Experiences/Encounters with Muslims?

[Anonymous Old User Who Has Left 599]

It's been a long while since I've been on this site. Mostly been trying to avoid spoilers. (I'm only 2/3 way through "A Heart's Warming Tale"!)

 

Anyways guys, as some of you are aware, I'm a Muslim. I'd like to know, what experience(s) have you all had, if any, with Muslims? (NOT over the internet, in real life)

• What impact did it leave you with about Muslims and the religion of Islam in general?
• Did the experience(s) make you think highly or less of Islam?
• How did you respond/react?
• How did the Muslim behave towards you?

 

Please share! This is a serious topic I've wanted to have for a long time with the fandom.

 

[Guest]

Two of my best friends are muslim, and I have nothing but great things to say about them. I generally encounter lots of muslims since I live near the city center in Copenhagen with an area called Nørrebro, which has a large muslim population. They're all really friendly and respectful - sure, some tend to themselves and you do get the odd one every now and then, but where wouldn't you?

[Jackie Snack 1,498]

I came to this thread fully expecting something borderline racist. xD

 

Actually, I worked alongside several Muslim (american born) folks both in the Navy and during contracting work (one moved to the US, others were American born). Always really nice and one of them had a bunch of funny jokes that I never remember when the opportunity to share comes along. Plus, Washington state has a nice sized Muslim population.

 

We never talked about religion and rarely talked about politics. More often than not, it would be about food or just random little stories here and there. : P

[Glimmer 78]

Every muslim I've met has been genuinely kind and respectful. In my experience, they're a kind and giving group of people. 

[SparklingSquirrels 21,341]

I know a couple of Muslims who go to my school. My experience with Muslims is that they're just like anybody else: you'll have nice ones and you'll have mean ones. Someone's religion doesn't tell you everything there is to know about a person.

[Member Berry 1,217]

I have an online friend who's muslim he's a great guy. There are nice muslims and there aren't nice muslims, just like christians, atheists etc.

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

Muslims are fine.... they are just like everybody else..... just dont confuse them with Islam..... as Islam is a religion, and Muslim is a race.

[Quinch 1,120]

Muslims are fine.... they are just like everybody else..... just dont confuse them with Islam..... as Islam is a religion, and Muslim is a race.

I, uh. Wait, what? Do you mean Arabs?

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

 No... Traditionally Muslim is the term for someone whom embraced Islam, but many Islamic people I know don't like the term "Muslim" and they have said it is because they believe it is a racial term..... Its kinda like Jewish people..... it can be seen as both a race, and followers of their religion, and not all Jews like to be called that..... I suppose its more of a identification cluster **** than anything else.

I, uh. Wait, what? Do you mean Arabs?

[Shanks 10,816]

I live in Southern California which dosen't have a very high Muslim population so my experience with Muslims has been fairly limited. I have interacted with some Muslims while taking classes at my local community college and so far I have not had any negative experiences. I judge people as individuals, their religion, ethnic origin ect... dosen't matter to me, who they are as a person is what matters.

 

I, uh. Wait, what? Do you mean Arabs?

There are a large number of Muslims that are in fact not Arabs there are parts of Africa, Asia and even Eastern Europe that have large Muslim populations. The Muslim religion was founded by Muhammad who did live in Arabia or what we now call Saudi Arabia and Arabic has been the liturgical language of the Muslim religion much like how Latin has long been the liturgical language of Catholic Christianity but much like Christianity it is a global religion that is not tied to a specific ethnic group.

[Vox 870]

Muslims are fine.... they are just like everybody else..... just dont confuse them with Islam..... as Islam is a religion, and Muslim is a race.

"Muslim" is a term for those who practice Islam, many people associate Islam with Arabs, since they were the ethnic group from which it was founded but Islam is practiced by a plethora of ethnic groups: Arabs, Berbers, Pashtos, Persians, Turks, Uzbeks, Indonesians, etc. 

 

Regardless i'm no stranger to Islam, i have both Sunni and Shia  family from Iraq and Kuwait and formerly lived in Michigan, which has the largest enclave of Arab Muslims in the country. That being said i have come to know, work with, and befriend quite a few Muslims meaning that my overall experience with Muslims from a few different ethnic backgrounds have been overall positive. Despite my theological and moral disagreements with the Qua'ran, the Sunnahs and the Hadiths and my belief that Islam is in need of a reformation, i put my religious differences aside. As long as they adhere to their own traditions on their own and do not infringe upon my liberties to believe and conduct myself the way i wish then i don't have an issue. 

[Guest]

Most of the ones I encounter are quiet, mind their own business and respectful. Can't complain.

