When the Evangelist becomes a Shaikh, the angels become polytheists, worshipping Adam instead of Allah. When the Evangelist becomes a Shaikh, the Nasikh becomes Mansukh, the Mutlaq becomes Muqayyad and the ‘Aammbecomes Makhsus, and vice-versa. Not that it is not hilarious to read for Evangelists-turned-Shaikhs. It is at the discovery of the level of horrific confusion and plain errors contained in the “fatawa” of the many Evangelists/Shaikhs who sprung up in recent years that intensifies one’s amazement and bafflement, especially noting the level of publicity the writings of the new Shaikhs receive in the western media.
Answering Islam, a neo-conservative website, propagates articles of the nature described here that discusses specific, knowledge-based Islamic topics, without using a knowledge-based approach. By appealing to their readers’ emotions rather than the pursuit of truth and serious scientific research, the Neo-Cons/Neo-Shaikhs seek to deflect attention away from discussing the core foundation of their religion in comparison to the Islamic Faith to discussing specific aspects of the Islamic Law. However, if one does not believe in the tree itself, i.e., Islam and its creed, then discussing the attributes of the tree’s branches, leaves and fruit becomes irrelevant. Nonetheless, callers to Islam, who are required to convey the Islamic Message in its entirety to mankind, should consider criticism of the Islamic Law and Islam’s concepts as an opportunity to explain both the core tenets of their religion and the specifics of its Law. This is a type of Jihad of profound significance that uses the tools of written and spoken words to clarify Islam to mankind and inform them of its magnificent creed.
“One or Two Adams?”
This is the title of an article on the topic of Sujud (prostration) written by Wail Taghlibi and posted by Answering Islam on their website. Before we discuss the major points of interest in Taghlibi’s article, we should first explain the topic under discussion in his article to satisfy the requirement of scientific research in a knowledge-based atmosphere.
Linguistic Definition of Sujud
In Ahkamu al-Qur’an, Imam Ibn al-Arabi
Another book of fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) titled, Ghidhaa al-Albab fi Sharh Mandhumat al-Adaab
Conclusion: both Ruku’ and Sujud carry meanings of lowering or nodding the head lightly, bowing down, bending both the head and back to the extent of placing the hands, knees, feet and face on the ground in prostration, humbleness, modesty, greeting, and so forth. The context of the sentence in which Sujud or Ruku’ appears defines which meaning mentioned here is desired.
For instance, Allah said in the Qur’an, which translated means:
-
“O, you who have believed! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful.”[22:77]
In this context, Ruku’ pertains to, while standing, bending the head and back parallel to the ground while placing the hands on the knees, while Sujud pertains to placing the face, hands, knees and feet on the ground. In this context, Ruku’ and Sujud describe different pillars of the Islamic Prayer.
Ruku` was also mentioned in the context of sujud in this Ayah (Qur’?nic verse):
“And Dawud [David] guessed that We have tried him and he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down in Ruku` and turned [to All?h] in repentance.” [38:24]
The great Muslim Scholar, Imam Ahmad Ibn Taimiyyah, stated[3] that in this Ayah, Prophet Dawud, peace be upon him, made Sujud. Sujud was mentioned in the context of Ruku’ in the Ayah:
- “And (remember)when it was said to them (Children of Israel): “Dwell in this town (Jerusalem) and eat therefrom wherever you wish, and say, ‘(O, All?h) forgive our sins’ and enter the gate Sujjadan (making Sujud)’”[7:161]
Ibn Taimiyyah said that several scholars of Tafsir (interpretation of the Qur’an) stated that the Children of Israel were ordered to enter the vicinity of the Masjid (Temple) while making Ruku`, i.e., bowing down, since entering while prostrating on the ground is not possible.[4]
Pertaining to the Islamic Prayer, “Sujud”, is generally in reference to the act of prostration where one places the face, hands, knees and feet on the ground, as scholars al-Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Prophet, peace be upon him. “Ruku’”, if used in the context of prayer, is generally in reference to the position where while standing, one bends the back and head parallel to the ground while placing the hands on the knees as if holding to them, extending the hands and bending the elbows to the outside with the feet apart from each other as wide apart as one’s shoulders are.[5]
Hatred vs Scientific Research to Support Criticism of Islam: “One Adam or Two?”
It is astounding as to how Wail Taghlibi and his sponsors imagine they can circumvent the advance of Islam’s plain creed by writing this type of article that joins evident error and utter confusion to the inability to understand Islamic concepts.
Wail Taghlibi wrote:
- The Qur’an tells that God created Adam, then he commanded the Angels to bow down before Adam?(Sad 38:71-72 Pickthall). This command is confirmed in other verses: (Al-Baqara 2:34; Al-Aaraf 7:11; Al-Hijr 15:28-29; Al-Isra’ 17:61; Al-Kahf 18:50; Ta-ha 20:116).
The Sujud (prostration) performed by the angles to Adam is an aspect of the Ghaib, or matters of the Unseen, that Muslims believe in and do not dispute. In his article, Wail also correctly described the conversation that went between All?h and Iblis (Shaitan [Satan]), ?The angels, except Satan, obeyed God’s command?God asked Iblis (Satan): ??What hindereth thee from falling prostrate before that which I have created with both My hands?…Iblis (Satan) answered: ??I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire, whilst him Thou didst create of clay’ (Sad 38:76; cf. Al-Hijr 15:33).
Wail added that:
- Iblis’ disobedience to God’s command can never be justified, yet it raises the question of what was really meant by ‘falling down prostrate to Adam’.
To directly answer Taghlibi’s question, we hereby testify that the answer is “really” found in the Qur’anic verses that he quoted: Allah “really” ordered the angels to make Sujud to Adam, and the angels “really” made Sujud to Adam. To assert this fact, the Qur’an did not mention the word ‘Ruku(bowing down)' while describing Allah's order to the angels, but always the word, 'Sujud'. Sujud, in this context, means to fully prostrate on the ground as indicated by Allah's statement to the angels, {Fa (so) Qau (fall down) Lahu (to him [Adam]) Sajidin (Prostrate)} [15:29].
Wail Taghlibi continues, by saying:
- The study of Adam’s relationship to God and His angels raises a bewildering question with regards to worship…Another fact to consider when seeking to understand the phrase, ‘falling prostrate to Adam’ is the role of ‘falling prostrate’ in the context of worship. The phrase is overwhelmingly used in the Qur’an in reference to worship to God?This is obvious in the following verses: ‘O ye who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord, and do good, that haply ye may prosper’ (Al-Hajj 22:77; cf. 22:18)?(Fussilat 41:37), and ?(An-Najm 53:62).’..These verses clearly demonstrate that to ‘fall prostrate’ is to God alone? One may find it difficult to see how these verses could be consistent with the previous references that call angels to ‘fall prostrate to Adam’.
