#Muhammad University of Islam

[manga-and-stuff]

Source: Fullmetal Alchemist Hagane no Renkinjutsushi 鋼の錬金術師

by Hiromu Arakawa

[islam-defined]

Indeed, Allah created everything, by a perfect measure (54:49)

Anything that is created by a measurement produces the product with perfection, whether it is its shape, size, appearance, lifespan or quality. Whenever humans produce something, it is certified for its perfection in the name of guarantee and warrantee. The product is also sent to R & D center for finding faults in it, so that any discrepancies in it could be removed.

In fact, Allah created everything, in truth, with perfect measure, in flawless shapes, with a time-span, with a purpose and their destiny.

So Allah declares, “He has perfected everything what He has created” (27:88, 32:7 etc) and then He CLAIMS, “Did they never observe the sky above them and understand how We built it and beautified it; without any flaws” (50:6).

Flawlessness in prefect measure. Really, Let’s check:

And I am not able to produce more, Allah's creation is infinite. Allah says, “To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghani (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise" [31:26]

Allah says, "If all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean were ink, refilled by seven other oceans, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted". [31:27]

Here I look into existence of Allah, in His creation of insect, fluid and hexagon. Quran says, "Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. O people! Your creation and your resurrection for accountability on the Day of Judgement, is as easy as creating and resurrecting just one soul”. [31:28]

[totheidiot]

that new testament john x jesus post of mine is doing so good i might have to start cooking up another new testament related post. can't complain religious history when it comes to christianity and islam is of my most favorite things and i love to talk about it. if you want my thoughts on something concerning specifically the life of jesus and anything regarding islam before the sunni-shia split, shoot me an ask. i will come to you with an extremely long analysis post, trust.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

The “Islamophobic incident” catalyzed plenty of administrative commentary and media coverage at the university. Among others, it formed the subject of a second Oracle article, which noted that a faculty member had included in their global survey of art history a session on Islamic art, which offered an optional visual analysis and discussion of a famous medieval Islamic painting of the Prophet Muhammad. A student complained about the image’s inclusion in the course and led efforts to press administrators for a response. After that, the university’s associate vice president of inclusive excellence (AVPIE) declared the classroom exercise “undeniably inconsiderate, disrespectful and Islamophobic.”

Neither before nor after these declarations was the faculty member given a public platform or forum to explain the classroom lecture and activity. To fill in the gap, on Dec. 6, an essay written by a Hamline professor of religion who teaches Islam explaining the incident along with the historical context and aesthetic value of Islamic images of Muhammad was published on The Oracle’s website. The essay was taken down two days later. One day after that, Hamline’s president and AVPIE sent a message to all employees stating that “respect for the observant Muslim students in that classroom should have superseded academic freedom.” The essay’s censorship and the subsequent email by two top university administrators raise serious concerns about freedom of speech and academic freedom at the university.

The instructor was released from their spring term teaching at Hamline, and its AVPIE went on the record as stating: “It was decided it was best that this faculty member was no longer part of the Hamline community.” In other words, an instructor who showed an Islamic painting during a visual analysis — a basic exercise for art history training — was publicly impugned for hate speech and dismissed thereafter, without access to due process.

[wordofprophet]

7 Scientific Miracles of Holy Quran ☄️

1) Expansion of the Universe (51:47) 2) The Big Bang (21:30) 3) The Sky's Protection (21:32) 4) Iron was sent down from outer space. (57:25) 5) Sun And the Moon moving on its own orbit. (21:33) 6) Pain Receptors (4:56) 7) Internal waves in the oceans (24:40)

. . . #allah#mohammadﷺ#quran#islam#makkah#madinah#hajj#miracle#explorepage#exploremore#viral#viralreels#instagram#trend#miracles#space#miracleshappen#science#trendingreels#trending#fyp#foryou#reels#reelsinstagram#sciencefacts#universe#bigbang#travel#inshaallah

[illogarithmil]

One day my fellow historians will achieve their ultimate triumph and demonstrate that polytheism has never existed, we've all been transcendental monotheists forever and we still are actually (sorry neopagans :( )

[chillinaris]

SIAPA yang melihat kisah luar biasa ini di halaman depan The New York Times hari ini? Ini adalah salah satu cerita paling populer minggu ini!

