The Unofficial "Ask a Muslim" Thread.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, Amcon.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

it is clear from the koran that muhammad believed that the scriptures that were then in the hands of the jews and christian were authentic, and in no place in the koran is it suggested that they had been corrupted (sura 4:48, 10:94)

The Prophet's disciple said:

"O you group of Muslims! How can you ask the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) about anything while your Book which God has revealed to your Prophet contains the most recent news from God and is pure and not distorted? God has told you that the people of the Book have changed some of God's Books and distorted it and wrote something with their own hands and said, 'This is from God, so as to attain a minor (worldly) gain from it.' <Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.> (Quran, 2:79)" (Sahih Bukhari, Vol.9, Book 3, Number 613)

Another one of the Prophet's disciples, Ibn Abbas, said:

"The kings after the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Mary, substituted the Torah and Gospel (with their own words)...The king summoned them [those who would recite the Book in its pure form] and gathered them together. He proposed either death to them or that they leave the recitation of the Torah and Gospel except what they substitute in place of it." (Sunan Al Nisaa'i, hadith no. 5305)

And there are many more narrations that clearly explain the position of the Muslims on the validity of the Bible. We believe that originally it was 100% the word of God but that it has been corrupted by men since then, i.e. scribes adding in words or leaving them out.

As for verse 4:48 that you mentioned, it reads:

"God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him [polytheism]; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed." (Quran, 4:48)

So that verse has nothing to do with the Bible. As for the other verse you mentioned, it reads as follows:

"If you were in doubt as to what We have revealed unto you, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before you: the Truth has indeed come to thee from your Lord: so be not of those who doubt." (Quran, 10:94)

This verse is in line with our belief that God revealed the earlier scriptures, including the Bible. We believe that Prophet Muhammad [s] was prophecized in the Bible, and this is what this verse is talking about. It does not say that the Bible is 100% perfect.

when the jews told muhammed that he had not been for told in their books, he charged them with misreading or misintererting their scriptures. the bible is perfect and it has been inspired by God him self.

Yes, I agree with the red part, but I disagree with the blue part. The fact that the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad [s] is in the Bible does not mean that it hasn't been corrupted. Rather, we believe there is still some truth in the Bible (such as the prophecy) but a lot of corruption as well.

also as for the trinity - it is explained with your koran, christian doctrine of the rtinity is both misunderstood and misinterpreted, and ovbiouslly rejected by muslims, i hear "how sad, you christians pray to three gods" we dont worship the one true God... it seems that this is the way in which muhammad understood the christian belief in the trinity (sura 5:115 or 116). and when it is explained that this is not what christians believe, and true doctrine of the trinity is stated, muslims still reject it - with "how can three be one?" (i was planing on your answers being what they were...he he he - have done this a few times)

Of course we Muslims disagree with the Christians. To Christians, the Trinity makes sense. To Muslims, it doesn't. Well, to be more specific, I don't see the difference between the concept of the Trinity and the belief of some Hindu sects. These Hindu sects also say they believe in only one Supreme God, and they say that this God manifests himself in 3,000 different forms. So I don't see why one would consider the Hindus to be polytheists and not the Christians. In the end, it is just a difference in degree, between three and three thousand. But both numbers are greater than one.

Here is what one Encyclopedia says about Hinduism:

Monotheistic theology is an inherent part of Hinduism which teaches that the many forms of God, i.e., Vishnu, Shiva, or Devi merely represent aspects of a single or underlying divine power or Brahman (see articles on Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman). Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) Devan�garī (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... For other uses, see Divinity (disambiguation) and Divine (disambiguation). ... Nirguna Brahman, (literally, the attributeless Brahman, Devanagari: निर�ग�ण ब�रह�म) refers to Supreme Reality which pervades through the universe. ... Saguna Brahma, in Hindu philosophy, is God or Supreme Consciousness with gunas (qualities or attributes). ...

Monotheism can be divided into different types on the basis of its attitude towards polytheism: inclusive monotheism claims that all polytheistic deities are just different names for the single monotheistic God; Smartism, a denomination of Hinduism, follows this belief and holds that God is one but has different aspects and can be called by different names (this belief dominate the view of Hinduism in the West); exclusive monotheism, on the other hand, claims that these other deities are either aspects of their supreme god, demigods (cognate with angels), invented, or simply incorrect, as Vaishnavism, a denomination of Hinduism, regards the worship of anyone other than Vishnu. However, according to the Bhagavad Gita (one of the most important Vaishnava scriptures) whatever form of God one worships it is in fact worship of Vishnu.

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclop...-on-monotheism

Of course, the Abrahamic faiths reject this claim that Hinduism is monotheistic. My only question is: why do Christians have a right to be called monotheists and not Hindus? I agree that you could argue that they are all monotheists, but then I think that the entire concept of monotheism goes down the drain.

I think that a baseline definition is needed, and I think it can be as simple as: "If your god talks to another god, then you are a polytheist."

Of course, this is a Muslim understanding and I know that Christians would differ.

muslims dont call God father, a few times while praying with muslims i of coarse thanked our Father in heaven, the Lord our God... i was interrupted and and told that was "...blasphemy, God is not your Father!?" the muslim God can not be our father, he is a unknow God, the muslim God is diffrent, and unknowable... correct ? according to what i know of the muslim faith i am 100% correct.

islam God is unknowable because he has not made himself known. the commands of God are made to men in the koran, but God himself is not known or revealed. and muhammad never ever dared to make the claim that he was the revelation of God. only Jesus Christ did, the incarnate Word of God "he who has seen me has seen the Father" "i am the Father, and the Father {is} in me" (john 14:9-10), as paul states, "HE (Christ)is in the image of the invisible God"(col 1:15) when one see Christ he sees God, for "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" (II cornth 5: 19)

This is not true, my dear friend. We Muslims strongly believe in a personal and knowable God. In fact, we criticize (some) Christians for believing that you have to go through a priest to reach God. We believe that God is there for every human being, and that there are no intermediaries between God and you. So you can ask for forgiveness straight from God and there is no need for confession. Rather, we find putting intermediaries between God and a person to be a form of polytheism.

We strongly believe in a personal, loving, and knowable God. Also, you said that Prophet Muhammad [s] never claimed to *be* the revelation of God. I don't know what that means exactly, but we believe that God revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad [s] and that he (Prophet Muhammad) was divinely inspired.

But yes, I agree with you that we believe that God cannot come down in the form of a man, because we believe this is a polytheistic belief. There were many pagan groups that believed in this concept, i.e. God coming down in the shape of a man, and we Muslims reject it as such. For example, Krishna--the god of the Hindus--came down to earth in the shape of man, so did Pharaoh, and so did many of the Greek and Roman gods. Christians say that it is very special for the Christian God to come down to earth as a man, but the fact is that there were many pagan religions which also believed this, long before Christianity.

We Muslims believe that God is transcendent above the heavens, unique and distinct from His creation. He is not mixed up in His creation, because He is the Perfect Creator, whereas the creation are imperfect.

the godly muhmud jalily (google him) once a devout muslim, used to say "when i was a muslim i though i knew God, but i did not. i came to know him truly only when i saw him in Jesus Christ"...

See, this is just a statement. Many others convert to Islam from Christianity and say "when I was a Christian I thought I knew God, but I did not. I came to know God when I converted to Islam."

