Muhammadan Reality secrets of 7th heaven

Islam teaches us that we should be friendly to all people. Islam teaches us that we should deal even with our enemies with justice and fairness. Allah says in the Qur'an in the beginning of the same Surat Al-Ma�dah: [O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealings and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety. Fear Allah, indeed Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.] (Al-Ma�dah 5 :8)

[Allah forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for your faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. For Allah loves those who are just. Allah only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for your faith, and drive you out of your homes and support others in driving you out, from turning to them for protection (or taking them as wali). Those who seek their protection they are indeed wrong- doers.] (Al-Mumtahinah 60: 8-9)

�God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just.� (Surat al-Mumtahana, 8).

�You cannot guide those you would like to but God guides those He wills. He has best knowledge of the guided.� (Holy Quran/28: 56)

No one should be forced to believe in �There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned.� (Holy Quran: 2/ 256)

�O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you.� (Holy Quran: 2, 208)

They said: "Art thou indeed Joseph?" He said, "I am Joseph, and this is my brother: Allah has indeed been gracious to us (all): behold, he that is righteous and patient,- never will Allah suffer the reward to be lost, of those who do right." (Surah Yusuf, 90) Nay, thunder repeateth His praises, and so do the angels, with awe: He flingeth the loud- voiced thunder-bolts, and therewith He striketh whomsoever He will..yet these (are the men) who (dare to) dispute about Allah, with the strength of His power (supreme)! (Surah Ar- Rad, 13) Those who join together those things which Allah hath commanded to be joined, hold their Lord in awe, and fear the terrible reckoning; (Surah Ar-Rad, 21) To the righteous (when) it is said, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "All that is good." To those who do good, there is good in this world, and the Home of the Hereafter is even better and excellent indeed is the Home of the righteous,- (Surah An-Nahl, 30)

They all revere their Lord, high above them, and they do all that they are commanded. (Surah An-Nahl, 50) Allah has said: "Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One Allah.then fear Me (and Me alone)." (Surah An-Nahl, 51) To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him is duty due always: then will ye fear other than Allah. (Surah An-Nahl, 52) For Allah is with those who restrain themselves, and those who do good. (Surah An-Nahl, 128) He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory). (Surah Al-Anbiya, 28)

In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the criterion (for judgment), and a Light and a Message for those who would do right,- (Surah Al-Anbiya, 48) Those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts, and who hold the Hour (of Judgment) in awe. (Surah Al-Anbiya, 49) O mankind! fear your Lord! for the convulsion of the Hour (of Judgment) will be a thing terrible! (Surah Al-Hajj, 1) And verily this Brotherhood of yours is a single Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore fear Me (and no other). (Surah Al-Muminun, 52) Verily those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; (Surah Al-Muminun, 57)

So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah.s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah. that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. (Surah Ar- Rum, 30) Turn ye back in repentance to Him, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah,- (Surah Ar-Rum, 31) O mankind! do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah. (Surah Luqman, 33)

Their limbs do forsake their beds of sleep, the while they call on their Lord, in Fear and Hope: and they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance which We have bestowed on them. (Surah As-Sajda, 16) There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty. It was the practice (approved) of Allah amongst those of old that have passed away. And the command of Allah is a decree determined. (Surah Al-Ahzab, 38) (It is the practice of those) who preach the Messages of Allah, and fear Him, and fear none but Allah. And enough is Allah to call (men) to account. (Surah Al-Ahzab, 39) Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burdens if one heavily laden should call another to (bear) his load. Not the least portion of it can be carried (by the other). Even though he be nearly related. Thou canst but admonish such as fear their Lord unseen and establish regular Prayer. And whoever purifies himself does so for the benefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to Allah. (Surah Fatir, 18)

O ye who believe! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you when certain men formed the design to stretch out their hands against you, but ((Allah)) held back their hands from you: so fear Allah.And on Allah let believers put (all) their trust. (Surah Al- Maida, 11) "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds. (Surah Al-Maida, 28) O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper. (Surah Al-Maida, 35)

It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light.By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah.s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah.s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price.If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers. (Surah Al-Maida, 44) O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed). (Surah Al-Maida, 57) Eat of the things which Allah hath provided for you, lawful and good; but fear Allah, in Whom ye believe.. (Surah Al-Maida, 88)

O ye who believe! Allah doth but make a trial of you in a little matter of game well within reach of your hands and your lances, that He may test who feareth him unseen: any who transgress thereafter, will have a grievous penalty. (Surah Al-Maida, 94) Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel; but forbidden is the pursuit of land-game;- as long as ye are in the sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb.And fear Allah, to Whom ye shall be gathered back. (Surah Al-Maida, 96) That is most suitable: that they may give the evidence in its true nature and shape, or else they would fear that other oaths would be taken after their oaths.But fear Allah, and listen (to His counsel): for Allah guideth not a rebellious people: (Surah Al-Maida, 108)

Give this warning to those in whose (hearts) is the fear that they will be brought (to judgment) before their Lord: except for Him they will have no protector nor intercessor: that they may guard (against evil). (Surah Al-Anam, 51) "To establish regular prayers and to fear Allah.for it is to Him that we shall be gathered together." (Surah Al-Anam, 72) O ye who believe! if ye fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded. (Surah Al-Anfal, 29) But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good: but fear Allah.for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surah Al-Anfal, 69)

Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe! (Surah At-Tawba, 13) The mosques of Allah shall be visited and maintained by such as believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity, and fear none (at all) except Allah.It is they who are expected to be on true guidance. (Surah At-Tawba, 18) But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best, for those who believe, and are constant in righteousness. (Surah Yusuf, 57)

Some redefine the fear of God for believers to �respecting� Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin�even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God�s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.

Believers are not to be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love ( Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us ( Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.

O Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your covenant with Me as I fulfil My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me. (Surah Al- Baqara, 40) And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone. (Surah Al-Baqara, 41) Thenceforth were your hearts hardened: They became like a rock and even worse in hardness.For among rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth; others there are which when split asunder send forth water; and others which sink for fear of Allah.And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do. (Surah Al- Baqara, 74)

So from whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; and wheresoever ye are, Turn your face thither: that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people, except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My favours on you, and ye May (consent to) be guided; (Surah Al-Baqara, 150) The prohibited month for the prohibited month,- and so for all things prohibited,- there is the law of equality.If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye likewise against him.But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. (Surah Al-Baqara, 194)

Avoid taunting and hurting Any good you have earned by giving in charity can be wiped away by taunting and hurting the recipient. Allah said, "O believers! Void not your charities by boasting of your favours conferred and injuring, like him who spent his wealth for showing to people and believes not in Allah and Last Day. Then the example of him is like that of a smooth rock on which is dust of earth; now a heavy rain fell upon it leaving it a bare stone. They shall have no control on anything of what they have earned and Allah guides not the infidels. "

(2: 264) Taunting is to remind a person of a favour you did to them, while hurting them is making it known to others. Some scholars say that taunting means to take advantage of a person you donated money to, and hurting them is to make them feel ashamed of their poverty.

Give of what is good Charity should be taken from the best of your wealth, and from what is dearest to you. Giving in charity is like giving to Allah Most High, and so only give Him what is good. Allah says: "O believers! Give something of your pure earnings and of what We produce from the earth for you; and intend not to give especially vile of it, whereas if you get of it, you will not accept unless you close your eyes in it. And know that Allah is free of all wants, Praiseworthy. " (Quran 2:267). If the money you donate has been acquired dishonestly, it cannot be considered a good deed.

Ongoing charity (Sadaqa Jariya) The best charity is that which continuously benefits people, such as helping to build a school, a clinic, or a water supply system, or helping a poor person start up his own business. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: �When a person dies, his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him.� [Muslim, Tirmidhi] This means that any good you do that benefits people even after you die will count for you.

The charity of the Companions The Companions were also known for their immense generosity. According to some exegetes of the Qur'an, Ali ibn Abi Talib and his wife, Fatima al-Zahra fasted for three days and each day they gave all the food they had in charity.

Allah revealed a verse of Qur'an about them " And they feed, for love of Him, the poor. The orphan and the prisoner." (Qur'an 76:8) Other Companions, like Ka'b ibn Malik and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas would have given all their wealth in charity, except that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told them to keep a portion for themselves and families [Bukhari, Muslim]

The allure of hoarding up wealth Man is attracted to wealth and is always in danger of becoming a miser. Allah says: " Adorned for men is the love of these lusts, women and children and the stored up heaps of gold and silver and branded horses and cattle and crops. This is the capital of living world; and it is Allah with Whom there is an excellent destination " (3:14). There is nothing wrong in being wealthy but it is important to avoid being greedy and miserly. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: "No doubt this wealth is sweet and green. Blessed is the wealth of a Muslim, from which he gives to the poor, the orphans, and needy travellers [Bukhari, Muslim]. He also said: "This worldly wealth is [like] green and sweet [fruit], and whoever takes it without greed, Allah will bless it for him, but whoever takes it with greed, Allah will not bless it for him, and he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied" [Bukhari, Muslim].

The Meaning of the Word "Tzedakah" "Tzedakah" is the Hebrew word for the acts that we call "charity" in English: giving aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However, the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity" suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and powerful for the benefit of the poor and needy. The word "tzedakah" is derived from the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet- Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism, giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act; it is simply an act of justice and righteousness, the performance of a duty, giving the poor their due.

The Obligation of Tzedakah Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedakah is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance of tzedakah in Jewish thought. Tzedakah is one of the three acts that gain us forgiveness from our sins. The High Holiday liturgy repeatedly states that G-d has inscribed a judgment against all who have sinned, but teshuvah (repentance), tefilah (prayer) and tzedakah can alleviate the decree. See Days of Awe.

According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This is generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes. Taxes themselves do not fulfill our obligation to give tzedakah, even though a significant portion of tax revenues in America and many other countries are used to provide for the poor and needy. Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence may give less, but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden. The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to synagogues or to educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving to both Jews and gentiles; contrary to popular belief, Jews do not just "take care of our own." Quite the contrary, a study reported in the Jewish Journal indicated that Jewish "mega-donors" (who give more than $10 million a year to charity) found that only 6% of their mega-dollars went to specifically Jewish causes.

Judaism acknowledges that many people who ask for charity have no genuine need. In fact, the Talmud suggests that this is a good thing: if all people who asked for charity were in genuine need, we would be subject to punishment (from G-d) for refusing anyone who asked. The existence of frauds diminishes our liability for failing to give to all who ask, because we have some legitimate basis for doubting the beggar's sincerity. It is permissible to investigate the legitimacy of a charity before donating to it. We have an obligation to avoid becoming in need of tzedakah. A person should take any work that is available, even if he thinks it is beneath his dignity, to avoid becoming a public charge.

However, if a person is truly in need and has no way to obtain money on his own he should not feel embarrassed to accept tzedakah. No person should feel too proud to take money from others. In fact, it is considered a transgression to refuse tzedakah. One source says that to make yourself suffer by refusing to accept tzedakah is equivalent to shedding your own blood. Levels of Tzedakah Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity, from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 1. Giving begrudgingly 2. Giving less that you should, but giving it cheerfully. 3. Giving after being asked 4. Giving before being asked 5. Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows your identity 6. Giving when you know the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know your identity 7. Giving when neither party knows the other's identity 8. Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant

Context The Rich Young Ruler �?21?And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." ?22?When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." ?23?But when he had heard these things,

Most people explain the fear of the Lord as a mere respect or reverence. While few People thought that to know what is Love Of GOD, you have to Fear GOD.

The Bible uses the word fear at least 300 times in reference to God, so we make a mistake when we downplay it. The subject becomes even more mysterious when we read something like 1 John 4:18 that says that "perfect love expels all fear." How? How can we fear God while he expels all fear? Scripture is full of examples of how fearing God is a positive rather than a negative thing. For example in Genesis 42:18, Joseph wins his brothers' trust when he declares he is a God- fearing man. It was because the midwives feared God that they obeyed him instead of the authorities by sparing the Hebrew babies ( Exodus 1:17). Pharaoh brought disaster on his nation because he did not fear God (Exodus 9:29-31). Moses chose leaders to help him on the basis that they feared God and wouldn't take bribes ( Exodus 18:21) and told the Hebrews that God met with them in a terrifying display of his power so that they wouldn't sin ( Exodus 20:20). The Mosaic Law cites fear of God as a reason to treat the disabled and elderly well ( Leviticus 19:14, 32). And lest you think this is only an Old Testament idea, note that Jesus states this stronger than anyone when he says, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell" ( Matthew 10:28). And Paul says to work toward complete holiness because we fear God ( 2 Corinthians 7:1).

