{"_id":"668d9fe90b76658b4c2328d9","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"How do I explain Islam to my Christian friend?\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"I have a friend who tells me he was pushed away from Christianity because, in his words, pastors who had done horrendous deeds would give sermons about how wonderful it was to be \\\"saved\\\". My friend does not understand or agree with the Christian reasoning for salvation in the case of someone who has committed no heinous sins. However, this friend does not subscribe to any idea of a higher power; he says it's unreasonable for him to follow a deity that gives an ultimatum between following and eternal suffering. He adds that eternal damnation makes no sense, because even the worst human can only cause finite suffering to other humans. As a friend, how can I explain to him the Islamic perspectives on: Allah's justness The concept of punishment, eternality, and what justifies it to Allah Why anyone would agree to this ultimatum... or how our covenant with Allah differs from the Christian perspective with which my friend has doubts\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Good and evil do not apply to Allah because He is the One who defines them. In other words, good is what Allah decreed to be good and evil is what Allah decreed to be evil. So, to ask whether Allah's acts are good or evil is absolutely meaningless. Ponder over the following verse:\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\" He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will ˹all˺ be questioned. [21:23] \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\nWe are all answerable to Allah, so who is Allah answerable to? Allah is the sole creator, so who is there to question him? His creation? What makes Allah answerable to them? Whom will they go to as the judge when Allah is the only Judge? The verse tells us that it's impossible and meaningless for Allah to be questioned because Allah is the only One qualified to question. If human beings wanted to define what is good and evil, and apply those concepts to Allah, based on what knowledge of the universe are they going to establish these criteria? How can they when they lack knowledge of themselves, let alone the rest of creation, the past, present, and future?\\n\\nThe concepts of good and evil exist because Allah taught us that certain acts are good and certain acts are evil. So, these judgements can only be made about our actions, not Allah. There is no one that can tell Allah what He ought to and ought not to do.\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe30b76658b4c23280f","tag":"Relationships: Non-Muslims","count":95},{"_id":"668d9fe50b76658b4c232859","tag":"Aqeedah: Allah ﷻ‎","count":66},{"_id":"668d9fe90b76658b4c2328ce","tag":"Aqeedah: The Prophets","count":28},{"_id":"668d9fe80b76658b4c2328bd","tag":"Worship: Dawah","count":24},{"_id":"668d9fe90b76658b4c2328d7","tag":"Christianity","count":7}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:39:05.538Z"}