Your god is whoever or whatever occupies your mind most of the time, which can be your children, your spouse, your business, or your ego.1, 2
Unless we are absolutely sure God's law will not be abused, we should resist our lust and stay away from polygamy.1
Billions of years ago Satan, a high ranking creature, imagined he could run a dominion as a god besides God, an idea born of ego, which is arrogance augmented by ignorance.1, 2
Humans are the half of the hard core rebels who were less convinced of Satan's view, and the ego is what stands between most of us and redemption, which is why killing the ego is commanded.1, 2
Whenever a person thinks he can do anything or has any control or power, he falls into the trap of worshiping the ego, which Satan initiated.1, 2, 3
Satan uses people's dislike of feeling wrong to keep them defending false beliefs, and only God can protect a person from false religious beliefs.1, 2
When people cling to cherished false beliefs and fight for them, they are really defending their ego rather than God.1, 2
When you stop defending your ego and put your trust in God, you no longer feel uncomfortable questioning false practices.1
Idol worship can be subtle, such as idolizing money, family, children, or the ego; giving priority to anything over God or thinking another can benefit or harm us is idol worship.1, 2
A person's ego can become his god, and once that happens God sends him astray and seals his hearing and mind.1, 2, 3
Believers suppress their anger and forgive when angered; anger is part of the ego that must be tamed to attain righteousness.1, 2, 3
By being aware of anger as it arises and consciously letting it go, we control it; otherwise we become slaves to our ego, so we should ask God's help as Moses did.1, 2
Despite our ego driven offenses in the first life and Adam and Eve's disobedience, God in His mercy gives us one final chance for redemption, and the ego remains the obstacle.1, 2
Drugs, including the ego, give only fleeting pleasure and lead away from God to Hell, while God promises believers who do righteous works joy in this world and in the Hereafter.1, 2, 3
Every human being is an egoholic; our ego got us in trouble in our first life when we failed to stand up for God against Satan and refused to submit.1, 2
Giving charity cheerfully and kindly, in good and bad times and from what we love, acknowledges that what we have is not ours but all from God.1
God commands people to repent and to kill their egos, and this is better for them in His sight.1, 2
God does not leave us alone in fighting the ego; He gives us the Quran as a guide, study meetings, and the support of fellow submitters.1, 2, 3
Rejection of messengers, arrogance, and killing are products of the ego, as seen in those who rejected messengers and in Cain killing his brother.1, 2
Satan uses the ego, like intoxicants and gambling, to cause division and hatred and to distract people from remembering God and from the Contact Prayers.1, 2
Some confidence is healthy, but the ego works like a drug that alters reality, making us forget that everything comes from God and leading us to feel superior to others.1, 2, 3
The worship practices God gives, prayer, charity, and fasting, are designed to diminish the ego and grow the soul, our link to God.1, 2, 3
We have two choices: let the ego control us and kill our soul, or follow God's laws and practices and kill our ego; Satan pushes the former.1
Words said in anger leave lasting scars that apologies cannot erase, so one should control one's temper.1, 2, 3
God honestly tells us that human beings are averse to reminders, unjust, hasty, arrogant, greedy, forgetful, and unappreciative, preferring the ego and this temporary life.1, 2, 3
God instructs us to kill our ego, which distracts from our real purpose, though if we choose the ego God provides it an illusion of security.1
Submitters will reach differing understandings as they study, so they must kill their egos and treat each other with respect, trusting God to guide the worthy.1
God offered the responsibility of freedom of choice to the heavens, earth, and mountains, which refused it, while humans accepted it out of transgression and ignorance.1, 2
Our egos made us reject God's offer, believing we could return to God on our own, and we underestimated Satan's power though he made his threat clear.1, 2
The ego is our worst enemy and Satan's best tool, and we must kill it to realize God's mercy.1
True jihad is a struggle we wage against ourselves and on behalf of our own souls.1
Ramadan is a time to grow the soul and shrink the ego toward salvation, and its righteous thoughts and deeds should become habits that continue all year.1, 2
Fasting can help overcome the ego by showing our weakness and dependence, encouraging greater reliance on God and humility.1, 2
God is always honest with us and tells us unwelcome truths about ourselves, such as that humans are averse to reminders and only a few take heed.1, 2
Humans foolishly and easily love another human being who has done nothing for them, and God describes humans as unappreciative.1, 2
If we choose our ego over God, He provides the illusion of security for our ego, as we wish.1
The Quran teaches that one whose god is his ego is sent astray by God, who seals his hearing and mind and veils his eyes.1
Idolizing the ego creates sects, Satan tries to divide believers, and treating each other in the best manner avoids his trap.1
The best person is the most righteous, and each believer is guided by the Quran in an individual way, which becomes a test when ego rejects others' differing understanding.1, 2
We must set up no idols beside God, whether a saint, the prophet, our ego, business, children, spouse, or money.1
Without studying and striving to kill the ego, intelligence does not help, and failing the test cannot be repeated.1, 2
Worldly fame such as a gold medal can become a tougher test, with the risk of pride and ego becoming our god.1
Putting faith only in what we can see is really faith in ourselves and our own interpretation, which amounts to wishful thinking.1
When people challenge God out of ego, as with the unsinkable Titanic and the shuttle named Challenger, God lets them know who is in charge.1, 2
God describes humans as weak, selfish, unappreciative, impatient, heedless, stingy, transgressing, argumentative, ignorant, anxious, and utterly lost.1