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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Dawah & Daee

قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ قُل لِّلَّهِ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Say, "To whom (belongs) what (is) in the heavens and the earth?" Say, "To Allah." He has decreed upon Himself the Mercy. Surely He will assemble you on (the) Day (of) the Resurrection, (there is) no doubt about it. Those who have lost themselves, then they (do) not believe.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/12/

Just as Allah, the Ar-Rehman, the Most Gracious, has decreed mercy (rehmat) upon Himself, similarly He expects His devotees to also not react, but rather respond peacefully:  

And the servants of (God) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"; 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/25/63/  

The Believers must first adopt and practice the guidance in the Quran themselves, and then, staying within the limits prescribed, invite others to the faith: 

Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides God, lest they out of spite revile God in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did.

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

Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to God, works righteousness, and says, "I am of those who bow in Islam"? Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate! And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint,- none but persons of the greatest good fortune.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/41/33/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/41/34/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/41/35/

The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy. O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong. O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...But fear God: For God is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/49/10/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/49/11/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/49/12/ 

And obey God and the Apostle; that ye may obtain mercy. Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous,- Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;- for God loves those who do good;- 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/3/132/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/3/133/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/3/134/ 

Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. And if ye do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch you out: But if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/16/125/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/16/126/ 

When we find non-Believers blaspheming against Allah or His Messengers and Prophets or vainly arguing about the verses of the Quran, the Believers are restrained by the following verses: 

When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of those who do wrong.

On their account no responsibility falls on the righteous, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (learn to) fear Allah. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/68/ ; http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/69/ 

Did the Prophet or his Companions ever react to offensive speech, and if so, how? 

Say: "Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in (His) dominion: Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation: yea, magnify Him for His greatness and glory!"

http://islamawakened.com/quran/17/111/

Also, please read: http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2011/01/blasphemy.html 

وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِي أُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ أَشَاءُ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

And ordain for us in this [the] world, good and in the Hereafter. Indeed, we we have turned to You." He said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My Mercy encompasses every thing. So I will ordain it for those who (are) righteous and give zakah and those who [they] believe in Our Verses.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/7/156/

Translations: Yusuf Ali / Pickthall / Literal (Word by Word) 

To compare 50+ English translations, please click on the link provided for each verse. 

Angel: a designation by appointment

MSA stated: Both Adam and his wife were asked by Allah not to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. But they disobeyed Him and ate the fruit. So both of them had committed a great sin.

Allah taught Adam how to seek His forgiveness. But no such tutoring was given to his wife.  

Here is a brief comment on this issue. I hope it explains the basic point on should Adam and his wife have been expelled from heaven and if Iblis was an angel or not. Unlocking this mystery strikes the real heart of Islam. 

quote "......" unquote 

Answer: You raise several points. 

 I've already explained in my previous email why I understand that only Adam was held responsible, even though his wife had also eaten with him. 
Regarding Iblis being a Jinn or an Angel, the Quran states that humans are created from clay and jinn from smokeless fire; as for angels, the Quran does not specify if they are a separate creation and/or what they are made of. In Quran 35:1, the term جَاعِلِ  is used to state that angels are made/appointed as messengers with wings. Moreover, in every narration of the story of Adam, it is related that the angels were ordered to prostrate/submit. Iblis could only disobey this command if he was also an angel. Hence, I believe that angel is a designation by appointment and not by creation. 
In my blogpost on Satan's Enmity: Origin & Objective, I've discussed that Adam was superior to the angels by virtue of the knowledge taught to Adam by God. 
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 57:21 and 3:133, and as stated in 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.  
The last two verses of Surah al-Ahzab inform us that The Human volunteered for The Trust. Since he has been unjust and ignorant, that is the reason why the hypocrites and the polytheists must be punished, while God turns in mercy and forgives the believers. The verse specifically mentions both men and women of all three categories.   
The second and third verse of Surah Al-Insan inform us that we have been created to be tested, and provided with the faculties and the guidance we need. Its up to us whether we are grateful for it or if we reject it.   
I hope the above helps unlock the mystery for you. 

