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this is the
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Dean this is the dean show alhamdulillah
Alum peace be unto you you're tuning in
to the dean show you've come to the
right place to learn about Islam and the
Muslims and we are going to be talking
about love everywhere you go love love
love when you want to get in religion
It's All About Love Jesus love this love
that love what about Islam where's the
love in Islam is Allah the Creator about
love or is he about striking fear in
your heart you might have been
programmed to believe something that's
not true so you've come to the Muslims
to learn about Islam and we're here to
teach you and we want to thank you for
having an open heart and open mind so
the topic of
today is Islam's message of
Love is there really love in Islam is it
all about violence and blowing things up
and don't believe the
hype so today all we ask that you have
an open heart and open mind we're going
to come back with former Christian
minist
Deacon graduate from Harvard the
prestigious Harvard University Dr Gerald
Dirks he's back on the dean show to talk
about Islam and love here we'll be right
back
Salam the
the
the this is
the this is the is
the this is
this is
the is thean show assalam alaykum peace
be with you and with you brother how are
you Dr Dirks very fine thank you very
much it's a pleasure to have you back
here with us here on the dean show oh my
pleasure now you have your own private
section at the Deen show.com people can
go and read about your
biography to learn more about you and
all the past shows that we've done so we
want to bring them up to speed on that
but we're going to get in straight to
the
topic love
when people they talk about religion
Christianity more so they attribute
Christianity is all about love just love
this love that doesn't matter just love
it all so now when people start to
investigate and they see like hey I'm
not really digging this whole Trinity
thing things aren't making sense do God
dying for my sins and all that but the
love thing is just you know penetrated
the heart so you come over here and you
you turn on the TV and things are
blowing up here and there and and and
the hype is promoting that Islam is
about violence There's No Love in Islam
how far is this from the truth Dr Dirks
180 degrees 180 degrees 180 degrees from
the truth um you know there was an email
circular that went around mass email a
few years ago in which uh the claim was
made that uh Allah or God in his 99
Names there's no word for love love and
in in fact that's not true at all yes
one of the 99 names of God is Al wadud
alwad Al wadud which means the loving
and twice we have this in the Quran uh
in one point we're told ask your Lord to
forgive
you and turn towards him in Repentance
and
obedience for my Lord is full of
forgiveness and loving
tenderness right in the Quran yes or
another example your lord has a firm
grip he initiates creation and restores
life to the dead he's the forgiving and
loving the lord of the Throne of glory
and doer of all that he intends also
from the Quran so God is the loving this
is the message of Islam and it's a
direct love a direct love love from God
to his creation there's no
intermediary you know it's direct God
loves you over and over again we're told
in the Quran all the different groups
that God loves he loves those who do
good who are repentant and pure who are
mindful of him who love him and follow
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him who
are good who patiently persevere who who
trust in him these are all the people
that God loves he loves the fair judges
he loves those who are mindful of their
obligations he loves those who make
themselves pure all of these
specifically listed in the Quran he
loves those who are evenhanded those who
are tolerant now that's an awful lot of
love going on even those who reject God
he's still giving them the air that they
breathe the subsidence that they need to
survive yes yes and and this goes right
into another of the 99 names of God that
we have in Islam which is our rman The
Merc or the compassionate compion the
compassionate and you know God has
called the compassionate about 167 times
in the Quran wow this is a message that
is repeated over and over and over again
and in fact there's a key verse in the
Quran that I think is worth reciting
which is from the 19th Chapter of the
Quran and it's say to them if anyone
goes astray that's is anyone yes if
anyone goes astray the
compassionate will hold out the Rope of
Salvation to them up until the point
they see the promised destruction or the
coming of the
hour let's stop and think about that a
moment God is the
compassionate and if we go astray and
we're human we do all of us at times God
literally throws out the Rope of
Salvation directly to us all we have to
do is grab hold of
it there's a saying of prophet Muhammad
which also really brings into Focus this
idea of God as
compassionate ABD B Al reported that he
heard the messenger of God peace be upon
him
say God the exalted said I am AR that is
the
compassionate I created the womb raham
in Arabic womb and derive my own name
out of
it now again you have to stop and think
about this for a moment what is the
