The Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam

1) Faith
2) Prayer
3) The 'Zakat'
4) The Fast
5) Pilgrimage (Hajj)

They are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.

1) FAITH

There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa Llah - 'there is no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.

Shahada inscribed at Ottoman Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.

2) PRAYER

Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language. Because shalat is transliterated from arabic word, so it has multiple english spellings such as salat, salah, sholat, sholah or shalah.Some peoples also called shalat as namaz

Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.

A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.

Some videos of shalats in Makkah and Madinah:

1. Fajr (Dawn) Prayer In Prophet Mosque in Madinah

2. Fajr (Dawn) Prayer In Haram Mosque in Makkah

3. Eid-ul Fitr Prayers from Prophet Mosque in Madinah

4. Eid-ul Fitr Prayers from Haram Mosque in Makkah

5. Eid-ul Adha Prayers from Prophet Mosque in Madinah

6. Eid-ul Adha Prayers from Haram Mosque in Makkah

7. Friday Prayer In Prophet Mosque in Madinah

8. Friday Prayer In Haram Mosque in Makkah

3). Zakat

One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.

A pious person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.'

The Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim. ' He was asked: 'What if a person has nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity.' The Companions asked: 'What if he is not able to work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The Companions further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said 'He should urge others to do good.' The Companions said 'What if he lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity.'

4) THE FAST

Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.

5) PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ)

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.


Pilgrims praying at the mosque in Makkah.

The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.

In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities.

The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar.

A Cure for the Disease of Islamophobia

By: Rev. David W. Good

Clearly the spiritual disease of Islamophobia is all too prevalent in our society, spread by the malicious politics of such people as Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin and such supposed pundits as Cal Thomas, whose Aug. 18 commentary in The Day, "Ground Zero sum game," is but yet his most recent endeavor to spread this disease.

While I could offer counterarguments and theological statements in response, I've always been of the persuasion that "more people act their way into a new way of thinking than think their way into a new way of acting."

Therefore I would offer this remedy for those who suffer from the disease of Islamophobia, and make no mistake about it, it is a disease; it is a disease that threatens to render asunder the tender fabric of our country; it is a disease that would shake the very foundations of our country's cherished tradition of liberty and justice for all, make a mockery of our Statue of Liberty and all that it represents, and undermine our country's freedom of religion.

And when Islamophobia is spread by those who purport to be Christian, it brings dishonor on the name of Christianity. But, thankfully, there is a cure for this disease. Here is the remedy:

Come with me to meet my friends in the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut. Led by Dr. Reza Mansoor, a prominent cardiologist at Hartford Hospital, they organized the best presentation I have seen on the need for universal health care in our country. Our former governor and senator, Lowell P. Weicker, offered a prophetic keynote address, and Dr. Mansoor offered a highly enlightened historical perspective on Islam and its emphasis on medical science.

Also, I was much impressed by the health clinics around our country that have been established through Muslim generosity and leadership.

Come with me to a meeting of We Refuse To Be Enemies, an organization of Jews, Christians, and Muslims who are in community with one another as they work toward a just peace in the Middle East.

Come with me to the Negev desert in Israel and meet a Muslim Bedouin woman, Amal Abo Alkhom, who visited us in Old Lyme last November. In March of this year members and friends of our church were welcomed by Amal and the Muslim members of her community.

True to their great Bedouin tradition of hospitality, out of their scarcity they provided us with an amazing feast, and we were there for the proud opening of their new school, a school that Amal helped to start. Hospitality and education are very important values that our Muslim neighbors uphold and if one suffers from Islamophobia, there's nothing like being on the receiving end of their hospitality.

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Come with me to Damascus, Syria, where last March members and friends of our church visited a synagogue, and yes, there are active synagogues and churches in predominantly Muslim countries. Surrounded by curious and friendly Muslim onlookers, I invited our group to stand on one leg and in honor of both Jesus and Rabbi Hillel, we said, "Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself."

Come with me to see the film documentary, "The Heart of Jenin," about Ahmed Khatib, an 11-year-old boy who was shot and killed by the Israeli Army when they thought that the toy gun he was holding was real. His Muslim parents donated the boy's organs, with the recipients being both Israeli and Palestinian children. These grief-stricken parents were humble and gracious, saying that they found consolation in knowing that their son's organs were keeping someone else alive, and it didn't matter to them what their race or nationality or religion might be.

If one suffers from Islamophobia, one doesn't need to travel very far from home here in southeastern Connecticut, for working side-by-side with us in our places of employment, schools and non-profit organizations are some of the most loving and generous people I have known.

Come with me to one of our local mosques where I have had the privilege of standing side-by-side with my Muslim friends to offer prayers.

In my 35 years of ordained ministry in the United Church of Christ, among my many joys has been the opportunity to get to know and to learn from my Muslim brothers and sisters here in Connecticut, to break bread with them in their homes and in their mosques, to work side by side with them in building houses for the poor, to laugh with them and cry with them, to pray together and work together on issues of peace, social justice and human rights.

What a privilege and honor this has been, and in response to all the Islamophobia I want to express my gratitude publicly for all the many ways in which my own Christian faith has been strengthened and my soul enriched by being in a community of friendship with my Muslim neighbors here in Connecticut. And, if you suffer from this disease of Islamophobia, come with me, I want to introduce you to some of my friends.

*****

The Rev. David W. Good is the senior minister of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, Connecticut.

THE QUR'AN AND MODERN SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION

Dr. Maurice Bucaille is an eminent French surgeon, scientist, scholar and author of "THE BIBLE, THE QUR'AN AND SCIENCE" which contains the result of his research into the Judeo-Christian Revelation and the Qur'an. It is a unique contribution in the field of religion and science.

Being an outstanding Scientist, he was selected to treat the mummy of Merneptah (Pharaoh) which he did. During his visit to Saudi Arabia he was shown the verses of the Holy Qur'an in which Allah says that the dead body of the Pharaoh will be preserved as a "Sign" for posterity. An impartial scientist like Dr. Bucaille, who (being also a Christian) was conversant with the Biblical version of Pharaoh's story as being drowned in pursuit of Prophet Moses. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that unknown to the world till only of late, the Holy Qur'an made definite prediction about the preservation of the body of that same Pharaoh of Moses' time. This led Dr. Bucaille to study the Holy Qur'an thoroughly after learning the Arabic language. The final conclusion of his comparative study of Qur'an and the Bible is that the statements about scientific phenomena in the Holy Qur'an are perfectly in conformity with the modern sciences whereas the Biblical narration's on the same subjects are scientifically entirely unacceptable.

FROM THE ORIGIN OF MAN
As most people in the West have been brought up on misconceptions concerning Islam and the Qur'an; for a large part of my life, I myself was one such person. Let me cite one or two specific examples to indicate the kind of inaccurate ideas generally current.

MISCONCEPTIONS
As I grew up, I was always taught that 'Mahomet' was the author of the Qur'an; I remember seeing French translations bearing this information. I was invariably told that the 'author' of the Qur'an simply compiled, in a slightly different form, stories of sacred history taken from the Bible; the 'author' was said to have added or removed certain passages, while setting forth the principles and rules of the religion he himself had founded. There are moreover Islamic scholars today in France whose duties include teaching and who express exactly these views, although perhaps in a more subtle form.

This description of the origins of the Qur'anic text, which is so out of touch with reality, might lead one immediately to assume that if there are scientific errors in the Bible, there must also be errors of this kind in the Qur'an! This is the natural conclusion to be drawn in such circumstances, but it is based on a misconception. We are well aware that at the time of Muhammad - the Qur'anic Revelation took place between 610 and 632 A.D - scientific obscurantism prevailed, both in the Orient as well as in the West.

In France, for example, this period corresponded roughly to the reign of King Dagobert, the last of the Mrovingians. This approach to what was supposedly the Qur'anic text may on first sight seem logical, but when one examines the text with an informed and impartial eye, it becomes clear that this approach is not at all in keeping with reality. We shall see in a moment the truth of this statement, which is obvious from the texts.

Whenever there is textual proof of the existence in the Qur'an of statements that are in agreement with modern knowledge, but which in the Bible are related in a manner that is scientifically unacceptable, the stock response is that, during the period separating the two Scriptures, Arab scientists made discoveries in various disciplines which enabled them to arrive at these supposed adaptations. This approach takes no account whatsoever of the history of the sciences. The latter indicates that the great period of Islamic civilizations, during which, as we know, science made considerable progress, came several centuries after the communication of the Qur'an to the communication of the Qur'an to man.

