We said that plants,
trees and fruits have spirits; just as that man has a soul and animals have
spirits. So that if a tree of 'the present World' is
cut and is dead, then its spirit will not die, but will remain alive for ever, and it will be fresh,
having a lot of branches full of fruits; its leaves won't fall and its fruits
will not be depleted; it won't need manure or water; no coldness can cause its
death, nor can any disease do that.
These ethereal trees
will go to the ether world; then every good tree will be taken by the angels to the heaven to be
one of the Paradise trees. [The good tree] is
every tree having good fruit or nice smell, like the flowery trees and aromatic
plants; so that the dwellers of Paradise will have pleasure with it, eat of its
fruits, sit in its shade and be delighted with its view.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 14: 24-25
Ãóáóãú ÊóÑó ßóíúÝó ÖóÑóÈó Çááøåõ ãóËóáÇð ßóáöãóÉð ØóíøöÈóÉð ßóÔóÌóÑÉò ØóíøöÈóÉò ÃóÕúáõåóÇ ËóÇÈöÊñ æóÝóÑúÚõåóÇ Ýöí ÇáÓøóãóÇÁ . ÊõÄúÊöí ÃõßõáóåóÇ ßõáøó Íöíäò ÈöÅöÐúäö
ÑóÈøöåóÇ æóíóÖúÑöÈõ Çááøåõ ÇáÃóãúËóÇáó áöáäøóÇÓö áóÚóáøóåõãú íóÊóÐóßøóÑõæäó
I.e. (Don't you [man]
see how God propounds a parable [about the righteous work and the goodly word?]
–– a goodly word [which man says] is like a goodly tree: its derivation is
permanent [on earth], and its derivatives are [taken] into heaven,
Giving its fruit at all
times with its Lord's leave.
God surely propounds
parables to people that they may receive admonition.)
[ The interpretation:]
>> (its derivation is permanent [on earth]) means: its origin
[or derivation or kind] is remaining on earth. He means by that the material
tree; for it is remaining on earth, and many trees branch or stem from it; that
is by seeding, pruning or trimming.
>> (and its derivatives are [taken] into heaven)
means: What ethereal trees
branch or stem from it, will go to heaven and become some of the Paradise
trees.
Among good trees is the lote tree, which is still remaining on earth till the present time,
while its derivations went to heaven to become one of the Paradise trees.
Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – saw it on his 'night
of ascension'. It is mentioned in the Quran 53: 14; that is His saying –
be glorified –
ÚöäÏó ÓöÏúÑóÉö ÇáúãõäúÊóåóì
I.e. (Near the lote-tree, at the termination [of their spiritual trip in
heavens.])
And the lote tree is also mentioned in the Quran 56: 28-29
Ýöí ÓöÏúÑò ãøóÎúÖõæÏò . æóØóáúÍò ãøóäÖõæÏò
I.e. ([They will be]
amid lot trees [the fruit of which is] obtained by striking [the lot-tree with
the stick.]
And clustered banana
bunches.)
>> (Giving its fruit at all times) means: The good ethereal trees give you the fruit
always, and it hasn't any
limited [season] time like the trees in the life of the World, which give their
fruit only at spring time.
The word ÃõßõáóåóÇ I.e. (its fruit)
means: its eaten part, which is the fruit; this is
like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 13: 35
ÃõßõáõåóÇ ÏóÂÆöãñ æöÙöáøõåóÇ
I.e. (Its food is perpetual, and [likewise] its
shade) means: Its fruits are always
present on the trees. Whereas the material lote tree, which is on the earth, gives its fruit twice
yearly: once in Spring and another time in Autumn.
The length and size of the ethereal tree is
according to how much it lived in the life of the World. So as much as it lives
[in the World], the ethereal tree will be longer, bigger and have more branches
and fruits.
For example, if a palm-tree gives its fruit five
times in five years, then the ethereal palm-tree will have five rows of
date-bunches; but when it gives its fruit ten times, then the ethereal
palm-tree [issuing from the material palm-tree] will have ten rows of
date-bunches. And so on: as much as the material palm-tree lives in the life of
the World, [the ethereal one will have as much dates accordingly], so if you go
to the ether world, you will see that
ethereal date-palm full of dates: from its lower part to its high part; for that reason, God –
be glorified – said in the Quran 69: 23
ÞõØõæÝõåóÇ ÏóÇäöíóÉñ
I.e. (The fruits whereof being near [at
hand] for culling) means: Its fruit is easy to be obtained; because:
•
whoso
has a date-palm in his palace, will take the dates from its lower part if he is
in the lower part of his palace,
but if he is in
the second floor of his palace, then he will cull the dates from its middle;
and when he is
in the higher part of his palace, then he will cull the dates from its upper
part;
and so on
wherever he is in his palace, the fruit will be near to him.
Below, is an imaginary
drawing of an ethereal date-palm, which had born for five years in the life of
the World, then it was uprooted:
An imaginary drawing of an ethereal date-palm
{An
imaginary drawing of an ethereal date-palm: had born its fruit for five years
in the life of the World, and so all its fruit remained on it in the spiritual
world}
•
Secondly,
the soul can fly without wing, and go up to the roof without ladder, and can
come down to the lower part of the palace just as how a bird comes down;
and by that,
souls are able to climb trees and take the fruits from them easily; they can
even stand on the high parts of trees like birds.
Ethereal trees will not have new fruits like our trees in the life of the World, but
only they bear their old fruits which they had borne in the life of the World,
and those fruits will remain there: neither do they putrefy, nor do they deplete or finish forever.
God – be glorified – said in the Quran 56: 27-33
æóÃóÕúÍóÇÈõ Çáúíóãöíäö ãóÇ ÃóÕúÍóÇÈõ Çáúíóãöíäö ¿ Ýöí ÓöÏúÑò ãøóÎúÖõæÏò . æóØóáúÍò ãøóäÖõæÏò .æóÙöáøò ãøóãúÏõæÏò .æóãóÇÁ ãøóÓúßõæÈò . æóÝóÇßöåóÉò
ßóËöíÑóÉò . áøóÇ ãóÞúØõæÚóÉò æóáóÇ ãóãúäõæÚóÉò
I.e. (And those
pertaining to the right[i]; what [a reward] will be [for] those pertaining
to the right!
[They will be] amid lot
trees [the fruit of which is] obtained by striking [the lot-tree with the
stick.]
And clustered banana
bunches.
And in lasting shade.
And out-powered water
[like the water-fall.]
And fruits in abundance.
Neither limited in time
nor forbidden.)
Therefore, (Neither limited in time nor
forbidden) means: That fruit does not finish from the
tree, and none will prevent them from taking it, so it is their own and they have
free hand over it.
The eating [and drinking] in the ether world is not as a nutrition to the body, but it is only for tasting and
pleasure; so that as much as man eats and drinks, he will not have indigestion;
because the food gets out of the sweat orifices of their ethereal bodies less
than an hour afterwards, in the form of sweating, and it returns back as it was
at first; for this reason, they do not urinate and do not defecate.
Hence, a fruit, which a soul eats in the
ether world, gets out of the sweat orifices of their ethereal bodies, and
becomes a fruit once again as it was at the start, and returns back to its
tree.
The bird also that souls eat will come out of
the sweat orifices of their ethereal bodies to be a bird once again and return
to its nest. As such the fish eaten by souls will an hour later come out of the
sweat orifices of their ethereal bodies and return back to the river.
Therefore, their eating and drinking is not for
the nutrition of the body, as is it to us in the life of the World, but it will
be for tasting and pleasure; and as much as they may eat, they won't have
indigestion.
For this reason, God – be glorified – said in
the Quran 77: 41-43
Åöäøó ÇáúãõÊøóÞöíäó Ýöí ÙöáóÇáò æóÚõíõæäò . æóÝóæóÇßöåó ãöãøóÇ íóÔúÊóåõæäó .ßõáõæÇ æóÇÔúÑóÈõæÇ åóäöíÆðÇ ÈöãóÇ ßõäÊõãú ÊóÚúãóáõæäó
I.e. ([Surely] those
‘who ward off [the disobedience of God]’ shall [promenade themselves] in the
shade [of the trees
of Paradise] and [shall
drink of its water] springs.
And such fruits as they desire.
[It will then be said to
them:] “Eat [of the fruits of the Garden] and drink [of its water-springs] with
good digestion as a reward for what [righteous deeds] you did [in your life of
the World.]”)
That is because they are ethereal, and their food is also ethereal; so that they will not have any indigestion how much they
may eat and drink.
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 69: 22-24
Ýöí ÌóäøóÉò ÚóÇáöíóÉò . ÞõØõæÝõåóÇ ÏóÇäöíóÉñ . ßõáõæÇ æóÇÔúÑóÈõæÇ åóäöíÆðÇ ÈöãóÇ ÃóÓúáóÝúÊõãú Ýöí ÇáúÃóíøóÇãö ÇáúÎóÇáöíóÉö
I.e. (In a lofty
Paradise [in the seven spiritual heavens.]
The fruits whereof being
near [at hand] for culling.
[Then it will be said to
them:] “Eat [of the fruits of the Garden] and drink [of its rivers] with good
digestion [in recompense] for [the righteous deeds] that you forwarded in the
days gone by.”)
Here, too, God – be glorified – said
ßõáõæÇ æóÇÔúÑóÈõæÇ
i.e. (Eat [of the fruits of the Garden] and
drink [of its rivers]), and He did
not restrict that; because it is ethereal [food], and
the ether does not cause indigestion to man.
Whereas God – be glorified – restricted the eating and
drinking in the life of the World, and said in the
Quran 7: 31
æßõáõæÇú æóÇÔúÑóÈõæÇú æóáÇó ÊõÓúÑöÝõæÇú Åöäøóåõ áÇó íõÍöÈøõ ÇáúãõÓúÑöÝöíäó
I.e. (And eat [of the wholesome and lawful food]
and drink [of the wholesome and lawful drink that does not cause drunkenness,]
but be you not prodigal [of eating and drinking because that will lead to
illness]; [God] loves not the prodigal.)
That is because the excessive eating and
drinking leads to illness. One of the Arab poets said that:
"Three things are
much harmful to people, and make a healthy person ill;
they
are: the continuous wine drinking [ i.e. indulgence in alcohol],
and
the excessive sexual intercourses, and ingesting food over food."
