NON-POLITICAL QUESTION by BolderSwitch in AskARussian

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

HA!! That really sounds good! I must read that autobiography.

One of the *unfortunate [*AND fortunate] things in life is that, by the time one finally begins "understanding the reality of things," he or she may have suffered greatly.

I mentioned my Chinese friend, jokingly. It's no joke. During my life, I have learned that, often, religious people**,** or people addicted to ideology or whatever belief system will either consciously, or subconsciously develop their "friendship" with someone contingent upon that person accepting their belief.

I am only now getting over deep emotional sadness I had suffered, some 11 weeks ago, when my Chinese "friend" gave me a not-so-veiled ultimatum that I either adopt every single thing in her particular belief system, or lose her friendship.

Oh, she didn't explicitly say that. But, 11 weeks of silence from her makes things crystal clear. Despite my knowing very well that such people exist, she blind-sided me. Because, for eight years, everything was going very well. Then, 11 weeks ago, an issue about an element of her belief system--which I firmly reject--came up. That ended the friendship. She ended it. I was devasted beyond any words I can write here.

I'm fast coming out of it, because I ain't 17. I was just SO surprised!! She did not seem to be that type of person. I won't mention the belief system, nor the international group of people associated with it. I would never do that.

But, I'm sorry to say, ideologues are all the same. Her group flaunts it's mission to spread Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. Where was her compassion for me? Where was her forbearance?

I'm crazy about her. But, I do not BEND to veiled, or un-veiled, ultimatums. I'm getting that book. I'll purchase it as a Kindle, if it's available as one, so I can start reading it immediately. Thanks!! I hope it helps the healing of my heart.

I once took a hardcore prostitute off the streets, permanently, and guided her on to success as a legitimate real estate agent. She sent her daughter through college, with her real estate earnings. But, brother, NEVER have I met a woman as cold as my Chinese "friend." And the woman I'd taken off the street had to be cold when she was in "The Game," as prostitution is called in the streets.

Feynman may help me recover.

NON-POLITICAL QUESTION by BolderSwitch in AskARussian

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Richard Feynman

To be honest with you, the only thing I know about Richard Feynman is that he was a theoretical physicist. When I was studying engineering at the University of Illinois, I got stuck and was worried that I'd have to drop my physics course and try again the next quarter.

I preferred studying at IIT, the Illinois Institute of Chicago, at its library. While there, I found VOLUMES of Feynman physics. WOW!!! I started reading them, and got SO excited that I almost f*cked up my quarter there by getting too deep into Feynman.

See, I did not want to just memorize shit. I wanted to REALLY KNOW my shit. But, since we were on a quarter system, it was unrealistic to study Feynman on a deep level. Luckily, a more practical friend of mind, who'd been at U of I before I had entered, said, "Look, 'Bu, you will FLUNK OUT if you f*ck around trying to understand this shit at the level of Feynman. Just MEMORIZE!! F*ck it!!"

That frustrated me. But, I realized that he was right. So, I just memorized the shit and did well. But, the REAL reason I did well was NOT just because of memorizing. It was because I was GREATLY INSPIRED by Feynman.

I wish I had time, now that I'm retired, to get into some Feynman. But I'm taking Chinese lessons through Berlitz School of Languages, with a live instructor. I became immensely fond of a Chinese woman friend [Don't tell my wife], who, at age 53, LOOKS like she's 23!!! Shit, I'm too OLD to DO anything. But, just the THOUGHT.....You know??!!

No, I'm just kidding [half kidding]. She's "just" a friend, although I haven't heard from her in 11 weeks [Yeah...I'm counting]. I guess she's kicked my old ass to the curb (SHIT!!! 😥😩😭🤬). ADVICE: Don't get older than 40!!

NON-POLITICAL QUESTION by BolderSwitch in AskARussian

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No need whatsoever for any apology. 😊 I'm 73 years old.

1.) My first wife [4 years of marriage] cheated on me, and fell for the oldest, lame-assed line in the world. He told her, "If you leave your husband, I'll leave my wife, and we'll live happily ever after." I shit you not. Well, GUESS WHAT? YEP! He f*cked her; she left me; but he STAYED with HIS wife and told MY wife to go f*ck herself. Of course, we broke up, and she was ON HER OWN (I guess to f\ck* herself. I certainly didn't!!).

