This is where I'm stuck
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Peace all,
When I first entered into Islam, everything felt clear and made sense. Then people started saying "Well now you can't have a credit card, you can't vote, you can't listen to music, can't can't can't..." and things began to be very unpleasant. I spent the next two years mainly being distracted by details like this from actually reading and studying the Qu'ran which is obviously the main thing, because this is God's instructions and we have the book! Thank Allah that I remained in Islam throughout this. Now I am completely single-minded about studing His word and following the Way to the best of my ability. I am not worrying so much about the length of my sleeves and am enjoying classical music again, marvelling at what beautiful gifts God has bestowed on some people.
But what I'm a bit confused about is, should it be "Qu'ran only" or "Qu'ran primarily"? What I think I mean is, yes we should try to purely follow the Qu'ran, but do we have to completely discard all the muslim traditions and history that, I guess (because I'm not sure) have come down mainly through hadith? Isn't that what history is, hadith? And are we doing ourselves a disservice in discarding our history? But on the other hand, especially when it comes to worship, how can we ever be sure we are doing the right thing when it has only come from a hadith and not from Qu'ran? But then I think about things like the Athan. To the best of my knowledge, which isn't much, this is not in the Qu'ran. But surely this is a tradition practised by the first muslims? Do we have to discard things like this because it's not in the Qu'ran? Can't we have our traditions as well as sticking staunchly to the Qu'ran as long as it doesn't contradict what Allah has said? Is there a way of extracting the true practices of the early muslims from all the rubbish? I suppose that's what Bhukari and his ilk tried to do. But then I read that Bhukari had political agendas etc which coloured his selection of authentic hadith.
I am just thinking aloud and I know I have many questions. I just feel like I need to nut all this out and I think my husband is a bit sick of hearing about it? But he certainly wonders about a lot of stuff, like the "prayers on the Prophet"- why do we pray to Allah to bless the Prophet and his family as if he's still alive? And why would Allah need us to do that and aren't they all in Jannah anyway? sigh
Sorry for the ramble but my head is so full of it at the moment,
Peace again,
Hafsa
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Peace all,
When I first entered into Islam, everything felt clear and made sense. Then people started saying "Well now you can't have a credit card, you can't vote, you can't listen to music, can't can't can't..." and things began to be very unpleasant. I spent the next two years mainly being distracted by details like this from actually reading and studying the Qu'ran which is obviously the main thing, because this is God's instructions and we have the book! Thank Allah that I remained in Islam throughout this. Now I am completely single-minded about studing His word and following the Way to the best of my ability. I am not worrying so much about the length of my sleeves and am enjoying classical music again, marvelling at what beautiful gifts God has bestowed on some people.
Salam Hafsa,
We all go through different stages in our spiritual journey. The stages vary from person to person but there are also a lot of similarities. Three of the stages people go through you have and are experiencing right now Entering into faith, exploring different details of faith, then narrowing down to studying one particular aspect of faith.
Believe it or not, you will most likely go through many other stages as well. And each one is important. Try to realize that in each stage you were never "wrong" then and "right" now.
Try to see them as different levels of understanding. You need each experience/belief/understanding to move forward. Just like you could not have skipped grade school and gone straight to high school.
But what I'm a bit confused about is, should it be "Qu'ran only" or "Qu'ran primarily"? What I think I mean is, yes we should try to purely follow the Qu'ran, but do we have to completely discard all the muslim traditions and history that, I guess (because I'm not sure) have come down mainly through hadith? Isn't that what history is, hadith? And are we doing ourselves a disservice in discarding our history? But on the other hand, especially when it comes to worship, how can we ever be sure we are doing the right thing when it has only come from a hadith and not from Qu'ran? But then I think about things like the Athan. To the best of my knowledge, which isn't much, this is not in the Qu'ran. But surely this is a tradition practised by the first muslims? Do we have to discard things like this because it's not in the Qu'ran? Can't we have our traditions as well as sticking staunchly to the Qu'ran as long as it doesn't contradict what Allah has said? Is there a way of extracting the true practices of the early muslims from all the rubbish? I suppose that's what Bhukari and his ilk tried to do. But then I read that Bhukari had political agendas etc which coloured his selection of authentic hadith.
