2005-12-31T06:48:50Z

Nehustan: /* Teachings */

{{religion}}

'''Islām''' (Arabic: الإسلام) is the monotheistic faith founded by [[Mohammed]] and believed by Muslims to have been revealed by [[God]] (named Allah in the [[Qur'an]]) to all they consider Prophets of Islam which include [[Adam]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]] and [[Mohammed]] (c. 610-622 [[EV]]).

==History==
Mohammed was born in the year 571 [[EV]]. His father died before his birth, and his mother died at a very early age, so he was raised by his uncle Abu Talib. According to Islamic tradition, he experienced his initial prophetic call about age 40 while meditating alone inside a cave in the hills above Mecca - a city in the Arabian peninsula.

Muslims believe that Mohammed was chosen by God, like prophets before him, to teach a sacred message. Though marginalized and opposed initially, Mohammed began to gain followers, most of whom came from lower classes and marginalized peasantry. The first wealthy men accepting the prophet-hood of Prophet Mohammed were Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab.

As Islam attracted more believers, Mohammed encountered severe opposition by residents of Mecca who felt threatened because Islam undermined the pagan idols around the [[Ka'aba]]. The pagan idols around the Ka'aba were important to the residents of Mecca not only for religious reasons, but also for economic reasons. As pilgrims visited the idols in Mecca, they brought economic prosperity to the city, and the fear was that a monotheistic religion would remove this source of prosperity and trade.

As Mohammed's opponents in Mecca - including one of his uncles, Abu Lahab, who was among his worst enemies - began to organize to bring about an end to his prophecy, Mohammed withdrew with many of his followers to Medina in September of 622. This migration is called the ''Hijra'', and its year is used to establish the Muslim calendar; thus the year 622 EV is the year 1 A.H. (''Anno Hegirae''). The A.H. system dates from the beginning of the [[lunar year]] in which the Hijra took place, so it does not neatly coincide with the Julian or Gregorian year numbers. After three major battles and one last battle with Mecca, almost all Arabia fell to Mohammed in 630 EV and a great number of tribes established alliance with the prophet. Mohammed died on June 8, 632 EV.

==Teachings==
The fundamental concept in Islam is the unity of [[God]] ([[tawheed]]). This monotheism is absolute, not relative or pluralistic in any sense of the word. God is described in ''Sura al-Ikhlas'', (chapter 112) as follows: Say "He is Allah, the one, the Self-Sufficient master. He never begot, nor was begotten. There is none comparable to Him."

In Arabic, God is called Allah, a contraction of ''al-ilah'' or "the deity". "Allah" thus translates to "God" in English; it is not grammatically a proper name, unlike the Israelite divine name [[Yahweh]] or the [[Christianity|Christian]] usage of [[Jesus]] as a personal divine name. The implicit usage of the definite article in Allah [[linguistics|linguistically]] indicates the divine unity. In spite of the different word used for God, Muslims assert that they believe in the same Judeo-Christian deity. However, Muslims disagree with Christian [[theology]] for compromising on monotheism (through the doctrines of the [[Trinity]], and that Jesus is the son of God).

Although no Muslim visual images or depictions exist of God (due to the prohibition on [[idolatry]]), Muslims define God by the many divine attributes mentioned in the Qur'an, also commonly known as the [[99 names of God]]. All but one ''Surah'' (chapter) of the Qur'an begins with the phrase "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful". These are consequently the most important divine attributes, in the sense that Muslims repeat them most frequently during their ritual prayers (called ''salat'' in Arabic).

The Five Pillars of Islam are five basic duties of Muslims:

*The Testimony that there is none worthy of worship except God and that Mohammed is his messenger.
*Establishing of the five daily Prayers (''Salaah'').
*The Giving of ''Zakaah'' (charity), which is generally 2.5% of the yearly savings for a rich man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed among the poor.
*Fasting from dawn to dusk in the month of [[Ramadhaan]] (''Sawm'').
*The Pilgrimage (''Hajj'') to Mecca during the month of ''Dhul Hijjah'', which is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it.

==References==
*Wikipedia (2004). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam]. Retrieved Sept. 25, 2004.
[[Category:Religion]]

Islam

2005-12-31T06:48:31Z

Nehustan: /* Teachings */

{{religion}}

'''Islām''' (Arabic: الإسلام) is the monotheistic faith founded by [[Mohammed]] and believed by Muslims to have been revealed by [[God]] (named Allah in the [[Qur'an]]) to all they consider Prophets of Islam which include [[Adam]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]] and [[Mohammed]] (c. 610-622 [[EV]]).

