Formal Shahadah

I took Shahadah last month. July 23rd, actually. . . Who would have ever thought I would be following a major, organized religion?! :-)


In case you don't know, Shahadah is a declaration that you make in order to become a Muslim. All that needs to be said (with sincerity) is "La ilaha ila Allah. Mohammad Rasuallah." This is Arabic for, "There is no god but Allah. Mohammad is Allah's messenger." 


The man who leads the Qur'an study I attend every Friday (Hassan) asked me if I would like to take Shahadah publicly in from of the Qur'an study participants. I agreed and did it yesterday. Everyone was thrilled! It felt nice to have my decision embraced. It feels amazing being in the presence of other with a common goal, outlook, and understanding. Not to mention, we are all fasting for Ramadan, so we were all thirsty, weak, and very hungry, too. ;-)


Before I left that evening to go home, I was informed of Ghusl. This is a full ritual washing you do after certain occasions, one of which being conversion to Islam. Others include sex, your cycle (for women), giving birth, etc. The details of this washing are outlined in a hadith (something seen or heard by someone who knew or was around the Prophet Mohammad). 


Let me say this: I know very little of hadiths. I do know, though, that the Qur'an is a full and COMPLETE book on it's own. Why would I listen to what someone's son's daughter heard the Prophet say? I am not saying all hadiths are invalid. I'm just saying that I do not believe that Allah left anything out of the Qur'an that was to be followed or heard. If Muslims need to do certain things or perform certain rituals, why would they not be outlined in the Qur'an? Isn't Allah Al-Aleem (All-Knowing), Al-Khabeer (All-Aware), Al-Hakim (The-Wise), Al-Qadir (All-Omnipotent), Al-Akkir (The Last), Al-Awwal (The First)? If these are Allah's names, and not "The Incomplete," why should we look to hadiths for requirements? 


It is a wonderful and honorable thing to mold your life after the Prophet, and I'm positive Allah will reward those who try/do, but I do not think that any requirements set in the hadiths are as important or necessary as what is revealed in the Qur'an.


Back to Ghusl:  one sister informed me that to do this washing properly, I would have to clean every single inch, including the hole in my ear where earrings enter, and remove my nail polish so that water can touch my actual nailbed. I cannot accept this. With all my imagination, I cannot see Allah thinking one is unclean after a full body washing because she is wearing nail polish. 


I personally take hadiths with a grain of salt. Like I said before, I do not believe all hadiths are invalid, I just don't accept them as readily as the Qur'an and as I see most Muslims do.