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[besiktas1]

Why? Other than a few idiots, both Muslims and non-Muslims came up with legitimate solutions, including turning the volume down or only playing the call to prayer during times that comply with the noise disturbance laws.

I also accept that the motive behind it is likely nefarious by Israel, but to my mind it doesn't take away from the legitimacy of the claims.

It's the few idiots that make me sad.

 

[F#A#Oo]

As far as you can tell, does Prophet Muhammad SAW ever specifically told us his followers to forbade non Muslims to enter Mecca? I don't know, he is really not the kind of person I would imagine ever enforce a rule that differentiates people so blatantly like this.

As far as I am aware the Qur'an also does not say anything about this.

So if it really has no basis whatsoever in Islam, why is it there?

It's Saudi dude...

 

[crazy monkey]

It's Saudi dude...

lol and worse is all Muslims are like saudi according to many "intelligent" people here too

 

[Darackutny]

Actually, there is a narration by Ibn Abbas, the Prophet's cousin, that suggests that he wished that all polytheists were removed from the area. The word used, was jazeeratul arab, which has been interpreted to either mean, the peninsula, or the hijaz area. Refer to Saheeh Al-Bukhari 2825, Muslim 3089, and Musnad Ahmad 1834. Something similar was also narrated by Omar bin Al-Khattab in Sunan Abi Dawud 2635.

So, no, this has nothing to do with the "ignorance" of Saudi authorities since this view has been around for quite a long time. It is also said that Omar put this into practice for a while.

 

[F#A#Oo]

Actually, there is a narration by Ibn Abbas, the Prophet's cousin, that suggests that he wished that all polytheists were removed from the area. The word used, was jazeeratul arab, which has been interpreted to either mean, the peninsula, or the hijaz area. Refer to Saheeh Al-Bukhari 2825, Muslim 3089, and Musnad Ahmad 1834. Something similar was also narrated by Omar bin Al-Khattab in Sunan Abi Dawud 2635.

So, no, this has nothing to do with the "ignorance" of Saudi authorities since this view has been around for quite a long time. It is also said that Omar put this into practice for a while.

I don't think you even know what you're talking about nor what you are responding to...

The closest thing we have to polytheists today are probably Hindu's and Buddhists but one could make an arguement they aren't too...

Neither Christians, Jews and Atheists for that matter are polytheists. So I'm not exactly sure what you have missed but I think you need to look up polytheism...

 

[Darackutny]

The term polytheist, as used in Islamic scripture, refers to anyone that attributes Lordship to anyone/anything other than Allah, or worships anyone/anything other than Allah.

Therefore, any Christian that believes that Jesus is God, is a polytheist according to Islam.

 

[F#A#Oo]

Are you being dishonest on purpose?

 

[OttomanScribe]

Are you being dishonest on purpose?

Be careful of what you say bro.

 

[OttomanScribe]

I am a Muslim, of course. What do you guys think?

I would err on the side of caution with this dude and avoid it.

Can you point to a historical group, any written evidence or even spoken legend, of people who believed the in the time of Jesus the words and ideas of your religion (islam)?

I am confused at your confusion. You are thinking that Muslims say that the deen of Mohammed (sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam) in terms of the practice of the Muslims, in relation to the exact forms of worship and law, was what we believe was practised by Jesus (alayhis salaam).

We believe that Jesus (alayhis salaam) was a Muslim, in that he submitted to the will of God. We do not believe that he practised in the same way as, say, the Messenger of Allah (sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam).

The central thing that he shared with modern Muslims was tawhid, the belief in One God. The discussions about the truth of that are occurring all around you.

1. Are you a muslim and do you consider the quran the words and ideas of god?
If yes...

The Qur'an is the uncreated, pre-eternal, Word of God.

2. Do you believe that god sends a prophet after a 'period of decay' ?

God sends Prophets (alayhis salaam) as the highpoints in the histories of communities, following the leaving of said Prophets (alayhis salaam) those communities steadily lose touch with the teachings of those who came unto them.

3. Do you believe that with Jesus, pre muhammad islam was given to man?

Islam, in the sense of submission to God, is the 'fitrah' (primordial state) of all humans, indeed all things in reality.

