Tempted to stop calling myself Muslim
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Shalom Aleikhem,
I think what you described is a pretty common thing for a God alone person who would not rejoice in setting partners beside God. I dont really think of it much, my traditionalist friends still consider me as muslim (dont know why, when their scholars declared me as Kafir). I have athiest friends, christians, hindus, buddhists and totally confused friends who all respect and love me. Since it happens so that I don't really care what others think of me, I still call myself a submitter/muslim if one should ask. If they want to know details such as hanafi/shafi/shia/sufi... I simply recite an ayaat for them (the one about division and sects..). And if they keep on asking.. they get to know more and more about my views. Normally its not an issue.
Peace
------------- Student of Allah -
Unfortunately these hadith followers make up the majority of people who fit under the islam label. Of course many of them do terrible things, thinking God allows it. For that reason alone when people ask I don't say I'm a muslim(I usually just say I'm agnostic or spiritual). We need to somehow get ourselves known so more people will realize that islam is not a religion of terrorism, violence against women, pedophilia, etc. How to go about that, I have no idea. I'm definitely a "closet muslim" though so I'm not really the one to start such campaigns, lol.
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Salaam
WE as Muslim should not be afraid to carry such campaigns,if one starts by accepting that "IM a Muslim" and then step by step people around you will see and start think diferent..its a struglle? yes, HArd? yes, impossible? not at all D by my own expirience sun
SAlaam May allah guide us into enlighment,trught tolerance and Peacesun
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Similar experience here. When my husband and I took our shahada back in October, I received a ton of friend invites from other traditional Muslims. Then When we recently realized the fallacy of Hadith and declared ourselves quranists everyone on my friends list turned against me. I had to deactivate my account. I'm a stay at home wife And mother to a 6mo old n life is pretty lonely at the moment. We're in close proximity to two mosques n that seemed great a few months ago. Now, of course, it's like whatever.
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I've always thought of myself as a "Protestant" Muslim vs the Clergy worshipping "Catholic" Muslims however
Having recently been involved with my universities Muslim student association, I realised how I have more difference to Muslims than I have in common. For starter I'm not desi or Arab and it seems here that the MSA is really just an Arab club.
Also
-I am vehemently anti clergical
-Strongly against the reliance of religious teachers as authority on theology
-Believe in personal faith
-Fiercely support separation of religion and state
-Pretty much agree more with atheists than muslims on anything political/earthly
-Cannot stand the inconsistencies in "moderate Islam" - brb Sharia is perfect but I still insist on living in a Secular country
-Gets annoyed with all the tiny little things that a certain "hadith" dictatedBut at the same time
-I very very very strongly identify with the monotheistic God of Ibrahim (ie. Jewish/Christian/Muslim)
-Regard Qur'an as the sole authoritative source of religious scripture
-Believe in heaven/hell and martyrdom
-Don't believe in good/bad and this world is an illusionSometimes it feels like it would be better if I just become "closet Muslim" and not involve myself with "Muslim events", not to mention how most Muslims when they find out about my anti hadith attitudes, think I am not a Muslim
Is anything else in a similar situation and would share their experience?
Mu'min? A believer who does not follow organized religion. Seems a good label to describe you.
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Mu'min? A believer who does not follow organized religion. Seems a good label to describe you.
Well if we see the true definition of 'muslim' in the Quran, it's mapped to those who shows certain attitude and not those who follow certain organized religion too!
"Said Jesus disciples We shall be the helpers of God (Ansarullah) we believed in God and bear witness that we're muslims.."
(352)While those muslims apparently obey the Sabbath law, celebrate the Pessakh and Hannukah, do their praying in Synagogue, speak in Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek tongue. and never ever knew Muhammad or the Quran.
And most probably they didn't call themselves 'muslim' but another equivalent name in 'hebrew/aramaic/greek' yet when translated into arabic it become 'muslim'.There are many muslims who didn't labeled themselves as Muslim.. in similar to there are many honest people who didn't labeled / refer towards themselves as "Honest People" or "Honester"... thus labeling doesn't matter... it's your deeds and virtue that matter the most.
Salam / Peace
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peace guyz,
I think everybody should call himself servant of God.
Like I am but servant of God.group
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Well if we see the true definition of 'muslim' in the Quran, it's mapped to those who shows certain attitude and not those who follow certain organized religion too!
"Said Jesus disciples We shall be the helpers of God (Ansarullah) we believed in God and bear witness that we're muslims.."
(352)While those muslims apparently obey the Sabbath law, celebrate the Pessakh and Hannukah, do their praying in Synagogue, speak in Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek tongue. and never ever knew Muhammad or the Quran.
And most probably they didn't call themselves 'muslim' but another equivalent name in 'hebrew/aramaic/greek' yet when translated into arabic it become 'muslim'.There are many muslims who didn't labeled themselves as Muslim.. in similar to there are many honest people who didn't labeled / refer towards themselves as "Honest People" or "Honester"... thus labeling doesn't matter... it's your deeds and virtue that matter the most.
Salam / Peace
If you do not label yourself others will then label you. It was the Egyptian authorities who started the Quraniyoon label in the 70s. Nobody is saying that labelling matters, we are just saying just like countries and nations have names, we will one day have a label too whether we like it or not.
