Ask a Muslim anything

[Lesschubtolove]

Another thread on a Quran being kicked about has brought up some pretty ugly stereotypes on Muslims and a perception that we all want blasphemy laws and death threats are part of our religion and that a Quran only matters in Arabic. None are true but it dawned on me actually that there are a lot of mistruths and Misconceptions about what Muslims believe, think or do.

Well ask away… the questions you maybe wanted to know but thought you might get in trouble for or would be frowned upon

I’ve never heard of that before… to google!

Sikhism won't attract that type of hate because its core teachings are equality, social justice, service to humanity, and tolerance for other religions.

So primarily the difference started as to who the groups believe was for lead the Muslims after the death of prophet Muhammad. Shia believe that the rightly guided caliph was Ali, the husband of his daughter. Sunni believe that it was abu bakr, Aisha’s father. Muslims of the time basically elected abu bakr as he was Muhammad’s closest friend, shia refute this and say it should’ve been ali. This is where the difference started.

there are further differences, to liken it to Christianity shia are more like catholics with depictions of Ali and Muhammad and in some instances and Sunni are more like Protestants I’d say.

certain states cough saudi cough iran have really stoked up the religious tensions here

What are your thoughts on the lack of protection that Islam gives women after divorce? Under secular law, women have many financial rights. Under shariah, zilch unless you negotiate a haq mehr (which wouldn’t stand under secular law should a man renege).

Do you honestly hand on heart believe your god or any god exists?

I mean really seriously with no proof snd the terrible things that happen like the earthquake. Why would any loving god see children suffer and die?

Any religion

And the implication here that is that those aren’t Islam’s core values yeah? that’s your point right?

My ex MIL used to chastise anyone who laughed too much. Something to do with invoking the devil.

1. Have you studied/ thought of studying other religions and the cultures from which they were born?

1. Are there similarities in Islam and religions preceding it? Would that make you question the Kuran's authenticity and it's claim that it comes directly from God?

1. What's your interpretation of jihad?

1. Do you sometimes feel guilty for not being 'fully' Muslim I.e. having your a bit modern interpretations of certain things.

1. What's your/ Islam's stand on gays?

1. How does evolution fit within the frame of your faith?

1. Do you think you're capable of betterment and repentance without believing in the existence of the god that your parents believed in? Say, what if you believed in Indian gods instead? Or none? Just you, trying to be better with no fear of being punished if you didn't.

What do you mean? A man is still responsible for his children so would need to pay for them, the woman would have her mahr.

secular law? Family courts in the UK are atrocious

Thanks for this thread @Lesschubtolove

Have you always been Muslim or did you convert/revert?

Yes I do.

but that’s an age old problem, the problem of evil. God created the world and man and gave us free will, creator but doesn’t intervene.

Born Muslim :)

Why do Muslim families send their children to Christian schools if they don't agree with our curriculums and policies (uniform, in particular)? Or to look at it another way - why are there Christian schools (or any other religion) in the first place? Problem solved.

Same with the Buddha, Muhammad is a bit more of a divisive figure historically . He did a lot of conquest and war also good things as well but yes there's quite lot of conquest going on in the early days of Islam and not all was self defense.

And google has told me there is a thing as laughing too much, I need to look into this to really give my thoughts, ive not heard of this before

Do you work?

What is your own immediate experience of women in your circle having jobs?

When do Muslim girls have to start covering?

And what would yours and your husband’s opinions on your daughter not covering be (if you have one)?

@Lesschubtolove

Am I right in thinking that guide dogs are no longer forbidden as they are considered to be a working dog rather than kept for frivolous reasons i.e just a pet? Would this extend to other sorts of support dogs? Would a Muslim person check this kind of thing with someone (forgive my ignorance) like is there a person you can check things with if you are not sure if they are allowed?

Sorry, I see you’ve already answered this.
i don’t know how I missed it

I thought in Shariah , a woman loses custody of the children once they start puberty. A Mahr is normally a small payment which wouldn't really sustain her for life especially if she's not working.

Well historically they had very different social roles that’s why, Muhammad led a growing community that were targeted, heavily at the time. But context doesn’t suit islamaphobes

Ahhh but the advice from the mosque I received was to seek child maintenance from the government. Sadly, there is zero accountability for men’s poor behaviour. How does one enforce mahr if a man refuses to pay in a country ruled by secular law? I am being represented by a wonderful solicitor who represents many high net Muslim men who refuse to honour the mahr that was promised.

When I have this conversation with religious folk, the responses invariably sadden me. The default is “Allah will deal them in the Day of Judgment.” Doesn’t really help the women who are suffering in this life.

To say the family courts are atrocious is a huge cop-out. There is justice for women under British law. Zilch under shariah.

a mahr isn’t small, it’s the pre marital gift and it can be at the amount she sets and it is her money. It is a sum to sustain the women in an event such as this

the children living with the father has happened in order to protect the children from sexual abuse in the event she remarries, more commonly once the children have reached an age where it’s appropriate their preference is taken into consideration, so if they said no I want to stay with my mother then that is what happens. In theory! But in practice as we should know from here, family courts can be a real shit show

Mahr depends on the community you come from. In some cultures, women negotiate quite extravagant mahr eg gold bars. In the Pakistani community, £101 seems standard. Wish I’d questioned this when I got married. There should be more education about this, but as the mosques are run by men, there is no incentive to do so.

The Mahr should be paid before the marriage

shura councils though are so heavily weighted in favour of the man, it’s a travesty. I think there is just one with a woman and it’s bham central mosque.

The point being it doesn't attract hate because of their core values.

I dont ever recall a terrorist attack in this country in the name of guru nanak or Sikhism. When I look at Sikhs I see them as people observing their faith but coexisting within the laws of where they live. They dont attract hate because they don't do things that would cause that