I am white and also a convert to Islam. Overall I would say I didn't have any issues with my ethnicity when concerning Arabs, they treated me with respect and dignity. However some other ethnicities treated me with "guest manners" as we say in the South. While they would be polite and curteous I was still basically treated as an outsider.
What I found interesting is these same people would go on and on about "Muslim brother/sisterhood yet would not even consider allowing their sons or daughters to marry outside their group...especially not to someone who wasn't "born Muslim." The hypocrisy was astounding and really disgusting but not really new as all practicers of different religions have it among them.
Lucky for me I converted because of my own reflections and not based off the behavior of others, eh?
Hmm...interesting personally im not trying to come off as offensive, but I've always thought White Muslims getting the most respect, from observation. Like, there treated better than some other Muslims by like Arabs/Pakistanis peoples. Like they always marry into them right? or wrong??
And sad to hear about the stories of people treating you white muslims different, I had no idea,
That's intersting that you've seen that because some of the most offensive comments I've received have been from Muslim from the Southeast Asian continent. Every Indo/Pak I've met felt very strongly against marrying their son/daughter to someone not of their background, my husband's family is no exception.
My husband went against his parent's wishes after two years of trying to convince them that there was nothing "Wrong" with me because I am not Pakistani. And last time I went to visit his family they requested I not accompany him to the mechanic's because they didn't want him (Pakistani mechanic) to know their son married a "guri."
I've gone into mosques that were mostly SE Asian and have been largely ignored or sometimes even openly stared/glared at, I return their looks with a smile and a salaam. I have also been to a mosque that was primarily Somali and was actually avoided at all costs...to the point where I salaamed the sisters and they turned their backs to me. I actually went home and cried that day.
I will say this, only ONE Muslim treated me literally like her sister. When I had no place to live she had me come by train and put me in her house. While there she made sure I had food to eat and checked me often to make sure I was happy. I only had to live there for a month but I always think about her kindness and generosity when I feel hurt for being treated so poorly by other Muslims. She was from Pakistan and a Pataani. (sp?) So I think that it comes down to bigotry and the fact that no matter what, it will always be out there. But this ONE sister makes up for all the meaness and clique-ish behavior I have been subjected to.
That's intersting that you've seen that because some of the most offensive comments I've received have been from Muslim from the Southeast Asian continent. Every Indo/Pak I've met felt very strongly against marrying their son/daughter to someone not of their background, my husband's family is no exception.
My husband went against his parent's wishes after two years of trying to convince them that there was nothing "Wrong" with me because I am not Pakistani. And last time I went to visit his family they requested I not accompany him to the mechanic's because they didn't want him (Pakistani mechanic) to know their son married a "guri."
I've gone into mosques that were mostly SE Asian and have been largely ignored or sometimes even openly stared/glared at, I return their looks with a smile and a salaam. I have also been to a mosque that was primarily Somali and was actually avoided at all costs...to the point where I salaamed the sisters and they turned their backs to me. I actually went home and cried that day.
I will say this, only ONE Muslim treated me literally like her sister. When I had no place to live she had me come by train and put me in her house. While there she made sure I had food to eat and checked me often to make sure I was happy. I only had to live there for a month but I always think about her kindness and generosity when I feel hurt for being treated so poorly by other Muslims. She was from Pakistan and a Pataani. (sp?) So I think that it comes down to bigotry and the fact that no matter what, it will always be out there. But this ONE sister makes up for all the meaness and clique-ish behavior I have been subjected to.
Brother DanyalSAC, you should check on Imam Siraj Wahaj. He is an African American convert. Very good and very knowledgable. Very wise.