Thank you so much for this site.
have just become Muslim, which only took the reading of the
Quran. I'm 38 and didn't even believe in God until I read
it. English version, no explanations with it, I just felt it
and knew it to be true. I find it beautiful, frightening,
awesome. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes and my body
swells with emotion. I actually feel love for God which used
to be an unimaginable, baffling thought.
I
started looking up more information on the net and reading
a Muslim chat board. These things would usually lead me to
being very upset. After reading what many muslims believe to
be true in Islam (particulary pertaining to women) and people's
quotes from Sunna/Hadith(?) (which I have not read) would
confuse and upset me since I didn't see anything about it in the
Quran. And, I couldn't understand how all these various details
could be true for a religion that God said he was making EASY
for us. He did not want us to be burdened, but, wow, how so
many people ARE burdening themselves.
Interestingly, every time I would go back to reading just the
Quran, I would feel much better: soothed, comforted.
So, you see, your site has confirmed for me what I just knew
from that first reading. That the Quran is the only thing that
is TRUE and to be listened to. Not what anyone else thinks,
what any other book says, or any "quote" of the prophet's.
Thank you, thank you. You have lightened my heart.
Asalam Alaikoum, dear brothers and sister submitters,
Do you realize that God the Most Gracious has
grant us a gift we cannot even fathom? He has given us GUIDANCE,
there is no such a thing in life especially considering the
billions of people thinking that they truely believe when they are
far astray! Sisters and brothers, do you realize there is only a
few of us and your part of the privileged ones who really seek to
Please God ALONE and uphold His holy scripture alone and practice
the Milat Ibrahim preserved for thousands years?
This is the story of us:
Our family was a so called Sunni family but we
never gave into the numerous interpretations of the scholars, save
a few (corrupted Shahada, Salat…) . Praise to God, we bought a
computer and my father discovered the site submission.org. For
one, when he talked to us about the messenger of the covenant, we
were all panic! Was not Muhamad the last messenger? Had our
father, who had tried until then to lead a righteous life fallen
into some mystical sects? My mother especially was afraid.
Then my father explained to us the mathematical
miracle of the QURAN: we were amazed!!! we then started to listen
more often to him when he was talking to us about the fabricated
haddiths which in fact always made me doubt even though I did not
dear to say so. Then I started to read by myself.
We realized all the mistakes we had made until
then:
Misguided by some bad translations of the QURAN,
which said that the condition of polygamy was to marry an orphan
girl , my father, after a flawless 25 years of monogamous
marriage, married a girl whose father had just died. This broke
the balance of our united family, my mother got sick and then
submitted to God's will and till then, we are facing financial
hardship for we are a young family with a lot of needs. I do not
know if, to correct this situation and gain God's mercy, (
according to 4:3-129), he would have to leave his second wife….if
you have some clues to solve this problems, think about us.
Now , Praise to God, we are trying the best we can
to become true submitters to God and have found peace and
happiness in our hearts, despite of the social life hardships we
do not even consider because we have got the best gift of all.
I am 99 % sure we are the only muslim submitter
family in the little country we live in (BURUNDI in central
Africa). Believe me, this did not make us popular!
Some think we are fanatics because we spend our
time reading to seek the Truth, others blame us to be
blasphemators, some women insulted and aggressed my mother because
she was not wearing the veil during Ramadan, me even risk injury
if we practice the Milat Ibramih publicly…
I am 24 and I don't know if I could get married
some day if I stay in this country because I will accept nobody
but a submitter I am going to worship with , leave under God 's
rule and steadfastly work righteousness together . But nobody
knows the future except God, His the Hearer, The Knower of
everything, In Him only I have full confidence.
PS: consider the fact that I'am a francophone and
excuse my bad english.
Sister Submitter from Burundi.
Hi,
My name is Ar--. I am a submitter. I would like to
inform you and thank you. submission.org has completely changed my
life for good. I cant describe how good I feel, but I think that
it's enough to say that I have never been happier in my life and I
owe it all to you.
I was born in a Muslim family in Iran but I always
had my doubts about what I really should believe and what I
shouldn't. I blame it on the incorrect exercise of the Islam
within most Muslims or may be it was not meant for me to know the
real meaning of submission until now.