4. Do you believe that somewhere in the transition things got corrupted by man?

In terms of Jesus (alayhis salaam) his community were not told to worship him as a God. They deified him after he left them.

5. Do you claim there were people who practiced the uncorrupted version?

Yes.

6. What evidence do you have this?

There is a long history of debate within the Christian church as to whether or not Jesus (alayhis salaam) was a God. Indeed the 'mystery of the trinity' has been a major point of disagreement and theological anguish amongst the Christian community since it became a formal doctrine, many years after the time of Jesus (alayhis salaam).

Not at all. This entire debate (argument) I've been giving you the benefit of assuming your god exists.That's the foundation of me making assertions about how your god doesn't make sense in the context of your own religion. I say absence not using the to say "oh look he was physically gone! proof he don't exist" but merely to point out periods where the world was not supposedly following his religion and he sat idol.

Yet this assertion has already been addressed. However you keep asserting the same thing.

Where did I assume lack of prophet = lack of god?

You have asserted throughout that an 'absence of God' is something that coincides with a lack of Prophets within the community. You refer to God's 'actions' specifically as being confined to the sending of Prophets. Yet Muslims believe that all things, at all times, are permanently in a state of willed existence, contingent upon God.

As I said, there is a distinction between what something is and what something is like. For example, I compared the 3 as books filled with ideas supposedly from god. I think in your last response to me you admitted that it was an agreeable definition, but was too vague or something? As I compared, I understand that one can also contrast the 3 books. You were splitting hairs over contrasting and attempted to argue something there was no need to even argue.

That is not an accurate characterisation of my argument. This is going nowhere.

As you admitted, that was indeed an aspect

You did not say an aspect, you said that the only reason the discussion came up was because of the point mentioned. This was false.

As I mentioned, I used the word in parentheses. But here's the idea, muhammad knew of OT + NT and wrote his own version over the course of many years passing them off as revelations as opposed to citing them as verses and ideas taken from the bible and torah alone. He claimed god as the author but himself as the revolator thus tying him into the frame. Plagiarism is passing ones work off for yourself. In the confines of this situation, muhammad was passing off the work and revelations of jesus, moses, etc. as his own revelations.

That is a narrative put forward by some. However I think it unlikely. The Prophet (sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam) was, for starters, illiterate, so he didn't write anything.

The Qur'an is not 'his own version of the OT+NT' it is a clarification and a confirmation of parts of both, as well as being other things. It never says otherwise. It doesn't claim that any part of the Qur'an is the work of the Prophet (sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam) just as it does not view any of the revelations revealed to Jesus or Ibrahim or anyone else (alayhis salaam) as being their work either.

All are the work of God. Mohammed (sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam) does not own that which was revealed to him.

As you make little effort to address there is a major difference between being contacted by god and being forced to follow on faith alone.

Like I said, there is a major difference, which is why there is a major difference in the way each are judged.

From my understanding, not so favorably. And given the situation (as I have described previously) the situation for judging messengers of god and those who must follow on faith is unequal, yet still all are judge in an equal manner. Those who you claim are kafir, if only god would talk to them like he did the supposed prophets...

I am not in the habit of calling anyone a kafir, for starters. I may refer more generally to the khuffar, but this is always in a legal, rather than literal sense. I do not claim to know their hearts.

You say 'not so favourably' yet, as I have elaborated, the judgement is as I understand it, situational. Your arguments seem based entirely in a misunderstanding of this point.

If I ask you a question, I'm asking for your position. That's all you got?

God is clearly 'powerful enough'.

 

[OttomanScribe]

Interesting. How did you come to Islam Ottoman? I'm sure you probably mentioned it somewhere in this thread, but I haven't read every page.

Looong story. Check out the Muslim check in thread:

Sure thing, though it is kind of hard to compress the story... then again it isn't as interesting as any I've heard, one brother I know is Indigenous and a Bra boy, the brother found Islam and then found out he was Ahlul Bayt :-o crazy crazy story.

I was a very virulent atheist for most of my early life. I was studying at uni and had a sociologists interest in religion. I looked into all of the different faiths that I had access to with a kind of morbid curiosity.

I met a brother, Karim, through uni and started quizzing him about his religion. He didn't feel comfortable to answer some of my aqidah questions so he asked me if I wanted to come to a talk that was going on at the time. It was Ramadan.