Of course, I am not doubting you; I am just saying that just because one person converts to a religion, it doesn't give any real credence to that faith. People convert to all sorts of religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. Many Muslims tout the claim that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and I'm sure that this is debatable. But in reality, using this as a proof for validity would constitute a logical fallacy: argumentum ad populum, i.e. claiming a belief to be right based on the number of people following it.

Anyways, I think I've gone a bit off course...just wanted to say that although I am sure many people have "found" God in Christianity, similarly many have "found" God in Islam.

Lastly, thanks for keeping the discussion cordial.

In the Care of the Lord Most High,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, Amcon.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

why did muhammad premit christans to live under his protection for money? why not eliminate them?

Under Islamic Law, Muslims are obligated to join the military if the Caliph calls them to defend the Islamic lands.

Because Non-Muslims did not join the military, they were obligated to pay a tax (the jizyah) that went to supporting the military. It was an exchange: Non-Muslims paid a small military tax, and the Muslims were obligated to defend the Non-Muslims from invaders. There were times in history in which the Muslims were unable to guarantee protection to the Non-Muslims living in areas far away from the capitol. Because of this, the government did not take jizyah from them. Furthermore, the Jizyah was only taken from able-bodied men, not from women and children.

It should be noted that Muslims were obligated to pay a religious tax (the zakat) which was not obligatory on Non-Muslims. The religious tax on Muslims was heavier than the jizyah on the Non-Muslims. This is based on the command of Prophet Muhammad [s], who forbade overtaxing Non-Muslims. The Prophet's disciple said:

"I recommend him (the ruler) to abide by the rules and regulations concerning the Dhimmis (Non-Muslim citizens) of God and His Apostle: to fulfill their contracts completely and fight for them and not to tax them beyond their capabilities." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.2, Book 23, No.475)

As for why Prophet Muhammad [s] didn't eliminate the Christians, this is because it would be injustice and oppression to do that. The Quran says: "Let there be no compulsion in religion."

Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

"Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his enemy, and I shall be his enemy on the Day of a Judgment." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

"Beware on the Day of Judgment, I shall myself be the complainant against him who wrongs a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state or lays on him a responsibility greater than he can bear or deprives him of anything that belongs to him." (Al-Mawardi)

"Anyone who kills a Non-Muslim who had become our ally will not smell the fragrance of Paradise." (Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad [s] warned the Muslims:

"Whoever makes a snide comment to a dhimmi (Non-Muslim citizen) has earned Hell." (Sahih of Ibn Hibbaan).

In the Care of the Lord Most High,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, Amcon.

what does sura 5:5 say?

"This day are all things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. Lawful unto you in marriage are chaste women who are believers, and chaste women among the People of the Book who received scripture before you. Lawful are they to you when you have given them their dowries, taking them in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them as girlfriends in secret. And whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the Hereafter he shall be one of the losers." (Quran, 5:5)

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[FallenWyvern]

Do you own a Koran in English or do you only read it in the original Arabic.

Secondly has Arabic changed drastically since it was written in the 600's. Is it like reading Shakespeare or the first King James translation of the bible. Would that be considered some kind of corruption? After all I can't understand most things in Old English.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, Fallen.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Glorious.

Do you own a Koran in English or do you only read it in the original Arabic.

I own both the Quran in the original Arabic, as well as the English translation. I read both, although I do not consider the English to be the Quran or infallible. Having said that, almost all English translations have the Arabic and English side-by-side, and 100% English translations are only given to Non-Muslim Non-Arabs.

Secondly has Arabic changed drastically since it was written in the 600's. Is it like reading Shakespeare or the first King James translation of the bible. Would that be considered some kind of corruption? After all I can't understand most things in Old English.

Arabic has changed a lot since then, and yes it is like reading Old English. But we non-Arabs generally only learn this classical Arabic. So we have a hard time understanding modern Arabic; in fact, we can't, since we invest most of our energies in learning classical--not modern--Arabic.

I for example am taking a year off just to master classical Arabic overseas, God-Willing. But to answer your question: you have to take special courses to understand the Quran, and although some Islamic clergy (Ulema) considered it obligatory, most consider it to be highly encouraged just below required. There is a saying, namely that the Muslim who cannot understand classical Arabic is blind.

As for do I consider it a corruption? Well, I wouldn't go that far, but yes we do frown upon English translations of the Quran, although we also use them all the time. But if someone were to use English translations to derive Islamic legal verdicts, then of course this would be a great corruption. We Muslims never had this problem until very recently, when--due to the internet--some overzealous laypersons try to push their uneducated understandings upon others.

Hope that helps.

In the Care of the Lord Most High,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, GST528i.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

3) Why is it okay for muslims to marry first cousins? (correct me if i am wrong please i do not mean to offend. It;s just i know muslims that are married and by their account they are first cousin.

Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

"God does not look at your body and face; rather he looks at your heart."(Sunan at-Tirmidhi)

In regards to marriage, he said:

"A woman is [generally] married for four reasons: her wealth, her family status, her beauty, and her religion. So you should marry the religious woman, otherwise you will be one of the losers!" (Sahih al-Bukhari)

So Muslims are encouraged to marry pious women of good character. If this person happens to be a cousin, then a man should marry her. However, there is nothing in Islam that encourages marrying cousins. Rather, it is solely based on piety.

In the West, cousins grow up together. Therefore, it is considered weird to marry cousins, since they are like brothers and sisters. However, under Islamic Law, when cousins hit the age of puberty, members of the opposite gender are separated and a strict code of gender segregation is followed. Women must cover themselves in the headscarf in front of male cousins, and for all intents and purposes, they are considered strangers. They don't even talk to each other, except perhaps a terse "as-salam alaykum" here and there.

As for why it is not forbidden, we don't see why it should be. Yes, it is true--proven by evidence based medicine--that consanguineous marriages (cousin marriages) increase the chances of certain diseases manifesting themselves. If inbreeding goes on for many generations, the increase in morbidity is significant.

The issue, however, is not really cousin marriages...rather, it is about inbreeding that goes on for many generations. In other words, an occasional cousin marriage here and there will NOT significantly increase the chances of disease manifestation. So why, reason Muslims, should we ban ALL cousin marriages?

So we believe that cousin marriages here and there are OK...inbreeding, on the other hand, is problematic.

Having said that, we *do* have the problem of inbreeding in many Muslim countries, such as Pakistan, i.e. first cousins keep getting married. This is contrary to our religion and it is a matter upon which many Ulema (clergy) are encouraging change. It actually doesn't have to do with religion, but tribal culture. They wish to keep wealth within the family and there are also racist reasons involved, reasons which are forbidden in Islam.

The motivations for inbreeding in Pakistan are against Islam, in my humble opinion. It is mostly a remnant of the Indian caste system which is contrary to Islam. It is very difficult to find a match because of the need to marry from the exact same caste. Furthermore, there is a desire to keep the money in the family. So, based on this greed and materialism, they seem to discourage what God has allowed, i.e. marriage to a non-relative. I also believe that many parents do not give their children the right to consultation in regards to whom they shall marry, which is also against Islam.

So to conclude the matter, inbreeding over many generations is a symptom of left-over jahiliyyah (Pre-Islamic culture), not of Islam. In Islam, we are to marry whoever is pious.

