Attributes of God/Allah – Quran and Bible

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

This phrase is recited at the beginning of each sura (except 9)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Revelation 22:13

He is the First (Alpha) and the Last (Omega)… 57 The Iron, 3

God is the End

Khaled Abou El p.141

God is the ultimate, the consummate, the final, and the end. But the magnets of self-indulgence and arrogance hide in our moral fog and lead the compass of our soul astray. Without our inner compass, we are lost in the fog, but our merciful Lord places indicators along the way. The indicators point toward God, leading us back from where we came. The indicators become like signs on the foggy trail, consoling and warning the anxious traveler that the throne of God is where all the roads will eventually converge.

Who’s talking?

Andrew Rippin

It’s always an interesting experience getting first year undergraduate students to read some of the Qur’an: they are as close as one can ever get to a ‘blank slate’ when it comes to dealing with the text without any preconceptions. Frequently they immediately assume that it is Muhammad who is talking in the text and have some difficulty working through how God can be the “We” and the “I” and the “He” all at the same time. The challenges of the text are never so apparent as when one listens to such voices.
Andrew Rippin

Omega: Attributes of God

It was difficult to assign a number to this final chapter. It deals with a theme that runs through all the previous chapters, starting even before the first day of creation and ending with the everlasting peace found in heaven, the joy found in paradise. God is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. The idea of God as the first and the last is common to both Books. That is why the first and last chapters are not signified by numbers but by a letter, the first and the last in the Greek alphabet. Alpha is a tiny chapter, a start, not of God, but of human awareness of his attributes. The reader’s sense of the divine is allowed to grow as he peruses the intermittent ones. Omega as a final chapter summarizes these notions.

Unity or Trinity

As to the number, there is a difference of opinion between the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an on the one hand and the New Testament on the other. In the Hebrew Bible, God is One, although sometimes the plural Elohim is used. Using the so-called majestic plural is still formal practice among earthly kings and queens. In the Hebrew Bible, we read: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! Deuteronomy 6:4

As the Hebrew Yigdal Hymn sings:

.אֶחָד וְאֵין יָחִיד כְּיִחוּדוֹ
:נֶעְלָם וְגַם אֵין סוֹף לְאַחְדּוּתוֹ

He is One – and there is no unity like His Oneness – Inscrutable and infinite is His Oneness;

As expressed in the New Testament

…there is no other God but one.1 Corinthians 8:4

However, the New Testament also sees the One God as Three.

…in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

Some of the attributes of God devolve upon Jesus. He is the Truth and the Light; He is the Judge, but also the Loving and Forgiving One, the Shepherd and the Savior.

In the Qur’an, the dogma of the Trinity is emphatically opposed and the unity of God is emphasized. The fact that the majestic plural, We, is often used when God speaks does not in any way affect His Oneness.

And your God (Allah) is One God (Allah): there is no god but He… 2 The Heifer, 163

They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except one God (Allah). 5 The Table Spread, 73

In the Qur’an, Jesus is honored as a special prophet, born of the virgin Mary, who receives the Gospel as Moses had received the Torah. Jesus is not the son of God, for God has no sons. The Qur’an also mentions the spirit proceeding from God and inspiring Jesus. But the spirit is not in itself a divine principle.

Christ Jesus… was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah, and his Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Do not say “Trinity,”… For Allah is One God: glory be to Him: (far Exalted is He) above having a son. 4 The Women, 171

In the Qur’an, some of the Divine attributes devolve onto the Holy Books. Thus the Qur’an, but also the Torah and the Gospel, are carriers of light.

The Unity/Trinity issue is the single most important difference between the Qur’an and the Bible. It has thrown its shadow over all the similarities. Over the ages, it has been used to legitimize bloodshed, and today is still a source of animosity.

Children of God

The phrase ‘children of Allah’ is sometimes used in a figurative sense to refer to Muslims or to humankind. It is not found in the Qur’an. The concept runs counter to very essence of Allah. The Qur’an speaks emphatically of the Children of Israel when referring to the Jews, or the Children of Adam when referring to humankind. Nowhere is a concession made to the principle that the self-sufficient God has no children.

