Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
I'm starting with the Muslim Women in the mirror
I'm asking her to change her ways
And no message could have been any clearer:
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change!
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
Madhanee -- Im sure it didnt. Perhaps we can bring up womens rights such as voting - we'll discuss Europe and not Arabia. :)
Seminole -- Misconceptions galore?
UTD -- You...nevermind.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
It truly boggles my mind that so called Islamic nations are looked down upon and Western countries are placed on a pedestal. Somehow Muslims are always to blame and this whole hate for the west comes up in every issue. I cant fathom why explanations are never considered.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
Hate for the west?
I think on both sides it is generalizations. After all most people, even if you are here for 4 years can't really know what America is like especially if the areas you are in are big cities and vacation spots. There is a lot more to it than that. Some of the culture here and the restrictions can make Muslims seem very liberal especially in the small towns.
So, I know I have to guess just by what my husband and his family tell me (and stories from South Asian families in this area), which is a mix of good and bad (and, let's be honest, a man's perspective in a tribal area) and what I read here. That is my conception of "the east" right now. It makes it more personable hearing from people actually living there, but all I can do is generalize.
It's the same as anyone else attempting to explain American values when they haven't grown up here or have grown up in a big city (where it is so different, I miss the small town), they can only go on the little they see and usually it is only the bad that makes an impression.
All cultures have positives and negatives. It just seems as though most people here on both sides are very quick to point out all the negative instead of looking at the positive.
I don't know two people who think that all muslims are bad (I used to know one, but she recently passed away, she was a German citizen working here) and I come in contact with hundreds of people daily. Most people tend to believe there is good and bad everywhere, unfortunately the bad you have proclaims loudly they are Muslim (not Pakistani, not Arabic, not a nation, but a religion) and people hear that.
I don't think Islaamic nations are looked down on. I don't think Western countries are put on a pedestal. I think here on this board we are just tired of everything bad being labeled as Western and everything good not.
Just as an example, a person not being rude or offensive, just assumed that I wouldn't know about being brought up in a town where everyone looks out for you as a child and once before another assumed that religious values and traditions were not a part of my upbringing because I was western and/or Catholic. As a child, I even had restrictions on color because it was too grown up (couldn't wear red, hair down, not up, no polish, no makeup, skirts halfway between ankles and knee, no going out unescorted, no dating until 16 and only in groups and monitored, girls and boys were seperated for gym and on and on).
Things aren't that different between East and West, but people like to jump on it with out knowledge to give them a false sense of superiority and a reason not to change.
Ummmm...... done :p :)
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
What religion comes to your mind when the word oppressed is uttered? Anyway I am quite aware of what you have said - I have lived here almost all of my life. Im not out to condemn anybody to hell, my only reason for posting here is to lessen the misconceptions related to my faith. Ive no interest in hating the west, I live here. Ive no interest in putting people down. I am tired of people all around me, especially on this forum going around with the ignorance when it comes to a religion.
There are flaws in people, there are no flaws in Islam itself. One would think that as adults we would realize so. However, obviously that is not the case.
Islam gives rights to Muslim women. And the most annoying issue that comes up with my interactions with non Muslims is this whole issue of women in the East being oppressed and not having any rights and how Islam is a backwards religion. This is a generalization of course. But almost everyone I meet has this perception of Islam. Thats its a mans religion. How nothing can apply now, because it was revealed hundreds of years ago.
Its about understanding each others values. Not forcing people to apply them to their lives. The people in the East have their own ways of life, the people here have their own. Just because we might not understand them, is not reason enough to ridicule the other person.
Again I think people in the West too often mix culture with the faith. Sad indeed.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
M_Q - I don't think people believe that Islaam is oppressing women, but more culture. I have to agree that most will label the oppression in the East as Islamic, but that is people who don't know better. Just like most would say the same thing about Catholicism. Religions don't oppress, they save us and give us strength and direction to deal with life and other people. All religions do.
Like I said up there, it is mostly to make themselves feel good that they bash, no other reason.
I wasn't criticising (at least I thought I wasn't, maybe some frustration crept in) but I was trying to say that yeah, people do that, on both sides.
Basically I agree, sounds like you're ranting along the same lines that I am :)
[QUOTE]
Again I think people in the West too often mix culture with the faith. Sad indeed
[/QUOTE]
Can you explain that statement?
And is there any more of an example of mixing culture and faith than in Pakistan (I only say this one because this is the only one I have knowledge about)?
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
I meant that people assume sometimes that cultural practices are Islamic practices.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
Oh, ok, I misunderstood, I agree :)
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
Yeah MQ, you should know that 90% of Islamic ritual are also Cultural.. Hajj was pre-Islam, so was Nimaz, and so is the dress code, polygamy, and male dominance, all of it has cultural roots. Mainly 7th century and earlier Arabian culture.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
So was trading, warfare, eating, drinking, marriage…
Were they also restricted only to Arabian culture?
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
No those rituals are universal..arabs copied them and put them in Islam. :)
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
Ahhhhhhh, so that’s where Microsoft got it’s ‘embrace and extend’ philosophy. Masha allah.
Re: Muslim Women in the Mirror
^ yeah it is an old buddhist virtue.
Following article is also interesting to read:
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/religion-scripture/41456-status-women-islam.html