October 2015: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 3

How to be close to GOD

Cont’d from page 2

God wants to purify us to help us to be able to return to Him. Since He is Sacred, without purifying ourselves, it is impossible to return to him.

[3:164] GOD has blessed the believers by raising in their midst a messenger from among them, to recite for them His revelations, and to purify them, and to teach them the scripture and wisdom. Before this, they had gone totally astray.

12. God is Seer/Hearer (2:110, 4:58, 22:61), while Satan is blind and deaf (11:24, 17:72, 27:81).

[7:201] Those who are righteous, whenever the devil approaches them with an idea, they remember, whereupon they become seers.

13. God is Peace (14:23, 10:10, 24:55), while Satan brings chaos, anxiety and worry (3:175).

14. God is Responsive, while Satan turns his back on his followers and cannot support them.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

15. God’s invitation is based on clear proofs, while Satan’s claims are based on hearsay.

[12:108] Say, “This is my path: I invite to GOD, on the basis of a clear proof, and so do those who follow me. GOD be glorified. I am not an idol worshiper.”

[42:35] Those who argue against our proofs will find out that they have no basis.

16. God is the source of righteousness and forgiveness, while Satan is the source of evil.

God teaches us and invites us to lead a righteous life.

17. God is full of forgiveness. Even for those among the disbelievers.

[3:127-8] He thus annihilates some disbelievers, or neutralizes them; they always end up the losers.  It is not up to you; He may redeem them, or He may punish them for their transgressions.

[33:24] GOD will surely recompense the truthful for their truthfulness, and will punish the hypocrites, if He so wills, or redeem them. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[45:14] Tell those who believed to forgive those who do not expect the days of GOD. He will fully pay everyone for whatever they have earned.

18. God invites us to be moderate, while Satan is extravagant.

[17:27] The extravagant are brethren of the devils, and the devil is unappreciative of his Lord.

Moderation is so important in Quran. These are some ways that God want us to be moderate:

• In religion:

[5:77] Say, “O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the opinions of people who have gone astray, and have misled multitudes of people; they are far astray from the right path.”

• In eating:

[7:31] O children of Adam, you shall be clean and dress nicely when you go to the masjid. And eat and drink moderately. Surely, He does not love the gluttons.

• In charity:

[25:67] When they give, they are neither extravagant, nor stingy; they give in moderation.

[17:26] You shall give the due alms to the relatives, the needy, the poor, and the traveling alien, but do not be excessive, extravagant.

[17:29] You shall not keep your hand stingily tied to your neck, nor shall you foolishly open it up, lest you end up blamed and sorry.

• In Salat:

[17:110] Say, “Call Him GOD, or call Him Most Gracious; whichever name you use, to Him belongs the best names.” You shall not utter your Contact Prayers (Salat) too loudly, nor secretly; use a moderate tone.

• In forgiveness:

[42:39] When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights.

 

[42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust.

• In socializing:

[33:33] You shall settle down in your homes, and do not mingle with the people excessively, like you used to do in the old days of ignorance.

• In friendship:

[60:8-9] GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable. GOD enjoins you only from befriending those who fight you because of religion ...

• In judgment:

[38:26] O David, we have made you a ruler on earth. Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of GOD.

[26:182] “You shall weigh with an equitable scale.

Equitable means fair and impartial, not being extreme. In other words, being moderate. If we visualize the scale of justice, it is a balanced scale, symbolizing equitable judgments. If one side is heavier than the other, the balance is gone.

19. God is on the right path.

The right path is not crooked; it is a straight path. God’s religion is all about the right path.

The right path is clear; it is not confusing or ambiguous. God’s path is peace and security, not war and dispute. God’s path is forgiveness and pardon, not revenge and retaliation. God’s path is self-reflection, not magnifying the faults of others. God’s path is love, not hate. God’s path is freedom of choice, not compulsion and force.

We pray to God to teach us how to be moderate and righteous and appreciative of His mercy, that we may come ever closer and closer to Him.

[39:53] Proclaim, O My servants who exceeded the limits, never despair of God’s mercy. For God forgives all sins. He is the Forgiver, Most Merciful.

Pari