My PERSONAL conclusions about salaat (contact prayer)
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Hmm... but does that mean everyone prays? lol
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I do not kneel toward Mecca and perform any ritualistic 'contact' prayers - in my case, contact with God and Angels has been made and continues to be made on a different level (visions/dreams/inspirations) and this ritual (along with ALL the others, like the head scarf for modesty, the pseudo fasting, Qur'anic recitals in Arabic, etc.) is rejected as a leftover of a bygone age when such rituals may have had a need/purpose in a primitive society, but now only seem to serve to keep the 'leaders' (sic) of Islam in power (sorta like the pope with the catholic rituals, etc.).
I've never been to a Mosque - see no need to, as what they seem to have to offer does not to me seem to be of any real value to my spiritual development at this point in my life.
All I need is the Qur'an and my contact with God/Angels - not any rituals. However, it would be nice if God had made it available in english without my having to go thru the 'translation' process, as each translation (and it's attached commentary) seems to have it's own unique 'version' of what was intended by the Angel passing it on the Messenger to transcribe (From God, to the Angel, to the Messsenger, to the translater, and finally to me - it seems things are 'lost' in this process). 'Our' understanding of ancient arabic seems so contentious that none of the translations seem to be 'complete'. So, I'm having to read ALL the translations I can get my greedy little hands on in hope of getting as close to what the Angel, God's direct messenger, had tried to 'say' to mankind. I just wish...
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Peace Blackstone
Do you prostrate at all? I mean putting your head down on the ground by praising/Glorifying God.
Peace
Asana"Only those believe in Our Signs who, when they are recited to them, fall down in prostration, and celebrate the praises of their Lord, nor are they puffed up with pride." (Qur'an 3215)
So, to answer this inquiry, I do not ritually place my head on the ground - I fall mentally 'down' to prostration, humbleness, abasement, etc. whenever I read the Qur'an (and often moved to tears of humility), whenever I dwell on God or God's signs, etc.
I have closed the gate to hell called pride, along with the other six gates (aka 7 sins)... instead, I have pursued the seven gates to heaven (aka 7 virtues)
First, the seven Gates to HELL
Lust or lechery (carnal "luxuria" is usually thought of as excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. In Dante's Purgatorio, the penitent walks within flames to purge himself of lustful/sexual thoughts and feelings. In Dante's "Inferno", unforgiven souls of the sin of lust are blown about in restless hurricane-like winds symbolic of their own lack of self control to their lustful passions in earthly life.
Gluttony derived from the Latin gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow, gluttony (Latin, gula) is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste. In the Christian religions, it is considered a sin because of the excessive desire for food or its withholding from the needy. Depending on the culture, it can be seen as either a vice or a sign of status. Where food is relatively scarce, being able to eat well might be something to take pride in. But in an area where food is routinely plentiful, it may be considered a sign of self-control to resist the temptation to over-indulge. Medieval church leaders (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony, arguing that it could also include an obsessive anticipation of meals, and the constant eating of delicacies and excessively costly foods. Aquinas went so far as to prepare a list of six ways to commit gluttony, including
? Praepropere - eating too soon.
? Laute - eating too expensively.
? Nimis - eating too much.
? Ardenter - eating too eagerly (burningly).
? Studiose - eating too daintily (keenly).
? Forente - eating wildly (boringly).
Greed (Latin, avaritia), also known as avarice or covetousness, is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed (as seen by the church) is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." In Dante's Purgatory, the penitents were bound and laid face down on the ground for having concentrated too much on earthly thoughts. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of greedy behavior. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain, for example through bribery. Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed. Such misdeeds can include simony, where one profits from soliciting goods within the actual confines of a church. As defined outside of Christian writings, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs, especially with respect to material wealth.
Sloth Over time, the "acedia" in Pope Gregory's order has come to be closer in meaning to sloth (Latin, Socordia). The focus came to be on the consequences of acedia rather than the cause, and so, by the 17th century, the exact deadly sin referred to was believed to be the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts. Even in Dante's time there were signs of this change; in his Purgatorio he had portrayed the penance for acedia as running continuously at top speed. The modern view goes further, regarding laziness and indifference as the sin at the heart of the matter. Since these contrasts with a more willful failure to, for example, love God and his works, sloth is often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission. Acedia (Latin, acedia) (from Greek α is the neglect to take care of something that one should do. It is translated to apathetic listlessness; depression without joy. It is similar to melancholy, although acedia describes the behaviour, while melancholy suggests the emotion producing it. In early Christian thought, the lack of joy was regarded as a willful refusal to enjoy the goodness of God and the world God created; by contrast, apathy was considered a refusal to help others in time of need. When Thomas Aquinas described acedia in his interpretation of the list, he described it as an uneasiness of the mind, being a progenitor for lesser sins such as restlessness and instability. Dante refined this definition further, describing acedia as the failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul; to him it was the middle sin, the only one characterised by an absence or insufficiency of love. Some scholars have said that the ultimate form of acedia was despair which leads to suicide.
Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. An wrathful (uncontrolled anger) person may lose his/her objectivity, empathy, prudence or thoughtfulness and may cause harm to others. Wrath, in its purest form, presents with self-destructiveness, violence, and hate that may provoke feuds that can go on for centuries. Wrath may persist long after the person who did another a grievous wrong is dead. Feelings of anger can manifest in different ways, including impatience, revenge, and vigilantism. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy). Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of anger also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of hatred directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts.
