How does one prevent religious arrogance in Islam?

[hidayah]

Pardon me, but I'm a sister and not a brother

Anyhow, that's what some of the others are saying. Unless there's a major uprising of the 'moderate Muslims', our soft spoken speeches of love will be drowned out by their shouts of black and white reasoning!

Sigh, the sad truth is... I don't believe there is a chance for peace. Peace is just a utopian idea.

 

[Muslimwoman]

I would like to add how education and da'wah plays a strong part in all this. On the radio, in mosques, in classes, almost all asatizahs I have studied underhave a similar way of teaching. They preach Islam with a clenched fist and raised voices. They preach fear before love.

It is so upsetting. The small children here (age 7 up) are literally beaten with a big stick to learn the Quran and taught that non Muslims are all "evil". How do our children grow up to really love Allah not just fear Him, to follow Islam rather than continue the cycle of hatred, to seek knowledge instead of believing a single persons interpretation of Islam and to take each person in the world as they find them? I have bathed a childs bleeding wounds when they returned from school (believe me the teacher now sees the error of his ways and knows were his stick will be inserted if he does it again - and believe me I would do it) but how does this child learn the unimaginable love of Allah, His absolute mercy and the peacefulness of Islam? What will this child grow into?

mothers whispering and pointing and associating Non Muslim attire with Satan and such.

Can you believe the two most popular questions women asked me when I first came here was "What is it like to have a boyfriend" and "what is it like to have sex with animals" Seriously, most people in this town believed that is normal behaviour for european women - again because they are taught it is a 'fact'. I am delighted to report that as soon as they saw the look of horror on my face they realised they had been misinformed.

I'm just saying, something needs to be done about how we educate our kids on Islam. Something needs to be done about the loud voiced Imams with their clenched fists.

I can't agree more sister, I just wish we could find a way to get our voices heard over the sounds of gunfire and explosions. IMHO it is for our Imams to begin this process and we can help this by refusing to attend mosques where these fist clenching men preach and also ensuring our children do not get lured to these mosques.

 

[Muslimwoman]

to worship with love is indeed better than to worship with fear.

Ameen brother. Now how do we get that message out to the whole Ummah?

I just feel so sad for Islam, it is the true path to Allah but the behaviour of many Muslims stops people from finding that path. How must our Beloved Prophet (pbuh) feel watching how the Ummah now behave - really I dread to think of the pain we cause him.

Salaam

 

[Muslimwoman]

I just read the Egypt Daily News today and look what I found:

Militant calls for attacks on Egypt

A man described as a leader of al-Qaeda’s wing in Egypt called for attacks on Israeli and Western targets in the Arab world’s most populous country in support of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. ‘O heroes, strike ... all the Zionist-Crusader targets in the land of Egypt without shedding the blood of Muslims,’ Mohamed Hakaima, a former leader of Egypt’s Gama’a Islamiya militant group, said in a statement posted on the Internet.

I rest my case. ​

 

[BlaznFattyz]

get priorities in order.
humble yourself before the lord.
do you love culture and religion, your ego and pleasing others?
or do you love god and seek his truth and his salvation no matter the cost?
if god is love, then we are to love god and to love one another.
when there is opposition to this, we must pray and resist it.
we are not to condemn it,
for no one is righteous,
rather we are to help each other with the hope of gods salvation.
what good are riches and talents on earth that god has given you,
if you do not use them to help others who are lost and in need of god?
so, when you know for a fact that god loves you, tell others.
when you know for a fact that his words are faithful and true, tell others.
when you know that god wishes to save you not condemn you, tell others.
seek the lord and pray words from your heart in private and ask for guidance.
seek the lord and pray words from your heart in private and ask forgiveness.
seek the lord and pray words from your heart in private and ask for his help.
when you know that something is wrong in your religion, correct it.
when you know that something is wrong in your culture, correct it.
when you know that something is wrong in your life, correct it.
if the words of the lord are true and you seek it,
and you try to be holy as god is holy,
people will not see arrogance,
but they will see a humble man of god who wants to do god's will,
no matter what religion it is called,
love is love,
and god loves you.

 

[wil]

The fact that this conversation is going on...is a sign of movement toward a better future.

The more that stand up to be heard...will institute the revolution...of peace.

But it isn't only arrogance in one religion that needs to be addressed, but all.

And as here, the only way it can is from within...for us to be outraged at what we see and hear and be the voice of change.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

and now to irritate the neighbors throw open the window and shout...

I'm sick and tired and I am not going to take it anymore!

 

[Muslimwoman]

Found this verse in the Quran today and thought it relevant to our discussion:


004.094
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! When ye go abroad in the cause of Allah, investigate carefully, and say not to any one who offers you a salutation: "Thou art none of a believer!" Coveting the perishable goods of this life: with Allah are profits and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves before, till Allah conferred on you His favours: Therefore carefully investigate. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! When ye go forth (to fight) in the way of Allah, be careful to discriminate, and say not unto one who offereth you peace: "Thou art not a believer," seeking the chance profits of this life (so that ye may despoil him). With Allah are plenteous spoils. Even thus (as he now is) were ye before; but Allah hath since then been gracious unto you. Therefore take care to discriminate. Allah is ever Informed of what ye do.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! when you go to war in Allah's way, make investigation, and do not say to any one who offers you peace: You are not a believer. Do you seek goods of this world's life! But with Allah there are abundant gains; you too were such before, then Allah conferred a benefit on you; therefore make investigation; surely Allah is aware of what you do.

What do my fellow Muslims think this verse is telling us?

Salaam