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#91
General Discussions / Re: al-'alameen
Last post by fireheart47 - December 20, 2024, 10:14:47 AMOne topic related to knowledge and science, and also to the aforementioned verse, is the topic of miracles.
Many dismiss the possibilities of miracles, because they often think of the unrealistic stories we often told to accept by force, which contradict common sense. Many stories could've been exaggerated through time, changed through the game of telephone and hearsay, yet which still hold an element of truth, or a moral.
One certain miracle is how any of the holy scriptures have maintained a comparatively high degree of stability through countless scribes and thousands of years, with ancient wisdom and visions into the ancient past to savor.
There are things which defy our understanding and there some things we cannot study well.
The scientific method is a method to discover knowledge, which has been the best method to discover truths in our world. The scientific method requires building a hypothesis, experimentation, logical interpretation of data, and a conclusion, or continuation. It also requires peer-review, and this is what distinguishes it from religion. Because science ideally seeks to be refuted, until it arrives to certainty.
Religion teaches other truths. Truths about how people interact, how to expect the unexpected, and teaches the importance of faith.
The scientific method is really good at discovering the mechanistic properties of the universe, yet if something can only occur once, or appear to occur once, it is difficult to study. Also, even though the scientific process is logically oriented and the work scrutinized by others with a logical standard, the hypothesis building process can be illogical and involves faith. The way someone's life journey unfolds towards a certain topic can be a mystery, which is hard to predict. Often people have dreams or experience something illogical, which inspires them (ex: Mendeleev's Dream). Many times emotions, opinions, and worldviews influence what topics receive more attention, and what topics should be refuted.
Even our refutations belong at first to the world of imagination, possibilities upon possibilities.
It is important to distinguish the ideals of scientific method and the reality. The reality is that many people educate others and contribute to our collective opinions, and fewer participate in the real process.
How can we explain how events coincide? How does time work? And are the miracles we experience illusions, which appear to be exceptions to the rules? Or is there something we just can't understand? Perhaps if we satisfy ourselves with the unexpected goodness, we can receive its benefit. I've been told often people shun good things which come their way, because of self-perception.
May God help us. May God allow us to accept the miracles in our lives and to not feel excessive fear, rather to use discernment when necessary. May God help us have an ordered mind, which is not too rigid, yet natural and productive, so we can discover and do more good.
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.
Many dismiss the possibilities of miracles, because they often think of the unrealistic stories we often told to accept by force, which contradict common sense. Many stories could've been exaggerated through time, changed through the game of telephone and hearsay, yet which still hold an element of truth, or a moral.
One certain miracle is how any of the holy scriptures have maintained a comparatively high degree of stability through countless scribes and thousands of years, with ancient wisdom and visions into the ancient past to savor.
There are things which defy our understanding and there some things we cannot study well.
The scientific method is a method to discover knowledge, which has been the best method to discover truths in our world. The scientific method requires building a hypothesis, experimentation, logical interpretation of data, and a conclusion, or continuation. It also requires peer-review, and this is what distinguishes it from religion. Because science ideally seeks to be refuted, until it arrives to certainty.
Religion teaches other truths. Truths about how people interact, how to expect the unexpected, and teaches the importance of faith.
The scientific method is really good at discovering the mechanistic properties of the universe, yet if something can only occur once, or appear to occur once, it is difficult to study. Also, even though the scientific process is logically oriented and the work scrutinized by others with a logical standard, the hypothesis building process can be illogical and involves faith. The way someone's life journey unfolds towards a certain topic can be a mystery, which is hard to predict. Often people have dreams or experience something illogical, which inspires them (ex: Mendeleev's Dream). Many times emotions, opinions, and worldviews influence what topics receive more attention, and what topics should be refuted.
Even our refutations belong at first to the world of imagination, possibilities upon possibilities.
It is important to distinguish the ideals of scientific method and the reality. The reality is that many people educate others and contribute to our collective opinions, and fewer participate in the real process.
How can we explain how events coincide? How does time work? And are the miracles we experience illusions, which appear to be exceptions to the rules? Or is there something we just can't understand? Perhaps if we satisfy ourselves with the unexpected goodness, we can receive its benefit. I've been told often people shun good things which come their way, because of self-perception.
May God help us. May God allow us to accept the miracles in our lives and to not feel excessive fear, rather to use discernment when necessary. May God help us have an ordered mind, which is not too rigid, yet natural and productive, so we can discover and do more good.
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.
#92
Posts on Facebook / Re: The Pandemic
Last post by fireheart47 - December 20, 2024, 09:40:14 AMOne perspective, which I think should be considered, is the complexity of the world and in our inability to understand it and communicate it perfectly. One term which I found intriguing was "Black Swan event". It seems there are many factors which contribute to big events in history, and we are only able to understand it collectively in hindsight. Some of these factors include societal issues we aren't all aware of, or if we are, we often dismiss them because of other things. Sometimes it is hard to communicate this with others, because many are dogmatic and disrespectful about things beyond their true knowledge, when sometimes it is good to say, "It could be." or "It might be." or "I find that one thing you said interesting." There are also timescales we aren't well adjusted to and so this can challenge our expectations of how events unfold. I was told by my brother, we should leave room for miracles, so we allow an opportunity for good things to happen unexpectedly. So we can heal from chronic issues. I strive to find simple ways to live, simple ingredients in food, simple attitudes towards others and ourselves, and simple methods behind solving problems, in order to avoid unintended consequences. I believe God is merciful, and we are given many chances to make the right choices. May God guide us and show us what we need to know, and for our faith to be strengthened for the uncertainties and a purpose to survive the struggles, like Viktor Frankl talked about.
