“There is no God but Allah and Mohammed (PUBH) is His messenger.”

[Wisdom_Seeker]

A quick question. First my intentions aren’t to offend Allah or any Muslim person. But I want to have more knowledge about this, and clearly understand its true meaning. If I make a mistake I hope Allah forgives me.

 

Is saying there is no “God but Allah” the same as saying there is “no Allah”

 

Is it like saying there is “No man but Ali” Isn’t Ali the man? So if there is no man then there can’t be Ali. For Ali is a man.

 

So what does “there is no God but Allah” mean?

 

I truly don’t have much knowledge about Islam. So I thought I should ask questions rather than come to my own conclusion.

 

help is seriously needed

[Pi]

There is no God (worthy of worship) but Allah has a special meaning in Islam. Entire volumes of books are written about it. It's the essence of Tawhid. But that's not really your question. So let me take a stab at your actual question.

 

There is no God, but Allah

 

Means that nothing is a God but Allah. In other words, Allah is the only God. Basic english.

 

There is no Man, but Ali

 

Means that nothing is a man but Ali. In other words, Ali is the only man.

 

Again, this is just a linguistic approach to your question. As far as the word "God" goes, ppl of different religions call many things "God". Islam tells us that all those are not actual Gods. There is only one actual God (worthy of worship): Allah.

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Thanks Pi for the clarifications.

 

I have some questions, but I am in a hurry right now. I will post them later.

 

Salam

[Pi]

You're welcome.

 

Out of sheer curiosity, do you consider yourself a mystic? I'm sure you have some working definition of mysticism. What kind of mystic are you? Don't worry. I will tolerate difference- just this one time. LOL.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Salaan sare.

 

Horta ereyadda Carabiga inaad fahantid waaye, oo micnaha weyn ka dambeyso. Aan wada soo qoro the first part of the whole phrase: Laa Illaaha ilallaah [ila'allaah].

 

Ereyga 'illaah' Carabtii hore waxee u aaminsanayeen 'a god' ama si kale aan u dhahee, a 'lesser' god. At the time, however, Allah [Al-Illah (The God)], was the Supreme God -- absolutely nothing ka sareyn karo.

 

So, Carabtaas jaahiliinta iyo jaalintiinta kale adduunka ku wada fidsan oo caabudi jiray illaahyo yar yar iyo mid weyn ay aaminsanayeen, walina caabudo si loogu sheego in a fully succinct way and without complicating those corrupted minds, Eebbe ayaa Nabigiisa kusoo dejiye in uu dhaho: Laa Illaaha Ilallaah [ila'allaah]. Its roughest English meaning would therefore be "There is no god but The God" [the One and the Only].

 

However, in time the two words of 'illaah' and 'allah' became intercheable terms, referring to Eebbe, especially by Soomaalis. This is where your confusion stems from.

 

It is simple, just the terminologies ayaa ku wareertay.

 

Also in the Ingiriis language they use 'a god' as equivalent of an 'idol.' All idol-based, pagan religions follow that way, having many 'lesser' gods and goddesses.

[FatB]

i thought you were somali mystic!

[Ms DD]

Salaam

 

I think the correct translation is "There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah"

[Ebyan]

There is no god but Allah = There's only one god.

[Uthman1]

The statement "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed(pbuh) is His messenger"

 

is not the correct translation of the arabic term La ilaha ilalah muhamadan rasululah

 

Correct translation is

 

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah."

 

This site:

http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/

 

Describes the basics of tawheed.

[Wisdom_Seeker]

The one and only

 

I am Somali, but the phrase “There is no God but Allah” confused me. Allah is God, so how could there be no God. Ms Dhucdhuc & Dheylo translation sounds much reasonable.

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Originally posted by Pi:

You're welcome.

 

Out of sheer curiosity, do you consider yourself a mystic? I'm sure you have some working definition of mysticism. What kind of mystic are you? Don't worry. I will tolerate difference- just this one time. LOL.

Frist question, no.

 

Mysticism has no boundaries. It can be reached from any path. Drugs can lead to spiritual hits, fights to spiritual realization, love to spiritual freedom, and hate to spiritual entrapment.

 

We are self contained. Mysticism and spirituality opens the self, and frees the prisoner of his chains.

