Why am I "turning away" from God?
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Peace Yuliana.
You are the only one who has control over your choices. We can give you our opinion/advice in the hope you make the right choices. And We all have preferences.
Our Creator has expressed for us that He, too, has His own preferences. He has cited for us His favorite traits and detailed for us who exactly is worthy of earning His love or His condemnation. Within Qoran, God has stated who He loves or abhors, what He likes or dislikes.
He also chooses to who / and when to answer prayers.By our own volition, we end up either close to or favored by God , or far from Him . We either follow His criteria of love or face the consequences of our own man-made criteria of love. This system is clearly spelled out
The day will come when each soul will find all the good works it had done brought forth. As for the evil works, it will wish that they were far, far removed. God alerts you that you shall reverence Him alone. God is Compassionate towards the people.
For example, there is a big list of what GOD loves or dislikes
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God advocates justice and loves those who are just (499) and equitable (542). He doesn't love the unjust (357).
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He loves the steadfast (3146) and He loves those who put their trust in Him (3159).
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He doesn't love those who are arrogant (1623, 436, 311 nor does He love those who are boastful, proud (5723).
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God loves the charitable (2195) and doesn't love the transgressors (755, 587), the corrupt (2877), the betrayers or the unappreciative (4107, 223.
...And so on...
He said He answers the prayers of His devoted servants? It is His promise.
But of course GOD tries everyone first. Do we have the patience to persevere?May the Lord grant you more patience and help you in your quest.
GOD bless you.
Peace.
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What should I do?
My advice is keep patience and steadfast and keep put your trust in God, don't give up in this.
Do not be weak in faith.
Good advice from brother MoF. )
What is your proof that He answers your prayer and intervenes in your life?
When I believe and hope to God, I always get positive results. )
Don't forget that our prayer is to ask for something good/useful (don't hope for bad things for yourself).
There was moment where I only have short wish in my heart, but it was granted fairly quickly.
There was moment where I prayed very seriously and finally granted after some time.
There is also where I pray very, very serious, and very hopeful to God, but still not granted until very long time, but it doesn't make me loss. )
The waiting time (until prayer be granted/answered) is also beneficial for us, because that's the valuable time when we practice to be patient and steadfast, two qualities that are very important and very useful for our lives, and I think we need to practice these.
Sometimes our prayers are still not answered, but the waiting period we through in patience and steadfastness can 'forge/made' us develop to become better and stronger soul in healthy and correct manner, and I think that's how we undergo our purification process on earth.
If you remain believe in God, remain patient, remain put your trust in God, and always try to surrender to God to the extent you can, then God willing
? you will have peace/serenity in your mind and heart,
? your faith will stronger from time to time,
? God's signs become more clear for you to be seen and sensed,
? you will know that God is near and He doesn't leave you.And for me, reading/studying the Qur'an regularly is very useful to know about God and very useful for many other things.
He said He answers the prayers of His devoted servants? It is His promise.
But of course GOD tries everyone first. Do we have the patience to persevere?Very good reminder, brother. I also need to be reminded about this.
Thank you very much.
Peace.
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Peace,
When I made a prayer it took two years until it was answered, but when it was answered it was in detail the way I had prayed. That was for my current wife and not did know that a person that I had prayed for might be bad for me either, but I soon got to learn when the prayer was answered in 2009.
There is much testing in our lives and God's intervention does not come like God waving from the skies saying "Salaam! Here I am!". This is a test and God does not reveal anything so obvious unless we have much faith because then God has no reason to hide since confidence (faith) has entered our hearts. It is the individual person's responsibility to discover about God and to build up faith and to his/her help there is a sea of signs out there. Merely giving it some thought you might realize that this world cannot simply exist coincidentially. That was the path I approached God at fist. Organized religion I took as pathetic and I still do and never belonged to a sect (Islam, Christianity etc).
We need to be very determined about God and build up faith and know if it was not a test God would not hide around anywhere so your faith has to circulate around the "unseen" and the signs that there is a Creator ought to have you generate confidence. The recitation (Quran) could be a boost to your faith. But put your trust in God and be really really stubborn and patient even if you do not see God's marvels in your life for years and improve yourself in all the ways you can. Be good, kind and helpful and minimize and be mindful of your own ego and be a bit like Jesus when it comes to humbleness and respectfulness. God sees you for your good deeds and faith and not primarily because of your prayers and ritualistic devotion. When you manage to put a lid over your emotions and anger then God will see that you have faith.
