach far ends in this arena without restrictions.

Divinely revealed knowledge of the Unseen was unfolded to the Messengers whom Allah chose, ending with the Last Message (Islam). No one will ever receive more of this knowledge, whether through communion with Allah or His Angels, after the end of prophethood. Anyone who claims so is a liar.

Akin to this is the foretelling of future events. This kind of knowledge is not open to humans and has no scope of equal accessibility. Again, divine revelations have ceased. Claims of being given such knowledge within the general meaning of {they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills} are false.

{His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth}

It seems to the mind that the heavens and the earth are the boundaries of Allah’s Kingdom, which is wrong. They are just some of His Sublime Signs. {And of His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and whatever He has dispersed throughout them of creatures.}16

They are both among His Infinite Signs that testify to His Grandeur and Majesty.

The spaciousness of His Throne is so grand that it holds the heavens, the earth, and His other countless signs.

We do not know what His Throne is and have no power to imagine it. All that we can perceive is the Perfect Divine Sovereignty over creatures, visible and invisible to us, that the word inspires in us.

The heavens and earth are just a small part of the vast cosmos floating in the unknowable expanses of that Throne.

{And He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them}

Allah controls and disposes of the affairs of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in between them without a tinge of fatigue, just as He created them without a tinge of fatigue. {With power did We construct the heaven.} (17)

It is Extreme Powerfulness, Ability, and Strength of the Masterful Creator before Whom all meanings of tiredness or fatigue are meaningless.

{And He is the Most High, the Most Great}

The Quranic Verse of Divine Grandeur and Perfection, summarized in the word “Throne”, is brought to conclusion by two of His Majestic Attributes, befitting this aura of magnificence, that only belong to the Possessor of All Glory and Dominion.

_______________________________

1 The Name is indicative and all-inclusive of every Divine Name and Attribute of Absolute Perfection: the One God, the Maker, the Almighty, the All-Merciful, etc.; in Arabic it means: The One exclusively worthy of deification and worship

2 Translated meanings of Al-Baqarah 2: 255 (the Qur’anic Verse of the Throne). Described by the Prophet as the greatest verse in the Qur’an

3 Translated meanings of Al-Furqan 25: 3

4 May peace and blessings of Allah be upon him

5 Reported by Al-Thirmidhi

6 Translated meanings of Az-Zumar 39: 30

7 Translated meanings of Fatir 35: 41

8 Translated meanings of Al-An‘am 6: 94

9 Translated meanings of Al-Baqarah 2: 254

10 Translated meanings of Al-Ma’idah 5: 72

11 Translated meanings of Fatir 35: 18

12 Translated meanings of Al-Anbiya’ 21: 27-28

13 Translated meanings of Taha 20: 109

14 Translated meanings of Yunus 10: 18

15 Translated meanings of Ghafir 40: 7

16 Translated meanings of Ash-Shura 42: 29

17 Translated meanings of Az-Zariyat 51: 47

(From Discovering Islam archive)

-aboutislam.net

Do You Know the ‘Forgotten’ Month of Shaban?

 

The month of Shaban is here. How did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and early good Muslims spend this month? Do you know why it is called the “forgotten month”?

This lecture by Sheikh Omar Suleiman has the answer, along with answers for many other questions. In this informative and comprehensive video, Sheikh Suleiman discusses different issues related to the month.

- aboutislam.net

What is the purpose of life

 

By Khaalid Yaseen

Khalid Yaseen delivered this lecture in Saudi Arabia, and later that night, 43 people accepted Islam. That should tell you how powerful the message in the lecture was.

 

All praise be to Allah and may Allah exalt the mention of His messenger, Muhammad.

 

The information which I wish to share with you may seem a bit extensive, but when you consider the capacity of the human brain and the capacity that it can store, I am sure that a few pages in tonight's talk will not overburden you.

 

I am honored to have this opportunity and I would like to begin by saying that all of you have an equal responsibility. That responsibility is to listen with an open heart and an open mind. In a world filled with prejudice and cultural conditioning, it is very hard to be able to find people to take a moment to think about life objectively and try to arrive at the truth about this world and the real purpose of our lives.

