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السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُم ورَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ when this site was founded , i was not even born yet . growing up , the religion was not that big of a deal for me and i knew nothing about islam . later on i started seeing things and you know ٱللَّهُ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ my country , iran has seen many challenges in the past decade . makes me sad to see that we are losing our identity . when i signed up for this site , i saw that people here are mostly from iraq and pakistan and ... {btw you are all my brothers and sisters in deen . love yall} but it makes me sad to see that iranians are getting more secular day by day . if there is any iranian here reading this , i am asking you for a favor hamvatan GET BACK ON TRACK what are you doing? wallah there is no comfort in this world . most of you guys are getting fooled by western influence . i know the situation is not good but DO NOT LET GO OF THE DEEN praying for yall . may i see each and everyone of you back on the track and may allah guide us all . ameen هموطن عزیزم این چند خطم فارسی مینویسم بهتر پیامم برسه دین ما خیلی بزرگتر از اینه که بخاطر خرابکاری سردمدار ها ولش کنیم به یادت بیار مجالس روضه و ختم قران هایی که تو بچگی رفتیم . به یاد بیار اون روزای خوب رو شاید دیگه تکرار نشن چون هویت خودمونو ول کردیم و بهش اهمیت نمیدیم ما شیعه علی ابن ابی طالب {ع} هستیم و این بخش مهمی از هویت ما هست امیدوارم این پیام اندکی امید و انگیزه بهت بده داداش/خواهر

‎‏اَلسَلامُ عَلَيْكُم وَرَحْمَةُ اَللهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ‎ please do not reply with some lukewarm answers like “it make my heart feel fuzzy ”, reply with genuine criteria that one could apply to every religion (+holy book) and Islam would be the only one that achieves it.

Salaam all, I thought it might be beneficial to have a thread where we can specifically post videos/clips. Whether you find them to be motivational, inspirational or spiritually uplifting and think they may benefit others. I was sent this clip the other day and thought it was beautiful and very spiritual.

