Topics

46

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Islam and Family Conflicts

« on: November 01, 2014, 02:05:29 AM »

Dear Joseph,

Thank you so much for your excellent website! May God bless  and reward you for providing so much helpful and interesting information about Islam. It has helped me to see Islam much more clearly and to reinforce my desire to convert to Islam.

Regarding conversion to Islam, I have a problem and I wonder if you might have any advice. My wife is very upset that I want to become a Muslim. She hates Islam (more accurately, she hates what she mistakenly perceives Islam to be), and doesn't want to talk about it or let me explain anything. We love each other dearly and I don't want this to be a problem in our marriage, but I fear it will. We have struck a truce on the matter-I will keep Islam out of her sight, never pray in her presence or read the Quran where she can see me reading it. I am willing to do this for the present to satisfy her, but I don't see it as a long-term solution.

I am hopeful because my attitude to Islam was once identical to hers, so I know it is possible to change one's mind completely about Islam. I pray that God will open her eyes and heart.

If you have any advice or if you know of any similar cases to mine and how they were handled, please let me know. Any advice or insights would be very welcome and appreciated.

Thank you so much and may God bless you always.

Best regards,

47

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / How to Interpret Verse 3:7 and Those of Sound Knowledge

« on: November 01, 2014, 01:57:03 AM »

Salaamun Àlaikum Sir,

Isn't there a controversy over the sentence break in 3:7? Some make the break between "those of sound instruction" and "say", thus making the former sentence into "None knows its explanation save God and those of sound instruction".

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / (Atheist) Need serious help!! - Life After Death

« on: October 01, 2014, 10:17:13 AM »

Hello brother Joseph, 

Thank you so much for your website. I have been desperately fighting for an answer to this question.

I was an Atheist for most of my life and I hate to say it, but I found it more comforting than Islam. I suffer from social anxiety and on Atheism, I found relief in it. My psychologist also helped me with it. On Atheism, I didn't care about anyone's judgement of me because I believed that the universe will cease to exist and all will be forgotten. That means my fear is irrational and I shouldn't care about anyone judging me pathetic because I am a socially nervous freak who stutters, shakes and blushes. This is because everyone will die, turn into dust and bones and the universe will case to exist and all will be forgotten. I have found so much relief in this and my psychologist has told me that I was cured. It was true, I was confident and cured of Social Anxiety because of this atheist belief. I didn't care so I wasn't anxious. 

Unfortunately, Islam has brought the social anxiety back. I'm not sure if this is Allah testing me, but I really need help with this. I know that Allah expects me to patiently persevere. Now while hearing of Islam, I am no longer comfortable as everyone will not cease to exist (like on Atheism) and they will still remember me and how pathetic I was if I do act pathetically (socially anxious).

Can you show me some verses in the Quran that may show that ALL will STILL be forgotten (like on atheism) and the only thing that matters are my religious deeds. Will I be judged negatively if I go to paradise (not just verbally, but mentally) for being pathetic in this life. Will people remember my faults in this world and how ridiculous I was? It appears Quran supports that people will remember everyone's life in this world as Quran 52:25-28 state. So as you can see, I am back to my socially anxious self and my psychologist is trying to also look up Islam to find reason to think rationally and not be nervous--but even she is struggling as she isn't a Muslim. I'm struggling too, can you please help me out. Sunni's can not help me as they post too much hadiths (which I believe are unreliable) to explain this away.

So according to the Quran, if I go to paradise, will EVERYTHING except my religious deeds be forgotten by everyone? Will no one judge me negatively and will it be forgotten like on Atheism.

I believe this may be something beneficial to put on your forums so that you may explain to others the life on paradise.

I've asked Allah for guidance on this and I really hope I can find peace in Islam as I did on Atheism. Atheism was just so simple, everyone was cured. I cared less about any negative judgement as everyone will die and all will cease to exist. I hope I could see something similar to this on Islam.

Thanks,

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Questions Regarding Trials & Forgiveness

« on: September 21, 2014, 03:50:20 AM »

• How will I know if my adversity or my suffering is being meted out to me because I have wronged another soul? How can I distinguish?
• Can my children be punished or adverse circumstances afflict them because of the wrongs I have committed?
• If I have wronged another soul, how do I go about seeking forgiveness? Do I ask God alone or do I have to seek forgiveness from the person I have wronged as well? What actions do I need to undertake?
• Do we only receive our punishment in this life, or are our transgressions only judged collectively in the Hereafter?
• If you have asked God for forgiveness, do you still have to ask the person who you may have wronged? Does the person have to forgive you in order for God to forgive you?

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Nikaah for the Purposes of Courting

« on: September 17, 2014, 11:57:07 PM »

Assalaamu alaykum Joseph,

There is a new trend in our community regarding nikaah. Boy meets girl, they like one another but  would like to get to know one another better.

The Ulema says that courting is haraam so they are encouraged to make nikaah instead of an engagement so that they can "court" without consummating the marriage.

If they then decide not to live together  they then get divorce but there is no iddat.

I think something about this new arrangement is not right.

Why can't they do the same thing without nikaah?

what is your opinion?

thanks

51

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / 'Mu'min' (Believer) & 'Muslim' - The Difference

« on: September 17, 2014, 11:53:21 PM »

Salamu aleikum dear Joseph,

I know you get tons of messages, but I hope you will find the time to read this at one point (whenever that may be). I read your 2 articles on the definitions of 'Muslim' and Mu'min'... I first understood Muslim as someone who simply surrenders himself to Allah, without this being attached to acknowledge a certain prophet, as many people are described as Muslims in the Quran without knowing Prophet Mohamed.

The 'Mu'min' I thought would be the one who believes in the angels, messengers, books etc. But as you also mention, Ibrahim and Musa are mentioned as Mu'mineen in the Quran. How is that possible then? Am I missing something here?

