Choosing a religion

[Daniel1998]

Hi.

My name is Daniel,and I am 18 years old.I used to be a Christian,it wasn't that long until I found horrific things in the Bible,and many weird laws,so I ditched it and became an atheist.But then,it hit me,"Is this life?" I was thinking to myself,deeply,quietly,and with common sense.There has to be a Power of some sort.So I reached to Buddhism first,i didn't have problems with idol worshipping so that was okay with me,but then I didn't know how to practice,so I tried to do google and that went well.After a while,it didn't seem logical to me,nor the beliefs,i don't believe in reincarnation,and I believe that's a dumb belief in my opinion,but I was kind of impressed.If you don't worship the Buddha god,you're not going to hell.So I stayed like that for a while.I came across Islam,which,of course I thought of them as terrorists,but then I found so many interesting things about it,facts,scientifc facts,i was amazed,and that made me feel like there is a god.So I am currently checking into Hinduism,Buddhism,And Islam.Hinduism seems okay,but Idk about the idol worship thing anymore,i was okay with it but now,i don't think so anymore.I would like to question you Muslims,and I want a satisfying reply.

1)What makes Islam better than Buddhism,and Hinduism?

2)If allah "god in islam" is the most merciful,then why don't the disbelievers go to heaven? like in Buddhism,the god doesn't need to be worshipped,you go to heaven,so isn't it that Buddha god is more merciful than Allah?

3)If Hinduism is a false religion,then why did it correctly predict the prophet of Islam? isn't it false? how come? in the hindu scriptures it mentions it,isnt that weird?

4) Convince me why Islam is a perfect religion (Even though its homophobic which I don't quiet get)

and thanks.

 

[Huzaifah ibn Adam]

Hi, Daniel.

I would advise you to check out the videos of Dr. Zakir Naik on YouTube. He has debates against atheists, and in those debates, he discusses and answers the kinds of questions you've asked in this thread. He also has debates against Christians and Hindus (his debate with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is quite famous).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b-iC7Ky_to

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1...is-a-creator-of-the-universe-allah_shortfilms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GxP1G1IekM

You might struggle a bit to understand his accent in the beginning, but don't worry; you'll get used to it.

Just take some time out and watch his videos. You'll benefit a lot.

 

[eesa the kiwi]

have a look at www.islamreligion.com
they have a bunch of good articles for you to learn a little about islam Alhamdulilah and a live chat q&a for you to ask questions

 

[Born_Believer]

Hi.

My name is Daniel,and I am 18 years old.I used to be a Christian,it wasn't that long until I found horrific things in the Bible,and many weird laws,so I ditched it and became an atheist.But then,it hit me,"Is this life?" I was thinking to myself,deeply,quietly,and with common sense.There has to be a Power of some sort.So I reached to Buddhism first,i didn't have problems with idol worshipping so that was okay with me,but then I didn't know how to practice,so I tried to do google and that went well.After a while,it didn't seem logical to me,nor the beliefs,i don't believe in reincarnation,and I believe that's a dumb belief in my opinion,but I was kind of impressed.If you don't worship the Buddha god,you're not going to hell.So I stayed like that for a while.I came across Islam,which,of course I thought of them as terrorists,but then I found so many interesting things about it,facts,scientifc facts,i was amazed,and that made me feel like there is a god.So I am currently checking into Hinduism,Buddhism,And Islam.Hinduism seems okay,but Idk about the idol worship thing anymore,i was okay with it but now,i don't think so anymore.I would like to question you Muslims,and I want a satisfying reply.

1)What makes Islam better than Buddhism,and Hinduism?

2)If allah "god in islam" is the most merciful,then why don't the disbelievers go to heaven? like in Buddhism,the god doesn't need to be worshipped,you go to heaven,so isn't it that Buddha god is more merciful than Allah?

3)If Hinduism is a false religion,then why did it correctly predict the prophet of Islam? isn't it false? how come? in the hindu scriptures it mentions it,isnt that weird?

