Those to whom WE have sent the BOOK study it as it should be studied: They are the ones that believe therein: Those who reject faith therein, the loss is their own. Q (2: 121)
“O my LORD! YOU have bestowed upon me some power and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams – O CREATOR of the heavens and the earth! YOU are my PROTECTOR in this world and in the Hereafter. Take my soul (at death) as one submitting to YOUR WILL (as a Muslim) and unite me {as YOU have promised me} with the righteous.” (Declaration by the ‘Son of man’ from the land of Egypt – Q (12: 101 – Surah Yusef)*
Yet no faith will the greater part of mankind have {in this age}, however ardently you {O Prophet} desire it.
And no reward do you ask of them for this {Revelation/Quran}: it is no less than a message for all creatures. Q (12: 103-104)
Jesus the son of Mary (pbh) was ‘crucified in the flesh’, (not put on the cross), in this world and MAINTAINED that sinless disposition of his (with the help of Angels who guarded him from ‘stumbling’ (falling into sin – to be understood as at any time under any condition – New Testament) **. To accomplish this, he had to be crucified in the flesh ‘all the days of his life’ for as long as ALLAH WILLED in that special devotion to ALLAH as was prophesied long, long ago and can even be seen in the ‘works’ of prophet Isaiah (pbh) as the ‘suffering servant’. *** (See the end of the article for this lengthy Old Testament passage).
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
“If you are the Son {chosen Messiah} of GOD,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “HE will command HIS angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone {make a sin}.”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: Do not put the LORD your GOD to the test {play games**** against GOD as in forcing HIM to bow down to one’s attempt at having HIM proving HIS veracity as if HIS WORD should or can be questioned}.” Matthew (4: 5-7)
**** ‘Playing games’ with ALLAH, for example, can be shown by what one village of the Children of Israel did on the matter of ‘fishing’ during the Sabbath Day and because of their disobedience in trying to trick ALLAH they were changed into ‘apes and swine’ for 3 days and then totally eliminated.
**Satan, in the Quran contends with ALLAH and sees an outer form of challenge against the rule of ALLAH. Knowing that ALLAH has the upper-hand, he still maintains that he will be a force to be reckoned with against the powers of ALLAH. However, in his disreputable arrogance, he does not see that he has no power whatsoever except what his LORD will give him.
Satan cannot foresee the future nor can he catch anything that isn’t going to be handed to him on a ‘silver platter’. His so-called gift will be the people who chose to ignore the pathways of righteousness and truth (those who disbelieved then believed then disbelieved and continue on with their arrogant and foolhardy behavior as is mentioned in the Quran).
Therefore, to adam was given a purpose and a standard of sorrow and joy and the realization that ALLAH is ABOVE ALL, THE TRUTH; THE ETERNAL, SELF SUBSISTING ONE WHO IS THE ABSOLUTE IN TIME, PLACE, CONDITION OR CIRCUMSTANCE.
No matter how these things were transmitted to those peoples of THE WAY (now called Christians), the WORD of GOD – THE QURAN states it very clearly and straightforwardly that ‘It was ONLY AFTER KNOWLEDGE came to them that they, in their insolent envy of each other began their atrocities of setting up differences between themselves’. So, one can now see what would happen if a ‘snake in-the-grass’ would come around to appeal to a people who would fancy lies and fairy-tales to be the backbone of their beliefs.
ALLAH is AL-Zahir – THE OUTWARD AND THE OBVIOUS ONE WHO, without any competing interference, becomes the CENTER of WORSHIP even among the primitives. Therefore, this puts the onus squarely on the peoples themselves rather than being cheated as ‘they’ would claim on the Last DAY of Judgment in order to save their skins from the FIRE. That won’t wash for many reasons but the understanding that ALLAH is AL-Zahir goes a long way in cementing that belief.
