Those who are weak of faith are easily deceived by Satan's ruses. Though, in the verse we are told, "... Satan's scheming is always feeble." (Surat an-Nisa': 76), those who fail to believe as they should think that Satan's deceptions are true.
People who are entirely heedless of the existence of Allah, and of the morality set forth in the Qur'an, act in their lives instead under the guidance of Satan. They think, behave and speak the way Satan desires them to. Satan's crooked logic rules every decision they take and every word they utter. Satan's purpose is, by exploiting those who follow him, to drive others into general moral degradation, and set his own perverse morality in their hearts. By making use of their mouths as if they were his own, he aims to have his inspiration reach other people.
The speech of those who are heedless of Allah possesses a particular Satanic aspect. As if they were Satan's spokespersons, some people employ a manner of speaking that is deceptive, leading others astray from Allah and the morality of the Qur'an, and instead living according to the morality that destines one for Hell. While this manner may be deceptively attractive at times, its aim is to present something satanic and evil as reasonable and logical. In such cases, these people invariably rely on words founded on errant logic. Through their words they aim to make those around them forget the truth of fate, the afterlife, the Day of Judgment and Allah's promised punishment. They use a furtive manner of speaking to deceive others about the life of the world. They advance false and deceptive claims to dull the listener's conscience into submission. In the matter of faith in Allah, and living according to the morality spelled out in the Qur'an, they secretly endeavor to stealthily induce doubt and misgivings in people's hearts. The methods they use are often very cunning; most often, they try to implant thoughts of wrongdoing into people's subconsciouses, and influence them to the point that they become habituated to such ideas. For this reason, those who act as Satan's spokespersons, or those speaking under his influence, do not usually defend Satanic behavior openly. Instead, they try to deceive others without them recognizing it. They approach indirectly through devious approaches; by the most secretive means, they try to plant doubt in the other. The Qur'an tells us of these various methods and tactics used by Satan:
As is stated in these verses, Satan's basic aim is to divert people from the way of Allah. Those who adhere to Satan, and act on his behalf, employ the same tactics as he. They aim to prevent others from interpreting the events according to the guidance of the Qur'an. By emphasizing the negative instead of the positive, they try to make people forget to see that there is good in that which is fated, as in all things. They strive to provoke people into pessimism, hopelessness and dismay. For instance, when news arrives of a sudden accident or death, they will immediately try to impart in the other person a manner of speech which is an affront to our Lord.
When faced with such news, those who know that both life and death are subject to Allah speak in a manner that shows submission, and a heartfelt devotion to Allah; they say, "Allah's decision is always for the best."
Similarly, once those who are distant from faith learn that they have been seized by a deadly illness, they may, under Satan's influence, refer to their hopelessness and discontent. By manipulating those under his influence, Satan aims stealthily to plant in people's minds the idea that sorrow and a lack of trust in Allah are reasonable, while those who speak in aMuslim way are ever optimistic and respectful of Allah, even at the most trying times. No matter how serious the disease they may have contracted, they speak with the trust and submission brought about by the knowledge that Allah's might is without bounds. The faithfuls' speaking with such hopefulness invites those around them to behave with similar trust in Allah, as well as to speak with the same hopefulness.
Those who have faith in Allah recognize when a statement is made under Satan's influence, and, whatever the situation, they point to it without fear of reprisal, never consenting to it. They know that the punishment in the afterlife for those who act as Satan's spokespersons will be similar to that slated for Satan himself. Because of this, they do not fall into Satan's trap; they immediately take refuge in Allah, and by speaking in conformity with the Qur'an, they ultimately render Satan's efforts ineffective.
AL- BASIT
The Expander
Is there anyone who will make Allah a generous loan so that He can multiply it for him many times over? Allah both restricts and expands. And you will be returned to Him. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:245)
Allah grants spiritual and material abundance to those who believe in Him and who obey Him wholeheartedly. He removes the difficulties they face. Upon encountering any hardship, trouble, or sickness, believers take refuge only in Allah. As a reward for this, Allah eases their tasks while making things difficult for unbelievers.
The Qur’an provides many examples about this issue. For instance, Prophet Musa (as) and the Children of Israel were forced to leave Egypt due to Pharaoh’s violence. However, Pharaoh followed them. During this flight, the Children of Israel, who were caught between Pharaoh’s army and the sea, thought that they were finished. Yet, Allah answered Prophet Musa’s (as) call, divided the waters, and made a dry path so they could escape. Allah also destroyed Pharaoh and his army, and made the Children of Israel their inheritors.
This was also a manifestation of the following situation: “Those who make pilgrimage in the Way of Allah will find many places of refuge on Earth and ample sustenance. If anyone leaves his home, making pilgrimage to Allah and His Messenger, and death catches up with him, Allah will reward him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surat an-Nisa’, 4:100) No doubt, Allah’s promise has always been true—and will remain so—for His faithful servants. One verse reads:
Your Lord expands the provision of anyone He wills and restricts it. He is aware of and sees His servants. (Surat al-Isra’, 17:30)
IS IT APPROPRIATE TO BELIEVE IN SUPERSTITIONS?
