Some New Questions About The Qur'an
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1 Dreams. Some people claim they have the ability to interpret dreams. I used to believe a woman who also claims this (she is also a believer), because she is right almost all the time and because I thought "Who knows? Maybe she has this gift from God, just like prophet Yusuf had according to the Qur'an." But now I don't ask her anymore because I found out she is also committing shirk out of ignorance and because I just want to trust God Who knows all the unseen and I pray for the best. I feel comfortable that way, because trying to interpret dreams is driving me crazy.. I sometimes have the feeling that dreams contain an important message for me, but I never get the message... How do you guys experience this? What do you think?
I quite didn't understand her skill. Do you mean to say she was able to see the future in her dreams? Or is it like she was interpreting random things we see in them? I do have the ability to see the future in dreams. But it is never ongoing. It just happens occasionally and I truly hate it because its always about something bad. Some dreams, however, can be symbolic. For instance, seeing snake in a dream equals to coming across an enemy. But then there are some others that come from how the mind works. College students are prone to seeing failing in their classes. This is simply a response from anxiety about their academic performance.
If something is in the Quran and it has not been condemned by Allah then it means it is not shirk. But one has to be very careful about such things. I know of some sunnis who believe that doing some kind of ritual can get one to dream about the future. There are even "professionals" doing it for others. Unfortunately, what I have observed is that they create more conflicts for their clients. One of my friends got her home almost broken because the professional seer told her that her husband was betraying her. It turned out to be false. Thus, its better not to be too confident about these things.A dream about the future would always contain a voice saying that it would come true. Otherwise, its just something from the mind. I believe you have got addicted. This is a natural outcome and thus, does need attention.
2 I have been taught that the teachings of the Qur'an are 'universal', as in it can be applied at any place and any time. But what do you guys think about verse 242 "The adulteress and the adulterer, you shall lash each of them with one hundred lashes, and do not let any pity overtake you regarding the system of God if you believe in God and the Last Day. And let a group of the believers witness their punishment."
This has been talked about many times. The law can only be applied if witnesses can be found against those who are doing the fornication. How many people really take others to bedroom to see the act? Apparently, it can only be applied to those who are performing it in public. If you read the entire Surah you will notice its more about those who practice false accusations. In fact, it tells that if the fornicator repents then he or she should be left alone. Can we take the teaching universal? Oh well, in US, public sex get people arrested. And if the girl turns out to be below 18, the boy is charged with rape. Saying it was consensual won't save them. Such thing is not allowed even in public bathroom. Remember the case of George Michael?
533 "The recompense of those who fight God and His messenger, and seek to make corruption in the land, is that they will be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from alternate sides or that they be banished from the land; that is a disgrace for them in this world and in the Hereafter they will have a great retribution."
Sura 5 is extremely interesting. It lays down the rules of how to be civilized. It also says that one should do nothing about those who disbelieve (541). We should no even regret it (554). That's freedom of religion. In some parts of this Surah Allah condemns those who kill the innocent to spread corruption. Do you think killing of innocent people and suppressing someone's right to believe in what he wants are right? Is it not cruel? Allah gives people the right to punish only them. Read the entire Sura . It will clear up many things.
3 Verse 1698 says "When you read the Qur'an, you shall seek refuge with God from the outcast devil." Does this mean we literally have to utter the words "I seek refuge with God from the outcast devil" before reading it, or does this verse simply mean that you are already seeking your refuge with God automatically by reading the Qur'an? What are your opinions?
Seeking refuge in God can mean asking him to guide you to truth. You can say it in your mind. Reading Quran won't get anyone automatically immune to devil. Sure many passages have healing effect, but there are also those that tell a story. Reading it won't get us shield against the evil.
4 I know the Qur'an forbids marrying with polytheists (verse 2221), but what does the Qur'an say about marrying atheists? Are you allowed to marry an atheist or someone that doubts the existence of God?
In verse 2221 what is that one thing that follows after do not marry the polytheists? Until they believe
5 Are we allowed to visit churches? I myself like to go to the church every christmas with a friend of mine because of the nice atmosphere (so not necessarily for praying). I notice all the shirk they commit, but I'm not participating in it. In my mind I am praying to God alone. Am I allowed to go to church every christmas, or does the Qur'an consider this as 'supporting the disbelievers/polytheists'? What are your opinions?
Why would it be wrong? Visiting a church is same as visiting a mosque in which messenger's name is written next to Allah's name.