I am mostly amazed by Dr. Khalifa's research and
results on the miracle of the number 19. I am keen to find out
more about the details of his research. ie. His procedures, future
plans etc. Can you please put me in the right direction? Where can
I get an electronic version of the Arabic Quran? I am really
interested to continue his wonderful work. I am a professional
software engineer with strong mathematical background. en-sha-allah
I'll be determined to achieve my goal. Will you please help me?
Muslims and also non Muslims all over the world
should see this for themselves. It will change the world into a
better place. Because the world doesn't know anything about the
true face of Islam. All westerners know is what they see on CNN
shows from Muslim countries.
Thanks a million. I hope more people come across
this wonderful eye opening site and I hope that they are as lucky
as I am.
Regards
Ar---
To whom it may concern -
I am writing to thank you for opening a door to
GOD that I did not even know existed ... I was raised a strict
Seventh Day Adventist (a Protestant Christian denomination), but
even from the time I was young (5-6), very little of what I was
taught ever made sense to me. GOD always seemed so much "bigger"
and "better" than all the small minded and petty things I was
taught about Him (a.g. "GOD is going to send me to hell for
wearing a ring?!?!?!"). When I was almost 18, my older sister
died. Because she was such a good person, because her heart was so
pure, I wanted to know where she was - what was going to happen to
her. All the things I had been taught about Jesus, God, Hell,
Resurrection, etc. began to come up to my mind. About that time, I
had also started reading books like "One" by Richard Bach, and
becoming involved more with my Native American heritage. All these
things were swirling around in my head, but I wasn't finding any
peace, comfort, or - more importantly - truth in any of it. I
talked to everyone I could about spirituality: pastors, elders,
deacons, spiritual Indians, new agers, family, friends .... All of
them had answers they were SO sure of - but none of it really made
any sense to me. Mostly, it sounded like a lot of desperation and
self-delusion.
During my 18th year, I started being less afraid
to look around even more closely at other religions (a very scary
prospect when you have been taught your whole life that doing so
could land you in hell!). I had a new friend who, although
Adventist, came from a somewhat more open religious environment.
She took me to a Messianic (Judaism that embraces Jesus as the
Messiah) service. It was totally unlike anything I have ever seen.
They danced after temple for crying out loud! (I was taught that
dancing was wrong). This was amazing to me. I began to study their
teachings very diligently, but then I started to see all the same
old stuff that had always caused me problems in religion in the
first place. Finally, I took a spiritual hiatus of sorts and just
started to mull things around in my own mind. Finally, I decided
that, if all these Christians and religious people were right...if
they really did have the inside track on the nature of God and
heaven, then by darn - I'd rather go to hell because spending an
eternity amongst all that hypocrisy and nonsense would be like
being in hell anyway! This was my "big, bold step out the door" of
traditional organized religion.
To make a very long story short, I didn't stop
trying to find the truth. Over the last several years I have
deeply submerged myself in studying at least one representative of
every type of religious system. I have looked into Buddhism,
Confucianism, Jainism, Hinduism, Neo-Paganism (Celtic, Wicca,
Witchcraft, Egyptian, Greek, etc. ad infinitum), Goddess
Spirituality, Catholicism, Islam ("traditional Islam" that is),
Shamanism, Animism, Pantheism, Panentheism, Deism ... Like I said,
just about all of them (and I am not like a lot of people who have
supposedly "studied" a religion. I throw myself completely into
the middle of it. I get my hands on every text I can find. I talk
to the people, read their magazines, study the history of the
religion, etc.).
Something about Islam always kept tugging at me. I
would keep going back to it to see if I had missed something. But,
like Christianity, the things I read in the books, didn't fit with
how the religion was taught/practiced by the supposed adherents of
the faith. Every time I researched Islam, instead of finding
information from the Quran I would hear about such and such
scholar saying thus and so. (Stuff I could never find in the Quran
itself!) Things like, music and singing are forbidden. Women must
wear hijab - only the face and hands may show. Dogs are unclean!
