Showing posts with label Who is Allah?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Who is Allah?. Show all posts

Monday, January 18, 2010

Allah Untuk Semua!

Allah Untuk Semua!

Dr Dzulkefli Ahmad

Saya amat insaf isu penggunaan kalimah "Allah" oleh penganut Katolik Kristian di negara ini bakal menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi buruk seandainya penganut Islam dan penganut agama lain khususnya Kristian gagal mengawal emosi dan tidak faham isunya yang sebenar.

Perasan tersebut menghantui penulis, selaku ahli Lujnah Politik PAS Pusat ketika melangkah masuk ke dewan mesyuarat, Pejabat Agung PAS di Jalan Raja Laut pada malam Isnin, 4 Januari 2010. Silap haribulan, dalam PAS pun boleh berlaku kebrentakan.

Bermain di minda penulis adalah kesan impak dan senario, akan akibat keputusan yang bakal diambil. Berlatarbelakangkan demografi negara atau kependudukan dan pengundi yang bersifat 60-40 atau "Mixed", kesan "senjata dua mata" atau "double-edged sword" ini tidak dapat dielakkan. Ada yang suka dan menyokong dan tentunya ada yang akan kecewa dan marah.

Namun, penulis berazam dan mahukan keputusan yang bakal dicapai adalah satu yang dirumuskan dengan segala pertanggungjawabannya. Ya betul perhitungan politik yang bijak dan waras itu penting, tetapi dasar yang berdasarkan hujjah dan sandaran Al-Quran mesti jelas dan teguh dahulu.

Penulis benar-benar menarik nafas lega dengan keputusan. Keputusan lujnah telah pun diumumkan dan tentunya penulis tak boleh menceritakan apa yang yang berlaku di sebalik dewan tertutup itu untuk hampir tiga jam. Berikut adalah penulisan secara ilmiah sebagai perkongsian untuk tatapan umum.

Kerana kekangan ruang, isu ini wajar dilihat penulis dari 2 aspek penting.
i. Perspektif Al-Quran atau Hukum dan
ii. Perspektif Pentadbiran atau Perundangan dan kalau sisi pandang PAS apa yang dikatakan sebagai perkiraan Siasah Syariah atau Siasah dari kacamata Syariah atau tegasnya kesan baikburuk mengikut pandangan Syariah.

Isu ini timbul kerana pengharaman yang dibuat oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) terhadap penerbitan mingguan Herald Katolik yang menggunakan kalimah Allah dalam penerbitannya dalam Bahasa Malaysia. Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur telah membuat keputusan bahawa KDN salah dalam pengharaman itu berdasarkan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Saya cuba huraikan kemudian secara ringkas.

Untuk pengetahuan umum, penganut agama Kristian Katolik di Sabah dan Sarawak telah menggunakan kalimah "Allah" sejak 150 tahun lalu. Kalimah Allah juga digunakan oleh penganut-penganut Sikh Gudwara. Dalam konteks negara timur tengah dan negara umat Islam lain, penggunaan nama "Allah" oleh penganut lain, tidak menimbulkan masalah sejak berzaman.

Persoalan penting yang ummat Islam di negara ini perlu faham ialah, apakah Al-Quran mengizinkan kalimah Allah digunakan oleh penganut selain Ummat Islam? Dan apa pula pendirian ulama-ulama besar terkini atau kontemporari terhadap isu ini, khususnya dalam konteks Islam dalam dunia kini?

Jawapan ini penting dan dapat mengelakkan isu ini dipolitikkan bahkan diekspolitasi sehingga mengeruhkan suasana perhubungan baik antara-agama dan antara-budaya.

