Satan makes the deeds of evildoers fair to them

Peace be upon you!

In today’s talk I wanted to look at a specific statement made by Iblis (who is referred to as satan or the adversary) to God. We shall start out by looking at the context and then focus on the wording of Iblis’ promise which is highly significant.

And when thy Lord said to the angels: “I am creating a mortal from sounding clay, from dark slime transmuted,

“And when I have formed him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down, to him in submission,”

Then the angels submitted, all of them together.

Not so Iblīs; he refused to be with those who submit.

He said: “O Iblīs: what ails thee that thou art not with those who submit?”

Said he: “I am not one to submit to a mortal whom Thou hast created from sounding clay, from dark slime transmuted.”

He said: “Then go thou forth from it, for thou art accursed.

“And the curse is upon thee until the Day of Judgment.”

Said he: “My Lord: grant Thou me respite until the day they are raised.”

He said: “Thou art of those granted respite

“Until the day of the known time.”

Said he: “My Lord: because Thou hast caused me to err, I will make it fair to them in the earth; and I will cause them to err all together,

“Save Thy sincere servants among them.”

He said: “This is a straight path to Me:

“My servants — thou hast no authority over them save those who follow thee among those who err,

“And Gehenna is their promised place all together.

(15:28-43)

What did Iblis mean by making it fair?

To answer this question we look for the word “fair” across the whole text of the Qur’an and come up with a list of things which are made fair to the unbelievers. I have not included all the verses but the following should suffice to make it clear what the satan has made fair to men and serve as a warning to the believers.

Made fair is the life of this world for those who ignore warning; and they deride those who heed warning. But those who are in prudent fear will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And God gives provision to whom He wills without reckoning.

(2:212)

Made fair for men is the love of lusts — for women, and sons, and amassed fortunes of gold and silver, and branded horses, and cattle, and tilth: that is the provision of the life of this world — but God, with Him is the best journey’s end.

(3:14)

Say thou: “Have you considered: if the punishment of God comes upon you, or the Hour comes upon you, will you call to other than God, if you be truthful?”

The truth is, to Him will you call; and He will remove that for which you call to Him if He wills; and you will forget that to which you ascribe a partnership.

And We have sent to communities before thee; then We took them with affliction and adversity, that they might humble themselves.

Oh, that when Our disaster came upon them they had but humbled themselves! But their hearts hardened, and the satan made fair to them what they were doing.

(6:40-43)

And they make for God, of what He creates of tilth and cattle, a portion; they say: “This is for God,” — according to their claim — “and this is for our partners”. And what is for their partners, it does not reach God; and what is for God, it reaches their partners. Evil is what they judge.

And thus have their partners made fair to many among the idolaters the killing of their children, to bring them to ruin, and to obfuscate their doctrine for them. And had God willed, they would not have done it; so leave thou them and what they fabricate.

(6:136-137)

And when the satan made their deeds fair to them, and said: “None among men can defeat you this day, when I am at your side,” then when the two companies came within sight of one another, he turned on his heels and said: “I am quit of you; I see what you see not. I fear God”; and God is severe in retribution.

(8:48)

And when affliction touches man, he calls to Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he passes by as though he had not called to Us about an affliction which touched him; thus is made fair to the committers of excess what they do.

(10:12)

Is then He who stands over every soul for what it earns[…]? But they have made for God partners. Say thou: “Name them: — if you would inform Him of what He knows not in the earth; or if it is a show of speaking.” The truth is: their scheme has been made fair to those who ignore warning, and they have been turned away from the path; and whom God sends astray, for him there is no guide;

(13:33)

By God, We sent messengers to communities before thee! But the satan made their deeds fair to them; and he is their ally this day, and they have a painful punishment.

(16:63)

Those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have made their deeds fair to them, so they wander blindly.

(27:4)

Those who ignore warning: they have a severe punishment; and those who heed warning and do righteous deeds: they have forgiveness and a great reward.

Is then he to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair to him so he sees it as good[…]? And God leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills; so let not thy soul go out to them in regrets; God knows what they do.

(35:7-8)

Is then he who is on clear evidence from his Lord — like: him to whom has been made fair the evil of his deeds, and they follow their vain desires?

(47:14)

As I mentioned in my last video, the satan will use all the means that are available to him to divert men from the straight path of God. We must remain vigilant about not following the lusts that continuously tempt us lest we slip from the straight path of God and taste God’s chastisement.

God’s straight path

Peace be upon you!

In today’s talk I wanted to look at the straight path within the context of the Qur’an. We find in the first chapter of the Qur’an a reference to the straight path which highlights the significance of this concept.

In the name of God, the Almighty, the Merciful.

Praise belongs to God, the Lord of All Creation,

The Almighty, the Merciful,

Master of the Day of Judgment.

Thee alone do we serve, and from Thee alone do we seek help.

Guide Thou us on the straight path,

The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; not of those who incur wrath, nor of those who go astray.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (1:1-7)

What is the straight path?

Given the significance of this concept, it stands to reason that since the Qur’an is a complete guidance from God, this straight path would be defined within the Qur’an. As we shall see, the Qur’an confirms this reasoning. A pan-textual analysis of this phrase “straight path” yields many verses that define what this straight path is. We shall be going through all of them so there is no doubt in anyone’s mind as to what this straight path entails.

“God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is a straight path.”

(3:51)

And how can you deny, when to you are the proofs of God recited, and in your midst is His messenger? And whoso holds fast to God, he has been guided to a straight path.

(3:101)

And whom God wills to guide, He expands his breast towards submission; and whom He wills to lead astray, He makes his breast constricted, distressed, as if he were ascending into the sky; thus does God appoint abomination for those who do not believe.

And this is the path of thy Lord, one straight; We have set out and detailed the proofs for people who take heed;

(6:125-126)

Say thou: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has made unlawful for you: that you ascribe a partnership with Him ­­to anything (while towards parents good conduct); and kill not your children out of poverty,” — We will provide for you and for them — “and approach not sexual immoralities, whether open or concealed; and kill not the soul which God has made unlawful save with justice; ­— that He enjoined upon you, that you might use reason.

“And approach not the property of the fatherless save with what is better before he reaches his maturity; and fulfil the measure and the balance with equity,” — We burden not any soul save to its capacity — “and when you speak, be just (though he be a relative); and the covenant of God fulfil; — that He commanded you, that you might take heed.”

And this is My straight path, so follow it; and follow not other ways, for they will separate you from His path; — “that He commanded you, that you might be in prudent fear.”

(6:151-153)

Say thou: “As for me, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a right doctrine, the creed of Abraham, inclining to truth; and he was not of the idolaters.”

Say thou: “My duty and my penance and my living and my dying are for God, the Lord of All Creation.

“He has no partner, and that have I been commanded; and I am the first of those submitting.”

Say thou: “Is it other than God I should desire as Lord when He is Lord of all things?” And every soul earns not save for itself, and no bearer bears the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you of that wherein you differed.

(6:161-164)

If thou askest of them payment: then is the reward of thy Lord better; and He is the best of providers.

And thou invitest them to a straight path;

And those who believe not in the Hereafter are deviating from the path.

(23:72-74)

Hold thou fast that which is revealed to thee; thou art on a straight path.

And it is a remembrance for thee and for thy people; and you will be questioned.

(43:43-44)

Satan promises to divert man from the straight path

And We created you; then We formed you; then said We to the angels: “Submit to Adam,” and they submitted. Not so Iblīs; he was not of those who submit.

He said: “What prevented thee from submitting when I commanded thee?” Said he: “I am better than he; Thou createdst me of fire, and Thou createdst him of clay.”

He said: “Get thee down therefrom; it is not for thee to wax proud therein, so go thou forth; thou art of those brought low.”

Said he: “Grant Thou me respite until the day they are raised up.”

He said: “Thou art of those granted respite.”

Said he: “Because Thou hast caused me to err, I will lie in wait for them on Thy straight path,

“Then will I come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left; and Thou wilt not find most of them grateful.”

He said: “Go thou forth therefrom, condemned and banished. Whoso follows thee from among them — I will fill Gehenna with you all together.”

(7:11-18)

Said he: “My Lord: grant Thou me respite until the day they are raised.”

He said: “Thou art of those granted respite

“Until the day of the known time.”

Said he: “My Lord: because Thou hast caused me to err, I will make it fair to them in the earth; and I will cause them to err all together,

“Save Thy sincere servants among them.”

He said: “This is a straight path to Me:

“My servants — thou hast no authority over them save those who follow thee among those who err,

“And Gehenna is their promised place all together.

