Ask Me Help Desk - Islam as viewed by others.

My wife is a Christian from the Philippines, from Mindanao, where there is a large population of Muslims, about 30%. Her father was murdered by Muslims merely because he was a Christian. I have studied the Muslim religion, and find it nothing at all like Christianity. Having traveled extensively over the world, I find that Muslims tend to support the terrorists who attack American and Israeli targets. However, they tend to not support terrorists who kill fellow Muslims (unless the ones killed are the Muslims they don't like). I find Muslims to be xenophobic, paranoid, and fanatical, for the most part. Sure, there are those Muslims who are not that way... but those Muslims tend to be targets of the terrorist types.

Muslims are just people caught up in an evil religion, and you and I would be the same as them, if we had grown up in that culture. They are to be pitied.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpaceRatt

My wife is a Christian from the Philippines, from Mindanao, where there is a large population of Muslims, about 30%. Her father was murdered by Muslims merely because he was a Christian. I have studied the Muslim religion, and find it nothing at all like Christianity. Having traveled extensively over the world, I find that Muslims tend to support the terrorists who attack American and Israeli targets. However, they tend to not support terrorists who kill fellow Muslims (unless the ones killed are the Muslims they don't like). I find Muslims to be xenophobic, paranoid, and fanatical, for the most part. Sure, there are those Muslims who are not that way... but those Muslims tend to be targets of the terrorist types.

Muslims are just people caught up in an evil religion, and you and I would be the same as them, if we had grown up in that culture. They are to be pitied.

My wife is also from Mindanao. In fact, I was married there. I'm Caucasian/Jewish and US citizen. I have a second home in Davao City in a newer residential community. I know for fact that what you've posted here is absolutely accurate. Have a great day and G-d bless.

Bobby

This is in answer to a question on another thread.
And for other who may wish to read.
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The Origin of Life - an Islamic Perspective

The Origin of Life - an Islamic Perspective
Science must increase our faith. It is wrong for anyone to close their eyes to what is right in front of them. For a Muslim the evidence of dinosaurs and fossils is not a threat to our beliefs. Rather, it is a confirmation of the power of Allah.Adapted from the Book: What Islam is All About By Yahiya Emerick

A. Why Does Allah Tell Us About the Creation?

The Holy Qur'an is the book given to us by the Creator of the Universe. Allah, (literally: THE God) which is His personal Name, knows us best and is aware that humans can be very skeptical creatures.

Allah points out, "...if you were to seek a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into the skies and bring them a sign, (they still wouldn't be convinced.) If it were Allah's will, He could gather them all into true guidance, so don't be among those who are influenced by ignorance." (6:35)

Allah, the Keeper of Wisdom, makes it a point to give as many proofs in the Qur'an about His existence and creative abilities as possible so the maximum number of humans can be guided. We need proof, and Allah gives us that proof. (2:26, 40:57)

Allah, of course, does not need us to follow Him, or believe in Him. As He states, "Allah can do without them and Allah is free of all needs." (64:6)

He merely wishes that people would choose to believe in Him so He can reward them for their choice. Allah is ready to forgive even those who acted wrongly if they but ask for His forgiveness.

In a Hadith, or saying of the Blessed Prophet Muhammad, we learn, "When Allah decreed the creation (of the universe,) He set down in His book which is with Him, 'Indeed, My mercy is stronger than My wrath.'" (Bukhari & Muslim. Also see 6:12)

Among the proofs given in the Qur'an for us to learn from is a very detailed explanation of the different features of the universe, how it was made and how the planets and stars were formed. Allah says that, "To Him is due the origin of space and the Earth." (6:101)

Of course, most people who lived at the Prophet's time would never have understood what those ayat really meant, but they accepted them anyway and interpreted them as best they could. Sometimes they came up with very interesting explanations.

Allah instructs us to accept everything in the Qur'an, even if we don't yet know how to understand it. The understanding of the Qur'an grows with each passing generation. As He said, "The intelligent people declare, 'We believe in the book, the whole of it is from our Lord." (3:7)

B. Modern Science and Islam.

Modern day scientists have been awe-struck at how complex and intricate the universe is. (67:3-4) The sciences of astronomy, chemistry, astrophysics and molecular biology have pushed the limits of our knowledge ever further.

