KNOWING ALLAH MU’MIN (THE BELIEVER)

KNOWING ALLAH

Islam means complete submission or surrender to the will of Allah. Islam also means:

q Peace

q The way to achieve peace

q Submission or surrender

Submitting to God’s will does not mean that a person need no longer think, or that he must give up his free will to choose; rather, like a law-abiding citizen, a person who observes God’s commands benefits himself and others by respecting Divine laws and using his freedom wisely.

Islam is based on faith in Higher Power, the Gracious Lord, and Creator of the Universe, without family or partners, called “Allah”. Muslims prefer to use the Arabic word Allah for God, because it has no plural, feminine or diminutive from that could be associated with idolatry (ie. Gods, goddesses or demi-gods). He has created all and is above all things in the universe, and there is no one and nothing, which like Him or can be compared to Him. Although Allah is referred to as ‘He’, it is understood that God is Self-Sufficient, and transcends both duality and gender; the 99 Names of Allah mentioned in the Qur’an contain various attributes such as the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Protector, Allah is Merciful and Just, All-Knowing and All-Seeing, Friend and Guide, and the only one worthy of our worship and devotion.

Beliefe in Allah is the very basis of the ad-din (religion) of Islam. A Muslim must believe in one God (Allah) and submitting to His will. Muslims should strives to submit whole-heartedly to God, thereby achieving peace in this life and the next.



God is one

No human language is good enough to describe God, for there is nothing else like Him. God’s nature is far beyond our limited conception. Nevertheless, we do know that He is one. Allah, the one true God, is not far from us, for He is with us always. The Qur’an says:

“We (God) are nearer to him (man) than his jugular vein” (al-Qur’an, 50:16).

Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion. The key Surah (Chapter) in the Qur’an testifies to Islam’s monotheism.

“Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him”

(al-Qur’an, 112:1-4)

Allah is one and only He is God. He is the only one worthy of worship. Allah said:

“Choose not two gods. There is only one God. So of Me, Me only, be in awe” (al-Qur’an, 16:51)

Islam makes it clear that God has no son, no father, no brother, no wife, no sister and no daughters. In His unity, God is not like any other person or thing that can come to anyone’s mind. His qualities and nature are conspicuously unique. He has no associates.



God the Creator

A Muslim must believe that Allah is the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. The Qur’an says:

“He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in truth”

(al-Qur’an, 6:73)

everything including the earth we live on and the heavens we see above, was created by the Almighty God. God does not merely create and abandon His creatures. Goa is active as the Creator, the Life Giver and Life Remover, the Sustainer and the sole Controller of all His creation.


The names of God

God is the Supreme Reality. He has revealed to mankind ninety-nine beautiful names (al-asma al Husna) which indicate His transcendent majesty and unity. The Qur’an says:

“Allah’s are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names. They will be required for what they do” (al-Qur’an, 7:180).

These names are not used to divide Allah, for Allah cannot be more than one, but rather to express some of His attributes. Muslims use these names in reverence for God, and as part of praise and prayer. God may always be invoked by a name relevant to the need of His beseecher. We shall be describing some of these names, such as raHman (most Gracious), raHim (most Merciful), or al-Jalil (Majestic).


God is merciful

Man enjoys the mercy of God Who is kind and good. God’s mercy is to anyone, believer or unbeliever, obedient or disobedient, Muslim or non-Muslim, black or white.

God’s mercy for His creation is immeasurable. We cannot imagine or count His favours to mankind. He gives man food, drink, and the means of movement, and all the necessities of life. He provides for him irrespective of his behaviour. God has created man in the best form of creation and has given him everything he needs for his spiritual and physical growth. He has given all this to man because of His mercy. God is the all-Merciful, and through His mercy, man attains peace, tranquility, hope, and confidence. The mercy of God is real and active; it pervades all the dimension of the human experience.


God is loving

God has promised to extend His love those who obey His will. His mercy is extended to all mankind; His love is extended to those who submit to His will. The Qur’an says:

“Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful” (al-Qur’an, 3:31).


God is all-powerful

Having seen that God is Compassionate and Merciful, we must also note that it is only God Who is the possessor of all power. There is none besides Allah Who can benefit or harm a person. Only God can provide for man’s needs or give and take away life. The Holy Qur’an proclaims:

“Knowest thou not that is Allah unto Whom belonged the sovereignty of the heavens and earth; and ye have not beside Allah any friend or helper ” (al-Qur’an, 2:107)



God is eternal

As Muslims we are strongly commanded to believe and know that God is eternal. By this we acknowledge that God has no beginning and no end, that He has been there and will be there always.