Furthermore, scientific history informs us that, as far as the subjects dealt with in this present book are concerned, no discoveries were made during, the period separating the Bible from the Qur'an.

When this aspect of the Qur'an is mentioned in the West, however, we are likely to hear it said that while this may indeed be so, nowhere is this fact referred to in the translations of the Qur'an which we possess today, or in the prefaces and commentaries that accompany them.

This is a very judicious remark. Muslim - and indeed non-Muslim -

translators who have produced a French version of the Qur'an are basically men of letters. More often than not, they mistranslate a passage because they do not possess the scientific knowledge required to understand its true meaning. The fact is, however, that in order to translate correctly, one must first understand what one is reading. A further point is that translators - especially those mentioned above - - may have been influenced by notes provided by ancient commentators often came to be regarded as highly authoritative, even though they had no scientific knowledge - nor indeed had anybody else at that time. They were incapable of imagining that the texts might contain allusions to secular knowledge, and thus they could not devote attention to a specific passage by comparing it to other verses in the Qur'an dealing with the same subject - a process that often provides the key to the meaning of a word or expression. From this results the fact that any passage in the Qur'an that gives rise to a comparison with modern secular knowledge is likely to be unreliably translated.

Very often, the translations are peppered with inaccurate - if not totally nonsensical - statements. The only way to avoid such errors is to possess a scientific background and to study the Qur'anic text in the original language.

SCIENTIFIC ERRORS
On the subject of man, as well as the other topics mentioned earlier, it is not possible to find any corresponding data in the Bible. Furthermore the scientific errors contained in the Bible - such as those describing man's first appearance on earth, which, as we have seen, may be deduced from the Genealogies that figure in Genesis are not to be found in the Qur'an. It is crucial to understand that such errors could not have been 'edited out' of the Qur'an since the time they first became apparent: well over a thousand years have elapsed since the most ancient manuscripts and today's texts of the Qur'an, but these texts are still absolutely identical. Thus, if Muhammad were the author of the Qur'an (a theory upheld by some people), it is difficult to see how he could have spotted the scientific errors in the Bible dealing with such a wide variety of subjects and have proceeded to eliminate every single one of them when he came to compose his own text on the same themes. Let us state once again, that no new scientific facts had been discovered since the time the Bible was written that might have helped eliminate such errors.

In view of the above, it is imperative to know the history of the texts, just as it is essential to our understanding of certain aspects of the Bible for us to be aware, of the conditions in which it was written.

As we have noted earlier, experts in Biblical exegesis consider the books of Old and New Testaments to be divinely inspired works. Let us now examine, however, the teachings of Muslim exegetes, who present the Qur'an in quite a different fashion.

When Muhammad was roughly forty years old, it was his custom to retire to a retreat just outside Mecca in order to meditate. It was here that he received a first message from God via the Angel Gabriel, at a date that corresponds to 610 A.D. After a long period of silence, this first message was followed by successive revelations spread over some twenty years. During the Prophet's lifetime, they were both written down and recited by heart among his first followers. Similarly, the revelations were divided into suras (chapters) and collected together after the Prophet' death (in 632 A.D.) in a book: the Qur'an. The Book contains the Word of God, to the exclusion of any human additions. Manuscripts dating from the first century of Islam authenticate today's text, the other form of authentication being the recitation by heart of the Qur'an, a practice that has continued unbroken from the time of the Prophet down to the present day.

UNCORRUPTED NATURE OF THE QUR'AN
In contrast to the Bible, therefore, we are presented with a text that is none other than the transcript of the Revelation itself; the only way it can be received and interpreted is literally. The purity of the revealed text has been greatly emphasized, and the uncorrupted nature of the Qur'an stems from the following factors:

First, as stated above, fragments of the text were written down during the Prophet's lifetime; inscribed on tablets, parchments and other materials current at the time. The Qur'an itself refers to the fact that the text was set down in writing. We find this in several suras dating from before and after the Hejira (Muhammad's departure from Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.) In addition to the transcription of the text, however, there was also the fact that it was learned by heart. The text of the Qur'an is much shorter than the Old Testament and slightly longer than the New Testament. Since it took twenty years for the Qur'an to be revealed, however, it was easy for the Prophet's followers to recite it by heart, sura by sura. This process of recitation afforded a considerable advantage as far as an uncorrupted text was concerned, for it provided a system of double-checking at the time the definitive text was written down. This took place several years after the Prophet's death; first under the caliphate of Abu Bakr, his first successor, and later under the caliphate of Omar and in particular that of Uthman (644 to 655 A.D.) The latter ordered an extremely strict recension of the text, which involved checking it against the recited versions.

TEXT OF QUR'AN UNCORRUPTED
After Muhammad's death, Islam rapidly expanded far beyond the limits of the area in which it was born. Soon, it included many peoples whose native language was not Arabic. Very strict steps were taken to ensure that the text of the Qur'an did not suffer from this expansion of Islam: Uthman sent copies of his entire recension to the principal centers of the vast Islamic empire. Some copies still exist today, in more or less complete form, in such places as Tashkent (U.S.S.R) and Istanbul. Copies have also been discovered that date from the very first centuries after the Hejira; they are all identical, and all of them correspond to the earliest manuscripts.

Today's editions of the Qur'an are all faithful reproductions of the original copies. In the case of the Qur'an, there are no instances of rewriting or corruption of the text over the course of time.

If the origin of the Qur'an had been similar to those of the Bible, it would not be unreasonable to suppose that the subjects it raised would be presented in the light of the ideas influenced by certain

opinions of the time, often derived from myth and superstition. If this were the case, one might argue that there were untold opportunities for inaccurate assertions, based on such sources, to find their way into the many and varied subjects briefly summarized above. In actual fact, however, we find nothing of the kind in the Qur'an.

But having said this, we should note that the Qur'an is a religious book par excellence. We should not use statements that have a bearing on secular knowledge as a pretext to go hunting after any expression of scientific laws. As stated earlier, all we should seek are reflections on natural phenomena, phrases occasioned by references to divine omnipotence and designed to emphasize that omnipotence in the eyes of mankind throughout the ages. The presence of such reflections in the Qur'an has become particularly significant in modern times, for their meaning is clearly explained by the data of contemporary knowledge. This characteristic is specific to the Qur'an.

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES
It was not until I had learnt Arabic and read the Qur'an in the original that I realized the precise meaning of certain verses. Only then did I make certain discoveries that were astounding. With my basic ideas on the Qur'an - which to begin with were inaccurate, just as those of most people in the West - I certainly did not expect to find in the text the statements that I in fact uncovered. With each new discovery, I was beset with doubt lest I might be mistaken in my translation or perhaps have provided an interpretation rather than a true rendering of the Arabic text.

Only after consultations with several specialists in linguistics and exegesis, both Muslim and non-Muslim, was I convinced that a new concept might be formed from such a study: the compatibility between the statements in the Qur'an and firmly established data of modern science with regard to subjects on which nobody at the time of Muhammad - not even the Prophet himself - could have had access to the knowledge we possess today. Since then, I have not found in the Qur'an any support given to the myths or superstitions present at the time the text was communicated to man. This is not the case for the Bible, whose authors expressed themselves in the language of their period.

In 'La Bible le Coran et la Science' (The Bible, the Qur'an and Science), which first appeared in the original French in 1976 and which subsequently appeared in English in 1978, I set forth the main points of these findings. On November 9, 1976, I gave a lecture to the Academia de Medecine (French academy of Medicine) in which I explored the statements of the origins of man contained in the Qur'an; the title of the lecture was 'Donnees physiologiques et embryologiques de Coran'(Physiological and Embryological Data in the Qur'an). I emphasised the fact that these data - which I shall summarize below - formed part of a much wider study. The following are some of the points which arise from a reading of the Qur'an:

* a concept of the creation of the world which, while different from the ideas contained in the Bible, is fully in keeping with today's general theories on the formations of the universe;

* statements that are in perfect agreement with today's ideas concerning the movements and evolution of the heavenly bodies;

* a prediction of the conquest of space;

* notions concerning the water cycle in nature and the earth's relief, which were not proven correct until many centuries later.

All of these data are bound to amaze anyone who approaches them in

an objective spirit. They add a much wider dimension to the problem studied in the present work. The basic point remains the same , however: we must surely be in the presence of facts which place a heavy strain on our natural propensity for explaining everything in materialistic terms, for the existence in the Qur'an of these scientific statements appears as a challenge to human explanations.

