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Name
Jammy
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Profession
Question
Why do you Muslims consider alcohol to be haram (forbidden)? It does make life look beautiful. Don't we have enough sadness in our lives?
Answer
Salam Jammy.
Thank you for your question. But I would personally ask it the other way around! Forgive my wordings, but what is positive about something that makes us lose our most positive divine gift; our brains? The logic of forbidding or permitting is not usually as complicated or as intolerant as it seems to be to some people. The Divine doesn't just want to prohibit us from what we like, nor does He want us to let go of what we love. So, when we compare our joy through a moment of ecstasy, to that of a moment of creative intellect, I would chose the second one. Why chose to lose my mind, I ask?
As for the logic of belief in Islam, it is never a given. A Muslim searches for God through his divine given intellect, through thinking and contemplating. When he finally realizes that there is a One and Only Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, it is then when he submits peacefully and gives himself fully to the divine. But how would he choose to submit if he lacks the ability to rationalize it.
The human brain is a value of high esteem in Islam, Jammy. It is to be cherished, respected and used with dignity. It is not to be deformed, damaged or even taken lightly. This is not permitted through any kind of physical or spiritual suppress. This varies from the usage of alcohol to the restrains of world wide undemocratic and autocratic political regimes!
Name
MAH
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Profession
Question
How does Islam treat the Muslims who deform its image?
Answer
Salam MAH,
Really, I thank you for your simple and important question. In fact, the logic of da`wah in Islam goes in two directions, internal and external. A Muslim is a person who acknowledges the existence of a One and Only God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all. Thus, this believer would surrender to This Creator in complete and peaceful submission. An essential part of this submission it to spread the beauty that he has encountered in this submission; the beauty of divine love.
A Muslim is naturally spreading the word of God; which is the word of love, the word of good, everywhere. He feels love, he breathes goodness & he spreads what he feels and breathes. Thus, the natural thing for a Muslim — which doesn't happen all the time — is that he spreads the knowledge of God to those who don't know Him and remind those who already knew Him but are in deviation.
So, when a Muslim contradicts this code, how are things supposed to go? Well, other Muslims — who are not supposed to be in deviation — are supposed to remind him in different ways. He is never to be acknowledged for his actions. There is a saying by the Prophet Muhammad which explains that a Muslim should stand by the side of his fellow Muslim, whether he is oppressed or the oppressor. By this, he meant that in case a Muslim is the oppressor, then his fellow Muslim is to stand by his side by confronting him and reminding him of what is right and what is wrong.
The Qur'an says what means:
*{Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner; surely your Lord best knows those who go astray from His path, and He knows best those who follow the right way.}* (An-Nahl 16:125)
It also says what means:
*{And continue to remind, for surely the reminder profits the believers.}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:55)
Name
Lora
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Profession
Question
Why is it prohibited for Females to have male friends in Islam?
Answer
Salam Lora.
What is prohibited my dear is related to the meaning of the word "friend". And, this is quite relative from a person to the other, from an age-phase to the other and even from a culture to the other.
But, it is very important to know that if we are discussing the area of what is prohibited, then you need to know that it is not prohibited for females. But, it is prohibited for both males and females. On the other hand, what is permitted, is again permitted for both males and females. The idea is about prohibiting a human soul from injuring itself or falling into filth. It has nothing to do with putting restrictions on a certain "human-sect" while leaving the other to flee here and there!
Back to your question, you need to distinguish areas of prohibition and areas of permission. It is quite lawful my dear to salute your class mate at the age of 20 and bid him good morning and even chat for a while in the open light of your school courtyard . At the age of 50, it is quite lawful to have group gatherings and lunch out with groups of old classmates. But, it is definitely forbidden to sleep with one of them. That is, outside the marital bond. It is again forbidden to enjoy one another on any personal basis, whether physical, spiritual or even mental.
What would permit a man and a woman or a girl and a boy to enjoy one another is a marital bond. Outside this context, the joy is not lawful, no matter how we name it. Some name it love, others name it filth. Well, whatever that takes a man and a woman or a boy and a girl towards this direction is again forbidden. Look to it this way: Smoking causes cancer, cancer is harmful and kills the body, then smoking is forbidden. Islam sees that non-marital relations and fornication kills the human soul and the social context of the family as well. So, what leads to it is exactly like smoking.
The problem with some people is that they don't realize why the bit older are permitted what the younger are not. It is simply because the triggers differ. When the person is young, all his or her world revolve around the he and she concept. Man and woman love is the moving goal. By time, the person matures, he or she become more involved with other issues of life. This doesn't ever mean that at the age of 40 a man and woman can lock themselves up in a private moon to discuss the Palestinian tragedy. But, it means that maturity differs in self control, but still what is wrong is wrong and what is right and right.
Name
Host
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Profession
Question
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Answer
Dear Reader.
We have to apologize that we have to stop our session right now for technical reasons. It will be continued next Thursday, July 6th, 2006. Please check our schedule to follow our comming session.
