tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15930102827903333352024-02-20T10:03:20.331-06:00Wandering StarThoughts of a wandering star...Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-15383432902200303492011-10-13T19:59:00.004-05:002011-10-13T20:05:39.597-05:00Where Did I Go?I was in the middle of reading the Bible and sharing thoughts and notes... that was a while ago now! I have since bought a duplex, found a renter, moved our family, and unpacked during Ramadan.... even after all of that, I thought I'd share some things that are keeping me busy, and inshaAllah I can come back to a normal pace in life and take the time to read for pleasure again.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57991532@N06/6242369546/" title="Studying by Durriyyah82, on Flickr"><img alt="Studying" height="333" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6242369546_045793690f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Coffee and my Kindle... a combo I am becoming very comfortable with! Right now I'm reading Ibn Kathir's Stories of the Prophets for a class I'm teaching. In one level of the class, I'm starting at Adam (as) and the other level is starting at Musa (as). My goodness, there is so much I could write about what I read from this. But alas, I don't have the time to really put the thought into it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57991532@N06/6242371394/" title="Homeschool fun by Durriyyah82, on Flickr"><img alt="Homeschool fun" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/6242371394_f809b1fb42.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
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My two kids at a nature center about 30 minutes from our home. My oldest is doing a journal activity that I assigned as part of a homeschool assignment. My youngest... well, she's trying to play with wood chips and probably sneak in eating some dirt while I'm not looking. Homeschooling this year is keeping me busier, and alhamdulilah, I love it! I love being a part of her learning, and taking her on many trips (like today, we went to the arboretum and tomorrow we are going to a pick your own apple orchard)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57991532@N06/6241860075/" title="Cuddly squash by Durriyyah82, on Flickr"><img alt="Cuddly squash" height="333" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6241860075_c207085dc2.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Last, but not least, I'm trying to keep on top of the bountiful harvest we are getting from our CSA... but only when I can get the food from my youngest, who will snuggle with anything. Apparently, this squash was going to be her cuddle buddy while she took a nap this day.<br />
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So, I haven't forgotten about the journey I started, nor have I given up! InshaAllah when I finish a class I'm taking, I can pick some things back up. Life happens... and all to fast at that!Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-33813126665180610222011-06-07T09:38:00.000-05:002011-06-07T09:38:18.959-05:00Muslim Reading the Bible: Exodus 13 - Leviticus 20Peace and Blessing to all,<br />
Wow, it has already been two weeks! How the time passes... I have barely logged into Blogger lately, so it'll take a while to get back to your comments also. I apologize, but things are just not conducive to being able to sit down and write thought out posts and comments. InshaAllah, one day...<br />
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I'm sorry to say that I spent most of my reading in the end of Exodus and Leviticus completely bored. I finally got to the point where I just skimmed the making of the Tabernacle, the genealogy, laws of <i>exactly</i> how to sacrifice animals for atonement and other reasons. Frankly, I'm not going to be sacrificing an animal at the Tabernacle any time soon, so I figured it was pretty safe to not commit the "how" to memory.<br />
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I see now why Christians talk about being freed from the "law" of the Jews. Man, it is painful to read through it verbatim. Alhamdulilah, I love that Islam is the balance between a law that seems much like just custom without necessarily direct symbolism and meaning and a religion with too little guidance causing the followers to go every which way claiming they have the right way. <br />
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Curiosities:<br />
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There are female prophets? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exo%2015:20&version=ESV">Exo 15:20</a><br />
Is Amalek an ethnic group today? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+17&version=ESV">Exo 17:14-16</a><br />
This verse is clear as day about statues and creating images. Why then is this disregarded present day? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2020:4&version=ESV">Exo 20:4</a><br />
Marking slaves like cattle? Yikes. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2021:6&version=ESV">Exo 21:6</a><br />
Who acts as the judge for God on this earth? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022:9&version=ESV">Exo 22:9</a><br />
Is interest only forbidden for the Jews? And only between themselves? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022:25&version=ESV">Exo 22:25</a><br />
What does it mean you give them to God? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022:30&version=ESV">Exo 22:30</a><br />
Is this talking about Palestine? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2023:30-31&version=ESV">Exo 23:30-31</a><br />
Is this justification for Israel's actions today? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2034:24&version=ESV">Exo 34:24</a><br />
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Is this how the priests stay fed? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lev%207:8-10&version=ESV">Lev 7:8-10</a><br />
Why is the time the mother is unclean double when she has a girl? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2012:2-5&version=ESV">Lev 12:2-5</a><br />
Atone for all of Israel? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2016:17&version=ESV">Lev 16:17</a><br />
What is this day in modern times? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2016:29&version=ESV">Lev 16:29</a><br />
Who is Molech? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2016:29&version=ESV">Lev 20:2</a><br />
What does it mean to be cut off from his people? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2020:18&version=ESV">Lev 20:18</a><br />
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I found it interesting that in the Bible, Aaron was said to have made the golden calf. SubhanAllah, I know that the people in the Bible aren't expected to be sinless, but committing shirk (associating partners/idolatry)?! <br />
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In Islam, bid'ah (innovation) is considered a serious issue. I found it interesting how God reacted in this story to the innovation they were practicing. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2010:1-2&version=ESV">Lev 10:1-2</a><br />
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I'm sorry to say it, but some of these rituals remind me of witchcraft practices, like in this account: <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2013:49-52&version=ESV">Lev 13:49-52</a><br />
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I'm into Numbers now, but as usual, I must go and this seems to be enough to digest at one time.<br />
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InshaAllah this finds everyone well, until next time!Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-42002394023047892002011-05-24T14:49:00.000-05:002011-05-24T14:49:08.600-05:00Muslim Reading the Bible: Genesis 47-Exodus 12We left off last time in the story of Joseph during the drought and famine. We can see how Pharaoh acquired all the land, and the people as slaves as they sold off their property and themselves as the famine continued. I found it interesting how often worshiping was mentioned with someone putting their face to the ground, but I don't know of barely any modern Jew or Christian that worships that way. Also, Jacob blesses his sons in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2049:1-27&version=ESV">Gen 49: 1-27</a>, and I feel like there was supposed to be a lot of historical significance that translates into modern times, but the meaning escapes me. <br />
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Curiosities:<br />
<blockquote><br />
What is the significance of vowing with your hand under their thigh? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2047:29&version=ESV">Gen 47:29</a><br />
Why and how are Joseph's sons considered Jacob's? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2048:5&version=ESV">Gen 48:5</a><br />
What does this mean? Especially the couch part? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2049:4&version=ESV">Gen 49:4</a><br />
</blockquote>Exodus brings us to the story of Moses and things have felt pretty predictable to me while reading this in terms of what happens next in the story. I was a bit surprised in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%204:16&version=ESV">Exo 4:16</a> that God said Moses is like God to these people; it just seems like an awfully strong statement! I also noticed that a few times it said that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. I've noticed this type of language in both the Qur'an and the Bible now, which can be hard to swallow. I mean, why would God harden someone's heart? Does that contradict our picture of a Merciful God? I have my own thoughts on this, but I would be interested to hear other people's thoughts. <br />
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I noted at Exo 12:15 that as far as I remember, this is the first direct command from God. As a Muslim, we believe that there were scrolls from Abraham to guide people to God's way. I'm just curious what the Jewish/Christian view is.<br />
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Also, in Exodus 11, God tells Moses that Pharaoh will let them go but it seems in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2012:33-36&version=ESV">Exodus 12:33-36</a> that Pharaoh isn't involved at all. That confused me a bit.<br />
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Curiosities:<br />
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I thought his father in law was Reuel? Did Moses marry again and it wasn't mentioned? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exo%203:1&version=ESV">Exo 3:1</a> vs <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exo%202:18-21&version=ESV">Exo 2:18-21</a><br />
