Rituals - revisited
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Feel free to have a ritual Armanaziz but what I say to you is that you have no scripture which commands you from "God" to perform it. It is your invention/choice. Quran does not propagate any ritual except community service/volunteer work and to spread the word of "God", nor did Jesus Christ advocate any ritual but had a strict anti-Pagan stance. Any other Christian ideas of rituals are from men and so from those who call themselves Muslims.
Have faith
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I will agree with Arman that certain exercises helps you connect with your creator. Deep meditation techniques lead to self realization. Alternatively deep intellectual introspection can also lead to realization. If correct techniques are applied it helps the uninitiated. I have read that touching your forehead on earth ( bare earth not in some building) helps one to harmonize their vibratory patterns and give focus for thoughts and action.
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Harmony be with you shogun,
Then it is talking about voluntary meditation, concentration exercises and not a (religious) ritual, for in which meditation you seek spiritual clarity, and perhaps affinity with it, if you define it like that. Meditation of course means different things to those who perform it, but it basically comes down to the aim of spiritual harmony.
Rituals in religion on the other hand are performed to subdue and please the deity in question and not originally really to grow spiritually. It is a prescribed or even dogmatically enforced rule of that respective sect.
Arman's reasoning in this thread are basically attempts at finding an excuse for rituals while there are clear differences between various ritual types. I said one may observe a ritual if that is their desire, however they shall know that 'Allah' has never prescribed any religious ritual and it is questionable whether it is on a spiritual level any beneficial effect from it except being a placebo effect (wiki search placebo if you do not know the term). That means as long as I can gain the same placebo effect I can do any kind of ritual such as plain meditation or I could even give charity and gain the same effect with faith that it will yield the same result.
Personally, as a personal preference, I do my "ritual" of spiritual growth/clarity by silent reflection and tinkering upon existence and reevaluation of my very being constantly, and if there is something I am wrong about or if there is any new abstract thinking I can gain more clarity in.
I was also an adherent for a while to the sectarian salat in my ignorance so I know the difference between performing it and not performing it. I can yield better results by reflective meditation as you may call it. And I read Quran basically every day and I study it every day, so it is not like I never think of my Creator, Rabb, Father or whatever name you give your Foundation.
The results of my ascension even while not performing salat had given me great faith and security, and I am not dishonest to the revelations of Allah either, which contain no command of any prayer ritual, at all. However, careful reflection and pondering is nearly commanded or at least recommended in the Scriptures and why Quran contains so many allegories more than lawmaking.
Have faith
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Very interesting discussion gentlemen.
Thank you!group
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Harmony be with you shogun,
Then it is talking about voluntary meditation, concentration exercises and not a (religious) ritual, for in which meditation you seek spiritual clarity, and perhaps affinity with it, if you define it like that. Meditation of course means different things to those who perform it, but it basically comes down to the aim of spiritual harmony.
Rituals in religion on the other hand are performed to subdue and please the deity in question and not originally really to grow spiritually. It is a prescribed or even dogmatically enforced rule of that respective sect.
Arman's reasoning in this thread are basically attempts at finding an excuse for rituals while there are clear differences between various ritual types. I said one may observe a ritual if that is their desire, however they shall know that 'Allah' has never prescribed any religious ritual and it is questionable whether it is on a spiritual level any beneficial effect from it except being a placebo effect (wiki search placebo if you do not know the term). That means as long as I can gain the same placebo effect I can do any kind of ritual such as plain meditation or I could even give charity and gain the same effect with faith that it will yield the same result.
Personally, as a personal preference, I do my "ritual" of spiritual growth/clarity by silent reflection and tinkering upon existence and reevaluation of my very being constantly, and if there is something I am wrong about or if there is any new abstract thinking I can gain more clarity in.
I was also an adherent for a while to the sectarian salat in my ignorance so I know the difference between performing it and not performing it. I can yield better results by reflective meditation as you may call it. And I read Quran basically every day and I study it every day, so it is not like I never think of my Creator, Rabb, Father or whatever name you give your Foundation.
The results of my ascension even while not performing salat had given me great faith and security, and I am not dishonest to the revelations of Allah either, which contain no command of any prayer ritual, at all. However, careful reflection and pondering is nearly commanded or at least recommended in the Scriptures and why Quran contains so many allegories more than lawmaking.
Have faith
MOF,
Most Rituals helps us.
Do you accept Fasting as a ritual, if yes why do you think we need to do it.?
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I fast if I show repentance for something or show grief.
Have faith
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I do not think fasting as a group and at specific time period is without some valid reason. If the age old Arabic calendar system is researched there should some environmental reasons and clues for the same.
People fast for various reasons,
for balancing their body and for health reasons.
fearing animals and insects that spread diseases in specific times.
adapting to the weather
as penance. -
Hajj is not a ritual. You go only once.
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It got me thinking. When we are in grief, we are automatically fasting. Its natural is not it? But of course I dont think fasting a whole month is written on our instinct.
Yes. And when we repent for something bad that we did we are also in grief. If you have not done something bad and in problem then you can clearly show you feel bad about something and then you fast and you call upon the Rabb.
Have faith