Islam's concept of monotheism

 

To an English-speaking audience, Islam is often advertised as a 'monotheistic religion in the tradition of Judaism and Christianity,' and we often, with the best of intentions, add: "The difference is, we only believe in One God."

I am afraid, however, that this fails to capture the essence of Tawheed, Islam's concept of monotheism. It is not that there is only one God and that is that. If this were the case, little is there to differentiate us from Christians and Jews, who also conceptually believe in One God (despite different theological formulations). What makes us different is that we believe in One God and, furthermore, we believe that only Allah is to be worshipped.

The core of Islam is wrapped in the message of 'Laa ilaaha illallaah': There is no god worthy of worship except Allah. This means, in other words, that we turn away not only from idols of wood and stone, but also the idols of ideology. Today, humanity, spurred by Western culture, worships many things, but above all, it worships itself.

Secularism is the ideology of Western countries (and even some Muslim countries). The reason it works so well is because it is the best, and latest, way to deceive people away from Allah. Rather than urge people to worship forms and shapes, the new Shirk (polytheism) tells people to worship themselves. Everyone is a god!

The American dream has become the construction of a society in which everyone is his or her own god, and does what he or she wants to do regardless of the consequences. Naturally, it is a very attractive idea. Do what you want - do what you feel - you are always going to be right! Each man is his own judge and jury!

What this fails to realise is that humans are, by nature, fragile beings. Despite being such a self-proclaimed 'free' and 'individualistic' society, America is more conformist than many other societies in the world. A young woman without a perfect body is an outcast. A young man who cannot party or cannot 'get enough girls,' is not a real man - and this is the most interesting example of all.

In Islam, a man's role is honourable because of his sacrifice and responsibility. A noble and virtuous man is a pious one, who works hard, provides for his family, goes out of his way for his wife and is always faithful to her. Thus, the Muslim character is the responsible and strong one, because the Muslim accepts the Trust from Allah - Islam - and does not shy away from it.

Western society, on the other hand, preaches that everyone is a god, and thus, you never have to discipline yourself. The result is a society made of weak, selfish and narrow-minded people (proven by alarming rates of suicide, violent crime, depression and spiralling divorce rates).

Allah Tells us in the Quran: "And I [Allah] did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [Quran: 51:56] The drive to worship is an intrinsic human need. One attempt to crush worship in all forms was communism, and communism - as history attests - failed and continues to fail miserably. Due to the evolution of Western thought and Western society, the drive to worship has been channelled away from Allah and towards the individual.

However, it does not take long for human beings to realise that we, as individuals, make pathetic idols. At a very young age, we realise we are fallible, and often unsuccessful in many things we wish so sincerely to do. How many kids want to play professional sports, but are never able to?

So, instead, people start to worship ideas. They attribute power to these ideas. They start to believe that governments are all-powerful, or that flags, ethnicities, tribes or languages hold mystical powers.

In Europe, the popular belief is that every linguistic group deserves a country, because a linguistic group is an immortal entity that has had many members come and go but has, at root, stayed the same.

But we, as Muslims reject all of this, because we know that it is simply no more than Shirk - partnership in the worship of Allah - which is the unforgivable sin. Why is it unforgivable? The essence of Islam, as stated earlier, is not only that we believe in Allah, but also that we worship Him and make Him the centre of all our efforts. Should we put anything between Allah and ourselves, then we corrupt the purity of our beautiful faith.

When Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam (may Allah exalt his mention) came to the Arabs of Makkah in 610 CE with a message directly from Allah, the Arabs of that time were not atheists. They believed in Allah, they believed He was the most powerful deity and, most interestingly, they believed He could not be represented by a physical idol. However, they believed that many idols interceded on their behalf (over three hundred lesser gods, in fact!). In other words, the pagans believed that there were channels between the individual and Allah, and that these barriers needed to be worshipped.

Modern Western society is no different. At every turn, American politicians invoke God's Name. How often do we hear President Bush say 'God Bless America'? Take any US currency out of your wallet and inscribed in prominent letters on it is the American motto: 'In God We Trust.' Thus, superficially, American society does not reject God. Rather, it believes in God and claims to acknowledge Him as the Supreme Being. However, American society makes other people gods and intermediaries, to such an extent that eventually God Himself is entirely ignored!