The Quran is a guide. The Quran is not God. Muhammad is not the only messenger. And the Quran is not the only way to be close to God.
All messengers from everywhere around the world came to give ALL people the same messages such as be kind, do not be aggressive and violent, love each other, be God focused.
Many books (religious or not) can help us to understand how to do this. Many experiences help us to be close to God. Our thoughts even tell us when something is "right" or "wrong."
To limit our research or understanding of God to "the Quran alone" is shirk. Why do I say that?
read http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9597535.msg188417#msg188417
I do not think it is wise to discard anything or limit our understanding to any one book.
Truth is truth and there is no denying it.
I am just thinking aloud and I know I have many questions. I just feel like I need to nut all this out and I think my husband is a bit sick of hearing about it? But he certainly wonders about a lot of stuff, like the "prayers on the Prophet"- why do we pray to Allah to bless the Prophet and his family as if he's still alive? And why would Allah need us to do that and aren't they all in Jannah anyway? sigh
Sorry for the ramble but my head is so full of it at the moment,
Peace again,
Hafsa
You sound very intelligent and you are asking valid questions. Don't ever apoligize for asking questions. Afterall that is what this forum is about.
Keep exploring and you will find the answers.Salam,
Arnab -
Peace Hafsa
I am very busy these days so i can't write a long answear (something which i would have done if i had the time).
If i read between the lines, you seem to want a religion. But islam is not and can never be a religion. Islam is only a system. I know its hard 2 let go off old beliefs. Personally i struggled with this too in the beginning. I had had many unansweard questions. My advice to you would be ask God to show you the way whenever you get stuck, and follow your heart.Also study islam and quran and try to read every article you can find about Islam based on Quran alone. I think the more we read about islam, the more we will understand and the more of our questions will be answeared.
By the way;
Below are some of my favorite sites about Islam based on Quran alone.
If you have not checked some of them or one of them out yet, check them out
www.aboutquran.com/ -------------) Especially check out the article on this page about deen.
www.rationalreality.com
www.ourbeacon.com
www.submission.org
www.19.org -
Thanks Arnab )
Many books (religious or not) can help us to understand how to do this. Many experiences help us to be close to God. Our thoughts even tell us when something is "right" or "wrong."
So even books of Hadith?
What worries me is slipping back into picking and choosing what suits me like I used to, from different sources. I was impressed with Qu'ran because it was so authoritative and its been preserved and it said basically well there are things you will think are good for you but aren't really and vice versa. My frail human thoughts surely can't be relied upon to discern right or wrong? Isn't that why we needed Qu'ran? I guess that brings us back to accepting stuff from other sources if it doesn't contradict Qu'ran eg hadith. But the message I'm getting from around here is that you could also be adding to the Qu'ran by doing that and the Qu'ran is complete and detailed. Oh boy I hardly understand what I just said, I hope someone else does!
And to David, thankyou also, is not a religion and a system the same thing really?
Gotta go, I have too many neglected children and too much housework!!
Hafsa
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Peace sister Hafsa
Here is the link for Manifesto for Islamic Reform
Read it and then share it with others. Meet you tomorrow at Paltalk.
Peace,
Edip -
peace Hafsa,
First of all, the questions you ask and the feelings you have are perfectly natural and I am sure many here can identify with them.
Try to see them as different levels of understanding. You need each experience/belief/understanding to move forward. Just like you could not have skipped grade school and gone straight to high school.
I totally agree with this. Simply study The Quran, live your life to the best of your ability, take your time, and you will slowly get the answers for yourself.
Please see www.studyquran.org which has many many tools for doing high quality study on any topic of The Quran. Most of what you ask is covered in it.
I would like to touch upon some of the questions you have that were perhaps not covered
The thing about traditional Muslim history is that some parts of it will be true, some of will not be, like all historical accounts. In such a situation, one should not accept it, but weigh and consider it in light of The Quran.
