arRahman arRaheem

...

 قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Say, "He (is) Allah, the One.

Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute.

Not He begets and not He is begotten.

And not is for Him equivalent any [one]."

[Al-Quran 112]

The Quran introduces Allah as arRahman arRaheem. One hundred and thirteen surahs begin with the statement: With the name of Allah, arRahman arRaheem (Arabic: بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ). The only surah which doesn't begin with this invocation is the ninth surah, which is a declaration of war against the polytheists of Mecca after two decades of inviting them to faith. 

We have a list of ninety-nine names or attributes of Allah. The predominant names are arRahman and arRaheem. Including the Bismillah of only the first surah, the name arRahman is mentioned fifty-seven times, and arRaheem one hundred and sixteen times, in their nominal form. In other grammatical forms,  the root ر ح م occurs several times, as can be seen in the corpus.quran.com website: 

The triliteral root rā ḥā mīm (ر ح م) occurs 339 times in the Quran, in nine derived forms:

• 28 times as the form I verb raḥima (رَّحِمَ)
• 12 times as the noun arḥām (أَرْحَام)
• four times as the noun arḥam (أَرْحَم)
• once as the noun ruḥ'm (رُحْم)
• 57 times as the nominal raḥmān (رَّحْمَٰن)
• 114 times as the noun raḥmat (رَحْمَة)
• 116 times as the nominal raḥīm (رَّحِيم)
• once as the noun marḥamat (مَرْحَمَة)
• six times as the active participle rāḥimīn (رَّٰحِمِين)

The words arRahman and arRaheem mean Merciful. As some scholars describe it, 

•  arRahman means a huge amount of immediate mercy, like when you see someone in need and you feel overwhelmed with compassion, and do a lot for them 
• arRaheem means constantly merciful, in that His Mercy is not like our mercy which wears out after a while. Allah continues to be permanently merciful, and this aspect of His Mercy is exclusively for the believers who will succeed in the Hereafter. 

The Quran informs us that Allah has a Nafs. In fact, twice does Allah warn us against His Nafs. 

Our nafs is in pledge for what it earns. We are repeatedly invited to submit our will to Allah's Will, that is Islam (submission to Allah's Will), and that is the only Deen (law of recompense / religion) acceptable to Allah. We need to become Muslims. 

In Surah alAn'am, twice we find that Allah has decreed upon His Nafs mercy: 

قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُل لِّلَّهِ ۚ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۚ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ١٢

Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allāh." He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] do not believe.

— Saheeh International

Say, “To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth?” Say, “To Allah.” He has prescribed Mercy for Himself. He will surely gather you on the Day of Resurrection in which there is no doubt.Those who have brought loss to themselves are not going to believe.

— T. Usmani

پوچھو کہ کس کا ہے جو کچھ آسمانوں اور زمین میں ہے کہو سب کچھ اللہ کا ہے اس نے اپنے اوپر رحمت لکھ لی ہے وہ ضرور تم کو جمع کرے گا قیامت کے دن، اس میں کوئی شک نہیں  جن لوگوں نے اپنے آپ کو گھاٹے میں ڈالا، وہی ہیں جو اس پر ایمان نہیں لاتے

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

[Al-Quran 6:12]

That we are here, on Earth, living this life, with all the blessings, and guidance, and the lifetime of opportunities to accept the guidance and submit to Allah's Will, is due to Allah being arRahman. 

That the believers have the opportunity to repent from their ignorant ways, and be forgiven, and that they can then hope to find mercy, is Allah being arRaheem. 

So, in the same surah, we find: 

وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۖ أَنَّهُۥ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوٓءًۢا بِجَهَـٰلَةٍۢ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ٥٤

And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy: that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and corrects himself - indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."

— Saheeh International

When those who believe in Our verses come to you, say to them, “Peace on you. Your Lord has prescribed for Himself mercy, so that if any one of you does an evil deed out of ignorance and thereafter repents and mends his ways, then (you will see that) He is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.

