how I am came to God alone
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Over 10 years ago, I was browsing in a bookstore and read abook by Idries Shah called The Commanding Self. I really delved deeply into his books. I wanted to be a Sufi. I couldn't find anywhere to 'sign up' so I just kept reading. I have been reading his books ever since. A few years after starting to read I.S., I became curious about Islam and I drove to a mosque. My marraige was coming to an end at that time. I had converted to Roman Catholicism about 5 years prior in order to try to salvage my marraige. Didn't help, actually seemed to make it worse. Anyways, I drove up to this mosque in winter and saw this guy driving a Jaguar. He rolled down his window and was very friendly. We arranged to meet another weekend because he had to go out. I came back. I also spoke to a Moslem woman I worked with and she arranged for me to meet her uncle who gave me some literature on Islam. To make a long story short I basically agreed with the Imam to the core belief that makes you a Moslem, one God and Muhammed is the last prophet. I kept it quiet though. I went to Mosque for awhile, but eventually some things were said there that turned me off. Those are stories in and of themselves but let me just say that I have read that many on this forum had similarly disturbing experiences. Also, 911 happened, and I just felt very self-concious. I stuck with it privately through my divorce, and once I had my own place I started doing Salat. My kids called it 'Daddy's pray', and they would imitate me. I learned the whole thing in Arabic. My kids thought I was saying , 'a salami' . Later I begain dating and became serious with a woman. She was cool with my Salat. I had stopped going to mosque though, not that she directly pressured me. She was Christian and wanted to get back to going to church. I'd go with her and we settled on an Episcopal Church. Eventually we got married and even doing Salat faded. I kept reading Idries Shah though. (I'll continue this story later - more to tell)
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I have been getting emails from free-minds for many years. I ignored all of them after I started to fade away from Islam. But the free-minds team sent me one on 12/20/10. it was full of links, and for some reason I began to explore this time. I found Islam A Challenge to Religion by G. A. Parwez and ended up reading the whole work in only a few days.
So I am praying Salat again. I am not so worried about fitting in anymore or getting my Islam 'just right'. I am going to do my best to learn from the Quran. I am grateful to this website and the clarifications about passages from the Quran. it is helping me. I am also simply a more sophisticated reader than I used to be. Taking it too literally or too figuratively used to get me all confused and frustrated. i am starting to see how clear and easy it can be if I just stay in a clear and easy mindset.
I still plan to go to church with my wife. We don't go much. I'll skip the Nicene Creed and other prononcements that go against my beliefs. But there is much of value in church, and I don't want to walk away.
I look forward to continued study of the Quran and visiting this site and forum.
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Sounds like you are some sort of universalist muslim, wich actualy does sound realy cool. Good luck with your endeavours and welcome!
Thanks
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welcome wchase
I still attend church with hubby a couple of times during the year as and when we can as I like the feeling of comunity and as there is no local mosque who would accept my god alone approach the church for me is a good place for me to share faith with my family .....................and as the Quran encompases people of the book then ill continue to go......I also love the worship band and watching my little girl dancing to the music yay
hope you enjoy the forum handshake
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Welcome wchase! welcome welcome
You can be a muslim (without the capital M) in any place that you want.
Church, Synagogues, Mosque, Temples, Garbage Disposal, Sky Rise Building.. it doesn't matter..
Mind you that within the Quran, Jesus and his companions (apostles) all were called muslims..
They are recorded to attend and preach within the Jewish Synagogues..(And not a church! As "Church" was non-existent during their time). and they never met Muhammad either as Muhammad was only born 600 years after they all died.. And it also doesn't matter regarding the way you pray..I found that Jesus's "Lord's Prayer" to be one of my favorite prayer, it's simple but deep in meanings..
Salam / Peace
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welcome wchase
I still attend church with hubby a couple of times during the year as and when we can as I like the feeling of comunity and as there is no local mosque who would accept my god alone approach the church for me is a good place for me to share faith with my family ) .....................and as the Quran encompases people of the book then ill continue to go......I also love the worship band and watching my little girl dancing to the music yay
hope you enjoy the forum handshake
Way to go girl!.. I'm happy that you and your family find happiness within a church..
God is indeed everywhere..Salam / Peace
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I have been getting emails from free-minds for many years. I ignored all of them after I started to fade away from Islam. But the free-minds team sent me one on 12/20/10. it was full of links, and for some reason I began to explore this time. I found Islam A Challenge to Religion by G. A. Parwez and ended up reading the whole work in only a few days.
So I am praying Salat again. I am not so worried about fitting in anymore or getting my Islam 'just right'. I am going to do my best to learn from the Quran. I am grateful to this website and the clarifications about passages from the Quran. it is helping me. I am also simply a more sophisticated reader than I used to be. Taking it too literally or too figuratively used to get me all confused and frustrated. i am starting to see how clear and easy it can be if I just stay in a clear and easy mindset.
I still plan to go to church with my wife. We don't go much. I'll skip the Nicene Creed and other prononcements that go against my beliefs. But there is much of value in church, and I don't want to walk away.
I look forward to continued study of the Quran and visiting this site and forum.
amen ! what a great plan you have!
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Friendship, like any other thing in this world, like any other relationship is a test and a way for us to learn. We learn also from betraying a friend or being betrayed. We cannot keep away from marriage because it may turn out bad, the same with friendships or any other thing within human context. If anybody feels he or she is not ready for a certain kind of friendship, then it is up to him or her to abstain. Just like not being redy for marriage. It my be that that lasts the whole life. It is better not, but finally thatis what fredom is for, so that each person can live his own life and go through his or her own tests. It would be an eror though to think that because we are not prepared for something that everybody is not prepared.
Salaam