Say He is Allah, the One and Only… He begets not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. 112 The Purity of Faith, 1, 3-4

The expression is used in a figurative sense in the Bible. Not only Jesus is the son of God. In the Hebrew Bible, this name is given to Solomon:

…I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 1 Chronicles 28: 6

Alternately, the people of Israel are called children of God:

You are the children of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 14:1

In the New Testament, this title is given to those who follow Jesus.

…as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

The status of Jesus is an issue dividing Muslims and Christians fuelling centuries of animosity. This runs counter to the message of Jesus/’Isa. In both books he is a man of peace. Those who foster enmity or go to war to defend the Trinity against Allah, or vice versa – who set the Jesus against ‘Isa – are forfeiting the honor of being called – in a metaphoric sense God’s children.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

God and gender

Another point of debate is the gender of God. In principle, the Absolute cannot be limited by being of one sex rather than another. In practice, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur’an were written in patriarchal societies and in patriarchal languages, and have been translated in ways more or less patriarchal. For instance, the Hebrew word Yahweh, literally meaning I am, is translated into English as the Lord, thus more or less automatically applying the male gender. In the Hebrew Bible, as in the New Testament, God is called the Father.

…thou, O LORD, art our father. Isaiah 63:16

Our Father which art in heaven… Matthew 6:9

In the Qur’an, God is never called the Father, since Allah has no children. However, Allah is specified by the gender neutral pronouns I and We but also by the pronoun He, just as in the Bible. On the other hand, it can been argued that the phrase denoting God at the beginning of nearly every Surah – Most Gracious, Most Merciful – is connected to the word womb, since the Arabic reads Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, and the Arabic word for womb is Rahim.

The names or attributes of God

As to God’s name, here we see a great variety. The Jewish personal name for God, YHWH, ‘He is’, translated in the Bible as Lord, is itself of a sacred nature, not to be spoken. God has many other titles, describing various attributes. The Qur’an speaks of Allah the One God, with many names.

To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. 59 The Gathering, 24

There are several lists of the names of God in circulation. Muslims speak of the symbolic number of 99. This implies that name 100 is forever unknown to man. God knows all; man certainly does not. He will never know the definitive truth about all things concerning the Divine. This calls for modesty.

It is therefore with sincere modesty that I present below 13 attributes associated with God in both Books. This selection is neither based on a thorough linguistic study of names used for God in Hebrew, Greek and Arabic, nor on a profound theological- philosophical approach. I was genuinely surprised to find out that the Hebrew Yigdal hymn also numbers 13 attributes of the Divine. The choice I made differs in certain respects. The focus is pragmatic, geared to the recognition of similarities in the images of God in the Qur’an and the Bible which could appeal to modern human beings. The focus is not so much on abstract metaphysical attributes concerning the ultimate essence of God, but on His relations to humankind. Where there is an overlap with the Yigdal attributes I make thankful use of that beautiful hymn.

The 13 attributes presented here are clusters of a set of related characteristics. Thus, Rock, Fortress and Protector are grouped together, as are Judge and Witness, or Teacher and Guide. Admittedly, the selection of 13 attributes out of 99 names of God is somewhat arbitrary. It does remind one of a touching passage in the Bible about Abraham and Ishmael.

And Abraham took Ishmael his son… and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. Abraham was ninety years old and nine…And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old…Genesis 17:23-25

This presentation of attributes of God is not exhaustive, but does shows how very close the images of God are in Bible and Qur’an. Of course, the differences must not be swept under the table. But, the reader is left with the overwhelming impression that the similarities are much greater than animosities between the faiths would lead us to expect.

Everlasting, self-sufficient, incomparable

The first attribute refers to a highly abstract cluster of characteristics. God is eternal, everlasting. As the Yigdal hymn sings: unbounded by time is His existence. He can bestow eternal life on people who accept His guidance. The Qur’an calls God self-sufficient. God is his own source. He is neither created nor begotten. The Bible states that God has no needs.

