Any Scottish Muslims out there????

[vexred9irl]

Hi there everyone, I was wondering if anyone could help me out by answering a few questions. My name is Cheryl, and I'm currently in my second year at uni studying Theology and World Religions. At the moment I'm studying a little Islam, and tomorrow I have to give a 5 minute presentation to do with Islam in Britain.

As I am Scottish, I was thinking on doing Islam in Scotland.. I have to ask some questions in an interview fashion via email or over this forum. None of your personal details would be disclosed, and in my presentation I would give a completely different name.

I only need one person to help me out with this, and the basic questions I'd like to ask are: what sect of Islam do you belong to and why, what you do, and how living in Scotland has effected {if at all} the practise of Islam for you on a personal level. And maybe how being a muslim in a majorly Christian area of britain has prevented/restrained/emphasised/etc your practise of your beliefs/faith/traditions/etc.

I would really really appreciate it if anyone could help me, as I say I'm studying Islam, and this is just a way of finding a wider personal scope on what it's like to be a Muslim in Briatin {or Scotland if it's possible} If you feel like you could help, please please let me know ASAP!!

All the best,
Cheryl

[- Qatada -]

Hey vexred.


I've posted this before, so i hope you don't mind me posting it again - but it's a basic intro on what Islaam is. After this i'm willing to answer your questions although i'm not from scotland, but from england.

If we look at many religions in the world, all of them claim to worship God but the majority associate partners with Him in that worship. For example christians say they worship God, yet they claim that God is in 3 parts and they worship Jesus son of Mary. Other religions claim they worship God but they worship other stone idols which are carved out from their own hands.


Islaam (which means submission) is the same message of all the Prophets of God, they all called their people to worship God Alone, and not to worship idols, or humans, or man-made philosophies etc. Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham, Moses, Jesus son of Mary, Muhammad (peace be upon them all) - all the Prophets called the people to worship God Alone. There's been over 124,000 Prophets who have come to mankind, for this basic call.

And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allâh misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [Qur'an 14:4]

All the Prophets came to call their people to good morals, they called them to worship God Alone, to establish the prayer to God, to pay in charity, to help the needy, to enjoin the family ties, to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. Since all these acts make society better and it unites mankind, especially on matters where they differed. And Allaah guides those who are sincere.


Some people who the Prophets were sent to rejected the Prophets call, even though the Prophet simply called them towards good and Allaah's reward, and some accepted the call of the Messenger sent by God.

In the end, both groups of people would die. The believers aswell as the disbelievers. We know that without a doubt the One who created us when we were nothing can easily bring us back to life again, and this will without a doubt occur since He will question us on what we did in this temporary life. That day every soul will be judged about anything and everything it did in this world. Since this life was a temporary test.


Those who obeyed the Messengers would be rewarded by God in the real, everlasting life of Paradise which Allaah has promised for His obedient servants. Whereas those who rejected the clear message of Allaah and His Messengers' did so out of arrogance, and due to that - they will be punished in a blazing hellfire for being rebellious and opposing God, they rejected Him and His message, they took it in jest and felt that they would never return to Him. And if given a life of eternity - they would remain in a state of ungratefulness to God, so God will punish them due to that.


Allaah is never unjust to any of His servants, and those who obey Him will have a great reward in this life and the one to come.

That is the true purpose of why God created us. His final Messenger is Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he brought this exact same message.

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allâh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe." [Qur'an 14:7]

And Allaah Almighty knows best.


Allaah Almighty also says:

“O My slaves, all of you are astray except those whom I guide, so ask Me for guidance, and I will guide you. O My slaves, all of you are hungry except those whom I feed, so ask me for food and I will feed you. O My slaves, all of you are naked except those whom I clothe, so ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you. … O My slaves, if the first of you and the last of you, your humans and your jinn, were to stand on a single plain and ask of Me and I were to give each one what he asked for, that would not cause any loss to Me greater than what is lost when a needle is dipped into the sea.”

Narrated by Muslim (2577).

[جوري]

90% of the world's Muslims are sunni.. the rest of the 10% are shiites and others.. for all intensive purposes you can consider the rest to be heretics. I can't help you beyond that, since I don't live in Scotland.
good luck with your project

peace!

