Misconceptions About Islam

[-primetime-]

exactly what are you referring to when saying the virgin thing... I hope we're on the same page... debrief on what agent zero said so I can tell you from what I know if it is right or wrong...

something about getting 72 virgins when you die...that is what heaven is, an eternity of sex with young virgins

http://www.topix.net/forum/world/den...E8E0TVSCU08KMC

http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/heaven.html

[brwnman]

Muslim scholars and imams wear turbans. The Muslim scholars and imams who wear black turbans are direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed. Those who wear white turbans are religious scholars and imams, but they are not direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed.

correct... we say turban but i believe the proper word is amameh, i believe the word is persian...

[LakerRaider]

Mostly that we are the world power right now and our customs and traditions irritate them. Mostly it is because of Bush's actions.

Our customs and traditions do not irritate them. The people who hate America's traditions and customs are in the minority. There are tons of McDonalds, Burger Kings, Applebees, T.G.I.Fridays, Johnny Rockets, Kenny Roger's Roasters, and so on. They're also thinking of building a Hooter's in the United Arab Emirates.

They listen to hip hop, rap, and R&B. The past few years, the Middle East has seen a rise in Arab Hip-Hop, a genre and custom started in the United States that you claim Arabs hate, which is not true at all.

American and Western music is a big deal over there.

They watch the same programs everybody else over here does; 24, Prison Break, you name it, they probably watch it.

The Harlem Globetrotters used to go to one of the Middle Eastern countries and play over there.

Your customs and traditions rant is not that accurate.

[LakerRaider]

correct... we say turban but i believe the proper word is amameh, i believe the word is persian...

That's true. Both Arabs and Persians say amameh.

[LakerRaider]

heaven or jannah will be the ultimate fantasy. you will be perfectly fit and have your own palace. And, yes you will be served with the finest of experienced woman. There are 7 levels of heaven. Each one progresses in greatness. On the 7th level, are the prophets and Allah. It is very rare to be on that level. Prayer is not mandatory, all laws of Islam is extinguished. You have already paid your dues, smoke, get high, drunk, as much as you want. You still have the option of praying of course.

Again, another misconception. The women part and dining and wining with virgins is a total misconception.

[LakerRaider]

pleasure is the key. So yes, they are allowed. BUT during the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, no intercourse, smoking, cursing, or any bad behavior is allowed.

It is forbidden in any religion, I believe, to have pre-marital sex. No intercourse is not only abided during the month of Ramadhan, but also all months until you are married.

[LakerRaider]

telling on a fellow muslim brother is prohibited, unless it is something extreme, such as thoughts of suicide, which is an automatic ticket to hell. They will pay for it in afterlife.

What??? Telling on a fellow Muslim brother is prohibited??? So people walk around in turbans with a "No Snitching" shirt on??? You're misinformed or maybe created this account as a dummy account.

[reppy]

I've heard that it's OK for men to *********e but not for women. I had a Muslim friend (female) look this up. I have also read an interview with a female Muslim sex therapist from Egypt. She has her own TV show or something once a week. People call in and ask for Islamic sex advice. (Basically, **** sex and out of wedlock relationships are out of the question. Everything else I think she'll discuss.)

Also, I don't really want to get into a lengthy discussion about Iraq but I will say this:

- An Iraqi wrestler that helped pull down the status of Saddam says he now regrets it. Many have said their lives were better under Saddam.
- Iraqis might have cell phones now (woohoo!), but they still struggle with things like water and electricity.
- Far more than 20-30 people die in Iraq every single day from sectarian violence. 20-30 people die in a single attack in many cases.
- Turkey has threatened to invade Iraq if the US does not stop the Kurdish terrorist group PKK(?) from attacking them.
- Saudi Arabia has threatened to invade Iraq if it looks like too many Sunnis are being killed.
- If a pro-US, pro-Israel government is ever installed, it's also possible that Iran will start meddling even more in Iraq.
- So many educated individuals have left Iraq that the government passed a law stating you have to serve in the Iraqi army before you're allowed to receive your college diploma.

All is not well in Iraq. I know the right-wing likes to say the "good stuff" isn't getting through the "filter". But is it really that good that people have cell phones? Incredible. I'm amazed. That was worth it, right? Iraqis have cell phones now! T-Mobile AT&Tomplished!

The blog at www.juancole.com is a great resource for information on the Middle East.

Here's a good quote: "Authorities are having a 10-foot-deep ditch dug around the *****e holy city of Karbala, in hopes of keeping criminal elments out fo the city."

Does that sound like things are doing well in Iraq?

[sydneyking]

I definitely think that Muslim women are treated like sh!t. I've known quite a few as well, but it's too sensitive an issue to bring up.