Envy (Latin, invidia) may be characterized by an insatiable desire; differs from greed, however, for two main reasons
? First, greed is largely associated with material goods, whereas envy may apply more generally.
? Second, those who commit the sin of envy resent that another person has something they perceive themselves as lacking, and wish the other person to be deprived of it.
Dante defined this as "a desire to deprive other men of theirs." Envy can be directly related to the Ten Commandments, specifically "Neither shall you desire... anything that belongs to your neighbor". In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low. Aquinas described envy as "sorrow for another's good".
Pride Building the Tower of Babel was, for Dante, an example of pride. In almost every list pride (Latin, superbia), or hubris, is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and the source of the others. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Dante's definition was "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbour." In Jacob Bidermann's medieval miracle play, Cenodoxus, pride is the deadliest of all the sins and leads directly to the damnation of the titulary famed Parisian doctor. In perhaps the best-known example, the story of Lucifer, pride (his desire to compete with God) was what caused his fall from Heaven, and his resultant transformation into Satan. In Dante's Divine Comedy, the penitents were forced to walk with stone slabs bearing down on their backs to induce feelings of humility.Vainglory (Latin, vanagloria) is unjustified boasting. Pope Gregory viewed it as a form of pride, so he folded vainglory into pride for his listing of sin. The Latin term gloria roughly means boasting, although its English cognate - glory - has come to have an exclusively positive meaning; historically, vain roughly meant futile, but by the 14th century had come to have the strong narcissistic undertones, of irrelevant accuracy, that it retains today. As a result of these semantic changes, vainglory has become a rarely used word in itself, and is now commonly interpreted as referring to vanity (in its modern narcissistic sense).Now, the seven Gates to HEAVEN
Chastity Abstaining from sexual conduct according to one's state in life; the practice of courtly love and romantic friendship. Cleanliness through cultivated good health and hygiene, and maintained by refraining from intoxicants (see Qur?an). To be honest with oneself, one's family, one's friends, and to all of humanity. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought-through education and betterment. The ability to refrain from being distracted and influenced by hostility, temptation or corruption.
Temperance Restraint, temperance, justice. Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, moderation, zero-sum and deferred gratification. Prudence to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time. Proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest, and against the rights and needs of others.
Charity Generosity, charity, self-sacrifice; the term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving. In Christian theology, charity -- or love (ag?p?) -- is the greatest of the three theological virtues. Love, in the sense of an unlimited loving kindness towards all others, is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. Such love is self-sacrificial. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word "love". The love that is "caritas" is distinguished by its origin ? being divinely infused into the soul ? and by its residing in the will rather than emotions, regardless of what emotions it stirs up. This love is necessary for salvation, and with it no one can be lost.
Diligence A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work; decisive work ethic, steadfastness in belief, fortitude, and the capability of not giving up. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Upholding one's convictions at all times, especially when no one else is watching (integrity). (The vice "acedia" is more commonly known as "sloth".)
Patience Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts and injustice peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. Accepting the grace to forgive; to show mercy to sinners. Creating a sense of peaceful stability and community rather than suffering, hostility, and antagonism.
Kindness Charity, compassion and friendship for its own sake. Empathy and trust without prejudice or resentment. Unselfish love and voluntary kindness without bias or spite. Having positive outlooks and cheerful demeanor; to inspire kindness in others.
Humility Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. It is a spirit of self-examination; a hermeneutic of suspicion toward yourself and charity toward people you disagree with. The courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous, and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved. Reverence for those who have wisdom and those who selflessly teach in love. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self. Being faithful to promises, no matter how big or small they may be. Refraining from despair and the ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation.
?and here we are, we have taken the right path!
?and thus we?ve left closed or have closed the gates to hell?
All that is left is to acknowledge there?s only the one God
(no sons, no mother of the son, no holy ghost or spirits, no sacred saints/pope/prophets, etc.)
NO PARTNERS TO GOD!
Seek the FINAL TESTAMENT ? the Qur?an- The Angriest Angel
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Peace Blackstone
Thank you for your informative reply.
With all due respect these is my only humble suggestion to you if you have killed your ego and pride and reached to that level of humility then try to put your forehead down on the ground Praising/Glorify Him. See if you can do it and see what you will feel?Soon your feelings will tell you if you really have killed your ego.
Asana
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try to put your forehead down on the ground Praising/Glorify Him. See if you can do it and see what you will feel...
That feels silly, since my experience with God is I don't see it (nor Angels) as a him/her (the finite human mind has problems truly conceiving the infinite, and thus this 'humanizing' is the resulting rationalization - along with concepts like 'in the beginning', 'creation', 'final days'... God is infinite like the parts of it called space and time. Matter is only 're-created', not 'created'... there is no beginning and no end - these concepts exist only when relatively speaking like in birth/death).
A curious little note on my experience with veils/head scarves/etc. I have a condition called Merinthophobia which prevents me from wearing anything like that. I subconciously begin to come out of my skin - it is a silly phobia to me, silly that it can totally destroy my logic, but one which I refuse to be hypnotized or take drugs to avoid the symptoms of - I just avoid being in that position. The exception would be when I had to have an MRI done on my head/spine (MS) recently and they had to drug me to get my head into the brace for the machine.
