General Issues / Questions

Let's not be divided into "religion" which would make us of polytheists. You're welcome Let's not be deluded by PRIDE which would make us forget that we're all one after all, the children of infinite creator. And everyone actually everything have DIRECT connection the the infinite creator. Thus no intermediaries actually needed, holy books, religion, priest, not needed... The act of putting 'things' into pedestal is driven by PRIDE. The act to worshiping things which we've identified with (religion, holy books, ethnicity, race up to football club) is driven by our need to feel 'superior' compared to other groups which shall enforce us to inferiorize and alienize other things as SEPARATE from us, labeled as "THEM". If we put Ali on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Abu Bakr, Usman etc.. If we put Quran on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Bible, Gospel, Veda, and Harry Potter. If we put Islam on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Christianity, Judaism, Atheism, Buddhism etc.. If we put Muhammad on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Jesus, Moses, Siddhartha, .. If we put Arabic on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Hebrew, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Swahili, English If we put Saudi Arabia on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Iran, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Israel If we put iPhone on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Samsung Galaxy, LG, Sony, Oppo If we put Barcelona FC on the pedestal we need to inferiorize Manchester United, Chelsea, Juventus, Real Madrid And the list goes on and on... A great video about the subject by the same author. The Effects Of Putting Things To A Pedestal https//youtu.be/WLvgFNHIv8s?t=216 Indeed, polytheists have indeed strayed a far straying and God will not forgive shirk. And polytheists' deeds would be in vain. I don't understand what "Vain" here really means, but every deeds or even thoughts have it's own 'effects' thus not useless. One need to be exposed to something before he/she can learn on how to control it. One need to be exposed to PRIDE taste it's nature and addictive sweetness before he/she can learn on how to control it. One need to be exposed to HATE taste it's nature and boost of energy that it bring before he/she can learn on how to control it. and so on and so on.. The exposure is actually the objective of our life in this universe.. that's why you find such pattern recurring from ancient times up until now, You're not supposed to be the follower of Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Siddharta and what have you, you're supposed to WALK THE PATH as Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Siddharta and others. Confused -> Ponder -> Ask -> Revelation And God will always forgive.. there is nothing that He cannot forgive.. As God is UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, unification and coming back to Him is a moment of JOY and not FEAR. If there's somebody or something that tell you otherwise, you better be suspicious on their intention / motivation. When in doubts, ask God directly, you do have direct communication channel with Him. Everyone has, everything has.

Brother Layth..These are the answers from the typical quranic translations. If you are right then tell please how the birds, rather everything that is in b/w earth and sky do salat and tasbeeh. All the things do salat and tasbeeh as humans do five times a day. If the Muslims are doing all these rituals then what the benefits as a nation we are getting out of it?

As far as I know, it is either the Birmingham Quran manuscript or the Sanaa Manuscript that are the oldest discovered Quran in the world, albeit they are incomplete. Also that doesn't necessarily mean they would be the original either.

Salam Layth, Thank you for the link to the article. I have juste read it, and it is also said that there are differences in the meaning of some words. The way that some verses are read can be understood differently... 7 or more readings accepted because it is said that nabi Mohammed accepted them. But normaly just one reading is correct, isn't it ? That s my understanding , al quran was revealed in pure arabic. The author of this article seems to be right. 39.28 قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا غَيْرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

But you gave the answer already to yourself. It is absolutely possible, that the interpretation is not correct. Even for someone, who has been given some knowledge of interpretation (for whatever reason), there is the problem to stick exactly to what has been given to him, not to add even a tiny bit, not falsify it over time. And the worst is to think this is something rare and special. Jafar is correct. It can absolutely not be a final judgement over a person, because simply of the fact, that the person is still alive. Also consider that there are two totally different aspects in the unseen part of humans. One is simply the level of health/fitness/vitality that can be "seen", so it could perhaps be also health issues.

Salam Javed. I do understand what you are saying. You are looking for a "singular event" that has created the sects as they are today.. If I compare this to Christianity, you are looking for the "Nicaea Conference" when the creed of Christianity as we know it today was canonized and the books of the Bible that we read today were sanctioned https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea This example of Christianity should help alleviate your fears of the sects being right while we are wrong...Do the over 2 Billion Christians today represent truth or falsehood? Clearly it is falsehood as they propagate the message of son of God and trinity which the Quran tells us are clear blasphemies... As for singular event...I would probably set myself on the murder of Uthman as being the key event that created the sects https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Fitna

