Message to Muslims Part I: The Brotherhood
Peace be with you distant brothers and sisters in place, in time and in spirit. May this message of love and call to unity reach your heart and mind in a gracious way. May our heart's desire to know He who is Sovereign over all of creation be made whole and furthered in this message of peace.
Allah ( English pronunciation: /ˈælə/ or /ˈɑːlə/; Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔalˤˈlˤɑːh] ) is the Arabic word for God ( al ilāh, literally "the God" ).
Isa ( Arabic: عيسى, ʿĪsā; pronounced [ʕiːsɑ] ) is an Arabic name ostensibly corresponding to Jesus in English [ Yeshua in Aramaic, meaning God is salvation ]. It is a common male given name for Arabs and Muslims.
Why do we see so many divisions among us believers? Has not time, place and the opinions of men divided us? Have we not allowed doctrines, religions and dogmas separate us who desire, as one, to reach out and be in humble agreement with the Lord of our lives? Does your heart yearn as mine does to know The Gatherer, The Unifier and also be at peace with all who call on The All Hearing?
As we can find out for ourselves, the religion of Christianity as well as the religion of Islam has gone through its changes. Men have established their doctrines and have divided those religions. The Giver of Life is One and desires us to be one in holy submission to His will. We see several branches of Christianity in what is called the Western Church, The Eastern Church, Methodist, and Protestant, just to name a few. We see several branches of Islam in what is called Sunni, Shia and Sufi, just to name a few.
How can such varied points of view be derived from the singularity of The All Wise? How can several opinions obscure the singularity of The Judge's message to mankind? Pride and arrogance are two words which come to mind in trying to answer these questions.
This is the message to those who put their pride before their humility, who put the opinions and beliefs of men before their own faith in Him who is called The Guide, The Way... Him who is called The Truth, The Reality... Him who is The Guide, The Life:
Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right - them will I turn away from My signs: Even if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; and if they see the way of right conduct, they will not adopt it as the Way; but if they see the way of error, that is the way they will adopt. For they have rejected our signs, and failed to take warning from them.
- Al-Imran 7:146
( a summary of some points )
- the arrogant defy what is right
- Allah / God turns His signs away from the arrogant
- the arrogant will not believe even if they see signs
- the arrogant reject the signs of Allah / God
The arrogant and proud will fail to realize the signs Allah / God teaches and shows them. What happens to the proud and arrogant who follow opinions rather than what Allah / God teaches them?
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.
- Proverbs 16:18-21
( a summary of some points )
- pride precedes destruction / a fall
- better to be humble than to be proud and filled with the things of the world
- those who are open to instruction prosper
- the one who trusts Allah / God prospers
Here we also see Allah / God turning His signs away from the proud and arrogant who follow opinions rather than His Way, who follow themselves or what men say instead of God's Way:
He said, Go and tell this people:
Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
- Isaiah 6:9-10
( a summary of some points )
- those who would otherwise hear are restricted from hearing
- those who would otherwise see are restricted from seeing
Our upbringing, our forefathers and our divided religions ( made by proud men in government and in religious positions ) have temporarily brought our unity into dispute and doubt, yet there is hope! Do we think only the Jews ( as is spoken of in the context of this passage in Isaiah ) were the only ones who missed the signs of Allah / God?
The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two ( contending ) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.
- Surat l-Hujurat 49:10
( a summary of some points )
- we who believe are a single Brotherhood
- make peace between one another ( Jew, Christian and Muslim )
- fear Allah / God so we can receive mercy
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
- Hebrews 12:14-15
( a summary of some points )
- live in peace with everyone
- be holy
- without holiness no one will see the Lord
- do not allow bitter roots to cause trouble and defile others
Let the believers around the world, who are one Brotherhood under the kingship of One Almighty God, hold onto the Way revealed to mankind.
Peace be with you dear brothers and sisters.
Continue reading part II.
Allah ( English pronunciation: /ˈælə/ or /ˈɑːlə/; Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔalˤˈlˤɑːh] ) is the Arabic word for God ( al ilāh, literally "the God" ).
Isa ( Arabic: عيسى, ʿĪsā; pronounced [ʕiːsɑ] ) is an Arabic name ostensibly corresponding to Jesus in English [ Yeshua in Aramaic, meaning God is salvation ]. It is a common male given name for Arabs and Muslims.
Why do we see so many divisions among us believers? Has not time, place and the opinions of men divided us? Have we not allowed doctrines, religions and dogmas separate us who desire, as one, to reach out and be in humble agreement with the Lord of our lives? Does your heart yearn as mine does to know The Gatherer, The Unifier and also be at peace with all who call on The All Hearing?
As we can find out for ourselves, the religion of Christianity as well as the religion of Islam has gone through its changes. Men have established their doctrines and have divided those religions. The Giver of Life is One and desires us to be one in holy submission to His will. We see several branches of Christianity in what is called the Western Church, The Eastern Church, Methodist, and Protestant, just to name a few. We see several branches of Islam in what is called Sunni, Shia and Sufi, just to name a few.
How can such varied points of view be derived from the singularity of The All Wise? How can several opinions obscure the singularity of The Judge's message to mankind? Pride and arrogance are two words which come to mind in trying to answer these questions.
This is the message to those who put their pride before their humility, who put the opinions and beliefs of men before their own faith in Him who is called The Guide, The Way... Him who is called The Truth, The Reality... Him who is The Guide, The Life:
Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right - them will I turn away from My signs: Even if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; and if they see the way of right conduct, they will not adopt it as the Way; but if they see the way of error, that is the way they will adopt. For they have rejected our signs, and failed to take warning from them.
- Al-Imran 7:146
( a summary of some points )
- the arrogant defy what is right
- Allah / God turns His signs away from the arrogant
- the arrogant will not believe even if they see signs
- the arrogant reject the signs of Allah / God
The arrogant and proud will fail to realize the signs Allah / God teaches and shows them. What happens to the proud and arrogant who follow opinions rather than what Allah / God teaches them?
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.
- Proverbs 16:18-21
( a summary of some points )
- pride precedes destruction / a fall
- better to be humble than to be proud and filled with the things of the world
- those who are open to instruction prosper
- the one who trusts Allah / God prospers
Here we also see Allah / God turning His signs away from the proud and arrogant who follow opinions rather than His Way, who follow themselves or what men say instead of God's Way:
He said, Go and tell this people:
Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
- Isaiah 6:9-10
( a summary of some points )
- those who would otherwise hear are restricted from hearing
- those who would otherwise see are restricted from seeing
Our upbringing, our forefathers and our divided religions ( made by proud men in government and in religious positions ) have temporarily brought our unity into dispute and doubt, yet there is hope! Do we think only the Jews ( as is spoken of in the context of this passage in Isaiah ) were the only ones who missed the signs of Allah / God?
The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two ( contending ) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.
- Surat l-Hujurat 49:10
( a summary of some points )
- we who believe are a single Brotherhood
- make peace between one another ( Jew, Christian and Muslim )
- fear Allah / God so we can receive mercy
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
- Hebrews 12:14-15
( a summary of some points )
- live in peace with everyone
- be holy
- without holiness no one will see the Lord
- do not allow bitter roots to cause trouble and defile others
Let the believers around the world, who are one Brotherhood under the kingship of One Almighty God, hold onto the Way revealed to mankind.
Peace be with you dear brothers and sisters.
Continue reading part II.
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