“It has seven gates; and for each gate is a portion assigned.”

(15:36-44)

“But separate yourselves this day, O you lawbreakers!

“Did I not commission you, O children of Adam, that you serve not the satan,” — he is an open enemy to you —

“But that you serve Me? This is a straight path.

“And he led astray among you a great multitude. Did you then not use reason?

“This is Gehenna: — which you were promised —

“Burn therein this day, for what you denied!”

(36:59-64)

Hence, we see that those servants of God who are sincere and use reason are the only one’s who will be able to escape Satan’s deceptions. The concept of what the straight path is and what it entails is vital to our salvation and the Qur’an gives us the guidance towards the straight path; what is needed is that we hold fast only to the Qur’an and follow it.

And it is knowledge pertaining to the Hour; doubt not concerning it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.

And let not the satan divert you; he is to you an open enemy.

And when Jesus came with the clear signs, he said: “I have come to you with wisdom, and to make plain some of that concerning that wherein you differ; so be in prudent fear of God, and obey me.

“God, He is my Lord and your Lord; so serve Him. This is a straight path.”

(43:61-64)

God’s responses to the Christians’ false claim that Jesus is His son

Peace be upon you!

In today’s talk, I wanted to present to you verses from the Qur’an, which is God’s final revelation to mankind, in which God responds to the false claim made by the Christians and those before them that He has taken a son. I hope that those who make this claim pay heed to God’s arguments and desist from making up lies about God.

The first argument is that God cannot have a son because He has no companion (there is nothing like Him):

The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth: how could He have a son when He has no companion, and He created all things? And He knows all things.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (6:101)

The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth has made for you of yourselves pairs, and of the cattle pairs; He creates you thereby — there is nothing like Him — and He is the Hearer, the Seeing.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (42:11)

If, their response is that God is capable of all things, then yes that is true but it is not befitting for Him to take a son. All come to Him as servants.

Had God willed to take a son, He would have chosen from what He created what He willed. Glory be to Him! He is God, the One, the Vanquishing!

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (39:4)

And they say: “The Almighty has taken a son.”

You have done a monstrous thing.

The heavens are nigh rent therefrom, and the earth split open, and the mountains fallen in destruction

That they urge upon the Almighty a son

When it behoves not the Almighty to take a son;

There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes to the Almighty as a servant.)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (19:88-93)

And they say: “The Almighty has taken a son.” Glory be to Him! But honoured servants

Precede Him not in word, but they act by His command.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (21:26-27)

God exhorts the Priests of the Christian Religion

O doctors of the Law: exceed not bounds in your doctrine, nor ascribe to God save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary was only the messenger of God, and His word which He conveyed to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and say not: “Three.” Desist; it is best for you. God is but One God. Glory be to Him that He should have a son! To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and God is sufficient as disposer of affairs.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (4:171)

All power is God’s alone

God has already destroyed (given death) to Jesus and Mary, no power stopped Him. And He is in the process of destroying all of mankind (giving them life and then death) until the Day of Resurrection; no power is stopping Him from doing this as well. That is because He is God, the Overpowering. He does not share His power with anyone.

They have denied who say: “God is the Messiah, son of Mary.” Say thou: “Who would have power over God for anything if He wished to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, and his mother and everyone upon the earth altogether?” And to God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what is between them. He creates what He wills; and God is over all things powerful.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:17)

Jesus will deny the false charge that he claimed to be anything besides God’s servant on the Day

They have denied who say: “God is the Messiah, son of Mary.” And the Messiah said: “O children of Israel: serve God, my Lord and your Lord; whoso ascribes a partnership to God, him has God forbidden the Garden, and his shelter is the Fire; and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:72)

And when God will say: “O Jesus, son of Mary: didst thou say to men: ‘Take me and my mother as two gods besides God?’” he will say: “Glory be to Thee! It was not for me to say that to which I had no right! If I had said it, then Thou wouldst have known it. Thou knowest what is in my soul, and I know not what is in Thy soul; Thou art the Knower of the Unseen Realms.

“I said not to them but what Thou commandedst me: ‘Serve God, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness to them while I was among them; but when Thou tookest me, Thou wast the watcher over them; and Thou art witness to all things.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:116-117)

Jesus and Mary both ate food

God highlights that Jesus and Mary were mere mortals who ate food. They were born and they died. And they will be resurrected along with the rest of mankind on the Day of Judgment.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was but a messenger; messengers had passed away before him; and his mother was a woman of truth; they both ate food. See thou how We make plain the proofs to them; then see thou how they are deluded.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:75)

Ascribing sons or daughters to God is nothing new

Christians think that they have come up with a unique idea that God has taken a son. The people at the time of Muhammad falsely claimed that God had taken daughters. The Greeks before the time of the Christians made similar claims. The Hindus make similar claims. There really is nothing new under the sun.

And the Rabbinic Jews say: “ʿUzayr is the son of God”; and the Christians say: “The Messiah is the son of God.” That is the speech of their mouths; they imitate the speech of those who ignored warning before. May God curse them! How are they deluded?

They take their rabbis and their religious scholars as lords rather than God, and the Messiah, son of Mary; and they were not commanded save to serve One God; there is no god save He. Glory be to Him above that to which they ascribe a partnership!

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (9:30-31)

The miracle of Jesus’ birth

And she who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and made her and her son a proof for all mankind.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (21:91)

When the angels said: “O Mary: God gives thee glad tidings of a word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; esteemed in the World and the Hereafter, and among those brought near.

“He will speak to men in the cradle, and in maturity, and is among the righteous.”

She said: “My Lord: how will I have a son when no mortal has touched me?” He said: “Thus is God; he creates what He wills; when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: ‘Be thou,’ and it is.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:45-47)

God’s conclusive argument

The likeness of Jesus in the sight of God is as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust; then He said to him: “Be thou,” and he was.

The truth is from thy Lord, so be thou not of those who doubt.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:59-60)

Obey Allah and the Messenger

Peace be upon you!

In today’s talk I wanted to look at the phrase “Obey Allah and the Messenger” which is the average Muslim’s response when he is told to follow the Qur’an alone. Of course, this statement is not something that he has come up with after reading the Qur’an extensively. It has been given to him by his ulemas, muftis and sheikhs of the Islamic religion to use against those who follow the Qur’an alone; and which he then parrots without actually understanding what the Qur’an means by this phrase.

The doctors of the religion of Islam are either ignorant or actively misguiding the masses

This issue is important because it exposes the ignorance or wickedness of the ulemas, muftis and shiekhs of the religion of Islam. Either they completely misunderstand what this statement means according to the Qur’an (and are thus not the “learned” scholars they so frequently claim to be), or they understand this statement fully and are simply misguiding the masses (which is what the Qur’an warns us of 3:69). Both possibilities are damning and illustrate the fact that muftis, sheikhs, imams and ulemas are simply untrustworthy; a thinking man would do well to avoid him entirely.

Now, before we begin I want to define what an average Muslims means by the phrase: “Obey Allah and the Messenger.” He means that Muslims are commanded by Allah to obey Him and His messenger (the prophet Muhammad). And in this day and age he equates the obeying of the messenger with following the hadith literature (the alleged sayings of Prophet Muhammad). Thus his position is that he takes both the Qur’an (the revealed word of God) and the alleged sayings of the prophet Muhammad (a man) as sources of the Law. However, to take anything else besides the Qur’an as source of Law is shirk: setting up a partnership with God.

This is not a trivial matter. The Qur’an makes it absolutely clear that it alone is to be followed and God’s injunctions in it are the only ones that are binding upon a believer. This is a point at which there is no debate as we shall see. As believers, we are commanded to take the Qur’an alone as the sole criterion (the furqan), and it alone is the distinguisher between truth and falsehood.

Verses in the Qur’an about following it alone

alif lām mīm ṣād
A Writ sent down to thee — so let there be no distress in thy heart therefrom — that thou warn thereby, and as a reminder to the believers.
Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and follow not allies besides Him; little do you take heed.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (7:1-3)

And this is a Writ We have sent down, one blessed, so follow it; and be in prudent fear, that you might obtain mercy,

Lest you say: “The Writ was but sent down upon two groups before us, and we were of their study unaware,”

Or you say: “Had the Writ been sent down upon us, we would have been better guided than they.” And there has come to you clear evidence from your Lord, and guidance, and a mercy; then who is more unjust than he who denies the proofs of God, and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our proofs with an evil punishment for their turning away.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (6:155-157)

“Is it other than God I should seek as judge when He it is that sent down to you the Writ set out and detailed?” And those to whom We gave the Writ know that it is sent down from thy Lord with the truth; so be thou not of those who doubt.

