Humility is such a rarity to find these days and yet it is the most admirable quality of all. I read several excerpts of interviews with someone I once worked with and was pissed off by this new stream of "modern Islam" bull!@#! that seem to be circulating. Now folks I do not know what "modern" Islam is. There is Islam and there is Islam. There is no such thing as "modern Islam"! That, I am sorry to say, is a cop out by those who know what is right and what is not, yet choose to do what is not... and then want social backing to do it.
I know what is right and what is wrong. Often I will make the choice to do what is wrong, even though I know better. That is my flaw. I do it because it feels good. I do it because sometimes it is easier to do. I do it because I am weak. I don't feel good about it. And when I do, it serves as an excuse to do wrong again, because after all....I am already in neck deep...might as well go the whole nine yards, right? That is my excuse. BUT- That does not mean that I need to go around preaching what I do wrong as being right and therefore "modern Islam" and seek to find a following and support for it.
Despite all I do wrong, I have the utmost respect for Islam. And I am livid that there is this new trend of "modern Islam". Maybe I am a fundamentalist and fanatic at heart. Maybe it is my guilt talking. All I know is that half the crap that is being touted as modern liberalism is BS!
I admire people who can live in this day and age and still stay true to their religious values. I also believe in tolerance of others. What I despise is- wrong being sugar coated as right and then being shoved at me.
Do not get me wrong. I am not an it's got to be black or white person. I believe in varying shades of gray. But in some instances there is no gray. Take child molestation for example.... There is no gray there. It is wrong. No ifs ands or buts about it! So for all you "modern Muslims" out there.... please give it a rest. Research your religion before you go about spouting propaganda that is ludicrous.
Islam has a magnificent history and culture. It also has a great value system. It is my religion of choice. I wasn't just born a Muslim. I researched and read about other faiths. I have a good grasp of other paths to truth but for me Islam is what brings me to understanding. If there are differences with others, it does not bother me. I can agree to disagree... I do it everyday with "modern Muslims" in addition to many others.
Can we just stop trying to justify our own point of view. Can we just stop trying to make it okay. Can we stop trying to point fingers everywhere and look and focus instead, on ourselves. I'll even do it first by turning my wrath away from the "modern Muslims" and looking deep within myself to see what is it about the notion of modern Islam that gets me hooked? Why did I react to that so heatedly? Is it guilt? What is the root cause of my disgust? I need to sit and think on it long and hard.....
12 comments:
yea modern Islam allows homosexuality, thats all what is modern about it. And that is what will remain modern about it. This hue and cry will die as every season falls ...
@Rueful,
hmmmm, now that I did not know....I did not know that modern Islam allows for homosexuality.
Thanks for stopping by and for your comments.
Modern Islam (or as I call it, Islam 2.0), traditional Islam, homosexuality, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, what ever your belief. I think as long as you don't want to tear someone apart just for believing in something different, or nothing at all, you're ok.
Blue by Joni Mitchell
Blue songs are like tattoos
You know I've been to sea before
Crown and anchor me
Or let me sail away
Hey Blue, here is a song for you
Ink on a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in
Well there're so many sinking now
You've got to keep thinking
You can make it thru these waves
Acid, booze, and ass
Needles, guns, and grass
Lots of laughs lots of laughs
Everybody's saying that hell's the hippest way to go
Well I don't think so
But I'm gonna take a look around it though
Blue I love you
Blue here is a shell for you
Inside you'll hear a sigh
A foggy lullaby
There is your song from me
@Mohican
I enjoy our blog exchanges... Thanks for "Blue"
:)
Visit again soon
@ Mohican: what you said is right in a democracy. When theocracy comes in, the rights and wrongs will be dictated by the government. Not necessarily imposed but standardized. In such cases, whoever wants to be homosexual, he/she can be. As long as it is not practiced. Cuz we know, a human can think whatever they want to. They can claim to be God, as long as its not openly bragged about in a theocracy, we wont "tear him/her apart."
@ Shahnaz: Well, from my understanding, modern Islam allows everything except oneness of God. I think that is a bit extreme as well.
correction: Modern Islam allows everything except "multiplicity of gods."
I have posted a response to this on my own blog here as it was too lengthy to post as a comment.
@the rueful tune
...surely such a belief (believing oneself to be a homosexual or even god)will be punishable by God even if the hypocrisy of not practising what you believe is not punished by a theocratic government!
..or does "Ina mal aamaalo bin niyaate" preclude mere intentions/beliefs being equally meaningful in the absense of a supporting action?
valid points. but then what about slavery and concubinage? one could argue moving away from that was just as much a 'modernising' influence? and if someone wants to believe in their version of islam, why is it being pushed onto you?
One thing Muslims assume Islam entitles them to is judgement - which is as far from truth as one can possibly get. Judgement is for Allah alone, only He can decide what will be forgiven, and what won't.
We are all weak, and follow Islam to the extent our weakness allows us. What we don't follow doesn't become irrelevant or "old", it's still there, still true. I've had this argument numerous times, just because we don't understand something, doesn't mean it's wrong. May Allah SWT guide us to the right path, and keep us steadfast on it, ameen summa ameen.
I applaud your honesty and integrity and wonder whether your anger at Modern Muslims could be because it is quite painful to accept the consequences of the fact that Islam can't be changed.
That it means you must believe in some pretty uncomfortable notions. That one can only; 'take it or leave it'.
Abooali,
Hardly. My anger is not directed at modern muslims but at hypocrisy. I am a sinner. I sin. I acknowledge that fact. I do not choose to hide it by making it okay under the guise of rightness or modernism. But then by the rules of Islam i sin. In my book, being more spiritual than religious, I harm no one so I am content....
hope that helps....
Thanks for stopping and for commenting.
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