It was this last thing that led me to you (more on
that momentarily) .... Somewhere in my research, I came across a
website wherein a new revert had written to inquire whether he was
going to be allowed to take his guide dog into the mosque (He was
totally blind). The people responding said that he could of course
have the dog bring him to Mosque, but that it must be left outside
because dogs are considered utterly unclean in Islam. I couldn't
believe it. So I found a Muslim and asked him if this was true. He
told me that it is okay to keep them as hunting animals or for
herding, but that they cannot live in the house because they are
considered unholy ... I was so upset. If this was the case, I
seriously could not feature myself embracing Islam. I have 5 dogs!
and they live mainly in the house. They are my dear friends and
companions and I am not about to throw them out because they are
*unholy*. Besides which, how could the God I conceive of - the God
that MADE dogs in the first place - the God that is the Merciful
and Compassionate Creator of the Universe - be so "small-minded"
as to consider my association with another of his beautiful
creatures a condition for becoming unholy???
One of the things that I did carry away from my
time as a Christian, is the verse in the Tanakh where GOD says,
"Come let us reason together .. ." This is anything but reasonable
- or logical (and is GOD not the author of reason and logic?). So,
I decided to do a search on the Internet and see if there was
anything else that I could find concerning Islam and dogs. I did
my search and found one of your pages http://www.submission.org/pets/dogs.html
... You can not begin to imagine how happy I was!!! The article
was so right on. I figured this had to be too good to be true. So
I started meandering around your site. Bam Bam Bam - in one
article after another you were saying exactly what I have believed
deep in my soul for so long. Not only that, you were backing
yourself up with the Quran! I ended up staying awake till 3 AM
because I was so excited ... Now I know why GOD kept trying to get
me to look at Islam again. I also know, now, why I had to take
each one of the steps I have in my life - because they have all
brought me here, to the truth.
I hope I have not taken too much of your time.
It's just that I wanted you to know how wonderful it is that you
are proclaiming this truth for the world to hear. If you ever get
discouraged and wonder if anyone is listening, just know that
there are Truthseekers out there - even now. You have helped
change my life. Thank you so much for the important work you do!
Peace be upon all of you.
Sincerely,
A New Sister
Salam my brothers and sisters,
I am a Music Therapist and artist living in the
Bronx, NY. Being of the North Caucasus Peoples, I have grown up
with Islam in my family. All my life I have felt GOD with me,
always on my mind. In good times and bad, in sin and out. Despite
of all of this, I never submitted totally. I couldn't tell you
why. I used to say because I did not know Arabic, that was the
reason why reading Quran was a difficult task. I decided instead
to devote my Islam by studying. I have read many authors,
including Arabi, Rumi, Ghazzali, ....etc. I wanted to know as much
as I can until I felt ready to submit. I remind you that during
these past 25 years of study without worship, I have always felt
guided nonetheless. Saved in very dangerous situations where I
should have been seriously injured or killed, for I have tasted
many of the trappings of this dark city. Yet, still I did not do
my prayers or fast.It was about two weeks ago, I found this
website and let me tell you that my life is changing rapidly. Dr.
Rashad has opened the door to Submission for me and I am not
surprised at what became of him at the hands of lost souls. I am
writing this to thank your group and Allah for bringing me to the
truth. A funny thing is, I found this site after writing and
recording a song about searching for faith called "Lord with a
Guiding Hand". In the song I recount my search for the Lord. My
question is this, I just want to be sure about the method of
Salat. I understand removing the names of Ibrahim and Muhammed
during the prayer. I want to know if I should refrain from
reciting Sura's after Al Fatihah. I thank you many times for
providing me with the information when you can.
My God grant the believers the strength to
persevere in these dark times.
Salamat my friends,
YK
To Whom It May Concern:
When I first became Muslim, I did not know
anything about Hadith or Sunnah. I only read the Quran. My mind
was free from many of the ills of present day Christianity. There
was no confusion concerning who Allah was. The father, son, and
holy spirit, referred to as the Trinity, were gone from my
relationship with Allah. I understand that Allah was one Being who
had a message for all mankind. His message was clear, and it was
opening to my heart.
