Responding to lies / Misinformation about Islam: There is no concept of sin in Islam and therefore no need for forgiveness

When I came across this misconception about Islam, I just wondered how naïve is that someone who phrased this lie about Islam. It seems that this lie has been coined without reading Qur'an and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which are replete with the concept of repentance and forgiveness.

Not going by an Muslim reference, but quoting straight from Wikipedia the concept of sin, repentance and forgiveness:

The Islamic concept of repentance for any sins and misdeeds is called tawba. It is a direct matter between a person and God, so there is no intercession or formal, ecclesiastical confession to a religious leader.

However, There is also no concept of original sin in Islam, thus the need for atonement, or ecclesiastical confession.

Unlike the concept of original sin and Jesus dying on the cross for the forgiveness of original sin of his followers, the concept of sin and asking forgiveness in Islam is a matter exclusively between the sinner and Allah, no one else in between. The concept of original sin in Christianity stems from the sin committed by Adam, and Eve, and thus  each child that is born carries that sin. 

The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (the story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden), in a line in Psalm 51:5 ("I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me"), and in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, 5:12-21 ("Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned").

This belief began to emerge in the 3rd century, but only became fully formed with the writings of Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD), who was the first author to use the phrase "original sin" (Latin: peccatum originale). Influenced by Augustine, the councils of Carthage (411–418 AD) and Orange (529 AD) brought theological speculation about original sin into the official lexicon of the Church.

Here we would like to share the verses from Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow), wherein it is clearly stated that upon seeking forgiveness from Allah, Adam was forgiven, these no question arises about that sin carried forward by every newly born:

(2:36) But Satan caused both of them to deflect from obeying Our command by tempting them to the tree and brought them out of the state they were in, and We said: “Get down all of you; henceforth, each of you is an enemy of the other, and on earth you shall have your abode and your livelihood for an appointed time.”

(2:37) Thereupon Adam learned from his Lord some words and repented and his Lord accepted his repentance for He is Much-Relenting, Most Compassionate.

(2:38) We said: “Get you down from here, all of you, and guidance shall come to you from Me: then, whoever will follow My guidance need have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

(2:39) But those who refuse to accept this (guidance) and reject Our Signs as false are destined for the Fire where they shall abide for ever.” 

Read the explanation of these verses from our earlier post: Surah Al Baqarah - The Cow: 2nd Chapter of Qur'an (Exegesis - Introduction) 

Thus in Islam, there is no such concept of original sin and each child is born pure without of any sins. It is that child's later part of life when he falls prey to evil and commits sins. And for that Allah has kept the door of acceptance of the repentance of the sinner and forgiving him, if the sinner so prayeth. 

Yet, man is always exposed to machination of the Satan and liable to fall prey to sins. and it is here, the Divine mercy comes in which assures a sinner not to despair for Allah is there to make amends for him and the harm done to him by falling prey to the evil forces.

If a man commits a sin, he is directed to repent immediately and then seek forgiveness from Allah. And Allah promises umpteen number of times that if His servant asks for forgiveness after sincere repentance, He would certainly forgive him.

This concept of forgiveness and repentance is spread all over the Qur'an and is given due importance in Hadith and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad so that one should advantage of fathomless mercy of Allah to start afresh after repenting and seeking forgiveness of Allah. In fact, the word(s) "forgiveness" appears 76 time(s) in 74 verse(s) in Quran (in Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation). 

"And those who having done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls earnestly bring Allah to mind and ask for forgiveness for their sins and who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done." (3:135) 

We have already shared a number of posts on the concept of repentance and forgiveness, the links to which are given below. Instead of repeating these, those wanting to know more and clear their misconception that there is no concept of forgiveness in Islam should clear their doubts, rather than listening to lies about Islam from others and falling prey to disinformation about Islam:

• And hasten to the forgiveness of your Lord, and paradise (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:133)
• Remember Allah Instantly if you sin and implore forgiveness (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:135)
• And whoever does evil, but seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah 4. An-Nisaa:110)
• Allah's acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil and then soon repent (Surah 4. An-Nisaa:17-18)
• Seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance - Surely Allah is Ever Merciful, Most Loving (Surah 11 Hud verse 90)
• Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day of Reckoning  (Surah 14. Ibrahim:41)
• Allah will forgive those who guard their chastity and remember Him much (Surah 33. Al-Ahzab:35)
• The Verse of Mercy: Those who have committed excesses should not despair of Allah's Mercy - Surely Allah forgives all sins (Surah 39. Az-Zumar:53)
• Our Lord! Forgive those who repent and follow Your Path (Surah 40. Al-Mu'min:7)
• Surely your Lord is abounding in forgiveness (Surah 53. An-Najm:32)
• Believers, turn to Allah in sincere repentance; for He may expunge your evil deeds (Surah 66. At-Tahrim:8)

The Prophet of Islam Muhammad once said: "He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah turns to him with Mercy."

