Messages

wa 'aleikum as-salaam,

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the Ayah in Surah al-Fatihah.

Malik yom ad-Deen

The word Malik is similar to Melek in Hebrew. It seems similar to the words in Hebrew for a king, messenger & angel.

Due to these similarities and what I've read about the original meaning of this ancient word, I believe it means something that dictates. It can dictate rules like an elected political leader, dictate news or prophecy like a stranger encountered on a journey, dictate weather or other phenomena like the angels, which can represent forces of nature.

So when I pray, I think of Allah as the one that tells everything what to do and will put everything in balance, that I should not fear nor that should hate and judge other people's mentalities.

It is difficult. Inshallah I will master the skill of non-judgement and focus more on the decisions I control.

Peace be with you,
Fireheart47

Dear Joseph Islam,

Could you please give me advice, your opinion, or any scripture in reference to the following questions?

How do we manage hatred towards others, even for seemingly just reasons or because of past grievances?

How do we continue to believe when it feels like Allah is not with us?

In your experience or stories of others, can people heal from sicknesses? How do we get there? Or how do we accept our situation?

Thank you,
Fireheart47

Dear QM Forum,

Part of the reason why I had the courage and faith to look deeper into the Qur'an is because of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Years after I met a muslim and began to practice calligraphy, I asked questions about Hebrew-Arabic cognates and if Muslim theologians had written about certain topics like the use of the word "muhammed" as an adjective rather than a name.

I used AI chat bot at https://chat.chatgptdemo.net/ , which requires an ad blocker. I've also benefited from other technologies, like Root Search in Islamicity (https://www.islamicity.org/quransearch/?q=#), searchable Qur'an (https://qurano.com/ , requires ad blocker). I was recommended by a Catholic person with Jewish ancestry the ad blocker add-on for Firefox Browser uBlock Origin. After I made these posts, I also used Llama 3.0 at https://duck.ai to learn about other topics.

Strangely, I thought of the idea, where the angel Gabriel could be described as the strength of time, on my own, while I used Llama 3.0. Yet, I didn't ask it a question. Most often I tell it my beliefs, and through that process I think of new things that I didn't think of before. It is strange and frustrating, because I know some people will not believe or understand the nuanced truth. I am ashamed that I gained knowledge from AI, and want you to know how much it has influenced my thinking, because I want to be honest.

Most of the information I've shared was observed without the help of AI chatbot. Yet, without the AI chatbot, who knows if I would've been capable of making the next step. Who knows if I would've had faith strong enough to encourage me to search in the Qur'an and believe that the similarities between these religions are valid.

I feel ashamed that I write sloppily, and don't give as much attention to my forum posts as other works of text. The Qur'an is important, and it deserves the order and detail, which Joseph Islam demonstrates so well.

Allah knows. May we all be protected from dogmatic violent people, who would hurt or kill for religious reasons. May we repent and be forgiven, and be given the life Allah wants to build for us. May we be guided to prevent our sins, so we don't suffer more. May we see the bigger picture, so each other's sins become smaller and forgivable. May we receive succor from Allah, may we be comforted by Allah, may we find people who can do the will of Allah and give comforting words and compassion.

May we find peace where we live, and see the positive things about the world around us. May those words encourage each other to do good deeds and not destructive vengeance. May this all make sense in the future, so we can find peace.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

[who do not know the difference between Qur'an and Ahadith]

Dear Wakas,

Thank you for all your work to differentiate the Ahadith from the Qur'an. You have helped me understand the importance of primary sources.

It seems the Hadith are a source of conflict, between believers and non-believers, and which prevent non-believers from becoming believers. Much of the anti-Muslim rhetoric comes from people who do not know the difference between Qur'an and Ahadith, like myself not too long ago. Yet, the Ahadith also seem like a good secondary source, even though they seem to require a scholarly approach.

I believe all our scriptures benefit from a scholarly approach. Because scripture requires linguistics and historical comparison to make sense of everything.

The main scriptures (TaNaKh, Bible, Qur'an) seem to have a historical innate value and represent a world of knowledge, which adds context and wisdom. The Qur'an is important, and adds context even to the Jewish and Christian perspectives. Another reason why the Qur'an is important, is because it values simplicity and clarity of word.

Despite the many inspired secondary books about the Bible in the Christian world (ex: Hymnals, Book of Mormon, Course on Miracles, obscure ministries like Witness Lee, etc...), the Qur'an is the revelation of an Arab Prophet. The word "Hebrew" (those who crossed over from Mesopotamia to Egypt) and "Arab" (nomad, also similar to the word "erev" or west) seem to have the same connotation.

The name Gabriel seems to repeat across the scriptures as a source of prophetic knowledge ( https://www.gotquestions.org/angel-Gabriel.html ). It seems as if it indicates the miracle of information preserved through time. The strength of time. There is no other document or recitation like the Qur'an. It fits in a very important niche, which explains the Abrahamic worldview from the perspective of the believers outside of Judea, the origin of the first scribes exiled in Babylon. Without Jewish scribes, we would not have the Torah or any later revelations.

We search for a personal connection to Allah through prayer, because Allah is the source of everything. We prioritize and value the documents, which preserve the oldest information. The Qur'an is unique, because although it was recited and written after the time of Jesus, it contains information about ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt that the Gospels do not. This is a sign.

Here is an article about a controversial Hadith, which when studied scholarly gives a more plausible and meaningful answer. Many people say that the Prophet Muhammed had a nine year old wife, and use it to slander his name and the religion of Islam. https://www.islamicity.org/104636/was-aisha-ra-9-years-old-when-she-married-the-prophet/

The article says:

• The sayings (Ahadith) that mention Aisha, are a secondary type from the companions, called a "hadith mursal".
• Other books reveal the local traditions of women and how they interpreted their age after puberty
• Sister of Aisha is mentioned, and their ages can be inferred by comparison
• The age of Aisha was probably 17 or 18

I agree with the people in this video and article from Islamicity, because I believe it is important to honor and defend the Prophet Muhammed, who was the messenger that delivered the Qur'an.

