• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Who is your God?

Laila

Active Member
Most people are outraged upon hearing this question. "What do you mean, `Who is your god?' they ask, `My god is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.' " And most of these people will be shocked to find out that their proclamation that their god is the Creator of the heavens and the earth is no more than lip service, and that they are in fact destined for Hell (12:106).
Your god is whoever or whatever occupies your mind most of the time.
Your god can be your children (7:190), your spouse (9:24), your business (18:35), or your ego (25:43). This is why we note that one of the most important and most repeated commandments in the Quran is:
"O you who believe, you shall remember God frequently; glorify Him day and night." [33:41]
To put this commandment into practice, we must establish certain habits whereby we guarantee that God occupies our minds more than anything else. The Quran helps us establish such soul saving habits:
1. The Contact Prayers (Salat): those who observe the 5 daily prayers come a long way towards commemorating God a significant proportion of their waking hours. Salat helps us remember God not only during the few minutes of prayer, but also throughout the times of anticipation. At 11:00 AM, one may look at his or her watch to see if the noon prayer is due yet. This act causes one to think about God, and one is credited accordingly (20:14).
2. Commemorate God before eating: Verse 6:121 enjoins us to mention God's name before we eat: "You shall not eat from that upon which God's name has not been mentioned."
3. God Willing (IN SHAA ALLAH): "You shall not say, `I will do this or that tomorrow,' without saying, `God willing' (IN SHAA ALLAH). If you forget to do this, then apologize and say, `May my Lord guide me to do better next time.'" [18:24]. This is a direct commandment that we must carry out, no matter who we are talking with.
4. God's Gift (MAA SHAA ALLAH): To invoke God's protection for our beloved objects - our children, our cars, our homes, etc. - we are enjoined in 18:39 to say "MAA SHAA ALLAH" (This is God's gift).
5. Glorify God day and night: When we eat anything, we shouldn't be like animals; we must reflect on God's creation of the food we are eating - the flavor, our enjoyment due to the senses God has given us, the perfect packaging of the banana or the orange, the varieties of sea foods created by God, etc. - and glorify Him as we enjoy His provisions. When we see a beautiful flower, or animal, or sunsets, we must glorify God. We must seize every possible opportunity to remember and glorify God, so that God may be our God.
6. First Utterance: Make it a habit to say: "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. There is no other god besides God," the moment you wake up every morning. If you establish this good habit, this is what you will utter when you are resurrected.

article taken from: http://www.submission.org/suras/app27.html
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
Laila...you know I disagree with this Quranic thing, and I completly reject information from that site...

When I was reading the article, I liked the first 3 lines, the idea that God is relative from one to another...Some worship God for they fear Him, others worship God fro they love Him..

but actually those:
Your god can be your children (7:190), your spouse (9:24), your business (18:35), or your ego (25:43).
Those versus have nothing to do with what is written beside them!!

I dont really take this site as an official resource...And this is an evidence for its inacurate information..

Sorry Laila..

Salam..
 

Laila

Active Member
EiNsTeiN said:
Laila...you know I disagree with this Quranic thing, and I completly reject information from that site...
When I was reading the article, I liked the first 3 lines, the idea that God is relative from one to another...Some worship God for they fear Him, others worship God fro they love Him..
but actually those:
Those versus have nothing to do with what is written beside them!!
I dont really take this site as an official resource...And this is an evidence for its inacurate information..
Sorry Laila..

Salam..

Salam brother,
no problem God tells us to verify all knowledge for ourselves before following it. I have no problems with this site (from my personal reading separate from the site)but I respect your decision to stay away from it.
 

AbuQuteiba

Active Member
I agree to everything written in the article, Wallahu a'lam, except this point, "6. First Utterance: Make it a habit to say: "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. There is no other god besides God," the moment you wake up every morning. If you establish this good habit, this is what you will utter when you are resurrected."

What proof is there that backs up this statement?



