Being Muslim

[caroline]

Salaam
My name is Hussain by reading your story i give you credit from all directions and to your husband. Ive come across so many reverts but your story or should i say a big change in life has to be the best out of them all. This was written for you before you was even born or should i say before we were even created. Let me tell you one thing i know it is hard for you to expose what is in you hearts but when you have faith in the One and Only Allah nothing can harm you.Accept islam fully and openly before it is too late because you dont no when death can come it could be just round the corner. I dont need to tell you how beautifull Islam is you no that yourself. If your Husband is still in two minds or has doubts about coming into islam tell him to research on Dr Zakir Naik. Thats as much as i can say at the moment just keep praying to Allah the One and Only because everyting happens from his permission.

Inshallah you will suceed
keep me updated

Thank you.

 

[caroline]

I feel so hurt right now. I just watched some videos by Dr. Zakir Naik and some of the things he said were very disturbing. He said that he thought Osama Bin Laden right as long as he is terrorizing the terrorists and that he is following the Qu`ran by doing so. Then he said that every Muslim should be a terrorist because the Qu`ran demands it. I also read that he believes that apostates should be executed.

This hurts me.

Then I find out that female adulterers are also executed. But what about male adulterers -- are they executed as well?

oh:

 

[ABWAN]

Sr.Caroline,
Dr.Zakir Naik debates (focussing more on inter faith discussions), and thats what he does. I don't think you should be listening to such lectures, if you want to learn islam. Personally I have never heard Dr.Zakir Naik say anything like that explicitly. Perhaps you misinterpreted it.

If you want to learn islam, I would suggest you to first start with the Qur'an. Everything else is just a commentary on Qur'an.

I also have been sharing more with my husband. He is really scared, I can see that. He is so sure about things then when he looks in the Bible to find it and it's not there he gets such a confused look on his face.
Then he turns on his gospel music to sooth him and last night I thought about our conversations about music and suddenly saw how the music played on our emotions and swayed us in one direction...

Hmmm...

Excuse me if this sounds ignorant. Based on your above statement, I would conclude that if there is something missing in you, turning to music relieves you. Perhaps thats why its recommended not to turn to music in Islam, but rather turn to the one Allah.

 

[caroline]

Thank you. I agree that he is not someone I can listen to. Perhaps I did misunderstand him but I don't think so. For now I will say that I might have misunderstood him.

Honestly, the first time I heard that music was, how do you say, haraam? I thought, "Oh that's crazy." I have praised God with music all my life. But I do now see that music can sway someone by their emotions and that it's not good to make decisions based on emotions. I understand the thought. I will probably continue to be a musician, using it for the glory of God, but I will be a lot more sensitive about the power of music and the responsibility that goes along with it. Of course, if God speaks to my heart I will give it up to Him.

Meanwhile I think I will stop watching those videos. It's just like watching any religious speakers, you get so many different ideas and... well, it's just not good.

Thank you.:statisfie

 

[caroline]

The truth is that I want to be Muslim. And I'm probably trying really hard to find the things I want to hear. I want to make sure that I'm not doing this out of infatuation with what I think Islam is, but that it is truly where God is leading me.

One other thing -- prayer. I pray very spontaneously to God and sing to Him a lot. Is this allowed or encouraged in Islam? I know you are expected to follow a certain form during prayer times but, can you pray with your own words from you own heart during those times as well? I often talk to God the same as I am talking now. I want to always have a close personal relationship with him. I do not dishonor him... I worship him with all my heart and soul, often on my face before him (I have even done this in Christian churches). But I do talk to him as an advisor, a guide, the one I love and live for.

 

[ABWAN]

I guess to some extent I can understand that music is something that can lead someone towards the destination, but music by itself isnt the one.

