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Concept of God in Islam

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Mohammad Mushfequr Rahman

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 Concept of God in Islam
M. A/Mohammad M Rahman

Contents
The Identity of God.................................................................................................................................. 2
God is The Sovereign over Human Lives................................................................................................... 2
God is The Law Giver ............................................................................................................................... 3
God is The Law Giver of Created Existence (Universe).............................................................................. 3
God Chose Patriarchy over Matriarchy as The Human Social Construct .................................................... 3
God Chose Mankind as Alpha Creature on Earth ...................................................................................... 4
God Does Not Oppress ............................................................................................................................ 4
God is Just (and rejects models of injustice) ............................................................................................. 4
God’s Help is Sought and Earned/Shaping Destiny ................................................................................... 5
God’s Pre-Knowledge/God’s Ordained Destiny ........................................................................................ 5
God’s Will (Both Permission and Command) Transcends Everything ........................................................ 5
God’s Way of Dealing with The Sinners and Transgressors ....................................................................... 6
God may Make Suffering a Test and Tribulation....................................................................................... 6
God Created an Innate Human Moral Conscience .................................................................................... 6
God Promotes International Diplomacy ................................................................................................... 6
God’s Sanctioning of War ........................................................................................................................ 7
God Chose Emancipation over Slavery ..................................................................................................... 7
God is Partisan of The Righteous (because satan rejected God) ............................................................... 7
God Prefers Reason and Knowledge Over Ignorance................................................................................ 8
God of The Prophets, Torah and Gospel .................................................................................................. 8
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................... 9
The Identity of Godi

Quran 57:3

He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.

Quran 42:11

There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

Quran 112:1-4

Say, "He is Allah, The One,

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

He neither begets nor is born,

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.

Quran 2:255

Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness
overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who
is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what will
be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Throne
extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High,
the Most Great.

Quran 59:24

He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the
heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Quran 42:51

And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a
partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most
High and Wise.

Quran 16:8

And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates
that which you do not know.

God is The Sovereign over Human Lives

Quran 51:56

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
Quran 2:30

And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a
representative/vicegerent." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and
sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you
do not know."

God is The Law Giver

Quran 5:48

To each of you [Prophet/Nation] We prescribed a law and a method.

Quran 5:45

And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

God is The Law Giver of Created Existence (Universe)ii

Quran 41:12

He assigned to each heaven its duty and command

Quran 54:49

Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure

Quran 51:47

And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are expanding it

Quran 39:21

Have you not seen that Allah sent rain down from the sky and caused it to penetrate the ground and
come forth as springs, then He caused crops of different colors to grow?

God Chose Patriarchy over Matriarchy as The Human Social Construct

Quran 4:34

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend
[for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the
husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those from whom you fear arrogance -
[first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey
you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.
Quran 4:3iii

And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of
[other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or
those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].

God Chose Mankind as Alpha Creature on Earth

Quran 45:13

And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him.

Quran 2:29

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth.

Quran 17:70

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and
provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with
[definite] preference.

God Does Not Oppressiv

Quran 3:109

..and Allah wants no injustice to the worlds.

Quran 16:118

And We did not wrong them [thereby], but they were wronging themselves.

God is Just (and rejects models of injustice)v

Quran 44:16

The Day We will strike with the greatest assault, indeed, We are avengers

Quran 5:8

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the
hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah ;
indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
Quran 4:135

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be
against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both.
So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to
give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.

God’s Help is Sought and Earned/Shaping Destinyvi

Quran 47:7

O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.

Quran 8:60

And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may
terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom
Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not
be wronged.

Quran 53:39

And that there is not for man except that for which he strives

Quran 55:29

Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He is involved in a matter.

Quran 13:39

Allah eliminates what He wills or confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.

God’s Pre-Knowledge/God’s Ordained Destinyvii

Quran 17:4

And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the
earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness.

God’s Will (Both Permission and Command) Transcends Everythingviii

Quran 64:11

No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah - He will guide his heart.
And Allah is Knowing of all things.

Quran 81:29
And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.

God’s Way of Dealing with The Sinners and Transgressors

Quran 3:178

And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is
better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a
humiliating punishment.

Quran 39:26

So Allah made them taste disgrace in worldly life. But the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they
only knew.

Quran 16:45

Then, do those who have planned evil deeds feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow
them or that the punishment will not come upon them from where they do not perceive?

God may Make Suffering a Test and Tribulation

Quran 3:140

If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it.
And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident
those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does not like the
wrongdoers –

Quran 2:155ix

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits,
but give good tidings to the patient

God Created an Innate Human Moral Conscience

Quran 91:8

And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,

God Promotes International Diplomacy

Quran 49:13
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that
you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of
you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.

God’s Sanctioning of War

Quran 2:190

Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like
transgressors.

Quran 4:75

And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among
men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint
for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?"

Quran 5:33x

Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to
cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from
opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for
them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,

God Chose Emancipation over Slaveryxi

Quran 90:12-13

And what ye comprehend of the highest good? It is freeing a slave.

God is Partisan of The Righteous (because satan rejected God)

Quran 48:29

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but)
compassionate amongst each other.

Quran 9:71
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid
what is wrong and establish prayer and give religious tax and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those -
Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

Quran 3:118

O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare
you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths,
and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use
reason.

God Prefers Reason and Knowledge Over Ignorance

Quran 2:269

He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much
good. And none will remember except those of understanding.

Quran 23:80

And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will
you not reason?

Quran 3:190

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are
signs for those of understanding.

God of The Prophets, Torah and Gospel

Quran 3:3

He has sent down upon you, the Book (Quran) in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed
the Torah and the Gospel.

Quran 2:133

Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship
after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and
Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

Quran 2:213

Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good
tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people
concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over the Scripture except those who were
given it - after the clear proofs came to them - out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah
 guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission.
And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.

Conclusion

The service of God is only perfected when we know about Him and His nature. Most Muslims today are
far behind everything including an understanding of their God. It is when we understand our God that
we can hatch a plan and strategy to revive our religion and empower the Islamic Ummah.

End Notes
i
These verses show God does not have a form, body or place of existence because God is transcendent while
creation consists of change, time and embodiment.
ii
This also includes the laws of science
iii
The focus and command is on the male. If there is no patriarchy, then among four wives which one will have
authority and decision-making power? So Islamic family is a hierarchy and not an anarchy
iv
Is inflicting natural suffering such as earthquakes, famine etc. are oppression from God? What is oppression?
Oppression is giving people something which they do not deserve. God’s giving natural disaster to test people is
not oppression because mankind’s existential cause is to show loyalty and thanks to God’s bounties and earn
paradise. So, God given natural suffering for people is an opportunity for people to show their loyalty. In pain and
suffering true love and loyalty are revealed.
v
Some models of injustice are nationalism, racism, tribalism and aristocracy. The common theme in these is
preferential treatment of a certain group at the expense of all others.
vi
God has given us limited free will which we may also use in limited capacity and for which we will be judged.
vii
If God wants, He can predestine things according to His plan.
viii
God’s will also affect the scientific and logical processes under which our will is constrained
ix
It does not necessarily mean God will create poverty and disaster for you, but it can also be that a oppressor
causes hardship on you and God may make it a test for you giving you victory over your oppressor.
x
This is a political and legal command for the Islamic government. Fighting Allah and His messenger who is not
among us now, means fighting their authority which is realized through Islamic government. We know prophet’s
life mostly was in the capacity of a prophet, political leader, judge and general.
xi
Islam came to end slavery through gradual stages in a time when having slave was like having the internet today.

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