Be Kind

take it easy sis its the same for born muslims, just follow the opinion you feel is correct - you'll know this because usually you'll feel content with a certain view and uncomfortable with other views

I wasn't saying it wasn't like this for born Muslims. I was more trying to offer something that might help reverts. I don't know what it's like to be a born Muslim so that wasn't my target audience.
No need to tell me to take it easy

As'Salaamu Alaaykum

format_quote Originally Posted by Starrynight

This is something I've discovered within myself and Islam since I reverted. I wanted to share it with new reverts especially because I think our faith is very delicate at this time.

There are many opinions out there that conflict with one another. Scholars give their version of the truth on topics that also conflict with one another. Overall, it can be a confusing. I have been shocked that so many of the scholars I have listened to, as well as some other Muslims have seemed to have such hard hearts.
Islam is about submitting to God. To do this, we must have this best intention. We should spend more time paying attention to the Qur'an and our own hearts instead of those who are trying to force their interpretations on us.
I believe most Muslims have the best intent and simply wish to guide us, but some get lost along the way. Instead of teaching tolerance and love they teach judgmental behavior. Remember something;God is the only one who has a right to judge.
God has given us the trust to punish those who have murdered or raped because he wants us to live in a safe world. But we should not abuse this power and let it leak into other areas and most of all, we should not use it as an excuse to judge those who are different from us.
If you believe in God;If you truly believe in God then you also believe in the Day of Judgment. On that day we will all be held accountable for our actions. Why then do so many feel the need to attack and judge those who we think have "haraam" behavior? Maybe you kindly warn someone once about their behavior, but if they continue to act in this way, simply do not interact with them if it is very wrong in your opinion. Why the need to be harsh and cruel?
Do onto others as you would have them do to you. Do you want God to be harsh and judgmental to you on the Day of Judgment? Maybe if you are loving and merciful of people (especially those who have done wrong) God will be the same with you.

Peace

I agree with you, but Islam is perfect but muslims are not. As long as what is stated is according to the Qur'aan and Ahadeeth we should strive to follow and if not we should stay away from..also we are to seek knowledge ourselves, a journey to seek knowledge.

Indeed Allaah SWT has the right to judge, but we have the right to advice/inform one when they are doing wrong but this ofcourse with the best of ways. And yes i agree we should strive to follow the prophet Muhammad (saw) as muslims, no doubt, but unfortunately many are weak, some choose their own ways.

format_quote Originally Posted by Starrynight

No need to tell me to take it easy

I think the brother meant it in a positive way insha'Allaah..


Likewise, we want to invite one to the deen and not lead them astray. I ask Allaah to ease the affairs of muslims and grant them the correct understanding of the deen, to teach the deen to others with the best of character Aameen

format_quote Originally Posted by Starrynight

There are many opinions out there that conflict with one another. Scholars give their version of the truth on topics that also conflict with one another. Overall, it can be a confusing. I have been shocked that so many of the scholars I have listened to, as well as some other Muslims have seemed to have such hard hearts.

Sister you could be right but it comes across as a bit strange, as I have never heard of any actual scholar being harsh, or having a hard heart, maybe you could link up few and we can see which ones appear to have hard hearts or it is just a strong faith that makes you think that its a hard heart. Could be that you came across somebody and his style wasnt good, we should also give some relief to the imams,after all they are also humans beings and can commit mistakes, and they also would not like to be as judged entirely harsh right

I believe most Muslims have the best intent and simply wish to guide us, but some get lost along the way. Instead of teaching tolerance and love they teach judgmental behavior. Remember something;God is the only one who has a right to judge.
God has given us the trust to punish those who have murdered or raped because he wants us to live in a safe world. But we should not abuse this power and let it leak into other areas and most of all, we should not use it as an excuse to judge those who are different from us. Why the need to be harsh and cruel?

Agreed that no-one should judge anyone and tolerance is islam. But there's a catch to this, sometimes when somebody is giving us an honest sincere advice we 'judge' them to be judging us. I think a distinction has to be made. When Scholars speak about a topic, they dont have anyone in mind, they dont speak their own opinions out of their own minds, they have a huge responsibility to deliver the word of God, so sometimes it is that Allah swt uses strict language in order to deliver the actual implications of a command, and that strictness is natural to be followed in a khutba or a lecture by a scholar, how can we act all soft and pulpy when Allah swt has declared that there are things that he wont forgive, do we have that choice? I dont think so.

I know there are things that come across harsh to us, but telling about them to a person is a sincere advice, not judgment. If we have faith enough that it is Allah swt who judges us, then we shouldn't even be afraid if people seem as if they are judging us. I have been criticized many times, in harsh words, but i take it all as good and don't judge those people to be judging me, and it works out really fine then when they actually can see later on that they were wrong about judging me, IF they were judging me.

If people do not criticize you, there is hardly any room to improve, but yes ofcorse I would not criticize anyone harshly, or even judge them to be bad people, even if they are found doing something really awful. But I might advice them for sometime and atleast expect from them to not feel judged by a sincere advice.

Because this is one of the signs of a hypocrite in Sura Munafiqoon, that when a Hypocrite is given sincere advice, he explodes in anger. I do not wish to be that, and by quoting this thing Allah swt means for all of us to at least listen to the advice carefully and not explode in anger or resentment when ever someone advices us, and we all need to work on it from time to time InshAllah.(including me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkEua2pNY54

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua4Y1_yOJvo

And about Allah swt Not being harsh, ofcorse he is the knidest, and They way I see it, we in this world are experiencing a great load of kindness from Him, I fear that day of judgment that you speak of, and reading from the surah of the scenario of the day of judgment, Allah swt will be the most angry and displeased with humanity on the day of judgment, do we ever think of that? Do we ever think why he would be so angry? I seek refuge from that day because I cannot even imagine the wrath of Allah swt, I dont think we have ever witnessed it ,but yes we will have to witness it on the day of judgment, all of us, before we get lined up for our judgment. believe it or not, we may like to say that it is the love of Allah swt that makes us be punctual in deen, could be true for some, but for most it is the fear of Allah swt that makes us follow the right way. All loves of this world are smaller infront of the wrath of Allah swt, and I would never trade his wrath or displeasure for the love of ANything of this world that may be the dearest to me. His command , my wish.

I would like to share this lecture too on the day of judgment, which gives a scenario from Quran and hadith about how muslims will be at the end of times, trying to justify one wrong or the other, where there will even be homosexual imams trying to preach homosexuality. The whole lecture is an eye opener.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCd7...layer_embedded