There are thousands of interpretation of the words and works of Muhammed, and the divergent views all integrate the character Muhammed with their doctrines. A moderate does not have a better claim than fundamentalist to Islam. If ppl, muslims kill others in the name of Muhammed, their depiction of the prophet is an opinion that can be criticized

Kay 17:

There are thousands of interpretation of the words and works of Muhammed, and the divergent views all integrate the character Muhammed with their doctrines. A moderate does not have a better claim than fundamentalist to Islam. If ppl, muslims kill others in the name of Muhammed, their depiction of the prophet is an opinion that can be criticized

Again, criticism is not the problem: Read my statements again,

thehomer:

You must still be confused.
Do you think vilifying Islam which is a target of racism in the U.S. is wrong? Maybe you need to realize that people are different from their religion. Think properly, then reply.

It is.

@ topic

why are women allowed to drive in some muslim countries but not in others?

what exactly in the Koran addresses this issue.

note- there are two questions, not one.

Uyi Iredia:

It is.

Therein lies your problem.

tpia@:

@ topic

why are women allowed to drive in some muslim countries but not in others?

what exactly in the Koran addresses this issue.

note- there are two questions, not one.

Q1 All muslim countries apart from saudi arabia let their women drive; There is no islamic basis for the rule, because we know that Khadijah(RA) and Aisha(RA), the wives of the prophet rode camels,

Q2 However they try to justify it by claiming that it is to protect the women and it is the duty of men to protect the women, Based on the Quran verse:

“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because of what Allah has preferred one with over the other and because of what they spend to support them from their wealth.”
[Sûrah an-Nisâ’: 34]

In their attempt to do that, they expose the women to more risks since they have to take taxis with men they are unrelated to,

Hopefully, they  change this rule.

^I'm not sure women drive in afghanistan.

tpia@:

^I'm not sure women drive in afghanistan.

Actually they can:,

tpia@:

^I'm not sure women drive in afghanistan.

How about you make some research

thehomer:

If I'm wrong, I'll rather you showed it to me. Then I'll accept it if your claim is true.
If you're talking about the holocaust, please tell me how that is a religion.

It has been shown to you, you simply won't see it. now you only verified what I wrote, Must the Holocaust be about religion before one can have his own objective view about it? Like I indicated before you simply consider insulting religion and beliefs as freedom of expression only when it has to do with religion. The matter of the Holocaust is clear, some historians have long claimed that Numbers that died never reached 6 million, some go far as bringing "proofs" to support their claim, now in some places in Europe that would be breaking the law, to simply disagree with the Mainstream version of Historical event. now to you, freedom lover isn't that wrong? as I can claim that world War II never happened and it was all a conspiracy to destroy the Germans, shouldn't that be my business, even If I may be considered a loony?, remeber more people died as a result of World War II than even the Holocaust.

thehomer:

Therein lies your problem.

and your confusion.

What does the Qur'an say about Jesus?

Answer: In the Qur'an, there are many stories about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (called 'Isa in Arabic). The Qur'an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, the miracles he performed by God's permission, and his life as a respected prophet of God. The Qur'an also repeatedly reminds that Jesus was a human prophet sent by God, not part of God Himself. Below are some direct quotations from the Qur'an regarding his life and teachings of Jesus.
He Was Righteous

"Behold! the angels said, 'Oh Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter, and in (the company of) those nearest to God. He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. He shall be (in the company) of the righteous, And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel'" (3:45-48).
He Was a Prophet

"Christ, the son of Mary, was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how God makes His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!" (5:75).
"He [Jesus] said: 'I am indeed a servant of God. He has given me revelation and made me a prophet; He has made me blessed wheresoever I be; and He has enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live. He has made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable. So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!' Such was Jesus the son of Mary. It is a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (19:30-35).

He Was a Humble Servant of God

"And behold! God will say [i.e. on the Day of Judgment]: 'Oh Jesus, the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of God?' He will say: 'Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Yours. For You know in full all that is hidden. Never did I say to them anything except what You commanded me to say: 'Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.' And I was a witness over them while I lived among them. When You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a witness to all things'" (5:116-117).
His Teachings

"When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: 'Now I have come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which you dispute. Therefore, fear God and obey me. God, He is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him -- this is a Straight Way.' But sects from among themselves fell into disagreement. So woe to the wrongdoers, from the penalty of a Grievous Day!" (43:63-65)

http://islam.about.com/cs/jesus/f/jesus_quran.htm

What Did Muhammad Say?

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught many important principles and morals, and even set forth rules for combat setting the precedent and still exceeding the rules of war set forth by the Geneva Convention.

Consider the following:

All innocent life was sacred and as such none could be harmed, except those who were engaged against them in active combat. Saving one life was as if one had saved the entire world, while taking an innocent life was as if one had taken the lives of the entire world.

There was to be no genocide of any tribes even up until some had committed genocide against some Muslims. He offered mutual protection and forgiveness to the all even after certain ones broke their covenants with him many times. He did not allow them to be attacked until it was clearly proven they were traitors during time of war and tried to bring down the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Muslims at any cost. Retaliation was only to those Jews who had turned traitor and not others.

Slaves were common in those days for all nations and tribes. It was Islam that encouraged freeing of the slaves and the great reward from Allah for those who did so. Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave the example of this by freeing slaves and encouraging all of his followers to do the same. Examples include his own servant (who was actually considered like a son to him) Zaid ibn Al Haritha and Bilal the slave who was bought by Abu Bakr only for the purpose of freeing him.

While there were many attempts of assassination made on Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, (most famous was the night that Ali took his place in bed while he and Abu Bakr escaped to Madinah), he did not allow his companions to slaughter any of those who had been involved in these attempts. Proof for this is when they entered Makkah triumphantly and his first words were to command his followers not to harm such and such tribes and so and so families. This was one of the most famous of his acts of forgiveness and humbleness.

Military combat was forbidden for the first thirteen years of prophet hood. The desert Arabs did not need anyone to tell them how to fight or do combat. They were experts in this area and held feuds amongst tribes that lasted for decades. It was not until the proper method of warfare was instituted by Allah in the Quran, with proper rights and limitations according His Commandments, that any retaliation or combat was sanctioned. Orders from Allah made it clear who was to be attacked, how and when and to what extent fighting could take place.

Destruction of infrastructures is absolutely forbidden except when it is ordained by Allah in certain instances and then only according to His Commands.

Cursing and invoking evil actually came to the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from his enemies, while he would be praying for their guidance. Classic example is that of his journey to At-Taif where the leaders would not even hear him out nor offer so much as the normal courtesy called for and instead they set the children of the street against him, throwing rocks and stones at him until his body was bleeding so much, blood filled his sandals. He was offered revenge by the angel Gabriel, if he would give the command, Allah would cause the surrounding mountains to fall down upon them destroying them all. Instead of cursing them or asking for their destruction, he prayed for them to be guided to worship their Lord alone, without any partners.

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, claimed every person who is born is born in a state of ISLAM (submission to God on His Terms in Peace), as a Muslim (MU-Islam means; "one who does ISLAM" i.e.; submits to God's Will and obeys His Commandments). He further stated, God has created each person in the image that is His according to His plan, and their spirit is His. Then as they grow older they begin to distort their faith according to the influence of the prevailing society and their own prejudices.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught his followers to believe in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all, and to believe in them as true prophets, messengers and servants of Almighty Allah. He insisted on ranking all the prophets up at the highest level without any distinction between them, and ordered his followers to say the words, "peace and blessings be upon him" after mentioning their names.

He also taught the Torah (Old Testament), Zabur (Psalms) and Enjil (Gospel or New Testament) were originally from the very same source as the Quran, from Allah to the angel Gabriel. He asked the Jews to judge according to their own Book, and they tried to cover up some of it to hide the correct judgment, knowing he, peace and blessings be upon him, could not read.

He prophesied, predicted and foretold of events to come and they happened just as he had said they would. He mentioned so many things that people of his time could not have known, yet we have seen the evidences manifest over and over throughout the centuries in science, medicine, biology, embryology, psychology, metrology, geology and many other disciplines and even space travel and wireless communications, all of which we take for granted today. He even predicted something from the past that would come true in the future, and it has,

The Quran states pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea while chasing after Moses and Allah said He would preserve Pharaoh as a sign for the future. Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his book, "Bible, Quran and Science" makes it clear this has happened and the very person of Pharaoh has been discovered in Egypt and is now on display for all to see.
This event took place thousands of years before Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and it came true in the last few decades, many centuries after his death.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God. He insisted people praise Almighty God, alone and not to celebrate him or his companions in any way. While most people do not hesitate to raise to divinity and even make 'gods' out of other individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, accomplished.

Uniting mankind together for the purpose of worshipping the One God of Adam and all the other prophets, peace be upon them all, was his main motivating cause and his striving was for the sole purpose having everyone to understand and follow the codes of moral excellence set forth by Allah in His Revelations.

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad’s, peace and blessings be upon him, followers, but the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, claimed to be a servant, messenger and prophet of the Almighty God; the same God of Adam, Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon and of Jesus, the Christ, son of Mary (peace be upon them all). He claimed he was receiving revelation from Almighty God (Allah) through the Arch Angel Gabriel, calling it the Recitation (Quran).

He ordered people to believe in God as One, without partners, and to follow the Commandments of Almighty God to the best of their abilities.

He forbade himself and his followers from evil practices and filthy habits, showing them the proper ways to eat, drink, use the toilet and proper behavior in all relationships. This he claimed was all from Allah.

http://prophetofislam.com/what_did_muhammad_say.php

Tbaba, may Allah bless you ver very abundatly. I just came across this thread and i have indeed learnt so much from you and i am sure other have as well.

the_seeker:

Tbaba, may Allah bless you ver very abundatly. I just came across this thread and i have indeed learnt so much from you and i am sure other have as well.

JazakAllahu Khair, Make Dua for me insha Allah,

What Did Muhammad(SAW) Do?

Almost everyone on the earth today is discussing Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. People want to know, "Who was he exactly?" "What did he teach?" "Why was he loved so much by some and hated so much by others?" "Did he live up to his claims?" "Was he a holy man?" "Was he a prophet of God?" "What is the truth about this man - Muhammad?"

How can we discover the truth and be totally honest in our judgment?

We will begin with the very simple historical evidences, facts as narrated by thousands of people, many of whom knew him personally. The following is based on books, manuscripts, texts and actual eyewitness accounts, too numerous list herein, yet all have been preserved in original form throughout the centuries by both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Muhammad ibn (son of) Abdullah ibn (son of) Abdul Mutalib, was born in the year 570 C.E. (Christian Era) in Makkah, Felix Arabia (today: Saudi Arabia) and he died in 633 C.E. in Yathrib (today: Madinah, Saudi Arabia).
What Did Muhammed(SAW) do?

A. His names: When he was born, his grandfather, Abdul Mutalib, gave him the name Muhammad. And it means "praised one" or "praising one." He was later called "As-Saddiq" (the Truthful) by all of those who knew of his truthful and honest nature. He always said only the truth. He was also called "Al-Amin" (the Trustworthy) due to his integrity and always upholding any trust given to him. When the tribes were battling against each other, both sides would entrust him with their possessions during the fighting, even if it might be against some of his own tribesmen, because they knew he would always uphold any trust given to him. All of his names indicated the very nature of a man who was praised for his honesty, integrity and trustworthiness. He was also well known for advocating the reconciliation of kinship and relationships. He ordered his followers to always honor the "ties of the wombs" (siblings and other close relatives).

This fits right in with the prophecy mentioned in the Bible in the Book of John in chapters 14 and 16, as the coming of a prophet known as the "Spirit of Truth" or "Comforter" or "Advocate."

