Ask Me Anything: Muslim Edition

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If I may step in a bit?

After a nice open house hosted by an area Mosque, I’d recommend those of you who live near a Mosque simply call and arrange a visit. We had a great time of discussion, in fact, the Mosque president and I got into an interesting discussion about “how can God die?”
 
shazirah said:
And this has a sort of choppy version of Friday prayer since the sermon can sometimes be kind of long and a general overview of what a mosque service looks like:
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I recognise that at 6.32 the first verse of the Qur’an is recited. (Alhamdu lillahi rabbil 3alamin) How much of the Qur’an is usually recited? Is there an equivalent of a missal so that newcomers know what prayers are being said?
If there is a video where th whole prayer service is shown and with a transcript of what’s being said that would be very nice.
 
Yes, but sin is seen a little differently in Islam, so Jesus being sinless is not as big a deal for us as it is for Christians. We believe that all people are born sinless anyway and we believe that all prophets of Allah remained free from sin.
 
There’s a whole commentary above about apostasy in Islam, but the succinct answer is no, I think it’s atrocious that there are countries who still permit it and I feel that they do so for political reasons rather than religious reasons. The apostates spoken of in the Koran were traitors - essentially people who left the Islamic nation and started fighting for its enemies. Since there is no longer a rightly guided Islamic nation, there really aren’t many realistic situations I can think of for someone becoming a major apostate in the same sense that the Koran speaks of them and also there is no one to fairly judge the case, so it’s sort of moot now.
 
Second this. Most mosques will be happy to give you a tour and answer your questions. Ours usually does an open house community day a couple times a year and an open Arabic class for anyone who wants to learn.
 
That’s the dua and they almost always begin with the first verse of the Koran. There’s typically not a recitation of the Koran during a prayer service, but some Imam’s do so as part of the sermon. Some mosques in English-speaking countries do have little pamphlets about the prayers and what to expect available for new people. I’ve only seen them in the US and at a few places in the UK, though.

I’ll see what I can find as far as a full prayer service. The adhan and iqamah are the same every time, it’s just the dua invocation that changes, and most imam’s draw from books of duas recorded by the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) companions or written by scholars through the ages, because the type used during a mosque service are quite tricky to compose well. One of the more familiar ones if the Munajat if you want to look some up. Duas prayed outside of a mosque service don’t necessarily have to follow the recorded form, but most people like to use some of the more well-known ones anyway. It’s sort of like praying a psalm.

The dua is arguably the most important part of the service and Muslim prayer, because it’s a moment where one is communing directly with God. So, it would be analogous in a way to the Eucharist, only without the bread and wine.
 
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Do Muslims find Queen’s song Bohemian Rhapsody offensive because it contains the first word of the Qur’an? (Bismillah)
 
For clarification on the subject of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the True and real substantial Presence of Jesus body and blood.

How is the Dua analogous to the Eucharist? If? the Dua is analogous to the Eucharist, would not the Dua fall under blasphemy as per the Koran?
 
Hi, shazirah, How does your form of Islam practice and view Justice to both non-Muslims and Muslims?

For example; In Catholicism, our Master Jesus Christ taught us to “Love your enemies” and in Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

When Islam practices a love and peace within the House of Islam (Muslims) that is separated from the House of War or non-Muslims?

Peace be with you
 
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In order for anyone to claim that the Gospel has been corrupted, the person making such a claim has to have knowledge of the uncorrupted Gospel to be believed. I do not think you will believe me if I tell you that I just came back from Mars. So what is the basis or evidence for claiming that the Gospel has been corrupted. Let us not depend on chorlar’s opinions.

Based on the Koran (4:157), Jesus was not crucified. If this claim is true, then Christianity has no basis. This claim contradicts history, eyewitness accounts and thousands of documents. I assume, being a Moslem, you believe this claim and the only reason you believe is because the Koran is the “unquestioned word of Allah”. If you do not believe (I assume you don’t) that I just back from Mars, how do you expect me to believe what the Koran says about the death of Jesus. How can you believe that I just came back from Mars when I have no proof or evidence whatsoever. I am sure you will question my claim. So why will you not question Mohammed’s claim that the Koran was dictated to him by Allah when he has nothing to back up his claim. Why do you blindly accept this to be true. Check out all the prophets (who Islam Accepts) before the coming of Jesus Christ; some raised the dead, healed the sick, made predictions, etc. Did Mohammed exhibit any such powers.

