What should I do?
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Im a littel confused now. ? ? I have been fasting like most of muslims today but this time I found an article about Ramadan on free-minds.org and the whole concept of fasting changed ! ! roll . The month of Ramadan has just started and I am fasting as I am writting this question.
I would like to know if I should continue or stop fasting. After reading the article writen by brother Ayaman "BLIND DATING VERSUS PERFECT TIMING" it became clear to me that we were fasting during the wrong period. At least that is his personal interpretaion but it's more reliable then the one we were used with so far. . Based on that article I should stop fasting and start anew when I witness the full-moon after summer solstice.
I just need your opinion wheather I should stop or continue.
Maybe there are other people who have run into the same problem and it would be good if someone would shed some light on this matter. idea
Thank you all.
May God guide us to the RIGHT PATH. -
peace Fatos,
One should only adopt new practices/beliefs once one has researched them thoroughly and has become certain of them.
It is a gradual process. IF you are at the stage where you are certain your practice is wrong, then change it.
Alternatively, one can use this 'Ramadan' as a transition period, in which one still abstains whilst researching the validity of your current practice.
At least, that would be my approach.
Wakas
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Peace Fatos.
According to brother Ayman's article, it becomes clear that the calendar system of the sectarians is nonsense, but this doesn't mean you are commiting a sin by fasting according to the sectarian calendar. Keep the fasts if you want, but we must be careful not to say that God has ordered us to fast according to the sectarian calendar.
However, having left hadiths behind, it is clear that you don't intend to be a "follower", so just be careful that you don't end up following brother Ayman, just becuase it shows an alternative that is closer to the truth. Please try your best to verify things for yourself instead of seeking other to advise you. You are gifted and intelligent to havedecided to reject hadith books, and you must carry on showing God your appreciation for him guiding you by continuing to seek the truth for yourself.
So, if you see more truth in Ayman's understanding then adapt that understanding, I myself support Ayman (to an extent, still verifying his ideas, I think "saum" may not mean "not eating", it may mean "not talking", and I have also noticed that a lot of assumptions have been made), but I won't tell you that you should accept Ayman's understanding.
So please don't feel confused, ask God for help, we are all students, so it is best to ask the teacher for help instead of the students.
I wish you all the best in finding the truth.
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Thank you very much for your swift reply brothers. I did really decide to fast this month no matter what but I just needed your opinion and as a matter of a fact your replies relieved me.
God bless us all.
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Salam Natu, Fatos, all,
I think "saum" may not mean "not eating", it may mean "not talking"
Indeed "not talking" is also a form of abstinence (1926) but the abstinence concerning shahr ramadan (2183-185) is explained in 2187
2 187. It has been made lawful for you during the night of fasting to approach your women sexually. They are a garment for you and you are a garment for them. God knows that you used to betray your souls so He has accepted your repentance, and forgiven you; now you may approach them and seek what God has written for you. And you may eat and drink until the white thread is distinct from the black thread of dawn; then you shall complete the fast until night; and do not approach them while you are devoted in the temples. These are Gods boundaries, so do not transgress them. It is thus that God makes His revelations clear to the people that they may be righteous.
br/sis Fatos,
Personnally I share the same opinion than brother Ayman, according to 2185, fasting/abstinence is for those who witnessed shahr ramadan (a precise event which occurs during a specific night). You didn't witness it so you don't need to fast other days for shahr ramadan you have missed neither for this year nor for the previous years.
I agree with brother wakas when he said
One should only adopt new practices/beliefs once one has researched them thoroughly and has become certain of them.
I can also say that One shouldn't follow practices/beliefs when one is not certain of them. To follow a doubtfull way is not a solution (1736).
The God knows best.
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PEACE, ELKE and WAKAS,
ELKE why don't you just continue fasting for the time being ? After all fasting other days is not sinful isn't it ? At least until you're sure of what you believe...
WAKAS One should only adopt new practices/beliefs once one has researched them thoroughly and has become certain of them. It is a gradual process. IF you are at the stage where you are certain your practice is wrong, then change it. Alternatively, one can use this 'Ramadan' as a transition period, in which one still abstains whilst researching the validity of your current practice. At least, that would be my approach.
According to Allah, both of your positions are wrong. Consider the following
1736 And DO NOT follow that of which you have NO KNOWLEDGE; surely the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these, shall be questioned about that.
733 Say the things that my Lord hath indeed made haram are shameful deeds...and saying things about Allah of which you have NO KNOWLEDGE.
