The Muslim Jesus

~* THE PROPHET 'ISA (JESUS) *~

* Allah Declares He Has No Son :

~ In many verses of the Glorious Qur'an, Allah, the Exalted, denied the claim of the Christians that He has a son.
A delegation from Najran came to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. They began to talk about their claim about the Trinity, which is that Allah, the Exalted is three in one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with some disagreement among their sects. That is why Allah affirmed in many verses of the Qur'an that Jesus, peace be upon him, is a slave of Allah, whom He molded in the womb of his mother, may Allah be pleased with her, like any other of His creatures, and that He created him without a father, as He created Adam, peace be upon him, without a father or a mother. Almighty Allah had chosen 'Isa (Jesus) to be one of His Messengers to humanity.

* The Birth of Mary - Qur'anic :

~ Allah the Almighty said :

" Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Imran above the Alamin (mankind and jinns). Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Remember when the wife of Imran said: 'O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your services (free from all wordly work; to serve Your Place of worship), so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.'
Then when she delivered her (child Mary), she said: 'O my Lord! I have delivered a female child,' and Allah knew better what she delivered, - 'and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her and for her offspring from Satan, the Outcast.' "

* Mary's Sustenance - Qur'anic :

~ So her Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zechariah. Every time he entered Al-Mihrab (a praying place or a private room), he found her supplied with sustenance.

As Allah, the Exalted, recounted in the Glorious Qur'an :

She said: " From Allah. Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit. " (Qur'an, 3:37).

* Mary's Birth - Longer Version :

~ Prophet Zakariyah's, peace be upon him, wife's sister had a daughter named Hannah. She was married to Imran, a leader of the Israelites. For many years, the couple remained childless. Whenever Hannah saw another woman with a child, her longing for a baby increased. Although years had passed, she never lost hope. She believed that one day Allah, the Exalted, would bless her with a child, on whom she would shower all her motherly love.
She turned to the Lord of the heavens and the earth and pleaded with Him for a child. She would offer the child in the service of Allah's house, in the temple of Jerusalem. Allah, the Exalted, granted her request. When she learned that she was pregnant, she was the happiest woman alive, and thanked Allah for His gift. Her overjoyed husband Imran also thanked Allah for His mercy.
However, while she was pregnant her husband passed away. Hannah wept bitterly. Alas, Imran did not live to see their child for whom they had so longed. She gave birth to a girl, and again turned to Allah in prayer:

" O my Lord, I have delivered a female child, " and the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for her offspring from Satan, the outcast. " (Qur'an, 3:36).

* Zechariah Becomes Mary's Guardian :

~ Hannah had a big problem in refrence to her promise to Allah, the Exalted, for females were not accepted into the temple, and she was very worried. Her sister's husband Zakariyah, peace be upon him, comforted her, saying that Allah knew best what she had delivered and appreciated fully what she had offered in His service. She wrapped the baby in a shawl and handed it over to the temple elders. As the baby was a girl, the question of her guardianship posed a problem for the elders. This was a child of their late and beloved leader, and everyone was eager to take care of her. Zakariyah said to the elders: " I am the husband of her maternal aunt and her nearest relation in the temple; therefore, I will be more mindful of her than all of you. "

As it was their custom to draw lots to solve disagreements, they followed this course. Each one was given a reed to throw into the river. They had agreed that whoever's reed remained afloat would be granted guardianship of the girl. All the reeds sank to the bottom except Zakariyah's, peace be upon him. With this sign, they all surrendered to the will of Allah, the Exalted, and made him the guardian.

* Mary's High Status :

~ To ensure that no one had access to Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, Zakariyah, peace be upon him, built a separate room for her in the temple. As she grew up, she spent her time in devotion to Allah, the Exalted. Zakariyah visited her daily to see her needs, and so it continued for many years. One day, he was surprised to find fresh fruit, which was out of season in her room. As he was the only person who could enter her room, he asked her how the fruit got there. She replied that these provisions were from Allah, as He gives to whom He wills. Zakariyah understood by this that Allah had raised Mary's satus above that of other women.
Thereafter, Zakariyah spent more time with her, teaching and guiding her. Mary grew to be a devotee of Allah, glorifying Him day and night.

* Mary's High Satus - Qur'anic :

~ " And (remember) when the angels said: 'O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you (fom popytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the Alamin (mankind and jinn)'. "

* Mary's High Status - Prophet Muhammad :

~ Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: " The best of the world's women is Mary (in her lifetime), and the best of the world's women is Khadija (in her lifetime). "

~ Abu Musa Al-Ashari, may Allah be pleased with him, also narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: " Many among men attained perfection but among women none attained perfection except Mary, the daughter of Imran, and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, and the superiority of Aisha to other women is like the superiority of Tharid (an Arabic dish) to other meals. "

* Mary Receives News of Jesus :

~ While Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, was praying in her temple, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled with terror, she tried to flee, praying:

" Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah. " The angel said: " I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son. " She said: " How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, not am I unchaste? " He said: " So (it will be), your Lord said: " That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah). " (Qur'an, 19:18-21).

* The Birth of Jesus :

~ The angel's visit caused Mary's great anxiety, which increased as the months went by. How could she face giving birth to a child without having a husband? Later, she felt life kicking inside her. With a heavy heart, she left the temple and went to Nazareth, the city in which she had been born where she settled in a simple farm house to avoid the public.
But fear and anxiety did not leave her. She was from a noble and pious family. Her father had not been an evil man nor was her mother an impure woman. How could she prevent tongues from wagging about her honor?
After some months, she could not bear the mental strain any longer. Burdened with a heavy womb, she left Nazareth, not knowing where to go to be away from this depressing atmosphere. She had not gone far, when she was overtaken by the pains of childbirth. She saw down against a dry palm tree, and here she gave birth to a son. Looking at her beautiful baby, she was hurt that she had brought him into the world without a father. She exclaimed: " I wish I had died before this happened and had vanished into nothingness! "
Suddenly, she heard a voice nearby: " Grieve not, your Lord has placed a rivulet below, and shake the trunk of this tree, from which ripe dates will fall. So eat and drink and regain the strength you have lost; and be of good cheer, for what you see is the power of Allah, Who made the dry palm tree regain life, in order to provide food for you. " For a while she was comforted by Allah's miracle, for it was a sure sign of her innocence and purity.

* Mary Returns to the City with Jesus :

~ Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, decided to return to the city. However, her fears also returned. What was she going to tell the people? As if sharinhis mother's worry, the baby began to speak: " If you meet any person say: 'I have vowed to fast for The Beneficent and may not speak to any human today.' " With this miracle, Mary felt at ease.

As she expected, her arrival in the city with a newborn baby in her arms aroused the curiosity of the people. They scolded her: " This is a terrible sin that you have commited. " She put her finger to her lips and pointed to the child. They asked: " How can we speak to a newborn baby? " To their total amazement, the child began to speak clearly: " I am Allah's servant. Allah has given me the Book, and has made me a Prophet, and has blessed me wherever I may be, and has enjoined on me prayers and alms-giving as long as I live. Allah has made me dutiful towards she who had borne me. He has not made me arrogant nor unblessed. Peace unto me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive. "

Most of the people realized that the baby was unique, for Allah, the Exalted, wills something, He merely says " Be " and it happens. Of course, there were some who regarded the baby's speech as a strange trick, but at least Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, could now stay in Nazareth without being harassed.

* Mary Receives News of Jesus - Qur'anic :

~ Allah, the Exalted, revealed :

" And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, O Muhammad, the story of) Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh (angel Gabriel), and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
She said: " Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah. "
The angel said: " I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son. "
She said: " How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste? "
He said: " So (it will be), you Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allah): and (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah).' " (Qur'an, 19:16-21).

* The Birth of Jesus - Qur'anic :

~ " So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (Bethlehem valley, about four to six miles from Jerusalem). And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: " Wish that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight! "
Then (The baby Jesus) cried unto her from below her, saying: " Grieve not! Your Lord has provided you a water stream under you; and shake the trunk of palm tree towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad, and if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.' " (Qur'an, 19:22-26).