As regards the 'goodly' word; it is to mention God with praise and
celebration, and to defend Him.
>> To mention God with praise; it is like saying:
No god but God,
God is Most Great,
Thanks to God,
Praise is due to God,
Glory be to God, and so on.
>> Whereas to defend God;
it is like rebuking someone who blames or censures God, and you will reply and
rebuke him. If you hear a person deny God, or speak badly about God, then you
must rebuke and beat him; in order that he will not repeat such words again;
but if you cannot rebuke or beat him, then tell the police-office about him, so
that they will bring him to judgment, and the judge will rebuke and imprison
him; and don't say that this matter does not concern me; it does really concern
you and concern every person who hears by his ears, and you must enjoin
righteousness and forbid evil.
But shouldn't you forbid
any folk from their bad deed, while you see that with your eyes, then you will
participate with them in their deed; and if you do not rebuke a disbeliever,
then you will participate with him in his disbelief;
for God – be glorified – rebuked a folk of the
Children of Israel, when He said in the Quran 5: 79
ßóÇäõæÇú áÇó íóÊóäóÇåóæúäó Úóä ãøõäßóÑò ÝóÚóáõæåõ áóÈöÆúÓó ãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇú íóÝúÚóáõæäó
I.e. (Nor did they [:
Children of Israel] forbid one another the iniquities which they committed:
evil indeed were the deeds which they used to do.)
So you must defend God; as does He defend you.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 22: 38
Åöäøó Çááøóåó íõÏóÇÝöÚõ Úóäö ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ Åöäøó Çááøóåó áóÇ íõÍöÈøõ ßõáøó ÎóæøóÇäò ßóÝõæÑò
I.e. (God will defend
those who believe [and help them against the disbelievers]; surely, God loves
not any who is perfidious, ungrateful.)
So the rebuke and
preventing the disbeliever and blasphemer from his disbelief and blasphemy
is the 'goodly'
word that you speak, then the
angels will take it up to heaven and write it down in the 'Preserved Tablet';
so that it will remain for ever; and whenever an
angel passes there, he will read it, so you will have a good fame or reputation
in heaven, and it will be said that this is the man who defended God.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 35: 10
Åöáóíúåö íóÕúÚóÏõ Çáúßóáöãõ ÇáØøóíøöÈõ æóÇáúÚóãóáõ ÇáÕøóÇáöÍõ íóÑúÝóÚõåõ
I.e. (Good words go up
to Him [to be written in the Preserved Tablet in heaven], and He takes up the
righteous deed [to the ethereal heavens or the paradises].)
Therefore, such are the
'good words'.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 83: 20-21
ßöÊóÇÈñ ãøóÑúÞõæãñ . íóÔúåóÏõåõ ÇáúãõÞóÑøóÈõæäó
I.e. (20- A scripture
with numbers [: Book of Levites: chapter 26]
21- Those brought close
[to God, in Paradise] are [now] witnessing [this prosperous station.])
It means: The angels,
who are brought close, see it.
The 'good word' yields
good, to the one who utters it, just as that the tree produces fruit. So, this
is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 14: 24
ßóáöãóÉð ØóíøöÈóÉð ßóÔóÌóÑÉò ØóíøöÈóÉò
I.e. (A goodly word
[which man says] is like a goodly tree.)
Question 19 You say that Paradise is
ethereal, and it is the soul that enters Paradise, not the body; then what is
the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 43: 71
æóÝöíåóÇ ãóÇ ÊóÔúÊóåöíåö ÇáúÃóäÝõÓõ æóÊóáóÐøõ ÇáúÃóÚúíõäõ
I.e. (Therein[ii] shall be whatever [food, drink and others that]
souls desire, and glands [of the mouth][iii] taste delicious.)
Isn't the 'eye'[iv] one of the body organs?
Answer: God – be glorified – did not mean by the
Arabic word ÃóÚúíõä the two eyes of man, but He meant by
that the glands which are in the mouth of man, which secrete fluids; and these
are the origin of taste and pleasure [of food]; and it is not that the taste
and pleasure of food is by the eyes but by the mouth[1].
Bad or evil trees
are those having thorns, without fruit that can be eaten, having a foul
smell and do not provide shade to the one sitting under them, in addition to
the thorn that they have.
Such trees remain on the
earth, and the angels do not raise their spirits to the heaven; so that if the
wind blows they will be taken off from their insertions, i.e. uprooted, and will be pushed to where the
wind moves, and will be destroyed and fall on the ground carried with the winds
from place to place, having no rest; so that you may see a branch here and a
branch there; and you see a tree behind this wall and another behind that
curtain, while another one might be between the mountains, which keep them from
the winds.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 14: 26
æóãóËáõ ßóáöãóÉò ÎóÈöíËóÉò ßóÔóÌóÑóÉò ÎóÈöíËóÉò ÇÌúÊõËøóÊú ãöä ÝóæúÞö ÇáÃóÑúÖö ãóÇ áóåóÇ ãöä ÞóÑóÇÑò
I.e. (And the parable of
an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from [the garden on the mountain
which was] over the earth, having no stability.)
[The interpretation:]
>> (uprooted from over the earth) means: the wind uproot them from their insertion; and they are the
ethereal bad trees;
while as regards
the material one, it was uprooted by our
father Adam after he had eaten of
its fruit, and it was the cause of his disobedience and his coming down from
the garden, which was on a mountain, to the plain land; it was the blackberry tree.
>> (having no stability) means: It goes from one
place to another; because the winds carry and cast it in the depressions and
between the mountains.
Some photographers found, in their films, some photographs of trees or branches that
were picked by their cameras, by chance and without being aware of them, in places where there were no
trees.
This may take place when the light given to the
film is very little, so that the film comes out without the picture of the man
in front of the camera, but – instead – the photographer will find a picture of
a tree or a branch of a tree in spite of that the place is devoid of trees[v], but he doesn't know the reason for that, and
does not understand that there are ethereal trees which are unseen by the
living beings, but that the cameras pick them by chance, in spite of that some
people are not aware about the existence of the ethereal trees.
A photograph of an ethereal branch has been
picked by the camera of a photographer at Hilla [in
Iraq], and that was in one of his house rooms.
[N.B. The interpreter, may God’s mercy be on his soul, gave me the
photograph of an ethereal branch, then he took it back when he intended to
publish the third edition of his Arabic book: Man after Death. So this
photograph is not available with me now – The translator.]
It is narrated that Hajjaj
[: a governor of Iraq, in the Umayyad era] asked Ali, the son of Hussein, about
Paradise dwellers: is it right that they do not sleep, neither do they pass
urine nor do they pass bowel motion?
He answered: 'Yes.'
Hajjaj said: 'Tell me about something similar to it in the life of the
World.'
He answered: 'The fetus
inside his mother's womb: eats of the same that his mother eats and drinks; but
he does not urinate or pass bowel motion.'
Question
20 You say that Paradise is ethereal, not material. Then what's the
meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 39: 74
æóÞóÇáõæÇ ÇáúÍóãúÏõ áöáøóåö ÇáøóÐöí ÕóÏóÞóäóÇ æóÚúÏóåõ æóÃóæúÑóËóäóÇ ÇáúÃóÑúÖó äóÊóÈóæøóÃõ ãöäó ÇáúÌóäøóÉö ÍóíúËõ äóÔóÇÁ ÝóäöÚúãó ÃóÌúÑõ ÇáúÚóÇãöáöíäó
I.e. (And they shall
say, 'Praise be to God, Who has fulfilled His promise to us and has made us
inherit[vi] the [ethereal product of the] earth! We choose
for ourselves [a place and a settlement] in Paradise[vii] wherever we please; how excellent a wage for
workers[viii].)
Then if Paradise is
really in the heaven, and that it is ethereal; then what's
the meaning of His saying – be glorified –
æóÃóæúÑóËóäóÇ ÇáúÃóÑúÖó
I.e. (and has made us
inherit the [ethereal product of the] earth)?
Answer: We said that the plant, trees, fruits and
animals, all of that have spirits, just as that man has a soul; and if a tree
dies then its spirit will go to the ether world, and there it will be a tree,
and there will be fruit on it as it was in the life of the World, but the fruit
there does not putrefy, and does not deplete; because it is ethereal.
Therefore, Paradise is the
product of the earth, so that His saying – be
glorified –
æóÃóæúÑóËóäóÇ ÇáúÃóÑúÖó
I.e. (and has made us
inherit the [ethereal product of the] earth) means: And has given us, as
inheritance, that which had been produced from the earth, i.e. what the earth
had left behind.
This is like His saying –
be glorified – in the Quran 23: 10-11
ÃõæúáóÆößó åõãõ ÇáúæóÇÑöËõæäó . ÇáøóÐöíäó íóÑöËõæäó ÇáúÝöÑúÏóæúÓó åõãú ÝöíåóÇ ÎóÇáöÏõæäó
I.e. (These will be the
heirs.
Who will inherit
Paradise, to dwell therein forever.)
It means: They will
inherit what fruits, palaces and other things belonged to the associaters and
idolaters in the life of the World, and that will be for believers as an
inheritance for them in the Next Life.
The indication of this
is the saying of God – be glorified – while telling the story of Moses and
Pharaoh, in the Quran 20: 49-50
ÞóÇáó Ýóãóä ÑøóÈøõßõãóÇ íóÇ ãõæÓóì ¿ ÞóÇáó ÑóÈøõäóÇ ÇáøóÐöí ÃóÚúØóì ßõáøó ÔóíúÁò ÎóáúÞóåõ Ëõãøó åóÏóì
I.e. ([Pharaoh] said: “O
Moses, who, then, is the Lord of both of you[ix]?”
50- [Moses] said:
"Our Lord is He Who gives to every [material] thing [whether it is plant,
animal or man] its [ethereal] form [: the spirit, which is identical to its
shape], then He guides [it to its livelihood and the means of getting
it.]")
[ The interpretation:]
>> (gives to every [material] thing [whether it is
plant, animal or man] its [ethereal] form) means: He gives to everything of the
plant, animal and man its picture which is according to its shape, and He means
by that the ethereal soul [or
spirit] which is an image [or true copy] of the body.
Therefore, the
word ÔóíúÁ i.e. 'thing' is said as regards to the
matter.
The meaning: He gives,
to every living body, its life by introducing the spirit into it; so that it
becomes alive.