Penanggalan karbon baru-baru ini dari manuskrip Al-Quran kuno di Universitas Birmingham kini telah menambahkan lebih banyak lagi bukti mengenai tingkat kepastian Alquran yang tak tertandingi. Folio-folio ini diberi tanggal Karbon 14 dalam jangka waktu yang sama, atau mungkin tidak lama setelah Nabi kita (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). Dengan kata lain, jika perkamen ini tidak ditulis untuk/oleh seorang Sahabat, maka ditulis oleh/untuk seorang murid dari salah satu Sahabat.

Dalam gambar ini, yang disiapkan oleh Prof Godlas, Anda dapat melihat manuskrip asli, yang ditulis dalam manuskrip Hijazi kuno, dan membandingkannya dengan padanannya yang diketik modern.

Koleksi ini, disebut 'koleksi Mingana' (setelah peneliti Alphonse Mingana, meninggal 1937) dibeli oleh Mingana baik di Irak atau Suriah, hampir seratus tahun yang lalu. Edward Cadbury, pendiri perusahaan cokelat terkenal, mensponsori perjalanan Mingana ke Timur Tengah. Koleksinya, yang meliputi ratusan manuskrip, sebagian besar disimpan di University of Birmingham, di Inggris.

Banyak Muslim bertanya kepada saya, 'Mengapa begitu banyak dokumen dan manuskrip Islam berakhir di tanah dan perpustakaan non-Muslim?' Singkatnya, tanggapannya adalah: kolonialisme, dan kekuatan uang. Beberapa manuskrip hanya 'diperoleh'; tetapi sebagian besar dijual oleh pemilik pribadi, atau di pasar gelap, kepada pelancong dari Eropa yang dapat membayar harga yang dianggap sangat tinggi pada saat itu.

Dan terus terang, itu adalah hal yang baik. Dunia Muslim sama sekali tidak memiliki (juga tidak memiliki!) teknologi terbaru atau sarana ilmiah untuk mengurus manuskrip ini seperti yang dilakukan dunia Barat sekarang. Keyakinan saya adalah bahwa Kehendak Ilahi mengizinkan manuskrip-manuskrip ini dipelihara dengan cara sebaik mungkin, bahkan jika itu terjadi di tangan orang-orang yang tidak mempercayainya sejak awal.

“Sesungguhnya Kami telah menurunkan Peringatan ini, dan Kami pasti akan melestarikannya” [Quran]

[Foto dan huruf Arab diketik milik Prof Alan Godlas]

Share/ Bagikan...

[emperornorton47]

Secular institutions are not obligated to enforce religious rules.

[thelifeinmyshadesofgrey]

I apologize for not posting last week! As a reminder, winter season is approaching in Gaza and many of these families are in dire need of funds to support themselves. Please donate if you can, or help to spread the word!

(previous posts: 1, 2, 3)

Eman and family @emanabosedo (fundraiser link) (vetted by association, as explained here)

Eman is a mother of three young children, and is seeking funds for her family. Donations will be used to find a safe place for her children, secure basic necessities, as well as rebuild their lives. As of 18th September, they have $1,221 USD/$50,000 (only 2 donations in the last 24 hours)

Mohammed and family @yasermohammad (fundraiser link) (vetted by @90-ghost)

Mohammed is raising funds for his family of 7, including his wife and 5 children. He has recently lost his mother due to the lack of treatment and medical supplies. As of 18th September, they have €22,706/€35,000

Islam and family @islamgazaaccount3 (fundraiser link) (vetted by @90-ghost and @northgazaupdates2)

Islam is a 27-year old physical therapist from Gaza. He is displaced with his family of 6, including his 85-year old grandfather who has recently lost his left hand in a prior bombing. As of 18th September, they have €2,362/€30,000 (no new donations in the last 24 hours)