womb you know for the fetus is IT
Supplies everything that is
needed it supplies
shelter supplies
warmth IT Supplies
nourishment IT Supplies life itself the
womb we're talking about that's where
you came from the absolutely yeah and
God takes his name the compassionate out
of that word m you know God's compassion
is literally womb
likee encompassing us
with everything that we need now you
definitely did your homework before
because you were a former Christian
Deacon you graduated from the
prestigious Harvard University uh you
had a masters in Divinity so you knew
the Bible Well you know the Bible Well I
mean you're a humble person so you won't
admit it but I mean we consider you a a
Christian Bible scholar I mean
student so you know the Bible well but
now to come over from a religion which
is really emphasizing love and Jesus
love and now the hype is that Islam
isn't but you're giving the proof that
it is you really did your homework you
really I mean you investigated obviously
you weren't LED blindly just by your
emotions this was an intellectual
scientific decision that you made to
come to Islam yes and was this one of
the things that also LED you the the
mercy and compassion of the creator of
the heavens in the earth a la uh I think
it would be very hard to accept a
religion that doesn't have yeah a loving
God a compassionate God a merciful god
where where do you think people get this
misinformation
now well I think there's you know um a
fairly systematic attempt yeah by the
media to portray Islam in a negative
fashion and I'm not saying they're doing
that because they're anti-islam but the
fact of the matter is having a Muslim up
on National media saying God is love you
know that's not going to sell any
newspapers that's not going to increase
anybody's TV ratings having some Fringe
case get up and say something extremely
controversial yeah that sells newspapers
that jacks up the TV ratings yeah and so
you know the media simply doesn't give
coverage to mainstream Muslims who are
sharing this message yeah that you know
Islam is the religion of love God is the
loving in Islam yes this is this is a
central Message of Islam God is the
loving he is the compassionate and he's
also the merciful
orim the third Arabic word here and God
is referred to in the Quran about
227 times as being the
merciful for example we have in the
Quran then God replied I bring my
punishment to Bear upon whomever I want
but my Mercy extends over all things I
prescribe it for those who are mindful
of me who give in charity and who
believe in our signs that's from the
seventh chapter of the Quran God's mercy
extends over all
things let's take a break there and
we'll be right back with more with Dr
Gerald Dirks here on the dean
show
o
ooh
[Music]
o
ooh show us the
way to Allah's
Grace this is the
de de of
Islam this is the
de de of
[Music]
Islam welcome back to the dean show we
are talking with Dr Gerald Dirks former
Christian Deacon Minister finished from
the prestigious Harvard University and
we're talking about love and Islam's
message of when you look at the word
Islam yes I Islam I SL am I shall love
all mankind I mean we all believe that
you know Islam believe you know we learn
from the creator of the heavens and
earth Allah the most loving and merciful
that we are all born in original
goodness yes so we don't have any hate
we love every child that comes into this
world every human being that's out there
has a fresh start but how do we balance
it because I really feel this is a
copout now when they push everything on
the back of the most beloved messenger
one of the most beloved Messengers Jesus
peace be upon them and now people to
indulge in their transgression they they
just throw out love and love and just no
accountability well obviously in Islam
there is accountability yeah um it's not
enough to say I believe yeah you know we
also have to be responsible for our
actions and our Behavior here on Earth
and in terms of final
judgment um we certainly believe as
Muslims that you have to have the
correct belief that is belief in one
God uh but you also have to be
accountable for the Deeds that you have
done on Earth in fact uh there is a a
saying where uh we're told
that the sins that we commit in terms of
our relationship to God those sins God
will forgive if we are truly repentant
it's the sins we commit Visa each other
that we need the Forgiveness of our
fellow man MH you know we have to reach
out to them and ask for forgiveness and
truly repent yes and mend our ways so
there is
accountability but the third factor that
enters into this of course is God's
mercy MH so we have proper
belief you know what sort of Life did we
live and if those were the only two
things on the scale most of us would be
in a lot of trouble but the third thing
we have is God's mercy yes this
overflowing Mercy the Quran tells us in
h chapter 2 God is kind and merciful to
all people you God's Mercy is there all
we have to do is ask for it you know but
the thing is do do most people I mean
want it God has manifested his love and
mercy to us but how many people are act
actually running towards the Creator
because if you go to him a handspan he
comes to you in arms length but how many
people are actually seeking him out well
