Do you think people will think you're crazy/weird/social outcast etc if you talk about religion a lot?

i used to. then i change my friends...

the thing with Islam..it isnt a religion you can keep for "sundays" (or fridays in this context) its a way of life. everything you do is in one way or another affected by Islam.

these days Islam is pretty much all around me. Wearing the jilbaab does help keep it close.
Also, i use hamdoulillah, mashallah, inshallah in my everyday language now..
And i greet my friends with Salaam.

we just need the handshake now

oh yes..implementing religious teaching..thats a hard one..but i think its either because you wont/cant fight your "inner deamons" or the environment is stopping you from practising your religion. Both can be overcome, but its up to the individual.

Yep, as i said, Islam is pretty much everywhrere in my life, so it always ends up involved in one way or another into the convo.

Do you think there's a time when you just shouldn't talk about it?

i wont know until i've experienced that moment and then dissected the moment to figure out WHY i couldnt have talked religion.

I find it hard to talk religion with non-practising muslims though... i find it harder than talking to non-muslim..and awkward...

See, i use, Insha'Allah, Masha'Allah but i don't greet my friends with salaam, i really want to sometimes, but just feel...shy/awkward. My friends never say salam to each other unless they're taking the mick out of old asians... lol Rolling Eyes With family i do greet them, mainly with salaam though

good start, i never used to use anything [and thats with muslim friends]
and yeah..i use to feel real shy about greeting with Salaam (only ONE girl in my form class wasnt muslim >.>) and we had this new girl, from Pakistan (i think) and she would walk into registration and say salaam and people would either blank her or giggle...[size=5][in..clu...ding...me?][/size]
I DID TRY TO ANSWER..but it felt so weird...and i DID try to set off the trend of greeting with Salaam but it didnt work so good...

as i said..i find non-practising muslim harder to deal with, am i the only one? [must be a question of expectations etc...]

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

How much does religion affect your everyday life?

Is it just on a personal level?

Do you find it hard to implement any religious teachings? If yes, what and why?

Do you discuss religion often, with family/friends?

Do you think there's a time when you just shouldn't talk about it?

Do you think people will think you're crazy/weird/social outcast etc if you talk about religion a lot?

Anything else?

Hmmm, I think when I was around 13 to 17 I didnt implement religion much in my life, I did my Salah,roza the lot...but it was not from within you know. I did it because I had to, I did not understand that when I am praying salah I am standing infront of my Allah , or that when I did roza I was doing it for Allah...for me it was just something I had to do as part of being a Muslim.

However, 2 years ago a person came into our lives and changed all of this and I began to see Islam from a completely different and fascinating percpective. I started praying knowing that Allah is watching me and I am infront of him, and I did my roza for Allah and to grow my imaan, of course since then my whole lifestyle has changed for the better Allhumdulilah.

Do you find it hard to implement any religious teachings? If yes, what and why?

At the moment I'm not sure. I know I have a lot to learn in terms of how to live with people and my thinking.I'm not saying my thinking is wrong or anything lol, what I mean is there is a certain spritiual level I would like to achieve..if that makes a sense :?
Hmmm otherwise in terms of fashion I find it a wee bit difficult :roll: !!

Do you discuss religion often, with family/friends?

Yes. I defo discuss it with my family because it is our way of life and any problems or concerns we have we would ask my father (Scholar) and we have small sessions after magrib jamaat where we discuss a certain topic...the other day it was the difference between a Nabi and a Rasool...with my friends...not really. I have mixed religion friends so we dont discuss religion much, unless we ask eachother certain questions.Although one of my Christian friends is very interested in Islam and has even bought a Quran to read When I had my Muslim group of girls we did discuss Islam (Islamic society at Uni)...and ended up arguing, it was terrible!

I've have varied experiences when it comes to talking about Islam and Deen, however there are times when I've taken a step back just so I dont get into a confrontation because the other party get really heated up. Other times I just leave it when I know I dont have knowledge about a certain topic...etc...etc...etc...

Maybe its cuz yo'all still young an' affected by peer pressure n dat, yo still got ur milk teeth. Ur swagger coms in tyme an wit ssskill. It helps wen u ride wid a crew of homies whos moooslim. They be like ur homies wit topee's rappin abot da game n praise be to Allah (swt) witout any back chattin till ur ready to drop bombs like Salaam coz u knw its dope.