#93
Prophets and Messengers / Re: Question derived from hadi...
Last post by fireheart47 - December 20, 2024, 09:04:16 AMOne of the reasons I have faith in the Prophet Muhammad, the reciter of the Qur'an, is because of the story where he helps move the Kaaba by having people hold each end of a large cloth. It is very ingenious way of bringing people together, and one of the parts of his story I remembered the most. One day I had to clear objects from a table and had a towel to place the items onto. That reminded me of him, and it caused me to be more considerate.
#94
General Discussions / Re: Surah al-Bayyinah
Last post by fireheart47 - December 20, 2024, 02:01:10 AMDear QM Forum,
This excerpt from Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6, is sometimes troublesome for me:
The word جهنم is similar to the word Gehenna, which also found in the Bible in Greek with similar meaning (Gospel of Matthew 10:28). Its origin, Hinnom, is also found in Hebrew Bible, where it is described multiple times as a place where children were sacrificed by fire (Book of Jeremiah 7:31). The Valley of Hinnom is a north-facing valley outside of Jerusalem, so it does not get as much sunlight. Considering the geology of Israel/Palestine and Jordan, it could be a fissure, part of the greater tectonic fault.
The translation "hell" is from Germanic cosmology, first used by Wulfila in the Gothic Bible "halja" as an equivalent for the Greek "hades" used in the Bible. Yes, the Greek deity, which represented the underworld. The original Germanic concept of hell was a cold afterlife destiny. Whereas Hades seems to be associated with fire, which could be due to climate and geography. For example, near Greece there are many volcanoes. Likewise, in Arabia near Medina there also many volcanoes.
Both hades and hell seem to originally represent death, and in the Bible it is also used this way (Acts of the Apostles 2:27). (Source: https://www.christianpublishers.org/post/what-is-the-biblical-understanding-of-sheol)
Across many cultures, the physical world is used to describe different emotions, and complex ideas. In many Native American cultures (ex: Ojibwe, Yucatan), there is a water panther, which governs the underworld. The panther is one of the largest predatory animals, and therefore represents danger. When projected into the watery underground places, it could symbolize a place of danger. The underground is where all life decays towards, and is where there is no freedom of movement, no light, and high risk of being trapped and dying. From what I understand, in ancient Egyptian cosmology, Apep plays a similar role, and represents watery chaos and annihilation below the desert.
Likewise, the sky often represents freedom and a higher power. The stars fill us with imagination and good feelings. In Hebrew the word מזל (Mazl, like Mazl Tov [Hebrew: Good Fortune]) can also mean stars, similar to how people think of horoscopes and astrology.
Birds, which fly in the sky, sometimes represent positive ideas. Bird feathers, for example, are used in ancient Egyptian culture, particularly Nubian culture, and in Native American cultures as a symbol for higher ideals. The feather in the Book of Coming Forth by Day (Book of the Dead) is shown on one side of the scales of justice, and a heart on the other. The feather is also seen in the Book of Coming Forth by Day on the heads of a group of people. For ancient Egyptians, pictures were their language, therefore the feather has a deeper meaning.
However not all birds in cultures represent good, there are also ideas of Thunderbirds, which in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, was found to represent an earthquake and tsunami. There are many other exceptions. This is the limitation of using symbols in nature to describe metaphysical and emotional truths.
In Abrahamic religions, heaven also represents the best place. In Hebrew, it is the abode of God and the angels. The Hebrew שמים (Shamayim) is related to the Arabic word سماء (sama'). In English, heaven is the best afterlife destiny. However, heaven as the afterlife destiny in the religion of Islam is جنة (jannah), which means gardens. This is similar to the English word "paradise", which originally meant gardens in Persian. These ideas are very important, especially if we seek reward and things, which we are not given by other people in this world.
In Surah ash-Shu'arah, the people are warned to be aware of the source of their "gardens and springs"(Surah ash-Shu'arah 26:134), various times, and those who warned them are accused of magic (Surah ash-Shu'arah 26:153), just like Jesus was accused of using evil magic by the Pharisees (Gospel of Matthew 12:24).
I've heard it said that Jewish people don't believe in hell or heaven, like Christians and Muslims do. Yet, after studying a few chapters in the TaNaKh, I believe this isn't entirely true. I believe the Hebrews were much like the Native Americans, and projected complex ideas onto the physical realm. The concept of Sheol (שעול) seems to mostly represent the underworld, which was death, our eventual fate, rather than one of two destinies of the afterlife. Yet, there are some verses, which show the connection between destructive behaviors and Sheol (Proverbs Chapter 7 [adultery]). Adultery is one of the sins of the 10 commandments , which is not directly in Qur'an, however there some verse where lists of commandments are made, which are similar. Perhaps someone knowledgeable could help me find them again.
And so, my problem with the first aformentioned verse, Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6, has to do with how people mistreat others and threaten them with hell, or manipulate people with the threat of hell, without using reason to understand the destructive behaviors.
