NationStates Jolt Archive

I don't know how recently this was made but it seems that President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan has published a book, which he claims is his own spiritual visions from Allah. The Ruhnama is his writings on spirituality and in Turkmenistan it is afforded the same level of respect as the Quran. Several questions rasie from this, including

- How do Muslims react to this

- Compared to Mohammad's writings, how legitamate is this? Is it arguable that Mohammad did the same thing (IE one man writing a book claiming it was from God)

http://www.rukhnama.com/

I don't know how recently this was made but it seems that President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan has published a book, which he claims is his own spiritual visions from Allah. The Ruhnama is his writings on spirituality and in Turkmenistan it is afforded the same level of respect as the Quran. Several questions rasie from this, including

- How do Muslims react to this

- Compared to Mohammad's writings, how legitamate is this? Is it arguable that Mohammad did the same thing (IE one man writing a book claiming it was from God)

http://www.rukhnama.com/
Looks more to me like a pean to Turkmenistan than any sort of "spiritual vision." Pretty good political move though.

Hehehehe...Turkmenbashi cracks me up every time.

No, it's not legitimate. Mohammad is on one stage with Moses and Jesus, Niyazov certainly isn't (at least not for another thousand or so years ;) )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyazov

lol. That guy is insane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saparmyrat_Niyazov

Hahahaha.

EDIT - hey! you read my mind Leonstein :p

No, it's not legitimate. Mohammad is on one stage with Moses and Jesus, Niyazov certainly isn't

Why exactly do you think this. Beyond the timing, what is the significent diffrence?

Old news.

Muslims are not going to react well to this. They're as intolerant of "adding to Scripture" as are Christian Fundamentalists.

This is just another aspect of Turkmenbashi's personality cult, which may be the loopiest on the planet. Kim Jong Il looks positively sane next to him. He makes Michael Jackson look like a paragon of sanity and stability. Halk, Watan, Turkmenbashi, my ass.

:rolleyes:

He's written a few odd books that basically glorify him.

No one has yet answered one of the questions I proposed. Asside from the significent time diffrence, what is the diffrence, in terms of legitamacy of the claims regarding theire visions, between this president and Mohammad?

- How do Muslims react to this

Can't speak for the other billion and a half of us, but I can give you this Muslim's reaction:

Meh.

- Compared to Mohammad's writings, how legitamate is this? Is it arguable that Mohammad did the same thing (IE one man writing a book claiming it was from God)

Mohammad never wrote anything. He was illiterate.

As for its legitamacy, once again:

Meh.

God just told me that this guy is full of shit.

God just told me that this guy is full of shit.

Did God tell you where I left my damn car keys?

Did God tell you where I left my damn car keys?

God said that you will find them in the last place you look

God said that you will find them in the last place you look

Hooray!

Sumamba Buwhan *is* a Prophet!

After Mohammad, everyone else that claims to be a prophet is a false prophet. That's basically what we will say and what we believe.

Hooray!

Sumamba Buwhan *is* a Prophet!


Spread the word

God needs money... don't worry you can give it to me and I'll be able to deliver it.

Jesus and Mohammed were merely the David Koresh and Turkmenbashi of their time.

lol. That guy is insane.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saparmyrat_Niyazov

Hahahaha.

EDIT - hey! you read my mind Leonstein :p
Yet people still believe Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed and Joan of Arc...

Why exactly do you think this. Beyond the timing, what is the significent diffrence?
They were alive a long time ago, meaning that they have people who follow what they said and gave their words meaning.
Niyazov lives today, thus making it very easy for me to laugh at him and his "followers".

All that being said, as an atheist, I don't think there is an absolute difference between them, but there is a difference of perception.

After Mohammad, everyone else that claims to be a prophet is a false prophet. That's basically what we will say and what we believe.

Colodia's right. While I could see the sort of thing the Turkmenbashi's trying to do working in Christianity (can anyone say Mormonism), Islam defines Mohammad as the last prophet. If the Turkmenbashi's followers claim that he receives direct spiritual revelations then they aren't really Muslims.

Yet people still believe Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed and Joan of Arc...

Their choice. If people want to follow Turkmenbashi, that's their choice too. I won't judge anyone based on that. I am free to judge him, though :p

After Mohammad, everyone else that claims to be a prophet is a false prophet. That's basically what we will say and what we believe.

So what makes Mohammad true?

IE What is it about Mohammad that makes him specially valid

(I'm playing devils advocate here, so dont take it personally)