Thank you for posting your interpretation. It was heartfelt and you do not have to worry about your English usage. Your heart interprets it perfectly!

Dear Milt T

Many thanks about posting your comments about God. Sorry if I didn't post a new comment to reply yours. I thought that I would receive an alert for any comments to my discussion, and on the other hand I forgot it for past days.

Anyway, I write a little more about my opinions about God that is my Islamic beliefs. I hope these were interesting for you and other possible readers.

God

This is a short verse of Quran (Holy book of Islam)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Say: He is Allah(swt) the One

Allah(swt) the Needless

He begets not, nor is He begotten

And there are none comparable to Him.

• Belief in Allah(swt) and in His absolute perfection is the source of Islam.

• Allah(swt) was not and cannot have been created Himself, and He created all other things without any model to base His creation on.

• Allah(swt) always was, always has been and always will be. All else will perish and die whilst Allah(swt) cannot ever die.

• Everything is perfectly formed and shaped by Allah(swt) with perfect wisdom, and without any raw materials He created out of nothing as only He can.

• Allah(swt) does not have a body and is a being that can never be seen.

• To put any kind of limit on Allah(swt) is to think incorrectly of Him.

In the Name of Allah

Imam Ali (A.S.) said:

Your brothers are of three kinds:

1. A brother of yours from one father and mother.

2. A brother of yours following your religion.

3. A brother of yours who is common in creation like you.

In the global charter of human rights all the human beings are considered equal and the national and racial discrimination are rejected. Authoritarianism and colonization are condemned, rational foundations are valued and criteria of superiority is given to reasoning, logic and rationalism and for this basis the freedom of thought and reasoning and the freedom of expression and writing are considered as the ways of reaching this sublime and ideal goals. Therefore, it is up to us to declare our thoughts and doctrines and it is up to the possessors of knowledge and thinking that if they find it according to their pure nature should contemplate and investigate them and finally the word of truth and path of reality should be chosen.

آ

Tawhid (Oneness of God "Monotheism") and Knowing God:

We believe the world we live in is full of beauty and place of amazement and wonder and is the proof of discipline and system dominating this world and proves the knowledge and power of the creator of this world. It is impossible to think that the source of creation of this universe is unwise nature and the creation of this universe was due to an explosion and vague incident. The laws dominating this world which the human beings have been able to unravel it demonstrates the signs of the extraordinary power which has created the beings in the world and these wonders of knowledge cannot be attributed to non-scientific source. Based on these findings, we believe that the creator of the world is a being, with absolute perfection and do not have any defect or in need of any other being and the name of this absolute perfection is known as God. He is the source of creation of this world and every movement takes place according to His will and power. He after creation of this world of nature had dominated special laws based on cause and effect and every work takes place according to this basis. We believe that the necessary existent is the prime cause and effect of the beings and possesses all the absolute perfection and has complete sovereignty over the existing worlds and nothing is hidden from Him. He is Wise because He possesses perfect knowledge and power and He possesses all the positive attributes because He is absolute perfection. He does not have any negative attributes because He is away from any defect and disability because He is absolute perfection, He is rightful and worthy of worship and His praise is incumbent on every human being.

Warmest regards

Hossain

Hossain,

No need to apologize for your English, its much much much better than my Iranian (I don't speak any at all).

It is nice to see those who follow GOD and believe. We have our differences in saviors and maybe practices but the overall theme of God's love, God's hope, and God's supremecy are a central theme.

Thank you for your thoughts,

The Aged One

Dear Aged one

Thanks for your kind words about me and my English.

Knowing people who are really interested in God and different subject related to it, makes me very glad, because Godly people most time act much better and logical than others. I'm interested in peace, and I believe only actual God believers try to create and hold peace. I wish one day all people all over the world live in peace.

Indeed human beings finally will see such a day in future, although it may be soon or late! I wish I saw that day!

Hossain

Hossain,

Interesting post. I appreciate your expressed views of Islam. I like the fact that you are in search of peace. I wonder about your views on Middle East peace. Can you envision what it will look like? What it will be like in the Middle East when peace prevails? Will Christians, Muslims, and Jews all be linked together across the land? What will the Middle East look like in this case? Thank you for your comments.

Dear Hatikva

Understanding that ideal conditions which I stated in my post, is not very easy for non-Muslims, especially who are not familiar with Shi'a beliefs.

It needs to express a vast history and information to clarify those a few sentences I express briefly.

I try to state it as brief as possible. But excuse me if it becomes somewhat lengthy.

At first you need to know a short part history of the beginning of Islam:

Imamat (Leadership):

After the death of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.), the Muslims were divided into two big groups:

First Group: They believe that after the death of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) there is no need of any prominent leader who should possess knowledge, infallibility and other conditions. But any of the followers and companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) can become the religious leader.

