Answering Christianity Research Center

Holy Quran
2:57 We shaded you with clouds, and sent down to you manna and quails, "Eat from the goodness of the provisions We have provided you." They did not wrong Us, but they wronged themselves.

2:58 We said, "Enter this town, and eat from it as plentifully as you wish; and enter the gate humbly, and talk amicably, We will then forgive your mistakes, and We will increase for the good-doers."

2:59 But the wicked altered what was said to them into a different saying, thus We sent down upon the wicked an affliction from the sky because they had transgressed.

2:60 Moses was seeking water for his people, so We said, "Strike the rock with your staff." Thus, twelve springs burst out of it; each tribe then knew from where to drink. "Eat and drink from God's provisions, and do not roam the earth as corruptors."

2:61 You said, "O Moses, we will not be patient to one type of food, so call for us your Lord that He may bring forth what the earth grows of its beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions." He said, "Would you trade what is lowly with what is good?" Descend to Egypt, there you will find what you want. They were thus stricken with humiliation and disgrace, and they remained under God's wrath for they were not appreciating God's signs, and killing the prophets with no justification. This is for what they have disobeyed and transgressed

Here, the Israelites do not like manna, an extraordinary food specially produced for them, and they want to turn to other foods of inferior quality.

At first glance this may seem to some to be "wanting variety and richness". But no, a hundred kinds of tents are not worth one luxury villa or castle. If you choose a hundred kinds of tents over a castle, you are choosing poverty and misery, not riches.

"Exchanging an inferior blessing for a superior one" is self-cruelty.

And choosing misery and oppression over happiness and pleasure is deviation.

So self-persecution is not virtue, it is cruelty.

So we have to choose the good, the beautiful and the happy for ourselves and for all humanity.

The way to go to heaven in the hereafter is to offer beauty to ourselves and humanity in this world.

In other words, avoiding suffering and evil.

The Qur'an "shows what are the 'true interests' of human beings" and "shows the means of achieving these interests, of attaining lasting salvation. "

Some of the commands and prohibitions that seem like sacrifices are actually desires that in the long run provide pleasure and benefit both in this world and in the hereafter.

Those who play chess know well that you can bait a queen and checkmate your opponent after a few moves. Taking that queen may seem like a win for the opponent at the time, but after a few moves it will turn into a great misery for him.

The Qur'an warns people against such traps, and shows them how to "checkmate", that is, how to win in the end and avoid suffering.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

https://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/07/izdrap-degil-mutluluk-secilmelidir.html?m=0

Peace

Full Faith and Real/Permanent Interest

Shuara

41. When the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh: "If we are victorious, there is indeed a reward for us, is there not?"
42. "Yes," he said, "then you will be of my near ones."
43. And Moses said to them: "Throw what you will throw!"
44. So they threw out their ropes and their staffs and said: "By the honor and glory of Pharaoh, we shall prevail."
45. So Moses threw his staff. And behold, he devoured all that they had brought forth as their craft.
46. Then the sorcerers fell prostrate.
47. They said: "We believe in the Lord of the worlds."
48. "In the Lord of Moses and Aaron."
49. Pharaoh cried out: "You believed in him before I gave you permission! He is your elder who taught you all magic. Soon you will know. I swear by Allah that I will cut off your hands and your feet crosswise, and I swear by Allah that I will hang you all together."
50. They said: "There is no harm, we shall return to our Lord anyway,
51. We hope that our Lord will forgive us our mistakes because we were the first to believe."

An example of complete faith and at the same time a true and lasting self-interest.
 
Here, the sorcerers, who had been sinners until that day, suddenly realize their mistake thanks to the evidence they witnessed and surrender to Allah with their whole being. Not only do they give up their position/fame and other rewards, but they also openly turn to the truth, even at the risk of their lives (and at the same time repent for all the wrong they have done in the past). This behavior, which at first glance appears to be altruistic, is in fact, on the contrary, a step towards true salvation and eternal success, free from the self-persecution, i.e. self-sacrifice, that they have been doing up to now.

50. They said: "It does not matter, we shall return to our Lord anyway,
51. We hope that our Lord will forgive us our mistakes because we were the first to believe."

Here is one of the most sincere examples of repentance and surrender... And "reaching the wisdom of understanding what the true/permanent interest is and turning towards it, choosing the good... There is not even the slightest doubt or uncertainty in their minds, they have fully realized the truth. Everyone is already aware of this truth by virtue of the revelations within them from birth/creation and the evidence they encounter later on, but some stubbornly try to turn their backs on this self-evident knowledge and thereby ruin themselves and those around them all their lives. But as seen here, new evidence can sometimes break this stubbornness and cause one to prostrate oneself. A person who is on the side of goodness and reason cannot resist any longer and ends the persecution of denying the truth.

Another point is that the sorcerers here are having such an experience because they deserve to repent and be saved, that is, because they are the ones whose goodness outweighs the bad. In any case, everyone gets what they deserve in this 2-day world of trials:

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com.tr/2011/07/kader-ve-ozgur-irade.html

I explained that Islam teaches us what our true salvation and interest is and how to achieve it:

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com.tr/2011/07/izdrap-degil-mutluluk-secilmelidir.html

In reality, those who destroy themselves and those around them and sacrifice themselves in an eternal sense are the wicked people of hell, whereas the "true beneficiaries" are the good people of heaven who lead themselves and those around them to salvation and happiness.

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com.tr/2013/03/iyiler-mutlaka-kazanr.html

Ankebut 6. Whoever strives for us strives for himself. God is not in need of anyone.

By the way, we have explained the reason for the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs' interest in crosswise in verse 49 here:

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com.tr/2011/07/msr-firavunlarnn-caprazlama-merak.html

I wrote on Twitter: -Sometimes you are defeated but you have actually won, sometimes you win but you have actually been defeated, but the best thing is to win and actually win.

The sorcerers in this incident are the winners in defeat, but the most beautiful is of course the experience of the Prophet Moses, who won in win.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2015/02/musa-peygamber-ile-buyuculer-arasndaki_6.html

Peace

The sectarian followers of Hadith believers have been dominated by the belief that aging cannot be fought. The starting point of this belief is, of course, fabricated narrations.