Wail then expounded on his “fatwa” by writing this:
- To worship anyone other than God is described in the Qur’an as Shirk. Shirk, from the perspective of Qur’an, is the most grievous sin?If God really did command his angels to ‘fall prostate to Adam’, this would mean that they were commanded to commit Shirk, which He forbade and imposed the most severe punishment on those who commit that sin! God is far above contradicting himself.
We shall deal with this allegation in the subsequent passages.
Where Does the Qur’an Say that Allah Ordered the Angels to Worship Adam?
When one involves oneself in a type of knowledge that is far superior to one’s intellect, one falls into the absurd idea that All?h ordered the angels to worship Adam. There are various ways to scientifically analyze Wail’s claim that All?h Himself ordered the angels to commit Shirk by making Sujud to Adam, even though All?h made Shirk the most grievous sin. Yet, we should start with the most direct method of scientific analysis of Wail’s statement by asking this question: Where does the Qur’?n say that All?h ordered the angles to perform an act of worship to Adam?
In his article/fatwa, Wail mentioned Allah’s order to the angels to prostrate in Sujud to Adam and commented by saying:
…this would mean that they were commanded to commit Shirk.
However, the first question that one should ask Wail is the most fundamental: Where is the Qur’anic verse stating that the angels’ Sujud to Adam was an act of Shirk? To further confuse his readers, Wail mentioned several Qur’anic ayat (verses) that ordain on Muslims various acts of worship, including prostrating to Allah in sujud, but failed to mention a single Qur’anic verse stating that in Islam, every type of Sujud is an act of worship.
To explain, Wail Taghlibi rightfully stated that Shirk means to worship others besides All?h, and he quotes the following verse:
“Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with All?h in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” [4:48]
However, Wail made every Sujud an act of worship as is clear from his ‘decision’ that All?h’s order to the angels to make Sujud to Adam is the Shirk that He forbade for creation. Wail also said, “These verses clearly demonstrate that to ‘fall prostrate’ is to God alone”, in reference to the several Qur’anic Verses he mentioned about dedicating ?acts of worship’ to All?h Alone, including Sujud. Thus, it seems clear that to Wail, “acts of worship”, and, ‘Sujud’, are somehow synonyms. However, the verses that Wail mentioned did not state that every Sujud is an act of worship, but mentioned Sujud in the context of worship, and indeed, all acts of worship are only directed at Allah Alone; both the angels and mankind are prohibited from making this type of Sujud to other than Allah, as Imam Ibn Taimiyyah stated[6]. Then again, Wail used the word, ?Sujud’, then the word, ‘context’, thus indicating that ‘Sujud’ alone is not sufficient to explain the meaning desired behind using it in a sentence without a ?context’ to define it. Yet, he decided that the Sujud of the angels to Adam was in the context of worship, without bringing a ‘context’ to establish that the Sujud under discussion was “really” an act of worship. To get out of this utter confusion, one needs to acquire knowledge on how the mind of an Evangelist “really” works.
These are two distinctly different topics that Wail has combined, two different concepts he has made one and the same: the concept of dedicating all acts of worship to Allah, Alone without partners, which is the Tauheed (Monotheism) that is the foundation of Islam, and the act that is called Sujud, making every act of Sujud an act of worship.
To explain, the Qur’an never stated that the angels were directing an act of worship to Adam; it is Wail who made up this conclusion on his own without a shred of evidence to support his stance. He then tried to cover his error by first saying that, the phrase ?Sujud’ is ?overwhelmingly’ used in the Qur’an in reference to worship to God. Then, he stated that Muslim Scholars, meaning, the scholars of Islam who know what Islam is about and are qualified to explain the meaning contained in the Qur’an and Sunnah, “‘simply explain this phrase as meaning ‘greeting and exaltation.’” Amazingly, Wail then dismissed the explanation given by Muslim Scholars on their own Qur’an and acted as if they are bound by his explanation on it, even though he is neither a Muslim nor a scholar on Islam.
Is It “Exclusively” or “Overwhelmingly”?
If the Qur’an “overwhelmingly” mentioned Sujud in the context of worship, then it is logical to state that rarely, the Qur’an would mention Sujud in a context other than worship. Therefore, why would Wail dismiss the explanation given by the scholars of Islam that the angels’ Sujud to Adam was in a context other than worship if the scholars did not deviate from the fact that “overwhelmingly”, the Qur’an mentioned the Sujud in the context of worship? It is clear that Wail believes that the term, “Sujud”, was mentioned “exclusively” in the context of worship in the Qur’an. Otherwise, why would he write his article if he only meant “overwhelmingly” instead of “exclusively”?
Types of Sujud in the Qur’an
Unlike the method that Wail used, here is scientific research on the types or ‘various contexts’ of Sujud mentioned in the Qur’an and the evidence establishing each type from the Qur’?n and Hadith (Prophetic Tradition). We start by narrating one of the major foundations of Islam that is of great relevance to the topic of this article: the Prophet’s Hadith, “Actions are tied to the intentions behind them.” This Hadith is found in the authentic Hadith collections of Imams al-Bukhari and Muslim.
There are several types — or contexts — of Sujud mentioned in the Qur’an and Prophetic Tradition distinguished from each other by their linguistic implication and the intention behind performing each type.
First: Sujud As An Act of Worship
Sujud, in the context of worship, is only dedicated to Allah, Alone without partners. This type of Sujud is of two categories classified either under Shirk (Polytheism) or Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism), as follows.
Surat an-Naml, chapter 27 in the Qur’an, narrated the story of Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon), peace be upon him, with the Hudhud (hoopoe). The Hudhud said this to Prophet Sulaiman,
I found a woman ruling over them (people of Saba`), she has been given all things that could be possessed by any ruler of the earth, and she has a great throne. I found her and her people prostrating (Yasjudun’, verb for, ‘Sujud’) to the sun instead of All?h, and Shait?n (Satan) has made their deeds fair seeming to them, and has barred them from (Allah’s) way, so they have no guidance; So they do not worship (prostrate themselves before) All?h, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, Laa ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!