PS - I've also performed derrivative calculus in my dreams - the experts say this is impossible for the human mind. Reading is difficult in my dreams, but math is a totally different story for me. I think this expanded conciousness of mine enabled me to achive the Deans list, president's award for academic excellence, etc. ~ got to where my college professors were afraid to have me in their class, heh, heh. I remember once in dynamics where this homework problem, according to the textbook, could only be solved by guessing high/low until you got an answer close to the solution. The assignment was to solve it to two decimal places. The Prof. used his rocket scientist co-workers at lockheed-martin to get an answer to four decimal places. I come in with the answer not only to 16 decimal places (limited only by my TI calculator's display...), but had a SECOND numerical solution consisting of an irrational number - it blew the math department away! (the secret was that I saw a second mathimatical relationship in the problem nobody else had ever thought of - 'thinking outside the box' is a trademark of mine)
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Listen @BlackStone, apart your silly remarks, going off topic, please do read my very FIRST post where I kindly ask everybody NOT to discuss this thread and not to covert it into a circus, thank you!
Keep your presumptuous opinions and attitude elsewhere!
As for the rest, be so polite to read this thread from the very beginning!
All the best to you all!
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@ Black Stone
So, to answer this inquiry, I do not ritually place my head on the ground - I fall mentally 'down' to prostration, humbleness, abasement, etc. whenever I read the Qur'an (and often moved to tears of humility), whenever I dwell on God or God's signs, etc.
Dear Brother
Peace!
Kindly reflect,re-think on the following submission and follow what Allah Commanded to us.Man manifests his emotions by physical motions and these are entirely reflex movements
Sadness, anger, happiness, surprise, adamancy, yes and no are all emotions which are displayed by physical motions of the body automatically
It is similar with the emotions of respect and obedience for showing respect, a man?s head bows automatically the head is bowed in obedience although the noble Qur?an keeps the veracity and spirit of the acts , and not the forms itself, it does not prevent the forms where the motions signify some act provided that the form itself is not thought to be everything the forms of sajdah etc that are before us in the salaat, are also for this purpose it is also obvious that when these movements that display some emotion are collective then they must also be uniform otherwise there would seem to be disharmony and chaos to keep discipline in the display of emotions of respect and obedience and faithfulness is in itself a very big discipline of self this then is the strong manifest of forms of acceptance and obedience which the Qur?an describes as a necessary part of the meetings and consultation of the group of Momineen ( we also begin our public meetings with recitations from the holy Qur?an, although this is done only ceremoniously) wallazzeenas tajabu lirabbihim wa aqamus salaata wa amruhum shoora bainuhum in view of the importance of these congregations, the Qur?an has called them kitaban mauqoota 4103 particularly fixed duty and the second meaning is a duty which is discharged timely the timeliness for the congregations is essential as such the
ayat of Surah Juma which has appeared before, says that when the call for this congregation is given then leave aside all business and come immediately to it and until it has been complete do not attend to any other business let it not be that your Ameer (head) is presenting important affairs or expostulating their importance and you are engaged in business (wa tarakooka qa-ima)The life of the momineen is spent in obedience of God?s laws; morning , day and night, but the fixation of timings for congregations is necessary whether these congregations are usually held as a matter of routine or during emergency periods the human mind, being superstitious at that time, while believing other things to be ?lucky? or ?unlucky? had also attributed these qualities to the times during the day and night like such and such should be done at time the sun is rising for it to be extra lucky and not to do anything at sunset because that time was nahas or unlucky! Or nothing should be done at twilight the Qur?an, while demolishing other beliefs about things being lucky or unlucky has also shown by setting timings for prayer during night and day shown that no time is lucky or unlucky as far as the prayer congregations are concerned aqimis salaata lidulukas shamsa ila ghasaqil laili wa qur?anal fajr?.. 1787 and from ?dulukas shams? i.e. the entire time from morning to evening, you can establish salaat till the darkness of the night especially when the sun rises, it is overhead or reaches the middle of the day, and when the sun begins to set and actually sets by pointing to these timings it intended to end the superstitions that so and so time was lucky or so and so time was unlucky wa aqimis salaata tarafin nahari wa zulfin minas sabeel 11114 establish salaat at both ends of the day and parts of the night. These timings have been mentioned especially with the word salaat but in order to establish Deen and the struggle of the group of momineen , all times of the day and night have been mentioned see 3190, 20130, 5039 and 5249. In surah Noor, the salaat of fajr and ishaa have been mentioned where it is said that your servants should ask your permission before coming in at times of privacy i.e. min qablis salaatil fajr wa heena tazaoona siyabakum minaz zahirati wa min ba?di salaatil ishaa 2458 before the morning prayer (fajr) or early morning, and when you take off your shirts in the afternoon (due to the heat and want to rest- as is done throughout (Arabia)b and after the salaat of ishaa (i.e. at night) this shows that during the Prophet pbuh?s period at least prayer or salaat for two times were fixed i.e. why the Qur?an has mentioned them by name.
Peace
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Listen @BlackStone, apart your silly remarks, going off topic, please do read my very FIRST post where I kindly ask everybody NOT to discuss this thread and not to covert it into a circus, thank you!
Keep your presumptuous opinions and attitude elsewhere!
As for the rest, be so polite to read this thread from the very beginning!
All the best to you all!
Please shut the hell up because you cannot stop us posting in this thread. There is no rule for that.
