Questions About Islam

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Hello I am new here. I am an American, and for obvious reasons I am more interested in Islam than I used to be. I have a couple of questions about Islam that I hope somebody might be willing to answer.

1.How exactly does Islam tie into the other two Abrahamic religions (Judaism and Christianity)?

2.What is the importance of Jerusalem? I mean this question to compare the importance Mecca and Medina to Jerusalem.

3.Why is there such great enmity between the Jews and Palestinians? Specifically, Is the reason religious or just geographical?

  1. When reading the Quran and I see the words “…when WE made you…” Who is the WE?

5.Jihad… What EXACTLY is it? and is Osama Bin Ladin’s version the widely accepted defintion or is the equivalent to the David Koresh in Christianity defintion?

That is all for now. I have more but will hold the for later for simplicity’s sake.

Thank you.

2

I'll be moving this thread to the religion section. Hopefully you will get better answers there.

Welcome BTW

3

well i think i know the answer to at least one of the questions.. i,ll try n explain it.
ur question regarding who is WE .

one of the names of Allah mentioned in Quran is MUTAQABIR. meaning the one who does TAQABUR which means pride. It is very common in Arabic language, one refers to oneself in plural wen he thinks hes better than the others or wen one is simply proud.
All the kings used to refer to them in the plural too,,, and its even in our language Urdu. its kind of like a symbol of greatness or self pride.
So wen Allah is saying something in The Quran,, He is using the Plural instead of singular for Himself, and we havent even considered questioning who this We is,,, cos it exists in our language too,, but i can understand why its a bit confusing for other people wen they read this We.
i hope i,ve explained it properly. I can answer some other questions too but wud leave it to the experts as i might not give u a very good answer or explanations as some of the guys here.

4

1.How exactly does Islam tie into the other two Abrahamic religions (Judaism and Christianity)?

--- both the Bible and the Torah (the old testament) speak of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the religion he will bring. u can see Islam and Christianity and other related articles which r easily available on the net

2.What is the importance of Jerusalem? I mean this question to compare the importance Mecca and Medina to Jerusalem.

--- the mosque at Jerusalem is the 3rd holiest place in Islam after Mecca and Medinah. It is th mosque which was used by all prophets before Muhammad (pbuh)

3.Why is there such great enmity between the Jews and Palestinians? Specifically, Is the reason religious or just geographical?

--- it seems more of geographical now. but it has religios effects too cuz Jerusalem is sacred for Muslims and Jews.

  1. When reading the Quran and I see the words "...when WE made you..." Who is the WE?

--- WE is the term used by Allah to talk when he speaks of HIMSELF. In Arabic WE is used by a person instead of I when he is authorative. The use of WE instead of I is to show that Allah is the SUPREME AUTHORITY

5.Jihad... What EXACTLY is it? and is Osama Bin Ladin's version the widely accepted defintion or is the equivalent to the David Koresh in Christianity defintion?

--- Jihad means STRUGGLE. In the religious terms, JIHAD is used to define "a man's struggle against the wrong". there r three forms of jihad.
o Jihad against one's own desires (lust)
o Jihad with one's money (providing financial help to others)
o Jihad with one's own self.

the last form of Jihad is considered as a WAR. It is obligatory for all Muslims under three conditions:
1. If a Muslim state is under attack by another state (or enemy)
2. If Muslims (as a minority) are ill-treated in a non-Muslim country.
3. If a Muslim government defies the rights of the other minorities under its rule, then to protect the rights of these mionorities, JIHAD has to be made against that MUSLIM GOVERNMENT.


        MUGHAL          ya mujhe afsar-e-shaahana banaaya hota
         _.+._          ya mera taaj gadaayana banaaya hota 
       (^\/^\/^)        
        \@*@*@/         nashaa-e-ishq ka gar zarf diya tha mujh ko
        {_____}         umar ka tang na paimaana banaaya hota
5

Slm
This is a respond from a brother in different discussion forum!

** 3.Why is there such great enmity between the Jews and Palestinians? Specifically, Is the reason religious or just geographical?**

In Occupied Palestine there is basically a war between the muslims and the zionists and the settlers are not likely to be considered innocent civilians, since they have weapons which they use against the muslims and since the settlers themsevles are a weapon against the muslims.