Muhammad Abu Lihiya and family @helpmohammed2024 (fundraiser link) (not yet vetted)

Muhammad, 22 years old, is the sole breadwinner for his family after the death of his father in 2018. His family consists of his elderly mother, Mona, and his two younger brothers, Ahmed and Ibrahim. As of 18th September, they have $3,107 USD/$50,000 (no new donations in the last 24 hours)

Nadine and family @nadoosha-sd (fundraiser link) (vetted by @90-ghost)

Nadine is 21-year old university student, and she is raising funds for her family of 7. She has tragically lost her infant brother, Mohammed, to hepatitis, and is worried for her 3 year-old sister, Manal. As of 18th September, they have $832 USD/$25,000 (only 2 donations in the last 24 hours)

Ayaa and family @ayoosh-gaza @ahmad-gaza (fundraiser link) (vetted by association, as explained here)

Ayaa is a 24-year old teacher and she is seeking funds for her family of 6, consisting of her elderly parents and chronically ill brother. As of 18th September, they have $5,801 USD/$35,000

Muhammad Eid and family @maysaayahya85 (fundraiser link) (vetted by association, as explained here)

Muhammad has tragically lost his daughter, Mais, as well as his mother, brother, and his entire family in an airstrike. He and his wife, Maysaa, and two surviving children barely escaped with their lives but are left with severe injuries. They are in desperate need of treatment. As of 18th September, they have €569/€35,000 (only 2 donation in the last 24 hours)

Dr. Husam Farhat and family @drfarhatblog (fundraiser link) (vetted by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi #248 in this spreadsheet)

Dr. Farhat is an academic who has recently lost his sisters, Inas and Amal, along with their husbands and children, and his brother Mustafa. The funds will help them to safely evacuate and rebuild their lives in Malaysia, where he has previously pursued his PhD. As of 18th September, they have $9,222 USD/$29,500

Mohammed Abu Zour and family @mohamedabuzoor (fundraiser link) (vetted by The Butterfly Project #503 in their verified campaigns)

Mohammed is a father of three. His wife, Dina has sadly lost the baby she was carrying due to the stress and trauma of war, while his son suffers from hepatitis. His other son suffers severe psychological trauma after they were previously captured and tortured by the military. As of 18th September, they have €1,692/€60,000 (no new donations in the last 24 hours)

Ibrahim Hussein and family @ibrahimhuss (fundraiser link) (unvetted, but organizer has met the family through the Pass The Hat campaign, allied with Operation Olive Branch)

Ibrahim and his wife, Yasmina, are caring for their baby daughter, Maryam and his nephew, Waseem after the death of his sister and husband in October. The extended family includes Yasmina's own family, consisting of her parents and siblings. As of 18th September, they have $45,321 USD/$100,000 (only 3 donations in the last 24 hours)

[newnitz]

I don't really see people talking about how cultural Christianity is applied to Jews.

In Christianity, Jews are the people who rejected and betrayed Jesus and are punished with statelessness and destitution, whose only redemption is accepting the Messiah and the Son of God. This is the basis of several antisemitic tropes, most prominently deception, religious supercessionism and the Wandering Jew.

In cultural Christianity, these tropes are considered tenants of Judaism rather than Christianity, as Judaism is considered Christianity without Jesus.

Christians see themselves as tortured saints, persecuted for spreading the truth of Jesus and God across the globe. Missionaries who go to non-Christian lands to try and get the people to convert by fearmongering with damnation to Hell see themselves as victims when they're rebuffed and asked to stop.

Cultural Christian non-Christians are usually atheists and adherents of folk religion revivalist movements who have suffered religious abuse, as many sects of Christianity normalize emotional abuse by instilling inherent guilt in the Original Sin and even physical abuse in "Spare the rod; spoil the child". These cultural Christians see the millennia of antisemitism and roll their eyes, to them we're just another sect of delusional religious people with a persecution complex.

