Hello

[a_stranger]

A call for pure sincere hearts:

11. Say (O Muhammad

): "Verily, I am commanded to worship Allah (Alone) by obeying Him and doing religious deeds sincerely for Allah's sake only and not to show off, and not to set up rivals with Him in worship;

12. "And I am commanded (this) in order that I may be the first of those who submit themselves to Allah (in Islam) as Muslims."

13. Say (O Muhammad

): "Verily, if I disobey my Lord, I am afraid of the torment of a great Day."

14. Say (O Muhammad

) "Allah Alone I worship by doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only and not to show-off, and not to set up rivals with Him in worship."

Translation of the meaning of Quran Al Zumer

 

[a_stranger]

I believe that all the prophets ( including Jesus :Issa peace be upon him )taught pure perfect sincerity and love for our creator. It is the work of Shaytan (satan ) which spoil heart's purity by making creatures comparable or partners of Allah ( the one God ). Islam teaches how to return to perfect purity .

 

[Violetta]

Hello and salaam alaikum.

I am a non-Muslim who is interested in Islam. I used to believe Jesus is God and that the Bible is the word of God, I do not anymore. Although there are some parts of the Bible I still believe in and there are parts that are good, I don't believe anymore in some of the key doctrines of Christianity (ie Trinity, Jesus being God, etc).

I came to the conclusion above after realizing the Bible has many errors. I am considering becoming Muslim but before I do so I need to know that the Quran and sahih and hasan hadiths are also free of errors. I have some questions I would like to ask and discuss if that is ok.

Thanks and take care,
Peter

Salam Peter,

here is the link to Islamic University Online, they have free registration and a lot of free classes you can take and learn from them: http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/opencampus/login/index.php

 

[Cariad]

I believe that all the prophets ( including Jesus :Issa peace be upon him )taught pure perfect sincerity and love for our creator. It is the work of Shaytan (satan ) which spoil heart's purity by making creatures comparable or partners of Allah ( the one God ). Islam teaches how to return to perfect purity .

There are no creatures to compare to God. It's satan's goal to turn hearts away from God.. Perfect purity is the worship of God in total love and sincerity. I am christian. I do that. As Yeshua taught I should... I do it. I try to live my life to the glory of God everyday as if it is my last day.

 

[a_stranger]

God bless you dear Cairad, I pray that we will be all gathered in heavens .

 

[Peter_502]

Ok, but I never doubt God, and who is to say it is misinformation given the knowledge of the time.

I would say it is evidence that the people who wrote it were not God, and what they wrote was a reflection of scientific knowledge of the time.

Yes, I know what Quran claim. That's is why it is not easy to make comparisons between the Bible and Quran when it comes to things like Errors and contradictions. I agree that according to muslims all previous prophets taught Islam, but looking at what the Bible prophets taught we know that not to be so. The prophet of Islam did not bring the same message. It's a choice that we accept the new different message or stay with what God originally sent. I need the "new message" to seem at least seem logical.

Yes, but you are making the assumption that what we believe "God originally sent" is what is in our Bibles today.

Well, again that is personal choice. what I know is the Bible and Quran both say Yeshua was without sin. We have no reason to assume that the gospels did not quote Yeshua correctly. For the whole message consistent in all four Gospels to be false by incorrectly recording the accounts of Yeshuas teachings, to the extent of a new different message being sent, is too big a leap in the dark. No proof either to support such a position. It cannot make all their faiths true, but it shows the strength of their belief in its truth. Who would die for a lie?

The Gospels may have quoted Jesus correctly but if they did, it would mean he wasn't God since he said some incorrect things.
For example, one of my favourite sayings actually, about those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Look at how many Bushes and Putins and Stalins have lived throughout our history. How many of them, who murdered thousands in the wars they waged, died by the sword?

Then you were a good christian because you saw that returning violence is not the way. Forgiving your enemies may seem a hard thing to do but ultimately is more rewarding. You can stand up for what is right and champion the cause of the oppressed without having to resort to violence. This may result in harm to your person, but this life is transitory and its pains temporary.
What you did, sounds very brave and I applaud your courage.

Thanks for your kind words. As a white person from Canada, my life was actually not in that much danger. If the Israeli Army or settlers killed me, there would have been a large stink internationally, which does not happen when Palestinians or even Israelis are killed. What I did took some risks, but none of them I believe life-threatening.

I think you know where your heart lies. your difficulty is maybe giving up on the Christ. What you say here... This would help in a major part determine whether he was lying or misguided or simply misquoted. I think you are almost there... I don't mean that to offend you at all but if you question the integrity of Yeshua even indirectly in tiny part then it becomes easier to give Him up.

I am trying to get to the truth, and hope I am not being offensive but right now I do not believe the Bible is from God and I don't believe Jesus is God.

Take care and God bless you Peter. Be sure God will guide you where he will.

God willing. God bless you also Cariad.

 

[Peter_502]

Greetings, @Peter_502
Alaikum salaam, my friend cabdixakim.

All praise is due to Allah The Most Wise The All-Knowing, none is guided except whom He guides...

I could not agree more. Glory be to Him.

firstly, good luck on your newly found quest and may Allah guide you every step of the way.

InshAllah.

secondly, while in this quest of knowing more about Islam, I advice you to think more of the core beliefs of Islam like the exiatence of God as He reveals Himself in the Qur'an, the exiatence of life after death,of Hell and paradise and the continuation of God's message which has been perfected and finalised by prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h) ? Once you believe in this then you have no option but to be a muslim right away because then you must think " I believe in the existence of a God and Hellfire for those who do not believe in Him... If I die now while still have not declared that I believe in Him because I was not satisfied with whether an adulterer is stonned or lashed, where will be my ending after my death?"... so make your quest about the core beliefs of Islam and worry about other matters later.