http://www.iawwai.com/ The Unification of Religion (iawwai.com) The Unification of World Religion The ultimate destiny of all the Worlds Religions is for them to be finally reconciled with one another and unified into a single whole. The necessary key for the realization of this difficult process is the propogation and wide spread acceptance of the original truth behind all Religion, namely the eternally recurring idea that Everyone is God. This is a world of divisions, and nowhere else are these divisions more marked and conflict ridden than those of religion. Jew against Muslim, Muslim against Hindu, Christian against Jew and Muslim against Christian... this list can go on and on and doesn't even touch upon the sectarian divisions and conflicts that exists within the same religion. There is so much strife and contention generated from the world's religions today that it is something of a collective hope that somehow there may one day be some sort of reconciliation between all the various faiths of the world in all their shapes and forms. But the problem seems so intractable. How can the religions of the world be made to coexist with one another given the long history of mutual hostility and seemingly unresolvable doctrinal differences, which often form the basis for the divisions and conflicts in the first place? The answer to the reconciliation and final unification of all world religion lies in the recognition of the fact that there exists a central truth that is common to all the World's faiths. It is a truth that is not just the well spring of religion but is also the purpose and ultimate destination of the spiritual journey. But it is a truth that is so enigmatic and mysterious that all through the human history it had to remain hidden. It is the truth that inspires religion in the first place and instigates their creation but then because of its elusive nature, this truth becomes a secret within those very same religions that this truth creates in the first place. Hence you find in all world religion a separation of the more accessible aspects of the spiritual life, i.e. the rules, the rituals and the regulations as opposed to those truths of religion which are more unintelligible and opaque, i.e. the mysteries. So for instance in Judaism you have popular Rabbi and Torah centred faith but then you also have the Kabbalah, also known as the hidden teachings of Moses. In Christianity you have the common liturgy or the outer mysteries but then you also have Gnosticism and the inner mysteries. In islam we have the outer meanings of the teachings of Muhammad the so called zahir but then we also find the hidden meanings known as the batin. In Buddhism we have the faith and practices of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, known as the Greater Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle respectively but then we have Vajrayana Buddhism, also called the Diamond Vehicle and the hidden teachings of the Buddha. And so on and so forth. So what is this central truth that is to be found in the secret or hidden traditions that are to be found in all the World's religions? It is this.. the mysterious truth which lies at the mystical heart of all world religiosity is the idea that a person's real identity is ultimately God and that our normal view of the world and who we are is illusory. The comprehension of this truth, the seeing through the illusion, informs and inspires all moral and spiritual teaching. Further the realization of this truth is the attainment of the ultimate destination of the spiritual and mystical journey. That is the state of being one with God, the ground of all being and our true nature. This state being called various names in the different faith traditions of the World. It is Nirvana to the Buddhists, Moksha to Hindus, the Kingdom of Heaven of Christianity and the paradise of Muhammad etc. http://www.iawwai.com/CentralTruth.gif This diagram is meant to show that the common truth behind all world religion is the idea that everyone is God. In the outer sections of the circle we have the outer mysteries of religion. That is the rules, the rituals and regulations. In the inner part of the circle is depicted the mystical heart of each religion, the mystical practices and disciplines designed to bring people into union with God. Towards the centre we find God. The ultimate truth and ground of all being. Though God is given different names, the assertion here is that all the different labels are really referring to the same thing. This experience of becoming one with God despite being the central truth of religion, couldn't be spoken openly and had to be hidden because all through history it was impossible for common people to grasp. Also the open expression of this idea would have invited ridicule, persecution and even directly lead to a person's execution. So in the past this truth had to be spoken of only in allegory or alluded to in parables. However through the progression of history and humankind's accumulated understanding of science, philosophy and theology, we have arrived at an unprecedented stage in history. We are living in an age when the ultimate truth that a person's ultimate identity is really God, can finally be explained and communicated in ways that are comprehensible. The ultimate truth may finally be told in a way that can be understood, so that what historically has always been the unbelievable truth has finally become the inescapable truth. And it is the communication and gradual adoption of this truth that everyone is God, which will provide the basis and framework for the final unification of religion. When it is recognized that this truth is at the mystical heart of all world religion then it is easy to see how this truth provides the key for bringing the different faiths of this planet together. But it has to be made clear here that what we are not talking about a new religion. It would be foolish to try to bring together all the different kinds of people of all the World's different religions and sects, by presenting them with a new faith and expecting them to adopt its beliefs. Instead what we are talking about is showing Christians the original truth of Jesus, showing Jews the truth behind their faith, showing Muslims the truth behind Muhammad's mission and so on for Hindus and Buddhists etc. Furthermore we are then showing the people of different faiths, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus etc. that this central truth is one and the same for all their respective religions. It is the belief of the author that not only is the idea that everyone is God the central truth and common denominator behind all the World's spiritual traditions; but also that this assertion provides the key assumption which allows for the definitive resolution of the most fundamental theological problems and questions. This will in turn lead to the final settlement of the doctrinal differences which help to bring about and foster so much conflict between the different religions and also between sects grappling within the same religion. It is beyond the scope of this article to go into any detail regarding all the important questions of theology but it is sufficient to say here that some of the problems which the idea that every is God help to solve include; the nature of eternal life, the question of election or doing rightly in the eyes of God and the meaning of salvation or liberation - the ultimate reward of the spiritual journey. What we may look forward to is a unified metaphysics, a vision of God and the sacred which may revitalize world religion and reconcile the different faiths of this world to one another. It will be a necessary re-interpretation and revision of world religion that will be to the people of this planet, a doctrine of unity and a theology for a better, more harmonious one world order. The final unification of world religion, for many of us on this planet, it is a dream and a hope. During these times when we are faced with so much religious conflict, it is a goal which would do so much to further the cause of peace in this world. Also a unified one World religion, by providing a common bond and a shared vision of the divine, would also much facilitate the integration and the making one of the human race. And this is especially true when the religions of the world today are themselves impediments to world peace and the process of the coming together of humankind. But we ask now, how then might this state of affairs realistically come about? What reasons do we have for entertaining the possibility that we may witness a process of convergence between the religions of this world, sometime in the not too distant future? Firstly the conditions are ripe for just such a unifying revelation to emerge. We are living in such a critical period when the very survival of the world as we know it, depends on finding a way whereby we may tackle the planet threatening problems we are all facing, as a united humanity. And so many people are receptive to a message of integration and unity. It is during times of impending chaos and calamity that people are much more likely to be open to radical ideas. This is true especially in the case of the young. There exists a yearning in the hearts of many people in this Earth for a way that religion may become a facilitator of peace rather than the source of strife, which much of the religion in this World has degenerated into. Also as mentioned earlier there have been developments in the world of science, especially in the area of quantum physics, which has set the stage for the communication of the idea that is the central truth behind religion. It is the ancient but hidden idea that 'everyone is God', which will enable the coming together of world religion, thereby facilitating the coming together of the peoples of this world. And it is not just results from science that are helping to bring about this radical shift in perspective of how we view ourselves, God and our relationship to God. It is also lines of inquiry from philosophy and scriptural statements from religion itself, which combine with the relevant insights from science to form solid foundations for the revelation of the unifying truth that everyone is God. Secondly there is a certain place on this planet of ours which is ideal for beginning the process of communicating a unifying philosophy that may spread the world over. That place is London, a city where all the races and nationalities of the world are represented. Certainly the most cosmopolitan population centre in the world, not only are all the different peoples of the world to be found living and working together here, but also every religion, cult and sect can also be encountered in London. All the various spiritual traditions and innovations can be found in London either through the people who practice these faiths or else through their centres of worship and propagation. London is a place where all the diverse and different types of church, temple or mosque can be found. Also practically every significant new religious movement that can be found on this planet has some sort of base or office in London. But for the purpose of spreading a unifying philosophical and religious message worldwide, what is most significant about London is some of the people to be found there. In London there are sons and daughters of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Taoist and so on to include all the religions and cults of this world. And though all these young people are of different races and nationalities, by virtue of the fact that they have all settled in London, as a natural result they all speak English. Furthermore many of these young people have a shared mind set, and it is one which desires peace, harmony, unity and love. Also these people of whom I am speaking are very often interesting in philosophical and spiritual matters. It is these people who will be the first to receive a message centred around the truth that everyone is God, a revelation that will catalyze the process by which all the religions of this world will become one. Therefore it is the spiritually inclined, multi-lingual, multi-cultural youth that will be the vanguard and missionary force; which initially will seed and spread the revelation around the World. It is most probable that the process of spreading the unifying truth that everyone is God worldwide, will create a lot of conflicts. However instead of the conflicts that we already have today between different religions, between different countries and between different racial or ethnic groups; what we are talking about is a worldwide conflict that will be occurring between adherents within the same religion, between citizens of the same country and between people of the same ethnicity. Sibling will contend against sibling, Parent will contend against offspring and cousin will contend against cousin. The ultimate elucidation of the idea that everyone is God will inevitably stimulate not just academic debate but also bring about various social divisions that will sometimes escalate into serious dissension and perhaps even violence. There will be a war of ideas fought between those who champion the idea that everyone is God and those who will inevitably stand in opposition to it. It might at first seem perverse that in a world already riddled with conflict, why anybody would wish to generate more conflict on top of all the strife and contention that we already have. However when it is understood that this is a necessary process that humanity will need to go through in order that lasting foundations may be laid for a unified and harmonious world; then it can be seen that this conflict from within or intra-conflict that we're discussing is really just the concomitant birth pains of the emergence of a unified and harmonious one world order. The task of propagating the idea that everyone is God world wide will not be an easy one and it is a certainty that the truth will be met with opposition and resistance. Historical people have been either executed, severely punished or else made outcast for making the claim that a person's real identity is God. Even though mankind's understanding has advanced to such a state that the truth can finally be spoken so as to be comprehensible, it is still the case that for most people the truth will seem so counter intuitive, as to seem impossible and therefore unbelievable. Useful historical analogies which help us to understand the problems ahead include the time when it was first proposed that the Earth revolved around the Sun. Another example would be the opposition that was encountered by Darwin's theory of evolution when the idea was first introduced and which also exists right up to the present time. I recall the sentiment expressed by the great physicist Max Planck, an idea further reinforced by the philosopher of science Thomas S. Khun, that new ideas don't become accepted by the establishment as a consequence of them being believed due to their correctness or intrinsic merits; but rather that new ideas become widely held as true once the previous generation which couldn't accept the innovation slowly die off to be replaced by a younger generation which became familiar with the new idea early on in their lives. And so it will be with the revelation of the truth that a person's real identity is God. So the emergence of the truth that everyone is God and its eventual widespread acceptance follows a pattern that has been repeated throughout history. When we take a look at what has happened in the past then we may better understand the present and also the future. Human affairs over the ages may be seen as a process of technological evolution and cultural accumulation. A very important part of humankind's cultural progress has to do with the continuous refinement and expansion of our knowledge about ourselves, life, the universe and everything else. This process is characterized by the adoption of new truths and the replacement of previously held beliefs with these new insights. This happens once our level of understanding reaches a point where existing assumptions prove untenable and new explanations are found more satisfactory. Sometimes these changes in our beliefs are minor, perhaps the revision of some fact or a change of perspective in a certain area of human study. Then again sometimes these changes in our beliefs are very major and our whole world view is fundamentally altered. This is called a paradigm shift and examples would be the adoption of the ideas mentioned earlier, i.e. heliocentrism or the idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun, the round Earth idea as opposed to the flat Earth viewpoint and also Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. In a similar way the idea that a person's identity is really God likewise constitutes an as significant and probably even more profound a shift in our view of reality than the examples just cited. And in a manner similar to the way that the ideas of heliocentrism, the round Earth and evolution were accepted because of their power to explain the facts and remedy the inconsistencies and contradictions inherent in the ideas they replaced; so too will it be the case with the dissemination and eventual acceptance of the idea that everyone is God. There is reason to hope than even if the ultimate truth that everyone is God doesn't become the dominant global philosophy and spiritual outlook, then certainly at least within the lifetimes of many people alive today, an inexorable process may be put into motion that will, over successive generations, lead to a World where the idea that everyone is God is the most widely held belief. It is worth remembering that it is not necessary for even most of the people to believe something in order that it may become the dominant philosophy. In reality a philosophy becomes dominant when its adherents hold the key dominant positions within a society, or the global society in relation to present discussion. This will happen through the gradual conversion of some of the various leaders in this world and also through a process whereby people who believe in the truth systematically seek to obtain positions of leadership. When a critical mass of people who believe in the eternal truth are more or less in control of the levers of power in this world, then the truth may be systematically propagated from the top down laying the philosophical groundwork for a truly enlightened World society. So, the unification of world religion, a dream, a hope and the key to the unifying and bringing together of all humanity. At the moment this probably all seems a distant prospect and perhaps even an impossible fantasy. But conditions on this planet are ripe for the revelation that everyone is God to emerge, and it is this message that will bring about the reconciliation of world religion and help make the idea of a just and harmonious one world order a manifest reality. To read more purchase the book 'Quest' by Wai H. Tsang, from Amazon, Barnes Noble or Ingram http://www.iawwai.com/Images/Quest-Resized.jpg http://www.iawwai.com/CentralTruth.gifhttp://www.iawwai.com/CentralTruth.gif Top of Page HomePage http://www.iawwai.com/cooltext.jpg