Israel (Jacob) is God's first born son? I don't originally have a problem with the term. What catches me is when I read the Gospels (you can see this <a href="http://durriyyah-wandering-star.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-thoughts-on-gospels.html">here</a>), the term doesn't seem to be different. I am getting ahead of myself a bit, but how is Jesus seen as a literal son of God, and everywhere else it is mentioned, it is figurative? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%204:22-23&version=ESV">Exo 4:22-23</a><br />
What is this about? I'm totally lost. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%204:24-26&version=ESV">Exo 4:24-26</a><br />
What does the term uncircumcised lips mean? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%206:12&version=ESV">Exo 6:12</a><br />
He married his aunt? Were there not guidelines for this type of stuff yet? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%206:20&version=ESV">Exo 6:20</a><br />
Is this still practiced? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2012:5-6&version=ESV">Exo 12:5-6</a></blockquote><br />
It's amazing to me to read stories such as this, and whether one believes it is truth or fiction, that people remain the same throughout time. We measure Truth based on what we already know, and things that do not agree with our existing "wisdom" must be false. I'm even finding myself falling into such a trap. My, it is convenient.<br />
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Well, I'm in Exodus 34, but I'll leave with this. Reading is not hard to do, but sitting at the laptop uninterrupted is challenging. Alhamdulilah for my Kindle, otherwise the reading would be impossible to complete!Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-64924279035585790282011-05-17T13:30:00.000-05:002011-05-17T13:30:49.112-05:00Muslim Reading the Bible: Genesis 30-47So here we are at the second post, with many more to come, I'm sure (as long as I can stay consistent!). My overall thoughts were again surprised at the number of immoral things going on, but then I was very relieved to get through the entire story of Joseph without him committing some terrible sin! The story of Joseph matches up with the Qur'an pretty well in terms of events. Some of the smaller details such as if he was put into a well or a pit, if his father believed he was gone forever, etc. were different, but again, most of it lined up. I'll have to refresh myself on Qur'an stories after I'm done with this project to try to make sure I keep everything straight.<br />
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<u><b>Curiosities:</b></u><br />
<ul><li>The heap of rocks is a witness? - <b>Gen 31:48</b> <i>Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." Therefore he named it Galeed <br />
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<li>Again, I'm seeing anthropomorphic verses. Do Christians believe that Jacob wrestled with God? Or do they take this as figurative? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2032:22-32&version=ESV"><b>Gen 32:22-32<br />
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<li>Dinah's brothers asked for the men who defiled her to be circumcised. Does this mean they are asking them to convert? <b>Gen 34:15 </b><i>Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised.</i></li>
<li><ul><li><i> </i>I have to say that after they did circumcise everyone, it was quite disturbing that the brothers went and killed all the men in the town when they knew they would be healing. Talk about killing a fly with a sledge hammer!</li>
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<li>Is this verse at least partially the basis of Israel being named a land for the Jews in present day? <b>Gen 35:12 </b><i>The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you."<br />
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<li>I'm starting to think fornication isn't even considered a sin in Joseph's time. Here's another example of loose morals <b>Gen 38:2 </b><i>There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her,</i><i> <br />
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<li>Is it the duty of a man to take in his deceased brother's wife? Do they get married, or just "play house?" <b>Gen 38:8 </b><i>Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother."<br />
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<li><ul><li><i> </i>Onan then tries to prevent pregnancy with her in verse 9, and is put to death in verse 10. Is preventing pregnancy not allowed?</li>
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<li>Why can't Egyptians eat with Hebrews? <b>Gen 43:32 </b><i>They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.<br />
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<li>Another mention of divination from someone I thought was supposed to be a man of God? <b>Gen 44:5 </b><i>Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.</i> (The evil is stealing the cup)<br />
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<li>Is Sheol hell?... okay, I looked it up now... Is this where purgatory comes in? Sounds awfully like Greek mythology to me. <b>Gen 44:31 </b><i>as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.<br />
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<li>Why are shepherds and abomination to Egyptians? <b>Gen 46:34<i> </i></b><i>... for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."</i></li>
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Like I said earlier, I really enjoyed reading Joseph's story. I made at note at Gen 39:10 "Joseph has morals!" Call me crazy, but I think a book that is scripture should be teaching us how to live and giving examples of behavior that is right in the sight of God. <br />
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This... I can't believe this is actually in the Bible!! She knew she was luring in her father in law! <b>Gen 38:15-18 </b><i>When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-1136">16</sup>He turned to her at the roadside and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-1137">17</sup>He answered, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." And she said, "If you give me a pledge, until you send it—" <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-1138">18</sup>He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.</i><i> </i><br />
<ul><li>Then in verse 24 Judah was going to put her to death by burning her alive, but then he finds out that she is pregnant with his child and so nothing happens! He doesn't deserve a punishment, but she was about to be burned alive??<i> </i></li>
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I'm actually going to stop here to make reading this easier even though I have gotten into Exodus 4 so far. InshaAllah I'll put together another post very soon with the remainder of my notes.<i> </i><b> </b>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-79892320075500205172011-05-11T12:11:00.002-05:002011-05-11T14:18:16.777-05:00Genesis 1-30Okay, so the journey starts!<br />
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First, let me say that I'm not deliberately trying to pull out things to make the Bible look bad, but some things are just too hard to pass by without mentioning. My first surprise when I started reading was that the stories weren't in actual chronological order. As much as the Bible is used by Christians as a book of history, and it is written in that tone as well, I didn't expect the stories to not follow a timeline. Other than that, my overall attitude about what I've read so far is it feels like a history book I would be assigned in high school and I'm scared that one of the many people listed in the lineage are going to be on the test and I will fail based on my lack of being able to memorize the long list of who was the son of who.<br />
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I was also surprised at what feels like the lack of good role models thus far and moral stories. I knew there are some pretty sketchy accounts of prophets in the Bible, but I thought I remembered reading about great things they had done when I was in Sunday school as a kid. Now reading through it verbatim, I'm overwhelmed with the lying! Either people are lying about who they are, who their wife is, or what they have done... I'm anxiously awaiting some good moral story to prove to me my Sunday school lessons weren't a lie. I know it's there! I should give credit to Abraham for following God's command and following through though.<br />
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Okay... notes:<br />
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I was a bit taken aback by the anthropomorphic nature of these verses:<br />
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<blockquote><b>Gen 1:10</b> ...And God saw that it was good.</blockquote><blockquote><b>Gen 3:8-10</b> And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-65">9</sup>But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-66">10</sup>And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."<br />
<b>Gen 18:33</b> And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.</blockquote><br />
Angels are also mentioned in an anthropomorphic fashion:<br />
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<blockquote><b>Gen 19:1-2 </b>The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-460">2</sup>and said, "My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the town square." <br />
<b>Gen 19:8 </b>Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."</blockquote>Some curiosities. I just put links to the verses to make it easier on the eyes and save space:<br />
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<blockquote>Sons of God have children with daughters of man? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%206:4&version=ESV">Gen 6:4</a><br />
What is significance of the animals being clean? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%208:20&version=ESV">Gen 8:20</a><br />
What is the bow in the cloud? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%209:13&version=ESV">Gen 9:13</a><br />
Why must Isaac's wife be from the land they left? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2024:3-6&version=ESV">Gen 24:3-6</a> <br />
Why does Rebekah cover herself in front of Isaac but not his servant? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2024:65&version=ESV">Gen 24:65</a><br />
What exactly is Esau's birthright? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2025:32&version=ESV">Gen 25:32</a><br />
Is this a support for tithing? <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2028:22&version=ESV">Gen 28:22</a><br />
They use divination??<b> </b><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%2030:27&version=ESV">Gen 30:27</a></blockquote>Things I like:<b> </b><br />
<blockquote><br />
<b>Gen 1:14</b> And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,<br />
<i>I think I like this one because it reminds me of how Allah tells us in the Qur'an that the stars are signs for those who reflect</i><br />
<b>Gen 2:24 </b>Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.</blockquote><br />
<b>Gen 1:28 </b>And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."<b> </b><br />
I think people in the US especially (just because that is largely what I know) need to remember that with dominion comes responsibility. Do people think their actions upon Allah's creation are going to go unnoticed? The Bible goes further in <b><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%203:16&version=ESV">Gen 3:16</a> </b>mentioning that man has rule over his wife. This seems to be a harsh tone, but I know the meaning that one would give behind it. All I have to say is if this was in the Qur'an, people would be pointing to it left and right saying, "See?! Men can do whatever they want to towards their wives!!"<br />
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And the disturbing accounts of the prophets:<br />
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<blockquote><b>Gen 9:20-21 </b>Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. <sup class="versenum" id="en-ESV-227">21</sup>He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.<br />
<b><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2019:33-36&version=ESV">Gen 19:33-36</a> </b>Lot's daughters get him drunk so they can sleep with him and get pregnant<br />
<b>Gen 20:12 </b>Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. <i>(Abraham is speaking in this passage)</i><br />
<b>Gen 26:9 </b>So Abimelech called Isaac and said, "Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac said to him, "Because I thought, 'Lest I die because of her.'" <i>(Abraham did the same thing: hiding that a woman is his wife. It isn't a huge thing, but the continued lying when convenient became disturbing)</i></blockquote><br />
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I'm a bit bothered by the account of Isaac and Ishmael. Not that Ishmael <i>needs</i> to be the firstborn because he's the "father of the Arabs" or anything like that, but I don't get how things like <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%2013:16&version=ESV"><b>Gen 13:16</b></a> is ignored, and how was Sarai wronged (see <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%2016:5&version=ESV"><b>Gen 16:5</b></a>) when <i>she</i> chose this path? I understand a wife having jealousy, but for Ishmael to be completely ignored as the first born seems extreme.<br />
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Whew! I should write the updates quicker because getting that all compiled again was quite a bit of work! And, I'm sure it is a bit to read through. Anyway, inshaAllah I'll get some more reading done over the next few days and share with you all. Tomorrow is very, very busy. InshaAllah I'm not totally fried at the end of it! <br />
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Assalam alaykum!<br />
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Peace and Blessings!Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-40728214546259669422011-05-09T11:31:00.000-05:002011-05-09T11:31:24.121-05:00What Version?Ah, the million dollar question! What version of the Bible should one read? The two main versions I hear of are the King James Version and the Revised Standard Version. I have to say that I do not trust the King James Version, but I know many that do, so I need to read something that I can trust, and that is reputable in their translations, using the earliest manuscripts available.<br />
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Why are these items important?<br />
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From where I stand, it appears to me that things have been distorted through time. That means that manuscripts that may be in Greek and Hebrew may still have distortions in them if they are late enough. I am not a scholar, nor do I know how to read Greek or Hebrew, so I have to put my trust in someone who is much more skilled than I in these areas. The fact that the King James Version is one of the earliest Bibles in the English language means nothing... what I want is a Bible that uses the earliest manuscripts available, knowing full well that there are no actual originals. <br />
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Reading through the versions list on biblegateway.com has helped as it lists the philosophy behind the versions. I originally downloaded the English Standard Version to my Kindle and after reading the version's description on this website, I'm happy with my choice. Here's an excerpt of the description:<br />
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<blockquote>The ESV is an "essentially literal" translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. It seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.</blockquote><br />
Perfect.<br />
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I have my notes in my Kindle, but just realized yesterday that they don't have a link back to the text. I'm going to need to find a more efficient way to take notes. So, my first post on what I've read so far is in the works, but it'll be a little bit of work to get it transcribed over. InshaAllah it will be sooner rather than later.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-8280991232865664722011-05-06T23:09:00.000-05:002011-05-06T23:09:22.671-05:00Reading the BibleI've been wanting to read the Bible for quite some time, and I read the Gospels within the last two years, but I wanted to be able to say I've read the entire thing.<br />
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I find it somewhat odd that most people don't show appreciation for one trying to read through the Bible. Not appreciation like, "Thanks for doing the dishes", I'm talking about respecting the act and validating it as a worthwhile thing to do. I have been told a number of times to just read a part, and of course this part is pointed out to me. What is so wrong with reading it from cover to cover?<br />
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I don't expect many surprises as I've read many people's viewpoints on the Bible whether it be agnostic, atheist, Muslim, Christian, etc. and this points me to all the "highlights" that one would want to display for their own purpose. My goal really in all of this is to understand context far better and to look at the whole picture. Too often we are pointed to one section or another, as I stated before, and I think unfortunately it is even more often that we as humans take the lazy way out and don't look into it further.<br />
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Now, I am the queen of being inconsistent, so I will do my best, but with two kids (one being quite small still) and a husband that keep me busy, I can't make any promises. Just know my intentions are to take the notes from my Kindle and try to share them along the way.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-85761997758803406542011-03-30T07:42:00.000-05:002011-03-30T07:42:34.239-05:00CNN Unwelcome: Muslims Next Door Soledad O'BrienI watched this video last night that aired on CNN this previous Sunday:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gRlqz3e9OrA?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" width="425"></iframe><br /><br />I'm amazed at how optimistic the Muslims remained. Personally, things like this make me believe that the average American Muslim has a higher risk of being attacked by an American non-Muslim than vice versa.<br /><br />So often we hear that Muslims are trying to change the face of America, and "they" are working to make Shariah law into everyone's law. And by golly, we all know that Shariah law is all about cutting off appendages and stoning people to death! *shakes head* There's so much more to Shariah than that. I liked that they pointed out that Shariah is more of a way of life than just a list of punishments. InshaAllah, I would like to become much more knowledgeable in Shariah so I can confidently refute comments I hear, such as, "What about XYZ thing that happened in X country that I heard on the news?" There is so much garbage on the news, it is hard to come back with the specific cultural practice of every country that has an ocean between us. <br /><br />It really is about "us" and "them", isn't it? This has been the fight throughout American history, and possibly history in other countries as well. First "they" were the Native Americans, then came those pesky Italians and Irish. After that, all the Europeans could band together to hate the blacks, Japanese, and most recently the Mexicans. Dang immigrants coming to "our" country! Do we forget our past? As much as people say that people need to learn English before coming here, I am pretty certain their original ancestors to this country didn't know perfect English before settling in the mighty U.S. of A. So many were fleeing persecution or poverty. What lazy dimwits they must have been for not stopping to take an English class before leaving their country! *sigh*<br /><br />Now "they" are the Muslims. As I look through history, there has never really been an easy way to settle this. There are fights for equal rights, such as we see with Martin Luther King, Jr., and some things just take time for people to warm up to. Time will tell what will happen in the coming year. I know Muslims are watching the news, and this upcoming election seems pivotal for the outcome of Muslims in America.<br /><br />Islam is on trial. We know the truth, but will it set us free, in America?Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-80786376036488457772011-03-28T23:26:00.001-05:002011-03-28T23:26:24.092-05:00Worship and worries<a href='Shannen Espelien (@Durriyyah1982) has shared a Tweet with you: <br/> <br/> "Durriyyah1982: When a worshipper prostrates to his Lord, his worries fall off his shoulders and remain discarded on the ground as he rises back up." <br/> --http://twitter.com/Durriyyah1982/status/51123155946840064'>Shannen Espelien (@Durriyyah1982) has shared a Tweet with you: <br/> <br/> "Durriyyah1982: When a worshipper prostrates to his Lord, his worries fall off his shoulders and remain discarded on the ground as he rises back up." <br/> --http://twitter.com/Durriyyah1982/status/51123155946840064</a> <br/> <br/> What do you think? <br/> <br/> I find this so true, but only when I really concentrate on the worship. If I'm in prayer to worship, but thinking of my worries, there is no difference in my demeanor. I know I need to hand things to Allah and let the weight off my shoulders. Some things are out of my control; and alhamdulilah they are! The thoughts of "if I would have done X" melt away. <br/> <br/> Thoughts?<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7</div>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-26953407096172996852011-03-19T20:49:00.000-05:002011-03-19T20:49:19.215-05:00PolygamyOookay, I am taking a break from life and making myself sit down and think about something of importance, or relevance.<br />
