I have many questions.

[Faris_Mee]

What about "people of the book" ? Are they not recognised by Alla ?

How can someone who has been an avid visitor to this forum (since Nov. '03) and has posted 1073 comments, articles questions etc., 'ask such a thing?'


<b>2:6. Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you</b> <b>warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.</b>


2:7. Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, , <b>and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.</b>


<b>17:72. And whoever is blind in this world</b>, <b>will be blind in the Hereafter, and more astray from the Path.</b>


<b>20:123.</b> <b>He</b> (Allâh) <b>said: "Get you down</b>, <b>both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others. Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance he shall neither go astray, nor shall be distressed.</b>


20:124. "But whosoever turns away from My Reminder<b> verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."</b>


<b>20:125. He will say: "O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight</b> (before)."


<b>20:126.</b> <b>Allâh will say: "Like this: Our Ayât </b> (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) <b>came unto you, but you disregarded them </b> , <b>and so this Day, you will be neglected</b> <b>in the Hell-fire, away from Allâh’s Mercy."</b>


<b>20:127. And thus do We requite him who transgresses beyond bounds </b> <b>and believes not in the Ayât</b><b> of his Lord; and the torment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting.</b>

[Mahasvapna]

Bismillah


salam Mahasvanpna


Let me tell you this, Islam is the only accepted religion in the Eyes of Allah, thus u need to believe that Allah Is the One Who Does not Consist of parts neither incarnated in any form or shape, neither Did Allah Begotten any one nor was Allah Begotten and that Mohamed is His final Messenger.


Will you do this?


You need first to take the testimony of faith to be a Muslim and grant youself safety in this life and the Day After.


Will you do this?


You need to ensure to die as a Muslim or else you are in major trouble


Will you do this?


i have no idea what does "mantra called the Gayatri mantra" means, however, to communicate with Allah after being a Muslim, you only need to recite Quran and use supplications and invoke upon Allah the way Allah Taught us in Quran and sunnah.


Will you do this???


Waiting for your answer.......

Namaste Muslimah,


I have done as you offered with as much heart as I could give. But, I am afraid my heart simply isn't in it. So I have prayed to have my heart open and my eyes clear to see what signs from God there are to see. If this is truly the only path, then may he open my heart o it and show me the truth of it.


I will continue to study the faith of Islam, and I do find the words themselves, "Adoudhbillah mina shaytane rajeem," easy to speak, and having a pleasant resonance to them - this is not common parlance in english but hopefully you grasp what I mean. I percieve things conceptually with more than five senses.


I do wish to continue to explore this forum and take part in those discussions I have an opinion about. Perhaps in time I will se more similarities between the Islamic faith and My own. However, I could no more walk down a path that my heart does not feel than I could walk over the ocean.


It is correct that I am seeking truth. But, imagine that you were a blind man. Perhaps your friends explain to you the many wonders of the Visual world, of colors and shapes and light and darkness and the myriad things that one can see in the world. Already you have compared me to the blind man. But consider! What might my eyes see that yours do not? The blind man sees himself quite clearly, it is all he can see. I'm not speaking metaphorically. He does not see himself eith his eyes, but with his awareness. That self-awareness is sharpened through the constant state of self-reflection that he must use to understand his world.


To my Sight, there are inherent parallels and truths in the world. Each aspect of the living world has a purpose that is inherent in its design and, more importantly, it has a meaning and a critical role to play. Whether this is a person, an object, a thing, a place, it does not matter. It is because of the way I have learned to think, what I pay attention to, where my awareness is directed, that I see this. So, understand that for you to make assertions about the truth of Islam to me, based only on the verses in a book, while I can appreciate and understand your conviction, telling me that it is the truth, and that it is the only truth, is like telling me that the color red does not exist - clearly it does, I can see it with my eyes with no effort. You may not be able to see it, but that doesn't change that it is there for me when I look at it. It is the same situation here. I will not make assumptions as to what you can or cannot grasp, what you are aware of, but how can I trust the word of Islam when my SIGHT tells me that parts of it are simply wrong?


This is not a realm of discussion I wished to approach, for it is like talking about paintings with someone who does not have eyes to see. Again you assume I am the blinded party... how can one be sure?


If Allah knows that my path is wrong, let me show me. Surely He knows the exact sign to give me that will dismiss all of my doubts. I will never claim to be unequivocally correct in anything - this universe is more complex than would allow such a narrow thing as the human mind to grasp the fullness of any truth.


Namaste


Mahasvapna

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


salam Mahavspna


All I wanted from this approach was to allow u a practical experience to realize that you have a choice and u make your own choices. Allah Does not Force u to believe or disbelieve. Did you get my point?


That was all.... :) and of course u r most welcome to continue being here trying to learn.


