What do you most admire about the following religions?

[John Augustine]

Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Feel free to subdivide them if you wish.

Here's mine:

Islam - the regularity of prayer and devotion.

Judaism - fidelity througout millenia of persecution.

Christianity - Hymns and chant.

[AntiKarateKid]

Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Feel free to subdivide them if you wish.

Here's mine:

Islam - the regularity of prayer and devotion.

Judaism - fidelity througout millenia of persecution.

Christianity - Hymns and chant.

Funny you should mention those. I think Islam underwent basically no change since its inception while todays Jews are to an extent different than their predecessors. As for hyms and chants, have you listened to the Quran John?

Tell me Augustine, what do you think of this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_crnfR9u99I

[memories]

Islam - the number of rules...

Judaism - fidelity througout millenia of persecution. (same)

Christianity - Such a jolly and serene atmosphere between beleivers.

[جوري]

Judaism-- I like that they have established themselves to have kosher markets, and hopefully really stuck with the practice.. to include pastries and cakes.. which the Halal market hasn't gained popularity in.

Christians: I like that there are in spite of the run of the mill evangelists that one meets on board, that in real life, some of them are truly wonderful honest people and they believe that to be a trait of the believer 'blessed are the peace makers' I find this to be true of just one member here 'Eric' and I applaud him for his constant effort to act as a buffer..

Islam.. well I love everything, but my deepest gratitude is for the Quran.. I can't describe the Quran and its recitations.. They move me to tears, and exultation, they are a friend, and a comfort. It is the criterion and the focus, upon which all stands


while passing by the mosque I encountered people indulging in [insidious] talk. So I visited Ali 'and told him this. He asked me if this was true and I confirmed it. Then he said. I heard the prophet declare, '' dissension will certainly come''. I asked the prophet how it could be avoided, and he replied, ''kitabullah'': (the book of Allah) is the way; it contains information of what happened before you, News of what will come after you and a decision regarding matters that will occur among you. It is the distinguisher and it isn't jesting, if any overweening person abandons it, Allah will break him, and if anyone seeks guidance elsewhere Allah will lead him astray. It is Allah's stalwart rope, the wise reminder, the straight path; it is that by which desires don't swerve nor tongue becomes confused, and the learned cannot grasp it completely. It isn't worn out by repetition nor do its wonders every cease. It is that of which the Jinns didn't hesitate to remark when they heard it: we have heard a wonderful recitation which guides to what is right, and we believe in it'; he who utters it speaks the truth, he who acts according to is rewarded, he who pronounces judgment according to it is just, and he who invites people to it guides them to the straight path'' At-Tirmidhi, sunnan, hadith no.2906

all the best

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[Pygoscelis]

Judaism: No concept of eternal punishment in hell for disbelief.

Islam: I just learned in another thread it has a more rational version of adam and eve.

Christianity: I hear confession can be good for the psyche and catholics set that up nicely for their members.

All Three: They organize some charity events (though too often they use same as vehicles to sell their religions)

[GreyKode]

All Three: They organize some charity events (though too often they use same as vehicles to sell their religions)

Naah, the muslims don't have that kind of money as Jews or Chrisitians do.

[جوري]

Naah, the muslims don't have that kind of money as Jews or Chrisitians do.

:sl:
believe it or not, Muslims have more money according to recent surveys..
how they choose to spend it is an entirely different matter..
Charity in Islam however is an act made so that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand has given.. let alone speculate on grounds other than the actual purpose they are intended for!

:w:

[memories]

Naah, the muslims don't have that kind of money as Jews or Chrisitians do.

They have that kind of money but its Oil money, concentrated in a very small portion of individuals princes, and what not, while the rest of the population is very poor.

[جوري]

Naah, the muslims don't have that kind of money as Jews or Chrisitians do.

Here are two articles on the matter as well:

Middle Eastern immigrants were highly educated, with 49 percent holding at least a bachelor's degree, compared to 28 percent of natives.

Median earnings for Middle Eastern men were $39,000 a year compared to $38,000 for native workers.

they tend to be better-educated than native U.S. residents — about half hold bachelor's degrees, compared to 28 percent of natives. They also perform as well economically as natives — 30- and 40-year-old Middle Eastern males with a college education have the same median income as natives, and Middle East immigrants are more likely be self-employed.




Middle Eastern Immigrants in U.S. Educated, Prosperous, Study Says
Gannett News Service, August 15, 2002

(Also ran in Arizona Republic - 8/15)

WASHINGTON — Middle Eastern immigrants in the United States are well educated, earn more money than most Americans and are predominantly Muslim, according to a report released Wednesday.