— T. Usmani

اور جب تمھارے پاس وہ لوگ آئیں جو ہماری آیات پر ایمان لائے ہیں تو ان سے کہو کہ تم پر سلامتی ہو تمھارے رب نے اپنے اوپر رحمت لکھ لی ہے بے شک تم میں سے جو کوئی نادانی سے برائی کر بیٹھے پھر اس کے بعد وہ توبہ کرے اور اصلاح کرلے تو اللہ بخشنے والا مہربان ہے

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

[Al-Quran 6:54]

Surah alAn'am presents the example of Allah repeatedly coming to our rescue in this world, His aspect of arRahman taking precedence: 

قُلْ مَن يُنَجِّيكُم مِّن ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُۥ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخُفْيَةًۭ لَّئِنْ أَنجَىٰنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ ٦٣

Say, "Who rescues you from the darknesses of the land and sea [when] you call upon Him imploring [aloud] and privately, 'If He should save us from this [crisis], we will surely be among the thankful.'"

— Saheeh International

Say, “Who is the One who delivers you from the darkness of the land and the sea when you supplicate Him in humility and in low tones (promising): ‘If He delivers us from this, We shall truly become grateful?’”

— T. Usmani

کہو، کون تم کو نجات دیتا ہے خشکی اور سمندر کی تاریکیوں سے، تم اس کو پکارتے ہو عاجزی سے اور چپکے چپکے کہ اگر خدا نے ہم کو نجات دے دی اس مصیبت سے تو ہم اس کے شکر گزار بندوں میں سے بن جائیں گے

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُنَجِّيكُم مِّنْهَا وَمِن كُلِّ كَرْبٍۢ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ ٦٤

Say, "It is Allāh who saves you from it and from every distress; then you [still] associate others with Him."

— Saheeh International

Say, “Allah delivers you from it and from every pain; Yet still, you associate partners with Him.”

— T. Usmani

کہو، خدا ہی تم کو نجات دیتا ہے اس سے اور ہر تکلیف سے، پھر بھی تم شرک کرنے لگتے ہو

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

قُلْ هُوَ ٱلْقَادِرُ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابًۭا مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِكُمْ أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعًۭا وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ ٦٥

Say, "He is the [one] Able to send upon you affliction from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you [so you become] sects and make you taste the violence of one another." Look how We diversify the signs that they might understand.

— Saheeh International

Say, “He is fully capable that He should send a punishment from above you or from beneath your feet, or to put you in confusion through divisions, and make some of you taste troubles through some others.” See how We bring forth explaining verses from different angles, so that they may understand.

— T. Usmani

کہو، خدا قادر ہے اس پر کہ وہ تم پر کوئی عذاب بھیج دے تمھارے اوپر سے یا تمھارے پیروں کے نیچے سے یا تم کو گروہ گروہ کر کے ایک کو دوسرے کی طاقت کا مزہ چکھا دے دیکھو، ہم کس طرح دلائل مختلف پہلوؤں سے بیان کرتے ہیں تاکہ وہ سمجھیں

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

وَكَذَّبَ بِهِۦ قَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ ۚ قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍۢ ٦٦

But your people have denied it while it is the truth. Say, "I am not over you a manager [i.e., authority]."

— Saheeh International

Your people have rejected it (the Qur’ān) while it is the whole truth. Say, “I am not appointed as a taskmaster over you.

— T. Usmani

اور تمھاری قوم نے اس کو جھٹلادیا ہے حالاں کہ وہ حق ہے کہو، میں تمھارے اوپر داروغہ نہیں ہوں

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

لِّكُلِّ نَبَإٍۢ مُّسْتَقَرٌّۭ ۚ وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ٦٧

For every news [i.e., happening] is a finality; and you are going to know.

— Saheeh International

For every event there is a point (of time and place) to occur, and you will soon know (it).”

— T. Usmani

ہر خبر کے ليے ایک وقت مقرر ہے اور تم جلد ہی جان لو گے

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا۟ فِى حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِۦ ۚ وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٦٨

And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people.

— Saheeh International

When you see those who indulge in (blaspheming) Our verses, turn away from them until they become occupied with some other discourse. If Satan should cause you to forget (this instruction), then do not sit with the unjust people after recollection.

