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Is Jesus God?

It seems that the only teaching left in Christianity is to believe that Jesus is the Almighty God and paid for our sins. That may sound straight forward, but it is not. As there are several reasons to believe that Jesus is not God, out of which we have written about the 7 most important ones. So you can either watch the video or read the text below the video, whichever way you prefer it.

Pictures of Jesus 1 - If Jesus is God, how can he die for our sins because God is Eternal?

The Christian philosophy is that God came in the form of Jesus to die for our sins because any human being could not pay for or die for our sins. As it is written in Ezekiel 18:20 that the son can not pay for the iniquity of the father, nor can the father pay for the iniquity of the son. Christians explain that therefore Almighty God himself had to come to die for our sins. But Almighty God is Eternal and He can not die. So if Almighty God can not die for sins, then there is no reason for Him to come to the World.

2 - Jesus Christ taught Monotheism, not Trinity

Jesus Christ never taught Trinity in the Bible. In fact the word 'Trinity' does not exist in the Bible and the verse closest to Trinity, 1 John 5:7 has been thrown out of the Revise Version of the Bible as an interpolation, a concoction and fabrication. According to the Biblical scholars, this verse, 1 John 5:7 does not exist in the earlier manuscripts of the Bible. But when Jesus was asked that what is the most important commandment, Jesus repeated what Moses had said earlier, "Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adonai Ikhad" (Mark 12:29). Which means, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord."

3 - Jesus Christ never claimed to be God in the Bible

In fact, there is not a single clear statement in the complete Bible, where Jesus Christ himself says the words, "I am God" or "Worship me." Though there are some some verses in the Bible, which are misquoted to prove that he claimed divinity. But we have already answered such verses in our post "Did Jesus Christ Claim Divinity in the Bible?"

4 - Statements of Jesus contradict any suggestion of divinity

There are statements of Jesus Christ in the Bible, which contradicts any suggestion of divinity. As Jesus said, "my Father is greater than I" (John 14:28) and "I can of my own self do nothing." (John 5:30) Even furthermore when a man comes to Jesus and says "O my good master", Jesus replies, "why do you call me good, when only God is good." (Matthew 19:17) So leave aside being called God, Jesus even did not want to called good.

5 - Jesus was not perfect as Almighty God is supposed to be

Before you start reading this paragraph; let me tell you that as Muslims we believe Jesus was a mighty messenger of God and he would not do any of these things which the Bible attributes to him. But since the Christians believe in the Bible to be the word of God, that is why I am quoting all this. But as Muslims we do not believe any of this about Jesus.
The Bible attributes things to Jesus, which can not be attributed to the Almighty God. For instance, the Bible says that Jesus addressed his mother with a phrase he used to address a prostitute, "you women." The Bible also says that Jesus rushed the pigs down the steep bank into the river, where all the pigs drowned and died. (Matthew 8:32) That Jesus says in the Revelations 2:22-23 that he would kill the children of an adulteress, while the children themselves are innocent and it is their mother, who has committed adultery. Such actions and statements depict imperfection, while Almighty God is perfect.

6 - Jesus worshiped the Almighty God & prayed to Him

It is recorded in the Bible that Jesus Christ prostrated and prayed to the Almighty God. (Matthew 26:37-39) Now if Jesus was God, how could he prostrate, worship himself and pray to himself. All this proves that Jesus was not God and that Jesus himself worshiped the Almighty God.

7 - If you had nursed Mary, you would have never considered Jesus God

Imagine, if you were a nurse and attended Mary, when she delivered Jesus. Jesus would have been covered with all the dirt that every child is born with. Completely on your mercy to wash him and clean him of all the dirt. You would never consider him to be God.

These are some strong facts, which go against the alleged divinity of Jesus Christ. Christians claim that Jesus is God, so that they may prove how Jesus was crucified for their sins. But it can even proved from the Bible itself that Jesus Christ was not crucified. So even the only purpose of his divinity, his crucifixion is also doubtful.

Is Allah The Moon God?

We have already discussed why Muslims prefer using the Arabic word Allah instead of the English word God and also showed you that this word Allah is also used for God in other Religions scriptures. Such as in the Bible & the Hindu scriptures. But some critics of Islam claim that Allah is a moon god, which the pagan Arabs worshiped before the spread of Islam in Arabia and is not the One True God. Lets analyze this claim and also answer some questions concerning this.

Is Allah The Moon God?

Qur'an proves - "Allah" is not a 'moon god':

"And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not bow down (prostrate) to the sun nor to the moon, but only bow down (prostrate) to "Allah" Who created them, if you (really) worship Him." (Qur'an 41:37)

We have also discussed the real Concept of God in Islam in detail, which you can refer to.

What is the significance of the crescent moon in Islam?

The Quran answers this question before you asked it. Read this verse:

"They ask you about the new moons. Say: These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage."  (Qur'an  2:189)

Why does Islam follow a lunar calendar?

In both the Bible and the Qur'an religious festivals are regulated by the lunar calendar. Jews and Muslims have kept to these regulations which they believe to be from God. Why does Christianity follow a solar calendar?

Why is the fast of Ramadan marked by the appearance of the crescent moon?

God commanded Muslims in the Quran to fast from dawn to sunset during the month called Ramadan (see Quran 2:185, 187). The beginning and end of the month is determined by the crescent (2:189) based on the instruction of God's Messenger, on whom be peace.

Why this method and not another is not for us to say but for God and His Messenger to prescribe. However, I find it an efficient method. It is a universally applicable method, and it allows for Ramadan to move through all the seasons. This allows believers to have the pleasure of worshipping God by fasting in all the various seasons: one year in the summer, some years later in the winter.

Why does the Quran place the Sabians on the same level with Jews and Christians when scholars have clearly proven that the Sabians were involved in the moon cult?