I begin to associate more with other Muslims. They
told me about Hadith and Sunnah. This was imperative to
understanding how to practice Islam. They informed me that I could
not learn about everything I needed from the Quran. I needed a
scholar to truly understand my relationship with Allah. As time
passed, my relationship with Allah began to lessen. It was not as
strong as it was in the beginning. I grew further from Allah and
grew closer to confusion. This could not be Islam. This could not
be the same religion that came to free my mind. It was almost like
being a Christian. There was a new trinity—Quran, Hadith/Sunnah,
and scholars. I was lost in oblivion of rules. Hijab was the most
fundamental thing that was focused upon for women. We were reduced
to a piece of scarf. We were not to be seen or heard. This could
not be Islam.
I knew that something was wrong. There was a
splinter in my heart. I was so unhappy. I wanted to recapture what
I had in the beginning. I thought about how happy I was when I
first became Muslim. What made me happy? The Quran! Allah’s
personal message to mankind—to me. Every time I read the Quran, I
knew that Allah was talking to me and guiding me on the Straight
Path.
I started reading your site, and I was engaged for
at least two weeks. I could not stop reading. Everything I had
known in my heart was solidified. Where was it to be found? Where
else? The Quran. I had found the answers where I had started. I
did not need anything else to complete my relationship with Allah.
Why did I keep referring to others to tell me what Allah had
revealed for me?
Why? Because I had fallen into the trap that most
new Muslims find themselves in, when they first commit to Allah.
They become brainwashed with innovations and cultures that have
nothing to do with Islam. They neglect the Quran for Hadith. They
neglect the Quran for cultures. They neglect the Quran by
practically worshipping scholars. This is what happens. It is
brainwashing. You have to think to become Muslim. You have to ask
questions to get to this point. Unfortunately, by the time who
become involved with most Muslim communities, your mind becomes
locked in a spiritual prison. You are no longer able to question,
because you will be labeled a disbeliever. The brainwashing is
just as serious as Christianity or worse. Culture replaces Allah.
Words of men, known as Hadith, supersede the Word of Allah. Quran
and Hadith and/or Quran and Sunnah are placed on the same level.
What happened to Quran alone?
I am writing this message to you to thank you for
your courage. It takes courage to be able to tell the majority of
Muslims that they need to re-think their Faith. It takes courage
to tell them that they are practicing innovations that have
nothing to do with the words of Allah. I cannot thank you enough
for re-introducing me to a very Good Book—the Quran.
It is my hope that other Muslims will be able to
free themselves from placing the words of men over Allah. I hope
that they return to the Quran. It is the only answer.
May Allah protect and bless your efforts.
Salaam,
M.
As Salam Wa Alakioum wa Rahmatulah Wa Barakatu.
Bissmilah-
My dear brothers and sisters. I feel so
overwhelmed and my heart and spirit have been set free after 16
yrs of in and out of ISLAM practice. I have always understood the
submission the GOD. What I could not except in my life is
illogical practice and un answered question. "Except here is the
sahih hadith follow it!!". I have been struggling in my Islam, not
at all because I questioned the base, but every other thing that
is crammed in it with out question and thousands of followers not
refering to the HOLY QURAN. I knew that ISLAM was the truth PRAISE
GOD, but the hijab, the no music, these things were not logical
and peaceful. And ALLAH is most peaceful and logical. I thank you
so much that you have this web site and now I can practice with
out question and concern. Everything we need is in the Quran. All
complete. Praise GOD. I so want to be involved with other
submitters and brothers and sisters with the true understanding. I
will come with quite a fight here in my community it is sick and
depleting healthy people who are bound by lies and customs. God
willing we will realize the true freedom there is in ISLAM. No one
here in this community is in truth only Allah knows for sure there
hearts. So please email me back and let me get involved. Praise
GOD, Praise GOD, Praise GOD.Peace and Blessing of our Creator be
with you.
K.
