why do Muslims Must offer apologizes for individual actions?

[Woodrow LI]

If you do not approve of what other Muslims do, how much meaning there is in saying that you are both Muslims?

I'm not implying that there must be some specific level. I truly want to know.

We do not know who is a Muslim. The primary criteria to be Muslim is to have said the Shahadah with knowledge, conviction and sincerity. As we can not see into another persons heart and thoughts we accept all who claim to be Muslim as being Muslim.

Our question is not if they are Muslim, but if they are actually following Islam

 

[LuisDantas]

So let's see. It is acknowledged that someone who claims to be a Muslim and/or to follow Islam may in fact be failing to, due to lack of sincerity or for other reasons.

Yet, it is also considered terribly judgmental (and very rude, I assume) to say outright that some specific person or people are not Muslims, or not true Muslims, or not following Islam (I'm not sure whether those amount to the same thing).

I assume that saying that named people are not true Muslims / do not follow Islam can be done and is done often enough, but hardly ever in relation to someone one likes and respects. It seems to be very much an accusation, perhaps an insult outright.

Does that sound about right? Feel free to set me right, please.

 

[Jumi]

So if we don't know if someone is Muslim, accordingly anyone and everyone who doesn't feel like it can leave the religion when they want to and have no problem with other Muslims as far as Quran and Hadith are concerned?

 

[Shad]

I misunderstood.

Personally I do not see why I should apologize for anything I did not do nor approve of being done. I have contact with only one Muslim on a regular basis, that is my wife, and i really do not know of any time she has ever even threatened violence, except for when I forget to take out the garbage.

I

Exactly, wives are dangerous! Anyways you did nothing wrong other than being part of a group which is anything but monolithic. This is the issue I am pointing out. You have your interpretation of Islam and Islamist radicals have their view. Just by a passing glance one can not blame you for a ideology you do not hold, a method of action behind said ideology, etc. Far to often people associate a general view, hasty generalization, and assume that everyone holds said view. In reality this is just guilt by association in which the only association is Islam stripped of every branch of thought, every philosophical divide, theological divide, etc. You are just a bystander caught up in a ridiculous cycle of the blame game.