* Mary and Jesus Return to the City - Qur'anic :

~ " Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: " O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariyya (an unheard mighty thing). O sister (the like) of Aaron (not the brother of Moses, but he was another pious man at the time of Mary)! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor was your mother an unchaste woman. "
Then she pointed to him. They said: " How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle? "
He (Jesus) said: " Verily! I am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; and He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined me prayer, and Zakat, as long as I live, and dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! " (Qur'an, 19:27-33).

* Allah's Message About Jesus - Qur'anic :

~ " Such is Jesus, son of Mary. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son (this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that Jesus is the son of Allah). Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, " Be! " - and it is.
Jesus said: " And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets). "
Then the sects differed (the Christians about Jesus), so woe unto the disbelievers (those who gave fate witness saying that Jesus is the son of Allah) from the meeting of a great Day (the Day of Resurrection)
How clearly will they (polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us! But the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) today are in plain error. And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has been decided, while now they are in a state of carelessness and they believe not. " (Qur'an, 19:34-39).

* A Story About Mary's Pregnancy :

~ It was said that Joseph the Carpenter was greatly surprised when he knew the story, so he asked Mary: " Can a tree come to grow without a seed? " She said: " Yes, the one which Allah created for the first time. " He asked her again: " Is it possible to bear a child without a male partner? " She said: " Yes, Allah, created Adam without male or female! "

* Jesus Upsets the Jews :

~ The Jewish priests felt this child Jesus was dangerous, for they felt that the people would turn their worship to Allah the Almighty Alone, displacing the existing Jewish tenets. Consequently, they would lose their authority over people. Therefore, they kept the miracle of Jesus's speech in infancy as a secret and accused Mary of a great misdeed.

* The Miracles of Jesus - Qur'anic :

~ Allah the Almighty said :

" Remember when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): " O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My Favor to you and to your mother when I supported you with Ruh-ul-Qudus (Gabriel) so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al Hikmah ( the power of understanding), the Torah and the Gospel; and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said; 'This is nothing but evident magic. ' "
And when I (Allah) put in their hearts of the disciples (of Jesus) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: " We believe. and bear witness that we are Muslims. " (Qur'an, 5:110-111).
> (Muslim is to submit to Allah, the Exalted, so anyone who submits to Allah is called a Muslim).

* Jesus' Abilities and the Disciples - Qur'anic :

~ Almighty Allah also revealed :

" And He Allah will teach him (Jesus) the Book and Al Hikmah (the Sunnah, the faultless of speech of the Prophet, wisdom, etc.), (and) the Torah and the Gospel.
And will make him (Jesus) a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): 'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe. And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me. Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Sraight Path.'
Then when Jesus came to know of their disbelief, he said: 'Who will be my helpers in Allah's Cause?' The disciples said: 'We are the helpers; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (we submit to Allah).'
Our Lord! We believe in what you have sent down, and we follow the Messenger (Jesus); so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth, La ilaha illa Allah - none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).
And they (disbelievers) plotted (to kill Jesus), and Allah planned too. And Allah is the Best of the planners. " (Qur'an, 3:48-54).

* Allah Sends the Disciples a Feast :

~ Some of the miracles which Jesus performed had been requested by his disciples, such as their wish for a " holy table " to be sent down from heaven.

~ Allah, the Exalted, said :

" Remember when the disciples said: 'O Jesus, son of Mary! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?' Jesus said: 'Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers.' They said: 'We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.'
Jesus, son of Mary, said: 'O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us - for the first and the last of us - a festival and a sign from you; and provide us sustenance, for You are the best of sustainers.' Allah said: 'I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among all the Alamin (mankind and jinn).'
And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): 'O 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' He will say: 'Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. " (Qur'an, 5:112-116).

* Those Worshipping Jesus and Allah's Questions to Jesus :

~ Almighty Allah asserted :

" And remember when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): 'O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?' He will say: 'Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing, you would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say: 'Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord', And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things. If you punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, Verily You, only You are the All Mighty, the All Wise.'
Allah will say: 'This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) - they shall abide therein forever. Allah is pleased with and they with Him. That is the great success (Paradise). To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is therein, and He is Able to do all things. " (Qur'an, 5:116-120).

* Jesus's Crucifixion - Qur'anic :

~ The Glorious Qur'an affirms that Allah, the Exalted, did not permit the people of Israel to kill Jesus, peace be upon him, or crucify him. What happened was that Allah saved him from his enemies and raised him to heaven. They never killed Jesus, they killed someone else.

~ Allah the Almighty declared :

" And because of their saying (in boast), 'We killed Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,' but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man (and they killed that man) and those who differ therin are full of doubts. They have no certain knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not (Jesus, son of Mary): But Allah raised him (Jesus) up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All Powerful, All Wise.
And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him (Jesus, son of Mary, as only a Messenger of Allah, and a human being), before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he (Jesus) will be a witness against them." (Qur'an, 4:157-159).

~ Almighty Allah aslo revealed :

" And remember when Allah said: 'O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you (of the forged statement that Jesus is Allah's son) of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, etc., or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Torah, the Gospel, the Qur'an) till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute. " (Qur'an, 3:55).

* Refutation of the Christians Claim :

~ Allah, the Exalted, Disclaims Begetting Anyone - Surah 19, Almighty Allah refuted the claims of the Jews and the Christians in many verses in the Qur'an :

" And they say: 'The Most Beneficent (Allah) had begotten a son (or offspring or children) (as the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son (Christ), and the Pagan Arabs say that he has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)). "
Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, that they ascribe a son (or offspring or children). There is non in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting, And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender). " (Qur'an, 19:88-95).

~ Allah, the Exalted, also declared :

" Yet, they join the jinns as partners in worship with Allah, though He has created them (the jinns), and they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him. Be He Glorified! And Exalted above (all) that they attribute to Him. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.
Such is Allah, your Lord! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakil (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian etc.) over all things.
No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things. " (Qur'an, 6:100-103).

~ Almighty Allah commanded :

" O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, ('Be' - and he was) which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit (Ruh) created by Him; so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not: 'Three (tinity)!' Cease! (It is) better for you. For Allah is the only One ILah (God), Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.
The Messiah (Jesus) will never be proud to reject to be a slave to Allah, nor the angels who are near (to Allah). And whosoever rejects His worship and is proud, then He will gather them all together unto Himself. So, as for those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and did deeds of righteousness, He will give their (due) rewards, and more out of His Bounty. But as for those who refuse His worship and were proud, He will punish them with a painful torment. And they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or helper. " (Qur'an, 4:171-173).

* Allah Disclaims Ezra as a Son :

~ Almighty Allah also declared :

" And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: Massiah (Jesus) is the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of old. Allah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from truth!
They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah) and (they also took as their lord) Messiah, son of Mary, while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded (in the Torah and the Gospel) to worship none but One ILah (God-Allah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none had the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having partners they associate (with Him). " (Qur'an, 9:30-32).

* Allah Disclaims Begetting Anyone :

~ Allah the Almighty also revealed :

" Now ask them (O Muhammad): " Are there (only) daughters for your Lord and sons for them? " Or did We create the angels females while they were witnesses?
Verily, it is of their falsehood that they (Quraish pagans) say: " Allah has begotten off-spring or children (angels are the daughters of Allah) " And, verily, they are liars!
Has He (then) chosen daughters rather than sons? What is the matter with you? How do you decide? Will you not then remember? Or is there for you a plain authority? Then bring your Book if you are truthful!
And they have invented a kinship between Him and the jinns, but the jinn know well that they have indeed to appear (before Him) (i.e. they will be brought for accounts).
Glorified be Allah! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him! Except the slaves of Allah, whom He chooses (for His Mercy i.e. true believers of Islamic Monotheism who do not attribute false things unto Allah). " (Qur'an, 37:149-160).

