164. The powers relegated to the Messengers of Allah.

In verses (3:79, 6:89, 19:12, 21:74, 28:14, 45:16) of the Quran, Allah while talking about his messengers says He is the One who revealed the scriptures and powers to them.The word ‘Hukum’ means ‘Power’.When we look into the life of the messengers, majority of them were not given powers to rule. 

If that is the case we need to understand what Allah means by the messengers being bestowed with scriptures and power in the above cited verses. 

.Allah says in verse 19:12 of the Quran He bestowed Yahya with power in his childhood.

Messengers bestowed with scriptures are well known. But how to understand Allah saying He has given powers to messengers without doing so? This is to be understood as powers not to rule nations but instead the power to explain the scriptures as spiritual heads to formulate laws and order people to obey the same.

If it is not understood this way,the verses become meaningless. 

On the other hand if it is understood in terms of power to rule nations, they (messengers) would have been given the said powers. 

The Quran says many messengers were murdered by their enemies, and all the messengers who were victorious did not form governments to rule.

In verse (2:87) Allah says “ You denied a section of the messengers and killed most of them. 

The powers mentioned in these verses denote the power to formulate laws to rule, that reach the messengers in some way or the other. 

This is the reason we find the verses saying the messengers were bestowed with scriptures and powers.

In verse 6:89 of the Quran Allah says “We bestowed in them (the messengers) scriptures, power, and eligibility to be prophets, and if they refuse to accept we will entrust the same to a people (a community) who are not disbelievers.

If nothing more than scriptures were revealed to the messengers, Allah would not have said in the Quran, about power and eligibility as messengers being granted to them.

These messengers if they refuse to accept the three responsibilities, we will assign these to a community who will not refuse. And Allah warns that if the messengers were of the opinion to refuse hukum (power),and (eligibility as a messenger) and accept only the scriptures, then all the three would be entrusted to a community who are not disbelievers.

And those who refuse these three responsibilities are declared as disbelievers as per this verse .

These verses confirm explanations of scriptures by messengers are a must..

To know more about the necessity of explanations by prophets to scriptures please refer point nos 18, 36, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 286, 318, 350, 352, 358, 430.

163.The prediction about Makkah victory.

The prediction through a dream Allah made known to Prophet Muhammad that he would bring under his control his native city that banished him is made true by the verse (48:27)

162. Is lying allowed while propagating religion?

Verse (6:76-78) says Prophet Ibrahim initially believed the stars to be God, then the Moon and then the Sun, finally he came to the conclusion all these could never be the creator.

But Prophet Ibrahim was never a person who equated God with anything or anyone. is said in verses 2:135, 3:67, 3:95, 6:161, 16:120, 16:123 

Since Prophet Ibrahim was never a creator of equals to God,his initial beliefs on stars,moon and sun as God was nothing but to make people understand gradually who God is.

If Prophet Ibrahim had real belief in them to be God then the phrase “He was never a creator of an equal to God would be belied.

If it is to be taken as his beliefs prior to becoming a Prophet, even such a conclusion is wrong..

Because Allah says in verse (6:83) of the Quran “ We provided this evidence to Ibrahim”. Hence it needs to be concluded that Prophet Ibrahim argued on the basis of what was provided by Allah to him.Prophet Ibrahim used a strategy to make people understand the truth about God. 

The lesson that needs to be understood from his history is, we can convey messages gradually to people to better understand.

We can take this verse as a proof to propagate good messages via a method that is not considered contradictory to the Quran. 

And Allah also approved the way of Prophet Ibrahim as can be seen in verse (6:83) of the Quran.

Just as Prophet Ibrahim lied to people to make them understand and reform, some misuse the strategy on the same lines.

Some want to follow the footsteps of others who spread messages like ‘the blind see and the deaf hear’ etc, this is entirely wrong, showing the method of Prophet Ibrahim as theirs.

Because messages like the ‘blind see’ etc are spread with a motive that people should believe them where as it is not true.And believe are carried away to believe the same. 

But Prophet Ibrahim did not believe in what he said about the stars , moon, and sun and neither did he want the people to believe .He did not say these words to convince people to accept these objects as God. 

He brought the people a step further by sending the message that stars were far more powerful by shining and giving light than powerless idols. .

By saying the moon has more power than the stars in lighting he brings the people a step further up.

Moon is not big enough to be called as God, people need something big like the sun to be called as God, hence he makes the people think sharper and stops at the sun.. 

Later he lets people think and arrive in terms of a Creator of the entire universe as God.

There is a model for us to follow in Prophet Ibrahim’s method to make people at the lowest ebb of belief to realize God.

Those that resort to lies while propagating religion do it with the purpose that people believe in the wrong ideology. and want the people to remain in it. There is no connection between the lies by those who want people to remain in the wrong ideology and that of Prophet Ibrahim’s methodology in propagating religion. 

To know more about this please refer to explanation points 236, 336, 432. 

