How can we know our Creator? How can we recognize Him?
Why has He created us? What rights does He have on us?
THIS POST IN SHA ALLAH BY THE PERMISSION OF ALL-MIGHTY ALLAH, WILL HELP YOU TO CLARIFY THESE QUESTIONS!!!!
Allah is One. He alone is the Lord of the Heavens and the earth. He has neither partners nor father or son or wife. Chapter 112 of the Holy Qur'an brings out this fact so beautifully.. "Say,He is Allah, (who is) One, Allah the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent." (112:1-4)
Allah has no images and no statues that is known to us. Neither can anybody see Him nor can they form a mental picture of Him. He has no likeness nor is anyone like unto Him. He is above the heavens and has established Himself over His Throne.. "Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives (all) vision; and He is the Subtle, the Acquainted." (06:103)
Having created the creatures in the world, Allah has not left them scot-free(without accountability). He rather keeps everything under His control. He makes them go and shape their destinies. There is nothing that can disobey Him for it.. "He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon-each running (its course) for a specified term. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignity. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess (as much as) the membrane of a date seed." (35:13)
Allah knows each and everything. He knows all that was (in the past), is (at present) and shall be (in the future). Nothing can increase or decrease without His approval and knowledge. He knows all that happens everywhere in the world.."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 He knows it. And no grain is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist or dry(thing) but that is in a clear record." (06:59)
It is Allah who provides sustenance to the entire world. It is He Who causes to grow the food that we consume. He alone provides sustenance to the animals in the forest, to the fish in the water, to the birds flying in the air and even to the reptiles and insects living inside the holes and under the rocks.. "And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register." (11:06)
Allah is the absolute Lord and Master of the World. The entire universe is under His control. He is the doer of what He intends. No one has the power to escape or run away from His dominion.. "O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority (from Allah)." (55:33)
Allah is the All-Seer, which means that He discerns everything and knows everything that we do. No one can do anything outside His Knowledge.. "It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing." (57:04)
Allah is All-Hearing. He hears everything , be it said aloud or in secret or said even in one's heart. He knows whether said in the light of the day or in the dark of the night. Allah is pleased when someone calls Him. He listens if called and gives what is asked of Him.. "And when My servants ask you, concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me (by obedience) and believe in Me that they may be (rightly) guided." (02:186)
Since Allah is the Lord, Creator and Provider of the whole universe, He alone deserves to be worshipped and no one else deserves to be invoked or prostrated for.. "That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things." (06:102)
All things worshiped besides Allah share nothing of His divinity nor have they the power to hear and fulfill the wishes of those who call them.. "O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create (as much as) a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a (tiny) thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued." (22:73)
Those who invoke others besides Allah are in fact ungrateful to Allah, go against the commands of Allah and are gone astray.. "And they worship besides Allah that for which He has not sent down authority and that of which they have no knowledge. And there will not be for the wrongdoers any helper." (22:71)
Allah strongly abhors that anyone should worship others besides Him.. "Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin." (04:48)
Allah gave the man the faculty of thought and reason. He preferred them above many of His Creatures and enabled them to lead them a conscious and purposeful life.. "Indeed, We created man from a sperm drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing." (76:02)
Allah chose some persons, noble, righteous and full of fear of Allah, appointed them as prophets and gave them the responsibility of guiding the people to the right path, make them God-Conscious and apprise them of His commands. Thus Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa and Isa (May Allah's peace be on them all) were among the prominent Prophets and Messengers chosen by Allah to guide the people to the right path. To some of these Prophets Allah gave His Books that would guide their people to the path of truth and serves as guide even after the passing away of those Prophets. Thus, the Torah, the Psalms (Mazamir) and the Gospel (Injil) were some of the Holy Books sent down by Allah for the guidance of mankind.
A look at history reveals that quite a few of those communities the Prophets were raised to failed on both fronts: in abiding by the teachings contained in those Books as well as in preserving the purity of the revealed texts and, as a result, large scale unauthorized changes were made in them.
So, some 1400 years ago, Allah sent Muhammad (May Allah's peace and blessings be on him) as the Final Prophet and Messenger to haul mankind up from the abyss of misguidance and lead them to a life of strict compliance with the commands of Allah.. "Certainly did Allah confer (great) favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His Verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error." (03:164)
To His Last Prophet Allah gave His Last Revelation and Testament i.e., The Glorious Qur'an and made it applicable and binding on the entire mankind until the Last Day.
By sending down His Prophets and Messengers, Allah in fact completed His Guidance for mankind and concluded His proof on them. "O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger to make clear to you (the religion) after a period (of suspension) of Messengers, lest you say, "There came not to us any bringer of good tidings or a Warner." But there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And Allah is over all things competent." (05:19)
Those who shape their lives in accordance with this divine guidance, Allah will shower His favors on them in this world and grant them the bliss of Paradise in the next world.. "Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging, where in they will abide eternally. They will not desire from it any transfer." (18:107-108)
On the other hand, those who refuse to submit to the commands of Allah shall lose His favor in this world and undergo severe torment and punishment in the Hereafter.."Indeed, those who deny Our verses and are arrogant towards them - the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle. And thus do We recompense the criminals. They will have from Hell a bed and over them coverings (of fire). And does We recompense the wrongdoers." (07:40-41)
Just as Allah is admittedly the Beneficent, the Merciful and the Forgiver, He is also the Restrainer, the Avenger and the Dispenser of Justice. He will award the righteous for their piety and punish the wrongdoers for their misdeeds.. " To Him is your return all together. (It is) the promise of Allah (which is) truth. Indeed, He begins the (process of) creation and then repeats it that He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds, in justice. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment for what they used to deny." (10:04)
Let us all sincerely turn to our Creator, serve Him alone wholeheartedly and never invent objects of worship other than Allah. Also let us make a resolve to lead our lives in accord with His commandments and pay our homage and gratitude to Him for the countless favors that He has bestowed upon us.. "....And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you may succeed." (24:31)
These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allah and His verses will they believe? (45:06)
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