A letter to Jehovah Witness by Rachidm:
Dear Jehovah’s Witnesses:
I would like to share with you some biblical research based upon my discussions with Jehovah’s Witnesses friends.
I would like to share with you some biblical research based upon my discussions with Jehovah’s Witnesses friends.
My wife used to be a Jehovah Witness. When we got married, I, as a Muslim told her ; "you have the right to practice your religion". I even offered to give her a ride if needed to the Kingdom hall ( Jehovah Witness place of worship ) .
With an open mind, I supported her and told her I would never mind her practicing and preaching her religion. During our first couple years of blessed and happy marriage together, I was privileged to engage with my parents in law (upon their request) in a comparative study between Islam and their beliefs. Although they were discouraged from dialogue since they believe their way is the only correct way, I always enjoyed a good open discussion about religion in general.
My Mom in law offered me a copy of the New World Translation (a version of the bible exclusively translated, interpreted and used by Jehovah Witnesses) along with some of the Watchtower Society's literature. As open minded as always, I gladly accepted her offer! When I offered her a copy of the Quran, however, she refused by saying that they are not allowed to accept literature from any other religion. Although I found it strange, I accepted her decision.
As part of our ongoing dialogues, I was invited to go to their Kingdom Hall and in return, my Mom in law would visit a mosque. Or at least that was our agreement. I fulfilled my part but am still waiting for her visit to a mosque some 16 years later.
In 2013, my wife's beloved Aunt came to visit from South Carolina. Upon my request we all went to a local mosque including my mother in law, whom I love and respect. While me and my wife were praying asr ( mid afternoon prayer ) they just observed .
In 2013, my wife's beloved Aunt came to visit from South Carolina. Upon my request we all went to a local mosque including my mother in law, whom I love and respect. While me and my wife were praying asr ( mid afternoon prayer ) they just observed .
During our religious conversations , my wife was just listen to me and her Mom talking about different belief system .
She accepted and embraced Islam , six years into our happy marriage. She was convinced especially after meeting my Muslim parents and family who treated her with utmost respect.
All stereotypes fades away after our several travels to Morocco . We went to Hajj ( Makkah ), it was a spiritual journey of a life time .
My beautiful wife Sarah wrote the following :
Wishing I was there again. All those white dots you see, those are people, 3 million people from around the globe - each with their own languages, customs and cultures- harmoniously unified in prayer. Can you imagine getting 3 million people visiting your city all to do the same thing, at the same time five times every day? Yet, it happens every day during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
I was blessed enough to be one of those millions in 2008. I stood next to my brothers and sisters from around the world to glorify God and seek his Mercy. I have experienced nothing more powerful. Imagine being in such a huge crowd, yet when you are bowing in prostration to God, the only thing you hear is the chirping of the birds above.
You may have known about Hajj and Mecca, but did you know this blessed place is also mentioned in the bible?
"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. (From the NIV Bible, Psalms 84:5-6)"
Baca (also spelled Bakka) is thought to be an older name for Mecca, as it is described as the location of the first mosque, which Islam teaches to be the Kaaba, and a home to Abraham peace and blessings be upon Him, who, according to the Qur'an, built the Kaba with his son Ishmael(pbuH).
Hope to be one of those dots in the crowd again soon Insha Allah - God willing.
My heart is there, with all my brothers and sisters performing pilgrimage .
Wishing I was there again. All those white dots you see, those are people, 3 million people from around the globe - each with their own languages, customs and cultures- harmoniously unified in prayer. Can you imagine getting 3 million people visiting your city all to do the same thing, at the same time five times every day? Yet, it happens every day during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
I was blessed enough to be one of those millions in 2008. I stood next to my brothers and sisters from around the world to glorify God and seek his Mercy. I have experienced nothing more powerful. Imagine being in such a huge crowd, yet when you are bowing in prostration to God, the only thing you hear is the chirping of the birds above.
You may have known about Hajj and Mecca, but did you know this blessed place is also mentioned in the bible?
