What's it all about?
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Hello everyone
Here is my story - I would appreciate your comments.
I teach Religious Studies at a sixth form college here in Somerset England. For the past year, I have been reading about Islam talking to some muslims and doing a lot of thinking!For about twenty years, from my mid-twenties I practised Buddhism, because I found its godless philosophy attractive (I found the world too cruel to believe in a benevolent God) and I liked meditation and had a lot of faith in it. However, I became dissatisfied with this - it didn't seem to going anywhere & all my studies of the likes of Aquinas and liberal theology pointed me to an acceptance of a more optimistic view of life. The beauty of creation of art and music, of my children and simple joy of life helped me to see a kind of argument from aesthetics which proved for me the existence of something divine that we might call God - I also became enamoured with the "post modern" theology of Don Cupitt.Then in the last 15 months, as I say, I have been studying the beautiful Quran which sometimes persuades me that God might really exist as an entity not just a cultural construct.I love Islam because it is peace and enjoy its devotional side very much.I have some problems though my wife who does know much about Islam has threatened to divorce me if I convert. We have a lovely family and a decent marriage so I haven't yet! Secondly I find a lot of Muslim practice go against my grain. I am a liberal and I always will be - I hate persecution of minorities, sexism, certainty and narrow-mindedness & even though I am only too well aware that Islam & violence have nothing to do with each other I still feel too much mainstream Islam is not "progressive" enough for me. That's why confused confusedI'm here alll the way from a very unislamic but nonetheless larely civilised part of the world. Do I have a future in beautiful Islam? -
peace.. and welcome to free minds welcome
I live in Manchester UK. I'm wondering why your wife has threatend to divorce you if you become Muslim? That is very sad. What is she afraid of? I converted to Islam 19 yrs ago. My background is christian baptist. It took my brother many years before he would even speak to me again and then when he did start talking to me again it was just to comment on how wicked and barbaric islam was. I couldn't answer him back very well then as i wasn't familiar wi the quran being a sunni muslim at the time. However a couple of years ago, i was visiting him at his home in the canary islands n one evening while relaxing on the terrace i got the oppertunity to discuss the quran with him. After a couple of hours of answering him calmly from the quran.. he resigned himself that he didn't have an issue with islam from the quran. He said that he could not change his lifestyle and re-adapt to become muslim and he was afraid his wife and children wouldnt understand and be opposed. I haven't given up hope of my brother submitting to GOD alone. Talk to your wife and find out what it is that concerns her. As for do you have a future in islam. I pray and hope you do. If you have read the quran and you recognise that it is the truth then i would encourage you to embrace that. Pray and ask GOD to help your wife to understand and support you GOD willing your wife will have a change of heart . Don't be afraid. Just go with your instinct and what your heart is telling you. You will find people here very supportive and kind.
GOD bless you and guide you
love n peace. peace -
welcome to the forum,
here there are sunnis, shias, quran aloners, 19ers, and God aloners like me. Quran is a message, the message to say God is one for all and so unite for peace. for me Quran is no law book, but it talks about the past events confirming the previous messages, the past is what guides us to a peacefull present.yes you are right, mainstream Islam is not progressive , they dont want to learn from God's signs instead they are addicted to false hadiths and divide themselves into sects rejecting others.
You can be a muslim who try to unite people in the name of God alone and not divide in the form of rituals.
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Peace brother Crumbeloads,
First i would like to tell u that u have came to the right place to discover
more about Islam - Submission, because the traditionnal sunnis and shias ....
might make the "Deen" seem not to be the right system for u,
as u said u being liberal and refusing narrowminded doctrines ...
This is the right place to discover a bit of the true "submission",
but still u will need a long journey in order to reach "perfection" in ur system or
way of life, taking "The Deen" as a example for ur life ...The question u might be asking What would be the best choice concerning ur doubts
about islam, and the reaction of ur wife ?
Well I allow myself to say that if u love ur wife and care about her and if she is a good person
then u should not let ur marriage go down ...
The best behavior is to take "Submission to GOD" as a system for ur life, and show her that
"Submission" or "Islam" is not bad but rather a good way to live in this world ...
Show her a good example of what a "submitter"-"muslim" would be, so that she would change her mind ...
Be patient with her, and wait enough time, the book says that u can't guide those who u love,
only GOD can guide them, that's why u will never be able to convince her easily
if she doesn't want to be guided, it's her choice afterall ...The key is to be patient and wait, cose time is enough sometimes to solve issues ...