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My husband and I started watching Sister Wives, and it is interesting how many discussions it brought up about polygamy. Now, understand that we have never had a knee-jerk reaction to polygamy while we have known each other, but this is something I witness from others quite often. People immediately say, "Oh, no, gross, I would NEVER!!" but it is amazing how quickly they open up a "maybe" when you start bring examples in which it would be beneficial. The hypothetical example I typically give is: What if I was injured and became paralyzed from the neck down?<br />
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So, given this example, let's think through some scenarios.<br />
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1) My husband has to take care of me 100%, whether that is paying for a home nurse, or doing the work himself; probably somewhere in between. He now has the rest of his life married to me in which I basically can hold a conversation with him. I no longer can meet his physical needs nor can I take care of him in any way. This is a one way street.<br />
2) My husband divorces me so he can be with someone who is able to meet his needs.<br />
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I don't think either of these options really seem like a good solution to this problem. Simply, taking another wife would be beneficial for both the husband and the wife. The wife can still be taken care of by the husband financially, and he can have his physical needs met (food, care, sex, etc.) by his second wife.<br />
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This is only one example. Think further, and we can find many other examples of situations that would be beneficial to both parties. For instance if the wife is barren, the wife has a much lower sexual drive than the husband, or even if she is less "cuddly" than him, the husband wants more kids than the wife wants to have, etc.<br />
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I have heard so many people look at men who are in polygamous marriages as if they are sex fiends. Okay, so let's be blunt here... who cares if they are?!? They are acting out their desires in a committed, loving relationship! This is not some guy who is cheating on his wife, lying about his actions, etc. all to cover up this deep dark secret that *gasp* he wants to have sex! I can't count how many times I have heard wives say they want sex FAR less than their husband does. Some go as far as maybe only being intimate with their husband a dozen times a year. So let's say a guy has two wives and they both have this type of drive. He would have sex *oh my gosh!!!* 24 times a year. Whoooooaaaaa!! He must be a maniac, right?<br />
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sigh<br />
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So let's get real. It is perfectly legal for a man to be intimate with as many women as he wants, so long as he doesn't marry them. If he wants to be committed and marry them, this is downright illegal. What a system we live in.<br />
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So, before we go on judging about how disgusting a man is to have more than one wife, let's first think about how brave, caring, generous, kind, thoughtful, and affectionate this man must be to have won over not one, but two or more women to be his life long partner.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-31779337325455338932011-02-21T20:04:00.003-06:002011-02-21T20:05:20.197-06:00Need Inspiration!You know, in the past it has been conflict that has inspired many of my posts.<br /><br />Well... there has been little to no conflict lately, alhamdulilah!! But now, what do I write?!<br /><br />Any questions/suggestions/comments??Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973800076926953005noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-46965800954009673402010-06-02T18:26:00.000-05:002010-06-02T18:26:32.457-05:00My Husband's Conversion StoryThis was an email from my husband to an old friend of his from Youth Group (church) when they asked why he converted to Islam.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Wednesday, August 05, 2009<br />
<br />
The points I want to share are simple. <br />
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I've enjoyed doing things the way I think is right even when the main stream of like-minded, same faith individuals practice otherwise. A shorter way to say that is I like to do things the way I want even if most other people in the same category of belief as me do those things a different way. Hmph. That wasn't a shorter version at all. I know you get the point now, though.<br />
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A couple years ago, as a Christian, I decided not to pray or sing to Jesus anymore. I was still a Christian. But whenever a song at church was directed to praising or worshiping Jesus, my mouth was closed. Isn't this ant-Christian? No. It is pro-Christian. Worshiping God, our Father, alone, was Jesus' directive. He led us to worship the Father. Never did he direct praise upon himself nor instruct anyone to pray to him. Thus, how I came to the conclusion to only worship the Father.<br />
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Another point I looked into was when Jesus said people's sins were forgiven. I couldn't find any spot where Jesus said that he himself forgave anyone of their sins. Even John the Baptist told people when their sins were forgiven.<br />
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All my personal curiosities were satisfied by looking only in the Bible at this point. But as you can imagine, my view of Jesus' role was already drastically different than most Christians by only coming to those two points so far.<br />
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Here is the part where people seem to doubt the genuineness of my conversion. I worked with <i>*Durriyyah*</i> before we got married. Once she started wearing hijab (the covering most Muslim women wear), I got curious. I got curious because I knew it had to have been a hardship for her to do that in a leadership role in the IT field where most co-workers are men. I thought she must have been serious. I started asking questions. We talked about Islam and Christianity for a period of time. Eventually, I ordered a Qur'an from amazon.com to read it. I wanted to know more about this religion. I also thought, "How much faith do I have in my beliefs if I'm afraid to read about someone else's beliefs?"<br />
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In reading the Qur'an, I found the same message in the Old Testament and of Jesus. The simplest way to put it is: There is no god but the One God; you need to worship Him. I kept thinking, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One." I began to think, "Why would God stick to this simple principle and then later introduce a theology of a trinity that reduces His glory (since it's now shared), doesn't make sense, and conforms to pagan theories?"<br />
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Islam does not count Paul as a prophet of God. This means that though he very likely wrote some inspired things, he did not have the authority to change any doctrines. This was hard for me to do, but if you take Paul's strange concepts out, the New Testament makes more sense with the Old. It makes more sense that God is the same God and is calling the same people. Islam was needed to bring "the people of the Book" back to the original doctrine of God and away from the pagan contaminated ideologies of multiple gods in one or multiple gods period. Think of the christmas tree. Why does it exist as a Christian practice?<br />
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After I was 2/3 through the Qur'an, I read a book on the origination of the trinity doctrine. Now, I already knew some of the details as to how it became accepted into the formal church. But reading this book made it silly. It was after reading that that I knew Islam was the same old message that God has always been giving and that Christians of today are not like the Christians of Jesus' time. And I mean so different that Jesus would say to Christians of today, "I know you not."<br />
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That is my story. I hope very much that my words are not too upsetting. You know I was a strong Christian. Converting was wrenching. Now, I am a submissive follower (Muslim) of the one and only God, Who has no partners and no equal.</blockquote>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-59156427721719148842010-05-25T10:21:00.001-05:002010-05-25T10:35:42.078-05:00Why Do I Believe the Qur'an is the Word of God?I suppose I could also say "How Do I Know the Qur'an is the Word of God?" but, really, I think people who have the idea that it is a belief and can not be founded by knowledge will read it the other way regardless.<br />
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Whenever I think of this question, I remember an old friend/coworker of mine. He was quite an abrupt person; one that you would never think had a religious bone in his body. After I got to know him a little bit better, I found out that he used to be a Muslim. He went to prison for a few years, and in prison he said he had time to think and he found Islam. Now, he is a white guy... so this isn't going to fit into the Nation of Islam stereotype. He learned Arabic and was the imam (pastor/preacher/leader) at the prison. I asked him why he didn't follow Islam any longer and his answer was basically that he got distracted with his old ways when he got out. Anyway... when I told him I was thinking of reading the Qur'an, he told me "You're going to be a Muslim. You'll see the science in it and know it is the truth." He knew me pretty well, I guess, to know what things would stick out to me.<br />
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At first, I didn't much care for what the Qur'an had to say. I felt jabs at my own lifestyle, and kept thinking to myself "Hey, what did I do to you?" but the fact is, some of it started sinking in. I started asking myself if I was really following the best lifestyle, or the most convenient?<br />
