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Mithras
03-02-2009, 08:31 AM
I really hope I don't offend anyone with this thread but as an agnostic, and lapsed Christian, I am curious about religious conceptions.
In Christianity god/allah is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present and is called "Our Father" (a Christian prayer), a term Muslims find offensive towards allah/god.
Yet on the other hand Muslims compare allah's/god's judgements on humanity as to how a father would treat errant children, and regard him to have human
sensitivities like not being prayed to in a toilet.
If he is not omnipresent how can this be offensive to him, moreover if he created everything about humanity why would he be offended by bodily functions?
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aamirsaab
03-02-2009, 10:42 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Mithras
I really hope I don't offend anyone with this thread but as an agnostic, and lapsed Christian, I am curious about religious conceptions.
In Christianity god/allah is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present and is called "Our Father" (a Christian prayer), a term Muslims find offensive towards allah/god.
Yet on the other hand Muslims compare allah's/god's judgements on humanity as to how a father would treat errant children, and regard him to have human
sensitivities like not being prayed to in a toilet.
If he is not omnipresent how can this be offensive to him, moreover if he created everything about humanity why would he be offended by bodily functions?
There is a difference in being like a father and being a father. In Islam to call Allah father is a down-play on His role. He is not a father, but the teachings He has given us in the Holy Qur'an are similar to that of a father teaching his child (and the way we follow His teachings is similar to how a child follows his father's) . So whilst as muslims we can respect Allah like one would their own father, we know that He is much more than that.
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alcurad
03-02-2009, 10:47 AM
not praying in certain areas is for our benefit, not his. his name is not to be associated with such places, so we don't pray there.
the commands and prohibitions are for our benefit, not his.
we use human language to decribe our relationship with him since there is no other way, but in no way is that an indication of his similarity to his creation.
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Mithras
03-03-2009, 08:03 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by aamirsaab
There is a difference in being like a father and being a father. In Islam to call Allah father is a down-play on His role. He is not a father, but the teachings He has given us in the Holy Qur'an are similar to that of a father teaching his child (and the way we follow His teachings is similar to how a child follows his father's) . So whilst as muslims we can respect Allah like one would their own father, we know that He is much more than that.
This is the irony of the two religions I can't fathom out. Christians metaphorically call god/allah father but never compare him to a father, and Muslims won't refer to allah/god as father but will compare him to a father.
Also you have a religion where their god/allah is omnipresent and YET they feel comfortable praying anywhere, and another religion whose allah/god is not omnipresent but put respectful restrictions on where to pray.
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Mithras
03-03-2009, 08:16 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
not praying in certain areas is for our benefit, not his. his name is not to be associated with such places, so we don't pray there.
the commands and prohibitions are for our benefit, not his.
we use human language to decribe our relationship with him since there is no other way, but in no way is that an indication of his similarity to his creation.
A Muslim friend of mine disagrees, he told a couple of women off for praying in the dark and when I asked why, he replied that they were disrespectful to allah/god.
It is through Ibrahim (my friend) thatt I learnt about Islamic praying taboos.
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alcurad
03-03-2009, 11:59 PM
not all of these are not based on the qur'an of the directions of the prophet though.
you can pray in the dark all you want,,
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Mithras
03-04-2009, 08:18 AM
Have you any references to praying in the dark because if you're right I would like to inform Ibrahim.
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جوري
03-04-2009, 08:20 AM
reprimanding sisters on performing prayer.. how hilarious..
there is a manner in which to correct people if/when they are wrong and
telling a couple of women off' isn't one of them.. further why is he watching women pray in the dark, isn't that peculiar to you, because it is to me?
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Mithras
03-04-2009, 10:39 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
reprimanding sisters on performing prayer.. how hilarious..
there is a manner in which to correct people if/when they are wrong and
telling a couple of women off' isn't one of them.. further why is he watching women pray in the dark, isn't that peculiar to you, because it is to me?
We work night-shift and there is a prayer room (an out-door mobile) for which you have to ask for a key.
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alcurad
03-04-2009, 11:39 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Mithras
Have you any references to praying in the dark because if you're right I would like to inform Ibrahim.
rather where is the reference against it,,
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Mithras
03-05-2009, 09:29 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by alcurad
rather where is the reference against it,,
I can't ask Ibrahim (he's got two weeks off, no it's not a cop out), I did ask the sisters and they said he was really upset and said that there should have been some sort of light like a candle or lamp.
Reading between the lines they also mentioned that they felt self-conscious praying in the mobile, outside in the yard with electric lights on (we do work with some cave-dwellers). Maybe he was telling them to be proud.
If you can help shed some light on this issue I would be grateful.
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alcurad
03-05-2009, 10:58 AM
it might be that then, otherwise, have no idea where prohibition against praying in the dark came from, suffice to say, it is not prohibited to pray in the dark.
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جوري
03-05-2009, 06:36 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Mithras
We work night-shift and there is a prayer room (an out-door mobile) for which you have to ask for a key.
Indeed that doesn't answer the Q there, at least when one works it out in ones mind. So a sister comes to ask for the key, then assuming he goes above and beyond the call of duty and instead of loaning them the key he goes and opens the door.. now what? does he stand there and watches? further 'the night shift at an out-door' mobile' doesn't seem like a job for sisters.. the only job I have seen sisters at night would be if they were residents in a hospital (on call) but not in an out-door mobile, whatever that means.. Again, something doesn't add up here..


all the best
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