 

Unfortunately, when you ask most people the question: "What is the purpose of life?" (such a fundamental and important question), they will not tell you what they have concluded through observation or analytical reasoning. Rather, in most cases, they will simply tell you what someone else said, or they will tell you what is "commonly presumed" by others, i.e., What my father said purpose of life is, what the minister of my church said the purpose of life is, what my teacher in school said, what my friend said, etc. If I ask anyone about the purpose of eating or why do we eat, everyone will say [in one word or another] that it is for nutritional purposes, because nutrition sustains life. If I ask anyone why they work, they will say because it's a necessity in order to support themselves and to provide for the needs of their families. If I ask anyone why they sleep, why they wash, why they dress, etc., they will answer with appropriate answers, for these are common necessities for all human beings. We can follow this line of questioning with a hundred questions and receive the same or similar answers from anyone in any language from any place in the world. Then I ask you the question: Why, when we ask the question, "What is the goal and purpose of life?" that we get many different answers? It is because people are confused; they don't really know. They are stumbling in the dark, and rather than say, "I don't know"; they just offer any answer they have been programmed to give. Think about it. Is our purpose in this world simply to eat, sleep, dress, work, acquire some material things and enjoy ourselves? Is this our purpose? Why are we born? What is the object of our existence? What is the wisdom behind the creation of man and this tremendous universe?

 

Think about those questions. Some people argue that there is no proof of any diving origin; no proof that there is a god and there is no proof that this universe has come about through any divine purpose. There are people who argue this way, and they say that perhaps this world came about by chance. A big bang, and this great world [with all its orchestration] just came together. They argue that life doesn't have any definite purpose, and that there is nothing that can prove [either through logic or science] that there is a god, or a purpose or any divine reason behind this world.

 

Here I would like to mention a few verses from the Noble Quran that address this subject. We seek the protection of Allah from every evil thing. Allah mentions to us in the Noble Quran (what means): "And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is over all things competent. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.." [Quran 3: 189-191]

 

Now here in these verses, Allah draws our attention to the creation of the heavens and earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the creation of the universe. He calls our attention to their creation and their precision, and mentions those who contemplate the wonders of creation and realize that this was not created for any foolish purpose, [that Allah is exalted above doing such a thing] and they seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of Hell. Truly, when you see the design of all that Allah created, you realize it is very powerful and very precise. Something very powerful and very precise; something beyond your own calculation and imagination, cannot be foolish. It cannot be just "thrown together".

 

There are many examples of things that happen by chance. Let me offer one situation. If you took ten colored marbles, then numbered them one to ten and you put them inside a bag. Next, you shook that bag to mix them up. Then, closing your eyes and reaching into the bag, you tried to pull out the marbles in order-1 to 10. What is the chance of pulling out the marbles in order? Do you know what the chances are? It is twenty six million to one (26,000,000 to 1). And this is something within our ability to do. So now I ask you, what is the chance that the heavens and the earth just came together as they are [with the exact precision and orchestration in their existence]?

 