Submit urself to GOD and HE will show u what to do ...
Good Luck
Ali -
Thank you everyone for reading my bit and replying
I particularly appreciate your kind words, brother Ali. My wife is a good person, in many ways she is a better person than me (I have a lot of fancy ideas wheras she gets on with it!).
I have one question which I would appreciate anyone's views. Would you secretly take "shahadah" at a mosque without her knowing or simply do it in my own heart?
Best wishes to everyone
Crumbeloads -
Thank you everyone for reading my bit and replying
I particularly appreciate your kind words, brother Ali. My wife is a good person, in many ways she is a better person than me (I have a lot of fancy ideas wheras she gets on with it!).
I have one question which I would appreciate anyone's views. Would you secretly take "shahadah" at a mosque without her knowing or simply do it in my own heart?
Best wishes to everyone
CrumbeloadsPeace brother,
In all what u do, u should always be convinced in it, no matter what I or others tell u
u should never do it unless u r convinced in it ...
Only u will be judged for ur words actions and decisions ...
I said the previous words cose i wanted to tell u my view on the "Shahada", and I
want u to make ur own decision and think about it carefully ...
What i want to say is that becoming a muslim-submitter has nothing to do with pronoucing
the Shahada in a mosque ...
Being a muslim means acknowledging GOD and the messengership of Muhammed (pboh) and all messengers,
and pronoucing the Shahada in a mosque is simply like anouncing it to the public ...
So u can simply talk to GOD, pronounce to HIM ur submission to him (I bear witness
that there is no god but GOD) and ur acknowlegment of Muhammed and all other prophets
as messengers and prophets (second part of the Shahada) ....If GOD is a witness on the faith of somebody then HE is the best witness and HE is enough for u ...
That will make it easy for u, just live ur submission to GOD in ur daily life,
U don't have to frequent the mosque a lot, take "The Deen" = the perfect way of life
as a system of life and u shall be set free if GOD will ...
All that means simply to believe in GOD and to be a better person ...
That's all what u need to do.Salam = Peace
Ali -
handshake
Thank you Brother Ali
You have helped me a lot -
peace,
I'm also from the UK.
my wife who does know much about Islam has threatened to divorce me if I convert.
It is common for people to fear the unknown, but I think in your wife's case, it is likely what she has experienced to be Islam (e.g. from the media) is what she is rejecting of, not what you found in islam or Quran based islam. This is understandable. I, like many here, rejected Traditional Islam.
'Traditional Islam' and 'Quran based islam' are very very different things.
Secondly I find a lot of Muslim practice go against my grain.
One should never ignore their inner compass because its default setting is towards what is right/true/just/etc .
I'm here alll the way from a very unislamic but nonetheless larely civilised part of the world.
Depends on what you regard as "islamic" and "unislamic". Many laws and practices in Britain for example are "islamic".
Do I have a future in beautiful Islam?
Only God knows.
Which brings me onto your next question
Would you secretly take "shahadah" at a mosque without her knowing or simply do it in my own heart?
If I knew what I know now, I'd not make any official "shahadah/testimony" to any person.
You might find the following article interesting
http//free-minds.org/node/10 -
First of all congratulations on being one of relatively few people who have the pleasure of knowing what true Islam is. I hope you will continue on your journey of self discovery as no one but God can guide us.
I am quite sure that your missus, being a reasonable person, is scared of you "converting" as she has a false image of Islam that is unfortunately spread by the media for the benefit of certain parties. I am also quite sure if she were to read the article brother Wakas suggested, she would get an inkling as to what true Islam really is. If nothing else, it might even pique her interest so I think you have nothing to lose.
As for your shahadat dilemma, I personally believe this is something personal between you and God. You don't have to proclaim it to other people and you certainly don't have to go to a mosque to do so. I believe you will find that Islam is one of the most liberal ways of life you will find where the basic commandments are to hold no partners with God and to do good, and you will have nothing to fear on the DoJ (I paraphrase).
I am quite sure that most members on here will agree with what I say, but you should still make an effort to confirm these facts for yourself. Once again, congrats and this is just the end of the beginning mate!
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my wife who does know much about Islam has threatened to divorce me if I convert.
Your wife is very understandable. Any sane person with decent knowledge of Traditional Islam wont wanna have anything to do with it. It is dangerous and even more so to women. So be understanding of your wife.
As for your shahada question, submitting to God is a mental state. It has nothing to do with signing up to be a Muslim at a mosque and receiving a membership certificate to prove your Muslimness.
