the article at this website has interesting points on this topic.

http//www.answering-christianity.com/polygamy.htm

peace ss,

Perhaps it should be considered when we need additional guidance and when we do not.

Do humans not know how to bathe? or we do not know how to clean ourselves when unclean?

Wakas

Yes we know how to bathe, but how did it become such a ritual thing in Islam ? Especially since it is not specified in the quran to bathe a certain way .

444 O you who believe, do not come near the contact-method while you are drunk, until you know what you are saying. Nor if you have had intercourse, unless travelling, until you bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or one of you has excreted feces, or you had sexual contact with the women, and could not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and hands. God is Pardoning, Forgiving.

Does this mean the Quran leaves it open to us on how we perform ghusl ?
Bathe is very open, it seems the Quran does not give details, as the hadiths on ghusl do .

Wudu is defined in the Quran, but it seems ghusl is not defined.

Is that correct ?

Ayman,

How do you think the tradition of fasting for a month came into existence, if the Readings real meaning is 10 days ( or 3-10 days) ?

Do you think it is a fast of 10 days ? or 3 days ? or some other number?

Do you think the Prophet (saw) , fasted for 3-10 days or for 30 days?

Thank you all for your comments .

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Even ones that disagree with my previous post.

Please give me your comments, thoughts, etc..

thanks ,

Peace

Clearly, they have received their instruction, have we received ours?

I was pondering this question, and the Ayah.

Birds follow their instinct, as all animals do. Perhaps instinct is the language that God has given to the animals to follow. Humans use words, thoughts, feelings to honor/worship/glorify God. This is our language.

Yet for us to really hear God we have to go within , to the heart. We have to make the other distractions go away. That is done in meditation, and I think of salat as a form of meditation. We remove ourself form the thoughts of earthly things, silent our mind and heart and turn within and go before God.

Now just as each type of animal has its own "instinct to follow", for example birds fly and hunt worms, fish swim, etc. So each human , or groups of humans ( religions) , have thier own type of salat they follow.

So what is salat?

Is it a set of certain words and movements, people of a certain religion do? Or is it deeper then that, is it more primal?

Is it something we can only grasp when we get beyond the material
level ?

Animals do not have to get beyond their mind, as they do not have free will, they like all other creations, just do what they were created to do.

this is a very interesting topic, that I need to think more about.

Peace

I have been pondering the idea of Ramadan being 30 days, not 30 days in a row, as the person who started this thread was pointing to.

If the Quran refers to Ramadan as the month the Quran was revealed, does it only mean the first time it was related or started?

If the Quran was given to Muhammad over many years , wouldn't it make sense that it would have been revealed in every month ?

I like what the original poster said about fasting after one has received a revelation.

After one has received enlightenment, a new understanding, etc., then fast the next day.

A few days ago I completed the traditional Ramadan fasting, but it is done more as an obligation, or duty. So now I am trying to find a new understanding of Ramadan and fasting.

I would welcome discussions on this.

Ok I read the article, it still seems I have missed Ramadan for this year.
Am I correct in that assumption?

If yes, do i make the days up before the next Ramadan next June ?

Also if I read the article correctly, the fast is for 10 days only, is that correct ?

"A month beginning Autumn, in which the Quran was sent down as a guide and clarification of the guidance and the criterion. Whoever from you is witness to that month, then let him fast in it. And whoever is ill or traveling, then the same number from different days. God wants to bring you ease and not to bring you hardship; and so that you may complete the count, and glorify God for what He Has guided you, that you may be thankful. " (2185)

Does this mean we were suppose to start our fasting Sept 22,2005 ?

The timing is told to us in order to confirm this understanding, DAWN and DUSK are the times when day and night MERGE. They have EQUAL SHARE at this time.

I got confused here. Are you saying the times to offer salat are dawn and dusk? I also am not sure about the brain waves.. I am not at all functioning at dawn, how can that be the best time to process things ?

Idolfree,

you said >>Salaat (the process of enlightenment through meditation)<<

How does that fit into the way the Quran uses the word salat?

Thanks Layath

Hi Layth, I sent you another request for removal, not sur eif you got the first one.

wakas,

Thanks for the info, I sent him a pm.

I face Jerusalem in following the command of the Quran to the Prophet and the believers that they should from now on face the Restricted Temple.

Where did they use to face ?

Joe,
I skimmed through the link you posted, it has lots of Quran ayahs I need to read in context. Thank you for giving me a place to start my reading.

I was a bit concerned by this section, as I am confused by the ayah posted and its connection to " why all Muslims have been losing"

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION

Do you realize now why all the Muslims have been losing?

Do you realize why GOD has abandoned these people?

??. And fulfil your part of the covenant, that I fulfil My part of the covenant, and reverence Me.? (240) <<<

So I turned to my Quran to read the ayah in context and it seems directed at the Children of Israel.

Is this section of that link you posted, saying the Children of Israel are Muslims ?

Salaam,

I am new to the idea's of God Alone type of Islam

I didn't know if it was equal to what the Quran says, which is why I asked my questions .

Thanks for the replies

Salaam ,

cremation is an option that is acceptable ? I was always told Muslims must be buried.

Does the Quran allow for cremation?

What do people here believe the Quran says about Jesus and the Cross?

I have read many different beliefs from various Muslims and translations of the Quran. What do progressive Muslims believe on this topic?