One's Belief in Relation to Certainty and to the Absolute Truth

Published in January 13, 2019

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Firstly: it is possible to believe in the Absolute Truth within certainty/certitude in one's heart despite being unable to experience the metaphysical realm:

1- The traits of the pious, righteous ones include to believe in the metaphysical realm of the unseen as part of their belief in the Absolute Truth. The present tense employed here is not linked to continuity or stability; rather, it is linked to the present time of one's life: "This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the righteous. Those who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayers, and give from what We have provided for them. And those who believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter." (2:2-4).

2- We are NOT to add details to the ones mentioned by the Lord God in the Quran (the Only Source of the Celestial Religion) about the metaphysical realm of the unseen, the past, and the future (e.g., within Quranic stories and the Last-Day events) so as not to believe in myths/lies which are the bases of the terrestrial, man-made religions of the polytheistic Muhammadans. The Quranic stories rarely mention locations, names, etc. as the focus is on the moral lessons to be drawn by the pious monotheists: "These are some stories from the past that we reveal to you. Neither you, nor your people knew them before this. So be patient. The future belongs to the pious ones." (11:49).

3- Believers testify as witnesses only regarding what they saw/experienced as per their limited knowledge within a given situation; e.g., the elder brother of Joseph in the context of the Quranic story of Joseph: ""Go back to your father, and say, "Our father, your son has stolen. We testify only to what we know, and we could not have prevented the unforeseen.""" (12:81).

By the way, we must bear in mind the following facts.

3/1: We infer from 12:81 that this elder brother of Joseph has repented (after the sin of throwing Joseph into the water-well to get rid of him) and reached the belief with certainty/certitude in the metaphysical realm of the invisible/unknown; this stage/level may (not) be temporary.  

3/2: We infer in light of the above that lies/hadiths which are the bases of the devilish religions of the Muhammadans rely on the so-called Isnad or series of narrators/fabricators who ascribe their word to Muhammad. Of course, Al-Bokhary, the most famous fabricator of hadiths who lived in the Second Abbasid Era, was not alive when the assumed narrators lived and talked; he never witnessed them; he never heard hadiths from the men whose names are mentioned in the so-called Isnad; this means he invented/fabricated his hadiths from his imagination. 

4- The belief in the metaphysical realm of the invisible may go on inside one's soul as it is not linked very much with every-day life situations; this is why sinners may continue to sin/disobey without believing in myths; what is more difficult is to manifest one's belief with certainty in the Quran as the Absolute Truth in all one's stances and deeds.   

Secondly: fluctuation of faith/belief when linked to one's deeds:

1- The belief/faith within certainty/certitude entails that one is not vacillating in one's stance regarding faith; i.e., one is not to fluctuate between belief and disbelief. Of course, belief increases and decreases as per changing situations and stances; polytheists/disbelievers have little faith/belief in God (see 2:88, 4:46, 4:155, and 69:41). True, sure, certain believers believe in God within 100% of devotion and monotheism (see 39:2-3, 39:11, and 39:14) within their hearts/souls; yet, this percentage might change when they fail tests of life or commit sins; they must perform many good deeds to keep this percentage of 100%.

2- To be too much impressed with possessions of the transient world is one of the hardest tests; we are warned about this issue here: "We made what is upon the earth an ornament for it, to test them as to which of them is best in conduct." (18:7); "Wealth and children are the adornments of the present life. But the things that last, the virtuous deeds, are better with your Lord for reward, and better for hope." (18:46).

3- Prophets/messenger reached certainty/certitude level regarding the Absolute Truth; yet, as per the Quran, they made mistakes; let us exemplify this within the case of Muhammad.

3/1: in Mecca.

3/1/1: The Lord God has told Muhammad to remain with his companions who are impoverished; he should not have admired the affluent ones: "And content yourself with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, desiring His Presence. And do not turn your eyes away from them, desiring the glitter of this world. And do not obey him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance - so he follows his own desires - and his priorities are confused." (18:28).

3/1/2: The Lord God has told Muhammad never to admire or look at luxuries of the affluent disbelievers.

3/1/2/1: "Do not extend your eyes towards what We have bestowed on some couples of them to enjoy..." (15:88).

