Quran Talk

Assyrian Proverb: “The tallest blade of grass is the first to be cut” This element of conformity to not be targeted is evolutionarily instilled in us Across the entire animal kingdom you see a similar pattern with fish and birds The reason for this is that it makes it difficult for the animal to focus on anyone out of the group to target so the hunter gets confused and fails in their approach Zebras blend in to confuse the lion The thought is that if everyone is responsible then by theory no one is responsible because it is hard to assert blame when everyone is involved While this works for animals in the wild to preserve their physical survival, the opposite is true for our spiritual survival A sure-fire way of not making it to heaven is thinking that if we stick with the majority and just believe what we were told by our parents or religious scholars will be sufficient [74:49] Why are they so averse to this reminder? [74:50] Running like zebras. [74:51] Who are fleeing from the lion! We are each responsible for what we believe and how we choose to live our life. On the Day of Judgment, we cannot say that we were only following the group. [6:116] If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will divert you from the path of GOD. They follow only conjecture; they only guess. The Majority of People Do Not Believe [12:103] Most people, no matter what you do, will not believe. [12:104] You are not asking them for any money; you simply deliver this reminder for all the people. [12:105] So many proofs in the heavens and the earth are given to them, but they pass by them, heedlessly! The Majority of Believers Destined for Hell [12:106] The majority of those who believe in GOD do not do so without committing idol worship. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).” “When you're the only sane person, you look like the only insane person.” [19:73] When our revelations are recited to them, clearly, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of us is more prosperous? Which of us is in the majority?" Luckily for us God made the Quran easy to learn. You don’t need to be a scholar or even know Arabic to understand the Quran [54:17] We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn? Those who are sincere will understand it [6:20] Those to whom we have given the scripture recognize this as they recognize their own children. The ones who lose their souls are those who do not believe. Additionally, God holds us responsible each individually based on what information we know and the decisions we made in our own lives. And God made the Quran easy to learn. Crucial Advice [17:36] You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them. Following Parents Blindly There are millions of beliefs in this world, ask yourself what is the probability that the belief you were born into was the right one? Maybe it was, but statistically this is pretty low. Maintaining the Status Quo: A Human Tragedy [2:170] When they are told, "Follow what GOD has revealed herein," they say, "We follow only what we found our parents doing." What if their parents did not understand, and were not guided? [2:171] The example of such disbelievers is that of parrots who repeat what they hear of sounds and calls, without understanding. Deaf, dumb, and blind; they cannot understand. We Are Born With Instinctive Knowledge About God* [7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They all said, "Yes. We bear witness." Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were not aware of this." [7:173] Nor can you say, "It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?" [7:174] We thus explain the revelations, to enable the people to redeem themselves.* Following the Parents Blindly: A Common Tragedy [31:21] When they are told, "Follow these revelations of GOD," they say, "No, we follow only what we found our parents doing." What if the devil is leading them to the agony of Hell? Do Not Follow Your Parents' Religion Blindly [5:104] When they are told, "Come to what GOD has revealed, and to the messenger," they say, "What we found our parents doing is sufficient for us." What if their parents knew nothing, and were not guided? We Are Each Responsible For Our Own Souls [5:105] O you who believe, you should worry only about your own necks. If the others go astray, they cannot hurt you, as long as you are guided. To GOD is your ultimate destiny, all of you, then He will inform you of everything you had done. [2:134] Such is a community from the past. They are responsible for what they earned, and you are responsible for what you earned. You are not answerable for anything they have done. [6:121

Mastery. Greene, Robert. Penguin Publishing Group. “In order to master a field, you must love the subject and feel a profound connection to it. Your interest must transcend the field itself and border on the religious. “ [6:161] Say, "My Lord has guided me in a straight path—the perfect religion of Abraham, monotheism. He never was an idol worshiper." [6:162] Say, "My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to GOD alone, the Lord of the universe. [6:163] "He has no partner. This is what I am commanded to believe, and I am the first to submit." [2:165] …Those who believe love GOD the most. “A false path in life is generally something we are attracted to for the wrong reasons—money, fame, attention, and so on. If it is attention we need, we often experience a kind of emptiness inside that we are hoping to fill with the false love of public approval. “ [76:8] They donate their favorite food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive. [76:9] "We feed you for the sake of GOD; we expect no reward from you, nor thanks. [76:10] "We fear from our Lord a day that is full of misery and trouble." We don’t change because of what we know we change because we care [13:11] Shifts (of angels) take turns, staying with each one of you—they are in front of you and behind you. They stay with you, and guard you in accordance with GOD's commands. Thus, GOD does not change the condition of any people unless they themselves make the decision to change. If GOD wills any hardship for any people, no force can stop it. For they have none beside Him as Lord and Master. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (85 years old – making sushi for over 60 years) “We don’t care about money, All I want to do is make better sushi. I do the same thing over and over improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I’ll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is.“ - Jiro In an interview with one of Jiro’s apprentices he said that it took him 10 years before they would allow him to cook the eggs for egg sushi. Even then every time he tried it was rejected. It took him 200 tries before Jiro accepted it and he said when that happened he almost cried, but he kept it to himself because he didn’t want to show his excitement. You can be completely dedicated to something yet always be doing whatever you are in the cause of God. The two are one in the same. They do not need to be mutually exclusive. Someone asking if they should be a doctor because they were concerned that it would distract them from worshipping God. “Just as a well-filled day brings blessed sleep, so a well-employed life brings a blessed death.” - Leonardo da Vinci Importance of repetition Commencement speech from US Navy Admiral William McRaven, If You Want to Change the World, Start Off by Making Your Bed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGRXaFf9LFU No broken window policy Today we want everything new – we want novelty – constant stimulation This is what makes apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat so popular The world is full of information, but what we really need is wisdom Wisdom is the condensed down optimal use of information And wisdom comes through Mastery What is the difference between a chess grandmaster and an intermediate chess player, is that the intermediate player will consider more moves, but the grandmaster while looking at fewer moves will look at only the best ones So much of the religion is repetition 5 times a day we perform our Contact Prayers [70:34] They consistently observe their contact prayers (Salat), on time. We recite the same things every time 17 times a day we recite the Al-Fãtehah [14:40] "My Lord, make me one who consistently observes the Contact Prayers (Salat), and also my children. Our Lord, please answer my prayers. Before we eat we mention God’s name or when we wake up in the morning we say: Bismillah AlRahman AlRaheem (In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful) Every time we get income we give to Zakat Remembering God Every Chance We Get [18:23] You shall not say that you will do anything in the future, [18:24] without saying, "GOD willing."* If you forget to do this, you must immediately remember your Lord and say, "May my Lord guide me to do better next time." Each night before going to bed we read Quran and at Dawn we recite Quran Even the Quran is repetitive The number one feedback I hear from people who are new to Quran is that it is repetitive They say: “I get it God is Most Gracious, Most Merciful” But do they really understand? It can take a lifetime to even get a small understanding of what this truly means. Just because you read it once, does not mean that you understand it Knowing vs. Understanding Example of changing the orientation of a bike such that left turns right and vice-versa The Backwards Brain Bicycle - Smarter Every Day 133 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0 It took him weeks to understand the new way of riding th

Public Key Cryptography One Public Key one Private Key Public Key validates the sender of the message Private Key unlocks the message #19 is the public key - anyone anywhere can validate every letter, word, verse, sura of the Quran, but does not mean that they will have access to it Sincerity is the private key - this is what allows someone to unlock the message of the Quran. If someone is not sincere - they will not be able to understand Quran [74:18 – 36] For he reflected, then decided. Miserable is what he decided. Miserable indeed is what he decided. He looked. He frowned and whined. Then he turned away arrogantly. He said, "This is but clever magic! "This is human made." … Over it is nineteen. We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assigned their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as the believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts, and the disbelievers; they will say, "What did GOD mean by this allegory?" GOD thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people. Absolutely, (I swear) by the moon. And the night as it passes. And the morning as it shines. This is one of the great miracles. A warning to the human race. In order to access the Quran we need to be sincere. [56:75] I swear by the positions of the stars. [56:76] This is an oath, if you only knew, that is awesome. [56:77] This is an honorable Quran. [56:78] In a protected book. [56:79] None can grasp it except the sincere.* There are two things that can happen when someone who is not sincere receives the Quran. They disbelieve They become a hypocrite Three Categories of People (1) The Righteous [2:3] who believe in the unseen, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat),* and from our** provisions to them, they give to charity. [2:4] And they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you,* and with regard to the Hereafter, they are absolutely certain. [2:5] These are guided by their Lord; these are the winners. (2) The Disbelievers [2:6] As for those who disbelieve, it is the same for them; whether you warn them, or not warn them, they cannot believe. [2:7] GOD seals their minds and their hearing, and their eyes are veiled. They have incurred severe retribution. (3) The Hypocrites [2:8] Then there are those who say, "We believe in GOD and the Last Day," while they are not believers. [2:9] In trying to deceive GOD and those who believe, they only deceive themselves without perceiving. [2:10] In their minds there is a disease. Consequently, GOD augments their disease. They have incurred a painful retribution for their lying. [2:11] When they are told, "Do not commit evil," they say, "But we are righteous!" [2:12] In fact, they are evildoers, but they do not perceive. [2:13] When they are told, "Believe like the people who believed," they say, "Shall we believe like the fools who believed?" In fact, it is they who are fools, but they do not know. [2:14] When they meet the believers, they say, "We believe," but when alone with their devils, they say, "We are with you; we were only mocking." [2:15] GOD mocks them, and leads them on in their transgressions, blundering. [2:16] It is they who bought the straying, at the expense of guidance. Such trade never prospers, nor do they receive any guidance. [2:17] Their example is like those who start a fire, then, as it begins to shed light around them, GOD takes away their light, leaving them in darkness, unable to see. [2:18] Deaf, dumb, and blind; they fail to return. They will be blocked out if they are not sincere Divine Intervention [18:57] Who are more evil than those who are reminded of their Lord's proofs, then disregard them, without realizing what they are doing. Consequently, we place shields on their hearts to prevent them from understanding it (the Quran), and deafness in their ears. Thus, no matter what you do to guide them, they can never ever be guided. [35:8] Note the one whose evil work is adorned in his eyes, until he thinks that it is righteous. GOD thus sends astray whoever wills (to go astray), and He guides whoever wills (to be guided). Therefore, do not grieve over them. GOD is fully aware of everything they do. [15:90] We will deal with the dividers. [15:91] They accept the Quran only partially. Can’t take the interpretation of one verse when it contradicts the other. [3:78] Among them are those who twist their tongues to imitate the scripture, that you may think it is from the scripture, when it is not from the scripture, and they claim that it is from GOD, when it is not from GOD. Thus, they utter lies and attribute them to GOD, knowingly. [4:44] Have you noted those who received a portion of the scripture, and how they choose