So it's clear from these passages, that fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature. That's why hearing someone is God-fearing actually makes us trust that person more. If they fear God, they are more likely to keep their word and treat others with kindness. In fact, Romans 3, a classic chapter on sin, says that our chief sin is that we "have no fear of God at all" ( Romans 3:18).

Many of us presume that the world is the ultimate threat and that God's function is to offset it. How different this is from the biblical position that God is far scarier than the world �. When we assume that the world is the ultimate threat, we give it unwarranted power, for in truth, the world's threats are temporary. When we expect God to balance the stress of the world, we reduce him to the world's equal �. As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion. And, of course, the ultimate example of fear and perfect love working together is Jesus Christ. He warned us at every turn to fear God, not men�and he confirmed that in everything about his life and death. He spoke lovingly but frankly to all and didn't mince words when people needed to face their sin and repent. But he also demonstrated love beyond human understanding when he lived out his words, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends ( John 15:13)." With love like that, what is left to fear but God?

Question: "What does it mean to have the fear of God?" Answer: For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God ( Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer's fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this: �Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our �God is a consuming fire.�� This reverence and awe is exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.

Proverbs 1:7 declares, �The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.� Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, �And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.� The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.

Celebrate the praises of Allah during the Appointed Days.But if any one hastens to leave in two days, there is no blame on him, and if any one stays on, there is no blame on him, if his aim is to do right.Then fear Allah, and know that ye will surely be gathered unto Him. (Surah Al-Baqara, 203) The life of this world is alluring to those who reject faith, and they scoff at those who believe.But the righteous will be above them on the Day of Resurrection; for Allah bestows His abundance without measure on whom He will. (Surah Al-Baqara, 212) Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah.And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. (Surah Al-Baqara, 223)

When ye divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their ('Iddat), either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back to injure them, (or) to take undue advantage; if any one does that; He wrongs his own soul.Do not treat Allah.s Signs as a jest, but solemnly rehearse Allah.s favours on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Book and Wisdom, for your instruction.And fear Allah, and know that Allah is well acquainted with all things. (Surah Al-Baqara, 231) The mothers shall give such to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term.But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms.No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear.No mother shall be Treated unfairly on account of her child.Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way.If they both. decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them.If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the mother) what ye offered, on equitable terms.But fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what ye do. (Surah Al-Baqara, 233)

O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. (Surah Al-Imran, 102) It is only the Evil One that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me, if ye have Faith. (Surah Al-Imran, 175) O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah.that ye may prosper (Surah Al-Imran, 200) O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you. (Surah An-Nisa, 1)

Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared Allah.They said: "Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not Grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least! (Surah An-Nisa, 77)

O ye who believe! Violate not the sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of the animals brought for sacrifice, nor the garlands that mark out such animals, nor the people resorting to the sacred house, seeking of the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord.But when ye are clear of the sacred precincts and of pilgrim garb, ye may hunt and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part).Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah.for Allah is strict in punishment. (Surah Al-Maida, 2) O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice.Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah.For Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do. (Surah Al- Maida, 8)

Jesus and Muhammad: Fifteen major differences

Aggressive Islam is on the march. 9/11; violent protests over cartoons; many pushes to establish Islamic courts in Europe and Canada; demands to silence free speech, to criminalize criticism of the messenger of Allah; the President of Iran threatening to wipe Israel off the map, and writing a long and inviting the President of the US to accept Islam; the election of Hamas�these actions are easy to detect and decipher. Islam wants its way, and no one should resist. It is the best religion, after all.

But there is something more subtle, gradual and dangerous going on than this in-your-face aggression. In the name of peace and tolerance�which we all want�some lines are being blurred. Islam says that Jesus was a mere prophet, only a human messenger even within Islam�never mind that he lived six hundred years before Muhammad. He and Muhammad are virtually the same. Both preached peace, but called for when necessary. But in the final analysis Muhammad is the last and best prophet. He has the better revelation. If only we could see this! So goes the subtle and dangerous strategy.

However, this list of fifteen differences between Jesus and Muhammad disagrees with this insidious message. The differences between the two are profound.

It is better to be clear than confused, and the typical message of Islam washes away clarity about Christianity and whitewashes its own message. In fact, many well-meaning western scholars also muddy the waters. Some aspects and policies of the two religious leaders cannot be reconciled, and it is high time we acknowledge this. If the readers are disappointed about these irreconcilable differences, then at least they will not be confused at the end of this list.

Before we begin the list, we must answer a strategy of Muslim propagandists and missionaries. Sometimes they attempt to refute lists like this. But attempting to do this is like reviewing a long, long book only from the last chapter. The reviewer has skipped over the hard work of reading all of the chapters. In the same way, Muslim polemicists must not skip over the hard work found in the back-up articles. This list is only a summary of many articles. It comes from a lot of strenuous labor from myself and many other researchers. So Muslim missionaries must refute these articles before they earn the right to reply to a mere summary.

If the readers would like to see multiple translations of the Quran, they should click on this website.

This article uses the New International Version (NIV), but multiple translations may be read here.

The Arabic word dhanaba (verb form) come from the root dh-n-b and is defined below in this section. This verse is unambiguous. Muhammad has sin.

It is one of the great ironies in the Quran that the next sura (chapter) can be titled either "Muhammad" or "War" (qital, root is q-t-l). This verse was revealed in Medina.

Note that Muhammad implores forgiveness from Allah not only for himself but for Muslim men and women. This means that average humans have dh-n-b, and so does Muhammad.

This verse was probably revealed in 628, barely four years before he died of a fever in AD 632. Does this mean that the messenger of Allah had sin before AD 628? This seems to be the case. To be forgiven of dh-n-b, one must have it first.

A Muslim scholar defines it thus: "Crime; Fault; Offence; Sin; Any act having an evil result" (Omar). A western scholar defines it as "a crime, fault, sin" (Penrice).

Go for a list of verses in the Quran that describe other persons who suffer from dh-n-b. It means far more than simple errors, small mistakes, superficial weaknesses, minor faults, and brief lapses of memory. It may include these things (all humans do them), but it also has to signify sin, crime, offense, and any act having an evil result (all humans do this also, in one way or another).

What does this sin nature in Muhammad mean in practical and down-to-earth terms today? If a researcher points out an atrocity or a violent act that Muhammad committed, then for a devout Muslim the atrocity or act is not wrong or unjust or sinful. It must be right, just, and sinless, no matter what the facts say because Muhammad was sinless�again, no matter what the Quran says. And the vicious circle goes round and round.

He poses this rhetorical question to his opponents and accusers in John 8:45-46:

In his culture, "prove guilty of sin" refers to his keeping the Law. Did he deviate from it? His opponents do not take him up on his challenge.

Next, Peter lived and walked with Jesus for at least three years. If anyone could, then the chief Apostle surely saw some minor sin in the Lord, right?

In verse 22, Peter quotes from Isaiah 53:9, which Jesus fulfilled in his suffering and death. So the chief Apostle did not find even a minor sin in Jesus Christ�no sin at all.

Finally, the Apostle John also lived and walked with Jesus for three years. What is his assessment of Jesus from his own observations?

The verdict is in: John never saw a sin in the Lord, whom he saw up close and personal.

Both declarations by Peter and John are remarkable. It is one hundred percent certain that if we had followed these apostles for three years every day, then we would have seen at least one sin. But these two did not see even one sin in Jesus.

One nervously seeks refuge from Satan. The other had complete confidence and authority.

The hadith is the record of Muhammad words and actions outside of the Quran. Bukhari is considered a highly reliable collector and editor. The following hadith indicates that Muhammad believes that some sort of knots on the head is the result of Satan and witchcraft.

This next hadith demonstrates that Muhammad was so deeply influenced by magic that he believed that he was having sex with his wives, but in reality he was not.

The highly respected conservative commentator, Sayyid Abul A�La Maududi (d. 1979), says that the hadiths on Muhammad�s bewitchment are sound. "As far as the historical aspect is concerned, the incident of the Holy Prophet's being affected by magic is absolutely confirmed" ... (Maududi and scroll down to "Question of Holy Prophet being affected by magic"). Maududi is right. Muhammad was bewitched. And this is not part of true Prophethood.

Throughout his three-year ministry, he exercised spiritual authority over the kingdom of darkness, wherever he went. After the Great Test (Luke 4:1-13; see no. seven, below, in this list) Luke records the first public encounter with a demon:

Jesus speaks a stern command: "Come out of him!" This reveals spiritual authority and decisiveness, which is repeated time and again in Jesus� ministry.

This article contrasts Muhammad�s fears and bewitchment with Christ�s commanding authority over Satan and dark powers.

He assassinated (or threatened to murder) at least eleven men or women who insulted or threatened him. Several of his victims merely composed satirical poems.

Muhammad had already assassinated some opponents for their insults and mockery before these verses were sent down, but now they give him divine endorsement.

During the last week of Jesus� life, the tension between him and the religious establishment rises. The leaders look for a way to trap and then arrest him. So they ask him whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Apparently, they saw him as a political revolutionary who opposed Roman occupation. Would he endorse the taxation of his fellow Jews for the benefit of unclean Gentiles? However, they did not know that he was a king, but that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). So he replied with these famous words that are often quoted, though people may not know the exact reference and context (Luke 20:20-26; cf. Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17).

After this disarming reply, it is important to note what he did not do. He did not send Simon the Zealot, one of the Twelve, to follow an antagonistic leader, mingle in the large crowd of pilgrims during the Feast of Passover, sneak up on him, stab him, and disappear in the crowd again. These kinds of assassinations were not unknown in the decades before the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. But violence was not necessary. God was with Jesus.

This article examines two very different reactions when they were insulted or threatened.

provides a timeline of the death of poets and poetesses. It also replies to Muslim polemics for their prophet�s murders.

Polytheists controlled the Black Stone housed in the Kabah shrine. This was both a spiritual center (in pagan logic) and a financial center (in real terms). Muhammad eventually conquered it in early AD 630. After declaring amnesty for Meccan pagans, he changes his tone. He imposes this ultimatum on them and all pagans.

This verse says that unless pagans say their prayers the Muslim way and pay a forced "charity" tax, they will be killed.

Next, this hadith says that Muhammad is called to fight until people acknowledge that only Allah is the right deity and Muhammad is his messenger. The people must also give the messenger their money.

Malik (d. 795) is a founder of an Islamic school of law and a reliable collector and editor of hadith. He records this tradition about Muhammad�s policy on those who leave Islam:

He let people go their own way, if they refuse to follow him. He said, "If anyone comes after [follows] me" . . . (Matthew 17:24). The little word "if" implies freedom to accept the way of Jesus or to walk away from it. He never raised a holy army to force anyone to convert. In John 6, some disciples decided to walk away from him. He had spoken difficult words.

It is important to note what Jesus did not do or say. He did not threaten them with physical death. He did not send a disciple or two to assassinate one of the deserters (a leader, perhaps), to teach the rest and the Twelve a lesson. "Follow and obey me, or else!" "Or else what?" "Or else I�ll kill you!" Those words and others like them Jesus never spoke.

This article explores why the West and other free countries around the globe must protect freedom of speech.

contrasts Islam's coercion of conscience with Christianity's freedom of conscience.

This article analyzes Muhammad�s policy on apostates in the Quran, hadith, and Islamic law.

Maududi in this booklet argues that Sura 9:11-12 refers to apostates and that they should be put to death (scroll down to "The Proof in the Quran for the Commandment to Execute Apostates").

This website has an overview of Islam on apostates. They should be given time to repent, but if they refuse, they must be killed. Women apostates may be killed according to some schools of law, or she may be imprisoned and whipped.

It is true that the word "Crusade" comes from the word "cross," but it is used here in the broad sense of "holy war." Muslims today forget that Muhammad was the first to launch one, long before the western Europeans responded with theirs. In the ten years that he lived in Medina, he either sent out or went out on seventy-four raids, skirmishes and battles. Sura 9 is his last revelation in its entirety before he dies. He commissions his followers to wage war on Jews and Christians or the People of the Book or Scripture (= Bible).

