Quote:
Originally Posted by kriket
George Bernard Shaw was the one to say 'the best religion in the hands of the worst people'
Muslims intrinsically are not bad as you put it. they have just lost the sense of responsibility that they have towards their religion.
Answer from a convert:
Aside from all the controversy this topic has caused (given the passionate replies) I will shed some light on my belief to the merit of the statement from a converts point of view.....keep in mind, it is only MY opinion.
Islam is very alluring for someone who has not been exposed to it previously. I must admit, when I first came to know...I could not believe, I COULD NOT IMAGINE..that all my doubts about Christianity, all my questions growing up were answered in this beautiful way of life called Islam.
As I learned more and more, I was in awe to say the least. I could not, beyond my wildest dreams, believe that there was this religion out there, with these people who ACTUALLY FOLLOW what it says in their book??!! (as you all are aware, the majority of Christians pick and choose what they will and will not follow in the Bible)
I could not believe that there were these people whose lives revolved around God, and not them fitting God into their life when it was convenient.
I was amazed and so happy.
Then soon after...the disappointment began. One after the other after the other...it didn't stop and to this day...I am still being disappointed. This beautiful religion...the one true religion(I believe in my heart) is not filled with what I imagined, what I learned it should be. (meaning good followers)
I am constantly let down. I can tell you honestly, I pulled away from Islam because I could not see any difference between Islam and any of the other religions. The people were all the same to me. They didn't follow the Qur'an as they should...like I read about and heard about. Where were the Muslims I learned about I thought to myself??
I thought, why should I make my life more difficult and fight so damn hard when every Muslim I meet is a half-ass Muslim(meaning...they pick and choose what they will and will not follow...just like anyone else) Why not make my life easier and stay a Christian...lost in this world..at least this way I will not face any discrimination, any backlash from family, friends and society right? Why believe that something is so true and right when it's not the way it is being portrayed right?
Here I was trying so desperately to learn all that I could, to follow every single step..and when I got something wrong, I would cry. When I couldn't find the answer to something after asking every born Muslim and convert I knew, I cried. I felt like a failure and yet, here were all these Muslims walking around doing all these bad things and not caring whether it was wrong, or whether they could answer me a simple question, help guide me.
In my eyes, it is what is wrong with the Ummah today. People have strayed, they have turned the haram into halal, they don't even bother to learn more about Islam..if they were born Muslim..they just stand up and recite whatever they learned as a child and they know nothing more. You ask them and always their answer is..."just because that's the way it is"...well I am sorry. I want an answer. A valid answer.
I had so much respect and admiration for born Muslims in the beginning. I couldn't believe they were so lucky to be born Muslim.. here I was, fighting family and friends..trying to justify why I converted and these lucky people were born into it???!!!!
Do you not relaize this? Do you not see the impression you are giving off..as a Muslim, for this Ummah?
Now I know to say that Muslims are bad is to generalize...you can say that what I wrote here is a generalization..but just put yourself in my shoes...it is all I know, it is what I see with my own eyes...if I am wrong, then SHOW ME!!! Be my example. Don't show me a half practicing Muslim. SHow me a true Muslim. Show me who they are and what they are. I want to see, I want to learn, I want to know...unfortunately...there are not many of you out there who can do this now can you? Can you honestly tell me you are a good example?
When you meet someone for the first time...what kind of impression do you leave them with? What will they walk away from you remembering? That they met a Muslim once who cursed? Who drank? Who had a boyfriend/girlfriend? That the Muslim they met was not at all the type they show on tv or read about in books...or the ones like the bearded man who never talks down the street, the lady who they can only see her eyes...the one they met was just like the average Joe in the US...how sad is that?
How sad for the really PIOUS MUSLIMS who fight day in and day out against adversity..the really good ones who try to show the world the one true religion...and here we all are, on a thread...talking all about this and that(BS really) while they fight for our Ummah. How sad. How sad that someone's first impression of Islam would be this....
think about it...I am guilty for sure!
Sure there are good, pious Muslims...but I can tell you, they are few and far between.
Since my conversion...I have only met ONE! YEP...ONE MUSLIM WHO ACTUALLY FOLLOWS ISLAM...who actually incorporates the whole Islam in his life. A pious man who will not even so much as speak to me a word other than something concerning Islam. He will not so much as look at a woman passing...he does not participate in haram things...this was my first encounter with Islam..and I am sad to say he was the last. (he has taught me what he did and moved on. we do not keep a friendship or speak..now that folks, is a true good pious Muslim man that every woman would be so lucky to have as a husband, a son, a brother...what an example he is for the Ummah...just too bad there are not many of him here)
I know that Allah had us cross paths in the strangest way so that I can some to learn about Islam and find the true path...unfortunately, I have let my surroundings and all the other worldly things taint my picture of what a Muslim is. .... like the majority of Muslims, I make certain things ok now that are not. In the beginning. I was so hard on myself. I felt like a failure because I was not doing EXACTLY what I was supposed too. Because I was not following Islam to the T...now, I see all the other Muslims doing it too...so why can't I?
How sad is that? That I am such a weak person, that my faith(which had potential to be so strong) had fallen and now I am just a plain ole Muslim. Not a good one, just one that goes around making up excuses and hollering at other people "Muslims are the best"...yeah? Well, maybe if I were to show people that, then converts or any other person would have a better impression of Islam.
Perhaps if I were surrounded by good pious people, I would want to imitate their behaviour? Who knows? Is it someone else's job to make me be good? NO! No it is not...but being surrounded by not so good...definitely has an affect on a weak person such as myself.
Now if everyone were to admit..that they too are really weak as well, that they, like me, are contributing to the bad reputation that Islam is getting, then maybe...JUST MAYBE...people will open their eyes and change. Just maybe...there will be no more passing comments like..."Islam is good but Muslims are bad"
Just maybe the Ummah would become united and strong...just maybe being able to call yourself a Muslim will come with the utmost respect and feeling of honor that anyone would want to be one...
Too bad that now, being a Muslim is just like being any other ordinary person.
Only a person who strives to live according to Allah swt words....who strives day in and day out to follow in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet pbuh have the great honor to call themselves Muslim in my opinion.
I am aware that this will stir up many many responses and some might not be good. I understand and I am sorry you may feel that way...I am only being honest. I am only stating my own experience...what I LIVE THROUGH...MY WEAKNESS AND SHORTCOMINGS AND the weakness and shortcomings I have come in CONTACT WITH. That is all.
I pray that this message will send a lightening flash of anger and fear down at least ONE PERSONS spine so that they may change...so that they may try harder to change the reputation of this Ummah by being a good example of a Muslim.
Insha'Allah I hope to be one someday soon...and Insha'Allah if I am...I will still write words such at this to remind everyone everyday of the wrong things...to remind everyone everyday...that if they want the honor to call themselves Muslim, then do it right.
May Allah swt forgive me for passing judgement if I have, for offending if I have, and for my weakness....May Allah swt...make me strong! Enlighten me so that I may teach another...so that I may leave a good impression of what a Muslim should be. Insha'Allah. Insha'Allah!!!!!!!!!