To become a Christian all you need to do is accept the Father Son and Holy Spirit, to affirm your beliefs and confess your sins. To become a Jew you are either born a Jew, or you learn the Jewish culture and religion for months on end and must live half a year under the strictest restrictions of the Jewish lifestyle to show commitment. That is the difference between a universal religion and an ethnoreligion.

In a Culturally Christian world there is no room for ethnoreligions, and they do not exist. All religions are about your faith and which God(s) you believe in. So in a Cultural Christian's eyes, a country of Jews is a country that holds one faith supreme above all others and conditions rights with conversion, as that's how Christian countries have historically been.

Christianity's common ground with Jews comes from the Roman Empire appropriating the religion from the Cult of Jesus, and making it more appealing to the masses by introducing Greco-Roman and Germanic folk religion aspects into it. Xmas is Yule but with Jesus, Easter is a fertility holiday but with Jesus and so on. In the eyes of the Cultural Christian, Christianity and Judaism are two once-antagonistic sects of the same religion, no different than Catholics and Protestants.

Cultural Christianity erases and appropriates Judaism and is as inherently hateful of Jews as religious Christianity.

Now, when it comes to the elephant in the room: Islam.

Islam, like Christianity, is a universal religion. You must believe in Allah and accept the prophets, which include both Jesus and Muhammad. It is no more inherently violent than Christianity, though it's no less. In the Christian's eyes, Islam is the competitor, the enemy. The Muslims conquered Christian lands and converted them, and they've fought holy wars against one another throughout the Middle Ages.

To become a Muslim the Cultural Christian doesn't need to unlearn any of the core tenets of their culture. They can simply apply it to Islam.

Which is why many Cultural Christians, damaged by Christianity, are sympathetic to Islam. And since Muslims and Jews are no longer on good terms, they use this sympathy to give themselves a free pass to be antisemitic. Whether Muslims check their converts for bigotry, allow it or are powerless to stop them, that's another issue.

Jews are not diet Christians. We have less in common with you than you have with Muslims. Unlearn Christian cultural appropriation.

And no, I don't care that it's "offensive" to associate you with Christianity due to the religious abuse you endured. You still see the world through a Christian lens.

[islam-defined]

The Universe is expanding

Dr Alfred Kroner, Prof of Geology & the Chairman of the Deptt of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany, said: “Thinking where Muhammad came from . . . I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case…… Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin….”

In 1924 a Swedish astronomer discovered that the universe is expanding. In June 2016 NASA and ESA scientists found that the universe is growing faster than thought earlier when Hubble Space Telescope provided some information in this matter.

Base Image Source: Google

[worfsbarmitzvah]

I've thought about how gentile Abrahamic religions are antisemitic religious colonialism before and it pisses me off a ton and I'm thankful you said it, but now that it's someone besides me saying it, I'm gonna give some criticism (please don't take this personally)

Everything up to Abraham (particularly Adam and Noah) have G-d creating and tending to the entirety of humanity, right?

During Abraham's time, it should stand for something that G-d tends to Hagar and Ishmael, right? Especially since Hagar gives her own name for G-d and He makes a promise to Ishmael that he'll be the father of nations (or something like that). And I think the Prophet Muhammad is supposed to be descended from Ishmael.

And Noahides are a whole Thing in all this too ofc.

But the bigger thing is there are definitely texts and interpretations that take G-d being the G-d of the Hebrews and extend it to Henotheism, but for the Jews who are purely monotheists and say there is truly only one G-d in existence and He belongs only to us, isn't it cruel to totally deny the vast majority of humanity the Divine, especially if He is still their Creator and controls the world(s) they live in?

this whole thing is coming from the assumption that judaism was always monotheistic. it wasn’t. at one point in time we were monolatrous, meaning we only worshipped one g-d but didn’t deny the existence of others. hell, the language used in the torah supports this (the way the text treats egypt’s g-ds being perhaps the most prominent example). hashem has always been our specific g-d, since before the idea emerged that he is the only g-d. our/the world’s perception of him may have since evolved into this idea of one singular deity, but it has not always been that way.

