To be without a Lord.. To be without Refuge..
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Reflections on the Concept of the Attributes of -God- as Lord and Deity
Well I think we all know that the model closest to mind may be that of a person who has been bitten by life, bitten by its fangs or tails! This model is very understandable.. How such a person is most in need of someone to shelter him/her, and he -the one he seeks shelter with- is certainly not of the human race. This person is certainly most in need of faith in God, as the only Lord.
As for the other model, it is of a person who perhaps life has not ravaged him as it did to the other person. Perhaps he is of a prominent position, or perhaps he has a strong personality and a unique mind. Perhaps one can imagine that this human model is far removed from feeling the need for God...! I say, yes, this perception may be somewhat understandable, given the material causes that distracted that person from seeing this need for God. However, we often immediately see the psychological disarray or deep-seated turmoil, and perhaps the profound sense of loss that this person suffers as a result of the loss of purpose and meaning in life. This person is certainly in dire need of faith in the God, as the only Deity.
It is known by necessity that the first model is not independent of the deityness of God and that the second model is not independent of the lordship of God, the Blessed and Exalted, but each of them has a greater need for a certain aspect of the attributes of God - the Almighty - and perhaps this is a door to the wisdom of the diversity of the names and beautiful attributes of God and what results from that in terms of the contemplation of the contemplators and the drawing near of those who draw near to Him, the Almighty and Exalted. However, this door to the attributes of god is not what I intended by mentioning those human models, but I intended to mention the attributes of deityness and lordship for their decisive comprehensiveness and their comprehensive meanings.
As for decisive comprehensiveness
God is the one true Deity, with no partner, no companion, and no son. He existed before existence. Rather, He is the One who brought existence into being and who created everything, absolutely and without dispute. He is the only One deserving and worthy of being worshipped as the God of this universe, its Originator and Creator. This is a comprehensive and decisive attribute.
Naturally, our minds cannot comprehend all the details of this truth—the beginning of creation—unless God explains it to us and clarifies it to us in His Books and through the tongues of His Messengers.
As for comprehensive meanings
As the true Deity, God Almighty necessarily combines in this attribute all the meanings of power, mercy, wisdom, and glorification of Him, glory be to Him.
And as the true Lord, God Almighty necessarily combines in this attribute all the meanings of wealth, sovereignty, generosity, and management. These are comprehensive meanings.
About the words of God Almighty and His final message
And I will quote below what Allah - the Almighty - said about Himself, in His great book, the Holy Quran. I have been careful to quote the easiest, clearest and most simple verses in presenting and clarifying the facts. I have also been careful in the English version of this article not to be satisfied with just one translation for each verse, but rather to quote more than one translation for each verse, perhaps that would provide a more clear and comprehensive understanding of the meanings and ideas, Since Allah the Almighty chose to send down His last book - the Holy Quran - in eloquent Arabic to eloquent Arabs, challenging them in their language, with words that neither mankind nor jinn could produce, even if they gathered together! They cannot produce letters like it, let alone ten surahs, let alone one surah! Rather, they stood - and will remain - amazed and astonished before the magnificence and miraculousness of that speech, and even before the strangeness of those disconnected letters - just some normal Arabic alphabet letters - with which Allah opened some of the surahs of His book, challenging the masters of craftsmanship in their craft! It is as if Allah, the Almighty, is directing our attention to this issue, As if He is saying to them - and to us - : Here are the alphabet letters of your Arabic language between your hands. I have gathered some of them together for you, one letter, two letters, three letters, or more, but you are unable to understand their meanings - with certainty - unless I tell you.. and I may not! The strange thing is that not even - at that time - one of those eloquent and articulate people dared to ask about the meanings of those disconnected letters! They were silenced and silenced by the sweetness and eloquence of that speech, and they - and we - have the right to do so, for it is the speech of Allah, Lord of this universe and its Deity, and the Book of Allah - the final book- will remain eloquent, impregnable, miraculous, comprehensive, supreme, and nothing is superior to it... and praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
And here is the first verse of the second Surah of the holy Quran starts with some of these mentioned above Arabic alphabet -disconnected letters-
The Cow (2:1-5)
Alif-Lãm-Mĩm. This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah˺, who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them, and who believe in what has been revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ and what was revealed before you, and have sure faith in the Hereafter. It is they who are ˹truly˺ guided by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Alif, Lām, Meem. This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allāh - Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful. — Saheeh International
The Cow (2:23)
And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a sûrah like it and call your helpers other than Allah, if what you say is true. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down [i.e., the Qur’ān] upon Our Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)], then produce a sūrah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses [i.e., supporters] other than Allāh, if you should be truthful. — Saheeh International
Hud (11:13)
Or do they say, “He has fabricated this ˹Quran˺!”? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Produce ten fabricated sûrahs like it and seek help from whoever you can—other than Allah—if what you say is true!” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Or do they say, "He invented it"? Say, "Then bring ten sūrahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allāh, if you should be truthful." — Saheeh International
Jonah (10:37-38)
It is not ˹possible˺ for this Quran to have been produced by anyone other than Allah. In fact, it is a confirmation of what came before, and an explanation of the Scripture. It is, without a doubt, from the Lord of all worlds. Or do they claim, “He made it up!”? Tell them ˹O Prophet˺, “Produce one sûrah like it then, and seek help from whoever you can—other than Allah—if what you say is true!” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And it was not [possible] for this Qur’ān to be produced by other than Allāh, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say [about the Prophet (ﷺ)], "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a sūrah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allāh, if you should be truthful." — Saheeh International