 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
I'm not away from the thread, I just don't agree with information from that site..
I'm just worried about you Laila, and I'm giving you an evidence for its inaccuracy...

Please check those versus provided by the article...and of course you decide yourself.. :)

I have no problem with any particular sect anyway ;)
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
My God is not a "who;" not a personage. Maybe I don't have a God at all in the usual sense.

I hold Nature sacred, and if Nature be given a symbolic form it would be Earth, so perhaps my God is Nature or Gaia.

As an avowed Vedanti some might say I'm a worshiper of Brahman, but nobody 'worships' Brahman. Brahman is Reality. Brahman is the Universe itself. It's not anything that can be worshiped as a God.
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
champion said:
I agree to everything written in the article, Wallahu a'lam, except this point, "6. First Utterance: Make it a habit to say: "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. There is no other god besides God," the moment you wake up every morning. If you establish this good habit, this is what you will utter when you are resurrected."

What proof is there that backs up this statement?

Actually I do agree with that statment...
Not because many scholars advise people to do that, but because I tried it myself..

Saying ''La Ilaha Ila Allah'', fulfills your spirtual feeling to God...
And those who just asked God for forgivness (taebon) are advised to say it all the time till it really fulfills their hearts..

PLEASE GUYS CHECK THE VERSUS 7:190, 9:24, 18:35, and 25:43
They have nothing to do with the article!!!
 

Laila

Active Member
Your god can be your children (7:190)

tell us look at this verse:
[7.189] He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate, that he might incline to her; so when he covers her she bears a light burden, then moves about with it; but when it grows heavy, they both call upon Allah, their Lord: If Thou givest us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful ones.
[7.190] But when He gives them a good one, thcy set up with Him associates in what He has given them; but high is Allah above what they associate (with Him).

verse 189 in short is taking about pregnancy and conceiving a child.
verse 190 Lit, "they attribute to Him partners with regards to that which He has granted them", ie many of them look upon the contributing factors of sound childbirth (like personal care during pregnancy, medical assistance, eugenics, etc) as something independent of God, forgetting that all these contributing factors are - like the birth of the child itself - but an outcome of God's will and grace: a manifestation of what the Quran calls "the way of God" (sunnat Allah). Since this kind of mental association of "other" factors with God is not really intentional, it does not amount to the unforgivable sin of shirk (the ascribing of divine qualities to powers other than God): but it is close enough to it to warrant the subsequent discourse on shirk in the real meaning of this term hence "your god is whoever or whatever occupies your mind most of the time".
 

Laila

Active Member
champion said:
What proof is there that backs up this statement?

I haven't found any proof that this will actually happen champion. Well, not yet anyway.
 

Laila

Active Member
EiNsTeiN said:
Saying ''La Ilaha Ila Allah'', fulfills your spirtual feeling to God...
And those who just asked God for forgivness (taebon) are advised to say it all the time till it really fulfills their hearts..
I feel the same, and not unsimilar is chanting subhan' Allah during reflection on God's creation.
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
Laila said:
your god is whoever or whatever occupies your mind most of the time
This phrase is correct to some level...
The prophet said once something about those who take money as their God (refering to those who only think about money)

But the versus 7:190 doesn't really mean to take our children as God!!

Laila said:
verse 190 Lit, "they attribute to Him partners with regards to that which He has granted them", ie many of them look upon the contributing factors of sound childbirth (like personal care during pregnancy, medical assistance, eugenics, etc) as something independent of God, forgetting that all these contributing factors are - like the birth of the child itself - but an outcome of God's will and grace: a manifestation of what the Quran calls "the way of God" (sunnat Allah).
What?..
it doesn't even say that!!

