EVERYTHING IS POSITIVE IN PARADISE, AND EVERYTHING IS NEGATIVE I
(Sura Yunus: 108)
EVERYTHING IS POSITIVE IN PARADISE, AND EVERYTHING IS NEGATIVE IN HELL
ADNAN OKTAR: Allah says of Paradise that "no self has tasted and no eye seen it." It is utterly amazing and most beautiful. One of the best features of Paradise is that nowhere grows old or fades, and everything is positive. As you know, everything is created with its opposite in this world. Like good and bad or day and night, in Paradise there will be only positive aspects. That is the artistry of Allah. The gate of Paradise is uniquely beautiful. You look at the doors of the houses and they are all separately decorated. The chairs have a beauty of their own. So we look at those beauties and give constant thanks to Allah. The human soul burns with love of Allah in Paradise. You look at a pitcher in Paradise and you give thanks to Allah. You can even talk to it. You can tell it to turn a bit to the right and it will do so. And if you tell it to bring you a cool drink, it will bring you one. Pour it out, you say, and it will pour it into a glass. Go back to your place you say, and back it goes. Paradise is very pleasant and entertaining like that. Allah has created it specially to be like that. But in this world we are bound by direct causes. I cannot bring something to me without stretching my hand out for it. I am bound by direct causes. Yet it is not my hand that brings it here. Allah creates that in my head. He creates my hand as the direct cause. But in Paradise, the most beloved thing is talking with the Prophets. And also one's spouse will be manifested there in the most beautiful forms. They will be manifested in hundreds of physical bodies. The women of Paradise are more beautiful than houris. I mean, devout women are more beautiful. They are much more beautiful both in terms of quality, and beauty and the delight they give the soul. But there are also the houris, the children and youths of the Paradise and they are its beauty and adornment. They are young and lovely men, lovely children and young and lovely women, who wait on Muslims. They are all entities specially created by Allah but just like human beings, blessed and glorious beings who recall Allah in their speech and language. But if we are married, we know our spouse's moral values and the hardships they have suffered there, and their courage, and we know the prayers they have performed and the sacrifices they have made for Allah. Then we will love them, with that beauty, for all time. We will love them without forgetting. This is another delight of Paradise, mutual conversation, asking the Prophets, one by one, about what they did. For example, we will see what the Prophet Moses (pbuh) did and how, and see the very scenes. If one has animals or things one delights in here, then they will be brought to life there, too. We will love them and live together with them. But whatever one loves. If one loves technical equipment, that will be created. Cars will be created if one loves cars, and planes if one loves planes. But cars will run without gas there. But here, if a car were to run without gas or an engine then the requirement for people to use their free will would be lifted. Actually no car runs with gas because there is no engine in our brain, or gas, or gas station nor anything to do with an engine. We can see there is no such system. And that is what happens in the Hereafter; natural causes are eliminated. Everything we want comes about. Whatever delights us is there, all kinds of music, beautiful pictures, sculptures whatever. Hell is a place of the exact opposite, meaning that everything is in a defective, polluted, rotten and disgusting state. In other words, it is just as the materialists describe it all. There is magma, and people are malformed or incompletely formed, with their noses or mouths being displaced, for example. They are dirty, their mouths are dirty, their bodies are dirty. There is no washing in Hell, which stinks and is utterly filthy. Vile smells, vile filth, vile words, vile darkness, vile food and generally vile everything are characteristics of Hell. It is the exact opposite in Paradise. The water is lovely, for instance, and everything smells lovely. Scents come in waves. One day it smells of roses, the next of carnations, but everything will be much more perfect. For example, the fruit is very delicious, very perfect. When you eat a strawberry here you put sugar on it. That is its deficiency, meaning that people have the concept of a true strawberry in their minds. For example, one never finds a completely normal orange, only very rarely. They usually find a flaw in it. But they will find the true orange there. They cannot find the real watermelon here, or have to go and hunt for two hours, but they will see the true ones there, by Allah's leave. (From Mr. Adnan Oktar's interview on Cay TV, February 25, 2009) |
THE AIM IS TO ATTAIN THE GOOD PLEASURE OF ALLAH
Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, making my religion sincerely His." (Surat az-Zumar: 11)
Once having grasped the extent of Allah's infinite might, to forget His existence and remain heedless is merely to delude oneself. What Allah demands from human beings is that they seek to earn His good pleasure as their sole priority in life.
