| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mefa |
Posted - 12/06/2004 : 00:42:49
VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU :
You will read briefly about :
1- Islam and Muslims
2- Allah ( God )
3-Jesus
4- Muhammad
5-Continuity of the Message
6- The Qur'an
7- Peace
1- Islam and Muslims
The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of God". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
2- Allah (God)
Islam is the complete submission and obedience to Allah (God). The name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to Muhammad, as many Christians may think; Allah is the personal name of God. What do Muslims believe about Allah?
1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. Allah sent down four heavenly books. They are the Tawraat (Torah), Injeel (Gospel), Zaboor (Psalms) and the Qur’an.
10. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
11. The Holy Qur'an is the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
12. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is 'The Living' and then say that He is without life.
6. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc
3- Jesus
Islam honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims, too, await the second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect. They add the same phrase to other prophets.
No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:
"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47]
Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same power which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father or a mother. "Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." [3:59]
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." [3:49] Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets, were sent to confirm the belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus is reported as saying that he came:
"To attest the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey me." [3:50]
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven.
4- Muhammad
Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate but wise and well-respected man who was born in Makkah in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. His first years were marked by the deaths of his parents. Since his father died before his birth, his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected tribe of Quraysh, raised him. As Muhammad (pbuh) grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. His reputation and personal qualities also led to his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had assisted in business. Thenceforth, he became an important and trusted citizen of Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and meditative.
Muhammad (pbuh) never felt fully content to be part of a society whose values he considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It became his habit to retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to meditate near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light", near Makkah.
At the age of 40, while engaged in one such meditative retreat, Muhammad (pbuh) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an, the faithful recording of the entire revelation of God. The first revelation read:
"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of blood). Recite: Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know." [96:1-5]
It was this reality that he gradually and steadily came to learn and believe, until he fully realized that it is the truth.
His first convert was Khadijah, whose support and companionship provided necessary reassurance and strength. He also won the support of some of his relatives and friends. Three basic themes of the early message were the majesty of the one, unique God, the futility of idol worship, the threat of judgment, and the necessity of faith, compassion and morality in human affairs. All these themes represented an attack on the crass materialism and idolatry prevalent in Makkah at the time. So when he began to proclaim the message to others the Makkans rejected him. He and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 C.E., God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijrah (migration), in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marked the beginning of a new era and thus the beginning of the Muslim calendar. During his suffering, Muhammad (pbuh) drew comfort from the knowledge revealed to him about other prophets, such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, each of whom had also been persecuted and tested.
After several years and some significant battles, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet died, at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia had accepted Islam, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread as far west as Spain and as far east as China. It was clear that the message was not limited to Arabs; it was for the whole of humanity.
The Prophet's sayings (Hadith), are also believed to be revelation. The number of sayings collected by his followers and scholars is about 10,000. Some typical examples of his sayings are as follows:
"To pursue knowledge is obligatory on every believing (man and woman)." [Ibn Majah]
"Removing a harmful thing from the road is charity." [Bukhari, Muslim]
"Those who do not show tenderness and love cannot expect to have tenderness shown to them." [Bukhari]
"Adore Allah (God) as though you see Him; even if you do not see Him, He nonetheless sees you." {Bukhari, Muslim]
Although Muhammad is deeply loved, revered and emulated by Muslims as God's final messenger, he is not an object of worship.
5- Continuity of the Message
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of God", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God's prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets. Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to God's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.
6- The Qur'an
The Arabic word "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur'an means God's final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.
7- Peace
"Peace" is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be upon you." But peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since the concept of justice may differ from one man to another, or from one society to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is specified by Allah (God).
Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same time, Islam requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees, and livestock. Islam also requires that if an enemy declares his desire to end hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do the same.
The concept of Jihad (struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the Qur'an. Allah said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." [2:19] Jihad is never to be waged to force anybody to choose a particular religion. On the contrary, it is to waged to protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if there is a force in the world that tries to prevent a person from practicing this right, Jihad may lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him from exercising free will.
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| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 11:58:20
I didn't answer him so you can't be talking about me.