Also, in the hadith-sect and Sufi teachings, striving for a long and healthy life and struggling to minimize the troubles on earth have often been portrayed as worldliness and have been opposed.

But in the Qur'an, the teaching of Islam, the situation is very different. In fact, the teachings of the sects and Sufism show again here that they are contrary to the teachings of Islam. And as is well known, rumors called hadiths or sectarian and Sufi acceptances have no validity in the religion of Allah. Only the Qur'an is the source of religion, as our Lord says.

It should be known that according to Islam, the earth is not a place of progress or suffering, but a place of testing, and the condition for passing this test successfully is to produce beauty for yourself and for all humanity, and to try to make the earth a paradise (true faith free from shirk is at the forefront of this). In this context, the fight against disease, disability and aging is also among the Qur'anic goals.

There is no verse in the Qur'an that says that aging and diseases are helpless and that we should not fight to prevent them. On the contrary, our Lord says and wills the opposite.

The verses speak of people who remain vigorous for centuries.

Surah Ankebut:

29:14 And We had sent Noah to his people, so he stayed with them one thousand years less fifty. Then the flood took them while they were wicked.

As we can see, Prophet Noah lived on earth for "at least" 950 years. And since we don't see anyone in his community in the Qur'anic story who found it strange, living like that for centuries may have been an ordinary event in that civilization. In other words, either they were genetically resistant to aging or they knew the formula for youth through herbs, foods and exercises. Another option is that they had a very advanced level of science and technology and they did not age easily by taking advantage of it (more than one of these possibilities may have been effective together).

Moreover, even if it was only the Prophet's case, it shows that a person can live for many years in this world with great vigor. (There are sources that claim that some other prophets and other people also lived very long lives).

The verses also mention the long life of the people of the cave without aging (but the miracle there may have been performed outside the laws of physics).

Nowadays, especially experts in genetic science state that human life span can be extended and that we can experience a world adventure free from old age and disease for centuries and even thousands of years. Some scientists even foretell this development with sentences such as "The long-lived people written in the holy books are about to become a reality again", so it can be seen that this situation is in harmony with the information given by religion.

The goal of a Muslim is, of course, to live a good life that will earn Allah's pleasure. In other words, the main goal is not the length of life in this world, but the realization of deeds that will merit paradise and the success of the test. But the fight against aging is not contrary to this, but supportive of it. Even if a person never ages, he will still be mortal in this world. He will only be able to remain vigorous and healthy for as long as he lives. The quality of life will improve. This situation can make that individual happier, think healthier and exhibit more mature behaviors. In fact, a healthy and vigorous person has more power and opportunity to produce beauty for others than an unhealthy and decadent person. A healthy and long-lived person also has the chance to grow in wisdom. A person who is more knowledgeable, more experienced, who has spent much longer thinking about life and the scriptures, and who has always done so with a vigorous body and mind, may be a little more likely to turn toward true religion and goodness.

As I have already said, since saving life is a good deed like saving all of humanity according to our holy book, doing research to prolong life and prevent the ravages of aging is also within this scope:

-And whoever gives life to one person, it is as if he had given life to mankind as a whole (from Surah Maide, verse 32).

Some people who oppose the fight against aging mistakenly perceive it as changing God's creation, as going against His law. No, it is the other way around. To ensure that a person remains vigorous and healthy for a long time or for a very long time is not to change Allah's creation, but to preserve it. Is it the preservation of creation if an organ, such as the eye, is always sharp or if it degenerates and loses its function? Or is it a change in the original shape of a person's hair when it falls out, or when it is always thick? Perpetual youth is the preservation of the healthiest state of the body created by Allah and at the same time the preservation of its shape. In fact, in Paradise, the living creatures will maintain their fixed form forever...

As long as the original, fixed forms of the creatures created by Allah are not tampered with and different organs or creatures are not created through science. Preserving youth is preserving the original form. The work to be done should be to maintain this constancy, not to change it.

Another point to be considered is that one should not fall into the trap of trying to adopt Far Eastern teachings under the name of anti-aging. Some pagan practices, beliefs such as pantheism and reincarnation, in short, spiritualism, are sometimes tried to be instilled in people as exercises to ensure longevity. In reality, these have nothing to do with health.

 God's law commands the struggle against adversity and suffering. Working to stay healthy and young and ensuring that humanity is happy is part of realizing this, as we have repeatedly stated.

 This can be done through the science of genetics, but also through natural food/herbs or exercise...

By the way, the fact that the world's longest-lived people are usually Muslims is another confirmation of how preserving youth and health goes hand in hand with living the way Allah wants us to live (e.g. the longest known long-lived person is the Azeri Shirali Mislimov).

In fact, praying, fasting and obeying Allah's other commands and prohibitions are in many ways responsible for longevity.

In short, Islam already includes the effort to prolong life, to make youth last longer and longer.

And not only in this area, but in all aspects of life, it is a Qur'anic principle to increase quality and happiness, to multiply beauty and to work for a paradise-like world.

This is not worldliness. In fact, in the Qur'an, the beauty of this world and the hereafter are one and the good you do in this world for yourself and for all humanity is also an investment in the hereafter. The two are mutually supportive, contrary to popular belief. What is unreligious is the pursuit of evil, misery and suffering.

