Is Islam a universal religion.

[LuisDantas]

We don't hate Atheists or Agnostics. They deny Word of Revelation al-right but they uphold reason and rationality; two of the three sources of human knowledge, so dear to a truthful believer. We don't judge them; to do absolute judgement is an attribute of the Lord of the Day of Judgement, and that would be in the afterlife, I agree with FOuad here. They are with us fighting against mythical concepts and superstitions.

Just for non-believing there is no retribution in this world; unless one becomes a hardened enemy additionally with non-believing.

Atheists or Agnostics are an important segment of humans though they claim to have no religion as I understand; yet we have all love and sympathy with them; they could join the truthful religion as and when they are convinced heart and soul; the door is open to them as it is to anybody else.

This way the universality of the truthful religion remains intact, in my opinion.

That is what I believe sincerely; others could differ with me; no compulsion.

An inspiring perspective, I must say. But still a fairly puzzling one in its insistence in belief in God. I just don't see how a religion can have it all the while claiming to be Universal. But hey, I suppose anyone can disagree.

 

[England my lionheart]

Muhammed was sent to all humanity not just to Arabs. I thought you knew that.

The Qur'an is in Arabic,Surat An Naml would be impossible to read for the simple reason that my level of Arabic is salam aliakum,aliakum salam,English translations are inferior in understanding the true meaning of the message,thats what I've been told many times by Muslims.

IMO Muhammed was just for the Arabs,at least until Islam was offered to others ,just as the characters in the OT were for their people and culture,i think for something to be universal with a clear message you shouldn't need someone else to tell you what it means,just my take.

 

[LuisDantas]

People may learn Arabic without being Arabs. It is perhaps not convenient, but IMO it is not enough of a hardship to justify saying that it is not (potentially) universal.

Incidentally, similar language barriers exist to some degree in other faiths as well.

 

[Jainarayan]

Incidentally, similar language barriers exist to some degree in other faiths as well.

Yes, you will get die-hard-fundamentalist-full-of-themselves Hindus (primarily on the internet) who claim that unless Sanskrit is pronounced impeccably, the mantras will have no meaning or effect. Well, what is impeccably? Is someone who has some kind of speech impediment barred from communing with the divine? Hitting a wrong note in a musical piece is one thing, it does ruin the piece. But communicating with the divine should be beyond human language.

 

[Foxfire]

Nonie Darwish is either a liar, or ignorant. Either driving sensational nonsense to an ignorant crowd, or brought up with no education.

Yeah, I see you "googled' her. NOT. What a joke.

 

[Foxfire]

Please be so kind as to present your definition of "religion".

Religion is a form of worship. Islam is an entire package of supposed "religion" but guess what else you get? Do you know what the Caliphate is?

 

[Foxfire]

Just when I thought I could get through the day without hard liquor, you have to say that.

It's the truth. I hope someday you will see that before it's too late.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Religion is a form of worship. Islam is an entire package of supposed "religion" but guess what else you get? Islam is a sham. It's the wolf dressed as a lamb bleating at your door. Islam is an ancient tribal custom of laws that denigrate one half of the human race. Islam is simply Arab superiority intent on enslaving the planet in Sharia Law. Do you know what the Caliphate is?

Having had my years worth of study on Islam (my knowledge is regressing though) I know all of this stuff and I am sure you are just informed on the biased perspective of it.
Every Muslim wants the Kalifah back but it will never happen.

Also did you forget the part about the Bible having an OT and how it to is based ofl tribal custom as with all of the Biblical mythology. It is born out of the Semitic regions and what not.
Also did I forget to mention the NT which is exceedingly just as worst .
Lets not forget the "CHristian Kalifah" which was Europe and sent them into the dark ages.

 

[paarsurrey]

All religions have aspects that appeal to humanity and are universal .. All religions also have unique characteristics about them.

Islam in my view is a "universal religion"..in it's spiritual teachings it is universal. It's also true that there are universal aspects in other religions as well..

The topic is not "Is Islam the only universal religion"; it is "Is Islam a universal religion", I think for the purpose of this discussion we don't have to make it exclusive for other religions.

I may agree with you.

To make it exclusive for a religion; that religion must provide the claim and reason both from their original Word revealed in the original language; if not in detail at least in germane.

 

[paarsurrey]

Islam isn't even a religion. It is ideology at its worst with regards to human rights.

I'm with Nonie Darwish, an ex-Muslim:

Please just quote one such verse from Quran, not many; and please prove your or her point of view from the verse and the verses in the context.

Thanks

 

[paarsurrey]

As I understand it, that's not the problem... If I'm not wrong a universalistic religion would include everyone being "saved" (granted paradise, nirvana or whatever else equivalent) either straight away or in some time.

In traditional Islam, there are some people who are in Hell eternally... So that's not universal. I don't know about shia and sufi but iirc ahmadiyya are universalistic.