I guess you are going a little fast lol. You should perhaps slow down a bit and start with the basics. I strongly suggest that you read the english translation of Qur'an. You should also read the stories of Jesus (as) and Muhammad(saws) from an islamic standpoint. That would help clear up so many things. Please PLEASE have a look at www.anwary-islam.com . They have brief version of the stories of the different prophets in Islam and also the companions and wives of Muhammad(saws)

To answer your question about prayer, there are 2 different things in Islam, one is SALAT (which translates to the 5 daily prayers) and the other one is DUA (which translates to supplication). While there are specific rules on how to do Salat, there is nothing for Dua. Dua can be in your own language (there are some in arabic too, which people memorize) and can be done anywhere and anytime, like while driving, eating and even before using the bathroom!

As far as salat is concerned, it has different steps that needs to be followed in a particular order. Having said that, I know some new muslims who tend to say their salat in english translation until they learn arabic.

As per my understanding, the reason that Salat is made compulsory for every human is because humans tend to forget to pray (or even God) while everything is fine. They only turn to God when something bad happens. Even with salat made compulsory, there are quite a lot of muslims who dont pray regularly sadly.

 

[syilla]

hi...

try learning the meaning of our salah (prayer) recitation...and you will understand how beautiful is our salah is

 

[ummzayd]

Then I find out that female adulterers are also executed. But what about male adulterers -- are they executed as well?
oh:

I'm always really perplexed about this emphasis on the female. It's always talked about 'female adulterers' when Islam actually makes no distinction between male and female in punishment. I remember reading an article by a westerner who went to Saudi and wrote about how 'women are not allowed to sit next to men on the bus' and 'women are not allowed to shake men's hands'. If you think about that for a moment, the reality is that men and women occupy separate sections of the bus, and that the opposite sexes don't shake hands. But they have to put it in a way that makes it seem it's because Muslims hate women.

Anyway, it is true that in the prophetic tradition, although not in the qur'an, the punishment of adultery is death. There are extremely stringent conditions though, for example that the act must be witnessed by four reliable Muslims, and when I say 'the act' I don't mean that the witnesses can testify that two naked people were rolling around the floor. I mean that they must swear that they witnessed penetration. Forgive my bluntness. In reality, this is almost impossible unless the unhappy couple chose to do their dirty business in public. [Islamically we are warned against snooping or spying on people, and never to go looking in windows or open doorways. Indeed, it is the practice of my Muslim friends that when they knock on the door they stand to one side so that when I open it they don't see inside.] If anyone should testify that they witnessed an act of adultery and this is not backed up by other witnesses or a confession, that person should be flogged and their testimony disregarded ever after. So you can see it is not a light matter in Islam.

Furthermore, there are hadiths of the Prophet pbuh which show that adultery was not a charge that was pursued relentlessly like we get the impression it is in countries like Iran and Saudi these days. If one should suspect a fellow Muslim of adultery or fornication, it is absolutely forbidden to mention it to anyone as this is counted as backbiting. [Backbiting is an extremely grave matter in Islam, it is warned against in the quran and also hadith literature, and is compared to 'eating the flesh of your dead brother'.] When a person came to the Prophet pbuh and made a confession of adultery, the Prophet pbuh turned away from him and refused to listen, and then gave the man lots of opportunities to excuse himself, like asking 'maybe you weren't of sound mind at the time? maybe you didn't go all the way?' etc., until the man insisted he had committed adultery and wanted the punishment. So they took him away, and later a companion came back to the Prophet pbuh and said 'he ran away while being stoned but we chased him and brought him back'. The Prophet pbuh said 'you should have let him go.'

peace

 

[MustafaMc]

... Then he turns on his gospel music to sooth him and last night I thought about our conversations about music and suddenly saw how the music played on our emotions and swayed us in one direction...

Hmmm...

One thing that I remember about my becoming a Christian and then my experiences as such, that it was all very emotional. I grew up as a Baptist and I remember the fire-and-brimstone sermons and being reminded of my sins and imperfection as a human. When I realized (as a teenager) that my sins distanced me from the Glory of God and that there was no other way for forgiveness of those sins but to believe that Jesus (as) was the Son of God, that he lived a blemish-free life and that he died a horrible death on the cross, then for my redemption I accepted Jesus (as) as my personal Lord and Savior.

