A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Definitions please! |
|---|
| amika |
| 04/20/04 at 20:22:50 |
| [slm], Would somebody be so kind as to provide the definition for the following terms according to Islamic point of view? 1. evil 2. fault 3. sin 4. kafir Thanks. :-) |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| nida |
| 04/20/04 at 21:47:02 |
| [slm] 3.sin- anything that is done that is strictly prohibited in Islam. For example, eating pork is a sin for Muslims. 4. kafir- any non-muslim person? especially one who is heathen/pagan? i hope someone else can clarify the first two because i can't exactly explain them. [wlm] :-) |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| Mona |
| 04/20/04 at 21:56:25 |
| [slm] it seems to me that you would be knowledgeable enough to know the answers to these questions sis amina. any reason for this then? wassalam |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| amika |
| 04/20/04 at 23:36:06 |
| [quote author=Mona link=board=madrasa;num=1082506970;start=0#2 date=04/20/04 at 21:56:25] any reason for this then?[/quote] [slm], ;D Of course I do have a reason for asking these questions. I'm a bit confused when these terms are used as if they are similar. For example, I do think there is a big difference between "evil" and "fault" or "mistake". You forgive a fault, a mistake, a shortcoming. But I don't think you treat evil in the same way. I also think the term "kafir" needs a clear definition. Does it refer to a person to whom the Truth came and then rejected it, or does it refer to a person who is not muslim? A person who is not born in a muslim family may never have heard about Islam nor ever had the Truth preached to him. So I don't know. I'm not so knowledgeable I'm afraid. |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| stranger |
| 04/21/04 at 18:53:12 |
| [slm] I think kafir comes from the verb kafara which means to cover the truth. So literally it means one who covers the truth. But this word has attained many meanings such as unbeliever. As for evil, fault or sin, I don't know that there is an "Islamic" point of view that is much different from a non-Islamic one. Perhaps different things are considered faults or sins or evil but I think they all have the same meaning. Allahu a3lam [slm] |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| amika |
| 04/22/04 at 22:17:38 |
| [quote author=stranger link=board=madrasa;num=1082506970;start=0#4 date=04/21/04 at 18:53:12]As for evil, fault or sin, I don't know that there is an "Islamic" point of view that is much different from a non-Islamic one. Perhaps different things are considered faults or sins or evil but I think they all have the same meaning. [/quote] "Evil", "fault" or "sin" all the same meaning? This is precisely what I am talking about! Do these terms really mean the same? I don't think so. For example, we are told to enjoin good and forbid evil. If evil is the same as a fault, then can you say : forbid a "fault"? What could be an example for "evil" and an example for "fault"? Sis. nida has given an example for "sin". By asking for Islamic point of view, I am asking what the Qur'an has to say about these terms. We are told for example: Forgive and overlook faults. Nowhere are we told to forgive and overlook evil! So, what are the terms in Arabic for "evil" in the Qur'an? And "fault" or "sin"? I know the term "kafir" is in the Qur'an but don't know what the terms are for "evil"...."sin".......or "fault". I'm just trying to get a clear idea. If anyone who is knowledgeable in Arabic can help, that will be greatly appreciated! Thanks! |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| jannah |
| 04/23/04 at 01:24:51 |
| salam here's the one's i've heard commonly, evil = munkar, khabeeth, atheem, fasaad fault = khata', ghaltah, zillah, 'ayb sin = ithm, dhunoob (sing. dhanb), sayyiah, khatayah kafir = stranger gave a good explanation as for definitions i think it depends on the context.. there are shades of meaning for anything and even scholars themselves differ when they use a single word -- often there is an everyday language definition, an etymological definition and a legal definition and all might be different ! the same word might also mean something else to a different scholar so you have to even figure out what each scholars definition of the word is before u get into what they are discussing! about quran..and verses using the terms, even in the quran you will see the same word used for a different meaning in different places. so a good tafseer comes in handy or going to a scholar who has a good grasp of quranic arabic. |
| 04/23/04 at 01:27:11 |
| jannah |
| Re: Definitions please! |
|---|
| stranger |
| 04/23/04 at 19:54:21 |
| [slm] Sister nobody; you misunderstood me. I meant to say that evil, fault, and sin mean the same thing "Islamically" as non Islamically. I don't mean they mean the same thing as each other. My apologies for the confusion. Regards, Your brother in Islam |
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board |