Assalamu’alaikum wr.wb. This is the First Chapter of my book “Searching for God and Finding Allah”. I hope you find it useful. Wassalamu’alaikum wr.wb.
- Gene Netto
[October 2019 – Latest Draft]
SEARCHING FOR GOD AND FINDING ALLAH
CONTENTS
1. HOW I BECAME A MUSLIM AND WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
2. A SUCCESSION OF PROPHETS
3. A SIGN FROM GOD
4. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS
5. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS AND FOLLOWERS OF MUHAMMAD
6. THE TRUTH OF ISLAM
7. THIS IS WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD SAYS ABOUT THE HOLY QUR'AN
8. A LOGICAL RELIGION
9. A LOGICAL REASON WHY WE CANNOT SEE GOD
10. OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS AND GOD'S SOLUTION
11. IT IS YOUR CHOICE: YOU CAN ACCEPT GOD OR REJECT HIM
12. CONCLUSION: THIS IS THE END. OR THE BEGINNING.
******************
1. How I Became A Muslim And Why I Wrote This Book
I began writing this chapter because I was always telling the same stories to people in Indonesia who were curious about how I became a Muslim. Whenever I complained about repeating the same story, my friends jokingly said that I should write a book. At the same time, whenever my students asked what I would like to do if I was not an English teacher, then I usually said that I would like to be a writer because I have always enjoyed reading and writing.
I have been living in Jakarta continuously since 1995, so most of my conversations are in Indonesian language, and I always get asked the same questions: How did I become a Muslim? How did I learn to speak Indonesian so well? And why do I live in Indonesia? Like all developing countries, there are many problems in Indonesia, and so some people are confused about why a westerner would choose to live here.
The reason is simple. Other Muslims often comment that my way of explaining Islam is very different to what they usually hear. They were born as Muslims whereas I spent 5 years examining the teachings of Islam in order to make sure that Islam was correct and logical. They just accepted what their parents told them, but I questioned absolutely everything, continuously analyzing Islam with logic, and always asking, "Why?" Many Muslims only pray because their parents told them to do it, and so they believe that Islam is correct, but they did not analyze what they were doing or why. That difference in our approaches to religion made my understanding of Islam seem very unique to them.
Because I explained Islam in a different way, I often felt that perhaps I had an important job to do in Indonesia. I could speak the language and express my ideas clearly, and my explanations about Islam often had a strong impact on many people. For example, one Muslim man who had not prayed for 30 years suddenly started performing the five daily prayers again after only one conversation with me. And that is what normally happens every time I have that same conversation with each new person. So, I decided that I should stay in Indonesia and try to develop and improve the Muslim community rather than seek a comfortable life for myself in a developed country.
In this chapter, I will explain how I went through the slow process of becoming a Muslim, but this is only for the benefit of readers who are curious about my background. After this chapter, the remainder of the book is not about me, but rather it is focused on my analysis of Christianity and Islam. I explain why I consider Christianity unacceptable from a logical perspective and explain that Islam is a religion based on clear, logical, and intelligent teachings. This means that Islam should appeal to everyone who is trying to understand the meaning of life, as long as logic and intelligence are used to search for an Absolute Truth that could only come from Almighty God.
1.1. In the Beginning
I was born in a small city in New Zealand (which is a small country near Australia). As a child, I was very curious and wanted to learn about a lot of serious topics: the pyramids, dinosaurs, ancient civilizations, world history, global politics, wars, religion, and the whole universe. I remember staring at the stars in the sky one night and thinking about where they came from and how long they had been there. So, I was generally interested in topics that were complicated and mysterious.
Like most kids, I had to learn about Christianity in Sunday School, and I was taught all of the standard Bible stories about Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and so on. However, I found a lot of things in Christianity very confusing. I was taught about the Trinity, which says that Almighty God is also Jesus, and also the Holy Spirit. All three of them are God, but there is only one God, not three gods, because they are "one", but also separate. God created Himself as a human being named Jesus, and that man was the Son of God, and also God, at the same time. Then Jesus died, but God is immortal, so God should not be able to die, but that man who was also God did in fact die, even though he could not die, because he was also God. So, were God and Jesus separated at that time so that Jesus could die without God dying as well? Or did God also die when Jesus died because they are "one" and cannot be separated? And if God was also dead, then who brought Jesus back to life? Trying to understand all of that using simple logic made me feel that Christianity was extremely confusing.
I also had difficulty understanding the role of a Catholic Priest in forgiving people for their sins, without first discussing that matter with God. What if the priest got it wrong and my sins were not erased? Could I get some written proof from God that my sins had been forgiven? What if I met God on Judgment Day and found out that the priest had made a mistake, and all of my sins still existed? If I protested, and pointed to the priest who had convinced me that all of my sins were forgiven, then God could simply ask me, "Who told you to believe him?" So, who would save me from God's Wrath if the priest was wrong and my sins were still counted by God?