hagar and ishmael still come from our mythology surrounding our particular g-d. the idea then emerged in islam, which was born with the same jewish roots that christianity was, that muslims were descended from ishmael. and, like, i don’t really mind or care about that either way. ishmael’s not a super major figure in our folklore. the story, along others in breishit, genuinely does lend itself to the idea that hashem can be the guardian of many different peoples, families, and nations. and to tell the truth i don’t genuinely have much of a problem with sharing some folklore and roots.

but it NEEDS to be acknowledged where those roots come from. for so much of history, right up until today, christians and muslims have pretended they know our g-d and our folklore and our history better than we do. they have MURDERED us for worshipping our g-d and practicing our customs in OUR way, the way we have been since before their religions and cultures emerged. if the religions that find their roots in our culture were more willing to listen to us, respect us, and learn from us, maybe i’d be less angry. but they’re not. they’ve tried and tried and tried to eradicate us and erase where they came from and make our stuff theirs. i don’t think it has to be like that forever but i don’t think we’re very close to it not being like that as of now.

also, i can’t think of a single cultural mythology that doesn’t have a creation story of some kind. it’s just the kind of thing that societies do when they try to make sense of their place in the grand scheme. the fact that we believe our g-d created the entire world does not actually mean that that story or that g-d belongs to the entire world. the fact that everybody thinks our creation myth applies to and belongs to them is just more evidence of how widely our culture has been co-opted.

there’s nothing we can do to change the fact that our g-d has been made universal (either through the natural evolution of our theology or from colonialism and cultural theft, more likely a combination of both) and i have to be fine with that. sure, fine, the people who have adopted our g-d as their own without actually bothering to understand us at all can outnumber us by orders of magnitude.

but why does our holy city have to also be their holy city? the christians have the vatican and rome and islam has mecca and medina. why do they need jerusalem? why can’t even that just be ours?

again, i have to push this aside and be okay with sharing if i truly want to have peace in our land. and i do, because i love eretz yisrael and yerushalayim more than i hate what has been done to her. the situation has grown so far beyond the injustices i am angry about that it is impossible to right those injustices without creating brand new ones. so i will be okay with sharing our g-d, our texts, and our land. but that doesn’t mean the injustice of it won’t burn like a fire in my heart.

[karlmarxmaybe]

HELP A FAMILY OF TWELVE ESCAPE THE GAZA GENOCIDE!!!

Vetted by @nabulsi and @el-shab-hussein, #305 in the list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1yYkNp5U3ANwILl2MknJi9G7ArY4uVTEEQ1CVfzR8Ioo/htmlview?pli=1#gid=0

The goal is in norwegian kroner, 11 kronor is worth 1 USD and every 1110 kroner is 100 USD. You can donate USD.

The story of the organizer, Ayman Al-Habil (@nour20habil), in his own words:

My name is Ayman Al-Habil, the father of ten, 5 females and 5 males (Aya, Heba, Nour, Malak, Mustafa, Muhammad, Ahmed, Yazan) On October 7, 2023, our lives were completely changed, the bombing of our house on our head was martyred My brother, and all my children were injured, some of them were described as severe. We had to migrate to the beach camp, then we moved to the south of the Gaza Strip (Deir al-Balah camp). I lived in a tent in December, the long, rainy winter, the weather was cold every day, drowning from the rain, and my family and I spent four months in tents.Then I migrated to Rafah, specifically on March 18, 2024. I left Deir al-Balah. I went to Rafah. I could not find a shelter. We spent the whole night in the truck. Then I started looking for shelter for me and my children.I found a school affiliated with Anruwa, my family and I sat in a classroomSchools are our shelters, as the class was divided into 4 families. Life was very difficult, neither water nor food nor sanitation, diseases and epidemics spread widely, as I had diabetes and cartilage, and my 5-year-old son, Ahmed, had hepatitis, and my 3-year-old child had osteoporosis. Hepatitis, with great difficulty, provided treatment for the difficulty of living, the financial situation and the high price of the drug My eldest daughter, Aya, graduated from the Faculty of Nursing,My daughter Heba is a software engineering graduate from the Islamic University of my daughter Nour studying English commerce at Gaza Training College: GTC: affiliated with Unrow الصور My son Mustafa is a high school student, Ahmed is in the first grade of primary school, and Muhammad is in the fifth grade of primary school,I recently lost my mother who had Cancer Help me rebuild my house Help me to escape death and extermination My children and your donations will help me make this possible and improve our tragic situation Thanks to your financial support, it will be part of my life change. I want to tell you every 11 kronor is worth 1 USD and every 1110 kroner is 100 USD.

