10 Things Every Muslim in West Should Do

Bismillah,

Dear Nausheen, I appreciate your effort and your list is a good one, and completely workable for many people.  There are some things I disagree with not out of disagreement, but out of practicality.  All of the things are valid and good.  Number 10 goes first on the list.  Take care of your own family first.  Too many men give to others when their own families are doing without.  They think they are preparing a place in heaven by this, but they will be punished for neglect of their own families.  Then they should sponsor a family or an orphan, you are right about that since the Blessed Quran instructs us to do that.

Once again you suggest things from the perspective of a person who has money.  Now, you must realize that there are very, very poor Muslims, many of them are my friends, who would be hurt when they read this because they would feel deficient in not being able to perform their duties due to lack of funds. 

Halal foods are definitely preferrable, but at 3.99 a pound for chicken and regular on sale is as low as .49, you are asking the impoverished to choose to go without food in order to fulfill this.

Magazines and books and video tapes of Islaamic origin, that would be lovely too.  But as I stated previously, I bought my son two small Islaamic stories for Eed.  At $20 for the both of them.  At the book fair, 300 page fantasy books are $2 or $3. Kids want and need to read, but the resources in our Muslim communities are mostly there for the well-to-do.  So please don't make a requirement in Islam that Allah, SWT, did not put on us.  It is a good idea.  Maybe you could work toward making a foundation of books, magazines, and videos available to the poor amongst us.

Now to what Zaman said.  If I could teach my children to follow my western culture that I grew up believing in rather than what they learned from the real behavior of their Phalasteen family, they would be more honest, trustworthy, happy and peaceful. 

I learned in church and in the Mosque that honesty is vital to a person and their family and community.  But in the Phalasteen family that I have grown to know, deceit is the only way that real people survive, espeically from their in-laws intrusive, difficult, demanding ways.

And as for moral behavior?  They are no more moral than my kaffir family.  They just hide it or pretend to hide it because such behavior cannot be suffered openly in an Islaamic world.  Is it better to learn to be deceitful as the so-called eastern culture teaches them?

Maybe it is that you don't know my culture and you just assume that what you see on tv and in bars is normal behavior.  Churgh going people and even moral atheists here in America value honesty, integrity, and community involvement. 

There are great things about the Jordanian, Phalastenian culture also.  I see that a lot of the values are similar.  We love our families and seek to teach them good values and protect them from harmful ways.  And there are families who are deceitful here also.  But the point I am making is that you unfortunately don't see the good families with strong loving ties in the places you frequent.  Who writes movies about them?  Nobody! 

Both so-called western and eastern cultures have great things to contribute to our Islaamic way of life.  We have to work very hard to implement them.  Your 10 steps is a great way for people who are able to follow them.  Maybe you could make a 10 steps for impoverished families. Until then, we can just concentrate on the pillars, and hope for the best.

Oh, and Amina, thank you for your poignant reminder to me.  I will try harder because of your post.  Whatever responsibilities I have, your post reminded me of my most important one.  I think I should post that in big letters on my wall.

Edited by herjihad

These are good steps for muslims living in the West, I especially like the "adopt a convert" idea, but I don't agree that muslims converts  are excluded in masjids. On the contrary, it seems more likely that muslims who have grown up muslim would be delighted to see Americans embrace Islam. Also, the newcomer should make conversation, be friendly and open to answering quiestions.

Edited by MayPB

Amina16 wrote: "Resolve to raise your family as Muslims" i believe this is very important because 2 ramadans ago.  me and my muslim friends were in the cafeteria talking.  They just finished eating but i was fasting.  They were talking( i don't remember what)  but then i asked them all if they knew arkan al islam( five pillars of islam)  They all stoped talking.  i asked again.  They said " What is that?"  i recited the 5 pillars of islam in Arabic and then i expalained it to them in English and somali.  My parents tought me the 5 pillars when i was real little.  infact there isn't a time i could remember not knowing it.  My parents always tell me about islam all the time.  When they are lecturing me i could always finish everything they say.  for example when they say wama qalaqtu jinn wal ins.... i say illah leyaabadu.  Because of the way my parents raised me i have more knowledge about my deen then most "muslim"  kids in the US.  Parents should always talk to there kids tell them things.  Believe it or not we do listen.  Don't stop telling us things.  All these muslim parents in the US always complain about there kids.  Its not the kids fault they don't have any knowledge about islam it is the parents duty to teach us.

 

I agree!! most Musalmans in the US don't bother to teach their kids about Islam, and they should!! 

 

But why do the ones that are adopted have to be muslim? I am puzzled over that!!

"Resolve to raise your family as Muslims"

i believe this is very important because 2 ramadans ago.  me and my muslim friends were in the cafeteria talking.  They just finished eating but i was fasting.  They were talking( i don't remember what)  but then i asked them all if they knew arkan al islam( five pillars of islam)  They all stoped talking.  i asked again.  They said " What is that?"  i recited the 5 pillars of islam in Arabic and then i expalained it to them in English and somali. 

My parents tought me the 5 pillars when i was real little.  infact there isn't a time i could remember not knowing it.  My parents always tell me about islam all the time.  When they are lecturing me i could always finish everything they say.  for example when they say wama qalaqtu jinn wal ins.... i say illah leyaabadu. 

Because of the way my parents raised me i have more knowledge about my deen then most "muslim"  kids in the US.  Parents should always talk to there kids tell them things.  Believe it or not we do listen.  Don't stop telling us things.  All these muslim parents in the US always complain about there kids.  Its not the kids fault they don't have any knowledge about islam it is the parents duty to teach us.