Love, love, my season |
| Frog in the Sand |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 11:54:32
Because there's always an idiot to answer him... |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 11:43:08
So why is he coming back?
Love, love, my season |
| starmekitten |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 10:11:43
didn't mefa just do a google for catholics in order to do some conversion? I thought he'd apologised for that already..
you
me
we used to be on fire |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 05:58:55
I hope not, there are already too many people in love with Frank.
We have the answer to all your fears
It's short, it's simple, it's crystal dear
It's round about, it's somewhere here
Lost amongst our winnings |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 05:57:29
Or not at all.
Love, love, my season |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 05:49:50
Maybe mefa loves the Pixies and Frank in secret...
We have the answer to all your fears
It's short, it's simple, it's crystal dear
It's round about, it's somewhere here
Lost amongst our winnings |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 04:22:05
Do you love Frank?
Love, love, my season |
| mefa |
Posted - 02/04/2005 : 04:21:00
I am an English teacher , But I'm not native speaker .
|
| starmekitten |
Posted - 01/21/2005 : 08:20:53
Do you just want a translator page or do you want to learn english itself?
you
me
we used to be on fire |
| mefa |
Posted - 01/21/2005 : 08:17:57
Where can i find a web that I learn from it the skills of English |
| astrology |
Posted - 12/16/2004 : 02:32:54
thank God Frank did not join The Sodomites
I'm a pistolero, i'm not shakin in my boots
I'm the ruler of this moon, if u move I shoots
the bad thing about talkin to inanimate things starts when they start complainin bout it |
| VoVat |
Posted - 12/15/2004 : 17:02:08
quote:
Come on guys, "As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand"!!!
So God is a robot? That would explain some things, I suppose.
"Signature quotes are so lame." --Nathan |
| Chip Away Boy |
Posted - 12/11/2004 : 17:12:48
quote:
[i]* practically, why is it, that the regimes of countries with islamic foundations are ways more corrupt than "western" countries ?
oooh, i dunno about that one |
| SpudBoy |
Posted - 12/11/2004 : 13:01:30
quote:
Originally posted by Monsieur
Most of all, I hope Mr Spudboy won't misunderstand your statement, otherwise he will cross the ocean just to kick my ass.
Don't worry my friend - I respect you too much to be so reactionary. I know my wife is brilliant, and I try not to be too overzealous in my protective instincts. Merely observant of situations which may require my attention.
You might want to wash that shirt. Looks like you dribbled some of your lunch on it.
*festoon* |
| mun chien andalusia |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 02:37:22
because probably he's the administrator of www.IslamQ&A.com and probably more hits give him more $. damn spam.
 www.frapogal.altervista.org/MISC/CULT1.gif" border="0">join the cult of errol\and you can have a beer\without having to quit smoking
|
| n/a |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 20:31:53
mefa dude, why?
Frank Black ate my hamster |
| mefa |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 20:14:35
Dear Gypsydeath :
Firstly , I hope a good life for all people all over the world .
Secondly , I am very very sure that no contradictions in Qur'an .
Allah ( God ) mentions in the second chapter of His last Book to all mankind this challenge :
[ 2 : 2 ] This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.
[ 4 : 82 ] Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy.
Thirdly , with my respect If your human mind think that there are some contradictions you can mention them but please one by one not a whole site . I will try to help you to correct your misunderstanding Or you can send to :
www.IslamQ&A.com
Best Wishes
|
| two reelers |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 09:56:52
*** BREAKING NEWS ***
Frank Black has just renamed himself to Mohammed Blackus Islam. Read it on islam.org.
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
| vilainde |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 08:46:09
I heard Honeycomb is gonna be released under the name Frank Black and the Muslims. And it's all thanks to mefa.
Denis
"I believe in your perfect face..." |
| BLT |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 08:42:55
There should be a "cooling off" period of at least a week between signing up and being permitted to post. |
| remig |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 01:30:28
It's entirely our fault, we like pixies and catholics.
If you're searching for people to convert, there's no such things as people talking with enthousiasm about a guru (Frank), Catholics, and leprechaums. That's syncretism!