That does not mean to say, however, that the statements in the Qur'an - especially those concerning man - may all of them be examined in the light of the findings of modern science. The creation of man as described in both the Bible and the Qu'ran totally eludes scientific investigation of the event per se.

Similarly, when the New Testament or the Qur'an informs us that Jesus was not born of a father, in the biological sense of the term, we cannot counter this Scriptural statement by saying that there is no example in the human species of an individual having been formed without receiving the paternal chromosomes that make up one half of its genetic inheritance. Science does not explain miracles, for by definition miracles are inexplicable, thus, when we read in both the Qur'an and the Bible that man was moulded from the ground, we are in fact learning a fundamental religious principle: Man returns from where he came, for from the place he is buried, he will rise again on the judgment.

Side by side with the main religious aspect of such reflections on man, we find in the Qur'an statements on man that refer to strictly material facts. They are quite amazing when one approaches them for the first time. For example, the Qur'an describes the origins of life in general and devotes a great deal of space to the morphological transformation undergone by man, repeatedly emphasizing the fact that God fashioned him as He willed. We likewise discover statements on human reproduction that are expressed in precise terms that lend themselves to comparison with the secular knowledge we today possess on the subject.

INTEREST TO MEN OF SCIENCE
The many statements in the Qur'an that may thus be compared with modern knowledge are by no means easy to find. In preparing the study published in 1976, I was unable to draw on any previous works known in the West, for there were none. All I could refer to were a few works in Arabic dealing with themes treated in the Qur'an that were of interest to men of science - there was, however, no overall study. Over and above this, research of this kind requires scientific knowledge covering many different disciplines. It is not easy, however, for Islamologists to acquire such knowledge, for they possess a mainly literary background. Indeed, such questions hardly seem to occupy a place in their field of classic Islamology, at least as far as the West is concerned. Only a scientist, thoroughly acquainted with Arabic literature, can draw comparisons between the Qur'anic text - for which he must be able to read Arabic - and the data supplied by modern knowledge.

There is another reason why such statements are not immediately apparent: Verses bearing on a single theme are scattered throughout the Qur'an. The book is indeed a juxtaposition of reflections on a wide variety of subjects referred to one after the other and taken up again later on, often several times over. The data on a precise theme must therefore be collected from all over the Book and brought together under a single heading. This requires many hours' work tracking down verses, in spite of the existence of thematic indexes provided by various translators, for such lists may perhaps be incomplete and indeed, in many cases, they often are.

The Amazing Quran

Calling the Qur'an amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing.

One thing which surprises non-Muslims who are examining the book very closely is that the Qur'an does not appear to them to be what they expected. What they assume is that they have an old book which came fourteen centuries ago from the Arabian desert; and they expect that the book should look something like that - an old book from the desert. And then they find out that it does not resemble what they expected at all. Additionally, one of the first things that some people assume is that because it is an old book which comes from the desert, it should talk about the desert. Well the Qur'an does talk about the desert - some of its imagery describes the desert; but it also talks about the sea - what it's like to be in a storm on the sea.

Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Qur'an to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam but was interested in reading the Qur'an. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammed, was he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Qur'an describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No as a matter of fact, Muhammed lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Qur'an's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wave, over it a wave, over it clouds" was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Qur'an is not tied to a certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago.

Many centuries before the onset of Muhammed's prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the people who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter (i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century; yet, interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Qur'an which states:

" He [i.e., Allah] is aware of an atom's weight in the heavens and on the earth and even anything smaller than that..."

Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is proof, that the Qur'an is not outdated.

Another example of what one might expect to find in an "old book" that touches upon the subject of health or medicine is outdated remedies or cures. Various historical sources state that the Prophet gave some advice about health and hygiene, yet most of these pieces of advice are not contained in the Qur'an. At first glance, to the non-Muslims this appears to be a negligent omission. They cannot understand why Allah would not "include" such helpful information in the Qur'an. Some Muslims attempt to explain this absence with the following argument: "Although the Prophet's advice was sound and applicable to the time in which he lived, Allah, in His infinite wisdom, knew that there would come later medical and scientific advances which would make the Prophet's advice appear outdated. When later discoveries occurred, people might say that such information contradicted that which the Prophet had given. Thus, since Allah would never allow any opportunity for the non-Muslims to claim that the Qur'an contradicts itself or the teachings of the Prophet, He only included in the Qur'an information and examples which could stand the test of time."

However, when one examines the true realities of the Qur'an in terms of its existence as a divine revelation, the entire matter is quickly brought into its proper perspective, and the error in such argumentation becomes clear and understandable. It must be understood that the Qur'an is a divine revelation, and as such, all information in it is of divine origin. Allah revealed the Qur'an from Himself. It is the words of Allah, which existed before creation, and thus nothing can be added, subtracted or altered. In essence, the Qur'an existed and was complete before the creation of Prophet Muhammed, so it could not possibly contain any of the Prophet's own words or advice. An inclusion of such information would clearly contradict the purpose for which the Qur'an exists, compromise its authority and render it inauthentic as a divine revelation.

Consequently, there was no "home remedies" in the Qur'an which one could claim to be outdated; nor does it contain any man's view about what is beneficial to health, what food is best to eat, or what will cure this or that disease. In fact, the Qur'an only mentions one item dealing with medical treatment, and it is not in dispute by anyone. It states that in honey there is healing. And certainly, I do not think that there is anyone who will argue with that!

If one assumes that the Qur'an is the product of a man's mind, then one would expect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man who "composed" it. In fact, certain encyclopedias and various books clam that the Qur'an was the product of hallucinations that Muhammed underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammed's mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Qur'an. Is there such evidence? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what things would have been going on in his mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Qur'an.

It is common knowledge that Muhammed had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death at a very critical period of his life. As a matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he ran home to her afraid. Certainly, even today one would have a hard time trying to find an Arab who would tell you, "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way. Yet Muhammed felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do that. That's how influential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammed's mind, they are sufficient in intensity to prove my point. The Qur'an does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companion and wife, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife - nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pain and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout.

A truly scientific approach to the Qur'an is possible because the Qur'an offers something that is not offered by other religious scriptures, in particular, and other religions, in general. It is what scientists demand. Today there are many people who have ideas and theories about how the universe works. These people are all over the place, but the scientific community does not even bother to listen to them. This is because within the last century the scientific community has demanded a test of falsification. They say, "If you have theory, do not bother us with it unless you bring with that theory a way for us to prove whether you are wrong or not."

Such a test was exactly why the scientific community listened to Einstein towards the beginning of the century. He came with a new theory and said, "I believe the universe works like this; and here are three ways to prove whether I am wrong!". So the scientific community subjected his theory to the tests, and within six years it passed all three. Of course, this does not prove that he was great, but it proves that he deserved to be listened to because he said, "This is my idea; and if you want to try to prove me wrong, do this or try that." This is exactly what the Qur'an has - falsification tests. Some are old (in that they have already been proven true), and some still exist today. Basically it states, "If this book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Of course, in 1400 years no one has been able to do "This or this or this, " and thus it is still considered true and authentic. I suggest to you that the next time you get into dispute with someone about Islam and he claims that he has the truth and that you are in darkness, you leave all other arguments at first and make this suggestion. Ask him, "Is there any falsification test in your religion? Is there anything in your religion that would prove you are wrong if I could prove to you that it exists - anything?" Well, I can promise right now that people will not have anything - no test, no proof, nothing! This is because they do not carry around the idea that they should not only present what they believe but should also offer others a chance to prove they're wrong. However, Islam does that. A perfect example of how Islam provides man with a chance to verify it authenticity and "prove it wrong" occurs in the 4th chapter. And quiet honestly, I was surprised when I first discovered this challenge. It states:

"Do they not consider the Qur'an? Had it been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy."

This is a clear challenge to the non-Muslim. Basically, it invites him to find a mistake. As a matter of fact, the seriousness and difficulty of the challenge aside, the actual presentation of such a challenge in the first place is not even in human nature and is inconsistent with man's personality. One doesn't take an exam in school after finishing the exam, write a note to the instructor at the end saying, "This exam is perfect. There are no mistakes in it. Find one if you can!". One just doesn't do that. The teacher would not sleep until he found a mistake! And yet this is the way the Qur'an approaches people. Another interesting attitude that exists in the Qur'an repeatedly deals with its advice to the reader. The Qur'an informs that reader about different facts and then gives the advice: "If you want to know more about this or that, or if you doubt what is said, then you should ask those who have knowledge." This too is a surprising attitude. It is not usual to have a book that comes from someone without training in geography, botany, biology, etc., who discusses these subjects and then advises the reader to ask men of knowledge if he doubts anything.