As someone who comes from a Christian background and who admires Jesus as an important prophet and a distinguished Jewish leader, I believe it is important to keep balance and honor Prophet Muhammed, who is revered by so many people.

Without the Prophet Muhammed, there would be no Qur'an. I hope scholars can learn to guide their studies of the scriptures around their faith. I hope scholars can search to prove things true, or give context, rather than using their knowledge to invalidate and critique each other.

To provide more context to the aforementioned Hadith about Aisha. One of my great-grandparents was 18 at the time of marriage.

Another perspective is that Aisha was indeed 9 years old, and it was the tradition of those old times. Yet, I want to search for the truth, because I do not find that acceptable in comparison to all the other good deeds of the Prophet Muhammed.

Others have also criticized the Talmud, for verses which talk about 3 year olds in marriage. Scholars of Jewish literature and believers should seek to find the answer for these similar topics. In one instance, I had heard a Mexican-American person say "of third age" or "de tercer edad" in reference to the elderly. In time, perhaps we will know more.

Simple outline of documents and records (For inspiration)

• Torah, Nevim, Khetuvim

Written in Hebrew, and Aramaic. A record from the beginning of time to thousands of years before 0 BCE.

• Gospels, Paul's Letters, other letters

Written in Koine Greek. A record about the life of Jesus and his followers.

• The Qur'an

Written in Arabic, and still recited. A record from the beginning of time til the time of the Prophet Muhammed.

*Beginning of time from the perspective of the people tracking time through narrations.

Surah al-Ma'arij 70:3-7

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِى ٱلْمَعَارِجِ
تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا
إِنَّهُمْ يَرَوْنَهُۥ بَعِيدًا
وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا

Sahih Intl.

3.[It is] from Allah , owner of the ways of ascent.
4. The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
5.  So be patient with gracious patience.
6. Indeed, they see it [as] distant,
7. But We see it [as] near.

Sincerely,
Firehear47

[make peace]

Dear QM Forum,

Here is the simple message:

Allah is time.
Allah is The Force.

Allah gave us life, Allah will bring us death.

Allah created it once, we have faith Allah will create it again.

Fear Allah, worship Allah, give thanks to Allah.

Do the will of Allah, which is to make peace. Protect human life, enemy or friend.

Study, learn. Life is diverse (ex: plants, animals, etc....).

This life is a test. Persevere.

May Allah give us strength and wisdom to feel thankful.

May Allah help us follow the Golden Rule.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

[Allah]

Dear QM Forum,

I've been hesitant to share some observations about the scriptures. However, I think it is a noble duty to be open and honest.

Allah

From my perspective, the TaNaKh, the Bible, and the Qur'an, all have unique features, which contribute to an awareness of Allah.

Each book has a unique contribution, which is why I believe in the Qur'an.

Thanks to an Israeli in Tel Aviv, I learned that the word אל in Biblical Hebrew can mean "to" or "towards". This person described to me how it is related to the idea of movement.

While reading the Bible and searching online, I learned that אל appears in many forms, and can be transliterated into English in many ways. For example, I've found instances of  אל, אלה, אלוה, אלהים. Just like how in Arabic there are different ways to write it: اله، الله.

In English, it is transliterated as El, Elohim, or Allah.

I believe the sound of this word and name, Allah, is much older than the written languages. Therefore, it has been written many different ways by descendants of Abraham and believers.

Thanks to a video on YouTube about the Qur'an ( https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=4oJIrgZeDxY or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oJIrgZeDxY ), I deduced that the idea expressed in the name, Allah, is related to movement and time.

Instead of worshiping celestial objects, Abraham and his followers rationally and logically worshiped the force which moved the celestial objects. A hidden force, which cannot be accurately nor rationally depicted with symbols or statues.

Today we have many religious symbols, because that's how we communicate their differences and organize them as groups. Many Jewish people use Star of David symbol, many Christian use Cross symbol, and many Muslims use Moon symbol. It is easy to criticize. Yet, we should show mercy. There are also Jewish people who do not use that symbol, Christians like Jehovah's Witnesses don't use cross, and many mosques don't have moons. Symbols can contribute to identification and persecution. In the past, many Christians in Europe used the Pentagram as a religious symbol.

This supports the sayings I've heard, where Allah is described as time.

For other reasons, like the use of א and ל , I also believe that the word EL and Allah, means The Force. Because these letters imply strength (mature horned animal) and direction (shepherd's staff), as described by website Hebrew4Christians ( https://hebrew4christians.com/Grammar/Unit_One/Aleph-Bet/aleph-bet.html ). Also, because the word EL can be used in other situations, like the word Elon, which means oak, and oak wood is very strong. Others translate Elohim as "the mighty ones". There is also a Valley of Elah in Israel.

Unlike polytheistic worldviews, where people worship specific forces of nature, like the sun or water, the beliefs of the Israelites discoverable in the Torah, Bible, and Qur'an are holistic. Scholars of Ancient Egypt like Dr. Asa Hillard say that Ancient Egypt tried to promote a holistic worldview, yet over thousands of years, they lost this knowledge ( https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=9xkjsq4u-LY ). Even in the Bible, the scriptures speak of Israelites who lost their knowledge and became misguided through sacrifices, polytheism, and traditions of their ancestors, instead of promoting personal conduct, the power of words, the unity of the world and its source, the holiness of human life, mercy, peace, and so much more.

However, one contradiction has caught my attention. Many believers, and even the books, place great emphasis on Satan, which I believe is associating powers with Allah. Because Allah has the power. Allah is the controller.