This is also America's plan for the Muslim world (throughout the world, from right here in America to all the way over to Afghanistan). They will teach us that they have no quarrel with Allah, but they simply want to give us democracy to 'modernise' us and give us 'progress'.

Should we choose to go down this ill-fated path, we will find, to our horror, that Allah will not be denied. He - and may He be exalted over such comparisons - will just be dismissed so far that people will become like atheists in denial of their atheism. May Allah save us from this fate, and I apologise for the harshness of the prediction, but we know that once the road is opened to the slightest deviation, this deviation snowballs. This is how religions before us were destroyed; how many times has Allah asked us to reflect on history? The choice is, as always, our own! - islamweb.net

How Modesty Strengthens Faith

 

Along with fear and love of Allah, modesty is a requisite of faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) made it clear that modesty is part of faith (Muslim).

The reference is not to natural bashfulness, which we profess and practice in our mutual relations, but to the modesty that man must practice in his relationship with Allah.

If we are not modest in our relationship with Allah, it will undermine modesty in other relationships, resulting in a loss of aesthetic beauty.

What’s True Modesty?

Modesty has a bearing on human life in a variety of ways and defends man against Satan’s snares. In the following hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) brings out its comprehensive function:

Abdullah ibn Masud reported that the Prophet (PBUH) observed,“Be of true shyness of Allah.”

When those present affirmed that they were modest, he guided them to the real meaning of modesty. According to the hadith, true modesty is to:

– be watchful of one’s mental faculties and the ideas which one entertains;

– keep an eye on one’s stomach and what it consumes;

– be constantly mindful of one’s death and the disintegration of one’s body in the grave.

– Besides, one who looks forward to the Hereafter does not run after the joys of this life.

And meeting these qualities makes one truly modest towards Allah. (At-Tirmidhi)

Main Elements of Modesty

Divine attributes infuse into one the consciousness of the need to maintain modesty. Those who possess true knowledge of these attributes have strong belief in them and feel genuinely shy of Allah.

By contrast, those ignorant of divine attributes, or those who are not careful about them, are not shy of Allah or fellow human beings. They are little better than animals who do not have any perception of modesty.

Let us illustrate the above point of how a correct perception of certain attributes infuses into one the virtue of modesty and its impact upon conduct. Of all the divine attributes, the idea of His perfect knowledge makes one really conscious of one’s own conduct.The believer should be always mindful that Allah watches each and every act (An-Nisaa’ 4:1).

Likewise, one should have the conviction that He is aware of the treachery committed by the eyes and of the secrets within the breast (Ghafir 40:19). It is also important to realize that we are always accompanied by Allah.

{There is no whispering among three but He is their fourth, nor among five but He is their sixth, nor fewer nor more, but He is with them wheresoever they may be} (Al-Mujadilah 58:7)

Evidently, those who believe in the import of that verse cannot commit any misdeed, even in privacy, which may embarrass them in the sight of Allah, for they cannot conceive of any place where they are not seen by Allah.

This persuades them that any sin they commit is being observed by Allah. Only a pervert or fearless person could commit a crime while conscious of that reality.

Day and night we observe numerous manifestations of Allah’s glory and power. In the face of these, we should not entertain any false notion about our own supremacy and greatness. Man is no more than a fly or an ant in this vast universe. The mountains around us are high in comparison to us. Compared to the oceans, we scarcely weigh a drop.

Given this, if we think highly of ourselves and walk around arrogantly, it is a sort of self-mockery. A parable tells of a fly that sat on a bull’s horn. After some time, the fly asked the bull whether it should move away lest its weight burden the bull. The bull replied that it was unaware of the fly’s existence and it was immaterial to it whether the fly sat there or not.

The same is true, in a measure, for certain arrogant people who attach too much importance to themselves. They walk arrogantly on earth and always speak in harsh tones. While admonishing them, Allah tells them,

{And do not strut on the earth insolently. You will not by any means rend the earth. Nor can you match the mountains in stature.}(Al-Israa’ 17:37)

Human beings stand nowhere in comparison to the numerous manifestations of Allah’s power and glory. Therefore, we should be all the more modest and humble.

We should take to heart the truth that all our faculties and resources are granted to us only by Allah. We are not the creators of any of these and we do not possess them except by His leave.

If we realize this, we are less liable to commit ingratitude or disobedience or rebellion. We cannot do anything without drawing upon the very resources granted by Allah.