They also are among the nation's fastest-growing immigrant groups, according to the report issued by the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, a think tank that supports reducing the number of immigrants to the United States.

The report says the number of Middle Eastern immigrants increased from fewer than 200,000 in 1970 to almost 1.5 million in 2000. The overall number of foreign-born residents in the United States tripled to 31 million over the same period.

The report offers a rare portrait of an immigrant group that has received intense scrutiny and negative publicity since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Project MAPS, a survey of "Muslims in the American Public Square" conducted in 2001-2002 by researchers at Georgetown University, found that 86 percent of all Muslim professionals were concentrated in three careers: engineering, computer science, and medicine. Law, law enforcement, and politics accounted for a minuscule 0.6 percent. American Muslims, some demographers say, have also been voting well below their numbers in the population -- registering to vote at only half the national rate, according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey [PDF], a project of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. "If they ever did play to their weight" in the electoral arena and in Washington, Muslims "would be a much more considerable force in public policy-making," says Steve Clemons, a Democrat who directs the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation in Washington.

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/p...ab_America.pdf
http://www.cis.org/articles/2002/mideastcoverage.html

:w:

[GreyKode]

No, I meant like the money that church owns. I mean't muslim organization are not very rich, so basically they don't have the luxury or the intent to sell their religion through charity as he claims.

[جوري]

No, I meant like the money that church owns. I mean't muslim organization are not very rich, so basically they don't have the luxury or the intent to sell their religion through charity as he claims.

Indeed:
[105] O ye who believe! guard your own souls: if ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray. The goal of you all is to Allah: it is He that will show you the truth of all that ye do.

I have always loved this verse.. 'La yadarkoum man dhal izha ihtadytoum'

now that being said, my dad early in his career, was working as a diplomat in Tanzania, he used to teach religion to children in the school on occasion for free when he had the time.
The school principal was actually a Hindu woman and a very decent one, every day she'd catch evangelists trying to convert little poor Africans (they bribed them with bikes) and bring them to my dad's class. Well, he essentially told her, that if they wish to go they can, that he can't force folks to sit in class.. and one of the kids said, I'd sit in your class, he has given me a bike what will you give me?'
My dad told him, "I'll give you nothing, except the lesson that everyone else is receiving'', this one kid damaged his bike, the evangelist fellow, gave him another, but in the end the kid would roll back anyway..

the whole thing was hilarious.. I never understood what they gained from this.. in fact it seemed like such a financial loss...

sob7an Allah

each is to his own

:w:

[memories]

I know this is off topic, but I read somewhere that a woman thats in her period cant enter a Mosq or toutch the sacred text is this true?

[AntiKarateKid]

Islam - the number of rules...

Judaism - fidelity througout millenia of persecution. (same)

Christianity - Such a jolly and serene atmosphere between beleivers.

Just wondering about your opinion here...

Islam: Number of rules? Perhaps you haven't taken a gander at the amount of rules that Jews have. It really is overwhelming. I've had a rabbi tell me something like he read Moses said something about black boxes so he sleeps with these black boxes on his wrists, even though he doesn't understand why!

Judaism: Don't you think if they had true fidelity to their religion, they would have become (in your opinion) Christians? After all, the lying pharisees and scribes took them away from their messiah who was in their books, no?

Christianity: Many of my Christian friends are always checking out girls in the aisles infront of them, perhaps their jollyness had an ulterior motive? Seriously though, christian and ex-christian friends of mine have made the same comment about the mosque. Do you go around shaking every other christian's hand and saying "peace be upon you" like we do to each other?

[Yanal]

Don't know about that memories but here's my view:

Islam: The true religion and message

Judiasm: I dont know much on this religion sadly

Christianity: Funny how one message that is meant to be something else creates a whole new religion.

[memories]

Just wondering about your opinion here...

Islam: Number of rules? Perhaps you haven't taken a gander at the amount of rules that Jews have. It really is overwhelming. I've had a rabbi tell me something like he read Moses said something about black boxes so he sleeps with these black boxes on his wrists, even though he doesn't understand why!

Judaism: Don't you think if they had true fidelity to their religion, they would have become (in your opinion) Christians? After all, the lying pharisees and scribes took them away from their messiah who was in their books, no?

Christianity: Many of my Christian friends are always checking out girls in the aisles infront of them, perhaps their jollyness had an ulterior motive? Seriously though, christian and ex-christian friends of mine have made the same comment about the mosque. Do you go around shaking every other christian's hand and saying "peace be upon you" like we do to each other?

