A Response to "Is God a Megalomaniac Obsessed with Scaremongering?" -Mufti Abu Layth

okay I'm just once again alright let's just see all right all right folks I'm just gonna see once again no idea everybody's probably busy doing their thing which is absolutely fine

all right let's see no idea how many people are up and about at these hours Sid Alamo satin and right so Ramadan Mubarak kami all right okay going on there just as I try to go on live my phone decides to have a reboot all right

so let me just get back in there okay in the hamdulillah wa kafa what salat wa salam o allah so little Mustafa well I live at the inlet inaudible emember hotel method Bobby but Salam allahi a little poem an asylum become right people hello most certain and you've got assalamu alaykum wa alaykum assalam Hamelin oh ma you've got

no 7 how you doing Samir Nashua sit in the house I know cycling people I just want to share Ramadan Mubarak and Kareem a couple of me now I'm income to all of you I just want to share a few insights somebody's saying they've got they've got an exam tomorrow may Allah make things easy and may grant you success each and all who hear this may Allah grant you all success in in both worlds

I mean right so I've received a message from a few people a handful of people they've what appears to be it's not their personal message I'm not sure where they've got it from but it must be some social media message but I received it a few times now on whatsapp once again just this evening again from somebody now it's a very on 100 disturbing kind of it's a theological message it's a message to do with God but it can be quite maybe so shattering

for certain people it can I don't know I thought thought-provoking is the right word but it will it's definitely very overwhelming for a lot of people I just wanted to share the message of my thoughts on it the message is challenging the concept of God okay and it's giving a kind of analogy to our understanding and that's why I just want to share a few words that's all this will be on this and my understanding on what comes to mind a few people have asked me my thoughts so

the message is is giving an example and it says that I'll read it out once again this the summary of it I mean you understand it but it is to challenge the concept of God right so it states that imagine a cult leader who yells at his members that if they do not bow down to him and blindly obey Him he will burn them with his flamethrower while awarding those who do obey Him with women alcohol and money if someone leaves the gang they will be killed by being burnt alive people will rightly

think this person or he is a crazy man maniac no one would appreciate his behavior but when God does the exact same it becomes alright worship and rub your head on the ground and blindly obey me otherwise I will throw you in Hell and torture you for an eternity if you obey God he gives you paradise with rivers of wine and lots of women the underlying idea is fear the Abrahamic faiths are built around it it's hard to turn a page of the Quran

and not find this fear mongering so this message I've received it actually I think about two three days ago I received it again from a handful of people I received it again today right so people were asking my thoughts on it and I thought well if these people have reached out to me with it it's very likely many others have come across this message I would say unquestionably the

message is very it's it's quite shocking I mean it does shock a person if they contemplate it and in its outline the way it's being outlined any justification to the contrary to try and justify the idea that the person is presenting to justify God like that is you have to admit this indefensible okay I would assume right so what are my

thoughts on that I would like to say that look the way God is being presented in that message it is true that if a person understands God in that way that for many people is it's indefensible okay but we don't understand a loss of Hanwha to Allah in that I would call people I completely disagree that any any page you turn of the Quran you find that message that is untrue although I do accept that that

narrative is very strong in the judeo-christian kind of tradition and if one does take that perspective and reads into the Quran with that lens so to speak yes you can extract a message along those lines this is with any texture with any text or scripture if one with a particular lens and reads into a scripture with that particular lens it will be very easy to extract

just as today we will see many extremist factions of let's say groups sects groups like Isis or other groups that will read into the Quran and extract a very bloodthirsty kind of narrative it's not that they can't it's important you can if you have a particular lens and an intention you can extract anything from a scripture so I'm not arguing that that narrative cannot be extracted but what I'm arguing is that is not the overarching that is not the general

backdrop of the Quran and Sunnah and not as I understand it and I'm sure not as many Muslims understand that so I do i would agree to condemn or there may be a strong word but to definitely disagree with that approach of God I would not the god I worship is not that kind of a God okay I would not worship a God like that that was just based on scaring people into doing something that would the equivalent of if you do not bow down to me I will torture you for an eternity

and use my flamethrower and burn you and although certain people I admit certain people may buy into that I just like to share some thoughts about that we see a loss of Hanul of the ILA constantly constantly reminds us in the Quran we cannot generally begin a surah of the Quran except Allah reminds us of Rahman al Raheem al Rahman al Rahim bismillah al Rahman right the most merciful the most compassionate okay now

one may argue that yes at times a lot does mention a punishment could be could be held for certain people a punishment that they could face certain perils and dangers but that is in line with the general understanding that Allah the the when there are rewards there are certain sanctions presented Allah never it is a classical debate among scholars that look does Allah have to punish people and it's very clear that the sunnah wa l-jama'a for Dino Rossi and all these