— T. Usmani

اور جب تم ان لوگوں کو دیکھو جو ہماری آیتوں میں عیب نکالتے ہیں تو ان سے الگ ہوجاؤ، یہاں تک کہ وہ کسی اور بات میں لگ جائیں  اور اگر کبھی شیطان تم کو بھلادے تو یاد آنے کے بعد ایسے بے انصاف لوگوں کے پاس نہ بیٹھو

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

وَمَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ وَلَـٰكِن ذِكْرَىٰ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ٦٩

And those who fear Allāh are not held accountable for them [i.e., the disbelievers] at all, but [only for] a reminder - that perhaps they will fear Him.

— Saheeh International

Those who fear Allah are not responsible for any (evil) act in the account of these (infidels), except for advising them, so that they may be careful.

— T. Usmani

اور جولوگ اللہ سے ڈرتے ہیں ، ان پر ان کے حساب میں سے کسی چیزکی ذمہ داری نہیں ، البتہ یاد دلانا ہے شاید کہ وہ بھی ڈریں

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

وَذَرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًۭا وَلَهْوًۭا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَذَكِّرْ بِهِۦٓ أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِىٌّۭ وَلَا شَفِيعٌۭ وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍۢ لَّا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَآ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا۟ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ ۖ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌۭ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍۢ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ ٧٠

And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded. But remind with it [i.e., the Qur’ān], lest a soul be given up to destruction for what it earned; it will have other than Allāh no protector and no intercessor. And if it should offer every compensation, it would not be taken from it [i.e., that soul]. Those are the ones who are given to destruction for what they have earned. For them will be a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment because they used to disbelieve.

— Saheeh International

Avoid those who have taken their faith as fun and games. The worldly life has deceived them. Preach with it (the Qur’ān), lest one should be seized for what he did, in a way that he should have neither a helper besides Allah, nor an intercessor. Should he offer every (sort of) ransom, it will not be accepted from him. Those are the ones who are seized for what they themselves earned. For them there is a drink of boiling water, and a painful punishment, because they used to disbelieve.

— T. Usmani

ان لوگوں کو چھوڑو جنھوں نے اپنے دین کو کھیل تماشا بنا رکھا ہے اور جن کو دنیا کی زندگی نے دھوکے میں ڈال رکھا ہے اور قرآن کے ذریعہ نصیحت کرتے رہو تاکہ کوئی شخص اپنے کيے میں گرفتار نہ ہوجائے، اس حال میں کہ اللہ سے بچانے والا کوئی مدد گار اور سفارشی اس کے ليے نہ ہو اگر وہ دنیا بھر کا معاوضہ دے تب بھی وہ قبول نہ کیا جائے یہی لوگ ہیں جو اپنے کيے میں گرفتار ہوگئے ان کے ليے کھولتا ہواپانی پینے کے ليے ہوگا اور درد ناک سزا ہوگی اس ليے کہ وہ کفر کرتے تھے

— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

[Al-Quran 6:63-70]

The Quran amply warns us, repeatedly, again and again informing us of Gardens beneath which waters flow, and Fires of great punishment. The Quran makes it very clear that the life of the Hereafter is immortal, and the residence in either is permanent. 

arRahman arRaheem is graciously offering us the Gardens as our eternal home, but he will not compel anyone to make that choice. We are free to choose. Only through His Mercy can we be saved. 

...

Also read:

... if you slip  

The Second Chance 

The State of Muslims in the twenty-first century 

Prayers - The Need for Allah's Help 

... and Join Me with The Reformed 

Accepting Responsibility 

The Folding of The Sky 

Shield and Armour 

The Return to Glory 

...

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Polytheism -> Monotheism -> Good Speech‏

إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ

Only you (can) warn (him) who follows the Reminder and fears the Most Gracious in the unseen. So give him glad tidings of forgiveness and a reward noble.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/36/11/

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُّبِينٌ

لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ

And not We taught him [the] poetry, and not it is befitting for him. Not it (is) except a Reminder and a Quran clear, To warn (him) who is alive and may be proved true the Word against the disbelievers. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/36/69/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/36/70/ 

Prophet-Messenger Muhammad was sent on mission to a polytheistic society, who were highly religious, and took pride in the fact that they were the custodians of the Ka'aba, housing their idols in it. The Quran, Surah An-Najm, specifically names their three major idols and condemns their faith. 

