Quranic Terminology: Truth/True/Truly/Truthful: (1) in the Sense of Belief

Published in November 15, 2017

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- The Muhammadans have abandoned the Quran and the worldly punishment inflicted on them by God is watched, heard, and read in media  worldwide. We refer readers to our series of articles linking Quranic verses and social and historical realities. Quranism is the reform methodology that use the Quran as the criterion to judge circumstances, deeds, and conditions of the Muhammadans past and present. This is why we often end our articles with the phrase: (As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth). If Quranists would not write/utter this phrase, who else would?! 

2- We have received this question via email from a young man: (... Dear Sir, ... after you mention Quranic verses, you write the phrase (As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth), whereas Sunnites and Shiites utter different phrases after reciting Quranic verses! Why would we fabricate such phrases that are not mentioned in the Quran?! ...).

3- We have answered this young man that to mention that God says the Truth is a Quranic command in these verses: "Say, "God has spoken the Truth..." (3:95); "...And who speaks more truly than God?" (4:87); "...and who is more Truthful in speech than God?" (4:122). And because we, as a Quranist thinker, quote the Quranic verses to reform the Muhammadans, we remind them that the Quranic Truth is the Only True Islam by writing the phrase (As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth).

4- This email and our answering it inspired us to write articles about the Quranic terms Truth/True/Truly and their other derivations and forms in the Quranic text.

Let us begin with this article about the sense of belief in the terms (Truth/True/Truly).

Firstly: the Quran described as the Truth:

1- God says about the Quran, in a verse revealed in Mecca, that the Quran is Perfect and its words are never changeable: "The Word of your Lord has been completed, in Truth and justice. There is no changing to His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower." (6:115). Since this verse was revealed in Mecca, as verses were revealed incrementally, this also means that the whole text was imprinted in the heart of Muhammad in the Night of Decree (a.k.a. the Night Journey) at Mount Al-Tur in Sinai, Egypt, as we have mentioned before in one of our books. And then, the command would come for Muhammad to recite certain verses at certain occasions until the whole text is written down, and Muhammad died. Hence, 6:115 refers to the entire text imprinted first by Gabriel into the heart of Muhammad in the Night of Decree. This is mentioned again within this verse revealed in Mecca: "Praise be to God, who revealed the Book to His servant, and allowed in it no distortion. Valuable..." (18:1-2). Within the same Chapter 18, we read that the Book is described as never changeable and as containing the Truth: "And recite what was revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. There is no changing His words, and you will find no refuge except in Him." (18:27). The Muhammadans refuse to accept this Quranic fact and assume that the Quran is lacking and needs their sanctified books to 'explain' it and to replace its teachings and sharia laws (within the Sunnite myth of Naskh or replacement/supplanting). It is noteworthy that 6:115 is within the context of asserting that any narratives/hadiths in religion apart from the Quran are devilish revelations and falsehoods within the myths of earthly religion; thus, imams of the Middle-Ages who authored such 'holy' books are the most unjust ones and the arch-enemies of Muhammad and Islam. "Likewise, We have assigned for every prophet an enemy-human and jinn devils-inspiring one another with fancy words in order to deceive. But had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. So leave them to their fabrications. So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, and be content with it, and that they may perpetrate whatever they perpetrate. "Shall I seek a judge other than God, when He is the One who revealed to you the Book, explained in detail?" Those to whom We gave the Book know that it is the truth revealed from your Lord. So do not be of those who doubt. The Word of your Lord has been completed, in Truth and justice. There is no changing to His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower. If you were to obey most of those on earth, they would divert you from God's path. They follow nothing but assumptions, and they only conjecture." (6:112-116).

2- We see here that the Quran is described as the Truth from God conveyed by Muhammad: "Who is more evil than he who lies about God, and denies the Truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell room for the disbelievers? But he who promotes the truth, and testifies to it-these are the righteous." (39:32-33).

Secondly: the Quran as the true confirmation of the previous celestial messages/books:

1- This meaning is repeated in many Quranic verses: "This Quran could not have been produced by anyone other than God. In fact, it is a true confirmation of what preceded it, and an elaboration of the Book. There is no doubt about it-it is from the Lord of the Universe." (10:37); "In their stories is a lesson for those who possess intelligence. This is not a fabricated tale, but a true confirmation of what came before it, and a detailed explanation of all things, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe." (12:111); "This too is a Book that We revealed, blessed, truly confirming what preceded it..." (6:92); "...And this is a Truth-Confirming Book, in the Arabic language..." (46:12); "He sent down to you the Book with the Truth, truly confirming what came before it..." (3:3); "And We revealed to you the Book, with Truth, confirming the Scripture that preceded it, and superseding it...." (5:48); "What We inspired in you, of the Book, is the Truth, confirming what preceded it..." (35:31). God says the following about Muhammad as he conveyed the Quranic message of God: "In fact, he came with the Truth, and he confirmed the messengers." (37:37).

