I don’t know if this is acceptable, but I don’t think I have that ‘faith’ anymore which is the basis of being a Muslim. I took a mythology class last semester and because of my limited knowledge of Islam, and how everyone in that class thought of an organized religion to be a myth, has me thinking whether this religion I grew up with is even necessary to follow.
I don’t remember the last time I prayed or the last time I said my kalimah. I have so much going on right now and spending an entire year praying with all my heart to get rid of a problem, everything is still the same. How do I know if God exists? Or if this religion I follow, with very strict ruling is going to get me anywhere?
I know I need to do my own research and find my own answers but in the process of doing so, is it okay to be confused? Is it fine to have doubts when you want to pray for something? Is it fine to question things? And what if I die in the process of finding the ‘truth’…am I going to end up in hell?
Its definitely ok to question every little detail but remember most people on this forum are not qualified to give you answers. It is probably best if you seek answers from scholars who have devoted their lives to the study of Islam. I would be lying if I said I have never had doubts because I have in the past. I think most do and its the simple things that make you believe truly there is a god out there.
Anyway, I knows its a bad place to be in but inshAllah I hope you find the answers you seek.
I won’t go in details. I’ll try to answer u with very simple example. When u born, have u seen the lady who gave u birth is the same lady whom u call Mother since ur birth till the day now? U didn’t seen by urself. U just believed. This is how u hav the believe the existance of the God.
Somewhere in a book i read (i guess book name is Hayat-e-Sahaba) one Sahabi, when he was in with the company of Prophet Muhammad His heart was very soft than ever and he can imagine the heaven and hell (as per discussion). When that Sahabi reached home, he got busy with his wife and children all the imagination of heaven and hell was gone out of his heart. Suddenly he rememberd when he was in accompany, his situation was like that now it is totaly different.
He went to see Prophet Muhammad . on the way he was saying to himself “Oh Sahabi! u r munafiq”, he meet another Sahabi on his way 2 there. They both had the same conditions and descibed the whole sitution. Our Prophet Muhammad explained by saying that Almighty Allah SWT! Have made ur feelings in such a way that u can have this life (in world) but by following the Islamic codes etc.,
So i guess this is the right time 4 u to dig answers of ur questions by reading studying more n more about Islam. every thing will gonna f9.
P.S. Plz! correct me as i think i don’t remember the exact senario. Thank you
you dont pray and have not recited akalima in ages..... u prayed for a problem!!!
dear praying is for worshipping Allah ....then if u pray and ask Allah for things He grants out of HIs bounty..Always... you have to get your priorities straight; pray and worship Allah because thats why He put you on this earth... then trust HIM and believe in Him like HE needs to be believed in not for your needs only but because you are HIs slave.
think of having an employee what do you expect from him? only that you give him pay and not do any work? is that acceptable for you? then why do you expect anything from Allah if you dont worship HIM? Allah does not need you or your prayer ...its YOU who needs to pray for your own good dear.
With all due respect, you won't get bollocks for answers at least on this forum. Wasted effort really. Of course it is okay to have doubts and questions, I have them too, anyone who tries to make sense out of the unseen will have them. And I don't think there are any absolute answers. We need to align things within our own reason and logic, and perhaps this is how we understand these concepts. Some people find it easy to believe what they are told, and find solace in blind faith, while some seek logic. What you need is an honest effort to understand yourself and understand the supreme power and how it all operates. I am right where you are, struggling to understand the real concept and logic behind everything, and hopefully I will find the answers one day.
It's ok to have doubts man, don't worry about it too much. Everyone has doubts, especially with religion, because you cannot prove/disprove anything. You kind of have to accept it on face value (some people call that faith). Even if you start out thinking of religion as mythology, you end up accepting the parts of it that make sense to you. So read and reflect a much as you can. As long as you have a good intention, and you want to find the truth for yourself, I'm sure it won't be a problem. After all, Allah mian does encourage reflection and research through the Quran and Sunnah.
Thank you.
I’m not looking for any answers, rather opinions on whatever I’m going through atm. I really want to know how those of us who are born into this religion keep our faith strong and if its okay to stop believing or to be confused for a while.
I didn’t quite understand your example. So I have ‘faith’ that its my mother who gave birth to me, but if I have some sort of doubts I can go for any sort of testing to ‘prove’ that. Religion is totally based on faith, and I understand I need to have the faith from within and thats what I’m trying to look for.
Comparing God to an employer? Seriously? Is this all there is to it, you worship Him and He grants you whatever you wish for? Give and take?
I don’t think so.