So let no one deceive about Islam by lies, misinformation and disinformation. Islam provides the easiest access to Allah without any intermediary to speak to Him, repent one's sins and seek forgiveness.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

You may also refer to our reference page on Repentance and Forgiveness for more on the subject.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Resource References: | Original Sin | Islamic views on Sin |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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The Rebuttal to 'Objection on Islam' that the God of Islam, Allah, is most definitely not the God of the Bible

There have ben many a objection by non-Muslims which are raised almost every now and then aginst Islam. While mostly these objections are based on incorrect information or lies against Islam, for which answers and response is given befittingly by Muslim scholars accordingly.

However, the objection that God of Islam, Allah, is most certainly no the God of Bible is one such objection to which I and almost all Muslims agree, and even Jews would subscribe to this objection. Yes certainly Allah is not 'that God' which Bible followers follow. 

But before we go in to  the rebuttal of the objection being raised, let us define who God really is:

In monotheistic belief systems, God is viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith, as against the polytheistic belief systems, wherein a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the universe or life, for which such a deity is often worshipped".

In the afore mentioned definition, God is one entity and cannot have multiple assistances or helpers to rule over His creations. This God has been the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Job, Jonah and Moses. And this the same God, which is also God of Muslims. Since God in Arabic is translated as Allah, for the Qur'an too is in Arabic, Muslims call God of all previous prophets as well as God of last prophet Muhammad ﷺ as Allah. 

Interestingly, in the Arabic translation of all types of Bibles, God of Christians is translated as Allah. If Allah, as Christians believe, is a god of pagan Arabs, then how come they have conceded to this translation of God in Arabic as Allah?  

Herein under is the testimony of there being Only One Lord as has been referred to in Deuteronomy 5:1-9 New International Version (NIV), The Ten Commandments:

5   Moses  summoned  all Israel and said: "Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws:  I. declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 It was not with our ancestors[a] that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. 4 The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. 5 (At that time I stood between the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.)"

And he said:

6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.7 “You shall have no other gods before[b] me. 8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

And in line with the same Divine commandment to Moses, Muslims also strongly believe that there is only One God, we call Allah in Arabic, and that He has no assistances and helpers to manage His entire universe. In the Holy Qur'an, Chapter 112 Surah Al Ikhlas, the same concept is repeated when Allah addresses His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and tells him to pronounce and tell others who Allah is: Say: “He is Allah, the One and Unique;

And this above referred surah is not the only one in which Allah strictly says of Himself being the Only One with no partners, associates or helpers, what to talk of a son, to run the affairs of the universe and heavens:

• Allah is only One Deity: He is far too exalted that He should have a son: whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth belongs to Him. (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 171).
• Note it well: they, in fact, invent a falsehood when they say, Allah has children. They are utter liars. (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayats 151-152).
• They have invented a blood-relationship between Allah and the angels, whereas the angels know well that these people will be brought up (as culprits). (Surah As-Saaffat, Ayat 158).
• These people have made some of His servants to be part of Him. The fact is that man is manifestly ungrateful. (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayat l5).

Now coming over the the God of the Bible and the objection that the Allah is not the God of the Bible.  First of all it must be made very clear that we Muslims therefore firmly believe that Prophet Eesa (Jesus, may peace be upon him) was one of the true messengers of Allah who was endowed with the holy scripture of Injeel (The Bible).

When Christians say God of Bible, they in fact refer to the concept of Trinity which goes tangent to the definition of God of Jews and Muslims, for there can never be an assistance or anyone at par with One True God. This is very interesting, that in the same Bible, there are contradictions. On one hand, Prophet Eesa (Jesus) proclaims oneness of God and at the same time in other places Jesus is quoted to have said that he himself is God. Let us quote here few examples from Bible about the Oneness of God or otherwise: 

Do you remember what Jesus’ Father did one day when Jesus was with three of his followers?— Yes, God spoke all the way from heaven to tell them: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.”—Matthew 17:5.