The Quran itself states how we should seek knowledge, verify information, consult other sources and study them etc, this is part of life 2258, 2260, 4153. 3137, 3190, 2920, 3528; 379, 4162; 9122, 1736, 2254; 2740; 2944-49, 386; 2111, 1226-27; 2124; 675-79, 2170, 728, 3918, 3159, 4238, 5811.
The key is however, not to take other sources as divine / 100% truth / compulsory etc, as this will be giving them God-like status.
My frail human thoughts surely can't be relied upon to discern right or wrong?
Not totally, but they can serve as an inner compass, 3030, 4153. The Quran is built to resonate with our inner self and our external world experience. This is, for me, the most powerful aspect of it.
I like the following article as an introduction
http//www.free-minds.org/node/10is not a religion and a system the same thing really?
"islam" is a mindset, a way to approach things. "islam" is simply a common Arabic word (or I should say it was a common word until it got religious-ified) which means "surrender/submission". This is its primary meaning, and in fact, it is used like a common word in The Quran in several places.
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What I think is most sensible is to take things judging by its content. If you are like me a convert, you were moved by the Quran. You fount it convincing. You were not sold on hadith or anything else. You were sold on the Quran. Just do with everything else the same thing. You find each hadith's content convincing or yu don't . If you don't, then that is it, if you do, that is it to. You do not have to have it certified by anybody to judge about its content and its soundness. You bleieve that the Quran is God's word because its content convinced you of that and the Quran says so itself and you found the Quran worthy of trust.
Concerning adhan and some other things, I myself see nothing wrong with it. The fact that it is not stated in the Quran, doesn't mean that it cannot be good, simply it is not sacred, and you can drop it if you like, but if you find it good, then why should you drop it, that or any other thing which seems good?
Salaam
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That sounds sensible and you're so right about being "sold" on the Qu'ran. However concerning judging things for ourselves and being sound or not, doesn't it say in the Qu'ran that some things will seem good for us but actually are not and other things we may not like but may be good for us?
H.
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Concerning adhan and some other things, I myself see nothing wrong with it. The fact that it is not stated in the Quran, doesn't mean that it cannot be good, simply it is not sacred, and you can drop it if you like, but if you find it good, then why should you drop it, that or any other thing which seems good?
Assalaam Alaikum @huruf
May I suggest that you be a bit more sincere with your assumptions regarding the Quran.
When you proclaim your call to Prayer they take it (but) as mockery and sport; that is because they are a people without understanding.
nadaytum ila as-salati
nadaytum means to shout, call exclaim, summons, public announcement, proclamation, appeal, address, vocative, distress, signal
Hans Wehr Arabic English Dictionary page 1118 (nida) -
Salaam sis,
I know exactly how you feel. It's hard when the majority are telling you one thing but you don't think its right.
However, the Qu'ran states on many occasions that it is the clear, detailed and leaves nothing out. So how could the Prophet make up extra rules and say that "God left it out of the Qu'ran"?? It does not make sense in my opinion.Keep reading the Qu'ran and you'll find many verify everything you are told don't just follow use your knowledge God has given you!
Peace.
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Salaam sis,
I know exactly how you feel. It's hard when the majority are telling you one thing but you don't think its right.
However, the Qu'ran states on many occasions that it is the clear, detailed and leaves nothing out. So how could the Prophet make up extra rules and say that "God left it out of the Qu'ran"?? It does not make sense in my opinion.Keep reading the Qu'ran and you'll find many verify everything you are told don't just follow use your knowledge God has given you!
Peace.
There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. NOTHING HAVE WE OMITTED FROM THE BOOK, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.
Those who reject our signs are deaf and dumb,- in the midst of darkness profound. whom Allah willeth, He leaveth to wander. whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight.
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That sounds sensible and you're so right about being "sold" on the Qu'ran. However concerning judging things for ourselves and being sound or not, doesn't it say in the Qu'ran that some things will seem good for us but actually are not and other things we may not like but may be good for us?
H.
Salaam Siki
Allah has addressed everyones need in this great reading and, as you quoted some things will appear good for us but actually are not and other things we may not like while they are good for us, and that is the main thing; to research and look into the depth of the message and you would find that the Qur'an touches our souls no wonder that people are sold on the Quran.
peace