The Mount (52:33-37)
Or do they say, “He made this ˹Quran˺ up!”? In fact, they have no faith. Let them then produce something like it, if what they say is true! Or were they created by nothing, or are they ˹their own˺ creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? In fact, they have no certainty. Or do they possess the treasuries of your Lord, or are they in control ˹of everything˺? — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Or do they say, "He has made it up"? Rather, they do not believe. Then let them produce a statement like it, if they should be truthful. Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain. Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]? — Saheeh International
Hud (11:14-17)
But if your helpers fail you, then know that it has been revealed with the knowledge of Allah, and that there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him! Will you ˹not˺ then submit ˹to Allah˺? Whoever desires ˹only˺ this worldly life and its luxuries, We will pay them in full for their deeds in this life—nothing will be left out. It is they who will have nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire. Their efforts in this life will be fruitless and their deeds will be useless. ˹Can these people be compared to˺ those ˹believers˺ who stand on clear proof from their Lord, backed by ˹the Quran as˺ a witness from Him, and preceded by the Book of Moses ˹which was revealed˺ as a guide and mercy? It is those ˹believers˺ who have faith in it. But whoever from the ˹disbelieving˺ groups rejects it, the Fire will be their destiny. So do not be in doubt of it. It is certainly the truth from your Lord, but most people do not believe. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And if they do not respond to you - then know that it [i.e., the Qur’ān] was revealed with the knowledge of Allāh and that there is no deity except Him. Then, would you [not] be Muslims? Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do. So is one who [stands] upon a clear evidence from his Lord [like the aforementioned]? And a witness from Him follows it, and before it was the Scripture of Moses to lead and as mercy. Those [believers in the former revelations] believe in it [i.e., the Qur’ān]. But whoever disbelieves in it from the [various] factions - the Fire is his promised destination. So be not in doubt about it. Indeed, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the people do not believe. — Saheeh International
Jonah (10:38)
Or do they claim, “He made it up!”? Tell them ˹O Prophet˺, “Produce one sûrah like it then, and seek help from whoever you can—other than Allah—if what you say is true!” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Or do they say [about the Prophet (ﷺ)], "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a sūrah like it and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allāh, if you should be truthful." — Saheeh International
The Prostration (32:1-11)
Alif-Lãm-Mĩm. The revelation of this Book is—beyond doubt—from the Lord of all worlds. Or do they say, “He has fabricated it!”? No! It is the truth from your Lord in order for you to warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so they may be ˹rightly˺ guided. It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six Days, then established Himself on the Throne. You have no protector or intercessor besides Him. Will you not then be mindful? He conducts every affair from the heavens to the earth, then it all ascends to Him on a Day whose length is a thousand years by your counting. That is the Knower of the seen and unseen—the Almighty, Most Merciful, Who has perfected everything He created. And He originated the creation of humankind from clay. Then He made his descendants from an extract of a humble fluid, then He fashioned them and had a spirit of His Own ˹creation˺ breathed into them. And He gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks. ˹Still˺ they ask ˹mockingly˺, “When we are disintegrated into the earth, will we really be raised as a new creation?” In fact, they are in denial of the meeting with their Lord. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Your soul will be taken by the Angel of Death, who is in charge of you. Then to your Lord you will ˹all˺ be returned.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Alif, Lām, Meem. [This is] the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say, "He invented it"? Rather, it is the truth from your Lord, [O Muḥammad], that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you [so] perhaps they will be guided. It is Allāh who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six days; then He established Himself above the Throne. You have not besides Him any protector or any intercessor; so will you not be reminded? He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count. That is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, the Exalted in Might, the Merciful, Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his posterity out of the extract of a liquid disdained. Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]; little are you grateful. And they say, "When we are lost [i.e., disintegrated] within the earth, will we indeed be [recreated] in a new creation?" Rather, they are, in the meeting with their Lord, disbelievers. Say, "The angel of death who has been entrusted with you will take you. Then to your Lord you will be returned." — Saheeh International
Allah the Almighty has guaranteed to protect His revealed words in His Book - the Holy Quran - from all forms of distortion and alteration, just as He did not want to guarantee the preservation of all the previous books and messages that He sent down to His Messengers before Muhammad - may God’s prayers and peace be upon them all - so tell me - if you know - where are now those scriptures that God sent down to Abraham, and where are the original texts of the Torah of Moses, and where is the Psalms of David, and where is the original text of the Gospel of Jesus.. They have all gone and been lost or distorted, altered and changed until there had been multiple copies and various editions! This does not mean that they did not really exist or that they were not truly from God. Yes, by God I swear, they did indeed exist, correct and complete, in past eras, when those messengers - peace be upon them all - were alive, and perhaps also after them for periods throughout history. Those books and scriptures mentioned earlier were certainly from God, Within them were many of His sacred orders and commandments, but now most of them have disappeared or been distorted, altered and changed. They were distorted and altered by the worst of creation from among mankind and devils, as God did not want from the beginning to undertake to preserve them after the departure of their owners to whom they were revealed -peace be upon them-. Then after that, God sent His final messenger, Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, and revealed to him His final book as a guardian over all what came before it of books, to clarify to people the traditions and news of those who came before them from the previous nations. Just as God Almighty undertook to preserve His final book - the Qur’an - He also undertook to preserve and protect His final Prophet, the last one of the Prophets - peace be upon him - was protected from anything that would prevent him from conveying his message to the people.
