Answering A Question Posed by our Dear Iranian Quranists
Published in May 11, 2019
Translated by: Ahmed Fathy
Introduction:
This email message, with an important question, came from our dear Iranian Quranists; may the Lord God bless and reward its male sender. We publish some lines of it followed by our reply: (... I and my Quranist friends in Iran have read your entire archive of writings; I and they admire very much your articles about never to deify and sanctify things/creatures besides the Lord God. We, Quranists of Iran, pose this question to you, if you please, as we could not find an answer in your previous writings: What is your ponderings regarding these Quranic verses: "...This is a Reminder. Whoever wills, shall remember it. On honorable pages. Exalted and purified. By the hands of scribes. Noble and devoted." (80:11-16)? ... Thank you in advance ...).
OUR REPLY:
Firstly: the general, direct meaning of the Quranic context 80:11-16:
1- The Lord God describes the Quran as a Reminder which is handy and available for those who seek to remember and be guided. When they choose to be among the guided, righteous ones, the good angels will write their good deeds in the highest place (or Elliyyeen); this Quranic fact is mentioned here: "No indeed; the record of the righteous is in Elliyyeen. But how can you know what Elliyyoon is? A numerical book. Witnessed by those brought near. Indeed, the righteous will be amid bliss." (83:18-22); "Though over you are watchers. Honest recorders. They know everything you do. The righteous will be in bliss.While the wicked will be in Hell." (82:10-14).
2- This is about the recording of good deeds: "Whoever desires honor - all honor belongs to God. To Him ascends speech that is pure, and He elevates righteous conduct..." (35:10).
Secondly: the meaning of "...This is a Reminder. Whoever wills, shall remember it." (80:11-12) within a deeper level of pondering:
About this verse: "...This is a Reminder." (80:11):
1- The term (Reminder) is one of the many names of the Quran: "Surely We revealed the Reminder, and We will surely preserve it." (15:9); "Those who reject the Reminder when it has come to them - it is an invincible Book. Falsehood cannot approach it, from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from One Wise and Praiseworthy." (41:41-42).
2- The Quran is the Reminder: "...By the Quran which is the Reminder." (38:1).
3- Only the pious ones use the Quran as a Reminder to make them remember God and the Hereafter: "Surely, it is a Reminder for the righteous." (69:48).
About this verse: "Whoever wills, shall remember it." (80:12):
We have pondered this verse before in our writings; we repeat briefly here, in the points below, what we have written to remind our readers of it.
1- The freedom of choice granted to human beings is absolute; they can choose to (dis)believe and to (dis)obey; they will bear the responsibility of their choice and absolute freedom on the Last Day; i.e., the consequence is either Hell or Paradise: "And say, "The Truth is from your Lord. Whoever wills - let him believe. And whoever wills - let him disbelieve". We have prepared for the unjust a Fire, whose curtains will hem them in. And when they cry for relief, they will be relieved with water like molten brass, which scalds the faces. What a miserable drink, and what a terrible place. As for those who believe and lead a righteous life - We will not waste the reward of those who work righteousness. These will have the Gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow. Reclining on comfortable furnishings, they will be adorned with bracelets of gold, and will wear green garments of silk and brocade. What a wonderful reward, and what an excellent resting-place." (18:29-31).
2- Thus, the human freedom of choice is absolute; they can choose (mis)guidance while bearing the consequences of their choice; one bears full responsibility only for one's deeds and never for the deeds/burdens of others.
2/1: "Whoever is guided - is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray - goes astray to his detriment. No burdened soul carries the burdens of another, nor do We ever punish until We have sent a messenger." (17:15).
2/2: "No burdened soul can carry the burden of another. Even if one weighted down calls for help with its burden, nothing can be lifted from it, even if they were related. You are to warn those who fear their Lord inwardly, and perform the prayer. He who purifies himself purifies himself for his own good. To God is the ultimate return." (35:18).
2/3: "And to read the Quran." Whoever is guided - is guided to his own advantage. And whoever goes astray, then say, "I am one of the warners."" (27:92).
2/4: "Say, "O people, the truth has come to you from your Lord. Whoever accepts guidance is guided for his own soul; and whoever strays only strays to its detriment. I am not a guardian over you."" (10:108).
2/5: "Whoever acts righteously does so for himself; and whoever works evil does so against himself. Your Lord is not unjust to the servants." (41:46).
