How God guided me...
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I grew up in a semi-religious home in Egypt, then by God's grace I moved to the US at the age of 11.
I was to say a nice person, and God really bestowed on me knowledge and wisdom from the time of my childhood. (now i Know such is God's system to bestow knowledge and wisdom to the righteous as he stated in Quran 2814 & 1222)
I remember I used to be open and friendly in Egypt, but all that changed when i came to America.
I turned to be an introvert and all closed up and to myself because i really didn't fit in. From about age 13 to 16 i got really depressed over myself because of a lot of things; mostly because I was alone and confused, I didn't have anyone to help me, I was away from my family, and living with my conservative, religious father didn't really make it all the better; since i was to say a mama's boy.
I remember I used to cry out to God, why am i here, what's my purpose etc. I remember once i even texted "help me God" and i think i sent it to a random number. I also used to cry myself to sleep for days; such was my helplessness.
I also really didn't do my Salats or pray and my father used to picker me about it. (now i know that a misreble life is the result in God's system for those who forget him Quran 20124)
(*Something i want to mention to parents out there is please do not picker your kids about doing their Salat/prayers or else they will think it is a chore and will hence feel dittered form it; such was my experience! Instead please train them slowly, and give them positive rewards (Positive rewards works better than punishments Wiki Reinforcements) and reward them from time to time (variable intervals; Psychology101)
Most importantly EXPLAIN to them Why we are praying and worshiping God, since we are not performing a ritual but an act of devotion and love for God!!!)Now back to my story, during that period of time(15y/o), I moved to a better area and a better school by God's grace. I distinctly remember one time in world civilizations class we were on the Islam section of study and the teacher said that Muslims have 5 daily prayers. This is when a student next to me asked me how many times did i prayed a day, and i told her 3! Now I didn't know why i said 3, i didn't even do my salat! (but now i know it is God who is to be accredited for me having to say that; i swear God is great!).
Another blessed thing to mention is that i really never learned the shahada during my childhood, so when i did my salat i just recited the first part of it, which is "ash-hadu ana la ilah ila allah" like 7 times to end my salat.(Thanks be to God!).(Now Fast forward a year later when i was 16/yo) I started doing voluntary work online and advertised to people on social networks to do free charitable work ( the free "click-to-donate" websites). I also advertised for free for companies so they pay to charities in exchange. (i was actually pretty compulsive about it and now i know it is by God's leave since he is the one who bestows righteousness Quran 7456)
Subsequently, around that time i started to really research and by God's grace i attained knowledge in many areas (such is God's system again Quran 2814 & 1222)
Also, things did changed and i started to become happy! I suddenly became thankful for what i have for no apparent reason and came open minded about thing and started to listen to many foreign music etc. (Such is God's system as he shows goodness to those who do good/are nice Quran 1026 & 3910 & 4223 & 5331)A few months later however, after forgetting God and not doing my salat for a couple of years, and my father being my new conservative religious foe, i became agnostic; i didn't know whether God existed or not.
(It's so sad that the traditional muZlims ditter people from the true Islam by their fabrications and obsurd religious laws that oppress people, which lo and behold, were never decreed by God!!!). That's when i made a video about how God was just a fabricated idea made by ancient man as a scapegoat for things happening (now i can't help but feel shocked by that video).
Then came the turning point of my life during the middle of that year (200 as i ran away from home because of a conflict between me and my father.
I remember the day before me running away I felt so scared and shaking before i went to sleep, because i didn't know what to do. And there i was on the street; in the woods and after 5 days i started feeling very emotionally stressed and helpless, i started to think of my past and my life and everything was spiraling in my mind, and that's when out of no where I prayed to God and cried out something like "Rabbi Injini" (save me my lord).... and Let me tell you, that's when my eyes were literally opened! it was as if i was n a dark room all this time and God just turned on the light for me to see! (I myself know how the disbelievers feel when God says that he put a veil over their sight (27) and i tell you what a sad veil!, Thanks be to God for guiding me!)From that point on (~16 1/2 y/o), I started to gradually cleave unto God and started to pray and learn the complete shahada and also started to read and learn the Quran. (which I'm sad to say was rarely, almost never opened during my 16 and 1/2 years of life). Nevertheless by God's grace, God granted me the understanding of the Quranic Arabic through translations. (i only have a 6th grade Arabic education, but i could still read Arabic Thanks be to God!).
This is when i stumbled, by God's grace and leave, on submission.org and learned about the mathematical miracle of the number 19 in the Quran! And this is when God granted me certainty, and i truly knew God exists without a doubt!) (that was about 5 months later from when God guided me (7/8/09) to (12/26/09) when God granted me certainty. It's so easy to keep track of my dates because they're still fresh in my mind, Glory be to God!)Now This is when i had to re-change my thinking about the whole entire Islamic belief system! Being secretive not to tell my father, who is a conservative Muslim ( believing in Hadith & Sunna).
