How to reconcile being a Muslim in the west?

[OmarAlexander]

Assalamu alaikum

I joined this board awhile ago, and I have been reading it faithfully since then. Now I feel the need to ask a question, so InshAllah I will get good advice.

Recently I have felt myself become more stressed as I try to increase my Iman while living in a non muslim country (America). I am a revert to Islam, so I think my position is a bit different than someone who has practiced their whole life.

My conflict is this- How do I, a westerner, reconcile being a muslim while residing within a western nation? It is not that I cannot practice Islam, but rather the cultural rifts that arise easily.

I have seen often on this board and heard during Jummah at my mosque that we should refrain from association with the Kafirs, lest be tempted down their path. While I have made plenty of Muslim friends and do my best to associate with them, it is not as simple as merely abandoning my previous life. My entire family is non-muslim, nearly all of my friends (many of whom uphold very high moral standards) are non-muslim. Were I to completely cut myself off from them, I feel I would be alone in most aspects of my life.

I also have an internal conflict when it comes to my national identity. I have again seen and heard often that it is Haram to support America due to its zionistic beliefs, the perpetration of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. While I agree with these points, again, I feel it is not so simple. Having lived my entire life in America, I take issue with much of its policies, but at the same time I have first hand knowledge of the good that I have received from its society- I have a good education, good doctors, a good family, etc. I have seen Muslims on this board and elsewhere touting their pride in being Iranian, Iraqi, Egyptian, etc, regardless of whether these nations create a truly Islamic nation. So why then, do I feel the social pressures of it being Haram to say I can be satisfied at times to be born in America?

For those of eastern descent I have seen that often times the solution to this is to move back to the country of descent- to a nation where muslims are the majority and it is closer to sharia law. I have travelled much in my life, and even as a muslim I never felt comfortable in these nations.

I appologize for the length of this post, and perhaps its rambling manner. To sum it up, the basis of my internal stress is that I feel that I am "too muslim" to be fully accepted in America, but "too american" to be accepted in an arabic nation.

Has anyone else faced this issue? If so, how did you deal with it? I want to stress that I am not questioning my faith, but rather trying to find a correct place and path in this world.

[markislam]

It does not matter where you live as long as you follow Allah, America is a good place for muslims because of religious freedom we have here. I am happy being here. As long as you don't run planes in to buildings lol .

Most of the time in Islam culture plays a important role than what Quaran teaches.

Quaran teaches to respect women , In middle east which is mostly muslim . do you think it is happening ?.

[YusufNoor]

Assalamu alaikum

I joined this board awhile ago, and I have been reading it faithfully since then. Now I feel the need to ask a question, so InshAllah I will get good advice.

Recently I have felt myself become more stressed as I try to increase my Iman while living in a non muslim country (America). I am a revert to Islam, so I think my position is a bit different than someone who has practiced their whole life.

My conflict is this- How do I, a westerner, reconcile being a muslim while residing within a western nation? It is not that I cannot practice Islam, but rather the cultural rifts that arise easily.

be a Muslim 1st, try to adopt as much sunnah as you can

I have seen often on this board and heard during Jummah at my mosque that we should refrain from association with the Kafirs, lest be tempted down their path. While I have made plenty of Muslim friends and do my best to associate with them, it is not as simple as merely abandoning my previous life. My entire family is non-muslim, nearly all of my friends (many of whom uphold very high moral standards) are non-muslim. Were I to completely cut myself off from them, I feel I would be alone in most aspects of my life.

Allah chose to call you amidst your current situation, there must be a reason why. Allah called me at a time when i didn't have to worry about what others thought. i HAVE replaced my "friends" with Muslims friends, though i'm not sure it was correct of me.

I also have an internal conflict when it comes to my national identity. I have again seen and heard often that it is Haram to support America due to its zionistic beliefs, the perpetration of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. While I agree with these points, again, I feel it is not so simple. Having lived my entire life in America, I take issue with much of its policies, but at the same time I have first hand knowledge of the good that I have received from its society- I have a good education, good doctors, a good family, etc. I have seen Muslims on this board and elsewhere touting their pride in being Iranian, Iraqi, Egyptian, etc, regardless of whether these nations create a truly Islamic nation. So why then, do I feel the social pressures of it being Haram to say I can be satisfied at times to be born in America?

just cuz someone else does something unIslamic, there is no need for you to follow suit. you can feel fortunate that you were born in America, but the truth of the matter is Allah CHOSE for you to be born here. at some point, you must learn enough of your Din to make Dawah, or else Hijra will be mandatory for you. you can make small steps. move closer to a community with a lot of Muslims. somewhere close to a Masjid

For those of eastern descent I have seen that often times the solution to this is to move back to the country of descent- to a nation where muslims are the majority and it is closer to sharia law. I have travelled much in my life, and even as a muslim I never felt comfortable in these nations.

did you travel there as a Muslim?

I appologize for the length of this post, and perhaps its rambling manner. To sum it up, the basis of my internal stress is that I feel that I am "too muslim" to be fully accepted in America, but "too american" to be accepted in an arabic nation.

Has anyone else faced this issue? If so, how did you deal with it? I want to stress that I am not questioning my faith, but rather trying to find a correct place and path in this world.

spend some time learning your Religion, then teach it to others.

It does not matter where you live as long as you follow Allah, America is a good place for muslims because of religious freedom we have here. I am happy being here. As long as you don't run planes in to buildings lol .

have you ever seen any evidence that any Muslims have, in fact, done that?

it's not a joke. 9/11 was a setup to get the green light to invade Afghanistan and Iraq. the war is about oil and opium, or as i heard it put recently, the west wants Gold Oil and Drugs. do you really think that laptops in a cave in Afghanistan can defeat the US Military?

on Sept 10, 2001 Dick Cheney announced that upwards of $2.3 Billion was "missing" from the US Military budget. at the time, the Defense budget was less than $1B!!!! the part of the Pentagon that was hit was where the financial records were kept. along with huge gold deposits, evidence against Bush's buddies at Enron was kept in the World Trade Center in NYC!

[markislam]

another 9/11 theory