I certainly considered my cousin for marriage, although I decided against it. Not because she was my cousin, but for other reasons. But her being a cousin did not at all dissuade me from marrying her. I have no inbreeding in my family, so marrying her would not have caused any genetic problems.

Hope that helps.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, rockinred.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

Peace be to you also buffedguy..... I commend you for taking the time to write up long answers....wow!

the tetragrammaton is the four Hebrew letters used for God's name....in English it is YHWH or JHVH....many use the english pronunciation as Jehovah or Yahweh. the reason i ask this is because I knew muslims believe in the same God of the Jews, yet why a different name?

Also, do you believe their is a correlation between the term Elohim from the early Hebrew writers and Allah? I have done some study on this too.

I do not know much about the name Jehovah or Yahweh. We Muslims believe that the proper name of God is "Allah", as this is the name that both Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) used. Please see my earlier post about how Jesus [as] used the name "Allah".

As for the name "Jehovah", I would think that either Muslims would believe that it is an alternative name or it could be an incorrect name to use. I don't know which is the answer, as I have never studied the issue before. I don't want to just conjecture without solid knowledge so I'll just say "I don't know." Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

"Allah" is the contraction of the words "Al" (The) and "Ilah" (that which is worshiped). Therefore, Allah literally means The One Who is worshiped, and by this it implies exclusivity, i.e. nobody else must be worshiped but He. Some also translate it as The God, although this is not as accurate, since a thing can be worshiped without considering it to be a god, and because 'ilah' technically means that which is worshiped.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Well, I'm winding down now with the questions...I think I have a couple remaining ones...if you want a specific post addressed, let me know, God-Willing.

[NewMuscle83]

salam brother,

thanks for taking the time to start and maintain this thread. you asked a question in regards to your diet. we will be more than happy to help you in that field. head to the diet section, and start a new thread in there. include your stats (weight, height, body fat, age) and your goals. there are many knowledgeble people on this board, and you will be able to get the answers you're looking for.

also, I wanted to remind you of the pm I sent you.

thanks again.

[PT]

you want it so now you got it. can you describe islam in simple terms as if describing to someone with absolutly no knowledge whatsoever about it

[BuffedGuy]

salam brother,

thanks for taking the time to start and maintain this thread. you asked a question in regards to your diet. we will be more than happy to help you in that field. head to the diet section, and start a new thread in there. include your stats (weight, height, body fat, age) and your goals. there are many knowledgeble people on this board, and you will be able to get the answers you're looking for.

also, I wanted to remind you of the pm I sent you.

thanks again.

Wa alaykum as-salam,

OK thanks for the heads up about the diet section. Actually I was just being a lazy butt and hoping someone would answer here, haha.

About the PM, I'm glad you reminded me. It was a question I was not sure about, so I just sent it two minutes ago to the appropriate scholars and students of religion. I apologize for the delay. I just sent it, so hopefully I'll hear back within a day or two, God-Willing.

Fi Aman Allah

[Voice of Reason]

Why does a newb Muslim come to a steroid site and all she does is talk about stupid religious shit?

[NewMuscle83]

Why does a newb Muslim come to a steroid site and all she does is talk about stupid religious shit?

that's cause its the lounge d1ckhead, u can talk about whatever u want. ur such a loser that u keep trolling around this thread just to hate on it. its pretty funny actually. everyone else is saying how much they enjoy it and are learning from it. why dnt u use ur time for something productive instead little man?

[Kale]

Why does a newb Muslim come to a steroid site and all she does is talk about stupid religious shit?

Dude shut it while u still can. Be warned !!!

[PT]

Why does a newb Muslim come to a steroid site and all she does is talk about stupid religious shit?

this is the lounge and he is aloud to talk about anything he wants as long as it within the board rules. you obviously dont like this thread so my advise is that you dont click on it again so you wont be bothered by it. everyone is entitled to there opinion here

[Dinosaur]

Kale
Dude shut it while u still can. Be warned !!!

this is the lounge and he is aloud to talk about anything he wants as long as it within the board rules. you obviously dont like this thread so my advise is that you dont click on it again so you wont be bothered by it. everyone is entitled to there opinion here

I really want to respond by thanking the moderators about there open mind and fairness, and not being prejudice to one side or another not trying to politicize this by saying rightees and leftees that exist in this site but proud to see you standing for the right thing.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, PT.

First, I want to thank you and the other moderators (like Kale) for your fairness. I really appreciate it.

To Voice of Reason--I owe you an apology: I was a little sharp with my tongue in the Israeli/Palestinian thread. I apologize for that. May God unite us upon the truth. The Quran says: "Let not the hatred of a people towards you move you to commit injustice." I fear that I may have committed injustice by being unnecessarily harsh.

It is a highly emotional time for Muslims right now since we watch the TV all day long and cry our hearts out when we see those images from Gaza. Nonetheless, that does not give me a right to speak with harshness with you.

you want it so now you got it. can you describe islam in simple terms as if describing to someone with absolutly no knowledge whatsoever about it

Haha, great question. Ok I will answer this shortly, God-Willing.

[paulzane]

BuffedGuy ... Good post and a lot of research (by you and/or your scholar mates). All I want to say is that all major religions in their purest forms are good. They set up decent rules for man to live a useful and happy life. Unfortunately there are corrupters of every religion. Whether it is for personal or politcal gain ..... it doesn't matter. It does seem to me that the use of the "Islamic Faith" for the prolification of violence against the Western World and non Muslims is profound. Whether the intellectuals in Riyadh or Mecca agree or disagree is immaterial, but there is conflict caused by "Muslims" from Indonesia to Thailand ..... from Sudan to Afganistan .... from Holland to New York. There have been very few recent conflicts caused by Christians against people in the name of religion anywhere in the last 100 years.

You might be considered orthodox and a PURE Muslim ....... but (the bastardization of) the Muslim religion that has propagated in many parts of the world has caused untold grief and misery to millions and millions of people, just like other religions have in the past.

Islam in it's purest form may be the perfection that you want ........ but unfortunately with human intervention, it has turned out to be as corrupt and as blood thirsty ... no even more blood thirsty, as early Christianity.

[BuffedGuy]

BuffedGuy ... Good post and a lot of research (by you and/or your scholar mates). All I want to say is that all major religions in their purest forms are good. They set up decent rules for man to live a useful and happy life. Unfortunately there are corrupters of every religion. Whether it is for personal or politcal gain ..... it doesn't matter. It does seem to me that the use of the "Islamic Faith" for the prolification of violence against the Western World and non Muslims is profound. Whether the intellectuals in Riyadh or Mecca agree or disagree is immaterial, but there is conflict caused by "Muslims" from Indonesia to Thailand ..... from Sudan to Afganistan .... from Holland to New York. There have been very few recent conflicts caused by Christians against people in the name of religion anywhere in the last 100 years.

You might be considered orthodox and a PURE Muslim ....... but (the bastardization of) the Muslim religion that has propagated in many parts of the world has caused untold grief and misery to millions and millions of people, just like other religions have in the past.

Islam in it's purest form may be the perfection that you want ........ but unfortunately with human intervention, it has turned out to be as corrupt and as blood thirsty ... no even more blood thirsty, as early Christianity.

Peace be unto you, Paulzane.