are the people great theologians of Addison or Tamar have written that if Allah wants everybody can be forgiven there is no compulsion on Allah and I would like to draw let's go to the Book of Allah if we go to surah to zuma they also believe min as-shaytan ar-rajim bismillah r-rahman r-rahim allah after mentioning highlighting how he stretches and expands the risk the provisions the blessings for his people saying oh allah

ala moana lodge absolute risk do they not know that Allah spreads extends expands his risk for whom He wills we are there enough either Nikolaj certainly homie you'll be known indeed there are signs in that for people who have faith he brings us to this verse which is verse 53 insulative summer right so that sorry 52 then leaving on into 53 so allah says could ya ibadi and levena a set of who I am for see him that say o

my people on mice that all my slaves all my servants that those who have transgressed upon themselves and upon others let happen at all Muhammad Allah do not despair in the mercy of Allah in Allah he affords onobu jamia indeed Allah will forgive the sins in their entirety in Naju one of a variety indeed

indeed he is the most forgiving the most merciful that is the first of the poor man I'd like to bring our attention to another verse which is in Surat Annisa you've got verse 147 where Allah brings our attention to after highlighting that that he will give reward those who have been good and worship and worship or recognized Allah the faithful Allah says

1 my if I don't love Allah highlights my if Allah opiod that become what would Allah get out of punishing you and look at this this narrative this rhetoric is this language of the plan what would a lock it out of punishing the my father long where they become in Jakarta now you could read this in two ways you could read this as a condition that only thing in you were thankful or you could read this

as an extension if only like if like if only you guys would just be grateful and that's how I kind of read it and understanding what our mental and you bring faith in this merciful god of yours and then look how a lot girls want to say what kind of love sure killing oh look what kind of low addressing himself as grateful what kind of Love Shack killin oedema

and most knowing now he didn't have to say that Allah Himself is grateful you don't have to use that term to describe himself but he did once again an overwhelming narrative of compassion so I agree that look yes if you're going to take a certain narrative it doesn't make sense I would personally find that kind of a narrative as a person indefensible but that is not the Allah that I know that is not the God that I worship the god I worship is ar-rahman ar-rahim the

god I worship is one who created this universe with all its wanderer and all its kind of amazement that and gave this miracle of life the one could say well why does Allah say bow down to me you see it's not about saying bow down to me it's about that pondering and reflection over Allah Allah says were alchemy salata Lizzie curry and establish the prayer for my remembrance for my connection now you may say well a lock would have just

said ponder over me that is true he could have but human beings their psyche clings to ritual it does that so Allah has even a ruched highlighted that he say a spectrum something that all of humanity at the very least could cling to they could kind of be a part of and that is simply some worship in the manner of a ritual that will cling to them and those who can excel will ponder over him ponder over his creation the

amazement the amazing kind of miracles around us of nature of life that he has given us the mystery of this world we will ponder over enough etheric Allah hired they are assigned live home in a tough economy for people who ponder who reflect now this so a lock would have told everybody to ponder and reflect but to some people that may be too much of a struggle sometimes some people not all people in God's creation are a very thinking people so last set the minimum

and allowed an entire continuum so this was the very least okay so it was not this kind of understanding that you know I will torture you you do not do this you in fact you will see whenever the salah is mentioned allah gives it highlights in a sense of strength and compassion and his remembrance not with that sense of kind of this intimidation and and you see people might say well salar just becomes you know bowing down just becomes a ritual and a ritual just becomes meaningless one could argue that true i mean it may

be like that but but when ever as long as a person has that rope to god whenever they are may be faced with certain things in life that doorway that portal that they have opens up in all of a sudden becomes meaningful rhasta a nobis sovery was saw and seek assistance one by being patient facing the challenges but then that portal of soul so it is not

meant to be just a bowing rubbing your forehead that and that's true if it was done in that manner as it's mentioned that look why don't you bow down to me and then I'll give you women and and booze and alcohol and all this kind of stuff it is very meaningless I will accept that but that's not how a loss of Hannah Montana and if it was to be said as in if you do not rub your forehead as that message said to me I will burn you but look where the messenger of allah said in a hadith that on the day of judgment that I believe inside Muslim that a person will come when a man with all

authority man he never offered an ounce of good never that means never did a search that bowing down to Allah and that if what does it say that if that he is in FEMA sheep Attila in the default in the in the divine wisdom and will of Allah insha Allah if Allah wants yes he could take him to task he could sanction they could be one insha Allah for Allah and if he wants he will forgive him that is a mercy that is a message of mercy so I just wanted to highlight that that is

not how I read the Quran that is not how that is not the message like you turn every page and find that in the plan that is not at all but I do agree if a person had that mindset he could extract that narrative from the piranha not say I'm not denying that that narrative and I'm not denying that there aren't Muslims who do hold that perspective then maybe I would personally disagree with that perspective strongly because a Lars I know him is al Rahman al Rahim and in a hadith Allah says and I am that's up Abdi Cavani be I treat my

