Concept of God in Islam

http://jesus-is-muslim.net/god-in-islam/

A common misconception Christians have about Islam is that they think Muslims have nothing to do with God except fearing Him. They think that God in Islam is just distant God and the way of worship Muslims should do is just through different works and rites God ordered Muslims to do without any spiritual relationship between a Muslim and God.

To answer this misconception we must first talk about what the Quran tells about Allah. We can first give what some verses tell about attributes of God.These verses tell about the Mightiness and Mercy of God:

22.  Allah is He, than whom there is no other god –

-    Who knows (all things) both secret and open;

-    He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

23.  Allah is He, than whom there is no other god –

-    the sovereign,

-    the Holy One,

-    the Source of Peace (and Perfection).

-    The Guardian of Faith,

-    the Preserver of Safety,

-    the Exalted in Might,

-    the Irresistible,

-    the Supreme:

Glory to Allah! (high is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.

24. He is Allah,

-    the Creator,

-    the Evolver,

-    the Bestower of Forms (or colors).

To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names:

Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory:

and He is the exalted in Might, the Wise. (Holy Quran 59:22-24)

Now is God really distant from us? The Quran answers no:

186.When my servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me;

let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me; that they may walk in the right way. (Quran 2:186)

Now, do Muslims love God? Or is it just about fear?

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) says in Al Bukhari:

Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, “Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith: 1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle becomes dearer than anything else. 2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah’s sake. 3. Who hates to revert to Atheism (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the fire.”

Does Allah love Muslims?

31.Say (O Muhammad):

“If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins,

for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

76. Nay. Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright, verily Allah loves those who act aright.

134. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;for Allah loves those who do good.

(Holy Quran 3:31,76,134)

Does Allah love the unbelievers?

32. Say: “Obey Allah and His Messenger;”

but if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith.

57. “As to those who believe and work righteousness, Allah will pay them (in full) their reward;

but Allah loveth not those who do wrong. (Holy Quran 3:32,57)

Christians may come and say, “This is the difference between God in Christianity and God in Islam, as God in Christianity loves disbelievers as well”. Actually I find it misleading when Christians say so, as Christians keep on saying that if we don’t believe in Jesus as our saviour we will go to the Hell and the lake of fire and sulphur. So God in Christianity loves me but he will punish me eternally in Hell. Does these really match? I doubt.

Kaaba in Biblical Scriptures

This shall be a brief account on what the Bible said about the Islamic Kaaba in Mecca.

Allah in the Quran telling about the Kaaba says:

96. The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: (Quran 2:96)

In Psalm 84 it says:

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

6 As they pass through the Valley of  Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

7 They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.

8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;

listen to me, O God of Jacob.

So the word Valley of Baca is clearly mentioned here, and mentioned as a noun not translated to weeping as some other Biblical versions translate. Meaning it’s a real place not just a metaphorical one.

Then it comes to something else:

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

Don’t you know that Mecca has the spring of Zamzam which is a huge spring that has been producing water continuously for more than 1400 years and the pipelines transporting Zamzam water to Al Madina (about 400 km north) which is even an independent miracle in that blessed place.

Zion doesn’t necessarily mean Jerusalem, it has been used figuratively for the church and for Israel in the Babylonian captivity, so it seems like it has been used for any group or mass of people worshiping God, which can be applied on Kaaba here. This can even be seen among Christian sites:

Zion

The word Zion has various meanings in the scriptures. The most general definition of the word is “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21). Zion is often used in this way to refer to the Lord’s people or to the Church and its stakes (see D&C 82:14). It has also been used to refer to specific geographical locations.

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=8b93f73c28d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Meaning of Zion

1. (n) an imaginary place considered to be perfect or ideal

2. (n) Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine

3. (n) originally a stronghold captured by David (the 2nd king of the Israelites); above it was built a temple and later the name extended to the whole hill; finally it became a synonym for the city of Jerusalem; “the inhabitants of Jerusalem are personified as

http://wordhut.com/definitions/Zion.htm

What can even prove that the Bible talked about the house of God is in Genesis 22 in Targum Onkelos.Targum Onkelos (or Unkelus), is the official eastern (Babylonian) targum (Aramaic translation) to the Torah. However, its early origins may have been western, in Israel. Its authorship is attributed to Onkelos, אונקלוס, a famous convert to Judaism in Tannaic times (c.35–120 a.d).According to Jewish tradition, the content of Targum Onkelos was originally conveyed by God to Moses at Mount Sinai. However, it was later forgotten by the masses, and rerecorded by Onkelos.^[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targum_Onkelos

Targum Onkelos when telling Genesis 22, gave some interesting issues:

And Abraham lifted up his eyes after these (words), and saw, and behold, one ram, holden in the bush by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham worshipped and prayed there in that place, and said before the Lord, Here shall generations worship: wherefore it shall be paid in that day, In this mountain Abraham worshipped before the Lord.[26]

http://targum.info/onk/Gen18_22.htm

This part in bold is not included in other Bible translations, it’s between verses 14 and 15. Here it talks about a place where Abraham offered his son, and this place was a place that generations shall worship God in. According to my knowledge, I don’t know a place Jews or Christians celebrate Abraham’s sacrifice and worship God in. But actually in Islam, we have a major feast which is Eid al Adha which can be translated to feast of sacrifice, where we believe that this place is in Mecca. Not only that, but Muslims go to Kaaba for pilgrimage in Eid al Adha.