It's ok to have doubts man, don't worry about it too much. Everyone has doubts, especially with religion, because you cannot prove/disprove anything. You kind of have to accept it on face value (some people call that faith). Even if you start out thinking of religion as mythology, you end up accepting the parts of it that make sense to you. So read and reflect a much as you can. As long as you have a good intention, and you want to find the truth for yourself, I'm sure it won't be a problem. After all, Allah mian does encourage reflection and research through the Quran and Sunnah.
I know everyone has doubts, but there are people out there who are SO sure of a God or a creator and are SO sure of the path they're on, makes me want to go and ask them what exactly is so convincing about believing in the unseen.
I'm trying to read up on it, hopefully I get there soon enough.
Thanks (:
With all due respect, you won't get bollocks for answers at least on this forum. Wasted effort really. Of course it is okay to have doubts and questions, I have them too, anyone who tries to make sense out of the unseen will have them. And I don't think there are any absolute answers. We need to align things within our own reason and logic, and perhaps this is how we understand these concepts. Some people find it easy to believe what they are told, and find solace in blind faith, while some seek logic. What you need is an honest effort to understand yourself and understand the supreme power and how it all operates. I am right where you are, struggling to understand the real concept and logic behind everything, and hopefully I will find the answers one day.
I wasn't expecting any answers. Asked a question about blasphemy and there are about 100 different views on it already.
I know we need to find our own answers and religion, at least most of it, is based on faith. But there are things that just dont make sense at all and asking them from your local molvi earns you surprised stares. Muslims are so welcome to no-muslims wanting to know more about Islam, but the complete opposite to those who already follow but are slipping away. Still remember few months ago while discussing a topic in Masjid about Islam having reasons for everything it made haram to us, I asked why masturbation is haram. I still get awkward stares from the woman whenever I try going for another lecture.
Ah well...good luck with your search. I wish I was as confident about finding answers as you are.
The following is my personal opinion and I am not expecting everyone to agree with me.
Atheism is the result of too much involvement in this world (as per Islamic ideology). The more one involves in the duniya, the more he wants to be out of any kind of restrictions. I am not (ma’azAllah) calling you an atheist, just explaining the condition that not only you but most of the people go through in their lives, be it just for a day or hours of confusion after reading or listening to ‘free minded’ people, but it does happen, questions do arise. Being in the company that too, motivated and philosopher wannabes is ofcourse leaves a darn impact on one’s sub-concious. Its absolutely normal to have questions of God’s existence and reason for our creation. You read through ancient religions, biblical or Abrahamic religions and modern Scientology to look for answers. The reality is the Creator’s power and plans are beyond comprehension. There is a saying ‘jo samjh ajaye woh khuda kiya howa’. Among the threories provided by the said religions, you need to see which one is logical. Now why you have to believe in a theory at all? Thats a big why?
Two reasons:
With billions spent on spreading anti-religion, by the means of media, Hollywood and consumerism, why the non-religion movement is not prevailing as it should have a rise in growth. Where as we see two main reasons people not to choose be affiliated with any organized religion. a) most of the conflict in the world is between religion b) the life is too busy and colored by (work hard to spend more) consumerism/materialism that any kind of moral restrictions (strict rulings - your words)become a huge baggage that is often very cumbersome for an already hectic life style. The other party has not proved a thing despite of geneology and scientific advancement that big bang or any relative/alternate theory is reliable.
The question of self identification and existence itself is compelling enough to feel deep inside ourselves that there is a power who has created all this and has put a balance that amazes human being every passing breath and it will continue to do so. This is a very strong instinct of human species. An urge to know why am I here, when this all started and what was before this stage was prepared. As I said, like many I had my moments of confusion as well, but more I got into the reasons provided to not believe, more I found myself unanswered.
The anti-matter debate itself answers many objections the science clan raises. Why we have ‘just enough’ resources on Earth to live on this planet but have to live in stone age for thousand year to produce just a 0.5gm of anti-matter. The limitations, the balance and composition of matter, energy and relevant hydrocarbon resources on this sphere is meant to be survival kit for the human. So there must be an architect who thought of all this.
The religion (Islamic in this case) aspect of the power of science is beautifully explained by one scholar , this is just one of scientific challenges and explainations found in Quran which helped strengthen my faith during my exploration. Allah says “Oh Jinn and mankind, if you have power to penetrate the confines of the skies and earth then penetrate. But this you shall not do except with our authority”. (AL-RAHMAN, Chap 55:32).