>> (“then He guides [it to its livelihood and the means of getting
it.]”) means: Then He guides it to the affairs of its daily life, and how it
can obtain its sustenance; so that He guides the animal with the instinct, and
guides man with the intelligence and mind.
Therefore, each material
creature has an ethereal picture [or form or image], which is exactly similar
to it or identical with it. In like manner, are inanimate objects like
utensils, clothes, furniture and so on; [they also have spirits identical to
them in shape and properties.]
As regards the earth, it
will not remain as it is, so that believers will inherit it, but on Judgment Day the earth will tear up and
become meteorites; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran
89: 21
ßóáøóÇ ÅöÐóÇ ÏõßøóÊö ÇáúÃóÑúÖõ ÏóßøðÇ ÏóßøðÇ
I.e. (Not at all, but
when the earth is demolished and become many pieces.)
It means: It will be destroyed and cut up into many
pieces.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 50: 44
íóæúãó ÊóÔóÞøóÞõ ÇáúÃóÑúÖõ Úóäúåõãú ÓöÑóÇÚðÇ Ðóáößó ÍóÔúÑñ ÚóáóíúäóÇ íóÓöíÑñ
I.e. (On the day when
the earth will split up [and part] off them, hastening forth [they will come.]
That will be a
"gathering-together", quite easy for Us [to
make.])
Question
21 Then what is the meaning of His saying – be
glorified – in the Quran 57: 21
ÓóÇÈöÞõæÇ Åöáóì ãóÛúÝöÑóÉò ãøöä ÑøóÈøößõãú æóÌóäøóÉò ÚóÑúÖõåóÇ ßóÚóÑúÖö ÇáÓøóãóÇÁ æóÇáúÃóÑúÖö ÃõÚöÏøóÊú áöáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ ÈöÇááøóåö æóÑõÓõáöåö
I.e. (Race[x] [with each other] for forgiveness from your
Lord and [for] a Garden the extent of which [in the space] is equal to the
extent of the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believe in God and
His messengers)?
Answer:
It means: Its extent is like the extent of the planets
as much as they are widely ‘scattered and extended’ in the space.
This is similar to His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 3: 133
æóÓóÇÑöÚõæÇú Åöáóì ãóÛúÝöÑóÉò ãøöä ÑøóÈøößõãú æóÌóäøóÉò ÚóÑúÖõåóÇ ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊõ æóÇáÃóÑúÖõ ÃõÚöÏøóÊú áöáúãõÊøóÞöíäó
I.e. ([Vie with one
another] and hurry to [have] forgiveness from your Lord [by giving alms] and
[to enter] a Garden, whose extent is [like the extent] of the heavens and the
earth, prepared for those who ward off [the disobedience of God.])
The 'heavens' means: the
planets. The meaning: Its extent is equal to the extent of the planets, as
widely as they are ‘scattered and extended’ in the space.
>> (whose extent) means: Its size and extent.
[This also is the
meaning of the word in the Arab poetry, some of which is mentioned by
Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in
his Arabic book.]
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 2: 255
æóÓöÚó ßõÑúÓöíøõåõ ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊö æóÇáÃóÑúÖó
I.e. ([The extent of] His "chair"
equals [the vast extent of] the heavens and the earth [: the planets and the
earth.])
Therefore, the ethereal
Paradises are the chair of the Lord of Glory, and the "Throne" is
over them; the meaning is: The size and extent of the 'Chair' is like the
extent of the planets as much as they are widely scattered in the space.
[Jesus Christ
was not crucified; he died normally and his spirit went up to heaven]
Question
22 If the heavens were ethereal, then how did
the Christ ascend up to heaven?
Answer: His ethereal soul ascended to heaven, while his body remained on
the earth.
The explanation of that
is:
When the Jews intended
to kill Jesus Christ, God [confounded them and] made a man similar to the
Christ; so they took that man and crucified him. While Jesus Christ escaped
from them, and went to a hill [in Syria], then his mother followed him there,
and they stayed on that hill worshipping God - be glorified.
Then a period of time
later, Jesus Christ died on that hill; so his ethereal soul ascended up to
heaven, while his body was buried on that hill.
The indication of that
is the saying of God – be glorified – in the Quran 23: 50
æóÌóÚóáúäóÇ ÇÈúäó ãóÑúíóãó æóÃõãøóåõ ÂíóÉð æóÂæóíúäóÇåõãóÇ Åöáóì ÑóÈúæóÉò ÐóÇÊö ÞóÑóÇÑò æóãóÚöíäò
I.e. (And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign[xi]; and [after the incident of the crucifixion] We
gave them shelter[xii] on a height [: a place in Syria] with small water-springs and a flowing
water-stream.)
[ Its interpretation:]
The ÑÈæÉ is
a place higher than the level of the ground, and there were a water-spring, plants and trees on it; for this reason, God – be
glorified – described it by His saying:
ÐóÇÊö
ÞóÑóÇÑò æóãóÚöíä
I.e. ([a place in Syria] with small water-springs and a flowing
water-stream.)
However, I have fully explained this Quranic revelation, in my
book ‘The Quran Interpretation’, and in my book The
Conflict between the Torah and the Quran
The indication
that Jesus Christ died, is the saying of God – be
glorified – in the Quran 5: 116-118 – addressing the soul of Jesus Christ when
he was in heaven:
æóÅöÐú ÞóÇáó Çááøåõ íóÇ ÚöíÓóì ÇÈúäó ãóÑúíóãó ÃóÃóäÊó ÞõáÊó áöáäøóÇÓö ÇÊøóÎöÐõæäöí æóÃõãøöíó Åöáóåóíúäö ãöä Ïõæäö Çááøåö ÞóÇáó ÓõÈúÍóÇäóßó ãóÇ íóßõæäõ áöí Ãóäú ÃóÞõæáó ãóÇ áóíúÓó áöí ÈöÍóÞøò Åöä ßõäÊõ ÞõáúÊõåõ ÝóÞóÏú ÚóáöãúÊóåõ ÊóÚúáóãõ ãóÇ Ýöí äóÝúÓöí æóáÇó ÃóÚúáóãõ ãóÇ Ýöí äóÝúÓößó Åöäøóßó ÃóäÊó ÚóáÇøóãõ ÇáúÛõíõæÈö .ãóÇ ÞõáúÊõ áóåõãú ÅöáÇøó ãóÇ ÃóãóÑúÊóäöí Èöåö Ãóäö ÇÚúÈõÏõæÇú
Çááøåó ÑóÈøöí æóÑóÈøóßõãú æóßõäÊõ Úóáóíúåöãú ÔóåöíÏðÇ ãøóÇ ÏõãúÊõ Ýöíåöãú
ÝóáóãøóÇ ÊóæóÝøóíúÊóäöí ßõäÊó ÃóäÊó ÇáÑøóÞöíÈó Úóáóíúåöãú æóÃóäÊó Úóáóì ßõáøö
ÔóíúÁò ÔóåöíÏñ . Åöä ÊõÚóÐøöÈúåõãú ÝóÅöäøóåõãú
ÚöÈóÇÏõßó æóÅöä ÊóÛúÝöÑú áóåõãú ÝóÅöäøóßó ÃóäÊó ÇáúÚóÒöíÒõ ÇáúÍóßöíãõ .
I.e. (And [keep in mind]
when God said [to Jesus after his death and ascending to heaven], 'Jesus, son
of Mary! Is it you who said to people: take me and my mother as two gods, apart
from God?' [Jesus] said: "To Thee be glory! I
haven't the right to say what I have no right to. If I had said it Thou would
have known it; Thou know what is in myself but I know
not what is in Thyself; it is Thou Who knows unknown secrets."
"I never told them
save what You had commanded me [saying] – 'Worship God, my Lord and your Lord',
and I was a witness of them so long as I was [alive] among them; but when You
took me [after death] to Yourself, You were the Watcher over them; for You are
the Witnessing of everything."
"If You should punish them, they are Your servants; but if You
should forgive them, surely You are the All-Mighty [and] the Most Wise.")
Therefore, the saying of
Jesus Christ: (But when You took me [after death] to
Yourself) means: But when You caused my death.
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 3: 55, addressing the Christ before his death:
ÅöÐú ÞóÇáó Çááøåõ íóÇ ÚöíÓóì Åöäøöí ãõÊóæóÝøöíßó æóÑóÇÝöÚõßó Åáóíøó
I.e. (And when God said,
'O Jesus, I will make you die and take you [to Me] and
raise you up to Me)
The meaning: I will cause your death, and raise your soul
to Me.
The word æÝÇÉ means the death in Arabic; the indication of
that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 240
æóÇáøóÐöíäó íõÊóæóÝøóæúäó ãöäßõãú æóíóÐóÑõæäó ÃóÒúæóÇÌðÇ æóÕöíøóÉð áøöÃóÒúæóÇÌöåöã
I.e. (And those among you
who [die and their souls] are taken back [to their Lord]; leaving wives
[behind], they should [before their death] bequeath to their wives)
The interpretation:
Those among you that are about to die, must bequeath for their wives that they
should be given sustenance for a whole year.
The indication
that the Christ was not
crucified, but that a man similar
to him was crucified, is that his disciples saw him three days after the crucifixion, they spoke to him and he spoke to them.
This is mentioned in the Gospel, according to
Matthew, chapter 28:
"16- And the eleven disciples went into
Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17- And seeing him they adored; but some
doubted."
Moreover, it is mentioned in Luke's Gospel,
chapter 24
"36 While they were talking about this,
Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be
to you."
37 They were startled and terrified, thinking
they were seeing a ghost.
38 He said to them, "Why are you
frightened, and why are doubts arising in your hearts?
39 Look at my hands and my feet, for it is I
myself. Touch me and see, for a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones as you see
that I have."
40 After he had said this, he showed them his
hands and his feet.
41 While they still could not believe it for joy
and were full of amazement, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to
eat?"
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
"
[The night
journey of Prophet Mohammed and his ascension to heaven]
Question 23 If the heavens were
ethereal, then how did Prophet Mohammed – salam to him
– go to the heaven on the night of the 'ascension'?
Answer:
His ethereal soul
ascended to the heaven; while his body was sleeping in his bed; for it is mentioned in a book called 'The Ascension' that the prophet – salam to him – went with
Gabriel [from Mecca] to Jerusalem, and there he met the prophets, greeted them
and led them in prayer at Jerusalem.