~ And Almighty Allah declared :

" Surely, is disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say (O Muhammad): 'Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?' And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things.
And (both) the Jews and Christians say; 'We are the children of Allah and His loved ones.' Say: 'Why then does He punish you for your sins?' Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return of all.
O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) making (things) clear unto you, after a break in (the series of) Messengers, lest you say: 'there came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner'. But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner. And Allah is Able to do all things. " (Qur'an, 5:17-19).

Allah, the Exalted, warned:

" Surely they have disbelieved who say: 'Allah is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary.' But the Messiah (Jesus) said: 'O chidren of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and you Lord.' Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers) there are no helpers.
Surely, disvelievers are those who said: 'Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no ILah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One ILah (God-Allah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a Siddiqah (she believed in the Words of Allah, and His Books). They both used to eat food, as any other human beings, while Allah does not eat. Look how We made the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away from the truth. " (Qur'an, 5:72-75).

~ And almighty Allah ordered:

And say:
" All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son (nor an offspring), and Who has no partner in His Dominion, nor He is low to have a Wali (helper, protector, or supporter). And magnify Him with all the magnificence, (Allahu-Akbar, Allah is the Most Great). " (Qur'an, 17:111).

~ The pagans once asked the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: " To whom is your Lord related, His original ancestors and His various branches of descendants? " It is also reported that the Jews said: " We worship Ezra, the Son of Allah, " and the Christians said: " Jesus is the Son of Allah, " and the Magians said: " We worship the sun and the moon, " and the Pagans said: " We worship idols. " In response to all of them Allah, the Exalted, revealed some of His attributes: Unity, Uniqueness, and other substantives:

" Say: (O Muhammad): 'He is Allah, the One. Allah As-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. " (Qur'an, 112:1-4).


* Source : Stories of the Prophets By Ibn Katheer - Translated By Muhammad Mustapha Geme'ah, Al Azhar

* Image : http://muslimminority.net/articles.aspx?cid=1&acid=11&aid=29

Those Who Ardently Hope for Paradise - The Party of Allah

* " Allah has inscribed faith upon such people's hearts, will reinforce them with a spirit from Him, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Such people are the party of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah who are successful. " (Qur'an, 58:22).

* Those believers to whom Allah, the Exalted, has announced His promise of good news have important qualities, as revealed in the Qur'an and these are some of them :

~ They believe and do right actions. (Qur'an, 2:25).

~ They fear Allah. (Qur'an, 3:15).

~ They spend for the cause of Islam in times both ease and hardship. (Qur'an, 3:134).

~ They control their rage. (Qur'an, 3:134).

~ They pardon other people. (Qur'an, 3:134).

~ After they act indecently or wrong themselves, they remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their wrong actions. (Qur'an, 3:135).

~ They do not knowingly persist in doing wrong actions. (Qur'an, 3:135).

~ They obey Allah and His Messenger. (Qur'an, 4:13).

~ They keep up prayer, spend in charity, believe in and support Allah's messengers. (Qur'an, 5:12).

~ They are truthful. (Qur'an, 5:119).

~ They do good. (Qur'an, 10:26).

~ They humble themselves before their Lord. (Qur'an, 11:23).

~ They repent of their sins. (Qur'an, 19:60).

~ They honor their trusts and contracts. (Qur'an, 23:8).

~ They safeguard their prayers. (Qur'an, 23:9).

~ They compete with one another in the doing of good deeds. (Qur'an, 35:32).

~ They believe in the Qur'an. (Qur'an, 43:69).

~ They say " our Lord is Allah " and thereafter stand firm in their faith. (Qur'an, 46:13).

~ They are heedful. (Qur'an, 47:15).

~ They turn toward Allah with their whole heart. (Qur'an, 50:32).

~ They stand in awe of the Most Gracious, although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and come unto Him with a heart returning in repentance. (Qur'an, 50:33).

~ They are the doers of good. (Qur'an, 51:16).

~ They ask for Allah's forgiveness before the dawn. (Qur'an, 51:18).

~ They are forerunners. (Qur'an, 56:10).

~ They always keep their word and fear a day whose evil will spread far and wide. (Qur'an, 76:7).

~ They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives. (Qur'an, 76:8).

~ They give the appropriate respect to the Messenger of Allah. (Qur'an, 49:3).


* Source : Paradise:The Believers' Real Home By Harun Yahya.

* Image : www.wallnew.com

The Letter of Prophet Muhammad to the Vicegerent of Egypt, Muqawqas

* The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, wrote to Muqawqas, vicegerent of Egypt and Alexandria saying :
(Of course the Prophet, peace be upon him, couldn't read or write but he narrated and someone wrote).

~ " In the Name if Allah, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad slave of Allah and His Messenger to Muqawqas, vicegerent of Egypt.
Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Thereafter, I invite you to accept Islam. Therefore, if you want security, accept Islam. If you accept Islam, Allah, the Sublime, shall reward you doubly. But if you refuse to do so, you will bear the burden of the transgression of all the Copts.
" Say (O Muhammad: O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims. " (Qur'an, 3:64).

* Hatib bin Abi Balta'a, who was chosen to communicate the message, requested an audience with Muqawqas before imparting the contents of the letter. He addressed Egypt's vicegerent saying: " There used to be someone before you who has arrogated the status of the Supreme Lord, so Allah punished him and made an example of him in the Hereafter, and in this life; therefore, take warning and never set a bad example to others. "

Muqawqas answered: " We are in no position to relinquish our religion except for a better one. "

Hatib resumed: " We invite you to embrace Islam, which will suffice you all what you may lose. Our Prophet had called people to profess this Faith, Quraish and the Jews stood against him as bitter enemies, whereas Christians stood closest to his Call. Upon my life, Moses's news about Christ is identical to the latter's good tidings about the advent of Muhammad; likewise, this invitation of ours to you to embrace Islam is similar to your invitation to the people of Torah to accept the New Testament. Once a Prophet rises in a nation, he is eligible for positive response, hence you are subject to the same Divine Law. Bear in mind that we have not come to dissuade you from religion of Christ but rather bidding you to adhere to its tenets. "

Muqawqas meditated over the contents of the letter deeply and said: " I have come to the conviction that this Prophet bids nothing abominable; he is neither a straying magician nor a lying soothsayer. He bears the true manifest seeds of Prophethood, and so I will consider the affair deeply. "

He took the parchment and ordered that it be kept in an ivory casket. He called a scribe to write the following reply in Arabic:

~ " In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muqawqas to Muhammad bin Abdullah.
Peace be upon you. I have read your letter and understood its contents, and what you are calling for. I already know that the coming of a Prophet is still due, but I used to believe he would be born in Syria. I am sending you as presents two maids, who come from noble Coptic families; clothing and a steed for riding on. Peace be upon you. "

* It is noteworthy that Muqawqas did not avail himself of this priceless opportunity and he did not embrace Islam.

The presents were accepted; Maria, the first one, stayed with the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and was married to him and gave birth to his son Ibrahim (He died when he was young); the other one was Sirin, was given to Hassaan bin Thabit Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him.

* Source : The Letters of the Prophet Muhammad: www.islamicbulletin.com

* Image : www.multimedia.haqaonline.com

Benefits of the Muslim's Belief

* Virtues of Belief in Allah, the Exalted :

~ Belief in Allah, the Exalted, His names, and His attributes installs in the individual the love and glorification of Allah that result in his performing Allah's instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. There are the means of achieving ultimate happiness in this life and the hereafter for both the individual and society: " Whoever, male or female, does righteous deed, while believing, We shall assuredly grant him a goodly life, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds. " (Qur'an, 16:97).

* Virtues of Belief in the Angels, peace be upon them :

~ Appreciating the dignity of Allah, the Exalted, His might, and His sovereignty.

~ Gratitude toward Allah, the Exalted, because He puts some of the angels in charge of His servants, recording their deeds and other things that benefit them.

~ Love and admiration for the angels because of what they are doing namely, worshipping Allah (swt) in best possible manner and praying for the believers.