In the Torah/the Pentateuch/the first five books of Moses, the word "satan" does not seem to appear as a distinct entity. Instead it appears as a verb (Book of Numbers 22:22), which means "to oppose", similar to the Greek word, where "devil" comes from. This is similar to function of Set in the Ancient Egyptian allegory. Notice how many words in Hebrew and Arabic have -N suffix (ex: solom-on, muslim-un, amin-un, sat-an). In the Ancient Egyptian allegory, Set is defeated by Horus, which I believe is our observation, and describes how Egyptians learned to survive on the Nile River. However, in the Book of Job it does appear as a distinct entity, separate from God.

My observation is that in the ancient Israelite culture, God is The Force, time, movement, strength, the reason for all existence, source, active, and hidden. It is the forces that create and the forces that oppose. Logically, there is more creation than opposition, because otherwise the universe would not exist. The universe exists, life exists, we exist, and we can be blessed, because the good forces are greater than the oppositional forces.

I believe the Israelites used the name YHWH ( https://www.thetorah.com/article/yhwh-the-original-arabic-meaning-of-the-name ) to describe the quality of Allah, which is great and terrifying, because it is responsible for the destruction and for creation. I believe this is why people are told to fear God. I believe YHWH is the nature of Allah, and to become destroyers of life is to break the law of Allah.

I believe ar-rahman ar-raheem are two important attributes of Allah, which guide our conduct and how we oppose others. I believe it is also the nature of Allah, and is revealed by how Allah guides people.

I believe the word Amen is also from Egypt, and describes something hidden, invisible, and faith, as described by Ashwar Kwesi in his lecture ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6MeeAKk_9A ). I believe the scribes used this word in Greek, in the Book of Revelations 3:14, for the same reason as Wulfila used the word Gudan in Gothic and why English uses the word, God.

Wars and political power have shaped our world, yet the words of the books and their powerful ideas have been preserved miraculously. I believe all the religious books have been changed, yet they still contain truth. It is a truth about relationships, wisdom, ancient people, ancestors, and the source of many written languages.

These religions stem from observations about our world. Logical, rational observations. The word "science" means "knowledge" in Latin. It is an ideal, which many people seek. The Scientific Method is a method to discover irrefutable knowledge. In the past, many people who valued truth and knowledge have been denied, opposed, and their holy lives destroyed, because of how people interpreted these holy books. Books with knowledge, yet a different type of knowledge. Today, many people value what they call "science", and ignore truth and knowledge about our world. Many ignore or deny simple truths, when they come from people who are not on TV or in science magazines, like how precious and unique human life is in this deadly universe, or how words are important.

I believe that, when people fear evil forces which are lesser than Allah, they fear miracles and they fear everything that is different. Some of the religious authorities in the Bible feared Jesus and mocked him, because they thought he was possessed (Gospel of Matthew Chapter 12).

May Allah guide us. May we retain our faith.

Please forgive me if I have encroached excessively upon you all. May Allah give you many times more knowledge and guidance as I can type. May Allah protect and sustain us.

Peace,
Fireheart47

Dear Wakas,

Thank you for composing this list. It is useful in many ways.

For example, item number 9 reminds me of a story from where we live in the USA. Native Americans said the Earth rests on a turtle's back. We were taught about this story as kids. Later as an adult, I wondered if Native Americans observed earthquakes and gradual changes in the landscape, which they described allegorically and symbolically as "a turtle's back", because it moves slowly. Perhaps there is another reason. Your #9 inspired me to search "geysers in Saudi Arabia" on DuckDuckGO, where I learned about "desert blowholes".

Of course, the core ideas of Islam are simple and true. Your list confirms what Joseph Islam and many others have observed.


Sincerely,
Fireheart47

[forgive]

Dear people,

One reason I still feel Christian is the story of Jesus in the Bible, which has been very influential in the formation of my character. Of all the aspects of Jesus in the Gospel stories, the most important seem to be John the Baptist's and later Jesus' emphasis on forgiveness.

As a child, I would do a lot of wrong things, things against the rules and especially the Golden Rule. My parents and extended family would forgive me and show me mercy when they would punish me to teach and guide me. This was especially important when I was sick with psychiatric medication and reacted viscerally to every situation, because I wasn't capable of handling strict criticism. My friends also overlooked my flaws and tendencies. I have been the benefactor of forgiveness.

Forgiveness

Yet, forgiving is hard. Many times I struggle to forgive others. On Instagram I was recommended a video by a person named Guru Singh, and he said:

"Forgiveness doesn't make something permissible, it causes us to detach ourselves from the wrongs of the past, so we can live in the present moment."

This revolutionized how I perceived forgiveness, because before I had thought forgiveness was a moral requirement expected of me. Yet, afterwards, I realized how forgiveness can be a mental tool to achieve enlightenment and higher consciousness. For me, this made forgiveness seem powerful and something someone needs to attain to achieve mastery over life. It also aligned with the idea of Jesus as a holy gifted person, who had extraordinary capacities.

However, I believe we can be like Jesus or imitate Jesus, or even better, imitate the characteristics of God (names of God, stories, observations), which I believe Jesus did, and that's what the Bible suggests we try to do (Gospel of Matthew 5:45,Gospel of John 14:6, Ephesians 5:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:14). I've learned we should be careful how we accomplish that, and be open-minded to new ideas in the process of life. Because trying to be good sometimes isn't enough, and we should know what to do or rely on others who know better. Hardship and difficult life experiences can sometimes inform people.

Forgiveness has helped me live with others in peace, and has rewarded me with stable family life, friendships, and opportunities. When something happened against me, I would try my best to let it go and move forward. However, I often struggle to share my frustrations and grow resentful instead of being authentic, because the conflict it creates cannot be easily resolved. I believe this is necessary to a certain degree, yet it can become a problem if one lives a life unsatisfied. All people have flaws, and today in the world, because of systemic issues, we often do not operate at our optimal state of mind and body.