Human beings are favored with these resources so that we may lead our lives as grateful and obedient servants of Allah. However, if we abuse these in favor of treachery and rebellion, it constitutes a heinous crime. So, we should be constantly and profoundly aware that it is Allah Who has blessed us with these favors. The Quran reiterates this truth many times.

Some persons think very highly of their contribution to the faith. They mistakenly consider themselves as the ones who have done good for Allah and His Messenger. However, even the greatest sacrifice offered by them does not really belong to them. If they donate money in His cause, money was granted in the first place to them by Allah.

If they suffer the delusion that they earned their wealth by dint of their talents and skills, they should not forget that those same talents and skills were granted by Allah.

Even if people sacrifice their lives for the sake of Allah, they should think more of their failings than of the sacrifice they are making.

This acknowledgement of our inability to do anything worthwhile in Allah’s cause and this repentance are the very essence of all acts of worship and obedience. The Quran identifies it as the spirit of humanness. The Quran reproaches some people for their mistaken belief that they did a favor for Allah and His Messenger by embracing Islam.

They are told that they have not made any favor. Rather, they should be grateful to Allah that He guided them to Islam.

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 * Excerpted with slight modifications from ‘Tazkiyah: The Islamic Path of Self-Development.’ Courtesy of The Islamic Foundation.

- aboutislam.net

Love for Others What You Love for Yourself

 

What is your most beloved possession?

This is something many of us underestimate and sometimes even take for granted: our faith. Do you daily thank Allah for guiding you?

And how many times do you ask Him to make you die as a believer?

There is something we all know we should do, but in real life many of us don’t because our hearts are ill. It is one of the purest forms of love.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Truly, this hadith is a beautiful demonstration of the beauty of Islam.

Allah instructs us about true love:

Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed – those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]. (Quran 5:55)

A Test for Your Heart

It is clear that being able to love for your brother or sister what you love for yourself is a characteristic every true Muslim should train their heart upon.

What does this mean?

Firstly it is the golden rule; treat others how you want to be treated. You don’t want to be backbitten, so don’t backbite others.

Secondly it means you place yourself in someone else’s shoes and think: what would I have desired? And then desire the same for him. Imagine if every Muslim would live by this hadith then most of the problems between people would be solved and we would know true brotherhood!

5 Tips on Learning How to Love for Others what You Love for Yourself!

It is easily said, but sometimes hard to practice, because our ego gets in the way. So here is a selection of tips on how to attain this beautiful love.

Learn the Names of Allah

Imagine your friend is talking about planning her wedding and you have not been able to find a spouse for years and secretly you wish her wedding will just not happen.

This is hasad (envy), one of the biggest diseases of our heart. It means you want the good of someone else has and you want them to lose it.

Ghibta means you see that good in someone else and you want it without them losing it, which is fine.

So next time, test your heart, if you notice you have hasad, then there is a problem in how you look at your brother or sister.

A tip to get cure from this is to read about the Names of Allah. He is al-Wahhaab, He is the One Who gives everything, He is Al-‘Aleem, He gives and withholds to whomever He knows is good. Put your trust in His wisdom.

What you see as someone’s blessing, might actually be a big test for them; their beauty might lead them to temptation, their wealth to greed and their health to waste of time.

Never Wish Evil on Others

When you find yourself secretly wishing bad things for someone else, don’t allow it to be in you! Keep saying a’oodhu billaah, because it is probably from Satan. Just like any other evil feeling, we have to keep trying to expel it. Hasad is just like any other evil feeling and Allah knows best.

Don’t Exploit Other People’s Flaws

Some people see flaws in others and instead of hoping for them to improve they put the person down further in order to feel better. This is a disease of the heart, wanting to see others to do bad in order to feel better yourself.

When you see flaws in others, try to help them fix their problems, advice them gently, offer help in reconciling between people and love for that person to grow closer to Allah.

Share Your Blessings

Allah says:

The believers are nothing else than brothers. (Quran 49:10)

If you have Islamic knowledge, wish for others to have that knowledge as well and actively help them to gain it. Another important lesson from this hadith is that just like we love being guided as Muslims, we wish guidance for others.

