Trip Around the Sun
51
of 52 – The Muslims - again.
Have traveled about
573,000,000 miles - 1 week to finish the Trip Around
the Sun.
Someone
writes:
Refusing to
lie is worshiping the truth?
Response:
Sometimes.
Usually - it is not refusing to lie - but just regarding truth as the end-all
of value in life.
People who constantly insist that every little thing be literally true limit
their walk in life quite a lot. Often, they are not happy.
A child, for example - who must go to school and
contradict his classmates concerning the tooth fairy or Santa Claus, is much
socially handicapped.
Or, in the extreme, a child who is not allowed to pretend.
"I'm a fireman," he says, and Daddy says, "No - you are not a
fireman - you may be someday if you want to - but now you are just a little
boy." That's all true - but this is the worship of truth, and very
damaging to the little boy.
There's nothing wrong with truth. Usually, it is the best way - but when we say
"always," it is much like worship.
The Visit:
Islam – The Muslims
This is a
“Prayer Schedule” for January of this year. The times are slightly different
for other months. These prayers are the deep-bowing kind – to the ground. Six
times every day at exactly specified times.
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Fajr |
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Dhuhr |
Asr |
Maghrib |
Isha |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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14 |
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15 |
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21 |
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22 |
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23 |
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24 |
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25 |
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26 |
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27 |
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28 |
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30 |
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31 |
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Can you
imagine this – 6 times a day – and must be done right on time – no matter who
is talking to you at the time.
This was my second
visit with Islam – the Muslims. I wanted to go to see if I could get a feel for
how they are dealing with the war.
Leona and I
and Leona’s Dad attended a meeting of Veterans of India and countries around
So I was
about 15 minutes late. They were all on the cloth layments
– which I noticed this time were laid at an odd angle
in the room. I took off my shoes – and put a chair near the others and sat to
listen and observe. Several men gave me little gestures of welcome – they
remembered my last visit.
I’m sure
this angle of the cloth was the same the first time, but I had not noticed it.
I think their direction was such that when situated on them, the men – and
women on separate ones – were facing in a certain direction. I’ve always had a
good sense of direction – and this didn’t appear to be exactly East. I think the facing is to a particular place. That’s if
we were to travel on the curved Earth in as straight a line as the sphere
allows. When we point North, we say it’s toward the
pole, but, of course, we’re really pointing into the sky, and our straight line
would miss the pole by almost 4000 miles. It must be assumed that prayers
travel in a curved path. To really point at the pole, we would have to point at
an angle downward into the dirt. (We may also thus assume that prayers do not
travel well through solids, since we do not point ourselves that way. I have
noticed that when we consecrate oil, we always take the lid off. This must be
because, again, prayers do not penetrate solids. It’s nice to have multiple
religions confirming our beliefs. This is not trivial. I know this because I
once saw the oil consecrated without removing the lid, and the young Elder was
asked to do it over.
The leader
was speaking – Last time the first part was in a foreign language – and then
English – my lateness put me about right for the English part.
Koran is
stories inviting good with also stories of those who have done good – and also with stories of those who have done bad –
stories about bad people. We should stay away from wicked people.
(I have
heard this teaching also at home. I always wonder what advice we would give to
those bad people – with whom do we think they should associate? Obviously, not with us – and certainly not with our kids. I
guess that leaves only other bad kids for their social interaction.)
The end of
these wicked people is very painful – while the end for good people is
wonderful. The stories are not imaginative or fictitious.
Of all the
“scriptures,” only the Koranic version is correct –
it is the only one that has been properly preserved.
There are
valuable lessons to guide our contacts. Allah guides our lives for us to have
mercy, piety, and good deeds.
(But is that
refusal to associate mercy – or judgment?)
He told the
story of Joseph – who feared Allah and remained pure.
My dear
brothers and sisters, read it, and reflect on it.
If we are
sincere, it gives belief, guidance, and success. If we are not sincere, the
Koran does not guide us.
Certain verses
are not meant to be translated by human beings. (!!!)
(I wondered
– then why are these verses included? And next he answered that question.)
If humans
try to translate these verses, it is a test for them.
If a child
approaches the Koran, it will guide the child at a child’s level. It will also
guide at any other level – no matter how high.
(I’ve heard
similar about the Bible and other scripture – I don’t know exactly what a
“level” is. I do know that much that is important cannot be learned there –
algebra, for example.)
If someone
quotes one verse and asks you what it means. Do not answer. Verses do not have
meaning by themselves. Tell them you will do some research and get back to
them.
(I know
about this – they will not as a rule get back. I prefer
to read the other germain verses at the time – and
get as much understanding as is available from the current source.)
