"So Remember Me, and I Will Remember You..." (Quran 2:152), Again, So That We Should Remember!

Published in October 24, 2017

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- Mr. Ahmed Abdel-Haleem, a Quranist friend of ours, told us within a phone call that when he was buying his daily coffee from a Pakistani man in New York, this Pakistani man asked him jestingly about the reason why the Shiites are often invoking the name of (Ali) in their daily speech. Mr. Abdel-Haleem retorted that it is better to ask why Sunnites invoke the name of (Muhammad) in the same manner. This Pakistani man fell silent and pondered for a while, and then, Mr. Abdel-Haleem told him that this is because Shiites and Sunnites have lost their direct link/contact with Almighty God. 

2- This phone call has made us remember God's Quranic verse about sinful hypocrites: "...They forgot God, so He forgot them. The hypocrites are the sinners." (9:67). We also remember God's warning addressed to Quran-believing people: "And do not be like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves. These are the sinners." (59:19).

3- May our Lord God be glorified! In fact, most features of hypocrisy mentioned in the Quran apply to the Muhammadans in our era, especially the fact that they have forgotten God and He made them forget themselves, and they are now among the heedless who have fabricated to themselves dead deities/gods entombed in mausoleums and given them names like Muhammad, Ali, Hussein, Omar, Abou Bakr, etc.    

4- Even if such mausoleums really contain remains and dust of such dead people, they are never able to see, hear, or do anything. God warns and addresses the polytheists of all eras who worship mausoleums in these verses: "If you pray to them, they cannot hear your prayer. And even if they heard, they would not answer you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will reject your polytheism. None informs you like an Expert." (35:14); "Who is more misguided than him who invokes, besides God, those who will not answer him until the Day of Resurrection, and are heedless of their prayers? And when humanity is gathered, they will be enemies to them, and will renounce their worship of them." (46:5-6). These deities/saints/gods they have fashioned, and whom are being worshipped by them on a daily basis, will never hear or remember these worshippers. In contrast, when the human beings, who are created by God, remember their Creator, He remembers them. 

5- Let us ponder more on the phrase "So remember Me, and I will remember you..." (2:152) in the points below.

Firstly: the meaning of ''remembrance'' of God in Islam:

1- We are to remember, glorify, praise, and sanctify the name of our Lord God and nothing/no-one else alongside with God. This monotheism is rejected and refused by polytheists who deify and sanctify mortals and glorify/remember their names alongside with God; e.g., the Sunnite Muhammadans who remember/glorify Muhammad's name (and other names of 'saints'). God says the following about such people: "When God alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with resentment. But when those other than Him are mentioned, they become filled with joy." (39:45). Thus, when the Muhammadans hear the name of Muhammad, they praise him loudly, nut they remain silent when they hear the word (Allah); they never glorify God at all once His Holy Name is mentioned to them! 

2- God is to be remembered and glorified using only the Quran: "...And when you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion." (17:46). Thus, polytheists remember God's name sometimes as per what is written in their sanctified books of  supplication and prayers authored by mortals, and such books mix glorification of God with glorifying mortals. When Quranists reject such polytheism and insist on remembering and glorifying only God (with no-one beside Him) using only the Quran and nothing else, polytheists feel aversion, because they never believe in God except within polytheism of deifying mortals (e.g., Muhammad, Ali, & 'imams'/ 'saints'). Of course, mosques of the Muhammadans reflect this sheer polytheism; they mention and glorify the names of Muhammad and other mortals in the Azan (call to prayers), prayers, and sermons, and they build mosques around 'holy' tombs or mausoleums. Thus, the Muhammadans never dedicate mosques only to the worship of God; before Islam, the Qorayish tribe did the same in the places of worship, and they were about to turn violent against Muhammad when he protested against such utter polytheism: "The places of worship are for God. So do not call, besides God, upon anyone else. And when the servant of God got up calling on Him, they almost fell on him in a mass. Say, "I pray only to my Lord, and I never associate anyone with Him."" (72:18-20). When these polytheists enter into Hell, they will beseech God to get them out of it, but this is the reply they will get: "That is because when God alone was called upon, you disbelieved; but when others were associated with Him, you believed. Judgment rests with God the Sublime, the Grand." (40:12). The Quranic verses are Clear enough, but the Muhammadans have rejected and abandoned the Quran.  

Secondly: times and locations to remember and glorify God's Name:

1- To remember and praise/glorify the name of God is a religious duty that is often forgotten: it can be done anytime and anywhere, day and night, as much as believers choose. God has said to Muhammad: "And mention the Name of your Lord, morning and evening. And for part of the night, prostrate yourself to Him, and glorify Him long into the night." (76:25-26); God has said to Zachariah: "...And remember your Lord much, and praise in the evening and the morning." (3:41); God says to all believers: "That you may believe in God and His messenger, and support Him, and honor Him, and praise Him morning and evening." (48:9). 

2- This remembrance and glorification of God can be in mosques in times of prayers and other times of the day and night: "In houses which God has permitted to be raised, and His name is celebrated therein. He is glorified therein, morning and evening. By men who neither trading nor commerce distracts them from God's remembrance, and from performing the prayers, and from giving alms. They fear a Day when hearts and sights are overturned." (24:36-37).

3- This remembrance and glorification of God is done when reading the Quran itself: "They believe in Our verses, those who, when reminded of them, fall down prostrate, and glorify their Lord with praise, and are not proud." (32:15).

4- This remembrance and glorification of God can be done in times of adversity. For instance, when Jonah glorified God inside the whale and God delivered him: "Then the whale swallowed him, and he was to blame. Had he not been one of those who praised." (37:142-143); "And Jonah, when he stormed out in fury, thinking We had no power over him. But then He cried out in the darkness, "There is no God but You! Glory to You! I was one of the unjust ones!" So We answered him, and saved him from the affliction. Thus We save the faithful." (21:87-88).