The word for authority that is used in Arabic is also used for giant force (some explained it as giant flare or fire). Now we all know we used rockets to goto space and that is amazingly relevant to what is said in the ayaah. The more interesting thing is that Allah SWT would have simply said (as in Biblical and Quranic tradition) that Oh man! you cannot go out of this planet, period. But this is not the case, the very phrase used in this ayaah leaves a room of possibility, which mankind proved half a century ago.
Helpp - I know what you are saying bro. First thing is, try not to bother our maulvis with sensible logical questions, they aren't built to process such information. Plus, ask too many people and you will be getting fatwas of kufr from left right and center. What I really want to do is, meet with one of these well known reverts, like perhaps Yusuf Estes or Abdul Raheem Green, and discuss these matters with them. For someone to embrace a religion, I think one must have done all sorts of research and asked all sorts of questions. Only then can you be satisfied and convinced enough. I don't waste my time asking our armchair scholars any questions, not that I haven't tried, all you get is bizarre stares (like you experienced yourself) and indirect fatway of kufr. My next project inshalah is to listen to Quran with translation, and try finding the logic and answers from it. And I need to see how I can meet one of these revert scholars.
smooth_guy - really appreciate your perspective on it, very nicely written. Its not the existence of a supreme power that doesn't make sense to me, its the fairy tales associated with our creation and everything we know about our history, about good and evil, heaven and hell, all these subjects. We are told to believe what we are told, without any logic whatsoever. I wonder how you convince an atheist to convert to Islam without yourself understanding the concept behind everything. The very basic things that we are told, they don't make sense and don't add up. I am not going into any further details for honestly I have no desire to discuss any of this here. Its just what I am struggling with, and hoping to find answers to.
I don't know if this is acceptable, but I don't think I have that 'faith' anymore which is the basis of being a Muslim. I took a mythology class last semester and because of my limited knowledge of Islam, and how everyone in that class thought of an organized religion to be a myth, has me thinking whether this religion I grew up with is even necessary to follow.
I don't remember the last time I prayed or the last time I said my kalimah. I have so much going on right now and spending an entire year praying with all my heart to get rid of a problem, everything is still the same.
How do I know if God exists?
start reading quran and namaz (in dono cheezon ke liye time zaroor nikalo. shuru shuru main dil shyad na lage but gradually u will feel relaxed)
Or if this religion I follow, with very strict ruling is going to get me anywhere?
you need to have a positive thinking and hope.
I know I need to do my own research and find my own answers but in the process of doing so, is it okay to be confused?
yes it is ok to be confused and have doubts
Is it fine to have doubts when you want to pray for something?
again only u urself can control this. i know when u pray for something from god such things do come into your mind like "dont know if god will grant me the thing or not"
Is it fine to question things?
yes
And what if I die in the process of finding the 'truth'...am I going to end up in hell?
not at all
I'll tell you my story which could give u some help. there was a point when i hardly used to read namaz or read quran. but as the time passed and i started to read quran i realised how important religion is and how important namaz and quran are. before i used to skip namaz if something was coming on tv. at that time i never knew this is wrong infact i didnot know that namaz is compulsory. and then gradually i picked it up...in the beginning i never used to feel it but as the time went i became much regular in namaz. now i am in a situation where if at any point i try to skip namaz i think if i am not going to pray then god will punish me and mera falana kaam nahi hoga.
start reading namaz and quran and u'll see that u will learn a lot. also start reading islamic books. like hadees books, islami waqyat wali books. maine islami waqyaat wali book se bhi bohat kuch seekha hai islam ke baare main. finally jitna zaida socho ge utni hi pareshani mile gi. good luck
Sure it’s okay to have doubts… it’s between you and your Lord. You dont even need to mention it to anyone merey bhai… we all have doubts.
I think even great personalities had doubts and required signs so we are mere mortals so long as you dont jump off the cliffs either side keep following the trail upwards and just pick each path you think is for you. I will pray you find the one that is best for you.
being a non muslim i know my opinion doesnt have much weight but here is my two bit.
Just be a good human and dont do anything that your conscience dont agree with. that will be the biggest service to the god.
in the process god may send you guidance and you may eventually find him.
to me all the religions are guides that teach how to be on the good side of the god. i may not believe in religions but i do believe in god(s).
whether god exists or not is a separate question. i have my views and you can ask me in private if you are interested.
His heart was very soft than ever and he can imagine the heaven and hell (as per discussion). When that Sahabi reached home, he got busy with his wife and children all the imagination of heaven and hell was gone out of his heart. Suddenly he rememberd when he was in accompany, his situation was like that now it is totaly different.
every thing will gonna f9.