That God is incomparable is found in both Books. Taken literally, this would mean the end of this chapter. For we humans can only describe God by comparing him to something limited, something that we know from experience: a rock, a teacher, a light. That means that however we choose to describe God – however He chooses to describe himself to us – that is only a small part of the story. This is can be taken as a warning against arrogant dogmatism that boasts of knowing the whole truth, and of having the right to judge the beliefs of others.

That having been said, we can now happily proceed to describe the Divine attributes both Books have in common in terms we humans can understand.

Creator To begin at the beginning, God is the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is therein, and of men and women in particular. As such, we have already met Him. He not only created the world; He also sustains it.

Fortress and safeguard As the Qur’an states, God protects and preserves what He has created. In the Bible, He is compared to a rock on which to build a fortress providing safety. This attribute devolves upon Jesus, who is called the Rock.

Source of peace Peace is an important value in both Books. God is seen as its source. He calls men and women to a home of peace. In the Qur’an, Jesus asks that peace be upon him. The Hebrew Bible speaks of the Prince of Peace. Christians see this as referring to Jesus. God calls those who strive for peace His children.

All-knowing Knowledge and Truth are also important values. God is wise; he sees and hears and knows all. This should make us humans modest.

He scrutinizes and knows our hidden most secrets – He perceives a matter’s outcome at its inception; Yigdal hymn: verse 10

In the New Testament, Truth devolves to Jesus.

God is All-knowing
All knowledge was thought to belong to God, and while God is all-knowing, human beings had to diligently seek this knowledge. Human beings, however, will never be able to attain but a fraction of God’s truth. This did not necessarily mean that truth is relative, but it did mean that truth is partial.
Khaled Abou El Fadl p. xvii

Teacher and guide God is ready to teach humankind. He guides them on the straight path. Speaking to a pastoral people, the Bible calls God and Jesus the Shepherd. The Qur’an speaks of all three Books as the guide and relates how God teaches Moses, Jesus and The Messenger himself, Muhammad.

Savior In the New Testament, the attribute Savior becomes a name for Jesus. In the Hebrew Bible, God saves from danger in specific historic situations, such as slavery in Egypt. Or, He saves from sin. In the Qur’an, salvation is from the punishment of hellfire, a lifting up into the Gardens of Paradise.

Almighty This attribute is associated with absolute kingship as it existed in the Middle East and as it was introduced, for example, into Europe after the Middle Ages. The image of the all-powerful king unites legislative, judicial and military leadership. Today, many kings or queens are constitutional monarchs reigning under the rule of law, with no judicial power and symbolic legislative or military responsibilities at most. In that sense, the image of God as King is somewhat outdated. However, the image of God the Almighty remains.

This image can be consoling for those who suffer, for they can rely on God to save them in the end. However, it also raises questions. Why should a benign and almighty God allow men, women and even innocent children to suffer? How people struggle with this question is shown in Job.

Two faces of God If God is Almighty, how can he allow even the righteous to suffer? In the Bible and the Qur’an, a God of love allows, or even brings, tragedy and destruction upon people. God has two faces. He brings laughter and tears. One meaning given to suffering is that of punishing the wrongdoers. This theme runs through this anthology, appearing in the story of Noah and the great flood; the destruction of Sodom in the story of Lot; the plagues sent to Egypt in the story of Moses; and the description of Hell, the fiery abode for those who do wrong.

If good people face suffering, it must be a test, a refining of character. This suggests that one can come out of a period of suffering as a better, wiser, milder person. God values highly those who suffer undeservedly. In the Hebrew Bible, Job is the typical example. In the New Testament, it is Jesus, the Son of God, Himself the carrier of divine attributes, who suffers humiliation and death among criminals. His suffering is redemptive not only for himself but for all people (of good will). The Qur’an rejects the crucifixion, but shows the value of redemptive suffering in other ways. Prophets have always suffered, and so has Muhammad. However, the concept of a suffering God is foreign to the Qur’an.

Judge God is the judge who metes out reward and punishment to the deserving and undeserving both in this world and in the life to come.