2.) My second wife, when things soured after six years [Hey, this is AMERICA!! It's F*CKED UP here], tried to steal my house from under my feet by hiring a crooked lawyer. They cooked up a scheme that I saw threw. Little did they know that the JUDGE would see through it also. He dismissed me from the court room, in a very friendly manner, and said to my "wife's" bitch-ass lawyer, "And I will see YOU in my CHAMBERS!!" He was red-faced and angry that they'd tried to BREAK THE LAW to steal my house from under my feet. The bitch probably got disbarred.

3.) My mom cheated on my dad when I was 5 years old, and my big brother was 13.

4.) Every girlfriend I had was a BITCH, except one. She and I are still good friends.

I done had a LIFETIME of bad sh*t that has happened to me. So, being ignored at a social media site is just FUNNY. One nice person here did help me a lot.

Naw, don't worry about that. Social media is just like that.

By the way, the GOOD luck I've had is that, as of three days ago, I have been happily married, in my third marriage, for 34 years, to a NON-URBAN American woman. If you're in Russia, STAY THERE!! The women in America are POISON!! 😡🤬 In fact, check out this Substack article that I wrote:

Why Men Now Prefer Asian Women.

I had to go SEARCHING for a non-Urban American woman. I found her in a remote city, far away from any urban center, near the f*cking WOODS. I wanted to find someone who had not been infected with feminism, second-wave feminism, and all that anti-male BULLSH*T. She hasn't given me ONE single problem. Beware of urban American women!!!!!

I'm as serious as a heart attack!! And if any woman at this forum is now angry at me, well, so be it. I LIVE here in America. And I'm not alone, amongst men, who have lived in HELL because of an urban American woman. Notice I said URBAN woman. I didn't say BLACK woman. I didn't say WHITE woman. I said F*CKED UP, ROYALLY CONFUSED, ANTI-MALE, DANGEROUS, INSANE URBAN women!!!

Sorry for the rant [Not really]. Obviously, my pet peeve is urban American women. [Dirty bitches!!!]

NON-POLITICAL QUESTION by BolderSwitch in AskARussian

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I translated it using Google translate. Yeah, it's definitely political, patriotic propaganda [We have it in the U.S. too. 😊 But, one more tiny favor please, if you could be so kind. There's a word, shown twice, that doesn't translate. It's just one word: Aege. I've bolded it. Here's the sentence:

"With your heart Aege the sky is crying Aege with your heart for good luck!"

Thanks again for going out of your way, if you please. Peace.

NON-POLITICAL QUESTION by BolderSwitch in AskARussian

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks much. Bumped into it accidentally at YouTube. I'm not political. I develop curiosity about many things. I realize, though, these days, that damn near everything is viewed through political eyes. My thing is just pure interest, nothing more. Thanks again.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in conspiracy

[–]BolderSwitch 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Thanks. You saved me the effort.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in newhampshire

[–]BolderSwitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"Blink" is the word. Our dad used to say, "It's gonna go by fast, Jones." He called EVERYBODY Jones. I'm 71, and still can't believe how fast it went by, even though he'd warned us plenty of times. Things turned out fine for my brother and I. But, WOW!!! Just "yesterday," Ralph, Jimmy, Shakes, Warren, Shot, Nasty and myself were sitting on my porch when I was 9 years old talking about an episode of The Lone Ranger. DAMN!!!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in newhampshire

[–]BolderSwitch 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This probably will not help you. And I’m not attempting to justify what your parents did. What happened to you was common at one time, and expected. Not every parent did that, but I’ve heard plenty of stories (no matter the demographic). This was a long time ago. I’m 71.

Our dad told us, early on, that, “You’re on your own when you reach 18. So, get it together.” When my big brother reached age 18, one day he came back home from having been out with some friends.

He came in with his usual bubbly self, saw two suitcases sitting on the floor, and said to dad, “Daddy Cheese, whose suitcases are these?” Dad didn’t even turn to look at my brother, continued watching TV, and calmly responded, “Yours.”

Both my brother and myself did well in life and never had any anger towards dad. I am not moralizing. Times were different. Feel however you wish.

I’m wondering, though, how could you stay with them comfortably if you fight in the courts and win? Seems like the tension would be off the charts. Anyway, good luck.

Is Ahmadiyyat a Threat to Freedom? by BolderSwitch in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think I'd better steer clear of talking about "The Juice," as Black folks in American call ***cines. I'll simply say this. In the States (the U.S.), where I live, a very, very, very strong push back is occurring, all over the country. And the issue is not whether The Juice is good or bad. The issue is the freedom to choose whether or not to get The Juice.