The Rocky Tract (15:9)
It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur’ān], and indeed, We will be its guardian. — Saheeh International
Explained in Detail (41:41-42)
Indeed, those who deny the Reminder after it has come to them ˹are doomed˺, for it is truly a mighty Book. It cannot be proven false from any angle. ˹It is˺ a revelation from the ˹One Who is˺ All-Wise, Praiseworthy. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Indeed, those who disbelieve in the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] after it has come to them... And indeed, it is a mighty Book. Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy. — Saheeh International
The Table Spread (5:67)
O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will ˹certainly˺ protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allāh will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people. — Saheeh International
The Women (4:26)
It is Allah’s Will to make things clear to you, guide you to the ˹noble˺ ways of those before you, and turn to you in mercy. For Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Allāh wants to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise. — Saheeh International
The Ranks (61:6-9)
And ˹remember˺ when Jesus, son of Mary, said, “O children of Israel! I am truly Allah’s messenger to you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving good news of a messenger after me whose name will be Aḥmad.” Yet when the Prophet came to them with clear proofs, they said, “This is pure magic.” Who does more wrong than the one who fabricates lies about Allah when invited to submit ˹to Him˺? For Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will ˹certainly˺ perfect His light, even to the dismay of the disbelievers. He is the One Who has sent His Messenger with ˹true˺ guidance and the religion of truth, making it prevail over all others, even to the dismay of the polytheists. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allāh to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic." And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allāh untruth while he is being invited to Islām. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people. They want to extinguish the light of Allāh with their mouths, but Allāh will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allāh dislike it. — Saheeh International
The Table Spread (5:48)
We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ this Book with the truth, as a confirmation of previous Scriptures and a supreme authority on them. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires over the truth that has come to you. To each of you We have ordained a code of law and a way of life. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one community, but His Will is to test you with what He has given ˹each of˺ you. So compete with one another in doing good. To Allah you will all return, then He will inform you ˹of the truth˺ regarding your differences. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allāh has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allāh willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allāh is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. — Saheeh International
Until the final message was completed and the true religion was perfected after twenty-three years that the noble Messenger - Muhammad - peace be upon him, spent in calling people to worship God alone and teaching them what God commanded in His final book. At that time, God revealed to His Messenger Muhammad - peace be upon him - that great news of the completion of the teachings of the religion.. in the Farewell Pilgrimage - the first and last pilgrimage of the Messenger Muhammad - peace be upon him - on the eve of the Day of Arafah, which corresponds to a Friday of the week in that year - more than 1400 years ago-
The Table Spread (5:3)
Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, and swine; what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah; what is killed by strangling, beating, a fall, or by being gored to death; what is partly eaten by a predator unless you slaughter it; and what is sacrificed on altars. You are also forbidden to draw lots for decisions. This is all evil. Today the disbelievers have given up all hope of ˹undermining˺ your faith. So do not fear them; fear Me! Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way. But whoever is compelled by extreme hunger—not intending to sin—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islām as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful. — Saheeh International
About a year before the verse of the completion of the religion, Allah the Almighty revealed Surah An-Nasr, heralding the near completion of the religion and the clear victory of the call of Islam over all nations, and heralding the approaching end of the most honorable of creation and messengers, the bearer of the final message - who was known for an age before his mission as the “Truthful and Trustworthy” - the Messenger of Allah, Abu Al-Qasim[Prophet Muhammad Nickname], Muhammad ibn Abdullah[Abdullah is Prophet Muhammad’s father & the word ibn means son of], ibn Abdul Muttalib[Prophet Muhammad’s Grandfather], ibn Hashim[Father of Prophet Muhammad’s grandfather], ibn Abd Manaf, ibn Qusayy, ibn Kilab, ibn Murrah, ibn Kaab, ibn Lu'ayy, ibn Ghalib, ibn Fihr, ibn Malik, ibn Al-Nadr, ibn Kinanah, ibn Khuzaymah, ibn Mudrika, ibn Ilyas, ibn Mudar, ibn Nizar, ibn Ma'add, ibn Adnan. There is no disagreement among genealogists that Adnan is from the descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham, peace be upon them both. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return..
The Divine Support (110:1-3)
When Allah’s ˹ultimate˺ help comes and the victory ˹over Mecca is achieved˺, and you ˹O Prophet˺ see the people embracing Allah’s Way in crowds, then glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness, for certainly He is ever Accepting of Repentance. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
When the victory of Allāh has come and the conquest, And you see the people entering into the religion of Allāh in multitudes, Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of Repentance. — Saheeh International
About the two attributes of Allah, Lord & Deity
In continuation of what I began with regarding the two attributes of Allah, Lord and Deity...