He recompenses man with kindness according to his deed

He places evil on the wicked according to his wickedness; Yigdal Hymn

Again, in the New Testament, Jesus takes on this divine attribute. He becomes the judge. In the Qur’an, he is witness; God is judge. Here, God the Judge acts as a righteous, even generous merchant, who repays men liberally for the good they have done, an image appealing to a mercantile society.

Forgiving This aspect of God, as the righteous and sometimes harsh judge, is softened in both Books by the aspect of forgiveness, stressed in all three books. God is merciful.

Loving The Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Qur’an all speak of the love of God towards humankind. Sometimes, Divine Love is seen as conditional, with God loving only those who love Him and follow His ways. The Qur’an offers a list of those whom God does and does not love because of their attitude and way of life. However, God is ready to forgive when they mend their ways. Other quotes, notably from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, give a picture of God’s a priori and even unconditional love.

Light The step from love to light might not seem logical, but it is often made, especially by Mystics. God is Light as He is Love. He created light and can lead men and women out of darkness into light. In the New Testament, Jesus is the Light of the world. In the Qur’an, the light given by God to humankind is a book: the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an.

Truth, Light and Love
The truth of God ignites my life. The passion overwhelms me with visions of beauty – of light and enlightenment. The passion chases the shadows away from the niches of my mind. Illuminated by the light of the heavens and the earth, I am like a brilliant star. In this luminous state I discover true love – a light upon light.
Khaled Abou El Fadl p.114

Bible

Eternal, Incomparable

And God said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM.

…this is my name forever…”

Exodus 3:14-15

Thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting. Psalms 93:2

Now unto the King eternal, immortal…be honour and glory for ever and ever. 1 Timothy 1:17

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

God…dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything…

The Acts 17:24-5

…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.Romans 6:23

Creator

…the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary… Isaiah 40:28

…thou hast made heaven, he heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth…the seas and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; Nehemiah 9:6

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. St.John, 1:3

Rock and Fortress

For thou art my rock and my fortress; Psalms 31:3

He is the Rock…Deuteronomy 32:4

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth unto it, and is safe. Proverbs 18:10

…and that Rock was Christ.1 Corinthians 10:4

Prince of Peace

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; He maketh peace in thy borders…

Psalm 147:12,14

Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near,” saith the LORD; Isaiah , 57:19

For unto us a child is born…and his name shall be called…The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men! St.Luke, 2:14

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2

Knowing and Wise

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. Proverbs 3:19

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Psalm 1:6; 44:21

…for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. St.Matthew, 6:8

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 1 Samuel 2:3

Wisdom and knowledge are granted unto thee. 2 Chronicles 1:12

…the truth is in Jesus.: Ephesians 4:21

Jesus saith unto him, “I am…the truth…St. John 14:6

Guide, Teacher, Shepherd

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Psalm 32:8

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought…and thou shalt be like a watered garden…Isaiah 58:11

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Psalm 73:24

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:1-2

…our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep…Hebrews 13:20

And he (Jesus ed.) began again to teach by the sea side: St. Mark 4:1

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you… what ye ought to say.St. Luke 12:12

Savior, Redeemer

As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 47:4

And Moses said unto the people, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day…for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Exodus 14:13

Deliver me from all my transgressions;.. Deliver me from my bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation…Psalms 39:8; 51:14

For unto you is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. St. Luke 2:11

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Saviour, for to give repentance …and forgiveness of sins. The Acts 5:31

Almighty King

…I am the Almighty God; Genesis 17:1

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Psalm 103:19

For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. Psalm 22:28

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. Psalm 145:13

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

St. Luke 11:2

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. St.Matthew, 25:34

…Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints! Revelation 15:3

Two Faces of God

Light and darkness

For everything there is a season…A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance…Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil; I, the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:7
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. Job 5:18

God punishes

…and I will cause it to rain upon the earth…and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. Genesis 7:4

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; Genesis 19:24

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments…

I will even appoint over you terror, consumption… and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it… Leviticus 26:14,16

