I’m a convert to Islam AMA

[Candyapplesandhearts]

All in the title really.

feel free to ask. I know this has been done before but irl people always seem fascinated but too afraid to ask yet have LOTS of questions

i’ll answer a few in advance: I’m white british
I’ve been Muslim 12 years. Since my early 20s
i didn’t convert for a man (Christians and Jews wouldn’t need to anyway)

hope this can be a place to ask a question you’ve wanted to ask IRL but maybe felt too shy or was worried someone would take it the wrong way

Islamically it may be considered worship, but no Christian church has ever taught that Mary wasn't human, or to worship her as a God. So the Qu'ran verses are arguing against what has never been taught IYSWIM. Also, something like the Rosary wasn't even a thing at that time and I'm not sure how developed the Catholic view of Mary was, and whether she was prayed to at that time.

I agree. It's a little bit like if someone was to say Muslims worship the Kaaba or the Black Stone. Revering someone or something as having particular holiness does not = worshipping.

its how islamically theology goes if you pray to something it is akin to worship. In Islam only god is worthy of prayer hence the distinction.

the premise of Islamic theology is that nothing is worthy of prayer or worship other than god and Mary Jesus, Muhammad were mere mortals, and therefore you shouldn’t pray to them. Those verses are reminder that Jesus, Mary, Moses etc are all human and therefore not people you should pray to not that she’s part of the trinity. Basically you pray only to god, you don’t ask a priest or Mary for your forgiveness or for any favour because ultimately they can’t grant it.

The priest doesn't forgive you. They are channeling God's grace. They advise according to holy law.
Mary cannot forgive you or answer your prayers, as explained above.

so a Catholic would never go to confessional and say ‘forgive me father for I have sinned?’

but it’s the mere fact of asking or praying to an intermediary that’s the issue

In your experience is there an issue with inequality between males & females. Do girls and women have the same support to pursue education, careers etc. What is the view of gay people?

It's an issue for Muslims because its not something they believe. That's fair enough. Its not an issue for Catholics, because its something that they do believe. What Islamic beliefs about Christianity are are, with respect, nothing to do with Christians, and what Christians believe about their own religion is nothing to do with Islam. The priest will, in confession (I think- I haven't been since I was 14!) ask God for forgiveness. You have to do a penance given by the priest before God will forgive. Islam can say ' everyone is a Muslim, they are just taking a wrong path to God' as much as they like. Other religions will take issue with that interpretation.

That’s the point I’m trying to make, putting someone before god, is the issue and is the context of those verses.

sunni Islam is very very strict on that. Praying or asking forgiveness of anyone other than Allah swt is associating partners and shirk (a major sin). I know Christians don’t believe this aspect of their doctrine interferes with their monotheism but Muslims would disagree there and I’ve read some Jewish criticism that is v similar.

that being said, islam views Jews Christians and Muslims of the same family and says quite clearly righteous Christians (and Jews) will go to heaven.

i do think some Muslims misrepresent Christianity as they don’t really understand it and they probably get it from a) the community and b)misunderstanding the Quran and sunnah but to me those verses are very clear. Mary is of the same lineage as Moses and Aaron not their bio sister and we know Mary isn’t part of the trinity

If I try my hardest to be a decent person, but I'm not Muslim, where will I go when I die?

I think it's critically important for Muslims to inform themselves. There are clearly a lot of misunderstandings.
Also, the other way round, which is why I wanted to join in with this thread and learn more.

My son is Gay, is he therefore evil?

Islamically no there is no distinction between men and women in gods eyes, we have different strengths and responsibilities but in Allah’s eyes we are equal but that doesn’t mean the same

but islamically women and men have the same right to education. The greatest scholars of Islam were women and the first uni opened in the world was by a Muslim woman

on homosexuality the mainstream view is similar to Catholicism, love the sinner hate the sin. The desire isn’t sinful it’s the act and the desire is viewed as a test from Allah. That’s not to say there’s not grass roots organisations making challenging these beliefs but that’s the mainstream view

Did you grow up with adults who abused drink or drugs? Or expose you to things?

Why would he be evil?

evil as such isn’t really an Islamic concept

What a weird question, no did you?

my father was a chemist and my mother a primary school teacher. Both normal non addicts

There are and I find it very frustrating, I remember talking with one lad and he said Jesus didn’t drink alcohol in the bible to which I corrected him and then he said yeah but it was apple juice back then… so dumb. And I know it’s not a big thing to misrepresent but unless you know, keep quiet you know

We tend to think that Muslims have a less tolerant view of homosexuality and women's rights because of practises in Muslim nations, and what many of us understand by Sharia law, so I think there's obviously a huge issue there, which is what I think you were alluding to.

How do you square this with Islamist countries like Afghanistan banning girls education, stoning only women for adultery and throwing gay people off buildings? What about women not being able to go anywhere without a male escort in Saudi Arabia? Do most Muslims believe they are not true Muslims because they are nit folowing Islamic teachings? What is said in Mosques in the UK about these issues?

Mary is of the same lineage as Moses and Aaron not their bio sister and we know Mary isn’t part of the trinity

But again, this is not how lineage would be described. Have you ever come across this usage, really? Sister of Aaron and daughter of Imran/Amram = Miriam, not Mary. Now if the verse said she was a daughter of Aaron, then I would agree that would be a way to show lineage.

To be fair, that's less significant than saying what you said upthread about Mary and suggesting that Christianity is not monotheistic, however, you clarified that, so that's good.

I think it’s really important to remember that many many Muslim countries esp those that are now in dire condition have been either colonised or occupied or some way interfered with by the west for our own gain. We’ve propped up dictators and oppressive regimes and it’s always women who suffer in these instances

She means that if you marry a Jew or Christian then by their religious law you don’t need to convert. If you marry a Muslim then you have to. In judaism, if you want an orthodox marriage you do convert, but reform, progressive, liberal etc then you can have a civil marriage and remain with your own beliefs.

@Candyapplesandhearts that's interesting to hear, esp about males and females being viewed equally. Your explanation of the view of gay sex is that it is sinful, this makes me worry of the relevance of a religion that can promote the view that being gay is wrong or sinful. Having the desire is OK but not acting on it. This screams conversion practices, homophobia and intolerance but I've thought philosophically that Islam seemed on paper tolerant. I'm not sure how this works in our society.

That was a for instance but the Islamic and Jewish stance I believe is that the notion of intermediaries muddies the waters of monotheism not that it’s a polytheistic religion