servant as he expects of me I want to take by sorry somebody asking about booze by alcohol by that as it mentions in the Quran about alcohol for example boos meaning alcohol that's I think that's what the person kind of writes in the message so I want to bring our attention to one final verse you see that we and then I'll kind of just wrap this up right now I want us to understand that the mystery of us in my

understanding and I don't know I don't truly fathom what you know maybe the inner depths of this the meaning of this verse but when our law says that were one a thought now that love infused breathed into us humanity of his Mahina of of his spirit of his whatever that means the raw have allah they by creating this connection i'm not saying a physical connection in that sense but

but this inextricable this this kind of inseparable bond of humanity with their creator and in light of that I want to bring our attention to this verse in Surat al-baqarah and it is also a verse that many people have asked me about because they contemplated and maybe struggled with some of its meaning it's to do with Ibrahim alayhi Salaam and he said and it said and it reads what if all I ever are him or Robby are any caifa to heal Malta and when Ibrahim said oh my lord show me how you bring

the law the dead to life how that how Allah told me Allah said do you not have faith all Abella what I can Lea playing Appleby he said indeed but to saw that my heart may find serenity and tranquility yet might not be all our hood our bottom may not Bailey for so who namely and then Allah instructs him to collect for birds so much I like Coolidge Evelyn Minho nachos on and then place them on

these distant hilltops or mountain what is described as mountaintops but mainly on Mount some leather orna then called them yeah Tina Kazarian how they will come to you running while amanda la ha season hockey and know that Allah is indeed Almighty and divine with wisdom Allah many people have understood this verse and they've read it just about miracles what many people have understood here is that allah tells

ibrahim ali Salam to collect these birds and chop like to cut them into pieces and then to place these pieces spread them out and then call them and the birds will come together that's how many people have understood this some people disagreed with that understanding now me I wasn't I've never really read that in that I've never understood that verse in that way I'll share with you my understanding as so you can read many of the classical to fussy it comes back to the definition of this word for sorna awake what does sore here mean and it

has been read mainly as sore and by some I believe Hamza ready as say seven nine late but generally from Soria sorrow and people have said many of the toughest here and both transmissions are from it not bus as well some people have said it means to cut up their Hoonah but what's interesting is the other meaning the other meaning is that a milliner that inclined them affectionately towards you hence Allah follows it up by saying II

Laker Laker that for sorna alayka if it meant to cut them why - would you cut them towards you it doesn't make much sense and this may have some connection with the word in Arabic Salah is also used for the whistling done by by spirals and birds for knowledge make them man it'll make them inclined with affection with affinity to you why why why these birds why make them do that because why not get other animals why

not get creatures of rabbit or get something else because birds are so difficult to get hold of and they are so free in this theory a bird just flying for mine has forever kind of gazed upon birds with wonder that how that the freedom the majesty in which they kind of fly and soar through the skies that something's so evasive as a bird can't for birds get them take your time

nurture them to some extent grow a bond with them a milliner alaik force or nothing incline them towards you with affection then place them far and wide through mataron now call them with that affection that you have they come flying towards you and yet the souls have a

greater affinity to Allah that when Allah on the day of judgment calls the souls that they come to him with a much greater affinity with a bond that is inseparable well in gnarly leahy what that from Malawi came when a fauna displaying into Adam this whatever this was were allayed here are doing and on to him we shall return so this

understanding this affinity that we have to mean this verse makes it it gives a much greater explanation in saying that you see you're simply asking about the body you're asking about how the Dead will be brought back what is this body let me answer it from a much greater perspective that you are far under estimating the bond of the soul inshallah so with that I just wanted to share some of these words with you this is an amazing time and amazing month to

reconnect with the the book of allah may allah subhanaw taala multiply our rewards may he grant us that sincerity may he really allow us to reconnect with his book may he give us the topic to turn away from any dark morbid narratives of this theme to the truly compassionate understanding of Islam that that Allah has really bestowed upon us shava with that people all or just I'll just finish with a word that Allah

Himself follows on from this verse just two verses later saying follow me often well ma fara that indeed saying a kind word and sometimes overseeing and forgiving people and being compassionate hello men saw the patinas bahasa is much better than sometimes being very charitable but following it by harsh words or acting walk proud about it voila who are any indeed allies most for bearing with us an incredibly rich so people may last panel to either keep

us all forever upon this firm and firmly founded and this true understanding may keep you all forever smiling and happy in Charlotte have an awesome time I thought I'd share some of those words with you take very good care of yourselves people stay awesome stay in touch stay blessed you shall are over an hour false salam-o-alaikum what I've mental eye to eye level butter cut