After I finished reading the New Testament, I believe that the concept of sin was created to explain a reality, where our behaviors do not meet the expectations of life, and therefore contribute to suffering. The commandments were created from observations about life. For example, the impact of murder on ancient societies and how it caused many problems, and destroys the most precious thing on this planet.
I believe we can be perfect in the eyes of God, in the sense that God can accept us as we are and that this idea can bring us peace. However, we can still not meet the expectations of life by making wrong choices, and that is sin.
I believe once we are unburdened by shame and can live in the present moment, having faith that our sins can be forgiven, we are more capable of changing. Because shame can often make us feel tainted or irredeemable, which causes us to suffer and continue destructive behaviors. If we let go of the past, we can live in the present moment and become aware of God's mercy, and live our lives a better way.
In my life, I have experienced something like karma. I would begin to struggle and it would remind me of something bad I did in the past, causing me to reflect on my actions. Later, I reasoned that it was a blessing for me to experience a complicated consequence or a retribution from God for my actions earlier in my life, because otherwise it would come slowly and I would never be prepared for it nor be able to perceive it, causing more suffering in ignorance. Yet, I am very blessed, and the struggles contribute to new types of blessings, like the direction of my education towards Bible and Qur'an.
In European cultures, they portrayed something similar: the wheel of fortune. However, it seems not everybody experiences consequences in this lifetime, and I don't know why. The Book of Job is like a Hebrew philosophical debate around the idea of suffering in this life, and seems to suggest the best way to deal with it is to accept that we don't know and to have faith and continue worshiping God, despite our struggles.
God knows, I don't. God controls our destiny. God is the creator and destroyer, yet I believe God wants to create more, because of the blessings we receive by taking care of God's creation.
Just like a hospital services the needs of people in this life, so can a garden. Especially in these cities which contribute to our ailments and aren't healthy places for us to live. I don't believe we should have to wait until the afterlife to receive basic needs. Yet, there is so much that is out of our control and we should be ready to confront it and lose. From dust to dust. I believe shouldn't try to make utopia, and kill or hurt in the process, rather a better world should emerge from the simple goodness between individuals, particularly those closest to each other. If life is a game where we all lose, why do bad things trying win? If we all lose, then its about how we play the game. (Source: Level 42 - The Way Back Home)
Thanks for reading my perspective,
Fireheart47
This excerpt from Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6, is sometimes troublesome for me:
Quoteفِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ
QuoteFī Nāri Jahannama Khālidīna Fīhā
Quotewill be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein
The word جهنم is similar to the word Gehenna, which also found in the Bible in Greek with similar meaning (Gospel of Matthew 10:28). Its origin, Hinnom, is also found in Hebrew Bible, where it is described multiple times as a place where children were sacrificed by fire (Book of Jeremiah 7:31). The Valley of Hinnom is a north-facing valley outside of Jerusalem, so it does not get as much sunlight. Considering the geology of Israel/Palestine and Jordan, it could be a fissure, part of the greater tectonic fault.
The translation "hell" is from Germanic cosmology, first used by Wulfila in the Gothic Bible "halja" as an equivalent for the Greek "hades" used in the Bible. Yes, the Greek deity, which represented the underworld. The original Germanic concept of hell was a cold afterlife destiny. Whereas Hades seems to be associated with fire, which could be due to climate and geography. For example, near Greece there are many volcanoes. Likewise, in Arabia near Medina there also many volcanoes.
Both hades and hell seem to originally represent death, and in the Bible it is also used this way (Acts of the Apostles 2:27). (Source: https://www.christianpublishers.org/post/what-is-the-biblical-understanding-of-sheol)
Across many cultures, the physical world is used to describe different emotions, and complex ideas. In many Native American cultures (ex: Ojibwe, Yucatan), there is a water panther, which governs the underworld. The panther is one of the largest predatory animals, and therefore represents danger. When projected into the watery underground places, it could symbolize a place of danger. The underground is where all life decays towards, and is where there is no freedom of movement, no light, and high risk of being trapped and dying. From what I understand, in ancient Egyptian cosmology, Apep plays a similar role, and represents watery chaos and annihilation below the desert.
Likewise, the sky often represents freedom and a higher power. The stars fill us with imagination and good feelings. In Hebrew the word מזל (Mazl, like Mazl Tov [Hebrew: Good Fortune]) can also mean stars, similar to how people think of horoscopes and astrology.
Birds, which fly in the sky, sometimes represent positive ideas. Bird feathers, for example, are used in ancient Egyptian culture, particularly Nubian culture, and in Native American cultures as a symbol for higher ideals. The feather in the Book of Coming Forth by Day (Book of the Dead) is shown on one side of the scales of justice, and a heart on the other. The feather is also seen in the Book of Coming Forth by Day on the heads of a group of people. For ancient Egyptians, pictures were their language, therefore the feather has a deeper meaning.
However not all birds in cultures represent good, there are also ideas of Thunderbirds, which in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, was found to represent an earthquake and tsunami. There are many other exceptions. This is the limitation of using symbols in nature to describe metaphysical and emotional truths.
