Urgent!! A question from a non muslim

[veil]

Salam Alaikum
I was giving da'wah to a non muslim and he asked me the following question plz answer or link some youtube video JazakAllah


Preciate you bro.. I've been pretty busy so I haven't really had an opportunity to focus on questions I wanna ask you.. But I have one that I can think to ask you right now that was the primary reason I sought you out..

Do you believe you have a personal relationship with God?? Allah?? My mom told me for years that the difference between Christianity and all other religions was that only in Christianity was there offered a personal relationship with God.. She claims that Christianity teaches you that you should have a relationship with God but that no other religions do. She claimed that other religions didn't support communication between God and His worshippers. She claimed that Islam and Jewish people believed that having a personal relationship with God was not possible and trying was disrepectful or something. I investigated this a little bit and this doesn't appear to be true.

She doesn't mean that she walks around with or sees or verbally hears Him or anything.. It's more of a telepathic, prayer, Bible reading relationship thing.. She claims that God communicates to her when she reads her Bible and gives her feelings when she prays. She's also had some dreams that she claims were from God.

For a long time I believed this as 100% truth and thought that Muslims just didn't know anything about having a personal relationship with God but I investigated it a little and I'm not so sure this is true any more.

So can you tell me if you believe you have a personal relationship with God and if so can you tell me about it?

 

[JenGiove]

:salam2: Sister Veil,

Well, since I'm the resident non-Muslim, I was drawn to this post and feel I may be of benefit. I understand what your friend is trying to convey and *I* can tell you that *I* know that Muslims have as just a deep a connection with Creator as any Christian or Jew. The differences happen in the practice of that connection.

While I can not recite Ayat and Hadith like the others can to provide you with the proofs that you are seeking, I also do not think that those will help your friend very much. If someone does not believe in a religion's practice, how are they to be expected to believe in that religion's books and teachers? That being said, I can tell you what *I* have experienced here and maybe sharing that will help your friend.

I am a Native American. You know, those "red savages" that the Christians evicted from our own homes and stuffed onto desolate un-farmable waste land. Some sects of Christianity are warm, loving, accepting people who accept that while religion is different, PRAYER is the common connection and that God created us all. The bible even says that we were all created in "his image". Well, we are all unique, even down to our finger prints. How wondrous and powerful is Creator!? Subhana'Allah!

Love is also shown in different ways. Some people are expressive and showy, some are reserved and quiet. Some seem to have no heart at all but in reality, cry in the dark. Subhana'Allah!

How *I* have experienced the relationship of Muslims with Creator is that their "personal relationship" comes later, in Jannah. Trust first needs to be earned, and that is through thought and deed. For example, when a stranger comes to your house, do you invite him in, trusting that he will accept you and your house rules immediately and tell him all your secrets? No. Trust has to be earned. That takes time. The same holds true with Creator. In Islam, Creator has 99 beautiful names. How many do the Christians have?

Maybe Creator is just too massive for Christians to fully understand his attributes.

I understand about "dreams coming from Creator". My own culture has a name for those people who are believed to receive those dreams. Messages from Creator for the good of the whole nation. The Heyoka (pronounced Hey-o-ka). They are also known as "The Fools" because they do everything backwards. They dive into puddles. They walk backwards and say the opposite of everything (I love you=I hate you/I hate you=I love you) and they have a high status in our community because they bring balance to ceremonies. They remind us of our humanity and help keep us humble.

In Islam, it is said that the "good dreams are from Creator" and the "bad dreams are from Shaytaan". Someone else will have to provide the source for that for I can not.

In the end, it doesn't matter because a "personal relationship" is just that, personal. In Christianity, you don't go around telling strangers how to raise their kids because it's rude. So you don't go around telling other people how wrong they are in their "personal" relationship with Creator, it's disrespectful.

I hope I was able to help just a little and I please forgive me if I have been disrespectful or incorrect. I can only try my best.

 

[MohammedMaksudul]

:salam2:

May Allah guide you sister Jengiove.

And for the main theme of this thread:

Allah, The Exalted says [interpretation of the meaning]"Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me." Surat Al-Baqarah, verse 152.

In Jannah the Muslims will enjoy the physical company of Allah, The Exalted. They will see The Most Great, as clear as they can see the Moon on a full moon night with no clouds in the sky. That something we can't even imagine here in this world.