This verse that commands battle against Christians and Jews is all about theology and belief. It says nothing explicit about a real and physical harm done to Islam. Muhammad launched his Tabuk Crusade in late AD 630 against the Byzantine Christians. He had heard a rumor that an army was mobilizing to invade Arabia, but the rumor was false, so his 30,000 jihadists returned home, but not before imposing a jizya tax on northern Christians and Jews. They had three options: (1) fight and die; (2) convert to Islam; (3) or submit and pay the second-class-citizen jizya tax for the "privilege" of living under Islam.

After he was resurrected from the dead and just before he ascended to rule on high, he sends forth his followers to preach the gospel without violence. In Evangelical Christianity this passage is known as the Great Commission.

Nothing in these verses command warfare. For centuries after Christ�s resurrection and ascension, his disciples crisscrossed the Mediterranean world preaching without violence. Despite being persecuted, they turned the world right-side up and transformed it.

This article analyzes Matthew 10:34 and Sura 9:123, a jihadist verse. Jesus does not order his disciples to kill people with sharp swords.

This article also looks at verses that seem to say that Jesus� followers should use swords. But he does not order any kind of jihad�not even close.

These articles (here and here) explain the differences between Muhammad�s wars of worldwide conquest and the Old Testament�s limited wars more than 3,000 years ago.

One promises earthly and heavenly rewards for dying in a holy war. The other says his martyrdom promises his followers heaven.

Sura 4 was revealed over a three year period in the middle of Muhammad�s career (AD 625-627). He is not quite as secure as he will be when he conquers Mecca in AD 630. For now, he needs to recruit jihadists for his raids, conflicts, and wars. One way to get them to join up is to promise earthly or heavenly rewards.

Next, these two verses in Sura 4 teach that Allah has created at least a two-tier system in his Muslim ummah or community: (1) Those who "strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives"; (2) those who sit at home. The disabled are in a separate category.

At the end of Muhammad�s life, Muhammad reinforces this two-caste system: see Sura 9:38-39, 41, 44, 86, 87.

Finally, as seen in 4:74, an economic bargain is offered to jihadists in this next verse. Allah purchases their lives in exchange for Islamic paradise. Sura 9 is the last sura to be revealed in its entirety.

Allah and Muhammad are completely wrong about the Bible�s command to fight in bloody wars in order to bring heavenly rewards. Moses ordered wars that were time-specific (more than 3,000 years ago), location-specific (holy land), and purpose-specific. But Moses or Joshua or the judges did not promise heaven, automatically, for the express act of dying in wars.

All of these passages use win-win-win logic from Muhammad�s point of view. If a jihadist dies fighting, then he gets Islamic paradise. If he wins and lives, then he gets material spoils. If he is defeated but escapes with his life, then he gets to fight another day.

Matthew 5:10 10:39, 19:29 speak of an uncompromising commitment to follow Jesus, laying down one�s life mainly in a spiritual way, and possibly in a physical death under severe and fatal persecution, but the verses are not found in the context of a bloody religious war. Rather, Jesus calls his disciples to pick up their cross and follow him (Matt. 10:38, 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23, 14:27), but he also says that they should do this daily (Luke 9:23). The image of the cross means that they must follow Jesus no matter what, on a daily basis, which precludes an earthly martyrdom, which is done only once; per contra, a "daily martyrdom" is continuous. A twisted love of physical death is not in view in those New Testament passages in the context of holy wars.

The following cannot be repeated too often because it diametrically opposes the Islamic doctrine of salvation, or how to get into heaven: only Christ�s "Martyrdom" guarantees a believer�s place in heaven; only Christ�s Ultimate Good Work on the cross paves the way to God. Thus, the Christian does not (or should not) have a psychological inducement to kill himself or to be killed in battle to achieve heaven. He needs only trust in Christ.

For more information on the Quran�s economic bargain of death for jihadists in holy wars and how it differs from the Old and New Testaments, see this article.

Besides forcing religious conformity and the submission of non-Muslims, he was after wealth.

Sura 48 was revealed in AD 628, after a treaty with the Meccans and during his conquest of the Jews of Khaybar. This verse predicts future spoils of war for Allah�s beloved prophet. Sura 48:20 says:

Maududi says that the clause "Allah has promised you abundant spoils that you will capture" refers to the conquests after Muhammad�s takeover of the city of Khaybar. It communicates a general promise of the spoils of any war that he embarks on. (The Meaning of the Qur�an, vol. 5, p. 62, note 35).

However, Allah in this verse warns Muslims and Muhammad not to get attached to material things or to get ensnared by the "love of desires."

This verse teaches wisdom, but Muhammad did not follow it. He is the one who desired women and married many of them�a privilege of numbers reserved only for him (Sura 33:50); he is the one who traded in slaves, a lucrative business; he is the one who owned vast herds of livestock; he is the one who said that money will expiate or atone for sins; he is the one who bought off converts; he and his successors are the ones who conquered peaceful people who did not harm Islam in the slightest; he is the one who spread out recently collected tax money in his mosque, counting the most he had ever received; he is the one who promised his jihadists heaven if they died, and plunder if they lived. If anyone had the "love of desires," it was the prophet of Islam.

Satan offers Jesus the whole world at the very beginning of his ministry. But he turned down this offer. Luke 4:1-2, 5-7 says:

In divine cooperation between Jesus and the Spirit, God allowed Satan to lead Jesus up to a high place and show him all the kingdoms of this world�their glory and political authority (exousia in Greek means political authority; cf. Luke 4:6 and 12:11, 20:20, 23:7). In addition to political authority, kingdom, by definition at the time of Christ, includes material resources, backed by a strong military. However, Jesus raises his and our vision to a spiritual transformation of the world, one soul at a time, without killing people and robbing their money by bloodshed.

The main back-up article discusses more topics on Muhammad�s policies on accumulating material possessions.

Maududi paraphrases the verse: "If you need more than one [wife] but are afraid that you might not be able to do justice to your wives from among the free people, you may turn to slave girls because in that case you will be burdened with less responsibilities" (note 6) (See Sura 4:24).

However, Muhammad would not allow polygamy for his son-in-law Ali, because an extra wife would hurt Muhammad�s daughter Fatima, by his first wife Khadija. Fatima was married to Ali.

Thus, Muhammad understands how hurtful polygamy can be for women, but he himself practiced it and allowed it for Muslim men, generally.

Moreover, it seems that Allah gave Muhammad special permission to marry as many women as he desired or take them as slaves or concubines, just as in the pre-Islamic days of "ignorance."

The Quran in Sura 33:50, a lengthy verse, grants Muhammad wide latitude in his marriages:

This verse says that besides those women whose dower Muhammad paid, he may marry slave-girls�that is, he may have sex with them (see this article for this Quran-inspired immorality). Maududi references three slave-girls taken during raids, and Mary the Copt, a gift from an Egyptian ruler. Muhammad had sex with her, and there does not seem to be a political need for this. Second, Muhammad may marry his first cousins, and Maududi cites a case in which this happened. Third, if a believing woman offers herself to Muhammad, and he desires her, then he may marry her (Maududi vol. 4, note 88).

This hadith says that Muhammad used to visit nine (or eleven) wives in one night.

But the capstone of these "special" marriages occurs when Muhammad also marries the ex-wife (Zainab) of his adopted son (Zaid). His son-in-law divorced her with the prophet standing in the background. In fact, early Islamic sources say that Muhammad catches a glimpse of his daughter-in-law in a state of undress, so he desired her. Once the divorce is final, Allah reveals to him in Sura 33:36-44 that this marriage between father-in-law and daughter-in-law is legal and moral.

The Old Testament allows polygamy, though it is honest enough to reveal the problems inhering in this ancient custom (e.g. Genesis 16:5 and 1 Samuel 1:6-7). Islam looks like the Old Testament and permits polygamy. However, God�s original intent was to honor women, but polygamy favors men to the exclusion of women. Also, Jesus fulfills and interprets the Old Testament for Christians, and Eden is his choice. Thus, Christianity protects and honors women.

For a more thorough analysis of polygamy in the Quran, go to this online booklet and click on Chapter 12.

See this article on the number of wives and human sexual property Muhammad allowed himself.

Besides the previous articles, this one is also the back up. At the end, it links to more articles on the marriage and divorce of Zaid, Zainab, and Muhammad.

He can perform no miracles, according to Allah�s own account of him in the Quran. However, in the hadith, his admirers have a strong motive to puff up their beloved prophet with miracle stories. But the Quran contradicts their accounts.

In the following Meccan verse in Sura 17, Muhammad answers the charge that he cannot work miracles. Allah commands his messenger to "say" the following to his critics.

In this next Meccan verse, people again question Muhammad about this inability to work miracles.

It is an ironical fact that the Quran is clearer about Jesus� miracles than it is about Muhammad�s (non)miracles: "And I [Jesus] heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring to life by Allah�s leave [permission]" (Sura 3:49, Hilali and Khan). Why did not the Quran explicitly and loudly and unambiguously declare Muhammad�s miracles, as it does about the miracles of Jesus?

After his death, two discouraged disciples matter-of-factly recount what they observed to a seeming stranger (the resurrected Jesus):

This one summary verse in Luke represents many that tell of his miracles. A very short list follows:

These two articles explain Muhammad�s inability to work miracles: here and here. They reply to Islamic polemics and cite more verses in the Quran.

One ordered flogging and execution. The other offers forgiveness and restoration.

This verse, according to reliable traditions, concerns fornication or premarital sex. Note the insertions by the two translators. The Quran in Sura 24:2 says:

This gruesome hadith passage reports that a woman was buried up to her chest and stoned to death, her blood spurting:

He zeros in on the root cause of adultery. In the famous Sermon on the Mount he says this about adultery and lust:

Immediately, this raises the stakes so high that all corporeal punishment is removed; otherwise, all of humanity would kill each other with legalized stoning. These two verses imply that sexual sin is no longer a civil crime or any kind of crime. As usual with Jesus, he goes to the heart of the sin. Adultery and other sexual sins begin in the mind, so the solution to them must also begin in the mind.

As for prostitutes, Jesus let them into his kingdom on their repentance. While in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders, who were badgering him with antagonistic questions, confronted him. Jesus replies to them.

But first prostitutes have to be forgiven of their sins before they enter the kingdom of God. One day a certain Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus into his large house for dinner. Suddenly a "sinful woman" (read: local prostitute) crashed the dinner party and washed Jesus� feet with her tears, wiped them off with her hair, and poured oil on his feet. The Pharisee became indignant and said to himself that if Jesus really were a prophet, he would know who was touching him and not allow it, for she was unclean. Jesus pointed out to him that Simon had not offered him the customs of hospitality, but this sinful woman was doing this. "Then Jesus said to her, �Your sins are forgiven.� The other guests began to say among themselves, �Who is this who even forgives sins?� This is another New Testament hint of Jesus� Jesus said to the woman, �Your faith has saved you; go in peace�" (Luke 7:48-50).

This true account shows that Jesus did not order prostitutes and other sexual sinners to be hunted down and flogged or burned alive, even though this one was living in Israel, the Holy Land, and even though the Torah says specifically that a prostitute must be burned with fire (Leviticus 21:9). Instead, Jesus looks at the heart and sees a diamond in the rough. He knows that with his love and power, sexual sinners of all sorts can be changed. So the spiritual solution is forgiveness without condemnation. This is a long, long way from Jesus instituting the punishment of stoning sinners, or even their flogging, as Muhammad would like to reinstitute an old-new Quranic law.

This article explains Sura 24:2 more thoroughly, along with adultery. It also cites more hadiths and explores Islamic law, contrasting them with Christ�s new era of salvation.

Here is another back-up article on Muhammad�s punishment of homosexuality, analyzing the Quran, the hadith, and Islamic law. It also explains the Biblical position. Christ offers forgiveness and restoration.

One is not mentioned or prophesied in the Bible. The other fulfills Messianic prophecy.

In a verse in the Quran, two scholars insert some parenthetical comments that are not found in the original Arabic.