Yet in every age there have been Muslims who have followed the advice of the Qur'an and made surprising discoveries. If one looks to the works of Muslim scientists if many centuries ago, one will find them full of quotations from the Qur'an. These works state that they did research in such a place, looking for something. And they affirm that the reason they looked in such and such a place was that the Qur'an pointed them in that direction. For example, the Qur'an mentions man's origin and then tells the reader, "Research it!" It gives the reader a hint where to look and then states that one should find out more about it. This is the kind of thing that Muslims today largely seem to overlook - but not always, as illustrated in the following example. A few years ago, a group of men in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia collected all if the verses in the Qur'an which discuss embryology - the growth of the human being in the womb. They said, "Here is what the Qur'an says. Is it the truth?" In essence, they took the advice of the Qur'an: "Ask the men who know." They chose, as it happened, a non-Muslim who is a professor of embryology at the University of Toronto. His name is Keith Moore, and he is the author of textbooks on embryology - a world expert on the subject. They invited him to Riyadh and said, "This is what the Qur'an says about your subject. Is it true? What can you tell us?" While he was in Riyadh, they gave him all of the help that he needed in translation and all of the cooperation for which he asked. And he was so surprised at what he found that he changed his textbooks. In fact, in the second edition of one of his books, called Before we are born... in the second edition about the history of embryology, he included some material that was not in the first edition because of what he found in the Qur'an. Truly this illustrates that the Qur'an was ahead of its time and that those who believe in the Qur'an know what other people do not know.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Keith Moore for a television presentation, and we talked a great deal about this - it was illustrated by slides and so on. He mentioned that some of the things that the Qur'an states about the growth of the human being were not known until thirty years ago. In fact, he said that one item in parti

Belief in the Last Day and Resurrection

The Last Day is that enormous event when everyone will be resurrected from death to the accounting and reckoning to be asked about their deeds: to receive either reward for their good deeds or punishment for their evil deeds. It is called “the Last Day” because it is the final day and the end of earthly time. This is the day when the people of Paradise will go to their appointed places in Paradise and those of Hell to the Hellfire.

Belief in the Last Day and Resurrection comprises three aspects:

To believe in the resurrection after death. Resurrection will take place when the Trumpet will be blown [by Israafeel] for the second time [the first being for the death of all living creatures]. Humankind will awaken to face the Lord of the Worlds. They all will stand bare-footed completely naked and uncircumcised before their Lord as Allah the Most Exalted said:

As We began the first creation so shall We repeat it (it is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly We shall do it. [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21):104].

The Resurrection is an affirmed truth proven by the Qur’an the Sunnah and the unanimous agreement and consensus (Ijmaa’) of all the Muslims. Allah the Exalted said:

Then verily you will be dead after that. Then verily you will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment. [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):15-16]

And the Prophet () said in a hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim:
People will be gathered together on the Day of Judgment barefooted and uncircumcised.

All the Muslims are in agreement affirmed the Resurrection. The Day of Resurrection and Accounting is necessitated by the wisdom of Allah to make a final time to judge everyone according to that which they are accountable. Allah the Most Exalted said:

Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose) and that you would not be brought back to Us? [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):115]

And He the Exalted said to the Messenger of Allah ():
Verily He Who has given you the Qur’an (O Muhammad) will surely bring you back to the place of return. [Surah al-Qasas (28):85].

To believe in the reckoning of the deeds and reward or punishment accordingly. This is proven through the Book of Allah the Qur’an the Sunnah and consensus of the Muslims. The slaves of Allah will all be reckoned and recompensed for their deeds. Allah the Most Exalted said:

Verily to Us will be their return. Then verily for Us will be their Reckoning. [Surah al-Ghaashiyah (88):25-26]

And He said:
Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof to his credit and whoever brings an evil deed shall have only the recompense of the like thereof and they will not be wronged. [Surah al-An’aam (6):160]

And He said:
And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there were the weight of a mustard seed We will bring it and Sufficient are We as Reckoners. [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21):47]

Abdullah ibn Umar () narrated that the Prophet() said:
Allah will bring the believer closer to Him and will shield him from being exposed (for his evil deeds in front of everyone). He will say “Do you remember such and such sin? Do you remember such and such sin?” He will say “Yes O my Lord!” When Allah gets this confession for his sins and the believer thinks that his destruction is upon him Allah will say “I have preserved you from being exposed in front of others for these evil deeds during your lifetime and I am forgiving them for you today.” So he will be given his record of good deeds. As for the disbelievers and the hypocrites they will be called openly in public: “These are the ones who lied against their Lord! Verily Allah’s curse is upon the unjust ones!” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And in an authentic hadeeth the Messenger of Allah () said:
if somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it then Allah will write for him a full good deed. If he intends to do a good deed and he actually does it then Allah will write with Him from ten to seven hundred times to many more times (reward). If somebody intends to do a bad deed and he does not do it Allah will write a full good deed with Him. If somebody intends to do bad deed and actually did it then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account). (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

Muslims are unanimous in agreement that the Day of Reckoning and the Judgment will come since both logic and wisdom point to it. According to the infinite Wisdom of Allah all people must be judged a final decisive judgment. Allah revealed the Scriptures and sent the Messengers only that they should be accepted and followed. Moreover Allah obligated the believers to fight against those who oppose the Scriptures and the Messengers and He permitted that their blood be shed and their children women and possessions be seized] according to the strict laws of war]. If there were not a final Day of Reckoning then all these matters would have been in vain! Allah the All-Wise is far removed from such an imperfection and contradiction.

Allah has indicated this line of argument in His saying:
Then surely We shall question those to whom the Book was sent and verily We shall question the Messengers. Then surely We shall narrate unto them (their whole story) with knowledge and indeed We were not absent. [Surah al-A’raaf (7):6-7]

To believe in Paradise and Hellfire and that they are the final and everlasting abode for the creatures (men and jinn).

Paradise is the final resting place of ultimate happiness and joy that Allah has prepared for the believers who feared Him believed in Him and sincerely obeyed Him and His Messenger who brought the message. Paradise is described as a place of unimaginable bounties and pleasures which “no eye has ever seen nor an ear ever heard of nor a mind has ever imagined.”

Allah the Most Exalted said:
Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds they are the best of creatures. Their reward with their Lord is Gardens of Eternity underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide forever; Allah is Well-Pleased with them and they with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord. [Surah al-Bayyinah (98):7-8]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do. [Surah as-Sajdah (32):17]

Hell fire is the final destination of torment and punishment that Allah has prepared for the disbelievers the unjust (criminals) those who disbelieved in Allah and disobeyed the Messengers.
Hellfire contains all kinds of unimaginable punishments and torments. Allah the

Most Exalted said:
And fear the Fire which is prepared for the disbelievers. [Surah Aali ‘Imraan (3):131]

And He said:
We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them. If they ask for help they will be granted water like boiling oil that will scald their faces. Terrible is the drink and what an evil dwelling! [Surah al-Kahf (18):29]

And He said:
Verily Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a flaming Fire wherein they will abide forever; and they will find neither a protector nor a helper. On the Day when their faces will be turned and rolled from all sides in the Fire they will say: “Oh would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger (Muhammad).” [Surah al-Ahzaab (33):64-66]

All that happens after death is included in the belief of the Last Day for example:

The trial of the grave wherein all will be asked: Who was your Lord? What was your religion? Who was your prophet?

So as is explained in the Qur’an and Sunnah Allah will make those who believed resolute with the word that stands firm. Thus the believer will say: “My Lord is Allah my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Muhammed.” But the transgressors will err and go astray. The disbeliever will say: “Haah haah I don’t know.” The hypocrite or the person in doubt1 will say: “I’m not sure I heard the people say something so I just repeated what they said.”
The grave will be a place of either extreme pain and torment or extreme pleasure and happiness.
The pain and torment will be upon the transgressors disbelievers and hypocrites as Allah the Most Exalted said:

And if you but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): “Deliver your souls; this day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah untruthfully. And you used to reject his signs with disrespect.” [Surah al-An’aam (6):93]

And Allah the Most Exalted said concerning Pharaoh and his followers:
The Fire – they will be exposed to it morning and afternoon and on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): “Make Pharaoh’s people to enter the severest Torment.” [Surah Ghaafir (40):46]

Imam Muslim reports that Zaid ibn Thabit () narrated:
The Prophet said to his Companions “I would have asked Allah to let you hear what I am hearing of the (peoples’) punishment in the grave but (I refrain) for the fear that you would not bury each other after that.” Then the Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him turned his face towards them saying: “Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the Fire!” They said: “We seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the Fire.” He said: “Seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave!” They said: “We seek refuge in Allah from the torment of the grave.” He said: “Seek refuge in Allah from all calamities whether apparent or hidden!” They said “We seek refuge in Allah from all calamities whether apparent or hidden.” He said: “Seek refuge in Allah from the calamity of one-eyed Antichrist (False Messiah)!” They said “We seek refuge in Allah from the calamity of one-eyed Antichrist (False Messiah).”

