Messages

Peace all,
I have been thinking about the same thing for the past few weeks. There are so many parts of the Quran that I have issues with, yet I adore it's core message. Seemingly, that core message is in many religions anyway. The problem is that there are idolatrous parts of other religions I think, and Islam seems to be the purest in monotheism. It's hard to find purely monotheistic Christians who do not mention Jesus as God, etc. It's also hard being spiritual but not religious while adhereing to a strict moral diet (abstience, etc.) and trying to find a mate who also adheres to that moral diet when you do not technically follow the same scriptures. Though I am nowhere near ready to be married, this is something I've come to realize very recently. I'm starting to think maybe there is no doctrine that properly fits.
Thanks for adding the link to Bnei Noah, that is very interesting.

i *think* this belongs here...

i know that i believe in One God, the God of Life, and that He brings us together and gives us strength. i believe in the importance of compassion, humility, gratitude, and prayerfulness.

what troubles me are those verses in the Quran that refer to the specific military exploits of Mohammed. i do have to ask, why would God include these events in His book, if this book is supposed to be an eternal, trans-historical message of peace and unity? why would verses be included that would later be so interpreted to call for violence, if God knows best human nature and our tendency to be rigid and spiteful?

there is a lot of truth in the Quran. but as a Muslim, i must continually apologize for or explain away the very real violence within the faith in general, and even from a Quran-alone perspective that can be difficult, with ayat like 2:191 and 9:5.

i also do not think that an understanding of God can be limited to one text or messenger. after all, there are Baha'is and Sikhs who work for peace and who adore the One God.

what do you think? perhaps i am not a Muslim. forgive me if this sounds silly, but there are, within the Jewish fold, people called Bnei Noah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B'nei_Noah

could there be something like this for those who believe in God, and worship God alone, but who may not adhere to the Quran or follow Muhammed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanif

i mean... Muhammed apparently lead armies, had his enemies killed, such things. should we embrace this, should we have to continuously apologize for this or explain it away?

Cool, thanks

Good post

Peace Tarikh,

It's very good that you keep imagine yourself with her and please also imagine that she is like you(have similiar faith) and so on. And the most important part is to never doubt it, never doubt that this can be true. Instead visualize that you already have her and that she belongs to you. And be happy, everytime you catch a glimpse of her, start smile and be happy.

I must say I disbelieve of your thoughts that God don't give you something that will not benefit you. Actually you draw things to you what you wish for so people who have negative thoughts and are pessimistic to their nature will always be in that state until he change himself. I guess that is also mention in Quran. Something like God don't change a people until they change themselves. And that's so true. We must change and we are the one who asks for it. God He don't give you something if you haven't beg for it so please beg for something you really truly want in your life or else it's your on fault. If your life is a disaster then it's your own fault because you have wished for wrongs things or moaned about what you don't have instead of being thankful for what you have.

And I think we shouldn't point fingers at Hindus and Buddhists because they are the ones who are closer to the truths then many of us who consider ourselfs as Muslims or christians. The only wrong things is to associate God with many but other aspects they have, like meditation and thinking positive etc is so true.

I can once again say that traditions has mislead people through the times and I'm happy that even if I have walked the long path, I'm happy to finally found my call. And it is to have beliefs in one creator and follow the advice of being a good person, full of love and kindness to our fellow brothers and sisters.

Maria

Peace,
Thank you all  I'm in extreme gratitude to God!!

Peace,
Well I just found out that I passed the NY bar, so I'm a lawyer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

Peace  ,
http://www.viewzone.com/abraham.html

A sample: In his History of the Jews, the Jewish scholar and theologian Flavius Josephus (37 - 100 A.D.), wrote that the Greek philosopher Aristotle had said: "...These Jews are derived from the Indian philosophers; they are named by the Indians Calani." (Book I:22.)

Clearchus of Soli wrote, "The Jews descend from the philosophers of India. The philosophers are called in India Calanians and in Syria Jews. The name of their capital is very difficult to pronounce. It is called 'Jerusalem.'"

"Megasthenes, who was sent to India by Seleucus Nicator, about three hundred years before Christ, and whose accounts from new inquiries are every day acquiring additional credit, says that the Jews 'were an Indian tribe or sect called Kalani...'" (Anacalypsis, by Godfrey Higgins, Vol. I; p. 400.)

Martin Haug, Ph.D., wrote in The Sacred Language, Writings, and Religions of the Parsis, "The Magi are said to have called their religion Kesh-î-Ibrahim.They traced their religious books to Abraham, who was believed to have brought them from heaven." (p. 16.)

There are certain striking similarities between the Hindu god Brahma and his consort Saraisvati, and the Jewish Abraham and Sarai, that are more than mere coincidences. Although in all of India there is only one temple dedicated to Brahma, this cult is the third largest Hindu sect.

Wow, thanks for posting that. I wonder how well that guy would do against a muslim?

I am not sure what a discussion of Mary and QOS has to do with how men and women are supposed to interact with each other. However, it is clear that the QOS is treated as a ruler, and GOD did not state that women cannot rule when HE/IT clearly had the opportunity to do so. God does not run out of words. Solomon moving her kingdom to his does not = God saying that women are bad rulers. I just do not get where you see that Tarkih.
Secondly, Mary is an extremely important woman in Islam. She might not be a messenger per se, but God chose her above all other women to bear Isa. Her pregnancy with Isa was a test for her and a message for all people, so in a way, she was a vessel for a message from God.
Third, the idea that God did not mention any female prophets in the Quran does not 1) mean that there were NO female prophets/messengers and 2) does not mean that women are not fit to "rule." I am sure it was hard enough to convince anyone in ancient times to listen to the concept of monotheism. If women had been messengers, people may not have listened at all, because that was their perspective. Do you think that in societies where female babies are thrown away, it would be the best idea to choose a woman for a messenger? Clearly not...unless God intended to prove something and a woman was the only way to do so (ex. Mary giving birth to Isa). Now, there might have been communities with female messengers, but those were probably more progressive ones...as opposed to the backward people portrayed in many stories in the Quran.

Peace,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TevkzHQhh0 

No answers? I find this hard to believe