I am a non-Muslim reading the Qur'an all the way through for the first time. I was reading the English translation, and I wanted to get clarity on a specific verse. My understanding of Islam is very limited, and wanted to get instruction on verses that I don't understand. Here is one.
Surah 2:21
"O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous"
This verse seems like it's teaching me to worship the Lord, and also to worship "those before you" which sounds like it means your "ancestors"?
From my understanding of Islam you are supposed to worship God alone. Is it the English translation that makes it sound like that, or, are you really suppose to worship your ancestors?
That is reference to all the other humans that he created before us.
The message to worship God was given to people before us ie at the time of Prophet Noah, Moses peace be upon them.
In Islam we only worship the one God.
Welcome to ask any other questions.
Last edited by h-n; 09-25-2014 at 08:39 AM.
"Allah! There is no god but He - the Living, The Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him Nor Sleep. His are all things In the heavens and on earth." Quran , Surah Baqarah 2:255
"who created you and those before you" - God created us and those before us.
But I think this is how you saw it.
" Worship God who, created you, and those before you" -If you were to put the punctuation mark where I just did it could be misinterpreted to mean what you thought. But there isn't one in the verse you gave
Another example
"Let's eat Grandpa." - LOL
"Let eat, Grandpa."
"who created you and those before you" - God created us and those before us.
But I think this is how you saw it.
" Worship God who, created you, and those before you" -If you were to put the punctuation mark where I just did it could be misinterpreted to mean what you thought. But there isn't one in the verse you gave
Another example
"Let's eat Grandpa." - LOL
"Let eat, Grandpa."
haha Thanks, to both of you, that is super helpful. I don't know how I missed that. I'll keep posting questions as I come across them, thanks again.
Since the Qur'an is written from the perspective of the Angel Gabriel speaking to the Prophet Muhammad, When the Qu'ran says we sent you, is it referring to we angels? for example
Surah 2:118
"Lo! We have sent thee (O Muhammad) with the truth, a bringer of glad tidings and a warner. And thou wilt not be asked about the owners of hell-fire."
Sorry for the simple questions, I'm a complete novice to the Qur'an, and have only read excerpts from it before, so there are a lot of things that are confusing to me.
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