Muslims

[sandinista! 1,816]

rajaa, no offence, but i am not getting that quote in yr signature.

Our Lord Abraham is the beloved of God

Our Lord Moses is the mouthpiece of God

Our lord Issa (Jesus) is the spirit of God

but our Lord Muhammad is the Prophet of God

Lords? Issa is the spirit of God? (astaghirfullah)

where did you find that?

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Lord - Sayyidina - is a title frequently given to Prophets in sunni islam.

If I had to guess about the spirit aspect, I think it would be something from the shia. I haven't come across this in sunni literature (which doesn't mean it isn't necessarily out there, just that I've never read anything about it), but "Ruhollah" spirit of God, is a name in the shia tradition.

[nunyab 0]

no offense taken, just that each is a part of and important part of Islam. I got it as a traditional muslim saying.... "the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was not a founder of a new religion but a reformer of the old monotheist tradition that reaches back through Jesus, Moses, Abraham to our common first father, Adam"

The Heirs of the prophet Muhammad... by Barnaby Rogrson

[nunyab 0]

I know Hemza Yusuf also offers courses from his Islamic school out of California via the web.... might be a good time for me to continue my always continuing education.

Sh. Hamza Imam Zaid Ustadh Yahya Excellent courses. Excellent teachers. Nothing beats learning from them in person (we had the pleasure of Imam Zaid visiting at the end of May and he may be back in January inshaAllah inshaAllah inshaAllah), but their distance learning is quite good.

Hello Rahma Iam Rajaa thanks for the links..totally get into these things

assalamu alaikum, nice to meet you.

Maa wailkumsalam... i was going to write Shiek Hamza but wasnt sure he was at that status yet. what are the differences between an Imaam and Shiek btw?

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Found a sunni source

http://attalib.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-is...t-of-allah.html

Allah ta'ala does refer to 'Isa (a.s.) as His spirit, or a spirit from Him (roohun minhu). Allah ta'ala says this in surah al-Nisaa', verse 171. Imam Qurtubi relates eight different responses in regards to what is meant by the word "ruh" or "spirit". Imam ibn al-Jawzi also mentioned seven responses. A few of these responses overlapped, including the first response of both scholars:

They relate that Ubayy ibn Ka'ab says that Allah created all the soul of the children of Adam when he took the oath from them (in the realm of the souls). Then he placed all of these souls into the backbone (sulb) of Adam except for the soul (ruh) of Isa (a.s.). Then when it was time for Allah ta'ala to create 'Isa (a.s.) he sent that soul to Maryam (a.s.). Thus, in that sense, he was a spirit from Allah (Allah's spirit).

Another opinion that both scholars mentioned is that Isa (a.s.) is referred to as "Ruh" because of the breath that Jibreel (a.s.) released to Maryam. And in Arabic, a breath (nafkhah) can be referred to as a "ruh". Imam Qurtubi adds that a breath (nafkhah) can be called "ruh" because a breath is wind (reeh) which comes from the soul (ruh). Thus a "breath" is a "ruh", and Isa (a.s.) was conceived through the breath of Jibreel (a.s.) onto Maryam (a.s.).

Another opinion mentioned by Ibn al-Jawzi is that since Isa (a.s.) used to bring the dead back to life by the permission of Allah he was referred to as "Ruh", because it is through the "ruh" that things come to life. This is also why the Qur'an is called "Ruh". Ibn al-Jawzi mentions this on the authority of Qadi Abu Ya'la.

These were a few of the opinions mentioned. We should also note that in the same verse Isa (a.s.) is also referred to as "Allah's Word" (kalimatuhu). This is because Isa was created from the word "kun" which means "Be". Ultimately, all of us were created through Allah's command. But since Isa was created without the medium of a father he was granted a special status as Allah's word. The same can be understood with the word Ruh. We are all souls from Allah but since Isa was created under miraculous circumstances he was referred to specifically as Allah's spirit, although we are all spirits from Allah.

That leads to the last opinion that I will mention which Imam Qurtubi mentioned in his tafsir that Isa (a.s.) was given this title out of honor and preference (tafdeel) for his status even though we are all spirits from Allah.