2/6: "Whoever does a good deed, it is for his soul; and whoever commits evil, it is against it; then to your Lord you will be returned." (45:15).
2/7: "We sent down upon you the Book for the humankind in Truth. He who follows guidance does so for the good of his soul. And he who strays in error does so to its detriment. You are not their overseer." (39:41).
2/8: ""Insights have come to you from your Lord. Whoever sees, it is to the benefit of his soul; and whoever remains blind, it is to its detriment. I am not a guardian over you."" (6:104).
These Quranic verses assert the absolute religious freedom within the Islamic sharia legislations, and at the same time, they negate the existence of any clergymen or religious authorities which control religion.
3- Those who insist on choosing disbelief and misguidance will never be guided by the Lord God; this Quranic fact is mentioned repeatedly.
3/1: "...The evil of their deeds seems good to them. God does not guide the disbelieving people." (9:37). "...God does not guide the disbelieving people." (2:264). "...God does not guide the disbelieving people." (5:67). "...because God does not guide the people who disbelieve. It is they whom God has sealed their hearts, and their hearing, and their sight. It is they who are the heedless." (16:107-108). "...God does not guide the lying disbelievers." (39:3). "Those who do not believe in God's Verses - God will not guide them, and for them is a painful torment." (16:104).
3/2: "...So the disbeliever was confounded. God does not guide the unjust people." (2:258). "...Who commits graver injustice than he who invents lies and attributes them to God, in order to mislead people without knowledge? God does not guide the unjust people." (6:144). "...God does not guide the unjust people." (9:19).
3/3: "...then wait until God executes His judgment." God does not guide the sinful people." (9:24). "...That is because they disbelieved in God and His Messenger. God does not guide the immoral people." (9:80).
3/4: "...God does not guide the extravagant imposter." (40:28).
3/5: "Even though you may be concerned about their guidance, God does not guide those who misguide. And they will have no supporters." (16:37). "Have you considered him who has taken his desire for his god? God has knowingly led him astray, and has sealed his hearing and his heart, and has placed a veil over his vision. Who will guide him after God? Will you not reflect?" (45:23). "And who commits a graver injustice than he who attributes falsehoods to God, when he is being invited to Islam? God does not guide the unjust people." (61:7). These verses apply to those misguided clergymen (and other ignoramuses of their ilk) who specialize in misguiding others.
4- Those who willingly choose faith/belief and guidance are guided the more by the Lord God Himself.
4/1: "O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, clarifying for you much of what you kept hidden of the Book, and overlooking much. A Light from God has come to you, and a Clear Book. God guides with it whoever follows His approval to the ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness into light, by His permission, and He guides them in a Straight Path." (5:15-16).
4/2: "God invites to the Home of Peace, and guides those who are willing to be guided to a Straight Path." (10:25). "We sent down enlightening verses, and God guides those who are willing to be guided to a Straight Path." (24:46).
4/3: "You cannot guide whom you love, but God guides those who are willing to be guided, and He knows best those who are guided." (28:56).
5- Accordingly, those who choose (mis)guidance are (mis)guided by the Lord Allah; this meaning is repeated in the Quranic text.
5/1: "...Say, "God leads astray those who are willing to be misguided, and He guides to Himself those who are willing to repent." (13:27).
5/2: "...God leads astray those who are willing to be misguided and guides those who are willing to be guided..." (14:4).
6- Furthermore, the Lord God increases the (mis)guidance chosen and sought willingly by human beings.
6/1: This is about the misguided ones: "In their hearts is sickness, and God has increased their sickness. They will have a painful torment because of their denial." (2:10).
6/2: This is about the guided ones: "As for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance, and He has granted them their righteousness." (47:17).
7- The Lord God says the following about comparing between both groups of the guided believers and the misguided disbelievers: "Say, "Whoever is in misguidance, the Dominant Lord will lead him on." Until, when they see what they were promised - either the torment, or the Hour. Then they will know who was in worse position and weaker in forces. God increases in guidance those who accept guidance. And the things that endure - the righteous deeds - have the best reward with your Lord, and the best outcome." (19:75-76).
8- Of course, the Quran is the Balance and the Criterion.