will he be worse than trump or even better than trump? how about the mental health of Biden? will he attack muslim countries? what are your thougts?

Establising a network It has been said as long the 313 aren’t collected then the return of imam al Mahdi will also be extended.. trough all the technology we have it’s much more easier to get into a communication with people who live on the other side of the world.. technically we don’t have a reason to not create a network and preparing for his pleasant return. if we would start to create a network than its not really that important to have seen each other in real live... trough social network we can do its actually easier and much more save.. if we Got connected To each other trough socialmedia like;twitter,Instagram,Facebook,tiktok etc... we could easily work together by creating group chats and working together to spread the messegas of ahlalbait!! for example I was downloading TikTok with an intention to post about Shia Islam and spreading it and showing that Shia Islam isn’t a kuffar religion etc... I found out that I was not only one with such idea... i saw how lots of people spreaded Shia Islam in no time.. and people constantly asking who the halal Bayt actually are... so social network makes it so much easier to spread knowledge and get in contact with people from the other side of the world!! no one can be left alone coz everyone can safely join it!! Either anonymously or without Btw I really want to be clear!! Everyone who doesn’t want to join then ignore the post and if you are interest than please let’s help each other to create a huge social network from different countries all over the world..let’s not forget that’s its our future and it can get destroyed if we wouldn’t work together because of the satanical world we start to live in with lots of legalizations of disguising things.. please remember our future and the next ones.. you’re thoughts??

Salam, I am wondering, does anyone know any shia books that have a focus on perfecting character? Thank you in advance.

I am currently writing a research paper on the People of Pakistan and have been asked to define their worldview, culture, and beliefs. I am very curious to know what the Islamic worldview is from your perspectives - Pakistani or not, I want to hear from everyone who would like to share. Thank you!

