What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? - Islam for Muslims - Nairaland
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| What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 11:49am On Aug 26, 2012 |
I have always taken the definition of having 'faith' in Islam to mean assent or submission to the doctrines of Islam and also having belief, trust and assurance that they are the truth even when you cannot fully rationalize them. The reason for my having this belief is simply deduction from studying other tenets in Islam and not because I have seen any precise definition of what faith means. Yesterday I was talking to a Christian NLer and they explained to me that faith which cannot be backed up by logic is invalid. That discussion gave me a whole new perspective on things and I started wondering whether my deduced understanding of faith in Islam might be incorrect afterall. So I came to ask, what is the exact concept of faith in Islam? Is it the unquestioned acceptance of things not fully understood or must faith be backed up by rational reasoning for it to be valid? Which is the correct stand? 1 Like |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Avicenna: 12:37pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
I think you know the answer to your question. Saying anything is futile. I v been here long enough to know how intelligent you are. Accept it or leave it. That's faith. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 12:46pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
fellis: I have always taken the definition of having 'faith' in Islam to mean assent or submission to the doctrines of Islam and also having belief, trust and assurance that they are the truth even when you cannot fully rationalize them. first it is quite suprising that a christian is talking about logic and reasoning on faith.i do not want to go deep on that before treating your question.however,christianity have no rationality for its beliefs.take for example the central doctrine of all christianity which is the crucifixion.there is no rationality for it. in (Shia) Islam for instance as we also see in the Quran,the Aql or intellect is in fact regarded as one of the 5 basis to draw laws in the sharia system.the Quran does insist on the word "aql" (intellect) in many verses and actually in some verses asks the unbelievers:"don't you use your intellect","don't you reflect","don't you ponder" and "don't you think".if Islam wants us to believe without rationalizing,i do not think those questions would be asked in the first place.there is no concept in Islam of "believing first" and "understand later".it is in fact christianity which uses that technique and places the burden on "holy spirit inspiration" for believing.when you show them evidence in their bible and question their beliefs,they tell you that you need the "holy spirit".and that is exactly the same "holy spirit" excuse all christians use,even when they contradict each other and in fact do evil deeds.a pastor abused a woman in ghana and claimed the holy spirit told him to!!! Islam does not ask anyone to believe blindly or because the religion says so.it gives good and valid reasons for everything in the system of things starting with the foundation which is Tawheed.the validity and rationality of Tawheed for instance is present in the Quran.why we do not believe God can beget a son is also rationally put in the Quran. these are all based on how and what to believe.now in Islam there is a difference between a Muslim (someone who submits or accepts Islam) and a Mu'meen (believer who has faith).a Muslim is required to utter the shahadatain with his lips and believe with his heart.but the extent to which the Muslim believes in his heart,only God knows.that is why among the Muslims,you cannot know who is a true believer and who isn't.(there is the issue of conviction which must be based on understanding).in fact you are not supposed to know (who isn't a true believer) because only God can know what is in the hearts and only He can judge.you as a fellow human can assess outward actions and draw conclusions,but when it comes to especially a doer of good you really cannot tell if he is that good.therefore it is easier to recognize an evil person based on his outward evil deeds and harm,than an outwardly good person who is inwardly evil. faith does come through submission (Islam),which must be based on intellect,reason and logic.thus,obedience without understand is indeed blindness!!!while Islam (submission) or becoming a Muslim starts and remains with the shahadatain uttered,faith (in the heart) can either keep growing or keep getting smaller until you lose faith in the religion altogether and stop being a Muslim. this is a very good verse (differeniating inward faith and outward submission) of how Allah (swt) exposed the bedouins arabians who are described in the Holy Quran as the "stauchest in hypocrisy" because Allah (swt) knows what is in the hearts: "The bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."(49:14) there are other things about people's inner selves and what they conceal inwardly that were also revealed to the Prophet (sa).the Quran does also make mention of those "secrets" concealed in the hearts of men to cause harm to Islam and God exposed them to the very amazement of those who concealed those evil thoughts,who later would ask "from where did the Messenger knew this"? i would advice you read this: "Rationality of Islam" By His Eminence Ayatullah Sayyid Abu'l Qasim al-Khu'i http://www.al-islam.org/rationality/ 13 Likes 1 Share |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 1:03pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