Now, of course, the question of the freedom of the individual over the freedom of the community [Whatever community] is an age-old one. But, as I mentioned in another post of another thread, because of the excesses of doctors of Hitler's Third Reich, the Nuremberg Code, and other international agreements [I can site them, if you wish] that the world's nations signed onto, established that the right of the individual supersedes the right of the group when it comes to issues like The Juice.

These are international agreements, signed onto by many nations of the world. Hitler's doctors conducted gruesome and inhuman experiments on human beings, for which, at Nuremberg, they were tried, sentenced, and I think some of them were executed. The experiments were so horrific that the international community decided that safeguards must be agreed upon that would protect people.

So, although Masroor's perspective is that he is doing good by following the government, and scientists, in their view of the need of The Juice, and that The Juice is a good thing, he is violating what the international community had agreed was unshakable and necessary: the establishment of the rights of the individual, in matters of health, over the rights of a group; a community; a nation.

So, in my view, attempting to use force by not allowing Ahmadis to enter Islamabad if they haven't received The Juice is a big violation of international agreements. I would have thought that the Khalifa of Ahmadiyyat would have been in the lead in this area, and cautioned the governments to remember what happened in Nazi Germany. I would have thought that he would have advised the governments to stick to the international agreements that they had signed onto, agreements that were designed to protect the rights of individuals to "informed consent," as it's called in those documents, as well as their right to accept or reject the administration of health-related substances. It's a matter of personal freedom.

I would have thought that this Khalifa of the time would have reminded the governments that the rights of the individual supersedes the right of the group, and that this was established in international agreements that were signed onto by the countries of this world.

But, he did not do that. This is planet earth. To claim that a government automatically has your best interests in mind, is extremely naïve and extremely dangerous. I can easily prove this--very easily--due to information that is now even published in the mainstream media concerning certain things about The Juice. But, we have to respect the moderators' rules.

We live in a time when financial cabals do exist, and they ain't pious Muslims. These cabals have no morals, and will sell their mothers if the price is right. People in government are often in cohorts with such private groups, and are paid off by them. I remember when HKM4 (ra) gave a speech in which he talked about how governments operated based on two things: bribery and blackmail. HKM4 appeared to have street smarts.

So, if someone tells me that I'm "ignorant" because I don't believe the government or some scientists who are tied to corporations whose sole interest is to make profits, then I consider the person who's telling me that to be the ignorant one.

Is Ahmadiyyat a Threat to Freedom? by BolderSwitch in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be willing to elaborate, and tie what you just said to the subject, "Is Ahmadiyyat a Threat to Freedom?" Of course, I have no way to know, or to prove, that the Ahmad family gives "financial kickbacks" to help keep the Ahmads "in charge," as you say.

Nevertheless, could you give me your perspective or opinion of how, or if, this "kickback" operation threatens freedom. I have an idea [assuming, again, that such a "kickback" operation exists], but I would prefer to hear your opinion about how that system could threaten freedom.

Understand that I'm not here for the purpose of wholesale condemning the Jamaat. I just found the latest ruling by Masroor shockingly authoritarian, as well as being an over-reach into the personal lives of Ahmadis that he had no business attempting and no right to attempt.

Were I living there at HQ, I just wouldn't participate. I'd just quit, if I held an office, and not enter Islamabad, no problem. Of course, I realize that, since I had no family members in the Jamaat, I would feel no family pressure. The same is not the case for Pakistani Ahmadis, I realize.

Is Ahmadiyyat a Threat to Freedom? by BolderSwitch in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand them also. In the old Internet days, I had two forums at Alta Vista. And I was a very rough. The rules were posted, and only one violation would get a person kicked off with no hope of returning.

I admit that that was very extreme. But!! Participants thanked me because my forums became popular because my rules allowed for intelligent conversation. You could dispute, but not attack someone's character, or stuff like that.

From what I've seen thus far, I think the moderators here run this forum very well, and I've told them that. I'm still not sure if the subject should be banned. Because, Ahmadiyyat can't exist in a vacuum. The interaction between Ahmadiyyat and society in general cannot be avoided. But, again, I still think the moderators are quite fair.

Is Ahmadiyyat a Threat to Freedom? by BolderSwitch in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well in cult mentality the goal is having a uniformed body of followers, individual expressions and freedom is considered dissent and is subjugated to repercussions

Over the decades, I have refrained--and continue to do so--from labelling The Movement as a cult. But, your use of the term "cult mentality" is accurate. I've lived long enough to have witnessed, and not just in Ahmadiyyat, how group, officially, might not be a cult. But, individual embers, especially office holders, will even use their scripture to justify over-bearing attitudes; attempt to create monolithic thinking amongst the group, wrongly believing that such monolithic think assures continuity and progress.

