Coming to "God Alone"
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Thank you Brothers/Sisters for your welcome. I have been a Muslim for seven years now and as an isolated Muslim have been more of an internet one rather than belonging to any particular group. But I have done the rounds of various Christian groups and have made decisions based on my experiences.
As I see it, some things are necessary for 'righteousness' and some for 'unity'. Islam, particularly in its more progressive, liberal forms, allows for both aspects and preserves freedom of thought and speech at the same time. So while it might not be 'righteousness to turn your faces to the East or West', faces turned in the same direction can be good for unity
2 177 It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces toward East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him for your kin for orphans for the needy for the wayfarer for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth the Allah-fearing.
So while I may not consider some things 'essential', I may see them as beneficial to provide some kind of cohesive community glue. I wear hijab, not because I think it is necessary - I don't - but I wear it because I like to identify as a Muslim and make a stand with my Christian friends who consider everyone a potental convert to not only their religious labels, but their doctrines which compromise independent thinking. With a hijab I make a stand that I have chosen Islam and am not a potential convert giving them a choice of relating to me as a Muslim or leaving me alone. However, I also embrace the three scriptures - Hebrew (OT), Greek (NT) and Arabic (Quran) as my own. I see no problems there and look for consensus or 'best reading' (as Prophet Mohammed suggested) in deciding my own perspectives. I believe God alone knows the true meaning of any inspired scripture and as humans, the more witnesses and perspectives we have to the Divine will, the better. As the Bible says, 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established' and I take my three witnesses as the three books of Abrahamic religion's scriptures.
In this way, I don't accept the special divinity of Jesus, because two out of the three books rejects it, but I accept Jesus as a prophet and messenger of God also because two out of three books accepts it. In some cases, especially related to gender equity, I take the best reading in terms of egalitarianism and compassion, regardless of whether there is consensus for a less favourable outcome.I do not consider non-Abrahamic religions inferior, but because of my heritage, I don't have the social and cultural capital to feel like I belong in them. And I don't want to waste years of accumulated social and cultural capital in the Abrahamic traditions for another path that might be as valuable, but not more so than what I already have. I don't want to waste valuable time trying to integrate into another religious tradition from scratch when this time can be used for building on to what I already have and other pursuits (like the PhD I am currently doing). And as a Muslim, I only take the Quran and not Hadiths and Sunna because I think the Hadiths and Sunna favour the establishment of a religious elite. Whenever there are 'extras' that only privileged people have access to (and some people can always find a Hadith to back up their particular interests) it divides the community. Equal access to information is the foundation of egalitarianism in a religious community, and if we make the Quran the basic text of our community, then we can all access it and add our perspectives. The same goes for those who want to add the Old and New Testaments. These are readily available and no one needs to go hunting in some remote archives for particular Hadiths. If God has not thought something essential enough for three groups of people (Jews Christians and Muslims) to have it in at least one of their main books, then perhaps it is not worth worrying about.
On the matter of prayer, the consensus of the three books is that three times a day is a good number and morning, evening and at noon is good spacing, but with our global consciousness of varying time zones, whatever times we might pray, there are sure to be others around the world somewhere praying at the same time, so we will be praying in community at whatever times we pray. I actually enjoy praying with an online immam leading the prayer. It is a youtube video clip on how to pray two rakas, but I just use the immam as my prayer leader and follow along with him (is that laziness? <grin>. That way I feel like I am praying in community, even though I don't live anywhere near a mosque.
Well that is my spiritual life at this time. It is great to have other minds to bounce off in this group. I have enjoyed reading the introductions and it seems that for many, the religious quest often ends in a 'God alone' understanding.
Salams
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welcome
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Salam Tamara
I agree that hadith does seem to be the establishment of religious elites though ahadith are accessible for everyone. just that people don't really learn hadith..well mainly it's taught in sermons more emphasis is on memorising Quran
What?s your PHD about?
Welcome to the forum )
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Welcome Tamara,
your story about the "internet" imam made me remember aout a true story )
A guy asked the local Imam if he can pray the friday prayer at home with the islamic satelite chanel Imam as leader?
The local Imam answered him You can also dress your fridge in the kitchen with a black tissu and circle around it , so you have done the hajj too!!!
Just a joke based on a real question rotfl
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A guy asked the local Imam if he can pray the friday prayer at home with the islamic satelite chanel Imam as leader?
The local Imam answered him You can also dress your fridge in the kitchen with a black tissu and circle around it , so you have done the hajj too!!!
That is really funny! And internet church services are making a negative impact on some local church attendances - understandably causing some anxiety to the church leaders. Real live communities are important for developing our characters - if we don't live internet speakers, we can change the webpage. In real life we have to learn to get on with one another.
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Great, sounds interesting. As the saying goes you are what you eat, could possibly work as "you are what you read" though people are given the ability to deconstruct, analysis and critique texts and make own conclusions, it?s all upto the mind.
I agree text can affect behaviour, it's an interesting tool. an inspiring story/movie could simply give someone hope or motivation, a sad story could even do the same or opposite. Visual text is the same.
Good luck with it all
Peace