Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Does Allah Prefer Or Does He Not?"



There are many places where the prophet is to relate the revelation on God's behalf without starting with the "qul" formula. Only the style indicates that the speaker at a place is not Allah but indirectly His messenger or some other character who are either directly quoted, paraphrased, or instructed on what to say in a given situation, context or ritual. Among the examples concerning the believers specifically, the Quran instructs them how to start certain endeavors or suras of the book with the "bismilla", or teaches them either within a larger sura or in a complete sura, like sura fatiha, how to verbally seek Allah's guidance. 

In the HB God says to Moses Ex33:19"I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you", ie I will teach you how to worship Me. In the book of Jeremiah, after a long admonishment, the prophet begins quoting, without any transition, a prayer of repentance to be uttered by the believers Jer3:22-5.

Despite the different aspects by which Allah has exalted some prophets above others, Muslims must regard all prophets and messengers as equals 
2:136,3:84"we do not make distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit". 
The Quran repeatedly commands the sincere, unprejudiced believers in God to utter this statement. The Quran here is not quoting the believers directly, rather teaching them how to express their faith. In 2:285 however, it quotes them directly 
"we make no difference between any of His apostles, AND they say; we hear and obey". 
The wa/and connecting the 2 statements shows that it is uttered by the same group. As they are elsewhere commanded, they first declare their equal belief in all prophets and they further declare their full obedience to Allah's will.

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