2124 Or have they taken for worship gods besides Him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away.
Main Entry a GOD a person or thingof supreme value.
Main Entry GUIDE person or thing that leads or directs another's way a person who directs another's conduct or course of life to direct in a way or course to direct, supervise, or influence usually to a particular end to superintend the training or instruction of.
Main Entry ALAMA/ILM to distinguish sign science knowledge to know something positively, to recognise, to know the reality to the extent of certainty, to feel, to find out definitely.
Main Entry KNOW be certain of.
Main Entry CERTAIN/CERTITUDE KNOWN/PROVED TO BE TRUE INDISPUTABLE, dependable, reliable.
Main Entry KNOWLEDGE the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association.
Main Entry POSITIVE not speculative incontestable independent of changing circumstances
Main Entry FACT the quality of being actual something that has actual existence a piece of information presented as having objective reality- in fact in truth.
Main Entry ACTUAL existing in fact or reality not false or apparent.
Main EntryTRUTH the state of being the case fact the body of real things, events, and facts actuality.
Main EntryREAL not artificial, fraudulent, illusory, not apparent ccurring in fact.
Main Entry DEFINITIVE serving to define or specify precisely.
Allah condemns blind following, that is, believing in and following " "I don't knows"; "I'm not certains", "I thinks"; "In my humble opinion" etc.
The above ayats make it clear that we cannot pursue/follow any practice in the name of Allah/His Deen unless we have certitude that the practice is, in fact, from Allah. Fotas, should stop fasting and only resume fasting if he can prove, by way of Al-Quran, that the so-called fast of Ramadan is prescibed by Allah and not the other way around, meaning, fast until he can prove it or disprove it.
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Salam PB,
as i said
why don't you just continue fasting for the time being ? After all fasting other days is not sinful isn't it ? At least until you're sure of what you believe...
you think that it is.... but you can fast any time you want, you can also pray with full hijab - it is not forbidden anywhere in quran - as long as you know that you might not be doing what god expects from you and that it might not be god who asks this from you...
you know, priest bokmei, in almost any text you can interprete whatever you wish. So don't tell me according to allah i'm wrong. Tell me according to YOUR INTERPRETATION of the holy quran i'm wrong - which might be true...
LK
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PEACE, ELKE,
as i said why don't you just continue fasting for the time being ? After all fasting other days is not sinful isn't it ? At least until you're sure of what you believe... you think that it is.... but you can fast any time you want, you can also pray with full hijab - it is not forbidden anywhere in quran - as long as you know that you might not be doing what god expects from you and that it might not be god who asks this from you...
I didn't say fasting was forbidden, what I said was, per ayats 733 and 1736, neither you nor anyone else can practice any ritual in Allah's name and then not produce the ayat where He definitively backs your practice. Allah, clearly, per ayat 1736, tells you NOT to pursue/follow anything of which you have no knowledge, meaning, if you aren't certain that what you are practicing, yet, you claim it is from Allah, then you are ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN to do it, period. Now, if you want to go ahead and openly defy ayat 1736, well, that weight is yours.
you know, priest bokmei, in almost any text you can interprete whatever you wish. So don't tell me according to allah i'm wrong. Tell me according to YOUR INTERPRETATION of the holy quran i'm wrong - which might be true...
In this case you are wrong. Al-Quran isn't open to just anyone's interpretation/opinion/conjecture, as you are doing and suggesting. Al-Quran is a Book of irrefutable facts/knowledge, otherwise, it could not be guidance but instead would a book of relativism and non-guidance.
I strongly suggest that you reexamine ayats 733 and 1736. They, ultimately, will separate the Muslim from the Dzalleen/Mushrik.
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Peace Priest
you say
if you aren't certain that what you are practicing, yet, you claim it is from Allah, then you are ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN to do it, period.I agree partly - would rather say you're absolutely forbidden TO CLAIM it is from allah, but not forbidden TO DO it. If i wish i can fast all year long, no sin in it as long as i don't claim allah asks me to.
Concerning the rest of your post Allah states in quran that one can fast an equal number of other days - which means that he backs my practice. Fasting at 40?C sure is too hard for me - i might do it but wouldn't be able to go on with the rest of my obligations - and this is a fact you cannot judge - it's between me and god.
I do admit though that i have not yet made up my mind on the whole issue of fasting - even though i already know i don't agree with the lunar calendar used by the sunni community. Am not yet completely sure of the meaning of shahr - is it really only ten days or could still be a month... praying to god that he'll guide me to the right understanding.