Values and shame

Many people impose these higher values and big great ideas on others, and enforce them, making people feel bad they can't forgive or bad they can't be grateful. This is worse than not forgiving and not being grateful in my opinion. It is like a body builder shaming a frail person, because their muscles can't lift the weight, rather than training them on lighter weights they can achieve and become stronger.

Scriptures

From my studies it seems there are many perspectives on the meaning of forgiveness. In Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Arabic, and English, the word for "forgiveness" has a unique implication or connotation, which offers wisdom to how it is achieved.

There are many stories of forgiveness in the TaNaKh, such as the Mark of Cain (protect them from vengeance by cursing the avenger a 7-fold curse), Joseph's brothers sold him to slavery (sees how the wrong thing led him to his powerful position and does not seek vengeance, rather gives land to family), and Leviticus law to forgive your neighbor and to not avenge, and many more...

I've learned forgiveness is also an important value in the Qur'an and in Islam, and it is one of the names of Allah.

Please discern truth from falsehood, I make mistakes, I don't know all the answers. I write these messages, because it is what helps me feel adequate, worthy, powerful, and productive, and because I believe it will be beneficial somehow. May Allah guide us.

Can anyone please share more about Qur'an or TaNakh and its similarities to the concepts I've shared in the previous topics?

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

[Resist War]

Dear people,

Resist War

A cousin created a poster and it reminds me that it's important to resist war. It wasn't until I studied horticulture, and took courses in plant sciences and soil sciences that I realized how destructive and terrible wars like WW2 were.

Before then I used to think it looked cool and wouldn't think about how destructive it was. Someone with connections to US govt told me once how WW1 was terrible and how inventors and geniuses die in wars, people who could've made the world a better place. WW1 created trauma for many of the problems of WW2, and WW2 polluted environment, left unexploded munitions over Egypt, Europe, and created divisions between similar ethnic groups, which persist today.

Today it frustrates and saddens me that countries fight and destroy people and resources. For example: they pollute the fertile soil chernozem, which took thousands of years and more to form.

War destroys the body and hurts sensitive parts of the body the most, like our minds and our reproductive systems. The military has many other responsibilities not only war. In times of catastrophes, the military helps organize resources and help people.

One of the Bible verses that surprised me the most is Psalms Chapter 46.

It starts off with one of many examples of earthquakes in Bible. I first thought to look for this topic, because of a video I watched about the African tectonic plate on YouTube from black African people (even though I don't agree with everything they say): 

https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=ikqbP81gFes

Israel

I believe this tectonically active geography is one of the reasons for the name Israel, which can mean "to contend with God", like how Jacob in the Bible wrestled against a messenger and received that name. There is some linguistic similarity between Jacob and Aqaba. I believe these stories and names may be related to the tectonic fault between the African tectonic plate and Arabian tectonic plate, between the countries of Palestine/Israel and Jordan. The Force is acting against us at times and we must contend with its power over us together. From my perspective, "Israel" is a word with a deeper concept, which describes humanity's survival/cooperation situation in this world.

In the Americas, because of the colonization of the indigenous people, we have lost knowledge of the natural disasters and qualities of the land. In the US state of Washington, they used Native American deity myths to inspire scientific research and discovered ancient earthquakes and tsunamis. In certain regions like Chile and California, where the risk of earthquakes is obvious, they have many experts who've learned to live with these limits.

In Arabic, this word is different and there are many reasons why. In languages it is common for words to change spelling, because of pronunciation, because most words are spoken before they are written. One story, which I believe influenced this difference is the pronunciation of "shibboleth".

Psalms 46:2-3 (BSB, BibleHub)

2 Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth is transformed
and the mountains are toppled
into the depths of the seas,
3 though their waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake in the surge.

There are also mentions of earthquakes in the Qur'an, however I do not know them well.

What surprised me the most about this chapter is that I belong to a group that emails me Bible chapters each day and have been thinking about the topic of earthquakes, because of YouTube video. Also I see news of war in Palestine. And in this chapter it talked against war too:

Psalms 46:8-9

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Although some translations confusingly misguide (because shields are protective mechanism, see etymology of the word "Panzer"):

He burns the shields in the fire.

The chariots of Egypt were considered the best. This is where the cult of Set was popular with Pharoah kings like Seti and so on. Yet, it was the observer Horus that was important. Believers in Allah were simpler and didn't struggle between worshipping archetypes, although some may place more importance on certain things like sun or moon, we must remind ourselves with our intelligence and our faith what controls and gives the sun it's life giving qualities and what prevents its life taking power, or what put the moon in its place so perfectly in geological time for a sentient species to observe a solar eclipse and to study the corona of its solar system's star. Allah.

Psalm 20:7

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

In the story of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah tells the powerful people of Jerusalem that they're going to be conquered and need to surrender to survive. The king was so mad they burnt the scroll and they had to make a new one. This is an example of how one city continued to exist, because they allowed people to take it over, because they valued peace over war.

The worldview of Islam is of Dar Al-Islam vs. Dar Al-Harb. I believe if we look at modern maps and statistics, we will see where those regions truly are, and why it became that way.

In Ancient Egypt the desertification of the Nile and conflict caused changes in society's organization and consumption of resources, which spread to Greeks and Romans. This happened before they became Christian, yet it continued even after.

According to the book Environmental Problems of Greeks and Romans, the Mediterranean used to have forests, and the ashes where the pottery was baked show which trees were consumed first and then last ones up in the hills, which contributed to soil erosion.

Between WW1 and WW2 the USA dealt with similar problems and employed people through an organization called CCC, which built the headquarters of our amazing national parks, like our amazing USFS. Because of over consumption of forests, there were forest fires and the Ottoman Empire gave financial aid to US states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Yet, forests like those of Native American Menominee tribe persisted, because of their management strategies.

