Angels in Islam (32) the Angel of Death and the disobedient

When the Angel of Death arrives to take away your soul, would he give you a chance to repent and act righteously?

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If you accept five things, and you are able to put them into practice, your disobedience to Allah will hurt you and will not cause you any problem.

A Real Story

A sinful disobedient who did all kinds of sins and did not observe Allah, get tired of his life’ style. The man came to “Ibrahim ibn Adham” seeking his advice.

The man said: O Ibrahim, I am unable to control myself. Please give me something to help me with it”

Ibrahim said: “If you accept five things, and are able to put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any problem.”

The man said: Please tell me what they are

Ibrahim said: “The first is that when you want to disobey Allah you do not eat anything He provides.”

The man said: “Then how will I get anything to eat? Everything on the earth is from Him!”

Ibrahim said: “So is it right to eat His provision and disobey Him at the same time?”

The man said: “No, it is not. What is the second thing?”

Ibrahim said: “When you want to disobey Allah, move off His land.”

The man said: “That is even more difficult! Screamed the man. “In that case where will I live?”

Ibrahim said: “Is it right to eat his provision and live on His land and then to disobey Him?”

The man said: “No, it is not. What is the third thing?”

Ibrahim said: “When you want to disobey Him in spite of eating His provision and living on His land, find a place where Allah will not see you and disobey Him there.”

The man said: “What do you mean? Allah knows and sees everything that happens even in the most hidden places!”

Ibrahim said: “So is it right to disobey Him when you eat His provision and live on His land and when you know that He can see everything you do?”

The man said: “certainly, it is not! Tell me the fourth thing.”

Ibrahim said: “That when the Angel of Death arrives to take away your soul, do not forget to say to him, ‘Give me a reprieve so that I can repent and act righteously for Allah.'”

The man said: “But he won’t listen to me!”

Ibrahim said: “Then if you cannot ward off death long enough to give yourself time to repent, and you know that when it comes there will be no reprieve, how can you hope to be saved?”

The man said: “What is the fifth?”

Ibrahim said: “That when the Angels of the Eternal Fire come to you to take you to the Fire, tell them that you will not go with them.”

The man said: “They will take me whether I like it or not!”

Ibrahim said: “So how can you hope to be saved?”

The man said: “Enough, enough, Ibrahim! The man mourned, swept his tears from his eyes, felt very sorry and said: I ask Allah’s forgiveness and I submit to Him!”

The man asked Allah’s forgiveness and he repented; his repentance was sincere and from that time on he was diligent in his worship and avoided acts of disobedience until the day he died.

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Who is Ibrahim ibn Adham?

Ibrahim ibn Adham is one of the most prominent of the early ascetic Sufi.

Ibrahim was nominated as the king of a big area called “Balkh”, but he abandoned the throne and became an ascetic Muslim.

Google search Ibrahim ibn Adham if you like to read about him.

Why Do Priests & Preachers Enter Islam? The story of conversion of the Preacher Yusuf Estes (8)

1. “How could you have turned your back on the perfect plan of salvation of Jesus Christ on the cross for you sins?”

2. “Do you consider you were really “saved” and that you had in fact, been “born again?”

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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Now as I promised here are the answers to the questions many have asked me connected with my choice of Islam:

1. “How could you have turned your back on the perfect plan of salvation of Jesus Christ on the cross for you sins?”

The ex- American preacher Yusuf Estes answers this question by saying:

Your question implies you have not considered the similarities and teachings of the Bible and the Quran.

“ISLAM” means – “Surrender, submit and obey your Lord in sincerity and peace.” Whoever is trying to do this, is a “MUSLIM.” If someone believes in Almighty God as One God and One Lord and wants to commit their life to serving Him and obeying His Commandments, then that person will be in the right way and they will be “saved” according to God’s Mercy. No one can take the sins of another and the guilty must stand accused for what they have done. It will be up to Almighty God to Forgive or Punish according to His Judgment on that Day.

According to the remains of the translations of the Bible [see: “Bible, A Closer Look”] Jesus, peace be upon him, did not preach a message of salvation by worshipping him. This was something added later by Saul (who later became Paul). We find clear statements indicating salvation would come only through acknowledging Almighty God as One God and worshipping Him with all the heart, mind and strength. Jesus, peace be upon him, taught his followers to worship “My God and your God, My Lord and your Lord.”