And perfected is the word of thy Lord in truth and justice; there is none to change His words; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (6:114-115)

And they ask thee for a ruling concerning women. Say thou: “God gives you the ruling concerning them,” — and what is recited to you in the Writ concerning the fatherless women (to whom you give not what is prescribed for them, and yet desire to marry them) and concerning the oppressed among children; and that you stand up for equity for the fatherless. And whatever you do of good, God knows it.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (4:127)

If they have partners which ordained for them of doctrine that for which God has not given leave[…]. And had it not been for the word of decision, it would have been concluded between them; and the wrongdoers have a painful punishment.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (42:21)

And We sent down to thee the Writ with the truth, confirming what is before it of the Writ, and as a control over it. So judge thou between them by what God has sent down; and follow thou not their vain desires away from what has come to thee of the truth. For each of you We appointed an ordinance and a procedure. And had God willed, He could have made you one community; but that He might try you in what He gave you[…]. — So vie in good deeds; unto God will you return all together, and He will inform you of that wherein you differed —

And judge thou between them by what God has sent down; and follow thou not their vain desires, and beware thou of them lest they seduce thee away from some of what God has sent down to thee. And if they turn away, know thou that God but intends to afflict them for some of their transgressions; and many among men are perfidious.

Is it the judgment of ignorance they seek? And who is better than God in judgment for people who are certain?

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:48-50)

The first 3 phrases of “Obey God and the messenger” in the Qur’an

We shall look at the first three occurrences of this statement in the Qur’an to show you that Sunnis do not understand it; because it means the complete opposite of what they think it means. I will also give you the complete list of verses where this statement occurs in the Qur’an so you can investigate this matter thoroughly and to your full satisfaction.

So now that we have established from the Qur’an itself that it alone is the source of Law, we turn our attention to the first instance of the phrase “Obey God and the messenger” which occurs in Chapter 3. We shall be starting from the beginning of this chapter and I want you to pay attention to it as there are several themes that crop up which are relevant to our present day situation.

alif lām mīm (3:1)

God, there is no god save He, the Living, the Eternal.
(3:2)

He sent down upon thee the Writ with the truth, confirming what was before it; and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel
(3:3)

Before as guidance for mankind; and He sent down the Division. Those who deny the proofs of God, they have a severe punishment; and God is exalted in might and vengeful.
(3:4)

From God hides not anything in the earth or in the heaven.
(3:5)

He it is who forms you in the wombs as He wills. There is no god save He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
(3:6)

He it is that sent down upon thee the Writ; among it are explicit proofs: they are the foundation of the Writ; and others are ambiguous. Then as for those in whose hearts is deviation: they follow what is ambiguous thereof, seeking the means of denial, and seeking its interpretation. And no one knows its interpretation save God, and those firm in knowledge; they say: “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” But only those of insight take heed.
(3:7)

“Our Lord: make Thou not our hearts to deviate after Thou hast guided us; and bestow Thou upon us mercy from Thyself; Thou art the Bestower.
(3:8)

“Our Lord: Thou art gathering mankind to a day about which there is no doubt”; God will not break the appointment.
(3:9)

Those who ignore warning: their wealth and their children will avail them nothing against God; and it is they who are the fuel of the Fire,
(3:10)

Like the case of the house of Pharaoh and those before them: they denied Our proofs, so God seized them for their transgressions; and God is severe in retribution.
(3:11)

Say thou to those who ignore warning: “You will be defeated, and gathered into Gehenna; and evil is the resting-place.”
(3:12)

There had been a proof for you in the two hosts which met: one host fighting in the cause of God, and another denying; they saw them as twice their like by the sight of the eye. But God strengthens with His help whom He wills; in that is a lesson for those of vision.
(3:13)

Made fair for men is the love of lusts — for women, and sons, and amassed fortunes of gold and silver, and branded horses, and cattle, and tilth: that is the provision of the life of this world — but God, with Him is the best journey’s end.
(3:14)

Say thou: “Shall I inform you of better than that? For those who are in prudent fear, with their Lord are gardens beneath which rivers flow, they abiding eternally therein, and purified spouses, and approval from God”; and God sees the servants,
(3:15)

Those who say: “Our Lord: we believe, so forgive Thou us our transgressions, and protect Thou us from the punishment of the Fire,”
(3:16)

The patient, the truthful, the humbly obedient, those who spend, and the seekers of forgiveness at dawn.
(3:17)

God bears witness that there is no god save He, as do the angels and those of knowledge upholding equity: “There is no god save He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
(3:18)

The doctrine with God is submission. And those given the Writ differed only after knowledge had come to them, through sectarian zealotry between them; and whoso denies the proofs of God — then is God swift in reckoning.
(3:19)

And if they argue with thee, then say thou: “I have submitted my face to God, as have those who follow me.” And say thou to those given the Writ and to the unschooled: “Have you submitted?” And if they have submitted, then are they guided; but if they turn away, then upon thee is only the notification; and God sees the servants.
(3:20)

Those who deny the proofs of God, and kill the prophets without cause, and kill those who enjoin equity among men: give thou them tidings of a painful punishment.
(3:21)

Those are they whose works are vain in the World and the Hereafter; and they have no helpers.
(3:22)

Hast thou not considered those given a portion of the Writ? They are invited to the Writ of God, that it might judge between them, then a faction of them turns away; and they are averse,
(3:23)

For it is that they say: “The Fire will not touch us save days numbered,” and what they invented has deluded them in their doctrine!
(3:24)

Then how will it be when We gather them to a day about which there is no doubt and every soul is paid in full what it earned? And they will not be wronged.
(3:25)

Say thou: “O God, Master of Dominion: Thou givest dominion to whom Thou wilt, and Thou removest dominion from whom Thou wilt; Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt, and Thou abasest whom Thou wilt. In Thy hand is good; Thou art over all things powerful.
(3:26)

“Thou makest the night enter into the day, and Thou makest the day enter into the night; and Thou bringest forth the living from the dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living. And Thou givest provision to whom Thou wilt without reckoning.”
(3:27)

Let not the believers take as allies the false claimers of guidance rather than believers; and whoso does that is not of God in anything — save that you be in prudent fear of them, as a precaution. And God warns you of Himself; and to God is the journey’s end.
(3:28)

Say thou: “Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, God knows it. And He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and God is over all things powerful.
(3:29)

“The day every soul will find what it did of good summoned, and what it did of evil, it will wish there were between it and that a great distance.” And God warns you of Himself; and God is kind to the servants.
(3:30)

Say thou: “If you love God, follow me; God will love you, and forgive you your transgressions”; and God is forgiving and merciful.
(3:31)

Say thou: “Obey God and the Messenger.” Then if they turn away: God loves not the false claimers of guidance.
(3:32)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:1-32)

This is the first instance of the phrase: “Obey God and the messenger”. Now, if you noticed in verses 23-25, we have those given a portion of the Writ inventing lies such as the Fire will not touch they except for days numbered.

Hast thou not considered those given a portion of the Writ? They are invited to the Writ of God, that it might judge between them, then a faction of them turns away; and they are averse,
(3:23)

For it is that they say: “The Fire will not touch us save days numbered,” and what they invented has deluded them in their doctrine!
(3:24)

Then how will it be when We gather them to a day about which there is no doubt and every soul is paid in full what it earned? And they will not be wronged.
(3:25)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:23-25)

This is precisely the case of the Muslims today, who via the hadith literature have invented the lie that they will be in the Fire temporarily. In the Qur’an, those who are cast in the Fire will remain there forever.

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise, and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, Allah will say. ‘Take out (of the Fire) whoever has got faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart.’ They will come out, and by that time they would have burnt and became like coal, and then they will be thrown into the river of Al-Hayyat (life) and they will spring up just as a seed grows on the bank of a rainwater stream.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Don’t you see that the germinating seed comes out yellow and twisted?”

Sahih al-Bukhari 6560

See also: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6571 and https://sunnah.com/muslim:183a

We now look at the the second instance of the phrase “Obey God and the messenger” in Chapter 3. The narrative picks up at verse 100.