I think and I'm speaking here as is um
switch hats the moment to to my former
profession in in Psychology I I think
there is a deep spiritual yearning in
people definitely definitely you know
and and unfortunately sometimes they
don't know how to reach out to fill that
spiritual void but I think that void is
is there they're feeling it they're
reaching out definitely um you know the
rapid growth of Islam in this country I
think is one example of that now a
moment ago referred to a very important
saying of the Prophet peace be upon him
which is um that God said if um you come
closer to me by a span which is roughly
from the thumb tip to the little
fingertip I'll come closer to you by a
cubit which is elbow to top of fingers
about 18 Ines and if you come closer to
me by a cubit I'll come closer to you by
two outstretched arms
and if you come to me walking I'll come
to you
running this is the Love The
Compassion the mercy of God that is to
be found in Islam and again I want to
emphasize this is a direct love from God
to each individual person it's a direct
compassion from God to each individual
person direct Mercy from God to each
individual person you know for God to
love us to be compassionate to us to be
merciful to us Islam says there's no
need for some sort of blood sacrifice on
a cross you know this is love and mercy
and compassion that God freely gives to
us and
to receive God's forgiveness for
whatever we've done all we need to do is
repentance tell us how do we balance out
because if we look back to the Bible and
I used to drive down uh one street and
they had on the bench it was a Bible
from a quote from Proverbs I believe
what it says uh fearing God is the
beginning of
wisdom sure now how do we balance it out
because God Almighty as you have quoted
with all the evidence that he is a god
of mercy and love and but the same time
how does someone when they read you know
having God Consciousness and also being
fearful of doing evil actions sure how
do we balance this out would you say
well I think we have to remember that in
Islam we're told God has 99 names or
attributes you know we've we've been
talking about three of them
alud uh the loving arahman the
compassionate arim the
merciful um and touch briefly on a
fourth one which is uh God is
forgiveness or the
forgiving but God is more than than that
you know there there are the other names
as well God is
Justice uh and we have to bear that in
mind
yeah uh simply saying I
believe is not an automatic Pathway to
Heaven no in Islam you got to uh talk is
cheap that's right you have to walk the
walk walk walk the walk yeah and it's
like kind of like the carrot in the
stick mhm can you can make that compar
there's the reward but now for the
person who wants to maybe go ahead and
and hurt somebody and in some person
he's got to fear the consequence on the
day of judgment answer for it so that's
that complete balance in Islam there's
the love God is ready to accept you he's
the most loving but don't you go near
hurting other individuals committing
trans transgression in the land that's a
complete balance in Islam isn't it yeah
there is that balance but again I I do
want to emphasize you know if you step
over the line yeah he's still he's still
there for you he's still there for you
you know but you have to repent you got
to you know you you have have to repent
and you have to make the effort to mend
your ways mhm you it has to be sincere
repentance yeah so I can't can't just go
smack someone in the face say you know
I'm sorry then come back smack them
again I you have to make the effort to
change your ways to change my ways if
I'm stealing stop stealing that's right
if I'm committing transgression against
people backbiting whatever I got to
change and mend my ways to become a
better person isn't it and that's what
God Almighty wants for this is this
makes sense continue please share some
more with us about the loving and
merciful creator of the heavens and
earth Allah well you know a concept that
we just briefly touched on is is God is
the forgiving and we're told this
approximately 87 times in the Quran that
God is the forgiving for example in the
sixth chapter of the Quran we're told
your lord has written it upon his own
nature to be
merciful so if any of you did Evil deeds
in ignorance but then
repented and improved your conduct then
he is forgiving and
merciful so forgiveness is there for
anyone who seeks it but again one has to
that has to be an honest repentance an
honest
repentance it's not enough to Simply say
I believe yeah
um you and here we can make a contrast
with at least
certain
um modes of Christianity yeah uh in
certain modes of
Christianity belief is it boom you know
salvation by faith uh really doesn't
matter what you
do um but once you accept then you're
saved yeah this this but I want to
stress this is certain modes of
Christianity not all uh versions of
Christianity before we go on a break
there's there's a wonderful uh saying of
the last and final messenger authentic
Hadith just showing that God Almighty I
mean to to uh uh also add to what you
said like if you make a mistake you come
back to God even so much so if your sins
were to reach the heavens and the earth
now how many of us can acquire that many