* Virtues of Belief in the Books :

~ Appreciating Allah's (swt) mercy and care for His people in that He sent down a book to every nation for its guidance.

~ Appreciating Allah's (swt) wisdom, for He revealed in these books to every nation which suits them. The Glorious Qur'an is the final book and it is suitable to all people at all times until the Day of Judgment.

~ Showing gratitude for Allah's (swt) mercy in revealing these books.

* Virtues of Belief in the Messengers, peace be upon them :

~ Appreciating Allah's (swt) mercy and care for His people for sending them those great messengers (pbut) to guide them to the straight path. Thanking Allah for this great favor.

~ Loving and respecting the prophets and praising them in what they deserve, because they are Allah's messengers and His choice among His people. They worshipped Allah according to the best of their ability, conveyed His message to mankind, gave sincere advice to the people, and bore patiently whatever hurt they received.

* Virtues of Belief in the Day of Judgment :

~ Endeavor to obey Allah, the Exalted, to get the reward of that day and to avoid any disobedience to him for fear of His punishment.

~ A consolation for the believer for whatever he misses of worldly enjoyment by what he hopes to gain the blessings and rewards of the hereafter.

* Virtues of Belief in Fate and the Divine Decree :

~ Dependance on Allah, the Exalted, when doing any action, because both the cause and effect are the result of Allah's decree.

~ Ease of mind and comfort, because when the individual knows that everything is by Allah's (swt) decree and that mishaps are going to take place anyway, his soul will be at ease and his heart will be satisfied with Allah's decree. No one has a more comfortable life, worry-free soul, and stronger confidence than a believer in fate.

~ Freedom from arrogance when a goal is achieved, because this is a blessing from Allah (swt) through what He decreed of the cause of good and success. The individual should thank Allah for that and free himself from arrogance.

~ Freedom from worry and boredom in case of failure or mishap, because that is by Allah's decree, the One who possesses the heavens and the Earth. Since that is going to happen anyway, the individual should be patient and hope for reward from Allah. Allah points to the last two virtues in the following verse: " No misfortune can happen on earth or in yourselves but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence, that is really easy for Allah; that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor rejoice in what has come to you. Allah does not love any vainglorious boaster. " (Qur'an, 57:22-3).

* We pray to Allah, the Exalted, to reward us for this belief, to realize for us its fruits, to increase our blessing, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him. He is indeed the Giver. Praise and gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be on Prophet Muhammad, his Family, his Companions, and those who rightly follow them.


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin.
*Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : www.wallnew.com

Belief in Fate and the Devine Decree

* Belief :

~ We believe in Fate, whether good or bad, which Allah, the Exalted has measured and ordained for all creatures according to His previous knowledge and as deemed suitable by His wisdom.

* Levels of Belief :

~ 1) Knowledge : We believe that Allah, the Exalted, knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen and how it will happen. His knowledge is eternal. He does not acquire a new knowledge nor does He forget what He knows.

~ 2) Recording : We believe that Allah, the Exalted, has recorded in the secured tablet (Al Lawh Al Mahfouz) whatever is going to happen until the Day of Judgment: " Did you not know that Allah knows all that is in heaven and Earth? Surely that is in a book. Surely that for Allah is an easy matter. " (Qur'an, 22:70).

~ 3) Will : We believe that Allah, the Exalted, has willed everything in heaven and Earth. Nothing happens except by His will. Whatever He wills take place, and whatever He does not will not take place.

~ 4) Creation : We believe that " Allah is the Creator of all things; He is the Guardian over all things, and to Him belong the keys of the heavens and the Earth. " (Qur'an, 39:62-3). This level includes whatever Allah, the Exalted, Himself does and whatever His creatures do. Thus each saying, deed, or omission of the people is known to Allah, Who has recorded, willed, and created them: " To those among you who will to be upright. But you shall not will except as Allah wills, the Lord of the Worlds. " (Qur'an, 81:28-29); " And had Allah willed they would not have fought one against the other; but Allah does whatever He desires. " (Qur'an, 2:253); " Had Allah willed, they would not have done so, but leave them alone and their false inventions. " (Qur'an, 6:137); and " And Allah created you and what you do. " (Qur'an, 37:96).

* Man's Free Will :

~ We believe, however, that Allah, the Exalted, has granted man a power and a free will by which he performs his actions. That man's deeds are done by his power and free will can be proven by the following points:

1) Allah, the Exalted, says: " So approach your fields (wives) when and how you will. " (Qur'an, 2:223); and " Had they desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it. " (Qur'an, 9:46). In these verses, Allah affirmed for a man: " a going forth " by his will and " a preparation " by his desire.

2) Directing man to do or not to do. If man has no free will and power, these directions mean that Allah, the Exalted, is asking man to do that which he cannot do. This proposition is rejected by Allah's wisdom, mercy and truthful statement: " Allah does not charge a soul beyond its capacity. " (Qur'an, 2:286).

3) Praising the virtuous for his deeds and blaming the evildoer for his actions and rewarding each of them with what he deserves. If the action is not done by the individual's free will, then praising the virtuous is a joke and punishing the evildoer is an injustice, and Allah is, of course, far from joking and being unjust.

4) Allah, the Exalted, has sent messengers, peace be upon them, who are " bearing good tidings, and warnings, so that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the messengers. " (Qur'an, 4:165). If the individual's action is not performed by his free will, his argument is not invalidated by the sending of messengers.

5) Every doer of actions feels that he does or does not do a thing without any coercion. He stands up and sits, comes in and goes out, travels and stays by his own free will without feeling anybody forcing him to be any of these actions. In fact, he clearly distinguishes between doing something of his own free will and someone else forcing him to do that action. The Islamic law also wisely distinguishes between these states of affairs. It does not punish a wrongdoer for an anction done under compulsion.

* No Excuse for Sinners :

~ We believe that the sinner has no excuse in Allah's divine decree, because he commits his sin by his free will, without knowing that Allah, the Exalted, has decreed for him, for no one knows Allah's decree before it takes place: " No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow. " (Qur'an, 31:34). How can it be possible, then, to present an excuse that is not known to the person who is advancing it when he commits his offense? Allah invalidated this type of argument by saying: " The idolators will say 'Had Alllah willed, we would not have been idolators, neither our father, nor would we have forbidden anything.' So did the people before them cry lies until they tasted our might. Say: 'Have you any proofs that you can show us? You follow nothing but assumption, and you are Lying' " (Qur'an, 6:148). We say to the sinner who is using devine decree as an excuse: ' Why did you not perform deeds of obedience, assuming that Allah has decreed them upon you, since you did not know the difference between good deeds and sins? That is why, when Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, told his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, that everyone's position in paradise or hell has been assigned, they said: ' Should not we rely on this and stop working? ' He said: ' No, work and everyone will be directed to what he is created for ' " (Bukhari and Muslim).

~ We say to the sinner who is trying to find an excuse in the divine decree: " Suppose you want to travel to Makkah. There are two roads that may take you there. You are told by a truthful person that one of these roads is dangerous and difficult, the other is easy and safe. You will take the second one. You will not take the first road and say it is decreed upon me. If you did, people would consider you crazy. "

~ We may also say to him: " If you are offered you jobs, one of which has a higher salary, you will certainly take the one with the higher salary. Why do you choose what is lower in the hereafter and use the divine decree as an excuse? "

~ We may further say to him: " We see you when you are afflicated with a disease, you knock at every physician's door looking for treatment and bearing whatever pain that may result from surgical operations and the bitterness of medicine. Why do not you do the same when your heart is spiritually sick with sins? "

* Evil Not Attributed to Allah, the Exalted :

~ We believe that evil should not be attributed to Allah, the Exalted, due to His perfect mercy and wisdom. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: " And evil is not attrubutable to You. " (Muslim). This Allah's decree by itself has no evil whatsoever, because it is coming from mercy and wisdom. Evil may, however, result from some of His decrees, because the Prophet said in the supplication for gunut which he taught to al-Hassan, may Allah be pleased with him: " And protect us from the evil of what You decreed. " (Tirmidhi and others). Here, the Prophet attributed evil to what He decreed. Despite this, evil in His decree is not pure evil. It is rather evil in one respect and good in another, or it is evil in one case and good in another. Thus corruption in the land resulting from drought, disease, poverty, and fear is evil, but it is good in another respect. Allah, the Exalted, said: " Corruption has appeared on the land and sea for what men's hands have earned. Allah has ordained this for men , so that they may taste some of what they have done, in order that they may turn back (from evil). " (Qur'an, 30:41). Cutting off the thief's hand or stoning the adulterer is an evil thing for the thief and the adulterer, but it is good for them in one respect, because it is a purification for them so that the punishment of this life and the hereafter are not combined for them. These punishments are good in another respect: their application protects property, honor, and relationships.