History informs us that the polytheists considered Allah (The Deity) to be the head of their pantheon of gods, and that Allah was the moon-god. The Quran, Surah Al-Qamar, draws our attention to the miracle of the splitting of the Moon, which negated the pagans' false belief of deifying the moon. Surely He, who could split the moon, also had power over the associated physics, and was able to ensure that the Earth survived for people to recognise the clear sign and heed the warning.        

Some of the primary addressees of the Quran were converting to the monotheistic message that they were being called to. It is but natural to expect that they were experiencing a wide range of emotions from gratitude for the guidance to anger at the past practices and their polytheistic religious leaders. The Quran 6:108 contained their revilement and fury thus: 

And (do) not insult those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah (in) enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to every community their deed. Then to their Lord (is) their return, then He will inform them about what they used to do.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/108/

When Moses was sent on mission to Pharaoh, he and his brother Aaron were ordered thus: 

Go, both of you, to Firaun. Indeed, he (has) transgressed. And speak to him a word gentle, perhaps he may take heed or fear." 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/20/44/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/20/43/ 

Regarding the sects created within the religion, the Quran 6:159 condemns sectarianism, but also orders the believers to steer clear of arguments about the sects' beliefs:   

Indeed, those who divide their religion and become sects, you are not with them in anything. Only their affair (is) with Allah, then He will inform them of what they used to do. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/159/ 

And hold firmly to (the) rope (of) Allah all together and (do) not be divided. And remember (the) Favor (of) Allah on you when you were enemies then He made friendship between your hearts then you became by His Favor brothers. And you were on (the) brink (of) pit of the Fire then He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes clear for you His Verses so that you may (be) guided. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/3/103/ 

In the Hereafter, God promises to reward those who believe and work accordingly with grades of dignity. Good speech will be rewarded thus: 

Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do the righteous deeds, (to) Gardens flow from underneath it the rivers. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearl, and their garments therein (will be of) silk. And they were guided to the good of the speech, and they were guided to (the) path (of) the Praiseworthy. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/22/23/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/22/24/ 

The Quran ,Surah Rum, begins with the news of the victory of the Romans, reminding that Allah's promise is true. The Quran, Surah Rum, ends on the following note of encouragement for the believers: 

فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَا يَسْتَخِفَّنَّكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَ

So be patient. Indeed, (the) Promise (of) Allah (is) true. And (let) not take you in light estimation those who (are) not certain in faith.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/30/60/ 

Actions & their Weight

In an email message, JKC quoted some technical articles on Cryonics, and concluded: So if a neuron shrinks or grows in volume during freezing that shouldn't be something it hasn't seen before, and even if a shard of ice does punch a meaningless hole in the net it should be obvious to a intelligent nano-machine that the hole was  just caused by ice and not by synaptic behavior because the ice would still be sticking through it. 

I wrote: JC, I can see that you are concerned about the outcome of Cryonics program you've signed up your brain for. Someone or something set in motion a process which brought you into existence in this life - trust the same to repeat the process and bring you back into existence. 

I urge you to worry more about the quality of that life!  

We believe that the quality of that life depends on the beliefs and actions in this life. Do take the time to study the Quran or Torah or start with any scripture you feel more comfortable with. 

This link may be a good place to start: http://searchtruth.com/list.php 

JKC asked: Actions I can understand but why beliefs? Why on earth would an omniscient being consider​ holding an ​unshakable​ ​belief even in​ ​the face​ ​of overwhelming​ ​contrary evidence to be a virtue​ and not a vice​? Give me a good answer to that question and I​ ​promise I​ ​will start reading the Quran, although I'll have to learn Arabic first. 

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Answer: Actions carry weight only if they are based upon the correct beliefs. 

As I understand it, in this world we have been sent to be tested if we can be entrusted with the inheritance of the Gardens of Eternity. This is because The Human volunteered for The Trust. 