[vexred9irl]

Thanks alot, it's great finding out more information that gives me a deeper understand and insight into Islam. I do have a few questions to do with my main topic of Islam in Britain. My email address is vexred9irl@hotmail.co.uk if you wouldn't mind giving me a message so your thoughts and answers won't be up on this page? Thanks, Cheryl

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[vexred9irl]

Thank you!

[- Qatada -]

Hi there everyone, I was wondering if anyone could help me out by answering a few questions. My name is Cheryl, and I'm currently in my second year at uni studying Theology and World Religions. At the moment I'm studying a little Islam, and tomorrow I have to give a 5 minute presentation to do with Islam in Britain.

I hope you do well in your course and presentation. :)

As I am Scottish, I was thinking on doing Islam in Scotland.. I have to ask some questions in an interview fashion via email or over this forum. None of your personal details would be disclosed, and in my presentation I would give a completely different name.

I'll try to give my views, and if someone from scotland comes forward - you can take their answers instead of mine.

I only need one person to help me out with this, and the basic questions I'd like to ask are: what sect of Islam do you belong to and why,

I belong to the Sunni group of Islaam, and this term comes from the word Sunnah (the Prophetic example.)

The majority of the muslim world is Sunni, and they follow the Qur'an (speech of God/Allaah) and Sunnah (Prophetic way.) We also know that the best of people who understood the revelation well was the companions of God's final Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him.) There understandings and teachings have been authentically preserved for us - so we can refer to them whenever we are in need of an accurate interpretation of the texts.


The Messenger of God, Muhammad peace be upon him said:

"Indeed those from before you from the People of the Book (christians and the jews) divided into seventy-two groups. And, indeed, this group (Muslims) will divide into seventy-three. Seventy-two groups will be in the Hellfire and one of them will be in Paradise. 3

And in another narration, he said: "Everyone of them in the Hellfire, except for one group that which I and my companions are upon."4

Some of the muslims may not be in the hellfire forever, but they will have commited many evils if they stray from the Prophetic way, so they will be cleansed in the fire for a temporary while.


Anyway i hope that's detailed enough. So i'll go onto your questions.

what you do, and how living in Scotland has effected {if at all} the practise of Islam for you on a personal level. And maybe how being a muslim in a majorly Christian area of britain has prevented/restrained/emphasised/etc your practise of your beliefs/faith/traditions/etc.

Where i live in Britain, i havn't really experienced any negative insults due to the fact that i live within a Muslim majority area. So due to that, i havn't actually experienced as much negative effects in society compared to alot of muslims in areas where the Muslims are a minority. I.e. some have been harrassed, others imprisoned (without charge), others have been insulted verbally aswell as physically, others raped etc. Unfortunately this isn't shown on the news.


However, once these attacks have occured - i feel that i have drawn closer to God and His religion of Islaam (which means submission to God's will) more since we know that Islaam isn't a religion of terrorism, and it is in no way like the media portrays it. I.e. muslims aren't racists since we have believers from all over the world, there are over a billion and growing. The killing of innocents isn't permitted at all:

..whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors. [Qur'an 5: 32]

I feel that i have more of a duty to protect it, so i can clear up any misconceptions people may have heard through the media etc. And the praise is for God that He has actually strengthened me in faith, so i can explain my beliefs to others in confidence, knowing that i am simply conveying the truth.

In other words, i've actually drawn closer to God and His religion of Islaam. Especially after the media has started portraying Islaam in a negative light.



If you have anymore questions - please don't hesitate to ask. And i hope i've answered your questions well.




Peace.

[Woodrow]

I do not recall any of our members being from Scotland. I am of about 1/16 Scott on my Father's side. But, my Parents have been in the US since the early 1900s. I am first generation American Born.

I may be the closest you find to a Scot on the forum. But, I consider myself to be a Texas Cowboy. Strange as it may sound, there are quite a few of us in Texas that have embraced Islam.

I would be happy to answer your questions if you think it will help.

[Scotpak]

I am from Scotland but one doesn't need to be from here in order to express an opinion!!!!