[crusera]

The Sultan, they said, was a good man. Soft, quickly moved to tears. Out of compassion, he bought the freedom of a Christian woman's stolen daughter. Even Walther von der Vogelweide, the minnesinger in distant Germany, praised the "mildness" of the powerful ruler in the Orient, whose name has a good reputation in the West: Saladin, a righteous man.

He was a man who always kept his word, even to his enemies.

He let his subjects drag him to court, because God's laws applied equally to everyone. Also for him, the ruler who managed to do what no one had ever managed before: to unite the Islamic world of the Middle East after centuries of discord and to wrest Jerusalem, the holy city of the Muslims, from the Christians in 1187.

His name translates as "righteousness of faith", and Saladin is indeed a devout Muslim. Nevertheless, after his conquest of the Holy Land, he allowed the Christians and Jews there to continue praying to their God. This is another reason why, more than half a millennium later, Western Enlightenment thinkers would make him the epitome of the tolerant ruler.

But this al-Malik an-Nasir Salah ad-Din Abu'l-Muzaffer Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shadi, known as Saladin for short, also had other sides.

He could be treacherous, vile and mean. He did not shy away from murder. Nevertheless, this man fascinated his contemporaries. He became one of the most revered rulers of the Islamic world and the most important opponent of the Crusaders.

Saladin was born in 1138 in Tikrit (in present-day Iraq), the son of a Kurdish officer. During his political career, Saladin was the first to bring Egypt's army under his control.

Saladin, a Sunni, now founds two universities where theology is taught according to Sunni theology - a signal that he is on the side of the population. He also abolished a number of taxes that contradicted the Koran and the teachings of the Prophet.

Saladin's subsequent conquests shock the Christian world. By 1174, his power extended from North Africa to the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. In 1186, he ruled from the Nile to the Tigris.

At the height of his power, the Sultan even dreamed of taking the Holy War to Europe, conquering Rome - and putting the Pope in chains.

The Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 and held it until Saladin besieged it in 1187 and handed it over to the Ayyubid dynasty, a Muslim sultanate that ruled the Middle East at the beginning of the 12th century.

Saladin wanted to recapture the city, which had previously been ruled by Muslims.

For Muslims, Jerusalem is a place where important events in the life of Jesus and other important personalities took place. It is also the place where the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven according to the traditional interpretation of the Koran and other texts.

In Sunni Islam, Jerusalem is the third holiest city after Mecca and Medina. Muslims believe that Muhammad was brought to Jerusalem during his night journey (Isra and Mi'raj).

The name Jesus is mentioned twenty-five times in the Holy Qur'an, often in the form 'Isa ibn Maryam, which means "Jesus, son of Mary". In the Quran, he is given the unique title "Messiah" (al-masih in Arabic), which means "anointed one". He is considered one of many prophets from the lineage of the Prophet Ibrahim, or Abraham (peace be upon him). Many Muslim traditions regard it as an ideal example of spirituality. Unlike Christians, who generally believe in a triune God, Muslims believe that Jesus was a great prophet who was to lead mankind on the straight path of monotheism and obedience to God (Allah).

When Jerusalem also fell, two kings and an emperor set off for the Holy Land with their armies from 1189 onwards. One of the monarchs is King Richard I of England. Even before the armed pilgrimage, he had already earned himself an honourable name: "Lionheart."