==History==
Mohammed was born in the year 571 [[EV]]. His father died before his birth, and his mother died at a very early age, so he was raised by his uncle Abu Talib. According to Islamic tradition, he experienced his initial prophetic call about age 40 while meditating alone inside a cave in the hills above Mecca - a city in the Arabian peninsula.

Muslims believe that Mohammed was chosen by God, like prophets before him, to teach a sacred message. Though marginalized and opposed initially, Mohammed began to gain followers, most of whom came from lower classes and marginalized peasantry. The first wealthy men accepting the prophet-hood of Prophet Mohammed were Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab.

As Islam attracted more believers, Mohammed encountered severe opposition by residents of Mecca who felt threatened because Islam undermined the pagan idols around the [[Ka'aba]]. The pagan idols around the Ka'aba were important to the residents of Mecca not only for religious reasons, but also for economic reasons. As pilgrims visited the idols in Mecca, they brought economic prosperity to the city, and the fear was that a monotheistic religion would remove this source of prosperity and trade.

As Mohammed's opponents in Mecca - including one of his uncles, Abu Lahab, who was among his worst enemies - began to organize to bring about an end to his prophecy, Mohammed withdrew with many of his followers to Medina in September of 622. This migration is called the ''Hijra'', and its year is used to establish the Muslim calendar; thus the year 622 EV is the year 1 A.H. (''Anno Hegirae''). The A.H. system dates from the beginning of the [[lunar year]] in which the Hijra took place, so it does not neatly coincide with the Julian or Gregorian year numbers. After three major battles and one last battle with Mecca, almost all Arabia fell to Mohammed in 630 EV and a great number of tribes established alliance with the prophet. Mohammed died on June 8, 632 EV.

==Teachings==
The fundamental concept in Islam is the unity of [[God]] ([tawheed]). This monotheism is absolute, not relative or pluralistic in any sense of the word. God is described in ''Sura al-Ikhlas'', (chapter 112) as follows: Say "He is Allah, the one, the Self-Sufficient master. He never begot, nor was begotten. There is none comparable to Him."

In Arabic, God is called Allah, a contraction of ''al-ilah'' or "the deity". "Allah" thus translates to "God" in English; it is not grammatically a proper name, unlike the Israelite divine name [[Yahweh]] or the [[Christianity|Christian]] usage of [[Jesus]] as a personal divine name. The implicit usage of the definite article in Allah [[linguistics|linguistically]] indicates the divine unity. In spite of the different word used for God, Muslims assert that they believe in the same Judeo-Christian deity. However, Muslims disagree with Christian [[theology]] for compromising on monotheism (through the doctrines of the [[Trinity]], and that Jesus is the son of God).

Although no Muslim visual images or depictions exist of God (due to the prohibition on [[idolatry]]), Muslims define God by the many divine attributes mentioned in the Qur'an, also commonly known as the [[99 names of God]]. All but one ''Surah'' (chapter) of the Qur'an begins with the phrase "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful". These are consequently the most important divine attributes, in the sense that Muslims repeat them most frequently during their ritual prayers (called ''salat'' in Arabic).

The Five Pillars of Islam are five basic duties of Muslims:

*The Testimony that there is none worthy of worship except God and that Mohammed is his messenger.
*Establishing of the five daily Prayers (''Salaah'').
*The Giving of ''Zakaah'' (charity), which is generally 2.5% of the yearly savings for a rich man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed among the poor.
*Fasting from dawn to dusk in the month of [[Ramadhaan]] (''Sawm'').
*The Pilgrimage (''Hajj'') to Mecca during the month of ''Dhul Hijjah'', which is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it.

==References==
*Wikipedia (2004). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam Islam]. Retrieved Sept. 25, 2004.
[[Category:Religion]]

Tawheed

2005-12-31T06:45:12Z

Nehustan:

[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/abdulwahab/index.html Tawheed] is considered the foundation upon which the 'five [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/pillars/ pillars]' of [[Islam]] are built upon. An indepth analysis of the subject is dealt with by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips in his english work 'The Fundamentals of [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/abutaw/abutaw_1.html Tawheed] (Islamic Monotheism)'. and may be considered crucial when considering the [[99 names of God]] and thus [[Islamic Godforms]].