And you have seen that I suddenly know more about what was written in the recitation (if you take a look in my thread) and I did not merely know that through wishful thinking but I prayed to have more knowledge of what the Arabic passage REALLY said and not what traditional interpretation had made it look like. I had been nearly frustrated because of the annoying impression it gave me and rituals like going to the "Restricted Temple" was not my God calling. But as you may see (if you read my thread) the passages do not at all refer to a building anywhere. They refer to a period when you leave your homes and travel (much like Jesus) to help other people and think about God. It is weird that the sectarians managed to twist around their meaning that badly. Another book nearly took shape when I "broke the code".
My qualified guess is that the book called Quran has been laying forgotten for years at some point and people just tried to interpret it later when their meaning was no longer as obvious. And they took their own wicked interpretation from it.
God bless you
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Since a few months ago (last year) I have been doubting His intervention in other creature's life or at least my own life. I still believe He exists but I hardly pray because I often don't feel He would answer.
What should I do?
What is your proof that He answers your prayer and intervenes in your life?Salaam Yuliana,
I believe God will help you as long as you stay humble and sincere in your devotion to Him. I do not feel as though our prayers are always answered immediately, as we are not always completely prepared for that which we request.
For example, I read the first three surah's when I was 19, and it did nothing for me. I put down that Quran, and didn't read another until I was 23. That time, before I began reading, I asked God to help me find something in this book (I was a confused and somewhere between atheist and deist). By the time I got to the same point I had reached the last time I opened the Quran, I knew I was a Muslim all-along. That was 4 years later.
I think about that often. Had I found the enlightenment at the age of 19, I was not in a place where I could have properly critiqued and learned as I have now. I was completely pigeonholed into a very restrictive schedule with no time or money, or support from fellow Muslims. When I found Allah at 23, I fully embraced Him and haven't looked back.
If you sincerely come to Him with a request, and remain humble and patient, I believe you will receive that which you have requested.
peace
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<b>Since a few months ago (last year) I have been doubting His intervention in other creature's life or at least my own life. I still believe He exists but I hardly pray because I often don't feel He would answer.</b>
So He hasn't answered your prayers in the way you think He should and therefor you doubt His existence, or at least His willingness to help people?
No offence but that seems a little naive.. God isn't a wish granting genie. Maybe it is better for your soul if your prayer is not granted yet.. or ever. I have prayed many times and not had my prayer answered, when this happens I assume that God either answered my prayer in a way I do not recognise or the answer to my prayer was "No", either way I assume that God has done what is best for me.
Your belief in God should not depend on whether you have your prayers answered imho.
<b>What should I do?</b>
Just be honest to yourself.
<b>What is your proof that He answers your prayer and intervenes in your life?</b>
I've had a few but my favourite was when I was a kid around 6
I had just started at a new school, the night before I was watching tv and a Sherlock Holmes show or movie was on. In the scene I saw by chance as I was flicking through the channels Holmes walks into a warehouse type building, he stepped through the entrance looked around nods to himself then took one step back and a whole bunch of crates fell right where he was standing.
The next day at school I was walking through the yard by myself when all of a sudden that scene came to my mind, I don't know why but I stopped, looked around and took one step back just like Holmes did, a bird crapped right where I had been standing.
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No offence but that seems a little naive.. God isn't a wish granting genie.
BobaFett,
You were saying this like if I expected every prayer that I have to be fulfilled. That's not what I meant.
I created this thread because God almost NEVER answered my prayers.
Furthermore, the sadness that I often have is another reason I created this thread. -
God always answers prayers, but may be the answer is not what you expect. You must trust that whatever God. We are so immersed on our own expectations, that may be do not realise that in fact our prayers have been answered but that in fact the answer is not what we expected. I am sure, if you have prayed that God has answered to perfection. But may be your own idea of what is good and Godly for you is off. May be youhave to change samething to realise that what you asked for in fact has been accomplished.
On the other hand we must be aware that if we ask for something in this world for this world, the answer will also be in this world and in this world nothing is perfect. There is nothing thatis only all advantages and no disadvantage.
At any rate, there has been such a glamour made of youth that it would seem that youth is a magic thing for happinesss, but it is not so. Young age is very trying, very hard, the vehemence wit which things are felt is too strong. It doe snot leave much peace.
You have to be patient with yourself, not demand of yourself that you "be happy". If we start with such demands, we do ot get anywhere. We have the right to be unhappy, we have the right to fail. Take it easy on yourself.
Salaam
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The only thing i ask with God is guidance to me and every one.
I try to learn from the signs, no books would help in deciding whats right and wrong for me. The guidance is live and straight before our senses. All the best.
