OnAJourney
New Member
Salaam From a Curious Non-Muslim.
I come from a Christian background but left those beliefs about four years ago because it didn't feel right in my heart. Since then I've been on an uncomfortable journey trying to find the right beliefs. I want to be apart of something I can feel right about.
I am still in the very beginning stages of learning about Islam, so please excuse my ignorance. Please also understand that if something I might say comes off as rude, it is completely unintentional. I would never disrespect someone on purpose. In reality my culture (I'm a female from Texas, was raised in an African American Christian family in a country setting) is very different from the Muslim culture.
Seeing a Muslim woman sparked my curiosity about the religion. After having a completely unfair and untrue opinion on why many wear the Hijab, I researched it for myself. I found the reasoning completely opposite from what I believed in the past. In fact I found it absolutely beautiful. What the Quran (at least what I have read so far) says about females inspired me on an deep spirtual and emotional level. So I began to read more about this religion.
And so to the point of my posting this.
Islam (as I understand it) is a beautiful religion on it's basis. It feels natural and agreeable to me. However there are things that appear to be unacceptable (haram as I understand it) that I do not understand.
For example, music. Obviously listening to anything profane or with filthy meaning is unnacceptable. But from what I have read many say ALL music except that played with the duff is haram.
And photography and drawing? From what I have read, many say this is haram as well.
And the biggest heartbreaker of all. According to many hadiths as I understand, dogs are seen as unclean. I am a avid animal lover. I have several dogs and ride horses. I used to volunteer at a dog shelter but had to stop because I moved. I have been around dogs all my life, working with them, training them, etc.
And what's a little frustrating is, the Quran doesn't give much insight into dogs so followers seem to go straight to the hadiths. But according to a little research I've done, one of the four Imams (Imam Maliki)/in the Maliki Madhhab dogs are not seen as impure. a
I guess it frustrated me because of the wide variety of opinion. As someone interested in Islam without knowing any Muslims, it is difficult to build a foundation for myself when I don't know what to follow.
To believers in Islam, it shouldn't seem like a big deal to drop the arts (music, photography, pictures, etc) and my love of animals to serve Allah when that is the meaning of life. But please understand my very Westernized background. Cutting music and art from my life is very taboo for me. And not working with dogs would be especially, very difficult for me. Perhaps I am not in the right mindframe. I am indeed more concerned about serving God/Allah, but I still want to enjoy my personal life.
But I am still interested in Islam and learning more. I just do not know how HONESTLY to approach it when I am a bit off put by the confusion.
I would greatly appreciate any advice others have to offer. Once again, please excuse my ignorance (and sorry for writing so much!). I am still learning very much.
Thank you!
I come from a Christian background but left those beliefs about four years ago because it didn't feel right in my heart. Since then I've been on an uncomfortable journey trying to find the right beliefs. I want to be apart of something I can feel right about.
I am still in the very beginning stages of learning about Islam, so please excuse my ignorance. Please also understand that if something I might say comes off as rude, it is completely unintentional. I would never disrespect someone on purpose. In reality my culture (I'm a female from Texas, was raised in an African American Christian family in a country setting) is very different from the Muslim culture.
Seeing a Muslim woman sparked my curiosity about the religion. After having a completely unfair and untrue opinion on why many wear the Hijab, I researched it for myself. I found the reasoning completely opposite from what I believed in the past. In fact I found it absolutely beautiful. What the Quran (at least what I have read so far) says about females inspired me on an deep spirtual and emotional level. So I began to read more about this religion.
And so to the point of my posting this.
Islam (as I understand it) is a beautiful religion on it's basis. It feels natural and agreeable to me. However there are things that appear to be unacceptable (haram as I understand it) that I do not understand.
For example, music. Obviously listening to anything profane or with filthy meaning is unnacceptable. But from what I have read many say ALL music except that played with the duff is haram.
And photography and drawing? From what I have read, many say this is haram as well.
And the biggest heartbreaker of all. According to many hadiths as I understand, dogs are seen as unclean. I am a avid animal lover. I have several dogs and ride horses. I used to volunteer at a dog shelter but had to stop because I moved. I have been around dogs all my life, working with them, training them, etc.
And what's a little frustrating is, the Quran doesn't give much insight into dogs so followers seem to go straight to the hadiths. But according to a little research I've done, one of the four Imams (Imam Maliki)/in the Maliki Madhhab dogs are not seen as impure. a
I guess it frustrated me because of the wide variety of opinion. As someone interested in Islam without knowing any Muslims, it is difficult to build a foundation for myself when I don't know what to follow.
To believers in Islam, it shouldn't seem like a big deal to drop the arts (music, photography, pictures, etc) and my love of animals to serve Allah when that is the meaning of life. But please understand my very Westernized background. Cutting music and art from my life is very taboo for me. And not working with dogs would be especially, very difficult for me. Perhaps I am not in the right mindframe. I am indeed more concerned about serving God/Allah, but I still want to enjoy my personal life.
But I am still interested in Islam and learning more. I just do not know how HONESTLY to approach it when I am a bit off put by the confusion.
I would greatly appreciate any advice others have to offer. Once again, please excuse my ignorance (and sorry for writing so much!). I am still learning very much.
Thank you!