Believing in God is a matter of intellectual not a matter of religion, which can be confirmed from the answer of the simple question, “Is there any entity which controls everything?” To some people, the affirmative answer is the only one there can be, while to others’ belief, it is no more than a calculated bet. The French Philosopher Pascal concluded that belief was the wisest bet because the believer will either have bliss if he is right or oblivion if he is wrong, whereas the atheist has the less attractive alternatives of oblivion or damnation. To some people the word ‘Nature” is some kind of force responsible for shaping life, but can there be justification in saying that “Nature” is a concrete intelligent force responsible for creating as well as shaping life? Or, is ‘Nature’ merely an abstract man-made label that acts as a convenient coat-hanger to the more urgent questions in our attempt to explain the cause of things?
Then those who have affirmative answer may have the next question, “Is God the absolute God?” The absolute God means that nothing is like or akin to Him, but if we were to consider the possibility of the existence of more than one God, immediately the question will arise as to: which God came first, which God is more powerful and so on, and that would ultimately reduce these gods to being relative because comparisons will arise. If God is absolute, by definition, He must be One, which can be confirmed from the final scripture given by Him to the humanity including some of His attributes that may help us to value Him as He should be valued as the mere belief in Him is not enough to be appreciative to Him recognizing His absolute authority:
[112:1-2] Say: “He is God, the One; God, the Absolute,”
Note: God is One and Absolute.
[13:2] God is the One who raised the heavens without pillars that you can see, then He established on the Throne and committed the sun and the moon, each running for a predetermined period. He controls all matters and details the signs so that you may attain certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
[14:32] God is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and He sends down from the sky water and brought forth therewith fruits for you as provision. He has committed for you the ships so that they may sail on the sea by His command, and has committed the rivers for you to do so.
[30:40] God is the One who created you, then He provided for you, then He causes you to die, then He brings you to life. Is there any of your partners who can do any of these things? Glory be to Him, and exalted be He above what they associate.
[40:64] God is the One who made the earth habitable for you, and the sky as a structure, and He designed you and perfected you, and provided you with good provisions. Such is God your Lord. So Most Blessed is God, Lord of the universe.
Note: God is the One who is the Creator and Lord of the universe, and controls everything including life and death, and is the Most Exalted to have any partners.
[1:2-4] All praise belongs to God, Lord of the universe. The Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment.
[6:3] He is God in the heavens and the earth. He knows your secrets and your declarations, and He knows everything you earn.
[59:24] He is God; the Creator, the Initiator, the Designer. To Him belong the most beautiful names. Glorifying Him is everything in the heavens and the earth. He is the Almighty, Most Wise.
[59:23] He is the One God; there is no other god beside Him. The King, the Most Sacred, the Peace, the Most Faithful, the Supreme, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Most Dignified. Glory to be God, far above what they associate (with Him).
[59:22] He is the One God; there is no other god beside Him. Knower of all secrets and declarations.
He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Note: He is the One God, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful, the Almighty and Most Wise, the Creator and the King, the Most Sacred and the Peace, the Most Faithful and the Supreme, the Most Powerful and the Most Dignified, and Knower of secrets and declarations, Master of Judgment who is the god of our all praise and prayers.
It is also noteworthy that the Arabic word, Allah means “God” as a proper noun and the Arabic word, Elah means “god” is one of many attributes of God being the owner of all our praise and prayers, which is the core of our religion. It is also mention-worthy that the occurrence of God is 2698(19x142) and that of god is 95(19x5) while the count of important words in the Quran is a very basic proof of 19 based Quran’s built-in mathematical system unveiled in 1974.
One Religion
God has created us and He knows us better than anyone else what is good for us as well as what need to be done to improve us. Thus, He has introduced religion for humans, to help them to improve on belief, clear understanding, proper practices and leading a righteous life but the world has seen many beliefs and doctrines since the dawn of time. Some of these are of divine origin being revealed by God to His prophets and messengers through His scriptures and other forms of His messages. The ultimate goal of every divine message has always been the same is to guide the people to His path or bring them back to His path for its deviation to have them worship Him alone. Thus, His religion has always been the same but it has evolved over the period of time, and the factors that play a crucial role in the evolution are: (1) population on earth, (2) human civilization on earth as it advances according to His will, (3) His system to teach humanity in stages to make it fit to the respective guidance period and (4) the message could only be given to a particular set of people at a given time due to the prevailing conditions and lack of mass communication.
