Muslims refer to each other as brothers and sisters. Even me, as different as my beliefs are from most Muslims - they call me their sister.
To me, their viewpoints ("they" referring to Sunnis/Shias/Sufis) are as different as night and day to mine. I have as much in common with them in their personal beliefs than I do with Christians or Jewish people. If the terms "brothers" and "sisters" is applied to people because we all share in a monotheistic viewpoint, or we all believe in the same one true God, then Christians should also be referred to as brothers and sisters by Muslims, as well as Jewish people.
Just a thought! I personally consider Christians and Jews to be brothers and sisters with me, as we worship the same God.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Different Translations of Al-Fatihah
Below are 6 different translations of the first surah of the Qur'an, Al-Fatihah. Interesting how different each one is, and each one communicates a different tone. This surah is the least controversial of pretty much any other surah, so the difference in translation is not that big. So you can imagine that some surah, which are controversial, are translated very, very differently.
Sahih International
Sahih International
In the name of Allah , the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
[All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds -
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
Guide us to the straight path -
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
Muhsin Khan
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)
You (Alone) we worship, and you (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
Guide us to the Straight Way
The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).
Pickthall
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
The Beneficent, the Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment,
Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
Show us the straight path,
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.
Yusuf Ali
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;
Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
Master of the Day of Judgment.
Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
Show us the straight way,
The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
Shakir
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
The Beneficent, the Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
Keep us on the right path.
The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.
Dr. Ghali
In The Name of Allah, The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds.
The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful.
The Possessor of the Day of Doom.
You only do we worship, and You only do we beseech for help.
Guide us in the straight Path.
The Path of the ones whom You have favored, other than that of the ones against whom You are angered, and not (that of) the erring. (It is customary to say "amin" "amen" at the end of this Surah).
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Articles of Islam
I want to start posting articles I read concerning Muslims or Islam on here if I find them interesting.
NOTE: If I post an article link, this does not indicate that I agree with the author. It simply means I found the article interesting and informative.
This article I found while researching Unitarian Universalism. I told you guys I love learning about religion. :-)
From Islam to Unitarian Universalism
This article is by Hafidha Acuay and she is a woman who was raised Muslim, but then left Islam for Unitarian Universalism. She talks about why she left Islam.
NOTE: If I post an article link, this does not indicate that I agree with the author. It simply means I found the article interesting and informative.
This article I found while researching Unitarian Universalism. I told you guys I love learning about religion. :-)
From Islam to Unitarian Universalism
This article is by Hafidha Acuay and she is a woman who was raised Muslim, but then left Islam for Unitarian Universalism. She talks about why she left Islam.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Short Bio of Me
Okay, this post is per request. :-D
So, because this is a religion-related blog, I'm going to kind of focus more on the spiritual side of my life.
My parents didn't raise me in a religious household. My mother was Christian, but didn't regularly practice Christianity or impose it upon us kids. My father was atheist (which he didn't tell me until recently), so religion and God wasn't really brought up or taught to us that much as kids. When I was very young, probably about 12 years old, I read a book my sister had that was called "Conversation with God." After reading that book [series], that was basically my entire belief system. I was not assigned or restricted to any religion, but I had a strong relationship with God.
I grew up a very inquisitive and analytical child, teenager, young adult, and so on. Since I was young, I was interested in different cultures, different religions especially. I read any and all books I could about the major world religions, and they all interested me in their own way.
My mother became religious when I was around 16 years old. Among the many dramas of my teenage years, this basically was stressful for me. She was Southern Baptist Christian, and her views and church was very imposing and suffocating. I HATED going to church with her. All the talk from the pastor about fire and brimstone and how God hates Gays as much as Murderers was TOO much for me. I was in a bad mood the entire day when I had to go. Then, once the pastor came to our house and asked me what I believed, and I told them all and felt very judged and as though I had no idea what I was talking about. I was just "young and haven't found the truth yet." It always seems like people say that when you don't agree with their personal views. Hmmm.
