Podcasts about fashioner

Please be aware the stories, theories, re-enactments and language in this podcast are of an adult nature and can be considered disturbing, frightening and in some cases even offensive.  Listener Discretion is therefore advised.  Welcome heathens welcome to the world of the weird and unexplained.  I'm your host, Nicole Delacroix and together, we will be investigating stories about the things that go bump in the night, frighteningly imagined creatures, supernatural beings and even some unsolved mysteries but I promise all sorts of weirdness.  So, sit back, grab your favorite drink, and prepare to be transported to today's dark Enigma....  And on today's Dark enigma well, I got another long email – which I loved, asking if I would focus on some Chinese mythology, so here you go!  So, with that said, we will still be playing our drinking game and as you know, the drinking game is only for those of us that are at home and have nowhere else to go tonight.  The choice of libation, as always my darlings, is yours, so choose your poison accordingly… Alright, now for the game part how about every time I say Chinese that will be a single shot and every time I say P'an, that will be a double shot.  Now that the business end is out of the way we can jump headfirst into today's dark enigma… so don your best Hanfu or Qipao and, let's dive into today's offering of Chinese Mythology Cosmongony-P'an Ku and The Fashioner of the Universe The most conspicuous figure in Chinese cosmogony is P'an Ku. He it was who chiseled the universe out of Chaos. According to Chinese ideas, he was the offspring of the original dual powers of Nature, the yin and the yang, which, having in some incomprehensible way produced him, set him the task of giving form to Chaos and “making the heavens and the earth.” 

And before we speak about the evidence of Islam and the Holy Quran's Divine origin, let me quickly introduce your Creator to you. Muslims do not worship a particular God of Muslims; instead, the God that Muslims worship is the universal God who created the heavens and the Earth, which many people believe in from the time of their childhood. The word "Allah" is the unique name of God and translates to mean God. Regardless, some people harbor the mistaken belief that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews do and that "Allah" is the God of the Arabs or the Muslims. This is far from the truth. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use the same name, "Allah," to refer to God. If one were to examine an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allah" being used in place of the term, God. However, Muslims, Christians, and Jews have different concepts of God.Allah is the one and only absolute and eternal God. He is the Creator of the Heavens and Earth, the Creator of the Universe. He is the Lord of all lords and King of all kings. He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. Allah Neither Begets nor is He Begotten. And He knows no equal. Say, "He is Allah, who is One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neitherbegets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent." (Quran 112:1-4) Muslims believe in one unique, incomparable God—one with no son, daughter, father, mother, family, or partner. He is the Knower of the unseen and the Source of All Mercy. He is the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Wise. All that is in the Heavens and on Earth magnifies Him. Muslims believe that none should be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. None carries the right to be worshipped, revered, adored, invoked, supplicated, or shown any act of worship but Allah alone. God is unique, indivisible, and similar to nothing. Whenever you try to compare God to anything in this world, the source of comparison cannot be God because God, to put it simply, is incomparable. Your finite human mind cannot comprehend and grasp God as a concept. Muslims avoid conceptualizing His image because imagining or visualizing Him would limit Him. The human imagination is limited, as it is based on what it observes and experiences directly. The human imagination cannot fully grasp God's state, which is timeless and eternal with no beginning or end. God has a unique nature and is free from gender and human weakness. He is beyond anything which human beings can imagine. "There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship Him, and He has the power to dispose of all affairs. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is the Sublime, Well-Aware."            (Quran 6: 102-103)God is the King, the Holy, free from all defects, The Protector, the Keeper, the Sustainer of Earth and the Universe and all it contains. He is the Glorious, the Great, the deserver of all Praise. The Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth belong to Him. Nothing is hidden from Him, and nothing is beyond His capabilities. He is the One that merges the night into the day and the day into the night. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. Allah does not sleep nor slumber, nor does sleep overtake Him. "He is Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing." (Quran 42:11)God is Loving, Compassionate, and Merciful; He is the answerer of prayers. He is indeed involved and concerned with the daily affairs of all human beings. God is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is the Giver of life and the Causer of death. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is the Most-High, the Most-Supreme. 

(35:1) All praise be to Allah, the Fashioner of the heavens and earth, Who appointed angels as His message bearers, having two, three, four wings. He adds to His creation whatever He pleases. Verily Allah has power over everything. (35:2) Whatever Mercy Allah accords to people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, no other will be able to release after Him. He is Most Mighty, Most Wise. (35:3) O people, remember Allah's favour upon you. Is there any creator, apart from Allah, who provides you your sustenance out of the heavens and earth? There is no god but He. Whither are you, then, being misdirected? (35:4) (O Prophet), (there is nothing novel in it) if they cry lies to you;Messengers before you were also cried lies to. To Allah shall all matters be sent back. (35:5) O people, assuredly Allah's promise is true. So let the life of the world not delude you, and let not the Deluder delude you concerning Allah. (35:6) Surely Satan is an enemy to you. Therefore, do take him as an enemy. He calls his followers to his way so that they may be among the inmates of the Fire. (35:7) A severe chastisement lies in store for those that disbelieve, but there is pardon and a great reward for those that believe and work righteous deeds. (35:8) (How awful is the straying of the person) for whom his evil deed has been embellished so that it looks fair to him? The fact is that Allah causes whomsoever He will to fall into error and shows the Right Way to whomsoever He will. So, (O Prophet), let not your life go to waste sorrowing over them. Allah is well aware of all that they do. (35:9) It is Allah Who sends forth winds which then set the clouds in motion, which We drive to some dead land giving a fresh life to earth after it had become dead. Such will be the resurrection of the dead. (35:10) He who seeks glory, let him know that all glory belongs to Allah alone. To Him do good words go up, and righteous action uplifts them. But those who contrive evil deeds, a severe punishment lies in store for them, and their contriving will come to naught. (35:11) Allah created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, then He made you into pairs. No female conceives, nor delivers (a child) except with His knowledge. None is given a long life nor is any diminished in his life but it is written in a Book. Surely that is quite easy for Allah. (35:12) The two masses of water are not alike. The one is sweet, sates thirst, and is pleasant to drink from, while the other is salt, bitter on the tongue. Yet from both you eat fresh meat, and extract from it ornaments that you wear; and you see ships cruising through it that you may seek of His Bounty and be thankful to Him. (35:13) He causes the night to phase into the day and the day into the night, and He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running its course to an appointed term. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs the Kingdom; but those whom you call upon, apart from Allah, possess not so much as the skin of a date-stone. (35:14) If you call upon them, they cannot hear your prayer. And if they hear it, they cannot answer it. On the Day of Resurrection they will disown you for associating others with Allah in His Divinity. No one can inform you of the truth save the All-Aware....

8.6.178 - Thank You! From the Arabic - 70 - O Son of Him that Stood by His Own Entity in the Kingdom of His Self! Know thou, that I have wafted unto thee all the fragrances of holiness, have fully revealed to thee My word, have perfected through thee My bounty and have desired for thee that which I have desired for My Self. Be then content with My pleasure and thankful unto Me. Bahá'u'lláh Magnified be Thy Name, O God. Thine in truth are the Kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, and verily in our Lord have we placed our whole trust. All praise be unto Thee, O God; Thou art the Maker of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them, and Thou in truth art the supreme Ruler, the Fashioner, the All-Wise. Glorified art Thou, O Lord! Thou wilt surely gather mankind for the Day of whose coming there is no doubt—the Day whereon everyone shall appear before Thee and find life in Thee. This is the Day of the One true God—the Day Thou shalt bring about as Thou pleasest through the power of Thy behest. Thou art the Sovereign, the wondrous Creator, the Mighty, the Best Beloved. The Báb Check out our new blog, Outdoor Oasis: https://bahaioasis.wixsite.com/outdooroasis Email: bahaioasis@gmail.com Instagram and Twitter: @bahaioasis Join our Amino group: http://aminoapps.com/c/Bahai --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

O God, my God! Glory be to Thee for having guided me unto the horizon of Thy Revelation, illumined me with the splendours of the light of Thy grace and mercy, caused me to speak forth Thy praise, and given me to behold that which hath been revealed by Thy Pen. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Lord of the kingdom of names and Fashioner of earth and heaven, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and by Thy most sweet utterance which hath enraptured the realities of all created things, to raise me up in Thy Name amidst Thy servants. I am he who hath sought in the daytime and in the night season to stand before the door of Thy bounty and to present himself before the throne of Thy justice. O Lord! Cast not away him who hath clung to the cord of Thy nearness, and deprive not him who hath directed his steps towards Thy most sublime station, the summit of glory, and the supreme objective—that station wherein every atom crieth out in the most eloquent tongue, saying: “Earth and heaven, glory and dominion are God's, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful!” Bahá'u'lláh Check out our new blog, Outdoor Oasis: https://bahaioasis.wixsite.com/outdooroasis Email: bahaioasis@gmail.com Instagram and Twitter: @bahaioasis Snapchat: bahai.oasis --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Magnified be Thy Name, O God. Thine in truth are the Kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, and verily in our Lord have we placed our whole trust. All praise be unto Thee, O God; Thou art the Maker of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them, and Thou in truth art the supreme Ruler, the Fashioner, the All-Wise. Glorified art Thou, O Lord! Thou wilt surely gather mankind for the Day of whose coming there is no doubt—the Day whereon everyone shall appear before Thee and find life in Thee. This is the Day of the One true God—the Day Thou shalt bring about as Thou pleasest through the power of Thy behest. Thou art the Sovereign, the wondrous Creator, the Mighty, the Best Beloved. ~The Báb Check out our new blog, Outdoor Oasis: https://bahaioasis.wixsite.com/outdooroasis Email: bahaioasis@gmail.com Instagram and Twitter: @bahaioasis Snapchat: bahai.oasis --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

