Is Allah a personal God?

[Yanal]

Well, (getting back to topic slightly!) if we can have a personal relationship with God then I don't see why not. Of course you would never understand him fully (since God is infinite) but I can't think of any questions I could ask of God which he couldn't answer. Is it illogical to always pursue the truth? Should I just give up trying to understand Islam since I'll never fully understand it?

Yours,
M

Yes all muslims always try to learn more and thats a better deed then praying all night for Allah.

 

[mattityahu]

Yes all muslims always try to learn more and thats a better deed then praying all night for Allah.

So, Alpha Jr, do you disagree with the other guys who say it's a waste of time?

Yours,
M

 

[AntiKarateKid]

This thread again is misleading. First you didnt define what "personal" meant which could explain the differences in responses from these Muslims you asked.

You got a question about Allah? Look up his names!

Allah is al-Wadud (the loving)
Allah is al-Wasi (all embracing)
Allah is al-Wali (the protecting friend)

Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.


Allah is a personal friend of the righteous only. He is a personal enemy of the evildoers. Case closed.

 

[Yanal]

Yes I disagree with people that searching for knowledge is a waste of time instead it is better then praying all night as I said before. It is worth it because on the day of judgement there will be a question "How did you spend your time" and if you searched for knowledge your answer will be praiseworthy but if not..... Do you follow me on this M?

 

[mattityahu]

Yes I disagree with people that searching for knowledge is a waste of time instead it is better then praying all night as I said before. It is worth it because on the day of judgement there will be a question "How did you spend your time" and if you searched for knowledge your answer will be praiseworthy but if not..... Do you follow me on this M?

I agree, though that doesn't seem to be Allah's expectation of you. Seems like you are judged on whether you have done enough good deeds not on whether you searched for knowledge.

Yours,
M

 

[Yanal]

Yes Allah doesnt expect this from us but whats the harm in doing so? Rather search for knowledge then be a lazy person and watch Television.

 

[mattityahu]

This thread again is misleading. First you didnt define what "personal" meant which could explain the differences in responses from these Muslims you asked.

You got a question about Allah? Look up his names!

Allah is al-Wadud (the loving)
Allah is al-Wasi (all embracing)
Allah is al-Wali (the protecting friend)

Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.


Allah is a personal friend of the righteous only. He is a personal enemy of the evildoers. Case closed.

The term was loosely defined in the opening post. Care to define personal for us?

Thanks,
M

 

[جوري]

personal

10 entries found.

1. 1personal (adjective)
2. 2personal (noun)
3. personal computer
4. personal digital assistant
5. personal effects
6. personal equation
7. personal foul
8. personal pronoun
9. personal property
10. personal tax

Main Entry:1per·son·al Pronunciation: \ˈpərs-nəl, ˈpər-sə-nəl\ Function:adjective Etymology:Middle English, from Anglo-French personel, from Late Latin personalis, from Latin personaDate:14th century 1: of, relating to, or affecting a particular person : private, individual <personal ambition> <personal financial gain>2 a: done in person without the intervention of another ; also : proceeding from a single person b: carried on between individuals directly <a personal interview>3: relating to the person or body4: relating to an individual or an individual's character, conduct, motives, or private affairs often in an offensive manner <a personal insult>5 a: being rational and self-conscious <personal, responsive government is still possible — John Fischer> b: having the qualities of a person rather than a thing or abstraction <a personal devil>6: of, relating to, or constituting personal property <a personal estate>7: denoting grammatical person8: intended for private use or use by one person <a personal stereo>

 

[Muhammad]

Greetings,

Well, (getting back to topic slightly!) if we can have a personal relationship with God then I don't see why not. Of course you would never understand him fully (since God is infinite) but I can't think of any questions I could ask of God which he couldn't answer.

So is your definition of a 'personal God', a God that allows us to keep questioning Him; a God that is so personal (and perhaps at this point less godly) such that we should be able to ask Him any question and get an instant reply? It is not our place to decide what God should or shouldn't do, or what He should or shouldn't tell us. It is sufficient as believers to know that whatever is for our benefit, He has explained it. And whatever He has kept from us, it isn't necessary for us to know. Moreover, if one examines the issue, he will find there to be a wealth of information that God has already told us about Him to help us understand what we can. From His Names and Attributes, we can learn and apply so much without having to ask unnecessary questions. Among those who have fallen in this trap, there are some who have gone to the extreme of denying Attributes, simply because they questioned too far and led themselves astray.

