What do non-Muslims want from Muslims?

[Ramadhan]

I generally like what you said, it's very humble -- if only I knew more Muslims like you.

You should move to Indonesia, the largest muslim country, and you will find that that is the general attitude of muslims.

 

[Grace Seeker]

So what do we do?---sit around and blame each other?

Well, we're doing that already. Doesn't seem like it's working very well.

---spend our time apologiszing for every other thing?

I still think that some time spent doing this has merit. But you're absolutely right if you're saying that one can't spend all of one's time doing this. There are more productive things that we can do.

In my opinion, we need to ask---what can I/we do to help?. We are all brothers and sisters in humanity and if we help each other---we can make this world better. Instead of the cycle of blaming and apologising---we should come up with creative solutions to our World problems---because these problems are all similar all over the world.

And I have said this before and been shot down for it on these very forums. I was told that the efforts of one person are meaningless in a global environment. So, I'm glad to hear your reaffirming voice.

One of the things that I think we can do is to hold those who represent us (or claim to) accountable. Citizens should be writing letters to their governments protesting the actions of those governments when they don't behave in appropriate ways and pursue agendas we disagree with. And when given the opportunity we should be voting for other candidates than those who have led to some of the injustices of the past. If there are none, where practical, we should consider running for office ourselves.

With regard to ideologies that spring up on their own, we need to join groups that promote those things that we can support and resist those that don't. Again, we should not be silent, but need to make our voices heard.

To that end I do applaud that the Fiqh Council of North America issued a statement "to reaffirm Islam's absolute condemnation of terrorism and religious extremism" following the attempted bombing of a Christmas tree lighting celebration in Corvallis, OR. CAIR reported it as "A Fatwa Against Terrorism." That's not an apology, because they did nothing wrong. Rather it is to assert what Islam truly stands for in contrast to those who might pervert it.

Sadly, there were those in Corvallis who still decided to resort to terror; this time it was directed at Muslims and a Mosque was firebombed. But I also applaud the non-Muslim community in Corvallis who, on learning of the firebombing, organized a "Not In Our Town" response to that sort of hate with a candlelight vigil in which "more than 300 people stood in a driving rain ... to show support for the Muslim community in the wake of a firebombing that destroyed an office at the Corvallis mosque and shook a city proud of its diversity."

That's just one community. But if that pattern was repeated around the world, it would seem to me to be a model that would truly lead to peace. Not that there wouldn't ever been any incidents, but that they would be come the exception rather than the rule and option of first resort that they seem to be to so many.

.....and maybe we should start by cultivating an attitude of mutual respect......?

No doubt. We could even begin to practice those behaviors on this very forum.

But again, not everyone is going to offer the mutual respect you suggest. So, how should the rest of us respond when we run into statements like: "The day [name omitted] writes anything of tangible substance hell will freeze over and all the devils will be ice skating."? Especially when the person so slandered has not even yet posted in the thread in which s/he has been vilified, and those who made such statements dropped in only to make unkind remarks and they themselves did not contribute anything of substance to the thread?

If we can't practice offering mutual respect on a forum that has as one of its rules "Thou shalt not be rude" and where we are told that "being kind to anyone and everyone is obligatory to every Muslim," how shall we cultivate this mutual respect in the world at large?

 

[Darth Ultor]

Also, I have only experienced this on the internet. But I would appreciate it if Muslims on the Web would quit lumping me with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as if they think I sit on the Knesset just because I'm a Jew. You don't see me bothering Muslims with issues like terrorism, the Taliban, and the Saudi Royals.

 

[aadil77]

Also, I have only experienced this on the internet. But I would appreciate it if Muslims on the Web would quit lumping me with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as if they think I sit on the Knesset just because I'm a Jew. You don't see me bothering Muslims with issues like terrorism, the Taliban, and the Saudi Royals.

lol I think some members are curious to know your views

 

[glo]

Thank you for this thread, Grace Seeker.
It has gone on for so long and I haven' read all of it.

I think what I desire most from my Muslim friends here in LI, is to be accepted as I am - despite our differences.

What I would like most (and I don't actually think it is possible, due to the strict Islamic nature of this forum) is to be able to stand up and say 'I believe X and Y' without being attacked or ridiculed for it (I am not talking about meaningful discussion or peaceful debates and exchanges of views here).
Equally I would love the forum rules to enable me to express who I am and being myself.
(Again - as mods have explained to me over time - this is probably not very realistic due to the fact that this is not a multi-faith forum, but an Islamic forum with a strong intention to bring people to Islam)

I guess my own life circumstances have grown in me a desire to love and accept people, whoever they are, and to try my very hardest to understand what they believe and why. If you get to know people (even those you feel you have little in common with) and hear their stories and understand their journeys, it becomes quite easy to love and understand them.
That pretty much sums up my greatest desire in life - to see people live together in peace and harmony.