[shadow]

I just wanted to say that a lot of things people say you can and cannot do in Islam is not really written anywhere. Besides the Quran, Islamic law is based on Hadith which are events and quotes from the prophet's life which were well documented. There's tons of them floating around but scholars have identified the works of about 3-4 documentors as the only ones which are considered authentic.

Regarding sex and *********ion, this is my personal view but I refuse to believe God would make people have to worry about mundane rules like that. I understand prohibiting sex outside of marriage due to the risks of pregnancy, but its sheer torture to make a boy or girl go through puberty without allowing them to *********e, especially if you're not allowing sex in the first place. Its the most natural thing in the world and kids do it based on instinct and here we have adults telling them they'll go to hell for it. Idiots.

Its amazing the crap rules I've heard people come up with that you need to follow to be a good "Muslim." I've heard **** like you need to keep an unkempt beard, to making sure your the leg of your pants stop short above your ankles before praying. Does God really give a crap about **** like that? I'd like to think not.

Anyway I think I just went off on a 2am rant. Sorry if I offended someone.

[Jabes]

he also said that *********ion is allowed in Islam, which cannot be more further from the truth... it is strongly prohibited...

Are you a muslim?

yes I am...

You don't arm wrestle the one-eyed vessel?!? Have you ever tried it? I'm amazed/impressed/bewildered/terrified... how do you make it through the day?

[RainierBeachPoet]

Muslim scholars and imams wear turbans. The Muslim scholars and imams who wear black turbans are direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed. Those who wear white turbans are religious scholars and imams, but they are not direct descendants of the Prophet Mohammed.

thanks for starting this thread; i am just catching up with it now...

can anyone comment on islams intellectual tradition?

the few muslims that i have met are good people just trying to live life and provide for their families. it is the few extremists (like in any religion) that give the majority a bad name

i read an article by a muslim woman (sorry i cant remember her name) that commented that islam needs a "reformation" akin to christianity's protestant reformers luther and calvin as a means of purification of how islam is interpreted by its religious leaders and can give it a means for self correction

i thought the idea was fascinating but i havent looked deeper into it myself. any thoughts?

[gb8]

thanks for starting this thread; i am just catching up with it now...

can anyone comment on islams intellectual tradition?

the few muslims that i have met are good people just trying to live life and provide for their families. it is the few extremists (like in any religion) that give the majority a bad name

i read an article by a muslim woman (sorry i cant remember her name) that commented that islam needs a "reformation" akin to christianity's protestant reformers luther and calvin as a means of purification of how islam is interpreted by its religious leaders and can give it a means for self correction

i thought the idea was fascinating but i havent looked deeper into it myself. any thoughts?

The problem with islam is that it more clearly then chirstianity shows how a society should be set up. The sharia is in itself an all emcompassing social moral and judicial structure which according to islamic doctrine is basicly how god wants society to be governed and set up. Islam does enshrine many positive laws for its citizxens, both men and women. For instance women have the right to own land and property and the right to divorce, which obviously all help greatly in empowering women. In my view the problem and clash arises when sharia is applied to ways in which society is structured today in terms of the capitalist structure, it is here is becomes incompatible to a large defree. As far as my understanding goes sharia is concerned with creating two parralel societies for women and men with limited interaction between the two. This means that if the world is dominated by men women are already clearly at a disadvantageous position. This combined with the fact that sharia law requires two womens testimony in court to equal the testimony of one man means that women are definitely at a disadvantageous position of power in society in islam.

[shafir]

Why is your religion true and the others arent? I am not religious btw.

I'm Muslim as well, and I think I have a decent answer for this question. It is prohibited in Islam to conduct prayer in any other language but Arabic, and Quran's that have been translated from Arabic to a different language are also not allowed to be used in prayer. Basically, it is prohibited to translate the Quran. That being said, Muslim's respect Christian's and Jews as people of the book(from the same God) However, we believe that over time, the books have been corrupted by humans, changed, and manipulated. The fact that the Quran has remained the same makes Islam more accurate(in our eyes) To be honest, the Quran may still have been manipulated with, even though I don't believe it has, but it would still be more accurate then the other books.

[shafir]

There are around 1.4 billion people that practice Islam.Out of that, maybe 20 million(even that number sounds too extravagant) have beliefs that can be considered radical, and have terrorist like beliefs. That is literally less then 2% of Muslims, and they give us all a bad name. Most of you probably have never heard of the country Bangladesh(where I come from)That is a 90% Muslim country, has about 150 million people, but because the radical Islamic view is not very representative, nobody hears about this country. The only Islamic countries that are represented by the media are the countries that the US has problems with, thus giving Muslims a terrible name.