Greetings from the United States :)

[Revoltingest]

Greetings!

Have some dessert (on the house)....

 

[David T]

Thank you for the heads up. I like to know what I am up against. lol

Perrrrrfect... In the future Islam and Christianity will have great wars. They will fight in heated debates, whose stories are the most beautiful! I think that's a more sensible way of approaching the texts. Now I know for a fact that Islam has Rumi. That dude is a rock star. But you know Christianity has a few. Here is a zinger from Norman Mclean.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.

Personally I think the whole I am right you are wrong is a childish waste but we are still very young.

 

[Lunarious]

Perrrrrfect... In the future Islam and Christianity will have great wars. They will fight in heated debates, whose stories are the most beautiful! I think that's a more sensible way of approaching the texts. Now I know for a fact that Islam has Rumi. That dude is a rock star. But you know Christianity has a few. Here is a zinger from Norman Mclean.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.

Personally I think the whole I am right you are wrong is a childish waste but we are still very young.

This is deep. I thought you were silly.

 

[David T]

This is deep. I thought you were silly.

I have a degree in silly it's called theology.

To take the mclean quote I just posted argue over it, dissect it, twist it, bend it and fight over it is exactly what we do with our ancient texts.

If I can but write one quote in my life, like that quote by mclean, then that's more than all the theologians have generated in 2,000 years. Together. That is a life well lived.

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Perrrrrfect... In the future Islam and Christianity will have great wars. They will fight in heated debates, whose stories are the most beautiful! I think that's a more sensible way of approaching the texts. Now I know for a fact that Islam has Rumi. That dude is a rock star. But you know Christianity has a few. Here is a zinger from Norman Mclean.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.

Personally I think the whole I am right you are wrong is a childish waste but we are still very young.

It's not about who has the better stories. There is only one story (referring to the Muslim/Christian scenario) and Islam embraces that. We have the same stories they do.. they just think ours are different.. even though it's same God, same Prophets.
Yes, Rumi is awesome. Him and Alan Watts (obviously Alan isn't Muslim,) have been a huge help that's gained the understanding I have now.

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

oh.. and I changed my profile picture so I am in front of some books..
this way I might appear knowledgeable

score!

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

I have a degree in silly it's called theology.

To take the mclean quote I just posted argue over it, dissect it, twist it, bend it and fight over it is exactly what we do with our ancient texts.

If I can but write one quote in my life, like that quote by mclean, then that's more than all the theologians have generated in 2,000 years. Together. That is a life well lived.

The knowledge is there.. it's just not everyone can see it.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Hello Everyone!
I am eager to read and learn so many different opinions in one place. I think it's great this site exists and look forward to being apart of it.

A little about me....

My name is Mikail (Mike)
Currently living in Savannah, GA
I have a bachelors degree that I don't use at all, typical..
Huge fan of sports, I play, watch, and coach.

I was born into a Christian family then as I became a teen I went away from the Church and considered myself Atheist. I was a facts guy and stayed confused. I have found my peace in Islam. I am able to believe in God, science, meditation, and many other blessings. It was kinda the best of all worlds for me. I rejected Islam for over a year before I fully accepted it. mashallah

I believe that God created the universe through the big bang. I believe that it's important to meditate, clearing one's mind is a purifying process that brings peace and closer to God. I can see the unity in all things. mashallah. I am a unique Muslim that has an open mind and I live the best I can.

Thanks if you took the time to read!

Welcome.
Congratulations on finding peace.

Btw, I think it’s an unusual person, period, who has an open mind.
We need many more.
All the best to you.

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Welcome.
Congratulations on finding peace.

Btw, I think it’s an unusual person, period, who has an open mind.
We need many more.
All the best to you.

Thanks for such kind words and the warm welcome, Gerry.
I look forward to hopefully exchanging ideas in the future.

 

[sayak83]

Hello Everyone!
I am eager to read and learn so many different opinions in one place. I think it's great this site exists and look forward to being apart of it.

A little about me....

My name is Mikail (Mike)
Currently living in Savannah, GA
I have a bachelors degree that I don't use at all, typical..
Huge fan of sports, I play, watch, and coach.