O you who heed warning: if you obey a faction among those given the Writ, they will drive you back, after your faith, as false claimers of guidance.
(3:100)

And how can you deny, when to you are the proofs of God recited, and in your midst is His messenger? And whoso holds fast to God, he has been guided to a straight path.
(3:101)

O you who heed warning: be in prudent fear of God with the prudent fear due Him, and die not save that you be submitting.
(3:102)

And hold fast to the rope of God all together, and be not divided. And remember the favour of God upon you: when you were enemies, He united your hearts so that by His favour you became brethren; and you were upon the edge of a pit of fire, and He rescued you from it. Thus does God make plain to you His proofs, that you might be guided.
(3:103)

And let there be from you a community inviting to good, and enjoining what is fitting, and forbidding perversity; and it is they who are the successful.
(3:104)

And be not like those who became divided, and disputed after the clear signs had came to them; and it is they who have a great punishment.
(3:105)

The day faces will be white, and faces will be black: as for those whose faces will be black: ­— “Did you deny after your faith? Then taste the punishment for what you denied!”
(3:106)

And as for those whose faces will be white: ­— in the mercy of God; therein they abide eternally.
(3:107)

Those are the proofs of God; We recite them to thee in truth; and God desires not injustice for all mankind.
(3:108)

And to God belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and to God are matters returned.
(3:109)

You are the best community brought forth for mankind: you enjoin what is fitting, and you forbid perversity, and you believe in God. And had the doctors of the Law believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are perfidious.
(3:110)

They will not cause you harm save hindrance; and if they fight you, they will turn to you their backs; then will they not be helped.
(3:111)

Pitched upon them will be ignominy wherever they are found save for a rope from God and a rope from men. And they will incur wrath from God, and wretchedness will be pitched upon them, for it is that they denied the proofs of God! And they killed the prophets without cause, for it is that they opposed and exceeded all bounds!
(3:112)

They are not the same; among the doctors of the Law is an upright community: they recite the proofs of God in watches of the night, and they submit;
(3:113)

They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin what is fitting, and forbid perversity, and compete in good deeds; and those are among the righteous.
(3:114)

And what they do of good, they will not be denied it; and God knows those of prudent fear.
(3:115)

Those who ignore warning: neither their wealth nor their children will avail them anything against God. And those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.
(3:116)

The likeness of what they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of a wind wherein was biting cold: it befell the tilth of a people who wronged their souls and destroyed it; and God wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.
(3:117)

O you who heed warning: take not as intimates other than your own; they will not spare you ruin. They would that you should suffer. Hatred has already become clear from their mouths, and what their breasts hide is greater. We have made plain the proofs to you, if you will use reason.
(3:118)

Here you are, those who love them; and they love you not, when you believe in the Writ — all of it. And when they meet you, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you from rage. Say thou: “Die in your rage, God knows what is in the breasts.”
(3:119)

If good touches you, it vexes them; and if evil befalls you, they exult thereat. But if you are patient and in prudent fear, their plan will not harm you at all; God encompasses what they do.
(3:120)

And when thou didst leave thy household early to assign the believers their stations for the battle; and God was hearing and knowing
(3:121)

When two groups among you were about to lose heart, but God was their ally; and in God let the believers place their trust.
(3:122)

(And God had already helped you at Badr, when you were despised. Then be in prudent fear of God, that you might be grateful.)
(3:123)

When thou saidst to the believers: “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should supply you with three thousand angels sent down?
(3:124)

“Verily, if you are patient and in prudent fear, and they rush upon you of a sudden, your Lord will supply you with five thousand angels having marks,”
(3:125)

(And God made it not save as glad tidings for you, and that your hearts might be reassured thereby; and there is no help save from God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.)
(3:126)

“That He might cut off a part of those who ignore warning, or suppress them so they turn back disappointed.”
(3:127)

No part of the matter is thine, whether He turns towards them or punishes them, for they are wrongdoers,
(3:128)

And to God belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills; and God is forgiving and merciful.
(3:129)

O you who heed warning: consume not usury, doubled and redoubled; and be in prudent fear of God, that you might be successful.
(3:130)

And be in prudent fear of the Fire prepared for the false claimers of guidance.
(3:131)

And obey God and the Messenger, that you might obtain mercy.
(3:132)

And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden as wide as the heavens and the earth prepared for those of prudent fear:
(3:133)

Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, and who control their wrath, and forgive men; and God loves the doers of good;
(3:134)

And those who, when they commit sexual immorality or wrong their souls, remember God, and ask forgiveness for their transgressions — and who forgives transgressions save God? — and persist not in what they did when they know.
(3:135)

Those: their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow, they abiding eternally therein; and excellent is the reward of those who act.
(3:136)

Practices have passed away before you; so travel in the earth and see how was the final outcome of the deniers.
(3:137)

This is a clear statement for mankind; and guidance; and an admonition for those of prudent fear.
(3:138)

And faint not, nor grieve, and you will be the superior ones, if you be believers.
(3:139)

If injury touches you: there has touched people an injury the like thereof. And those are the days We alternate among men, both that God might know those who heed warning, and take witnesses among you — and God loves not the wrongdoers —
(3:140)

And that God might refine those who heed warning, and eliminate the false claimers of guidance.
(3:141)

Or did you think that you will enter the Garden before God knows those who strive among you or knows the patient?
(3:142)

And you had wished for death before you met it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes[…].
(3:143)

And Muḥammad is only a messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels does no harm to God at all; and God will reward the grateful.
(3:144)

And it is not for a soul to die, save by the leave of God, at a writ determined. And whoso desires the reward of the World, We give him thereof; and whoso desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him thereof; and We reward the grateful.
(3:145)

And alongside how many a prophet have fought many stoutly devout men! And they fainted not at what befell them in the cause of God; neither did they weaken, nor did they yield. And God loves the patient.
(3:146)

And their word was only that they said: “Our Lord: forgive Thou us our transgressions, and our excess in our affair, and make Thou firm our feet; and help Thou us against the people of the false claimers of guidance.”
(3:147)

So God gave them the reward of the World and the good reward of the Hereafter; and God loves the doers of good.
(3:148)

O you who heed warning: if you obey those who ignore warning, they will drive you back on your heels; and you will turn back as losers.
(3:149)

The truth is, God is your protector; and He is the best of helpers.
(3:150)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:100-150)

The 3rd instance of “Obey god and the messenger” occurs in Chapter 4 and it is clear from the context that it was a directive to the believers when Muhammad was alive. Specifically, it was in the context of military matters.

God commands you that you deliver up trusts to their owners; and when you judge between men, that you judge with justice. Excellent is what God admonishes you to do; God is hearing and seeing.
(4:58)

O you who heed warning: obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you differ in anything, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you believe in God and the Last Day; that is best, and best in respect of result.
(4:59)

Hast thou not considered those who claim to believe in what is sent down to thee, and what was sent down before thee, desiring to go for judgment to idols when they were commanded to reject it? And the satan desires to lead them far astray.
(4:60)

And when it is said to them: “Come to what God has sent down, and to the Messenger,” thou seest the waverers turn away from thee in aversion.
(4:61)

How will it be when calamity befalls them because of what their hands have sent ahead? Then will they come to thee, swearing by God: “We intended only good conduct and success!”
(4:62)

Those are they of whom God knows what is in their hearts; turn thou away from them; but admonish thou them, and speak thou to them concerning their souls an effective word.
(4:63)

And We sent any messenger only that he be obeyed by the leave of God. And had they, when they wronged their souls, come to thee and asked forgiveness of God, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God accepting of repentance and merciful.
(4:64)

But no, by thy Lord, they do not believe until they make thee judge in what arises between them, then find in their souls no distress at what thou decidest, and submit fully!
(4:65)

And had We prescribed for them: “Kill yourselves,” or: “Go forth from your homes,” there would have done it only a few among them; and had they done what they were exhorted, it would have been better for them and a stronger confirmation,
(4:66)

And then would We have given them from Us a great reward
(4:67)

And guided them by a straight path.
(4:68)

And whoso obeys God and the Messenger, those are with them whom God has favoured of the prophets, and the men of truth, and the witnesses, and the righteous; and good are those as companions.
(4:69)

That is the bounty from God; and sufficient is God as knower.
(4:70)

O you who heed warning: take your precautions, and advance in groups or advance all together.
(4:71)

And among you is he who delays; then if calamity befalls you, he says: “God was gracious to me in that I was not present with them.”
(4:72)

But if there reaches you bounty from God, he will say as if there had never been any affection between you and him: “Would that I had been with them, so I could have achieved a great achievement!”
(4:73)

And let fight in the cause of God those who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter; and whoso fights in the cause of God, be he killed or victorious, We will bestow upon him a great reward.
(4:74)

And why should you not fight in the cause of God, and of the oppressed among the men, and the women, and the children who say: “Our Lord: take Thou us out of this city whose people are wrongdoers; and give Thou us from Thyself an ally; and give Thou us from Thyself a helper”?
(4:75)

