#how to pray in islam in english

[fairuzfan]

you didn't actually answer my question , Temple Mount is the most ancient and holiest site for Jewish people -- the Dome of the Rock & Al-Aqsa Mosque were built hundreds of years later on behalf of the Umayyad dynasty's conquest. you mentioned in your response a massacre that happened centuries later, which does not relate to the fact that Jews cannot pray at this site (their utmost holiest site before even the existence of Christians or Muslims). how is "temple denial" something that I made up when you can research it right now and see what it is and that it exists? I ask because this seems to be actually a blind spot for many non-Jewish people simply because it doesn't affect them. I'm not intending to be argumentative and I am sorry if my English is bad in getting across

I'm sorry for being argumentative but a lot of the time, whenever Palestinians are asked about temple mount, there's an implication that Palestinians are colonizers and don't deserve to be on the land. Israelis, if they could, would completely ban Muslims from AlAqsa despite it being the third holiest site in Islam.

AlAqsa is probably the most important national symbol of Palestinians, often thought to be the last straw for Palestinian heritage. So much of our culture has been robbed from us, and (primarily muslims) believe that the demolition of AlAqsa, which is, as Mohammed ElKurd puts it, is one of the last places in all of Palestine where being Palestinian is not criminalized would be a fundamental loss we would never recover from, equivalent to losing our Balad.

I bring up the Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre because there are no restrictions for extremist settlers legally — they operate as an arm of the state and in some cases are encouraged to committ these acts. The "Apartheid Law" basically enshrined that settlements are a national value for Israel. This means that there is no safe haven for Palestinians legally. They're in constant danger of getting kicked out of their home or getting arrested for existing. I cannot emphasize enough how Palestinian freedom is so restricted with the explicit intent of pushing them out of the land.

Temple denial as a concept (after looking it up) seeks to paint Palestinians in a fundamentally bigoted and violent light. Palestinians are not allowing Jews in AlAqsa not because they hate Jews, but because that opens the way for settlers to become violent around AlAqsa, which a lot of the time is already happening. I suggest reading "Why Do Palestinians Burn Jewish Holy Sites? The Fraught History of Joseph's Tomb" (sorry the link is not linking, but you can look it up on the palestine institute webpage). It discusses the use of history as a colonial tool. Here's an excerpt:

It is one of many shrines across historic Palestine – now split into Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza – that has been re-invented as exclusively Jewish, despite a long history of shared worship among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Samaritans that goes back centuries. And the reason it has been attacked has almost nothing to do with religion, and much to do with how the Israeli military and settlement movements have used religion as a way to expand their control over Palestinian land and holy places.

And a second excerpt describing the political use of religion:

But the claims of biblical archaeologists had a strong role in how the Zionist movement would come to understand and conceive of the landscape.6 As European Jews migrated to Palestine in the first half of the twentieth century, they drew upon biblical archeology's claims. They adopted archeologists' claims that Palestinian holy sites were directly linked to ancient biblical figures. In many cases, they focused on occupying those sites in order to legitimize the colonial endeavor by giving it a sense of deeper history. In many cases, this would mean evicting the Palestinians who actually frequented these holy sites.

And what Palestinians are afraid of:

In 1975, the Israeli military banned Palestinians – that is, the Samaritans, Muslims, and Christians living around the site – from visiting, a ban that has remained in place until this day. [...] Unsurprisingly, the ban has ignited intense anger over the years. This is true particularly given that frequent visits by Jewish settlers to the shrine are accompanied by hundreds of Israeli soldiers, who enter the area and run atop the rooftops of local Palestinians to “secure” the tomb. As a result, Joseph's Tomb has increasingly become associated with the Israeli military and settlement movement in the eyes of Palestinians. Its presence has become an excuse for frequent military incursions that provoke clashes and lead to arrests and many injuries in the neighborhood. Some fear that Israelis will attempt to take over the shrine to build an Israeli settlement around it. This fear is not unfounded, given the fact that Israeli settlers have done exactly that all across the West Bank in places they believe are connected in some way to Jewish biblical history. The notoriously violent Jewish settlements in Hebron, for example, were built there due to the location of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in that southern West Bank town. Following the initial years of settlement, settlers even managed to convince Israeli authorities to physically divide the shrine – which is holy to local Palestinians – and turn the whole area into a heavily-militarized complex. Other shrines have become excuses for the Israeli military to build army bases inside Palestinian towns, like Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem – which is surrounded by twenty-foot high concrete walls on three sides to block Palestinian access. The village of Nabi Samwel near Jerusalem, meanwhile, was demolished in its entirety to provide Jewish settlers access to the tomb at its heart.

I'm not denying the temple mount is there. I'm just saying that history has been manipulated to erase centuries worth of cultural heritage through scholarship and Palestinians are protective of their most important symbol of resistance and life. Even you saying "Islam and Christianity came after Judiasm" is a dogwhistle for me, because a lot of the time extremists say that to completely erase AlAqsa as an important site to Muslims and intending to deny the site as a shared worshipping site that is quite important to Muslims. Just because Islam came after Judiasm, does that mean it's not legitimate as a religion itself? Islamically, Islam is a continuation of Judiasm, so we don't deny judiasm is important to AlQuds. We just are so concerned with losing our national symbol that we're so protective over it.

Now I bring up the massacre at ibrahimi mosque because, like mentioned in the excerpt above, Palestinians are afraid something like that will happen again. There's no protections for Palestinians, and most of the time they're denied from praying in AlAqsa themselves by Israeli authorities. Israeli settlers themselves come in and disrespect AlAqsa, and as I mentioned, extremists plan on demolishing AlAqsa to build a Third Temple. The Massacre at the Mosque paved way to the "Jews Only" streets I mentioned, including the militarization and basically a complete upheaval of normal life for Palestinians. I suggest looking into how terrible the situation in AlKhalil is, and that arised directly from the massacre.

You cannot separate this issue from the colonial implications of the last safe haven in all of Palestine being open to Israelis. Now when Palestine is free, I doubt there would be restrictions. But right now, there are and to pretend Israelis don't pose a threat to Palestinians fundamentally, would be erasure of the colonization of Palestine.

I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but even if AlAqsa was built hundreds of years after, it doesn't change the fact that RIGHT NOW Israelis have privilege that Palestinians do not. As soon as that privilege is no longer there, then we can talk about allowing Jews there. But until then, Palestinians are constantly in danger of settler violence and to take away a space (which, Ibrahimi Mosque was one of those sites before Palestinians were massacred) is frankly, an insult and a denial that Palestinians themselves are colonized.

