tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post1941251734329893635..comments2024-03-10T00:44:49.280-05:00Comments on This & That: Keep Islam Healthy and StrongSusannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03115294023069458287noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-51015134254804290532011-04-05T13:13:00.331-05:002011-04-05T13:13:00.331-05:00Observant, glad to read your comment now that you&...Observant, glad to read your comment now that you've taken a short break from your work and fun to write one! :-)<br /><br />It's interesting to me to hear how someone in a minority position within a country feels. I read several blogs from Muslims in America who talk about things that are different for them so it's good to also hear the reverse from someone like you. I appreciate your taking time to share some things you've heard and noticed from your Muslim friends and acquaintances that strikes you as odd. :)<br /><br />Hope you are doing well!Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03115294023069458287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-38867775320578105492011-04-04T04:56:27.088-05:002011-04-04T04:56:27.088-05:00Hi Susan, long time I haven't been able to giv...Hi Susan, long time I haven't been able to give comment on here. Well...work and work (and for sure fun too heheheee) took my time.<br /><br />I just want to share something that I think was relevant to the conversation here, since I live in a majority Muslim society. I actually do not have any objection of Muslims being obedient and practicing Islamic teaching, it's just that I can see how impractical and how limiting the practice often can be. Just some examples of my daily interaction with them, I have a friend who veils full to obey the teaching, but she was unable to see that dogs can be nice pets. The lick of the dog makes it impossible for her to keep the pet since she has to wash in sand seven times to purify her again (I didn't laugh at her explanation for sure). She said she was happy that her friend's dog died because that dog scared away people. <br /><br />Another problem, she is actually prohibited to travel with male friends, but then she also claimed she cannot survive traveling alone or with just girl friends. So she was looking for a guy whom she considers doesn't have enough "male" quality to attract her to accompany her and her girl friends to travel.....(i just keep laughing to myself about this). <br />She also runs away and gets bumpy if any man find her hair exposed (you know when you have to stay away from home for holidays or work etc etc). I keep saying to myself what a joke this is all about, I'm sorry but that's what i feel. <br /><br />She even advised me to marry my cousin of which I (not knowing that its permissible in Islam) screamed: "what?? We are blood relatives!!". This is very odd teaching I supposed, knowing how blood relatives intermarriage can bring the bad genes to appear.<br /><br />But besides seeing the oddity of these practice, I also see those things serve the mental superiority of one self, seeing one self to be more obedient, more holy and more deserving perhaps than other. It also reflects some sort of division among people, as if enjoying music is a sin, so those who don't enjoy or stay away from it are filthy. But most of my Muslims friends cannot help enjoying music, even the songs of "filthy" musician like Gaga and her contemporaries. Recently one of my Malaysian friends were lamenting because it's been officially announced by the Muslims ullema, that line dancing is prohibited.....whattttt? people go line dancing because they think it's more decent than going dancing with partners, and now this is also prohibited?? Gossssshhh!!<br /><br />If the practice of religion brings more fraternity and equality, I can consider that as something to be endorsed. <br />I am sorry to anyone I offended by my comment, but those things are real and I can't help voiced it out, at least this media is save. I never voiced it out in front of my Muslims friend, knowing how sensitive they are.observant observerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01854462112422242194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-7460816843075964352011-03-28T16:45:09.906-05:002011-03-28T16:45:09.906-05:00Becky, thanks for your thoughts.
I think this is ...Becky, thanks for your thoughts.<br /><br />I think this is very true:<br /><br />"I think, at the end of the day, what we don't know an don't understand scares us."<br /><br />That's why I often encourage "my people" to actually talk to people unlike them.Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03115294023069458287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-2571986127547227872011-03-28T16:44:02.803-05:002011-03-28T16:44:02.803-05:00Suroor, I *think* he was saying that Islam gives d...Suroor, I *think* he was saying that Islam gives dignity to people and maybe he was being complimentary of how Muslims act at times. But to borrow (and tweak) a phrase "Hell hath no fury like a Muslim disrespected." Of course that goes for people of *any* religion or not, but since the book is about Islam...<br /><br />That's the way I took it anyway. Since the whole book is excerpts, it leaves a lot of the story out. I just noted these because I found them thought-provoking. I'm sure others would find totally different things to note.Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03115294023069458287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-41760587002630565492011-03-28T16:41:42.953-05:002011-03-28T16:41:42.953-05:00Nikki, yes, I see your point of view, but I also t...Nikki, yes, I see your point of view, but I also think I understand your parents. No doubt they are not as open-minded as you about what is acceptable to God. So they care for your soul and all that and think only by returning to Jesus will you be saved. So as annoying as it is for you, I can see that it's their love for you coloring their behavior. I'm not saying they are right...just trying to understand why they act as they do. I'm sorry it's so frustrating for you! I appreciate your point of view on this topic! Thank you!Susannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03115294023069458287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-65795419968864915752011-03-28T10:22:07.818-05:002011-03-28T10:22:07.818-05:00I didn't understand the point of the second ex...I didn't understand the point of the second excerpt either.<br /><br />I think the problem is that in the West there is a tendency to assume that "our way is the only right way", that we are more "developed" and "civilized" than other people/cultures/religions. This frameset probably dates back to the Colonial Times, but that doesn't make it any more excusable. It is the idea that "my faith is better than your faith" and, if you do things our way you'll be more "civilized". (Most) have come to see it as being okay to practice different kinds of Christianity, or even to not be religious, but to see someone deeply care about a faith that you do not understand is seen as very scary and very frightening. I think, at the end of the day, what we don't know an don't understand scares us. We need to keep an open mind for new ideas, perceptions and ways of doing things, and accept that just because we do things a certain way or believe certain things doesn't mean everyone else have to as well. To recognize that fanaticism exist within ALL religions, and that devout people exist within all religions too.Rebekka @ Becky's Kaleidoscopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08561986047548051036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-74522566713913098412011-03-25T12:52:21.132-05:002011-03-25T12:52:21.132-05:00I didn't understand the second excerpt. How do...I didn't understand the second excerpt. How does the writer transition from the courtesy of Muslims to their explosive nature? I'm confused...Suroorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07151400258859526990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-740924465958245224.post-89571679158393983812011-03-25T00:57:19.801-05:002011-03-25T00:57:19.801-05:00I find that with my own parents, they wanted me to...I find that with my own parents, they wanted me to be a very conservative, Bible following Christian who 'lived' the faith: praying, attending church, following commandments, etc. etc.<br /><br />As a Muslim, they discourage me from practicing my faith. They constantly gripe about zabiha meat (why don't you just eat normal food?) and hijab. I know they look down on/perhaps even fear the ritual prayers, and discourage me from reading the Qur'an, listening to lectures, attending mosques and/or religious events... basically, they think that if I'm a nonpracticing (or poor excuse of a) Muslim, that I'll somehow be...a better Christian? <br /><br />I don't get it, and if they took the time to think, hopefully they'd realize their hypocrisy as well. They think I don't have God but they're the ones pushing me away from God by pushing me away from Islam. God IS in Islam, and it would be in their and my best interest to encourage me to worship God in whatever way works for ME.Nikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04632649623448400191noreply@blogger.com