Personally I think there are so many problems with being a believer. When you say “I believe” you are fundamentally saying, “I am unwilling to admit that I do not know”. The seeker is willing to admit he doesn’t know! The believer is unwilling to make this admission. He draws conclusions about what is not yet within his experience. A believer may make assumptions about the day of the judgement! Further, the moment you believe something, you are in conflict with the opposing belief. You can postpone it with moderate talk. But conflict is inevitable. Isn't it that Abu Darda reported: Did Imam Ali (عليه السلام) not affirm in his last will, I do not see how one can attain ultimate bliss by believing in something that they do not know, by not having the courage nor commitment to seek what is true and just by wanting to assume something. The fundamental human nature is to seek, isn't it how we grow? But then why have faith in something? Well, personally, belief is a big no-no to me but faith is a big yes-yes! It is because faith is something that happens along the spiritual path. It is not something that is forced upon your mind. Belief is brainwashing; faith is a realization through experience. Faith is about recognizing that there is an intelligence in the universe that is beyond our limited logic, and seeking ways to access that. But right now, unfortunately, faith has been misunderstood to mean rigid dogma. How is Belief different from Faith? Even further, the word mistranslated into English as believer has the roots, hamza-meem-nun, meaning to have faith. Of course, "belief" is a synonym to "faith" in English, but languages like Arabic are fundamentally different from languages like English. Arabic is a language where a single word is capable of a multitude of meanings while English is a language where different words can have an exact same meaning! It must be understood that Classical Arabic is too accurately grammatized and too literal. However, the language was still very young at the time the Qur'an Sharif was written. The language of the sacred text carries no such smartness or cleverness as its Classical form because its propounder, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), was himself just too simple. That being said, with very less grammar and much sense of colloquialism there were naturally many different meanings of a single word but even so, inter-related. It is only the gift of the so-called 19th century western philosophers and translators that the essence of spiritual processes were corrupted. Now, I understand why Benjamin Franklin had said, "Give me twenty-six lead soldiers and I will conquer the world." Indeed, Edward Bulwer-Lytton agreed that "The pen is mightier than the sword." Today, along with the so called religious scholars of their own religion, the English translators since 17th century have harmed much of the philosophies of the world. English is a widespread language that has emerged out of the need to communicate and it has the least vocabulary to become a translated target-language. It lacks the vast memory and moods found in languages like Arabic. English is a language for materialistic purposes only! What Qur'an has to say about Islam? Qur'an itself refers to Islam as Din - While the word "religion" would again connect Islam with a certain form of theism, Din is an Arabic word with its root being d-y-n, meaning ‘to dissolve.’ Thus, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself is telling that Islam has nothing to do with any belief-system, rather it is about submission to the whole of the creation and becoming one with it and obviously it needs faith to walk such a truthful path and dissolve. This is why Allah has the name Al-Ahad - The Unifier. For me, Islam is not a Religion but a Way of Life and a Spiritual Quest and I am not a believer but indeed faithful to Islam. What are your views?

Hi, I live in the UK and I study Law and sociology at university. Can anyone tell me a link to a website or any information on how to get entry to Qom Hawza, I am looking to start full time education at Qom hawza after I finish my Law degree. Also can you tell me if the education and accommodation is free or do I have to pay. I heard it was free and they give you accommodation as well as spending money. the qomicis.org website isn't working for me I don't know why, if you could tell me why I would be grateful. Thanks everyone.

I wish to share my thoughts on the concept of Unity. To do that, I have a perspective which is a cumulation of all the experiences of my life put together. My perspective may have a bias since it is a combination of the realities that I have lived and observed at different points in time. In order to explain my thoughts, I am compelled to make the best use of my language skills. I believe the English Language is one of the most, if not THE most spoken languages in contemporary times. I start off by introducing myself to the reader. I like to think of myself as a being that is subject to constant evolution. Evolution in the form of mind, body, brain, soul, spirit, etc. So in order to understand me, the reader should have a basic understanding of the concept of Unity, Duality, Multiplicity, and Infinity. Since only certain things can be explained at any one point in time (because time is relative), my goal here is to explain the concept of Unity. In Arabic (the language of the Arab people), Unity is analogous to the concept of 'Tawhid'. But in order to continue in English, I will have to proceed and due to my limitations to explain this concept, and the readers' limitations to understand this concept, I will have to improvise. Understanding Unity via Duality can be done in countless ways. The way I wish to do so is through the relativity of time. Basically, in order to explain Unity to you, I will keep time as a constant for a short period of time. It is at my discretion (at present) to pick a point in time to explain to you the concept as I am the speaker and you are the listener (presumably). The point of time that I pick is one from history. I have picked it because of its significance in countless ways, depending on the observer of time. The date I've picked is the 10th of October 680 C.E (Common Era). Since I am explaining Unity through Duality, I would now like to divide the recording of time in history via two methods already used. The Gregorian Calendar (the 12 months commonly used today, supposed to have marked the beginning of the Common Era, following the birth of Jesus Christ) and The Hijri Calendar (the 12 months commonly used by the Muslim population of the world, following the migration of Muhammad to Mecca). 10th of October in the Gregorian Calendar coincides with the 10th of Muharram in the Hijri Calendar. More specifically, 10th October 680 C.E = 10th Muharram 61 A.H. Since we are now keeping 'time' a 'constant', we have limited 'space' to keep making progress. So, in a few words, Unity explained via Duality means that at it's most basic, yet Absolute, Unity means two things (keeping in mind that time is NOT a constant). As we understand, Unity exists via space relative to time. I repeat, Duality of Unity is known in contemporary times as the Space-Time continuum. Do we understand the Space-Time continuum? Maybe, maybe not. I'd prefer to think that we do understand this continuum. You, me, we, all of us understand it in a different way. Coming back to time. To conclude this, on the 10th of October 680 C.E. (10th of Muharram 61 A.H.), an event took place. ONE event, best explained to be a combination of Infinite events, held at the same point in time for Existence to comprehend the Infinite potential of mankind in the form of Duality. The Duality of Right vs. Wrong. The Duality of Truth vs. Falsehood. The Duality of Being a Creation Vs. The Creator. As long as we can compel ourselves to observe all of history via the concept of Unity and applying Duality at it constantly, it will only be by a miracle that we don't/can't SEE the truth, HEAR the truth, FEEL the truth. Anything and Everything else is just pure coincidence. The End.