You are not providing realistic solutions.
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Similar experience here. When my husband and I took our shahada back in October, I received a ton of friend invites from other traditional Muslims. Then When we recently realized the fallacy of Hadith and declared ourselves quranists everyone on my friends list turned against me. I had to deactivate my account. I'm a stay at home wife And mother to a 6mo old n life is pretty lonely at the moment. We're in close proximity to two mosques n that seemed great a few months ago. Now, of course, it's like whatever.
exactly, its like I never signed up to believe in the hadith? what is this? some sort of religious malware?
And once you see this, you become treated worse than those who haven't even converted at all -
Salaam,
I used to think like that in the past, but things changed after I stopped seeing myself as odd one out, the victim.
You see, you understand well that most muslim community consists of traditional muslims. Ultimately, their events will involve activities based on traditional understanding of Islam, such as the mention of hadiths and hadiths-based practices. Why go to mosques and listen to khutbahs when you understand that there will be mention of hadiths (after all traditional muslims follow both Qur'aan and hadiths). It's like going to a church and lamenting that the people there are praising Jesus.
So why go to a place, or an event, when you know that you will feel different. If you want to feel that sense of brotherhood/sister with other muslims, may I suggest that you go to charity/social works held by Islamic organizations? At such event, the people will be more focused on the action, rather than the knowledge. There will be significantly less mention of hadiths, and you won't feel too alienated. What I am trying to say is, go somewhere where you know you'll work for something in common, and not where you know will highlight your differences. Then everyone will get to see each other by their actions, and not their labelling.
No need to get worked up with the differences, focus on what you have in common and your life will be much easier.
I'm not an Arab and I get to fit in the community quite comfortably. I do pride in identifying myself as a muslim, not because I am fond of labelling, but it gives me the opportunity to open a discussion about Qur'aan and Islaam.
One more thing, I don't know how you go on about your belief when you say "anti-hadith attitudes". You see, it sounds like you actually openly criticize hadiths when you interact with other muslims. Perhaps that's why some did not react positively when they found about your stance in Islaam? People do get defensive when their core belief is attacked.
Many of my friends know about my belief and no one has reacted negatively so far. So I wonder what it is that you might have done to get their sentiments? So yeah, why feel insecure and live in 'a closet'?
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No, I want to call myself "Kamino Shimobe"...
See how 'naming/labeling' doesn't really matter as thus no 'agreement' is needed..
Salam / Peace
peace,
what is Kamino Shimobe???
come on we are not talking here about agreement, are we? -
Greetings and Peace, all group
Similar experience here. When my husband and I took our shahada back in October, I received a ton of friend invites from other traditional Muslims. Then When we recently realized the fallacy of Hadith and declared ourselves quranists everyone on my friends list turned against me. I had to deactivate my account. I'm a stay at home wife And mother to a 6mo old n life is pretty lonely at the moment. We're in close proximity to two mosques n that seemed great a few months ago. Now, of course, it's like whatever.
9107 And there are those who have taken a temple to do harm and cause rejection, and to divide between the believers, and as an outpost for those who fought GOD and His messenger before. They will swear that they only wanted to do good, and GOD bears witness that they are liars.
9108 Do not stand in it ever. A temple that is founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy that you stand in it; in it are men who love to purify themselves. And GOD loves the purified.
I've come to the same conclusion about local mosques. I may visit a UU church, though.
ALLAH knows best.
peace
~Abdul-Hadi
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Greetings and Peace, all group
Oh where are my manners? -[
@AviMuslimah welcome
May ALLAH see fit to Guide all seekers.
peace
~Abdul-Hadi
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@pager tiger
I too feel the same way. The community that I have the least common with is the Muslim community.
"spiritual but not religious" would be the identity that people can best understand.
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I've come to the same conclusion about local mosques. I may visit a UU church, though.
ALLAH knows best.
peace
~Abdul-Hadi
Good for you, don't worry muslims are everywhere... although they might not label themselves as Muslim, never read the Quran and don't speak Arabic..
Salam / Peace
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what is Muslim??
Salam / Peace
salam,
well ,muslim is servant of God.
so ? -
This is directed to the orginal poster. I can understand where you are coming from. It is hard to go through this trial. I had studied Islam on and off for ten years and I remember once thinking "Can't I just be a muslim and follow only the quran?" because at the time I thought adherence to hadith was required and I didn't remember the verses saying the quran was complete and all I needed.
Finally I came around and saw the truth. I was excited to join other Muslims in this beautiful religion and then was sorely disappointed at how much reliance on hadith there was and many thought I was crazy for not following it like them. I also felt like when Muslims go out and try to bring others into the fold they hand you the Qur'an and say "this is the way" and then when you decide so they then give you the hadiths and say "oh actually it is this"
Another thought I had recently was that it seems from my perspectives that a lot of Muslims treat Mohammed like the Christians treat Jesus. More than just a man. Now it kind of makes sense to me why in earlier writings Muslims were called Mohammedans because from the outside it almost seems as if that is who they are worshiping instead of the one true God.
These thoughts are just my own and I am not trying to offend anyone...