And thus,I agree totally with Paradox, that God is life, and that it is natural to mention his name and attributes,and to be in gratitude for his provisions that sustain us.

I think there is no special "statement" required to say before eating food,the way i understand it is that we should choose good,wholesome,natural foods,and if we eat meat,we should choose the animals that have been slaughtered in the most merciful way.
I think meal time is a spiritual time,a time when we are in a state of humbleness and gratitude for these provisions that sustain us and help us perform our duties.
If there was a special "statement" to utter,we would have known from the Quran, and to my knowledge,there is none.

Peace to you all

Well said, bro Wakas, Quran is but a reminder for whoever wills/wants to remember ,easy for those who want to learn and those who repent , ones who ponder over themselves in alert purification/filtering/improvement and adjustment.

"It is an honorable Reading.In a protected Book.None can grasp it except those purified."

Peace,Fawzia,

I`d like to ask you a question,
in this verse "So when she had delivered she said My Lord, I have delivered a female, and God is fully aware of what she delivered, And the male is not like the female, and I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her and her progeny with You from the outcast devil."(336)

Is Al-Quran/God stating that "the male is not like the female"? or is it Imran`s wife who was a human being confined to the limits of time,traditions and concepts of the Patriarchal community where she lived?

Peace,

Of course the verse has nothing to do with the bizarre wife beating theories of those scholars,its completely meaningless,and Quran is precise about what to do in cases of taking oaths we cant keep in other clear verses. The interpretations you gave for the verse, Wakas are straighter and nearer to the logical structure of the Quran.

I often wondered how would the devil/Shaytan afflict a human being with a material affliction such as disease? confused

Speaking of mistreating animals,had anybody seen "Earthlings",the multi awarded documentary of Joaquin Phoenix?

This is the trailer http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW3gunMSCu4

The field of animal welfare and rights can demonstrate very clearly how corrupted human species can be,and how irresponsible the creatures chosen by God to be successors on earth can go.

Its a must see film.

Peace,

Peace,all...

Verse 3638 is describing the sign of "Night" and not threatening to pose an eternal darkness,the verses 31-42 are a demonstration of Gods signs and provisions for his creation,the verse simply describes the Night as darkness after the complete removal "Insilakh" of the Day/light,I understand your equation,brother Wakas,youve made the Night two elements because you read the verse literally as "we removed the day "from" the night",while the Night is only one element;darkness without any trace of day, means -to me-that we took away every trace of day from it.

Verse 2261 describes the wondrous process of turning the night into day and the day into night,Dusk and Dawn are transitional periods where this process magically takes place,and those two specific times effect the human soul very deeply,and inspire serenity,that`s why prayer is suggested at them.

That is my point of view,and God knows better,he teaches us.

It should be an insult to be called human

YES,human beings are the only species that God described as unclean or impure, if they set up partners with God
"O you who believe, the polytheists are impure, so let them not approach the Restricted Temple after this year of theirs; and if you fear poverty, then God will enrich you from His blessings if He wills. God is Knowledgeable, Wise."

Impurity is a choice,God doesn`t initiate impurity.Be He purified.

Peace,everyone..

"Therefore, roam the land for four months and know that you will not escape God, and that God will humiliate the rejecters."

Who are addressed here.and why is it four months?
What is the relationship between the restricted months and fighting in this following verse
"So when the restricted months have passed, then you may kill those who have set up partners wherever you find them, and take them, and surround them, and stand against them at every point. If they repent, and uphold the communion, and contribute towards betterment, then you shall leave them alone. God is Forgiving, Merciful."

Peace,

Peace,Ayman..

Thank you for the clarification,2217 had lightened my chest!

But still I have difficulty understanding 95 ,and its relation to the restricted months.

Could you lend me some help? )

Oh,I also searched for the red and orange moon,the moon is orange after the summer solstice,but it could be orange at many times of the year, but no one can argue that definition of "manazel" describes well a "descending" moon!its true that "descending" will take place only until the moon is a thinning crescent and then well be ascending again to the next full one,but its a good marker to point which point shall be a start.. The moon of the summer solstice is at its lowest point,compared to the sun at its highest point,this IS a special phenomenon.. Thank you for this invitation to look around and ponder in Gods creation..

Peace,brother Ayman..

I completed the reading of your article 10 times ! )

It never occurred to anyone what the real meaning of the word "Shahr" means,and there`s nothing better-and beautiful- than a clear "monshaher" moon-a front door- to mark it!

Thank you for your genius and inspiring inputs.God bless.

