I also have diabetes. I take medications for this and another health issue...If I fast I get sick. What I try to do is restrict my consumption during the day (in the spirit of Ramadan), and I anonymously donate to a local interfaith food pantry. jedi

Amin IronSky. Al Quran does not tell us the method of prayer. The ritual that is known and practiced by many is a tradition more than divinely ordained. God, in fact, is not all that enthralled by ritual. The Prophet Jesus railed against the empty ritualism of the Temple. In fact, God tells us through the Psalmist, the Prophet David, that He desires a contrite and broken heart when we approach Him in our prayer. God also desires for us to express gratitude and praise for His action in our lives. Meditating upon His qualities, expecially His mercy and His sustaining us in our lives, is another way of 'making contact' in our prayers. What the 5 prayer per day tells me is that we are to be connected to God throughout our day. However, to insist that one needs to do prayers in a specific manner, at specific times per day, which seem to change everyday if one follows a prayer schedule, it to miss the point. Salat is a manner of living our days in a prayerful manner, connected to God; clinging to God out of love and devotion. God is closer to us than our jugular vein. He knows what is in our hearts. If ritual salat, as prescribed by those who take things literally and by those who mock/compel others to pray as they do, takes our hearts out of the equation. It becomes more of an obligation or a duty to uphold rather than a free expression of our love and devotion to God. Which do you think is the more sincere manner of praying to our One and only God?

Peace,

Welcome to the forum and Islam Buck, pray whenever you want, dont get stuck in ritualistic detail, its good to pray and be consistent and to pray sincerely, dont worry too much about the details, I usually pray in between the hours, not exactly on them, sometimes I can pray 5 times a day, sometimes i miss a few , somedays I dont even pray, I feel bad about it but I just tell GOd im sorry next time I pray and ask him to guide me even closer to him in truth, I think of it like an engine with 5 cylinders, when I pray 5 times I feel like im running on all cylinders and everyhting feels good, sometimes im only running on one or two and I usually feel that way too. Our backgrounds are pretty similar, im a mixed race american born and raised, was catholic for 35 years, didnt like or understand the traditional Islam i was learning then I found GOd alone Quran alone and have felt at home ever since, oh,, I also cry once in awhile when I pray, I just never told anyone. Hope to become friends.

Kurt

?Goodness is not in turning your face to the east or to the west???.

The Quran teaches instead that God is always with us and asks us to speak to Him directly

?And if My servants ask about Me?behold I am near, I respond to whoever calls on Me, whenever they call, let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may benefit.?

?Successful indeed are the believers, who are sincere in their prayers ?( 231-2).

The Quran wants us to know that God is ever present in our lives, and that we can turn to Him at any time to establish prayer. Sincere prayer is not a set of rituals that can become empty and stale over time. God wants our hearts. Sincere prayer is direct communication to God, meditating upon God's omnipotence and mercy, asking God for mercy, praising His presence in our lives...etc. Imposing a set of rituals is compulsion in a format of worship. When the mind is half concentrating on prostrations and rakkats, then prayers become useless, as our whole mind is not involved in our communication with God. The Quran does not prescribe any procedure for prayer. The current form of prayer practiced by so many brothers and sisters are a throwback to pre-Islamic times. It is how the pagans worshipped. This is an example of how Arab culture was infused into religion. Rakkats and prostrations are fine for those who chose to do them, but as they become rote duties to perform, they lose meaning and can damage our relating to God. Alhamdulillah.

I think female circumcision is totally unnessessary. In the west, particularly the United States, male circumcision was routine between the 1950's to the 1990's. As time has progressed, people have changed their views on it. I do not think it is a necessary religious ritual. That is my opinion.

Circumcision is abhorrent when it is applied to a rite of passage. In many African cultures, I understand that the circumcision of teenagers is prevalent. Now that is barbarous.

I hear all of this and to an extent I agree. But God does not make things a burden for us. For many, Friday prayers at sundown are a hardship because of work. Additionally, I would not be inclined to go to a Masjid where its people follow that which is shirk. Wherever there is a congregation of 2-3 or more, that should suffice. But if this is not possible, one should observe the prayers if one cannot congregate with others.

Ah, but Zulu, just because the discourse is written in the clear Arabic tongue, does not imply that prayer need be in the Arabic tongue. Furthermore, regarding differing translations of al Quran, because it is written in a clear tongue, the issues with translation should be significantly less than translations from Aramaic to Hebrew to Greek to Latin to English...blah blah blah...

Dear Wakas

I will refrain from explaining in terms that you may find difficult to understand or terms that you perceive to be 'red herrings' and will cut to the chase. It is a universally accepted fact from the beginning of the human race, that one cannot be a specialist or even explain something in simple terms of which they have absolutely no idea or knowledge. How can you then give any insight of Quranic Arabic if you do not speak, write or understand the language in any way or form and have neither studied the subject? Period.

122 behold, We have bestowed it from on high as a discourse in the arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.

