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.

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Sunni-Shi'a . God (Allah) . Qur'an

Why do the Shia seek help from Hazrat Ali instead of from Allah? What is the evidence for it from the Quran?

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... Answer updated 2 settimane fa

Shia Muslims and most of Sunni Muslims seek help from the Prophet and his Holy Progeny because of the order of Allah to all the believers to seek Waseela to Allah. Waseela ( means to Allah)(5:35). The Prophet and his Holy Progeny are the best Waseela (means to Allah).

Shia and most Sunni Muslims say : O Muhammad, O Ali help me. This does not mean that they are not seeking help from Allah, on the contrary,they are seeking help from Allah, with Waseela of Allah's most humble servants. We never claim that one can give us anything away from Allah. It is only Allah Who Grants us our wishes when seek. Seeking from Allah can be directly from Him, and better to seek through the Waseela which was ordered by Allah to seek through.

Prophets were mentioned in Quran seeking help from Allah through pious servants of Allah e,g, Prophet Sulaiman seeking help from Aasif ibn Barkhis to bring the throne of Bilqis immediately (Sura Naml, verses 38, 39 and 40).

Wassalam.

143493

Ahl al-Bayt . God (Allah) . Tawassul

Did the Ahlulbayt teach us to call upon themselves directly rather than to Allah through their Waseela? If so, what is the evidence in Hadith for it?

The Prophet and Ahlul Bayt (SAWA) taught us that every thing is in the hands of Allah (SWT) and no Prophet or Imam can help anyone without the permission of Allah. When we call upon Ahlul Bayt (AS), we believe fully that their high status with Allah, makes their Waseela for us very useful. We never claim that any prophet or Imam can help us away or independently from Allah (SWT). Calling upon Ahlul Bayt directly means that we seek their Waseela with Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.

143544

Hadith . Qur'an . God (Allah) . Imam Ali . Prophet Muhammad

Can you provide authentic references from Quran and Hadith books and a logical explanation for the belief that Allah spoke to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the voice of Mola Ali (AS)?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 3 settimane fa

Bismihi ta'ala

There are references that when the holy Prophet (s.a.w.) went in his Mi'raj journey, Allah ta'ala communicated with the Prophet (s.a.w.), in the voice of Imam Ali (a.s.). This is among the merits of Imam Ali (a.s.).

Of course, in Sunni sources, like al-Durr al-Manthur, v. 4, p. 154-5, it says the Prophet (s.a.w.) heard the voice of Abu Bakr.

But Sunni sources also narrate it being Imam Ali (a.s.).

We have absolute belief that Allah ta'ala does not have a body, or anything material, and even in this case of "communicating", it was casting the sound.

So, the voice was not Imam Ali (a.s.), but the casting of a sound to an angel that resembled the voice of Imam Ali (a.s.), because it was the most loved of sounds for the Prophet (s.a.w.).

Some Sunni references for this narration:

al-Manaqib, by al-Khwarazmi, p. 78, p. 6, h. 61.

Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, v. 1, p. 246, h. 28.

With prayers for your success

142310

Islam . Nature . God (Allah) . Meaning . Death

I know in Islam there is the belief that Allah does not have a beginning or an end. So does that mean he cannot die? But could he cause himself to not exist anymore or does this go against the nature of God?

Hassanain Govani, Hassanain Govani is based in Sweden and has an MA in History of Religion from Uppsala University and an MA in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College of London, and has also studied Arabic in... Answered 3 settimane fa

Salaamun Alaykum

In addition to the previous reply, perhaps below might be useful:
Our understanding of concepts such as "life", "death" and "existence" is coloured by our experiences. Our frame of reference is the reality that we inhabit, and it cannot be any other way. Even when we use words such as "nature of God", it is our understanding of the words "nature" and "God".

Therefore, when we talk of God as being "Alive", "Everlasting", and such, our immediate frame of reference is our own lives and existence. When we see that we come from being non-existent into existence, that we live and die, we sometimes might think of God as being alive and existing in the same manner.

Some theologians and philosophers will explain that God, who is the "source" of all that exists, is existence Himself. Whereas our existence is contingent, meaning it's dependent and possible, God's existence (or perhaps God as existence) is necessary.

I hope that the above discussion has shed some light. At the end of the day, all of our ruminations and musings are limited by our own limitations.

Always in need of your prayers
Hassanain

Islam . Nature . God (Allah) . Meaning . Death

Allah is The Everlasting Alive الحيّ ALHAYY and He never dies as He Created the life and death on all His creatures and He is above whatever He Created.

We have no ability to know or even think about Him, but we should think about what He Created. The Hadeeth says: Don't think in Allah's Self but think in Allah's creatures.

Wassalam.

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Love . Salah (Prayers) . Du'a (Supplication) . God (Allah) . Sincerity

How can one deal with the feeling that one's prayers, Duas, love for Allah, and overall Iman is forced and fake?

Such feeling is from your worst enemy Shaitan who always tries to harm us through different ways. After knowing the source of the a satanic thoughts, we need to tackle it by seeking help and protection from Allah. Repeating Istighfaar and Salawaat and reciting Quran and Du'a are very useful.

Read Quran and sayings of the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) and repeat to remember and understand more.

Wassalam.