Basically in the issue of government one who merely claims to be a Muslim can claim the power and administration of the society and it is incumbent on the Islamic nation to follow him as the Caliph of the Muslims. This group came to be known as Ahl-Sunnah(Sunni).

Second Group: The second group is the people who believe that the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) was the last and final prophet sent by God and who by his prophetic mission brought a perfect religion for the humanity.

After his death the connection between God and people has been cut off and it is one of the reasons for the comprehensiveness and finality of the religion of Islam. But after the passing away of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W) it is necessary for the Islamic nation to follow such persons who have superiority in all the human and Islamic attributes from all the other people of their time that means they should be superior in knowledge and science from every body and should be away from every error and fault.

Thus, the religious leaders after the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) should possess two basic conditions of knowledge and infallibility and only those persons possessing these two qualities deserve to be the Imam and leader of the Muslims. This group of Muslims is known as "Shia."

Shia

Now we are expressing ourselves to you as we are the followers of this doctrine and thought and to authenticate our beliefs which we have mentioned them with proofs in our books of creed.

We Shi'ites Muslims believe that after the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) only twelve distinguished personalities who possessed the characteristics of Imamat (leadership) like knowledge and infallibility one after another guided the people and their names in respect to their chronology of their lives and Imamat of these great personalities are a follows:

First Imam: Hadrath Ali bin Abi Taleb "Al-Murtada" (A.S.)

Second Imam: Hadrath Hasan bin Ali "Al-Mujtaba" (A.S.)

Third Imam: Hadrath Husain bin Ali "Sayyid-uz-Shuhada" (A.S.)

Fourth Imam: Hadrath Ali bin al-Husain "As-Sajjad" (A.S.)

Fifth Imam: Hadrath Muhammad bin Ali "Al-Baqir" (A.S.)

Sixth Imam: Hadrath Jafar bin Muhammad "As-Sadiq" (A.S.)

Seventh Imam: Hadrath Musa bin Jafar "Al-Kazim" (A.S.)

Eighth Imam: Hadrath Ali bin Musa "Ar-Reza" (A.S.)

Ninth Imam: Hadrath Muhammad bin Ali "Al-Jawad" (A.S.)

Tenth Imam: Hadrath Ali bin Muhammad "Al-Hadi" (A.S.)

Eleventh Imam: Hadrath Hasan bin Ali "Al-Askari" (A.S.)

Twelfth Imam: Hadrath Hujjat bin Hasan "Al-Mahdi" (A.S.)

We (Shi'a) also believe that our last Imam (Al-Mahdi), about 1200 years after his birth is alive and will rise whenever God willing, He will fill the world full of peace after it has become full of corruption.

Following is an explanation about Imam Mahdi (A.S.)

Twelver Shi'as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 AD as Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali. His mother, Narjis (Melika), was a Byzantine princess who pretended to be a slave so that she might travel from her kingdom to Arabia. His father, Hasan al-Askari, is believed to have been the eleventh and penultimate Shi'a Imam. Shi'as believe that his birth was kept a secret due to the persecution that the Shi'a were facing during this time at the hands of Al-Mu'tamid, the Abbasid Caliph.

To support Mahdi's claim, Twelver Shi'as quote the following Hadith: "I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Allah, and whoever denies us also denies Allah, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali's descendants are my grandsons al¬-Hasan and al-¬Husayn, who are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from al-¬Husayn's descendants shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qa'im and Mahdi."

The eleventh Shi'a Imam Hasan al-Askari died on 1 January 874 AD (8th Rabi' al-awwal, 260 AH) and since that day, his son Mahdi is believed by Shi'as to be the Imam, appointed by God, to lead the believers of the era. The most popular account of al-Mahdi in Shi'a literature is taken from his father's funeral. It is reported that as the funeral prayer was about to begin, al-Mahdi's uncle, Jafar ibn Ali approached to lead the prayers. However, al-Mahdi approached and commanded, "Move aside, uncle; only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam." Jafar moved aside, and the five-year-old child led the funeral prayer for his father. It is reported that it was at this very moment that al-Mahdi disappeared and went into ghaybat, or occultation.

The Occultation

Shi'as believe that, for various reasons, God concealed the twelfth and current Shi'a Imam, al-Mahdi, from humankind.

Period

The period of occultation (ghaybat) is believed to consist of two parts:

Ghaybat al-Sughra or Minor Occultation (874-939) is the shorter of the two periods, during which deputies of the Imam maintained communication to the rest of the world.

Ghaybat al-Kubra or Major Occultation began 939 and is believed to continue until a time decided by God, when the Mahdi will reappear to bring absolute justice to the world.