Para Ulama kerap merujuk kepada beberapa ayat di dalam Al-Quran yang menyebutkan bahawa Allah SWT sendiri mengiktiraf, bahawa orang-orang muskrik (yang menyembah berhala) pun mengakui bahawa Allah adalah Rabb atau Tuhan yang Mencipta atau Al-Khaliq. Bermakna mereka menerima Tuhan Yang Menjadikan Semesta Alam ini (Tawhid Rububiyah). Islam secara lengkapnya dalam bab Keimanan atau Aqidah Tawhid menerima Allah selaku Pencipta (Rububiyah) dan Pentadbir/Pemberi Hukum (Uluhiyah).

Dalam Al-Quran Allah berfirman: "Dan jika (Muhammad) tanyakan mereka siapa yang menjadikan langit dan bumi?", Tentu mereka akan jawab "Allah". Katakanlah "Segala Puji bagi Allah, tetapi kebanyakan mereka tidak mengetahui" [Surah Luqman,31: 25]

Tegasnya mereka mengiktiraf Allah tetapi hanya dari sifat "Rububiyah"(Pencipta) dan tidak selengkapnya termasuk Allah selaku Yang Mentadbir dan Memberi Hukum (Tauhid Rububiyah).

Saya merujuk kepada pandangan dua tokoh besar ulama terkini, Sheikh Yusuf Qardhawi, penerima anugerah Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1431H dan Sheikh Dr Wahbah Zuhaili Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1429H. Kedua-dua berpandangan bahawa penggunaan nama "Allah" adalah dibolehkan kepada penganut-penganut agama Nabi Allah Ibrahim yakni Islam, Kristian dan Judaism.

Kedua-dua berpandangan bahawa ia adalah baik untuk menjalinkan kesatuan dan perpaduan di peringkat "persaudaraan agama samawiyat", paling tidaknya. Mereka tidak mengambil sikap sempit macam sesetengah orang Islam di negara ini, bahawa Allah hanya untuk orang Islam secara eksklusif dan penganut lain tak boleh guna nama Allah atau macam suruh cari Tuhan lain pulak. Berapa banyak Tuhan yang ada? Bukankah Islam menganjurkan semua ummat manusia mengiktiraf Tuhan itu Esa atau Satu.

Perhatikan ayat di seterusnya ini. Allah sebutkan dalam Al-Quran: "....kami beriman kepada Kitab-kitab yang diturunkan kepada kami dan yang diturunkan kepadamu, Tuhan kami dan Tuhan kamu, satu dan hanya kepadanya kami berserah diri....." [Surah Al-Ankabut, 29:46]

Bukankah lebih baik, mengikut logik akal waras, di samping hujah dari al-Quran dan kata Ulama tadi, supaya kita galakkan mereka juga menerima "Allah", walaupun Tawhid dan Aqidah mereka tak sempurna macam kita. Memanglah, itulah sebabnya mereka Kristian atau Yahudi atau selainnya.

Kalau mereka percaya macam aqidah kita tentang Allah, jadilah mereka orang Islam, bukanlah lagi Kristian dan Yahudi. Namun bolehkah kita paksa Aqidah kita itu kepada mereka? Tentunya tidak. Tidak ada paksaan dalam Islam.

Setelah mengizinkan agama lain menggunakan nama "Allah", maka yang lebih penting adalah supaya tidak menyalahgunakan nama "Allah" itu. Ini perlu diberikan peraturan dan keterangan seperti yang ditegaskan oleh keputusan PAS, supaya jangan ada yang menyalahgunakan perkatan Allah.

Hal ini juga dibangkitkan oleh bekas Mufti Perlis Dr Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin. Ini aspek pengurusannya atau Siyasah Syariahnya, supaya dijaga maslahahnya dan dijauhkan mafsadah atau kemudharatanya. Jelasnya begitu.

Sebenarnya, perkara itulah yang dimaksudkan dengan Perkara 11(4) dan 11(5) dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan supaya di pihak berwajib menjaga pentadbiran kebebasan bergama supaya tidak timbul huru-hara dan ketidakstabilan dan dikekalkan keharmonian. Pada waktu yang sama agama lain tidak boleh berdakwah kepada orang Islam seperti Perkara 11 (4). Ini wajib dijaga dan perlu juga peraturan. Adakan peraturan. Jangan haramkan penggunaan nama Allah, tak selesai masalah.

