SHAFAQNA-
Perhaps the word “Allah” sounds strange to your ears. Maybe you are wondering what it means or maybe you heard something about it but you are not sure. “Allah” is the name of the Creator who created everything and whom every believer worshipped from the beginning of the universe.
He is the same God whom the Jews, Christians and Muslims worship and until now Arab Jews and Christians use this name. He has many other names and attributes by which He describes Himself to His creatures. It is as He has said in the Quran: “…To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names…” (59:24)
The Creator , Sustainer, Ever-living, Self-Subsisting
The Muslims believe that Allah alone is the Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists. We believe that He does not die, nor requires food or rest. We believe that He is absolutely without need of support or assistance; rather, the entire creation depends solely upon Him. These beliefs are derived directly from the Quran (the Book revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad ) and the Sunnah (the sayings and teachings of Prophet Muhammad himself).
255. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi extends the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
(2:255)
38.And indeed We (Allah) created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days and nothing of fatigue touched Us.
(50:38)
The Prophet Muhammad conveyed what Allah revealed to him regarding Himself in the following narration:
“O’ My servants! All of you are without guidance except those whom I guide. So seek guidance from Me, I shall guide you.
O’ My servants! All of you are hungry except those whom I feed. So ask food from Me I shall feed you.
O’ My servants! All of you are naked except those whom I clothed. So ask clothes from Me I shall clothe you.
O’ My servants! You commit mistakes (sins) by night and day and I forgive all sins. So ask forgiveness from Me I shall forgive you.
O’ My servants! You can never reach harming Me so as to harm Me; nor can you ever reach benefiting me so as to benefit Me.
O’ My servants! If the first of you and the last of you and the entirety of this human race of yours, and that of the jinns as well, became as pious as the most pious heart amongst you, by nothing would that increase My kingdom.
O’ My servants! If the first of you and the last of you and the entirety of this human race of yours, and that of the Jinns as well, became as evil as the worst heart amongst you, by nothing would that decrease My Kingdom.
O’ My servants! If the first of you and the last of you and the entirety of this human race of yours, and that of the jinns as well, all stood upon one plain to ask Me and I gave every one what he asked, that would not decrease what I have, anything more than what a needle decreases the sea if it is dipped into it.
O’ My servants! It is only your deeds which I shall reckon up for you, and then recompense you for. So whoever finds good, should praise Me and whoever finds other than that, blame none but himself.”
(Saheeh Muslim, Book 32, Number 6246).
Allah’s Knowledge and Wisdom
The Muslims believe that Allah has perfect knowledge of everything. There is not a single mystery but with it, He is well acquainted. His knowledge encompasses everything including the wondrous galaxies, and each insect as it crawls along its sandy, underground path. We believe that Allah is the sole possessor of perfect knowledge of both the apparent and the unseen.
61. Whatever you may be doing, and whatever portion of the Quran you may be reciting, and whatever deed you may be doing, We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord (not even so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven. Nor what is less than that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear Record.
(10:61)
59. And with Him are the keys of the Unseen, none knows them but He. And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth neither anything fresh nor dry, but it is written in a Clear Record.
(6:59)
11. Allah did create you from dust, then from a little fluid, then He made you pairs (male and female). No female conceives, or lays down (her load), but with His knowledge. And not one grows old who grows old, nor is his life lessened, but it is recorded in a Book, Behold! That is easy for Allah.
(35:11)
Mercy and Forgiveness
The Muslims believe that Allah is more merciful with his believing servants than a mother is to her child, and that He loves to forgive sins for those who seek forgiveness from Him. And in spite of our excessive ingratitude and disobedience, He continues to support us with food, shelter, friends and many other resources and always gives us a chance to repent. We believe that Allah forgives whomever turns to Him alone in sincere repentance no matter how grave the sin, and that He alone can forgive sins.
53. Say: O’ My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by committing sins)! Do not despair of the Mercy of Allah, indeed Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(39:53)
110. And whoever does evil or oppresses himself (by committing sins) and thereafter seeks Allah‘s Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(4:110)
21. Race towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allah), and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. That is the Grace of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.
(57:21)
183. And if My servants ask you about Me, then surely I am Close. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls unto Me. So let them answer My Call and believe in Me, in order that they may be led aright.”
(2:183)
Prophet Muhammad said:
The Almighty Allah says: Whoever comes with a good deed, his reward will be ten times like it or more. And whoever comes with a bad deed, his recompense will be only one like it, or I shall forgive him. And whoever draws close to Me a hand’s span, I shall draw close to him an arm’s length. And whoever draws close to Me an arm’s length, I shall draw close to him a fathom’s length. And whoever comes to Me walking, I shall go to him running. And whoever faces Me with sins as great as the earth, but without worshipping anything along with or instead of Me, I shall meet him with forgiveness as great as that.
