Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatu…
“The beauty of Islam has been hijacked by Chauvinistic, ignorant men, blinded by demagoguery and the grievances of disillusionment.”
I enter this thread clenching my butt cheeks tightly for fear of complete destruction and violation as a devout practicing Sunni Muslim in a forum like this… but I’ll try my best to address some of the grievances put forth, and tell you why I went on the reverse journey to many of you guys…
I'm Here to get my arguments and opinions smashed, that's how I learn
Firstly I should mention some facts about myself. Without going into too much boring detail, I’m born in a western country from a mixed cultural and racial background and raised in a liberal secular family, where atheism is essentially our official religion. By the time I was 11 I resolved for myself that religion was total bullshit, and by the time I was 14 or 15 I was an avid proponent of the theories, ideas and arguments of Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris. I guess you could suggest personal experience has seen me consider my faith, a inexplicable series of despicable, euphoric and generally remarkable events, leading me to believe that perhaps there is more to the universe than a random conglomeration of dust, gas and energy. After much deep study, examination, reflection and pondering, I concluded Islam to be the most satisfying explanation for the universe in its totality, and the world around. This may be somewhat bewildering to you, as I guarantee it is to many of my atheist friends, particularly as the dismantling of the practices of Muslims and naturally the Islamic Religion in contemporary western society is becoming increasingly fashionable.
Why Islam? Well for starters I fell in love with a Muslim girl (Don’t worry about when I say ‘girl’, she’s the same age as me) and she very quickly brought it to my attention that I would have to adopt her religion in order to marry her. I started reading about what I then saw as my future religion and It became clear to me that some of the messages of Islam were so enlightened and profound, that no man could ever construct them. I had previously believed Islam to be nothing more than the concoction of a brilliant Arab merchant. But In short I was blown away, (not a great expression to use as a Muslim, I know) many of the messages and principles that shone through seemed to so greatly transcend the eye for an eye, jealous, barbaric, warlike, oppressive and often brutal nature of man.
•The idea that when someone speaks harshly of your religion, that you should respond only with peaceful words, “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace. (Qur'an- Verse 25:63).
•“Repel evil with that which is better” (Qur’an 41:34). Muslims are forbidden from stooping or resorting to evil, even when being victimised, being asked by Allah to, rather than respond angrily and in a similar manner, act in a way that sets the example, as shown in the following verse,
“Let not a group's hostility (hatred of you*) cause you to deviate from justice.” (Quran 5:
*both are accepted translations.
•Furthermore these teachings are prevalent in the hadith and in the sayings of the prophet (pbuh) "To overcome evil with good is good, to resist evil by evil is evil." Being one example.
Some may accuse me of cherry picking, but these are just 4 of over 300 examples and reminders of this message scattered throughout the texts. The fact that this idea is so oft repeated and reiterated, lead me to believe it to be the fundamental overriding message and impression I received from examination of the texts and faith. Islam is to me (these are words I borrowed from somewhere which currently eludes me) To sacrifice my own desires and wills, which are in many cases not beneficial even detrimental to mankind and to submit them to that which transcends all, represents all that is good, merciful, and beneficial to all humanity. The will of Allah.
The disbelievers, for which harsh punishment is vividly described, seem to be those associated primarily with an arrogant disregard for their fellow man, placing their own will above that of their fellow human and the creator. Whilst I personally believe Islam is the best guide for moral action and a sound life (I do not consider the current ‘fascism’ which is prevalent today to correlate with what Islam represents in terms of principles, and any examination of the life of the prophet Mohammed (Pbuh) will expose how many have ignored his integral teachings,) I do not believe that non-muslims will go to hell, just for being non Muslims, due to the fact that this belief is determined by psychological and geopolitical factors. Dr Shabir Ally, a renowned contemporary scholar shares this view ‘Allah is not impractical, and to create people just so they may die and go to hell seems a waste of creation, and just Impractical’. In short I believe life to be a series of choices. Islam helps you make the right ones in my view, but this does not mean that because you are Christian or Hindu that you always make the wrong ones, rather I believe there are numerous Muslims who make the wrong ones just as often nowadays, and this to me is a grave shame.