Thank you for your kind words. Although I don't agree with everything you said in the post above, I do agree with the general sentiment. I also agree that there has been a surge in extremism amongst Muslims in recent times, and I do not deny that. I believe it is foolhardy to deny that, and counter-productive. We as Muslims must strive hard (i.e. Jihad) against terrorism and extremism.

But what I think both sides need to realize that it is not possible to allocate all the blame to the opposite side. Muslims cannot allocate all the blame to Western imperialism and Zionism. We need to realize that the Muslim world has serious problems with extremism that must be dealt with by our own selves, regardless of what the Westerners or Zionists do. But I do think that the Westerners need to realize their own faults and shortcomings as well, and I believe that many of them are completely oblivious to them.

I think the best thing to do is to have a nuanced and balanced worldview. Wallahu Aalim.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[juicejunkie2]

GREAT THREAD .. THANK YOU!

Because this seems to be more prevalent these days, what does the Quran say about a non-Muslim (Hindu/Buddhist) man marrying a Muslim woman in the 21st century?

[Bojangles69]

Voice of reason has prob made the best point I've seen this entire thread.
Sad we have to pretend to deal with things rather than voice the logic of it.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, JuiceJunkie.

GREAT THREAD .. THANK YOU!

Thank you for your kind words.

Because this seems to be more prevalent these days, what does the Quran say about a non-Muslim (Hindu/Buddhist) man marrying a Muslim woman in the 21st century?

The importance of marriage in Islam cannot be underestimated. Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

"When a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear God regarding the remaining half." (Sunan al-Bayhaqi)

This is an Arabic hyperbole which just shows how important marriage is in Islam. The reason it is so is because the woman you marry has a profound impact on your own spiritual/religious life, as well as that of your children.

Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

"A man marries a woman for four reasons: for her wealth, for her family status, for her beauty, and for her religion (and character). So marry the one who is best in the religion and character, and you will prosper." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

In other words, the paramount factor when deciding who to marry should not be looks, wealth, etc., but piety and good character. If you marry a pious wife, she will help you in religion, and if you marry an irreligious one, she will be a hindrance. (And of course the same goes for a religious and irreligious husband.) And of course the impact on the children is even more.

Based on this, the general rule is that Muslims should marry Muslims, so that they encourage each other in matters of religion. However, an exception is made, and Muslim men--under certain circumstances--are allowed to marry women from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). This is based on the special position that the People of the Book have in our religion, and that they worship the same God as us, believe in the importance of monotheism, and in general have a lot of the same values and beliefs as we do.

As for Muslim women, they are only allowed to marry Muslim men. (The exception is not made for them.) The reason is that men in Islam are considered the qawwamoon of women. Qawwamoon translates to "protectors and maintainers". God says in the Quran:

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given them more strength than the other, and because they support them from their means." (Quran, 4:34)

Although Muslims are encouraged--nay, commanded--to treat Non-Muslims with kindness, mercy, and respect, we are forbidden to be at the mercy of Non-Muslims. We are forbidden to be under their patronage or protection. This is because they may cause us to go against or oppose our religion. A Non-Muslim husband may forbid his wife from going to the mosque, or from doing her prayers, etc.

Hence, the exception--of Muslim men marrying People of the Book--is granted, but not the other way around.

However, it should be noted that Muslim men are forbidden from marrying unchaste women, be they Muslims or Non-Muslims. What commonly happens in the West is that a Muslim man will date a Non-Muslim Christian and eventually marrying her, thinking that he has done something within our religion. But the reality is that the Quran specifically says that the exception is only for marrying chaste Christian women, and excluded from this definition are those who take boyfriends.

To conclude--since I ramble so much--it is forbidden for a Muslim woman to marry a Non-Muslim man. I know that this may be hard for many Non-Muslims to understand, and may be considered intolerant by some. However, just to give some perspective, it should be noted that Christianity also forbids--or at least highly discourages--believers from marrying unbelievers:

Question: "Is it right for a Christian to date or marry a non-Christian?"

Answer: 2 Corinthians 6:14 declares, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” While this passage does not specifically mention marriage, it most definitely has implications for marriage. The passage goes on to say, “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:15-17).

The Bible goes on to say, “Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Having any kind of intimate relationship with an unbeliever can quickly and easily turn into something that is a hindrance to your walk with Christ. We are called to evangelize the lost, not be intimate with them. There is nothing wrong with building quality friendships with unbelievers – but that is as far as it should go. If you were dating an unbeliever, what would honestly be your priority, romancing them or winning their soul for Christ? If you were married to an unbeliever, how would the two of you cultivate a spiritual intimacy in your marriage? How could a quality marriage be built if you disagree on the most crucial issue in the universe - the Lord Jesus Christ?

http://www.gotquestions.org/date-marry-unbeliever.html

Other Christians disagree with this (and I want to make that clear since I don't want to further an intellectually dishonest argument), but the Old Testament does quite literally forbid the believers from marrying people from idolatrous nations:

"Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you."(Deuteronomy 7:3)

And this is similar to the reasons in Islam, namely that the children might get affected.

Hope this helps!

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Alright I just saw some of the members pictures and I feel like an ant now.

[dieselmack]

prolly the best thread ive every seen in any off topic section ,
i have learnt alot and its motivated me to learn more..
i was so misinformed ,not that i have any ill feelings to any culture
but my veiws couldnt have been more wrong..
now if we could just link the rest of the world to this thread
top work buffedGuy i will have some question soon just wanna do
some research myself first..
cheers mate

[dieselmack]

Back again i have a couple of silly questions to ask. Excuse my ignorance but
is it forbidden to mark the skin in the form of tattoo's ?
and are then any restrictions on what music one would be able to listen to ?
thank you
cheers mate

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, DieselMack.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

prolly the best thread ive every seen in any off topic section ,
i have learnt alot and its motivated me to learn more....cheers mate

Thank you so much for your kind words.

Back again i have a couple of silly questions to ask. Excuse my ignorance but
is it forbidden to mark the skin in the form of tattoo's ?

I'll answer this question first, and hold off on your second question until I answer PT's question (I've been working on a "summary of Islam" for a few days now and I want to complete it soon, God-Willing). If I forget addressing your second question in a day or two, please remind me.

As for tattoos, they are forbidden in Islam. However, the one who has a tattoo from pre-Islamic times is not considered sinful, since all sins are erased upon converting to Islam. If a Muslim got a tattoo whilst he was less practicing, then this is a sin from which he needs to repent from. He should also seek to get the tattoo removed if that is reasonably feasible, which it usually is with today's technology.

We Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad [s] came with God's Final Message, which is a culmination and pinnacle of the Abrahamic Faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Therefore, you will notice that Islam affirms many of the rules in the Old Testament. We read:

"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 19:28)

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Dieselmack, I'll answer your question shortly, God-Willing. (I realized that my summary will take forever, so might as well answer questions in the meantime.)

Anyways, I just wanted to post a quick note that some people might find interesting. I debate with Muslim extremists a lot (I eventually want to work in the de-brainwashing programs that have been opened up in some Muslim countries by the orthodox scholars). So anyways, what I wish Non-Muslims would know is that it is EXTREMELY important for the extremists that Obama be extremely pro-Israeli and anti-Muslim in his policies.