I commend you for having the courage to come on a Christian forum to discuss your religion in a friendly environment. I am sure we will learn a lot from each other as we go along.

Wishing you God’s blessings.
 
Shazirah,

I respectfully disagree with your interpretations and explanations.
According Koran 4:11, “A male shall inherit twice as much as a female”.
According to Koran 2:223 “Women are your fields. Go into your fields when you please”

The above quotes (if they represent correct translations of the Arabic) are the unquestioned words of Allah and the meanings should be clear. So I do not understand your explanations. According to the Koran, women are inferior to men.
Or are you saying that Allah cannot make the meaning of his message clear to his creatures without explanations from some scholar.
 
shazirah said:
As-salamu alaykum! I have a feeling this is going to be like drinking from a firehose, but Inshallah we’ll all learn something from the experience. 🙂 I like to build bridges whenever I can and I think talking to a real live member of a group that seems scary to some people is a good way to do that. I’m not a theologian and I’m not here to convert anyone, be converted, or argue theology, just to try to answer questions as an average everyday Muslim person as best I can. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll do what I can to find the information for you. Islam is a huge religion with many different cultural variations in practice. Maybe there are some other brothers and sisters around who can chime in as well.
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I liked your idea so much that I created an account on IslamiCity Forum and started this topic in there interfaith dialogue section:

https://www.islamicity.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=42211

But maybe I picked the wrong forum, because there doesn’t seem to be much action going on over there or maybe I’m just used to the super active back and forth here on CAF.

Do you have any recommendations for a more active Muslim forum site?
 
Sin is any action willingly and knowingly taken that goes against the commandments of Allah. A person can’t sin without knowing it and choosing it. We don’t have the concept of original sin or mankind having an innately sinful nature. Everyone is born without sin and with the same choice that Adam and Eve had - to follow the will of God or to go against it.
 
lol I have never heard of anyone being upset about it. It’s one of my favorite songs, though.
 
For clarification on the subject of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the True and real substantial Presence of Jesus body and blood.

How is the Dua analogous to the Eucharist? If? the Dua is analogous to the Eucharist, would not the Dua fall under blasphemy as per the Koran?
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The dua would be an analogue for the Eucharist in the sense that it’s the center and most important part of the service. The dua is an invocation to Allah, it’s thought to be a moment of communion with God if done sincerely. It doesn’t involve anything physical, just praying, so no blasphemy.

Honestly, I think that’s probably a reason that the Mass makes me uncomfortable, because there’s this part during the Eucharist that reminds me of a dua, but seems directed at physical objects. I know you guys don’t think of them that way, but it’s sort of weird for me.
When Islam practices a love and peace within the House of Islam (Muslims) that is separated from the House of War or non-Muslims?
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There isn’t supposed to be a difference between how we treat Muslims and non-Muslims. The hadith record many instances of the Prophet (peace be upon him) telling his companions that those who only show mercy (love) to among themselves do not have true faith. Muslims are permitted to fight hostile forces, and there were a lot of those in early Islamic history. There is no longer a rightly guided Caliphate, and so there are no grounds for the sort of wars that occurred early on. We’re commanded to live peacefully with others and society has evolved to a point where we have many other ways of resolving conflicts and oppression. So, there should be no practical difference in how a Muslim is treated versus a non-Muslim.
 
Well, actually, we do believe Mohammed healed people and performed similar miracles, as all prophets of Allah including Jesus are capable of doing. I wrote a post about miracles somewhere up above.

