After reading that whole article, and the other websites I have to say that the problem was presented as something that applied to all muslims. In fact it is something that is applicable to where she is. The pakistanis and the indians have a long history of animosity towards each other. It is complex between them that does not play out where I am. The pakistanis and indians get along elsewhere for the most part. These people that were so mad at her just happened to have been muslim, but the animosity that goes on over there extends beyond religions. I do not know the origin of why they dislike each other so much, but it didn't have so much to do with how the muslims in general or islam in general views her.
From what she says she has seen some pretty heinous stuff and quite naturally attributed it to religion. The people there have a lot of religious fervor but not alot of religious knowledge or practice, so that often produces an ignorant person that's very emotional. So I read these articles and came away with that. Why was it then presented as though all the muslims felt the same way? Or that we should have felt the same, or that we automatically did? If she had been muslim speaking ill about hinduism, and got attacked would we have had this little lashing out against the hindus on this site? Nope. Cuz only the muslims are crazily fanatical about everything.
I wasn't even gonna write anything else about this but I had to point it out.
Another thing, I have to say. When I came to this site I had some big asperations. my intention was to open up the roads of communication with people of varying faiths, in hopes that I could understand where other people are comming from and help them understand Islam and muslims. I wanted to build a repor if you will that was amicable enough to discuss things, and hopefully bring about understanding. I wanted to quell misconceptions about Islam, and I wanted people to have knowledge about Islam from the horses mouth. I was not so much looking forward to anyone accepting Islam, although it has happened with a couple of members. I was wrong on all counts. I as well as the other muslims on this site, was unable to do any of that. We were unable to communicate properly the things about islam that had people upset. For some odd reason people have gotten it into their heads that muslims want to make America or other western countries be under sharia. If that is the case then I am hoplessly clueless. I had no idea that any muslim was wasting time planning that. Anyway, I feel I have done nothing in the service of what I came to do, and have done Islam an injustice. I have only seemed to create a type of hatred which I am deeply grieved about. I was unable to squelch even one misunderstanding, and I was unable to meet anyone halfway on the building of mutual repsect and understanding, if not agreement between the muslims and the non-muslims. Without even making efforts towards it, we muslims have engendered a general dislike (I feel anyway) no matter how we attempt to approach Islamic subjects.
I was well aware that I wasn't going to make people agree with me, and neither did I try. However, I was and have been (for whatever reason although I know better) caught off guard by the spurts of venom that come our way. It's a bit disturbing but nothing that I should not have been looking forward to. In any case this thread has proven to me just how much of a waste of my time it has been here. I liked it, but it was a waste ultimately. I will take it as a weakness of mine. A sort of patheticness if you will that I was so feeble in my words and intent. May Allah forgive me for that, and I apologise for anything I may have written in my time here that offended anyone. I have gotten angry, and sometimes out of line with some of you and for that I am sorry. I really did not intend any harm or hurt to any person here.
