Showing posts with label inheritance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inheritance. Show all posts

Friday, September 30, 2016

Our Origins & Our Time Here

JB wrote: I wonder what would their answer be if you ask them :" Why didn't Allah place them in heaven right after birth to begin with !!!!?"

Answer: 
The Qur’an provides some insights regarding our origins and our time here: 


Reason for Our Time on Earth: 
al-`Ankabut 29:2 - al-`Ankabut 29:3 Do think the people that they will be left because they say, "We believe" and they will not be tested? And indeed, We tested those who (were) before them. And Allah will surely make evident those who (are) truthful and He will surely make evident the liars. 
al-Insan 76:2 - al-Insan 76:3 Indeed, We [We] created man from a semen-drop, a mixture, (that) We test him; so hearing and sight. Indeed, We guided him (to) the way whether (he) be grateful and whether (he) be ungrateful. 
Why We Need to be Tested: 
al-Ahzab 33:72 - al-Ahzab 33:73 Indeed, We [We] offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and they feared from it; but bore it the man. Indeed, he was unjust ignorant. So that Allah may punish the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women and the polytheist men and the polytheist women and Allah will turn (in Mercy) to the believing men and the believing women. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 


The Testimony: 
al-A`raf 7:172 - al-A`raf 7:174 And when your Lord took from (the) Children (of) Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them over themselves, "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes we have testified." Lest you say (on the) Day (of) the Resurrection, "Indeed, we were about this unaware." Or you say, "Only our forefathers associated partners (with Allah) before (us) and we are descendants after them. So will You destroy us for what did the falsifiers?" And thus We explain the Verses so that they may return.
Establishing:  
(i) Adam's Knowledge above the Angels 
(ii) Exposing Iblis' Arrogance 
According to Quran, al-Baqarah:29 It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge. 30 Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not." 31 And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell me the names of these if ye are right." 32 They said: "Glory to Thee, of knowledge We have none, save what Thou Hast taught us: In truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom." 33He said: "O Adam! Tell them their names." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?" 34 And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith. 35 We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." 36 Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time." 37 Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. 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. 39 "But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein."
Adam's Covenant & The Trial in the Garden: 
According to the Qur’an, Taha:113 Thus have We sent this down - an arabic Qur'an - and explained therein in detail some of the warnings, in order that they may fear Allah, or that it may cause their remembrance (of Him). 114 High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth!Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." 115 We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve.116 When We said to the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam", they prostrated themselves, but not Iblis: he refused. 117 Then We said: "O Adam! verily, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife: so let him not get you both out of the Garden, so that thou art landed in misery. 118 "There is therein (enough provision) for thee not to go hungry nor to go naked, 119 "Nor to suffer from thirst, nor from the sun's heat." 120 But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, "O Adam! shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?" 121 In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden: thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and allow himself to be seduced. 122 But his Lord chose him (for His Grace): He turned to him, and gave him Guidance. 123 He said: "Get ye down, both of you,- all together, from the Garden, with enmity one to another: but if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My Guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. 124 "But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment."
Inheritance of the Gardens: 
al-Mu`minun 23:1 … al-Mu`minun 23:10 - al-Mu`minun 23:11 Indeed, successful (are) the believers … Those [they] (are) the inheritors Who will inherit the Paradise. They therein (will) abide forever. 
Note: 23:2–9 indicated by … define the Believers 
Humans will inherit the Gardens. The word inheritance implies huge responsibility! 
And Allah knows best! 
For more details, please read:
SK commented: Only ignorant person will test something to find out the truth.  If allah was all knowing, he did not have to take tests to know something.  He was supposed to know without taking any tests and exams... 
GOM commented: religion demands belief without proof, science demands proof to believe,I choose science. belief is based on writings of people long before knowledge 

Response: 
Factual Accuracy of the Qur'an: Signs & Science 

Allah is All-Knowing. Allah is also All-Just. Allah does not oppress or wrong anyone. When Allah sorts humans into the Gardens and Fire in the Hereafter, each and every human will be convinced that he/she is being placed exactly where he/she deserves to be. Each one will have a lifetime of deeds to prove their eligibility for their permanent home. 

Even when Adam was being created, Allah did not silence the angels when they asked why there was a need to create a 'khalifa' for Earth. Instead Allah established Adam's knowledge over them and then asked them to prostrate/submit to Adam. As Allah knew everything, Iblis' arrogance and rejection was also clearly exposed in the event. 

