Few Intriguing questions

[Fusion]

A close friend of mine had a discussion with me and asked a few questions which I tried to answer in detail from Quran but somehow I noticed he is restless and I was not able to make sense to him. Seems he wants a short to the point explanation if it exists rather than a big lecture style reply.
I am going to post 2 top questions and will post more with time if needed.


1. Some of the verses of Quran talks about God where it seems or appear to characterizes His emotions similar to that of Humans. How is that possible when our mind can not encompass his nature. Unless the only way God can convey through human like qualities to make us understand otherwise in literal the creator can not be subjected to such characteristics simply because those qualities are exhibit in the things which are created. For example in QURAN we find many verses which talks about God being "happy", "angry", "love", "hate", "waiting", "testing" and likes. My friend point is that all these qualities at least in a man is subject to "some external actions". For example, we become very happy when we see some one praises us , or when we achieve success. Likewise we weep or become sad when some external factor (like death , loss) affect us. So the characteristics exhibited here are a result of actions and we react. How come God will follow the same action-reaction? He is far above and beyond to be surprised, happy or sad because he is all knowing!!! hence please can some elaborate on to respond to such a rational question? I tried to explain him that the communication between us and God is through a human language and the creator uses the language terms to explain us else we would never comprehend his message.

2. Is there a chance (even 5%) that there will be no after life, no hell or heaven or this is the only life we get and when we die, its the end. Which means that all these books or religions or code of conduct are actually created by enlightened men which never actually came from some God. Hence everything is evolved from human intellect which needed an entity as the creator to justify their doctrines. He says it is obvious that every thing around us is created, came into being, no deny. However the concept of an established religion (good evil reward punishment accountability etc  all remains in this life for individuals and when you die, its end for you. there is no after life). Hence no one know why this universe is created in real sense, every one (so called prophets) created all from their own mind for the benefit of the society which is actually part of the big game which no one know why, what and how it will end, if at all or it will continue like a loop.

Thank you

[nimnimak_11]

Peace Fusion

How is that possible when our mind can not encompass his nature

1) Just because we don't understand something, doesn't mean that that thing is impossible or not true. If it's unknown to us, then it's unknown to us.

And our minds can understand His nature. God/Perfect/Allah is the best possible thing a mind can conceive. Being All-knowing requires that God knows how everything feels. One does not necessarily have to experience a feeling to know what it feels like (I know what it feels like to be nervous even though I'm not nervous now). And why wouldn't God feel hate or love? These are good feelings provided that they can be satisfied (if you can reward or make happy what you love and punish what you hate, then that is satisfying). I've seen a movie more than once and I have drawn emotions from it.

Also, God knows what we feel (this is definite). I believe God feels what we feel. So God knows I will be happy at time t. Perhaps God feels this when that time t occurs (but not before it because the effect occurs at time t). Some people God wants to feel happy, some people God wants to feel unhappy. God does whatever is/feels best. God does whatever satisfies Perfection.

2) Why would God create us and then fail to preserve the good of us whilst destroying the evil of us? Also, we came into this world with no recollection of a before and we go to sleep at night dreaming. I think empirically it's more likely that after death more experiences will occur. It's just that we might not be aware of this life once we enter the new life just as we are not aware of what we were before we were born into this world (we may remember later, or it may be revealed to us later). You cannot have something come from nothing. And you cannot have something go into nothing.

Are you philosophically minded? Have you studied any philosophy by any chance?

[Fusion]

Thanks nimnimak_11 for your thoughts.
I did not study philosophy but am very much interested in it by my own experience.
In your reply you mentioned "Perhaps God feels this when that time t occurs (but not before it because the effect occurs at time t)". Doe this mean God is bounded by Time (and space)? is not time is applied to creations only and God is beyond this? please elaborate.
No one has ever come from dead so we wont know for sure if there are events continue happening after we die or just a blank void.
The think I wanted to understand and ponder is that I find verses in Quran where the language is such that it says things like God is waiting with us for the day, God knows the unseen. God knows the secrets of heavens and earth. God telling angels Have not I told you that I know whats in and beyond heavens and earth. So here I wanted to say are these sentences to make a conversation for us to understand his nature.. otherwise the one who creates every thing need not to claim that he knows the unseen or he knows the secrets etc as if he is also an outsider.

Thanks

[nimnimak_11]

To qualify as All-Knowing, one has to know all that is knowable (if there is an unseen that is knowable, then God would know it). If something is not knowable, then by definition it is not something that anyone would know. For example, God cannot be expected to know what a gfshks is because gdshks is not a knowable thing. It is just a made up word/label.

God knows what we reveal and what we hide. I believe this amounts to God knows what we would choose in what circumstance and organises everything so that the best outcome happens. Whether God knows what He would choose or not, is not something that is clear beyond that He knows that that which He chooses will be perfect (because His desire/will is perfect). Some relevant verses to consider:

81:29 And you cannot will anything except if it is also willed by God, Lord of the worlds.

7:156 "And decree for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter; we have been guided towards You." He said: "My punishment, I afflict with it whom I chose, and My mercy encompasses all things/wills. I will thus decree it for those who are aware and contribute towards purification, and those who believe in Our revelations."