Homework: Make Dua

Last on the list, but first to do is asking Allah to help you live by this hadith and ayah and open your heart to selflessness and humbleness. Look up and memorize this Quranic dua:

And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” (Quran 59:10)

O Allah, guide us to live by Your Names, make us desire for others what we desire for ourselves, help us to share our blessings and adorn us with a heart full of true love for others what we love for ourselves.

Source: Understand Quran

(From Discovering Islam archive) 

About Khawlah bint Yahya

Khawlah b. Yahya founded SISTERS' PROJECT in 2008, a United Kingdom women's support organization and is a writer for different Islamic organizations and academies. She authored the renown How to Live by the Names of Allah Series, published by the Understand Qur'an Academy, as well as the internationally shared Revive a Sunnah Series. She focuses most of her work on how to translate classic Islamic Knowledge to daily life action. She recently released Personal Lessons from the Qur'an, in which daily life action points are based on Qur’anic ayaat in a way that’s never seen before. You can now purchase the E-book on: dailylifeknowledge.co.uk

- aboutislam.net

The evolutionist’s myth of homology

 

Structural similarities between different species are called “homology” in biology. Evolutionists try to present those similarities as evidence for evolution.

Darwin thought that creatures with similar (homologue) organs had an evolutionary relation with each other and that these organs must have been inherited from a common ancestor. According to his assumption, both pigeons and eagles had wings; therefore, pigeons, eagles and indeed all other birds with wings were supposed to have evolved from a common ancestor.

Homology is a deceptive argument advanced on the basis of no other evidence than an apparent physical resemblance. This argument has never once been verified by a single concrete discovery in all the years since Darwin’s day. In no layer of the earth has anyone come up with a fossil of the imaginary common ancestor of the creatures with homologue structures. Furthermore, the following issues make it clear that homology provides no evidence that evolution has occurred.

1.      One finds homologue organs in creatures of completely different species among which evolutionists have not been able to establish any sort of an evolutionary relationship;

2.      The genetic codes of some creatures that have homologue organs are utterly different from one another.

3.      The embryological development of homologue organs in different creatures is completely different.

Let us now examine each of these points one by one.

Similar Organs in Entirely Different Living Species

There are a number of homologue organs shared by different species among which evolutionists cannot establish any kind of evolutionary relationship. Wings are an example. In addition to birds, we find wings on bats (which are mammals), on insects and even on some dinosaurs, which are extinct reptiles. Not even evolutionists posit an evolutionary relationship or kinship among those four different classes of animal.

Another striking example is the amazing resemblance and structural similarity observed in the eyes of different creatures. For example, octopus and man are two extremely different species between which no evolutionary relationship is likely even to be proposed, yet the eyes of both are very much alike in terms of their structure and function. Not even evolutionists claim that man and octopus had a common ancestor to account for their similar eyes. These and numerous other examples confirm that the evolutionist claim that “homologue organs prove that living species have evolved from a common ancestor” has no scientific basis.

In fact, homologue organs should be a great embarrassment for evolutionists. The famous evolutionist Frank Salisbury’s confession revealed in his statements on how extremely different species came to have very similar eyes underscores the impasse of homology: “Even something as complex as the eye has appeared several times; for example in the squid, the vertebrates and the arthropods. It’s bad enough accounting for the origin of such things once, but the thought of producing them several times according to the modern synthetic theory makes my head swim.”

The Genetic and Embryological Impasse of Homology

In order for the evolutionist claim concerning “homology” to be taken seriously, similar (homologue) organs in different creatures should also be coded with similar (homologue) DNA codes. However, they are not. In most cases the genetic coding is quite different. Furthermore, similar genetic codes in the DNAs of different creatures are often associated with completely different organs.

Michael Denton, an Australian professor of biochemistry, describes in his book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, The Genetic Impasse of the Evolutionist Interpretation of Homology: “Homologous structures are often specified by non-homologous genetic systems and the concept of homology can seldom be extended back into embryology.”

Another point is that in order for the homology claim to be considered valid, the embryological development (developmental stages in the egg or mother’s womb) of the species with homologous organs should parallel one another. In fact, the embryological development of such organs is completely different in every living species.

To conclude, we can say that genetic and embryological research has proven that the concept of homology, defined by Darwin as “evidence of the evolution of living things from a common ancestor”, can by no means be regarded as any evidence at all. In this respect, science can be said to have proven the Darwinist thesis false time and time again. - islamweb.net

WHO IS ALLAH?