I am not aware that the Quran has placed the Sabians on the same level with Jews and Christians. Perhaps you have in mind the following verse:

"Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believes in "Allah" and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."
(Qur'an 2:62; also 5:69)

This verse, however, does not place the Sabians on the same level as the Jews and Christians except in a particular context. The verse speaks of four distinct communities, and offers all four the opportunity to fear not nor grieve if only they would believe in "Allah" and the Last Day and do right. The four communities are:

  • the Believers (i.e., the Muslims)
  • the Jews
  • the Christians
  • the Sabians

While they are all offered the same opportunity for improvement, nothing, is said in this verse about the validity of the existing faiths of these four communities. Otherwise the Jews and Christians who are criticized in the Quran for their deviations will not be placed on the same level with the believers. The matter becomes clear when you realize that believers here does not mean saved persons but those who ostensibly belong to the community of Muslims. They, as well as the other three groups, must do the following to be saved: believe in "Allah", believe in the Last Day, and do right. Doing right, according to the Quran, includes following every teaching of Muhammad.

Did the Meccans worship the true God since they recognized "Allah"? Was "Allah" one of the gods of the Ka'bah? And if so, where did the Meccans derive the recognition and the name of "Allah" from?

First, "Allah" was not one of the 360 idols which were in the Ka'bah, although Morey has claimed this without evidence. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) entered Makkah victorious he went into the Ka'bah and broke the idols therein.

Second, the word "Allah" has been used all along for the name of "God" in the Arabic Bible for Jews and Christians alike. The proof is easy to verify; simple go to any hotel or motel on the earth and look in the drawer next to the bed and take out the complimentary Bible, placed there by the Giddeons and then look on page 5 or 6 where they list the examples of translations they have made into other languages. The second example given is for Arabic speakers. The verse is from the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16. Everyone knows this one; "For God so loved the world..." and the word in Arabic for "God" is "Allah." Then if you have a Bible in Arabic, look on page one in Genesis, and you will find the word "Allah" 17 times.

Next, the word for "God" to the Arabs, ever since the time of Abraham (peace be upon him) has been "Allah" and He is to them, the Lord of the Ka'bah (the black box in the center of the Holy Sanctuary in Makkah). He was the unseen God whom they would call upon when in distress. Yes, they worshipped the true God but their worship was not purely for Him. They also worshipped other gods thinking that they would act as intermediaries between them and the true God Allah.

The Arabs know of Allah because Abraham visited Makkah and together with his son Ishmael laid the foundation of the Ka'bah. The descendants of Ishmael retained some of the worship rites and beliefs from Abraham. This included their knowledge of the true God Allah.

Courtesy: GodAllah.com

Allah



WHY MUSLIMS PREFER USING THE ARABIC WORD "ALLAH" INSTEAD OF THE ENGLISH WORD GOD?
The Muslims prefer calling the Supreme Creator, Allah, instead of by the English word ‘God’. The Arabic word, ‘Allah’, is pure and unique, unlike the English word ‘God’, which can be played around with.
If you add ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Gods’, that is the plural of God. Allah is one and singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Goddess’ that is a female God. There is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah has no gender. If you add the word ‘father’ to ‘God’ it becomes ‘God-father’. God-father means someone who is a guardian. There is no word like ‘Allah-Abba’ or ‘Allah-father’. If you add the word ‘mother’ to ‘God’, it becomes ‘God-mother’. There is nothing like ‘Allah-Ammi’, or ‘Allah-mother’ in Islam. Allah is a unique word. If you prefix tin before the word God, it becomes tin-God i.e., fake God. Allah is a unique word, which does not conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Therefore the Muslims prefer using the Arabic word ‘Allah’ for the Almighty. Sometimes,
however, while speaking to the non-Muslims we may have to use the inappropriate word God, for Allah. Since the intended audience of this blog is general in nature, consisting of both Muslims as well as non-Muslims, I have used the word God instead of Allah in several places in this blog.


IF "ALLAH" IS THE CORRECT NAME FOR GOD AS IS STATED IN THE QUR’AAN, THEN IS "ALLAH" MENTIONED IN OTHER RELIGIOUS SCRIPTURES BESIDES THE QUR’AAN?
Almost all the major religious scriptures of the world contain the word "Allah" as one of the names of God. In the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1990 Edition, vol.1, and pg. 276 – it says, “Allah is the standard Arabic word used by Muslims as well as by Christians.” The word ALLAH appears about 7,000 times in the Hebrew Bible.
a. “Elohim El, Elah, Alah”
In the Bible, God is very often referred to as ‘Elohim’ in the Hebrew language. The ‘im’ in the ending is a plural of honour and respect. God is referred to as ‘El’ or ‘Elah’ in the English Bible edited by Reverend C. I. Scofield. ‘Elah’ is alternatively spelled as ‘Alah’. The difference in spelling is only of a single ‘L’. Muslims spell Allah as ‘Allah’ while the Reverend has spelled it as ‘Alah’, and they pronounce it as ‘Elah’. Muslims pronounce it as Allah. Hebrew and Arabic are sister languages therefore we say it should be pronounced as ‘Allah’ and not as ‘Elah’. Exodus 3:13 & 15/Psalm 50:1 & 2- In the Hebrew it is written ALLAH.
Language is a medium of expressing thoughts. However, the pronunciation should conform to the dictates of that particular language. A few examples of the English language with the pronunciations:
Word                  Pronunciation              Word               Pronunciation
Phone                 Fone                             Photo               Foto
Knife                  nife                               Quay               Key
Write                 rite                                Psalms            saams
Similarly ‘pint’ and ‘mint’ are pronounced differently. If a non English person asks “Why?” The answer is: “because it is their language, and they know the correct pronunciation”. Similarly the right pronunciation for 
A, L, L, A, H, is Allah, as is pronounced by Muslims.
b. Jesus cried out ‘Allah! Allah!’ when he was put on the cross198: It is mentioned in the New Testament in the Gospel of  Mathew, chapter 27 verse 46 as well as Gospel of Mark, chap 15 verse 34 that when Jesus (pbuh) was put on the cross / stake he cried with a loud voice saying "E’Li, E’Li, la’-ma sa-bach’-tha-ni?" meaning ‘My God, My God why hast Thou Forsaken Me?’ It does not sound at all like Jehovah! Jehovah! Why have thou forsaken me? The answer is that Hebrew and Arabic are sister languages, and if you translate "E’Li, E’Li la’-ma sabach’- tha-ni" into Arabic; it is ‘Allah Allah lama tarak tani’- it sounds similar as one can see. This statement of Jesus (pbuh), "E’Li, E’Li la’-ma sa-bach’-tha-ni" is preserved in its original in each and every Bible translation which is available in more than 2,000 different languages of the world, and in each and every of them "Allah" is preserved in them.
"Allah" in Sikhism.
One of the names Gurunanak Sahib referred to God is "Allah". 
"Allah" in Rigveda Book 2 Hymn I verse II:
Even in the Rigveda which is the most sacred scripture of the Hindus, one of the attributes mentioned in Book no. 2 Hymn no. I verse II, is ‘Ila’ which if pronounced properly is the same as Allah.
Allo-Upanishad:
Amongst the various Upanishads, one is named as ‘Allo’ Upanishad in which God is referred to as "Allah" several times. It would be appropriate to mention here that in the Glorious Qur’aan, there are more than 100 “names” of Allah. By names we mean the qualities and powers of Allah that are manifested in those names. As an example, in just 3 verses of the Qur’aan- chapter 59:verses.22-24; -the following qualities / attributes are mentioned of Allah.
"Allah is He than whom there is no other god Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He Most Gracious Most MercifulAllah is He than whom there is no other god the Sovereign the Holy One the Source of Peace (and Perfection). The Guardian of Faith the Preserver of Safety the Exalted in Might the Irresistible the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (high is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah the Creator the Maker the Bestower of Forms (or colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: Whatever is in the heavens and on earth doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might the Wise." (Qur’aan 59:22-24)