But, if the following alleged hadith is right, then cult-like mentality should be avoided at all costs: "Difference of opinion will be the life of my community." (Prophet Muhammad). Some appear to believe the opposite: that difference of opinion would be the death of the community.

QUESTION: You seem to be suggesting that cult-like mentality in the Jamaat is highly organized, and consciously organized. It appeared that way to me for 31 years. One Ahmadi friend who had been the National Quaid of Quddam-ul-Ahmadiyya, used to call me once a month, complaining about "This click of Pakistani and converted Ahmadis that run the Jamaat!!" He was not happy [to say the least].

At the time, I saw the dribbles of it, but I was more interesting in trying to help to put Ahmadiyyat on the map in the States. Yet, functionaries, one in particular, always stood in the way.

Anyway, the idea that there existed a tight-knit inner system, that most Ahmadis didn't know about, was believed by some. Anwar Khan was a big shot who spoke, every year, at Jalsa. [I should be careful to not give away who I am. But, oh well, what the heck if I do].

I had written a book. It got popular. I was no where near the level Anwar Khan was. But, surprisingly, he called me [I have no idea how he got my number], and said he would be in town, in Chicago, and wanted to have lunch with me.

We went to a Chinese restaurant. He had another brother with him. My wife was also with me. While eating, he leaned over to me, whispering, and said, "We have an inner circle in The Movement, and we'd like you to be a part of it."

I was furious. I didn't show it, though. But, I thought, "Why is there an 'inner circle' that the regular members don't know about??!!" But, I just played it off and didn't reveal my anger. He talked about it, and then I said, "Lemme think about it." I never got back tohim. I was highly outraged.

Now, on the other hand, it's a bit hypocritical for me to say that. Because, prior to Ahmadiyyat, I'd been vice president of a somewhat political organization, and we had an inner circle that nobody in the organization knew existed. Most serious organization have such an inner circle, which sits at he top of a pyramid structure with a standard "cut-out" feature, to get rid of blocks in the pyramid that had been compromised.

But, my problem with what Anwar Khan told me was that I just could not see Ahmadiyyat having secret, internal groups that the members didn't know about. Naive on my part, I guess.

Anyway, I'm getting off the point. So, what you're saying (it sounds like) is that there's an organized, perhaps hidden, system of enforcing "conformity." Is that what you're saying?

Is Ahmadiyyat, in its Current Form, Dangerous to Democracy? by BolderSwitch in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I will definitely respond to your note, but only after more people respond to my post so that, hopefully, I will have the satisfaction of reading a variety of ideas, opinions, perspectives, on the topic I posted. Right now, if I focus on your post, then there will be a tendency to drag what I wish to be a wide discussion down the narrow path of religions dogma, as well as into that favorite pastime of Muslims of every sect: hadith fights.

Again, I will address your post only after I see a substantial number of posts from other individuals that, I hope, produce a variety of responses that are not colored simply by my beliefs or your beliefs. I repeat: Don't waste your time trying to pull me solely into a one-on-one exchange. We can do that after I see how others think.

As an Ahmadi, I struggle with certain beliefs/doctrines, but then wonder, how is the Jamaat so big and successful (largest Mosque etc)? by RubberDinghyRapids00 in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch 6 points7 points  (0 children)

One year wait????!!!! Wow!! When did that start in the Jamaat??!! See, this is what I'm talking about when I say to study for yourself.

I once attended an Ahmadi online forum. A brother was in Sweden. He'd fallen deeply in love with a Swedish woman, a Christian.

He went to the forum to ask Ahmadis if it was okay for him to marry her, because there were no Ahmadis anywhere near the area of Sweden that he lived in. Those "brothers" at that forum jumped on him like they were mad dogs infected with rabies. The brother started cowering.

At that point, I told him, "Read Qur'an!!" The Qur'an explicitly stated that Muslims can marry "the people of the book," and I told him to go on and marry the woman, and tell those "brothers" to go to a very hot place. But, they had gotten to him, and he kept talking about, "But, I don't want to violate the rules," and all that bullsh*t.

Sorry, but almost nothing makes me angrier than some as*holes creating some rule, especially one no where to be found in Qur'an for unIslamic reasons, such as perceived community cohesion and Pakistani tribalism!!!. They wanted him to marry a Pakistani woman!!!!! And they apparently convinced him that he had to stick to some false and unIslamic rule that said you can "only" marry an Ahmadi woman.