Reasons

Shi'as cite references from the Qur'an and from various hadith (reports) in order to provide the following reasons behind the Mahdi's occultation.

1) Unknown

One of the reasons behind the Mahdi's occultation has been concealed by God from humankind.

2) Trial

The occultation, and in particular, its long duration, is a trial for believers. Shi'as believe that God examines the believers for the faith in their hearts and their beliefs in relation to the existence of the Mahdi, as well as their loyalty to him.

3) Preparation

Before the Mahdi reappears to establish absolute justice throughout the world, humankind needs to make a certain amount of preparation. There will come a point when all ideologies and doctrines will fail and when every leader and government will rise to solve problems but will fail. It will then become clear that no one is capable of establishing justice in the world except God's vicegerent, the Mahdi. Due to the lack of preparation and mankind's low level of readiness to accept the rules of God, Imam Mahdi has been concealed.

4) Lack of acceptance

Due to the persecution of believers and, in particular, of the other Shi'a Imams, as well as the prophets, it is clear that people are still refusing to accept God's vicegerents. Thus, just as Shi'as believe that God concealed prophets Isa (Jesus), Idris (Enoch), Ilyas (Elijah) and Khidhr. God has also hidden the Mahdi from humankind until such a time when suitable circumstances have arisen for his reappearance.

Minor Occultation

Main article: Minor Occultation

During the Minor Occultation (Ghaybat al-Sughra), it is believed that al-Mahdi maintained contact with his followers via deputies (Arab. an-nuwāb al-arbaʕa). They represented him and acted as agents between him and his followers.

Whenever the believers faced a problem, they would write their concerns and send them to his deputy. The deputy would ascertain his verdict, endorse it with his seal and signature and return it to the relevant parties. The deputies also collected zakat and khums on his behalf. For the Shia, the idea of consulting a hidden Imam was not something new because the two prior Shia Imams had, on occasion, met with their followers from behind a curtain.

Shia Tradition holds that four deputies acted in succession to one another:

Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi

Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman

Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti

Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri

In 941 (329 AH), the 4th deputy announced an order by al-Mahdi, that the deputy would soon die and that the deputyship would end and the period of the Major Occultation would begin.

The 4th deputy died six days later and the Shi'a Muslims continue to await the reappearance of the Mahdi. In the same year, many notable Shi'a scholars such as Ali ibn Babwayh Qummi and Muhammad ibn Yaqub Kulayni, the learned compiler of al-Kafi also died.

Major Occultation

Main article: Major Occultation

According to the last letter of al-Mahdi to Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri "from the day of your death [the last deputy] the period of my major occultation (al ghaybatul kubra) will begin. Hence forth, no one will see me, unless and until Allah makes me appear. My reappearance will take place after a very long time when people will have grown tired of waiting and those who are weak in their faith will say: What! Is he still alive?"

As he said in this letter, nobody will claim to have seen him except liars. However, this is interpreted to mean that those individuals who claim to have a relationship with the Mahdi like the four deputies did in the Minor Occultation, then those individuals are liars.

Another letter from al-Mahdi says: "Rest assured, no one has a special relationship with Allah. Whoever denies me is not from my (community). The appearance of the Relief (al-Faraj) depends solely upon Allah. Therefore those who propose a certain time for it are liars. As to the benefit of my existence in occultation, it is like the benefit of the sun behind the clouds where the eyes do not see it."

With regards to advice for his followers during his absence, he is reported to have said: "Refer to the transmitters of our traditions, for they are my hujja (proof) unto you and I am God’s proof unto them."

Reappearance

Twelver Shi'as cite various references from the Qur'an and reports, or Hadith, from Mahdi and the twelve Shi'a Imams with regard to the reappearance of al-Mahdi who would, in accordance with God's command, bring justice and peace to the world by establishing Islam throughout the world.

Mahdi is reported to have said:

"During the last times, my people will be afflicted with terrible and unprecedented calamities and misfortunes from their rulers, so much so that this vast earth will appear small to them. Persecution and injustice will engulf the earth. The believers will find no shelter to seek refuge from these tortures and injustices. At such a time, God will raise from my progeny a man who will establish peace and justice on this earth in the same way as it had been filled with injustice and distress."

Again pardon me for further lengthy of this text.

Wow. You are right, that is a lot to absorb. Your answer is a religious one talking about process and how global peace on earth might occur according to Islamic teaching. I suppose you are saying that all peace (all conflicts, not just Middle East) will be solved at such a time as the reappearance of Mahdi occurs. I wonder also about your views of how the world will look after that. WIll Christians and Jews and Muslims live together in peace, or will there even be religions after that occurence. DOes the Islamic teaching talk about this? Thank you in advance for your comments.