God's religion shows us what our real and lasting interests are and aims to guide us along that path.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

https://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2012/02/yaslanmayla-mucadele-uzun-omur-ve-islam.html

Peace

"Nowhere in the Quran is it mentioned that two women are equivalent to one man as a witness. For instance, the testimony of four witnesses is required to prove adultery, and in the Quran no discrimination is made between male and female witnesses, only the number of witnesses is mentioned. However, there is a misunderstood instance described in Sura The Cow, 282, related to time loans. According to this verse, the loan received must be evidenced by a written document, and the presence of witnesses during its execution is required. This is a commercial contract that should not harm the scribe or the witnesses. It is a well-known fact that when material interests are at play, people are reluctant to give testimony. The Quran charges this heavy duty to two men. Take note that only two men are mentioned. A phrase such as ‘or four women’ does not appear. Thus, a woman who rarely deals in commercial affairs, and is weaker in the face of likely pressures and oppressions is protected. Should two men be unavailable and only one is accessible, then the required number would be one man and two women. In this way, the obligation to bear testimony is realized, and should an untoward situation occur later, an encounter between a man and a woman is avoided. Let us assume that a dispute arose about the amount of the loan. The woman, who will have to face one man failing to agree on the amount in question, cannot avoid experiencing stress and pressure. Whereas if there are two women in the picture, they can put up a bold face against the man and the ill-intentioned witnesses will be in a difficulty to put pressure on the women. This practice, which protects women from undue pressure, has been wrongly interpreted and made a generality of this particular case. Except for this particular instance, there is no other discrimination elsewhere in the Quran. Had this been a general principle, God would have made it explicit simply by stating that the testimony of one male witness corresponds to the testimony of two female witnesses.


We have to take note of the statement that runs: “Do not injure either the scribe or the witness. Otherwise you risk swerving from the right path.” The pressure both the witness and the scribe labor under may be imagined and the rationale of the verse can be better understood."

http://quranic.org/category/about-women/

Peace

As we have seen, the testimony of men and women is equal in all matters and in all areas. There is only one exception and this is explained in the article.

Peace

Holy Quran

4:117 They are only calling on females beside God. Indeed, they are only calling on a persistent devil.

4:118 God has cursed him; and he had said, "I will take from Your servants a sizeable portion."

4:119 "I will misguide them and make them desire, and I will command them, so that they will mark the ears of the livestock, and I will command them so they will make change to God's creation." Whoever takes the devil as a supporter other than God, then he has indeed lost a great loss.

Surat al-Qasas 59 Your Lord does not destroy countries/civilizations unless He sends a messenger to them in their centers who recites to them Our Verses. We do not destroy countries/civilizations unless their people turn to injustice.

Our Lord states that before destroying or punishing a society, He sends a messenger to it and does so if they persist in their mistakes.

Surah Yunus Surah 13 We destroyed the generations before you because they were unjust and did not believe when their messengers brought them clear proofs. This is how We punish the people who commit sin.

In other words, for a civilization to be destroyed, there is a condition of 1) deviation (and continuation) of oppression and 2) the arrival of a messenger.

Isra

15. Whoever is guided is guided for himself. Whoever goes astray goes astray to his own detriment. No one bears the burden of another. We do not punish anyone without sending a messenger
     
16. When We wish to destroy a community, We allow its prominent wealthy people to do evil there. Then the promise to that community is fulfilled and We destroy it.
   
17. And how many a people did We destroy after Noah, and your Lord is sufficient as the All-Knowing and All-Seeing of the sins of His servants.

It is also very clearly stated that the same thing happened to Noah's people. In other words, this prophet only warned the people to whom he was sent and only they were destroyed by Noah's Flood. Everyone gets what they deserve in this world and the Hereafter.

In this context, there can be no question of the whole world and humanity being punished for what Noah's people did, as the modified Torah states. According to the Qur'an, the only protected religious source, the Flood punished and destroyed only that people.

Surah Noah 1 We sent Noah to his people to warn them before a terrible torment came upon them.

Surat al-A'raf: 59 And certainly We sent Noah to his people and he said: "O my people! Serve and worship Allah. You have no god but Him. I fear that a great torment will descend upon you."
   
And We sent to Ad their brother Hud, and he said: "O my people! Serve Allah. You have no god but Him. Do you still not abstain?"
   
Surat al-A'raf 73 And We sent to Thamud their brother Salih: "O my people! Serve Allah. You have no god but Him. A clear proof has come to you from your Lord. This is the camel of Allah. A miracle for you. Leave it alone, let it graze on Allah's land. Do not touch it with evil intent. Otherwise a terrible torment will seize you."
   
Surah A'raf: 85 And We sent to Median their brother Shu'ayb, and he said: "O my people! Serve Allah. There is no god for you but Him! A clear proof has come to you from your Lord. Be honest in measuring and weighing. Do not stoop to confiscate people's property. And do not sow corruption in the earth after it has become peaceful. This is better for you if you are believers."

In these sample verses, the societies mentioned in these verses receive one (or more) warnings before they are punished. And again, it is clear that what happened to the people of Noah is exactly the same as what happened to the people of Ad, Thamud or Median. Just like the others, a messenger comes to them because of their rebellion, and when they continue in their wrongdoing, they receive the punishment they deserve and say goodbye to the world of trial (confrontation with themselves).

Surah Al-Isra: 17 And We destroyed many generations after Noah, and your Lord is sufficient as the Reckoner and Seer of the sins of His servants.
   
Noah

  21. Noah said, "My Lord, they have disobeyed me and followed a man whose money and children only harm him."
   
 22. "And they even set great traps."
   
 23. "They said, 'Do not abandon your gods. Do not forsake Vedd, nor Suva, nor Yegus, nor Yeuk, nor Nesr.'"
   
 24. "They have led many astray. So increase the confusion of the wrongdoers."
   
25. They were drowned and taken into the Fire because of their crimes. They could find no helper for themselves except Allah.
   
 26. Noah said, "My Lord, do not leave a single disbeliever on the earth."
   
27. "If you leave them, they will lead your servants astray and give birth only to lowly disbelievers."
   
28. "My Lord, forgive me and my parents and those who enter my house as believers, and the believing men and women, and increase only the destruction of the wrongdoers."

Here, too, it is clearly stated that it was the people of Noah who were drowned in the water and taken into the Fire in the Hereafter (verse 25).  Now some will say that Noah's prayer in verse 26 is a universal request. It is the prophet's own desire, not the actual event.Noah prays for the destruction of all the unbelievers after the flood.

In other words, it is not a prayer he made beforehand, so even this is proof that the flood was localized, he makes his prayer at the very end after the event is over: 71:25 They were drowned and thrown into the Fire because of their error. They found no helpers for themselves except Allah. 71:26 Noah prayed thus: "My Lord! Leave none of the disbelievers on the earth to dwell in it."