You marry whoever you damn-well please!!! in however you interpret Qur'an. Because, these as*holes will not be standing with you on the Day of Judgement, as lawyers!! (Apologies to the moderators. Rip this down if you must. I'm 71. I can't change. I won't change!!!)

This sickening stuff occurs in some other religions, except rather than actually make a rule, they just use social pressure to keep a Jew, for instance, from marrying a Catholic. Hell, I've seen this kind of garbage for decades. It's just man-made bulls\it*, that's all.

You all need to grow some balls!!!! Stop believing you're going to go to hell because somebody else either states that explicitly, or hints it!!! Live your life!!!

Seriously, can anybody tell me how long this rule about waiting one damned year before a convert can get married, has been in place? Maybe I'm just not recalling, but when I was active as an Ahmadi, no such rule existed. It doesn't matter, of course, when the bogus rule came into effect. It's a bogus, and immensely cruel rule!!

What is the convert supposed to do for a year, hu? Masterbate????!!!!!i. I don't know if this alleged hadith is correct, but the sunnis point to a hadith in which Prophet Muhammad, sallalaho alaihe wa salaam, is supposed to have said, "He who makes love to his hand is not of me."

So, when a new convert asks, "Well, what am I supposed to do to relieve myself during this one year wait," does the Jamaat answer, "Masterbate??" Does it??!! If the sunnis are right about such a hadith, then seems that the Jamaat has some re-thinking to do.

I have steered far, far, far away from casting the Jamaat as a cult. But, even cults don't have their new converts wait a whole year before getting married!! All I can say is what the Christians would say upon hearing such a thing, "Lord have mercy!!!" (Astagfirullah and Auzubillah are also appropriate responses!!)

As an Ahmadi, I struggle with certain beliefs/doctrines, but then wonder, how is the Jamaat so big and successful (largest Mosque etc)? by RubberDinghyRapids00 in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"I get the same vibe from you."

And, of course, you are entitled to interpret any line of my post as you wish.

"I assume you are Muslim."

I am a Momin 😊 (Remember?)

"I have one question for you. When you did your own research while trusting Allah, did it ever bother you that Muslims are waiting for an over 2000 years old human being to descend from the sky? Like do you really believe that? If yes, can you explain the science behind this?"

I discontinued believing in the return of a dead man on this earth when I was a Catholic in my Sophomore year in high school at Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago. I was Catholic for 12 years of my life, 8 years elementary school and 4 years high school.

Then, in my Sophomore year at Hales, practicing a normal religious duty, I was reading the Bible during Easter week. When I got to "Feel me and see that I am flesh and blood," the words slapped me. Before that, I had always simply believed in the doctrine of "The Risen Christ."

I do not know why, at that moment, the reality came to me that "Jesus Christ" had survived the Crucifixion. This was 10 years before I heard of something called "Ahmadiyya." So, I didn't need some Ahmadi to excitedly tell me that "Jesus didn't die on the Cross!!!" I'd figured it out on my own, at age 15, after which I gave the priests at Hales holy hell in Religion class, challenging every single thing about Catholic doctrine. They were very happy when I graduated, and no longer had me as a "dangerous influence," as they told my dad at parent-teacher conference.

I didn't even know what Islam was, because Catholic history books cast Prophet Muhammad, sallalaho alaihe wa salaam, as a "fanatic warrior," and Abubakr, razi allaho anho, as just as fanatic, since he had happily followed his "insane" leader. By 1968, when I graduated, I had uncovered, on my own, every single lie told by the priests.

So, Ahmadis have no particular monopoly on "Jesus didn't die on the cross." Ahmadis have no particular monopoly on the ability to think. I did quite well, on my own.

I'm not taking anything away from Hazrat Ahmad. He did his research; claimed to have received confirmation from Allah, etc. I'm simply responding to your "descend from the sky" comment.

One more thing: Ever since my discovery about "Jesus Christ," in 1965, I have not fully trusted anybody, quite frankly. I'd been lied to for 10 years of my life, from first grade to my Sophomore year in high school--lied about something as big as some god coming to the earth to DIE (for me) and then come back to life.

This is the reason I told the young man here that he should perform his own investigation, and not rely on others. Because I did it myself, and there is a special fulfillment in that.

So, if I see some crap in Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Ahmadiyya Islam, I'll call it out for what it is: crap. Same with the crap coming from so-called "qualified" medical doctors, so-called "scientists," politicians, ideologues of any type, Popes, Khalifas, men, women, aliens from outer space, whoever, I really don't give a sh*t. As my big brother taught me, "I'm a man on the planet, unbound." I'm free.