Superstitions are irrational and mistaken beliefs that spread among the people. Some people may become nervous due to their unfounded beliefs, such as believing that some beings bring bad luck. However, no one or thing can bring good or bad luck, for nothing in the universe comes into being by mere chance. Every person, plant, animal, or object has its own destiny. How long they will live, how their life will be, what they will look like, and everything else is already known in Allah’ s sight, for not a leaf falls without Him knowing it.
Every event that has taken place since the creation of the universe, and that will take place in the future, occurs according to Allah’s will. No person, animal, or object has the strength to change this destiny. If a person meets with an unexpected accident, this is due to his or her destiny, which was predetermined even before he or she was created. Achieving success, regaining one’s health, or coming across something good is not due to good luck, but to Allah’s favor:
The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it. There is no seed in the darkness of the earth, and nothing moist or dry, which is not in a Clear Book. (Surat al-An`am, 59)
HAS THE QUR'AN BEEN SENT TO ALL NATIONS,
REGARDLESS OF TIME AND LOCATION?
Yes, for the Qur’an’s commands are for every person who lives until the Day of Resurrection. Those who lived 1,000 years ago and those who will live from now on will all be judged by the same book and the same commands. Entering a new century or changing technology or cities do not change humanity’s responsibilities to Allah. Whether a person lives in the midst of a great desert or in an apartment in a skyscraper, he or she must pray and adhere to the Qur’an’s values. Allah reveals that the Qur’an is sent to all beings and that all people will be judged from this book:
It [the Qur’an] is certainly a reminder to you and to your people, and you will be questioned. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 44)
Blessed be He Who has sent down the Criterion (Furqan) to His servant, so that he can be a warner to all beings. (Surat al-Furqan, 1)
(For further reference, please see, Quick Grasp of Faith
1,
2,
3 by Harun Yahya)
PALESTINE
By Harun Yahya
Over the course of nearly a century, thousands of innocent people have been killed by Israeli terror, massacres, and torture. Millions of innocent Palestinians have been forced from their homes and their homeland and sentenced to live in poverty, at the brink of starvation, in refugee camps. All efforts to solve this oppression and cruelty, played out before the world's eyes, and to build a sustainable regional peace have failed. The phony peace initiatives carried out under the auspices of Western governments have proven to be of no use, other than to buy time for Israel to carry out new tactics for depopulating the territories it occupied.
Palestine is sacred not only to Jews and Muslims, but to Christians as well. For these reasons, it is folly to try and keep Palestinian lands, Jerusalem in particular, under the authority of an exclusively nationalist political entity or to recognize the rights of only one religious or national group. Palestine must be a land where Jews, Christians, and Muslims can live together in peace and fulfill their religious duties as they wish.
A merciless struggle continues today between the two peoples living in the land of Palestine. On the one hand, the well-equipped Israeli army is carrying out a policy of all-out destruction; on the other, radical Palestinian groups are carrying out suicide bombings against helpless Israeli citizens. This book will discuss the grave error of trying to solve existing problems through violence, and how a real solution might be devised.
As you read these lines, know that the struggle of thousands of beleaguered Palestinians to remain on their lands continues in all of its violence. The occupying Israeli forces may be bombing Palestinian cities or refugee camps. Possibly, children will be going to school under helicopter fire, and families who were forced to flee over 50 years ago will still be trying to scratch out an existence in the refugee camps.
For these reasons, every person of conscience must reflect upon this situation. The responsibility of following media stories about this cruelty and barbarism, and then continuing to live as if nothing has happened, no doubt will be a heavy burden to bear. In fact, the Qur'an tells us that each person who has faith and who adheres to his or her conscience is responsible to struggle on behalf of those who have been oppressed:
What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of God – for those men, women, and children who are oppressed and say: "Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!" (Qur'an, 4:75)
The responsibility borne by those who hear this command and wish to rush to the aid of those experiencing cruelty is that explained by: "Let there be a community among you who call to the good, enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success" (Qur'an, 3:104). This responsibility is to invite all people to believe in God and experience the beauty of religious morality, and to wage an intellectual struggle against all ideologies that are hostile to God's religion and the Qur'an's ethics.
| ISLAM DENOUNCES ANTISEMITISM Antisemitism is a fanatical hatred felt for the Jewish people. This racist ideology has caused millions of innocent Jews to be killed, persecuted, exiled and threatened over the centuries. Islam aims to bring justice to the world. Just as it denounces all kinds of racism, so it denounces antisemitism. Muslims criticize Zionism, but defend the right of Jews to live in peace and security. This site is launched to reveal that there is no place for antisemitism and any other racist ideology in Islam. All true Muslims denounce these ideologies and defend the rights of the Jews against antisemitism. |