Hopefully, that takes care of that! Another unsettling piece of business comes from the ‘doubters’ of the force of the Gog and Magog (see the article concerning the Gog and Magog on this website under the list of articles). With a world in ‘dire straights’, for example, roughly 35% of America missing, NY City and London underwater and Africa split into 5 large islands with the Nile River emptying into the Atlantic Ocean and a whole host of other dramatic things going on, does one think that normalcy will apply? So don’t look at the Gog and the Magog as a made up fairytale but an event that will happen before ALLAH changes the Earth and heavens into a new Earth and new Heavens.
This world is so divided, scattered and fractured that even the notion of ‘real’ religion has been broken up into many pieces causing people to believe in mistaken beliefs resulting in wrongful actions.
The best definition of what real religion is or in this case what real Islam is in its purest, most basic form comes from the following:
It was narrated on the authority of `Umar, (may ALLAH be pleased with him), who said:
While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of ALLAH (peace be on him), there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (pbh), rested his knees against the Prophet’s thighs, laid his hands on his own thighs and said, ‘O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.’
The Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said, ‘Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity except ALLAH and that Muhammad is HIS Messenger, that you should perform Salah, pay the Zakah, fast during Ramadhan, and perform Hajj to the House, if you are able to do so.’ {Of course, all of this with sincerity}
The man said, ‘You have spoken truly.’ We were astonished at his questioning (the Messenger) and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, ‘Inform me about Iman.’
He (the Messenger of ALLAH) answered, ‘It is that you believe in ALLAH and HIS angels and HIS Books and HIS Messengers and in the Last Day, and in Qadar (fate – destiny), both in its good and in its evil aspects.’ He said, ‘You have spoken truly.’
Then he (the man) said, ‘Inform me about Ihsan.’
He (the Messenger of ALLAH) answered, ‘It is that you should serve ALLAH as though you could see HIM, for though you cannot see HIM yet (know that) HE sees you.’
He said, ‘Inform me about the Hour.’
He (the Messenger of ALLAH) said, ‘About that, the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.’ So he said, ‘Well, inform me about the signs thereof.’ He said, ‘They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress {often thought as being the children having some form of hold or rule over their parents as being disobedient, domineering, aloof, highhanded, arrogant and bossy}, that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.’ Thereupon the man went off.
I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of ALLAH) said, ‘O `Umar, do you know who that questioner was?’ I replied, ‘ALLAH and His Messenger know better.’ He said, ‘That was Jibril (the Angel Gabriel). He came to teach you {the core of} your religion.’
Compared to many ‘hard’ doctrines that have a force of cruelty to it, this hadith is really expansive in its concept. Most definitely a book could be written on this one hadith alone. As long as the parameters of this hadith are kept in place, then one’s Islam can be said to be sound.
The idea of Qadar is that ALLAH controls all things and ANY good coming to one comes only by ALLAH’s design or by HIS WILL and any bad that comes to any one comes because of that ‘crookedness’ of that person’s soul which may then act as a purifier for his/her salvation in the future so we cannot judge these things or create a ‘caste’ system as the Hindus wrongfully did.
This hadith is related by ‘Umar so those who choose to hate him or any Companion of the Prophet (pbh) are doing a great wrong to themselves and are astray in the religion. Attack what ALLAH loves at one’s own peril! And don’t pretend to know the Unseen!
There are weak worshipers and strong worshipers and all those in between. ALLAH will be the Judge for that but those who have a sound awareness of ALLAH will try to ‘expand’ on their worship.
Only 3 sites have been acknowledged as visiting shrines and one is Quds, the other two are in Medina and Makkah respectively. Visiting other places of ‘honor’ tends to make those who worship ALLAH give some worship to HIM and some worship to another who, after a while, inevitably people tend to form an illegal and immoral attachment to.