Assalamu alaikum brothers and sisters,
My name is Omar and I'm a Jordanian Italian who
has been guided to Submission over a year ago... I was born a
sunni muslim and I grew up in Saudi Arabia..My family is not
particularly religious, but growing up in Saudi Arabia (a very
religiously fundamental country) i was exposed to Islam and so I
began seeking to please God through the good influence of
friends...I always found the message of Islam found in the Quran
to be very logical and beautiful. But there was always something
that i couldnt quit get over subconsciously.. I always felt uneasy
when following the hadith and sunna. I felt sad because others
didnt seem to be bothered by the bizzare restrictions and tough
prohibitions set upon us. I was always questioning myself. I began
to become very confused and the more I asked for advice from
teachers or friends, the more varied and illogical the answers
were.. it seemed like everyone had their own criteria for
following Islam... i was particularly disturbed by how everything
was HARAM! it all seemed to be too narrow minded for me.. i passed
through a very tough childhood, often traumatized by teachers and
friends who said that I will be going to hell for wearing pants
that reach below my ankles, touching a dog, or even drawing a
person!!! For some reason I did not understand how God could still
be "The Most Merciful" when Islam seemed to be so strict. as i
searched for spiritual peace, I began to pray asking Allah to
better understand my religion.. I soon after became interested in
religious debating on the net and came across this wonderful site
WHICH I RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE..
This site was at first odd because it contradicted
all the values and the traditions that i was supposed to follow
blindly..but i couldnt stop reading it and i became glued to it
because it all made too much sense!! the logic, truth and
simplicity was very persuasive (especially the backing with
quranic ayas)... I suddenly realized that I was right to doubt my
traditional, limited, illogical faith all along and that the
majority of the muslim world is living an illusional way of life
full of corruption and narrow mindedness...and for once in my life
I found out what "GOd is the Most Merciful" really means!! Today
I'm a practicing Submitter, and it is often difficult to get along
with traditional muslims because they see me as a naive, gullible
and corrupted person...im often treated as a Kaffir (pagan) with
no returning of greetings..Nobody seems to even bother checking
the validity of the fascinating Quranic Mathematical Miracle..they
reject it as blasphemy, lie about it and distort it...one
extremist at my college has gone as far as demanding that others
do not talk to me. But i feel so guided and blessed. I have been
enlightened allahmdullilah..Thank you for making me see the
light!!!Mashallah, Continue your excellent job at spreading the
REAL MESSAGE of the true and peaceful Islam.. Assalamualaikum
Omar
SUBMISSION TO GOD ALONE
A Beginner's Thoughts
I was a "Traditional Muslim." Not just an average
Traditional Muslim but a staunch Traditional Muslim. My
appearance, my deeds, my religious practices, my lifestyle were
all in accordance with Sunna, Hadith and the sup-posed lifestyle
of Muhammad. I did believe that there is no god but God; I
believed in the angels; I believed that Quran is one of God's
scriptures and that Muhammad was one among the various prophets
and messengers God sent to this world with the message "La Elaaha
Ella Allah," and I believed in the Day of Judgment. But all this
was mere lip service. I never actually observed the five daily
Salat (Contact) prayers. I only went to the Friday prayer [once a
week] and "Eid prayer [twice a year]."
It all began in 1992. There was a beggar who used
to pass by my house every morning saying loudly "Rab ne paida kiya
bandagi ke liye" (Translation: "The Lord has created us to worship
Him.") God made me realise that there was a purpose of my
existence and it is mentioned in Quran in 51:56 "I did not create
the jinns and the humans ex-cept to worship Me alone."
This set the ball rolling and I decided to follow
Islam more religiously. I started saying the five Salat prayers
reverently in congregation. I started attending Ijtema's
(religious meetings). But as per the traditional Muslims, my
source of guidance was Hadith and Sunnah because according to
their claim it was very difficult to understand the Quran, and was
only meant to be recited. I removed the TV from my house and
changed my dress code. I began to analyse every act and deed of
mine, and if it was not in accordance with Hadith or Sunnah, I
would refrain from doing it.
Despite my doing all this for years, there was no
joy in my life. I was always confused and thought that there was
something wrong with this type of traditional form of worship -
something was missing. Wherever and whenever I attended religious
get-together, I found them praising prophets and messengers,
especially Muhammad and the Saints.
I could not digest this practice as this was
contradicting verse 1:2 which says "Praise be to God, Lord of the
universe."
After coming into submission by the grace of God,
I retrieved the "missing link" which was Submission to God Alone
in the true sense and not mere lip service as God says in 2:112:
"Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone,
while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from
their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve."
Today by the grace of God I have submitted myself
absolutely to God Alone. Now what do I mean by submit? If you look
up in the dictionary "Submit" means surrender or comply. This
immediately brings to my mind the feud in the High Society that
was triggered by Satan's challenge to God's absolute authority.