3/1/2/2: "And do not extend your glance towards what We have given some classes of them to enjoy - the splendor of the life of this world-that We may test them thereby. Your Lord's provision is better, and more lasting." (20:131).

3/2: in Yathreb.

3/2/1: Muhammad has been told never to be impressed by disbelievers who roam the land: "Do not be impressed by the disbelievers' movements in the land. A brief enjoyment, then their abode is Hell..." (3:197).

3/2/2: The Lord God has prohibited Muhammad, twice, from admiring wealth and progeny of the hypocrites.

3/2/2/1: "Let neither their possessions nor their children impress you. God intends to torment them through them in this worldly life, and that their souls depart their bodies while they are disbelievers." (9:55).

3/2/2/2: "Do not let their possessions and their children impress you. God desires to torment them through them in this world, and their souls expire while they are disbelievers." (9:85).

3/3: This has been the case with Muhammad himself, let alone other people in all eras.

4- The belief within certainty means certain knowledge of the Hereafter; this cannot exist within souls of those who are busy a accumulating possessions of this transient world.

4/1: Most people are deceived and tempted by accumulating possessions of this transient world though we will leave it for good when we die; we are warned against this here: "Abundance distracts you. Until you visit the graveyards. Indeed, you will know. Certainly, you will know. If you knew with knowledge of certainty. You would see the Inferno. Then you will see it with the eye of certainty. Then, on that Day, you will be questioned about the Bliss." (102:1-8). Certitude regarding the Hereafter (as part of the Absolute Truth) requires absolute obedience to God and never to commit any sins until we die; this is impossible for any human beings; people tend to err. This is why piety means avoiding sins/disobedience as much as possible.

4/2: This Quranic warning is addressed to believers so as they do not get too busy with the transient world and it allurements and possessions to the extent of forgetting about the Hereafter.

4/2/1: "O you who believe! Let neither your possessions nor your children distract you from the remembrance of God. Whoever does that - these are the losers." (63:9). Within the moment of dying of sinners, they will witness/experience certainty or the Absolute Truth; they will wish in vain to be sent back to perform good deeds and correct their faith.

4/2/2: We read the following verses in the same context: "And give from what We have provided for you, before death approaches one of you, and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a short while, so that I may be charitable, and be one of the righteous." But God will not delay a soul when its time has come. God is Informed of what you do." (63:10-11).

4/3: We read the following about the heedless ones who are too busy with this transient world and disregard the Hereafter; their fate is Hell if they die as heedless, unrepentant ones.

4/3/1: "Those who do not hope to meet Us, and are content with the worldly life, and are at ease in it, and those who pay no heed to Our Verses. Their dwelling is the Hell-Fire on account of what they used to do." (10:7-8).

4/3/2: "It is they whom God has sealed their hearts, and their hearing, and their sight. It is they who are the heedless. There is no doubt that in the Hereafter they will be the losers." (16:108-109).

5- We never to forget the role of Satan the tempter/deceiver of humanity; this transient life is also deceiving most human beings with its illusions. The Lord God warns believers of both.

5/1: "O people! The promise of God is true; so let not the lowly life seduce you, and let not the tempter tempt you away from God. Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his gang to be among the Hell-dwellers." (35:5-6).

5/2: "O people! Be conscious of your Lord, and dread a Day when no parent can avail his child, nor can a child avail his parent, in anything. The promise of God is true. Therefore, do not let this life deceive you, nor let illusions deceive you regarding God." (31:33).

6-  To observe piety, fear, and reverence within one's prayers is a practical example; this is a duty imposed on all believers: "Successful are the believers. Those who are humble in their prayers." (23:1-2). In fact, the daily prayers constitute the real treasure for pious believers as they remember, address, and contact their Lord God. this is why Satan and his devils try to distract people during prayers; most people are never distracted when watching a movie or a football match. The moments of concentration within piety, fear, and reverence in one's prayers are the moments of faith/belief within certainty/certitude; getting as many moments as these is difficult, but not impossible, for pious believers, let alone ordinary believers. 

Thirdly: between belief/faith and certainty/certitude:

  One's deeds/stances in this transient life decide one's degree of (dis)belief and (un)certainty. Such a degree/level change from time to time; real believers are (most of the time, not all or 100% as this is not possible) certain of their faith/belief in the Lord God and in the Hereafter.

