Hello all, I'm an American studying at the University of San Diego. As the school is Catholic in its denomination we are required to take several religion classes as part of our graduation requirements. For one of these classes I decided to study Islam because it is the second largest and fastest growing religion in the world. As a final project for this class we need to go into the Muslim community and talk with Muslims about a particular topic that interests us and then write a report about it. This is why I am on this forum and I hope that you all will educate me further in my study of Islam.
I have decided to do my report on the Future of Islam, particularly the extent of conservative, liberal or extremist shifts in the Muslim community. My studies into the history of Islam seem to indicate to me that Islam has become more conservative, at least recently, than it was during the time of the Prophet or the Golden Years of Islam . Islam used to be a leader in every field from science to poetry but now they seem less tolerant towards things like science, social issues and other religions or at the very least Islam does not seem to be changing at the same rate as many of the other world religions (I believe that a lot of Christian sects, especially evangelicalism, is also becoming less tolerant respectively as well.) Would you agree with this analysis? If you do agree why do you believe this shift has happened? Do you believe that external, internal or a combination of both factors are to blame for this shift? If you do not agree with the analysis then please educate me as to why you feel my analysis is wrong.
I am also very interested in how Muslims feel their religion is going to change in the coming generations. Do you believe that Islam will become more conservative with time (such as more women choosing to wear the Hijab?) Do you believe this Islam will become more liberal with time (such as women having equal rights in countries that they do not now or taboos such as homosexuality become more accepted in light of scientific evidence?) Do you believe that extremist points of view are going to become more or less prevalent in the next generation? Additionally, do you agree with the way that you believe Islam is going to change? That is, do you see the change in Islam being positive or negative. I would also appreciate it if you would tell me if you are Sunni or Shia (or Sufi even) and what country you identify yourself with (i.e. American Muslim, Iranian Muslim, etc.)
Please do not take offense to anything I have written. I understand that in some Muslim countries some of the examples I have used do not apply or the problems I raised are not problems at all. I also understand that my perspective is distorted by the American media which doesn't portray Muslims in a very good light and that often the only voice we here from the Muslim community are those of extremists. I also understand that those with extremist views make up a very small portion of the population, I am merely interested in whether you think that percentage will increase or decrease in the coming years and why.
The future of islam is what muslims decide to make it...with the growing numbers of people practicing radical islam...such as what we have seen in the sudan over the past few weeks...islam can go one of two ways..it can allow the radicals to take the religion of islam hostage..or the moderate muslims who make up the vast majority of the religion can stand up and reclaim their religion and seperate themselves from the radicals..It is a difficult thing for them to do..because it is against Islam itself, to say that a fellow muslim is not muslim..I think this is why they are slow to condemn "muslims" when they act outside the bounderies of proper islam....But I believe this is the most important time ever in the history of islam, and the next 10 or 15 years will be key as to how Islam progresses...I hope the moderates take hold and seperate themselves in everyway from the radicals..
He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers. [Quran {33:43}] www.QuranicAudio.com www.Quran.com
The future of islam is what muslims decide to make it...with the growing numbers of people practicing radical islam...such as what we have seen in the sudan over the past few weeks...islam can go one of two ways..it can allow the radicals to take the religion of islam hostage..or the moderate muslims who make up the vast majority of the religion can stand up and reclaim their religion and seperate themselves from the radicals..It is a difficult thing for them to do..because it is against Islam itself, to say that a fellow muslim is not muslim..I think this is why they are slow to condemn "muslims" when they act outside the bounderies of proper islam....But I believe this is the most important time ever in the history of islam, and the next 10 or 15 years will be key as to how Islam progresses...I hope the moderates take hold and seperate themselves in everyway from the radicals..
there is a big difference between radicals and extremists, muslims who practice a stricter version of islam are not considered non muslims or radical , whilst the extremists who blow themselves up are considered kufr as they spread hate and cause other muslims to become extremists. the sudanese people are strong in their belief and would get deeply offended if anything to do with islam is insulted, also the islamic laws will not change, people will have to change according to them
He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers. [Quran {33:43}] www.QuranicAudio.com www.Quran.com
thats find..I get offended when my religion is offended...however even when offended I choose to follow my religion as I was taught....if the muslims in the sudan truley wanted to be practicing muslims they would not have acted the way they did....would your prophet of wanted them to behave the way they did???If the answer in no, then they were wrong, plain and simple...and again I must say that it is my hope that the majority of muslims will reclaim their faith...
I said..such as seen in the Sudan..I would never claim any one nation to be in the wrong..by far there where more people that acted in the correct manner ..than in the incorrect....But it would have been nice to see those who disagreed with the calls for the teachers death.to be out in the street PROTESTING ON BEHALF OF HER...it would have done alot for the image of the country to see those who disagreed with the madness out and having their voices heard..
The people that speak for islam are you..the average muslim in the street...why is it so easy to overlook the power we have as individuals...YOU GO TO YOUR MOSQUE..and ask if there are any among you that would like to visit sudan...bring copies of the quran with you..many poorer people may not even own their own copy..call the mosques in the sudan..see who will welcome you..CHRISTIANS..have no problem with this type of teaching..we have small churches arranging missionary trips all over the world..it seems like a big undertaking..but really it is not
No not really, apart from the fact that ppl have become slightly more " religous", but that is occuring in some parts of the world. Of course for simply reasearch bases one can identify some trends.
p.s to the poster, trying reading "globalised Islam" by something ROY, he is a good scholar.
slightly "more religious"..there is nothing wrong with being religious...I purposley avoided using the word fundamentalist...because I hate the way that word is thrown around in connection to islam...being a fundamentalist as far as religion is concerned is a good thing...fundamentalist practice there religion the way it was intended to be practiced..we should all be fundamentalist..it would certainly be a better world....but for you to say people are getting more religious and linking that in any way to people that are acting in an unislamic way in pure denial..if the muslims in the sudan had been acting like fundamentalist they would have merely corrected the teacher and educated her as to her error..then they would have used it as a learning experience...saying that people wanting this women dead is a way of the sudanese involved becomming "more religious" is a very dangerous attitude
The people that speak for islam are you..the average muslim in the street...why is it so easy to overlook the power we have as individuals...YOU GO TO YOUR MOSQUE..and ask if there are any among you that would like to visit sudan...bring copies of the quran with you..many poorer people may not even own their own copy..call the mosques in the sudan..see who will welcome you..CHRISTIANS..have no problem with this type of teaching..we have small churches arranging missionary trips all over the world..it seems like a big undertaking..but really it is not
Missionary organisations do exist in Islam, such as Tableegi Jamaat and Dawat-e-Islami...
there were muslims who were protesting for her early release, yes the sudanese muslims were over the top, but I don't think they realise that
He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers. [Quran {33:43}] www.QuranicAudio.com www.Quran.com
He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is Full of Mercy to the Believers. [Quran {33:43}] www.QuranicAudio.com www.Quran.com
tableegi is big. some say they have sufi influences.
they only preach to muslims though, don't they? i mean, they don't go around knocking on hindu doors like the mormons do here, or anything...
each man thinks of his own fleas as gazelles
question authority
tableegi is big. some say they have sufi influences.
they only preach to muslims though, don't they? i mean, they don't go around knocking on hindu doors like the mormons do here, or anything...
Some also say that they have Salafi influences. And yes, both groups only preach to other Muslims, usually those who have stopped practicing.
In my opinion the biggest power of islam in the near future lays in demographic boom. If muslims manage to keep this rapid growth, the muslim world will be more powerful.
This country is dying because of a lack of men, not a lack of programs.
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