World Blog by humble servant. Submitter perspectives.Comments From Submitters.

Just wanted you to know how much I like your web site. It has been extremely helpful to me. I’ve been thru just about every religion under the sun, from paganism to Judaism to Christianity (+through the various sects within Christianity.) While I would find some answers, there was always something driving me forward. After reading the Bible (all of it) and coming away from that with more questions, suspicions, doubts, etc. I then also investigated how the church got its dogma, how reliable was the Bible, etc. Needless to say, what I found surprised me, and sent me searching even more.

Then I decided to see what Islam had to say. God, in His grace, had me hit your web site. I started to get answers to some long-standing questions. Then I read the Quran (still am – though I’m almost done). And everything was clear. I haven’t had such clarity – ever. I wish every one would read it. Unlike the Bible, where I noticed so many discrepancies, illogical conclusions, the Quran is clear, concise, readily understandable (at least to me). CONSISTENT that I don’t understand how Christians can read and think it’s the work of the devil. It saddens me that the Old and New Testaments have been so tampered with. They have been so sadly diminished because human didn’t find God’s words good enough.

It also shocked me to see that what calls itself Islam today quite frankly isn’t. Though I shouldn’t be shocked. After all, look what Christians did to Christ. It seems most people aren’t happy until they’ve piled up a big mound of garbage between themselves and God. Having gone thru so many religions and seen this happen every one, imagine my relief in finding a web site that follows the Quran only. I, too, have found that the Quran is all that is necessary – that plus letting God guide me.

That’s also why I don’t call myself a Muslim. Not because I’m not a Submitter, but because the words “Islam” and “Muslim” don’t signify today what they did before. Instead I call myself a Believer or a faithful person. In the west, still, Islam brings to mind only one thing: a fanatical, terrorist, violent person. It’s the exact opposite of what God meant by the word….Sincerely C.J.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           As-salamu Alaykum.

I came across several of your Blogs floating around… and was surprised that so many of the things I was feeling and questioning were answered in the few I read. I love your Blogs because it keeps Islam simple.

I’m a slave of the state of Texas at the moment, but your blog is vital in my walk with Allah. So I thank you and your blog is greatly appreciated.

May God continue to shine his peace and mercy upon you and the true believers. God willing I will hear from you soon.

Your brother in Islam .W. G                                                                                                                               Submission (Islam): Keeping it simple and how I explain it to others

A few of my jobs in my life have brought me to places where it is not politically correct to be “Muslim” but I’ve never wavered in my faith. By God’s grace, I am proud of who I am and what I believe. Instead of being confrontational I have simply adopted the following guidelines for explaining it to others. I’ve done my best to keep it as simple as possible (based on my experiences of what people want to know) and it seems to work. It’s by no means a comprehensive guide to God’s religion (for that one needs to read the Quran). I have yet to get into any argument while following these guidelines and have found many of my co-workers and friends are even more accepting and supportive of me now, thank God.

1)  I believe in one God by whatever name you want to call Him (17:110). There are no others. He has no equal. I believe He created and runs everything. I believe we have one thing to accomplish in this world that is to worship Him and ultimately return to Him.  I believe this with every fiber of my being.

2)   Submission (in Arabic, Islam) is what makes sense for ME. So yes, I do pray 5x a day, or at least try to.

I do fast once a year and God willing will be able to do Hajj someday.  The “Islam” I practice is far different than the traditional culture-based Islam portrayed in the media. The culture of Islam (what most in western civilization would see as the Middle East) is vastly different than the religion of Submission sent down by God from the time of Abraham. I converted when I was 14 and I grew up in upstate New York and urban areas of Arizona. I do not speak Arabic. My views may be a bit different than the kid born in downtown Dubai, rural Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, etc. Submission (Islam) answered a lot of questions other religions could not.

3)  I do NOT require anyone else to believe the same. Freedom of religion is God’s decree (2:256, 18:29). I will NEVER try to cajole, intimidate, or threaten anyone else to believe the way I do. I will happily share information on my philosophies and why I believe what I do but I expect nothing but a simple exchange of information. I expect others to extend me the same courtesy. I will not change my views on my faith at this point, God willing. I don’t even expect my children or my wife to believe the same as me.

I give them information and expect them to make their own decisions. God guides whom He wills (28:56). You cannot FORCE anyone to be a submitter (10:99). Only God has this power (26:4). This is how I was taught and how I teach others.