It is necessary for you first to hold the rank of human and then to participate in the glory of God. For you do not create God, but God creates you. If, then, you are the work of God, await the hand of God, who does everything at the appropriate time, the appropriate time for you, who are being made. Offer to him your heart, soft and pliable, and retain the shape with which the Fashioner shaped you, having in yourself his Water, lest you turn dry and lose the imprint of his fingers. By guarding this conformation, you will ascend to perfection; the mud in you will be concealed by the art of God. His Hand created your substance; it will gild you, inside and out, with pure gold and silver, and so adorn you that the King himself will desire your beauty . . . If, therefore, you offer to him what is yours, that is, faith in him . . . you will receive his art and become a perfect work of God. St. Irenaeus of Lyon (Against Heresies, 4.39.2)

Here are a couple of quotes related to this message on Overshadowed Revelation "Lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Their eyes were covered by a cloud, in order to inform them, that they were not yet prepared for beholding the brightness of the heavenly glory. For, when the Lord agave tokens of his presence, he employed, at the same time, some coverings to restrain the arrogance of the human mind. So now, with the view of teaching his disciples a lesson of humility, he withdraws from their eyes the sight of the heavenly glory. This admonition is likewise addressed to us, that we may not seek to pry into the secrets which lie beyond our senses, but, on the contrary, that every man may keep within the limits of sobriety, according to the measure of his faith. In a word, this cloud ought to serve us as a bridle, that our curiosity may not indulge in undue wantonness. The disciples, too, were warned that they must return to their former warfare, and therefore must not expect a triumph before the time." John Calvin It is necessary for you first to hold the rank of human and then to participate in the glory of God. For you do not create God, but God creates you. If, then, you are the work of God, await the hand of God, who does everything at the appropriate time, the appropriate time for you, who are being made. Offer to him your heart, soft and pliable, and retain the shape with which the Fashioner shaped you, having in yourself his Water, lest you turn dryand lose the imprint of his fingers. By guarding this conformation, you will ascend to perfection; the mud in you will be concealed by the art of God. His Hand created your substance; it will gild you, inside and out, with pure gold and silver, and so adorn you that the King himself will desire your beauty . . . If, therefore, you offer to him what is yours, that is, faith in him . . . you will receive his art and become a perfect work of God. Irenaus

Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord our God! Thou art in truth the Knower of things unseen. Ordain for us such good as Thine all-embracing knowledge can measure. Thou art the sovereign Lord, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved. All praise be unto Thee, O Lord! We shall seek Thy grace on the appointed Day and shall put our whole reliance in Thee, Who art our Lord. Glorified art Thou, O God! Grant us that which is good and seemly that we may be able to dispense with everything but Thee. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all worlds. O God! Recompense those who endure patiently in Thy days, and strengthen their hearts to walk undeviatingly in the path of Truth. Grant then, O Lord, such goodly gifts as would enable them to gain admittance into Thy blissful Paradise. Exalted art Thou, O Lord God. Let Thy heavenly blessings descend upon homes whose inmates have believed in Thee. Verily, unsurpassed art Thou in sending down divine blessings. Send forth, O God, such hosts as would render Thy faithful servants victorious. Thou dost fashion the created things through the power of Thy decree as Thou pleasest. Thou art in truth the Sovereign, the Creator, the All-Wise. Say: God is indeed the Maker of all things. He giveth sustenance in plenty to whomsoever He willeth. He is the Creator, the Source of all beings, the Fashioner, the Almighty, the Maker, the All-Wise. He is the Bearer of the most excellent titles throughout the heavens and the earth and whatever lieth between them. All do His bidding, and all the dwellers of earth and heaven celebrate His praise, and unto Him shall all return. The Báb --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Magnified be Thy Name, O God. Thine in truth are the Kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, and verily in our Lord have we placed our whole trust. All praise be unto Thee, O God; Thou art the Maker of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them, and Thou in truth art the supreme Ruler, the Fashioner, the All-Wise. Glorified art Thou, O Lord! Thou wilt surely gather mankind for the Day of whose coming there is no doubt—the Day whereon everyone shall appear before Thee and find life in Thee. This is the Day of the One true God—the Day Thou shalt bring about as Thou pleasest through the power of Thy behest. Thou art the Sovereign, the wondrous Creator, the Mighty, the Best Beloved. The Báb --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy gifts. I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me, out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the remembrance of anyone except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs. Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast purposed by Thy power. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Bahá'u'lláh --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy gifts. I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me, out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the remembrance of anyone except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs. Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast purposed by Thy power. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Bahá'u'lláh --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy gifts. I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me, out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the remembrance of anyone except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs. Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast purposed by Thy power. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Bahá'u'lláh --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Chapter 216 - "Our Enduring Friendship" ...as read by Ryan Parrish of Hopesfall and In Parallel This week I’m excited to welcome back Ryan Parrish to the podcast. Ryan chats about rejoining Hopesfall and the music they’re creating now. Then we chat about the new In Parallel record, Fashioner, out this Friday September 4th via Wiretap Records.In Parallel - https://inparallelband.bandcamp.com/Snag Fashioner on vinyl - https://wiretaprecords.limitedrun.com/products/676023-in-parallel-fashioner-12-epYou can still pickup Broken Codes on vinyl - https://www.storenvy.com/products/24225270-in-parallel-broken-codes-vinyl----------Chapter 216 Music:Hopesfall - "Hall Of the Sky"In Parallel - "Deep Dark"In Parallel - "Leave It With The Ghost"---As The Story Grows links:​Help out at PatreonATSG WebsiteATSG Music and MerchJoin the Email ListATSG FacebookEmail: asthestorygrows@gmail.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNuP0_JUpT6DoIhhbGlwEYA?view_as=subscriber 

We had the pleasure of interviewing In Parallel over Zoom video! The seeds of In Parallel were planted late at night almost 5+ years ago in the back room of a picture frame shop. With nothing more than a looped electronic drum sample and a few guitars, the first notes became the framework of the song "Bridge and Tunnel." This particular song and its lyric "walk through waves and wade where others won't - choose your words, say what others don't" became a mission statement of sorts - a musical rebirth for its four members. It took multiple recordings for the band to get all the sounds on their debut EP 'Broken Codes' correct - so much so that they scrapped the first two versions entirely. The band was inspired by their love of dark 80’s pop and 90’s shoegaze and post-hardcore - creating a sound that aims to balance contrastingly melodic, expansive and ambient moments. In Parallel consists of Lance Black, Jesse Fine, Ryan Parrish and Mark Nash. The band recorded the EP in Nashville with the help of their most devoted fans from previous projects (Celebrity/Hopesfall) through a crowdfunding campaign. Bypassing the traditional structure of the music industry gave the three-piece group the freedom to lean into technology, ultimately treading new territory both sonically and lyrically. In Parallel are debuting the first track and corresponding music lyric video off their upcoming new EP “Fashioner” out September 4th on Wiretap Records.We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com.www.BringinitBackwards.comAmerican Songwriter Podcast Network#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod  #foryou #foryoupage #stayhome #togetherathome #zoom #aspn #americansongwriter #americansongwriterpodcastnetwork

Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I attempt to make mention of Thee, I am hindered by the sublimity of Thy station and the overpowering greatness of Thy might. For were I to praise Thee throughout the length of Thy dominion and the duration of Thy sovereignty, I would find that my praise of Thee can befit only such as are like unto me, who are themselves Thy creatures, and who have been generated through the power of Thy decree and been fashioned through the potency of Thy will. And at whatever time my pen ascribeth glory to any one of Thy names, methinks I can hear the voice of its lamentation in its remoteness from Thee, and can recognize its cry because of its separation from Thy Self. I testify that everything other than Thee is but Thy creation and is held in the hollow of Thy hand. To have accepted any act or praise from Thy creatures is but an evidence of the wonders of Thy grace and bountiful favors, and a manifestation of Thy generosity and providence. I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Most Great Name whereby Thou didst separate light from fire, and truth from denial, to send down upon me and upon such of my loved ones as are in my company the good of this world and of the next. Supply us, then, with Thy wondrous gifts that are hid from the eyes of men. Thou art, verily, the Fashioner of all creation. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most High. Bahá'u'lláh --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art He Whom all things worship and Who worshipeth no one, Who is the Lord of all things and is the vassal of none, Who knoweth all things and is known of none. Thou didst wish to make Thyself known unto men; therefore, Thou didst, through a word of Thy mouth, bring creation into being and fashion the universe. There is none other God except Thee, the Fashioner, the Creator, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. I implore Thee, by this very word that hath shone forth above the horizon of Thy will, to enable me to drink deep of the living waters through which Thou hast vivified the hearts of Thy chosen ones and quickened the souls of them that love Thee, that I may, at all times and under all conditions, turn my face wholly towards Thee. Thou art the God of power, of glory and bounty. No God is there beside Thee, the Supreme Ruler, the All-Glorious, the Omniscient. ~ Bahá'u'lláh ~~~~ Thank you for listening! Email: bahaioasis@gmail.com ~ Twitter: @bahaioasis ~Instagram: @bahaioasis ~Leave us a voice message, prayer, devotion or song: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message ~ Love one another and be kind ❤️