1- Moses' Pharaoh and his people knew that signs/miracles granted to Moses were truly and certainly from the Lord God Himself; yet, they rejected them: "And they rejected them, although their souls were certain of them, out of injustice and arrogance..." (27:14).

2- The polytheistic disbelievers who rejected and cast doubt on the Hereafter will hear this on the Last Day: "And when it was said, "The promise of God is true, and of the Hour there is no doubt," you said, "We do not know what the Hour is; we think it is only speculation; we are not certain."" (45:32). Their doubts are also mentioned here: "We have appointed only angels to be wardens of the Fire, and caused their number to be a stumbling block for those who disbelieve; so that those given the Scripture may attain certainty; and those who believe may increase in faith; and those given the Book and the believers may not doubt; and those in whose hearts is sickness and the unbelievers may say, "What did God intend by this parable?" Thus God leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is nothing but a reminder for the mortals." (74:31).

Certainty/certitude regarding the belief in both the Quran and the Hereafter.

1- Among the traits of pious believers (mentioned within the context of talking about the undoubted Quran) is that they are certain in their belief in the Hereafter as part of the Absolute Truth.

1/1: "This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the righteous. Those who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayers, and give from what We have provided for them. And those who believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter." (2:2-4).

1/2: "...These are the Signs of the Quran - a book that makes things clear. Guidance and good news for the believers. Those who observe the prayers, and Zakat, and are certain of the Hereafter." (27:1-3).

1/3: "These are the Verses of the Wise Book. A guide and a mercy for the righteous. Those who observe the prayers, and Zakat, and are certain of the Hereafter." (31:2-4).

1/4: "...He manages all affairs, and He explains the verses, that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord. " (13:2).

2- Believers are certain of their unfailing belief in the Quran; they never cast doubt on it.

2/1: "This is an illumination for the humankind, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe with certainty." (45:20).

2/2: "...We have made the verses clear for people who are certain." (2:118); "...Who is better than God in judgment for people who are certain?" (5:50).

2/3: "The revelation of the Book is from God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. In the heavens and the earth are proofs for the believers. And in your own creation, and in the creatures He scattered, are signs for people certain of their faith." (45:2-4).

3- This is about the Book/Scripture given to Moses: "We gave Moses the Book; so do not be in doubt regarding His encounter; and We made it a guidance for the Israelites. And We appointed leaders from among them, guiding by Our command, as long as they persevered and were certain of Our Verses." (32:23-24).

4- This is about the unconvinced and unsure disbelievers who reject the Hereafter:

4/1: "So be patient. The promise of God is true. And do not let those who lack certainty belittle you." (30:60).

4/2: "Or did they create the heavens and the earth? In fact, they are not certain." (52:36).

4/3: "...the people are uncertain of Our Verses." (27:82). This is about most people in all eras.

Believers are those who are convinced with certitude of faith; this is how they believe in God and in the Hereafter; in contrast, disbelievers' stance is that they are unconvinced and unsure; both stances of believers and disbelievers are liable to change anytime for any reason. 

1- This is about Abraham: "Thus We showed Abraham the empire of the heavens and the earth, that he might be one of those with certainty." (6:75).

2- This is about believers in general: "And on earth are signs for the convinced believers." (51:20).

3- These verses are addressed to disbelievers:

3/1: "..."The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, if you are aware with certainty."" (26:24).

3/2: "Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you know for sure." (44:7).

4- On the Resurrection Day, all human beings will experience the Absolute Truth with certitude; the sinners would wish (in vain, after it is too late for them) to return to their life on earth to be among believers who perform good deeds: "If only you could see the guilty, bowing their heads before their Lord: "Our Lord, we have seen and we have heard, so send us back, and we will act righteously; we are now very sure."" (32:12).

Lastly:

 In sum, one's faith/belief, in relation to certainty/certitude and to the Absolute Truth, is relative and does not remain on the same level all the time, as per situations, temptations, tests, and stances of a given person, as long as one is living in this physical world. The Lord God's mercy entails not to punish human beings for every single sin/mistake; otherwise, God would have destroyed them and life on earth would have ended.