I begin with the attribute of Deityness. I say that Allah, as the one true God, explains this matter to us in His perfect revelation with complete simplicity and clarity. The Almighty says:
The Sincerity (112:1-4)
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is Allah—One ˹and Indivisible˺; Allah—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Say, "He is Allāh, [who is] One, Allāh, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent." — Saheeh International
Ta-Ha (20:98)
˹Then Moses addressed his people,˺ “Your only god is Allah, there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. He encompasses everything in ˹His˺ knowledge.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Your god is only Allāh, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge." — Saheeh International
The Cattle (6:102-104)
That is Allah—your Lord! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. ˹He is˺ the Creator of all things, so worship Him ˹alone˺. And He is the Maintainer of everything. No vision can encompass Him, but He encompasses all vision. For He is the Most Subtle, All-Aware. Indeed, there have come to you insights from your Lord. So whoever chooses to see, it is for their own good. But whoever chooses to be blind, it is to their own loss. And I am not a keeper over you. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
That is Allāh, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things. Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision; and He is the Subtle, the Aware. There has come to you enlightenment from your Lord. So whoever will see does so for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever is blind [does harm] against it. And [say], "I am not a guardian over you." — Saheeh International
As for the attribute of Lordship, God is the one true Lord, and there is no other Lord besides Him. He is the Lord of all things. He is the One who manages and oversees the affairs of this entire universe, from the smallest thing in the world of atoms to the largest thing in the world of galaxies.
Of course, our limited minds cannot grasp all the details of this truth, unless God explains it to us and clarifies it to us in His Books and through the tongues of His Messengers. Perhaps the most prominent illustration of this miraculous idea are these noble verses.
The Cattle (6:59)
With Him are the keys of the unseen—no one knows them except Him. And He knows what is in the land and sea. Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth or anything—green or dry—but is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record. — Saheeh International
Imagine with me, my friend! Let your imagination expand upon what I am saying. Imagine that there is not a leaf on the surface of this planet we live on—planet Earth—and wherever it may be on this planet! God Almighty, the Lord of this universe, has first permitted it to fall, and He knows when and where it will fall.
Look at the streets of your neighborhood, your city, or your entire country. Indeed, look at the smallest forest of dense, intertwined trees. How many trees are there! And how many leaves could fall at any moment from all those trees? We cannot comprehend that with our minds, can we? In fact, we may not even see the point in trying to accurately count that enormous number of falling leaves.
But God Almighty, the Creator of these trees, the Sender of the rains, and the Stream of the rivers that water them, knows with the utmost precision and certainty how many leaves have fallen, from which tree that leaf fell, when it fell, and when the next leaf will fall! Don't tire yourself out imagining things. Just look up at the sky on a clear, moonless night, and bring me a piece of paper with the number of stars you saw that night. I won't argue with you about the accuracy of that count!
The point of all these examples is to draw attention to the fact that God, the Creator of this universe and the Creator of humanity, is one God, unique in His essence and attributes. He has no connection to our human race, except that He is the One who created and brought into existence that human race from nothing. He is the One who selected from that human race an elite group, He Knew them, And He taught them by revealing His message to them so that they could deliver it to their people in their time.
Family of Imran (3:33-34)
Indeed, Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of ’Imrân above all people ˹of their time˺. They are descendants of one another. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds - Descendants, some of them from others. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing. — Saheeh International
The Cow (2:87)
Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit. Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others? — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel]. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed. — Saheeh International
All the affairs of this universe as a whole proceed in an extremely perfect and precise manner according to the plan of God the Almighty Creator, starting from the orbits of the smallest negative or positive charges that revolve around the nuclei of atoms and which are not visible to the naked eye, to the orbits of the greatest stars and galaxies - which are also not visible to the naked eye - and which I do not think we know for certain even at this moment what they are and around what they revolve as well, since the universe is in a constant expansion, so glory be to the Great Creator.
The Winnowing Winds (51:47)
We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander. — Saheeh International
Luqman (31:29-32)
Do you not see that Allah causes the night to merge into the day and the day into the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for an appointed term, and that Allah is All-Aware of what you do? That is because Allah ˹alone˺ is the Truth and what they invoke besides Him is falsehood, and ˹because˺ Allah ˹alone˺ is the Most High, All-Great. Do you not see that the ships sail ˹smoothly˺ through the sea by the grace of Allah so that He may show you some of His signs? Surely in this are signs for whoever is steadfast, grateful. And as soon as they are overwhelmed by waves like mountains, they cry out to Allah ˹alone˺ in sincere devotion. But when He delivers them ˹safely˺ to shore, only some become relatively grateful. And none rejects Our signs except whoever is deceitful, ungrateful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allāh causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allāh, of whatever you do, is Aware? That is because Allāh is the True Reality, and that what they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allāh is the Most High, the Grand. Do you not see that ships sail through the sea by the favor of Allāh that He may show you of His signs? Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. And when waves come over them like canopies, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion [i.e., faith]. But when He delivers them to the land, there are [some] of them who are moderate [in faith]. And none rejects Our signs except everyone treacherous and ungrateful. — Saheeh International
Because of all these meanings, truths, and ideas, God alone is the one to whom one turns in every momentous matter.
If you ask any wise, experienced person who has ventured into this life, they will tell you that it is true! Even anyone with a remnant of sound nature does this even if they do not truly believe in God as the Creator. Everyone with a sound nature takes refuge and turns to God alone, instinctively and involuntarily, in the most difficult and dire circumstances, when no material means or means of salvation appear on the horizon. Only then does that person turn to the unseen -divine- even if they have never believed in it before but they already know it by the nature that their Creator has instilled in them since the beginning of creation. Glory be to God.
