In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
The Only Authoritative Voice
The sole purpose of our birth is to come to a final decision of whether or not to accept God's absolute authority. This second life is our FINAL chance to decide on this matter. As we all know, we failed to make up our mind once before (38:69, 2:30, 36:60.)
Once we make this crucial decision, the one option we are left with is to proclaim God's absolute authority through our choices, actions, and utterances. We come to an agreement that His final proven word is our only ultimate judge (4:105, 42:15.) Satan will always introduce his idols and logic to distract us, but, hopefully, we take our final chance seriously and our focus always stays on God's beacon and His straight path. There is no more time to waste on personal opinions, egos, and conjecture. There is no more room for fear or intimidation except to fear God alone, reverence Him, and proclaim His full authority by validating His Truth, promoting His teachings, and upholding His commands:
[33:39] Those who deliver GOD's messages, and who reverence Him alone, shall never fear anyone but GOD. GOD is the most efficient reckoner.
[5:54] O you who believe, if you revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in your place people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be kind with the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame. Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.
[2:150] Wherever you go, you shall turn your face (during Salat) towards the Sacred Masjid; wherever you might be, you shall turn your faces (during Salat) towards it. Thus, the people will have no argument against you, except the transgressors among them. Do not fear them, and fear Me instead. I will then perfect My blessings upon you, that you may be guided.
[30:60] Therefore, you shall steadfastly persevere - for GOD's promise is the truth - and do not be intimidated by those who have not attained certainty.
We all know that freedom of choice is one of God's gifts to the human race (33:72.) We're free to choose, then it is God who augments our guidance(19:76) or misguidance (2:10.) Once we choose God over Satan, upholding His authoritative teachings becomes an OBLIGATION to our submission to Him alone, not an option of this freedom.
Absolute Freedom of Religion [18:29] Proclaim: "This is the truth from your Lord," then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve.......
[109:1] Say, "O you disbelievers.
[109:2] "I do not worship what you worship.
[109:3] "Nor do you worship what I worship.
[109:4] "Nor will I ever worship what you worship.
[109:5] "Nor will you ever worship what I worship.
[109:6] "To you is your religion, and to me is my religion."
No Compulsion in Religion [2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.
The Most Merciful, God, has BLESSED us with the Quran, and with the proofs of its divine authority. This Quran serves as a detailed road map with clear guidance and laws. God states in His proven book that His teachings and commands are easy (54:17,22,32,40), perfect (11:1, 18:2, 22:52), complete (6:115), have the details of everything (12:111, 6:38), and all what we need for salvation (6:51, 6:153). He also states that the essence of His scripture is straightforward (3:7). Once we choose this guiding scripture, there is not much room left for disagreements. God's clear commands/teachings unify our voices and dictate our actions, and therefore we are in perfect peace and harmony.
Satan, however, is always in the background to claim the majority. He has been successful throughout the history of humanity. Some of his dark history is detailed in the Quran. Among his tricks that we should always pay attention to is misleading us into the thinking that after believing in God and His proven word, there can be still room to disagree with any basic fundamental idea that is clearly stated in the Quran. He sometimes manages to convince us that it is OK to have different opinions and understandings of God's straightforward statements! Therefore, he deceives us to confounding the truth with falsehood and compromising God's clear commands. We become Satan's partners and let go of the rope of God that we once were holding fast to. And isn't this all what Satan is here for? (7:16-17). Indeed, once we decide on belief, our choices become limited to the straightforward truth in the Quran. This becomes the only authoritative voice that UNITES us:
The Best Community [3:110] You are the best community ever raised among the people: you advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and you believe in GOD. If the followers of the scripture believed, it would be better for them. Some of them do believe, but the majority of them are wicked.
[3:104] Let there be a community of you who invite to what is good, advocate righteousness, and forbid evil. These are the winners.
[61:4] GOD loves those who fight in His cause united in one column, like the bricks in one wall.
Believers are United [3:103] You shall hold fast to the rope of GOD, all of you, and do not be divided. Recall GOD's blessings upon you - you used to be enemies and He reconciled your hearts. By His grace, you became brethren. You were at the brink of a pit of fire, and He saved you therefrom. GOD thus explains His revelations for you, that you may be guided.
Expressing tolerance, under the banner of humility, towards opinions that are opposing basic standards and systems in the Quran for the sake of unity is a failure to uphold God's absolute authority. Satan convinces us that we can be more kind, more merciful, and more tolerant than God. This is how he inflates our egos, while we think we are humble and compassionate! Indeed the human being rarely takes heed (7:3, 27:62, 40:58, 69:42).
Believers Or Hypocrites? [4:60] Have you noted those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, then uphold the unjust laws of their idols? They were commanded to reject such laws. Indeed, it is the devil's wish to lead them far astray.
Deterioration of Religion [57:16] Is it not time for those who believed to open up their hearts for GOD's message, and the truth that is revealed herein? They should not be like the followers of previous scriptures whose hearts became hardened with time and, consequently, many of them turned wicked.
[38:26] O David, we have made you a ruler on earth. Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of GOD. Surely, those who stray off the way of GOD incur severe retribution for forgetting the Day of Reckoning.
Chance to Remember God:
Mention God's Name Before You Eat
[6:119] Why should you not eat from that upon which GOD's name has been mentioned? He has detailed for you what is prohibited for you, unless you are forced. Indeed, many people mislead others with their personal opinions, without knowledge. Your Lord is fully aware of the transgressors.
[6:56] Say, "I am forbidden from worshiping what you worship besides GOD." Say, "I will not follow your opinions. Otherwise, I will go astray, and not be guided.
[28:50] If they fail to respond to you, then know that they follow only their own opinions. Who is farther astray than those who follow their own opinions, without guidance from GOD? GOD does not guide such wicked people.
God augments the guidance of those who proclaim God's absolute authority through their choices, actions and utterances. He blesses them with certainty. This is His law. We will not achieve this certainty if we don't persevere in worshiping Him and upholding His authoritative law. When we are certain, we are more immune to Satan and all of his schemes.
[14:27] GOD strengthens those who believe with the proven word, in this life and in the Hereafter. And GOD sends the transgressors astray. Everything is in accordance with GOD's will.
[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns.
[15:99] And worship your Lord, in order to attain certainty.*
[5:50] Is it the law of the days of ignorance that they seek to uphold? Whose law is better than GOD's for those who have attained certainty?
Praise be to God, the one who assumed all authority:
[21:22] If there were in them (the heavens and the earth) other gods beside GOD, there would have been chaos. Glory be to GOD; the Lord with absolute authority. He is high above their claims.
[55:7] He constructed the sky and established the law.
[55:8] You shall not transgress the law.
[55:9] You shall establish justice; do not violate the law.
Honesty & Justice Advocated [4:58] GOD commands you to give back anything the people have entrusted to you. If you judge among the people, you shall judge equitably. The best enlightenment indeed is what GOD recommends for you. GOD is Hearer, Seer.
[20:2] We did not reveal the Quran to you, to cause you any hardship.
[20:3] Only to remind the reverent.
[20:4] A revelation from the Creator of the earth and the high heavens.
[20:5] The Most Gracious; He has assumed all authority.
[20:6] To Him belongs everything in the heavens, and the earth, and everything between them, and everything beneath the ground.
[20:7] Whether you declare your convictions (or not) He knows the secret, and what is even more hidden.
[20:8] GOD: there is no other god besides Him. To Him belong the most beautiful names.
[23:116] Most exalted is GOD, the true Sovereign. There is no other god beside Him; the Most Honorable Lord, possessor of all authority.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.