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Topics - HOPE

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46
Discussions / through the rain
« on: September 23, 2013, 12:54:55 AM »
NEED WASHING
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Wal-Mart.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,' She said.
'What?' Mom asked.

'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated.

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' '

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.

They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Bob Perks © 2001

49
Discussions / JOB
« on: September 12, 2013, 03:20:25 AM »
Peace,

"The book of Job is my favorite in the O.T. All the people and things that Job is personally attached to are taken from him, one by one, including at last, his pride. He finally abandons even his pious faith in God's justice.

He accuses God of unfairness.

Now, he is truly naked in the universe. Now, he has NO sense of certainty.

Then comes The Great Speech. God's voice, with a resonance more vast than all of space and time, fills Job's explosively expanding awareness:

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I FILLED THE SEAS?

Then Job sees. And we readers see: There is no existence, and nowhere to exist, until God says to us and to our world: "BE!"

Job, and we readers, finally see our infinite dependence on The Mystery that is infinitely un-dependent. We see that The Mystery is the source and sustenance of our every breath and notion.

If we want, it is because God has said to our want: Be. If our want is answered, it is because God has said to the answering condition: BE. We have only what we're given.

And our reaction to what's given; that too, is given. If we are bitter, or if we are graciously grateful; that is ultimately God's decision.

God is nothing but generous. We are given our existence for one reason alone: so that there might be someone to receive God's generosity.

When Job sees this.... when Job and we readers are "given" to see this; then there is NO possibility of bitterness and ingratitude.

When this is seen, our awareness becomes awe-full. We are filled with awe and gratitude.

By realizing God as The Creating and Sustaining Mystery, the gift of life in this world becomes truly a gift. The depth of the gift of life is not seen while we feel we "own" it. So long as we feel we "own" life, it is hardly appreciated. Only when it is seen in its stark nakedness does it become a true gift.

Our life is The Gift of "being" within The One and Only Being Who Is Resonant as The One and Only Actual Reality.

Once this is clearly seen, no complaint and no fear can survive. God, The One Alone, The One Infinite in Generosity, The One Infinite in Goodness simply IS. God, Eternally and Unfailingly, IS.

Everything that is brought into being, is brought in generosity and mercy. Nothing can be wrong. There are no errors.

Perfection Alone Exists. It is From God that we have come to be. it is by God that we are sustained. And, It is God into Whom we will dissolve.

All is God!!!!!

All is good!!!!

9/11/13fp "  by  Frank Parmir

52
Discussions / secularism
« on: September 02, 2013, 06:38:59 AM »

53
Discussions / tadabbur
« on: August 31, 2013, 05:57:10 AM »
peace,


"5% think, 10% think they think, 85% would rather die than think." — Anonymous


In Islam "enlightened thinkers” are known as Raushanfekran.

"Afalaa utadabbaroon al-Quran?

(4:82)" Do they not do tadabbur in the Quran?

So says Allah in the Quran. Tadabbur means highly concentrated goal-oriented critical thinking like the way scientists do when challenged to find something new or when they embark upon solving a difficult problem.

Qur'anic view of creative reflection is called al-Basira. In Islam Ijtihad or independent thinking is used as a principle of creative and critical thinking; rationality and scientific rationality in a secular perspective.

The Quran encourages us over and over again to think, reflect, ponder, understand and analyse. However, very rarely do parents encourage children to question. Our response to difficult inquiries from our children is to say "do it because I said so." This discourages the children from developing critical thinking. They become lazy and complacent and easy prey to cult type following. To take things at face value makes us vulnerable.

Reason is the common bond of all humans, a means of connecting to the world and to others, the same reason through which Plato and Aristotle communicated their views. Reason and intellect represent the only way of understanding this world, even though this understanding is too relative to guide us to ultimate truths. Our great thinkers, while aware of the indispensability of reason, knew that reason alone could not discover all of reality. Our religious tradition claims that it is ultimately faith of the heart, not the intellect that comprehends the whole of reality. (11)

If we think of reason and faith as contradictory and opposed to one another, because reason achieves more instrumental impact in this world, faith will be sidelined. It is important to note that the faith I am talking about exists alongside and parallel to reason, not in opposition to it.