[nunyab 0]

no offense taken, just that each is a part of and important part of Islam. The term lord is used as a reference of leader.. i can understand the question more now rereading... the"spirit" as his "nature" not that the "spirit of God was Jesus" by no means is that the reference made.

I got it as a traditional muslim saying.... "the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was not a founder of a new religion but a reformer of the old monotheist tradition that reaches back through Jesus, Moses, Abraham to our common first father, Adam"

The Heirs of the prophet Muhammad... by Barnaby Rogrson

[nunyab 0]

Found a sunni source

http://attalib.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-is...t-of-allah.html

Allah ta'ala does refer to 'Isa (a.s.) as His spirit, or a spirit from Him (roohun minhu). Allah ta'ala says this in surah al-Nisaa', verse 171. Imam Qurtubi relates eight different responses in regards to what is meant by the word "ruh" or "spirit". Imam ibn al-Jawzi also mentioned seven responses. A few of these responses overlapped, including the first response of both scholars:

They relate that Ubayy ibn Ka'ab says that Allah created all the soul of the children of Adam when he took the oath from them (in the realm of the souls). Then he placed all of these souls into the backbone (sulb) of Adam except for the soul (ruh) of Isa (a.s.). Then when it was time for Allah ta'ala to create 'Isa (a.s.) he sent that soul to Maryam (a.s.). Thus, in that sense, he was a spirit from Allah (Allah's spirit).

Another opinion that both scholars mentioned is that Isa (a.s.) is referred to as "Ruh" because of the breath that Jibreel (a.s.) released to Maryam. And in Arabic, a breath (nafkhah) can be referred to as a "ruh". Imam Qurtubi adds that a breath (nafkhah) can be called "ruh" because a breath is wind (reeh) which comes from the soul (ruh). Thus a "breath" is a "ruh", and Isa (a.s.) was conceived through the breath of Jibreel (a.s.) onto Maryam (a.s.).

Another opinion mentioned by Ibn al-Jawzi is that since Isa (a.s.) used to bring the dead back to life by the permission of Allah he was referred to as "Ruh", because it is through the "ruh" that things come to life. This is also why the Qur'an is called "Ruh". Ibn al-Jawzi mentions this on the authority of Qadi Abu Ya'la.

These were a few of the opinions mentioned. We should also note that in the same verse Isa (a.s.) is also referred to as "Allah's Word" (kalimatuhu). This is because Isa was created from the word "kun" which means "Be". Ultimately, all of us were created through Allah's command. But since Isa was created without the medium of a father he was granted a special status as Allah's word. The same can be understood with the word Ruh. We are all souls from Allah but since Isa was created under miraculous circumstances he was referred to specifically as Allah's spirit, although we are all spirits from Allah.

That leads to the last opinion that I will mention which Imam Qurtubi mentioned in his tafsir that Isa (a.s.) was given this title out of honor and preference (tafdeel) for his status even though we are all spirits from Allah.

you got it!!! thank you great link btw...

[Nothing1234 2]

Islamic Terms to Learn for Ramadan

Written by by M. I. Zahid

Tuesday, 25 March 2008

Bab Al-Raiyan

The name of one of the gates of Heavens (Jannah) through which the people who often observe fasting will enter on the Day of Judgement.

Eid Al-Fitr

Three day festival marking the end of Ramadan. It takes place on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

Fidya

Compensation for missing or wrongly practicing necessary acts of worship. Fidya usually takes the form of donating money, foodstuffs, or sacrificing an animal. Contrast with Kaffara (making amends).

Iftar

Breaking of the fast immediately after sunset. Iftar takes place at Maghrib as soon as the Call to Prayer (Adhan) is called.

Imsak

Start of the fasting time. Imsak begins when the first light of dawn becomes visible, and ends at Fajr when the Adhan is called.

I'tikaf

I'tikaf refers to the religious practice of spending the last ten days of Ramadan (either wholly or partly) in a mosque so as to devote oneself exclusively to worship. In this state one may go out of the mosque only for the absolutely necessary requirements of life.The minimum period for i'tikaf is twenty-four hours. I'tikaf is not valid if one is not keeping the fast or if it is done outside the month of Ramadan.

Kaffarah

Kaffarah means atonement, expiation.