Even the bird knew that the Sujud of the people of Sabato the sun was in the context of worship. The bird also affirmed the Islamic <em>Tauhid</em> of dedicating all aspects of worship to All?h, Alone without partners. However, this is not our only proof. The Qur'an said after a few sentences and in direct reference to the Sujud of the Saba people to the sun:
“And that which she used to worship besides All?h has prevented her [from Islam], for she was of a disbelieving people.” [27:20-43]
Therefore, it is the Qur’an that defined the Sujud of the Queen of Saba` and her people to the sun as an act of worship, in this case, Shirk.
With regards to the second category of Sujud in the context of worship, among the Qur’anic verses that Wail mentioned is Allah’s statement:
“O, you who have believed! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful. And strive hard in All?h’s Cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity). He has chosen you (to convey Islamic Monotheism to mankind), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your father Ibrahim (Abraham) (Islamic Monotheism). It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur’an), that the Messenger (Muhammad) may be a witness over you and you be witnesses over mankind! So perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), give Zakat and hold fast to Allah [i.e. have confidence and trust in Allah].” [22:77-8]
These two Qur’anic verses, which as Imam Ibn Taimiyyah stated, ordained all types of good and rebuked all types of evil, list various acts, such as Ruku(bowing down), Sujud (prostrating) and doing good, all in the context of worship and as parts of the Islamic Monotheism. Evidence: Allah said in verse 77, {"and worship your Lord"}, thus indicating its intended context. In addition, there are two key factors that Wail ignored in these two Qur'anic Verses that clearly explain the meaning of Ruku and Sujud intended in them. Firstly, Verse 77 mentioned the Ruku` and Sujud that are pillars of the Islamic Prayer (Salat), which Verse 78 mentioned in plain terms, {So perform As-Salat}. Hence, the falsehood of the comparison between the Sujud in verse 77 to the Sujud of the angels to Adam is clear: the angels did not make Sujud to Adam in the context of prayer or while praying to him, not even Wail made this wild assumption.
To continue, Verses 77-8 mentioned three pillars of the Islamic Prayer: Ruku, Sujud and sincerity to Allah. The Ruku and Sujud were mentioned as pillars of the Islamic Prayer in specific Prophetic Statements as collected by Imam an-Nasaii and others; Verse 39:11 ordained sincerity to Allah in the worship,
“Say (O, Muhammad): ?Verily, I am commanded to worship Allah (Alone) by obeying Him and doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only.”
Verse 78 clearly indicated that the context of the Ruku` and Sujud mentioned in Verse 77 is their being parts of the Islamic Prayer:
{So perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), give Zakat}
Verse 77 legislated doing good, including being charitable; Verse 78 implied that the pillar referred to in ordaining doing good in Verse 77 is the Zakat which, just like the Salat, is one of five pillars of Islam. Therefore, these sentences wherein the word ‘Sujud’ appeared indicated the context of it, that is, worshipping All?h in sincerity. ‘Sujud’, by itself does not mean an act of worship; even Wail understood this by saying that there is a ‘context’ in which ‘Sujud’ is mentioned. If defining the implication of Sujud requires a context, then the context decides which meaning is derived for Sujud, not the rhetorical babbling of un-enlightened Evangelists.
To expand on this topic, we should assert that the verses that Wail mentioned are not suitable to be compared in context to the Sujud of the angels to Adam.
Firstly, Wail mentioned this verse:
See you not that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Daw?bb [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and many of mankind prostrate themselves to All?h [22:18].
The context of this Verse is the obedience to Allah’s Qadar (Divine Preordainments and Predestination), which is another meaning for Sujud, not prostrating to All?h by placing the face on the ground. Proof: the sun, the moon, the mountains, the trees and the animals do not prostrate in the manner many of mankind and the Jinn and all of the angels willingly prostrate. These things praise Allah in a way that we do not comprehend,
The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving [17:44]
and show complete obedience to Allah’s appointed destiny and His created laws that govern every aspect of the existence. However, these things, including the animals, do not worship All?h, as Imam Ibn Taimiyyah rightfully stated. Imam Ibn Taimiyyah said, ?How can every type of Sujud be disallowed (meaning an act of worship), when the animals, which do not worship All?h, used to make Sujud to Allah’s Prophet, peace be upon him???? Imam Ibn Taimiyyah is referring here to a Hadith wherein a camel is reported to have made Sujud to the Prophet, peace be upon him, in the presence of the Prophet’s companions.[7]
But, Wail did not mention this verse:
And unto Allah (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons [13: 15].
Unlike verse 22:18, this Verse includes those who do not believe in Islam or the Qur’an, including Wail himself. Even Wail would not explain this Verse as being in the context of worship, because his fellow Evangelists would protest by saying that they never prostrated even once to Allah. This Verse explains the meaning of the Sujud mentioned in it by saying that it is done either willingly, by many of mankind, or unwillingly, by the non-believers in Allah and all created things and animals. This Verse contained reference in it to the type of Sujud that is an act of worship and to the type of Sujud that is done involuntarily. Those who do not believe in Allah or Islam and would never willingly prostrate to Allah, unwillingly fulfill the destiny that Allah ordained for them, and their shadows prostrate to All?h without their consent: do they not see that their shadow always falls to the ground? Many among mankind willingly prostrate to Allah, and in their case, their Sujud is in the context of worship.
Conclusion: Contrary to what Wail insinuated, Sujud is not mentioned in the Qur’an only in the context of worship. In the examples given here, the Qur’an states that everything, including those who do not believe in Islam or Allah, prostrate to Allah in some manner, even if involuntarily. Therefore, Muslim Scholars are perfectly correct to explain the Sujud of the angels to Adam in the context of greeting and honoring Adam, since ‘Sujud’ has different meanings and various contexts. Allah willing, the reader will soon discover our most significant evidence yet to substantiate these facts.
Secondly, Wail also mentioned these two verses:
And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Prostrate yourselves not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to All?h Who created them, if you (really) worship Him [41:37]
and
So fall you down in prostration to Allah and worship Him (Alone) [53:62]
These very verses that Wail used to support his Fatwa that the angels prostrated to Adam in the context of worship explain, and in the clearest terms for anyone who has eyes and can read, that the Sujud ordained in them is in the context of worship of Allah, a context that is made separate of the word ?Sujud’ so as to define its meaning and intended implication. Hence, we again ask, where is the Verse that states that the Sujud of the angels to Adam was an act of worship or Shirk that All?h prohibited?
