My experience of islamophobia is quite different from yours because I used to be the one at the other end of the rope if you catch my drift. Although I have never physically abused anybody, I was what some in cyber space calls an internet warrior. Not that I have had any famous websites or infamous if you prefer to call it that, but for more than a couple of years I have been very active on various forums and blogs as a commentator, always with lots of spiteful, sarcastic and mean remarks. I'm sure I have hurt a few peoples feelings over the time. Then in the early summer I picked up a quran and decided to make up my own mind about it. Already after a few pages I was surprised, like so this is the stuff that makes up all those crackpots? Although I haven't gotten longer than to chapter six, it is long enough to conclude this is nothing that I thought it would be. The only reason I haven't gotten longer yet is because I became quite obsessive of surfing to islamic sites after this. I can't stop thinking of it. It's like a magnet. But I don't know any muslims IRL and it took a lot of courage just to register here, not to mention actually posting. Some has even suggested I should say the shahada already but it is still so new to me that I prefer to wait. I can't even pray yet. Don't bother to give me links because I have already seen a few videos and viewed flash animations and read descriptions of it. You see, I have a problem with my short term memory and thus it is extremely hard for me to memorize stuff like that. I doesn't exactly makes it easier that it include long verses in arabic, a language I don't speak. And I really don't have a clue how to solve that problem either. Well, at least I know what awaits me when that day comes. But I rather cross that bridge when I have to. Hopefully I will still have a bit of that internet warrior spirit in me when the time comes.
I don't know if these stories are considered Islamophobia but here they are
1) I was vising my cosines (pleural) in Michigan and they decided to take a boat trip. All of them were "salaphies" with long beard "except me". on the lake a group of gorgeous girls on a different boat passed by us, so they waived hiiiii and no one responded from our boat. I wanted to answer back but I didn't dare to. so again few minutes later the same boat crossed our path and girls shouted hiiii, again no response. One the third occasion, Yes you guessed it, out of no where they flashed us "completely toke their tops off".:lol: one of my cosines looks at me and says " would it have killed you to answer a simple hi!
I've only been a muslim for nearly two weeks now, and I do not yet wear hijab (am going to, but I'm taking it a step at the time and I want to prepare my mum first cuz I still live with her), so not many people know it yet. My fiance is muslim and I hadn't even told him I was going to revert, I only told him afterward.
But I told one of my best friends I'm doing Ramadan now, not yet about my Shahadah, and she immediately shouted "He's making you do it!! He's forcing you, I know it!!"
Exactly the reaction I was expecting because she's always been very prejudiced, but it was hurtfull anyway because she should know me better after ten years of friendship than that I would let myself be forced into anything. But then again, I've been with my fiance for 3,5 years now, and from the first moment she knew he was muslim, she started 'warning' me against him, because according to her, ALL muslim men force women into submission. Haven't been able to talk her out of her prejudice yet....
Congratulations my sister Elise for following the right path. Your fiance is a lucky man. May Allah keep you both happy and strengthen your hearts. Now when is the wedding day?? LOL
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well, i i have a cousin of mine who is muslim, but she wtill eblieves in shirk and bidah, and listens to music....
and when i say her its wrong, she says that we no one can be perfect.....
wierd
Now when is the wedding day?? LOL
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Ok, after al this I thought I let you know my expirience how kids are reacting. For example one day I dropped my daughtyer to nursery I noticed that all the other kids brought scarfes with them from home to play "Awin`s mummy" Awin is mt daughter and they told me they like my scarf so much but also asked if i dont have hair cause theiy mums told them so :lol: or I remember one day I went to the zoo with my kids and there was a girl I would say 8 or 9 years old and she looked at me and told her mummy "when I`m a big girl I want to look like that women I like her style" so that means she likes the scraf her mummy was shocked and only said omg why?:lol: