Why did you join this forum?

[Rayaan]

Are you really a practicing muslim. Or is that a stupid question?

I would have to know what you mean by "practicing Muslim."

If you have in mind only ritual activities like the 5 daily prayers (Salah), then I cannot honestly consider myself a full-time practicing Muslim in that regards. I just go to the mosque on Fridays to pray. Occasionally, I pray at home also, but due to my laziness and other things I don't pray consistently throughout the day as we are supposed to.

But in Islam, the concept of worship is much more comprehensive than that. A Muslim's whole life is worship ("ibadah" in Arabic), both inside and outside of prayer. So we shouldn't just practice Islam, but as Muslims we have to live Islam.

"Worship" to us is a complete human experience: it starts from the heart, it involves the tongue, and it eventually requires dedication from the entire body. And therefore worship is not restricted to certain rituals only. Even things like learning about Islam, pondering on the verses of the Quran, taking care of people, helping someone, being patient with others, showing respect to our parents, eating, sleeping, earning a living, trying to develop a good character, being grateful, and so on, can all be turned into rewarding acts of worship if we simply remember God and we do them in order to attain His pleasure and His mercy. This is the way that I try to live every day of my life, which means that I'm not just practicing Islam but I'm living it as well.

In fact, the main objective that underlie all forms of worship in Islam is to remember God, and the same goes for the Muslim prayer: "... and establish the prayer for My remembrance" (Surah 20:14). So scholars say that we are already in a state of worship by just remembering God wherever we are, and the Quran tells us to do this abundantly: "O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance." This remembrance itself is a virtuous type of worship, which is emphasized in the Quran over and over again to signify the great importance of it.

So, the answer to whether or not I'm a "practicing Muslim" does not depend only on the observable rituals (like the prayer) as you probably thought before reading this post, because worship is both inward and outward, and there are many dimensions to it as I've explained above.

"Worship (Ibadah) is a comprehensive term covering everything that Allah loves and is pleased with - whether saying or actions, outward and inward." - Ibn Taymiyyah

[fr0d0]

I came here following atheist friends. I stayed here because it's more tolerant than any other atheist forum I've found. I have breaks occasionally because there is too much negativity.

[thesummerqueen]

I joined this forum thinking that atheist would be a good open minded lot, but sadly it didn't work out that way, all I have found so far is nothing but arrogant lot of jerks, and quite frankly I have no time for those who call themselves atheist. I do not have a belief in a god, but I am now thinking that, so what, we all have beliefs in whatever and that goes for atheist, no matter where those beliefs come from, they are just that, beliefs.

Not sharing your beliefs about vaccines doesn't count as close-mindedness. It's called "living in reality".

[Kayenneh]

Yeah Slice, if you wanted to be mollycoddled for your love of woo, you most definitely came to the wrong place. I am sad to hear that you have a hard time distinguishing between fact/fiction and dislike of bullsit/dislike of poster.

[Jacob(smooth)]

Why to meet fundamentalist atheists of course :p

[Napoléon]

I joined this forum thinking that atheist would be a good open minded lot, but sadly it didn't work out that way, all I have found so far is nothing but arrogant lot of jerks, and quite frankly I have no time for those who call themselves atheist. I do not have a belief in a god, but I am now thinking that, so what, we all have beliefs in whatever and that goes for atheist, no matter where those beliefs come from, they are just that, beliefs.

I was given a hard time when I first joined and some of my stupid beliefs were challenged but I didn't pussy out. Get over yourself.

[Bittersmart]

I joined this forum thinking that atheist would be a good open minded lot,

There's being open-minded, and then opening it so far that your brain falls out.

[DeistPaladin]

Why to meet fundamentalist atheists of course :p

I often hear that pejorative. Does that mean someone who believes in a strict and literal interpretation of non-existent scripture?

[thesummerqueen]

Why to meet fundamentalist atheists of course :p

I often hear that pejorative. Does that mean someone who believes in a strict and literal interpretation of non-existent scripture?

I'm sure you're joking, but I do believe it refers more to an attitude than a misconceptions about belief, except in small ignorant pockets.

[Whateverist]

So how would we want to define a "fundamentalist atheist"? I'd say an F.A. would understand "god" as a being with a personal history like any other and with properties as defined by the literature for that theist tradition. For a fundamentalist, of any stripe, god(s) is like an immortal person on cosmic meth. For an F.A., such a god is present or else he is not. End of story.

Most fundamentalist atheists would positively believe that no gods exist, and some of those probably feel they have persuasive things to say about why everyone should agree with them.

Over against fundamentalism, it is also possible to approach the concept of "god" as something that has arisen spontaneously in all human cultures for as long as we can find records for. Personally I'm more interested in why that is than I am in snuffing out the practice altogether. It might seem like our tonsils or appendix, anomolous features for which there is no obvious purpose. But it turns out both of those organs do serve a function and it may well be that belief in god does the same in our psychological well being. That doesn't mean we need to accept some literal account of god. You can't go back. But you can understand "god" in an "as-if" way, as a kind of useful fiction for understanding the unconscious mind.