Second, Sujud As A Matter of Shari’ah (Islamic Law)
There is another type of Sujud that is a matter of Shari’ah (Islamic Law). To explain this type, we should say that the Qur’an did not only state that the angels were ordered to make Sujud to Adam, but also mentioned the reason behind this Divine Commandment. Allah said,
“So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them. Except Iblis (Satan), he was proud and was one of the disbelievers. (All?h) said: ?O Ibl?s (Satan)! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands. Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to Adam) or are you one of the high exalted???? [Ibl?s (Satan)] said: “I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.” [38:73-6].
All?h mentioned His creating Adam with His Hands as the reason for His commanding the angels and Satan to prostrate before Adam. In comparison, Adam’s offspring are created by All?h saying, “Be”, and they come to existence. The topic of discussion in these Verses was the origin of creation, i.e., how All?h created some of His creation, not the worship of Adam, his privileges or subsequent sin. This is why Satan responded by saying, “I am better than him”, then said, “You created me from fire and him, You created from clay.” The Islamic tradition teaches that for a period of time before Adam was created, Satan was with the angels, even though he was from the Jinn (the devils are disbelieving Jinn):
“So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together. Except Ibl?s (Satan) ? he refused to be among the prostrators.” [15:30-1]
If the topic of discussion were on who deserved to receive a Sujud on account of their privileges, Satan would have said, “I was in the company of the angels, who always worshipped You (All?h); Adam did not worship You at all before this.”
The Neos Hid This Qur’?nic Verse From Their Readers – What Happened to the Word ‘Karramta’?
Satan protested on two accounts, as follows. Firstly, Satan rejected All?h’s Commandment to make Sujud to Adam because he believed that the origin of his creation, fire, is ?better’ than the clay from which Adam was created. Secondly, and to further solidify this meaning, we hereby uncover the Qur’?nic Verse that Wail Taghlibi hid from his readers, the Ayah wherein All?h said,
“[Ibl?s (Satan)] said: ?See this one (Adam) whom You have Karramta (honored) above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely, seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!??? [17:62].
Thus, and contrary to what Wail decided in his “fatwa”, it is not Muslim commentators who stated that the prostrating of the angels to Adam was an act of Ikram (honoring) of Adam, it is the Qur’?n itself that did so in the plainest terms. This is the Ayah that Wail and his neo-sponsors hid from their readers! Wail mentioned the verse before this one (17:61), but made no mention to the very next Verse (62) which contains the word, ‘honored’. The reason behind this action on his part is obvious: this Ayah refutes the entire article that Wail wrote without having knowledge or even attempting serious research.
Satan mentioned the purpose behind All?h ordering him and the angels to make Sujud to Adam, that is, All?h’s “Ikram (honoring)” of Adam above the angels and the devils; the Qur’?n stated that the reason behind Adam’s “Ikram” is that All?h created him with His Hands. Hence, to honor Adam, the angels made Sujud to Adam in direct worship (obedience) to All?h Who created him with His Own Hands and Who does what He will. The question remains as to why Wail Taghlibi did not mention this Verse? And where is the Ayah that says that Satan protested the order to make Sujud to Adam on account of his rejection to perform an act of worship to Adam? Even the devil did not think of this one!
As stated, Islamic traditions teach that Iblis, the forefather of the Jinn, was with the angels and All?h put him to the test of obedience by ordering him and the angels to prostrate to Adam, soon after All?h created Adam with His Own Hands. Instead of acting like the angels by obeying All?h and honoring what He has created with His Own Hands, Satan refused and was thrown out of All?h’s Mercy for eternity. He was arrogant and the father of evil, refuting All?h’s Commandment by ?informing’ Him of which of His creation is better than others, fully knowing that All?h is the Creator, the All-Knower.
Biblical Verses That Wail Hid From His Readers
Wail hid several “types of” verses from his readers, including those from his own Bible, as follows.
Genesis 37 states this:
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3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children…
4. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him…
5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more…
9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
Wail could have used these verses to conclude that the “bowing down” mentioned in them was in the context of worship. Then he may conclude that not only Joseph, but also Jacob, his wife and eleven children committed Shirk, since the Bible states this:
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Psalms 95:
6. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
7. For he is our God.
and,
-
Exodus 20:
1. And God spake all these words, saying,
2. I am the Lord thy God…
5. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.
Wail may also find further proof that the Bible promotes Shirk in the fact that several other Biblical verses mentioned bowing down that was performed to other than God, such as,
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Genesis 27
22. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
23. …so he blessed him.
24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.
26…and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said…
28. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
29. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee.
and
-
Genesis 49
8. Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Thus, “Prophet” Isaac drank wine, while “Prophet” Jacob lied in a shameless manner to receive a blessing that was not intended for him; Isaac did not have a spare blessing to give to Esau who was cheated out of the only blessing Isaac could afford giving.[8]
What Happened to the Biblical Story of Prophets Jacob and Joseph?
The Qur’?n mentioned another instance wherein some of All?h’s righteous slaves made Sujud to some of All?h’s righteous slaves. All?h said in the Qur’?n:
“And he (Prophet Yusuf [Joseph]) raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: ?O my father (Prophet Ya`qub [Jacob])! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the Bedouin-life, after Shait?n (Satan) had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He wills. Truly, He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” [12:100]
These great Prophets of All?h did not perform acts of worship to each other, as Wail insinuates in his “fatwa”. Prophet Yusuf said, while affirming Tauh?d:
“And I have followed the religion of my fathers, ? Ibr?h?m (Abraham), Ish?q (Isaac) and Ya?q?b (Jacob), and never could we attribute any partners whatsoever to All?h.” [12:38]
And when death came to Prophet Ya`qub, peace be upon him, he said this to his sons:
“What will you worship after me???? They said, “We shall worship your Il?h (God ? All?h) the Il?h (God) of your fathers, Ibr?h?m (Abraham), Ism?’?l (Ishmael), Ish?q (Isaac), One Il?h (God),and to Him we submit (in Isl?m)” [2:133].
This is pure Monotheism untainted by the whims and desires of present-day Evangelists, who wish that the Qur’?n would contain contradictions similar to the horrific contradictions that their ?holy books’ contain. All what they were able to bring is an alien idea never contemplated in the Qur’?n or the Prophetic Tradition or preached by any Muslim Scholar.
Surat Yusuf clearly described the reason why Prophet Ya’qub, his wife and eleven children made Sujud to Prophet Yusuf, as follows: first, it was the habit of those who were before Islam to honor their leaders by prostrating before them.