B. Born as a descendent of Abraham, peace and blessings be upon him, through his first born son, Ishmael (Ismail in Arabic), peace and blessings be upon him, to the noble tribe of the Quraish who were the leaders of Makkah in those days. Muhammad's blood line traces directly back to Abraham, peace and blessings be upon him.

This could certainly point to fulfillment of Old Testament (Torah) prophecies in Deuteronomy (chapter 18:15) of a prophet, like unto Moses from "their brethren."

C. He kept the Commandments of Almighty God, just as his great grandfathers and prophets of old had done in the past (peace be upon them). Here is a statement from Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, while the Quran was being revealed to him by the angel Gabriel;

"Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your PARENTS; do not kill your children because of poverty - (Allah) provide sustenance for you and for them; do not come near to Al-Fawahish (shameful sins, illegal intimate intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. This He has commanded you that you may understand."
[Holy Quran 6:151]

D. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, lived in total commitment to his Belief in One God, and as such, he worshipped God alone, without any other "gods" beside Him. This is the very first commandment in the Old Testament (Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy, chapter 5) and in the New Testament as well (Mark, chapter 12, verse 29).

E. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered his followers to obey Allah Almighty. He ordered following the Commandments as were revealed to him by the angel Gabriel from Almighty Allah. Read below, one of many similar statements from the Quran:

Surely, Allah Commands absolute justice and steadfast commitment to performing your duties to Almighty Allah, in total sincerity and giving help to relatives: and He forbids evil, and disobedience and all that is prohibited by Allah (such as; illegal intimate acts, disobedience of PARENTS, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right, etc.), and (He Forbids) any evil (i.e. all that is prohibited by God's Law, such as: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds, etc.), and all kinds of oppression, He admonishes you, that you may take heed.
[Holy Quran 16:90]

F. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, never fell into the common practice of his tribesmen to worship statues, idols or man-made "gods." He forbid his followers to ever engage in worship outside of the One True God (Allah) of Adam, Abraham, Moses and all the prophets, peace be upon them all.

And the people of the Scripture Jews and Christians did not differed amongst themselves until after there came to them clear evidence.
And they were commanded only to worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (no gods beside God), and perform prayers and give charity: and that is the right religion.
[Holy Quran 98:4-5]

He despised false worship to any man-made gods or images or anything in creation as a god. He hated all of the complexities and degradation to which it leads.

This is in direct obedience to the second commandment in the above mentioned verses, "Thou shalt not make any graven images."

G. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, always held the Name of God (Allah) in the highest of reverence and never took God's Name in vain or for any vainglorious purpose.

He forbid his followers for ever doing anything like this and encouraged them to use names such as "Servant of Almighty God" (Abdullah).

H. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, upheld the proper worship and ceremonies of his grandfathers, Abraham and Ishmael, peace be upon them. Here is something from the second chapter of the Quran. Read closely;

"Recall when Abraham's Lord (Allah) tested him with Commands, that he fulfilled. Allah said, "Surely, I am going to make you a leader (prophet) of mankind. (Abraham said) "And my offspring, too." (Allah) said, "My Covenant (prophethood, etc.) does not include wrong-doers (thalimun).
"And recall when (Allah) made the House (ka'bah in Bakkah, which later was called "Makkah" a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety. And it is your place of prayer, and (Allah) commanded Abraham and Ishmael to purify (God's House at Makkah) for those who are circling it, or staying there or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in worship).
"And when Abraham said, 'My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, for them that believe in Allah Almighty and the Last Day.' (Allah) answered, "As for him who doesn't believe, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him t the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!"
"And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the Sacred House (Ka'bah in Makkah), saying, 'Our Lord! Accept from us. Certainly! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.'"
"Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage - Hajj and 'Umrah, etc.), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.
"Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered by sending Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him ), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Quran) and full knowledge of (Allah's) Laws and jurisprudence, and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."
And who turns away from the religion of Abraham (Monotheism) except him who fools himself? Truly, (Allah) chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous.
When his Lord said to him, "Submit ("Islam" means "submission"!" He said, "I have submitted myself ("Muslim" means "one who submits" to the Lord of all that exists."
And this (submission to Allah) was ordered by Abraham upon his sons and by Jacob; saying, "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion; then die not except in the Faith of Submission (like those in true submission to God's Will)."
[Holy Quran 2:124-132]

I. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, performed these same ceremonies in worship to what we find the prophets doing before him, bowing to toward the ground and prostrating (falling on the face) while praying and worshipping. He would face Jerusalem for his devotionals and commanded his followers to do the same (until Allah sent down the angel Gabriel with revelation to change the direction (Qiblah) mentioned in Quran).

J. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, advocated rights for all members of the family and especially ties to the parents, both mother and father, also rights for infant girls, orphaned girls and certainly for wives, as well.

It is known from the Quran, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered his followers to be kind and respectful to their parents. They were told not to even say, "Ooh" to them while caring for them in their old age. Read from the Quran:

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. [Holy Quran 17:23]

K. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was the defender of the orphans and even the newborn children. He ordered the care of orphans and feeding of the poor as the means to enter Paradise and if anyone held back the rights of those who were destitute, they could forget about ever seeing Paradise. He also forbade the killing of new born girls, as was a custom of ignorance according to primitive Arab traditions. This is referred to in the Quran; when, on the Day of Judgment those who practiced the evil deed of terminating the life of their own infant daughters, will have it exposed, the Quran says:

"And when the female (infant) buried alive (as the pagan Arabs used to do) is going to be asked; about what sin could she (as an infant) have possibly committed." [Holy Quran 81:8]

Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's Cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, they shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [Holy Quran 2:274]

L. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered men not to "inherit women against their will," and not to marry them accept by mutual consent and never to touch their wealth or inheritance in order to improve their own financial conditions.

O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will, and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr you have given them, unless they commit open illegal intimate intercourse. And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good. [Holy Quran 4:19]

We also notice from this verse, He forbid the common practice of wife-beating and abuse, (his own wife said he never once hit her).

He never once engaged in sex outside of marriage, nor did he ever approve of it, even though it was very common at the time. His only relationships with women were in legitimate, contractual marriages with proper witnesses according to law. His relationship to Ayesha was only that of marriage. He did not marry her the first time her father offered her hand to him in marriage. He married her only after she reached the age of puberty and could decide for herself. Their relationship is described in every detail by Ayesha herself in the most loving and respectful manner as a match truly made in heaven. Ayesha is considered as one of the highest scholars of Islam and lived out her entire life only having been married to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. She never desired any other man, nor did she ever utter a single negative statement against Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

M. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered men to "provide and protect" women, whether it was their own mother, sister, wife or daughter or even those of others, whether they were Muslims or not.

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support the women) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.).
As to those women on whose part you see ill­conduct, admonish them, refuse to share their beds, startle them (set forth a clear example or parable for them, to make clear the point of what is going on before divorcing them) so if they return to proper obedience (to Allah and their husbands), do not annoy them any further. Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great." [Holy Quran 4:34]

N. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited killing of children for fear of poverty and also forbade killing any innocent people.

Say (O Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawahish (shameful sins, illegal intimate intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Law). This He has commanded you that you may understand. [Holy Quran 6:151]

O. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, never committed adultery, and he required his followers to engage only in lawful marriage relationships with women, and forbid sex outside of Almighty God's Ordinance.

Satan (the devil) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds, illegal intimate intercourse, sins etc.); whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower. [Holy Quran 2:268]

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al­Fawahish (great evil sins, every kind of unlawful intimate intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge." [Holy Quran 7:33]

And come not near to the unlawful intimate intercourse. Verily, it is a Fahishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allah forgives him). [Holy Quran 17:32]

The adulterer marries not but an adulteress or a Mushrikah and the adulteress none marries her except an adulterer or a Muskrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a intimate relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a LovePeddler, then surely he is either an adulterer, or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater, etc.) And the woman who agrees to marry (have a intimate relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer, then she is either a LovePeddler or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress, etc.)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islamic Monotheism).
[Holy Quran 24:3]

Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal intimate intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you know not.
[Holy Quran 24:19]

O Prophet! When believing women come to you to give you the pledge, that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit illegal intimate intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (i.e. by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and that they will not disobey you in any Ma'ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all that which Islam ordains) then accept their Bai'a (pledge), and ask Allah to forgive them, Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Holy Quran 60:12]

People committed fornication and adultery in most places around the word in Muhammad's time, yet he never once did so, and he forbade all of his followers from this evil practice.

P. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade usury and interest on money lending, as Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, had done centuries before him. It can be easily shown how usury eats away at wealth and destroys the economic systems throughout history. Yet, just as in the teachings of the prophets of old, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, held that such practices were most evil and must be avoided in order to be at peace with the Creator (Allah).

Those who eat usury (deal in interest) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Satan leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like usury," whereas Allah has permitted trading and forbidden usury. So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating usury shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns to dealing in usury, such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein.
Allah will destroy Riba (usury) and will give increase for charity, alms, etc. And Allah likes not the disbelievers, sinners.  Truly those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform Salat, and give Zakat, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
You who believe! Be afraid of Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from usury, if you are believers.
And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. [Holy Quran 2:275-279]

Q. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, never gambled and did not allow it. Like usury, gambling takes away wealth but at an even faster pace.

"People ask you (Muhammad) about alcohol and gambling. Say, 'There is great sin in both of them and (some benefit) for humans, but the sin is greater than any benefit from them.' And they ask you what they should spend (for charity, etc.). Say, 'Whatever is above your basic needs.' So, Allah makes it clear to you His Laws in order for you to give thought."
[Holy Quran 2:219]

Gambling had not been viewed as so evil until the time of Muhammad, peace be upon. Today, it is well established the damage gambling causes to families and even mental health. The idea of getting something for nothing is not the proper way of life prescribed by the teachings of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

R. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, never drank alcohol or strong drink, even though it was a very normal thing for people of his time and place.

"O you believers! Intoxicating drinks, gambling, fortune telling, etc. is the hated work of the devil. So stay away from all of that horrible stuff, that you will be successful."
"The devil only wants to create hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks, etc.) and gambling and to keep you from the remembrance of Allah and from your proper worship (prayers). So, why won't you away from them?"
[Holy Quran 5:90-91]

The Arabs, like most other cultures at his time, drank alcohol without concern for their health or for their altered behavior while intoxicated. Many of them were alcoholics.

In today's world there is little need to present long discussions on the evil and dangers of drinking alcohol. Besides causing diseases and ruining a person's health, alcohol is often attributed to be the cause of many traffic accidents resulting in property damage, injuries and deaths. The first order was for the followers of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, to leave off drinking while engaged in worship, then came stronger orders to leave drinking all together. Thus, offering a time for the early Muslims to break off from their addiction to strong drink.

S. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, did not engage in gossip or backbiting and he always turned away from hearing anything related to it.

O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.
[Holy Quran 49:6]

O you who believe! Do not allow one group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one's brother after having Faith? And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed wrong-doers.
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) . And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
[Holy Quran 49:11-12]

Certainly, these teachings would be well appreciated in today's world where we find almost everyone engaging in the worst of gossiping and insulting of others, even the closest of relatives and loved ones.

T. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was most generous and encouraged others to be the same way in their dealings with others. He even asked them to forgive the debts of others with hope of receiving a better reward with their Lord (Allah).

And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay, but if you remit it by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know.
And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.
[Holy Quran 2:280-281]

S. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded the payment of charity to the poor and he was the defender and protector of widows, orphans and the wayfarers.

"Therefore, do not oppress the orphan, nor repulse the beggar." [Holy Quran 93:9-10]

Charity is for the poor, who in Allah's Cause are restricted (from travel), and cannot move about in the land (for trade or work). The one who knows them not, thinks that they are rich because of their modesty. You may know them by their mark, they do not beg of people at all. And whatever you spend in good, surely Allah knows it well. [Holy Quran 2:273]

U. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught people how to deal with the most extreme difficulties and tests that occur to us throughout our lives. He held that only through patience and a humble attitude would we find true resolution and understanding of life's complications and disappointments. He the most patient of all and was exemplary in his own humbleness. All who knew him had to admit to these virtues.

