IS ALLAH FORGIVING OR REVENGEFUL?

Most Common Questions asked by Non-Muslims 
who have some knowledge of Islam

Q17.Is Allah forgiving or revengeful?

Question:

The Qur’an says several times that Allah is most Merciful and Forgiving but also says many times that He gives severe punishment. Is He Forgiving or Revengeful?

IS ALLAH FORGIVING OR REVENGEFUL?

Answer:

1. Allah is most Merciful:

The Qur’an says several times that Allah is the most Merciful. In fact all the 114 Surahs i.e. chapters of the Glorious Qur’an except for Surah Taubah, (chapter 9) begin with the beautiful formula, “Bismillahhir Rahmannir Rahim”, which means, “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”.

2. Allah is Forgiving:

The Glorious Qur’an mentions in several verses including Surah Nisa, chapter 4 verse 25 and Surah Maidah, chapter 5 verse 74:

“And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

3. Allah gives severe punishment to the deserving:

Allah besides being Merciful and Forgiving is also strict in giving punishment to the deserving. The Qur’an mentions in several verses that Allah will give severe punishment to the unbelievers and rejecters of faith. He will give punishment to all those who disobey Him. Several verses of the Qur’an describe the various types of severe punishment that Allah will give in hell to all those who disobey.

“Those who reject our Signs, we shall soon cast into the Fire; as often as their skins Are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the Penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise”.

 [Al-Qur’an 4:56]

4. Allah is Just:

The question is whether Allah is forgiving or revengeful. An important point to be noted is that Allah besides being Merciful and Forgiving, He also has to give severe punishment to the deserving wicked or evil people, because He is also Just. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Nisa:

“Allah is never unjust in the least degree”.

 [Al-Qur’an 4:40]

It is further mentioned in Surah Al-Ambiya: 
“We shall set up scales of justice for the day of Judgement, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account”.

 [Al-Qur’an 21:47]

5. Example: Teacher forgives a student who copies in the examination:

If during an examination, a student copies and the teacher who supervises in the examinations catches the student red-handed, the teacher says that he is very merciful and kind and forgives him and allows him to continue copying. Those students who have worked hard for the examination will not call the teacher merciful and kind but will call him unjust. This merciful act of the teacher will encourage the other students to also copy. If all the teachers are merciful and kind and allow the students to copy then no student will ever study for examinations and all will pass with flying colours by copying. The theoretical results of the examinations will be excellent in which all the students will pass with first class and distinction but practically these students will be a failure in life. The whole purpose of the examination would be defeated.

6. This Life is a Test for the Hereafter:

The life in this world is a test for the Hereafter. The Qur’an says in Surah Al Mulk: “He who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving”.

 [Al-Qur’an 67:2]

7. If Allah forgives all and punishes none, who will obey him?

If Allah (swt) forgives each and every human being and punishes no one then why should the human beings obey the command of Allah (swt)? I do agree that no one will go to hell, but this world would become hell to live in. If all human beings are going to go to heaven then this life cannot be called a test for the hereafter.

8. Allah only forgives if a person repents:

Allah (swt) only forgives if a person repents. The Qur’an says in Surah Al-Zumar, chapter 39 verse 53-55:

“Say: ‘O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

“Turn ye to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (will), before the penalty comes on you - after that ye shall not be helped.

“And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the penalty comes on you - of a sudden, while ye perceive not!’ ”

 [Al-Qur’an 39:53-55]

There are four criteria for repentance: 
first, agree that the act is wrong. 
Secondly, stop it immediately. 
Thirdly, never do it again in future and 
lastly, compensate for the loss if caused to anyone.

Source: DZN

AUTHOR OF THE QUR'AN DOES NOT KNOW MATHEMATICS?

Most Common Questions asked by Non-Muslims 
who have some knowledge of Islam

Q16.Author of the Qur'an does not know mathematics

Question:

According to Arun Shourie there is a mathematical error in the Qur’an. In chapter 4 verses 11 and 12 when you add up the different parts of inheritance given to the heirs, it is more than one. Therefore the author of the Qur’an does not know mathematics.

