Monday, November 23, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Does the Quran Reject Christ’s Eternal Generation? Pt. 1"


Warith/to inherit stems from w-r-th. The common denominator between all derivates of the root is the idea of acquiring something that has survived. The word in itself does not indicate ownership status. It essentially conveys the idea that what has been acquired has survived an event that caused things around it to perish (death, destruction, etc). Only the context of its use determines whether there was previous ownership or not. 

The Quran, as Jesus does in the NT Matt25 (see also Zechariah2:12), describes the righteous believers as the inheritors of paradise 19:63,23:10-11,39:74,43:72. Literaly, the meaning is that they have received a thing that remained despite a destructive event, the resurrection in this case. The Arabic, again, does not indicate previous ownership status. Inheriting paradise does not imply it belonged to another who then forfeited his ownership to them. Metaphorically, it carries the notion of aqcuiring without much exertion. Because the immense reward of Paradise is many times described as far surpassing in value any kind of deed. 

But ultimately all things are perishing and only God is everlasting in and of Himself 55:26-7,28:88. Ultimately, He is the true inheritor and the Quran calls Allah khayr al waritheen/the best of those who inherit 3:180,15:23,19:40,21:89,28:58. He receives all that perdures, because even the life of those who "receive what has survived", such as the aforementionned case of the inheritors of paradise, is entirely dependant on His will. Should He cease sustaining them then all perduring things will return to Him 
11:108"And as to those who are made happy, they shall be in the garden, abiding in it as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord please". 
It is important to note here the concept of rajaa/"returning" to God. Nothing in the heavens and the earth has ever escaped His ownership. Some of these things were, at most, temporary trusts put at mankind's disposal by virtue of man's vicegerency on the earth, to test his gratitude and aptitude to make use of them in God-consciousness. Numerous verses reinforce that notion. So God's status is never altered during that whole process, neither does He gain or lose while His favors are entrusted to the humans, up until they are returned to him when He decrees to stop sustaining all life. 

It is in this sense that the prophet Zakariyya, in sura anbiya and aal imran, describes Allah as khayr al waritheen/best of the inheriters, when he prays Allah for a heir. With that wording, Zakariyya shows his farseighted wisdom. He humbly acknowledges that all life, including that of the heir he so wholeheartedly desires will end when God stops maintaining it. The higher implication is that, what his heir will inherit from him, will one day return to the true and ultimate Heir.


Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Does the Quran Reject Christ’s Eternal Generation? Pt. 1"

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