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the prayer. Truly! Allah is with the patient ones. [Holy Quran 2:153]

He explained this life was a test from Allah:

And certainly, Allah shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones. [Holy Quran 2:155]

Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." [Holy Quran 2:156]

V. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, fasted for days at a time to be closer to Almighty God and away from the narrowness of worldly attractions.

O you who believe! Observing the fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious. [Holy Quran 2:183]

W. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, called for an end to racism and tribalism from the beginning to the end of his mission. He was truly the peacemaker for all times and all people.

O mankind! (Allah) has created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who is one of the pious. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware [Holy Quran 49:13]

And in another verse of the Quran:

O mankind! Have piety and be most dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All­Watcher over you. [Holy Quran 4:1]

X. Regarding keeping up good relationships and bringing people back together after a falling out, the Quran says:

And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allah; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allah loves those who are equitable.
The believers are nothing else than brothers to each other. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.
[Holy Quran 49:9-10]

Y. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, taught that Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, was the immaculate conception and miracle birth of Mary, and that she was the best creation of Almighty God. He insisted even to the Jews of Madinah, that Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, was the Messiah, the Christ, the one predicted to come in their Torah (Old Testament). He also taught that Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, did many miracles by the permission of Almighty God, curing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind and even bringing a dead man back to life, and he was not dead, rather Almighty God had raised him up. He also predicted Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, is going to return again in the Last Days to lead the true believers in a victory over the evil and unrighteous people, and he will destroy the Anti-Christ.

Z. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade any killing, even when his followers were being killed, until the orders for retaliation came from Allah. Even then the limits were clearly spelled out and only those engaged in active combat against the Muslims or Islam were to be fought in combat. And even then, only according to very strict rules from Allah.

Morning tbaba1234,

I would like to know your thought regarding a component of Sharia law.

1a) Do you believe it's effective and justified to employ amputations of the limbs as punishment of theft?

1b) Do all Muslims agree and abide by Sharia Law?

2) Is Forgiveness a theme emphasized in Islam?

3) Under what grounds are Muslims permitted to divorce a spouse? i.e. infidelity etc

4a) How does the Quaran depict Paradise?

4b) Is it true that virgins will be rewarded to male believers?

4c) If so what do female believers obtain?

4d) If virgins are to be found in paradise - can sexuality be a reward for spirituality? (I assumed the spiritual being doesn't crave for carnal knowledge . . is that wrong or right?)

5) Finally how did you come to Islam?


P.S. I hate the way I structured and worded some of my questions, sorry I'm in a rush. I hope none of them causes any offence however. I've always been curious about Islam and subjected to hear'say so I wanted some things to be made clear as my questions have accumulated over the years.

Once again sorry if I'm repeating already asked questions.

emofine:

Morning tbaba1234,

I would like to know your thought regarding a component of Sharia law.

1a) Do you believe it's effective and justified to employ amputations of the limbs as punishment of theft?

1b) Do all Muslims agree and abide by Sharia Law?

2) Is Forgiveness a theme emphasized in Islam?

3) Under what grounds are Muslims permitted to divorce a spouse? i.e. infidelity etc

4a) How does the Quaran depict Paradise?

4b) Is it true that virgins will be rewarded to male believers?

4c) If so what do female believers obtain?

4d) If virgins are to be found in paradise - can sexuality be a reward for spirituality? (I assumed the spiritual being doesn't crave for carnal knowledge . . is that wrong or right?)

5) Finally how did you come to Islam?


P.S. I hate the way I structured and worded some of my questions, sorry I'm in a rush. I hope none of them causes any offence however. I've always been curious about Islam and subjected to hear'say so I wanted some things to be made clear as my questions have accumulated over the years.

Once again sorry if I'm repeating already asked questions.

Thanks for your questions,

1a.) It is important to understand how the Islamic  system works:

THEFT
Under an islamic system,  wealth is redistributed by a system known as the Zakat system. Muslims give 2.5% of their wealth(not income) every year to the poor in the society, therefore the rich in the society are responsible for the needy in the society. Therefore, if a thief steals in islam because he is hungry or cannot feed his family, It is a failure of society for failing to provide opportunity for that person to create wealth for himself. Therefore, the person is let go without  any punishment and provided with capital or a job by the state.

Now if theft is as result of greed or any other selfish reason, the punishment is the amputation of the hand. I know of a person who is serving 42 years in prison for stealing about $200. Ask that person if he would prefer to have an amputation of the hand and be with his family or remain in prison. The option will always be the first one. The harsh punishments are to serve as a deterrent as much as anything. It is to make you think about the possible consequences of your actions.

Because cutting off the hand is a serious matter, cutting off the hand of the thief should not be done for just any case of theft. A combination of conditions must be fulfilled before the hand of a thief is cut off. These conditions are as follows:

The thing should have been taken by stealth; if it was not taken by stealth, then (the hand) should not be cut off, such as when property has been seized by force in front of other people, because in this case the owner of the property could have asked for help to stop the thief.

1-  The stolen property should be something of worth, because that which is of no worth has no sanctity, such as musical instruments, wine and pigs.

2-  The value of the stolen property should be above a certain limit, which is three Islamic dirhams or a quarter of an Islamic dinar, or their equivalent in other currencies.

3- The stolen property should have been taken from a place where it had been put away, i.e., a place where people usually put their property, such as a cupboard, for example.

4- The theft itself has to be proven, either by the testimony of two qualified witnesses or by the confession of the thief twice.

5-  The person from whom the property was stolen has to ask for it back; if he does not, then (the thief’s) hand does not have to be cut off.

On whether it is effective? The theft rate in saudi Arabia for instance is one of the lowest in the world http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_bur-crime-burglaries compared to most western countries,

It is a balance between mercy (forgiving the poor/hungry) and Justice,  No other system combines the two.

1b Yes, all muslims abide by some aspects of sharia law,  Sharia law is not only criminal law; It involves family law, Inheritance Law, Economic laws, et.c.  The Shari'ah overwhelmingly consists of morals, norms, manners and rules, from worship to statecraft, which depend for compliance entirely upon man's conscience. It is applicable only to muslims. Your prayer, your charity are all part of the shariah,


2  Islam combines an equal amount of Love, Fear, and Hope.  We are only humans so inevitably we will make mistakes and sin from time to time. Often, we tend to despair when we commit a sin. But our forgiveness is only a prayer away. We don’t need any intercessors. We don’t have to pray to anyone else. We have a direct link. Mash’Allah what a beautiful religion…….a beautiful Way of Life!

On the authority of Anas, who said: I heard the messenger of Allah say:

Allah the Almighty has said: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as its.”


The Quran(translated) states

Say: "[Thus speak God] 'O you servants of Mine who have transgressed against your own selves! Despair not of God's mercy: behold, God forgives all sins - for, verily, He Alone is Much-Forgiving, a dispenser of grace!'"
The Qur'an 39:53

Leadership must be forgiving:

"And it was by God's grace that thou [O Muhammad] didst deal gently with thy followers: for if thou hadst been harsh and hard
of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee. Pardon them, then, and pray that they be forgiven. And take counsel with them in all matters of public concern; then, when thou hadst decided upon a course of action, place thy trust in God: for, verily God loves those who place their trust in Him."
The Qur'an 3:159

Explanation: Allah approved Prophet Muhammad(S) for his leniency with his followers and taught him to pardon. In addition, Allah instructed the Prophet to counsel with the followers and once a decision in a given matter was taken, follow through with it and trust Allah for results. Following the example of Prophet Muhammad(S), Muslim leadership is required to adopt a similar course.

General teachings of forgiveness:

The Quran also states:

"If ye do good openly or keep it secret, or forgive evil, lo! Allah is forgiving, Powerful." The Qur'an 4:149

"Keep to forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant. And if it should happen that a prompting from Satan stirs thee up [to anger], seek refuge with Allah: behold, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."
The Qur'an 7:199-200

"And let not those who possess dignity and ease among you swear not to give to the near of kin and to the needy, and to refugees for the cause of Allah. Let them forgive and show indulgence. Yearn ye not that Allah may forgive you? Allah isForgiving, Merciful."
The Qur'an 24:22

"And who shun the more heinous sins and abominations; and who, whenever they are moved to anger, readily forgive."
The Qur'an 42:37

"But withal, if one is patient in adversity and forgives - this, behold, is indeed something to set one's heart upon."
The Qur'an 42:43

These teachings are about doing good to others openly or secretly and forgiveness to those who may have done wrong. Sometimes a wrong may arouse the worst impulses of anger. It is important to seek refuge with Allah and Forgive.

Family situations:
"O You who believe! Behold, among your spouses and your children are enemies unto you: so beware of them! But if youpardon [their faults], and forbear, and forgive- then, behold, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
The Qur'an 64:14

Explanation: In a family, some members may cause a lot of pain by their wrongdoing. Sometimes, a family member may cause others to do wrong
and transgress which may cause one to commit a crime but it was not intentional. Allah is exhorting to adopt a forgiving attitude within the
family.

If one desires to be forgiven for his offenses he must learn to forgive others. Especially, if one seeks forgiveness from God, he should learn to forgive others for their offenses. If one desires that God overlook his weaknesses, he should learn to overlook weaknesses of others. It is a very important Islamic principle.

3.) Marriage in Islam is a sanctified bond that should not be broken except for compelling reasons. Couples are instructed to pursue all possible remedies whenever their marriages are in danger. Divorce is not to be resorted to except when there is no other way out. In a nutshell, Islam recognizes divorce, yet it discourages it by all means. Let us focus on the recognition side first. Islam does recognize the right of both partners to end their matrimonial relationship.

Islam gives the husband the right for Talaq (divorce). Islam grants the wife the right to dissolve the marriage through what is known as Khula'.

If the husband dissolves the marriage by divorcing his wife, he cannot retrieve any of the marriage gifts he has given her. The Quran explicitly prohibits the divorcing husbands from taking back their marriage gifts no matter how expensive or valuable these gifts might be:

"But if you decide to take one wife in place of another, even if you had given the latter a whole treasure for dower, take not the least bit of it back; Would you take it by slander and a manifest wrong?" (Quran 4:20).

In the case of the wife choosing to end the marriage, she may return the marriage gifts to her husband. Returning the marriage gifts in this case is a fair compensation for the husband who is keen to keep his wife while she chooses to leave him. The Quran has instructed Muslim men not to take back any of the gifts they have given to their wives except in the case of the wife choosing to dissolve the marriage:

"It is not lawful for you (Men) to take back any of your gifts except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah. There is no blame on either of them if she give something for her freedom. These are the limits ordained by Allah so do not transgress them" (Quran 2:229).

A woman came to the Prophet Muhammad seeking the dissolution of her marriage, she told the Prophet that she did not have any complaints against her husband's character or manners. Her only problem was that she honestly did not like him to the extent of not being able to live with him any longer. The Prophet asked her: "Would you give him his garden (the marriage gift he had given her) back?" she said: "Yes". The Prophet then instructed the man to take back his garden and accept the dissolution of the marriage (Bukhari).

In some cases, A Muslim wife might be willing to keep her marriage but find herself obliged to claim for a divorce because of some compelling reasons such as: Cruelty of the husband, desertion without a reason, a husband not fulfilling his conjugal responsibilities, etc. In these cases the Muslim court dissolves the marriage.

Let us now focus our attention on how Islam discourages divorce. The Prophet of Islam told the believers that:

"among all the permitted acts, divorce is the most hateful to God" (Abu Dawood).