Sainthood in Islam is best forgotten because some people have turned some others into nearly deified individuals. These individuals are not ‘deified’ upfront but become ‘legendary’ especially by ignorant villagers or people harking after such garbage. Things like Shia ‘Imams and other lunacies like the Arch-Angel Gabriel mistaking Muhammad for ‘Ali and instead of ‘Ali being the prophet it was given to Muhammad by mistake.
These things are pointed out to show that people calling themselves Muslim are not above the fray that has corrupted others in their mistaken beliefs. One can’t be a Muslim just by the tongue or by the sect. The final decision will always be with ALLAH and what is written in the heart which is read only by ALLAH. So in this respect, fear should be in the heart to be of those who are guided by THE GUIDE HIMSELF to the pathway of rectitude (THE) AL-Rasheed!
*Many will agree that the story of Joseph (Yusef) is the most beautiful of stories found in the Quran. Indeed! This Surah is about life itself and so much more and that should come as no surprise when we know WHO the AUTHOR really is. The Quran is the Quran whether it be read by a three-year-old or someone who has past the century mark. Truly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder as well as ‘poison’ being in the heart of the disbeliever.
*** Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain {rejection}. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted {his poverty, simplicity and patience and being under duress}.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities
the punishment {the trials} that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all {as a Test and a Sign to mankind}. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth {he accepted his trials and tribulations with patient endurance trusting in his LORD’s PROPHESIED PROMISE}.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living {not destined to settle down and lead a normal life}; for the transgression of my people {the believers} he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin {not a blood offering but one of deeds – a trial under fire}, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities {Not take away their sins because everyone is responsible for his own sins but live in the punishment though he be guiltless}.
12 Therefore, I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death {through his experiences}, and was numbered {by the people} with the transgressors*****. For he bore the sin of many {as a test for his raised authority}, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah (chap. 53)
*****Remember in the New Testament when Jesus (pbh) didn’t wash his hands before partaking of a meal and the ultra-righteous, high-minded Jews believed Jesus to be ‘unclean’ as if he was a filthy beggar amounting to nothing! That is an example here.
We also know from Islamic study of hadith that Prophet Muhammad (pbh) stated concerning the prison time that Yusef stayed that he would have come out of the prison if asked instead of waiting like Yusef which is a good thing. However, with Yusef, he could not even open his mouth concerning the time he was left to ‘rot’ illegally in prison for he must totally be patient to wait on the ‘Qadar’ of ALLAH. And so according to Muhammad (pbh), Yusef is the noblest of his blessed brothers (brotherhood of the prophets).
In truth, we really can’t understand what is happening here unless ALLAH WILLS and at best we may only get part of it which could easily lead many astray without the proper basis of knowledge. It seems like many Christians would take these verses as proof of their belief in the crucifixion of Christ, by being literalists and by taking things out of context historically and contextual wise.
As was shown in the very first article on this website, Islam and the Rise and Fall of the Teachings of Jesus, being buried with the rich meant that Jesus (pbh) will, after his death on his second coming, be buried with Prophet Muhammad (pbh).
Even with this passage, it should be noted that the ‘enlightened’ Jewish scholars never considered the ‘Messiah’ to be any more than a man of great importance. That should have been something for the Christians to dwell upon, yet a good many of them are still under the spell of fanatical Evangelicalism considering Jesus (pbh) to be God.
The inability to understand in a basic form chapter 53 in Isaiah (pbh) is likened to the errors of judgment in understanding the term ‘Holy Israel’. Notice that some misguided people take this term as the ‘Jewish State’ thereby saying that there is a Jewish ‘god’ who would NOT be happy with non-Jews or second/third class citizens. However, when Israel is deciphered in truth, this term denotes, for one thing, ‘The BELIEVERS’. So now we can understand that before the name Jews came into being, those people were ‘Muslims’ meaning that they were people bowing to the Will of GOD in true belief. How is that for a unified field of inclusiveness!
Those who make out GOD to be their exclusive ‘pet’ will most certainly taste the penalty of the Blazing Fire!
