Yesterday I spent hours sifting through boxes of old papers I accumulated throughout college and graduate studies. I ran across this folder from a 2001 World Religions Weekend and I recalled sitting in church years ago listening to Christian missionaries speak about the unloving, remote god of Muslims. This Cults & Religions document makes two particularly startling claims about Islam: 1) God is a severe judge (though sometimes merciful) and is not depicted as loving. 2) Gods mercy... is arbitrary and uncertain. Here I sit on Ramadan Eve, on the brink of fasting Ramadan for the fourth year running, my third time as a Muslim. And I know some things now that I didnt know back in 2001 when I attended this World Religions Weekend: 1) Here are a few of Allahs names derived from Allahs character traits: Ar-Rahman (The Lord of Mercy); Ar-Rahim (The Giver of Mercy); Al-Ghaffar (The Ever Forgiving); Al-Ghafoor (The All Forgiving); Al-Wadood (The Loving / The Kind One); Al-Walaie (The Protecting Friend / Patron & Helper). 2) Allah says in the Quran, [Prophet], if my servants ask you about me, I am near. I respond to those who call Me, so let them respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may be guided. (2:186) and We created man -- We know what his soul whispers to him: We are closer to him than his jugular vein... (50:16). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Allah, the Exalted says, I am just as My slave expects me to be and I am with him when He remembers Me. So if he remembers Me within himself, I too remember him within Myself. If he remembers Me in a group of people then I remember him in a group that is better than them. If he comes one span nearer to Me then I go one cubit nearer to him; if he comes one cubit nearer to Me then I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking then I go to him running. It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Some prisoners were brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and there was a woman among the prisoners who was searching (for her child). When she found her child she embraced him and put him to her breast. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to us, ‘Do you think that this woman would throw her child in the fire?’ We said, ‘No, by Allah, not if she is able not to.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Allah is more merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child.’” I respect people of all religions and of no religion. But I am saddened that people actually disseminate false information about other religions. Needless to say, I am so happy to know what I know now - Islams message is quite the opposite of the assertions in the aforementioned pamphlet! During the last ten days of #Ramadan the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) used to pray اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي Allahumma innaka `Afuwwun TuHibbul `Afwa Fa`fu `Annii. O Allah, you are the Forgiver. You love to forgive, so forgive me.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 07:03:03 +0000
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