Personally, I pray in the conventional manner. The quran refers to praying as involving standing and prostration, which supports conventional wisdom regarding prayer. Interestingly, the old testament has references to prayer involving prostration. Just want to highlight "small" observations. Regarding sujud in relation to salat session, Quran seems to imply that once one sujud then the salat session for him is completed. And if you are with them and you hold the Salat for them, then let a group from among them stand with you and let them bring their weapons; and when they have prostrated then let them be behind you; and let a group who has not yet Salat come and Salat with you, and let them be wary and let them bring their weapons with them. The rejecters hope that you would neglect your weapons and goods so they can come upon you in one blow. There is no sin upon you if you are impeded by rainfall, or if you are ill, that you place down your weapons. And be wary. God has prepared for the rejecters a humiliating retribution. This is different from sunni in which salat session ends with salam (not with sujud). Another observation Say “Call on God or call on the Almighty; by whichever you call on, to Him are the best names.” And do not be too loud in your Salat, nor too quiet; but seek a path in between. Straightforward command but sunni is usually not aware of this (maybe some are aware but conceal this?) ...and when made aware, they never come back in discussion to confirm so I don't know whether they follow the command or not.

Please take a look at what you're comparing... On one hand you have the recitation of a story that concludes with "because of that we decreed upon the children of Israel...", and on the other hand you bring forth verses that directly give instructions to believers. And from there you ask whether it's talking about believers at that time or of today, and somehow the two connect ????? I understand you want it to say what you wish, but what you're saying is illogical. How many times did quran specifically single out children of israel ? is it the first time ? By the way I'm making no point other than to highlight the first part of the verse that is consistently ignored.

Peace Sarah. We are all brothers and sisters here trying to learn from each other. From my experience here, I know that the majority of the brothers and sisters are sincerily trying their best to help by answering,clarifying and cheking the questions with you. Please allow me to expand a little bit on "GOD knows everything"- Omniscient-, quote When we say that God is omniscient it means that He has perfect knowledge of all things. He does not have to learn anything and He has not forgotten anything. God does not have to reason things out, find out things, or learn them gradually. He knows everything that has happened and everything that will happen. God also knows every potential thing that might happen. God also knows those things that humankind has yet to discover. This knowledge is absolute and unacquired. The omniscience of God means that He has perfect knowledge, perfect understanding, and perfect wisdom as to how to apply the knowledge. That is completely independent and aside from any creation, That is a fact. Now GOD ,through this perfect knowledge has decided to create us, part of the reason for creating us is to let us choose (Amana). Just because one can say the following O LORD, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it (Psalm 1391-6). Does not mean one cannot choose and make decisions of the path we wish to follow. For the dedicated believer it makes no difference, In fact the added bonus is that GOD tries/searches our hearts deeper and we cannot hide anything from GOD And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever (1 Chronicles 289). To summarise sister GOD is able to righteously judge humanity for He knows the thought as well as the deed. His omniscience also allows GOD to predict the future. He knows everything that will happen before it occurs. There is great security for the believer in the omniscience of GOD. GOD knows the need of each believer and he promises to meet those needs. All those who have put their trust in GOD are comforted by the thought of God's omniscience. GOD bless you. Peace.

Peace Has anyone read the book Who Was Jesus? A Conspiracy in Jerusalem by Kamal Salibi? There is another possibility. As per the book Jesus (Yeshua in hebrew) is not the same person mentioned in Quran as Isa (Esau in Hebrew). Quranic Isa was probably in arabia and precedes Jesus in palestine. https//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9599509.0

The root of suffering is attachment. Attachment to what you want, to what you don't want, to your social identities, to the image of yourselves, to your body, to anything else that your persona / ego has attached / identify itself to. The attitude of acceptance (arabic islam without the capital i) can help to lift / release from all of your attachments. That's the lessons that you will learn along as you progress through your current lifetime. Until the time has come for you to say goodbye to anything that you've attached yourself to, including the persona that you see in the mirror. As such, the perception of sufferings has no correlation with social identity / religion but more of correlation with one character and attitude. A disciple asked, “Master, is it okay for a monks to use emails?” “Yes, son,” the guru quipped, “as long as there are no attachments.” -- 101 Monk Jokes

does not matter wether male or female. Comandements on that count are the same for both sexes. Salaam

I am having this simple question, why the so called developed nations and their medical technology cannot prevent their coronovirus deaths? even in China the place where this all started, they claim its stopped and all ok. can we blame the technology and method of treatments used in these developed countries, they are unable to bring or find a faster cure for these novel new viruses? Whats going wrong or is that something we yet have no knowledge on how these viruses starts spreading and stops spreading. I think on the whole we are missing to follow some easier methods to cure this, instead going clueless. God knows and end up all this soon.

Yes Fasting helps our body and mind improves our immunity,every culture has fasting mostly in fear about their excesses, our ancestors has identified the benefits of fasting and has followed it religiously. Seasonally some months/days are considered harsh like the eclipse days, before the peak summer or peak winter days so as to make things easy, people fasted.