Thank you for clarifying this point for me if you find the time. May Allah bless you, you make guidance for knowledge and spirituality accessible in a wonderful way! Salam and greetings from Germany, Your sister.

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / The Trust (Amana) Offered and Testimony

« on: September 17, 2014, 11:33:46 PM »

Peace be with you brother Joseph,

By  the grace of God I hope this finds you and your family keeping well. I have been pondering on all of your thoughts/research and writings and have found you to be balanced in more ways than one. Your reasoning is definitely guided by Allah and I keep praying for you everyday to be rightly guided so that people like me who follow you will be on the right path.

I keep following you on face book and need some clarification regarding 7:172 and 33:72.

1.Was the trust - amana offered to Adam or to each and every human being individually?

2. Does Allah make each and every embryo at the time of conception testify that he is their Lord?

3. when does the soul enter the embryo in the mother's womb?

4.After a person dies, is it possible for the soul to return to earth through another body and experience life again in order to refine itself and grow spiritually - closer to God?

Dear brother, the last question I have asked because I need to answer a few questions on the issue of rebirth put to me by my Indian friends. Any thoughts from a Quranic perspective will help. Thanks in advance

With much sisterly love and prayers,

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / 'Khalaqa' & 'Qun fa-yaqoon'

« on: August 23, 2014, 03:10:07 AM »

Dear brother Joseph Islam

I wonder if it is right: When Quran uses term "Khalaq or Khalaqa" there it gives sense of time. But when it mentions events using term "Qun fa-yaqoon" then such events do not involve time (be and it is)?

Thank you

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Are there any Original Copies of Sahih Bukhari?

« on: August 23, 2014, 03:09:12 AM »

May peace with you Br J Islam,

1. Is there any "original" version of Sahi Bukhari or Sahi Muslim that exists some where? Or it is just like Bible blind version of version with no original form. I believe that would be the case because only Quranic text is preserved and protected.

Thank you

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Each Man Will Have Two Wives - What About Women?

« on: August 23, 2014, 02:46:49 AM »

Asalamu alaikum brother,

I have to ask, after reading your discussion on the Hur Al Ayn topic. I do understand your argument, but if this was true, why in the Quran does it state each man in heaven will have two wives? (The verse regarding the description of the first people to enter Jannah)
 
As a Muslim woman looking to get married, I find this quite hard to understand, why Allah would make Muslim women suffer with this idea.

Also if the Quran states we shall get all our inner hearts desire, why are scholars quick to shun what women will receive?

Also many scholars state the Hur Hadith are all authentic..

If you could clarify this issue brother, that would be great.

Jazakallu Khayran.

May Allah bless you for all your hard work.
 

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Fear in Rejecting the Whole Ahadith Corpus

« on: August 23, 2014, 02:43:47 AM »

Salam Brother Joseph

I have been to your website many times and I really enjoy the articles that you wrote. I do uphold the Qur'an as the final source of judgement, but sometimes my brother and I wonder what if there is things such as punishment in the grave despite it not being in the Qur'an. Ultimately what I'm saying is we wonder if some Hadith's even if they have no basis in the Qur'an are true due to fear and I fear we might be putting the Hadith authority over the Qur'an. We don't want to do this but our fear is holding us back from disregarding them completely.

Is there anyway to overcome this fear and judge by the Qur'an as you do because I admire your complete faith in it and I want to have the same, but as I said before fear.

From
Brother in faith

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Bearing Other People's Burdens on the Day of Judgement

« on: August 23, 2014, 02:42:14 AM »

Salam Alaykum,

I have been reading a number of your articles and have found them very intuitive, may Allah continue to increase you in knowledge.

My question is concerning the issue of burden on the day of resurrection,

I have read in many verses implying no one would carry or bear another man's burden ex. Q6.164 but i have also read in Q16.25 that some people will carry burdens also from those whom they have misguided.

Is this a contradiction, exemption or an elaboration on the other verses?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Ma Salam

58

Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Is Hair Cutting Forbidden for Women?

« on: August 23, 2014, 02:39:54 AM »

Peace be with you my brother Joseph,

First of all I seek your forgiveness for disturbing you, and I also seek Allah almighty to reward you in this world and in the hereafter for all of your beautiful work regarding the primary and secondary sources, from which I've had a huge benefit.

I have a question regarding hair cutting. I've been told that hair cutting is completely forbidden, or that it is allowed only below the shoulders, or that it is forbidden to imitate men or disbelieving women while cutting them.

Actually I hate imitating men in any way, but I have very thin and bad-quality hair which grows really slowly and breaks quite easily, that's why I grow them below the shoulders and I cut it in layers (front part near face), and sometimes with fringe. But every time I  hear the comments like: ''Prophet has cursed women who cut their hair like you do'' , ''You'll never even hear the smell of paradise'', etc. I become a bit frustrated.

My intention was never to imitate neither men nor disbelieving women.

What's your point of view on this issue?

Kind regards,
May Allah bless & reward you!

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Is it Necessary to do 'Istinja' (Wash Our Parts)

« on: August 12, 2014, 07:13:34 AM »

As salaam alaikum sir

I have a question for you which is that is it compulsory for us to do sinja (I.e. to wash our parts) after every time we urinate? Because sir many tjme we don't get water and many time facilities are also not available.

Please sir clarify about it to me

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Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / What is the Salaam (Tasleem) at the End of the Prayer?

« on: August 06, 2014, 10:27:13 PM »

Salaam alaikum

Brother Joseph I need clarity on why or who we make salaam to on either side of our shoulders in salat. Can you please educate me .

As per secondary school of taught it is two angels on either side writing our deeds which I do not follow or accept.

Thanks