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Concept Of God

  • The Most Concise Definition of God
  • Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology
  • What does Islam say about ‘god-men’?
  • By what name do we call God?
  • God does not take human form:
  • God does not perform ungodly acts:
  • God only performs Godly acts:
  • Philosophy Of Anthropomorphism
  • The Creator prepares the instruction manual
  • Allah chooses Messengers:
  • Each attribute of God is unique and possessed by Him alone:
  • Unity of God
  • Tawheed
  • Shirk
The Most Concise Definition of God
"Say: He is Allah,
The One and Only.
"Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.
"He begets not, nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him."
                         [Al-Qur’an 112:1-4]
The word ‘Assamad’ is difficult to translate. It means ‘absolute existence’, which can be attributed only to Allah (swt), all other existence being temporal or conditional. It also means that Allah (swt) is not dependent on any person or thing, but all persons and things are dependent on Him.

Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology:
Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur’an, is the touchstone of theology. ‘Theo’ in Greek means God and ‘logy’ means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this ‘acid test’. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.

What does Islam say about ‘god-men’?
India is often called the land of ‘god-men’. This is due to the abundance of so-called spiritual masters in India. Many of these ‘babas’ and ‘saints’ have a large following in many countries. Islam abhors deification of any human being. To understand the Islamic stand towards such pretenders to divinity, let us analyze one such ‘god-man’, Osho Rajneesh.
Let us put this candidate, ‘Bhagwan’ Rajneesh, to the test of Surah Ikhlas, the touchstone of theology: 
  1. The first criterion is "Say, He is Allah, one and only". Is Rajneesh one and only? No! Rajneesh was one among the multitude of ‘spiritual teachers’ produced by India. Some disciples of Rajneesh might still hold that Rajneesh is one and only.    
  2. The second criterion is, ‘Allah is absolute and eternal’. We know from Rajneesh’s biography that he was suffering from diabetes, asthma, and chronic backache. He alleged that the U.S. Government gave him slow poison in prison. Imagine Almighty God being poisoned! Rajneesh was thus, neither absolute nor eternal.
  3. The third criterion is ‘He begets not, nor is He begotten’. We know that Rajneesh was born in Jabalpur in India and had a mother as well as a father who later became his disciples.
In May 1981 he went to U.S.A. and established a town called ‘Rajneeshpuram’. He later fell foul of the West and was finally arrested and asked to leave the country. He came back to India and started a commune in Pune which is now known as the ‘Osho’ commune. He died in 1990. The followers of Osho Rajneesh believe that he is Almighty God. At the ‘Osho commune’ in Pune one can find the following epitaph on his tombstone:
"Osho – never born, never died; only visited the planet Earth between 11th December 1931 to 19th January 1990."
They forget to mention that he was not granted visa for 21 countries of the world. Can a person ever imagine ‘God’ visiting the earth, and requiring a visa to enter a country! The Archbishop of Greece said that if Rajneesh had not been deported, they would have burnt his house and those of his disciples.

4. The fourth test, which is the most stringent is, "There is none like unto Him". The moment you can imagine or compare ‘God’ to anything, then he (the candidate to divinity) is not God. It is not possible to conjure up a mental picture of the One True God. We know that Rajneesh was a human being, having two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth and a white flowing beard. Photographs and posters of Rajneesh are available in plenty. The moment you can imagine or draw a mental picture of an entity, then that entity is not God.

Many are tempted to make anthropomorphic comparisons of God. Take for instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous body builder and Hollywood actor, who won the title of ‘Mr. Universe’, the strongest man in the world. Let us suppose that someone says that Almighty God is a thousand times stronger than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The moment you can compare any entity to God, whether the comparison is to Schwarzenegger or to King Kong, whether it is a thousand times or a million times stronger, it fails the Qur’anic criterion, "There is none like unto Him".
Thus, the ‘acid test’ cannot be passed by anyone except the One True God.
The following verse of the Glorious Qur’an conveys a similar message:

"No vision can grasp Him
But His grasp is over
All vision: He is
Above all comprehension,
Yet is acquainted with all things."
                [Al-Qur'an 6:103]

By what name do we call God?
The Muslims prefer calling the Supreme Creator, Allah, instead of by the English word ‘God’. The Arabic word, ‘Allah’, is pure and unique, unlike the English word ‘God’, which can be played around with.

If you add ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Gods’, that is the plural of God. Allah is one and singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Goddess’ that is a female God. There is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah has no gender. If you add the word ‘father’ to ‘God’ it becomes ‘God-father’. God-father means someone who is a guardian. There is no word like ‘Allah-Abba’ or ‘Allah-father’. If you add the word ‘mother’ to ‘God’, it becomes ‘God-mother’. There is nothing like ‘Allah-Ammi’, or ‘Allah-mother’ in Islam. Allah is a unique word. If you prefix tin before the word God, it becomes tin-God i.e., fake God. Allah is a unique word, which does not conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Therefore the Muslims prefer using the Arabic word ‘Allah’ for the Almighty. Sometimes, however, while speaking to the non-Muslims we may have to use the inappropriate word God, for Allah. Since the intended audience of this article is general in nature, consisting of both Muslims as well as non-Muslims, I have used the word God instead of Allah in several places in this article.

