Brothers,

AlHamdulillah! Please permit me to offer my comment.

I appreciate Ustaz Abdul Salam’s concern of certain people who may pose questions which for him “are non-answerables”, and thus he is of the opinion that such questions should not be asked.

But please allow me to offer a different perspective from this, because in my experience teaching Islam to non-Muslims (including even proud and cynical atheists and agnostics) I would not stop any of them from posing whatever questions they may have (even such “non-answerable” as categorized by Ustaz Abdul Salam).

This is because I sincerely believe in what Allah SWT says, that our perfected Deen al-Islam has all the answers and it can respond to any questions.

I, may not know or have all the answers though (and this will then motivate me to search for these answers myself), but this is not to say that Islam does not have the answer or cannot respond to any questions. This is how I understand Allah’s promise:

“And no question do they bring to thee but We reveal to thee the Truth and the explanation thereof”

(Qur’an : Surah al-Furqan : 25: 33)

Also, how would we know that a question will be “non-answerable” unless it has already been posed to us? And to then censure them for asking such questions would give the wrong impression in their mind that Islam is indeed defective.

Actually, what Ustaz Abdul Salam termed “non-answerable”, I would rather regard them as questions which are illogical, “antithetical – a rational impossibilities – mustahil” , and I would respond by patiently showing them why it is absurd. But I would never curtail or appear to prevent them from asking.

To elaborate:

Applying what we Muslims are taught in our Usuluddeen (Aqeedah), even those examples of the so-called “non-answerable” (A, B & C) can be responded to, inshaAllah.

[A] “Who created Allah?”

My Response: When we speak of Allah (God), we mean the only Being Who is Divine. The term “divine” means that He existed without a beginning i.e. He does not depend on anyone to cause Him to come into existence. In other words, Allah (God) is the only Uncreated being whereas all others are created by Him. So to ask: “Who created Allah?” is making an absurd statement because it is like saying: “Who created the Uncreated?!?” – then I will ask them: isn’t this absurd?

[B] “Why did Allah created me black and not the other?”

My Response: This type of question can be applied to every creation – why does Allah SWT created this and not that?”.

In fact, there has been a response by Allah SWT to such type of questioning (which are posed as though challenging Allah’s wisdom, because one do not understand fully the rationale), when He told the angels:

He said: “I know what ye know not.” (Q: Baqarah: 2: 30)

And as to the reasoning for making us different, Allah SWT says:

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” (Q: Hujurat: 49: 13)

[C] “Does Allah really care about me?”

My Response: Yes! Indeed Allah SWT cares and wish us to receive His Mercy. He is Ar-Rahmaan, the Most Compassionate to His creations, especially mankind whom He has created destined for Paradise. But Allah is also just and therefore His Wisdom and justice requires us all to be tested. Thus human beings are endowed with a limited freewill, granted ability to think and reason, provided and shown guidance of what is right or wrong, given a term of live for mankind to come to the right decision, even if man did wrong and commit sins Allah SWT still provide and Sustain him and even promises forgiveness and willing to accept their repentance, etc. :

Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Q: az-Zumar: 39: 53)

As to Ustaz Abdul Salam’s concern:

“ … but what if the person wants to challenge those answers” , I would say:

If we are dealing with non-Muslim, we are commanded to deal with them:

“… and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious:” (Q: Nahlu: 16: 125)

We cannot expect them (especially as they are non-Muslim) to adopt the attitude of “Sami’naa wa-a-to’-naa”, unlike Muslims.

I hope my comments here can be of benefit for us all, waAllaahu a’lam.

Wa-bil-laahi Taufiq wal – Hidaa-ya

Was-salaam.

Your brother,

Zhulkeflee

Brother Mahmud,

Masha Allah, I’m very glad to have you drop by this humble blog and key down your comment. I’m looking forward to a frequent visit from you to this blog, insha Allah. May Allah s.w.t. guide us and purify our hearts at all times.

Well, In Islam, we are always encouraged to ask questions as Ustaz Zulkifli did emphasize in his comment, but those type of questions must be with regard to Ahkam related to our deeds and daily life (practical), in situations where we don’t know and want to learn.

Allah said in Surah Al-Nahl 43, and Surah Al-Anbiyaa:7 “Ask the followers of the Reminder if ye know not”

Sayyidah Aisha once said: “May Allah bless the women of Ansar, timidity couldn’t stop them from asking questions about their religion [Bukhari & Muslim]

So this is not the fact here. The fact is when one asks questions that are not possible to be answered, or that are already answered, of course in Qur’an and Sunnah authentically, but one is not satisfied.

