If I go to Iraq and get kidnapped by Muslims...?

Question

if I know all about the Muslim religion and pretend to be Muslim will they let me go? I might end up in Iraq with my job and I'm wondering if I should study up on Islam just to be safe. Thanks.

Answer 1

i had a similar situation. some of the people that have already answered the question don't seem to understand how fanatic some muslims are about their religion. it is not like the west where most people go to church on holidays and call themselves 'religious'. for most muslims in muslim countries islam is deeply rooted in their culture. you will see when you go to iraq.

yes, study up but you dont need to memorize the quaran backwards and forwards or anything. more importantly learn their CUSTOMS because you will need to do what they do , (reading quaran, going to mosque, daily prayer etc. ) or at least pretend that you do it.

you can pretend but it will only get you so far. eventually depending on your situation and circumstance you may need to present paperwork to people to prove your identity. if any of your paperwork indicates you are not a muslim, they will know. so if this is going to be a long term stay (ie. years) you may want to actually go through the trouble of changing the paperwork to indicate that you are a muslim.

if you ever think your life may be in danger by all means pretend pretend pretend. don't listen to any of the idiots that are critizing you and calling you names. they don't seem to get your concern.

Answer 2

The worse thing is for them to find out that you have "pretended" to be a Muslim. I would not "pretend" anything.

If you think your actions or your big mouth may get you in big trouble, don't go to Iraq.

Another option is to study up on how to speak Arabic and be genuine in your interest to learn the language and the culture while you are there. You don't need to focus on the religion until you begin to develop an open mind, which I don't see that you have based on your question... :)

Answer 3

These extremists are not really Muslim. They are crazy nut jobs that are hijacking the religion. I am a christian and I can see this. So studying the Koran will get you nowhere. Other then the fact you might get along with the people. But if you get kidnapped by the terrorists. Then they may behead (kill you) you just for being American. Or whatever.

Oh. By the way. No. The answer is no. It will not save you.

Answer 4

1. If you're a Christian: Then you should be honest about what you believe in no matter what the threat.

2. If you are not a Christian: Then by all means, go ahead. They might spare you.

3. If you are an American soldier and it's the war that is causing you to end up in Iraq, I don't think you have much of a chance of living.
God bless you, I hope you don't end up in Iraq.

Answer 5

If you're moving to Iraq it definitely wouldn't hurt to read up on the culture. You'll be living amongst Muslims, so knowing about their religion and culture will give you a better understanding of the people.
...since you're moving there you should research the people, language, religion, etc... Just like if you were moving to France, you'd probably want to learn at least a little French before you got there.

Answer 6

Do not go to Iraq because it is mainly Muslims who are dying there. So even if you learn something about Islam and pretend to be Muslim and then you get kidnapped you still have to guess if you have to pretend to be Shiite or Sunni, so they will not kill you.

But I do not see anything wrong in studying Islam anyway. You might come one step closer to understanding Muslims and not rely on media for shaping your opinions about Islam and Muslim world.

Good luck.

Answer 7

It all depends on what you are going to Iraq for. If you are going for the government you will have other people with you that are the same way as you. If you are going for something else I wouldn't go because some bad things could happen but they could happen either way. You should study not there beliefs but how to approach them and what not to do to them. How there religion is and what not. Just like if you go into a room or something and there are alot of them there , lets say you have a glass of water just for instance you need to ask each one of them if they would like a drink first even though they might not want it still ask it is respect for them same thing if you smoke offer them a cigg if your going to smoke one etc.......

Answer 8

They have been known to let people go for "converting". Just depends on the batch of people who do the kidnapping.
I would study Islam if for no other reason than the fact that you will be around Muslims, so that you get the feel of the people and culture and what they believe.
Good luck either way.

Answer 9

That would be hard to pull off. Isn't it the other Muslims they are killing? It is two groups of Muslims or more fighting.
So what if you said I am Shiite and it was Sunni who captured you. Or you said I follow Hammas and it was Fatah.
Just like learning the difference between Catholic and Protestant.
You could fake crazy, going over there shouldn't be much of a stretch. They won't kill crazy people, I think it is against their religion.

Answer 10

umm...if you're going there, there isn't really anything i or anyone can tell you to help. studying islam will not really help because they do not follow the religion correctly when they are kidnapping random people. trust me, there is nowhere in the Quran that says anythign like that. but people do what they want and justify their actions by saying its islam. they're wrong. i haven't been there myself and dont know anymore about them than you do. i guess if you end up having to go its better to have some knowledge about their customs and lifestyles...and i agree that if you are seriously worried that you shouldn't go..