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Chapter 8

Religious Questions

1. The Muslim scholars Ahema and interpreters of the Qur'an Mufasereen, may Allah bless them, say that the entire Quran is contained in "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful" (1:1 Quran). How can we prove this?

2. The Muslim scholars Ahema and interpreters of the Quran Mufasereen, may Allah bless them, are unanimous in their research that the entire Quran is epitomized in the opening chapter of the Quran Fatiha. How can this be proven?

3. Although we know through this explicit text of the Holy Quran, "This day have I perfected your religion for you..." (5:3 Quran) that Islam and its guidance are complete, why do the males and females, both wretched and prosperous, and even the saints and prophets of the world of Islam, peace be upon them, find it necessary to say, "Guide us to the right path..." (1:7 Quran), in every prayer? Although we are guided, that verse signifies the request for guidance. Does this mean that we are not guided or that we cast doubts on our guidance?

4. "The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace..." (1:8 Quran). Who are the prophets, messengers and other benevolent beings? The path of prophets, peace be upon them; sometimes some of them were even martyred or injured like: Noah, Zakaria, Jesus, and others, peace be upon all of them. Therefore, what could the grace be?

5. Why did Allah, The Exalted Being, say after the abbreviated letters in the second chapter of the Holy Quran: "In it is sure guidance, without doubt, to those who fear Allah" (2:2 Quran)? Therefore, what is guidance for all people? Or, in other words, why did He not say, guidance to the people? What secret does this truth teach us, or, what authority does it bring to us?

6. Why did Allah make the belief in the unseen the first and basic step of faith's acceptance? It is stated: "Who believe in the unseen..." (2:3 Quran). What is belief in the unseen (belief in detail and in brief)? What truth can be gained from this? Explain; especially that faith in Allah, The Exalted Being, has been arranged at the beginning of the phrase "Amantu bellah, I believe in Allah".

7. What is the unseen, and why is it believed that Allah, The Exalted Being, is hidden? Though He, Almighty Being, says: "We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein..." (50:16 Quran).

8. "Those who are steadfast in prayer..." (2:3 Quran). The second sign of a believer, (physical action). (a) What are physical actions? (b) How does this action affect us, internally and externally?

9. "And spent out of what we have provided for them..." (2:3 Quran). The third sign of the believers, (economical help). According to the scholars, Zakat obligatory charity is to be paid out of the wealth, and Fitrah charity for the sake of fasting, etc. Then what is the reality of the above-mentioned verse?

10. Why did Allah, The Exalted Being, after stating four verses with signs of the believers and two verses with signs of the nonbelievers, state eleven verses with two examples (that together become thirteen signs) about the hypocrites, which, in comparison with the signs of the believers, are three times greater, and in comparison with the signs of the nonbelievers, are six and one-half times greater? In the beginning of the text, He, The Almighty, has negated their faith in Himself and in the last day. And for this confession, He has not accepted them as believers.

11. What should we do so that we can understand the origin of faith, the confession by tongue, and testimonial of the heart? Bearing witness by the tongue can be understood, but no one knows the testimonial of the heart.

12. Allah, The Exalted Being, states in the glorious Quran: "In their hearts is a disease..." (2:10 Quran). He Almighty has pointed out a severe disease in the hearts of the nonbelievers. Logically, what could the reality of this disease be?

13. "Allah hath set a seal on their hearts..." (2:7 Quran). As the Interpreters have said, He Almighty has placed the seal of rejection on their hearts. Then, what responsibility do the nonbelievers have, if the interpretation is correct that they have been created nonbelievers from the beginning? If not, what is the correct interpretation?

14. The Glorious Quran ascribes the intellect, the intention, faith, disease, sensuality, eyes, etc., to the heart. Conversely, the enemies of Islam state that this claim is completely in vain and opposes the intellectual basis. Therefore, what is the answer?

15. What reality does the verse: "Then set not rivals unto Allah..." (2:22) explain? Are inner rejection and idolatry included in this rivalry or not? If they are included, then what is the inner rivalry? (a) Though the Muslims say: We love Allah, The Almighty; they apparently love their wives, children, and sensuality much more. Why? (b) Though the Muslims say: We fear Allah, The Exalted Being; they fear the bailiff (executive officer) and powerful people a hundred times more. Why? (c) Though the Muslims say: We believe that Allah, The Exalted Being, is present and watching, why do the wrongdoers hide crimes such as bribery, theft, adultery etc., from a five-year-old child? They do not sin in front of him and do not commit that unlawful act, but they have no fear from the presence of Allah, The Exalted Being.

16. It is said that angels are the luminous and gentle beings who are exempt from all the needs of reproduction, giving birth, eating, and drinking. Where are these beings created? How do they appear? And where do they live? If they do not reproduce and do not give birth, where do they come from?

17. How do the maidens and the lads, whom Allah has promised for the believers, reproduce and give birth? Where is their dwelling place?

18. In your opinion, what are the seventy-four verses about angels and their domination on human beings for? And what are they?

19. In your opinion, what is the difference between the Soul of Man and that of animals?

20. Is it true that the mouth is the organ through which food enters and nourishes the body? Which organ could be the mouth through which Man's Soul gets nourishment and becomes fortified? And where is it?

21. Where does the Soul go after death?

22. Does Man's Soul have any relation with his body after death or not?

23. If it is not related, then what is its reality?

24. How does the angel Israel, peace be upon him, know that someone's hour has come?

25. It is said that Jinn, like human beings, are responsible for enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Do they have their own prophets? Explain.