Alhamdulelah for being a Muslim :allahuakbar:


And if u want, just continue using those supplications I gave u

[Faris_Mee]

The phonetics go something like;


Aa_oo_thoo_bil_laa_he_minash_shay_tau_nir_ra_jeem.


Two vowels means stretch the letter In the above;


Aa as in 'Agh' - from the back of the throat . oo as in 'moon'. Laa as in 'air', tau like as in door. 'ra' - trilled r-raw. jeem as in 'regime'.


English speakers need to remember to 'trill' the "Rs"...'r_r_r' instead of just 'R". Otherwise it will sound like e.g. "Speaker" ends up sounding like "speaka".


Put your heart and soul into saying this prayer. This is a huge prayer. Learn it and let it dissolve into your heart. So when you say it, it's not coming off your tongue but rising up from your heart in a plea to God.


"Aa_oo_thoo_bil_laa_he_minash_shay_tau_nir_rajeem." - "I seek refuge in Allah from satan the outcast."


The purpose of this prayer is to ask protection from the whisperings of satan. As soon as you start thinking about the "truth of this world" he will swarm over you like a 'rash'. He will make you drift off in thoughts to anything other than the truth. That's his job.


As you learn, you just watch. Sometimes when you lean up against the 'truth' satan will cast drowsiness over you. But as soon as you change your thoughts to something else like football or whatever, whammo, instant awakeness and clarity of thought. Then he will up and depart like a fog in the morning. Another job well done.

[Mahasvapna]

The phonetics go something like;


Aa_oo_thoo_bil_laa_he_minash_shay_tau_nir_ra_jeem.


Two vowels means stretch the letter In the above;


Aa as in 'Agh' - from the back of the throat . oo as in 'moon'. Laa as in 'air', tau like as in door. 'ra' - trilled r-raw. jeem as in 'regime'.


English speakers need to remember to 'trill' the "Rs"...'r_r_r' instead of just 'R". Otherwise it will sound like e.g. "Speaker" ends up sounding like "speaka".


Put your heart and soul into saying this prayer. This is a huge prayer. Learn it and let it dissolve into your heart. So when you say it, it's not coming off your tongue but rising up from your heart in a plea to God.


"Aa_oo_thoo_bil_laa_he_minash_shay_tau_nir_rajeem." - "I seek refuge in Allah from satan the outcast."


The purpose of this prayer is to ask protection from the whisperings of satan. As soon as you start thinking about the "truth of this world" he will swarm over you like a 'rash'. He will make you drift off in thoughts to anything other than the truth. That's his job.


As you learn, you just watch. Sometimes when you lean up against the 'truth' satan will cast drowsiness over you. But as soon as you change your thoughts to something else like football or whatever, whammo, instant awakeness and clarity of thought. Then he will up and depart like a fog in the morning. Another job well done.

Yes, I was able to find an audio recording that Muslimah pointed me towards. Written words are my preferred medium, though, so seeing the phonetics makes it easier to reproduce what i can hear.


This conceptual prayer is always in my mind and heart. I always seek guidance to truth, and discernment between illusion and reality. I do not get drowsy or have any adverse emotional reaction when I seek out the Truth. I am more disciplined than that, and my emotions to not hold sway over my awareness any longer. I believe the cornerstone of awareness is the ability to settle and quiet the mind, which I have achieved for this reason.


In any case, all prayers are Good if they are in the right spirit. We shall see.


Namaste and many thanks for taking the time to expand the explanation.


Mahasvapna

[Mahasvapna]

Namaste Muslimah,


For the simple purpose of cultural breadth, the Gayatri Mantra is as follows:


"Om Bhur Bhuva Svaha


Om Tat Savitur Varenyam


Bhargo Devasya Dimahi


Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracchyodayat"


it translates basically as:


"We meditate on the glory of the Creator;


Who has created the Universe;


Who is worthy of Worship;


Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;


Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;


May He enlighten our Intellect."


Various interpretations (the words themselves are extremely flexible, as sanskrit is a language of nuance and multiple meanings dependant upon context) exist, but the spirit is always one of recognizing the supreme intelligence of the creator as the source of all creation, followed by a request to be absolved of ignorance and lifted into wisdom.


As you say, one may pray in any language, God speaks all tongues.


Namaste


Mahasvapna

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


salam Mahasvapna,


That was good thought to post the translation, before I continue, I will say something that I m sure my Muslim brothers and sisters share with me. Pls note that if we continue discussing or what may seem as pushing or challenging has no other motive but being concerned about you and other non Muslim members. We dont mean to call you blind or anything.


Well, the next question, is in this prayer or meditation, who is the diety? I mean do u pray to Krishna, Brahma, kali, Ganesha ..ect. Who is the one you are parying to?


