Welcome Ted. I'd be happy to have a back and forth with you but I'm not quite sure I understand just what exactly your beliefs are. Why do you think some things were only relevant when Mo was around? What are they? Why them and not others? Are you quran only or are there hadiths you follow? Are you a literalist or do you take the teachings as allegory, metaphor, poetry? Do you reject the idea that a muslim is one who believes there is no god but allah and Mo is his (last) messenger, since you said sikhs, scientologists and whatnot can be muslim? Etc.
Thanks for engaging.
My beliefs are based from the Quran. They are basically as follows:
There is only one God.
There is only one "religion" or "path" to God (I feel the word "religion" is misunderstood and used),
Mohammed was a messenger of God through whom God revealed the Quran.
The Quran contains a message for all of mankind and is a confirmation of previous revelations given to other peoples, for example Jews.
The mission of the prophet Mohammed was to bring the Meccan people back to monotheism from paganism.
There is no requirement to convert Jews/Christians or other monotheist faiths to "Islam". Each can continue to follow their book/revelation.
If you read the Quran it is clear that it is God talking to Mohammed. Some verses in the Quran are trying to convince Mohammed that he is actually receiving a revelation from God. For me this shows that Mohammed was actually a pagan just like the Meccans he was sent to reveal the word of God to. God in the Quran is guiding and convincing Mohammed that there is only one God telling him how people have been misguided or have become corrupted over time.
The verses which give the command to fight the pagans is clearly only for that time. They clearly urge the believers and Mohammed to have faith in God and to go and fight. There are references to certain locations and certain people.
Below are some examples of Quranic verses relevant only to Mohammed at that time:
"13. Behold! A party among them said: "Ye men of Yathrib! ye cannot stand (the attack)! therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for leave of the Prophet, saying, "Truly our houses are bare and exposed," though they were not exposed they intended nothing but to run away.
14. And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay!
15. And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for.
16. Say: "Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (ye do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!"
17. Say: "Who is it that can screen you from Allah if it be His wish to give you punishment or to give you Mercy?" Nor will they find for themselves, besides Allah, any protector or helper.." 33:13-17
"1. (The Prophet) frowned and turned away,
2. Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting).
3. But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)?-
4. Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?
5. As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient,
6. To him dost thou attend;
7. Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).
8. But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly,
9. And with fear (in his heart),
10. Of him wast thou unmindful." 80:1-10
If you read the verses above it's quite apparent why they only apply to Mohammed and at that time although you can use them infer lessons to be learnt from the events that happened at the time. For example there is no running away from God. That believers should pay more attention to those who want to learn more about God rather than how rich or influential or important that person is in society.
My main source is the Quran. I'm quite skeptical of hadiths and only accept those that are in agreement with the Quran and are deemed to be good by me. The hadiths for me should be taken very lightly they can be wrong and contradictory.
The Quran for me contains historical events, parables, scientific evidence, logic reasoning and guidance. You need to ponder over each verse and take them for what they are in their context.
If you read the Quran you will find that the term Muslim is used for the disciples of Jesus, prophets and those people who have obeyed the commands of God. Jews who follow their book properly are Muslims same goes for Christians or any person who follows the commands of God. The term "believer" is used for those who accept that the revelation they are listening to is from God. Being a Muslim for me is kind of a step above being believer in that you can believe that the Quran/Bible is a revelation from God but you may not be following the commands of God. When you are praying to God, doing good deeds in the name of God, etc then you are in a state of being muslim, ie you are in a state of submitting to the will of God.
Being a believer does not automatically make you a Muslim. You're a Muslim when you are obeying the commands of God. The Quran clearly warns the believers to fear God and obey his commands lest they become corrupt and end up in Hellfire. Being a believer does not automatically guarantee you from being saved from Hellfire. It's up to you as a believer to use the guidance from God to save yourself and to take advantage of it to live a good and proper life in this world. If you don't than that's your loss.
There is only one message from God and that has been the same message since the first man was created. People get confused between rituals and the message. They think that just because someone prays differently or wears different clothes or has a different revelation that they are worshipping a different God. We were created to have differences but the God is the same God.
I hope the above answers most of your questions. I would like to suggest that you pick a certain specific topic to discuss and we can have a back and forth discussion over it. The topic of Islam is huge and I think it would help to go through each area one by one rather than discuss all of it under one thread.
Topic: Blown away