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waseem
UNITED KINGDOM
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 Topic initiated on Sunday, November 19, 2006 - 12:55 PM 
were Krishna meets Mohammad (pbuh)
Where Krishna meets Mohammed
Tulsaben Thakkar takes Prophet Mohammed's name as she recites from a Hindu text. She talks about qayamat while singing praises of Lord Krishna. It is a daily ritual for about 60 lakh followers of the Hindu Nijanand sect, now more popularly known as Pranami, founded 400 years ago in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Their love for Krishna also invokes the holy Prophet. The sect has followers in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Nepal.
A spectacular festival of Pranami followers unfolded from November 1 to 12, in a sleepy village near Jamnagar. Borders melted, religious boundaries blurred and centuries fell away as two lakh people assembled to participate in the '12,000 parayan' in which 12,000 chosen followers read out 37,516 lines each from the holy book called Shri Tartam Sagar in 12 days.
"The success of the parayan largely depends on the completion of the reading by devotees within the time frame. Thankfully, it was completed, reinforcing the strength of the sect," says holy man Amritraj Sharma. As the deadline approached, old and young devotees were seen bobbing their heads and reading aloud. Those who had finished their respective books before the last date helped others who were struggling. It's not common to find traditional Gujaratis mouthing typical Arabic words like momin, haqiqat and hukum. After all it was a faith carved out of an age when Aurangzeb ruled.
"Aurangzeb was killing Hindus and demolishing temples. Our founder Mahamati Prannathji went to Aurangzeb to explain our religion to him. (The faith was born just over two decades before this encounter.) He chose to speak in his language by referring to the value system of the Koran," says Sharma.
The confluence of two religions in the Pranami sect has been described by Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in a Pranami family. In My Experiments With Truth, Gandhi says, "My family was Pranami. Even though we are Hindu by birth, in our temple, the priest used to read from the Muslim Koran and the Hindu Gita - moving from one to the other as if it mattered not which book was being read, as long as God was being worshipped."
In fact, it was his Pranami roots which made Gandhi choose a vegetarian menu. Apart from Gandhi, the other prominent member of the sect in recent times was the late union minister H K L Bhagat. The Ruparel industrial family is today one of the most influential part of the sect. At least 5,000 Pranami followers are present in Mumbai too. An exclusive Krishna Pranami temple in Bhuleshwar caters to these devotees who never worship idols. The holy book is worshipped there instead.
"My husband's ancestors were involved with the religion since the first temple in Jamnagar was built 375 years ago. We are still trustees of the temple," says Ira, daughter-in-law of the Ruparel clan. Her nonagenarian mother-in-law Laxmi, who takes part in the day-to-day functioning of the temple, quotes a couplet from the Tartam Sagar to emphasise the secular fabric of the sect.
Jo kachu kahyaa ved ne, sohee kahyaa kateb/ Dono bande ek saheb ke, par ladat paaye bina bhed. (What is said in the Vedas, is also said in the Kitaab (Koran) / Both people of one God, fight without knowing the truth.) |
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raushan
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Posted - Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 2:36 PM 
2:143 Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (From the Faith). Indeed it was (A change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah Make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.
Anyone who can explain"that ye might be witnesses over the nations".
wassalam |
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waseem
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 8:28 PM
Translation by Moiz Amjad 2;142-143
Prophet, it is now time to direct the believers to face the Ka`bah - the Abrahamic mosque[1] - during their prayers.] The idiots among these people[2] will surely say: 'What has turned them away from the direction which they were used to facing during their prayers?'[3] Say: '[God is not bound in any particular direction.] The East and the West all belong to God[4]; He guides whom He pleases to the straight path [, which is clear of all prejudice]' - And [just as We have appointed the Ka`bah as your Qiblah, in place of the Masjid al-Aqsa] similarly, [We have appointed you as witnesses to the path of Abraham for the humankind, in place of the Israelites. And for this purpose,] We have made you a group in the center[5], [lying between the Prophet and the rest of the humankind], so that you be a witness [of God's Truth][6] for the humankind and the Messenger bears witness [of this Truth] upon you[7] - And as for the direction, which you were used to facing during your prayers, We had set it as your Qiblah only to [put you through a test and, thereby, to] distinguish those, who truly follow the Messenger from those, who turn back on their heels[9]. And this [test] was indeed very trying, except for those, who are bestowed with guidance from God[10]. And God is not such that He would [put you in a test, which would] render you faithless[11]. [On the contrary,] God is extremely Kind and Merciful upon His people[12]. (2:142 - 143)
1. In the foregoing section, it had become quite clear that 1) God directed Abraham (pbuh) and Ishmael (pbuh) to build the Ka`bah for His worship - v. 125 - 127; 2) God had designated the Ka`bah as the center of worship and congregation for the followers of Abraham (pbuh) - v. 125; and 3) the Qur'an was, in fact, a call to the path of Abraham (pbuh) - v 130 - 131. In view of these facts, it was now expected that the believers would soon be directed to make the Ka`bah as their Qiblah.
[2]2. The change of the Qiblah was a practical application of the basic principle of guiding to the path of Abraham (pbuh). The Qur'an had declared in verse 130 that only such people can be averse in adhering to Abraham's path, who have given themselves up to stupidity. Now, once again, when the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers were being directed to change the direction of their Qiblah and to turn their faces towards the mosque, which Abraham (pbuh) had built for this purpose, it is declared that the idiots among the Israelites, shall object to this move in their attempt to dissuade people from following the Prophet (pbuh). The obvious stupidity in this objection of the Israelites was that even though they claimed to be the followers of Abraham (pbuh), yet were averse in facing the direction of the mosque, which Abraham (pbuh) had built for the purpose.