1. Allah created man from Embryo [96:0] In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful [96:1] Read, in the name of your Lord, who created. [96:2] He created man from an embryo. [96:3] Read, and your Lord, Most Exalted. [96:4] Teaches by means of the pen. [96:5] He teaches man what he never knew. Water [25:54] He is the One who created from water a human being, then made him reproduce through marriage and mating. Your Lord is Omnipotent. Dust [30:20] Among His proofs is that He created you from dust, then you became reproducing humans. Nothing [19:67] Did the human being forget that we created him already, and he was nothing? Clay [15:26] We created the human being from aged mud, like the potter's clay. [21:30] Do the unbelievers not realize that the heaven and the earth used to be one solid mass that we exploded into existence? And from water we made all living things. Would they believe? Prior to the big bang there was nothing – so we came from nothing After big-bang there was Stardust these are all the elements that make up a human in total I believe there are about 27 different elements that the human body consists of If I say I made an apple pie, the ingredients will be dependent on how detailed I want to get. Flour => Wheat => Earth => Water => Stardust etc. Also, going to link to the audio of a video showing just how profound the first revelation of the Quran the first five verses of Sura 96 are so profound regarding the process of an embryo. Part of it is visual so I’ll link to the actual video, but I think you will still appreciate what is said. EMBRYO = LEECH | AMAZING QURAN MIRACLE | #MINDBLOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYajKl-Xr6c 2. They lost their own souls, who will not believe (6:12) God causes to stray whom He wills (16:93) The 6:12 verse does not sound right [6:12] Say, "To whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth?" Say, "To GOD." He has decreed that mercy is His attribute. He will surely summon you all on the Day of Resurrection, which is inevitable. The ones who lose their souls are those who disbelieve. But from 16:93 I think I understand the argument [16:93] Had GOD willed, He could have made you one congregation. But He sends astray whoever chooses to go astray, and He guides whoever wishes to be guided.* You will surely be asked about everything you have done. Do human beings have free will according to the Quran. The answer is yes: [33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.* So why does it say that God leads people astray in 16:93? When we make a choice our minds are designed to confirm that choice – this is by the design of God. That is why it says [19:75] Say, "Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them—either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power." [19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns. This is called confirmation bias – we look for information that will confirm our existing beliefs. [9:115] GOD does not send any people astray, after He had guided them, without first pointing out for them what to expect. GOD is fully aware of all things. 3. Will intercession be possible on the Day of Judgment? [2:123] Beware of the day when no soul will help another soul, no ransom will be accepted, no intercession will be useful, and no one will be helped. [2:254] O you who believe, you shall give to charity from the provisions we have given to you, before a day comes where there is no trade, no nepotism, and no intercession. The disbelievers are the unjust. [20:109] On that day, intercession will be useless, except for those permitted by the Most Gracious, and whose utterances conform to His will. To believe that anyone, other than God, can intercede on our behalf to have our sins forgiven or our wishes fulfilled, is to set up partners with God. This is idolatry. The Quran proclaims that "All intercession belongs to God" (39:44), and that there will be "no intercession on the Day of Judgment" (2:254). The myth of intercession is one of Satan's most effective tricks to dupe millions of people into idol worship. Millions of Christians believe that Jesus will intercede for them at God, and millions of Muslims believe that Muhammad will intercede on their behalf. Consequently, these people idolize Jesus and Muhammad. The concept of intercession is utterly illogical. Those who believe in Muhammad's intercession, for example, claim that he will ask God to forgive them and admit them into Paradise. They imagine Muhammad on the Day of Judgment choosing the candidates for his intercession. If you ask those who believe in intercession: "How will Muhammad recognize

What you just listened to was a trailer for a Netflix original called the Push The Push is a social experiment conducted by Derren Brown who is a British mentalist. If you have been listening to the podcast you might have heard me reference Darren Brown and some of the social illusions he has run. He really is an experiment of understanding human psychology The premise in the push is can he create a scenario where within a span of 72 minutes he can create a scenario where a person will push a human off a building to their death. SPOILER ALERT…. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT AND YOU WANT TO SEE IT PLEASE GO WATCH IT FIRST AND THEN LISTEN TO THE PODCAST IF YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT HEARING WHAT HAPPENED THEN CONTINUE LISTENING I think the biggest mistake most people make when watching one of these social experiments is thinking what is wrong with these people…I would never do that I noticed the people who are in complete denial about their ability to be manipulated are the most susceptible We need to watch things like this and think no this could be me I could be the person in this experiment and be cajoled into doing something that I would have never thought I would do in a million years Example of Adam and Eve in paradise being tempted by the devil [4:119] "I will mislead them, I will entice them, I will command them to (forbid the eating of certain meats by) marking the ears of livestock, and I will command them to distort the creation of GOD." Anyone who accepts the devil as a lord, instead of GOD, has incurred a profound loss. [4:120] He promises them and entices them; what the devil promises is no more than an illusion. [7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative." [17:64] "You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion. [7:202] Their brethren ceaselessly entice them to go astray. [29:3] We have tested those before them, for GOD must distinguish those who are truthful, and He must expose the liars. [29:10] Among the people there are those who say, "We believe in GOD," but as soon as they suffer any hardship because of GOD, they equate the people's persecution with GOD's retribution. But if blessings from your Lord come your way, they say, "We were with you." Is GOD not fully aware of the people's innermost thoughts? [29:11] GOD will most certainly distinguish those who believe, and He will most certainly expose the hypocrites. [3:154]… GOD thus puts you to the test to bring out your true convictions, and to test what is in your hearts. In the push, they showed how they selected participants for the experiment They wanted to see how agreeable and likely people would be to go with the group Sitting and Standing - They had three actors sitting in a waiting room and then one by one they brought in people who wanted to be on the show then a bell would ring and the actors would stand then a bell ring and they would sit. Social Pressure: God Strengthens the Messenger [17:73] They almost diverted you from the revelations we have given you. They wanted you to fabricate something else, in order to consider you a friend. [17:74] If it were not that we strengthened you, you almost leaned towards them just a little bit. [17:75] Had you done that, we would have doubled the retribution for you in this life, and after death, and you would have found no one to help you against us. [17:76] They almost banished you from the land to get rid of you, so they could revert as soon as you left. [17:77] This has been consistently the case with all the messengers that we sent before you, and you will find that our system never changes. Abraham Back to Abraham [29:24] The only response from his people was their saying, "Kill him, or burn him." But GOD saved him from the fire. This should provide lessons for people who believe. Social Pressure: A Profound Disaster [29:25] He said, "You worship beside GOD powerless idols due to peer pressure, just to preserve some friendship among you in this worldly life. But then, on the Day of Resurrection, you will disown one another, and curse one another. Your destiny is Hell, wherein you cannot help one another." [29:26] Lot believed with him and said, "I am emigrating to my Lord. He is the Almighty, the Most Wise." Lot and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah Example of Joseph God Protects the Believers From Sin [12:23] The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD protect me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The transgressors never succeed." Footnote [12:24] She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed to her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus diverted evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted

Quran Alone God's Messenger of the Covenant* [25:27] The day will come when the transgressor will bite his hands (in anguish) and say, "Alas, I wish I had followed the path with the messenger. [25:28] "Alas, woe to me, I wish I did not take that person as a friend. [25:29] "He has led me away from the message after it came to me. Indeed, the devil lets down his human victims." [25:30] The messenger* said, "My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran." Quran Should Be Our Only Source for Religious Law Quran, the Whole Quran, and Nothing But the Quran [6:19] Say, "Whose testimony is the greatest?" Say, "GOD's. He is the witness between me and you that this Quran* has been inspired to me, to preach it to you and whomever it reaches. Indeed, you bear witness that there are other gods* beside GOD." Say, "I do not testify as you do; there is only one god, and I disown your idolatry." Quran: The ONLY Source [17:46] We place shields around their minds, to prevent them from understanding it, and deafness in their ears. And when you preach your Lord, using the Quran alone,* they run away in aversion. [18:27] You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord's scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it. Following Other Sources Means You Do Not Believe In God Hadith & Sunna: Fabrications by the Prophet's Enemies [6:112] We have permitted the enemies of every prophet—human and jinn devils—to inspire in each other fancy words, in order to deceive. Had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications. Important Criterion [6:113] This is to let the minds of those who do not believe in the Hereafter listen to such fabrications, and accept them, and thus expose their real convictions.* The Idols: Innovating New Religious Laws* [42:21] They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by GOD. If it were not for the predetermined decision, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the transgressors have incurred a painful retribution.* [4:60] Have you noted those who claim that they believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, then uphold the unjust laws of their idols? They were commanded to reject such laws. Indeed, it is the devil's wish to lead them far astray. [4:61] When they are told, "Come to what GOD has revealed, and to the messenger," you see the hypocrites shunning you completely. We can get inspiration from anyone or anything, but when it comes to our religious salvation and the religious laws we live by it all comes 100% from God’s infallible message via the Quran Fully Detailed Animals and Birds: Submitting Creatures* [6:38] All the creatures on earth, and all the birds that fly with wings, are communities like you. We did not leave anything out of this book.** To their Lord, all these creatures will be summoned. Quran: Fully Detailed* [6:114] Shall I seek other than GOD as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?* Those who received the scripture recognize that it has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully. You shall not harbor any doubt. [6:115] The word of your Lord is complete,* in truth and justice. Nothing shall abrogate His words. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient. [6:116] If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will divert you from the path of GOD. They follow only conjecture; they only guess. [18:54] We have cited in this Quran every kind of example, but the human being is the most argumentative creature. [39:27] We have cited for the people every kind of example in this Quran, that they may take heed. [16:89] The day will come when we will raise from every community a witness from among them, and bring you as the witness of these people. We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations for everything, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for the submitters. Mathematical Composition of the Quran [17:88] Say, "If all the humans and all the jinns banded together in order to produce a Quran like this, they can never produce anything like it, no matter how much assistance they lent one another." [17:89] We have cited for the people in this Quran all kinds of examples, but most people insist upon disbelieving. [7:52] We have given them a scripture that is fully detailed, with knowledge, guidance, and mercy for the people who believe. No Contradictions Proof of Divine Authorship [4:82] Why do they not study the Quran carefully? If it were from other than GOD, they would have found in it numerous contradictions.* Quran: No Ambiguity [39:27] We have cited for the people every kind of example in this Quran, that they may take heed. [39:28] An Arabic Quran, without any ambiguity, that they may be righteous. [39:29] GOD cites the example of a man who deals with disputing partners (Hadith), compared to a man who deals with only one consistent source (Quran). Are they the same? Praise be to GOD; most of them d

Be Kind To One Another Continue on from the last podcast regarding a loan of righteousness… Fair vs. Kind [5:8] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses. Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice. You shall be absolutely equitable, for it is more righteous. You shall observe GOD. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do. Submitters [41:33] Who can utter better words than one who invites to GOD, works righteousness, and says, "I am one of the submitters"? [41:34] Not equal is the good response and the bad response. You shall resort to the nicest possible response. Thus, the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend. [41:35] None can attain this except those who steadfastly persevere. None can attain this except those who are extremely fortunate. Traits of the Believers [42:37] They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive. [42:38] They respond to their Lord by observing the Contact Prayers (Salat). Their affairs are decided after due consultation among themselves, and from our provisions to them they give (to charity). [42:39] When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights. [42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. [42:41] Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. [42:42] The wrong ones are those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to aggression without provocation. These have incurred a painful retribution. [42:43] Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true strength of character. Don’t be a pushover - Earth will be inhabited by the meek Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Jordan Peterson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_5:5 [5:54] O you who believe, if you revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in your place people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be kind with the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame. Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient. [52:25] They will meet each other and reminisce among themselves. [52:26] They will say, "We used to be kind and humble among our people. [52:27] "GOD has blessed us, and has spared us the agony of ill winds. [52:28] "We used to implore Him; He is the Most Kind, Most Merciful." Charlie Brown & Franz Stigler December 20th 1943 B-17 Bomber 40 years later they meet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Brown_and_Franz_Stigler_incident Dehumanization Black vs. whites Jewish Today’s Refugees The Only Criterion For Distinguishing Among The People [49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant. Quran: The Ultimate Reference [5:48] Then we revealed to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming previous scriptures, and superseding them. You shall rule among them in accordance with GOD's revelations, and do not follow their wishes if they differ from the truth that came to you. For each of you, we have decreed laws and different rites. Had GOD willed, He could have made you one congregation. But He thus puts you to the test through the revelations He has given each of you. You shall compete in righteousness. To GOD is your final destiny—all of you—then He will inform you of everything you had disputed. Treat Each Other Amicably [17:53] Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man's most ardent enemy. Being King Means Getting Outside Of Your Comfort Zone [59:8] (You shall give) to the needy who immigrated. They were evicted from their homes and deprived of their properties, because they sought GOD's grace and pleasure, and because they supported GOD and His messenger. They are the truthful. [59:9] As for those who provided them with a home and a refuge, and were believers before them, they love those who immigrated to them, and find no hesitation in their hearts in helping them. In fact, they readily give them priority over themselves, even when they themselves need what they give away. Indeed, those who overcome their natural stinginess are the successful ones. Self [12:53] "I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is an advocate of vice, except for those who have attained mercy from my Lord. My Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful." 60 Minutes – Saving The Children https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-the-children-on-eve-of-world-war-11-60-minutes/?authenticated=1 Nicholas Winton who went to Prague, and ended up saving the lives of 669 children, mostly Jews