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Genesis 43
26. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
27. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28. And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
and
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2 Samuel 1
1. Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2. It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
Second, this Sujud that Prophet Yusuf received was the direct interpretation of a vision that he saw before his brothers plotted to kill him:
“(Remember) when Y?suf (Joseph) said to his father: ‘O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon ? I saw them prostrating themselves to me.’ He (the father) said: ‘O my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot against you. Verily, Shait?n (Satan) is to man an open enemy! Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) and perfect His Favor on you and on the offspring of Ya’q?b (Jacob), as He perfected it on your fathers, Ibr?h?m (Abraham) and Ish?q (Isaac) aforetime! Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.’” [12:4-6].
Prophet Yusuf saw in a dream that eleven stars and the sun and the moon prostrated before him. His father informed him that his dream meant that All?h had chosen him, meaning, to be a prophet and a king, and to teach him knowledge in the interpretation of dreams. Years after Yusuf told his father about his dream, All?h made it come true: his parents and eleven siblings prostrated before him, because he was the king. Proof: All?h said that after they prostrated before him, Prophet Yusuf said,
“My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams ? the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wal? (Protector, Helper, God, Lord) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, and join me with the righteous.” [12:101].
Therefore, Prophet Yusuf praised All?h for making him a king; his family prostrated before him because he was the king. Where did the Qur’?n or even the Torah say that when Prophet Ya`qub prostrated before his son, it was an act of worship? Where did the Qur’?n say that every Sujud is an act of worship? What Muslim Scholar preaches making Sujud as an act of worship to other than All?h if, as Wail dreamed, All?h ordered the angels to make Sujud as an act of worship to Adam?
The type of Sujud that All?h ordered the angels to perform before Adam, as well as the Sujud that Prophet Ya`qub made to Prophet Yusuf, is a matter of Law (Ahkam, or Shar?’?h), not a matter of worship. When Islam came, many of the laws of previous nations were abrogated, among them the Sujud that is to honor kings and leaders. Ever since Islam disallowed it, making any type of Sujud to other than All?h regardless of the intention behind it, even if it were to honor kings and leaders as was the tradition before Islam, became prohibited for Muslims. However, we should state that the Angels are not required to follow Islamic Law. For example, the angels do not fast during Ramadhan; the angels do not eat let alone fast from eating. In addition, we should state that prostrating to other creations as a way of honoring or greeting them is disallowed in Islam for those who came after this ruling was revealed, not for those who came before it and certainly not for the angels.
As evidence that making Sujud as a matter of tradition was popular during the Prophet’s time, al-Bukhari reported that when the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent a messenger to Hercules, the Roman Emperor, Hercules had a lengthy discussion with his advisors about Prophet Muhammad and afterwards, the priests prostrated before Hercules. This occurred in the presence of the Prophet’s companion who carried the Prophet’s letter to Hercules. The Prophet’s companion did not interpret this as an act of worship by the Christian advisors and priests to their Christian king, but as a matter of tradition and habit.
There is an authentic Hadith that is directly related to this type of Sujud. When Muadh Ibn Jabal, the Prophet's companion, came back from the Sham Area (Syria) to Madinah, he prostrated before the Prophet, peace be upon him, who asked him, "What is this, O, Muadh?” Mu`adh said, “I visited the Sham Area and witnessed them prostrate before their priests and patriarchs. I wished to myself that we did the same for you.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Do not do it. However, if I were to order anyone to prostrate before anyone else besides All?h, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate before her husband.”[9] The topic of this Hadith is, “Making Sujud, as a matter of Islamic Law, To Other than All?h”.
This specific topic was brought to the Prophet’s attention, the same Prophet who received the Qur’?n from All?h wherein is mentioned the Sujud of the angels to Adam. Even if the Qur’?n had not elaborated on this topic ? yet we proved that it did in the clearest terms – the Prophet himself had elaborated on it. He did not say to Mu`adh, “Do not do this, because Sujud is an act of worship and directing any act of worship at other than All?h is Shirk.” He did not say, “It is alright to do it, because the angels worshipped Adam as the Qur’?n stated.” He, peace be upon him, merely stated that this type of Sujud was prohibited in Isl?m and that if he were to allow it, he would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband. It is not possible that the Prophet, who upheld Islamic Monotheism in its most clear and pure form, would say to his companion, “If I were to order anyone to worship anyone else besides All?h, I would have ordered the wife to worship her husband in Sujud,” because this would contradict the essence of Tauheed which the companions embraced in defiance of Shirk itself. While commenting on this Hadith, Imam Ibn Taimiyyah said, “How can it be concluded that prostrating to something indicates worship of it, when the Prophet said?” and he mentioned the Hadith above, saying afterwards, “It is known that the Prophet did not say, ‘If I were to order anyone to worship anyone else?’”
We should add that Muadh ibn Jab?l stated that the Sujud he witnessed was the practice of Christians during that era, and indeed, the Christians still practice this Sujud in the present time as they bow down to their kings or queens, and even bow down to kiss the hands of their popes and patriarchs. In yet another proof that this Sujud was a matter of tradition, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal reported in another narration that Muadh Ibn Jabal said to the Prophet, “I thought that you have more right to be honored [than the priests and patriarchs].”
In addition, the type of Sujud that the Prophet said he would have ordered the wife to perform to her husband, was explained by the Prophet himself in that it was due the husband’s great right on his wife.[10] In another narration[11] the Prophet, peace be upon him, further explained this Hadith by saying, ?Because of what All?h favored (or, honored) him with above her.??? In this last narration, the Prophet used the word, ?Fadh-dhala???, which describes a type of honor that All?h bestows on whomever He will. All?h said in the Qur’?n:
“And indeed We have honored (karramna) the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with At-Tayyib?t (lawful good things), and have preferred them (Fadh-dhal-nahum) above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment.” [17:70]
Thus, two things are clear: the context of this Hadith is Sujud as a matter of tradition, and “Karramna”, from the same root word as “Karramta”, is another term that Wail mysteriously ignored mentioning in his article/fatwa.
Third, Sujud in Yet Another Context in the Qur’?n
All?h said, when translated means:
“So the earthquake seized them (people of Prophet Salih), and they lay (dead), prostrate (Jathimeen) in their homes.” [7:78];
“And As-Saihah (torment ? awful cry) overtook the wrongdoers, so they lay (dead), prostrate (Jathimeen) in their homes. As if they had never lived there. No doubt! Verily, Tham?d disbelieved in their Lord. So away with Tham?d!” [11:67-8]
And you will see each nation Jathiyah (humbled to their knees; kneeling), each nation will be called to its Record (of deeds) [45:28].