Jesus was the only person to be born of a mortal mother, Mary, and an immortal father, God the Father. That is why Jesus is called the Only Begotten Son of God.[Reference]

(This is something that is refuted by Qur'an in the third verse of the Surah Al Ikhlas that He (Allah) neither begot any nor was He begotten, which clearly means that neither He (Allah) has an offspring nor is He the offspring of another. )

And yet it is said in Bible: 

"The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his SERVANT Jesus (Acts 3:13) - The Qur'an expresses the same sense in the similar words: " He who obeys the Apostle (Muhammad) obeys Allah." (Qur'an 4:80) 

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.  (Acts 2:22-23)

If despite this very clear verse from Bible, its followers still claim Jesus to be God (rather some believe him to be the only god), one cannot argue much for then there is no further imagination to make Jesus as God. Therefore Muslims do not subscribe to the concept of Trinity nor take Prophet Eesa as son of God, for Jesus is like all other messengers and prophets of Allah, though born in miraculous circumstances.

And let us quote what an ordinary Jesus followers believed (this part of the conversation I picked up from Facebook - but no names to observe privacy):

Jehova the Almighty God is the heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is the same Jehova the Almighty God 

Are you saying Jesus is the same person as the Father?

Yes

You are confusing: When Jesus said" the Father is greater than I", "The Father is greater than all"

So when Jews killed Jesus according to Gospels, did they kill your God? But Bible says that God is immortal. Who is telling lies: you or your Bible?

I have quoted the examples so that even an ordinary believer could understand the concept. There can be numerous arguments which can be quoted from the Holy Quran, but to cut the discussion short, it should be noted that the Arabic word “Allah” contains a deep religious message due to its root meaning and origin.  This is because it stems from the Arabic verb ta’allaha (or alaha), which means “to be worshiped.”  Thus in Arabic, the word “Allah” means “The One who deserves all worship.”  This, in a nutshell, is the Pure Monotheistic message of Islam. And as per chapter 112 quoted above, The One True God or Allah is the One who has all these four unique attributes.

Note: Please our earlier post to substantiate our view point: Understanding Islam: Who is Allah? Is He the same God as that of Jews and Christians?

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

The use of social media to spread disinformation has confused millions about what is the truth and what is otherwise. While the use of social media to spread disinformation and misinformation is mainly in the corporate world to paint rosy pictures about business of the counterparts, the media is also being used for point scoring by the priests, monks and imams to mislead followers of one religion and projecting their religion being the supreme. In doing so, logic is more often than not is set aside and emotions of followers of the opposing religions are played tacitly, many a times concealing, twisting and fabricating the truth.

When it comes to Divine Religions, each religion takes a hard stand and all other religions are over shadowed with information to mislead others. Islam, based on the last of the four Divine Scriptures, is more often than not been the target of the followers of the previous Divine religions and every effort is being let loose to find "faults" within the Qur'an, the last of the four Divine Scriptures, Psalms, Torah and the Gospel being the earlier three. This has resulted into discrimination, prejudice and unfair treatment of Muslims around the world and under the garb of Islamophobia, Jihad and such like jargons, Muslims are being marginalized. 

Moreover, there are number of sites that portray Islam as a false religion and "false information" is being dug by twisting the meaning of verses of Qur'an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Many a times, non-Muslims comment on our posts and portraying Islam as a false and declining religion. Whereas just the opposite is true, for Islam is the fast-emerging religion and many non-Muslims fear that by Islam will be the dominant religion by year 2050. 

The purpose of this post, thus, is to highlight the disinformation about Islam and present the true picture to its readers, so that they can correlate both versions and make an independent and unbiased framework of thinking. In the following lines, we will pen down the disinformation, which will be followed by detailed rebuttal posts to clarify the disinformation:

Note: This is just the beginning of responding to many lies and misinformation about Islam being spread on the social media. We have already responded to some of the lies / misinformation listed below and we will continue to address the remaining in due course.

Allah:

• Islam is centered around a false god - He is really Satan in disguise 
• The god of Islam, Allah, is most definitely not the God of the Bible 
• Muslims' Allah is a Moon God; Read our post Misleading concept of Moon god Allah to counter this absurd allegation

Islam:

• Communism and Islam, both religions of Satan, are major obstacle to the preaching of Gospel
• Islam a cultural religion
• The Muslims worship Ka'bah and the black stone
• Praying five times a day is symbol of the underlying cultural imperialism that lies at the heart of Islam
• The plight of women in Islamic countries is despicable
• Cruel and unusual punishment is practiced throughout the Islamic world
• There is no concept of sin in Islam and therefore no need for forgiveness
• Islam is so works oriented that it teaches that good deeds cancel bad ones
• Islam is intolerant and militant in nature
• Islam has been committed to what it calls jihad
• Islam says that women have half the intelligence compared to men
• Islam has the "worse than human" ideology
• Islam promotes pedophilia, necrophilia, forced conversions, sex-slavery and capturing others' properties
• In this age of information age, don't remain willfully ignorant and fall for the lies of Islam
• Islam says earth is flat
• Islam is Idolatrous 
• Muslims call Islam as Deen not merely a religion. Why?

