Interview for a World Religions class

[Guest2014]

Hello all,

Edit: Received the help requested. Thank you!

[Muslim Woman]

Hello

Welcome here . Thanks for choosing Islam as assignment . I hope , u will get positive responses from participants.

[ardianto]

Hello Ronnie, welcome to the forum.

I am Ardianto from Indonesia. Okay, I will answer your questions.

1) In obligatory ritual I practice Salah (pray) 5 times a day, fasting in month of Ramadhan.

2) Yes. Modern practice of Islam is still hold true of the original foundation. Of course there are few things that look new, like pay obligatory charity (zakat) through bank transfer, but it doesn't change the original foundation.

3) There are almost (or around) one and a half billion Muslims in the world with various characters. Of course, there are extremist among Muslims, but also there are very much Muslims who can respect other religions too. But unfortunately, other people make stereotype of Muslims based on the extremists, and forget about the good and tolerant Muslims.

My message to non-Muslims?. Please, don't look at only to the extreme Muslims and make stereotype of Muslims based only on those extremists, but look at also to other Muslims who have good respect toward other religions.

Although I live in Indonesia, I have ever meet few Americans who stayed in Indonesia. I am sure they have seen the truth that Muslims are not as bad as described by anti-Islam group, because they ever meet many nice Muslims. I am sure that you have ever meet nice Muslims too.

4) Although I live in Indonesia I have know much American culture since I was kid, through TV, movies, magazine, books. Even I was planning to study in US, but then my father passed away.

Does American culture influence my devotion to Islam?. I don't feel any effect in this matter. I wear jean, I eat burger, I played skateboard, etc. But I am still living in Indonesian culture and follow Islamic guidelines about which are permissible, which are impermissible.

5) Men are the leader for women, as mentioned in Qur'an. But it doesn't mean the men are master and the women are slaves. Men and women are created to complement each other. Men have responsibility toward women, such as husband have to make money for the family, husband have to make his wife feel happy and comfortable in marriage, etc.

Indeed, in few matter men have bigger right, like right in leading salah (prayer). But in many other matter women have equal rights, such as right of get education, right of protected by law, etc.

I know, there are non-Muslims who are thinking that women are oppressed under Islam. But that's because they look at only certain Muslim communities/societies, and forget to look at other Muslim societies where Muslim women get their rights. Islam does not oppress women, but unfortunately, in certain places there are Muslim men who use Islam to oppress women by 'twisting' some verses or hadith to support this oppression.

6) There's no hierarchy which some people respected more or less than the other. Although if talk about knowledge, there are lay Muslims, there are student of knowledge who have more knowledge than the lay Muslims, there are scholar of Islam (They called Ulama) who can issue Islamic verdict.

7) Some people in my mother family are Christians, and I also have enough much non-Muslim friends, mostly Christians. But I never have a problem with them. We always respect each other.

One Christian ever asked me "Can Christian and Muslim lunch together?", and I answer "Why not?, However, we cannot pray before lunch together. You should pray in Christian way, and I pray in Islamic way". In worship matter Muslims cannot join people from other religions, but in other matter like working, study, trading, etc, Muslims can do activities together with non-Muslims.

As mentioned in Qur'an (109:6) "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion", Muslim must have respect to other religions.

8) Muslims have two holidays, Eid ul-Fitr, and Eid ul-Adha.

9) Since I was kid I have been taught to be grateful with what Allah has given to me. This is what make me have a feeling that I must always care to, and help needy people. Just an example how religion shaped my life.

10) I don't feel difficulty in practicing Islam.

[Guest2014]

Ardianto, thank you! This is enlightening, and hopefully these answers will also shed light on Islam for others.

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[Walter D]

Very good article you have written mate,Glad to see it and what you have written is making sense for sure.That is the way how its necessary to be and can be taken to another level.Appreciate you for highlighting it keep sharing stuff like this it will help us a lot ahead.

[fatimataybia46]

The only regular part of it is Prayer. Isn't it so?