161. Angels as messengers.

In most of the places in the Quran it is mentioned, God chose messengers from amongst men, in some places it is mentioned that messengers were also from amongst the angels.

Those verses are(6:61, 7:37, 10:21, 11:69, 11:77, 11:81, 15:57, 15:61, 19:19, 22:75, 29:31, 29:33, 35:1, 43:80, 51:31) of the Quran.

160. Men protected by angels during their lifetime.

In this verse (6:61) the word protectors denotes the angels. 

Every man is assigned angels to protect him from dangers till his appointed time arrives to be dead. 

In an accident when several are killed a few are miraculously saved. The reason attributed here is the Islamic concept of non arrival of the appointed time of death to those remaining alive, with the assigned angels playing their part.

159. The ways to greet people.

The verses (4:94, 6:54, 7:46, 10:10, 11:69, 13:24, 14:23, 15:52, 16:32, 19:33, 19:47, 19:62, 24:27, 24:61, 25:63, 25:75, 27:59, 28:55, 33:44, 33:56, 36:58, 37:79, 37:109, 37:120, 37:130, 37:181, 39:73, 43:89, 51:25, 56:26, 56:91, 97:5) of the Quran talk about ways to greet each other while meeting.Prophet Muhammad followed the manners, and the community continued to follow the same for the past 1442 years. 

But when certain verses of the Quran are observed we find them conveying different words other than Assalam Alaikum while greeting each other.

The verses 7:46, 13:24, 16:32, 39:73 of the Quran say the good people in paradise will be greeted by the angels with a salutation Assalamun Alaikum. 

Similarly in verse (6:54) of the Quran we find it saying, to greet each other with the salutation Salamun Alaikum.

Verse (28:55) of the Quran says, the good will greet each other saying “Salamun Alaikum”

In verses 10:10, 11:69, 14:23, 15:52, 19:32, 25:63, 25:75, 33:44, 36:58, 37:79, 37:109, 37:120, 37:130, 37:181, 43:89, 51:25, 56:26 of the Quran we find only ‘Salam’ and not “Salamun Alaikum” We find the word ‘Salaam’ mostly. 

In verse 19:47 of the Quran we find the word “Salamun Alaika” be used while greeting each other.

Through verse (19:33) of the Quran, we come to understand the use of the prefix ‘As’ with ‘Salaam’ while greeting each other.

While greeting each other saying “Salam” (or) Salamun Alaikum (or) “ Salamun Alaika” stands to gain the same and does not go against the Quran. 

Prophet Muhammad has used the term Assalam Alaikum at many instances, and we using the same is not against the above cited verses.

.Because saying Salamun Alaikum and Assalam Alaikum are two different dimensions of the same word.Salamun Alaikum means “May peace be on you” and Assalam Alaikum means “May that peace be upon you.

Meaning ‘That’ peace which Allah has mentioned in the Quran be upon you. 

The salaam which Muslims practice has a deep meaning in it.

This greeting that has been taught to us by the Quran is a suitable one fitting all times and all occasions.. 

This greeting translates as ‘ Let peace and blessings of God be upon you.

This greeting can be conveyed to any one at times of marriages as well at times of grief, where peace is a necessity., 

And can be conveyed at any time,either be it in the morning,evening or night.

This can be conveyed by elders to young or by young to elders. 

Can be conveyed by a healthy person to an ill ,or by a patient to a healthy person. 

By a teacher to a student or from a student to a teacher.

This form of greeting is devoid of any ignominy. or disrespect to anyone There are different ways of greetings being practiced in this world,.Some greetings conveying the good part of the day cannot be expressed taking into consideration the situation at that part of the day causing an embarrassment to the person being greeted. Similarly certain greetings seem to bring down the self respect of the person expressing the greeting.This form of greeting that prays for the well being of the person being greeted is an unique one.

Majority of Muslims believe this form of greeting should be conveyed only to Muslims and as a result with hesitation they greet non Muslims with words that bring discomfiture to them and also at times with words creating an equal to the AlMighty. There are no two opinions about violating a rule in the Quran or the guidance of Prophet Muhammad when greeting a person. But Allah or his Prophet had not made any strictures against greeting non Muslims with a ‘Salam’.

In verses 2:130, 2:135, 3:95, 4:125, 6:161, 16:123, 22:78 of the Quran Allah emphasizes the need for us to follow the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim in life...Prophet Ibrahim sought forgiveness from Allah for his father who did not accept monotheism. But once he realized he made a mistake he refrained from it.Except for that mistake, Allah says in verse (60:4) of the Quran Prophet Ibrahim is a role model for the entire Muslim community (of the world till the end times)

Verse (19:47) tells about Prophet Ibrahim saying “ Let the Peace and blessings be upon you, I will seek forgiveness for you from my God.He is very kind to me. 

We need to take Prophet Ibrahim greeting his father with ‘Salam’ as a model, though his father created an equal to God Almighty.