I suggest looking at the links I provided earlier for more in depth analysis. I'm going to reiterate: the only reason it's illegal is because Palestine is colonized and this is our last safe haven that we even aren't completely allowed from entering ourselves.

Most Palestinians are quite heated about this topic. It genuinely is considered one of our last national symbols (so not just religious but also political and cultural), which means that having that taken away (which extremist settlers plan on demolishing it completely, and if they're allowed in, then there are no restrictions on their behavior) would be tantamount to losing our balad, or nation. I've heard Israelis call AlAqsa terrible names over the years and some fully intend on demolishing the site. Even within Israeli politics, it is a genuine goal for some people, including Ben Gvir, so most believe that opening the door for settlers (who are the ones who want the destruction of AlAqsa) would be equivalent to giving it up. You can't ignore that when talking about AlAqsa and the laws surrounding it. The primary reason for this protectiveness is political and cultural.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Hitchens: People want to pray, you can’t stop them. But we cannot have state subsidized prayer. We cannot have state subsidized preachers or chaplains.

Give it up, or give it to your deadliest enemy and pay for the rope that will choke you.

This is very urgent business, ladies and gentlemen, I beseech you: resist it while you still can and before the right to complain is taken away from you, which will be the next thing.

You will be told, you can��t complain – because you’re Islamophobic. The term is already being introduced into the culture, as if it’s an accusation of race hatred or bigotry, whereas it’s only the objection to the preachings of a very extreme and absolutist religion.

Watch out for these symptoms. They are not just symptoms of surrender, very often ecumenically offered to you by men of God in other robes, Christian and Jewish and smarmy ecumenical. These are the ones who hold open the gates for the barbarians. The barbarians never take a city until someone holds the gates open to them. And it’s your own preachers who will do it for you, and your own multicultural authorities who will do it for you.

Resist it while you can. And if you wonder what will happen if you don't, look and see how a cricket team in Middlesex in England had to change its name by force last week because it was called, and had been for years, the Middlesex Crusaders. Look and how stories about little pigs can’t be taught to children in English schools anymore, lest offense be taken by the religions of peace.

Resist it while you can.

-

Starmer: One of the things that's coming up over and over again is Islamophobia and well, you can see by the stats, you can see the numbers rising, particularly since October the 7th, although we shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking that before October the 7th, this was all heading in the right direction. It's been far too high for far too long. Clearly, we need to just say over and over again, Islamophobia is intolerable. It can never, ever be justified and we have to continue with a zero-tolerance approach, and I think there's more we can do in government. There's certainly stuff online, which I think needs tackling much more robustly than it is at the moment.

Q: What I'm hoping, Keir, is your experience as a prosecutor means you'll be thinking about the strategy we can use to make sure we take action against those who break the law.

==

The UK is in very big trouble. There are weekly antisemitic parades through London calling for the eradication of Israel and the Jews, but Starmer's big concern is the imaginary dragon of "Islamophobia." That you are not allowed to oppose or even question Islam or its tenets or its unending and ever escalating demands. That disagreeing with and opposing Islam is itself - or should be - a criminal offence.

Reminder: opposing the imposition of Islamic demand and concessions to fragile Islamic sensibilities is not "bigotry." It's completely reasonable, sensible and necessary.

[notetaeker]

Hi dear notetaker. I need a suggestion for my English class. You know, Ramadan is coming soon and I wanna do an activity with my kids. They're third graders and very enthusiastic about ramadan. But I don't know where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for it? 🌸

Yes!! Are your kids primarily muslim? In any case, here are some that we've tried before / wanted to try - the kids I work with mostly are 6th grade so some of these may be geared toward older kids. Feel free to take any of these ideas and adjust them.

Ramadan Activities for kids (+ adults tbh)

1. Ramadan bingo - each box filled with a good deed and they put a sticker when they complete it, and you can give multiple levels of prizes depending on if they got a bingo / how many bingo lines they can make, or if they complete everything on the bingo board - we gave fidget toys from amazon as prizes. (Based on the hadith that the best deeds are those that are small but consistent)

2. Sadaqa Jar - everyone gets a little jar which they decorate with stickers / washi tape / markers provided and they use it to store their change or a dollar each day and then you can collect it every friday or right before Ramadan ends to donate to a cause

3. Good Deed Jar - fill a jar with 30 slips of paper, each with a good deed. Every day they pull out a slip of paper and do the good deed.

4. Everyone writes one major thing they are going to pray for on a slip of paper, the papers get shuffled and distributed and everyone has another person's dua that they will ask for in addition to their own. (This activity fits well while teaching kids about the hadith that if you pray for something for someone, the angels pray for that same thing for you + gets them in the habit of praying for others)

5. Make a paper Fanoos (Lantern) + chain links - a childhood favorite that I did myself as a kid - its fun to make and doubles as decorations that you can hang in your classroom / masjid for Ramadan. There are countless tutorials online and you just need paper, scissors, and a stapler (or glue)

6. 'Stained glass' effect suncatchers using cellophane wrappers / tissue paper (link) that they can hang on their windows - there's a lot of ramadan lantern tutorials if you search, here's a more advanced one

7. Making and decorating bookmarks to be used while reading qur'an (Since Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an)

8. Making moon-sighting binoculars (link) - connecting to the lunar calendar

9/10. There are also really great Ramadan related picture-books that are out -I've seen some in my library and they can be read aloud for story time. I'd also recommend Adam's World (it's a puppet show for kids about different islamic concepts and I like it because it's not the overstimulating super colorful filled with music type show.) The Ramadan episode is about adam, a kid who is fasting for the first time and trying to get thru the day learning that it's not just about avoiding food, but it's also about doing good deeds (not to be biased but it's what I watched growing up in the early 200s lol so I show it to my students too sometimes)

[mariacallous]

ISTANBUL (JTA) — “Jews not allowed,” read the sign in English and Turkish above Rağman Şahaf, a used book store next to Istanbul University and not far from the city’s famed Grand Bazaar.

Even after the sign was taken down on Friday, the store’s owner said he stuck by the message.

“I do not want to buy anything from Jews right now, I do not want to sell anything to Jews right now, this is how I tell them,” Ozkan Mustafa Küçükkural told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

“Maybe it should have said Zionist or Israeli, but I was angry and emotional,” he added. “My brothers in Palestine are dying.”

Anti-Israel banners and graffiti, along with Palestinian flags, have become commonplace across Istanbul, as many of its citizens fume over Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 that left over 1,400 dead. Images have also circulated of taxis with signs saying that their drivers would not serve Israelis.