These new discoveries have assisted greatly in the understanding of what the ayat in the Qur'an mean. For example, there is a section of verses where Allah mentions that during the process of human development, there is a stage where we were an 'Alaq in the womb. (96:1-5) The word literally means, "a clinging thing." But no one knew in past centuries how that could be part of the process of growth for a fetus.

So translators, commentators and scholars have tried to explain it as meaning we were clots of blood or other such strange things in the womb. But new discoveries in the last few years have shown that in the early stages of pregnancy, the fertilized egg actually attaches itself to the uterine wall and clings there as it is growing. Thus, modern knowledge unlocks another mystery that previous Muslims could only guess at.

The same thing is true in other areas to quite a startling degree. When we study the ayat of the Qur'an relating to the creation of the universe, we come away astounded, especially since they agree with what we have only discovered in the last ten, twenty and fifty years.

The Qur'an does not give a single, unified essay on how the universe began. Instead, keeping with the Qur'anic method of teaching, different aspects of creation are mentioned in different places in order to give authority to the particular lesson being taught. (See 30:58)

For example, in Surah at Tariq, (86) Allah begins by mentioning the brightest star which appears in the sky at night. Then He describes this star and uses it as a metaphor for how every human has an angel watching over them. Do you see how Allah uses physical aspects of nature to illustrate spiritual principles?
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Please refer link to read the whole article

To me Islam is a faulse doctrine. It is one of the New religions of the world. If you study its history you will find that Muhamed the Founder of religion was born centuraries after Christ. He Basically took the bible and changed it to form his own religion. The Koran is just a repation of the Bible's old testament and then there are some additions made by Muhamed. The fundamental difference between Christianity and Islam is that In Christianity you do not have to earn you way to heaven rather by accepting Christ and by "grace" and not by works you are saved. Christainity emphasises free will and accepting christ by will where as the Koran teaches that those who do not want to convert do not deserve to live. Christainity teaches you to love even those who hate you. I know there are religious extremist in all religions and I know there are some nice non violent muslims. Not all of them are terrorist but I ijust wish they could do more research into their religion because they will find the truth about who Muhamed was. He was not a very holy man. He acually died of Siphilis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatertot

To me Islam is a faulse doctrine. It is one of the New religions of the world. If you study its history you will find that Muhamed the Founder of religion was born centuraries after Christ. He Basically took the bible and changed it to form his own religion. The Koran is just a repation of the Bible's old testament and then there are some additions made by Muhamed. The fundamental difference between Christianity and Islam is that In Christianity you do not have to earn you way to heaven rather by accepting Christ and by "grace" and not by works you are saved. Christainity emphasises free will and accepting christ by will where as the Koran teaches that those who do not want to convert do not deserve to live. Christainity teaches you to love even those who hate you. I know there are religious extremist in all religions and i know there are some nice non violent muslims. Not all of them are terrorist but i ijust wish they could do more research into their religion because they will find the truth about who Muhamed was. He was not a very holy man. He acually died of Siphilis.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I am sure you have your facts all distorted.

Muhammad was not the founder of Islam,but the last Prophet and messenger among many which began with Adam(alaihi salaam).

Muhammed (peace be upon him)did not die of syphilis.Even his worst enemies during his time even if they did not follow Islam agreed to his intergrity,honesty,loyalness,purity and even used to seek his counsel in all matters of life until Muhammed(pbuh) called to submit to the One and Only Almighty God.
http://exposingdtruth.wordpress.com/...ihi-wa-sallam/
You may call whatever names you wish to call,but I am not going to call any names to Jesus (alaihi salaam),because I believe in him, not in the same way as you.And I await his descent to earth at the end of times to establish truth on this earth.

About the borrowing theory of the Quran from the Bible, you might like to read this link(or not).
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Qur...s/BBbible.html
Many things will be similar to the original book revealed to Jesus(alaihi salaam) because the source is the same Almighty God.

As you said one of the fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity is that I do not go to Heaven by default for just believing as a muslim.
I have to work for it and it is up to the Almighty to admit me to Heaven or not.

