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Messages - HOPE

#136
Discussions / robotic salat
June 06, 2013, 03:23:22 AM
May God's Peace be on you all,


"Look around and find countless other similar activities in our lives. Question yourself, if we continuously say 'Ameen' like a parrot behind Imam, void of any human-God emotional relationship, is it useful way to pray? Personally, I consider this to be an Insult to Almighty. Similarly, teaching and memorizing all repentance prayers without knowing their meanings remains questionable. The spirit of repentance is regret and shame over a bad action, which is independent of language and without which prayer becomes mockery. Is there anyone who teaches the mother of a sick child or passenger of a sinking ship, how to pray? Are our present actions not in total disconnect with the originally desired intentions? Similarly why can't we deliver the sacred weekly sermon in the language we understand and on practical issues.

Let's first exclude fear of others' reactions before seeking an honest answer.

Lesson. Humans are supreme because of their mental faculties. Rules, norms and conventions are supposed to provide a thinking mind with a frame of reference. They are not final or ultimate. Not being able to think beyond the textual command, and not being able to grasp the spirit behind the legislation even at the cost of the intent of the Lawmaker, is a purely robotic quality. It is characteristic of Artificial Intelligence and thus happens to be the predominant difference with human thinking. Let's live and play humans. "

POSTED BY ABU ABDULLAH


http://spiritual-legacy.com/2013/05/17/artificial-intelligence/

#137
Discussions / DNA versus eye witnesses
June 06, 2013, 12:21:08 AM
Peace,

              This is a news report today:

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) shocked many by declaring that DNA evidence can only be used as secondary evidence and cannot overrule the requirement of four witnesses for a culprit to be punished in rape cases. It is unfortunate that we are still debating these issues at a time when the world is working on artificial intelligence and robots. DNA evidence is considered to be 99.9 percent accurate. Someone needs to teach the CII about the details of DNA testing since apparently the council is unaware of something even a 10-year-old can now look up on the Internet. Worse, they may know the details and are just choosing to ignore it.
 
Some recent statements by the CII have bordered on the ridiculous. In a country where people are dying daily because of sectarian violence and religious extremism, the CII needs to change its preferences and discuss more relevant issues.

          These are the following reader comments:

on the other hand, we know for a fact from science human witness is not 99.9% accurate lol

now, that said. i really don't like dna being introduced into the muslim witnessing program... because then it can affect others in a big way. for example, a man or a woman who's having an affair with a married person can be put to death in some of these countries if dna is used. where now it makes it very, very difficult (which is why these cases are rare) in those countries.

so, perhaps this is a way to compromise?



Rape is not Zina its rape thus the four witnesses rule should not be applied in this case according to Quranic laws


Any comments?
#138
Discussions / Re: Shi'a Doctrine
June 05, 2013, 05:12:42 AM
Peace  brother Arif Ali,

I am really trying to understand Shia.  I'll give you that the allusion to Ali to the position of leadership is in 5:55 because  there is no such rule that we have to give zakat in ruku thus the verse must be referring to a specific incident that happened.  Beyond that it is a leap of faith that I cannot find in the Quran. 





#141
Peace Optimist,

*I believe, in all the above verses 'dead' does not necessarily mean the existence of a previous life.

I agree with your statement somewhat.
It appears like the chicken and egg conundrum.  In the natural world, life yields life, although the life maybe dormant or in the potential form.  When the life-sustaining conditions disappear, some plant forms lay dormant like prennials and come back to kinetic life when the time comes.  Dead land needs some kind of seed in the soil to become alive with vegetation.

God brings out the living from the dead means He causes the growing conditions to take  place for the transformation.

Remember we are not just physical beings.  The physical part comes from the matter- the mud  which houses the essence- the non physical part.  Like the analogy of hardware to software.  The Consciousness, Knowledge, Will all need  the physical body to run their programs. Maybe the ruh blown is the power to switch everything ON.

Life is a physical process, opposite of death. Is there a death by itself or does it mean lack of life just like there is no darkness or coldness.  These are stages of  light and heat respectively.
Allah knows the best.  I am only pondering to the best of my ability.

#142
Discussions / Re: Shi'a Doctrine
May 31, 2013, 07:52:48 AM
Salam Irfan,

"  Probably he meant "just as Prophet Aaron was appointed as assistant to Prophet Moses".  Shi'a swell on this 'Aaron/Musa relationship' for their own Ali/Muhammmad analogue.  "


There is no correlation at all.  Prophet Moses requested God to make Aaron  a messenger and a helper to be acknowledged  by the Pharaoh and his chiefs 
Are they claiming that Prophet Muhammad was in need of Ali ?  Even if he were, the help was not sanctioned by the Quran.  Actually the quotation is from the Jewish Encyclopedia.