Hell is not that eternal as is the heaven; it is a relative concept. A moment of painful treatment could be perceived very long.

 

[paarsurrey]

The Qur'an is in Arabic,Surat An Naml would be impossible to read for the simple reason that my level of Arabic is salam aliakum,aliakum salam,English translations are inferior in understanding the true meaning of the message,thats what I've been told many times by Muslims.

IMO Muhammed was just for the Arabs,at least until Islam was offered to others ,just as the characters in the OT were for their people and culture,i think for something to be universal with a clear message you shouldn't need someone else to tell you what it means,just my take.

Did you study Quran from cover to cover yourself and formed that opinion? Please

One may like to read my posts in the thread <Ants, birds and Jinns: Solomon&#8217;s time>
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/3092071-post6.html

 

[paarsurrey]

Yes, you will get die-hard-fundamentalist-full-of-themselves Hindus (primarily on the internet) who claim that unless Sanskrit is pronounced impeccably, the mantras will have no meaning or effect. Well, what is impeccably? Is someone who has some kind of speech impediment barred from communing with the divine? Hitting a wrong note in a musical piece is one thing, it does ruin the piece. But communicating with the divine should be beyond human language.

I think all languages are from God; in the sense humans don't control them; these emerge and die with the people. If the people are civilised; the language will be civil; if the people are evil, language will accommodate them also.

The Message is important and must be always focused; but when one has to go deeper into research; then of course one has to go deeper in the word/s, the sentences, the metaphors, the diction, the proverbs, the usage, the context etc.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Islam tries to be a universal religion, but falls short. It's too indebted to the Arabic culture. Muslims like to state that most Muslims aren't even Arabic, and this is true. However, all the non-Arabic cultures that have accepted Islam still have to accept some Arabic culture with it. The most notable is the language of Arabic. If a religion were truly universal, then it's texts would be understandable in whatever language the people speak where it's presented. But this isn't true with Islam. Muslims will tell you, and the Quran states, that the Quran can only be properly understood in Arabic. This right here is the primary evidence that Islam cannot be a universal religion.

 

[Foxfire]

Please just quote one such verse from Quran, not many; and please prove your or her point of view from the verse and the verses in the context.

Thanks

I don't have to quote anything from a book. I have a brain and I know how to use it. You can hide behind a book all you want. How's that working for you?

 

[YmirGF]

I don't have to quote anything from a book. I have a brain and I know how to use it. You can hide behind a book all you want. How's that working for you?

Not very well, apparently, but it is fun watching all the mental gymnastics.

 

[illykitty]

I don't have to quote anything from a book. I have a brain and I know how to use it. You can hide behind a book all you want. How's that working for you?

Maybe your arguments would stand up better if you did. Have you ever read the Quran? Or are you basing everything on something you read online about one person who hates Islam?

 

[paarsurrey]

I don't have to quote anything from a book. I have a brain and I know how to use it. You can hide behind a book all you want. How's that working for you?

So, it was not your own observation made while reading Quran yourself. There is nothing like that in Quran.

Thanks friend

 

[LuisDantas]

Islam tries to be a universal religion, but falls short. It's too indebted to the Arabic culture. Muslims like to state that most Muslims aren't even Arabic, and this is true. However, all the non-Arabic cultures that have accepted Islam still have to accept some Arabic culture with it. The most notable is the language of Arabic. If a religion were truly universal, then it's texts would be understandable in whatever language the people speak where it's presented. But this isn't true with Islam. Muslims will tell you, and the Quran states, that the Quran can only be properly understood in Arabic. This right here is the primary evidence that Islam cannot be a universal religion.

I beg to differ. It is certainly true that the religion of Islam is partial towards the Arabic language and therefore implies or even states outright that it is somehow closer to God than other languages.

However, to the best of our knowledge Arabic can be learned by people of pretty much every place or culture, so it does not follow that the Quran can't be properly understood by potentially everyone.

I don't see how Islam could ever be truly universal, but I don't think the language is a reason why.

 

[Sha'irullah]

I beg to differ. It is certainly true that the religion of Islam is partial towards the Arabic language and therefore implies or even states outright that it is somehow closer to God than other languages.

However, to the best of our knowledge Arabic can be learned by people of pretty much every place or culture, so it does not follow that the Quran can't be properly understood by potentially everyone.

I don't see how Islam could ever be truly universal, but I don't think the language is a reason why.

When I use to go to my local masjid I was told how the Qur'an can only truly be understood in the Classical Arabic ir was written in which was indeed true. Most Muslims will tell you that a Qur'an is not a real Qur'an unless it is in the original Arabic which makes English Qur'ans just useless copies.
Language is indeed an aspect denying Islam of its universal appeal. Did I mention that all forms of worship during Salah must be in Arabic and that to offer Dua (supplications) they must be in Arabic as well. All forms of prayer are to be in Arabic because for some reason it is a "holy language".
Islam's demand on Arabic is more higher then you think