I do not believe in someone else taking up the burden of my wrongdoings and being punished for it.I believe in equal justice on the day of Judgement.
Good and bad all will be justly paid their due on that day.

There is only one true religion. The religion of God. Chirstianity, Jewism, Islam, buddism etc. Indeed all religions that seem different but, worship god are in fact the same. Satan has tricked the world into thinking we are not all same dig deep enough and the true will be revealed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by firmbeliever

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I am sure you have your facts all distorted.

Muhammad was not the founder of Islam,but the last Prophet and messenger among many which began with Adam(alaihi salaam).

Muhammed (peace be upon him)did not die of syphilis.Even his worst enemies during his time even if they did not follow Islam agreed to his intergrity,honesty,loyalness,purity and even used to seek his counsel in all matters of life until Muhammed(pbuh) called to submit to the One and Only Almighty God.
http://exposingdtruth.wordpress.com/...ihi-wa-sallam/
You may call whatever names you wish to call,but I am not going to call any names to Jesus (alaihi salaam),because I believe in him, not in the same way as you.And I await his descent to earth at the end of times to establish truth on this earth.

About the borrowing theory of the Quran from the Bible, you might like to read this link(or not).
Is The Bible Really The Source Of The Qur'an?
Many things will be similar to the original book revealed to Jesus(alaihi salaam) because the source is the same Almighty God.

As you said one of the fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity is that I do not go to Heaven by default for just believing as a muslim.
I have to work for it and it is upto the Almighty to admit me to Heaven or not.

I do not believe in someone else taking up the burden of my wrongdoings and being punished for it.I believe in equal justice on the day of Judgement.
Good and bad all will be justly paid their due on that day.

Firmbeliever: I am sorry if I sounded like I was discrediting your leader Muhamed but I have studied the religion and it is a Fact that Muhammad is the Creator of the islamic religion in about 610 A.D. Muhamed was a merchant and at the age of 25 he married a weathly widdow who was twice his age. While he was a merchant he would go into the mountains and meditate. And one day while he was meditating he claims to have had a visit from that angel Gabriel ( found in the Bible) who told he was a prophet. At first Mnhammed believed these visions came from Jinn (evil spirits) but his wife convinced him he it was divinely inspired and that he was a true prophet. Thus he bagan spreading his revelations and gathering followers of the "one true religion" of Islam.
Ten years after he introduced Islam to the world, Muhammad's wife died. Two months later he married a widow and then a seven-year-old girl. He would eventually be married to 15 women. In fact, he married someone new every year following his first wife's death, many of them as a result of war and plunder. Women left alive after a war with rival tribes would be taken as Muhammad's wives. Other wives were taken for political gain because of their importance or relation to local government officials. Islam taught that men were only allowed four wives. Muhammad made an exception for himself, however, in Surat 33:50.

O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the rest of believers.

There are no ancient non-Muslim sources on the life of Muhammad. There are two main sources for a history of Muhammad's life, both of which are Islamic. I was surprised you said that Muhammed was not the founder of The Islam. That is common Knowledge so maybe you may have do a little more research on the History of Islam. I don't think Islamic people are as bad as people perceive them. I don't really agree with their beliefs because it is a very new religion and the founder (Muhammed) is not very credible based on his biography.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tatertot

Firmbeliever: i am sorry if i sounded like i was discrediting your leader Muhamed
but i have studied the religion and it is a Fact that Muhammad is the Creator of the islamic religion in about 610 A.D.

To you be your beliefs and to me be mine.
I am not going to start an argument just for the sake of it.

But I do not agree with any of what you have stated regarding Muhammad(pbuh) and Islam.But as you already stated that you believe it as fact, I am not going to go into anymore detail in replying to you.

The following article was written by a non-muslim (this site is not really a good source for the true Islamic information as some information seems questionable,but I recommend this one article).
http://www.themodernreligion.com/pro...ophet-rao.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by firmbeliever

To you be your beliefs and to me be mine.
I am not going to start an arguement just for the sake of it.