4) Convince me why Islam is a perfect religion (Even though its homophobic which I don't quiet get)

and thanks.

To be so young and so intellectually inquisitive is a rarity and you deserve points for that alone. May Allah guide you.

Now, the best route for you is to possibly find a local mosque (be wary its not a Qadiyani/Ahmedi group masquerading as muslims or a group like the Nation of Islam in the US) and to speak to a learned scholar at the mosque. Don't be shy or nervous about it. Everyone will be friendly and welcoming.

Also, if you have muslims friends, ask them questions, hopefully they can answer a few of them.

Now, just on a basic level, I'll try and answer ur questions in a combined manner. The jist of your questions are: why is Islam better than x, y and z. It's a perfectly valid question.

Ultimately, Islam is the religion of all the prophets of old and it means to "submit ones will to God, thus attaining peace". That's what all the Prophets did, leading up to Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) who is the last in line of all the messengers. So its not a new religion or one found in Arabia, its as old as man itself. The central aspect of the religion is the worship of ONE God, who we call Allah. This si different to bowing down to handmade idols, carved from stone or ivory or wood etc. This God is far superior and real than all of that and by declining idol worship, we are free ... truly free. We do not worship money, or reckless human idols. Thus, through this lack of societal inhibition, the trappings of the mdoern world for example, was can do as God has commanded.

What God has commanded, has become our way of life. Islam teaches us everything from spirituality to socio-economic justice, civil and criminal law and right down to the minutiae of life, such as how to wash yourself in the best possible way. You say you are studying other religions so think of this as a challenge: find any other religion that provides a complete AND PRACTICAL way of life.

Buddhism and Hinduism tell you, that the closest way to God or to attain peace or to attain the highest level of peace, is to cut yourself from the rest of society. To become a monk, a hermit, a loner. Not to marry, not to have children, to take part in worldly affairs. Islam is the complete opposite, for example, we are taught by our Prophet PBUH that if one is a businessman, and he carries out his duties lawfully and honestly, tus providing for himself and his family and to charity, that job for him becomes a form of worship. None of this hiding away in a mountain or not washing yourself for 10 years ^o), as other religions would preach.

Finally, with regards to the prophecy of the advent of the final messenger, as Allah says in the Quran, he has sent down messengers to every nation in human history. However, their words and their books have been corrupted. So it may well be that certain elements of the Hindu scriptures were initially divine, however, now they are largely corrupted. That does not mean that there cant be some truth found in them and if there are prophecies that coincide with Prophet Muhammad PBUH then most Muslims would accept that. However, that is not to say that we take the whole scripture as the word of God. The same goes for the Bible.

 

[Daniel1998]

But I don't have a mosq near me,idk where to do...so basically the other gods are false that's why they're saying they will not take the disbelievers into hell right? its like a way to brainwash people isn't it?

 

[Daniel1998]

also I don't mean to bring this up but its really annoying me and I want to know the truth


is it true that the prophet Mohamed existed? a muslim theologian says he didn't...

 

[Daniel1998]

And I got that from a thread that I read on the website a few days ago

 

[Daniel1998]

but either than that,i see Islam as the perfect religion,i just see this existence thing for the prophet a problem for me

 

[Scimitar]

also I don't mean to bring this up but its really annoying me and I want to know the truth


is it true that the prophet Mohamed existed? a muslim theologian says he didn't...

Muhammad pbuh, is an historical person - recorded not only by the Arabs but by people of other faiths and nations.

One cannot be a "Muslim Theologian" and then "deny the existence of Muhammad" - savvy?

Scimi

 

[noraina]

There's no doubt the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) existed. Even among non-Muslim scholars, its unanimous he was a historical figure.

It's important to keep in mind that there were Arab conquests which spanned a good distance even in the lifetime of the Prophet (pbuh) so let alone Muslim sources his name was mentioned in many contemporary sources by non-Muslims at the time. Also, Islam spread a considerable amount, enough to be noticed and recorded.

