The Unofficial "Ask a Muslim" Thread.

[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]

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.

[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

[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]

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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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]

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]

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

[BuffedGuy]

Prophet Muhammad and His Rejection of Extravagance

It is not possible that a messenger of God is one whose goal is to enrich himself with worldly goods. We can look at the life of Prophet Muhammad as proof of this; he lived in abject poverty throughout his life. Even when Prophet Muhammad became the leader of the entire Arabia, he chose to live an ascetic life. At that time, the monarchs of Persia and Byzantium lived with great pomp and extravagance, but Prophet Muhammad despised all of that.

It is recorded that if some money came into his possession in the morning, by sunset he would have distributed it amongst the poor. He did not live in a palace like the monarchs of that time. Rather, Prophet Muhammad lived in a small cramped house made of mud walls and thatched with date-palm leaves. Even though he was the supreme leader of Arabia, his house would some days remain dark due to his not being able to afford oil for the lamp.

At times, he did not even have the flour with which to prepare bread.
Prophet Muhammad was humble and simple. Although he was God’s Messenger and the leader of Arabia, he worked alongside the ordinary laborers, he mended his own shoes, milked cows, swept the house, and fed the camels. He never wore extravagant clothes or expensive jewelry. Instead, he wore old, simple, and rough clothes. He did not ride around in expensive horses. He would eat very simple meals, and he would oftentimes go to sleep without food, tying rocks to his stomach in order to ward off pangs of hunger.

Prophet Muhammad slept on such a hard surface that it left welts on his body. One of the Prophet’s disicples said to him:

“O Prophet of God! If you command us, we could get you a soft mattress to sleep on.”

The Prophet refused and said:

“What connection have I got with this world? My connection with this world is similar to that of a traveler who takes shade for a short while under a tree, then leaves it and continues his journey (i.e. towards the Hereafter).”

What wealth he had, Prophet Muhammad would give it as charity to the poor. He forbade people from standing up when he entered into a room (as was common at the time for monarchs, judges, etc), he shunned excessive praise, and he used to serve food to his guests, something unheard of amongst leaders of great nations.

On journeys, he would go to collect wood just as everyone else would; when his followers would ask to do it for him, the Prophet would reply:

“I know you could do it for me, but I hate to have any privilege over you.”

Non-Muslim ambassadors would have a hard time telling who the leader of the nation was, because he used to dress and carry himself so simply. Prophet Muhammad refused to declare himself King of men, but instead chose to be Slave of God. Prophet Muhammad used to pray to God:

"O God, grant me life as a poor person, cause me to die as a poor person and resurrect me in the company of the poor." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)

Due to his excessive charity, on his deathbed the Prophet of Islam had only seven dinars (coins) in his pockets, which he hurriedly distributed amongst the poor so that he could die literally penniless; this was born out of his fear of being held accountable in the Court of God for abusing wealth. In the end, the greatest leader of history died without having enough money to pay for his own funeral, and his family had to pawn his shield to cover of the cost a proper burial.

The Quran says:

"Do not be extravagant, for certainly He (God) likes not the extravagant." (Quran, 7:31)

[BuffedGuy]

More on the Prohibition of Killing Children

It is narrated that during one very pitched battle with the enemy:

The people had killed so fiercely that day that they even killed some children...So this news reached the Messenger of God and he said: "What is wrong with some people that the killing today had caused them to go so far as to kill children?!"

So a man said, "O Messenger of God, they are just children of the polytheists!"

So he (Prophet Muhammad) said:

"Nay, verily the best of you are the children of polytheists [who converted to monotheism in adulthood]!" Then he said: "Nay, do not kill children!"

(Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, #402)

[BuffedGuy]

Do you want to hear what the Quran sounds like in Arabic?

Click here to listen to the Quran in its original Arabic.

Throughout history, people have converted to Islam simply by hearing this. And to God is all Praise.

[gst528i]

Do you want to hear what the Quran sounds like in Arabic?

Click here to listen to the Quran in its original Arabic.

Throughout history, people have converted to Islam simply by hearing this. And to God is all Praise.

Hmm not sure why but that tone of sound scares me.....

I liked the english translations though.

[Narkissos]

Do you want to hear what the Quran sounds like in Arabic?

Click here to listen to the Quran in its original Arabic.

Throughout history, people have converted to Islam simply by hearing this. And to God is all Praise.

Soothing..

[BuffedGuy]

Alright cool.

I keep delaying writing a summary of Islam, but I found this clip from my own shaykh (Islamic teacher/preacher):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRmrl9fet5E

His name is Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, and I'm like a clone of him, haha. Well obviously I'm nothing compared to him. He studied for ten years at the top Islamic university in Madeenah (one of the three holy cities of Islam), and now he's doing a masters at Yale.

The first seven minutes are just introducing him so you can skip all the way to 7:20 if you don't want to listen to that. The rest is a summary of Islam.

-Saladin.

[BuffedGuy]

I was refuting an extremist, so I just wanted to post what I said to him here so you can see the kind of dialogue we have.

