hifz88's comments

Look Beyond the Headlines!

03 Nov 2007 06:36 AM

hi.im really glad i came across your website .i am 19 yr old indian muslim.although i dont live in america i cant definitely connect with the hatred outthere.thankfully in india we dont have such discrimination(at least i have never come across it.the thing is i live a very normal life we follow islam as much as possible -we cover our heads,dont date or drink alcohol. it never really was a issue because it was not our lifestyle or a part of indian culture.most indians dress pretty modestly and dating and alcoholism is looked down upon.so its not like an islamic thing here and i come very long extended family and community of muslims.so we have plenty of support base and our friends are pretty much like us.so wearing a headscarf doesnt get you the looks here. so whats the problem?well it started when i came across an anti-islam website that totally degraded islam and muslims.it had a profound impact on me.what with the medias portrayal of muslims as terrorists and islam as an oppressive religion i started questioning my faith which even though never faltered i was very upset about that seed of doubt.i was troubled by radical interpretations like wahabism and totally unislamic practices like circumcision of women in egypt,domestic violence and honor killings.although my life is pretty stable and im surrounded by my muslim brethrens who are not at all like that i started focussing on the negative.another concept was that being an fundementalist is bad which leads to the deeper implication that when islam is imbraced fully it leads to violence.my mind just couldnt accept that.i mean how can a religion be true if its impossible to practice? i couldnt understand how women could be prohibited to drive ,go out or work.i couldnt understand how any muslim who practiced this religion can commit heinous crimes and make despicable fatwas and statements(sheik hameed ali the chief mufti of australias comment onthe rape of women is a good example).i started wondering whether this religion will lead and propogate violence.even knowing that none of the muslims i knew were like that i couldnt help but feel confused.i started wonderin whether we were only happy because we didnt strictly practice it like how they do in saudi.well it went to the extent that i had to seek medical help.i realise now islam is not the problem(for it doesnt prohibiy women from working or going out or voting.a women can practice islam within its broad limits and acheive great things) but rather how the misogynistic power hungry men have used islam to suppress women and to exploit other human beings.we are only told that islam asks the women to obey men but everyone forgets the advice given to men-to compromise with women and to fullfill their wishes.where it says women to cover it also says advises not to use force to implement any personal obligations.repeatedly in the quran Allah says to be tolernat with the non-beleivers and not to use force to propogate religion.if force cant be used to even enforce faith(for Allah says if they beleive let them beleive and if they disbeleive let them disbeleive)how can the use of force be justified to implement something like the dress code?it is surely upto that individual to follow or not follow for no one is held responsible for anyone eles action.its because of people like bin-laden,saddam and stupid muftis the rest of us have to suffer.my non-muslims friends ask me whether i agree with al-quaeda.i try my best to explain to them that islam does not condone violence and thatwhat they are doing with their perverted notion of jihad is completely unislamic.i guess as muslims its our duty to set a good example and all these people who air their views in the name of islam(which are totally unislamic)should understand that it has a very big impact in how outsiders conceive our religion.if they want to hold misogynistic views why must they do it in the name of islam?and all those people who expess their discrimatory bigotted and hatefull views pls realise it might hurt other human beings to the extent of causing depression and anxiety.we are just normal people with normal aspirations and to leave in peace.im really glad there are ppl lik you out there who are talking about islam in a positive way and many non-muslims who understand that its not the religion rather a few people and their stupid actions thats the problem.