Assalamu Alaikum!
I am a recent convert to Islam and had some lifestyle questions. These are important to me so I beg your indulgence.
Music - Is all music haram? Or is it just that music that promotes or endorses sin? For example, what about instrumental classical (Mozart, Beethoven, et al)...
Islam is the way of life that makes the most sense. I believe that Allah (God) is One and the only One to be worshipped. I believe that Jesus (pbuh) taught this and also taught that what we do matters even more than what we believe as even Iblis believes in God. I used to have difficulty with...
I came to understand and appreciate the beauty of Islam by studying it through the lens of the Hadith of Jibreel and then reading a translation of the Qur'an. And thank goodness for the podcasts on Muslim Central and SeekersHub. I am looking for suggestions of other resources, in print or...
I know I am resurrecting a very old thread. Here is my question. I believe that the Qur'an is the best of all Hadiths, BUT that does not mean that I should reject ALL Hadiths. I would only reject those that contradict what is in the Qur'an. So as to Salat, the Salat as per the Hadiths fulfills...
There are always liberal unprogrammed Quaker meetings, Unity or UU churches. Generally they honor Jesus but tend to be more universalist in their leanings. Also you might want to expand your reading. Perhaps the Bhagavad Gita or A Course in Miracles.
I have my own personal practice based in an appreciation of historical Christian liturgy and Franciscan tradition combined with a belief in the priesthood of all believers and an inclusive / progressive outlook. I'm looking for constructive feedback. Thanks!
The Way of Jesus
We believe that...
I've updated my Daily Prayer to make it simpler and not borrow as much from other Abrahamic sources.
I developed a daily prayer for the morning and evening based upon the prayer practices and the information that we have about Abraham from the established Abrahamic religions. It is best to...
I know exactly what you mean. If you are still near Compton, CA there is a developing group of "unmosqued Muslims" and interested friends in the general Long Beach, CA who believe that Islam can be peaceful, tolerant, egalitarian, and inclusive and are interested in developing a welcoming space...
I ran across the Occidental Temple of the Wise Lord which was founded by Dr. Stephen Flowers, PhD and was wondering if anyone was familiar with them. They have a website and a group on Facebook. From their website: "The Occidental Temple of the Wise Lord is an entirely independent Western rite...
I have a lot of respect and honor for the Qur'an. I do not have a problem with the Qur'an as a book. I simply think ascribing inerrancy or infallibility to any text is problematic. At the same I do not think that only Hanifs are "saved". Many Muslims, Baha'is, Christians, Jews, Hindus...
Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Yes, Hanif is a term referenced in the Qur'an and was also historically used and also by scholars as a term for the pre-Islamic monotheists who believed themselves to be following the path of Abraham. Many Hanifs embraced Islam but not all (some were actually...
In this age of the decline of organized religion in the West, I am a Hanif who follows the ancient, simple faith of Abraham which predates all of the complications created by the establishments of later Abrahamic religious traditions including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha’i Faith...
Yes, there is only One Divine Reality. God is One so the God of Christianity and of Judaism and Islam and Vedanta (Brahman) and Sikhism and Baha'i and the Dharmakaya of Buddhism are ultimately the same (although we being finite creatures are unable to fully comprehend God anyways), whether He is...
I follow the teachings of Spiritism which is a specific set of spiritual teachings under the larger "umbrella" of Spiritualism. It has some roots in earlier teachings that were taught by such mystics as Emanuel Swedenborg and others.
Spiritism is the Third Primary Revelation of God (after Moses...
I would recommend "Buddhism for Today" by Nikkyo Niwano from Rissho Kosei-kai which provides a good overview of Buddhism through the lens of the Lotus Sutra which integrates core Buddhist teachings from the Theravada as well as Mahayana traditions. It is available as a free pdf download...
Since my spiritual seeking has involved Ahmadiyya Islam and the Baha'i Faith, I have been influenced by the spiritual discipline of doing something similar in Unitarian Christianity (which connects better to my own heritage culturally) to the "5 Pillars" which exist in Islam and Baha'i. So my...
We are all children of the same God (Ultimate Reality), but as fallible human beings we have the natural tendency to forget our interconnectedness with each other. This forgetfulness and ignorance can lead to anger, fear, and hatred of others. We then tend to elevate our desires over the needs...