2- The same meaning is repeated in these verses about divine revelation to all prophets/messengers of God: "We have inspired you, as We had inspired Noah and the prophets after him. And We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon. And We gave David the Book. Some messengers We have already told you about, while some messengers We have not told you about. And God spoke to Moses directly." (4:163-164). And in this verse about the same sharia legislations principles to all of God's prophets/messengers: "He prescribed for you the same religion He enjoined upon Noah, and what We inspired to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: "You shall uphold the religion, and be not divided therein."..." (42:13). Hence, what was revealed to Muhammad is the same that was revealed to all of God's prophets/messengers: "...it is an Invincible Book. Falsehood cannot approach it, from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from One Wise and Praiseworthy. Nothing is said to you but was said to the Messengers before you..." (41:41-43). Divine revelation to all prophets/messengers contains the same message of (There is no God but Allah) and warning against polytheism: "We never sent a messenger before you without inspiring him that: "There is no God but I, so worship Me."" (21:25); "It was revealed to you, and to those before you, that if you adhere to polytheism, your works will be in vain, and you will be of the losers." (39:65). 

3- The true Gospel and the true Torah were in Arabia at the time when the Quran was being revealed, and God in the Quran has urged the People of the Book to believe in the Quran as per what is revealed in their scriptures: "And believe in what I revealed, truly confirming what is with you..." (2:41); "O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We sent down, truly confirming what you have..." (4:47).

4- But most of the People of the Book in Arabia disbelieved in the Quran despite their belief in the Gospel or the Torah that contained the same facts mentioned in the Quran; God says the following about them: "And when a scripture came to them from God, truly confirming what they have-although previously they were seeking victory against those who disbelieved-but when there came to them what they recognized, they disbelieved in it. So God's curse is upon the disbelievers." (2:89); "And when it is said to them, "Believe in what God has revealed," they say, "We believe in what was revealed to us," and they reject anything beyond that, although it is the Truth which confirms what they have..." (2:91); "And when there came to them a messenger from God, truly confirming what they had, a faction of those who were given the Book threw the Book of God behind their backs, as if they do not know." (2:101). They even hated the arch-angel Gabriel who conveyed the Book into Muhammad's heart: "Say, "Whoever is hostile to Gabriel-it is he who revealed it to your heart by God's leave, confirming what preceded it, and guidance and good news for the believers."" (2:97). 

5- All prophets/messengers before Muhammad confirmed the Truth (i.e., scriptures) revealed to previous prophets/messengers: "God received the covenant of the prophets, "Inasmuch as I have given you of scripture and wisdom; should a messenger come to you truly confirming what you have, you shall believe in him, and support him."..." (3:81). Jesus, and the Gospel, was a true confirmation of the Torah: "In their footsteps, We sent Jesus son of Mary, fulfilling the Torah that preceded him; and We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and truly confirming the Torah that preceded him, and guidance and counsel for the righteous. " (5:46); and Jesus announced this to his people: ""And truly confirming what lies before me of the Torah..." (3:50); "And when Jesus son of Mary said, "O Children of Israel, I am God's messenger to you, truly confirming what preceded me of the Torah, and announcing good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad..." (61:6).

Thirdly: being true in one's belief/faith in the Truth:

1- To adhere to the Truth is to believe in it; this applies to the belief in God: "We created you-if only you would believe! Have you seen what you ejaculate? Is it you who create it, or are We the Creator?" (56:57-59).

2- This applies to the belief in the Last Day as part of the Quranic Truth witnessed by all humanity in the Hereafter: "And those who truly believe in the Day of Judgment." (70:26); "The Trumpet will be blown, then behold, they will rush from the tombs to their Lord. They will say, "Woe to us! Who resurrected us from our resting-place?" This is what the Dominant Lord had promised, and the messengers have spoken the Truth."" (36:51-52).

3- To believe truly in the Last Day is to believe in Paradise as the reward of performers of good deeds and Hell as the fate of evildoers: "Your endeavors are indeed diverse. As for him who gives and is righteous. And truly believes in goodness. We will ease his way towards ease.But as for him who is stingy and rejecting. And denies goodness. We will ease his way towards difficulty." (92:4-10). In this verse: "And truly believes in goodness." (92:6), we conclude that ''goodness'' is one of the names of paradise; this is confirmed in other verses: "...He will repay those who do evil according to their deeds, and recompense those who do good with goodness." (53:31); "For those who have done good is goodness, and more. Neither gloom nor shame will come over their faces. These are the inhabitants of Paradise, abiding therein forever." (10:26).

4- God says the following about Mary: "...she believed in the Truth of her Lord's Words and His Books, and was one of the devout." (66:12). God says the following about losers on the Last Day: "He neither truly believed nor prayed." (75:31). This means that belief is in the Truth from God's Word, which is our link with Him. Rejecters of the Truth are disbelievers in the sight of God. 

