Topics

1

General Issues / Questions / Its been a while...

« on: April 16, 2011, 05:34:31 PM »

Its been a while since I came here... over 5 years in fact.  I re-read some of my old posts and I realized I was kind of just desperate to talk to someone who understood how I felt... even if I had nothing real to say.  Life changes and people grow.

I'm now having a serious problem relating to Muslims in my area.  My husband was brough up Muslim though he doesn't practice and he keeps warning me that I'm going to get myself in trouble.  He is proud that I can pray in Arabic and have read the Qur'an but he has no faith in 'religion'.  He's afraid to go and meet with others, not only because he might not know what he's doing, but because he's worried I'm going to draw a lot of undesired attention with my specific beliefs.

But I'm seriously confused.  How in God's name are you supposed to hold up the Sunnah next to the Qur'an?  How are you supposed to keep following the same rushing river everyone else rides?  The Sunnah isn't even sold in bookstores.  But then again, why stand out like this to be crushed?  I fear ran through me the other day that I might be the one trying to lead 'others' astray.  They are the majority... people who believe in mainstream Islam and perform all the same daily routines.

What's right?  I'd love to hear from someone who has had similar problems.

2

General Issues / Questions / When is it considering "Struggling"?

« on: November 02, 2006, 07:18:43 PM »

Peace Everyone,

I'd like to know other people's point of view on "struggling".

Although I believe in Allah and the Qur'an with all my heart, I find myself going with the flow of my environment - which doesn't always flow parallel with the right path.

For instance, I could eat only halal food, but then I would probably never have dinner with any other member of my family, and most likely drive my husband insane.  In America, Beef and Pork are everywhere... if it doesn't have bacon bits on it then it's blended with pork or soaked in blood.  I try as often as I can to stick to seafood or veggies or poultry (because I haven't heard of non-halal poultry).  However, there are days when I want a warm breakfast... I need one to keep on moving, and I stop for a typical breakfast sandwich.

Am I struggling?  Supposedly, I can eat anything just so long as I am struggling and not doing it because I really like it, want to eat it, or don't care about Allah's law.  I am hungry... and I have a duty to my home, my work... etc.  I can't be running around too much just to find the right food.

Same for clothing... in America... they don't sell conservative women's clothing... just check out those "butt wraps" - you can't even call them skirts anymore because they don't go half way down the thigh.  Of course I never wear those things... I pick the most conservative that I can, but I certainly can't dress like I'm from Jeddah or Damascus.

Am I struggling?  Am I struggling by trying to be a muslim in a non-muslim world?

I don't want to say to God that His path wasn't convienant, but I know He doesn't want it to be a hardship where I loose focus on the purpose.

I'm a bit torn here... how do you all feel about these questions? - especially those of you living in America.

3

Islamic Calendar & Ramadhan. / Overhead Habits

« on: September 14, 2006, 06:04:55 PM »

Salam Everyone,

I work at a factory that has a lot of muslim workers - particularly Turkish.  Many are older women who seem to have grown up outside of the large cities in Turkey.  These women cover themselves - but other than that they seem like regular women... laughing, running at the bell, arguing and all.

Speaking with their American supervisor about what goes on during Ramadan, she told me that these ladies have some really weird habits and I want to know if they really are weird or are they acceptable during Ramadan.

First off... these women think it's OK to wash their feet in the toilet.  Due to this, the factory has banned feet washing.  (Personally, I follow the belief that if you wash yourself clean in the morning and put on socks and shoes - then your feet are practically clean the whole day and you need only touch your socks with a bit of water for salat.)

Secondly, when these women have their period they stop doing all religious duties at once... no fasting, no praying, at all.

Are these things OK?

I don't know how they can do these things because the toilet is just the toilet and breaking the rhythm of fasting just to go back seems really hard.

Please let me know.  I am still learning a lot about being a muslim and identifying traditional acts vs. religious acts.

Thanks so much.

4

Quranic Divinity / archeology

« on: June 07, 2006, 04:03:35 PM »

When I was finally able to read the Qur?an (through a modern translation), I had a divine realization that this is the Word of God being repeated (for the first time directly) for the 3rd time.

It just dawned on me like this? ?God is actually knocking for the 3rd time.  Look, it?s all the same voice!  It can?t be human manipulation.  If you don?t realize the truth and open the door now, then you?re really lost.?

This is the strongest belief I have ever felt in my life.  I am doing all I can to keep it strong.  However, I am hitting a slight wall.

In an effort to write a new novel, I am leaning into my faith to create a fantasy based on the idea of meeting jinn through extraordinary events.  Touching on the topic of jinn interaction leads me to the tale of Solomon, but there?s a problem for me.