My dear respected brothers and sisters, we have to ask ourselves a further question. When you see a bridge, a building or an automobile, you automatically consider the person or company that constructed it. When you see a large ship, an airplane, a rocket, a satellite; you also think about how incredible it is. [You know by its design who the maker is.] When you see a super international airport, nuclear plant or an orbiting space station you have to be thoroughly impressed with the engineering dynamics that are involved. Yet, these are just things that are manufactured by human beings. So what about the human body with its massive and intricate control systems? Think about it. Think about the brain: how it thinks, functions, analyzes, retrieves and stores information, as well as distinguishes and categorizes information in a millionth of a second, all of this constantly. Think about the brain for a moment. (And don't forget the fact that you are using your brain to consider itself!) This is the brain that made the automobile, the rocket ships, the boats, and so on. Think about the brain and who made that! Think about the heart. Think about how it pumps continuously for sixty or seventy years [taking in and discharging blood throughout the body] maintaining steady precision throughout the life of the person. Think about the kidneys and the liver and the various functions they perform. The purifying instruments of the body that perform hundreds of chemical analyses simultaneously and also control the level of toxicity in the content of the body. All of these are done automatically. Think about your eyes, the human cameras, that adjust, focus, interpret, evaluate, and discern color automatically, naturally receiving and adjusting to light and distance. Think about it-Who created them? Who has mastered their design and function? Who plans and regulates their function? Human beings do this? No, of course not. What about this universe? Think about this. This earth is one planet in our solar system, and our solar system is one [of possible many] solar systems. Our galaxy, The Milky Way, is one of the galaxies. There are one hundred million galaxies in the universe. They are all in order and they are all precise. They are not colliding with each other. They are not conflicting with on another. They are swimming along in an orbit that has been set for them. Did human beings set that into motion and are human beings maintaining that precision? No, of course not. Think about the oceans, the fish, the insects, the birds, the plants, bacteria, and chemical elements that have not yet been discovered and cannot be detected even with the most sophisticated instruments. Yet each of them has a law that they follow. Did all of this synchronization, balance, harmony, variation, design, maintenance, operation and infinite numeration happen all by chance? Do these things function perfectly and perpetually also by chance? No, of course not. That would be totally illogical and foolish. In the least, it indicates that however it came to exist-it exists beyond the realm of human capability. We will all agree to that. The Being, The Almighty Power, God, The Creator who has the knowledge to design and proportion crated all of this and is responsible for maintaining it. HE is the only one that deserves praise and gratitude.

 

If I were to give each one of you one hundred dollars for no reason, you would at least say thank you. What about your eyes, your kidneys, your brain, your children, and your life: Who gave you all of that? Is He not worthy of praise and thanks? Is He not worthy of your worship and recognition?

 

My brothers and sisters, in a nutshell, this is the goal and purpose of this life. Allah Says to us in the Noble Quran (what means): "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [Quran 51: 56] This is what he Almighty said. Our purpose in this life is to recognize The Creator, to be grateful to Him, to worship Him, to surrender ourselves to Him and to obey the laws that He has determined for us. It means worship is our purpose in life. Whatever we do in the course of that worship, [i.e., the eating, the sleeping, the dressing, the working, the enjoying,] between birth and death is consequential and subject to His orders. But the main reason for our creation is worship. I don't think anyone who is analytical or scientific will have much of an argument with that purpose. They may have some other reason with themselves-but that is something they have to deal with between themselves and Almighty God. - islamweb.net

WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR A TRUE PROPHET?

 

Rays from the Same Lamp

A natural question to ask someone who believes in any prophet is: ‘What are the criteria for your belief in him?’  Reasonable criteria would be:

(i)   evidence for his claim.

(ii)  consistency in his teachings (about God, afterlife, and similar issues of belief)

(iii) similarity to the teachings of earlier prophets.

(iv) integrity: he must be a man of high morals.

The Bible lends support to our criteria.  The Old Testament says of a false prophet:

1.    Pretends to be sent by God.[1]

2.    Described as covetous,[2]  drunken,[3]  immoral and profane,[4]  influenced by evil spirits.[5]

3.    Prophesizes falsely,[6]  lies in the name of the Lord,[7]  out of his own heart,[8]  in the name of false gods.[9]

4.    Often practices divination and witchcraft.[10]

5.    Leads people into error,[11]  makes to forget God’s name,[12]  teaches profaneness and sin,[13]  and oppresses.[14]

The New Testament says of Jesus’ criteria to identify false prophets:

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."[15]

We learn the following:

(i)   prophecy will continue after Jesus.

(ii)  beware of false prophets.

(iii) the criteria to identify a false prophet is his fruits, that is his works or deeds.[16]

As stated earlier, Muhammad claimed unequivocally, ‘I am God’s Messenger.’  If a person evaluates his claim on the above criteria, he will find it meets the criteria completely.

