Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[Medusa]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

This came from Deseret's thread.
[quote author=magusjinx link=topic=219.msg24820#msg24820 date=1293315181]
Sorry Des if I jump in here too ...

I think believing that someone is something special in ones chosen path is what "FAITH" is all about ... Something that is accepted as just is ... Just as some believe Jesus to be the son of God or that Moses was a prophet ... Or in Buddha's, Isis' or Hathor's divinity ... It is a matter of faith ... Generally "supported " by something in writing ...
[/quote]

I think it's a good question from Dumuzi. Because from what I can gather from the basic studies I've been doing....when you ask a Muslim the same type of question. Well you won't get an answer that involves 'faith'. You get a very...logical answer with lots of facts and what nots to back it all up. It's like...well it's like math for religion.

Well what do you have to say about faith and religion in general? When I talk with you, it never seems like it's faith in the 'traditional' sense. But a very hard line mathematical logical equation at times. Know what I mean?

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

You are absolutely right.

Allah says:

Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Say, "Produce your PROOF, if you should be truthful." [27:64]

The Qur'an is filled with verses that speak about proof, reason and understanding. There is no other holy scripture like it. The real reason for that, if you really think about it, is because not a single religion out there has actual proof to support it. So they have to encourage their followers to follow blind faith.

The word "Faith", at least in the way it is used in the English language, appears from the outside to be something pretty and beautiful. But if you actually go deeper into its meaning, it just means that you follow something with no evidence for it. Faith in that sense is nothing more than conjecture and doubt.

As humans, we do not use that logic when dealing with money or when we choose schools for our children. No one relies on faith when they are doing business because they don't want to lose a couple of bucks. And yet when it comes to your very own creator and your soul, which should be more important than money, logic and reason fly out the window.

And this is the very thing the Qur'an keeps criticizing on and on. It speaks to the polytheists, the Jews and the Christians and asks them, if you think you are right, then you should be able to bring up proof for it. Rather they are following conjecture and doubt. This is how Allah defines that kind of faith.

Did you really think Allah would create us and not send us clear signs to guide us? Does that seems logical to you? So if anyone refuses to follow that light from Allah, and instead follows his ancestors/parents or the delusions of his own desires, he is described as being blind in the Qur'an because he has eyes which do not see. The term blind faith would apply perfectly here.

The Qur'an says:

O mankind, there has come to you a conclusive proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear light. [4:174]

Consider the following, almost everyone in this forum has gone from path to path to path. What do you honestly think is the real reason I am so convinced about this religion that I wouldn't change it, god willing?

1. Either I am brainwashed
2. I'm real stubborn (That one is kinda true ;D )
3. Or I'm following something because of clear evidence that leaves no doubt in my heart.

It's really up to you to think of the correct answer.

[calfhill]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

Interesting scripture. What was the "clear light" that was sent down as "conclusive proof"?

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=calfhill link=topic=96.msg24931#msg24931 date=1293388286]
Interesting scripture. What was the "clear light" that was sent down as "conclusive proof"?
[/quote]

I'm glad you asked! ;D

It's the Qur'an, the book of Allah himself.

Think of it this way, God has sent many prophets and messengers to people in order to guide them and so on. And often, he would support said messengers with signs and miracles. Moses parted the Red Sea, Jesus healed the sick etc.

But as miraculous as these signs were, they are limited by time and space. You had to be there at that specific time to witness them. So when the last of all prophets was sent to mankind, he was given a miracle that would last forever, so everyone any where in the world can have access to it. Make sense, right?

And that miracle is the Qu'ran.

I just want to explain something, because people often misunderstand this. I am NOT saying that the Qur'an is a proof of God because it says so, and everything in it is true because it's from God, because it says it's from God, ad infinitum.

What I'm saying is basically the following:

[10:37]

Through the speech and knowledge contained in the Qur'an, it is proven that it is not the product of any human being, especially not one that lived 1400 years ago, who couldn't read nor write.

The language (rhyme, grammar, syntax, eloquence etc), precision of words and letters, prophecies, arguments, scientific facts and much more which is contained in the Qur'an convinces its reader that it is from god.

You know, the Pagan Arabs accused Muhammad, the messenger of Allah, of all kinds of bad things. Yet, not once, could they speak against the power and beauty of the Qur'an as it was being recited to them.