Qur'an:

• The Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (ﷺ) by the Satan
• Qur'an denies point blank that Jesus was the son of God
• Did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ "Dictate or write" the Qur'an?
• Did God, or Allah as he is called in Arabic, personally appeared to Muhammad ﷺ to proclaim his prophethood
• Qur'an is riddled with contradictions
• Qur'an is a book of Arabian fairy tales about genies with false historical errors
• The Qur'an contains many scientific errors

Life and sayings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

• If Muslims consider Jesus as Muslim, why don't they pray to Jesus instead of Muhammad (ﷺ)
• Did Muhammad turn against Jews and Christians for they rejected him
• Muhammad ﷺ allowed the worship the three daughters of Allah — named Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Ma-nat (as mentioned in the infamous book: Satanic Verses)

Islamic rituals / special occasions:

• Why Muslims starve themselves by during month of Ramadan?

You may also read one of our earlier posts on Disinformation about Islam, which addresses many a objection as stated above.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | Sources of Misinformation: | 1 | References to Rebuttal: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Responding to lies/misinformation about Islam: Islam says earth is flat

The amount of objections about Isla, Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has both its good and otherwise aspects. For good part, it is heartening to see that many non Muslims are reading Islam, Qur'an and life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. But the bad aspect is that they always deduce the negativities rather than finding good and correlating the same with their own faith. The emphasis always on aspects which have either been misinterpreted or misunderstood are then propagated to downplay Islam and create misinformation.

One of the many aspects that are played around against Islam is the shape of the earth. And it is alleged that Islam says that earth is flat. And to support their argument, a number of verses from Qur'an are referred. I too read these verses, but I could not find any meaning of these verses that convey that earth is flat, for Allah has made all celestial objects including earth as round, otherwise these would not have been floating in circles of semi circles to complete their orbits. 

Secondly, whenever reading the explanation of Qur'anic verses, one must try to read explanation of scholars who keep them abreast with science and other means of knowledge to correctly interpret the verses. In earlier times, that is the time when Islam was taking its roots among the pagans of Arabia, who were mostly illiterate, the earth looked flat to them for as far as they could see, the earth was laid out flat, while the visible celestial objects like sun and moon looked round. And probably for this reason, some of the early interpreters of Qur'an also interpreted these verses and deduced that earth was flat. And it is the explanation of these early scholars of Islam that have been taken out to tell the world the "naivety" of Islam that it did not know the shape of the earth.

Let us also consider the 5th verse of Surah 39 Az Zumar, which states:

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى أَلَا هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفَّـٰرُ

[39:5] He created the heavens and the earth truthfully. He rolls the night over the day, and rolls the day over the night. He committed the sun and the moon, each running for a finite period. Absolutely, He is the Almighty, the Forgiving.

Here, the Arabic for “He rolls” (Yukawwir / يُكَوِّرُ ) is derived from the Arabic word for “ball” (kurah / كرة ). This verse clearly informs us that the earth is round. For unless the earth was geo-spherical (as explained in the video below), it would not have been possible for the night to GRADUALLY merge into day and day in to night. Had the earth been flat, this gradual change over of day into night and night into day would not have been practically possible. Since the Earth is not exactly round, a specific reference to its shape is given in Surah 79, verse 30. The Arabic word used to describe the Earth in this verse is daḥāhā ( دَحَاهَا ), which is typically translated as “egg-shaped” or “spread.”

Now coming to the verse of Qur'an which is both taken objectively and negatively:

 وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا (Chapter An-Nazi'at (79), Verse:30)

This verse is generally translated in English as: “And after that, the earth: wide has He spread its expanse”

Now this explanation "spread out" was taken by some interpreters a sign for the earth being flat. And it is this interpretation which is often misquoted to prove the ignorance of Qur'an to believe earth being flat.

Before we give out the explanation it must be understood that “From a linguistic standpoint, it is quite possible for a word, phrase or statement to have more than one layer of meaning, such that one layer would make sense to one audience in one age and another layer of meaning would, without negating the first, be meaningful to another audience in a subsequent age.”

It may be added here that contrary to the majority of Greek philosophers, the ancient Romans had established the view that the Earth was flat. There may have been some Roman philosophers that thought otherwise, however, this was the majority view. Dino Boccaletti has shown that in the Roman world the notion of a spherical Earth was unpopular; later on the Christian Church exacerbated this, by making it more difficult for people in the Roman Empire to accept a spherical Earth. Contrastingly, and as will be explicated below, the majority of Islamic scholarship rejected the predominant Roman understanding that the Earth was flat. This rejection was strongly grounded in the Qur’ān. 