^@ Avicenna, The question is for muslims, i do not think you can offer an answer anyway... Not even as an ex-muslim In Islam, there is a difference between submitting and having Iman (usually translated as faith).. Like the Quran says (rough translation): The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only)say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Iman entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 49:14) There are many muslims that have submitted to the faith but have no Iman... I would say the majority of muslims are in that boat... The sweetness of having Iman is one of the most amazing feelings in the world... It is an absolute conviction borne out of an intellectual conviction of the faith not just blind faith. However, there could be people that are intellectually convinced but do not have Iman... It varies from individual to individual. The Quran demands that you use your intellect and reason to come up with conclusions about the faith however we must not become intellectually arrogant. Those who become intellectually arrogant will never find truth, and would only get misled. Do not expect to know everything, there are many things in the Quran that we do not know exactly what they mean... Allah says (rough translation) : He is the One Who has revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are decisive -they are the foundation of the Book - while others are allegorical. Those whose hearts are infected with disbelief follow the allegorical part to mislead others and to give it their own interpretation, seeking for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. Those who are well grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it; it is all from our Lord." None will take heed except the people of understanding. (Surah 3:7) There is enough evidence of the truth of this faith for the honest seeker; My study of the Quran has dismantled every single contention i can possibly have about faith.. We have such an incredible book unfortunately many muslims haven't studied enough of it. I think this addresses your question. 4 Likes |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 1:28pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
Translating Iman as faith is a very shallow translation.... Iman is not what you mean by 'faith' in the english context... This article gives a good explanation http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/what-is-iman/ |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by maclatunji: 3:00pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
OP, in simple language. You cannot understand everything in this life and have to accept some things without the totalitarian certainty. I refer you to the story of Moses (AS) and his quest to see God. Insha Allah I will be back. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 3:57pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
maclatunji: OP, in simple language. You cannot understand everything in this life and have to accept some things without the totalitarian certainty. I refer you to the story of Moses (AS) and his quest to see God. Insha Allah I will be back. i do not think she is after understanding everything in life. she is after understanding the things she already knows about and believes in.she is seeking explanations about things already presented and known to her.she is entitled and have every right to know and question and seek explanations because that is the way of Islam that even prophets in the Quran demonstrated to convince their own selves.so how much more of us who are not prophets? we have every right to seek knowledge and to ask every question to know more. when Moses (as) wanted to see God or Abraham (as) asked God to show him how He gives life,God gave them a sign respectively and something convincing which Moses (as) and Abraham (as) saw and they were satisfied with, as good as seeing God or knowing how God give life to the dead. Holy Quran 7:143 "And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [ Allah ] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers." Holy Quran 2:260 "And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead." [ Allah ] said, "Have you not believed?" He said, "Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied." [ Allah ] said, "Take four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them; then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." 1 Like |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by maclatunji: 4:27pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