SA asserted: alQuraan has clearly stated that:
1. Man is made of twisted black clay.
2. Jinn is made of the flame of fire.
3. Angel is made of light with wings in pair(s).
4. All living things are based on water.
5. Only Man and Jinn has the power of choice. 
When ALLAH taala commanded the Angels, Iblis took the benefit of doubt and remained stationed in the Heavens of ALLAH taala. After causing the mischief he got caught and argued with ALLAH taala to invoke HIS wrath upon himself. Mr. and Mrs. Adam repent and begged for HIS mercy so they were pardoned. All three of them were removed from the Heavens as enemies to write the test on earth. This answers the objection of MSA as well. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Adam were held responsible for their mistake and dealt together.
Rasool is a designation not a creation. 35:1 concludes the two together.

Reply: Can you kindly quote the verse of alQuraan which clearly states that angel is made of light?  

SA responded: I have to declare that I can not substantitate the creation of Angels from alQuraan, so please consider me wrong and scracth that statement. However, whenever, I find that in alQuraan, Inshaa ALLAH, I will share it with everyone. 
Now against your belief that Angels are not a creation but merely a designation, there are quite a few evidences in alQuraan. Here is one that supersedes them all:

اللَّهُ يَصْطَفِي مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا وَمِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ

This is the 75th ayat of SuratulHajj and it clearly states that Rusul are taken from both The Angels and The Men.  
Please let me know if this does not corrects your misbelief. 

Reply: Thank you for pointing out Q 22:75; I concede that there is a definite gap in our comprehension of these terms - perhaps we will someday understand better, if Allah wills. 
However, consider also Q 6:130 

يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِي وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَا قَالُوا شَهِدْنَا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِنَا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ

O assembly (of) [the] jinn and [the] men! Did (there) not come to you Messengers from (among) you, relating to you My Verses and warning you (of the) meeting (of) this day of yours?" They will say, "We bear witness against ourselves." And deluded them the life (of) the world, and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.
http://islamawakened.com/quran/6/130/

SA replied: Weren't we discussing the Angels? Quoting Rusul among Jinn and Ins does not deduce that Angels are nothing but Jinns. 

You are trying to read alQuraan according to your (mis)belief and being an article of Faith it is far worse than just a grave mistake. 

Consider this: 

 مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ

http://islamawakened.com/quran/2/98/

And remember:

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

http://islamawakened.com/quran/2/177/

Reply: It is an article of faith to believe that angels exist. It is not an article of faith to assert/insist that they are or not a separate form of creation. Since I believe the the entire Quran is from Allah, and free from errors, I wonder what is meant by Q18:50 

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا

And when We said to the Angels, "Prostrate to Adam," so they prostrated except Iblis. (He) was of the jinn, and he rebelled against the Command (of) his Lord. Will you then take him and his offspring (as) protectors other than Me, while they (are) to you enemies? Wretched for the wrongdoers (is) the exchange. 

http://islamawakened.com/quran/18/50/ 

And Allah knows best! 

What divine consideration allows Satan to ... tempt and mislead, to beguile and decieve?

Question: I am familiar with the Islamic taboo against "partners unto Allah", but I am confused by the reference to Satan, a rebel. Must Satan not originally have been either a servant of God, a mighty being but not divine, like the angels you described, or else a partner of God? If Satan is not divine, then what divine consideration allows him to rebel and live for all these many years and harm so many human souls who otherwise might have pleased God? If Satan is not divine, from whence come "his" powers to tempt and mislead, to beguile and deceive? He often seems to be portrayed as a being of powers divine, greater than those of any angel, Christian or Islamic, and I find it hard to see how Satan is not essentially a partner of God. Does God not allow his rebellion to continue? Is that not a contract or agreement between divine good and evil? 

