I am a Muslim. Born a Muslim. Die a Muslim. Lately however I have started to wonder what that actually means. Let me say this. In all my years of living in Nigeria and living in the US not once did I come across anything that related Islam to the current world view. From birth I was brought up to understand the pillars of Islam and to try my best regardless of anything else to be a good human being. I was surrounded by examples of what I would call great human beings in the form of my immediate family. The mantra was always to be humble, do good to your fellow man and bow before Allah.
It has therefore come as shock to the system to see this very understanding rocked to its foundations. It started some years ago when I had lived in London for a while and I was a bit perplexed that I did not have an opportunity to meet and bond with my Muslim brothers and sisters as much as I would have liked. All the mosques I attended were run by Muslims from other parts of the world and their preachings were always in their local lingo hence I was not getting the message (pardon the pun).
In desperation I once made a journey to Shepherds Bush to attend a meeting of the Nation of Islam as at least the preaching would be in English. Again I struggled to equate the militariness of the meeting (people in various uniforms designating various levels of importance etc) and preaching to my understanding of Islam and therefore decided to make my visit a one off. I was used to going to mosques in Lagos where all men are equal (I mean this in general terms not as a slight to female Muslims). The chap praying next to me could be the Governor or a taxi driver. As we stood before Allah to say our prayers we were equal. So I could not grasp the need for some to be more equal than others.
My first wake up call was when I heard that a fatwa had been issued against Salman Rushdie for writing a book called The Satanic Verses. Pardon my ignorance but I did not even know what a fatwa was! It took calls back home to the folks to get the meaning. Since when did my beautiful religion start supporting this type of thing?
My next wake up call was Sept. 11th. Like a lot of folks I was watching it on TV without thinking there was any religious aspect or motive so you can imagine my shock when all of sudden it now turns out that this atrocity had been committed by Muslims.
You should have seen and heard the amount of abuse that was hurled at these perpetrators by my family for bringing our religion into disrepute. Since then it has been one calamity after another. Sharia law in Nigeria. Floggings and beheadings galore. Shiite and Sunni fighting in Iraq. The London bombers. All these things just do not appear in any form in all the teachings and preaching I had growing up, (or did I get the edited version?) and I can assure you I grew up in a very religious household).
So a couple of days ago I was watching a programme on Channel 4 called Undercover Mosque or something along those lines. The premise was that an undercover reporter had infiltrated a mosque somewhere in the UK and had obtained footage showing the preachers spouting all sorts of vile and really incendiary stuff. They even had a weblink to some crackpot in Pakistan who offered teachings like killing all non believers etc. I could only watch 10 minutes before I switched it off. I am not one of those people that belives that only Muslims will get into heaven. I believe all good people will get into heaven (another blog, another day).
What is going on here? Is the Islam that I know and love being hijacked? Is it being destroyed, corrupted? Where have these fanatics or "fantasists" all of a sudden appeared from? Why are they preaching hate when I know that Islam is about love and compassion and understanding? Are the moderate Muslim majority standing by quietly on the sidelines? Is it the Christian west that is pushing this negative briefing and agenda against Islam and Muslims? Is it the Jewish people? Have the inamtes taken over the asylum? If so why? Is there an ulterior motive?
For example I wonder why when I was almost blown up by the IRA in Central London years ago the US and UK did not go in there all guns blazing and bomb Ireland to bits? After all the attack took place on British soil. Innocent Brits were killed so why the different reaction? Why is Islam getting such negative press at the moment? Islam is widely accepted as having contributed to the development of civilisation. Why is it now being viewed as hell bent on contirbuting greatly to the end of civilisation?
I would really like to hear from other Muslims (especially, however my forum is open to all comers) about their experiences and thoughts on this matter.
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21 comments:
I am not a muslim, but I understand the double standards!
n9ja - thanks for your comment. But i would really like to understand why? And more importantly why now?
Hey Toks.. I'm not a Muslim either but I've been asking a lot of the same questions.