In recent times when the muslim children were being murdered by the zionist soldiers, so were the arab jews. The zionist soldiers killed eve the arab jews, which is why there has been a demonstration recently by arab jews saying that the zionists (israelis who have occupied palestine) do not represent them. Muslims do not have a problem with jews, but with zionists.

when the palestianian children were throwing stones at the zionist soldiers the soldiers retaliated by shooting the children in the head and chest with exploding bullets. Instead of highlighting attrocities such as these the media decided to concentrate on the killings of 2 zionist soldiers. This is despite the fact that tehre is a UN resolutio against the Zionists.

The zionists are racists and believe they are superior to all otehr people and it is this belief which led them to reject the Holy Prophet (saw) because he was no a prophet for the jews but a prophet for all of mankind.

In the time of the Holy Prophet (saw) when one of the jewish tribes conspired against the holy prophet (saw) and islamic state, they were given one day to leave the city or face being killed. Similarly the zionists in Occupied Palestine, including the settlers, have no rights and the muslims have the right and even the duty to fight and kill them.

This is similar to the fact that idolaters were not allowed in Mecca after a certain point and a Quranic verse was revealed saying that they should be killed whereever they are found (within Mecca).

In Occuppied Palestine they tried peace. Yasser Arafat signed a peace treaty with the Zionists, which Robert Frisk from the Independent described as a blank piece of paper", which the zionists later filled in.

What was the result of this peace treaty? Did it result in a proportinate or even equal share in land? NO! Did it result in Palestinians being allowed to move about freely in their own country? NO! Did it prevent the zionists from visting the 5% supposedly muslim area and doing as they pleased? NO! The peace allowed the zionists to carry out their plans of expanding "israel" and they continued mudering innocent muslims and in particular murdering those who were members of islamic groups.

In other words the so called peace treaty benefitted the zionists and aided them in oppressing innocent muslims.

This is why the Holy Prophet (saw) said that an oppressor has 2 parties, the oppressor and the one who allows themselves to be oppressed.

It was based on this principle that Imam Hussain went with only 70 followers to fight an army of 30,000, knowing full well that he and his group will be massacred and knowing that the womenfolk of the Prophet (saw)'s family will be captured as slaves.

The islamic duty is to fight and in places like Occupied Palestine there is no option but to fight and drive out the zionists.

One of the zionist prime ministers of the past exrpressed his frustration once, saying, "how can we fight a people who want to die?"

In the Holy Prophet (saw)'s time people went to battle with the hope that they would be killed as martyrs and they would be very sad if they survived.

6

** 5.Jihad... What EXACTLY is it? and is Osama Bin Ladin's version the widely accepted defintion or is the equivalent to the David Koresh in Christianity defintion?**

Basically Jihad is allowed in Islam to fight oppression and in fact it is a duty under certain circumstances. Some of the people in the time of the Holy Prophet (saw) who made excuses not to take part in the war against the Romans (the battle of Tabuk) were classed by the Quran as hypocrites.

According to the teachings of Islam, oppression has 2 parties - 1. the one who oppresses and 2. the one who allows themselves to be oppressed.

So, for example, in Occupied Palestine the muslims are being oppressed by the zionists and as such they have the right to and even the duty to fight them.

[This message has been edited by iqra_786 (edited October 22, 2001).]

7

The Priest,

First of all welcome.

  1. Islam, Judaism and Christianity are three religions that believes monotheism (sp?) Judaism and Islam originates from two sons of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) Christians believes in Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). Jews believe in Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Muslims believes in all above prophets and a lot others but also believes that Mohammed (peace be upon him) was the last of all prophets. I think and you can correct me if I am wrong that christians believes that jesus (pbuh) was son of God. Similarly, jews think the same about Moses (pbuh). Muslims think that all prophets including Mohammed (pbuh) were just normal people. They came with the message of Allah (arabic word for God) and then died apart from Jesus (pbuh)[that's the majority view of Muslims but few disagree] who would come back nearer the time of the day of judgement and will guide the lost people to the path of only one God.
8

You are right that Christians consider Jesus(pbuh) to be the son of God. But I dont think that Jews consider Moses(pbuh) to be anything but a prophet.

Thank you all for the replies and the welcome.Considering that I am reading the Quran for the first time I will probably have quite a few more questions.

9

[quote]
Originally posted by iqra_786:
**5.Jihad... What EXACTLY is it? and is Osama Bin Ladin's version the widely accepted defintion or is the equivalent to the David Koresh in Christianity defintion?

Basically Jihad is allowed in Islam to fight oppression and in fact it is a duty under certain circumstances. Some of the people in the time of the Holy Prophet (saw) who made excuses not to take part in the war against the Romans (the battle of Tabuk) were classed by the Quran as hypocrites.

