Christians say we are children of God. Muslims say we are servants/slaves of God. But both describe us as having to obey him so... a person can be a servant of God and A Child of God right? But the problem with being a "child" of God is that is ascribes overtly human aspects to Him, namely family wise.
But why does a person need to think they are in a "family" with God to feel like God loves them?
These are my thoughts/ramblings on the subject.
What are your opinions on it? Which one is more befitting of God?
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
Qur'an 5: 18.
And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allâh and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allâh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return (of all).
Since the christians and some jews say that people will go to hell for eternity if they don't believe in their religion, then if we were His children - why would He punish the disbelievers (who are supposedly His children) for eternity? But if you are His servants, He is just and can do anything He wishes with those who are wrong doers - since He is the rule maker.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
we are all metaphorically children of god......but the title 'father' is corrupted and so when islam came the aim was to correct the people's mindset that allah does not beget nor is he begotten........the word 'ab' which means father in arabic is easier than 'rabb' which means god... for several years this word was chanted around prophet muhammed but he never chose it to include it into the quran thats if ''he wrote the book''
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
Enslavement to Allaah includes and implies love, fear and hope. The slave loves his Lord, fears His punishment and hopes for His Mercy and reward. These are the three essential pillars of ‘Uboodiyyah or enslavement.
Enslavement to Allaah is an honour, not a cause of humiliation, as the poet said:
“What increases me in honour and pride, so that my feet nearly stepped on the Pleiades, is that I am included in Your words ‘O My slaves,’ and that You made Ahmad my Prophet.”
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
We are creation of our Lord ALLAH and we all are Sons of Adam. The difference is one cant chose his father. Allah created US with free choice we can be sbd ALLAH (slaves of ALLAH) or we can chose to not follow (not be slaves of Allah) as the Sheikh said Enslavement to Allaah is an honour
hope it makes sense
We ask Allaah to make us among His righteous slaves. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
I can understand why many Christians refer to themselves and often to all of mankind as being "Children of God" it is a beautiful thought and in some connotations of the words father and Children it is correct.
However, over all the term "Children of God" is in error and can be very misleading. A father child relationship implies an equality between the father and the child, the child being simply an immature form of the father.this gives a concept of a level of equality between God and Man.
I feel that the term "Creations of God" to be more accurate and rather then say we are "Children of God" it is best to say "Servents of God" as that carries an implication of choosing to be obediant.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
format_quote Originally Posted by Pygoscelis
I was not aware until just now reading this that Muslims consider themselves slaves. That is true?
only jews confront and try to subdue & trick god.
christians and muslims are more similar in that regard.
difference is I think, that being "children of god", "or children of son of god" has an underlying understanding -which I believe is evident in christians- that they will at most be scolded, and then jump into the heaven.
the slaves, aim to please the master. and live between hope and fear.
Come, let's all be fellows, make life easy on ourselves
let us love, and be loved, no one will have the world for themselves.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
format_quote Originally Posted by Pygoscelis
I was not aware until just now reading this that Muslims consider themselves slaves. That is true?
Not only consider ourselves slaves, but willingly desire to be. to understand what it means to be a slave, you have to first remove any thoughts of the infamy of the "Slavery" forced upon the captives from Africa by ruthless slave traders, that was not slavery, that was captivity and brutality.
to be a slave of Allaah(swt) gives unparralleled freedom as it frees us from the slavery to the temptations of this physical existence. It gives us the ability to love by choice not by birth requirement, it gives us the desire to seek rewards not the expectations we will get them as a birthright.
Slavery to Allah(swt) is freer then the automatic receiving of birthrights,
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
children of God sounds nice, but to me sounds a little bit cultish, also has connotations of forgiveness although could be mis construed as being given freewheel to sin and expect forgiveness. Slave of Allah sounds more like we need Him and He does not need us. Interesting topic
"O ye who belive! Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah, in order that you may succeed"
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
format_quote Originally Posted by Pygoscelis
This is the most curious statement I have yet read on this board.
You will find many reverts say that after accepting Islam. A great feeling of freedom overcomes us once we becomes a Slave of Allaah(swt) we are freed from all earthly bonds that hold us tight. It is odd that how when we think we are free we are actually trapped in a hidden slavery to the material world, often without realizing it.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
The son must have any similarity with his father ,so how can anybody imagine that there is any similarity between the creator who can do anything ,keep the universe, see and hear everything ,......etc and between us,we r very weak.
we are slaves of Allah and we r proud to be slaves of Allah not of our lusts and desires.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
format_quote Originally Posted by burdenofbeing
how can you say there is no similarity between the creator and us? We have mercy, Allah is most merciful, we can hear, Allah hears everything etc.
When we hear just Allah orders our ears to hear ,we don`t hear or see by ourselfs ,we need help from Alah in every action,when we have mercy just Allah guides us to do.That`s extremy diffrent than Allah Almighty how does every thing ,hears and sees every thing without any help from anybody. We are very weak and Allah is most Great.
Re: What's the difference between "Children of God" and "Servant/Slave of God"?
at any rate, there is similarity. and we need similarity to understand the aspects of god. unless they'd be abstract and we wouldn't even have the words.
Come, let's all be fellows, make life easy on ourselves
let us love, and be loved, no one will have the world for themselves.
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