Excellent question I must say. The Quran uses allegorical statements a LOT. That is what I find so beautiful about it. I remember reading somewhere that Allah uses similes to make humans comprehend, or even slightly fathom, that which they could never fully appreciate in their human existence due to their limitations in perceptions. For eg. the quran was primarily sent down to bedouin tribes living in the desert regions. What was heavenly to them in that scenario? ...water and cool air...hence paradise is shown as rivers and flowing streams with all sort of good foods. What was torturous?... severe heat and dry hot air, with cacti like plants and hot water...hence hell is indicated as such. I highly doubt that heaven and hell are actually fire and water...for me the worst, most inconsolabe feeling i have ever felt in life is guilt, darkness and distance from God...when I felt that I was too far gone in sin for Him to care to answer my prayer....so IMHO hell for me is exactly that...guilt over self caused anguish and distance from His light for eternity. Since humans are too limited in their experiences and perception, I guess we can only guess as to what the Hereafter holds for us. But no matter what Hell/ heaven is..im sure we all agree on doing the best we can to make our lives here and in the hereafter better.

Wakas, I tried your suggestion again but couldn't navigate. It gave me verses in Arabic. But before you get anoyed by my failure I have to say that I have gone to the study quran link that you have in your signature and have navigate really well through there. So after reading all the verses that mention Satan and taking in to consideration my lifts experiences I soul still say that he is preaty much involved in almost everything we do. I soul say that he either can be at many places at once or that be is spiritualy conected to his other evil jins and they soul be synchronized like a mashine. More you do wrong, more power he has over you and God can let him give you a hard time if you don't obey God. So further you go it would be harder to come back such is common sense. So obeying God would be the only way for protection. First of all obviously you have to believe in God(in case a non believer reads this). I would say that you have to balance out reason with your heart preaty well to come to know the truth. Anyway Satan has his fingers in a lot on earth. Thanks

Shalom Aleikhem, Miracle ? I don't really know........... the question I ask myself is...even if God performs such Miracles... would He do it for me ? peace ------------------ Student of Allah

590 O you who acknowledge, intoxicants, and gambling, and altars, and arrows of chance are tools of affliction used by the devil. You shall avoid him so that you may be successful. 591 The devil only wants to cause strife between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the contact prayer. Will you then desist? The fact is that alcohol is discouraged in the Quran because it can lead to strife, confusion and repel you from the remembrance of God. Before you take a sip of alcohol ask yourself these questions Question 1 Would an intelligent and sincere servant of God willfully consume a substance knowing full well that it can cause more harm than good??? Question 2 Is it worth the risk? ( Alcohol vs remembrance of God ) There are lots of good replies to this thread. If speaking strictly from the Koran, it seems that alcohol is not forbidden. Personally, I lean toward the view of KDC501's quote above. While alcohol is possibly okay in moderation, I think it tends to open people up to a very devilish state of mind. Hardcore alcoholism is no joke, and can lead an individual to a very nightmarish existence (and quite often, making his/her family and friends' existence pretty nightmarish as well). A very wise friend once pointed out to me the absurdity of some of the names of the drinks people put into their bodies Colt 45, Cobra, Magnum, etc. Why would anyone put something like that into their bodies? And yes, I do realize that not all drinkers consume malt liquors named after firearms and snakes.

The Nicean bible added them back, with 4 tainted and out of date accounts of the 'Gospel' ...along with the writings of a man who never knew Isa personally ...never even spoke of his life. Not to divert the discussion too much, but what exactly is the "Nicean Bible"? Also, is the "man who never knew Isa".. Paul of Tarsus? If so, then perhaps you are not aware that he claimed to receive a revelation from Christ, I would think that this qualifies as "personal knowledge", wouldn't you?