The media has it so wrong that it's not even funny. During the election, the extremists were hoping that McCain would win, whereas the moderate Muslims were hoping that Obama would win (although most of us still don't like his foreign policy, but he sounds less intimidating in his rhetoric as compared to McCain). Actually, most moderate Muslims would vote for Dr. Ron Paul in a heartbeat, if they knew his views on foreign affairs (and if he stood a chance).

Meanwhile, the Al-Qaeda types would suffer a huge blow if someone like Ron Paul were elected. Their recruitment would lag. There was NOTHING that recruited more extremists than Bush and company. They had field days emailing news items about his rhetoric and actions. The torture thing, Guantanamo and Abu Gharib really helped them recruit people. And of course the greatest thing was the Iraq war.

The moderate Muslims want someone conciliatory to be the leader of America, so we can work together with him for an era of peace. But this is anathema to the extremists, who are bent upon war. So to stay in business they need extremist neo-conservatives in power.

Right now, the extremists are circulating a letter of Obama in which he sided with Israel over the people of Gaza. And they are saying sarcastically "good job you 'moderate' Muslims for voting for this guy, see now how he will kill Muslims." So now it is like a betting match between the extremists and moderates to see how Obama will deal with the Muslim world when he comes to office. It will be a HUGE blow to moderate Muslims if Obama continues a reckless path of aggression and neo-imperialism. The extremists will say "see, we told you so."

McCain's claim that Al-Qaeda wanted Obama to win was horribly off. (It was totally the other way around). NOW, Al-Qaeda is now desperately trying to turn the Muslims against Obama by making inflammatory videos calling Obama an "Uncle Tom" and other such things. They desperately need a villain in the White House.

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, Dieselmack.

and are then any restrictions on what music one would be able to listen to ?
thank you
cheers mate

Music is a controversial issue amongst various Islamic Ulema (clergy). I have not studied the issue indepth myself so I do not want to speak on this issue too much. What I will say is this: without a doubt, lyrics about sex, dating, fornication, adultery, lyrics that involve cursing and vulgar language, lyrics that promote arrogance, self-aggrandizement, etc., all of these things are forbidden for sure. As for the rest, that is an issue of great controversy nowadays. I'll be able to speak more on it when I study it for myself, since I dislike speaking from third-hand knowledge.

Generally speaking, Muslims go through stages of religious development and improvement. For example, a recent convert to Islam I know was kicking the bad habit of cocaine. That was his Jihad. Cocaine was the priority for him, and he might be lax in some other things which would take a backseat to this. Meanwhile, a very practicing Muslim who is a student of religious knowledge for many years would probably not be listening to music at all, since it is said that music distances a person from worship of God, from reciting the Quran, and has a detrimental effect on one's soul, etc.

One more note: music in worship is strictly forbidden, not just as a sin of lenience but of blasphemous "innovation" (i.e. adding to the pure religion what was not in it from the beginning, thereby corrupting it). We believe that music in worship is pagan. For the first few hundred years, the Christian Church strictly forbade music in the churches, condemning it as paganism. This is similar to our Muslim belief.

Hope this helps.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[gst528i]

islam and koran view towards homosexuals? Can muslims homosexuals go to heaven.
Is it sin to be one and should they still be practicing islam.
can homosexual convert to muslim?

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, GST528i.

islam and koran view towards homosexuals?

It is pretty much the same as that of the Bible and Christianity. Prophet Lot [as] is mentioned, and so are his people (of Sodom) who engaged in what is termed the "abomination".

However, Islamic Law forbids homosexuality on Muslims. Under an Islamic state ruling by Islamic Law, Non-Muslims are allowed to have their own courts, their own judges, their own laws, etc. Historically, this system is called the millet system, whereby each confessional group rules by its own laws. So alcohol would be forbidden to Muslims, but permissible to Non-Muslims (if they wish that upon themselves).

According to this principle, Islamic jurists would even allow Zoroastrians to marry their sisters or mothers, an act which is considered an abomination in Islam but which was allowed by a particular Zoroastrian denomination. (Zoroastrianism is another religion, by the way--nothing to do with Islam.) Islamic jurists ruled that they (the Zoroastrians) were allowed to rule by whatever laws they wished upon themselves, even if we (the Muslims) feel it (marrying in that way) is considered deplorable. What this means is that Muslims would limit their opposition to such marriages to a verbal opposition (i.e. we think that such marriages are not proper), but without imposing our belief upon them.

Therefore, Muslims forbid homosexuality upon themselves, but allow others to follow their own ways. This is based on the Quranic principle: "For you is your deen (religion, belief system, way, etc.), and for me is my deen." (Quran, 109:6)

Can muslims homosexuals go to heaven.

Yes. God is Most Merciful. If a person struggles with homosexuality--slips into sin now and then but repents sincerely--then we have no reason at all to think that God will not forgive such a person.

Is it sin to be one and should they still be practicing islam.

We believe it is a sin to commit homosexual acts. Being a homosexual (i.e. having homosexual thoughts) is not in itself a sin. Rather, acting upon it is. If a person has recurrent homosexual thoughts but fights them and does not act upon them, then we do believe he will actually be rewarded for that.

A man who has homosexual desires can dedicate his life to God, just as some heterosexual Buddhists become monks, or Christian women become nuns, etc. This will then be his Jihad (holy struggle) and his path to Paradise. He can convert something (his homosexual desires) that could have earned him a lot of sin (if he acted upon it) into something that earned him a lot of good deeds (by abstaining from desire).

can homosexual convert to muslim?

Yes, so long as he acknowledges that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam. He is still considered a Muslim if he commits homosexual acts (even if he continues to do them without repenting), but he is *not* considered a Muslim if he thinks homosexuality is permissible in Islam (even if he doesn't engage in homosexual acts himself). Committing a sin only makes one a sinner; changing the religion is a greater sin and makes one a disbeliever.

Hope that helps. I understand that this post might be offensive to many, but I did say in the first post that I would not mince words.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[gst528i]

not harsh words. Well chosen ...

[BuffedGuy]

Islam on Foreign Policy:

"If the enemy inclines towards peace, then you also incline towards peace! And trust in God." (Quran, 8:61)

[BgMc31]

This may be contraversial question, but here it goes. How does Islam view racism. By that I mean, the Arabs of Darfur have justified the genocide of some Sudanese tribes by attempting to differentiating themselves as Arabs v. Africans. It's plain that they are all sub-saharan Black Africans but they refuse to acknowledge such. Also before his conversion to true Islam (after his pilgrammage to Mecca), Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam believed that Islam was 'the' religion of the Black man, even though, it was proven that the prophet Muhammed was of Persian descent (therefore Aryan in race). I have seen Muslims of all colors (white, Asian, black, and latino). So how do you all see the 'Nation of Islam' and how does Islam view race?

Thanks!

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, BgMc31.

This may be contraversial question, but here it goes. How does Islam view racism.

Islam is extremely opposed to racism. It is considered akin to barbarism (jahiliyyah). Racism was very prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia, and Islam came to wipe it away, uniting people of all races under the banner of monotheism.

