The essence of Divine Guidance

Idris

peace be upon you Tay,

here's a great article by Ayman that might help you
http//www.free-minds.org/articles/gods_system/freechoice.htm

winterpinez

Tay,

this is simple The first opening of the koran Al-Fatiha, states that All praise (ie. all good things) is due to God. There's a verse in the koran which states that all wrong which touches you is due to what your hands have wrought, and all good that you have is due to God. (forgive me for not having the verse number on me right this second). This makes sense, because God has given us whatever we need arms, legs, nature, food, water etc. However, whatever wrong or affliction which touches us is only due to the evil which we ourselves do.

Now with that concept in mind, when you believe, its a good thing which you're doing because God gave u the choice of believing. All good which we have is due to God alone..get it?

Tay

Peace Idris,

Thanks for the link to Ayman's article.

Peace Samquex,

Thanks for the explanation. I feel the same way in regard to good and bad. I also feel that guidance is earned and not randomly distributed. I'm not sure if you addressed my concern, however.

To reiterate, my concern is, translators as well as many posts in this forum have put forward the notion that "God guides whom He wills". See, there is a decision involved. Reading those words indicates that God wills some to be guided, while others get no guidance. This is not the same as "what is good comes from God, and what is bad comes from ourselves".

Peace,
Tay

JavaLatte

It has been often repeated that God guides whomever God wills. This notion has bothered me since the first time I read it, as to me, this seems like an unfair selection process . . .

If I'm not mistaken, I also felt such an impression in the past,

but now I think I rather understand about it. Praise be to Allah.

Personally, I see that the following verses provide answers or clues in this regard.

6713
And conceal your speech or publicize it. Indeed, He is the All-Knower of what is in the chests.

6714
Does He who created not know? And He is the Subtle, the All-Aware.

2258
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

386
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

551
. . . Surely, Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

6144
. . . Surely, Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

919
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

9109
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

2850
. . . Surely, Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

4610
. . . Surely, Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

617
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

625
. . . and Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

But, I still don't understand completely about the meaning of zalimeen. Probably, zalimeen are those who constantly doing evil things (things which are forbidden by God), in other words, they are in the dark side.

. . . as to me, this seems like an unfair selection process that his little to do with humanity's so-called free-will. In addition, it actually contradicts the very idea of free-will at face value.

What is free will actually?

I wonder whether free will have certain boundaries.

And... Do we actually need free will?

I think it's already my destiny that I am owned by my Lord since I was created by Him. In my opinion, I will be forever bound by His will, thus, basically I don't have free will.

Salm.

Man_of_Faith

Peace,

"Dhaalimeen" basically means someone who does wrong, like evil things but it also refers to both bad behavior and deeds. as a letter reinforces the negative connotation. If is wrong then is being evil. is also in sirat, but that is because it implies perception of what is evil.

hence means "wrong be definite thereof one". That is particularly comparable with salam as a direct opposite (which does not mean submit).

This is also another sign that what I speak of, that behavior and deed is of the essence in this test. Guided you are/become due to your way of living. The one who surrounds himself/herself in wrongdoing, including unfriendly and bad behavior, will hence be the people who are "dhaalimeen".

Regarding free will; yes we have free will and this is a "sandbox" game where the score comes in the end. And it is judged depending on what has been done in life, behavior and deeds combined.

Be of one with God

huruf

The quotes by Java clear the matter very much.

We are being told which people God will not guide, those who do not want to be guided, that is what I understand by dhalimin.

Those who are lovers of evil.

When God curses somebody that somebody is not guided back to goodness, unless of course that persons repents.

Somebody who does not repent, God WILL not guide him.

Salaam

Man_of_Faith

Some people do not choose, they are deluded into it. Yes, dhaalemeen is outright people who do wrong, but definitely wrong. About doing right we are responsible for making it happen. We need to have the willpower to change.

reel

I am glad you opened a thread on these verses because many non Muslims use them to humiliate the Muslims. All the answers are highly logical and in sync with the Quranic laws.

Some people do not choose, they are deluded into it.

lol, majority of the people do not choose. Think about that whole thing called "culture"

Allah gave us a brain. He told us not to believe in anything without research and choose the one that is right. True Islam is a strong supporter of individualism. Yet majority of the Muslims on this planet are too lazy to understand it. You can show them anything on tv and they'll just believe it. Yet whether it is in the east or west, almost everyone who lives in mainstream culture wishes to do anything that pleases the society. It is all about "what others will think"and "if I dont act this way, I wont be accepted by my peers". But I am just talking about the average person.

4610 Surely, Allah does not guide the people who are zalimeen.

There is something that bothers me about the verses where he says so.
The biggest zalimeens are Rothschild, Rockerfeller, CIA, Mossad,royal family of England, wahabbis, etc.

Why does Allah keep their power alive? Why does Rothschild have trillion dollar empire? They have been behind every single war since the 1700. -[

Man_of_Faith

Harmony be with you,

Okay, but the fact is that they are still deluded one way or another, even if they happen to delude themselves. It is not a removal of guilt, but it is an aspect of it and that people cannot see clearly and even what many people would consider morally wrong, illogical or irrational may go past their ability to reason, often just due to their delusional idealism.