Since it is Allah Who created man, provided him his sustenance and all other such blessings, and Who promised him eternal life in the , it would be an act of ingratitude for man to seek the pleasure of others, or the gratification of his own self, as his primary aim. The punishment for such ungratefulness is eternal hellfire.
There are two choices a man can make; he can either found his life on Allah's good pleasure, and thus earn the reward of His Paradise, or choose the path that leads to Hell. A third option is not available for him. This is clearly expressed in the following verse:
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)
Those values praised in the Qur'an are those founded on purely that which achieves Allah's pleasure. For example, self-sacrifice, which is pleasing to Allah, is valid only if the person does not expect anything for it in return, but rather only to attain Allah's good pleasure. It is related in the Qur'an that believers conduct themselves correctly only to seek Allah's countenance:
They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives: "We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks." (Surat al-Insan: 8-9)
Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also stated in a hadith that Allah's Pleasure must always be held above man's pleasure:
Whoever seeks Allah's Pleasure at the expense of men's displeasure, will win Allah's Pleasure and Allah will cause men to be pleased with him. And whoever seeks to please men at the expense of Allah's Displeasure, will win the Displeasure of Allah and Allah will cause men to be displeased with him. (narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh)
The greatest honor and gratification man can ever attain is Allah's good pleasure. Allah makes His servants pleased with Him through the multitude of blessings He bestows on them. In a verse of the Qur'an, the reward for believers who are pleased with Allah, and with whom Allah is pleased, is related as follows:
Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for those who fear their Lord. (Surat al-Bayyina: 8)
Allah's good pleasure is not only earned solely by performing certain acts of worship at definite times. Allah's good pleasure is also earned by conducting oneself correctly throughout one's lifetime. The following verse informs us that a believer's entire life must be oriented towards a single goal:
Say: "My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am: 162)
SIN AND REPENTANCE
One of the reasons for people's detachment from the morality of the religion is that they consider themselves unforgivable out of the deep distress they feel because of the sins they have committed. Satan attempts repeatedly to instil such groundless thoughts in human beings. To one who has committed a sin, he stealthily whispers the message, "You are wicked and rebellious against Allah." If he has committed only a few sins, satan tempts him to sin still more. Towards his purpose, satan employs the feeling of embarrassment man feels towards Allah, but manipulates this feeling in order to draw man further distant from Allah.
However, like all others, this trick of s's is a feeble one. The fact that someone committed a sin does not mean that he has been cursed by Allah, and that he will never be able to follow the straight path again. Not just one simple sin, but even if he were to commit the greatest sins, over and over again, he will always have the opportunity to repent and turn towards Allah. Allah informs us in the Qur'an that He will forgive each person who sincerely repents of his sins, that is, asks for forgiveness and remains firm in not committing the same sin again:
But if anyone repents after his wrongdoing and puts things right, Allah will turn towards him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 39)
Allah is infinite in mercy. In a verse of the Qur'an, He provides the good news to His servants, "...I am the Ever-Returning, the Most Merciful" (Surat al-Baqara: 160). Every individual has the opportunity to repent. Allah even accepted the repentance of some Jews, who went astray and worshipped an idol they made out of gold, after having believed in Him, and forgave them:
And when Moses said to his people, "My people, You wronged yourselves by adopting the Calf so turn towards your Maker and kill your own (guilty) selves. That is the best thing for you in your Maker's sight." And He (Allah) turned towards you. He is the Ever-Returning, the Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara: 54)
After repentance and asking for Allah's forgiveness, a person may well again become heedless, committing the same sin again. In fact, this may happen many times over. However, provided that that person repents once and for all, and is committed to not sin again, he may hope for Allah's mercy.