''Christianity: Many of my Christian friends are always checking out girls in the aisles infront of them, perhaps their jollyness had an ulterior motive? Seriously though, christian and ex-christian friends of mine have made the same comment about the mosque. Do you go around shaking every other christian's hand and saying "peace be upon you" like we do to each other?''

No... But at a young age cheking girls out in the aisles is normal :D I dont know... Is that forbidden by islam or christianity? I joined these forums to learn... I know in christianity we ask forgiveness for these sins, but is that a sin?Im not an expert on either my religion or islam, just expecting honest answers. :)


As for judaism you are right, the rules are overwhelming in case of hassidic jews (is this spelled correctly?) I read somewhere that they cant extinguish a fire on this or that day, they can even start up the motor of a car because It has something to do with fire, also they cant put a fire out, that means if your house burns you must let it burn, they often constitute a hermetic community very ethnocentrical in my oppinion. But islam has quite alot of rules itself.

[Whatsthepoint]

Here are two articles on the matter as well:

Middle Eastern immigrants were highly educated, with 49 percent holding at least a bachelor's degree, compared to 28 percent of natives.

Median earnings for Middle Eastern men were $39,000 a year compared to $38,000 for native workers.

they tend to be better-educated than native U.S. residents — about half hold bachelor's degrees, compared to 28 percent of natives. They also perform as well economically as natives — 30- and 40-year-old Middle Eastern males with a college education have the same median income as natives, and Middle East immigrants are more likely be self-employed.




Middle Eastern Immigrants in U.S. Educated, Prosperous, Study Says
Gannett News Service, August 15, 2002

(Also ran in Arizona Republic - 8/15)

WASHINGTON — Middle Eastern immigrants in the United States are well educated, earn more money than most Americans and are predominantly Muslim, according to a report released Wednesday.

They also are among the nation's fastest-growing immigrant groups, according to the report issued by the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, a think tank that supports reducing the number of immigrants to the United States.

The report says the number of Middle Eastern immigrants increased from fewer than 200,000 in 1970 to almost 1.5 million in 2000. The overall number of foreign-born residents in the United States tripled to 31 million over the same period.

The report offers a rare portrait of an immigrant group that has received intense scrutiny and negative publicity since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Project MAPS, a survey of "Muslims in the American Public Square" conducted in 2001-2002 by researchers at Georgetown University, found that 86 percent of all Muslim professionals were concentrated in three careers: engineering, computer science, and medicine. Law, law enforcement, and politics accounted for a minuscule 0.6 percent. American Muslims, some demographers say, have also been voting well below their numbers in the population -- registering to vote at only half the national rate, according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey [PDF], a project of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. "If they ever did play to their weight" in the electoral arena and in Washington, Muslims "would be a much more considerable force in public policy-making," says Steve Clemons, a Democrat who directs the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation in Washington.

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/p...ab_America.pdf
http://www.cis.org/articles/2002/mideastcoverage.html

:w:

I think most legal immigrants in America do better than average natives because the immigration system is very strict.

[Whatsthepoint]

Islam: I like Islam most of the 3, it's moderate and serene and I like the concept of hajj, everyone wearing white robes in Mecca etc.
Christianity: optimism, church atmosphere, songs
Judaism: no hellfor disbelief, mysticism, psalms

[glo]

Nice thread!

Islam: I like the emphasis on obeying God, on prayer and fasting
Judaism: I like the history of studying, debating and interpreting scripture
Christianity: I like the diversity, and the very different ways in which people can and do choose to worship God and put their faith into practice.

[جوري]

I think most legal immigrants in America do better than average natives because the immigration system is very strict.

You are probably right, most of the people I know here legally, have fathers with some incredible abilities and have passed it on to their kids.
One of my father's cousin's is a physicist who worked at NASA, and is now teaching in a major university..
All the others are Doctors, Engineers, or Diplomats..
but even the cabbies that I have encountered by some shady means, have excellent degrees which they can't for some reason take an equivalence exam or improve their life style...

When I was summoned for Jury Duty, I hailed a cab, and the fellow was an Algerian (really great guy) hope things work for him insha'Allah-- he and his brother are both doctors, his brother managed to work as a physician in France, while he for some reason came here and struggled.. It is also very costly for immigrants to take the U.S licensure exams.. what Costs an American $200~300 will cost a foreigner $700~800 and $1200 for the CS alone there are three exams one is to take before they can apply for a residency and one while they are residents.. So even if they have an advanced degree, many obstacles stand in their way.. but when they make it, they make it big!

all the best

[crayon]

Judaism- The adherence to traditions.

Christianity- The kindness and genuineness of so many of its followers.

