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God is absolutely other than His creation, for the Creator cannot have the same kind of being as His creation. Although this is self-evident, some people still ask why we cannot see God directly. Direct vision is very limited. Consider the following: A tooth contains innumerable bacte

When analyzing this issue, some facts must be kept in mind. While we perceive things from a human perspective, God does not. While we act out of necessity or desire, God does not. In other words, we cannot ascribe human attributes and motivations to God. Who is distressed by the unive

Since God Knows What We Will Do, Why Does He Send Us Here? In short, we are sent here to improve our abilities and skills through the responsibilities He ordains for us. Not all people are created with the same ability and the same disposition; rather, they are like rough minerals wai

Compulsion is contrary to the meaning and purpose of religion, which essentially is an appeal to beings endowed with free will to affirm and worship their Creator. Intention and volition are necessary bases of all actions (including formal worship), attitudes, and thoughts for which t

Consider our position in this universe. We are neither omnipotent nor self-sufficient, and so have needs, many of which we cannot satisfy. We are weak and vulnerable, and subject to worry, illness, and other negative events. When we look at the sheer abundance of animate and inanimate

This matter is directly mentioned in the Qur’an: And whenever your Sustainer brings forth their offspring from the loins of the children of Adam, He (thus) calls upon them to bear witness about themselves: “Am I not your Lord?”—to which they answer: “Yes, indee

In an authentic hadith, the Prophet Muhammad says that every new-born is born in the Islamic fitra, after which the parents cause the child to become either Christian or Jew or a member of another religion. The hadith means that everyone has the innate potential to become a Muslim. Me

As this question has generated a great deal of literature, I shall confine my answer to the most pertinent points. This allegation is made by Orientalists, just as it was by their predecessors: Christian and Jewish writers who deeply resented the spread of Islam. The first people to m

Before I answer this question, let’s note that if the Qur’an had been revealed all at once, people would ask: “Why was it sent down all at once and not in stages?” The ultimate answer to such questions lies with God, the All-Wise and All-Knowing. Our decisions

The Divine command to proclaim Islam opens with the sublime imperative: iqra’. Usually translated as “recite,” it also means to “rehearse aloud” or to “read.” It is addressed to humanity, as the Prophet represents humanity in its relationship