Nevertheless, as it is in every issue, the important factor is sincerity. An insincere action is unacceptable in Allah's sight. If one is not resolved to ending his sinning, and says, "I will repent eventually," he is clearly insincere, which is likely to bring sorrow to man. Allah warns those who hold such rationale as follows:
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and then quickly make repentance after doing it. Allah turns towards such people. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. There is no repentance for people who persist in doing evil until death comes to them and who then say, "Now I make repentance," nor for people who die unbeliever. We have prepared for them a painful punishment. (Surat an-Nisa': 17-18)
SCRUPULOUSNESS REGARDING RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
A believer reveals himself through the care he takes over his religious observances; he enthusiastically performs the prayer 5 times, fasting and ablutions commanded by Allah throughout the course of his life, for so long as his health permits. Allah has described Muslims' enthusiasm regarding such observances in many verses of the Qur'an:
Those who are steadfast in seeking the face of their Lord, and perform prayer and give from the provision We have given them, secretly and openly, and stave off evil with good, it is they who will have the Ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd: 22)
Whose hearts quake at the mention of Allah, and who are steadfast in the face of all that happens to them, those who perform prayer and give of what We have provided for them. (Surat al-Hajj: 35)
The Importance of the Prayer
The prayer, one of the most important observances after faith itself, is an act of worship which believers are commanded to carry out throughout their lives at the specific times appointed.
Human beings are prone to forgetfulness and heedlessness. If they fail to use their will and become caught up in the flow of their day-to-day activities, then they become distanced from those subjects they really ought to be concentrating on. They may forget that Allah surrounds them in every possible way, that He sees and hears them at every moment, that they will account to Him for all their deeds, the existence of Paradise and Hell, that nothing takes place outside destiny and that there is good in in all events. Falling into heedlessness may cause people to neglect the true purpose behind their lives.
The prayer, however, which is performed five times daily, eliminates this forgetfulness and neglect, and keeps a believer's consciousness and will alive. It ensures that the believer constantly turns to Allah and helps him lead a life directed towards the observance of our Creator's commandments. The believer who stands in the presence of Allah ready to perform the prayer establishes a powerful spiritual bond with our Lord. One verse describes how the prayer reminds a person of Allah and prevents him from all forms of wickedness:
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and perform prayer. Prayer precludes indecency and wrongdoing. And remembrance of Allah is greater still. Allah knows what you do. (Surat al-'Ankabut: 45)
The prayer has been made obligatory for all believers, from the prophets on down. All the prophets sent to mankind throughout the course of history have preached this observance, made obligatory by Allah, and have been role models for all believers throughout their lives by performing that obligation in the finest and truest manner possible. In those terms, the prayer is a form of active preaching communicated by the prophets to their peoples.
The Qur'an contains several verses regarding the prophets being commanded to perform the prayer, the scrupulous way they performed and maintained it, and the way they passed that command on to their own societies. Some of these verses read:
- For the Prophet Abraham (pbuh):
"My Lord! Make me and my descendants people who perform prayer. My Lord! Accept my prayer." (Surah Ibrahim: 40)
- For the Prophet Ishmael (pbuh):
Mention Ishmael in the Book. He was true to his promise and was a Messenger and a Prophet. He used to command his people to perform prayer and give the alms and he was pleasing to his Lord. (Surah Maryam: 54-55)
- For the Prophet Moses (pbuh):
I am Allah. There is no deity but Me, so worship Me and perform prayer to remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha: 14)
The blessed Maryam, a role model for female believers, was also commanded to perform the prayer:
Maryam, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow. (Surah Al 'Imran: 43)
The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) also received that same commandment from Allah:
He said, "I am the servant of Allah, He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am and directed me to perform prayer and give the alms as long as I live." (Surah Maryam: 30-31)
At what times has the prayer been made obligatory?
The times of this obligatory observance have been stipulated for believers in the Qur'an. The relevant verse reads:
When you have finished prayer remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on your sides. When you are safe again perform the prayer in the normal way. The prayer is prescribed for the believers at specific times. (Surat an-Nisa': 103)
There are five timings for the prayer; "morning," "noon," "afternoon," "evening" and "night." These are clearly set out in several verses in the Qur'an, one of which reads:
So be steadfast in the face of what they say and glorify your Lord with praise before the rising of theSun and before its setting. And glorify Him during part of the night and at both ends of the day, so that hopefully you will be pleased. (Surah Ta Ha: 130)
Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who best understood and commented on the Qur'an through the revelation and inspiration of Allah, also described the timings of the five prayers in the day. One of the best known hadiths in which the timings of the prayer are revealed is that reported by 'Abdullah b. 'Amr reported:
The time of the noon prayer is when theSun passes the meridian and a man's shadow is the same (length) as his height, (and it lasts) as long as the time for the afternoon prayer has not come; the time for the afternoon prayer is as long as theSun has not become pale; the time of the evening prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the night prayer is up to the middle of the average night and the time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as theSun has not risen. (Sahih Muslim)
Both the verses of the Qur'an and the sound hadiths of our Prophet (saas), as well as statements by Islamic scholars, show that there are five timings for the prayer and that there can be no debate over this.
