islam and america?

Question

I am a born Muslim, and come from the Balkans. Over time, I have started to read many books, and talk to many people, and have decided to not associate myself with any one particular religion for personal reasons. I simply have too much of an open mind. But let it be known that I respect all those and all religions in this world. Although independent, I am very proud of my ancestry, and who my family is and what they stand for. After 9/11, I have started to realize that American hatred for Islam is constantly increasing. I don't understand this mindset that one can put themselves in. There are some people that "dirty" a religion, I admit. But, how can someone be so naive and automatically believe that the whole entire religion is evil, and must be nonexistent? I see this hatred growing every single day, especially in the United States. My question to all of you that hold these negative thoughts about Islam is: What is it that you dislike about it?

Answer 1

Well I'm a revert to Islam and a woman. I've been called a terrorist on plenty of occasions and an embarrassment to the USA. I think it has to do with the USA Government thinks that anyone who isn't like them is a "enemy" and that certain born again Christians are on a quest to forcefully convert people to their faith out of fear so they can say Christianity is the biggest religion in the world. The media causes much of the fear in Americans and Europeans about Islam because the media like CNN and Fox News and ABC which are owned and run by Jews only shows lies to get more ratings and more money. Broadcasting real Muslims who speak out against terrorism and idiots like Al Queda who the CIA did train by the way wouldn't bring the news stations a lot of ratings and money. Sadly the thing is many Western people in Europe and America listen to the news and don't bother to go and talk to Muslims in their communities and read reliable books on Muslims written by real Muslims not those fake people that the news channels like CNN and Fox News pay to pretend they were Muslims. If people would quit believing everything they see on the news and use their brains that God gave them and actually think then they might be more tolerant of Muslims and Islam but until that happens there is going to be racism, prejudice, and ignorance about Muslims and Islam.

Answer 2

I believe it is easier for Muslims to practice a true Islam in America that is untainted by cultural influence and forced beliefs. Various Islamic countries seem to have various pockets of interpretations of Islam and tend to become narrow minded and a bit self-righteous about their own brand of the faith. The beauty of America is one has the freedom to search for the Islam which is most pure to them. Also, we are guaranteed certain rights and freedoms in America that allow us to explore our spiritual options. I believe America is the best place to be and all Muslims have to do to defend Islam against American corruption is just be good Americans while being good Muslims. There is nothing inherently anti-Islamic about America. The real enemies are those who wish to impose anti-Islamic propaganda on the masses and who else is this but the Almighty Media. Therefore, America actually challenges Muslims to be better Muslims by standing up for their rights (as they will not be denied if they stand up for them) and take advantage of the freedoms America has to offer. I think the next biggest hurdle Muslims need to conquer on an intellectual level is the media, especially the news media and Hollywood. God willing, this will happen by those who are worthy of representing the true Islam, not a water-downed or extreme Islamic ideal.

Answer 3

I've thought about it too. But I did find reasons to dislike Islam:

Just read the Quaran, it does promote hate against non-believers, Muhammad was highly superstitious, and many of his teachings don't seem to be helping people get better.
The worst thing is that muslims deny all this and call people liers, but you can quote and quote passages from the quoran and they deny it or make excuses.

It is actually believed that the so called extremist we fear a lot, are actually people who take the teachings of the Quaran as they are written.

I agree most muslims are not terrorist, but this is because even though they believe in their religion their logic tells them that killing is bad for example, and so they are the ones who missinterpret the teaching of the Quaran for good.

I have had good muslims trying to become my friends, and it is so hard, because they try to integrate you to Islam instead of them integrating to the local culture, and they do bizzarre stuff since Islam is full of superstision. I also think this people have tendency to "snap" easier than most people, thanks to their religion being so controlling.

I have seen them in action, non terrorist, and I can tell they still do bad stuff, I lived in France and I noticed for example that lingerie advertisement were distroyed in places near muslim neightborhoods, I saw them in action, breaking the glass, and tearing the posters in half. Those advertisements cost money and are perfectly legal. And it is an example of how they do not adapt and cause problems.

Finally is not pleasant to hear that Jesus wasn't crucified and the fact that they say the bible and new testaments are fake or corrupted while this self proclaimed prophet muhammed is full of evidence of being fake, historically and in the Quaran itself. Substituing the good teachings of Jesus by the teachings of someone a bit crazy.

Answer 4

First of all. I represent no religion.