Assalamo alaikum, I was wondering whether there were any Prophets that were black or of very dark colour? If there were, who they were, and how do we know for sure about the colours. Also, what about the prominent Prophets, such as Hazrat Isa (A.S.), Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.), and others, what complexion where they of? It's just a general curiosity, and I'm not targeting any sensitive topics or such, just want to gain some knowledge because as i've grown being taught about such personalities, but for some odd reason i'd only think of them as white or fair prophets, i guess its just how we've been wired to think, even as children, even though i don't remember my parents or teachers ever specifying such a thing. Looking forward to all the feedback,

Salam everyone, my mum was just talking to be about surat al ahzab, she said that it’s a very important surah for when you’re praying for something to happen. ( in my case, waiting for my dad to expect someone that is a different nationality who I want to marry) Can someone explain this further? And attach a complete surah so I can print it out? thank you in advance, if you don’t have the answer can you please tag someone that does

Salam Alaikum Brother and Sisters My name is Hussain Makki and I've been studying our magnificent religion for over a decade. I started a YouTube channel to breakdown and discuss our ideologies and other important topics. here's a link to the first video i posted https://youtu.be/p8V-EsNjVVA I plan to answer a range of questions such as: is religion a cult? why bother investigating if there is a God? who created the Creator? and many more topics let me know if you have any topics that are relevant and if the channel is helpful at all. many thanks

What is the correct way for me to convert to Islam?

Asalaam Alaykum to you all, It's been a few months since my marriage with a not too religious husband. Unfortunately he is not much into reflecting about Islam and Ahlulhayt (A.S.) and he also doesn't read or research about it. He does try to perform his prayers, but next to this he doesn't do anything else about his religion. This worries me sometimes as I myself know about Islam to some extend and find it very important. What is your advice on helping him on this path? Should I tell him about my worries? Should I take it step by step? Is he going to become more religious with the time being? Note: we have had our nikkah but haven't started to live under a roof yet. So culturally we are engaged. Thanks in advance. Sara

