Re: Perception of identity changed when I visited Pakistan.
All said and done, why you want to disown your relatives and cousins then?
Are you saying they are not muslims.................... or they are not" good enough muslims"that you would rather not visit them?
People visit relatives not because they may or may not be religious. They visit them to keep families together.
If you think you are probably better muslim than your relatives, then why not do something about them?
Why abandon them and not try to 'save' them?
I think you are trying to rationalize something which has no basis.
I'm not abandoning or disowning anyone, me not wanting to visit Pakistan has nothing to do with my relatives, relatives were nice to me, I have other reasons.
I'm also not saying I'm a better Muslim than them, it's just some aspects of their lifestyle I strongly disagree with, but really it's none of my business. I've visited them once at the age of 25, I don't think it's my place to tell them what or what not to do, to each his own.
Re: Perception of identity changed when I visited Pakistan.
I'm not abandoning or disowning anyone, me not wanting to visit Pakistan has nothing to do with my relatives, relatives were nice to me, I have other reasons.
I'm also not saying I'm a better Muslim than them, it's just some aspects of their lifestyle I strongly disagree with, but really it's none of my business. I've visited them once at the age of 25, I don't think it's my place to tell them what or what not to do, to each his own.
And "other reasons" are your personal reasons. Fine.
If I misunderstood you then sorry. But I thought you wrote you were closer to deen than them. And when you visited them you felt strong enough that you will not be going back.
I think you expected something but experienced something different.
In the end no one should claim to be closer to deen by comparing other person(s). Being humble is a virtue also.
Re: Perception of identity changed when I visited Pakistan.
And "other reasons" are your personal reasons. Fine.
If I misunderstood you then sorry. But I thought you wrote you were closer to deen than them. And when you visited them you felt strong enough that you will not be going back.
I think you expected something but experienced something different.
In the end no one should claim to be closer to deen by comparing other person(s). Being humble is a virtue also.
That's true, in Islam you can't judge another Muslim, you don't know what's in their heart.
Re: Perception of identity changed when I visited Pakistan.
Hmmm interesting question. Lately, I don't fit in anywhere really..... I know how to live & survive in both worlds...western & eastern and I just gave up on the battle of putting a label on my identity. I'm just me, in no particular order..... desi, conservative, western, liberal, good, bad...what have you....all rolled into one.
