Questions from Atheists
Purpose of Life : https://www.instagram.com/p/BW0esgxB7EY/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- So how do we attain the purpose of our life then? What is the purpose of our creation?
Firstly Allah makes it clear that ” I have created jinn and men so that they should recognize and worship Me.” (51:57)
We see that the true purpose of human life is the worship and understand of Allah the Almighty and complete devotion to him. Now how can we achieve the purpose of life? It is quite simple. I will explain it through the words of Hadhrat Ahmad(as) which are explaining the beautiful life of the Prophet Muhammad (Saw) and the beautiful book, the Qur’an.
The first means to achieve the purpose of life is to have the correct recognition of and faith in the True God. The true God helps His Seekers, but that which is dead cannot help anyone.
The second means is to become aware of the Beauty of Allah. Beauty is something which naturally attracts the hearts and generates love. The beauty of Allah the Almighty is His Unity and His Greatness and His other attributes which is mentioned clearly in the Qur’an. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated: ” This means that, in His Being and His attributes and His Glory, God is One without associate. All are dependent upon Him and every particle derives its life from Him. He is the Source of grace for everything and receives no grace from anything. He is neither a son nor a father for none is equal to Him.”
The third means of achieving the purpose of life is to become aware of the benevolence of Allah for love is generated by beauty and benevolence. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) states:
It is obvious that the perfection of benevolence consists in that God Almighty created His servants from nothing and thereafter His Providence was bestowed upon them and He became the support of everything, and all types of His mercy were manifested for His servants. His benevolence is without limit and beyond count as is repeatedly set forth in the Holy Qur’an, as, for instance:
” If you try to number the bounties of Allah, you will certainly not be able to count them.”
The fourth means of achieving the true purpose is Prayer as Allah States:
“Pray and I shall accept your prayer” - Allah repeats the command of praying continuously, so that man can achieve his purpose not through his own means or power but through the Power of Allah.
The fifth means of achieving the purpose of live is striving in the cause of Allah with one’s property and one’s faculties and one’s life and one’s reason as he states:
Dedicate in the path of Allah your possessions, your lives, and your selves to their fullest capacity. (9:41)
And devote to the Divine cause all that you have been granted by God including reason, knowledge, understanding and skill. (2:4)
And those who strive after Us in every way, We guide them along the paths that lead to Us. (29:70)
The sixth means for achieving the purpose of life is remaining steadfast, and not becoming tried because of trials. This is key to a successful life. Allah States:
On them who affirm: Our Lord is Allah; and then remain steadfast, angels descend, re-assuring them: Fear not, nor grieve, and rejoice in the Garden that you were promised. We are your friends in this life and in the hereafter. (41:31-32) - This is an indication that the pleasure of God Almighty is won through steadfastness. It is true that steadfastness is more than a miracle. Perfect steadfastness is that one should find oneself surrounded on all sides by calamities and one should find one’s life and honour in danger and nothing comforting should be available, so much so, that God Almighty should stop—by way of trials—the comforting visions and dreams and revelation and should leave one in the midst of terrifying fears, but that at such a time, one should not abandon courage and should not step back like a coward and should not let one’s fidelity be weakened. One’s sincerity and loyalty should not be shaken, one should be pleased with the humiliation, one should be reconciled to death, one should not await the support of a friend, one should not seek glad tidings from God, because of one’s delicate situation, and one should stand up straight despite helplessness and weakness and the lack of every comfort. One should stretch forth one’s neck, saying: Whatever is to happen, let it happen; one should face courageously whatever has been determined and one should not be impatient nor complain till the trial is over. This is the steadfastness the reward of which is God. This is the quality by virtue of which the dust of Messengers, Prophets, Siddiqs and martyrs is still so fragrant. This is indicated by the Glorious God in the prayer:
meaning, O Allah! show us the path of steadfastness by treading along which one wins Thy bounties and favours and Thou art pleased (Surah Fatiha 6-7)
In another verse Allah States:
at this time of trial send down upon our hearts the comfort that should make us steadfast and do Thou so ordain that we should die in a state of submission to Thee; (7:127) - At the time of trials and misfortune, God Almighty causes a light to descend upon the hearts of those who are dear to Him, being strengthened by which they face misfortunes calmly and, out of the sweetness of their faith, they kiss the chains that are put round their feet in His cause. When calamities descend upon a man of God and signs of death appear, he does not contend with his Lord that He might be safeguarded against them, inasmuch as to persist at such a time in supplications for security amounts to fighting God Almighty and is contrary to complete submission. A true lover advances forward at a time of calamity and holding life as nothing, and saying goodbye to love of it, submits himself completely to the will of his Lord and seeks only His pleasure. Concerning such people, God the Glorious says:
that the man of God dedicates his life in the path of God and, in return, earns the pleasure of Allah. These are the people who receive the special mercy of Allah.
In short, this indeed is the spirit of the steadfastness which we have described and which leads to the God. Let him who wills, grasp this point.
The seventh means of achieving the purpose of life is keep company with the righteous and follow their example. One of the needs is the advent of Prophets. He who does not follow a good example, ends up becoming slothful and goes astray. Allah states in the Qur’an:
Keep company with the righteous, and adopt the path of those on whom Allah’s favours have been bestowed before you.
The eighth means of achieving the purpose of life are pure visions and dreams and revelations from God Almighty. - To travel towards God is to tread upon a very delicate path which is attended by diverse types of calamities and sufferings. It is possible that a person may be overtaken by forgetfulness in pursuing this unfamiliar path or may give up hope and should abandon further advance. Therefore, the mercy of God Almighty seeks to comfort him in his progress in this journey and strengthen his heart and to uphold his resolve and to increase his eagerness. Thus it is God’s way that from time to time he comforts those who are voyaging along this path with His revelation and manifests to them that He is with them. Thus strengthened, they perform this journey with great eagerness. He has said:
There are several other means for achieving the purpose of life which the Holy Qur’an has set out, but considerations of space forbid us from setting them out here.