^You have misread my post. What I meant is that there are certain things that defy logic. Hence, seeking to explain everything in purely logical terms is impossible. She already implied this in her opening post. Thank you for quoting the relevant verses about Prophet Musa (AS). He sought to see God to satisfy all curiosity and found that impossible, he had reached his limit. There are people under the delusion that humans can understand everything about their existence and environment. Hence, people are made to believe everything can be logically explained in black and white. This is not true, that's when faith within her definition comes to play. To see how logic can be initially useless, I refer Fellis to the story of Moses and Khidr (Peace be upon them). |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 8:10pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
maclatunji: ^You have misread my post. What I meant is that there are certain things that defy logic. Hence, seeking to explain everything in purely logical terms is impossible. She already implied this in her opening post. i think you have misread the question of the OP and her purpose in creating this thread.may be you can go through her OP again. the OP is simply asking after the definition of faith in Islam and whether that implies unquestioned belief.she further drew a parallel and relative comparison by talking about her discussion with a christian who wrong asserted that christianity is rational in its beliefs. now your ideas of using Moses (as) or even Abraham (as) to state that there are things that defy logic is either a misplaced statement that does not belong to this thread and its purpose or in itself an idea not fully explained.i do not want anyone to misunderstand your point (which i do no understand to an extent) and then claim Islam ask its followers to believe blindly,when that is definitely not the case in Islam.God does not defy logic and neither is Islam an irrational set of beliefs.even the idea of (not) seeing God can be understood and rationalized even when it is not possible to see God.you do not simply say that "you cannot see God and that is the end of the story without explaining why".if you bring the idea that there are things that cannot be explained in totality,you do have a point to an extent but not to the extent of saying that certain things defy logic especially when it involves the concept of faith in Islam and our pride in seeking understanding that Islam promotes.Islam is not an illogical religion.when you say something isn't logical,then it is definitely illogical. when the OP was asking about the concept of faith,it is within the frame of these verses: Holy Quran 6:50 "...Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?" Holy Quran 35:19 "Not equal are the blind and the seeing" now when you cite the example of Moses (as) wanting to see God,even though it isn't possible to see God,that answer can still be rationalized as to why we cannot see God.based on the OP's parallel talking about christians,you citing the case of Moses (as) is out of place because even the christians cannot see God and in the case of Abraham (as),christians too do not know how to give life or create.in fact on the point of not seeing God,this very point proves Islam's rationality and proves christianity's irrationality.we cannot see God because the physical eye cannot grasp the might of Allah (may His name be exalted).likewise when you go to the bible,we read in more than one place that man cannot see God,and the bible also states that because God is spirit!!!now i said this point proves christianity's irrationality because christians believe Jesus (as) is "god" and Jesus (as) was someone who was seen and he was not a spirit.therefore logic dictates that if Jesus (as) is "god" no one can see him;but you know he was seen!!! a christian can argue further that Jesus (as) is the manifestation of God.but yet still that will not prove him to be God Himself who cannot be seen. when Moses (as) himself asked to see God,the intent behind that enquiry is to know that God truly exists.likewise in the case of Abraham (as) when he asked to know how to give life,it is to be sure God is the one who gives life rather than to learn "the skill of giving life".in both cases,i think you are going too far away from the scope of the OP's enquiry. one important point i would like you to observe is the rhetorical question God makes when answering Abraham (as) in verse 2:260.God did not ask Abraham (as) "have you not submitted"? rather God asked him "have you not believed"? in that state,Abraham (as) was already a Muslim (submitting to God's will) but in order to perfect his faith he needed conviction to believe solidly.God also demonstrated that being a true believer supercedes being a "submitter" (muslim),and that can happen with conviction.so God did not rebuke Abraham (as) or Moses (as) for seeking knowledge but rather give them satisfactory replies.my point is simply that seeking knowledge to understand in Islam is priority.you can clearly see that knowledge strengthens faith and therefore God answered Abraham's (as) enquiry with a sign that would convince him of who truly the giver and taker of life is.the point is,from that verse even though as you rightly say there are things we do not know,we still today are able to rationalize why we do not know "the skill" to give life.it is because we are created creatures and only the Creator have that quality.in the case of Jesus (as),he gave life to the dead with God's permission.in fact Abraham (as) himself was not after becoming another "creator" or "possessing the skill".rather he was after gaining conviction and strengthening his belief in the One who truly give and take life.even