Prophet Muhammad [s] clearly said:

"An Arab has no superiority over a Non-Arab, nor has a Non-Arab any superiority over an Arab, nor has a black man any superiority over a white man or a white man over a black man. People do not differ except by the criterion of righteous conduct. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust." (Sunan al-Bayhaqi)

This is echoed in the Quran:

"O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female [Adam and Eve], and made you into various peoples and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the Sight of God is the one who is most righteous of you." (Quran, 49:13)

Prophet Muhammad [s] said further:

"God does not look at your shapes or your colors, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds. Creatures are the dependants of God and the closest among them to God are indeed the most useful to His dependants (i.e. other human beings)." (Sahih al-Muslim)

"He is not one of us (i.e. the Muslims) who calls for asabiyyah (tribalism, nationalism, racism, etc.)" (Abu Dawood)

When Prophet Muhammad [s] was asked about racism, he said:

"Leave it. It is rotten!" (Sahih al-Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad [s] declared that racism was a thing of barbarism:

"Undoubtedly, God has removed from you the pride of arrogance of the Age of Ignorant Barbarism, and the glorification of ancestors. Now people are (only) of two kinds: either believers who are aware, or transgressors who do wrong. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was made of clay. People should give up their pride in nations, because that is a coal from the coals of Hell-Fire. If they do not give this (racism) up, God will consider them lower than the lowly worm which pushes itself through dung." (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)

"There are indeed people who boast of their dead ancestors; but in the sight of God, they are more contemptible than the black beetle that rolls a piece of dung with its nose. Behold! God has removed from you the arrogance of the Age of Ignorant Barbarism, with its boast of ancestral glories. Man is but a God-fearing believer or an unfortunate sinner. All people are the children of Adam, and Adam was created out of dust." (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)

By that I mean, the Arabs of Darfur have justified the genocide of some Sudanese tribes by attempting to differentiating themselves as Arabs v. Africans.

Prophet Muhammad [s] in his Last Sermon said:

"O people, remember that your Lord is One. An Arab has no superiority over a Non-Arab, nor does a Non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also, a black man has no superiority over white, nor white have any superiority over black; People are equal except by piety and good action. Indeed, the best of you is the one with the best character. Listen to me! Did I convey this to you properly? …Each one of you who is here must convey this to everyone not present." (Sunan al-Bayhaqi)

In one instance, the enemies of Islam tried to instigate tribal and ethnic rivalries, to the point that Muslims were about to fight amongst themselves. Prophet Muhammad rebuked them by warning them that such tribalism is a part of paganism:

"O Muslims, remember God; remember God! Will you act as pagans while I am present with you after God has guided you to Islam, and honored you thereby and made a clean break with paganism, delivered you thereby from disbelief, and made you friends thereby?" (Seerah of Rasool-Allah)

On another occasion, when some hypocrites were stirring up tribal and ethnic rivalries, Prophet Muhammad exclaimed:

"Why are you stirring up something which belongs to (the Age of) Ignorant Barbarism?" (Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari)

Once, Abu Dhar tried to insult Bilal, the first muezzin of Islam, by saying: “You son of a black woman!” To which Prophet Muhammad said:

"That is too much, Abu Dhar! He who has a white mother has no advantage which makes him better than the son of a black woman." (Ibn al-Mubarrak in al-Birr and as-Salah)

Keep in mind that Prophet Muhammad [s] was a white man himself. Descriptions of him say that he was extremely light-skinned.

On another occasion, the Prophet’s disciples chose Ubada bin as-Samit, to lead a delegation to Muqawqis, the Non-Muslim patriarch of Alexandria. Ubada was a black man, so Muqawqis exclaimed:

"Get this black man away from me and bring in his stead another to talk to me! …How can you be content that a black man should be the foremost among you? Is it not more fitting that he be below you?"

The Prophet’s disciples, who were white men themselves, said:

"Indeed, no! …Though he is black as you see, he is still the foremost among us in position, intelligence, and wisdom; for black skin is not despised among us!"

Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

"Now people are (only) of two kinds: either believers who are aware, or transgressors who do wrong." [1]

"Man is but a God-fearing believer or an unfortunate sinner." [2]

"Indeed, my friends and allies are not the tribe of so and so. Rather, my friends and allies are the pious, wherever they may be." [3]

"Indeed God does not look at your noble origin, or your genealogy, or your bodies, or your wealth; rather, He looks into your hearts, and whoever has a pious heart, God will be kind to him. Indeed, you are the children of Adam, and the most beloved among you to God is the most pious." [4]

[1] Sunan al-Bayhaqi
[2] Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi
[3] Sahih al-Muslim, Bukhari
[4] Tafseer al-Qurtubi

It was proven that the prophet Muhammed was of Persian descent (therefore Aryan in race).

Prophet Muhammad [s] was not of Persian descent. Rather, he was an Arab. However, you are correct in saying that he [s] was a white-skinned man.

So how do you all see the 'Nation of Islam'

We consider them to be heretics and disbelievers who have nothing to do with Islam. Not only do we consider them to be disbelievers, but we consider anyone who doubts that they are disbelievers to be disbelievers themselves. Jews and Christians are closer to Islam than them. Other than using Islamic terminology, there is nothing conceptually Islamic about the so-called "Nation of Islam". Not only is their racist doctrine completely opposed to the the Word of God in the Quran and the words of Prophet Muhammad [s], but even more worrisome is their belief in multiple gods, which makes them polytheists according to us. Islam is very strict about monotheism, and there is no room at all to believe in multiple black gods as the NOI does. Here is a summary of the differences between the NOI beliefs and the Quranic/Islamic beliefs:

On the Concept of God

NOI’s belief: Elijah believed in polytheism; he preached that there are multiple black gods. These gods are not eternal but rather perish and die every so often, after which a new god replaces the older one. Elijah said that multiple gods can exist at the same time. Elijah claimed that God could be seen by human eyes and that it is offensive to claim that God is beyond human comprehension. Elijah believed that God lived on this earth, in the likeness and shape of a man, namely W.D. Fard. Elijah claimed that not only was Fard a god, but in fact all blacks are gods themselves.

Quranic belief: The most important belief of the Quran is that of absolute monotheism. There is absolutely no god besides the one and only god, Allah. He is All Powerful, Ever-Living and Eternal. He has no beginning and no end, nor can He ever perish. God cannot be seen by human eyes in this worldly life, and He is beyond human comprehension. God is transcendent above the heavens, and He is distinct from His creation. No human being shares any similarity with God, because there is nothing in likeness unto Him. God has no skin color, because skin color is a quality of human beings. It does not befit His Majesty to come in the shape of a human being. No human being can claim to be God, because human beings are only slaves of God.

On the Finality of Prophethood

NOI’s belief: The Nation of Islam holds that Elijah Poole (who was renamed Elijah Muhammad) was sent by God after Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah. According to them, Elijah was the last and final messenger of God. Sometimes, NOI members claim that Elijah was a prophet in addition to being a messenger. To justify this belief, Elijah claimed that Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah had been sent only to the Arabs, and therefore it was necessary that the “so-called Negroes” have their own messenger.

Quranic belief: The Quran says that Muhammad ibn Abdullah—an Arab who lived and died over 1,400 years ago—was the Last and Final Seal of the Prophets and Messengers. He was not sent to the Arab nation only, but rather he was sent to all of humanity. Therefore, there is no need for any further prophet or messenger after him. The consequence of this is that any man who claims to be a prophet or messenger after Muhammad ibn Abdullah is an imposter and fraud.

