Journeying Towards The Light
Cont’d from page 1
We are born with an instinctive knowledge about God (30:30), but temptation is real. It is easy for people to be lured into the belief that only certain parts of the Quran are relevant to them (47:24-26; 54:43-45; 83: 8-9, 13) just as certain rules and regulations are not applicable to them because they are living in a different century (54:43-45; 13:36; 16:24; 83:13; 7:39). In this way, they take their first step out of the light into the shadows—not believing that what they are doing is distancing them from God (2:257; 39:36).
Many people blindly follow their idols. These idols may be their prophets and saints, religious innovations people uphold, or the misuse of God’s blessings such as money, earthly pleasures, or idolizing a human messenger whose mission was to purify the message. Chasing idols may bring short-term happiness, but will ultimately bring a darkness that pains and sickens the soul. The Quran enlightens us: “GOD is Lord of those who believe; He leads them out of darkness into the light. As for those who disbelieve, their lords are their idols; they lead them out of the light into darkness—these will be the dwellers of Hell; they abide in it forever” (2:257).
When the darkness threatens, God is our sole refuge. An enlightened soul will escape to God. Do we want to be creatures of the Light, or creatures of the Darkness? Let your soul stand on the top of that hill and rejoice. Let’s make God our focus.
“Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive us; You are Omnipotent. (66:8)”
What is unique about verse 24:35 is that almost every word in it manifests or connects to light: GOD is the light (needs no explanation); allegory (is a story used to shed light on a subject and teach a lesson); concave (converges light) mirror (is a tool that reflects light); lamp (a device that generates light); glass container (is clear and pure allowing light to pass through); a bright, pearl-like star (it radiates the light that helps lessen the darkness of the night); fuel (is needed to generate light); eastern (the place |
where the sun with its light comes up); western (the place where the sun with its light goes down but the moon and stars get a chance to shine); self-radiating (something that produces its own light; fire (brings light); ignite (how we start a fire that brings us light); Light upon light(needs no explanation). Guides (leading us to the light of understanding); Parables (stories that shed light by telling a story we can understand).
Please note that the chapter and the verses’ numbers (24:35-36) add up to 95 or 19x5 [24+35+36= 95=19x5].
Sister Laleh
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Thoughts on Submission to God
What does it really mean?
In the English dictionary we see that Submission is defined as “to yield to the power or authority of another, for example to submit to a conqueror.” In the case of the religion of Islam (Submission), it is yielding to the authority of God, the one and only Creator.
People from all religions unequivocally claim that they have yielded to the authority of God, so does this mean people from all religions are Submitters (Muslims)?
The important aspect of Submission is to yield exclusively to the authority of God alone without associating others with Him in the strictest form of monotheism as taught by God Himself in His scriptures. Without doing so we have not submitted.
Thus the religion of Submission is also the religion of absolute and strict monotheism (the worship of the One and Only God without the association of others).
[2:131] When his Lord said to him, "Submit," he said, "I submit to the Lord of the universe."
[30:30] Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the people by GOD. Such creation of GOD will never change. This is the perfect religion, but most people do not know
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[10:105] I was commanded: "Keep yourself devoted to the religion of monotheism; you shall not practice idol worship.
[13:16] Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, "GOD." Say, "Why then do you set up besides Him masters who do not possess any power to benefit or harm even themselves?" Say, "Is the blind the same as the seer? Is darkness the same as the light?" Have they found idols besides GOD who created creations similar to His creations, to the point of not distinguishing the two creations? Say, "GOD is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."
[55:3] Creator of the human beings.
[112:4] None equals Him.
[2:112] Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve
[3:19] The only religion approved by GOD is "Submission." Ironically, those who have received the scripture are the ones who dispute this fact, despite the knowledge they have received, due to jealousy. For such rejectors of GOD's revelations, GOD is most strict in reckoning.
It has been the religion of all creation for all time; it the only acceptable religion in front of God; God has rejected and has never authorized the worship of others alongside Himself.
[3:85] Anyone who accepts other than Submission as his religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be with the losers.
[16:51] GOD has proclaimed: "Do not worship two gods; there is only one god. You shall reverence Me alone."
[17:42] Say, "If there were any other gods beside Him, as they claim, they would have tried to overthrow the Possessor of the throne."
Furthermore, it is not a religion in the traditional sense of the word. The traditional Cont'd on page 3 |