The Quran uses the Arabic term for inheritance for the Gardens promised to the righteous Believers who do Good Deeds. Inheritance implies that we will not be guests but rather owners of those gardens. I think this means we shall have a much larger role and be entrusted with the land we inherit! 

The inheritance will vary in accordance with the faith and actions of each individual, as indicated in the size of the gardens mentioned in Quran 57:21 and Quran 3:133, and as stated in Quran 8:4. For those who believe and seek forgiveness for their sins, God will grace them with a garden as extensive as heaven [singular] and the earth, while those who also keep their duty to God, the pious, the reward will be greater: as extensive as the heavens [plural] and the earth. The believers will have exalted grades/grades of dignity, forgiveness and honourable sustenance. 

[Note: The term arabic term translated as heaven implies sky and not paradise; the Quran uses the terms Garden and Fire for the perpetual abode of the Hereafter. Personally, I imagine them with the concept of planets and stars]     

The last few verses of Quran Chapter 18 inform us: 

Quran 18:103-108 Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?- "Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?" They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight. That is their reward, Hell, because they rejected Faith, and took My Signs and My Messengers by way of jest. As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise, Wherein they shall dwell (for aye): no change will they wish for from them. 

See if some of my blogposts are of any help: 

http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/ 

http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/ 

JKC responded: 

> Actions carry weight only if they are based upon the correct beliefs. 

I don't think so. If you hit me in the head with a heavy ax ​t​hat action carries weight regardless of what beliefs were or were not dancing around in your head when you did it. If somebody does the wrong thing for the right reason it's still the wrong thing, and the right thing for the wrong reason ​is ​​still the right thing.

  

> As I understand it, in this world we have been sent to be tested

​But why do religious people insist God devised it as is it as a stupidity test rather than a IQ test​? 

​> ​as stated in Quran 8:4. For those who believe and seek forgiveness for their sins, God will grace them with a garden as extensive as heaven

So says the Quran, and you believe it's true for the same reason anybody believes what the Quran (or the Bible) says is true, because their Mommy and Daddy told them it's true. It's no deeper than that. That's why there aren't many Baptists in Pakistan but lots of them in Mississippi. If you tell me where somebody was born I can have a pretty good idea what their religious beliefs are. ​Your deepest held beliefs are a function of Geography. 

​So it's easy to understand why a human could gain power by pushing the idea that believing in stuff he can't prove is a good idea, but you still haven't answered the question I asked in my last post. W​h​y on earth would an omniscient being ​consider​ holding an​ unshakable​ belief in​ the face​ of overwhelming​ contrary evidence to be a virtue​ and not a vice​?

Answer: 

Actions and their Weight: 

There is the outcome of actions and there is the recompense for the actions. According to my faith, the outcome is already preordained, while the choice to choose why and whether to choose to act or not is left to us. Eventually we end up doing whatever has already been preordained, and the program of this world proceeds as planned. Thus, the weight of the actions depends on the choices we make and the intentions and reasons behind them. Faith plays a major role in the evaluation of the choice. 

Evidence (or the lack of it) for An Omniscient Being:  

There is no evidence for either atheism or polytheism. The only deduction all humans can make from our daily experiences is that there is always someone who makes something, i.e. nothing comes from nothing. The other deduction that we can make from human interactions is that whenever there are more than one claimants to power, there eventually is a power struggle, with either one person dominating the rest, or whatever they were fighting over gets destroyed. Thus, logically, there can only be one God. 

Of course, that leads us to the question that if there is a God who is uncreated, then why can't everything else also come into existence without a creator? There is a definite gap in our knowledge as we know nothing about God, but that is not a proof for the non-existence of God. It simply means that our knowledge is limited and inadequate. 

Faith and Justice: 

The greatest injustice conceivable is to deny the existence of God or to believe that there can be more than one God. The Hereafter is about Justice and Recompense. 

Coming back to my previous post where I've mentioned The Trust, only those humans can be entrusted with the Gardens of Eternity who are able to prove that they qualify for the huge responsibility that comes with such an inheritance: that they have done their best to be Just towards God and His creations, including one's own self, and are kind and generous, and are doers of good deeds. Thus the need for this trial we call life on Earth. Therefore, it is deliberately a blindfolded test.  