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.St. Matthew 13:41-42

Suffering, purification by fire
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Psalm 71:20

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire… and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver…Malachi 3:2-3

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye…

1 Peter 3:14

The Suffering of Christ
But they cried, saying, “Crucify him, crucify him!” St.Luke 23:21

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Hebrews 5:8-9

…but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, (cross ed.) that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.1 Peter 2:20-21,24

Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:3

Righteous judge

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:25

And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. Psalm 9:8

Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.1 Chronicles 16:33

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…

2 Corinthians 5:10

…the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Timothy 4:1

Forgiving

…for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. Leviticus 23:28

…O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. Psalms 25:11

…saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:4

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him. Daniel 9:9

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. St. Matthew 6:12

…the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins… St. Luke 5:24

God is Love

I love them that love me…Proverbs 8:17

…for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

…the Lord…loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

Proverbs 15:9

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us… Ephesians 5:2

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

We love him because he first loved us. 1 John 4:16,19

…and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11

Light

…God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light…and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:3-4

Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. Job 33:29-30

Thy sun shall no more go down;.. for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Isaiah 60:20

For thou art my lamp, O LORD; and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” St.John, 8:12

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John 1:9

The people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up… St. Matthew 4:16

Quran

Incomparable, Self-sufficient

He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;

112 The Purity of Faith,1-2

There is no god but He, – the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal.

2 The Heifer,255

Your Lord is Self-Sufficient…

6 The Cattle,133

He is Self-Sufficient! His are all things in the heavens and on earth! 10 Yunus,68

And there is none like unto Him.

112 The Purity of Faith, 4

Allah will say: …”theirs are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath – their eternal home:” 5 The Table Spread,119

Creator

We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us. 50 Qaf, 38

He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms…

59 The Gathering,24

It is Allah Who originates creation and repeats it. 10 Yunus,34

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds;1 The Opening,2

Protector and Guardian

O you people! Adore your Guardian-Lord…2 The Heifer,21

For my Lord has care and watch over all things. 11 Hud,57

…Allah is the Protector of the Righteous. 45 Bowing the Knee,19

Source of Peace

Allah is…the Source of Peace…

59 The Gathering, 23

Peace!” – a Word… from a Lord, Most Merciful! 36 Ya-Sin, 58

But Allah calls to the Home of Peace: 10 Yunus, 25

For them will be a Home of Peace in the presence of their Lord:

6 The Cattle,127

…Allah guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety…5 The Table Spread,16

(Jesus said ed.) “So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!” 19 Maryam, 33

All-knowing, All-Seeing, Wise

For Allah has full knowledge and is acquainted with all things.

4 The Women, 35

…He is Allah…the Wise.

34 The City of Saba, 27

…Allah is the…Truth, that makes all things manifest. 24 The Light, 25

For Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that you do. 59 The Gathering,18

For Allah is He Who hears and sees all things…

Allah knows all. 4 The Women, 58,70

But Allah knows, and you know not. 2 The Heifer, 216

High above all is Allah…the Truth!…say “O my Lord! advance me in knowledge.” 20 Ta-Ha, 114

Guide, teacher

It is Allah Who gives guidance toward Truth.

Allah…guides whom He pleases to a Way that is straight. 10 Yunus, 35,25

Those who believe, and work righteousness, – their Lord will guide them because of their Faith: beneath them will flow rivers in Gardens of Bliss. 10 Yunus, 9

His name will be Christ Jesus…And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel, 3 Al-’Imran, 45,48

Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). 2 The Heifer,185

It is He Who sent down to you… in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind…3 Al-’Imran, 3

Giver of Salvation

Our Lord! we have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire;

3 Al-’Imran,16

For those who believe and do righteous deeds, will be Gardens, beneath which rivers flow: that is the great Salvation…85 The Zodiacal Signs,11

Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, blot out… our iniquities…and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment: 3 Al-’Imran,193,194

We send down…in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe. 17 The Israelites,82

But Allah will deliver the righteous to their place of salvation: no evil shall touch them, nor shall they grieve. 39 The Crowds,61

All-Powerful

…for Allah is…All-Powerful.

