A question for Muslims who feel they need to conform to perceived expectations

diwana · November 26, 2013, 4:39am

Re: A question for Muslims who feel they need to conform to perceived expectations

Did not mean to talk about customs. It was about those activities which have religious or anti-religious basis.

No diea if mehndi is blasphemous. Basant does have religious basis and if followed or celebrated by Muslims, then it means they are going against their religious teaching.

The Question Game

**For example perhaps no one from another faith or religion sitting on same table eating dinner may not talk to them? **

This would be more of a south Asian perspective. As for us, born and raised in the west, we treat people sitting on the same table as ordinary humans instead of seeing them as God gifted, cherubic creatures. I could care less if someone doesn’t feel the need to talk to me. We don’t go around dying to speak to someone just because they’re Caucasian / Christian.

5- Is this a sign of slave mentality?

No this is a sign of proper etiquette and perhaps some assimilation. Do you really want to know what slave mentality is? People wearing skin tight jeans in a culture where salwar kameez is a national dress code.

As I’ve stated in another thread, I only give holiday gifts to important who are very well aware of my religious affiliation. They return the favor on Eid. This is an acceptance for one another as we are a part of the same society. **Some people, despite of living, progressing, benefiting from a nation, remain rigid enough to take derisory details of a society and label them injurious to their own faith. This breed might as well ship themselves back to the country they came from. **

Before raising such belligerent questions, people must realize that we are a minority in the West, and our inflexibility would successfully increase the revulsion of non Muslims against us. We are not conforming, but moderately assimilating and trying to be part of a society like any other minority generation, in any other country would. Oh wait, now I happen to be consulting the same set of meticulous desiz who treat their minorities like pieces of candy wrappers.

So what is it that you expect Muslims to do? Sit in a box and lock ourselves out of the entire western society? It is** natural** to incorporate towards a culture in which you’ve been involved for a long period of time. There’s much more to Islam apart from being dispatched to Hell merely for exchanging gifts for the purpose of fraternity. Why don’t you inquire Hinduism derived customs that persist in Pakistan today? The truth is, everybody finds it much easier to target Muslims abroad. These detractors **mimic **the western customs to their utmost potential only to later criticize Western Muslims for the same reason – merely seeking religious superiority complex after using conformity as an excuse in an attempt to degrade Muslims abroad.

As an end note, most Muslim families living abroad are probably superior Muslims as compared to those who denounce them, because living in a western country has taught us to develop self restraint and **willpower **as we have given up on so many things, at the same time having very little to choose from. And this sort of sanctimonious, critical nonsense is the last thing we opt for.

P.S. Don’t take it personally Diwana, I’m speaking to a general group of people.

Just because Muslims are minority in “west”, does not mean then have to act exactly same as majority non-Muslims.

When was the last time a Non-Muslim asked minority non-Muslim to get assimilated, copy them, or follow their religious acts?

Non-Muslims when living in majority Muslim countries are not forced to follow Muslim festivals and nor do they follow Muslim holidays.

It is Muslims who are hell bent on and find excuses to follow Non-Muslim religious or any other anti-religious festivals.
No idea why.

There is no real thing as following “proper ettiquate” when it contradicts religious belief.

Culture is not superior to religion.

You have wrong idea of being assimilated. There is a difference in being assimilated and becoming like others…by actions.

Muslims do not get brownie points in following those religious celebrations.
All they do is make them feel better they they are part of a larger crowd.

Absolutely!

“Some Muslims” do put Christmas lights and Christmas tree in their houses and invite others with proud feeling. Yes they do.

Jews do not follow Christians holidays and Christians do not follow Jews Holidays. None of these two follow Hindu or Muslims religious days, but odd enough, some Muslims jump up and down to follow others religious based holidays in the name of being assimilated!!!