God does not take human form:
Some may argue that God does not become a human being but only takes a human form. If God only takes a human form but does not become a human being, He should not possess any human qualities. We know that all the ‘God-men’, have human qualities and failings. They have all the human needs such as the need to eat, sleep, etc.

The worship of God in human form is therefore a logical fallacy and should be abhorred in all its forms and manifestations.

That is the reason why the Qur’an speaks against all forms of anthropomorphism. The Glorious Qur’an says in the following verse:

"There is nothing whatever like unto Him."  [Al-Qur'an 42:11]

God does not perform ungodly acts:
The attributes of Almighty God preclude any evil since God is the source of justice, mercy and truth. God can never be thought of as doing an ungodly act. Hence we cannot imagine God telling a lie, being unjust, making a mistake, forgetting things, or having any such human failings. Similarly God can do injustice if He chooses to, but He will never do it because being unjust is an ungodly act.
The Qur’an says:

"Allah is never unjust In the least degree."   [Al-Qur'an 4:40]

God can be unjust if He chooses to be so, but the moment God does injustice, He ceases to be God.

God does not make mistakes

God can make mistakes if He wants to, but He does not make mistakes because making a mistake is an ungodly act. The Qur’an says:

"…my Lord never errs."  [Holy Qur'an 20:52]

The moment God makes a mistake, he ceases to be God.

God does not forget

God can forget if He wants to. But God does not forget anything because forgetting is an ungodly act, which reeks of human limitations and failings. The Qur’an says:

"…my Lord never errs, nor forgets."  [Al-Qur’an 20:52]

God only performs Godly acts:

The Islamic concept of God is that God has power over all things. The Qur’an says in several places (Al -Qur’an 2:106; 2:109; 2:284; 3:29; 16:77; and 35:1):

"For verily Allah has power over all things"

Further, the Glorious Qur’an says:

"Allah is the doer of all that He intends." [Al-Qura'n 85:16]

We must keep in mind that Allah intends only Godly acts and not ungodly acts.

PHILOSOPHY OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM
Many religions at some point believe, directly or indirectly, in the philosophy of anthropomorphism i.e. God becoming a human. Their contention is that Almighty God is so pure and holy that He is unaware of the hardships, shortcomings and feelings of human beings. In order to set the rules for human beings, He came down to earth as a human. This deceptive logic has fooled countless millions through the ages. Let us now analyze this argument and see if it stands to reason.

The Creator prepares the instruction manual

Suppose I manufacture a video cassette recorder (VCR). Do I have to become a VCR to know what is good or what is bad for the VCR? What do I do? I write an instruction manual: "In order to watch a video cassette, insert the cassette and press the play button. In order to stop, press the stop button. If you want to fast forward press the FF button. Do not drop it from a height or it will get damaged. Do not immerse it in water or it will get spoilt". I write an instruction manual that lists the various do’s and don’ts for the machine.
Holy Qur’an is the instruction manual for the human being:
Similarly, our Lord and Creator Allah (swt) need not take human form to know what is good or bad for the human being. He chooses to reveal the instruction manual. The last and final instruction manual of the human beings is the Glorious Qur’an. The ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for the human beings are mentioned in the Qur’an.
If you allow me to compare human beings with machines, I would say humans are more complicated than the most complex machines in the world. Even the most advanced computers, which are extremely complex, are pale in comparison to the myriad physical, psychological, genetic and social factors that affect individual and collective human life.
The more advanced the machine, greater is the need for its instruction manual. By the same logic, don’t human beings require an instruction manual by which to govern their own lives?

Allah chooses Messengers:

Allah (swt) need not come down personally for giving the instruction manual. He chooses a man amongst men to deliver the message and communicates with him at a higher level through the medium of revelations. Such chosen men are called messengers and prophets of God.
Some people are ‘blind’ and ‘deaf’:
Despite the absurdity of the philosophy of anthropomorphism, followers of many religions believe in and preach it to others. Is it not an insult to human intelligence and to the Creator who gave us this intelligence? Such people are truly ‘deaf’ and ‘blind’ despite the faculty of hearing and sight given to them by Allah. The Qur’an says:
"Deaf, dumb, and blind,
They will not return (to the path)."     [Al-Qur'an 2:18]

The Bible gives a similar message in the Gospel of Matthew:

"Seeing they see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand."    [The Bible, Matthew 13:13]

A similar message is also given in the Hindu Scriptures in the Rigveda.

"There maybe someone who sees the words and yet indeed does not see them; may be another one who hears these words but indeed does not hear them." 1
                  [Rigveda 10:71:4]
All these scriptures are telling their readers that though the things are made so clear yet many people divert away from the truth.

Attributes of God:

To Allah belong the most beautiful names:
The Qur’an says:
"Say: Call upon Allah, or
Call upon Rahman:
By whatever name you call
Upon Him, (it is well):
For to Him belong
The Most Beautiful Names."
        [Al-Qur'an 17:110]
A similar message regarding the beautiful names of Allah (swt) is repeated in the Qur’an in Surah Al-A’raf (7:180), in Surah Taha (20:8) and in Surah Al-Hashr (59:24).

The Qur’an gives no less than ninety-nine different attributes to Almighty Allah. The Qur’an refers to Allah as Ar-Rahman (Most Gracious), Ar-Raheem (Most Merciful) and Al-Hakeem (All Wise) among many other names. You can call Allah by any name but that name should be beautiful and should not conjure up a mental picture.

