Discussion Starter- Allah: The Relationship Between Master and Slave

         The Holy Quran is very upfront in establishing the dichotomy between that which is true and that which is untrue. As a primary source of Allah's word, its purpose of offering the truth lacks hesitation and requires one to understand the consequences of not doing so. As a result, the Quran clearly establishes the role of the seekers relative to the one true god, Allah. As seen throughout Genesis, God is referred to the Lord God in order to emphasize the ownership of man and all things created by God. At every instance of doubt and hesitation of God's word by man, the Lord God uses his omnipotence to remind man of the eternal hierarchy (i.e. Tower of Babel, Adam & Eve, etc). Similarly, the Quran states, "I seek refuge With the Lord And Cherisher of Mankind, The King (or Ruler) Of Mankind, The God (or Judge) Of Mankind," to lay the foundation of this master-slave relationship between Allah and man, respectively (Surah 114). Referring to Allah as "The Judge of Mankind," calls for His followers to recognize that He is only one who determines fate and thus, is the goal of life. Salvation is dependent on Allah so all worship and faith must be towards Him, and Him only. This power relationship and the desire for salvation is critical in the acceptance of Allah as one's master. 

          However, if Allah is one's master, then one is only His slave. Man's actions are consequently dependent on Allah's will and their faith in Allah alone, abstaining from the corruption of "worldly motives...worldly gain, ancestral custom, social inventions or imitative instincts," (Ali 1708). Relinquishing man's greatest attachment, freedom, ensures man the blessed fruit of the Garden of Bliss. This wholehearted belief in Allah as one's master is the only thing that creates the dichotomy in the community between 'those of the faith' and 'others', setting the Prophet up to mention the Five Pillars (Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj) of Islam.

           The Quran exhibits a passive-aggressive nature when it explains,"And I will not worship That which ye have been Wont to worship, Nor will ye worship That which I worship. To you be your Way, And to me mine," but later on describes that one who fails to acknowledge the truth will suffer humiliation and evil (Surah 109:6). Although there initially seems to be a general indifference for one who believes in their own worship as long as it does not interfere with the "true" worship, the Quran, again, does not spare room for a hesitation of belief. There is an immediacy to the spread of Allah's message that is constructed by this overarching necessity to commit to Allah, and Allah only.