RESCUING, REPATRIATING, REDEFINING, AND REINTRODUCING
MY PATRIARCHS' GOD GIVEN HERITAGE THROUGH
HERALDING ABRAHAM'S NEWLY INVIGORATED FAITH
By Abd El-Hadi
OUR MODUS OPERANDI
Study God’s revelation to us, with open minds and no preconceived ideas, wherever and whatever it might be. We are to allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead us to find God’s truth and follow. We need the courage and honesty needed to admit wherever we were wrong and to follow only God’s Truth; that is the definition of a TRUE HANIF
INTRODUCTION
One of the very first things we need to acknowledge is the fact that all revelation concerning The One True God of Heaven, Earth, and all Creation, came to mankind from one area in the World “The Middle East” and one ethnic group “The Semites”.
I am a child of the Middle East and my mother-tongue is Arabic. I came to the West after getting married and having started a family.
It has always been a struggle for me to try to make sense of how the Western mind understands, in its “Hellenistic” way of thinking, the great truths that God almighty inspired to His Prophets who expressed them in their “Semitic” way of thinking.
Westerners are very logical and want everything to be in a well balanced and symmetrical form, almost like a square. While we in the Middle East “Semites”, can go round and round and round and round, like the song goes. We say something, then we repeat it in a different way and yet a third way then we talk about something else then without any apparent reason we go back to the original idea. Is your head spinning yet! Can you fit a circle in a square or vise-versa?
What really got my attention was what one of the commentators said during Pope John Paul II’s funeral, he said that the original language of the Christian Church was Greek. That might be true if you are thinking of the Church of Rome, but the First Apostolic Church spoke Aramaic which was the language that “Joshua/Issa/Jesus the Son of Mary” spoke.
Having said that, I will attempt with The Almighty’s help to bring out of the commonly used words and expressions, in the Western World, some of the deeper meanings that might not even be clear to some of us who speak one or more of the Semitic languages! I will also introduce some very important Arabic words which are essential for our final goal of building bridges of understanding and respect between all the believers in the One True God, the God of our father Abraham!
May this process be guided by The Holy Spirit of The Eternal Ha-Shem/Allah/God of our father Abraham, and to the uplifting of His most Holy Name, amen.
ABD EL-HADI
This is a name full of meaning in Arabic.
Abd means servant or slave and is the root that has other meanings in different “measures” or “patterns” and even with different short vowels, which are not written (marked) on words other than in important literary works especially The Holy Scriptures. That root pronounced “AaBaDa” means “he worshiped”.
El-Hadi means “the one who leads/guides or the giver of a gift” and is from the root “HaDA”.
So in worshiping the ONE who leads and guides us to all TRUTH through the GIFT of HIS WORD we become His submissive servants and slaves, not because He is a suppressive master but because of His eternal love and mercy which He bestows upon us.
If we were to think of at least one text in any of the three “Holy and Respected Scriptures” of the “Three Monotheistic Religions”, that have the word “HaDA” in them, we would find a pattern of similar thinking and direction. Let us take a look in chronological order:
The TORAH: Psalm 23:3 “He leads me to paths of righteousness …”
The GOSPLE: 2 Thessalonians 3:5 “Now may the Lord direct (lead) your hearts into the love of God …”
The QUR’AN: Surah 1:6 “Show (lead) us (to) the straight way.”
God wants us to submit to Him and actually follow His leading, not just ask for it.
If you agree with me then you too are Abd (m) or Abdat (f) El-hadi!
GOD IS “MERCIFUL”
All believers declare that God is merciful but do we really know what that means and do we truly believe what we declare?
The Arabic and Hebrew roots for the word translated merciful are the same, it is “RaHaMa”. This, like all other “roots” is in the “third person singular past tense” and literally means “he mercied”.Now if we were to change the short vowels and said “RaHeM” this word would mean “womb”!Please fasten your seat belts.