In Abrahamic religions, heaven also represents the best place. In Hebrew, it is the abode of God and the angels. The Hebrew שמים (Shamayim) is related to the Arabic word سماء (sama'). In English, heaven is the best afterlife destiny. However, heaven as the afterlife destiny in the religion of Islam is جنة (jannah), which means gardens. This is similar to the English word "paradise", which originally meant gardens in Persian. These ideas are very important, especially if we seek reward and things, which we are not given by other people in this world.
In Surah ash-Shu'arah, the people are warned to be aware of the source of their "gardens and springs"(Surah ash-Shu'arah 26:134), various times, and those who warned them are accused of magic (Surah ash-Shu'arah 26:153), just like Jesus was accused of using evil magic by the Pharisees (Gospel of Matthew 12:24).
I've heard it said that Jewish people don't believe in hell or heaven, like Christians and Muslims do. Yet, after studying a few chapters in the TaNaKh, I believe this isn't entirely true. I believe the Hebrews were much like the Native Americans, and projected complex ideas onto the physical realm. The concept of Sheol (שעול) seems to mostly represent the underworld, which was death, our eventual fate, rather than one of two destinies of the afterlife. Yet, there are some verses, which show the connection between destructive behaviors and Sheol (Proverbs Chapter 7 [adultery]). Adultery is one of the sins of the 10 commandments , which is not directly in Qur'an, however there some verse where lists of commandments are made, which are similar. Perhaps someone knowledgeable could help me find them again.
And so, my problem with the first aformentioned verse, Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6, has to do with how people mistreat others and threaten them with hell, or manipulate people with the threat of hell, without using reason to understand the destructive behaviors.
After I finished reading the New Testament, I believe that the concept of sin was created to explain a reality, where our behaviors do not meet the expectations of life, and therefore contribute to suffering. The commandments were created from observations about life. For example, the impact of murder on ancient societies and how it caused many problems, and destroys the most precious thing on this planet.
I believe we can be perfect in the eyes of God, in the sense that God can accept us as we are and that this idea can bring us peace. However, we can still not meet the expectations of life by making wrong choices, and that is sin.
I believe once we are unburdened by shame and can live in the present moment, having faith that our sins can be forgiven, we are more capable of changing. Because shame can often make us feel tainted or irredeemable, which causes us to suffer and continue destructive behaviors. If we let go of the past, we can live in the present moment and become aware of God's mercy, and live our lives a better way.
In my life, I have experienced something like karma. I would begin to struggle and it would remind me of something bad I did in the past, causing me to reflect on my actions. Later, I reasoned that it was a blessing for me to experience a complicated consequence or a retribution from God for my actions earlier in my life, because otherwise it would come slowly and I would never be prepared for it nor be able to perceive it, causing more suffering in ignorance. Yet, I am very blessed, and the struggles contribute to new types of blessings, like the direction of my education towards Bible and Qur'an.
In European cultures, they portrayed something similar: the wheel of fortune. However, it seems not everybody experiences consequences in this lifetime, and I don't know why. The Book of Job is like a Hebrew philosophical debate around the idea of suffering in this life, and seems to suggest the best way to deal with it is to accept that we don't know and to have faith and continue worshiping God, despite our struggles.
God knows, I don't. God controls our destiny. God is the creator and destroyer, yet I believe God wants to create more, because of the blessings we receive by taking care of God's creation.
Just like a hospital services the needs of people in this life, so can a garden. Especially in these cities which contribute to our ailments and aren't healthy places for us to live. I don't believe we should have to wait until the afterlife to receive basic needs. Yet, there is so much that is out of our control and we should be ready to confront it and lose. From dust to dust. I believe shouldn't try to make utopia, and kill or hurt in the process, rather a better world should emerge from the simple goodness between individuals, particularly those closest to each other. If life is a game where we all lose, why do bad things trying win? If we all lose, then its about how we play the game. (Source: Level 42 - The Way Back Home)
Thanks for reading my perspective,
Fireheart47
#95
Q&As with Joseph Islam - Information Only / Ahl kitab and Qur’an
Last post by fireheart47 - December 19, 2024, 09:01:00 AMDear Joseph Islam,
If the Qur'an was once only recited, and thus the other believers were called People of the Book (Ahl Al-Kitab), does that mean after the Qur'an was compiled and made into a book that the believers of it are now also People of the Book?
Sincerely,
Fireheart47
If the Qur'an was once only recited, and thus the other believers were called People of the Book (Ahl Al-Kitab), does that mean after the Qur'an was compiled and made into a book that the believers of it are now also People of the Book?
Sincerely,
Fireheart47
#96
General Discussions / Re: Surah al-Bayyinah
Last post by fireheart47 - December 17, 2024, 03:46:51 AMThis topic causes me to reflect on the modern implications of this seemingly universal concept of the importance of prayer and the Golden Rule.
The modern implications have been the conflict which started in Europe in the 1700s or earlier, because of the terrible conditions of the common people, who were made to work in factories and other dangerous places at the beginning of the industrial age. There were women, children and men being harmed, and it caused dysfunction in society. The people who wanted to make life better for them were called socialists. Many of them were Christian, and wanted the authorities (religious, political) to do something to protect them from harm. Unfortunately, the religious authorities were either in ignorance (no computers and internet back then), hypocritical, or limited in their abilities.