Then he ascended with
Gabriel to the heavens, and led the angels in prayer in each heaven, till he
reached the seventh heaven.
I say that the prophets
went, by their death, from the material world to the ethereal world, and they
became ethereal souls; and souls cannot be seen by the living material beings.
In addition to that, angels are ethereal creatures whom people cannot see save
under certain conditions. Thirdly, man cannot ascend to heaven with his
material body. For this reason, the 'ascension' took place at night.
Moreover, it is narrated
from Aisha, mother of the believers, [the wife of the Prophet] that she said:
"By God, the body of God's messengers, salam to
him, did not go, but only he ascended with his spirit.' It is also narrated
from Muawiah, a similar tradition.
1) God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 17: 1
ÓõÈúÍóÇäó ÇáøóÐöí ÃóÓúÑóì ÈöÚóÈúÏöåö áóíúáÇð ãøöäó ÇáúãóÓúÌöÏö ÇáúÍóÑóÇãö Åöáóì ÇáúãóÓúÌöÏö ÇáÃóÞúÕóì ÇáøóÐöí ÈóÇÑóßúäóÇ Íóæúáóåõ áöäõÑöíóåõ ãöäú ÂíóÇÊöäóÇ Åöäøóåõ åõæó
ÇáÓøóãöíÚõ ÇáÈóÕöíÑõ
I.e. (Glorified be [God]
Who took His servant [Mohammed] in a journey by night from the Inviolable
Mosque [at Mecca] to the Remote Mosque [: the Aqsa mosque at Jerusalem], the
precinct of which We have blessed [with much trees and fruits], to show [Mohammed,
some] of His signs [in the ether world.]
Surely [God] is the
All-Hearing [of the prayer of His servant Mohammed], the All-Seeing.)
The 'Inviolable Mosque'
means the Ka’aba at Mecca; while the 'Remote Mosque'
is at Jerusalem.
Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – was taken into a night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem; and he was actually taken into such a journey
at night; because the soul is annoyed by the noise, and avoids the light,
specially the sun-light. For this reason, he went into his travel at night;
because people were sleeping, sounds were low, movements were calm and the sun
had set off; so that the time was suitable for his journey to Jerusalem, and
then for his ascension to the
heavens accompanied by Gabriel; because he had become an
ethereal creature like his companion.
And because the
ascension was with the ethereal soul, he was able to see the prophets and lead
them in prayer to God, and he was able to see Gabriel, and was able to ascend
with him to the ethereal heavens, and was able to see the angels and talk with
them, and so on of what was narrated from Prophet Mohammed – salam to him.
2) God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 53: 1-18
æóÇáäøóÌúãö ÅöÐóÇ åóæóì . ãóÇ Öóáøó ÕóÇÍöÈõßõãú æóãóÇ Ûóæóì . æóãóÇ íóäØöÞõ Úóäö Çáúåóæóì .Åöäú åõæó ÅöáøóÇ æóÍúíñ íõæÍóì . Úóáøóãóåõ ÔóÏöíÏõ ÇáúÞõæóì . Ðõæ ãöÑøóÉò ÝóÇÓúÊóæóì .æóåõæó ÈöÇáúÃõÝõÞö ÇáúÃóÚúáóì . Ëõãøó ÏóäóÇ ÝóÊóÏóáøóì .ÝóßóÇäó ÞóÇÈó ÞóæúÓóíúäö Ãóæú ÃóÏúäóì . ÝóÃóæúÍóì Åöáóì ÚóÈúÏöåö ãóÇ ÃóæúÍóì .ãóÇ
ßóÐóÈó ÇáúÝõÄóÇÏõ ãóÇ ÑóÃóì .ÃóÝóÊõãóÇÑõæäóåõ Úóáóì ãóÇ íóÑóì .æóáóÞóÏú ÑóÂåõ äóÒúáóÉðÃõÎúÑóì .ÚöäÏó ÓöÏúÑóÉö ÇáúãõäúÊóåóì .ÚöäÏóåóÇ ÌóäøóÉõ ÇáúãóÃúæóì
. ÅöÐú íóÛúÔóì ÇáÓøöÏúÑóÉó ãóÇ íóÛúÔóì . ãóÇ ÒóÇÛó ÇáúÈóÕóÑõ æóãóÇ ØóÛóì . áóÞóÏú ÑóÃóì ãöäú ÂíóÇÊö ÑóÈøöåö ÇáúßõÈúÑóì
I.e. (1- [I swear] by
the [tailed] star [: the comet] when it will fall down [upon the earth!]
2- Your companion
[Mohammed] has neither misled nor deceived [anyone],
3- Nor does [Mohammed]
speak out of [his own] desire.
4- It is only a
revelation [from God], revealed [to him by means of Gabriel.]
5- [Mohammed] is taught
by [Gabriel: an angel] mighty in power.
6- To whom
is referred [by angels, prophets and messengers or apostles] for consultation[xiii]. And
[Mohammed] became similar to, and together with, [Gabriel.]
7- When he [: Gabriel]
was at the high horizon [in the atmosphere of the earth, teaching Mohammed some
religious instructions.]
8- Then [Mohammed] drew
near [to the Throne, to which he] was guided [by Gabriel.]
9- And he was at [a
distance of] two [opposing] bows [from the Throne], or [even] nearer [in case
the bows were small in size.]
10- And He revealed to
His servant [Mohammed] what He revealed [to the messengers before him.]
11- The ‘[spiritual]
heart’ [of Mohammed] lied not [to you, people,] concerning what [signs and
marvels] he saw [in the ethereal heavens.]
12- Will you then
dispute with him concerning what [portents] he saw?
13- And surely [Gabriel]
taught [Mohammed] yet another time while descending [from the seventh to the
first heaven.]
14- Near the lote-tree, at the termination [of their spiritual trip in
heavens.]
15- Near to which is the
Garden of Refuge.
16- When the lote-tree was enshrouded in [lights] that overwhelmed [the
eye sight.]
17- The eye-sight [of
Mohammed] deviated not, nor yet did it wander beyond [his goal.]
18- For truly [Mohammed]
saw [in heavens] the greatest of the signs of his Lord.)
The interpretation:
>> ([I swear] by the [tailed] star [: the comet]
when it will fall down [upon the earth!]) means: I swear by comets when they will
fall down on the earth.
This,
actually, is a threatening oath. This Quranic revelation had been interpreted
in my book The Universe and the Quran
>> (Your companion [Mohammed] has neither misled
nor deceived [anyone]) means: Mohammed did not go astray from the path of the
truth; neither did he misguide anyone, with his preaching and religious way.
That is because the associaters said, as it is mentioned in the Quran 25: 42
Åöä ßóÇÏó áóíõÖöáøõäóÇ Úóäú ÂáöåóÊöäóÇ áóæúáóÇ Ãóä ÕóÈóÑúäóÇ ÚóáóíúåóÇ
I.e. (“He [: Mohammed is
a misguided one, who] would have misled us away from [the worship of] our gods,
had we not been steadfast to them.")
>> (Nor does [Mohammed] speak out of [his
own] desire) means: What Quran and religious law Mohammed said, had not been
taught to him by people; because the associaters said, as it is mentioned in
the Quran 16:
103
ÅöäøóãóÇ íõÚóáøöãõåõ ÈóÔóÑñ
I.e. (Only a man teaches
him.)
>> ([Mohammed] is taught by [Gabriel: an
angel] mighty in power.)
This is a description of
Gabriel that he is mighty in power,
as did He describe him, too, in the Quran 81:
19-21
Åöäøóåõ áóÞóæúáõ ÑóÓõæáò ßóÑöíãò .Ðöí ÞõæøóÉò ÚöäÏó Ðöí ÇáúÚóÑúÔö ãóßöíäò . ãõØóÇÚò Ëóãøó Ãóãöíäò
I.e. (That the [Quran]
is the utterance of an honorable messenger [: Gabriel.]
Endowed with power,
and is ‘authorized and supported’ by [God:] the Lord of the Throne.
Obeyed [by angels,
messengers and prophets], and moreover trusty [concerning the message.])
>> ([Mohammed] is taught by [Gabriel: an angel]
mighty in power) means: Gabriel
taught Mohammed the Quran and the Islamic law.
>> (To whom is referred [by angels, prophets and
messengers or apostles] for consultation) means: He is a consultant, whom angels consult in their affairs, as do prophets consult in
their mission; because of his intelligence, brilliant mind and his high rank.
[This also is the
meaning of the word in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali
Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic
book.]
>> (And [Mohammed] became similar to, and together
with, [Gabriel.]) means: Mohammed
became equal to Gabriel in the kind, and the ascending up to heaven on the 'night
of the ascension', i.e. they became of
the same kind; because Mohammed ascended with his ethereal soul, and as such
was Gabriel also an ethereal creature; and that they ascended together to
heaven.
>> (Then [Mohammed] drew near [to the Throne, to which
he] was guided [by Gabriel]) means: Gabriel was at some height of the earth's
atmosphere, when he was teaching Mohammed the religious instructions.
[This also is the
meaning of the word in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by
Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in
his Arabic book.]
So: (Then [Mohammed] drew near [to the Throne of the Lord])
means: Mohammed then approached the Throne.
And: ([to which he] was guided [by Gabriel]) means: Gabriel
guided him to it.
>> (And he was at [a distance of] two [opposing] bows [from the
Throne], or [even] nearer [in case the bows were small in size.])
>> (And He revealed to His servant [Mohammed] what He revealed
[to the messengers before him.])
>> (The ‘[spiritual] heart’ [of Mohammed] lied not
[to you, people,] concerning what [signs and marvels] he saw [in the ethereal
heavens])
It means: The
[spiritual] heart of Mohammed did not unbelieve what
signs and surprises he saw in the ethereal heavens on the night of his
'ascension', and he did not doubt about what he saw; because it was
inscribed [and fixed] in his memory.
>> (Will
you then dispute with him concerning what [portents] he saw?)
>> (And surely [Gabriel] taught [Mohammed] yet
another time while descending [from the seventh to the first heaven.] Near the lote-tree, at
the termination [of their spiritual trip in heavens])
It means: At the end of
their tour in heavens, and that was near that lote-tree,
which was an ethereal tree and its fruit is the lote-fruit.
>> (Near to which is the Garden of Refuge) means:
Near that lote-tree, there is the Paradise of Refuge, to which souls of prophets, saints, martyrs
and the righteous will go, in the Barzakh world, and have shelter and dwelling
there. It is the lowermost
layer of the seven heavens,
and it is not the Paradise of 'Everlasting', into which they will be admitted
on Judgment Day.
