Non-Muslims: What are your views on Islam and why?

Question

(As a british muslim) Everytime i come on YA there's almost always ignorant views against Islam/muslims.
I don't know if its because people don't understand the religion, dont want to understand it, or are just plain numb in the head that they don't get anything, so i'd like to hear from non-muslims their views on Islam as a religion and why you have that opinion?

In response to "God" You can be British as it is a nationality and you can be Muslim as it is a religion they are two separate things.

In response to "Fatima" Muslims aren't very much ignorant of Christian views and i can generalise that as Islam is similiar to christianity so to deny the followers, to deny jesus, to deny some of the christian principles is to deny Islam too so maybe its just the muslims that you met that have been ignorant

In response to all muslims acting as terrorists, which religion hasnt? And these people don't shape the religion or society therefore they shouldn't be considered as examples of any religion or society.

Impeyian Link - I am sorry to hear about your experience with the muslims you have lived with. But as you know by the muslim that has helped you not all muslims are like that, so why has Islam recieved such a bad label in comparison to other religions which have also had some form of terrorism.

Don O - you misunderstand muslims believe in jesus christ too. We believe him as a significant prophet not the son of God.

Mathilda - Women are given equal rights in islam - equality does not necessarily mean identical. Thats what the west doesnt seem to understand. And well when it comes to people judging the prophey muhammad pbuh, without any sources your just stating speculation as its nots true according to the Quran and sunnah.
Terrorist events may have been carried but in what religion has it not? And is there not a reason behind these attacks and hell no is it to do with what the religion preaches because Islam prohibits that.

Answer 1

(As a British Christian) I first came into contact with Islam in my late teens and I found it very interesting, honestly the two faiths have more in common than that that separates them.
I know many Muslims and have encountered no problems that I would not have encountered had they been of any other faith.
I am particularly impressed with my Muslim friends attitudes and values to their faith and everyday life in general, so much so that I have studied Islam somewhat and found it inspirational and very much in keeping with my own beliefs.
In fact it is possible that sometime in the future I may convert, possible though maybe not probable, sometimes I feel altogether too English to give up bacon sandwiches and best bitter.
It is obvious to me that many of the attacks on Muslims and Islam are generated by ignorance and the prejudice this brings.

Answer 2

I respect all religions but the angry response that Islam receives is due to the fact that it seems to be all you hear about, and politicians seemed to be obsessed with the word Muslim, you would think that Muslim was a race instead of a religion.There used to be a time when you didn't know which religion someone belonged to , but SOME Muslims seemed to do nothing but shove it in our face all the time. In a nut shell it's in your face too much that's why people have had enough of it.

Answer 3

I feel it's more each to their own, as i feel with all religions.
It's the fanatics, who are basically murderers that use religion as their excuse to do so. unfortunately alot of these murderers claim to be muslim.

ultimately each religion believes the same thing, God created man. So i don't see why people bicker and fight, surely "God""Allah"etc wouldn't want us all killing his creations??? it's like sticking a fox in with a bunch of chickens.

At the end of the day Islam is supposed to mean peace right?? if you are not a muslim why would you look into the ins and outs of it??? so when you see these "muslims" causing 9/11 and the English train bombings we become less tolerant of so called "muslims".

i feel that if i was in a muslim country (Tunisia for examply) i would have more respect than what some muslims for the british. we build mosques,and they try to banish chrsitmas etc. would a muslim country build christians a church -I DON'T THINK SO! it's swings and roundabouts!

Answer 4

Good question. What I see is that Muslims came in a Cristian society and they do not care to understand, respect and follow the costumes of the Cristian society but isolate them self. With the excuse of the religion refuse to to integrate in the society. The Cristian do not care a sh...t if you are Muslim or not but cares when you do not follow the costume and you force your customs on us. I am not saying that the Cristian have no guilt but we are at home and our religion ( right or wrong) is Cristian you are a guest please do the guest. If a Cristian go in a Muslim land the Muslims want him/her to follow their customs why the Muslims do not follow the Cristian customs when they are in a Cristian country? The true is that we are very good with you but if that kindness was given back there were a better understanding on our very different cultures

Answer 5

The best way to understand Islam is to read about how it began, and about the actions of Muhammad and his followers at that time.

I have read a lot about this time, and it does not make very pleasant reading. It is not my idea of the religion of a loving God.
It seems to me that it is those Muslims who follow the religion the least who are the nicest and best people.

Sorry, but you wanted the truth.