Because Christianity seemed so illogical, I began to think about how I could get clear answers to all of the religious questions that were bothering me, and so I decided that I would have to speak directly to God. I prayed to God, and I asked Him to appear in my bedroom so that I could see Him with my own eyes. Of course, nothing happened, and God did not appear. I concluded that the reason He did not appear was that He did not really exist, and so I decided to become an atheist and not believe in any gods at all.
After that, I did not talk much about the fact that I was an atheist. If anyone asked me what religion I was, then I just said "Catholic" so that I did not have to explain anything. During the rest of elementary school, junior high school, and high school, I ignored Christianity and all other religions. I was certain that studying religion was a waste of time because God was not real, and all religions were illogical. After I finished high school, my parents decided to move to Australia, and so I went with them.
1.2. Learning About Islam and Becoming a Muslim
In Australia, I went to university and started learning Indonesian language in the Faculty of Asian and International Studies. One day, at a social event, a Muslim man from Indonesia started chatting with me about religion, and then he really shocked me when he said, "In Islam, only God can forgive you for your sins!" I did not know what to say. I just froze, and time seemed to stand still for several seconds. Then, I suddenly realized that he had given me a logical answer to a question that I had been thinking about for more than ten years. In Islam, only Almighty God could forgive us for our sins, without the involvement of any priests. That seemed completely logical, but it also had to be impossible because I had already studied every religion in the world when I was in elementary school, and so I was certain that there was no such thing as a "logical religion".
I started to think more deeply. Could Islam be a logical religion, with clear, logical teachings that I could analyze critically, without getting confused? Could Islam give me real answers to my questions about religion? Could there be Absolute Truth in Islam? This is how I started studying Islam, after one comment from a stranger. I began to read books about Islam and started talking with Indonesian Muslims. Slowly, I built up more and more knowledge by asking questions, thinking, and reading. I wanted to find out if Islam was really a logical religion, and if it was, then what would that mean about the possible existence of Almighty God?
When I finished my Bachelor of Arts degree, I studied for an extra year to get a Graduate Diploma of Education, which made me a foreign language and history teacher. Then, I received a scholarship to study for one year at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, in 1995. Soon after I arrived, the fasting month of Ramadan started. One night, I stayed up late to watch the Tarawih prayers live on television, as they were being performed in Mecca. (Tarawih prayers are special optional prayers that are only performed in the evenings during Ramadan.) The Indonesian commentators said that approximately 3 million Muslims were performing the prayers in the mosque and surrounding areas, which included the outdoor courtyard, nearby streets, and even hotel lobbies.
Three million people, in the same location, doing the same prayer, facing the same direction, following the same leader, praying in the same language, with the same words, at the same time, and praying to the same God. I thought to myself, "Where is there anything like this in a western country?" Only about one hundred thousand people would fit into a stadium to watch a football match. But now, I was looking at three million people in and around one building, all moving in unison. It was a truly amazing sight to see for a non-Muslim atheist. I wondered about how many people could gather in one building to hear the Pope speak, and if everyone would be able to understand him because there is no unifying language for Christians. It seemed that there was no comparison in Christianity with what I saw those Muslims doing in Mecca.
While living in Jakarta in 1995, I continued to learn slowly about Islam, not in a formal way, but just by paying attention to what I saw around me. I watched speeches on television and thought about what those Muslim scholars were saying. I bought some books about Islam and read them carefully with a critical mind. I watched people praying and thought about what they were doing and why. From the basic knowledge of Islam that I had developed, I could not see any significant problems with the teachings of Islam, and by the end of 1995, I was finding it harder and harder to refuse what I had learned. I was constantly searching for large, serious, logical flaws in the basic teachings of Islam, but I could not find any. Islam seemed to be a simple, clear, logical, and law-based religion that I thought would appeal to any intelligent mind.
Everything that I had read about Islam was too logical. Islam could not have been created by human beings, so therefore it must have come from God, so therefore God must exist. But I was still an atheist and not sure if I could ever believe in God. Then, a friend suggested that I should just try praying to God and ask Him to help me believe in Him and believe in Islam. So, I tried praying to God, not expecting anything to happen, but then a few days later, I suddenly started to believe. I did not really want to become a Muslim, but I could not deny what I had learned about Islam, and so I felt that I had no choice: I had to become a Muslim because my logical brain was forcing me to accept Islam.
Then I started to think about my future. My time at the University of Indonesia was almost over, and I would have to go back to Australia. But how could I learn about Islam there? It seemed that staying in Indonesia was a better choice, and so I decided to become a Muslim and live in Indonesia for a while in order to learn about Islam more easily.
