Islamic Practice & Logic

Hello everyone,

I hope I don't upset many people here.  On second thought, I hope I do but before you get fired up (as I know most of you who claim to be reasonable do) please, allow me to explain that I believe in Allah, the Quraan, the prophet Muhammad and all preceding prophets.  So here goes...

Have you (Muslim) ever came across a thought or situation and didn't know how to react because your logic didn't agree with your religion?  I say "your logic" because what most people think to be logical is not. 

I question the practice of praying at certain times and a certain number of times.  I pray daily but not five times a day and not when I am told to pray.  The manner in which I pray is the same as everyone else.  I sometimes wonder why I had to wake up and pray at 5am, go back to sleep and wake up again at 8:30 and get to work, which back then started at 9:30.  These days I pray between 5am and 6am but only because that�s when I wake up.  I think by waking up at five, splashing water on my face and moving up and down I have woken myself up and I can�t sleep again.  The way most Muslims pray would work well if we started work at sunrise and finished by dzuher or aser but that�s not how the business world works.

Another thought I have is a teenage girl that wants to join her high school volleyball team.  Should she refuse to wear shorts?  Dress in baggy pants and cover her hair and play volley ball or is that haram because when she�s in a game there may be male eyes focusing on her?

Am I seriously damned because I chose to tattoo my body?  I read a post here about tattoos and the Imam described them as repulsive.  I�ve seen some repulsive tattoos but I�ve also seen some amazing ones as well.  How is he suddenly an expert on tattoo art to say it�s repulsive?   Seriously!  Am I damned because I am tattooed?  All the years of praying, zakat and fasting won�t get me into heaven?

When a woman in public reaches out to shake my hand am I supposed to look away and decline her hand shake?  I had a friend who would do that and frankly he embarrassed me a few times by embarrassing my friends.  He also didn�t like that fact that I was using my left hand to hold the fork and eat my steak.  My right hand was used for cutting it.  Why does it matter?

This could very well be a book if I keep typing but I�ll end it here.  Please, if you feel inspired, share your thoughts and if you feel enraged, share your thoughts as well.  If you feel like damning me to hell then do so.  I don�t mind.  I�d rather be damned by you than by God.  You may think I�m an arrogant man who likes to shorten peoples fuse but I�m not.  I�m very serious about Islam.

 

Alhamdulillah, Sister Mishmish has answered your questions....

We as Muslims strive to obey Allah and His Messenger(saw) as much as possible. We have to answer Allah on the Day of Judgement for our deeds. We are in this world for a purpose and this is nothing but a test for us.

So, if you believe that, you will submit your will to Allah and earn Insha Allah in return a life of eternity ie. Paradise. Allah has kept a scope for forgiveness because He knows we are weak and may fall into sin. It is upto Him who He forgives and who He punishes.

I suggest you read the Quran in detail, also read the sayings of the Prophet(saw). Believe me it will help answer your questions. And of course, we will help you too. Insha Allah.

Wassalaam.

Bismillah irrahman irrahim

Assalamu alaikum

Allah swt says in Holy Quran that He created man to worship Him and on another place He created life and death to see who is better in conduct.  Allah swt has put in each and every individual a sense of what is right and what is wrong but His mercy does not end there, He send His Prophets(as) to give code of life, now with timings of prayer if it was in the times that we were absolutely free the how do you think that be a test for us? Allah swt put it in a time that we have to break our sleep and remember Him, it is some what hard on soul so Allah swt sees that what is dearer to us, Him or our precious sleep, now day time we are working, busy making money but the purpose of life is totaly different so through His complete mercy He puts salah in the time so we don't forget Him, again going away from what u rather be doing, making money that is, you break the net of your nafs and shaytan and say labaik to ur Lord,  last thing you are ever so tired at 11 at night but there is one last prayer so again a test of your will, so you see Allah swt ask us to remember Him and then He makes means for it.

All these rules which u mentioned they are there bcos Allah swt wants to see whether we comply to them or not, just sit down and think what is logic, it is which makes sense to a human, now be honest to urself does ur own self makes sense to u every time, sometimes ur heart or ur head says to u which is total alien to ur own logic, do u have complete knowledge of ur soul, just know that ur ability of understanding has a limit no matter how bigger genius you are, that is our test to give up what is dear to us for sake of Allah swt even though sometimes u dont understand it completely,

I think sister amah gave you an excellent advice, contemplate on Holy Quran and if you don't understand something, dont start questioning it straight away, ask Allah swt that you don't understand it and ask Him to make it easy for you, one thing i want2 say, is there some thing in ur life which is very dear to you and u know that its haram? give it up for sake of Allah swt, i know its going to be extremely hard but just try, even though it don't make sense at start believe me Allah swt will grant u understanding when u submit to His will with most difficult thing of your life, Allah swt says in Holy Quran 'is there any reward for good other than good' and you will find Him the ONE who keeps His promises and who is most rewarding

wassalam

Before continuing in this discussion I would like to say that I�m pleased to see everyone being calm and supportive.  I really admire that.