Because of this conflict, many socialist thinkers began to criticize religion, and see it as simply myth, societal and mind-control, and not wisdom. In their utopian vision of the future, they wanted to replace religion with something more human and more physical: the government. Many differed in opinions, yet some of the socialists came to certain agreements and formed what we know as communism, and its many varieties. One of the agreements they came to is the importance of international cooperation among workers to try to overthrow their oppressors. However, because they abandoned religion, they did not believe in the Golden Rule, nor any universal law which protects human life. They became the new oppressors, justifying when they killed human life.
Other groups formed, because people weren't all the same. Benito Mussolini was the son of an anarchist, and he went to a boarding school, and had tendencies which did not conform to the ideals of thinkers around him. They rejected him, yet he wasn't just a victim, he had selfish ambitions of becoming great in the eyes of others and powerful. He created a newspaper, and he received help from England, who wanted Italy to join WW1. His new type of socialism kept the old ideas of a king-like leader, the national pride and stories of ancient Rome. It was also very militaristic, and supported war. He himself was possibly inspired by lesser-known predecessors before him, who caused massive protests and believed in many contrarian ideas.
In Germany, a wounded soldier became a spy for a new socialist group, which seemed threatening. The person was Adolf Hitler, and they had spent time reading fanciful magazines, which talked about a romantic mysterious past, and a superior angelic master-race. He ended up leaving his mission somehow, and joined the group he was tasked with spying on. His hateful words and long speeches caused people to be interested, yet they also inspired people to do terrible things to innocent people. He used his authority then to continue this and caused more wars, despite preaching about peace. From the beginning, him and the people around him were also militaristic and supported war.
Many people think about these leaders, who misled, and forget about the many people around them, which manipulated them for their own gain. Dictators are in many ways perfect for people who don't want to be held accountable. People also forget about the role of the military establishment in these events, which sought benefit from their pro-military politics, and who also played a role in causing the trauma experienced in WW1, which caused a deep-rooted ignorance, which manifested in beliefs in outlandish ideas, hypocrisies and contradictions, and inhumane worldviews and actions.
For example, I remember seeing in a documentary a racist publication which portrayed itself as biblically destined to attack the Jewish, ordained by God, by using a verse Book of Jeremiah 5:15 as their slogan, which says a foreign nation will attack the House of Israel. Yet in that same chapter, in Jeremiah 5:11 it distinguishes the House of Israel from the House of Judah, the origin of Jewish people. And the reason the House of Israel is threatened is because of its polytheism and worship of foreign deities. The irony.
(potential source: The Black Sun by Rüdiger Sünner [documentary about roots of Nazi ideologies])
The National Socialist party also did not know or did not acknowledge the linguistic evidence, which suggests the Germanic runes developed from Carthaginian Alephbet as proposed by Theo Vennemann and other linguists. Nor did the Italians acknowledge the role of the African ancient Egypt, which provided Roman culture with its columned temples, which were originally based off of natural observations of palm trees and papyrus reeds.
This all ties back to our collective sins of not practicing our religion and allowing poverty and war to shape the world around us. Our sin of hiding the truth and promoting ideas which contribute to dogmatic and harmful thinking and behavior, causing others to dislike religion and the people who hurt them.
This history is a lesson for us, because yesterday it was Italian and German people, but tomorrow and perhaps today it is some other group, who will be similarly misled into destruction. Italian and German culture have made and still make amazing contributions to religion (Latin Bible, Gothic Bible, Renaissance, Martin Luther Bible, Saarbrücken Schools of Islamic studies, House of One, Wilhelm Barthlott, Christoph Luxenberg, etc...).
It is a blessing media technology developed during this time for us to have so much evidence of the past, which enables us to compare it to the present moment, and to avoid similar mistakes.
Fireheart47
The modern implications have been the conflict which started in Europe in the 1700s or earlier, because of the terrible conditions of the common people, who were made to work in factories and other dangerous places at the beginning of the industrial age. There were women, children and men being harmed, and it caused dysfunction in society. The people who wanted to make life better for them were called socialists. Many of them were Christian, and wanted the authorities (religious, political) to do something to protect them from harm. Unfortunately, the religious authorities were either in ignorance (no computers and internet back then), hypocritical, or limited in their abilities.
Because of this conflict, many socialist thinkers began to criticize religion, and see it as simply myth, societal and mind-control, and not wisdom. In their utopian vision of the future, they wanted to replace religion with something more human and more physical: the government. Many differed in opinions, yet some of the socialists came to certain agreements and formed what we know as communism, and its many varieties. One of the agreements they came to is the importance of international cooperation among workers to try to overthrow their oppressors. However, because they abandoned religion, they did not believe in the Golden Rule, nor any universal law which protects human life. They became the new oppressors, justifying when they killed human life.
Other groups formed, because people weren't all the same. Benito Mussolini was the son of an anarchist, and he went to a boarding school, and had tendencies which did not conform to the ideals of thinkers around him. They rejected him, yet he wasn't just a victim, he had selfish ambitions of becoming great in the eyes of others and powerful. He created a newspaper, and he received help from England, who wanted Italy to join WW1. His new type of socialism kept the old ideas of a king-like leader, the national pride and stories of ancient Rome. It was also very militaristic, and supported war. He himself was possibly inspired by lesser-known predecessors before him, who caused massive protests and believed in many contrarian ideas.