Is it illogical to always pursue the truth? Should I just give up trying to understand Islam since I'll never fully understand it?

There is a difference between seeking beneficial knowledge and knowledge that has no benefit. For a person who is sincere in his search, this is usually straightforward. Ultimately, it is Allaah (swt) who guides.

Peace.

 

[mattityahu]

Greetings,

So is your definition of a 'personal God', a God that allows us to keep questioning Him; a God that is so personal (and perhaps at this point less godly) such that we should be able to ask Him any question and get an instant reply? It is not our place to decide what God should or shouldn't do, or what He should or shouldn't tell us. It is sufficient as believers to know that whatever is for our benefit, He has explained it. And whatever He has kept from us, it isn't necessary for us to know. Moreover, if one examines the issue, he will find there to be a wealth of information that God has already told us about Him to help us understand what we can. From His Names and Attributes, we can learn and apply so much without having to ask unnecessary questions. Among those who have fallen in this trap, there are some who have gone to the extreme of denying Attributes, simply because they questioned too far and led themselves astray.

There is a difference between seeking beneficial knowledge and knowledge that has no benefit. For a person who is sincere in his search, this is usually straightforward. Ultimately, it is Allaah (swt) who guides.

Peace.

So knowing more about Allah isn't beneficial? I wouldn't expect an instant reply, but I would like to think that a personal God would reveal himself slowly and lovingly to me so that I might love Him even more because I know just how perfect He is.

Yours,
M

 

[Muhammad]

Greetings,

So knowing more about Allah isn't beneficial? I wouldn't expect an instant reply, but I would like to think that a personal God would reveal himself slowly and lovingly to me so that I might love Him even more because I know just how perfect He is.

Now you're distorting what I said. Knowledge of Allaah (swt) is among the best knowledge to be gained. But there's a clear difference between beneficial knowledge and going beyond the limits into the realm of futile questions.

God already has revealed His message - its a universal message for each and every human being. If you're that sincere in seeking God, you should pick up the Qur'an and experience just how personal He is.

Peace.

 

[mattityahu]

Greetings,

Now you're distorting what I said. Knowledge of Allaah (swt) is among the best knowledge to be gained. But there's a clear difference between beneficial knowledge and going beyond the limits into the realm of futile questions.

God already has revealed His message - its a universal message for each and every human being. If you're that sincere in seeking God, you should pick up the Qur'an and experience just how personal He is.

The problem is that what you think are futile questions I think are basic questions about God's character. I'm quite happy for someone to say "Islam doesn't teach us about this" and I will embrace its mystery. It does make me question, however, the validity of Allah's personality and whether a personal relationship is really possible.

Yours,
M

 

[GreyKode]

I'm quite happy for someone to say "Islam doesn't teach us about this" and I will embrace its mystery.

Excuse but...
Are you imagining things?Or are you playing stupid?
Why is it imprinted in your mind things like "Islam doesn't teach us about this", "Islam makes you not ask about things"?

 

[mattityahu]

Excuse but...
Are you imagining things?Or are you playing stupid?
Why isn't imprinted in your mind things like "Islam doesn't teach us about this", "Islam makes you not ask about things"?

It seemed from the various responses I was getting that some questions are "futile" - seeming to suggest that there is no reason for asking such questions.

If I'm being unfair to previous posters then please correct me. But I seem to have met a lot of resistance to asking this question for one reason or another.

Yours,
M

 

[GreyKode]

Ok...listen, the relationship between a muslim and ALLAH(swt) too profound to be expressed in words, so if you want to understand it pick up a Qur'an like brother Muhammad
suggested and try to find it yourself.

 

[mattityahu]

Ok...listen, the relationship between a muslim and ALLAH(swt) too profound to be expressed in words, so if you want to understand it pick up a Qur'an like brother Muhammad
suggested and try to find it yourself.