Sebab itu juga keputusan PAS menekankan supaya jangan ada pihak yang terlalu agresif dan melakukan provakasi sehingga mencetuskan huru-hara dan menjejaskan keharmonian antara agama dan konflik antara kaum-budaya.

Itu saja. Mengapa sampai nak berperang? Mengapa sampai nak berdemonstrasi? Kata 1-Malaysia? Mengapa perlu menimbulkan kesangsian dan syak wasangka sehingga menjejaskan keharmonian antara agama? Siapa yang mempolitikkan isu ini?

Pada saya yang lebih penting dari memperjuangkan isu nama "Allah" itu, ialah memperjuangkan Apa yang Allah perintahkan kepada kita ummat Islam, termasuk menganjurkan kebaikan dan melarang kemungkaran termasuk membenteras rasuah, salah guna kuasa, pembaziran, membasmi kemiskinan, kezaliman dll!

[*Dr.Dzulkefly Ahmad ialah Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat dan Ahli Parlimen Kuala Selangor; excerpted from Harakah online.]

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Who Is Allah?


Description: Do Muslims worship the same God as the Jews and Christians? What does the word Allah mean? Is Allah the Moon-god?

By Abdurrahman Robert Squires

One of the biggest misconceptions about Islam has to do with the word “Allah.” For various reasons, many people have come to believe that Muslims worship a different God. This is totally false, since “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for “God” - and there is only One God.

Let there be no doubt that 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 what has been 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.

There are some people, 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 Hebrews worshipped 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.

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.


Footnotes:

[1] The claim propagated by Robert Morey in his work, The Moon-god Allaah in the Archeology of the Middle East.


©IslamReligion.com

The Beautiful Names of Allah


21. Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitude’s which We propound to men that they may reflect.

22. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god: Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

23. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god: the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, and the Supreme: Glory to Allah. (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.

24. He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.


[Al-Hasyar, 59: 21-24]

The Concept of God in Islam


The Concept of God in Islam

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.

Who is Allah?

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word god who can be made plural, gods, or feminine, goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus [Isa ‘alaihis salam] and a sister language of Arabic.

He is God the One God

The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. The Surah Al-Ikhlas, 112 which reads:

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of God, the Merciful, and the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) we are told that "God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."

But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtuous, His bounties and favors. Actually God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their lives should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Quranic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect:

"Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you?" [Al-Qalam, 68:34-36]

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.

The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins.

What is meant above applies ONLY to those people who die in a state wherein they are associating others with God. The repentance of those who yet live is acceptable to God if He wills.

The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if the does not depend on anything for the continuance of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the First and the Last."

He is Self-Sufficient or Self-Subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

"God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth." [Az-Zumār, 39:62, 63]

"No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and it repository." [Hud, 11:6]

God's Attributes

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.

The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:

"God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: For then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others." [Al-Mu’minūn, 23:91]

And Why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin." [Al-Anbiyā’, 21:22]

The Oneness of God

The Quran reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects, it asks:

"Do you worship what you have carved yourself?" [As-Safaat, 37:95]

"Or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" [Ar-Ra’ad, 13:16]

To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham (‘alaihissalam):

"When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'I love not the setters.' When he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.' When he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater.' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters.'" [Al-An’aam, 6:76-79]

Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."[ Surah Al-Ikhlas, 112]

The Believer's Attitude

In order to be a Muslim, i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief - later on called "Tawhid Ar-Rabbubiyyah" - is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this, but that was not enough to make them Muslims. To Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah one must add Tawhid Al'uluhiyyah, i.e., one acknowledges the fact that is God alone Who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.

Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.

When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds." Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God which could be said to be the essence of 'Ibadah' [worship].

The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir' which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful.'