Lailatul-Qadr

The Night of Power,' concealed in one of the odd nights in the last ten days of Ramadan; the night on which the Qur'an was first revealed by Jibraeel to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and which the Qur'an itself describes as "better than a thousand months."[Al-Qadr (97:3)]

Ramadan

The ninth month of the Islamic (luner) calendar.

Suhoor

The meal taken before sun rise (what does your mum make?)

Sawm

The Arabic word for fast. Plural: Siyam.

Source:www.missionislam.com/ramadan/terms.htm

[Henia 11]

Esalaams! Nice to see you Rahma!

From me, I would suggest all the new Muslims get really educated in their FIQH! A good book I would suggest is: Reliance of the Traveler :

http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Traveller-C...k/dp/0915957728

http://www.nku.edu/~kenneyr/Islam/Reliance.html

rajaa, no offence, but i am not getting that quote in yr signature.

Our Lord Abraham is the beloved of God

Our Lord Moses is the mouthpiece of God

Our lord Issa (Jesus) is the spirit of God

but our Lord Muhammad is the Prophet of God

Lords? Issa is the spirit of God? (astaghirfullah)

where did you find that?

I was kinda confused on the same thing but I didn't want to say anything

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Esalaams! Nice to see you Rahma!

From me, I would suggest all the new Muslims get really educated in their FIQH! A good book I would suggest is: Reliance of the Traveler :

http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Traveller-C...k/dp/0915957728

http://www.nku.edu/~kenneyr/Islam/Reliance.html

wa alaikum assalam,

I am interested to know why you would recommend this particular book.

1. It's shafi'i fiqh. In the haram thread, you were pretty harsh to Bridget for posting a link from sunnipath, saying that it was only hanafi and shafi'i fiqh. And speaking of harsh, if you thought what she and I posted there was harsh, it has nothing on this book. This book isn't shy about declaring the haram haram, including music.

2. The rulings in the book are much less explanatory than what one will find on sunnipath. Sometimes its just the ruling, and not much on the reasoning behind the ruling. Yes, there are reasons for the rulings, but they're in another (yet to be translated) volume.

3. The translator (who by the way teaches at sunnipath on occasion) strongly recommends that his students learn a school of law, and that they do that by getting a book of fiqh AND reading through it with a teacher. So while it's good to have the book, it's even better to study it with a teacher.

All that being said, I do own Reliance of the Traveller. But then again, I'm a shafi'i, so it would make sense that I have the most comprehensive shafi'i fiqh book in english.

Even if one is not shafi'i, the last few chapters and appendixes at the end of the book are a very good read in general.

In the end, when learning Islam, I look at it this way. How did the Prophet (saws) learn Islam? From a book? No, he had the Angel Jibreel (as). His companions were taught by him. The tabiyeen (second generation) were taught by the companions, and so on down the line through to today. Sacred knowledge was rarely passed down simply by means of a printed text. Even when there was a printed text, the teacher would take it, read it to the students, and explain it to them.

[S and S 12]

I prefer to avoid the different schools of thought. My husband and his family don't prefer one or the other either. Instead, we just try to study the hadith or get advice from an Imam and make informed decisions. Its impossible to avoid the schools of thought since many rulings have come down from them that decide many aspects of Islam. Yet it is easier to keep from relying on one school only. This is my input. Of course everyone has their preferences and whatever those may be, they should be respected.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I really had never heard of Islam until after 9/11. I started to read about it and studied for 6 months. I knew of no muslims. I didn't know any arabs. I just knew I was searching for something with structure and found it in Islam.

After 6 months of preparing, I said my shahada May 5, 2002. A muslim woman can only marry a muslim man, so that narrowed my field greatly! lol.

It is always refreshing to see someone show interest.

Jackie

Actually, the belief that Muslim women can marry only Muslim men is not derived from Islam, but from fiqh law based on cultural norms arising from the wars and animosity between Muslims and non-Muslims. Unfortunately, fiqh is not always Islamic; it is the fallible attempt by scholars and jurists to forge the wishes of individual societies into paradigms that make social sense, but not always spiritual sense. It is impossible to explain the reasoning behind this law without (a) insulting the competence and autonomy of all Muslimas; (B) asserting that Muslim men superior to all other human beings; © distorting Quranic law; and/or (d) subordinating women to all men. Try to do it without having to engage one of those. You can't. You also must ignore Muslim history.