In Germany, a wounded soldier became a spy for a new socialist group, which seemed threatening. The person was Adolf Hitler, and they had spent time reading fanciful magazines, which talked about a romantic mysterious past, and a superior angelic master-race. He ended up leaving his mission somehow, and joined the group he was tasked with spying on. His hateful words and long speeches caused people to be interested, yet they also inspired people to do terrible things to innocent people. He used his authority then to continue this and caused more wars, despite preaching about peace. From the beginning, him and the people around him were also militaristic and supported war.
Many people think about these leaders, who misled, and forget about the many people around them, which manipulated them for their own gain. Dictators are in many ways perfect for people who don't want to be held accountable. People also forget about the role of the military establishment in these events, which sought benefit from their pro-military politics, and who also played a role in causing the trauma experienced in WW1, which caused a deep-rooted ignorance, which manifested in beliefs in outlandish ideas, hypocrisies and contradictions, and inhumane worldviews and actions.
For example, I remember seeing in a documentary a racist publication which portrayed itself as biblically destined to attack the Jewish, ordained by God, by using a verse Book of Jeremiah 5:15 as their slogan, which says a foreign nation will attack the House of Israel. Yet in that same chapter, in Jeremiah 5:11 it distinguishes the House of Israel from the House of Judah, the origin of Jewish people. And the reason the House of Israel is threatened is because of its polytheism and worship of foreign deities. The irony.
(potential source: The Black Sun by Rüdiger Sünner [documentary about roots of Nazi ideologies])
The National Socialist party also did not know or did not acknowledge the linguistic evidence, which suggests the Germanic runes developed from Carthaginian Alephbet as proposed by Theo Vennemann and other linguists. Nor did the Italians acknowledge the role of the African ancient Egypt, which provided Roman culture with its columned temples, which were originally based off of natural observations of palm trees and papyrus reeds.
This all ties back to our collective sins of not practicing our religion and allowing poverty and war to shape the world around us. Our sin of hiding the truth and promoting ideas which contribute to dogmatic and harmful thinking and behavior, causing others to dislike religion and the people who hurt them.
This history is a lesson for us, because yesterday it was Italian and German people, but tomorrow and perhaps today it is some other group, who will be similarly misled into destruction. Italian and German culture have made and still make amazing contributions to religion (Latin Bible, Gothic Bible, Renaissance, Martin Luther Bible, Saarbrücken Schools of Islamic studies, House of One, Wilhelm Barthlott, Christoph Luxenberg, etc...).
It is a blessing media technology developed during this time for us to have so much evidence of the past, which enables us to compare it to the present moment, and to avoid similar mistakes.
Fireheart47
#97
General Discussions / Surah al-Bayyinah
Last post by fireheart47 - December 17, 2024, 02:52:18 AMDear QM Forum,
I'd like to share some perspective on a chapter of the Qur'an, which I find important. Do you all have any thoughts on this subject or these verses?
Surah al-Baqarah 2:2
Sahih International
Surah al-Baqarah 2:3
Sahih Intl.
Surah Maryam 19:30
Sahih Intl.
Surah Maryam 19:31
Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5
An excerpt of Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6
Another excerpt from Surah al-Bayyinah 98:7
(Source: http://islamicity.org and http://allahsquran.com )
Torah Chumash (The Instruction, The Five [Books]), Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
The Contemporary Torah, JPS, 2006
Excerpt from Genesis 1:1
(Source: http://sefaria.org and http://tanach.us )
Matthew 22:37-39
BibliaTodo Interlinear original Greek: https://www.bibliatodo.com/en/interlinear/matthew-22-37
Dukhrana Peshitta Analysis (I search "Dukhrana Peshitta Analysis Matthew 22:37" on DuckDuckGO search engine): https://www.dukhrana.com/peshitta/analyze_verse.php?lang=en&verse=Matthew+22:37&source=ubs
The word
The concept of "Deen" bares a lot of similarity to the concept of Ma'at in Ancient Egypt, which is said by some to be depicted by the scales of justice and a personification, which is said to be the archetype from where angels depicted in human-form popular in Christianity originated. That would be very interesting from a historical perspective if true!
The word
Fireheart47
I'd like to share some perspective on a chapter of the Qur'an, which I find important. Do you all have any thoughts on this subject or these verses?
Surah al-Baqarah 2:2
Quoteذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
QuoteDhālika Al-Kitābu Lā Rayba Fīhi, Hudáan Lilmuttaqīna
Sahih International
QuoteThis is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah
Surah al-Baqarah 2:3
Quoteٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
QuoteAl-Ladhīna Yu'uminūna Bil-Ghaybi Wa Yuqīmūna Aş-Şalāata Wa Mimmā Razaqnāhum Yunfiqūna
Sahih Intl.
QuoteWho believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them
Surah Maryam 19:30
Quoteقَالَ إِنِّى عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِىَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّا
Sahih Intl.
Quote[Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah . He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
Surah Maryam 19:31
Quoteوَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا
QuoteAnd He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive
Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5
Quoteوَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ
QuoteAnd 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.