But it does not mean that Muslims don't have any personal relationship with Allah, The Most Merciful. In fact a Muhsin (the Highest form of Imaan ) is such a Muslim who worships Allah out of intimate love for Allah (May Allah forgive me if I have mistaken in recalling the word correctly). And to become a Muhsin a Muslim must become more and more devoted to Allah, through his spiritual relations with Allah. Prayer has to be prayed with utmost concentration, sincerity and such that we are conversing with Allah. The Quran should be read as if Allah is Commanding and Guiding us through the message. Simply, a muslims does have a personal relationship with Allah and he/she must build this relation by doing more and more good deeds and with true intentions and true dedication. There are 2 hadiths I am recalling but sorry for not being able to get the references (brothers and sisters might help me with this). First one is where it says that a person keeps on doing nafl (optional) prayers, fasting and dhikr unless his actions become such that is Guided by Allah and then his vision becomes such as Guided by Allah and his hearing becomes such as guided by Allah, etc. Meaning that he does nothing which is displeasing to Allah and it also says that Allah Grants their every wish.

Another hadith I recall is that it says to offer our salah with true submission and humility and not like a robot (just with mechanical movements). So this shows that Islam prescribes such a way of personal relation with Allah, The Exalted, that no other religion does. May Allah forgive any shortcomings in my knowledge and post, and please brothers and sisters do correct my mistakes if you find so. Allah knows Best.

 

[MohammedMaksudul]

And also 99 attributes are just what humans have been given knowledge of by Allah, The All-Wise, The Everlasting, and to Allah belongs all the best attributes. Allah Knows Best.

 

[veil]

JazakAllah khair for the answers, May Allah(SWT) reward you, btw i am a brother

 

[JenGiove]

JazakAllah khair for the answers, May Allah(SWT) reward you, btw i am a brother

:salam2: Brother...

Ooops....my sincere and deepest apology. I read "Veil" as in woman's head covering and made an assumption....hmmm...second time this week that's happened. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on that.

 

[tariq353]

:salam2: Sister Veil,

In Islam, it is said that the "good dreams are from Creator" and the "bad dreams are from Shaytaan". Someone else will have to provide the source for that for I can not.

May peace be upon u,
sister Jen,

I really admire ur knowledge.......

here is the ref.

Saheeh muslim
Bk 29, Number 5618:
Abu Qatada reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
as saying: The good vision are from Allah and the evil dreams
are from the satan. If one sees a dream which one does not
like, one should spit on one's left side and seek the refuge
of Allah from the satan; it will not do one any harm, and one
should not disclose it to anyone and if one sees a good vision
one should feel pleased but should not disclose it to anyone
but whom one loves.





Allah Hafiz

 

[JenGiove]

May peace be upon u,
sister Jen,

I really admire ur knowledge.......

here is the ref.

Saheeh muslim
Bk 29, Number 5618:
Abu Qatada reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
as saying: The good vision are from Allah and the evil dreams
are from the satan. If one sees a dream which one does not
like, one should spit on one's left side and seek the refuge
of Allah from the satan; it will not do one any harm, and one
should not disclose it to anyone and if one sees a good vision
one should feel pleased but should not disclose it to anyone
but whom one loves.





Allah Hafiz

:salam2:

Brother Tariq,

You're very kind, thank you, but I know nothing compared to everyone else here.......Its amazing how readily some people can just whip out an Ayat or Hadith at the drop of a hat.

Thank you for the providing veil with the reference.

 

[Bawar]

Assalamu alaikum brothers and sisters!

Quran 2:186
"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright."


I was avoiding to answer this question because I knew others could answer this much better, and they have. However, just to add to that, consider a few more of the following:

In our daily worship five times a day, we recite the following verses from the Quran at least 17 times (I said at least 17 times because I refer to the Fardh salat (obligatory prayers) which comprises of 17 Rak'ah (17 cycles altogether).

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin.
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
The Only Owner of the Day of Recompense
You (Alone) we worship, and you (Alone) we ask for help.
Guide us to the Straight Way
The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray." Quran 1:1-7

This chapter is called Fatiha (Opener). The holly Quran starts with this chapter. As can be seen, the relationship between the worshiper and the Creator is direct right from the start. The most important message that Islam conveys is that there is no need for intercession between the servant (worshiper) and his/her creator, but it is a direct relationship.

There is a saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) I apologise for the lack of reference as I forgot it (please help).

Uobodullah Ka Annaka Tarahu. Fa In-Lam Takun Tarahu, Fa Innahu Yaraka.
Translation:
"Worship God as though you see him. Even though you can not see Him, indeed He can see you."

When a Muslim goes to Mecca to perform the fifth pillar of Islam (Haj-Pilgrimage), the person shouts "Labbaik, Allahumma Labbaik" which means "I present myself O'Lord, I present myself".

There are many more examples, but I think this may be enough to answer the question.