Glory be to Thee, O King of eternity, and the Maker of nations, and the Fashioner of every moldering bone! I pray Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou didst call all mankind unto the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and didst guide Thy servants to the court of Thy grace and favors, to number me with such as have rid themselves from everything except Thyself, and have set themselves towards Thee, and have not been kept back by such misfortunes as were decreed by Thee, from turning in the direction of Thy gifts. I have laid hold, O my Lord, on the handle of Thy bounty, and clung steadfastly to the hem of the robe of Thy favor. Send down, then, upon me, out of the clouds of Thy generosity, what will purge out from me the remembrance of anyone except Thee, and make me able to turn unto Him Who is the Object of the adoration of all mankind, against Whom have been arrayed the stirrers of sedition, who have broken Thy covenant, and disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs. Deny me not, O my Lord, the fragrances of Thy raiment in Thy days, and deprive me not of the breathings of Thy Revelation at the appearance of the splendors of the light of Thy face. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Naught can resist Thy will, nor frustrate what Thou hast purposed by Thy power. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise. ~ Bahá'u'lláh - Join us as we make a conscious effort to unplug from daily distractions every Friday (sunset Thursday through sunset Friday) and focus on our walk with God. #FridayUnplugged ~ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bahaioasis/message

O God, my God! Glory be to Thee for having guided me unto the horizon of Thy Revelation, illumined me with the splendours of the light of Thy grace and mercy, caused me to speak forth Thy praise, and given me to behold that which hath been revealed by Thy Pen. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Lord of the kingdom of names and Fashioner of earth and heaven, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and by Thy most sweet utterance which hath enraptured the realities of all created things, to raise me up in Thy Name amidst Thy servants. I am he who hath sought in the daytime and in the night season to stand before the door of Thy bounty and to present himself before the throne of Thy justice. O Lord! Cast not away him who hath clung to the cord of Thy nearness, and deprive not him who hath directed his steps towards Thy most sublime station, the summit of glory, and the supreme objective—that station wherein every atom crieth out in the most eloquent tongue, saying: “Earth and heaven, glory and dominion are God's, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful!”~ Bahá'u'lláhSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/soreadyforhealth)

The word ‘Allah’ is the unique name of God. He is The One and Only, the Absolute & Eternal God. He is the creator of the Heavens and Earth, the creator of the Universe. He is the Lord of all lords, King of all kings. He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. Allah Neither Begets, nor is He Begotten. And He knows no equal. God offers a description of Himself in His book, the Holy Quran, stating: Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent" (Quran 112:1-4) The word Allah translates to God. Allah is not a foreign God and does not bear a foreign name. Allah, rather, is the semantic term for God. Regardless of this, some people harbor the mistaken belief that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews; and that ‘Allah’ is the ‘God of the Arabs or God of the Muslims’.  This is far from the truth. The word “Allah” is the Arabic name that connotes the Almighty God. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use this same word to refer to God. If one were to peruse an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word ‘Allah’ being used in place of the term ‘God.’ However, Muslims, Christians, and Jews all have different concepts of God. Muslims and Jews both reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine incarnation. This, however, does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God. There is only One true God. Muslims prefer to use the name ‘Allah’ as opposed to the English word ‘God’ because the English word ‘God’ can be made plural and can be rendered masculine or feminine; whereas the Arabic word ‘Allah’ cannot be made plural and is genderless. For instance, if you add the letter ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘gods’--which is the plural of God. In the case of the Arabic word ‘Allah,’ one cannot make the word plural by adding ‘s’ or in any other way morphing the word’s structure. Likewise, if one adds ‘ess’ to the end of the word ‘God,’ it becomes ‘goddess,’ which connotates a female god. God is not female nor male. He is genderless. The word ‘Allah’ in the Arabic language does not have a gender. It cannot be made feminine. Muslims reject the use of the word ‘God’ because it has different connotations to different people. God means different things to different people because the term ‘God’ indicates an entity worthy of worship; and regretfully, people assign a godlike status to many other beings, divine or otherwise. However, sometimes while speaking to non-Muslims, one may use the word ‘God’ instead of ‘Allah’ to help the intended audience understand the context of the word; to relate the message you are referring to the One Supreme Being. The word Allah comes from the origin of the word Al-ilah, which enjoins the two terms ‘The’ and ‘God’ as in ‘The God.’ The term illah, which is the closest synonym to God in the Arabic language, is rich and has several meanings. Illah refers to an entity worthy of worship and service, an object of devotion and love, someone you turn to in desperate times, someone you adore and think about all the time. Illah also is one you turn to for protection, help or aid. You find sanctuary and rest in your Illah, who is always present to comfort and guide beings of His creation. The relationship with God is expressed in the Arabic word Al-Rabb, which is used frequently in the Quran. Linguistically it is defined as ‘sticking close to something.’ It also means ‘joining something with another.’ In the Holy Qur’an, the word Al-Rabb implies that the owner (God) has full authority over his property (his servants) and is a Master who ultimately sustains His creation by regulating affairs, providing provisions, and granting all varieties of favors and blessings. Al-Rabb also means the One who sustains and nurtures the hearts and souls of His creation. Muslims believe in One, unique, incomparable God, who has no son, no daughter, no father, no mother, no family, and no partner. He is the Knower of the unseen and the Source of All Mercy. He is the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Wise. All that is in the Heavens and Earth magnify Him. Muslims believe that none should be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. None carries the right to be worshipped, revered, adored, invoked, supplicated, or shown any act of worship, but Allah alone. God is unique, indivisible and similar to nothing. Whenever you try to compare God to anything in this world, it cannot be God; because God, to put it is incomparable. Our finite human minds can fully comprehend and grasp God as a concept. Muslims avoid conceptualizing His image, because imagining or visualizing Him would limit Him. The human imagination is limited, as it is based on what it observes and experiences directly. The human imagination cannot fully grasp the state of God, who is timeless and eternal with no beginning or end. God has a unique nature and is free from gender and human weakness and is beyond anything which human beings can imagine. God states: “There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship Him, and He has the power to dispose of all affairs.  No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is the Sublime, Well-Aware" (Quran 6: 102-103) God is the King, the Holy, the one free from all defects. The Protector, the Keeper, the Sustainer of Earth and the Universe and all it contains. He is the Glorious, the Great, the Deserving of all Praise. The Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth belong to Him. Nothing is hidden from Him, and Nothing is beyond His capabilities. He is the Lord and Master of the physical Universe and the Ruler and Lawgiver for human life. Allah is the creator of everything from the smallest to the biggest of things. It is He who heats and brightens the Earth, varies the direction of the winds, and keeps planets in their separate orbits. He is the one that merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night. He is the Master of the Day of Judgement. Allah does not sleep nor slumber, nor sleeps overtake Him. Afterall, created the universe in six days with no rest. God states: “[He is] Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing (Quran 42:11) God is Loving, Compassionate, Merciful; He is the answerer of prayers, and He is indeed involved and concerned with the daily affairs of all human beings. God is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is the Giver of life and the Causer of death. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is the Most-High, the most Supreme. He is the most generous and the most loving to his creation. God gives, without measure, to His servants. He gifted mankind life and the ability to hear, feel, taste, and see. God gifted humans their hearts, minds, souls, strengths, and skills.  “And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful” (Quran 14:34) God created all things from nothing. He is in no need of His creation, although His creation is all in need of Him. He is all Knowledgeable and encompasses all things, the open and the secret, the public and the private. He knows all secrets that lay hidden in the hearts and minds of men. He knows of all that happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen. Our Lord neither errs nor forgets. He is free from all defects and imperfections. He is the One that accepts repentance from His servants and forgives all sins. Allah knows of what you endure and understands your feelings and struggles. Allah understands because He was there with you all along. Allah has power over all things. No other power nor might nor strength nor influence can cause benefit or harm to anyone or anything, except that which flows through Him. Nothing can ever happen unless God wills it to be so. “Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record" (Quran 6:59) God can make anything happen. He states in His book: “Whenever We will anything to be, We say unto it Our word "Be," and it is” (Quran 16:40) Some people assume that God, as perceived in the faith of Islam is a harsh, stern, cruel God; one who demands to be respected, worshipped, and obeyed fully, and is not loving and kind to His creation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is All-Loving. He claims among His names Al-Wadoud in Arabic (the All-Loving). The love of God in the Holy Qur’an is expressed and emphasized many times throughout His Book. God bespeaks His love for the righteous, the charitable, the steadfast, the doers of good, the just, the fair, the benevolent, those who trust Him; the ones that are clean, the ones that purify themselves, and the ones who fulfill their obligations. The entire Universe and everything it contain is proof of Allah’s love for all of His creation. He loves us so much that He gave us an endless variety of foods, a vast array of land and wildlife, the sun, the moon, the stars, family, offspring, and much more. Everything one sees feels, hears, tastes, and smells are all forms of blessings, given to us by our Loving Creator. He didn’t have to do this, but He bestowed these blessings upon us. His boundless mercy encompasses everything. "And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" (Quran 16:18) God is also All-Just. Hence, evildoers and sinners must be held accountable for their actions. God is Holy, Righteous, and Fair. If He didn't punish for evil, He would allow that evil to exist without consequences. Since God cannot let that happen, His justice requires that a proper punishment is incurred and executed for evil sins. Although Allah is not answerable to anyone, He has promised to be Just and Fair to everyone. He has prohibited injustice against the innocent. Allah never would punish an innocent person, nor hold anyone accountable for the sins of another. Unlike Christianity, Islam imposes no burden of the original sin. Every human being is born with a clean slate and is rewarded or punished only based on one’s willful intent, words, and deeds. Allah is the Absolute Judge, the Legislator. God is the One who distinguishes right from wrong. God even is more merciful to His creation than a mother is to her child. God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. For one to be genuinely devoted to Allah and to love Him above all else imaginable, one needs to have knowledge of God that goes beyond the basic aspects of His role as the sole Creator and Sustainer. To reward any seeker who strives to learn more about the Creator, Allah has revealed a great deal of information about Himself and His Attributes. Allah has the most Magnificent, Beautiful of names and sublime Perfect attributes. No one shares His Divinity, nor His Attributes. Allah’s Attributes are incomparable, Greater and more perfectly than those acquired by people, as there is nothing like Him, His Attributes, and Actions. God has an infinite number of names and has a particular and special category of 99 names listed in the Holy Koran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Of His names is The Ever-Merciful, The Forgiving, The Loving, The Nourisher, The Sustainer, The Compassionate, The Exalter, The Just, The Great, The Protector, The Caregiver, The Ever-Living, The Powerful, The First, The Last, The Pardoner, The Light, The Supporter, The Eternal, The Preserver, The Wise, The Originator, and The One Who Gives Life and Resurrects. If our Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must adhere to this same edict. God has perfect attributes. He has limitless and infinite hearing, vision, mercy, and—above all—love. Muslims attribute certain factors to every quality of God: None of His attributes ever knew a beginning, nor will they ever have an ending. For instance, He always has been All-Hearing and always will be All-Hearing. Allah hears everything from our inner thoughts and tiniest whispers to the buzz of a mosquito's wing and the eruption of Volcanos. Language is no barrier for Him, for God understands all. All of His attributes are infinite. Whereas humans can hear only what’s in front of them, God can listen to simultaneous conversations inside and outside a room; God can hear all. All of our attributes as humans were given to us as gifts, whereas all of God’s attributes originated within Him. His attributes were not given to Him; they were within Him all along. The most significant and most honorable knowledge is that of Allah’s Names, Attributes, and Actions. God encourages His creation to learn His names so they can discover more about Him. How would one love, worship, fear, and trust God if they do not know His Identity and His Attributes? By learning Allah’s names and attributes, one can appreciate His Power over all things and increase the pleasure and sublime awe he or she finds in God’s company. That is why knowledge of Allah is a central tenant of the Islamic faith. It is when one genuinely ponders on the Majesty of Allah, that one’s humility increases. Muslims are advised to study and ponder His Names and Attributes and are encouraged to worship and call Him by those names. God states: “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them” (Quran 7:180) God is above His creation, above the heavens, above His Throne. However, He never is contained by any sort of physical dimension. Allah is close, very close. God is close to those who believe in Him, and He answers their every call. Saying that God is with His servants, does not mean that He intermingles or dwells with His creation; rather He establishes His presence with His creation by His Knowledge and Power. Nothing is hidden from Him of what His creation does or says. God states in the Quran: “Verily Allah knows all the hidden things of the Heavens and the Earth; Verily He has full Knowledge of all that is in (men's) hearts” (Quran 35:38)  God is very near. He sees and knows every aspect of His creations. He hears every word that is uttered. He is knowledgeable of even one's inner thoughts. God knows all of our dreams, secrets, desires, and wishes. Nothing is hidden from Him. “We created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein” (Quran 50:36) Allah is in no need of His creation, although His creation needs Him. Allah wants humans to worship Him for their own benefit. Mankind needs God in their lives at all times and for all purposes. Those who recognize the Majesty of the Creator of All, soon become awestruck and humble in their knowledge. One that rejects God and His Guidance is like a patient refusing a doctor’s medicine for his pain. This patient would be foolish, ignorant, and illogical in his actions; as would be one who rejects Allah. Allah is Fully Omnipotent and Self-sufficient. He is in no need of humanistic worship or anything else. Allah is Perfect

