I was born in Muslim family in Muslim country, and started to learn Islam since I was kid. But my Islamic teachers never taught me about take over the world. Then I grew up and meet many Muslim who active in da'wah and social activities, but they never talked anything about take over the world. I also meet Muslims who talked about "Khilafah Islamiyah", but that's only for Muslims, and they never want to take over the world or push Islamic law to all non-Muslims.
However, since I use internet, I found a new kind of Muslims who called "Ahlul Website Wal Internet". Muslims who learn Islam only from websites in internet, without learn Islam from Islamic teachers in the real world. Their understanding of Islam is strange because they did not follow the right method in learn Islam. And usually they regard themselves as more Islamic than other Muslims. Those who say Muslims actually do want to take over the world are people like this.
Now that's a very interesting observation. When I think about it, that seems true in my Christian faith as well. I've met a very few Muslims, and quite a few Christians, and people of other faiths, in real life, conversing face to face. None that I can think of seemed as unreasonable or mean-spirited as some whom I've encountered on the internet. And I might extend that idea to the news media as well -- I don't understand how some "Christians" I've read about in the news could act so badly, as if they had no conscience at all. Some of their actions go against any and all teachings I've ever received, first-hand, from people of my faith -- and the same goes for most ordinary discussions I've had with other Christians (of course I've met a few Christians who will never date my daughters, but I wouldn't describe them as evil.)
One reason I'm reading this forum, to learn more about Islam, is that two of the finest people my husband and I have ever known were Muslims (and that says a lot when you consider that I've met, face to face, maybe a total of five Muslims). When my husband was involved in a movement against injustice in our region, and things got hard, and everyone started to scatter, his Muslim friend stood, calmly, graciously, but firmly, without fear or hesitation -- his extraordinary courage and noble demeanor in the face of trouble inspired my husband, along with a few others, to stay and stand beside him.
Do you think there is a Muslim equivalent of the ugly "media Christians" we see on the news every day? Do we (sincere people of any faith) behave differently, better, when we come to know each other face to face? rebecca