Think of an investment you missed out on Housing provided $1T wealth in the terms of home equity to home owners in 2017 Amazon & Apple if invested years ago could have made so much money. Bitcoin going up from nothing to being worth ~$10k – Store of Value All investments at one point didn’t look so promising so they were valued low. At that time there was no guarantee that the investment would be successful so people stayed away. There is only a single investment that we can say with absolute certainty The Best Investment [2:261] The example of those who spend their monies in the cause of GOD is that of a grain that produces seven spikes, with a hundred grains in each spike. GOD multiplies this manifold for whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Knower. Return = 70,000% * manifold They say there is no such thing as a sure thing… Preoccupation With the Wrong Life [30:6] Such is GOD's promise—and GOD never breaks His promise—but most people do not know. [30:7] They care only about things of this world that are visible to them, while being totally oblivious to the Hereafter. Currency in the hereafter is righteousness [2:197] Hajj shall be observed in the specified months.* Whoever sets out to observe Hajj shall refrain from sexual intercourse, misconduct, and arguments throughout Hajj. Whatever good you do, GOD is fully aware thereof. As you prepare your provisions for the journey, the best provision is righteousness. You shall observe Me, O you who possess intelligence. God is the source of righteousness [74:56] They cannot take heed against GOD's will. He is the source of righteousness; He is the source of forgiveness. We can take a loan of righteousness and God will pay us back [2:245] Who would lend GOD a loan of righteousness, to have it repaid to them multiplied manifold? GOD is the One who provides and withholds, and to Him you will be returned. [57:11] Who would like to loan GOD a loan of righteousness, to have it multiplied for him manifold, and end up with a generous recompense? [64:17] If you lend GOD a loan of righteousness, He will multiply the reward for you manifold, and forgive you. GOD is Appreciative, Clement. God is giving us an opportunity to earn credit [36:47] When they are told, "Give from GOD's provisions to you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Why should we give to those whom GOD could feed, if He so willed? You are really far astray." God’s resources are inexhaustible [17:20] For each one of them we provide; we provide those and these from your Lord's bounties. Your Lord's bounties are inexhaustible. [17:100] Proclaim, "If you possessed my Lord's treasures of mercy, you would have withheld them, fearing that you might exhaust them. The human being is stingy." Caring only about things in this world [3:14] Adorned for the people are the worldly pleasures, such as the women, having children, piles upon piles of gold and silver, trained horses, livestock, and crops. These are the materials of this world. A far better abode is reserved at GOD. [4:134] Anyone who seeks the materials of this world should know that GOD possesses both the materials of this world and the Hereafter. GOD is Hearer, Seer. This world is an illusion Digital Goods - Sims / 2nd Life - would you be envious of someone who had a nice car or home in the digital world? Instagram lives When we know this world is an illusion and we are not taking anything of this world with us to the Hereafter, then why do we get so caught up with material posseessions? If we get more than we can handle we will transgress [42:27] If GOD increased the provision for His servants, they would transgress on earth. This is why He sends it precisely measured to whomever He wills. He is fully Cognizant and Seer of His servants. Materials of This World: All That The Disbelievers Get [43:33] If it were not that all the people might become one (disbelieving) congregation, we would have granted everyone who disbelieves in the Most Gracious mansions with silver roofs, and stairs upon which they could climb. [43:34] Their mansions would have impressive gates, and luxurious furnishings. [43:35] Also many ornaments. All these are the temporary materials of this lowly life. The Hereafter—at your Lord—is far better for the righteous. God's System Does Not Change [9:69] Some of those before you were stronger than you, and possessed more money and children. They became preoccupied with their material possessions. Similarly, you have become preoccupied with your material possessions, just like those before you have become preoccupied. You have become totally heedless, just as they were heedless. Such are the people who nullify their works, both in this world and in the Hereafter; they are the losers. Dirty money- self-justification Scott Tucker and payday loans in the United States. CLK Management made loans with terms that included renewals and fees, as well as interest rates as high as 700% per year. Greed monopoly study Given twice as much mone

Do you know what you are made of? Moses [26:10] Recall that your Lord called Moses: "Go to the transgressing people. [26:11] "Pharaoh's people; perhaps they reform." [26:12] He said, "My Lord, I fear lest they disbelieve me. [26:13] "I may lose my temper. My tongue gets tied; send for my brother Aaron. [26:14] "Also, they consider me a fugitive; I fear lest they kill me." [26:15] He said, "No, (they will not). Go with My proofs. We will be with you, listening. [20:41] "I have made you just for Me. [20:42] "Go with your brother, supported by My signs, and do not waver in remembering Me. [2:286] GOD never burdens a soul beyond its means: to its credit is what it earns, and against it is what it commits. "Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make mistakes. Our Lord, and protect us from blaspheming against You, like those before us have done. Our Lord, protect us from sinning until it becomes too late for us to repent. Pardon us and forgive us. You are our Lord and Master. Grant us victory over the disbelieving people." [7:42] As for those who believe and lead a righteous life—we never burden any soul beyond its means—these will be the dwellers of Paradise. They abide in it forever. [23:62] We never burden any soul beyond its means, and we keep a record that utters the truth. No one will suffer injustice. Planet Earth Season II – Episode 4 - Deserts Kalahari Desert watering hole 100km from the nest’s of the sandgrouse chicks Father has to make a 200km round trip to get water for their young Threat of getting trampled by zebras, elephants or eaten by hawks Go on every day for two months Human being wants the easy way out – think it is better for them [17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. Sometimes you need God to save you from what you want so He can give you what you need Uber Uber drivers thinking they want Uber to incorporate tips, but when they did their wages actually went down? Why, because when the announcement that they added the ability to include tips was made this caused more people to want to drive for Uber and this increased the supply of drivers, but not the demand for rides. Believers: The Ultimate Victors [2:216] Fighting may be imposed on you, even though you dislike it. But you may dislike something which is good for you, and you may like something which is bad for you. GOD knows while you do not know. Jonah Nineveh - thinking he can abandon his mission Assyrians Very bad reputation as a ruthless people Using the skins and bones of the people they conquered Stone carvings of their ruthlessness as opposed to the Persian showing diversity and friendship Cutting off the heads and sticking them on spikes Eyes poked out heads cut off The Mesopotamian god Ashur was the head of the Assyrian pantheon, and hence every decision made by the ruler was taken under the symbolic ‘validation’ of Ashur – ranging from plundering, massacres to even domestic policies. "Yahweh again commands Jonah to travel to Nineveh and prophesy to its inhabitants.[11] This time he goes and enters the city, crying, "In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown."[12] After Jonah has walked across Nineveh, the people of Nineveh begin to believe his word and proclaim a fast.[13] The king of Nineveh puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes, making a proclamation which decrees fasting, the wearing of sackcloth, prayer, and repentance.[14] God sees their repentant hearts and spares the city at that time.[15] The entire city is humbled and broken with the people (and even the animals)[16][17] in sackcloth and ashes.[18]” Nineveh Syriac: ܢܝܼܢܘܹܐ‎ was an ancient Assyrian city of Upper Mesopotamia, located on the outskirts of Mosul in modern-day northern Iraq. It is located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and was the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Nowadays it is a common name for the half of Mosul which lies on the eastern bank of the Tigris. Battle of Mosul (2016–2017)[edit] Main articles: Mosul offensive (2016) and Battle of Mosul (2016–17) After more than two years of IS occupation of Mosul, Iraqi, Kurdish, American and French forces launched a joint offensive to recapture the city on 16 October 2016.[89][90] The battle for Mosul was considered key in the military intervention against IS.[91] Turkish warplanes participated in the coalition strikes on Mosul, amid the escalating dispute between Baghdad and Ankara about the Turkish presence in Bashiqa.[92] A military offensive to retake the city was the largest deployment of Iraqi forces since the 2003 invasion by U.S. and coalition forces[93] On July 9, 2017, Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi arrived in preparation to announce the full liberation of Mosul and reclaim the city after three years of ISIL control.[94] A formal declaration was made on the next day.[95] Ancient Warfare: Assyrian Empire and Macedonian Army https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPle6IzDuoU https://www.

Inception Wasp virus turns ladybugs into zombie babysitters http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/wasp-virus-turns-ladybugs-zombie-babysitters Zombie spider builds a stronger web for the parasitic wasp that's sucking its blood https://www.theverge.com/2015/8/6/9103979/parasitic-wasp-spiders-zombie-stronger-web Satan infects the human with an idea The human believes they came up with the idea The human will foster the idea and the idea will grow The human will protect and defend the idea And the idea will manifest to action [17:64] "You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion. Satan Hypnotizes His Constituents [7:179] We have committed to Hell multitudes of jinns and humans. They have minds with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like animals; no, they are far worse—they are totally unaware. Advertisers spend billions (Ben Shapiro - Hollywood) Darren Brown – How To Get Someone The Perfect Gift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwCMX5sUQU When we think we own something we give it more value Mug social experiment When someone comes up with a business plan they think it is better than it actually is Satan will infect us with predominately two kinds of ideas #1 Ego #2 Doubt There are several things that our faith needs to be unshakeable regarding #1 – There is no god beside God [3:18] GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise. #2 – There will be a Day of Judgment [22:7] And that the Hour is coming, no doubt about it, and that GOD resurrects those who are in the graves. [40:59] Most certainly, the Hour (Day of Judgment) is coming, no doubt about it, but most people do not believe. [13:2] GOD is the One who raised the heavens without pillars that you can see, then assumed all authority. He committed the sun and the moon, each running (in its orbit) for a predetermined period. He controls all things, and explains the revelations, that you may attain certainty about meeting your Lord. #3 – God’s word is the absolute truth [7:2] This scripture has been revealed to you—you shall not harbor doubt about it in your heart—that you may warn with it, and to provide a reminder for the believers. [35:40] Say, "Consider the idols you have set up beside GOD; show me what on earth have they created." Do they own any partnership in the heavens? Have we given them a book wherein there is no doubt? Indeed, what the transgressors promise one another is no more than an illusion. It is okay to have doubt with the expectation that we will work to eliminate the doubt Abraham Every Believer Needs Assurance [2:260] Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You revive the dead." He said, "Do you not believe?" He said, "Yes, but I wish to reassure my heart." He said, "Take four birds, study their marks, place a piece of each bird on top of a hill, then call them to you. They will come to you in a hurry. You should know that GOD is Almighty, Most Wise." Jesus’s Disciples The Feast [5:112] Recall that the disciples said, "O Jesus, son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a feast from the sky?" He said, "You should reverence GOD, if you are believers." [5:113] They said, "We wish to eat from it, and to reassure our hearts, and to know for sure that you have told us the truth. We will serve as witnesses thereof." Greater Miracles Bring Greater Responsibility* [5:114] Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "Our god, our Lord, send down to us a feast from the sky. Let it bring plenty for each and every one of us, and a sign from You. Provide for us; You are the best Provider." [5:115] GOD said, "I am sending it down. Anyone among you who disbelieves after this, I will punish him as I never punished anyone else."* Submitters Strive for Certainty Muslim vs Mu'men [49:14] The Arabs said, "We are Mu'mens (believers)." Say, "You have not believed; what you should say is, 'We are Muslims (submitters),' until belief is established in your hearts." If you obey GOD and His messenger, He will not put any of your works to waste. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. [49:15] Mu'mens (believers) are those who believe in GOD and His messenger, then attain the status of having no doubt whatsoever, and strive with their money and their lives in the cause of GOD. These are the truthful ones. [49:16] Say, "Are you informing GOD about your religion? GOD knows everything in the heavens and the earth. GOD is Omniscient." [2:118] Those who possess no knowledge say, "If only GOD could speak to us, or some miracle could come to us!" Others before them have uttered similar utterances; their minds are similar. We do manifest the miracles for those who have attained certainty. [5:50] Is it the law o