In Surah Al-Kahf, we are informed that Allah did not bestow knowledge of creation upon the Jinns:

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
مَّا أَشْهَدتُّهُمْ خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا
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. Not I made them witness the creation (of) the heavens and the earth and not the creation (of) themselves and not I Am the One to take the misleaders (as) helper(s).
Thus it follows that we need to remember that Satan's promises of Immortality in this world are but a deception. We need to stay on guard! Please read Satan's Enmity: Origin & Objective

And Allah knows best! 

PA asked: where is tis "permanent home" you speak about? and what will you do there? what about children who Allah allowed to die through illness, accident or starvation before they learnt to walk? will they be crawling for eternity? will men and women be all together? women will have their faces covered with ashmaq or will all men and women be naked forever? (I can't imagine buying clothes in Paradise)

Answers: 
You ask: where is tis "permanent home" you speak about?
Answer:
Permanent Home:
The Qur'an mentions Gardens and Fire as the final destinations in the Hereafter. 
Gardens: Q57:21 and Q3:133 mention the size of the Gardens - one is the size of the Heaven (singular) and Earth; the other the size of the Heavens (plural) and Earth. 
Fire: Q7:40 mentions that the gates of Heaven will not be opened for those who reject the communications till a certain time. Q15:44 mentions that Hell has seven gates. There are seven permanent lava lakes on Earth. 

You ask: and what will you do there? 
Answer: The Qur'an informs that the Believers will inherit the Gardens. The word inheritance implies ownership and responsibility. I think the Believers from the progeny of Adam will be joyfully employed in managing their Gardens and all who dwell in it, as the 'Khalifa' of the Garden, the original purpose for Adam's creation.  

You ask: what about children who Allah allowed to die through illness, accident or starvation before they learnt to walk? will they be crawling for eternity?
Answer: I don't know, but there will be no injustice done to anyone. 

You ask: will men and women be all together? 
Answer: Q81:7 speaks about ‘when the souls are paired’. Perhaps the soul will be united with the elusive soulmate that (almost) everyone yearns for...  

You ask: women will have their faces covered with ashmaq or will all men and women be naked forever? (I can't imagine buying clothes in Paradise)   
Answer: The humans who have earned forgiveness will have their genome corrected, and will regain the clothes Adam and his wife lost when they ate off the Forbidden Tree. 

And Allah knows best! 

Please read:


Saturday, February 27, 2016

Improving the Here for the Hereafter

In an email discussion list, the following opined thus: 
HSK: Iblees was angel from species of Jin was he? Quite a number of  his relatives are settled and living in Pakistan! 
SS: Here you are right. God save Pakistan from the clutches of Iblees and his  progenies. 
AM: Whether Iblees was a jinn or Angel the fact is that he had disobeyed Allah JS.  Because it mentions that all bowed except Iblees. Meaning that he was expected to bow. Later Allah explicitly asks him of the reasons as to why did he not bow? - meaning thereby that he was required to bow. 
NK: Iraqis were discussing 'fiqas,' when Halaku's  armies turned their rivers into blood.
When Ahmed Shah Abdali reached Delhi, the discussion in the mosques was, if the Prophet was 'noorani,' or 'jasmani.'
How about producing a product or a service that the world wants?
Develop Systems that work, armed forces, Edhi Foundation, rely less on Mohammad Bin Qasims.

Reply: Agree with all! 

Allah repeatedly invites the Believers to do Good Works and offers the Gardens of Eden as Inheritance to those who heed to the message. Inheritance implies a huge responsibility! We have to work to make this world a better place to prove our worthiness for such a magnificent inheritance. 

Iblees and his progeny are the sworn enemies of Adam and his progeny (us). The Quran explains the origin and objective of their enmity: the destruction of the progeny of Adam. It is important to revisit the verses which inform us thus, so that we can avoid the temptations and pitfalls. Kindly read:  http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2015/11/mission-of-messengers-ii.html

If our country is to progress and our condition improve, we have to fix our thinking and get rid of our ignorance and complacency. We have to educate ourselves and others, urgently!

Thursday, February 11, 2016

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. 
...

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: 

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. 




Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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 & ObjectiveI'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
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. 

And Allah knows best! 





Thursday, July 30, 2015

Al-Qur'an 4:34 - a circular debate

AZ copied me in an email discussion he was having with someone. Part of the message quoted verse 4:34, and so I commented which led to the following exchange: 

Excerpt of AZ's email I was copied in: ...What do you find wrong in Surah 4 : Ayat 34 -"Men are the protectors of maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other and because they spend to support them from their means" ------ and all that follows after that ... 