(All from the Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam)
Why God Allows Suffering: https://www.instagram.com/p/BX5mgJFh5yd/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- I want to ask Why a God of love, allows so much wickedness in the world today? The evil and suffering of the innocent?
The basic fundamental reason of why we suffer is because we suffer at each other’s hands. Suffering is the creation of humans, it is not the creation of God. Whenever they deviate from the prescribed course by God, then the suffering is born. It is a very complex issue because some suffering we find is not a direct result of the person, the persons disregard to any divine order or injunction. Sometimes such sufferings are born because of the entire social attitude to certain things. You cannot say this man did not commit this crime, why must he suffer. Humanity as a whole becomes responsible. Like societies of everyday life become responsible for certain evils which befall some individual members of societies. When you go to war you cannot blame the person who is killed by a stray bullet or who’s house is burned in fire by bombardment or raised to ground. You cannot ask this question individually and ask why did this happen to him and that to him. It is the law of totality, when the entire total society is responsible for certain disregard to human values, then the societies suffer, and the individuals make up the society, and therefore some individuals will suffer.
Then some born with congenital defects, why should they suffer. What crime did they commit? Some suffer out of disadvantages which they inherit from a social or economical order, like poor countries of the world. It’s a very complex issue. - Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) stated:
We understand from the Holy Quran, that God did not create suffering as an independent entity in its own right, but only as an indispensable counterpart of pleasure and comfort. The absence of happiness is suffering, which is like its shadow, just as darkness is the shadow cast by the absence of light. If there is life, there has to be death; both are situated at the extreme poles of the same plane, with innumerable grades and shades in between. As we move away from death, we gradually move towards a state of life which is happiness; as we move away from life, we move away with a sense of loss and sorrow towards death. This is the key to understanding the struggle for existence, which in turn leads to a constant improvement in the quality of life and helps it to achieve the ultimate goal of evolution. The principle of the “survival of the fittest” plays an integral role in this grand scheme of evolution.
Allah States:
Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom, and He has power over all things;
It is He Who has created death and life that He might try you—which of you is best in deeds; and He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving (67:2-3)
The profound philosophy of life and death, the innumerable shades in between, and the role they play in shaping life and improving its quality are all covered in the above verse. It is the very scheme of things that God discloses here. We know that life is only a positive value, and death merely means its absence, and no sharp border exists separating one from the other. It is a gradual process, the way life travels towards death and ebbs out, or from the other direction we view death travelling towards life gaining strength, energy and consciousness as it moves on. This is the grand plan of creation, but why has God designed it so? ‘That He might try you—which of you is best in deeds’, is the answer provided by the Holy Quran. - Suffering could only be considered objectionable if it were created as an independent entity with no meaningful role to play in the scheme of things. But without the taste of suffering or an awareness of what it means, the feeling of relief and comfort would also vanish. Without an encounter with pain and misery, most certainly, joy and happiness would lose all meaning. Indeed the very existence of life would lose purpose, and the steps of evolution would stop dead in their tracks.
The solution to the understanding of this problem lies in the realization that all suffering cannot be categorized as punishment, nor all happiness as reward. There is always a small percentage of individuals who will seem to suffer as though without justification. However, a closer more careful examination of such cases would reveal that there is no question of wilful injustice involved. They are merely an unavoidable by-product of the wide plan of creation, but they also play a meaningful role in the general advancement of human society.Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) has gone in depth on this subject in his book Revelation, Rationality Knowledge and Truth.
Predestiny and Free Will: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYohF5-ne1y/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- Predestiny and Free Will
Firstly, there is no evidence which suggests that a person’s life is pre-ordained and that he has no option in choosing between good and bad. The Holy Qur’an rejects a idea of compulsion and makes it clear that a human being can decide between good and evil
There shall be no compulsion in matters of faith. (Quran 2:257)
And:
Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity. It shall have the reward it earns, and it shall get the punishment it incurs. (Quran 2:287)And that man will have nothing but what he strives for. (Quran 53:40)
At the same time there are some spheres of destiny which are predetermined and unchangeable. In other words the Sunnah of God. An example of this is the messengers will always be victorious in their mission and succeed, whether they are accepted or not. If they are rejected, their opponents will be humiliated and their designs would be frustrated.
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh) stated:
” Individuals who are born in homes riddled with poverty are far more likely to fall prey to petty or even serious crimes. Poverty is the most compulsive force of all factors which create and promote crime. If this is understood to be destiny, then it will cast a grave reflection on the Creator. So, first of all it should be clearly understood that destiny is only part of a grand scheme of things which does not issue particular edicts against people in particular families. In a larger economic plan, there are bound to be more fortunate and less fortunate people with relative advantages and disadvantages. It is wrong to say that they were individually stamped by a maker of destiny, even before their births, to be born under certain specific circumstances. Yet there are other questions to be answered. How would they be treated in relation to the crimes committed by them as against those who are born in comparatively healthier circumstances, and who have very few, if any, background factors to egg them onto crime? If the crime is the same, shall they be treated alike? The Holy Quran answers this intricate question in the following verse:No soul will be burdened beyond its capacity. (Quran 2:287)
- This means that background factors, social and other, that surround a person, will certainly be taken into account, and he will be judged accordingly. In the sight of Allah, it is not just the crime itself which is mechanically punished, but all factors which go into the making of the crime are also brought into consideration, with the ultimate result that justice will be done. The fortunate and the unfortunate will not be judged with equal severity and, most certainly, license will be given to the environment and the background of a person who commits crime. Likewise, acts of goodness will be rewarded far more in the case of a man whose circumstances are likely to discourage him from doing good, than a man whose environment is one in which acts of goodness are taken for granted.