In fact, similar regional disasters that befell Noah's people have befallen other societies after him:

17. How many peoples did We destroy after Noah, and your Lord is sufficient as a Sender and Seer of the sins of His servants (Surat al-Nuh).

ZARIYAT

31 Abraham asked: "What is your purpose, O messengers?"
   
 32 They said: "We have been sent to a people of criminals."
   
 33 "That we may throw stones of clay on them."
   
34 "Stones marked in the sight of your Lord for the transgressors."
   
35 We drove out whoever was there of the believers.
   
36 We could not find therein any of the Muslims/submitters to Allah except in one house.
   
37 We left therein a sign for those who feared a painful torment;
   
38 And in Moses. We sent him to Pharaoh with a clear proof.
   
39 He turned away with all his power/all his elite men and said: "He is a sorcerer or a madman."
   
40 So We seized him and his army and threw them into the middle of the water. He was reproaching himself.
   
 41 And there is a sign in the people of 'Ad. We sent upon them the wind which uprooted everything.
   
42 It did not leave everything it passed over without reducing it to ashes.
   
43 And there is a sign in Thamûd. It was said to them: "Eat and drink and enjoy yourselves until a time."
   
44 Then they disobeyed the command of their Lord, and the lightning seized them as they looked on.
   
 45 They could not get up and escape, nor could anyone help them.
   
46 And We had destroyed the people of Noah before, for they too were a people who had departed from the truth.

Once again, we realize that it is not the world, but only a region and its people, that suffers disaster. Noah, Median, Ad, Thamud.... what happened to all these societies is parallel. They disbelieved and turned to evil, a warner came to them, they continued to do evil and finally they were punished. All of them are exemplary events that happened to that society.


Surat al-Hadid: 26 And We sent Noah and Abraham as Messengers, and We placed the Prophethood and the Book among their descendants. Some of those descendants were guided. But most of them are those who have gone astray.

Hud

32. They said: "O Noah! You have struggled with us, and you have gone too far in your struggle with us. Bring forth what you threaten us with if you are of the truthful."

33. Noah said: "Only Allah will bring it to you if He wills, and you will not be able to prevent it."

34. Nûh said: "If Allah wishes to mislead you, my advice will avail you nothing, even if I seek to advise you. To Him is your Lord and to Him you will be returned."

35. Or do they say, "He fabricated it himself"? Say: "If I have fabricated it, my guilt is against me. But I am not responsible for the crimes you are committing."

36. It was revealed to Noah: "None of your people will believe except those who believed before. So do not grieve over what they do."

37. Build the ship before our eyes according to Our revelation. And do not quarrel with me about the wrong-doers. They will surely be drowned.

38. He was building the ark. Whenever any of his people passed by, they mocked at him. Noah said, "If you mock us, we will mock you. Just as you are amused."

39. "Soon you will know on whom the humiliating torment will come, and on whom the everlasting torment will descend."

40. And when Our command came and the tandoor boiled, We called out: "Load into it two pairs of each and your family, except those against whom judgment has been pronounced, and those who believed." But only a few believed with Noah.

Those who claim that Noah's Flood covered the whole world try to cling to this expression of collecting pairs of every living thing. But what is meant here is to collect samples from the animals in that area. If someone said to you "pick all the apples", you would think that they meant the ones in your locality, not all the apples in the world. In the same way, it is not talking about all the animals in the world, it is talking about the place where Noah was. For him to collect samples from all the creatures on earth, he would have had to make a world tour and build a huge ship, perhaps the size of a city. What is meant is the collection of pairs from there.

So if Noah's Flood was localized, how come one country was flooded and other neighboring nations were unharmed? If Noah's people lived on an island, this is quite possible. And this island could be a continental island, perhaps the size of Australia or even larger. And in that case, they would have disappeared under the waters and this catastrophe would have affected only them.

Now notice these verses:

Qamar

10. So he cried to his Lord, "I am defeated, help me!"

11. So We opened the gates of the sky with a flood of water.

12. And We split open the earth, spring by spring. And at last the waters merged into a certain measured formation.

13. And We carried it on what was formed of plates and nails.

14 It ran under Our watchful eyes; a reward for one who was rejected.

"They denied him. So We saved him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. For they were a blind people." (Surat al-A'raf, 64)


Water descends on the land from the sky and water gushes up from the ground, and then the waters merge, according to verses 11 and 12. It is a scene reminiscent of an island sinking. To the island (perhaps the huge island continent) 1- Water is pouring down from the sky 2- There are explosions from under the earth and the water rises from there 3- As a result of this, that is, as a result of the flooding of the island from above (from the sky) and below (from underground), this flood meets the sea on all four sides and the island is completely flooded and sinks into the depths of the ocean, as it seems.

ANKEBUT

14. By Allah, We sent Noah to his people and he remained among them fifty years less than a thousand years. Finally the flood seized them. For they were wrongdoers.

15. And We saved Noah and the people of the ark, and We made the ark a sign for the worlds.

Again, it is explained that it was Noah's people who were punished and why. It is also stated that the prophet lived for over 950 years. It seems that his community did not find this longevity strange. If so, it may have been common for Noah's people to live for a thousand years, and this may indicate that they were a very advanced civilization in science and technology, at least in the field of medicine. As we know, our Lord says that there were advanced civilizations in the past, but they could not escape extinction because of their disbelief.

Let us now turn to another very important point:

ARAF

65 And We sent to 'Ad their brother Hûd. He said: "O My people! Serve Allah. You have no god but Him. Do you still not abstain?"


67 Hûd said: "O my people, there is no foolishness in me; I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds."

 69 "Are you surprised that a warning has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you to warn you? Remember that He made you successors after the people of Noah and gave you a greater stature in creation. Remember the blessings of Allah so that you may be saved."

Here too, a comparison is made between the people of Noah and the people of Ad, and it is stated that the people of Ad were bigger and taller than the people of Noah. So there is no comparison between the old people and the new people. It is only a physical comparison between Noah and Ad. Just like the British today are bigger and taller than the Japanese.


Surat al-Rum: 47 And We sent messengers before you to their people, and they brought them clear proofs. Finally, We took vengeance on those who sinned, and it was Our right to help those who believed.

