the old testament – Kwagga.com

At the Year-End, Review Your Business with God

The Belief in Allah and Jihad

In the quoted verse below, Allah inquires of a business that saves from the painful torment of Hell. Then, Allah answers that inquiry and tells that it is to believe in Allah and His Messenger, and undertake Jihad in the cause of Allah. The reward is plentiful and huge; the forgiveness of sins and eternal residence in a lofty place in Paradise. Not only this but also the support of Allah and nearby victory are present. Almighty Allah says:

O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment. That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and that you strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives, that will be better for you, if you but know! (If you do so) He will forgive you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow, and pleasant dwelling in Gardens of `Adn (Eden Paradise), that is indeed the great success. * And also (He will give you) another (blessing) which you love, help from Allah (against your enemies) and a near victory. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad ) to the believers. (As-Saff 61:10-13)

Qur’an, Prayer and Charity

In Surat Fatir, God, the Almighty, talks about a group of people who opt to turn to a business that never undergo forfeit. It is the business with Allah. The commodities of this trade are obtainable by everyone who seeks the pleasure of His Lord.

The merchandises are three significant deeds, namely reciting the Qur’an, observing the obligatory and optional prayer and giving in charity for the sake of Allah. If a person presents these things, he will receive plentiful reward and extra bounty from Allah the Almighty. Allah (Exalted be He) says:

Verily, those who recite the Book of Allah (this Qur’an), and perform Prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a (sure) trade-gain that will never perish. That He may pay them their rewards in full, and give them (even) more, out of His Grace. Verily! He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (good deeds and to recompense). (Fatir 35:29-30)

Fighting in the Cause of Allah

At this time, Allah, the Almighty, makes a promise that He will give Paradise to those who fight for His sake. He states that this promise is found in the Torah, the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’an. How blessed are the fighters in the cause of Allah!!

The verse also brings good new to those who partake in that kind of business by telling them that it is the great success. Allah (Glory be to Him) says:

Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel) and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success. (At-Tawbah 9:111)

Gaining the True Benefit

The question is: What is about our business with God? Do we have one? Is it fruitful or fruitless? Did we win in this passing year? What is about our good deeds; prayer, charity, recitation of the Qur’an, and striving in the cause of Allah? Were our deeds accepted or rejected? What is about the coming year? Do we have plans to increase the good deeds, avoid misdeeds and remedy my shortcomings?

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Jesus in Islam and Other Religions

One cannot be a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus as well as all other prophets sent by God- the Qur’an names twenty-five prophets and messengers and suggests that there were many more- including Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Moses and Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

Islam considers Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, as one of the great prophets of God, worthy of respect and honor but not worship.

Muslims have the highest regard for Jesus and await his second coming. The Islamic view of Jesus is one between two extremes. The Jews rejected his prophethood and called him an impostor, while many Christians regard him as the son of God and worship him as such.

Jesus in Islam

Islam considers Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, as one of the great prophets of God, worthy of respect and honor but not worship. He was sent to confirm and renew the basic doctrine of belief in God alone and obedience to Him.

According to the Qur’an, he was born miraculously without a father:

Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: “I seek refuge from you to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if you does fear Allah.” He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a pure boy”…. (Maryam 19:16-19)

And he was not crucified but raised up to God.

(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering you and causing you to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me you will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein you used to differ. (Aal `Imran 3:55)

And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah’s messenger – they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain. But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise. (An-Nisaa’ 4:157-158)

The Qur’an attributes to him miracles that are not even mentioned in the Bible. However, Islam sees the deification of Jesus as a reversion to paganism, and the divinity of Jesus is categorically rejected within the Qur’anic text:

They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! who ascribes partners unto Allah, for him Allah has forbidden paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers. (Al-Ma’idah 5:72)

“Various” Gospels

Such doctrines as the «trinity», «divine sonship» and «atonement» are not accepted by Muslims simply because they did not originate from Prophet Jesus himself.

It is known that most of the Gospels were written by men long after the time of Jesus and that much of the New Testament was compiled from the writings of Paul and his students. Unmistakable contradictions have appeared in the various «modern,» «revised» and «amplified» versions of the Bible.

The once purely divine message conveyed by Jesus has obviously been corrupted by human input and altered through numerous translations; the original texts no longer exist.

The Gospels were written several decades after Jesus’ departure, and none of their authors had actually seen Jesus or heard him speak. Moreover, they were written in Greek whi

le Jesus spoke Aramaic. Those Gospels presently in circulation were not selected from among the others and authorized by the Church until the decisions of the ecumenical Council of Nicea in the year 325 CE.

Nevertheless, belief in the divine scripture, not in its present form but as it was originally revealed to Prophet Jesus, is an article of Islamic faith.

The final revelation from God is the only criterion by which information in previous scriptures can be evaluated. Therefore, whatever the Bible says about Jesus that agrees with the Qur’an is accepted by Muslims, and what is contrary to it is rejected as a product of human intervention.

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The article is excerpted from the book Clear Your Doubts about Islam, Compiled by Saheeh international.

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