To those who follow the Sunnah Only

Assalamu Alaikum Brother Peacemaker and Sisters:

This is a sad subject. As someone who came to Islam as an adult with a very inquisitive mind and a need to be shown what I am being told, I feel that it is a necessity that daleel be given on all matters. Even with daleel there will still be some disagreements, but not all daleel is a clear cut matter.

Sister, could you explain what daleel means?  I thought it simply meant guidance, but maybe I am missing something.

If we are not supposed to discuss these things, how will we be able to learn? I think that anyone should be allowed to question something they don't understand, or which doesn't make sense, but they should do so in a respectful manner.

ISA we can discuss and learn continually.  Ameen.  Next week or next year we may learn something new which changes our perspective on things.  ISA we will be flexible and intuitive and kind with each other.

When I was first learning about Islam, if I had been made to feel bad for asking the hard questions, I probably would have given up. You must be able to answer questions and present proof without taking it personally. Just as someone who is asking a question or seeking an answer should not be made to feel as if they are doing something wrong for asking. No matter what the question. If the matter wasn't bothering them, they probably wouldn't ask.

Ameen.

I personally ask questions and if something just doesn't make sense I want to know why. That does not mean that I reject something, that means I need to understand it fully before I can accept it. It has to have some basis in logic, and some Islamic proof. I am not trying to be difficult, this is the way my mind functions. That is why I always ask for the daleel. This is something that Aisha, the wife of the Prophet(PBUH) did also. She would ask until it made sense to her. There is nothing wrong in this, and if you don't ask until you get a satisfactory answer, then you will always have a doubt.

I also believe if someone is rejecting an opinion, then they should have proof for this rejection. They should bring forth the Ayat, Hadith, or opinion, that gives them reason to doubt. I think this is only fair. If you cannot give a valid, Islamic reason for why you reject or accept something, then that is your opinion and should not be argued as based in Islam.

You know, Sister, this is very reasonable and yet not at the same time.  Since this applies directly to me, I will mention my feelings on this to you.  You see, I am not the person quoting from the Quran in places where it says:  The misguided will go to hell, in support of totally unrelated hadith.  I am the one who believes in the Quran in a literal and interpretive manner, as many other humans do on this earth, but they just don't happen to be on this IC forum.  So I feel I represent them and their voice.  There are many, many Muslims who simply walk away from discussion (and Mosques) because they cannot continue to feel berated and ostracized.

Simply, I studied the Bible (and the Book of Mormon set) for many years, and then I studied about other religions and most deeply about Islam with the Holy Quran and a copy of the collection of Sahih Muslim.  However,  my books were stolen, so I have only recently gotten a copy of the Quran which I like to read.  So I got out of the habit of studying those things, but the knowledge is in my brain and heart.  And sorry, but I am not going to take the time to quote each little thing that I remember, but if anyone wishes to say my memory is wrong, they are welcome to quote against that.

I am saying that my opinion is Islaamic because I am a Muslim who has studied and knows a lot of stuff about our deen.  Sorry if you think I should quote, but I doubt that I will.  And I feel that Allah, SWT, inspires us all, and it is hard to break down that inspiration to others sometimes.  However, this inspriation is a valid Islaamic source.  Peace.

The question of music is a very old one and many scholars have different opinions. There are Hadith in which the Prophet allowed music, singing, and dancing. If these were completely forbidden, the Prophet would not have allowed such things, nor taken part in them. There are also Hadith which name certain instruments as haraam, and music as whole. Since, some was allowed and some forbidden, it would be entirely safe to say that music is Makhruh, and you must make up your own mind.  It is entirely up to the individual, as all things always are in the end.

How many Muslims play the wind instruments?  We just don't accept that hadith.  This is about Jinn and the presence of Jinn and the evil they can do.  We are also disallowed whistling according to that hadith or family of hadiths.  Others may quote that and say anyone who violates it is in trouble, but others of us just refuse to acknowledge that because it is SILLY.  There are mountains of evidence to refute the witchcraft like fear and practices people have against the Jinn.  Me and others like me just refuse to believe that wind is evil and that Jinn live in the bathroom pipes.  Go figure!

Once you have given your daleel on any subject, you have done the best that you can do. There is no point in arguing further, as you have done your duty as a Muslim, and there is no compulsion in religion. We cannot force another Muslim to conform to something, either for or against, if they do not choose to do so.

My whole point is trying to get hardliners to communicate with people like me in non-offensive, non-attacking ways.  It's not really working though because people keep wanting to think that I'm taking their behavior personally when I'm really just on a small jihad to help us respect each other and learn how to talk respectfully.  This is the basis of community building.

What we have to remember is that Allah(SWT) gave us all free will and the ability to process knowledge and seek logic. Your way of processing or understanding something may be totally different from mine, and mine will different from the Sister or Brother next door. If Allah(SWT) had wanted us all to think and be the same, He would have created us that way. So we should accept our differences, point out the right and prohibit the wrong, but in a peaceful, respectful manner that does not make anyone feel personally attacked or denigrated in anyway.

Yes, this is the crux of the whole issue.  How can we do this?  Maybe if we figure it out, the rest of the world will be guided by our model of civil cooperation and respectful discourse.  (What a burden!! Hee hee.)

Alwardah wrote: Is this an Islamic Forum? Sometimes I really wonder.

me too