I renounced my faith in the divinity of the Qur'an today
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FJ,
I am not advocating adoption of another belief system nor a belief in pixies and leprechauns rotfl
I was not suggesting you take on anything new.
What I was advocating was practice over study.
meditation over academia.
I have found periods of intense experiential study (meditation) to engender some very interesting insights and realisations.
You may question these (and it is good to do so) is it a chemical imbalance in my brain brought on by...?
Is it is really 'religious' or is it mental illness?
However what have you to lose?
I have found meditation exceptionally useful helping me both directly experience insights and intellectually grasp, what seemed unreconcilable dichotomies.
Again you have the internet at your disposal to see the medical and psychological benefits of meditation so I will not start posting evidence.Instead of thinking that I want you to take on any new beliefs (as I do Not) think of it this way...
I am just suggesting you apply some exercises that you do not even have to believe work!As for the universal consciousness and souls on a different spectrum thing, this is not something I personally adhere to. My beliefs are neither new age, all embracing or as woolly as you seem to think.
My suggestion is a practical application of exercises not a taking up of beliefs or religions.
Salaam Brother hmm
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Zulf,
I have found Shamatha and Vipassana when applied diligently and over time to have excellent results. I have also discussed these techniques in detail with (what I consider) to be learned and wise Muslim teachers who assure me they are neither incompatible nor contradictory to Islam.
In fact they have comparable techniques in some Islamic lineages.
I only mention these in particular as I have found them exceptionally efficacious!A good friend of Mine who is a Nihang Sikh took this advice and decided to on retreat with Goenka's Vipassana for 10 days (the courses are free and non religious) he has now incorporated the techniques into his study and prayer.
I could go on about why these techniques are useful/helpful to a Muslim however it would appear that most here are both able to research and think for themselves.
Salaam
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Zulf,
I have found Shamatha and Vipassana when applied diligently and over time to have excellent results. I have also discussed these techniques in detail with (what I consider) to be learned and wise Muslim teachers who assure me they are neither incompatible nor contradictory to Islam.
In fact they have comparable techniques in some Islamic lineages.
I only mention these in particular as I have found them exceptionally efficacious!A good friend of Mine who is a Nihang Sikh took this advice and decided to on retreat with Goenka's Vipassana for 10 days (the courses are free and non religious) he has now incorporated the techniques into his study and prayer.
I could go on about why these techniques are useful/helpful to a Muslim however it would appear that most here are both able to research and think for themselves.
Salaam )
Wow Muddy, you have a friend who is a Nihang.
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es,
I spent some small time in the Punjab at Amristsar and Ananpur sahib.
I am in the U.K at the moment and there are also some small number of Nihangs here.
As I am sure you are aware the history and influence of Islam on the Sikh faith and The Guru Granth Sahib has lead a few Sikh scholars to study the Holy Qu'ran. Also some Tibetan Buddhists consider Guru Nanak Dev Ji to be an Incarnation of Padmasambhava the Mystic from Oddiyana (Kashmir) and one of the main teachers in Vajrayana Buddhism.
The foundation stone of the Hari Mandir (Amristsar) was laid by Baba Sain Mir Mohammed Sahib (c. 1550 ? 11 August 1635) the famous Sufi saint.Salaam
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Sorry is someone has already made this point (i didnt read the whole topic - 37 pages!?, but with regards to God guiding whom He wills as i understand it this doesnt mean he makes ppl believe or disbelieve, it means once someone disbelieves and stops turning to Him He no longer guides him.
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Sorry is someone has already made this point (i didnt read the whole topic - 37 pages!?, but with regards to God guiding whom He wills as i understand it this doesnt mean he makes ppl believe or disbelieve, it means once someone disbelieves and stops turning to Him He no longer guides him.
Go read the topic on the 'Nature of God' area about predestination and see where I refuted that using the Qur'an.
The Qur'an supports predestination.
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Salaam,
I agree. I learn and shaped myself from my experiences and then when I find the same thing in AlQuraan I get the answer how to react to such situation. So, my experiences + AlQuraan made me shape up and make me the strong believer in AlQuraan and Allah. I don't think anything can turn me away from my Lord, except only if He wishes for me so.
This is how my believe becomes strong in AlQuraan as I found everything/ every incident happens in my life is already there in AlQuraan.
mmKhan
I know this is an old post/topic, but as I'm still new to my faith, I'm reading lots of previous discussions.