==References==
*Al-Sadi, Allamah 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi, 2003, ''An Explanation of Muhammad Ibn 'Adb al Wahhab's Kitab al-Tawhid'', Al-Hidayah Publishing, Birmingham, UK.
*Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, 1997, ''The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)'', International Islamic Publishing House, Riyadh, KSA.

[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Islamic terms]]

Tawheed

2005-12-31T06:33:15Z

Nehustan:

Tawheed

2005-12-31T06:31:44Z

Nehustan:

2005-12-31T06:26:27Z

Nehustan:

Tawheed

2005-12-31T06:21:44Z

Nehustan:

Tawheed is considered the foundation upon which the 'five pillars' of Islam are built upon. An indepth analysis of the subject is dealt with by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips in his english work 'The Fundamentals of [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/tawheed/abutaw/abutaw_1.html Tawheed] (Islamic Monotheism)'.

Merlin

2005-12-30T15:06:55Z

Nehustan: /* Sources */

'''Merlin''' (welsh: ''Myrddin''). Legendary wizard and advisor to King Arthur of Britain.

==The Historical Merlin==

Merlin (Myrddin) does not appear in any of the documents associated with the several historical figures who are likely candidates for the basis of the Arthurian legend. Welsh poetry from the 7th century indicates that there were three "classic" (or "baptismal") Welsh bards: Taliesin, Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the Wild) and Myrddin Emrys. Myrddin Wyllt is depicted as a bard gone mad. The earliest Welsh poems that concern the Myrddin legend present him as a madman living a wretched existence in the Caledonian Forest, ruminating on his former existence and the disaster that brought him low: the death of his lord Gwenddolau, whom he served as bard.

Myrddin Emrys is the one most associated with the Arthurian legend by Geoffrey of Monmouth, the British monk who first wrote of the Arthur.

Taliesin (c. 599) is well-established as one of the earliest Welsh bards whose Book of Taliesin is perhaps the earliest written example of Welsh bardic poetry.

==The Legendary Merlin==

It was Geoffrey of Monmouth, the first author of a written Arthurian legend, who introduced Merlin into the mythos of King Arthur. The name Myrddin is altered to Merlin to avoid a resemblance to the obscene French word merde. While Geoffrey is remembered most for his character of Arthur, it was Merlin whom he concentrated on, making the prophetic bard a central character of his three books: Prophetiae Merlini, Historiae Regum Britanniae and Vita Merlini. As a result of this second book, where Merlin appears in the tales of the king Vortigern, Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon who reigned immediately before Arthur, Merlin in some later works also became a character in tales of Arthur.

According to Thomas Mallory's ''Morte d'Arthur'' it was Merlin who engineered the entire sequence of events that placed Arthur on the throne of England. Merlin had been advisor and wizard to Aruthur's father, Uther Pendragon. Merlin, against his better judgment, enchanted Uther so that he could lay with Ygraine (wife of the Duke of Cornwall) as Cornwall lay dying in battle. Ygraine gave birth to Arthur, whom Merlin took away and fostered with Sir Kay. Merlin also arranged the "sword in the stone" test by which Arthur was later known as the True King of Britain. Merlin was ultimately enchanted away by a sea nymph.

In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King Merlin is the wizard and counsellor to Arthur. Taliesin is the Bard to Arthur, thus bringing back the two (or three) Bards of Welsh history and muddying the facts even more.

==Merlin in Thelema==

[[Theodor Reuss]], the first Frater Superior of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]], used "Merlin" as his magical name.

[[Aleister Crowley]] included Merlin in his list of [[The Gnostic Saints]]. Writing in his diary in November 1920, Crowley observed that the editor of the edition of [[Francois Rabelais|Rabelais]] that he was reading said that Merlin was usually spelled ''Melin'', and Crowley speculated that Merlin might be the origin of '''[[Abramelin the Mage|Abra-melin]]'''.

[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

==Sources==
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28wizard%29 Wikipedia: Merlin (wizard)
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliesin Wikipedia: Taliesin
*http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cphome.stm The Camelot Project of the University of Rochester
*http://www.merlin.org.uk/ Charity

Talk:Knights Templar

2005-07-14T17:50:29Z

Nehustan:

The Real Heresy of the Temple.

