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We will be faced with many challenges throughout our lives. Some circumstances may be very difficult. But it’s how we react to the event that sets us apart as Submitters. Let every one of life’s situations be an opportunity to strive in the cause of God, to please God. May God help us use a testing situation to respond with kindness. God tells us to treat each other in the best possible manner (17:53), and to use kind words and compassion (2:263).
We accepted the responsibility of free will. We are responsible for our actions, and even our innermost thoughts. God is fully aware of all of them. We may try to hide them, but God knows.
[5:7] Remember GOD’s blessing upon you, and His covenant that He covenanted with you: you said, “We hear and we obey.” You shall observe GOD; GOD is fully aware of the innermost thoughts.
[11:5] Indeed, they hide their innermost thoughts, as if to keep Him from knowing them. In fact, as they cover themselves with their clothes, He knows all their secrets and declarations. He knows the innermost thoughts.
[35:38] GOD is the Knower of the future of the heavens and the earth. He is the Knower of all innermost thoughts.
[57:6] He merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night. He is fully aware of the innermost thoughts. He knows the past and the future. He merges night into day. Of course, He’s aware of our every thought.
We must observe God at all times, for it is a duty upon the righteous. We must be obedient servants, striving to please God, in order to be redeemed.
[33:15] They had pledged to GOD in the past that they would not turn around and flee;
making a pledge with GOD involves a great responsibility.
[9:104] Do they not realize that GOD accepts the repentance of His worshipers, and takes the charities, and that GOD is the Redeemer, Most Merciful?
[25:71] Those who repent and lead a righteous life, GOD redeems them; a complete redemption.
[110:3] You shall glorify and praise your Lord, and implore Him for forgiveness. He is the Redeemer.
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[39:45] When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion. But when others are mentioned beside Him, they become satisfied. The majority of people will not succeed in worshiping God alone.
[12:103] Most people, no matter what you do, will not believe.
[12:106] The majority of those who believe in GOD do not do so without committing idol worship.
We know that we cannot associate anything with God—no idols. He has no partners, no son, He needs no one. We must steadfastly persevere in our worship of God alone. To be steadfast is to be firm and unwavering. And to persevere is to continue on a course of action even in the face of difficult times.
[2:153] O you who believe, seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). GOD is with those who steadfastly persevere.
[3:200] O you who believe, you shall be steadfast, you shall persevere, you shall be united,
you shall observe GOD, that you may succeed.
[11:115] You shall steadfastly persevere, for GOD never fails to recompense the righteous.
[11:11] As for those who steadfastly persevere, and lead a righteous life, they deserve forgiveness and a generous recompense.
We should steadfastly persevere to grow our souls in this world. We can be like young Mari Copeny. She contacted President Barak Obama in 2014 and alerted him (and the nation) to the horrible water crisis in Flint, Michigan. She was only 8 years old at the time, but it didn’t stop her from persisting in trying her best. She continues to be an activist, fighting injustice and bullying and raising money for school supplies and gifts for needy children. That’s being steadfast.
Can we be that steadfast for God? If we want to make it to Heaven, we must be steadfast in our devotion and obedience to God.
[23:111] “I have rewarded them today, in return for their steadfastness, by making them the winners.”
We know that turning to idols for anything is worse than useless.
[16:20] As for the idols they set up beside GOD, they do not create anything; they themselves were created.
Steadfastly persevering in worshiping God means avoiding all idol worship.
Religious leaders—the people with “titles”—can be idols. People may listen to them instead of God. Titles are an important part of most religions. In Christianity, there are many church titles that people strive to achieve. Deacon, priest, elder, preacher, minister, pastor, bishop, archbishop, cardinal, pope. There can be intrigue and in-fighting for those titles and people with those titles may be revered, even idolized. Other religions have similar hierarchies and titles. In truth, these titles are meaningless. If we obey people with titles instead of obeying God, it is idol worship.
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