So I rocked up to a class being held in Auburn in a basement lol. The teacher there was Sheikh Naeem Abdul Wali, a white convert who studied in Fatih in Turkey. I found that the aqidah of the Muslims was a sledgehammer to so many paper walls of my understanding. This is not to mention that the pious people amongst the Muslims had a moral character I had never seen.

Everyone has some idea of what they would like to be, but with most people I knew, and certainly with me, there was a huge gap between what that was and how they were. However amongst these individuals, there was no gap. They had such a beauty of character that I was awed. It strikes me to this day. A humbleness, a selflessness but also a strength.

I went to classes every day from then on, then after a two weeks, the Sheikh came up to me and asked me 'so why aren't you Muslim yet?'. So I took Shahadah in the basement with Karim and him. It was the greatest moment of my life. The fulfilment of the fitrah was such a deeply moving thing.

Since then I have never looked back, though we all have our set backs. I met my wife 6 months after my conversion, and so the other half of my religion was fulfilled. Most of my friends ditched me after my conversion, though it went both ways (I used to drink and party alot). The exception was a mate who when I converted asked me 'does it make you happy?' and I said yes, so he said cool, and we are still friends. Praise God for that.

My parents are both historians and were cool with it, though when I went to the Blue Mountains for a 'deen intensive' they had a bit of a freak out. My grandma was a hardcore Irish Roman Catholic and disowned me though. In general the rest of my family saw that the change was a positive one in me, I stopped partying and got serious about my life.

AlhamduliLlah.

This is what I wrote there.

 

[crazy monkey]

^ You story is very inspiring. People who are born with it some time take it for granted. You have amazing gift.

 

[Pollux]

Looong story. Check out the Muslim check in thread:

This is what I wrote there.

**Fist bump** Glad you found you're faith. It's definitely a good thing to have, I recently rediscovered mine.

Not that anyone cares, but I grew up Catholic and I was never extremely devout, I think it's hard to be truly devout as a child, and even as a teenager. In my opinion, and take it for what it's worth, I think that those of us that are raised in a particular faith sometimes find it hard to step back and question everything we've known growing up, maybe we're terrified that if we do we'll lose our faith, or realize that what we were told is a lie, or any number of reasons.

I lost my faith, practically stopped believing in God, my sophomore year of high school. I remained apathetic about God and religion and the Catholic Church for years. Then a little over two years ago my entire life basically fell apart...everything I was working towards, that I had been working towards for years and my dream, was snatched away. I had nothing else , so I went back to Church. Just went in and prayed for some guidance. There was no divine intervention or being filled with the Holy Spirit or any of that, but I went once a week - no mass or talking to priests - just went to Church once a week and prayed.

Looking back now, I realize how angry I was. Not at anything in particular, and maybe I was just pissed at God and blaming Him for my problems. But as the following year went by I began to change, it was so gradual that I didn't even notice it happening, I just noticed that I was calmer. I wasn't angry over every little thing that happened, I was able to focus in school again. I made new goals for myself and began to achieve them.

I don't really know how to explain it, and Ottoman Scribe - maybe you experienced something similar when you first went to that prayer meeting or when you officially converted , and I don't really know how else to put this -- but something just "clicked".

I know this is an Islam thread, but I hope you won't be upset about this long story from a Catholic who regained his faith in God and the Church.

But there was a point to this, and that is that Faith is truly something that can change your life for the better if you let it, and I'm glad Ottoman Scribe found his. Doesn't matter that we believe different Creeds, he's found purpose. I think many of the rest of y'all here have experienced the same thing.

I know I've come across as very antagonistic, I never meant to. I look forward to more interfaith debates in the spirit of "reaching across the aisle", so to speak.

Pax vobiscum, السلام عليكم (As-Salamu Alaykum)

Spoiler

took a year of Arabic in undergrad, still have the hang of the basics lol

 

[F#A#Oo]

Wow zmoney your story is very similar to mine...I grew up a Catholic but became an agnostic atheist in secret in my teens and I even had my confirmation...my parents weren't strict Catholics but religion was part of their image...even though they weren't religious they felt the need to seem religious infront of people which mean't I was indirectly forced to help maintain the image. That's not to say I didn't enjoy church and the community etc but on a spiritual level I never really felt like a Catholic and I had no many unanswered questions which were only answered once I got the internet and could do research...and slowly slowly my belief in god over the years eroded...