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said in his explanation on Sahih al-Bukhari, that, ‘Jathin’, pertains to sitting on the knees, or kneeling (a type of Sujud). Muslims are anxious: it remains to be seen as to how Wail Taghlibi and the entire community of Evangelists/Shaikhs would explain these Verses and in which context they would kindly place them.
Conclusion: Depending on the intention behind performing it, Sujud is either an act of worship, and in Islam, all acts of worship are strictly and exclusively directed at All?h. As Imam Ibn Taimiyyah rightfully stated, both the angels and mankind are prohibited from making this type of Sujud to other than All?h. Or, Sujud is a matter of habit and tradition to honor kings and leaders, and as such, pertains to the Islamic Law which has prohibited it. In addition, if it were Prophet Joseph who made Sujud to his parents and if it were mankind whom All?h ordered to make Sujud to the angels, then this Sujud would still be allowed for them since it is not meant as an act of worship but as a way of greeting and honoring those who deserve to be honored. Or Sujud is done involuntarily as it is clear from All?h’s statement:
“See you not that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Daw?bb [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and many of mankind prostrate themselves to All?h. But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is justified (they do not worship All?h). And whomsoever All?h disgraces, none can honor him. Verily, All?h does what He wills.” [22:18]
Or, Sujud is in the context of All?h’s punishment to disbelieving nations as is clear from the Qur’?nic verses describing the fate of `Ad and Thamud who were destroyed and left laying prostrate on their foreheads. And on the Day of Judgment, every nation shall fall to their knees to the Lord, prostrating before His Majesty and Irresistible Power. There is also the voluntary Sujud as an act of worship that mankind will be asked to perform on the Day of Resurrection; those who did not do it voluntarily and sincerely in this life will not be able to perform it voluntarily on the Day of Judgment:
“(Remember, or mention) the Day when the Shin (of All?h) shall be laid bare (on the Day of Resurrection) and they shall be called to prostrate themselves (to All?h), but they (hypocrites) shall not be able to do so. Their eyes will be cast down and ignominy will cover them; they used to be called to prostrate themselves (offer prayers), while they were healthy and good (in the life of the world, but they did not).” [68:42-3]
What Happened to the Law of Stoning the Adulterer?
Islam abrogated many of the laws legislated for earlier believing nations in addition to some of the laws legislated in the early era of Islam. The Bible also abrogated parts of the Jewish law. Matthew 19:8-9 states:
“Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.???
Yet, Answering Islam dares to post an article by (an alleged) “former Muslim”, Farooq Ibrahim, entitled The Problem of Abrogation in the Quran. It appears that these Neos not only do not read the Qur’?n even though they “generously” explain it to Muslims, but also do not read their own Bible. Farooq Ibrahim claims that he used to be a Muslim until, among other things, he was “confused” on why All?h would abrogate some of His Law. To answer that entire article, which was written by the yet another ‘confused’ author, we post a single question to Christians: what happened to the “eternal” Law of Circumcision[12] , prohibiting eating the flesh of swine[13], and the law of stoning the adulterer[14] and the other ancient laws that are found in the Bible, the Literal Word of God as Christians claim, which the Christians did away with?
Christians falsely claim that Jesus is lord and eternal, as Wail stated, “In fact, from eternity, he was equal with God.” Rhetorically, it must have been Jesus who issued these commandments in the Old Testament and later on abrogated them in the New Testament. The reality is that these laws were corrupted by the hands of Paul, the true founder of Christianity, and the many anonymous writers who authored the New Testament.
The Christians have two choices: either God abrogated some of the Law He revealed to ancient Prophets or there was no abrogation, and thus, the Christians are sinners on two accounts: for disobeying the Lord’s ‘Literal Word’ by drinking wine, eating pork and not punishing the adulterer by stoning, and for changing and corrupting God’s Law as found in the Old Testament by abrogating it on their own in the New Testament.
Privileges of the Prophets; Relevance of This Topic to the Angels’ Sujud to Adam
In his article on Sujud, Wail Taghlibi listed the privileges that All?h bestowed on Prophets Ibrahim (Abraham), Mus? (Moses) and Is? al-Masih (Jesus), saying:
The privileges given to these prophets qualify them more than Adam to receive the prostration from angels as ?greeting and exaltation’, if we should accept this as a possible meaning. Since there is no indication that such a phrase was used to address any of these prophets, the interpretation offered by Muslim commentators to the phrase of ?falling down in prostration to Adam’ seems unconvincing.
First, we hereby testify that Wail’s acceptance ? or lack of it – of the explanation given to this ?Islamic’ concept by ?Muslim Scholars’ has never been of any concern to Muslims. Wail, who does not believe in All?h, the Qur’?n, Muhammad, or Islam, invented a concept that was never propagated by the Qur’?n or the Prophetic Tradition or contemplated by any Muslim scholar.
Second, and in contradiction to the assertion that Wail made, we mentioned the story of Prophet Yusuf and the fact that his parents and eleven brothers prostrated to him as a way of greeting and exaltation. Yes, Prophets Yusuf and Ya`qub were not specifically mentioned in Wail’s statement, “?these prophets”. Yet, the fact remains that Prophet Yusuf received a Sujud that was preordained in the Qur’?n itself and this is further proof that Wail erred in his “fatwa”.
Third, we should ask, what relevance do the privileges of the honorable Prophets Wail mentioned have to the topic under discussion? All?h did not say in the Qur’?n that He ordered the angels to prostrate to Adam because Adam’s privileges were better and more exalted than the privileges given to the other Prophets.
Fourth, the Prophets whom Wail mentioned were tremendously honored by All?h, Who gave each of them miracles exclusive to them and frequently praised them in the Qur’?n. In contrast, the Qur’?n did not mention any miracle that Prophet Adam was favored with, and therefore, the Christians will have to be ?generous’ with their father and allow him to keep this privilege. Amazingly, Wail strives hard to deprive Adam of any virtue so as to support the Christian dogma of doom stating that Adam’s sin stained all of humanity and chained them, unjustly preventing them from having a good relation with God without having Jesus crucified for their sin.
These mentioned Prophets also received a part of the honor that All?h bestowed on their honorable ancestor, Adam, the father of all of mankind, when the angels prostrated before him. Thus, Wail’s statement, “?we may wonder why God would exclusively honor Adam by this privilege. The question becomes why would God not honor other prophets like Ibrahim, Musa, and Issa Al-Massih (Jesus Christ) in the same way?”, is entirely irrelevant because the answer is that this honor was given to he who was created by All?h’s Own Hands. Thus, we should ask Wail, who else among the Prophets and all of mankind was created by All?h’s Own Hands so that he too receives the honor designated to he, Adam, who was created by All?h’s Own Hands?