I believe many decide to leave Islam due to negative personal experience, disillusionment or the fundamental belief that Islam represents all that is backwards.. Scientifically, politically, socially, philosophically and ethically or morally. I understand that many, particularly those from traditional families who seek and pursue education to the point when they are capable of running intellectual rings around most in their family or community, are further lead to the conclusion that religion is representative of a by gone era, primitive, fascistic and utterly at odds with all that is good in contemporary western society.
I fundamentally disagree with the idea that those who abandon their faith should be killed for it. This is a failure of Muslim jurists, leaders and scholars, who mistranslate and misread the word ‘irtidad’ additionally failing to consider the contexts of the hadith they provide to support the death penalty for apostasy. Famous Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah himself urged the need to contextualise the verses of the Qur’an and the hadith, as this was a revelation which took place over 23 years. There is no mention of death penalty for apostates in the Qur’an, and whenever this is the case I immediately become suspicious, fearing the meddling hands of men who later changed, altered or manufactured this teaching by providing some out of context hadith. For example, the hadith where the prophet (PBUH) stated that anyone who changes his religion to be killed, came during a period of war, when the Muslims controlled a single town, and were cornered by ‘the disbelievers’, who literally fought as a united army against the united army of the Muslims. Thus this act was literally a seditious defection, rather than a spiritual or theological disillusionment. These hadith weren’t proscribed for a 21st century world, and that is clear for anyone with an open mind to see. Unfortunately many scholars either, don’t want to see because it doesn’t agree with their political agenda, or are too narrow minded to comprehend the totality of their own complex faith.
Many Muslims (not necessarily a majority) have a limited understanding of their own religion, texts, theology and spirituality. Just as the Islamic world has succumbed to a cavernous political and scientific depression, it has also been racked by a deep loss of spiritual and religious understanding, as these revolting warlord grandpa sheikhs in the middle east politicise their theological beliefs, prompting inter sectarian quarrels and propagating a form of Nazi like fascism. The political and economic depressions in the Islamic world has furthermore opened the ears of many to more radical interpretations, just look at ISIS, an embodiment of this phenomenon of how Radical movements embrace and ride the surging tides of disillusionment.
No nation in the Middle East is 'an Islamic society'. They are dictatorships, monarchies and basket-cases of the highest order. We should look at the contemporary Middle East as an example of how far Islam has fallen, and perhaps examine the reasons for this. In my view they are numerous and complex. (It is far to simplistic to blame colonialism solely, as many Islamists do).
Everything I have written comes from within the Islamic tradition and has already been said by mainstream scholars, either contemporary or throughout antiquity. I am not innovating or changing anything, and I assure you my views are shared by a remarkably large portion of the Islamic community… I must end this essay of considerable length by saying…
Uphold the 5 pillars, and the shahada, And you will be considered a Muslim.. no one can take that title away from you
If they do, then my religion teaches me that they have committed a grave sin themselves, for only Allah (Swt) is the sole Judge of his creation.
Not wearing a hijab, having a girlfriend/boyfriend, being gay, drinking alcohol, not believing literal interpretations of Jinn’s and Angels, not agreeing with everything a Sheikh says, or anything a sheikh says is not considered proper behavior in Islam of course, but that does not turn you away from Islam, or make you a worse person. Even the most pious of scholars, the most rampant of literalists, are guilty of their own sins, and will answer to Allah (Swt) for them just as anyone. Treat creation kindly, and reflect on this hadith….
“A prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that.” 4:538- Abu Huraira
That is Islam ladies and gents^
Please do not let your grievances with and observations of Muslims, affect your perceptions of Islam.
Also feel free to take me apart or engage
Thank you for reading and Peace be upon you all.
Topic: Why I am a devout Muslim.