Each attribute of God is unique and possessed by Him alone:

Not only does God possess unique attributes, but also each attribute of Almighty God is sufficient to identify Him. I shall clarify this point in detail. Let us take an example of a famous personality, say Neil Armstrong. Neil Armstrong is an astronaut. The attribute of being an astronaut possessed by Neil Armstrong is correct but not unique to Neil Armstrong alone. So when one asks, who is an astronaut? The answer is, there are hundreds of people in the world who are astronauts. Neil Armstrong is an American. The attribute of being American possessed by Neil Armstrong is correct but not sufficient to identify him. So when one asks, who is an American? The answer is, there are millions of people who are American. To identify the person uniquely we must look for a unique attribute possessed by none except that person. For example, Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the moon. So when one asks, who was the first man to set foot on the moon, the answer is only one, i.e. Neil Armstrong. Similarly the attribute of Almighty God should be unique. If I say God is the constructor of buildings, it is possible and true, but it is not unique. Thousands of people can construct a building. But each attribute of Allah is unique and points to none but Allah. For example, God is the creator of the universe. If someone asks who is the creator of the universe, the answer is only one, i.e. Almighty God is the Ultimate Creator. Similarly, following are some of the many unique attributes possessed by none other than the Creator of the universe, Almighty Allah:
"Ar-Raheem", the Most Merciful
"Ar-Rahman", the Most Gracious
"Al-Hakeem", the Most Wise
So when one asks, "Who is ‘Ar-Raheem’, (the Most Merciful)?", there can only be one answer: "Almighty Allah".

One attribute of God should not contradict with other attributes:

Besides the attribute being unique, it should not contradict other attributes. To continue with the earlier example, suppose somebody says that Neil Armstrong is an American astronaut who was the first human to set foot on the moon and was an Indian. The attribute possessed by Neil Armstrong of being the first man to set foot on the moon, is correct. But its associated quality of being an Indian, is false. Similarly if someone says that God is the Creator of the Universe and has one head, two hands, two feet, etc., the attribute (Creator of the Universe) is correct but the associated quality (in the form of human being) is wrong and false.

All attributes should point to the one and same God:

Since there is only one God, all the attributes should point to one and the same God. To say that Neil Armstrong was an American astronaut who first set foot on the moon, but he was born in 1971 is wrong. Both these unique qualities belong to one and the same person, i.e. Neil Armstrong. Similarly to say that the Creator of the universe is one God and the Cherisher is another God is absurd because God possesses all these attributes combined together.

Unity of God
Some polytheists argue by saying that the existence of more than one God is not illogical. Let us point out to them that if there were more than one God, they would dispute with one another, each god trying to fulfill his will against the will of the other gods. This can be seen in the mythology of the polytheistic and pantheistic religions. If a ‘God’ is defeated or unable to defeat the others, he is surely not the one true God. Also popular among polytheistic religions is the idea of many Gods, each having different responsibilities. Each one would be responsible for a part of man’s existence e.g. a Sun-God, a Rain-God, etc. This indicates that one ‘God’ is incompetent of certain acts and moreover he is also ignorant of the other Gods’ powers, duties, functions and responsibilities. There cannot be an ignorant and incapable God. If there were more than one God it would surely lead to confusion, disorder, chaos and destruction in the universe. But the universe is in complete harmony. The Glorious Qur’an says:
"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!"
              [Al-Qur’an 21:22]

If there were more than one God, they would have taken away what they created. The Qur’an says:

"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
Lorded it over others!
Glory to Allah! (He is free)
From the (sort of) things
They attribute to Him!"
[Al-Qur’an 23:91]

Thus the existence of one True, Unique, Supreme, Almighty God, is the only logical concept of God.


TAWHEED
Definition and Categories:

Islam believes in ‘Tawheed’ which is not merely monotheism i.e. belief in one God, but much more. Tawheed literally means ‘unification’ i.e. ‘asserting oneness’ and is derived from the Arabic verb ‘Wahhada’ which means to unite, unify or consolidate.

Tawheed can be divided into three categories.

1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah
2. Tawheed al-Asmaa-was-Sifaat
3. Tawheed al-Ibaadah.
A. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (maintaining the unity of Lordship)
The first category is ‘Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah’. ‘Ruboobeeyah’ is derived from the root verb "Rabb" meaning Lord, Sustainer and Cherisher.
Therefore ‘Tawheed-ar-Ruboobeeyah’ means maintaining the unity of Lordship. This category is based on the fundamental concept that Allah (swt) alone caused all things to exist when there was nothing. He created or originated all that exists out of nothing. He alone is the sole Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer of the complete universe and all between it, without any need from it or for it.

B.  Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (maintaining the unity of Allah’s name and attributes):

The second category is ‘Tawheed al Asmaa was Sifaat’ which means maintaining the unity of Allah’s name and attributes. This category is divided into five aspects:

(i) Allah should be referred to as described by Him and His Prophet
Allah must be referred to according to the manner in which He and His prophet have described Him without explaining His names and attributes by giving them meanings other than their obvious meanings.

(ii) Allah must be referred to as He has referred to Himself
Allah must be referred to without giving Him any new names or attributes. For example Allah may not be given the name Al-Ghaadib (the Angry One), despite the fact that He has said that He gets angry, because neither Allah nor His messenger have used this name.

(iii) Allah is referred to without giving Him the attributes of His creation
 
In a reference to God, we should strictly abstain from giving Him the attributes of those whom He has created. For instance in the Bible, God is portrayed as repenting for His bad thoughts in the same way as humans do when they realise their errors. This is completely against the principle of Tawheed. God does not commit any mistakes or errors and therefore never needs to repent.

The key principle when dealing with Allah’s attributes is given in the Qur’an in Surah Ash-Shura:

"There is nothing
Whatever like unto Him,
And He is the One
That hears and sees (all things)."
        [Al-Qur’an 42:11]
Hearing and seeing are human faculties. However, when attributed to the Divine Being they are without comparison, in their perfection, unlike when associated with humans who require ears, eyes, etc. and who are limited in their sight and hearing in terms of space, time, capacity, etc.

(iv) God’s creation should not be given any of His attributes
To refer to a human with the attribute of God is also against the principle of Tawheed. For example, referring to a person as one who has no beginning or end (eternal).

(v) Allah’s name cannot be given to His creatures
Some Divine names in the indefinite form, like ‘Raoof’ or ‘Raheem’ are permissible names for men as Allah has used them for Prophets; but ‘Ar-Raoof’ (the Most Pious) and Ar-Raheem (the most Merciful) can only be used if prefixed by ‘Abd’ meaning ‘slave of’ or ‘servant of’ i.e. ’Abdur-Raoof’ or ‘Abdur-Raheem’. Similarly ‘Abdur-Rasool’ (slave of the Messenger) or ‘Abdun-Nabee’ (slave of the Prophet) are forbidden.