The extreme pleasure and happiness of the grave will be for the faithful and truthful believers. Allah the Most Exalted said:

Verily those who say “Our Lord is Allah” and then stood fast on these words on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death saying) “Fear not nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised.” [Surah Fussilat (41):30]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
Then why do you not (intervene) when (the soul of a dying person) reaches the throat (gurgling)? And you are at the moment looking on (hopelessly)? But We (our angels who take the soul) are nearer to him than you are but you do not see. Then why do you not if you are exempt from the reckoning and recompense bring back the soul (to its body) if you are truthful? Then if he (the dying person) be of those near ones (close to Allah) there is for him rest and provisions and a Garden of Delights (Paradise). [Surah al-Waqi’ah (56):83-89]

It is reported on the authority of al-Baraa ibn ‘Aazib that the Prophet () said about the believer after he is responds to the questioning by the angels:

A caller from heaven will say “My slave has said the truth. Therefore furnish him (in his grave) from (the pleasures of) Paradise and dress him from (the clothes of) Paradise and open a door for him to Paradise.” Then he said “He will receive from its tranquility and beautiful smell. And his grave will be enlarged for him as far a distance as his sight reaches.”
This is reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawood in a long hadeeth [of which only a portion has been mentioned].

The great benefits of believing in the Last Day and Resurrection include:

Encouraging the desire to do the deeds of obedience hoping for the bliss and reward of Paradise.
Being terrified of committing deeds of disobedience fearing the punishment of the Hellfire.
Comforting the believer about the pleasures and luxuries that he misses in this worldly life and the hardships and pains he endures in the hope for the bliss and reward of the Paradise.
[Some] disbelievers do not believe that life after death is possible. The falseness of their doubt about the possibility of life after death can be established by: ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture) al-Hiss (physical senses) and al-’Aql (reason and analysis).
Proving the possibility of life after death by ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture) Allah the Most Exalted said:

The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the account). Say (O Muhammad): “Yes! By my Lord you will certainly be resurrected then you will be informed (and recompensed for) what you did and that is easy for Allah.” [Surah at-Taghaabun (64):7]
All Scriptures [like the Torah Psalms and Gospels] are unanimous on this matter (of belief in the Hereafter).

Proving the possibility of life after death by al-Hiss (physical senses):
To illustrate to us this possibility Allah has given us stories of past events when people saw with their own eyes (and physical senses) how He raised the dead to life. There are five examples given in the second chapter of the Qur’an in Surah al-Baqarah:

The story of the people of Musaa when they said to him “We will not believe in you unless we see Allah openly without a barrier” and thus they were seized by death. Thereafter Allah resurrected them and said to admonish them and all the Children of Israel with this story

And (remember) when you said “O Musaa! We shall never believe in you till we see Allah plainly.” But you were seized with a thunderbolt (and lightening) while you were looking. Then We raised you up after your death so that you might be grateful. [Surah al-Baqarah (2):55-56]

The story of the murdered man among the Children of Israel when they argued about determining who the murderer was. Allah ordered them to sacrifice a cow and strike the corpse with a part of it so that he can come to life to tell them about the killer. Allah the Most Exalted said about this case:

And (remember) when you killed a man and fell into dispute among yourselves as to the crime. So Allah brought forth that which you were hiding. So We said “Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow).” Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His signs so that you may understand. [Surah al-Baqarah (2):72-73]

The story of the group that ran away from their homes fearing death even though they were thousands and could have stood up to their enemies. Allah struck them dead in their tracks and then brought them back to life. Relating this story Allah Most Exalted said in the Qur’an:

Did you (O Muhammad) not think of those who went forth from their homes in thousands fearing death? Allah said to them: “Die!” And then He restored them to life. Truly Allah is full of Bounty to mankind but most men thank not. [Surah al-Baqarah (2):243].

The story of the man who passed by a dead and deserted village and wondered how Allah would be able to resurrect them. Allah struck him dead for a hundred years and then raised him up again. Relating this story Allah Most Exalted said:

Or like the one who passed by a town all in utter ruins. He said “Oh! How will Allah ever bring it to life after its death?” So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years then raised him up. He said “How long did you remain (dead)?” He [the man] replied “Perhaps I remained (dead) a day or a part of a day.” He said “Nay you have remained for a hundred years; look at your food and your drink they show no change; and look at your donkey! And thus We have made of you a Sign for the people. And look at the bones how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh.” When this was clearly shown to him he said “I Know (now) that Allah is Able to do all things.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2):259]

The story of Ibraheem () who asked Allah to show him how He resurrects the dead. Allah ordered him to slaughter four birds cut them in pieces and spread these pieces to various mountains. Then He told him to call these dead birds and when he did they came back to him flying. On this Allah the Most Exalted said:

And (remember) when Ibraheem said “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” Allah said “Do you not believe?” Ibraheem said “Yes but to be stronger in faith.” He said “Take four birds then cause them to incline towards you (to slaughter them and cut them into pieces) and then put a portion of them on every hill and call them they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is All-Mighty All-Wise.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2):260]

These five historically authentic examples which were physically experienced prove that the dead can rise back to life by the Will of Allah. The fact that ‘Eesaa raised the dead from their graves by the Will of Allah has already been mentioned above.

Proving the possibility of life after death al-Aql (reason and analysis):
Two rational arguments can be presented here:
The first argument is that Allah is the Original Creator of all the creation and thus He who is capable of the first creation is also capable of re-creation which is even simpler. Allah the Most Exalted said:
And it is He Who originates the creation then He will repeat it (after it has been perished) and this is easier for Him. [Surah ar-Room (30):27]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
As We brought (into existence) the first creation We shall repeat it (it is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly We shall do it. [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21):104]
And Allah the Most Exalted said to those who deny that Allah can restore decayed bones:

Say (O Muhammad) “He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation.” [Surah Yaa-Seen (36):79]

The second argument is that we observe the earth lifeless and barren from lack of rain. Allah sends the rains and then we observe the soil coming back to life and various kinds of plants spring forth green and flourish. So the One Who brings life back to the dead earth and makes the plants flourish is able also to raise the dead animals back to life. Allah the Most Exalted said:

And among His Signs you see the earth barren but when We send down water (rain) to it it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetation). Verily He Who gives it life surely is able to give life to the dead. Indeed! He is able to do all things. [Surah Fussilat (41):39]

And He said:
And We send down blessed water (rain) from the sky then We produce therewith gardens and grains of all harvests that are reaped; and tall date palms with ranged clusters; provisions for (Allah’s) slaves. And We give life therewith to dead land. Thus will be the Resurrection (of the dead). [Surah Qaaf (50):9-11]

Some misguided people say that the punishment or bliss in the grave is not possible since it is against the reality we see when we open the graves and find the decomposed corpses. They say that we do not find that the grave has expanded its size or grown narrow as some hadeeth mention.
This claim of theirs is invalid by proofs of ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture) al-Hiss (physical senses) and al-Aql (reason and analysis).

Proving the possibility of punishment or bliss in the grave by ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture):

Some of the proofs have been mentioned above. One other proof that is reported by al-Bukhari is the narration of Abdullah ibn Abbaas () when he said
The Prophet passed by some walls in Madeenah and heard the screams of two persons who were being punished in their graves. He mentioned the reasons behind this punishment saying “One of them did not protect himself (spoiling his clothes) from urine. The other one used to spread gossip.”