The Qur’an states:

“He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward; and He is Knower of all things” (Qur’an, 57:3)

The eternal God is not limited by time, space, place, or circumstance. As He exists beyond time, He cannot go into senility. God is pre-existent and eternal, yet other forms of existence will come to an end. Everything that exists will perish except God Who will endure forever. The Qur’an teaches:

“Everyone that is thereon will pass away; There remaineth but the countenance of thy Lord of Might and Glory” (Qur’an, 55:26-27)

This teaching is important because it reminds the believers that as human beings we are nothing but visitors on this world that God alone is eternally living and present, and all else is transient.

MU’MIN (THE BELIEVER)

The way to prosper and achieve the aim is to strengthen the belief in Allah S.W.T. and hereafter life (akhirat). The preparation for the Day of Judgement is the greatest hope of a believer; he has to stand in front of the Almighty Allah SWT to show all of his good and bad deeds. The very tiny like small and big deed will be shown and given to his hands as a recorded book in the day of judgement. In chapter Zalzala, Allah SWT says, “On that day will men proceed in companies sorted out to be shown the deeds that they (have done). Then shall anyone, who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it!! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it”. (Zalzala; 6-8). The time in which nobody to look after and protect him except his own recorded righteous deeds while on the earth, everyone has to be accept responsibility. Allah SWT says “Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy, they will attain salvation” (Al-Mu’minun – 102). In the day of Judgement the good and evil deeds will be weighed against each other. Allah says “ But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls. In hell will they abide”. (Al-Mu’minun: 103). If the good deeds prevail, the soul will attain success and prosperity, if the contrary there will be misery and anguish of hell.

The success in hereafter life and its wisdom completely depends on the world life (life before death). Allah the most Merciful has sent to the mankind more than 124 thousand guides (The Messenger of Allah) to guide them; and the human beings has been ordered to follow and obey their teachings to get the ultimate wisdom. But history reveals the truth that many societies rejected the messengers of Allah, and even destroyed them and their original teachings. This Messenger of Allah had to face unimaginable cruel treatments and disturbances physically, emotionally and spiritually from their people (non-believers). Allah SWT says, “And slaying His Messenger without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing”. (Al-Baqara: 61). These Prophets suffered for their society and for their prosperity in the Day of Judgement. But these people transgressed and forgot the true meaning of life and the out coming of their goal less and self decided way of life. If they are really aware about the meaning of life, death, and hereafter life, they will be the best (human) believer of the ‘truth’ whom the world ever seen. It is an ultimate truth that everyone who born have to face an end (death) and this end is the starting point of the hereafter life.

The death stops all the dictatorial life of the person, Allah SWT says, “Then guard yourselves against a Day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from her nor shall intercession profit her nor shall any one be helped (from outside). (Al-Baqara: 123). But who doesn’t belief in Allah SWT and hereafter life, always ignore the messages of Allah SWT and leads a life with his own taste and desire. Thus the world life become an important and very much sticked in it, and accepted it as an eternal goal of his life, these people have to face the greatest lost in both worlds. Allah SWT says, 0“Every soul shall have a taste death; and only on the day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attain the object (of life). For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception. “Ali-Imran – 185).

The believer is preparing for his great success and happy to see his Creator who gave him this life and the energy to enjoy the life and its enjoyments. The believer always spent his time with full of psychological happiness, he knew the good and the bad in the life is a test from his Creator and in each happening, there is a HIKMAH (Secrecy) behind. His belief in Allah strengthens him and he is very happy for all time as Allah SWT says,” And those who believe in Allah and His apostles. They are the sincere (Lover of Truth), and the witnesses (who testify), in the eyes of their Lord, They shall have their reward and their light but those who reject God and deny our signs, they are the companions of Hell-Fire (Chapter Al-Hadid – 19). The pious man sees his life with full of meaning and is aware about his obligations of his faith, he will never loose the wisdom of the truth Allah SWT says; “Know ye (all), That the life of this world is but play and amusement, Pomp and mutual boasting and multi playing, (in rivalry) Among yourselves, riches And children…(Chapter Al-Hadid – 20). The Mu’min’s life is arranged in order to his hope and expectations of his desttination. As a result he enjoys the life in both world. The very obvious signs of the mu’min is stated in the Holy verses. “the believers must (eventually) win through; Those who humble themselves I their prayers, who avoid vain talk, who are active in deeds of charity; who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond (Mu’minun : 1-6) and again Allah swt shows the good believer’s character. “Those who faithfully observe their trust and their covenants. And who (strictly) guard their prayers (mu’minu : 8-9). These blessed people are promised the ultimate victor in hereafter life. Allah SWT says, “These will be the heirs who will inherit Paradise, they will dwell there in (for ever)(Mu’minun; 10-11).