In February 1996, I said the shahada (the Islamic Declaration of Faith) and formally became a Muslim. I could have easily gone back to my life in Australia, but I felt more comfortable staying in Indonesia so that I could study Islam in a Muslim community. So, I have been living and working continuously in Jakarta from 1995 until now. I have thought about moving to other countries several times, but every time I decide to leave, something always happens to make me change my mind, and I end up staying here.
1.3. What Is the Purpose of This Book?
I wrote this book because I wanted to explain some elements of Christianity and Islam that I have spent many years analyzing and trying to understand, and I hope that this information will be useful for others. As a child, I gave up on Christianity because I found it too illogical, and I could not find any books that presented an alternative religion with logical teachings as a fundamental basis of the religion. So, I gave up on all religions and gave up on Almighty God as well, and I have met many people who experienced the same problem. I hope that this book will help those people find the answers that they have been looking for all of their lives because I believe that logical answers to all of our important questions can be found within Islam.
This book was designed to be useful for various groups of people. First, for those people who were born as Muslims and do not know much about Christianity. Some Muslims find it hard to explain to their non-Muslim friends why Christian teachings are rejected in Islam, so I would like to make it clear for them. Second, for Muslims who are not devout or might be considering converting to Christianity (or have already done so). Hopefully, the explanations provided here will make it clear why they should study Islam more deeply rather than look for another religion. Third, for ex-Christians who are thinking about converting to Islam but are still unsure about the similarities and differences between both religions. And fourth, for non-devout Christians and ex-Christians who do not have a relationship with the Church. Those people probably still believe in Almighty God but do not understand the connection between Christianity and Islam. Most people probably do not know that, according to Islamic teachings, the religion of Islam is simply the continuation of Christianity and Judaism in a new format, that Muhammad PBUH is simply the replacement for Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and that Muhammad PBUH is the Final Messenger from Almighty God to all of mankind.
I have met some Muslims who are uncertain about their religion, and this was usually the result of a poor religious education in their childhood. Some of them might only pray whenever they feel like it (instead of five times a day), some might not pray at all, some might essentially feel like atheists or agnostics but will still call themselves Muslims for social reasons, and some of them might have become interested in Christianity. For all of those Muslims, the underlying cause of their problem is essentially the same: they do not really understand Islam because it was never explained to them very well.
Whenever I meet Muslims like that, it is obvious that they do not understand much about Islam or Christianity, and so they are usually interested in my analysis of both religions. I hope that after reading this book those Muslims will feel more confident in remaining with Islam and will begin to seek more in-depth knowledge about Islam from numerous sources. I also hope that ex-Christians who have left the Church, but still believe in God, will find ideas here that will encourage them to seriously investigate Islam with an open mind. Once they have learned more about Islam and understand that Islam is just an updated version of the same religion that was given to Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and all of the other prophets of God, then I hope that they will be in a better position to understand how Islam relates to the Almighty God that they already believe in. If any non-devout Christians or ex-Christians read this book and become interested in Islam, then I hope that they will continue to look for more information about the basic teachings of Islam from other sources.
46. And do not argue with the People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
- (Al-Qur'an, Al-Ankabut 29:46)
I would like to make it clear that this book was not written with the intention of insulting Christians or Christianity. Although Christians may not like what I have said about their religion, I have tried to give thoughtful, academic arguments and not emotional ones. Islam teaches Muslims to avoid insulting other religions because the followers of those religions might respond by insulting Almighty God (Allah).
108. And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus, We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do.
- (Al-Qur'an, Al-An'am 6:108)
Please note that this book does not explain everything about Christianity or Islam. After many years of studying both religions, I have thought very carefully about how to explain the differences between Christianity and Islam, and so I have presented some ideas here that may help people who are trying to understand both religions in a logical way. Because my intention is to focus only on what is wrong with Christianity, and what is right with Islam, there are certain topics that I do not discuss at all. For example, there is no chapter that discusses the existence of Almighty God, and I just assume that the reader is already familiar with basic monotheistic concepts, such as the existence of God, prophets, holy books, angels, the Devil, Heaven, Hell, and so on.
1.4. All Human Beings Can Be Good or Bad
After being a Muslim for many years, I can honestly say that it has been an interesting experience with many good and bad points. I have seen wonderful human beings who behave in a noble way because they are Muslims, as well as Muslims who do not care about their religion and do not care if their negative behavior is against the teachings of Islam and hurts other people. I have seen Muslims who are kind, caring, honest, sincere, thoughtful, intelligent, generous, and loving, as well as Muslims who are the exact opposite, and this is true in every religion because human beings can choose to behave in any way they like, regardless of what religion they follow.
