Basic questions about Islam (2)

[juvenissun]

Does Islam believe incarnation? Noticed that I do not mean "re-"incarnation. Would a jinn present himself as a human (for his entire life) be taken as incarnation?

Could a jinn go back and forth between human and spirit? Can an angel temporarily be seen by (or revealed to) human? Does Quran have examples?

 

[Niblo]

Why "We", but not "I"? How many Gods?

In the Qur’an Allāh (Subḥānahu ūta'āla) speaks directly to people and to the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), often using ‘We’, the first person plural of majesty, to represent Himself. For example:

‘It was We who created you: will you not believe? Consider (the sperm) you eject - do you create it yourselves or are We the Creator? We ordained death to be among you. Nothing could stop Us if We intended to change you and recreate you in a way unknown to you. You have learned how you were first created: will you not reflect? Consider the seeds you sow in the ground - is it you who make them grow or We? If We wished, We could turn your harvest into chaff and leave you to wail: “We are burdened with debt; we are bereft.” Consider the water you drink - was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud or We? If We wanted, We could make it bitter: will you not be thankful? Consider the fire you kindle - is it you who make the wood for it grow or We? We made it a reminder, and useful to those who kindle it, so (Prophet) glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme.’

(Al-Waqi‘a: 57-73).

Notice the words: 'glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme'. These are singular. There is only one God in Islam.

I hope this helps.

 

[Supreme]

Why "We", but not "I"? How many Gods?

Why are you not sure about angel and light?

The We used in the Qu'ran is the Royal We. The Queen still uses the Royal We when writing to her subjects, and Kings and Queens of England have done the same for centuries.

 

[Niblo]

The We used in the Qu'ran is the Royal We. The Queen still uses the Royal We when writing to her subjects, and Kings and Queens of England have done the same for centuries.

Us Taffs use the Royal 'We' all the time

 

[LoveBeingAMuslimah]

Does Islam believe incarnation? Noticed that I do not mean "re-"incarnation. Would a jinn present himself as a human (for his entire life) be taken as incarnation?

A jinn can appear in human form. I don't know if it can stay in human form for its entire life. This is a part of the unseen and we can only repeat what the Qur'aan and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said about them.

Could a jinn go back and forth between human and spirit?

Do you mean take human form and then go back to its original form? Or do you mean possession? If it's the latter, yes. If it's the former, I'm guessing so but God knows best.

Can an angel temporarily be seen by (or revealed to) human? Does Quran have examples?

Yes. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) in his true form and also in human form:

It is not but a revelation revealed, Taught to him by one intense in strength - One of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon. Then he approached and descended... (Surah an-Najm 53:4-8)

And he certainly saw him in another descent At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary - (Surah an-Najm 53:13-14)

Abraham, his wife, Lot, Mary (peace be upon them all) saw angels in human form:

And certainly did Our messengers come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, "Peace." He said, "Peace," and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands not reaching for it, he distrusted them and felt from them apprehension. They said, "Fear not. We have been sent to the people of Lot." And his wife was standing, and she smiled. Then We gave her good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob. (Surah Hud 11:69-71)

They [the angels] said, "O Lot, indeed we are messengers of your Lord; [therefore], they will never reach you. So set out with your family during a portion of the night and let not any among you look back - except your wife; indeed, she will be struck by that which strikes them. Indeed, their appointment is [for] the morning. Is not the morning near?" (Surah Hud 11:81)

(Prophet Abraham didn't know at first who his honored guests were which is why he offered them food and then felt fearful when they didn't take any. It appears Prophet Lot did not know who his guests were at first either because in other verses he says: And when Our messengers, [the angels], came to Lot, he was anguished for them and felt for them great discomfort and said, "This is a trying day." And his people came hastening to him, and before [this] they had been doing evil deeds. He said, "O my people, these are my daughters; they are purer for you. So fear Allah and do not disgrace me concerning my guests. Is there not among you a man of reason?" (Surah Hud 11:77-78) ----- he felt discomfort and anguish for the messengers because he thought they needed his protection from his people who got word of his handsome guests. At this point he likely didn't know they were angels).

And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. (Surah Maryam 19:17)

 

[smaneck]

Why "We", but not "I"? How many Gods?

You are not familiar with the Royal We or Majestic plural as a grammatical form? You find it in the Bible in verses like "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Royalty often refer to themselves in the first person plural.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_we

Why are you not sure about angel and light?

Because her source for this was not the Qur'an but a hadith. These are oral accounts of what Muhammad supposedly said and did. They don't get compiled until two or three centuries later and as a historian I am much more dubious of their authenticity than I am the Qur'an. Also, this particular hadith comes through Aisha who Shi'ite Muslims would not consider a reliable source in any case.