Islam- Perfection; 'nuff said.

[Al-Zaara]

Judaism - I really like Moses (aleyhi selam).

Christianity - I really like Jesus (aleyhi selam).

Islam - Both of the above are included!

[Zafran]

Salaam

Judaism - Intresting Tradition, Monotheism, Charity,
Christianity - Intresting Tradition, Charity, Great Moral teachings
Islam - The Truth and best of both religions above.

[John Augustine]

Which Christian moral teachings are you impressed by? :)

[Zafran]

Which Christian moral teachings are you impressed by? :)

Salaam

Forgivness, faith, love etc - the great virtues that christainty has given to a lot of civilisations.

peace

[John Augustine]

Good examples :)

One of my favourite scriptures is Paul's discourse on the virtues in his first letter to the Corinthians. It ends with the phrase:

"So these three remain; faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love."

[GreyKode]

I know this is off topic, but I read somewhere that a woman thats in her period cant enter a Mosq or toutch the sacred text is this true?

Donnow about the mosque, but no during her period she is allowed to hold the holy quran

[memories]

Donnow about the mosque, but no during her period she is allowed to hold the holy quran

False, You absolutely can't touch the Quraan or pray when you have your period, but you can read it from the computer or listen from I pod.

She can read Quran from her memory if she has memorized parts of Quran but can not touch the Quran.
Source(s):
Teachings of Prophet of Islam and Quran

Regards :)

[Whatsthepoint]

What about translations?

[memories]

What about translations?

I dont know I found a multitude of different answers I also found this

''However, when a woman is read the Quran she must try avoiding touching the words and just touch the edge'' My question is as follow, what use are these customs? and why? Is a woman considered impur is islam?

My point being their is alot of ''cup washing'' in Islam as I mentionned earlier yes for some a multitude of rules is a good thing (as I have mentionned in my earlier)but one can wonder about the meaning of these rules. And wen vaunting the ''high status of women'' in islam one has to do a troughout examination of these rules to see that the ''high status of women'' could be true but at some degree.
all of this said f course in great respect, and I profit of this occasion to thank the forum for its extreme tolerance it has expressed for views that differs from its own.



I also got these answers:


''Yes she can, but she can't read the sujjud verse, their are 14 verse in the Quran only that require a person to prostrate, these are the only ones she can't read.''

''No, because the quaran is holy and mestruating women are evil so you cannot mix the two or you will have to burn the book.''

''According to him ,woman can read the quran without touching it ,e.g on PDA and computers.
of course she is not allowed to pray.(SALAH)''

can someone sort this out? thanks.



Regards.

[GreyKode]

False, You absolutely can't touch the Quraan or pray when you have your period, but you can read it from the computer or listen from I pod.

She can read Quran from her memory if she has memorized parts of Quran but can not touch the Quran.
Source(s):
Teachings of Prophet of Islam and Quran

Regards :)

What's that source?
There's probably difference in opinion about it.

Well then I guess men are also not allowed to touch it if they are impure too, did you know that?.
Besides women are totally exempted from praying during their menses period, but men are never exempted, if they become impure they have to bathe and then pray the missing prayers.

[GreyKode]

'According to him ,woman can read the quran without touching it ,e.g on PDA and computers.
of course she is not allowed to pray.(SALAH)''

Read my last post.

[memories]

What's that source?
There's probably difference in opinion about it.

Well then I guess men are also not allowed to touch it if they are impure too, did you know that?.
Besides women are totally exempted from praying during their menses period, but men are never exempted, if they become impure they have to bathe and then pray the missing prayers.

Here:

None shall touch it save the purified ones (56:79)

The legal scholars argue on the basis of this verse that "the purified ones" mean "those who are ritually pure", thus making the verse mean that only a person in a state of ritual purity may touch the Quran. Since women during menstruation are not ritually pure, they should not touch the Quran.

http://www.studying-islam.org/querytext.aspx?id=43

http://www.allaahuakbar.net/scholars...wful_touch.htm

Read my last post.

Yes I have read your latest posts, but you appear to have been rong on this :(
you have stated:

Donnow about the mosque, but no during her period she is allowed to hold the holy quran

And this is not quite what I found on the net... of course if someone has an expert oppinion id like to hear it :)
anyways back on topic.


Regards :)

[GreyKode]

I am telling what I heard from an Imam,

A guy asked him wether a man who is impure is allowed to touch the qur'an or not.
He replied referring to the following verse:
None shall touch it save the purified ones (56:79)

that it means "spiritual purity" and all muslims male or female are in this sense pure therefore they can always touch it.