Unfortunately, the modern media seems to make it hard for non-Muslims to see anything except hatred, death, and destruction when information about Muslims and Islam is presented to the public. Of course, there are Muslims who carry out acts of violence, but violence is not exclusive to Muslims, and the kindness of good Muslims usually does not become a news story because no one dies, and nothing explodes! So, the small number of Muslims who appear in the news because of their negative actions do not represent the majority of good Muslims who lead an ordinary, peaceful life, go to school, go to work, get married, raise their children, and worship God in the way that they believe is correct.
But there is also another perspective to consider. If Muslims were to think of themselves as "salespeople", and the product that they are "selling" is "Islam", then it is very obvious that most people in the world are not interested in "buying" what Muslims are "selling". In other words, a lot of Muslims are not very good at "marketing Islam" so that it can be easily accepted by others. If someone from a developed country wants to debate with me about the Truth of Islam, then he only has to point out the numerous problems (such as corruption) in Indonesia and other countries with a Muslim-majority population and say, "Doesn't this prove that your religion is no good?" Of course, what he is pointing at is human behavior and not part of Islam, but convincing him of that is quite difficult because his next question will be, "If that behavior is forbidden in your religion, then why is it so common in those countries?"
The answer is that no matter what God tells us to do, many human beings will not obey Him. The best example is the Prophet Adam, who was only forbidden to do one thing: eat the forbidden fruit. So, guess what Adam did? Yes, that is correct! With only one rule to break, Adam, a prophet of Almighty God, managed to disobey Him! We are no different to Adam. But many people in this modern era will quickly judge Islam based on the behavior of some violent and aggressive Muslims that are presented negatively in the media, and so it is easy for "Islam" to get a bad reputation because some Muslims do in fact behave quite badly. And there are some Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and followers of every other religion who behave badly as well.
So, I think that those of us who are Muslims have an obligation to explain Islam in the best way possible to others who want to understand it, and the easiest way for us to do that is to demonstrate the Truth of Islam through our own good behavior. If we can do that, then other people may begin to think more favorably about Islam because they will see the correctness of Islam portrayed through our own actions. In addition to that, we need to explain very clearly why we believe in Islam and explain what Islam teaches about other religions, especially Christianity, which is the closest monotheistic religion to Islam. In order to do that, Muslims must understand the problems with Christianity from an Islamic perspective so that they can have a constructive discussion about both religions, which does not involve negative emotions or hatred. If we can succeed in "marketing Islam" in this way, then Islam may end up with fewer enemies and a lot more friends.
In the following chapters, I will try to explain clearly what Islam teaches about the problems with Christianity and then explain why Muslims consider Islam to be the only correct religion available from Almighty God. I hope you will find the journey enlightening!
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18 July, 2007
Chapter 9: A Logical Reason Why We Cannot See God
Assalamu’alaikum wr.wb.,
This is the Ninth Chapter of my book
“Searching for God, and Finding Allah”. Two chapters are available on my Blog in English, and also in
Indonesian language.
Wassalamu’alaikum wr.wb.,
Gene
Searching for God and Finding Allah by Gene Netto
CONTENTS
1. How I Became a Muslim And Why I Wrote This Book
2. A Succession of Prophets
3. A Sign from God
4. Followers of Jesus
5. Followers of Jesus And Followers of Muhammad
6. The Truth of Islam
7. This Is What Almighty God Says About the Holy Qur'an
8. A Logical Religion
9. A Logical Reason Why We Cannot See God
10. Our Spiritual Needs and God's Solution
11. It Is Your Choice: You Can Accept God or Reject Him
12. Conclusion: This Is the End. Or the Beginning.
****
Chapter 9: A Logical Reason Why We Cannot See God
When I was younger, I was convinced that
God did not exist because I could not see Him, but in fact, I was also willing
to keep an open mind and accept any proof of God if I could find any. I asked a
lot of questions about the only religion that I knew, namely Catholicism. My
questions about religion were not answered well, which made me even more
confused. And because there was no proof that I found convincing, I felt that I
was forced to not believe in God.
I often noticed that after a certain
event occurred, for example, the death of a child or someone getting cancer, I
would often hear adults talking and they would say that we had to just accept
the situation. They would accept it by saying “God works in mysterious ways!”
This meant that they could not understand why God did something, and for us to
ask questions about it would be a waste of time. God was mysterious and we
could not understand Him.
But if God is so mysterious, then what
did He give us brains and logic for? If God gave us brains, intelligence and the
power of logical thought, then it is entirely logical for us to use logic to
think about God. This suggested to me that there should be a strong logical
foundation to God’s religion. If God really existed, and gave us religious
teachings, then what would be the purpose of making those teachings
incomprehensible to ordinary people?