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Knowledge . Prophets . God (Allah) . Ilm al-Ghayb

I understand that Allah (swt) alone has all knowledge of the unseen. But are there people who Allah gives some of that knowledge besides the Prophets (as)?

Yes. All the deputies of the prophets including the twelve successors of the Prophet (SAWA) are gifted part of the unseen as you see in Quran about Aasif ibn Barkhiya who was the deputy of Sulaiman who brought the throne of Bilqis from Yemen to Palestine in less than an eye blink because of the knowledge of the unseen granted to him by Allah.

Allah grants parts of the unseen to His sincere servants depending on their degree in worshiping Allah.

Wassalam.

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Prophets . Sunni-Shi'a . Imamah . God (Allah)

Do Shia Imams also receive messages from God? If so, can they be called Prophets?

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... Answer updated 2 mesi fa

The Qur'an speaks of some people other than prophets who receive inspiration or messages from God; for instance, the mother of Moses, who is told to put Moses in the river; or when the angel Jibra'il appeared to the Virgin Mary.

So in and of itself, receiving a message from God does not classify a person as a prophet in a traditional theological sense.

Sometimes, there is an expectation that prophets, by definition, are those who are supposed to take the message and then instruct others to act on it in a new way (such as to encourage people to board Noah's ark), or may present a revealed scripture; for instance, the Qur'an.

According to Twelver Shi'i hadith, the Imams had access to knowledge transmitted through God through various means, and this enabled them to serve as representatives of the Prophet's teachings, to better explain them according to the times, and to demonstrate their authority after the time of the Prophet (S) to those who doubted them.

However, they never claimed to be prophets and throughout Twelver Shi'i hadith, there is an emphasis that the Prophet Muhammad (S) is the final prophet. Rather, their role was to explicate the teachings of the Prophet (S) in the best and most accurate manner. They also did not provide a new scripture to the people. So they are not classified as prophets.

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God (Allah)

If Allah knows that what I am asking for is not good for me, why can't He change that bad outcome and give that thing to me since He has power to do anything?

Allah (SWT) Has created every thing according to systems which are unchangeable. When something is bad, it remains bad. Allah does not change the bad into good. We have to tolerate and be patient and never try to impose our wishes in the Wisdom, Knowledge and Mercy of Allah.

Wassalam

137229

God (Allah)

Is there any harm in calling upon the names of the Prophet (s) or the Imam (as) and ask for things or protection directly from them, with the understanding that they will ask Allah?

No harm at all as we believe that they never do anything but by permission of Allah (SWT).
Wassalam.

136188

Muslims . God (Allah) . Buddha

Some Muslims believe that the Buddha was a prophet of God. Is this correct?

We don't have any evidence to support or even accept such claim. Those who claim that Buddha was a prophet should present an authentic evidence. All prophets came to teach human beings to worship The Only Creator (ALLAH) but we don't find in Buddhism any mention about this main fact. Many authors write that Buddhism does not believe in God. How can such teachings be from a prophet of God?

Wassalam.

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God (Allah) . Imamah . Tawassul

All power is with Allah, so why do we call some of our Imams Babul Hawaij?

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... Answer updated 4 mesi fa

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Yes you are correct, all power originates from Allah swt and no human being or creature can do anything without the power that Allah swt has given them.

About the imams (as), we say that they have a very high status with Allah swt; therefore if they make dua for someone, then there is more of a chance of our requests being accepted through them.

For example we can commit sins which block our Duas from being accepted, where as the imams (as) are of a status we cannot comprehend, and their duas are always answered. Just like if one in this life knows someone who is known to be pious. Yes, they can ask Allah swt themselves and make dua, but another way to get to Allah is by asking other believers to make dua for them as the supplications of the very pious people are more powerful. No one but a Jahil would claim this to be shirk.

This doesn’t negate the fact that a person should regularly and directly call on Allah swt especially through the Duas that the prophet and imams (as) taught us as they know how to best speak to Allah swt. Going through Ahlul Bayt (as) for one’s needs to be accepted is perfectly acceptable as long as one does so with the right aqeeda. One should know that rizq is only from Allah swt and the imams (as) do not give rizq but ask Allah swt for it. In this sense, they are the door of one’s needs.

It is also attributed to Imam Sadiq (as) that he said the following about 40:60 of the Quran:

1 heard Abu Abdullah (as) and he said:

‘Allah' does not Leave us to ourselves and had He Left us to ourselves, we would be like the ordinary people, and we are those Allah Mighty and Majestic Said: "Supplicate to Me, I will Answer you. [40:60)

Source: Basair al-Darajat

So while the verse is general and encourages one to make dua to Allah swt, it shows here how it is applied in the specific sense of the imams (as) being those whose supplications are answered, and there is no contradiction between the both explanations of the verse.

Therefore if one visits any of the shrines of the prophet or imams (as), they may ask them to make dua to Allah swt for them. This is not shirk as nawasib try to claim and they have no evidence to prove so.

For the sake of the argument let us say that we thought that the prophet and imams (as) could hear people at their shrines but in reality they couldn’t; would someone who spoke or asked them for something have committed shirk? No not at all. In the the worst case a person who spoke or asked them something would of just done a pointless action and not shirk (if we assumed the prophet and imams couldn't hear).

This isn’t case though as the prophet and imams (as) hear the words of the believers at their shrines and know about those who visit them.

May Allah grant you success