Antisemitic incidents have taken place beyond Istanbul, too. In Izmir — a city once home to tens of thousands of Jews now in the midst of a small-scale Jewish revival — a synagogue was defaced with graffiti that read “Murderer Israel” on Saturday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has had an up and down relationship with Israel over the course of his 20 years as Turkey’s head of state, has come out firmly defending Hamas’ actions on Oct. 7, calling the terrorist group a “a liberation group.” In response, Israel recalled its diplomats from Turkey on Saturday.

It has all amounted to a tense atmosphere for Turkish Jews, who now number around 15,000 and descend mainly from Sephardic families but also include Ashkenazi, Romaniote and Mizrahi communities. That number was close to 80,000 in the founding year of Turkey’s republic in 1923 — exactly 100 years ago on Sunday.

Antisemitic rhetoric has spread throughout Turkish politics, too. A day after a hospital in Gaza was hit by rocket fire on Oct. 17, a politician from Turkey’s ruling AKP party, Süleyman Sezen, representing a small municipality called Atakum in the Black Sea city of Samsun, said at a public hearing that he was praying for the soul of Hitler, adding that the world will find peace when it is cleansed of Jews and that the Holocaust was “unfinished.” Evidence showing that the explosion was likely from a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket has not nullified such outbursts.

“The Hitler rhetoric is not new in Turkey,” said Turkish-Jewish publisher and author Rifat N. Bali, who has written about political Islam’s portrayal of Jews. “I cannot say that it comes from ultranationalist political fractions… Why? Because they are fed day in, day out, pictures of ‘babies killed by IDF.’”

On Oct. 10, Huda-Par parliamentarian Şahzade Demir addressed the Turkish parliament, calling to revoke citizenship for Turkish Jews if they volunteer for the Israeli military. Days later, Yeni Akit, a far-right media outlet, called for Turkish Jews to be denaturalized, under the false claim that they all have dual Israeli citizenship. (The Hrant Dink Foundation, a Turkish NGO devoted to minority issues in the country and named after a murdered Armenian-Turkish Journalist, has called out Yeni Akit as among the most prolific publishers of hate speech in Turkish media.)

“This fear scenario is not new. It was also brought up during the Mavi Marmara controversy, and the issue of citizenship of Jews who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey and who served in the Israeli army was brought to the agenda,” said Serdar Korucu, who writes a column on antisemitism in Turkey for the Jewish site Avlaremoz. He was referencing a deadly clash between the Israeli army and a flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists from Turkey in 2010. “There has never been such a practice in the history of the Republic of Turkey. The harshest sanction would be to prevent them from doing military service in the future.”

Several large pro-Palestinian protests have taken place in Istanbul since Oct. 7. In one demonstration, Turkish protesters briefly breached the fence of the Israeli consulate before being dispersed by Turkish police.

Erdogan, who had warmed to Israel in recent years, has regularly met with leaders of Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and most Western powers. His foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it rejects the idea that its rhetoric on Israel has been antisemitic.

“We reject the baseless accusations of anti-Semitism, and the slander and insults against our President and our country,” read the statement released on Sunday. “It is known to everyone that Türkiye’s track record on this issue is spotless — unlike many countries that support Israel unconditionally today.

“It is a truth acknowledged by all historians that Türkiye has been a safe haven for all those who were oppressed throughout history, including the Jews,” it added.

In 1492, the Ottoman Sultan, Bayezid II, sent ships to Spain to ferry exiled Spanish Jews to his empire, resulting in the country’s large Sephardic community of today. But Turkish Jews have also faced several periods of oppression, including an infamous tax in the 1940s and pogrom in the 1950s which have become the subject of a popular Turkish Netlfix series.

The local Jewish response to the situation has not been all shock and dismay. Jacob Behar, a Turkish Jew who owns a shop around the corner from the Istanbul shop that had the “Jews not allowed” sign, expressed disappointment at the sign but said it didn’t make him feel insecure.

“It doesn’t represent the general ideals of Turkish society,” he told JTA. “My family has been here over 500 years, we wouldn’t still be here if we didn’t feel safe. Of course, there are individual things, but there are also individual things in Israel.”

[gentil-minou]

can you explain the connotation of shaheed more? i read the wikipedia article but i had trouble understanding the power of the word as you described it. maybe it's just because i have negative associations with death... does islam have those associations too, or is it more accepting and understanding about death?

This is another article I found that would explain it better than i could

Something that needs to be remembered when translating ANYTHING into another language is that the meaning gets lost a tiny bit by virtue of how words in different languages don't always mean the same thing. Shaheed, which is translated as martyr in english has multiple meanings that get conflated with other nonsense because the word martyr has multiple meanings as well. Shaheed also means to witness or bear witness, one who wtinesses, and i believe in this it means witness for Allah. It's an honor for a Muslim to do something in the name of Allah.

But it's also because Western powers like to use words to scare people (like jihad) when they really arent meant to be scary at all.

i haven't been a practicing muslim for a long time but growing up we were never taught to fear death, at least not the way USAmerican culture made it seem like we should. She said we would be returning to Allah so it would be okay, that we'd go to Jannah (heaven) and be saved as long as we lived a just and holy life. So even though we were sad at funerals we also prayed and celebrated the person's life, because that was what brought us peace

Death is complicated in every culture and you'll find a thousand ways to try to explain it in every single culture and even different species. It's tragic and sad and brings us all pain, so if religion aims to make death a little less scary by allowing us this comfort, then that's a beautiful thing i think.

One of the universal ideas that unite all humans is our fear of death, and our search for comfort in it. And I think that's beautiful.

(Like I said I haven't been Muslim for a long time so please correct me if I'm wrong I'm drawing from my childhood and sunday school experiences lol)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Henry Martyn: Helping Muslims Find Jesus

Day by day, young Islamic scholar Muhammad Rahim visited Henry Martyn to hear how he answered the questions and arguments of Persia's greatest theologians.

His attitude, like those of his colleagues, was to heap scorn on this teacher of a “despised sect.” But the patience, wisdom, and love of the young Englishman, little by little, softened his heart.

Martyn was a gifted scholar in his own right. Within five years he had already translated the New Testament into Persian, Hindi and Arabic. He had recently come to Persia in 1810 both to check his translation with local Muslim experts and to give a witness to his Lord.

During their question-answer times, Martyn’s opponents were hostile and even violent in their rhetoric. One of the royal princes put his hand to the hilt of his sword and growled that taking off his head was the only proper reply to such heresy.