Does God have to be “mysterious” if He
does not want to be? Is God not capable of accepting and answering questions
from His own Creation if He wishes to do so? What if God desires us to know Him
(within the limits of our understanding) so that we can become closer to Him?
What if He does not want us to consider Him “mysterious”?
God is obviously not visible to us, and
so I believe that if we analyze this situation carefully, then it is quite
possible that we can find a logical reason for why God chooses not to reveal
Himself. And perhaps if we understand the reason for why God is not visible,
then we may be able to understand that this happens for our own benefit and not
for “mysterious” reasons.
In this chapter, I would like to give one
possible logical explanation for why God may chose to remain hidden from us,
and how that fact is actually a blessing for us from Allah. To discuss this, we
need to look at and compare the story of the Prophet Adam AS, the first human
created by Allah, the story of Iblis (the Devil), and also the story of a
murderer. Before that, it is important that we review the history of the
Prophet Musa AS (Moses) who also wanted to see God.
9.1. Moses Wanted to See God as Well
In speeches given by Muslim clerics, I
have often heard the story of the Prophet Musa AS (Moses) who asked for
permission to see Allah. According to the story, Allah simply explained that
Musa AS was not capable of seeing Him. Allah might have stopped the event there
but, instead, He continued by giving “proof” to Musa AS that he was not capable
of seeing his Lord. Allah began to appear behind a mountain, which then
exploded, knocking Nabi Musa AS unconscious. This event is described in the
Qur'an:
143. And when Mûsâ (Moses) came at the time and place appointed by
Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: "O my Lord! Show me
(Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allâh said: "You cannot see
Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall
see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain[1], He made it collapse to dust, and Mûsâ
(Moses) fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said:
"Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the
believers."
(QS. Al A’raf 7:143)
This verse gives us the understanding
that human beings, including Prophets, are simply not allowed to see Almighty God.
If a mighty Prophet of God such as Musa AS (Moses) is not capable of seeing
Allah, then there is no hope for ordinary people like us. What we do know is
that Musa AS was able to have a dialogue with Allah, even though he could not
see his Lord. Another character who also has a dialogue with Allah is the
Devil, and in the Qur’an, he is called Iblis.
9.2. The Curse of God on Satan (the Devil)
11. And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you
shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels,
"Prostrate yourselves to Adam", and they prostrated themselves,
except Iblîs (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves.
12. (Allâh) said: "What prevented you (O Iblîs) that you did not
prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" Iblîs said: "I am better
than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay."
13. (Allâh) said: "(O Iblîs) get down from this (Paradise), it
is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated
and disgraced."
(Surah Al A’raf, QS. 7:11-13)
In these verses, we are introduced to the
creature that refused to bow down to Adam AS. This creature is named Iblis or Shaitân
in the Qur'an and is known in English as the Devil, Satan, Lucifer, and so on.
In the verses above, we can see a situation where Iblis is arguing with Allah
and refusing His Direct Command to bow down and show respect to Nabi Adam AS.
This refusal by Iblis to obey the Will of Almighty God was an act of extreme
arrogance towards Him, and this is the reason why he was punished.
34. (Allâh) said: "Then, get out from here, for verily, you
are Rajîm (an outcast or a cursed one)." [Tafsîr At-Tabarî]
35. "And verily, the curse shall be upon you till the Day of
Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)."
(Surah Al Hijr, QS. 15:34-35)
Iblis (the Devil) then became the first
creature to be cursed by Allah until Judgement Day. This event is very
exceptional because it is the first time (as far as we know) that a creature
created by Allah was cursed until the end of time. And this event is also
special because (as far as we know) it is also the last time this happened.
There is no mention in the Qur'an of any other creature being cursed by Allah
for all time. The verse above only mentions the Curse of Allah until the Day of
Resurrection, but after that, Iblis will be thrown into Hell along with anyone
who follows him, so Allah’s Curse and His Punishment will be eternal.
A relevant question for us to ask now is why
does Iblis receive the Curse of Allah? When Allah pronounces Iblis to be a
cursed creature, it is very interesting that Iblis does not protest. He does
not accuse Allah of being unjust. He does not try to argue his innocence or
protest the severity of his sentence. If we were to receive such a harsh
sentence from Allah, then I am sure we would definitely protest and would try
to obtain some mercy. On the contrary, Iblis immediately accepts his fate but
asks Allah to delay the implementation of his punishment until the Day of
Resurrection so that he will have plenty of time to lead humans astray and
prove that he is better.
14. (Iblîs) said: "Allow me respite till the Day they are
raised up (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)."
15. (Allâh) said: "You are of those respited."