God is real. He is the One and the Only God. He is worthy of worship and veneration. He is All-Loving. He is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing. He owns everything, including you and I, the Sun, the Moon, the World, everything it contains. He is in control of all things. He wants people to believe in Him, to do good and to avoid evil so they can achieve the reward of Paradise. God sent all of humanity on this worldly journey as a test, to weed out the worthy from the unworthy, to test which of those amongst His servants would perform best. Humanity would be lost on Earth if they were left to their own devices because they wouldn't know what God expects of them. When one acts according to their feelings, desires, and passions, they become oppressed by the sadness, worry, and fear that results from these impulsive actions.   Humans can't navigate the twists and turns of this life without God's Guidance. Humans must ask their Creator for guidance, and to show them the Straight Path. God bestowed Guidance unto His servants in the form of Revelation and through prayer; the form of communication through which Muslims connect with God at least five times a day. The goal of a follower of Islam is to become a faithful servant of God by submitting to His Will and to worship Him Alone. Those who pass this test would enter Paradise eternally; those who fail, meanwhile, would enter hellfire in the afterlife.   Let's take a closer, more in-depth look at this subject. Everything populating the Heavens and Earth, including animals, the Mountains, the Skies, and the Earth, are all in a state of submission to the Sovereignty of Allah, the Glorious. They are all living for, obedient to, in submission to, and are at the disposal of God and His Laws. They all exist in a state of Islam (submission to Allah). God states in the Quran:   "To Him submits whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth" (Quran 3:83)   Everything in nature functions according to fixed laws set forth by God and cannot deviate from those laws. The Sun knows its role---it knows the cycle of its rotation; it knows its role as the giver of light, heat, and energy on Earth. The Earth knows its rotation cycle around its axis. Your own eyes, heart, brain, your entire body and all of its components, are working subject to the laws of nature—and have no choice but to do as they are intended. All of God's creation worships Him in a manner appropriate to their situation. The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the animals, the whole Universe all exist in a state of subjugation to Allah, the Almighty. All prostrate to Him, with all of them worshipping Him in an appropriate manner. God, the Almighty said:   "Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the Heavens and whoever is on the Earth and the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many, the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allah humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allah does what He wills" (Quran 22:18)   Man is expected to worship and praise his Creator, much like the surrounding creations are continuously praising God in humility; in a way we may not understand. All the creation praises, worship, and lives in submission to the Almighty, in their unique style. God's creation prostrates to Him as per its nature, even if they do not press their foreheads to the ground.   "The seven heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving" (Quran 17:44)   All of God's creations know their mission and purpose. Just like the physical world submits to its Lord, human beings must submit to the Will and Laws of God. Unlike other creations of God, man was gifted with the qualities of intelligence, the ability to comprehend and understand, and the wisdom to think, reflect, and ponder over his Creator and his life purpose. Man was also gifted with the ultimate beauty of expression, and with the ability to make choices and decisions. God created many astounding creations, and the noblest of those creations are human beings. God states in the Quran:   "We have certainly created man in the best of stature" (Quran 95:4)   Man faces a choice: the offer to submit before God like all other creations or to go astray and violate God's laws. All will be held accountable for their decisions and choices.   All humans are born with an innate eagerness and ability to seek God, to recognize and understand the existence of their Creator. Once many discover the truth, they hasten to submit to Allah; entering a state of total submission. Islam answers the questions that trouble the conscience of every human being: Why was I created? What am I doing here? What is my life's purpose for existence? Islam answers these massive life questions.   Mankind was also born in a pure and pristine original state; one that inclines toward that which is ethical, morally and spiritually pure, upright and wholesome. They incline to help others, removing objects from the road, thanking people, etc. Everyone has an internal moral conscience, calculator, compass. If it is not corrupted, man's intrinsic moral conscience suffers discomfort and upset when someone wrongs; this because this conscience always points toward good, which brings one closer to God. This goodness, which is programmed in humans, compels them to be grateful when something good comes its way.   Every human has an instinct to believe in and worship a Creator who is One—who has no partners. This belief does not come about as a result of learning or personal reflection but is placed by God into the heart of every human. With time, the changing of one's environment, and outside influences from parents and friends, this innate belief in God affects and confuses a person. Prophet Muhammad narrated: 'Every child is born in a state of fitrah (a natural belief in God), then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.' (Saheeh Muslim)   Humans have the eagerness to thank their Creator. God has reinforced man's natural disposition with the signs He has planted throughout creation, to testify to His existence. A primary aim of the Holy Qur’an is to invite people to ponder and reflect. Allah refers to the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the merging of the night into the day, and the merging of the Day into Night, as His miraculous signs and evidence of an existence of a Creator.   The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God's knowledge, Wisdom, Power, Mercy, and existence are evident in the world around us. Together they point to a Creator, a Maker, a Designer, a Fashioner. This creation is flawless and perfect. Life on Earth and the Universe itself demonstrates so much order, purpose, intelligence, and design; all of which prove the existence of a Creator that designed and fashioned everything.   Thus, God calls on man to ponder, reflect, and think deeply about the design of this complex creation, to build a better understanding of his Creator. When one reflects, one realizes that the world and everything it contains was created with intelligence and Infinite Wisdom—not by chance. Human beings—regardless of who they are, where they are, and when they live—are always curious to why they exist in this world, for what purpose? Only our Creator can tell us why we are here, and for what purpose!   God encourages one to observe and ponder over His beautiful creation. He asks man to reflect upon the Mountains, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Trees, etc. so they will realize their blessings. They will witness a clear sign, evidence, and proof of His existence, look up to the sky and admire the beauty of the ocean, mountain, and sunset:   Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and [how] it has no rifts? (Quran 50:6)   One should ask him/herself when was the last time he/she admired and pondered over this beautiful creation?   Recognizing the signs of God's existence would require personal effort, and this recognition occurs in accordance with his or her wisdom and conscience. For the people who understand, everything around them is a sign and evidence of their creator’s existence. Pondering upon the intricacy and order of this magnificent creation would help one conclude that this glorious Universe indeed has a Wise Creator who crafted, fashioned, and molded everything. One would eventually perceive the fact that the entire Universe, including oneself, and one's own body, is created by a Superior Power. One would conclude that this world was created in proportion, and with measure and definite purpose.   "And We did not create the heaven and Earth and that between them for mere play"  (Quran 21:16)   God also encourages people to look at their creation, their own body, and how it was constructed so perfectly.   "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?" (Quran 41:53)   Pondering over the creation of mankind and the Universe would help one realize that the Deity behind this ethereal creation can re-create it once again. One would understand that God can easily and quickly resurrect all of humanity for Judgement Day.   "How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless, and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him, you will be returned" (Quran 2:28)   In today's materialistic world, the endless quest for fame and wealth distracts many from reflecting on the beautiful creation of God and the purpose behind it. We live in a world where people are obsessed with materialism, and their main aim and focus in life is to gather all the money and prizes they can. We are in a world where people are obsessed with taking as much as possible from this world. A perpetual state of excessive materialism can affect one's inner peace. One cannot achieve satisfaction in life if he or she is chasing material gains to an excessive and extreme extent; rather, one should look at the situation of those who are less fortunate. In this way, one will have a greater appreciation of the love, gifts, benefits and mercy that the Almighty has bestowed upon them regarding their wealth, family, friends, housing, etc.   