Now there are other opinions that say you should perform (purification) wether male or female before you touch the qur'an.

[memories]

I am telling what I heard from an Imam,

A guy asked him wether a man who is impure is allowed to touch the qur'an or not.
He replied referring to the following verse:
None shall touch it save the purified ones (56:79)

that it means "spiritual purity" and all muslims male or female are in this sense pure therefore they can always touch it.

Now there are other opinions that say you should perform (purification) wether male or female before you touch the qur'an.

Then whatever happens with these ''differences of oppinion'' is my question: who is right and who is wrong? In this case this is very importany because toutching the coran while impur has some form of consequence I beleive? wo is ''washing the cup the right way'' ?

Regards :)

[GreyKode]

what consequence?
This if anything is a teeny weeny minor sin, or maybe just something discouraged. :D

When there is difference of opinion I personally choose the more conservative one, so in this case before touching the Qur'an I will perform ablution (purification).

[memories]

what consequence?
This if anything is a teeny weeny minor sin, or maybe just something discouraged. :D

When there is difference of opinion I personally choose the more conservative one, so in this case before touching the Qur'an I will perform ablution (purification).

Ah, ok then, If its a teeny weeeny minor sin!:statisfie Because It would be funny to get beheaded or go to hell for something like that in my oppinion...

Anyways I enjoyed this conversation:smile: and lets get back on topic.

['Abd-al Latif]

Here:

None shall touch it save the purified ones (56:79)

The legal scholars argue on the basis of this verse that "the purified ones" mean "those who are ritually pure", thus making the verse mean that only a person in a state of ritual purity may touch the Quran. Since women during menstruation are not ritually pure, they should not touch the Quran.

http://www.studying-islam.org/querytext.aspx?id=43

http://www.allaahuakbar.net/scholars...wful_touch.htm

Yes that's correct.

Anything that comes out of the private parts breaks ritual purity. For women, menses is continous and it comes out from the private parts of the female for 7 days and until that time if she wants to recite Qur'an then she may do so but without touching the Qur'an.

Qur'an is not a cheap book that may be touched by any individual, in order to touch the Qur'an one must be in a state of purity.

['Abd-al Latif]

What about translations?

The translations are not regarded as the Qur'an, the Qur'an is only considered the Qur'an in Arabic.

[Follower]

Qur'an is not a cheap book that may be touched by any individual, in order to touch the Qur'an one must be in a state of purity.

I understand the physical sense of purity. Is there any concern over whether there is spiritual purity or purity of the heart in touching that Quran?

How do you measure this?

[Zafran]

Qur'an is not a cheap book that may be touched by any individual, in order to touch the Qur'an one must be in a state of purity.

I understand the physical sense of purity. Is there any concern over whether there is iritual purispty or purity of the heart in touching that Quran?

How do you measure this?

Only God knows the inner states of Humans nobody else.

[ragdollcat1982]

Judiasm I am sad to say I cannot reallly think of anything I find appealling. My interaction with Jews have not been favorable

Islam preaches equality for all regardless of rich, poor, black, white, and gender. I have found that Muslims are in my experinece the most chariatable when it comes to caring for the poor, widows and orphans/

Christianity has a concept of forgivness if one sincerly repents of their sins, very liberating in that context.

[GreyKode]

What I like about christianity is that I find some of the most sincere people from the christian faith, I personally admire our member Eric H.

[aadil77]

Christianity has a concept of forgivness if one sincerly repents of their sins, very liberating in that context.

Well so do we as Allah is Most Merciful...... sorry couldn't resist :statisfie

[ragdollcat1982]

Well so do we as Allah is Most Merciful...... sorry couldn't resist :statisfie

:) Thats is true Islam does. What I find really impressive and unique is the concept of racial and social equality.

['Abd-al Latif]

Qur'an is not a cheap book that may be touched by any individual, in order to touch the Qur'an one must be in a state of purity.

I understand the physical sense of purity. Is there any concern over whether there is spiritual purity or purity of the heart in touching that Quran?

How do you measure this?

Ablution (In arabic: Wudu) is physical as well as spritiual purity. As for purity of the heart then one should be sincere when reciting the Qur'an.

[Grace Seeker]

They have that kind of money but its Oil money, concentrated in a very small portion of individuals princes, and what not, while the rest of the population is very poor.

Maybe that's true in Canada, but in the USA there are a large number of Muslim doctors and other professionals who are very generous with both their time and money to benefit others who are less fortunate than they are. As a percent of the total US population they may give as much or more to charity than the average population, on that I'm not sure. But I think your particular characterization above is skewed by a stereotyped and silted view of the world.