Those who heed warning fight in the cause of God; and those who ignore warning fight in the cause of idols. Then fight the allies of the satan; the plan of the satan is weak.
(4:76)

Hast thou not considered those to whom it was said: “Restrain your hands; and uphold the duty, and render the purity,” but when fighting is prescribed for them, then a faction among them fears men like the fear of God, or a stronger fear? And they said: “Our Lord: why hast Thou prescribed fighting for us? Oh, that Thou wouldst but delay us a little while!” Say thou: “Little is the enjoyment of the World”; and the Hereafter is better for him who is in prudent fear; and you will not be wronged a hair upon a date-stone.
(4:77)

Wherever you be, death will overtake you, though you be in castles built high. And if good befalls them, they say: “This is from God”; and if evil befalls them, they say: “This is from thee.” Say thou: “All is from God.” Then what ails these people that they scarcely understand a statement?
(4:78)

What befalls thee of good, it is from God; and what befalls thee of evil, it is from thyself. And We have sent thee to mankind as a messenger; and sufficient is God as witness.
(4:79)

Whoso obeys the Messenger, he has obeyed God; and whoso turns away: We sent thee not as a custodian over them.
(4:80)

And they talk obedience; but when they emerge from thy presence, a number among them plans by night other than what thou sayest. And God records what they plan by night; so turn thou away from them, and place thou thy trust in God; and God is sufficient as disposer of affairs.
(4:81)

(Will they then not consider the Qur’an with care! And had it been from other than God, they would have found therein much contradiction.)
(4:82)

And when there comes to them a matter of security or fear, they spread it about; and had they referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, there would have known it those who draw correct conclusions among them; and were it not for the bounty of God to you, and His mercy, you would have followed the satan, save a few.
(4:83)

So fight thou in the cause of God; thou art not charged save with thyself. And rouse thou the believers: it may be that God will restrain the might of those who ignore warning; and God is stronger in might, and stronger in exemplary punishment.
(4:84)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (4:58-84)

In conclusion, it is clear from the Qur’an that obeying the God and the messenger meant to follow the Qur’an alone. It also meant to obey him in the capacity of a military leader. Lest we forget, Muhammad was sent as a warrior-prophet. To twist this command to justify bringing in a whole separate literature and give it an equal footing with God’s revealed word is unacceptable and a great sin and serves only to expose those in whose hearts is a deviation; they will be requited soon enough by the Almighty God.

He it is that sent down upon thee the Writ; among it are explicit proofs: they are the foundation of the Writ; and others are ambiguous. Then as for those in whose hearts is deviation: they follow what is ambiguous thereof, seeking the means of denial, and seeking its interpretation. And no one knows its interpretation save God, and those firm in knowledge; they say: “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” But only those of insight take heed.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:7)

Full list of occurrences of the phrase “Obey God and the messenger”:

3:32, 3:132, 4:59, 5:92, 8:1, 8:20, 8:46, 9:71, 24:54, 33:33, 47:33, 49:14, 58:13, 64:12

Prophet Muhammad: The first Qur’an alone follower

Peace be upon you!

In today’s talk I wanted to show you from the Qur’an that Prophet Muhammad was the first Qur’an alone follower i.e. he was the first man to follow the Qur’an and only the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is explicit in pointing out the fact that the only revelation (knowledge of the Unseen) that Muhammad received from God was the Qur’an; the same Qur’an that is in your hands today. Muhammad did not receive any extra knowledge from God. Furthermore, Muhammad was commanded by God to follow the Qur’an alone. He was not following any other guidance besides the Qur’an alone. This makes him the first Qur’an alone follower.

We start with the most obvious verse in the Qur’an:

Say thou: “I am no new thing among the messengers, and I know not what will be done with me or with you. I follow only what is revealed to me; and I am only a clear warner.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (46:9)

Say thou: “I say not to you: ‘I possess the treasuries of God,’ or: ‘I know the Unseen,’ nor do I say to you: ‘I am an angel.’ I follow only what is revealed to me.” Say thou: “Are the blind and the seeing equal?” Will you then not take thought!

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (6:50)

Prophet Muhammad did not have the power to alter the Qur’an, yet this is precisely what Muslims do when they take the alleged sayings of prophet Muhammad (the hadith literature) and superimpose them over the Qur’an.

And when Our proofs are recited to them as clear signs, those who look not for the meeting with Us say: “Bring thou a Qur’an other than this; or change thou it.” Say thou: “It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I follow only what is revealed to me. I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous day.”

Say thou: “Had God willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you; for I had tarried among you a lifetime before it.” Will you then not use reason!

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (10:15-16)

What is even more monstrous is alleging that Prophet Muhammad knew about things which were never revealed to him by God. Muhammad only related the Qur’anic revelation faithfully, he did not invent any thing about God. The Qur’an is clear on this point.

And they had almost seduced thee away from that We revealed to thee, that thou invent about Us other than it — and then would they have taken thee as a friend.

And were it not that We had made thee firm, thou wouldst have relied upon them a little,

Then would We have let thee taste double in life, and double in death; then wouldst thou not find for thee against Us a helper.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (17:73-75)

In multiple places in the Qur’an, the unbelievers ask Muhammad about when the Day of Judgment will be and he simply replied that he did not know.

They ask thee concerning the Hour: “When is its arrival?” Say thou: “Knowledge thereof is but with my Lord; none reveals its time save He. It weighs heavily in the heavens and the earth; it comes not upon you save unexpectedly.” They ask thee as though thou wert privy thereto; say thou: “Knowledge thereof is but with God”; but most men know not.

Say thou: “I have no power to do myself benefit or harm save that God should will. And had I knowledge of the Unseen, I would have acquired abundance of wealth, and evil would not have touched me; I am only a warner and bearer of glad tidings to people who believe.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (7:187-188)

In contrast, there are many hadiths in which Prophet Muhammad allegedly told of the signs of the coming Day of Judgment.

Hudhaifa b. Usaid Ghifari reported: Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to us all of a sudden as we were (busy in a discussion). He said: What do you discuss about? They (the Companions) said. We are discussing about the Last Hour. Thereupon he said: It will not cone until you see ten signs before and (in this connection) he made a mention of the smoke, Dajjal, the beast, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary (Allah be pleased with him), the Gog and Magog, and land-sliding in three places, one in the east, one in the west and one in Arabia at the end of which fire would burn forth from the Yemen, and would drive people to the place of their assembly.

SAHIH MUSLIM BOOK 41, HADITH NUMBER 6931

What was revealed to prophet Muhammad?

It is a common argument by the Muslims that some extra knowledge was revealed to Muhammad besides the Qur’an. Again, the Qur’an categorically denies this assertion.

Say thou: “What thing is greatest in witness?” Say thou: “God is witness between me and you; and this Qur’an has been revealed to me that I might warn you thereby, and whom it reaches. Do you bear witness that there are other gods with God?” Say thou: “I bear not witness.” Say thou: “He is but One God, and I am quit of that to which you ascribe a partnership.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (6:19)

And those who ignore warning say: “Oh, that the Qur’an were but sent down upon him all at once!” Thus — that We might strengthen thy heart thereby; and We have recited it distinctly.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (25:32)

Across the whole of the Qur’an, there is not a single verse which supports this false assertion by Muslims that Muhammad was revealed extra knowledge besides the Qur’an. Of course, Muslims are not ready to accept the Qur’an’s own testimony because that would entail abandoning their inherited religion (which is mostly based on the hadith literature).

Say thou: “If you love God, follow me; God will love you, and forgive you your transgressions”; and God is forgiving and merciful.

Say thou: “Obey God and the Messenger.” Then if they turn away: God loves not the false claimers of guidance.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:31-32)

So, are you willing to follow Muhammad by following the Qur’an alone as he himself did? Or are you of those who will continue to follow the footsteps of your ancestors and end up in the raging Fire.

Do you not see that God made subject to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and has lavished upon you His favours, outward and inward? But among men is he who disputes concerning God, without knowledge, or guidance, or an illuminating Writ;


And when it is said to them: “Follow what God has sent down,” they say: “Nay, we will follow that upon which we found our fathers.” — Even though the satan invites them to the punishment of the Inferno?


And whoso submits his face to God, and is a doer of good, he has grasped the most firm handhold; and to God is the final outcome of matters.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (31:20-22)

A message to those who claim to be the children of Israel and “stand with Israel”

Peace be upon you,

This message is for those who claim to be the children of Israel and are supporting the evil being perpetrated by the state of Israel upon the Palestinian people. Remember your covenant with God:

And when We took your agreement and raised the mount above you: “Hold fast what We have given you, and remember what is therein, that you might be in prudent fear.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:63)

According to the U.N., roughly 6,400 Palestinians and 300 Israelis have been killed in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel since 2008. 1 This is, of course, discounting the current escalation of violence. Is this upholding your covenant to hold fast to the Torah, to God’s commandment to take a life for a life?

