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.

95329

God (Allah) . Mankind . Tribulation

Are the afflictions we face from God or because of our own actions and those of other humans?

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 1 day ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The answer is all three although the believer is never in a situation that is not good for them. Sometimes afflictions are a recompense for our sins which we face in this world rather than the next. At other times we face difficulties because of the actions of others, but in these kinds of tests if we are faultless then our patience is rewarded. And at times we face tests from God in order to raise us to levels that we cannot achieve with our own actions. To understand the philosophy of trial according to our scriptural sources please see these short podcasts:

https://anchor.fm/zoheir-ali-esmail/episodes/Episode-75-51-261-263-Ordeals-part-1-of-3-eb0tbj

https://anchor.fm/zoheir-ali-esmail/episodes/Episode-76-51-264-268-Ordeals-part-2-of-3-eb29it

https://anchor.fm/zoheir-ali-esmail/episodes/Episode-77-51-269-276-Ordeals-part-3-of-3-eb3rb7

May you always be successful

94625

Wife . Family . Responsibility . Salah (Prayers) . God (Allah)

My wife hasn't prayed for the last 5 years. When I ask her, she and her family tell me that this is not my responsibility and it is between her and Allah. How should I deal with this situation?

Mateen Charbonneau, Sheikh Mateen Joshua Charbonneau achieved a certificate from Harvard University in Islamic Studies. He undertook Howza classes under esteemed scholars since 2013 and has been teaching at Imam Mahdi... Answered 1 week ago

You should not abandon hope for her. Continue to encourage her, while not being forceful or pushy. Pray where she sees you and perhaps she will feel remorse that she is not praying.

A scholar in Najaf told me about being persistent, "I remember there was one of the youth who followed my father in taqlid and at some point he became a communist and left Islam. My father would pass by this youths shop on his way to salat everyday. My father would always say salam to the youth, but the young man would ignore him and never reply. My father kept saying salam to him everyday for one year then the youth finally replied to his salam and ended up repenting and coming back to Islam."

93429

God (Allah) . Mi'raj . Prophet Muhammad

What is the view in regards to the heavenly ascent of the Prophet Muhammad (s)? Was it spiritual or bodily? If it was bodily then how does one explain the expression of two bows or nearer, that is mentioned in the Quran, when God is not physical?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The view of the Shia is that the ascent of the Prophet (saw) was bodily as well as spiritual, but that does not negate the possibility of certain parts of the ascension being purely spiritual as the body of the Prophet (saw) would remain in the plane that is suitable for a body during that particular part of the journey (even if that is not the corporeal world). So the ascent as a whole was bodily and spiritual.

May you always be successful.

93973

God (Allah) . Prophet Muhammad

I have heard some people say that the Prophet Muhammad (s) was all wise and all knowing. I believe this attribute is only for Almighty Allah (SWT). Could you please clarify this matter?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answered 2 weeks ago

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Only Allah swt is All Knowing and no creation can know the reality of His essence. The Prophet Mohammad (sawa) was however given divinely inspired knowledge and revelation from Allah swt. He was also given knowledge of the unseen,

May Allah grant you success

93972

Salah (Prayers) . God (Allah) . Surat al-Nas . Surat al-Falaq

I have heard that it is disrespectful, while praying, to start a Surah with the word 'Qul' which tells Allah to 'Say' such as in Surah Ikhlas, Naas and Falaq. Is it allowed to recite these chapters without the first word 'Qul'?

This is unfounded as for starters you are not telling Allah to say, rather this is Allah's words addressed to the Holy Prophet (s) and the believers. It is highly recommended to say surah ikhlas in prayer and it is disliked to abandon this surah for a whole day.

93454

Tree . God (Allah) . Prophet Adam

What was the tree that Allah ordered Prophet Adam (AS) to not eat the fruit of or go near to it? Was the forbidden food an apple or wheat?

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 2 weeks ago

Narrations say that the tree was a grape "tree", a wheat/grain "tree", or the tree of envy of Ahl al-Bayt (A), which Adam and Eve ate from and then became envious of blessings and position given to the Ahl al-Bayt (A) and their closeness to God; for that reason, God cast them to earth, and they had to repent. [For instance, see Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (A)].