Louis CK | Everything is Awesome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TviGil-U2HE [14:34] And He gives you all kinds of things that you implore Him for. If you count GOD's blessings, you can never encompass them. Indeed, the human being is transgressing, unappreciative. [16:18] If you count GOD's blessings, you cannot possibly encompass them. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. If we try to count all the blessings that God has provided us just for a single day there is no way we can wrap our heads around so many There are blessings that we can fathom and ones that we cannot even grasp Site, sound, touch, smell, taste We think we have only five senses but we have so many more being able to feel pain being able to feel heat/cold being able to tell up from down (vertigo) Being able to tell acceleration Knowing where your limbs are proprioception Being able to sense the passing of time But for us this is all normal so we forget When you woke up this morning did you thank God when you took your first breath and life was resurrected back into your body That during night time your body was immobile – Mike Biglia - Acts out his dreams Story of a professor whose body will randomly go immobile as if he is sleeping though he is a awake. When you opened your eyes and you first sensed light and awareness Did you know we can see 7 million different colors you saw the faces of your loved ones and were able to recognize them Prosopagnosia– face blindness I am talking with you and are you in astonishment in the process that is taking place? Your heart beats 115,200 times per day All day your lungs will be breathing pulling in oxygen and energy to your body 16 hours of your day your eyes will process all the things that you see in the world your legs will walk thousands of steps When you went to the fridge and you grabbed breakfast Milk Cereal Apple Eggs Microwave or stove That your stomach and intestines can operate and extract the nutrients you need without any willpower on your part Maybe you took a shower and in a few seconds you have fresh clean water at the perfect temperature for you Then you got into your car where you can adjust the temperature and travel faster than you could ever on your feet without breaking a sweat That you live in a world with laws and human rights that you are not fleeing from the lion or tiger struggling to survive I am pushing air through my lungs and vibrating this air as it is passing my throat to sounds that are bouncing off the hairs in your ears that is vibrating your ear drums then translating those vibrations to an electrical signal that is being sent and deciphered in your brain to language and a message Habituation Can you smell your nose? Can you see your nose? Can you feel the ground beneath your feet? We get used to all the infinite blessings that God has given us Remember you did nothing to deserve any of these blessings… We remember God when we lose it... Job 38:4-7New Life Version (NLV) 4 Where were you when I began building the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who decided how big it was to be, since you know? Who looked to see if it was as big as it should be? 6 What was it built upon? Who laid its first stone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God called out for joy? Old Man And His Eyes A man reached 75 years of age and started having problems with his eyes. He could not see. He went to the hospital and he was diagnosed, and the doctors informed him that he was in need of an operation otherwise he would never be able to see again. He agreed to have the operation done as he truly missed being able to see like he used to. When the operation was completed, his doctor gave him the bill which covered all the costs. The old man looked at the bill and started to cry. Upon seeing this, the doctor told him that if the cost was too high then they could make some other arrangements. The old man said “I am not crying because of the money but I am crying because God let me see without any problems for 75 years and He never sent me a bill.” We are more blessed in history than ever before yet we are more miserable Happiness = expectations - reality Set the right expectations you have everything and deserve nothing Person at the gym who was recovering from a bone infection The angels said send them all to Hell Let’s say I give you $1M then take $500k back versus I just give you $500k Think of the movie you had low expectations for - Why are movies on planes so much better Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment Everything you have is a gift Be in a state of awe Earth is spinning 1000mph Earth is rotating around the sun at 67,000 mph Sun is moving at 72,000mph Milkyway Galaxy is moving through space at 1.3M mph Earth is 7,915mi diameter ~25mi is the thickness of the earth’s crust Equivalent of the skin of an apple compared to the fruit Under the 25mi is molten rock - a sea of lava - at 4000 degrees Celcius On this thin crust of the earth you put a piece of dead

Who is your #1 adversary? [15:42] "You have no power over My servants. You only have power over the strayers who follow you. Satan Disowns His Followers [14:22] And the devil will say, after the judgment had been issued, "GOD has promised you the truthful promise, and I promised you, but I broke my promise. I had no power over you; I simply invited you, and you accepted my invitation. Therefore, do not blame me, and blame only yourselves. My complaining cannot help you, nor can your complaining help me. I have disbelieved in your idolizing me. The transgressors have incurred a painful retribution." Introduction - "The horse has no ego. The horse’s owner can be rich or poor, tall or short, fat or thin, young or old, and the horse will serve them all. The dog has no ego; it will wag its tail to its owner, no matter how rich or poor the owner might be. The sun rises and sets every day at precisely the times prescribed by God. The moon follows its synchronized orbit around the earth, without the slightest deviation. The human body—a temporary garment—belongs to the Earth; as such, it is a submitter. The heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs, perform their functions without our control.” The Ego as a god [25:43] Have you seen the one whose god is his own ego? Will you be his advocate? [25:44] Do you think that most of them hear, or understand? They are just like animals; no, they are far worse. [7:20] The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence." [7:21] He swore to them, "I am giving you good advice." [7:22] He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: "Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?” A dog has no sense of nakedness What is ego? Ego Deconstructed Pride: a feeling that you are better or more important than other people Arrogance: behavior that shows that you think you are better or more important than other people Ignorance: lack of knowledge or information. Common Form of Idolatry: The Ego As A god [45:23] Have you noted the one whose god is his ego? Consequently, GOD sends him astray, despite his knowledge, seals his hearing and his mind, and places a veil on his eyes. Who then can guide him, after such a decision by GOD? Would you not take heed? It is hard to see when my eyes are on me Isaiah 14:12 - 14 12“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ When you notice one of your organs then there is probably a problem with it. When it is healthy you don’t notice it. Similary when you notice yourself at the expense of others then there is probably a problem with it. Signs of Ego I am better than he The Test Begins [7:12] He said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?" He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from mud." [7:13] He said, "Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased." The First Murder* [5:27] Recite for them the true history of Adam's two sons. They made an offering, and it was accepted from one of them, but not from the other. He said, "I will surely kill you." He said, "GOD accepts only from the righteous. [5:28] "If you extend your hand to kill me, I am not extending my hand to kill you. For I reverence GOD, Lord of the universe. [5:29] "I want you, not me, to bear my sin and your sin, then you end up with the dwellers of Hell. Such is the requital for the transgressors." [5:30] Hisegoprovoked him into killing his brother. He killed him, and ended up with the losers. [12:76] He then started by inspecting their containers, before getting to his brother's container, and he extracted it out of his brother's container. We thus perfected the scheme for Joseph; he could not have kept his brother if he applied the king's law. But that was the will of GOD. We exalt whomever we choose to higher ranks. Above every knowledgeable one, there is one who is even more knowledgeable. Divine Revelation: The Source of All Knowledge [17:85] They ask you about the revelation. Say, "The revelation comes from my Lord. The knowledge given to you is minute." [17:86] If we will, we can take back what we revealed to you, then you will find no protector against us. Joseph was a slave and a prisoner by role but not by spirit Never think you are too good to do something John Boyd - t

Be Grateful for the Intelligent Design of Your Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kboUBQnMP8w

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future topics send us an email: [email protected] ************************************* The Story of Blondin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H-yrfmqmGc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Blondin I thought that was a great story to start the podcast with as I wanted to talk about what it means to believe in God. A gallop poll last year found that 89% of American say they believe in God, but what does that truly mean? To believe in the mere existence of God does not mean anything if you do not know, understand or believe who God is. When we truly believe something our actions should correspond with our beliefs In the story of Blondin despite the people witnessing him successfully walking 1100 feet across and 160 feet above Niagara falls numerous times and saying they believed with their lips showed they really didn’t believe because of their actions by not willing to get inside the wheelbarrow If we truly believe in God then our actions will correspond with our supposed belief Knowing God Knowing God’s qualities and most importantly that God is doing everything God is doing everything What does that mean: God is doing everything [10:61] You do not get into any situation, nor do you recite any Quran, nor do you do anything, without us being witnesses thereof as you do it. Not even an atom's weight is out of your Lord's control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record. How would you behave if you truly believed God is doing everything? Would you have any fear? Would you ever worry? Would you ever get angry or get frustrated? The Battle of the Parties (33:9 – 33:20) O you who believe, remember GOD's blessing upon you; when soldiers attacked you, we sent upon them violent wind and invisible soldiers. GOD is Seer of everything you do. When they came from above you, and from beneath you, your eyes were terrified, your hearts ran out of patience, and you harbored unbefitting thoughts about GOD. [33:11] That is when the believers were truly tested; they were severely shaken up. [33:12] The hypocrites and those with doubts in their hearts said, "What GOD and His messenger promised us was no more than an illusion!" [33:13] A group of them said, "O people of Yathrib, you cannot attain victory; go back." Others made up excuses to the prophet: "Our homes are vulnerable," when they were not vulnerable. They just wanted to flee. [33:14] Had the enemy invaded and asked them to join, they would have joined the enemy without hesitation. [33:15] They had pledged to GOD in the past that they would not turn around and flee; making a pledge with GOD involves a great responsibility. Say, "If you flee, you can never flee from death or from being killed. No matter what happens, you only live a short while longer." Say, "Who would protect you from GOD if He willed any adversity, or willed any blessing for you?" They can never find, beside GOD, any other Lord and Master. [33:18] GOD is fully aware of the hinderers among you, and those who say to their comrades, "Let us all stay behind." Rarely do they mobilize for defense. [33:19] Also, they are too stingy when dealing with you. If anything threatens the community, you see their eyes rolling with fear, as if death had already come to them. Once the crisis is over, they whip you with sharp tongues. They are too stingy with their wealth. These are not believers, and, consequently, GOD has nullified their works. This is easy for GOD to do. [33:20] They thought that the parties might come back. In that case, they would wish that they were lost in the desert, asking about your news from afar. Had the parties attacked you while they were with you, they would rarely support you. [33:21] The messenger of GOD has set up a good example for those among you who seek GOD and the Last Day, and constantly think about GOD. Footnote [33:22] When the true believers saw the parties (ready to attack), they said, "This is what GOD and His messenger have promised us, and GOD and His messenger are truthful." This (dangerous situation) only strengthened their faith and augmented their submission. If we truly believe this then we would never fear anything besides God. To fear anything besides God is to give power to another entity independent of God. Fear: The Devil's Tool [3:175] It is the devil's system to instill fear into his subjects. Do not fear them and fear Me instead, if you are believers. The start of wisdom begins with fearing God? To believe anything besides God can harm or benefit you is tantamount to idol worship. [5:76] Say, "Would you worship beside GOD powerless idols who can neither harm you, nor benefit you? GOD is Hearer, Omniscient." [10:106] "You shall not worship beside GOD what possesses no power to benefit you or harm you. If you do, you will be a transgressor." As mentioned in the previous podcast by harm is the absence of God, such t

Send your comments, questions and episode suggestions to: [email protected] Why Would God Send Anyone to Hell? What is hell? Hell is the absence of God Evil is the absence of goodness Darkness is the absence of light Cold is the absence of heat Hell is the absence of God God does not send anyone to Hell On the contrary, people insist on going to Hell. The people who do not develop and nurture their souls we will not be able to physically withstand the presence of God . And on the Day of Judgment, they will flee further away from God. [69:13] When the horn is blown once. [69:14] The earth and the mountains will be carried off and crushed; utterly crushed. [69:15] That is the day when the inevitable event will come to pass. [69:16] The heaven will crack, and fall apart. [69:17] The angels will be all around, and Your Lord's dominion will then encompass eight (universes).[69:18] On that day, you will be exposed, nothing of you can be hidden. *69:17 This earth is full of misery because of its physical distance from God, since it is in the seventh universe (7:143). In the Hereafter, an eighth universe will be created that will be even farther than our seventh universe; it will be called "Hell" (89:23). [89:21] Indeed, when the earth is crushed, utterly crushed. [89:22] And your Lord comes, together with the angels in row after row. [89:23] On that day, Gehenna will be brought forth. On that day, the human being will remember—but what a remembrance—it will be too late. [89:24] He will say, "Oh, I wish I prepared for my (eternal) life." God gives people the freedom to choose to be in God’s kingdom or not [19:75] Say, "Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them—either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power." [19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns. Why would anyone choose to be in hell? Absolute Freedom of Religion [18:29] Proclaim: "This is the truth from your Lord," then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve. We have prepared for the transgressors a fire that will completely surround them. When they scream for help, they will be given a liquid like concentrated acid that scalds the faces. What a miserable drink! What a miserable destiny! How Terrible is Hell!* [22:19] Here are two parties feuding with regard to their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, they will have clothes of fire tailored for them. Hellish liquid will be poured on top of their heads. [22:20] It will cause their insides to melt, as well as their skins. [22:21] They will be confined in iron pots. [22:22] Whenever they try to exit such misery, they will be forced back in: "Taste the agony of burning." *22:19-22 People who have insisted upon going to Hell will inevitably complain: 'Had we known how bad this is, we would have behaved differently.' They will be told that the horrors of Hell have been pointed out to them in the most graphic, though symbolic, terms. It should be noted that Heaven and Hell are almost invariably mentioned together in the Quran. [78:21] Gehenna is inevitable. [78:22] For the transgressors; it will be their abode. [78:23] They stay in it for ages. [78:24] They never taste in it coolness, nor a drink. [78:25] Only an inferno, and bitter food. [38:55] As for the transgressors, they have incurred a miserable destiny. [38:56] Hell is where they burn; what a miserable abode! [38:57] What they taste therein will be hellish drinks and bitter food. Example of Adam and Eve Humans Fail to Make a Firm Stand* [20:115] We tested Adam in the past, but he forgot, and we found him indecisive. [20:116] Recall that we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused. [20:117] We then said, "O Adam, this is an enemy of you and your wife. Do not let him evict you from Paradise, lest you become miserable. [20:118] "You are guaranteed never to hunger therein, nor go unsheltered. [20:119] "Nor will you thirst therein, nor suffer from any heat." [20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship." [20:121] They ate from it, whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Adam thus disobeyed his Lord, and fell. [20:122] Subsequently, his Lord chose him, redeemed him, and guided him. [20:123] He said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. You are enemies of one another. When guidance comes to you from Me, anyone who follows My guidance will not go astray, nor suffer any misery. Metaphor of a doctor – type 2 diabetes Choose to make bad life choices – eat excess amounts of unhealthy food, lack of exercise Your body will not only stop producing insulin, but you will have to start giving yourselves frequent injections