Fifth, Adam dwelled in Paradise, as the Qur’?n and even the Bible testify. Therefore, why did not Wail protest this privilege too, since some of the Prophets he mentioned are at a higher degree of honor and exaltation than that of Adam and deserve to dwell in Paradise as well?
Sixth, Islam teaches this about All?h:
“He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.” [21:23]
Seventh, the privilege of receiving the angels’ Sujud that All?h gave Adam is not because Adam was a Prophet who received revelation from All?h, or because he was better than all other Prophets, or on account of what Adam did or did not do in his faith: there is not a single Qur’?nic Verse that mention any of these ideas. This privilege, as Wail concurs, is exclusively based on what All?h Himself did: He created Adam with Both His Hands. Wail said:
Paul describes the origin of first Adam as ‘of dust of the earth’ (1 Corinthians 15:47); thus referring the readers back to the beginning. ?In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?and God said, let there be?and there was’ (Genesis 1:3, 6-7). God brought all things into being, by his word, (Psalms 33:6, 9; 145:5; Hebrews 11:3). But for Adam it is explicitly stated to be different. God created Adam in a different manner. ?The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being’ (Genesis 2:7). That was a special favor that God exclusively conferred to Adam, but not to the rest of creatures. He did not come to existence by the simple command of God, but rather by receiving the breath of God, that gave him life.
Amazingly, Wail finds it “bewildering” that Adam, not the rest of mankind, would receive the honor of being prostrated to by the angels, even though he was endowed with this favor for being created by All?h’s Own Hands, i.e., the very reason for ordering the angels and Satan to prostrate to Adam, i.e., the very special favor that Wail agreed was given to Adam and none else among creation. Why did not Wail protest this exclusive favor that God gave only to Adam, i.e., being the only living creation created by All?h’s Own Hands, when other Prophets had more privileges and were better qualified to receive the honor of being created in this manner than Adam?
One Adam, Two Adams, Three Adams, And So Forth
Eighth, when Adam received the prostration from the angels, he had not yet committed a sin. However, Wail made a comparison between the sinful Adam and the sinless second Adam, saying, “After this review of the characteristics of the first Adam, and those of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, a brief comparison between them would demonstrate who deserves to receive prostration from angels.” Comparing Adam who sinned later on in his life with the rather fictitious, eternal, spiritual, sinless, second Adam is just another fantasy that has no relevance to the topic under discussion, which is concentrated on he who was created by All?h’s Own Hands. This is especially the case since according to the false Christian dogmas, Jesus was begotten, not made.
What Happened to the Original Sin?
For some reason, Wail evaded mentioning the Christian dogma of “Original Sin”. However, he kept babbling about Adam’s sin and how he lost his relationship with God because of it, saying:
Briefly, Adam was in good relation with God; but because of his disobedience he lost that relation. On the other hand, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, was sent by God from heaven. And he fully obeyed God; therefore he was able to restore man to a good relation with God.
Wail also said:
The result of Adam’s disobedience was not restricted to Adam himself. It entailed curse upon the earth?Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12).
Thus, Wail means, mankind inherited Adam’s sin, but Wail skillfully evaded direct mentioning of this Christian dogma by name.
Wail Quotes Paul, the True Founder of Christianity
Wail deviated to a topic that is entirely irrelevant to the topic under discussion by saying,
Adam is frequently mentioned in the Bible. In fact, the Bible speaks about two Adams?In the 15th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians which Paul wrote c. 55 AD, he advocated the reality of resurrection. And in order to support his position he spoke about the first man Adam and the Last Adam:
“The first Adam became a living being, the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven” (1 Corinthians.15:45-47).
Wail then ended his article by saying:
Conclusion: Dear reader, you have two options: Either you are satisfied only with what the Qur’an says about the first Adam, or you believe what the Bible says about the Last Adam. If you choose the Adam of dust, and continue your walk in the path of disobedience like him, you will end up with eternal punishment?But if you believe what the Bible says about the Last Adam, who came from heaven and fully obeyed God, you will be saved from your sins, and have eternal life. Moreover you will have also fellowship with him now and forever.
Note the horrific, false news that Wail brought the Children of Adam: Adam ended up with eternal punishment, “If you choose the Adam of dust, and continue your walk in the path of disobedience like him, you will end up with eternal punishment.”
Ninth, if Jesus is lord, as Christians claim, and if Sujud is an act of worship, as Wail claims, then why did not the disciples worship the second, sinless, eternal Adam by making Sujud to him, especially since Wail wrote this, “Therefore he is worthy that every knee should bow before him, not out of respect and exaltation, but rather in the sense of worship due to God himself. In fact, from eternity, he was equal with God”?
The “Good News” of Prophet Muhammad (21:107)
Tenth, All?h clearly stated that Adam made errors:
“Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray” [20:121].
Yet, All?h stated that Adam repented from his sin and that He forgave him:
“Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful” [2:37]
and
“Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance” [20:122]
The “Words” mentioned in verse 2:37 were reported in another part of the Qur’?n:
“They (Adam and Eve, peace be upon them) said: ‘Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers’. [7:23]
Adam became free of his sin when All?h accepted his repentance, and thus, neither he nor his wife or offspring were burdened with his sin. All?h said:
“Or is he (who turned away from Islam) not informed with what is in the Pages (Scripture) of M?s? (Moses). And of Ibr?h?m (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (All?h ordered him to do or convey). That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins)of another. And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad). And that his deeds will be seen. Then he will be recompensed with a full and the best recompense.” [53:36-40]
In Islam, everyone is born sinless. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that Muhammad, the Messenger of All?h, the Bearer of Good News, said:
“Every child is born on al-Fitrah (the pure Islamic Nature) and then his parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian (fire-worshipper), as an animal produces a perfect young animal: do you see any part of its body amputated???? Then, he recited, “The religion of pure Islamic Faith (Hanifa [to worship none but All?h]), The pure All?h’s Islamic nature with which He (All?h) has created mankind. Let There be no change in All?h’s religion (i.e. to join none in All?h’s worship). That is the straight religion; but most of men know not [30:30]”.