This is definitely the most important event in the history of the
human race that I was not aware of when I was a traditional
Muslim. I was not aware that I failed to make a firm stand
regarding God's absolute authority and this life represents the
third and final chance to redeem ourselves.
So by submitting myself absolutely to God alone, I
surrender to God and accept God's absolute authority ? recognizing
the most important information from the verse 3:18 where God says:
"GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the
angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably,
He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most
Wise."
The proclamation of faith (Shahaadah) that is
decreed by God is: "There is no god except God," - in Arabic "La
Elaaha Ella Allah" The corrupted Muslims insist upon adding a
second "Shahaadah" proclaiming that Muhammad is God's messenger
and that God loves Muhammad so much that he has added Muhammad to
His name in the Shahaadah. This contradicts 47:19 which says: "You
shall know that: 'There is no other god beside GOD,' and ask
forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all believing men and
women. GOD is fully aware of your decisions and your ultimate
destiny."
Significantly, this First Pillar of religion is
stated in the Sura entitled Muhammad, and is utterly devoted to
God alone. Muhammad's name was added by his idolizers against his
will. This is by definition 'Shirk' (idolatry) and a flagrant
defiance of God and His messenger. Additionally, it violates the
major commandments in 2:136, 2:285, 3:84, & 4:150-152 prohibiting
any distinction among God's messengers. By proclaiming that
'Muhammad is a messenger of God' and failing to make the same
proclamation for other messengers such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus,
Saleh, and Jonah, a distinction is committed and a major
commandment is violated.
Now we come to 2:112 which says "Indeed, those who
submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a
righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord;
they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve."
We immediately realize that the words "while
leading a righteous life" mean that submitting ourselves
absolutely to God alone by itself without leading a righteous life
is not sufficient for our redemption. This may have been
sufficient in the first and second chance but in this life, which
represents the third (and last) chance, it is essential that we
accept God's absolute authority and also lead a righteous life.
Now how do we lead a righteous life? Let us look
in Quran, God's Final Testament and the only and sufficient source
of guidance for Submitters. God tells us in 2:177 "Righteousness
is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous
are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the
scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully,
to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the travelling alien,
the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact
Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they
keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly
persevere in the face of persecution, hard-ship, and war. These
are the truthful; these are the righteous."
The first part of the verse deals mainly with
believing, i.e. believing in God, the day of judgment, the angels,
the scriptures, and the prophets. The second part deals with
giving money cheerfully to the relatives, the orphans, the needy,
the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves.
The third part of 2:177 deals with observing
Contact Prayers (Salat) and giving of Obligatory Charity (Zakat)?
may God help us in observing Contact Prayers more reverently,
punctually and to give Zakat on harvest as it should be given.
The fourth part of 2:177 deals with keeping their
word whenever they make a promise. This is one field in which I
find myself to be very weak. All I do about this is ask God who
has guided me so far to help me in analysing the word or the
commitment before giving it by applying the carpenter's rule, i.e.
to measure twice and cut once.
The fifth part deals with steadfastness and
persevering in the face of persecution, hardship and war. This can
be handled by holding fast to the rope of God while you go through
the Inevitable Test. Regarding which God says in 3:186 You will
certainly be tested, through your money and your lives, and you
will hear from those who received the scripture, and from the idol
worshipers, a lot of insult. If you steadfastly persevere and lead
a righteous life, this will prove the strength of your faith.
As we learn also from the Quran, the proven
worshipers of God ALONE start reaping the benefits of their
steadfastness right in this world, and their recompense in the
Hereafter will be even greater. For example, 16:97 states that
Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing,
we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will
surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for
their righteous works.
Going back to 2:112, it says that those have
submitted themselves absolutely to God alone will receive their
recompense from God. And the last part of the verse says they have
nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. Today if we look around we
find that fear and depression are two problems spread all over the
world. One can find large collections of books prescribing methods
of dealing with them.
I myself was the victim of both these problems
when I was not a true submitter. I bought books of various
national and international authors to solve my problems but all in
vain. It gave me a temporary relief and again I was back to square
one. I was fearful, sad and worried until I entered submission.