Actually the same for the pork issue. Your position holds some logic - that of the others does as well. Depends on the basis you use for interpretation. But this i will attack once i'm come to a better understanding of fasting.
So i say again, any text is open to interpretation (in the sense of different understandings) and only god can guide us. And in this i see no contradiction with 7.33 and 17.36. It is important though to stay humble and not be too sure of one's own understanding being the one and only authorized by god. "Remember, the ugliest voice is the donkeys voice." "And invite to the path of god in the nicest possible manner, so that an ennemi of yours might become your best friend"...as usual, i don't know the verse numbers by heart.
Peace again, Elke
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Peace PRIEST_BOKMEI,
Allah condemns blind following, that is, believing in and following " "I don't knows"; "I'm not certains", "I thinks"; "In my humble opinion" etc.
The above ayats make it clear that we cannot pursue/follow any practice in the name of Allah/His Deen unless we have certitude that the practice is, in fact, from Allah. Fotas, should stop fasting and only resume fasting if he can prove, by way of Al-Quran, that the so-called fast of Ramadan is prescibed by Allah and not the other way around, meaning, fast until he can prove it or disprove it.
As far as my understanding goes, I believe the entire concept of Ramadan is directly linked to a Religion based dogmatic practice, hence I stopped fasting two years ago, this being the third. Any comments?
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PEACE, DANISH,
The above ayats make it clear that we cannot pursue/follow any practice in the name of Allah/His Deen unless we have certitude that the practice is, in fact, from Allah. Fotas, should stop fasting and only resume fasting if he can prove, by way of Al-Quran, that the so-called fast of Ramadan is prescibed by Allah and not the other way around, meaning, fast until he can prove it or disprove it.
As far as my understanding goes, I believe the entire concept of Ramadan is directly linked to a Religion based dogmatic practice, hence I stopped fasting two years ago, this being the third. Any comments?
I stopped two years ago ( along with the other four "pillars"), this being the second. I stopped based on ayats 1736 and 2124...I could not prove what I was doing.
Peace.
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PEACE, ELKE,
PBM if you aren't certain that what you are practicing, yet, you claim it is from Allah, then you are ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN to do it, period.
I agree partly - would rather say you're absolutely forbidden TO CLAIM it is from allah, but not forbidden TO DO it. If i wish i can fast all year long, no sin in it as long as i don't claim allah asks me to.
Agreed.
Concerning the rest of your post Allah states in quran that one can fast an equal number of other days - which means that he backs my practice. Fasting at 40?C sure is too hard for me - i might do it but wouldn't be able to go on with the rest of my obligations - and this is a fact you cannot judge - it's between me and god.
Do you know what..."fasting an equal number of days", actually means in Al-Quran?
I do admit though that i have not yet made up my mind on the whole issue of fasting - even though i already know i don't agree with the lunar calendar used by the sunni community. Am not yet completely sure of the meaning of shahr - is it really only ten days or could still be a month... praying to god that he'll guide me to the right understanding.
I'm in the same boat with you. The answer must be obvious...it just isn't for me at this time.
Actually the same for the pork issue. Your position holds some logic - that of the others does as well. Depends on the basis you use for interpretation. But this i will attack once i'm come to a better understanding of fasting.
Here's the key to proving why I'm correct. No one, to date anyway, has been able to explain how prok can be haram and, at the same time, explain away ayats 4160, 55, 6156, and 16116. This why i know I'm correct on the pork issue.
So i say again, any text is open to interpretation (in the sense of different understandings) and only god can guide us.
And He guides through His Quran (see ayats 2185).
And in this i see no contradiction with 7.33 and 17.36. It is important though to stay humble and not be too sure of one's own understanding being the one and only authorized by god. "Remember, the ugliest voice is the donkeys voice." "And invite to the path of god in the nicest possible manner, so that an ennemi of yours might become your best friend"...as usual, i don't know the verse numbers by heart.
Ayats 733, 1736, 2124, are very clear warnings about saying and/or practicing anything in Allah's name without being able to quote Him from His Quran. Their meanings are indisputable.
Peace to you as well.
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Peace Priest,
Do you know what..."fasting an equal number of days", actually means in Al-Quran?
I only see "number of days" - so i don't take into account lenght of day of temperature, or if the fast is done in a row or intermittend.
Give me your understanding please.
LK
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Peace Priest,
Do you know what..."fasting an equal number of days", actually means in Al-Quran?
I only see "number of days" - so i don't take into account lenght of day of temperature, or if the fast is done in a row or intermittend.
Give me your understanding please.
LK
Sorry to say but...I don't know at this time.