By the way what you had asked for or what you expected him to answer with? -
Since a few months ago (last year) I have been doubting His intervention in other creature's life or at least my own life. I still believe He exists but I hardly pray because I often don't feel He would answer.
What should I do? What is your proof that He answers your prayer and intervenes in your life?He always answers..
But sometime you 'missed the answer' or 'the answer is not inline to your liking'.Prayer supposed to be mainly 'inward' oriented.
Prayer can help you to prepare yourself to accept on whatever God's will is for you.
Although it's not forbidden as well to pray for what you wish God do to you...Salam / Peace
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Peace,
Sometimes we lose faith, or start doubting, when things don't go our way, when we get frustrated, when we don't get what we want. It's normal, I've been there too.
I'd like to ask you... when you say that God almost never have answered your prayers, how do you know? How do you know they were not answered? I guess the answer would be that you didn't get what you asked for... am I right?
But I think that we need to try to see God in more contexts than a prayer-answerer. When we see God in a more full way, then we won't lose faith even when our prayers aren't answered (as it seems). We know that God is there anyway.Haven't you gone through things in life where you learnt something? Perhaps hard or difficult times? Did you learn something? Did you grow in some sense? Then God has indeed moved you in the direction of growth. Growth is, by the way, many times painful, due to our own resistance (that we often are not even aware of) or weakness. Growth is to gain strength where we before were weak. This is especially true for emotional areas. This is where most of us have lots to learn.
Many times, our disappointments, frustrations and losing of faith is due to our own narrow expectations. The worst part is that these expectations mostly are subconscious... we are not aware of them. Having wrong, or misaligned, expectations sets us at odds with life. It's like swimming against the stream, or at an angle. Had we not been so spiritually blind, we'd be able to swim along the stream, and things would be easier. But challenges and difficult and unpleasant moments will always be there. They are also there for our growth and learning! It's a blessing in disguise!
Just admit openly to God, when in private, with open words, and full of emotions if you can... that you feel you have a weak faith. Ask God to strengthen your faith and open your eyes, and let peace and happiness come in. Ask God to grant you success in growth and show you the truth. This is what I do. I'm always battling myself with similar issues... but I'm improving and I'm gaining more and more sight. We need Sabr, part of which is patience and leaving it to God, surrendering. But let God do the answering... don't decide how it should be answered! Just pray, and then leave it.
There is Christian minister, Joel Osteen, who speaks alot of sense. Just disregard whenever he mentions Jesus, it's not so often. And don't allow your critical mind to get caught up in negative criticism... but instead just relax and listen to the message. Many of his sermons are quite good in my own personal opinion. It was quite some time I listened to them, but I remember I liked many of them. I hope these may have some relevance to your situation
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSuEVYf1EiA - Are you listening?
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BAshKeUIm8 - The God who closes doors
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMpHls34VdY - Trust God's timing
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlkuJz6Bs8Y - How You Can Trust the Faithfulness of God
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIetbploceY - Don't fight it
https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI59mMbxGzE - God's dream for you is biggerPeace group
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Peace,
If your prayers are never answered there is something wrong in the approach. You need to look within yourself and see what it can be. Remember the fundamentals do good and have faith. You need to build up faith for the unknown and you need to unite rather than disunite and look to it that you become purified and you help others. Behavior plays the biggest role in God's realm and it must not be forgotten, second to faith in God alone.
We need also to remember that guidance is a blessing from God and unless you get nearer to God and receive guidance in life you will not "feel" God's presence in your life.
I had not felt much of God when I was 25 and before that nearly nothing, but once I closed in on 30 I realized I was blind because God was there all along. Between 25-32 I have done an enormous lift in my personal development with end to alcohol and gotten a better character overall and no association/shirk. These changes in living made the necessary adjustments to actually feel God's presence in my life. Now I do not believe that God exist but I know God exist.
But if you feel "abandoned" by God start look at what you might be doing wrong. Perhaps you do not see the things that God does for you? You are maybe not appreciative? Maybe you treat others poorly, that is a major negative point. Maybe God does not occupy your mind 24/7?
As you see there are many reasons why you do not feel God in your life, and that your requests are denied. My requests are granted pretty much every time I pray for something. That is not to sound arrogant or boastful, but as an example of how things can be if you approach and befriend God.
There is a lot to do, but it helps giving yourself to God and let God provide for you and help you in your daily life and you will see a difference in time. It often takes years to have a strong bond with God and much self-improvement. And you need to be steadfast and patient and convince yourself that God definitely exist and is there alive and kicking. Try to ponder upon existence and use all the advancements in cosmology and science we have which people of the past did not have. See that it is weird to think it would all exist out of mere coincidence. And then image a mighty energy in the universe often called Allah or God and, God willing, he you will some time begin to develop faith. Faith does not come without trying to reflect yourself. Make it a habit of sitting down in a recliner or a place of your choice and just think and think and think. Be open minded.
