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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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ANGELS IN THE QUR'AN
Angels are immaterial and invisible beings. They have been created of a special light ray. They obey God's commandments and praise Him. They are asexual. Their number is known only to Allah. They move at a very high speed in the space. Prophets have been raised also among these beings. They represent the magnificence of the Creator while Satan forms the negative pole of the Creation and represents the manifestation of God's wrath.
The interior powers created by Satan are inherent in man. The warring elements in the human being continue throughout the lifetime of man. If the satanic elements end up having the upper hand in a man, he will be the loser, while if the war that is going on end with the defeat of Satan, the man will be the winner and attain bliss.
Servants favored
Angels pray God night and day, serve Allah and are protected and favoured by Him.
« But in the (Unbelievers) are arrogant, (no matter); for in the presence of Thy Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day and they never flag (not feel themselves above it. »(Surah 41/38)
Sex of angels
« And they make into females angels who themselves serve Allah. Did they witness their creation? Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be called to account! »(Surah 43/19)
« Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names.» (Surah 53/27)
Vertiginous speed
« The angels and the spirit ascend unto him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years:» (Surah 70/4)
The verse speaks of the incredible speeds of angels. The endless distances of the universe can only be reached by angels' speed thanks to their wings. « Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, messengers with wings,- two, or three, or four (pairs) »(Surah35/1)
Prophet of angels
« Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things).» (Surah 22/75)
The sublimest among he angels are called 'Spirit'. Gabriel is also called 'The Spirit'. « He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. »
The four archangels mentioned in the Qur'an, namely Gabriel, who brought God's revelation to Muhammad and strengthened Jesus, Michael who manifests God's power, Israphel who will blow the trumpet to announce the Judgment Day and the angel of death Azrael are most probably the prophets of angels. « Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and apostles, to Gabriel and Michael,- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.» (Surah 2/98)
Guardian Angels
« For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah.» (Surah 13/11)
God is ever sovereign over his subjects. He oversees them. This supervision continues till death. Death, sickness, accidents and disasters are secrets of providence. « No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of Allah. and if any one believes in Allah, ((Allah)) guides his heart (aright): for Allah knows all things. »(Surah 64/11)
Angels of Faith and Inspiration
« In the case of those who say, "Our Lord is Allah., and, further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend on them (from time to time): "Fear ye not!" (they suggest), "Nor grieve! but receive the Glad Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss), the which ye were promised! »(Surah 41/30)
This is the law of the Creation. God inspires the believers with positive powers which reinforce the angelic interior drives through reinforcement of man's faith and will. This assistance brought by angels is what they call 'inspiration'. Inspiration is God's revelation through his angels to man feelings and thoughts which increases the believer's divine power. Such favored individuals are protected by God.
Angels of Death
« Say: "The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: then shall ye be brought back to your Lord."» (Surah 32/11)
The angels of death are forces endowed with special characteristics. Man honored by the attribute of 'Caliph' is a whole made of spirit and matter, of which the separation is facilitated by the angel of death who is endowed with special energy and wisdom. Although Azrael is said to be the chief of the angels of death, this not explicitly said in the Qur'an.« (Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them), "Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden, because of (the good) which ye did (in the world)." »(Surah 16/32)
Guardians of Hell
« Over it (hell) are Nineteen. And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire;…» (Surah 74/34-31)
The angels that preside over the hell are called 'Zabani'. They tame the inmates to be purified. The paradise where souls are purified and cleansed is a terrible place.
SATAN IN THE QUR'AN
Satan represents rebellion and evil. Outside the evil spirits and men there is no independent entity called Satan. He represents the negative pole of the creation and wrathful manifestation of God.
