Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
No, not on my reading list. What's his take on tassuwwuf and Sufism? I would very much like to know that.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
lolz, how tassawuf and sufism is related to this thread?
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I haven't. To be honest, as he's claimed to be a prophet, I openly reject him and I wouldn't go near any of his teachings anyway.
Lol. Talk about closing yourself off.
Would you read Lenin or Marx if you believe in capitalism? Of course you would. Why not read Mein Kampf to determine Hitler's views and how he came to acquire them? I've read Richard Dawkins' books as well. Doesn't mean I'm an atheist. The only thing you're in danger of is getting some context for the "other side", which makes it awfully hard to paint them as the bad guy, doesn't it?
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Lol. Talk about closing yourself off.
Would you read Lenin or Marx if you believe in capitalism? Of course you would. Why not read Mein Kampf to determine Hitler's views and how he came to acquire them? I've read Richard Dawkins' books as well. Doesn't mean I'm an atheist. The only thing you're in danger of is getting some context for the "other side", which makes it awfully hard to paint them as the bad guy, doesn't it?
Peace Ghost14
Reading someone is giving something of yourself to them too. If a person does not want to be subjected to the fitnah it is better for them to keep away as Captain Obvious has stated.
Closing oneself to something is called "kufr" in Arabic ... kufr should be done with some things.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I've read Richard Dawkins' books as well.
Why am I not surprised!
The bolded part is not true. Evolution is undeniable. Species evolve. Humanoids went from simple minded beings to our current day form. Something caused the development of the pre-frontal cortex. The tail bone is a remnant of our past. That's all evolution.
Like Med911 said, maybe God simply set the rules for the universe to evolve as it did.
If someone lacks sufficient knowledge in their native Deen then obviously studying Atheism and Ghulam Ahmadiyat is going to confuse them further...instead of giving them clarity of thought.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
you think reading dawkins is what makes people understand evolution? no sir.. high school biology will do that, especially with the ones whose minds havent been shut off with dogma.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Lol. Talk about closing yourself off.
Would you read Lenin or Marx if you believe in capitalism? Of course you would. Why not read Mein Kampf to determine Hitler's views and how he came to acquire them? I've read Richard Dawkins' books as well. Doesn't mean I'm an atheist. The only thing you're in danger of is getting some context for the "other side", which makes it awfully hard to paint them as the bad guy, doesn't it?
I already firmly reject his prophethood and being Mehdi, Messiah, etc. so the whys of their considering him a prophet and whatever else are no longer relevant. However there are plenty of works by authentic ulema that would be a better use of my time and energy, which I'm already not making time for. So anything from him would not be considered worth looking into before I get through the oceans of works by those who are more authentic.
As for reading the works that you've mentioned, that would be to acquire insight into their philosophies. So sure I would (hypothetically, given I have the free time and said works to go through) for purely educational purposes. My reason for studying religious works would be for guidance, which I would not look for in his works. Just in the same way that I would not look to the bible or any other religious scriptures for the same.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Why am I not surprised!
If someone lacks sufficient knowledge in their native Deen then obviously studying Atheism and Ghulam Ahmadiyat is going to confuse them further...instead of giving them clarity of thought.
No actually. Reading other works will not detract from your Deen but will force you to rexamine your views. Kind of like when Islamophobes read the Quran to see what Islam is really about, or how racists interact with people of other ethnicities. If your Deen is easily confused then you lack the proper understanding of why the principles of abstinence and self control in Islam make sense. Ignorance is bliss comes to mind.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I already firmly reject his prophethood and being Mehdi, Messiah, etc. so the whys of their considering him a prophet and whatever else are no longer relevant. However there are plenty of works by authentic ulema that would be a better use of my time and energy, which I'm already not making time for. So anything from him would not be considered worth looking into before I get through the oceans of works by those who are more authentic.
As for reading the works that you've mentioned, that would be to acquire insight into their philosophies. So sure I would (hypothetically, given I have the free time and said works to go through) for purely educational purposes. My reason for studying religious works would be for guidance, which I would not look for in his works. Just in the same way that I would not look to the bible or any other religious scriptures for the same.
I guess we differ in that. Religious study for academic purposes is not unheard of. Reza Aslan is a religious scholar who was recently in the news because the anchor at Fox News didn't believe that a Muslim scholar could write a book about Jesus without a hidden agenda. Religion **can **be studied without looking for guidance.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Personally, I cannot bring myself to believe that there haven't been or will not be any prophets after the Holy Prophet sw.. I just can't believe that God no longer talks to his people and gives them knowledge..