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : www.wallnew.com

Belief in the Day of Judgment

* Belief in the Day of Judgment :

~ We believe in the Final Day, which is the Day of Judgment, when people will be resurrected and then told to remain in the abode of enjoyment or in the abode of severe punishment.

* The Resurrection :

~ We believe in the resurrection, which is Allah's (swt) bringing to life all those who have died, and when angel Israfil, peace be upon him, shall blow the horn for the second time: " And the trumpet shall be blown, and all who are in the heavens and who are in the Earth shall fall down fainting, except those that Allah shall spare. Then, it shall be blown again and they shall rise gazing around them. " (Qur'an, 39:68). People will arise from their graves, answering the call of the Lord of the universe. They will be barefooted, naked and uncircumcised: " As We started the first creation, so We shall bring it back agian. This is a promise from Us, so We shall assuredly fulfill it. " (Qur'an, 21:104).

* The Records and Scales :

~ We believe in the records of deeds that will be given to people in their right hands or behind their backs, in the left hands: " As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall surely receive an easy reckoning and he will return to his family rejoicing. But as for him who is given his book behind his back, he shall call for destruction on himself and will burn in a blazing fire. " (Qur'an, 84:7-12); " Every man's work We have fastened on his own neck, and on the Day of Judgment We shall bring our for him a book which will see spread open, saying: 'Read your own book! Enough for you this day that your own soul should call you to account' " (Qur'an, 17:13-14).

~ We believe that scales of deeds will be set up on the Day of Judgment, and that no soul shall be wronged: " Whoever has done an atom's weight of good shall see it. " (Qur'an, 99:7-8); " Those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful; but those whose scales are light, they are the ones who have lost their souls in Hell dwelling forever. The fire will burn their faces, and there they will be gloomy with lips displaced. " (Qur'an, 23:102-4); and " He that does a good deed shall be rewarded ten times the like of it, and he that does evil shall only be rewarded the like of it, and they shall not be wronged. " (Qur'an, 6:160).

* The Prophet's (pbuh) Intercession :

~ We believe in the special great intercession of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He will plead with Allah, the Exalted, after His permission and on behalf of mankind, to judge among His servants when they suffer from worries and troubles that they cannot bear. They will go to Adam, then to Noah, then to Abraham, then to Moses, then to Jesus, and finally to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

~ We believe in the intercession that concerns some believers who were to be taken out from fire. This mediation is granted to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and to others among the prophets, the believers, and the angels.

~ We believe also that Allah, the Exalted, will save from hell some of the believers without the intercession of anyone, but by His grace and mercy.

* The Prophet's (pbuh) Pool :

~ We believe in the pool of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the water of which is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey and better in fragrance than musk. Each of its length and width is the distance of a month's travel. Its glasses are as stars in beauty and number. The believers among the Prophet's followers come to take from this great cistern a drink after which they will never be thirsty.

* The Straight Path :

~ We believe in the straight path (Sirat) set up over hell. People will pass over it according to their deeds: the first of them as fast as lighting, then as fast as wind, then as fast as birds, and then as fast as a running man. The Prophet, peace be upon him, will be standing on the path, saying: " Lord, Save! Save! ". As some people's deeds, some of them will come crawling. At both sides of the path there are hooks designed to take whom Allah, the Exalted, wills: Some are saved but bruised; and others are thrown into hell. (Bukhari and Muslim).

~ We believe in all that is mentioned in the Qur'an or the prophetic sayings (Hadiths) concerning that day and its horrors, may Allah save us from them.

~ We believe in the intercession (Shafa'ah) of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, for the people of paradise to enter therein. This intercession in exclusively limited to the Prophet Muhammad.

* Paradise and Hell :

~ We belive in paradise and hell. Paradise is the abode of enjoyment which Allah, the Exalted, prepared for the righteous. No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no human being has ever thought of the blessings that they will enjoy there: " No soul knows what comfort is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their deeds. " (Qur'an, 32:17). Hell is the abode of punishment that Allah, the Exalted, has prepared for the unbelievers and the evildoers. The torture and horror in it cannot be imagined: " Surely, we have prepared for the evildoers a fire, whose pavilion encompasses them. If they call for help, they will be helped with water like molten copper which will scald their faces. How dreadful a drink and how evil a resting place! " (Qur'an, 18:29).

~ Both paradise and hell exist now and will never perish: " Whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness, He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever. Allah has indeed made for him an excellent provision. " (Qur'an, 65:11); " Certainly, Allah has cursed the unbelievers and prepared for them a blazing fire to dwell therein forever, they shall find neither protector nor helper. On the day when their faces are turned about in the fire they shall say: 'Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!' " (Qur'an, 33:64-6).

~ We confirm paradise to whom it is confirmed in the Qur'an or the prophetic traditions (Hadiths) whether by name or description. Among those who are granted paradise and mentioned by name are Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman , Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, and others who were specified by the Prophet, peace be upon him. (Bukhari and Muslim). Among those whom we confirm to enter paradise because they fit the description are the faithful and the pious.

~ We likewise confirm hell to whom it is confirmed in the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet, peace be upon him, whether name or description. Among those who are mentioned by name to be in hell are Abu Lahab, Amr Ibn Luhai Al-Khuza'i and others. (Bukhari and Muslim). Confirmation of hell that is based on description includes every unbeliever, polytheist, or hypocrite.

* What happens in the Grave :

~ We believe in the Trial of the Grave, which involves questioning that deceased person in his grave about his Lord, his religion, and his prophet. There " Allah confirms those who believe with a firm saying, in the present life and the hereafter. " (Qur'an, 14:27). The believer will say, " Allah is my Lord, Islam is my religion, and Muhammad is my prophet. " The unbeliever or hypocrite will say: " I do not know. I heard the people saying something and I said it. "

~ We believe in the comfort of the grave for the believers: " Those whose lives the angels take in state of purity, saying 'peace be on you; enter paradise for what you were doing' " (Qur'an, 16:32).

~ We believe in the punishment of the grave for the transgressing unbelievers: " If you could only see when the evildoers are in the agonies of death and the angels are stretching out their hands, saying, 'Give up your souls! Today you shall be rewarded with the punishment of humiliation for what you used to say untrue about Allah, and for scomrfully rejecting His signs' " (Qur'an, 6:93). The saying of the Prophet are numerous and well-known in this area. A Muslim must believe in all that is reported in the Qur'an and the prophetic taditions concerning the unseen matters. He should not contradict it by his wordly experience, because the affairs of the hereafter cannott be measured by the affairs of this life. The difference between them is very great. Allah, the Exalted, is the source of help.


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : http://isparmo.web.id/2008/03/27/kenapa-kita-tidak-dekat-dengan-nya/

Belief in Messengers

* Belief in Messengers, peace be upon them :

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, has sent to His people messengers, peace be upon them, who were " Bringing good tidings and warning, so that mankind might have no argument agianst Allah after that Messengers. Allah is All-mighty, All-wise. " (Qur'an, 4:165).