We need the
wholeness of the Koran. It must all be studied – not a verse at a time.
Important –
When we pray to Allah, it is a deeply spiritual exercise. We must do it
correctly and with spiritual readiness. He feeds us. He helps us daily. He
rewards us. He loves us. We hope He will be easy on us at the day of judgment.
We Muslims
are living for eternal life. Allah is with us as long as we are truthful and
honest – and spend our money daily for Allah. We do not know when we will die;
we must do it every day. We must pray at all the designated times with no
wavering.
It is simple
truth. Good people will be rewarded; bad people will be punished – both in this
life and in the next.
(I have been
much rewarded, so by this doctrine, I must be a very good person. Can we
do this in reverse this way – measure the goodness of a person by observing
that person’s blessings? Our five children all grown up happy and responsible –
our seven little grandchildren – each one thinking grandma and grandpa are the
best – sweet little dog that loves us – sings for us – and plays soccer – a
hotrod - man, it doesn’t get any better than this.)
(One of our
old Bishops told me that we have good kids for an entirely different reason. He
said that God looked down – saw Chuck Borough – and said, “No way – you can’t
send any hard-to-raise kids to him – he’s not capable – so they sent me easy
ones.)
(A woman in
the book “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” was told by her minister when
her child died, “God knew you had the strength. Otherwise He would not have
given you such a hard thing.” She says the thought she had was, “Oh – if only I
were a weaker person, my child would still be alive.”
Act as
courageous Muslims. Trust ONLY in Allah – in none else.
Have no
preoccupation with the world and worldly needs.
We need good
Islamic teachers. We should challenge ourselves to become such teachers.
Strengthen me and correct me, Allah.
Help all
Muslins to become well after wars are thrust upon them.
And now the
language changed – and I had no power of the interpretation of tongues that I
was aware of.
He faced the
way the carpet (or cloth) indicated. Now all were facing the same way with him
– with him in the front.
He was
singing a prayer. Bowing by all was deep and repeated – face to the floor.
(And the
formal meeting was over. Now it will be time to eat lunch with them – and talk.
Since I could not understand the most emotional part of the talk, I would try
to glean a little at lunch.)
(Several had
recognized me – and were glad to see me back. One insisted on paying for my
lunch. We sat together at the table for the men. The women always are separate
from the men, and had their own table across the room. (I really would like to
talk with the women – but it doesn’t appear an easy task. They do say hi – they
shake hands and are friendly – but a religious discussion is probably out of
the question for an outsider – maybe even for an insider – I don’t know. I have
not yet seen a single serious word exchanged between a man and a woman.)
(I listen to
see if I can hear any of what the women are discussing. They are very quiet –
and it appears to be only social in nature – while the men are arguing religion
and politics.)
An elderly
man at the table (probably in his nineties) said, “Pray that Allah will give
men some brains!” He touched his head on both sides. These were the first words
as we sat down – after the talk.
(The
Interpretation of Tongues would have been a lovely gift for the Trip Around the Sun. I should have started the trip on my
birthday. Instead I have the Gift of Contending.)
(There is a hymn,
by the way, that advises contending for the truth. I do think contention is a
wonderful thing, so long as we love also. So I will be grateful for my “gift,”
and not covet another.)
He
continued, “The twentieth century has been the worst for killing. Look at all
the wars.”
Someone else
said, “But whatever happens, we thank Allah for it.”
“What,” I
said, “We thank God or Allah for everything – even bad things?”
He said,
“Absolutely – for every single thing.”
I asked, “If
I have a child who becomes a heroin addict, I thank God for that?”
“Absolutely.”
“If my wife
cheats on me, I thank Allah for that?”
“Absolutely
– that’s what I would do.”
I paused – I
had trouble believing what I had just heard.
Then I said,
“But if I am grateful for something – then I want it to continue - - don’t I?”
(And this is
when I learned a lesson about what this is about.)
He said –
with the considerable agreement of all the others – “If you have an appendix
which is breaking – and it is hurting – then when the surgeon removes it – cuts
you open and removes it – you are grateful – correct?”
“Yes, “ I answered.
Then he
said, “But you do not want the surgery to continue, do you?”
“When Allah brings
a test to us – it is for our betterment – but we do want the test to end when
we have learned what is needed for our progress.”
“If my child
is addicted – or my wife cheats on me – I want that to end – but I am grateful
to Allah for whatever purpose He had in allowing it to happen.”
(Later – I
thought of questions on this subject that I would like to ask. For example:
“What if the Jews took over all of the Arabic nations to expand
51
of 52 – The Muslims - again.