As to the question of corrupted gospels, I’m not a historian, I just translate things. I know a little bit about the study of ancient documents from having studied a few ancient languages during my degree, but that’s a question for an expert, and I’ll see if I can find you an English book recommendation on tahrif. Maybe start with Secrets Of Mount Sinai: The Story Of Codex Sinaiticus for some interesting history on the the textual scholarship of the Bible. It’s decently well-written and entertaining, so it shouldn’t be a dull read.

To clarify regarding the Crucifixion, the popular interpretation in Islam is that Jesus was not crucified, but that it was made to appear so.
And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah .” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise. - Surah 4:157-8
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So, not really in conflict with history, there. It’s not saying that people didn’t believe it happened, just that (depending on the interpretation) another person was crucified in place of Jesus having a similar appearance. In classical era Islam, the belief was that even if Jesus was crucified, it did not kill him because he was raised to heaven in defiance of the attempt.

To address the point about how I can just believe that the Koran was dictated to the Prophet (peace be upon him), etc: In part, because I don’t think it would have been possible for a mere person to produce the Koran and do the things that Mohammed (peace be upon him) did without God’s direct guidance. In part because I listen to the opinions of people with credible and authoritative knowledge of the subject and there’s nothing really in the Koran that would suggest to me that it’s false. In part, for experiential reasons. I don’t need for anyone to have seen the angel to believe in the Koran for the same reason I don’t really need for anyone to have seen the angel that spoke to Mary or have seen Moses diligently taking dictation on a stone tablet from a voice in the sky. Just because no one happened to see something happen, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, one just has to decide from the larger picture how credible the assertion is. So, did you go to Mars? Probably not, but who knows. So, I choose not to believe you, because I’m just not convinced, but I’m ultimately agnostic on the subject of your Marshian journey. In the Message of the Koran, I am convinced. I keep an open mind, I use my best judgement, and I have faith for my own reasons. Allah is perfectly capable of instilling that faith in other people, so I leave that part to Him. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
 
In the case of 4:11, women receive part of their inheritance as their dowry at the time of the marriage. Men do not. Therefore, it’s just to allow women less of an inheritance because they’ve already received a good bit of it. Dowry and mahr represent considerable percentages of family wealth in Arabic culture. It makes no sense for a woman to receive both a dowry and a full share of her parent’s inheritance, that would put her in a position of superiority over her brothers. As for 2:223, that doesn’t express inferiority at all, it’s poetic language. Here is the full verse:
Your wives are a place of sowing of seed for you, so come to your place of cultivation however you wish and put forth [righteousness] for yourselves. And fear Allah and know that you will meet Him. And give good tidings to the believers.
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One derives sustenance from one’s fields. One cares for one’s fields and the fields in turn produce fruit. The relationship between women and men is comparable. Relationships are work, and they require cultivation and time. Cultivating one’s relationship with one’s spouse is righteous because it pleases God for us to be happy in sinless ways. It has nothing to do with anyone’s value.

Koranic law was given to people within a particular cultural environment, just like the Torah and the Bible. That’s why no text other than the classical Arabic Koran is considered authoritative. As a translator, I can attest to how difficult it is to properly convey certain concepts from one language and culture to another. Islam also allows us a great deal of freedom in how sharia law is practiced based on situation and cultural base. Also, the last time I checked, Catholics have tons of scholarly interpretations of scripture, so like, wouldn’t that go for you, too? When Jesus says that the only unforgivable sin is the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost, is that meaning super clear to you without any extraneous interpretation? It’s not to me.
 
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I don’t think I could be Catholic. I’ve learned a lot about it over the last month or so and I can see why it would appeal to some people, but I just don’t really believe that Jesus was God or that God is a trinity, etc. When I go to mosque or do my daily prayers, I feel the presence of God. When I go to Mass, I just feel sort of confused and deeply uncomfortable. Part of that is probably cultural. Some of it may just be that a lot of the things that happen at Mass, like the people at the Greek Orthodox church kissing the icons before the service and the Eucharist in the Catholic church, would be considered idol-worship in Islam. And, to be honest, I just don’t feel the presence of God in it. Obviously you guys and my brother do, though.
 
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