During the Prophet's time, there were Muslim women who converted many years before their husbands, inculding the Prophet's own daughter, Zainab, and the parents of the ahadith transmitter Ibn Abbas. His mother was the second woman to convert to Islam after the Prophet's revelations, but his father did not convert for 20 years after his wife. Also, Aisha was engaged to a Christian man by her father, Abu Bakr, a close companion of the Prophet and the first Caliph, before that engagement was withdrawn so she could marry Muhammad. He would not have done such a thing if it was forbidden by Allah.

There is nothing in the Quran nor the Sunnah disallowing Muslim women from interfaith marriage with kitabi men. This is a perversion of the law that is being reexamoined and challenged, much along the line of manadatory headcovering, honor killings, obedience to husbands before God, slavery, polygamy for a man's pleasure, and the belief that Muslims are God's chosen people. One must be careful to understand the origins of fiqh and beliefs, and discern whether they have roots in Allah's law or in man's law. The distinction is essential for anyone that wants to remain true to the Word, for our alliegence is to Allah, not to mortal desires.

I am a born Arab Muslima was married to a Christian man for 30 years. I broke none of Allah's laws in doing so. Nor have any of my sisters who have learned that such prohibition is not of God, but from the unIslamic desire of men to rule over women. We pray for the suffering of Muslims who are lead astray by this rule. May Allah guide us all.

[Sabr 0]

Salam,

Just thought a chat for Muslims would be helpful. I am constantly wondering if that may come up on the radar for the approval and if that may delay but alas it doesn't help to worry about such things as there is nothing I can change I am who I am Hamdolah. Looking for the support of others facing the same challenges or anyone interested in participating... all are welcome to chime in

.

Wa alaykom salam,

I would hope, for the safty and securety of our country that the DHS is not wasting a lot of time and money examining applicants more closely only because they wear hijab.

May Allah (subhanawatallah) make it easy for you insha'allah.

S.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

The translator (who by the way teaches at sunnipath on occasion) strongly recommends that his students learn a school of law, and that they do that by getting a book of fiqh AND reading through it with a teacher. So while it's good to have the book, it's even better to study it with a teacher.

The schools of law have a history of rulings that are based in the cultural and social norms of particular regions. This is why they vary significantly in about 25% of their determinations i.e., one may have decided that a woman is allowed to chose her own spouse, another may have decided that a father may marry off his daughter to a man is his choosing despite her wishes.

The rulings of any particular region are based on the needs of tribal societies, and many do not allow for the needs of contemporary socieites, east and west. The tyranny of tribal traditions, particularly those in the Arab regions, has been substantial, and the influence of oil money from the Gulf is becoming more pervasive throughout the Muslim world. This has sublimated the allowance that the norms of culturally diverse societies be valid components in the interpretation of Islamic directives, requiring, instead, a transplantation of benefactors' tribal norms to the burgeoning community. This is giving rise to a conflict in the west where there is great resistance to the concept that Muslims in non-Muslim countries are capable of forming law in the context of their societies, but must, intead, hold fast to interpretations formed from the norms of foreign socieities.

There have been dozens of schools since the death of the Prophet (who adhered to no school). There is precedent for the formation of schools that serve western Muslims and no blasphemy in not adhering to the schools of other regions. It is best to learn the history, determinations, trends and philosophies of many schools (I have), but there is no compulsion in the west to abide by any of them.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Virtual wife

[Sofiyya 1,687]

One more thought, there is a great deal of lip service given to taking responsibility for learning your faith and consulting teachers and scholars, but here is also a great deal of animosity from those who do so and come to differing conclusions. There has been a long standing tradition of honoring diversity of thought in Islam (not without conflict), but the bottom line is that schools of thought survived not by the will of the people to follow them, but through the benevolence of rulers who favored one over others.

As a student of Islam for 45+ years, I know that there is no way to deny the overwhelming influence of political manipulations in what we take for granted in practice. Many who have avidly pursued Islamic education in good faith and have questioned the legitimacy of some methodologies, and/or the contraditions between rulings and the sacred texts and major sources find that instead of being engaged, they are marginalized and dismissed as out of the mainstream simply because they do not equate man-made law with divine law.