with our limited ability to do/explain certain things because we are created and creatures of God depending on Him,and therefore we are limited,we can still rationalize fully to get valid reasons as to why we believe or accept certain things based on the knowledge and gift of aql (intellect) God provided us.in fact like on the case of "not seeing God",this is a good point which supports Islam's rationality and christianity's irrationality. we therefore are not supposed to believe without understanding as to why we believe in that way and not this way even though we cannot change certain things or are limited by our state of being to explain fully everything.let me conclude with two important verse of the Holy Quran which fully supports we seek knowledge to support our submission to gain conviction and strengthen our faith in our hearts based on understanding: Holy Quran 29:43 "And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge". and regarding using our God given gift based on aql (intellect),we read how we can develop understanding and sound faith based on knowledge through reasoning: Holy Quran 22:46 "So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts". |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by maclatunji: 9:56pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
^ You seem eager to argue. I don't disagree with you. However, I am painting the worst case scenario where we can't understand some things. We have no choice than to agree that God's divine wisdom cannot be fully understood and we have to accept our limits. Yes I agree, Islam is a very logical religion. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 10:27pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
Avicenna: I think you know the answer to your question.I am not sure what the answer is that is why I asked; I just want to confirm. Avicenna, I wanted to ask you a question, how is life as an atheist? Are you happier now than you were when you were a Muslim or does the thought of living only one short, transient life with no eternity depress you (like it depresses some new atheists)? |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 10:28pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
.modified |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 10:29pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
maclatunji: OP, in simple language. You cannot understand everything in this life and have to accept some things without the totalitarian certainty. I refer you to the story of Moses (AS) and his quest to see God.@bold, I know that I cannot understand or logically explain everything in the world. It's just that most of the things that defy explanation are not as important to me as others. The things that have nothing to do with how I follow my religion for instance, whether they defy logic or not would not concern me as much as those that involve Islam. But I understand your point. Thanks for taking the time to answer. tbaba123: .The above verse is one of the reasons why I had my opinion of what faith means. tbaba123:Really? This is nice to read. I'd probably email you questions on some things that I am not clear on. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 11:10pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
LagosShia:@bold, I know, that was the first time I was hearing a Christian say that faith must be backed by reason otherwise it is meaningless. There are Christians that would not agree with him on that opinion and would say that faith does not need to be accompanied by logic. He made a point though, that God gave us intellect and would not want us to thrust it aside and blindly accept anything and that the things which we do not seem to understand are things which the understanding has not come to us yet; it is not that they have no rational explanation at all and that was what got me thinking that maybe I was wrong about faith in Islam afterall. LagosShia:Does it? What about the verse tbaba quoted about some parts of the Qur'an being ambiguous? Thank you for answering. I'll be back, I am kind of busy right now. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 11:48pm On Aug 26, 2012 |
^ That verse is talking about the two types of verses that can be found in the Holy Quran and those who try to go around the laws to mislead themselves or others. It has nothing to do about understanding things or seeking knowledge to understand things.in the Quran there are allegorical verses.for instance the verse that says:'those who are blind in this world would also be blind in the next'.how do you interpret this? Or the verse that calls the Prophet (sa) 'khatamun nabiyyin' which is translated to mean 'seal of the prophets' but the Ahmadiyya sect say it means 'ring of the prophets' to justify Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's fake prophethood. The decisive verses, they are usually the ones that either forbid or permit certain things.like no one would deny alcohol is haram. You have to know that in Islam faith,knowledge,obedience and conviction are inter-related.don't forget the first revealed verse of the Holy Quran is 'Read'.don't also forget about seeking knowledge even if you have to go to china. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 12:26am On Aug 27, 2012 |