sins that's a lot of sins but there's a
condition a stipulation not setting up
partners with the god the one God not
calling on his creation some people they
call on Mighty Messengers
you know such as Jesus peace be upon him
or icons and statues now this is a big
no no so you can had committed all these
sins you turn to God and you repent but
not setting up another God next to God
can you just elaborate about on this for
a second well again I I said before
there in Islam there's really three
components that we look at in terms of
Salvation one is proper belief and of
course this means pure monotheism pure
monotheism one God one God only uh the
second aspect is proper behavior and
conduct uh not just in terms of our
relationship with God but also in terms
of our relationship with our fellow man
yes and the third aspect then that
enters in is of course God's abundant
Mercy definitely we'll be right back
with more here on the dean
[Music]
show it's a way
of brought to us
back the
messenger best of men
can show us the
way to Allah's
Grace this is the
de dean of
Islam this is the
Dean Dean of
[Music]
Islam back here on the dean show we're
talking to Dr Gerald
Dirks and we're talking about the love
and mercy that Islam teaches preaches
and is there for anyone who is seeking
to get closer to the creator of the
heavens and the Earth there's one Hadith
that also comes to my mind of the mercy
of the Creator when and I'm sure you
know this when when a woman had had had
lost her child and she found him and she
started to suckle the child the prophet
mammad said look at that said God
almighty he has more love for his slaves
for more love for you than this mother
who is suckling her child yes what do
you say about that alhamdulillah this is
the Islam's message of of Love yeah uh
and a nutshell uh there's also Hadith
the saying of the Prophet where um we're
told that with God there were 100 parts
of Mercy yes and one of those 100 Parts
was bestowed upon all of creation
the other 99 Parts remaining with God
stop and think about this if if you were
to tally Up Every Act of Mercy that has
ever been done by any person animal Etc
throughout all of creation and extending
on until the end of creation that would
only be one
9th the amount of Mercy that God is
holding
to bestow upon
us how would you encourage people those
who are some like you were atypical
Christians who now they are seeing the
proof and evidence that Islam provides
that it is indeed the truth from the one
Creator we simply I mean explaining
Islam simply means to acquire peace by
submitting your will to the owner of
Peace the one God so they like what we
have to say and they're stimulated by
such intellectuals like yourself who are
coming to Islam and now but you know
what uh there's some hype out there they
get some misinformation just giving them
some some motivation now they again they
tuned in again to the de show and here
they're hearing opposite of you
know a mean God a vengeful God too we're
giving the evidence this is a merciful
and loving God another uh enlightening
Factor what what what um motivation or
encouragement do you give for for those
uh some of the atypical Christians that
are out there like you were who don't
believe in the trinity who don't believe
in the you know the death of of God on
the cross and you know they had this
stumbling block because they thought you
know Allah was There's No Love in the
Quran or none of these things but now
they're hearing
otherwise well one one thing I would
encourage them to do is um go to the
source in finding out about Islam in
other words uh pick up a good and I'm
going to emphasize this a good reliable
translation of the Quran MH and begin
reading it see for yourself exactly what
it said there the same way okay if
you're going to go ahead and you want
the best car that's out on the market go
to Consumer Reports you're going to put
everything together you know investigate
uh uh uh compare so do some leg work the
same way you would do for any material
thing absolutely yeah okay well we're
going to look forward to God willing
doing some more programs with you thank
you for being with us God willing we'll
see you soon again and thank you for
tuning again into another episode of the
dean show you got to look learn that
Islam I shall love all mankind Islam is
there and it's a way of life that God
Almighty the Creator sent through his
last and final message and all the
messengers of God they all taught Islam
and they all taught that the Creator is
the most loving the most merciful and he
is there but the question is are you
ready to accept the way of life that he
wants you to live there's accountability
if you do bad even if you've done so
much up to to the heavens and the Earth
and you haven't set up a god next to God
even if you did that God is still ready
to accept your repentance he is still
ready to turn to you with the most
loving and
merciful attribute that he has but it's
up to you now to change and mend your
ways it's up to you to decide within
yourself to live a righteous and good
wholesome life and then turn to the most
loving the most merciful and ask him for
the guidance and then things shall be
made clear we'll see you next time keep
tuning in here to the dean show until
then peace be