 

Remember, curiosity is what killed the cat.

[Nur]

Mystic

 

The following 2003 eNuri post sheds light on the meaning of the words that make up the Declaration of Shahaaada, the piece accounts to historical development of the meaning of ilaah and Allah.

 

Please read on.

 

 

From Nurtel Archives ( Somaliaonline edition, some changes appear from original version for clarification)

 

 

Fourteen centuries ago, Allah SWT sent a Messenger(SAWS) to mankind, A man who was raised in Makkah, present day Saudi Arabia, and who belonged to a tribe called Quraish, the decendants of Prophets Ismail and Abraham (aleyhimaa assalam).

 

The Messenger of Allah was sent to an Arab speaking people, and naturally, he communicated with them in Arabic language. Every messenger also did communicate with his people by way of their respective language and culture with examples they could understand and relate it to their lives. The reason is that Allah intended the message to be understood, and his teachings followed. Whe we fail to address people with analogies they understand we fail to deliver the true meaning of our message and confusion shrouds our minds. That is why some of our respected Ulema fail to convince the new generation of Muslims and non Mulsims, because the Ulema are "NOT CONNECTED" to the same media, nor speak the lingo of the times, as a result, a great deal of knowledge remains untransmitted, and not utilized. Based on the above prelude, I am about to convey the history of Tawheed with analogoies that cann be understood by residents of North America, and to an extent most westernized Somalis, specially my cousins in Qurac Dheer, Somali Peninsula, who listen to Heavy Metal in their tents.

 

 

The Arabian Tribe Quraish was the center of attention of all Arabs at the time as it controlled the holly shrine Kaaba, which represented a tribute erected by Prophet Abraham and his son Ismail for the remembrance and reverence of Allah ALONE on earth.

 

These days, life was simple, there was no TV, Radio, newspapers, sitcoms, tabloids and Somaliaonline.

 

So people communicated one-on-one and they enjoyed poetry and oratory in public places, similar to the ancient Greeks and Romans lavish theaters.

 

They mastered the language early in their childhood, and as adults they were quick to understand the meaning of every spoken word.

 

When the prophet SAWS called them for Islam, they asked him about the essense of his message.

 

The prophet told them ( My message is laa ilaaha illa Allahu)

 

A bedouin responded, (then all Arabs and non Arabs wil fight against you).

 

The bedouin knew the meaning of the word ILAAH in Arabic language.

 

In Suuratl Jinn, aayah 19, Allah says " And when the Abdullah Servant of Allah stood up to calling for his (ilaah), (the polytheists) almost ganged up against him"

 

This brings us to the core issue, TERMINOLOGY. understanding these terminology the way the SALAF understood it, will make us do what they did. The Salaf were proficient in their language, lived their times and fulfilled their commitment to their best. Can the same be said about us? When we speak about Islam do we live our times? are we taking our responsibilities seriously as they did to make Islam interwoven throughout our lifestyle? are we fulifilling our responsibility to Allah? or are we wishy washy people?

 

SALAF were not a group of people, it was a period of time in history, in which Islam blossomed, and the word of Allah reached the corners of the world. Generally it is referred to the first three generations of Saxaabah and the taabiciin, and taabicu taabiciin.

 

Today we are trying to understand what used to drive these people to do monumental achievements recorded to their credit in every sphere of life. They were more pious in ibaadah, more involved in community and political environment, more accomplished in jurisprudence Fiqh, sciences, the arts, and business, they were leaders for humanity, they freed Europe from darkness and corrupt Kings and Church leaders, they traded with asia with honesty and fairness which resulted mass conversion of Asians to Islam, the religion of common sense.

 

The key to understanding what motivated these Salaf generation lies in the components of the very word that changed history

 

The Word was :

 

 

" Laa ilaaha Ilaa Allah)"

 

 

Once Quraish heard the word, they became alarmed.

 

why? because they understood its far reaching meaning more than most muslims understand today.

 

This strategy to present this Word before all the detais of Islam's social change was not the choice of our prophet Muhammad SAWS. Nor did it happen thoughtlessly. The Messenger was commanded to do it that way. And there is a wisdom for us to ponder. In contrast, today, the first thing we tell non Muslims is the Hijaab, or Sharia, we fail to set up the right comminications link between man and his maker, the link of Tawheed, laa ilaaha ilaa Allah, which can transform the human being from a defiant to a humble person.