Reason can merely take us to the gates of the afterlife. Even though it is aware that the world is not limited to the material, it cannot go farther than this world. It is here that faith must step in. Humans cannot do without reason in their lives as they encounter practical matters, and if they have to choose between faith and reason, they will choose the latter. Interpretations of the world based on reason are relative, a relativity that also permeates our perceptions of religion. But if our understanding of religious tradition and the Quran gets moribund (declining) and in need of transformation, this does not mean that tradition and the Quran have aged themselves. Our intellect is capable of adapting to the current world while also remaining attuned to tradition and the Quran, such that the solid essence of religion is not harmed. Our religious thinking is bound to evolve. (12)

Due to the regime of taqlid or blind imitation, imposed in the name of religion from about the 12th century until the end of the 19th century, the Muslims swallowed the teachings of the so-called `Four Great Imams', even the wholesale medieval theology and jurisprudence, in toto.

There were many factors that gave rise to this blind imitation regime of that period and we cannot discuss them here. Nevertheless, it is important for us to realize that after nearly a hundred years since the reopening of the door if ijtihad or critical thinking by Muhammad Abduh's reform movement, this taqlid regime is still with us. (13)

One should develop critical thinking ability in one's studies first: in science, mathematics, computers, and economics, whatever subject one has chosen. If you cannot develop this ability most probably you would not understand the Quran.

Also, understanding of the Quran is a long and hard and a lifelong process. And it requires lot of patience and perseverance plus it demands sacrifice. Therefore, you should first try to take few important verses of the Quran (the ones dealing with human relationships and character building) and try to integrate them in your life and studies. Of course it will be very hard and there will be lot of temptations to skirt. But try to avoid them. But keep in mind that we are human beings. We make mistakes. So, don’t feel too bad or don’t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes. Just make sure that next time you are careful. (14)






by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D.
President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.
=========================================

54
Discussions / hypocrisy
« on: August 29, 2013, 08:01:33 AM »
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=504046923014902&set=vb.245848732200771&type=2&theater

dangerous flaw of the soul that might lead to WWIII

May God save us!

55
Prophets and Messengers / Buddhist impermanence
« on: August 26, 2013, 11:12:06 AM »

Peace to you all,

All formations are impermanent.

When a bird is alive, it eats ants.
When the bird is dead, the ants eat the bird.
Time and Circumstances can change at any time.
Don't devalue or hurt anyone in life.
You may be powerful today, but remember
Time is more powerful than you!
One tree makes a million matchsticks
Only one match stick is needed to burn a million trees. . .
So be good and do good!

There is a single source of Knowledge in the universe...


56
Discussions / intolerance at epic proportions
« on: August 25, 2013, 09:15:43 AM »
Salaam all,

Apologize for posting this graphic video but I feel it needs to be addressed.  Sunnis stop the traffic going to or exiting Syria to determine the sect of the drivers.  If you are Alawi, may God protect you.  It makes me sick and angry to hear God's name while perpetrating these murderous acts.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2kIuMEcY5B8

58
General Discussions / forgiving
« on: August 23, 2013, 02:51:41 AM »
Peace,

Is there a nuanced difference between maghfirati and afinna as in 3:134?

Thanks

59
General Discussions / 49:3
« on: August 22, 2013, 06:15:34 AM »
Peace to all,


Since Quran is a guidance for the muttaqeen, it lists several characteristics of theirs in many verses.  One of them is in verse 49:3 where the hearts of those who lower their voices in the presence of the Prophet are tested for taqwa. 

The Muslim scholars say that it is forbidden to raise voices at the prophet's grave just like it was forbidden when he was alive, because he is highly respected whether he is alive or dead.  Do you agree with this explanation?

How can I adopt this attitude  in my life now other than the gravesite?  Does this also cover the attitude of those who take it to themselves to protect the honor of the Prophet by causing uproar in the world and shed blood?


60
Discussions / l-mus'takbirīna
« on: August 21, 2013, 10:14:42 AM »

A hermit fasted for an entire year, eating only once a week. After this sacrifice, he asked that God reveal to him the true meaning of a certain passage in the Scripture. No response was heard.

“What a waste of time,” the hermit said to himself. “I gave up so much, and God didn't even answer! Better to leave these parts and find a monk who knows the meaning of the verse.”

At that moment, an angel appeared. “The twelve months of fasting served only to make you believe that you were better than others, and God does not answer a vain person,” the angel said. “But when you were humble, and sought help from others, God sent me.” And the angel explained what he wanted to know.


Certainly God does not love the proud ones.
- The Quran 16:23

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