I have a single question,
Is fighting restricted in the restricted months? according to 95 there`s a truce of some kind.
And If Ramadhan occurs at the first full moon after summer solstice,then that would mean that the four restricted months which fighting is restricted,are simultaneously June,July,August and September,"harr" times ,and that is a contradiction to 981 where "istinfar" was to be carried on in "harr",or did I get it wrong?

Peace,Kadeen,

Your welcome!
I agree discussion and debate and the internet are useful. Well its hard to understand at times. I see 2 salats and some see more, some see none. So its confussing at times. Just look around at all the different opinions for example. If its as plain and simple that is spoken of, then there would not be so many opinions amongst Quran Alone Submitters/Muslims. Because it would be plain to understand.
Peace

Life would be so empty and meaningless if things were"obvious" and "plain",its struggling what gives our lives a meaning,we struggle for better understanding of the world,understanding ourselves and the purpose of our lives,does it matter how many times we pray a day?does it matter if prayer is physical or not?please ponder what God is saying"Recite what is inspired to you of the Scripture, and hold the communion, for the communion prohibits evil and vice; but certainly the remembrance of God is the greatest. God knows everything you do."(4529) I think remembering God,by struggling to prohibit evil and vice,is greater than numbers and rituals,for numbers and riuals are blind,salat is an act of awareness,of activism..and believers are ranks according to their dedication and devotion... People will always be different"had God willed, He would have made you all one nation, but He tests you with what He has given you; so strive to do good. To God you will return all of you, and He will inform you regarding that in which you dispute."(485) It doesnt matter if we have different opinions about goodness,its simply goodness what matters.. All I can say to you,dear Kadeen,is what I believe,listen to the voice of your heart,and open your mind and eyes to the goodness in all Gods actions in the world...

Peace and Thanks for the welcome sa`adah. Nice to be here...
I wasnt born Muslim, but consider myself looking to prove to myself that Quran and Islam as it says in Quran is true. Its getting harder and harder to understand some things. Thats one reason I came here, to hopefully learn. God willing this site may help me.

Thanks and May God Bless you aswell!

peace,Kadeen.. thank you..
Discussion and debate are always useful to any group of people,it`s a progressive tool..the internet is a real blessing..

Its getting harder and harder to understand some things. Thats one reason I came here, to hopefully learn. God willing this site may help me.

Theres no hardship in the system of God (227,its natural and simple,if one puts that mental obstacle "hard to understand",he shall understand little..the system is simple,look inside yourself,believe in that moral code engraved within you,let your natural compass guide you,look around,assume as much mercy-654- and compassion in each detail of life you see each day,and you will find them,you will radiate them..
Believe and you shall receive,"knock on the door and it shall open to you."

Peace,

Peace and welcome Kadeen.. glad to have you on the forum..

Ive been born Muslim but I consider myself new to Islam..new-in other words-to its dynamic force that enables one to be active and be in peace and harmony with ones self and the surrounding community,where each thing we do is purposeful and in service to ones own development and the whole globes..where there is real freedom,tolerance and unity..

May God bless you,

Peace,Dayaan...and welcome to the forum..

According to my translations of the Qur'an "Bagha'a" means concubinage (non-lawful marriage) or whoredom (forced sex for money/favors) and the girl/woman referred to is the property of another as a slave not a daughter. The immediately preceding statement of 2433 has been omitted from the prior post and refers to slaves directly.

It has not been omitted..I think there`s difference between "servants" and "ma malakt aymanukum"..
I think believers-I hope to be one of them-have one of other social responsibilities towards "servants",that is to help marrying them,just like our responsibility towards "widows""" to help them getting married.
Besides,God states not to them-servants-a share of money,he says "If they are poor, then God will grant them from His grace. And God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable."(2432)
Besides,no body owns slaves any more,and servants choose to work in houses,they do not need a written deed of freedom to get out,do they?
While "ma malakat aymanukum" or "whom you rightfully possess" do have share of money,and that would mean that we are guardians to them and financially responsible to them and not "possessing"them..
I think the Quran is making a literal distinction between "servants","war captures" and "those whom your right hand "possess"",I think "right hand" refers to an oath of some sort made towards these people,hence,I prefer the term"those who are committed to you by oath"..

That`s my own understanding at this moment..and I hope we enlighten each other with our different views..
Peace,

Peace,Siki...How are you?I would have replied earlier if I had good access to the internet..

I am sorry if I misinterpreted your words,thank you for your good post sun

As for the translation of 24-33, free minds translation is totally wrong, I just happened to dig through this aya due to a discussion with Ayman, let me clarify it for you by copying one of my previous posts down below,

I`d be thankful if you send me a link to this debate so I can see how it went on both sides,yourself and Ayman.