8/1: This fact is mentioned by the Lord God in the Quran: "It is God who revealed the Book with the Truth, and the Balance. And what will make you realize that perhaps the Hour is near?" (42:17). For sure, the Quran is the Balance for all human beings before the advent of the Hour.
8/2: The human beings should use this Divine Criterion/Balance to weigh and judge their faith and deeds: ""Shall I seek a judge other than God, when He is the One who revealed to you the Book, explained in detail?"..." (6:114).
8/3: The eyes and faces of Quran-hating disbelievers exposed their stance when the Quranic verses were read to them: "Those who disbelieve almost stab you with their glances when they hear the Reminder, and say, "He is crazy!" But it is no less than a Reminder to all the Worlds." (68:51-52). See also: 8:31, 10:15, 19:73, 22:72, 23:66, 23:105, 31:7, 34:43, 45:8, 45:25, 45:31, 46:7, 68:15, and 83:13.
8/4: The abovementioned verses apply now to the Muhammadans because they believe in devilish narratives/hadiths.
9- Thus, reading the Quranic verses increases the (mis)guidance and (dis)belief of (dis)believers.
9/1: This is about believers: "The believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and when His Verses are read to them, they strengthen them in faith, and upon their Lord they rely." (8:2).
9/2: This is about disbelievers: "...Certainly, what was revealed to you from your Lord will increase many of them in tyranny and disbelief..." (5:64 + 5:68).
9/3: This is a comparison between believers and disbelievers: "Whenever a chapter is revealed, some of them say, "Which of you has this increased in faith?" As for those who believe: it increases them in faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is sickness: it adds disgrace to their disgrace, and they die as disbelievers." (9:124-125).
10- The Lord God urges believers to remember and to remind using the Quran so that those who remember may take heed and seek guidance.
10/1: "This is a Reminder. So whoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord." (73:19).
10/2: "...This is a Reminder. Whoever wills, shall remember it." (80:11-12).
11- One's choice and will are asserted and reinforced by the Lord God's Will which comes next to the will of any given human being. This meaning is found in the following verses.
11/1: "This is a Reminder; so whoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord. Yet you cannot will, unless God wills. God is Knowing and Wise." (76:29-30).
11/2: "It is only a Reminder to all humankind. To whoever of you wills to go straight. But you cannot will, unless God wills-The Lord of the Worlds." (81:27-29).
12- Hence, the Lord God in the Quran has advised/commanded Muhammad regarding the following points.
12/1: Muhammad should not suffer any sorrow regarding rejecters of the call for the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah); seekers of guidance must come to him to get to know more about the Quranic Light and Guidance: "We did not reveal the Quran to you to make you suffer. But only as a Reminder for him who fears." (20:2-3).
12/2: Muhammad is to preach the Quran and warn with it those who fear their Lord God within piety: "We are fully aware of what they say, and you are not a dictator over them. So remind by the Quran whoever fears My warning." (50:45). "No burdened soul can carry the burden of another. Even if one weighted down calls for help with its burden, nothing can be lifted from it, even if they were related. You are to warn those who fear their Lord inwardly, and perform the prayer. He who purifies himself purifies himself for his own good. To God is the ultimate return." (35:18). "You warn only him who follows the Reminder, and fears the Dominant Lord inwardly. So give him good news of forgiveness, and a generous reward." (36:11).
12/3: Muhammad should preach and remind others only when this helps guide others who seek guidance: "So remind, if reminding helps." (87:9).
12/4: Muhammad should never feel any sorrow or grief regarding those who willingly choose misguidance.
12/4/1: "What of him whose evil deed was made attractive to him, and so he regards it as good? God leads astray whomever He wills, and He guides whomever He wills. Therefore, do not waste yourself sorrowing over them. God knows exactly what they do." (35:8).
12/4/2: "Perhaps you may destroy yourself with grief, chasing after them, if they do not believe in this Discourse." (18:6).
12/4/3: "These are the Verses of the Clarifying Book. Perhaps you will destroy yourself with grief, because they do not become believers." (26:2-3).
13- Lastly, we emphasize here the Quranic fact that there is neither (compulsion in religion) nor (death penalty for apostasy) within True Islam; i.e., Qurnaism. Both grave sins; i.e., (compulsion in religion) and (death penalty for apostasy), are fabrications invented by the Middle-Ages clergymen and the polytheistic authors/imams of the Muhammadans.