My Faith
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This is a quite long and monotomous story, so be forewarned.
I was born in Georgia to a historically Charlestonian family on my father's side, while my mother was of Cherokee and Seminole descent. Both of my parents were Southern Baptists, though not of the ultraconservative variety. In my father's case this was odd, as Charleston, South Carolina contains few Baptists, but rather a mix of French Hugenots, Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans, Sephardi Jews, and Ashkenazi Jews.
Functionally, it could be said that my mother was a Christian Deist. My father's social beliefs were not very conservative, though my mother held some especially progressive beliefs that could have been influenced by the fact she was a Gynaecoloist, and the fact my brother is a homosexual (although not practicing). I grew up with a fairly moderate brand of Christianity, until my early adolescence, when I began to feel the desire to religiously "explore".
I always knew I believed in the Abrahamic God, so this was not any consideration for Polytheism, Deistic, or Atheistic beliefs. I had felt interested in Islam from the time I was early in my adolescence, although I did not begin to seriously look into what Islam entailed until I was about fifteen years old. I had quite a few friends who could be described as fairly moderate Hanafi Sunnis. Not those who would adhere to every last Hadith, or condone wife-beating, but those that still believed in old-world gender roles and other Hadithist superstitions. When I turned sixteen, I took the Shahadah, in the traditional Sunni versing containing a reference to Muhammad as God's messenger. I would remain a Sunni Muslim for the next six years.
In my early 20's, I began to question some Sunni principles and superstitions, such as the divinity of the Arabic language, and what I percieved as a sense of reverence for anything produced by the Arab race. I began to notice hints of racism among these individuals, particularly on the part of Arabs towards Sub-Saharan Africans, South Asians, and Chinese who were also Muslims. Given that most of my Muslim friends at this time were South Asian or Hui Chinese, this was upsetting to me. I also questioned the idea of calling black dogs "hellspawn", and the like.
I had heard of Qur'anists, though I had dismissed the idea as wishful thinking and idealism. It was not until I saw a Sunni leader attacking music in general that I began to consider this as an option. Considering music Satanic work was not only upsetting, provided I was a musican for over ten years by that point, but it also seemed nonsensical. Hadiths seemed to be randomly compiled articles by random individualslong after the prophet's death. It all seemed so silly, and right there I decided I would only follow the Qur'an from there on out.
So, finally at the age of 23, I excluded the reference to Muhammad, and once again testified my faith. I was certain and secure that I had reached the end of my spiritual journey. Although struggles still lied ahead, I knew what was right. It wasn't until nearly a year after that that I realized love and compassion were the things to remember as a human being. Finally being stripped of the last bit of dogmatic belief, I felt better than ever before. And nearly a year later today, I can say I'm the happiest I've ever been. I do not consider myself a "Qur'anist", but a true Muslim. As I see it, the Qur'an is God's perfect document without a need for a companion document, or multiple companion documents. I am free to be the Southern American I am, and still be a Muslim. God does not believe one race or culture is better than the other. People are best evaluated on an individual basis.
-Strom
EDIT Rofl, I noticed that I said "musicians" rather than "random individuals" in reference to those I believe compiled Hadiths. I'll acknwoledge that mishap was quite amusing..
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Welcome to the forum welcome Nice story
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Welcome. welcome peace
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Salam,
Alhumdulliah. Love this story. It's good u call urself a "Muslim" as too many ppl r calling themselves "Quranist", which Allah neva told us to do. InshaAllah ur family will turn to Islam -
Shalom,
Welcome , I hope God guides you to success.
I had heard of Qur'anists, though I had dismissed the idea as wishful thinking and idealism. It was not until I saw a Sunni leader attacking music in general that I began to consider this as an option. Considering music Satanic work was not only upsetting, provided I was a musican for over ten years by that point, but it also seemed nonsensical. Hadiths seemed to be randomly compiled articles by random individualslong after the prophet's death. It all seemed so silly, and right there I decided I would only follow the Qur'an from there on out.
That was one of the first signs from my Lord for me too. It never made any sense. I remember reading a book on hadith where they classified bloodlines of SATAN. on the list was murderers, prostitution rings, people who deprive poor people from their rights, and musicians ...wtf !!!!! Musicians ??!!?? I was pretty young, so I was mad at God for being Dumb !! lol.......ofcourse, later on I realised that there are those who write books with their own hands and say that it is from Allah.
May God guide you to success.
PEACE
------------------ Student of Allah -
welcome
"Qur'anists" that reject all hadith is incorrect, God-Alone is true.
7185
Do they not look into the realm of the heavens and the earth and everything that Allah has created and that perhaps their appointed time has come near? So in what statement/Hadith hereafter will they believe?The Universe is a Allah's Hadith that guides people, who follow his way.
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It wasn't until nearly a year after that that I realized love and compassion were the things to remember as a human being.
Peace peace
What you said is absolutely Beautiful!
"...Pardon and overlook. Do you not love that God should forgive you?? (2422)