Articles Category: Religion - Self Improvement Articles from PositiveArticles.Com

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Who is The Remnant Church? By : Debra Lohrere Discusses the Biblical criteria for the Remnant Church. 666 and the Mark of the Beast By : Debra Lohrere Discusses the issue of the Mark of the Beast in Revelation Bible prophecy. Jesus and the rejection of earthly power-now that's the meaning of Christmas! By : Aaron Taylor What is the true meaning of Christmas, in this article, author Aaron Taylor gives a surprising answer. Christmas Dinner By : Ibrahim As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family is the second priority after attending church. Since Christmas is a public holiday in most countries people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are sold out at a blink of an eye at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (barbeques) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat. Numerical knowledge of numerology By : Thomas H. Lindblom The science of numerology began thousands of years ago by Greek philosophers. Its concept is that all things in the universe can be linked to numbers. 12 Kwanzaa Quotes to Celebrate This Magical Time of Year By : Noel Jameson Do you really understand Kwanzaa? Not its history or how it was started, but the meaning of the holiday at its core? If you think you know Kwanzaa (or even if you don't) these 7 Kwanzaa quotes can help you understand the true meaning of the celebration. Reincarnation - Is It Credible? By : Victor Epand Reincarnation is a unifying concept that is irreplaceable from the concept of theism. It is the only explanation that justifies the different situations that all living entities are in, in a particular life. It is the most credible aspect to the intelligent theist. Srila Prabhupada's Presentation of Sastras By : Victor Epand The philosophy of Krsna consciousness that Srila prabhupada preached through his books was sound in theory and practically applicable under all circumstances. His books have the potency to deliver the fallen conditioned souls because he delivered the message as it is without adulteration, but in the most practically and meaningful way possible. Legend Of Paradise In Alamut By : Ibrahim The most famous writers in Europe who produced a colourful tale of the Islamic garden of paradise were Pedro de Alfonso, San Pedro, Marino Sanudo, Varagine, Higden, Simon Simeon, Ricoldo da Monte Croce, William of Tripoli, John Mandeville, Jacques de Vitry, Alan of Lille, Sigebert, Guido, etc. In time, the European conceptions of the Islamic paradise, based on the Koranic description in a literal sense, were incorporated into the alleged paradise of Alamut, culminating in Marco Polo’s detailed account to this effect. Norman Daniel further writes, "It must be said that it was usual for Christians to allow themselves a rather purple rendering of the gardens and precious metals of paradise, though usually not of the virgins so beloved of later romanticism." (Ibid.) Pearly Gates By : Veronique Belmar I did what you asked of me: helped the poor, preached your word, and hardly spent time with my wife because I was too busy doing your work; now let me in! 'Go away from me, I don't know you', his master replied. 'But you do know me', said the man, 'I am James, I preached your word and helped others. 'Are you hard of hearing', his master replied? Then, I shall tell it to you again, go away from me, I don't know you! The Story Of My Life By : Michael A. Verdicchio What comes out of our mouth is indeed an indication of what's inside our hearts. Many times, what we say is an indication of our core beliefs. Take note of what is coming out of your mouth. If it's not positive, then change your thinking and what comes out of your mouth will follow suit. Then the results in your life will then be what you desire them to be. Knowing your numerology and star signs By : Thomas H. Lindblom Numerology is a highly popular topic. Actually, anything that deals with stars signs and birth charts is very popular, although many people have no idea how to read these signs or even what numerology means. Cain and Abel By : Jon Straumfjord Cain and Abel are the first in the "Faith Hall of Fame." Cain is a supreme example of lack of faith, while Abel is an excellent example of faith in action. My Most Embarrassing Moment By : Aaron Taylor Have you fallen and you can't get up? Author Aaron Taylor would like to help you get back on your feet again by sharing this humorous story. Enoch By : Jon Straumfjord Enoch is a supreme example of faith in action: he continually grew closer to the Lord, he gave his son a prophetic name, and he dedicated himself totally to the Lord, and was rewarded for his faith and faithfulness. Noah By : Jon Straumfjord Noah was a man of faith. He continued to steadfastly obey a command he had received from the Lord for 120 years, even in the face of constant opposition and ridicule. Life and Stress - Some Answers By : John Campbell Christians can get caught up in the hurly-burly of today's rat race and find themselves subject to pressures, demands, fatigue, anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches and back aches and a whole host of stress related symptoms and illnesses. Here are some answers for dealing with this problem........ Why An Atheist Can Believe In God By : Steve Gillman Think an atheist can't believe in God? Then you may not know what an atheist is. The Osteen Bible and other Apostasy Milestones By : Rev Michael Bresciani What is all the talk about an “apostasy” or a “falling away” really about? Hundreds of examples have occurred in 2007 and this year holds the promise of more to come. Let’s examine just a few examples from the very first week of 2008. Abraham By : Jon Straumfjord After receiving some fantastic promises when he was 75, when Abraham was 86 years old, Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant and Abraham's second wife, gave birth to Ishmael. When Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90, they gave birth to Isaac, the child who had been promised 25 years earlier. Approaching the Manifestation of Your Desires from a Spiritual Perspective By : Nina Amir This article explains how the Jewish mystics taught us to use Kabbalistic principles for practical purposes. By approaching our dreams and desires with a new consciousness, we can bring them in to reality. Who is the antichrist? By : Debra Lohrere Discusses the issue of the antichrist and the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation which reveal the identity. Ego Is Unique Expression Of Infinite Being By : Enoch Tan Ego has its use for Spirit. Ego is the way by which Spirit perceives reality from one place and one moment. Ego is how Spirit has uniqueness of experience. Ego is also how Spirit expresses in a particular way that is unlike any other. The reason for not being attached to ego or your own personal reality is so that you are free to realize your total Self as Spirit which is unlimited, unbounded and capable of being, doing and having anything... Jacob's Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh By : Jon Straumfjord Jacob, after a life of deception and manipulation, finally yielded to the Lord's direction. The result of his new-found compliance was a lasting blessing for his children. Out of the Darkness By : G Susan Rivers, LMFT There are times in our lives when we feel alone, abandoned and scared. These dark places can enfulf us if we let them. It is important to stay connected to God, to others and begin to rework misbeliefs or distortions that keep us isolated and in the darkness. Using the illustration of little Jessica McClure 18 years ago, who was trapped in a dark narrow tunnel Ms. Rivers reminds us that we don't have to be alone in our pit of darkness. Purpose of Acquiring Knowledge in Islam By : Ibrahim In today’s world acquiring knowledge is of great importance and if an individual wishes to progress in this world he must struggle to acquire knowledge as much as possible. Importance of acquiring knowledge is also being emphasized by Islam because Islam is the religion of knowledge. The first ayah of the Qur’an to be revealed is the key to knowledge. Allah (SWT) says: Brotherhood Key to Universal Peace By : Ibrahim These days His Highness prince karim Aga khan is also working die heartedly to promote peace; He is ambassador of peace and due to His efforts for enhancing good relations among East and West He received tolerance award in 2006. He always brings organizations from West to work with AKDN to promote quality of life of people of East, ultimately the relations among different kinds of people would increase and dislikes among people would diminish. Islam Is A Way of Life By : Ibrahim Islam is a religion that promotes thinking, spiritual faith. It is a religion that teaches compassion and tolerance and that upholds the dignity of man, Allah's noblest creation. One of the important characteristic of Islam is its openness that not only includes the concept regarding religious practices but it also includes the matters regarding daily life issues. Definition Of Atheism: Not A Belief By : Steve Gillman Atheism is not a belief, and a proper definition of atheism has to start with the reality of what it is. Moses and Ayahuasca - Plant Spirit Shamanism from the Bible By : Howard G Charing The world wide media interest in Benny Shanon's paper about Moses and entheogens, is encouraging us to take a good and hard look at the roots of religions and the notion that they were based on fertility cults, and shamanic practices such as Entheogens (or hallucinogenic) plants as a source of spiritual communion with the universal consciousness, or the mind of God. Different Rules for Oprah - New Age Baseball? By : Rev Michael Bresciani In the US the justice system is symbolized by the blindfolded women with the scale in her hand. We hope justice is blind and no respecter of persons but as it pertains to celebrities it seems the blindfold may be made of a very flimsy see through cloth. Selling Christianity By : Roy E. Klienwachter Anxious to move on to my next step in my own evolution and an experience of the physical life that embraces it, I am sometimes brought back to the reality of my own existence by. Origin of Navroz and Ismailism By : Ibrahim Navroz is a Persian word, meaning new day of the year. The Arabs pronounced it as Niruz or Nairuz. The Sogdians called it Nau-Sard (the new year), and also is called Nishat Afroz Jashan in Iran. It is a spring festival, beginning with the first day of the Persian solar year, corresponding to the vernal equinox and the entry of the sun into the sign of Aries, and continued until the 6th day of the month. The last day was known as the Great New Year's Day (al-Niruz al-Akbar). The