... and, yes, I remember the deeply moving Gospel songs such as "Amazing Grace", "Mansion on a Hilltop", "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder", "Have Thine Own Way", "How Great Thou Art", "I'll Fly Away", "Washed in the Blood" and "The Old Rugged Cross". Singing each of these songs was such a powerful emotional experience for me.

I also remeber partaking of communion and the grief that I felt that Jesus (as) had to die such a demeaning death for lowly me. When I ate the unleavened bread, I rememberd the beatings, the crown of thorns and the nails being driven through his hands and feet. When I drank the grape juice, I rememberd the blood and water that flowed when the soldier pierced his side. The object of my worship as a Christian was clearly on Jesus.

Then 26 years ago as a senior in college (had a Muslim dorm mate) I read the protions of the Qur'an that related to Jesus (as), Mary, and other people from the Bible such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and Zachariah (peace be upon them all). At first I strongly objected to what I was reading as being different from my existing beliefs, but as I read more I gradually gained the sense that what the Qur'an was saying made more sense than my previous Christian beliefs. The simplicity of the concept of Allah (swt) being One with no sons, daughters, father or mother appealed to me in contrast with the Trinity doctrine of Christianity and with Hebrews 7:1-3. Upon returning to college from Christmas break, I said my shahada.

My experiences as a Muslim have not been easy. Over the next several years I received a lot of flak from family and co-workers about Islam. They always associated Islam with the terrorism and suicide bombings that was in the media. I had trouble identifying with other Muslims because of the racial and cultural differences and I was also unable to find a Muslim wife. After only five years, I stopped practicing Islam and married a Christian. Then in June 2001, I decided to practice my innermost faith, Islam, regardless of what people thought and the consequences of doing so. I remember thinking that one day I will have to stand before Allah and give an account for my life. I knew that I could not use the excuse that I did not offer salah and fast because some Muslims in Palestine were blowing themselves up along with innocent women and children. It was a concious decision on my part as a result of Allah's (swt) guidance back to the Truth. What have I ever done to deserve such mercy of guidance - twice in one lifetime?

My experience as a Muslim is clearly less emotional. Our congregational worship on Fiday is quite "dry". We go to the masjid, offer Sunnah salah individually, sit on the floor, listen to a sermon by the imam, offer 2 rakat (units) of congregational salah, and then offer another individual Sunnah salah before leaving. We have no songs or music. Rather than relying upon the blood of the Lamb to cleanse me of me sins, I go directly to Allah (swt) and ask for His forgiveness.

We Muslims have no mental image of Allah, the One we worship, other than Qur'an 24:35 Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of this light is a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass like a glittering star, kindled from a blessed olive tree, an olive that is neither of the east nor the west, the oil of which could shine without being touched by fire. Light upon light; Allah guides whom He please. The focus of my worship is on Allah, the unseen and incomprehensible. For me, it is difficult to stay focused during salah when I have no clear mental image of who it is I am worshipping, yet I try to focus on the Arabic words and their meaning in English. I try to remember that Allah (swt) sees me, even though I don't see Him.

One of the beauties of Islam, is that I believe that I offer salah and fast exactly in the manner that is acceptable to Allah (swt) as indicated by being revealed through His Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (saaws). I have no reason not to believe that Muhammad (saaws) would recognize my salah as being consistent with how he prayed. I believe that he would also understand my recitation of al-Fatiha, even with my Southern USA drawl. We Muslims strive to worship none other than Allah (swt) exactly as Muhammad (saaws) demonstrated and taught. Furthermore, we strive to pattern our entire lives after his Sunnah, for example I eat and drink with my right hand, I refuse to shake hands with women, I cleanse myself after using the restroom, I have a full beard, I color the gray in my beard, I greet Muslims with "Assalamu alaikum," etc.

