do you do this alot? is it easier in your case, now that non-Muslims and non-Pakistanis know you as a person, before they judge you by your country of origin and your faith?
does religion & original nationality come in your way now that you have a suppport group of non-Muslims as your genuine friends & well wishers?
if someone does not have non Muslims and non Pakistani friends, do you feel that you should have them as your friends or do you feel that they are going to be down letting your faith and country and therefore you do not need to make any friends from them?
how does having and not having friends from non Muslim, non Pakistani background makes a difference in your social and work lives?
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
when making friends i usually am only concerned about whether I like the person and we get along, even if we argue about many things. what race/religion they are and what race/religion their freinds are plays no role in becomign friends with them.
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
We have many non muslim friends. We have never had any issues regarding religion in the sense that there is always a mutual respect and understanding.
Of course we have muslim friends as well, but I think it is nice to meet people from every culture and religion so we are not as narrow minded and stereotypical in our thought process.
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
I do not have non-muslim friends here in Pakistan but I will tell you the experience of my brother who has recently gone to Canada for studies and I got his E-mail where he said that he is enjoying Ramadan there It is amazing how living among people with different faiths and beliefs makes you appreciate your own faith and way of life far more than usual. I think it doesn't make any difference whether you have muslim or non-muslim friends, they should good hearted humans, your frioends shuoldn't be harmful.
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
I don't have a set criteria or a picture in my mind of the type of people I'd like to befriend. I'm not a racist and I don't have a problem with befriending anyone regardless of their background. You could be a gora, kala, hara, neela, peela...no problemo. I might come across on the forums as a very serious man but I'm far from dat in real life and some GS members who have met me can vouch for me (hopefully with a lil bribe cough cough). :D
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
I havent kept in touch with any of my english friends from school or uni, but i have made several very good english friends thgoughout my working adult life, with whom i remain in contact with even tho we have all moved jobs several times.
Most of these friends have said to me that they didnt quite know what to make of me at the beginning bcos i was quiet and wore hijab, so they were scared to offend me with anything they said. But they said after a few weeks they realised i was a really nice funny person and boy i was LOUD!!!
I think it is definitely good to have non-muslim friends, we definitely should be integrating with the rest of the world, its not right to keep yourself holed up in your own little universe with the rest of the world thinking that u r alien and being afraid of u.
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
^ enlighten us?
i have found that while i can befriend non muslims it never goes beyond a fond cordial acquaintaince. there are too many lifestyle differences, like in eating out taking pains to find its halal,namaz time isnt interrupted or the environment is appropriate, (hooters),timing. that being said i have quite a few acquaintainces of varying backgrounds and i enjoy the company, given their is a mutual respect for each other's lifestyle. However in my experience it has never become a deep rooted relationship. but i am jsut starting my life independently so lets seehow it goes.
i have found that while i can befriend non muslims it never goes beyond a fond cordial acquaintaince. there are too many lifestyle differences, like in eating out taking pains to find its halal,namaz time isnt interrupted or the environment is appropriate, (hooters),timing. that being said i have quite a few acquaintainces of varying backgrounds and i enjoy the company, given their is a mutual respect for each other's lifestyle. However in my experience it has never become a deep rooted relationship. but i am jsut starting my life independently so lets seehow it goes.
I totally understand that, and i suppose thats why i can b very good friends with these people bcos they r understanding of the differences, so everyone compromises.
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
obviously there is nothing wrong in having friends from some other religion as far as u keep urself away from the bad things they do eg. alcohol, drugs and premarital sex and stuff.
ive got loads of white/black friends i also go out with em to eat and hang out but i have my own limits which they respect. and if they cant respect my limits, they can not by friends.
and now days i dont see much diffrent between muslim and non muslim friends cuz most of young muslims are following non muslims.
and one more thing. how could u impress someone from ur religion if u r not friend to em?
Re: Making friends of non-Muslim and non-Pakistani background
we have a fairly large circle of non muslim and non pakistani friends- we don't agree on everything in life/about life, but we respect each other's differences and backgrounds, and try to learn as much as we can from each other's perspectives.
i think its a must, especially if you live outside of pakistan or the middle east- closeting yourself off from other cultures is a pretty ignorant thing to do, IMHO, and definitely doesn't lead to a good example for future generations. but then, i'm not a parent yet, and the thought of being one and teaching my kids who they are in a society that mainly isn't like them, really freaks me out sometimes.