This is my first thread on GS … Just before mods get up and claim this to belong in Religion let me explain why I have chosen to put this thread here.
Muslims are those who submit to the Will of God. Well we are supposed to be.
The Will of God requires us to be moderate human beings.
Therefore …
Moderate Muslims by definition are those people who are
Moderate at being moderate human beings.
Thus the philosophical argument from the linguistics perspective:
It means ‘moderate Muslims’ are those who are of the group of people who are inconsistent in their ‘moderate behaviour’ … i.e. spend some of their time being extreme. I therefore contest that the meaning the term ‘moderate Muslim’ is supposed to carry actually carries the complete opposite when analysed.
hmmm interesting point! so what you say, how we should define a "moderate muslim" who really is a "moderate muslim".
Moderate Muslims being those with the official approval card attesting to their status as such, from one of following entities:
The RAND corporation
American Enterprise Institute
Jewish Defence League
AIPAC
The 700 Club
Rev. Jerry Falwell Ministries
Rev. Franklin Graham Ministries
The Office of V.P. Cheney
Isn't there a hadith that goes something to the effect, "Practise moderation, because people before you have lost their faith through extremism"... or something like that?
It's very difficult to be a Full time zaakir, especially in todays time.
Sometimes in my own life, when my fikr goes up I suddenly start to really exert myself. Unfortunately I can't keep it up and then I fall farther back that I was before.
I think the key is that we must let Islam come into us, instead of forcing the matter.
I'm not saying don't read salaah, and wait for Islam to enter. I think just try and concentrate on the requisites, try hard to avoid the kabaair and make sure you read your salah to the best of your abilities. Sooner or later Salah will pull a man away from sin.
Im sure the Jewish extremists argues with very same sort of logic/reasoning.
Oh you mean orthodox jews. They are nice people, and are against the Zionist's terrorism in Palestine, they are also against the illegal state of Israel.
And I thought, Islam was all about "Darmiyaana rawih".
Where did I say change Quran or Sunnah is moderation or balance? And how would one attain balance by changing Quran and Sunnah, isn't it another form of extremism?
I think Quran and Sunnah asks man for balance and moderation in everything we do.
Where did I say change Quran or Sunnah is moderation or balance? And how would one attain balance by changing Quran and Sunnah, isn't it another form of extremism?
I think Quran and Sunnah asks man for balance and moderation in everything we do.
^I asked you is there a limit for doing good? For example, Allah has ordered us to pray 5 times a day, but if we do extra(nafl), is that what you call extremism?
Where did I say change Quran or Sunnah is moderation or balance? And how would one attain balance by changing Quran and Sunnah, isn't it another form of extremism?
I think Quran and Sunnah asks man for balance and moderation in everything we do.
Peace Lusi
If you look a bit closer at my original post then you may understand the premise of what armughal is actually saying.
You are completely right, that we as humans should be completely moderate in our life affairs. The only way to do this is to implement Islam whole-heartedly, i.e. the only thing that we should be extreme at, is our attempts to be moderate. Do you see why I have posted this in the philosophy thread now?
Islam IS the being of moderation ... if we therefore analyse the media buzzword ... 'moderate muslim', it would infer that we are not praying 5 times a day, that we can ignore injustice sometimes, etc ... it is a false buzzword because the media view 'muslim' as title for a person rather than a characteristic that that person has to exhibit.