@LagosShia From my understanding, you have basically stated that 1. Everything in Islam is explainable and there is no illogical part. 2. Faith has to be based on reason otherwise it is just blindness. My questions are: There are parts of the Qur'an with no known meaning for instance at the beginning of some Surahs you find letters like Alif, Lam, Mim or Alif, Lam, Ra which have no explanable meaning (the commentary in the Qur'ans I have read mention that none but Allah knows their meaning) and Muslims are required to believe in every part of the Qur'an and to have faith in the Qur'an (one of the six articles of faith) How do you logically explain these parts that you don't even know the meaning of? Wouldn't believing in those parts of the Qur'an be blind faith? Also, there are Hadiths that speak against excessive questioning. What would 'excessive' entail in those cases? Does their speaking against excessive questioning mean that we are supposed to restrict our knowledge on certain issues? |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 12:37am On Aug 27, 2012 |
^ Are you equating your wisdom to that of Allah? You can not approach the Quran with that kind of arrogance.... SubhanAllah The fundamentals of the deen are clear; There are areas that are either beyond the understanding of humans or thing that based on what we know of our world at the moment we can not interpret... Trying to seek hidden meanings to things you do not understand will lead you astray The second part of the ayah says: but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. Those who are well grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it; it is all from our Lord." None will take heed except the people of understanding. I would encourage you to read this thread i. The Amazing Quran Season 2 : https://www.nairaland.com/1007823/journey-through-quran-amazing-quran |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 12:41am On Aug 27, 2012 |
tbaba1234: ^ Are you equating your wisdom to that of Allah?Are you talking to me or LagosShia? |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 12:42am On Aug 27, 2012 |
You fellis!! |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 12:53am On Aug 27, 2012 |
tbaba1234: You fellis!! Where did I equate my wisdom to that of Allah? And where did I show arrogance in approaching the Qur'an? |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 1:42am On Aug 27, 2012 |
fellis: Where did I equate my wisdom to that of Allah? And where did I show arrogance in approaching the Qur'an? The Quran clearly states that some of it is crystal clear and some are allegorical and you are asking questions about what is allegorical.... We do not bother our heads about what we do not understand. There is plenty in the Quran that shows that it is beyond the productive capacity of a Man. The rest that are not clear, the attitude of the muslim is Allah knows best... The basis of our faith is clear and logical... You speak about a hadith that talks about about asking excessive questions without properly understanding its context... Do you know the story of Musa and the israelis, when they were asked to sacrifice a cow? What was their reaction? They kept asking questions and made what was just a simple instruction into a much more difficult task. That is the context of the hadith, by asking excessive questions that would make it difficult for you to practise your faith... Also, we must avoid irrelvant questions that have no practicality... E.g Is giraffe halal? As regards asking questions to gain more understanding of the religion, the prophet praised the one that learnt the Quran and taught it... Islam has the answers to the Questions.. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 2:07am On Aug 27, 2012 |
tbaba1234:You did not understand my comment. I was asking LagosShia, who said that every thing in Islam has a logical explanation if the verse you quoted about the allegorical parts didn't contradict what he was saying. I didn't ask him to explain the allegorical verses to me, he then gave his opinion of what the verse means to explain his point clearly. tbaba1234:What exactly did I say with regards to the hadith? I ASKED what was meant by excessive questioning. I ASKED what it entailed. I did not speak of it without knowing the context in the sense you are implying. Na wa o. Is this paranoia? Why are failing to understand my post? I am not attacking Islam, I wouldn't do that. I am just asking. tbaba1234: Do you know the story of Musa and the israelis, when they were asked to sacrifice a cow? What was their reaction? They kept asking questions and made what was just a simple instruction into a much more difficult task.Thank you for explaining the hadith. I just need LagosShia to give his thoughts on what I wrote about those parts of the Qur'an that consist of only letters. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by tbaba1234: 2:11am On Aug 27, 2012 |
Please forgive me if i misinterpreted you... Assalam Aleikum |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 2:15am On Aug 27, 2012 |
tbaba1234: Please forgive me if i misinterpreted you... Assalam AleikumWalaikum salam wa rahmatullah. All is well, I am not offended at all. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by OAM4J: 2:43am On Aug 27, 2012 |