* The First and Last Messengers :

~ We believe that the first among the messengers is Noah and the last is Muhammad, peace be upon them all: " We revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. " (Qur'an, 4:163). ; and " Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. " (Qur'an 33:40).
>>> Adam and Enoch, peace be upon them, were before Noah but they weren't messengers, they were prophets. All Messengers were prophets but not all Prophets were messengers.

* The Best Messengers :

~ We believe that the best among the messengers is Muhammad, then Abraham, Moses, Noah, and Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon them. It is they who are meant by the following Qur'anic verse: " And when we took a compact from the prophets, and from you, and from Noah and Abraham, then Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. We took from them a solemn compact. " (Qur'an, 33:7).

~ We belive that Muhammad's (pbuh) message, includes all the merits of the messages of those degnified messengers, because Allah, the Exalted, says: " He ordained for you what He enjoined on Noah and what He revealed to you and what He joined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus; namely, establish this faith and be united in it. " (Qur'an, 42:13).

* Messengers Are Human Beings:

~ We believe that all messengers, peace be upon them, are created human beings who have none of the divine qualities of Allah (swt). Allah, the Exalted, said about Noah, peace be upon him, who was the first among them: " I do not say to you, 'I possess the treasures of Allah.' I do not know the unseen, and i do not say 'I am an anger' " (Qur'an, 11:31). Allah (swt) directed Muhammad, peace be upon him, who is the last among them, to say: " I do not say to you I possess the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, and I do not say to you I am an angel. " (Qur'an, 6:50); and to say that " I have no power to bring profit or hurt for myself, but only as Allah wills. " (Qur'an, 7:188); and: " I have no power to hurt or benefit you. Say none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge besides Him. " (Qur'an, 72: 91-2).

~ We believe that the messengers, peace be upon them, are among Allah's (swt) servants. He blessed them with the message and described them as servants, in the context of praising and honoring them. He says about Noah, peace be upon him, the first among them: " You are the descendants of those whom We carried with Noah, he was a truly thankful servant. " (Qur'an, 17:3).

~ Allah, the Exalted, said about the last among them, Muhammad, peace be upon him: " Blessed be He who sent down the Qur'an to His servant, that he may warn mankind. " (Qur'an, 25:1). As for some other messengers, He said: " And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, men of might and vision. " (Qur'an, 38:45); " And remember Our servant David, who was a mighty and penitent man." (Qur'an, 38:17); " And to David, We have Solomon, he was an excellent and penitent servant. " (Qur'an, 38:30).

~ Allah, the Exalted, said about Jesus, peace be upon him, son of Mary, may Allah be pleased with her: " He is only a servant whom We blessed and We made him an example to the children of Israel. " (Qur'an, 43:59).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, concluded all messages with the message of Muhammad, peace be upon him, to all people, because He said: " Say, 'O mankind, I am Allah's Messenger to you all. To Him belongs the kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth; there is no god but He. He ordains life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet who believes in Allah and His words. Follow him so that you may be rightly guided' ". (Qur'an, 7:158).

* Islam : The Universal and Final Message :

~ We believe that the Shari'ah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the religion of Islam, which Alllah, the Exalted, has chosen for His servants. He does not accept any other religion from anyone, for He, the Exalted, said: " Surely, the true religion in Allah's sight is Islam. " (Qur'an, 3:19), " Today I have perfected your religion for you and I have completed My favor upon you, and I have chosen Islam to be your religion. " (Qur'an, 5:3), and " Whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from Him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. " (Qur'an, 3:85).

~ It is our opinion that whoever claims that any religion other than Islam is acceptable, such as Judaism, Christianity and so forth, is a non believer. He should be asked to repent.

~ It is also our oipnion that whoever rejects the universal message of Muhammad, pecabe be upon him, rejects the message of all messengers, even if he claims that he believes and follows His Messenger. Allah, the Exalted, said: " Noah's people rejected the Messengers. " (Qur'an, 26:105). Thus, Allah considered them as rejecting all of the messengers despite the fact that there was no messenger before Noah, peace be upon him. This is also clear from the following verses: " Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and wish to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: ''We believe in some and disbelieve in others', wishing to make a midway course. Those indeed are the unbelievers, and We have prepared for the unbelievers a humiliating punishment. " (Qur'an, 4:150-51).

~ We believe that there is no prophet after Muhammad (pbuh), Allah's (swt) Messenger. Whoever claims prophethood after him, or believes in anyone claiming it, is a disbeliever and one who rejects Allah, His Messenger, and the Muslims' consensus.

* The Rightly Guided Caliphs, may Allah be pleased with them :

~ We believe that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has rightly guided successors who carried out his Sunnah in spreading knowledge calling to Islam, and managing the Muslims' affairs. We believe that the best among them and the most entitled to the caliphate was Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, then Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, then Uthman Ibn Affan and then Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah, the Exalted, be pleased with them all. Thus, their succession to the caliphate was according to their virtues. Allah, the Exalted, who possesses infinite wisdom, would not appoint a ruler over the best of generations unless he was the most superior among them and had the best claim to caliphate.

~ We believe that the inferior among these rightly guided companions can be superior in a specific virtue to those who were better than him but that he does not deserve absolute superiority, for the elements constituting superiority are varied and numerous.

~ We believe that the Muslim Ummah (Nation) is the best among nations, and Allah, the Dignifiied and Exalted, has blessed it, because He said: " You are the best nation ever brought forth for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. "

* The Prophet's (pbuh) Comapanions (ra) :

~ We believe that the best among the Muslim Ummah (Nation) are the Prophets's Companions, then their followers, and then those who followed them.

~ We also believe that a group of this Ummah will always remain victorious on the right path, unharmed by those who let them down or those who oppose them, until the Day of Judgment.

~ We believe that the disputes that took place among the Prophet's Companions were the result of sincere interpretations that they worked hard to reach. Whoever was right among them will be rewarded twice, and whoever was wrong among them will be rewarded once and his mistake will be forgiven.

~ It is our opinion that we should stop talking about their mistakes and mention what they deserve of beautiful praise. We should purify our hearts from hatred and malice against any of them, because Allah, the Exalted, said about them: " They are not equal: those among you who spent and who fought before the conquest of Makkah. Those are higher in rank than those who speant and fought afterwards. But to Allah has promised a great reward. " (Qur'an, 57:10). And Allah said about us: " And those who came after them say: 'Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any malice against those who have believed. Our Lord, You are the most Kind, Most Merciful. " (Qur'an, 59:10).


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : http://talkislam.wordpress.com/

Belief in Allah's Books

* Belief in Allah's (swt) Books :

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, revealed books to His messengers, peace be upon them, as proof against mankind and a guidance for the righteous workers. They purified and taught them wisdom by these books.

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, sent down a book with every messenger, peace be upon them, because He says: " Indeed We sent down Our messengers with the clear signs, and We sent down with them the book and the balance, so that people may uphold justice. " (Qur'an, 57:25).

* Books Known :

* Among the books that were revealed, we know :

1) The Torah, which was revealed to Moses, peace be upon him. It is the greatest among the Israelites' books: " Surely, we sent down the Torah, wherein is guidance and light; by its laws the Jews have been judged by the prophets who surrendered themselves to Allah, the rabbis and the doctors of law, because they were entrusted the protection of Allah's book and witnesses thereto. " (Qur'an, 5:44).

2) The Gospel, which Allah, the Exalted, revealed to Jesus, peace be upon him. It is a confirmation of the Torah and a complement to it: " And We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light and confirming the Torah before it, as a guidance and an admonition to the God-fearing. " (Qur'an, 5:46); " And to make lawful to you certain things that, before, were forbidden to you. " (Qur'an, 3:50).

3) The Psalms, which Allah, the Exalted, gave to David, peace be upon him.

4) The Tablets of Abraham and Moses, peace be upon them.

5) The Glorious Qur'an, which was revealed to His (swt) Prophet, Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, peace be upon them all. It is " A guidance to the people and clear signs of guidance and the criterion between right and wrong. " (Qur'an, 2:185).