And We prescribed for them therein a life for a life, and an eye for an eye, and a nose for a nose, and an ear for an ear, and a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds just requital; but whoso forgives it by way of charity, it is an expiation for him. And whoso judges not by what God has sent down: it is they who are the wrongdoers.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:45)

Have you not shed enough blood already? Remember what God prescribed for you:

For that cause We prescribed for the children of Israel that whoso takes a life other than for a life or corruption in the land, it will be as if he killed mankind altogether; (and whoso gives life, it will be as if he gave life to mankind altogether ­— and Our messengers came to them with clear signs, then many of them after that are committers of excess in the earth — )

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (5:32)

Will you support those who break God’s covenant? Then, know, that you stand with those who will be the losers in this life and the Hereafter.

Those who break the covenant with God after its agreement, and sever what God commanded to be joined, and work corruption in the land; it is they who are the losers.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:27)

  1. https://www.ochaopt.org/data/casualties ↩︎

Will non-Muslims go to Hell?

Peace be upon you. In today’s article, I wanted to look at a common claim made by Muslims that unless a man converts – or reverts – to the religion of Islam, he will go to Hell. Now, of course, the claim by members of a specific religion or sect that their group is the only one that will enter Heaven is not unique to the Muslims; Christians and Jews claim likewise. Hence, we see the aggressive proselytization by both Christian missionaries and Muslim clergy to convert people to their respective religions. But let us look at what God’s final revelation – the Qur’an – has to say about the matter.

Many among the doctors of the Law wish to turn you back as atheists after your faith out of envy from their souls after the truth has become clear to them. But pardon and forbear until God brings His command; God is over all things powerful.
And uphold the duty, and render the purity; and what good you send ahead for your souls, you will find it with God; God sees what you do.
And they say: “None will enter the Garden save such as hold to Judaism, or are Christians.” Those are their vain desires. Say thou: “Bring your evidence, if you be truthful.”
Verily, whoso submits his face to God and is a doer of good, he has his reward with his Lord; and no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:109-112)

So, it is quite clear that membership to a specific group will not help us on the Day of Judgment. Whosoever “submits his face to God and is a doer of good, he has his reward with his Lord”.

Let us look at some other verses which negate the idea that subscription to a particular religion or sect is required in order to be guided.

And never will the Rabbinic Jews be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, until thou follow their creed; say thou: “The guidance of God, that is guidance”; and if thou follow their vain desires after the knowledge which has come to thee, thou wilt have against God neither ally nor helper.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:120)

And who is averse to the creed of Abraham save he who befools himself? And We chose him in the World; and in the Hereafter he is among the righteous.
When his Lord said to him: “Submit thou,” he said: “I have submitted to the Lord of All Creation.”
The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, as did Jacob: “O my sons: God has chosen the doctrine for you; so die not save when you are submitting.”
If you were witnesses when death was present with Jacob: — when he said to his sons: “What will you serve after me?” — they said: “We will serve thy God, and God of thy fathers Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One God, and to Him are we submitting.”

That is a community which has passed away; it has what it earned, and you have what you earned; and you will not be questioned about what they did.
And they say: “Be such as hold to Judaism, or Christians — you will be guided.” Say thou: “Nay, the creed of Abraham, inclining to truth; and he was not of the idolaters.”
Say: “We believe in God, and what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the Grandsons, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord; We make no division between any of them, and to Him are we submitting.”
Then if they believe in the like of that in which you believe, they have been guided; but if they turn away, they are only in schism. And God will suffice thee against them; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
“The immersion of God––” And who is better than God to immerse? And Him are we serving.
Say thou: “Dispute you with us concerning God when He is our Lord and your Lord? And we have our works, and you have your works; and to Him are we sincere.”
If you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the Grandsons were such as hold to Judaism or Christians, say thou: “Know you better, or does God?” And who is more unjust than he who conceals a witness he has from God? And God is not unmindful of what you do.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:130-140)

Perhaps, unsurprisingly, God has already laid down the criteria for those who are successful in the beginning of the Qur’an. Whoever has read the beginning of the Qur’an already knows that membership to the religion of Islam is not the criteria for deliverance from the Fire on the Day of Judgment.

alif lām mīm

That is the Writ about which there is no doubt, a guidance to those of prudent fear:
Those who believe in the Unseen, and uphold the duty, and of what We have provided them they spend;
And those who believe in what was sent down to thee, and what was sent down before thee, and of the Hereafter they are certain:

Those are upon guidance from their Lord; and it is they who are the successful.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:1-5)

Now, am I saying that we should not be warning men? On the contrary, as believers in God and the Last Day, it is our duty to warn men of the Last Day. But understand that it is not we who can guide but God guides whom He wills and for most, disbelief has become binding upon them.

Those who ignore warning, it is the same to them whether thou hast warned them or thou hast not warned them; they do not believe:
God has sealed their hearts, and over their hearing and over their sight is a covering; and they have a great punishment.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (2:6-7)

O you who heed warning: be lowly and submit, and serve your Lord, and do good that you might be successful;
And strive for God with the striving due Him. He has chosen you, and has not placed upon you in doctrine any distress — the creed of your father Abraham. He named you those submitting before, and in this, that the Messenger might be a witness to you, and that you might be witnesses to men. So uphold the duty, and render the purity, and hold fast to God; He is your protector. Then excellent is the Protector! And excellent is the Helper!
(22:77-78)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (22:77-78)

Makkah or Bakkah? What the Qur’an says about the first house of God

Peace be upon you brothers and sisters. In today’s video, I wanted to look at the Qur’anic evidence for the claim made by the Muslims that Bakkah is the old name of Makkah. While, I consider these issues to be irrelevant due to the fact that the location of these ancient sites have been lost, a number of Qur’an only followers consider the so-called Hajj in Makkah currently to be a rite ordained by God in the Qur’an. They believe that God commanded the believers to go to Makkah and participate in these idol worshipping rituals under the guise of Hajj.

Let me be clear: the Hajj as practiced by the Muslims in its current form is nothing more than idol worship. I cover this issue in depth in Chapter 11 of my book “Will You Not Reason?” but I will just give you some key points as to the similarities of the current day Hajj and similar practices in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

The defining feature of the Hajj is the circling of the Kaaba idol counter-clockwise seven times. The Qur’an does not mention the circling of any object seven times. However, this practice is found in Hinduism and is termed “saat-phere”. Circambulation around a sacred object is also a common practice in pagan religions and is termed as Parikrama or Pradakshina. Here is a quick summary of both of these terms in Wikipedia:

The saat phere is one of the most important features of the Hindu Wedding, involving seven rounds around a sacred fire lit for the purpose amidst the Vedic mantras. The bride and groom circumambulate a consecrated fire seven times, reciting specific vows with each circuit (Sanskrit: parikrama). Vows made in the presence of the sacred fire (Sanskrit: agni) are considered unbreakable, with Agnideva held as both witnessing and blessing the couple’s union. Every phera taken holds a specific meaning. And in according to vedas [parikrama] is from origin of hindu dharma, according to vedas it is lords ritual of acceptances of soul.
Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indic religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only to the path along which this is performed. Typically, in Indic-religions the parikrama is done after completion of traditional worship (puja) and after paying homage to the deity. Parikrama must be done with dhyāna (spiritual contemplation and meditation).

Revering a cuboid stone structure in Mecca or kissing a stone encased in one of its sides – which Muslims call the Hajar-al-aswad – is idol worship, pure and simple. The Qur’an contains a stark warning for those who revere stones – a common motif across all pagan religions.

O you who heed warning: protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are angels stern and severe; they do not oppose God in what He has commanded them but do what they are commanded.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (66:6)

Coming back to the claim made by Muslims that the first house established by Prophet Abraham in Bakkah is the same site in Makkah, we have a big problem as the Qur’an makes it clear that the first house of God was established by Abraham in Bakkah. This implies, that there were other houses established after it. There is no place in the Qur’an where it says that Bakkah was the old name of the current idol center Makkah as Muslims keep on insisting.