Therefore, I now have a better appreciation of the statement
"Happiness is Submission to God alone."
May God help us to read, understand, and practice
the verse 2:112 and many such verses in the ultimate book of
guidance -Quran, the Final Testament; and Redeem us back to His
kingdom.
Asif
Mumbai
GUIDANCE
A Gift From God
With the American holiday of Thanksgiving just
around the corner, it's a good time to reflect on the many things
we have to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is a wonderful
holiday-its very name speaks of our appreciation to our Creator.
There are so many gifts from God in our lives. We have to try to
remember to be thankful for each of them. I think sometimes
overlooked is the ultimate gift that makes everything else
possible-and that's guidance.
How does an American woman raised in the Episcopal
church find her way into an exotic religion like Islam? My mother
asked me that once, assuming I would name some person who brought
me into it, but at that moment I realized without question that it
was God who brought me here. The Christian tradition in which I
was raised doesn't really allow for God's involvement in our day
to day activities. So this was an alien concept to my mother. But
with this gift of guidance comes the understanding that God is
doing everything; He is running every moment of my life; He is
with me continuously. Without His guidance to that understanding,
I would have continued blundering without knowledge.
God is so incredibly merciful. He doesn't just
tell us we have to worship Him or we won't make it to heaven. He
spells out how to achieve this. Then He sends scripture,
messengers and individual guidance. He told Adam and Eve and their
descendants: "Go down therefrom, all of you. When guidance comes
to you from Me, those who follow My guidance will have no fear,
nor will they grieve." (2:38)
God offers this guidance to everyone. There are
many moments in our lives when we either recognize that guidance,
accept it and follow it, or ignore it and carry on in darkness.
God then enhances that choice. In our contact prayers, 17 times a
day, the one thing we ask of God is: Guide us in the right path,
the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved
wrath, nor of the strayers. (1:6-7)
We were all of us in darkness until God guided us
into the light, into understanding and knowledge. He tells us at
the end of 2:198 You shall commemorate Him for guiding you; before
this, you had gone astray. Being thankful for that guidance is an
important thing for us to remember. God guides those who seek His
approval. He guides them to the paths of peace, leads them out of
darkness into the light by His leave, and guides them in a
straight path.(5:16)
Very early in sura 2, God describes the righteous:
who believe in the unseen, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat),
and from our provisions to them, they give to charity. And they
believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed
before you, and with regard to the Hereafter, they are absolutely
certain. These are guided by their Lord; these are the winners.
(2:3-5)
If we are guided by God, we are winners.
Therefore, guidance is a gift without price. In many verses, God
re-minds us of the power of this gift.
They act as if they are doing you a favor by
embracing submission! Say, "You are not doing me any favors by
embracing Submission. God is the One who is doing you a great
favor by guiding you to the faith, if you are sincere." (49:17)
Whomever God guides is the truly guided one, and
whomever He commits to straying, these are the losers. (7:178)
This guidance is not an arbitrary gift. God
doesn't pick and choose at random. He is fully aware of those who
de-serve the guidance, those who will recognize it and follow it,
and those who will listen heedlessly and then turn away, following
instead their own opinions.
Had God willed, He could have made you one
congregation. But He sends astray whoever chooses to go astray,
and He guides whoever wishes to be guided. You will surely be
asked about everything you have done. (16:93)
You cannot guide the ones you love. God is the
only One who guides in accordance with His will, and in accordance
with His knowledge of those who deserve the guidance. [28:56]
Another interesting thing about guidance is that
it seems to be a process. If we allow ourselves to receive it,
then God increases it; the sequence and timeframe will be
appropriate to each individual. God describes this process of
receiving guidance in almost physical terms. Our whole being
cringes away from the awesomeness of God; then God actually
softens the hearts and minds of those who are striving to let Him
in. God makes a comparison in terms we can understand. He
describes someone willing to accept Submission as having a
wide-open heart. And someone unwilling to seek God's guidance is
like someone at the top of Mt Everest, his chest constricted until
it is physically painful.