Answer: Satan (Iblis) refused to obey God out of pride and was cursed (removed from God's blessing forever). He blamed God for his fall from grace, and asked that he be given respite till Judgement Day so as to allow him & his progeny to lead mankind astray. God permitted that, knowing quite well that Satan will only be able to lead astray those who choose to be led by him.

Background:
1) Iblis is a dJinn. dJinns are a creature made of smokeless fire. They can see us but we cannot see them (from another dimension, I suppose).
2) Iblis was among the angels who were ordered to prostrate to Adam. Iblis refused to prostrate to Adam citing that he is superior to Adam as Adam has been created of clay.
3) Before God created Adam, God informed the angels that he is about to create a vice-regent for Earth. The angels asked why someone who would create mischief and shed blood... (Quran 2:30). God told them 'I know what ye know not'. After God had created Adam and taught him names of all beings (inferred from the arabic pronoun used), He then presented Adam to the angels and asked the angels to name them. The angels did not have the knowledge of those names and thus could not answer. Then Adam was asked and he was able to recite the names of them all.
4) Thereafter, the angels were ordered to prostrate to Adam. They all did except Iblis. He refused, was haughty and became of those who reject faith. God asked Iblis what prevented him from prostrating. Iblis said that Thou didst create me from fire and him from clay (Quran 7:12). God told him that it is not for Iblis to be arrogant , that he is the meanest of creatures, and he was ordered out. Iblis asked for respite till the day they (humans) are raised up. He was granted respite, disgraced and expelled. (Quran 7:13-18).
5) Adam and his wife were told to stay and enjoy all things in garden (heaven) and were only prohibited from one tree. They were warned that if they approach it, they will run into harm and transgression. Satan began to whisper suggestions to them and beguiled them, and through deceit brought their fall. God asked them that weren't they forbidden and were they not warned that Satan was their avowed enemy. They were repentant and humble, so God forgave them.    
6) Then were they sent to Earth for a temporal life (Quran 2:36 - 38 and 7:24).
Quran 2:38 'We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.'
7) We are warned that Satan and his progeny are our enemies, and that we need to be ever aware of that. We are also told that they have no real power over us: they can only whisper and suggest, and stir up desires; it is up to us whether we choose to follow them or not.  

We on Earth, this temporal life and its trials, Satan and his progeny, Prophets and God's guidance, Judgement Day, Heaven and Hell, all this is part of a much larger scheme, of which we have but very little knowledge and insight. Things will be made clear to us when the time is right. So, for the time being, we must use conscience and intelligence as our tools in search of guidance and choose accordingly. 

To whom are prophets sent?

Question: I'm thinking that many people are not ... strongly religious. Some might even deny religion publicly, and others just "can't be bothered" with religion in their lives. These are people who live in the world and have religious associations of the lightest kind, giving alms and tithes and going to services on some of the most mandatory dates just to make an appearance. There are probably more such people in our world than there are such as we, who they see as obsessive in our pursuit of such nonsense. It is to these people that the prophets are sent, is it not?
Answer:I guess we all need guidance. Intuitively, the thinking mind can identify the presence of a creator/ cause agent / prime mover or whatever label our minds come up with. Also, the conscientious soul can discern between right and wrong. But, to make things clear and inform us of the reality of it, to sift the correct philosophy from the philosophical maze that we reason, I think its a cherished blessing that we all need to be thankful for.
In fact, God says in the Quran that the prophets' only duty is to give glad tidings and warn. There is no compulsion in religion, and only those who are essentially good will willingly heed to the message. Therefore, the prophets need not worry and cry their hearts out in compassion for those who do not heed to the message. They should only persevere with the message, knowing that only God knows what's in the hearts, thus sharing the message with all, and not giving up on anyone.
This discussion group itself is a good example of thinking souls, searching for answers, coming up with their own ideas of who / what this force is, whether it is sentient or not, if this is all part of evolution where the 'force' had no choice or whether it is a deliberate divine act, do we need to acknowledge and deify this force, if yes, then who and how? We need guidance. Let me share the oft-repeated seven verses, a prayer we recite daily in our prayers. We ask for guidance on the right path... as left to our own devices, it would be easy to get lost in our thoughts and ideas, and end up misguided.
Holy Quran Chapter 1 Verses 1-7
1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
2 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
3 The Beneficent, the Merciful.
4 Master of the Day of Judgment,
5 Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
6 Show us the straight path,
7 The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
http://searchtruth.com/chapter_display.php?chapter=1&translator=4