The versus is talking about Prophet Saleh's people, who didn't accept God, and took other alternatives..!
Nothing about what you said!
I don't understand Laila...explain this again please.
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
Laila said:
I feel the same, and not unsimilar is chanting subhan' Allah during reflection on God's creation.
Ya...Sobhan Allah is really awsom and very well describing the beauty of the nature :)
 

Laila

Active Member
Seyorni said:
Brahman is Reality. Brahman is the Universe itself. It's not anything that can be worshiped as a God.

thanks for your input. we muslims have an understanding of God as the ultimate reality, the creator of the seven universes. I am familiar with the idea you've discussed, through friends (hindu), but I apologise for not being too familiar with your practice, I'll read up on it.
 

AbuQuteiba

Active Member
EiNsTeiN said:
Actually I do agree with that statment...
Not because many scholars advise people to do that, but because I tried it myself..

Saying ''La Ilaha Ila Allah'', fulfills your spirtual feeling to God...
And those who just asked God for forgivness (taebon) are advised to say it all the time till it really fulfills their hearts..

PLEASE GUYS CHECK THE VERSUS 7:190, 9:24, 18:35, and 25:43
They have nothing to do with the article!!!

Hey EiNsTeiN. Oh i'm sure that remembering Allah(SWT) is one of the greatest ways of worshipping Allah(SWT). That's mentioned in the Qur'an several times, and the Prophet(SAWS) said so as well. He, (SAWS), also taught us many ways to remember Allah(SWT), and what to say.

I don't agree with the statement that if you keep saying "Bismillah Irahman Iraheem" everytime you wake up, it will be the first thing you say when you are resurrected.

Wallahu A'lam
 

Laila

Active Member
EiNsTeiN said:
This phrase is correct to some level...
The prophet said once something about those who take money as their God (refering to those who only think about money)
But the versus 7:190 doesn't really mean to take our children as God!!
What?..
it doesn't even say that!!
The versus is talking about Prophet Saleh's people, who didn't accept God, and took other alternatives..!
Nothing about what you said!
I don't understand Laila...explain this again please.

Please read these verse in Arabic,
7.189] He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate, that he might incline to her; so when he covers her she bears a light burden, then moves about with it; but when it grows heavy, they both call upon Allah, their Lord: If Thou givest us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful ones.
[7.190] But when He gives them a good one, thcy set up with Him associates in what He has given them; but high is Allah above what they associate (with Him).

the verses are not specific/or limited to prophet Saleh's people, if you don't believe it read a few verses before and after 7:190 or even the whole surah. Sorry, I don't mean to be pedantic - only I'm surprised at your shock when the verses are clear.
 

Laila

Active Member
champion said:
Hey EiNsTeiN. The word there is actually "Bismillah Irahman Iraheem", it's not "La ilaha illa Allah'".

I thought they mentioned both brother
 

AbuQuteiba

Active Member
Laila said:
I thought they mentioned both brother

Oh! You're right, subhan Allah. Thanks for the correction, sister. But thats not the statement i disagree with anyway. So it's all good, insha'Allah. Thanks again.
 

Laila

Active Member
brother Einstein, I've just read the tafseer (regarding 7:190) by A. Yusuf Ali and it is very similar to what I wrote about.
 

Laila

Active Member
champion said:
Oh! You're right, subhan Allah. Thanks for the correction, sister. But thats not the statement i disagree with anyway. So it's all good, insha'Allah. Thanks again.

No problem brother, you said why you disagree and I respect your opinion even though we differ.
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
hey champion...Well, I thought it's La Ilaha Ila Allah...
But anyway, it's good to say bism Allah el Rahman el Rahim (in the name of God)
cuz it reminds you that anything you do, or say, is dedicated to God, and that you are asking God to bless it by His name..

Laila said:
brother Einstein, I've just read the tafseer (regarding 7:190) by A. Yusuf Ali and it is very similar to what I wrote about.
I don't know Laila...I read the verse many times in arabic, and it's pretty clear!
It's saying that Saleh's people took other alternatives rather than Allah...nothing about children...

Don't you mean Sorat Al Aaraf? "7:190
 
Top