This is how I understand it. And God knows best. 

Adam's Clothes

MSA & IQ discussing the previous reply to MSA's query regarding Head Cover: 

IQ: "If Allah wants women to hide themselves with hijab, why are women not born with one?"

MSA: Good question. I would have also placed the same question before Allah, if I could reach Him!!

Answer: According to my study of the Quran, Adam and his wife were indeed clothed before they ate off the forbidden tree. I understand that if we are forgiven and eligible for the Garden of Eden, our DNA will be repaired and our original clothing (libas-ut-taqwa) restored on the Day of Judgement. 

Following are excerpts from my blogpost: 

Mission of the Messengers - III
No change should there be in the creation of Allah [Quran 30:30] 
Adam's Attempt to Improve upon Allah's Creation
Outcome: Mutated, Non-Functional Genes  

The Garden

Quran 20:118 informs us that there was enough in the Garden for Adam and his wife to neither go naked nor hungry.

The popular belief across religions is that Adam and his wife were naked, but only not aware of it. The Quran clearly states that they were not naked. I think this is a key to understanding what happened and the lesson for us in the story of Adam.  

Satan’s Deception: Desire and Temptation

Quran 20:120 informs us of Satan (Iblis)’s attempt to seduce Adam: Then whispered to him Shaitaan, he said, "O Adam! Shall I direct you to (the) tree (of) the Eternity and a kingdom not (that will) deteriorate?"  

The verses of the Quran are very clear that Adam sought Immortality and A Kingdom that Never Decays. According to scientific knowledge, we now know that changes in the genome cause fundamental changes in the organism. Modern science promises to increase longevity and eradicate disease by making sufficient advances in genomics.  Eugenics, Transhumanism, Posthuman and eventually Posthumanism all seek to transcend the human into a utopian superbeing, who will then no longer be a ‘human’. However, as illustrated by Adam’s example, efforts in this direction can only cause depletion and loss. God’s perfect creations cannot be improved upon!

Clothing Stripped Off

[Quran 20:121, Translation: Sahih International]  And Adam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.

When Adam and his wife were placed in the Garden, they were not naked. When they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree, their clothing was stripped off them and thus their nakedness became apparent. Consequently, they started covering themselves with leaves, repentantly praying that they had wronged themselves. They were forgiven and clothing was then again bestowed upon humans to cover themselves. 

...

...

Humans are among the rare creatures whose skins are bare and not covered with fur, feather, shell or some other form of covering to hide their body.

Scientists have discovered pseudogenes (mutated, inactive genes) in humans, which indicate that perhaps sometime in the distant past, human skin was covered in fur or feather.

Scientists have also discovered a faint glow (bioluminescence) being emitted from the human body. 

Perhaps before Adam and his wife ate of the cursed tree, the clothes were growing upon or glowing off their body, and were shed off due to mutation caused in the genes upon eating the forbidden fruit? Or perhaps, the clothes were not connected to their body, but were to be worn externally like we do here on Earth.  Either way, perhaps this is what is meant by ‘libas-ut-taqwa’, the one that Allah designed for humans. After all, nothing can excel Allah’s design – it has to be the best! Regarding the Hereafter, the Quran provides imagery of clothes made of silk and brocade, and adornments of gold and silver. Noteworthy is the fact that the imagery given is of only one kind of dress, that the ‘muttaqi’ will be adorned with in the Garden. There is no mention of any fancy wardrobe to pick and choose from. Therefore, I infer, that the ‘libas-ut-taqwa’ that the ‘muttaqi’ will be wearing in the Garden will be part of their body, covering and attached to their skins.  

Warning for the Progeny of Adam

Quran 7:27 warns us that: O Children (of) Adam! (Let) not tempt you [the] Shaitaan as he drove out your parents from Paradise, stripping from both of them their clothing to show both of them their shame. Indeed, he sees you - he and his tribe from where not you see them. Indeed, We have made the devils friends of those who (do) not believe.