Will Christians go to heaven with Muslims?

Question: Will Christians go to heaven with Muslims?
Answer: As far as I understand the Holy Quran, all true believers will go to Heaven, inshAllah, while all who know in their hearts the truth, yet reject, will go to Hell. The rest to whom it is not clear, and they are still searching, sifting religions and seeking the truth, I don't know. But Allah knows what is in the hearts, and He is the best judge. He gives life and food and clothing and the comforts of this world in varying amounts to all, but guidance is given only to those who seek. We humans have been endowed with free-will, and Allah wants us to acknowledge and worship Him without any compulsion. That is why, guidance is for only those who seek it. Allah sent many prophets throughout the ages to inform, guide, give glad tidings and warn humanity. The source and the message was always the same. In the Quran, Allah speaks very highly of some Jews and Christians, informing us of how pious they are. Yet, the Quran is also replete with examples of how people throughout the ages have rejected the message, how the message has been changed/modified/corrupted, and what are the pitfalls that one must be careful of.
Daily, in our prayers, we recite the opening passage of the Quran (Surah Fateha) in which we pray for guidance and to be protected from following the path of those earn the wrath of God or who go astray.
http://www.searchtruth.com/chapter_display_all.php?chapter=1
Being labelled a muslim/ christian/ jew/ hindu or anything else, or being born in a certain religion doesn't really seem to make any difference. The basic test is of the individual heart and soul. Those who truly believe, actively seek guidance, and try to live their life according to the guidance, in piety, ever aware of the presence of God, and the surety of returning to Him, of the Judgement and the Hereafter, will go to Heaven as that is the promise of God.
Holy Quran 5:119 Allah saith: This is a day in which their truthfulness profiteth the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, Allah taking pleasure in them and they in Him. That is the great triumph.
http://can-you-answer.com/Truthfulness.htm

What is meant by 'if' in the scriptures

Question: Thank you for the excerpt from the Quran as well, as I am unfamiliar with it at this time. One similarity between the bible and the Quran seems to be the word "if".
M has commented on this several times and made a good point of that word indicating the Holy One's love being conditional. In other words, "if" you do this I will love you.
I can see that and try to remain cognizant of it when I read any religious text.
However, there is another perspective. This one was also discussed during the Kabbalah workshop I attended this week. Rabbi W stated that when a scripture says "if" it actually means "when". For instance, "If you study diligently you will surely graduate. ". This statement is not entirely different from something like, "If you live by these words you will surely go to heaven".
Both statements indicate the result of a given action, not an "if you do this, then I'll do that" type of transaction. Which is very different than how we were perceiving it. It truly sheds a new light on everything IMHO.
From what I can tell, it seems to apply to both the bible and the Quran. Do you feel this true?

Answer: Yes, I agree with Rabbi W’s explanation of the word if…….. the book of God is a guidance for mankind and, as such, tells us which actions and beliefs lead us in which direction, and what is the ultimate destination. We believe that Torah, Bible, Quran and many other books/revelations have been sent earlier from the Almighty for the guidance of mankind, so essentially, Yes, the style is consistent throughout: glad tidings for the right beliefs and actions, warning for those who choose other paths. I guess this is the basic requirement for justice, all souls shall carry the burden of their beliefs and actions, and no soul shall be wronged in the slightest.