26. Where are Jinns created and where do they live?

27. Without a doubt, everyone feels the existence of devils, who whisper in the hearts of Man. Do these creatures reproduce themselves or not? In what angle with our planet or with other planets is their realm placed?

28. According to the clear verses that Allah, The Exalted Being, has revealed, religious scholars say that devils do not die until the Day of Judgment. If there is no death for them, then, through means of reproduction, will they not inhabit the earth's surface and possibly all other planets?

29. If it is not true that all devils were created at the beginning of Creation, then what life span do they have? Naturally, through their technique of hiding, they will be stronger than all human beings. How can the weak human beings confront them without defeat?

30. Why has Allah, The Exalted Being, mentioned and explained the name of Satan and his works in '156' places in the Holy Quran? In your opinion, what is the reason for this?

31. In your opinion, is the devil's level of knowledge, which is directed towards the spokesmen of the world, the same as the level of knowledge, which is directed towards the poor farmers? Explain.

32. The quickest means of finding insight may be discovered in the following verse, "I have created Jinns and Men, that they may worship me..." (51:56) which religious scholars have interpreted as "To acquire insight into Me". In your opinion, what could that quickest means of finding insight be?

33. According to the basic principles of the Islamic jurisprudence, such as: Nurul-Anuar, Hassami, Shashi, etc, if the verse is revealed as a command hukm and has no forbidden context or contradiction, then we should accept it as obligatory Fardh. Why did Muslims not apply '2500' verses which Allah, Almighty has revealed about the different sorts of creations?

34. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has greatly encouraged Muslims to study the secrets of greatness and wisdom in the creations of the material world. He has counted one minute of reflection in this reality to be equivalent to one year of worship, and an hour of reflection better than sixty years of worship. Why?

35. Why did Muhammad, peace be upon him, encourage Muslims not to think about the nature of God, The Exalted Being, but has said to pay attention to all the favors and creations of the world? As he said: "Think about the creation of Allah and do not think about the nature of Allah..." (Hadith of Prophet Muhammad)

36. Why did the Muslims only take five hundred verses of commands from the Quran, and forgot the rest of the '6166' verses?

37. What information do you have concerning the '254' verses about the ego and its three forms?

38. In your opinion, what is the ego?

39. What are the different kinds of the ego?

40. What is the aim of the different stages of the ego?

41. How does the change occur in the ego's alteration from one state to another?

42. What qualities did the illustrious Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, possess, with which he changed the fifteen-hundred-year-old beliefs of the idolaters?

43. After they entered Islam, what caused the polytheists Mushrekin to be prepared to sacrifice anything for Allah, The Exalted Being, and to spread monotheism and destroy any close friends who opposed Islam?

44. According to the verse: "So lose not heart nor fall into despair; for ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith..." (3:139 Quran), it was necessary that the believers should dominate the affairs of the entire world. But now, directly or indirectly, all the Islamic countries have fallen prey to the east or west. Does this mean that our faith is not acceptable to Allah, The Exalted Being, or His promise (Nauzu billah) has been contradicted? We seek refuge in Allah, may Allah forgive us.

45. Does the present victory of the enemies of Islam over Islamic society not clearly prove that our actions are wrong and contradict the verses of the Quran, or does it mean something else?

46. Should we blame this backwardness of Islamic society (Nauzu billah) on the commands of the Quran, or does it show our deviance from the path of truth and justice?

47. All the scholars and Muslim leaders state, with absolute Quranic proof, that prayer Salat prohibits man from all illegal deeds and words. Similarly, they state that all worship, such as remembrance of Allah, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage, etc. becomes the cause of fortification of faith and spiritual power. If we reflect upon this, however, we will find that in the society of believers, our prayers did not become the means for the purification of the ego and refinement of the heart, but conversely, we have caused the darkness in our hearts and the anger of Allah (God of earth and time) upon us. Do you not see that forty-one Islamic countries have fallen prey to the east or west? What is the reason for this?

48. What is faith? How does it affect the external and internal aspects of Man?

49. Allah, The Almighty says in the Holy Quran: "For prayer restrains from shameful and evil deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest. And Allah knows what ye do..." (29:45 Quran). By performing prayers five times daily, why are most of us not able to restrain ourselves from the following behaviors: backbite, accusation, selfishness, egotism, etc.?

50. Is the present method of prayer not based on Almighty Allah's will, or is our performance not the way it should be?

51. Why can we not feel the presence of the heart during the performance of prayers?

52. If you pick up a piece of dust from the earth with the tips of your two fingers five times a day and put them in a bag, after a year, the bag will certainly be full. Is the effect of prayers five times daily, which we performed for ten, twenty, thirty years or more, less than a piece of dust? Is that why we still did not get the light in our hearts, which could at least make us externally feel the presence of Allah? What is the problem? How can it be corrected?

53. From the start of different methods of worship, such as recitation of the Quran, prayer, and remembrance of Allah; why does Man, though absorbed in worship, hear whispers and allow his heart to wander in hundreds of different places?

54. Allah, The Exalted Being, says: "Ah! Pity on the servants! There comes not a messenger to them but they mock him!" (36:30 Quran). If we reflect upon the translation and commentary of the above verse, we will determine that Allah, The Almighty, has addressed the gentlest one of believers, and has said so. Reflect that this action, which was taking place against them, was coming from the side of Allah's servants and believers of monotheism. What could have not happened from the side of those who denied monotheism and jurisprudence? What do we gain from reflecting upon these facts? It is worthy of further contemplation.