16. (Iblîs) said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I
will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path.
17. "Then I will come to them from before them and behind
them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them
as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You)."
18. (Allâh) said (to Iblîs): "Get out from this (Paradise),
disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them (mankind) will follow you, then surely
I will fill Hell with you all."
(Surah Al A’raf, QS. 7:14-18)
What is obvious from this is that Iblis
(the Devil) now has the intention of doing everything he can to get all of the
descendents of Adam AS to join him in Hell. This is being done merely to prove
to Allah that he is better than a human being. So, now we have an interesting
situation. Allah has cursed Iblis but instead of immediately throwing him into
Hell, Allah actually gives Iblis a lot of extra time so that he can attempt to
lead mankind astray.
If we accept that Allah knows everything
that will ever happen in advance of the actual event, then He must have known
that Iblis would show such arrogance, then be cursed and subsequently be given
time to lead mankind astray. If that is the case, then we must logically accept
that the existence of the Devil and his followers, and their affect on mankind,
is something which Allah knew about in advance and He allowed it to happen.
(Allah did not cause Iblis to rebel, but only allowed him to rebel). The reason
we have to accept Allah’s implicit Permission for this event is that we must
believe that all things can only occur with Allah’s Permission. If Allah does not
give His Permission for something to happen, then how is it possible for that
event to occur? If something can occur against Allah’s Wishes, then that would
mean Allah is not all-powerful, but we know that He is.
29. Say (O Muhammad): "Whether you hide what is in your
breasts or reveal it, Allâh knows it, and He knows what is in the heavens and
what is in the earth. And Allâh is Able to do all things."
(Surah Ali Imran, QS. 3:29)
So now, in Heaven, we have Adam AS,
together with Hawa (Eve), and also Iblis (the Devil). Iblis (who after being
cursed is now referred to as Shaitan in the Qur'an) no longer has any other
purpose in his very long life except to lead mankind astray so that as many
descendants of Adam AS as possible will accompany him into Hell. With Allah’s
Permission (because he could not be there without Allah’s Permission), Iblis is
allowed into the Garden of Eden to tempt Adam AS and Hawa. And he succeeds,
because he convinces them to eat the forbidden fruit, which causes them to be
removed from Paradise and placed on Earth.
35. And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the
Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight, of things
therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be
of the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers)."
36. Then the Shaitân (Satan) made them slip therefrom (the Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said: "Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a time."
36. Then the Shaitân (Satan) made them slip therefrom (the Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said: "Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a time."
(Surah Al Baqarah, QS. 2:35-36)
In the case of Iblis (the Devil), he made
one mistake, was cast out of Paradise and was cursed for all time. Adam AS and
Hawa (Eve) also made one mistake, were cast out of Paradise because of their
actions, but they were not cursed for all time! Why were they treated
differently?
Perhaps one thing that influenced Allah’s
Decision is the fact that only Iblis argued with Allah. He did not repent and
did not beg for mercy. However, when Adam AS and Hawa were told that they had
sinned, they repented and begged for forgiveness:
37. Then Adam received from his Lord Words.[2] And his Lord
pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives
(accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.
[2] (V.2:37): These words are mentioned in the Qur’ân; (Verse
7:23): They are: "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us
not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the
losers."
(Surah Al Baqarah, QS. 2:37)
So, now we can see two clear cases where
Adam AS and Iblis made one mistake each and they were punished for those
mistakes, although Iblis was punished more severely. In order to understand how
this relates to the topic, namely that Allah is not visible to us for a logical
reason, then we also need to examine one final case; the case of the murderer
who killed 100 people and yet was forgiven for his sins.
9.3. Adam, Satan, and the Killer of 100 People
There is a hadith (oral tradition of the
Prophet Muhammad SAW) that tells the story of a killer who had murdered 100
people, but before he died, he had already decided to repent and so all of his
sins were forgiven.
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri:
The Prophet said, "Amongst the men of Bani Israel [the Jews]
there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking
(whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and
asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative
and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such
and such a village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way.
While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his
repentance would be accepted), and so the angel of mercy and the angel of
punishment quarreled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the
village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the
village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to
measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to
be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven."
(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 676)[2]
An important question to ask here is why
can a murderer who has killed 100 people obtain forgiveness for his sins? Being
forgiven by Allah means that his repentance was accepted, and forgiveness
usually means that a person will not be punished for his sins. But on the other
hand, Nabi Adam AS who only “ate a piece of fruit” was forgiven, but was also
punished. And Iblis (the Devil) who only “argued” with Allah was not forgiven
at all and was also punished very severely. It is clear that the murderer had
not formally repented (by performing a formal act of worship). He was still in
the process of finding the place where he would learn how to repent in a formal
way. Nevertheless, he still received forgiveness from Allah and was not
punished. Nabi Adam AS also repented and his repentance was accepted, but he
was punished by being cast out of Paradise. Iblis did not repent and did not
want to repent. He received the harshest punishment of all three cases
mentioned.