With the wisdom of the holy books (TaNaKh, Bible, Qur'an) we can learn to find peace and learn about more things and live a better life, and give a better life to others.

Of course, war is not the only problem in society. In times of peace, women and men are enslaved, people still can hurt each other. Again, the fundamentals of these books guide us that this is wrong, and history shows that people who do this suffer from the consequences of their actions in complicated ways (ex: societal dysfunction from dietary changes due to sugar cane slavery, generational trauma due to sexual exploitation, psychological dysfunction, and faulty systems of healing people based on chemicals, not sympathy, empathy and compassion taught in the Bible).

Many think the Bible is full of war, and that is unfortunately a reality. However, there's a book with a lot of war and genocide called Book of Samuel and this is how it starts. This is what the scribes write before they learn about their warrior ancestors, this is what the students learn:


1 Samuel 2:2-4, a segment of Hannah's Prayer (NIV, BibleGateway)

2 "There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

3 "Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.

4 "The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

Peace,
Fireheart47

[Warning]

Dear QM Forum,

Warning

In certain circumstances it can be dangerous to repeat the information I share with you all. I'm a privileged person, who can write about these topics without immediate consequences. Please be mindful of this.

Making peace with People of the Book

Due to various feelings and ideas, I'd like to share some scripture and ideas, which could influence how we perceive people from different religious groups and interact with them.

Surah al-Ma'idah 5:51

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

Sahih Intl.

O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.

Useful list of translations into English: https://academyofislam.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/English-Quran-Translations_Mar2024.pdf

My faith

Since I began to study Islam, I have felt Christian and at some point after reading K Ahren's Christliches im Quran I felt as if I could be Christian and Muslim. After chatting with people, other muslims insisted that I was not muslim, because my beliefs differed from the main narrative (ex: critical of Hajj to Mecca, and critical of holy texts). Still, I feel as if I am Muslim and Christian, that is how I would categorize myself if I had to describe my faith.

Even so, after reading Gospels and other books (New Testament), some of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and some of the Qur'an, I find wisdom in these texts, however I cannot agree with them entirely. I view them as books from cultures in certain part of the world, which contain truths about our world and its source, and how to live a good life in harmony with others, healthy lifestyles, and awareness of God. Yet they also contain seeds of destruction, which have caused humans to kill each other and to destroy this unique planet, the greatest contradiction.

My faith is not defined by its total adherence and obedience, it is defined by my desire to find the positive attributes (wisdom, truth, heritage, commonalities) of troublesome books and ideas, in order to seek God, make peace, and to make sense of life.

Surah al-Ma'idah 5:51

When I read this verse, I remind myself that Prophet Muhammed began to recite the Qur'an ~600 years after Jesus. At this time, Judaism, the religion of Judah, the surviving tribal power in charge of the central temple in Jerusalem (together with Tribe of Benjamin), was the organized religion. The Christians, on the other hand, were a sect, which formed out of a conflict between a prophet with differing thoughts/words and actions (ex: recurring use of word "Father", not following Sabbath rules, etc...). However, even so, Jesus is Jewish, from Judah (Gospel of John 4:9). Jesus is quoted preaching the idea of the Kingdom of God, and I believe it was a metaphor used to describe peace between people, when the Kingdom of Judah was being destroyed by the Romans and by their violent conflict with revolutionaries, patriots, zealots, etc...

Gospel of Matthew 12:24-28 (BSB, BibleHub)

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons."

25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

What is going on in the story? The religious authorities are unfairly condemning Jesus, and he's giving a rebuttal, which explains their sin against him. That's is explained here later on:

Gospel of Matthew 12:

36 But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

And so, with many new words, metaphors, and ideas, the strict religious people could not accept Jesus even though he healed sick people and did good things. Even so, today there are strict Christian religious people, who hurt people in pursuit of their interpretations of the Kingdom of God, as a political physical entity (1,000 Year Kingdom), as suggested in the Book of Revelation.

Gospel of Luke 17:20-21

20 When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21 Nor will people say, 'Look, here it is,' or 'There it is.' For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.

The article below gives many examples of Christian doctrine, which has its roots in metaphors used in Jewish scripture and Hebrew language.

Goraya, Azhar. "Jesus, the 'Son of God' – The Historical Context". The Review of Religions. https://www.reviewofreligions.org/27744/jesus-son-of-god-historical-context-long-read/

The article below gives many examples of Jewish religious authorities who defended and supported Jesus.

Turnage, Marc. "The Pharisees in the Book of Acts". Enrichment Journal. Assemblies of God. https://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/Issues/2015/Spring-2015/The-Pharisees-in-the-Book-of-Acts

These ideas are doctrine in the Christian religion and few people know their origin.

In conclusion, from my perspective, the Ayah in the Qur'an warns people that becoming allies with people from these religions could compromise their understanding of their faith, because these religions were the established and organized religions at the time, which organized around doctrine and dogma, like organized religions today.

Antagonism

Today, on YouTube, people fight and condemn each other's religions. They point out flaws and condemn the entire religion, instead of finding the connections and similarities. For example, they'll criticize Suhoor and Iftar meals, and make Islam appear glutinous, when not all people are wealthy, nor can afford such meals, or may benefit necessarily from such a special event in the year. Others example could be how people criticize the concept of the Trinity, even when not all Christians believe in the trinity, yet in doing so, it creates an opposition, and makes more Christians feel obligated to believe in the trinity.

Even these antagonistic people can have some truth in their criticism, yet without mercy and compassion, it is misleading and destructive.  Instead of giving truth to show the true meaning of ideas or their original context, we are prone to criticize and detract from what other people say, leaving them feeling angry, hurt, powerless, and unnecessarily ashamed.