* The Qur'an Is Protected from Change :

~ The Qur'an is " Confirming the scripture that was before it and stands as a guardian over it. " Thus, by means of the Qur'an, Allah, the Exalted, abrogated all the previous revealed books. Allah has also guaranteed its protection from any play or mischievous distortion: " Indeed, We sent down the message and We will guard it. " (Qur'an, 15:9), for the Qur'an is a proof against mankind till the Day of Judgment.

* Previous Scriptures Changed :

~ The previous scriptures were meant for a limited period. Their use ended with the revelation of the Qur'an, which abrogated them and exposed their distortions and changes. That is why they were not protected from corruption. They underwent distortion, addition, and omission: " Some of the Jews pervert words from their meanings. " (Qur'an, 4:46); " So woe to those who write the Book with their hands, and then say: 'This is from Allah', that they may sell it for a little price. So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for their earnings. " (Qur'an, 2:79); " Say, who sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and a guidance to people? You put it into sheets of paper showing some of them and concealing much. " (Qur'an, 6:91); " And there is a group among them who twist their tongues with the Book, that you may think it is a part of the Book but it is not part of the Book. And they say 'It is from Allah', yet it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah and they know it. It is not for any human being to whom Allah has given the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophet hood to say to men 'worship me instead of Allah' " (Qur'an, 3:79); " People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you many things you have been concealing of the Book and forgiving you of much. A light has come to you from Allah and a glorious Book, with which He will guide whoever follows His pleasure in the way of peace, and brings them forth from darkness into the light by His will. " (Qur'an, 5:15-16).


* Souce : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : www.wallnew.com

Belief in Angels

* Belief In Angels :

~ We believe in the existence of the angels of Allah, the Exalted, and that they are " Honored servants. They do not speak before He does, and they act only by His command. " (Qur'an, 21:26-27). Allah created them, and they worship and obey Him. " Those who are in His presence do not disdain to worship Him, nor do they weary. " (Qur'an, 21:19).

~ Angels are concealed from us, so we cannot see them. Allah, the Exalted, may show them to some of His servants. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, saw Gabriel, peace be upon him, in his real shape with six hundred wings that covered the horizons (Bukhari and Muslim). Gabriel took the form of a handsome human being who met Mary (The mother of Prophet Jesus), may Allah be pleased with her, and engaged in conversation with her. He came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, while he was among his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, in the appearance of an unknown man who did not show any trace of long travel, with very white clothes, and very black hair. He sat facing the Prophet, peace be upon him, his knees to the Prophet's knees, and his palms on the Prophet's thighs and talked with the Prophet. The Prophet told his companions that the man they saw was Gabriel (Bukhari and Muslim).

* Angels' Functions :

~ We believe that the angels are assigned certain functions. Among the angels is Gabriel, peace be upon him, who is entrusted with revelation. He brings it down from Allah, the Exalted, to whomever He wishes among His Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them.

~ Among them is Michael, peace be upon him, who is in charge of rain and the growth of plants; Israfil, peace be upon him, who is in charge of blowing the horn at the time of thunder-bolting and the resurrection; the Angel of Death, peace be upon him, who takes away people's souls at the time of death. Among the angels is the one who is in charge of mountains; and Malik, the keeper of Hell, peace be upon them.

~ Some angels are in charge of embryos in wombs, others are responsible for protecting human beings, and others are busy recording men's deeds: there are two angels for every person, " When the two angels receive (his deeds), one sitting on the right and one on the left, not a word he utters but by him is an observer ready. " (Qur'an, 50:18). Some other angels are in charge of questioning the dead after he is placed in his last abode. Two angels come to ask him about his Lord, his religion, and his prophet. There " Allah confirms those who believe with the firm saying, in the present life and the hereafter, and Allah leads astray the evildoers and Allah does what He wills. " (Qur'an, 14:27).

~ Some angels are in charge the dwellers of Paradise: " The angels enter to them from every gate, saying 'Peace be upon you for what you were patient. How excellent is your final home' " (Qur'an, 13:24).

~ The Prophet, peace be upon him, told us that " seventy thousand angels enter to pray in the populous house in heaven everyday. They never come back to it as long as they live. " (because their turn will never come). (Bukhari and Muslim).


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : www.wallnew.com

Belief in the Qur'an and the Sunnah

* Sources of Allah's (swt) Attributes :

~ We believe it is obligatory to take the texts of the Qur'an and the prophetic traditions conceding Allah's (swt) attributes at their face value and to interpret them in a way that is suitable to Almighty Allah. We reject the practice of those who twist the meanings of these texts and understand them in a way that was not intended by Allah, the Exalted, and His Messenger, peace be upon him.

~ We also reject the practice of those who make them devoid of their meanings as conveyed by Allah, the Exalted, and His Messenger, peace be upon him. Finally, we reject the approach of those who exaggerate, who gave them a physical interpretaion that makes Allah similar to some of His creatures.

* Free from Contradictions :

~ We know for sure that what is revealed in Allah's (swt) book and in the traditions of His Messenger (pbuh) is the truth. It does not contain any contradiction: " Do they not ponder over the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah, surely they would have found in it a lot of differences. " (Qur'an, 4:82).

~ Contradictions in statements falsify them. It is impossible for there to be a contradiction in any statement revealed by Allah, the Exalted, and said by His Messenger, peace be upon him. Whoever claims that there are contradictions in the Qur'an, the prophetic traditions, or between the two must have wicked intentions and a misguided heart. He should repent and quit his sin. If someone imagines that there are some contradictions in the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet, or between these two, this must be a result of his little knowledge, inadequate understanding, or lack of deep thinking. Therefore, he should seek knowledge and do his best to reflect upon matters until the truth is clear to him. If, after all of these efforts, the truth is not clear to him, he should leave the whole matter to the One knows it and quit his imagination, He should say, as do those who are firmly rooted in knowledge: " We believe in it, all is from our Lord. " (Qur'an, 3:7). He must know that there are neither contradictions nor differences in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or between the two.


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : Wikipedia : Qur'an.

Belief in Allah's Lordship, Oneness and Attributes

* Our creed is to believe in Allah, the Exalted, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and Fate whether good or bad.

* Belief in Allah's (swt) Lordship, Oneness, and Attributes :

~ We believe in Allah's (swt) divinity; that is, He is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Manager of all affairs.

~ We believe in Allah's (swt) God ship; that is, He is the true God and every other so-called deity is false.

~ We believe in His (swt) names and attributes; that is, He has the most magnificent names and the sublime perfect attributes.

~ We believe in His (swt) oneness in all of this; that is, He has no associate in His divinity, His God ship, His names, or His attributes. Allah says in the Qur'an: " He is the Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all that is in between them, so worship Him and be patient in His worship; do you know any equal to Him? " (Qur'an, 19:65).

~ We believe that He (swt) is: " Allah there is no God but He, the living, the Everlasting. Slumber does not seize Him, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the Earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not encompass anything of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the Earth, the preservation of them does not burden Him; He is the High, the Great. " (Qur'an, 2:255).

~ We believe that: " He is Allah, there is no god but He, the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible. He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. He is Allah, there is no god but He, the King, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Subduer, the Sublime. Glory be to Allah above what they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. His are the most beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the Earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the Wise. " (Qur'an, 59:22-4).

~ We believe that to Him (swt) belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth: " He creates what He pleases, He gives, to whom He wills, females, and He gives, to whom He wills, males, or He couples them, males and females; and He makes whom He wills barren. Surely, He is the Knowing, the Powerful. " (Qur'an, 42:49-50).

~ We believe that " There is nothing whatever like unto Him, He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. To Him belongs the keys of the Heavens and the Earth. He enlarges and restricts provisions to whom He wills. Surely He has knowledge of everything. " (Qur'an, 42:11-12).

~ We believe that " There is no creature that moves on Earth but its provision depends on Allah. He knows its dwelling and its resting place. All is recorded in a clear book. " (Qur'an, 11:6).

~ We believe that " With Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them but He. He knows what is in land and sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the deep darkness of the Earth, not a thing green or dry but it is in a clear Book. " (Qur'an, 6:59).