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I noticed the logic and reason the Qur'an calls to all people. We are told to think, reflect, ponder, and come to conclusions about the most basic things around us. We are encouraged to ask questions and wonder why this world is crafted in the way it is. Think about how complex this world is, and how it could have become such a way. It is very hard for me to imagine pure evolution coming to this result. I also realized that Muslims weren't required to give up all science when believing the story of creation and that one of God's names is The Evolver. We do not need to throw away science in order to believe in God!<br />
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There are numerous scientific proofs in the Qur'an that point to the fact that the Creator of the Universe sent this revelation, to an illiterate person in a time of poetry and linguistics, but yet still marvels people today in our time of science and technology. <br />
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There are many places where one can find a listing of this verses that point to science, so I will save myself the effort of compiling them myself.<br />
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The Qur'an demands that one use logic and reason to come to the conclusion and not simply following what their ancestors worshiped, or what is "easier" or more convenient. We are told to find proof for what we believe. Feeling good about it isn't good enough! After all, don't you think Satan is going to make you feel great about following the wrong path?<br />
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I learned Islam from books, lectures by scholars, etc. I didn't learn from the Muslims I knew, which I'm very glad and fortunate because if I considered Muslim people as the authority on Islam, I have big questions on where I would be today. <br />
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Along with the scientific proofs, I found that historically, stories in the Qur'an are generally accurate. I take our historical science we have today with a grain of salt just because we see a few mistakes still from time to time.<br />
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Allah tells us in the Qur'an:<br />
<blockquote>Do they not ponder on the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much <b style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">discrepancy</b>. [4:82]</blockquote>And thus far, I have not been able to find any contradictions or discrepancies when comparing one area of the text to another!! Now, I'm aware that contradictions in the Bible (10,000 people vs. 1,000, or the like) are chalked up to the authors getting something wrong, but over all the message is the same. I don't have to come to terms with anything like this, because there is only one author. <br />
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I am not told to "just believe" or that there is a "mystery" of God that I can't untangle. I know that if God created us with intellect and reason... something other species in this world do not have... then He must have created me in such a way that I can understand Him.<br />
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The "rules" just make sense. When we look at the general society, it makes sense to have such things in place. I think we have become a society of making rules on exceptions, which will entangle us more than we think.<br />
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Now, this didn't hit me as hard as it has since my faith has been questioned by others and I've been asked to read Christian literature numerous times, but the fact that the doctrine of Islam is <i>explicitly stated </i>in the Qur'an has kept me a Muslim and proven the message. God is not shy in how we are to worship Him and understand Him. We are told over and over and over and over and over (get it?) that we are to worship Him alone. There is no implicit statements about it. You are basically being hit over the head with a brick on this one item. Never should we construct a doctrine that we place the destiny of our souls in, with implicit statements. <br />
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I never wanted to be a Muslim. I never thought I would find an absolute truth that I could feel so confident with. The fact is though, after I finished reading the Qur'an, I could not think of how this book could have been written by a human being and thus the only logical thing for me to do was to be a Muslim.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-47576903920790099242010-05-19T18:36:00.000-05:002010-05-19T18:36:49.539-05:00QuestionI would like to know what the proofs are that the Bible is the Word of God and not something man created to fulfill his own desires and will.<br />
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Also, what proofs are there that Paul was inspired and had the authority to make amendments to Jesus's teachings (removing the law from the people), other than his own word that he heard it in a vision. <br />
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These questions have remained unanswered to me to this day.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-24791445183113787712010-05-14T09:25:00.003-05:002010-05-14T09:27:58.917-05:00Response to "You're Going to Hell" Pt. 1We received a pamphlet (tract) in the mail from my husband's family member. I can't stay silent, so here's my start on a response to the publisher, and then I will make a friendly response to his family member. Frankly, the pamphlet didn't make me question my faith one bit. Why? Well, there are so many things in it that I don't believe and broad generalizations, that it just made me laugh. I guess it is in the form of a comic book for a reason.<br />
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So, let's get started with page 1. My notes are below, if I'm making a direct comment on that particular page. <br />
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4:101 - When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers, for fear the Unbelievers may attack you: For the Unbelievers are unto you open enemies.<br />
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Does this not mean that they are openly displaying that they are an enemy? This was revealed as a verse pertaining to war. In no way is this taken in a general context as anyone who does not follow Islam is an enemy.<br />
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Qur'an 31:15 - But if they strive to make thee join in worhsip with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; Yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love): In the End the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did. <br />
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Obviously, how the man pictured here is not in accordance with the Qur'an.<br />
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Qur'an 41:37 - Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon. Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah, Who create them, if it is Him ye wish to serve. <br />
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The comment about not caring if God cares if we live or die is so far out there, I'm not sure what to quote. One thing to note is that this life is temporary, why are we so concerned with how long we stay here?<br />
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Qur'an 2:115 - To Allah belongs the east and the West; whithersoever ye turn, there is Allah's countenance. For Allah is All-Embarcing All-Knowing.<br />
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Qur'an 4:89-90 - They but wish that ye should reject Faith as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (from what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.― Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace) or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you or fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you, not and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them).<br />
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"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action." [Excerpt from Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) last sermon]<br />
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Does it matter what race either is? The Nation of Islam is what considers race, but Orthodox Islam does not, nor does it consider the Nation a sect of Islam.<br />
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<div class="photocaption"><div class="photocaption_text">I'm unaware if this is a true piece of history. Let's say it is. Christians did the same, but we do not blame Christians or Jesus for such things.</div><div class="photocaption_text"></div><div class="photocaption_text"></div><div class="photocaption_text">This is what I have so far. The next few pages go into things that people come with a load of assumptions, which is hard to combat in a precise way, so I'm brewing on the response to give, inshaAllah. I'll continue with this very soon, inshaAllah.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-20893060405618054502010-04-08T16:24:00.000-05:002010-04-08T16:24:50.155-05:00Calling People Kufar<blockquote><h3 style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="toph">The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari <div class="Author">by Imam Bukhari<br />
Translated by: Ustadha Aisha Bewley</div></span></span></i> </h3>Chapter 10: The <i>Qibla</i><br />
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<a href="" name="384">384</a>. It is related that Anas ibn Malik said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever prays our prayer and faces our <i>qibla</i> and eats what we slaughter, he is a Muslim and is under the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger. Do not act treacherously against Allah with respect to those under His protection." </blockquote><br />
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Who do we call a Muslim? What does Kufar really mean?<br />
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Kufar has almost turned into a curse word in our current community setting. People use this in anger towards one another and call them Kufar. When someone is seen smoking or being too close to the opposite gender, Kufar is an easy word off of many people's tongues.<br />
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Kufar literally means "unbeliever" and unbeliever is defined as<i> "someone who refuses to believe (as in a divinity." </i>Notice how the word "belief" is the core component, not "action." Of course as Muslims, we believe that belief is shown through action, but as I'm sure anyone can relate to, our actions sometimes are not as Muslim as our heart may be. By definition, there are only two groups - believer and unbeliever. Or, Muslim and Kufar, respectively.<br />