When humanity is at its height, He has revealed the final scripture through His prophet to guide all the people of the world until the end of the world confirming the previous messages as well as specifying, clarifying and updating His laws and teachings. He has also confirmed through His final scripture being Submission (Islam in Arabic) as His religion stating that the right way is now distinct from the wrong way but there is no compulsion in the religion, which is His system from the past that spread far and wide through the prophets of God and others who carried His message:
[3:19] The religion with God is Submission, and those who received the scripture did not dispute except after the knowledge came to them out of jealousy between them. And whoever rejects God’s revelations, then God is swift in reckoning.
[3:83] Do they seek other than God’s religion while whatever in the heavens and the earth have submitted to Him willingly or unwillingly? And to Him they will be returned.
[3:85] And whoever seeks other than Submission as a religion, will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be with the losers.
[42:13] He decreed for you the religion what He decreed for Noah, and what we inspired to you (Muhammad), and what we decreed for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: “You shall uphold the religion, and do not divide it.” Hard for the idolaters is that to which you call them. God chooses to Himself whomever He wills and He guides to Himself whoever turns (towards Him).
[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in the religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in God has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. God is Hearer, Omniscient.
[5:3] Forbidden upon you the dead animal, and the blood, and the meat of pig, and what was sacrificed to other than God; and that which has been strangled, and that which has been beaten to death, and that which has fallen from a height, and that which has been gored, and that which the wild animals have attacked except what has been slaughtered (before it dies), and what has been slaughtered on the alters, and that you divide by the arrows of chance – that all is abominable. Today, those who disbelieved have given up of your religion, so you are not to fear them, but you shall fear Me. Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and have given Islam as religion for you. So, whoever is forced by hunger without being willful for sin, then indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
It is His plan and mercy that when humanity is at its highest height He has unveiled the Quran’s built-in mathematical system through His messenger of covenant after 1400 years of the revelation of the final scripture to be an opportunity for the believers to strengthen their hearts removing any misconception and misinterpretation of His final scripture as well as perfecting their beliefs and practices corrupted through innovations and traditions over the period of time in between.
[3:81] And God took a covenant from the prophets: “Whatever I have given you of scripture and wisdom, then a messenger will come to you confirming what is with you. You must believe in him and must support him.” He said: “Have you agreed and accepted My covenant on that?” They said: “We have agreed.” He said: “Then you shall bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.”
[33:7] And we took from the prophets their covenant, and from you (Muhammad), and from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. And we took from them a solemn covenant.
Note1: When this prophecy has been fulfilled, many Islamic scholars accepted the miracles of the Quran but rejected the messenger either misinterpreting the verses referring to Muhammad or giving their consensus that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled or claiming that the messenger has made so many mistakes should not be qualified for God’s messenger. However, these verses are so clear that we should not have any confusion about the messenger to be Muhammad.
Note2: The messenger is a human being and to make mistakes is not unusual, even his mistakes may be a lesson for us not to focus on the messenger except the God given message to prevent us from idol worshiping. The message sent with the messenger is clearly specified that fits to the prevailing conditions we are now should be our concern that God has informed us in the Quran (7:75) keeping in mind that God reveals a new message only through His messenger (72:27). All of these can be confirmed even with our common sense if we really wish to take care of our own soul to be saved in the Hereafter disregarding what we hear and learn about our religion from around us.
[74:30] Over it is nineteen.
[74:31] And we have not made guardians of the Fire except angels, and we have not made their number except a warning for those who disbelieved, that it may ascertain those who have been given the scripture (Jews and Christians) and may increase faith of those who have believed (Muslims), and may not doubt those who have been given the scripture (Jews and Christians) and the believers (Muslims). And that may say those in their hearts there is a disease (hypocrites) and the disbelievers, “What has God meant by this allegory?” Thus, God misguides whomever He wills and He guides whomever He wills. And none knows your Lord’s soldiers except He. And it is not except a reminder (dhik’raa) for the human race.
Note: dhik’ra, a masculine noun form refers to the Quran or the scripture to be the reminder while dhik’raa, a feminine noun form refers to a particular piece of information to be the reminder for us in the Quran but here is a hint of the Quran’s built-in mathematical system, which has been unveiled in 1974 through a messenger of the covenant.
[74:32-35] Nay, (I swear) by the moon, the night as it passes and the morning as it shines. Indeed, this is undoubtedly one of the great (miracles).
Note: The Quran’s code, i.e., number 19 is a great miracle (sign), which God has confirmed by taking His oath including three elements in His oath that should not be taken lightly for the sake of truth.
