Peace all,
I am an old member. But I am not old (not yet). Unfortunately, I have lost the password of my email and my profile. Consequently, I haven't posted for a long time and can't log in to my old profile. In any case, I have returned to the forum and created a new profile. I'd like to participate in conversations/discussions on FM to learn from others and share some of my thoughts. I'd also like to share some information and some findings which I hope you will find helpful and useful.
There are many things I value in life such as my faith and quranic studies, family, work, career/education and business, information/knowledge, solitude and networking, travelling, various forms of social media, tv shows and movies, music, art, fashion/clothes, sports and games.
When it comes to my faith, I try to take an inclusive approach to islam. The quran says Abraham and his sons, Joseph and Jacob submitted to God (2:132 and 12:101). Therefore, the quran says "islam" (submission) existed before Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). Also, the quran guides people to call themselves muslims (49:14). The quran never says that a person should call himself or herself a sunni, shia, sufi, alawite, quranist, ismaili or ahmadiyya. Nevertheless, the quran doesn't forbid a person from calling himself or herself a sunni, shia, sufi, alawite, quranist, ismaili or ahmadiyya. Moreover, the quran never says that you have to proclaim that you are a "muslim." Also, the quran never says that you have to use the arabic word "muslim" when you call yourself a "muslim." Thus, if you want to call yourself a "muslim", you can say it in any language you want. For instance, if you speak english with someone, you can tell them you are a "submitter." Because the arabic word "muslim" means "submitter" in english. I don't think "islam" is an arabized faith and that the word "islam" and the word "muslim" can't or shouldn't be translated to other languages. I think "islam" is a universal faith. In closing, I'd like to say that the quran says being a "muslim" is an evolving thing and that one has to work on being a "muslim" as long as one lives (3:102).