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"Only those believe in Our Signs who, when they are recited to them, fall down in prostration, and celebrate the praises of their Lord, nor are they puffed up with pride." (Qur'an 3215)
So, to answer this inquiry, I do not ritually place my head on the ground - I fall mentally 'down' to prostration, humbleness, abasement, etc. whenever I read the Qur'an (and often moved to tears of humility), whenever I dwell on God or God's signs, etc.
I have closed the gate to hell called pride, along with the other six gates (aka 7 sins)... instead, I have pursued the seven gates to heaven (aka 7 virtues)
First, the seven Gates to HELL
Lust or lechery (carnal "luxuria" is usually thought of as excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. In Dante's Purgatorio, the penitent walks within flames to purge himself of lustful/sexual thoughts and feelings. In Dante's "Inferno", unforgiven souls of the sin of lust are blown about in restless hurricane-like winds symbolic of their own lack of self control to their lustful passions in earthly life.
Gluttony derived from the Latin gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow, gluttony (Latin, gula) is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste. In the Christian religions, it is considered a sin because of the excessive desire for food or its withholding from the needy. Depending on the culture, it can be seen as either a vice or a sign of status. Where food is relatively scarce, being able to eat well might be something to take pride in. But in an area where food is routinely plentiful, it may be considered a sign of self-control to resist the temptation to over-indulge. Medieval church leaders (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony, arguing that it could also include an obsessive anticipation of meals, and the constant eating of delicacies and excessively costly foods. Aquinas went so far as to prepare a list of six ways to commit gluttony, including
? Praepropere - eating too soon.
? Laute - eating too expensively.
? Nimis - eating too much.
? Ardenter - eating too eagerly (burningly).
? Studiose - eating too daintily (keenly).
? Forente - eating wildly (boringly).
Greed (Latin, avaritia), also known as avarice or covetousness, is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed (as seen by the church) is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." In Dante's Purgatory, the penitents were bound and laid face down on the ground for having concentrated too much on earthly thoughts. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of greedy behavior. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain, for example through bribery. Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed. Such misdeeds can include simony, where one profits from soliciting goods within the actual confines of a church. As defined outside of Christian writings, greed is an inordinate desire to acquire or possess more than one needs, especially with respect to material wealth.
Sloth Over time, the "acedia" in Pope Gregory's order has come to be closer in meaning to sloth (Latin, Socordia). The focus came to be on the consequences of acedia rather than the cause, and so, by the 17th century, the exact deadly sin referred to was believed to be the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts. Even in Dante's time there were signs of this change; in his Purgatorio he had portrayed the penance for acedia as running continuously at top speed. The modern view goes further, regarding laziness and indifference as the sin at the heart of the matter. Since these contrasts with a more willful failure to, for example, love God and his works, sloth is often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission. Acedia (Latin, acedia) (from Greek α is the neglect to take care of something that one should do. It is translated to apathetic listlessness; depression without joy. It is similar to melancholy, although acedia describes the behaviour, while melancholy suggests the emotion producing it. In early Christian thought, the lack of joy was regarded as a willful refusal to enjoy the goodness of God and the world God created; by contrast, apathy was considered a refusal to help others in time of need. When Thomas Aquinas described acedia in his interpretation of the list, he described it as an uneasiness of the mind, being a progenitor for lesser sins such as restlessness and instability. Dante refined this definition further, describing acedia as the failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul; to him it was the middle sin, the only one characterised by an absence or insufficiency of love. Some scholars have said that the ultimate form of acedia was despair which leads to suicide.
Wrath (Latin, ira), also known as "rage", may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. An wrathful (uncontrolled anger) person may lose his/her objectivity, empathy, prudence or thoughtfulness and may cause harm to others. Wrath, in its purest form, presents with self-destructiveness, violence, and hate that may provoke feuds that can go on for centuries. Wrath may persist long after the person who did another a grievous wrong is dead. Feelings of anger can manifest in different ways, including impatience, revenge, and vigilantism. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy). Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of anger also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of hatred directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts.
Envy (Latin, invidia) may be characterized by an insatiable desire; differs from greed, however, for two main reasons
? First, greed is largely associated with material goods, whereas envy may apply more generally.
? Second, those who commit the sin of envy resent that another person has something they perceive themselves as lacking, and wish the other person to be deprived of it.
Dante defined this as "a desire to deprive other men of theirs." Envy can be directly related to the Ten Commandments, specifically "Neither shall you desire... anything that belongs to your neighbor". In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low. Aquinas described envy as "sorrow for another's good".
Pride Building the Tower of Babel was, for Dante, an example of pride. In almost every list pride (Latin, superbia), or hubris, is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and the source of the others. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Dante's definition was "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbour." In Jacob Bidermann's medieval miracle play, Cenodoxus, pride is the deadliest of all the sins and leads directly to the damnation of the titulary famed Parisian doctor. In perhaps the best-known example, the story of Lucifer, pride (his desire to compete with God) was what caused his fall from Heaven, and his resultant transformation into Satan. In Dante's Divine Comedy, the penitents were forced to walk with stone slabs bearing down on their backs to induce feelings of humility.Vainglory (Latin, vanagloria) is unjustified boasting. Pope Gregory viewed it as a form of pride, so he folded vainglory into pride for his listing of sin. The Latin term gloria roughly means boasting, although its English cognate - glory - has come to have an exclusively positive meaning; historically, vain roughly meant futile, but by the 14th century had come to have the strong narcissistic undertones, of irrelevant accuracy, that it retains today. As a result of these semantic changes, vainglory has become a rarely used word in itself, and is now commonly interpreted as referring to vanity (in its modern narcissistic sense).Now, the seven Gates to HEAVEN
Chastity Abstaining from sexual conduct according to one's state in life; the practice of courtly love and romantic friendship. Cleanliness through cultivated good health and hygiene, and maintained by refraining from intoxicants (see Qur?an). To be honest with oneself, one's family, one's friends, and to all of humanity. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought-through education and betterment. The ability to refrain from being distracted and influenced by hostility, temptation or corruption.