Yet Martyn’s responses surprised Rahim and the others. He remained serene and unmoved among his attackers. “If Christ has work for me to do, I cannot die,” he said simply. Martyn never shirked encounters where he might be called upon to confess his faith.

The Englishman’s demeanor and wise answers caused quite a stir in Shiraz. As a result, the leading Muslim authorities decided to silence him once and for all by writing a peerless defense of Islam. Mirza Ibrahim, the “preceptor of all the mullahs,” who edited the presentation, chose to employ courteous subtlety, rather than opposing him with acrimony.

Martyn confronted the champion of Persian theology like a brave knight of Christ. He winsomely replied in a tract in which he showed an astonishing mastery of the entire controversy. The brilliant and compelling interchange was later preserved in English and published by the Cambridge Professor of Arabic, after Martyn’s death.

Rahim, after weighing the countless interchanges between Martyn and the Persian theologians, came to the personal conviction that the Christian faith was the correct one. Because of shame and fear, he stayed away from the sessions for months. But upon hearing Martyn was about to leave, Rahim came at last to make his confession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

With profound joy, Martyn placed a copy of the newly completed Persian New Testament into Rahim’s hands. From that day, that book became the the Persian scholar’s lifelong companion.

Years later, Muhammad Rahim shared his conversion with a Christian traveler, and showed him the book that was his greatest treasure. On one of the blank pages was written, “There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth – Henry Martyn." Martyn’s Suggestions for fruitful Muslim Evangelism:

Henry Martyn has been considered the first evangelical missionary among the Muslims. His life deeply impacted his contemporaries, both Christians and Muslims. Two years before he died, he wrote the following seven principles for work among Muslims:

Share your testimony as to how you experienced forgiveness of sins and peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Appreciate the best in your Muslim friends and attribute these qualities to God working in their lives. The same goes for those elements of the Muslim culture that are genuinely approved by God.

Keep your message centered in Christ while you speak about the grace of God and how this is transmitted through Christ and applied by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

Invite your Muslim friends to study the Bible so that they can discover the truth for themselves.

Pray for your Muslim friends and help them during this critical time of investigation and decision making.

Create a favorable environment in society through good works that minister to human need.

Trust that Holy Spirit will work in your Muslim friends while they seek their place as Christian in their Muslim context.

[uma1ra]

Salatul Hajat,

Salatul Hajat, also written as Salat-ul Hajat, is the prayer of need. It is usually recited to Allah to help those with some pressing needs. This prayer helps in improving the spiritual well-being, mental health and physical health of a person.

Reciting this prayer on time ensures that one is guided by Allah and refrains from sinning. It is considered to be a good deed. In this blog, we look at the meaning and purpose of this salat, the recommended time to recite it, and the exact dua in Arabic and English with meaning. It also elaborates on how to perform this salat.

What is the meaning of Salatul Hajat?

The literal meaning of the word Hajat is to wish. Salatul Hajat has 2 rakats prayers that are offered to Allah. It is a prayer basically recited for wishes or the fulfilment of any specific purpose.

What is the purpose of Salatul Hajat?

The purpose of Salatul Hajat is that emphasize your prayer and ensure that it goes to heaven, known as jannat in Islam, the best creation of Allah.

What is the best time to pray Salatul Hajat?

This Salat can be performed any time of the day, however the best prescribed time for this dua is during the final third part of the night. It is generally considered as a dua to be said after the Witr namaz.

Salatul Hajat Dua

The dua that is said in Salatul-Hajat is a salat for need. Regarding Salat-Hajat dua, Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa narrates:

The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever has a need with Allah, or with any human being, then let them perform ritual ablutions and then pray two rakats. After that, let them praise Allah and send blessings (Durood) on the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).”

The dua in Arabic with pronunciation guide:

لا إِلَهَ إلاَّ اللهُ الحَلِيمُ الكَرِيمُ، سُبْحَانَ اللهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ العَظِيمِ ، الحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِيْنَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ ، وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ ، وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرّ،ٍ وَالسَّلامَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ ،لاَ تَدَعْ لِيْ ذَنْباً إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ، وَلاَ هَمَّاً إِلاَّ فَرَّجْتَهُ، وَلاَ حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضاً إِلاَّ قَضَيتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

Laaa i-la-ha il-lal-la-hul-Ha-leemul kareem.

Sub-hanallahi rabi-bil `arshil `azeem.

Wal-Hamdu-lil-la-hi rabbil-`Alameen.

As’aluka muji-bati rah-ma-tik, wa `a-zaaa ‘i-ma mag-fira-tik, wal gha-nee-mata min kul-li birr, was-sa-la-mata min kul-li ithm.

La ta-da` li dhan-ban il-la gha-far-tah, wala ham-man il-la far-raj-tah, wala day-nan il-la ka-day-tah, wala hajatam-min ha-wa i-jid-dunya wal-aaa-khi-rah.

He-ya laka ri-dan il-la qa-day-taha yaaa ar-ha-mar-ra-he-meen.

Translation of Salatul Hajat Dua

There is no god but Allah the Clement and Wise. There is no god but Allah the High and Mighty. Glory be to Allah, Lord of Tremendous Throne. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds. I ask you (O Allah) everything that leads to your mercy, and your tremendous forgiveness, enrichment in all good, and freedom from all sin. Do not leave a sin of mine (O Allah), except that you forgive it, nor any concern except that you create for it an opening, nor any need in which there is your good pleasure except that you fulfil it, O Most Merciful!

The meaning of this dua in the words of Abu Dawood is, “Whenever a matter became serious, the Prophet (PBUH) turned to salah.” It means that one can plead to God at any time asking for help, for Allah is the most merciful and beneficent. Among all voluntary appeals to Allah, there is also one important prayer, which is called Salatul Hajat. It is observed for the purpose of completion of one’s particular Haajah (need). It is but one of the ways to pray to the Almighty for one’s rightful wish.