Again, according to the remains of the English translation of the Bible, we see the one on the cross crying out a very blasphemous statement, “Eli! Eli! Lama sabachthani?” (Which being translated means, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”) This statement on the cross clearly indicates the one on the cross is not pleased with the situation nor does he consider it right or just. Therefore, one would have to conclude this was not something Jesus approved of nor did he accept, or else someone else was on the cross in his place. Either way you look at it, the one on the cross did not accept this as a plan of salvation.

The Quran is absolutely in agreement with these teachings and Muslims do worship the same God and Lord of Jesus, Moses, Abraham and Adam, peace be upon them all. The Quran states in many places, no one will be taken to task for the sins of another, nor can anyone carry the burden of another. We will all be on our own on that Day. And I ask Allah to have Mercy and Forgiveness for all those who believe in Him, ameen.

I consider that I have not left the teachings of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. On the contrary, I feel much closer to Jesus, peace be upon him, and I look forward to His return on earth more than ever before. Now I am worshipping the same God he worships and I serve the same Lord he serves, in the very same way he does. Jesus prayed to Almighty God and taught his followers to do the same. I am simply doing what he commanded to the best of my ability and ask Almighty God to accept it.

 

2. “Do you consider you were really “saved” and that you had in fact, been “born again?”

Answer:

The Baptists have a statement, “Once saved, always saved.” I asked one of them about this and he agreed it was true. Then I mentioned at one time I had become a Baptist (in my teen years) but now I was a Muslim. I had also been “saved” and baptized at the age of 12. I had accepted the very statement of Jesus being the way, the light and the truth and no man coming on to the Father except by him. I understood these statements to mean I must follow Jesus and his teachings. Therefore, I read the Bible for myself and did not let others tell me what to think about what I was reading.

The Bible states that Jesus prayed for salvation for himself in the garden of Gethsemane in this way, “Let this cup pass from me, even so, Thy Will be done.” This prayer was repeated by Jesus, peace be upon him, a number of times and it is mentioned in more than one Gospel. Yet, according to Biblical accounts, the cup did not pass from him and his prayers were NOT ANSWERED. Islam teaches us his prayers were answered and he did not have to endure the cruel treatment and death on the cross, but rather he was taken up while still alive and is with Almighty God even now and ready to return in the Last Days to bring victory to the believers.

Additionally, we find Jesus, peace be upon him, teaching his disciples to pray like this, “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and Glory, forever and ever, ameen.” Every Muslim I have met accepts every single word of this pray with the exception of calling “Allah” our “Father.” Muslims consider it better to call on Almighty God by His Names, which we do consider to be “Hallowed.”

 

Written by: Chaplain Yusuf Estes

To be continued.

This is Allah (18) Allah Classifies the Muslims into three types

What is the final residence of the Believers?

What the Believers will say when they enter the Paradise?

What the Believers will wear in the Paradise?

Is there gold and or silk in the Paradise?

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Many people do not know Allah. This series is an attempt to help them in order to know and acknowledge their Creator.

Verses 35:32-35 of the Noble Quran talks about:

1) Allah Classifies the Muslim’s community into three types,

2) What is the final Dwelling of the Believers?

3) What the Believers will say when they enter the Paradise?

4) What the Believers will wear in the Paradise? And

5) Is there Gold and or Silk in the Paradise?

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The meaning of verse 35:32:

Then Allah gave the Book, the Quran, to those of Our servants whom Allah chose, namely, the Muslim’s community.

Yet some of them are those who wrong themselves, by failing to act fully in accordance with it, and

Some of them are moderate, acting in accordance with it most of the time, and

Some are those who take the lead in performing good works, so that in addition to Allah’s acquiring knowledge, He disseminates it and shows others the way [to proper conduct as well as acting in accordance [with the Quran], by the leave of Allah, by His will. That, bequest to them of the Book, is the greatest favor!

In other words, the verse means:

Then, after we sent Gabriel with the Quran to Muhammad Allah gave the Scripture as inheritance, He gave the honor of memorizing, writing and reciting the Quran (unto those whom Allah has elected of His bondmen, by means of faith, i.e. the community of Muhammad.

