thought provoking

[solidsnake]

Allah Almighty has commanded His believing servants to fear Him. It is as if He has gathered in this fear of Him every good, both immediate and delayed, then enjoined it upon His believing servants, that they may succeed and gain all the goodness and merits in it, as well as happiness and success. This He did in compassion to His believing servants, for He is ever Compassionate to the believers.


Taqwa, is the counsel that the Lord of Worlds gave both ancients and the latecomers. For there is no good, immediate or remote, outward or inward, but that the fear of God is the path leading to it and the means to reach it. And there is no evil, immediate or remote, outward or inward, but the fear of God is the strongest protection and most powerful defense against it, to escape its harm. How numerous are the benefactions and immense good fortunes said to depend on it by God the Formidable in His August Book. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]


Food for thought:
Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. The glory of Islam is to conquer by forgiveness. Life is an adventure in forgiveness. He who does not forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself, for every man has the need to be forgiven. The weak can never forgive, forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.

Mrs Iffat Hasan

I am repeatedly told that muslims aren't after world domination, they just want the freedom to practise their religion without fear of reprisals, now please explain what and who you need to conquer with "forgiveness"

[shaad_lko]

it is to conquer the heart and minds of free people.. and that can be done only by love and reason.

[DocW]

it is to conquer the heart and minds of free people.. and that can be done only by love and reason.

Many thanks bro Shaad. This remains my understanding as well. We are not going to conquer the world by forgiving but will win the hearts and minds of people by our attitude and behaviour.

[Hawkeye]

it is to conquer the heart and minds of free people.. and that can be done only by love and reason.

Who is doing the conquering? I ask because of something CS Lewis said:

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

Can you elaborate on what it means to be a 'free' people and do they remain free?

[shaad_lko]

Free people - Man chooses freely what God wills - this is true for all, even atheists. In Islam, you just do so with the recognition that you are serving God. And service to man is service to God.

You have to see that the term "Muslim" is wider than a human being. The entire universe is Muslim as it has submitted to the laws set for it by God. These are natural laws - man has been given limited free will and to be a Muslim in the human domain is simply to recognize that whatever you are doing is for the sake of God. Otherwise, no one has any option but to submit to God..

Take care.

[Hawkeye]

Free people - Man chooses freely what God wills - this is true for all, even atheists. In Islam, you just do so with the recognition that you are serving God. And service to man is service to God.

Unless I am not understanding this you appear to be saying that man has no free choice at all IF he has to choose what God wills?

[DocW]

Unless I am not understanding this you appear to be saying that man has no free choice at all IF he has to choose what God wills?

Man has free will to choose between right and wrong. The right path is God's way. Free will means he can choose right or wrong. It does not mean he can do what he likes and then on Day of Judgment is rewarded with Paradise. Toe arn Paradise man ahs to follow Gods way and choose it.

[DocW]

We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do.
-- Ethel Barrett

I will make a bargain with the Republicans. If they will stop telling lies about Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.
-- Adlai E. Stevenson

The art of simplicity is a puzzle of complexity.
-- Doug Horton


Love matches are made by people who are content, for a month of honey, to condemn themselves to a life of vinegar.
-- Countess of Blessington

No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined.
-- Source Unknown

[DocW]

My beloved is only water, which is always flowing, and doesn't deceive, which is always flowing, and doesn't change, which is always flowing, and doesn't end.
-- Juan Ramón Jiménes

It is difficult to live in the present, ridiculous to live in the future, and impossible to live in the past. Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.
-- Jim Bishop

Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods. So let us celebrate the struggle!
-- Swahili Warrior Song

Truth will lose its credit, if delivered by a person that has none.
-- Bishop Robert South

[shaad_lko]

Unless I am not understanding this you appear to be saying that man has no free choice at all IF he has to choose what God wills?

to add to what Doc said, freewill from the pov of man is relative, not absolute. We very well know that the consequences of our actions (worldly, not just religious) are not in our control - the same applies to our moral actions. Thus it is that in reality the judgement is made on intent and not what we actually commit or omit - the Almighty circumscribes all our acts and has power over them without in any way diminisihing our relative independence. The Quran comments on man's attitude thus:

Whenever any trouble befalls a person, he prays to Us all the time, lying on his side, sitting or standing; but when We remove his trouble, he goes on his way as if he had never prayed to Us for the removal of his trouble. Thus it is that the doings of the transgressors are made to look fair to them. (10:12)

Primarily, the test is one of gratefulness versus being ungrateful..

[DocW]

Prose books are the show dogs I breed and sell to support my cat.
-- Robert Graves

When you fall, don't get up empty handed
-- Source Unknown

[DocW]

Satan also uses obscene scenes to lead believers astray. He torments us with call to illicit pleasures. On such occasions, we must remind ourselves that indulging in any illicit pleasure will engender remorse and may engender both our present and future lives. We must never forget that the life of this world is but a passing plaything, a comforting illusion, and that the real or true life is that of the Hereafter.


When Satan whispers evil thoughts, believers should realize that he is using his weakest strategy and it can be ignored. Dwelling on such thoughts only exaggerates and aggravates our weakness or susceptibility. We also must avoid heedlessness and make sure that we do not neglect of worship, for such oversights attract Satan's attention. If we remember the All-Merciful, focus on noble or sacred phenomena and living a religious life, we will be able to resist Satan. [M. Fethullah Gulen]


Food for thought:
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Life belongs to the living and he who lives must be prepared for changes. Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens -- the sleeper must awaken. The world hates change, but it is the only thing that has brought progress.

Mrs Iffat Hasan

[knowledge seeker]

I've got the brain of a four year old. I'll bet he was glad to be rid of it.

Groucho Marx

I can't connect the dots, what does it mean? if someone can tell me here.

[Hawkeye]

I've got the brain of a four year old. I'll bet he was glad to be rid of it.

Groucho Marx

I can't connect the dots, what does it mean? if someone can tell me here.

Some quotes don't 'mean' anything they are just for fun or show up oddities in English as in this one.

[knowledge seeker]

Some quotes don't 'mean' anything they are just for fun or show up oddities in English as in this one.

are you serious? Its not funny. There is some deep meaning in that quote, I know, but I can't reach to.