If God renders one's heart content with
Submission, he will be following a light from his Lord. Therefore,
woe to those whose hearts are hardened against God's message; they
have gone far astray. God has revealed herein the best Hadith; a
book that is consistent, and points out both ways (to Heaven and
Hell). The skins of those who reverence their Lord cringe
therefrom, then their skins and their hearts soften up for God's
message. Such is God's guidance; He bestows it upon whoever wills
(to be guided). As for those sent astray by God, nothing can guide
them.(39:22-3)
Whomever God wills to guide, He renders his chest
wide open to Submission. And whomever He wills to send astray, He
renders his chest intolerant and straitened, like one who climbs
towards the sky. God thus places a curse upon those who refuse to
believe. [6:125]
Guidance from God is a very personal,
individualized gift. And it's so very important for us to
recognize it, follow it and be appreciative of it. We want to be
among those who are invited into Paradise, pleased and pleasing.
Only with God's guidance will we make it. We don't want to be like
those described in 39:54-60, who actually have the audacity to
say: "Had God guided me, I would have been with the righteous." Or
3:86: Why should God guide people who disbelieved after believing
and after witnessing that the messenger is truth, and after solid
proofs have been given to them? God does not guide the wicked.
On Thanksgiving, and on every other day of the
year, we need to offer our sincere thanks to God. He tells us in
14:7 that the more we thank Him the more He gives us. This is as
true for guidance as for all the other gifts.
God augments the guidance of those who choose to
be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord,
and bring far better returns. (19:76)
L. K.
In Name of The God, The Gracious, The Merciful
I was taught by my
parents to respect everyone and anyone. (My mother is a
'spiritual' humanist and my father was raised a Catholic). Since
an early age I, my little brother and my sister have been
discussing all kinds of matters with them, religious matters
included. As an adolescent raised in this somewhat philosophical
and open-for-discussion-environment I bumped into various ethnic
groups in my country, the Netherlands. I started to talk about
various subjects with hindu's, budhists, muslims, christians,
communists and so on and so forth. As I was on a quest for the
'ultimate thruth' my brains thrived on these elaborate
discussions as did the many reading I did. What I found
particulary interesting was that every religion and ideology
share the same basic assumptions. Still they all seemed
inreconciable. Take a look around: there are Christians
murdering Jews, Jews murdering Muslims, Muslims murdering
Hindu's etc. etc. I started to notice that only few people were
able to 'think outside of the box'. They seemed to constantly
stress differences instead of looking at similarities. They also
seemed to abuse their own ideologies for settling pure
interhuman disputes (power, money, jealousy etc.). I was around
12 years old when I started my quest...
I am 26 years old
now and I feel that I am entering into a final stage of the
quest I vantured on at an early age. For about nine months now I
started dating an Islamic young woman. She firmly believes in
Allah. Problem is that her parents act according to their
cultural beliefs which in their eyes in similar to the true
faith: Islam. I will not be accepted by them and this causes
great hurt for me and my girlfriend. Along the years I had heard
many things about Islam and the Quran and I found it time that I
started reading the Quran myself to better understand Islam and
what it really means. I started readling a Dutch translation and
soon I was fully absorbed by the message the Quran holds.
Normally I read a book, this time the book was talking to me. I
found out that 99% of the things muslims had told me about Islam
and the Quran are nowhere to be found in the Sura's. Instead I
found the serene message of a father-mother talking about an
absolute truth....
Suddenly all the
pieces of the puzzle fell together. The ultimate thruth is that
Allah is the creator, the father and mother of all things,
including me. But also including the teachings of the Hindu
faith (is not Brahman the same as Allah), of the Budhist faith
(is not the Nirwana Heaven), of the Christian faith (God is
Allah) and so on. Jesus was a profit, a wise man chosen to
convey the message, as was Mohammed as was Socrates as was
Mozart and Da Vinci. I now see the truth in all things and the
Quran has been my guide.
Although it is
still hard for me to transform my daily routine (I do no longer
eat porc however) I am more and more becomin aware of Islam and
its scope. I found the articles on your website particulary
interesting because they tell the stories that have been
crossing my mind recently. Especially the piece on Hadith &
Sunna violating the teachings of Quran (and thus Allah
him/her/itself) have opened my eyes even more!!! I would
certainly like to have more insights in what you have to say.
Ash-Hadu Allaa Elaaha
Ellaa Allah, Wahdahu Laa Shareeka Lah