 

[juvenissun]

In the Qur’an Allāh (Subḥānahu ūta'āla) speaks directly to people and to the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), often using ‘We’, the first person plural of majesty, to represent Himself. For example:

‘It was We who created you: will you not believe? Consider (the sperm) you eject - do you create it yourselves or are We the Creator? We ordained death to be among you. Nothing could stop Us if We intended to change you and recreate you in a way unknown to you. You have learned how you were first created: will you not reflect? Consider the seeds you sow in the ground - is it you who make them grow or We? If We wished, We could turn your harvest into chaff and leave you to wail: “We are burdened with debt; we are bereft.” Consider the water you drink - was it you who brought it down from the rain-cloud or We? If We wanted, We could make it bitter: will you not be thankful? Consider the fire you kindle - is it you who make the wood for it grow or We? We made it a reminder, and useful to those who kindle it, so (Prophet) glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme.’

(Al-Waqi‘a: 57-73).

Notice the words: 'glorify the name of your Lord, the Supreme'. These are singular. There is only one God in Islam.

I hope this helps.

I know. But WHY?

 

[juvenissun]

The We used in the Qu'ran is the Royal We. The Queen still uses the Royal We when writing to her subjects, and Kings and Queens of England have done the same for centuries.

Why do they use WE? Does it mean the whole royal family?

 

[Niblo]

I know. But WHY?

Why what? Why is there only one God in Islam?.....or why does He refer to Himself as 'We'?

 

[juvenissun]

Another one:

Since Adam was NOT driven out of the Garden, but was pardoned, then why don't we now live in the Garden? Who was the first one be driven out of the Garden? And why should we also be punished by what he did?

 

[juvenissun]

Why what? Why is there only one God in Islam?.....or why does He refer to Himself as 'We'?

I know you said it is because it is used as the Royal We. But Why "Royal We"? What or which royal?

 

[LoveBeingAMuslimah]

I know. But WHY?

It is a feature of literary style in Arabic that a person may refer to himself by the pronoun nahnu (we) for respect or glorification. He may also use the word ana (I), indicating one person, or the third person huwa (he). All three styles are used in the Qur'an, where Allaah addresses the Arabs in their own tongue. ( Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 4/143).

"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, sometimes refers to Himself in the singular, by name or by use of a pronoun, and sometimes by use of the plural, as in the phrase (interpretation of the meaning):'Verily, We have given you a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1], and other similar phrases. But Allaah never refers to Himself by use of the dual, because the plural refers to the respect that He deserves, and may refer to His names and attributes, whereas the dual refers to a specific number (and nothing else), and He is far above that."

( Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 75).

Every time Allaah uses the plural to refer to Himself, it is based on the respect and honour that He deserves, and on the great number of His names and attributes, and on the great number of His troops and angels.

The Meaning of the Pronoun "We" as used in the Qur'an

Another one:

Since Adam was NOT driven out of the Garden, but was pardoned, then why don't we now live in the Garden? Who was the first one be driven out of the Garden? And why should we also be punished by what he did?

"Hence, Adam's (peace be upon him) descending to earth could very well be a worldly punishment for his sin, yet he was forgiven so that he won't endure the punishment of hell in the afterlife.

A second way of looking at this matter is to not interpret Adam's (peace be upon him) expulsion from paradise as a punishment. Several Muslim scholars such as Ar-Razi, Al-Qurtubi, Az-Zamakhshari, Al-Tha'alabi, Al-Nisapuri and others have not understood this to imply a punishment. Rather, they see that Adam's expulsion was that of mercy and that of teaching a lesson."

"One may argue that it's not fair that we are here on earth because of Adam's (peace be upon him) mistake, but there are two things to bear in mind: 1) We were never meant to be in paradise before earth, only Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve were given that privilege and 2) We wouldn't have lasted in paradise anyways, since we would have got kicked out after committing our first sin just like Adam (peace be upon him)"

Why Was Adam Sent to Earth After Being Forgiven?

 

[Supreme]

Why do they use WE? Does it mean the whole royal family?

It's to portray Majesty, I believe. We sounds more majestic than I.

 

[juvenissun]

It is a feature of literary style in Arabic that a person may refer to himself by the pronoun nahnu (we) for respect or glorification. He may also use the word ana (I), indicating one person, or the third person huwa (he). All three styles are used in the Qur'an, where Allaah addresses the Arabs in their own tongue. ( Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 4/143).

"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, sometimes refers to Himself in the singular, by name or by use of a pronoun, and sometimes by use of the plural, as in the phrase (interpretation of the meaning):'Verily, We have given you a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1], and other similar phrases. But Allaah never refers to Himself by use of the dual, because the plural refers to the respect that He deserves, and may refer to His names and attributes, whereas the dual refers to a specific number (and nothing else), and He is far above that."

( Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 75).

Every time Allaah uses the plural to refer to Himself, it is based on the respect and honour that He deserves, and on the great number of His names and attributes, and on the great number of His troops and angels.

The Meaning of the Pronoun "We" as used in the Qur'an

Is this way of using "We" (when refer to a single person) also common among Arabic nobles today? If not, why not?