If Islam...

Society Religion & Philosophy
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i will try to express my thoughts as best i am able to Insha’Allah, but my thoughts are a bit confused right now. So all of this might be jumbled up. Apologies in advance for that.

Islam → means ‘to surrender/to submit’ to the Will of Allah
Muslim —> one who surrenders/one who submits to the Will of Allah
Therefore —> from this surrender (taslim) comes peace (salam).

Islam is meant as the blueprint for our lives. Right? Right. It’s supposed to give us peace if properly implemented. Right? Right.

So, bearing the above facts in mind. Why is it that so many Muslims, and i am thinking right now of Imams in particular who in theory are supposed to possess a great deal of knowledge regarding Islam, and not only possession of wisdom but they are the ones whom society looks upto in the sense that in theory they are the ones who implement that wisdom from the moment they open their eyes in the morning to sleeping at night; they are the ones whom married couples turn to for marriage counselling, they are the ones who lead janaza prayers, they are the ones who offer Islamic guidance to individuals in the community, they try to help others (in theory). So - Islam means surrender, and a Muslim is one who surrenders, and through this surrender a person is meant to come to ‘peace’, why is it that so many of these Imams seem so angry all of the time? Not all Imams, but many of them. i watch Islamic programmes on tv and always hope that i will catch a good show regarding Islam, something that will educate me. But 70-75% of the time, i end up watching a very angry Imam, literally screaming at the congregation, presenting a talk in such a fierce manner that one can’t help but feel scared. i mean, i understand yes you want to instill fear in the hearts of those who are listening to you…but - really, sometimes, sometimes, something can be stated more effectively in a whisper than it can by screaming at someone.

When did Hazrat Muhammad, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, ever scream at someone?

You end up feeling disheartened, disillusioned. i end up switching the tv off. i am not asking them to be great orators. i am asking them to speak as though they are human…show some sympathy for your fellow human beings who look upto you, in your privileged clerical position, for guidance and understanding and kindness.

If Islam is supposed to give peace, then why do they sound so angry all the time ? Do i make sense ? When i think of someone who is TRULY, TRULY, TRULY on the path of Islam, i think of someone who exudes peace inside and outside, who understands what this world is about, who deals peacefully in her/his interactions with others… but 75% of these Imams, for me in MY very-faulty eyes, don’t do that… i dunno.

SOME of the best Imams i have found are those who are reverts. Think of that what you may. For me, it is based upon what i have observed and heard with my eyes and ears.

Anyways i am certain this thread doesn’t make sense to anyone so i’ll just stop blabbing now. Sorry if i offended anyone. NOT my intention whatsoever.

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u cud have put forward better reasons for imams to present the matter in a more polite manner....
the "islam" and "peace" thing isnt really reason enough....
without screaming their heads off and developing the need of "namak ke gharaaray" after the speech....

Moosa (as) being advised by Allah when he was sent to call Fir'awn to Islam....
Quran 20:44
And speak unto him a gentle word, that peradventure he may heed or fear

the verse that made many scholars never raise their voices and stopped them from yelling....
Quran 49:2
O ye who believe! Lift not up your voices above the voice of the Prophet....

one reason that i can think of is the cultural aspect....
in pakistan if u hear a molvi saab who doesnt speak in that roaring manner, then people say that he lacks the "josh"....
they want something more loud and tearing....
why do u think sultan rahi was so popular in pakistani movies????

here in bahrain, with the exception of a few, i hardly see any imam yelling and screaming....
most of them always try to keep a smile on their faces, addresing one in the most gentle and kind manner....
raising their voices high in the "khutba" on rare occasions when it is really called for....

sometimes one just gets annoyed with questions that he/she thinks r too silly and basic....
one can also be frustrated when he/she sees no effect of a long struggle....
or perhaps a question is repeated so many times that one just gets annoyed with it....

they r humans

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Assalaamu Alaikum Armughal :flower1:

Thank you for your thought-out reply. i appreciate it :slight_smile: :flower1:

No, i think my use of the word ‘peace’ to describe this, is FULLY appropriate. Why? Because for me, if a human being submits to Islam completely, if you REALLY REALLY follow Islam thoroughly in the manner in which Allah Intends for it to be followed, then a person will manifest peace in every single act they do. A person will reach peace with himself, a person will reach peace with others, and a person will reach peace with every situation that happens to him in this world. A true Muslim understands that every leaf that falls to the ground, is by the Will of Allah. The struggle for money, wealth, beauty, material possessions, vanity, lies, deceit, everything falls by the wayside as the true Muslim realizes her/his purpose in life - to worship Allah.

Khair, i’m going off on a tangent. If the Imams were genuinely “into” what they read in the Quran, then i think 99.8% of that anger would not exist. Yes they can get impatient, yes maybe the question has been asked many times…but the person who asked the question, is human too. The couple who want to seek marital counselling - they are humans too. If Imams get angry and show their anger, literally screaming at their congregation, tau phir who are the quieter/weaker people going to turn to for guidance when they need help? You are scaring the ones who could really benefit from that guidance, by delivering khutbas in this manner. A whispered word, is sometimes more effective than an angry storm of 1000 words.

