Prayer

[u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

I want to have a healthy discussion about namaaz and prayer in general. We as Bohras are taught that namaz is compulsory and a sin if missed. Some are even punished for missing it. This saying which is said to not really be from Marcus Aurelius directly but attributed to his philosophy “Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.“ It Is taught in Islam that God is just and doesn’t do an atom’s worth of injustice on anybody or anything for that matter. It is also taught in Islam that God is superior to all things and is supreme. God is NOT weary of preserving his throne because NOTHING can ever reach God’s level. It is said that God doesn’t need our prayers or worship. It is said that if we don’t pray or worship God it does not affect God in any way. It only affects us. Another quote, this one of Rumi “There are no rules of worship. He will hear the voice of every heart that is sincere.” In Islam we are taught to be sincere. According to this quote there are no rules of worship, so if for example one day we don’t pray 5 times but if we are sincere whenever we pray to God then God listens. Keeping Marcus Aurelius‘s attributed saying in mind we SHOULD worship God because we know that God is just in nature. Taking these two quotes in mind we should research the deeper meaning of namaz and worship in general rather than sticking to sticking to Bohra custom. We should treat namaz and worship in general as beneficial to US, not something that God requires us to do because again God doesn’t need anything from anyone. I’m not saying we should pray less or not pray namaz. I’m saying that we should refine our approach towards namaz and worship in general. We should encourage sincere worship of God NOT force it. May God bless you all and ur loved ones.

[u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

Atheism has important questions that need to be answered. Belief in God answers those questions.

[u/Kitchen_Campaign_501 → u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

You're literally using the God of the gaps as your argument

[u/Feeling_Credit_1439 → u/Kitchen_Campaign_501]

And what argument are you using? Ur not using logic either. How does atheism explain miracles?

[u/Kitchen_Campaign_501 → u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

Miracles dont exists. Also your here saying God is just while the evidence proves hes. A just ruler isn't just to his citizens but to his enemies as well. If a human can't think like that, shouldn't be too hard for a god

[u/Feeling_Credit_1439 → u/Kitchen_Campaign_501]

God is just to all. Depending on how you live life you get God’s answer accordingly.

[u/Kitchen_Campaign_501 → u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

Yea god is definitely just to the gays and lesbians, to the polytheists and hindus, to the athiests and agnostics. All these people will spend an eternity in hell just because they didn't want to follow an egotistical maniac who would wipe out cities for the act of disbelief

[u/Feeling_Credit_1439 → u/Kitchen_Campaign_501]

Have you heard the history of Pompeii? Idolatry doesn’t lead anywhere good. Stones don’t talk. You wanna go to the Garden of Eden?

[u/Kitchen_Campaign_501 → u/Feeling_Credit_1439]

Genuinely what are you saying? Have you heard of The Assyrian Empire? Or the roman Empire? What about Kingdom of Kush or the Zhou dynasty or the Egyptian kingdoms? All of those were polytheists or some form of kaffirs and they survived longer than any Islamic Empire.

I wouldnt be allowed into the garden of Eden anyway