Brother Gerrans makes an interesting observation regarding the claim of Muslims that Abraham was the one who started their Hajj practices i.e. they insinuate that Abraham led people into worshipping a stone structure. If we look at the Qur’anic narrative of Abraham it is clear that he abhorred the worship of statues and all things carved. He is the one who destroyed the idols of his own community. Does this sound like a man who would then leave his idol-worshipping community and build a stone idol in the middle of the desert to prostrate to? The Qur’an is quite clear that he setup the first house of worship at Bakkah but to attribute to him the idolatrous rituals being practiced in Makkah today is crossing the line.

(The first house set up for mankind was that at Bakka, blessed and a guidance for all mankind:

In it are clear proofs of the station of Abraham; and whoso enters it is safe. And God’s claim upon mankind is a pilgrimage to the house, for whoso is able to find a path to it; and whoso denies: God is free from need of all mankind.)

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:96-97)

While Muslims claim that this first house established by Abraham in Bakkah is the cube stone idol (the Kaaba) in Makkah, there are a number of glaring problems with this assumption. The facts on the ground are that no one – unless you are of the few elect Saudis – is allowed entry into the Kaaba. Yet, the Qur’an explicitly states that “whoso entered it was safe”(the Arabic is in the past tense).

Furthermore, the Muslims’ claim that a set of footprints which they allege belong to Abraham (the Maqam Ibrahim) are what that Qur’an means by the the station of Abraham. However, the word maqam as used in the Qur’an can only mean standing, rank or station and nowhere does the Qur’an use it to mean footprints. The presence of footprints near a sacred site is not unique to the Kaaba, Buddhist shrines feature Buddha’s footprints as a common motif. This is yet another feature that the Kaaba site shares with other pagan sites. Please read Chapter 11 of my book for a further discussion on this subject.

Perhaps un-surprisingly, the Qur’an uses the work Makkah only once in connection with the masjid-al-Haram (the Holy Mosque):

 It is He who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the hollow of Mecca, after that He made you victors over them. God sees the things you do.

They are the ones who disbelieved, and barred you from the Holy Mosque and the offering, detained so as not to reach its place of sacrifice. If it had not been for certain men believers and certain women believers whom you knew not, lest you should trample them, and there befall you guilt unwittingly on their account (that God may admit into His mercy whom He will), had they been separated clearly, then We would have chastised the unbelievers among them with a painful chastisement.

The Koran Interpreted (48:24-25)

Using this one instance of the word makkah which can also mean “destruction” and fits the context better Muslims have shoehorned their idol worshipping center into the Qur’an. My position is that whether we take Makkah to be the name of a city or translate it as “destruction”, what is happening on the ground in Makkah is pure idol worship. So as believers, would we want to go near such a place?

Finally,, what is clear from the Qur’an is that Bakkah was the first site established by Abraham for the purposes of inviting men to God. The prophets and messengers were not leading idol worshipping rituals. And wherever the final messenger of God – Muhammad – was, it is also clear that he would have never condoned or led idolatrous rituals and revered a cube stone idol in Mecca.

And We raised up in every community a messenger: “Serve God and avoid idols.” And among them was he whom God guided; and among them was he upon whom misguidance was binding. So travel in the earth and see how was the final outcome of the deniers.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (16:36)

The coming of the Messiah and God’s promise to bring the children of Israel together

In today’s video, I will be looking at two key beliefs held by the Jews. The first is that the Messiah is coming and the second that the children of Israel will be gathered together. Jews point to the creation of the Israeli state as proof that the second prophecy has been fulfilled; but the fact of the matter is that this prophecy was fulfilled long ago when the last prophet, Muhammad, came as a messenger to all of mankind.

Leaving aside the question of whether those who call themselves Jews are really the true descendants of the children of Israel, those who unjustly occupy Palestinian land claim that Israel has a right to exist because God had promised the children of Israel this land, but is that really so? What does God’s final revelation to mankind, the Qur’an, have to say about this?

The Jewish prophecy about the coming of the Messiah

In Jewish eschatology, the term came to refer to a future Jewish king from the Davidic line, who will be “anointed” with holy anointing oil, to be king of God’s kingdom, and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age. In Judaism, the Messiah is not considered to be God or a pre-existent divine Son of God. He is considered to be a great political leader that has descended from King David, hence why he is referred to as Messiah ben David, ‘Messiah, son of David’. In Judaism, the messiah is considered to be a great, charismatic leader that is well oriented with the laws that are followed in Judaism.

Though originally a fringe idea, somewhat controversially, belief in the eventual coming of a future messiah is a fundamental part of Judaism, and is one of Maimonides’ 13 Principles of Faith. Maimonides describes the identity of the Messiah in the following terms:
And if a king shall arise from among the House of David, studying Torah and occupied with commandments like his father David, according to the written and oral Torah, and he will impel all of Israel to follow it and to strengthen breaches in its observance, and will fight God’s wars, this one is to be treated as if he were the anointed one. If he succeeded and built the Holy Temple in its proper place and gathered the dispersed ones of Israel together, this is indeed the anointed one for certain, and he will mend the entire world to worship the Lord together, as it is stated: “For then I shall turn for the nations a clear tongue, so that they will all proclaim the Name of the Lord, and to worship Him with a united resolve (Zephaniah 3:9).”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah

The word Messiah as used in the Qur’an simply means “the anointed one”. In times old and new, kings were anointed with oil as part of their coronation rituals. The Messiah, or anointed one, according to the Qur’an, was none other than prophet Jesus. The same Jesus, son of Mary, whom the children of Israel denied and persecuted. I am here not talking about the false claim by the Christians that Jesus, a son of God, was the Messiah. I am saying that the Qur’an makes it explicitly clear the Jesus, a man and a prophet, who was born of a virgin birth was the Messiah. And he was sent to the children of Israel as a messenger. His miraculous birth and his performance of subsequent miracles were a sign to the the children of Israel. However, like most messengers sent to a people, he was rejected, mocked and persecuted.

When the angels said: “O Mary: God gives thee glad tidings of a word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; esteemed in the World and the Hereafter, and among those brought near.

“He will speak to men in the cradle, and in maturity, and is among the righteous.”

She said: “My Lord: how will I have a son when no mortal has touched me?” He said: “Thus is God; he creates what He wills; when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: ‘Be thou,’ and it is.

“And He will teach him the Writ and wisdom, and the Torah, and the Gospel.”

“And confirming what is before me of the Torah, and making lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. I have come to you with a proof from your Lord, so be in prudent fear of God, and obey me.

“God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is a straight path.”

But when Jesus perceived their denial, he said: “Who are my helpers for God?” The disciples said: “We are the helpers of God; we believe in God; and bear thou witness that we are submitting.”

“Our Lord: we believe in what Thou hast sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write Thou us down with the witnesses.”

And they schemed, and God schemed; and God is the best of schemers.

When God said: “O Jesus: I will take thee and raise thee to Me, and purify thee of those who ignore warning, and place those who follow thee above those who ignore warning until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that wherein you differed.

(The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation 3:45-55)

So, as far as the Qur’an is concerned, the Messiah of the children of Israel has already come and gone and that is the end of the matter.

The children of Israel will be gathered together

Now, we look at another other interesting claim made by the Jews that the establishment of the state of Israel is a fulfillment of God’s promise to the children of Israel that He will bring them all together. First a little backstory; the Qur’an tells us that God had decreed that the children of Israel would rise in prominence in two times and fall two times. Setting sketchy history aside, it is alluded in the Qur’an that after the fulfillment of God’s second promise, the temple would be completed destroyed – eradicated. This implies that after this moment, the children of Israel would cease to a united people. Thus after the second destruction of the temple, the twelves tribes of the children of Israel were no more. However, God left the option open for His Mercy: “…It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you;” (17:8) We shall now look at the relevant passage in the Qur’an carefully and stop off and make observations as we go.

And We gave Moses the Writ, and made it a guide for the children of Israel: “Take not instead of Me as disposer of affairs

“Progeny of those We bore with Noah; he was a grateful servant.”

And We decreed for the children of Israel in the Writ: “You will work corruption in the land twice, and wax high to a great height.”

Then when the promise came of the first of the two, We raised up against you servants of Ours of severe might who conducted a search within the homes; and it was a promise fulfilled.

Then We returned to you a turn over them, and supplied you with wealth and sons, and made you greater in influence.

If you do good, you do good to your souls; and if you do evil, it is to them. Then when the promise of the latter came[…], that they should disgrace your faces, and enter the place of worship as they entered it the first time, and destroy all that they overcame with destruction.

It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you; but if you return, We will return; and We have made Gehenna a prison-bed for the false claimers of guidance.

