What makes a peron a Muslim?

[Rush Limbaugh]

Im just curious. For Jews its a matter of whether your mother is Jewish. For catholics and most Christians its baptism. What is it with Islam?

[boofhead]

I think they just have to declare verbally that "I testify that there is no true deity except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.”

Something like that. I think a shower is recommended beforehand.

[Rush Limbaugh]

So then baby Muslims are not Muslim until they can talk and say that? Do they have to understand what it means?

[Daovonnaex]

If they renounce Islam when they're actually "mature" they've committed apostasy and are to be executed.

[Rush Limbaugh]

But what makes them Muslims in the first place. Is there an age you must reach? Are you one of your father is one?

[Daovonnaex]

family tradition probably counts, especially in an islamic country

not to sure on that, maybe a bona fide muslim could help us out

and of course obviously conversion

[Theseus1234]

first off: daovonnaex, your first post was not cool. witty, but not cool

second, in order to convert, you must say truthfully that "the only god is allah" (im paraphrasing) in front of two muslims

otherwise, you are just born into it. i think the religion of the mother might determine the religion of the baby, but im not sure (maybe thats judaism...)

[Rush Limbaugh]

i think the religion of the mother might determine the religion of the baby, but im not sure (maybe thats judaism...)

This is what Im asking. The mother is for Jews. I doubt that in a male oriented society like most of Islam that it would be determined by the mother. I really have no idea though.

[Theseus1234]

This is what Im asking. The mother is for Jews. I doubt that in a male oriented society like most of Islam that it would be determined by the mother. I really have no idea though.

just for the record, prejudice against women is nowhere sanctioned or mentioned by the qu'ran, its an ideology that developed much later

[Rush Limbaugh]

just for the record, prejudice against women is nowhere sanctioned or mentioned by the qu'ran, its an ideology that developed much later

Oh sure there is and its in the bible as well. Thats why even in the west it took so long for women to get the right to vote. Thats why we still havent had a female president as well. Try as the liberals will most americans still see the man as the head of the household. But we all know who really is in charge.

[Theseus1234]

Oh sure there is and its in the bible as well. Thats why even in the west it took so long for women to get the right to vote. Thats why we still havent had a female president as well. Try as the liberals will most americans still see the man as the head of the household. But we all know who really is in charge.

excuse me, but have you read the qu'ran, or at least a commentary on it? it is quite obvious that whoever wrote it specifically tried to even out the masculine undertones with the feminine ones in some passages

and you can blame all of todays happenings for what was written in the past. things change. different visions of power are set in place and different undertones are created

[boofhead]

AFAIK muslims believe everyone is a muslim at birth.

Found this somewhere

Islamic Birth Rites

Muslims welcome newborn babies by whispering the words of
Adhan into the right ear of the baby. These words welcome
the baby into the Islamic religion and are the first words the
will baby hear.

These are the words of Adhan:


God is Great
I bear witness that there is no God but God
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Prophet of God
Come to prayer
Come to success
God is great
There is no God but God

As it's not allowed for muslim man to have a non-muslim wife or vice-versa, I guess it just means if the parents are muslims then so is the kid.

[Rush Limbaugh]

AFAIK muslims believe everyone is a muslim at birth.

That would explain why its ok to kill the unbeliever. But somehow i dont think thats right. it would pretty much shoot down all their denial of the same.

[boofhead]

That would explain why its ok to kill the unbeliever. But somehow i dont think thats right. it would pretty much shoot down all their denial of the same.

I'm pretty sure MasterAdnin said that all people are muslim at birth, but people turn or are turned away by false beliefs etc. It comes down to the definition of 'muslim'.

"Every Baby is born as a Muslim" (because they are pure)

[Rush Limbaugh]

And what is the punishment for turning away from Islam? I didnt think this would go there.

[Pontifex Maximus]

It is really easy for an adult to sucessfully convert to Islam.

I believe all one has to do is say "There is no God apart from God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God" sincerely and you're in. This is the declaration of faith in Muhammad and Allah.

And what is the punishment for turning away from Islam?

Death.

Apostasy in Islam (Arabic: ارتداد, irtidād or ridda) is commonly defined as the rejection of Islam in word or deed by a person who has been a Muslim.

The four major Sunni and the one major Shia Madh'hab (schools of Islamic jurisprudence) agree that a sane adult male apostate must be executed.[1] They differ on the punishment for a female apostate - some schools calling for death and others for imprisonment. Whether Sharia laws governing apostasy are derived from the hadith traditions alone or also from the Qu'ran is disputed

Ouch.

[boofhead]

All of us are born muslims,because we are born from Allah, worshipping Allah, and it is only our non-Muslims parents that teach us to believe in religions besides Islam.

[Rush Limbaugh]

It is really easy for an adult to sucessfully convert to Islam.

Im not interested in conversion or adults. Im asking at what age does one become a Muslim, is there a ceremony like baptism or are you born into it like Judaism.

[boofhead]

Well, it's kind of been answered. The baby is born a muslim, and Islamic words are spoken into the ear.

Although there is that tradition among some where they cut up their baby's scalps...I suppose this needs a warning, smiling parents cut children's heads.

http://iranpoliticsclub.net/animatio...ura3/index.htm

This is not something all muslims do.

[Rush Limbaugh]

Well, it's kind of been answered. The baby is born a muslim, and Islamic words are spoken into the ear.

Is any record kept of this? I saw no mention of that here.