Jinns, devils and evil spirits
« Among Jinns and among men.» (Surah 114/6)
Satan has no independent entity, they are evil spirits or men as incarnated devils. These immaterial beings lead men to temptation and to perpetration of evil actions. However they have been incapable of influencing the Prophets. « Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,- evil ones among men and jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception. If thy Lord had so planned, they would not have done it: so leave them and their inventions alone.» (Surah 6/112)
Iblis, Ancestor of Evil Spirits
« Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. He was one of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord. Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would be the exchange for the wrong-doers!» (Surah 18/50)
Iblis was the ancestor of evil spirits. He was created of a ray invisible to the eye before the creation of Adam. When God created Adam, the devil refused to prostrate before him and he was therefore expelled from Eden. The sentence of death was then pronounced upon Satan; but upon seeking a respite, he obtained it until the Day of Judgment, when he will be destroyed. According to the Qur'an, the Devil was created of fire, whilst Adam was created of clay. Although he will tempt man, if the latter is a firm believer. he will have no influence over him.« Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,-» (Surah 15/39)
Enemy of Man
« And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"» (Surah 7/22)
Satan has the function of instilling doubt into human beings and leading them astray from the true path; while the angels strive to direct them back to it. The opposing forces are a law of creation.« "He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah. after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!..." :» (Surah 25/29)
Satan's Power over Man
« … From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),- (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,-» (Surah 114/4,5)
Satan infuses anxiety into man's heart deviating him from the right path by creating doubts in him. They whisper to their ears tempting words and provoke their latent passions. « Shall I inform you, (O people!), on whom it is that the evil ones descend? They descend on every lying, wicked person, (Into whose ears) they pour hearsay vanities, and most of them are liars. »(Surah 26/221-223)
Take refuge with Allah
« If a suggestion from Satan assail thy (mind), seek refuge with Allah. for He heareth and knoweth (all things)». (Surah 7/200)
If Satan pushes you to realize evil intentions take refuge to God. For Satan is the enemy of Man. Satan has sly ways in convincing human beings. Only God can shove him off.
« Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.» (Surah 13/28)
Those who do not turn to God, Satan shall be their companion.
If anyone withdraws himself from remembrance of ((Allah)) Most Gracious, We appoint for him an evil one, to be an intimate companion to him. (Surah 43/36)
« O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as He got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame: for he and his tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith» (Surah 7/27)
Satan won't harm the believers
When thou dost read the Qur'an, seek Allah.s protection from Satan the rejected one.
No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.
« His authority is over those only, who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.» (Surah 16/98-100)
The true believer is immune to Satan's beguilings. « Secret counsels are only (inspired) by the Evil One, in order that he may cause grief to the Believers; but he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits; and on Allah let the Believers put their trust.» (Surah 58/10)
JINNS (DEVILS) IN THE QUR'AN
Jinns are immaterial beings created from something like a ray; they have intelligence and have communities of male and female members. They exist in a dimension other than the one known to us in the space and upon the earth. Their number is beyond our ken. Among them are those that are true believers and those that are like Iblis who are rebels. Prophets have emerged from amongst them.
« And He created Jinns from fire free of smoke: (Surah 55/15) And the Jinn race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind». (Surah 15/27)
The expression of 'free of smoke' may indicate in today's technological terms, ray, radiation and microwave. By its attribute of 'scorching wind' it affects also the matter. They are intelligent beings endowed with consciousness and will.
They were created to serve Allah.
« I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me» (51/56)
As they have been created like men, they shall be sent either to paradise or to hell according to their acts.
Community of Jinns
« O ye assembly of Jinns and men!» (Surah 6/130)
We learn from the Qur'an that they are like human beings. They are subject to the divine law.
« 'True, there were persons among mankind who took shelter with persons among the Jinns, but they increased them in folly.» (Surah 72/6)
« One day will He gather them all together, (and say): "O ye assembly of Jinns! Much (toll) did ye take of men." Their friends amongst men will say: "Our Lord! we made profit from each other: but (alas!) we reached our term - which thou didst appoint for us." He will say: "The Fire be your dwelling-place: you will dwell therein for ever, except as Allah willeth." for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge. »(Surah 6/128)
Satanic Jinns and Jinns as true Believers
« 'There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary: we follow divergent paths.» (Surah 72/11)
« Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah., and some that swerve from justice. Now those who submit their wills - they have sought out (the path) of right conduct: »(Surah 72/14)
Just like human beings there are two sorts of jinns, those who are faithful and believers and those who are rebels.
« Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. He was one of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord…. »(Surah 18/50)
Prophets rose from among the Jinns
« "O ye assembly of Jinns and men! came there not unto you apostles from amongst you, setting forth unto you My signs, and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?"» (Surah 6/130)
SUMMARY