I could talk more about this, and give you links if you are interested in that sort of thing, but I will leave you with the following:

Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy. [4:82]

Hope that answers your question, if you have any follow up questions feel free to ask me!

[calfhill]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

Thank you.

[Ophidia]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

Not a question, Dumuzi, but I thought you might get a kick out of this:

http://www.cracked.com/article_18911_5-ridiculous-things-you-probably-believe-about-islam.html

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=perzephone link=topic=96.msg25918#msg25918 date=1293759190]
Not a question, Dumuzi, but I thought you might get a kick out of this:

http://www.cracked.com/article_18911_5-ridiculous-things-you-probably-believe-about-islam.html

[/quote]

Hehe

Yeah it was nice to see someone say the things I've been trying to say for so long. However, this is Cracked.com after all, so don't take everything they say as fact. Just a quick example, Muslim women do have to cover their head. So that part of the article isn't saying the truth about Islam.

But thanks for posting!

[Medusa]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

What's the Muslim stance on yoga, if any?
Seeing some Christian peeps don't think highly on it etc.

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=Medusa link=topic=96.msg26146#msg26146 date=1293833196]
What's the Muslim stance on yoga, if any?
Seeing some Christian peeps don't think highly on it etc.
[/quote]

Again, I don't have enough knowledge to pass a ruling, but from what I have read it depends on what you mean by yoga. If it's just the physical exercise and the stretching and so on, then there's no harm in that. It is looked upon the same way as martial arts, for example. Muslims are often encouraged to learn and practice those. However, if you are referring to the whole 'spiritual' side of it, and the practices of placing this finger on that finger to allow such and such energy to flow and what have you, then that is not allowed.

So it depends on the intention, and god knows best

[Gwen]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=Dumuzi link=topic=96.msg26006#msg26006 date=1293795550]
Hehe

Yeah it was nice to see someone say the things I've been trying to say for so long. However, this is Cracked.com after all, so don't take everything they say as fact. Just a quick example, Muslim women do have to cover their head. So that part of the article isn't saying the truth about Islam.

But thanks for posting!

[/quote]

Fun article indeed! I found the (well-cited) Wiki link [urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab_by_country#Muslim_world]list of hijab by country[/url] fascinating. Sharia is interpreted in more ways in more places than I was aware of, including Tunisia and several other countries outright discouraging head coverings (either by law or by social norm)--so regardless of Sharia, the actual practices considered normal and good seem to vary a ton. (I knew that burqas were rare internationally, but I did expect the headscarf to be universal.)

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=Gwen link=topic=96.msg27339#msg27339 date=1294434890]
Fun article indeed! I found the (well-cited) Wiki link [urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab_by_country#Muslim_world]list of hijab by country[/url] fascinating. Sharia is interpreted in more ways in more places than I was aware of, including Tunisia and several other countries outright discouraging head coverings (either by law or by social norm)--so regardless of Sharia, the actual practices considered normal and good seem to vary a ton. (I knew that burqas were rare internationally, but I did expect the headscarf to be universal.)
[/quote]

I think you need to realize the difference between two issues. Legal rules and laws on one hand, and religious obligations on the other hand.

It is true that Shari'a law is flexible by nature regarding a lot of issues. However covering the head is a religious obligation. All Muslim scholars agree that it's an obligation because it's based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. That doesn't mean that the state has to make it illegal to not wear it. Do you see the difference?

For example:

It's a religious obligation for Muslims to do Salah five times a day. That doesn't mean you legally have to do it or else you will go to jail. It's something that Allah will judge you for.

Hope that clears things up

[Gunnarr]

[Gwen]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=Dumuzi link=topic=96.msg27370#msg27370 date=1294441833]
I think you need to realize the difference between two issues. Legal rules and laws on one hand, and religious obligations on the other hand.

It is true that Shari'a law is flexible by nature regarding a lot of issues. However covering the head is a religious obligation. All Muslim scholars agree that it's an obligation because it's based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. That doesn't mean that the state has to make it illegal to not wear it. Do you see the difference?

For example:

It's a religious obligation for Muslims to do Salah five times a day. That doesn't mean you legally have to do it or else you will go to jail. It's something that Allah will judge you for.

Hope that clears things up
[/quote]

Duly chastened for my sloppiness!