(Saheeh Muslim, Book 35, Number 6499)
He also said:
“Allah divided Mercy in one-hundred parts and He retained its ninety-nine parts with Him, and sent down its one part on the earth, and because of this one single part there is mutual love among the creatures to the extent that even the mare lifts up its hoof from its baby, fearing that it might harm it.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book 73, Number 29)
In another narration he said:
“When Allah had finished His creation, He wrote over His Throne: ‘My Mercy preceded My Anger.'”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book 93, Number 518)
Once a woman was searching for her child and when she found him, she took hold of him, pressed him against her chest and gave him her breast to nurse him. Allah‘s Messenger Muhammad saw her and asked his companions: “Do you think this woman would ever afford to throw her child in the fire? They said: “By Allah, so far as it is in her power, she would never throw her child in the fire. Thereupon Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Allah is more Merciful to his believing servants than this woman is to her child.’
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book 73, Number 28)
Allah’s Justness
The Muslims believe that Allah will resurrect every single person on the Day of Judgment. He has also prepared a Terrible Punishment for those who disbelieved in His Signs, denied His Messengers and died without submitting to Him. He has likewise prepared unimaginable joy and eternal entertainment for those who died submitting to Him and performed good deeds seeking His Reward. We believe that Allah is absolute in His Justice and no soul will ever be oppressed in His reckoning.
Allah has said in the Quran:
34. Verily, for those who love and fear Allah are Gardens of Delight (Paradise) with their Lord.
35. Shall We then treat the Muslims (the ones who submit themselves to Allah) like the criminals?
36. What is the matter with you? How do you judge!
(68:34-36)
47. And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And even if it were but the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We as Reckoners.
(21:47)
The Prophet Muhammad related from Allah, the Most Just:
O’ My servants! I have forbidden oppression for Myself and I have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.
(Saheeh Muslim, Book 32, Number 6246).
Severity in Punishment
1. O’ mankind! Fear your Lord. Verily, the violent shaking of the Hour (of Judgment) is a terrible thing.
2. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her burden, and you shall see mankind drunken, yet they will not be drunk, but the Torment of Allah is severe!
(22:1-2)
6. O’ you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are angels stern (and) severe, who do not disobey the commands they receive from Allah, and they do what they are commanded,
7. (It will be said in the Hereafter) O’ you who disbelieve, make no excuse this Day! You are only being paid only for what you used to do!
(66:6-7)
The Absolute Oneness of Allah
Allah is one and utterly above having partners, equals, or any who share His Attributes. “To Him alone belong the Most Beautiful Names …” ( Quran 59:24) He has neither children nor parents, nor any thing which shares in His right to be worshipped. The greatest sin in Islam is to worship anything along with or instead of Allah.
48. Verily, Allah does not forgive that anyone should set up partners with Him, but forgives everything other than that to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah, has indeed invented a tremendous sin.
(4:48)
Indeed, the first commandment given to Moses with which he was to admonish the people was “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is One Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) and Jesus, repeats it: “The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord.” (Mark 12:29)
Allah is the sole Creator and Owner of the entire universe and nothing deserves to be worshipped except Him; this is what is meant by the Islamic creed “There is no God Besides Allah…” Believing in this statement is the first step in becoming a Muslim.
171. O’ people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exaggerate in your religion, and do not say about Allah any thing except the truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, was a Messenger of Allah and His Word, [i.e. Allah said “Be!” and Jesus was] which He bestowed on Mary and (Jesus is) a spirit from Him (Allah); so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Do not Say: Three [i.e., trinity]!” Cease! (that is) better for you. Certainly Allah is One God, Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.
(4:171)
68. They (Jews, Christians and pagans) say: “Allah has taken a son!” Glory be to Him! He is The Most Rich (Free of all needs). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Do you have any warrant for this; or do you say against Allah what you do not know?
69. Say (to them): Verily, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed.
(10:68-69)
111. And say: All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not taken a son, and Who has no partner in (His) Dominion, nor is He low to have a partner. And magnify Him with all the magnificence.
(17:111)
1. Say (O’ Muhammad ): He is Allah (the) One,
2. Allah is The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks,
3. He did not beget, nor was He begotten,
4. And there is none comparable to Him.
(112:1-4)
How would you answer this question?
28. How can you disbelieve in Allah? When you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then life again (on the Day of Resurrection), and then unto Him you will return.
(2:28)