A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.

The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Quran:

"He is God; there is no god but He, He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God, there is no God but He. He is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belongs the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." [Al-Hashr, 59:22-24]

"There is no god but Him, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious." [Al-Baqarah, 2:255]

"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him - [He is] above having a son." [An-Nisā’, 4:171]

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.


[Via The Institute of Islamic Information and Education. Reprinted from WAMY and MSA]

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

AL-ASMAUL-HUSNA

Here is a list of 99 names used for Allah in Islam. The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them. (7:180)

Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. (13:28)

Allah
Ar-Rahim
Ar-Rahman
Al-Malik
Al-Muhaymin
Al-Mumin
As-Salaam
Al-Qudduus
Al-Khaaliq
Al-Mutakabbir
Al-Jabbaar
Al-Aziz
Al-Qahhar
Al-Ghaffar
Al-Musawwir
Al-Baari
Al-Aleem
Al-Fattah
Ar-Razzaq
Al-Wahhab
Ar-Raafey
Al-Khaafidh
Al-Baasit
Al-Qaabidh
Al-Baseer
As-Samii
Al-Mudhil
Al-Mu'iz
Al-Qabir
Al-Latif
Al-'Adl
Al-Hakam
As-Shakur
Al-Ghafur
Al-'Adzim
Al-Halim
Al-Muqit
Al-Hafidz
Al-Kabir
Al-'Ali
Ar-Raqib
Al-Karim
Al-Jalil
Al-Hasib
Al-Wadud
Al-Hakim
Al-Wasei
Al-Mujib
Al-Haq
As-Shahid
Al-Baith
Al-Majid
Al-Wali
Al-Matin
Al-Qawi
Al-Wakil
Al-Mu'id
Al-Mubdi
Al-Muhsi
Al-Hamid
Al-Qaiyum
Al-Hai
Al-Mumit
Al-Muhyi
Al-Ahad
Al-Wahid
Al-Majid
Al-Wajid
Al-Muqaddim
Al-Muqtadir
Al-Qadir
As-Samad
Adh-Dhaahir
Al-Aakhir
Al-Awwal
Al-Muakkhir
Al-Barr
Al-Muta-'ali
Al-Wali
Al-Batin
Ar-Ra'uf
Al-Afuw
Al-Muntaqim
At-Tawwab
Al-Muqsit
Dzul-Jalaliwal Ikram
Malik-ul-Mulk
Al-Manei
Al-Mughni
Al-Ghani
Al-Jam'ie
Al-Hadi
An-Nur
An-Nafa'i
Adh-Dharr
As-Sabur
Ar-Rashid
Al-Warith
Al-Baqi

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Islamic Concept Belief in God.


Who is Allah? 
 

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-‘ālamīn. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word god who can be made plural, gods, or feminine, goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus [Isa ‘alaihis salam] and a sister language of Arabic.

He is God the One God

The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. The Surah Al-Ikhlas, 112 which reads:

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of God, the Merciful, and the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) we are told that "God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."

But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtuous, His bounties and favors. Actually God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their lives should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Quranic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect:

"Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you?" [Al-Qalam, 68:34-36]

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.

The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins.

What is meant above applies ONLY to those people who die in a state wherein they are associating others with God. The repentance of those who yet live is acceptable to God if He wills.

The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if the does not depend on anything for the continuance of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the First and the Last."

 
He is Self-Sufficient or Self-Subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

"God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth." [Az-Zumār, 39:62, 63]

"No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and it repository." [Hud, 11:6]
God's Attributes

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.