For this reason, God –
be glorified – said in the Quran 55: 46
æóáöãóäú ÎóÇÝó ãóÞóÇãó ÑóÈøöåö ÌóäøóÊóÇäö
I.e. (But such as fears
the majesty of his Lord, for him shall be two Gardens – [: the Garden of Refuge
and the Garden of Everlasting.])
It means: He will be admitted into the first Paradise in
the Barzakh world or the afterlife, and he will be admitted into the second
Paradise on Judgment Day.
>> (When the lote-tree
was enshrouded in [lights] that overwhelmed [the eye sight.])
>> (The eye-sight [of Mohammed] deviated not, nor
yet did it wander beyond [his goal.]) means: His sight didn't deviate from what
he was to see, and did not go far from it. In other words: Mohammed was only
looking forward, and did not look right and left; and that was an act of
politeness and as a glorification to his Lord.
>> (For truly [Mohammed] saw) in heaven (the
greatest of the signs of his Lord) It means: He saw the throne of his Lord; because the
throne is the greatest sign in the heavens;
the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 23: 86
Þõáú ãóä ÑøóÈøõ ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊö ÇáÓøóÈúÚö æóÑóÈøõ ÇáúÚóÑúÔö ÇáúÚóÙöíãö ¿
I.e. (Say[xiv], 'Who is the Lord[xv] of the seven [ethereal] heavens, and the Lord
of the Throne [of Glory] Supreme?')
A man named Abbas Al-Abdali, who dwelt at the Asshar
quarter in Basra[xvi], once became ill and was about to die; he
fainted, and his ethereal soul got out of his body, at night time; his soul
made a tour, then returned back to his body.
Afterwards, he restored
his health, and arranged a poem in Arabic, in which he told his story and
incidence. That was in the year 1325 A.H. [or 1907 AD. The poem is written in
the Arabic edition of the book, and is very nice and composed of 42 poetic
verses.]
Man wishes to lead a
good life, and to be in continuous prosperity; so that you see him work and
toil to get what he desires.
The young man, for example, works day and night and bothers
himself to obtain some money with which he may live in his elderly.
And the student studies
day and night and bothers himself and his mind for eleven years [or eighteen
years] or more to secure his future, as for to get an employment by which he
gets a salary that may suffice him.
However, what is the
period of time which man wants to secure his life during it!? Will it be ten
thousand years? No.
Will it be five thousand
years? No.
Then, how long will it
be that period for which man works and bothers himself?
It may be seventy years,
and that may be very much; or it may be fifty or less than that.
I knew a young man, who
was serious in his learning; he completed the primary school, the secondary
school and the college [in the university], but after all these worries and
efforts, and of being vigil at night so frequently; his hour of death
appointment came on him and he died, while he did not get any salary, not of
one month even; so he lost his life of the World, neither did he gain his Next
Life; because he didn't pray [the daily prayers], didn't fast [during Ramadan
month], and didn't hold fast with the religion; so had he worked for his Next
Life, even though it be a quarter of his work for his Worldly life, then he
would have lived a good life in his Next Life; but he neglected about his next
Life, and held fast with his Worldly life; therefore, he lost them both.
I say: Isn't
it more logical that man should work for his Next Life, to secure
for himself a delightful future and a happy life? Isn't it more logical
that man should offer what he has for his everlasting life, during
which he will live for thousands and millions of years, when he will not die
neither will he become old?
Therefore, every wise man should offer what he has [in this life of
the World] for his Next Life, and should do, here, what will benefit him
in his next everlasting life [in the world of souls following his death], in
order that he may secure for himself a happy future, and be at rest in that
world, where he will soon go, and he may meet there his wife and sons, and live
there a happy life.
[The Religion Should Exclusively
Be Devoted to God Alone]
Question 24 What should we do in the
present life of the World; in order to secure for ourselves a [good] future in
the Next Life, so as to live a good and happy life [there]?
Answer: Firstly and prior to anything else, you
should avoid associating
anything or anyone with God;
i.e. to be a monotheist, not a polytheist or associater;
because the prayer, fasting, [charity and
righteousness] of the polytheist [and the associate or the one associating
others with God] will not be accepted from him whatever charity and
righteousness he might have done;
1) God – be glorified – said in the Quran 25:
23
æóÞóÏöãúäóÇ Åöáóì ãóÇ ÚóãöáõæÇ ãöäú Úóãóáò ÝóÌóÚóáúäóÇåõ åóÈóÇÁ ãøóäËõæÑðÇ
I.e. (And We shall turn to the [righteous] work [which the
associaters] did, and We shall make it [as] scattered dust.)
It means: They will not
be rewarded according to their righteous deeds, but such deeds will go the way
of the winds, just like how the scattered [dust] particles go in the space;
that is because they associated, with God, other than Him in their worship.
2) God – be glorified – said in the Quran 14: 18
ãøóËóáõ ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇú ÈöÑóÈøöåöãú ÃóÚúãóÇáõåõãú ßóÑóãóÇÏò ÇÔúÊóÏøóÊú Èöåö ÇáÑøöíÍõ Ýöí íóæúãò ÚóÇÕöÝò áÇøó íóÞúÏöÑõæäó ãöãøóÇ ßóÓóÈõæÇú Úóáóì ÔóíúÁò Ðóáößó åõæó
ÇáÖøóáÇóáõ ÇáúÈóÚöíÏõ
I.e. (The likeness, of
those who blaspheme about their Lord, [concerning the consequences of their
righteous acts] is that:
Their [righteous] acts
are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous day [so that
it scatters on the land surface]:
No power
have they over [obtaining] anything [of their acts] that they have
earned [because of being associaters]:
That [association with
God] is [in fact] the straying, faraway [from the truth.])
3) Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 5: 72
Åöäøóåõ ãóä íõÔúÑößú ÈöÇááøåö ÝóÞóÏú ÍóÑøóãó Çááøåõ Úóáóíåö ÇáúÌóäøóÉó æóãóÃúæóÇåõ ÇáäøóÇÑõ
I.e. (Surely, whoso
associates [anyone] with God, God has forbidden him Paradise, and his resort
will be the Fire.)
4) In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 4: 48
Åöäøó Çááøåó áÇó íóÛúÝöÑõ Ãóä íõÔúÑóßó Èöåö æóíóÛúÝöÑõ ãóÇ Ïõæäó Ðóáößó áöãóä íóÔóÇÁ æóãóä íõÔúÑößú ÈöÇááøåö ÝóÞóÏö ÇÝúÊóÑóì ÅöËúãðÇ ÚóÙöíãðÇ
I.e. (God does not
forgive that anything should be associated with Him, but forgives anything
short of that, to whomsoever He pleases.
Whoso associates
[anything] with God, he has indeed invented a great sin. )
Question
25 We are a people [following] the heavenly
scripture [: Christians and Jews], so are there any associaters among
the people of the Scripture?
Answer: Most of people, nowadays, are associaters
and polytheists, but they don't know that they are associaters and polytheists!
And most of people are moving in the wrong way, but they think they are rightly
guided!
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 18: 103-104
Þõáú åóáú äõäóÈøöÆõßõãú ÈöÇáúÃóÎúÓóÑöíäó ÃóÚúãóÇáðÇ . ÇáøóÐöíäó Öóáøó ÓóÚúíõåõãú Ýöí ÇáúÍóíóÇÉö ÇáÏøõäúíóÇ æóåõãú íóÍúÓóÈõæäó Ãóäøóåõãú íõÍúÓöäõæäó ÕõäúÚðÇ
I.e. (Say: 'Shall we tell you who will be the greatest losers of [the
reward of] their works?'
[They are] those whose
efforts in the Worldly life will be lost[xvii], while they think that they do good work.[xviii])
It means: They commit
some acts which God doesn't agree about; whilst they think that their deeds are
good, and that God is pleased with them and with their deeds.
Question 26 Would you teach us what the association and polytheism is; in order that we may avoid it?
Answer: The association or sharing is
to ascribe one (of the prophets, imams, sheikhs, or saints) as a partner
or associate with God; so that you worship God and worship that partner just as
you worship God.
Or you may seek the help
of anyone [like Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Ali] other than God, when you stand up
and sit down.
[Included in this
category is the saying of some people:
'O Prophet! [help me.]'
Or 'O Saint! [help me.]'
Or 'Ali!'
Or 'Jesus!']
[All of that is a kind
of seeking help of those other than God, which is a kind of associating or
sharing them with God; i.e. we should exclusively seek help of God alone.]
[The association: sharing or
polytheism]
Therefore, this
is the association [: sharing or polytheism]. It is just like that we say:
'John is the copartner of Simon in the trade', and we mean by this: that the
trade is shared between them, so that they are partners or associates in it.
In other words, the
association [or sharing or polytheism] is to worship anyone other than
God just as you worship God.
It is narrated that
Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – said that:
"The worst of acts
that I fear my nation may do is the sharing [or associating partners or associates] with God. I don't say they will worship the sun or moon; but they may carry
out some works for the sake of those other than God."
Question 27 Is there anyone that may worship others besides God?
Answer: Yes, a large number of people worship
others, in stead of God, while they are unaware.
Question
28 The worshipping of God is the fasting and the
prayer, isn't it? But in fact we fast for our Lord, and we pray to Him, and
never do we pray to anyone else!
Answer: The worship is not only the prayer and
the fasting, but God's worshipping is of many sorts:
First – Mentioning of God. That is by mentioning
and remembering God always with praise, and to thank Him; so that if you mention
one of the sheikhs or imams [or saints] always, then you will share him with
God.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 33: 41-42
íóÇ ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ ÇÐúßõÑõæÇ Çááøóåó ÐößúÑðÇ ßóËöíÑðÇ . æóÓóÈøöÍõæåõ ÈõßúÑóÉð æóÃóÕöíáðÇ
I.e. (Believers, mention
God [in celebration] with much mentioning.
And celebrate His
praises, morning and evening.) It means: always.
Then see that God – be
glorified – said:
ÇÐúßõÑõæÇ Çááøóåó ÐößúÑðÇ ßóËöíÑðÇ
I.e. (mention God [in
celebration] with much mentioning.) But He didn't say: Mention the sheikhs [or
the saints] very much.