Saladin lies in wait for the Christians in the forests of Arsuf near the Mediterranean coast. But King Richard of England had anticipated the attack; on 7 September 1191, his troops won a clear victory. Nevertheless, the Muslim army is still strong enough to block the road to Jerusalem.

Saladin's reconquest of Jerusalem in 1187 prompted Pope Gregory VIII to organize the Third Crusade. From 1189 to 1192, Saladin lost Acre and Jaffa and was defeated in the field at Arsūf. The Crusaders retreated to Europe without seizing Jerusalem, but Saladin's military reputation had been damaged. He died in 1193.

[howtomuslim]

Why The Quran Asks Us To Ponder

Islam emphasises reflection, urging believers to use reason and contemplation to grasp the magnificence of creation and the purpose of life. The Quran, revealed to be a guidance for humanity, frequently calls us to use our intellect and ponder over the signs of Allah’s creation, encouraging deeper faith, gratitude, and understanding.

Below, we explore the Quran’s repeated call to contemplation, the signs in Allah’s creation, and the wisdom behind this reflection.

The Call to Ponder: A Divine Invitation

The Quran mentions the act of pondering 13 times, inviting readers to think beyond surface realities. Reflection in Islam is not just intellectual but also spiritual, helping people develop a connection with Allah by appreciating the beauty and precision of His creations. The Quran often presents questions that awaken hearts and minds:

“Do you not think?” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:44)

“Will you not then ponder?” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:219)

“Do they not reflect upon the Quran?” (Surah An-Nisa, 4:82)

“Will they not contemplate within themselves?” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:8)

“So reflect, O people of insight.” (Surah Al-Hashr, 59:21)

“Do they not contemplate the Word?” (Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:68)

“Do they not reflect upon the stories?” (Surah Yusuf, 12:111)

“Will you not ponder?” (Surah Al-Anaam, 6:50)

“In that are signs for those who reflect.” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:21)

“For those who think and reflect…” (Surah Al-Zumar, 39:42)

“Do they not reflect on what Allah has created?” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:185)

“Have they not traveled through the land to reflect?” (Surah Al-Hajj, 22:46)

“Do they not reflect on the heavens and the earth?” (Surah Ghafir, 40:57)

The Quran draws our attention to the vastness and intricacy of the universe as signs of Allah’s creative power:

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, are signs for those of understanding.” (Surah Aal-Imran, 3:190)

From the sky to the earth, the Quran teaches that every element of nature reflects divine wisdom. The harmony in ecosystems, the precise orbit of celestial bodies, and the perfect design of living beings all bear witness to Allah’s knowledge and control.

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “Think about the creation of Allah, but do not think about the essence of Allah, for you will never be able to comprehend it.” (Sunan Abi Dawood, 4726)

Islam invites us to appreciate Allah’s signs but warns against delving into matters beyond human understanding, such as Allah’s essence.

Gratitude and Faith through Reflection

Contemplation naturally leads to gratitude. When we reflect upon the intricacies of creation, we recognizse our dependence on Allah’s blessings and mercy, increasing our faith and humility. The Quran says:

“If you were to count the favours of Allah, you could never enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Surah An-Nahl, 16:18)

Reflection transforms routine experiences — such as observing the sunrise or feeling the breeze — into moments of spiritual awareness. Gratitude, in Islam, is not merely verbal but is shown through worship, kindness, and responsible stewardship of the earth.

Islam’s Encouragement to Seek Knowledge

Islam’s emphasis on reflection fosters a deep love for learning and personal growth. The first revealed words of the Quran were:

“Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (Surah Al-Alaq, 96:1)

This call to read, understand, and seek knowledge underscores the importance of intellectual development in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:

“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” (Ibn Majah, Hadith 224)

The act of pondering leads to acquiring knowledge, developing moral character, and fulfilling our purpose as vicegerents of Allah on earth.