Noah surah 1. We sent Noah to his people to warn them before a terrible torment came upon them.

And it is repeatedly stated that Noah was sent only to his people and it was only his people who were punished.

"They denied him. So We saved him and those with him in the Ark, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. For they were a blind people." (Surat al-A'raf, 64)

Another proof that the Flood was regional is the following verses:

Isra

 2. In the same way, We gave Moses the Book. to guide the children of Israel to the truth: "Take no master besides me.

3. They are the descendants of those whom We carried with Noah; he was a grateful servant.

4. In the Book, We said to the sons of Israel: "You will make mischief on the earth twice, and you will be arrogant."

Notice that the Children of Israel are "the descendants of those whom we carried with Noah". If Noah's Flood had been universal and not regional, and if only Noah and those who boarded the ark had survived the catastrophe all over the world, then all people on earth today would be descendants of Noah's people. But no, the verse says that only the Children of Israel are the descendants of those who boarded Noah's ark. So the other nations did not descend from the people on that ark, and certainly it was only Noah's people who were destroyed in that catastrophe.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/07/nuh-tufan-bolgesel-ve-tek-topluma.html

Peace

In the last few days, people have again been indoctrinated with the fallacies that they can direct their lives with the power of thought and that they are destined to be gods. Unfortunately, the tendency towards such beliefs is increasing even more with the effect of the  period in which we have entered.

As we have repeatedly pointed out, the superstition that man is a divine being, which is one of the foundations of the spiritist doctrine, has been tried to be adopted by humanity for thousands of years, just like pantheism, spiritualism, evolution, reincarnation or asceticism. Most of the time this has been done by some forces using religion as an instrument. Under names such as Hinduism, Kabbalah or Sufism, this spiritist teaching has always been tried to be given to people in various versions.

The aim is always the same, to make people polytheistic without realizing it (or by realizing it), and even to make them worship themselves and the whole universe...

Today, especially under the name of Spiritualism or New Age, the same idolatry tends to settle in minds once again.

 Here is the link to our video in which we explain the ins and outs of this Spiritualist doctrine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXA38GeVM6k

There are many books all over the world claiming that with the power of thought we can attain wealth and other desires, that we can direct the events that will happen to us. And explicitly or indirectly, the nonsense that humans are the creator (god) is being spread all over the world...

And interestingly, some of the people are eagerly following such claims, either because they have not thought about what this belief means, or because they tend to think of themselves as holy beings and to commit shirk.

In reality, there is no  partner of  our Lord, Who created the worlds out of nothing:

35:3 O people, remember the blessings of God upon you. Is there any creator other than God who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? There is no god besides Him, so why do you deviate?

52:35 Or were they created from nothing? Or was it them who have created?

56:59 Did you create it, or were We the Ones who have created it?

Allah Almighty directs and creates everything that happens to us in accordance with what we deserve and our test:

42:30 And any misfortune that happens to you is a consequence of what your hands have earned. And He overlooks much.

64:11 No misfortune strikes except with the permission of God. And whoever believes in God, He will guide his heart. And God is fully aware of all things.

Only the incomparable Lord is the master of destiny. Even if people put all their possessions, technology and thoughts together, they will never be able to share it:

4:78 Wherever you may be, death will find you, even if you are in fortified towers. If any good befalls them, they say: "This is from God," and if any evil befalls them, they say: "This is from you!" Say: "All is from God;" what is wrong with these people, they barely understand any narrative!

4:79 Any good that befalls you is from God, and any evil that befalls you is from yourself. We have sent you as a messenger to the people and God is enough as a witness.

It is He alone who created and offers us all the blessings of Paradise in our universe and in the Hereafter (and it is He alone who created these universes). If our Lord did not constantly bestow them on us, we would be completely deprived:

56:62 You have come to know about the first creation. If only you would remember.

56:63 Have you noted the crops you reap?

56:64 Did you grow them, or were We the Ones who grew them?

56:65 If We wished, We can turn them into hay. Then you will be left in wonderment:

56:66 "We are lost."

56:67 "No, we are deprived!"

56:68 Have you noted the water you drink?

56:69 Did you send it down from the clouds, or is it We who sent it down?

56:70 If We wished, We can make it salty. If only you would give thanks.

56:71 Have you noted the fire you kindle?

56:72 Did you establish its tree, or was it We who established it?

It needs to be well known that the concentration of our thoughts, the power of our brain, has no role in shaping events. As I have already said, if a person thinks this is the case, for example, if he thinks that his mind is directing events like a dream, he is actually worshipping (or associating with) himself, even if unknowingly.

16:37 If you are concerned for their guidance, God does not guide whom He misguides; and they will have no supporters.

34:54 And a barrier will be set between them and what they had desired, as was done for their counterparts before. They have been in grave doubt.

As we can see, what matters in the course of events is not what people desire or think, but what our Lord wills.

In the same way, as we have mentioned, the universe is a created being like us, and it too has no creativity, no divinity. In other words, claims such as "order your wishes with your thoughts and send them to the universe and it will fulfill them sooner or later", as taught in derivatives of the spiritist doctrine, are completely misleading and superstition that aspires to shirk. It is all part of the trap that aims to make people worship themselves and the universe. In a very clear way, humans and the universe are being substituted for God (these superstitions are an extension of the trap of pantheism).

16:56 And they allocate a portion from what We provide for them to that which they have no knowledge of. By God, you will be asked about the lies you have invented!

Even the fact that people wish for something is with Allah's permission and is part of His plan (Allah knows what we will wish for with our free will against which options):

***
Surah Insan Surah 30 You cannot will unless Allah wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Hearing.
   
Surat al-Takvir 29 You cannot will unless Allah, the Lord of the worlds, wills!

