Is Allah Masculine In Gender

Question: Why do we quote Allah (swt) as - Him/His ?

IS ALLAH FORGIVING OR REVENGEFUL?

Question:

The Qur’an says several times that Allah is most Merciful and Forgiving but also says many times that He gives severe punishment. Is He Forgiving or Revengeful?

Answer:

1.   Allah is most Merciful:

The Qur’an says several times that Allah is the most Merciful. In fact all the 114 Surahs i.e. chapters of the Glorious Qur’an except for Surah Taubah, (chapter 9) begin with the beautiful formula, “Bismillahhir Rahmannir Rahim”, which means, “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”.

2.   Allah is Forgiving:

The Glorious Qur’an mentions in several verses including Surah Nisa, chapter 4 verse 25 and Surah Maidah, chapter 5  verse 74:

“And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

3.   Allah gives severe punishment to the deserving:

Allah besides being Merciful and Forgiving is also strict in giving punishment to the deserving. The Qur’an mentions in several verses that Allah will give severe punishment to the unbelievers and rejecters of faith. He will give punishment to all those who disobey Him. Several verses of the Qur’an describe the various types of severe punishment that Allah will give in hell to all those who disobey.

“Those who reject our Signs, we shall soon cast into the Fire; as often as their skins
Are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the Penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise”.

                                                              [Al-Qur’an 4:56]

4. Allah is Just:
The question is whether Allah is forgiving or revengeful. An important point to be noted is that Allah besides being Merciful and Forgiving, He also has to give severe punishment to the deserving wicked or evil people, because He is also Just. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Nisa:
“Allah is never unjust in the least degree”.

                                                                [Al-Qur’an 4:40]
It is further mentioned in Surah Al-Ambiya:
“We shall set up scales of justice for the day of Judgement, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account”.

                                                               [Al-Qur’an 21:47]
5. Example: Teacher forgives a student who copies in the examination:
If during an examination, a student copies and the teacher who supervises in the examinations catches the student red-handed, the teacher says that he is very merciful and kind and forgives him and allows him to continue copying. Those students who have worked hard for the examination will not call the teacher merciful and kind but will call him unjust. This merciful act of the teacher will encourage the other students to also copy. If all the teachers are merciful and kind and allow the students to copy then no student will ever study for examinations and all will pass with flying colours by copying. The theoretical results of the examinations will be excellent in which all the students will pass with first class and distinction but practically these students will be a failure in life. The whole purpose of the examination would be defeated.
6. This Life is a Test for the Hereafter:
The life in this world is a test for the Hereafter. The Qur’an says in Surah Al Mulk:
“He who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving”.

                                                            [Al-Qur’an 67:2]                                   
7. If Allah forgives all and punishes none, who will obey him?

If Allah (swt) forgives each and every human being and punishes no one then why should the human beings obey the command of Allah (swt)? I do agree that no one will go to hell, but this world would become hell to live in. If all human beings are going to go to heaven then this life cannot be called a test for the hereafter.

8. Allah only forgives if a person repents:

Allah (swt) only forgives if a person repents. The Qur’an says in Surah Al-Zumar, chapter 39 verse 53-55:

“Say: ‘O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

“Turn ye to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (will), before the penalty comes on you - after that ye shall not be helped.

“And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the penalty comes on you - of a sudden, while ye perceive not!’ ”

                                                                      [Al-Qur’an 39:53-55]

There are four criteria for repentance: first, agree that the act is wrong. Secondly, stop it immediately. Thirdly, never do it again in future and lastly, compensate for the loss if caused to anyone.

ONE DAY IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH IS 1,000 OR 50,000 YEARS?

Question:

A particular verse of the Qur’an says that one day in the sight of Allah is equal to 1000 years. In another verse of the Qur’an it says that one day is equal to 50,000 years. Isn’t the Qur’an contradicting itself?

Answer:

1. Time of Allah is incomparable to earthly time

The Qur’an says in two verses, (22:47 and 32:5), that the measure of one day in the sight of Allah is equal to 1,000 years of our reckoning. In another verse (70:4) it says that the measure of one day in the sight of Allah is equal to 50,000 years of our reckoning.

These verses generally mean that the time of Allah (swt) is incomparable to the earthly time. The examples given are of one thousand years and fifty thousand years of the earthly time. In other words thousands of years or a very, very long time of the earth a day in the sight of Allah is equal to:

2. Yaum also means Period

The Arabic word used in all these three verses is yaum, which, besides meaning a day also means a long period, or an epoch. If you translate the word yaum correctly as ‘period’ there will be no confusion.
a) The verse from Surah Hajj reads as:

“Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! but  Allah will not fail in His promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning”.
                                                                                                                                                                                                [Al-Qur’an 22:47]

When the unbelievers asked to hasten the punishment the Qur’an says Allah will not fail in His promise. Verily a period in the sight of Allah is like a thousand years of your reckoning.

b) The verse from Surah Al-Sajdah says:

“He rules (all) affairs from the heavens to the earth: in the end will (all affairs) go up? To Him, on a Day, the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning”.
                                                                        [Al-Qur’an 32:5]

This verse indicates that a period required for all the affairs to go up to Allah (swt), is a thousand years of our reckoning.

c) A verse from Surah Al-Maarij says:

“The angels and the spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years”.

                                                                       [Al-Qur’an 70:4]

This verse means that the period required for angels and the spirits to ascend unto Allah (swt) is fifty thousand years.

d) The period for two different acts need not be the same. For example the period required for me to travel to destination ‘A’ say Vashi is one hour and the period required for me to travel to destination ‘B’ i.e. Kashmir is 50 hours. This does not indicate that I am making two contradictory statements.

Thus the verses of the Qur’an not only do not contradict each other, they are also in perfect harmony with established modern scientific facts.

Who is Allah?

Allah means the one and only God who is worthy of worship. We believe God is one, indivisible, has no associates and  has no partners. He is the First and the Last. He is the creator and owner of all things in the entire universe and He is the only One worthy of worship. There is nothing like Him.

The attributes of Allah are described in the Holy Quran, whereby Allah says:

“Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” [Quran 2:255]

There is also other examples included Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran, whereby Allah says:

Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” [Quran 112]

We believe the greatness of God is something we cannot imagine, because he was the creator of everything in this universe and more. We believe Allah is the God of all people, the same God of Jesus, the same of God of Abraham, the same God of all Muslims and Christians today, because God is One. Allah is the pinnacle and there is nothing before Him. Allah says in the Quran:

“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.”

“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.”

“He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory; and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”

[Quran 59: 22-24]

We don’t say God is human, because the “human” is a creation, we say God cannot not have children because God does not have attributes of humans nor animals. Allah teaches us that there is nothing like Him at all.

“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” [Quran 42:11]

GOD IS ABLE

There is no pit so deep that God cannot reach and lift you out. You don’t have a problem that God can’t solve.

TRUST GOD

If you are Poor, Someone is heavily in debt somewhere
If you don't have a car, Someone doesn't have both legs
If you are ill, Someone else has been bed ridden for years
If you have lost something, Someone somewhere has lost everything
Whatever your situation right now, there is Someone somewhere going through much harder situation,
Don't be sad, have faith and trust God.