 

Answering and replying to your questions and comments:

 

Mishmish: 

First Comment;

Yesterday I read a post.  Someone was having trouble praying and they were blaming the devil.  We could argue about whether or not that is a logical blame.  I would blame myself before I blame the devil.  The most illogical response was a man who said, �Dry spit three times to the left.�  What does that mean?  Is that supposed to scar away demons or the devil?  Why can�t this person just stand up, do it over again and focus.  I�ll admit that I lost focus sometimes in prayer.  It doesn�t happen often but sometimes it does.  When that happens I stop, close my eyes, breath and relax to clear my mind and then start over with prayer.

 

Second Comment;

You said that we must remember Allah always and by praying five times a day we would remember him.  This way we will not steer away from the path.  I think we should give human beings more respect than that.  Are we so ignorant and blind that we can�t stay on a straight path for more than a few hours?  Sure some people are like that.  It reminds me of a clinical ill person who needs drugs every few hours to stay sane.  I pray three times a day.  I used to pray five but I didn�t find it helpful for me.  I pray first thing in the morning then after my day is finished and then before I sleep.

 

Third Comment:

I think so called �Scholars� disagree too much.  I don�t believe in the hijab all together.  I don�t see it mentioned in Quraan and I don�t see why it�s necessary when even women who wear hijab can be rapped.  So what if men look?  You can�t stop that.  It�s the mans fault for having a dirty mind, not yours.  If you reveal too much of your body then you have contributed to the sick mind of a man who will undress you in his head but believe me when I say that nothing can interrupt a mans thoughts when they are dirty.  It�s the character of the man and his respect that should be questioned here.  Not a woman hair.  I also don�t believe in being offensive.  If I�m in a place where most women wear hijab I will ask my wife to do the same.  Even if all the men are dressed a certain way I would want to imitate them out of respect.  I�m not saying, �When in Rome do what the Romans do,� because the Romans were sick people as are many people in the USA and all over the world.  I�m just saying that it�s harmless to show your hair when you are a confident, conservatively dressed person in the USA.  Even in Syria.  I only mention the tow countries I have lived in.

 

Fourth Comment:

I�m not risking a sin because I don�t see the sin.  If you say a tattoo is altering my body then is changing the color of your car altering the car?  No.  It�s changing the appearance.  A tattoo on my should is not as drastic as an entire cars paint job but it�s a similar situation.  I believe if I remove my hand intentionally or modify my bodies basic function then I�m altering my body.  Altering, not decorating.

 

Fifth Comment:

I am not embarrassed by my beliefs.  Where and when did Allah say I can�t shake your hand?  If you politely decline my hand shake I would smile at your and respect your belief.  Even if in the back of my mind I think you�re wrong I would respect your decision.  Personally I don�t see what�s wrong with a hand shake.  It�s confusing.  I walk into a room with women wearing hijab and I have no idea whose hand to shake and whose hand I shouldn�t.  Some women want a hand shake and some don�t.  It doesn�t bother me but it�s just something I think about.  Like this whole right hand right foot issue.  It�s silly.

 

Last Comment:

A few years ago I was what I call a, �Blind Muslim.�  I went to the Masjed every Friday and at least two times a week I was there for Fajr prayer.  I was always among the first 10 people in the Masjed on Friday and among the last to leave.  I prayed AT LEAST five times a day with all the sunnah prayers after and before.  It got old!  I felt like it was too much and it didn�t mean anything so I cut down to the basic five prayers and brief visit to the Masjed only on Fridays.  Then I started to learn more about Hadeeth.  This is when my outlook on Islam COMPLETELY changed.  I ONLY follow the Quraan.  There is nothing to prove Hadeeth.  If the prophet said to do something that is good then it�s safe to do it.  If he said to do something that doesn�t make sense and it�s not in the Quraan then I don�t think it�s something he ever said at all.  I study Islam regularly alone and with scholars and groups.

 

Amah:  I read the Quraan in detail.  I�m not an expert because I recently started.  If there is anything to learn here I will do so and I will always ask questions.  I appreciate your willingness to help.  I believe that the Quraan should be read with explicit attention to detail and with a solid foundation of Arabic.  The misinterpretation of the Quraan comes from the lack of understanding Arabic.  Even the best scholars in this world don�t always understand Arabic.  There is a very simple formula to use for those who don�t understand certain words.  It�s all WITHIN the Quraan and not just in our Arabic classes.  Hadeeth, however has not way to be proven true.  If it�s backed by the Quraan then I will believe it.

 

BlueSun:  No.  I don�t feel remorse.  I can�t feel remorse when I don�t believe I�m sinning.  I hope that makes sense.

 

Fatima:  There was once something in my life that I thought was dear.  GIRLFRIENDS and lots of them.  I was ignorant and I was more interested in my pleasure.  I will admit that it was then where I was remorseful and knew I was committing sins.  I gave it up because I knew it was wrong.  Now I�m happily married to woman who shares my religious beliefs.  Currently I don�t feel like I�m committing any sins.  Do you suspect anything?  LOL

 

Angel:  I�m glad to hear that.  I wasn�t only thinking about volleyball and shorts.  I hope you understood my point.