Clean in my mind and heart
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So if we dont have to take things literally, but rather metaphorically then you have thousands different ideas sometimes, which one do i use?
Which one do you think makes most sense? Or which ones fits the whole message of the Quran best? In terms of salat, look at the different verses what do you think fit best and is it possible that two interpretations can be used at the same time, for example with regards to the timing of salat? You could if you want. Maybe you can just pick one and Allah swt knows your intention and its about whether you will follow through with whatever you believe on salat for example.
Very true but then we speak about metaphores again, look at this verse
2 125We have rendered the shrine (the Ka`aba) a focal point for the people, and a safe sanctuary. You may use Abraham's shrine as a prayer house. We commissioned Abraham and Ismail "You shall purify My house for those who visit, those who live there, and those who bow and prostrate."
Doesnt this say that we have to bow and prostrate? or am i understanding this wrong?
While I think bowing and prostrating can be a nice approach/method in prayer, I think there is more to it. that verse can be taken as those who will bow and prostrate to Allah swt in terms of His designs, His guidance. Those who hold him in awe so that's why the Quran also says that everything in the heavens and earth prostrates to Allah swt - 1315, 1649 as a couple of examples of how the rest of creation prostrates and submits to God's designs. Those who accept essentially, can be one way of putting it.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I dont really have anyone to talk to about these things
THANK YOU bravo
Aww, you are very welcome. I'm so glad and I am more than happy to talk to you about these things and answer your questions according to what I know. Of course, you will always need to verify things yourself as I am sure you know.
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peace,
can someone explain what this means exactly. i find this very interesting
What I meant was that the many bad/unjust things happening around the world can weigh us down emotionally/spiritually when one may wish to feel the opposite, i.e. transcend this life, feel at peace etc.
BUT my thoughts were that these things may have a connection, i.e. by doing good in the world, lessening the bad/unjust things going on, one can feel not so heavy/burdened, i.e. uplift themselves.Put simply, one (bad/unjust things) is related to the other (uplifting/transcending/being at peace).
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Salaam,
You must remove the image of a grumpy old man with beard when you try to fathom who God really is. I suggest that you ought to read my latest post in my thread "Nearness and Guidance -> Knowledge and Wisdom = Peace and Prosperity". God is far from a grumpy old man who wants to prescribe 1000 (I think it was according to hadith) prayers per day. We must part from that image, it belongs to those who are ignorant about God.
Instead imagine that you stand in front of the most Gracious, Merciful man ever met and that He will guide you as long as you follow Him and work righteousness, ie. being a muslim working for peacemaking within your own soul for betterment.
I hope what I said somewhat helps you
God bless you
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Peace,
I think the biggest problem to get past is the doubt about whether God exists or not. If you become momeen and become absolutely certain then it becomes a lot easier.
Most of us may have to work hard before God actively shows Himself through signs which are clear enough not to be missed. When you begin "to walk along the beach with the Lord" then you will not have the slightest doubt about God's existence. And you will particularly feel more Peace and Prosperity since God walks along with you.
God bless you
still waiting for this to happen
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We all or many of us have felt that way at some time. We suffer because we are powerless inthe face of it. As against that you should do, of course what is in your power and for the rest trust God and ask him to take care of those you cannot help. He can and He will. You have to trust. You have to trust that everything in His hands will be squared, that those who suffer will be requitted as least pproportionnately. That their reward will be bigger for having undergone such trials. That, as God says, nobody will regret anything. You have to trust, brother or sister and not be impatient. For you it may be a big dispairing mess. For God it is nothign. God can right everything and make good everything.
Help along, pray along, and trust. He knows. He knows how you feel, just ask Him and trust Him. God wants that we ask him for things.
Salaam
i think i believe 90% that the only reason for prayer is fellowship with God. It seems as if the odds of prayers being answered are low due to all the constraints and criteria that the prayer has to meet before even being eligible to be answered--if that makes sense-. i 90% believe that God does not intervene in our lives although he hears and sees everything. But I guess theres no way to know for sure. Thats just how I feel
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Peace everyone,
In terms of God and when we pray what we think of in terms of God, I don't know if this helps anyone who feels a little lost or confused, but I don't envision anything. I just know my Creator's attributes and remember the name of God and the many titles that the Creator has. I find this very relaxing actually. It all fits together for me. We don't have to envision or struggle to see God, God is beyond our imagination. But we can know and understand God, see the many Signs in nature that God's attributes are found in and we understand all this for our relationship with Him. I think the point in the Quran where it says our Creator is very close to us - that's important, Allah is part of our life in a way we can't fully comprehend. Also that God is intimately involved in the creation all around us. God isn't creation, but the Creator that sustains all that is, but the whole nearness of God - that's very important I believe.
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and WOW you pray without the rakaats, that is very very different from what i have learned.
There is no word "raka'at", but if you found it, I may send you some money to you.
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There is no word "raka'at", but if you found it, I may send you some money to you. D
Sorry I mean there is no word "raka'at" in the Quran
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Peace Tigress,
You have to work harder and God will show signs of His presence in your life. If you had been in my shoes I could have showed you, but unfortunately that it not possible. But deciding to have doubt and not doing like Fox Mulder in X-files and tell yourself "I want to believe" then it will be a lot harder for you.
God will not show Himself right away, you have to gain His favor, gaining His Nearness and Guidance.
I understand how silly it feels talking to someone who does not seem to respond, like a monolog, but He does hear and will subtly show you that he reponded to your various needs or wishes stated in the prayer if you have Faith in that God truly listened and that He actually is there.
God bless you
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Peace everyone,
I agree with Man of Faith, it will become clearer when you continue seeking guidance and act out of faith by doing good. One thing I'd say is that there are many things that are Unseen that we know we depend upon, that is required for life to exist. People before us did not know some of these unseen processes and with science we have discovered some of them. There could be some unseen processes that we may never know or see or hear about even through science because it is on a scale we perhaps don't know about. If there is a God - do we really expect to see/hear Him? Or do we understand that we will know Him through His Signs and that step by step we will come to understand what we need to for our relationship with our Creator?