But I do not agree with any of what you have stated regarding Muhammad(pbuh) and Islam.But as you already stated that you believe it as fact, I am not going to go into anymore detail in replying to you.

The following article was written by a non-muslim (this site is not really a good source for the true Islamic information as some information seems questionable,but I recommend this one article).
Mohammed The Prophet By Prof. K. S. Ramakrishna Rao

Have you read any biographies of Muhammed? Just asking. The info I got was from Islamic accounts of his life and the Quoran. So I am not making this stuff up.. Can you really deny that he had 15 wives? After Khadijah his first wife died. Can you Deny that he married Aisha, who was 7 years old at the time. That is staight out of the Bukhari/ Hadith Can you deny the exception he made for himself that I quoted directly from the Quoran? I am not trying to argue with you I am just urging you to open your eyes and research your beliefs. The things I have said about Muhammed have come from non other than Islamic accounts of his life. The prior prophets mentioned in the Quoran are Jewish prophets from the old testament Bible Adam, Abraham etc. You can not deny that the Islamic religion does not date back any farther that 610 A.D. Because there are no writings going back that far except that of the christian and jewish faith. I am sure he was a great man with good intensions but I would not call him holy. And if you are honest with yourself you will read about his life and how Islam originated and make your own conclusions.

I did not know that Jesus was in the old testament thought he was the reason for the new.

Muhammad did not view what he brought to the world a new religion but just being a prophet in a long line of prophets. He just followed Jesus.

I think as others have said that religion is a very personal thing. Most believe in a Supreme Being" I know that I do. I wish I said thank you more often for the many times I have received help.

Honestly I really don't know much about the Islamic religion. I work with a few who are Islamic but I don't see much difference in how they live or who they are than people of any other religion. I agree with Marily, I don't think there is a right or wrong religion. The fact that you have a religion at all that is based on peace and being a better person is good enough.

And upon our deaths will we know if we have lived our lives as it should be lived,until then no one will believe another is on the right path.

Quote:

Originally Posted by firmbeliever

To you be your beliefs and to me be mine.
I am not going to start an arguement just for the sake of it.

But I do not agree with any of what you have stated regarding Muhammad(pbuh) and Islam.But as you already stated that you believe it as fact, I am not going to go into anymore detail in replying to you.

The following article was written by a non-muslim (this site is not really a good source for the true Islamic information as some information seems questionable,but I recommend this one article).
Mohammed The Prophet By Prof. K. S. Ramakrishna Rao

I sat in a Baptist church as a teen and listened to a preacher say all Catholics are going to hell because they worship the virgin Marry. People read something in a book written by someone of a different faith ( or no faith at all) and just assume it must be right. My father was Catholic and if this preacher had his facts right and just talked to someone who actually practiced the religion he would have found that they pray through her rather than to her. As I said before, I don't know much of anything about the Islam religion but I am sure being that you practice the religion you would know more than someone who read a few books. I hate when people do that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonewilder

As I said before, I don't know much of anything about the Islam religion but I am sure being that you practice the religion you would know more than someone who read a few books. I hate when people do that!

I am a muslim,yes.
This does not mean I know all there is to know about my religion.:)

I practice to the best of my ability and leave the rest to the Almighty, He being the Most Just will judge me on my deeds good /bad.

I am still learning and I am sure that all through my lifetime until death I will be learning.
I do have access to Islamic resources and I could recommend good information links,but that does not necessarily mean that I would know all that is there to know or enough to argue with someone who comes up with any arguments regarding Islam.

I try to help those who wish to know/understand Islam a little better than what the media protrays or what a few muslims do negatively which catches media attention.

Perhaps I worded my statement wrong or I'm misunderstanding yours. I was getting at the fact that some people try to come across as an expert on the Islamic religion because they read a few books... namely, tatortot.

Stonewilder,
I understood you meant someone, I did not want to name names nor did I want to profess to know a lot either.:)

There are some who may have a lot of knowledge but only with understanding will it serve any purpose.

I understand from the knowledge/experience you have and understanding it, that you have come to your own conclusions.

Very true FirmBeliever you say It much better than I do.

Have fun and stay in peace

Salaams to you too carbonite!