Thanks for the responses! Rockets R Us, I understand what you're saying, but I'm not really asking what the Qur'an says as much as I'm asking what's mainstream. I'm sure that there are many things in the Qur'an which aren't practiced by mainstream American muslims, just as there are goofy things in the christian bible that aren't practiced by mainstream christians. I asked about the sex/procreation thing because I know that Catholics teach that sex is only for the purposed of procreation and that masturbation is wrong. It made me wonder what sexuality and procreation stuff taught to muslims (and are those teachings followed in America by modern muslims?) Regarding the man-woman alone thing, I asked because in the video posted above, the muslim guy couldn't go to work and leave his guest alone in the house with his wife. Didn't know if you or other muslims here are the same way.
Thanks for the reply. I will refrain from commenting so that I don't derail the thread and make it a D&D thread.
Do muslims have an equivalent of "the ten commandments" Muslims generally follow the same guidelines as the ten commandments No, smokieethabear, I've never heard of Eid or any other Muslim holiday. Please elaborate on what holidays exists and what they represent. 2 Eids Eid ul Fitr - Celebration after Ramadan Eid ul Adha - Celebration after Pilgrimage (Hajj) Is there an equivalent "sabbath" day of rest each week? Explain sabbath. Friday is generally considered a rest day in many Muslim countries. Musims arent required to "rest" on any particular day Do you feel it's sacrilegious to depict Mohammad? I find it to be incorrect to depict, not only for Muhammad, but any prophet (Jesus, Moses, Adam)... Wait - you said the Walima (wedding reception?) is done AFTER the consummation? Are they waiting outside the hotel room, or something? There is no requirement to consumate the marriage before having the Walimah/Reception. This is cultural moose, You said, "All sins can be forgiven except shirk". What's shirk? Associating partners with God Are there foods that you aren't allowed to eat? There are guidelines to food that is permissible in Islam. Kind of like Kosher, it is generally referred to as "Halaal" food. From Wiki: Muslims are allowed to eat Kosher foods since they encompass most of the Halaal rules What do they teach you about sex? Procreation? Premarital Sex is forbidden. Sex is forbidden during menstration, Sex is encouraged amongst a man and his wife, as is procreation. Sex is forbidden anally. Do you study the qur'an daily? I wish... Studying the Quran is recommended, but simply reciting/listening to it being recited is also something that gets you rewards. (hence the numerous quran recitations on youtube/mp3 players, etc etc) Do you wear loose-fitting, robe-like garments? Sometimes, this is cultural tho. I do prefer to wear such clothes to the mosque because these are the "best" of my garments, and we should generally wear our best clothes to the mosque. Do you pray out loud? Do you chant? Depends, When you pray in congregation you are supposed to pray out loud. Chant? not really... Do they teach you that a man and a woman can't be alone together (saw this in the video above) Yes, But again, with moderation. If you are in a public setting, then ofcourse this is something that is part of the norm, but if a guy and a girl are in a car alone in some alley, then ya, its generally not kosher.
At the same time, the reason many people believe the beard to be mandatory is because the Prophet commanded his followers to keep the beard. Since it is not in the Quran, many say that it is just a "Sunnah", Others view the commandment as a mandate.
I don't have a wife, but I think thats solely between you and your partner. If the trust is there (and it should be, thats what should come with marriage) then I see no problem with it. Your wife should be trusting of you, and respectful towards your guests as you should be trusting of her, and respectful towards her guests. The mainstream belief is a confusing thing, because there is no "mainstream". The only mainsteam is based on the ground rules of the Quran, and all otherwise is more interpretation and understanding specific to the sect of the religion. This is similar to Christianity in that there is no "mainsteam" Christianity....the only mainsteam is that which all other sects agree on, and that which is the ground rules for the Bible. The rest of it is all sects and interpretations. Mainsteam muslims believe on the same basics as radical muslims too....the "radical" and "extreme" comes from the interpretation of key verses which are extrapolated to and given added meaning to further an agenda, similar to radicals of any religion. In terms of sex, I believe mainstream muslim view is that sex is for procreation and love between husband and wife. Extramarital and premartial sex is purely lust driven and thus frowned upon. That being said, I'm pretty sure there are many muslims in mainstream America that have been peer pressured (as have many religious church going boys and girls) into having sex. That doesn't make it right or any less sinful, but alas it is what it is and the only thing one can do is if one truly understands the error of his past ways and repents with a clean heart, seek forgiveness. I don't believe there is any Quranic base for the prohibition of masturbation....there are however many cited references from the "Hadith" that declare it as a bad thing. The "Hadith" is similar to part of the bible in that the Hadith is various stories and tales of the Prophet's life, commands, daily ritual that have been conveyed through a line of chain progression that has been cited and kept. Many muslims follow the hadith (sometimes incorrectly) as a secondary authority on most religious issues. However the debate between Hadith vs. Quran is one for another time. Mainsteam? Most know its seen as "bad" but still do it. Similar to Christianity once again. Geez it's like they're from the same lineage of faith or somethin.