The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:

"God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: For then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others." [Al-Mu’minūn, 23:91]

And Why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin." [Al-Anbiyā’, 21:22]

The Oneness of God

The Quran reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects, it asks:

"Do you worship what you have carved yourself?" [As-Safaat, 37:95]

"Or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" [Ar-Ra’ad, 13:16]

To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham (‘alaihissalam):

"When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'I love not the setters.' When he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.' When he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater.' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters.'" [Al-An’aam, 6:76-79]

Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."[ Surah Al-Ikhlas, 112]

The Believer's Attitude

In order to be a Muslim, i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief - later on called "Tawhid Ar-Rabbubiyyah" - is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this, but that was not enough to make them Muslims. To Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah one must add Tawhid Al'uluhiyyah, i.e., one acknowledges the fact that is God alone Who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.

Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.

When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds." Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God which could be said to be the essence of 'Ibadah' [worship].

The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir' which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful.'

A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.

The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Quran:

"He is God; there is no god but He, He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God, there is no God but He. He is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belongs the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." [Al-Hashr, 59:22-24]

"There is no god but Him, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious." [Al-Baqarah, 2:255]

"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him - [He is] above having a son." [An-Nisā’, 4:171]

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

[Via The Institute of Islamic Information and Education. Reprinted from WAMY and MSA]

Saturday, April 1, 2006

Oneness, Uniqueness Of Allah [Tawhid]



Translation of Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 93, Number 507:

Narrated Anas:

The Prophet said, "Allah will gather the believers on the Day of Resurrection in the same way (as they are gathered in this life), and they will say, 'Let us ask someone to intercede for us with our Lord that He may relieve us from this place of ours.'

Then they will go to Adam and say, 'O Adam! Don't you see the people (people's condition)? Allah created you with His Own Hands and ordered His angels to prostrate before you, and taught you the names of all the things. Please intercede for us with our Lord so that He may relieve us from this place of ours.' Adam will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking' and mention to them the mistakes he had committed, and add, 'But you'd better go to Noah as he was the first Apostle sent by Allah to the people of the Earth.'

They will go to Noah who will reply, 'I am not fit for this undertaking,' and mention the mistake which he made, and add, 'But you'd better go to Abraham, Khalil Ar-Rahman.'

They will go to Abraham who will reply, 'I am not fit for this undertaking,' and mention to them the mistakes he made, and add, 'But you'd better go to Moses, a slave whom Allah gave the Torah and to whom He spoke directly'

They will go to Moses who will reply, 'I am not fit for this undertaking,' and mention to them the mistakes he made, and add, 'You'd better go to Jesus, Allah's slave and His Apostle and His Word (Be: And it was) and a soul created by Him.'

They will go to Jesus who will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking, but you'd better go to Muhammad whose sins of the past and the future had been forgiven (by Allah).'

So they will come to me and I will ask the permission of my Lord, and I will be permitted (to present myself) before Him. When I see my Lord, I will fall down in (prostration) before Him and He will leave me (in prostration) as long as He wishes, and then it will be said to me, 'O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.'

I will then raise my head and praise my Lord with certain praises which He has taught me, and then I will intercede. Allah will allow me to intercede (for a certain kind of people) and will fix a limit whom I will admit into Paradise.

I will come back again, and when I see my Lord (again), I will fall down in prostration before Him, and He will leave me (in prostration) as long as He wishes, and then He will say, 'O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to; and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.'

I will then praise my Lord with certain praises which He has taught me, and then I will intercede. Allah will allow me to intercede (for a certain kind of people) and will fix a limit to whom I will admit into Paradise, I will return again, and when I see my Lord, I will fall down (in prostration) and He will leave me (in prostration) as long as He wishes, and then He will say, 'O Muhammad! Raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and ask, for you will be granted (your request); and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted.'

I will then praise my Lord with certain praises which He has taught me, and then I will intercede. Allah will allow me to intercede (for a certain kind of people) and will fix a limit to whom I will admit into Paradise.