On the Virgin Mary

NOI’s belief: Fard, Elijah, and Farrakhan accused the Virgin Mary of fornication. They denied that Mary was a virgin and claimed that Mary had sexual relations outside of wedlock. According to them, Jesus was an illegitimate child. They claim that it is impossible for a virgin to give birth.

Quranic belief: The Virgin Mary was chaste, pure, and the best of women. She was a virgin and no man ever touched her. The Quran affirms the belief in the virgin birth. The birth of Prophet Jesus was a divine miracle: he was not created out of sperm but out of nothingness, just as Prophet Adam was created out of nothing. God has the Power to create anything out of nothing, and God is Capable of all things and He is All Powerful. Whoever denies the virgin birth and who accuses Mary of fornication will find himself in the company of the evil Israelites who accused her of this heinous crime.

On Jesus

NOI’s belief: Elijah claimed that Prophet Jesus was killed 2,000 years ago, and that he will never return to this earth.

Quranic belief: Prophet Jesus was not killed or crucified, but rather God caused Jesus to ascend up to the heavens in safety. Jesus will return near the End of Times to lead humanity.

On Racism

NOI’s belief: The Nation of Islam believes that blacks are superior to whites. Blacks are gods, and whites are devils. Blacks were created by the god of righteousness, whereas whites were created by the wicked god Yacub. Whites will eventually be punished by God, whereas blacks will inherit the earth.

Quranic belief: The Quran rejects racism, and rejoices in our different skin colors. Humans do not differ at all based on their outward appearance, but rather they differ based on their righteousness. Blacks are not gods, and whites are not devils; rather, they are both human beings. God (Allah) and God alone—without any partner—created both blacks and whites. Yacub was not a god, nor was he evil; rather, he was a righteous servant and Prophet of God. The righteous will thrive in the Hereafter, regardless of their skin color.

On the Hereafter

NOI’s belief: The Nation of Islam believes that when a human being physically dies, then his bones go to dust and he is no more. There is no life after death, and nothing beyond the grave. Paradise and Hell-Fire are only metaphorical in nature.

Quranic belief: The Quran explicitly states that there is life after death, and life beyond the grave. God will resuscitate our corpses and reassemble our bones, giving us life again. Life after death, Paradise, and Hell-fire are real and literal. Whoever denies this is an infidel.

On Superstitious Beliefs

NOI’s beliefs: Elijah and Farrakhan claimed that there is a UFO in space, known as “The Mother Ship”. Steering this UFO is none other than W.D. Fard along with Elijah Poole. Farrakhan himself claimed to have been beamed up to this UFO. This UFO is an integral part of NOI theology, because it is this UFO that will unleash its “bomber planes” to destroy America and the “white devils”.

Quranic beliefs: There are no such science fiction beliefs in the Quran. Rather, the Islamic orthodoxy rejects such nonsense and foolishness.

They are a cult, nothing else. However, we try to be nice to the NOI members, because thousands upon thousands of them have converted to orthodox Islam, just like Malcolm X. So our Ulema (clergy) recommend us to be kind to them, so as to soften their hearts towards Islam.

Hope this helps.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BgMc31]

Very, very enlightening BuffedGuy!!! I appreciate the info!!!!

[BuffedGuy]

Very, very enlightening BuffedGuy!!! I appreciate the info!!!!

Thank you for your kind words.

To add another point to the above post: Prophet Muhammad [s] was white. His adopted son was black. His foster mother was black. His grandson was black. The first King of Islam was black, and the first Caliph of Islam was white. The first Caller to the Prayer (muezzin) was black, and the first person who led the prayer (imam) was white. The Prophet's white disciple freed a black slave who became a leader of the early Muslims. One of the first Commander of the Armed Forces was black, and the one who replaced him after he died was a white man. And Prophet Muhammad [s] arranged many inter-racial marriages between blacks and whites.

[juicejunkie2]

Again, thank you for your time.

What are the 12 pillars and what is their significance?

[BuffedGuy]

Peace be unto you, JuiceJunkie2.

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

Again, thank you for your time.

What are the 12 pillars and what is their significance?

There are five pillars of Islam, and they refer to the five main religious rites of the Muslim:

(1) Testification of Faith.
(2) Prayer
(3) Charity
(4) Fasting
(5) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)

Of these, Testification of Faith is the most important. The Testification of Faith can be likened to baptism (although different in some respects). It is an initiation into the faith. Once a person recites it, he becomes a Muslim. The Testification of Faith reads:

There is no deity worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is his messenger.

So it has two parts: the first affirming the Oneness of God (i.e. absolute monotheism), and the second is to affirm that Prophet Muhammad [s] is his messenger. We Muslims believe that the first part of the Testimony of Faith has been the same since the time of Prophet Adam, and all of the prophets recited it, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc. As for the second part of the Testimony of Faith, this would change depending on who the prophet or messenger was at the time.

The Testification of Faith is a summary of the Islamic beliefs: absolute monotheism, and belief in the messengers who preached that. It is not merely to utter these words, but rather the person must say it with knowledge (of what he is uttering and its ramifications), certainty (without doubt), sincerity, truthfulness, love, submission, acceptance, affirmation (of God's Oneness and all that it entails), and negation (of polytheism and all that contradicts affirmation of God's Oneness).

As for the second pillar of Islam, i.e. the prayer, it is what differentiates the believer from the disbeliever. Prayer was enjoined on the Muslim nation when Prophet Muhammad [s] ascended to the heavens to meet his Lord. Initially God enjoined fifty daily prayers, but Prophet Moses [as] convinced Prophet Muhammad [s] to "bargain down" with God, because he (Moses) knew what a very difficult Law could do to the people's morale, as was done with the Tribe of Israel. And so God agreed to Prophet Muhammad's request and reduced the prayer to five, so each prayer is actually credited as 10 prayers. So Muslims are enjoined to pray at least five times a day (credited as 50 total), from dawn to dusk to the night--and they are encouraged to pray more than this.

Prayer is a part of worship, and there was no other reason for our creation other than to worship God.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

Sahih Bukhari

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 176:
Allah's Apostle said, "You (i.e. Muslims) will fight with the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, 'O 'Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.'

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 177:
Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."

The above was posted in the Israel-Palestine thread, but since it has nothing to do with Israel-Palestine, I'll just reply to it here, God-Willing.

The Jews refer to themselves as People of the Book. The Quran affirms this title for them. In Islam and in the Quran, the Jews (People of the Book) are divided into two groups. Some of them are bad, and some of them are good. (Just like any other group, including the Muslims, as mentioned by the Quran itself.) God says in the Quran:

"Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand for the right: They rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten in good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knows well those that do right." (Quran, 3:113-115)

Keep in mind that Prophet Muhammad [s] himself was allied with Jews during his lifetime. The Muslims and Jews founded Madeenah, the first holy city of Islam. They signed a pact together, to defend it together. So this idea that Muslims are against all Jews is just patently false. Yes, there were *some* Jews that the Muslims were against, but not all. So what the critics of Islam do is just highlight the verses talking about the "bad Jews" without mentioning that the Quran also talks about the "good Jews" as I showed above.