I am thankful for the English language because it is not schizophrenia. Now let me explain, I can discuss religion, in English, for as long as I live without you figuring out my religious affiliation. This is not true of Arabic. Arabic is schizophrenic! You need but hear a few words to know if you are speaking with a Muslim or a Christian. It could be the choice of words or even the accent!
With that in mind, let me use one of the most if not the most used phrase in Arabic:
“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”
The Arabic words for Gracious and Merciful are from the root “RaHaMa”. In this case the Arabic forGracious is “RaHMan” which is ONLY used to describe God almighty. Now if we were to add one short vowel to make the word “RaHeMan”, this word would mean two wombs. The word Merciful in Arabic is “RaHiM” and it like “RaHMan” means “He is abundant in mercy”.
OK, now I really want to make sure that you have fastened your seat belt and are willing to give me some latitude (like the pun?).
What would you say is the safest place for a newly developing, fragile, helpless, and defenseless human being? If you are like me, you would say: “a mother’s womb”. It is only stating the obvious when we say that a baby in his/her mother’s womb gets all it needs including but not limited to shelter, warmth, nourishment, and love. Is this not the best way to define MERCY?
Could we say that God is the Wobmiest of all wobmy?
The God of Abraham is Abundant in mercy, praise His name!
Keeping in mind that God is Spirit, that He has not been seen by human eyes nor can the human mind begin to imagine what He is like, let me point out that not only does God refer to Himself as “RaHMan RaHiM”, but in the Torah He is called “El-Shadie” meaning “the Big Breasted One”!
If we are true believers and accept all Scripture, we should accept the fact that “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them” Genesis 1:27.
I am so thankful that my God is so lovingly unmatched in His mercy. I know He will never abandon me nor let go of my hand for as long as I keep holding onto Him in total submission. He has promised to take care of me in all ways and I can rest assured that His promises are as true as He is.
TAQWA
I would like to begin our studies by looking at this very important word “taqwa” (godliness) and its active participle “muttaqui” (godly).
They try to tell us that we have to be like God, even be one with Him! For us “Semites” God is high and lofty. We do not even pronounce His Hebrew name. We refer to Him as the “Ha-Shem” meaning “The Name” or “Edoni”. We are not comfortable with the sense of “familiarity” that is conveyed in the Western way of approaching The Most High. In fact, many of us are offended and think that the people of the West do not respect God!
The Greek word for “godliness” means “devoutness, piety, revering God, worshiping God …!
The Arabic word for “godliness” is “taqwa”, from the root “waqa”, meaning “protect against, prevent (like an ounce of prevention)”. When we “fear” revere, worship, and are devoted to God/Allah/Ha-Shem, that protects us against and prevents us from not following His teachings and admonitions as reveled in His Word. The Word, either as seen in nature, in written form, or even incarnate in Issa son of Mary, peace be upon Him. Do not be shocked, Issa is the Arabic name for the Hebrew Joshua and Jesus in English.
Don’t you think that we need to go back to respecting the God of gods and King of kings at least to the same degree of respecting an Earthly king, queen, president, court judge, or even a traffic police person?
Angels in heaven cover their faces and feet when they are in His presence, yet some, so called believers, go to their houses of worship almost half naked!
Are these people manifesting devoutness, piety, and reverence while they are attempting to worship God? How can they avoid and protect against evil thoughts when they are, knowingly or unknowingly, embodying the root of all evil, namely LUST?
HANIF
The word Hanif in Arabic refers to a believer in The Almighty Eternal God who is obedient to His commands and teachings as revealed in His holy scriptures.
The best way to manifest such submission is to lead a life which, by God’s grace, is going against man’s natural tendencies towards sin and evil. This person is always striving to allowGod’s Holy Spirit to take control of his/her life thus growing in the desire to do good and shun evil.This is true faith manifest in good fruit.
Our father Abraham was a hanif. He had a very strong faith stemming from a very intimate relationship with his God. This relationship was possible only because Abraham had resolved to get as well acquainted with God as possible. He submitted to God’s revelations to him and obeyed even to the point of being willing to offer his son as a sacrifice to God.
