I am grateful you are here. Can you please just give me a moment of your time? And I am not asking you to agree with me, but I am asking you to trust that what I am about to tell you is true for me.
Iām happy for you. Iām even happy for the Gazans who are Muslim because they are content to leave the pain and desolation. I think one of the reasons people are so supportive of the Palestinians is their fortitude and courage with God by their side. Not in terms of war but in life and love.
I was brought up as a Roman Catholic which is definitely a hard cross to bear but have not followed for sixty years now. I was not brought up to hate or even mistrust any other nationality or religion so I have been surprised at the capacity to hate I have seen in my life.
I get a lot in response to my posts about Palestine. Yesterday was a tough one. They wound me in their anger and misinformed ideas.
Like another commenter my experience of Muslims is very positive and there are some high profile people who I very much admire, such as Sadiq Khan and Yussef.
Isnāt it really a propaganda thing? Part of the ā donāt trust them, theyāre coming for the wives, sharia law, ā etc
We ( Substack community) know better donāt we?
Personally I worry more about the so called Christians in the US and their extreme, retrograde beliefs.
But as you didnāt quite say ā I donāt see them ā like I donāt see Jews, I donāt see Methodists. I just see people.
I love every word you say, Shaun. This comes across as totally sane and eminently powerful. As a non-Muslim, I respect and defend my brothers and sisters wholeheartedly. Although I was raised in the Christian faith, I see it as having failed to represent the true teachings of the Prophet it seeks to represent. No wonder that numbers are declining, whereas the reverse is true of Islam. I have no doubt that the horrors endured in Palestine have much to do with this trend. Despite their appalling suffering, the population remains strong in God and undefeated.
Itās wonderful that you feel that way. Itās amazing that Americans are so threatened by so much. We are just children who never got our needs met, and take it out on the rest of the world. We know we were owed something, but weāre not introspective enough to ask who betrayed us, so we blame it on whoever happens to be an easy target. Christianity doesnāt seem to even exist anymore. 50-60 years ago, the Christians I knew were more like you. They were people who truly believed, and were not just members of the God club, a club that makes them feel included, no matter what they do, as long as they pretend to be salivating over their love of God. I have been so turned off by religion, although I am very spiritual. I really appreciate what you said because most of what Americans have heard and/or seen is the Muslims who are disrespectful of women and bent on killing. To me, the whole idea of converting someone seems kind of disrespectful, as if someone else can tell you what to believe. Anyway, you made Islam sound very attractive. Thank you for all your truth telling.
Brother, I love you, and as a Muslim to the very atoms in the fibers in the musculature of my heart, I must say that this piece wasnāt thought through before it was published. I encourage you to rewrite it until itās a better reflection of you and what you believe.
Dear brother, I am not being flippant, but this is what I meant to say. It is an accurate viewpoint of how I feel in this very moment, and how the people in my community feel, and how the people in many communities that I visit feel.
Lots of great things can be said in response to people who mock or defame or ridicule the Messenger or the deen. Educate, inform, and then leave be with a beauteous patience.
This piece has a us vs them, tribalistic overtone, and is aggressive without even conveying anything of substance; if anything this could turn one away from the deen; moreover, the āthemā in this case are identified as Christians, who in many cases are allies and more receptive to the call of faith than any other group.
Thanks for that feedback. I mean the quite the opposite. I am saying that Muslims do not see Christians, or Christianity as our enemy. I am saying that not only are they not our enemy, we donāt even really think about them. We donāt have beef with them. Period.
Just wanted to share my heart tonight.
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I'm not religious although I come from a Christian family.
However in my 60-odd years on this planet I have always found Muslims to be peace loving, gentle and generous.
Exactly we are travellers this is not our home and this is why we are so detached from this dunya
Iām happy for you. Iām even happy for the Gazans who are Muslim because they are content to leave the pain and desolation. I think one of the reasons people are so supportive of the Palestinians is their fortitude and courage with God by their side. Not in terms of war but in life and love.
I was brought up as a Roman Catholic which is definitely a hard cross to bear but have not followed for sixty years now. I was not brought up to hate or even mistrust any other nationality or religion so I have been surprised at the capacity to hate I have seen in my life.
I get a lot in response to my posts about Palestine. Yesterday was a tough one. They wound me in their anger and misinformed ideas.
Like another commenter my experience of Muslims is very positive and there are some high profile people who I very much admire, such as Sadiq Khan and Yussef.
Isnāt it really a propaganda thing? Part of the ā donāt trust them, theyāre coming for the wives, sharia law, ā etc
We ( Substack community) know better donāt we?
Personally I worry more about the so called Christians in the US and their extreme, retrograde beliefs.
But as you didnāt quite say ā I donāt see them ā like I donāt see Jews, I donāt see Methodists. I just see people.
Most of us born muslims are relearning the true Islam from Gazans and from you Western reverts.. Jazakum Allah Khayran both.
My favourite thing you've ever written. Islam is a gift to humanity for those who choose to accept it
I love every word you say, Shaun. This comes across as totally sane and eminently powerful. As a non-Muslim, I respect and defend my brothers and sisters wholeheartedly. Although I was raised in the Christian faith, I see it as having failed to represent the true teachings of the Prophet it seeks to represent. No wonder that numbers are declining, whereas the reverse is true of Islam. I have no doubt that the horrors endured in Palestine have much to do with this trend. Despite their appalling suffering, the population remains strong in God and undefeated.
Itās wonderful that you feel that way. Itās amazing that Americans are so threatened by so much. We are just children who never got our needs met, and take it out on the rest of the world. We know we were owed something, but weāre not introspective enough to ask who betrayed us, so we blame it on whoever happens to be an easy target. Christianity doesnāt seem to even exist anymore. 50-60 years ago, the Christians I knew were more like you. They were people who truly believed, and were not just members of the God club, a club that makes them feel included, no matter what they do, as long as they pretend to be salivating over their love of God. I have been so turned off by religion, although I am very spiritual. I really appreciate what you said because most of what Americans have heard and/or seen is the Muslims who are disrespectful of women and bent on killing. To me, the whole idea of converting someone seems kind of disrespectful, as if someone else can tell you what to believe. Anyway, you made Islam sound very attractive. Thank you for all your truth telling.
Brother, I love you, and as a Muslim to the very atoms in the fibers in the musculature of my heart, I must say that this piece wasnāt thought through before it was published. I encourage you to rewrite it until itās a better reflection of you and what you believe.
Dear brother, I am not being flippant, but this is what I meant to say. It is an accurate viewpoint of how I feel in this very moment, and how the people in my community feel, and how the people in many communities that I visit feel.
Lots of great things can be said in response to people who mock or defame or ridicule the Messenger or the deen. Educate, inform, and then leave be with a beauteous patience.
This piece has a us vs them, tribalistic overtone, and is aggressive without even conveying anything of substance; if anything this could turn one away from the deen; moreover, the āthemā in this case are identified as Christians, who in many cases are allies and more receptive to the call of faith than any other group.
Thanks for that feedback. I mean the quite the opposite. I am saying that Muslims do not see Christians, or Christianity as our enemy. I am saying that not only are they not our enemy, we donāt even really think about them. We donāt have beef with them. Period.
Personally I think it was perfect