Comments on: You better recognize

By: Sarmad

Sarmad — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 12:40:27 +0000

reading all this reminds of the hadith that goes (paraphrasing): “Islam came as something strange, and it will end as something strange, glad tidings for the strangers”

The more you practise and are upon the Qur’an and Sunnah, the more you are looked at as something “strange”.

By: Waleed

Waleed — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 12:56:38 +0000

Anjum has a point. Virginia is bursting with copious diversities and you see them everyday, yet until they mark themselves with an identifiable muslim symbol (be it verbal, be it pictorial, be it anything at all), I don’t categorize them. I do, however, say my salaam as I pass them by. I’m polite and interested. Afterall, these come from good muslim practices.

In “muslim” counties such as Pakistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, etc, people are all “expected” to be muslims. It seems for most that Islam is a cultural attachment, just like any other ritual. It’s up to the individual to make the effort to have their deen stand out in their lives. Even then, everybody is a muslim. You’re one of the crowd.

However, in Western countries, free from the cultural luggage and faced with not just one culture but a cauldron of cultures, this seems like the perfect time, the perfect chance, to shrug off those negative islamic practicies embedded into those cultures and adopt better, islamically orientated ones. I peronally differentiate between the cultural muslim and the practicing muslim, especially when I’m thinking of those in the western hemisphere.

Never the less, I am unable to verbalize what that intuitive feeling is that tells me Burhan is a Western Muslim. I just know he is.

Note: I am unaware of muslims in Asia, Africa and South America since I have only been to the ME, USA and Pakistan. If anybody wants to add with that perspective, I would love to hear from you. Thanks mate.

By: chai

chai — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 06:50:35 +0000

burhan, you’re right. i did generalize. what i said is what i only know from my own experience. that too is very limited because i know a bunch of 18 year olds outside of my own family. unfortunately at the other end i saw something similar to what i’ve heard here. that kids coming straight out of pakistan start mixing with the wrong crowd. even the kids who were straight start finding things that aren’t exaclty considered good muslim fun. this too is a generalization but it’s all i’ve recognized so far

By: burhan

burhan — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 03:06:03 +0000

Chai – that’s a gross generalization. I know a couple, whom both over coffee, related first hand their first ever trip to Pakistan last year. A group of friends threw a couples party for them (for the western muslims).

Much to the absolute horror of my friends, the party wasn’t what they expected. The women were wearing revealing ‘western’ clothing, the boys were very ‘chic’. There was plenty of alcohol, but at one point (and I say this with a rather embarassed look on my face), couples started pairing off… It was a swingers party.

My friends immediately bolted from the party, and spent the rest of their trip visiting only family – they were absolutely scarred by the experience.

Is it fair for me to generalize that all ‘back home muslims’ are wife swapping deviants? Is it fair to say that the second they leave their country and come to the west they eat pork and drink (this was the focus of a documentary here in Canada)? Is it fair to think that they don’t have the love of God in their hearts, but rather only go to the mosque because it’s just cultural (like going for coffee (or chai!))?

My experience is that it’s unfair to label on geography. You will find pious Muslims in both ‘back home’ and ‘western’ muslim communities. At the end of the day, it comes down to the old Depeche Mode song, “People are people”. Those who are weak will find their sin regardless of their environment. Those who are strong will survive.. Me… I’m stuck somewhere in the middle, and maybe that’s where I’d be if I lived in Pakistan.. who knows.

I just take exception to the stereotype you mention.

By: Anjum

Anjum — Wed, 01 Dec 2004 21:03:45 +0000

I think what Waleed meant when he equated western muslim with active and practicing was that they’d have to be practicing in order to be recognized as muslim. and I agree; how else would a muslim be recognized in the west if they weren’t obviously muslim (by dress or beard)? for me, i can only recognize nonpracticing muslims if i see or hear a muslim name. otherwise, they could just be (—fill in ethnicity here—).

By: chai

chai — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 06:38:27 +0000

you’ve got to be kidding. the idea of a western muslim here is exactly the opposite…that they don’t practice. i’ve had a few friends from school tell me that they are surprised that i’m conservative…that their first impression of most kids from there is that they go wild the moment that they have a chance. just some thoughts

By: Waleed

Waleed — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 16:01:17 +0000

At lunch with a western muslim, when I told him this theory of mine, he too immediately agreed. He went on to say how he knew I was a western muslim (on the spot) and it wasn’t my accent that gave it away. He. Just. Knew.

Alhamdulilah. I think I would love to be identified as that, since the image of a western muslim is that of an active & practicing muslim.

By: Waleed

Waleed — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:11:21 +0000

I guess when you’re a minority, such senses tend to be more sensitive. Back in the US, I doubt if you and I would be prone to zoning in to such people so quickly. But here, zooooooom.

By: chai

chai — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 04:53:35 +0000

that’s so weird that you mention this. a week or so ago i was with one of my friends and we were talking about just that. how it was really odd how we met but we new instantly without reason/explanation that we would get along. kinda too odd [cue scary music]