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Thursday, April 5, 2007

Do you know your Creator?

COMPILED BY BROTHER ZAID PATEL

The Gigantic Universe in which we live!

Imagine! How huge is this universe. We are not even a dot on this earth... and the earth is a small part of the solar system... and the solar system is not even a dot in the Milky Way... and the Milky Way is hardly a dot in the whole universe. God is the Creator of this universe. When the creation is so great, then imagine - the One who has made us; given us everything we have; controlling everything around us. And to Him we will know our Creator - God Almighty ?


Is God Perfect or Imperfect?


Most people, inspite of different religious backgrounds, unanimously agree that - Yes!! God is PERFECT!! He is absolutely faultless and doesn't have even the the smallest deficiency.


Is God Dependent or Truly Independent?


We humans are dependent. We need so many things - air, water, food, clothes, rest, sleep... But can we say that about God? Does He need all these things. All would agree - No!! Surely not! He is truly independent.

"And He is the one who feeds but does not (need to be) fed." [Qur'an 6:14]

"No slumber can seize him nor sleep." [Qur'an 2:255]
We need Him. He doesn't need us.


Would God ever become a human being?


We humans are imperfect. God is PERFECT. If He becomes a human - how can He be perfect and imperfect both at the same time! This is impossible. Similarly how can He be dependent and independent both at the same time? How can He need sleep, air, water, food..... and NOT need them at the same time ..... The list of such questions is endless!

The answer is simple - "No" God will NEVER choose to become a human. The Qur'an says about God that He is the "Doer of all that He intends." [Qur'an 85:16] He will NEVER intend to do such a thing!


Does God take the Human Form

Some people say that God does not become a human but only takes human form. If that is the case then He should NOT have the NEED to eat, sleep, drink, take rest... He should not have any such human quality. But such a human who is free of all these needs has never existed. We know that all the "god-men" have human qualities and failings.


Why should God become a human?


Some people say, "God is so pure, so holy that He is unaware of human problems. So He becomes a human to experience what humans pass through. God also becomes a human to teach men what is right and what is wrong."
Let's take a simple example to understand better.

1. The Creator prepares an Instruction manual
Suppose you manufacture a video cassette recorder (VCR). Do you have to become a VCR to know what is good or what is bad for the VCR or will you write an instruction manual that lists the various do's and don'ts for the machine.

If human beings can be called a machine, the Qur'an is the instruction manual for this most complicated machine on Earth, and its author is God Almighty!

2. God chooses messengers
To guide mankind God chooses a man from amongst men and guides him to teach mankind what is right and wrong. Such men are called Prophets and Messengers of God.

"There never was a people without a warner having lived among them (in the past)." [Qur'an 35:24]

Hence there is no need for God to become a human!

God is One and has no partners

All around us we find proofs and clear signs of the Oneness of our Creator.
"If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! But glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (high is He) above what they attribute to Him! " [Qur'an 21:22]

"No son did Allah beget nor is there any god along with Him: (if there were many gods), behold, each god would have taken away what he had created and some would have tried to overcome others! Glory to Allah! (He is free) from the (sort of) things they attribute to Him! " [Qur'an 23:91]

If God is defeated or unable to defeat then can we say that He is the one true God who is perfect and independent? And why does God Almighty need a partner? If we say that two different gods take care of different aspect of the needs of the creation e.g. one supplies rain while another is the sun god or one is the god of knowledge and another is the god of money, it indicates that one god is incompetent of certain acts and ignorant about the other gods' functions and responsibilities. But the true God is Perfect and Independent!! He does not need any partners, wives, sons and sharers.

The Qur'an gives the perfect concept of God in 112:1-4
"1 Say: He is Allah the One and Only;
2 Allah the Eternal, the Absolute;
3 He begets not nor is He begotten;
4 And there is none like unto Him. "

Worship Him alone
When every thing is made and controlled exclusively by Him - isn't it He alone who deserves our worship? What would we call such an employee who takes the salary from his employer but works for another person who doesn't give him anything? A cheat! What would we call a person who receives gifts from one but thanks another? Ungrateful! Today most of mankind is busy in the worship of other than God Almighty. Why do we do that when it is God ALONE who grants us everything and it is He who controls everything? We need to worship Him in the manner He
wants.

"I have only created jinns and men that they may serve Me." [Qur'an 51:56]

When we ask for help or for some need to be fulfilled we should ask Him alone. Others don't have the power to grant us anything!!

The Treason

If we worship other than Him or along with Him, then we are guilty of the gravest sin i.e. associating partners with Him. This sin is "treason" in the sight of God. This is the sin that God will NEVER forgive, unless a person sincerely realises and repents in this life itself.

"Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgives anything else to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed." [Qur'an 4:48]

The Life after Death

After we die we will all be raised back to life. The exam will be over. The results will be out. Then the truth will be clear. Everyone will be individually judged and recompensed. The unforgivable sin will be the sin of associating partners with God Almighty.


The advent of the last messenger


In the series of messengers, God has sent a messenger who has come with clear signs . That messenger is Muhammad (peace be upon him) who preached the same message which every Prophet of God preached. That way of life is Islam. "Islam" means "Peace" and also means "Submission to the will of God".

"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a universal (Messenger) to men giving them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not." [Qur'an 34:28]

All other ways of life we find around us are a mixture of good and bad, right and wrong. Muhammad (PBUH) did his duty as a messenger of God of presenting before mankind the pure message of worshipping God ALONE and living a life of submission to Him. The Qur'an is the message of God for mankind which Muhammad (PBUH) conveyed.

Now, dear brothers and sisters, it is for us to see the clear signs and come to the right instruction manual and worship our Creator, ALONE, without any partners!!

"O Mankind! Here is a parable set forth! Listen to it! Those on whom you call, besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all met together for the purpose! And if the fly should snatch away anything from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly: WEAK are those who petition and those whom they petition!"
[Qur'an 22:73]

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