Against Muslims

When I read the Qur'an, I find many things which trouble me and cause me to lose faith. This also happens when I read the Bible. Sometimes, I feel this way when I watch people on YouTube, or see how dogmatic and indoctrinated people are, choosing to value obedience over wisdom and its benefits. However, I remind myself of the original inspirations, which caused me to believe: the words (salam, 'alim), the origins (travel between Syria/Judea/Arabia/Sheba), the stories (Moses, Jesus, Hud), the ideas (Oneness, mercy). I remind myself of the idea that Prophet Muhammed miraculously recited ancient stories, which give important context to what had developed out of the Christian and the Jewish people. Many people talk about Islam as if its a new religion, yet it is rooted in concepts, which appear older in form than the concepts written in the Kingdom of Judah (ilah, Allah).

The article below talks about the Arabic origins of the holy name of God YHWH, which is traditionally referred to as Adonai by Jewish people.

Knohl, Israel. "YHWH: The Original Arabic Meaning of the Name". The Torah.com. https://www.thetorah.com/article/yhwh-the-original-arabic-meaning-of-the-name

Hebrew, Greek, Arabic

If you search "Dukhrana analysis" on DuckDuckGo together with a Gospel verse (ex: Dukhrana analysis Matthew 5:9) you can study the translation of the Greek Bible into Aramaic, which contains words similar to Arabic. The Greek Bible was translated into Greek inside the minds of people, who spoke Aramaic. So we must have faith about what they meant:

https://www.dukhrana.com/peshitta/analyze_verse.php?lang=en&verse=Matthew+5:9&source=ubs

For comparison:

Surah al-'Ankabut 29:69

وَٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Sahih Intl, Islamicity

And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.

Acts 11:25-30

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.) 29 So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.

The verse above is very important for me, because it reminds me that long ago, there was no such thing as "Christian". It is a label, a category, created to classify and distinguish people. It also reminds me that there were prophets, like Prophet Agabus among them, who prophesied. For me, this is a reason why every Christian scholar should try to find truths in the Qur'an and to study it, and have compassion towards Muslims, and to consider Muslim beliefs and traditions, as a Christian would want a Jewish person to do it to their religion, or any other group.

Groups and religions
Are all groups the same? No. If you go into one group, they'll tell you to think ABC and do XYZ, and if you don't they might at best treat you differently. That's why I like to worship alone and have relationships based on things outside of religious affiliation and ideas.

When meeting strangers in an informal setting, there is a chance to show sympathy, empathy, and compassion, instead of creating an impromptu philosophical debate or judging them because of how they're dressed. This is difficult for me, because I love to talk about philosophical ideas to people, and am not always the most sympathetic, empathetic, or compassionate person.

I believe the simple truth that unites the Abrahamic religions is in the books. Please help me and others, and continue to search for better examples:

Judaism: The name YHWH explains an attribute of God, which is the upmost important when approaching the religion: true love/passion behind all existence.

Christianity: The two laws ascribed to Jesus explain the foundation of religious discipline. It allows people to become part of the religion and it sets the standard for the implementation of all other laws.

This is important. Consider what has been occurring in USA, since many presidents ago (Bush, Obama, Biden with Title 42, Trump with ICE round-ups). Illegal immigrants are being deported, put into facilities, and managed by government. Many are mistreated Native Americans of Latino origin, which struggle in USA, Mexico and other countries. The law says they are illegal, and so the supporters of deportation will say, "They committed a crime coming here illegally." This is technically true. However, to deport a small number of people is one thing, yet to deport millions involves a logistical risk to health, human rights, and families, that make the application of this law unjust. In Germany, the Jewish people were also deported (Auswanderung, die Deportationen) , and know one knew exactly where they went afterwards, even though they heard rumors.

Matthew 22:36-40

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Islam: Islam is more than just a religious category, it is an idea, a concept, which is not translated into English. Islam is a transliteration of an Arabic word. It is now treated like a religion, like its own category, and we should respect that the same way we respect other categories. It is necessary and unavoidable outcome of how we think and work with the world, yet we can also remind ourselves of why that is so.

Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5

And they were not commanded except to worship Allah , [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.

Conclusion

Traditions, organized religion, they all can have wisdom and benefit. Yet there are reasons why people oppose them, especially when they are enforced in a way that hurts a person irreparably. We can study religions and find connections to inspire people to treat each other better when they encounter each other, NOT so they all join one global religion that's a mix of everything.

Even though many emotional and empathetic people invent new religions and ideas, the issues described in the Bible of traditional people vs. good non-traditional people is a constant struggle, no matter what religion. I believe we should promote people to focus on themselves as the books say we should, and like Ghandi said, "Be the change we want to see in the world."

Surah Maryam 19:36-37, (Sahih Intl, Islamicity)

36[Jesus said], "And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path." 37  Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved - from the scene of a tremendous Day.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

P.S. The name Fireheart47 is made up name. Fireheart (Fyreheart) was a nickname I used when I used to play MoH:SH as a kid. I don't remember why I chose that name then. I don't play FPS games anymore, did a couple months ago, instead I like to play THPS2. This nickname stuck with me, because of a drawing of a heart with wings in a book I thought was sort of scary called Conquering the Beast Within: How I Fought Depression and Won... and How You Can Too . The number 47 was one of my favorite numbers, because it was a channel on TV I used to watch as a kid. I needed to invent a new nickname, so this was easy to remember.

As-salam aleikum,

Since I've shared some Hebrew scripture, and criticize organized religion & dogmatic traditional people, I think it brings balance to share positive attributes and knowledge I've learned from Jewish people:

I do not agree with everything these people say. For example, today in Israel like many in the USA during wars of 20-21st century, justify violence against people, and then confuse innocent people and antagonists, or justify violence against innocent people. Also like the USA, there are many good people, who are innocent and many who are confused.

