well as the next, perfect and everlasting world. God has revealed Himself in two books—the Qur’an and the Universe. The Qur’an is a literal version of God’s word, while the Universe, or nature, is a practical

scheme. This dual source of divine inspiration is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse: “God is He who raised the Heavens without visible supports, then He ascended the Throne. He has compelled

It prepares the mind so that one may properly understand the Universe and live in it as desired by God. So, a mu’min (true believer) has precisely that kind of prepared mind. When he sees the Universe

enemyThe Prophet of Islam one observed: “Do not wish for confrontation with the enemy, ask for peace from God.” This means that if someone has become our enemy, we should not necessarily turn against him and start

‘Ask for peace from God’ means to adopt the way of peace instead of confrontation and secure God’s succour for peaceful activities. A believer should not pray to God thus: “O God, destroy the enemy.”

” Rather his prayer should be: “O God, help me to stay away from the path of violence and confrontation, in spite of the enmity of others, and help me to pursue the journey of my life along the path of

gift from God. That is why acknowledging someone amounts to the acknowledgment of God, and not acknowledging someone amounts to failing to acknowledge God. That is why a person must be afraid of God while

while adopting the attitude of disregard for others. He should look upon his attitude as pertaining to God rather than pertaining to human beings. One aspect of this matter is of great significance and that

trust and do not break promises, neither in the matter of God nor in the matter of men” (p. 443). Everything man has is given to him in trust by God or by man. In this way everyone is bound by certain promises

in the eyes of God. Man’s body, heart and mind, are all like trusts from God. It is, therefore, incumbent upon man to make the best use of these endowments within the limits decreed by God. That is, his

by obligations, in relation on the one hand to man and on the other to God. According to the Quran, trust of two kinds stems from God; one is the inherent sense of responsibility

matter how hard he tries. How can a man gauge whether he has actually developed a relationship with God or not? There is only one answer to this question: by turning his eyes inward, and judging how his

related to the Quran. For how one relates to the Quran is a true reflection of one’s relationship with God. The degree to which a man adheres to the tenets of the Quran will be a sure indication of his attachment

that God is dearer to him than any other. But if some other book is held in greater esteem by him, then Believers, endure, vie with each other in endurance, stand firm in your faith and fear God, so that

replied, ‘I have been sent by God.’ ‘What has God sent you with?’ ‘Amr asked. ‘With the commandment to destroy idols and to treat one’s relatives with kindness; to believe in one God and not to treat anyone

Hereafter, this good fortune of living in the neighbourhood of God will be obtained exclusively on the basis of merit. The neighbourhood of God is a universal garden, as it were. In this garden, only those

in the life of this world made God their supreme concern, whose thinking, feelings and actions were all devoted to God, whose days and nights were spent in devotion to God. It is these fortunate people

people who will be selected for living in God’s neighbourhood. Farsightedness in Seeking Paradise Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet Muhammad said: “Whosoever fears, sets out at nightfall. And whoever sets

Spreading the word of God (Islam) worldwide is a responsibility that Prophet Muhammad gave to members of his Ummah. Muslims are duty-bound as followers of Prophet Muhammad to undertake dawah ilallah. Giving

to perform one’s duty of dawah ilallah assuring God’s reward for those who spend their wealth for God’s cause: “Those who spend their wealth for God’s cause may be compared to a grain of corn which sprouts

ear: for God grants manifold increase to whom He wills; God is infinite and all knowing.” (The Quran, 2:261) Fasting prepares a believer for the mission of God. Giving zakat for the sake of God is a way