5- God has commanded Muhammad to combine adherence to patience with the glorification of God day and night, as this relieves hearts of real believers: "So bear patiently what they say, and celebrate the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting. And during the hours of the night glorify Him, and at the borders of the day, that you may be satisfied." (20:130); "So be patient. The promise of God is true. And ask forgiveness for your sin, and proclaim the praise of your Lord evening and morning." (40:55); "So be patient with what they say, and proclaim the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before sunset. And glorify Him during the night, and at the end of prostrations." (50:39-40); "So patiently await the decision of your Lord, for you are before Our Eyes; and proclaim the praises of your Lord when you arise. And glorify Him during the night, and at the receding of the stars." (52:48-49); "Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of God. Surely, it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find comfort."" (13:28).

6- Hence, real believers remember, thank, and praise the Lord in all times, all day long, in times of adversity and prosperity: "So remember Me, and I will remember you. And thank Me, and do not be disbelievers." (2:152). Thus, those who do not praise and thank the Lord for His bounties are disbelievers. We are to thank and glorify God when we take means of transportation: "That you may mount their backs, and remember the favor of your Lord as you sit firmly upon them, and say, "Glory be to Him Who placed these at our service; surely we could not have done it by ourselves." (43:13). When believers forget to remember and praise God's name, they should do it once they remember, day or night: "...And remember your Lord if you forget..." (18:24); "O you who believe, remember God with frequent remembrance. And glorify Him morning and evening." (33:41-42). This remembrance does NOT entail any conditions, positions, or preparations: "Those who remember God while standing, and sitting, and on their sides; and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, You did not create this in vain, glory to You, so protect us from the torment of the Fire."" (3:191).

Thirdly: remembrance of God in piety and the fear of the Lord and reverently in low voices:

1- The polytheists turn the remembrance of the Lord God, beside their deities, into festivals and feasts of loud voices by 'holy' mausoleums, as done by Sufis, Shiites, and many Sunnites. In such feasts, Sufis dance and sing loudly, while Shiites engage into self-flagellation and wounding their bodies!    

2- Such practices contradict God's way of remembrance and glorifying His Holy Name: "Call upon your Lord humbly and privately. He does not love the aggressors. And do not corrupt on earth after its reformation, and pray to Him with fear and hope. God's mercy is close to the doers of good." (7:55-56). God says the following about how Zachariah invoked Him: "A mention of the mercy of your Lord towards His servant Zechariah. When he called on his Lord, a call while murmuring." (19:2-3).

3- This applies to all times and cases of remembrance in piety and in the fear of the Lord God and in prayers devoted and dedicated to God: "And remember your Lord within yourself, humbly and fearfully, and quietly, in the morning and the evening, and do not be of the heedless." (7:205); "So remember the Name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly." (73:8); "Successful are the believers. Those who are humble in their prayers." (23:1-2).

Fourthly: types of God's remembrance by the Quran, prayers, piety, and in the fear of the Lord God:

1- Reading the Quran must be done in piety within the fear of the Lord God while reflecting on the verses, and by listening to the verses when recited to us: "The believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and when His revelations are recited to them, they strengthen them in faith, and upon their Lord they rely." (8:2); "When the Quran is recited, listen to it, and pay attention, so that you may experience mercy." (7:204).

2- We should remember that one of the names of the Quran is (Remembrance) preserved by God: "...By the Quran of Remembrance." (38:1); "Surely We revealed the Remembrance, and We will surely preserve it." (15:9).

3- The daily payers are a way to remember God in a special way that contain kneeling, prostrations, etc.: "I-I am God. There is no God but I. So serve Me, and practice the prayer for My remembrance." (20:14). Between times of prayers, one is to adhere to piety by remembering God all the time, and this resulting in good deeds and moralistic behavior; in fact, piety is the purpose of all acts of worship: "...and perform the prayer. The prayer prevents indecencies and evils. And the remembrance of God is greater. And God knows what you do." (29:45); "O people! Worship your Lord who created you and those before you, that you may attain piety." (2:21).  

4- When believers feel tempted by devils to perform evil deeds or sins, they remember God and move away from sinning; this is the direct result of remembrance of God: "Those who are righteous-when an impulse from Satan strikes them, they remind themselves, and immediately see clearly." (7:201); "And those who, when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember God and ask forgiveness for their sins-and who forgives sins except God? And they do not persist in their wrongdoing while they know." (3:135).

Fifthly: that God remembers believers means to help them in this world and to make them enter into Paradise:

1- The meaning of God's remembering you is to help you, as you adhere to patience and prayers when dealing with worldly affairs or troubles: "So remember Me, and I will remember you. And thank Me, and do not be disbelievers. O you who believe! Seek help through patience and prayers. God is with the patient ones." (2:152-153).

2- When believers remember God within all times by ways mentioned in the above points, they are among the pious ones who deserve Paradise: "Such is Paradise which We will give as inheritance to those of Our servants who are pious." (19:63); "And those who feared their Lord in piety will be led to Paradise in throngs..." (39:73).

Lastly: who are you to be remembered by God?:

1- One takes pride when praised and remembered by one's boss; what about when Almighty God the Creator remembers you?

2- Who are you to be remembered by the Dominant Lord? You are merely one of His creatures, and this verse applies to you: "And do not walk proudly on earth. You can neither pierce the earth, nor can you match the mountains in height." (17:37). It is by God's mercy that when you remember His Name in piety and fear, He will be Generous with you to remember your name. there is no greater honor than that, of course.