Hello from Ireland

 

Selamat datang sahabat.

 

Hi Bare, I wonder whether you still understand my first welcoming words to you. I believe you do.

 

I do not have friends or relative in USA except a friend's daughter in Las Vegas. How is Ramadhan there? Are you not missing chendol or kueh lapis that can be found here in plentiful?

 

I bet you do.

 

Till next time.

 

Salam persahabatan.

 

I will leave this and go to the other place you recommended for posting. I am just putting this here in case you don't see it somewhere else. I am not 'Muslim' in your understanding of the word - and was not raised Muslim. I am Irish, in Ireland and was raised Catholic Christian. Cead mile failte. (One hundred thousand welcomes)  I have only started to look at aspects of Islam since January of this year - because of meeting a Muslim friend. It was strange. He was a man who had 'lost' his way, but in many ways a man of great faith. How can you lose your way with 'great faith' ? Like it all - it's a great paradox it seems. You have to be lost to be found some times.  

 

I had 'lost' my way too, and wanted to get back to 'seeking God' - something that has always driven me at some level. So the two of us began a journey and it continues. I find the Sufi tradition - or some of those parts of it I have read, very interesting - appealing. It's sounds VERY similar to the 'mystical tradition' in Catholic Christianity. The Creator is sought through and above the Creation. And the Creation is loved the greater, the more we truly seek the Creator in, through and above it all. I honestly believe that there are those in this world who speak exactly the same lanuage spiritually - even though they seem to come from different 'religions' / traditions. You hear what they say and it makes sense to you. That 'unholy' fear does not govern their 'religious' lives in any way - but they are motivated by a desire to seek and truly love God - Allah, the Creator just for being Creator. If I seek God, because of Heaven/Jannah. Then I seek God because of the creation rather than the Creator. I am motivated by love of the creation, the 'reward' - more than a true love of the Creator - God/Allah.  Even in this life, if I love someone because of what they can give me. I don't truly love them at all. In the Christian tradition it says somewhere, "perfect love casts out all fear." Some times I look at the religions of the world, and the divisions they create in and amongst themselves - and you are 'tempted' to stop believing at all. It can be depressing for a time to witness all the stife, supposedly in the 'name of God'. Then perhaps circumstances transpire to create a place in your heart/life where you can let fear go, and begin to rise above and beyond all of theml - 'religions' - where God really is. I am sure I am the worst of heretics and a blasphemer and should be burned at the stake.  When the fear begins to lose its grip, and you can begin to 'see' the Creator in all of them, and in all 'religions'.  I don't know - it's a journey as you know. Maybe that is the way of true Islam - and the real 'way of peace'. I don't know. I am still very 'lost' in so much of it, but learn more as times passes just to 'submit' in that too. If God really is transcendent - then we can waste a lot of energy trying to put God in our respective little boxes, making God in our image - rather than God comforming us to the 'image of God' - in christian religion - to become truly Christ like. I don't know and I don't worry. But I do like to hear what all others have to say :-) God bless and I will go to that other place now.

 

There is a song - sung beautifully by an Irish singer, Mary Black -

 

and a few of the lyrics come to mind............   seem appropriate........

 

 ".......To hold us 'til the day
When fear will lose its grip
And heaven has its way..........

Heaven have its ways.....     for.....

Heaven knows no frontiers......

And I've seen heaven in your eyes.

 

________________________________

 

:-) Take care of yourself there.

i dont quite understand ur post..but all i can say is that when you have in ur mind, heart and soul of fear for ALLAH,tHE ONE AND ONLY GOD,what others said or do cant and wont bring you down. I was sadly to say,was just a muslim by name,never really practising but eversince i got married to a convert,who is a born christian, i start to guide my every steps. i hate myself for the person i was before and there was never a time that i didnt looked back to my old past and regret every single things and places that had caused me so much neglegient. But of course, my changed wasnt like by others. i felt dejected when being mocked, but i prayed  and repent and its amazing that i felt like im just been born. Just believe and trust ur own self. There are ppl who wudnt like others changing and will constantly try to bring us down and sometimes we felt like it but each time, we remember Allah, it will makes us stronger.