Before I do that, I need to know Islam is true and that Muhammad was God's prophet. I need to know the Quran and teachings of Muhammad on religious matters are free from error. I believe God is real and He is one, and I believe in eternal reward for good and eternal punishment for evil.
I don't yet know if I believe that Islam is true, so becoming Muslim while not knowing whether the Quran is God's word and Muhammad is His prophet would make no sense.

Thirdly, you are a critical thinker(that has brought you here) you must know that you will never cover all about Islam issue after issue, neither by research on the internet nor from books you read ,so you must take yourself to the field with what every little thing (of great importance) that you have already worked on.

Thanks. The questions I am asking, I ask to determine whether unlike Christianity, Islam is free from error. Once I see this can be answered with a "yes", I will convert, but not before.

fourthly, while learning about Islam, be very careful of whom you take information from... nowadays many people will direct you to different links in which many people(who have hardly memorised not more than one or two hadiths) will speak about the authenticity and deficiency of hadiths in seemingly great details... so be warned and do not be the student of the internet(although there is lots of good in it)! And be very warned of those who dissociate themselves from the Mainstream muslims(not that they can never be right but be keen on what you take from them and verify it more)

That is why I try to read the Quran from various translations and look at hadiths from authentic sites like www.sunnah.com

Please know that what you need now is faith/belief not how much rulings are there in Islam and listing the ones you disagree with... worry of things that really concern you now ;about God and His existence as He revealed Himself... you need not to engage in a debate about the fate of an adulterer,not that you should not know it but it's so insignificant to your quest now( I wonder why a starter is immediately directed to it; it is as, if the correct ruling is stonning it's from God and if it is lashes then it's not from God and or vice versa)...

My primary focus is determining whether or not the Quran is God's word and Muhammad was His prophet. This is why I ask the questions I am asking. InshAllah He will guide me to the Truth.

God bless you my friend and take care.

 

[Peter_502]

Salam Peter,

here is the link to Islamic University Online, they have free registration and a lot of free classes you can take and learn from them: http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/opencampus/login/index.php

Thank you, Violetta. I will check it out, inshAllah.

 

[Peter_502]

Thanks for the video, A_Stranger. Started watching today, hope to finish it in the next few days, God willig. So far it is very good, and I can totally understand what he said about leaving Christianity and asking God for guidance- I ask Him for this each day also and pray He guides me to it.

 

[Cariad]

I would say it is evidence that the people who wrote it were not God, and what they wrote was a reflection of scientific knowledge of the time.

Well, it came from somewhere. Certainly not people who were God. I believe they were inspired by God. When the scientific principles found in Job for example, (at least I think it's Job). Are you saying mankind was already aware? I found a link which explains scientific principles found first in the Bible. So early prophets were so scientifically advanced to think things out or they were inspired.

http://www.eternal-productions.org/101science.html

The Bible never claims to be a book on science but one that explains life and our creation, journey and destination. It was in Bible first.

Yes, but you are making the assumption that what we believe "God originally sent" is what is in our Bibles today.

But there is no proof to say it is not. Why would I assume (in the absence of proof) that mankind would or could change the message from their God, whom they believed and worshipped as their almighty creator? The Bible warns of terrible things to befall those who change the word of God, God demonstrated in the Bible that His wrath is real (unlike in Quran) if people were aware of incurring Gods wrath upon their heads for changing His message to something totally different to what it was meant to be. Would not fear of Gods wrath make them think again?

The Gospels may have quoted Jesus correctly but if they did, it would mean he wasn't God since he said some incorrect things.
For example, one of my favourite sayings actually, about those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Look at how many Bushes and Putins and Stalins have lived throughout our history. How many of them, who murdered thousands in the wars they waged, died by the sword?

How is it wrong? It was from conversation between Yeshua and disciple Peter just before Yeshua was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. When seeking to protect Yeshua, Peter pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear... Yeshua rebuked Peter and and put a quick stop to the bloodshed. Yeshua replaced the wounded man’s ear, healing him instantly. Then He told Peter to put his sword away, and said the words for “all who draw the sword will die by the sword”. Yeshua ’ calming of Peter showed His concern for His disciple... in warning Peter against using violence, Yeshua prevented Peter from being arrested himself.

It has become a common teaching and its meaning is the same today .. a person who lives violently will probably at some point be killed in a violent manner. Violence begets violence. Those who practice violence will come to violent ends. It was not given as a prophecy the every person who uses violent means will themselves meet violent end the same, but they are more likely to. So Yeshua was very much correct in this teaching and not at all wrong. In fact, in the time where violence was common place and He himself was at the time waiting His impending death then I think it shows remarkable fore thought.

Thanks for your kind words. As a white person from Canada, my life was actually not in that much danger. If the Israeli Army or settlers killed me, there would have been a large stink internationally, which does not happen when Palestinians or even Israelis are killed. What I did took some risks, but none of them I believe life-threatening.

You are welcome. But being a white person from Canada is no guarantee of safety in many parts of the world.

I am trying to get to the truth, and hope I am not being offensive but right now I do not believe the Bible is from God and I don't believe Jesus is God.

Dear Peter, you are not being offensive. We all want the truth... It's our duty to God to find it. Some believe they have it by virtue of being born into it and have never thought to question what they have. That's why myself, though born into a christian family... Although they always taught me that my faith in God was a personal journey and one I can only make myself.. Not all famines are the same, of all religions. I am still searching, but so far my interest and study of Islam has served to reinforce that the God I always had is truth. If time maybe is short for me makes it more urgent that I know this.

God willing. God bless you also Cariad.

I hope your journey of discovery is as interesting as mine has been. I have met many beautiful people of many religions and one thing in common is a love of God. Wherever your path leads May God guide you. Blessings