Myth: Greek Mythology
Had there been gods beside Allah, in the heavens and the earth, both of them would have fallen in disorder. So pure is Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from what they describe. (21:22)
This verse reminded me of a conversation I had with my dad years ago when I was a kid. I had learnt about continents in a nursery rhyme that day and a bit of side info that there are over a 100 countries and we are just a small part on the big big globe. It was night time and we were driving back home, and I was humming the nursery rhyme in my head. I looked up at the sky and since kids are told God is up there, the sky reminded me of Him. One thought lead to another. I wondered if God ruled all the continents or if there’s a separate god for each. Or if there’s a god appointed for different countries too… I knew God was one but suddenly I wasn’t so sure if “one” meant one god for each territory. I didn’t like that idea ’cause I assumed big countries will have a more powerful god than mine, if that was true. And if that was indeed true, then America will have the most supreme god just because well– America is the biggest continent. Believe me when I say, I was liking the scenario less and less with every passing thought…
And then an entire blockbuster played out in my head where the gods differed in a matter and eventually, a fight ensued– the less powerful gods suffered along with their countries. I saw stone and rubble and dead people everywhere and found that quite scary. And as my imagination ran wild, I even considered suggesting to my mom that maybe it would be a good idea to move to America with our cousins.
Then I just turned towards my dad and asked him the question I did not want to ask. Because I wanted God to be One and unbiased. And big. Bigger than the sun too because our teacher had told us that sun was the biggest star that’s bigger than the earth as well. And I figured God wouldn’t really make anything bigger than Him.
Me: Dad, is God only one for everyone or are there different gods for different countries?
Dad: Yep, there is only One for everyone and everything! All cities, countries and galaxies…
Me: He’s bigger than the sun too, right?
Dad: *Laughing* Yeah, sun is nothing in comparison.
Man, that was a HUGE relief. And I was quite happy. Maybe that’s why I still remember the convo. Then I sang the nursery rhyme a little louder throughout the ride.
Monotheism is in fitrah and I can’t agree more to that. That was an average kid’s perspective. You might ask why and how this verse applies to us in general.
Be mindful that noting angers Allah (swt) more than a person ascribing partners with Him. Imagine making movies and cracking jokes out of the subject. Percy Jackson series come to mind. Gods, demi gods, war between the Olympian gods and the whole ridiculousness. Zeus on top of the hierarchy and his sons trying to take him down… We may consider it entertainment but it leaves its residue on the mind. It makes you side with certain mythical gods (even for a fleeting moment because everything comes to life in your head when you read) and makes you want to take those “which-god-are-you” quizzes. And if that’s the best thing we can give our kids to read and watch, then we need to re-evaluate our status as a believer. Merely saying that Allah has a son, is a statement abominable enough for the heavens to explode, the earth to burst apart and mountains to crumble down (surah Maryam, v. 88-90). It incurs Allah’s wrath and a believer should find such fiction as offensive. And a Muslim who is fond of reading, should find it beneath himself to read these novels for fantasy kicks.
I had this same nagging doubt when I read this series. Oh, well, I can’t unread them, but I can at least throw them out.
Alhamdulillah for that nagging doubt! 🙂 Most people don’t feel off about it at all.