From where I stand, it seems the root of the hatred stem from the direct confrontation to Christian belief with regards to Christ. There's a significant difference( on the issue of Christ) that downplays the role of Christ in Christianity. To name few: Islam, in direct confrontation to Christians, claims Christ is a prophet. Islam denies the crucifixion and the Resurrection. These two are the central faith of Christian belief. Other religions never talk or deal with issues against other religion handing out "new version" of truth against the established one. Islam seems have this grand conspiracy to sow confusion on Christian's faith in the messiah.

Other view, perhaps, is the misunderstanding of religion outside Islam or the followers of Islam itself that bred extremist on a killing rampage. The words such as infidels is really bringing uneasy situation for Christians.

9/11 just provided the venue for this hatred, whether imagine or real, to come out in the open. I can imagine the pain 9/11 has brought to the pride of America( mostly Christians). The government took advantage of the sentiments. So hardly the citizens are doing anything to prevent a war the American government has on rouge Islamic countries. American Government enjoys a tacit approval from the American public especially after the 9/11 attack against civilians.

And so there's a grain of truth that religion causes many wars
in the history of manking than any other reasons.

Answer 5

I have also noticed more open animosity from Americans (especially Christian Americans) towards Muslims in recent years.
Two reasons: first, 9/11, which was simply terrorism in the cloak of Islam. Unfortunately, not enough so-called "moderates" denounced the event as quickly or as vociferously as might have helped.

Second reason is a general tendency within the American
zeitgeist to believe "we're right" and everyone else is, well, everyone else. It is a neo-colonial holier-than-thou attitude that comes because American foreign policy is arrogantly led, and it smacks of racism, colonialism, and -- dare I say it-- militant Christianity.

It's a long, sad story...

Answer 6

I had no particular view on Islam until about six months ago, when I started learning something about the life of Muhammad. The more I learnt the more disgusted I became, and the more I realised that he was a fraud and his religion was nothing more than a way of manipulating people's minds.

Look at the history of Islam since the death of Muhammad. Can you honestly say it is an honourable history? Nothing but bloodshed, repression and cruelty. A dog could have come up with a more sensible way of life.

EDIT:

Just read muslim-doctors response below. He seems to think that those mulsims who have parties with music and dancing, and who do not stick rigidly to the dress-code, are the same ones who give Islam a bad name by beating their wives and going on suicide-bombing missions. This is so obviously false that even the person who wrote it, deluded as he is, should be able to recognise its untruth.

Answer 7

I understand that not all Muslims are terrorists. I do not hate Muslims. I fear them. Not because of the 9/11 attacks but because the ideals clash with mine. There are radicals out there with every religion and I am afraid that a group of Muslims will succeed in forcing me to become Muslim myself. I do not agree with the role women play in a Muslim community. I have tried so hard to understand and see it from a different perspective but I can't. When I tell people what I have come to understand about Islam and I challenge them to change my mind, they call me ignorant. I have read a lot about how women are oppressed and even read quotes from the Koran that were sent to me by people defending the religion and it seems like it is reinforcing my beliefs about Islam.

Answer 8

A repeated scene is that of a Muslim having a discussion with a non-Muslim and trying to explain that Muslims are not terrorists, Muslims are not wife-beaters, that these actions are the deeds of a few which are then unjustly imposed on the whole Muslim population. But if the whole Muslim population had presented themselves in an Islamic manner in the first place, the reputation of a Muslim would be far too virtuous to allow the misdeeds of a few to tarnish the image of the whole Muslim world. But Muslims generally do not present Islamic values, they present Muslim values; and the difference between these two can sometimes be as vivid as night and day.

What do I mean by Islamic values and Muslim values? Islamic values are those that are set out in the Quran and the practice of the noble Messenger, Muhammad (S). Muslim values are those that are created as part of the culture of the Muslim communities. These include the day-to-day interaction between the Muslims and their outlook on Islam's rules and regulations. The difference is that Islam is perfect and pure, while the values formulated by the Muslims may or may not be in accordance with Islam. The detriment that arises from this is that many times precedence is given to the Muslim values over the Islamic values.

