What is the Function and Role of a Religion in a Person's Life?

Brother Ali, What I meant from my question is..."Is there such a possibility where Human beings will treat each other better to make this world worth living in?" ... As far as the Hardship is concerned it is a general human experience. The whole life is full of Challenges. There is no way to avoid it. Suffering is there already. I don't think we should just contain it in some Religion. It would be strange to classify it as a Christian Suffering or Islamic Suffering or Atheist Suffering. Suffering is Suffering and its there. All human being go through it. Point taken.

But when we talk about Religion, The moment someone takes a stand, immediately it divides people. Immediately, it takes a position..."I know better than what you know" kind of a thing. And throughout the world, people are dying and killing each other for what they THINK is TRUE.

So my question here is... "Is there a way to actually and FACTUALLY experience something that is in US, which is UNIVERSAL?" Something called TRUTH which can dissolve all differences? Is it possible to have such an experience?

It would be a bit 'unusual' as a muslim to seek paradise in this world although you could enjoy an 'almost' idealistic lifestyle but it won't be paradise.

• “We shall test you through fear, hunger, loss of life, property and crops. Muhammad, give glad tidings to the people who have patience”. ( 2:155—156)
• “We test you with both misfortune and blessings”. ( 21:35)
• “Do you think that you will find your way to Paradise without experiencing the kind of suffering others have experienced before you? Distress and afflictions battered them until the Messenger and the believers sadly said, 'When will Allah send help?' Certainly Allah's help is near”. ( 2:214)

Pretty much says we will be tested. So it cannot be all paradise here on earth. I pray to be tested by blessings. I pray harder to have the mind and heart to make use of it in a way that pleases Allah.

Shoonya,

"Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. Allah by His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guided whom He will to a path that is straight." (2:213)

Mankind caused the split. I don't think it is possible to ever find 'that' truth that will will dissolve all the differences. Get real. We cannot even all agree on the existence of God. I wish Allah did make us all one nation, it would be . . . but then again, Allah did not grant the wish, so , I have to deal with the reality - the test of life.

Peace

Thank you GuestFellow for your reply.

As you mentioned the following,

format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

Well to give guidance on how people should live. Islam states what Muslims should do and what they should not do.

format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

If you study something all the confusion goes away. So studying is the solution!

I want to ask, If Human beings suffer from Confusion, Misery, Suffering and all the Conflict which is happening inside of a person. And all that is Inside a person's being eventually expresses itself outside in his life. The Inside always overtakes outside. What we constantly think we express it eventually. If I am suffering inside my suffering will be visible in my actions and I will act through that Suffering and Confusion. So here are my questions:-

1. How can changing or disciplining the outside can help a person be free of any suffering? If a person follows 'Shoulds' and 'Should Nots' according to a certain discipline, inwardly he is still suffering. Outside he may act as a Saint, but his thoughts are constantly full of Greed, Anger, Lust etc. Can outside discipline actually help a person?

2. What should a person study to be free of Suffering? Should he study himself? OR Some Pattern of Life?

Thank you.

format_quote Originally Posted by greenhill

Mankind caused the split. I don't think it is possible to ever find 'that' truth that will will dissolve all the differences. Get real. We cannot even all agree on the existence of God. I wish Allah did make us all one nation, it would be . . . but then again, Allah did not grant the wish, so , I have to deal with the reality - the test of life.

Greenhill,

To be in Reality, to be in the everlasting 'test' of life with all its diversities and differences, Do we need Religion? What is the Role Religion actually plays?

If I see the condition of the World, it seems that Religion has been dividing people. When people use the words GOD or TRUTH...it must be based on some 'Reality' or some 'Truth' that can be experience by a certain way of living. But if we just use the Words as repetitions from our BOOKS without any authentic experience of those words then there is Conflict which divides humanity. Divides YOU and ME.

Can Religion help us to Experience something that is present in all of US? If YES, HOW?

