Topics

136

Discussions / A sincere thank you ...

« on: January 23, 2013, 01:59:37 AM »

Dear Mr. Joseph Islam, thank you.

Your Quran's Message site is a jewel of understanding, clarity and level-headed guidance, something I so need as I endeavor to understand the true spirit of the Quran vis-a-vis the clutter - yes, I said clutter - of unfounded beliefs, projections, overlays, and harsh forms of social compulsion imposed on Muslims and on the perceptions of non-Muslims from secondary sources.

As I read Asad's "Message of the Quran", I cannot help but notice the number of parenthetical "clarifications" he inserts throughout the verses, making it clear that "THIS" is what the more general statement of the Quran means more "specifically". Where the Quran itself offers a broad statement, the parenthetical insertion narrows it into a decidedly biased point of view. For instance, "adultery" becomes "and all other forms of fornication outside of legal marriage, including ...."

I think it is a crime what secondary sources have done to the purest intent of Islam. Where they have not meddled with the Quran itself (except I feel where they have inserted parenthetical assertions), it is through commentaries and jurisprudence based on commentaries that they have made a mockery of the central message of the revelation. All the emphasis on individual behaviors, and the minutia regarding these behaviors, has really done no more than hang lead weights on the Quran's message and as a result on Islam and Muslims also.

Keep up the good work, and please inform me of updates to the web site as they arise.

As selam aleikum,

A Brother

137

Discussions / Greetings - Possible Appointment as Imam

« on: January 16, 2013, 01:11:53 AM »

Assalam alaykum

I read your articles and pdf and i am amazed at the positions you have put forth. If i may explain my intentions.

I have been muslim for about 1 year now and have been taught many different ahadith and fiqh etc. Now I have recently embarked on a a quest of truth and looking to study the quran since it the criterion. Also being appointed by the imaam of my local masjid to assist him and take over from him when he leaves the country. I am also in a few days going to enroll in a madrasah to finish memorization of the entire quran and learn arabic and hadith etc. I find myself doubting a lot the hadith and interpreations of the quran and the associated fiqh derived from it. My emphasis of my study is the practical implementations of the quran to our lives and society as well as transformation of ourselves and characters etc. What i am trying to say is I feel conflicted in continuing with my studies to be a traditional "shaykh or alim" and the imaam or assistant imaam of the masjid because of my doubts. In otherwords, how can I teach and advise people when I am not even sure about what I am actually going to learn.

Hopefully I have made myself clear and I look forward to any guidance or advise you may be willing to offer.

I pray Allah keeps you firm and forgives your sins and rectify your affairs. Ameen

138

Discussions / Doubts - Please Clarify

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:17:55 PM »

Salamunalikum Brother,

My name is [name removed] from India, currently working in UAE; First of all I would like to appreciate you the way you have explained and researched the Quran.

It’s made me to read day and night with full concentration in the subject and become deep thinker Maasha Allah.
You have explained each subject obviously and opened my blind eyes, Alhamdulillah

I am really wants to encourage you to do more research and guide us through the light of Quran

10 years before I came to know about the contradictions, confusions, lies, fabrications etc about the Ahadith but I could not get any guidance and tools to do research in such things.

But now I feel very good when I started studying your “Quran and its Message” website and learned more Alhamdulillah.

Nowadays I am arguing with my friends and trying to pass the God’s message with the proof from the Quran.

And I would like to know regarding the prayers that what we can recite while praying in the stages of Rukh, Sajtha, and mainly in sitting position. Usually I will recite what we have in the ahadith but I am not satisfied with that.

We know that Quran is complete and explained in detail but I have to know what to recite in the different stages of prayers. It will be more useful for us

Please send me your answers through this email.

Thank you.

139

Discussions / A Request for Urdu Speakers

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:15:16 PM »

salamunalaikum,.

Brother i have a deeper request about your site should be in urdu so i can understand ,i understand english but not more hard word cant understand please do help me understand quran in urdu language. please please please

140

Discussions / Curious About You

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:13:25 PM »

Dear Brother,

salamun alaikum

Recently, I came upon your website and have been reading since last three days(2-4hrs/day)

I do not belong to any sect, rather I am a muslim trying to follow quran.

I am 56, Bangldeshi,living in Canada since 1999.

Would you please let me know about yourself ?

Allah Hafiz

141

Discussions / Slave Girls

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:10:58 PM »

Salamunalaykom, I know its random, really enjoyed ur web page on "slave girls". For sooo long I have tried to understand what "those whom your right hand posesses means" as many websites and books ect say different and disgusting things. I follow Allahs words only, so it's quite hard to find a good explaination without opinion of sheiks ect or Hadith, which by the end leave me with a sick feeling. Anyways just wanted say thanks brother.
Salam

142

Discussions / Thank You

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:09:22 PM »

Dear Joseph

May the Almighty's blessings be upon you.

I have found your website refreshingly original and welcome in terms of understanding what Islam is really about.

Unlike you perhaps, I am at the very beginning of my journey exploring the Quran and the religion/way of life I profess to follow. I certainly have enthusiasm but lack direction at the moment!

Personally, I think a new translation of the Quran in to English that highlights issues like you deal with on your website is long overdue - have you considered this? Most Quranic translations with commentaries muddy the picture by deriving guidance for interpretation from Hadith which sort of defeats the point.

Either way, thank you again for your fantastic efforts and the very best of wishes

143

Discussions / A Trained Scientist

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:07:06 PM »

Salaam

I was brought to your website by a friend. I am a believer in the Quran as the divine message from God. However I have some doubts regarding the hadith.

I hope I have come to the right place.

I have read your work with interest, but as a trained scientist I must be able to criticize and still be able to form a strong belief, as a very strong test to a belief is questioning it and breaking it down.

Thank you for your work.

144

Discussions / Website - Edip Yuksel

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:04:55 PM »

(June 2011)

Peace Joseph,

I browsed some of the pages and I looked at a few articles, and I found your work admirable. Mashallah. The article I looked demonstrated the following qualities:

1. Clear mind
2. Concise language
3. Great presentation and use of Quranic quotes
4. Awareness of important issues
 
I will inshallah include your site among the few links at 19.org and later I will share with a list of several thousand contacts and readers.
 
Peace,
Edip

145

Discussions / Your Website - We are sharing with others

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:02:08 PM »

Dear Joseph:
 
A/A.....I have found your material very very useful.  I want to thank you for sharing this important research.  I hope you can continue to enrich the people with your
analysis and intellectual appeal.
 
Yours brotherly,

146

Discussions / Seeking a Family in Faith

« on: January 15, 2013, 11:00:09 PM »

Dear Joseph,

Peace be upon you.

You do not know me. But, to some degree, I feel I know you through the articles posted on your website, your forum, and your facebook presence. I have been studying your material for some time now, and while I do not necessarily agree with everything you have posted, I certainly do concur with most of it, if not nearly all of it.

It is for this reason that I now write to you – I am at my wits end and desperately seeking a family in faith. To be sure, not just any family, but specifically a family of committed Qur’an only believers. Ever since I first picked up the Qur’an about six years ago, realized its truth, and earnestly began to reflect upon its verses, ever since then I have been, and continue to be alone in faith. During this period, I have gone through many trials, the full details of which are known only to God. But then, that is to be expected, for does the Qur’an not say, “Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘We believe’ without being put to the test? [29:2]

As a result of my sincere efforts, and God is the best of judges, to seek absolute truth – and thus follow the guidance of the Qur’an, and only the Qur’an, and not tradition and cultural practices – I am essentially estranged from my two children (who, after all, are raised by a secularist mom, in a Western education system replete with all its influences, both good and bad), long divorced (that is, according to God’s law), and largely a social pariah. My extended family, in various capacities of practice, is Sunni. Amongst other factors these theological differences, as correctly pointed out in one of your facebook entries, have significantly contributed to strife and division within my family; I find myself as ‘the odd man out,’ standing alone with deeply held convictions. But then, once again, some solace is to be found in the Qur’an when God says, “The love of desirable things is made alluring for men – women, children, gold and silver treasures piled up high, horses with fine markings, livestock, and farmland – these may be the joys of this life, but God has the best place to return to.” [3:14]

Joseph, may God bless and reward you for all your efforts and good works in His cause, both in this life and in the hereafter. I look forward to hearing from you soon, God willing.

Your committed brother in faith,

147

General Discussions / Shahahdah

« on: September 12, 2012, 05:29:01 AM »

Comment shared on Joseph Islam's Facebook Page to the following post:

SEEK MUTUAL GROUND

029:046
"And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best, except those of them who act unjustly, and say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him do we submit"

Beautiful Azaan in a Church

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX3U-BGDedc&feature=player_embedded


Comment by Azin Hemila
Beautiful voice but false Shahada....God never asked us or teaches us to testify to Mohammad's messengership. Why God Alone can not be mentioned?39:45

Comment by Mubashir Inayat
Dear Azin, upon reading the Qur'an and based on what Allah tells us, are we not led to believe that that the blessed Messenger was Allah's Messenger? If we do, then are we not testifying that he was Allah's Messenger?

Comment by Azin Hemila
Mubashir Inayet.....Salam…Is there any verse in the Quran that God is teaching us to testify to Prophet Mohammad messengership? No….Then on what basis we innovate such a Shahda and declaring it alongside with God’s own Shahada 3:18?

God is repeatedly asking us to believe in his messengers …God is teaching us not to make distinction among His messengers….BTW who has witnessed to prophet Messengership?Were we there? Don’t we read God is suffices as his witness?

Everything is about God Alone….When calling His unity in the world is associated with one of His servants then God is not Alone ,He has partner that needs to be called beside Him too…..39:45 has all the answers.
Yes Mohammad was God’s messenger like any other His messengers.

148

Islamic Duties / Comments on Five Prayers & Meaning of Sujud - Wakas

« on: August 01, 2012, 06:18:08 AM »

Post received by Wakas on Facebook

peace brother Joseph, I read your article on 5 prayers: http://quransmessage.com/articles/the%20five%20prayers%20from%20the%20quran%20FM3.htm

Here are the issues that you may wish to have another look at:

11:114 says “near/proximal parts” (plural – 3 or more) – proximal to what? Two ends of day.

Equates SBH and HMD to salat, however, if doing so, one must equate them in all verses mentioning times, once one does this, the times of SBH/HMD/salat become irreconcilable, or at least no-one I have ever read has done so. Did you analyse all such verses with timings?

5-a-day means no time-ranges given for all salat, or for some only, if so, explanation required.

2:238 – al salat al wusta is not in the same form as “salat al fajr/isha”, according to Arabic, the former is a description, the latter a specific.
If one chooses "middle prayer" then why is this singled out and is it this one can be done on the move? Requires explanation.

why in some verses does it mention some salat only, and not others, seemingly missing some out etc.

Other information:
Earliest Islamic sources clearly show it was originally two salat daily, with an optional night vigil.
http://www.urirubin.com/downloads/articles/morning.pdf
Post "night journey" (isra & miraj) it changed to 5, according to tradition.
Only two salat times mentioned by name in Quran - coincidence?
No record of "wusta" ever being a salat.
Examples of a twice daily seemingly in Quran itself: 6:52-53, 18:27-28.

In my humble opinion, the evidence is heavily weighted in favour of a minimum of two daily, for the mumineen - I say minimum as one could do more if one wishes etc.

Please note, I'm not looking for a lengthy discussion, just wanted to highlight issues. If in future, you look into, let me know the update. Thanks.

149

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Learning the Quran through Dictionaries Alone

« on: June 22, 2012, 12:29:06 AM »

From Mubashir Inayat
Sent: 05 June 2012

Salam Brother
 
Just want to share a comment on Facebook with a Br. Aurangzaib, who was once associated with Dr. Qamaruzzaman's aastan.com (learning Qur'a through dictionary alone).
 
We were analysing the meaning of Muslim and Momin.
 
Mubashir

150

General Discussions / God's Mercy and 15:56

« on: April 29, 2012, 02:58:30 AM »

By Mubashir
Sent: 20 April 2012

Salam
 
Today while reading the Qur'an I came accross the following verse that really struck me:
 
15:56 [Abraham] exclaimed: "And who-other than those who have utterly lost their way-could ever abandon the hope of his Sustainer's grace?"
 
It gives us so much hope and to keep on striving for decency, compassion, understanding, tolerance, forgiveness, empathy and the hope that Our Lord will not abandon us inspite of our shortcomings.
 
Just wanted to share with you.  For some reason, when we go to mosques, some Imams stress the punishment aspect of Allah rather than reminding us that He has willed compassion on Himself !!
 
Regards,
 
Mubashir