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Since only Allah is able to see what is in our heart, we must judge by actions who is a Muslim and who is a Kufar. We judge by outward appearances, but Allah judges by inward realities. We can not go to extremes and call someone a Kufar based on our witnessing of one sin. On the other side, we can not say that all sins are okay as long as you profess the shahadah (There is no god except Allah). Saying one is a Kufar does not, and should not be, labeling a person to Hellfire just like labeling someone a Muslim does not ensure their entry into Paradise.<br />
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When we say someone is Kufar, it is simply a legal statement and a label for who should be treated as a Muslim when they get married, die, have kids, etc. <br />
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Two terms are important in this discussion:<br />
<blockquote>Tasdiq: "You are telling the truth"<br />
Takdhib: "You are lying"<br />
(both in reference to the Sunnah and Qur'an)</blockquote><br />
When someone is denying a pillar of Islam, such as saying that you don't have to pray, they are essentially saying to the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), "You are lying" and they are committing tasdiq. To deny a pillar of Islam is the gravest of errors and anything that a person rejects that is necessarily known of the religion will remove them from Islam. For instance, if a person states that drinking is not forbidden, they have committed tasdiq and it is safe to say they are Kufar. <b>Again,</b> does this mean we are saying they are going to Hellfire? No! We do not know what will happen in their life or what is in their heart but this person isn't required to have a nikkah when they get married, they are not expected to pay zakat, etc.<br />
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Notice in the examples given that we mentioned people who are denying that an action is a sin or that something is obligatory. There is a big difference between someone committing a sin when they are weak and denying it is a sin altogether. We are all sinners and Muslims may be punished for their deeds, in this life or the next, even if they are eventually destined for Paradise, by Allah's Mercy.<br />
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In short, Kufar is a legal term used for anyone who does not appear to be Muslim. Kufar is not a word used for a sinning Muslim, nor is it a derogatory term. We use it to classify someone, especially in legal matters such as paying zakat (required charity tax), creating a marriage contract, etc. It does not mean this person is going to Hellfire as no one in creation can determine this. It is up to Allah.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-74801154896273456122010-04-03T14:03:00.000-05:002010-04-03T14:03:03.930-05:00Don't We Learn From History?Have you ever thought about the similarities of the Palestinian people and the Native Americans? How can we acknowledge the atrocities that happened to the Native American at the hands of the Europeans settlers but yet justify the Jews "right" to take land, at all costs, because they "were there first" (3,000 years ago!).<br />
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How many people that believe that Israel should be given to the Jews would hand over their home to any Native American that said "Hey, I want it back." I doubt it... seriously. And even more than that, who wouldn't put up a fight and take weapons to protect themselves if this was a sweeping movement effecting their friends, family and neighbors?<br />
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It would make a large statement to the world if these two groups banded together to speak up about what is happening. I don't think many people who support the expansion of Israel really understand what human rights violations they are agreeing to. I think they are also forgetting about the Golden Rule.<br />
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So let's say, for argument's sake, that Israel should be inhabited by only Jews and this land needs to be "purified" of all other races and religions and this is God's wish. Are we doing this in a way that God would approve? Does the end justify the means? The infamous question - What would Jesus (pbuh) do? While Jesus surprised many with his answers to questions he was asked, I have great doubts he (pbuh) would say, "Well, anyone who won't move, bulldoze their home. It doesn't matter if they are sleeping in it at the time."<br />
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We are in a time of technology and engineering. We are constantly breaking records of the tallest building in the world... why do people have to move in order for others to inhabit the same city? Can't tall apartment buildings be built?<br />
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The answer is, what is happening is nothing short of ethnic cleansing. This is what happened to the Native Americans at the hands of the Europeans and we are living the United States, aware of our own history, and allowing it to happen to others. The bombs dropped on the civilians might as well have the stamp "Made in the USA." Is this what you, as an American, a human being, approve of?Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-9239674330071261962010-04-01T07:20:00.000-05:002010-04-01T07:20:15.807-05:00The Pens Have Been Lifted and the Pages Have Dried<blockquote>On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, who said : One day I was behind the prophet and he said to me:<br />
<br />
"Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice] : Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." Narrated Tirmidhi </blockquote><br />
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I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Knowing that we are tested throughout this life and that Allah tests those that He loves. It is through those tests that we can grow stronger and wiser. People simply don't make as much progress through times of ease. <br />
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He tests us with money, love, family, friends, abilities, etc. We learn as each one is taken away or reduced to be grateful for what we have. We learn to hold on to what we need, let go of what we don't, and delight in the small joys we are blessed with daily. <br />
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There are some of us who turn hard and cold from these trials. They shut down the piece of themselves that was hurt in order to prevent future pain. We fail to learn the lessons we needed to learn, and we fail to realize that a different part of our heart will be tested later. We aren't saving ourselves from future pain, but instead prisoning ourselves inside the past. <br />
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We must not trick ourselves into believing we are a victim of circumstance. Even in situations where we don't have control over what happens, we have control over how we REACT. In instances where we feel hurt from another, we must put ourselves in their shoes and understand their motivations and drive. <br />
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We can not wish to change another while resisting to look at the world through their eyes. <br />
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Take the time. Get to know what someone else understands. Know why they think the way they do. Take the time. Stop talking. Start listening. <br />
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<blockquote>The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge - Stephen Hawking</blockquote><br />
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When there is not another person involved, we must accept what has been handed to us and accept that there is Wisdom in what has happened. Make the best out of it. Look forward. Look back only to evaluate and make adjustments so you can progress. Simply put - take time for yourself, but sulking is a waste of energy. Stand up. Move forward. Get on with life. Everyone else is. <br />
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<blockquote>What missed a servant could not have hit him and what hit him could not have missed him. - Imam Tahawi</blockquote>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-84997673789031798752010-02-26T13:47:00.000-06:002010-02-26T13:47:43.524-06:00Interpretations and IntentionsSo, let's talk about this. The thing that upset some and completely offended others. The thing that caused backbiting and stress.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywAh0W0HBuD6xo3aJZqwrgFvtrMuHkA1RghrjnPtrjXIJiT1OfV93w5CinDKw0Ai8aIonm3JPvRgR8ahTOuw_bdsqTz52wKk_0mPP6ckCMLTjJn86TzIRRK9G7W3XOTVzCN55RLhZ64PC/s1600-h/lollipop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywAh0W0HBuD6xo3aJZqwrgFvtrMuHkA1RghrjnPtrjXIJiT1OfV93w5CinDKw0Ai8aIonm3JPvRgR8ahTOuw_bdsqTz52wKk_0mPP6ckCMLTjJn86TzIRRK9G7W3XOTVzCN55RLhZ64PC/s320/lollipop.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Caption: The difference between a covered and uncovered woman.<br />
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This picture can be taken in many different interpretations. What I find interesting is that it brings forward the preconceptions people have; it reveals what they assume within.<br />
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<b>Hijab: </b>assumed to be limited to the headcovering that Muslim women wear. Yes, the word, hijab, is typically used in this fashion as it makes it easy to describe and determine what you are talking about. The concept behind hijab is much more wide though, and should be understood correctly. Hijab is not only covering your hair, but covering your body shape and being modest in mind and action. Hijab in this sense is for both men and women. Anyone following one of the three Abrahamic religions will agree that modesty is a moral deeply valued.<br />
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As Muslims, we believe that modesty is a timeless value and does not change with the social norms. The dress code does not become more strict or lax when those around them change the way they dress. As such, we dress relatively the same as we did 1400 years ago. The cloth and colors and styles are different, yes, but the level of modesty remains the same. This is not true for all Muslims, but many Muslims do follow this, or have intention of reaching this level at some point, inshaAllah.<br />