 

Some of the biggest misconceptions that many non-Muslims have about Islam have to do with the word “Allah.”  For various reasons, many people have come to believe that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews.  This is totally false, since “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for “God” - and there is only One God.  Let there be no doubt - Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus - peace be upon them all.  However, it is certainly true that Jews, Christians and Muslims all have different concepts of Almighty God.  For example, Muslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation.  This, however, does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God - because, as we have already said, there is only One True God.  Judaism, Christianity and Islam all claim to be “Abrahamic Faiths”, and all of them are also classified as “monotheistic.”  However, Islam teaches that other religions have, in one way or another, distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief in Almighty God by neglecting His true teachings and mixing them with man-made ideas.

First of all, it is important to note that “Allah” is the same word that Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews use for God.  If you pick up an Arabic Bible, you will see the word “Allah” being used where “God” is used in English.  This is because “Allah” is a word in the Arabic language equivalent to the English word “God” with a capital “G”.  Additionally, the word “Allah” cannot be made plural, a fact which goes hand-in-hand with the Islamic concept of God.

It is interesting to note that the Aramaic word “El”, which is the word for God in the language that Jesus spoke, is certainly more similar in sound to the word “Allah” than the English word “God.”  This also holds true for the various Hebrew words for God, which are “El” and “Elah”, and the plural or glorified form “Elohim.”  The reason for these similarities is that Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic are all Semitic languages with common origins.  It should also be noted that in translating the Bible into English, the Hebrew word “El” is translated variously as “God”, “god” and “angel”!  This imprecise language allows different translators, based on their preconceived notions, to translate the word to fit their own views.  The Arabic word “Allah” presents no such difficulty or ambiguity, since it is only used for Almighty God alone.  Additionally, in English, the only difference between “god”, meaning a false god, and “God”, meaning the One True God, is the capital “G”.  Due to the above mentioned facts, a more accurate translation of the word “Allah” into English might be “The One -and-Only God” or “The One True God.”

More importantly, it should also be noted that the Arabic word “Allah” contains a deep religious message due to its root meaning and origin.  This is because it stems from the Arabic verb ta’allaha (or alaha), which means “to be worshipped.”  Thus in Arabic, the word “Allah” means “The One who deserves all worship.”  This, in a nutshell, is the Pure Monotheistic message of Islam.

Suffice it to say that just because someone claims to be a “monotheistic” Jew, Christian or Muslim, that does not keep them from falling into corrupt beliefs and idolatrous practices.  Many people, including some Muslims, claim belief in “One God” even though they’ve fallen into acts of idolatry.  Certainly, many Protestants accuse Roman Catholics of idolatrous practices in regards to the saints and the Virgin Mary.  Likewise, the Greek Orthodox Church is considered “idolatrous” by many other Christians because in much of their worship they use icons.  However, if you ask a Roman Catholic or a Greek Orthodox person if God is “One”, they will invariably answer: “Yes!.”  This claim, however, does not stop them from being “creature worshipping” idolaters.  The same goes for Hindus, who just consider their gods to be “manifestations” or “incarnations” of the One Supreme God.

Before concluding… there are some people out there, who are obviously not on the side of truth, that want to get people to believe that “Allah” is just some Arabian “god”[1], and that Islam is completely “other” - meaning that it has no common roots with the other Abrahamic religions (i.e. Christianity and Judaism).  To say that Muslims worship a different “God” because they say “Allah” is just as illogical as saying that French people worship another God because they use the word “Dieu”, that Spanish-speaking people worship a different God because they say “Dios” or that the Jews worshipp a different God because they sometimes call Him “Yahweh.”  Certainly, reasoning like this is quite ridiculous!  It should also be mentioned, that claiming that any one language uses the only the correct word for God is tantamount to denying the universality of God’s message to mankind, which was to all nations, tribes and people through various prophets who spoke different languages.

We would like to ask our readers about the motives of these people?  The reason is that the Ultimate Truth of Islam stands on solid ground and its unshakeable belief in the Unity of God is above reproach.  Due to this, Christians can’t criticize its doctrines directly, but instead fabricate things about Islam that aren’t true so that people lose the desire to learn more.  If Islam were presented in the proper way to the world, it surely might make many people reconsider and re-evaluate their own beliefs.  It is quite likely that when they find out that there is a universal religion in the world that teaches people to worship and love God, while also practicing Pure Monotheism, would at least feel that they should re-examine the basis for their own beliefs and doctrines.  - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Such as the claim propagated by Robert Morey in his work, The Moon-god Allaah in the Archeology of the Middle East. For a discussion of this work, please see the following links:

(http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Sources/Allah/moongod.html)

35 Acts of Kindness in 5 Minutes or Less

 

It is super easy to be charitable. We often feel we don’t have the time or money for kind gestures, despite our best intentions.

