Topics

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General Discussions / Does Satan fear Allah?

« on: September 02, 2016, 07:32:50 AM »

Salam brother Joseph and all other members on this forum. I hope you all are doing well and I hope Allah has been good to you all. I have a question which I would like brother Joseph Islam (and all the other members on this forum) opinion.

In one of your articles in which you addressed the term Kafir / Kufr you made the following statement:

'Kufr' (disbelief) has little to do with disbelief in God. Even Satan was termed a 'disbeliever' (wakana mina'l KAFIREEN 2:34) yet he clearly believed in and feared God.:

"Indeed I am clear of you, indeed I see what you do not see, INDEED I FEAR GOD; and God is severe in requiting (evil)" [Quran 8:48]
 
"Like the example of Satan when he says to man: "Disbelieve", but when he disbelieves, he [Satan] says: "Indeed, I am clear of you. INDEED I FEAR GOD, the Lord of the worlds" [Quran 59:16][1]

This, therefore, lead me to asking the following question:

If Satan fears Allah (as shown in the aforementioned verses) then why do you believe he disobeyed Allah when he was instructed to bow down to Adam? Why does he "persist" in his evil ways and is "hell-bent" on mislead men? Surely if he fears Allah and is cognizant of the fact that Allah is sever in punishment then one would expect that he would cease his ways, correct? So why hasn't he?

Thanks in advance to all for there humble answers.

[1] http://quransmessage.com/articles/understanding%20kufr%20FM3.htm

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General Discussions / A very nice sermon

« on: December 30, 2015, 01:18:41 PM »

Salaam all,

Apologies in advance if this in any ways violates the rules of this forum. I would like to share with the members of this community a video/sermon I recently watched by a man named Dr. Adnan Ibrahim titled: "Do We Think". Very inspirational video/sermon.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC-ZlX9etRs

Hope you all watch and enjoy it.

Peace to all.

3

General Discussions / NEW MOSQUES IN RUSSIA! BUT A SAD DAY.

« on: September 24, 2015, 03:48:50 PM »

I read something today that really disturbed me to my core. It was about a new $170 million mosque that was open to the public in Moscow, Russia, as a way of celebrating the Eid holiday. Now I understand the need for a mosque; so that people can have a place to gather (together) and preform their religious duties, etc. But to spend $170 million is to be wasteful/extravagant. That same amount of money could have been used to feed, clothe, shelter, etc thousand (if not millions) of men, women, and children. In fact, that same amount could have been used to care for the thousands of refugees who have been displaced by the on-going wars in Syria and Iraq. But alas, we live in time were some (not all) Muslims believe that building a mosques draws them nearer to Allah than the feed and sheltering of their fellow humans.

“And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer: But squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.”

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/russia-opens-huge-mosque-eid-holiday-150923101040775.html

Hassan.

4

Women / What a woman can reveal.

« on: April 17, 2015, 03:56:48 PM »

Salaam everyone my name is Hassan,

Though this is my first post on this forum I am no stranger to the following site (http://quransmessage.com/articles/articles%20FM3.htm) which I have, and continue to, visit occasionally.

Firstly, I would like to briefly commend Brother Joseph Islam on the many articles he’s written on his main site (http://quransmessage.com/articles/articles%20FM3.htm). The knowledge, understanding and wisdom of the Quran he displays on all his articles is truly amazing; as is the way/style he conducts himself in his many debates with respected individuals. May Allah increase you (and all of us) in knowledge and understanding of the Quran; and may your site become accessible to my of our dear Muslim brothers/sister whom I believe could really benefit from it. I could go on and on commending the brother but I believe the readers get the point.

Now to the intent of my post:

An individual whom I was debating regarding what is meant by the term “inherently apparent” in (i.e. what a woman can publicly display) put forth the following argument which I would like the respected members on this forum (including, if possible, brother Joseph Islam) to critique it.

His argument goes as follows:

The Quran is not an ambiguous book; what is ambiguous in one verse(s) is expounded on/made clear in other verse(s). One verse in the Quran which, by itself, seems/sounds ambiguous is the following verse in which Allah instructs women (in dressing modestly) to not reveal anything “EXCEPT WHAT IS ‘INHERENTLY APPEARENT’”:

"And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and to guard their private parts, and not to reveal any of their ‘zinatahhunna’ (beauty spots) EXCEPT WHAT IS NORMAL/INHERENTLY APPARENT…(24;31).

In the above verse (which is a sub-verse of a much longer verse) when women are being told/commanded to reveal nothing ‘except what is normally/inherently apparent’ one is not given/told what is meant by ‘normally/inherently apparent’, thus leaving one perplexed. But, as said before, ambiguous verse(s) are expounded on/made clear in other verse(s). So, what is meant by ‘normally/inherently apparent’ in verse 24:31 (which itself leaves it unclear) is expounded on/made clear in the following verse which orders Muslims what to do before salat (prayer) and how to do it:

"O you who believe, when you rise to observe the Salat, you shall wash your faces and your arms to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles." (Quran 5:6)

The connection between the above verse –verse 5:6 (which instructs Muslims what they should do before salat/prayer and how they should do it) and verse 24:31 (which instructs women to dress modestly and reveal nothing except what is normally/inherently apparent) is that the parts which Allah instructs us to wash before every prayer (face; arms: up to the elbow; head: hair included; feet: up to the ankles) must fall under the category of “normally/inherently apparent’. Because (his argument goes) wudu/ablution is done for physical (as well as spiritual) cleanness and the parts which are most exposed to the elements (such as the face, arms, head, and feet) are the parts which we are instructed to clean before salat/prayer. But if the head/face, arms, and feet of a woman is to be covered then what is/would be the point of instructing them to clean those parts constantly (head face, arms, and feet) if they are always (to be) covered and thus never exposed to the elements. Thus, those parts which Allah instructs us (women as well as men) to clean before prayer are the same parts which is/are referred to as ‘inherently/normally apparent’ in verse 24:31 and which women (as well as men) are free to reveal.

Again I would like the respected members of this forum to critique said brothers’ argument.

Peace to all.