Virtual Church of Jesus Christ By : Daryl G. Examine the evolution of virtual organizations from a biblical perspective. Nu Leadership is a column that explores the changing workforce and social environment as it relates to leadership development. Abu Ali Sina By : Ibrahim "Abu Ali ibn Sina, Ibn Sina or Avicenna, known in the West as Prince of Physicians, was born in 370/980 in the village of Afshana near Bukhara. He was an encyclopeadist, philosopher, physiologist, physician, mathematician, astronomer, logician and poet. He gained the titles of Shaikh al-Ra'is (leader among the wise men) and Hujjat al-Haq (proof of God), displayed a remarkable aptitude for learning from an early age. His father Abdullah hailed from Balkh and was in the service of the Samanid court. During the rule of Nuh bin Mansur (366-387/976-997), Abdullah was posted to Bukhara as a revenue collector. Ibn Sina can be described a very gifted child prodigy and learnt the Koran at the age of 10 years, and also mastered the logic and mathematics. Next he embarked upon the fields of physics, metaphysics and medicine, and at the age of 16 years he was well steeped in all the sciences of his days. 101 Ismaili Heroes Volume 1 By : Ibrahim This book represents the first known attempt to prepare a comprehensive and well-researched collection of biographies of one hundred and one eminent individuals who have helped to shape the Ismaili Community during the last two centuries. The table of contents, which lists the names of these individuals in alphabetical order, includes such giants as Alidina Visram, Laljibhai Devraj, Major Lakhpati, Fidai Khorassani. The author has also included many less well-known individuals, whose contributions have not been widely recognised, but are as important if not more so. These biographies are preceded by a foreword and preface. The Meaning of Aga Khan By : Ibrahim As is universally acknowledged, the conferment of a title is a mark of distinction recognizing performance, achievement, eminence and excellence. A title, be it civil or military, temporal or ecclesiastical, denotes a designation of class, stature and dignity. By the same token, all titles do have basic meanings and background in their conferment. We, the Ismailis associate ourselves deeply with the name or rather the title "Aga Khan" and we are so much used to being addressed by our beloved Imam as ‘Yours affectionately’ - ‘Aapke Pyare’ - ‘Shafqat ke Saath’ - ‘Tamaro Mamtarru’ Aga Khan that we seldom pause to think of how the title of ‘Aga Khan’ to our last four Imams came to be, or what it really means. Abu Yaqub As-Sijistani By : Ibrahim "Abu Yaqub Ishaq bin Ahmad as-Sijistani, nicknamed "cotton-seed" (Iranian, panba-dana, Arabic khayshafuj) was born in 271/883 in Bandan, a district in north of Sijistan and was trained in Yamen. He was a great philosopher and scholar and considered to be one of the major Ismaili thinkers whose share in the development of the Ismaili system of thought is considerable. Paul E. Walker writes in Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary (London, 1996, p. 13) that, "Yet, from the prominence of his books and the profoundly impressive intellectual contribution they (Ismailis) represent, we discover a truly significant mind and voice - one that deserves recognition as an outstanding figure in the Ismaili past and as a major force in Islamic thought in general." Pir Abul Hasan Shah By : Ibrahim Pir Shihabuddin Shah (d. 1301/1884) married to Bibi Arus Khanum, who gave birth of a son, Abul Hasan Shah and six daughters, viz. Talah, Nushi, Turan Malek, Khadija, Tuman Malik and Zarin Taj. Upon the death of Pir Shihabuddin Shah, Imam Aga Ali Shah declared his infant son, Abul Hasan Shah as a next Pir. In this context, the farman follows: Aga Khan Museum By : Ibrahim Museums in the contemporary world have expanded their missions to become viable educational institutions, actively seeking to broaden their constituencies. Collections and exhibitions have become dynamic tools for instruction, debate and reflection, and for attracting large numbers to the cultural life of societies. They also act as catalysts for cultural exchange and communication, contributing to the development of civil society. It is with this perception of the new role of museums that The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) has moved forward to include their establishment in its Education and Culture Programme. To this end, two museum projects were launched in 2003 with a mandate to oversee and co-ordinate the conceptualization, design, building and operation of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and the Indian Ocean Maritime Museum in Zanzibar. Ahl Al-Bayt By : Ibrahim "The word ahl al-bayt occurs twice in the Koran: "The mercy of God and His blessing are on you, O people of the house, ..." (11:73). This verse refers to the people of the house of Abraham (Kashf al-Asrar wa Uddat al-Abrar, 4:416), and to the house of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "God desires only to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)". Alamut By : Ibrahim "Alamut is a historical fortress of the Nizari Ismailis. Its location in mountainous terrain lies about 100 km. Northwest of Tehran, and situated in the high peak of Elburz mountain. Alburz generally was pronounced as Elburz, is the name given to great mountain range, dividing the high plateau of Iran