You asked why Islam is now being viewed as hell bent on contirbuting greatly to the end of civilisation? I think you yourself kinda identified the reason without realising it. Fanatics are changing your religion to suit themselves and their desires for murder and bloodshed. They're committing atrocious crimes in the name of your religion. Unfortunately for Islam, because it is not the religion of the West, it is vulnerable to being misunderstood. Therefore even though fanatics who corrupt Islam's principles do not in anyway speak for the rest of Islam, the Western world finds it hard to see that. The fanatics become the enemy as does the religion in the name of which innocents have been killed.
The London bombings were done in the name of Islam by some very sadistic individuals. Muslims all over London were outraged because they lost loved ones too and were subsequently persecuted as a group for actions that they had nothing to do with!
Its the same way honest Nigerians all over the world are treated like dogs at immigration because of the unlawful actions of a minority of Nigerians. Its the way of the world. If you belong to the minority and choose to misbehave, it has drastic implications for the rest of your group. Unfortunately for those others within your minority group, who don't share your beliefs, they find themselves persecuted and they get angry. In the course of that anger at the unfair persecution, younger members become drawn to fanatical ideas as a way of getting revenge. It is indeed a vicious cycle.
The summary of all that long tin I've just been yanning is that when you belong to the minority, you've got to be careful not to do anything to inspire and incite prejudice. Once the majority becomes prejudiced against you, they'll take it out on everyone belonging to the minority, and the innocent ones amongst you will suffer for nothing.
The majority will see you as the enemy and will begin to ask itself why it is permitting you to live alongside it when all you are doing is bringing death and disaster. The majority will begin to clamp down and you will begin to lose the fundamental freedoms you once enjoyed.
The IRA did not cause such outrage bcuz it was not settled in Britain in the way that fanatical Muslims are. It was therefore not biting back the hand that was feeding it. Britain is pissed as hell that it has allowed such people to settle here and enjoy the system that was created to secure safety... and rightly so. Obviously how its handling itself now that its been angered by fanatics is not commended. But you can understand the outrage. Britain is now very prejudiced against Islams and its going to take a while for such prejudice to die down.
Ye! Sorry for this long commentary oh! You just touched on something that I've been discussing for hours with British and Muslim friends.
bitchy- thanks for the insight. it was not a long comment at all as i feel the subject is worth discussing in detail. I am curious though as to the majority paying the price for the minority because until very recently a lot of the terrorism that I was aware of was committed by Xtians but i do not see that religion being demonised. My thinking is that the media is mostly western controlled and this might account for some of the bias? Also now that the Russians are no longer the arch enemy does the west need a "force" against which to support the spending of billions on the military? I note that the "axis of evil" consists only of Muslin countries? Could this all be a commercial exercise? Again the point of these questions is to raise debate.
I really appreciate your insights.
Speaking as a Muslim, I remember growing up in Ibadan and being one of the only Muslims among my friends and they not quite understanding my faith but all of us quite happy living together, then come Ilaya they were happy to eat our meat and drink our beer “so we are were very strict ;-)” but bottom line we all lived together in harmony
I understand… actually that’s not true I don’t understand, there has always been this demonising of the Islamic faith by Christians especially the “born again” fraction (my path is the only true one, and if you don’t follow it not only are you going to hell you are evil) which I started to experience in my 20’s, and that arena of faith has experienced massive growth over the past couple of decades, but that doesn’t explain in any way the growth of militant Islam, I think part of it is the increasing globalisation of economy’s and quite frankly the envy this entails and the subsequent rise of evil people hiding behind religion to battle inequality but that doesn’t explain it either, I don’t know,
I understand to some extent where you are coming from the sermons at our Friday services in UI (University of Ibadan) mosque were all about peace and helping the less fortunate.
I think a lot of it can be traced back to the Israel situation (“I know, I know, Godwin’s law and such nonsense, but hear me out,) when the mainly European Jews simply stole land off the Arab Muslims and the rest of the world stood back and said “big deal, live with it” Muslims everywhere thought hey what the hell is going on here, and we are still dealing with the fallout of that situation, the 1st major “terrorist” or “freedom fighters” organisations in the middle east grew out of that conflict and indeed it still provides the baseline for many of these organisations, remember providing zakat to staving Palestinians is viewed as terrorist support in most of the western world, out of that sense of helplessness comes IMO, militant Islam.