Why is Shia the best religion? question Why is Shia the best religion? I am a follower of the Shia religion but I do not know what the superiority of Shia religion over Wahabism is. I am afraid lest we should be part of the 72 misguided Muslim sects. How can I be sure about it? Concise answer The superiority of the Shia religion is because of its being the "true" religion and there is only one true religion in all times and ages. As for other religions, they are either invalid and baseless or defunct and abrogated. Today, the true and righteous religion is the religion of Islam which manifests itself in Shi'ism. Indeed, it is only the teachings of the Shia religion that can depict the pure Muhammadan Islam. Historical evidences and religious texts confirm the point that we mentioned, and Wahabism lacks this feature. Detailed Answer The superiority of the Shia religion over other religions is because of its being the "true" religion. There is only one true religion in all epochs. The true religion of God, the Exalted, is one in all times and eras; any religion other than the One True Religion is either false or abrogated or defunct. The multiplicity of divine religions that have so far been revealed upon the humanity is longitudinal not latitudinal which means that the new religion is abrogative of and supplementary to the former one. Thus, with the coming of the new religion, the previous religion becomes defunct and is no longer considered valid. It would be necessary on all people to follow and have faith in the new religion as it replaces the old one. That is why, the holy scripts and religious texts use the term "Kafir" (infidel) to describe those who do not have faith in the new religion. Islam is the last and the most complete of the revealed religions. God shall not accept any religion other than Islam. "ان الدین عندالله الاسلام" (Verily, the only religion acceptable to Allah is Islam.[1]) "و من یبتغ غیر الاسلام دینا فلن یقبل منه" (And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him.[2]). Unfortunately, Muslims like the people and adherents of the previous religions are divided into different religions. Surely, all of them cannot be true at the same time. The holy Prophet of Islam said: "ان امّتی ستفرق بعدی علی ثلاث و سبعین فرقة، فرقة منها ناجیة، و اثنتان و سبعون فی النار" My Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects, one of which will be in Paradise and seventy-two will be in the Fire.[3]” The holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) also said: "ایها الناس انی ترکت فیکم ما ان اخذتم به لن تضلوا، کتاب الله و عترتی اهل بیتی" "O People, I leave you two weighty things, if you stick to both you will never go astray after me: the Book of Allah and my progeny – the Ahlalbayt.[4]" Abuzar Ghaffari, one of the trusted and honorable companions of the holy Prophet (pbuh) narrates: "سمعت النبی (ص) انه قال: الا ان مثل اهل بیتی فیکم مثل سفینة نوح فی قومه، من رکبها نجی و من تخلف عنها غرق" "The similitude of my Ahlalbayt amongst you is the same as that of Noah's Ark amongst his tribe. Whoever boards it will be saved and he who avoided it will drown.[5]" The pillars and principles of the Shia religion are belief in divine unity (tawhid), divine justice (adl), prophecy (nubuwwah), Imamat and resurrection (ma'ad). Shia believes in the leadership of the twelve infallible Imams (a.s.) as the successors of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) the first of them being Ali (a.s.) and the last one Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance). In the traditions narrated from the Holy Prophet of Islam the number and names of the twelve Infallible Imams (a.s.) have been mentioned. One day Abdullah bin Mas’ud was sitting in a gathering of people when a nomad Arab came over and asked: “Which one of you is Abdullah bin Mas’ud?” Abdullah answered: “I am.” Arab nomad: “Did your Prophet inform you about the number of his successor?” Abdullah bin Mas’ud: “Yes, he did, they are twelve caliphs, (like) the number of the Chiefs of Bani Israel.”[6] Our arguments for the righteousness of the Shia religion are the Quran and Sunnah. Almighty Allah commanded us to obey God, the Messenger and Ulul Amr (those vested with authority) who, according to the Holy Prophet’s saying, are the Shia Imams. There are many a number of Quranic verses referring to leadership and wilayat (successorship) of our Imams. Some of them are the following: "وانذر عشیرتک الاقربین" — " یَاأَیُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَیْکَ مِنْ رَبِّکَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ "— " الیوم اکملت لکم دینکم و اتممت علیکم نعمتی و رضیت لکم الاسلام دینا" —" انما یرید الله لیذهب عنکم الرجس اهل البیت و یطهرکم تطهیرا" It has been mentioned in history books and in the narrations that the Prophet (pbuh) always called the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (a.s.), his trustee and successor. Tabrasi narrates in his history book that when the verse "وانذر عشیرتک الاقربین" (and warn your closer relatives) was revealed, the Prophet (pbuh) addressed his relatives as such: Almighty God has commanded me to invite you to Him. Whoever helps me in this matter will be my brother, my trustee (wasi) and my successor after me. Then the Commander of the faithful, Ali (a.s.) stood up before him and said: “O Apostle of God, I will help you.” There and then the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Verily, this (Ali) is my brother, my trustee, my helper, my successor after me among you. Follow him and be obedient to him. Some of the Prophet’s relatives laughed at this and declared to Abu Talib mockingly that he must bow down to his own son, as Ali was now his Emir.[7] In the last year of his life and as he was returning from his last pilgrimage, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) formally nominated Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) as the Muslims’ leader and ruler. He ordered all the pilgrims in a gathering at Ghadir Khum to vow allegiance to Ali as the Commander of the Faithful. This famous saying “of whomsoever I am a mawla (master and ruler), this Ali would be his master” is the Holy Prophet (pbuh)’s saying on this day. This is a well-known and mutawatir (mass-transmitted) tradition. This is a brief explanation of the evidences of the superiority and righteousness of Shi’ism over other religions on the basis of Quranic verses and narrations. Definitely, we can also deal with this issue by drawing a comparison between the teachings of the Shia religion and those of non-Shia religions through which we could prove Shia’s superiority over other religions but we would rather leave this discussion for some other time. When it comes to Wahabism, it would be enough to suffice with Sayed Mustafa Razvi’s writing in the book titled “Pakistan: Political and Religious Information” in which the writer says that Wahabism considers the followers of all other Muslim sects, Shia and Sunni, as pagans, infidels and idolaters. They declare seeking the intercession of the Prophet and Infallible Imams, visiting their graves, respecting and revering them as a form of innovation and idolatry. Thus, they forbid such acts on the ground that they are polytheistic acts. They do not permit greeting, respecting and revering the Prophet (pbuh) anywhere other than in the prayer and they believe that commemoration and reverence of the Prophet (pbuh) ended on the day he passed away from this world. They consider any kind of structures, monuments and tombs on the graves of the Imams and religious saints as bid’ah (innovation) and they believe that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was a human being who died and who no longer has the power to do anything because he has no information about us nor does he know anything about what is going on in this world. Therefore, it is forbidden to visit his grave. [8] We let your common sense to judge as to whether these doctrines can be consistent with the Quran or human nature. Is this the love of the Ahlul Bayt which has been regarded as the wage of prophethood[9]? Did the Quran not tell that the martyrs are alive and sustained by their Lord?[10]And is the Prophet’s rank lower than that of the martyrs?! Should you want to discuss the subject further, do not hesitate to email us. May Allah grant you success. [1] - Aal-e Imran: 19 [2] - Aal-e Imran:85 [3] - Al-Ebanah al-Kubra, Ibn-e Vol. 1, p.3; Khesal, p.585 [4] - Kanzul Ummal, Vol.1, p.44, Babul E'tesam bil-Kitab Wassunnah. [5] - Al-Mustadrak 'Ala al-Sahehain, Vol.3, p.151 [6] - Khesal, p.467 [7] - Tarikh Tabari, vol.2, p. 320, Egypt Publication: Kamil Ibn-e Athir, Vol.2, P.41, Beirut Publication [8] - Sayed Mustafa Razavi, Political and Religious on Pakistan, p.63-64 [9] - قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلاَّ الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبى (I do not ask you any wage (in return for my prophethood) except to love my near kin. [10] - Aal-e Imran: 169 http://www.islamquest.net/en/archive/question/fa2163

Salam brothers and sisters, In the Quran surah 7 ayat 27 it says, "O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe" Also in the Quran surah 28 ayat 56, "Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. So the big question here is does Allah or Satan lead us astray as humans? Hope you guys can clear this up for me. Also this is a problem because even if there is one problem with the Quran the entire book goes down that's why you guys should be cautious when answering this for a confused brother. Also this brings up a question of free will so do either of these beings guide us as these verses say or do we do what we want to do? Salam