Thank you for the Hug (*sending a HUG back*)

Brother, One thing to clarify...I am not taking any standpoint here. Just here as a fellow human being. Please try to understand my question as inquiries for the search for Truth.

So the questions:...

format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

1. Well first you need to identify what is causing all the suffering. Find out what you want. Then you should make changes in order to avoid suffering. This is where religion may help.

To understand myself or the reason of my suffering and constant conflict. Is there a need for Religion? Does an inquiry need a belief system?

format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

Both. Study yourself and the religion. You will have an idea of how to cope.

Apart from understanding my Greed, My hate, my anger, my lust, my ambitions, my fears...which is ME...the whole bundle is the SELF. Apart from the Self Knowledge. I want to ask what do we mean by the word RELIGION?
Is it a Set of beliefs? Shoulds and Should nots? Is it how I should act in the world? If YES, then all this is a RESULT of my 'Confused' Being.

Should Study of SELF be the first priority ? Because all my actions come from that Suffering and Conflict right?

format_quote Originally Posted by Shoonya

I wanted to ask about the actual Function of a Religion in a person's life? Also, after seeing the whole humanity divided into so many pieces. And then every piece declaring itself to be True. How can one find the TRUTH in all this Confusion?.

I would like to start this discussion by asking... "What is the Role of Religion in person's life?" ... Where are we actually going? Is it possible to experience anything that will change us so Absolutely that the whole world will become a paradise? Is it possible to have such a Religious Experience?

a Muslim's belief in the purpose of their existence is to pray to Allah. This is the role of Islam in our lives. For other religions it might be different, I do not know.

Humanity being divided on religion is an oxymoron. Allah intended for humanity to unite in religion. This is why Islam came into the world. Mankind doesn't cease to create differences amongst themselves:

2:213 Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. Allah by His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guided whom He will to a path that is straight.

Islam is meant to change the world into a Paradise. Peace is to be found in prayer and in the remembrance of Allah. One's life purpose, when directed towards Allah, is such that the person becomes one who neither fears anything nor grieves in anything. Their happiness is in their Lord, and their seeking Him and their fearing Him only makes them focused and appreciative of everything. The Qur'an says often how Taqwa (fearing God, in that only He has power over everything and the knowledge of depending on only Him) is the only way to not fear or grieve over anything in this world.

A Hadith states that when Allah intends good for a man, He makes him less worried about this worldly life. Islam is about service to God and humanity. When there is peace with God, and when men treat other men properly and they give each other their rights, then happiness is achieved.

Let us put this in contrast. In many parts of the world, people are demanding their rights. Even in Muslim countries. But if a Muslim acts on the tenets of Islam, then their duty is not to give in to the demands of other peoples' rights, in fact, the Muslim must act so that he/she fulfills the rights of others in their daily life. This is a huge difference, and this difference in living is what creates peace surrounding that individual. If every Muslim did this, and if everyone adopted this rule to give everyone else their rights, then humanity would be at peace.

The personal peace is attained when one becomes close to God and they seek to be near Him. In no other way can a person attain perfect peace. It can't be done through TV, videogames, recreational activities, going out with friends, hanging out in a public space, doing a hobby, etc. These are all things which can bring happiness at times, but at other times they bring misery depending on the circumstances. If one spends their time in prayer to Allah, they can make a close connection with Him and they will gain an inner peace which is given by Him, because only He can give perfect peace. This is in line with His being As-Salaam (All Peace). It is one of His names, and therefore only that person achieves perfect inner peace who seeks Him, who is All Peace. This is how you can achieve that religious experience.

format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

Are you Muslim?

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format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

Religion does not explain why you are personally suffering/experiencing conflicts. That's for you to workout. However, religion can help you to cope with your problems.