So around the age of I'd say. . . 20 years old, I started going to one of my best friend's culture centers and Buddhist meetings with her. I loved the peace I felt when I chanted and participated and I became a Nichiren Buddhist. I had NOT changed my view on God in any way and Nichiren Buddhism is not necessarily a religion as more of a lifestyle? It's difficult to explain if you have not experienced it yourself.
After a couple of years, I stopped praying (read: chanting) and I just fell out of the loop with it. I didn't feel that the things I was doing was necessary for my happiness.
I never stopped researching and studying religions. I never felt the need to be part of a major religion and I definitely didn't think I would fit into one. I started researching Judaism more and more and was completely intrigued by the religion. I was agreeing with so much of it, and I wanted to learn more. I was trying my best to find synagogues around me that had introduction classes or q & a's or something similar, but all of those were available. . . at a price! And an expensive price, at that! I wanted to learn more, but from people, not just books. I wanted questions answered and all of that. Alas, I found nothing free.
So as I've said, I love studying religion and I did find a Qur'an study class that was available in the area I live that was free of charge and every week. I started attending those classes and absolutely loved it. I loved the people and everything. I learned a lot of what the speaker thought about certain things, and what Sunni Muslims view on Islam was. It was incredibly interesting.
I decided that I believed the Qur'an was divinely relayed to Mohammed, and the rest is history!
So, because this is a religion-related blog, I'm going to kind of focus more on the spiritual side of my life.
My parents didn't raise me in a religious household. My mother was Christian, but didn't regularly practice Christianity or impose it upon us kids. My father was atheist (which he didn't tell me until recently), so religion and God wasn't really brought up or taught to us that much as kids. When I was very young, probably about 12 years old, I read a book my sister had that was called "Conversation with God." After reading that book [series], that was basically my entire belief system. I was not assigned or restricted to any religion, but I had a strong relationship with God.
I grew up a very inquisitive and analytical child, teenager, young adult, and so on. Since I was young, I was interested in different cultures, different religions especially. I read any and all books I could about the major world religions, and they all interested me in their own way.
My mother became religious when I was around 16 years old. Among the many dramas of my teenage years, this basically was stressful for me. She was Southern Baptist Christian, and her views and church was very imposing and suffocating. I HATED going to church with her. All the talk from the pastor about fire and brimstone and how God hates Gays as much as Murderers was TOO much for me. I was in a bad mood the entire day when I had to go. Then, once the pastor came to our house and asked me what I believed, and I told them all and felt very judged and as though I had no idea what I was talking about. I was just "young and haven't found the truth yet." It always seems like people say that when you don't agree with their personal views. Hmmm.
So around the age of I'd say. . . 20 years old, I started going to one of my best friend's culture centers and Buddhist meetings with her. I loved the peace I felt when I chanted and participated and I became a Nichiren Buddhist. I had NOT changed my view on God in any way and Nichiren Buddhism is not necessarily a religion as more of a lifestyle? It's difficult to explain if you have not experienced it yourself.
After a couple of years, I stopped praying (read: chanting) and I just fell out of the loop with it. I didn't feel that the things I was doing was necessary for my happiness.
I never stopped researching and studying religions. I never felt the need to be part of a major religion and I definitely didn't think I would fit into one. I started researching Judaism more and more and was completely intrigued by the religion. I was agreeing with so much of it, and I wanted to learn more. I was trying my best to find synagogues around me that had introduction classes or q & a's or something similar, but all of those were available. . . at a price! And an expensive price, at that! I wanted to learn more, but from people, not just books. I wanted questions answered and all of that. Alas, I found nothing free.
So as I've said, I love studying religion and I did find a Qur'an study class that was available in the area I live that was free of charge and every week. I started attending those classes and absolutely loved it. I loved the people and everything. I learned a lot of what the speaker thought about certain things, and what Sunni Muslims view on Islam was. It was incredibly interesting.
I decided that I believed the Qur'an was divinely relayed to Mohammed, and the rest is history!
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