Send your comments, questions and episode suggestions to: [email protected] Why Was Satan Created? Satan was created perfect [5:116] GOD will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary,* did you say to the people, ‘Make me and my mother idols beside GOD’?” He will say, “Be You glorified. I could not utter what was not right. Had I said it, You already would have known it. You know my thoughts, and I do not know Your thoughts. You know all the secrets. [5:101] O you who believe, do not ask about matters which, if revealed to you prematurely, would hurt you. If you ask about them in light of the Quran, they will become obvious to you. GOD has deliberately overlooked them. GOD is Forgiver, Clement. Ezekiel 28: 12…“You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering:.. 14 “You were the anointed angel who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. Isaiah 14: 12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ If there is a rule, but no one breaks it how do we know that the rule exists? Up until Satan’s thoughts that he could be a god like the Most High no one knew if we worshiped God alone because we were robots or because we chose to do so… Once the cat was out of the bag we were categorized and then given a choice Freedom of Choice [33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.* At this point Satan still wasn’t exposed…until Satan Refuses to Obey God and serve the human being [2:34] When we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam," they fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused, was too arrogant, and a disbeliever. All of God’s creations are designed for a specific purpose. [20:39] "Saying: 'Throw him into the box, then throw him into the river. The river will throw him onto the shore, to be picked up by an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his.' I showered you with love from Me, and I had you made before My watchful eye…[20:41] "I have made you just for Me. Did God know that Satan was going to disobey? [2:77] Do they not know that GOD knows everything they conceal, and everything they declare? [10:61] You do not get into any situation, nor do you recite any Quran, nor do you do anything, without us being witnesses thereof as you do it. Not even an atom's weight is out of your Lord's control, be it in the heavens or the earth. Nor is there anything smaller than an atom, or larger, that is not recorded in a profound record. [57:22] Anything that happens on earth, or to you, has already been recorded, even before the creation. This is easy for GOD to do. [38:75] He said, "O Satan, what prevented you from prostrating before what I created with My hands? Are you too arrogant? Have you rebelled?" [38:76] He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from clay." Satan thinks that he is defying God by refusing to serve Adam and the humans. [3:83] Are they seeking other than GOD's religion, when everything in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him, willingly and unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned? What happens when you put clay inside fire? It removes the impurities and toughens the clay [7:15] He said, "You are granted a respite." [7:16] He said, "Since You have willed that I go astray,* I will skulk for them on Your straight path. Footnote [7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative." [7:18] He said, "Get out therefrom, despised and defeated. Those among them who follow you, I will fill Hell with you all. [13:42] Others before them have schemed, but to GOD belongs the ultimate scheming. He knows what everyone is doing. The disbelievers will find out who the ultimate winners are. But the purpose of Satan is that he is here to test the humans so we can purify ourselves Satan is designed to test the human being to bring out their true convictions Adam and Eve Job Jesus tempted by Satan for 40 days Abraham with his dream How can you tell if God is testing you or Satan? The only test that God tests us with is with His commandments God tells us to do our Salat, give our Zakat or to maintain righteousness we have to obey… Satan on the other hand will wreck havoc on our

Send your comments, questions and episode suggestions to: [email protected] You Have But One God [20:98] Your only god is GOD; the One beside whom there is no other god. His knowledge encompasses all things. [20:99] We thus narrate to you some news from the past generations. We have revealed to you a message from us. [20:100] Those who disregard it will bear a load (of sins) on the Day of Resurrection. [20:101] Eternally they abide therein; what a miserable load on the Day of Resurrection! [20:102] That is the day when the horn is blown, and we summon the guilty on that day blue. What does it mean that the disbelievers will be summoned on the Day of Judgement blue? Angels Beat Up the Disbelievers [47:27] How will it be for them when the angels put them to death? They will beat them on their faces and their rear ends. [75:22] Some faces, on that day, will be happy. [75:23] Looking at their Lord. [75:24] Other faces will be, on that day, miserable. [75:25] Expecting the worst. [75:26] Indeed, when (the soul) reaches the throat. [75:27] And it is ordered: "Let go!" [75:28] He knows it is the end. [75:29] Each leg will lay motionless next to the other leg. [75:30] To your Lord, on that day, is the summoning. [75:31] For he observed neither the charity, nor the contact prayers (Salat). [75:32] But he disbelieved and turned away. [75:33] With his family, he acted arrogantly. [75:34] You have deserved this. [75:35] Indeed, you have deserved this. [75:36] Does the human being think that he will go to nothing? Like ripe fruit, the angles take the souls of the believers [79:1] The (angels who) snatch (the souls of the disbelievers) forcibly. [79:2] And those who gently take (the souls of the believers) joyfully. Baby lacking oxygen turns blue Sometimes babies are born quite purple in appearance, due to a minor oxygen deprivation in the last moments of birth, caused by cord compression or an odd position during crowning. Their colour will change to pink once their blood is fully oxygenated again. - See more at: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/why-do-babies-look-blue-when-they-are-born/ The Invention of Blue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIg5HkyauoY Painter Edward Munch who had synesthesia painted Starry Night after the death of his first love in what he perceived as the color of a bruised heart. “In my art I attempt to explain life and its meaning to myself” "A landscape will alter according to the mood of the person who sees it” [3:106] The day will come when some faces will be brightened (with joy), while other faces will be darkened (with misery). As for those whose faces are darkened, they will be asked, "Did you not disbelieve after believing? Therefore, suffer the retribution for your disbelief." [10:27] As for those who earned sins, their requital is equivalent to their sin. Humiliation is their lot, and no one beside GOD can protect them. Their faces will seem overwhelmed by masses of dark night. They will be the dwellers of Hell; they abide therein forever.

Send your comments, questions and episode suggestions to: [email protected] [4:105] We have sent down to you the scripture, truthfully, in order to judge among the people in accordance with what GOD has shown you. You shall not side with the betrayers. Example of David [38:21] Have you received news of the feuding men who sneaked into his sanctuary? [38:22] When they entered his room, he was startled. They said, "Have no fear. We are feuding with one another, and we are seeking your fair judgment. Do not wrong us, and guide us in the right path. [38:23] "This brother of mine owns ninety-nine* sheep, while I own one sheep. He wants to mix my sheep with his, and continues to pressure me." [38:24] He said, "He is being unfair to you by asking to combine your sheep with his. Most people who combine their properties treat each other unfairly, except those who believe and work righteousness, and these are so few." Afterwards, David wondered if he made the right judgment. He thought that we were testing him. He then implored his Lord for forgiveness, bowed down, and repented.* [38:25] We forgave him in this matter. We have granted him a position of honor with us, and a beautiful abode. [38:26] O David, we have made you a ruler on earth. Therefore, you shall judge among the people equitably, and do not follow your personal opinion, lest it diverts you from the way of GOD. Surely, those who stray off the way of GOD incur severe retribution for forgetting the Day of Reckoning. *38:24 In this clear example, 99 on one side vs 1 on the other side, David's extreme care to render the correct judgment caused him to ask forgiveness. Are we this careful? Suspicion Is Sinful [49:12] O you who believe, you shall avoid any suspicion, for even a little bit of suspicion is sinful. You shall not spy on one another, nor shall you backbite one another; this is as abominable as eating the flesh of your dead brother. You certainly abhor this. You shall observe GOD. GOD is Redeemer, Most Merciful. We all have an inherent bias when we judge How to judge fairly without bias? Abraham – I cut you choose Divide-and-choose is mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of Genesis (chapter 13). When Abraham and Lot come to the land of Canaan, Abraham suggests that they divide it among them. Then Abraham, coming from the south, divides the land to a "left" (western) part and a "right" (eastern) part, and lets Lot choose. Lot chooses the eastern part which contains Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham is left with the western part which contains Beer Sheva, Hebron, Beit El and Shechem. Genesis 13 5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. You Shall Not Bear False Witness [4:135] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of both. Therefore, do not be biased by your personal wishes. If you deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do Witnessing A Will [5:106] O you who believe, witnessing a will when one of you is dying shall be done by two equitable people among you. If you are traveling, then two others may do the witnessing. After observing the Contact Prayer (Salat), let the witnesses swear by GOD, to alleviate your doubts: "We will not use this to attain personal gains, even if the testator is related to us. Nor will we conceal GOD's testimony. Otherwise, we would be sinners." Dan Aeriely – An Extreme Take on The Ten Commandments Experiment http://danariely.com/2012/07/01/an-extreme-take-on-the-ten-commandments-experiment-2/ [5:107] If the witnesses are found to be guilty of bias, then two others shall be asked to take their places. Choose two persons who were victimized by the first witnesses, and let them swear by GOD: "Our testimony is more tr

Revolutionary: Michael Behe and the Mystery of Molecular Machines https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ToSEAj2V0s

Minimum Requirements For Salvation [5:69] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the converts, and the Christians; any of them who (1) believe in GOD and (2) believe in the Last Day, and (3) lead a righteous life, have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. Unity of All Submitters [2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. INTRODUCTION “While every religion has been corrupted by innovations, traditions, and false, idolatrous doctrines, there may be "Submitters" within every religion. There may be Submitters who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or anything else. These Submitters, collectively, constitute the only religion acceptable to God. As emphasized by the theme on the front page of this book, all Submitters who are devoted to God ALONE, and do not set up any idols beside God, are redeemed into God's eternal kingdom (2:62). A criterion of the true submitters is that they will find nothing objectionable in the Quran.” All Believers Constitute the One Acceptable Religion As expected from the Creator's final message, one of the prominent themes in the Quran is the call for unity among all believers, and the repeated prohibition of making any distinction among God's messengers. If the object of worship is one and the same, there will be absolute unity among all believers. It is the human factor, i.e., devotion and prejudice to such powerless humans as Jesus, Muhammad, and the saints that causes division, hatred, and bitter wars among the misguided believers. A guided believer is devoted to God ALONE, and rejoices in seeing any other believer who is devoted to God ALONE, regardless of the name such a believer calls his or her religion. Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in God, (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. [2:62, 5:69] So does this mean that we don’t need to do our Salat, pay our Zakat, give to charity, believe in any of God’s messengers or scriptures, or angles? Minimum Requirement is this minimum to all people or does it vary from person to person? I am going to argue that the minimum will vary from person to person We know that Zakat is 2.5% of our income, but this does not mean everyone will give the same amount. For instance the person who makes more money will pay more than the person who makes less money. Both are meeting the requirement, but to look at what each person’s level of Zakat is will not be the right metric to determine if they are meeting the requirement, and I believe that the minimum requirement will operate in the same manner If you do not know about the Quran you are not responsible for following it. If you do not know of God’s messengers you are not responsible for following them God holds us responsible for what we know and our circumstances Greater Miracles Bring Greater Responsibility* [5:114] Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "Our god, our Lord, send down to us a feast from the sky. Let it bring plenty for each and every one of us, and a sign from You. Provide for us; You are the best Provider." [5:115] GOD said, "I am sending it down. Anyone among you who disbelieves after this, I will punish him as I never punished anyone else."* *5:114-115 The Quran's overwhelming miracle (Appendix 1) is described in 74:35 as "One of the greatest miracles," and brings with it an uncommonly great responsibility. Miracles Bring Greater Responsibility* [2:211] Ask the Children of Israel how many profound miracles have we shown them! For those who disregard the blessings bestowed upon them by GOD, GOD is most strict in retribution. *2:211 The Quran's mathematical miracle is a great blessing, and brings with it an awesome responsibility (please see 5:115). [33:36] No believing man or believing woman, if GOD and His messenger issue any command, has any choice regarding that command. Anyone who disobeys GOD and His messenger has gone far astray. Major Prophecy Fulfilled* God's Messenger of the Covenant [3:81] GOD took a covenant from the prophets, saying, "I will give you the scripture and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger will come to confirm all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to fulfill this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you." Rejectors of God's Messenger of the Covenant are Disbelievers [3:82] Those who reject this (Quranic prophecy) are the evil ones. [4:159] Everyone among the people of the scripture was required to believe in him (Jesus) before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, he will be a