Humanity was created and born with a sense of awe, of wonder, but many have killed that sense of wonder somewhere along his or her journey to adulthood. Many no longer feel the fear and awe at God's creation around them because of their excessiveness, obsession and distraction of materials of this world. Many are so occupied by useless material goods, vain talk, and gossip they have forgotten and are immune to the miracles happening around them every second of every day. One should think deeply and ask more significant questions about life and his/her purpose, rather than thinking of that which is less significant.   For the few that ponder and think deeply on this creation, which others overlook, they discover within it signs and great lessons all around them that lead them straight back to their Creator. Signs that lead one to an appreciation of the Wisdom and Wonders of the Almighty's creation, bringing them thus closer to their Lord. In the Holy Koran, God invites individuals of understanding to think about the issues which other people overlook.   "Praise be to God. He will show you His Signs, and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do" (Quran 27:93)   A person's purpose in life is to find God, build a relationship with Him, and engage in a continuous effort to submit to His will. The best joy and the most peace that one can achieve in this world is derived from the servitude to God and being an obedient slave of God. God states unequivocally that humankind was created to worship Him. God states:   "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)    One can easily misunderstand this to mean that God wants humans to be in constant prayer, to dwell on the remembrance of God at all times, and to spend their entire lives in constant seclusion and absolute meditation. This is not the case. In Islam, worshipping God includes and entails every act, belief, statement, or sentiment of the heart which God approves and loves. The act of worship in Islam is comprehensive in scope. The worship of God can include actions such as removing an object from the road, helping one in need, being kind to one's parents, lawfully making money, sharing food with neighbors, visiting an ill person, etc. The act must be done sincerely to please God and not with boastful or impure motives. The action should also be consistent with the Almighty's guidance and laws. Any thought or act that brings a person closer to his Creator would be considered an act of worship.   To worship God is to get to know Him, learn His names and attributes, to love Him, to obey His commandments, and to enforce His laws in every aspect of life. To worship God is to serve His cause; engaging in the struggle and the quest of doing right, shunning evil, and being just to others. According to the Quran, following and obeying God's commandments and refraining from prohibited activities would make one's life easier, more comfortable, and lighten one's burdens.   "And Allah wants to lighten for you [your burden/ difficulties], and mankind was created weak" (Quran 4:28)   Some mistakenly believe that disobeying the commands of God while partying their whole life away would make for a more enjoyable, peaceful life. They also think if they find God and follow His commands, then they will deprive themselves of things they could have otherwise enjoyed—and this couldn't be further from the truth. Quite the opposite is true. While the commands of other religions are often viewed as burdensome and rigid, the rules of Islam are not seen this way by the devout Muslim. A devout Muslim would see these rules as what's best for him or her, so that they may be guided to success, happiness, honor, and contentment in this life and the next.   God states that if you abide by his advice, He will relieve the burdens of your life, rendering your existence much easier, comfortable, and more relaxed. You would find contentment in the heart. You would find more peace and harmony, not only within yourself but with the things and people around you. Each of God's commandments is enforced to benefit the one that follows them. Anything that God makes impermissible is harmful to one or society. For example, alcohol is prohibited in Islam because of its danger and evilness. A lot of studies and evidence demonstrate the effects and risks of drinking alcohol.   Those who follow these simple edicts will enjoy a pleasant, contented life in a blessed world. God promises in the Holy Quran:   "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do" (Quran 16:97)   God created particular desires within the human being. One can control these desires according to God's Law or to turn them loose and go his or her separate way. Allah, the Glorious, created humanity knowing that they would sin. Therefore, God taught humans, starting with Prophet Adam peace be upon him how to repent and purify self of the sin.   Life in this world is also a test for humankind. Everyone faces a separate and unique test. Some get tested through a life of poverty; some are tempted by wealth, some enjoy good health, some suffer from bad health, etc. God states in his Holy Book:   "[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deeds - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving" (Quran 67:2)   At times, the Almighty tests His creation with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and to show who will obey and who will disobey.   "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient" (Quran 2:155)   God is testing every individual. God tests all of humanity in different ways. One should not mistake his/her life problems for punishments; or as signs that God is displeased with him or her. Likewise, one never should interpret his or her wealth, previsions, and pleasures as signs that Allah is pleased with them, or that they are privileged. Sometimes, quite the opposite is true. Allah also says:   "Know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a mighty reward" (Quran 8:28)   God in His Wisdom and Mercy has decreed that people be tried and tested in various ways to develop their psyches, strengthen and improve their character, and evolve them into beings which are pleasing to Him. Sometimes when one undergoes certain instances of suffering, he/she immediately thinks about and prays to God even if he' s/she's not religious. At times, the very experience of suffering leads one to God.   A Muslim view this world as a temporary stop en route to a final destination: the afterlife, where man would live eternally. Not that this temporary world is not important or shouldn't be taken seriously, but this life should not be lived sinfully and at the expense of the Hereafter—which is a lot longer and better in scope. If one's goal in life is to become wealthy, then there would be no purpose in existence after one achieves the goal of wealth. How could wealth then be considered the aim of life? This world is not about acquiring material goods or physical pleasures.   A Muslim view and interacts with this world for what it is, just a means to an end. Detachment from this world doesn't mean that you abandon all material possessions and own nothing substantial; instead, a healthy detachment from this world means that nothing should hold, own, and enslave you. This life is about attaining a higher purpose. One should be preparing for the eternal joy of the afterlife. The purpose of life in Islam is to become faithful, sincere servants of God.   "And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew" (Quran 29:64)   This life is temporary and will someday end for the individual, and an end for humanity altogether; but the Hereafter is eternal. The experience of life in this world is almost nothing compared to life in the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him stated: 'What is the example of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter other than one of you dipping his finger in the sea? Let him see what he brings forth.'   Whereas the essential purpose for which humankind was created is embodied in the worship of God, God does not need human worship. He certainly did not create human beings out of a need to seek His Glory. If not a single person worshipped God, it would not diminish His Glory. God exists with no needs. On the other hand, humanity was created with needs and wants. Thus, it is mankind that requires the worship of God. Human beings need to worship and glorify God by obeying his divinely revealed laws; because obedience to God is the key to success in this life and the Hereafter.   Mankind is encouraged to remember God as often as possible for their benefit. Remembrance of God is imperative, as sin is generally committed when God is forgotten. The forces of evil operate most freely when cognizance of God is weak or lost.   "Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers." (Quran 58:19)   It's Satan and his children that seek to occupy one's mind with irrelevant thoughts, material distractions, and desires that make them forget their Lord.   "O, believers!  Remember God often." (Quran 33:41)   The Almighty instructs man to show gratitude to Him by glorifying Him. "Glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]" (Quran 15:98)   In glorifying God, man is in harmony with the rest of the creation; an act which naturally Glorifies the Creator throughout the day and night, in its own and unique matter. Since it is not possible for mankind to have a detailed knowledge of God, and to know what God expects of them without Divine Revelation, God sent His Messengers throughout the ages, to every nation, to guide and educate people about their Creator; advising them how to worship Him, and how one should live his/her life. The Messengers came bearing a Holy Book from the Almighty. All Messengers and all Books preached the same general Message that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah—who has no flaw and is all worthy of praise and gratitude.  

