God (Allah)

Allah (الله‎, romanized: Allāh) is the Arabic word for God in Abrahamic religions. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam.

64542

Faith (Iman) . God (Allah)

If faith and religion is a personal matter between God and the human being then why does organized religion exist as such?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 3 days ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Faith is a personal matter in the sense that faith is to do with the individual. God has guided humans as to how to develop that faith correctly though revelation to some of His exceptional servants. However, religion is wider than the individual and at the same time affects an individual's faith. Religion is concerned with how humans live together as well as how they are as individuals. A belief system is formalised since the scriptural sources are at times inaccessible to lay believers and organisation is part of creating a society of believers.

May you always be successful

63698

Sincerity . God (Allah)

Do I consciously need to think "I am doing this to please Allah" while doing a good deed? Or is the good act, when done with sincerity, itself sufficient as a means to please Allah?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. You don't have to think out the words before doing the act, but you have to know you are doing it for the sake of Allah. Thinking out the words is a way in which some people make clear to themselves what they are doing. Sincerely carrying out an act for the sake of God is sufficient without thinking out the words. It is also recommended to start out those works with the bismillah.

May you always be successful

63810

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 1 week ago

There are many scientists (particularly physicists), who, on a scientific basis, conclude that there must be a conscious transcendent being behind creation. If we look at the work of scientists and why they conclude that there is a God, this can help to strengthen our UNDERSTANDING (and not just our faith). The work of Wolfgang Smith is interesting. He is a scientist who has pointed out the philosophical errors that form the basis of today's (mainly post-Enlightenment) science. His books include 'The Quantum Enigma' and 'Cosmos and Transcendence'. It is also useful to explore a range of theodicies (arguments that tackle the question of the suffering of the innocent and the justice of God). For those that argue that there is no life after death: there are millions of anecdotal accounts that testify to people encountering those that have died in one way or another - and these cut across all cultures. There is certainly evidence that some way of existing continues after our bodies have expired. So far I haven't come across good explanations for this by atheists.

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is important to be well equipped to deal with the arguments of atheists especially if their arguments and opinions have an effect on your faith. In order to do this you should seek out scholars who specialise in the intellectual sciences and speak to them about the issues and questions that remain unanswered for you. They should also be able to help you construct a framework for your beliefs as well as show you the weaknesses in the presuppositions of atheistic beliefs. In the modern study of the philosophy of religion it is well accepted that religious belief is justified.

May you always be successful

Doubt . Atheism . God (Allah) . Faith (Iman)

There are many atheists whose words have created doubt in my mind about God. What should I do to strengthen my faith?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 weeks ago

The claims of atheists are based on their misunderstandings. If you analyse their claims carefully, you will see how their claims are false.
1. You can discuss their claims with any trusted scholar who can explain to you more facts.
2. You may read on the internet or in the library some books written to counter the misleading claims or doubts of atheists.

3. It is very useful to repeat reciting Sura al-Tawheed and LA ILAAHA ILLALLAH, and ASTAGHFIRULLAH WA ATOOBU ELAYH.

Wassalam.

63855

Evil . God (Allah) . Divine Mercy . Dunya

If Allah (swt) is so Merciful then why is there evil in the world? Why do some people, even including past Prophets, undergo severely punishing experiences in this life?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Key to the problem of evil is the definition of evil. If there is any greater purpose, compensation or wisdom behind suffering it cannot be defined as unnecessary evil. For example, making your kids do their homework is not evil, as while your kids may think they are unnecessarily suffering, that suffering has a purpose. It also has compensation in that learning is good for the children and it is wise on behalf of the parents to put their children through the suffering of studying. So too other issues of evil can be framed such that they are not evil. For example, the trials and tribulations of the prophets (as) were for a purpose, were part of Divine Wisdom and will be rewarded in the next life. One of the main wisdom behind human evil, is that there is no meaningful free will if humans are prevented from carrying out that free will even if it results in evil.

May you always be successful

63807

Intention . God (Allah)

If someone does a good deed to a stranger with the intention of being rewarded by Allah (swt) rather than a genuine concern for the welfare of the one helped, would that be considered a praiseworthy or a selfish act?

Every good deed for the sake of Allah (SWT) is very good and praiseworthy and a cause of reward in this life and hereafter.

Wassalam.

63682

God (Allah)

Is it permissible and appropriate to ask Allah to seek revenge against enemies for wrongs committed against oneself or other believers?

It depends on the wrong act and on the wrongdoer and whether it was committed deliberately and insistingly or not. If the wrong was done deliberately with insisting on it, and no hope of the wrongdoer to repent and return the rights of the victims, it will be appropriate to seek help of Allah (SWT) to punish the wrongdoer.