 

Imagine, the Messenger SAWS sitting on the corner of Yamaaniyah of the Kaaba, making ibaadah (worship), and around him ther are circumventing female naked pilgrim women making tawaaf and all he is asking people to do was " SAY , LAA ILAAHA ILLAA ALLAH" not to cover up their bodies, because he was ordered to address the root cause of man's rebellion against his maker which is his ignorance of his maker.

 

He knew if they accept this word, and its requirements, that all evil will be wiped. and in twenty three short years, it was.

 

 

So, We may ask, how was it possible that the decendants of the father of TAWXIID, Prophet Abraham, Peace be upon him, The honorable tribe of Quraish, put three hundered and sixty idols asnaam (Gods) inside a house dedicated to the sole reverence of Allah, the one and only god?

 

It is all about terminology.

 

Just like Satan persuaded Adam and Eve, to eat from the forbidden tree, calling it ( Shajaratul Khuld), Satan inspired Quraish to worship extensions of Allah through what they have claimed as his daughters, just as Christians today ascribe a son to Allah as an extension of the Real Ilaah (subhaanahu wa tacalaa camma yaquuluuna culuwan kabeera).

 

So Satan inspired them to select the names of these goddesses from the root name of Allah, to make it easy for people ta accept it (like copying a trade mark with slight change, like naming your supermarket SAFESTWAY instead of SAFEWAY, or naming your autopart shop TRECKAUTO instaead of TRAKAUTO).

 

So they named the first godess ( Al Laata, from Allah and Al Uzza, From Al Azeez etc.)

 

This tactic in Arabic language is called ILXAAD, Allah mentioned in the Quraan saying " Inna ladeenu yulxiduuna fee asmaa'ih laa yakhfowna calaynaa)". (Those who change the purpose behind the meaning of His Names, are not hidden from our view)

 

Therefore Ilxaad It means changing the purpose behind the meaning of a word, just like Sodomy is called GAY today.

 

 

Just like unsuspecting SAFEWAY Supermarkets customers can shop at a phony store cashing illegaly on someone else's trade mark, by naming his supermarkets SAFESTWAY, The decendants of Abraham were tricked by SATAN to worship others beside Allah therby satan scored a point to support his promise to to Allah that he will mislead mankind.

 

When Prophet Muhammad came with his message, he challenged the tribe of Quraish that all but Allah is fake as an ILAAH. This caused a major problem.

 

But what does ILAAH mean.

 

The root meaning of the word ILAA caomes from the Arabic word (ALIHA) the masdar of this word means among others:

 

1. To seek a protection ( Like an infant seeks mother's love , wormth and protection)

2. To seek a rescuer ( in times of distress)

3. To seek the highest authority, no one scapes from ( Jurisdiction and Sovreighnty).

4. It meant leadership. ( ZACIIM UL QOWM)

5. Any thing one follows even desires is called ilaah

 

Now when all these meaning were assigned to Allah alone, Quraish had a reason to be alarmed. After all they were the masters of the Arabs at the time. They controlled the trade routes, the Pilgramage and the business it created, The slave trade, Gambling, fornication, drinking and all social evils. They were the losers if the system changed and Muhammad came with a very radical view of the world and how it should be run.

 

They offered him to lead Quraish as their Zaciim, if he stops this word.

 

They offered him money, and most beautiful women.

 

But Mohammad SAWS was not looking for power, presidency, good life, rather he had a mission and a message to deliver, and against it nothing could distract him, so he said his famous statement

 

" If they place the sun on my right palm, and the moon on my left palm, to stop my mission, I would not stop preaching the message that man should surrender to his creator willingly)

 

(note that all creatures are submiting to Allah unwillingly since they have no control over their creation and death and all natural causes that are limiting their freedom).

 

" and then Allah ( ISTAWAA) on the heavens while it was smoke ( Dust particles) and said to them and the earth "surrender willingly or unwillingly" they said, we surrender willingly,....."

 

Before Mohammad SAWS, Prophet Jesus (aleyhi salam) delivered the same message, and the Romans with the help of Jews, planned for his murder, but Allah lifted him up to the heavens and saved him from their wickedness.