Delivering Mankind From the Injustices of Tyrannical Religions to the Justice of Islam
This is tremendous, good news from Allah, the Creator of all that exists. Mankind is no longer bound by the invented doctrine of doom, where everyone is born with a sin they did not commit, where everyone must seek salvation from the original sin that they did not commit through the crucifixion of a man who did not commit their sin or the original sin. Mankind should seek salvation from these doctrines and free themselves from the chains unjustly placed on them by false religions, to the freedom of Islam where one only worships the One and Only Lord and Creator of everything, where one is only responsible for his or her own errors and collects the rewards for his or her own righteousness.
The Christian concept of the original sin is firmly rejected in Islam, which teaches the good news that one is only responsible for one’s own actions and errors. It is unjust that one should carry the burden of an error committed by someone else, inheriting this burden from one generation to the next generation. It is more unjust that God should love the world so much that, as Christians claim, He would have His own [falsely claimed] son crucified for the sins of Christians who commit every type of sin God forbade in every Divine Book He revealed.
Christians Should Respect Adam, the Father of Humanity
Adam was the first Muwa`hh?d (Monotheist) among mankind, the first righteous man to have ever lived. He observed and taught Tauh?d to his children. He was a Prophet to whom All?h spoke and revealed specifics of Tauh?d and Monotheistic worship. His offspring remained on Tauh?d until the time of Prophet Noah, when they started worshipping the idols. Thus, Noah was the first Messenger, as al-Bukhar? and Musl?m reported from All?h’s Prophet, in the sense that he was the first Prophet to be sent to a disbelieving people. The Christians should respect Adam and refrain from demeaning him because of a sin he committed, repented from and became sinless. Adam is the father of mankind whom All?h honored by giving him knowledge and faith:
“And He taught Adam all the names [of everything].” [2:31].
Adam is the father of mankind who taught them to have faith in the Creator of all that exists. Adam was the representative of all of mankind when he received the honor of being prostrated to by the angels because All?h created him with His Own Hands. This is the topic, not a comparison between the privileges of the Prophets as compared to the privileges of Adam or how many original Adams one can come up with.
Wail’s Bewilderment is of His Own Creation
Muslims reject trinity because trinity was never mentioned as a part of the valid creed either in the Old Testament or in the Qur’?n. Jesus never professed trinity; trinity was never mentioned by name in the New Testament. Trinity, the Original Sin, the second Adam, God’s claimed begotten, yet, eternal son, and the Holy Ghost being God are all alien ideologies never professed to by Jesus himself or by any other Prophet who came before or after him. The Old Testament never mentioned these dogmas, and Biblical Prophets never preached them. And not only Muslims reject these dogmas. The Jews do not only reject trinity, but also disbelieve in Jesus, accuse his honorable mother of horrible sins and are still awaiting the first coming of the Messiah, more than two thousand years after the Messiah came.
The Christians profess trinity as the entire world knows and therefore, Muslims did not unjustly claim that Christians call to trinity. In contrast, Wail and his neo-supporters invented an alien concept to Islam not found in the Qur’?n, the Prophetic Tradition or the statements of any Muslim Scholar. They invented an understanding that is never preached by Muslims, then decided that Muslim scholars did not convince them about the proper interpretation of the Qur’?n, even though what Muslim scholars say as explanation for the Sujud of the angels to Adam is found explicitly in a Qur’anic verse that Wail hid from his readers. The question is, to what lows are haters of Islam willing to sink to in their feverish yet vain attempts to defeat Islam’s superior creed? If they wish to try and derail the progress of Islam, and they will never succeed, they will fair better if they confronted the Islamic creed with their creed, so that Truth is made apparent and Falsehood is destroyed. Mankind already accepts Islam as their religion at a faster rate than Christianity, making many Christians worried. Yet, instead of confronting Islamic Tauh?d with the Christian Trinity, some Christians resort to defaming Islam and corrupting the Islamic Texts in such a shameful manner demonstrated by Wail and his supporters. If one does not believe in Islam’s creed, one should not waste time discussing Islamic Law.
Wail’s “?bewildering question, of what is meant by God’s command to angels to ?fall down prostrate to Adam’” did not consume him because, as he claims, “?neither Muslim commentators nor the Qur’an itself have succeeded in offering a plausible answer.” His bewilderment is of his own making. He did not read the Qur’?n with care so as to understand its Message in pursuit of Truth. To the contrary, Wail first filled his heart with hatred of a religion he cannot even begin to understand, then hastily read Qur’?nic verses to find mistakes in them. This article has clearly shown him to be a fake Shaikh who did not contemplate what he wrote before posting it. If Islam is a false religion as Christians claim, then why do they spend so much time and effort trying to defeat it? The full responsibility now lies with Answering Islam to remove Wail’s article from their website, especially that they now know that Wail hid the fact that the Qur’?n specifically described the angels’ prostration to Adam by saying that it was a way of honoring him, {?Ara-aitaka hadha al-ladhi karramta `alai???} [17:62]. From his name, Wail Taghlibi seems to be an Arab Christian, and thus we ask him to first recite this verse to his sponsors, interpret its meaning for them, and then explain to them why he did not mention it at all in his article.
This is only a reminder and peace be unto those who follow the true guidance that the Creator of all that exists sent down to His Prophets, peace be upon all of them.
Cite This As:
[3] al-Fatawa, Vol. 23, p. 145
[4] al-Fatawa, Vol. 21, p. 269
[5] As reported in a Hadith, or Prophetic Tradition, collected in Sahih Sunan at-Tirmidhi [249]. For a detailed description of the Islamic Prayer, refer to the English translation of Zad-ul Ma`ad, by Imam Ibn al-Qayy?m, Vol. 2.
[6] al-Fatawa
[7] Sahih at-Targheeb wa-t-Tarheeb (1936)
[8] We will revisit these false accounts attributed to Allah’s Honorable Prophets in our book, The Prophet of Mercy, which is in response to Craig Winn’s The Prophet of Doom.
[9] This is an authentic Hadith (Prophetic Statement) collected in Sahih Ibn Majah.
[10] Sahih at-Targheeb (1936)].
[11] As reported in Sahih at-Targheeb (1935)
[12] Genesis 17: 12-13, “For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant” and Luke 2:21, “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise, he was named Jesus”; yet, in Galatians 5:2-6 one reads this, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
[13] Leviticus 11:1, 7, “And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them?And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you”; yet Christians did away with this Divine Law in 1 Timothy 4:1-5, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
[14] John 8:4-5, 7 as follows: “They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you,let him first cast a stone at her.”
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