David_Wyatt
New Member
Hey there, I'm Dave. Because this is a forum centred around a belief in God (or Allah, which I believe is the Arabic word to which the English word "God" corresponds) I shall introduce myself in that mode; personally I was raised Christian (Protestant), my background is a mishmash of English, Welsh, Irish, etc. I'm from Sydney, Australia, and socially everyone I know is either Protestant, Catholic, or athiest/agnostic.
As far as my own faith goes, to be perfectly honest I have not been a very spiritual person for a few years now (I'm twenty-one, if you wish to know). The reason I am joining here is because I would like the opportunity to learn a bit about Islam, and the internet being what it is I guess this sort of place is the easiest place to start.
I should say up front that the reason I am interested is because of the fact that Islam, Christianity and Judaism all appear to be Abrahamic - they share prophets and histories, and this to me seems a very significant thing. I am not here to be "converted" (I have had much experience with various Christian denominations trying to force their beliefs, and I'm sure some of you may have had similar experiences) - I believe there is a verse in the Qur'an that says, "You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them." Thus I mean to say that I am here, if you will allow, to seek understanding.
A very simple query for now: I would very much like to visit a mosque (masjid?) locally, but I am a little worried about behaving improperly in an unfamiliar environment. Entering a place of worship is not like strolling into the local town hall, and I'm a bit awkward at the best of times. Is it alright to just turn up, lacking any understanding? Is it perhaps incorrect for someone who is not of Islamic faith to be present during Salat? I mean, I don't know if I would simply ask the Imam for direction, or... well okay, I shall simplify the question: if I wish to visit a nearby mosque, can I expect to just ask the people there for a bit of guidance, and not worry about behaving improperly?
I ask because I would very much like to become familiar with Islam, as I am only familiar with Christianity, and to a small degree with Judaism. It just feels like something I ought to do.
As far as my own faith goes, to be perfectly honest I have not been a very spiritual person for a few years now (I'm twenty-one, if you wish to know). The reason I am joining here is because I would like the opportunity to learn a bit about Islam, and the internet being what it is I guess this sort of place is the easiest place to start.
I should say up front that the reason I am interested is because of the fact that Islam, Christianity and Judaism all appear to be Abrahamic - they share prophets and histories, and this to me seems a very significant thing. I am not here to be "converted" (I have had much experience with various Christian denominations trying to force their beliefs, and I'm sure some of you may have had similar experiences) - I believe there is a verse in the Qur'an that says, "You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them." Thus I mean to say that I am here, if you will allow, to seek understanding.
A very simple query for now: I would very much like to visit a mosque (masjid?) locally, but I am a little worried about behaving improperly in an unfamiliar environment. Entering a place of worship is not like strolling into the local town hall, and I'm a bit awkward at the best of times. Is it alright to just turn up, lacking any understanding? Is it perhaps incorrect for someone who is not of Islamic faith to be present during Salat? I mean, I don't know if I would simply ask the Imam for direction, or... well okay, I shall simplify the question: if I wish to visit a nearby mosque, can I expect to just ask the people there for a bit of guidance, and not worry about behaving improperly?
I ask because I would very much like to become familiar with Islam, as I am only familiar with Christianity, and to a small degree with Judaism. It just feels like something I ought to do.