I should have first clarified for myself the difference between Sharia and... is there a specific word that means religious obligation? What I meant, though, was regardless of what women are religiously supposed to do, the Wiki article suggests that definitely most but not nearly all Muslim women wear headcoverings, and that there's a national/cultural component. For example, it states that in Bangladesh (90% Muslim) it's mostly rural women who wear it, and that in Jordan about 60% of women wear it. (I just spent some time rummaging through the article's outside links, and at least the ones I hit looked legit. The Jordan figure isn't cited.) Looks like there's some contraversy in Tunisia, a 98% Muslim country in which headcoverings are not traditional, are newly growing, and are seen by the government as a foreign influence. (Check out the BBC article and the religion section of the wiki page).

I guess my question is to what degree internationally this

[quote author=Dumuzi link=topic=96.msg26006#msg26006 date=1293795550]
However, this is Cracked.com after all, so don't take everything they say as fact. Just a quick example, Muslim women do have to cover their head. So that part of the article isn't saying the truth about Islam.
[/quote]

describes religious writ versus religious practice, and what you think about what looks like a sometimes/someplaces difference between the two. (For the record, I don't ask about this as any kind of judgment--it's more common for there to be some difference than for all practitioners of a religion to follow all written obligations at all times. That's just people. I trust that God understands.)

[Medusa]

[/quote]
I ain't Dumuzi. But hell...we all jump in here when we can.

Culterally men beat their wives for one good reason: Because they can get away with it.

Islam wise men are not to hit their wives.

Culture and religion are two different things that get so mixed up when it comes to Islam.

[Dumuzi]

Re: Questions about Islam (Ask Away!)

[quote author=Modi link=topic=96.msg27739#msg27739 date=1294613709]
Dumuzi,

A couple of things roaming in my thoughts, firstly I understand that islam wants to protect its women folk, but it also governs violence against them in periods of matrimonial difficulties, this is something, I as a man can not accept using physical punishment against women in the form of a directive.
[/quote]

Hey Modi

First of all thank you for taking the time to ask about a very important issue that is often misunderstood and used to falsely accuse Islam of things that are not true.

Secondly, and as to address your comment directly, Islam is the only religion that has a system that eliminates domestic violence completely, if followed the correct way.

I will not go into details in this post but I will only mention three points briefly. My first point is that alcohol consumption can make the issue of domestic violence more severe. This something that is clearly allowed in your religion. But Islam takes care of this by not allowing men (and women obviously) to even have one sip of alcohol.

My second point is that through the rules of Islam, and the practical example of Muhammad, peace be upon him, implementing those rules we can clearly see how domestic violence is not allowed. If you'd like I will give you evidence to support this claim (especially since Qur'anic verses are often misunderstood by non Arabic speaking people), but I will just briefly mention the fact that Muhammad, peace be upon him, never laid a finger on any of his wives, and he is our role model which we are supposed to follow. According to one of his sayings, the best of us are the best in treating their family and wives.

My final point is that when you check what the majority of Muslim scholars say, you'll find that they clearly speak against those crimes. For example, The International Islamic Committee for Women and Child (IICWC) released a charter on family stating in one of its articles:

source

Also if you check the statistics you'll know that internationally speaking, and especially in places like your country and the US, it's a very dangerous place to be a woman. Some statistics suggest that 26% of women experience domestic abuse, not even including the sexual abuse they suffer from, and yet those are not Muslim countries. According to Woman's Aid in the UK:

An analysis of data from the Intimate Personal Violence (IPV) module British Crime Survey 2001 showed that 26% of women have experienced at least one incident of non-sexual
domestic abuse since they were 16. Note that these figures do not include sexual
abuse (which in many cases is perpetrated by a partner, former partner or other family
member). If sexual assault and stalking are included, then 45% of women have
experienced at least one incident of inter-personal abuse in their lifetimes.

So as you can see men will abuse women no matter what their religion is, however if Muslim rules were used, a lot of these women could have been saved from both domestic violence and also sexual abuse which is severely punished in Islam.

I hope this reply was hopeful for you, though I tried to make it as short as possible. If you have any other questions, please let me know right away

I'm glad you liked Ahmad ibn Fadlan, but I'm sure if you read about Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdulmutalib ibn Hashim and the book that was revealed to him by Allah the creator of all mankind and everything else you will like him even more!