These three separate cases now fall into
two different categories. On one hand, we have the murderer whose sins were
forgiven and he received no punishment at all. On the other hand, we have Nabi
Adam AS and Iblis who both received punishment for committing one sin each,
even though their “sins” might not seem as severe as murder.
If we want to find one logical reason for
why we cannot see Allah, then I believe that such a reason can be found by
comparing these two groups. We need to find a reason for why a murderer can
escape punishment after killing 100 people, yet Adam AS and Iblis who only
committed one sin each were still punished by Allah.
9.4. The Benefit For Us If God is Not
Visible
Nabi Adam AS was punished, Iblis (the
Devil) was punished, but a murderer who killed 100 people was not punished, and
there seems to be only one real difference between them: the murderer had no
absolute proof that Allah existed! He never saw Allah and never spoke with Him,
which is the opposite of Adam AS and Iblis who did have a dialogue with Allah.
That killer believed in Almighty God based on faith alone, which means that he
believed even though he never saw Allah and never spoke to Him.
Did Adam AS and Iblis believe in Allah
because they saw Him? Theoretically, we could make an argument that perhaps
they did see Him directly with their eyes and therefore knew that Allah was
real. But this theory is doubtful because of the verse mentioned above which
says emphatically that Nabi Musa AS (Moses) was not able to see Allah, and that
the slightest appearance of Allah was enough to make a mountain explode (QS. Al
A’raf 7:143). If Nabi Musa AS was not able to see Allah, then perhaps we can
assume that Adam AS and Iblis were also not able to see Him.
The theory that they saw Allah can also
be doubted because there is a hadith (oral tradition of the Prophet Muhammad
SAW) which states that Nabi Muhammad SAW also never saw Allah with his eyes:
It is narrated on the authority of Masruq that he said: I was
resting at (the house of) 'A'isha that she said: O Abu 'A'isha [the honorific
name of Masruq], there are three things, and he who affirmed even one of them
fabricated the greatest lie against Allah. I asked that they were. She said: He
who presumed that Muhammad (may peace be upon him) saw his Lord (with his
ocular vision) fabricated the greatest lie against Allah. […].
(Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0337)[3]
If Nabi Musa AS and Nabi Muhammad SAW
never saw Allah, then we can assume that the possibility of Nabi Adam AS and Iblis
(the Devil) seeing Allah is quite small. It is however very certain that both
Nabi Adam AS and Iblis had a dialogue with Allah, as did Nabi Musa AS and Nabi
Muhammad SAW. In Surah Al A’raf (QS. 7:22-23), Nabi Adam AS speaks directly
with Allah after he is admonished for eating the forbidden fruit. Also, in
Surah Al A’raf (QS. 7:11-16) there is a dialogue between Allah and Iblis.
From the fact that both Nabi Adam AS and
the Devil spoke with Allah, we can presume that there was no doubt in their
minds that Allah was real. They were aware of God, spoke with Him and were also
conscious of their creation by Him. They were not acting on faith but rather
acting on knowledge. That knowledge actually places them in a privileged
position, one of which many of us may be envious. However, we should examine
the consequences! Both Nabi Adam AS and Iblis were aware of God and both of
them disobeyed Him. Adam AS admitted his fault but was still cast out of Heaven
as punishment, whereas Iblis did not admit his fault, did not beg for
forgiveness and was cursed until Judgment Day.
By comparison, the man who had murdered
100 people was apparently in a far better position to receive forgiveness from
Allah. The killer had to believe in Allah’s Forgiveness based on faith alone,
and it seems that this fact gave him a much bigger opportunity to be forgiven
and not receive any punishment at all. For most of his life, he had acted
without God, possibly not believing in God and had committed many crimes
because he was not conscious of his Creator or what his Creator wanted him to
do. When he was finally able to repent, he was acting out of faith, believing
that there was an Almighty God who would accept his repentance and forgive him
for his sins. He did not see God, nor did he speak with God. Perhaps as a
result of that “faith”, he found Allah to be the Most Merciful!
If we could see Allah, would we
definitely agree to worship Him and obey Him? Seeing Him and knowing that He is
real does not automatically mean that we would be faithful. We might believe in
Allah now, but that belief alone will not guarantee us entry into Heaven free
from sin. For example, Iblis (the Devil) also believes in Allah (meaning that
he does not doubt the existence of Allah) but he is not faithful and does not
obey Him. If we could see Allah, then it is possible that we might end up
arguing with Allah, just like Iblis, and so that would make it difficult or
impossible for us to obtain forgiveness.