"Bagha", in general means wrong and i am in agreement with you on this. But the meanings become "specific" in relation to the subject of a sentense.

You could have been right if this sentense had finished at,---- "And do not compel your Young females to commit wrong.......... it would have opened its application in "general "to all aspects of "wrongs" in life.

But Brother! what follows after this sentense is, ----"If they are desirous of being chaste" this particular phrase , puts precision back into the first sentense, of "wrong" and locks the meanings of Bagha in specific to sexuality.

confused I dont know,must it be sexuality?verses 32-33 are addressing the issue of marriage,besides,Gods good words to the guardians of those girls"and give them from the wealth of God which He has bestowed upon you." implies that those guardians are financially stable at the least,and they were doing a good deed by taking those girls under their protection,why would they coerce them into prostitution?prostitution is linked with poverty mainly..
Maybe they would do that out of greed? but the verse is addressing believing and responsible men and women..prostitution is very gross and seems unfitting for the situation..

This subject needs more research,it poises a lot of questions
1- who are "ma malakat aymanukum"?-are they the servants of the house? if so,then who are addressed in 2432"And marry off those among you that are *single, and the good from among your male and female servants. ?
*"" here is a plural of "" , "Aym"- traditionally- means "widow",where did "single"come from?

Are "ma malakt aymanukum" adopted children? whom we made an oath to take them under our protection?

2- what is the meaning of "Kitab" in " " ? is it a written admission of freedom?or is it marriage?

3-what is the meaning of "protected women"?who are they in "Forbidden for you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your fathers sisters, and your mothers sisters...And the already protected from the women.."(424)? and who are they in "And whoever of you cannot afford to marry the believing protected women,then from those committed to you by oath of the believing young women.."?(425)

I dont have a satisfying answer for these questions,I hope you enlighten me,Siki,and the people of the forum.. I might have pointed the wrong verse to point to the wrongness of coercing girls,but its still wrong to coerce them into marriage,so young,and without experience,into such marriage,the consequences might very well be bad,and those girls might never forgive their parents for doing that to them..

Peace,

Peace,Hope,how are you? sun

Peace

what about this verse?? 4615

What is the relation between age of marriage and bone maturity? why u linked them to each other?

In addition to what Mareleya said,and support of what Mazhar skillfully analyzed the best age of marriage is after bone maturity because Pregnancy and birth can put a tremendous strain on a teenager's body. If bone structure is not fully developed, she takes the risk of injuring her spine and pelvic bones, altering her life forever..
And that age would be best 25 years old "When the child reaches skeletal maturity (18 to 25 years of age), all of the cartilage is replaced by bone"
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone#Formation

Peace to you all,

The above translation is completely wrong, where did you get it from? or have you modified it yourself?

siki

Could you please watch your language?Cant you speak without being offensive? why would I alter Gods words >?its free-mindstranslation-which I`m convinced with
http//free-minds.org/quran/PM/24 verse(33)
Out of an understanding that?? And do not coerce your immature/(family protected) women on the unlawful/non-consenting seeking (of non-consentual marriage), if they wanted self-protection (from arranged marriage), to seek the low life's vanities, and whomever coerces them, then God after they have been coerced is forgiving, merciful.? (2433)

Traditionally, the word ?BaGhA?a? has been interpreted to mean prostitution. However, the word?s literal meaning is to seek beyond what is lawful/consentual. Also, as opposed to prostitution which is a gross sin, there are some examples of women who later became happy with men that they were coerced into marrying, hence God?s forgiving statement at the end of the verse. "
http//free-minds.org/malak

If we approve that the word "Baghaa" means prostitution,it would be as if God is stating that he later forgives the parents who coerce their daughters into prostitution!! or forgives the girls who have been forced into this practice.. My understanding is that God doesnt approve or state sins in any way...and the context of the verse and the whole issue of "ma malakat aymanukum" if put together doesn`t have anything to do with prostitution...

Peace,

An adoloscent girl is NOT a woman. Marriage is not permissible before

Hardened maturity?

In humans, the process of bone hardening, or ossification, is completed at about the age of 25. The last bone to ossify is the breastbone.

Peace,Mazhar... thank you for the reminder,I`ve looked it up "The diaphysis and both epiphyses of a long bone are separated by a growing zone of cartilage (the epiphyseal plate). When the child reaches skeletal maturity (18 to 25 years of age), all of the cartilage is replaced by bone, fusing the diaphysis and both epiphyses together (epiphyseal closure)."http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone#Formation
But it says from 18 to 25,and that is the closest to what I meant by "independence from the parents and ability to make life choices..
peace

Peace,FAR...