The word “دَحَاهَا” in Arabic also means the egg, thus the verse can also be translated: ”extended in egg shape.” So the translation can be: “And the earth, moreover, hath he extended in egg shape.” But for egg, the Arabic is Baida. Here the word “دَحَا” (dahaa) is derived from word “دحية” (duhyah) wich specifically means ”egg of ostrich” (not just any egg).

Thus unlike the early interpreters of Qur'an, majority of scholars unanimously agree that the earth is round , but to human eyes it appears to be flat, because it is very big and its roundness or curvature cannot be seen at close distances. So the one who stands and looks sees it as flat, but when viewed as a whole, in reality it is round. 

As for it being spread out, famous 13th century Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir said: “That is, He spread it out, prepared it, made it stable and made it firm by means of the mountains.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 8/247)

Ar-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  “If it is said: Do the words “And the earth We spread out” indicate that it is flat? 

We would respond: Yes, because the earth , even though it is round, is an enormous sphere, and each little part of this enormous sphere, when it is looked at, appears to be flat. As that is the case, this will dispel what they mentioned of confusion. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mountains as pegs” [an-Naba 78:7]. He called them awtad (pegs) even though these mountains may have large flat surfaces. And the same is true in this case.” (Tafsir ar-Razi, 19/131) 

Some even mock the verse: “Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water” [al-Kahf 18:86] – and say that Islam says the sun dips into murky waters even the evening to disappear. 

The fact is this is as it appears to be in the eye of the beholder, because the sun sets on one country, but remains up in the sky for another, until it rises from the east on the following morning. So the earth looks flat in every region or part of it, because of its immense size. 

This does not contradict its real shape, because we may see a very high mountain, but if we climb it and reach its summit we may find a flat surface there, and find an entire nation living there, and some of the people there may not know anything about the rest of the world, and so on.” (Adwa al-Bayan, 8/428) 

It would be wise for the non Muslims to research well and listen to and read the explanation of the well read Islamic scholars rather than picking up a wrong explanation from very early interpretations or pseudo scholars who spread misinformation because of their nativity.

You may also to listen to eminent Muslim scholar Zakir A Naik on the shape of the earth:

We have given reference from where the above shared information is taken and reference are given below. However, the best explanation of earth being egg shaped and not flat is given in Quran Talk Blog in its post: Earth Egg Shaped

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Resource References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Responding to Lies about Islam: The Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (ﷺ) by the Satan

I started writing my blog in 2018 and since then I have been receiving some absurd and baseless comments on my posts. Mostly, these comments have been repeated from the history of early days of Islam when the pagans of Makkah accused Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of being visited by Satan to reveal Qur'an. And non Muslims of today still quote these lies without reading Qur'an to know what has been the Divine answer to all these concocted lies.

Since more and more non Muslims are accepting the reality and truth that Islam provides and embracing Islam, the priests, monks and pastors are hellbent to make look Qur'an doubtful so as to arrest exodus of non Muslims to Islam. In doing so, they forget that it is only Qur'an which remains unadulterated and changed from the days of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ while there are diffent versions of other Divine scriptures

I will start by one of the most laughable and absurd lies against Islam which is about revelation of Qur'an. Since non Muslims, specially those who are also followers of Divine scriptures, do not want to accept the reality of Islam, they continue to spread the lies and those who read these lies straightaway believe and spit venom against Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

The lie against Islam selected for my post today is:  The Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (ﷺ) by the Satan.

The most interesting thing about this lie is that all earlier three scriptures mention throwing out of Satan from the Court of God, the One true God Muslims call Allah, and was sent to earth along with Adam and Eve.  So obviously Satan could not have by any means any access to the Divine Court and be entrusted with the task of conveying the Divine Revelations to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This fact alone is a strong rebuttal for those who concocted such a  lie. 

Now, coming over the earlier days of Islam when the pagans of Makkah also invented such lies which were subjected to a very strong Divine rebuttal, as mentioned in Surah 26. Ash-Shu'araa, verses 210 and 212 reproduced herein under:

وَمَا تَنَزَّلَتۡ بِهِ الشَّيٰطِيۡنُ‏ 

(26:210) The satans did not bring down this (Clear Book),

After the positive aspect as stated in vv. 192-193, the negative aspect is being stated that the Qur'an has not been brought down by satans as the enemies of the Truth allege. 

The verses 192 and 193 are about the truth about revelation of the Qur'an, wherein it is made clear that Qur'an has been sent to By Allah through the revered spirit (Angel Gabriel) to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

(26:192) Indeed this is a revelation from the Lord of the Universe;

(26:193) which the truthful spirit has carried down

During the early years of his prophetic mission, some of Muhammad's Meccan opponents tried to explain the rhetorical beauty and persuasiveness of the Qur'an by insinuating that he was a soothsayer (kahin) in communion with all manner of dark forces and evil spirits (shayatin).

