for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for spending for God’s cause, and for travellers in need. It is a legal obligation enjoined by God. God is all-knowing and wise.” (The Quran, 9:60) Of the eight

distribution of zakat mentioned in the above Quranic verse, ‘for the cause of God’ is directly related to dawah ilallah or calling people to God. The Egyptian scholar, Rasheed Raza Misri, has noted in his commentary

‘for the cause of God’ are equally applicable to those who strive to spread the word of God. (Al-Risala English, June 1984, pp 6-7) The highest form of spending zakat ‘for the cause of God’ is, therefore

or discovery of God). When a man consciously seeks out and finds God, and thereby has access to divine realities, which is what constitutes faith. This discovery is no simple matter. God is the Creator

his grip. The discovery of such a God shakes to the core of the whole life of man. His thinking is revolutionized, for God becomes the center of all His emotions. With God as the principal focus of his attention

attention, man becomes God’s servant in the fullest sense of the word. He becomes a man whose living and dying is all for God. Such a faith ultimately results in all of man’s behaviour and his dealings

or discovery of God). When a man consciously seeks out and finds God, and thereby has access to divine realities, which is what constitutes faith. This discovery is no simple matter. God is the Creator

his grip. The discovery of such a God shakes to the core of the whole life of man. His thinking is revolutionized, for God becomes the center of all His emotions. With God as the principal focus of his attention

attention, man becomes God’s servant in the fullest sense of the word. He becomes a man whose living and dying is all for God. Such a faith ultimately results in all of man’s behaviour and his dealings

speech, so he is required to glorify God in spoken language. On seeing how highly meaningful the universe is, man cannot but make a profound acknowledgement of God. This is known as Hamd, or praise. When

he finds that God has created him in the best of moulds (95:4). Similarly, when he reflects on the creatures of God, he finds that everything is in the ultimate state of perfection. “God has ordered all

vibrant praise for God within him. Man, with all his heart, soul and mind, starts acknowledging God. The Quran tells us, “He has given you all that you asked of Him.” (14:34) That is, God has given man everything

world when reality will be enforced on man, as it is already enforced on the world of nature; when God’s Will shall prevail in the world of man, as is already the case in the rest of the world. The only

will be those who had consciously become a part of it in this world; those who bowed to the Will of God when they had the power to rebel.

WHAT IS POLYTHEISM?God is man’s real goal. Monotheism means making God one’s sole concern, whereas polytheism means partly or totally including anyone or anything else in the godhead. Chapter two of the

thus on polytheism: “Yet there are some who set up equals with God and adore them with the adoration due to God, but those who believe love God most. If only the wrongdoers could see—as they will see when

punishment—that all power belongs to God, and that God is severe in punishment” (2:165). From this verse we learn what is meant by polytheism. It is to set up something equal to God, whether in a partial or total

words of advice: Be mindful of God and God will protect you. Be mindful of God and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask of God; if you seek help, seek help of God. Know that if all the people were

of anything, it would be something that God had already prescribed for you, and that if they gathered together to harm you with anything, this would only be as God had already ordained. HADITH OF AT-TIRMIDHI

The Great Attributes of God: The Answer to the Quest of Naturediverse attributes. The great names of God in the Quran answer this question. The Great Attributes of God: The Answer to the Quest of Nature

Nature A study of the great attributes of God shows that all these names of God are an introduction of God to man. Psychology has proved that man is by birth a seeking animal. By instinct he wants to find

great attributes of God are indeed the answer to this question. These names of God are not a representation of the most superior God in any absolute sense. They rather introduce God in His relation to man

quantity that matters but quality. The Quran says, “Many a small group, by God’s permission has prevailed against a large group. God is indeed with the steadfast. (2: 249) That the minority should prevail