Temperance Restraint, temperance, justice. Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, moderation, zero-sum and deferred gratification. Prudence to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time. Proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest, and against the rights and needs of others.
Charity Generosity, charity, self-sacrifice; the term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving. In Christian theology, charity -- or love (ag?p?) -- is the greatest of the three theological virtues. Love, in the sense of an unlimited loving kindness towards all others, is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. Such love is self-sacrificial. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word "love". The love that is "caritas" is distinguished by its origin ? being divinely infused into the soul ? and by its residing in the will rather than emotions, regardless of what emotions it stirs up. This love is necessary for salvation, and with it no one can be lost.
Diligence A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work; decisive work ethic, steadfastness in belief, fortitude, and the capability of not giving up. Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. Upholding one's convictions at all times, especially when no one else is watching (integrity). (The vice "acedia" is more commonly known as "sloth".)
Patience Forbearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts and injustice peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. Accepting the grace to forgive; to show mercy to sinners. Creating a sense of peaceful stability and community rather than suffering, hostility, and antagonism.
Kindness Charity, compassion and friendship for its own sake. Empathy and trust without prejudice or resentment. Unselfish love and voluntary kindness without bias or spite. Having positive outlooks and cheerful demeanor; to inspire kindness in others.
Humility Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. It is a spirit of self-examination; a hermeneutic of suspicion toward yourself and charity toward people you disagree with. The courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous, and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved. Reverence for those who have wisdom and those who selflessly teach in love. Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self. Being faithful to promises, no matter how big or small they may be. Refraining from despair and the ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation.
?and here we are, we have taken the right path!
?and thus we?ve left closed or have closed the gates to hell?
All that is left is to acknowledge there?s only the one God
(no sons, no mother of the son, no holy ghost or spirits, no sacred saints/pope/prophets, etc.)
NO PARTNERS TO GOD!
Seek the FINAL TESTAMENT ? the Qur?an- The Angriest Angel
That's something from Christianity and not necessarily true or fully true.
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The Qu'ran, and many other Islamic religious writings, provide prohibitions against acts that are seen as immoral. Ibn abi Dunya, a 9th-century scholar and tutor to the caliphs, described seven censures (prohibitions against vices) in his writings
Worldliness (part of vice of pride)
Ire (big part of vice of wrath)
Envy (vice has same name...)
Slander (part of vice of sloth - sin of omission of truth)
Obscenity (part of vice of greed when extreme...)
Intoxicants (part of vice of gluttony)
Instruments of pleasure (big part of vice of lust)Funny how God has given to most religions recognition of the seven gates to hell (sin/vice), and by inference their opposites which are the seven gates to heaven (virtues). When one has all the gates to heaven open, then all the gates to hell will be by default closed (one can not have both gates that are opposites open at the same time...). All it takes is one gate to hell to be open at the time of judgement to miss heaven... the more gates to hell that are open at that time, the deeper the guardians of the fire will take you into hell.
Sorry for getting 'off topic', but this sidestep seemed important... seek patience hmm
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I f***ing lol'd at the previous page. Holy crap hahaha.
What made me "lol" the most though was this
Listen @BlackStone, apart your silly remarks, going off topic, please do read my very FIRST post where I kindly ask everybody NOT to discuss this thread and not to covert it into a circus, thank you!
Keep your presumptuous opinions and attitude elsewhere!
As for the rest, be so polite to read this thread from the very beginning!
All the best to you all!
Bold parts are killer. Not making fun of anyone, just cracked me up.
Good long post BlackStone. I briefly skimmed it. I liked the one before it though how, like me, you pretty much trash rituals and by the way, most if not all of them are based on man-made (hadith) scriptures anyway. They try to define A LOT of the stuff in the Quran, like what salat and hajj are especially.
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yet another explanation
"This article sees whether there is any indication of 5 daily salaats in the Quran or not. In 4103, Allah says
Verily, Salaat is a prescribed duty upon the believers (to be performed) at appointed times
Please consider the following references for salaat timings
i. Salat-i-Al-Fajar (morning prayer)
ii. tarafay-i- alnnahar (at both ends of the day) (morning and evenings)
iii. Salat-i-Al-Aaisha (early part of the night when it gets dark)
iv. zulafan mina allayli (at nightfall)
v. ghasaqi allayli (when it becomes dark)
vi. dulooki alshshamsi (when the sun declines at midday)
vii. Alssalati alwusta
i and ii given above indicate FAJAR salaat
vi indicates ZUHUR salaat
vii indicates ASAR salaat (in middle of total 5 salaats)
ii indicates MAGHRAB salaat
iii, iv and v indicate ISHA salaat
{Note in 1778, the particles li and ila are used. These are used in different meanings including in, at (like English at noon, in the mornings, at night, in the afternoon). In 2147, particle li is used to mean AT (the day of resurrection). Similarly, in 612, the particle ila has been used to mean AT (the day of resurrection).}"
source
http//quranicteachings.org/five-salaats.htmhttp//quranicteachings.org/index.htm
"And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning."