An excerpt of Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6
Quoteشَرُّ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Quoteworst of creatures
Another excerpt from Surah al-Bayyinah 98:7
Quoteخَيْرُ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Quotebest of creatures
(Source: http://islamicity.org and http://allahsquran.com )
Torah Chumash (The Instruction, The Five [Books]), Bereshit (Book of Genesis)
Quoteבראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ
The Contemporary Torah, JPS, 2006
QuoteWhen God began to create heaven and earth—
Excerpt from Genesis 1:1
Quoteברא
Quoteto create
(Source: http://sefaria.org and http://tanach.us )
Matthew 22:37-39
BibliaTodo Interlinear original Greek: https://www.bibliatodo.com/en/interlinear/matthew-22-37
Dukhrana Peshitta Analysis (I search "Dukhrana Peshitta Analysis Matthew 22:37" on DuckDuckGO search engine): https://www.dukhrana.com/peshitta/analyze_verse.php?lang=en&verse=Matthew+22:37&source=ubs
The word
Quoteدِينُfrom end of Surah al-Bayyinah 98:5 has multiple meanings, it can mean religion, but also judgement. Rabbi Friedman gave a lecture on YouTube about Yom HaDin, where he clarifies judgement. He said it is not only punishment, it is also reward, it is not being found guilty, but also being found innocent. He said it is justice, and it is a fair trial. He said the Jewish people should have faith that all their suffering will be taken into account. I think this applies also to every soul on Earth. I believe an all-knowing God will be merciful and will take into account all the complexities of our life.
The concept of "Deen" bares a lot of similarity to the concept of Ma'at in Ancient Egypt, which is said by some to be depicted by the scales of justice and a personification, which is said to be the archetype from where angels depicted in human-form popular in Christianity originated. That would be very interesting from a historical perspective if true!
The word
Quoteٱلزَّكَوٰةَalso has interesting connotations. It is a concept, which I believe we can personally live out, yet it also has more legalistic definitions for how organized religion deals with the real complications of managing money and other goods to give to the needy.
Fireheart47
#98
Discussions / Re: We call our Lord, The Merc...
Last post by fireheart47 - December 16, 2024, 04:23:55 PMSince plants don't move, they need chemicals in order to protect themselves and they can be dangerous. It's not something to mess around with foolishly, in my opinion.
Another observation on this matter is the cultural differences and climactic differences. Polar climates lack the plant diversity for a plant-rich diet, and often require crops to be shipped internationally to achieve such a thing. This can affect freshness and accessibility. It also involves a whole lot of other political, and economic topics.
Livestock animals in these climates also eat plants, and some plants can be dangerous for animals too. Agro-forestry is a methodology to take care of the landscape intelligently with trees for the sake of animals, and also to diversify farm products. Gardening for animals!
And also important to respect wild things, wildlife and those things which are not directly benefiting us. Yet it benefits us to be aware of how it is all connected and truly benefiting us (ex: pollinators).
May God guide us to know how to take care of the things which are important. May God show us all the truth beyond the information we share with each other.
Another observation on this matter is the cultural differences and climactic differences. Polar climates lack the plant diversity for a plant-rich diet, and often require crops to be shipped internationally to achieve such a thing. This can affect freshness and accessibility. It also involves a whole lot of other political, and economic topics.
Livestock animals in these climates also eat plants, and some plants can be dangerous for animals too. Agro-forestry is a methodology to take care of the landscape intelligently with trees for the sake of animals, and also to diversify farm products. Gardening for animals!
And also important to respect wild things, wildlife and those things which are not directly benefiting us. Yet it benefits us to be aware of how it is all connected and truly benefiting us (ex: pollinators).
May God guide us to know how to take care of the things which are important. May God show us all the truth beyond the information we share with each other.
#99
Discussions / Re: We call our Lord, The Merc...
Last post by fireheart47 - December 16, 2024, 04:04:22 PMAnimal welfare is disconcerting, and will not be unanswered. We must voice our concerns and seek to better our situation with mercy and compassion on even those who are involved in the slaughter. God is the one who rectifies all in the end.
I wouldn't be surprised if hormones and stress of the animals can affect humans, especially developmental stages of human life. Also, cleanliness of meat is important.
What is important too is cleanliness of words, and actions. How will people change if our activism is viewed as radical and dangerous? It will only further convince others of falsehoods, because we are naturally inclined to defy and oppose, and often need encouragement and kindness in order to come to accordance.
I grew up eating meat and diary, and I feel as if it played a positive role in my development. Yet, as I aged I began to suffer from health problems, especially in the gut. I used to drink a lot soda as a kid, and it also affected my teeth. When I became more independent I ate a lot of chicken wings, American-Chinese food, and other fried and candied meats, which weren't healthy.
In my first botany course, our professor explained to us the role of amino acids in building protein in the body. He taught us we need 9 amino acids to produce protein in our body, these are considered the essential for survival, yet not optimal. He taught us the easiest way to consume it is through animal products like meat, dairy, and fish (ex: milk chocolate bar better for survival than dark chocolate bar).
He taught us we can find them in certain plants (soy, amaranth), yet also can receive them from mixing different plant foods (legumes [beans,peas, etc] and grains [wheat, oats, rice, etc]). He taught that it is necessary to learn how to properly prepare food, especially beans (glycosides), so they don't poison you or cause harm. There are many kinds of beans to learn how to identify visually, and many kinds of vegetables, so one must study it seriously. He taught that it is better to have a varied diet to receive as many amino acids and other nutrients which are not considered essential but beneficial.