God is real. He is the One and the Only God. He is worthy of worship and veneration. He is All-Loving. He is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing. He owns everything, including you and I, the Sun, the Moon, the World, everything it contains. He is in control of all things. He wants people to believe in Him, to do good and to avoid evil so they can achieve the reward of Paradise. God sent all of humanity on this worldly journey as a test, to weed out the worthy from the unworthy, to test which of those amongst His servants would perform best. Humanity would be lost on Earth if they were left to their own devices because they wouldn't know what God expects of them. When one acts according to their feelings, desires, and passions, they become oppressed by the sadness, worry, and fear that results from these impulsive actions.   Humans can't navigate the twists and turns of this life without God's Guidance. Humans must ask their Creator for guidance, and to show them the Straight Path. God bestowed Guidance unto His servants in the form of Revelation and through prayer; the form of communication through which Muslims connect with God at least five times a day. The goal of a follower of Islam is to become a faithful servant of God by submitting to His Will and to worship Him Alone. Those who pass this test would enter Paradise eternally; those who fail, meanwhile, would enter hellfire in the afterlife.   Let's take a closer, more in-depth look at this subject. Everything populating the Heavens and Earth, including animals, the Mountains, the Skies, and the Earth, are all in a state of submission to the Sovereignty of Allah, the Glorious. They are all living for, obedient to, in submission to, and are at the disposal of God and His Laws. They all exist in a state of Islam (submission to Allah). God states in the Quran:   "To Him submits whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth" (Quran 3:83)   Everything in nature functions according to fixed laws set forth by God and cannot deviate from those laws. The Sun knows its role---it knows the cycle of its rotation; it knows its role as the giver of light, heat, and energy on Earth. The Earth knows its rotation cycle around its axis. Your own eyes, heart, brain, your entire body and all of its components, are working subject to the laws of nature—and have no choice but to do as they are intended. All of God's creation worships Him in a manner appropriate to their situation. The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the animals, the whole Universe all exist in a state of subjugation to Allah, the Almighty. All prostrate to Him, with all of them worshipping Him in an appropriate manner. God, the Almighty said:   "Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the Heavens and whoever is on the Earth and the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains, the trees, the moving creatures and many of the people? But upon many, the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allah humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allah does what He wills" (Quran 22:18)   Man is expected to worship and praise his Creator, much like the surrounding creations are continuously praising God in humility; in a way we may not understand. All the creation praises, worship, and lives in submission to the Almighty, in their unique style. God's creation prostrates to Him as per its nature, even if they do not press their foreheads to the ground.   "The seven heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving" (Quran 17:44)   All of God's creations know their mission and purpose. Just like the physical world submits to its Lord, human beings must submit to the Will and Laws of God. Unlike other creations of God, man was gifted with the qualities of intelligence, the ability to comprehend and understand, and the wisdom to think, reflect, and ponder over his Creator and his life purpose. Man was also gifted with the ultimate beauty of expression, and with the ability to make choices and decisions. God created many astounding creations, and the noblest of those creations are human beings. God states in the Quran:   "We have certainly created man in the best of stature" (Quran 95:4)   Man faces a choice: the offer to submit before God like all other creations or to go astray and violate God's laws. All will be held accountable for their decisions and choices.   All humans are born with an innate eagerness and ability to seek God, to recognize and understand the existence of their Creator. Once many discover the truth, they hasten to submit to Allah; entering a state of total submission. Islam answers the questions that trouble the conscience of every human being: Why was I created? What am I doing here? What is my life's purpose for existence? Islam answers these massive life questions.   Mankind was also born in a pure and pristine original state; one that inclines toward that which is ethical, morally and spiritually pure, upright and wholesome. They incline to help others, removing objects from the road, thanking people, etc. Everyone has an internal moral conscience, calculator, compass. If it is not corrupted, man's intrinsic moral conscience suffers discomfort and upset when someone wrongs; this because this conscience always points toward good, which brings one closer to God. This goodness, which is programmed in humans, compels them to be grateful when something good comes its way.   Every human has an instinct to believe in and worship a Creator who is One—who has no partners. This belief does not come about as a result of learning or personal reflection but is placed by God into the heart of every human. With time, the changing of one's environment, and outside influences from parents and friends, this innate belief in God affects and confuses a person. Prophet Muhammad narrated: 'Every child is born in a state of fitrah (a natural belief in God), then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.' (Saheeh Muslim)   Humans have the eagerness to thank their Creator. God has reinforced man's natural disposition with the signs He has planted throughout creation, to testify to His existence. A primary aim of the Holy Qur’an is to invite people to ponder and reflect. Allah refers to the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the merging of the night into the day, and the merging of the Day into Night, as His miraculous signs and evidence of an existence of a Creator.   The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God's knowledge, Wisdom, Power, Mercy, and existence are evident in the world around us. Together they point to a Creator, a Maker, a Designer, a Fashioner. This creation is flawless and perfect. Life on Earth and the Universe itself demonstrates so much order, purpose, intelligence, and design; all of which prove the existence of a Creator that designed and fashioned everything.   Thus, God calls on man to ponder, reflect, and think deeply about the design of this complex creation, to build a better understanding of his Creator. When one reflects, one realizes that the world and everything it contains was created with intelligence and Infinite Wisdom—not by chance. Human beings—regardless of who they are, where they are, and when they live—are always curious to why they exist in this world, for what purpose? Only our Creator can tell us why we are here, and for what purpose!   God encourages one to observe and ponder over His beautiful creation. He asks man to reflect upon the Mountains, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Trees, etc. so they will realize their blessings. They will witness a clear sign, evidence, and proof of His existence, look up to the sky and admire the beauty of the ocean, mountain, and sunset:   Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and [how] it has no rifts? (Quran 50:6)   One should ask him/herself when was the last time he/she admired and pondered over this beautiful creation?   Recognizing the signs of God's existence would require personal effort, and this recognition occurs in accordance with his or her wisdom and conscience. For the people who understand, everything around them is a sign and evidence of their creator’s existence. Pondering upon the intricacy and order of this magnificent creation would help one conclude that this glorious Universe indeed has a Wise Creator who crafted, fashioned, and molded everything. One would eventually perceive the fact that the entire Universe, including oneself, and one's own body, is created by a Superior Power. One would conclude that this world was created in proportion, and with measure and definite purpose.   "And We did not create the heaven and Earth and that between them for mere play"  (Quran 21:16)   God also encourages people to look at their creation, their own body, and how it was constructed so perfectly.   "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?" (Quran 41:53)   Pondering over the creation of mankind and the Universe would help one realize that the Deity behind this ethereal creation can re-create it once again. One would understand that God can easily and quickly resurrect all of humanity for Judgement Day.   "How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless, and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him, you will be returned" (Quran 2:28)   In today's materialistic world, the endless quest for fame and wealth distracts many from reflecting on the beautiful creation of God and the purpose behind it. We live in a world where people are obsessed with materialism, and their main aim and focus in life is to gather all the money and prizes they can. We are in a world where people are obsessed with taking as much as possible from this world. A perpetual state of excessive materialism can affect one's inner peace. One cannot achieve satisfaction in life if he or she is chasing material gains to an excessive and extreme extent; rather, one should look at the situation of those who are less fortunate. In this way, one will have a greater appreciation of the love, gifts, benefits and mercy that the Almighty has bestowed upon them regarding their wealth, family, friends, housing, etc.   