The following are the few glimpse about the life education and religious work of Sayed Ammar Nakshawani 1. Birth: 1981 2. Family background: - He is the grandson of Murtadha Nakshawani, (who served as a representative of GrandAyatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq. In 1987) his family migrated to England, United Kingdom - He is a direct descendant of Muhammad SAAW through Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Twelver Shia Imam. - He is also the nephew of Sheikh Baqir al-Irawani, one of the highest ranking Shiite jurists of the 21st century 3. Education: - BSc in Psychology and Law in 2003 – University of London - MA from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran - Phd from University of Exeter – England Religious studies: - Studied in the Islamic Seminaries of Damascus, Syria in the precincts of the sanctuary of Zainab, the granddaughter of Holy Prophet Muhammad, from 2009 – 2012 - Studies include Arabic Grammar, Hadith Studies, Logic, Science of Jurisprudence, History, Theology, Mysticism and Quranic Sciences - These subjects included the study of works of classical scholars such as Ibn Aqil, Rumi, Sibawayh, Baladhuri, Tabari, Ibn al-Athir, Masudi, Yaqubi, Baqillani, Qadi Numan, Sijistani, Ibn Arabi, Allama al-Hilli, Sheikh al-Mufid, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Shahid al-Awwal and Shahid al-Thani, Sharif al-Murtadha and Sharif al-Radhi, Suyuti, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qayyim al–Jawziyya, Dhahabi, Kashi, Najashi as well as contemporary scholars such as Sadr, Sobhani, Yazdi, Abdul Hadi al-Fadhli, Taleqani, Beheshti, Khoei, Mutaharri, Shariati, Muzaffar as well as his uncle Baqir al- Irawani. 4. Teachers: He studied under Ayatollah Milani, Sheikh Bahmanpour, Sheikh Elmi, Sheikh Vaezi, Dr Toussi, Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan, Sayed Alaa al Halabi, Sheikh Mukhtar al-Tunisi, and Prof Ezzati. According to a license posted on his website, he holds the intermediate scholarly rank of Hujjat al-Islam. 5. Occupation: Professor 6. Titles: - He serves as the Imam Ali Chair of Shia studies at Hartford Seminary, the oldest seminary in the United States, and is the first ever academic chair in the United States devoted to the study of Shi'ism. - He serves as the Special Representative to the United Nations for the Universal Muslim Association of America (UMAA). In this role, he promotes women's rights initiatives, social development, and religious tolerance. Nakshawani uses this position to speak out for the preservation of cultural heritage, historical art and architecture, and ancient literature. As Special Representative, he engages in interfaith dialogue with leaders of a variety of faith communities, and advocates on behalf of Islam - He is a member of the International Qurʾanic Studies Association. 7. Important Events: - 500 Most Influential Muslims: In 2014, Nakshawani was included in the list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims (also known as The Muslim 500, an annual publication first published in 2009) in the "Preachers and Spiritual Guides" section. - Prolific Islamic Scholar: A 2009 report by the Change Institute said that at the age of 27, Nakshawani represented the arrival of a new generation of persuasive and articulate Muslim intellectuals and personalities who are able to gain leverage amongst young Muslim audiences because they speak in a language that appeals to them...an increasingly significant figure amongst Shi'a youth both in the UK and internationally. 8. Initiatives: Sayed Ammar continues to promote a contemporary understanding of Islam and dispelling myths about Shi'ism through interfaith and intrafaith initiatives under the mentorship of leading scholars in the Muslim World. He travels frequently to Iraq to consult with scholars including Ayatollahs Ali al-Sistani and Bashir al-Najafi, and others. His uncle Mohammad Jawad al-Irawani sits on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Expediency Discernment Council. He also routinely convenes with al-Sistani's representative Sheikh Fadhel al-Sahlani, in New York City. Sayed Ammar has appeared on news media including TV channels such as the BBC, Ahlulbayt TV, Press TV, Al Zahra, Al Anwar, Kerbala TV, Hidayat, Wilayat, Ahlebayt and Safeer TV. 9. Shia Sunni Unity at Columbia University The "Muslim Student Association of Columbia University". Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. held a lecture by Sayed Ammar Nakshawani on the importance of uniting Sunni and Shia Muslims. “There needs to be dialogue in order to bridge the gap,” Nakshawani said in his lecture. “For so many years, when Shiites and Sunnis tried to bridge the gap, the Shiite would look through his lens. The Sunni would look through his.” In his address, Nakshawani asked the audience to put aside political and theological differences between Sunnis and Shiites and focus on the group’s shared fundamental beliefs, such as the oneness of Allah, Muhammad’s role as the prophet of Allah, and the five pillars of Islam. "Take off your lenses and see through the eyes of someone else," Nakshawani said. He criticized he speeches of Sunni and Shiite clerics who use phrases such as "atheist sinners" and "infidels" to incite hatred of other sects. 10. Lectures: Muharram Lecture Circuit and Ramadhan Lecture Circuit, These are arranged on yearly basis 11. Website: www.sayedammar.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammar_Nakshawani