Reading Scientific and Mathematical proofs into Holy Books?

Question: I have a deep concern with the practice of reading scientific and mathematical proofs into holy books that were written by persons living in a pre scientific age. Recently in my country it became popular for some biblical scholars to claim that the Old Testament contained secret number codes, and that these number codes could be used to predict future events. Some argued that only God could have inserted these number codes into the old testament, and that this was clearly proof that the old testament had God as its source. Computer modelling has since shown that the appearance of certain numbers within the old testament is purely random, and that it is wrong to read things into the ancient texts that were never intended by the original writers.
I also have major fears of persons insisting that all of THEIR holy texts should be taken literally. I know of some Orthodox Jews who believe that they have the correct understanding of their holy books, and that only they are being faithful to the teachings and commands of God. My Roman Catholic friends believe that Jesus was the son of God, and that only they have a full and accurate understanding of the teachings and commands of God. My Muslim friends believe that only they have the true teachings and commands from God. Now to my mind, something is clearly not right here, which is why I asked my original question about trusting any of the holy scriptures. I have no doubt about the existence of God, anyone who studies the wonders of science would be hard pressed to say otherwise. But I do still see the big religions as being man made and largely male dominated, yet I do not see or sense that God is male. Clearly I have much more to explore and learn !!!!

Answer: We are told by Allah in the Quran that he has sent numerous prophets and revealed various books to mankind, and that as Muslims, we have to believe in them, and respect them.
Having said that, we are also informed that people have over the ages changed the message to suit their interests, so that now they are no longer in their pure form.
We are also told that Allah Himself takes the responsibility of protecting the Quran from changes as it is the final revelation till the end of time, and no other prophet will hence be sent for the guidance of humanity. The Quran is a guidance for all humanity, not just Muslims.
Furthermore, the reader of the Quran is constantly challenged to ponder and reflect upon the message and the signs all around. We are urged to study and evaluate critically, and then believe.
The belief that comes from such understanding and evaluation is naturally one of complete faith and submission…….. it just cannot be otherwise.
I understand your concern, but that is the litmus test……… if it was written by ‘persons living in a pre scientific age’ it is bound to have errors intermixed with some truths that their Prophet informed them of and they were able to record.
Whereas if it is a book from God, protected by God, unadulterated by humans, it should definitely contain no errors as the Creator knows exactly what He created and is not limited in knowledge, nor has any need to lie.
We can theorize all we want based on our knowledge, understanding, intellect and heart ( and we should, as it is an important part of trying to understand), but there has to be some way of testing these theories………. one is to put it to the test of science!
I hope you understand what I’m trying to explain……….. the Holy Quran is a book of Guidance and not a text book of science………… yet since it is from God, whatever scientific phenomenon it refers to should be verifiable……… if not, then we would face the same dilemma other ‘people of the book’ face…. that some of it is from God, some portions written by humans, and it would be a constant challenge sifting out the primary from the secondary.
Were you able to go through the links I sent you earlier…tell me what you think of them?

As far as God being a he or she is concerned, God is above and beyond that. God has created in pairs, males and females for reproductive purposes of moral beings, while God is immortal, has always been and will always be, and thus has no need to be either male or female. Referring to God as He/Him is just a traditional/cultural/linguistical/anthropological way of addressing or referring to God.

I was born in a traditional muslim family which practiced Islam as it is practiced in the sub-continent. Obviously a lot of culture, and influence of Hinduism, Sikhism, etc was also there. Luckily, my dad always believed in critical evaluation while being religious at the same time, thus from a very early age, I was encouraged to understand and separate religious ‘do’ from all other doooos, thus helping me understand how simple and true the original message of Islam was as compared to the complicated practices of ‘evolved’ societies. I was also able to draw upon the works of a lot of scholars who have studied the Quran from different angles and helped establish that it is indeed the true unadulterated word of God. Also, studying other religions and faith systems, I have come to understand that all contain some element of truth, but the message has somehow been distorted over time, something that Allah Himself has already informed us about, as mentioned above. Joining this group was part of the same journey….. I needed to interact with actual people of other beliefs and understand how come they also so strongly believe in whatever they believe in. Its been a wonderful journey, enriching me with new ideas, thoughts and ways of looking at things. This is a great group indeed. Hope your journey here is just as rewarding as mine has been.