The ones that you refer to in Bahrain - Masha’Allah for that. i would like to see more of them.

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what can i say nadia, they just ignore....
i am sure they r all well-versed with ahadith and am sure there r a score of hadith which tell a person to be calm and polite....
and being an imam is a big responsibiltity, it shud ease one down....
as abu bakar (as) said of umar (ra) when some companions complained of umar's strict nature on his nomination for capilhate, "the responsibility will soften him"....
u cud just let a person go off to a wrong track by disappointing him whe he consults u (as an imam)....
and surely u have to handle the responsibility in the best way....

Quran 4:148
Allah loveth not the utterance of harsh speech....

but some think that one who speaks the loudest is the most truthful....

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A nice thread! Rarely do I come across an article where the addressees are Muslims.
Otherwise mostly a so called good Muslim is always busy in convincing non Muslims that Islam is a peaceful religion.
It is very a good questioning. Why majority of Imams are so angry people. They read Quran day and night, and the result is so opposite to peace of mind. What disturbs them?

(? Islam means just ‘submission’ or ‘submission to the will of Allah’?)

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Islam means, as the meaning of the word, submission....
but submission alone wud be a very vague meaning, hence it is usually translated as "submission to the will of Allah"....

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waqee aksar onchi awaz main baat kartay hain. maghar sub nahi. ahl e tareeqat main se jin ko hum nay suna ... sub hi naram awaz o khush kalam rahay.

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Islam means submission to Mullahs. Come on, you were born free with the ability to reason. why do you need to be submissive to any body. I don’t think God (if you think He exists) could have asked any body for submission. It is about time you have reveiwed your slave mentality. religion is a worst kind of Tyranny. who do you think are the most powerfull people in the world? the religious leaders. The Pope and Mullahs in Mecca for example. They try their best to put fear of something which is non-existant, in you to make sure that you are always in need of them(Mullahs). If you think there is a God then go direct why do you need Mullahs. they don’t know more than you. well you dont have to know anything other than that God is watching you and He will answer your prayers. Trust me you need to get rid of Mullahs, whom you might like to call scholars, they are bunch of poofs.

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^
mullahs r like teachers....

and everyone needs a teacher....

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So you’re God’s foreign minister :rotfl:

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Considering all the attributes YOU like to attach to God(I don’t feel like naming them here), God don’t need human being to worship Him. God can not enslave humans cos that will be contradictory to what God is supposed to be, A mercifull, benevolent, caring and, of course, Allmighty. Oh, God;s foreign minister, NO I don’t have to work for God, I am my own boss, BTW God has a foreign minister all ready working for Him, Allmighty SATAN…

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Sherbhai, why don’t you start a separate Atheist thread! Here you are only creating disturbance.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by anjjan: *
Sherbhai, why don’t you start a separate Atheist thread! Here you are only creating disturbance.
[/QUOTE]

Anjjan, why would a different way of looking at things cos disturbance?

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^
because ur mind is disturbed and u want to spread the disturbance among others....

try using ur mind properly for a change....

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Here is the problem kids..

Islam --> means 'to surrender/to submit' to the Will of Allah.
Muslim ---> one who surrenders/one who submits to the Will of Allah
Therefore ---> from this surrender (taslim) comes peace (salaam) .

The leap form surrender to peace has no relation what so ever. The whole thread is based on a faulty premise. I won;t even go to the first logical question whether the word of Allah is right or wrong.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Matsui: *
The leap form surrender to peace has no relation what so ever. The whole thread is based on a faulty premise. I won;t even go to the first logical question whether the word of Allah is right or wrong.
[/QUOTE]

You're right, obeying the will of Allah doesn't always translate to peace, e.g. Jihad.

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^
and how is jihad related to anything that does not mean peace???

ur limited way of thinking make me laugh… :hehe:

matty, for the first time i agree with u…
and had u read my response, i let nadia know about the fault u mentioned…

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Islam means ‘submission’.
Why do Muslims interpret Islam as ‘submission to the will of Allah’?
The Prophet had 22 long years narration period of Quran. Did he interpret Islam as submission to the will of Allah?
I think Prophet meant ‘submission’ to his words.

Sherbhai, this thread is something informative. It has nothing to do with atheism of beliefs.
Though your atheism moves around only Islam for some very unknown reasons.

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If all the threads in religion forum were as civilised as this one, you would have more visitors to this forum than just the usual suspects.

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Sister Nadia,

AsSalaamu Alaikum: Have you listen to Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Malik? He was one of the best scholar in Pakistan and his way of expression was so polite and humble that I am sure you would love it. He was shot dead few years ago in Pakistan, now his son, Bilal Malik (I think), has similar way of expression, very impressive, but not as much as his father. Here is his picture, that might help you in knowing who I am talking about. If you get a chance watch his lectures.
[thumb=H]DrMalik6105_6002968.JPG[/thumb]