6 Why is Moses called a 'messenger prophet' in verse 1951 in stead of just a prophet? (The same with Ishmael in verse 1954). What is the difference between a prophet and a messenger prophet?
This is still a topic debate among us.
7 In verse 4454 the free-minds translation of the Qur'an says "So it is, and We married them to wonderful companions."
According to Edip Yuksel, a better translation would be the word 'coupled' in stead of married, because the Qur'an makes no mentioning of any sexual relationship or literally getting married to women. He believes the companions mentioned here are simply pure 'friends' to have conversations with, because the rootword for the companions is also used to describe the apostles of Jesus in Arabic. What are your opinions? Do you guys believe we will have sexual partners in the Afterlife or not?Marrying is not mentioned in Quran?
Are friends only for conversation?
I don't exactly think in the land of heaven, sexual desire exists. I would like to know whether I am wrong.peace
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Marrying is not mentioned in Quran?
Are friends only for conversation?
I don't exactly think in the land of heaven, sexual desire exists. I would like to know whether I am wrong.No. It does not exist in the state called "Heaven" since you do not have to drag along with a Body. Sex drive is an instinct, of the animal you are within.
Be safe
Amenuel -
I don't exactly think in the land of heaven, sexual desire exists. I would like to know whether I am wrong.
peace
I thnk we are getting trapped in the "christian" concept of the body and the flesh as being sinful and something to be discarded. No qura'nic injunction upholds that.
Why would God call the physical uni?n ofmale and female s mithaq ghalith,if it was such a low thing and an animal response to the urge to reproduce?
Why would God put so many moral and emotional safguards on sex?
Sex is not low or base or "animal" devoid of mysticism and comunion. Quite the opposite, the "animal" part is the outward manifettion of the deeper part. If we miss that, no wonder that we see ourselves when in that as "animals" but it is not th fault of the thing itself but of our metal confusion as to what we are nd what we express.
In astrology, "sex" is placed in the same house as death. Is death the end of sex or is death the culmination of sex? Is sex a shallow dispppatching of "animal" urges? We can make it that, just as we can make money an object of worship.
Fesh, the body should be our temple, not our trap. If it becomes our trap we have lost track of ourselves completely. The body is holy just as everything is holy. It is not less holy than anyrhing else and therefore we should treat it with utmost respect it is not somethig straneous to us, but part of us, our destiny.
For example, we have children, they are us, part of us of our destiny for a while, then they go, but should we deal with them just as something cumbersome that distracts us from our "real" purpose"? No. they are our destiny, they are the mens by which we are and we become what God meant us to. As to what is aftet death and sex no sex. What is the surce of sex will contiue to exist and what is the source of everything will continue to exist, whether we "fuck"or not is secondary, it is like the surface of the sea, the fact that we only see the surface does not mean that underneath it there are not thousends of meters of deep waters... Or as the ripples in the skin of an orange. Is an orange just the ripples on its surface?
Are we so obtuse as not to go beyond appearances, however enticing they may be?
Separation of body ndmind is not qura'nic, but a certain strainn of Christianity which used to dispise flesh and women. It doesnot santify it divides, the capital sin gainst oneness. If we do not live through our bodies in this life we will forever have that pending. It is through our bodies that we will reach the next stage, therefore they are our friends and nto our enemies. They are us. Everyting is one.
Salaam
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Separation of body ndmind is not qura'nic,
It is more quranic than you think. In fact it is in Jinn and Nas, the words mean Body and Spirit. Quran speaks a lot about it including that Satan is from the Body. The problem is that you do not have a proper interpretation.
The Biblical Gospels are more true than you care to think, the whole concept is actually very accurate, except that they have the misconception that Jesus was the only "son" of God, which is not supported by the scripture they claim to adhere to.
Be safe
Amenuel -
Quote gthe qur'an. You do not to ush your body is evil thing.
On he other hnd it is clear that Inblis, is not a body as we understnd it, but he claimed he was notmde of flesh or earth but of fire, nd he did not need sex to perpetuate, gthat ismade very clear in the Qur'an. And iblis did mock God because He made man of mud with sex drive. The disdai for the body is a clear iblisazation of human kind.
Yoou who speak of the gospels, when youd isdain the body you are in fct corroborating the gospel when it says whoever wats to save his soul, will loose it.
Salaam
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No. It does not exist in the state called "Heaven" since you do not have to drag along with a Body. Sex drive is an instinct, of the animal you are within.