But like OttomanScribe for me the muslims I came to know when I went travelling in the east were some of the most pious people I have ever met...after returning from my travels I spent nearly a year just researching Islam...and eventually I started to act and behave like a muslim but I wasn't a muslim (officially anyways) so after finishing work I popped down to my nearest mosque and took my Shahadah surrounded by a hundred odd muslim brothers...who hugged the life out of me it was literally 1 and half hours of of hugs...was quite emotional...

 

[A.R.K]

Wow zmoney your story is very similar to mine...I grew up a Catholic but became an agnostic atheist in secret in my teens and I even had my confirmation...my parents weren't strict Catholics but religion was part of their image...even though they weren't religious they felt the need to seem religious infront of people which mean't I was indirectly forced to help maintain the image. That's not to say I didn't enjoy church and the community etc but on a spiritual level I never really felt like a Catholic and I had no many unanswered questions which were only answered once I got the internet and could do research...and slowly slowly my belief in god over the years eroded...

But like OttomanScribe for me the muslims I came to know when I went travelling in the east were some of the most pious people I have ever met...after returning from my travels I spent nearly a year just researching Islam...and eventually I started to act and behave like a muslim but I wasn't a muslim (officially anyways) so after finishing work I popped down to my nearest mosque and took my Shahadah surrounded by a hundred odd muslim brothers...who hugged the life out of me it was literally 1 and half hours of of hugs...was quite emotional...

*hugs*

Allah o Akbar !!

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Cosmetic surgery

To my understanding, cosmetic surgery based on the motive to beautify yourself is haraam because its interpreted as an attempt to change God's creation of your body. However, critically, such surgery is allowed to "correct" birth deformities or hair loss. But aren't such deformities in themselves a creation of God as well? What's the difference?

 

[Pollux]

Cosmetic surgery

To my understanding, cosmetic surgery based on the motive to beautify yourself is haraam because its interpreted as an attempt to change God's creation of your body. However, critically, such surgery is allowed to "correct" birth deformities or hair loss. But aren't such deformities in themselves a creation of God as well? What's the difference?

What if you've had your face burnt off while working on exposed power lines? Would cosmetic surgery to fix that be alright?

See link for details on scenario I'm referring to.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

What if you've had your face burnt off while working on exposed power lines? Would cosmetic surgery to fix that be alright?

See link for details on scenario I'm referring to.

Yes, according to my knowledge.

 

[OttomanScribe]

'Say unto brethren when they see me dead,
And weep for me, lamenting me in sadness:
'Think ye I am this corpse ye are to bury?
I swear by God, this dead one is not I.
I in the spirit am, and this my body
My dwelling was, my garment for a time.
I am a treasure: hidden I was beneath
This talisman of dust, wherein I suffered.
I am a pearl; a shell imprisoned me,
But leaving it, all trials I have left.
I am a bird, and this was once my cage;
But I have flown, leaving it as a token.
I praise God who hath set me free, and made
For me a dwelling in the heavenly heights.
Ere now I was a dead man in your midst,
But I have come to life, and doffed my shroud.'

- Imam Al-Ghazzali (rahimullah)

He left the ummah 900 years ago today.

 

[OttomanScribe]

Cosmetic surgery

To my understanding, cosmetic surgery based on the motive to beautify yourself is haraam because its interpreted as an attempt to change God's creation of your body. However, critically, such surgery is allowed to "correct" birth deformities or hair loss. But aren't such deformities in themselves a creation of God as well? What's the difference?

An interesting question, I am not familiar of the rulings or daleel about cosmetic surgery. Have you asked SeekersGuidance?

I can ask Imam Afroz next time I see him if you like?