 

The unbelieving Quraish in their campaign to spread lies and slander against the Holy Prophet were facing a real difficulty. They did not know how to account for the wonderful discourses which were being presented before the people in the form of the Qur'an and which were moving their hearts deeply. They could not stop the Qur'an from reaching the people. The only thing they could do to counteract its effect and influence was to create doubts and suspicions about it in their minds and hearts. Therefore, in their desperation they charged that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) was a sorcerer, who was being inspired by the satans, and they considered this charge of theirs to be the most effective because it could neither be easily verified nor refuted.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: (The Qur'an was brought down by Jibril, not Shaytan) Allah tells us about His Book, which falsehood cannot approach from before or behind it, sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise. He states that it has been brought down by the trustworthy Ruh (i.e., Jibril) who is helped by Allah.

(And it is not the Shayatin who have brought it down.) Then He tells us that it could not be the case for three reasons that the Shayatin brought it down. One is that it would not suit them, i.e., they have no desire to do so and they do not want to, because their nature is to corrupt and misguide people, but this contains words enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil, and light, guidance and mighty proofs. 

There is a big difference between this and the Shayatin, Allah says: (Neither would it suit them) (nor are they able.) meaning, even if they wanted to, they could not do it. 

Allah says: (Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear of Allah) (59:21). Then Allah explains that even if they wanted to and were able to bear it and convey it, they still would not be able to achieve that, because they were prevented from hearing the Qur'an when it was brought down, for the heavens were filled with guardians and shooting stars at the time when the Qur'an was being revealed to the Messenger of Allah , so none of the Shayatin could hear even one letter of it, lest there be any confusion in the matter. This is a part of Allah's mercy towards His servants, protection of His Laws, and support for His Book and His Messenger . 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

When anything extraordinary happens, there are always people desirous of putting the worst construction on it, and saying that it is the work of Satans. So when the Qur'an came with its Message in wondrous Arabic, its enemies could only account for its power by attributing it to evil spirits! Such a beneficent message can never suit the purposes of Satans, nor would it be in their power to produce it. In fact Good and Evil are poles asunder, and Evil cannot even hear words of Good, of tender Pity for sinners and Forgiveness for the penitent!

وَمَا يَنۡۢبَغِىۡ لَهُمۡ وَمَا يَسۡتَطِيۡعُوۡنَؕ‏ 

(26:211) nor does it behove them, nor does it lie in their power.

That is, these revelations and themes do not at all suit the satans. Any person who has a little common sense can well understand that the sublime discourses being presented in the Qur'an cannot be inspired by the satans. Never has it happened that the satans might have taught the people through the sorcerers to worship God and fear Him, or forbidden them from shirk and idol-worship, or warned them of the accountability of the Hereafter, or prohibited them from tyranny and sexual and moral evils, and exhorted them instead to act righteously and do good to others. Such works cannot behoove the satans. Their only pastime can be to sow the seeds of discord among the people and to arouse them to mischief and vice. The common observation is that people visit the sorcerers to find out whether they will succeed in their love affairs or not, what move would suit them in gambling, what trick and stratagem would be helpful against the enemy, or who had stolen the camel of so and so. Apart from such affairs and problems, the sorcerers and their patron-saints cannot be expected to worry themselves about matters like reforming the people, teaching them morals and cleansing their lives of vice and evil.

Even if the satans wanted they could not impart Truth and Goodness to the people like a true teacher and reformer as the Qur'an does. Even if to deceive the people, they came out under the guise of a benefactor, their work would not be tree from blemishes, which would betray their ignorance and their hidden satanic nature. Similarly the life and the teachings of a person who poses to be a religious guide, under the influence and inspiration of satans, would inevitably reflect the wickedness of intention and design. Thus the satans can neither inspire others with piety and goodness, nor can those, who have any relation with the satans, become pious and righteous themselves. Then in addition to its high and noble teachings, the Qur'an is a lucid and eloquent Book, which contains the knowledge of Reality. That is why it has over and over again put forward the challenge that human beings and jinns would never be able to produce a book like the Qur'an even if they collaborated with all their energies and capacities. "Declare this: Even if human beings and jinns should cooperate with one another to bring forth a book like the Qur'an, they will never be able to bring anything like it, even though all of them help one another" (Bani Isra'il: 88).

"Tell them: if what you say be true, then produce one Surah like this, and you may call to your assistance anyone you can other than Allah." (Yunus: 38). 