A true story from real life
And now, my friend, I am telling you about an experience I personally lived several years ago, and I still remember it as if it happened yesterday.
One pitch-black night, I was on a regular voyage on a medium-sized ship, tens of kilometers from the shore. It was a moonless night, and there was not a single ray of light outside, except for a few lights—invaluable and insignificant—that shimmered like a faint mirage when I looked toward the shore. Another, fainter light atop the ship's mast, sometimes flashing and sometimes dimming—such is the nature of the GPS indicator. The weather was very bad that night, and naturally, the sea was very rough, and the waves were violent, high, and tough. But God is the Savior, and His will is inevitable. As for the material reasons for our survival and the safe passage of that night and others like it, they were due to three factors:
First, the ship was of average size, which was not small. The waves would toss it around and play with it like a ball -even though they sometimes did-.
The second is the strength of the ship's iron hull, which had three main engines to provide tremendous propulsion. It -ship’s hull- was truly sharp and strong. Its strength enabled it to withstand and withstand violent waves from either sides. Its sharpness enabled it to penetrate and pierce if the bow of the ship encountered a fierce, baring wave that could bit the iron. The bow would rise again, proud and high, after receiving blow after blow from the brutal hands of the sea -the waves-. This preserved the ship's pride and safety, and it sailed and sailed the high waves of that sea. It deservedly deserved to be described as a flag -or a mountain- in that vast, vast sea, perhaps not because of its size -it is still medium sized ship after all-, but because of its fierce strength and perseverance in the pursuit of survival.
The Consultation (42:32)
And among His signs are the ships like mountains ˹sailing˺ in the sea. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And of His signs are the ships in the sea, like mountains. — Saheeh International
The Bee (16:14)
And He is the One Who has subjected the sea, so from it you may eat tender seafood and extract ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing their way through it, so you may seek His bounty and give thanks ˹to Him˺. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful. — Saheeh International
As for the last reason, even though I mentioned it last, it is not because it is the least important, but rather because it is of utmost importance. The third reason was the experience and skill of that elderly captain. He was truly wise and wonderful! I had accompanied him and observed him closely in several situations during several voyages. You would see him very calm despite the intensity of the situation and the turmoil of everything around him and those around him! He had a deep, penetrating gaze, constantly looking at the sea. Then he would look in a certain direction, and you would think he was seeing something or searching for something. Then he would issue his orders firmly - and I can almost hear him saying it now - “Helm to starboard 10 degrees, rudder 3 forward, at full speed!” and the entire ship would respond! The crew members would immediately execute the orders, responding to him and repeating the same phrases to confirm their execution of that order, ready to receive the next order until that maneuver ends successfully. He truly did evade the sea waves! A course is chosen that is difficult to choose except for every very experienced captain. We see ourselves sailing our ship between mountains like waves and waves like mountains, and you see that they do not harm us and we do not harm them -these high waves-. We receive and sail the wave in its trough or its crest, so it is relatively easy. But if we leave it to receive the other, the one that has passed is as violent as it can be, yet it has gone, it passed us and we have passed it, praise be to God.
While we were in that state and with those events, and perhaps specifically after midnight, my shift ended and I could go to my cabin to get some sleep or rest, but before I did that I had to do something that was very important to me at the time, I had to go out to the deck! Yes I had to go out to the deck of the ship in the heart of that storm to see and then narrate! All the horrors that I have described and will describe, I would have loved to see those violent waves face to face and to see that raging sea baring its fangs and rolling up its sleeves and becoming very violent against us that night, so I could let it know who I am and even challenge it! Then I would tell it that if it is only one sea then there are several seas -sailors- on board this ship and I am one of them! And that it is okay! because we are men of strength..
For those who don't know, all the doors used on ships are usually watertight to prevent water from flowing in, especially those leading to the deck, and of course it was the same on that ship during that weather. All the doors can be opened from both sides, from the inside and the outside alike. I exited through an easily accessible door in the bow of the ship that leads to the starboard side of the bow deck, and it is a few steps away from the front of the gangway - the lower one - in the bow of the ship, where the main steering wheel of the rudder - the main wheel - and the ship's central control devices are located. I exited excited and apprehensive! No sooner had I closed the door than pitch darkness prevailed, and only the noise of battle remained! I was holding on with both hands to the iron frame surrounding the ship's main lower gangway structures, trying hard to keep my feet on the deck despite the intense turbulence of that deck, and indeed of the entire ship—the bow of the ship is usually the most turbulent sector of the ship—and I walked with firm steps towards the front of the gangway structures, where the windshield was located. However, I was, of course, on the outer side of the windshield! I kept holding on to that iron frame with both hands, very careful as I walked, as I couldn't really see anything! I thought it was because I'd gone from the light inside to the darkness outside, and that my eyes would adjust to the natural light outside in a few moments, but that never happened!