God bless you
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What is it specifically, that you have been asking him for?
Personally, i have been passing through hardship recently. They say whatever does not kill you makes you stranger. My Islamic philosophy has really changed. I asked myself at certain points why my supplications and even charities weren't getting me what i sought.
I began to feel sinful, i began to think to myself, "maybe Quran alone isn't the way forward, maybe i really deserve this pain, maybe i have always being a bad person and must inevitably pay for my wrongs".
A point was reached that i cut down on my supplication and charities. I said; "screw it, stop over-stretching your limit to do things because you want something from God, just be yourself, do things because they are right and let this be consistent, then GOD will see you through".I also learnt that God 's attribute of Mercy tend to be blown out of proportion. God is merciful, but He also stated He is Just. So if justice entails you losing your job, mariage etc then.....
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What is it specifically, that you have been asking him for?
Personally, i have been passing through hardship recently. They say whatever does not kill you makes you stranger. My Islamic philosophy has really changed. I asked myself at certain points why my supplications and even charities weren't getting me what i sought.
I began to feel sinful, i began to think to myself, "maybe Quran alone isn't the way forward, maybe i really deserve this pain, maybe i have always being a bad person and must inevitably pay for my wrongs".
A point was reached that i cut down on my supplication and charities. I said; "screw it, stop over-stretching your limit to do things because you want something from God, just be yourself, do things because they are right and let this be consistent, then GOD will see you through".I also learnt that God 's attribute of Mercy tend to be blown out of proportion. God is merciful, but He also stated He is Just. So if justice entails you losing your job, mariage etc then.....
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They say whatever does not kill you makes you stranger.
rotfl Sorry, I just had to enjoy that typo.
I also learnt that God 's attribute of Mercy tend to be blown out of proportion.
Yes, God's mercy is waaayyyy bigger than we can grasp. Even that which we can see seems, like you say, to be big out of proportion.
Peace -
The thing not to loose sight of is that God knows and can, we do not know nor can. God can always right any "wrong" He may du us and He can even right any wrong we do ourselves, and he knows what is before us and what is behind us and how everything will ever fit, therefore he can do with us "miracles".
When we ask ourselves why God is not "answering" our prayers let us remember a narration in the Qur'an which is very much to the point. Prophet Ayub who seemingly was being punished for nothing. He was patient and he did not loose his trust in God. Let us not forget that.
Let us not forget that when we seem to be abandoned, God may be giving us in fact the greatest of the gifts patience and trust. We see that animal, the dog, so humble, so trusting, a dog always believes that its master will return no matter how many days he waits, he never believes his master will do anything worng to him, even while being made to do awful things (like swallowing medicines or undegoing "ridiculous treatments". If we could be as trustful of our Master as that animal. Why is the dog man's best friend, why was it with the sleepers of the cave, guarding the entrance... Trust, unflinching trust, and patience.
How difficult it is for a dog to feel despondent and loose trust! Because it has patience and trust.
May be God wants us to have that treasure, or may be other mny treasures we cannot think of. When we loose trust in God we loose a big chunk of ourselves, because we simply loose trust. Or my be our faith up till then was a childish faith, a "miracle" type of faith. May be we must mature and go deeper than the ruffled surface of ourselves...
Diamantine, be kind to yourself, love yourself, God loves you, He made you specially the way you are. Have trust, trust that you are worth everything, no matter what the environment may give you to think. God made you and therefore you are rightly made and perfect as the human you are. And trust.
Salaam
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Bytheway... sometimes we know things, or believe things, intellectually... but we don't feel them. Sometimes we understand things and see them as obvious on a theoretical level, but they don't feel alive in us... we don't reallyget it. This is how I have felt many times.
So, actually, one's spiritual development is a gradual process, never ending. Don't get frustrated about theory about God. Just go back to basics, be simple and be yourself, and surrender to God your frustration. Pray for understanding. This is an underestimated thing to do... to ask God to open us up and let us be able to see the truth, whatever it may be. I'm saying this because often the things people say and advice seem very sensible and true, but still seem just like disconnected theory as far as one's own life is concerned.What I've personally found miraculous is to find a mantra and keep using it as a prayer to God for forgiveness and renewal... e.g. astaghfar. It doesn't matter if the grammar is perfect, as long as you know and have a feeling what it means to you. Try consistently asking God for forgiveness... it is wonderful, and it does wonders, really.