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Dear Brother, We are children of the same Humanity. If being a Muslim means to be Human and to have qualities like Love and Compassion for all the living things. Then Yes, I am Muslim. And if these qualities of Kindness, Love and Compassion are universal and is present in every single person on this planet, then WE cannot say that there is 'My Suffering' and 'Your Suffering'. The whole Humanity is crying is PAIN. The Third World War is ever so close and we cannot talk like the people of the Past Generation. We have to really Understand it carefully. If that is what this Forum is about.&lt;br&gt;<br>
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format_quote Originally Posted by GuestFellow

Religion is way of life. Most religions involves worshiping a creator or a higher being. Islam is a religion which involves worshiping the creator known as Allah. Through worshiping Allah we get peace. So Muslims believe total submission to Allah leads to peace. In order to submit to Allah not only Muslims worship him but must also follow all the rules of Islam.

&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Before we can understand anything in the outside world, we have to look within for the source of our own Fears and Confusions that affects every relationship with other human beings. So to 'Inquire' within for the source of Conflict, Just to inquire, to observe myself to see what makes me Violent, Brutal, aggressive, Do I need a certain Discipline or a 'Way of Life'?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;So the question is What is the actual role of Religion?&lt;br&gt;- Is it to know GOD?&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;

Brother Ahmad, Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

In order to find something that UNITES humanity we have to look for qualities that are present in all of us. Qualities like Love and Kindness. Religion has to be some sort of 'Higher Love'. That means I have to first learn to love what is 'CREATED' and from this 'CREATION' I might find a signature of the Creator.

But if we just jump to the Conclusion of the Creator and his qualities and his Love. Then there will be confusion. The Truth is, Nobody knows what GOD is. We cannot even conceive. We just read and repeat descriptions and beautiful words. But to actually experience GOD. It takes a great effort. Your whole life changes in the very Desire to Experience GOD.

So first thing's first. We have to understand ourselves. We have to understand things that are common in all of us. If GOD is the Creator...and everything is his Painting. Then why should we choose just one color of his painting and keep declaring it to be the only COLOR of GOD? There has to be something which is shared by every living thing in this Universe.

Now, you Can either Read and Repeat what that is. You can call it 'SOUL'. But in order to actually search for the TRUTH. We have to experience it. So my question is....'Apart from all the Disciplining, the words and descriptions of GOD, How can we actually experience GOD?

Otherwise, there is confusion going on already. People read and then they translate it according to mind and think that they understood. And then they find people who agree and Nod. Even a single religion is divided into so many pieces. The only solution would be to search for some REAL EXPERIENCE of the TRUTH.

Is it possible to experience GOD? Or shall we just read about GOD? If I read, I see that its just my thought repeating the words 'God' 'God' 'God'...and imagining God, Imagining Heaven and Hell. Its all my own creation. Is it possible to find the REAL?

format_quote Originally Posted by Shoonya

Now, you Can either Read and Repeat what that is. You can call it 'SOUL'. But in order to actually search for the TRUTH. We have to experience it. So my question is....'Apart from all the Disciplining, the words and descriptions of GOD, How can we actually experience GOD?

Otherwise, there is confusion going on already. People read and then they translate it according to mind and think that they understood. And then they find people who agree and Nod. Even a single religion is divided into so many pieces. The only solution would be to search for some REAL EXPERIENCE of the TRUTH.

Is it possible to experience GOD? Or shall we just read about GOD? If I read, I see that its just my thought repeating the words 'God' 'God' 'God'...and imagining God, Imagining Heaven and Hell. Its all my own creation. Is it possible to find the REAL?

Before I go on, the short answer to your question is that the Prophets experienced God many times through revelations and visions. But if you wish, continue reading what I have to say below:

To an extent, yes, an average person can experience God in some form. Albeit, they can only do so with Him behind a veil. If it were not possible at all to experience God in this life, then after 1400 years, how certain could Muslims be about the existence of God? Not very certain. But that is why Allah said that He can only be experienced behind a veil.

There are two ways, of which I know, that this can occur. One is by vision of God and the other is through a dream. In any instance, this is going to be with Allah behind a veil. I cannot stress that enough. We cannot see God in this life. I can safely say that I have once experienced God through a dream once. He came as a light pulsating with great forceful energy. Every time I saw the pulse of His light it felt as if the power of His light was like that of a nuclear bomb or something terrifyingly powerful. It was intense, but He spoke. I cannot remember the exact words, but He said to stay away from having a girlfriend for my own good since the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing has ruined many people's lives by their having children. It is considered irrational to do so. These were not His words, but this is what the gist of what He said to me was.