“He who makes wudu, and does it properly, then prays two rak’ats, Allah will grant him whatever he may pray for, sooner or later” (Ahmad)

[wathanism]

hi, i recently found your blog. as an ex-muslim also interested in paganism, can i just ask where you learnt about wathanism and if there are any specific resources on the pre-islamic arab gods that i could use to learn? i'm not arab, i'm pakistani, and i've looked into ancient subcontinental religion pre-islam, but i'd also like to learn about wathanism, since i've never heard of it before in my life despite actually looking up pre-islamic arabia's gods. thank you :)

hi hun 💕 sorry for taking forever to reply to this, i've not been very active on this blog for a lot of reasons right now. but regarding your question, i think my answer is gonna be super disappointing lol. resources are def very very limited, and a lot of what's available isn't translated (much of it is in arabic, but a lot is also in various now dead languages).

there is an english & arabic speaking community on reddit and discord dedicated to wathanism, which is really great and i'd highly recommend it. the discord has a section on books and articles, most of which are academic and peer reviewed in historical journals. since this is a religion that was largely wiped out and has very few people interested in studying it and few resources to even examine, learning about it is kind of a huge undertaking that involves a lot of niche academic texts and a lot of cross referencing.

it's a grind basically lol, but the discord is great because it's a place where people who are very passionate about reconstructing the religion will trudge through those sources very diligently, not just as a detached academic study but as a spiritual "i want to apply this in my own daily life" kind of way, ykwim? so that's very cool. i can't speak to the community too much, cause i mostly just use it as a reference point and don't talk much with people, but it's the most concentrated place of quality knowledge on the subject i know of.

the best crash course, easy to read article i personally know of on the matter is still this paper (if you copy the link into scihub you should have access to it), just bc it hits on the specific things i'm most interested in without being incomprehensible jargon. the way i practice my religion is probably not the most historically accurate tbh; for me, it's just about living by the values of respecting your community and heritage, and i think this paper does a great job of explaining why those were such important values to the old arab pagans. the people on the discord can def give you a better sense of what the practice looked like in Ye Olden Days.

also worth noting: if you're hoping to find like defined, clearly laid out mythology about the arabian gods like there are stories about norse or greek or roman gods, that's rly not what you're gonna find (at least not as far as ive ever known to exist). for the most part, the things you're gonna find are about what people valued, what rituals they had, and how they lived. the vast majority of info we have on the gods is like "people prayed for this goddess to bring good crops and for that god to protect the village," but rarely if ever are there detailed narratives or myths like there are for other old religions.

[adelleandlaura4ever]

How Can I Tell You?

How can I tell you

That I love you

I love you

But I can't think of right words to say

.

I long to tell you

That I'm always thinking of you

I'm always thinking of you

But my words just blow away

Just blow away

It always ends up to one thing, honey

And I can't think of right words to say

.

Wherever I am, Girl

I'm always walking with you

I'm always walking with you

But I look and you're not there

.

Whoever I'm with

I'm always, always talking to you

I'm always talking to you

And I'm sad that you can't hear

Sad that you can't hear

.

It always ends up to one thing, honey

When I look and you're not there

.

I need to know you

Need to feel my arms around you

Feel my arms around you

Like a sea around a shore

.

Each night and day I pray

In hope that I might find you

In hope that I might find you

Because heart's can do no more

Can do no more

.

It always ends up to one thing, honey

Still I kneel upon the floor

.

How can I tell you

That I love you

I love you

But I can't think of right words to say

.

I long to tell you

That I'm always thinking of you

I'm always thinking of you

.

It always ends up to one thing, honey

And I can't think of right words to say

.

Songwriters: Yusuf Islam

❤️❤️❤️❤️

My beautiful sunshine !

There aren’t enough words in the English language

To describe how much I love the you!

Perhaps so in your native German tongue!

But then, it is your deep kisses,

that will show me all that your tongue

will prove to me,

The deep Love in your heart!

Anyway, trust me when I say,

My American lips are made for your beautiful kiss!

I love you deeply Laura ❤️❤️❤️

@dreamiingofher

@adelleandlaura4ever

[emblematicemblazer]

World building and theories of Engage

Religion

Pandreo's church has a unique way of worshipping the Divine Dragon. Here are some of the ways his congregation worship;

Parties 

‘You spoke of pious songs and dances. I was expecting something rather solemn._Instead, it was a circus! Everyone hopping about and yelping like rabid dogs.’ (Support B between Vander and Pandreo)

Parties give Pandreo's flock an opportunity to unwind and find comfort. It also serves as escapism from people's daily lives and the war. 

Howling (English translation only)

‘That’s just a way members of my congregation express their fervor. A little crass, I know.’ (Support A between Alear and Pandreo)

This could be inspired by dogs howling at Azaan (the call for prayer in Islam). 

Celebrity guests

Alear, Veyle and Vander feature as ‘celebrity guest's at Pandreo's church. People get to meet their deity, that is powerful, imagine how inspiring that could be. Veyle and Alear aren't  distant, unrelatable deity, they are among the people, understanding and experiencing humanity while displaying how human they are. The problem of a distant deity is that followers can often feel unheard. When a person prays there is nothing but silence. People can see Veyle using the offerings of food to throw a party. They can talk to her and express their desires for peace. They can see her trying to help people. Alear is inspired by the people at the party to stay strong and bring peace, the party even lifts their spirits. Alear is inspired by getting to know her people and the people are inspired by the Divine Dragon being awake.  Religion in Solm is about dragons and people mixing in the same way the royals interact with their people. 

At a Vander is able to share stories about Lumera and inspire the congregation. 

Offerings

Veyle is given food by the faithful. 

Prayer

Prayer is the main way to express a wish and wish the soul of a dead person peace. 

Confessions

Pandreo offers to listen to the confessions of his congregation.

Pandreo and Veyle

The Queendom of Solm tend to worship the Divine Dragon but they are open minded enough to allow worship of other deities.  This is demonstrated by the conversation between Pandreo and Veyle. When Veyle expresses concern about Pandreo, a cleric of the Divine Dragon, offering a prayer to her, a Fell Dragon, Pandreo response with;

‘No. Solm is an open-minded queendom. When they see me praying to you, others will follow suit. Just you watch.’

If one person is able to start a religion, it is possible that Solm is full of sects with all kinds of different beliefs and traditions. Religion is not static in Solm, it is always adapting to new ideas. Some sects could be short lived whilst others may endure, and in some cases religion may not take the form of a group but could be connected to personal spirituality. This spiritual openness makes it possible for people to be duel dragon worshippers. 

[bloggerfromouttaspace]

Religious Views

For a very long time, I have pounded over the meaning of religion and where I belong. I still found nothing at the end. For I am a Sikh without its knowledge of its descent imbibed by the western tradition of Christianity.  

For me as a whole god is nothing but one, god is what is in every little thing we do. God is present in every country regardless of church, kuil, mosque, temple, or a religious venue, god is still one that everyone prays nor worship for the bread and butter of every daily living.  

