Originally posted by Hunter

Hello Akhe As salaamulaikum  It's true that we do tend to teach in the way that we were taught. That being the case, please do me a favor and thank your Imam for me and give him my best regards. Inshallah, some day I look foreward to passing on to someone else what you've taught me. To answer your question about how I got ahold of the Holy Quran is an interesting one. It also contains the answer to how I discovered Islam in the first place. After 9-11, like many Americans, I felt that the obvious evil that caused this must be Islam itself. However, I've never been one to take anyone else's word for anything-- I'm naturally stubborn, as I'm sure you'll eventually discover. I figured I'd find out for myself. The Quran itself seemed to be the most obvious source of this evil. Off I went to Borders and purchased the cheepest copy they had. Cost me five bucks. I had no intention of keeping it. I'd sit down, prove to myself what I thought I already knew: roses are red, grass is green, the sky is blue, and Islam is evil. I planned to then toss the offending Quran either in the woodstove or the trash and go on about my merry way. I'm ashamed to say it now, but that was the attitude I had when I sat down to read that book. I was in for what has been the biggest shock of my life. Instead of hatred and violence, I read about beauty, forgiveness and compassion. Racial equality and tolerance of other religions. I was so completely and utterly shocked! I couldn't put the book down, and looked foreward to reading it every day. I read the entire Quran in less than two weeks-- every word. My words can't begin to do justice, describing how I felt, or what went on inside me when I read it; I won't even try. Instead of tossing out the origional one (I still have it), I went back to Borders and bought the nice copy they had. It isn't leather or anything, but its a nicely bound hard-cover book with gold-guilded pages. Its become one of my most prized possessions. I've read many books in my life, but none that contained this much raw power or changed my life so profoundly. I've been trying to learn everything I can about Islam ever since. As for the prayers, I'm ashamed to admit I don't know any of the traditional Muslim prayers. Maybe you could teach me one or two, first in english so that I can understand what I'm saying. I think I've faithfully answered all your question, or all of them that I can remember anyhow. I've definately babled on endlessly so I'll stop now. Take good care Akhe  Respectfully-- Hunter   

Originally posted by Hunter

Akhe, hello my friend. As salaamulaikum  I looked up that surah in my Quran. That works for me; it's a nice prayer and as good a place to start as any. Also, I agree with you that to worship a prophet as a "God" is wrong. It's the problem I've always had with Christianity. To pray to anything or anyone other than to God himself is wrong doing. I'd always thought that and had always wished there was a religion that was truely God based. I just didn't realize until I read the Quran there was one. Muslims say "There is only one God; he has no associates or companions" For me, this is a truth I've already known in my heart for most of my life. Take good care, respectfully-- Hunter