Of the many fears that people have is questioning and researching religious-based intel, people would rather just stick with what they know, what they have been told, what has been passed down as “the way,” as many cannot even be bothered, rather than questioning dogmas, people would instead just accept things as they were.
People have often referred to me as “rebellious,” not because I am (laughs and covers face), but because, really, I often feel like there isn’t any harm in asking questions, but to my surprise, people often find it disturbing. People often find those who ask questions to be “troublesome”. Personally, I am always a little curious about a few things. I would often like to understand the reason behind some topics of interest. I would often explore the logic behind line of thoughts, whether it makes sense to me or not.
However, I strongly do not believe that it is rebellious to ask questions?!
The unfortunate thing is when it comes to asking religious-based questions and seeking answers, a lot of people lack the patience, the time or dedication it requires because we have been conditioned to think, to believe, that the walk (with God) is magical, sharp-sharp, it is “happen-now” oriented, it must produce immediate result(s) just at the click of your fingers, this mindset is incorrect and misleading.
It amazes me how people would just follow through with …… and not take a pause, and when I realized how and why people would just follow through with….., I understood that it is mostly out of fear, fear of not being judged, fear of not being liked, of not being called an unbeliever, a rebel or as in other cases, “not born again enough”, one of the things that “drew” me to Islam was its ability to entertain my curiosity, (covers face) I could think up questions and began to look for answers, I would read articles and meet up with Muslims clergy to confirm what I have read, I would ask the really uncomfortable questions, mostly to understand their thoughts and opinion about the subject matter, and on matters that are dicey or not very clear, they always say so and you are even encouraged to use your discretion. No one looked at me a certain way or made me feel like I was doing too much; people were always interested, happy to explain things.
The Qur’an encourages questioning, to use logic, and intellect to understand the world because it is only when you question things that you will reflect and observe the world around you. I remember when I first came across the different images (in the person) of Christ on the internet, I posted and wrote about it on my WhatsApp status because I wondered how people would bow and pray to different images of individuals without realizing it. I was baffled!
I like how Islam encourages the use of critical thinking, how you don’t have to follow a rigid line of thought, (there are 3 major schools of thought, the jurisprudence) on how to strengthen our belief by seeking these answers, clear our doubts and make firm our faith. Like I have written before that Islam came to correct and re-establish the core message. It is interesting to know that the Qur’an “places defilement on those who do not use reason.” see Surah Yunus 10 verse 100, as it says that “questioning”, “doubts” are part of faith.
I remember one time when I had just concluded a particular Bible class, and on the last day of the class, which was “the impartation service” where you would be anointed with an oil (olive oil) to be precise. At the end of that session, I was “required” to “speak in tongues”, as part of the (concluding) process of the service. The woman (a pastor) laid her hands on me and began to pray. She was praying in English and was speaking in tongues. She then, told me to start speaking in tongues, I looked at her, and I was like; How?
(I have seen people speak in tongues, but I have always wondered how?)
I mean during prayers, pastors are speaking and they often encourage the congregations to do same, so I used to think there was a .....or people just automatically pick up "the language" by observing others speak it?
Really, how?
She looked at me and nodded her head, gesturing for me to go on, I looked around me, each person with their “mentor” (pastors) have already started speaking and “kaboshing” (laughs).
Interesting thing was, I was one of the best students in the class but I couldn’t "speak"....in...tongues, so it was quite noticeable, she tried, oh…she tried, she tried so hard to make me speak but I couldn’t, I was just looking at her and everyone around me and I was praying (obviously in a language I understood), even though, I have always being a person who prefers to pray within me, I do not believe in praying out so loud for all to hear. So, I guess she didn’t know what I was doing and I guess she was curious too!
All of a sudden, I bursted into tears, and I started to cry.
I cried because I didn’t understand why I couldn’t “speak in tongues” at the time.
Does it mean my prayers weren't answered because I couldn’t pray “in tongues”?
Does it mean I had a certain “spirit” that wouldn’t let me speak the “foreign language”?
With tears in my eyes, I looked around me, again, everyone was still “kaboshing” but me! (covers face.)
Then the woman said I should say anything—anything at all that came to my mind. I looked at her and was like, 'Okay...' (with that bombastic side eye.)
She said, I should just speak, and that was speaking in tongues!
Ah! I exclaimed.
Somehow, within me, I was questioning myself, if I must?
(Rebellious? Nah! Lol!)
Was it a criterion to move to the next stage?
Why must I say “the things” I didn't understand?
As I have read, according to the book of Acts, that “The people present could understand and hear them speak their individual languages”, please refer to Acts 2, verses 1-13.
And “some people” would (usually) have interpreters according to Apostle Paul's directives, and he encouraged that it be done quietly!
so?
Why must I talk gibberish and call it “speaking in tongues”?
By the way, I am very much aware that you can have the “Holy Spirit” without “speaking in tongues”.
One of the things I discovered was that people often “speak in tongues” because it looks cool and it makes others perceive them as “being in the spirit”.
Like they’ve got the power!
(Laughs)
(Anyway, what do I know?)
Of the things that saddens my heart is that when these questions are raised, and we have “these conversations”, it often ends in “that deafening silence”! The records testified that even “The Bereans were praised for receiving the message with eagerness and examining the scriptures DAILY to see if the teachings were true” which means that: Even the bible encouraged critical thinking. See (1Thessalonians 5:21), but my people would rather not instead……
Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that HE is a witness over all things? (Surah Al-Fussilat) 41 verse 53.