Islamic Science and Innovation: A Legacy of Enlightenment Exploring the Golden Age and Pioneering Contributions in Astronomy and Medicinemedium.com

The Quran and Sunnah guide believers to reflect on both scripture and creation, allowing them to develop a profound connection with Allah. Through contemplation, one not only understands life’s purpose but also appreciates the beauty, wisdom, and mercy of God. This reflection leads believers to live mindfully, with gratitude and humility, striving to embody the teachings of Islam.

Emphasis of Good Character and Manners in Islam Islam is not just a set of rituals or beliefs; it is a comprehensive way of life that emphasises the importance of good…medium.com

Learn more about Islam here: https://www.howtomuslim.org

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

What's the story of Joan d' Arc from an atheist's perspective?

I'm still deconstructing religion and her story still holds a place in my heart for some reason

Neurological disorder or mental illness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

Modern scholars have discussed possible neurological and psychiatric causes for her visions. Her visions have been described as hallucinations arising from epilepsy or a temporal lobe tuberculoma. Others have implicated ergot poisoning, schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or creative psychopathy induced by her early childhood rearing. One of the Promoters of the Faith at her 1903 canonization trial argued that her visions may have been manifestations of hysteria. Other scholars argue that Joan created some of the visions' specific details in response to the demands of the interrogators at her trial.

Keep in mind that we don't have to be able to explain her "visions" in order to reject the "explanation" that she was in telepathic communication with a magical space wizard who invented the universe with a magic spell. Or even believe that she had these "visions" at all. We don't have to "disprove" what has not been proven. And the "visions" and their purported supernatural origin are not established, evidence-based fact.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

Many of these explanations have been challenged; the trial records designed to demonstrate that Joan was guilty of heresy are unlikely to provide the objective descriptions of symptoms needed to support a medical diagnosis.

It's true that we can't reliably diagnose her from the trial records. Mostly because people were more ignorant back then and didn't collect the evidence or data which would enable us to use our better knowledge to explain it. But that's not our fault.

But it's also the same reason we can't conclude telepathy with a magical space wizard. What are the "objective descriptions of phenomena needed to support a supernatural explanation"? What are they? And why do medical diagnoses need objective facts, but not claims of supernatural magic?

We can simply ask ourselves, which is more likely: neurological disorder/mental illness, or telepathic communication with a magical space wizard? We know neurological disorders and mental illnesses are real, we have good evidence they exist, even if we don't have conclusive evidence that she had one. We don't have any evidence of a magical space wizard, so the medical diagnosis already has a massive leg up on the supernatural magical explanation.

It's worth noting that the people who reject these more mundane medical explanations for Joan are the same ones who will reject Muhammad's divine communications with Allah, on the basis of it being more likely temporal lobe epilepsy, schizophrenia or regular old fraud. And even reject that "god" told Kenneth Copeland to assemble a fleet of private jets, on the basis of him being an unrelenting, inveterate con artist.

So, in the defenders of this mythology, what you have is inconsistent skeptics who decline to accept similar claims on equally questionable grounds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

Joan's firm belief in the divinity of her visions strengthened her confidence, enabled her to trust herself, and gave her hope during her capture and trial.

Dumbo's feather strengthened his confidence, enabled him to trust himself and gave him hope. This paragraph is embarrassing, not to mention completely useless.

What this is doing is retreating from "this belief is true" to "this belief is useful." We have to ask ourselves whether what we're interested in is what's true, or what's useful.

A popular retort from the faithful is something along the lines of, why would she allow herself to be burned to death if it wasn't true? You've heard this before in regard to the "persecution" of the early Xians. This is, of course, only a measure of fanaticism, not truth. Islamic terrorists are so sure they're willing to blow themselves up, yet this holds no weight with Xians as far as whether Islam is true.

It's a real shame "god" didn't help her escape her captors as he did the Israelites, though. Him untying her, parting the flames and levitating her to safety would have been an even more compelling demonstration of "god's will" than the predictable outcome of a person being burned to death. But instead, he went, "nah, I'mma be mysterious."