If God?s Words are in fact historical record, then where is Solomon?  He supposedly ruled an Empire based in Jerusalem.  But no matter how hard archeologists search, they seem to turn up no real evidence of a vast palace, army, or any show of majesty.  The only concrete proof so far is a clay jug with a receipt for a donation to ?The Temple of Solomon? and that?s it. 

Many archeologist contend that Solomon is a mythological man who was invented after the children of Israel were captured by the Babylonians ? in order to remind the younger generation of the idea of ?greatness? and give them confidence to take their lives into their own hands when freed.

Now here?s the deadly domino effect? should no evidence for Solomon?s existence come to light? was it really a myth?  Was a myth incorporated into the Qur?an?  How much more of the Qur?an is myth?

That?s my dilemma. 

Please someone who has knowledge shed light on this tangle.

Thank you.

5

Questions/Comments on the Quran / Repeating Commandments

« on: September 16, 2005, 07:36:33 PM »

Salaam All,

After running numerous (and I mean NUMEROUS) word searches on the Qur'an via Islamicity.com's wonderful device, I noticed that the Qur'an repeats itself, sometimes regularly.  This seems especially so when it comes to commandments.

I noticed it again in reading the first couple posts of the "Swine Haram/Halal" thread going on.

The commandment to not ead dead meat, swine, etc. is repeated twice in the Qur'an.  Almost word for word.  On other times it was word for word.

That is kind of weird.  Is that a mistake on Muhammed (pbuh) part?  Is that God trying to hammer something in or show severe importance?  Is that the fault of the people who compiled the Qur'an during the reign of Uthman?

Anyone?

Thanks for reading and commenting.

6

Questions/Comments on the Quran / Free-Minds Quran Translation

« on: September 16, 2005, 04:32:54 PM »

Salaam All,

I have a few questions about the Free-Minds Translation of the Holy Qur'an.

First, I am curious as to why the changes in it's layout... chapters instead of surahs, God instead of Allah, 8 verses in surah 1 instead of 7, and any other verse changes.

Secondly, I'd like to understand the use of the word "Almighty" in the first surah.  Surely, it's been a name assoicated with God but I feel it was just stuck there to resonate with Christian readers who use that adjective of God often.  Frankly, I am very happy with adjectives like The Beneficent, the Merciful and such.

I am primarily interested in the overhaul of presentation.  It just feels very Christian and even thought they are also People of The Book, I don't feel we should be leaning into their voice... we should have our own Muslim voice.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

P.S.  I am on a hunt for a new translation of the Qur'an and I am leaning into the new Saheeh Int'l translation - it is one of the first to be done by a woman... if anyone has read that version I would appreciate their opinion of it.

7

Off-Topic / Avatar problems

« on: September 16, 2005, 04:21:46 PM »

Salaam All,

I keep trying to choose an avatar but they all have little red X s on them instead of showing me the picture.  Even if I generate the avatar from my computer or one of my websites.

Usually the red X happens when a picture isn't listed correctly in a website's code.  I don't know what could be causing this problem.

I have deleted all my temp internet files and updated my browser.

Any suggestions???

8

Introduce Yourself / Introduction

« on: September 16, 2005, 11:18:52 AM »

Salaam to All,

The Holy Qur'an is what converted me to Islam in the first place.  After that, I started not to understand Islam at all.

After believing in the Holy Qur'an as the truth from God everything else was harder to believe in and very very confusing.

I didn't understand why the Sunnah or Hadeeths were so important if they were just as diluted as the New Testament.  I didn't understand the multitude of rules in Islam that I couldn't find in the Qur'an.  I didn't understand the twisted rules... like from "cover thy bosom..., lengthen thy garments" to "cover anything and everything that shows you are a human".  Outside of the wise Qur'an, Islam seemed turned on it heels facing a time that has long since passed.

The Prophet(pbuh) was the greatest example of "Follow the Qur'an to the best of your ability" - he was not someone to be mimiced blindly nor taken literally.  He was an example of the Qur'an back in the 7th century.  We all need to be examples of the Qur'an now.

People have said that I am trying to make Islam suit me and it should suit Allah.  However, Allah was vague on purpose in the Qur'an.  There were strict rules but also 'directions' - that we should head towards a certain purpose but there are no strict rules on how to forfill that purpose.

After trying and trying and trying to accept the Muslim community despite it's complete backwardsness... I gave up and resolved to live by Allah's Words Alone.  At least He was perfect, At least he could forsee it all.  I trust the old tafseers to a certain extent but I trust my heart and my mind more.  I am doing all that I can to understand Allah completely and I hope I succeed.

Thanks for reading.

- Pamukkale