Though Muhammad�s claim that he is found in the Bible is farfetched to begin with, the two translators take it for granted that the Biblical references from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of John mention or prophesy their prophet. This belief has circulated around the Muslim world for many years and has become "gospel truth." Further, Muslim propagandists have searched for clear references to Muhammad in the Torah and the Gospels (and the entire Bible). But have they been successful? Does this belief have any foundation in the Biblical texts?

Researchers have already easily demonstrated that Muhammad does not fit the profile of a Biblical prophet or any other saint mentioned or predicted in the Bible.

This mid-length chapter lists the basic arguments by Muslims and answers them point by point. It then lists the similarities between Moses and Christ. This means that Christ is the prophet predicted by Moses.

This mid-length article also lists the characteristics of Moses and Christ and demonstrates the match between the two. The similarities and the length of the list are remarkable. Muhammad is excluded.

The most thorough refutation of the claim that Muhammad is the Comforter in John 14 is found in this chapter. It even has an image of a Greek papyrus containing John 14:9-26 that shows the New Testament was not tampered with and that paracl�tos is the right word in the chapter, not periclytos ("much praise"; cf. Sura 61:6).

This article is a thorough refutation of a Muslim polemicist�s claim (and this polemicist is not alone) that Sura 61:6 says that Jesus prophesies the appearance of a certain "Ahmad" (meaning "Praise"). Islamic research on this issue is terribly confused and substandard.

These articles together consist of a thorough exegesis of Biblical texts, taking them in historical and literary contexts. Thus, the absence of any clear reference in the Bible to Muhammad as some sort of future spokesman for God is not surprising. Culturally and chronologically, he was too far removed from the Bible�he was not a Jew. He was also much too inaccurate about the Bible in matters of verifiable, textual facts.

The result of this quick study: Muhammad is absent from Bible prophecy and all other areas of the Bible.

Old Testament prophecy about himself as the Messiah was very important to Jesus.

After he was resurrected bodily, he appeared to many disciples. Two of them were walking down a road that led to a village called Emmaus. They recounted the recent events and their disappointment that Jesus had not redeemed Israel. But they were amazed that several of the disciples said that the tomb was empty and that Jesus had appeared to some of them. It was a surprise when a seeming stranger joined them in their journey. He asked them what they were talking about. They told him about their disappointment that Jesus was not everything that they had hoped for. Then Jesus (the seeming stranger) revealed himself and gave them a Bible lesson.

It is quite possible that Jesus discussed at least some of these verses listed in the Table of Messianic Prophecies. It cites nearly ninety prophecies that follow Jesus from his birth and infancy, to his death, resurrection, and ascension�and his reign in heaven.

One restricts and confuses the doctrine of the Spirit. The other freely offers the Spirit as a full Person.

He severely restricts the role and nature of the Spirit. The references to the Islamic spirit in the Quran are far, far fewer than those to the Spirit in the New Testament. In fact, the Quranic references, below, are complete (or nearly so).

The spirit in the Quran has similar functions as those in the Bible, but the Quranic spirit�s role is weaker and less defined. Examples follow. This spirit seems to be involved in creation (Suras 15:98; 32:7-9; 38:71-72). He helped Mary conceive Jesus (Suras 19:18-19; 21:91; 66:12). The spirit appeared in the form of a man to Mary (Sura 19:18-19). He strengthened Jesus (Suras 2:87; 2:253; 5:110), and the believers (Sura 58:22). Jesus is called a "spirit from God" (Sura 4:171; cf. 2:253). The spirit inspired and revealed the Quran (Sura 16:102; 17:85; 26:192-193; 97:4). Finally, he is a witness or participates in some way in the Last Day (Suras 70:4; 78:38), warning of impending judgment (Sura 40:15).

Thus, the Quran�s view of the Spirit overlaps somewhat with the Bible�s (creation, conception of Jesus, and inspiration), but in other ways the Quran is confused and deficient (Jesus is a spirit; the spirit appears as a man; his helping believers is mentioned only once). But none of this confusion and deficiency matters, because traditional Islam erroneously reduces the Spirit to the archangel Gabriel. Why? A fully developed pneumatology (doctrine of the Spirit) wreaks havoc on a strict unitarian doctrine of God.

Just before his resurrection and ascension, Jesus promises to send the Spirit to every believer who asks in his name (John 14:15-18; 16:5-15). He fulfills this promise in Acts 2:1-4. The Spirit fills the believers, and the church is formally created.

In an exhaustive concordance in which every word in the Bible is listed, the word "Spirit" or "spirit" of God or the Lord in the Old Testament takes up almost two columns. In the New Testament, the same words take over three columns. This gives us an idea of the importance of the Spirit in the New Testament. This is especially remarkable, since the Old Testament is much, much longer than the New. In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit, as a full Person, lives in every believer to help him follow God and receive his love.

This long article (the readers may scroll down to "Who is the Spirit?") argues convincingly that the Spirit cannot be Gabriel without damaging other aspects of Islamic theology.

This article briefly discusses the Spirit in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Quran (scroll down to "Holy Spirit").

He is strictly and only a mortal man, warner, announcer, prophet, and messenger. These are the number of times that the last four titles appear in the Meccan and Medinan suras in the Quran, when the titles apply to Muhammad. The Mecca suras were revealed before his Hijrah or emigration from there to Medina in AD 622. The Medinan ones were received after this date.

Warner: Mecca 58, Medina 7
Announcer: Mecca 22, Medina 13
Prophet: Mecca 2, Medina 33
Messenger: Mecca 20, Medina 167

The most important statistic is the title of prophet. It is used only two times in Mecca, and those occur in late verses (just before he immigrated to Medina). Evidently, Allah was reluctant to call him by that title for a long time. The Quran also drops the title of warner, almost out of sight, after Muhammad arrives in Medina.

But this is the unalterable fact: he is a mortal man like all of us. He is a human warner, a human announcer or bringer of news, a human prophet, and a human messenger. He never claimed divinity for himself.

His mortality is a major reason why he objects so strenuously to the divinity and Sonship of Christ (Suras 3:58-60; 4:171; 5:72-75, 116; 9:30; 19:33-34). If Muhammad is the best and last prophet and messenger, then how can Jesus surpass him, as the eternal Son of God? Muhammad also objects because of his odd belief that God must have physical relations to produce a son, a notion that Christians reject.

Jesus Christ has multiple titles. Some portray him as a human before the crowds: Rabbi, Teacher, and Prophet. (Rabbi and Teacher are synonymous in the New Testament, but they are kept separate since the different words are used.) And other titles depict him as divine: the Christ, the Lord, Son of Man, Son of God, the "I am," and God incarnate or "God with us." Here is the number of times that his major titles appear in the Four Gospels. Some are close approximations.

Rabbi: 17
Teacher: 40
Prophet: 20
Christ: 55
Son of David: 10 (only others besides Jesus use this title about him)
The Lord: 140
Son of Man: 81 (only Jesus uses this about himself)
Son of God: 60
The "I Am": 20

This is Part One of Two, which goes into more detail on Muhammad�s roles and mortal nature.

Here is Part Two, which talks about the roles and natures of Jesus: He is fully human and fully divine.

This Appendix has four Tables that list all of the Quranic references to Muhammad�s roles as warner, announcer, prophet, and messenger.

One died of sickness aggravated by poison. The other died on the cross for the sins of the world.

Dying in the arms of his girl-bride Aisha, Muhammad asked Allah for forgiveness and mercy for his own soul just before he died, begging his deity to raise him up to the highest companions. He also cursed his enemies.

He was destined by God to die for the sins of the world. It is unimaginable that Jesus would die from sickness and poison. He healed many with illnesses and even demon possession, in an atmosphere of faith. His mission was to set them free of ailments. Further, he forgave his crucifiers. He also prayed for a criminal and promised him that he would be in paradise. Jesus knew where he himself was going�back to heaven where he originally came from.

This article affirms the actual and physical crucifixion of Christ and critiques the Quran�s odd assertion that Jesus merely appeared to have died (Sura 4:157-158).

This article explains that Muhammad likely picked up this strange belief about the non-crucifixion from Docetism, derived from a Greek word meaning "to seem" or "to appear" (scroll down to point no. 2 in the linked article).

His body lies still in his grave. Anyone can claim that his soul will go to heaven, for no one can see a disembodied soul. This fatwa (legal decree) at a Muslim website clarifies a question posed by a Muslim on the death of Muhammad.

This page has a further link to an image of the prophet of Islam�s tomb, where Muslims may take an extra pilgrimage.

The earliest Christians said Jesus� body was raised to life. The following passage comes from the Gospel of Mark.

This article by William Lane Craig explains why, from Paul�s theology, Christ was raised bodily. His theology completely agrees with the Four Gospels.

This article by Craig affirms the historicity of the empty tomb. It is not a matter of blind faith.

Finally, this article by the same scholar narrows the focus on the disciples� inspection of the empty tomb.

Two strategies seem to be at play in aggressive Islam. The first is to intimidate and terrorize. This is why we see violent protests and explosions. The second is theological and textual�to blur distinctions. "Come on," these whitewashers seem to say; "Islam is just like Christianity; in fact, Islam can complete it. Jesus and Muhammad are the same. So what�s all the fuss about?" But this list contradicts the second strategy. The Son of God and the warner from Mecca are profoundly different.

Clarity and truth are better than wishful thinking and whitewash. We may wish that all religions were the same, but they are not. Some polemicists may whitewash their own religion, but this is deceptive at best and dangerous at worst.

If or when Islam gains a foothold in a region, it may impose its harsh laws (see the Supplemental List, below). This would spell disaster for all freedom-loving people, everywhere. The Quran and Islamic law are harsh and restrictive. They impose external holiness and righteousness on everyone, and harshly punish anyone who refuses.

Christianity has been a blessing to the world, especially in the last three hundred years, and particularly in America. Gradually returning to its New Testament roots, today Christianity offers real freedom and true peace. In an environment influenced by Christianity, people can grow and live without harassment. They can work at their careers in freedom and become prosperous. They can develop new ideas leading to new technology that benefits humanity.

However, in this freedom, people may not walk the path of righteousness. They may adopt lifestyles that oppose the Bible. But when the Church became the government, it oppressed people. This is the lesson of history. The Church must allow people to go their own way. People vote with their feet. If the Church preaches a meaningful message, then people will come. If not, they must not be persecuted or harassed, but breathe the air of freedom. They are in God�s hands.

On the other side, many Islamic countries suppress free-speech and dissent. Rarely can anyone criticize the government, and death to anyone who questions the Quran and Islam itself. It is an observable fact that these nations have stagnated economically. Where is a steady progress of technology coming from this part of the world? Too often women are restricted, and this means half of the world�s brain power is locked up. Thus, throughout the past four hundred or more years, Islam has not been a blessing to societies.

Muslim polemicists and propagandists tell us that the Quran is God�s final revelation to humanity. Islam improves on Christianity, and their holy book corrects the Bible. These propagandists would like Islam to mediate between Judaism and Christianity. Implementing Islamic law or sharia is God�s will. However, the following legal decrees, policies, and practices contradict these mere verbal assertions and mental beliefs. Every one of them comes from the Quran itself, followed by chapter and verse.

2. The hands and feet must be cut off for fighting and corrupting the land (5:33).

4. An injured plaintiff may exact legal revenge�physical eye for physical eye, literally (5:45).

5. Anyone who accuses someone else of sexual sins must bring four witnesses; if not, the accuser gets eighty lashes (24:4).

6. Husbands are a degree above their wives in status (2:228); reliable hadiths say the majority of the inhabitants of hell are women only because of their "harshness and ingratitude," not for any numerical majority around the globe.

8. A woman�s testimony counts half of a man�s testimony because she may "forget" (2:282). Reliable hadiths say this law is based on the "deficiency of a woman�s mind."

9. A man may divorce his wife merely if he says "I divorce you" three times (2:229). This verse is baffling because it does not say explicitly "three times." But Islamic law interprets it in this way.

10. A wife may remarry her ex-husband if and only if she marries another man, they have sex, and then this second man divorces her (2:230).

12. Mature Muslim men may marry and consummate their marriage with prepubescent girls (65:4).

13. Slavery is endorsed: Muhammad himself traded in slaves and owned black slaves; and Muslim men may have sex with slave-girls (47:4; 4:24; 23:5-6; 70-29-30).

14. The Quran endorses the massacre of Jewish men and pubescent boys and the enslavement of the women and children (33:25-27).