This post is exactly how I'm feeling too. I combine experiences with Qur'an which in turn, solidifies my faith/belief.
As a result, I grow stronger in faith and become a better person. -
I have a copy of translation. I'd be glad if you could give examples. I consider it among the best translations of the Quran....a lot of thought and analysis went into translating it...and it would be apparent if you read the introduction.
No translation is perfect though...it's all interpretation....but the important thing is to choose a meaning which blends well with the context and the overall message of the book.
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I have a copy of translation. I'd be glad if you could give examples. I consider it among the best translations of the Quran....a lot of thought and analysis went into translating it...and it would be apparent if you read the introduction.
No translation is perfect though...it's all interpretation....but the important thing is to choose a meaning which blends well with the context and the overall message of the book.
I tend to agree.
As a westerner fairly new to the Qur'an, I find it is quite easy to follow. -
I have a copy of translation. I'd be glad if you could give examples. I consider it among the best translations of the Quran....a lot of thought and analysis went into translating it...and it would be apparent if you read the introduction.
No translation is perfect though...it's all interpretation....but the important thing is to choose a meaning which blends well with the context and the overall message of the book.
One example is his promotion of marrying slaves. Islam is against slavery. Okay, Ill cut and paste a part of a book I wrote.
No slavery in Islam
Most readers would find it astonishing to hear that slavery still exists in the modern world. Though the practice was abolished officially it is still very much alive. According to a study done by the International Labour Organisation the estimated number of slaves has increased from 12.3 million to 30 million since 2005. Slavery is not declining, in fact it is increasing.
Defining slavery
Humans used, sold or bought as a commodity or property
Imprisoned or kept by force with no freedom of movement
Forced to work via some form of threat
Forcefully acquired or owned by a master or employer, abused or under threat of abuse.
Slavery has been officially abolished since 1981 and the world at large, including some Muslims believe that Islam does propagate slavery. It is an erroneous view as you will find the Quran telling us that slaves are to be set free as a repenting act for a sin or crime you commit. If a billion Muslims follow the Quranic teachings and seek to set a slave free to redeem themselves, 30 Million slaves might see a hope of freedom. Many do find it silly to discuss slavery but slavery is very much alive, it is in the increase and needs attention. The ILO goes to the length of quoting 90$ as the average cost of a slave.
Freeing a slave is defined as a fundamental pillar of piety in the Quran. Muslims currently believe in a theology called the five pillars of Islam.- Faith
- Prayer
- Zakath or charity
- Fasting
- Performing the Haj pilgrimage at least once in your lifetime
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The above five pillars are not a formula found in the Quran. The Quran contradicts this.
Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but pious is one who
believes in God and the Last Day,
and the angels,
and the Book,
and the prophets,
and who gives money out of love to the relatives,
and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask,
and to free the slaves;
and who upholds prayer,
and who contributes towards purification;
and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge,
and those who are patient in the face of hardship and adversity and when in despair.
These are the ones who have been truthful, and these are the righteous. ? Quran 2177
Very directly and clearly the Quran gives a formula to live by, which if someone has an argument against is imprudent.
As you can see, freeing slaves is part of a Muslims creed.
Quran verse 492 says that if you kill someone by mistake (e.g. Motor Accident), you must free a slave and compensate the family. Compensating the family is for their wellbeing, freeing a slave is for your salvation. Imagine every Muslim in the world seeking to free a slave in case of an accidental death.
Verse 589 ordains you to free a slave in case you had broken an oath or a promise. If you owe someone money and you break the promise of return, if and when you repent, it is not enough just to return that money. You must free a slave as an act of repentance.
960 gives you freeing a slave as a duty amongst charity and relieving those in debt.
The Quran articulates in this manner
?Do you know which the better path is?
o The freeing of slaves.
o Or the feeding on a day of great hardship.
o An orphan of relation.
o Or a poor person in need.?
Quran 9012-16
Islam is against slavery, contrary to popular belief and is a solution, not a problem.
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Which translation(s) do you recommend ?
I am no part of this at all but I still recommend the Free Minds translation.
But mostly I recommend those who reason from the Quran and not extra Quranic ideologies. See if you have a concept that developed through the years and are born into it, you find it difficult to disbelieve it. Thus when you translate the Quran, you try to keep your preconceived concepts in tact by blindly misinterpreting the Quran. There are many examples, but you can do your own research.
Peace.