The five daily prayers, with their fards (obligatory), wajibs (compulsory) and sunnahs, consist of 40 rakats (units), as follows:
1) Salat al-fajr (morning prayer): sunnah prayer consisting of 2 rakats, fard prayer consisting of 2 rakats
2) Salat al-zuhr (noon prayer): initial sunnah prayer consisting of 4 rakats, fard prayer consisting of 4 rakats, final sunnah prayer consisting of 2 rakatsi Salat al-maghrib (evening prayer): fard prayer consisting of 3 rakats, sunnah prayer consisting of 2 rakats
3) Salat al-'asr (afternoon prayer): sunnah prayer consisting of 4 rakats, fard prayer consisting of 4 rakats
4) Salat al-'isha (night prayer): initial sunnah prayer consisting of 4 rakats, fard prayer consisting of 4 rakats, final sunnah prayer consisting of 2 rakats and witr prayer consisting of 3 rakats.
Muslims Perform the Prayer with Khushu'
Performing the prayer with khushu' means performing this obligation through feeling an enormous awe of Allah, in the consciousness of being in His presence and feeling His majesty and greatness in one's heart. In the prayer, a believer who is aware that he is in the presence of Allah, the Lord of the worlds, will experience that majesty and fear, and the closeness he feels to Allah will be proportionate to that fear and awe.
A believer who wishes to perform the obligation of the prayer in a proper manner must take precautions against anything that might prevent that state of the heart and try to establish the requisite attention and concentration.
Allah tells us that when we stand in His presence we must remember Him alone, praise Him and express His Oneness, as the One Who is unfettered by any deficiency. Performing the prayer in the proper manner is a great opportunity for doing all these things. Indeed, in one verse Allah states the prayer is to be performed in remembrance of Him:
I am Allah. There is no deity but Me, so worship Me and perform prayer to remember Me. (Surah Ta Ha: 14)
The Fards of the Prayer
A- There are seven preconditions of the prayer. These are also known as the conditions of the prayer.
1) Taharat from hadas (purification from the state of being without ablution)
2) Taharat from najasat (purification from substances which are prescribed as dirty in Islam)
3) Satr al-awrat (covering the bodily parts that need to be covered)
4) Istiqbal al-qibla (facing the qibla
5) Waqt (prescribed time)
6) Niyyat (intention)
7) Takbir al-tahrima (glorifying Allah before beginning the prayer)
B- Five of the fards of the prayer are inside the prayer. Each of these is also called rukn.
1) Qiyam
2) Qiraah
3) Ruku
4) Sajdah
5) Qadah Akheerah
Taharat from hadas: the ritual cleansing of someone who is without ablution, and ghusl when necessary.
Taharat from najasat: the cleaning of the body, one's clothing or the area where the prayer is to be performed, ridding them of all dirt that might hinder the prayer.
Waqt: performing the five daily prayers at the prescribed times.
Istiqbal al-qibla: performing the prayer facing the qibla, in other words the Kaaba in Mecca.
Niyyat: remembering which prayer is to be performed and performing it with that intent in mind.
Takbir al-tahrima: the first glorification of Allah uttered on commencing the prayer.
Qiyam: standing upright when performing the prayer, unless one has a legitimate excuse.
Qiraah: reciting one or more verses from the Noble Qur'an during the prayer, while standing upright.
Ruku: placing the palms of the hands over the kneecaps and bending forward, keeping the head and back straight.
Sajdah: placing the nose, forehead, hands, knees and feet on the ground.
Qadah akheerah as long as the recitation of tashahhud: remaining seated after the completion of the prayer until the recitation of Attahiyaat.
It will be useful here to further clarify certain of these items.
What is satr al-awrat?