The Seventh Heaven

Our beloved Prophet continued r the narration of his visit to the Seventh Heaven:

�Allah Almighty has it created from Light. Its name is Ghariba and the name of its guardian angel is Afra�il. Jibra�il requested entry at the keeper of the gates as he had done before, and after a succession of questions and answers, the gates swung open and we were admitted. I beheld Afra�il and the seven hundred thousand angels under his command. Each one of these had in turn seven hundred thousand helpers, and their glorification was this:

�I greeted Afra�il and he received my greetings with pleasure. He gave me glad tidings of many spiritual gifts of grace and much reward for accepted good works.

�Then I saw an angel with seven hundred thousand heads, and each of these heads bore seven hundred thousand faces. On every single face there were seven hundred thousand mouths, and in every single mouth there were seven hundred thousand tongues and with each tongue he speaks seven hundred thousand different languages. This angel also has seven hundred thousand wings. Every day, this angel plunges seven hundred times into the Ocean of Light, which is in Paradise, and each time he comes up out of the water, he shakes himself. From every drop of light that flies off him, the Almighty creates an angel, which glorifies the Lord as follows:

�After passing by this one, I beheld another angel, seated upon a throne. His head was beneath the Divine Throne, and his feet reached to the bottom of the earth. He was so great, that he could have swallowed up the world and what is within it in a single gulp. The tip of one of his wings touched the west, whereas the other touched to the east. Seven hundred thousand angels were at his service, and each one of these commanded another seven hundred thousand angels. �Who is this?� I asked the angel Jibra�il. �This is Israfil,� he told me. I went up to him and gave him Salams and he received them well and gave me great good tidings. His Tasbih was this:

�After this, I came upon a person all drowned in Light. He was seated upon a throne in an attitude of awesome dignity, and before him was a multitude of little children. I asked Jibra�il who was this person of such light, majesty and awe, and who were all the children with him. The angel answered me, �This is your great grandfather Ibrahim. He loves you and the entire nation that believes in you. He once prayed to the Lord of the Worlds that he might be of service to your nation, and the Lord heard his supplication. He gave him all these little children who are the little boys and girls from your nation who die before reaching adulthood. Allah Almighty has entrusted Ibrahim with their upbringing and education. Until the Day of Judgment, he will be instructing them in proper behavior and training their minds in the useful sciences. After having perfected their schooling, on the Day of Gathering he will lead them forth and bring them to the site of Resurrection. There, before the Lord�s Holy Presence, he will entreat Him with these words: �Oh my Lord, here are the youngsters of the nation of Your Beloved Muhammad Z who died before reaching the age of maturity. According to Your order and command, I have taught and trained them in all useful branches of knowledge, and brought them before Thy Majestic Throne. Thine is all kindness, favor and grace.�

�At this invocation, the Almighty Lord will reply with the full glory of His Majesty, �Oh children, go and enter the Gardens of Paradise.�

�Thereafter, Jibra�il turned to me and said, �Go ahead and give Salams to Ibrahim.� I stepped forth and greeted him, whereupon he honored me and received me well. Then he spoke to me, saying, �Welcome to you, oh virtuous son and righteous Prophet! Tonight you are to be honored in that you will witness the splendor of the Lord of the Universe, and you will be admitted to behold all manner of sacred displays. As for your nation, it is the last of all nations and it will be a very weak nation, so do not neglect to intercede with your Lord on their behalf.�

�And he continued, �Oh Muhammad {s}! Give Salams to your nation from me and convey to them my advice: the World (dunya) is of a passing nature and rapid in its decline. In the eyes of the Eternal Lord it is but base and contemptible matter. He attributes to it not even the value of a fly�s wing. Tell them not to waste their lives in the pursuit of its vain beauties, its pomp and palaces; not to be deceived by its many and varied tastes, by promises of grandeur and large followings. For it is the world to come, which is lasting, and eternal. Therefore, let them busy themselves in following the pure ways of the Shari�a (Divine Law) by night and by day, and the guidance contained in your Sunna (practice of the Prophet {S}) and thereby gain the good pleasure of the Almighty Lord. The Gardens of Paradise are vast, so let them plant there many, many trees.�

�I asked him then, �How does one plant a tree in the Jannah?� He replied, �Through the recital of this Tasbih:

Tell them to recite this Du�a (prayer), for each time they recite it, a tree is planted in Paradise.�

�Then Jibra�il called the Adhan to prayer and made Iqama; I then led the angels and inhabitants of the seventh Heaven in a prayer of two Rak�ats, then we ascended to the Bayt-al-Ma�mur.

The Bayt-al-Ma�mur (The Heavenly House) 5

�This is a highly revered building in the Seventh Heaven. It is of the same size as the revered Kaba, which stands upon the earth and it is situated right above it. Were it to be let down from the Heavens, it would land right on top of the Kaba.

�He said to me, �Oh Rasulullah {S}, do lead us here in prayer too!� Then he called the Adhan, and all the inhabitants of the seven heavens now followed as I led them in a prayer of two Rak�ats. When I beheld the immense multitude, it came to my mind, �Oh if only my nation were granted such a communal prayer.� Thereupon, the Lord who knows all hidden thoughts, realized my secret wish in that He commanded, �Oh Muhammad {s}! Your nation will be granted such a communal prayer: it will be on a Friday, and it will be obligatory.��

�Every Friday the great angels assemble round the Holy House. Jibra�il calls the Adhan and Israfil delivers the Khutaba (sermon) while Mikha�il leads the prayer as Imam. All the angels of the seven heavens follow his lead. After the Jum�a[1] prayer is complete, Jibra�il addresses the gathering as follows, �Oh gathering of angels, bear

witness that I pass on the reward for this Adhan to the Muadhdhins [2] (callers to prayer) of the nation of Muhammad {s}!�

Then Israfil rises and says, �Oh ye angels! Bear witness that I donate the reward for this Khutba to all the Khatibs[3] of the nation of Muhammad {s}!� Then Mikha�il steps forth and says, �Oh angels, I too have made over the merit of leading this prayer to the Imam[4] of the nation of Muhammad {s}!� All the angels then present the merit for their prayer to those of the nation of Muhammad {s} who have prayed the Jum�a prayer.

Then there comes a call from the Highest Lord, saying, �Oh Angels of Mine! Do you seek to outdo Me in generosity, whereas I am He who created all Generosity and Munificence! Hear then My Decree: whoever honors the day of Jum�a from among the nation of Muhammad {s}, man or woman alike, I will forgive them their sins and free them from the torments of Hell!� Thus He Almighty grants us His Grace and Mercy. Oh Allah, make us also recipients of Your Munificence and ease our way to reach such a degree of merit, for the honor of the Trusted Prophet Muhammad {s}, oh Most Merciful of the Merciful, Amin!

�Then,� continued the Holy Prophet {S}, �we ascended to Sidratul Muntaha.�

The Sidratul Muntaha 5

Concerning the �Sidratul Muhtaha�, the learned �Ulama have proffered various differing opinions, particularly with regard to the statement: �It is called �Sidratul Muntaha� (the lotus tree of the extreme limit) because it is the end of all that is knowable, and nobody can know what is beyond it.� Some others have explained: �Whoever comes from above, arrives here and cannot pass on further down. Whoever comes from below, reaches this point and cannot ascend further. Therefore it is called by this name.�
Yet others try to explain it in this way: �The world of spirits ends at this point, therefore it is called the Lote tree of the extreme limit.� Ibn �Abbas tells us:

�Upon this tree I saw such a number of angels that only Allah Almighty can know. They enfolded all the leaves of that tree and glittered like locusts, flashing like stars.�

Indeed, he saw him another time by the Lote-Tree of the Boundary nigh which is the Garden of the Refuge, when there covered the Lote-Tree that which covered; his eye swerved not, nor swept astray. Indeed he saw one of the greatest signs of his Lord. (The Star, 13-18)

The commentators interpret this verse as meaning that the whole tree was surrounded and embraced by the multitude of angels upon it. It is related that there were as many angels upon the leaves of that tree as there are stars in the sky and grains of sand in the earth.

�Jibra�il then said to me, �Oh Rasulullah {S}, I have a request to make of you: that you would deign to pray two Rak�ats here, so that my Maqam might gain blessings from it.� I therefore prayed a prayer of two Rak�ats there and all the angels of the Holy House and the Sidratul Muntaha followed suit.� In this way the Holy Prophet {S} was honored above the angels.

The Four Streams of Paradise 5

�Below this tree there flowed four streams, two of which were evident and two of which were hidden. Jibra�il told me,

Surely, We have given thee abundance (Kawthar); so pray unto thy Lord and sacrifice. Surely he that hates thee, he is the one cut off. (Abundance)

�This stream flowed along over pebbles of rubies and emerald and its waters were whiter than milk. I took up a cup and drank from it. Its taste was sweeter than honey, and its scent more pleasing than musk.

�Those entering into Paradise drink from the waters of Kawthar, and when they do so, all the calamities of the heart, base character and bad habits disappear and they become cleansed.

�Then I saw groups of angels passing in rows before the Sidra, and their rows were joined together. They formed such a long formation, that were a bird of swiftest flight to fly along it for a hundred years, he would not reach its other end. They moved faster than the wind, as swiftly as the arrow flies. I then asked Jibra�il, �Whence comes this great multitude of angels, and whither are they going? And when did they begin their passage?� Jibra�il explained to me, saying, �They have been passing by since the time they were created, ceaselessly in passage. I know not whence they come nor whither they are going.� I marveled at their great number, remarking on it under my breath. Instantly this verse was revealed to me through Jibra�il:

�Then they brought before me three bowls; one containing wine, one containing honey and a third containing milk. I chose the one with milk and drank from it. Jibra�il then said to me, �You have chosen the natural disposition of Islam and your nation will be firmly established in the religion of Islam. Had you chosen the cup of wine, your nation would have been a rebellious and fickle one.�

�I saw an angel at the Sidra greater than all the other angels I had seen. He measured a thousand times thousand years� wayfaring distance. This angel had seventy thousand heads. Every head had seventy thousand faces. On every face there were seventy thousand mouths. And each head was covered with seventy thousand cloths. Each one of these coverings was embellished with one thousand times thousand pearls. Each of these pearls was so great that there appeared a sea in its midst in which fish were swimming. Upon their backs was written the Kalimat-ut-Tawhid, the Declaration of Unity:

�This angel engaged in exaltation of the Lord, placing one hand upon his head and one hand behind his back. The beauty of his voice was such that it caused a commotion at the Divine Throne itself. I asked Jibra�il to tell me who that angel was and he said, �The Lord Almighty created this angel two thousand years before He created Adam.� I then asked where he had been all this time and where was his place of dwelling. Jibra�il replied, �In Paradise there is a place to the right of the Divine Throne, that is the abode of this angel. From there he was brought here.�

Ramadan, the Blessed 5

�I went up to him and greeted him and he rose in answer to my Salams. Then he spread his wings, and all the heavens and the Earth were covered by their expanse. He then kissed my face and said, �Good tidings to you, and to your nation!

By the term �Tuba� he meant to say, �Oh Rasulullah {S}, among all the countless and unbounded pleasures of the People of Paradise, the delights of the Tuba tree are reserved for you and your nation.�

This expression is metaphorical; the part signifies the whole, and speaking about the Tuba tree, signifies the totality of delights in the entire heavenly realm. In the sense mentioned above, Tuba signifies a tree in Paradise. However, the word �tuba� is also (grammatically) the feminine form of the word �atyab�, (which means better, more excellent). This can be interpreted as follows:

�I give tidings of gladness to you and your nation; those who pass their days in the world in a good way and spend their time in a commendable fashion, who perform good works all their lives, and when they reach the end of their days will return their trusts in the light of faith, uttering the words of unity; whose questioning in the grave by the angels Munkar and Nakir will be made easy and whose graves will resemble a Garden of Paradise in which they will be at ease; who on the Day of Gathering will be gathered under the Banner of Praise and who will receive many gratifications under the shadow of the Great Throne; who will be given their book of accounts into their right hand and whose reckoning will be light; who will cross the bridge of the Sirat along with those who are the first to cross it, and who will by the Grace of Allah be of those who enter Paradise freely, without questioning or Judgment; who will be granted the sweetest of all bliss in being privileged to gaze upon the Divine Beauty of the Lord and thus will have attained their ultimate desire � these are the tidings I give to you and your nation, oh Muhammad {s}.�

�I then beheld another angel who had the shape and form of a rooster and was created from white pearls. This angel had seventy thousand wings to his left and seventy thousand wings to his right. On each wing there were seventy thousand feathers made of pearls, and seventy thousand feathers made of rubies, and seventy thousand feathers of red gold, and seventy thousand feathers of silver, and seventy thousand feathers of pure musk, and seventy thousand feathers made of camphor, and seventy thousand feathers of ambergris, and seventy thousand feathers made of saffron. He reached in height from the Throne to the lowest of the seven layers of the earth. On each one of his wings were written these words:

(In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is Allah�s Messenger. All must perish save His Divine Countenance, He who is One, the All-Vanquishing.)