I was born into a Christian family then as I became a teen I went away from the Church and considered myself Atheist. I was a facts guy and stayed confused. I have found my peace in Islam. I am able to believe in God, science, meditation, and many other blessings. It was kinda the best of all worlds for me. I rejected Islam for over a year before I fully accepted it. mashallah

I believe that God created the universe through the big bang. I believe that it's important to meditate, clearing one's mind is a purifying process that brings peace and closer to God. I can see the unity in all things. mashallah. I am a unique Muslim that has an open mind and I live the best I can.

Thanks if you took the time to read!

Any specific branch? Shia, Sunni, Sufi, Ahmadiyya?
You have a mosque close by? How is the local Muslim community?

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Any specific branch? Shia, Sunni, Sufi, Ahmadiyya?
You have a mosque close by? How is the local Muslim community?

Thanks for asking..

I don't identify as any specific sector.. to me it should just be Islam.. not Islam this and Islam that like most Muslims segregate.
For a better grasp of me, I used to identify as a Sunni who utilized Sufism..
Sufism isn't a branch of Islam like Sunni and Shia (it shouldn't be branched at all,) it's a mysticism within any branch.
So, myself, I follow the Quran and the teachings of the Prophets (peace be upon them all.)
I worship one God and pray, yet I also meditate.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) meditated several times everyday along with his prayer. He was meditating when he was given the Quran.
So, I believe in basic Quran teachings and that is how I live my life.

I have a Mosque within 30 miles of me, yes in the city. We may have 20-50 Muslims together at once at the Mosque but that's it.
In my small town outside the city I legitimately might be the only Muslim. No exaggeration!

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Hi! Don't mind me. Most people don't.

thanks for commenting!

 

[sayak83]

Thanks for asking..

I don't identify as any specific sector.. to me it should just be Islam.. not Islam this and Islam that like most Muslims segregate.
For a better grasp of me, I used to identify as a Sunni who utilized Sufism..
Sufism isn't a branch of Islam like Sunni and Shia (it shouldn't be branched at all,) it's a mysticism within any branch.
So, myself, I follow the Quran and the teachings of the Prophets (peace be upon them all.)
I worship one God and pray, yet I also meditate.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) meditated several times everyday along with his prayer. He was meditating when he was given the Quran.
So, I believe in basic Quran teachings and that is how I live my life.

I have a Mosque within 30 miles of me, yes in the city. We may have 20-50 Muslims together at once at the Mosque but that's it.
In my small town outside the city I legitimately might be the only Muslim. No exaggeration!

Good to know. I believe you will like this. Hope it helps.
Sufi Youth - Lineage

 

[Terese]

Namaskar! Greetings from Australia!

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Namaskar! Greetings from Australia!

Thank you!

 

[icehorse]

Hello Everyone!

Hello and welcome to RF. We do a LOT of debating around here, so let's get started...

I have asked many Muslims to provide specific examples of Islam's positive aspects, and so far I have not been swayed. You say you have found peace with it, can you say more about it's positive aspects? I'm genuinely confused.

 

[Mikail Hakeem]

Hello and welcome to RF. We do a LOT of debating around here, so let's get started...

I have asked many Muslims to provide specific examples of Islam's positive aspects, and so far I have not been swayed. You say you have found peace with it, can you say more about it's positive aspects? I'm genuinely confused.

Can you be more specific?
The whole thing is positive for me so it's hard to just know where you are coming from personally..

 

[icehorse]

Can you be more specific?
The whole thing is positive for me so it's hard to just know where you are coming from personally..

I've read translations of the Quran. I've read biographies of Muhammad. They both are the opposite of peaceful. I don't how you can derive a peaceful message from those two foundational components?

 

[Deeje]

oh.. and I changed my profile picture so I am in front of some books..
this way I might appear knowledgeable

score!

G'Day from another Aussie....

Just wondering....are they your books?

Or did you borrow someone else's knowledge?

I think I like you already anyway....welcome!

I am curious about your shift in religions too. Look forward to chatting.

 

[suncowiam]

I know, I thought about it sounding "kind of weird,". And you're right, that applies to Christians, too. (The Christian religion I belong to, avoids all conflict, even government-sponsored.)

But tell me....when you think of terrorism, what religion comes to mind? At least where the leaders promise their followers that they'll get rewards for it? Not even Christendom promises that. Notice, I did put in the proviso, "professed".

US media has taught us to associate terrorism with muslims. Obama differentiated it to extremism while Trump simply blames all Muslims. Honestly, when terrorism is presented to me, i think of extremism. Its actually very rare that any terrorism in the US is done by muslims.