Surat al-Fatih: 11 Those of the Bedouins who have been left behind will say to you: "We were distracted by our wealth and our families. So ask Allah's forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "If Allah wills harm for you, or if He wills good for you, who can prevent what He wills for you?" Verily, Allah is well aware of what you do.
***

 Sometimes people can feel the events they are going to experience and think about them accordingly, and they may have fears or desires in line with their destiny. Then when the things they wanted or feared happen, they may think that they created them by the power of their minds.No, they were going to happen anyway by Allah. We servants can only ask Him through our prayers and that is all. So it is not that we are attracting an event to ourselves with brain power because we are afraid of it or because we want it so much. Everything is being realized by our Creator, the Lord. Imagine, the first time you met something that scared you or bothered you, you didn't even know what it was like. And yet it happened to you...

You don't even realize some of the calamities that happen to you.

Since it is only the Almighty Creator who has brought everything into existence, we should turn to Him alone to fulfill our desires and to attain true salvation:

***
Surat al-Baqarah 45 And ask for help in patience and prayer. Surely this is too heavy for none but those whose hearts tremble.

Surat al-Maryam 48 "I am leaving you and those whom you call upon besides Allah; I will pray to my Lord, and I hope that I will not be unfortunate in my supplication to my Lord."

Surat al-Sajdah 16 They turn away from their beds and pray to their Lord in fear and hope. And they distribute out of what We have provided for them.

Surat al-Believer 14 Pray to Allah, ascribing religion to Him alone, even if the disbelievers dislike it!

Surah Fatiha 5 We worship You alone and seek help only from You.

Surah Al-Baqarah 107 Do you not know that to Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? There is no guardian or helper for you besides Allah.

Nahl 53 Every blessing you have is from Allah. Then when a hardship touches you, you call upon Him alone.   
***

Our Lord commands us to abandon superstition and to turn to true knowledge and belief based on evidence:

***

Surah Isra 36. And do not believe in what you do not know and follow after it, for the hearing and the sight and the brain are all responsible for it.

Ali İmran Surah  151.  We will strike fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they associate with Allah that for which Allah has not sent down any proof, and their shelter is the Fire; evil is the destination of the wrongdoers!

And as I have always said, to ask a power other than Allah to fulfill our wishes means to worship that thing, to associate partners with it. It doesn't matter whether it is a shrine, a creature or a statue, the universe or our mind. They have no sanctity and no power over life. And there is not even an exception to this.

There is also a confusion between the effect of our mind on our body and creating events with this mind power. For example, if our mind helps our immune system to be stronger or weaker, or to heal diseases, or if our brain has telepathy, etc., these are presented as if they are evidence for other issues, as if there is a connection between them. This is what the spiritist doctrine is trying to do in every field.

17:67 And if harm should afflict you at sea, then all those whom you called on besides Him suddenly vanish from you except for Him. So when He saves you to dry land, you turn away. Man is ever rejecting.

17:68 Are you confident that He will not cause this side of the land to swallow you up, or that He would not send a violent storm against you? Then you will find no caretaker for yourselves.

When faced with real difficulties, human beings often turn to God and ask for help through sincere prayer. And as a result, they often find that even in the most difficult moments, things quickly turn in their favor. In fact, it is only our Lord who both brings the trouble and removes it. But when the trouble or danger passes, most people go back to their old ways and start running for partners. It is interesting that human beings are so eager to ignore who is the creator and ruler of everything. Even though he has repeatedly experienced events that tell and show the truth of the matter... Sometimes he thinks that it was luck that brought him to the top, sometimes he goes off the rails to the extent of claiming that it was his brain power, etc. that made it happen. Or he starts to think that other associates are helping him...

***
Surat al-Zumar 49. When an evil touches a man, he calls out to Us; but when We give him a blessing, he says: "This has been given to me because of my knowledge". Indeed it is a test, but many do not know.

Surah Al-Mulk 21 And if He withholds His provision, who is there to provide for you? Nay, they stubbornly persist in rebellion and hatred.
***

Meanwhile, the following verses provide a good answer to the misconception of those who hold pantheistic beliefs, that is, those who see themselves and the universe as part of God:

***
Surah Al-Ikhlas 3 He has neither begotten nor been begotten!
***

(Allah is neither derived from anything, nor has He derived anything from Himself, but He created His creation entirely apart from Himself, in other words, out of nothing).

***
6:101 He created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. How can he have a child when he has no partner? He created all things, and He is All-knowing.

Praise be to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and gave life to darkness and light. Then those who conceal the truth equate them with their Lord.
***

Since our Lord created everything apart from Himself, out of nothing, He has no partner and therefore shirk is the greatest sin.

And the world we live in is not a dream or a fantasy world, it is completely real:

***
Surah Tangaboon

3 He created the heavens and the earth in truth, and fashioned you and made you beautiful in appearance. To Him alone is the return.

Surah Ibrahim 19 Have you not seen that Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth? If He wills, He will destroy you and bring a new people.
***

It is repeatedly emphasized in the verses that the ideas that Spiritism tries to instill in people are baseless and should be avoided. In other words, Spiritism is the opposite of Islam.


Also, one of the mistakes that people make is that they think about what other people will think of them, what they can do to gain their favor, their praise or approval, and even try to spend their lives doing this.

In fact, the only one whose praise and approval we should seek is our Almighty Creator.

We should think about what our Lord thinks of us, not what so-and-so thinks of us, and work to produce good deeds for this purpose. Since gaining Allah's pleasure in this world involves producing good deeds and doing good deeds for others, the likelihood of getting good and beautiful people to think positively about us will also increase as a result.

Striving for your image in the eyes of others is completely futile. You will even find that someone who has such-and-such an opinion of you will spontaneously come to have the opposite opinion years later. Sometimes you may even find that not even years later, just a few seconds later, he has completely changed his mind...

Only the Creator should be feared, not people. There is no lasting gain except to be among those who deserve Allah's love and appreciation. This is the only thing that will determine our life in the Hereafter, our eternal journey. But as I said, the way to this is also to do good to people and to oneself.


***
Surah Zumar: 38 And if you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they will surely say, "Allah!" Say to them: "And what do you say about those whom you call upon besides Allah? If Allah wishes to do me harm, can they ward off His harm? Or if He wishes me mercy, can they withhold His mercy?" Say: "Allah is sufficient for me! On Him are those who put their trust."