Allah (SWT) mentioned in Quran : ألا لعتة الله على الظالمينVerily, the curse of Allah is on the wrongdoers. (Sura Hood, verse 18).

Wassalam.

63473

Justice . God (Allah) . Non-Muslims . Hell

How is it justice that God will punish the disbelievers and enemies of God in hellfire forever when their crime was committed in their limited lifespan in this world?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The dilemma in this question is caused by the way it is framed as it assumes that punishment is in accordance with specific crimes. One direct answer to this question as it stands is to hypothesize that some crimes would have far enough reaching consequences to deserve eternal punishment. Especially, when those crimes include others and have far-reaching implications into their futures and the people surrounding them.

However, another way to answer the question is to re-frame it and examine life as an opportunity in which people choose how to fashion their own afterlife. In this case, it is not God that enforces an external punishment that would be just or unjust, but rather, the solidification of disbelief in the heart, from which there is no coming back as there is no repentance, manifests as an eternal punishment from which there is no hope of salvation.

May you always be successful.

63189

Universe . God (Allah)

If Allah has the power of 'Kun Fa Ya Koon', then why do we hear of a certain number of days associated with the creation of this universe? Couldn't it have been done in an instant?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. While the enactment God's Will is not limited by time, in His dealing with creation He chooses to work through processes and physical laws such as cause and effect. So while He can do whatever He wants in an instant, He chooses not to do that in every instance.

May you always be successful

63247

Doubt . God (Allah)

I read the Quran and know the truth about Islam, but I keep having doubts about the existence of Allah (swt) and I feel very troubled by such thoughts. What should I do?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 4 weeks ago

It is normal for human beings to occasionally doubt things they cannot see directly.

There are many reasons for this.

* It could be a phase or part of your own personal religious/spiritual growth, as part of expanding your concept of the nature of God.
* The materialism and busyness of the modern lifestyle can drag people down to focus on worldly issues only
* Sometimes, things we do (such as certain sins) or certain things such as overeating, overly watching television, or anything else that makes us overly like a vegetable can also interfere with our "spiritual hardware" that makes us aware of what is beyond this.

It could be all of this or none of it.

Anyway, since your concern is specifically over whether God exists, you could:
* Spend time reading books and watching videos discussing the existence of God. There are a lot of valuable materials both by Muslims and also people of other faiths.
* Spend time reading the Qur'anic discussions about God - keeping in mind that many of them were aimed at people who didn't believe in God
* Read hadith about the nature and existence of God (you could probably find some on this website)
* Prayer - one of the most personal ways that people come to appreciate the existence of God is through answered prayers. I came across someone once who empirically tested prayer and made lists of prayers that he did and when they were answered, and he concluded after a year or so that prayer was effective. Although God is above being tested, it doesn't hurt to try!
* Prayer for guidance - If you ask God to prove to you that He exists, your prayer will likely be answered.
* Spending time in nature, if it is possible, is also a good opportunity for contemplating on spiritual matters. After all, one of the main arguments for the existence of God put forward in the Qur'an as well as by philosophers is the order and beauty of the natural world. Sadly, many of us are separated from it today due to living in cities and other things and we do not always appreciate what is out there.

I am sure you will find your way - take this as an opportunity to explore a very important question of theology (the existence of God) in-depth and become an expert on it, rather than just taking it for granted!

63185

God (Allah) . Forgiveness . Lie

I recently broke my arm but I kind of lied to people about how it happened because I couldn't remember exactly how it did. Will Allah forgive me?

It is not my place or anyone's place to say whether Allah will forgive you, but, inshallah, if you ask Allah sincerely for forgiveness and pledge to try to not to lie in the future, you can have hope that Allah would forgive you. Allah is merciful and it does not benefit Allah to punish us! The important thing in life is that we are trying our best and we recognize when we make mistakes.

It is said that, during the time of the Prophet (S), one of the companions was involved in a number of serious sins such as drinking, unlawful relationships with women, and even stealing. [I am not saying you are, but clearly this man had a lot of problems.] One day, he went to the Prophet (S) and told him he was doing all of these things but he could not stop all of them at once, so which one should he stop? The Prophet (S) told him to stop lying.

The man was surprised since lying seemed to be the least of his problems, but he accepted the advice and left, swearing solemnly never to tell another lie again.

However, he soon realized why the Prophet (S) had said this. For when he had a chance to steal, or drink, or do something else, he thought, "If I do this, and the Prophet (S) asks me if I did it, I will have to tell him the truth." And then he thought of how embarrassing it would be if he had to tell the Prophet (S) what he was doing. And so it wasn't long before he stopped all of these other sins as well.

I hope your arm gets better soon!