[7:75] The arrogant leaders among his people said to the oppressed who believed from among them: “How do you know that Salih was sent from his Lord?” They said: “Indeed, what he has been sent with make us believers.”
Note: This information is crucial for all generations of people, if the digits of the sura # and the verse # are added, the total is 19, which may serve as a proof to accept the Quran’s built-in mathematical system and the messenger sent with this message.
[72:27] Except to whom He has chosen as a messenger; then He reveals a news from the past and the future.
One Source
[2:38] We said: “Go down from here, all of you, so when the guidance comes from Me, then whoever has followed My guidance, there is no fear for them, nor do they grieve.”
[42:17] God is the One who has sent down the scripture with the truth and the balance. And what make you know that the Hour is near.
Note: When we are sent on earth, God has promised to send us guidance, and God is the One who sends down the scripture with truth and the justice informing us that the world will come to an end.
God has sent down messages through His prophets and messengers to guide humanity reshaping His religion to make it fit to the respective community in each era. Hence, He is the Only source of all our religious rules and regulations and has sent down the final scripture to complete His message and religion, Submission for all the people of the world until a Day of the Resurrection. Everything what we need to follow and what we need to observe religious rites correctly as well as how we can do the righteous deeds has been clearly and exectly described in it. The Quran is God’s final message to humanity with built-in mathematical system with an opportunity for the believers to strengthen their hearts removing any misconception and misinterpretation of His final scripture as well as perfecting their beliefs and practices corrupted through innovations and traditions over the period of time after its revelation. He has commanded us to only believe in His revelations as all ruling belongs with Him, and He will judge us on the Day of Resurrection based on standards as set by Him. Therefore, we should not even think of any other source or laws or teachings to be part of His perfect religion to make us idol worshippers:
[6:114] “Shall I seek other than God as a judge (a source of laws), when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those to whom we gave the scripture know that it has been revealed from your Lord with truth, so do not harbor any doubt.”
[7:52] And certainly, we provided them with a scripture, we have explained it with knowledge of guidance, and mercy for a people who believe.
[12:40] “You do not worship Him except names you have given to them – you and your forefathers. God has not sent down any authority to them. All judgment belongs to God, He has commanded you to worship none except Him. That is the perfect religion, but most people do not know.
[17:9] This Quran guides to the exact straight, and gives good news to the believers who lead a righteous life, that they have deserved a great recompense.
[32:15] Those who only believe in our revelations fall prostate when they are reminded of them. They glorify their Lord with praises without being arrogant.
[39:23] God has revealed best of the hadith, a book consistent with two ways (guidance and misguidance or straight and crooked). The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (Quran), then their skins and their hearts soften up to God’s message. That is God’s guidance; He guides with it (Quran) whomever He wills, and whomever God send astray, then there is no guide for him
Conclusion
Submission is a religion to recognize God’s absolute authority, and reach an unshakable conviction that God alone possesses all power; no other entity possesses any power that is independent of Him. But it is an unfortunate fact that innovations, traditions, politics and false doctrines corrupt any religion over time one way or another. Most people are happy with following blindly the footsteps of their parents and religious leaders. They are comfortable with following the majority, and going along with the crowd gives them a sense of security. They contemplate how could millions or billions of people be wrong even they recognize that they have been taught certain things that do not make sense.
Today we live in an age of reason and not of blind faith. It is thus necessary for any intelligent person to debate all matters and not succumb to the influence of their native environment alone. One should not rely on the religious background passed on through parents or the society alone. One often hears the saying ‘this is the religion of my father and my fore-fathers, they cannot all be wrong!’ But if a Jew, a Christian, a Buddhist, a Hindu and a Muslim who can differ on basic issues all said so, each thinking that they have inherited the truth, chances are that most, if not all, of them will be wrong.
We have no choice as to which faith we were born into but we all have the free will to seek the Truth. One should adopt a faith only when one is totally convinced that it is the Truth. There are other people who follow a certain faith because they say it suits them! It is very ironic that they could adopt a faith that affects their entire life in the same way they would go shopping in a super-market! Look and see what is on display and then opt for the faith that would not place too many sacrifices on their normal way of life! However, God wants us to study the final scripture thoroughly and follow it being the only valid source of Submission as it has everything that we need to lead a righteous life (18:109, 31:27). Since He has created us with wisdom, He wants us to use it to accept the information that makes sense to us (17:36),
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (11/25/2016).