According to the teachings of Islam, oppression has 2 parties - 1. the one who oppresses and 2. the one who allows themselves to be oppressed.

So, for example, in Occupied Palestine the muslims are being oppressed by the zionists and as such they have the right to and even the duty to fight them.

[This message has been edited by iqra_786 (edited October 22, 2001).]**
[/quote]

Apparently you missed part of the original question if OBL's version is right or not.

NO, I don't think that OBL is right. In any jihad, Muslims are not allowed to kill civilians, women, old men, children. Muslims are told to fight with fighters (armies).

Now it is JIHAD to defend Taleban since they are being bombed for no fault of theirs. If OBL is really the culprit, bombing does not guarantee that he'll be brought to justice. Bombing is the lamest excuse I beleive to capture/kill OBL and his network.

We oughta be Changez like, don't we?

[This message has been edited by Changez_like (edited October 22, 2001).]

10

Ibrahim had two sons (one with his wife Sara, and the other with his wife's slave Hajra - because Sara could not conceive, but after Hajra became pragnant, Sara also did). Two sons disliked each other (Ismael and Issac), they came together to bury their father when he died. Muslims are Jews both are more similar than any of them would like to admit. Muslims descended from Ismael and Jews from Issac.

11

[quote]
Originally posted by NYAhmadi:
** Muslims descended from Ismael and Jews from Issac. **
[/quote]

Jews from Isaac yes. Muslims from Ismael no. Surely there are a lot of Muslim (Egypt, Libia, Westerners, ect) that has NO relation with Ismael. If your point is that Islam came out of the offspring of Ismael (Mahomet being Arab), then I agree with you.

12

not all jews are descendents of Isaac either..

there are many jews who have no relation to the tribe 'israel' .. as a whole nation converted to judaism after their king converted to Judaism...

as we are comparing the heads of religion .. then yes .. jews from Isaac and Muslims from Ismail.

for rest of us.. we are adam's children

13

They are all sons Abraham…do we agree

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

*“na maiN momin vich masiitaaN, na maiN muusaa, na fir’aun!”
*

14

No

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

Both religions come from the sons of Abraham, not all worshippers come from the sons…

Sorry to be difficult

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

15

Uffffffffff

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

*“na maiN momin vich masiitaaN, na maiN muusaa, na fir’aun!”
*

16

[quote]
Originally posted by ThePriest:
1.How exactly does Islam tie into the other two Abrahamic religions (Judaism and Christianity)?
[/quote]

Muslims believe that God sent many prophets to mankind, including Adam (the first man and the first prophet), Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others (may peace be upon them all). in fact, just about any prophet mentioned in the Bible is considered by Muslims to be a prophet too, i.e. David, Solomon (may peace be upon them), etc.

Our beliefs state that whilst the Jews were blessed with divine revelation in the form of the Torah and the Psalms, over time they corrupted these books and their beliefs.
God then sent to them the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary (known in the Quran as Al-Masih Isa Bin Maryam) (may peace be upon him). However, most Jews rejected Jesus, and continued with their previous beliefs.

As for the message of Jesus, Muslims believe that his death on the cross was an illusion, and that Jesus ascended to heaven whilst still alive. We believe that towards the end of time, there will be a major conflict between Muslims and the forces of the Dajjal (the Anti-Christ); Jesus will return to earth, slay the Anti-Christ and rule the world in peace.

However, Muslims do not consider Jesus to be the son of God; Islam completely rejects the concept of the Trinity.

The best way of explaining to a Christian is that Muslims worship the entity known to Christians as the Father, and known to Jews as Jehovah. We address this deity with the same word that Arab Christian use during their worship - "Allah".

Muslims believe that shortly after Jesus's death, the beliefs that he taught were once more corrupted (generally St. Paul the Apostle is blamed by Muslim scholars for this). Hence, 600 years later, God sent to us the last of the prophets, Mohammed (may peace be upon him).

17

The Priest

I think Mad Scientist has summed up the similarities and differences to your initial query, pretty well.

Islam is not some sort of Alien religion that came to dislodge everything that came before it. Islam came and finalised the Path.

You see, Muslims, Christians and Jews are all on the same path for three quarters of a mile. It is only at the last quarter that they all part ways in order to reach the goal!

The Qur'aan states:

002.062 Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

005.072 Those who believe (in the Qur’an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.