It is related from Imam al-Rida (A) that all these views are correct in that it was a tree that bore more than one type of produce, since it was not a normal tree.

"Apple" is not present in narrations but to my knowledge the idea of it being an apple tree was also a later addition to Christianity.

92238

Suicide . Destiny . Soul . God (Allah)

What is the situation of the souls of people who committed suicide? Will they be cursed as Allah chose their destiny as the All-Knowing and made them go through the situation that led them to commit suicide?

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 3 weeks ago

Committing suicide is a major sin in Islam because it comes as a result of losing hope in the mercy of Allah which is itself a major sin, and it is a crime of killing which is another major sin. Nevertheless, those who die during committing major sins, remain Muslims and we must perform on their dead bodies all rituals which must perform on any Muslim who dies e.g. Ghusl of the dead body, Kafan and burial in Muslim grave yard.

Allah (SWT) knows what is their hearts and He deals with them. We pray for all the believers to get the Mercy of Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.

90943

Nature . Human . God (Allah)

Can the intrinsic nature of a human being lead him or her towards the existence of God?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. According to our understanding of the natural disposition of human beings, humans are intimately connected to reality as they are part of that very reality and not outside of it. So since the human is connected to God, they know Him within themselves and that is why the first step to religion is the recognition of God. The path of Islam is also sometimes described as the path of natural disposition and that is because it is a path that develops that initial flame of connection into a burning fire in the smoothest and most beautiful manner.

May you always be successful

92279

Love . God (Allah)

Why does God love us and why does He love to create?

Allah, The Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, created us to shower on us His Mercy and bounties. He is showering on us countless bounties and protecting us from countless harms. His Sympathy on us is more than ten times of the sympathy of the mother on her child acceding to Hadeeth.

He wants us to appreciate and thank Him for His bounties so that He grants us more bounties. لئن شكرتم لأزيدنكم

We are required to admit and confess our sins and seek forgiveness so that He foregives us.

Wassalam.

74511

Universe . Life . God (Allah)

Can you explain the creation of the universe and life to me? Can you also tell me how long it took Allah to create everything?

A good sermon to read regarding this is the 1st sermon of Nahjul Balagha

90891

Surat al-Fatihah . God (Allah)

How can we respond to certain critics who point out that since Surat al-Fatiha is a prayer to Allah, it cannot be a revelation as it implies Allah is addressing Himself, and also that the 'Say' found in the beginning of other such Surahs is not used here?

This claim seems to be coming from a person who has no basic knowledge about Quran, or a person who has not read the whole Quranic verses.
1. Quran has many verses of prayers to Allah in which Allah is teaching us how to supplicate and what are the best words of supplications. These verses which are found in many Suras including Sura Al-Fatiha never mean that Allah is addressing Himself, but He is teaching us the best way and wordings of supplications. Books were compiled on the Quranic verses of supplications.

2. Quranic Suras starting with 'Say' are just five out of 114 Sura ( Al-Jinn, Al-Kafiroon, Al-Tawheed, Al-Falaq and Annaas). There is no question and no reason at all to claim that al-Fatiha should start with 'Say'

3. There are five Suras in Quran starting with the supplication word; Alhamdulillah الحمد لله ( Al-Fatiha, Al-An'aam, Al-Kahf, Saba', and Faatir). Non of theses Suras started with 'Say'

4. Sura Al-Fatiha or Al-Hamd is the greatest Sura in Quran according authentic Hadeeth. It is called also Ummul Kitaab 'the mother of the book' and no Salah can be prayed with out reciting it " There is no Prayer with out Fatiha لا صلاة إلا بفاتحة الكتاب

Wassalam.

89942

Murder . God (Allah) . Death

If Allah SWT knows when we die how come he does not stop things like murder?

Allah (SW) guided all His creatures to the Right Path and warned the human beings from wrong deeds. He also helps those who want to do good. Allah does not force people to do good nor does He force them to avoid bad. Human beings are granted intellect and free will and been asked to do good and avoid bad. If Allah forces people, then the whole matter of good and bad in our life will go away and differentiation will be impossible between good people and bad people. That is the Justice and Wisdom of Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.