16 The Bee, 70

Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth: for He is… All-Powerful.

35 The Originator of Creation, 44

Wheresoever you are, Allah will bring you together. For Allah has power over all things. 2 The Heifer,148

Allah creates what He wills; for verily Allah has power over all things. 24 The Light,45

In the name of Allah, The King… of Mankind.114 Mankind, 2

His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory). 2 The Heifer, 255

Don’t you know that to Allah (alone) belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punishes whom He pleases and He forgives whom He pleases; and Allah has power over all things. 5 The Table Spread, 40

Two Faces of Allah

Laughter and tears
That it is He Who grants laughter and tears; That it is He Who grants death and life. 53 The Star, 43-44
If Allah touches you with hurt, there is none can remove it but He: if He designs some benefit for you, there is none can keep back His favor.

10 Yunus,107

To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and He takes it. 9 Repentance, 116

Allah destroys

But the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin.

29 The Spider,14

How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)? Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or while they slept for their afternoon rest. When (thus) Our punishment took them, no cry did they utter but this: “Indeed we did wrong.” 7 The Heights, 4-5

Then those who reject faith in the Signs of Allah will suffer the severest penalty, and Allah is Exalted in Might, Lord of Retribution. 3 Al-‘Imran, 4

…the man who draws on himself the wrath of Allah, and whose abode is in Hell? A woeful refuge! 3 Al-’Imran,162

Redemptive suffering

…a Day when they will be tried (and tested) over the Fire!

51 The Winds that Scatter,13

…and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, those who fear Allah. 2 The Heifer 177

… We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they might learn humility.

6 The Cattle 42

To those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah, after suffering oppression – We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world; but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater.16 The Bee,41

Jesus not crucified
That they said (in boast), ”We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah” – but they did not kill him, nor crucify him…for a certain they did not kill him.

4 The Women,157

Muhammad suffered

Or do you think that you shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: ”When (will come) the help of Allah?” Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!

2 The Heifer , 214

Judge in truth

O my Lord! You judge in truth!

21 The Prophets, 112

Allah is never unjust in the least degree: if there is any good (done), He doubles it…4 The Women, 40

…Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? – when He it is Who has sent to you the Book… 6 The Cattle, 114

Our Lord…will in the end decide the matter between us… in truth and justice. 34 The City of Saba, 26

But Allah will judge betwixt you on the Day of Judgment. 4 The Women,141

Forgiving

You should know that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

5 The Table Spread, 98

…I am…He that forgives again and again, to those who repent, believe and do right…20 Ta-Ha, 82

For Allah is One that blots out (sins) and forgives… 22 The Pilgrimage, 60

Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord…those…who restrain anger, and pardon all men;

for Allah loves those who do good,-who …pardon (all) men; 3 Al-’Imran,133-34;

or Allah loves those who do good…and ask Allah for their forgiveness.24 the Light, 62

Allah loves

If you do love Allah, Allah will love you… 3 Al-‘Imran, 31

…Allah loves those who make themselves pure. 9 Repentance ,108

…Allah loves those who do good.

…Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast.

…Allah does not love those who do wrong. 3 Al-’Imran,76, 134, 146, 57, 31

On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, (Allah) Most Gracious will bestow Love. 19 Maryam, 96

For my Lord is indeed full of mercy and loving kindness. 11 Hud, 90

…He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. 30 The Roman Empire, 21

Light

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.

The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp…enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star… well-nigh Luminous, though fire scarce touched it:

Light upon Light! Allah guides whom He will to His Light. 24 The Light, 35

Praise be to Allah, Who…made the Darkness and the Light. 6 The Cattle,1

Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. 2 The Heifer, 257

It was We Who revealed the Law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. …We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light…5 The Table Spread, 44,46

There has come to you from Our Messenger…a (new) light and a perspicuous Book. 5 The Table Spread,15

But those whose faces will be (lit with) white, – they will be in (the light of) Allah’s mercy: therein to dwell (for ever). 3 Al-‘Imran,107