6 months later (6/3/10) however, I branched off from submission.org, because i believed in the message of Rashad, which was to follow the Quran alone. (since the Quran only states 3 names of prayer, and the 2.5% is totally not in the Quran but from tradition. Not to mention that it is illogical since most people did not even know simple math back then in the dark ages!!! how would they fair then with 1/40) (Another thing is the deletion of the two verse at the end of sura 9, which is hypocritical to God's decree of "no falsehood can enter into it!!!..." (4142) (I like the free-minds explanation of sura 9 being a Law-decreeing sura (Muhkim) = featuring fighting)
*This is when it hits me when God tells us that he allows the devil to put falsehood in EVERY prophet/messenger he sends. God then leaves what the devil fabricated to be a test, and then rules with his Revelations/Words!
*Another good point for the submitters out there is that Rashad even stated in his great debate video something like ' if i tell you to do something that's not in the Quran, do NOT do it'. Thus again, confirming the message from God (Quran Alone), and debasing the errors of the human messenger, (even the Prophet Muhammed erred when he forbid something that was lawful to him in sura 66, thus human messengers do err!).This is when i had to re-change my beliefs again, from doing 5 salats to 3 salats.
During the 2yr period of my renaissance and cleaving to God, i became zealous and started to research my way into the Torah/Tanakh and the entire bible. This is when by God's grace, I found out that God's chosen religion (Submission/Abrahamic Monothiesm) has really been the same; the salat and zakat being the main components for the rememberance of God. While the laws and commandments differ (by God's leave)
I even started to learn to read biblical Hebrew, and just found it absolutely fantastic to see the similarities between the Biblical Hebrew and the Quranic Arabic words.
Such an instance is when God calls moses out of the burning bush and tells him to take off his shoes, in Arabic "ya mosa inani ana allahu" and "f'Ekhla3 na3laik" and in Hebrew God states it as "moshe moshe h'inani..." and " Shel n3lekha m3l reglekha!" (Exodus 34 and Quran 279 & 2012) (Such instances taken with great appreciation!)By God's grace, i also found out the roots of the Salat and the Zakat fro the previous scriptures.
First to mention is Abraham prayed to God to make him one of those who do their Salats (Quran 1440) and to show him the rights of his religion (Quran 212. Second, God tells the children of Israel in the Quran of his conditional support, "I am with you if you establish Salat, and Give the zakat....." (512), thus the children of Israel must have known how to do the salat and give the zakat! God then tells us that generations came by and LOST their salat! Quran 1959) HenceSalat is equivilant of the Aramaic 'sloota' (Prayer) and the Hebrew Tfillah (prayer) or Amidah (standing prayer) Which is basically the 3 daily prayers evening, morning, and noon (see psalm 5517, Daniel 610, and the New Testament's times for prayer 3rth, 6th, and 9th hours, all of which shadow the Quran's 3 names of prayer (Dawn, evening, and middle prayer Quran 2458 and 223
Watch the Original Jewish Amidah (Standing Prayer)
salat http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aHWASyMjwg
*Notice the similarities between the motions and the standard muslim movements,
see laws of the Amidah, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, 1812 at http//www.yonanewman.org/kizzur/kizzur18.html#12
*Also see Abraham's explanation of prayer http//www.torah.org/learning/rambam/tf.html#
*it is also noteworthy to mention that the Amidah (standing prayer/Salat) has 19 Blessings to be recited! (can be found at http//www.hebrew4christians.com/)Zakat is equivilant to the Aebrew 'tzadakha' (charity) which is the 10% tithe throughout the Old testament AND the New testament). (i.e Abraham gives the priest MelechZedek 10%, Jacob vows a vow to give God 10%, God reprimands the children of Israel for not giving the 10% tithe). God changes this 10% tithe to the "the extra/Awf" that we have in 2219 Quran)
Rememberence
Most importantly however, is to Remember God always, because almost everything we do (salat/zakat/pray/glorify/praise/thank/ask for forgivness/submit by following commandments) is to REMEMBER GOD!
As he stated " so Remember me, that i remember you..." (Quran 214Back to my story and may the lord God bless you for your patience if you're still here!
Around February of this year 2011, I tried to tell my father about the mathematical miracle of the Quran because of the pressure from the Quranic verse of 2174 about the condemning of those who Conceal God's revelations/miracles. I also told him before about how that there are only 3 salats mentioned in the Quran and that we should not follow the Hadiths, but the Quran alone. But to put it in a nice way, he wasn't really interested.