To drive home this point, the Quran even says of the "good Jews":

"Lo! Those who believe (in Islam), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabeans--whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do right--surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve." (Quran, 2:62)

Therefore, to claim that Islam is anti-Semitic is just patently false.

The Quran says:

"And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God: They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord." (Quran 3:199)

The Quran again refutes the idea that all Jews are evil:

"Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth." (Quran, 7:159)

So there are two groups of Jews. Actually, there are three: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just kidding. The three groups are the good, the neutral, and those who transgress/oppose Islam.

These same two groups (or three if you include the neutrals) have existed throughout time, including in the time of Prophet Moses [as] as well as Prophet Jesus [as]. We *do* affirm that *some* Jews killed Prophet Jesus [as], but we say *some*. And *some* believed in Jesus [as], and Jesus [as] himself was of the tribe of Israel. We even believe that at that time, God chose the nation of Israel over and above all other tribes, by sending them some of the greatest prophets, truly a blessing.

So we believe that until the End of Time will exist these two groups: the good Jews and the bad Jews. Today, we believe the good Jews are those orthodox Jews who oppose the State of Israel, and they have risked their lives to do that. Here are their websites:

http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/

http://www.nkusa.org/

http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/

As for the bad Jews, those are the Zionists, who fight the Muslims and drive them out of their homes, and so a Jihad is ordained against them.

And even the bad Jews, we are not permitted to fight them unless they first fight us. Then we are allowed to defend ourselves. This is Jihad. I have posted verses from the Quran that explain when Jihad is permitted:

"You may fight in the cause of GOD against those who attack you, but do not aggress. GOD does not love the aggressors. You may kill those who wage war against you, and you may evict them whence they evicted you. Oppression is worse than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Masjid, unless they attack you therein. If they attack you, you may kill them. This is the just retribution for those disbelievers. If they refrain, then GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. You may also fight them to eliminate oppression, and to worship GOD freely. If they refrain, you shall not aggress; aggression is permitted only against the aggressors." (Quran, 2:190-193)

"But if the enemy incline towards peace, (then) you incline towards peace! And trust in God, for He is One that hears and knows (all things)." (Quran, 8:61)

"God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers. (The Noble Quran, 60:8)"

"And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for God. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against transgressors." (Quran 2:193)

Now coming finally to the narrations you quoted:

The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. "O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him."

Muslims believe that the Israel-Palestine conflict is a portent of the End of Times. We believe that Jesus [as] is the Messiah. Jews rejected Jesus [as] as the Messiah and use their strongest argument the fact that the Messiah was supposed to usher in an age of peace, which Jesus [as] did not. However, we refute this by saying that Jesus [as] will return at the End of Times to do that.

At that point in time, we believe that a portion of the Jews (the good ones) will follow Jesus [as], whereas a portion of the Jews (the bad ones) will follow the Anti-Christ. (For that matter, we believe the same thing for the Muslims, i.e. that some will follow Jesus whereas others will follow the Anti-Christ).

The narration above is about this End of Times prophecy, and those Jews (who follow the false Messiah) will be fought. And the last battle will be in present day Israel, and the false state of Israel will be overthrown, ushering in a new world order and peace.

The *point* is that the critics of Islam bring up that narration as a proof that Muslims are ordered to kill Jews. That is false. Rather, it is *not* a command at all, and none of the Islamic jurists thought so. It is a *prophecy*, i.e. that the bad Jews would transgress us and we would defend ourselves in a Jihad, which is *exactly* what is happening today.

In regards to the links, you posted:

Dr. Ahmad Bahar Speaker, Palestinian Legislative Council,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKwBg565Pdw

The initial part only says that America and Israel will be defeated, and I don't see anything wrong with that. To them, America and Israel are aggressors who have invaded Muslim lands, so why shouldn't they pray for their defeat? As for the ending where he prays that not one of them are left, the clip has been gerrymandered (you'll notice it cuts repeatedly). So I don't know if he clarified that it was only with regards to those Jews who transgress, not all Jews.

As for this clip here:

Palestainien Sermon, Islam will rule America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDiC6...eature=related

The guy says "We [Muslims] ruled the world before, and we will rule it again." Obviously the Muslims never literally ruled the entire world, so by this is it clear that he means the Muslims dominated, i.e. were a superpower just like America is today. In other words, the Muslims were a world power, and nobody could transgress against it. So he is simply saying that a time like that will come again, and I also hope for that. Again, it's clear that he doesn't mean conquer the whole world, but rather merely have great hegemony, i.e. "nobody can mess with us". Yes, we wish to dominate in the world, but only so that we can deal in justice with all humanity and remove oppression.

Sure, both of these videos are very strong and aggressive in their wording. But these are people who have been oppressed severely by Israel and see atrocities committed against them day in and day out for many long years. If America was occupied by Muslims, I am telling you right now that the priests on the pulpits in the churches would be going "fire-and-brimstone" against the Muslims.

As for the last clip:

Dr. Ahmad Abu Halabiya, Rector of Advanced Studies at the Islamic University of Gaza, (note how this guy says to butcher ALL jews innocent or not)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmnpM...3D553E&index=3

I completely disagree with him. He says in the very beginning that there are no two different groups of Jews; rather, all Jews are alike. And that is obviously 100% opposed to the Quran as I said earlier.

Furthermore, it is forbidden in Islam to pray against all Non-Muslims. The current Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia (who is considered extremely conservative) said:

The guidance of the Prophet [Muhammad] and his companions regarding their supplications against nonbelievers is that they would only pray specifically against the transgressors and unjust among them, the oppressors, or those who openly wage war against Islam and its people. This is also illustrated in the supplication of [Caliph] ‘Umar [the Prophet's disciple] when he was in prayer:

“Oh God, deal with those disbelievers from the People of the Book that hinder others from Your religion and that fight Your righteous servants.”

As for praying against all Jews and Christians for their overall extermination, this is not permissible in Islam. It is a form of going to extremes in supplication. This is because God has already informed us that the Jews and Christians will remain until the appearance of the Anti-Christ towards the end of time. So, if someone prays to God for Him to remove all of them now before the Anti-Christ appears, then this is a contradiction and a form of objection to what God has already decreed...

We're not even allowed to hurt the People of the Book with our words, let alone with our fists or firepower. The Quran says:

"Do not argue with the People of the Book, except in the kindest manner--aside from those of them who inflict injury upon you--and say: 'We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is One; and it is to Him we submit." (Quran, 29:46)

If Prophet Muhammad [s] had really called on Muslims to fight all the Jews (instead of just those who first attack us), then why would he [s] have mourned the death of a Jew? The Prophet's disciple said:

“We were sitting with the Prophet when a funeral procession passed by. Prophet Muhammad stood and we went to help carry (the coffin) and we found that it was a funeral of a Jew. We told the Prophet ‘it is a funeral of a Jew’. He replied : ‘Death has the same awe. Whenever you see a funeral you stand up.'" (Sunan Abu Dawood)

And more specifically, when he was informed that it was the funeral of a Jewish person, Prophet Muhammad [s] said:

“Is not it a human soul?” (An-Nasai)

And there are many more proofs and evidences--such as the fact that the Prophet's disciples married Jewish women, etc.--but due to time I must stop here.

Hope that clarifies the matter.

In the Care of the Lord,
-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

OK time to cool my fingers....!!!!! That took forever!