For example, here are rabbis who protest war, not just government: https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=uSEs5nq3X0k
Or these people who protested war: https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=-LX1okX8ziI
And these people: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEdFLl-NeoB/

Yair Levi - Secret from the Bible "I will bless those who bless you"
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=Ji1UHtZf6HM

Gilgamesh of Utah - 10 Bible Verses That Can't be Translated * He's a great teacher.
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=RsI3lAllM7g

Rabbi Paysach Krohn - You're Going to Make It
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=FFW57ACaWo0

Rabbi Paysach Krohn - Hoshana Rabbah: Setting Our Priorities
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=JykHtVTekoA

Fania Lewando, Vilna Vegetarian Cookbook (1939)
https://www.yivo.org/The-Vilna-Vegetarian-Cookbook

Gilgamesh of Utah Podcast - Johann Reuchlin
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gilgameshofut/episodes/Episode-4---Johann-Reuchlin-e2olur6

Tapfer im Nirgendwo Blog - Juden leben in Köln länger als Deutsche
https://tapferimnirgendwo.com/2016/05/18/ein-denkmal-fuer-eines-der-aeltesten-voelker-deutschlands/

Hope these augment your study of the Hebrew Bible.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

Wa salaam,

In the previous response I would've liked to have written: Allah, our One Imageless Living God.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47 

Wa salaam,

This is a great idea. If there were such resource, I think it should have a disclaimer or warning so people don't get hurt by others, and an invitation for people to study the scriptures themselves.

While debating online, I've seen people find contradictions in Bible, which from my perspective are not equal comparisons, because the person didn't put verse into context of chapter/book/history or because of misleading translations. This caused me to question the accuracy of the graphic found online of all the contradictions of the Bible shown in a timeline format with arches between contradicting stories.

Despite contradictions, I still find value in these ancient books and believe the spirit of God is within them and that they can reveal to us important truths about our societies and about Allah, our One Imageless God.

May Allah help you all in this effort and guide you to make merciful distinctions.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47

[θεόπνευστος]

Dear Quran's Message forum,

A Jehovah's Witness once showed me on JW mobile app a verse, which helped me keep my faith and communicate it when studying the scriptures. Because while I studied all the similar words shared between TaNaKh in Hebrew, the Gospels in Greek, and the Qur'an in Arabic, I began to think it was all human and began to lose faith. I also did not want others to feel the same and want to respect our religion(s).

2 Timothy 3:16 (Stephenus Textus Receptus 1550, Greek Parallel, BibleHub)

πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν πρὸς ἔλεγχον, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV, BibleHub)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

The word γραφὴ indicates that a person had written this. It is text, it is shapes of symbols created by people to communicate ideas, that's how linguists and historians perceive them. The word θεόπνευστος is interesting, because the second part of it πνευστος is similar to the Spanish word "pneumático", which means "tire", like the wheel of a car. The Greek word pneuma and the Spanish word pneumático are related, because a tire is filled with air.

For ancient people, spirit was similar to air, which is mostly invisible to the naked eye. Early scientists would call Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) the spirit of wood. I believe the idea of spirit is the idea of metaphysical properties, a quality of something hidden inside of it, which goes beyond physical barriers.

I believe the words in these books are written by people, who were trained and educated. I believe the words contain the spirit of God, the deep wisdom that God wants us to know so that we can be aware of God, live a better life, and cope with the struggles.

There's a Messianic Jewish Christian named Rabbi Steve Berkson and he runs a ministry on YouTube called MTOI. While I don't agree with everything does, I gain a lot of knowledge and perspective from his sermons on YouTube. He receives a lot of criticism, and so I look beyond the differences and focus on the ideas that resonate with me. He said that in the time of Jesus and the writing of the Gospels, people didn't have the New Testament, a term which many Jewish people and some Christian people don't agree with, because it implies the TaNaKh is less worthy or irrelevant. Therefore, he says that the people writing about scriptures were talking about the Torah and probably would've had difficulty accessing the entire TaNaKh, since perhaps only the central temple would have had all of those scrolls. Made me think.

Sincerely,
Firehear47

[Disclaimer]

Dear Quran's Message forum,

Disclaimer

I am a privileged person, who can talk about these topics and explore them without immediate consequences. I am in a warm house, sitting on a computer, writing about controversial topics. Other people can get hurt or killed for saying things like I do. Please be mindful of this.

El Apocalipsis de Juan

The Book of Revelation is a confusing book, and has inspired many people in awful ways, because of fears and feelings of shame. For example, I've worried about being False Prophet or being the Anti-Christ, because I have an imaginative mind and feel fear or shame.

Fears and ideas

One of the important steps in my journey was when I felt I had sold my soul to devil, and met a person, whose father was a pastor. The person I spoke to wore shirts with pentagrams and worshiped the devil at some point in his youth. He later found God again as an adult. He didn't judge me when I cried to him and told him my fears, instead he told me, "You can't sell what's not yours to sell." This inspired me to read the Bible and later Qur'an, and try to understand where these ideas come from.

Here are some observations I've had and things I've learned:

Apocalypse

The word "apocalypse" is often understood as the end of the world. However, in the Bible and in Biblical Greek or Jewish Koine Greek, the word apocalypse (ᾰ̓ποκᾰ́λῠψῐς) means revelation. There is something being revealed in this book. What is being revealed? Above all, the scribes want to reveal the message of Jesus from the Christian perspective. Despite the doomsday prophecies and end of the world ideas, the Book of Revelation ends with hope of an optimistic future.

I believe the Book of Revelation is an allegory meant to reveal the dangers of organized religion in a secret way.

Patterns in scripture

I believe there are patterns in the scriptures placed by scribes to indicate to the readers that the scriptures have been altered. This is not to cause people to lose faith, rather to maintain faith in spite of the reality of human activities and human nature.