I'm not sure I understand...too profound to be expressed in words, so I should read a book consisting mostly (I'm guessing) of words. Moreover, I'm not an Arabic speaker, and English translations (so I've heard) don't live up to the profundity of the Qur'an in Arabic. So what am I to do? Be settled with my own mediocre understanding of what the Qur'an teaches or seek the understanding of others who know better?

Yours,
M

 

[جوري]

given how many converts there are to Islam (SEE BELOW) I'd say all one really needs to do is pick up the book and read it, rather than waste his time and everyone else's on cliff notes?

all the best

[MEDIA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J5_VETwfew&feature=channel[/MEDIA]

Angst-Ridden Germans Look for Answers -- And Find Them in the Koran
By Lutz Ackermann

The number of Germans who have converted to Islam has increased fourfold within one year -- despite the negative perception of Islam among the general public.


DPA
A man praying in a Berlin mosque. The number of Muslim converts in Germany increased fourfold last year.
In terms of his appearance, Kai Lühr seems out of place. Lühr, who is kneeling between bearded men in white robes and bowing in the direction of Mecca, is clean-shaven and wearing jeans and a gray jacket. He might pass as a member of the Christian congregation next door, sent here to cultivate inter-faith dialogue. But he clearly knows the Islamic prayer ritual too well for that to be the case. He bends over and prays in Arabic: "Allah listens to him who praises Him. Our Lord, to You is due all praise." Lühr bends over, stands up again, takes another bow -- up and down, 33 times.

Kai Lühr, a practising doctor, converted to Islam with his wife two and a half years ago. Since then their names have been Kai Ali Rashid and Katrin Aisha Lühr. The 43-year-old regularly attends Friday prayers in the courtyard mosque in Frechen, near Cologne, where he prays together with Moroccans, Palestinians and two other German converts -- a former boxer and an engineer. "You'll meet a few German-born Muslims in any mosque these days," says Lühr.

A soon-to-be-published study on Islamic life in Germany confirms the Cologne doctor's impression. The study sheds light on a phenomenon that may seem surprising given the image of Islam in Germany, where the religion is often associated with terrorism, forced marriages and honor killings: In Germany, some 4,000 people converted to Islam between July 2004 and June 2005. The study, which was financed by the Interior Ministry and carried out by the Soest-based Muslim institute Islam Archive Germany, reveals that the number of converts increased four-fold in comparison to the previous year.

The figure of 4,000 conversions means the usual explanations for why Germans convert are no longer sufficient. The annual number of converts remained constant -- at about 300 -- until three years ago. The converts were mainly women "who married a Muslim partner," Muhammad Salim Abdullah from the Islam Archive points out. Today, people are increasingly converting "of their own free will," he says, adding that the converts still include many women, but also plenty of university graduates -- middle-class citizens like Kai Lühr.

Baptized and raised as a Christian, Lühr studied at university and then opened a general medical practice with an additional specialization in naturopathic medicine. His income was good, he married Katrin, a professional dancer, and they moved into a loft apartment together. However, at some stage the couple realized something was missing. "When critically-ill people come into my practice after already having been sent from pillar to post, it makes you despair sometimes," Lühr says. He developed an interest in Christianity, Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. But he found no answers.

"People want to be different."

Lühr's conversion process seems typical. Many converts were originally practising Christians who began having doubts about their religion at some point, says Mohammed Herzog, a Berlin imam who used to be a Protestant minister until he converted to Islam in 1979. The number of German-speaking converts in his mosque has also risen noticeably, Herzog says. Some 10 years ago, the annual number of converts was about 50 -- now it is double that. "Only rarely do the converts include people who were complete atheists before," Herzog says.

Monika Wohlrab-Sahr, a sociologist of religion, has investigated converts in Germany and in the United States. She says the "overcoming of a personal crisis" is often a prime motive, frequently in combination with a search for the Other: "People want to be different," she says.

While fundamentalist Christianty also offers these possibilities, Islam allows a person to stand out from the crowd to a greater degree, in Wohlrab-Sahr's opinion. Moreover, Islam has become a perennial theme in the media thanks to today's frequent debates on Muslims. "Islam is more visible as a genuine alternative," Wohlrab-Sahr says.