Thus the issue of destiny is highly complicated, but as the ultimate decision lies in the hands of the All-Knowing, All-Beneficent, All-Powerful and All-Wise God, in the final analysis, the dictates of justice will indeed prevail.
There are certain areas in which man is free to exercise his will, where he can choose between good or bad, right or wrong, and for which he will be held responsible. On the other hand, there are areas in which man has little choice of his own, and appears to be a pawn in the hand of the mover. The general plan of things in nature, which covers and controls the destinies of nations and peoples, is one such area. The circumstances of a wider application make an individual of society completely helpless; he has no choice but to move along like a straw being carried by the waves of a river in spate”
Purpose of Religion: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdtn1V0HfiI/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) states: “The true purpose of adopting a faith is that one should acquire such certainty concerning God, Who is the fountainhead of salvation, as if one can see Him with one’s eyes. The wicked spirit of sin seeks to destroy a man and a person cannot escape the fatal poison of sin till he believes with full certainty in the Perfect and Living God and till he knows for certain that God exists, Who punishes the offender and bestows upon the righteous everlasting joy. It is a common experience that when one believes in the fatal effects of anything one does not have recourse to it. For instance, no one swallows poison consciously. No one deliberately stands in front of a wild tiger. No one deliberately thrusts his hand into the hole of a serpent. Then why does a person commit sin deliberately? The reason is that he has not that certainty in this matter as he has in other matters of the kind that we have mentioned. The first duty of a person, therefore, is to acquire certainty with regard to the existence of God, and to adopt a religion through which this certainty can be acquired so that he should fear God and shun sin. How can such certainty be acquired? It cannot be acquired through mere stories. It cannot be acquired through mere arguments. The only way of acquiring certainty is to experience God repeatedly through converse with Him or through witnessing His extraordinary signs, or by keeping company with someone who has that experience.” [Nasim-e-Da‘wat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 19, pp. 447-448]
Real Way to Paradise: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfB9CdiHS-C/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
Hadhrat Ahmad (as) stated: “In order to become a true Muslim it is very essential that a man should mould his nature in such a way that his love for God and his obedience to Him should not be based on rewards and punishments, rather it should become a part and parcel of his nature. When that happens, his love for God will produce a Paradise for him and, in fact, this is the real Paradise. None can enter Paradise unless he treads on this path. .I would like to advise you – those who have joined me- to enter Paradise passing through this way, for, this way is the real way to Paradise” (Malfuzat, Volume 3, Page 183)
How Can I Find God: https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOsDNklhv8/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) stated: Firstly, the question as to how we can find God is both difficult and easy to answer. In fact, it is not within the power of man to find God by himself. It is only God who can lead people to Himself. So, how does the journey begin – this is the question. According to the Holy Qur’an, if a desire is born in you to search for God, to meet Him, to be close to Him – if that desire is honest and a man or a woman begins to search for God on their own, then it is Allah, God himself, who leads them on to himself. In this regard, the Holy Qur’an states, (in Ch. 29, v. 70), that, all those who strive in our path, who want to reach Us, it is We Who would lead them on to Us and, most certainly, We do lead them on to Us. So, all that man needs is a sincere desire to be close to God. (Continued in comments)
- Hadhrat Ahmad(as) states:
The first thing a person who actively seeks God must do is to check and rectify his beliefs. He should ascertain (for himself) what sort of God it is that he is trying to find. Is the God that he is seeking really the Creator and the Master of the world? Is he a God that possesses all good attributes and is pure from all deficiencies and negative characteristics? Or, is the God that he is searching for the child of a woman or some other such weak and feeble god from among the 330 million gods (which are said to exist). I say this because if one’s beloved and the centre of one’s desires is stood at the edge of an ocean, what will be gained by diving in! For example, the Christians state that the Messiah son of Mary is God even though he was born from the womb of a woman in the same way as any other human being is born and he ate and drank and had all the attendant human needs including those of ridding the body of waste matter. Now, this much is possible that someone should love him but human wisdom can never suggest that such a weak human being may also be God or that gods are given birth by women. When the first step is on the ground of falsehood, what hope can there be of the second step being on the ground of truth? Rays of light fall upon the heart as a result of believing in a living God who is the possessor of all perfect attributes. Where is this to be found with a belief in a mortal being and the worship of an image of weakness and feebleness? - There is an Arabic saying: ‘He who seeks has no religion’. A seeker should abandon all prejudices and suspend all beliefs and then begin his search for true beliefs. Only then can there be any hope of progress. In this search God should be the foundation stone. If this is the case then the final ‘stone’ will also be God. Rushing these things is not a good thing. It usually causes deprivation for an unfortunate person. For instance, if you did not stay with us for a while and leave, and then say such things as, ‘There was nothing there’, or ‘I didn’t get anything from there’, then, tell me, what will be our loss in that? There are many in this world who can talk like that but they are unfortunate and deprived. You see, if some shapes of geometry are presented to a child, he may like some of them but his liking them can be of no benefit to him because he is unaware of their properties and does not know what benefits can be gained from them.