5- Real believers must believe truly in God's Word, and some companions of Muhammad did not believe: "Obedience and upright speech. Then, when the matter is settled, being true to God would have been better for them." (47:21). Abraham was tested by the Lord God within a vision/dream, and he believed in the Truth in his dream and was about to slaughter his first-born son, Ishmael, and he passed this test successfully: "You have believed the vision." Thus We reward the doers of good." (37:105) 

6- In these verses, the Truth means true faith and living/applying this Truth: "And say, "My Lord, lead me in through an entry of truth, and lead me out through an exit of truth, and grant me from You a supporting power."" (17:80); "And We gave them freely of Our mercy, and gave them a noble reputation of Truth." (19:50); "And give me a reputation of truth among the others." (26:84).

7- Support in terms of the Truth expressed in the words of Moses: "And my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent than me, so send him with me, to help me, and to confirm the Truth in my words, for I fear they will reject me." (28:34).

Fourthly: believers are true in their faith/belief:

1- God says the following about the pious ones who will enter into Paradise: "But he who brought the Truth, and those who truly believed in it-these are the pious." (39:33). Those who brought the Truth (i.e., Scriptures or God's Word) were prophets/messengers and those who believed in this Truth are true, devout believers.

2- There are those who claim to be believers but never perform (enough or hardly any) good deeds; God says the following about the true believers: "The believers are those who believe in God and His messenger, and then have not doubted, and strive for God's cause with their wealth and their persons. These are the true ones." (49:15). Hence, true believers perform many good deeds that show their true belief in God and in God's Word. Overt prayers are not enough; devout, pious belief in the heart, paying zakat/charity, adhering to peaceful demeanor, and patience in times of adversity and prosperity are the behaviors that reflect truly pious hearts. This is confirmed in this verse: "Righteousness does not consist of turning your faces towards the East and the West. But righteous is he who believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Scripture, and the prophets. Who gives money, though dear, to near relatives, and orphans, and the needy, and the homeless, and the beggars, and for the freeing of slaves; those who perform the prayers, and pay the obligatory charity, and fulfill their promise when they promise, and patiently persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and in the time of conflict. These are the true ones; these are the pious." (2:177). 

3- This truthfulness of sincere believers manifests itself in difficult situations and hardships: "...and patiently persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and in the time of conflict. These are the true ones; these are the pious." (2:177); and within battles of self-defense that exposed hypocrites: "Of the believers are men who are true to what they pledged to God. Some of them have fulfilled their vows; and some are still waiting, and never wavering." (33:23); and those immigrants who left their possessions, money, and assets behind to seek to please God: "To the poor refugees who were driven out of their homes and their possessions, as they sought the favor of God and His approval, and came to the aid of God and His Messenger. These are the true ones." (59:8).

4- Some poor, weak companions who immigrated to Yathreb seized the chance to flee the tyranny of Qorayish and to live in peace (i.e., believers in terms of peaceful demeanor only), and they went on with their polytheism until shortly before Muhammad's death; see 5:90-92. Those among them who were not true believers in terms of their hearts will enter into Hell: "That He may ask the true ones about their truthfulness. He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful torment." (33:8). This applies to hypocrites as well who pretended to be believers but they were not; they will be exposed on the Last Day: "That God may reward the truthful for their truthfulness; and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or pardon them. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (33:24). This will make true believers outstanding on the Last Day by their true faith and good deeds: "God will say, "This is a Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness." They will have Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will remain forever. God is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is the great attainment." (5:119).

5- All prophets/messengers and true believers in all eras and localities (regardless of being males or females) are one Umma/nation in Paradise as they shared one belief and high moralistic level within their life on Earth: "Whoever obeys God and the messenger-these are with those whom God has blessed-among the prophets, and the true ones, and the witnesses, and the upright. Excellent are those as companions." (4:69); "Muslim men and Muslim women, believing men and believing women, obedient men and obedient women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, charitable men and charitable women, fasting men and fasting women, men who guard their chastity and women who guard, men who remember God frequently and women who remember-God has prepared for them a pardon, and an immense reward." (33:35); "The patient, and the truthful, and the reverent, and the charitable, and the seekers of forgiveness at dawn." (3:17).

6- This is why God preaches and urges believers to be among the truthful ones to earn their place in Paradise: "O you who believe! Be conscious of God, and be with the truthful ones." (9:119). It is among the Shiite myths that Shiites make the term "the truthful ones" in 9:119 as referring only to Ali and his progeny!

7- As per the Quranic Chapter 56, Paradise dwellers are of two types: those on the Right and the Forerunners; the former are the true ones, and the latter who are higher in stature and nearer to God are those who were truthful all their lives.

8- God describes Abraham as follows: "...He was a man of truth, a prophet." (19:41). Sunnite disbelieve in this verse as they believe in Al-Bokhary myths that Abraham was an inveterate liar who lied three times! A prophet named Idris was described in the same manner: "And mention in the Book Idris. He was a man of truth, a prophet." (19:56). Mary is described as a truthful person: "The Messiah son of Mary was only a messenger, before whom other messengers had passed away, and his mother was a woman of truth..." (5:75). As always, God says nothing but the AbsoluteTruth.