But you can be kind and charitable without even spending any money. And you will get reward for it

Every act of kindness is a sadaqa (charity).

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, (Bukhari, Muslim)

Here are 35 ideas for some quick things we can do to practice an essential part of our faith: charity through kindness.

1- If someone owes you money, call or email them to extend the time they have to pay you back or forgive the debt altogether.

“If anyone would like Allah to save him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should give more time to his debtor who is short of money, or remit his debt altogether” (Muslim).

2- Teach a child one short verse of the Quran.

“The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others.” (Bukhari)

3 – Make a positive dua for someone, even if you’re not so much in good terms with the person.

4 – Say something that will help make peace between two people. This is considered as an act of charity. (Part of Hadith in Bukhari and Muslim.)

5 – Pour water into someone’s glass or get someone a glass of water. This is also considered an act of charity.

6 – Offer a glass of lemonade on a hot day or hot chocolate on a cold one to the delivery person.

7 – Help a person load their grocery bags or stuff into their car, or help them mount the bus or train. (Bukhari, Muslim)

8 – Say something nice to someone else as you know, “…a good word is charity” (Bukhari, Muslim).

9 – If you find debris on the road or highway, remove it or call the local number to inform the state’s highway patrol about it so others won’t be harmed. Removing harmful things from the road is also a form of sadaqa (Bukhari, Muslim).

10 – Text a parent, spouse, child, or friend to tell them you love them.

11 – Order a gift online.

“Exchange presents with one another, for they remove ill feelings from the hearts” (Tirmidhi).

12 – Call or email someone’s boss or supervisor about good customer service you received from a waiter, nurse, mechanic, teacher, etc.

13 – Write a glowing online review of a business you’ve had a good experience with.

14 – Stop backbiting in its tracks by changing the subject during a conversation.

15 – Call to set up a cleaning appointment for a sick or elderly relative or friend.

16 – Take out the trash for your elderly or sick neighbor.

17 – Let someone go in front of you at the checkout line when getting groceries.

18 – Give a good tip.

19 – Let another driver take that parking spot.

20 – Give up your seat for someone, especially an elderly person.

ve up your seat for someone, especially an elderly person.

“He is not of us who does not have mercy on young children, nor honors the elderly” (Tirmidhi).

21 – In terms of the latter part of the above-mentioned Hadith, stop yourself from scolding a kid who’s done something naughty but harmless.

22 – Write and mail off a handwritten thank you card.

23 – Smile and say, “Have a nice day,” to a person.

24 – Hold the door for someone.

25 – Defuse tension by cracking a joke.

26 – Smile. It’s Sunnah and good for your health.

27 – Plant something edible.

“If any Muslim plants something or sows seed from which a man, a bird, or an animal eats, it counts as a charity for him” (Bukhari, Muslim).

28 – Say “salam” to someone you’ve seen around but don’t really know.

“You should provide food, and greet both those you know, and those you do not” (Bukhari, Muslim).

29 – When you get home, say Salam to your family. When you enter your home, greet your family with the salutation “Assalamu alaikum.” This will be a source of blessings for you and your family (Tirmidhi).

30 – Forgive someone.

31 – Make an online donation to a cause or charity dear to a family member or friend.

32 – Bite your tongue and stop yourself from saying something unkind.

33 – Give someone wise and gentle advice. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Religion is advice.”

34 – Complete a short task one of your parents or your spouse asked you to do, whether it’s taking out the trash, emailing a relative, or doing some research about a product or medicine they need.

Hold a crying baby so its parent can get five minutes to relieve their stress a bit.

- aboutislam.net

WHERE IS GOD?

 

Now and again human beings are prompted to ask themselves some of life’s truly profound questions.  In the quiet darkness of the night, when far off stars twinkle in the vast, majestic sky, or in the cold, hard, light of day when life rushes past like a speeding train, people of all colours, races and creeds wonder about the meaning of their existence.  Why are we here?  What does this all mean?  Is this all there is?