Imagine One taking into account all things/wills every second and then coordinating such that Existence is Perfectly Existing such that everything is progressing towards what it ought to.

51:47 And the heaven We constructed with resources, and We are expanding it.

That One being knows what all other beings reveal and hide and coordinates/wills accordingly. I think you should also have a look at the following Biblical verse: Hebrews 4:3-5.

To my understanding, God is not beyond time and space. There is no beyond time and space. God is the Omnipresent, so God encompasses all time and space that flows, and God is the flow-er.

[Fusion]

To qualify as All-Knowing, one has to know all that is knowable (if there is an unseen that is knowable, then God would know it). If something is not knowable, then by definition it is not something that anyone would know. For example, God cannot be expected to know what a gfshks is because gdshks is not a knowable thing. It is just a made up word/label.

God knows what we reveal and what we hide. I believe this amounts to God knows what we would choose in what circumstance and organises everything so that the best outcome happens. Whether God knows what He would choose or not, is not something that is clear beyond that He knows that that which He chooses will be perfect (because His desire/will is perfect). Some relevant verses to consider:

81:29 And you cannot will anything except if it is also willed by God, Lord of the worlds.

7:156 "And decree for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter; we have been guided towards You." He said: "My punishment, I afflict with it whom I chose, and My mercy encompasses all things/wills. I will thus decree it for those who are aware and contribute towards purification, and those who believe in Our revelations."

Imagine One taking into account all things/wills every second and then coordinating such that Existence is Perfectly Existing such that everything is progressing towards what it ought to.

51:47 And the heaven We constructed with resources, and We are expanding it.

That One being knows what all other beings reveal and hide and coordinates/wills accordingly. I think you should also have a look at the following Biblical verse: Hebrews 4:3-5.

To my understanding, God is not beyond time and space. There is no beyond time and space. God is the Omnipresent, so God encompasses all time and space that flows, and God is the flow-er.

Very interesting and again thank you for sharing your thoughts.
From your explanation it does appear to me, a God with limits and boundaries? or did I understand wrong? I mean does god have a physical aspect that HE can not go beyond time and space? Well I guess am not making sense so please excuse my question if does not make sense.

Perhaps God is far above what human beings may devise about Him in their own minds...because human mind ask questions like "Can God create another God if he is able over all things" or God claims to know all what is in heavens and earth as if those objects came into existence by other factors ..
Or the verse 21:22.

[Fusion]

Although he is a hadith believer, what he says from 8:20 is cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWV1A0j69CI

[nimnimak_11]

Very interesting and again thank you for sharing your thoughts.
From your explanation it does appear to me, a God with limits and boundaries? or did I understand wrong? I mean does god have a physical aspect that HE can not go beyond time and space?

Not with limits and boundaries. The Infinite/Omnipresent has no limits and boundaries. By definition, that which is Infinite is the only entity that is not limited in any way shape or form.

Perhaps God is far above what human beings may devise about Him in their own minds...because human mind ask questions like "Can God create another God if he is able over all things"

There is no beyond that-which-there-is-no-beyond (or Infinity) for God/Infinity to create another God/Infinite. The Infinite encompasses all that is finite (that which has a beginning and an end), and all that is semi-infinite (that which has a beginning but no end). Infinity is such that there can be an endless number of finites and semi-infinites.

There is a difference between can/possibility, and will/reality. What could have been or what could be, are all matters of hypothetical possibilities. They are things that God could will/choose but has not yet done so (or did not do so). What was willed is what attained reality.

God is the all-encompassing will. The Almighty.

81:29 And you cannot will anything except if it is also willed by God, Lord of the worlds.

2:253 If God had willed...God does what He intends.

Maybe the following will benefit you, but I don't know:
godisallthatmatters.wordpress.com/2020/08/12/all-that-exists/

[Jafar]

For example in QURAN we find many verses which talks about God being "happy", "angry", "love", "hate", "waiting", "testing" and likes. My friend point is that all these qualities at least in a man is subject to "some external actions". For example, we become very happy when we see some one praises us , or when we achieve success. Likewise we weep or become sad when some external factor (like death , loss) affect us. So the characteristics exhibited here are a result of actions and we react.

Tell your friend that it is possible to be happy regardless of external actions or events.

And God is not separated with it's creation.
I usually uses the metaphor of Novel Author and Character in his novel.

I often uses Tolkien and his famous novel Lord Of The Rings.
Everything and everyone inside Lord Of The Rings are created by Tolkien.
Frodo is created by Tolkien, Sauron, Gollum, Gandalf are created by Tolkien.
Furthermore Frodo, Sauron, Gollum and Gandalf are actually Tolkien!
Tolkien playing the role of Frodo, Sauron, Gollum and Gandalf.

Hence no one know why this universe is created in real sense, every one (so called prophets) created all from their own mind for the benefit of the society which is actually part of the big game which no one know why, what and how it will end, if at all or it will continue like a loop.

The answer is then the same as why Tolkien wrote Lord Of The Rings.