It's hard to find a common denominator for what exactly makes Islam so attractive to people from a Christian background. Salim Abdullah speaks of "defiant reactions" in the face of the constant criticism brought against Islam, although he's also familiar with converts who appreciate the "clear rules for behavior" provided by the Koran. Lühr, who always carries a prayer mat in the trunk of his Alfa Romeo GT, laments the "decline in values" that Western society, in his view, has suffered: "In Islam, values still count for something," he says.


Sometimes the newly-acquired Muslim values can clash with Western principles, in the opinion of some. The key question is how literally Islam's holy book is interpreted. "Converts tend to practise their religion in a more puritanical fashion," says Wohlrab-Sahr. "Born Muslims are often more liberal."

A Hamburg lawyer's office provides an intriguing example of what she means. Thirty-six-year-old Nils Bergner prays to Allah five times a day. The German convert works together with a Turkish friend Ali Özkan, also a Muslim. The two visit the mosque together, but it's only in the German's office that the prayer rug is regularly rolled out. "I just can't manage it," says Özkan. "The first prayer is at 6:00 a.m. -- much too early."

Recently, they were invited to dinner. The desert was tiramisu. Bergner hesitated because of the alcohol in the recipe. "I said, you can't be serious," Özkan recalls. "Go ahead and eat it, I said. It's just a flavoring." But Bergner left the tiramisu untouched.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,460364,00.html

NBC NEWS:20000 americans Convert To ISLAM Each Year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/2PS2creVhaM



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Yusuf Estes - Priests and Preachers accepting Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/E6K0627FiCk



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Many Latinos Convert Daily To ISLAM .. Live From Venezuela!
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1XyrxzQIN9w

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Every day many Germans convert to ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/34kjurzK500

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Holland TV:ISLAM fastest spreading Faith among Youth Germans
www.youtube.com/watch/v/WAXXN6XOnzQ

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Thousands of Danish convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/kru6XQ8CT48

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TV Report Thousands Hispanics Converting To ISLAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/yDwGsmTx3D4

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German Scientist & his wife,clinic assistant convert 2 islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/uP-2IqH_l4c

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European Scientist converts to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/0IspK651RpY

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Dr. Ian Weber from England converts to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gUZR6XwU8Pw

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science students turn to islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/y3_JYk4Bo4Y

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TV_ReportChristians Convert To ISLAM in France
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/Dhu0eEuIsGg

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Turning Muslim in Texas - People reverting to Islam in Texas
http://video.google.com/videoplay...

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Angela Collins - Muslim Convert weeks after 9/11 Incident
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/j6PJgJdEzNM

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NEW MUSLIM Woman from austrailia CONVERT :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/-baqULx5IBU

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The Choice - A Story of New American Muslim Convert
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CML3CRPMefA

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Irish and "loving Islam" Convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/dIc5oFAva-4

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Jewish To Islam convert
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/KcBiJnLjwVw

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Changes after Islam

www.youtube.com/watch/v/IlOuITPE6kE
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/1qpQvpmEqkc

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Why do they accept the Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/aJ3TGAnFc-U

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135 Convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/36Glj_FAGcw



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Convert to Islam from Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/uKPer2fma9U

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Revert to Islam - Brian From Christianity (Convert to Islam)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/bI_YVnD9UvI

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Many Jew and Christian Families Convert To ISLAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/84ZtVLI5kXM

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British Catholic Priest Converted To ISLAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/pn0iPlWQNlI

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Greece Men Convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/IlAjkuECrHc

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Orange
Dubai, UAE Reply »
|Report Abuse |Judge it! |#2 Feb 3, 2008
MUCH MORE IN HERE

Convert to Islam from Hinduism
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/zePqNxz895U

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Christian Convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/HDkW2Y35mKQ

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Twenty two/22 Brothers and sisters convert to (Islam)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/XQBn6loQTdY

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Two british Women of different colours convert to Islam
www.youtube.com/watch/v/uEfMcPQfv7w

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German convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/9U1zNXXQA6Q