In Islamic doctrine, all prophets constitute a spiritual fraternity of brothers with a single ‘father,’ but different ‘mothers.’  The ‘father’ is prophethood and unity of God, the ‘mothers’ are the different Laws they brought.  Emphasizing the spiritual fraternity of all prophets, Prophet Muhammad said:

"I am the closest of all people to the son of Mary (Jesus).  The prophets are paternal brothers, their mothers are different, but their religion is one." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

All prophets are ‘rays’ from the same ‘Lamp’: the central message of all prophets throughout ages was to dedicate worship to God only.  That’s why Islam views denying a single prophet as equivalent to denying them all.  The Quran states:

"Indeed, those who deny God and His messengers, and wish to separate God from His messengers, saying: ‘We believe in some but reject others’ and want to pursue a path in-between - it is they, they who are truly denying the truth: and for those who deny the truth We have readied shameful suffering.  But as for those who believe in God and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them - unto them, in time, will He grant their rewards [in full].  And God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace." (Quran 4:150-152)

Denying the prophethood of Muhammad is tantamount to denying all prophets.  The prophethood of Muhammad is known just like the prophethood of Moses and Jesus is known: the numerous reports of their miracles that have reached us.  The Book brought by Muhammad (the Quran) is fully preserved, and His Law is complete and applicable to today’s world.  Moses brought the Law and justice, Jesus brought grace and flexibility.  Muhammad combined between the Law of Moses and the grace of Jesus.

If someone were to say, ‘he was an imposter,’ others are more fit to be charged with this accusation.  Hence, denying Muhammad is denying one’s own prophets.  If a reasonable person looks at two bright stars, he must acknowledge both are stars, he cannot say to one, ‘Yes, this one is a bright star,’ but deny the other!  Doing so would be denying reality and a lie.

Make a table of all the prophets you believe in.  Start from the first one to the last one you believe in.  Answer the following questions:

What is the evidence I believe he was a true prophet?

What was the mission of the prophet in his own words?

Did he bring a Law?  Is his Law applicable today?

What scripture did he bring?  How is its content and meaning?

Is the scripture preserved in the original language it was revealed in?  Is it considered a literary authority, free of internal inconsistencies?

What do you know of his morals and integrity?

Compare all the prophets you have listed and then answer the same questions about Muhammad.  Then ask yourself, ‘Can I honestly take Muhammad out of my list because he does not meet the criteria as other prophets?’  It will not take too much effort to discover that the evidence for Muhammad’s prophethood is stronger and more convincing.

A skeptic need consider what is so unusual about Muhammad’s claim to be a prophet?  When did God declare an end to prophecy before him?  Who decided that there would not be any more divine communication with human beings?  With no evidence to block divine revelation, it is natural to accept a continuity of revelation:

"Indeed, We have sent you with the truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner: for there never was any community but a Warner has [lived and] passed away in its midst." (Quran 35:24)

"And We sent forth Our messengers, one after another: [and] every time their messenger came to a community, they gave him the lie: and so We caused them to follow one another [into the grave], and let them become [mere] tales: and so - away with the folk who would not believe!" (Quran 23:44)

This is true especially when the truth was perverted by Jews and Christians, the Christians claiming Jesus was the son of God and Jews calling him an illegitimate son of Joseph the Carpenter.  Muhammad brought the truth: Jesus was God’s noble prophet born of a miraculous virgin birth.  As a result, Muslims believe in Jesus and love him, neither going to the extreme like the Christians, nor disparaging him like the Jews. - isslamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Jer 23:17,18,31

[2] Mic 3:11

[3] Isa 28:7

[4] Jer 23:11,14

[5] 1Ki 22:21,22

[6] Jer 5:31

[7] Jer 14:14

[8] Jer 23:16,26; Eze 13:2

[9] Jer 2:8

[10] Jer 14:14; Eze 22:28; Act 13:6

[11] Jer 23:13; Mic 3:5

[12] Jer 23:27

[13] Jer 23:14,15

[14] Eze 22:25

[15]Matthew 7:15-17 (King James Version)

[16]According to ‘Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.’