Surah Zumar 52. Do they not know that Allah expands and contracts provision for whom He wills? There are lessons in that for a people who believe.
***

In fact, those who seek help from other things other than Allah start to experience difficulties even in this world. Maybe things seem to be going well for a certain period of time in their lives, but one day, even in this world of trial, they begin to see that things are going wrong.

***   
Surat al-Tawbah 118 He accepted the repentance of the three who were left behind. The earth, despite its vastness, had become narrow to them, and their own selves had pressed them down, and they realized that there was no other way to escape Allah's anger but to seek refuge in Allah. Then He granted them repentance so that they could return to their former state. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, and His mercy is boundless.
   
Surah Yunus 107 If Allah afflicts you with harm, it is He who will remove it, not another. And if He wills good for you, there is none to refuse His favor. He bestows His grace on whomsoever He wills of His servants. He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.
***

When Allah offers us good things-rewards in this world, or gives us some hardships and punishments, He can put our consciousness into a frequency compatible with this situation. In other words, we can sometimes have a state of mind in line with what we have experienced and what we will experience. But again, here again, events do not happen in line with our thoughts, it's just that sometimes our mental world is in harmony with what is going to happen.

Also, since one should not fear anything other than Allah, the violation of this, i.e. excessive fear of other things, can be inflicted on that person by Allah as a punishment. And again, there is no question of that person's power of thought, etc. It is always one who creates and governs.

Also notice that many times the things we fear do not happen to us, on the contrary, we are protected from them. Or what we really want may not happen many times. In fact, if the power of thought were real, many of the poor people in the world, or those who have other problems, would not always be in this situation. But there is only one being who can do that, and that is our Lord, who is the giver of all blessings and troubles, and who will put everyone in heaven or hell in the Hereafter according to what they deserve. In fact, nothing happens by itself; He creates every event that happens, good or bad. He is the only one who created the universe out of nothing and is the ruler and creator of all that happens in it.

Allah Almighty declares in His verses that He does not forgive associating partners:

***
Surah Al-Nisaa 116 Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him, but what is less than that He forgives for whom He wills. He who associates partners with Allah has gone into irreversible error.
***

In this context, it is necessary to completely abandon this derivative of the behavior of associating partners, accepting a creative power other than Allah and seeking help from it, which is something that should not be done; that is, the belief that you can direct events with the power of thought.

In fact, the idol worshippers did not see the statues themselves, but what they represented as the creative power, and many of them did so within a pantheistic philosophy. In other words, they thought that this power was a part or reflection of God. It is the same with today's idolaters...

Let's say it again; in the past there were attempts to impose this belief on the Islamic world through Sufism. And they were partially effective. Now, through modern masks, people are skillfully instilled with the idea that they are gods or a part/reflection of themselves. The aim is always the same: to lead people into shirk...

Speaking of Sufism, let me give you our video on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgaphLgwtMo

Sufism is the Trojan horse used by spiritualism to infiltrate the Islamic world.

In other words, it is diametrically opposed to Islam. But by tweaking verses, attributing symbolic meanings to verses or adding non-Qur'anic sources to religion, Sufism has been tried to be adopted as if it were Islamic.

7:16 [Whereupon Iblis] said: "Now that Thou hast thwarted me,"11 shall most certainly lie in ambush for them all along Thy straight way,

7:17 "Then I will come to them from between their hands, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left; and You will find most of them unthankful."

7:18 [And God] said: "Go forth from here, disgraced and disowned! [And] as for such of them as follow thee - I will most certainly fill hell with you all!

Surah ARAF

16. He said: "I swear by Your temptation that I will be set upon your straight path to lead them astray."

17. Then I will come upon them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right and from their left, and you will not find many of them grateful."

18. Allah said: "Come out of it, defeated and expelled. If any of them follow you, I swear by Allah, I will fill Hell with you."
***

Yes, Iblis is setting up on the path of religion in order to make people's feet slip, and he sets the trap of shirk with various traps. Most people are caught in this trap.   People who think that they created the good things that happen to them will not be grateful to Allah. They will take credit for themselves and/or the universe.

Paganism, also known today as Spiritualism or New Age, is in reality the teaching of this jinn.

The only way to realize this and reach salvation is to embrace the Qur'an as  religious source. Because only the Qur'an has been preserved and it is the only solid religious source on earth that spiritualism cannot extend its tentacles.

The purpose of this worldly life is a test, that is, to confront the good or evil in man. The other function of this life is to start tasting some small rewards or punishments while we are still in this world. As a result of this confrontation with ourselves, our right to object in the hereafter is eliminated. Someone who has repeatedly witnessed the evil in himself or experienced the good in himself will now know why he is going to eternal hell or heaven in the afterlife.

 What is required of us is not to turn our backs on the verses given to us at creation and also later through the book, but to complete our test as a monotheist and a good human being. In this context, we should not make the mistake of following superstitions to gain so-called benefits in this two-day world. Shirk, or associating partners, is the biggest sin and mistake and will only turn our world and hereafter into hell.

We must completely get rid of the fallacy that "the minds of servants create and manage events and even matter and the universe" and realize that Allah alone created everything and that there is no God or ruler other than Him. No one can be a partner to Him. This is what Islam emphasizes, and to turn to the opposite beliefs, i.e. superstitions, is nothing but ruining our eternal future in the Hereafter.

***
Surat al-Baqarah: 22 It is the Lord who made the earth a mattress for you and the heavens a building. And He sent down water from the sky, and with it He brought forth for you a sustenance of fruits and crops. So do not associate partners with Allah while you know.
***

And the Lord Almighty, in His free will, brings our fears before us if He wills, or our desires (punishment or reward) if He wills. He is our master, not a servant to be guided by our thoughts. We or any other creature has no share in His rule. He will give everyone what they deserve in this world and especially in the Hereafter...

22:18 Didyou not see that to God yields what is in the heavens and what is on the earth, and the sun and the moon and the stars and the mountains and the trees and what moves, and many of the people, and many who have deserved the retribution. And whoever God disgraces, then none can honor him. God does what He pleases.

You should never make the mistake of trying to order the universe, your mind or so-and-so idol about your future, that is, worshipping them.