"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. (From the NIV Bible, Psalms 84:5-6)"
Baca (also spelled Bakka) is thought to be an older name for Mecca, as it is described as the location of the first mosque, which Islam teaches to be the Kaaba, and a home to Abraham peace and blessings be upon Him, who, according to the Qur'an, built the Kaba with his son Ishmael(pbuH).
Hope to be one of those dots in the crowd again soon Insha Allah - God willing.
My heart is there, with all my brothers and sisters performing pilgrimage .
My wife now learned how to read and speak arabic that help her read Quran in it's original form.
The topic is Hell, which Jehovah’s witnesses call Hades, hell, Hinnom or Gehenna.
By the way, Gehenna (Gahanam as pronounced in the Arabic language) has the same meaning in both the Arabic language and Islam same as In both Jewish and Christian writing, Gehenna was a destination of the wicked.
Hell Fire has different names in Islamic texts. Each name gives a separate description. Some of its names are:
Jaheem – fire - because of its blazing fire.
Jahannam - Hell - because of the depth of its pit.
Ladthaa - blazing fire - because of its flames.
Sa’eer - blazing flame - because it is kindled and ignited.
Saqar - because of the intensity of its heat.
Haawiyah - chasm or abyss - because the one who is thrown into it is thrown from top to bottom
The meaning of Hell understood by Jewish, Christian and Muslims is an eternal Hellfire contrary to Jehovah's Witness interpretation out of context of the meaning and concept of Hell . May Allah save us from Hellfire and grant us paradise ameen.
" Islam teaches that Hell is a real place prepared by God for those who do not believe in Him, rebel against His laws, and reject His messengers. Hell is an actual place, not a mere state of mind or a spiritual entity. The horrors, pain, anguish, and punishment are all real, but different in nature than their earthly counterparts. Hell is the ultimate humiliation and loss, and nothing is worse than it:
“Our Lord! Surely, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed You have disgraced him, and never will the wrongdoers find any helpers.” (Quran 3:192)
“Know they not that whoever opposes God and His Messenger (Muhammad), certainly for him will be the Fire of Hell to abide therein? That is the extreme disgrace.” (Quran 9:63) "
“Our Lord! Surely, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed You have disgraced him, and never will the wrongdoers find any helpers.” (Quran 3:192)
“Know they not that whoever opposes God and His Messenger (Muhammad), certainly for him will be the Fire of Hell to abide therein? That is the extreme disgrace.” (Quran 9:63) "
( Source : Islam religion )
The verse of Matthew 4:22 makes it quite clear that Gahanna is a fiery truth, “However, I say to you that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; but whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says “You despicable fool!” will be liable to the fiery Gahanna.”
Let’s follow the Jehovah’s Witness Bible’s advice (New World translation of the Holy Scriptures):
“Make sure of all things, hold fast to what is fine “ (I-Thessalonians 5:21)
Let’s use this valuable biblical advice on all of our future quests for the truth.
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the unsaved do not go to a place of eternal punishment, but merely cease to exist. This contradicts any translation of any Bible, including The Watchtower’s New World Translation;
“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night”, Revelation 14:11.
Also please read Rev. 14:9-11, honestly there is no way to interpret “and they have no rest day and night’ to mean that the sinners just won’t exist any more like Russell wanted us to blindly believe.
Taking into consideration the biblical suggestion in I-Thessalonians 5:21, what do you think?
For further proofs, please read Revelation 20:10, Matt 25:46, Mark 9:43, Matt.8:12, 13:50, 24:51, Luke 13:28
Matt 25:46-"And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." As far as the Old Testament goes let’s read Dan.12:2.
The Bible does teach that as certain as we can see, that Hell is a reality and is eternal in duration. Please see MK.9:43, Rev.20:10, 14:10, 11
Other verses prove beyond any doubt that Hell is eternal according to the scriptures we just shed light on.
Don’t you agree?
Matthew.25:46 further replied to the question of Hell (or Hades as you may choose to call it) by saying,
“And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”
Let’s further investigate the Bible for more proofs:
Luke 16:23-“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment.”
Luke 16:24- “I am in agony in the flame”
Is 66:24-“Then they shall go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against me? For their warm shall not die, and their fire shall be an abhorrence not be quenched, and to all mankind.”