So i had to get out of the house, and the Almighty God provided me with a dwelling to live in, Thanks be to God )Now 2 years and 2 months later, by God's grace i am starting to strive in the cause of God on the internet, and made a Quranic islam blog and started to make Youtube videos with the animation feature on Youtube. I also passed out flyers in mid April on houses and cars, as means to spread the word. I also think that we as believers should really unit and strive in his cause as God loves those who fight in his cause like a wall (aka united). Strive in any way you can, from blogs, videos, to flyers, spread the truth, and warn, and it is God who will guide! and know that Striving believers are better than the idles! (Quran 495)
*you can also do lots of FREE righteous work online as i did, like free charity online(Click to donate), donating your idle computer time to scientific research, signing free petitions (Petition site).
Another nice way in virtual world is to Donate Blood= save a life = whole world! Whatever you do, do good and God will show goodness to you and bless you with knowledge & wisdom!Finally, To all who are oppressed out there because of you decided to walk in the path of God, i will tell you from my experience to seek refuge in God, Put your trust in him, stand up in the face of adversity/persecution, and PRAY!
Prayer is your BEST weapon! and I tell you God never failed me! So be patient, as God will test, but have no fear because even God states "It is incumbent upon Us to save believers" (Quran 10103).
God's truth Will prevail (Quran 1781), even if the majority of Muslims do not believe in Quran alone,conforming with the prophecy of people deserting the Quran, "My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran.'" (Quran 2530)
As the Lord God promised, "My messengers and I will assuredly win!" (Quran 582May God Bless you guys with Hope and motivation from my experience and also make you learn something form it.
May the lord God protect us from the idol worshipers all around us, and save us by his mercy and redeem us into his eternal heavenly dwellings...finally,
PRAISE BE TO GOD, THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE
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Assalamun-Alaykum!
Nice story! You have came along way and yet you still strived hard to please Allah! Glory be to Allah! Thanks for the advice, thats what I tell myself too. "Put your trust in Allah, remember Him much and stand firm during the hard times too." D
Welcome to the Forum even though I am new here.
I hope Allah guides all to His light and stay strong and may Allah reward us in Hereafter, God willing.
Peace and be happy!
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Shalom,
I did not read every thing you wrote, skipped alot of it. Welcome to the website. May Allah guide you and us )
PEACE
----------------- Student of Allah -
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Peace.
When I wondered about Ruh, the hebrew "ruach" was of great help.
Interesting to read about Zakat and it`s biblical equivalent. -
To indelwyn,
I meant that i started to learn the complete shahada that mentions Muhammed and Abraham in it. since ever before that, i just said "i bear witness that there is no god but God" to end my salats!I mentioned this because it STRIKES me that God guided me as a kid; when i did not even know that this was the right monotheistic shahada (31 until later one!
*the other thing that strikes me is me saying to my friend that i only do 3 salats! -
Thank you for sharing your wonderful story. I also think that submission.org have some really good points. In every case, rashad khalifa preached a much more modest and humane version of islam than the criminal mullahs. You seem to be a very brave person, keep it up yes a3izah salamtak We rabana yakhaleek ya rab.
Peace -
Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply!
And lol, me brave? not really
I've been tried and went through lots of situations that all i did was get nervous and pray to God
and let me tell you every time God saved me!
Now i am thankful to God that i went through all of the tribulations because the experiences strengthened my bond with God, which i originally prayed for (a close relationship with God)
This is when i say, Prayer is our Best weapon!!! pr Ask and you shall receive as the lord God is bountiful and his hands are wide open!!! (Quran 4060, Jeremiah 333, Psalm 9115 & 5015) "Call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you,and you shall glorify me.? (Psalm 5015)Blessed is the Lord God who delivers us from our tribulations and sustains us yay
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Hello there, I am from Egypt too!!
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Hello there, I am from Egypt too!!
Haha ahlan We Sahlan ya ustaaz seekingyou , izayak ;D. a3iza 3rf lesh esmak seeking you. I mean who are you seeking for lol rotfl
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Salaam to all,
Even though i have started posting today only , i have been a follower of this site for2 years now.. My doubts about the mainstream Islam is almost as old as some of you. I would always question as to why Allah who is the Lord of all living things create beings just to put them in hell for eternity.Sunni Islam taught me that the prophet would intercede for all muslims and we would all end up in heaven eventually. even though it made me happy it would leave me unsatisfied as i live in India and more that 80% of the population are non-muslims and i could in no way come to terms with the fact that God is creating them as fodder for hell fire. This wonderful site has answered many questions for me and helped make me more humble and tolerant. i am though still not fully a QA , i pray to to God to guide me further. -
Well my friend, surely, not non-muslims are going to hell.