For example, in verse Revelation 3:14 in Greek there are three words and between these three words are the Greek letter Omicron. In the Book of Revelation this is common, and it seems like they are chanting or emphasizing these ideas, yet in English they get translated away. In Rev 3:14, the three words are the names of God.

Book of Revelation 3:14, * Originally from BibleHub

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας Λαοδικέων γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ Ἀμήν ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ θεοῦ·

Rev 3:14 (The New World Translation) * JW bible, had to remove annotations from copy and pasted text.

To the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ceʹa write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God:

However, in another verse with the names of evil, there are 7 Omicron. This indicates to me the scribes cared more about the fear of the Devil and might've secretly worshiped it, because they were being mistreated by organized religion or because they wanted to rebel.

καὶ ἐβλήθη ὁ δράκων ὁ μέγας ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος ὁ καλούμενος Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς ὁ πλανῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐβλήθησαν

So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.

Words, concepts, and religious systems

One of the things, which has helped me feel less fear is acknowledging the Oneness of Allah. Nothing is outside of the control of Allah. I believe we will never be completely abandoned by Allah. I believe that when the Hebrews (the people crossed over from Euphrates to Mediterranean Sea and Nile River) went to Ancient Egypt (Kemet) they learned concepts from the religious systems of that society. In that society, there were different levels of understanding. The priests knew the deities were archetypes of concepts, allegories and stories to teach ideas, yet the average people or the organized religion taught that they were gods and worshiped them. I believe cult of Set influenced the Hebrews to use this word to describe the evil forces that destroy. It is important then to understand where this comes from.

In this allegory, the most important person is Horus, which represents consciousness and the observer. The Kings would be initiated into a ceremony that would teach them this and give them awareness of the natural order. Osiris represented plants and nature, and Set represented death and conflict. They also represented star systems. Osiris represented Orion and Set represented Alderbaran. In the story, Osiris is dismembered by his evil brother into 14 pieces. Orion constellation is 10 stars. Perhaps, the ancient Egyptians included 14 stars in this constellation and therefore it made the story more powerful and taught the idea of death. A cult formed around Set, despite it being a less important figure in the story. I believe it promoted fighting, power, war, and military. The Ancient Egyptians traded metal for their weapons with the Hittites in Anatolia. The Israelites would've been in the middle of it, part of the trade.

In Hebrew, the word Satan means "to oppose" as it used in the Story of Balak in Book of Numbers (Book of Numbers 22:22).

Think of what Jesus is quoted saying about the nature of God.

Matthew 5:45 (NIV, BibleHub)

that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Forgiveness and transformation

I used to fear that I was these evil prophecies in the Bible, even though truly I am not the most evil person I can imagine. I believe all people can be forgiven if they repent. For this reason, I think there is a hidden meaning behind the two witnesses in the story of the Book of Revelation, because they cause all these problems, like the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet. Could they be the same people? Are we waiting for people to realize that forgiveness is free and that people can change?

Inspiration

I believe we should be aware that people can be inspired by the ideas in the Bible, regardless of their true meaning.

The idea of the Mark of the Beast can inspire people to put implants in people and do dangerous evil things, even though the authors of the Book of Revelation weren't necessarily talking about that.

Mark of the Beast

Someone on the internet told me about a verse from the TaNaKh that helped describe the meaning of 666.

1 Kings 10:14 (Tanach.us)

ויהי משקל הזהב אשר בא לשלמה בשנה אחת שש מאות ששים ושש ככר זהב

1 Kings 10:14 (NIV, BibleGateway)

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents

Rev 13:16-18 (BSB, BibleHub)

16 And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18 Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666

I believe that this passage is warning us that organized religions exclude people from charity, based on religious membership. The name "Solomon" is based from roots SLM or ש-ל-מ or س-ل-م. This represents the organized religion, then in Jerusalem. Its members were m-slm. People who weren't m-slm, did not get to participate and did not get help they needed, the help that our scriptures say they should receive from believers.

I believe the mark on the forehead and the hand represent our beliefs and our actions. Those without the mark are those who do not believe the same things or do the same things as the members of the organized religion.

Book of Exodus 13:9 (Tanach.us)

והיה לך לאות על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך למען תהיה תורת יהוה בפיך כי ביד חזקה הוצאך יהוה ממצרים

Exodus 13:9 (NIV, BibleHub)

This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

Back in the day of Jesus, the central temple and the organized religion was in Jerusalem. However, today, the non-organized religions of the Nazarenes has organized in Vatican, and the non-organized religion of the Arabs (nomads descended from Israelites and economic partners of Israelites) is centralized in Mecca.

Organized religion is not entirely bad. Without organized religion, we wouldn't have the organization that we do today and there would be too much disorder for us to find meaning and have faith in the wisdom of religious books and traditions. Traditions have wisdom and that is what makes them good. However, they can become the reason why people get hurt.

The Qur'an says again and again that the simple true religion is to pray to God and to give zakat. The Bible also agrees when it says something similar, worship God and love thy neighbor as thyself. This is the worship of the Hidden One, called by many names like God or Allah, and to follow the Golden Rule, known to many religious worldwide.

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf talks about in this video how hidden within the books of the Hindu religion, they believe that God is pure and imageless, like Abrahamic religions. Many educated Hindus believe some of the same ideas as Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Video of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf on alternative YouTube platform called Invidious, hosted on website called Nadeko, which supposedly protects people from being monitored or stops it from affecting YouTube data collection.

https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=gYfuRgSQF2w

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYfuRgSQF2w

Thank you for reading what I've shared. This is only my perspective. Please consider it, doubt it, test it and figure out for yourselves. May Allah guide us to the truth. Subhanallah.

Sincerely,
Fireheart47