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You are in search of God. The best way for you is that you, first, check and correct your beliefs which will help you in identifying what that something called ‘God’ is that you wish to find. This will enable you to progress in your knowledge of God. There is in the true knowledge of God a strong capacity to absorb love and it can become a means of developing in you the love of God. Without this any claims of love are like the superficial fruit which disappears after a few days.
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You should remember this and this is our religion, that God’s light does not shine upon a person until that light descends from the heavens. It is absolutely true that blessing comes down from the heavens. Until God himself reveals his light for the one who seeks him, the speed of (progress) of the seeker is like that of a worm and that is how it should be because he is engulfed by all manner of ignorance and darkness as well as facing the difficulties of this path. But when the light (of God) shines upon him, his heart and his mind become bright and being thus enlightened by the light his speed becomes as fast as lightening. – - Important hadith to understand the love Allah Has for us: Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am (1). I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a cubit, and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed. (1) Another possible rendering of the Arabic is: “I am as My servant expects Me to be”. The meaning is that forgiveness and acceptance of repentance by the Almighty is subject to His servant truly believing that He is forgiving and merciful. However, not to accompany such belief with right action would be to mock the Almighty. It was related by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).
Why Should I Become Muslim: https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOuLr5FzUC/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- Many ask “why should I become Muslim”.
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) beautifully answered this”If you become a believer in God, that is the first step towards religion, and when you become a believer in God the best approach to this issue should be to ask, which is the religion that can help you get closer to God, sooner than in the case of other religions, with greater certainty and with less danger? As such, when you look upon religions, in comparison to Islam, Islam’s distinctive features will rise to the horizon where they could not be confused with features of other religions. For instance, when you believe in God, you also believe in the universality of God. It is impossible for you to believe that God sent His Messengers only to one particular people, at one particular time and forgot all His other creation everywhere else in the world. If it is such a God, it is better not to believe in Him. God can only be believed in if He is universal. So find the elements of universality in religion. In whichever religion you find universality depicted and maintained, that is the best religion. When, for instance, you become a Christian, it is not essential for you to believe in Buddha, to believe in Krishna, to believe in Zoroasthra or in any other prophet of God. Only believe in Christ and that is sufficient. You cannot even believe in the truth of the Prophet Muhammad (as) because if you do, you will not be a Christian. In Islam, it is exactly the opposite. A belief in Islam requires you to believe in Buddha (as), to believe in Krishna (as), to believe in Jesus (as), to believe in Moses (as), to believe in all the prophets of God, all over the world. So, what is a better teaching? Obviously Islam. It is universal, it relates to the concept of God having created all human beings. So, in this way, if you compare Islamic teachings with teachings of other religions then, step by step, you will be led to Islam by the force of argument, by the force of rationality. There will be no other choice for you. - The second is by praying to God. If you want to reach God, why not ask Him which is the best path? If you turn to Him with all sincerity, with a resolution that if you are led by Him to any faith, whatever it is, you will follow it. God will, then, take care of you. This is the surest and the easiest path to God.”
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Now often non Ahmadi Muslims also ask why they should become Ahmadi. Now the reason why one should become Ahmadi is because the Holy Prophet (saw) commanded us to accept the Imam Mahdi and to join his Jamaat which would have khilafat in the end times. When we look at the condition of Islam today, it has become like an orphan. Why do you think the west looks at Islam with so much hate? The reality is, majority of the Muslims have gone extremely far from Islam. They have brought in innovations into Islam for their own agenda. They have added horrible beliefs into Islam which were never taught by the Holy Prophet(saw). The concept of jihad for example, within the Muslim world, is extremely misinterpreted and corrupt. Allah sent Hadhrat Ahmad(as) to revive Islam as prophesied, and he corrected all of these false things that had come into the most beautiful religion. He was the greatest lover of the Holy Prophet(saw) and defended him in every way. How can we be beloved to God, if we reject those who are beloved to him? This is a short answer as to why we should accept the Imam of the age, apart from the other millions of blessings we have in comparison to the other Muslims.
If God Exists, Why Can’t See Him? : https://www.instagram.com/p/BhkelETnSEF/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- If there is a God, why can we not see Him?
This question of not being able to see God was also raised to the Holy Prophet (saw) and all other Prophets. Allah Tells us this in Chapter 17 verse 93. It is extremely sad that some atheists raise this question. If this question was being asked in thousands of years ago, it would be appropriate. However, how can someone ask such a question in today’s day and age? We have many different ways of learning about things. We learn about some things through sight, others by sound and taste, and others with smell, texture or movement. All have the same degree of authenticity and credibility. We cannot say that we will only believe in something through a particular sense alone as that would not make any sense. Through our eyes, we can witness different colours. Through our nose we can smell different smells, and through our ears we have the ability to hear different sounds. It would be extremely silly for one to say that unless one can see a smell with their eyes, or smell a colour with their nose, or feel a sound with their hands, they would reject that it exists. Such a person would be considered insane. However, they raise such an allegation against Allah the Almighty!
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There are countless of things we cannot experience through our physical senses, yet we have the same degree of certainty in these things, as we do in the things we can see and experience. The magnetic force is a good example. WE cannot see it, nor hear it, nor smell it, nor touch it, nor taste it with our tongues. However, none of us deny its existence. Electricity is another example. We believe in it as we believe in the sky, mountains and rives. –
Another great example is love. Has anyone ever see, heard, smelled or touched love? Of course not. Does this mean love does not exist? Time, age, power, sense, lust, anger, and mercy are few other examples. No one denies the existence of these things. It is childish to deny the existence of God for the reason that He cannot be seen with physical eyes.
– - Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra) beautifully states:
” Do try to understand that the less subtle a thing, the easier it can be observed through physical senses, and the more subtle it is, the harder it is for the physical senses to experience it. It is for this reason that when we try to learn about subtle things we have to depend on their properties and their behaviour, rather than on direct observation. How then is it possible for God—Who is not only Himself the most Subtle Being but is also the Creator of every subtle thing—to be seen by our physical eyes? The objection of the critics that they will not believe in God until they see Him with their eyes is, therefore, absurd. It would imply that the critic either believes God to be a corporeal being, or at least wants God to assume a corporeal form so that he can be absolutely sure by seeing Him with his own eyes. But the trouble is that there are millions of blind people in this world. Would they too not have the right to demand that God should assume some other material form so that they may taste, smell or feel Him? Does this not amount to ridiculing God? How shameful for a man who professes to have a mind and a heart!
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If someone says that he would not believe in God unless he sees Him with his own eyes, all I should say is that if God could be seen with one’s eyes, He would not be worth believing at all. This is because in such case many of His other attributes would be falsified. He is Incorporeal, for instance, but in this case He would become corporeal. He is Infinite but would become finite and so on and so forth. Moreover, if God were to adopt a corporeal and finite form for your sake, what is there to guarantee that you would not reject Him saying that you do not believe in a corporeal and finite God?
– - O God, how very Holy, Adorable and Perfect You are! Each attribute of Yours is guarded by another of Your attributes. When anyone attacks any one of Your attributes, Your other attributes—like vigilant and dutiful sentries—put such a person to shame. We have seen how a critic tried to create doubt concerning God’s attribute of being Hidden, but His attributes of being Incorporeal and Infinite came forward at once and did away with the objection. The Beauty of God lies in His being Hidden from our physical eyes and yet being apparent to us; He is Subtle but remains more evident and perceptible than material things. Unfortunate indeed is he who does not comprehend this subtle truth, for he stands on the brink of disaster.
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My dear brothers, pray do not deprive yourself of the precious bounty of faith on account of such baseless misconceptions. Will you follow the footsteps of those who believed in the magnetic and electric forces though they could not see them; and accepted the sovereignty of space and time and bowed down before lust and anger; but when it came to offering their Lord and Master the tribute of their love and servitude, they refused? Surely you will not do such a thing!! (Our God)
Purpose of Creation: https://www.instagram.com/p/BiGBrbjn7yW/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- So how do we attain the purpose of our life then? What is the purpose of our creation?
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Firstly Allah makes it clear that ” I have created jinn and men so that they should recognize and worship Me.” (51:57)
We see that the true purpose of human life is the worship and understand of Allah the Almighty and complete devotion to him. Now how can we achieve the purpose of life? It is quite simple. I will explain it through the words of Hadhrat Ahmad(as) which are explaining the beautiful life of the Prophet Muhammad (Saw) and the beautiful book, the Qur’an.
The first means to achieve the purpose of life is to have the correct recognition of and faith in the True God. The true God helps His Seekers, but that which is dead cannot help anyone. –
The second means is to become aware of the Beauty of Allah. Beauty is something which naturally attracts the hearts and generates love. The beauty of Allah the Almighty is His Unity and His Greatness and His other attributes which is mentioned clearly in the Qur’an. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated:
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” This means that, in His Being and His attributes and His Glory, God is One without associate. All are dependent upon Him and every particle derives its life from Him. He is the Source of grace for everything and receives no grace from anything. He is neither a son nor a father for none is equal to Him.”
– - So how do we attain the purpose of our life then? What is the purpose of our creation?
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Firstly Allah makes it clear that ” I have created jinn and men so that they should recognize and worship Me.” (51:57)
We see that the true purpose of human life is the worship and understand of Allah the Almighty and complete devotion to him. Now how can we achieve the purpose of life? It is quite simple. I will explain it through the words of Hadhrat Ahmad(as) which are explaining the beautiful life of the Prophet Muhammad (Saw) and the beautiful book, the Qur’an.
The first means to achieve the purpose of life is to have the correct recognition of and faith in the True God. The true God helps His Seekers, but that which is dead cannot help anyone. –
The second means is to become aware of the Beauty of Allah. Beauty is something which naturally attracts the hearts and generates love. The beauty of Allah the Almighty is His Unity and His Greatness and His other attributes which is mentioned clearly in the Qur’an. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated:
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” This means that, in His Being and His attributes and His Glory, God is One without associate. All are dependent upon Him and every particle derives its life from Him. He is the Source of grace for everything and receives no grace from anything. He is neither a son nor a father for none is equal to Him.”
– - The third means of achieving the purpose of life is to become aware of the benevolence of Allah for love is generated by beauty and benevolence. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) states:
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It is obvious that the perfection of benevolence consists in that God Almighty created His servants from nothing and thereafter His Providence was bestowed upon them and He became the support of everything, and all types of His mercy were manifested for His servants. His benevolence is without limit and beyond count as is repeatedly set forth in the Holy Qur’an, as, for instance:
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” If you try to number the bounties of Allah, you will certainly not be able to count them.”
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The fourth means of achieving the true purpose is Prayer as Allah States:
“Pray and I shall accept your prayer”
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Allah repeats the command of praying continuously, so that man can achieve his purpose not through his own means or power but through the Power of Allah.