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Purpose of SALAAT
"1. Allah?s Zikr
?Establish SALAAT for my ZIKR?
O You who believe! When the call is made for the SALAAT on the Day of the Congregation, hasten to the ZIKR of Allah and leave your commerce?
1.1 Purpose of Allah?s Zikr
The purpose of Allah?s ZIKR is as follows
i. To feel a fear in the heart (for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah); (and as a result)
ii. To make the heart humble and submissive to the commands of Allah; and
iii. To get the faith strengthened
See the following verses
The true believers are those who feel a fear in their hearts (of the consequences of violating the commands of Allah) when Allah is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord.
Whose hearts are filled with fear (of the consequences of violating the commands of Allah) when Allah is mentioned?
Is it not time for the believers that their hearts feel humble at the remembrance of Allah and the Truth which has been revealed?...
?Verily, with the remembrance of Allah hearts become tranquil (, lowly and submissive).
1.2 What is Allah?s ZIKR?
Allah?s ZIKR is the remembrance of Allah Himself (but it does not mean repeating His name for a certain number of time) as well as remembering, revising, and being mindful of His commands in the Quran {Quran is also called ZIKR (159)}.
20/124 And whoever turns away from My ZIKR, his shall be a straitened life, and We will raise him on the day of resurrection, blind.
- Social and Economic Reforms
Remembrance of Allah Himself and being mindful of His Laws is not an objective in itself. The ultimate objective of SALAAT is more than that. Please see the following verses
1185-87 (The Prophet Shoaib said) "Hence, O My people! Always give full measure and weight with equity and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs. Do not spread corruption and disorder in the land. That which Allah gives you as just profit is better for you if you believe. But I am not a guardian over you." They said, "O Shoaib!. Does your SALAAT command that we should forsake the worship that our fathers practiced? Or, that we leave off doing what we like to do with our economy? Behold, you want us to think that you are the only clement, and the rightly guided man among us."
- End to everything that is contrary to the Quranic values (munkaraat)
?Verily, establishment of SALAAT (as an end result) refrains from lewdness, stinginess and all behaviour contrary to the Quranic Values.
In the verse 2945, the word tanha is used, which is from the same root as the word muntaha (which means end result or ultimate point). Tanha means that which forbids or refrains. So the end result of the establishment of the system of SALAAT is to refrain from all stinginess, lewdness and end of all behaviour contrary to the Quran. The remembrance or ZIKR of Allah Himself and remembrance and revision of His commands are just means towards the ultimate objective. Means of Remembrance are also important to attain the ultimate objective but to consider means as the objectives in themselves will never attain the ultimate objective. Nor the objectives can be achieved without the means.
SALAAT Allah's ZIKR End of Fuhshaa and Munkar
The following verse is also worth consideration in comparison to 2945 given above
16/90 Surely Allah ... forbids lewdness, stinginess and all behaviour contrary to the Quranic Values and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.
In 2945, salaat forbids fushaa and munkar and in 1690 Allah forbids fahshaa and munkar and commands to remember this admonition and be mindful of it. Allah does not Himself implement or enforce His Laws on people. His commands have to be implemented by the people through a system or mode. The system or mode that Allah has suggested for the end of fuhshaa and munkar is Salaat.
In summary, this is how the system of Salaat functions
An authority makes sure that
i. People preserve in their memories the commands of Allah
ii. They remind themselves, remember and rehearse the commands of Allah on a regular basis
i and ii { i.e. ZIKR (on a regular basis)} results in
a. a fear in the hearts of the people (for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah);
b. making their hearts humble and submissive to the commands of Allah; and
c. getting their faith strengthened
a, b, and c drive them to follow what is commanded in 1690 (and in other parts of the Quran) fulfilling the objective laid down in 2945 and disobeying what the satan commands according to 2421.
If Allah's laws are enforced without taking into account ZIKR, people may follow the laws when they are being watched but they might tend to violate otherwise if they do not have a fear in their hearts for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah and their hearts have not become submissive to His commands and their faith is not strengthened through ZIKR."
source
http//quranicteachings.org/purpose-of-salaat.htm
http//quranicteachings.org/index.htm
"And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning."[1736
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Purpose of SALAAT
"1. Allah?s Zikr
?Establish SALAAT for my ZIKR?
O You who believe! When the call is made for the SALAAT on the Day of the Congregation, hasten to the ZIKR of Allah and leave your commerce?
1.1 Purpose of Allah?s Zikr
The purpose of Allah?s ZIKR is as follows
i. To feel a fear in the heart (for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah); (and as a result)
ii. To make the heart humble and submissive to the commands of Allah; and
iii. To get the faith strengthened
See the following verses
The true believers are those who feel a fear in their hearts (of the consequences of violating the commands of Allah) when Allah is mentioned. And when His Revelations are recited to them, they find their faith strengthened. They do their best and then put their trust in their Lord.
Whose hearts are filled with fear (of the consequences of violating the commands of Allah) when Allah is mentioned?