King of Chaos – By Dr. Rashad Khalifa (Video Link) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU5hzVjRo2Q

Two economist are walking past a car dealership and see a fully restored 1967 Chevy Camaro for sale and one of the economist says wow – I really want that car. And the other economist laughs and says no you don’t. The last thing you want to do is explain a joke, but since that joke isn’t inherently funny we will make this exception. If the economist really wanted the car he would be willing to part way with his money for that car. Or if he didn’t have the money he would get an extra job earn extra money to obtain that car. Since he wasn’t willing to make the tradeoff then he didn’t “really want to get that car” Common shortcoming for all of us A lot of things in life we want to have but we are not willing to do the work to do what it takes to obtain it Adam and Eve is an example of people wanting what they have not earned [7:20] The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence." [20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship." Immediate Results with No To Little Work Marketers and advertisers use these tricks all the time The quick way to get rich The easiest way to lose weight Penn Jillette – "There is only one trick in magic, and that is that we are willing to work harder than you think we will." Example of Darren Brown - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHNq4SQxyv0 How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps – Aaron Bleyaert https://medium.com/@AaronBleyaert/how-to-lose-weight-in-4-easy-steps-1f135f7e1dec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mbp0DugfCA 1.) NO BEER 2.) PORTION CONTROL 3.) HAVE YOUR HEART BROKEN 4.) NO FRUIT JUICE Guy sneaks into Floyd Mayweather vs. Connor McGregor fight The Sedentary [9:42] If there were a quick material gain, and a short journey, they would have followed you. But the striving is just too much for them. They will swear by GOD: "If we could, we would have mobilized with you." They thus hurt themselves, and GOD knows that they are liars. [17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. [21:37] The human being is impatient by nature. I will inevitably show you My signs; do not be in such a hurry. The Secret – The law of attraction – whatever you think about you will attract People think about wanting money and all they get is more wanting of money God knows exactly how much we can handle and if He was to give us one penny more than we can handle we would transgress. Materials of This World: All That The Disbelievers Get [43:33] If it were not that all the people might become one (disbelieving) congregation, we would have granted everyone who disbelieves in the Most Gracious mansions with silver roofs, and stairs upon which they could climb. [43:34] Their mansions would have impressive gates, and luxurious furnishings. [43:35] Also many ornaments. All these are the temporary materials of this lowly life. The Hereafter—at your Lord—is far better for the righteous. Growth only occurs in states of discomfort Moses with his teacher – how can you stand that which you do not understand Karate Kid – wax on wax off So instead of asking for more provisions think about asking God for the ability to handle more provisions Solomon's Exemplary Devotion [38:30] To David we granted Solomon; a good and obedient servant. [38:31] One day he became preoccupied with beautiful horses, until the night fell. [38:32] He then said, "I enjoyed the material things more than I enjoyed worshiping my Lord, until the sun was gone. [38:33] "Bring them back." (To bid farewell,) he rubbed their legs and necks. [38:34] We thus put Solomon to the test; we blessed him with vast material wealth, but he steadfastly submitted.* [38:35] He said, "My Lord, forgive me, and grant me a kingship never attained by anyone else. You are the Grantor." [38:36] We (answered his prayer and) committed the wind at his disposal, pouring rain wherever he wanted. [38:37] And the devils, building and diving. [38:38] Others were placed at his disposal. [38:39] "This is our provision to you; you may give generously, or withhold, without limits." [38:40] He has deserved an honorable position with us, and a wonderful abode. *38:32 Solomon missed his afternoon prayer because of his horses. To nullify Satan's possible claim that Solomon loved his horses more than loving God, he got rid of his horses. “History is filled with the sound of silken slippers going downstairs and wooden shoes coming up.” ―Voltaire Societies are founded by stoics and fall by epicureans Doing the hardwork vs. pleasure seeking Instant gratification Persevere past failure Cyrus the Great - Pasargadae remained the capital of the Achaemenid empire until Cambyses II moved it to Susa; later, Darius founded another in Persepolis. Easy choice, h

Sam Harris argues trying to convince someone there is no free will does not negate that there is still no free will – he equates this to knowing that 2 + 2 = 4 – regardless if you know this information or not doesn’t change the fact. I would disagree if you know 2 + 2 = 4 then that changes your decisions and the way you engage in life. So if information can change our trajectory in life then therefore there is free will because we can pick and choose what knowledge we pursue. (with a caveat 19:75, 76) Belief changes our mind and ultimately changes our understanding Neuroplasticity shows that our brains can change. When our brains change it changes our biology. Molecules of emotion. When someone has their brain controlled that makes there hand want to move there is another part of us that wills for the hand not to move out of our control. – Candace Pert God designed a system in this world where whatever it is we believe God will lead us by that belief. This is apparent with the list of cognitive biases that we have that make us so believable to whatever it is we want to believe. [10:9] As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, their Lord guides them, by virtue of their belief. Rivers will flow beneath them in the gardens of bliss. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases [19:75] Say, "Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them—either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power." [19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns. Tragic Statement: "My mind is made up!" [2:88] Some would say, "Our minds are made up!" Instead, it is a curse from GOD, as a consequence of their disbelief, that keeps them from believing, except for a few of them. So how do we change if God veils some people from believing? [7:146] I will divert from My revelations those who are arrogant on earth, without justification. Consequently, when they see every kind of proof they will not believe. And when they see the path of guidance they will not adopt it as their path, but when they see the path of straying they will adopt it as their path. This is the consequence of their rejecting our proofs, and being totally heedless thereof. [45:23] Have you noted the one whose god is his ego? Consequently, GOD sends him astray, despite his knowledge, seals his hearing and his mind, and places a veil on his eyes. Who then can guide him, after such a decision by GOD? Would you not take heed? How do we come out of being veiled? How do we know we are fooled vs. if we have the truth? Abraham [21:51] Before that, we granted Abraham his guidance and understanding, for we were fully aware of him.* Footnote [21:52] He said to his father and his people, "What are these statues to which you are devoting yourselves?" [21:53] They said, "We found our parents worshiping them." [21:54] He said, "Indeed, you and your parents have gone totally astray." [21:55] They said, "Are you telling us the truth, or are you playing?" [21:56] He said, "Your only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them. This is the testimony to which I bear witness. [21:57] "I swear by GOD, I have a plan to deal with your statues, as soon as you leave." [21:58] He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it. [21:59] They said, "Whoever did this to our gods is really a transgressor." [21:60] They said, "We heard a youth threaten them; he is called Abraham." [21:61] They said, "Bring him before the eyes of all the people, that they may bear witness." [21:62] They said, "Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?" Abraham Proves His Point [21:63] He said, "It is that big one who did it. Go ask them, if they can speak." [21:64] They were taken aback, and said to themselves, "Indeed, you are the ones who have been transgressing." [21:65] Yet, they reverted to their old ideas: "You know full well that these cannot speak." Secondly, cognitive dissonance is the moment when we see the fault in our logic and we have the ability to change. If we choose to capitalize on it, it is for our own good. And if we choose not to then it is to our own detriment. https://aeon.co/ideas/cognitive-dissonance-helps-old-dogs-with-their-new-tricks Abraham's Courageous Debate [2:258] Have you noted the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord, though GOD had given him kingship? Abraham said, "My Lord grants life and death." He said, "I grant life and death." Abraham said, "GOD brings the sun from the east, can you bring it from the west?" The disbeliever was stumped. GOD does not guide the wicked. Like being on a train track with the occasional opportunity to change tracks [13:11] Shifts (of angels) take turns, staying with each one of you—they are in front of you and behind you. They stay with you, and guard you in accordance

Matrix Reloaded – Neo visits the Oracle Neo: I suppose the most obvious question is, how can I trust you? Oracle: Bingo! It is a pickle, no doubt about it. The bad news is, there's no way if you can really know whether I'm here to help you or not. So it's really up to you. Just have to make up your own damn mind to either accept what I'm going to tell you, or reject it. (she holds something out to him) Candy? Neo: (pauses) You already know if I'm going to take it? Oracle: Wouldn't be much of an Oracle if I didn't. Neo: But if you already know, how can I make a choice? Oracle: Because you didn't come here to make a choice. You've already made it. You're here to try to understand WHY you made it. (Neo takes the candy, but just holds it) I thought you'd have figured that out by now. There is no free will as everything is biologically determined RadioLab - Fault Line - man has seizures has brain surgery increases sex drive gets addicted to porn. Has major OCD with porn collection. Downloads the most foul disgusting acts and then gets caught by police? Should he be held responsible? http://www.radiolab.org/story/317627-fault-line/ One of the characteristics of God is that He is All Knowing. This means that even before we were created He knows every single one of our actions. God is Omniscient Profound Fact* [57:22] Anything that happens on earth, or to you, has already been recorded, even before the creation. This is easy for GOD to do. [16:1] GOD's command has already been issued (and everything has already been written), so do not rush it.* Be He glorified; the Most High, far above any idols they set up. God already knows who is going to heaven and hell The Disbelievers [39:71] Those who disbelieved will be led to Hell in throngs. When they get to it, and its gates are opened, its guards will say, "Did you not receive messengers from among you, who recited to you the revelations of your Lord, and warned you about meeting this day?" They will answer, "Yes indeed. But the word 'retribution' was already stamped upon the disbelievers." [40:6] Thus, the judgment of your Lord is already stamped upon those who disbelieve, that they are the dwellers of Hell. For instance if I give my kids a choice of eating ice cream or rocks – I know they are going to choose the ice cream. Does that mean that they did not have a choice in this matter? God knows us better than we know ourselves [50:16] We created the human, and we know what he whispers to himself. We are closer to him than his jugular vein. [8:24] ...You should know that GOD is closer to you than your heart, and that before Him you will be summoned. [40:56] Surely, those who argue against GOD's revelations without proof are exposing the arrogance that is hidden inside their chests, and they are not even aware of it. Therefore, seek refuge in GOD; He is the Hearer, the Seer. Is there Free Will? Freedom of Choice [33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.* Great Feud The Great Feud [38:67] Say, "Here is awesome news. [38:68] "That you are totally oblivious to. [38:69] "I had no knowledge previously, about the feud in the High Society.* Planets, stars, animals accepted God’s gracious offer while the human being did not he wanted to choose for himself Before we came down as humans, we were offered a choice, but we opted for the freedom of choice. We wanted to see the demonstration ourselves. [21:51] Before that, we granted Abraham his guidance and understanding, for we were fully aware of him.* *21:51 Was Abraham so smart as to discover God, or, did God grant him the intelligence because He knew that he deserved to be saved? As it turns out, this whole world was created to redeem those among us who deserve redemption. When the angels suggested that all the rebels, humans and jinns, must be banished out of God's kingdom, God responded that 'I know what you do not know' (2:30). At the same time, this world proves Satan's incompetence as a god (App. 7). We had no say in: Who our parents or siblings are When or where we would be born If they we would be rich or poor or an orphan What skin color, apperance, height, bone structure Epigenetics Decision to follow God or follow Satan The Devil is the Other Alternative [36:60] Did I not covenant with you, O Children of Adam, that you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy? [36:61] And that you shall worship Me alone? This is the right path. [36:62] He has misled multitudes of you. Did you not possess any understanding? Interesting difference between “freedom of choice” vs. “Free will” God is the Doer of Everything* [4:78] Wherever you are, death will catch up with you, even if you live in formidable castles. When something good happens to them, they say, "This is from GOD," and when something bad afflicts them, they blame you