That is my take anyway anyone can explain it better, I'm all ears
Toks, the bias you're talking about, definitely exists. The West views Islam as something that is both different and dangerous. You could argue that such prejudice always existed (in the same way some of my extremist friends insist that deep deep down all white ppl hate black ppl and stuff like that). I think the acts of radical Islamists have simply allowed the West to bring that prejudice, which lay buried in the past, to the fore.
And Babatunde, your point about everything stemming from the creation of Israel is so true. I think added to that could also be the fact that instead of saying they were fighting for "Palestine" or for whichever country they came from, those fighting against Israel ( who the Western media subsequently and cleverly labelled "terrorists") said they were fighting for "Islam". The West was .: able to give in to its prejudice and label Islam as the fountain from which terrorists spring.
This is all good feedback and comment. Let me throw something else into the mix. Actually two points. firstly, now that the cold war is over do you think that the powers that be now need another enemy to use to justify the exorbitant spend on the military?
Also as the media is mostly controled by the West (Al Jazeerz) is still a baby) I wonder if the West is also exploiting this might to demonise Islam?
I mean it is interesting that Turkey is kept ou of the EU because of concerns about their human rights whilst all the Eastern European countries who have recently been admitted of course have pristine records of looking after all their citizens.
Toks, thanks for this post. I didn't want to take up too much space here, so I've posted my comment on my own blog.
I have copied April's response from her blog just for continuity's sake.
Not wanting to take up too much space on Toks's blog, in respect of his post 'What is happening to Islam...?', I've decided to put my own comment here.
As well as being the product of an inter-continental marriage, my origins are inter-religious too; and like Toks, I am a Muslim, born a Muslim, and by God's grace I will die a Muslim. The fundamental significance of Islam for me, is submission to the will of God. One who truly seeks to submit to the will of God will strive to live aright and serve God in every aspect of their life.
For my siblings and I, it wasn't strange that, as children, we went to church as well as to the mosque. It also wasn't strange that we celebrated Muslim and Christian festivals with all the trimmings! It wasn't strange to us and it wasn't strange to those around us. We grew up in Nigeria where it seemed to be perfectly normal for people of all religious persuasion to live together harmoniously. I probably stand to be corrected but, in my own personal experience, it is only in Nigeria, or amongst Nigerians, that family celebrations are often enthusiastically attended by Christian and Muslim followers and clerics alike; it is only in Nigeria that you will find Muslims who are able to join in (and know all the words to) Christian hymns and traditional praise songs. And so I'm somewhat saddened by what appears to be the infiltration of religious fanatism and division (Christian and Muslim) in contemporary Nigerian society.
Fanatics exist in all religions. A fanatic is one whose enthusiasm for a cause is excessive. The so-called Muslims depicted in the C4 programme Undercover Mosque do not represent Islam; the suicide bomber does not represent Islam; and The Nation of Islam most definitely does not represent Islam. Religious conflict seems to be the result of an inter religious fight for dominance. And it is this fight for dominance as well as the insistence that one's own religion is the 'chosen' religion and the only way to Heaven, that leads to the discrediting of other religions; forgetting that the best way to convert people is by example.
I too am of the view that all good people will go to Heaven; because religion was made by man and not the other way round. I believe that we are judged by our works and not by who or what we say we follow!
I was once asked how I could say that I was a Muslim, by someone who wondered why on earth I wasn't born again, like him and everyone else around him! Religious belief and mode of worship are personal choices, which shouldn't be driven by a fad or wanting to keep up with the Jones's. Choosing Islam as the way of my life doesn't remove from the fact that I am an educated, intelligent, fashionable, attractive, fun-loving, content, and modern woman. Neither does it stop me from honouring invitations to church from my Christian friends or even from my sister, who herself is a born again Christian! Choosing Islam as the way of my life doesn't stop me from condemning the atrocities that have been committed in the name of Islam; neither does it stop me from reading the Bible; and it certainly does not stop me from enjoying my gospel cd!