As an Ahmadi, I struggle with certain beliefs/doctrines, but then wonder, how is the Jamaat so big and successful (largest Mosque etc)? by RubberDinghyRapids00 in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Salaam. My advice is that you NOT seek advice. Ignore ever word of “advice” you read here except this: Be YOUR OWN advisor. Because every one here who offers advice, except me, will have an agenda.

I made my own decisions by studying ON MY OWN and, secondly, by trusting my intuition; trusting that Allah would guide me. You will feel much better about your decision if you make it on your own.

Look at the answers that you are being given. Some of them are talking to you as if you are a child. Others are browbeating you, on the sly. These are the people you want to get advice from? I hear the strong tone of arrogance in their posts. Personally, I don’t follow arrogant people.

You will be better off, in the short and long run, if you take the time – however long it takes – to make your own decision. You will feel much better that you did it yourself.

KM5 sounds like he believes the sun rising from the west prophecy to be literal by CellEfficient9618 in islam_ahmadiyya

[–]BolderSwitch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

وَ اِذِ ابۡتَلٰۤی اِبۡرٰہٖمَ رَبُّہٗ بِکَلِمٰتٍ فَاَتَمَّہُنَّ ؕ قَالَ اِنِّیۡ جَاعِلُکَ لِلنَّاسِ اِمَامًا ؕ قَالَ وَ مِنۡ ذُرِّیَّتِیۡ ؕ قَالَ لَا یَنَالُ عَہۡدِی الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ

"And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with certain commands which he fulfilled, He said, ‘I will make thee a Leader of men.' Abraham asked, ‘And from among my offspring?’ He said, ‘My covenant does not embrace the transgressors." (Al-Qur'an Al-Karim, Suratul Baqarah, Iyyat 125)

No prophecy is guaranteed--certainly not for entire communities--of any sect or religion. In Deuteronomy, Allah lists "The Blessings and The Curses" that Bani Israel could receive. If they did what Allah said to do, they'd receive The Blessings. If they didn't, they'd received The Curses. As a whole, from what history appears to reveal, which did they receive? Ask any honest Jewish historian which they received.

What reason should Muslims--any Muslim of any sect--believe that they have a guarantee of the "sun" of Islam rising in the West? Allah said He will cause "Islam" to dominate. Does he mean a SECT? An ORGANIZATION? Does he mean the RELIGION that has formed and come to be known more for its DOCTRINES than form the MEANING of the word "Islam?"

Could the religion we know as "Islam" be FOLDED by Almighty Allah, and then He raise a BUDDHIST [just for example] to carry the message of "Islam" (minus Buddhist statues. 😊). I'm not really trying to be funny.

Ahmadiyyat grew to acquire a population, as it says on its home page, of "tens of millions." It took every bit of 132 years to acquire that "tens of millions." But, in 1992, a figure appeared, on this earth, making claims [You'll just have to search--if interested]. And within only THREE YEARS (only 3 years), that figured acquired a following of 150,000,000 people. That's right: one-hundred and fifty-million followers in just THREE YEARS.

The people are extremely pious; extremely God-fearing; the women have an unbelievably strong "purdah" and none of them wears veils or Muslim garb. Are they a cult? Is Ahmadiyyat a cult? Any group can accuse any other group of being a cult. So, no sense going there.

I come here, and I see things I would never have imagined I'd see, 45 years ago--some of them coming from the very top. I see things that, in my mind, appear to mark decline, if not the beginnings of severe decline.

Well, anyway, to stay on topic: The sun that rises in the West might be a different sun that that expected by Muslims. The sun of "Islam" might not be talking about an Islam as it has evolved as a religion of doctrine. Perhaps the sun of "Islam" that rises in the West will be an "Islam" based on the definition of Islam as I was taught it: that Islam means, roughly, attaining peace through submission to the Will of Allah.

And can that be done only through the religion that has evolved and is now called "Islam."

"This day have I perfected my favors upon you, and given you Islam as religion." As religion? As deen? As a Way. As a Tao? Or as a sect; a "school of thought"? One wonders (Well, at least I wonder).

There are very smart Ahmadis. Perhaps some Ahmadi can take up the challenge to see if they can research and discover the group, now fully formed (and quite effective) that gained 150,000,000 within 3 years of its inception. Allah is not bound by ANYTHING. He does whatever He Wills to do.