Towards Submission
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point of view, there would be no further reason for our existence.
We learn from the above mentioned verses in Sura 11 that God knew
we would dispute and disbelieve, and many of us would choose Satan
over God alone. Anytime that we side with Satan, we enter into His
kingdom. We can see that Satan is incompetent. He cannot keep the
world from having accidents, misery or pain. He cannot maintain
a perfect world. We must use caution not to do anything that remotely
resembles Satan’s point of view or we will become his constituents.
Thus, he will claim us.
One idea greatly promoted by Satan is racism. Satan is the number
one racist. God quotes Satan as saying the following:
“...I am better than he; You created me from
fire, and created him from mud.” (7:12)
This verse is repeated several places in the Quran. Satan was obviously
looking down on the human beings. This is racism and one of Satan’s
principles. God teaches us that we are supposed to stand against
oppression. However, we have to be able to distinguish racism from
oppression in all its forms. Oppression comes in many forms and
racism is one of them.
God created us in certain form, gender, or color . He knows what
is best suited for us even though we may not like it. |
He knows what is best in order for us
to go through the test in this world to distinguish us. If we continually
complain, then we are not submitting. We have to address the character
defects in our selves in order to submit. Our bodies are mere garments
that we keep in this dimension. What is important to God is how
righteous we are. God created us all for this test.
O people, we created you from the same male and female,
and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize
one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most
righteous. God is Omniscient, Cognizant. (49:13)
Every nationality, every color, every size, and every shape will
face the test of racism. Whatever I say or do which resembles racism
will cause my entry into Satan’s kingdom. For example, the
celebration of Martin Luther King Day in some states has been subjected
to debate. If I go ahead and march in protest, I have to ask myself
if I am doing this because of his color, or it is the right thing
to do in the sight of God. Would I do the same thing if they canceled
Columbus Day? Washington’s Birthday? Lincoln’s Birthday?
They are not black. They are European-Americans. Would I do the
same thing? If I’m doing this for color, that makes me a racist.
If I’m doing it for God, then I’m submitting. One can
be a racist from any angle—as the oppressor or the oppressed.
In either case Satan can claim us and we would deserve to be with
him.
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We don’t have to wait until we
die to experience heaven. The prize is attainable now. God tells
us in the Quran that we can be kings and queens on earth. This can
belong to us now as well as in the Hereafter. We have made a decision
to worship God alone. Now we must work on fine tuning our faith
to rid ourselves of imperfections. This is comparable to polishing
a stone to a fine jewel. How long does it take? It depends on the
roughness of the stone, what tools we use, and how often the polishing
takes place. Fine tuning eliminates our character defects little
by little.
As for myself, even though the process seems slow, things do come
into focus and the light comes on. What makes the Quran so great
is that you can read it over and still find something that is new,
at a time when you are to understand it in a new way, or paying
attention to it for the first time concurrent with your life experience.
This again, is called fine tuning, or taking care of shortcomings
within ourselves.
Thank God for allowing us to reach this point of worshipping Him
alone and letting us look at our imperfections and shortcomings.
Let us move forward with the fine tuning and polishing of the stones
of our shortcomings into jewels of perfection, total submission
to God alone.
All glory be to God!
Frank Yeargin |