Peer pressure may be a factor. The reason millions of people do it may lead people to delude themselves. It is hard to know why people become delusional, but people usually want to serve the "right" cause, however it often tends to go wrong somehow and they tend to follow others like lemmings within their social group.

The Psychology profession studies the phenomena relatively well. It follows human observable behavior not simply limited to "religion", but it happens with extremist groups which are just working on a cause and not necessarily involving God, even though the "God" phenomenon is (in)famous for that "stupidizing" effect.

You can hear people argue against scientific empirical research in their religious conviction. And they can proclaim atrocities in their respective religion while their scripture tells this or that in wonderful things about their faith.

For one with insight into Quran (and other scriptures which share the usage of the word "amen/iman&quot I know that the "belief" delusion is causing a lot of problems worldwide, while God actually spoke otherwise whenever the term is used to propagate "belief".

And it feeds hatred against "disbelievers" due to confusion with the Arabic word "kafar" being misunderstood and one may think "disbelievers" are to be despised while the truth is people who "cannot see right from wrong" (morally) are to be held short. The same people who yell 'kafar' are often kafar themselves without perceiving it in their delusion.

Quran teaches all rational and sensible things while people derive all sorts of idiocy from it. And "God" has no ego like a man and hence does not have to be pleased like a man, and requires no objectifying worship but should be treated like a massive energy which penetrates all particles of the universe and in fact is the energy of the universe. It cannot be destroyed since every little fraction of energy just transforms into something else.

But the above phenomenon is not limited to "religion" but people who believe in something and are losing their mind and becoming delusional/blind usually show the same kind of irrational behavior and it can be in; feminism, politic idealogy, environmental issues etc, and the you are wrong and I am right behavior often goes so far as one may even stand by things which go "too far" and are actually wrong and not beneficial. Hence one has become deluded in their cause.

In "religion" it is easy to become as such because there simply are not many observable parameters since "God" (the "higher power&quot has no real needs or wants but rather measures compatibility of energy "charge" of the respective souls based on something as simply as good vs. bad where "God" stands for solely good. Good and "God" likes while bad and "God" dislikes.

But when one dies it is the current soul condition that matters hence many sins may be blotted out completely even despite that one was surrounded with sins over a longer period. It was entirely up to the person to change. However a person surrounding themselves in errors risks hardening their hearts and nearing the phenomenon of delusional tendencies which may make it hard to change.

Another illusion is the topic of this thread called "guidance" and "guidance" from "God" because the option of following "the Light" is simply on the individual shoulders of us humans and your soul's willpower cannot simply be replaced through blind reliance that that "God" will do it for you. No, one must use their senses themselves and stay tuned, and seek the spirit of "God" which is the spirit to live by. Once tuned then one is guided but then they already use their assimilation with which is "God" to aspire and they sort of help themselves.

What is then the help one can get from "God"?

By reaching a "spiritual depth" one is "synchonized" with existence ("God" and the universe which is it) and hence one has lesser or greater abilities to influence the "realm" and hence the concept of "praying to the rabb" (your Rabb means something like 'your foundation (with/in/by)' although inaccurately usually translated Lord) so that is no strange the you pray to the foundation, i.e. the realm that you know (the energy of the universe which keeps the world together) and you have no specific receiver as object even though 'the foundation' in its wholeness may be regarded as a singularity/one and hence can be adressed as "you".

Here confidence plays a role (not belief) and that the energy will fluctuate in your favor due to your conviction and 'spiritual depth', but take a spiritually deep vs. a spiritually shallow and the deep will prevail. Despite how real this world feels it is a game on energy level.

Your Master, 'the Foundation', (generally called "God&quot is what you should attune in with and become one with. And there is a clear sign that "God" stands for good and the prime goal is to get as good as possible that one is not an "anomaly" towards what is that "God".

Be (that) That thereby (Allah); everyone should walk in THAT spirit, "bismillah" "in spirit thereof 'be (that) That thereby'.

And God expressed to Moses "Go to Pharaoh and say '"I am" has sent me'".

Wakey pakey to what Allah/Elah/Elohim stands for dear brothers and sisters of 'the foundation'. The signs are many. I am honest with you.

"Guidance", huda(n) , "thereby (as like) condition/state ". Hudan Allah =Thereby State Allah. One must work hard with own willpower to follow and one gets no freeride through massive rituals. Deem for yourselves.

Be of one with God

drfazl

Peace All,

It has been often repeated that God guides whomever God wills. This notion has bothered me since the first time I read it, as to me, this seems like an unfair selection process that his little to do with humanity's so-called free-will. In addition, it actually contradicts the very idea of free-will at face value.

Looking forward to any thoughts on the topic.

Peace,
Tay

FM Such is the guidance of God, He guides with it whom He pleases of His servants. And if they set-up partners, then all that they had worked would fall away from them.

The Proviso Allah has set for His exclusive guidance is given in the red

Allah knows what one hides in breasts and what he reveals outwardly; Allah knows what one's mind speaks to him; Allah knows how much of shirk one houses in the depth of his mind; and thus it is His judgment that is Supreme with regard to how purified one is from shirk. Allah guides him who looks up to Him alone solely and soulfully without associating any other guidance other than His.

Allah loves him who does not associate through his every walk of life.

Salam
drfazl