Humanity was created and born with a sense of awe, of wonder, but many have killed that sense of wonder somewhere along his or her journey to adulthood. Many no longer feel the fear and awe at God's creation around them because of their excessiveness, obsession and distraction of materials of this world. Many are so occupied by useless material goods, vain talk, and gossip they have forgotten and are immune to the miracles happening around them every second of every day. One should think deeply and ask more significant questions about life and his/her purpose, rather than thinking of that which is less significant.   For the few that ponder and think deeply on this creation, which others overlook, they discover within it signs and great lessons all around them that lead them straight back to their Creator. Signs that lead one to an appreciation of the Wisdom and Wonders of the Almighty's creation, bringing them thus closer to their Lord. In the Holy Koran, God invites individuals of understanding to think about the issues which other people overlook.   "Praise be to God. He will show you His Signs, and you will recognize them. Your Lord is not heedless of anything you do" (Quran 27:93)   A person's purpose in life is to find God, build a relationship with Him, and engage in a continuous effort to submit to His will. The best joy and the most peace that one can achieve in this world is derived from the servitude to God and being an obedient slave of God. God states unequivocally that humankind was created to worship Him. God states:   "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Quran 51:56)    One can easily misunderstand this to mean that God wants humans to be in constant prayer, to dwell on the remembrance of God at all times, and to spend their entire lives in constant seclusion and absolute meditation. This is not the case. In Islam, worshipping God includes and entails every act, belief, statement, or sentiment of the heart which God approves and loves. The act of worship in Islam is comprehensive in scope. The worship of God can include actions such as removing an object from the road, helping one in need, being kind to one's parents, lawfully making money, sharing food with neighbors, visiting an ill person, etc. The act must be done sincerely to please God and not with boastful or impure motives. The action should also be consistent with the Almighty's guidance and laws. Any thought or act that brings a person closer to his Creator would be considered an act of worship.   To worship God is to get to know Him, learn His names and attributes, to love Him, to obey His commandments, and to enforce His laws in every aspect of life. To worship God is to serve His cause; engaging in the struggle and the quest of doing right, shunning evil, and being just to others. According to the Quran, following and obeying God's commandments and refraining from prohibited activities would make one's life easier, more comfortable, and lighten one's burdens.   "And Allah wants to lighten for you [your burden/ difficulties], and mankind was created weak" (Quran 4:28)   Some mistakenly believe that disobeying the commands of God while partying their whole life away would make for a more enjoyable, peaceful life. They also think if they find God and follow His commands, then they will deprive themselves of things they could have otherwise enjoyed—and this couldn't be further from the truth. Quite the opposite is true. While the commands of other religions are often viewed as burdensome and rigid, the rules of Islam are not seen this way by the devout Muslim. A devout Muslim would see these rules as what's best for him or her, so that they may be guided to success, happiness, honor, and contentment in this life and the next.   God states that if you abide by his advice, He will relieve the burdens of your life, rendering your existence much easier, comfortable, and more relaxed. You would find contentment in the heart. You would find more peace and harmony, not only within yourself but with the things and people around you. Each of God's commandments is enforced to benefit the one that follows them. Anything that God makes impermissible is harmful to one or society. For example, alcohol is prohibited in Islam because of its danger and evilness. A lot of studies and evidence demonstrate the effects and risks of drinking alcohol.   Those who follow these simple edicts will enjoy a pleasant, contented life in a blessed world. God promises in the Holy Quran:   "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do" (Quran 16:97)   God created particular desires within the human being. One can control these desires according to God's Law or to turn them loose and go his or her separate way. Allah, the Glorious, created humanity knowing that they would sin. Therefore, God taught humans, starting with Prophet Adam peace be upon him how to repent and purify self of the sin.   Life in this world is also a test for humankind. Everyone faces a separate and unique test. Some get tested through a life of poverty; some are tempted by wealth, some enjoy good health, some suffer from bad health, etc. God states in his Holy Book:   "[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deeds - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving" (Quran 67:2)   At times, the Almighty tests His creation with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and to show who will obey and who will disobey.   "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient" (Quran 2:155)   God is testing every individual. God tests all of humanity in different ways. One should not mistake his/her life problems for punishments; or as signs that God is displeased with him or her. Likewise, one never should interpret his or her wealth, previsions, and pleasures as signs that Allah is pleased with them, or that they are privileged. Sometimes, quite the opposite is true. Allah also says:   "Know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a mighty reward" (Quran 8:28)   God in His Wisdom and Mercy has decreed that people be tried and tested in various ways to develop their psyches, strengthen and improve their character, and evolve them into beings which are pleasing to Him. Sometimes when one undergoes certain instances of suffering, he/she immediately thinks about and prays to God even if he' s/she's not religious. At times, the very experience of suffering leads one to God.   A Muslim view this world as a temporary stop en route to a final destination: the afterlife, where man would live eternally. Not that this temporary world is not important or shouldn't be taken seriously, but this life should not be lived sinfully and at the expense of the Hereafter—which is a lot longer and better in scope. If one's goal in life is to become wealthy, then there would be no purpose in existence after one achieves the goal of wealth. How could wealth then be considered the aim of life? This world is not about acquiring material goods or physical pleasures.   A Muslim view and interacts with this world for what it is, just a means to an end. Detachment from this world doesn't mean that you abandon all material possessions and own nothing substantial; instead, a healthy detachment from this world means that nothing should hold, own, and enslave you. This life is about attaining a higher purpose. One should be preparing for the eternal joy of the afterlife. The purpose of life in Islam is to become faithful, sincere servants of God.   "And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew" (Quran 29:64)   This life is temporary and will someday end for the individual, and an end for humanity altogether; but the Hereafter is eternal. The experience of life in this world is almost nothing compared to life in the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him stated: 'What is the example of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter other than one of you dipping his finger in the sea? Let him see what he brings forth.'   Whereas the essential purpose for which humankind was created is embodied in the worship of God, God does not need human worship. He certainly did not create human beings out of a need to seek His Glory. If not a single person worshipped God, it would not diminish His Glory. God exists with no needs. On the other hand, humanity was created with needs and wants. Thus, it is mankind that requires the worship of God. Human beings need to worship and glorify God by obeying his divinely revealed laws; because obedience to God is the key to success in this life and the Hereafter.   Mankind is encouraged to remember God as often as possible for their benefit. Remembrance of God is imperative, as sin is generally committed when God is forgotten. The forces of evil operate most freely when cognizance of God is weak or lost.   "Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers." (Quran 58:19)   It's Satan and his children that seek to occupy one's mind with irrelevant thoughts, material distractions, and desires that make them forget their Lord.   "O, believers!  Remember God often." (Quran 33:41)   The Almighty instructs man to show gratitude to Him by glorifying Him. "Glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]" (Quran 15:98)   In glorifying God, man is in harmony with the rest of the creation; an act which naturally Glorifies the Creator throughout the day and night, in its own and unique matter. Since it is not possible for mankind to have a detailed knowledge of God, and to know what God expects of them without Divine Revelation, God sent His Messengers throughout the ages, to every nation, to guide and educate people about their Creator; advising them how to worship Him, and how one should live his/her life. The Messengers came bearing a Holy Book from the Almighty. All Messengers and all Books preached the same general Message that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah—who has no flaw and is all worthy of praise and gratitude.    