Do you really want to see Allah? Or hear
His voice and have a dialogue with Him? I do not want to, not anymore! Not if
seeing Him means that I could get into serious trouble for committing just one sin.
When I was a child, I wanted to see God
so that I would have proof He was real and it seems that I was not the only one
who wanted to see Him face-to face. The disbelievers who rejected the Prophet
Muhammad SAW demanded the same thing:
90. And they say: "We shall not believe in you (O Muhammad SAW), until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us;
91. "Or you have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause
rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly;
92. "Or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you
have pretended, or you bring Allâh and the angels before (us) face to face;
93. "Or you have a house of Zukhruf (like silver and pure
gold), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in
your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read." Say
(O Muhammad SAW): "Glorified (and Exalted) be my Lord [(Allâh) above all
that evil they (polytheists) associate with Him]! Am I anything but a man, sent
as a Messenger?"
(QS. Al-Isra 17:90-93)
If my desire from childhood had come true
and I had seen God, or perhaps just heard His Voice and spoken to Him, then I
would have been placed in the same category as Nabi Adam AS. And being in that
category has a very clear meaning: disobey Allah one time and receive immediate
punishment for one sin. As a normal human being, I commit sins all the time,
and it is so easy for my sins to increase daily without being noticed. If I was
in the same category as Nabi Adam AS then I doubt I would have survived this
long without getting into very serious trouble with Allah.
Then, there is a second problem. If I was
in the same category as Nabi Adam AS and if Allah got angry with me for the
first one of my sins, would I be like Adam AS and instantly repent and beg for
forgiveness? Or would I be more like Iblis and protest? What if I did protest?
Would I end up with the same punishment as Iblis – cursed for all time?
All of us collect sins every day, but how
many of us repent every day? Just imagine one lie, one broken promise, one
small theft, or any single action of which Allah disapproves. Would that be
enough to get us into serious trouble? And if we could always see Allah or hear
His Voice, we would have no way of protesting our innocence. Would you really
want to see Allah if that meant that you would receive immediate punishment for
only one sin?
If we examine the different cases of Adam
AS, Iblis and the murderer, then what can we conclude? It seems that if we
cannot see Allah and cannot speak directly with Him then we are in a much
better position than those people who can see Him or speak with Him. When it
comes to forgiveness, Allah is far more merciful to those of us who merely believe
in Him than those who actually know He exists It would seem from this that if
you know Allah is real because you have had a dialogue with Him, then you no
longer have any excuses for why you choose to disobey Him and subsequently, you
will earn greater wrath and punishment than those who simply believe in Him.
If we believe in Allah based only on
faith, because we have never seen Him or heard His Voice, then we are still
able to give Allah all of our excuses for why our behaviour is not good enough:
I forgot; I was busy; I didn’t have enough money; I couldn’t do it; it was
raining; I’ll do it tonight; and so on. And we find Allah is the Most
Benevolent, the Most Merciful for those of us who continue to believe.
53. Say: "O ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against
themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of
Allâh: verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
(QS. Az Zumar 39:53)
The fact that we cannot see Allah is a
blessing from Him for all of us who have lives full of sin. If we could see
Allah and talk directly to Him, then the penalty for disobedience would
probably be too severe for us to cope with. Perhaps we would only get one
opportunity to commit one sin, and then we would face the Wrath of Allah. But
to protect us from that, and as a sign of His Love for us, He never makes
Himself visible to us and never speaks directly to us. We cannot see Him and so
we must believe. And we continue to sin. And He continues to forgive us, and
gives us yet another chance to be better. As long as we still believe!
21. And those who expect not a Meeting
with Us (i.e. those who deny the Day of Resurrection and the life of the
Hereafter) said: "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not
see our Lord?" Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are
scornful with great pride.
(QS. Al Furqan 25:21)
Two Chapters
of My Book are
available on my blog in English and Indonesian languages.
Searching For God and Finding Allah
(unpublished)
Chapter 1: How I Became a Muslim
And Why I Wrote This Book
Chapter 9: A Logical Reason Why
We Cannot See God
Mencari Tuhan, Menemukan Allah (belum
terbit)
Bab 1: Bagaimana Saya Menjadi Seorang Muslim Dan
Mengapa Saya Menulis Buku Ini
Bab 9: Alasan Logis Mengapa Kita Tidak Bisa Melihat
Tuhan
[1] (V.7:143) The appearance of Allâh to the mountain was very little
of Him. It was approximately equal to the tip of one’s little finger as
explained by the Prophet Muhammad SAW when he recited this Verse. (This hadîth
is quoted by Tirmidhi).
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