�At every prayer time, this angel would raise his head and repeat the glorification:

�After this, he would flap his wings together, and as he did this, wondrous sounds issue forth from this flapping. When these tones reach the Paradise Gardens, the boughs of the trees of Paradise would bend and sway against each other, and it would carry on to the ruby and garnet domes of Paradise which resound with melodious echo. These tones rouse the Huris and Ghilman of Paradise, and they say to each other, �Good news! The time for prayer has come to the nation of Muhammad {s}!� Then, this great angel begins to move and his movement makes the Throne tremble. The Lord then asks him, �What makes you tremble?� and the angel answers Him, �Oh my Lord, the nation of Muhammad {s} has risen for prayer, and yet there are among them such a great number of sinners. Therefore I tremble.� The Lord thereupon says, �Oh angel, be unperturbed! I am obliged to dispense of My Mercy upon those who pray. Witness that I train upon them the Gaze of Mercy and that I have forgiven them. I have freed them from Hellfire, for the honor of My Beloved, I have granted them dwelling in the Paradise of Mawa.� Thus the Lord proclaims His great Kindness and Munificence.�

The Angel Jibra�il�s Appearance 5

�Here, too, I beheld the angel Jibra�il in his very own shape and form. He had six hundred wings, which were made of various kinds of jewels and pearls. Whenever he would open up a pair of these wings. They filled all the space between east and west. The wings were embellished by all sorts of precious stones. It would have taken a swift-flying bird five hundred, or according to other sources, seven hundred years to measure the distance from one shoulder to the other.

Adhan

�Then we came to an open space from where we could hear the sounds of the writing of the Divine Pen. I said to Jibra�il, �Go ahead�, but Jibra�il answered, �You go ahead, for in the eyes of Allah you are more honored than I and all the world.� I then passed on ahead of him and Jibra�il went behind me. We came unto a veil of gold. Jibra�il shook the veil and a voice was heard from behind it, saying, �Who are you?� Jibra�il answered, �I am Jibra�il, and Muhammad {s} is with me.� From within the veil this angel intoned: �Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.� From behind the curtain came a voice which said, �My servant has spoken truly, I am indeed the Greatest, no Greatness is due to any but Me.�

�Then the angel called, �Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill�Allah.� Again there was a call, �My servant has spoken truly, Ana la ilaha illa ana, I am He beside whom there is no other God.� The angel repeated the words of the Shahada, �Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah, I bear witness that Muhammad {s} is the Prophet of Allah.� Again there was a call, 'My servant has spoken truly, I have sent Muhammad {s} as My Messenger-Prophet. � Then I heard the angel say, �Hayy �ala-s-sala, Hayy �alal-falah.� Another call was heard, �My servant has spoken truly; he calls My servants to come to Me, worshipful. I have invited them to My gate, and whoever answers My invitation, will be saved and meet with success.� Thereafter I heard the angel say, �Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.� Another call came, �My servant has spoken the Truth: Ana Akbar, I am the Greatest.� The angel then said, �La ilaha ill�Allah�. A call came, saying, �My servant has spoken truly, there is no God but I.�

�Then I heard another call, �Oh Muhammad {s}, Allah has honored you with perfect honor over all those who went before you and who are yet to come.� I then asked Jibra�il, �Who is this angel?� Jibra�il told me, �I swear by the Might and Glory of Allah who has sent you as His Messenger of Truth: I have never seen this angel, I do not know who he is or anything about him, but you are now about to find out.� I then asked, �Are you not going any further then? Does a true friend leave his friend in midstream?� Jibra�il then said, �Oh Rasulullah {S}, every angel has his place and station beyond which he cannot go. If I advance even the breadth of a finger, the Wrath of Allah will burn me. My ultimate station is the Sidratul Muntaha. Up to this very moment, I have never gone as far as this point. For your sake and honor, however, I have been given permission, and I have brought you here. But I can proceed no further than this.�

�Then I asked, �Is there anything you request of the Lord Almighty? If there is anything you desire, I will ask it of Him.� Jibra�il answered, �My request of the Lord is that He permit me, when your nation is ordered to march across the Bridge of the Sirat, to spread my wing across that bridge and assist them in crossing it in safety in this way.�

�Then an angel stretched forth his hand from behind the veil, and in less time than the blinking of an eye, he pulled me through to the farther side. Then he said to me, �Oh Rasulullah {S}, proceed ahead of me.� In a short while, he had brought me before a curtain of pearls. When he stirred the curtain, an angel�s voice was heard from behind it, asking, �Who is this?� The angel accompanying me said, �I am the angel of the golden curtain and with me is the most-honored Prophet of the Lord.� The angel behind the veil then said, �Allahu Akbar� and, stretching out his hand from behind the veil, he pulled me across. In as little time as it takes for the eye to blink, I had traversed the curtain and found myself standing before him, where he greeted me with every mark of honor and respect.

Rafraf 5

�In this way I passed through seventy thousand veils, each one of them made of a different kind of jewel. The distance between each of these curtains was one of five hundred years� wayfaring, and the thickness of each was that of another five hundred years. When I had passed through all of the veils, I remained all alone. Then Rafraf came to me and became visible in the shape of a green settee, which greeted me with greetings of peace. He spoke to me, saying, �Seat yourself upon me, for I will be your transport.��

During the night of his Mi�raj, the Holy Prophet {S} journeyed upon five different conveyances: the first was the Buraq, which took him up to al-Quds (Jerusalem). The second was the Mi�raj (the steps) on which he ascended up into the earthly skies. The third was the angel Jibra�il �s wing; on it he approached as far the veil. The fourth were the angels who pulled him from one veil to the next. The fifth was the Rafraf; with this he proceeded as far as Allah Almighty wished him to go.

Kursi 5

�I mounted upon the Rafraf and it took me as far as the Kursi (Divine Courtyard). The Lord Almighty has created the Kursi from pearls, and it is very great, so great it is that it defies all description.�

His Throne (Kursi) comprises the heavens and the earth; the preserving of whom oppresses Him not. (The Cow, 255)

The most excellent of commentators, Ibn �Abbas, says about this in his commentary:

�If the seven layers of the earth and the seven layers of the heavens were put together and spread out, next to the Kursi they would be as a tiny ring which has been lost in a desert.� Between the Kursi (Divine Court) and the �Arsh (Divine Throne) there are seventy veils. If not for these, the angels of the Kursi would be burnt from the Light of the Divine Throne (�Arsh).

�I passed beyond those veils. Between each of the veils, I beheld various thrones that were bedecked with fine throws studded with many gems. All around the thrones curtains were drawn, as if these thrones were still waiting for their occupants. An air of expectancy surrounded these bejeweled seats of honor. I asked the guardians of these thrones, �Who is to be seated upon them?� and they answered me, �They will be occupied by the spirits.�

�Arsh 5

�Then I beheld a single pearl of emerald green upon which was written this line of writing:

La ilaha illallah, Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah,
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq wa �Umar al-Faruq

There is no god but the one true god (al-lah);
Muhammad is the messenger of allah.
Abu bakr ‑ the truthful, and �umar ‑ the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood.

�After all this occurred, I came into a state when I heard absolutely nothing, not the voices of the angels, nor the sound of any other thing. This state caused me to experience great terror. Then I suddenly heard a voice that seemed to be the voice of Abu Bakr saying to me, �Qif, ya Muhammad, inna rabbuka yusalli. (Stay your step, oh Muhammad {s}, for your Lord is praying blessing.�) When I heard this voice, all the terror departed from me completely, and I began to wonder, �What is Abu Bakr doing here? Has he surpassed me, I wonder? And what does this mean, the Lord is praying, the Lord Who is free from all exigence! What could be the meaning of all this?��

This is a very important subject which needs to be well understood: the reason for the Holy Prophet {S} proceeding to the Divine Throne was not to see the Lord Almighty, for Almighty God is exempt from any particular place. The Holy Prophet {S}was taken to these stations in order to witness the entirety of creation, and to see the manifestation of the Divine Lord�s Supreme Majesty and Power, as He says in these verses of the Holy Quran:

Apart from this, there is another matter that it is crucial to understand: Let it not be imagined that the greatness of the things described in this account are exaggerated, as the Lord has described in the aforementioned verses.

As the Lord of the Worlds Himself here describes a thing as being �great�; how great then must it be! For perhaps the Holy Prophet {S}has given us only a summary report of what he saw in accordance with our minds� capacity; most of what he saw he did not reveal to us, for it is not possible to give a description of the greatest things that he witnessed, as the mind of man is not equipped to comprehend such things. Therefore, he did not mention those matters; this must be understood.

The Vision of the Divine Beauty 5

�When I reached to the Divine Throne, I wished to remove my sandals, but the Throne spoke to me and said, �Oh Beloved of Allah r, step upon me with your blessed sandal, so that I might rub the dust from it on my face, and take pride in the fact that the dust from the sandal of the Beloved of Allah r has fallen upon me.�

�Again I tried to remove my sandals, but this time a call came to me from the Divine Person, saying, �Oh My Beloved, do not remove your sandals so that My Throne might be honored and blessed with the dust from the soles of your sandals.�

�I looked and I saw a great sea, so great that there was no end to it, and no shore in sight. On its near side there was a tree, and upon that tree, there was a bird the size of a dove. In its beak this bird bore a piece of clay as big as a lentil. �Do you know what this is?� I was asked. I answered, �My Lord knows best.� And He Almighty told me, �You are forever entreating Me to forgive your nation their sins. This sea is the likeness of the Sea of Mercy. That tree signifies the world, the dove-like bird is the likeness of your nation and that bit of clay is the likeness of their sins. Now you have seen the relation of your nation�s sins to the vastness of My Mercy, so let your heart be at rest.��

When the secret of that, which the mind is incapable of grasping, was revealed to the Holy Prophet {S} in this Holy Verse of the Quran:

He stood poised, being on the higher horizon, then drew near and suspended hung, two bows�-length away, or nearer, then revealed to His servant that He revealed. His heart lies not of what he saw; what, will you dispute with him what he sees?

�Draw nearer to Me, oh you Best of all Mankind! Draw nigh, oh Ahmad, oh Muhammad, so that The Friend may be in intimate association with His friend!�

In this way, the Holy Prophet {S} was granted the unmediated vision of the Sublime Beauty of He who is beyond all space and time, free from all conditions or qualities, the Unmitigated Principal of all things.

This is the avowed preference of the Ahl as-Sunna wal-Jama�ah (People of the Sunnah of Prophet {S} and the Majority).

The Tahiyyat Prayer 5

�When faced with the unparalleled honor of a glimpse of the Lord�s Divine Beauty, it came to me to express myself in the following words:

(Salutations be to Allah, all praise and glory to Him; all worship and good works are due to Him Almighty) which is to say, �All praise, exaltation and worship in speech, all worship through actions and property is due to the Almighty alone, the only One to whom worship is due.�

After I had pronounced these words, the Lord of Might and Glory answered me, saying:

(And salutations to you, oh Prophet, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings) which is to say, �Peace be upon you, oh Prophet; may you be safe from the trouble and difficulties of this world and the next, oh My glorious Prophet! May the Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you.�

�In this way, He proffered very special greetings upon me. In response, I said:

(And peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of the Lord), that is to say, �May the peace of this world and the next be upon us, for our answering and acceptance of these greetings, upon all us Prophets of the Lord, and upon His righteous servants, which is the name given to the nation of Muhammad.�

Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill�Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan �abduhu wa rasuluh.