Is it not time for the believers that their hearts feel humble at the remembrance of Allah and the Truth which has been revealed?...
?Verily, with the remembrance of Allah hearts become tranquil (, lowly and submissive).
1.2 What is Allah?s ZIKR?
Allah?s ZIKR is the remembrance of Allah Himself (but it does not mean repeating His name for a certain number of time) as well as remembering, revising, and being mindful of His commands in the Quran {Quran is also called ZIKR (159)}.
20/124 And whoever turns away from My ZIKR, his shall be a straitened life, and We will raise him on the day of resurrection, blind.
- Social and Economic Reforms
Remembrance of Allah Himself and being mindful of His Laws is not an objective in itself. The ultimate objective of SALAAT is more than that. Please see the following verses
1185-87 (The Prophet Shoaib said) "Hence, O My people! Always give full measure and weight with equity and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs. Do not spread corruption and disorder in the land. That which Allah gives you as just profit is better for you if you believe. But I am not a guardian over you." They said, "O Shoaib!. Does your SALAAT command that we should forsake the worship that our fathers practiced? Or, that we leave off doing what we like to do with our economy? Behold, you want us to think that you are the only clement, and the rightly guided man among us."
- End to everything that is contrary to the Quranic values (munkaraat)
?Verily, establishment of SALAAT (as an end result) refrains from lewdness, stinginess and all behaviour contrary to the Quranic Values.
In the verse 2945, the word tanha is used, which is from the same root as the word muntaha (which means end result or ultimate point). Tanha means that which forbids or refrains. So the end result of the establishment of the system of SALAAT is to refrain from all stinginess, lewdness and end of all behaviour contrary to the Quran. The remembrance or ZIKR of Allah Himself and remembrance and revision of His commands are just means towards the ultimate objective. Means of Remembrance are also important to attain the ultimate objective but to consider means as the objectives in themselves will never attain the ultimate objective. Nor the objectives can be achieved without the means.
SALAAT Allah's ZIKR End of Fuhshaa and Munkar
The following verse is also worth consideration in comparison to 2945 given above
16/90 Surely Allah ... forbids lewdness, stinginess and all behaviour contrary to the Quranic Values and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.
In 2945, salaat forbids fushaa and munkar and in 1690 Allah forbids fahshaa and munkar and commands to remember this admonition and be mindful of it. Allah does not Himself implement or enforce His Laws on people. His commands have to be implemented by the people through a system or mode. The system or mode that Allah has suggested for the end of fuhshaa and munkar is Salaat.
In summary, this is how the system of Salaat functions
An authority makes sure that
i. People preserve in their memories the commands of Allah
ii. They remind themselves, remember and rehearse the commands of Allah on a regular basis
i and ii { i.e. ZIKR (on a regular basis)} results in
a. a fear in the hearts of the people (for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah);
b. making their hearts humble and submissive to the commands of Allah; and
c. getting their faith strengthened
a, b, and c drive them to follow what is commanded in 1690 (and in other parts of the Quran) fulfilling the objective laid down in 2945 and disobeying what the satan commands according to 2421.
If Allah's laws are enforced without taking into account ZIKR, people may follow the laws when they are being watched but they might tend to violate otherwise if they do not have a fear in their hearts for the consequences of violating the commands of Allah and their hearts have not become submissive to His commands and their faith is not strengthened through ZIKR."
source
http//quranicteachings.org/purpose-of-salaat.htm
http//quranicteachings.org/index.htm
"And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning."[1736
If you know that, why follow all this bs? That's just like admitting your perception and conception sucks, imo.
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The Medical Benefits of Sujood
...Hence the first positive effect upon a person who prostrates or does Sajdah is that he comes nearest to Allah and hence in that condition he can supplicate. This is a great psychological advantage and it gives relief to the person concerned as life is full of worries and in this position he gets at least a transient refuge from the agonizing problems. When a person goes to the position of prostration Sajdah his whole body is in active motion. This position can be considered as a mini dive as the musalli (one who offers prayer) goes to rest his forehead on the ground while his hands are placed at the sides. This brings most of the body muscles if not all in active motion and serves to give them some exercise.
The hands are then specifically stretched out and thence the forearm as well as arm muscles are supposed to bear the weight in the Sajdah position. It gives good exercise to the muscles of the upper limb.
Sajdah is a unique position as this is the only position in which brain (or head) becomes lower than the heart and hence for the first time the blood gushes towards the brain with full force whereas in all other positions (even when lying) brain is above the heart when it has to work against gravity to send blood to the brain.
In the position of Sajdah due to the increased blood supply the brain receive more nourishment and it has good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, psyche and all other cognitive abilities. People who offer their prayers regularly have more will power and can cope with the difficulties of life in a much better manner. They have less incidence of headaches, psychological problems and other defects of cognitive function.
In the unique position of Sajdah the neck muscles get best exercise. They have to bear the load when the forehead lies at the ground hence the neck muscles become stronger. One can note the tense pressure at the neck muscles in the position of Sajdah specially the active motion of the neck and the facial muscles when the head is being lifted. (e.g. one inch above the ground) and it will be noticed that they are in a very active motion.
More strong cervical muscles mean the cervical vertebra will be better protected. Strength of cervical muscles is important as the head rests upon cervical vertebra supported by cervical musculature.
In fact head performs rotation movements over the cervical vertebra. In any accident cervical neck examination is especially important to the physicians because of its extraordinary importance.