A guiding book has to be clear!

Q: As a matter of fact, even devout Muslims will confirm that the Quran is hard to understand. They even prove it by the existence of the so-called tafsirs, Quranic commentaries. The Quran claims to be a guide for the believer but to understand it one needs 10 more books. This cannot be right! A guiding book has to be clear!

A: Ofcourse, this cannot be right. My personal advice is always, first read the Quran in Arabic (if you understand the language), else read a good translation, comparing it with other translations as the need arises, as all translations are limited by the knowledge and understanding of the translator, and only afterwards, read different books to delve deeper and understand further. With a basic knowledge of the Quran, one would be able to judge what seems correct or otherwise of the other books, and thus accept or reject whatever new information one may find in other books. The Quran is quite clear on most topics that apply to the individual. Just reading it on its own and following it is sufficient. I haven’t had the need to take religion form any other book as yet. Yes, I do read other books from time to time, but don’t we do that with all fields of knowledge….. keep reading and researching to enhance our knowledge base?

Which Hadith should we follow?

Q: Which Hadith should we follow? Does Quran say anything about this? Does it say we have to follow Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidi etc? If not then why are we following these books?

A: In the Quran, our dear Prophet Muhammad is ordered to follow the hadith of Hazrat Ibrahim. There neither was nor is any written hadith of Hazrat Ibrahim. As mentioned in the Quran, Hazrat Ibrahim was a 'hanif' and submitted totally to Allah's commands, so did Hazrat Muhammad. And as Hazrat Muhammad's life was complete obedience of the Quran, so his hadith for us to follow is complete obedience of the Quran. Quran itself begins with Alif Lam Meem The book in which there is no doubt. It is a guidance for Muttaqieen. Those who….
Then how can we take a doubtful book(s) [ ie the hadith books] for guidance?
Oh Allah,ehdinas sirat al mustaqeem. Amen.

The very obvious stupidity contained in every belief system

Question: A thinker wrote:
The very obvious stupidity contained in every belief system is the result of accepting as true the statements of others without checking against personal experience. This is made even worse by the mental laziness that people use in order to take short cuts. All the different classes of belief do the same thing and consequently the world is in a mess caused by lazy, expediency focused thinking.

Answer: Very true about most denizens of planet Earth. The very first, most important thing to do is to observe with all our senses, and use our intellect to determine whether or not this Universe / Multiverse came about itself, or if there is an/are multiple intelligent designs behind it. If there is/are, then what is more plausible: one intelligent creator or multiple creators?? If authority can reside with only One person, then who is this person and how do we find this Creator/ how do we revere and worship/ and is that the purpose of our creation/ what is life, and is there or not a life beyond this Earth/ and if so, will there be a reckoning??? Is there a message that this God has sent, how do we know which is the true message when there are so many multiple faith systems, so many religions, so many claims????? My personal method is to evaluate all Holy Books for accuracy/ truth/ consistency/ evaluation of scientific data/ mathematical data/ moral code/ fairness and justice, and only one Book has met all of these parameters…. The Holy Quran….. so, I believe that it is the Word of God. Since God himself says in the Holy Quran that He is Allah, that Muhammad is His messenger, and that the Quran is a Book without doubt; a Guidance for the Muttaqeen (those who are aware of Allah all the time; love him for his Love for us, and fear Him as He is the only one to be feared; and as the Day of Reckoning will definitely come). May the true God guide us all.