~ We believe that " Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour, sends down rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it shall earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it shall die. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-aware. " (Qur'an, 31:34).

~ We believe that Allah (swt) speaks whatever He pleases whenever He pleases: " And Allah spoke to Moses directly. " (Qur'an, 4:164); " And when Moses came at Our appointed place, and his Lord spoke to him. " (Qur'an, 7:143); " We called to him from the right side of the Mount (Sinai), and We brought him near in communion. " (Qur'an, 19:52).

~ We believe that " If the ocean became ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would be finished before the words of my Lord came to an end. " (Qur'an, 18:109); " And if all the trees are in the earth were pens, and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans swelling it therefore, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise. " (Qur'an 31:27).

~ We believe that Allah's (swt) words are the most truthful in conveying information, the most just in ruling, and the fairest in conversation. He said: " The word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice. " (Qur'an, 6:115); " And who is more truthful in his word than Allah? " (Qur'an, 4:87).

~ We believe that the Qur'an is Allah's (swt) word. He literally spoke to Angel Gabriel, peace be upon him, who conveyed it to the Prophet, peace be upon him: " Say (O Muhammad) 'the Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth' " (Qur'an, 16:102); " Truly it is the rebelation of the Lord of the world brought down upon your heart by the Faithful Spirit so that you may be one of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue. " (Qur'an, 26: 192-195).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, is well above His creatures in His person and His Attributes, He says: " He is the High, the Great. " (Qur'an, 2:22); " He is Supreme over His servants, and He is the Wise, the All-aware. " (Qur'an 6:18).

~ We believe that He (swt): " Created the Heavens and the Earth in six days, then He settled Himself on the throne; He manages everything. " (Qur'an, 10:3) ...
* His " settling on the throne " means that He is sitting on His throne in a way that is becoming to His majesty and greatness. Nobody except He knows exactly how He is sitting.

~ We believe that He is with His creatures while He is still on His throne. He knows their conditions, hears their sayings, sees their deeds, and manages their affairs. He provides for the poor and the broken.

He gives sovereignty to whom He pleases and takes away sovereignty from whom He pleases; He exalts whom He wills and He abases whom He wills. In His hand is all good and He is powerful over everything. Whoever possesses these qualities is literally with His creatures even if He is literally above them on His throne. " There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him; He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. " (Qur'an, 42:11).

~ We do not say, as do the Incarnationists among the Jahomites and others, that Allah, the Exalted, is living with His creatures on Earth. We consider whoever says this is a non-believer or one who has strayed, for he attributed to Allah that which does not become Him of defects ...
* The Jahomites, known in Arabic as " Al-Jahmiyyah ", were members of a sect named after Jahm Bin Safwan (executed 128 AH). He was one of the first Muslims to deny the attributes of Allah and to say that Allah is everywhere.

~ We believe in what His (swt) Messenger (pbuh) told us, that He descends to the near sky before the last third of everynight and says: " Who prays to Me and I will answer his prayers? Who asks Me and I will give him? Who asks My forgiveness and I will forgive him? " (Bukhari and Muslim).

~ We believe that He (swt) will come of the Day of Judgment to judge among His people because He said: " No indeed! When the Earth is crushed to powder, and your Lord comes down with the angels in rows after rows, and Hell is brought out that day. On that day man will remember, but what will remembrance avail him? " (Qur'an, 89:21-23).

~ We believe that He is the Doer of what He wills.

* Allah's (swt) Will : Universal And Legal :

~ We believe that His will is of two kinds: a) Universal will, through which His intention is carried out. It is not necessary that what is carried out is liked by Him. This type of will means permission, as Allah, the Exalted, said, " Had Allah willed, they would not have fought against the other, but Allah does whatever He desires, " (Qur'an, 2:253) and " If Allah desires to lead you astray, He is your Lord. " (Qur'an, 11:34), and b) Legal will, which does not necessarily entail the execution of His desire. His will, in this case, cannot be but what He likes, as He (swt) said: " Allah wants to forgive you. " (Qur'an, 4:27).

~ We believe that His universal and legal wills are part of His wisdom. Every thing He performs in the universe or requires legally from His creatures is for a good reason and according to His wisdom, whether we grasp it or not: " Is not Allah the best of Judges? " (Qur'an, 95:8); " And who is better than Allah in judgment for people who have firm faith? " (Qur'an 5:50).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, loves His select servants and that they love Him: " Say jf you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you. " (Qur'an, 3:31); " Allah will bring people whom He will love and who will love Him. " (Qur'an 5:54); " Allah loves the steadfast. " (Qur'an 3:146); " And act justly, surely, Allah loves the just. " (Qur'an, 49:9); and " Do good; Allah loves who do good. " (Qur'an, 5:93).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, likes what He prescribed of good deeds and sayings and He dislikes what He prohibited of bad deeds and sayings: " If you disbelieve, surely Allah doesn't need you, yet He does not like disbelief for His servants; if you are thankful, this pleases Him. " (Qur'an, 39:7); and " But Allah disliked their marching forth. So He kept them back, and it was said to them: 'Stay with the weaklings' " (Qur'an, 9:46).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, is pleased with those who believe in Him and do good deeds: " Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord. " (Qur'an, 98:8).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, is angry with those who deserve His anger among the non-believers and others: " And those who think evil thoughts of Allah, against them shall be the evil turn of fortune. Allah is angry with them. " (Qur'an, 48:6); " But whoever opens his heart to disbelief, on them is Allah's wrath and they shall have a severe punishment. " (Qur'an, 16:106).

* More of Allah's (swt) Attributes :

~ We believe that " Vision cannot perceive Him, but He perceives all vision. He is the Incomprehensable, the All-aware. " (Qur'an, 6:103).

~ We believe that the believers will see their Lord (swt) on the Day of Resurrection: " Upon that day some faces shall be radiant, gazing upon their Lord. " (Qur'an, 75:22-3).

~ We believe that Allah, the Exalted, has no equal because His Attributes are perfect: " There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. " (Qur'an, 42:11).

~ We believe that " No slumber or sleep seizes Him. " (Qur'an, 2:255), because His life is perfect and eternal.

~ We believe that He (swt) does not do injustice to anybody, because his fairness is perfect.

~ We believe that He (swt) is not unaware of His servants' deeds, because He has perfect supervision and comprehensive knowledge.

~ We believe that He (swt) is capable of doing anything in the Heavens or in the Earth, because of His perfect knowledge and power: " Indeed His command, when He desires a thing, is only to say to it 'Be' and it is. " (Qur'an, 36:82).

~ We believe that He (swt) is free from weariness and weakness, because of His infinite power: " Surely, We created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them in six days, and no weariness touched Us. " (Qur'an, 50:38).

* Describing Allah, the Exalted, By His Revelation :

~ We believe in all that He assigned to Himself (swt) or what His Messenger (pbuh) described Him with, of names and attributes. However, we reject two concepts: 1) To say or believe that Allah's attributes are similar to those of His creatures; and 2) To say or believe that Allah's attributes are like such and such.

~ We negate all what He (swt) negated about Himself or what His Messenger negated about Him. We believe that negation implies the affirmation of its perfect opposite. We do not discuss what He or His Messenger did not mention about Him.

~ We believe that following this approach is a must, because what Allah, the Exalted, affirmed or negated concerning Himself is a statement He made about himself. He knows Himself best. His words are most just and trustful, and people cannot know everything about Him. What Allah's Messenger affirmed or negated about Him is a statement that he made about Allah. Besisdes knowing Allah better than anyone, he is the most truthful, sincere, and eloquent among people. Thus, in what Allah said and what His Prophet said concerning His names and attributes is the truth, knowledge, and clarification. There fore, we have no excuse to reject or even hesitate in accepting it.


* Source : Aqidatu Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah - By Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh Al-'Uthaimin
* Translated as : The Muslim's Belief By Dr. Maneh Al-Johani.

* Image : http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=148775129