I will come back and say, 'O my Lord! None remains in Hell (Fire) but those whom Qur'an has imprisoned therein and for whom eternity in Hell (Fire) has become inevitable.' "

The Prophet added, "There will come out of Hell (Fire) everyone who says: 'La ilaha illal-lah,' and has in his heart good equal to the weight of a barley grain. Then there will come out of Hell (Fire) everyone who says: ' La ilaha illal-lah,' and has in his heart good equal to the weight of a wheat grain. Then there will come out of Hell (Fire) everyone who says: 'La ilaha illal-lah,' and has in his heart good equal to the weight of an atom (or a smallest ant)."

End

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Crescent Moon.

Mr. John Walter from US asked me about Crescent Moon.

I said that there is no revealed or specific symbol for Islam, as a religion. Islam is a monotheist religion with a pure concept and understanding of The Creator as a transcendental God. It is fully against incarnation.

That is the reason the Islamic art and architecture is very distinct and you would not find any statues or even pictures of Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]. Some may have done it out of their ignorance, which in fact provide no excuse

Even the messenger of [God] Allah that is Prophet Muhammad is considered a man, simply conveyed the message and was never considered an icon of Islam.

A simple symbol is quite different from an icon. A symbol refers to a meaning, while an icon tries to capture a transcendental meaning by turning it into an incarnated form.

This idea also is very much related to the Christian claim of Trinity and the claim of the incarnation of God in Jesus. That is why icons have a “holy” interpretation in Christian practices and the “embodiment” of meaning is a common feature, even in their ceremonies.

This case is completely the opposite in Islam, which is transcendental; symbols are symbols! They are just pointing to a meaning and are never attempting to turn it into an immanent presence. They are neither trying to capture the sacred into an icon, which embodies it.

What prompted some Muslims to use the crescent, as a symbol on their flag, was the starting of the fast during the month of Ramadan, when the crescent appears. The crescent marks the beginning of the Islamic months, as Muslims follow the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar.

The crescent is not a “holy symbol”. Islam does not believe in any “holy idols” or symbols to be worshipped!

Allah says in The Holy Qur’an in Surah Al Baqarah 2:189:

They ask you concerning the new moons. Say: They are but times appointed for [the benefit of] men, and [for] the pilgrimage...

However, some accusations have been leveled against Islam that the crescent is a “holy symbol” of Islam and that it is originally a pagan symbol. Dr Robert Morey made the argument that the pre-Islamic Semitic world was the home to widespread worship of a moon god or goddess named "Allah".

The problem with this kind of speculations, about pre-Islamic deities from the Semitic world, as in this case, is the fact that any inscription prior to the advent of Islam is also prior to the introduction of diacritical marks in the Semitic languages.

If one claims to have found evidence of a moon god named "Allah" in Palestine, Syria, or Lebanon, this claim applies to the respective deities of both Christianity and Islam.

One of the basic Hebrew words for God, Eloh, can easily be pronounced alah without the diacritical marks. The Aramaic word for God is alah! This word, in the standard script or the Estrangela script is spelled alap-lamad-heh [ALH], which is the exactly corresponding letters, to the Hebrew eloh.

The Arabic word for God, Allah, is spelled in a very similar way. It is even related to the more generic word for deity, ilah.

The obvious linguistic and etymological connections between the respective words for God, in these closely related Semitic languages. Allah, Alah, and Eloh being related to ilah, Eel, and El, respectively. It is Trinitarians want to claim that Allah or Alah was the name of a tribal moon god, and that worship of such a deity is a gross pagan practice.

Dr. Robert Morey in his book entitled The Islamic Invasion: Confronting the World's Fastest Growing Religion also sees Islam as an invasion into North America and a threat to his religious heritage. Unfortunately, Dr. Morey has resorted to hostile tactics in combating Islam. To prove his contention that Allah is not the God of Christians and Jews, he quoted from several books in such a dishonest and malicious fashion that the quotations say the opposite of what is found in those books.

Thus, the using of the crescent as a symbol, along others symbols, to represent Islam is a non issue and infact permissible, on the condition that you are aware that it is in no way holy or immanent codification of belief. Islam is a monotheist religion and its conception of God is highly transcendental.