The word ‘Allah’ is the unique name of God. He is The One and Only, the Absolute & Eternal God. He is the creator of the Heavens and Earth, the creator of the Universe. He is the Lord of all lords, King of all kings. He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. Allah Neither Begets, nor is He Begotten. And He knows no equal. God offers a description of Himself in His book, the Holy Quran, stating: Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent" (Quran 112:1-4) The word Allah translates to God. Allah is not a foreign God and does not bear a foreign name. Allah, rather, is the semantic term for God. Regardless of this, some people harbor the mistaken belief that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews; and that ‘Allah’ is the ‘God of the Arabs or God of the Muslims’.  This is far from the truth. The word “Allah” is the Arabic name that connotes the Almighty God. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use this same word to refer to God. If one were to peruse an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word ‘Allah’ being used in place of the term ‘God.’ However, Muslims, Christians, and Jews all have different concepts of God. Muslims and Jews both reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine incarnation. This, however, does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God. There is only One true God. Muslims prefer to use the name ‘Allah’ as opposed to the English word ‘God’ because the English word ‘God’ can be made plural and can be rendered masculine or feminine; whereas the Arabic word ‘Allah’ cannot be made plural and is genderless. For instance, if you add the letter ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘gods’--which is the plural of God. In the case of the Arabic word ‘Allah,’ one cannot make the word plural by adding ‘s’ or in any other way morphing the word’s structure. Likewise, if one adds ‘ess’ to the end of the word ‘God,’ it becomes ‘goddess,’ which connotates a female god. God is not female nor male. He is genderless. The word ‘Allah’ in the Arabic language does not have a gender. It cannot be made feminine. Muslims reject the use of the word ‘God’ because it has different connotations to different people. God means different things to different people because the term ‘God’ indicates an entity worthy of worship; and regretfully, people assign a godlike status to many other beings, divine or otherwise. However, sometimes while speaking to non-Muslims, one may use the word ‘God’ instead of ‘Allah’ to help the intended audience understand the context of the word; to relate the message you are referring to the One Supreme Being. The word Allah comes from the origin of the word Al-ilah, which enjoins the two terms ‘The’ and ‘God’ as in ‘The God.’ The term illah, which is the closest synonym to God in the Arabic language, is rich and has several meanings. Illah refers to an entity worthy of worship and service, an object of devotion and love, someone you turn to in desperate times, someone you adore and think about all the time. Illah also is one you turn to for protection, help or aid. You find sanctuary and rest in your Illah, who is always present to comfort and guide beings of His creation. The relationship with God is expressed in the Arabic word Al-Rabb, which is used frequently in the Quran. Linguistically it is defined as ‘sticking close to something.’ It also means ‘joining something with another.’ In the Holy Qur’an, the word Al-Rabb implies that the owner (God) has full authority over his property (his servants) and is a Master who ultimately sustains His creation by regulating affairs, providing provisions, and granting all varieties of favors and blessings. Al-Rabb also means the One who sustains and nurtures the hearts and souls of His creation. Muslims believe in One, unique, incomparable God, who has no son, no daughter, no father, no mother, no family, and no partner. He is the Knower of the unseen and the Source of All Mercy. He is the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Wise. All that is in the Heavens and Earth magnify Him. Muslims believe that none should be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. None carries the right to be worshipped, revered, adored, invoked, supplicated, or shown any act of worship, but Allah alone. God is unique, indivisible and similar to nothing. Whenever you try to compare God to anything in this world, it cannot be God; because God, to put it is incomparable. Our finite human minds can fully comprehend and grasp God as a concept. Muslims avoid conceptualizing His image, because imagining or visualizing Him would limit Him. The human imagination is limited, as it is based on what it observes and experiences directly. The human imagination cannot fully grasp the state of God, who is timeless and eternal with no beginning or end. God has a unique nature and is free from gender and human weakness and is beyond anything which human beings can imagine. God states: “There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship Him, and He has the power to dispose of all affairs.  No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision; He is the Sublime, Well-Aware" (Quran 6: 102-103) God is the King, the Holy, the one free from all defects. The Protector, the Keeper, the Sustainer of Earth and the Universe and all it contains. He is the Glorious, the Great, the Deserving of all Praise. The Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth belong to Him. Nothing is hidden from Him, and Nothing is beyond His capabilities. He is the Lord and Master of the physical Universe and the Ruler and Lawgiver for human life. Allah is the creator of everything from the smallest to the biggest of things. It is He who heats and brightens the Earth, varies the direction of the winds, and keeps planets in their separate orbits. He is the one that merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night. He is the Master of the Day of Judgement. Allah does not sleep nor slumber, nor sleeps overtake Him. Afterall, created the universe in six days with no rest. God states: “[He is] Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing (Quran 42:11) God is Loving, Compassionate, Merciful; He is the answerer of prayers, and He is indeed involved and concerned with the daily affairs of all human beings. God is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is the Giver of life and the Causer of death. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is the Most-High, the most Supreme. He is the most generous and the most loving to his creation. God gives, without measure, to His servants. He gifted mankind life and the ability to hear, feel, taste, and see. God gifted humans their hearts, minds, souls, strengths, and skills.  “And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful” (Quran 14:34) God created all things from nothing. He is in no need of His creation, although His creation is all in need of Him. He is all Knowledgeable and encompasses all things, the open and the secret, the public and the private. He knows all secrets that lay hidden in the hearts and minds of men. He knows of all that happened in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen. Our Lord neither errs nor forgets. He is free from all defects and imperfections. He is the One that accepts repentance from His servants and forgives all sins. Allah knows of what you endure and understands your feelings and struggles. Allah understands because He was there with you all along. Allah has power over all things. No other power nor might nor strength nor influence can cause benefit or harm to anyone or anything, except that which flows through Him. Nothing can ever happen unless God wills it to be so. “Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record" (Quran 6:59) God can make anything happen. He states in His book: “Whenever We will anything to be, We say unto it Our word "Be," and it is” (Quran 16:40) Some people assume that God, as perceived in the faith of Islam is a harsh, stern, cruel God; one who demands to be respected, worshipped, and obeyed fully, and is not loving and kind to His creation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is All-Loving. He claims among His names Al-Wadoud in Arabic (the All-Loving). The love of God in the Holy Qur’an is expressed and emphasized many times throughout His Book. God bespeaks His love for the righteous, the charitable, the steadfast, the doers of good, the just, the fair, the benevolent, those who trust Him; the ones that are clean, the ones that purify themselves, and the ones who fulfill their obligations. The entire Universe and everything it contain is proof of Allah’s love for all of His creation. He loves us so much that He gave us an endless variety of foods, a vast array of land and wildlife, the sun, the moon, the stars, family, offspring, and much more. Everything one sees feels, hears, tastes, and smells are all forms of blessings, given to us by our Loving Creator. He didn’t have to do this, but He bestowed these blessings upon us. His boundless mercy encompasses everything. "And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful" (Quran 16:18) God is also All-Just. Hence, evildoers and sinners must be held accountable for their actions. God is Holy, Righteous, and Fair. If He didn't punish for evil, He would allow that evil to exist without consequences. Since God cannot let that happen, His justice requires that a proper punishment is incurred and executed for evil sins. Although Allah is not answerable to anyone, He has promised to be Just and Fair to everyone. He has prohibited injustice against the innocent. Allah never would punish an innocent person, nor hold anyone accountable for the sins of another. Unlike Christianity, Islam imposes no burden of the original sin. Every human being is born with a clean slate and is rewarded or punished only based on one’s willful intent, words, and deeds. Allah is the Absolute Judge, the Legislator. God is the One who distinguishes right from wrong. God even is more merciful to His creation than a mother is to her child. God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. For one to be genuinely devoted to Allah and to love Him above all else imaginable, one needs to have knowledge of God that goes beyond the basic aspects of His role as the sole Creator and Sustainer. To reward any seeker who strives to learn more about the Creator, Allah has revealed a great deal of information about Himself and His Attributes. Allah has the most Magnificent, Beautiful of names and sublime Perfect attributes. No one shares His Divinity, nor His Attributes. Allah’s Attributes are incomparable, Greater and more perfectly than those acquired by people, as there is nothing like Him, His Attributes, and Actions. God has an infinite number of names and has a particular and special category of 99 names listed in the Holy Koran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Of His names is The Ever-Merciful, The Forgiving, The Loving, The Nourisher, The Sustainer, The Compassionate, The Exalter, The Just, The Great, The Protector, The Caregiver, The Ever-Living, The Powerful, The First, The Last, The Pardoner, The Light, The Supporter, The Eternal, The Preserver, The Wise, The Originator, and The One Who Gives Life and Resurrects. If our Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must adhere to this same edict. God has perfect attributes. He has limitless and infinite hearing, vision, mercy, and—above all—love. Muslims attribute certain factors to every quality of God: None of His attributes ever knew a beginning, nor will they ever have an ending. For instance, He always has been All-Hearing and always will be All-Hearing. Allah hears everything from our inner thoughts and tiniest whispers to the buzz of a mosquito's wing and the eruption of Volcanos. Language is no barrier for Him, for God understands all. All of His attributes are infinite. Whereas humans can hear only what’s in front of them, God can listen to simultaneous conversations inside and outside a room; God can hear all. All of our attributes as humans were given to us as gifts, whereas all of God’s attributes originated within Him. His attributes were not given to Him; they were within Him all along. The most significant and most honorable knowledge is that of Allah’s Names, Attributes, and Actions. God encourages His creation to learn His names so they can discover more about Him. How would one love, worship, fear, and trust God if they do not know His Identity and His Attributes? By learning Allah’s names and attributes, one can appreciate His Power over all things and increase the pleasure and sublime awe he or she finds in God’s company. That is why knowledge of Allah is a central tenant of the Islamic faith. It is when one genuinely ponders on the Majesty of Allah, that one’s humility increases. Muslims are advised to study and ponder His Names and Attributes and are encouraged to worship and call Him by those names. God states: “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them” (Quran 7:180) God is above His creation, above the heavens, above His Throne. However, He never is contained by any sort of physical dimension. Allah is close, very close. God is close to those who believe in Him, and He answers their every call. Saying that God is with His servants, does not mean that He intermingles or dwells with His creation; rather He establishes His presence with His creation by His Knowledge and Power. Nothing is hidden from Him of what His creation does or says. God states in the Quran: “Verily Allah knows all the hidden things of the Heavens and the Earth; Verily He has full Knowledge of all that is in (men's) hearts” (Quran 35:38)  God is very near. He sees and knows every aspect of His creations. He hears every word that is uttered. He is knowledgeable of even one's inner thoughts. God knows all of our dreams, secrets, desires, and wishes. Nothing is hidden from Him. “We created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein” (Quran 50:36) Allah is in no need of His creation, although His creation needs Him. Allah wants humans to worship Him for their own benefit. Mankind needs God in their lives at all times and for all purposes. Those who recognize the Majesty of the Creator of All, soon become awestruck and humble in their knowledge. One that rejects God and His Guidance is like a patient refusing a doctor’s medicine for his pain. This patient would be foolish, ignorant, and illogical in his actions; as would be one who rejects Allah. Allah is Fully Omnipotent and Self-sufficient. He is in no need of humanistic worship or anything else. Allah is Perfect

It's a very exciting time, as the first sample bands have arrived from Shenzhen, China. Cameron and Jon discuss their initial impressions on the black metal pin, the silicone band quality, the band color, and a variety of other details with their new sample watch bands.

Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou art He Whom all things worship and Who worshipeth no one, Who is the Lord of all things and is the vassal of none, Who knoweth all things and is known of none. Thou didst wish 123 to make Thyself known unto men; therefore, Thou didst, through a word of Thy mouth, bring creation into being and fashion the universe. There is none other God except Thee, the Fashioner, the Creator, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.I implore Thee, by this very word that hath shone forth above the horizon of Thy will, to enable me to drink deep of the living waters through which Thou hast vivified the hearts of Thy chosen ones and quickened the souls of them that love Thee, that I may, at all times and under all conditions, turn my face wholly towards Thee.Thou art the God of power, of glory and bounty. No God is there beside Thee, the Supreme Ruler, the All-Glorious, the Omniscient.—Bahá’u’lláhp. 138 read by Wilf PetersSubscribe in a reader