from the low lands of Caspian Sea. The original Iranian word Alburz is derived from two Zand words, signifying the high mountain. The fortress of Alamut is 600 feet high, 450 feet long and 30 to 125 feet wide and is partly encompassed by the towering Elburz range. The rock of Alamut is known at present as Qal'ai Guzur Khan. Ahl Al-Dhimma By : Ibrahim "According to Islamic law, the non-Muslims inhabited in the Islamic state were called ahlu dh-dhimmati (people of protection) or simply al-dhimma or dhimmis. They included the Christian, Jewish, Magian, Samaritan and Sabian. Ahl al-dhimma were prohibited in the Muslim state from holding public religious ceremonies, from raising their voices loudly when praying and even from ringing their church bells aloud. All schools agree that it is not allowed to build new churches, synagogues, convent, hermitage or cell in towns or cities of Dar al-Islam (Muslim lands). When these injunctions were disobeyed, the Muslim leaders were authorized to treat the offenders as dwellers in Dar al-Harb (non-Muslim lands) and not as ahl al-dhimma in Dar al-Islam (Muslim lands), vide Subh al-A'asha fi Sina'at at al-Insha (Cairo, 1922, 13: 356) by Qalaqashandi (d. 821/1418). Ahl Al-Kitab By : Ibrahim "The word ahl means those who occupy with one the same tent, the family or inmates, relative, folk, kin, kinfolk, family, people, members, followers, etc. Under these meanings, the word ahl occurs 31 times in the Koran. According to another view, it is derived from ahala, meaning to demonstrate (the family). The word kitab, comes from the root word kataba, meaning to write down. The word kitaba occurs in the Koran for the Divine Books revealed to various prophets. Thus, the term ahl al-kitab means the possessors of the scriptures or the people of the Book. This term in Koran denotes the Jews and Christians, the repositories of the earlier books, al-Tawrat (the Torah), al-Zabur (the Psalms), and al-Injil (the Gospel). Alkab By : Ibrahim "The term lakab (pl. alkab) was also termed nabaz (pl. anbaz), and by form labaz, and later on it became lakab. The ancient Arabs excelled in inventing nasty alkab for their enemies, but the Koran (49:11) forbade them not to use pejorative sobriquets: "Do not scoff at each other or give each other derisory nicknames" (wala talmizu anfusakum wala tanabazu bi 'l-alkab). Arab By : Ibrahim The word arab or arabah is probably derived from a Semitic root related to nomadism. In the Arabic language, the word arab (derived from i'rab), means those who speak clearly as contrast with ajam (those who speak indistinctly). In Koran, the word arab has never used for the country of Arabia, but characterized the residence of Ismael, the son of Abraham as an "uncultivated land." In the time of Ismael his place of residence had no name, therefore, it was given the name of an "uncultivated land." In the Old Testament, the word midbar is used for Ismael's home, meaning a desert or a barren land, which closely corresponds to the Koranic description. Asbab Al-Nuzul By : Ibrahim The word sabab (pl. asbab) means reason or cause, and nuzul means revealed. The term marifah asbab al-nuzul is the knowledge about the reason of the revelation, i.e., knowledge about the particular event and circumstances that are related to the revelation of particular passage from the Koran. The Koran revealed piece by piece in the period of 22 years, 5 months and 24 days. The Muslim exegetes maintained that pieces of it were revealed in response to, or as reflections of, certain situations in the life of the Prophet. The Koran says, "And no question do they bring to you, but We reveal to you truth and the best explanation thereof" (25:33). Ayat Al-Dhurriya By : Ibrahim According to the Koran: "God chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all (His) creatures. Offspring, one from the other"(3:33-34). The word dhurriya means direct descendants, family or lineage. It occurs 32 times in the Koran in the context of the prophets, indicating that their mission was assigned to their direct descendants to carry on. Asma Al-Sifat By : Ibrahim The word sifa'a (pl. sifat) is not found in the Koran, but the verbal noun wasf does appear once in 6:139, and the imperfect of the first form of the verb occurs 13 times in the sense of "to ascribe or uphold a description or to attribute." God has made Himself known to mankind by His Most Beautiful Names (asma al-husna), and it is through these that the believers seek knowledge of God. The Koran says: "And Allah's are the most excellent names, therefore call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of His names" (7:180), and "Say: call upon God or call upon al-Rahman, by whichever Name you call, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names" (17:110). Hence, calling on God by His excellent names merely means that only those high attributes should be ascribed to Him which befit His dignity. The particular attributes of God mentioned in the Koran are: Ayat Al-Dhurriya By : Ibrahim According to the Koran: "God chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all (His) creatures. Offspring, one from the other"(3:33-34). The word dhurriya means direct descendants, family or lineage. It occurs 32 times in the Koran in the context of the prophets, indicating that their mission was assigned to their direct descendants to carry on.
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