Quranic Terminology: Devoted And Chosen

Published in June 9, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

 The Quranic terms (devoted) [mokhlis in Arabic] and (chosen) [mokhlas in Arabic] are nearly synonymous in the Arabic tongue but they differ in meaning and in one sound within the penultimate letter, of course. We trace the occurrence of both terms in the Quranic verses quoted in the points below. 

Firstly: (devoted) or mokhlis means dedicating one's religion only to the Lord God:

1- God has said the following to Muhammad about dedicating one's religion and worship only to the Lord God; one is to deify, glorify, and sanctify only the Lord God and no one else besides Him; those who take up other allies/deities to themselves are deceitful liars and disbelievers: "We sent down to you the Book with the truth, so serve God, devoting your religion to Him. Is not to God that devoted faith is due? As for those who take allies besides Him, "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to God." God will judge between them regarding their differences. God does not guide the disbelieving liars." (39:2-3).  

2- faith/religion is of two parts: belief and worship, and this is indicated in the Quranic Chapter One repeated in all of the five daily prayers: "It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help." (1:5). This is the meaning of true monotheism.

2/1: As for belief, we are to implore and supplicate only to God without anyone besides Him; this is real monotheistic faith: "...So call upon Him, and dedicate/devote your faith to Him alone..." (7:29); "So call upon God, with sincere devotion to Him..." (40:14); "He is the Living One. There is no god except He. So pray to Him, devoting your religion to Him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds." (40:65).

2/2: As for worship, all acts of worship must be dedicated only to the Dominant Lord God Who has told Muhammad to declare the following: "Say, "I was commanded to worship God, devoting my religion exclusively to Him." (39:11); "Say, "It is God I worship, devoting my faith to Him."" (39:14); this verse is about the People of the Book: "They were commanded only to worship God, devoting their faith to Him alone..." (98:5).

3- Hence, deification and sanctification of God must be 100% inside the monotheistic soul as per the natural instinct inculcated into our psyche; yet, there are those who choose to be among the polytheists by dedicating even 1% or less (and sometimes more) of deification and sanctification to mortals (i.e., prophets and non-prophets or the so-called 'saints'). This is utter disbelief, polytheism, and blasphemy which cover/tarnish the real faith/worship within monotheism and piety.  

4- Thus, polytheists (especially the Muhammadans of today) insist on worshiping/revering mortal allies/deities besides God; they have violated and rejected monotheism; i.e., to worship God only and to believe in Him alone, within 100% dedication and devotion. The people of Aad rejected the call of their prophet, Hud, who advised them to devote their worship only to God: "..."Did you come to us to make us worship God alone, and abandon what our ancestors used to worship?..." (7:70). Believers among the people of Abraham said the following to the disbelievers: "..."We disown you and what you worship apart from God. We denounce you. Enmity and hatred has surfaced between us and you, forever, until you believe in God alone."..." (60:4).  

5- God says in the Quran: "And most of them do not believe in God unless as polytheists." (12:106); hence, it is a Quranic fact that the vast majority of human beings (including the Muhammadans) never believe in God alone; they insist on worshiping other partners/allies/saints/deities/gods/intercessors besides Him; this is utter polytheism. 

6- This is why there are repeated Quranic verses (but the Muhammadans never believe in the Quranic text, of course) which urge believers to devote their religion only to God; the Muhammadans worship Muhammad as a deity/intercessor, beside other allies or Sufi saints as well as 'holy' Sunnite/Shiite authors; Quranists are persecuted whenever they urge the Muhammadans to devote their religion and their worship only to God as per the Quran; the Muhammadans claim they believe in the Quran but in fact, they have rejected it. To refute their polytheistic notions beforehand, God says the following in the Quran: "...They have no ally apart from Him, and He shares His Sovereignty with no one." (18:26); "And warn with it those who fear to be gathered before their Lord - they have no protector or intercessor apart from him - perhaps they will grow in piety." (6:51); "...Apart from Him, you have no ally and no intercessor. Will you not remember?" (32:4); "Or have they adopted allies besides him? But God is the Ally, and He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things." (42:9); "Say, "Shall I take for myself an ally other than God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds and is not fed?" Say, "I am instructed to be the first of those who submit." And do not be among the polytheists." (6:14).

7- In times of hardships, crises, and adversity, frightening people supplicate sincerely to God only as they do this instinctively as per the innate nature inculcated inside their souls and they forget their myths of polytheism; yet, once the crises are over and they feel safe, they return to their polytheistic ways. God says in the Quran: "It is He who transports you across land and sea. Until, when you are on ships, sailing in a favorable wind, and rejoicing in it, a raging wind arrives. The waves surge over them from every side, and they realize that they are besieged. Thereupon they pray to God, professing sincere devotion to Him: "If You save us from this, we will be among the thankful ones."" (10:22); "When they embark on a vessel, they pray to God, devoting their faith to Him; but once He has delivered them safely to land, they attribute partners to Him." (29:65); "When waves, like canopies, cover them, they call upon God, devoting their religion to Him. But when He has delivered them to dry land, some of them waver. No one renounces Our Verses except the treacherous disbelievers." (31:32); "Then, when they witnessed Our might, they said, "We believe in God alone, and we reject what we used to associate with Him."" (40:84); "That is because when God alone was called upon, you disbelieved; but when others were associated with Him, you believed. Judgment rests with God the Sublime, the Majestic." (40:12).

8- The meaning of devotion/dedication means also to have something without sharing it with anyone else.