As soon as I reached the near end of the front side of gangway structures, I pressed my back against it and began waving my right hand in front of my face, hoping to see it! I couldn't see anything; it felt as if I had no hand! I looked up at the sky, but I didn't see the moon I was used to, and I couldn't even make out any stars or constellations I knew! It was definitely overcast during that storm, I don't know for sure but there were drops of rain falling from time to time and touching my face and they were certainly mixed with drops of sea water scattered from the waves crashing against each other or against the hull of the ship but it wasn't a heavy rain anyway.
I felt a strange loneliness then, for I saw nothing of what I was accustomed to. I did not see the moon, nor the stars, nor even the sea with its turbulent waves that were doing what they were doing to me and to the whole ship. I could not even see or distinguish the hull of the ship, whose parts I knew so well, except through touching! There was only that noise, the scattered drops of water, and the violent winds. I was alone at that position on the deck, and all the crew were inside, either on their shifts or in their beds. The captain was in his favorite and usual position in the upper -open- ship's gangway, where the secondary steering wheel for the rudder - the Helm - is located, where he could supervise the scene from a slightly higher perspective.
As for below -lower ship’s gangway-, the blinds of the windshields of the lower gangway had already been installed in preparation for that bad weather, so the captain could not steer the ship from below manually, except by relying entirely on the navigation and monitoring equipment, and I do not think that they would have been of any good in that bad weather, and I did not think the captain preferred to try that as well! I also couldn't take advantage of the dim light coming from inside -because of the blinds on all the windshields- and any crew members inside the lower gangway couldn't see anything outside unless they go out like me, to the deck or climb to the upper section of the gangway, where the captain and very few men with him. Yet I had chosen to go out to the front deck to see those waves more closely. Standing at the bow of a ship as it sails through the sea is a truly wonderful feeling, with a special, indescribable ecstasy that only those who had truly experienced it could appreciate! Even in the midst of those horrors & tough weathers..
That night, however, things were a little different, and what I felt was a strange mix of feelings! I felt a sense of desolation and helplessness at the time. It was a very strange feeling! To feel as if you'd lost your sight but you hadn't; to feel as if you'd lost your hand but it was still there; to open your eyes as wide as they could and then peer closely, but you could barely see anything, while you hear the turbulent noise of the sea surging around you! And the storm raging furiously! And then my eyes welled up with tears when I remembered that noble verse, and what a paradox! It was a verse from Surat An-Nur [the Light]! - Oh, my helplessness and ignorance..!
The Light (24:40)
Or ˹their deeds are˺ like the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves upon waves, topped by ˹dark˺ clouds. Darkness upon darkness! If one stretches out their hand, they can hardly see it. And whoever Allah does not bless with light will have no light! — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allāh has not granted light - for him there is no light. — Saheeh International
Then, I began to repeat that verse, amazed and astonished by the accuracy of its description of the situation I was in, contemplating it and its meanings, asking God Almighty to grant me light by which I could see and understand the truth, so that I could walk with it among the people.. And then the rest of the verses that revolved around situations similar to those horrors began to come to my mind one after the other, and then I remembered the verse in Surat Al-An’am [The Cattle].
The Cattle (6:63)
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Who rescues you from the darkest times on land and at sea? He ˹alone˺ you call upon with humility, openly and secretly: “If You rescue us from this, we will be ever grateful.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Say, "Who rescues you from the darknesses of the land and sea [when] you call upon Him imploring [aloud] and privately, 'If He should save us from this [crisis], we will surely be among the thankful.'" — Saheeh International
And I said to myself, "Oh God! I have witnessed the darkness of the sea—with my own eyes—and here I call upon You and supplicate in secret. So, O Lord, make me among the grateful."
Then I remembered another verse in Surat An-Naml [The Ant].
The Ant (27:63)
Or ˹ask them,˺ “Who guides you in the darkness of the land and sea, and sends the winds ushering in His mercy? Is it another god besides Allah? Exalted is Allah above what they associate ˹with Him˺! — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Is He [not best] who guides you through the darknesses of the land and sea and who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy? Is there a deity with Allāh? High is Allāh above whatever they associate with Him. — Saheeh International
So I kept repeating in a low voice that I could hardly hear myself because of the noise and commotion around me, No! By God, there is no god but Allah, there is no god but Allah! Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You! Until I calmed down, but the storm had not yet calmed down..
Then I took my phone out of my pocket and turned on its flashlight to see much of what I described earlier, and I saw the bow of the ship vibrates turbulently and overwhelmed by the successive waves’ blows, yet then it rises up proudly and the water gets poured from its sides like a flowing torrent.. It seems that I was there at exactly the perfect moments! To see all of that! What a night!! I will never forget as long as I live...
Then, a voice called me, coming from the upper gangway. It seems like the captain and the few crew companions on the upper gangway had noticed that there is someone outside when I used my phone's flashlight. I signaled to them that I was fine, and the captain nodded at me as if to ask what I was doing outside in this weather. I replied that I am just watching the storm. I then went back inside, tightly closing the door to the lower gangway, and then went down to my cabin to get some rest before my next shift. And so that night passed.. and I have never experienced a night like it since.
So my friend, listen to someone who has experienced it . Perhaps he has something to benefit you! Or perhaps he can tell you something to believe in, that belief may either lift you up or prevent you from plunging into the darkness of disbelief and misguidance. And Allah guides whom He wills to the straight path..