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 7: 205
æóÇÐúßõÑ ÑøóÈøóßó Ýöí äóÝúÓößó ÊóÖóÑøõÚÇð æóÎöíÝóÉð æóÏõæäó ÇáúÌóåúÑö ãöäó ÇáúÞóæúáö ÈöÇáúÛõÏõæøö æóÇáÂÕóÇáö
I.e. (Remember your Lord
[with glorification] within your soul, supplicating and fearing [Him], not loud
of voice, by day and night, and don't be one of the heedless [of His
remembrance.])
So (by day and night)
means: always.
In addition to that, God
– be glorified – praised the believers, in the Quran those who mention God and
do not mention anyone other than God; as He said in the Quran
3: 191
ÇáøóÐöíäó íóÐúßõÑõæäó Çááøåó ÞöíóÇãðÇ æóÞõÚõæÏðÇ æóÚóáóìó ÌõäõæÈöåöãú
I.e. ([Those] who
remember God when they stand up, sit down and recline [in bed])
It means: They mention
God at their standing, sitting and lying on their sides [in bed.]
Second – Seeking the help of
God is worship. That you say: 'O God!' when you
stand up. Its meaning is: Help me O God!
But if you seek the help
of anyone other than Him, then you will share [him as a partner or associate
with God]; even if you say: 'O Mohammed!': because God
does not want you to seek help of anyone other than Him.
However, you [Muslim]
say in your prayer, addressing your Lord [as in the Quran 1: 5]
ÅöíøóÇßó äóÚúÈõÏõ æÅöíøóÇßó äóÓúÊóÚöíäõ
I.e. (You [alone] we
worship; and You [alone] we ask for help.)
But you, actually, seek
help of those other than Him when you stand up and when you sit down. [E.g. you
may say: O Mohammed! Or O Ali [like Christians who say: O Jesus!]
This is similar to what
one of the poets said in Arabic:
"You always utter ([God] You [alone]
we ask for help),
but actually you seek help of those other than God!"
Third: Begging from God is worship; but if you ask your needs from one of the prophets,
sheikhs, imams, rabbis or saints; then you will share another partner with God;
for God does not accept from you to ask your needs from others in stead of Him.
It is mentioned in the
prayer of Imam Ali – salam to him – that he said in a
poem:
"My God, offer to me mercy and surplus from You;
For I don't nock but the door of Your surplus [like a beggar.]"
It means: I
don't ask from anyone other than You, and I don't
seek my needs but from You alone.
Imam Ali said also in
one of his poetic prayers:
"[Lord], I ask none other than You,
and I seek my need only from You [Lord!]"
It is mentioned in the
Holy Tradition that God – be glorified – said [some words to Moses], which
mean:
"Moses, ask of Me,
even though it be a bit of salt for your food."
It means: Even though
the salt is cheap and available, and the amount that you need for food is
little; but you should not ask that from anyone other than Me; so ask of Me
your need, and I will offer it to you.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 2: 186
æóÅöÐóÇ ÓóÃóáóßó ÚöÈóÇÏöí Úóäøöí ÝóÅöäøöí ÞóÑöíÈñ ÃõÌöíÈõ ÏóÚúæóÉó ÇáÏøóÇÚö ÅöÐóÇ ÏóÚóÇäö ÝóáúíóÓúÊóÌöíÈõæÇú áöí æóáúíõÄúãöäõæÇú Èöí áóÚóáøóåõãú íóÑúÔõÏõæäó
I.e. (And when My servants ask you [Mohammed] concerning Me, I am always
Near; I answer the prayer's prayer when he prays to Me. So let them seek after My answer [by being obedient to Me], and let them believe in
Me [and in My Holy Names]; haply so they may be led aright.)
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 40: 60
æóÞóÇáó ÑóÈøõßõãõ ÇÏúÚõæäöí ÃóÓúÊóÌöÈú áóßõãú
I.e. (And your Lord has
said: 'Pray to Me and I will hear your prayer.)
In addition to that, God
– be glorified – said in the Quran 7: 55
ÇÏúÚõæÇú ÑóÈøóßõãú ÊóÖóÑøõÚðÇ æóÎõÝúíóÉð Åöäøóåõ áÇó íõÍöÈøõ ÇáúãõÚúÊóÏöíäó
I.e. ([People,] call
upon your Lord [openly] and secretly; surely He loves not aggressors.)
Also, God – be glorified
– said in the Quran 7: 56
æóáÇó ÊõÝúÓöÏõæÇú Ýöí ÇáÃóÑúÖö ÈóÚúÏó ÅöÕúáÇóÍöåóÇ æóÇÏúÚõæåõ ÎóæúÝðÇ æóØóãóÚðÇ Åöäøó ÑóÍúãóÊó Çááøåö ÞóÑöíÈñ ãøöäó ÇáúãõÍúÓöäöíäó
I.e. (Work not
corruption on the earth, after it has been prospered, and call on Him while in
fear [of an enemy, a wild beast …etc.], and while hoping [to have any good thing];
for the mercy of God is near to [touch] those who do charity.)
God – be glorified –
will boast to angels about you; if you ask your need from Him, and will say to
them: Look to My servant, whose name is so and so; he has inclined to Me and
asked his need from Me; for he has realized that I am All-Able to do
everything.
But if you ask your need
from anyone else than God, He – be glorified – will turn away from you, and say
to you: 'Am I not Able to grant you your need? Then why do you forsake Me and go to one of My servants to ask your need from him?
Therefore, let him grant you your need, and carry it out if he can!'
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 7: 194
Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÊóÏúÚõæäó ãöä Ïõæäö Çááøåö ÚöÈóÇÏñ ÃóãúËóÇáõßõãú ÝóÇÏúÚõæåõãú ÝóáúíóÓúÊóÌöíÈõæÇú áóßõãú Åöä ßõäÊõãú ÕóÇÏöÞöíäó
I.e. (Those, whom you
pray besides God, are servants [of God] just like you.
So, now, pray them [to anything] and let them grant you [your prayer] if you do
speak the truth.)
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 29: 17
Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÊóÚúÈõÏõæäó ãöä Ïõæäö Çááøóåö áóÇ íóãúáößõæäó áóßõãú ÑöÒúÞðÇ ÝóÇÈúÊóÛõæÇ ÚöäÏó Çááøóåö ÇáÑøöÒúÞó
I.e. (Surely those,
apart from God, whom you worship cannot control any provision for you;
therefore seek the provision with God.)
And God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 17: 56
Þõáö ÇÏúÚõæÇú ÇáøóÐöíäó ÒóÚóãúÊõã ãøöä Ïõæäöåö ÝóáÇó íóãúáößõæäó ßóÔúÝó ÇáÖøõÑøö Úóäßõãú æóáÇó ÊóÍúæöíáÇð
I.e. (Say: Pray those
[angels or the Christ] whom you claim [the daughters of God or the son of God,
and you worshipped], apart from Him;
yet they have no power to remove the affliction
from you, nor to change [your condition from poverty to richness.])
Question 29 These Quranic revelations do not apply to sheikhs, imams,
[saints and the Christ], but they apply to idols; then why do you apply them to
sheikhs, imams, [rabbis, saints and the Christ]?
Answer: His saying – be glorified – in the Quran
7: 194
Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÊóÏúÚõæäó ãöä Ïõæäö Çááøåö ÚöÈóÇÏñ ÃóãúËóÇáõßõãú
I.e. (Those whom you
pray, besides God, are servants [of God] just like you); He means by that the
angels, not the idols; because Quraish [: the tribe of Prophet Mohammed]
worshipped the angels, and said that the angels were God's daughters.
The indication of that
is His saying – be glorified – ÚöÈóÇÏñ ÃóãúËóÇáõßõãú i.e. (are servants
[of God] just like you); for the idols are not servants, but are stones!
Question
30 We do not ask our need from sheikhs,
imams, [rabbis, saints, or the Christ], but from God. However, we consider
these as mediators between us and God. That is just like when you want
something from someone, then you may take another person with you so that this
latter will be as a mediator or intercessor between you and him in order to
carry out your need.
Answer: People are two kinds: some of them are
miserly and stingy, and some of them are generous; so that if you come to a
miserly person, he will not carry out your need even though you bring to him a
great mediator. But if your need is to [ask it from] a generous person, then he
will give you what you need without any mediation.
Then what do you think
about God? Isn't God Generous? For the generous one will grant you your need
without any mediation or intercession.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 40: 60
ÇÏúÚõæäöí ÃóÓúÊóÌöÈú áóßõãú
I.e. (“Pray to Me; I will answer your prayer”);
But He didn't say: Let
an intercessor or mediator be between Me and you!
It is mentioned in a
prayer of Ali, the son of Hussein, he said:
"Praise be to God: whenever I need anything, I
pray Him and He grants me what I need;
and I be alone with Him wherever I want to [complain to
Him] my secrets; that is without an intercessor; and He grants me my need.
And
praise be to God: I pray Him, and pray none other than
Him; if I call on anyone else, he will not answer my call."
Fourth: The vowing to God is worship.
Therefore, if you vow to
anyone of the prophets, sheikhs, imams, saints, or Ali's descendents;
then you will share or associate [him with God in your worshipping.]
It is not allowed to vow
to anyone other than God, and it is not allowed to sacrifice an animal to
anyone else than God; for God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16:
115
ÅöäøóãóÇ ÍóÑøóãó Úóáóíúßõãõ ÇáúãóíúÊóÉó æóÇáúÏøóãó æóáóÍúãó ÇáúÎóäÒöíÑö æóãó Ãõåöáøó áöÛóíúÑö Çááøåö Èöåö
I.e. (He has made
unlawful for you only the carrion, the blood, the meat of swine and that on
which the name of other than God has been invoked.)
It means: And
that which has been slaughtered, as a vow or sacrifice, for anyone other
than God.
Therefore, one who eats
the meat of a slaughter animal, while it is a sacrifice as a vow for one of the
sheikhs, imams or saints, will be as if he has eaten pork; and in such
instances the vow is forbidden, its eating is forbidden and the slaughterer is
a sinner.
If you wish to vow, then
say: 'I vow for God's sake, that if He offers to me what I wish, I shall
slaughter a sheep and distribute its meat to the poor and needy'. Then such a
vowing is accepted, and you will be rewarded for it.
Fifth: The Expending and offering in God's way is worship.