I know this is a Wikipedia article, but it lists a compilation of the primary accounts of outside observers from the time of the Prophet (pbuh).


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeing_Islam_as_Others_Saw_It

 

[Scimitar]

Hey Daniel,

Enjoy,

God bless.

Scimi

 

[Daniel1998]

Ok..you know what that's it,Islam is just a giant when it comes to information,i never saw a religion that HAD this much evidence and information to support it's claims and beleifs,i am read to do become a muslim,but the thing is I don't have a mosque near me,so is it okay if I pray at home? (I will google the timings and the technique on how to pray) thank you so much guys for opening my eyes,im so happy becoming a muslim!!!

 

[anatolian]

But I don't have a mosq near me,idk where to do...so basically the other gods are false that's why they're saying they will not take the disbelievers into hell right? its like a way to brainwash people isn't it?

Friend, brainwashing means that making someone to believe something which is not real. Now, if Allah is "brainwashing" us by making us believe that the disbelievers are going to Hell although they are not, this is good news for you, you are not going to Hell. If Allah is not "brainwashing" us and He really is going to take disbelievers into Hell, this is again good news because He is warning us and we have the chance to change our situation. Can you see?

 

[Born_Believer]

But I don't have a mosq near me,idk where to do...so basically the other gods are false that's why they're saying they will not take the disbelievers into hell right? its like a way to brainwash people isn't it?

Oh, so if theres no mosque, then try and order a copy of the Quran overt he internet and obviously, ask any of us as many questions as you like. I hope you read the rest of the post I made as well.

btw, where are you from?

also I don't mean to bring this up but its really annoying me and I want to know the truth


is it true that the prophet Mohamed existed? a muslim theologian says he didn't...

he can't be much of a Muslim Theologian if he doesn't know that Prophet Muhammad PBUH existed, even non Muslim historians and scholars have written about him. Did you know that he is the most written about man in human history?

You have to be careful on the internet, not everyone is who they say they are.

 

[Insaanah]

Welcome to the forum Daniel.

It's nice to see that you're thinking and pondering and asking questions.

Choosing a religion isn't like picking a club to belong to. It determines your outcome in the hereafter. Therefore you need to first look and see where the truth is, and once you've found it, you must firmly believe in it, and act on it.

The truth has to be clear, easy to understand, and should make sense, and resonate with the heart, mind and soul.

Does it resonate with the heart and brain as being truth that theres no God at all, and that a mouse running across the floor might be a relative?
Does it resonate with the heart and brain that god can be a human-animal hybrid?
Does it resonate with the heart and brain that worship should be directed to a piece of wood or stone, that can't even move itself one inch unless you physically move it?
Does it resonate with the heart and brain that God should beget a son (who is also god) then have him killed in a bloody and painful death in order to atone for mankind's sins?

OR, does it resonate with the heart and brain, that there is only One God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who is the only One deserving of worship, and has no associates whatsoever in His Divinity, and isn't mixed up with His creation in any way, and has no sons, daughters, parents, cousins or any other relatives?

I know which one is as clear as day truth to me.

If you came across a table and chair in the middle of a forest, you would know that someone had come along, sawn the right sized pieces of wood off the trees, shaped them, joined them together etc to make what was in front of you. I'm sure you wouldn't conclude that the right sized pieces had sawn themselves off the trees and joined themselves together to make a table and chairs. Nor that the trees had got sucked up in a tornado and then fallen out of the sky as table and chairs.

So we believe, that this intricate universe, has an all-Powerful Creator, and we don't believe that the universe came about by coincidence or by chance or by some random happening.

That Creator, periodically sent human messengers to mankind, to guide mankind as to how they should live, to be role-models, give good news, to warn mankind against wrong doing, and to tell them that they'll be brought to account on judgement day, and to show people how they should worship God the Creator, who is the Only One deserving of all worship, and has no associates in His Exclusive Divinity. Some of those messengers were given scriptures for people to follow.