From here we can continue Insh aAllah

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Faris, jazakum Allah khairan for your post it really did explain much.


I m not that good with transiletration :blush:, a non Arabic native speaker would help much

[Faris_Mee]

Salam Mahasvapna


Just keep pouring out your heart to God that you want Him to reveal to you the truth and place it in your heart and keep you constant on it until you go down to the grave.


Anyone who truly seeks Him from their heart will never be disappointed.

[Mahasvapna]

Bismillah


salam Mahasvapna,


That was good thought to post the translation, before I continue, I will say something that I m sure my Muslim brothers and sisters share with me. Pls note that if we continue discussing or what may seem as pushing or challenging has no other motive but being concerned about you and other non Muslim members. We dont mean to call you blind or anything.


Well, the next question, is in this prayer or meditation, who is the diety? I mean do u pray to Krishna, Brahma, kali, Ganesha ..ect. Who is the one you are parying to?


From here we can continue Insh aAllah

I pray to the source of creation. I speak about it with the word God, but I believe that the creator is a force, a conciousness, and the entirety of the material universe. To me, 'God' is all of creation and the intelligence inherent in it. It defies all understanding or comprehension except in the most minimal way - the mystery of God is infinite, and none but God may know its full extent.


When I meditate - prayer, to me, is a matter of seeking something, vs. meditation which is simply adoration and/or contemplation - I simply calm my mind either through chanting or mindful breathing, and seek the source of myself within. That source is the conduit to the Infinite - to God.


I do recognize the various deities of many other religions, but I recognize them as aspects of humanity - they are the archetypes and functions of the subconcious mind. By contemplating the nature of a particular 'deity' such as, for instant, Ganesh - who is the remover of obstacles - the mind is focused towards a particular configuration which mimics the understanding of what Ganesh stands for. it is like saying, "What would Ganesh do," or more along the lines of "What qualities does Ganesh possess which make him the remover of obstacles?" So, the more one contemplates the nature of the Archetypes, the more we understand the function of that archetype in our own conciousness. I think even the original conception of the hindu Gods and Goddesses was intended to be like this, due to their described temperments and qualities - they are very human-like in their actions and natures, but in purified forms. I believe they were meant to be ideals, not Deities. Culturally, though, the hindu pantheon does recognize a supreme source of creation, including all of the deities. A similar concept to Atma. In any case, I do not worship them, and don't have room in my humble abode for statues of little gods and goddesses. I do not often meditate this way, but I have found it to be a useful practice in the past. Many who follow this particular path devoutly devote themselves to embodying one particular entity - for instance Krishna who is well known for his followers, and could be said, based on history, to be the original prophet of recorded history, if the hindu record of their own history is accurate (and with many peoples this is not always the case... after all, no one from the present was there.)


God is incomprehensibly vast and eternal. To me, the fact that humans even recognize a concept like 'eternity' or 'infinity' is proof that we know instinctively that there is some part of the universe that does not end or begin. But I also recognize that within each person is a vast, nearly limitless potential. We are after all made in the image of God, the image of infinity. I do not take this to mean that we look like God, or that he thinks or feels in the same way we do, for God is not Reactive, he is Causal. That is to say that his nature is that of Causality - the source of all things, the Cause of all things. We do not 'get a reaction' out of God. We are in his image in terms of our nature and purpose. Not our superficial body - this is simply the logical configuration of biological matter necessary to create the illusion of perception. Straying from the subject...


It is because of this conception of God that I have that I place little faith in any tradition which seeks to give this source of creation any such attributes that we flawed humans would have. I do not believe he gets "Angry" or "Vengeful". I don't believe this world is a Test, either. That doesn't make sense. Is god flowing out a river of billions, trillions, of souls, just to fill up heaven and hell? His conception of numbers must be vast beyond the limits of conciousness of course, but still, what sense is there in that? I will not claim to know the 'Sense' of God, I suppose, but the situation would seem intuitively to be more complicated than this. I believe that humans have evolved as we have along critical routes, and that we have been gently lead along through time by our creator.


So, this is my God, for all intents and purposes. Simply - though it is far from simple - the totality of Mind, Body, and Spirit of the universe. It is from this foundation that I derive all of my reasoning and faith for anything. It has showed it's own merit by opening windows of insight on many matters that otherwise would seem totally unconnected to any theological ideal. Science, for instance, often seeks to debunk the creator - yet many of the inner workings of the universe that we have discovered are parallels to other truths of existence and life that we take for granted. I believe that the creator has encoded his truth in the very universe we live in, and that one may seek that truth through whatever means one chooses - that no one path is strictly the only path. We are immersed in God, how can we miss him if we look?


Namaste


Mahasvapna