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The fifth means of achieving the purpose of live is striving in the cause of Allah with one’s property and one’s faculties and one’s life and one’s reason as he states:
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Dedicate in the path of Allah your possessions, your lives, and your selves to their fullest capacity. (9:41)
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And devote to the Divine cause all that you have been granted by God including reason, knowledge, understanding and skill. (2:4)
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And those who strive after Us in every way, We guide them along the paths that lead to Us. (29:70)
The sixth means for achieving the purpose of life is remaining steadfast, and not becoming tried because of trials. This is key to a successful life. Allah States:
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On them who affirm: Our Lord is Allah; and then remain steadfast, angels descend, re-assuring them: Fear not, nor grieve, and rejoice in the Garden that you were promised. We are your friends in this life and in the hereafter. (41:31-32) - Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated:
” This is an indication that the pleasure of God Almighty is won through steadfastness. It is true that steadfastness is more than a miracle. Perfect steadfastness is that one should find oneself surrounded on all sides by calamities and one should find one’s life and honour in danger and nothing comforting should be available, so much so, that God Almighty should stop—by way of trials—the comforting visions and dreams and revelation and should leave one in the midst of terrifying fears, but that at such a time, one should not abandon courage and should not step back like a coward and should not let one’s fidelity be weakened. One’s sincerity and loyalty should not be shaken, one should be pleased with the humiliation, one should be reconciled to death, one should not await the support of a friend, one should not seek glad tidings from God, because of one’s delicate situation, and one should stand up straight despite helplessness and weakness and the lack of every comfort. One should stretch forth one’s neck, saying: Whatever is to happen, let it happen; one should face courageously whatever has been determined and one should not be impatient nor complain till the trial is over. This is the steadfastness the reward of which is God. This is the quality by virtue of which the dust of Messengers, Prophets, Siddiqs and martyrs is still so fragrant. This is indicated by the Glorious God in the prayer:
meaning, O Allah! show us the path of steadfastness by treading along which one wins Thy bounties and favours and Thou art pleased (Surah Fatiha 6-7)
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In another verse Allah States:
at this time of trial send down upon our hearts the comfort that should make us steadfast and do Thou so ordain that we should die in a state of submission to Thee; (7:127)
– - At the time of trials and misfortune, God Almighty causes a light to descend upon the hearts of those who are dear to Him, being strengthened by which they face misfortunes calmly and, out of the sweetness of their faith, they kiss the chains that are put round their feet in His cause. When calamities descend upon a man of God and signs of death appear, he does not contend with his Lord that He might be safeguarded against them, inasmuch as to persist at such a time in supplications for security amounts to fighting God Almighty and is contrary to complete submission. A true lover advances forward at a time of calamity and holding life as nothing, and saying goodbye to love of it, submits himself completely to the will of his Lord and seeks only His pleasure. Concerning such people, God the Glorious says:
that the man of God dedicates his life in the path of God and, in return, earns the pleasure of Allah. These are the people who receive the special mercy of Allah.
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In short, this indeed is the spirit of the steadfastness which we have described and which leads to the God. Let him who wills, grasp this point. - The seventh means of achieving the purpose of life is keep company with the righteous and follow their example. One of the needs is the advent of Prophets. He who does not follow a good example, ends up becoming slothful and goes astray. Allah states in the Qur’an:
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Keep company with the righteous, and adopt the path of those on whom Allah’s favours have been bestowed before you.
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The eighth means of achieving the purpose of life are pure visions and dreams and revelations from God Almighty. –
Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated:
To travel towards God is to tread upon a very delicate path which is attended by diverse types of calamities and sufferings. It is possible that a person may be overtaken by forgetfulness in pursuing this unfamiliar path or may give up hope and should abandon further advance. Therefore, the mercy of God Almighty seeks to comfort him in his progress in this journey and strengthen his heart and to uphold his resolve and to increase his eagerness. Thus it is God’s way that from time to time he comforts those who are voyaging along this path with His revelation and manifests to them that He is with them. Thus strengthened, they perform this journey with great eagerness. He has said:
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There are several other means for achieving the purpose of life which the Holy Qur’an has set out, but considerations of space forbid us from setting them out here.
(All from the Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam)
Existence of God: https://www.instagram.com/p/BkWGIt1BTM-/?taken-by=ahmadianswers
- We are in a age where many are facing problems throughout their lives. Many of times, these problems begin right at home. Many youth have lost trust in God and have fallen victim to the poison of atheism. Atheism is extremely dangerous. and we must pray that Allah Keeps us strong and attached to our faith daily. No one is safe in this world except one who is truly close to their creator. –
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh) stated:
“Existence of Allah can be proved to the non believers by looking at the creation of the world, at everything. Its amazing how scientists close their eyes to these things. In my book revelation, I have revealed many things which are positive proof that evolution is not blind evolution. Everything created has a purpose and a has mechanism which cannot come to being automatically through any evolution. First of all, there was a question of genes, and the scientists know that there are genes and genes cannot give any evidence of their evolution. Where did they start from? How from dead earth, suddenly the genes sprang up. And among other things, the most surprising thing is chlorophyll. Although the scientists try to give evolution history of other materials necessary for development and material life, they cannot give a single explanation as to how chlorophyll was evolved. There is no history of evolution for chlorophyll at all and without chlorophyll life could not exist. The green grass which the cows and other milking animals eat has chlorophyll and it is only by the virtue of chlorophyll that everything is converted to other chemicals.”
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There are many arguments which destroy atheism. The biggest proof are the Prophets. There is no greater proof. Every being is itself a proof of God. We should ponder over ourselves and see how we came about. If we focus on this and ponder over our being, this itself is enough for the existence of God. For the entire world, when asked for the greatest proof of God, it is Prophets. There are many aspects to this. –
Before the claim of any prophet, there is no lie found in any prophet nor any accusation of a lie. From childhood, till their claim. There is not even a single allegation which can be raised. - Even opponents are not able to raise any allegations. The Prophets before their claim were always the role model for the societies. They were the hope of the people. They never participated in any wrongdoing. However, when they claim they are from God, the people begin to oppose them. How can a person who was truthful within the people, free of all error, who has never sinned, all of a sudden lie against God?
