Neither stone nor trees...

Neither stone nor trees; neither animals nor human-beings; neither the Sun nor the Moon nor the Stars can be worshipped; because everything is created, and created for his benefit. When a Muslim, thus, has rejected every falsehood and every idea of nature-worship, idol-worship or human-worship, he is ready to believe in the positive truth of the Unity of God. Believing in a Supreme being gives an aim to our life and provides a purpose for our actions.

Had a man been left with the wrong impression that there was no God at all, his life would have been aimless, and an aimless life is dangerous. So it is added that there is no god "except Allah". This sentence has a negative as well as a positive aspect. Both are instrumental in creating the belief that every man is equal to every other person. When nobody is superior, nobody is inferior.

Thus, the belief in the Unity of God promotes the sense of brotherhood, equality and equity which is another feature of Islam. Q15: RESPECT FOR THE NAME OF ALLAH If I have written the Arabic name of God on a piece of paper, can I throw it away? Suppose this is in English, does the same rule apply? What about the names of the Ahlul-Bait? A. It is haram to throw away the names of Allah or Ma'sumeen. Such writings should either be buried, put in river or ocean or re-cycled.

It makes no difference whether it is written in Arabic or in any other script. (Be careful about the stamps of Iran. Some stamps have Qur'anic verses written on them). Q. 16: SIGNIFICANCE OF 'ADI What is the significance of 'Adi? A. 'Adi means that Allah is just; He does not do injustice to any one. He has ordered us to do justice to our fellow creatures - but He Himself treats us not only with justice but with grace.

He created us for His worship, in order that we may attain spiritual perfection through it. That spiritual perfection enables us to reach nearer to Allah. For this purpose, He has given us freedom of will and choice. When we choose, by our own free will, the Straight Path (prescribed by Allah) we are assured in the next world of everlasting happiness and glory by Grace of Allah. Q. 17: MAN'S FREE WILL In the above reply, you say that we, by our own free will, choose the path we proceed upon.

But I have been told that the Muslims believe in predestination - that our all good and bad actions are predestined by Allah. Please explain the reality to me. A.