When I was a child I had been lost of the motherhood of my tongue, for some reason I have always spoken and thought in English without the genuine curiosity of my own religion as being ‘’Khalsa’’, warrior. I had always enjoyed the western culture since a young age.  

When I had grown to my adolescent years, I had become aware of a certain energy that made me stand out among the rest, where my face had the identity of a khalsa, but my voice had the essence of a typical white boy.

I had stood out among the rest, without a clue of where I belong or where I am even from.  

I am a Punjabi Indian descent that was born in multinational country where Muslim Chinese and Indian had a say on it. Muslim’s originated from the land itself and the Chinese empire took over to endure and establish multiple business and the Indians were brought along with the Britain's during the world war sequence.

They were natural aboriginals, Islam was introduced by the Persians during the 15th century along with Indian traders to establish a law of order for freedom and democracy, as they like to pronounce – MERDEKA, where in 1957 Malaysia received its independence against the colonisation of mining rubber metal and gold by the Britain.  

How do I know this ? Let's continue on the fact that I am a foreigner wherever I go, I am what they call a 3rd generation Indian. In simple terms, it is the lost touch of my own religious values as it I got more immune to the surrounding religions that I was raised in.  

This is where I hate to admit it, as I am a Punjabi from Punjab that was born in Malaysia and raised in New Zealand. I still do not know the laws behind, the most righteous religion of them all in my opinion is Sikhism. Judging by the history of my own, men came from a small village fighting rights against corruption against the Muslim and Hindus for generations but yet we don’t have a place we can call home, do we ? We are well spread, mostly lost, emotionally drained of the truth of when we as Khalsa’s will put down the sword and retired in independence with peacefulness across the nation or even one nation.   

That’s enough history lessons, let me explain my own. I am imbibed by the western society where I found love for Jesus Christ through relationships that made me and my life sour. I have always tried to learn about the bible as it is in English and a way for me to understand what god is telling me during my difficult moments. I found love for Christianity.  

Through my journey with Christ and learnings I have perceived the knowledge of common law and order place against churches, that creates gossip after one another for growth, or the worship that we pray to endure such energy, either way you can spit it out in the streets or at church, Christ lives inside us and is with us everywhere we go. Familiar? As I mentioned, god is one, and I am pretty sure you know that god lives inside us, and no matter what kind of what god it is. It is call GOD, the one who provides, that is the meaning of god. There are over 2,500 to 18,000 different kind of gods in this world and people worship for one reason and one reason only, is to be provided by the provider, where in any way you can have conversations about it, you will still end up calling that positive deity GOD.  

As being said and spoken of independence and world war, we live in a very old world. Where many have come and gone, struggled to worship and provide their families what was being provided to them by a certain provider, where It's still the three same letters god. So plenty of cosmologies, histories, myths that took place for it to be called a modern civilization. As they saw the younger generation being more lazy and less stressed about life and growth, religious views are a good strategy to keep the family focused on achieving their goals, hence to provide a better civilization with more production of work and mental growth for independence.  

I personally think it is the war of who came first and created it all and who stood out among the rest.

Being corrupted by greed is what torments this world, where money could build hospitals, but it can also burn down a family or church. For the oppressors to acquire control and pride in doing so to feel like a general leader for shellfish egotistic esteem they find in themselves. Leaves the poor poorer and the richer rich I guess.  

The moral of the story is that god is one all that provides is god, and it is one that provides, to remember that think of yourself as a one-year-old and your god are your parents, that provides and gave you such life to walk or stand. Regardless of any manners you were taught in school, respect is one I believe people should ponder their emotions about to avoid such corruption in civilization, heck I mean racism from one tone to another. Whole Different story in today's world, mate !

God is one, god is all, god provides, god is inside, it cannot be seen, it can only be felt, so what are your thoughts about what I just said??? God is only one right.  

[fairuzfan]

I've seen you posting a lot about Palestine and i wanted to ask something. I'm doing what i can wrt spreading awareness and boycotting (unfortunately do not have the funds to be donating at the moment) but this is all so terrifying and it doesn't feel like enough. Idk if this is overstepping or unnecessary or anything, but i was wondering if there's any sort of Muslim prayer i can do on behalf of the people in Palestine. It might not mean anything coming from someone who's not religious but i know people take their faith very seriously and if it means something to them it feels like the least i can do. I would do the same thing for any Christian friends or family going through a difficult time, the only difference is i have no idea how to go about it in this case (I don't really have any Muslim friends, and it's primarily Christian in the area i live). Do you have any suggestions on how i could do this? Or is it not something i should do at all?

Hey thanks for this. Its very kind of you to ask. Honestly, prayers are quite appreciated and I, and other Muslims, would never turn down such a sweet request, nor would we look down on this.

Prayers (or duaa as we call it in this instance) are definitely welcome no matter any religious affiliations. There are also many Christian Palestinians in Gaza as well.

In Islam, duaa, or supplication, is when we ask God (Allah, in Arabic) for things both material and ideological. You cup your hands together and hold them in front of you while you say the prayer. Here is an English version of a prayer you can do:

“O Allah! I complain to You of my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by the people. O Most Merciful of those who are merciful. O Lord of the weak and my Lord too. To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair? So long as You are not angry with me, I do not care. Your favour is of a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descends upon me. I desire Your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”

Though even putting your hands together and asking for the safety of the Gazans or any other wishes you might have are also acceptable. You don't have to do a formal prayer in which you recite something—as long as it's a genuine wish, then it's more than accepted in Islam.

You can do this anywhere and anytime. Even if you're unable to use your hands, you can still do this as long as your intention is for it to be a Duaa.

I'm not sure how Christians pray so I can't speak on that if someone else wants to provide insight.

[islamicloveduas]

Beautiful Dua For Someone Special

In Islam, it is believed that when you truly care for or love someone, you must pray for that person as a good gesture with a beautiful dua for someone special. This dua will play a vital role in our lives and also in the lives of other special people. This can be the best thing that we can do for someone we love or care about.

This dua is believed to be a sincere communication with Allah for our loved ones, such as our parents, children, and someone else we love. With the help of this prayer, you not only wish for other people but also receive blessings. For those people who think or care about others and pray for others, Allah gives them more care and a blessed life.

Make a strong and beautiful connection with Allah with the help of this dua. In today’s blog, you will understand the Beautiful Dua For Someone Special in the easiest way to help you. We will also tell you how you can make this or any dua more effective by following some things. Also, we will learn the benefit of praying for others and all according to the Quran and Islamic religious practices.

How Can You Pray for Someone?