I remember mentioning this before on this forum and another Muslim brother said to me he had a family member describe seeing God in almost the same manner. Maybe not saying the same thing, but nevertheless, seeing Him similarly. I have heard of visions in which someone would see God during their prayers, or they would ask to see Him (a person who is very highly devoted to God) and then He showed some of Himself to them. It becomes unbearable because Allah is so powerful that were He to reveal His form in its entirety, everything in existence would burn away. He has veils for our protection.

Allah is Great. When I think of just how powerful He is by description in these dreams and visions, and remember what the Ahadith say, it really scares me. Makes you wonder, why would anyone want to anger such an All-Powerful Being?

So no, God is not imaginary to me in the least. I know He is real from experience. With Him as my witness, I declare on oath that I know He is real. For those moments I wonder about His existence and the thought of questioning His existence, I turn back in fear. I remember the heavy and intense feeling of His light, and then I turn back in fear to Islam. Imagine how convinced the Prophets of God were about His existence, and how foolish the people that rejected Allah were to them. They called the Prophets crazy, but when you experience Allah just once with a little taste, then you realize how crazy anyone is to deny Him.

Thank you for your reply Brother.

What you said is all good when you read it. And if you listen to people of all the religions in the world, All are saying the same and YET the humanity is divided. There are 300+ Religions in the world and all say the same thing. There are few fundamental and very essential questions that need to be understood or atleast considered. Please try to understand them. I hope we all will together find some solution to these questions.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

What is religion?
Religion is God's law, telling mankind how to live, how to worship, how to treat each other. True religion is from God. Islam is the true religion and is perfectly according to human nature.

format_quote Originally Posted by WRITER

Why religion?
God created us so He knows what is right for us and what is not. Thus He is the only one Who can tell us how to live etc. If He hadn't, then mankind would have an excuse to blame their suffering on God. But since God sent Prophets and Holy Books to inform mankind on the right way of life and the wrong things, mankind is left with no excuse.

Who decides the TRUTH? Who decides which is True or False Religion?
If I am born a Muslim, then my religion will be True. If I am born an Christian then Christ would be the Truth. Who is the Decider of the Truth and Falseness?

Even if we read Bible, its the people who read and then Translate and then divide themselves according to their translations. One Book of GOD and yet they still divide. One Koran, but still more pieces of Truth. One Religious sect translates its own Truth the other Fighting for its own version of GOD.

So Who Decides? Who is Right? Is the Problem with the Book or with us HUMANS? The problem must be US.

If we need to understand what the TRUTH is... or What GOD wants. We need to know GOD first. So here's the most important question.

What is the role of Religion apart from providing words and descriptions of GOD?...Because no matter how much we read, our minds will always have its own translations. And every person will have his own version of GOD.... SO DOES RELIGION HELP US IN EXPERIENCING GOD AS A FACT? Because there is no other way to know what GOD wants. We can read and form another new Religion out of a new Translation. That is already happening.

So, Tell me please. What is the way to know what is TRUTH or how to experience GOD? and HOW does religion help us?

Thank you Ahmad. So far, I found answer to be the most interesting. This is what I meant when I asked about GOD Experience.

However, I would like to ask if there is a method or a certain kind of Meditation or Prayer to experience GOD which is beyond thought and any description of Thought.

Please let me know or direct me to someone who actually does know.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

format_quote Originally Posted by Shoonya

Thank you Ahmad. So far, I found answer to be the most interesting. This is what I meant when I asked about GOD Experience.

However, I would like to ask if there is a method or a certain kind of Meditation or Prayer to experience GOD which is beyond thought and any description of Thought.