 

[L0st Id3ntity]

'Say unto brethren when they see me dead,
And weep for me, lamenting me in sadness:
'Think ye I am this corpse ye are to bury?
I swear by God, this dead one is not I.
I in the spirit am, and this my body
My dwelling was, my garment for a time.
I am a treasure: hidden I was beneath
This talisman of dust, wherein I suffered.
I am a pearl; a shell imprisoned me,
But leaving it, all trials I have left.
I am a bird, and this was once my cage;
But I have flown, leaving it as a token.
I praise God who hath set me free, and made
For me a dwelling in the heavenly heights.
Ere now I was a dead man in your midst,
But I have come to life, and doffed my shroud.'

- Imam Al-Ghazzali (rahimullah)

He left the ummah 900 years ago today.

In arabic it's much more powerful:

قل لإخواني رأوني ميتاً .... فرثوني وبكوا لي حزنـا
أتظنوني بأني ميتـكـم ..... ليس هذا الميت والله أنا
أنا في الصور وهذاجسدي ..... كان بيتي وقميصي زمنـا
أنا عصفورٌ وهذا قفـصي ..... طرت عنه وبقي مرتـهنا
أنا درٌ قد حواهُ صدفـا ..... لامتحاني فنفيت المحـنـا
أحمد الله الذي خلصـنــي ..... وبنى لي في المعالي سكـنـا
كنت قبل اليوم ميتاً بينكم ..... فـحـييت وخـلعـت الكفـنـا
وأنا اليوم أناجي مـلاً ..... وأرى الله جهاراً علـنـا
قد ترحلت وخلفتكمو ..... لست أرضى داركم لي وطنـا
لاتظنوا الموت موتاً انه ..... كحياة وهو غايات المـنى
لاترعكم هجمة الموت فما ..... هي الا انتقال مـن هنا

الله يرحمه

 

[crazy monkey]

^ Any poetry in its native language is always more powerful and meaningful.

 

[OttomanScribe]

It is indeed undoubtedly more powerful in Arabic, and it is certainly no slouch in English!

 

[Zapages]

Have you guys heard about this sad news: http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/ne..._park/op-police-searching-for-missing-student

One of my friends posted this.

 

[Laughing Banana]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

 

[Darackutny]

^ As you are aware, faith grows and decreases all the time.

I think my faith was the strongest after I read a couple of books on the evidences for the prophet-hood of Mohammed. There are quite a few that have been written by classical scholars that have been published. The ones I have at home are Dala'il Al-Nubuwa (Evidences for Prophethood) by Abu Nu'aim Al-Asbahani, Al-Bayhaqi (6 volumes), and Ibn Taymiiyah. By contemporary scholars, I suggest Saheeh Dala'il Al-Nubuwa by Sh. Muqbil Al-Wadi'ee. Now, I'm not sure if these are available in English, which is a real shame if you don't do Arabic. I'm sure there are some books written by other contemporary authors if you visit your local English Islamic bookshop though. You'll definitely find tons of these in Makkah inside that new mall that's right next to the ka'aba.

That is the easy way. The hard way is just reading a lot of books on hadith sciences because that will reassure you regarding the preservation of the Islamic traditions.

 

[RustyNails]

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Character of Prophet Muhammad.

 

[Ashes]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Not to undermine you, but isn't the answer: the god you believe in? Isn't Allah supposed to guide who he pleases, and lead astray who he pleases?

By that measure, you should be grateful to your god, no?

In any case, I doubt 100% certainty is wise.

 

[Lafiel]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Not a Muslim - but my point of view is, does it really matter if it's the absolute truth or not? if one can benefit spiritually and personally from following the teachings of Muhammad as well as having faith in Allah, who am I to judge? islam (and most religions) is as much as a way of life as it is a belief system, that's my opinion on the subject anyway.

 

[Ashes]

Not a Muslim - but my point of view is, does it really matter if it's the absolute truth or not? if one can benefit spiritually and personally from following the teachings of Muhammad as well as having faith in Allah, who am I to judge? islam (and most religions) is as much as a way of life as it is a belief system, that's my opinion on the subject anyway.

The problem is that Muslims, and their god say that, worshipping for example, an idol at the time of Muhammed, is a lie. According to them, the food you give to the statue goes to waste, the statue has no real ears so cannot hear the prayer even.

And I suppose the Atheists will say something similar about Muslims.

 

[OttomanScribe]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Knowing what I do of the character of Sayyidina Rasul'Allah sullAllahu alayhi wasalaam, I do not find him to be a liar.