Although we pattern our lives after him, we do not in any way, shape, or form worship Muhammad (saaws). In contrast, the focus in Christianity is clearly on Jesus as demonstrated by the afore mentioned songs and communion. Just this weekend, my father-in-law blessed the food by praying to Jesus (not the Father) and in his name (not in the name of "your Son"). Christians equate Jesus with God. Although I personally equate the "Father" with Allah (swt) because that is Who Jesus (as) prayed to (as demonstrated by the Lord's Prayer and by his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane), I have major diffulties with the term "Father" because it directly implies having offspring which I staunchly deny of Allah (swt).

It doesn't behove the Majesty of Allah (swt) that He should have a son or that He has a need to become Man and to die on a cross for the forgiveness of the sins of His creation. There is nothing that I can do that will in any way harm Allah (swt) such that he cannot forgive it. Likewise, there is nothing that I can do that will benefit Him (swt) such that He (swt) is obligated to reward me. I rely upon the Grace of Allah (swt) to forgive me and to grant me Paradise by His Mercy. I bring nothing other than my testimony that, "There is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad was His Messenger and Servant" and my efforts to worship Him (swt) according to the Sunnah of Muhammad (saaws).

 

[aadil77]

I really recommend you get a hold of this english translation of the Quran, It is supposed to be the best translation around by Dr Muhsin Khan, the next best is probably by Pickthall

http://www.darussalam.com/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=264

I have this one and alot of my querys are cleared up by justreading through. Just read through it and hopefully it will answer all your questions, some of the more complex verses are accompanied by a hadith from the Prophet Muhammad to help you understand

I really recommend this one:thumbs_up

 

[MustafaMc]

My personal perspective:

I have 5 Eglish translations of the Quran and I find "The Majestic Quran" to be the best http://www.astrolabe.com/product/905/The_Majestic_Quran.html with some reviews http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1929694504?filterBy=addFiveStar

The Quran that I read upon my reversion was, "The Meaning of the Holy Quran" by Abdullah Yusuf Ali with an extensive commentary, or explanation.

I find the interjected commentary of "The Noble Quran" by Al-Hilali and Muhsin Khan to be accurate, but also disruptive to following the continuity of thought.

 

[caroline]

I have a copy of the Quran in English translated by someone named J.M.Rodwell from Oxford Oriental Institute. It's a copy someone gave my husband a while back. Then I have another one that is part of a set of sacred texts from the world's major religions and that one is "A contemporary traslation by Ahmed Ali."

The one by Ahmed Ali is bigger and has the Arabic beside the English, which does nothing for me except make me admire how beautiful Arabic writing is.

I guess I'll just start at the beginning...

 

[caroline]

What is the Holy Spirit?

 

[crayon]

What is the holy spirit?

 

[ummzayd]

I have a copy of the Quran in English translated by someone named J.M.Rodwell from Oxford Oriental Institute. It's a copy someone gave my husband a while back. Then I have another one that is part of a set of sacred texts from the world's major religions and that one is "A contemporary traslation by Ahmed Ali."

The one by Ahmed Ali is bigger and has the Arabic beside the English, which does nothing for me except make me admire how beautiful Arabic writing is.

I guess I'll just start at the beginning...

peace to you

according to a reliable Islamic website, Soundvision.com, the Rodwell translation is extremely problematical. This is what they have to say on the matter:


Dissatisfied with Sale's work, J.M. Rodwell, Rector of St. Ethelberga, London, produced his translation entitled The Koran (London, 1861). Apart from hurling all sorts of wild and nasty allegations against the Prophet and the Qur'an in the Preface, Rodwell is guilty of having invented the so-called chronological Sura order of the Qur'an. Nor is his translation free from grave mistakes of translation and his own fanciful interpretations in the notes.