Hi,i'm a new user and i'm very happy to have found this online community. Today i want to talk about western women and their sexuality and the threat that women' sexuality represent for Islam. Many of you have already noticed that western women and in general women who live in advanced countries religion-free are more independent,have economical power,but mostly they do a lot more sex than muslim women and they tend also to betray more and also they tend to have less children and tend to marry less. Another thing that you may have noticed is that even if they're more sexually active than their muslim counterparts,they're also more selective and would like to go only with the top males(beautiful,rich and a very good status),while rejecting the average ones and bottom ones,while men(in general) are less selective and have a wide ranges of preferences. You may also have noticed that more and more muslim women are flying away from Islam and acting like western women Why is that thing?Why are western women more selective than muslim women and men in general?Why in just a few decades have western women got so picky and selective? The reason behind this is that western women have gained a lot of rights and they also have gained a lot of economical power and so independence.I'm going to explain to you better in the following lines: In the 20th century and previous centuries women have very few rights and very little access to the workplace because most of the jobs were physical and so men were fitter for them than women and in addiction there was no thing like maternity leave to help women economically when they get pregnant.So they hadn't economical power and therefore independence and in order to survive and get food and a roof over their head they had to marry a man,even if they don't want to.In addiction in the western society in the older centuries religion had a very important role,that now it has been lost with all his values. But now,that's changed and women have economical power,independence,maternity leave and the possibility of making the choices they want about their life. Isn't that great,yeah?Certainly it's great for them,but not for many men that lost the chance of having free sex and a wife and so they're conducting a very poor and shameful life where they only work to survive,but not to live since sex and the love of a caring wife are a mirage for them. But why is that? Like i said before women are more selective than men by nature but their selectivity in dating a partner appears only when they have rights and independence. What do i mean when i say that women are more selective by NATURE: According to science the humankind belongs to the animal reigns and like every other animal our purpose is to reproduce ourselves in order to carry on the human specie.Men (since they are phisically stronger and have the possibility to submit a woman)were given a great sex drive and much less selective attitude in dating,while women since they're the ones who carry the pregnancy and since the pregnancy is very long,painful and is some case mortal had(and have)to choose the best men who could protect her wife and guarantee their children a good genetic(intelligent,beautiful,tall,strong). In fact in the prehistory only 1 man out of 17 had the possibility to reproduce because very few men got all the women. https://psmag.com/environment/17-to-1-reproductive-success Then men in order to balance things had introduced monogamy along with religions,so that every man could have his own wife and live a good life without feeling anger for not having one. But now things have changed because religions in the west had lost all of its meaning mostly among the youths(either men or women)and things like divorce have been introduced and if you look at the statistics women are much more likely than men to initiate a divorce,because by divorcing they get a lot of privileges(the ex-husband has to give her ex-wife his house and part of his salary),but mostly they can change their partners and have a lot of sex. But what do women find attractive in a man? Basically 3 things.Looks,Money and Status. Looks is the external aspect and women mostly care about the face,that's to say that if you're fit but ugly in face you won't attract women.Contrary to what the popular culture says beauty isn't subjective but objective,the objective thing they're talking about is the likeliness that's still related to the beauty:the more beautiful you are,a greater likeliness you'd like to have and you'll attract more women and viceversa.A beautiful man is also regarded by women's brain as a carried of good genetics because usually beautiful people have also a good genetic. Unfortunately women regard very few men as beautiful,while men are less picky. Money is very important because even if women have got economical independence they're still looking for a man who can guarantee them a good life,also because women want to show other women they got a powerful man on their side who can give her all what she desire. Status is another important factor,that's more variable than the other two and it's the social reputation,the fame that a person has.The more you're taken in high consideration in your environment the more women you'll be able to attract. Women Love Beautiful,Powerful Men and Hate Those Who Aren't So and Dare to Ask Them a Date. Muslim Countries and Muslim Environment are still unaffected by these phenomenon because women have less independence and less economical power,but as soon as muslim women will get them they will start to care less about religion,family and they will think only about their pleasure,especially their sexual pleasure. Their sexual power is the reason why all the religions of the world have given them less rights than men,because ancient men were sages and knew that if women got equal rights like men they would have overthrown them along with society(western birth rate is declining with no exception)because of their sexual power and their strict selectivity. Research that shows the women are more selective than men: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1986604/ I hope you'll like this artcicle and that this will give you new way to reflect and think. Islam is the best religion and it will be forever.

I like to solicit your constructive comments on the following Idea. Science has penetrated our lives and how important it has become. To the extent that some are using as a the only tool to understand the Higher realities and shunning philosophy/religion. Are we been misled here, by the glamour and newnes of something that we have just started to discover. Are we worshiping Science as new God. When man discovered fire, it was a new discovery, probably started worshiping it. Creation of the Universe(as we know of it), is been described as something out of nothing, our out of a singularity, or a single dot that contained all that we see today, and the process is described as a random process which took place over billions of years and different processed Evolved and formed new elements and stars and galaxies and basically, environment based evolution. Random, with no DNA/Map that it followed. How is it different from these processes> Potential or every thing/building blocks on everything/ existed in the following processes. Process: A fertilized human egg to full grown Human. Process: A seed to full grown giant Sequoia tree Process: Singularity to Current Universe What Science describes with much fanfare and dramatization (if you watch any Bigbang Video) Imagine a video describing the the initial stages of a fertilized human egg and all stages/periods with the development it goes(all subsystems and processes) through till it reach adulthood(full complete body). Or a growth of a Sequoia Tree seed, all steps till its a Giant Tree. We know that all the different stages of development, have a guide and its the DNA, same is true for a Sequoia Tree, it follows a map. Similarly, if you substitute the scientific terminology and fanfare with simple periods of stages and describe each stages from Singularity to what we know of the universe. Its has followed a map, its systems are growing according to a pre defined system(at a Macro level).

@Abdulaziz mirza dear readers, i just want to discuss something important, i have been facing and challenging for quiet a while, and maybe a lot of people are secretly fighting this... I once had very strong faith in Allah and was very pious and religious, i had goals and still do want to be a sheikh and i would make Allah's name beautiful, i would make people know what's haram and halal, i offer prayers at the time and i always go to the masjid and fast not obligatory fasting and i pray more than i should and do a lot of good things ,But everyone has a flaw and a failure and mine was masturbation and i kept killing me and my faith slowly, and everytime i want to repent i repeat the same mistake. Till one time Allah completely forgave me and i was so happy and proud that i always thought that Allah forgave me so there's no point in praying in time and i lost in touch with Allah and the quran and my prayers and fasts. And i lied and sometimes cursed, my faith was become weaker and weaker everytime, it was shaytan who tricked me, it's like he put a veil between my mind and my religion or he blocked my conscious. Till i sinned again and i repented and again and then repented till know that i know my faith is so weak that its hard , but i asked Allah to renew my faith so if i can try to strengthen it again. And i am suffering, because if you would meet me when i was religious and meet me when i lost my faith, you would look at 2 different people and it's so depressing if you would experience this. Are there any tips if any of you would give me. And thank you.

al-islam

If our Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.H) had been sent in this era, would you even consider His teachings? If yes.... Have you been open-minded enough to consider other religions or ideas that are against the teachings of your forefathers? :ideas-worth-pondering:

So here I have a kind of question on the most popular criticism used bu Sunni/Wahabbis against shias. This is what I am talking about : http://www.sunni-news.net/en/articles.aspx?article_no=27879 Summary:Sunnis say that the beliefs of christians and shias are same as they take their prests/imams as gods other than Allah. Like in the case of Ali and Jesus, Christians believe that Jesus was a God but so week to die on a cross, while shias believe that Ali (a.s) is on higher rank than Prophet Muhammad and strong like God but so week to protect Islam after Prophet Muhammad and had to accept all kinds of accusations against him. (ASTAGFIRULLAH) Question : Now my question is that how can we prove them wrong ? Are we really saying that Ali has attributes of God ?