Reza

Journeys can have contradictions along the way.

What good is that? It leaves questions unanswered and unaddressed, which leads to more uncertainty, not less.

I wonder how many people’s lives haven’t changed much (ie they already lived secluded lives at home before pandemic).

Abu Bakr was elected to a dunya position. Ali was still the true leader, whether or not it was recognized or formalized in society at large.

Truth will always prevail over false propaganda, even if it seems insurmountable.

With a history of colonialism and orientalism, and where Islamic discourse has been imposed on it issues of Eurocentric Christianity (as if it’s their own), where do you see the Islamic and Christian positions genuinely differ on these issues you describe, or are they both lumped together as “dogma”? Any nuances?

Faith is not blind. It always has a basis, and is based on deep reflection. To consider faith and evidence as mutually exclusive is disingenuous. Everyone has a personal journey, and per your criteria and standards, you do not believe in God or that the Qur’an is the book of God, while for others, what has been provided to them is sufficient for belief. There is no compulsion in religion and to each their own. Everyone has to choose what to stake their life on.

The degree of pickiness is a subjective assessment. Nonetheless, you are imposing your methodology on the Qur’an, and basing it on that standard. Why is your methodology for validity better than the one the Qur’an provides for itself? Is trust in your methodology not the very essence of faith as well, the concept you decry? Have you read the numerous verses where the Qur’an replies to its doubters? Perhaps I’m not too aware of the nuances, but for all practical applications, atheism and pantheism are distinctions without a difference, especially when both are compared to theism.

Sounds like the goal posts for what’s “sufficient” can be modified at whim, and some excuse to deny or dismiss can always be made. Where are the breaks on that slippery slope?

What leads you to believe this wasn’t the case? Which miracles need to occur to be satisfactory for you?

So to the pantheist, everyone is their own Santa Claus? If we’re part of God, we’re simultaneously both creator and created?

We’re all dealing with it, hang in there.

Is this from a random word generator?

“Left” and “right” are Eurocentric terms, and each encompass broad ideologies, of which Islam may have occasional overlaps of agreement, disagreement, or neutrality with them. Your characterizations of the “left” and “right” will be disputed by some self-declared members of that same group, and they’ll say you’re not describing it properly.

Atheists and agnostics have taken the word for themselves, and their definition is the predominant one. It’s a rather small concession for Muslims though.