Was discussing faith and logic with someone recently, hence my interest on this topic. If it is logical and proven then then there is no need for faith. We only need faith to accept what we can not explain or understand as truth. For example the concept on omnipresent and omniscient attributes of God can never be explained or understand by any logical mind. We just have to believe God is everywhere and knows everything including our secret thoughts. That is faith. Let just say we are too limited as human to understand all spiritual things. So we believe and follow God by faith. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by maclatunji: 8:27am On Aug 27, 2012 |
OAM4J: Was discussing faith and logic with someone recently, hence my interest on this topic. LOL. There are some things that you have said that are not in congruence with Islamic beliefs. I think we should just let them pass because we get the gist of what you are saying. However, religion must be logical and rational. Even scientists with all their empiricism and logic do have situations where they don't have rational explanations. Hence, you have things like UFOs and X-Files (not the series or movies even if they loosely depict the concept). |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 2:30pm On Aug 27, 2012 |
fellis: @LagosShiadefinitely!you're 100% right. if i am to add further,the Quran makes it clear that we should believe based on what we know of the truth and not even follow what our father or ancestors worship. Holy Qur'an: 2:170 "When they are told: 'Follow what Allah has sent down to you,' they say: 'We are following what we found our fathers doing.' What? even though their fathers did not understand a thing and were not guided? so if we do not base our beliefs on understanding/knowledge then what is the difference between us who believe in Allah (swt) and follow Islam,and those who worship idols or those who believe God have daughters or those who believe God came down to die for them or those (even among Muslims who believe in Tajseem) who believe God have body parts like hands and face? first of all,let me treat the question on these divine letters or abbreviations as something we have no knowledge about.i.e from the angle you're looking at.even in that case,we are not believing blindly because our faith in following Islam and believing in the Quran is based on many convincing proofs and reasoning that makes our faith unquestionable as Muslims. secondly who says those letters have no tafseer? it all depends on the tafseer you're reading.Allah (swt) has given knowledge to those He has chosen.there are things he informs them from the Unseen and others He hasn't or does at different times. as for the letters of the Quran you say there is no meaning,i do not subscribe to that idea.if you check Tafseer al-Mizan or other Shia tafseer these letters have tafseer.as i can recall,the letters "Kaf (K) Ha (H) Ya (Y) Ain ('A) Sad ('S) have to do with prophecy about the tragedy of Karbala. Kaf=Karbala Ha=Halak (perdition) Ya=Yazeed Ain=Atash (thirst) Sad=Sabr (patience). these letters are found in Surat Maryam.and in that very Surah there is the story of Prophet Zakariya (as) and his son Prophet Yahya (as).it is important to note the striking similarity between Imam Hussain (as) and Prophet Yahya (as).both were blessed and chosen by Allah (swt) and both sacrificed their lives for the cause of Allah (swt) and they were both beheaded and their heads placed on spears. you may also find meanings of the other letters from the holy 12 Imams of the Ahlul-Bayt (as) revealing the knowledge Allah (swt) bestowed upon them and the holy Prophet (sa) passed to them. however i should remind you that such knowledge does not affect our fundamental beliefs as Muslims.just like the Prophet (sa) was told in the following verse: Holy Quran 17:85 "And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." clearly such questions are based more on acquiring knowledge of the unseen than justifying or proving what we actually believe in as Muslims. this depends on the context of the hadith.but definitely even without seeing the hadith i can confidently say this hadith have nothing to do with seeking knowledge to gain understanding and have conviction in what you believe. from what i read from tbaba's clarification,it simply shows that questioning is meant in the sense of obedience to the divine authority sent by Allah (swt) among men who have accepted him.for example,if you believe truly in Muhammad (sa) and you believe in his message and you're convinced what he brought,then if he is among us,you have no reason to question his commands.there are "followers" of prophets who question the order giving to the "followers".let us take Umar's insurbodination in the treaty of Hudaibiyyah by questioning the pact the Prophet (sa) made with Quraysh after allegiance was pledged to the Prophet (sa) in what is known as "Bay'atul Ridwan". Holy Quran 48:18 "Indeed those who swear allegiance to you do but swear allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is above their hands, and so whosoever violates his oath does so only to his own detriment, only to hurt his self. Whoever fulfills his covenant with Allah, Allah will soon grant him great recompense." later on the Quran did vindicate the action of the Prophet (sa) and showed that the Prophet (sa) took the right decision in the pact and actually the pact was a victory for the Muslims as time revealed. ofcourse,such insurbodination isn't limited to our Prophet (sa) but also the followers of Moses (as) who inspite of being saved from Egypt by Allah (swt) and the signs shown to them,still went on to disobey Moses and Aron (as).they went on to ask Moses (as) to provide them with "gods" like the other nations had and they ended up worshipping the calf. we have to be careful on these topics and issues not to mix things up and get easily confused. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Nobody: 3:35pm On Aug 27, 2012 |
