Finally! A Home for Me!
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yay
I'm not going to waste any time lurking here! I've waiting ten years to find a place where people believe the things I do and I'm jumping right in!
I was raised Catholic and began to convert to Islam in college, when I was doing a research project in Arabic literature. Collecting background knowledge about the Prophet's wives led me to learn more an more about Islam and when I met my husband, who is Egyptian, he helped me realize I was already a believer without realizing it.
However, like many others here, all muslims I met shoved traditions at me that made no sense. When I had my daughter slaughter one lamb; if you'd had a son it'd be two. When I got my dogs the angels won't come in your house. At my wedding even, I was browbeaten for not wearing hijab. I'm basically not welcome at my town's masjid, because I'm constantly saying, "Where does it say that in the Quran?" and "Explain to me why I should follow the words of men, when the Quran says all things fard are very clearly stated?"
My husband and I have had many discussions over the years, many of which end with me saying, "that just doesn't make sense. It doesn't match the spirit of the Quran." and him often shrugging his shoulders because 'that's what he knows since he was a child."
I've actually considered going for a Ph.D. in religion just so I can get some serious time to study and find validation for what I've known to be true since I converted Quran is enough. Adding all of those other things into it makes Islam no different than the religion I rejected for the same reasons I rejected it! Even Jesus (pbuh) came to bring back the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. And instead of following the Quran's directives to think for ourselves and question and meditate, muslims would rather observe 1000 ridiculous laws that contradict the spirit of the religion.
I feel such a sense of relief to have found this place. I don't know any of you, and yet I know you well -- the sense of frustration that your fellow 'believers' are missing the point, the feeling of being an outcast because your gut tells you what they are feeding you just doesn't jive with what God has put in your heart. I hope now I can stop feeling so alone, and with the support of a community like this, stop second guessing myself and find the courage to keep speaking up.
I can't wait to get to know you all!
Kakuta -
Peace to all,,
Greetings and a warm welcome Katkuta,,your story sounds very familiar to me, I was also born and raised Roman Catholic for 35 years, then I truely believe God guided me to him in Islam. I also instinctively felt that what I was reading about on traditionalist forums was wrong or not in accord with what I was reading in the Quran. I actually found this sight about three years ago just by typing "muslims that only believe in the Quran" or something like that, I first found the Rashid Khalifa sight and liked it,as it was saying mostly what I felt, but it also lead me to this forum, which feels more at home to me since it doesnt have a set doctrine or agenda other than lets all try to learn and discuss Islam together, there are many very bright and kind members here, both men and woman, and I have been learning alot about what , to me, is the more correct form of living my life according to God and the Quran. So please join in the discussions and contribute sister, with your education level I hope you can help us shed more light on areas we still argue over.
Hope to become friends ,
Respectfully,
Kurt
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Salam katkuta. You are correct to demand, that when a person claims something is fard, they are required to show you Allah has stated in the Quran it is fard. You are required to study the Quran and find out if something is fard as well.
You state one of the issues that is claimed to be fard, is the head covering or Hijab for women.
Allah says in Surah Al Nur 241 This surah has been sent upon you and made obligatory and sent upon within ayat between them that you may speak them. 2431 says And say to the momin women lower their sight and protect their purity and not display their adornment except what is open and set forth their head cover to their bosom.
Allah demands all the ayat in this verse, and anything in between be observed as obligatory. The word fard is explicitly present in 241. Therefore all the following ayat are fard and obligatory. The following ayat 2431 requires momin women to extend their head coverings to their bosoms. Momin women must have a obligatory head covering that they are to extend to cover their bosoms.
Allah is the knower of all things.
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Allah is the knower of all things.
welcome
Salaam katkuta
Since you are eager to know everyone here I would warn the person who replied above falsely accused a mominah(Believing woman) of adultery and as he himself cited punishment from such accusation, He should receive lashes, and there is a prohibition against accepting his testimony. policeI look forward to your contribution here as you rightly stated that "And instead of following the Quran's directives to think for ourselves and question and meditate, muslims would rather observe 1000 ridiculous laws that contradict the spirit of the religion
I don't know any of you, and yet I know you well -- the sense of frustration that your fellow 'believers' are missing the point, the feeling of being an outcast because your gut tells you what they are feeding you just doesn't jive with what God has put in your heart.Exactly!!!
peace -
peace and welcome Kakuta,
www.studyquran.org is helpful.
Al Araf - the head cover issue and women has been discussed in significantly more detail than your short statement. I recommend using the search function.