Splitting of the moon [54:1] The Hour has come closer, and the moon has split.* The Computer Is The Creature* [27:82] At the right time, we will produce for them a creature, made of earthly materials, declaring that the people are not certain about our revelations. Zul-Qarnain: The One With the Two Horns or Two Generations [18:83] They ask you about Zul-Qarnain. Say, "I will narrate to you some of his history." [18:84] We granted him authority on earth, and provided him with all kinds of means. [18:85] Then, he pursued one way. [18:86] When he reached the far west, he found the sun setting in a vast ocean, and found people there. We said, "O Zul-Qarnain, you can rule as you wish; either punish, or be kind to them." [18:87] He said, "As for those who transgress, we will punish them, then, when they return to their Lord, He will commit them to more retribution. [18:88] "As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, they receive a good reward; we will treat them kindly." [18:89] Then he pursued another way. [18:90] When he reached thefar east, he found the sun rising on people who had nothing to shelter them from it. [18:91] Naturally, we were fully aware of everything he found out. [18:92] He then pursued another way. [18:93] When he reached the valley between two palisades, he foundpeople whose language was barely understandable. Gog and Magog* [18:94] They said, "O Zul-Qarnain, Gog and Magog arecorruptors of the earth.Can we pay you tocreate a barrier between us and them?" Footnote [18:95] He said, "My Lord has given me great bounties. If you cooperate with me, I will build a dam between you and them. [18:96] "Bring to me masses of iron." Once he filled the gap between the two palisades, he said, "Blow." Once it was red hot, he said, "Help me pour tar on top of it." [18:97] Thus,they could not climb it, nor could they bore holes in it. [18:98] He said, "This is mercy from my Lord. When the prophecy of my Lord comes to pass,He will cause the dam to crumble. The prophecy of my Lord is truth." [18:99] At that time, we will let them invade with one another, then the horn will be blown, and we will summon them all together. [18:100] We will present Hell, on that day, to the disbelievers. [18:101] They are the ones whose eyes were too veiled to see My message. Nor could they hear. [18:102] Do those who disbelieve think that they can get away with setting up My servants as gods beside Me? We have prepared for the disbelievers Hell as an eternal abode. Zul-Qarnain as Cyrus II aka Cyrus the Great - King of Persia Two Generations: Two Persian Kings descendants followed Cyrus - Cambyses I (Son) & Xerxes (Grandson) Daniel 8: Vision of a Ram and a Goat 8 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me at first. 2 In the vision I was looking and saw myself in Susa the capital, in the province of Elam,[a] and I was by the river Ulai.[b]3 I looked up and saw a ram standing beside the river.[c] It had two horns. Both horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up second. 4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward.All beasts were powerless to withstand it, and no one could rescue from its power; it did as it pleased and became strong. 5 As I was watching, a male goat appeared from the west, coming across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a horn[d] between its eyes. 6 It came toward the ram with the two horns that I had seen standing beside the river,[e] and it ran at it with savage force. 7 I saw it approaching the ram. It was enraged against it and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram did not have power to withstand it; it threw the ram down to the ground and trampled upon it, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from its power. 8 Then the male goat grew exceedingly great; but at the height of its power, the great horn was broken, and in its place there came up four prominent horns toward the four winds of heaven. Gabriel Interprets the Vision 15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone appeared standing before me, having the appearance of a man, 16 and I heard a human voice by the Ulai, calling, “Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I became frightened and fell prostrate. But he said to me, “Understand, O mortal,[j] that the vision is for the time of the end.” 18 As he was speaking to me, I fell into a trance, face to the ground; then he touched me and set me on my feet. 19 He said, “Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath; for it refers to the appointed time of the end. 20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The male goat[k] is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of whi

Usury Prohibited* [2:275] Those who charge usury are in the same position as those controlled by the devil's influence. This is because they claim that usury is the same as commerce. However, GOD permits commerce, and prohibits usury. Thus, whoever heeds this commandment from his Lord, and refrains from usury, he may keep his past earnings, and his judgment rests with GOD. As for those who persist in usury, they incur Hell, wherein they abide forever. [2:276] GOD condemns usury, and blesses charities. GOD dislikes every disbeliever, guilty. *2:275-278 It is an established economic principle that excessive interest on loans can utterly destroy a whole country. During the last few years we have witnessed the devastation of the economies of many nations where excessive interest is charged. Normal interest—less than 20%—where no one is victimized and everyone is satisfied, is not usury. Divine Guarantee [2:277] Those who believe and lead a righteous life, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), they receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. [2:278] O you who believe, you shall observe GOD and refrain from all kinds of usury, if you are believers. [2:279] If you do not, then expect a war from GOD and His messenger. But if you repent, you may keep your capitals, without inflicting injustice, or incurring injustice. [2:280] If the debtor is unable to pay, wait for a better time. If you give up the loan as a charity, it would be better for you, if you only knew. [2:281] Beware of the day when you are returned to GOD, and every soul is paid for everything it had done, without the least injustice. Usury Prohibited* [3:130] O you who believe, you shall not take usury, compounded over and over. Observe GOD, that you may succeed. [3:131] Beware of the hellfire that awaits the disbelievers. [3:132] You shall obey GOD and the messenger, that you may attain mercy. *3:130 Interest on bank deposits and interest charged on loans are lawful if they are not excessive (5-15%). Banks invest and their profits are passed on to the depositors. Since all parties are happy and no one is victimized, it is perfectly lawful to take interest from the bank (see 2:275). [4:29] O you who believe, do not consume each others' properties illicitly— only mutually acceptable transactions are permitted. The Law of Equivalence [5:45] And we decreed for them in it that: the life for the life, the eye for the eye, the nose for the nose, the ear for the ear, the tooth for the tooth, and an equivalent injury for any injury. If one forfeits what is due to him as a charity, it will atone for his sins. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD's revelations are the unjust.

Dr. Daniel Peterson delivers a message to the 2017 FairMormon Conference. July 2017. Dr. DANIEL PETERSON A native of southern California, Daniel C. Peterson received a bachelor’s degree in Greek and philosophy from Brigham Young University (BYU) and, after several years of study in Jerusalem and Cairo, earned his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic at BYU, where he has taught Arabic language and literature at all levels, Islamic philosophy, Islamic culture and civilization, Islamic religion, the Qur’an, the introductory and senior “capstone” courses for Middle Eastern Studies majors, and various other occasional specialized classes. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on Islamic and Latter-day Saint topics–including a biography entitled Muhammad: Prophet of God (Eerdmans, 2007)—and has lectured across the United States, in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and at various Islamic universities in the Near East and Asia. He served in the Switzerland Zürich Mission (1972-1974), and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also presided for a time as the bishop of a singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University. Dr. Peterson is married to the former Deborah Stephens, of Lakewood, Colorado, and they are the parents of three sons.

The Great Debate, Dr. Rashad Khalifa Vs. Dr. Abdel Rahman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWVsaSy9HXg

The Privileged Planet, utilizing stunning computer animation, interviews with leading scientists, and spectacular images of Earth and the cosmos, explores a startling connection between our capacity to survive and our ability to observe and understand the universe. Is this correlation merely a coincidence? Or does it point to a deeper truth about purpose and intelligent design within the cosmos? For example, the Earth is the only planet in the entire solar system that can experience a perfect solar eclipse. The proportions between the Earth, moon, and sun are perfect. Such that, the moon is 400x smaller, but also 400x closer to the earth than the sun. While the effects of a solar eclipse are awe-inspiring the scientific significance is even greater. Because of a solar eclipse, we were able to confirm Einstein's theory of relativity in 1919, additionally, we were able to use light spectroscopy to determine the makeup of the sun as being predominately hydrogen and helium. This finding allowed us to apply this to other stars in our universe. When this was done it confirmed that the galaxies that are farther away from the earth are also moving proportionally faster than the galaxies closer to us. When this was mapped and extrapolated it confirmed the big bang. While we are not at the center of the universe, it does appear that we are perfectly positioned to observe the universe and appreciate the blessings we have in this cosmic lottery. [21:30] Do the unbelievers not realize that the heaven and the earth used to be one solid mass that we exploded into existence? And from water we made all living things. Would they believe?

[6:52] And do not dismiss those who implore their Lord day and night, devoting themselves to Him alone. You are not responsible for their reckoning, nor are they responsible for your reckoning. If you dismiss them, you will be a transgressor.

The Quran's Common Denominator [74:30] Over it is nineteen. [74:31] We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assigned their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as the believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts, and the disbelievers; they will say, "What did GOD mean by this allegory?" GOD thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people. [74:32] Absolutely, (I swear) by the moon. [74:33] And the night as it passes. [74:34] And the morning as it shines. One of the Great Miracles [74:35] This is one of the great miracles. [74:36] A warning to the human race.

To Be Protected From Satan [23:97] Say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils. [23:98] "And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they come near me." An Important Commandment* [16:98] When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in GOD from Satan the rejected. [16:99] He has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord. [16:100] His power is limited to those who choose him as their master; those who choose him as their god. The Test Begins [7:12] He said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?" He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from mud." [7:13] He said, "Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased." [7:14] He said, "Grant me a respite, until the Day of Resurrection." [7:15] He said, "You are granted a respite." [7:16] He said, "Since You have willed that I go astray,* I will skulk for them on Your straight path. [7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative." [7:18] He said, "Get out therefrom, despised and defeated. Those among them who follow you, I will fill Hell with you all. [7:19] "As for you, Adam, dwell with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom as you please, but do not approach this one tree, lest you fall in sin." [7:20] The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence." [7:21] He swore to them, "I am giving you good advice." [7:22] He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: "Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?" [7:23] They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be losers." [7:24] He said, "Go down as enemies of one another. On earth shall be your habitation and provision for awhile." [7:25] He said, "On it you will live, on it you will die, and from it you will be brought out." Humans Fail to Make a Firm Stand* [20:115] We tested Adam in the past, but he forgot, and we found him indecisive. [20:116] Recall that we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused. [20:117] We then said, "O Adam, this is an enemy of you and your wife. Do not let him evict you from Paradise, lest you become miserable. [20:118] "You are guaranteed never to hunger therein, nor go unsheltered. [20:119] "Nor will you thirst therein, nor suffer from any heat." [20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship." [20:121] They ate from it, whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Adam thus disobeyed his Lord, and fell. [20:122] Subsequently, his Lord chose him, redeemed him, and guided him. [20:123] He said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. You are enemies of one another. When guidance comes to you from Me, anyone who follows My guidance will not go astray, nor suffer any misery. James 1:13-18 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. God Protects the Believers From Sin [12:23] The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD protect me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The transgressors never succeed." Footnote [12:24] She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed to her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus diverted evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted servants. Luke 22:40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” [74:38] Every soul is trapped by its sins.