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Does this mean that anyone who does not dress the same is considered immoral or immodest? NO</blockquote><br />
There are many women in this world that have the intention of dressing modestly. While we believe that the guidelines we follow are valuable for all people, we don't hold people who aren't Muslim to the same standards we hold. Heck, we don't hold others basically to any standard... who are we to make the measuring stick for the world's population to live up to?<br />
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<b>So who or what does this picture refer to?</b> It refers to those who place themselves on display intentionally and it refers to the unwanted attention people get when they are out and about. In no way is the intention behind showing this to the general public a secret way for me to degrade those who do not dress like me. <br />
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<i>I welcome discussion and comments.</i>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-86915244971657401322010-02-20T01:01:00.003-06:002010-02-20T01:32:00.081-06:00The Opening...<blockquote>1. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.<br />2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds<br />3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful<br />4. Master of the, Day of Judgment.<br />5. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.<br />6. Show us the straight way.<br />7. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray. [Qur'an, Surah (chapter) 1 in its entirety]</blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Right now, my mind is busy and I can't imagine sleeping. I think about these words, the Words of God, and how much they mean to me. I can't imagine sleeping as I'm distracted by all the things I want to say to so many different people, and these Words of God move me in this moment. I need to share. Then, maybe I can sleep, inshaAllah. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>With His name, I live. Although I'm just a simple human and I forget to begin even meaningful things in His name, it touches me each time I remember to do so consciously. I want it to remain conscious and not a habit I form and forget why I'm doing it. He allowed me another day to live and to repent for anything I wish. He allows me to breathe and talk to those close to me, learn, and he has given me ears to listen. Why don't I start with His name, the most beautiful names, more often?</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>To Him is only where our praise should be directed. Who else would deserve praise when He gives us the faculties in order to do things that are praiseworthy in the first place? My heart finds rest knowing He is in control, and I praise this.</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Most Gracious, Most Merciful</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Who knows more mercy than the one who created mercy? He has given us mercy to use in our daily lives. Are we using it? How are we using it? We are in such need of His Mercy that it humbles me to think of how I could have ever thought that I was sufficient, or merciful on my own. I become low and stingy with my mercy towards others based on my current mood or situation. This shows my fleeting ability to give the mercy He has provided me. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Master of the, Day of Judgment.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>I will meet my Master, Creator, Judge, Sustainer... I will be held accountable. And in those times that I feel like not giving mercy and grace, I must remember that I will be held accountable for this; and they will be held accountable for the reason I am feeling merciless. In the end, there is both justice and mercy and while I feel wronged, and can not sleep, I can rest knowing that this world is so fleeting and insignificant in terms of time. What can I do to make this life significant? To make the next life significant... in a positive way?</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Who else? Who else can guide me when I feel so wronged and alone? It is only through recognizing our Creator for who He is and acting accordingly that we can live successful lives. When we recognize Him as the Creator of all that there is, it is only to Him that we can turn to in the darkest of times.</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Show us the straight way.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>We need His guidance. "I was once lost, but now am found", as the Bible says. A Buddhist monk said, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." We ask that Allah shows us what it means to be found and shows us the correct way to look at the world, ourselves, and scripture. We ask that He gives us the guidance in the way that HE wants us to live our lives and the strength and courage to do so even in opposition. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, Those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>I ask Allah for specific guidance. To be of those who He has shown His Grace and to lead me to walk in their footsteps. People throughout time are not all that different. There are those who walk in the footsteps of the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them all) and those who tread their own path and lose the guidance and light from Allah. Please keep me from being of those who follow their own conjecture and inshaAllah (God-willing) stay with those that have the proof and guidance given by the one and only God, Allah subhana wa ta'ala (Glorious and Exalted is He)</div>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-8015862349204891562010-02-18T13:38:00.002-06:002010-02-18T14:12:41.697-06:00Don't Touch Me With Your ReligionWe live in a society today where everyone is free to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't bother or interfere with another's life. This of course, can go under many interpretations. Many people would say that homosexuality isn't a big deal... but yet, they don't want to see them showing affection in public. The same goes for Muslims. Many will say that religion is a personal choice, but when it comes to women wearing the hijab (headscarf), this appears to impose on the American lifestyle or people feel it is necessary to "liberate" such women from this "oppression." The same opposition is shown when Muslims ask for breaks at work in order to pray.<br /><br />The fact is, that we don't live in a rural society anymore, and we are going to step on each other's toes. We must look towards the middle path which means not accepting anything in order to not hurt anyone's feelings, nor should we distance ourselves from anyone different from ourselves. We are commanded to speak up, but we should choose our words carefully.<br /><br /><blockquote>"Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success." [Qur'an 3:104]</blockquote><br /><br />And as the "different" ones, we can't hide our religion nor push it in anyone's face. Simply, we follow the guidelines of Islam in how to conduct our daily lives, and make accommodations when necessary. We can't please everyone, and it seems we are bound to upset some. How we handle that though can make the world of difference. We must be an active part in our societies and make positive difference and maybe this gap that seems so wide may become more narrow through time, education, care, and understanding.<br /><br />Remember - you are not God. You don't know everything. Allow for others to speak and to give their voice respect. You may learn something.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-39532587071550268622010-02-04T07:22:00.005-06:002010-02-04T12:54:20.056-06:00My Thoughts on the GospelsI recently finished reading the Gospels in the Revised Standard Version Bible we have (thank you, thrift store for always having Bibles on sale!). I had read parts of the Bible and many parts in order as I had intentions on reading it cover to cover a number of times, but that was over 10 years ago now so I felt I needed to renew my knowledge of what Christians believe Jesus said. Now, I'm no expert and I still haven't gone back through my notes, highlighted passages and everything to bring it all together... so let's call this my rough draft of thoughts.<br /><br />First, for those who aren't Muslim, I will explain the Muslim's belief in Jesus and the Bible. We believe that Jesus was a mighty messenger of God, one of the best sent to mankind. The books sent down from God, including the Gospel and the Torah, in its original form was the pure Word of God. We <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> that the original text does not exist today in its pure form and we know this from Bible scholars themselves. We believe that today's Bible that we have available has pieces of truth and wisdom, but since it has been changed by man throughout time, we do not accept the whole of it without question. With that said, we see passages that remain the same throughout time from the books of the Torah (from Moses), the Psalms (from David), and the Gospel (from Jesus, peace be upon them all) and we believe that these all point to the universal message God has sent since the beginning of time, so we point to these to illustrate what we know to be true.<br /><br />Okay.... now to the meat of this!<br /><br />Jesus is clear in his directive. He came to guide the lost sheep of Israel back to the worship of the One True God. He commonly shows his slavehood to God, the Father and refers to the fact that he was sent for God's purpose, not of his own. Yes, he does say that "I and the Father are one" [John 10:30], but he also refers to his disciples as one with him [John 17:22] and in fact, gives them the same power that God gave to Jesus. They are able to heal others and preach; not on their own, but through the power that Jesus gave to them through God, the Father. My question is, how come Jesus is considered divine, but the disciples are not? <span style="font-style: italic;">Especially</span> if Jesus is considered God Himself, why would the relationship be different when the words he is using are the same?<br /><br />Second, Jesus prayed to God. It doesn't make sense that Jesus would pray to himself nor that he would say "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" [Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34] He forsook himself?? Jesus continually preaches that with correct faith, his followers can do anything, including move mountains [Matthew 17:20]. Yet, when he prayed to God (himself?) to "take this cup from me" [Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42] regarding the Jews trying to persecute him, his prayer was not answered?