What would you say if someone asks one of the following:
“Who created Allah?”
“Why did Allah created me black and not the other?”
“Does Allah really care about me?”
And so goes the lists of the questions..

Answeres to the above mentioned type of question are already in Quran and Sunnah, but what if the person wants to challenge those answers.

Here, there will be a need to remind him of “Sami’naa wa ata’anaa” (We’ve heard and obeyed” as in the last verse of Surah Al-Baqarah.

Also, we will in cases like this need to make dua for the person for ‘Hidayah’ (guidance), because we may give people everything but Hidayah. Only Allah s.w.t can grant grant Hidayah to His servants.

I would like to recall the verse in which Allah s.w.t. warns us from asking too many questions, even in Halah walharam; “O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Qur’ân is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allâh has forgiven that, and Allâh is Oft¬Forgiving, Most Forbearing” [Surah Al-Maidah: 101]
And there is a Hadeeth which I’m yet to find its source, that says “Beware of asking too many questions”

So my argument in this article is not to stop people from asking question. But to identify that some questions are non-answerables. Allah knows bets.

Wassalam

This is what we are lacking, With the permission Allah you have crafted a wonderful Blog and a article. May Allah SWT increase your knowledge and let Ummah learn from it, In Sha Allah.

My comments will be that, Rasul Allah S.A.W. once said there are two type of people who should not keep quite, the one who has knowledge and the who does not know. Indeed your article will be addressing an important issue that many people will have in their mind but concealing it.

The questionee can question only to increase His/Her knowledge but not to bring dispute in the religion of Allah SWT

The latter i urging us not to be silent, HJ Ismail commented “So the urge to question in fact is necessary (as for example the manner Archangel Jibrail a.s. posed questions to our Prophet s.a.w. to teach us our Deen)” Our qestions should not lead us to the wrong path In Sha Allah.

Quran Surah Ibrahim 14:27″Allah ‘ll keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world and in the hereafter”

We also learnt that, we are here on this earth to discover what Allah has created and praise Him alone. As you rightly said that we have discoverd 3% out 100%

I leave you with this Quran Surah Al-Anam 6:162″Verily my Salat, my sacrifice, my living, and my dieing are for Allah, the Lord of the Alamin

May Allah guide us to the right path and also increase our Iman

Wa’asalam.

In fact, your comment is something I’ve been looking forward to, knowing that there will missing ideas in whatever I may write without structured guidance from some intellectuals like you.

Ustaz, please do comment frequently on my posts should there be any. Your advice and hikmah is always needed.

Jazaka Allahu khairan.. Ameen
Wassalam

It is indeed encouraging to know of your success in setting up this blog. May Allah SWT make it beneficial to you and to the Ummah.

Mabruk! Congratulations to your first blog posting. I was referred to your article by Sameer and would like to offer my comment, if you do not mind:

I have always believed that curiosity is granted to mankind by Allah SWT, such that it enables us to learn.

I believe that the beginning of Wisdom is when you realize that you don’t know. And our Prophet s.a.w. had once said that the cure for ignorance to ask questions.

So the urge to question in fact is necessary (as for example the manner Archangel Jibrail a.s. posed questions to our Prophet s.a.w. to teach us our Deen).

It is in the manner of asking the questions that one must be careful.

Islam in fact commands us to USE reason, What Islam is against is the ABUSE in the way reasoning faculty is utilized. Question if you must, but It must conform to proper Adab.

In short, let me share my thoughts with you with this (I’ve just composed -wal-Hamdulillah):

“You can POSE any Question if you want to learn, but do not ask any Question with the intention to OPPOSE.”

.. the capitalized words are intentional to highlight the rhyme to my quotes … (“,)

Your curiosity is in fact good, A naturally and pure Allah-given instinct (fitrah). It is the intention (motivation) to asked that we have to be careful of, because it is here that satan may be lurking to instigate a person to use reason (i.e. abuse) to oppose his Creator.

So do not fear to think, to reason and to question. Just seek Allah SWT’s protection from the accursed satan with this our Du’a :

“Robbi a-‘uu-dzubika min hamazaa-tish-sha-yaa-tee-na wa a-‘uudzubi rob-bi anyah-dwu-ruun”

In my view, Islam has all the answers, and Allah SWT intends for man to be taught much knowledge of whatever that man do not know (re. Q: Surah al-.‘alaq, ar-Rahman etc.).

To conclude my brief comment, I leave you with this ayat as reminder from Allah SWT, as assurance:

“And no question do they bring to thee but We reveal to thee the Truth and the explanation thereof”
(Qur’an : Surah al-Furqan : 25: 33)

waAllaahu a’lam

was-salaam

with love from your brother,

zhulkeflee

* invite you to visit my blogs -