A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Attaining knowledge |
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| Saffiyah |
| 06/22/04 at 19:11:28 |
| [slm] How would a person begin to attain Islamic knowledge? Not in order to become a scholar or alim but just in order to become a better Muslim and pass on the knowledge to others? Obviously the Quran is the first port of call but what other books, cd's etc would you recommend? [wlm] |
| Re: Attaining knowledge |
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| al-ajnabia |
| 06/22/04 at 19:53:46 |
| [slm] I suggest reading several different translations or the quran very rapidly, and then reading one more slowly, especially one with the arabic text and a commentary. I think it helps to attempt to learn arabic, because shorth of serious head trauma, ther is no way you cant learn atleast a little no matter how bad a program is, and even with serious head trauma, some will sink in. But it isnt entirely neccessary, just without some arabic you have to totally rely on the translations, and if something seems maybe a matter of word choice casting odd conotations or something without some arabic you cant really look more closely at the actual verse. with the little paperback translations it is possible to read lots of different transaltions in lots of different settings, spending a week or less on each one. I think this helps in cross referencing verses and contributes to an understanding of the various issues that are covered. dont forget to pray for guidance often formally and informally, and durring. also just go hadith surfing on the various hadith websites, type in search words or read short hadith colections found at the library or bookstore, poke around, sit whitin earshot of converations on the subject, and durring this keep current on the news and contemplate what all this reading makes you feel about it and how these feelings want you to stand on issues. Then look at stances on the issues, but islamic and non, lots of them, until it looks like soup and all you have to rely on in the feelings you have based on all that reading and thinking and watching and listening, and pray for the best, no matter what you end up deciding. |
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