<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>As a Muslim, we believe that Jesus was saved from the torture on the cross (his prayer was answered). How? We don't know, and that's okay. In my reading of the gospels, I feel this matches closer with the Gospel account than the crucifixion story we know today.</blockquote><br />Jesus also instructed all of his followers to keep the commandments [John 14:15 and Matthew 19:17-21] and there is no record to show that he strayed from following the commandments himself. There are points where the Jews accused him of not keeping the Sabbath, but in each instance, Jesus uses this as a time to teach what the Sabbath is really about, and to correct their actions.<br /><br />Some singular points to mention:<br /><ul><li>In John 3:16, the word "begotten" is not accurately translated. The original meaning of the Greek word "monogenes" is "unique" and is translated as such in different areas of the Bible.<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">This could be my own misunderstanding, but I didn't believe that high priests existed at the time of Jesus (priest is a very Christian terms, and they were Jews at the time)</span>, but the high priest prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation [John 11:51-52] and it sounds as if this is a new prophesy, especially considering that previous prophecies were stated specifically throughout the Gospels. However, a Christian once pointed out to me that Isaiah 53:5 points to the atonement of sins by Jesus as a prophecy. It just doesn't make sense that someone new would be making this claim of prophecy if it was known for quite some time.</li><li>A common response to those who say that Jesus never said to worship him is that people did worship him, and he did not stop them. Again, when we look at the meaning of the Greek word "prosekunesan" that is translated to "worship", it literally means "to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand" and has the general meaning of "bow, crouch, crawl, kneel or prostrate." This type of reverence was common in that time, especially to a leader in the land or community.</li><li>Lastly, the stark contrasts in varying events in the Gospel are concerning, but this is a large topic on its own.<br /></li></ul>Overall, the Gospels are overwhelmingly the same message that Islam teaches and solidifies my faith in knowing I am following the path that God has laid down for us since the beginning of time. It is through the works of Paul that the message gets distorted to something that Jesus would say "I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' [Matthew 7:21-23]<br /><br />Peace and blessings to all. This is not to throw stones at anyone personally.... it is only to share my findings when searching on my journey of faith.Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-41228015420711456442010-01-25T14:21:00.001-06:002010-01-25T14:21:28.933-06:00Before You JudgeBefore you think about others actions, think about their situations<br />Before you assume you know something about another person, think about what could be hidden.<br /><br />What about the girl who got all the guys?<br />Did you ever think she was taught she was worth nothing more than that attention?<br /><br />What about the guy who does steroids to stay in sports?<br />Did you ever think his dad only said he was proud when he did well in sports?<br />Did you ever think his only safe haven was at school and he stayed in sports to run away?<br /><br />Did you ever think that there may be an explanation that could bring grace to your judgment?<br /><br />What about the young girl who has sex with her boyfriends?<br />Did you ever think she wasn't ever taught there was a better way?<br />Did you ever think her parents expected her to do it?<br />Did you ever think she was only taught that this was the way to get attention?<br />...Where's the judgment on the guy?<br /><br />What about the kid who sells drugs at school?<br />Did you ever think their parents were providing it?<br />Did you ever think it was helping to pay the mortgage?<br /><br />What about the kid with bad grades?<br />Did you ever think they gave up because their parents told them they would fail?<br />Did you ever think they were working two jobs to help pay the bills?<br /><br />What about the mom with kids from many different dads?<br />Did you ever think she loved the fathers each at some point?<br />Did you ever think she was trying to find her love?<br />... Did you ever think she was doing the best she knew how?<br /><br />Even a 12 year old gets the idea of drinking away the pain... it is in the media... it is in the home.<br />What else did you expect?Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-15055007714459607152009-11-23T13:58:00.003-06:002009-11-23T14:16:00.178-06:00Holidays?Here we are... in the holiday season for most Americans, and those of us who don't celebrate the same holidays are left wondering what to do? What's more challenging is what to do with family members who do celebrate these holidays. Do we follow along with everyone as if nothing is different? Do we sit quietly during time of prayer and worship in a manner we don't follow?<br /><br />Things are tough... for everyone. I've found recently that I wish to run the other direction when it comes to these holidays. Family feels it necessary to take time out of the celebration to explain to us why they believe we are wrong, why we are going to hell, or they will mention how they politely don't mention religion, but yet must tell us what else in our life is not up to their standard or another thing we are doing wrong.<br /><br />Have holidays become the time to take each person to a measuring stick and verify if they are good enough or not? Time and time again it is proven that we don't measure up. Eventually will we be forbidden to come? Probably not... then we would miss out on the intense wisdom and guidance that everyone has to give in the form of criticism and critiquing. Last time I checked, I don't get paid to come to the holiday events, so I didn't realize it would be my semi-annual review on how I am living my life.<br /><br />In Islam, we are taught to keep family ties and that it is a major sin to break these family ties. My question is, how far does this go? **I go forward from this thought making intention to find hadiths on what exactly is expected.** If we walk away from each family event feeling less successful as a human being, are we expected to continue putting ourselves through such trial so that they are not upset by us refusing their ultimate wisdom on our continued failures?<br /><br />In the case of being preached to, should we take this same time to discuss our viewpoint on the holidays, the background and history and what we feel is the correct stance in such instances. Oh no, that would be rude, inconsiderate and downright disrespectful.<br /><br />How much tolerance is necessary for family?Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1593010282790333335.post-19313926270102713572009-11-06T13:54:00.000-06:002009-11-06T13:55:26.367-06:00Does Islam condone terrorism?Does Islam condone terrorism?<br /><br />Many people will say "Yes, of course, there's verses in the Qur'an that state exactly so! And of course, there's the common known rule that any verse is abrogated by a verse revealed chronologically later!"<br /><br />Simply put, the "fact" that a peaceful verse is abrogated by a later verse about is simply not true. It was not taught in the Prophet's (peace be upon him) time and there is no sound scripture or hadith (sayings of the Prophet pbuh) to back up this claim. There are Muslims that teach this in order to lead those they want to do as they wish. This is where someone reading and learning for themselves is extremely important.<br /><br />The verses that people use to back up their argument that Islam is a violent religion should be understood in their context. Not only in their scriptural context but also the situational context. We have documentation that states when and how verses were revealed. That means there is a place and time for each verse to be understood correctly. The most seemingly violent verses in the Qur'an should be understood in the time they were revealed... times of war. They were being actively attacked, even after moving to another city to find peace, and Allah (God) has never told His people to not stand up for themselves. As a Muslim, I understand these verses to mean that if someone is charging at my door to kill me, I should protect myself and my family.<br /><br />Let's treat this fairly... there are verses in the Bible that I could use to prove it is a violent religion as well. Heck, especially if I never read the whole thing and relied on people to filter it for me, I could absolutely find verses to support this argument. Such as:<br /><br /><i></i><blockquote><i>Matthew 10:33-35 (King James Version)<br /><br />But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. </i></blockquote><br /><br />But the fact is, as Americans, we are given the right and the freedom to read whatever books we want and therefore, we don't need to rely on people to tell us what is in a book... we can read it ourselves. So instead of coming to conclusions based on what other people say, let's make our own conclusions based on independent study and research.<br /><br />For those still insistent on leaving it to others to find information for them, here's some verses from the Qur'an that touches on key points that many people either don't know, or ignore when they hear/read it:<br /><blockquote><br /><i>Qur'an, Surah Al-Anaam (6)<br />151. Say: "Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": join not anything with Him; Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want;― provide sustenance for you and for them;― come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.<br /><br />152. And come not nigh to the orphan's property, except to improve it, until he attain the age of full strength; give measure and weight with (full) justice;― no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear;― whenever ye speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned; and fulfil the Covenant of Allah: thus doth He command you, that ye may remember.<br /><br />153. Verily, this is My Way leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His path: thus doth He command you, that ye may be righteous.<br /><br />154. Moreover, We gave Moses the Book, completing (Our favour) to those who would do right, and explaining all things in detail,― and a guide and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord.<br /><br />155. And this is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing: so follow it and be righteous, that ye may receive mercy:</i></blockquote><i></i>Durriyyahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11840664184077787157noreply@blogger.com0