Quite understandably, Toks asks, What is happening to Islam (the one I know and love)?
In my opinion, something is changing; but it isn't Islam.
The Islam I knew and loved as a child, continues to be a religion of peace, obedience, tolerance; and above all, Islam remains a religion that is firmly based on the reverence of God.
If I may add to this, I wrote a number of blogs during the cartoon riots about a year ago.
My paternal grandfather was Muslim, he married a Christian, they had 6 children and they ended up an equal split of religions.
We celebrated all anniversaries together to the extent that I was the best shaver of the ram during the Ileya - Id-El_Kabir - celebrations.
The Muslims relations I have, have always been humble, honourable, dignified, considerate and absolutely trustworthy.
Whilst I grew up a Christian, I can say no bad thing of either my grandpa or my uncle, as people who followed Islam, they have been better role models of religion as adapted to life than my parents have been.
Akin- thanks very much for your comment. I was really hoping that you would pass through and leave some insight.
Building on what you say though I guess a big part of my confusion is that never in my sphere of experience have I come across a Muslim that I would call a "fanatic". Especially growing up in Nigeria. I am not saying that all the Muslims I have met are perfect (after all they are human) but sill generally they have been very good humble people. So why do I have to be tarred with this minority?
The last time I tired to go to the mosque I had to leave as there were cops outside with video cameras and I thought to myself "this s a bit much" and left.
As a muslim i think the best thing is to always follow the mantra
"The mantra was always to be humble, do good to your fellow man and bow before Allah."
as they say most things in life are simple the rest is just pakaging and pr
I'm a christian and a Nigerian living in the US and I know Islam has gotten a bad rap recently.This is something I've been discussing a lot.I agrre with a lot of the other comments The fanatics are giving it a bad rep and the western media is prominent and the voice loudly heard.I knew Islam to be a peaceful religion when I lived in Nigeria...I lived in all parts...North,south,east and west. However, there is a militant,fanatical form of Islam in the North that is really scary.I remember a lot of partying and rejoicing on 9-11.
Fanaticism in any religion is a problem.Keep discussing. I'm reading avidly. I also don't believe only one religion has a monopoly of heaven but that God searches the hearts of men and judges them accordingly.
One should not think of Islam as non-western. Those who know their history know that Islamic scholarship 1000 years ago enabled the wisdom of the Greeks to fuel the scientific advances of the post-renaissance modern era. Where we would be without Ibn-Rushd (the interpreter of Aristotle, and the first person perhaps on the planet to argue that the world of reason is as legitimate as the world of faith), I'm not sure. Beyond the schools of Cordoba, Baghdad and Toledo, we have to look at Moorish influences on Spanish culture to know that Islamic cultures have played a strong role in European culture. As a lover of Islamic aesthetics (think of the Al-Hambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Cordoba, the palaces in the Souq at Fez etc etc), I look upon Islamic culture and history as one of the highpoints of human endeavour. So, please my fellow commentors, don't say 'The West' is against Islam, when there are many non-muslim people in the UK and elsewhere who share this perspective and are deeply drawn to the culture (if not the religion) of the Islamic world).
In Al-Qaeda, we are dealing with a fiction that is largely created by the Western media. Al-Qaeda is a rag-bag of local grievances. Bin Laden never gave a damn about Palestine until he realised it was a mediagenic strategy to adopt. Islamic fundamentalists are a tiny bunch of alienated perverts. Sufism, the Islamic philosophy of love and mysticism, is the way to go.
The problem in the UK, as I see it, is that there aren't enough home-trained imams, so they import all manner of rabid loonies from elsewhere. These mainly non-English speaking old men are only to happy to play to the crowd, and to cater to an alienated youthful audience. In the context where the incumbent government was hell-bent on 'faith schools', the divisions that have opened up in the UK were almost inevitable.