The above verses clearly states the following signs of a believer:

1) He believes strongly the existence of his Creator in his all movements.

2) He remembers his Creator 5 times a day by performing the “Solat” according to the wish of his Creator.

3) He avoids vain talk and abstains from all unwanted meaningless playing and enjoyments.

4) He is not selfish, he loves everybody as he loves himself by doing charity works.

5) He abstains from all types of illegal sex (Zina) and thus he leads a decent family life.

6) He puts the society under the one father and mother.

7) He faithfully observes the trust and his covenants thus he is a man of honor and word.

8) He never neglect the responsibility to his Creator by performing the 5 times prayers and thus he is a man of responsibility to Allah and to the people.

9) He is preparing this life in order to enter the paradise, and he is a man of Goal.

10) He has been promised the Paradise

The Mu’min’s life is wonderful, he is committed and is ready to sacrifice for the cause of Allah S.W.T; Allah S.W.T says in the Chapter al-An’am: “Say: Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah S.W.T the Cherish of the world (An’am: 62). This verse is recited by Mu’mi every day as he reads the “Doa Iftitah” (The Opening Doa) in his 5 times solat. And all the signs of God will reward the believer’s thoughts upwards to Him. As an example Allah S.W.T. says “Only those believe in our signs, who, when they are recited to them, fall down in adoration, and celebrate the praises of their Lord, nor are they (Ever) puffed up the pride” (As-Sajadah: 15).

The character of a believer must be the Quranic teachings and he always to sticked to it, and the Holy Quran also benefits the pious people only. Allah S.W.T. says “This is the book in it is guidance sure with out doubt, to Those who fear Allah S.W.T. (Al-Baqarah: 2) and he is a symbol of the character of prophets, ad the best symbol is prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) as his character is Al-Quran. The beauty of the Mu’min’s life style and behavior is mentioned in the Holy Quran “O’ Ye who believe! Fear God, and (always) say A Word directed to the Right: That He may make your Conduct Whole and Sound and forgive you your Sins, He that obeys God and His Apostle; has already attained the highest ‘Achievement’. (Al-Ahzab: 70-71).

The life of a believer is unfailingly positive, and is perfect in mind and thought. The hope in Allah S.W.T. makes him comfortable, he humbly prays to his Creator “And they Say We hear, and we obey (we seek) thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to thee is the end of all journeys, on no soul doth God place burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns. And it suffers every ill that earns. (Pray)” Our Lord! Condemn us no if we forget or fall in to error; Our Lord! Lay no on us burden like that which Thou Didst lay on those before us “ Our Lord! Lay not on us. A burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness, have mercy on us, thou art our protector; Help us against those who stand against faith. (Al-Baqara: 285-286).

The believer, when he fids that he has fallen into sin or error, does not despair, but hopes in his Creator, and asks for Allah S.W.T’s forgiveness. This creates in him hope, this hope make him sincere slave of Allah, and he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amend Allah S.W.T. says “And those who having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring God to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, and who can forgive sins except Allah S.W.T? and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done”. (Al-Imran: 135)

Allah S.W.T. has promised the believer for his piousness and steadfastness in his faith and obedient life in this world, “For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens with rivers flowing underneath an eternal dwelling How excellent a recompense, for those who work (and strive)” (Al-imran: 136). Again Allah S.W.T. the Almighty praises, those are good believers, they are the masters of the world “So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith”. (Al-Imran: 139).

The believer is very much aware about his life in both worlds. He doesn’t destroy the eternal life (hereafter) for this momentary life, his faith protects him from the greatest loss of hereafter and its enjoyments, while the non-believer loss both two worlds. Even the momentary Duniya life is on enjoyment for them but with full of tension and anxiety it is not a “perfect enjoyment”. I the case of a believer in Allah S.W.T and hereafter life he spends the time perfectly and cheerfully, the hope in the success of hereafter life make him a man of steadfastness, and he will never be cheated by anything, as what happens in the life of a non-believer. He forgets the destination and worships the “enjoyment” of this world. Allah says, “Such as took their religion to be mere deceived by the life of the world” That day shall we forget them, as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they were wont to reject our signs. (Al-A’raf: 51). The only shelter for the human being is to go back to their values and obey to the creator ad hold a strong faith in Him, as the Holy Quran teach us in the chapter of Al-Asar: 1-3.

By (The Token of) time (through the ages) verify and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and constancy.