- We see that the Qur’an itself is the greatest miracle. If we read the Qur’an and see how beautiful the Book is, the existence of God becomes clear. Therefore, we should regularly read and ponder over the verses in the Qur’an and also focus on its prophecies. The books of Hadhrat Ahmad(as) also prove the existence of God in an amazing manner, especially Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. We should also read the book Our God by Hadhrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad(ra).
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The first point we need to understand is that at times we do things because they are safer for us. In the same way, there is more good than harm to believe in God. Even if there is no God and the universe was a result of chance, it can do us no harm than to believe in God. However, if God exists, our belief would be useful and beneficial. Allah Himself States : “Think about it, who is closer to peace, the believer or the non believer?” (6:82). Once someone asked Hadhrat Ali(ra) this same question and he replied: ‘It should suffice for you to know that if there is no God then believers and non-believers are all equal and none would be at a loss. However, if there is a God, then the disbelievers will be in deep trouble indeed!’ The person was convinced. One should reflect over this. What do we lose from believing in God? We give us illicit sex, rape, murder, theft, robbery, lying, deceit, and everything which is against nature. In fact, believing in God only makes our lives much better. - Now we come to the argument of human nature. Human nature includes many things and belief in God is one of them. For example, being truthful is a natural attribute of man. However, sometimes children do hide the truth because of fear of displeasing their parents. In this way, our natural characteristic is covered in darkness. Everyone should ask themselves if their nature tells them anything about God or not. The Qur’an states:
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And remember when your Lord brought forth from Adam’s children–out of their loins−their offspring and made them bear witness against their own selves saying: “Am I not your Lord?” they said, “Yea, we do bear witness.” This He did lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, “We were surely unaware of this.” ‘ (al-A‘raf 7:173)
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Allah created Mankind with this characteristic of knowing that a Creator exists. We also see that when many face trouble, including those who do not believe in God, their innate nature is revealed and they themselves hear this voice. When a person gets older, the voice of nature becomes clearer. However, many atheists remain atheist for other reasons while others begin to believe in God. Fear of death is also a part of our nature. Hadhrat Ahmad(as) stated:
‘But for the countless veils covering people’s eyes; Your Countenance should indeed be the goal of every believer and nonbeliever.’
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There is also the argument that from the very existence of creation, it deduces that there must also be a Creator. Man cannot even create something as small as a fly, yet atheists are ready to believe that the entire universe came by chance? There has to be a creator who governs and sustains it. –
Another proof of God is that the enemies of the Prophets and those who deny God are always disgraced in this world. They also have no match against the Prophets of Allah. Another proof is that Allah Answers our prayers and brings peace to our hearts. Another strong proof is revelation and the prophesies of the Prophets which are always fulfilled in their ways. –
There are many more signs and one should read Our God and Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya to see them.
Seeing God Physically: https://www.instagram.com/p/BpXX1lyntXo/
Many Atheists and Christians ask whether it is possible for one to see Allah with the physical eyes. They try to quote chapter 7 verse 144 to suggest this but the verse does not support this concept at all. Allah States:
And when Moses came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘My Lord, show Thyself to me that I may look at Thee.’ He replied, ‘Thou shalt not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it remains in its place, then shalt thou see Me.’ And when his Lord manifested Himself on the mountain, He broke it into pieces and Moses fell down unconscious. And when he recovered, he said, ‘Holy art Thou, I turn towards Thee, and I am the first to believe.’ –
One cannot see Allah with the physical eyes. The human eye cannot eve see angels in their form. Allah says in the Qur’an: “If God had appointed as Messenger an angel, He would have made him appear as a man” (6:10). We cannot see angels, rather only a manifestation of them and in the same way we can only see a manifestation of Allah and not God Himself. Hadhrat Mosa(as) was a great prophet of Allah and had the knowledge of his attributes, and therefore did not desire something which was not possible. Hadhrat Mosa(as) knew that he could not see Allah physically, rather he could only see a manifestation of Allah. He also saw a manifestation of Allah in “the fire” when he travelled from Midian to Egypt (28:30)
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When Hadhrat Mosa(as) said that Oh My Lord show Thyself to me that I may look at thee, referred to the perfect manifestation of God that was not granted to Hadhrat Mosa(as). This was to take place at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (sa) who was in the likeness of Hadhrat Mosa(as). Hadhrat Mosa(as) was given this promise that there would appear from the brethren of the Israelites, a Prophet whose mouth God would put His word in (Deuteronomy 18:18-22).
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- This simply showed that this Prophet would see God in a greater manifestation which was shown to Mosa(as).Hadhrat Mosa(as) was only anxious to see what sort of God’s Glory and majesty was promised to that great Prophet, Hadhrat Muhammad (sa). He wanted to see similar but it was too great for him to bear. His heart was not strong enough. He was then asked to see a manifestation of it taking place at the mount. Hadhrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad(ra) explained that this should not be understood to mean that the mount was to serve as a receptacle for the great Gory; for according to the Quran (33:73) the heart of Moses was certainly more capable of enduring it than the Mount. (Tafsir e Kabeer, Under 7:144). The mount could not handle this glory. Moses (as) could not bear it and fell down unconscious despite being warned about it. Mosa(as) then realized that he cannot bear the Glory of Allah which was to be shown to the Prophet (sa).
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The words He broke it into pieces are not literal, rather it refers to the severity of the earthquake.