***********************************************
So you have no point of reference, Donny.
You're like a child that wanders INTO THE MIDDLE OF A MOVIE! |
| whoreatthedoor |
Posted - 12/09/2004 : 00:12:30
Selective spam.
Caminar sobre las hojas del otoño es romántico y resbaladizo |
| LBF1976 |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 15:32:44
I searched Google for "Catholics" and this site was the 18th one on the list, it was the on the second page, so yeah, likey this religious freak found us this a way...
I hadn't thought of that connection... you're so smart.
Floops quesedillas zijn te vergelijken met het likken van fatsige Albert's aars nadat hij een fles laxeermiddel heeft leeggedronken. |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 15:14:53
What about a welcome party to Mefa? And introduce her/him to the band??
i've never done good things
i've never done bad things
i never did anything out of the blue
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| Cheeseman1000 |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 13:38:37
You know what this thread needs?
A party!!!!
 "4000 posts I reach/And still not look as good as Dean, hmm?" |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 12:42:35
quote:
Originally posted by whoreatthedoor
Anyway, I prefer quantity.
Caminar sobre las hojas del otoño es romántico y resbaladizo
I don´t beleive you...that´s not true!
You weird boy!
i've never done good things
i've never done bad things
i never did anything out of the blue
|
| GypsyDeath |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 12:29:44
quote:
Originally posted by mefa
Dear GypsyDeath
In fact , no contradictions in Qur'an at all . To judge on anything ask people who know it very well . you can ask any question on : www.islam questions & answers.com
Mefa -
Thats a large statement to make, considering the overwhelming evidence of the exact opposite. To prove this point, perhaps you could answer some of the contradictions on the site which i posted a link to? This would be very interesting and much appreiciated.
I am not saying that having contradictions is a bad thing, every religion has them - as I mentioned previously - and this is what makes it such a controversial subject - because we are an incredibly suspicious society which wants hard evidence before something is considered fact.
I completely understand the need and want many people have for belonging to a religion, believing in something like that, something which sets their rules and boundaries for them, but for me, (and i think for quite a few people on this forum from what ive heard) its not something i sought after, nor want in my life.
However, i do feel it is important to be aware and know about other cultures and beliefs, and is something which has fascinated me for years. Ive looked fairly extensively in to many religions, before coming to the decision that it is something i do not want to be part of.
Also, mefa do you realise this is a forum for musician Frank Black?
Now I do as I please and lie through my teeth. Someone might get hurt but it won't be me. I should probably feel cheap but I just feel free and a little bit empty. No it isn't so hard to get close to me. There will be no arguments. We will always agree. And I will try and be kind when I ask you to leave. We will both take it easy. But if you stay too long inside my memory, I will trap you in a song tied to a melody and I will keep you there so you can't bother me. |
| whoreatthedoor |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 12:19:24
Don't get me wrong. I do it for free.
A déjà vu.
Caminar sobre las hojas del otoño es romántico y resbaladizo |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 11:27:37
whore
Frank Black ate my hamster |
| whoreatthedoor |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 11:20:44
Anyway, I prefer quantity.
Caminar sobre las hojas del otoño es romántico y resbaladizo |
| n/a |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 10:35:55
quote:
Originally posted by jediroller
We have quality over quantity.
Pack all my shit, get on a plane
Follow the sunset for 24 hours
That´s RIGHT!!!
i've never done good things
i've never done bad things
i never did anything out of the blue
|
| mun chien andalusia |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 09:10:05
quote:
Originally posted by jediroller
I bet he searched the web for "Catholics".
Pack all my shit, get on a plane
Follow the sunset for 24 hours
hehehe, that would be hilarious. the magic of google.
 join the cult of errol\and you can have a beer\without having to quit smoking
|
| n/a |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 08:19:53
smoooooooooooooth
Frank Black ate my hamster |
| jediroller |
Posted - 12/08/2004 : 08:17:21
We have quality over quantity.
Pack all my shit, get on a plane
Follow the sunset for 24 hours |
|
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