A Muslim man should not divorce his wife just because he dislikes her. The Quran instructs Muslim men to be kind to their wives even in cases of lukewarm emotions or feelings of dislike:

"Live with them (your wives) on a footing of kindness and equity. If you dislike them it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed a great deal of good" (Quran 4:19).

Prophet Muhammad gave a similar instruction:

" A believing man must not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her traits he will be pleased with another" (Muslim).

The Prophet has also emphasized that the best Muslims are those who are best to their wives:

"The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best character and the best of you are those who are best to their wives" (Tirmidthi).

However, Islam is a practical religion and it does recognize that there are circumstances in which a marriage becomes on the verge of collapsing. In such cases, a mere advice of kindness or self restraint is no viable solution. So, what to do in order to save a marriage in these cases? The Quran offers some practical advice for the spouse (husband or wife) whose partner (wife or husband) is the wrongdoer. For the husband whose wife's ill-conduct is threatening the marriage, the Quran gives four types of advice as detailed in the following verses:

"As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, (1) Admonish them, (2) refuse to share their beds, (3) beat them lightly; but if they return to obedience seek not against them means of annoyance: For Allah is Most High, Great. (4) If you fear a break between them, appoint two arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers; If they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation" (Quran 4:34-35).

The word "beating" is used in the verse, but it does not mean "physical abuse". The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) explained it "dharban ghayra mubarrih" which means "a light tap that leaves no mark". He further said that face must be avoided. Some other scholars are of the view that it is no more than a light touch by siwak, or toothbrush.

The first three are to be tried first. If they fail, then the help of the families concerned should be sought.

For the wife whose husband's ill-conduct is the cause for the marriage's near collapse, the Quran offers the following advice:

"If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best" (Quran 4:128).

In this case, the wife is advised to seek reconciliation with her husband (with or without family assistance). It is notable that the Quran is not advising the wife to resort to the two measures of abstention from sex and beating. The reason for this disparity might be to protect the wife from a violent physical reaction by her already misbehaving husband. Such a violent physical reaction will do both the wife and the marriage more harm than good.

To sum up, Islam offers Muslim married couples much viable advice to save their marriages in cases of trouble and tension. If one of the partners is jeopardizing the matrimonial relationship, the other partner is advised by the Quran to do whatever possible and effective in order to save this sacred bond. If all the measures fail, Islam allows the partners to separate peacefully and amicably.

4a) Paradise (Jannah)

Description in the Qur'an of Paradise

"The description of Paradise which the righteous have been promised is that in it are rivers of water, the taste and smell of which are never changed. Rivers of milk the taste of which will remain unchanged. Rivers of wine that will be delicious to those who drink from it and rivers of clear, pure honey. For them will be every kind of fruit and forgiveness form their Lord."
[ 47:15]

"And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient. Reclining on raised thrones, they will see there neither the excessive heat of the sun, nor the excessive bitter cold, (as in Paradise there is no sun and no moon). The shade will be close upon them, and bunches of fruit will hang low within their reach. Vessels of silver and cups of crystal will be passed around amongst them, crystal-clear, made of silver. They will determine the measure of them according to their wishes. They will be given a cup (of wine) mixed with Zanjabeel, and a fountain called Salsabeel. Around them will (serve) boys of perpetual youth. If you see them, you would think they are scattered pearls. When you look there (in Paradise) you will see a delight (that cannot be imagined), and a Great Dominion. Their garments will be of fine green silk and gold embroidery. They will be adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord will give them a pure drink."
[76:12-21]

"And those foremost (In Tawheed and obedience to Allah and His Messenger in this life) will be foremost (in Paradise). They will be those nearest to Allah in the Gardens of Delight. A multitude of those (the foremost) will be from the first generation (who embraced Islam) and a few of those (the foremost) will be from the later (generations). They will be reclining, face to face, on thrones woven with gold and precious stones. They will be served by immortal boys, with cups and jugs, and a glass from the flowing wine, from which they will have neither any headache, nor any intoxication. They will have fruit from which they may choose, and the flesh of fowls that they desire. There will be Houris with wide, lovely eyes (as wives for the pious), like preserved pearls, a reward for deeds that they used to do. They will hear no vain or sinful speech (like backbiting, etc.) but only the saying of: Salam, Salam, (greetings of peace). And those on the Right Hand, who will be those on the Right Hand? They will be among thorn-less lote-trees among Talh (banana trees) with fruits piled one above another, in long-extended shade, by constantly flowing water, and fruit in plenty, whose season is not limited, and their supply will not be cut off. They will be on couches or thrones raised high. Verily, We have created for them (maidens) of equal age, loving (their husbands only). For those on the Right Hand."
[56:10-38]

"Verily, the dwellers of Paradise that Day, will be busy in joyful things. They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. They will have therein fruits (of all kinds), and all that they will ask for. (It will be said to them): "Salamun" (Peace be on you), a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful."
[36:55-58]

Can you imagine?

Wearing the finest silk clothing and sitting on chairs made of gold and precious stones? Those who disbelieve in the words of Allah, say that this is all a fairy-tale, made up by a would-be prophet. But we know, that Allah is the Truthful and that His Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, spoke only what was revealed to him from the Most Truthful. And even though Allah describes Paradise for us in the Qur'an, He still says, "So no soul knows the delights of the eyes which is hidden for them; a reward for what they did."
[32:17]

Apart from the Qur'anic descriptions of Paradise, the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wassalam) would often describe Paradise to his companions. His descriptions were often so vivid and moving, that many-a-companion would hurriedly rush towards it. This was the case, as Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his companions proceeded towards Badr and arrived there before the disbelievers (of Makkah). When the disbelievers arrived, the Messenger of Allah said, "None of you should step forward ahead of me to do anything." Then the disbelievers advanced (towards us), and the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Rise to enter Paradise whose width is equal to the Heavens and the Earth." Umayr Ibnul Humam al-Ansari asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is Paradise equal in width to the heavens and the earth?" He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Yes." Umayr said, "Bak'hin! Bak'hin!" (An Arabic word denoting excitement and astonishment) The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, asked him, "What made you say these words: Bak'hin, Bak'hin?" He said, "Messenger of Allah, nothing but the desire to be amongst its residents." He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "You are surely among its residents." He then took some dates form his bag and began to eat them. Then he said, "If I were to live until I had eaten all of the dates, indeed this life would be too long." Anas then said, "He threw away the remaining dates he had with him. He then fought (the disbelievers) until he was killed."
[Muslim]

What words could have inspired Umair and others like him to long for, and to pay the ultimate price for a place in Paradise? Let's now take a look at what the Messenger of Allah, had to say about Paradise.

Description of Paradise in the Hadith

Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of lofty mansions (i.e. a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star, far away in the East or in the West of the horizon. This is because of their superiority over one another (in reward)." One of the people asked, "O Allah's Messenger, are these lofty mansions for the Prophets which no one else can reach?"

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied, "No! By Allah, in whose Hands is my life, these are for men who believe in Allah and also believe in the Messenger."
[Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily, for the believers in Paradise, are tents made of a single hollow pear. The length of which would be sixty miles long from all sides, their wives being therein. The believer will go around them (i.e., visit them) and they will not be able to see each other."
[Sahih al-Jami]

Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "There is not a tree in Paradise, except that its trunk is made of gold."
[Sahih al-Jami]

Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Verily in Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday. The North wind will blow and scatter fragrances on their faces and on their clothes. This will add to their beauty and their attractiveness. They will then go back to their families after having an added luster to their beauty and their attractiveness. Their families will say to them, 'By Allah you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us,' and they will say, 'By Allah you too have increased in beauty and attractiveness after us.'"
[Muslim]

Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "(I saw in a dream that) I entered Paradise, and behold, there was a palace built of gold. I asked, 'Whose is this palace?' They (the angels) replied, 'For a man from the Quraysh.' So I thought it might be I, so I asked, 'And who is he?' They said, 'Umar Ibnul Khattab.' Nothing stopped me form entering it except your Ghirah (sense of honor)." Umar said, "My Ghirah would never be offended by you, O Messenger of Allah."
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Anas ibn Malik said that Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "I entered Paradise and found myself by a river, by its edges were tents of pearls. Then I tapped with my hands where the water was running, and there was then a beautiful smell of Musk. I asked, 'What is this O Gabriel?' He said, 'This is Kawthar (river in Paradise) which Allah has given to you.'"
[Sahih al-Jami]


4b In Paradise, We will be new creatures in a form unknown to us. let’s say that a man and a woman are married in this world.  They are married for, oh, 40 years.  They are Muslim, they are good people, they raise up good Muslim children and have nice lives full of the usual ups and downs.  They pass away.  Islam teaches that they will be together in Paradise if they both get in; they will be married there just as they were in this world.  In addition to his worldly wife, a man will also have a wife from among the hoor al ayn, who are a separate creation of Allah.  They are not human women.

4c Women would be married to their husbands and will enjoy all the pleasures of paradise,

Surah 3:195 So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female,

Surah 4:194 And whoever does good deeds whether male or female and he (or she) is a believer -- these shall enter the garden, and they shall not be dealt with a jot unjustly.

Surah 16:97Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.

4d
Paradise is not like this world.  Its pleasures are purified and what we call food in Paradise is perfect and only resembles food of this world like a weak shadow on a cloudy day resembles the person who casts it.   

The same can be said of intimate relations.  The best sex any person ever had at any time in this world is nothing compared to the perfection of pleasure in Jannah.  Everything in Jannah will be purified, perfect, and unique from anything this world has to offer:  We have food, Jannah has food; we have drink, Jannah has drink; we have S.ex, Jannah(paradise) has sex.  But in Jannah, everything is purified and on a higher plane; food is not be prepared over a hot stove, juice does not have to be squeezed.  Our bodies will not have stool or urine or mucus.  We won’t get colds, or diseases.  Sex will be similarly purified, which we with our worldly limited brains cannot understand. We can intellectually accept that sex in Jannah is different, but we can’t turn loose of knowledge of worldly sex with its complications, lust, fear, guilt, disease, violation, regret.

So,  you and your husband are in Jannah.  You look wonderful; your bodies are at their best shape, they are in perfect health, and you won’t age or decay;  You and your husband love each other and any arguments you may have had back in the world are gone, wiped from your mind so that you only have love and respect for one another.

All physical and spiritual needs will be fulfilled in paradise.

5. For me, Islam answers all the intellectual questions,   Faith is backed with evidence. It gives you practical guidelines to live a moral life,

The literary excellence of the Quranic discourse, its scientific accuracy as well as its account of historical events make it unmatched, 

Allah says in the Quran:

If you are in doubt about it, bring a chapter like it.
[Noble Quran 2:23]

The shortest chapter is three lines,

And for over 1400 years no one has been successful with this seemingly simple literary challenge: see my thread https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-814992.0.html

The Quran translated to english fails to transmit this literary brilliance,

Islam gives me a direct connection to God, no partners, no sons,  I submit to God on His terms, 


Thanks.

tbaba1234, thanks for going in-depth with the answers. It must have taken time so I sincerely appreciate it.

Okay, it appears cases may be reviewed differently concerning theft.

Now if theft is as result of greed or any other selfish reason, the punishment is the amputation of the hand. I know of a person who is serving 42 years in prison for stealing about $200. Ask that person if he would prefer to have an amputation of the hand and be with his family or remain in prison. The option will always be the first one.

So are the perpetrators granted options in the matter?

The harsh punishments are to serve as a deterrent as much as anything. It is to make you think about the possible consequences of your actions.

What if a person continues to steal despite their first dose of punishment ? (i.e. maybe the person is a kleptomaniac)
What if the thief is a child?

This makes me ponder how much more serious crimes are dealt with.
What is the punishment for murder and violation?