C. Tawheed al-Ibaadah (maintaining the unity of worship):

(i) Definition and meaning of ‘Ibadaah’:
‘Tawheed al-Ibaadah’ means maintaining the unity of worship or ‘Ibaadah’. Ibaadah is derived from Arabic word ‘Abd’ meaning slave or servant. Thus Ibaadah means servitude and worship.

(ii) All three categories to be followed simultaneously.
Only believing in the first two categories of Tawheed without implementing Tawheed-al-Ibaadah is useless. The Qur’an gives the examples of ‘Mushrikeens’ (idolaters) of the Prophet’s time who confirmed the first two aspects of Tawheed. It is mentioned in the Qur’an:

"Say: ‘Who is it that
Sustains you (in life)
From the sky and from the earth?
Or who is it that
Has power over hearing
And sight? And who
Is it that brings out
The living from the dead
And the dead from the living?
And who is it that
Rules and regulates all affairs?’
They will soon say, ‘Allah’.
Say, ‘Will you not then
Show piety (to Him)?’ "
            [Al-Qur’an 10:31]

A similar example is repeated in Surah Zukhruf of the Glorious Qur’an:

"If thou ask them, Who
Created them, they will
Certainly say, ‘Allah’: how
Then are they deluded
Away (from the Truth)?"
            [Al-Qur’an 43:87]
The pagan Meccans knew that Allah (swt) was their Creator, Sustainer, Lord and Master. Yet they were not Muslims because they also worshipped other gods besides Allah. Allah (swt) categorised them as ‘Kuffaar’ (disbelievers) and ‘Mushrikeen’ (idol worshippers and those who associate partners with God).
"And most of them
Believe not in Allah
Without associating (others
As partners) with Him!"
               [Al-Qur’an 12:106]
Thus ‘Tawheed al-Ibaadah’ i.e. maintaining the unity of worship is the most important aspect of Tawheed. Allah (swt) alone deserves worship and He alone can grant benefit to man for his worship.

SHIRK

A. Definition:The omission of any of the above mentioned categories of  tawheed or deficiency in the fulfillment of any criteria of  Tawheed is referred to as 'shirk'.(Please note that the Arabic word 'Shirk' has the same sound as in the English word 'ship' and not as in the English word 'shirk',which means 'to evade'

‘Shirk’ literally means sharing or associating partners. In Islamic terms it means associating partners with Allah and is equivalent to idolatry.
B. Shirk is the greatest sin that Allah will never forgive:
 
The Qur’an describes the greatest sin in Surah Al-Nisa’:

"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."
       [Al-Qur’an 4:48]

The same message is repeated in Surah Al-Nisa’:

"Allah forgives not
(The sin of) joining other gods
With Him; but He forgives
Whom He pleases other sins
Than this: one who joins
Other gods with Allah,
Has strayed far, far away
(From the Right)."
          [Al-Qur’an 4:116]

C. Shirk leads to hell fire:
 
The Qur’an says in Surah Ma’idah:

"They do blaspheme who say:
‘Allah is Christ the son
Of Mary.’ But said Christ:
‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord
And your Lord’. Whoever joins other gods with Allah –
Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire
Will be his abode. There will for the wrongdoers
Be no one to help."
                [Al-Qur’an 5:72]

D. Worship and Obedience to none but Allah:
 
The Qur’an mentions in Surah Ali-’Imran:

Say: "O people of the Book!
Come To common terms
As between us and you:
That we worship none but Allah;
That we associate no partners with Him;
That we erect not, from among ourselves,
Lords and patrons other than Allah."
If then they turn back,
Say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least)
Are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will)."
              [Al-Qur’an 3:64]

The Glorious Qur’an says:

"And if all the trees on earth were pens
And the Ocean (were ink), with seven Oceans behind it
To add to its (supply), yet would not the Words
Of Allah be exhausted (In the writing): for Allah
Is Exalted in power, Full of Wisdom."
                          [Al-Qur’an 31:27]
Our analysis of Concept of God in various Religion shows that monotheism is an integral part of every major religion of the world. However, it is unfortunate that some adherents of these religions violate the teachings of their own scriptures and have set up partners to Almighty God.

An analysis of the scriptures of various religions, reveals that all scriptures exhort mankind to believe in, and submit to One God. All these scriptures condemn the association of partners to God, or the worship of God in the form of images. The Glorious Qur’an says:
"O men! Here is
A parable set forth!
Listen to it! Those
On whom, besides Allah,
You call, 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.
Feeble are those who petition
And those whom they petition!"
             [Al-Qur’an 22:73]
The basis of religion is the acceptance of Divine guidance. A rejection of this guidance has serious implications for society. While we have made great strides in science and technology, true peace still eludes us. All ‘isms’ have failed to provide the much vaunted deliverance.

The scriptures of all major religions exhort mankind to follow that which is good and eschew that which is evil. All scriptures remind mankind that good will not go unrewarded and evil will not go unpunished!

The question we need to address is, which of these scriptures provides us with the correct ‘instruction manual’ that we need to regulate our individual and collective lives?

I hope and pray that Allah guides all of us towards the Truth (Aameen).

Concept Of God In Christianity

I) Position of Jesus (pbuh) in Islam:
(i)Islam is the only non-Christian faith,
which makes it an article of faith to believe
in Jesus (pbuh). No Muslim is a Muslim
if he does not believe in Jesus (pbuh).
 
(ii) We believe that he was one of the mightiest Messengers of Allah (swt).
 
(iii) We believe that he was born miraculously, without any male intervention,
which many modern day Christians do not believe.
 
(iv) We believe he was the Messiah translated Christ (pbuh).
 
(v) We believe that he gave life to the dead with God’s permission.
 
(iv) We believe that he healed those born blind, and the lepers with God’s permission.

