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Showing posts with the label Religion

Understanding the status of Jews, Christians and other protected Religious Communities under Muslim state

Table of Contents The People of the Book Freedom of Worship – The Legal Tradition Jews and Christians and other Protected Communities under Muslim State Dhimmis The ringing of Church Bells Conclusion Understanding the term  dhimmi(s)  (i.e., the status and treatment of Jews, Christians, and other protected religious communities) and its usage in the Qur’an will help us understand the levels of tolerance, acceptance, and pluralism in the Qur’an especially when it comes to  Ahl al-Kitab  (that is, the people of the book). Arguably and theologically though, mere possession of sacred Books, practising monotheism, and claiming the faith of Abraham already mark them (Muslims, Jews, Christians) as people of (one) the book. Examining the term  dhimmis  and the Qur’anic stipulation will throw some light on the relationship between Muslims and other bodies of the people of the book. Some clarifications are required here, especially with the term, the people of the book. The People of the Book Th

Islamic Core Sources & their Significance to the Concept of Tawhid

Table of Contents Islamic Core Sources Sources of Qur’anic exegesis Methodological Issues Hadith Conclusion Dealing with the issue of methodology when it comes to the concept of Tawhid, there is a need to understand Islamic core sources. The reason for this is that when verses of the Qur’an are cited, at times, the  Sunna  of the Prophet or the  Hadith  is introduced while explaining the Surah or Ayat. Or even, the  tafsirs  are used to communicate further the meaning of the Surah or Ayat.  Islamic Core Sources To understand and analyze the concept of Tawhid, the core sources are indispensable.    Islamic methodologies follow some defined scientific tools: Ilm al-Tafsir (hermeneutics); ‘Ilm al-Hadith (the science of Hadith); Usul al-Fiqh (principles of law), and the Arabic language. These scientific tools are developed to understand the Qur’an more. A ccording to Shafi: “the literal meaning of  tafsir  in the Arabic language is ‘to open’ or to explain, interpret or comment. Technic

Hadith and Sunna – A Muslim’s Life and Faith

Table of Contents What is Hadith? Prophetic and Sacred Hadith The distinction between Sacred Hadith and Prophetic Hadith Terminus ad quem Holy Qur'an Divine Nature of Sacred Hadith Form of Recording the Sacred Hadith Sunna of the Prophet This piece of writing aims to describe the life and faith of a Muslim from the perspectives of the hadith and  Sunna  of the prophet. Generally, as part of a Muslim’s conventional living comes from their traditions, their behaviour is supposedly modelled on the examples of the prophet. Therefore, in this piece, we will seek to understand what a hadith is, the distinctions between prophetic and sacred hadiths, and what is understood as the  Sunna  of the prophet. What is Hadith? In the footnote of the book titled  Forty Hadith Qudsi , Ibrahim and Johnson-Davies noted that: Hadith often rendered as “Tradition”, are the recorded words, actions and sanctions of the Prophet Muhammad. The Arabic plural of the word hadith is ahadith. [i] The ahadith, th

The Idea of the Blessed Trinity in the Bible – The Christian Monotheism

Table of Contents Biblical Foundation of the Blessed Trinity Wisdom  in Wisdom Literature The Idea of the Word of God Personified The Spirit of God as God’s Presence in Creation Christian monotheism is a divine revelation that focuses on the Blessed Trinity. It is the claim that there are three persons in one God: God the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. This idea is not limited to John 1:1-3 and John 14, that is, the incarnation and the  via et veritas et vita  discourses. Many other biblical writings and conciliar decrees attest to it. It is claimed that the incarnation reveals the Blessed Trinity. The Catholic Preface Prayer of Christmas 1, The Weekday Missal expounds on the mystery of the incarnation as leading to the glory of the Blessed Trinity because in Jesus, God is made known, and we become overwhelmed by the love of God. [i]   The Preface Prayer of the Blessed Trinity delineates more the underlining of Christianity’s claims to a Trinitarian faith. Hence, G