1337 Thus, then, have We bestowed from on high this as an ordinance in the arabic tongue. And, indeed, if thou shouldst defer to men's likes and dislikes after all the knowledge that has come unto thee, thou wouldst have none to protect thee from God, and none to shield thee .

16103 And, indeed, full well do We know that they say, "It is but a human being that imparts this to him! - the tongue of him to whom they so maliciously point is wholly outlandish, whereas this is arabic speech, clear and clearly showing the truth .

20113 AND THUS have We bestowed from on high this as a discourse in the arabic tongue, and have given therein many facets to all manner of warnings, so that men might remain conscious of Us, or that it give rise to a new awareness in them

26195 in the clear arabic tongue.

3928 as a discourse in the arabic tongue, free of all devious?ness, so that they might become conscious of God.

413 a divine writ, the messages whereof have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in the arabic tongue for people of knowl?edge,

4144 Now if We had willed this to be a discourse in a non-arabic tongue, they would surely have said, ?Why is it that its messages have not been spelled out clearly? Why - a non-arabic tongue, and an Arab?? Say ?Unto all who have attained to faith, this is a guidance and a source of health; but as for those who will not believe - in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them they are being called from too far away.

427 and so We have revealed unto thee a discourse in the arabic tongue in order that thou mayest warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it to wit, warn of the Day of the Gathering, which is beyond all doubt some shall find themselves in paradise, and some in the blazing flame.

433 behold, We have caused it to be a discourse in the arabic tongue, so that you might encompass it with your reason.

4612 And yet, before this there was the revelation of Moses, a guide and a grace; and this is a divine writ confirming the truth in the arabic tongue, to warn those who are bent on evildoing, and a glad tiding to the doers of good

If you believe otherwise, I implore you to gain a Harvard University Degree in say a PhD in Biological Sciences in Dental Medicine, without studying the subject and just a phone call to the Dean stating that you have read a book on Japanese Sushi and feel you are now fully experienced, specialised and competent in the field of Dentistry. Therefore, not only do you require acknowledgement of the PhD but you are in a position to publicly debate and teach the professors everything about Dentistry because they are wrong and you are right based on your Sushi. Because this is exactly what you are saying about the Quran and Quranic Arabic.

Anyway, once you complete this task, I will accept everything you say without question. My incline is that the Dean will do exactly what I will do. Laugh at your claims over the phone and after putting the phone down, walk away nodding his head in disbelief chuckling to himself and asking the question 'is this dude on crack or something' and then cite this incident at dinner parties to entertain all his guests each time and everytime. In other words, the butt of all jokes!

Good luck.

Peace

Khalil, thank you for your feedback. May God's peace be upon you. O0

I want to pray salat as prescribed. And I usually succeed. But in my line of work, healthcare, I need to be mobile all the time. I cannot perform wudu as prescribed. Within this setting, it is inappropriate to stick my feet, one at a time, into a bathroom sink!

Thanks for this discussion. God be praised.

I think you are already one.

262 Surely those who acknowledge, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and those who follow other religions, any one of them who acknowledge God and the Last day, and do reform, they will have their reward with their Lord, with no fear over them, nor will they grieve.

3122 Those who submit completely to God, while leading a righteous life, have gotten hold of the strongest bond. To God all matters will return.

Shall I change my first name to Tobias or Tariq now?? O0

http//www.free-minds.org/salat_edip

Thank you my brother. I will read this with great enthusiasm.

One more question...

Is it truly necessary to perform the contact prayers in the rigid formulation that is prescribed in al Quran?? If so, they for what reason, other than al Quran tells us to do it in such a manner.

Please read the verses in context. i have underlined the important bits. Also, you might want to watch this video which explains the verses in detail.

Thank you. I think more and more that I am a muslim.

Peace Thomas,

I have answered this question for you where you had the same question in this thread
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9598480.msg208767#msg208767

Thank you again. O0

The way I see it is, Jesus was fully submitting to God and God's will was in Jesus as it is in us. Also God is our creator, So in that respect Jesus and God are one just as We and God are one.

This makes sense.

Peace

(from my PPP)

Things that happened after the Council of Nicea and other smaller councils

The trinity was indoctrinated into Christianity/became part of ?mainstream Christianity?.
Sabbath was abrogated. Sunday became the day of worship. - Sunday was the Pagan Roman day of worship. Jesus and his true followers kept the Sabbath Holy.

Christmas became a holiday.
?From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the Bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter.?
Historians say that it comes from the Roman holiday Saturnalia, honoring the Roman God ?Saturn? on the 25th of December.

Jesus became the "begotten son of God".

Jesus and his mother were worshipped.

Examples of ancient trinities

Nimrod (father), Semiramis (mother) and Tammuz (son, ?pagan Messiah of Babylon?). Three-in-one sungod. (Nimrod mentioned in book of Genesis).

Hindu trinity Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver and Shiva the destroyer.
Hindu ?God incarnate? Krishna (of Vishnu).