8/1: Some of the disbelievers among the People of the Book claimed that Paradise is theirs only; the Lord God refutes their claim here: "Say, "If the Final Home with God is dedicated to you alone, to the exclusion of all other people, then wish for death if you are sincere."" (2:94).

8/2: Some of the disbelievers among the Arabs before Islam assumed within their polytheistic religious notions that some animals are to be consumed only by men: "And they say, "What lies in the wombs of these animals is dedicated exclusively for our males, and prohibited to our wives." But if it is stillborn, they can share in it. He will surely punish them for their allegations. He is Wise and Knowing." (6:139).

8/3: The Lord God refutes the claims of those who prohibited legal items: "Say, "Who forbade God's finery which He has produced for His servants, and the delights of livelihood?" Say, "They are for those who believe, in this present world, but are dedicated exclusively to them on the Day of Resurrection." We thus detail the Verses for people who know." (7:32).

8/4: This is another context of the meaning of devotion/dedication: "And there is a lesson for you in cattle: We give you a drink from their bellies, from between waste and blood, dedicated pure milk, refreshing to the drinkers." (16:66).

8/5: No one will share this special legislation dedicated only to Muhammad who could marry, at one point during his lifetime, without paying dowries: "...and a believing woman who has offered herself to the prophet, if the prophet desires to marry her, dedicated exclusively for you, and not for the believers..." (33:50).

Secondly: (chosen) or mokhlas simply means crème de la crème among human beings in terms of faith and piety:

1- God knows very well where to put his Message: "...God knows best where to place His message..." (6:124).

2- God's prophets and messengers (and envoys among the angels) are chosen by God: "God chooses messengers from among the angels, and from among the people. God is Hearing and Seeing." (22:75); "Say, "Praise God, and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen..." (27:59).

3- We provide some examples of the chosen prophets/messengers in the following points.

3/1: Jacob said the following to his son Joseph: "And thus your Lord will choose you, and will teach you the interpretation of visions, and will complete His blessing upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He has completed it before upon your forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Your Lord is Knowing and Wise." (12:6); Joseph lived in the house of the Potiphar in Egypt, away from his father, but God has provided him with knowledge and wisdom; this is why he was among the chosen ones by God: "When he reached his maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. We thus reward the righteous ones...He was one of Our chosen servants." (12:22-24)

3/2: Moses was brought up inside the palace of Pharaoh, away from his people and family, but God has provided him with knowledge and wisdom as he was among the chosen ones by God: "And when he reached his maturity, and became established, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward the righteous ones." (28:14); "And mention in the Scripture Moses. He was chosen. He was a messenger and a prophet." (19:51); "I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed." (20:13); "He said, "O Moses, I have chosen you over all people for My messages and for My Words..." (7:144).

3/3: These verses are about Abraham: "...We have chosen him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous ones." (2:130); "And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-endowed with ability and vision. We distinguished them with a distinct quality: the remembrance of the Home. To Us they are among the chosen, the outstanding." (38:45-47).

4- Any people among the non-prophets can be among the devoted ones who deserve to enter into Paradise along with the good ones and prophets/messengers. The only difference is that as per His Divine Will, God has chosen some human beings to be His prophets/messengers; God has given human beings freedom within religion to choose to (dis)believe and to (dis)obey; as for those who choose guidance, God increase their guidance and piety: "As for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance, and He has granted them their piety." (47:17).

4/1: God has chosen His prophets/messengers; He grants his guidance to those who choose to be guided within monotheism: "He prescribed for you the same religion He enjoined upon Noah, and what We inspired to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: "You shall uphold the religion, and be not divided therein." As for the polytheists, what you call them to is outrageous to them. God chooses to Himself whom He wills, and He guides to Himself whoever repents." (42:13).

4/2: Those who die as sincere, devoted, pious ones will be among the Paradise dwellers as they have chosen guidance and God will choose them among the good ones and prophets/messengers in Paradise: "Such is Paradise which We will give as inheritance to those of Our servants who are pious." (19:63); "But he who promotes the Truth, and testifies to it - these are the pious ones. They will have whatever they please with their Lord. Such is the reward for the righteous ones." (39:33-34); "Whoever obeys God and the Messenger - these are with those whom God has blessed - among the prophets, and the truthful ones, and the witnesses, and the good ones. Excellent are those as companions." (4:69).

4/3: Those chosen ones who are fit to enter into Paradise by their monotheistic faith/belief and good deeds are described here: "Except for God's chosen servants. For them is a known provision. Fruits; and they will be honored. In the Gardens of Bliss." (37:40-43). Among them are those believers among the people of Elijah: "But they called him a liar, and thus they will be brought forward. Except for God's chosen servants." (37:127-128). On the Last Day, the Hell dwellers will regret in vain when it is too late for them: ""Had we received remembrance from the ancients. We would have been God's chosen servants."" (37:168-169). 

4/4: The believers among the ancient nations, who were delivered and spared the torment/destruction that was inflicted on the disbelievers, are chosen ones: "And most of the ancients before them went astray. Even though We sent messengers to warn them. So observe the end of those who were warned. Except for the chosen servants of God." (37:71-74).

4/5: Iblis/Satan has vowed to tempt the vast majority of human beings (i.e., Adam's progeny); the exception is the chosen, sincere, devoted ones who dedicate their worship and faith only to God: "..."By Your majesty, I will seduce them all. Except for your chosen servants among them."" (38:82-83); "..."My Lord, since You have lured me away, I will glamorize for them on earth, and I will lure them all away. Except for Your chosen servants among them."" (15:39-40).