January 2004: Page 1, 2, 3

Submitters Perspective

Page 2

The Key

Cont’d from page 1

Similarly, you find that Israel were called “sons” nineteen times, and there are many other examples. All these sets of nineteen are intricately intertwined, and they contain many secrets and esoteric meanings, which are contained in more than eight large volumes…. Furthermore, in this section there are 152 (19x8) words….

This phenomenon was hinted in the Quran.

Proclaim: “What if it is from God, and you disbelieved in it? A witness from the Children of Israel has borne witness to a similar phenomenon, and he has believed, while you have turned too arrogant to believe. God does not guide the wicked.” [ 46:10 ]

Therefore, we must utter the specific sounds dictated in the first chapter of the Quran “Sura 1” or “The Key” as they are. Adding phrases before, or adding words at the end, such as “Amen,” as some Muslims do, is not correct, and may nullify our Contact with the Creator. The question to ask of those who add words or phrases to the original verses should be “Are God’s words not sufficient or good enough?”

Sura (Chapter) 1 is practically all the Arabic one needs to know. Reciting “The Key” in Arabic during the Contact Prayers (Salat) unifies all Submitters of the world, regardless of their languages. Whether we are in Japan, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, or in any other place in the world, when the Contact Prayers are performed, we hear the familiar recitation of “The Key.” Even at those occasions the person leading the prayer (imam) may have an accent, it still sounds beautiful and harmonizes the Submitters.

Our God is One and the Same

We know that the Christian’s Lord’s prayer is very similar in content to “The Key.” As a model of prayer, every Christian learns it by heart. During a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, brother Gatut has come across an opening prayer practiced by the Diaspora Christian denomination. The prayer is called Ha Patchah. He found it very interesting that these Christians seem to have adopted many of the ancient Jewish practices in their rituals along with the Lord’s Prayer. These observations confirm the Quranic accounts that all these prayers came from Abraham's ancient practice taught by God.

We provide you all these prayers for comparison. They are a reminder for us of the fact that our Creator is One and the Same, and no matter what we call ourselves, submitting to God’s will is the true salvation, as highlighted in the following verse (see also 29:46). Praise God.

For each congregation we have decreed rites whereby they commemorate the name of GOD for providing them with the livestock. Your god is ONE AND THE SAME god; you shall all submit to Him. Give good news to the obedient. [22:34]

Abdullah

The Key (Al-Fatehah)

[1:1] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

[1:2] Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe.

[1:3] Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

[1:4] Master of the Day of Judgment.

[1:5] You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.

[1:6] Guide us in the right path;

[1:7] the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.