[3]3. Historical sources show that initially the Muslims used to face the Bayet al-Maqdas (in Jerusalem) during their prayers. The Qur'an has clarified in the following verse that God had Himself directed the facing of the Bayet al-Maqdas and has also given the reasons for it as well as for the subsequent change.
4.As has been clarified earlier, this is a reference to the practices of the Jews and the Nazarenes, one of whom used to face the West, while the other used to face the East.
[5] As the following part of the verse clarifies, the word 'center' over here is used in its literal connotation. This word is used for the Banu Ishmael, who were literally in the 'center', playing the role of a 'link' between the Prophet (pbuh) and the rest of humankind.
[6] Just as a 'witness' manifests the Truth and removes all doubts about it, similarly the Qur'an has used the phrase 'witness of the Truth' to imply the manifestation of God's Truth at a level, which removes all excuse for rejecting that Truth.
[7] This verse clearly evidences the fact that the position of the Banu Ishmael, from the perspective of being witnesses of God's Truth upon the humankind, is the same as that of the person of the Prophet (pbuh) in his capacity of being a witness of God's Truth upon the Banu Ishmael. Thus, just as the Banu Ishmael received their guidance through the person of the Prophet (pbuh), the rest of the humankind, which accepted Islam received its guidance through the Banu Ishmael.
This statement clearly shows that the initial Qiblah was also set according to God's directions.
[9] The position of the Banu Ishmael has just been explained. The Banu Ishmael, in their collective capacity, have to play the role of 'witnesses of God's Truth upon the humankind'. Because of this position, it was extremely important to cleanse this collectivity of all undesirable elements. This cleansing process of the Banu Ishmael, according to the Qur'an, was achieved by taking them through various testing situations. The directive relating to the change of the Qiblah was one such testing situation. It should be interesting to note that while living in Mekkah, where the majority of the followers of the Prophet (pbuh), since their childhood, held the Ka`bah in great esteem and revered it as the House of God's worship, the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions were directed to face the Bayet al-Maqdas during their prayers. However, later on, when the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers migrated to Medinah, where the Israelites enjoyed significant religious influence, the Muslims were directed to face the Ka`bah during their prayers.
[10] That is, the test entailed in the initial setting and the subsequent alteration of the direction of the Qiblah was indeed very strenuous, as it actually demanded a deviation from a strong religious tradition of the community. Only those people could have succeeded in this test, who were sincere in their submission to and worship of the Almighty. While those, who held their traditions as their gods did not stand a chance of success in this test.
[11] The purpose of such tests is not to render people faithless. On the contrary, even these tests are a manifestation of God's mercy and kindness. It is on the basis of these tests that the true and the sincere believers are distinguished from the hypocrites; it is on the basis of such tests, that the true believers are guided to the furtherance in their spiritual development and in their relationship with and their reliance upon their Creator. These indeed are the qualities which ultimately would grant man the life of eternal bliss in God's Paradise.
[12] The two attributes given at the end of this paragraph are: Al-Ra'uf and Al-Raheem. In the foregoing context, these two attributes complement each other in the sense that "Al-Ra'uf" implies the one, who corrects the others' mistakes with kindness, while "Al-Raheem" implies the one, who augments the desirable qualities in the others, with extreme mercy. The referred kind of tests, trying as they are, are in fact a sign of the referred attributes of God: Through such tests, God provides people the opportunity to not only cleanse themselves of the undesirable qualities, but also augments in them the desirable attributes. |
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usmani790
PAKISTAN
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Posted - Thursday, November 23, 2006 - 9:14 AM
Quote:-Anyone who can explain"that ye might be witnesses over the nations".
From Tafheemul-Quran (by Maulana Maudoodi.)
It is require that Muslim community should become a living witness of piety,truth and justice before the world,just as Holy Prophet(pbuh) bore witness before it,and in words and deeds should suffice to demonstrate to the world the meaning of truth,justice and piety.
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For detailed understanding pleace see the page No.76 and foot note No.144 by visiting the following link of English translation of tafheem-ul-Quran.
http://www.millat.com/quranpak/modoodi/tafheem%20english/002%20AL-BAQARAH/book.htm |
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raushan
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Posted - Thursday, November 23, 2006 - 11:12 AM
true bro usmani,
salam
in addition to that:
The word Wast, translated above as “middle” also has connotations of intermediation. The word signifies that Muslims are intermediaries between God and man. It is for them to communicate the word of God to their fellow human beings, just as the Prophet of God communicated it to them. This is a responsibility that is always incumbent upon the Muslim community. Their success, both in this world and the next, depends upon how they discharge this responsibility.
http://www.alrisala.org/Articles/quranworld/full_quran/baqarah142-143.htm |
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waseem
UNITED KINGDOM
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Posted - Thursday, November 23, 2006 - 8:25 PM
This is the view of Javaid AHmad Ghamidhi from his book Meezaan.
This position of shaha#dah was bestowed, besides other Messengers, upon the progeny of Abraham (sws) too. For this reason, the Qur’a#n (2:143) called them an intermediate group (ummat-i wasat@) between Him and His creation, and asserted that they have been chosen for this position just as the Almighty chooses some great personalities among mankind and grants them the status of a Prophet or a Messenger:
وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ (78:22)
And struggle for the cause of God in a befitting manner. He has chosen you [for this responsibility], and laid on you no burdens in the observance of your faith. He has chosen for you the way of Abraham, your father. He named you Muslims earlier and in this [period of the last prophet] as well. [He had chosen you] so that the prophet may bear witness against you, and that you yourselves may bear witness [to this religion] against other people of this world. (22:78) |
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