I converted to Islam AMA.

[Mvslimah]

10 years ago and not for a man

AMA all the difficult questions, I got some time to kill

@Blueberry111 Respectfully I disagree. There are numerous sources which place her at 6-7 when she married and 9 when it was consummated.

No I’m not, I’m talking about Josephus’s account of James the brother of jesus

@Flapjackquack
The vast majority of ME and Northern African countries place limitations on women

Not as far as education is concerned though.

i eat it

What made you select Sunni other another sect of Islam? Some would argue for example that Alewi and Ismaili Muslims give more rights to women and are more progressive when it comes to interpretations of the Quran particularly in light of historical context e.g women having the ability to lead prayer equally to men.

I’d love to hear about how your family and non-Muslim friends reacted to you converting.

I’ve always been interested in Islam, and think it’s great you’ve found a religion that you feel connected to.

Can you provide the reference you’re talking about please

absolutely not do I find it an argument for being a paedophile

That's lovely to hear that the Mosque is welcoming. I grew up in a area with a big Sikh community. I love their belief in giveback and toy with the idea of getting involved but I do wonder how that would go down as I'm not Sikh.

They are Shi’a sects and whilst Shiism is 90% the same as sunni islam there were a few core fundamentals that I wasn’t quite there on.

women can lead the prayer, just other women

Not quite as severe as some of the posts on this thread but not too far off, over time I lost most of my non Muslim friends, drinking was the biggie. I’m pretty open minded and laid back when it comes to most things

How could you accept any belief system which has such a terrifying vision of 'Hellfire' as Islam - burning pits, boiling water, iron hooks and all the rest?

How can you can reconcile those absolutely hideous descriptions of Hell with a loving God? Do you really think that will be the fate of 'unbelievers' - how can you be okay with it?

I can’t speak for Sikhs but I know mosques have a similar ethos and as a non Muslim you’d be welcomed with open arms, some might try and convert you but obviously the choice would be yours,

you sound lovely btw :)

@Byfleet - the women of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Egypt may not agree (off the top of my head).

It’s pretty graphic isn’t it! Similar to other religions concept of hell.

it’s meant to be a deterrent.

but it’s not as straightforward as all Muslims go to heaven and everyone else is In hell. People who the message hasn’t reached (properly) will be tested in their graves (as will we all) and if they accept then they go to paradise , and good Christian’s and Jews and Sabians are granted heaven according to the Quran

That's not quite correct.

Q&A: Is the Virgin Birth a Mistranslation?

The text displayed as Dr. Stavrakopoulou speaks is Isaiah 7:14, which originally referred to a young woman even though it is often wrongly translated as “a virgin shall conceive.” The mistranslation as “virgin” dates back to the Greek version of the Bible known as the Septuagint, which renders the Hebrew alma (“young woman”) there as parthenos (“virgin”). It’s not the only place the Septuagint makes this and similar mistakes. But because Matthew (1:23) highlights the Greek here, this mistranslation is well known.

Still, this is a mistranslation of Isaiah 7:14, while the description of Jesus’ virgin birth comes from the Gospels. (I have to assume Dr. Stavrakopoulou knows this, by the way. I wouldn’t want to base too much on the editing that created the teaser.) Matthew 1:18 explains that Mary conceived Jesus before having sex. And Luke 1:34-35 has Mary bearing a child before having sex. These are the passages that describe the virgin birth, and they are both clear and correctly translated.

So no, the virgin birth is not a mistranslation. And even though Matthew references Isaiah 7:14 in mistranslation, the text in Matthew does not depend upon Isaiah, and Luke doesn’t even mention Isaiah.

Ok Afghanistan is pretty atrocious rn but you can’t just say All the women of Pakistan and epypt are denied education. I know many many highly educated women from these backgrounds.

it’s a social class, money, deprivation and of course patriarchy thing rather than an Islamic thing. Islamically women are to be educated

That’s one opinion and I didn’t say it was mistranslated I said scholars debate if it was

What's your take on verse 9.5 (to name one) from the Quran?

Is there anything you don't like about Islam? Or would change?

It's horrific - and with respect, you haven't answered my question. Why would you choose to believe in such a hideous thing - why would you want something like that to exist? How do you reconcile it with a loving God?

I'm not trying to be difficult - I know there isn't an easy answer. The problem of Hell is why I walked away from religion, I just couldn't deal with it or accept it in any way. Now I am a "cherry-picker", a mildly Christian-flavoured universalist. I think most of the religious people I know are "cherry-pickers" (Muslims included) and I see nothing wrong in it.

That in a time of war, that when the tribes who had peace treaties with the Muslims violated them, and the ayah says that when their Holy days are over, then you can wipe out the tribe who has violated their peace treaty and waged war against you, you can kill then but if they surrender and repent then they must be spared.

So are you a Christian that doesn’t really believe in hell?

i rationalise it as for thé worst of humanity, the hitlers and dahmers of this world

To say anything would be disbelief. I don’t like how Muslim men have twisted things historically to suit their own agendas.

i actually really dislike that non Muslims can’t visit Mecca and medina

@steff13 if you think about things deeply enough you will see that almost everything is imposed on us. Even when one wears skimpy clothing, somewhere by someone it has been implied as the " free" thing to do. We are not born knowing these things , they are made to look attractive or acceptable so we do them without even thinking.

Modest clothing is definitely a choice. There is no compulsion in any religion. You enter or leave by choice. Many non Muslim people I know wear modest clothing out of choice.

I don't believe the Nicene Creed, or anything concerning miracles, resurrection, substitutionary atonement etc - so I guess I can't call myself a Christian. I certainly don't believe in pits of fire.

Even so, I have an emotional attachment to certain Bible stories, I like the parables of Jesus, I sometimes read Psalms when I am going through difficulties. I read books by liberal Christian writers like Rob Bell and John Spong. There are other names for this - some people call it Jesusism or Jesus atheism, even - but I like 'universalist' because I think it fits. I believe all roads lead to God & all of humanity will be reconciled to God, in the end.