The very fact that he is a Christian minister surely marks him out as singularly unqualified to translate and explain the qur'an. I would stick to the Ahmed Ali translation insha'Allah.

peace

 

[MustafaMc]

I have a copy of the Quran in English translated by someone named J.M.Rodwell from Oxford Oriental Institute. It's a copy someone gave my husband a while back. Then I have another one that is part of a set of sacred texts from the world's major religions and that one is "A contemporary traslation by Ahmed Ali."

The one by Ahmed Ali is bigger and has the Arabic beside the English, which does nothing for me except make me admire how beautiful Arabic writing is.

I guess I'll just start at the beginning...

I am not familiar with either of these translations, but SoundVision did a comparison of translations as noted above by Sr. Ummzayd.

"Dissatisfied with Sale's work, J.M. Rodwell, Rector of St. Ethelberga, London, produced his translation entitled The Koran (London, 1861). Apart from hurling all sorts of wild and nasty allegations against the Prophet and the Qur'an in the Preface, Rodwell is guilty of having invented the so-called chronological Sura order of the Qur'an. Nor is his translation free from grave mistakes of translation and his own fanciful interpretations in the notes." http://www.soundvision.com/Info/quran/english.asp

Regarding Ahmed Ali's Contemporary "Despite its accessibility to non-Muslim and academic readers due to its recent Princeton University Press publication, many Muslim scholars have criticized the translation because of the liberties it takes with the text. Future editions are unlikely." http://www.meforum.org/article/717

With that said, I recommed the short surahs in the back along with Surahs #19 "Maryam" and #3 "Family of Imran" and of course "The Opening", or Al-Fatiha - which is the essence of the Quran. Al-Fatiha is roughly equivalent to the Lord's Prayer and is recited in every rakat (unit) of salah.

 

[caroline]

I found a copy of "The Nobel Quran" at amazon.com. It even has a nice leather cover with a zipper! :happy:

 

[muslim1]

Caroline,
I want to ask how come you believe that nothing like God and you still believe he has a Son!!

What does the word Son mean to you? Do you mean slave? then all people are slaves of God! Do you mean a son like when people have sons?

I cant really get the picture in ur mind altogether!!:?

 

[caroline]

Caroline,
I want to ask how come you believe that nothing like God and you still believe he has a Son!!

What does the word Son mean to you? Do you mean slave? then all people are slaves of God! Do you mean a son like when people have sons?

I cant really get the picture in ur mind altogether!!:?

Well, because I am still seeking. I am starting to think that the use of the word "son" in the Bible is meant more like we say "brother" and "sister" -- in a figurative sense referring to the spiritual/emotional part of a relationship. Not a physical kinship as much as a social/emotional/spiritual kinship. The more I read the Bible the more I see the use of this term for a figurative kinship. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus refers to God as "your" father in Heaven many times. Jesus also calls himself the Son of Man. He refers to God as "the" father many times.

All these things are leading me to believe that the use of the term "son" is not meant to be taken literally. The New Testament refers to all those who believe and follow Jesus as "sons" of God.

But because I am still seeking I am not sure. I trust God to reveal to me what He will according to His purpose. I know that I am created to worship Him and give him Glory and Praise. For that reason, He's put a great love for Himself in my heart.

Of that I am sure.

All the other details are a learning process.

Don't you think that if you seek God with your heart, sincerely, that He will put a desire in your heart for the truth? Do you think he will guide you to Him in spirit and in truth?

 

[Intisar]

I found a copy of "The Nobel Quran" at amazon.com. It even has a nice leather cover with a zipper! :happy:

Hello Caroline,

Try getting translations by renowed scholars. I had a copy of the Holy Quraan, accompanied by a translation by Abdullahi Yusuf Ali, I think, it was in really hard English. So I asked my Dad to get a copy of the Noble Quraan that has a glossary of terms, hadeeths by Sahih Bukhari, and translations by a very renowed Sheikh, unfortunately I forgot his name though.

Anyway, the gist of what I'm trying to say is, get a copy that you will understand easily.