God honored Abraham’s faith and saved his son, not through good works nor acts of penance nor paying great sums of money, but through substitution …
God provided a Ram! Abraham accepted God’s Gift, and he returned home with his ransomed son.
We need to follow in our father Abraham’s footsteps. There is nothing that we can do, on our own, that could gain us the minutest nano-favor with God.
Our aim is to help one-another in our endeavor to find and follow God’s straight path which will lead us to become true HANIF.
May the All Merciful God of our father Abraham give us the submission we need to follow His lead.
Our father Abraham allowed God to lead him and because of that he was a HANIF.
This word “JIHAD” is like “the third rail” if used positively it brings life and positive action, but if used negatively it produces disastrous results which are mainly the result of bigotry!
“JIHAD” is what is called a “verbal noun” and comes from the Arabic root “JaHaDa” in its III (third) Measure “JAHaDa”. This root appears in five (forms) of the ten most common Measures. There are at least fourteen main Measures for conjugating an Arabic verb. The general meaning of this root is: exert an effort, cause fatigue, struggle, fight, strive, excel, compete, and work hard … etc.The correct pronunciation is “JiHAD” being that the “i” is a short vowel, which is not written in Arabic and the “A” is a long vowel and it is written to indicate the Measure from which it is derived which is Measure III (three) as previously indicated.
This root appears forty one (41) times in the Honored Qur’an. Thirty five times it is in the IIIrd Measure. It does not always mean “making war against some one” but that meaning is definitely there in some verses.
In the Arabic translation of the Holy Bible this root appears sixty one (61) times. Fourteen times in the Torah (the Old Testament), two of which are in Measure III but they have nothing to do with war or fighting. The Injeel (the New Testament) uses this root forty seven (47) times, seven of which are in Measure III. Only three of these seven occurrences mean struggle or fight. You can find these texts in the Gospel of John 18:36; 1 Timothy 6:12; and 2 Timothy 4:7.
As believers in and worshipers of the One True God, the God of Abraham, we need to strive and exert our utmost effort “JiHAD” in understanding one another to avoid the hatred and bigotry which are the cause of most of the evil and hateful acts we commit against one another in the name of God!
WHAT IS GOD’S RELIGION?
Throughout the ages man has put labels on his method of worship depending on the number and nature of gods he worshiped. It has been no different for those who worship the One they believe is The Supreme Being who has been known by names such as “God, Allah, Jehovah, Edoni, El, Theo, …etc.”.
Those who worship the only One True God are divided into three main “Monotheistic Religions” which have been labeled by “man” as: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three religions claim the prophet Abraham as their father and each one of them claims that it is the true religion that should be followed and adhered to in order for one to please God and gain admittance to paradise.
The strife and struggle amongst the adherents of these religions led to the worst atrocities that the human race has ever seen. More people have been tortured, maimed, and killed in the name of God than for any other reason.
I have come to almost hate the word “religion” because all it dose is put a label of separation and segregation on every one who bares it especially when it is more specifically defined by “denomination”! As I have tried to find a way to allow God to use me to communicate His love and mercy to my fellow human beings, I have been convicted of the fact that GOD HAS NO RELIGION.
There is only one God. No one has seen God so no one can tell us what God is like. All the theories that man has presented are just that “theories”. What God wants is a personal relationship with me and you individually. Yes, there is only ONE GOD, but in His seeking to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us, we end up having as many Gods as there are living believers in HIM. No one has the right to impose his/her idea about and understanding of God upon any one else. God gives us the freedom to believe in Him the way we understand Him in the depths of our hearts and we have to give one another that same freedom!
Abraham had a very unique and personal relationship with his God. He knew His voice and followed His leading without hesitation thus he became known as “the father of all believers”. We need to have that same kind of relationship with our personal and individual God. Once we have that direct, pure, and uninhibited vertical connection with the life giving, loving God, we can then reach out horizontally to our brothers and sisters in humanity with an understanding and loving hand seeking to share and learn from each others experiences rather than trying to shove some man made doctrine down each others throat
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