اِنَّهُمۡ عَنِ السَّمۡعِ لَمَعۡزُوۡلُوۡنَؕ‏ 

(26:212) Indeed they are debarred from even hearing it.

That is, "Not to speak of interfering with the revelation of the Qur'an, the satans are not even given a chance to hear the Qur'an any moment from the time Angel Gabriel receives it from Allah till he reveals it to the heart of the Holy Prophet. They are so kept out of its hearing that they cannot get any hint as to its words and contents so as to tell their friends that the Holy Prophet was going to give such and such a message to his followers, or that his address would contain such and such a thing that day. For further details explanation to verse 12 of Al-Hijr, verse 7 of As -Saffat and verses 8-9, 27 of Surah Jinn.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir:

Allah says: (Verily, they have been removed far from hearing it.) This is like what Allah tells us about the Jinn: (And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.) until; (or whether their Lord intends for them a right path) ﴿72:8-10﴾.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Ie., such pure words, such noble and exalted teachings and such profound knowledge and that too in a very eloquent and moving style can neither emanate from a devil nor can devils snatch it away from its pure origin and bring it down. This is because all paths which reach to the other side of the world were cordoned off as soon as the revelation of the Qur’ān began. At another instance, the Qur’ān has cited this confession from the tongues of the jinn that earlier they were able to find some stations in the heavens to eavesdrop but now with the revelation of the Qur’ān if anyone of them tries to do so, a shooting star pursues him. In other words, the purport is that the content of the Qur’ān itself is negating this silly allegation and they also are negating it with whose reference this allegation is being made. 

This should be enough for those priests and pastors spreading misinformation about Islam to protect their religion which is already finding cracks due to man made insertions and amendments. Let us npt be caught unaware by such misinformation and should be laced with information contained i Qur'an to counter their baseless arguments and lies.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Do Muslims Worship Ka'bah and the Black Stone?

Makkah is the most sacred city for the Muslims all over the world, same as the Vatican City is to the Christians. Here in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, is located the Masjad Al Haraam (Arabic: ٱلْبَيْت ٱلْحَرَام, lit. 'The Sacred House') which houses the Ka'bah (Arabic: كعبة) - a cubical stone structure half covered by a heavy black covering with verses from Qur'an embroidered on it with gold threads.

Since the inception of Islam, non-Muslims have unleashed a number of misconceptions and disinformation not only about Islam, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Qur'an, but also misleading concepts about the Muslims worship. We have already shared our views on such misconceptions and disinformation, some of which are as under:

• Misleading concept of Moon god Allah
• Jews misconception of Islam as a religion of Idolators
• Disinformation about Islam

Today, in our series of posts on Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A, we share yet another misconception: Do Muslims WORSHIP Ka'bah and the Black Stone?

Before we share the answer to this misconception, let us introduce Ka'bah to our readers who have least or know knowledge of what Ka'bah is. 

Ka'bah in center of Masjid Al Haram, Makkah (Photo: Wikimedia Common / Source]

• Ka'bah literary means a cube for the structure of Ka'bah is cubical stone structure. The Kaba is about 50 feet in length, 33 feet wide, and 45 feet tall. The four corners of the Kaba correspond with the four points of the compass. The stone structure is covered with black silk cloth on which embroidery of verses from Qur'an is done with golden threads. The covering called "Kiswah" is changed every year on the 9th od Islamic month Dul Hajj.
• On the eastern corner of the Ka'bah, a Black Stone has been installed (it can be seen installed in the photo above on the left corner of the Ka'bah encased in a silver frame). It is revered by Muslims as an Islamic relic which, according to Muslim tradition, dates back to the time of Adam and Eve, who received a stone when they were expelled from the heavens. And it was Prophet Ibrahim and his son who while building the Ka'bah structure had it installed on the eastern corner of the building.
• Ka'bah is also called Bayt Allah (Arabic: بيت الله, romanized: Bayt Allah, lit. 'House of Allah'). This does not mean that Allah has His abode in this building, rather it is a symbolic place towards which Muslims all over the world turn to offer their prayers five times a day. During Hajj and Umrah, the pilgrims take seven anti-clockwise circles, called Tawaf (circumambulation), around this building. Why it is done so, wait till you reach the end of this post and watch a video on the very misconception of Muslim worshipping this building.
• As per the information contained in the Qur'an, this structure was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail (Abraham and Ishmail, peace be upon them) when the former visited the place called Makkah after many years when he left his wife Hajer and newly born son Ismail as directed by God. 
• Although the Ka'bah was supposed to be a center for worship of Allah, by and by, the place was taken over by the idolators of Arabia and at one time there were approximately 360 idols in and outside the Ka'bah.
• After most of Arabia accepted Islam, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him remove the idols and restored the Kaba to its essence. He restored it as a place where only one God is worshipped.