 

Today, the Tawheed word exists, but there is no correspondense between this word and the reality of those who say it, hence, saying shahaada today is like a tenant signing a rental agreement he did no understand,

 

Is such a document binding? scolars say NO.

 

A further proof for the above observation is that this word has not stirred in our lives, what it has stirred in the lives of the SALAF AL SAALIX, before us.

 

They said the word, and its effects were detected in their lives and the entire world.

 

We also said the word, and it has no significant effect on our lives.

 

A wise person shouldn't then fool themselves that the King has still some clothes.

 

A good way to measure understanding of this word, is a measure of actions it creates in our lives.

 

If the actions are not there. It may mean that there is no gold reserves in the Bank to validate the currency in circulation. The root cause, the meaning of the word and the belief may not be there.

 

 

Nur

 

2003 Nurtel Communications

 

Paradise is Possible Summer Campaign

[Khalaf]

Salaamu alaykum. Mystic if u dont mind can we make this thread: Questions on Islam? i dont think ull mind marka ill ask a question.

 

Brother Nur and others, this is interesting and clever question, maybe u heard it before but its from an athiest and would like to c what ur responses would be. JZK

 

here's the question: How could an all-knowing merciful God look into the future, see all the people who will be suffering in Hell for all eternity, and still create those people? Wouldn't it be more Merciful to have never created them?

 

 

peace

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Thanks Nur

 

Of course khalaf, we need to start answering and knowing the questions the Un-believers have to throw our way.

[Nur]

Khalaf walaal

 

You pose an Athiests Question:

 

How could an all-knowing merciful God look into the future, see all the people who will be suffering in Hell for all eternity, and still create those people? Wouldn't it be more Merciful to have never created them?

 

 

Answer:

 

In my college days, A professor who taught the same class ( a Quantitative Analysis descipline) over and over for many years warned the class about pitfalls of not following his instructions.

 

The Professor while explaining a methodological way to solve a special problem reflected:

 

" I've taught this class for 20 years, and this special problem has always proven difficult for students to grasp and solve. Every year, I warn my students and tell them to stick with my method to solve the problem, because if they try to solve it any onther way, they will fail, unfortunately, every year on the average, five students fail by not following my method, not because they were not warned, but because it was their CHOICE to ignore the warning" he went on " I am sure that five students in this class who are listening to me now will fail, because of their choice"

 

The analogy here is about a human teacher who does not know what the future holds for his students, but from data of past twenty years he formed a knowledge base on which ha can base a prediction that holds water.

 

The key to the answer is therefore CHOICE, Allah gave us intellect to either obey or disobey, and he gave us the freedom of choice, and its utter justice that those who abide by rules are rewarded with goodness and those who commit crimes to be punished. However Allah's prior knowledge of our choices should not be reason for Allah to take away our valued freedom to choose to make our own decisions.

 

What the Atheist is suggesting is contradictory to his own desire for personal CHOICE of not following Allah's way, if Allah took that right away from him, he will be like a rock pepple on the beach, but we know that man has a purpose on earth and mission, which the Athiest fails to understand and hence his confusion. If we followed his warped logic, We would have all been Muslims, however many verses in Quraan clarify this fact. The Polytheists during Prophet Muhammad SAWS have used the same argument " Wa law shaa'a Allahu ma cabadnaahum" ( If Allah so willed, we would not have worshipped them (idols) ), here mankind is trying to transfer blame to Allah and insist on doing evil on earth as HIS CHOICE, then complain why Allah did not take that freedom away from him in the first place. This is mockery of reason, as he asking in other words, why did Allah gave me a mind? and a Choice? I would have been better off without them. Now, that is the exact wish of evil doers who end up in hell, the Quraan reccounts the unbeliever's future wish when they end up in hell, they say: " Leytanii kuntu turaabaa" meaning, " I wish I was sand"

 

The question that bounces back at the Athiest is this:

 

Do you want to be a human gifted and honored with intellect hence accountable to her/his actions? or do you want to be an animal or a rock pepple unaccountable for its action?

 

The moral of Islam's message:

 

If you can't take the heat of hell, stay out of trouble!

 

Fair enough?

 

 

Nur