II) Concept of God in Christianity:
1. Jesus Christ (pbuh) never claimed Divinity
One may ask, if both Muslims and Christians love and respect Jesus (pbuh), where exactly is
the parting of ways? The major difference between Islam and Christianity is the Christians’
insistence on the supposed divinity of Christ (pbuh). A study of the Christian scriptures
reveals that Jesus (pbuh) never claimed divinity. In fact there is not a single unequivocal
statement in the entire Bible where Jesus (pbuh) himself says, "I am God" or where
he says, "worship me". In fact the Bible contains statements attributed to Jesus (pbuh) in which
he preached quite the contrary. The following statements in the Bible are attributed to
Jesus Christ (pbuh):
(i) "My Father is greater than I."
[The Bible, John 14:28]

(ii) "My Father is greater than all."
[The Bible, John 10:29]

(iii) "…I cast out devils by the Spirit of God…."
[The Bible, Mathew 12:28]

(iv) "…I with the finger of God cast out devils…."
[The Bible, Luke 11:20]

(v) "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just;
because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
[The Bible, John 5:30]
 
2. The Mission of Jesus Christ (pbuh) – to Fulfill the Law
Jesus (pbuh) never claimed divinity for himself. He clearly announced the nature of his mission.
Jesus (pbuh) was sent by God to confirm the previous Judaic law. This is clearly evident in the
following statements attributed to Jesus (pbuh) in the Gospel of Mathew:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law, till all be fulfilled.

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them,
the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes
and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
[The Bible, Mathew 5:17-20]

3. God Sent Jesus' (pbuh)
 
The Bible mentions the prophetic nature of Jesus (pbuh) mission in the following verses:
 
(i)"… and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me."
[The Bible, John 14:24]
 
(ii)"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou has sent."
[The Bible, John 17:3]
 
4. Jesus Refuted even the Remotest Suggestion of his Divinity

Consider the following incident mentioned in the Bible:

"And behold, one came and said unto him, ‘Good Master, what good thing shall I do,
that I may have eternal life?’

And he said unto him, ‘Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one,
that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.’ "
[The Bible, Mathew 19:16-17]
Jesus (pbuh) did not say that to have the eternal life of paradise, man should
believe in him as Almighty God or worship him as God, or believe that Jesus (pbuh)
would die for his sins. On the contrary he said that the path to salvation was
through keeping the commandments. It is indeed striking to note the difference
between the words of Jesus Christ (pbuh) and the Christian dogma of salvation
through the sacrifice of Jesus (pbuh).

5. Jesus (pbuh) of Nazareth – a Man Approved of God

The following statement from the Bible supports the Islamic belief that Jesus (pbuh)
was a prophet of God.
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst
of you, as ye yourselves also know."
[The Bible, Acts 2:22]
 
6. The First Commandment is that God is One
 
The Bible does not support the Christian belief in trinity at all. One of the scribes once
asked Jesus (pbuh) as to which was the first commandment of all, to which Jesus (pbuh)
merely repeated what Moses (pbuh) had said earlier:
"Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adonai Ikhad."

This is a Hebrew quotation, which means:

"Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord."
[The Bible, Mark 12:29]
It is striking that the basic teachings of the Church such as Trinity and vicarious
atonement find no mention in the Bible. In fact, various verses of the Bible point
to Jesus’ (pbuh) actual mission, which was to fulfill the law revealed to
Prophet Moses (pbuh). Indeed Jesus (pbuh) rejected any suggestions that attributed
divinity to him, and explained his miracles as the power of the One True God.
Jesus (pbuh) thus reiterated the message of monotheism that was given by all
earlier prophets of Almighty God.


III) Concept of God in the Old Testament:
1. God is One

The following verse from the book of Deuteronomy contains an exhortation
from Moses (pbuh):

"Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adna Ikhad".
It is a Hebrew quotation which means:
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord"
[The Bible, Deuteronomy 6:4]
 
2.  Unity of God in the Book of Isaiah
 
The following verses are from the Book of Isaiah:
     
(i) "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour."
[The Bible, Isaiah 43:11]
     
(ii) "I am Lord, and there is none else, there is no God besides me."
[The Bible, Isaiah 45:5]
     
(iii) "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me."
[The Bible, Isaiah 46:9]
 
3. Old Testament condemns idol worship
     
(i) Old Testament condemns idol worship in the following verses:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything
that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the earth:"

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord
thy God am a jealous God."
[The Bible, Exodus 20:3-5]
     
(ii) A similar message is repeated in the book of Deuteronomy:

"Thou shalt have none other gods before me."

"Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything
 that is in heaven above, or that in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
beneath the earth."

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord
 thy God am a jealous God."
[The Bible, Deuteronomy 5:7-9]





Concept Of God In Hinduism

1.  Common Concept of God in Hinduism:
Hinduism is commonly perceived as a polytheistic
religion. Indeed, most Hindus would attest to this,
by professing belief in multiple Gods. While some
Hindus believe in the existence of three gods,
some believe in thousands of gods, and some
others in thirty three crore i.e. 330 million Gods.
However, learned Hindus, who are well versed in their
scriptures, insist that a Hindu should believe in and
worship only one God.


The major difference between the Hindu and the Muslim
perception of God is the common Hindus’ belief
in the philosophy of Pantheism. Pantheism considers
everything, living and non-living, to be Divine and Sacred.
The common Hindu, therefore, considers everything as God.
He considers the trees as God, the sun as God, the moon as God,
the monkey as God, the snake as God and even human beings
as manifestations of God!


Islam, on the contrary, exhorts man to consider himself and his surroundings
as examples of Divine Creation rather than as divinity itself. Muslims therefore
believe that everything is God’s i.e. the word ‘God’ with an apostrophe ‘s’.
In other words the Muslims believe that everything belongs to God.
The trees belong to God, the sun belongs to God, the moon belongs to God,
the monkey belongs to God, the snake belongs to God, the human beings
belong to God and everything in this universe belongs to God.
Thus the major difference between the Hindu and the Muslim beliefs is the
difference of the apostrophe ‘s’. The Hindu says everything is God.
The Muslim says everything is God’s.
2Concept of God according to Hindu Scriptures:


We can gain a better understanding of the concept of God in Hinduism
by analysing Hindu scriptures.


BHAGAVAD GITA:


The most popular amongst all the Hindu scriptures is the Bhagavad Gita.
Consider the following verse from the Gita:


"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender
unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship
according to their own natures."
[Bhagavad Gita 7:20]


The Gita states that people who are materialistic worship demigods
i.e. ‘gods’ besides the True God.

UPANISHADS:



The Upanishads are considered sacred scriptures by the Hindus.