4)  I believe in all the miracles mentioned in the Old Testament, Quran and New Testament. So yes, this includes the virgin birth of Jesus, parting of the Red Sea, Jesus healing the blind, … and the list goes on and on. I believe God did this with HIS power through the human agents that He created. God created EVERYTHING (2:29)! This includes the universe, so parting a puddle on our little mud ball (earth), having Mary become pregnant with Jesus, having Jesus speak from the crib, while pretty awesome, are not really that big of a deal once you understand the greatness of God. I look up every night at the sky, I listen to the wind blow and see miracles every day and I think they are no less convincing as proofs to me (45:3-5).

5)  I believe in the principle of self-responsibility (53:38-9). I will answer to God alone for MY sins and transgressions. Not yours, not my wife’s or my children’s and not anyone else’s. I will answer for me and me alone. I do not require Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, the saints or anyone else to save me nor do I believe they could. I need the message they taught. Believe in God alone. 

6)  I am neither Shia nor Sunni (God says not to make sects out of His religion, 30:32). I read the Quran and accept if for what it is. If it’s not in the book I’m not worried about it.  This is not meant to be disrespectful but to be blunt. It doesn’t matter to me what hand Muhammad used to eat with or anything else people claim he did. Same goes for any other prophet. This includes Moses, Jesus, Noah, etc.

7)  Suicide is forbidden. (4:29). I can’t explain suicide bombers, don’t ask me to. I think it’s stupid to take your own life and evil to murder people in the name of religion.

8)  Heaven and Hell are eternal (2:80-82). You go to one or the other…forever.

9)  I don’t eat bacon. Get over it. There are only 4 things I cannot eat. Have you seen the rest of the menu on the planet? Praise God! I’m pretty sure I can live without breaking God’s prohibitions. This can be found in the Quran (6:145, 16:115).

 Carrion.

 Running blood. Remember the original Red Dawn movie where they kill the deer and drink the blood. Yeah, not going to happen.

 The MEAT of pigs. Lard is not prohibited.

 Food blasphemously dedicated to other then God.

10)  I really don’t understand the trinity. Please, don’t try to explain it to me. Others have tried and it doesn’t make sense to me.  Both Jesus and Mary were created by God. Anything that was created by something can be destroyed by something. God is eternal and cannot be destroyed or die as Mary and Jesus did.

Nor do I believe Jesus was God incarnate or the “son” of God. God has no need for sons. He created everything, has power over everything, knows everything, etc.

11)  If it ever walked or talked on this planet, I will never pray to it. This includes the prophets, the messengers or the “saints”, which I still don’t get. Apparently there are “saints” in some branches of Islam. I just found this out a few years ago. In my logic, anything that existed on this planet was created by something else which follows it can be destroyed by something else and therefore has limited power.

12)  I believe in evolution, but I don’t believe we evolved from monkeys (32:7, 15:28).  Evolution is a divinely guided process. The Quran talks about this (21:30, 24:45). Please don’t hit me with what you consider to be “hard science”. I am not discounting science; I have my own reason for my belief which is actually based on mathematics and the prime number nineteen.  If you’re curious, ask and I’ll point to the material, God willing.

As mentioned earlier, I have no expectation I will change anyone’s mind. You shouldn’t have expectations you will change mine either.                                                                                                                          Jason

Idol Worship Comes in Different Forms

We talk frequently about idols and what they are. We know from the Quran that idols may not be just statues, or messengers. Idols could be material things such as money, cars, a business we own, the job we have. They could be also our spouses, girl friends or children—anything, anybody that occupies our minds most of the time, and takes priority before God. This made me think about many things that happened in my life.

For example, my first car. It was a little red car. I fixed the interior and the car looked really good. I used to wax it all the time, and be really proud of the car. What happens? One day on the way to work, I had an accident. The entire front end was crushed. When I got to work, I was really upset.

Shortly after my car accident, someone gave a  (sermon) on Friday about idols, and I realized that my car had become an idol. I said to myself that God took the car because I had been thinking more about my car than God. I had forgotten my prayers, missed the Quranic studies because this car occupied my mind most of the time. This was a reminder from God. However, God is really merciful, and He helps us if

we repent, ask forgiveness from God and are sincere in our repentance.

After that service, I went home and found a message on my machine. The insurance company was going to pay for all repairs. There would be extra money for me too. I sold the car for much more than I paid for it. I made a lot of money out of that little car. I said, “Thank you God, I will never idolize my car again.”

I bought another car. This time a BMW. I said to myself, “I don’t care about this car as much. I will not idolize my car again.” Well, soon I was showing it off, telling everyone about it. What happens? The car’s engine breaks down. I had to put a lot of money into that car. I said, “I’m sorry, God. I’ll never idolize my car again.”