Jonah (10:25)
And Allah invites ˹all˺ to the Home of Peace and guides whoever He wills to the Straight Path. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And Allāh invites to the Home of Peace [i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He wills to a straight path. — Saheeh International
The Light (24:46)
We have indeed sent down revelations clarifying ˹the truth˺. But Allah ˹only˺ guides whoever He wills to the Straight Path. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
We have certainly sent down distinct verses. And Allāh guides whom He wills to a straight path. — Saheeh International
Abraham (14:1)
Alif-Lãm-Ra. ˹This is˺ a Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ so that you may lead people out of darkness and into light, by the Will of their Lord, to the Path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy— — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Alif, Lām, Rā. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord - to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy - — Saheeh International
A chapter on His uniqueness and oneness, and contemplating that in light of the fact that God Almighty is the only true Deity and Lord.
Since God Almighty is the one true God and Lord, it was necessary to deny the existence of any other gods who share these two attributes with Him Almighty -divinity and lordship-. It is even inconceivable that life could be sustained in this manner -with partners existing with God- for a long period of time. Wouldn't these gods have disputes among themselves? Wouldn't they quarrel? Wouldn't they struggle over the exclusive dominion of this universe and possession of absolute control? Indeed, this seems quite self-evident in reality. So how could someone claim that this is the case?
Therefore, God Almighty clarified this matter with complete clarity and decisiveness in His Noble Book:
The Believers (23:91)
Allah has never had ˹any˺ offspring, nor is there any god besides Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created, and they would have tried to dominate one another. Glorified is Allah above what they claim! — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Allāh has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. [If there had been], then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have [sought to] overcome others. Exalted is Allāh above what they describe [concerning Him]. — Saheeh International
The Night Journey (17:42)
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Had there been other gods besides Him—as they claim—then they would have certainly sought a way to ˹challenge˺ the Lord of the Throne.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Say, [O Muḥammad], "If there had been with Him [other] gods, as they say, then they [each] would have sought to the Owner of the Throne a way." — Saheeh International
The Stories (28:88)
And do not invoke any other god with Allah. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. Everything is bound to perish except He Himself. All authority belongs to Him. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And do not invoke with Allāh another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned. — Saheeh International
The Cow (2:163)
Your God is ˹only˺ One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. — Saheeh International
The Night Journey (17:43-44)
Glorified and Highly Exalted is He above what they claim! The seven heavens, the earth, and all those in them glorify Him. There is not a single thing that does not glorify His praises—but you ˹simply˺ cannot comprehend their glorification. He is indeed Most Forbearing, All-Forgiving. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Exalted is He and high above what they say by great sublimity. The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allāh] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving. — Saheeh International
The Women (4:171)
O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit ˹created by a command˺ from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allāh except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allāh and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allāh and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allāh is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs. — Saheeh International
The Repentance (9:30-33)
The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah,” while the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” Such are their baseless assertions, only parroting the words of earlier disbelievers. May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded ˹from the truth˺? They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah, even though they were commanded to worship none but One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. Glorified is He above what they associate ˹with Him˺! They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will only allow His light to be perfected, even to the dismay of the disbelievers. He is the One Who has sent His Messenger with ˹true˺ guidance and the religion of truth, making it prevail over all others, even to the dismay of the polytheists. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allāh"; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allāh." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before [them]. May Allāh destroy them; how are they deluded? They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him. They want to extinguish the light of Allāh with their mouths, but Allāh refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allāh dislike it. — Saheeh International
A chapter on Allah’s guidance to His creation
Since guidance is a divine gift related to the will of God Almighty first and last, it is an obligatory duty for every Muslim to ask God Almighty to grant him guidance every day at least seventeen times at various times throughout the day and night while performing the five obligatory prayers, when he recites Surat Al-Fatihah, the greatest surah of the Holy Qur’an and the first surah in the Holy Qur’an Book.