The above is from UN (eugenics) propaganda.

We are mammals. Look at the chimpanzees and elephants females who choose the older males. If such a plan to ban such relationships with mammals ever occured, may the god forbid such synthetic methods, well I'm just glad they aren't forced into such eugenicist desires.

Good,when I look at chimpanzees myself I prefer the model of Bonobo chimpanzees ;D
They do not at all practice any kind of Eugenics.Bonobos have been portrayed as the ?Make love, not war? apes, characterized by female power sharing, a lack of aggression between either individuals or groups, richly elaborated sexual behavior that occurs without the constraint of a narrow window of fertility, and the use of sex for communicative purposes.

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonobo

Oh and if something is against your beliefs, do you call it manism? Do I reply and label you as anti-manism or just anti-human?

Can I take the liberty to reply this question? Eugenics is very anti-human..humans dont marry to pass strongest genes and qualifications http//www.answers.com/eugenics...theyre of a complicated and diverse emotional drives and behavior..we dont marry to increase our sexual performance,marriage is a very tight bond of peace and mercy,between couples who share interest in each other,its a choice that pubertal couples take and bear..girls should not be forced into marriage"And do not force your daughters into marriage when they have desired independence, in order that you may make a gain in the goods of this worldly life. But if anyone has compelled them, then for their compulsion, God is Forgiving, Merciful." 2433

The opposite you did not consider, would be older women who hire men would marry the best one (who'd be young himself) rather than fornicating with him.

Well,if they are very interested in each other-the older woman and that young man-that they would commit fornication-or do you say that that woman would rape him,or fornicate with him against his will and choice?-its surely a mutual interest,aint it? well,it`s not like that in case an elderly man wants to marry a little girl,if her parents force her it would be definitely and literally "RAPE"...

Even today's women die in child birth, or are not even able to give children because they're too old. Why do young women die in child birth? (A girl can in no way be pregnant) Because they do not receive any medical attention. Why? Because the countries they live in, the authorities believe in population reduction, and their minimum age of consent is 16, 18 or even in the 20s.

Children under four are more likely to die if they are born to single mothers and women under 20, according to national statistics.
http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/354103.stm

Ask yourself about pre-teen and teenage mothers in America.

What makes it desirable anyway?

http//www.amazon.co.uk/Pre-Teen-Teenage-Pregnancy-Twenty-first-Century/dp/1905539118

"The State of the World's Children 2009" says that the younger a girl is when she becomes pregnant, the greater the health risks for her and her infant.

Worldwide, more than 60 million women who are currently aged 20-24 were married before they were 18, with the most child marriages being in South Asia and in Africa.

If a mother is under the age of 18, her infant's risk of dying in its first year of life is 60 percent greater than that of an infant born to a mother older than 19.

In addition, the report says adolescent wives are susceptible to violence, abuse and exploitation. Young brides are often forced to drop out of school, have few work opportunities and little chance to influence their own lives.

"If young girls are not in school, they are more vulnerable," South African Health Minister Barbara Hogan said at the launch. "It's not just a health issue; it is about the status of young women and girls."
http//www.nowpublic.com/health/unicef-report-reveals-shocking-teen-pregnancy-death-rate
For most girls, a regular menstrual cycle will begin between the ages of 11 and 16. During these formative years, bones are not mature, and over all growth is not yet finished. Becoming pregnant as during the teen years pose some serious health risks, not only to themselves, but to the unborn child.
The risks for the teen mom are great as well. Pregnancy and birth can put a tremendous strain on a teenager's body. If bone structure is not fully developed, she takes the risk of injuring her spine and pelvic bones, altering her life forever. It is also well known that the irresponsible behaviors some teens exhibit may put them at risk for sexually transmitted diseases. These diseases can be easily spread to an unborn baby. If untreated, disasterous consequences can occur.
Teen moms are more likely to have a baby that is premature and low birth weight. A premature baby is one that is born too early. Some of these babies do die. The ones that make it tend to have problems later in life, mental and physical problems are included. A low birth weight baby is one that is born with a weight of less than 5 1/2 pounds. These babies have a greater risk of being born with major birth defects.

So,teen pregnancy is disastrous on all levels..even on the economic level..

Please tell us what you consider to be a woman.

I consider a woman not only a pubertal female who has reached a reasonable stage of growth of her brain, bones, muscle, skin, breasts, and reproductive organs but also an adolescent one who`s mature mentally, psychologically and also socially enough to be independent from the parents or legal guardians,able to make her own choices..