Right, let me set the scene its around 2000 years ago, a radical sect within the children of Israel is at work. We have a group of zealots called the sicari, and a prophet of Eloha, Jeheshuah, speaking and teaching the people. A plan is hatched by the corrupt prisethood intent on keeping their power. So how can the prophet be saved, a man is needed who has the air of the prophet, maybe a family member, a soldier of the christ. The next part is the most dangerous for they must change places, the prophet goes to the temple guards and leads them back to the soldier, the sicari, the Judas. His love for him is so great that a tear runs down his face, and he kisses his brother in thanks on his cheek. The guards lead off the sicari, and you know the rest...he is hung from a tree/cross, but a centurion pierces his side with the spear as his heart still beats, and he is taken down. Later Jehesuah is asked 'where have you been' to which he replies 'I have been as Jonah in the belly of the whale'. Later a man known as Judas changes his name to Thomas, meaning brother, not risen as a sun...risen as a star behind a cross.

—[[User:Nehustan|Nehustan]]

----
:93 Nehustan, Dont forget to sign your posts on the talk pages with <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> It keeps the confusion down. Thanks.

:One more question, what's the reason for this post? If you wish to edit the article go ahead, and don't forget to provide sources for your entry.

:93 93/93 [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 22:25, 12 Jul 2005 (CDT)
----

Peace Tolerance Greetings to the order. Hi there Frater CUG, the post was really to spark talk around the issue. It is well known that the heresy of the temple concerned in part a renunciation of the crucifixion and the risen christ. This of course is highly likely to have arisen from close contact between the templar and the deen of Islam during the crusades. The assumption that it may have been the sicari that was crucified comes from biblical reading. As I have just moved I do not possess a bible at the moment but when acquired I shall write a whole article on the matter for the wiki rather than just posting in the talk section.

—[[User:Nehustan|Nehustan]]

----
:93

:Well sparking talk is not what Thelemapedia is all about, it's an encyclopedia not a forum.

:93 93/93 [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 19:30, 13 Jul 2005 (CDT)
----
93 (which would make it 2012)

Sure got you, I misunderstood what the talk sections were for. I will endeavour to get a bible and fully resource an article on this particular apsect of the templar fully referenced. Forgive me for being a slow starter.

—[[User:Nehustan|Nehustan]]

Talk:Aiwass

2005-07-13T09:01:07Z

Nehustan:

Has anyone ever considered the similarity between the word Aiwass and the rune Eihwaz, considered symbolic of the Yew, Yggsdaril, the Nordic tree of life?

—[[User:Nehustan|Nehustan]]

Talk:Knights Templar

2005-07-13T08:58:59Z

Nehustan:

2005-07-11T18:11:38Z

Nehustan:

The only change I really made was to remove a self-reference. We want to avoid the first person and stick with encyclopedic language (i.e. a neutral POV). —[[User:Ash|Ash]]

-
(both LA AL and AL LA is both called no god in the text)
I'm aware that Al Ahad is one of the beautiful names with the meaning "he is one" or "one god", but im not sure about Alla(h) means "no god", there is no doubt that Al means god and Lah means nothing, but there is a difference in AL LA and LA AL, i interpret AL LA as "one god, nothing else" and LA AL as "no god", anyway, thats my opinion, anyone have any thoughts on this? Would it not be strange from an exoteric viewpoint to do zikr to "no god" ?
—[[User:Fr. Zabed|Fr. Zabed]]

I think you will find that the shahadah or declaration in the unity (Tawheed) starts 'La Illaha - There is no God', followed by an affirmation of the infinite and absolute, Al Wahid, the unique, 'Il Allah - but (lit.)The God'. It is often said that the name Allah (which is also considered by the deen to be the 'proper' name of God when viewed in Arabic proceeds from the Alif (1) which is sounded by its vowels, descending from Ain Soph Aur/Al Nur if you will down through the double Lam (30x2) down to the Ha (5), which could be said to encompass the 'kursi' (see ayat Al Kursi 2:255) with the Alif sitting silently beyond the Arsh. As the Quran says Allah is established over his throne. The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said when asked of the relationship between the Kursi (footstool) and the Arsh (throne) took a ring from his finger and cast it on the ground, whereupon he said if you wish to consider the throne and the footstool then the ring is the footstool, and the edge of the desert the throne.

Nehustan