Knowing the pious Muslims I do, I do not find anyone else effected in the same way by their religion.

Knowing the theology of the religion, I do not find doubt.

I think most of all, practicing tasawuf has given me the greatest level of certainty. All those combined reinforce my belief to as close to 100% as I can imagine being.

 

[crazy monkey]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Reading quran and life experiences.

 

[F#A#Oo]

An Outcry to the Muslim Ummah : For How Much Longer?

 

[Sutton Dagger]

Just wanted to pop in and say you should all be ashamed, after reading the sheep killing thread I can only assume that the Quran contains proclamations that goats must be bludgeoned to death using a baseball bat.

OS will get the reference

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Why did Allah (swt) create a world that would be inherently divided?

 

[Ashes]

Why did Allah (swt) create a world that would be inherently divided?

What kind of world is possible where opinion is never divided?

 

[OttomanScribe]

Just wanted to pop in and say you should all be ashamed, after reading the sheep killing thread I can only assume that the Quran contains proclamations that goats must be bludgeoned to death using a baseball bat.

OS will get the reference

Lmao!!!

 

[OttomanScribe]

Why did Allah (swt) create a world that would be inherently divided?

Divided in what way?

 

[RustyNails]

Why did Allah (swt) create a world that would be inherently divided?

What's the point of creating a world with total conformity?

 

[Meus Renaissance]

What kind of world is possible where opinion is never divided?

Divided in what way?

What's the point of creating a world with total conformity?

It's not so much as the opinions in themselves but rather their capacity to evoke hateful emotions. Take for example ethnic minorities around the world. We have this almost-inherent flaw as humans to adopt at ease negative stereotypes and generalisations. Look at prophecies of end times; the conflict based on ideology. If it's not based on nationality, it's based on race or religion. If it's not that, it's based on sport rivalries that turn hateful, or neighbourhood zones; it's always an us against you.

There's a quote from Ronald Reagan that says it best:

"In our obsession with antagonisms of the moment, we often forget how much unites all the members of humanity. Perhaps we need some outside, universal threat to make us recognise this common bond. I occasionally think how quickly our differences worldwide would vanish.."​

It's heartening to imagine global unity but indicative of man that such a unity could only from the continuation of polarising identities by turning that focus towards a separate party. Another quote I recently came across had an impact on me, and it was that even if all weapons on Earth were destroyed today we'd only begin to develop another kind of weapon tomorrow. What is the point of creating a world like that, a world that is destined to blow itself up?

 

[Ashes]

That is pretty much the world you live in. But I would say that it is a cold war mentality though.

Tis the season of goodwill; people do love their wives, their children, their husbands; people pay charity; some people are kind, others wise. By that I mean to say that the world you live in also recognises good things, such as peace for example.

 

[Zapages]

I somehow passed Metabolic Pathways... A miracle in itself. That is why I believe in God/Allah.

Joking aside, Islam makes a lot of sense:

-It teaches you to be a good human being to others.
-Follow goods of others while keeping the goods that you have.
-Aside from being good. It takes the confusing aspects of what Christianity (no disrespect here, nor I am trying to be disrespectful) about the trinity and makes a lot of sense about it.
-the core aspects of Islam are not that hard to follow.
-Then it expands about Jinns - no other religion talks about it.
-gives us guidelines on how to live, practice, and be human to others


And there is a lot more too.. But I got to get back to studying lol.

 

[slider]

Why did Allah (swt) create a world that would be inherently divided?

I think the view is life is a test. Anything approaching peace and "perfection" would be akin to "Heaven". Which would render life redundant*.

Ooh, my head's spinning.

*Clearly I've never given this any thought so meh.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

I think the view is life is a test. Anything approaching peace and "perfection" would be akin to "Heaven". Which would render life redundant*.

Ooh, my head's spinning.

*Clearly I've never given this any thought so meh.

But God knows the end result as well as our thoughts. If God is omniscient, as he in deed is described as, then surely he would know our fate, and thus actions, before we were conceived? So the idea that God is testing how we respond to such a world doesn't make sense

 

[OttomanScribe]

I don't think I agree with the premise. It isn't polarized identities that are behind conflict, it is political and economic circumstances. When political conflicts do not exist, cultural conflicts recede into the background. Culture is reflective in that sense.