Proving the possibility of punishment or bliss in the grave by al-Hiss (physical senses):

Sometimes we sense ourselves in our dreams that we are in a huge expanse or extremely constricted and confined feeling the pain of being squeezed and the fear of claustrophobia. Sometimes we are even jerked awake from these nightmares only to find ourselves sitting in our beds. Sleep is the twin of death and this is why Allah calls it a type of “Wafaat” (fulfillment appointed time of death and its like) as Allah the Most Exalted said:

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He had ordained death and sends the others (back) for a term appointed. Verily in this are signs for a people who think deeply. [Surah az-Zumar (39):42]

Proving the possibility of punishment or bliss in the grave by “al-‘Aql” (reason and analysis):

Sometimes a person sees a dream that becomes true and conforms to exact events and traits of the real world. For example one might see the Prophet () in their dreams. Whoever sees the Prophet in the shape that he is described in the books of hadeeth we know has truly seen him even though the sleeper is simply in his room on his bed far away from what he is seeing. If this is the case in matters of the physical world wouldn’t it be possible in matters of the Hereafter?

As for the doubts of the disbelievers concerning that they do not see the punishment of the corpses or that the graves expand in size or grow narrow as some hadeeth mention this is answered by the following points:
The first point is that one is not allowed to refute religious matters and Sharee’ah (law) with mere doubts and suspicions of this nature without any solid argument against since it may be that the deficiency is only in understanding as the Arab poet said:
Many are those who claim a sound saying is defective
Whereas nothing is defective but their own understanding.

The second point is that these issues of the grave are of the realm of the unseen a realm not sensed by physical senses. If matters of the unseen could be tested and affirmed by physical senses there would not be any benefit of believing in and having belief in the revelations about the unseen realm because this would equalize the believer and disbeliever.

The third point is that only the dead person himself experiences punishment or bliss of the grave and its expansiveness or constriction. The case is similar with the sleeping person since only the dreamer feels the sensations of his dreams whether nightmares of contractions or expanses of lightheartedness while for others he is asleep in his bed in his room. Similarly the Prophet () would receive revelation and the companions next to him would not hear the revelation while he did. Sometimes the angel would come to the Prophet () in the shape of a man but the companions were not able to see or hear the angel.

The fourth point is that we creatures have a limited sensual capacity. Much physical reality is outside our range of perception. Everything in the universe the seven heavens the earth and all that is therein praise and glorify Allah but we cannot hear their forms of praise and glorification and only sometimes does Allah give the power to some of His creatures to hear them as He the Most Exalted said:
The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein glorify Him and there is not a thing but that glorifies His praise but you do not understand their glorification. Truly He is Ever Forbearing Oft-Forgiving. [Surah al-Israa’ (17):44].

Similarly the Jinn3 go back and forth and travel about on the earth but we cannot see them. The Jinn came to the Messenger () and listened to his recitation of the Qur’an. After he finished the recitation they went back to their nation of Jinn to convey the Message to them [as verses of the Qur’an relate].

ll of this is outside the range of our sense perception. Allah the Most Exalted said:
O Children of Adam! Let not Satan deceive you as he got your parents (Adam and Eve) out of Paradise stripping them of their raiment to show them their private parts. Verily he and his soldiers see you from where you will not see them. Verily We made the devils protectors and helpers of those who believe not. [Surah al-A’raaf (7):27].

If we the creatures do not know what exists beyond our range of perception and comprehension we cannot deny its existence. Therefore it is not allowed for us to dispute what has been proven to exist of the unseen realm by revealed scriptures

Belief in Allah

Belief in Allah comprises four aspects:
The First Aspect: The belief in Allah’s existence. This is established by:

Al-Fitrah (the natural pure inclination towards the truth)
Al-Aql (reason and analysis)
Ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture)
Al-Hiss (physical senses).

The proof of al-Fitrah concerning Allah’s existence is that every created being innately believes in his or her Creator without any preceding instruction dogma or thought. No one deviates from this natural and innate belief except due to external corrupt influences which make his or her heart swerve and depart from belief as the Prophet said:

Each child is born in a state of Fitrah but his parents make him into a Jew or Christian or Magian (Zoroastrian). (Reported by al-Bukhari)

The proof of al-Aql (reason and analysis) concerning Allah’s existence is that the things that we find in past and present existence must have had a Creator and Originator since they could not have created themselves and they could not have come into existence by mere chance accident or coincidence. The reason they could not have created themselves is that before their existence they were nothing; so how can nothing create itself i.e. something essentially deficient and impotent? They couldn’t have been created by mere chance accident or coincidence because every new event must have its prior causes that made it occur. We also see this creation with its amazing and magnificent organization harmony and cohesion and with the interrelations between the causes and effects. All this makes it completely unbelievable that it came into being by mere chance accident or coincidence. How can something that came into existence by mere accident or coincidence become organized and coherent in the process of further development?

If all this creation could not have created itself nor been created by chance then it must have a Creator and Originator: this is Allah the Lord and Sustainer of the Universe. Allah the Most Exalted has mentioned this proof by reason and analysis in the Qur’an in Surah at-Toor The Mountain when He said: Were they (humans) created by nothing or were they creators themselves? [Surah at-Toor (52):35]

This verse indicates that since men were not created without a Creator nor did they create themselves it must be that they have a Creator who is Allah the most Blessed and Exalted. For this reason when Jubair ibn Mut’im () heard the Messenger () recite this Surah (at-Toor) from the Qur’an when he reached the passage:
Were they created by nothing or were they creators themselves? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay but they have no firm belief. Or are the Treasures of your Lord with them? Or are they the tyrants with authority to do as they like?

[Surah at-Toor (52):35-37]
…he said while still a polytheist at that time:
My heart almost flew out of me (from the common sense of the verse).
And in another version of the narration he said:
This was the first time that Īman entered my heart. (Reported by al-Bukhari)

A practical example clarifies this line of argument. If someone tells you about a huge palace surrounded by beautiful gardens with rivers flowing in them furnished completely with all the basic necessities and with the best beds and cushions and decorated with all kinds of luxuries. Then after all this he says to you “This palace with all its beauty has come into existence by itself or it came into existence by mere chance and coincidence without any builder or contractor” immediately you would reject his statement as preposterous nonsense and you would consider his line of argument as most ridiculous. Therefore can anyone with reason say that it is possible that this universe with all its awe inspiring expanses of galaxies and amazing order could have brought itself into existence or that it could have come into existence without an Originator or Creator?

The proof of ash-Sharee’ah (revelation and scripture) concerning Allah’s existence is that all of the divinely revealed Scriptures confirm His existence. The laws and instructions that Allah revealed in these scriptures which address the needs and affairs of His creation are evidence that they came from an Omniscient and Sublime Sovereign Lord who knows everything that is best for His creatures. The fact that our observations agree to the information about natural laws contained within them is an evidence that they are from a Lord Sovereign Supreme who is able to bring into being what he informed.

The proofs of al-Hiss (physical sense) concerning Allah’s existence are from two directions. The first is that we witness and see that Allah answers those who supplicate to Him and call out to Him in distress. This proves decisively that Allah exists. Allah said:
And (remember) Nooh when he cried (to us) aforetime; We listened to his supplication. [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21):76]

And Allah said:
(Remember) when you sought help from your Lord and He answered you. [Surah al-Anfaal (8):9]

In an authentic hadeeth reported by al-Bukhari it is reported that Anas bin Malik may Allah be pleased with him said:

While the Prophet () was delivering the sermon on a Friday a Bedouin stood up and said “O Allah’s Messenger! Our possessions are being destroyed and the children are hungry; please supplicate to Allah (for rain).” So the Prophet () raised his hands (and supplicated to Allah for rain). At that time there was no trace of any cloud in the sky. But by Him in Whose Hands is my soul clouds gathered like mountains and before he got down from the pulpit I saw the rain falling on his (the Prophet’s) beard. (It rained all week long.) That Bedouin or another man stood up on the next Friday (during the sermon) and said “O Allah’s Messenger! Houses have collapsed and our possessions and livestock have drowned; please supplicate to Allah for us (to stop the rain). So the Prophet () raised his both hands and said “O Allah! Around us and not on us.” So in whatever direction he pointed his hands the clouds dissipated and cleared away.

We continue to see the evidence of people’s prayers and supplications being answered - for those who are truly sincere and truthful in their prayers and fulfill the conditions for acceptance.

The second proof concerning sense perception is that the prophets of Allah brought various miracles that many people either witnessed directly or heard about (from reliable sources). These miracles constitute positive and irrefutable proofs about the existence of the one who sent them - Allah the Most Exalted - since they are actions (and miracles) outside the ability of humans that Allah commands to happen through His prophets to help them and at the same time give them success in their mission.