On magnificent days filled with sunshine and iridescent blue skies, people turn their faces towards the sun and contemplate its beauty.  In the deepest winter or the wildest storm, they ponder the strength inherent in the forces of nature.  Somewhere in the deep recesses of the mind, the concept of God arises.  The wonders of creation are a call to the heart and the soul.  The gentle touch of a snowflake, the smell of freshly cut lawn, the soft patter of raindrops and fierce wind of a hurricane are all reminders that this world is full of wonder.

When pain and sadness threaten to engulf us, human beings are again prompted to contemplate the meaning of life.  In the midst of suffering and grief, the concept of God arises.  Even those who would consider themselves far from religion or spiritual belief find themselves looking skywards and pleading for help.  When the heart constricts and fear swamps us, we turn helplessly towards some sort of higher power.  The concept of a God then becomes real and meaningful.

In the midst of pleading and bargaining, the sheer vastness of the universe is laid bare.  The reality of life is filled with awe and wonder.  It is a rollercoaster ride.  There are moments of great joy, and periods of immense sadness.  Life can be long and monotonous or it can be carefree.  As God arises and His majesty is clear, more questions begin to take shape.  One question that inevitably comes to mind is – where is God?

Around the world and down through the ages people have struggled to come to terms with the question of where God is.  The human inclination is to search for God.  The ancient Babylonians and Egyptians built lofty towers in their search for God.  The Persians looked for Him in fire.  Still other, such as the indigenous people of North America and the Celtic people looked for God in the glorious signs of nature around them.  Buddhists find God in themselves, and in the Hindu religion, God is believed to be in every place and in everything.

The quest for God can be confusing.  When posing the question where is God, the resulting answers can also be confusing.  God is everywhere.  God is in your heart.  God is where goodness and beauty exist.  What happens however, when your heart is empty and your surroundings are dismal, dirty, and ugly?  Does God cease to exist?  No! Of course not!  Amidst this confusion, the Islamic concept of God is a beacon of light for those stumbling in the darkness.

What Muslims believe about God is clear-cut and simple.  They do not believe that God is everywhere; they believe that God is above the heavens.  The human need to turn our faces towards the sky in times of trouble and strife is an inherent answer to the question, where is God?  God tells us in the Quran that He is the Most High (Quran 2:255) and that He is above all His Creation.

“He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then rose over the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty).  He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto.  And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be.  And God is the All-Seer of what you do.” (Quran 57:4)

Prophet Muhammad was known to point towards the sky when referring to God.  When making supplication to God he raised his hands towards the heavens.  During his Farewell sermon, Prophet Muhammad asked the people, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “Yes!”  He asked again, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “Yes!”  He asked a third time, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said “Yes!”  Each time, he said, “O God, bear witness!” - at the same time pointing up to the sky and then at the people.[1]

God is above the heavens, above His creation.  This however does not mean that He is contained by any sort of physical dimensions.  God is close, very close, to those who believe in Him and He answers their every call.  God knows all of our secrets, dreams, and wishes, nothing is hidden from Him.  God is with His creation by His knowledge and power.  God is the Creator and the Sustainer.  Nothing comes into existence except by His will.

When Muslims marvel at the wonders of the universe they are secure in the knowledge that God, the Most High, is above the heavens, and comforted by the fact that He is with them in all their affairs.  When a Muslim is struck by loss or grief, he does not question God’s wisdom, or ask the question, ‘where was God when I was sad, or grieving or suffering?’  Humankind was created to worship God, (Quran 51:56) and God said many times that trials and tribulations would be part of our life experience.

“And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days ...that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.” (Quran 11:7)

In their darkest night, or their darkest hour humankind instinctively looks towards the sky.  When their hearts beat heavily and fear threatens to overwhelm them, people turn to God.  They raise their hands and beg for mercy, forgiveness, or kindness, and God responds;  For He is the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving and the Most Kind.  God is distinct and separate from His creation, and there is nothing like Him.  He is All Hearing and All seeing.  (Quran 42:11)  Hence when we ask the question where is God, the answer is undoubtedly, He is above the heavens and above all His creation. We also say that He is not in need of any of His creation and all of creation needs Him.. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]The text of the Farewell Sermon can be found in Saheeh Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim,  and in the books of At Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad.