Topics

16

Discussions / A Christian From Estonia

« on: January 25, 2018, 02:10:02 AM »

Hello!

I'm from Estonia and the reason I write, is to thank You from webpage http://quransmessage.com/
This webpage is very informative, interesting and language is very academic, I like reading something like this. I'm a christian and just reading Quran and trying to understand it as best as possible. We have here in Estonia a muslim community too and they have their own webpage, too. There is many information, but Your page is a little bit different, so, it is interesting to compare and think about these things. And of course read a Qurans translation in estonian language. There are so many things in islam and Quran, that I agree with, and also things, that I do not understand, so I continue my searching for answers for questions (get an answer and rises a couple of questions .
Best wishes to You and God's peace to You.

From Estonia

17

Discussions / From Pakistan

« on: January 25, 2018, 02:07:40 AM »

ssallam u alaikum

I am from Pakistan.  i read your articles. i had these questions regarding Quranic explanation of several authors and i was afraid i ll turn away but i prayed Allah to keep me strong. after reading ur articles i m relieved . thank you so much .May Allah give you the best and the very success of life and the hereafter.

18

Discussions / Your Research

« on: January 25, 2018, 02:06:17 AM »

As Salaam Alaikum, Brother Joseph Islam! I am reading the articles on your site quransmessage.com with great delight and benefit.  I thank Allah for your research and your efforts to share what you have learned through your studies.  I would be very happy to have the honor of writing and/or discussing some of your methods and conclusions, as I am traveling down a very similar spiritual and intellectual path myself and you have shed much light along the way.  Navigating the increasingly strange world of those who claim to seek guidance through "Quran alone," or "Quranism" or under some other designation, has become ... hmmm ... challenging.  I admire the logic, elegance, humility, evident sincerity and scholarship that you bring to your writing. Hope to hear from you.  Warmly,

19

Discussions / Discovering Your Website - Intellectually Saturating ...

« on: January 25, 2018, 02:03:43 AM »

Dear brother,

I have discovered your website http://quransmessage.com, and I have been blown away by the systematic, organized, and scientific material in it. This is like by far the most intellectually saturating content I have ever met online.

Radiyallahu anke!

20

Discussions / Refocusing on the Quran

« on: January 25, 2018, 02:02:48 AM »

Salam brother. I recently came across your website and have found your thoughts in relation to the singular importance of the Quran very intriguing. I whole heartedly agree that if Muslims refocused on Quran rather than hadith many of our internal and external problems would be minimized.

Thank you for your efforts.

21

Discussions / Site Blew Me Away

« on: January 25, 2018, 01:56:57 AM »

Assalamu alaikom dear brother Joseph Islam,

First of all, I want to appologize in advance if my English expression or syntax isnt how it should be.

I dont know how to express myself the way I have in my mind. I have discovered your site a few weeks ago. It really blew me away. Your way of explaining and elaborating complex issues is really a relief.

In fact you explain it the way I've always wanted to. So many topics so refreshing.

As I myself I started to "investigate" the traditions and Quran like some 30 years ago. I'm not a scholar at all, not at all. I did it by interest in the first place. The question that actually got me busy was the fact that how Islam has spread the message almost all over the Arabic world Asia etc in a few decades.
It was certainly not by violence

And now we have these beasts monsters, barbarians over out there claming that we have to force the non muslims to convert even by violence.
I'm sure you also know whom (what) I'm talking about.

Whenever someone mastering the Arabic language came to our house and read from the Ahadeeth books, I never could believe that the companions of the prophet or the people lived in his time could be this wrong! But really soo wrong!

There were so many irrational and illogical  hadeeths, beyond (my) belief.

I have always avoided or kept away from the hadeeths as most as possible.

I sincerly thank you...

Salamu alaikom

22

Discussions / From Kenya - Impressed!

« on: August 21, 2017, 08:25:20 PM »

Salaam Aleikum Br. Joseph,

I am [Name Removed] from Kenya and I recently came across your site (www.quransmessage.com) which I found much interesting with regard to most of the greatly debated and controversial topics you touched on through the various articles there in. I was just seeking other possible references as to the subject of “seven heavens” question which I had recently come to understand before reaching your site.

I would like to be contacting you sometimes for some insight and your view regarding various subject in Islam. I have a recent found friend who actually does some very recommendable work using a similar approach to yours, and reaching same and somehow remarkable (of course non-popular) realizations/conclusions through deeply researched analyses.

23

Discussions / Your website and a thank you note

« on: August 06, 2017, 06:30:27 PM »

Salam, I will be short in my writing.  I am very pleased with your work and for finding your website with Allahs wills.  As I begin to ponder on Islam and Quran, I began to realize that we need to take charge for our guidance and put Quran at the core.  Most of us dont.  I dont like the idea of Submission.org that reject all hadit and islamic history.  Similarly I am not in agreement with more traditionalist suni (and shea) interpretation of our deen.  Your work is unique as its centers on the Quran and also takes guidance from our collective historical sources (non imposing).  I had many questions which are gracefully addressed by your website.  I have been pondering over Quran for a long time as well as other sources.  I use common sense as well as the notion that Allah desires ease for us, that his commandments are flexible to cater to differentiating circumstances that we will come across till the end of time.

I appreciate the effort you are putting in.

Regards,

24

Discussions / A Muslim brother of yours from Uttar Pradesh, India

« on: May 06, 2017, 04:16:12 AM »

Brother ! Your research is precious and mind blowing. You have been successful in explaining everything in a systematic and lucid manner. Do you plan to write a book ?
You must look to preserve your work.
Where do you live and what do you do for a living ?
Who taught you Arabic and other stuff about Islam ?

25

Discussions / From a Protestant Evangelical Christian in the US

« on: April 27, 2017, 08:33:10 PM »

Hi and hello (from US)

I just wanted to write you a quick note to say hello from one monotheist to another.  I am a masters student finishing up an end-of-the-semester paper and I found your helpful site.  I found your writing style to be particularly gracious and humble, even while also writing persuasively.  You may find it interesting to hear that my paper's topic is Apostasy in Islam, and your perspective is very helpful, being one that sees apostasy and riddah being ultimately a matter left only to God.  As I say to some of my other Muslim friends, including my brother-in-law, no less—I hope and pray that others will interpret the Qur'an and the Hadith more like you.  I say that with personal experience of working with many Persian refugees here in [Place removed] who, while allowed to keep their lives, were exiled from their country of Iran, because they chose to leave Islam.

I write as a Protestant Evangelical Christian so of course, you and I will not agree on everything, but I think finding and focusing on each other's disagreements is sometimes from the Devil, the Enemy.  Instead, I admire your humanity that shines visibly, your obvious devotion to God who created both you and me, and your pursuit of Truth above dogma.

I pray for many blessings on you and your family, and I pray nothing except for God to guide us both, and all of humanity, into the Truth, and nothing else.

As the apostle Paul was fond of writing:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

26

Discussions / Pleasure to read your FB Page

« on: April 01, 2017, 11:40:06 PM »

To Joseph -

It it truly a pleasure to read your fb profile I feel as if your understanding has enlightened my clouded understanding, it's as if years of researching finding out has now come to a halt at your expertise, I'm nor wise nor smart but learning threw the message and learning threw others in hope to strengthen my lack of the truth, I don't really know of what to say, I'm sorry if this is weird and awkward to receive, it's just your knowledge is truly inspiring, and your input is very genuine, nobody here at my age group or people in my life ever put me in the situation to change my original ways of Islam as we know today, I new in my heart what I was following was wrong I just knew it n it took me to travel a path I never thought I'd ever go, in fact it was only today I realised I was wrong to even believe in Devine interference with the whole Rashad khalifa thing, it's as if saying I'm wrong is ok, something as information was never mine, never owned it, sometimes people that find things themselves take great pride in there work unable to let go, I've made many mistakes in life not perfect, one Allah I always put faith in and that it's the same Allah that all twenty prophets mentioned in 19 scriptures came to be as it is all of the same, I got so many questions n nobody to ask, I just want to say thank you 

27

Discussions / Your Posts ...

« on: March 08, 2017, 11:28:27 PM »

Dear brother Joseph,

I continue to read your posts on facebook and visit your website. It is absolutely fantastic that He gave me an opportunity to come across such a wonderful person like you. May all your endeavours, hard work for the sake of believers be rewarded both in this world as well as the eternal one.

God bless you and the ones you love (insh.)

Your brother in faith (insh.),

28

Discussions / Thank You!

« on: March 08, 2017, 11:27:27 PM »

Salamunalaykum,

I have been reading your articles since late 2015, when I came to understand the significance of the Quran alone...and the need to truly grasp the message of the Quran.

I wish to thank you for your articles which  I continue to read and to study.

Warm regards,

29

Discussions / Love Your Work !

« on: March 06, 2017, 11:03:26 PM »

Asslamo Alaikum. I wanted to contact you to the you your work is brilliant and ask you if you plan to continue to update your website.

First off, your work is a great resource for me on Islam and extremely concise. I always found a few problems in some aspects of mainstream Sunni Islam (I also agree with you on that it is wrong for us to divide into sects) but overall remained a Muslim and always attempted to think rationally about each and every part of Islam. As such, when it came to certain Hadith's being indefensible and certain narratives on these clearly secondary sources I did some research. My thinking began as a question of, "If Muhammad (SAWS) was the Prophet of God, why would he do something that contradicts the revelation and/or adds to it?" Before this, I also never considered Hadith as 100% infallible; it seemed clear to me, even as a child, that oral traditions and methods of keeping it authentic can succeed to a certain degree but will not be protected as God's word. Your opinions and arguments seemed extremely rational and made sense to me when I first found your website, and they also satisfied my  moral compass. I have but the greatest respect for your endeavours and am glad I could find like minded thinking.

I have a few questions for you. What is your opinion on Hadith being used as interpretative guides and as general life guides for day to day things than don't run contrary to the Quran's message? I read your article on secondary sources being filtered through the Quran, but it seemed unclear exactly how much trust you place in the Hadith. Personally, I think mass reported Hadith's and Hadith's which directly link back to the Prophet can be taken but should always be carefully examined and analyzed. I also wish to ask your opinion on the previous revelations. I enjoyed and agreed with your opinions on the People of the Book and the clearing of misconceptions about "Kufr," but what opinion do you have on exactly how the different revelations relate? Obviously abrogation is a false concept within the Quran and it seems ridiculous to me when I was first introduced to it, but is their abrogation from one scripture to the next, or is it confirmation? Is their any clarification on why different scriptures were revealed at different times? I was in a discussion with a Jewish fellow and he told me he found some theological problems with Islam because it professes to abrogate the other scriptures but the previous scriptures like the Torah state law cannot be added or subtracted from. I disagreed with him and was of the opinion that it confirms and that each nation is tested with what they were given as Surah Maidah states, but an article or an explanation from your end would be extremely beneficial and hopefully as accurate as your other explanations are.

I also wish to ask if you plan to update your articles or broadcast them in other forms (YouTube)? I say this because I think Muslims would benefit from having a source like yours and that your explanations of the Quran are logical and make sense. Websites like Islamqa seem to be at the very forefront of Islamic Q&A's, and they profess views like apostasy being punishable by death. Also, I stated earlier that I don't like to classify myself as a sect, but is their people who share this type of opinion on the Hadith (seems relatively uncommon) or more resources for this narrative?

Thanks you for reading and I hope you get back to me soon.

30

Discussions / Salaam

« on: February 23, 2017, 09:01:54 PM »

Assalam Alaikum wR wB my dear brother Joseph,

Insha'Allah as is well a your end.  Over the years, you probably have received numerous accolades for the extraordinary work you do to convey to the masses the wonderful message of the Qur'an.  You can add my sincere appreciation of your work to that list of grateful people.  It was by sheer serendipity that I stumbled across your site yesterday and browsed through a couple of your explanatory articles (I was not not looking to review any particular Quranic topic) and that was enough to ignite my curiosity.  I do plan to frequent your site to quench my spiritual thirst.

The humility in your assertions are infectious and your instructions to not follow you or your work blindly speaks volumes of your spiritual sincerity.  I am also delighted to learn that you are not affiliated to any institution , religious group, or sect etc.   I am a mature individual and in the "fall" season of my professional career.  However, I am a novice in my spiritual career and recently started my journey to better understand the essence of Islam and the true message contained in the Qur'an.  I have work to do, in terms of getting rid of the cultural junk that was placed in my head in the name of religious studies by my early mullahs in India.  In course of my spiritual journey, I hope I get to know a little bit more about you.

By the way, up to now, I have resisted getting a personal Facebook account.  But I will get one now just to access your FB posts!

May Almighty shower His choicest blessing on you and your family.

Jazak Allah Khairan.