"As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, (1) Admonish them, (2) refuse to share their beds, (3) beat them lightly; but if they return to obedience seek not against them means of annoyance: For Allah is Most High, Great. (4) If you fear a break between them, appoint two arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers; If they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation" (Quran 4:34-35).

The word "beating" is used in the verse, but it does not mean "physical abuse". The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) explained it "dharban ghayra mubarrih" which means "a light tap that leaves no mark". He further said that face must be avoided. Some other scholars are of the view that it is no more than a light touch by siwak, or toothbrush.

Really? So just a "light touch" is the furthest physical means used to arouse such women out of disobedience?

"The description of Paradise which the righteous have been promised is that in it are rivers of water, the taste and smell of which are never changed. Rivers of milk the taste of which will remain unchanged. Rivers of wine that will be delicious to those who drink from it and rivers of clear, pure honey. For them will be every kind of fruit and forgiveness form their Lord."
[ 47:15]

erm maybe I don't understand but does one still need "forgiveness" in paradise?

Paradise (Jannah)

Description in the Qur'an of Paradise

Hmmn sounds materialistic to me So basically there will be an eternal-abundance in self indulgence?

"Around them will (serve) boys of perpetual youth.". . . .Would people's countenance betray age in Paradise? Would there be such thing as age?

Description of Paradise in the Hadith

"Verily in Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday.

So is there awareness of time in Paradise?, For Friday to arrive, night and day must have passed. . .right?

So marriage still has a place in Paradise?

Isn't the essence and function of marriage and sex procreation? What then will marriage and sex serve in Paradise? Or do births occur in Paradise?

All physical and spiritual needs will be fulfilled in paradise.

What physical needs? Isn't Paradise supposed to be celestial?


Is not the reward for righteousness and obedience (Paradise) meant to be unparalleled, even unmatched?
If Paradise is the ultimate reward then how comes elements found on earth will still occur in Paradise?
So essentially "non-believers" would've experience a fraction/equivalent of what is to occur in Paradise?

Parts such as being in the company of Allah and the absence of back-biting is appealing to me because these are events that are lacking in this life.

Further Questions:

If my father was a Muslim would that automatically make me a Muslim?

Which Muslim nations do most Muslims adhere to and admire and why (if any)?

Do you reckon that one cannot accept or reject a concept without understanding it in it's entirety? - I'm getting at the possibility that you may have converted before completely reading the whole Quaran or you may not have even fully comprehended other faiths before dismissing them.

If Islam is the only corridor to Paradise, what becomes of those now deceased inhabitants of the world that existed before the Quaran was printed?

Thanks in advance.

emofine:

Further Questions:

If my father was a Muslim would that automatically make me a Muslim?

Which Muslim nations do most Muslims adhere to and admire and why (if any)?

Do you reckon that one cannot accept or reject a concept without understanding it in it's entirety? - I'm getting at the possibility that you may have converted before completely reading the whole Quaran or you may not have even fully comprehended other faiths before dismissing them.

If Islam is the only corridor to Paradise, what becomes of those now deceased inhabitants of the world that existed before the Quaran was printed?

Thanks in advance.

Q1 Your father being a muslim does not make you a muslim;

A Muslim is one who submits sincerely to one God, the Eternal, Absolute; on his terms;

A Muslim believes in the all the messengers of God including Noah (peace and blessings be upon him),Abraham( peace and blessings be upon him), Moses(PBUH), Jesus (PBUH) and Mohammed (PBUH). Their message is the same and it came from One and the Same Source; God, and it is to submit to His will and to obey his law.

A Muslim believes in all scriptures and revelations of God, as they were complete and in their original versions.

A Muslim believes in the unseen (angels, etc).

A Muslim believes in the day of Judgement

A Muslim believes in the Timeless Knowledge of God and His power to plan and execute His plans.

Q2
Currently, there is no Muslim nation practicing the islamic law, the way they should so i can't say any country

Nationalism is a concept alien to Islam, Historically, all the muslim countries were all just one state until 1923 when the colonialists took over the muslim lands.

Q3 I am not a convert but i read the bible before i read the translation of the Quran. I grew up in a largely christian setting,
I became a lot more serious about islam after studying, because the Quran answered all my questions.

Muslims believe that other scriptures have been revealed like the Torah to moses, the psalms to David and the Gospel to Jesus, but those scriptures have been corrupted by man, The Quran on the other hand has remained the same in the original language since revelation.

The Quran states:

But because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard; they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease to find them- barring a few - ever bent on (new) deceits: but forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind. – [Quran 5:13]

Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: “This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price! - Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby. – [Quran 2:79]

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Quran) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and trustworthy in highness and a witness over it (old Scriptures).” (Quran 5:48)


“It is We Who have sent down the remembrance (i.e. the Quran) and surely, We will guard it from corruption.” (Quran 15:9)

Q4 Islam means obtaining peace by submitting sincerely to the will of God.
The Quran tells us that messengers were sent to every nation, with the same message: Worship the one God on his terms:
Like Jesus (pbuh) said: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE.” Mark 12:29

For those who followed the correct message from the people of the book(Jews and Christians) have nothing to fear: The Quran states:

'Those who believe [in the Qur'an], and those who follow the Jewish [scriptures], and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and
the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord;on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Quran (2:62)

Basically those who followed the message of Jesus and Moses have nothing to fear,

For those who don't get the message: It is part of the justice of Allaah that He does not punish any people until He has first sent a warning to them and unless there is evidence against them. Allaah does not treat anybody unfairly. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).” [al-Israa’ 17:15].

A person who has never heard of Islam or the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and who has never heard the message in its correct and true form, will not be punished by Allaah if he dies in a state of kufr (disbelief). If it were asked what his fate will be, the answer will be that Allaah will test him on the Day of Resurrection: if he obeys, he will enter Paradise and if he disobeys he will enter Hell.

Everyone who hears the message of Islam in a sound and correct form (and rejects it), will have evidence aginst him. Whoever dies without having heard the message, or having heard it in a distorted form, then his case is in the hands of Allaah. Allaah knows best about His creation, and He will never treat anyone unfairly. And Allaah is All-Seer of His slaves.

And God knows best.

Thanks.

SEE ABOVE FOR THE ANSWERS TO THE OTHER QUESTIONS

emofine:

So are the perpetrators granted options in the matter?

That is a different legal system:: I was just comparing the two punishments.

emofine:

What if a person continues to steal despite their first dose of punishment ? (i.e. maybe the person is a kleptomaniac)
What if the thief is a child?

This makes me ponder how much more serious crimes are dealt with.
What is the punishment for murder and violation?

If the  person has a mental condition that compels him to steal, then no punishment [/b]is meted out.
A child is not punished for their crimes until adulthood. the law of severing the hand of the thief [b]cannot be applied.

For Murder: In the case of murder, the next of kin and the family of the victim determines whether they forgive the person or not. They can either

a) Allow the authorities execute him (the killer is killed);
b) accept monetary compensation from him; or
c) forgive him.

The Quran states:

“O you who believe! Al-Qisaas (the Law of Equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives) of the killed against blood money, then adhering to it with fairness and payment of the blood money to the heir should be made in fairness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. So after this whoever transgresses the limits (i.e. kills the killer after taking the blood money), he shall have a painful torment”[al-Baqarah 2:178].

emofine:

Really? So just a "light touch" is the furthest physical means used to arouse such women out of disobedience?

Yep, you are not allowed to inflict hurt on your wife,   Other translators use the word pat or tap. And you can only lay hands on her after the other steps have failed to work.

The only form of "strking" allowed in Islam is: "Percuss: a light tap, similar to that used in examining patients."

The prophet (SAW) said : "Could any of you beat your wife as he would a slave, and then lie with her in the evening?"

He also said: "Never beat God's handmaidens."

emofine:

erm maybe I don't understand but does one still need "forgiveness" in paradise?

Everyone in paradise is there because of they were forgiven; Everyone makes paradise because of the Mercy of God.

Narrated Jabir: I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him, saying: “None of you will enter Paradise because of his good deeds alone, and none would be rescued from the Fire, not even I, except for the Mercy of Allah.”

The Arabic word has a deeper meaning. “Yataghamadani” literally means “to completely submerge me.”1 It gives the meaning of envelopment, engulfment, covering and immersing. Paradise is so magnificent that we can only enter it if Allah (swt) drowns us in His Mercy.

No, you won't be needing forgiveness in paradise,  You being there is because you were engulfed by the mercy of God.

emofine:

Hmmn sounds materialistic to me So basically there will be an eternal-abundance in self indulgence?
"Around them will (serve) boys of perpetual youth.". . . .Would people's countenance betray age in Paradise? Would there be such thing as age?

Everyone in paradise will be recreated in a form different from our present forms. Everyone will be of the same age as there will be no aging,  your father, your kid and your grand mum will look the same.

You will be perpetually happy and content,  Paradise is a real place and we will feel [b]the pleasure of living [/b]without pain or sin or hurt.

Jannah (paradise) is also called dar al-salaam:

“And Allah invites to dar al-salaam [the Home of Peace] and guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (Qur’an, 10:25)

In another verse, Allah (swt) says about the Righteous, “For them will be dar al-salaam with their Lord,” (Qur’an, 6:127).

Al-Salaam is one of the Majestic Names of Allah (swt). It has two meanings: the One free of all faults and deficiencies (The Perfection) and the Giver of Peace and Security.4 From these similar meanings, jannah is called dar al-salaam because it is a place free of all grief, death, worries, tensions, fatigues, enmities, and hatred; and it is a place of safety. It is also called dar al-salaam because Allah (swt), Al-Salaam, will greet its inhabitants as they enter. He (swt) says, “[…] their greeting therein will be, ‘Peace,’” (Qur’an 10:10). Similarly, the Angels will also greet them: “And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], ‘Peace be upon you [assalaamu `alaykum] for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home,’” (Qur’an, 13:23-24).

emofine:

So is there awareness of time in Paradise?, For Friday to arrive, night and day must have passed. . .right?

So marriage still has a place in Paradise?

Isn't the essence and function of marriage and sex procreation? What then will marriage and sex serve in Paradise? Or do births occur in Paradise?

What physical needs? Isn't Paradise supposed to be celestial?

This is what the scholars say:

Al-Qurtubî said,
"The scholars said there is no night and day in Paradise rather they will be in eternal everlasting light. They will know when night comes because curtains or screens will be put up and doors will be closed, and they will know when day comes because the curtains or screens will be taken down and the doors will be opened. This was mentioned by Abul-Faraj ibn al-Jawzî" [al-Qurtubî, at-Tadhkirah, p. 504] ]

Ibn Kathîr in his commentary on the âyah:
"And they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening. Such is the Paradise, which We shall give as an inheritance to those of Our slave who have been al-Muttaqûn [pious and righteous]" [19:62-63]

He said,
"This means something approximate to the times of day and night, it does not mean that there will be a day and night there. They will know the passing of time by the changes in the light" ]Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr, 4/471[

On the same subject, Ibn Taymiyyah said,
"There is no sun and moon in Paradise, and no day or night, but they will know morning and evening From a light that shines from the direction of the Throne"" [Majmu' Fatâwa Shaikh al-Islâm, 4/312]

One of the most beautiful things about marriage is companionship: Paradise provides you with the companionship and love of a spouse without the problems that comes with those relationship,  Imagine being always in love and always happy with your spouse who is always in love and always happy with you,  There is no need for reproduction since it is eternal,  It is perfection.

emofine:

What physical needs? Isn't Paradise supposed to be celestial?

Is not the reward for righteousness and obedience (Paradise) meant to be unparalleled, even unmatched?
If Paradise is the ultimate reward then how comes elements found on earth will still occur in Paradise?
So essentially "non-believers" would've experience a fraction/equivalent of what is to occur in Paradise?