***
Surah Al-An'am 148 Those who have committed shirk will say: "Had Allah willed, we would not have committed shirk, nor would our ancestors. Nor would we have forbidden anything." And those before them denied in this way until they tasted Our torment. Say: "Do you have any knowledge with you that you can bring before us, and you follow nothing but conjecture. You are only talking nonsense",
***


In order to avoid eternal pain and disappointment in the Hereafter, the servants should immediately turn away from such insidious shirk beliefs such as "creating events with the power of thought" or "pantheism". Spiritualism and all its extension idolatrous formations must be turned away from and their fallacies must not be approached.

Indeed, there is no divinity or lordship in any creature.

We should turn only to Allah and ask Him and fulfill our prayers without fail. We should not associate anything with our Lord, and we should always be aware of the fact that all creatures were created out of nothing, in other words, that they are completely separate from Allah.

We must live a life of goodness and faith and obey the commands and prohibitions of the Almighty.

This is the only key to eternal and true salvation, to lasting blessings and happiness.

And this is not a secret, it is a clear verse in a clear Book.

***
Surah Al-Mu'minun: 59 Those who do not associate partners with their Lord,

13:22 Andthose who are patient seeking the face of their Lord; and they hold the contact prayer, and they spend from what We have bestowed upon them secretly and openly, and they counter evil with good; these will have an excellent abode.

Do you perform your prayers and pay your zakat? Do you compete with others in goodness and charity? Do you live by turning towards Allah alone and making religion exclusive to Him alone? Do you stay away from superstitions and forbidden things and walk on the path of true knowledge, science and beauty? Do you read the Qur'an (in your own language with understanding), the only protected book of our Lord and therefore the only source of religion? In short, do you obey Allah's commands and prohibitions? Only our Lord determines whether we will live in beauty or in hardship based on these deeds... Both in this world and in the Hereafter...It is He alone who gives everyone what he deserves.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/11/kainat-veya-zihninizi-put-edinmeyin.html

Peace

ACCORDING TO THE QURAN , ALCOHOL IS NOT HARAM, IT IS "CONDITIONAL HALAL"

As the followers of the Quran know, only God can determine what is halal (lawful) or haram (forbidden).

16/116*And do not say, as to what your tongues falsely describe: "This is lawful, and that is forbidden;" that you seek to invent lies about God. Those who invent lies about God will not succeed.

16/35*And those who were polytheists said: "If God had wished, we would not have served a thing other than Him; neither us nor our fathers; nor would we have made unlawful anything other than from Him." Those before them did exactly the same thing; so are the messengers required to do anything except deliver with clarity?

And the forbidden/haram food and drink (the blood) are announced explicitly by our Lord in His book:

5/3*Forbidden to you is that which is already dead, and the blood, and the meat of pig, and what was dedicated to other than God, and that which has been strangled, and that which has been beaten to death, and that which has fallen from a height, and that which has been gored, and that which the wild animals have eaten from except what you managed to rescue, and what has been slaughtered on altars, and what you divide through arrows of chance. This is vile. Today the rejecters have given up from your system, so do not be concerned by them, but be concerned by Me. Today I have perfected your system for you, and completed My blessings upon you, and I have approved submission as the system for you. So, whoever is forced by severe hunger and not seeking sin, then God is Forgiving, Merciful.

However, interpreters of the Quran hide our Lord's message by distorting the meaning of a verse (5/93), thus they can add other harams to the God's list. There is a passage in surah Al-Ma'idah about "hamr" which is translated as either alcohol, intoxicants or wine. This passage is between the verses 90-93 and the next verse 94 starts a new topic.
5/90*O you who believe, alcohol, and gambling, and altars, and arrows of chance are tainted - by the work of the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful.

5/91*The devil only wants to cause strife between you through alcohol and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the contact prayer. Will you be deterred?

5/92*And obey God and obey the messenger, and be aware. If you turn away then know that it is the duty of Our messenger to deliver clearly.

5/93*There is no sin upon those who believe and do good works for what they eat* if they are aware and believe and do good works, then they are aware and believe, then they are aware and do good; God loves the good doers.

*The verb "ta'ima" (translated as what they eat above) applies to eating and drinking (taste) in Arabic and the 93rd verse of surah 5 shows that the drinking hamr (alcohol or wine) or eating beef marinated in wine is NOT haram for "believers" as long as they avoid the work of Satan.

To be more specific, (illicit) sex is forbidden, but the exception is lawful sex. Having lawful sex with spouses is halal for believers. Just like sex is "conditional halal" for believers, drinking alcohol is conditional halal for believers as long as they meet the criteria stated in 5/93 and are able to avoid the work of Satan.

Some interpretors distort the true meaning of this verse (5/93) and dare to make some additions to the God's words in brackets. They translate the sentence in past tense (what they have tasted/ they tasted) and claim that the word "taste" refers to a time period before the prohibition of alcohol. However, this is obviously mistranslation because what is haram (shirk) for believers is describing something as haram before the God prohibits it. In other words, mistranslating this verse referring to the past leads to logical fallacy in the Quran.

To summarize, as is stated in 16/67 the alcohol, the substance itself, is good and lawful provision:

16/67*And from the fruits of the palm trees and the grapes you make strong drink and a good provision. In that is a sign for a people who comprehend.

16/114*So eat from what God has provided you, that which is good and lawful, and be thankful for the blessing of God, if it is indeed He whom you serve.

16/115*He has only forbidden for you what is already dead, and the blood, and the meat of pig, and what was dedicated to other than God. But whoever is forced to, without seeking disobedience or transgression, then God is Forgiver, Merciful.

What is illicit in "hamr" (alcohol or wine) for believers (2/219) is explained in 5/91 and it is not forbidden as long as one can meet the criteria in 5/93.

7/32*Say: "Who has made unlawful the nice things that God has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions?" Say: "They are meant for those who believe during this worldly life, and they will be exclusive for them on the Day of Resurrection." It is such that We explain the revelations for those who know.

Because "hamr" is a nice provision in here, the public of paradise will be served hamr in the hereafter. (47/15)

Peace

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