So, if you offer
something to a poor man, then say with yourself: 'I offer to him for the sake
of God.' And if a poor man asks you, then he must say: 'Give me for God's love,
and in God's way.' But if he says: Give me for the sake of the sheiks, imams,
saints, the Christ or Prophet Mohammed; then he will share or associate [them
with God], and if you give him for their sake, then you will associate [in the
worship of your Lord.]
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 76: 8-9
æóíõØúÚöãõæäó ÇáØøóÚóÇãó Úóáóì ÍõÈøöåö ãöÓúßöíäðÇ æóíóÊöíãðÇ æóÃóÓöíÑðÇ . ÅöäøóãóÇ äõØúÚöãõßõãú áöæóÌúåö Çááøóåö áóÇ äõÑöíÏõ ãöäßõãú ÌóÒóÇÁ æóáóÇ ÔõßõæÑðÇ
I.e. (And they feed, for
the love of [God], the needy, the orphan and the captive, –
[Saying to them:]
"We feed you only for the sake of God [and in His way]; we desire
no recompense from you, nor gratitude.")
See, then, that God – be
glorified – said: Úóáóì ÍõÈøöå i.e. (for the love of [God]) means: for
God's love; but He did not say: And they feed, for the love of the prophets,
sheikhs, imams or saints.
See also that He – be
glorified – said: ÅöäøóãóÇ äõØúÚöãõßõãú áöæóÌúåö Çááøóåö
i.e. ([Saying to them:] "We feed you only for the sake of God), but He did
not say: 'We feed you only for the sake of sheikhs, imams and saints.
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 2: 265
æóãóËóáõ ÇáøóÐöíäó íõäÝöÞõæäó ÃóãúæóÇáóåõãõ ÇÈúÊöÛóÇÁ ãóÑúÖóÇÊö Çááøåö æóÊóËúÈöíÊðÇ ãøöäú ÃóäÝõÓöåöãú
I.e. (And the likeness
of those who spend their wealth seeking God's good pleasure, and in a
way to confirm each other …)
In addition to that, God
– be glorified – said in the Quran 2:262
ÇáøóÐöíäó íõäÝöÞõæäó ÃóãúæóÇáóåõãú Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö Ëõãøó áÇó íõÊúÈöÚõæäó ãóÇ ÃóäÝóÞõæÇõ ãóäøðÇ æóáÇó ÃóÐðì áøóåõãú ÃóÌúÑõåõãú ÚöäÏó ÑóÈøöåöãú
I.e. (Those who spend
their wealth for the cause of God, then do not follow up, what they
spend, by taunting with it and by annoyance; [such] will have their recompense
with their Lord [in the ethereal paradises])
Sixth: The naming. That is to name your
son: Abd-Allah i.e. the slave of God; Abdul-Jaleel i.e. the slave of God's Majesty; Abdul-Kareem i.e.
the slave of the Generous God; Abdul-Rahman i.e. the
slave of the Most Gracious; or what is like that of God's Glorious Names;
because it is a sort of worship.
But if you call your
son: the slave of the Prophet, or Ali's slave, or the slave of the Christ, or
the slave of Hassan, or the slave of Zahra [which are names of the prophets,
imams and the daughter of the Prophet], or other names by which you call him as
a slave or servant of one of the prophets, sheikhs or saints, then you will
associate [them with God in the worship.]
It is mentioned in a
book entitled 'Nahj Al Balagha'
that Imam Ali –salam to him- sent a message, to his son Hassan, including
instructions and wise advises, in some of which he said: "And don't be a
slave to others, while God has made you a free [man.]"
Seventh: The glorification, exaltation and sanctification of God is worship.
But it is not allowed to
glorify and sanctify anyone other than God. Therefore, glorifying the graves
and shrines of the prophets, sheikhs and saints; and their sanctification and
kissing is a sort of associating [them with God in worship]; because God – be
glorified – will not be pleased with you, if you do that; because, by doing so,
you will leave the Creator behind and hold fast with the created persons, and
that you will forget about the Provider (or the Sustainer) and ask your request
from the provided one.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 22: 30
æóãóä íõÚóÙøöãú ÍõÑõãóÇÊö Çááøóåö Ýóåõæó ÎóíúÑñ áøóåõ ÚöäÏó ÑóÈøöåö
I.e. (Whoever honors the inviolable [objects] of
God, it will be better for him with his Lord [in the Next Life.])
Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran
22: 32
æóãóä íõÚóÙøöãú ÔóÚóÇÆöÑó Çááøóåö ÝóÅöäøóåóÇ ãöä ÊóÞúæóì ÇáúÞõáõæÈö
I.e. (Anyone honors the
[the compulsory and the voluntary] rituals of God; surely such [honoring]
issues from the hearts [believing in the rituals and] avoiding [the
disobedience of God.])
Notice, then, that God
said:
æóãóä íõÚóÙøöãú ÔóÚóÇÆöÑó Çááøóåö
I.e. (Anyone honors the
[the compulsory and the voluntary] rituals of God), but He did not say: anyone
honors the rituals of sheikhs, imams or saints.
It happened that
whenever Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – entered the mosque, his companions stood up to
respect him; but he forbade them from that and said to them: "I am merely
a human being like you; so do not glorify and sanctify anyone other than God:
your Lord Who created you, and don't do like what the non-Arab do to their
kings."
It is mentioned in the
book of 'Nahj Al Balagha'
that when Imam Ali – salam to him – passed across Iraq in the battle of Nahrawan, some of the people of Iraq came to him kissing
his hands and legs, glorifying and magnifying him; but he rebuked them, and
drove them away and said to them: "What are you doing!? Don't do like
foreigners who glorify and sanctify their kings! I am merely a human being just
like you, then why do you kiss my hands and legs; for this is not allowed. The
glorification and sanctification is exclusively for God
alone."
I say: if Imam Ali – salam to him – did not accept that anyone might kiss his
hands and legs, while he was alive; then how does he, following his death,
agree that they kiss his grave and the walls of his shrine and the
threshold of the door of his shrine, and so on!?
[It is mentioned in the Gospel, according to St. Matthew,
chapter 19:
"16- And, behold,
one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may
have eternal life?
17- And he said unto
him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God" [King
James Version.]
The same is also
mentioned in the Gospel,
according to St. Mark, chapter 10:
“17- And when he was gone
forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him,
Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18- And Jesus said unto
him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." [King James Version.]
[ N.B.
Compare the more recent versions of the Gospel, like the American Bible
version, and the International Bible version to see how
they varified and altered the meaning through
translation; because of their enthusiasm concerning Jesus Christ, so that they
tried to conceal the truth that God is not Jesus, but God is his Master and
Creator, and that God is the Absolutely Good One, and that Jesus is only His
sent servant: a righteous servant, a prophet and an apostle, but not God!
– The translator.]
Question 31 The imams and saints are
our teachers and guides, aren't they? And we should like and respect them,
shouldn't we?
Answer: Yes, we like and respect them, but we do
not glorify them, and we should not worship them; because the glorification is
not allowed except for God alone; and any worship is not allowed except to
worship God alone.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 51: 56-58
æóãóÇ ÎóáóÞúÊõ ÇáúÌöäøó æóÇáúÅöäÓó ÅöáøóÇ áöíóÚúÈõÏõæäö . ãóÇ ÃõÑöíÏõ ãöäúåõã ãøöä ÑøöÒúÞò æóãóÇ ÃõÑöíÏõ Ãóä íõØúÚöãõæäö . Åöäøó Çááøóåó åõæó ÇáÑøóÒøóÇÞõ Ðõæ ÇáúÞõæøóÉö ÇáúãóÊöíäõ
I.e. (56- I created not
the genie-kind and the man-kind but only to worship Me
[alone.]
57- I desire of them no
provision; neither do I desire that they should feed Me.
58- For, surely, it is
God Who is the Provider [of sustenance for His
servants], the Lord of power [and might on them], the All-Disposer [in the
affairs of His servants.])
Eighth: The oath (or swearing) by God is worship.
That is you should be
truthful in your oath, but if you swear falsely, then you will be a sinner. The
oath is to say: "By God, the matter was so and so."
But in case you swear by
one of the prophets, sheikhs, imams [or saints]; then you will share or
associate [them with your God in the worship.]
Question
32 You say: Don't swear by [anything or anyone] other than God, then
what's the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 224
æóáÇó ÊóÌúÚóáõæÇú Çááøåó ÚõÑúÖóÉð áøöÃóíúãóÇäößõãú Ãóä ÊóÈóÑøõæÇú æóÊóÊøóÞõæÇú æóÊõÕúáöÍõæÇú Èóíúäó ÇáäøóÇÓö æóÇááøåõ ÓóãöíÚñ Úóáöíãñ
I.e. (And make not [the
name of] God in your oaths, an excuse against doing good, warding off [the
disobedience of] God, and reconciling between people; for God is All-Hearing
[and] All-Knowing.)
Answer: This aya was
revealed in relation to Abd-Allah, the son of Rawaha; when he swore that he would not visit the husband
of his daughter, and not to speak to him, and not to reconcile him with his
wife; so he said: 'I have sworn as such; so it isn't allowed for me to do
that.' Therefore, this aya was revealed [that apply
to him and others.]
[ The interpretation:]
>> (And make not [the name of] God in your oaths, an excuse) means:
Do not let the oath by God, be a reason which prevents you from doing righteousness
and piety;
>> (against doing good) means: that you may
not do the good [deeds.]
>> (warding off [the disobedience of] God) means: Don't swear by God
that you will not protect yourself from evil by any way; e.g. if you are
sitting behind a wall together with a group of people, then your group look and
see the wall about to fall down, and they tell you: Get up from your place or
else the wall will fall down upon us; then you may swear by God that: I shall
not leave my place even though the wall will fall down; because you will expose
yourself to danger by such an oath.
>> (and reconciling between people) means: And don't swear by God,
that you will not reconcile people with each other; because by that you may
abandon doing goodly [deeds], and enjoining righteousness.
>> (for God is All-Hearing) of your words.
>> ([and] All-Knowing) about your acts.
However, it is not
meant, by this aya (or Quranic
revelation), the prohibition of the oath or the frequent swearing.
[The translator: The
swearing by God is a serious matter; it should not be without important
indication. One who swears by God frequently, even
without important indication, is mostly a liar. We have to believe one who
swears by God; as a matter of our sanctifying God Almighty. One that swears by
God must fulfill his oath. But anyone should not swear by anyone or anything
other than God; because that will be some sort of association or sharing with
God and contrary to the Commandments of God.]