Of course then the question simply shifts to why economic and political conflicts exist. Anyone who believes in an all-powerful, unchanging and all seeing God, cannot but assume that all things that occur in the world are the will of such a God.

Indeed at all points in time (something that is essentially a human creation) some things are being willed into existence and other things are being willed out of existence, in giant cycles of entropy and renewal.

I have alway understood that the human side of that is merely a reflection of a broader scale, with our own cycles of renewal and entropy being reflective of broader ones that exist across the aeons. Just as mountains are pushed up eroded away, so human societies rise and fall.

All this, reality more general, exists because God 'Is'. The attributes of God become manifest in immense and complex cycles in the world, willed without effort. We are merely a manifestation of some of these attributes, as is everything else. In terms of free will and destiny, I am unsure of the relationship between the two. For me it is sufficient that the perception of the first exists.

 

[F#A#Oo]

But God knows the end result as well as our thoughts. If God is omniscient, as he in deed is described as, then surely he would know our fate, and thus actions, before we were conceived? So the idea that God is testing how we respond to such a world doesn't make sense

I answered this earlier on this page...

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=33483084&postcount=4526

 

[Wazzim]

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

The quality of the writing and real life benefits.

 

[Instigator]

I somehow passed Metabolic Pathways... A miracle in itself. That is why I believe in God/Allah.

Joking aside, Islam makes a lot of sense:

-It teaches you to be a good human being to others.

-gives us guidelines on how to live, practice, and be human to others

Was Islam really needed for that? Most of the world, in most of the world's recorded history, got on fine without Islam.

In fact, many can figure it all out for themselves.

-Follow goods of others while keeping the goods that you have.

Cool, but Islam is just repeating what others were preaching.

-Aside from being good. It takes the confusing aspects of what Christianity (no disrespect here, nor I am trying to be disrespectful) about the trinity and makes a lot of sense about it.

Most Christian branches don't give a second thought about it. Heck, most don't recognize the trinity.

I personally think God in the Torah/old Testament is harder to understand in comparison. Not his nature, but his very actions. Theologically, you can rationalize it, but on faith alone, he's insane.

-the core aspects of Islam are not that hard to follow.

Even easier to ignore them.

-Then it expands about Jinns - no other religion talks about it.

Because it's superstitious nonsense carried over from pre-islamic Arabia.

 

[RiZ III]

To my fellow Muslims in this thread: a very personal question, if you guys would allow me:

What makes you choose Islam? What makes you believe in 100% certainty that Islam is the truth, the answer? What makes you believe in the existence of Allah SWT and the teachings God entrusted to Prophet Muhammad SAW?

Listening to the Quran daily. About a year ago I was at the lowest point in my life. I was coming out of a horrible relationship and had almost abandoned my faith. Then, there was eventually a night where I just got up and prayed. It was like I was in a daze, I just went and prayed. I've heard this kind of thing often, but when you pray after a long time it feels like a giant burden has been lifted off of you. That's what I felt. I made dua that God removed the doubts from my heart, and to ease my burdens. From the next day I started listening to the Quran everyday during my drive to work. I still do that. Honestly, when you hear the Quran on a regular basis, it has an extremely powerful effect on you. It comforts you, scares you, and exhorts you to be a better person. There is nothing which could have transformed me like the Quran did. One of the Surahs which I heard early during this process was Ad-Duha. I cried for like an hour after hearing it lol. Even though it is speaking to Prophet Muhammad, it's such a powerful, beautiful, and comforting Surah. I am so grateful God still decided to guide me back to this beautiful deen even after I had become a really horrible person.
The changes in my life that I have seen and felt are proof enough for me. Allah says, if you do good and believe in good, then He will ease you way unto ease. I've experienced that first hand now.

 

[Chuckie]

The problem is that Muslims, and their god say that, worshipping for example, an idol at the time of Muhammed, is a lie. According to them, the food you give to the statue goes to waste, the statue has no real ears so cannot hear the prayer even.

And I suppose the Atheists will say something similar about Muslims.

I think atheists will in this case actually agree with muslims.

Food you give to a statue does go to wastE, and the statue has no real ears and can't hear your prayer

 

[Shanadeus]

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