Those bodily parts of a responsible person which are forbidden for him or her to uncover and show others and for others to look upon while in prayer or any other time are called awrat parts. A man's awrat parts for prayer are between lower part of his navel and lower parts of his knees. All parts of free women, except their hands and faces, including their wrists, hanging parts of their hair and under their feet are awrat for the prayer.
Ablution
A Muslim has to clean his or her body before beginning the prayer. There are various obligatory elements to this:
- To wash the face once
- To wash both arms together with the elbows once
- To rub one quarter of the head
- To wash the feet, together with the ankle-bones on both sides, once
There are also sunnah elements to the ablution. The sunnahs to be performed in carrying out ablutions are:
- To wash the face once
- To wash both arms together with the elbows once
- To rub one quarter of the head
- To wash the feet, together with the ankle-bones on both sides, once
There are also sunnah elements to the ablution. The sunnahs to be performed in carrying out ablutions are:
- To recite the Basmala
- To wash the hands including the wrists three times
- To rinse the mouth three times by using new water each time
- To wash both nostrils three times, taking fresh water each time
- To wet the skin lying invisible under the eyebrows, beard and moustache
- To wet the section lying under the eyebrows when washing the face
- To rub the hanging part of the beard
- To comb the hanging part of the beard with the wetted fingers of the right hand
- To rub and clean the teeth with something
- To wipe the whole head once
- To wipe both ears once
- To wipe the neck once, with three adjacent fingers
- To wash (takhlil) between the fingers and toes
- To wash every limb to be washed three times in such a way as to moisten every part of the limb
- To offer genuine intent through the heart during washing the face
- To wash the two hands, mouth, nostrils, face, arms, wipe the
head, ears, neck and wash the feet successively, and not to change this
order
- To rub the limbs washed
- To wash the limbs one right after another, with no interval.
Qibla
The qibla is the Kaaba in the Masjid al-Haram in the city of Mecca, and Muslims must face in that direction in performing the prayer. The prayer, one of the five pillars of Islam, is performed facing the qibla. It is revealed in the Qur'an that the direction to be faced by Muslims in performing the prayer is that of the Kaaba. Those Muslims outside and far away from Mecca only need to face in the direction of the qibla.
Islam regards the Kaaba as the centre of worship of Allah, the One and Only, and commands Muslims to face in that direction in order that there should be oneness, unison and order among those performing the prayer and worshipers.
Facing in the direction of the qibla when performing the prayer is an excellent example of remembering the Prophets Abraham (pbuh) and Ishmael (pbuh), who restored the Kaaba, and of drawing towards Allah. It is also best for Muslims to face that direction when sleeping or eating. They should also be placed to face the qibla when they are buried.
How is the Qibla to Be Established?
The qibla is not the building of the Kaaba; it is its building plot. That is, that space from the Earth to the 'arsh is the qibla. For this reason, a person who is under the sea, or up in the air can perform prayer in that direction.
The qibla can be determined by means of mathematical calculations or with the assistance of a compass or Polaris (the Polestar). Even if the exact position cannot be determined in calculations using various equipment, a likely estimate can be made. Such estimates regarding the qibla are acceptable.
At places where there is no mihrab and qibla cannot be identified by calculation or with the help of the Polestar, one must consult other Muslims who know the qibla.
A Muslim travelling on a ship or train must begin the prayer by standing towards the qibla and put a compass somewhere near the place he or she will prostrate. As the vehicle changes direction, so should the worshiper turn towards the qibla. Alternatively, someone else should make the worshiper turn to the right or left.
If someone who does not know the qibla performs the prayer without looking at the mihrab, or asking someone else who knows, or trying to identify it, then he has actually failed to fulfil the conditions of the prayer, even if he happens to face in the right direction.
THE MORALITY OF RELIGION IS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE NATURAL INCLINATION OF MANKIND
So set your face firmly towards the religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made mankind... (Surat ar-Rum: 30)
Surely, it is Allah Who best knows the nature of man, which He has Himself created. This being the case, He is the One Who best knows people's needs and the ways to meet them. From how to maintain one's physical well-being, to how to remain spiritually strong, or how to attain a satisfying social life, are all known to Allah. For example, a human being, by nature, is attracted to all forms of mercy, love and virtuous conduct. He expects to be treated with mercy and compassion. He detests and avoids injustice, immorality, and all forms of wickedness. He feels so by Allah's Will. Because, Allah has instiled these values as part of a human's nature, he likes the good and avoids the wicked.