My comment: My interpretation of the verse 4:34 

AZ: What you say is correct and what I said is also correct. No where have I used the word 'inferior'. Please understand that Allah has assigned different duties for both which you have rightly mentioned too. In the eyes of Allah both are equal in deeds. A good act will receive the same reward for both; and an evil act will be punished accordingly for both. Since you go into details of a woman's position, being a women, can you answer one question- why did Allah not appoint woman as a Prophet. Why are all the Prophets  men and not a single woman? Why are two witnesses  required  from women as against only one from men in matters that requires witnesses ? 

My response: Thank you for agreeing with my interpretation. Yes, you did not use the word inferior - I had posted these on my blog in 2008 in response to someone else's post in a different list. Since it was relevant to your email, therefore I shared the links with you. 

Yes, I agree, all men and women are equal in terms of deeds and consequent rewards in the Hereafter, as clearly indicated in several verses: http://quran.com/4/124 , http://quran.com/16/97 , http://quran.com/33/35 , http://quran.com/40/40 , http://quran.com/47/19 , http://quran.com/48/5 , http://quran.com/57/12 , http://quran.com/57/18 and http://quran.com/85/10 
As regards the questions you have posed: 
a) why did Allah not appoint woman as a Prophet. Why are all the Prophets  men and not a single woman?  
Answer) I think, Allah knows best, that as the most precious job of the continuity of human kind (child bearing) has been assigned to women, thus women have not been overloaded with any other responsibility. Also, in the Quran chapter 66, where Allah is specifically giving example of believers and disbelievers, Allah chooses to present the example of women in both cases; the two exemplary believers worthy of mention for their belief as examples for all believers are the wife of Pharaoh and Mary, daughter of Imran: http://quran.com/66/11-12 
b) Why are two witnesses  required  from women as against only one from men in matters that requires witnesses?
Answer) Number of witnesses have been prescribed for specific cases clearly described in the relevant verses: 
Two male witnesses or one male and two female witnesses are required only in cases where debts are contracted: http://quran.com/2/282 
In cases of zina, four witnesses are required for the case to be admissible to court: http://quran.com/24/4 If the person lodging the accusation is unable to produce four witnesses, the accuser is to be punished, and their testimony not accepted ever after. 
In cases where one spouse accuses the other spouse, the rules and requirements are equal: http://quran.com/24/6-10 
Further, as punishment for crimes are equal, be it murder [http://quran.com/2/178], theft [http://quran.com/5/38] or adultery [http://quran.com/24/2], therefore, I suppose, in cases other than those two specifically mentioned, male and female witnesses should be considered equal as per the nature of the crime and the witness' presence at the scene. 

And Allah knows best. 

AZ: I am glad that you say Allah knows best.
Two more questions before I give you Allah's decision.
1. Why is a woman not allowed to marry another man while husband is alive and living with her, whereas a man is allowed to marry a second wife while his first wife is alive and staying with
him - that too without any need to take any sort of permission from the first wife ?
2. Why when a man dies his wealth and properties are not equally divided between his children - son gets more than the daughter.
Why? Why?  

My response: 
1. Why is a woman not allowed to marry another man while husband is alive and living with her, whereas a man is allowed to marry a second wife while his first wife is alive and staying with him - that too without any need to take any sort of permission from the first wife ?
Answer) Lineage. 
Also, note that according to the verses 4:2,3,127 of Surah Nisa, conditional polygamy is permitted to provide for the care of orphans, and 4:3 emphasises that only one is better. For explanation, please see: http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2008/11/conditional-polygamy-permitted-in-islam.html 
I do not know whether permission is or not required. 

2. Why when a man dies his wealth and properties are not equally divided between his children - son gets more than the daughter. Why? Why? 
Answer) A woman is not required to spend from her personal wealth on anyone, including her own self. Since male members of the family are required to spend on the entire family's maintenance, therefore their need for it is greater. Therefore, since women do not have to spend, whatever they inherit is still greater than the male members share, even though it appears to be less. 
And Allah knows best! 

AZ: Yes, of course Allah knows the best. Allah knows the best in every matter - including relations  between men and women= "Men are the protectors and   maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend to support them from their means-------------------------------"
You Mashallah can read the Quran so I don't have to quote the whole Verse Ayat 34 of Surah 4.