Some erroneously question the greeting of non Muslims with a ‘Salam.’This is a wrong question. 

The meaning of the greeting ‘Assalam Alaikum” is “May the peace of God be with you”.

This Islamic greeting also holds within itself to mean’ let the peace be upon’ those who accepted Islam as their way of life..And it also means let peace be upon the non Muslims We can pray for the worldly benefits of non Muslims in this world, there is no restrictions in doing so.

Hence there is no justification in refusing to greet a non Muslim with “Salam”

Hadith Book Bukhari:(12, 28, 6236).

Prophet Muhammad has said to greet persons whom we knew and those others. (Hadith Book Bukhari:12, 28)

Had there been a restriction to greet only Muslims with “Salam” Prophet Muhammad would have done and said so. But he says in the above cited Hadith to greet all.

“Greeting all” includes persons we know and those we do not, hence from this we can come to the conclusion that we are to greet non Muslims also.

Moreover the verses (25:63, 28:55, 43:88,89) of the Quran says when we happen to converse with ignorant persons say ‘Salam’ This verse speaks about some ignorant among the non Muslims who entered into fallacious argument with Prophet Muhammad.

A superficial perusal of these verses will convey that we can greet non Muslims also with a Salam.

Some people argue citing the following hadith that non Muslims should not be greeted with a ‘Salam’

“When the People of the Book,” greet you with a ‘Salam’ reply to them with ‘Wa Alaikum’ meaning ‘the same to you’

Hadith Book Bukhari:6258.

Their argument is that since Prophet Muhammad has asked to reply to ‘People of the Book’ with the word “wa alaikum’ when greeted by them, there is no need to reply with only a ‘Salam’.

When Prophet Muhammad issues an order without assigning reason, it is incumbent upon us to follow the same without question is a well accepted fact. And when he prohibits a certain thing specifying reasons ,this is not to be taken as a general rule is also known.

As far as replying to ‘Salam’ of ‘People of the Book’ is concerned Prophet Muhammad has made it clear the reason behind it.

By saying “When the Jews greet you they say ‘Assamu Alaika’ meaning death to you leaving out the ‘la’ in the Assalam, hence you reply by saying ‘Wa Alaika’ meaning the same to you. 

Hadith Book Bukhari :6257, 2935, 6256, 6024, 6030, 6395, 9401, 6927

.Because the Jews did not say ‘Assalam’ the prophet asked the Muslims to reply in the same way, And we can understand from this, had the Jews greeted with the word ‘Assalam’ the reply would have been appropriate. Moreover this is the right way to approach the hadiths without any contradiction as previously explained by us.

158. Will only the unjust be destroyed?

The verses (6:47, 46:35) of the Quran wonder whether only the unjust people will be destroyed when God’s wrath comes down. These verses seem to convey only the unjust will be destroyed by the wrath of God when it arrives ,and not the just people.

But at times of floods, rain, storms, earthquakes not only the evil, but also some good people are being killed, and hence some people consider these verses as contradicting and not true for all practical purposes.

These two verses do not talk in general terms about sufferings by people at times of natural calamities , they talk of instances when God’s wrath is sent down on people who were against the messengers sent by God. At such times we find Allah differentiating the good from the evil while destruction.Allah makes this clear in verse 46:35 of the Quran.

Allah says in the Quran “ Like the steadfast among the messengers,who maintained patience (at times of distress) keep patience “When destruction reaches them only the evil are vulnerable. 

This was how the communities of the Prophet Nuh, Prophet Lut, Prophet Hud, Prophet Salih, Prophet Musa were differentiated and only the evil were subjected to punishment. .

The tribulations passed on to people when there are no more Prophets, come without any differentiation and affect the good and the bad alike. 

157. What is the meaning of the phrase “The Book that is safeguarded”

Almighty Allah before He could create the world created a Book and recorded in it all that would take place in this world up to its end. .Whatever takes place in this world would have been already recorded in this Book,even the falling of a leaf from a tree and its precise time would have been predicted in it. This register is known as Lauhul Mahfuz.

This is known by many names such as ‘A Register’, ‘The safeguarded Book’, ‘The Hidden Book’, a good or evil takes place as per the words about him recorded already. Birth and death of any person etc.

A person turning good or evil takes place as per the writings in this register .Any one, being wealthy or a pauper in this world is predicted in this Book.

The verses 6:38, 6:59, 9:36, 10:61, 11:6, 13:39, 17:58, 20:52, 22:70, 23:62, 27:75, 30:56, 33:6, 34:3, 35:11, 36:12, 43:4, 50:4, 52:3, 54:43, 56:78, 57:22, 85:22 of the Quran talk about this. The verses 85:21-22, 56:77-78 talk about also the Quran being revealed to Prophet Muhammad from this register.If everything takes place as per the ‘The Register’ with man not having a free will, a question arises about justification of punishment handed out by God when man is held responsible for the actions already destined by Him.Please refer Explanation point No;28 to know the answer to this question.