The following verses from the Upanishads refer to the Concept of God:


1.  "Ekam evadvitiyam"
"He is One only without a second."
[Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1]1
2.  "Na casya kascij janita na cadhipah."
"Of Him there are neither parents nor lord."
[Svetasvatara Upanishad 6:9]2
3.  "Na tasya pratima asti"
"There is no likeness of Him."
[Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19]3
4.  The following verses from the Upanishad allude to the inability of man to
imagine God in a particular form:


"Na samdrse tisthati rupam asya, na caksusa pasyati kas canainam."


"His form is not to be seen; no one sees Him with the eye."
[Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:20]4


1[The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 447 and 448]
[Sacred Books of the East, volume 1 ‘The Upanishads part I’ page 93]


2[The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 745]
[Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page 263.]


3[The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 736 & 737]
[Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page no 253]


4[The Principal Upanishad by S. Radhakrishnan page 737]
[Sacred Books of the East, volume 15, ‘The Upanishads part II’ page no 253]


THE VEDAS
Vedas are considered the most sacred of all the Hindu scriptures. There are
four principal Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda and Atharvaveda.


1. Yajurveda
  The following verses from the Yajurveda echo a similar concept of God:


1. "na tasya pratima asti"
    "There is no image of Him."
    [Yajurveda 32:3]5
2. "shudhama poapvidham"
    "He is bodyless and pure."
    [Yajurveda 40:8]6
3. "Andhatama pravishanti ye asambhuti mupaste"
    "They enter darkness, those who worship the natural elements" (Air, Water, Fire, etc.).
 "They sink deeper in darkness, those who worship sambhuti."    
    [Yajurveda 40:9]7


4. Sambhuti means created things, for example table, chair, idol, etc.


   The Yajurveda contains the following prayer:
   "Lead us to the good path and remove the sin that makes us stray and wander."
   [Yajurveda 40:16]8


  5[Yajurveda by Devi Chand M.A. page 377]


  6[Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith page 538]


  7[Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Giffith page 538]


  8[Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Griffith page 541]


2. Atharvaveda


The Atharvaveda praises God in Book 20, hymn 58 and verse 3:
1. "Dev maha osi"
"God is verily great"
[Atharvaveda 20:58:3]9


3. Rigveda
1.  The oldest of all the vedas is Rigveda. It is also the one considered most
sacred by the Hindus.
The Rigveda states in Book 1, hymn 164 and verse 46:  "Sages (learned Priests)
call one God by manynames."
[Rigveda 1:164:46]
2. The Rigveda gives several different attributes to Almighty God. Many of these
are mentioned in Rigveda Book 2 hymn 1.


Among the various attributes of God, one of the beautiful attributes mentioned
in the Rigveda Book II hymn 1 verse 3, is Brahma. Brahma means ‘The Creator’.
Translated into Arabic it means Khaaliq. Muslims can have no objection if
Almighty God is referred to as Khaaliq or ‘Creator’ or Brahma. However if it is said
that Brahma is Almighty God who has four heads with each head having a crown,
Muslims take strong exception to it.


Describing Almighty God in anthropomorphic terms also goes against the following
verse of Yajurveda:


"Na tasya Pratima asti"
"There is no image of Him."
[Yajurveda 32:3]


Another beautiful attribute of God mentioned in the Rigveda Book II hymn 1 verse 3
is Vishnu. Vishnu means ‘The Sustainer’. Translated into Arabic it means Rabb.
Again, Muslims can have no objection if Almighty God is referred to as Rabb or
'Sustainer' or Vishnu. But the popular image of


9[Atharveda Samhita vol 2 William Dwight Whitney page 910]


Vishnu among Hindus, is that of a God who has four arms, with one of the
right arms holding the Chakra, i.e. a discus and one of the left arms holding
a ‘conch shell’, or riding a bird or reclining on a snake couch. Muslims can never
 accept any image of God. As mentioned earlier this also goes against
Svetasvatara Upanishad Chapter 4 verse 19.


"Na tasya pratima asti"
"There is no likeness of Him"


The following verse from the Rigveda Book 8, hymn 1, verse 1 refer to the
Unity and Glory of the Supreme Being:
3.  "Ma cid anyad vi sansata sakhayo ma rishanyata"
"O friends, do not worship anybody but Him, the Divine One. Praise Him alone."
[Rigveda 8:1:1]10


4.  "Devasya samituk parishtutih"
"Verily, great is the glory of the Divine Creator."
[Rigveda 5:1:81]11


Brahma Sutra of Hinduism:


The Brahma Sutra of Hinduism is:


"Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste neh na naste kinchan"


"There is only one God, not the second; not at all, not at all, not in the least bit."


Thus only a dispassionate study of the Hindu scriptures can help one understand
the concept of God in Hinduism.


0[Rigveda Samhita vol. 9, pages 2810 and 2811 by Swami Satya Prakash Sarasvati
and Satyakam Vidyalankar]


11[Rigveda Samhita vol. 6, pages 1802 and 1803 by Swami Satya Prakash Saraswati
and Satyakam Vidyalankar]


as from the sun." The Prophecy confirms:


1. The name of the Prophet as Ahmed since Ahmed is an Arabic name.
Many translators misunderstood it to be ‘Ahm at hi’ and translated the
mantra as "I alone have acquired the real wisdom of my father".
2. Prophet was given eternal law, i.e. the Shariah.
3. The Rishi was enlightened by the Shariah of Prophet Muhammad.
The Qur’an says in Surah Saba Chapter 34 verse 28 (34:28):
"We have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them
glad tidings and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not."

Concept Of God In Judaism

Judaism is one of the major Semitic religions. Its followers are known as Jews and they believe in the prophetic mission of Prophet Moses (pbuh).

(i) The following verse from Deuteronomy contains an exhortation from Moses: (pbuh)

"Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adna Ikhad" 
It is a Hebrew quotation which means
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" 
[The Bible, Deut 6:4]

(ii) Consider the following verses from the Book of Isaiah:

"I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour." 
[The Bible, Isaiah 43:11]

(iii) "I am lord, and there is none else There is no God besides me."
 
[The Bible, Isaiah 45 : 5]

(iv) "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me." 

[The Bible, Isaiah 46:9]

(v) Judaism condemns idol worship in the following verses:
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor see them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…" 
[The Bible, Exodus 20:3-5]

(iv) A similar message is repeated in the book of Deutoronomy:

"Thou shalt have none other gods before me.Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that in the earth beneath, or that is in the water beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…" 
[The Bible, Deut 5:7-9]

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