[Not_active 732]

Although I'm not fond of Islam(or pretty much any religion) at all, some of my friends are Muslims, so I have mostly good experiences. They're not much different from other people you encounter when you think about it, although that's easy to forget when you have so much negativity associated with them in the media.

[Miss 6,229]

I usually just see people as people and judge them individually.

All the Muslims I have met were cool af. I went to Uiuc for college this past year and I made many Muslim friends.

[Invincible 2,091]

A good friend of mine happens to be one, so i know Muslims have their good apples and their bad apples.

 

I got nothing against the people who practice Islam, but i find that religion to be distasteful. Sorry.

[ARagY 1,152]

What impact did it leave you with about Muslims and the religion of Islam in general?

I think most muslims (at least where I am) are pretty cool people. I have to say the history is interesting

 

Did the experience(s) make you think highly or less of Islam?

On Islam itself I remained more or less neutral through  my personal experiences with Muslims, just like with Christianity. I think that some areas in the middle east are particularly susceptible to violence and holy wars incited by extremists because of ethnic tensions, poverty, lack of border control and army, and the way that any radical group tries to appeal to some NWO that seeks to make people feel comfortable joining. That's why I think we should keep our soldiers in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, because other countries in Central Asia now have to deal with the international community in response to the Turkey attack :s I wish the others would reach out for more help, always ready to give.

 

How did you respond/react?

My country is 10% or so Muslim and I think it's growing strongly in some regions. I think one of the most beautiful places is Bashkortostan, and I'm more than please to talk to any friendly muslims just as like with any other group of people. There's a huge unrecognised range of opinions and I'm pretty surprised when many don't even know the Arabic alphabet exists because of heavy translation culture and isolation from any place that uses it in texts. 

 

How did the Muslim behave towards you?

Pretty kindly. The last encounter I had was on VKontakte (which is Facebook for Eastern Europe/Central Asia) and we got to talking and we had a bit of a cultural exchange. He was an Afghani. They showed me some personal items that they felt tied them in and united them with the greater Muslim population and I explained to them certain mannerisms and a bit of my feelings on connection to the Earth. We gave our thoughts on the position of the world and what we'd like to see in the future and our own personal desires. 

Edited July 7, 2016 by ARagY

[simba86 1,541]

I see them around, they kinda stand out when they wear the full body covering, not really had any experiance with them besides just kinda being around them.

i do my thing and they do theres

[Lillim 45]

My absolute best friends (they are twins) are muslim and they mean the world to me! i live in a world of bigots,Racists,And haters (as my family) and i have never once seen a reason to hate some one for their religion (this is a point that makes me very steamed so ill spare you the rant)

[Moony the Cat 3,702]

Well, in my first School, a lot of Muslims actually came to me and bullied me, because i would smell like Pig Meat and that i would be disgusting.

 

Even though i never ate Pig Meat since i didnt liked it.

And after 2 or 3 Years i got so annyoed by it, that i said that they Religion would be stupid.

Of course i didnt meant it, but it was just a rage out because they bullied me that much.

After that they actually did beat me up.

 

After that experience i always feel uncomfortable when i see Muslims.

Im sorry, i have nothing against their Religion or the normal People but...i just get this uncomfortable feeling, because of my childhood experiences.

But i have to say, it only happened in Schools. It happened never again.

And getting bullied at School is a completely normal thing.

I also got bullied by a lot of different People.

[GeekySonic 1,150]

I dunno. Seen a few at grocery stores. What else is there to say other than that they're average folks?

[EpicEnergy 23,218]

I haven't encountered a muslim before.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

Not particularly friendly to lgbt though the one muslim I know has simply described his experienced indescribably and you'd be very thankful living in the west. I can not imagine fearing for your life simply because of your sexuality. So I mean no it didn't have me think highly of it but he is friendly nice person so is not as if I'm against muslims or anything while I do believe they should promote more acceptance for lgbt and give women rights they have elsewhere other then that pretty much the same. I think most muslims like every other group of people has their differences in values.

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

I knew a Muslim girl from school, her and her brother were exchange students. We didn't interact much, but I remember she was always following her brother and obeying every word he said. I was curious, but I didn't wanna be rude or like I was being nosy. I saw her brother scold her once for something, I don't remember what, and I finally got the courage to ask her, in a less that elegant way, why she needs his permission for everything. She smiled, giggled and said "This is how it is in my country". She didn't seem sad, upset or bothered by my question. She was nice. But I still felt bad for her, because it seemed like she was letting tradition dictate her.

They went back home after the semester and I never saw them again. It did leave a lasting impression on me. I asked myself the question, "Why should anyone have to be subordinate just because some rule says so?"

Muslims like any other group have cool peeps and not so cool peeps. I don't like the religion itself personally, or any value system of subordination like that. I like anyone as long as they're not mean or harmful to me.