New teaching? Maybe not, but I don't think either God or religion are dead, regardless of the status of the Mirza G
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
As far as these writings are concerned, all I am able to collect from you guys is that they may be right, but most of you are too proud to accept the fact.. cuz no one has been able to produce a single sentence which one may find disagreeable.. But many of you are quick to critcize anyway..
SO I think we all need to take the middle path and read everything, pick up things we find agreeable, research fruther those things we don't and don't be so quick to judge or discredit someone..
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I think its not about arrogance and being proud. I would rather read works on Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and his ideology by mainstream scholars than to directly reading his works. Reason is simple, while reading works by a Hindu / Christian writer on their religion, I don't have any confusion that they have totally different ideology, but in case of Mirza Ghulam Ahmed, I do know that many of his ideas are contradictory and challenged by mainstream scholars.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Like what? And whos to say mainstreams are right about everything?
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I guess we differ in that. Religious study for academic purposes is not unheard of. Reza Aslan is a religious scholar who was recently in the news because the anchor at Fox News didn't believe that a Muslim scholar could write a book about Jesus without a hidden agenda. Religion **can **be studied without looking for guidance.
Of course it can be. My assumption here was that OP was asking about it from a spiritual perspective rather than an academic one. Even if it were to be for just gaining more knowledge or academic study, I have plenty to learn about my own deen first.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Personally, I cannot bring myself to believe that there haven't been or will not be any prophets after the Holy Prophet sw.. I just can't believe that God no longer talks to his people and gives them knowledge..
New teaching? Maybe not, but I don't think either God or religion are dead, regardless of the status of the Mirza G
Like what? And whos to say mainstreams are right about everything?
Peace wheresmycookie
There are lots of evidences for finality of prophethood ... So much so that it forms part of the 'aqeedah of Muslims which was written thousand years ago.
by holding the disbelief in finality one cannot then claim to be adherent to the first pillar of Islam.
Mainstream is again there for our understanding ... The jamaat is a clue for orthodoxy and authenticity.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
Like what? And whos to say mainstreams are right about everything?
Mainstream view was spread over 1300 years before this new view came.. So I would rather follow the chronological order first before jumping on a new thought that came around a hundred years ago. You are yourself saying 'I cannot bring myself to believe that there haven't been or will not be any prophets after the Holy Prophet sw', which shows a contradiction from mainstream thats why I would avoid to read such stuff creating these doubts.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
As far as these writings are concerned, all I am able to collect from you guys is that they may be right, but most of you are too proud to accept the fact.. cuz no one has been able to produce a single sentence which one may find disagreeable.. But many of you are quick to critcize anyway..
SO I think we all need to take the middle path and read everything, pick up things we find agreeable, research fruther those things we don't and don't be so quick to judge or discredit someone..
I may have read more books of mirza sahib then you, i even menned that i have gone to search for the old editions for the actual works.
If you want to discuss his writing, choose a topic and then we can discuss his teaching, choose topic that muslims beleive he has deviated so to remove misconception.
Secondly i would like that we should discuss his personal life as well to know authnticity/credibility of the author.
Regards
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
No actually. Reading other works will not detract from your Deen but will force you to rexamine your views. Kind of like when Islamophobes read the Quran to see what Islam is really about, or how racists interact with people of other ethnicities. If your Deen is easily confused then you lack the proper understanding of why the principles of abstinence and self control in Islam make sense. Ignorance is bliss comes to mind.
I don't think I have enough knowledge about Islam to 'rexamine' it. I haven't researched Quran and nor have you.
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
you think reading dawkins is what makes people understand evolution? no sir.. high school biology will do that, especially with the ones whose minds havent been shut off with dogma.
High school biology is a dogma funded by evolutionists - did you know that?
Re: Has anyone read the books of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad?
I guess we differ in that. Religious study for academic purposes is not unheard of. Reza Aslan is a religious scholar who was recently in the news because the anchor at Fox News didn't believe that a Muslim scholar could write a book about Jesus without a hidden agenda. Religion **can **be studied without looking for guidance.
Do you realise that you are only agreeing with what Captain O is saying?
Reza Aslan is an academic - he studies Jesus for a living - he makes money out of it. Yes, Captain O is also saying the same thing - but he is also saying he does not have time to study such books; stating that he is more likely to use his free time to study books that he can get guidance from.