Thoughts and beliefs of the Muslim religion?

[MichaelSlJ]

Okay, so I took my girlfriend to Egypt for her 18th birthday and we stayed in the typical tourist part of Sharm El Shiek but where we stayed there was a few surrounding mosques. With the calling to the prayer five times a day and also going to cairo and seeing the muslim religion for what it is rather than the typical newspapers whole "extreme muslim" cr@p I've come to respect the muslim religion as one of the most respectful religions, I mean if you're going to spend that much time of you day, every day, devoted to a religion... then there must be something about it...

I'm going to Wikipedia it anyway, but I'd just like to know some thoughts and beliefs etc as it intrigues me...

Thank you

Btw, I'm an atheist as well and think the the christian religion is just... rather ridiculous (for numerous reasons)....
Just to add, I'm not looking into worshipping a religion, I'm an atheist and I don't believe that there is a creator and won't let a bind of pages to rule my life My parents are the only teachings of right and wrong I need.

Also, for one of the answers, I know that Egypt isn't the only Muslim country, but that's the only one country that I have seen the main religion as something other than christianity, thus intrigued for it.

Also, some answers are quite funny lol

 

[TheKnowledgee]

Well, coming from a person who was born into Islam, I think extreme Islam is idiotic. I find the Muslim beliefs incompatible with my own, but I have great ties towards the religion because of my culture. Obviously, not every Muslim is Egyptian- plenty of Muslims are more open-minded, you just can't seem to find them under the oppressive force known as the Middle East/Media.

 

[Cher]

"I mean if you're going to spend that much time of you day, every day, devoted to a religion... then there must be something about it..."

That's not logical. Cults are also great draws on one's time.

Islam is varied. Some are respectful & normal. However, there is a high percent who are dominating. There's a dual presentation of extremely hospitable, but seeing that everyone should be Muslim to the point of manipulative about it. The answers on here that say "I'm peaceful" but have intolerant undertones...are IT.

I attended an interfaith event sponsored by the MCC (Muslim community center) in the US with 500 people. Their moderate minded very likeable Imam, said point blank at close to 1/2 the Muslims in the US have dreams of it becoming a Muslim country. ...not a freedom of religion country, but of it poltically being Muslim. Also that they doesn't value the freedoms the US offers. Then look at Muslim actions in Europe. In France for over 30 days every day Muslims went home & planned how to burn more cars the next day. Riots don't include going home to plan. Their own leaders didn't speak out against it or try to corral them in. Instead they talked about how they were wronged.

Read Irshad Manji's books. She's a Muslim who choose to speak up. She's also under heavy survillence. I'm not talking about a Muslim who's converted to another religion, but one who's facing it's problems & wants it to change.
http://www.irshadmanji.com

Even among Muslims I've known in the US that I considered left wing for peace, I've found I've had to disconnect. They didn't operate with sympathy towards others or logic when it came to politics, no matter how left wing they were otherwise. (ex. the first person I talked to after 9/11 was a Muslim friend - he expressed some admiration for the suicide bombers & didn't seem to feel the distress others did about the non-perpetrator deaths.) I do know others that are friends & that I respect & have no problem with at all....

There is a need to bring Islam forward with ideology. While the people can be nice, if you dug deeper, you've find some ideologies & leadership that really does need change. It can't be done by ignoring it.

 

[BoiFromBrighton]

the majority of Egypt in ancient times (not long after jesus) was actually manly Coptic Orthodox Christian but then Muslims moved into the country and persecuted and killed the Christians and disallowed them to speak in their language, Coptic (similar to Greek) which is why very few Coptic Orthodox people nowadays can actually speak Coptic and speak Arabic instead. but there are seven million (1 in 10) coptic Orthodox Christians living in Egypt. There are countries that are loads more 'Muslim' than egypt, numerous other countries are virtually only Islamic.

 

[rickywoerner]

You'll find it's very similar to Christianity, maybe a little more hardcore. But at all in all it's just as silly.

 

[ZeldaHunter]

My husband is a Muslim, but not very strictly so since he immigrated to the US from Russia. Most people from the former Soviet Union who are Muslims (of Turkic or Persian decent) are pretty modern and secular. They haven't been bound by Sharia since the 1920s. Everyone says Islam is a young religion with some issues to work through. This is probably true. His Muslim hertiage has a lot more to do with his morals and cultural values (not Russian ones), which commendable.

 

[kirby4d]

Yes, it's amazing what happens when you read/see beyond the American propaganda machine.