(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and His Prophet.)

After this, Allah Almighty, the Possessor of Majesty and Glory, asked me, �Do you know, oh Muhammad, which actions the inhabitants of the heavens approve of and what they desire to be done?� I replied, �Oh my Lord, I know nothing, and You know everything; moreover all that is hidden and secret.� Again the Lord spoke to me and said, �Oh Muhammad, do you know what actions the heavenly hosts love and approve of?� Again I replied, �Oh my Lord, I know it not, for You know all things, and you know all that is hidden.� After this, He in His Grace and Infinite Kindness and Benevolence taught me all the knowledge I was in need of.

�Then again He asked me the same question, �Do you know what actions the heavenly hosts rejoice in and are happy to see performed?� This time I answered, �They are happy with works that are performed in compensation for sins committed and with works that lead to raised stations in Paradise - those are the works the heavenly folk rejoice in.� The Lord of Hosts continued to ask me, �And what are these works that are compensation for sins committed?� I answered, �On a cold day, to perform one�s ablutions with cold water and in such a way that one�s limbs are wetted entirely; to walk the distance required to join the prayer in congregation; after having prayed one prayer, to wait for the next (that is to say, to make ready as the time approaches, and to wait in readiness); these are actions that are compensation for sins. Whoever performs such works, he will live his life in goodness and righteousness and only good will be his lot. He will be as pure as on the day his mother brought him into the world.��

The meaning of these last two statements can be understood as referring to good works in general, but it can also be understood as supplication and incentive, in which case it would be read as follows:

�Whoever persists in these three actions, I pray and plead that his may be a goodly life. May he always be surrounded by goodness and remain as pure as on the day he was born.�

�Then my Lord resumed His questioning and said, �Which are those actions that lead to high stations in Paradise?� And I answered, �To share food with people and to show hospitality, to give Salams to a Muslim whom one encounters on the road, to rise for prayer at night when everyone is asleep ‑ these three actions lead to high stations in Paradise.�

�After this the Lord Almighty said to me, �Speak, oh Muhammad!� �What shall I say, oh my Lord?� I answered. He said, �Recite this Du�a:�

Allahumma inni as�aluka �amalan bil-hasanati wa tarkan lil-munkirati, wa idha aradta bi-qawmin fitnatan wa ana fi-him, fa-qbidni ilayka ghayra maftun.

(Oh my Lord, I ask of You to be granted good works and to be released from bad actions, and should You have decreed disaster for a people and I should be among them, then take me from their midst before calamity takes its toll.)�

The Leader of the World, the Foremost and Elect of all the Sons of Adam, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad {s} thus reached the Station of Nearness and was granted the vision of Divine Beauty. From the Station of the Knowledge of Certainty (�ilm al-yaqin), he passed to the Station of the Witnessing of Certainty (�ayn al-yaqin) through holding direct converse with the Lord of Majesty and Might. His blind faith in the unseen was turned into faith supported by direct witnessing. The Exalted Lord Almighty informs of this in the revelation of this verse of the Holy Quran:

Here the word �messenger� (rasul) indicates Rasulullah, Muhammad our Prophet {S}.

�Concerning the above mentioned verse, I said, �Yes my Lord, I believe in all that has been revealed aforetime.� The Lord then asked, �And who else believed in it?� I said, �And the believers; each one believes in God.� (The Cow, 285) The Lord then asked again, �And what else do they believe in?� I replied, ��And His angels, and His Books and His Messengers. We make no division between any of His Messengers (The Cow, 285); we accept and confirm them all.� The Lord then asked, �What did the believers say when the revelation came to them with the laws and injunctions from their Lord?� I answered, �They said, �We hear, and obey (The Cow, 285) oh my Lord!� The Lord then said, �You have spoken truly, oh Muhammad, for they have received My Word and pledged obedience to My Commands. Now ask of Me what you wish, it will be granted.�

�To this I said, �Oh Lord, grant us Thy Forgiveness; unto Thee is the homecoming. (The Cow, 285) Admit us to Your Divine Presence having granted us Your Mercy and Forgiveness.� Thereupon the Almighty replied, �I have forgiven you and your nation.� And after this, the Lord of Majesty and Might spoke:

God charges no soul save to its capacity, standing to its account is what it has earned, and against it what it has merited. (The Cow, 286)

�And after this, He said, �Oh Muhammad, this night is the night of gifts, ask therefore for whatever you wish, it will be granted.� I then said,

�The Lord then said, �I have forgiven you and your nation for whatever sins they have committed from heedlessness and forgetfulness. And I have forgiven them the sins that they were forced to commit. So ask again, it will be granted.� I said,

�Our Lord, charge us not with a load such as Thou didst lay upon those before us.�� (The Cow, 286)

The Holy Prophet {S} wished to express this: �Do not charge us with as heavy a load as that which You laid upon previous nations.� This alludes to previous injunctions, which required the giving away of one fourth of one�s possessions in Zakat, the cutting off of a defiled piece of clothing; swift punishment for crimes committed, and similar punishments. For instance, something that was permitted to them before was forbidden to them as a punishment for their crimes; if they committed a sin during the night, it would be written upon their foreheads or above their doors, in express letters, stating the crime and the punishment due to the perpetrator: �This man has committed a crime during the night and as a punishment, he must kill himself (for instance, by burning or by cutting off certain limbs).� Thus the sins they committed were out in the open and on that account they suffered public disgrace.

The obligation to always pray in their churches was also imposed on them; it was not lawful for them to pray in any other place. On a day of fasting, it was forbidden to them to take any food or drink after the onset of the night, or to approach their women after that hour.

�I made supplication for my nation that they might not be burdened with all the weight that previous nations had to bear. My Lord then said to me, �I have granted ease to your nation and made their burdens light. So ask of Me what you want, it will be granted.� Then I said, (in reference to disasters and calamities):

�The Lord answered, �I will not place upon you and your nation burdens which exceed their strength to carry them. But ask more of Me, I will grant it.� �I replied, �Pardon us!� (The Cow, 286); � and He replied, �I have pardoned you and your nation.� �Forgive us!� (The Cow, 286).� �I have forgiven you and your nation.��

According to another version, the Holy Prophet {S} here explicitly asked for pardon for each and every act of disobedience, to each of which the Lord Almighty replied, �I have forgiven them.�

�At last I said, �Have mercy on us�, (The Cow, 286), and the Lord answered, �I have mercy on you.� Then I said, �Thou art our Protector;� (The Cow, 286) and the Lord said, �The Friend and Protector of all believers is Allah Almighty, Lord of Might and Glory; the unbelievers have no Protecting Friend.� Then I said, �And help us against the people of the unbelievers�. (The Cow, 286) And the Lord replied, �Up to the Day of Judgment, I have made you and your nation to be victorious over the unbelievers.� The Lord then asked again, saying, �Oh My Beloved, other than this, if there is anything you should wish for, ask it of Me, for I will grant it to you.� Thereupon I said, �Oh my Lord, you have chosen Ibrahim to be Your intimate friend, and have spoken to Musa without intermediary. To Da�ud You granted great possessions, and made iron to be soft as wax in his hand; You have made the mountains and its stones and the birds of the air to be subservient to his command, so that they joined him in singing Your praises. Idris You have transferred to a high place. To Sulayman You gave a kingdom and such possession as no one after him will ever come to possess and enjoy. And You made subservient to him mankind and Jinn, the demons and wild beasts, the birds and the winds. And You also taught him the tongues of the birds and the beasts. To �Isa You gave knowledge of the Torah and the Injil, and by his prayer, You made the blind see, the afflicted whole, and the ailing to regain their health; You made him revive the dead, and You made him and his mother safe from the wiles of the devil and gave them protection. What will be the equivalent gift You will make to me?�

�The Lord Almighty replied to this in all His Grandeur and Majesty, saying, �Oh Muhammad, I have chosen you as My Beloved, just as I chose Ibrahim as My faithful friend. To be the Beloved of Allah is even more excellent than being His bosom friend. I have also privileged you with the vision of My Divine Beauty, and I have spoken to you without intermediary, even as I spoke to Musa.�

��Beyond this, I have given you the chapters of the Quran, �al-Fatiha� (The Opening) and the end of �al-Baqara� (The Cow), which are both from the treasure troves of My Divine Throne. These were not given to any Prophet before you, but reserved for you and your nation.�

��Also, I have sent you as My Messenger to all the peoples of the world, to mankind and to Jinn, be they black or white or of any other description; never before have I sent a Prophet with so universal a mission.�

��I have made the whole earth a means of cleansing for your nation. When you find water and are sound enough to perform your ablutions, make Wudu and take your Ghusl. But when you do not find water or you have not the strength to wash, you may perform tayammum and cleanse yourself by means of the dust of the earth.�

��I have made the whole Earth to be as a Masjid, a place for prayer, so that wherever you may find yourselves, you may pray and perform your worship.�

��I have made lawful to you and your nation the spoils of war, so that you may profit from them. To previous nations these were not lawful.�

��And I have strengthened you in that I have cast fear into the heart of your enemy, even if there is a distance of one month�s journey between you and them.�

��I have granted you the right of intercession for whomever you desire. I have sent down to you the greatest and most august of all revealed scriptures, the Glorious Quran. And I have split your breast and removed from you all sinfulness.�

�I have elevated your name, for wherever My Name is mentioned, there your name is pronounced as well.�

Did He not find thee an orphan, and shelter thee? Did He not find thee erring, and guide thee? Did He not find thee needy, and suffice thee? (The Forenoon, 6-8)

�When the Lord Almighty had spoken to me thus, all I could answer was, �Yes, my Lord, all these great favors You have bestowed upon me and honored me beyond all measure.�

�Then the Lord spoke again and said, �Among all the people belonging to your nation, I have made one group in whose hearts resides the Holy Quran. (The Holy Quran is easy to memorize, to be learned by heart and recited from memory.) This was not given to other nations before yours; they did not commit to memory the books their prophets brought to them. This privilege I have reserved for your nation alone. I have made your nation more excellent than all previous nations; your nation is a nation of the middle way, and a nation of justice.�

��You I have created before anything else, and I have sent you on your prophetic mission as the last of all the Prophets. I have given you to drink from the waters of Kawthar (abundance), and I have given you eight shares; these are: Islam, the Hijra (migration), war against ignorance, Salat (ritual prayer), Zakat (obligatory donations to the poor), the fast of Ramadan, enjoining good and discouraging evil (amr-bil-ma�ruf wa nahiy-�an-il-munkar).��

�After the Lord stopped speaking, I asked Him, �Oh my Lord, after I had passed and seen all of creation, I experienced a moment of extreme terror. At that moment, I heard a voice that sounded to me exactly like the voice and inflection of Abu Bakr, and it said to me, �Oh Muhammad {s}, stay your step! For Allah is praying (raining His blessings).� When I heard this, two questions arose in my mind. One was this: Has Abu Bakr overtaken me and come here before I have? The second question on my mind was this: My Lord has no need to pray, and yet I am told He is praying, what can that mean?�

�The Lord then answered me, �Indeed, I have no need to turn to any in prayer, but recite the verse which I have revealed unto you:

It is He who blesses you, and His angels, to bring you forth from the shadows into the light. He is All Compassionate to the believers. (The Confederates, 43)

This verse will teach you that the meaning of My prayer is nothing but Mercy for you and for your nation.�

�As for Abu Bakr, oh Muhammad, it is as with the staff of the Prophet Musa, your brother among the Prophets. Musa always had his staff with him and it was for him something familiar and friendly. Therefore, when on the mountain of Tur (Sina�i) he was nearly overcome with awe as the Divine Call came to him, We addressed him, saying, �What is that in your hand, oh Musa?� and Musa answered Me and said, �It is my staff.� When he remembered the name of this familiar object, the excessive dread and awe he felt at the Divine Call departed from him. In this instance you are like Musa, oh Muhammad. The most familiar being in this world and the closest to you is your friend Abu Bakr. When you were in the grip of awesome terror, We created an angel for you in the shape and form of your familiar friend Abu Bakr and gave him his voice and tone with which to speak to you, so that you might feel the comfort of that familiarity when you heard him speak. Then the awesomeness and terror left you entirely, and so that you were not totally overcome by the majesty of this revelation and were able to ask what you wish from the Divine Essence. By means of this familiarity you were able to speak normally and without dread. I have in My Divine Majesty made Myself free from all defect and weakness, and My Mercy outstrips My Wrath. Therefore, state your wishes, and ask of Me whatever you need and desire.�

�After these words, the Lord added, �What of the Angel Jibra�il�s request, which he asked you to make?� I replied, �Oh my Lord, You are the All-Knowing; there is no need to speak of it, as You know already, all Bounty and Munificence being Thine.� The Lord replied to this, �I do grant his request and fulfill his wish. On the Day of Judgment when your nation prepares to cross the Bridge of Sirat, let them take a hold of his wing and cross with ease. Only the ones who loved you and your companions will cross with ease; I grant My Divine Sanction.�

�To this I rejoined, �Oh Lord, you have sent punishment upon the nations that went before mine in many and varied forms. There were some upon whom You sent a rain of stones to destroy them; while others you drowned in the waters. Some were destroyed by Jibra�il�s shout, and some You caused the Earth to swallow. Some perished when You sent against them a rain of fire, and others died in a harsh, bitter wind. Oh Lord, what will become of my nation after I have gone?�

�The Lord of Mercy and Munificence, the Lord of the Universe then intoned in all His Majesty and Splendor, �My Wrath has been spent on those nations before thine; upon your nation I will shower only Mercy. I will transform their badness into good actions. To the corrupt among them I will grant the gift of repentance, and bring them into a good state of being. I will deliver them from their bad traits and help them acquire good characteristics. I will rid them of their ignorance and change their minds to understanding and perfect knowledge. Whoever calls upon Me, saying, �Oh My Lord!� and turns to Me with true humility in his heart, to him I will answer, �I am at your service, oh My servant; tell Me what it is that you desire, and I will create it.