I have always believed that the best way to understand any religion is to go back to its roots and to study the lives and actions of its founders. I would recommend that everyone does this. Then they will understand Islam, but probably not in the way you would wish.

Answer 6

The first thing you have to understand about islam is that the way you read the koran isn't always the way everyone reads the koran. there is no central "this is what it means" group, or head, of islam. There are those who want israel to exist and those that don't. Lets assume there are ten muslims in a room. The way I see it:

3 of the muslims like jews.
3 of the muslims have no opinion one way or another.
3 of the muslims don't really like jews.
1 wouldn't lose sleep if everything resembling a jew was destroyed.

the cia.gov site says the muslim population of the world is around 1.3 billion. a muslim site I went to has the population at around 1.6 billion. for the sake of ease lets say that its 1.45 billion. if my 10% holds, that means 145 million have anti-"good guy" tendancies.

if just 5% of them act on those tendancies, thats like 8 million bad guys that I have to worry about. thats about .5% of the total population.

my problem: there are members of this .5% at this very moment acting on their evil tendancies with no opposition, which means the remaining 99.5% of the population are either unable or unwilling to stop these evil acts. I do not believe the case could be made that they are unable, just look at my numbers (which, if grossly wrong, is another problem.) So they must be unwilling and so there must be reasons. I suppose fear of retaliation could be one, but I think it unlikely. More likely apathy and that makes me really uncomfortable.

Answer 7

Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I think it's very scary. I find all people who view religion as an absolute, very worrying. I have an open mind and am an agnostic. I do not really know whether or not there is a God, and neither does anyone else.

I find Islam particularly frightening because of the fact that children are raised in a culture which does not allow for any doubts. The most frightening thing about it is that people are not allowed to leave it without punishment.

A lot of Christians on this site also worry me because they are so sure that anyone who doubts is wrong. We are individuals and should be free to reach our own conclusions.

Islam seems to me to be like a closed shop trades union, in that you are forced to be in it if you want to be accepted by your family and community. I also believe that anyone who isn't a muslim is an infidel and is not worthy of life and must join the flock or die. I hope I am wrong in this.

I hope I have not offended you in any way as you paved the way for an honest answer.

Answer 8

Ignoring all terrorism and civil rights issues to do with Islam...

When I lived in London I met a lot of Muslim men. That's the reason I'm not keen on Islam. It produces misogynist hypocrites like the ones I kept meeting; the Lebanese in Marble Arch, Turkish in Hackney, and Pakistani in Stratford.

Whatever the Qu'ran tells them to do, the majority ain't doing it. They drink, gamble, chase women around (quite literally in my case) and acted like they were superior than me in some way, and why didn't I just shut up and get onto my back.

I also object to the perception of women as not being the equal to men in inheritance or testimony in court, and that we are weak minded and weak willed, and to being told that the majority of people in hell are women. Also, the idea that martyrs spend their after life being endlessly pleasured by fabulous houris just ridiculous, and offensive to women.

I also object to Mohammed seeming to condone the rape of female slaves captured in war, and slavery in general, that he consummated his marriage to a nine year old girl, and a whole bunch of other little bits and pieces that I've read in research.

Answer 9

My views are that muslims see God in a way as shaped by their culture. There are different ways that people show honor, and many ways that people do wrong. Muslims have what they believe to be the words of Allah, or God, and their views are shaped to that. No different than how a Christian views their God. Or how a pagan views the God/Goddess. Or how any religion tries to make sense of things that we can not see and may not understand. I give a bow to all who find the answers in a religion, and I give a bow to those who find their answers outside of religion. Just...don't take it out on others if they do not believe the same way as you (indirect statement...not you specifically).

Blessings in the Light of Christ!
~Embracing my Pangelism

Answer 10

I'm an Atheist. I don't have any faith but I do have an admiration for people that do, especially at the levels of dedication I see Muslims give to their religion.

I've no less (or more) time for Muslims than I do for any other religious follower.

Islam has a few "rules" I probably couldn't live with (no beer!!! I couldn't do it). The only thing I object to, and I'm sure other religions have something similar, is the Jihad - where everyone should be converted. I like being an Atheist and I feel good in the fact that I don't oppress anyone else's beliefs, so leave me to my own devices.

Answer 11

most religions have learned from past experiences that acting/being 'terrorist like' doesn't do or achieve anything.

i don't understand the religion; i can't get my head around the fact that the husbands OWN their wives. I am not property; I am a living breathing soul who has HUMAN RIGHTS. - unlike muslim women.