Praying for someone is the most valuable thing for you. It also makes Allah happy and impressed with you, for being a good human being who thinks about others along with themselves. Making prayer for someone you love is the top form of showing your love for others.

If you want to pray for a person other than yourself then you must have the pure feeling of selfless love for the person you love. Praying for someone is not so easy because this world is full of selfish people who want everything for themselves. Those people who are praying with Beautiful Dua For Someone Special for others have a big and good heart with good intentions for others.

Must follow Allah’s path of good deeds and this process of praying or reciting dua for someone special is one of the parts of Allah’s path. Let’s walk on this with our guidance show you the right direction and take you close to Allah.

Make your Dua Effective

You must pray with the help of this prayer in the most efficient and right way of reciting the prayer. By following the below given things your prayer will be accepted more quickly and have favourable results.

You must regularly with consistently recite this dua at a specific time. Choose the best time during the whole day when you can recite this dua. The time can be morning, afternoon, or in night.

Before starting this prayer or practice of reciting the dua. Raise your hands and praise Allah and wish to bless us and fulfill our wishes.

Give all the specific details of the person to Allah like name and his true work. Also, seek this dua with a specific prayer to be fulfilled.

In the end, ask for forgiveness from Allah for the mistakes that can happen to us or any wrong deeds that we do in our lives.

Beautiful Dua For Someone Special

Here is the prayer that you are looking for praying for someone special. This will give you very favorable results and make your life easy.

Beautiful dua for someone special in Arabic

اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يَنْفَعُنِي حُبُّهُ عِنْدَكَ اللَّهُمَّ مَا رَزَقْتَنِي مِمَّا أُحِبُّ فَاجْعَلْهُ قُوَّةً لِي فِيمَا تُحِبُّ اللَّهُمَّ وَمَا زَوَيْتَ عَنِّي مِمَّا أُحِبُّ فَاجْعَلْهُ لِي فَرَاغًا فِيمَا تُحِبُّ

Beautiful dua for someone special in English

“O Allah grant me Your love and the love of those whose love will benefit me with You. Allah, whatever you have provided me of that which I love, then make it strength for me for that which You love. O Allah, and what you have kept from me of that which I love, then make it for me a period of rest in that which You love.

Beautiful dua for someone special in Urdu

“اے اللہ مجھے اپنی محبت اور ان لوگوں کی محبت عطا فرما جن کی محبت مجھے تیرے ساتھ فائدہ دے گی۔ اے اللہ تو نے مجھے جو کچھ دیا ہے اس میں سے جس سے میں محبت کرتا ہوں تو اس کو میرے لیے اس چیز کے لیے طاقت دے جس سے تو محبت کرتا اے اللہ اور تو نے مجھ سے اس چیز کو محفوظ رکھا جس سے میں محبت کرتا ہوں تو اس کو میرے لیے اس چیز میں آرام کی جگہ بنا دے جس سے تو محبت کرتا ہے۔

How can we benefit from this Dua?

There are various benefits of reciting Beautiful Dua For Someone Special. This dua has benefits for the two, the one who is praying with this dua and the other for whom we are reciting dua.

When we make prayer Allah blesses us as we pray for others he blesses us with the same.

Allah always gives rewards to those with prosperity, peace and long lives who care for others and pray for others.

Allah protects us and forgives all our sins during the process of reciting the dua for someone special in our lives.

Praying for others to fulfil their wish and bring happiness in their lives.

This will increase love, and give strength to the family, strong friendships and communities.

Wrap It Up

This dua will provide you with all the information related to reciting the beautiful dua for someone special. With the help of this prayer, you will get closer to Allah and build a strong connection with him. Reciting this prayer regularly will make your life much better and you will see miracles happening in your life.

If you have any problem in this dua and you want some help or have any questions you can contact islamicloveduas. We are always available to help you and solve the problems of your life. Inshallah, you all duas will get accepted by him.

[notetaeker]

Assalamualaikum, hope you are doing well. A fellow muslimah here, I want to start understanding Quran in depth, know and understand it's word to word meaning like Quran journaling. I do listen to online tafseers of Sheikhs but I want to know it myself. I have seen your journals pics about the same. If you don't mind, can you please tell how you do Quran journaling. Like the steps or guides as to how to collect all those tafseers and organise them. Please tell us about the resources too. Books,YT etc you reach out to make those journals.

Please sister, help us in connecting with the Quran. May Allah SWT bless you.

Jazakallah khair

Wa alykum assalam! I hope you're well too! That's so nice to hear that you're interested in Qur'an journaling alhamdulillah it's such a beautiful intention and I pray Allah will put barakah in your efforts.

SOURCES:

I think most of my posts about tafsir are either from my own studies (using translations of Tafsir ibn Kathir, or from Towards Understanding the Qur'an). I personally use those two because they are the ones I'm most familiar with, those are the ones I physically have in my home, and because they usually include all the opinions of scholars about the meanings of things. Like for example if there was ever any discourse about if a surah was makki or madani then they go into who said what and what their evidences were etc. So they're definitely very comprehensive.

I do also often take notes from tafsir classes I'm attending as part of the Miftaah Online program (this semester's tafsir class is for Surah Nur). These are usually done by scholars who have studied in the islamic world and are directly teaching (in english) from the arabic tafsir books.

As for youtube videos/lectures, there's a variety of scholars but I would encourage you to look up the speakers credentials, and what tafsir book they're using as a source etc.

NOTE-TAKING FORMAT

Since I'm in a sisters halaqah group (which i strongly recommend joining if you can find one) many times I'm taking notes with the intention of being able to explain the surah from my notes (which helps when trying to decide what I should write down and what I leave out)

I follow the same format that's found in Towards Understanding the Qur'an which is:

Naming of the Surah - what does it mean? Where does it come from? What is the etymology of the word?

Place / Circumstance of Revelation / Historical Context - Is it makki or madani? Were any parts of the surah/ the whole surah revealed in response to a specific event? What the situation when the surah was revealed? What was the culture, situation etc.

Bigger themes and subject-matter - What does the surah talk about? which ayahs focus on what topic? If you're interested in just the meaning of the qur'an, I would definitely recommend The Clear Qur'an translation by Dr. Mustafa Khattab. It's also divided very nicely into themes and the language is very clear (lol)

Ayah by Ayah explanation - detailed information about each ayah (one of the most interesting parts to me to be honest. The arabic language is so rich with meaning and connotation so even small ayahs have multiple layers of meaning) - This section can be extremeeeely long lol - depends on how many ayahs you want to study at a time - I also use this section to write the meanings of any arabic words I want to remember the meanings of (especially for short surahs)

Personal lessons/Reflections (Considered tadabbur - NOT tafsir) - how do I myself relate to these ayahs? Does an ayah remind me of something? What lesson do I get out of it? How can I possibly apply this ayah to my own life?