Please let me know or direct me to someone who actually does know.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Anytime. As a Muslim, I can honestly say there is nothing better than the five times daily prayers which we Muslims do. I can't stress enough how when I often get stressed with the daily tasks I have, in dealing with others and in my work, that I get overwhelmed. I get so stressed sometimes I wonder, "where does this stressful feeling come from?" When I go to pray, then I feel at peace. I feel better when I pray then at any other time.

Here is why. I first direct my attention to God and leave everything else. Then I pray standing reciting the First Chapter of the Qur'an and then second I always recite Chapter 113, about the Oneness of God. I love to say them, and saying them brings peace. Hindus speak of mantras in which they prescribe certain verses to recite over and over again. Maybe that's not the right way to look at that, but our prayers as Muslims repeats the same verses all the time during the day, so we already have our mantras in which we recite and feel at ease. There is probably a very good reason why we humans like this. It might have to do with the fact that we like repetition and patterns.

When I bow in prayer, I feel at ease. It brings humbleness. It reminds me that however stubborn I may get, or any feeling of arrogance I have, it's nothing. It means nothing at all. Who am I when I know I should go so low in humbleness as to press my forehead to the ground in front of my Creator?

Then when I sit and recite prayers I am in an easy state and I am meditating by reciting my prayers. They flow from my tongue and the recitation of these words is like the taste of honey or even better. it is something sweet and pleasant. Same when I recite the Qur'an. It is like I am reading words which while reciting them, taste sweet. I don't know if that makes any sense, but this is who I feel about it.

As for anyone else who would know about any ways to experience God in some meditation or prayer, I would say any Muslim on this forum. I have heard of Buddhist meditations, Hindu meditations, etc. But in the Islamic form of worship, we combine prostrations, mantra-like recitations, sitting meditations and standing meditations as part of our form of worship to God. Every position has a deeper spiritual significance as well. But i find nothing more comprehensive than this prayer.

I say this truthfully, since I have tried reading up on Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, etc. I have seen what they all say, but the one prayer which has what any of these religions have as well, is the Islamic prayer. The words are full of deep wisdom, the concept of Oneness and the negation of multiplicity in the Divine, the concept of guidance to what the righteous have attained, the repetition of it, the poetry behind the verses we say, etc. Everything is in the Islamic prayer.

The other thing is the concept of the Islamic prayer. If one does what is required of them, all is good. But if they go beyond that and pray voluntarily doing more besides what they have done necessarily, then God is said to become the ears with which that person hears with, their feet with which they walk, their hands with which they grasp, cubit by cubit, inch by inch. There is this closeness with God which is so profound that no words can fully describe. This is why for some in the past, during their prayers they experienced visions. Specifically the Prophets of God. The saints in the past also achieved profound divine experiences.

In the Qur'an, Mary, the Mother of Jesus spoke to the angel Gabriel. Zakariyya received revelations, Moses' mother received revelations, etc. These were people who were not Prophets, yet they received revelations from Allah and His angels. So the experience of God is vast.

Brother Ahmad,

You are saying two different things here.

1. First is the 'ACTUAL SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE' of GOD. The experience which all Prophets and Saints go through. The experience so vast and transforming that the contact with such a SAINT transforms the very lives of the people who come in contact with such a person.

2. Secondly, you talk about 'TRANSLATIONS' of that an experience. The 'VISIONS' which can be had by having Psychedelic Drugs like LSD or DMT. All visions are the expressions of our thoughts. We see what we want to see. Our very Thought is Part of GOD. But when we use 'THOUGHT' to translate the experience. It becomes a vision. It takes Form. And all Expressions are different according to different People. So, when a Buddhist goes through it... His visions will be different. Can an experience so VAST be contained in a 'Thought' or 'Vision' ?

Can the EXPERIENCE which is so Vast, can such an experience be categorized as an ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE or BUDDHIST experience or...Can any name or Translation of Language be enough to contain the actual experience?

Should one search for the Actual Experience of GOD or Read about the Translations of that Experience?

Should the Words be more Sacred than the ACTUAL GOD? If YES, How?