Egyptian trinity Isis, Horus, Seth

From the Bible

Jesus answered a teacher of law who asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" as "The most important one is this 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (Mark 1228-30)

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone." (Mark 1017-1

In verse John 1028-30, talking about his followers as his sheep, he states "...Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one.?
"I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe on Me through their word. May they all be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I in You, so that they may be one in Us, in order that the world may believe that You sent Me! I gave them the glory that You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are One; I in them and You in Me, so that they may be made completely one, in order that the world may know that You have sent Me and that You love them as You love Me. (Gospel of John, chapter 17, verse 21-23)

You might also want to look at this

The interpretation of God and I are one could have gone awry. Perhaps this means that God is working through Jesus, thus they are one? Jesus is doing Gods' will, and God is working through Jesus, so this makes Jesus and God at 'one?' Because in the same gospel, Jesus says nobody is above God.

Thank you my friend! I took note about my picture too!

I will review these verses that you showed me.

My ideas about Jesus' divinity are beginning to be challenged. I am reading the Gospels with a more discerning mind. I must agree with what a Rev. John had stated here on the forum. In the gospels Jesus would retire and pray to God. The question that has been poignant for me is that if Jesus was divine, would he need to pray to himself, or to ask God to take the cup of suffering away if it was God's will? Could the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ be a sign for what is to come in the future for beleivers? Certainly such a scenario was not out of the realm of what God could accomplish through Jesus Christ, because God can do all things. The signs that Jesus Christ accomplished were through God's intervention. The concretely showed a stubborn people that God loves them, and yet they demanded more signs from Jesus!

In the Islamic perspective, I know that Jesus is a very important prophet. Never once in the Gospels did Jesus refer to himself as God. When he was called the King of the Jews he did not ascent to that title. he would just retort, "So you say." While he is called 'son of God,' this might just refer to God's expression of pleasure with him. In fact Jesus reinforced that God is 'One.' The Lord's Prayer made no reference to Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Furthermore Jesus' relationship with God shows us that God considers us His children. The Nicene Creed was not created until 325 C.E. Constantine, a Roman Emperor, was integral in its creation. His faith in 'the Way' was not existent by some accounts. He oversaw the setup of the Christian religion as a state religion of Rome. This consolidated power by decreasing religious unrest. Paganism was influenced through the integration of Christianity into Rome. The setup of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one God-head was established here. Contextually, there is a pagan influence here in the Christian faith. The pantheon of Roman Gods and Goddesses were changed into a pantheon of saints to whom one could pray for intercession. In this sense, the Christian faith had strayed far from the message of Jesus. My eyes are opening to this more and more. It makes total sense, within this context, why God revealed His final message to Muhammed through Jibreel. I am having an 'Ah-ha!' moment.

Peace be upon my brothers and sisters. I have been a seeker since an early age. I was raised a Roman Catholic, but I have rejected the idolotry within that church. I also reject that a man can be an intermediary between God and me. I truly believe that God is as close to me as each breath that I take. It is God that sustains me. I am currently a Presbyterian. It is my strong belief that there is One God. As a Christian, without God, Jesus would not have been able to perform his mighty deeds. Jesus even refers to God as 'our God,' on many occasions. He is also called 'the Son of Man' on multiple occasions in the Gospels. I can understand Islam's view that Jesus was a great prophet, but not God the Son, within the trinity.

Islam has been a religion that I have been drawn towards for many years. However, the rituals and prostrations have been confusing and a barrier to me. It is my sincere belief that only God can cleanse me. I do not believe that following rituals bring us any closer to God. The one aspect of al Quran that vexes me is the fact that when the Archangel Jibreel provides the recitation to the Prophet, he refers to 'us' and 'we' and 'our' when referring to God, or the message given to Muhammed. I never understood this plural tense, given that Islam is the strictest of monotheistic religions. Islam condemns setting up partners with God. But how is it that Jibreel makes reference to a plurality? Is he referring to the angels?

Peace be upon my brothers and sisters in truth. I truly believe that God is as close to me as each breath that I take. It is God that sustains me. It is my strong belief that there is One God. As a Christian, without God, Jesus would not have been able to perform his mighty deeds. Jesus even refers to God as 'our God,' on many occasions. He is also called 'the Son of Man' on multiple occasions in the Gospels. I can understand Islam's view that Jesus was a great prophet, but not God the Son, within the trinity.

Islam has been a religion that I have been drawn towards for many years. However, the rituals and prostrations have been confusing and a barrier to me. It is my sincere belief that only God can cleanse me. I do not believe that following rituals bring us any closer to God. The one aspect of al Quran that vexes me is the fact that when the Archangel Jibreel provides the recitation to the Prophet, he refers to 'us' and 'we' and 'our' when referring to God, or the message given to Muhammed. I never understood this plural tense, given that Islam is the strictest of monotheistic religions. Islam condemns setting up partners with God. But how is it that Jibreel makes reference to a plurality? Is he referring to the angels?