Non-Muslims & Muslims: Questions Threefold.

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(In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful)

(Peace be upon you)

I have a threefold question that I invite you to think on and then reply:

1. What do things about/in Islam do you like/love? (Please do not bring in any negativity when answering the first question.)

2. What things have you seen/perceived/heard that you do/did not like in Muslims/Muslim communities? (Be specific. Examples would be helpful.)

3. What dialogues are Muslims and non-Muslims not having with one another that you believe they'd both be benefited in having in today's world? (Be specific. Examples would be helpful.)

Thank you for answering in advance; I will probably respond God-willing after some persons have already responded.

Best Wishes,

:wa: (And peace be upon you)

 

[AnnaK]

And peace upon you.

1. I absolutely love the deeper spiritual connection that I feel now as a Muslim than before when I was born and raised as a Christian (not to tarnish Christianity, but Islam fits better for me). I love the feeling of safety Islam provides for me, knowing that Allah is watching after me.

2. What I have absolute distain for in Muslim (and many other) communities is the absence of feminism (third wave with queer theory specifically). Like many places, Muslim communities have been an unaccepting place for people with gender identities and sexual orientations that do not fit the "normal" cisgender and straight molds. I myself am a transgemder person who does not fit within the gender man/woman binary, so likewise, if my gender doesn't fit in the gender binary, then neither inherently could my sexual orientation. Because of this, it creates an unsafe feeling that prevents me from going to the local Islamic center.

3. Living in America, the primary dialogue not discussed is the similarities between Christianity and Islam. Americans fear what they don't understand, and they have no clue what Islam is really about. I know many people who have said (forgive me my Lord for having to type this), "Allah is Satan." I've had many people say that they think the phrase Allahu Akbar is a slang phrase by terrorists. Many Americans don't know much of anything about Islam. The dialogue we are not having is a description of the religion to people who have no idea what it really stands for. The dialogue we need is simply a dialogue describing the inter connectivity between Islam and Christianity. This would cause many Americans to get a better understanding of the religion, and would decrease irrational fears of Islamaphobia within the country.

 

[greenhill]

I find islam very deep covering many aspects of life. A lifetime of study and still there is more. I like the fact that it challenges you too! The more you research the more it fits whichever way you look and dissect it. So wide. so it will be hard to give examples but I will try to give some essence in the example. Solat - Spiritual: every single position has powerful words of praises, dua and salutations. Cleanliness: We wash ourselves 5 times a day at least. Discipline: It gets us up at the crack of dawn ready to embrace the day and the prayer times allows you to plan the sections of the day. Physical: From a standing position to a full sitting position and strategic positioning of the head in various levels forcing the blood in and out of the brain several times and in effect a mini stretch and exercise, done 5 times a day. When Allah asks us to do something, the benefit is not only one dimensional. There are other examples but that should be enough..

Next question, muslim communities... mixing culture with islam. I feel culture could play a part in the fringes of islam like style of clothing, types of food, and on preferences (where permissible). But on marriage, rights of women and orphans, workers, neighbours etc there should be no culture on it. it needs to follow what is permissible.

This is a hard one. The final question. I live in a multi belief city (although 50% would be muslims) and often the 'debate' on beliefs happen. So it has been many years of what I consider it similar to magnets where each Book is separate from the other and the magnets just would not get near to each other. And the 'powers that be' likes to keep it that way. There needs to be an alignment, because the message came from a line of prophets preaching messages to remind us of Allah. So each prophet came to impart something. And if we take the 4 Books, you would find that they all had incremental messages for human development. Zabur is about tauhid. Taurat is about human interaction (do unto others...) Injil introduces the concept of forgiveness, and with that, the Quran can talk about living in a community. How could we achieve a solid community without those basic principles?
Considering that these Books came spaced out over thousands of years, but with coherent and structured, incremental as well as challenging and the story fits only confirms that it should be viewed as a continuous message from The Lord of 'Alameen for us as a guide. It could not have been planned by anyone or hijacked. It can only be by Divine Design. Surely that is worth taking note. Strong but very subtle find. So. if we were to align all the Books like that, where it receives the messages from the previous Book and refreshes with further Words of Allah, then it would be like magnets oriented correctly and stick like a train.
But that is not likely to happen. We will all sit non aligned and repelling each other.


eace:

 

[darkbro]

Re: Non-Muslims & Muslims: Questions Threefold.

1. Everything. One of em, the concept of zakat and sadaqah is really sustainable to the community
2. Hypocrites. Oh, and people who dont perform salat not knowing what they say / kushu.. and even worse if they lead the salat jamaah (imam). They pray so fast so that i rarely salat in masjid.
3. More understanding about our Prophet as it is his doing means what Islam is, not what many people nowadays does

 

[Little_Lion]

1.) The absolutely HUGE amount on knowledge that is out there to learn, and the peace and love of Allah.

2.) The attitude about dogs. I could post article after article in support of dogs, but I won't because that is not the point. But I love all of Allah's creatures, including my three dogs. I volunteer at the humane society caring for dogs and walking dogs (and playing with the cats too and fostering kittens, so don't think it is only a dog fascination). I know my dogs will never be accepted by mainstream Muslims. I also echo AnnaK's thoughts on the treatment of gays and non-binary individuals in the Muslim community. Even if you believe it is a sin, we are all sinners and deserve a chance with one another as Muslims as we are not the Final Judge.

3.) I cannot answer this question as I do not live somewhere with a Muslim population that interacts with the non-Muslim population (I AM the Muslim population where I live).

 

[LaSorcia]

I like this dialogue. I will answer as soon as my child allows me to put 3 thoughts together, God willing!

 

[noraina]

(Peace be upon you)

Wa alaykum assalam

1. What do things about/in Islam do you like/love? (Please do not bring in any negativity when answering the first question.)

When I was learning about Islam, something which struck me is with the beautiful balance of dignity and humility we are encouraged to live, and the way its teaching encompass every aspect of your life, and even the most ordinary things can have spiritual importance subhanAllah. And also how it focuses on not just your individual relationship with Allah swt, but also your relationship with the creation.

2. What things have you seen/perceived/heard that you do/did not like in Muslims/Muslim communities? (Be specific. Examples would be helpful.)

Several things, mainly the lack of religious knowledge and the prevalence of ignorance. And the amount of judgement which is passed around - we are so divided as a community, whether it be culture or generation or age or gender, there's no unity. And the amount culture comes into religion.

3. What dialogues are Muslims and non-Muslims not having with one another that you believe they'd both be benefited in having in today's world? (Be specific. Examples would be helpful.)

Obviously, Islam's stance on violence and terrorism - there's alot of blame and theories being thrown around but surprisingly little honest discussion on what the root of the problem is.

Some kind of definition or distinction between what is extreme views and not, and the true status of women in Islam (still get people who think I a poor oppressed person in need of saving *not*), and just an understanding of other people's perspective. We all, Muslim or not, tend to have a really narrow viewpoint that if something is different it is wrong. That's not necessarily the case.