It is uncommon that a person who offers his prayers regularly will get the usual neck myalgias or cervical spondylosis as the neck muscles particularly become very strong due to the 34 sajdahs offered daily in five prayers.
Position of Sajdah is also said to be a good treatment for the retroversion of uterus, a disease of women.
Most of us do not know that the position of Sajdah is an excellent exercise for men (for manpower). It may be a good information to the Viagra dependents. While getting up from Sajdah the perinneal muscles are one of those muscles which have to pull the trunk back to sitting position and they contract actively. Similarly while standing up from Sajdah the perennial muscles are again actively mobilized and this gives much strength to the muscles important for manpower.
The unique position of Sajdah also has positive effects upon the back muscles as while going into Sajdah and getting up from it the back muscle contract actively and they become stronger. Probably it is because of this reason that a person who is regular in prayers will uncommonly get backache.
After performing Sajdah either the musalli stands up or he sits to pray Attahiyyat. In this position the person sits calmly while his hands rest at his thighs which are folded backwards. This is much similar to the relaxation position of Yoga and has soothing effect upon one's health and mind.
Holy Prophet Muhammad used to elongate the position of Ruku (bending) and Sajdah positions and he advised to do so. In the light of the above facts it is appropriate to say that from medical point of view as well this advice is a golden rule for health.
Finally it must be reminded that prayer is not meant to be an exercise. However there are a lot of medical advantages associated with it.
Still the best blessing is the peace of mind, which a person derives by the accomplishment of his duty to Allah by fulfilling an obligation.source
http//www.reciteislam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=456&Itemid=110 -
Some more medical benefits
For thanking the Creator, for preventing a crisis, for healing sickness and diseases, for eliminating a problem, a Muslim prostrates, makes Sujood, to Allah (swt). A Muslim thanks Allah (swt) daily and regularly. A Muslim's methods of thanks and appreciations could be the minimum, saying verbally "Subhana Rabbil ah'lah (Praise be to Allah)," (swt) or the maximum, i.e. of prostrating to Allah. During prostration, a person glorifies Allah, exalts Him, praises Him, and surrenders to Him.
Prostration is to Allah (swt) alone. No prostration is to be performed in front of any king, royal highness, president, or any other leader. Those individuals should also make sujood to Allah alone, and they should not allow anyone to bow to them or to prostrate to them. There are many medical benefits of prostration. As Muslims, one must pray five times a day. During the process of prayer, a Muslim must first stand erect; then bow forward; then prostrate on the floor where the whole body is bent; and then sit down on the floor. All of these movements help the Muslims to have the least amount of arthritic problems on their bodies.
Another interesting feature of the salat (prayer) is that the course of assuming three main positions (qiyam, rukuh, and sajdah) one makes the physical shapes of the Arabic Alif, Dal, and Mim. These spell the word Adam, the name of the first created human and the first prophet (a.s.).
People are exposed daily to many different problems. They may also be exposed to many electrostatic charges from the atmosphere. These charges are affect the central nervous systems (CNS) supersaturating it. One has to rid themselves of these extra charges, otherwise, they will have headaches, neck aches, muscle spasms, etc. The best way to get rid of these extra electrostatic charges is by dissipating them and discharging them from the body. In as much as an electrical appliance is in need of grounding (or "earthing" by the use of an electric cord, a human being has to "earth" him/herself to the ground as well. By putting, his/her forehead on the ground, because the thinking capacity of the brain is in the forelobe and not the topmost portion of the brain, one dissipates the extra electrostatic charges from the brain and the central nervous system to the ground. Therefore, one will receive piece of mind and soul. By doing prayer five times a day, with each prayer having several prostrations in it, a person will undoubtedly feel more peace, happiness, and relaxation. This type of approach does not cost money and does not have any side effects. It is very natural. This is the best method for allowing a person to continue to live in peace, harmony, obedience, and happiness for the rest of his/her life.
Above all, a Muslim who performs prostration on the floor as a sign of obedience will attain tremendous rewards and blessings from our Creator, Allah Almighty.
source
http//www.islamicbulletin.com/newsletters/issue_20/sujud.aspx -
GUIDELINES FOR POSTING THE REPLIES ON MY THREAD (specially to ppl like Kaiokenred)
(of course, first read the very first post of this thread!)
During the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said,
"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?
Scholar Hold on a minute, before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test.The Man Triple Filter Test?
Scholar That's right, before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.
Schlolar continued That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?
The man No, actually I just heard about it and ...
Scholar All right, so you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?
The Man No, on the contrary...
Scholar So, you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left
Scholar continued The filter of Usefulness.
Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?The man No, not really.
Scholar Well, if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?
Surah 49 Al-Hujurat Ayah 12
Translation
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) . And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. -
When Abraham implored God in 1440, he did not ask for wealth or health; the gift he implored for was "Please God, make me one who observes the contact prayers (Salat)." The religious duties instituted by God are in fact a great gift from Him. They constitute the nourishment required for the growth and development of our Souls. Without such nourishment, we cannot survive the immense energy associated with God's physical presence on the Day of Judgment. Belief in God does not by itself guarantee our redemption; we must also nourish our souls (6158, 1090-92). Additionally, 1599 states that observing the religious duties instituted by God is our means of attaining certainty "Worship your Lord in order to attain certainty."
source
http//www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/appendix15.html