This is not to say that Muslims do not care about Islam, they care for and love Islam deeply, they have concern for their children's Islamic upbringing and the welfare of the Muslims all over the world. But what happens is that certain practices become common among them and their mentalities are set on justifying these practices instead of accepting the Islamic rulings on such things. They become a part of the Muslim culture and mentality, and so it becomes difficult to try to explain to them that Islam forbids such things. Because of this transformation in mentality, the average person in such a community will be hostile to someone bringing Islamic rulings forbidding things such as music and dancing and enforcing things like hijab and modest conduct. Having gatherings and parties that center around music and dancing, and removal of the hijab and modest conduct have become common among many Muslims, and so they constitute what we have called Muslim values, as opposed to the Islamic values.

The Muslim values are caused by a relaxation on the enforcement of Islamic laws. The Islamic values, principles, and priorities are contained within these laws. Prayer, fasting, charity, hajj, hijab, modesty, being kind to others, giving parents their due rights, emphasizing the importance of marriage, attending the Islamic centers and masjids, gaining knowledge, all of these are designed to build spiritually healthy individuals and a spiritually healthy society. When the performance of these actions is relaxed then a void is created that is receptive for outside and often unIslamic ideals.

When there is relaxation then a distorted concept of freedom is adopted, it gives the Muslims the courage to challenge the Islamic laws and present their own philosophy as to why following the laws is not necessary. They make excuses to oppose the laws and create their own, when the Quran has clearly said,

And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying. (Al-Ahzab, 33:36)

An understanding has to be conveyed that the Muslim communities will only thrive if they adhere to the principles of Islam. The concept of Islam that the non-Muslims have is directly related to the actions of the Muslim communities, because the majority of them will not go out and research about Islam, they will make their judgments based on what they see the Muslims doing. So it is not surprising for them to think that Muslims drink alcohol, that they eat pork and haram food, they listen to music, dance, go to discos and nightclubs, engage in promiscuous relationships, and many other things that a Muslim should not be doing. On the flip side, it is not surprising for them to be ignorant of the fact that a Muslim is supposed to pray at least five times a day, he/she has to fast during Ramadhan, go to Hajj once in a lifetime, abstain from cursing and abusive language, abstain from backbiting, go to masjid on Fridays for jum'a prayer, read Quran, and other basic obligations that a Muslim has.

The result is that a distorted image of Islam, the pure and perfect religion, is presented to them, and in response the Muslims try to say that it is a few Muslims ruining it for the rest of them. But this is not the case, the responsibility lies with the majority of the Muslims who themselves are not acting Islamically. Yes, it is true that the terrorists are few, and that the equation of a Muslim with a terrorist is wrong and unjust. But this is an isolated incident, and in general it is the majority of the Muslims ruining things for themselves. This can only be corrected by starting at the root of the problem, the Muslim family and attendance in the Islamic centers. If the parents are consistent in teaching their children and are themselves consistent in practicing Islam, and if the entire family attends the Islamic centers on a regular basis, then we will see an amazing transformation in the conduct of the Muslims, as individuals and as communities. Then when the non-Muslims look to the actions of the Muslims they will actually learn about Islam, and will not have to worry about whether or not what they are seeing is Islam.

As Muslims, we have to strive to make our Muslim values the same as our Islamic values. Only then can we truly be considered believers.

Answer 9

i myself, as a muslim teenager in usa do face alot of racism and this stearotyping that ur talking about, but im kinda used to it anyway, i blame the media for this, 1/3 of the info. that an american gets which shapes they way he thinks of people is the media, alot of times, especially on tv chanels as CNN or FOX News, have u ever noticed? even the bad guys in a show like CSI are shown to be muslims, often people hear lies from others about Islam and think Islam is just a violent cult, but others, do get their info from reliable sources, and those are the kinds of people we need


oh by the way, i really recommend the video Omer posted, plz watch it

Answer 10

Personally, my negative feelings lean towards the Islamic fundamentalists. Their views are radical, they speak out violently against people with different views (particularly against Americans), and frankly one look at Islamic law is enough to make anyone weary of any involvement in that religion. I find it sexist that women are forced to cover up in many countries, and while I respect women's rights to choose to cover up where they have the liberty to do so, I frankly could never understand why one would want to. Also in America there has recently been a huge surge in outcries for Muslim's rights with regard to breaks for religious practices, a demand for footbaths, etc. No other religion in this country seems quite so demanding. As a Catholic, my public displays of faith are quashed by seperation of curch and state, yet American Muslims demand that their religion be treated differently. Obviously that makes me angry as I hold all people's beliefs, even my own, on an equal level, no one person's beliefs better than the other.