True. I did forget to mention that the Prophet has been cited as commanding his followers at the time to keep a beard as to maintain a distinctness from the pagan tribes that were also in the area. This helped build identity in what was a young fragile growing religion and strength through identity. And once again this adds to the debate of some muslims taking Hadith and Sunnah as mandates versus some muslims taking it as relative to the context of it's place in time and it's intended consequence.
Oral sex has a difference of opinion, however in general, anything that isnt forbidden is OK... So if its not in the pooper or during that time of the month... As long as your partners coo with it... Masturbation is generally frowned upon. Many say that it is forbidden, some say it is just disliked and that you should not masturbate.
In Islam, we are taught that sexual acts are rewarded when done in the bounds of a Marriage between two lawful partners. Just as we would be sinful for having sex outside of marriage, we are rewarded for sex and pleasing each other after we are married. Procreation is definitely encouraged. As for the man being alone with woman, I personally wouldnt leave the plumber in the house alone with my wife...
Once of my biggest questions is as follows.... At one point I questioned my belief in Jesus as being the son of God. But when I gave a lot of thought to it, I realized that all he ever represented was pure love and peace. He said to love your enemies. He never harmed a fly, and instead would heal the wounded and the sick. He never took sides with people - he always preached that God was on all our sides. When I realized that I knew very little about Mohammad, I google'ed him. I discovered that he led armies into battle. He ordered beheadings of his enemies in order to deter other enemies. He did this during times when his religion was being attacked by Christians and Jews. Why do muslims deify Mohammad so much more greatly than Jesus when Jesus seems to be (to me, at least) such a dramatically closer representation of God's will?
Nope. I want this to completely be a learning experience. This i something I don't understand and I want to learn the muslim perspective. I don't intend to debate anything.
I feel like any responses to this would derail this thread from it's original purpose, and would lead towards more D&D discussion so I'll politely step aside. But to lightly touch on it (oh here goes the torch lighting the fire SMH) they were 2 different prophets with 2 different purposes. Their purpose wasn't to embody God; it was to spread God's message. The Prophet Mohammed was also well known as a kind person, helpful, generous, and honest. From his childhood he was known for his virtue and lofty conduct and was far removed from the prevalent vices of the day like idolatry, dishonesty, drinking, gambling, cowardice etc., which were the hallmarks of the Meccan society. His noble character stood him out as the most impeccable one-ever, to the point that his people called him as-Sadiq (the Truthful) and al-Amin (the Honest). They put their complete trust in him and always turned to him as an impartial judge in their frequent disputes. The turn toward war etc came from the circumstances surrounding his situation and his specific duties and guidance prescribed by God. In terms of "Deifying" Mohammed > Jesus I believe it's an incorrect assumption as well as an incorrect belief for many Muslims. Islam teaches us to be respectful towards all prophets, and follow their example. Some muslims tend to put Mohammed infront of all other prophets due to his status as the last prophet, thus carrying the final word of God, along with the repeated assertions in the Quran to follow the prophet's orders. But looking at this purely from a objective standpoint, Prophet Mohammed was the only one to have been given the direct orders from God via the Quran so following him specifically just make sense in the transitive property of things. He was the conduit of the message. This doesn't deny or nullify the importance of the contributions of the other prophets.
hmmm.....bummer. Well, okay. Must muslims give a certain percentage of their earnings to the church? Are you required to do a certain amount of community service? Do you have to go to distant places to do missionary work? Is there any sort of baptism ceremony? What about circumcision? Do you find that your parents follow the religion more strictly than you do? Do muslims believe that God punishes? Christians generally believe in "judgement day". Do muslims believe in anything like that?