The Qur'an contains several verses regarding the origin of the Kaaba. It states that the Kaaba was the first House of Worship for mankind, and that it was built by Ibrahim and Ismail on Allah's instructions.

And remember Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (With this prayer): "Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-knowing." [Quran, Al-Baqarah (2), Ayah 127] 

Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and guidance for mankind. [Quran, Surah Al Imran (3), Ayah 96]

Behold! We gave the site to Ibrahim, of the (Sacred) House, (saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me; and sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer)." [Quran, Surah Al-Hajj (22), Ayah 26]

This was a short introduction to the building of Ka'bah. Those who want to read details, they may follow the resources references given at the end of the post. 

Coming over the controversary raised against Ka'bah for it being a building that Muslims worship. Perhaps it is because of the disinformation spread by the religious priests and scholars and those following them have accepted it plain and square. Those who have any doubts about, had they read the impartial sources, which abound the internet, they would have known the factual status of Ka'bah and why it is so important for the Muslims all over the world.

Herein under is the explanation:

• All religions have places of worship and their followers attend to religious ceremonies held therein. However, the placement of these religious centers, like the synagogues, churches and mandars, is not keeping any direction even within the same city, what to talk of their directional placing all over the world. That means a church may be facing south at one place, while another church may be facing in another direction in another place or country. And the same is true for the synagogues and the mandars. 
• However, since Islam fosters unity among all its followers, they face towards Ka'bah from anywhere around the world to offer their prayers. Thus, Ka'bah in fact sets the DIRECTION for all Muslims around the world to face towards it. And it is if for this reason, Ka'bah is also known as the Qibla, the direction. That means, the Muslims face Ka'bah to pray in harmony and not worship the building as the misconception prevails. That is some Muslims who live towards the west of the Kaaba they face the east. Similarly, if they live towards the east of the Ka'bah they face the west.

"And for those calling Muslims worshipping Ka'bah, it is clarified that the prayer that Muslim offer facing towards Ka'bah does not include any mention of the Ka'bah; none of its words refers to or addresses the Ka'bah itself. In Salah (Arabic for Prayer), Muslims praise Allah and supplicate Him alone. In this sense, praying towards the Ka'bah is an embodiment of full devotion and submission to Allah alone; He commanded Muslims to face the Ka'bah while praying and they do so. Ahd the Muslims been worshipping Ka'bah, their prayers should have been embodiment of words Ka'bah (like O Ka'bah have mercy on us or listen to our vows as idolators around the world address their idols) rather than that of Allah. Thus, No Muslim entertains the idea that the Ka'bah can bring any benefit or remove any harm; let alone think that the Ka'bah has any divine attribute." 

• Imagine almost two billion Muslims facing Ka'bah almost a t the same time from around the world as against the worshippers of other faiths who face no direction at all. 
• Idolators never stepover their idols when worshipping them. But in case of Ka'bah, the Muslim Adhan (Call for prayer) has been made from the roof top of the Ka'bah building during the times of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Had Muslims been worshipping the Ka'bah, would they dare stand atop their idol?

The Black Stone (Hijar Al Aswad) installed on eastern corner of the Ka'bah 

[Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Author: Amerrycan Muslim]

Now the misconception about the kissing of the Black stone, called Hajr Al-Aswad. Non-Muslims call Muslims idolators for they kiss this Black Stone. No Muslim worships this Black Stone for it is just a stone sent down from the Heave. Here We would like to quote a saying of Umer bin Abdul Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam who has been quoted as saying:

Narrated by `Abis bin Rabi`a: `Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) kissing you I would not have kissed you." [Source Sahi al Bukhari (Book on Hajj/ Chapter (50) What is said regarding the Black Stone)-Hadith 1597]

We hope after reading the aforesaid explanation, the misconception about Muslims worshipping Ka'bah will be settled. One may differ on religious matters, but spreading misconceptions to safeguard one's ideology and faith should not happen.

You may now listen to Dr Zakir A Naik, a prominent Muslim scholar of present times, answering the same question from a Hindu during one of his lectures on Islam and clarifying misconceptions:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

The viewpoint of Dr Naik in the video above about Ka'bah being in the center of the earth is debatable as no authentic scientific research points towards this claim. Please study the viewpoint expressed in references number 5-7 as given below.

You may read more posts on countering / responding to lies / misinformation and disinformation about Islam: The Rebuttal: Countering disinformation being spread about Islam (Reference Page)

You may also like to read an overview of the Ka'bah: Holy places of Islam: Ka'bah - the house of Allah

Photo: |Logo| |Ka'bah | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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