Basics of Religious Education — Page 61
B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION 61 61 61 61 61 following the ways of the Jews and also the Christians who have set up equals to God. This verse was revealed in Mecca where the most bitter enemies of Islam at that time were idol worshippers as the Jews and Chris- tians had not yet stood in the way of Islam. Thus, the verse refers to the time when the people would be susceptible of becoming Jews and Christians which pointed to the advent of the Promised Messiah as which was to take place in the time of the ascendancy of the Chris- tians. The Messiah has appeared in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ah- mad as. A deeper study of this short chapter ( Surah Faatihah ) reveals another beauty which lies in the wonderful relationship between the attributes of God and the prayers which follow them in serial order. The attributes mentioned in the first part of the chapter are in order: 1. All praise belongs to Allah, the Creator and Developer of the worlds. 2. The Gracious. 3. The Giver of best rewards. 4. Master of the Day of Judgment. Corresponding to them we have the prayers which follow: 1. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. 2. Guide us on the straight path. 3. The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy favors. 4. Those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. The above relationship is too apparent to need an explanation. Wonderful Relationship between the Attributes of Allah and the Prayers 2. 4 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 2. 5 A A A A A LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH LLAH AND AND AND AND AND THE THE THE THE THE H H H H H OL OL OL OL OLY Y Y Y Y Q Q Q Q Q UR UR UR UR UR ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ AN AN AN AN AN — S — S — S — S — S URAH URAH URAH URAH URAH A A A A A L L L L L -F -F -F -F -F A A A A ATIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA TIHA AND AND AND AND AND C C C C C OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENT OMMENTAR AR AR AR ARY Y Y Y Y