There are certain basic values in the Qur'an that Allah commands man to adopt; to be compassionate, merciful, reliable, honest and humble and to avoid tyranny, injustice and wickedness. In other words, that which is demanded by the religion of Islam, which Allah has revealed to mankind, and what man is naturally inclined to, are like the lock and the key that unlocks it, in perfect harmony with one another. Allah informs us of this fact in the Qur'an as follows:
So set your face firmly towards the religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made mankind. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true religion-but most people do not know it. (Surat ar-Rum: 30)
Unless people observe the limits set by Allah in the Qur'an, they wrong their own souls. Because, by failing to adopt the values that are in accordance with their creation, they appropriate attitudes against their very nature; this causes anxiety not only in themselves, but also makes them troublesome to society. As here stated:
...Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves. (Surah Yunus: 44)
We need to keep in mind that one can only live by the values praised by the religion of Islam if he feels it sincerely, with a heartfelt desire. A morality of religion that is imposed by force is both unacceptable in Allah's Sight, as well as a cause for the proliferation of insincere people, referred to as hypocrites in the Qur'an. This leads to the formation of an undesirable societal structure. Allah commands that people must not be compelled in the name of religion:
There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false Allahs and has faith in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat al-Baqara: 256)
Consequently, in no realm does the religion of Islam exert pressure on people; on the contrary, it provides the basis upon which true freedom of conscience can be established. A person who adopts the values of the Qur'an can in no way be bound. Since he lives in compliance with the morality of the Qur'an which is the requirement of his faith of his own accord, and through the exercise of his reason, he always feels contented and at peace.
Those who do not adhere to these religious values, on the other hand, can never attain the freedom believers enjoy, due to the countless void norms and traditions that prevail in society. Societies that fail to live according to the values of Islam formulate false values and criteria themselves, embracing taboos, and thereby, of their own doing, merely limit the freedom endowed to them by Allah. This being the case, those who are distant from the religion remain deprived of spiritual freedom, due to inappropriate rules and sanctions the society has imposed on them, as well as the many principles they unnecessarily adopt themselves.
The main force binding man, greater than any law of society, is the corruption of his own soul. Immoderate desires are a source of continual anxiety to him. They foster in him feelings of insecurity and fear of the future. Because of these negative tendencies within himself, he becomes ensnared in a difficult struggle with his various passions and desires. His soul relentlessly commands him to accumulate more assets, to make more money, or to win the admiration of others. Yet, these are all insatiable desires. The desire for wealth is a deep-seated passion, common to many. However, the fulfilment of this desire only arouses further false desires. Essentially, worldly desires always tend to become part of a vicious cycle.
Man can only save himself from such ignorance through faith in Allah and surrender to Him. Allah reveals thus in the Qur'an : "...It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful." (Surat al-Hashr: 9)
Man attains freedom only when he ceases to be a slave to his passions. From then on, satisfying the endless desires mentioned above finally ceases to be his purpose in life. He begins a life in which earning Allah's good pleasure becomes his only purpose, the purpose for which Allah created him.