Also, God sends his messengers to warn the people.
And remember that God does NOT guide the arrogant, the transgressors, the liars, the tresspassors, the showoffs, the corrupters. So, do not be sorrowful to those who are astray.
And that he guides whomever he chooses. -
Salaam to all,
Even though i have started posting today only , i have been a follower of this site for2 years now.. My doubts about the mainstream Islam is almost as old as some of you. I would always question as to why Allah who is the Lord of all living things create beings just to put them in hell for eternity.Sunni Islam taught me that the prophet would intercede for all muslims and we would all end up in heaven eventually. even though it made me happy it would leave me unsatisfied as i live in India and more that 80% of the population are non-muslims and i could in no way come to terms with the fact that God is creating them as fodder for hell fire. This wonderful site has answered many questions for me and helped make me more humble and tolerant. i am though still not fully a QA , i pray to to God to guide me further.The intercede story about how Mohammed would intercede for Sunni muslims is nothing more than a nasty blasphemic lie fabricated by sunnies to sunnies and they god this nasty idea from the Christians who similarly have jesus as their saviour . Remember that the word muslim is different from what we know as the muslims today. A muslim in quranic term can be from any religion, hindu. Christian, Jew and so on. Whoever receive gods guidance is a muslim
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I agree with you about the Intercession because How blasphemous it is to say that Anyone can come in between God and his judgment? When he even states that"... NONE shares in His Decision-making!!!!? (Quran 1826)
The irony is that God cited an example for us in the Quran that goes well against their intercessory Idealogy
"...they say, "These are our intercessors at GOD!" Say, "Are you informing GOD of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth?" Be He glorified. He is the Most High; far above needing partners" (Quran 101 -
Thank you youssef4342 for sharing your story.
It is a good read because of your sincerity and openness.
I could feel that God really protects and guides you because of your love for Him!I wish you all the best, and may The Almighty Yahweh bless you. (His are all the most beautiful names)
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Thank you youssef4342 for sharing your story.
It is a good read because of your sincerity and openness.
I could feel that God really protects and guides you because of your love for Him!
I wish you all the best, and may The Almighty Yahweh bless you. (His are all the most beautiful names)Peace GODsubmitter!
Thank you for your kind remark!
I could say that i really relied on God on most things. Also i will say this again, Prayer is your best weapon!
Pray to God for anything! Guidance, mercy, Favour, blessings, goodness, etc. That is why i did. I also used to thank for everything! (God grants you more if you become appreciative Quran 147) And it is easy to become appreciative! just ask God to make you so! (just like solomon)
God is a rich king. He own all and sustains all!
The Parable of the Persistent Widow best represents this, so Pray Pray Pray to God!
Best of all God assures us that he will answer our prayers! (patience now!May the Lord God guide us & bless us & show mercy favour unto us & protect us & support us & make us his supporters & his righteous servants!
~Blessed is God, The Lord of the universe!
Hallelu Yah! yay -
For me personally there was a very important part in your story where you explained about the errors of messengers
*This is when it hits me when God tells us that he allows the devil to put falsehood in EVERY prophet/messenger he sends. God then leaves what the devil fabricated to be a test, and then rules with his Revelations/Words!
*Another good point for the submitters out there is that Rashad even stated in his great debate video something like ' if i tell you to do something that's not in the Quran, do NOT do it'. Thus again, confirming the message from God (Quran Alone), and debasing the errors of the human messenger, (even the Prophet Muhammad erred when he forbid something that was lawful to him in Surah 66, thus human messengers do err!).As for your last post, I agree that we should always pray like the widow from the Gospel.
It is incredible how clever you are and how much you know despite your young age... It makes someone like me a bit ashamed... ) -
For me personally there was a very important part in your story where you explained about the errors of messengers
As for your last post, I agree that we should always pray like the widow from the Gospel.
It is incredible how clever you are and how much you know despite your young age... It makes someone like me a bit ashamed... )Thank you for your positive remark again! May the Lord God show you goodness in retaliation.
As i have stated before, God has a system of bestowing knowledge & wisdom onto those who are Nice/Righteous/Good doers (see the many rewards of being Nice/Doing Good http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9602900.0)*Also, as I've stated before, Prayer is your best weapon, I prayed for God's guidance and knowledge and wisdom! God's Goodness is ever flowing. It never ends! so Pray, Ask, beseech the Almighty!!!
May the Lord God Almighty make us a positive influence and make us his righteous servants & supporters pr
Blessed is the Lord!! By his holiness and majesty!
Baruch Yah Eloheno! yay