In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Perfect Religion
[98:5] All that was asked of them was to worship GOD, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone, observe the contact prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat). Such is the perfect religion.
[6:161] Say, "My Lord has guided me in a straight path - the perfect religion of Abraham, monotheism. He never was an idol worshiper."
[18:1] Praise GOD, who revealed to His servant this scripture, and made it flawless.
[18:2] A perfect (scripture) to warn of severe retribution from Him, and to deliver good news to the believers who lead a righteous life, that they have earned a generous recompense.
Our perfect religion consists of detailed laws in a perfect scripture and certain rites that have been divinely preserved and inherited since Abraham. Not only did the Most Gracious make our religion perfect, but He also made it easy.
[23:62] We never burden any soul beyond its means, and we keep a record that utters the truth. No one will suffer injustice.
[4:28] GOD wishes to lighten your burden, for the human being is created weak.
[5:6] ... GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.
The Most merciful granted both humans and Jinns this final chance on earth to see if they will worship Him alone or repeat their same ignorant mistake and get deceived by Satan. Graciously, He didn't just leave them helpless in the dark but He provided them with everything needed to go through the test. He blessed them with guidance through His messengers and sent down light and healing to enlighten them and teach them the religion and the responsibilities. In addition to that, He blessed them with knowledge about Him even before He created them.
[2:150] Wherever you go, you shall turn your face (during Salat) towards the Sacred Masjid; wherever you might be, you shall turn your faces (during Salat) towards it. Thus, the people will have no argument against you, except the transgressors among them. Do not fear them, and fear Me instead. I will then perfect My blessings upon you, that you may be guided.
[2:151] (Blessings) such as the sending of a messenger from among you to recite our revelations to you, purify you, teach you the scripture and wisdom, and to teach you what you never knew.
[30:30] Therefore, you shall devote yourself to the religion of strict monotheism. Such is the natural instinct placed into the people by GOD. Such creation of GOD will never change. This is the perfect religion, but most people do not know.
[7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They all said, "Yes. We bear witness." Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were not aware of this."
[76:2] We created the human from a liquid mixture, from two parents, in order to test him. Thus, we made him a hearer and a seer.
[76:3] We showed him the two paths, then he is either appreciative, or unappreciative.
The Most Wise even augments the guidance of those who choose it by making them prefer the guidance and dislike disbelief .
[49:7] And know that GOD's messenger has come in your midst. Had he listened to you in many things, you would have made things difficult for yourselves. But GOD made you love faith and adorned it in your hearts, and He made you abhor disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. These are the guided ones.
[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns.
The Most Merciful gave us the chance to redeem ourselves and showed us the path. He showed us how to make contact with Him and how to implore Him to come closer. He taught us how to purify our souls by giving 2.5% of His provisions to charity and how to rise above our body’s needs to nurture our souls by fasting one month a year.
He provided us with His contact code and allowed us to contact Him through 17 units distributed throughout the day and part of the night to devote our worship to Him alone and to ask only Him for help. Seventeen golden opportunities to communicate with The Almighty, The Supreme. What an honor!
As for charity, we are kindly asked to give 2.5% of God’s provisions to us, not 5, not 10%. Imagine paying such a minute price for a Paradise whose width encompasses the heaven and the earth. What a deal!
Not to mention the blessing of fasting, only one out of 12 months, 30 out of 365 days. If we appreciate the greatness of the soul, the real person, we would not see fasting as a hard thing to do. We need to remember that fasting is a blessing that helps us acknowledge our real person and pay respect to our awesome unseen soul while we are still trapped in this materialistic shell. We subdue the temporary body that exists only to make us visible in order to survive on earth to redeem our eternal soul.
How much would we pay to take care of our very real self, our incredible energizing soul? How much is our magnificent soul worth? Fasting one month a year to nurture our awesome soul…what a bargain!
Another religious duty is Hajj, which is a clear example of The Most Merciful making religion easy for His servants. We are graciously asked to go to Hajj only if we can afford it.
[3:97] In it are clear signs: the station of Abraham. Anyone who enters it shall be granted safe passage. The people owe it to GOD that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it. As for those who disbelieve, GOD does not need anyone.
The best Forgiver did not expect us to be perfect, even though He expects us to make a reasonable effort, do our best, to follow His commands and to do the righteous works that please Him. He, then will overlook our minor offenses, and transform others into credits when we repnet for them.
[6:135] Say, "O my people, do your best, and so will I. You will surely find out who the ultimate victors are." Certainly, the wicked will never succeed.
[53:32] They avoid gross sins and transgressions, except for MINOR offenses. Your Lord's forgiveness is immense. He has been fully aware of you since He initiated you from the earth, and while you were embryos in your mothers' bellies. Therefore, do not exalt yourselves; He is fully aware of the righteous.
[25:70] Exempted are those who repent, believe, and lead a righteous life. GOD transforms their sins into credits. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
Not only did The Most Gracious, teacher of the Quran, send down a fully detailed scripture for our guidance, but He also made it easy, easy to understand, easy to learn and we are kindly asked to recite whenever we can. How Merciful!
[54:17] We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
[54:22] We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
[54:32] We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
[54:40] We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
[73:20] Your Lord knows that you meditate during two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or one-third of it, and so do some of those who believed with you. GOD has designed the night and the day, and He knows that you cannot always do this. He has pardoned you. Instead, you shall read what you can of the Quran. He knows that some of you may be ill, others may be traveling in pursuit of GOD's provisions, and others may be striving in the cause of GOD. You shall read what you can of it, and observe the contact prayers (Salat), give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and lend GOD a loan of righteousness. Whatever good you send ahead on behalf of your souls, you will find it at GOD far better and generously rewarded. And implore GOD for forgiveness. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
The Omnipotent reassured us that He is controlling everything and all we need to do is to worship Him. For our own redemption, He asked us to worship Him, while He is taking care of everything else:
[6:102] Such is GOD your Lord, there is no god except He, the Creator of all things. You shall worship Him alone. He is in control of all things.
[24:55] GOD promises those among you who believe and lead a righteous life, that He will make them sovereigns on earth, as He did for those before them, and will establish for them the religion He has chosen for them, and will substitute peace and security for them in place of fear. All this because they worship Me alone; they never set up any idols beside Me. Those who disbelieve after this are the truly wicked.
[24:56] You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and obey the messenger, that you may attain mercy.
We cannot praise God enough for His infinite mercy and grace!
[34:1] Praise be to GOD - to whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth; all praise is also due to Him in the Hereafter. He is the Most Wise, the Cognizant.
[7:43]... "GOD be praised for guiding us. We could not possibly be guided, if it were not that GOD has guided us. ..
Peaceful Friday, salaam, and God bless.