AIBU - Understanding Islam

[peggypatch99]

Hello All, first post (lurker of years and years).

I watched the concert last night, very emotional and tears shed, but afterwards I have felt myself become so angry, and I am not sure at what exactly, the world? Terrorists? The Government?

So I wanted to educate myself better and understand more about Islam in the west, how we are perceived and what life is like for Muslim's - I see posts on facebook and sometimes I agree but without knowing the ins and outs, which led me to trying to understand the muslim way of life and separate muslims from Islamic radicals - some people seem to put these in the same category despite the fact the IRA did not represent the Irish Catholic community as a whole.

However I looked at a Muslim forum, and to be honest I was shocked and upset at how we in Britain are perceived.

The forum (I appreciate not all Muslims will think in this manner) seeks to demonstrate how as women we must be completely submissive, if we are not men are allowed to strike us. There are conversations about how we are unclean unless we have undergone FGM, how in Britain we need to be taught that there is only one god, how homosexuality is wrong and people should be punished.

I wondered if perhaps Muslim ladies would share their thoughts on the forum, as this is giving me a distressing understanding of the religion, when I thought that Islam was a peaceful religion - but striking wives, withholding sex - or punishing and sleeping with other women, seems to be encouraged.

(This is advise given to a husband)
Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

I am probably coming across as not very educated on the matter, and that is true, but would be interested in what Mumsnet think of this forum and whether forums like this are perhaps clouding our judgement of the religion as a whole.

I am Christian and can't say I visit Christian forums as there are always those who take scripture and amend the meaning for their own aim.

Here is the forum:
www.ummah.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?158-Marriage

Thank you, please note I am not a troll, I am someone wanting to learn better and understand. I think part of the problem is that without being educated properly it leads to incorrect thoughts and feelings which are very raw post attacks.

BeeThirtythree, StatelessPrincess, bringmesunshinetoo and all of you who have commented in a positive way thank you for your replies... there are defiantly some comments that I can read to my DD for further discussion.

^StatelessPrincess
To say that this incident could feed Islamophobia, hate and racism does seem like a massive overreaction^ ...
Not really, my DD is 15 now some of her friends 16- in light of recent events DD's primary school experience is part of the discussion. It has left an impression that is very difficult to counter act.

To the members who appreciates my post, thank you for taking the time to read it. It's not all rosy rosy; we have had our fair share of internal battles with our conscious and family compromises to make. But overall, I do feel content with my life and if anything, I wish to become more closer to Allah through submission to Him as it gives me an inner peace like nothing I can explain. As a Muslim, everything is a blessing; good times are moments to be grateful and appreciate Allah's favour and bounty, and the bad times are moments of patience and opportunities to becomes closer to Allah by conducting ourselves justly and in accordance to His will and hoping for reward in exchange. I think this balance of acceptance and submission to the will of Allah gives way to a contented lifestyle.

May peace be with you all. x

Luloo i totally agree, the majority of muslims are peaceful but that doesn't change the fact that it is still the most violent of religions.

For you to think it is all about violence and war and killing and murder means you actually have more in common with Isis than us real Muslims. You believe what they believe
This^ I need a stand up and applaud emoji

lavenderhue that's quite contradictory. Surely you judge by the majority and not the minority. Unless that implies that most Muslims are unable to understand their own faith and it's only the violent few, that also incidentally flout every other rule in Islam who are able to understand it.

Are we sure about that lavender? Are we not discounting things like air strikes by western countries in the middle east? Not discounting deaths caused by those countries wreaking havoc in Syria and Libya in 'defence' of western economic interests?

These are things that "Christian" based countries do. And much more. These "Christian" countries currently and historically are ruthless in their actions. To say Islam is the most violent religion is fairly myopic and ignores swathes of violent activity.

One could even look at Israel and speculate on the numbers of deaths caused by that state per head of population it may well top the violence charts..

Pannn

This. Ten times over.

Thank you.

Ylvamoon Sorry but I stand by what I said. It was unfortunate what happened to your daughter and I think the mosque gave a bad impression. But I still feel it's a disproportionate reaction to something that seemed to be caused by bad organisation and I think it's a shame you and your daughter can't see past it.
Sprinkles I have recently realised that a lot of non Muslims actually really do think we don't understand our own faith. What I can't understand is why!

Loved that link to the "inclusive mosque" site where Friday prayers are held and open to Muslims and people of other faiths and none.

This is what we need to be encouraging across all faiths.

Inclusive and welcoming services.

Stateless good question to ask those who post inflammatory posts about Islam, get responses but then disappear into thin air, just to be replaced by new people making the same accusations.

One could also boringly go on about the Christian country that gave us two atomic bombs, The Spanish Inquisition, the supression of Liberation Theology in South America, the death and violence of empire building in India and Africa be they British, German, French or Dutch Christians.
The list is unfortunatly endless.