Be safe
AmenuelAlthough I kind of agree with your comment on astral bodies not having a sexual desire in the Hereafter, I would restrain myself from making a statement about it.
We can only talk about concepts and possibilities since we don't possess knowledge on the facts of afterlife.
This kind of mindset got Islam to where it is today. We have to accept our limitations, and search for more knowledge.
1736 Do not uphold what you have no knowledge of. For the hearing, eyesight, and mind, all these are held responsible for that.
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Although I kind of agree with your comment on astral bodies not having a sexual desire in the Hereafter, I would restrain myself from making a statement about it.
We can only talk about concepts and possibilities since we don't possess knowledge on the facts of afterlife.
This kind of mindset got Islam to where it is today. We have to accept our limitations, and search for more knowledge.
1736 Do not uphold what you have no knowledge of. For the hearing, eyesight, and mind, all these are held responsible for that.
That is right. Pure conjecture and speculation.
Salaam
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Ahmet,
Well, it is no secret without any scripture that the body will entice you to things. In addition, Quran has passages which clearly speaks against desirous drive. Satan is your instinctive drive and it will enslave you if you are not wary.
It is better to be spiritual and not let the body determine your actions and then I do not merely speak of sex drive but everything in human interaction.
Be safe
Amenuel -
The body hs its traps, the mind has its traps, the spirit has its traps. nd Ibles trap was not certainy the body.
The siritual trap may be is the worst because the person feels that he or she is above the rest because of his spiritual accomplishments. It is ilusory to think that the body has traps and the mind and the spirit do not. Anybody who has been around "spiritual people knows that and in fact knowledgeable and good spiritual people warn very very much about that.
Spirit is not he good one against the flesh, spirit can be as much separated from God s the flesh and the mind.
And then what is spirit? You seprate spirit and matter as if youknew. Where is tha separation? Matter is merely the perception in three dimensions, that is all, it is not something per se diffrent from what is not matter.
Salaam
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Ahmet,
Well, it is no secret without any scripture that the body will entice you to things. In addition, Quran has passages which clearly speaks against desirous drive. Satan is your instinctive drive and it will enslave you if you are not wary.
It is better to be spiritual and not let the body determine your actions and then I do not merely speak of sex drive but everything in human interaction.
Be safe
AmenuelAgain, I agree.
It would be an interesting world if everyone had a spiritual mind. We are confined in this hormone driven body, and hormones almost always have the upper hand. Excessive testosterone production is the reason the word "empire" exists. I think we have to be blessed with a properly functioning body to be able to make use of our minds for the greater good.
Reminds me of a quote from a man who spent his life fighting against tyranny voodoo, traditionalist idol worshipers hail , and ignorance hypno. He ended up being an idol against his will. brickwall
A healthy mind in a healthy body.
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It is not hormones, it is the mind that drives to covet things that are beyond our reach or benefit. And sex also mostly is in the mind, and entertained by the mind. Otherwise it would be ocmletely inocent like it happens with animals.
If we are going to divide ourselves into what is animal and what is not, it is what is non animal that turns us away from wht is good, not the animal part.
Salaam
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Huruf,
Verily it is the bodily functionality that covets things. You have to resist its craving.
Even if you do not want to eat or drink something tasty or have sex, your body will make it difficult for you to resist. Particularly it can be difficult to refrain from sex activity even if you truly like to. But you have perhaps never tried to resist?
Be safe
Amenuel -
You say so. May be that is your case, but most certainly that is not everybody's case. And certainly too, you cnnot say that you are immune to the temptations of the mind or the spirit. That I can gather even from what you write.
My feeling is that yo are shaped by certain "christian" and "spiritual" ideas which overdo the ascetic and think thaat sceticism is virtue.
And please, do not attempt to "confess" me (another seemingly christian trait) with that venomous "you have never tried to resist?". Is it your body which pushes youto such impertinence? I doubt it.
Salaam
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Atheists are actually polytheists. They ascribe their existence to matter. In order words, they believe in random chemical processes which changed non living matter into living things. They think the Earth created them. Thus they are polytheists. There is no such thing as an atheist if you really think about it.
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I just call them hedonistic. There are many hedonistic "monotheists" too. It is not the correct way of measuring things, if you ask me.
It is not appropriate to say an atheistic person is a polytheist, and if you hypothetically call their reverence to matter a kind of worship then this is monotheism since that is their god, but it is not possible to use "theist" terminology other than atheist.
I find hedonistic better. Another word is Pagan.
Be safe
Amenuel