^Thanks LagosShia for the explanation. Thanks everyone for your contribution. It was helpful. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Avicenna: 6:50pm On Aug 27, 2012 |
fellis: I was happy as a muslim and I am happy as atheist. I dare say happier. Contrary to most opinions, I'm not a pessimist. I see the good side in things. So, when I think about the relatively short transient life I have, it inspires me to do more. To accomplish my greatest dreams. To give my best to my family, my country and humanity in this only life. I do not require the delusion(no offence intended) of an afterlife. For instance, the hell reserved for me as an atheist, munafiqeen, is the lowest in grades of hellfire. You think I wasn't scared before? But once you realize it is all non-existent and mythical, you lose the fear. It doesn't have anything to do with happiness. It is all about reality, the truth. Some people cannot do without a codified regulations determining lifestyles. To those, I think they should stay in their religions, cults, support groups or whatever as long as it is not harmful to them or their fellow humans. Tbaba made a remark about how I cannot answer your question as an ex-muslim. No arguments. Maybe that's why I LEFT. I'm not the type to rationalize and rationalize till it fits. Or just accept it like that. Anything that can't withstand logic or the SNIFF of logic is false. Anything that requires faith to believe, I'm done with it. As for your premonitions, they can and will be someday, explained. As for your questions, they will be rationalized until you agree with them. Your puny human intelligence is weak and poor compared to Almighty. So, stop asking questions. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by Avicenna: 6:59pm On Aug 27, 2012 |
fellis: |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by LagosShia: 7:58pm On Aug 27, 2012 |
fellis: ^Thanks LagosShia for the explanation. Its a pleasure.anytime. |
| Re: What Is The Concept Of Faith In Islam? by vedaxcool(m): 9:04pm On Aug 28, 2012 |
@ felis, permit me to add the following; 1. Somethings are explained in a limited way. 2. Somethings explained do not make sense. 3. Somethings are not explained at all. Now an example of one, is the ayah in which Allah says about the soul, it is by your lord's command and limited knowledge is revealed about it. Hence the question remains is this illogical? No, faith in the existence of soul is not illogical, it is only that we have not been revealed much information about it, further more there are numerous knowledge in existence that cannot be understood by the everyday's joe take Quantum Mechnics the bulk of humanity would be able to rationalize it, this does not make it irrational in any way but shows that certain knowledge would be irrational to others (except our atheists buddies whom prefer to lie about everything, imagine rationalising evolution, and understanding how it occur to the bearest detail, this individuals simply choose to believe what they want to believe), hence being unable to rationalize something could in the first point I am making,b as a result of limited knowledge, this does not make it illogical but it indicates there is a wider context we need to understand the Qur'an, the context of the supreme wisdom of Allah and his own will with regards to he gives man to know! Hence that Allah revealed limited knowledge on the soul does n't make faith in the existence of the soul irrational or illogical but indicates with regards to the soul, Allah revealed knowledge that is sufficient for our consumption because we He is the wise and full of knowledge! An atheist might say in essence your tiny knowledge vs Allah's knowledge is no match is a mere ruse, well we pay no heed to this people because these liars live a life of lies a life that nearly everything they believe actually goes unverified in essence while they delude themselves that people that believe in God must proove every single thing, this actors of malice literally live a life where people that feed them information on day to day happening and scientific knowledge mostly go unchallenge, and u might wonder why? Well the answer is trust, they belive bin ladin committed 9 - 11 not on clear evidence ( he initially denied it) on trust, that the US govt cannot fool or lie to them an unfounded trust u would agree, it is likewise for us we believe and trust in Allah that he has wisdom and knowledge and this is founded because the the Qur'an provides the evidence why we can trust in his knowledge, my point is FAITH has components which ur OP alludes to, some of it includes trust, logics, a belief in things that are explained limitedly! I will elucidate on point 2 and 3 insha Allah. |
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