More on this verse can be read in Tafsir e Kabeer. - ahmadianswers
There are different ways of learning about things. For instance, we learn by sight, sound, taste, smell,
texture, or movement. All information we derive from the various senses, have the same degree of authenticity and credibility. We cannot demand that we must learn about something through a
particular sense, or else we shall deny its very existence. The eyes, for example, are the medium
for perceiving different colours; the nose is used for discerning different smells; and, the ears are for
hearing sounds. Would it not be sheer insanity to insist that unless we could see a certain smell with
our eyes, or smell a particular colour with our nose, or feel a particular sound with our hands, we shall not believe that it exists? Whoever makes such
demands would be considered insane, and if perchance he is not sent to the lunatic asylum, he will certainly become a laughing stock for the street urchins. Strange to say, people raise such
objections about God all the time and are still considered wise! Do they find nothing other than God to make the object of their mockery? (Our God Pages 9-10)
Satan and Iblis: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpa33TPHPuW/
Why Can We Not See Allah? : Video: https://www.instagram.com/p/BqmwK–hDYT/
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh): This kid? For a question? Why son what is the issue?
Young boy: Introduces himself and asks, why can we not see Allah?
Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh): “This is the beauty of Allah. If Allah was seen All the time the life would come out of you. Do you see air? Are you seeing air? Or no? In this hall, there is a lot of air. You don’t see air right? Do you see radio waves? So out of those things you cannot see, some are really powerful. The atomic bomb waves cannot be seen but they are so powerful that they destroy the biggest of cities. So not being able to see does not make a difference. There should be power in the thing. In Allah there is a lot of power. He has more power than all that which has power. So if you can’t see him there is no difference rather it is a benefit for you.” (Majlis e Irfan, 10 January 2003) From MTA
If God Knows Everything, Then Why Does he Allow People to Commit Sin: https://www.instagram.com/p/Br0tU-0hCra/
If God knows everything, then why does he allow people to commit sin?
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Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh) beautifully answered this doubt of atheists.
He stated:
“It is a very simple question and shouldn’t be difficult for you to understand it. Allah Knows what is going to happen. If that something is not going to happen, then Allah would not know it. Otherwise, He would know a false thing. So He Knows because that is going to happen. That does not happen because He Knows it. So you understand the simple relationship and no question remains at all to be understood. For instance, I’ll make it easier for you. If you look at the past, what you did this morning, you know it. It did not happen because you know it. But you know it because it happened. And no one on earth can change the past. Not because you know it, this is why it cannot be changed. Because it happened, so you know it but it will not be changed. So exactly that is the relationship of God to future. You’re only one sided.Look back in time and know what is happening. Allah Also Knows what will happen in future, but only He Knows the facts. So if those facts were not to happen, how would He know?” (Question and Answer Session, 7/1/1991)
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You can try to understand this in another way through an example of a human being who traveled through time and now knows your future. For him, your entire life is something he has witnessed as if it was recorded. He knows what you will do before you do it. To you it’s as if you’re doing it live but for him it is not something new as he has seen it all before. He is not controlling your decisions. He is neither responsible for the actions you commit nor the consequences. Him having ultimate knowledge does not affect your free will. Allah Observes our actions and has chosen not to control them. Allah Does manifest His will through miracles, but generally He has chosen to let us do as we will. His Knowledge does not interfere with the power to decide which he gave us. Our actions and free will and his knowledge coexist.
Finding God, the True Creator: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXg-mnFUbu/
Many ask how to find God. This question is extremely important and bothers many, especially the atheists and agnostics. This question comes to the mind of millions till today. They deny the existence of God but regardless of this, their hearts are agitated and they want to find God. In English literature, we find a person with the name “Shalay” being mentioned as one who went to the caves and shouted at the top of his voice, that oh God I want you to come and get me if you are and so on and so forth. However, he received no answer. Then we hear of astronauts as well of the USSR who when they first went to space, they also shouted at the top of their lungs asking for Allah. We have come so high so oh God please answer us. We see the same with Pharoah. He asked Haman to build a very tall majestic building whereby he could reach the heavens and see for himself whether Moses(as) spoke the truth or was false and spreading falsehood. And then he concluded that he has not found any answer.
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Yet we know, from the history of every prophet that they did the same. What was the difference? They searched for God without arrogance, and pride. They were humble and submitted to Allah and always found the answer they were finding. It is not the quest which is essential. What is important is what is motivating the quest within our hearts and if we are honestly and deeply interested in finding Our Creator. If you are sincere, you will be lead to Him without fail. The Qur’an says that even before the creation of the universe, God addressed human nature as if it existed (but it did not). It was a sort of dialogue in blueprint. Allah Says that when I decided to create man (he was not yet created) I inquired that am I not your Lord? And they all answered Yes, Yes! We witness that you are. This seems to be a mythical claim without a foundation but it has foundation in every nature, including atheists. We can remember Kant for example, a disbeliever who rejected all arguments except this one. He had to admit defeat here. It is proven that those who truly search for God, find Him.
Now the Qur’anic answer is quite clear. Those who strive in the way of Allah, are shown the way from Allah Himself. Christianity claims it is the only way which leads to Allah. Allah Says Islam is the true path. We hear everywhere, come here, come here. The Qur’an says from whichever path you seek Me (God), God will be found. It says those who genuinely and profoundly inquire about me and want to be lead on to Me, from whichever path they begin their journey, they cannot reach me but I will most certainly reach them. Those who make endeavor in search of Us (God), it is We and We alone who can lead them to ourselves and We Promise to do this. This narrows your search to one direction and that is instead of asking people, ask God. Cry to him but not like astronauts rather like the Prophets of God. When they cried, Allah came to them. (Summary of answer from Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad(rh))