Matt 12:2, Matt 3:12-“…He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire”
Matt 25:46- “…go away into eternal punishment…”
Mark 9:43- “It is better for you to enter life crippled, than having your two hands, to go into Hell [Greek.Gehenna] “
Heb 10:27-29 - “a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law …”
I feel it necessary to provide further evidences from within the Jehovah’s Witnesses own bible. If you prefer to know what the Holy Quran has to offer, I would be more than happy to discuss it with you, or better yet, get a copy of and research it as I have researched your bible.
Please note that out of love and respect that this ongoing research and dialogue that aim not to discredit anyone or any belief but to honestly with open mind just present the facts as they are :
According to : http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2012/could-the-jehovahs-witness-religion-be-true/
" The Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded by Charles Russell, a Pennsylvania businessman, in 1869. He was only 18 years old when he first began holding bible studies on his own. He was frustrated with his personal experiences in the traditional Christian church of his day and he was particularly upset about the manner in which Christianity taught about the reality of hell. He eventually began a search within Christianity and found himself attracted to the Seventh Day Adventist movement. He eventually disassociated himself from this movement, however, on the basis of false predictions of Christ’s second coming.
" The Jehovah’s Witnesses were founded by Charles Russell, a Pennsylvania businessman, in 1869. He was only 18 years old when he first began holding bible studies on his own. He was frustrated with his personal experiences in the traditional Christian church of his day and he was particularly upset about the manner in which Christianity taught about the reality of hell. He eventually began a search within Christianity and found himself attracted to the Seventh Day Adventist movement. He eventually disassociated himself from this movement, however, on the basis of false predictions of Christ’s second coming.
Russell was a gifted communicator and writer. In 1879 he began his own magazine called the Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, which today is simply known as Watchtower (it is presently written by anonymous authors within the church). With the publication of the magazine, 30 congregations formed within a year. Russell next founded Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society as a religious corporation in 1884. In 1886, he wrote what is viewed as sacred text, called Studies of the Scriptures.
In 1896, he renamed the group “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society”, and this remains as the church’s official name today. The church is head-quartered in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to founding the church, Russell made a number of important predictions, including the prediction that 1914 would be the beginning of the millennial age and that we would see the return of Jesus. When this did not occur (and the world instead witnessed a series of terrible events, including the beginning of World War I), Russell had to adjust his prediction. He died in 1916, never seeing the fulfillment of any of his predictions about the Millennium. "
In 1896, he renamed the group “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society”, and this remains as the church’s official name today. The church is head-quartered in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to founding the church, Russell made a number of important predictions, including the prediction that 1914 would be the beginning of the millennial age and that we would see the return of Jesus. When this did not occur (and the world instead witnessed a series of terrible events, including the beginning of World War I), Russell had to adjust his prediction. He died in 1916, never seeing the fulfillment of any of his predictions about the Millennium. "
I pray that you will sincerely consider these proofs, although they go against the teaching of the Watchtower Society. We must always remember what the Bible said in I-Thessalonians 5:21 - “Make sure of all things, hold fast to what is fine.”
Let’s use this valuable biblical suggestion in all future quests for the truth...
“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest?” (Qur’an, 13:28)
“If you could but see when they are set before the fire (Hell) and say: ’would that we might return (to the world)! Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers!’
Allah has said in the Holy Quran 57:21
“Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers…”
The Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) said :{ A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.} Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, # 186, and Saheeh Al-Bukharri, #6571
He also said: {In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.} He also said: {the most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked: ‘Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship?” So he will say: “No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship. “ }
To all Jehovah’s Witnesses truth seekers, may your journey be fruitful in exploring the truth.
You are all most welcome to read Quran online ( www.quranexplorer.com )
“Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers…”
The Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) said :{ A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.} Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, # 186, and Saheeh Al-Bukharri, #6571
He also said: {In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.} He also said: {the most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked: ‘Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship?” So he will say: “No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship. “ }
To all Jehovah’s Witnesses truth seekers, may your journey be fruitful in exploring the truth.
You are all most welcome to read Quran online ( www.quranexplorer.com )