 

[Magali]

thats fnny to realize how people see islam...especially in America! the medias do menipulate you its unbelievable...anyway i can add a different point of view considering i wasnt born muslim..thats a choice i made! Anyway islam is not just a religion its a way of lilfe and yeah sure people in america ( who are supposedly ennemies of muslim _which i dont believe) see it as violence and blablabla they gonna put bombs in your country! Well when you think about it that the perfect excuse to go to iraq and afghanistan to kill everybody and steal the oil over there... anyway thats not the point! Muslims are deeply repectfull and spend a lot of time worshipping God and only God ( not like christian who worship Jesus ) they are trying really hard to keep their traditions and its not a bad thing when you think about it...look at all those bithches on tv or outside ( sorry for the word couldnt find better) If you just ask muslims around you, you will see there are not that different from you ! And i bet you couldnt even tell that i am one of them!

 

[HumanTouch]

It States In The Bible The Only Way To Get To God Is Throught The Son.
They Dont Believe In John 3:16
Where Is Their Salvation Through Grace?
At Least They Still Believe In God
If Your Wanting To Know About Religion You Need To First Pray Than Ask God To Help You Seek What Is What He Wants You To Believe While You Study.

 

[Rifa]

Hey there,
That is wonderful. The world needs more people like you.
I think Islam has been stereotyped into such a negative religion.
The thing I don't understand is people do not bother to go out and learn about the diverse religions and cultures we are blessed with in this world.

Extremists and terrorists (etc..) are not Islamic. Its the terrible people like them who are ruining it for the real followers of the faith - which I think many people haven't picked up on.

The KKK believe they are Christian and what they do is right, no TRUE Christian believes that..
In the same way Muslims all over the world will agree that fundemental "Muslims" are wrong in their doings.

Shariah law has also been exagerated waaay too much. A lot of the laws implaced in Arab countries that claim to be Shariah have been adapted, and are totally invalid. Being a Muslim myself, I don't agree with the Shariah law in most Muslim countries simply because I don't see it Islamic. Many like myself, believe that the laws have been adapted to suit the needs and wants of so called Arab and Muslim leaders.

Which leads onto the treating of women in our relgion. The general view of a Hijab (headscarf Muslim females wear) is that it is oppressive and that we have all been forced to wear it. It is not the case!
I wear a Hijab because it presents me as me, it enables people to get to know me through who I am as a person inside rather than on the outside. Some more traditional women may take this even further by covering their faces too (although even I see this as a bit extreme). The Quran tells us we have a choice, in any thing we do in life, and it is for us to make that choice; not anyone else, making forcing women to cover is totally wrong.
It is true that many "Muslim" countries are horrible to women, e.g. beating, forcing them to cover up and so on, but many fail to realise that this is CULTURAL and really has nothing to do with RELIGION, however much they say it.

Being a Muslim, I am not a terroist, extremist, oppresive, fundementalist, bomber, shariah enforcer, I love my hijab and my religion, I find British and American soldiers fighting in Afganistan for the rights of the Afgani people really inspiring too.

The majority of the 1.8 billion Muslims in the world will agree with me, the minority are ruining it for the majority which is totally unfair.
I have also noticed that its partly the media's fault too. When something "Islamic" based happens, they are always quick to label them as Muslim. But when it comes to rapers, arsonists, murderers, etc, they're not labled on their faith bases.

Last year I visited Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population, they were the most happy and polite people I have ever met. I'd reccomend it.
Thank - you and I hope I've helped. I find it really sad that people have made websites critisising peoples religions.

Feel free to email me with any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

 

[HiggsBoson]

Islam is just as ridiculous as all the other religions. And anyone who spends that much time worshiping anything has way to much time on their hands. They need a hobby or something.

 

[~cookiimonsta~]

Well im a Muslim and I think it is a beautiful religion. Many people think that it is all about killing but that's not even close. It is a peaceful religion that teaches you respect for other and love for God and what's right. It doesn't contradict itself like other religions do, it is all true. I think you should take your time to get to know it because in the end it will be worth it.

 

[hooba]

it is very beautiful the way devout muslims stop whatever it is they do and go to pray together five times a day everysingle day. takes discipline and builds character.
but if u are looking for a reason that might suggest there is something 'more' to it if u will, or something transcendent about islam..there isnt. at the end of the day it just comes down to blind faith.

ADDED: at cookie monsta, it definetely does have a lot of contradictions.
an example: regaurding christians and jews
"And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of God; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of God; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may God destroy them; how they are turned away!"

in another verse:
"Those who believe, the Jews, Christians and Sabians - any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord. They need not fear, nor shall they grieve"

faith is blind, so i guess you see what you want to see and believe what you want to.