I agree with the truth that we do not fight against civilains - the case in Israel they are ALL reservists and ALL take part in National Service and are required to fight if called up

There is a myth amongst some misguided Muslims that *all* Israeli citizens serve in the military. I know it’s a very commonly used argument by extremists and people fooled by the extremists (who may not be extremists themselves but who have fallen into some wrong opinions). I’ll cite an article from a newspaper which says:

“More and more Israelis are avoiding mandatory military service…In 1997, according to army statistics, fewer than one in 10 Israeli men avoided mandatory three-year military service. It’s closer to three in 10 today. Women, too, are opting out at a faster pace: Over the last decade, the number of women avoiding military duty rose from 37 percent to 44 percent.” ( http://www.azstarnet.com/news/228782 )

So at least 30% of Israeli men do not serve in the military at all, and almost HALF of the women don’t. So based on what heretical theology have the extremists justified the idea that Muslims can target anyone in Israel, since they are “all fair game”?

Furthermore, 10% of the Israelis are elderly (>65 years old) who do not serve in the military at all. The mandatory military age for Israeli conscription is 18 years old to 45 years old. So everyone older than 45 years old is not “fair game”. I can't find a statistic for how many Israelis are above 45 years old (I only found for 65 years old), but let's assume that 30% are above 45 years old. So a good 30% of Israelis are too old to serve. Combine that with the 30% who don't ever serve amongst the men and 44% amongst the women--if we include the cripples, the mentally insane, the sick, the handicapped, etc.--and we see that a majority of Israelis are not "fair game" as you dare to say.

To this, perhaps you might say that many of the elderly served in the Israeli army in the past. What deviant and heretical ideology do you follow that people who are CURRENTLY non-combatants (and who will never become combatants) are “fair game” simply because they once were combatants in their youth? Prophet Muhammad [s] forbade killing the elderly; did he make an exception for the ones who had fought the Muslims in their youths?

For that matter, the idea that one can target a child since he might one day serve in the Israeli military is heretical in itself. Since when did you get the ability to see the future like God? Who says that the child won’t be of the 30% of men who don’t serve at all, or the 44% of women who don’t serve at all? What happens if the child would have become Muslim later on in life, or a ******* defender of Palestinian rights? But according to this deviant modernist extremist ideology (yes, it is modernist!), they are all fair game somehow!

Furthermore, the fact that a person is a reservist does NOT make him a combatant ANYWAYS. The Islamic legal terminology does not use the term "civilian"; rather, it uses the more all-encompassing term of "non-combatant", which includes the civilians but also others in addition to them! At the time of Prophet Muhammad [s], a group of the men would fight on the battlefield and a part of the men would stay behind in the city to take care of the affairs. We know this because it was the case with the Muslims themselves, and mentioned in the Quran itself that a group would stay behind. So those who stay behind are "reservists". Where did Prophet Muhammad [s] allow us to kill the men who stayed behind, i.e. the modern day equivalent of "reservists"? A person does not become a combatant because he COULD one day BECOME a combatant; he only becomes a combatant when he picks up the arms and is on the battlefield fighting against us. What you are saying is like executing a murderer because one day he MIGHT commit murder. No! We only execute him AFTER he commits murder, and not until then. When a man is unarmed, he is NOT a combatant. But again, your deviant ideology tries to gloss over Islamic jurisprudence. Anything to justify your lust for blood.

Look, we don’t have to condemn Hamas unconditionally or categorically (i.e. that they have NO good in them WHATSOEVER). Yes, we know that they have done a lot of humanitarian civil work for the Palestinians, such as building schools and the like. But we *must* condemn these extremist actions they take, and we must advise them to abandon targeting women and children. And we must clarify the matter to those who think that such things are OK. This is a part of our religion, to enjoin the good and forbid the evil.

Also, just one more thing: condemning Hamas’s actions is actually helping Hamas. Remember: the Prophet [s] advised us to help the Muslim who is oppressed or who is an oppressor himself. The Prophet's disciples were astonished and asked him: how do we help the oppressor!? And Prophet Muhammad [s] replied by saying that we advise the oppressor to stop the oppression, and this is helping him...because he (the oppressor) is only hurting his own soul (and throwing away his afterlife) based on his wrong actions...

Killing women and children is oppression against these non-combatants, and so we must advise our brothers to stop this, and this is better for them. Those who say nothing against them–-or who justify their acts–-are the ones who are bringing great harm to Hamas. If you love Hamas because you consider them freedom fighters or for whatever reason, then the best thing you can do is condemn their actions, as condemnation is a form of helping someone come back to the path of righteousness.

Please do not make a joke of Islamic Law, and create loopholes to justify your deviant ways. You said: "I agree with the truth that we do not fight against civilians". You should have just stopped there, but you will always see the deviants saying "but" right after they say that.

May Allah [swt] save us from deviance and this modernist heretical blasphemy of extremism.

Fi Aman Allah