An example of one of these miracles is the sign that Allah gave to Musaa (). Allah ordered him to strike the sea with his stick and the sea parted into twelve dry sections with a mass of water like a mountain on the side of each section. Allah the Most Exalted says in the Qur’an:

Then We inspired Musaa (saying): “Strike the sea with your stick.” And it parted and each separated part (of the sea water) became like a huge firm mass of a mountain. [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (26):63]

A second example is from the miracles of ‘Eesaa () who was given the power by Allah to resurrect the dead in their graves back to life. Allah the Most Exalted informs us in the Qur’an that he (‘Eesaa) said:
…and I bring the dead to life by Allah’s leave. [Surah Aali ‘Imraan (3):49]

And also the verse:
And when you (O ‘Eesaa) brought forth the dead by My Permission. [Surah al-Maa’idah (5):110]

A third example is from the miracles of Muhammad (). The tribe of Quraish asked him to show them a miracle as a proof of his prophethood so the Prophet () pointed to the moon and it split into two pieces which people saw in amazement. Allah the Most Exalted said about this incident:
The Hour has drawn near and the moon has been cleft and they see a sign yet they turn away and say: “This is but continuous sorcery.” [Surah al-Qamar (54):1-2]

The Second Aspect: is the belief in Allah’s “Rububiyyah” (Lordship) that He is the “Rubb” without partner peer or helper. The “Rubb” is the one who creates owns and commands the universe. There is no Creator and Sustainer except Him. There is no supreme King and Sovereign except Him. There is no ultimate Commander and Legislator except Him. Allah the Most Exalted said:
Surely to Him is the Creation and Commandment. [Surah al-A’raaf (7):54]

And Allah said
Such is Allah your Lord; His is the Kingdom. And those whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him do not own even the little membrane stretched over the date-stone. [Surah al-Faatir (35):13].

In history we find that only a very few people have disbelieved in Allah’s Lordship The ones who denied openly what they really believed deep in their hearts were the arrogant and insolent people such as by way of an example the Pharaoh when he said to his people as mentioned in the Qur’an:
I am your lord most high. [Surah an-Naazi‘aat (79):24]

And when he said:
O chiefs! I do not know that you have a god other than me! [Surah al-Qasas (28):38]
We know that what he said was not his true belief because Allah said
And they denied them wrongfully and arrogantly even though they were convinced (of the truth) in their own selves. [Surah an-Naml (27):14].

Musaa () said to Pharaoh as related by Allah:
Verily you know that these Signs have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear (evidences). And I think you are indeed O Pharaoh doomed to destruction. [Surah al-Israa (17):102].

The Arab disbelievers and polytheists used to confirm Allah’s Lordship even though they associated others with Him in worship. Allah the Most Exalted said:
Say: “Whose is the earth and whosoever is therein? If you know!” They will say: “It is Allah’s!” Say: “Will you not then remember?” Say: “Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Great Throne?” They will say: “Allah!” Say: “Will you not then fear Allah?” Say: “In Whose Hands is the sovereignty of everything? And He protects everything while against Him there is no protector if you know?” They will say: “(All this belongs) to Allah.” Say: “How then are you deceived and turn away from the truth)?” [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):84-89]

And also Allah said:
If you ask them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth?” They will surely say: “The All-Mighty the All-Knower created them.” [Surah az-Zukhruf (43):9]
In another verse Allah says:
And if you ask them who created them they will surely say: “Allah.” How then are they turned away (from His worship)? [Surah az-Zukhruf (43):87].

The command of Allah encompasses two kinds of commands: those related to universal natural affairs of the created universe and those related to legal affairs of religious law and revealed scriptures. He commands and decrees as He wills in accordance to His Omniscient Wisdom. He is the Ruler who gives the Commandment to legislate and establish the laws pertaining to all aspects of worship and human dealings according to His Wisdom. Anybody who believes that someone else besides Allah has the right to legislate and establish laws pertaining to the aspects of worship and to be the Ruler and Judge of human dealings commits “Shirk”1 with Allah and he has not realized “Īman” (faith).

The Third Aspect: The belief in Allah’s “Uluhiyyah” meaning that He alone is God He alone has “Divinity” and “Godhead” making only Him worthy of worship.
The meaning of the word “ilaah”2 means that which is worshipped [in truth or falsehood rightly or wrongly] with ultimate love and supreme glorification Allah the Most Exalted said:
And your ilaah is the one ilaah there is no true God worthy of worship but He the Most Beneficent (whose Mercy encompasses everything) the Most Merciful. [Surah al-Baqarah (2):163]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
Allah bears witness that none has right to be worshipped but He and the angels and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (this fact is) established on justice. None has the right to be worshipped but He the All-Mighty the All-Wise. [Surah Aali ‘Imraan (3):18]

All other gods besides Allah are false gods and giving to anyone besides Allah the trait of “divinity” “Godhead” and worthiness to be worshipped is false and void. Allah the Most Exalted said:

That is because Allah is the Truth (the Only True and Real God) and what they (the disbelievers) invoke besides Him is falsehood. And verily Allah is the Most High the Most Great. [Surah al-Hajj (22):62].

Calling them gods does not entitle them to the right of “Uluhiyyah.” Allah said the following in description about the pagan Arab deities “al-Laat” “al-’Uzzaa” and “Manaat”:

They are but names which you have named you and your fathers for which Allah has sent down no authority. [Surah an-Najm (53):23]

Allah related what Joseph said to his two companions in jail (about these false deities):

O my two companions! Are many different lords better or Allah the One the Irresistible? You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named them you and your fathers for which Allah has sent down no authority. [Surah Yusuf (12):39-40]

For this reason the Messengers may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them would say to their respective communities:

Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him. [Surah al-Mu’minoon (23):23]
But the idolaters and polytheists refused to obey this message and took false gods as their objects of worship seeking refuge aid and victory from them. But Allah has proven that their worship is false invalid and void by two wise lines of argument:
The first line of argument: These idols and false gods that the disbelievers take for worship do not have any attributes that qualify them to be gods: they are created matter and do not create; they cannot bring any benefit for those who worship them nor can they fend off any harm; they cannot give life or death; they do not own anything in the kingdom of the heavens and earth nor do they have the least partnership in its dominion. In this context Allah the Most Exalted said:
They have taken besides Him other gods that created nothing but are themselves created who posses neither hurt nor benefit to themselves nor possess any power (of causing) death nor (of giving) life nor of raising the dead. [Surah al-Furqaan (25):3]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
Say (O Muhammad): “Call upon those whom you claim (to be gods) besides Allah: they do not possess even the weight of small ant neither in heavens nor on the earth they do not share in anything; Allah has not taken any one from among them as a supporter; and intercession with Him (Allah) is of no avail except for whom He permits.” [Surah Saba’ (34):22-23]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
Do they attribute as partners to Allah those who created nothing but they themselves are created? Neither they can help them nor can they help themselves. [Surah al-A’raaf (7):191-192]
Since these are the traits of these feeble false “gods” to take them as objects of worship is the most foolish act and is most demeaning to the dignity of man.

The second line of argument is as follows: These polytheists would acknowledge that Allah Alone is the “Rubb” the Creator in Whose Hand is the Sovereignty of everything Who protects everything and against Whom there is no protector. This acknowledgement necessitates that they should also acknowledge that Allah is the only God worthy of worship with true Uluhiyyah.

Allah the Most Exalted said:
O Mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah) Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become among the pious. He has made the earth a resting place for you and the sky as a canopy and sent down rain from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. So do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped). [Surah al-Baqarah (2):21-22]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
And if you ask them who created them they will surely say: “Allah.” Then how do they fabricate lies (about Him)? [Surah az-Zukhruf (43):87]

And Allah the Most Exalted said:
Say (O Muhammad): “Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or who owns (your) hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes of the affairs?” They will say: “Allah.” Say: “Will you not then be afraid of Allah’s punishment?” Such is Allah your Lord in truth. So after the Truth what else can there be save falsehood and error? How then are you turned away? [Surah Yunus (10):31-32]

The Fourth Aspect: The belief in Allah’s “Asmaa was Sifaat” (Names and Attributes). This is to affirm the names and attributes that Allah affirmed and described about Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger in accordance to what best befits His Majesty and Exaltedness without Tahreef Ta’teel Takyeef or Tamtheel.

Allah the Most Exalted said:
And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah therefore call Him by them and leave the company of those who deny falsify (or say blasphemies against) His Names. They will be rewarded for what they used to do. [Surah al-A’raaf (7):180]

And He said:
His is the highest description in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the All-Mighty the All-Wise. [Surah ar-Room (30):27]
And He said:

There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer the All Seer. [Surah ash-Shooraa (42):11].