But of them are some who wrong themselves through committing enormities, and these will not be saved unless there is intercession in their favor, or unless they are forgiven or when Allah’s promise is fulfilled

and of them are some who are lukewarm, some of them did good works and evil works in equal measure; these will be slightly taken to task and then be saved,

and of them are some who outstrip (others) through good deeds in the life of this world and among those brought near to the Garden of Eden in the Hereafter, by Allah’s given success and beneficence.

That selection and outstripping is the great favor, the greatest grace that Allah can bestow upon them!

The meaning of verse 35:33:

Allah then showed their abode, saying: Gardens of Eden! the chamber of the Beneficent is their dwelling, with the Gardens surrounding it. They enter them wearing armlets of gold and pearl; this is the attire of women while the attire of men will be made of gold (and their raiment therein) in Paradise (is silk).

The meaning of verse 35:34:

And they will say, ‘Praise be to Allah Who has removed, all, grief from us. Truly our Lord is Forgiving, of sins, Appreciative, of obedience,

In other words, they say, the inhabitants of Paradise say, in Paradise: (Praise be to Allah) thanks and gratitude belong to Allah (who hath put grief) the grief of death, evanescence and the terrors of the Day of Judgment;

It is also said that this means: the grief of the risks involved in the life of this world (away from us. Lo! Our Lord is Forgiving) He forgives great sins, (Bountiful) He is grateful for even the slightest of good works,

The meaning of verse 35:35:

Who out of His favor has made us to dwell in the Abode of [everlasting] Stay, wherein no toil shall touch us, nor shall we be touched by any fatigue’, lack of strength caused by exhaustion, [and this is] because [religious] obligations no longer apply therein (the second of these [‘fatigue’], which is consequent upon the first [‘toil’], is mentioned in order to make explicit the non-existence [of any toil in Paradise]).

In short, the verse says: Who, of His grace, out of His great favor, (has installed us in the mansion of eternity) in Paradise, (where toil touches us not nor can weariness affect us) in Paradise.

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Verses 35:32-35 in different English translations:

QARIB:

32) Then, we gave the book as an inheritance to those of our worshipers whom we chose. among them, is he who was harmful to himself, and some who minimize, and some who, by the permission of Allah, race in charity, this is the greatest virtue.

33) They shall enter the gardens of eden, where they shall be adorned with bracelets of gold and with pearls, and there, their robes shall be of silk.

34) They shall say: ‘praise belongs to Allah who has removed all sorrow from us. indeed, our lord is the forgiver, the thanker.

35) Through his bounty he has made us to live in the abode of everlasting life, where neither weariness nor fatigue shall touch us. ‘

SHAKIR:

32) Then we gave the book for an inheritance to those whom we chose from among our servants; but of them is he who makes his soul to suffer a loss, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah’s permission; this is the great excellence

33) Gardens of perpetuity, they shall enter therein; they shad be made to wear therein bracelets of gold and pearls, and their dress therein shall be silk

34) And they shall say: (all) praise is due to Allah, who has made grief to depart from us; most surely our lord is forgiving, multiplier of rewards,

35) Who has made us alight in a house abiding for ever out of . his grace; toil shall not touch us therein, nor shall fatigue therein afflict us

PICKTHAL:

32) Then we gave the scripture as inheritance unto those whom we elected of our bondmen. but of them are some who wrong themselves and of them are some who are lukewarm, and of them are some who outstrip (others) through good deeds, by Allah’s leave. that is the great favour!

33) Gardens of eden! they enter them wearing armlets of gold and pearl and their raiment therein is silk.

34) And they say: praise be to Allah who hath put grief away from us. lo! our lord is forgiving, bountiful,

35) Who, of his grace, hath installed us in the mansion of eternity, where toil toucheth us not nor can weariness affect us.

YUSUFALI:

32) Then we have given the book for inheritance to such of our servants as we have chosen: but there are among them some who wrong their own souls; some who follow a middle course; and some who are, by Allah’s leave, foremost in good deeds; that is the highest grace.

33) Gardens of eternity will they enter: therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk.

34) And they will say: “praise be to Allah, who has removed from us (all) sorrow: for our lord is indeed oft-forgiving ready to appreciate (service):

35) “Who has, out of his bounty, settled us in a home that will last: no toil nor sense of weariness shall touch us therein.”