�To you I give the right of intercession for your nation, oh Muhammad, you may be the advocate on their behalf, and I pledge to accept all your intercession.�

�And then He Almighty said, �Oh Muhammad, I have not made your nation excessively wealthy, so that their accounts will not be overly long. And I have not made their bodies very great, so that they might not require much of worldly food and drink and dress. I have not made their lives to be exceedingly long, so that their hearts might not be blackened by pride in reliance upon a long lifespan and that they might always be aware of death and make their preparations for the afterlife that follows. I have not made death to come to them suddenly, but I have made illness precede it and provide a cause, so that they might not meet with a sudden death when they have plunged and sunk in the sea of heedlessness. When they fall ill, they repent of their sins, they pay their debts, they try to make up for past mistakes and shortcomings, and they make their last will and testament. I have brought them into the world after every other nation, so that their time in the grave might be of short duration; they will remain trapped in their tombs only until all the people of their nation have come and gone. When that is done, their time is up and they will attain to their blissful stations in Paradise, enjoying its undying delights.�

�Then the Lord said to me, �Oh Muhammad, sometimes your nation will be obedient to Me, at other times they will be rebellious. Their obedience to Me meets with My Pleasure, and to Me are acceptable all their works, which accord to My Good Pleasure; I forgive them their minor misdoings and accord to them generous recompense. For I am the All-Bountiful, and I show Myself to them in My aspect of Bounty. The disobedient among them are subject to My Judgment; but because it is the Judgment of past eternity, I forgive them their disobedience, for I am the All-Merciful, and I show them My Mercy.�

�And then He said, �Oh Muhammad, say to your nation: �The Lord Almighty says to you: just as you love a person for that he shows you loving kindness and generosity, I am much more deserving of your love and affection than any other in this world. For I have created you when you were naught and I have given you a pleasing form and fine limbs and I continue to ceaselessly shower you with innumerable blessings. Not a moment passes in which I do not bestow upon you a new form of goodness. Therefore you ought to love Me more than any other, obeying My Commands and submitting to My Law.�

�And again, He Almighty says to you, �If you are going to fear anything that dwells between Heaven and earth, it is I whom you ought to fear more than any, for My Power pervades all and everything. My chastisement is violent and swift, no one can flee or hide from it, or run to another master in order to save himself from Me, for no one has such powers. As this is the reality, you must beware of acting contrary to My wishes and commands.�

�And the Lord said, �If you are going to ask of any, I am most worthy of being asked, for it is I alone who accepts all prayers of need and fulfills all wants.� And He says: �You feel shame and regret when you have ill-treated someone or been unkind, whereas I am the most deserving of your shame and remorse, for I have brought you into being when you were naught and to this very moment I have heaped upon you endless gifts and blessings. I have made you safe from all manner of affliction, and yet you disregard My injunctions and do what I have forbidden to you. Therefore, contrition is your due and restraint from actions that I have prohibited. Obey Me and My Commands!�

�And the Lord addresses Himself to you, saying, �If you choose for reasons of personal and covetous choice, I am the most deserving of your preference, for I am your Creator, and your Provider, and the only object of your worship. Therefore, turn to Me, worshipful, in your actions and with meritorious conduct.� All this He Almighty commanded me to expound to you.�

Allah Complains About the Ummah 5

�Then Allah Almighty complained to me about my nation. One of His objections was this: �I do not ask of them to perform anything ahead of time, all I ask is for them to do what they should in its own time. But, by contrast, they ask of Me to provide them ahead of time. While I have provided them perfectly for so many years, they are not satisfied, even though they do not know whether their lives will last long enough to use up what they have been given. Even so, their greed for the things of this world is ever increasing, and they complain of not having the wherewithal of a livelihood, always asking for more. Do they not regard the birds in the skyways? Every morning the birds of the fields leave their nests with empty crops to return in the evenings having eaten their fill, though the whole world be covered in snow. Does not your nation take a lesson from this? While the whole world is covered in snow and not a speck of earth is to be seen, He who provides the birds with their shares, will He not provide them also with their own portions? Why does your nation not place their reliance on Him who has forever guaranteed their subsistence?

��The second complaint is this: �I do not give their provisions to any other than them; in spite of this, they perform actions for the sake of other than Me (that is to say, they behave hypocritically and occasion false appearances).

��My third complaint is this: While they are consuming the portions that I have provided for them, their gratitude goes out to someone else. They will say, for instance, �In my vineyard I had a harvest such an amount and from my fields such an amount, from my trade so much.� But was it not I who caused the vines to grow in his vineyard and the crops in his field, and who gave him success in his commerce? Why do they remember Me not and mention not My Name when they speak of the yields of their vineyards and fields, and the profits of their trade? Wherefrom is this heedlessness; do they feel no shame?�

��And My fourth complaint is this: Mine is all Might and Glory; it is I who grants Honor in this world, in the grave and in the world to come. Even so, they still look to honors coming from other sources. They will say, for instance, �Were I only to occupy high office, I would surely grow very rich.� Thus they expect honor to come to them through riches and high office, whereas all these are only of a passing nature. When death comes to them, all connection ceases. Does that signal true honor? It is My Command, by which they must abide, it is I who gives them Honor and Dignity in this world and the next.�

��My fifth complaint against them is this: I have created Hell for the unbelievers. Why is it that they persist in performing actions that will land them in Hellfire?�

�To these charges against my nation, I replied, �Oh my Lord, Your Word is true, my nation is guilty of all that You have laid against it. But You are He who covers all shame and forgives all sins; You are the Supremely Rich and Generous, the Clement and All-Forgiving Lord (ar-ra�uf wa-r-rahim). In Your Infinite Grace and Kindness, forgive them their failings, conceal their disgrace, and in Your Endless Benevolence, pardon their great and small sins! Let them be overtaken by Your Boundless Mercy and with Your All-Gracious Compassion lead them into the Paradise, oh My Lord!�

�In answer to this supplication, the Lord Almighty said to me, �Had your nation not been so sinful, I would have created a nation of sinners, so that I might make Myself known as the Forgiver of Sins in that I granted them forgiveness. Oh Muhammad, You are My Beloved, as you are My servant. All Creation I have brought into being for your sake alone. Because of your nation�s sins, I have created My Mercy Oceans. Oh Muhammad, regard the high station of honor and dignity you have been granted, in that you are honored by an encounter with My Divine Beauty. I have granted you direct intercourse with My Divine Person, without interpreter or intermediary. Whoever is acceptable to you is also acceptable to Me, and he who refuses you, is refused by Me, too.�

�Then He said, �Indeed, you will be the first of all the Prophets to enter Paradise, and no Prophet can enter it before you. Your nation will be the first nation to enter Paradise and no other nation will be admitted before they have gone in.�

�After this He said, �Oh Muhammad, set not your hopes on any nation of mankind, for they have nothing at all. Let your hopes always be pinned on Me and let your converse be with Me, for to Me is your return. Do not become attached to this world in your heart, for I have not created you for this world.�

�Then He Almighty said, �Oh Muhammad, of your nation I have forgiven one third for your sake; another third I will forgive on the Day of Judgment, so that the high regard and station you occupy in My Regard may become clear to all creation on the Day of Gathering, oh Muhammad.�

�After this, the Almighty informed me of a great many weighty and important matters, but He denied me permission to divulge this knowledge to you.

�It was made obligatory upon my nation to pray fifty times during one day and one night and to make ablutions for major impurity seven times, and to wash a defiled piece of clothing seven times. He commanded me to make these conditions known to my nation in His Name. I then replied, �Everyone who comes home from a journey, brings presents for those who remained at home; therefore, give me something to take back to my nation as a present.� The Lord Almighty then said, �One of the gifts to your nation is this: as long as they reside in the world, I will be their Helper; I will protect them from disaster and calamity and I will grant success to their good actions. I will grant them various favors. When they pray to Me, I will accept their prayers, I will protect them from what they fear and I will grant them what they desire.

��Another gift to your nation is this: When their lives come to an end, I will be their Helper. I will protect them from the wiles of Shaytan and I will give them tidings of Paradise and show them their stations within it. I will make it easy for them to draw their last breath and I will help them pass over into the Hereafter in safety.

��Another gift to your nation is this: When they are placed within their graves, I shall be their only Helper. I will release them from the darkness and oppression of the grave; I will lighten their tombs and make them spacious and wide. I will assist them in answering the questions of the angels Munkar and Nakir and I will make their tombs to be as a Garden of Paradise.

��Another gift to your nation is this: When they arise from their graves, I will be their sole Helper. I will raise them from their tombs and make them light of face and clothe them in garments from Paradise. I will help them mount upon their steeds and lead them to the site of the Gathering with an entourage of angels in a display of splendor and grace. I will spare them the terror of that Dire Day. I will lead them underneath your banner and give them to drink of the waters of the Pool of Kawthar. I will make them to be close associates and companions of the prophets, messengers, saints and martyrs and the righteous whom I have favored with a place beneath the shadow of My Divine Throne. After having been given many special favors from Paradise, their books of reckoning will be placed in their right hands, and their accounts will be made light and their scales of the balance made heavy for them. I will help them cross the Bridge of Sirat with lightness and ease and lead them into the highest gardens of Paradise in the Boundlessness of My Grace.��

May Allah Almighty gladden our hearts with these gifts, which He granted us all for the sake of His Holy Prophet Muhammad {s}, Amin! Oh Most Merciful of those who show Mercy!

�The Lord then said to me, �Oh Muhammad, of all created beings, you are the one who has reached the highest honors. On the Day of Resurrection I will give you such great honors as will stupefy the whole world with wonderment. Oh Muhammad, do you wish to behold what I have prepared for your nation?� I replied, �Oh Lord, I wish to see it, yes.� He then said, �My trusted servant, the angel Jibra�il will show it to you.�

�As soon as I returned from there, Rafraf came into view. I seated myself upon him and he carried me down. I descended as far as the Sidrat-al-Muntaha where I met with Jibra�il who said to me, �Good tidings to you, oh Muhammad {s}, for you have been chosen as the best of all Creation and the foremost of all Prophets and Messengers. The Lord Almighty has greeted and honored you as He has not honored any other created being, neither from among His Prophets or His Messengers, nor from among His Angels brought Nigh.�

�Then Jibra�il said to me, �Come with me, for I am to show you Paradise.��

[1] Friday is called jum�a, which is derived from a word denoting gathering, uniting in communal activity.

[2] Muadhdhin, more commonly rendered as muezzin, the caller of the Adhan, who calls to prayer five times a day.

[3] Khatib, the preacher of a khutba, sermon.

[4] Imam is he who leads the congregation in prayer.