Parts such as being in the company of Allah and the absence of back-biting is appealing to me because these are events that are lacking in this life.

Isn't Heaven a spiritual place of bliss? Yes it is, but it is also a physical existence.

Paradise in Islam is similar to the pleasures of this life but far better and everlasting. We do not subscribe to the beliefs of other religious traditions that preach that we will move on to a purely spiritual realm in the next life. This would cause us to assume that physical existence is inherently evil, which Islam rejects.

Allah created us as both physical and spiritual beings. Angels are spiritual creatures only in that they were created from light. They are seen by other religious traditions as being superior to human beings. But even the angels are servants of Allah as we are.

Some humans, prophets for example, are superior to some angels in many ways. When Allah created Adam (peace be upon him) he commanded the angels to bow down to him.

*{Were We then weary with the first Creation, that they should be in confused doubt about a new Creation?}* (Qaf 50:15)

Allah created us all from the elements of the earth beginning with the creation of our father Adam, then in the form of Fluid and egg, again basically from nothing. The elements of the universe were created by His Will alone. Only Allah can create from nothing.

Is it difficult for Him to create us again from our bones? Or even from nothing again? Of course, Allah is able to do as He pleases and we are not the ones to ask why or why not.

Regarding the verses about female companions and wives in Paradise, we can use a similar argument. If Allah has blessed us with wives in this life, does it seem right to remove this blessing in the next life?  The problems we run into in having many wives in this life stem from our shortcomings as men and women. Allah advises us in this matter:

*{You are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire, but turn not away from a woman altogether, so as to leave her as it were hanging in the air. If you come to a friendly understanding, and practice self- restraint, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.}* (Al-Nisaa' 4:129

In Paradise, however, these shortcomings and ill-feelings will disappear.

*{And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones of dignity.}* (Al-Hijr 15:47)

Paradise is a place where no one will experience any type of worry or annoyance. No feelings of jealousy or ill-will would be found among the hearts of its inhabitants. There is no aging and no death, only happiness and enjoyment of the finest things of life, human life. The greatest reward, however, is to be able to look upon Allah as He really is and to have Allah's pleasure.

Prophet Muhammad taught us more than any other prophet, peace be upon them all, about Paradise and Hell:
Abu Said Al-Khudri and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) both reported Allah's Messenger as saying:

"There will be an announcer in Paradise who will make this announcement: "Verily there is in store for you everlasting health and that you should never fall ill and that you live for ever and do not die at all. And that you would remain young and never grow old. And that you would always live in affluent circumstances and never become destitute, as words of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, are: *{And it will be announced to them: This is the Paradise. You have been made to inherit it for what you used to do."}* (Al-A`raf 7:43) (Muslim)

This is not a description of a spiritual existence only. Will we have a youthful appearance and fine clothing?

The Prophet continued, saying:
"Then He would say: Enter the Paradise; whatever you see in it is yours. They would say: O Lord, you have bestowed upon us favors which you did not bestow upon anyone else in the world. He would say: There is with Me a favor for you better than this. They would say: O our Lord! Which thing is better than this? He would say: It is My pleasure. I will never be angry with you after this." ( Muslim)

Finally, I would like to say that we take Islam as a whole. It is a comprehensive faith that leaves out nothing in offering the best guidance to mankind in achieving success in this life and the next.

*{He it is Who has sent down to you the Book: In it are verses basic or fundamental of established meaning; they are the foundation of the Book: others are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is allegorical, seeking discord, and searching for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:" and none will grasp the message except people of understanding.}* (Aal `Imran 3:7)

I hope this answers your questions.

@poster May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. May Allah increase you in knowledge.

Your father being a muslim does not make you a muslim;

A Muslim is one who submits sincerely to one God, the Eternal, Absolute; on his terms

Okay, if that is the case how comes Muslim males are permitted to marry outside their religion?

tbaba1234, it appears you may have had an oversight. You skipped my question concerning the consequences of r[i]a[/i]p[i]e[/i] outlined by Sharia Law.

What is the punishment for r[i]a[/i]p[i]e[/i]?

Nationalism is a concept alien to Islam,  Historically, all the muslim countries were all just one state until 1923 when the colonialists took over the muslim lands.

Including Northern Nigeria?

I am not a convert

So were you always a Muslim?
Maybe I'm confused as to the definition of convert . . .please explain.

Muslims believe that other scriptures have been revealed like the Torah to moses, the psalms to David and the Gospel to Jesus, but those scriptures have been corrupted by man,  The Quran on the other hand has remained the same in the original language since revelation.

If a book/text is susceptible to being mistranslated and tampered with do you thus believe a book is sufficient enough to guide millions in faith?

Everyone will be of the same age as there will be no aging,  your father, your kid and your grand mum will look the same.

Ageless in appearance?
Or appear as "the same age" as each other?
Or look the "same age" as when they departed this life and went to heaven?

Paradise in Islam is similar to the pleasures of this life but far better and everlasting

It sounds to me that what is being promised is a new improved version of what one can do on earth minus the negative side effects, is that right?

So pretty much everything that Muslims are labouring for here on earth hoping to receive in Paradise can be enjoyed to some lesser degree here on earth?

Isn't Heaven a spiritual place of bliss? Yes it is, but it is also a physical existence.

Why would any element of Paradise pertain to the physical when physicality expires whilst spirituality is eternal?

I thought that believers were faithful here on earth because this was supposed to be their process of refinement so in the next chapter of their life (which I assumed was in the spirit not an extension of the physical) they will live with their God in eternal Peace.

Paradise in Islam is similar to the pleasures of this life but far better and everlasting. We do not subscribe to the beliefs of other religious traditions that preach that we will move on to a purely spiritual realm in the next life. This would cause us to assume that physical existence is inherently evil, which Islam rejects.

So is the next realm for Muslims partly spiritual?

If Allah has blessed us with wives in this life, does it seem right to remove this blessing in the next life?

Okay but Allah has blessed us with children but you have confessed that reproduction will not occur in Paradise . . .so earthly relationships will be translated in Paradise? If so will children who are also believers like their parents still maintain a parental-child relationship in Paradise?

Are Muslims guided by their spiritual antennae or physical desires in their labour towards obtaining the promises of Paradise?

I ask this because some of the promises in Paradise are of things that (to me) won't add anything to my spirit if these are the things my flesh already craves for.
Is lust a theme in Paradise since polygamy and sex is?

The reason I am digging is because I want to be confronted by something completely extraordinary and otherworldly in Paradise. The description I have been rendered of Paradise thus far will not differ largely to a lot of "non-believer's" (especially men) idea of their personal Paradise. These are things some of them dream up here on earth and I doubt all of them have read the Quaran to offer any similarities on purpose but it still matches with man's (a sinner man's) ideal.

Do you think my above conclusion is pretty hasty?


P.S. I hope I'm not frustrating you or wearing you out with all these multiple questions .

Many Thanks.

emofine:

Okay, if that is the case how comes Muslim males are permitted to marry outside their religion?

tbaba1234, it appears you may have had an oversight. You skipped my question concerning the consequences of r[i]a[/i]p[i]e[/i] outlined by Sharia Law.

What is the punishment for r[i]a[/i]p[i]e[/i]?

If a muslim man has a kid, It does not mean his kid  grow up muslim, It increases the chances, since the man is the head of the home but it does not mean that will happen. To be a muslim you must believe in the articles of faith highlighted earlier. The child has to consciously believe in those articles of faith.

In the case of r.ape:

1. The r.apist is killed if he was married
2. The r.apist is given one hundred lashes and banishment for one year if he is not married.

emofine:

Including Northern Nigeria?

No, Northern Nigeria was not a part of the ottoman empire,  but most muslim states were,

emofine:

So were you always a Muslim?
Maybe I'm confused as to the definition of convert . . .please explain.

A muslim simply means "one who submits". In islam, we believe that every child is born in the state of submission to the will of God but are influenced by their environment to adopt whatever ideology.

I grew up with the muslim beliefs, 

emofine:

If a book/text is susceptible to being mistranslated and tampered with do you thus believe a book is sufficient enough to guide millions in faith?

Muslims do not face that problem; The book is in its original language so you can always go back to the reference. It is memorised in part or whole  by billions of muslims,  so tampering is impossible. There are close to 20 million muslims around the world that have memorised the Quran letter by letter, word for word.
If you destroy all religious scriptures today. The Quran is the only book that will be brought back within a couple of days.

It is impossible to translate exactly from one language to another. A lot of the meaning is lost in translation. Jesus spoke the Aramaic language but there isn't a single manuscript in that language, do you not think that some of the message is lost.

In the case of the Quran, even if i don't speak arabic, i can get a classical arabic dictionary and get a deeper understanding of the words because it exists in its original.

emofine:

Ageless in appearance?
Or appear as "the same age" as each other?
Or look the "same age" as when they departed this life and went to heaven?

Appear the same age as each other;

emofine:

It sounds to me that what is being promised is a new improved version of what one can do on earth minus the negative side effects, is that right?

So pretty much everything that Muslims are labouring for here on earth hoping to receive in Paradise can be enjoyed to some lesser degree here on earth?

We will be created in a new form in paradise;

God speaks to us in the Quran in terms that we understand.  It is clear that the life of this world is incomparable to the hereafter. Not even in the slightest. Try and wrap your head around this: 

Jannah is not like this world.  Its pleasures are purified and what we call food in Jannah is perfect and only resembles food of this world like a weak shadow on a cloudy day resembles the person who casts it.    Everything in Jannah will be purified, perfect, and unique from anything this world has to offer:

Allah knows our innermost selves and He will make Jannah perfect for each of us. Jannah is not a place of serving, it is a place of being served; it is a place of rest and doing what you want,  Say you loved to garden, you will still have a love of these things when you are in Jannah. You may even be able to pursue such loves as “hobbies” sort of, in Jannah.  How do we know? We have this hadith:

One of the inhabitants of Paradise will seek permission from his Lord for cultivation. Allah will ask him: Are you not in a state that you like? He will  say: “yes, but I like to cultivate (the land). (When the man is permitted) he will soon sow the seeds. The plants will grow up get ripe and be ready for harvesting. Then the yield will develop into conglobation like huge mountain… (Bukhari,5, p.413/10119).

In its essence and at its basis, Islam is, first and foremost, a religion of the Hereafter, wherein the soul of the believer meets with its Lords, and remains eternally in His spiritual bliss. That is why Islam enhances the importance of "Righteous deeds, godliness and spirituality": "By men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah, nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity", [Light : 37].

This Verse clearly shows, albeit indirectly, that Islam does not encourage amassing wealth, but tends to strengthen "the remembrance of Allah," and the establishment of regular prayers and regular charity, for these are more important and loftier.

Within the same context, we read these clear and unequivocal words : "Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet : women and sons; heaped-up hordes of gold and silver, horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in the nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (to return to)", [The Family of Imran : 14].

This means that the hordes of gold and silver are possessions of this world's life which is ephemeral, and that this wealth does not open the gates of Heaven to those who have it; the wealth that is everlasting and immutable, however, is earning the Pleasure and Mercy of Allah, returning unto Him and remaining in His Eternity.

It becomes clear, therefore[b], that the good pleasure of Allah, that is, His Mercy and forgiveness, is more important and much greater than that Paradise and everything in it; it is to Allah that the believers must turn.
[/b]

The Prophet said, “When the people of Paradise enter it a voice will call, `People of Paradise! God has given you a promise which He would now like to fulfill.’ They will say, `What is that? Has He not brightened our faces, tilted down our scales, put us into Paradise, and saved us from the Fire?’ At that moment the veil will be removed from God’s face and people will look upon it; they will not have any joy greater than to look upon His face.”

emofine:

Why would any element of Paradise pertain to the physical when physicality expires whilst spirituality is eternal?