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Three French Sisters Convert To ISLAM :
www.youtube.com/watch/v/JiksSo0lwL4

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Sister Yvonne Ridley Becomes Muslim Islam Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/aOe5s5hP4Gw

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WHY Christians German Lady convert to ISLAM, SEE VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/afFv22Wsd5A

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Germany Convert To ISLAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/os4vUxfJizU

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Jerome - How I wrestled my way to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/b2YZGGDGUWE

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The story of a German convert to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/gjRjzTAk-RQ

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Revert to Islam - Abdus Salam (Convert to Islam)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/VqlilLIQJRE

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Revert to Islam - Maryam Noor (Convert From Christianity)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/ig0N9aRT0Hc

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Germans convert to Islam on german TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/nFqj3xPKc88

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TV Report Rechtsanwalt konvertiert zum ISLAM :
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/_4LrIv6kK9o

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JoleneA Southern Baptist Converts to Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/RHQOx12-WJU

 

[aadil77]

I'm not sure I understand...too profound to be expressed in words, so I should read a book consisting mostly (I'm guessing) of words. Moreover, I'm not an Arabic speaker, and English translations (so I've heard) don't live up to the profundity of the Qur'an in Arabic. So what am I to do? Be settled with my own mediocre understanding of what the Qur'an teaches or seek the understanding of others who know better?

Yours,
M

No actually If you are sincere like brother Muhammad has said before, then Allah will give you the understanding you are looking for from the Quran as yes it can not be expressed in words. So go ahead read an english translation (you don't have to be an arabic speaker), but read it with a sincere mind and heart not trying desperately to find defects in it, try the pickthall translation it may appeal to you. Then after I'm sure everyone here would like to hear your feedback

peace

 

[Muhammad]

Greetings,

The problem is that what you think are futile questions I think are basic questions about God's character.
I'm quite happy for someone to say "Islam doesn't teach us about this" and I will embrace its mystery. It does make me question, however, the validity of Allah's personality and whether a personal relationship is really possible.

The questions you were asking were far from basic. You yourself admitted that you were "attempting to go a bit deeper". Of course, one can find countless works explaining Islamic creed and elaborating upon the Names and Attributes of Allaah (swt). To go deeper in the sense of furthering understanding in this regard is perfectly fine. But once we start getting all philosophical and regurgitating the same old nonsensical questions like, "can God create a stone too heavy for Him to lift?", then clearly there's little benefit to be gained, much less elaboration on God's personal relationship with His slaves.

If you are seeking information about Allaah - the Qur'an is full of it. And if you're truly interested in the personal relationship between God and man, you can refer to the numerous verses of the Qur'an and citations of Hadeeth given earlier.

To clarify once again, everything for our benefit has been conveyed in Islam. Nothing has been left out.

Peace.

 

[czgibson]

Greetings,

Hi CZ

By 'God' I mean a divine force greater than ourselves.
By 'personal God' I mean a God who concerns himself with each of us individually ... in contrast, perhaps, to a deity who simply demands to be followed and obeyed.

Does that make it clearer?

Peace

It does a little. Thanks for trying to help.

I'm still stuck on the word "divine" - I can't see how it refers to anything real. I suppose it's allied to the fact that I see no compelling reason to believe that god is real.

First and foremost, you cannot read an english translation of any verse and make your own exegesis of it. The Qur'an is in Arabic, and if you want to look deeper into the meanings of words, it makes no sense whatsoever to look at the translated english ones which often don't convey much of what is there.

Why should it be necessary to learn Arabic in order to understand god's ultimate message to humanity?

The problem with going deeper into such issues is that it leads to people going astray. By delving into deep questions and asking questions after questions, some people have become so confused as to deny the reality of God Himself and accepted many strange notions that go against Islamic teachings, such as viewing Paradise and Hell as no more than parables for the masses to understand and having no reality beyond people’s minds! This is why it is more appropriate for a Muslim to accept the Names and Attributes that Allaah (swt) has taught us, without asking "how" or likening them to His creation. We can not fully comprehend Allaah (swt), therefore it is pointless to pursue deeper questions that will not further understanding, only create more confusion instead.

In other words, the more you think, the less likely you are to believe.

Peace