The Opener (1:1-7)
In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. All praise is for Allah—Lord of all worlds, Master of the Day of Judgment. You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help. Guide us along the Straight Path, the Path of those You have blessed—not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds - Sovereign of the Day of Recompense. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path - The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have earned [Your] anger or of those who are astray. — Saheeh International
The Cattle (6:125-126)
Whoever Allah wills to guide, He opens their heart to Islam. But whoever He wills to leave astray, He makes their chest tight and constricted as if they were climbing up into the sky. This is how Allah dooms those who disbelieve. That is your Lord’s Path -perfectly straight-. We have already made the signs clear to those who are mindful. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
So whoever Allāh wants to guide - He expands his breast to [contain] Islām; and whoever He wants to send astray - He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. Thus does Allāh place defilement upon those who do not believe. And this is the path of your Lord, [leading] straight. We have detailed the verses for a people who remember. — Saheeh International
The Consultation (42:52-53)
And so We have sent to you ˹O Prophet˺ a revelation by Our command. You did not know of ˹this˺ Book and faith ˹before˺. But We have made it a light, by which We guide whoever We will of Our servants. And you are truly leading ˹all˺ to the Straight Path -the Path of Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Surely to Allah all matters will return ˹for judgment˺. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration of Our command [i.e., the Qur’ān]. You did not know what is the Book or [what is] faith, but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, [O Muḥammad], you guide to a straight path -The path of Allāh, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Unquestionably, to Allāh do [all] matters evolve [i.e., return]. — Saheeh International
The Night Journey (17:9-27)
Surely this Quran guides to what is most upright, and gives good news to the believers—who do good—that they will have a mighty reward. And ˹it warns˺ those who do not believe in the Hereafter ˹that˺ We have prepared for them a painful punishment. And humans ˹swiftly˺ pray for evil as they pray for good. For humankind is ever hasty. We made the day and night as two signs. So We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and We made the sign of the day ˹perfectly˺ bright, so that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. And We have explained everything in detail. We have bound every human’s destiny to their neck. And on the Day of Judgment We will bring forth to each ˹person˺ a record which they will find laid open. ˹And it will be said,˺ “Read your record. You ˹alone˺ are sufficient this Day to take account of yourself.” Whoever chooses to be guided, it is only for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. No soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another. And We would never punish ˹a people˺ until We have sent a messenger ˹to warn them˺. Whenever We intend to destroy a society, We command its elite ˹to obey Allah˺ but they act rebelliously in it. So the decree ˹of punishment˺ is justified, and We destroy it utterly. ˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We have destroyed after Noah! And sufficient is your Lord as All-Aware and All-Seeing of the sins of His servants. Whoever desires this fleeting world ˹alone˺, We hasten in it whatever We please to whoever We will; then We destine them for Hell, where they will burn, condemned and rejected. But whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it accordingly, and is a ˹true˺ believer, it is they whose striving will be appreciated. We provide both the former and the latter from the bounty of your Lord. And the bounty of your Lord can never be withheld. See how We have favoured some over others ˹in this life˺, but the Hereafter is certainly far greater in rank and in favour. Do not set up any other god with Allah, or you will end up condemned, abandoned. For your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And honour your parents. If one or both of them reach old age in your care, never say to them ˹even˺ ‘ugh,’ nor yell at them. Rather, address them respectfully. And be humble with them out of mercy, and pray, “My Lord! Be merciful to them as they raised me when I was young.” Your Lord knows best what is within yourselves. If you are righteous, He is certainly All-Forgiving to those who ˹constantly˺ turn to Him. Give to close relatives their due, as well as the poor and ˹needy˺ travellers. And do not spend wastefully. Surely the wasteful are ˹like˺ brothers to the devils. And the Devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Indeed, this Qur’ān guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. And that those who do not believe in the Hereafter - We have prepared for them a painful punishment. And man supplicates for evil [when angry] as he supplicates for good, and man is ever hasty. And We have made the night and day two signs, and We erased the sign of the night and made the sign of the day visible that you may seek bounty from your Lord and may know the number of years and the account [of time]. And everything We have set out in detail. And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open. Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever errs only errs against it. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And never would We punish until We sent a messenger. And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word [i.e., deserved decree] comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction. And how many have We destroyed from the generations after Noah. And sufficient is your Lord, concerning the sins of His servants, as Aware and Seeing. Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished. But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allāh]. To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted. Look how We have favored [in provision] some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees [of difference] and greater in distinction. Do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken. And your Lord has decreed that you worship not except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small." Your Lord is most knowing of what is within yourselves. If you should be righteous [in intention] - then indeed He is ever, to the often returning [to Him], Forgiving. And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully. Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful. — Saheeh International
For this matter - guiding creation to worship God alone - God[Allah] sent His messengers since the beginning of creation to call for worshipping Him alone and not associating partners with Him. This is the call of all the messengers from the first Adam, peace be upon him, to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Family of Imran (3:19)
Certainly, Allah’s only Way is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture did not dispute ˹among themselves˺ out of mutual envy until knowledge came to them. Whoever denies Allah’s signs, then surely Allah is swift in reckoning. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allāh is Islām. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allāh, then indeed, Allāh is swift in [taking] account. — Saheeh International
Family of Imran (3:85)
Whoever seeks a way other than Islam, it will never be accepted from them, and in the Hereafter they will be among the losers. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And whoever desires other than Islām as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. — Saheeh International
The Cow (2:132)
This was the advice of Abraham—as well as Jacob—to his children, ˹saying˺, “Indeed, Allah has chosen for you this faith; so do not die except in ˹a state of full˺ submission.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
And Abraham instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Jacob, [saying], "O my sons, indeed Allāh has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." — Saheeh International
The Heights (7:157)
“˹They are˺ the ones who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whose description they find in their Torah and the Gospel. He commands them to do good and forbids them from evil, permits for them what is lawful and forbids to them what is impure, and relieves them from their burdens and the shackles that bound them. ˹Only˺ those who believe in him, honour and support him, and follow the light sent down to him will be successful.” — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. — Saheeh International
The Iron (57:21)
˹So˺ compete with one another for forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. This is the favour of Allah. He grants it to whoever He wills. And Allah is the Lord of infinite bounty. — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Race [i.e., compete] toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allāh and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allāh which He gives to whom He wills, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty. — Saheeh International
I truly care about you and I trust your sound judgment..
- The Word God: is mostly translated to the word Allah in Arabic, yet the Word Allah doesn’t have a plural word because Islam states that that there is only one God “Allah”
- When mentioning the word nation/Muslim nation: it sometimes refers also to the greater Muslim nation which include all the people who believed in the heavenly religions across the previous centuries since the prophet Adam -peace be upon him-
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