Sometimes we get tied up in our daily lives, and make idols out of many things without even realizing it. We need to remember and fear God more than anything else in this life. If things are not working out for us, we should consult the Quran, find the answer, and correct our actions. God guarantees that He will make us kings and queens on earth if we do this. Following the word of God should be our number one priority.

Any blessing you enjoy is from God. Yet, whenever you incur any adversity you immediately complain to Him. Yet, as soon as He relieves your affliction, some of you revert to idol worship. [16:53-54]

You shall submit to Him, reverence Him, observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and?whatever you do?do not ever fall into idol worship. [30:31]

When adversity afflicts the people, they turn to their Lord, totally devoting themselves to Him. But then, as soon as He showers them with mercy, some of them revert to idol worship. [30:33]

It has been revealed to you, and to those before you that if you ever commit idol worship, all your works will be nullified, and you will be with the losers. [39:65]

Daniel Ley                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           BLESSING OF GIVING-A Parable 

                                                                                                                                                         

A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the student’s friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.

As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day’s work.

The student turned to the professor, saying: “Let us play a trick on the man: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them.”

“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him.”

The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin.

Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his face. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin. His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.

The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?” The youth replied, “You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of these words, which I never understood before: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

[2:270] Any charity you give, or a charitable pledge you fulfill, GOD is fully aware thereof. As for the wicked, they will have no helpers.

[2:263] Kind words and compassion are better than a charity that is followed by insult. GOD is Rich, Clement.

[2:254] O you who believe, you shall give to charity from the provisions we have given to you, before a day comes where there is no trade, no nepotism, and no intercession. The disbelievers are the unjust.                                                                                                                                                                                  Asiah                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           A Canadian Submitter’s Journey to Submission

I was born and raised in Quebec, Canada but moved to the capital city of Canada - Ottawa, Ontario. My parents are from the Azores Islands in Portugal. I was raised as a Catholic. In my teens, I switched to becoming a "born again Christian" in my quest for the truth. I would read the Bible, take notes, write charts and diagrams and found discrepancies and errors. In my heart I really loved God and would talk to God with many tears. I remember praying on my knees to God for many hours at a time.

I went to every different church denomination there was but was disappointed because I wanted to get closer to God but found I was alone in this quest. I later became confused because some taught Jesus was God, then there was the trinity issue. Time passed and I married and had 3 children. I divorced and one of the issues was that I wanted to pursue my quest for true devotion to God.

A high school friend of mine that I've known for many years married a non practicing Muslim. I would try to convert her to Christianity. This made her think about God and started her quest for the truth. She looked over Islamic books and watched a couple of Ahmed Deedat debate tapes (Islam vs Christianity). One day she told me that now was my turn to listen to her and she insisted that I watch this tape. I was hesitant because I thought that Christianity was the only true religion. I've never heard about Islam. Islam was not heard of back in the 90's where I live. Nobody ever told me about it. After watching this debate, I was convinced that I was in error and was deceived. Me and my friend both became Muslims in 1999 December.

My quest didn't stop there because the simplicity and joy of accepting Islam was soon to take me to another journey. I soon found out people were telling me things that were not in the Quran and telling me Hadiths. You have to understand that coming from a Christian background and my deep quest for the truth and my cries to God I could see something was wrong. It seemed like there were many sects, divisions, rules and regulations that tried to take away the simplicity of it all. I didn't believe in Hadiths, I don't wear a headscarf. I believe in only Quran. So I stopped socializing with mainstream thinking Muslims to avoid conflict. I found your site by doing google searches on topics on Quran only.

Thank you.

H.G                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Beloved brother: As-salam Alaikum.

This is just a small reminder to inform you brother on the wonderful job you are doing on spreading the true authentic tenets of Allah’s message.

After years of being a Sunni, I had come to agree that the Quran is the best and only Hadith we Muslims have, and only authentic one. I also truly feel that we Muslims need to embrace modern knowledge and technology, and overcome divisions over religious dogma that has left us weakened on the world stage.

After coming across a few blogs of the message of the Submitters from another incarcerated brother (Submitter) at the institution, I’d come to fully accept this message wholeheartedly because nothing is lacking, or is its anything superfluous about it. It’s the complete composition of a whole. Brother, my knowledge is very limited on this beautiful message, so inshallah.

Leaving you as I come in “peace.” As-salam Alaikum. May Allah be your constant companion. Thanking you in advance. Thanks!!

Mashallah.                                                                                                                                                                                                              Keith S