My brother has sought to eat healthier for his health and has a strong will, which has helped me also eat healthier.
I myself currently eat a pescatarian diet (fish, dairy, no meat) and sometimes make exceptions. We have a pressure cooker, which helps cook lentils, after we soak and rinse them. We eat it with rice, and mix of other vegetables, and with olive oil. Recently I've soaked, rinsed and cooked lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus), which add texture and more protein to our meals. We also like eating squash with our meals. Our mother recently made us deviled eggs, which is a recipe from our grandmother.
Not everyone has these opportunities, I'd like to support somehow.
The Qur'an is a great source of wisdom about these topics. One chapter which has such wisdom is Surah al-An'am.
Surah al-An'am 6:95
6:141
6:142
An analysis of the word الانعم (Al-An'am) and other related words in an etymological dictionary like wiktionary.org reveals the importance of livestock in Islamic tradition. And we know the Israelites valued cows, so much so they strayed and worshipped one (Surah Al-Baqarah). The Qur'an introduces a variety of other foods, which when eaten together with meat promotes a varied diet. I believe the Qur'an seeks to preserve the wisdom that God is the provider of it all.
I wouldn't be surprised if hormones and stress of the animals can affect humans, especially developmental stages of human life. Also, cleanliness of meat is important.
What is important too is cleanliness of words, and actions. How will people change if our activism is viewed as radical and dangerous? It will only further convince others of falsehoods, because we are naturally inclined to defy and oppose, and often need encouragement and kindness in order to come to accordance.
I grew up eating meat and diary, and I feel as if it played a positive role in my development. Yet, as I aged I began to suffer from health problems, especially in the gut. I used to drink a lot soda as a kid, and it also affected my teeth. When I became more independent I ate a lot of chicken wings, American-Chinese food, and other fried and candied meats, which weren't healthy.
In my first botany course, our professor explained to us the role of amino acids in building protein in the body. He taught us we need 9 amino acids to produce protein in our body, these are considered the essential for survival, yet not optimal. He taught us the easiest way to consume it is through animal products like meat, dairy, and fish (ex: milk chocolate bar better for survival than dark chocolate bar).
He taught us we can find them in certain plants (soy, amaranth), yet also can receive them from mixing different plant foods (legumes [beans,peas, etc] and grains [wheat, oats, rice, etc]). He taught that it is necessary to learn how to properly prepare food, especially beans (glycosides), so they don't poison you or cause harm. There are many kinds of beans to learn how to identify visually, and many kinds of vegetables, so one must study it seriously. He taught that it is better to have a varied diet to receive as many amino acids and other nutrients which are not considered essential but beneficial.
My brother has sought to eat healthier for his health and has a strong will, which has helped me also eat healthier.
I myself currently eat a pescatarian diet (fish, dairy, no meat) and sometimes make exceptions. We have a pressure cooker, which helps cook lentils, after we soak and rinse them. We eat it with rice, and mix of other vegetables, and with olive oil. Recently I've soaked, rinsed and cooked lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus), which add texture and more protein to our meals. We also like eating squash with our meals. Our mother recently made us deviled eggs, which is a recipe from our grandmother.
Not everyone has these opportunities, I'd like to support somehow.
The Qur'an is a great source of wisdom about these topics. One chapter which has such wisdom is Surah al-An'am.
Surah al-An'am 6:95
Quote۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلْحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ ۖ يُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلْحَىِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
QuoteIndeed, Allah is the One Who causes seeds and fruit stones to sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living. That is Allah! How can you then be deluded ˹from the truth˺?
6:141
Quote۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ مَّعْرُوشَـٰتٍۢ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَـٰتٍۢ وَٱلنَّخْلَ وَٱلزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُۥ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَـٰبِهًۭا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَـٰبِهٍۢ ۚ كُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَءَاتُوا۟ حَقَّهُۥ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ
QuoteHe is the One Who produces gardens—both cultivated and wild1—and palm trees, crops of different flavours, olives, and pomegranates—similar ˹in shape˺, but dissimilar ˹in taste˺. Eat of the fruit they bear and pay the dues at harvest, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.
6:142
Quoteوَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ حَمُولَةًۭ وَفَرْشًۭا ۚ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
QuoteSome cattle are fit for labour, others are too small.1 Eat of what Allah has provided for you and do not follow Satan's footsteps. Certainly, he is your sworn enemy.
An analysis of the word الانعم (Al-An'am) and other related words in an etymological dictionary like wiktionary.org reveals the importance of livestock in Islamic tradition. And we know the Israelites valued cows, so much so they strayed and worshipped one (Surah Al-Baqarah). The Qur'an introduces a variety of other foods, which when eaten together with meat promotes a varied diet. I believe the Qur'an seeks to preserve the wisdom that God is the provider of it all.
#100
Discussions / Re: Wisconsin, USA
Last post by fireheart47 - December 16, 2024, 01:19:00 PMAdditionally, after studying plant science, I warn others that plants cannot move a lot, and thus can not run away from predators, so they use chemicals to protect themselves. Plants can be dangerous, and are not to be messed around with.