This is true freedom; being a servant to Allah, and thus liberating oneself from everything other than Allah. It is for this reason that the wife of Imran prayed thus:
...My Lord, I have pledged to You what is in my womb, devoting it to Your service. Please accept my prayer. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Surah Al 'Imran: 35)
For the same reason, as it is stated in the verse, the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) said to his father:
Father, why do you worship what can neither hear nor see and is not of any use to you at all? (Surah Maryam: 42)
Throughout history, the messengers Allah sent to humanity invited them to save themselves from the corruption of their own souls, or becoming servants to human beings, to serve only Allah. Only when they save themselves from such perversion, which is against the purpose of their Creation, can they find relief. It is for this very reason that Allah's messenger ( may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is depicted in the Qur'an as a person who "...relieves people of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them":
...those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making good things lawful for them and bad things unlawful for them, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them. Those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful.' ( Surat al-A'raf: 157)
Another factor in Islam's conformity with human-nature is its simplicity. Allah has also made the religion, which He has revealed as a religion in conformity with the creation of the human being, easy to practice. This fact is stated in various verses:
Allah desires to make things lighter for you. Man was created weak. (Surat an-Nisa': 28)
...Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you... (Surat al-Baqara: 185)
But as for him who believes and acts rightly, he will receive the best of rewards and we will issue a command, making things easy for him. (Surat al-Kahf: 88)
From a drop of sperm He created him and proportioned him. Then He eases the way for him. (Surah 'Abasa: 19-20)
This simplicity also holds true for acts of worship. Regarding the rite of fasting, a religious duty observed during the month of Ramadan, Allah commands the following:
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance for mankind, with Clear Signs containing guidance and discrimination. Any of you who are resident for the month should fast it. But any of you who are ill or on a journey should fast a number of other days. Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you. You should complete the number of days and proclaim Allah's greatness for the guidance He has given you so that hopefully you will be thankful. (Surat al-Baqara: 185)
To conclude, Islam is a religion that is entirely in conformity with the nature of man. Because, it is Allah Who is pleased with Islam as a religion for man, and it is He Who has created him. Allah desires not difficulty but ease for His servants, and determined as their religion those values that best conform to their needs, wishes and manner of living. In a verse of the Qur'an, our Lord commands as follows:
...Today unbelievers have despaired of overcoming your religion. So do not be afraid of them but be afraid of Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My blessing upon you and I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you... (Surat al-Ma'ida: 3)
BELIEVERS MUST BE TOGETHER AND COOPERATE
Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided... (Surah Al 'Imran: 103)
People generally tend to make friends with others who possess similar qualities of character. They prefer people who share their outlook on life, enjoy the same things, and with whom they can get along well. As a consequence, those who share the same views inevitably build a strong bond among themselves. Honorable and honest people attract honorable and honest people like themselves; they do not make friends with wicked people. People who are dishonest and prone to mischief, on the other hand, tend to associate with others who are dishonest.
Believers, who are the only group, among all others, with whose character Allah is pleased, must, in accordance to Allah's command, and in conformity with their natural inclination, always remain together.
Indeed, it is an act of worship commanded by Allah in the Qur'an. Allah commands believers to remain together with other believers, and not to obey those who are irreverent:
Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds. (Surat al-Kahf: 28)
Believers are the only group of people on Earth that seek Allah's pleasure. Only they adopt the character traits with which Allah is pleased. These are not sufficient alone, however; it is necessary for there to be an environment where these values may be practiced and people to whom they may be exercised. Allah wants us to be just, to behave compassionately and mercifully, to enjoin what is right, and to adopt the values praised in the Qur'an. However, one cannot adhere to these values without the existence of other people. In other words, to be a compassionate and self-sacrificing person, one needs to be around the type of people who can appreciate this excellence of character, as well as deserve such treatment. Such people are the believers.
No sincere believer wants to make friends with someone who does not conduct himself as Allah commands, who has not adopted the values of the Qur'an, and thus, who wants only to be around other thoughtless people like himself. Furthermore, he does not nurture affection towards people who do not respect his beliefs, who condemn him because of his faith in Allah and his living his life by the values of the religion, and wants to drive him away from society and treat him with hostility:
You who believe! Do not take My enemy and your enemy as friends, showing love for them when they have rejected the truth that has come to you, driving out the Messenger and yourselves simply because you believe in Allah your Lord. If you have gone forth to strive for My sake and seeking My pleasure, keeping secret the love you have for them, I know best what you conceal and what you make known. Any of you who do that have strayed from the right way. If they come upon you, they will be your enemies and stretch out their hands and tongues against you with evil intent, and they would dearly love you to become unbelievers. (Surat al-Mumtahana: 1-2)
Allah informs us that it is not right to harbour love for such people, nor to make friends with them, and adds that believers must always remain with other believers:
You who believe! Have fear of Allah and be with the truly sincere. (Surat at-Tawba: 119)
Of course, a believer must approach everyone, including unbelievers, with a friendly and tolerant manner, and treat them justly. However, treating unbelievers with tolerance and justice is very different from actually adopting them as close friends. A believer takes only those who are believers like him as friends. This is Allah's command:
Your friend is only Allah and His Messenger and those who believe: those who attend to their prayers, pay the welfare tax (zakat), and kneel down in worship. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 55)