Peace If God created everything and decides to guide and misguide, knows everyone's destiny as everything that is going to happen and that's happened and that is happening is already written, why does God get angry at rejectors when they reject God and disobey him if God can just say be and it is and those rejectors would instantly be submitters? This is puzzling? Freewill is important. God presents us with x and y. x is good whilst y is bad. Some willingly choose x and some willingly choose y. If God chose for us, it wouldn't be free-will. We choose. If we choose y, we choose to be misguided. God misguides us. If we choose x, we choose to be guided, God guides us. God knows who will choose what in advance. But it's still important that free-will be exercised. If good does not get rewarded and evil does not get punished, you do not have a god that is all-praiseworthy. Existence/God is perfect. It's better for evil to suffer then for evil to be at peace. So for example, it's better and more glorious for Pharaoh to suffer then for him to be at peace or happy.

Peace If God is literally present everywhere, existing simultaneously within his creation then how would you explain 'It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.' 574 Since He is wherever we are, is this meant literally or is He with us in knowledge? Also, why does God need angels to record everything if He already knows everything we do? 'Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly (white) star lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.' 2435 So does this literally mean He is the light (energy?) of the heavens and earth or is it metaphorical. I know the example of His light is given. But that's a metaphor for his light- it doesn't necessarily mean that God being the light is the metaphor. But even if you consider it a metaphor, then God gives another metaphor with the example of a lamp for the metaphor of God being the light. God is omnipresent. It creates something and then establishes Itself on the throne of that thing. How could that which is omnipresent establish Itself on the throne of something when there is no throne yet? As soon as the throne was created, God established itself on the throne. A logical consequence of It being omnipresent. That which is omnipresent cannot do anything to me if I've not yet been born. Only after I'm born can that which is omnipresent effect me in anyway. Same with the throne. Only after the throne is available can that which is omnipresent establish itself on it.

And it is not for any mortal that God would speak to him, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to inspire whom He wills with His permission. He is Most High, Wise. The above verse is guidance from Quran on God's communication to mortal like us.

Peace give up being God himself if he wanted to? You should first question like who or what is God, before moving to these other questions, Do we have the knowledge to understand that? If we have then God is limited. I agree

Salam Jkhan, Yes, It's fine for me to translate Ulil Amri as "those in authority". Nothing wrong with that. Regarding the God and Messenger, let's see once again the verse, 459 O you who believe, obey God and obey the messenger and those has been assigned to matter (ulil amri) among you. But if you dispute in any matter, then you shall refer it to God and His messenger if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for knowing. The first section is including the Ulil Amri, but not the second one. But if you dispute in any matter, then you shall refer it to God and His messenger if you believe in God and the Last Day This limits Ulil Amri's authority to the extent that it does not contradict the statement of God which brought by His messenger. For example, I don't need to follow the Ulil Amri in Science and Technology area when they have statement that contradict with God's word. I don't believe in their Big Bang Theory since it against what's already explained in Taurat and supported by Quran. But this is only my personal opinion, others might be different. Peace Peace... Yes... Two parts with much clarity... It clearly shows there cannot be any disagreements for those who believe the last day and God.. Further there is no disagreement for them about God and Messenger.. Remember messenger and not prophet.. They can have disagreement with prophet as a person if he has any... First part God + Messenger + in authority.... Since it was not stated as prophet instead of messenger we have to conclude that those in authority not as PERSONS but what they order them to follow (MESSAGE) .. Typically as messenger orders... Those in authority cannot deviate what messenger preached... To whome the disagreements? Of course to believers.. Why? Coz they see something is contradictory... But have no clue any such disagreements occurred or not... Coz those in authority also were believers unless under Mohamed's rule he most probably won't appoint them... In case by mistake at least those in authority deviate, the common believers had the opportunity to leave those in authority aside and go for out and out truth... So that will clarify for common believers and those in authority... They all have to reach messenger thus reaching God.. If any one thinks those in authority are not believers then those in authority won't even allow the common believers to reach the messenger... And it won't have any value for those in authority.. Isn't it? That ensures somehow that messenger prophet of quran was the leader of that nation when this verse was revealed... Believers don't follow the persons but the message from messenger or in authority but the message of God...

I do not think being close or far from God is a matter of what belief system you adhere to. But having the right belief can help. To develop more on this idea Imagine a hedonistic person who, knowingly or unknowingly, believe that the purpose of life is to be happy and be filled of enjoyment and what not...whatever that might be, there isn't necessarily any questioning of right or wrong as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, then it's okay. What kind of life will this person live ? Imagine someone else who believes that there is a judgement day and that he or she will be held responsible of their actions. What kind of life will this person live ? Imagine someone else who believes that life is a cycle of life and death based on one's actions, good or bad. What kind of life will this person live ?