What's your view of Islam when you see things like this?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7112929.stm

Miss Xmas - I didnt express an opinion. I was merely trying to gauge how the media influences peoples views. I wasnt categorising anyone!

Answer 1

these people are sick. Why do the MAKE you believe the way the do in the first place. Sorry, but that teacher is a fool for being over there with them weirdos in the first place

Answer 2

Events like this make Islam look really bad.
I don't know, but I suspect this incident has political implications that weren't mentioned. Somebody doesn't want these children educated, somebody doesn't want women teaching boys or Westerners teaching Sudanese, or some such thing.
And it's likely that somebody deliberately distorted the teacher's actions in order to make them sound offensive.
The "offense" was "making an image of Mohammed." Pictures and statues of Mohammed the Prophet are forbidden by most Muslim groups. I don't think this extends to making images of other men and boys named Mohammed, however; I've seen lots of pictures of people named Mohammed. So why not a doll named Mohammed? It's not an image of the Prophet, it's just named Mohammed. Huh.
I can think of a similar misunderstanding that could happen with Christans. Spanish speakers commonly name their children Jesus, whereas English speakers consider the name Jesus as sacred to the Savior. What would happen if a group of Hispanic children, in the middle of an English speaking society that didn't know about this, were to name a teddy bear Jesus? Maybe somebody would get offended. [In the US, English speakers actually know that Jesus is a regular Spanish name and don't get upset, but still don't use it in English, a common sense approach to the cultural difference.] Even if somebody got offended, I can't imagine anybody suggesting jail time or, for goodness' sake, lashes!
P.S. As I suspected, there is an ulterior motive for persecuting this teacher. The school has a dispute with the government over taxes. This is the corrupt Sudanese way of punishing the school.

Answer 3

I've been buying and reading books on Islam for years so I don't have to depend on the media for my opinion. The news about that teacher doesn't take me by surprise, it's a complete common situation. Nothing else can be expected from a group of people that hiding behind their religion, preach hate and act on it every day. They know that most of their followers are plain illiterates that cannot and will not question their extreme and pathetic lack of common sense.

Answer 4

I think it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It's a teddy and the kids named it themselves. They're are plenty of men from the Islamic faith called "Muhammad" so why not a teddy bear?
It also says she was trying to put a face to the prophet Muhammad but is clearly stupid because the teddy was not called or shown to be the prophet.
It's just a name. I think they should get over it.

Answer 5

Shame feel sorry for the teacher, think it is ridiculous, but hopefully the Brittish Government will intervene ............. hope they withdraw all Brittish teachers from there. . . it is not worth the risk teaching English to Sudanese children. I just feel sorry for the other non fanatic Muslims, because they are propably too scared to voice their support for the Teacher and I bet you there are a lot of the latter. There are Zealots in all religions.

Answer 6

The same as before: That they are, overall, very touchy people.

It's not just this one media report - I've encountered Muslims and made a joke or two here and there, and they get all p!ssed off at jokes about their religion or anything they consider to be affronts to their sensibilities.

I think a lot of Muslims can be hypersensitive.

Answer 7

Its a backward religion ruled by mob rule and tribal law that should have dissapeared in the dark ages. For anyone who thumbs me down, try doing a bit of travelling to India or the middle east like I have and then see what you think.

Answer 8

Well, I mean - what can you say ......?

It beggers belief, after all the name Muhammed is a common name for Muslim men (like John and David etc. is here). Now if they had named it Allah that might be a different matter. That might be a sufficiently good reason to throw an innocent woman into prison.

I am going to get myself a teddy bear and I am going to name it Muhammed, and I would like to see what they are going to do about it!!

Answer 9

This was an intelligent mature woman . When will people learn the rest of the world is not the UK.Their attitude is just cultural imperialism. Different country, different rules. If you don't like it, don't travel.

Answer 10

Lousy product of an outdated religion. Just shows that stupidity is not the monopoly of any one race or creed.