Islam has it;s problems re violence but to say it;s the most violent is open to debate.

Luloo sounds like you have a nice family there. But that's not Islam. I'm sorry. My husband is half Afghan and his family are practicing muslims. We all get on great and love them dearly.
But what they practice isn't true Islam either.
The Quran is very specific.

Sharia law comes from a combination of sources including the Qur'an (the Muslim holy book), the Hadith (sayings and conduct of the prophet Muhammad) and fatwas (the rulings of Islamic scholars).
It's not scaremongering it's part of Islam.

User please elaborate? Luloo's life is similar to mine and I would say I am living my life according to the Quran. I have room for improvement obviously, I'm no angel but I do try my best.

The 5 pillars of Islam really aren't that complicated

• belief in one Allah and Muhammad as the last Prophet,

• fasting the month of Ramadan
• Zakat (charity - 2.5% of earnings/savings to be given each year),

-5 daily prayers -hajj (pilgrimage).

User have you studied Islam in depth? Have you read the whole Qur'an and a large number of Hadith? So offensive telling a Muslim that their peaceful faith is not true. Suppose they should either abandon their faith or join an extremist group.

Luloo, please ignore the comments above. Your life as a Muslim family sounds lovely, inspirational and certainly Islamic. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. We are a young Muslim family and it was inspirational to see what is achievable after a few years.

Interesting thread (though I have only read first page up to now!)

I think alot of us want to know a little more about Islam these days & it'll be interesting to read this thread properly.

Can I ask a question? The more I read about Muhammed, the more worried I get. The things he said/did were truly horrific. Does the Islamic faith revere him?

I also had a look over this & it opened my eyes. I would NEVER have believed for one moment that more than 100,000 British Muslims sympathise with terrorists?!

www.gatestoneinstitute.org/7861/british-muslims-survey

Half of all British muslims think homosexuality should be banned, so the lovely families must be the other half i presume.

Why is it offensive to give my point of view?
Most muslims obviously practice the peaceful Qur’anic verses that were revealed in Mecca. What I'm saying is that Shariah is true Islamic religious law.

As you've mentioned user, sharia law unlike the Qur'an and Hadith, includes fatwa. Which is added in by any faith scholar. Who verifies those sharia law making scholars? No one. Daesh claim to implement sharia law yet most of it is their own 'fatwa'. If other Muslims can disprove 'sharia' laws using qur'an and Hadith then its safe to assume it's not sharia law. Nitpicking teachings and making them sharia law is utterly wrong and does not constitute of true sharia law.

Village fete what have you read about Prophet Muhammad and where have you got the info from?

VillageFete I'm sure many others will agree with me when I say that the British Muslim community has huge issues to deal with. We need to get out there, educate those who hold misaligned views, including the 4% of Muslims. What I personally do say, people who actively misrepresent Islam and tell the many peaceful, practising Muslims that they cannot be right about their faith, make it a lot harder. Despite us providing evidence for our beliefs which are comprehensive. Yet that one line that extremists use to further their cause is of course the truth.

The issues British Muslims face are hugely cultural. We as Muslims have a responsibility of tackling it. Because Islam does not allow for banning homosexuality. It doesn't permit it for a believer in Islam just like any of the major religions don't. Remember The Qur'an says 'no compulsion in religion.' It certainly does not allow us to sympathise with mindless killers, especially in the name of God.

One of the more interesting aspects of faith I find is the response to people who leave it.

The Council of Ex-Muslims UK highlights the number of young people who were Muslims who leave and are threatened with death for apostasy. Many Muslim countries have leaving Islam as a criminal offence.

Another interesting aspect is who claims to be a person of a faith. What did they go through to be that person of faith. Its amazing how many Muslims with very extreme views are still considered Muslims but the peaceful Ahmadiyya Muslims are hunted by other Muslims because of a theological dispute.

I find all faiths odd to be honest. History shows us that religions go through periods of violence. Christianity did it. Hindus have done it. But religion is also weak in the face of people who want to use it for violence. We see it with Islam just now but previous examples include Shinto which was used by the Japanese state militarism.

All religious change are humans change (which I why I believe they are all made up by humans for controlling humans) so we need to see what the next iteration of Islam (all strands will be). The 20th century, with the rise of Wahhabism for example, has shown that the next iterations may not be very pleasant at all.

OP, I don't think you are sincere

Not do I. When I asked my Muslim husband of a 36 years before we separate what FGM was he didn't know.

VillageFete I don't know of a single horrific thing Muhammad pbuh said or did and I've been learning about him since I was a small child. If I knew of even just one I honestly wouldn't be Muslim. There are a huge amount of lies about Muhammad pbuh and Islam in books and on the internet, there are hundreds if not thousands of websites dedicated to slandering our religion.

User Would you like us all to become terrorists to prove your point?! What makes you qualified to say what is true Islam and what isn't? I'm fascinated to know.