#143
Salam Adil,

"  I am not satisfied with this Tafseer . To die (for which a previous life is necessary) and to be lifeless are two different things.
Did we had a previous life before the life on this earth ?"


I agree with you.  30 years ago I believed the verse was implying reincarnation.  I don't support that notion anymore but like you, I'm not satisfied with the explanations either.  At least we had some kind of existence before with consciousness to make a covenant with God that He is our Lord.

#144
Discussions / Re: Shi'a Doctrine
May 31, 2013, 02:51:18 AM
PEACE,


My understanding is that our Shia brothers and sisters attribute  the word mukhlasin to the infallibility of the prophets in the Quran.
  38:45-48 and 83
         Remember Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob possessors of strength and vision.
        Inna akhlasnahum bikhalisatin thikra alddari
        Wa-innahum AAindana lamina almustafayna al-akhyariAnd make mention of Ishmael and Elisha and Dhu'l-Kifl. All are of the chosen/all of the        best./Each of them was of the Company of the Good/wakullun mina al-akhyari

It seems  their logic is that when someone has been guided by God, they cannot be misguided by Satan or make mistake.

Tabataba'i defines 'ismah as "the presence of a quality in a person that prevents him from committing any impermissible act such as a sin."

I believe this trait which is bestowed by Allah is not limited to the prophets or imams but may apply to any abd-allah who has developed taqwa and has acquired the moral habit of refraining from sin. 

Yes, the prophets have been guided by Allah.  I believe Ali and Hussein  also have been guided by Allah.  I say this because of their inspirational sayings I have studied.  Also Rumi.  It is not based on lineage. 

#145
Discussions / Re: Shi'a Doctrine
May 30, 2013, 12:58:40 AM
Peace.

Quotejust as every prophet had an assistant who afterward succeeded him,

What does he mean?  Is he referring to the succession of the prophets- but they are not each other's "assistant" are they?  Though they all promote the same message;  the Quran completes it. I guess he did not get the memo.

#146
Peace,


Caveman was buried like a woman, leading scientists to question his sexual orientation.



http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/archaeologists-unearth-5000-year-old-third-gender-caveman


#147
General Discussions / Re: Masturbation
May 26, 2013, 02:27:37 AM
Peace,

I find this discussion very appealing because pros and cons are being evaluated almost simultaneously.  Just want to make one comment.  It is true that the  Quran does give clear exceptions when needed but the examples given, as far as I know, pertain only to life and death situations or conditions like hunger or danger to life.  Sex is not that high on the hierarchy of life sustainability.  We can survive without sex.  Thus lack of exceptions should not be considered as a point against masturbation.  Having said that, I liked the evidences br. Joseph presented

#148

God's Peace be upon you,

To explain that the Quran was conveyed by the  al-Aazeez alhakeem God  27:9  O Moses, I am God, the Powerful, the Wise,
a qassas is presented

27:6  Prophet receives the Quran from the One all -Wise, all-knowing.  Even though the Angel Gabriel was the one who was instrumental in conveying the Message, it was conveyed from the Presence of God.
Wa-innaka latulaqqa alqur-ana min ladun hakeemin AAaleemin

The hikmah comes from the God directly just like Moses received it directly as in the incident when he was travelling in the desert, he saw a fire.  In the physical sense, fire can point to the presence of men which can be beneficial for asking directions when lost or sharing the fire for warmth and cooking.  In the spiritual sense it can mean receiving revelation/inspiration/divine guidance to find the way they should take .

See 28:29-30  and 26:21

Also Nar may mean "growing pains" in our ascent to our primordial state as Rumi says that he was immature, suffered, matured and became enlightened by Real Truth.

#149
General Discussions / Re: Ayah 59:70
May 20, 2013, 04:49:07 AM
Peace,

11:114  "Good things carry away the evils" innal hasanati yudh'hib'nal sayiat.  it is mentioned right after the salat timing thus salat is considered a hasanat; a transformational act.


#150
Salaam Nura,

I agree with your views regarding the gender identity complications but I have a different view of verse 4:119.

Iblis is taking his pride to a new level- arrogance par excellence.  Marking the ear of a camel was an old custom applied to a female camel when her fifth offspring was a male.  They would no longer get use out of the camel. (man-made laws)  I think the point being made here is that  man changes the status of halal and haram.  There is no prohibition against the camel.

In 30:30 God talks about there is no change in the creation of Allah meaning islam is the natural, rational religion for mankind (din-i fitrah).  Iblis intervenes and leads man to shirk.  The abd-creator relationship is altered.  False religion is created which is in conflict with nature, conscience and science.  Man is lured to bow and beg before the false deities.