[Now we repeat a
previous question, and complete its answer:]
Question
33 What should we do, in the present World,
in order to secure a [good] future for us in the Next Life, and that we may
live a good and happy life?
Answer:
Firstly and prior to anything else, you should
avoid associating anything with God, i.e. to be a monotheist, not a polytheist;
because the prayer and fasting of a polytheist will never be accepted from him
whatever charity and righteousness he may do.
Secondly, you must avoid the disobedience [and sins],
and must do the rituals: like the [daily five] prayers,
the fasting of the month of Ramadan,
the pilgrimage to Mecca for one who can do that,
offering the Zakat almsgiving to the poor and needy,
i.e. the yearly alms,
the struggling in God's way;
and you should have mercy to the poor and needy,
and to sympathize with orphans and widows;
and that you offer [out of your money] for the sake
of God, and so on of good and righteous acts.
Question
34 Which behavior or conduct does God like us to have? And which of
that does He dislike?
Answer: God – be glorified – likes the
merciful person who has mercy towards the poor and needy, and has
sympathy towards orphans, widows and elderly and strangers who have no
families.
He likes the
generous person who offers to people out of his money, and will not be
stingy with them.
He likes the
humble, who is not proud over the poor and other
people.
He likes the
truthful man, the good-hearted man who does
not cheat or deceive people, and does not lie to people and
enslave them.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 26: 88-89
íóæúãó áóÇ íóäÝóÚõ ãóÇáñ æóáóÇ Èóäõæäó . ÅöáøóÇ ãóäú ÃóÊóì Çááøóåó ÈöÞóáúÈò Óóáöíãò
I.e. (88- "The day
whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail."
89- Except him who comes
to God with a heart free [from the association, hypocrisy, wrong-doing and
stinginess.]”)
However, God
dislikes the miserly, who is miserly or stingy to the poor with his money;
for the miserly man will be admitted into Hell; as it is mentioned in the 'Holy
Tradition' that God – be glorified – said the words which mean:
"The money is My
money, and the poor are My family; then whoever is miserly with regard to My
family, I shall admit him into Fire, and I don't mind."
Jesus Christ said, as
in the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 6: 19-20
"19- Lay not up to yourselves
treasures on earth; where the rust and moth consume and where thieves break
through and steal.
20- But lay up to yourselves
treasures in heaven; where neither the rust nor moth do consume, and where
thieves do not break through nor steal."
The meaning: Expend your money, in the cause of God, to the
poor, the needy, orphans and wayfarers; then you will find, what you expended,
in heaven: in the neighborhood of God: in Paradise.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 9: 34-35
æóÇáøóÐöíäó íóßúäöÒõæäó ÇáÐøóåóÈó æóÇáúÝöÖøóÉó æóáÇó íõäÝöÞõæäóåóÇ Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö ÝóÈóÔøöÑúåõã ÈöÚóÐóÇÈò Ãóáöíãò . íóæúãó íõÍúãóì ÚóáóíúåóÇ Ýöí äóÇÑö Ìóåóäøóãó ÝóÊõßúæóì ÈöåóÇ ÌöÈóÇåõåõãú æóÌõäæÈõåõãú æóÙõåõæÑõåõãú åóÐóÇ ãóÇ ßóäóÒúÊõãú áÃóäÝõÓößõãú ÝóÐõæÞõæÇú ãóÇ ßõäÊõãú ÊóßúäöÒõæäó
I.e. (And they who hoard
up gold and silver and expend them not for the sake of God – foretell them the
tidings of a grievous chastisement [in the Next Life.]
On the day when such
[gold and silver] shall be heated in the fire of Hell, and their foreheads and
their flanks and their backs will be seared therewith! "This is [the
reward of] that which you stored up for yourselves; taste then [the
chastisement of the gold and silver] that you hoarded up.”)
A rich man should offer
out of his money to the poor, the needy, orphans, widows and strangers or
wayfarers; he should say: I give this [sum of money] for God's sake; and I
offer to this man for God's sake; and he should have mercy to this and that
person for God's love.
By such gift, he
presents or forwards for his everlasting life [: the Next Life], and he will
find that gift there when he will go to the ethereal world [following his
death.]
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 73: 20
æóãóÇ ÊõÞóÏøöãõæÇ áöÃóäÝõÓößõã ãøöäú ÎóíúÑò ÊóÌöÏõæåõ ÚöäÏó Çááøóåö
I.e. (And whatever
charity you [believers] send before [you] for your own souls, you shall find it
with God.)
Moreover, God dislikes the proud; the proud will be deprived of God’s mercy and
will lose. Because Ibliess (or Satan) was one of the
favorite angels; but when he became proud over Adam, and did not prostrate
himself before him, God drove him out of the Gardens, and he was deprived of
God's mercy.
In addition to
that, God dislikes the
wrong-doer and transgressor who transgresses on people and takes, by force or illegally, their
rights and possessions; God will deviate or mislead such persons from the way
of truth because of their transgression, so that their fate will be in Hell.
God – be glorified –
said in the Quran 14: 27
æóíõÖöáøõ Çááøåõ ÇáÙøóÇáöãöíäó æóíóÝúÚóáõ Çááøåõ ãóÇ íóÔóÇÁ
I.e. (But God misguides
wrong-doers,
and God does [to the two parties, on Doomsday] what
[goodness and blessings to believers, and evil and revenge on wrong-doers ] He
pleases.)
Therefore, man must
accustom to be modest [not poud over
others]; accustom himself to honesty with people, accustom
himself to generosity, mercy and kindness: so as to
show mercy to the poor and needy, and to be kind to orphans, widows and
strangers who are far from their families; and he should accustom himself
to righteousness in order to become one of the righteous.
Question 35 If we avoid sins, and do
righteous acts, then will we secure, for ourselves, a happy life in the
ethereal world?
Answer: Yes, you will secure a happy life for
yourselves; but firstly and prior to everything, you should avoid associating anything with God, and to be a monotheist, not a polytheist; because
the polytheist will not be admitted into Paradise; for God – be glorified – said in the Quran 5: 72
Åöäøóåõ ãóä íõÔúÑößú ÈöÇááøåö ÝóÞóÏú ÍóÑøóãó Çááøåõ Úóáóíåö ÇáúÌóäøóÉó æóãóÃúæóÇåõ ÇáäøóÇÑõ
I.e. (Surely, whoso
associates [anyone] with God, God has forbidden him Paradise, and his resort
will be the Fire.)
Moreover, God – be
glorified – said in the Quran 4: 48
Åöäøó Çááøåó áÇó íóÛúÝöÑõ Ãóä íõÔúÑóßó Èöåö æóíóÛúÝöÑõ ãóÇ Ïõæäó Ðóáößó áöãóä íóÔóÇÁ
I.e. (God does not
forgive that anything should be associated with Him, but forgives anything
short of that, to whomsoever He pleases.)
All praise and gratitude is due to God, Lord of nations and
worlds.
Books written by the interpreter in
Arabic
1-
The Universe and the Quran (translated to English)
2-
Man after Death (translated to English)
3-
The ambiguous ayat of the Quran
4-
The Conflict between the Torah and the Quran (or The Disagreement of the
Quran with the Hebrew Bible) – (translated to English)
5-
An Hour with Ghosts (translated to English)
6-
The Quran Interpretation (translated to English)
References
1- The Koran (QUR’ÁN) –
Translated by E. H. Palmer.
2- The Meaning of the Glorious Quran – by Muhmmad Marmaduke Pickthall
3- The Glorious Kur’an .. Translation and Commentary – by Abdallah Yousuf Ali.
4- Quran: The Final Testament –
translated by Rashad Khalifa
5- The Quran, Arabic and English – by M. H. Shakir
6- The Holy Quran with English translation – by Sher Ali
7- The Koran interpreted – by A. J. Arberry.
8- Al-Hilali & Khan –
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an (2004)
9- Abdel Haleem – The
Qur'an; A New Translation (2005)
10- Unal – The Qur'an with
Annotated Interpretation in Modern English (2006)
11- The Koran – translated by J. M. Rodwell
12- The Holy Bible – many versions.
13- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.
14- Merriam-Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.
15- A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic – Hans Wehr – Edited by J. Milton Cowan.
16- Al-Mawrid (English-Arabic
& Arabic-English Dictionary) – by Munir & Dr Rohi Baalabaky.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I may answer any
question about the subject and the book, in case I know the answer; but
certainly God is the All-Knowing, and the Guide to the standard way of
monotheism and wisdom.
The Translator
[i] i.e. those that are given their book of deeds by their right hands, and who are given by the angels the glad tidings of their admission into Paradise.
[ii] i.e. in Paradise.
[iii] In Arabic, the word is used to give more than one meaning: 'eye', 'water-spring' or 'gland'. Here, according to the interpretation of the aya, it means: the glands which are in the mouth.
[iv] In Arabic, the word is used to give more than one meaning: 'eye', 'water-spring' or 'gland'. Here, according to the interpretation of the aya, it means: the glands which are in the mouth.
[v] That is because the ethereals have rays, and if the place, where the photograph was picked, was dark or of little light, then the rays of the ethereal tree overcome the darkness so that it will be picked by the camera, if there is an ethereal branch in that place.
[vi] i.e. they inherit the ethereal copy of the Worldly material houses, clothes …etc.
[vii] This indicates their large houses and their free movement in that wide Paradise.
[viii] i.e. those who work for their Next Life.
[ix] i.e. Moses and his brother Aaron, peace be on both of them.
[x] By doing righteous works, and giving alms to the poor and needy.
[xi] i.e. a sign indicative of Our Ability, when We created Jesus without father.
[xii] After the event
of the crucifixion.
[xiii] i.e.
angels and prophets consult Gabriel about their affairs.
[xiv] i.e. say,
O Mohammed, to the idolaters.
[xv] ‘Lord’ means: possessor or owner.
[xvi] The largest city
in the south of Iraq.
[xvii] i.e. they
will not be rewarded for their works; because they shared others together with
God in the worship.
[xviii] i.e. they
think that - by sanctifying and glorifying the saints, imams, sheikhs,
prophets, and Jesus Christ – that they are acting righteously.
All praise and gratitude is due
to God our Master: the All-Forgiving and Most Gracious.