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421

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Please Help me Understand Verse 5:54 correctly

« on: November 13, 2011, 06:15:32 AM »

Peace be upon you dear brother,
 
Please help me understand Verse 5:54 correctly.
 
I was reading several translation of this verse. My query is regarding the phrase highlighted below.

aAAizzatin AAala alkafireena
 
What should be the exact meaning  of the word aAAizzatin (أَعِزَّةٍ) in this context ?
From the trnslations below I can see the words proud, stern, lowly and dignified has been used.
 
From the verses 4:172-173 , 7:206 , 16:23, 31:18, 17:37, 21:19 ,25:63,  57:23 its clear that God does not like who is proud/boastful/arrogant. Again Pride was the reason that Ibless Satan was banished from heaven and became the dire enemy of human.
 
So I think the meaning of this word in this context should not be proud which bears a negative meaning rather it would be a positive meaning. And there is a popular slogan among muslims is "Proud to be Muslim" . I think this is not right. We should rather be humbled to submit to God Alone.
 
I have checked the meaning of the root word and there are several options. Among which honorable/esteemed/respectable/dignified etc bears a positive meaning. 
 
Ayn-Zay-Zay = mighty/potent/powerful/strong, noble/honourable/glorious, resisted/withstood, invincible, overcome (e.g. in argument), exalt, prevail, highly esteemed, precious, glory, vanity, excellent, proud and hard manner, stern.
uzza - name of an idol of the pagan Arabs regarded by them as God's daughter.
'Azza (prf. 3rd. m. sing. asim. V): Prevailed.
'Azzaznaa (prf. 1st. pl. II): We strengthened.
Tu'izzu (impf. 2nd. m. pl. II): thou honour, confer honour and dignity.
'Izzan (v. n.): source of strength.
'Izzatun (v. n.): vain pride, false prestige or sense of self respect, might honour, power.
Al-Aziizun (act. pic. m. sing.): All-Mighty, One of the names of Allah, Unassailable, invincible, powerful in evidences and arguments, strong, mighty, heavy (with 'alaa: tell hard upon).
A'azzu (elative): more powerful, that occupies stronger and more respectable position.
A'izzatan (n. pl.): most respectable and powerful, its sing. is 'Aziiyun.
 
Muhammad Asad
 
 God will in time bring forth [in your stead] people whom He loves and who love Him - humble towards the believers, proud towards all who deny the truth: [people] who strive hard in God's cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them: such is God's favour, which He grants unto whom He wills. And God is infinite, all-knowing.
 
Yusuf Ali
 
5:54 (Y. Ali) O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things.
 
 
Rashad Khalifa
 
5:54 O you who believe, if you revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in your place people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be kind with the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame. Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.
 
 
Edip-Layth
 
5:54 O you who acknowledge, whoever from among you turns away from His system, then God will bring a people whom He loves and they love Him; humble towards those who acknowledge, dignified towards the ingrates; they strive in the cause of God and do not fear the blame of those who blame. This is God's grace, He bestows it upon whom He wills; God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Please share your opinion on this .
 
Peace
 

422

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / The Qibla Change

« on: November 13, 2011, 06:08:13 AM »

Dear Brother,
 
I recently come across your website and started reading your articles. I should thank you for great analysis.
 
Just today, I read your article on  "The  Qibla Change". It is good analysis, but I have one question.
 
The part of verse (in purple), mentions that they (possibly here they means Jews and Christian) will not follow each others' Qibla. In other words, we talking about three Qiblas. one that is followed by Muslims, Second that is followed by Jews and Third that is followed by Christians. Do I have valid observation, If yes, will you address it? I am just learner, so not disputing anything in your article.
 
THE SECOND CHANGE
 
002.144 -45
"Indeed, We see the turning of your face (for guidance) to the heavens. So We shall surely turn you to a direction of devotion / prayer (Arabic: Qiblatan) that you will be pleased with. So turn your face in the direction of the sacred Mosque and wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. And indeed, the people of the Book know well that it is the truth from their Lord and God is not unmindful of what they do.  Even if you were to bring to the people of the Book all the Signs (together), they would not follow your direction of devotion / prayer (Arabic: Qibla); nor are you going to follow their Qibla; nor indeed will they follow each other's Qibla. If you after the knowledge has reached you, were you to follow their (vain) desires, indeed, you (would) then (be) surely among the wrongdoers"
Note: I am just learner, so not disputing anything in your article.
 
Regards,
 

423

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Does Salat mean prayer?

« on: November 13, 2011, 01:19:58 AM »

Salamun Alaikum,

Thank you so much for taking time to write a reply to me , I was really looking forward to your reply! I am very grateful to you for your suggestions, now I know how to start!

On a different note, have you, by any chance, read this book named 'Mental Bondage in the name of God' by Aidid Safar?

His views are quite different from the rest of the people who hold Quran to be the only source of guidance. For example he says Salah doesn't mean ritual prayer, it means 'commitment' and aqamatis salah means upholding the commitments'. He says salah cannot mean ritual prayer because while there are many verses the meaning of salah as a prayer fits well, there are some other verses in the Quran where salah as a ritual prayer doesn't make any sense at all. I checked the verses in my Quran and those verses really didn't make any sense at all.

He also says Sawm is not 'fasting' but 'self discipline'. And that Zakah doesn't mean poor-due, it means to purify or purification. I checked it through the concordance and it's pretty strange that in some verses the root word of zakah is translated as purification or to purify or pure and in some verses it is translated as poor-due or poor-rate.

Even in the case of the root word of Salah, the meanings constantly shuffle from prayer to blessings to honor and support etc. I checked out all the derivatives of the root word of Salah used in Quran and the words have been translated differently. Why is this so?

I don't know what to think, but most of the arguments in his book make sense and are very logical.

What do you think??

424

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / A Tabarani Hadith

« on: November 13, 2011, 01:10:03 AM »

Salams,

I came across your website.

I have not read your articles but I read the beginning of the website.

I hope to learn a lot from you.

I am a believing and practicing Muslim.

Some Hadith increase my faith but some cause confusion and decrease my faith....so I thank you for shedding light on hadeeth as a source of Islamic knowledge.

One hadith that is amazing is the Prophet's instruction on a companion on how to position a particular mosque for correct qibla.

The hadeeth is in Tabarani....and goodle earth now shows that the instructions given by teh Prophet and detailed in the hadeeth and a history book have laser pinpoint accuracy.

Please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siByuKxTqp0

Please let me know your comments on this youtube.

I hope to continue diaologue to learn.

Salams,

425

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Is Music Permissible in Islam?

« on: November 13, 2011, 01:05:54 AM »

Salaam,

Other questionable issues also with regards to music. There is one Hadith saying that in the end times there will be much music played which people state as a reason for music to be haraam.

However , you have two other instances where a song and dance where either permitted or unquestioned. First being the Hadith regarding Eid where Aisha was singing and dancing and playing a drum, the other here the prophet came to medina and the people where dining and dancing with joy for his presence. So according to traditions music is haram but the prophet allowed his wife and followers to participate in haram?

Then some people will state only the duff is permissible. Isn't the duff an instrument of percussion? To me it would seem that the duff was merely a cultural instrument of that time and place, if they happened to be in India they probably would have used a tabla or something. Additionally some say that singing can be idle talk but then wouldn't poetry be idle talk?

What is your view?

426

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Trust to the Heavens, Earth and Mountains

« on: November 12, 2011, 11:01:07 PM »

Please can you explain the following verse:

"We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant." 33:72

427

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Exalted Assemblies

« on: November 12, 2011, 10:55:40 PM »

I would appreciate it very much brother if you could explain the following ayat.
 
"Say, "Here is awesome news. That you are totally oblivious to. I had no knowledge previously, about the feud in the High Society." 38:67-6

428

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Praying at Mosques which Idolise the Prophet

« on: November 12, 2011, 10:51:40 PM »

Salam alaikum brother Joseph,
 
Thanks so much for the quick response and for the information. It is very enlightening.
 
1. Regarding the place of prayer, I can't remember the ayah but remember reading in the Quran that Allah asks us to flee from the place of idol worship. Keeping this in mind, is it OK to pray in mosques where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is being idolised. I think 99% of mosques idolise him in one way or another and as you know even the names of the Prophet and Prophet Abraham (PBUT) are included in the salat. So is it OK to be part of such a congregation but in our hearts direct our complete worship only to God?

429

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Intercession of the Prophet, Help and Wasilah

« on: November 12, 2011, 10:37:44 PM »

Salam Joseph,

Can we use intercession / help of the Prophet or him as our Wasilah to God?

430

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Stoning to Death for Adultery

« on: November 12, 2011, 10:34:14 PM »

Dear Joseph,

Is stoning to death for adultery prescribed by the Quran?

431

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Did the Prophet Marry Hazrat Ayesha at the Age of 6?

« on: November 12, 2011, 10:21:50 PM »

Did the Prophet Marry Hazrat Ayesha at the Age of 6?

432

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Is Homosexuality Punishable By Death?

« on: November 12, 2011, 09:49:05 PM »

...Also, the other is homosexuality. My concern this time is I've heard some so called 'scholars' say this is a practice punishable by death. What in your opinion is a true Islamic position on this? Thanks ...

433

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Question with regards the Permissibility of Tattoos

« on: November 12, 2011, 09:45:48 PM »

...The first is the issue of tattoos. I think mostly, Muslims believe them to be haram. I have no problem with this being true, even though I've never really seen any mention of them in the Qur'an, but its the stories and messages about the image of the tattoo coming to life in the hereafter o punish you and all sorts of nonsense like this that worries me. What's your opinion on tattoos and their permissibility? ...

434

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Would the Prophet Have Recited 'Tashahud' in His Prayer?

« on: November 11, 2011, 12:38:34 PM »

Do you think that prophet would have recited "Attahiyat" ( Tashahud) in his Salat or is something that was added afterwards?

Secondly, I feel we are only meant to recite the Quran in prayers. I am not sure I understand how we can read prayers in any language apart from Arabic. Please can you clarify?

435

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Is 17:104 a Prophecy for the Land of Israel?

« on: November 11, 2011, 12:22:10 PM »

It is clearly stated in the Koran (Sura 5:21) that God gave the Land of Israel to the Children of Israel and ordered them to settle there. In addition, it is predicted that before the End of Days, God will bring the Children of Israel to retake possession of the Land, gathering them from the different countries and nations (Sura 17:104).

Now, if the above is true, then what are The Palestinians living on that land supposed to do? Fight them or share the land with them in view of Allah's promise?

Thanks.

Mubashir