(The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation 17:2-17:8)

It is clear that during the fulfillment of God’s second promise, the place of worship of the children of Israel (their temple) Arabic: masjid was desecrated (as was done the first time) but was also completely destroyed. Thus, at this point a unified people ceased to exist. However, God remained open to granting them mercy which as we shall see was the point of the latter promise that was made to the children of Israel: that even though they will no longer be a unified tribal people, they will be brought together after having intermixed and intermarried with other peoples. i.e the believers among them will come together as a homogeneous group as part of the residual Mercy of God in His second promise to them. We read in the latter part of chapter 17.

And We gave Moses nine clear proofs, so ask thou the children of Israel. When he came to them, and Pharaoh said to him: “I consider thee, O Moses, one taken by sorcery,”

He said: “Thou hast known that there sends these down only the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth as a means of insight; and I consider thee, O Pharaoh, destroyed.”

And he wished to turn them out of the land; and We drowned him and those with him all together.

And We said, after him, to the children of Israel: “Dwell in the land; and when there comes the promise of the Hereafter (or latter), We will bring you in a mixed multitude.”

And with the truth have We sent it down, and with the truth has it come down — and We sent thee only as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner —

And as a recitation We divided, that thou recite it to men in stages; and We have sent it down as a successive revelation.

Say thou: “Believe in it, or believe not”; those given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, they fall on their faces in submission,

And they say: “Glory be to our Lord! The promise of our Lord is fulfilled!”

And they fall on their faces weeping; and it increases them in humility.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (17:101-109)

s we have already seen, the the second promise of God made to the children of Israel (their rise and fall a second time) was fulfilled but God had allowed a provision for His mercy. This mercy of God, was that He sent down the prophet Muhammad, and through him the lost tribes of the children of Israel – who had now intermixed and intermarried with the people around them – came back together under the leadership of Muhammad to reclaim their land.

And We said, after him, to the children of Israel: “Dwell in the land; and when there comes the promise of the Hereafter, We will bring you in a mixed multitude.”

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (17:104)

The word lafifan which Brother Gerrans here translates as “mixed multitude” means wrapped up; mixed crowd (Steingass) or rabble (Hava). The underlying sense in this context is that the believers among the children of Israel would be brought together as different races. To repeat: the children of Israel ceased to exist as a separate people after the destruction of their temple. However, they were given a chance to come back into the fold of God’s mercy by accepting prophet Muhammad as God’s final messenger and believing in the final scripture (the Qur’an) of God.

Conclusion

In summary, it is clear from the Qur’an that both of the prophecies (which the occupiers of Palestine use to justify their continued tyrannical occupation of the land of the native peoples): the coming of the Messiah and the bringing together of the descendants of the children of Israel have been fulfilled as per God’s final revelation to mankind. It would be prudent for the Jews living today who falsely believe that they are the chosen people and that the Messiah is coming take heed at what the Qur’an says instead of believing their misguided and foolish rabbis. The way to God’s mercy is still open to them, as it was open to their forbears, but all hope is lost when the Day of Judgment arrives.

A lesson for the Elites: The OceanGate Titan submarine disaster

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past month, you might have heard of the disaster that befell the Titan submarine which was taking a bunch of elites to see the Titanic wreckage. But perhaps you may have not heard of an even greater disaster which happened 4 days before this submarine disaster in which close to 600 refugees drowned when their overcrowded fishing boat capsized near Greece’s coast. So the question is that why did the drowning of these refugees get so little media coverage whereas the Titan sub disaster is still in the news? It is because the friends of the occupants of the sub own the media and they want to make sure every one on Earth remembers and feels sorry for their friends. Yet, as we shall see this disaster is a lesson for unbelieving elites that they may take heed: that like their drowned pals they too have no place of refuge from God.

But before we continue, I wanted to take a look at the profile of the occupants of the sub to show you that these men were truly of the elites. It is not within a common man’s means to pay a $250,000 ticket to go explore the Titanic wreckage 12,500 feet underwater.

We first start with Shahzada Dawood – my fellow country man – who was the vice-chairman of the Engro Corporation – a conglomerate headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. From his Wikipedia page it seems he had fingers in a lot of pies through his philanthropic endeavors:

From 1996 to 2023, Dawood had been a trustee of the family-foundation, The Dawood Foundation (TDF), which focused on education. TDF had been coordinating the Hussain Dawood Pledge, a private donation to fight COVID-19 in Pakistan. He had been focused in efforts to provide mental health support to people hit by COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Dawood was also a trustee of The Engro Foundation, a member of the Global Advisory Board for Prince’s Trust International, a charity founded by Charles III, and a board member of the SETI Institute.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahzada_Dawood

His son aged 19 was also on-board. Moving on to the next occupant of the sub: Hamish Harding. This explorer seemed to have an insatiable appetite for thrill-seeking and apparently a lot of money to burn.

In the 1990s, Harding worked in the information technology industry. He served as the managing director of Logica India until he founded the private investment company Action Group in 1999. In 2002, he founded Action Aviation.

Harding worked with an Antarctic VIP tourism company, White Desert, using a Gulfstream G550 to introduce the first regular business jet service to the Antarctic. Harding also visited the South Pole several times; he accompanied Buzz Aldrin in 2016 when he became the oldest person to reach the South Pole (age 86) and his son when he became the youngest (12).

Between 9 and 11 July 2019, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Harding, along with Terry Virts, led a team of aviators that took the Guinness World Record for a circumnavigation of the Earth via the North and South Poles in a Gulfstream G650ER in 46 hours and 40 minutes. The One More Orbit mission launched and landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility (Space Florida) at NASA Kennedy Space Center in the United States.

On 5 March 2021, Harding and Victor Vescovo dived to the deepest point of the Mariana Trench, the Challenger Deep, at a depth of approximately 11,000 m (36,000 feet), in a two-person submarine, setting the Guinness World Records for greatest distance covered at full ocean depth and greatest time spent at full ocean depth. His 13-year-old son accompanied the mission on the surface support ship DSSV Pressure Drop.

Harding flew to space as part of the suborbital Blue Origin NS-21 mission, on 4 June 2022, on the fifth manned spaceflight of the New Shepard rocket. After travelling to space, he advocated for space tourists (paid recreational spaceflight passengers) to be called astronauts. He also advocated for the United Arab Emirates to expand its space program.

In September 2022, Harding’s aviation company Action Aviation supplied a customised Boeing 747-400 aircraft to transport eight wild cheetahs from Namibia to India to launch the reintroduction of the cheetah to India project of the Indian Government and the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia (CCF). Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952. This conservation project was designated a “flagged expedition” by the Explorers Club with club members Harding and Laurie Marker, founder of the CCF, carrying the flag on the flight to India.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamish_Harding

Finally, we have Paul-Henri Nargeolet (aged 77 years) who seems to have been the poorest of the lot spending most of his life in service to the French Navy and retiring at the rank of frigate captain. Nevertheless, he did have enough money to fork over a quarter million dollars to pay for a seat on the OceanGate Titan sub.

If this still does not convince you that these men were the elites then consider the fact that the search-and-rescue operation for this sub has already cost the American tax-payer $1.2 million. The elites have no problem spending the peasants’ money to help their own kind but when it comes to the us common folks, apparently, they have no money left. Case in point: there are no cost estimates of a search-and-rescue operation of the Greek refugee boat disaster. The only ship to help was a private vessel: Alberto Baillères superyatch “The Mayan Queen” which rescued all of the 100 or so survivors. The Greek coast guard only activated a search and rescue operation when the boat was already sinking despite keeping the fishing boat under surveillance for more than 24 hours before it capsized. Read the article here. The question of what caused the boat to capsize also remains unanswered. Interviews of the survivors states that it was the Greek coast guard that capsized the boat by attaching a tow-line to it and pulling too aggressively. You can read the article on CNN here.

Now, that we have established that the occupants of the doomed submersible were truly the elites, let’s look at the Qur’an and see why this disaster should serve as a lesson for their friends on dry land.

And you cannot escape in the earth; and you have, besides God, neither ally nor helper.

And among His proofs are the ships in the sea like banners;

If He wills, He calms the wind, and they remain motionless on its back — in that are proofs for everyone patient and grateful —

Or He wrecks them for what they have earned — but He pardons much —

And that those who dispute concerning Our proofs might know they have no place of refuge.

The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (42:31-35)

Whether we be on land or sea, we are continuously at the mercy of God and besides Him there is no ally or helper. It is by God’s grace that ships and submarines travel in the sea and if He wills He can still them. And if He wills, He can destroy them for what they have earned. The occupants of the submarine found out the hard way that they had no protection from God. It remains to be seen whether their friends on dry land take heed and also realize – before it is too late – that they too have no place of refuge from God, the One, the Omnipotent.