All the best
Peace -
Since a few months ago (last year) I have been doubting His intervention in other creature's life or at least my own life. I still believe He exists but I hardly pray because I often don't feel He would answer.
What should I do?
What is your proof that He answers your prayer and intervenes in your life?Salamun alaiki sister.
I think you may be swept by all the wonderful advice that everyone is giving you. So let me refrain from giving any advice, let me just simply respond to your question, how I know God has intervened in my life.
The greatest proof that God has intervened in my life is that He has created me as a human being ? not as a plant, an insect, a brid or even a monkey ? as a full blown human! But that?s not all. The World report on disability (WHO/World Bank, 2011) estimates that 15% of us are disabled people, that?s 1,050,000,000 people. God has already done me a tremendous favor by creating me in a full human form and saving me from accidental disabilities. Because of this huge favor ? I breath in refreshing air, I walk on this beautiful planet on my two feet, devour its mind blowing beauty, hear its heart-soothing music, interact with people of all sort, work for earning a decent living ? and eat and drink from the delicious foods and drinks our Master has provided us. Even if I was disabled in some way or become disabled today ? I do not think I can ever be grateful enough for what I already have had.
God?s mercy didn?t end just there! As per WB report, 1 in 8 people in the current world suffers from chronic mal-nutrition because they do not get enough to eat. God has intervened in my life and my children?s life by not making us take birth in one such poor families. Because I do not need to worry about three meals a day (now 2 due to Ramadan), I get the time to philosophize here on free minds!
Worldwide number of people who cannot read is about 800 million. God has intervened in my life by allowing me (financially and intellectually) to receive education so that I can read in at least 2 languages. This has given me the opportunity to read some magnificent books and learn from them first hand ? most important of which (to me) being the Qur?an.
Scientists estimate human beings have been on this planet as a distinct species for at least 50 thousand years. Only the last 2000 years can be considered some sort of ?developed? phase of this journey. Industrial revolution happened within last 200 years. How blessed I have to be to be born in an era when I carry around a cellphone in my pocket ? checking my emails several times a day and riding on metro rails and motorized transport on daily basis?
These gifts are already too much for me to appreciate in one life-time, but guess what - God?s intervention did not end there. In addition to creating me as a human he sent me down to the best parents in the universe (per my assessment), gave me the fortune to take the best woman in the world (per my assessment) as my wife and gifted me with the best children I can imagine. How can I ever be grateful enough?
You may think ? all these is pretty normal. Is it? Think again. Take the following examples
- Have you heard of the guy whom his father tried to throw into fire because he didn?t agree to worship dolls? I am taking about a guy named Abraham.
- Have you heard of the guy whom his mother had to throw in a river because she wasn?t sure she can save him from an ongoing genocide? In irony of fate the little boy gets to be raised in the home of the same vicious tyrant who was running the genocide. You probably guessed it right ? I am talking about Moses.
- Or how about the person who from his childhood had to deal with the agony of everyone around him calling him an illegitimate child (not necessarily using this diplomatically correct term). He lives his life among the poorest and the most oppressed of the society ? and then.. you know the story of Jesus.
- Or to the least, the guy who was born orphan, lost his mother in childhood and once adult experienced the death of each of his sons while they were mere children. Yes talking about Muhammad here.
And as far my understanding goes, all these people were way higher than me in expressing their gratitude to the Master of the universe.
When I compare the fortune, the comfort, the luxuries that I am enjoying day in day out ? with what these guys had to go through in their lives I become scared, feel ashamed and ask my Master ? am I really worthy of all the favors that He has given me unsolicited? My head comes down to ground ? unable to carry the load of gratitude and reverence for my Master. I feel like as if I was starving and suddenly some unknown person has left me a trillion dollar check and I am searching for the donor to at least get an opportunity to say ?Thank you.?
You ask me how God has intervened in my life.. how else can I wish Him to intervene? Should I wish him to intervene to take the freedom away from me so that I lose my free will to choose my course and then face the consequences? Should I wish him to intervene to take the freedom away from me so that I lose the joy of trying things and failing again and again so that I can try again and be successful? Should I wish him to intervene to make me other than a human?
May Allah guide us all to the straight route.
Best regards,
Arman
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Peace,
Why not ask for God to intervene? Why would it remove your freedom? It would only show that you regard that God as the supreme command. You are still free to choose in this life and it is pretty much a sandbox. But if you ask God you may get provisions you did not otherwise have or knowledge and wisdom you did not know of. And wealth is the least important.
God bless you