As I try so hard to be accepting and tolerant of other people I find it hard when others don't extend that same sentiment to me. If I try to accept others as they are, why can't they accept me?

That's my personal struggle at the moment - not just here, but in my real world too.

What I would love to hear from Muslims here is "I don't agree with everything you say, think or believe, but you are welcome and accepted here anyway."
Insha'allah

 

[siam]

@ GS and Glo

This is the answer from the Quran......

Surah 41 verse 34-36
34. Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (evil) with what is better: then between whom was hatred, become as it were, friends and intimates.
35. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self restraint--none but persons of the greatest good fortune.
36. And if (at any time) an incitement to discord is made to you by satan, seek refuge in God. He is the one who hears and knows

We cannot control someone else---we can only control ourselves. However, our interactions with others can serve as examples. For human beings, patience and self-restraint are very difficult struggles that need practice......

but why make the effort?----because impatience and excessive passion feed the ego which leads to pride and arrogance and this removes us from the path that leads to nearness to God.....and I speak from experience as impatience is a personal flaw of mine.....

 

[aadil77]

What I would love to hear from Muslims here is "I don't agree with everything you say, think or believe, but you are welcome and accepted here anyway."
Insha'allah

You can hear that from me Glo

What you've probably noticed is that on any kind of forum people love to strike up a debate, its what makes forums interesting.

Obviously in real life face to face interaction, people will accept each other with no questions asked or statements made, in order not to offend each other. But forums give us a means to discuss things we would not do in normal circumstances with people we don't know. So when you bring up your beliefs on a religious forum - we may not agree with them, we'll respect them but we may take the opportunity to discuss your beliefs further, because obviously this is the right place to do so, its something you can expect here.

 

[glo]

You can hear that from me Glo

Thank you, aadil.

 

[sister herb]

What I would love to hear from Muslims here is "I don't agree with everything you say, think or believe, but you are welcome and accepted here anyway."
Insha'allah

I try to send this message to everyone, not only in this forum but in everyday life.

Kind of way to think make this life much easy to live - to everyone.

Thanks glo about your wise words.

p.s. and don´t forget I told you about cookies...

 

[glo]

I try to send this message to everyone, not only in this forum but in everyday life.

No doubt about it, sister harb. That's very obvious to me, and no doubt to others too.

Kind of way to think make this life much easy to live - to everyone.

Thanks glo about your wise words.

No, thank you!

p.s. and don´t forget I told you about cookies...

Haha! I promise I'll be good!

 

[sister herb]

Haha! I promise I'll be good!

Sure. We just want you back after your holiday dinner(s).

Forgive that I am teasing her.

 

[Grace Seeker]

And I beg patience of my Muslim friends at this time of year. I'm not much involved in the more weighty threads as I've many things on my plate right now. So, not ignoring them, but waiting till I'm able to give them the attention they deserve. In the meantime, glad for the occassion break that some of the lighter threads (like "Snow") have given me.

 

[glo]

Forgive that I am teasing her.

Who told you that that's how I was planning to spend the holidays??!

And I beg patience of my Muslim friends at this time of year. I'm not much involved in the more weighty threads as I've many things on my plate right now. So, not ignoring them, but waiting till I'm able to give them the attention they deserve. In the meantime, glad for the occassion break that some of the lighter threads (like "Snow") have given me.

Sometimes it's just good to chill and enjoy the company.
Why not join me and sister harb for coffee and cookies?

 

[sister herb]

And I beg patience of my Muslim friends at this time of year. I'm not much involved in the more weighty threads as I've many things on my plate right now. So, not ignoring them, but waiting till I'm able to give them the attention they deserve. In the meantime, glad for the occassion break that some of the lighter threads (like "Snow") have given me.

We are here to wait your posts and opinions.

With our arguments.

 

[Grace Seeker]

With our arguments.

LOL!! Touché!!

 

[IAmZamzam]

And I beg patience of my Muslim friends at this time of year. I'm not much involved in the more weighty threads as I've many things on my plate right now. So, not ignoring them, but waiting till I'm able to give them the attention they deserve.

Has anyone complained?

 

[Grace Seeker]

Has anyone complained?

No. And I didn't mean to imply that anyone would. But you might send me a PM in about a week to remind me to return to the Trinity thread. Knowing how involved that discussion has gotten on past threads, I've not even read that one recently let alone posted on it.

 

[IAmZamzam]

You might send me a PM in about a week to remind me to return to the Trinity thread.

No, I won't.