I agree with the commentor above: Israel plays a major role in alienating muslims across the world. The wounds of the Islamic world will continue to fester until the American-backed agenda is forced to cave in.
The other point to bear in mind is that the dream of the islamic fundamentalists - of a calliphate, a united Islamic government ruling the planet and all the other fantasies, have no basis in historical fact. Read Amin Malouf's 'The Crusades through Arab Eyes' to find out how disunited the muslim world was even at the peak of its power and reach.
I agree with Jeremy. It is not right to view Islam as non-west. With your post, I believe there are a lot of factors at play. 1) Israel’s occupation of Palestine and the disillusionment of the pple over the issue. 2. The fact that the United States is bankrolling their actions in Palestine and the media frenzy this issue created. 3. Al-Qaeda and the US response i.e. Pax Americana. 4. The debt crisis and the after effect i.e. pple are equating the monetary institutions of Wold Bank and IMF the American axis of evil
All these factors feed off one another. So how does it relate to the post? Most pple esp Muslim are angry at what is happening in Palestine. What is going on in the Palestine is pure, unadulterated atrocity, yet the ‘world police’ that is the US stands back and watches the spectacle. The fact the Israel is not even on the radar when we talk about nuclear proliferators is a classic example of the double standards. The issue of al-Qaeda, which like Jeremy said is ‘rag-bag of local grievances’, whoever in other to garner more supporters, Bin Laden channels its attention to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The US on the other hand uses this opportunity to validate their action/reason for spending million of dollars on defence and to carry out the ‘Pax Americana’. The issue of the debt crisis is self –explanatory enough.
However, let’s not forget that some of these hate-preaching-Imams are doing so in other to further their own selfish desires.
So where does all these lead us to? It leads us to the so-called Clash of Civilization (thank you very much Samuel Huntington. I don’t subscribe to this term though. In the words of Edward Said it is ignorant and very stupid). Islam clashes with the West and what other way of winning this so-called clash if not by tarnishing the image of this beautiful religion.
Sorry for the long commentary? BTW, I can see that you are Chelsea support (just like me)!!
Ya!! Rock on!
The other point which you hinted at TB, is the violence of the Christian fundamentalists. There's is not the violence of sawing of heads or suicide bombing, it is rather the ontological violence of a preening self-certitude. We mustn't forget that one of the reasons Israel continues to get billions of dollars of assistance from the US each year is because of the pro-Zionist support of the Bible belt. It's not as if Christian fundamentalists are pro-Jewish however, they believe that in the end of days, all the Jews will convert to Christianity...
It's all England's fault - these nutcase evangelists were pushed out to America 400 years ago from Albion's fare pastures. I think Cromwell had something to do with it..
Hey how come everyone forgot about the 40 Virgins!!!!!
That's the problem i swear. lol.
Like you rightly pointed out in one of your rhetorical Qs, Islam has been hijacked. Of course the Islam you practiced back home is different from what you came to see in the "West", the UK to be precise. The Islam from the ME has stolen the thunder from other sorts practiced elsewhere. I once asked a muslim female friend here if based on what she believes, whether she is a Sunni or Shiite. She says she knows not what I'm asking. See, she doesn't even care about the sectarianism in Islam. She, as I'd assume like you, grew up in modest backgrounds and hence weren't exposed to this sort of doctrines.
It also has political undertones because the moderate voices who are supposed to speak up against Islamofascist type of Islam aren't there or even if they are, they are not allowed to squeak, so what do you expect?
And surely, the media would use the opportunity to do all the sugar coating there is to say their own side of the story. An when the opportunity shows up, some 'powers' end up calling the shots over wat should be published. In the end, we all suffer.
thanks to all for your various views on this subject. it is very interesting to see the that i am not the only one that has been struggling to come to terms with this recent wave of "attacks". It would appear that as with a lot of things recently a fanatical minority are riding roughshod over a very silent majority and until this majority decides to take a stand so shall it remain.
Please let us keep this discussion going. I have to keep my response short as I am in a very public internet cafe in Lagos. Cheerio.
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