AUTHOR OF THE QUR'AN DOES NOT KNOW MATHEMATICS

Answer:

The Qur’an mentions about inheritance in many places, in

Surah Al Baqarah            chapter 2 verse 180

Surah Al Baqarah            chapter 2 verse 240

Surah Al Nisa                  chapter 4 verses 7 to 9

Surah Al Nisa                  chapter 4 verses19 and 33

Surah Al Ma‘idah             chapter 5 verses 105 and 108

Regarding the share of inheritance it is clearly given in Surah Nisa chapter 4 verse11, 12 and 176.

Let us examine the verses quoted by Arun Shourie, i.e. Surah Nisa chapter 4 verses11 and 12:

“Allah (swt) (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half.

For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

“In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts.”

 [Al-Qur’an 4:11-12]

Islam explains the law of inheritance in great detail. The broad and basic outline is given in the Qur’an and the minute details are given in the Ahadith i.e. the tradition and sayings of the Prophet (pbuh).

A person can spend his full life only on the research of the Islamic law of inheritance with its various permutations and combinations. Arun Shourie expects to know the law only by superficially reading two verses of the Qur’an without knowing the criteria.

It is similar to a person who wants to solve a mathematical equation but does not know the basic rule of mathematics, i.e. BODMAS which says that in a mathematical equation, irrespective of which mathematical sign appears first, you will first solve BODMAS: 1st Brackets Off, 2nd Division, 3rd Multiplication, 4th Addition and 5th Subtraction. If Arun Shourie does not know mathematics and first does multiplication then subtraction, then brackets off, then division and finally addition, the answer that he will obtain is bound to be wrong.

Similarly, when the Qur’an mentions the law of inheritance in Surah Nisa chapter 4 verses 11 and 12, even though the children’s share is mentioned first and then that of the parents and spouses, according to the law of inheritance in Islam after paying off the debts and liabilities first, the share is given to the spouses and the parents depending on whether the deceased has left children or not, and whatever portion of wealth is remaining is divided between the sons and the daughters according to their respective shares.

So where does the question arise of the total coming to more than one? So it is not Allah who does not know mathematics but it is Arun Shourie himself who is ignorant about mathematics.

Source: DZN

IBLIS - ANGEL OR JINN?

Most Common Questions asked by Non-Muslims 
who have some knowledge of Islam

Q15. Iblis - Angel or Jinn?

Question:

The Qur’an in several places says that Iblis was an angel, but in Surah Kahf it says that Iblis was a Jinn. Isn’t this a contradiction in the Qur’an?

IBLIS - ANGEL OR JINN?

Answer:

1. Incidence Of Iblis And Angel Mentioned In The Qur’an

The story of Adam and Iblis is mentioned in the Qur’an in various places in which Allah (swt) says, 
“We said to the angels bow down to Adam: and they bowed down: not so Iblis”.

This is mentioned in:

Surah Al-Baqarah chapter 2 verse 43

Surah Al-Araf chapter 7 verse 17

Surah Al-Hijr chapter 15 verses 28-31

Surah Al-Isra chapter 17 verse 61

Surah Ta-Ha chapter 20 verse 116

Surah Al-Sad chapter 38 verses 71-74

But in Surah Al-Kahf chapter 18 verse 50 the Qur’an says:

“Behold! We said to the angels, ‘Bow down to Adam. ’They bowed down except Iblis He was one of the Jinns.”

 [Al-Qur’an 18:50]

2. Arabic Rule Of Tagleeb

The English translation of the first part of the verse ‘We said to the angels bow down to Adam: they bowed down except Iblis’, gives us the impression that Iblis was an angel. The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic. In Arabic grammar there is a rule known as ‘Tagleeb’, according to which, if the majority is addressed even the minority is included. If for example, I address a class containing 100 students of whom 99 are boys and one is a girl, and if I say in Arabic that all the boys should stand up, it includes the girl as well. I need not mention her seperately.

Similarly in the Qur’an, when Allah addressed the angel, even Iblis was present, but it is not required that he be mentioned separately. Therefore according to that sentence Iblis may be an angel or may not be an angel but we come to know from Surah Al-Kahf chapter 18 verse 50 that Iblis was a Jinn. No where does the Qur’an say Iblis was an angel. Therefore there is no contradiction in the Qur’an.

3. Jinn have free will and can disobey Allah.

Secondly, Jinns have a free will and may or may not obey Allah, but angels have no free will and always obey Allah. Therefore the question of an angel disobeying Allah does not arise. This further supplements that Iblis was a Jinn and not an angel.

Source: DZN