Dua - I mean you don't have to write it but it's nice to always make dua that the knowledge you wrote will be useful to you and that Allah gives us the tawfiq to benefit from it and protect us from this knowledge testifying against us.

Inshallah I hope I was able to be of some help! I'm no expert in the matter, just another student of the qur'an just like you, just sharing my experience. May Allah bless you sister for your desire to connect more with the Qur'an. I make dua that Allah makes all of us companions of the Qur'an so that we can be comforted thru it in this dunya, in the grave, and on the day of judgement. May Allah guide us and grant the correct understanding. Ameen.

[riwaq]

Prophet Zakariya: His Role and Mentions in the Quran

Prophet Zakariya is a revered figure in Islamic tradition, known for his piety and dedication. He serves as an essential character in the narratives found in the Quran, where he exemplifies trust in God and patience in the face of adversity. Understanding his story can deepen one’s appreciation for the teachings of the Quran.

The Life of Prophet Zakariya

Prophet Zakariya, known in English as Zechariah, is recognized for his devotion to God and his role as a prophet. He was a priest and a member of the Israelite community during a time of turmoil. Zakariya was married to Elizabeth, who was barren, and they longed for a child. His story is one of hope and faith, illustrating how unwavering belief can bring forth divine mercy.

In his old age, Zakariya prayed earnestly for a son. He wanted to pass on his legacy of faith and leadership to a child. His supplications were answered in a remarkable way. The Quran describes how an angel appeared to him, announcing that he would have a son named Yahya (John the Baptist), who would be a righteous prophet. This news was not just a personal blessing; it was a pivotal moment in the prophetic lineage that would lead to the arrival of Jesus.

Mentions of Prophet Zakariya in the Quran

Prophet Zakariya is mentioned in several verses throughout the Quran. His name appears five times, reflecting his importance in the narrative of prophetic history. Each mention serves to highlight different aspects of his life and his relationship with God.

Surah Al-Imran (3:38-41): In these verses, Zakariya's prayer for a son is recounted, emphasizing his heartfelt plea and the angel’s response.

Surah Maryam (19:2-15): This section details Zakariya's miraculous announcement of Yahya's birth and his astonishment at receiving such news despite his old age.

Surah Al-Anbiya (21:89): Here, Zakariya is mentioned in the context of his prayers, illustrating his devotion and the mercy granted to him by God.

These verses not only tell the story of his life but also provide lessons in patience and faith. Zakariya’s experiences encourage believers to trust in God’s timing, reminding them that prayers can be answered in unexpected ways.

Themes in Zakariya’s Story

Zakariya’s narrative encapsulates several key themes:

Faith and Patience: His unwavering faith during years of waiting for a child teaches us about the importance of patience in our own lives.

Divine Mercy: The response to Zakariya’s prayer highlights God’s mercy and ability to grant what seems impossible.

Legacy of Prophethood: By having a son like Yahya, Zakariya played a crucial role in the continuation of prophetic teachings.

Learning About Prophet Zakariya and the Quran

Exploring the life of Prophet Zakariya provides valuable insights into the nature of faith and the importance of prayer. His story serves as a source of inspiration for many, encouraging believers to maintain their faith, even in challenging times.

For those interested in deepening their understanding of the Quran and its teachings, visiting Riwaq Al Quran can be beneficial. This website offers resources and tools for learning and reflecting on the Quran, making it easier to connect with its messages.

In conclusion, Prophet Zakariya in the Quran is not just a story of hope but also a powerful reminder of faith and patience. His life and prayers resonate with believers, encouraging them to trust in God's plans, no matter the circumstances.

[yhwhrulz]

Worthy Brief - October 28, 2024

Have the heart of God!

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

For the next week or so we'll be looking closely at the life of Jonah the prophet. Jonah was told to "preach against the city of Nineveh", that was in the ancient kingdom of Assyria. Nineveh was a major city on the banks of the Tigris River about 500 miles north and east of where Jonah was; located on a contemporary map in modern Iraq, about 300 miles north of Baghdad. Archaeologists have found the ruins of ancient Nineveh right outside the Iraqi city of Mosul.

When God said Nineveh was wicked, he wasn’t kidding. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the most powerful empire in the world in that day. The Assyrians had a reputation for cruelty that is hard for us to fathom. Their specialty was brutality of a gross and disgusting kind. When their armies captured a city or country, unspeakable atrocities would occur. Things like skinning people alive, decapitation, mutilation, ripping out the tongues, making a pyramid of human heads, piercing the chin with a rope and forcing prisoners to live in kennels like dogs. Ancient records from Assyria boast of this kind of cruelty as a badge of courage and power. Sad to say, the saying – "History repeats itself", truly fits in this case!

So we ought to remember this context when we consider God's command to Jonah, and the prophet's response. Suppose God spoke to you today, "Go and preach the gospel to the Islamic State! Or go and preach to the Taliban! " Think you might respond, "Ahem God – they're terrorists! Let's nuke 'em; send 'em right where they belong!" But the heart of God is merciful. He wants to bring people to repentance so He can forgive, rather than bring judgment. He desires to save…even the most wicked and hardened individuals!

So here's what I think: There’s a little Jonah in all of us and a whole lot of Jonah in most of us. We're praying for the Christians fleeing Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey – but what about the wicked terrorists who are killing, torturing, and persecuting them? Do you have an "Assyrian" in your life? Is someone truly worthy of your hatred? Rather than pray for him, you'd be glad for him to meet God face to face today? Our Heavenly Father rebuked Jonah the prophet for his own hardness of heart and lack of compassion. So the story of Jonah is about the heart of God, who desires all men to be saved. He wants us to have the same heart.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Palm Beach, Florida)

Editor's Note: Feel free to share any of our content from Worthy, including Devotions, News articles, and more, on your social platforms. You have full permission to copy and repost anything we produce.

Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. https://t.me/worthywatch/ Be sure to check it out!

Editor's Note: Dear friends — we are going to be heading WEST!!! Now booking in the following states: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas …. If you know Pastors, Rabbis or Ministry Leaders who might be interested in some powerful Israeli style Hebrew/English worship and a refreshing word from Worthy News about what’s going on in the Land, please let us know how to connect with them and we will do our best to get you on our schedule! You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.