I thought that believers were faithful here on earth because this was supposed to be their process of refinement so in the next chapter of their life (which I assumed was in the spirit not an extension of the physical) they will live with their God in eternal Peace.

When we die, the soul is separated from the body,  We are resurrected in a new form for Judgement,  and the soul reunites with it

Then, they will say: Who shall bring us back (to life)? Say: He Who created you first! Then, they will shake their heads at you and say: When will that be? Say: Perhaps it is near! (Al-Isra, 17: 51) 

Does man (a disbeliever) think that We shall not assemble his bones? Yes, We are Able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers. (Al-Qiyamah, 75: 3-4)

So yea this physical body decays; but we will be resurrected in a new form.

Refinement?

One of the greatest attributes of Allaah is wisdom, and one of His greatest names is al-Hakeem (the most Wise). It should be noted that He has not created anything in vain; exalted be Allaah far above such a thing. Rather He creates things for great and wise reasons, and for sublime purposes. Those who know them know them and those who do not know them do not know them. Allaah has stated that in His Holy Book, where He says that He has not created mankind in vain, and He has not created the heavens and the earth in vain. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"We did not create the jinn and men except to worship us" [Surah adh-Dhariyyat, verse 56)

“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?”

What is the matter with you that you deny the greatness of Allah, when He has created you through different stages. See you not how Allah has created seven heavens in perfect harmony, and has placed the moon, therein a light and made the sun a lamp? And Allah has caused you to grow out of the earth as a good growth. Then will He cause you to return, thereto, and He will bring you forth a new bringing forth. (71:13-19)

So relative to Allah, we were created in a means or a way in which Allah has chosen to manifest his attributes of creation, mercy, grace etc and he could have chosen another one. But relative to us as human beings, we know that our purpose is to worship Allah. As we said, Allah does not need our worship, a Allah didn’t need to create. When he created us to worship him, he didn’t create us, out of a need for our worship, because Allah has no needs. In a famous hadith qudsi in which Allah says;

If all of you, jinn and mankind, were to worship like the most righteous amongst you, it would not increase the dominion of Allah in any way shape or form. And if all of us, jinn and mankind ,

Worship has been established, fundamentally for the growth, the spiritual growth of man. This growth takes place through the remembrance of Allah. When you look at all the different aspects of worship, you will see the core of it is focused on the remembrance of Allah.

"Establish the prayer for My remembrance."

This is the essence for the consciousness of God. Allah says that he has:

"…prescribed for us fasting, as he prescribed it for those before us, so that we may fear him."

We cannot develop this spiritual characteristic of generosity unless some of us have more then others and then we are required to give of the wealth we have. When we give, we grow. Similarly, if we were not in a position where others had more then us then we wouldn’t have the ability to develop the higher spiritual quality of contentment, patience, satisfaction in what Allah has given us.

So it is all there in order to bring out the higher spiritual qualities, which enable us to attain the state, which makes us suitable and eligible to return to paradise. The paradise from which we were created, we were created in paradise and for paradise. Through our choices we have left, in this life, a field of testing, where we can grow to a state where we deserve paradise.

The purpose of this life is the worship of Allah, this life is a test. A test for us, will we worship Allah, or will we forget Him. This is where our focus has to begin.

emofine:

So is the next realm for Muslims partly spiritual?

I think this has already been answered.

emofine:

Are Muslims guided by their spiritual antennae or physical desires in their labour towards obtaining the promises of Paradise?

I ask this because some of the promises in Paradise are of things that (to me) won't add anything to my spirit if these are the things my flesh already craves for.
Is lust a theme in Paradise since polygamy and sex is?

The reason I am digging is because I want to be confronted by something completely extraordinary and otherworldly in Paradise. The description I have been rendered of Paradise thus far will not differ largely to a lot of "non-believer's" (especially men) idea of their personal Paradise. These are things some of them dream up here on earth and I doubt all of them have read the Quaran to offer any similarities on purpose but it still matches with man's (a sinner man's) ideal.

Do you think my above conclusion is pretty hasty?

P.S. I hope I'm not frustrating you or wearing you out with all these multiple questions .

Many Thanks.

A muslim motivation is the pleasure of his lord; that will be above all of the grandeur of paradise,  That is the ultimate aim.

Again, everything is purified; It is above and beyond anything on the earth,  Everything in Jannah will be purified, perfect, and unique from anything this world has to offer,  Sex will be similarly purified, which we with our worldly limited brains cannot understand.

Because we cannot understand this, we have a hard time relating to descriptions of Jannah even as they are given to us in the Qur’an and the authentic sayings of Prophet Muhammad, pbuh.  We can read that there will be no jealousy or enmity in Jannah, but our real life selves can’t imagine turning loose of all the baggage we have, the petty jealousies and hurts and very real memories of betrayal or pain.  We can intellectually accept that sex in Jannah is different, but we can’t turn loose of knowledge of worldly sex with its complications, lust, fear, guilt, disease, violation, regret. There is no date violation, there is no uh-oh, there is no “what was I thinking?” in Jannah.

You can't think of the earthly experience when talking of Jannah, 

Your conclusion is based on the false premise that everything physical is evil? sex, wealth and comfort are not evil things,

The perfection of  paradise is that you are engulfed in the mercy of your lord, everything is pure::: you are at peace with your lord and he is pleased with you. Seeing the face of your lord isn't extraordinary enough??

The Prophet said, “When the people of Paradise enter it a voice will call, `People of Paradise! God has given you a promise which He would now like to fulfill.’ They will say, `What is that? Has He not brightened our faces, tilted down our scales, put us into Paradise, and saved us from the Fire?’ At that moment the veil will be removed from God’s face and people will look upon it; they will not have any joy greater than to look upon His face.”

There is no greater joy; so whilst we will enjoy the absolute perfection of everything physical, there is no greater joy than being with your lord.

It is the best of everything,

Thanks,

Listen to this poem on paradise, it gives a short description

[flash=500,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Uv7mNOaYVE[/flash]

I av no doubt there's much to gain from this thread. . . would be back InshaAllah

It is impossible to translate exactly from one language to another. A lot of the meaning is lost in translation. Jesus spoke the Aramaic language but there isn't a single manuscript in that language, do you not think that some of the message is lost.

I believe some essence must have been lost in translation. However I thought the original biblical scriptures were written in languages such as Greek etc (anyway I'm diverting because Christianity is not the theme of this thread, excuse me)

I heard The Prophet Muhammed (shall I also say PBUH ) was illiterate. Thus did he dictate to others what was to be written if the truth was revealed to him alone?

God speaks to us in the Quran in terms that we understand

Valid point. I had considered such myself.

Your conclusion is based on the false premise that everything physical is evil?

Absolutely not. My conclusion is based on my personal belief that both our physical and spiritual being prioritise different things and have separate notions of what is pleasurable and good for the two bodies. I view them as parallel to each other. So anything I yearn for, want, need in the physical will not correlate with what I yearn for, want, need in the spiritual. I am not of the the opinion that sex etc are sinful - not at all. I am of the opinion that these themes habitat remains on a physical plane. For example I don't think eating or sleeping is evil yet I don't believe in the spirit that I would be consuming food or falling asleep.
Part of the reason I am of that thought is because anybody on earth experiences these things and for someone to pass through a rigorous journey into the next stage of their life only to be confronted with similar things that people who have not reached the same final destination as me have had knowledge of, experience of, waters down the effect and excitement for me.

The perfection of  paradise is that you are engulfed in the mercy of your lord, everything is pure::: you are at peace with your lord and he is pleased with you. Seeing the face of your lord isn't extraordinary enough??

So is Paradise basically just a perfect, harmonious version of this world were living in?

Actually I did say earlier that was one of two things that I found appealing.

. . ."At that moment the veil will be removed from God’s face and people will look upon it; they will not have any joy greater than to look upon His face.”

This sounds exciting and something worth looking forward to.

Once again, thank you for your time.

emofine:

I believe some essence must have been lost in translation. However I thought the original biblical scriptures were written in languages such as Greek etc (anyway I'm diverting because Christianity is not the theme of this thread, excuse me)

I heard The Prophet Muhammed (shall I also say PBUH ) was illiterate. Thus did he dictate to others what was to be written if the truth was revealed to him alone?

The comparison of the Quran in arabic and the Quran translated to english is like comparing ps3 to 'Ludo'. lol, Seriously though, the perfection of word choice in the Quran usually blows me away, that is not captured in english.

Yes, he was illiterate. he could neither read nor write. Revelation came to him over a period of 23 years and it was committed to the memories of many his companions, those who could write wrote on bones of animals, parchments and scrolls. At the time of his death, there were many of his companions who had the whole of the Quran memorized and some who had parts of it written down.

This makes the Quran revelation even more amazing because it was all recited/revealed in the presence of his companions, no editing, no redraft.

Yet the Quran's eloquence speaks volumes, There is nothing like it in the Arabic language.

Coming from an illiterate Shepherd in the middle of the desert, it is nothing short of a miracle.

emofine:

So is Paradise basically just a perfect, harmonious version of this world were living in?

It also includes things that no eyes have seen and no ears have heard.

Even things you know in this world would taste and feel a whole lot different than it does here and would taste better every time.

Thanks.

Keemie:

@poster May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. May Allah increase you in knowledge.

Jazaka Allahu Khair!

WHAT IS ISLAMIC SPRITUALITY

Islam doesn’t view ‘spirituality’ separately from everyday activities. In Islam everything is ‘spiritual’ because all actions must be in accordance with God’s pleasure. This view comes from the Islamic creed and the Muslim’s understanding of tawhid (the oneness of God).

‘There is no deity worthy of worship except God’ this convinction creates a world view, a perspective and a unique behaviour. It essential means that all actions – from having a shower to picking up litter from the floor – should be referred to the Creator. This establishes a constant awareness, mindfulness and consciousness of God in everything that the Muslim says or does.

The understanding of spirituality in Islam is unlike the secular understanding. It is the constant reference to God and ensuring that everything he or she does is in accordance with God’s pleasure.

This consciousness is not static, it is dynamic. The level of God consciousness is dependent upon how close the Muslim is with His Lord. This personal relationship is established and strengthened by following a unique programme of activities that have been prescribed by God Himself. This ‘spiritual’ programme is also an effective means to change the negative traits and habits of the Muslim. Some of these activities include remembrance of God, prayer, giving charity, fasting, reflecting on creation, meditation, reading and reflecting upon the Qur’an, memorising the Qur’an and daily supplications.

The Prophet Muhammad emphasised on developing a good character by engaging a constant practice of prayer, meditation, remembrance of God and other activities, as these actions change the heart and thereby bring one closer to God.

“Verily in the body there is a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the body is all sound. If it is corrupt, the body is all corrupt. Verily, it is the heart.”