An object is Fractal when it has the property that the structure of its constituent parts reflect the structure of the whole and at various scales. The classic example would be a tree, where a branch of the tree held upright is as the whole tree, and even a leaf of a tree has in its veins a tree like branching structure. Thus a Fractal object is said to be self similar. Another property of Fractal objects is Nesting, i.e. the smaller constituents that make up the whole object and that reflect the structure of the whole object, are themselves contained within it. But then these smaller copies of the whole, themselves contain even smaller copies reflecting itself and the whole; and so on and so forth potentially ad infinitum. – Fractal.org Benoit Mandelbrot - Hunting the Hidden Dimension Nova (2008) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbK92bRW2lQ The Strange Similarity of Neuron and Galaxy Networks http://nautil.us/issue/50/emergence/the-strange-similarity-of-neuron-and-galaxy-networks

Joe Rogan Podcast Episode 986 – Interview with Maynard James Keenan - lead singer from tool http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/maynard-james-keenan-2 [57:4] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days,* then assumed all authority. He knows everything that enters into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is with you wherever you may be. GOD is Seer of everything you do. Sura 44, Smoke (Al-Dukhãn) [44:0] In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful [44:1] H. M. [44:2] And this enlightening scripture. [44:3] We have sent it down in a blessed night, for we are to warn. [44:4] In it (the scripture), every matter of wisdom is clarified. [44:5] It is a predetermined command from us that we send messengers. [44:6] This is a mercy from your Lord. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient. [44:7] Lord of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them. If only you could be certain! [44:8] There is no other god beside Him. He controls life and death; your Lord and the Lord of your ancestors. [44:9] Indeed, they are doubtful, heedless. The Smoke: A Major Prophecy* [44:10] Therefore, watch for the day when the sky brings a profound smoke.* [44:11] It will envelop the people; this is a painful retribution. [44:12] "Our Lord, relieve this retribution for us; we are believers." God's Messenger of the Covenant* [44:13] Now that it is too late, they remember! An enlightening messenger had come to them.* [44:14] But they turned away from him, saying, "Well educated, but crazy!" [44:15] We will relieve the retribution for awhile; you will soon revert. The Quran Must Be Translated [26:198] If we revealed this to people who do not know Arabic. [26:199] And had him recite it (in Arabic), they could not possibly believe in it. [26:200] We thus render it (like a foreign language) in the hearts of the guilty. [26:201] Thus, they cannot believe in it; not until they see the painful retribution. [26:202] It will come to them suddenly, when they least expect it. [26:203] They will then say, "Can we have a respite?" [26:204] Did they not challenge our retribution? [26:205] As you see, we allowed them to enjoy for years. [26:206] Then the retribution came to them, just as promised. [26:207] Their vast resources did not help them in the least. [26:208] We never annihilate any community without sending warners. [26:209] Therefore, this is a reminder, for we are never unjust. False Messengers Incapable of Preaching the Worship of God ALONE* [26:210] The devils can never reveal this. Footnote [26:211] They neither would, nor could. [26:212] For they are prevented from hearing. [26:213] Therefore, do not idolize beside GOD any other god, lest you incur the retribution. God's Messenger of the Covenant* [26:214] You shall preach to the people who are closest to you. [26:215] And lower your wing for the believers who follow you. [26:216] If they disobey you, then say, "I disown what you do." [26:217] And put your trust in the Almighty, Most Merciful. [26:218] Who sees you when you meditate during the night. [26:219] And your frequent prostrations. [13:40] Whether we show you what we promise them, or terminate your life before that, your sole mission is to deliver (the message). It is us who will call them to account. [46:35] Therefore, be patient like the messengers before you who possessed strength and resorted to patience. Do not be in a hurry to see the retribution that will inevitably come to them. The day they see it, it will seem as if they lasted one hour of the day. This is a proclamation: Is it not the wicked who are consistently annihilated? [34:46] Say, "I ask you to do one thing: Devote yourselves to GOD, in pairs or as individuals, then reflect. Your friend (Rashad) is not crazy. He is a manifest warner to you, just before the advent of a terrible retribution." [11:8] And if we delay the retribution they have incurred—for we reserve it for a specific community—they say, "What is keeping Him?" In fact, once it comes to them, nothing can stop it, and their mocking will come back to haunt them. God's Messengers Challenged [17:90] They said, "We will not believe you unless you cause a spring to gush out of the ground. [17:91] "Or unless you own a garden of date palms and grapes, with rivers running through it. [17:92] "Or unless you cause masses from the sky, as you claimed, to fall on us. Or unless you bring GOD and the angels before our eyes. [52:44] When they see masses falling from the sky, they will say, "Piled clouds!" [34:2] He knows everything that goes into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is the Most Merciful, the Forgiving. [34:9] Have they not seen all the things in front of them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If we willed, we could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses to fall

[2:61] Recall that you said, "O Moses, we can no longer tolerate one kind of food. Call upon your Lord to produce for us such earthly crops as beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions." He said, "Do you wish to substitute that which is inferior for that which is good? Go down to Egypt, where you can find what you asked for." They have incurred condemnation, humiliation, and disgrace, and brought upon themselves wrath from GOD. This is because they rejected GOD's revelations, and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed. [17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. [17:12] We rendered the night and the day two signs. We made the night dark, and the day lighted, that you may seek provisions from your Lord therein. This also establishes for you a timing system, and the means of calculation. We thus explain everything in detail.

Patience Happiness is expectations minus reality Patience is dictated by expectations [16:1] GOD's command has already been issued (and everything has already been written), so do not rush it.* Be He glorified; the Most High, far above any idols they set up. [43:33] If it were not that all the people might become one (disbelieving) congregation, we would have granted everyone who disbelieves in the Most Gracious mansions with silver roofs, and stairs upon which they could climb. [10:11] If GOD hastened the retribution incurred by the people, the way they demand provisions, they would have been annihilated long ago. However, we leave those who do not believe in meeting us in their transgressions, blundering. Things are happening in the background that we cannot see even though from our perspective it looks like nothing is happening Example of farmer planting seeds Difference between no and not yet [17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. [17:12] We rendered the night and the day two signs. We made the night dark, and the day lighted, that you may seek provisions from your Lord therein. This also establishes for you a timing system, and the means of calculation. We thus explain everything in detail. Being deliberate about waiting (patience) not lazy Waiting vs. doing nothing How to Spread God's Message [16:125] You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones. [16:126] And if you punish, you shall inflict an equivalent punishment. But if you resort to patience (instead of revenge), it would be better for the patient ones. [16:127] You shall resort to patience—and your patience is attainable only with GOD's help. Do not grieve over them, and do not be annoyed by their schemes. [16:128] GOD is with those who lead a righteous life, and those who are charitable. Patience as a strategy [42:39] When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights. [42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. [42:41] Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. [42:42] The wrong ones are those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to aggression without provocation. These have incurred a painful retribution. [42:43] Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true strength of character. Waiters = Servers While you wait you serve [28:22] As he traveled towards Midyan, he said, "May my Lord guide me in the right path." [28:23] When he reached Midyan's water, he found a crowd of people watering, and noticed two women waiting on the side. He said, "What is it that you need?" They said, "We are not able to water, until the crowd disperses, and our father is an old man." [28:24] He watered for them, then turned to the shade, saying, "My Lord, whatever provision You send to me, I am in dire need for it." [28:25] Soon, one of the two women approached him, shyly, and said, "My father invites you to pay you for watering for us." When he met him, and told him his story, he said, "Have no fear. You have been saved from the oppressive people." Joseph Exonerated [12:51] (The king) said (to the women), "What do you know about the incident when you tried to seduce Joseph?" They said, "GOD forbid; we did not know of anything evil committed by him." The wife of the governor said, "Now the truth has prevailed. I am the one who tried to seduce him, and he was the truthful one. Example of Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman 1974 – Rumble in the Jungle [10:109] Follow what is revealed to you, and be patient until GOD issues His judgment; He is the best judge. [21:37] The human being is impatient by nature. I will inevitably show you My signs; do not be in such a hurry. HUMANS FORGET Example of Joesph in prison [12:42] He then said to the one to be saved "Remember me at your lord."* Thus, the devil caused him to forget his Lord, and, consequently, he remained in prison a few more years. Moses and the Teacher [18:69] He said, "You will find me, GOD willing, patient. I will not disobey any command you give me." The human being is forgetful [18:73] He said, "I am sorry. Do not punish me for my forgetfulness; do not be too harsh with me." [39:8] - When the human being is afflicted, he implores his Lord, sincerely devoted to Him. But as soon as He blesses him, he forgets his previous imploring, sets up idols to rank with GOD and to divert others from His path. Say, "Enjoy your disbelief temporarily; you have incurred the hellfire." [17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. [17:

[7:46] A barrier separates them, while the Purgatory* is occupied by people who recognize each side by their looks. They will call the dwellers of Paradise: "Peace be upon you." They did not enter (Paradise) through wishful thinking. The Worst Losers [57:13] On that day, the hypocrite men and women will say to those who believed, "Please allow us to absorb some of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you, and seek light." A barrier will be set up between them, whose gate separates mercy on the inner side, from retribution on the outer side. [57:14] They will call upon them, "Were we not with you?" They will answer, "Yes, but you cheated your souls, hesitated, doubted, and became misled by wishful thinking, until GOD's judgment came. You were diverted from GOD by illusions. [15:2] Certainly, those who disbelieved will wish they were submitters. [15:3] Let them eat, enjoy, and remain blinded by wishful thinking; they will find out. All Believers Are Redeemed, Regardless of the Name of Their Religion [2:111] Some have said, "No one will enter Paradise except Jews or Christians!" Such is their wishful thinking. Say, "Show us your proof, if you are right.” Examine Yourself [18:103] Say, "Shall I tell you who the worst losers are? [18:104] "They are the ones whose works in this life are totally astray, but they think that they are doing good.” [59:18] O you who believe, you shall reverence GOD, and let every soul examine what it has sent ahead for tomorrow. You shall reverence GOD; GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do. EGO [2:54] Recall that Moses said to his people, "O my people, you have wronged your souls by worshiping the calf. You must repent to your Creator. You shall kill your egos. This is better for you in the sight of your Creator." He did redeem you. He is the Redeemer, Most Merciful. [12:53] "I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is an advocate of vice, except for those who have attained mercy from my Lord. My Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” DEVIL [35:6] The devil is your enemy, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be the dwellers of Hell. http://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-phelpss-coach-shares-his-secrets-1463089497 The books offers some insights into how. Bowman once stepped on Phelps’ goggles before a race, cracking them, so that they would fill with water and teach him how to race blind. That came in handy when Phelps’ goggles filled with water at the Beijing Games, in a race he won. 1 Samuel: 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you!” SOLOMON AND QUEEN OF SHEBA [27:27] (Solomon) said, "We will see if you told the truth, or if you are a liar. [27:28] "Take this letter from me, give it to them, then watch for their response." [27:29] She said, "O my advisers, I have received an honorable letter. [27:30] "It is from Solomon, and it is, 'In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.'* [27:31] "Proclaiming: 'Do not be arrogant; come to me as submitters.'" [27:32] She said, "O my advisers, counsel me in this matter. I am not deciding anything until you advise me." [27:33] They said, "We possess the power, we possess the fighting skills, and the ultimate command is in your hand. You decide what to do." [27:34] She said, "The kings corrupt any land they invade, and subjugate its dignified people. This is what they usually do. [27:35] "I am sending a gift to them; let us see what the messengers come back with." [27:36] When the hoopoe returned to Solomon (he told him the news), and he responded (to Sheba's people): "Are you giving me money? What GOD has given me is far better than what He has given you. You are the ones to rejoice in such gifts." [27:37] (To the hoopoe, he said,) "Go back to them (and let them know that) we will come to them with forces they cannot imagine. We will evict them, humiliated and debased." Joseph Keeps His Brother [12:70] When he provided them with their provisions, he placed the drinking cup in his brother's bag, then an announcer announced: "The owners of this caravan are thieves." [12:71] They said, as they came towards them, "What did you lose?

20 Easy Ways to be a Self-Righteous Christian http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/164408-sammy-adebiyi-20-easy-ways-to-be-a-self-righteous-christian.html

Fire-Maker From computers to airplanes to life-giving medicines, the technological marvels of our world were made possible by the human use of fire. But the use of fire itself was made possible by an array of features built into the human body and the planet. Join biologist Michael Denton as he investigates the amazing story of how humans and our planet were exquisitely designed to harness the miraculous powers of fire and transform our planet. For more visit http://privilegedspecies.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an98jVCyApo

Tim Ferriss Podcast - Tony Robbins – On Achievement Versus Fulfillment http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/08/10/tony-robbins-on-achievement-versus-fulfillment/

How Will You Measure Your Life - Clay Christensen at TEDxBoston https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvos4nORf_Y

God of Wonders Documentary (2009) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAuGRhZsMCs

Commencement speech by Naval Adm. William H. McRaven to The University of Texas at Austin in 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K13p1DlsDMQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5EPymcWp-g http://www.discovery.org/v/33 https://www.amazon.com/Expelled-Intelligence-Allowed-Ben-Stein/dp/B001BYLFFS Big science has expelled smart new ideas from the classroom ... What they forgot is that every generation has its Rebel! That rebel, Ben Stein (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth … that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the crime of merely believing that there might be evidence of design in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance. To which Ben Says: Enough! And then gets busy. NOBODY messes with Ben.

[2:184] Specific days (are designated for fasting); if one is ill or traveling, an equal number of other days may be substituted. Those who can fast, but with great difficulty, may substitute feeding one poor person for each day of breaking the fast. If one volunteers (more righteous works), it is better. But fasting is the best for you, if you only knew. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihhj_VSKiTs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTxHwa1DCkg

http://www.unlockingthemysteryoflife.com/

Matthew [6:24] "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. [43:33] If it were not that all the people might become one (disbelieving) congregation, we would have granted everyone who disbelieves in the Most Gracious mansions with silver roofs, and stairs upon which they could climb.