Must muslims give a certain percentage of their earnings to the church? Yes. Charity is HEAVILY encouraged in Islam towards your fellow man (not just toward Muslims). Also at the end of Ramadan, Muslims are required to give a certain % of their annual savings to charity. During the other Eid (Eid Al-Fitr) many people also donate food, clothing, etc in large amounts to those in need. Are you required to do a certain amount of community service? Not required but most definitely encouraged. God doesn't intend to put you through hardship in the Islamic view; if your working 9-5 and supporting 5 kids, most likely you won't have time for some charity...however if you intend to do it when you do have free time, that'll suffice. Do you have to go to distant places to do missionary work? You don't have to go "distant" places; you can just speak about Islam to your friends/neighbors/colleagues who have an open mind. We're encouraged to show the goodness in Islam and bring people to God through our actions, even more so then words. By being a good muslim your being a good person, and by being a good person, your attracting the attention of those around you and can begin the discussion as to why you are who you are and what you follow. It is the concept known as "Da'wah" (literally means making an invitation). The missionary system in Islam is a sort of convoluted one. Often times it is corrupted (see the Middle East) and used to derive tribal/regional power rather then purely religious goodness. However this tide is now turning with the adaptation of many mainsteam American muslim missionary groups that are spreading the message of peace, love, and faith in one god with no attachments to political or regional agendas. Is there any sort of baptism ceremony? No, not that I know of. What about circumcision? Once again, not in the Quran. It is cited in Hadith however....male circumcision specifically, to help aid cleanliness. Female I've never heard of. Do you find that your parents follow the religion more strictly than you do? Yes, I think that's the case with most religions and in most cultures. With the way future continues to propel us forwards, its harder for us to hang out to our pasts. With faith, dedication, and guidance though, we can strive to still maintain a good balance. I also know that there are many things my parents and I have discussed that I've brought new evidence and interpretation to light on, that they've changed their view about. It is all about building understanding and knowledge through research, faith and discussion. Do muslims believe that God punishes? Yes as do most Abrahamic faiths. However God's mercy outweighs his punishment and with proper prayer and a clean heart, one can appeal for it. Christians generally believe in "judgement day". Do muslims believe in anything like that? Very VERY similar. Muslim's believe Jesus will come back, we believe in the concept of an anti-christ, and we also believe in the concept of actually standing up in front of god and being shown our life on rewind reel with highlights and low lights. This could go on in detail but I'll just say that it's very very similar and it carries the trend seen in the Torah and the Bible.
Is there a church "service" and when does it occur? how long does it last? how often do you attend? Are there any rituals that are performed during church? (eating bread, drinking wine, incense, holy water, etc.) What other books besides the Qur'an and Hadith are followed? Is there anything in muslim religion against the use of profanity? In your modern, American belief in Islam, are women equal to men?
Is there a church "service" and when does it occur? how long does it last? how often do you attend? I guess the most equivalent thing to a Sunday Sermon would be the Friday prayer sermon. Lasts about 15-20 mins, then prayer happens. Friday prayers are pretty obligatory across the board (but hey so is Sunday church right). Are there any rituals that are performed during church? (eating bread, drinking wine, incense, holy water, etc.) Nope. Just sitting and listening. What other books besides the Qur'an and Hadith are followed? Technically, the Quran should be the only book followed. It's the only book we're told to follow, and we're also told to believe what has been told to those who brought the messages before Prophet Mohammed so Prophet Jesus & Prophet Moses (Gospel, Torah). The main veins of righteousness and piety that run through these religions (amongst others) are evident. Is there anything in muslim religion against the use of profanity? Nothing specifically that says "profanity" but it goes in the same vein as being good, speaking good, doing good. In your modern, American belief in Islam, are women equal to men? Very much so. The middle eastern view and others have been distorted over the years from the original intent due to tribal and culturally held beliefs independent of the religion. Unfortunately these are the views that are typically depicted and not those of for example, the wife of the guy who's behind the Cordoba mosque initiative. If she wasn't equal, I doubt she'd be running the businesses as many muslim women do, or out in public doing the same things a man has the right to do.