God consciousness is an essential element in Islamic spiritual practice, without it, the Muslim’s behaviour and attitude are corrupted. The benefits of God consciousness as derived from the Qur’an are:

Guidance: because of His words “guidance for the muttaqeen (the people of God consciousness)”
Help: because of His words “Truly, Allah is with the people who have taqwa (God consciousness)”
Closeness with God: because of His words, ”Allah is the close friend of the muttaqeen”
Love: because of His words, “Truly Allah loves the muttaqeen”
A way out from unhappiness, and provision from where one does not expect because of His words, “Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will make a way out for him and provide him from where he does not expect”
Facilitation of affairs because of His words, “Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will make ease for him in his affair”
Full covering over of wrong actions and magnification of rewards because of His words, “Whoever has taqwa of God He will cover over his wrong actions and magnify a reward for him”

Islam has a unique view on spirituality as it encompasses all aspects of the Muslim’s life. All actions that are referred to God are spiritual, and these actions include the supplications we utter before we go to bed to the type of bank account we hold. God has prescribed certain actions that develop positive characters as well as bringing the Muslim closer to God thereby attain God consciousness. This state achieves many things including God’s love, closeness and divine assistance.

http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/?page_id=280

Reading the Qur’an by Tariq Ramadan
by Tariq Ramadan | The New York Times

For Muslims the Koran stands as the Text of reference, the source and the essence of the message transmitted to humanity by the creator. It is the last of a lengthy series of revelations addressed to humans down through history. It is the Word of God — but it is not God. The Koran makes known, reveals and guides: it is a light that responds to the quest for meaning. The Koran is remembrance of all previous messages, those of Noah and Abraham, of Moses and Jesus. Like them, it reminds and instructs our consciousness: life has meaning, facts are signs.It is the Book of all Muslims the world over. But paradoxically, it is not the first book someone seeking to know Islam should read. (A life of the Prophet or any book presenting Islam would be a better introduction.) For it is both extremely simple and deeply complex. The nature of the spiritual, human, historical and social teachings to be drawn from it can be understood at different levels. The Text is one, but its readings are multiple.

For the woman or the man whose heart has made the message of Islam its own, the Koran speaks in a singular way. It is both the Voice and the Path. God speaks to one’s innermost being, to his consciousness, to his heart, and guides him onto the path that leads to knowledge of him, to the meeting with him: “This is the Book, about it there can be no doubt; it is a Path for those who are aware of God.” More than a mere text, it is a traveling companion to be chanted, to be sung or to be heard.

Throughout the Muslim world, in mosques, in homes and in the streets, one can hear magnificent voices reciting the divine Words. Here, there can be no distinction between religious scholars (ulema) and laymen. The Koran speaks to each in his language, accessibly, as if to match his intelligence, his heart, his questions, his joy as well as his pain. This is what the ulema have termed reading or listening as adoration. As Muslims read or hear the Text, they strive to suffuse themselves with the spiritual dimension of its message: beyond time, beyond history and the millions of beings who populate the earth, God is speaking to each of them, calling and reminding each of them, inviting, guiding, counseling and commanding. God responds, to her, to him, to the heart of each: with no intermediary, in the deepest intimacy.

No need for studies and diplomas, for masters and guides. Here, as we take our first steps, God beckons us with the simplicity of his closeness. The Koran belongs to everyone, free of distinction and of hierarchy. God responds to whoever comes to his Word. It is not rare to observe women and men, poor and rich, educated and illiterate, Eastern and Western, falling silent, staring into the distance, lost in thought, stepping back, weeping. The search for meaning has encountered the sacred, God is near: “Indeed, I am close at hand. I answer the call of him who calls me when s/he calls.”

A dialogue has begun. An intense, permanent, constantly renewed dialogue between a Book that speaks the infinite simplicity of the adoration of the One, and the heart that makes the intense effort necessary to liberate itself, to meet him. At the heart of every heart’s striving lies the Koran. It holds out peace and initiates into liberty.

Indeed, the Koran may be read at several levels, in quite distinct fields. But first, the reader must be aware of how the Text has been constructed. The Koran was revealed in sequences of varying length, sometimes as entire chapters (suras), over a span of 23 years. In its final form, the Text follows neither a chronological nor strictly thematic order. Two things initially strike the reader: the repetition of Prophetic stories, and the formulas and information that refer to specific historical situations that the Koran does not elucidate. Understanding, at this first level, calls for a twofold effort on the part of the reader: though repetition is, in a spiritual sense, a reminder and a revivification, in an intellectual sense it leads us to attempt to reconstruct. The stories of Eve and Adam, or of Moses, are repeated several times over with differing though noncontradictory elements: the task of human intelligence is to recompose the narrative structure, to bring together all the elements, allowing us to grasp the facts.

But we must also take into account the context to which these facts refer: all commentators, without distinction as to school of jurisprudence, agree that certain verses of the revealed Text (in particular, but not only, those that refer to war) speak of specific situations that had arisen at the moment of their revelation. Without taking historical contingency into account, it is impossible to obtain general information on this or that aspect of Islam. In such cases, our intelligence is invited to observe the facts, to study them in reference to a specific environment and to derive principles from them. It is a demanding task, which requires study, specialization and extreme caution. Or to put it differently, extreme intellectual modesty.

The second level is no less demanding. The Koranic text is, first and foremost, the promulgation of a message whose content has, above all, a moral dimension. On each page we behold the ethics, the underpinnings, the values and the hierarchy of Islam taking shape. In this light, a linear reading is likely to disorient the reader and to give rise to incoherence, even contradiction. It is appropriate, in our efforts to determine the moral message of Islam, to approach the Text from another angle. While the stories of the Prophets are drawn from repeated narrations, the study of ethical categories requires us, first, to approach the message in the broadest sense, then to derive the principles and values that make up the moral order. The methods to be applied at this second level are exactly the opposite of the first, but they complete it, making it possible for religious scholars to advance from the narration of a prophetic story to the codification of its spiritual and ethical teaching.

But there remains a third level, which demands full intellectual and spiritual immersion in the Text, and in the revealed message. Here, the task is to derive the Islamic prescriptions that govern matters of faith, of religious practice and of its fundamental precepts. In a broader sense, the task is to determine the laws and rules that will make it possible for all Muslims to have a frame of reference for the obligations, the prohibitions, the essential and secondary matters of religious practice, as well as those of the social sphere. A simple reading of the Koran does not suffice: not only is the study of Koranic science a necessity, but knowledge of segments of the prophetic tradition is essential. One cannot, on a simple reading of the Koran, learn how to pray. We must turn to authenticated prophetic tradition to determine the rules and the body movements of prayer.

As we can see, this third level requires singular knowledge and competence that can only be acquired by extensive, exhaustive study of the texts, their surrounding environment and, of course, intimate acquaintance with the classic and secular tradition of the Islamic sciences. It is not merely dangerous but fundamentally erroneous to generalize about what Muslims must and must not do based on a simple reading of the Koran. Some Muslims, taking a literalist or dogmatic approach, have become enmeshed in utterly false and unacceptable interpretations of the Koranic verses, which they possess neither the means, nor on occasion the intelligence, to place in the perspective of the overarching message. Some orientalists, sociologists and non-Muslim commentators follow their example by extracting from the Koran certain passages, which they then proceed to analyze in total disregard for the methodological tools employed by the ulema.

Above and beyond these distinct levels of reading, we must take into account the different interpretations put forward by the great Islamic classical tradition. It goes without saying that all Muslims consider the Koran to be the final divine revelation. But going back to the direct experience of the Companions of the Prophet, it has always been clear that the interpretation of its verses is plural in nature, and that there has always existed an accepted diversity of readings among Muslims.

Some have falsely claimed that because Muslims believe the Koran to be the word of God, interpretation and reform are impossible. This belief is then cited as the reason why a historical and critical approach cannot be applied to the revealed Text. The development of the sciences of the Koran — the methodological tools fashioned and wielded by the ulema and the history of Koranic commentary — prove such a conclusion baseless. Since the beginning, the three levels outlined above have led to a cautious approach to the texts, one that obligates whoever takes up the task to be in harmony with his era and to renew his comprehension. Dogmatic and often mummified, hidebound readings clearly reflect not upon the Author of the Text, but upon the intelligence and psychology of the person reading it. Just as we can read the work of a human author, from Marx to Keynes, in closed-minded and rigid fashion, we can approach divine revelation in a similar manner. Instead, we should be at once critical, open-minded and incisive. The history of Islamic civilization offers us ample proof of this.

When dealing with the Koran, it is neither appropriate nor helpful to draw lines of demarcation between approaches of the heart and of the mind. All the masters of Koranic studies without exception have emphasized the importance of the spiritual dimension as a necessary adjunct to the intellectual investigation of the meaning of the Koran. The heart possesses its own intelligence: “Have they not hearts with which to understand,” the Koran calls out to us, as if to point out that the light of intellect alone is not enough. The Muslim tradition, from the legal specialists to the Sufi mystics, has continuously oscillated between these two poles: the intelligence of the heart sheds the light by which the intelligence of the mind observes, perceives and derives meaning. As sacred word, the Text contains much that is apparent; it also contains the secrets and silences that nearness to the divine reveals to the humble, pious, contemplative intelligence. Reason opens the Book and reads it — but it does so in the company of the heart, of spirituality.

For the Muslim’s heart and conscience, the Koran is the mirror of the universe. What the first Western translators, influenced by the biblical vocabulary, rendered as “verse” means, literally, “sign” in Arabic. The revealed Book, the written Text, is made up of signs, in the same way that the universe, in the image of a text spread out before our eyes, abounds with these very signs. When the intelligence of the heart — and not analytical intelligence alone — reads the Koran and the world, the two speak to one another, echo one another; each one speaks of the other and of the Unique One. The signs remind us of meaning: of birth, of life, of feeling, of thought, of death.

But the echo is deeper still, and summons human intelligence to understand revelation, creation and their harmony. Just as the universe possesses its fundamental laws and its finely regulated order — which humans, wherever they may be, must respect when acting upon their environment — the Koran lays down laws, a moral code and a body of practice that Muslims must respect, whatever their era and their environment. These are the invariables of the universe, and of the Koran. Religious scholars use the term qat’i (“definitive,” “not subject to interpretation”) when they refer to the Koranic verses (or to the authenticated Prophetic tradition, ahadith) whose formulation is clear and explicit and offers no latitude for figurative interpretation. In like manner, creation itself rests upon universal laws that we cannot ignore. The consciousness of the believer likens the five pillars of Islam to the laws of gravitation: they constitute an earthly reality beyond space and time.

As the universe is in constant motion, rich in an infinite diversity of species, beings, civilizations, cultures and societies, so too is the Koran. In the latitude of interpretation offered by the majority of its verses, by the generality of the principles and actions that it promulgates with regard to social affairs, by the silences that run through it, the Koran allows human intelligence to grasp the evolution of history, the multiplicity of languages and cultures, and thus to insinuate itself into the windings of time and the landscapes of space.

Between the universe and the Koran, between these two realities, between these two texts, human intelligence must learn to distinguish fundamental and universal laws from circumstantial and historical models. This intelligence must display humility in the presence of the order, beauty and harmony of creation and of revelation. At the same time it must responsibly and creatively manage its own accomplishments or interpretations, which are sources of extraordinary success, but also of injustice, war and disorder. Between Text and context, the intelligence of the heart and that of the analytical faculty lay down norms, recognize an ethical structure, produce knowledge, nourish consciousness, and develop enterprise and creativity in all spheres of human activity.

Far from being a prison, or a constraint, revelation is an invitation to mankind to reconcile itself with its deepest essence, and to find there both the recognition of its limitations and the extraordinary potential of its intelligence and its imagination. To submit ourselves to the order of the Just One and of his eternity is to understand that we are free and fully authorized to reform the injustices that lie at the heart of the order or disorder of all that is temporally human.

The Koran is a book for both heart and mind. In nearness to it, a woman or a man who possesses a spark of faith knows the path to follow, knows her or his own inadequacies. No sheik is needed, no wise man, no confidant. Ultimately, the heart knows. This was what the Prophet answered when he was asked about moral feelings. In the light of the Book, he said, “Inquire of your heart.” And should our intelligence stray into the complexities of the different levels of reading, from applied ethics to the rules of practice, we must never forget to clothe ourselves in the intellectual modesty that alone can reveal the secrets of the Text. For “it is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the breasts.” Such a heart, humble and alert, is the faithful friend of the Koran.

Tariq Ramadan is a professor of Islamic studies at Oxford and at Erasmus University in the Netherlands.
http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/quran/reading-the-quran-by-tariq-ramadan/

Keep the questions coming