08-31-2005, 11:58 AM
Bismillah
Peace John,
I don't know if sister Intuition is around for the moment, so I will make some short comments to your last input.
Many non Muslims 'fast' too, but mostly for different reason than we do. And most of this 'fast' allow to drink but not eat.
So the challenge would be, take one day and try how it feel to NOT eat and drink, and see how many hours you can 'stand it' [img]style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif[/img]
Using water when visiting the toilet, is to wash with water your private parts when you have finished. Of course you can use paper as well, but just try to feel the difference to ALSO use water. I have been discussing with people that have not considered at all this simple solution to purify themselves, even if they have done it to their little babies when changing dipers, to older people that are not able to clean themselves and so forth, and some do wonder 'WHY did I not think of this before?'
Ok don't lower you gaze the whole day, start with a little step, when you go to work and from work or something like that. The MIND has to be awake to manage to do this. You learn to CONTROL your senses a bit.
Sorry but dipping into the Qur'an will not be enough, your eyes and mind and heart cannot understand if you only use your eyes and lips.
Peace
Assalamu alaikum brother Dan,
So nice to read part of your searching. Some parts reminds me of myself. And as you say it IS nice to remember the first steps, since the steps since then have been so many masha'Allah Allahu Akbar.
I came to the point that my family was practising Islam and I was not, and felt that I had come to a turningpoint in my life. I felt I had two choices, stay or go. My husband suggested to meet with other Swedish reverted sisters on their weekly lessons, only to have a better insight, and I found the idea attractive. I joined them for two years before I understood what Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala had planned for me masha'Allah. These two years of my rather long life has been one of the most overwhelming spiritual and EMOTIONAL periods and travels that I have ever lived through. That leaves POSITIVE marks subhan'Allah.
wasalam