Islam is a culmination of that same ultimate universal truth which God revealed to all prophets and messengers, including Noah, Abraham, Jesus and Moses, peace be on them. Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be on him, is the last messenger of God, and a book called the Qur'an was revealed to him. That book is 100% God's word, so it supersedes, continues, confirms, and is a culimination of, the truth that was in the earlier scriptures. Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be on him, is the messenger who must now be followed, the Qur'an being the book that must be followed.

You'll notice that Islam is not named after a specific person (like Christianity, Buddhism), nor after a certain race or place (like Judaism, Hinduism), but is named by God Himself, the meaning loosely translating as 'submission to God', which is what every Prophet and their righteous followers did, from amongst all times, places and peoples. That in itself is one fraction of the evidence that it was the way of all the Prophets from the beginning.

We believe that mankind will be brought to account on Judgement day.

Islam is distinguishable from other religions, as:

1) It is a complete way of life, which is practical and balanced
2) It has a pure and clear concept of the Oneness of God
3) It has a close relationship with the Creator
4) It emphasizes both evidence and faith
5) There is accountability and total justice
6) It has a universal and timeless message
7) All the messengers of God are believed in, none are blasphemed or rejected, nor at the other end of the extreme are they made into gods
8) It's scripture is 100% the word of God
9) There is forgiveness as opposed to someone having to atone for your sins
10) Belief and good deeds go hand in hand
11) It is a complete code of conduct for every aspect of life, from the most intimate, to the most public. It not only exhorts one to be good, but provides complete guidance to practically live that, taking a preventative approach to problems in society from the outset. It guides us towards practical ways of achieving righteousness and eliminating evil from our individual and collective lives, taking into account human nature and the complexities of human society.

2)If allah "god in islam" is the most merciful,then why don't the disbelievers go to heaven? like in Buddhism,the god doesn't need to be worshipped,you go to heaven,so isn't it that Buddha god is more merciful than Allah?

Would it be acceptable to you, that people who do certain wrong deeds in this world and deserve to be punished or go to jail, would you accept that instead they should be rewarded with mansions and cars etc? That would make a mockery of the whole concept of justice, no? When a child misbehaves, do the parents praise the child and say well done? No, they discipline the child. God is the Most Just, more just than any man made justice system.

I could go on, but will stop here for now.

As a brief foundation, we believe in, submit to, and worship, the One True God and Lord, the Creator, who has no sons, no associates in His Exclusive Divinity whatsoever, and obey the guidance of the prophets and messengers He sent, the last of whom is Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him). Since the scripture given to him is the only one preserved, and the Prophet's example is preserved, we follow him and the book given to him by God, which is the way to success in the hereafter.

Please do ask any further questions.

Peace.

 

[eesa the kiwi]

Ok..you know what that's it,Islam is just a giant when it comes to information,i never saw a religion that HAD this much evidence and information to support it's claims and beleifs,i am read to do become a muslim,but the thing is I don't have a mosque near me,so is it okay if I pray at home? (I will google the timings and the technique on how to pray) thank you so much guys for opening my eyes,im so happy becoming a muslim!!!

How to Convert to Islam - The Testimony of Faith (Shahada)

Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. All that a person has to do is to say a sentence called the Testimony of Faith (Shahada), which is pronounced as:

Ash hadu an La ilaha illa Allah, wa ash hadu muhammad rasoolu Allah.”

These Arabic words mean, i bear witness“There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.” Once a person says the Testimony of Faith (Shahada) with conviction and understanding its meaning, then he/she has become a Muslim.

The first part, “There is no true deity but God,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son. The second part means that Muhammad was a true Prophet sent by God to humankind.

To be a Muslim, one should also:

- Believe that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God, revealed by Him.

- Believe that the Judgment Day (Resurrection Day) is true and will come.

- Believe in the prophets that God sent and the books He revealed, and in His angels.

- Accept Islam as his/her religion.

- Not worship anything nor anyone except God.

It is that easy