Two groups of people have gone astray regarding this matter:
The first group is the “al-Mu’attilah” who negated all or some of Allah’s names and attributes claiming that affirming them necessitated “Tashbeeh” (see previous footnote). This claim is false in many respects including the fact that firstly it necessitates ascribing contradictions to the words of Allah - may He be glorified exalted and purified from any imperfection. Allah Himself has affirmed these names and attributes to Himself and He also negated any likeness between Himself and anything in the universe. Thus this affirmation cannot contain any “Tashbeeh” since this would imply that there are contradictions in the speech of Allah and that some parts belie the others.

It is also false because it is not necessary that the nominal agreement between two things obligate complete likeness and similarity between them. You see that two humans have the traits of hearing sight and speech but in no way does this necessitate an exact similarity in these characteristics of humanity: hearing sight and speech. Similarly you see that animals have hands legs and eyes but the nominal agreement of having a hand leg and eye does not necessitate that their hands legs and eyes are like each other. If this distinction in the nominal agreement in names and attributes is clearly recognized among the created things then the distinction between the Creator and the created things is even greater and more evident.

The second group is called the “Mushabbihah” who affirm Allah’s names and attributes but make “Tashbeeh” (anthropomorphism) between Allah and His creation claiming that this is the meaning of the texts since Allah only speaks to mankind according to their limited understanding. This is a ridiculously false claim for many reasons including the following:

First: Allah cannot be like His creation because this is negated by the revealed scriptures as well as sound reasoning and it is impossible that the Qur’anic text and Sunnah would propagate falsehood.

Second: Allah addressed mankind according to their understanding of the basic lingual meanings of His names and attributes but this does not mean that the knowledge of the real essence and ultimate true nature of these meanings can be fathomed and comprehended by man regarding His “Dhaat” (essence) and “Sifaat” (attributes). This knowledge is something that exclusively belongs to Allah Alone. If Allah affirms that He is All-Hearer we know the quality of hearing from the lingual understanding of the basic meaning - that is hearing is the sensual comprehension of sounds and voices.

However the essence of this meaning with respect to the Hearing of Allah cannot be fathomed and remains unknown to us because the essence of hearing varies among the created beings and animals so certainly the difference between the hearing of the created and the hearing of the Creator is more and greater.

Allah confirmed that He did “istawaa” on His throne. The general meaning of the word istiwaa is known7 but nevertheless the real meaning and ultimate true nature of Allah’s istawaa on His Majestic Throne is unknown. Istiwaa varies with regards to different actions and creatures. To settle in a chair is different than mounting a wild camel. If istawaa has various meanings among us creatures then how can the istawaa of Allah be compared to the istawaa of His creation? Indeed any reasonable person can understand that there is a huge difference between the two forms of istawaa.

Believing in Allah in the way we have described above leads to many benefits for the believers: first the full realization of Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) by not depending upon fearing hoping for or worshipping anyone else besides Allah; second the fulfillment of complete love reverence and glorification of Allah according to the meanings of these beautiful names and exalted attributes; and third worshipping Allah as He has prescribed with avoidance of what He has commanded to be avoided.

Belief in the Angels

Angels are creatures that are unseen by us who worship Allah. They do not have any of the traits of divinity or lordship. Allah created them from pure light and gave them the inflexible and innate inclination to always obey Him. They have great powers to execute whatever they are commanded.

Allah the Most Exalted said:
And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to worship Him nor do they grow weary (of His worship). They glorify His praises night and day (and) they never slacken (to do so). [Surah al-Anbiyaa’ (21):19-20]

They are so numerous that only Allah can count their numbers. This is confirmed from the hadeeth narrated by Anas ibn Malik as reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim of the Prophet’s () ascension to the highest heaven may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him wherein he saw al-Bait al-Ma’moor 1 (the House that is always inhabited). In this House each and every day seventy thousand angels pray and after leaving the House they never return to it.

Faith and belief in the angels comprises four factors:

To believe in their existence.
To believe in those whose names are known to us like Jibreel as well as those whose names we do not know.

To believe in all that we know about their traits and attributes like the fact that the angel Jibreel whom the Prophet Muhammad () saw in his original form in which he was created has six hundred wings and is so immense that he covered the entire horizon.

The angels can change their shapes and transform themselves by the order and will of Allah. They may take the shape of men like when Allah sent the Jibreel to Maryam (Mary mother of ‘Eesaa ()) or when He sent Jibreel to Prophet Muhammad () in the shape of a man wearing very white clothes with very dark hair while he was with his companions and whom none of the companions knew and who had no evidence apparent on him that he was a traveler. He sat in front of the Prophet () such that his knees touched the knees of the Prophet () and put his hands on his thighs. He then asked the Prophet () about Islam Īman (faith and belief) Ihsaan (excellence in the religion) and the Last Hour and its signs. The Prophet answered all his questions and when Jibreel left the Prophet () said to his companions

This was Jibreel who came to teach you your religion. (Recorded by Muslim)
Similarly the angels that Allah sent to Abraham and Lot were also in the form of humans.

To believe in what we know about the deeds and tasks they perform in obedience to the commandments of Allah like the fact that they worship glorify and praise Allah day and night without becoming bored slacken or tire.

Some angels are commissioned with specialized tasks.
Jibreel (Gabriel): he is the angel commissioned and entrusted to convey Allah’s revelations to the prophets and messengers.

Mikaa‘eel (Michael): he is the angel commissioned and entrusted to distribute sustenance like the rainfall and vegetation.
Israfeel: he is the angel commissioned and entrusted to blow the Trumpet on the Appointed Hour of the Day of Resurrection.
Malak-ul-Mawt (The angel of Death): he is the angel commissioned to take the souls from the bodies at the time of death.
Maalik: he is commissioned to guard the hellfire.
Then there are angels that are commissioned to the embryos while in the wombs of their mothers: Allah sends these angels after the embryos complete four months in the womb and orders them to write the decree of the person’s provision life term deeds and whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed.
Also there are angels commissioned to guard people and record all the deeds of the children of Adam: there is an angel on the right [writing good deeds] and another of the left [writing the evil ones].

Some angels are commissioned to examine the dead with specific questions once they are buried: two angels2 come and ask the dead person in his grave about his Lord his Religion and his Prophet.

The great benefits of believing in the angels include the following:

Recognition of Allah’s Greatness Magnificent Power and Authority because the Greatness of Allah’s creation is only due to the Greatness of Allah the Creator.
Giving praise and thanks to Allah for His care and concern to mankind since He has appointed the angels to protect them record their deeds and do other beneficial acts for them.
Love of the angels for the fact that they are sincere worshippers to Allah.

Some deviant people have denied that the angels have physical forms and bodies claiming that they represent instead the inherent power of the unseen good in creation. This position is a direct denial of the Book of Allah most Exalted the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah () and the consensus (ijma’) of Muslims.

Allah the Most Exalted said:
All praise is due for Allah the Originator of the heavens and the earth Who made the angels messengers with wings two three and four. [Surah Faatir (35):1]
And He said:

And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve: they smite their faces and their backs. [Surah al-Anfaal (8):50]

And He said:
And if you could but see when the unjust (people) are in the agonies of death while the angels are stretching forth their hands (saying): “Deliver your souls.” [Surah al-An’aam (6):93]

And He said:
Until when fear is banished from their hearts they (the angels) say: “What is that which your Lord has said?” They say: “The Truth. And He is the Most High the Most Great.” [Surah Saba’ (34):23]

And He said about the people of Paradise:
And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying): “Peace be upon you for your persevered patience! Excellent indeed is the final Home.” [Surah ar-Ra’d (13):23-24]

Al-Bukhari reports that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
When Allah likes a slave He calls on Jibreel saying: “Allah loves such and such (a person) therefore love him.” Then Jibreel loves him. So then Jibreel calls on the inhabitants of heaven saying: “Allah loves so and so therefore love him.” So the people of heaven love him. Then the acceptance will be granted for him on the earth.

Al-Bukhari also recorded from him that the Messenger of Allah said:
When the day of Friday comes angels stand at each of the doors of the masjid to record the first and then the next (person that comes to the masjid). When the Imam sits (on the pulpit) they close the scrolls and come to listen to the words of reminder.

The above texts clearly demonstrate that the angels have physical forms and are not just spiritual forces as the misguided claim. The entire community of Muslims understands that these texts (and their like) mean that the angels exist in a real physical form and body.