But if ur dressd the biz den they shud respct watchya say and be walkin tall guerrilla unit coz the charlies say we all bugged out coz we dont go nowhere without toast we thugged out. Peace out.

[Translation]

Mayb its coz your younglings and are affectd by peer pressure too easily. Confidence will come in time and experience. It usually helps when you have a set of friends who are also muslim. If you have a majority of non-muslim friends then it might be an idea to develop a 2nd group of muslim friends or even attend a study circle where you can try it out without beind riddiculed. Then you will eventually become confident enough to express it more openly.

But i would have thought if you're already wearing the hijaab or the ninja-out-fit that you would be confident enough to do that :/

Peer pressure? Younglings?? ...Hmmmmm

We might be 'young' (in my twenties...hardly consider that as 'young') but there is certainly no peer pressure in my life Allhumdulilah ...and I've been through enough to say that I am more like an old woman lol.

Peer pressure is everywhere, whether you are in your teens, 30's or 50's.

Also, just because a group of girls might be Muslim does not mean that if I join them I will escape from peer pressure, in fact I felt peer pressure within the Muslim girls, hence I found my mixed religion friends,whom are much nicer and better people (personal experience here)...some girls might find hanging around with a group of Muslim girls makes them feel better or comfortable...

Errmmmmmmmm I think its defo more awkward saying Salaam to other Muslims we dont practise much, when I say salaam they respond with hi or hello ...or look at you being all religious lol...so I've dropped that with those certain people. There is no point, they clearly dont understand that as Muslims the greetings should be Salaamalekum and Wsalam...no harm done in saying that.

Oh yeah and in terms of saying MashAllah and arabic terms such as these,its the same. If you say it people think you are all relgiious and are like wow easy there fella lol..weird...but for me and my family its part of life. I mean we dont say it constantly like, after everything some people say Subhannallah ...

OH MY DAYS...I just remembered something , I dont know if this trend is happening in London only or what, but theres non-muslims and even 'non religious' people saying Allahukbar and Walahi and SubhannAllah as a fashion term. They use it after every single word they use...just as a new slang... :doubt:

Urgh... uv totally missd my point abot everything... (sigh)

I was referring to PoS and Lills when i said younglings.
Coz they're both Teenage Muslim Ninja Turtles lol. And they are more likely to be comfortable saying 'Salaams, Mashallah etc etc etc' if everyone within their group did. Which group is better to hang out with is a totally different subject (personally i agree with you, my non-muslim friends were much nicer ppl then my muslim friends but watevers).

Seraphim wrote:

Urgh... uv totally missd my point abot everything... (sigh)

I was referring to PoS and Lills when i said younglings.
Coz they're both Teenage Muslim Ninja Turtles lol. And they are more likely to be comfortable saying 'Salaams, Mashallah etc etc etc' if everyone within their group did. Which group is better to hang out with is a totally different subject (personally i agree with you, my non-muslim friends were much nicer ppl then my muslim friends but watevers).

Loool oooppppyyysss sorry I didnt know ...

Bijou wrote:

Errmmmmmmmm I think its defo more awkward saying Salaam to other Muslims we dont practise much, when I say salaam they respond with hi or hello ...or look at you being all religious lol...so I've dropped that with those certain people. There is no point, they clearly dont understand that as Muslims the greetings should be Salaamalekum and Wsalam...no harm done in saying that.

Oh yeah and in terms of saying MashAllah and arabic terms such as these,its the same. If you say it people think you are all relgiious and are like wow easy there fella lol..weird...but for me and my family its part of life. I mean we dont say it constantly like, after everything some people say Subhannallah ...

OH MY DAYS...I just remembered something , I dont know if this trend is happening in London only or what, but theres non-muslims and even 'non religious' people saying Allahukbar and Walahi and SubhannAllah as a fashion term. They use it after every single word they use...just as a new slang... :doubt:

Lol if i said salaams to someone and they said hello, id make such a big scene, like go really OTT. Until they were the one embarrassed .... its coz im cool and weird like that haha.

Bijou wrote:

OH MY DAYS...I just remembered something , I dont know if this trend is happening in London only or what, but theres non-muslims and even 'non religious' people saying Allahukbar and Walahi and SubhannAllah as a fashion term. They use it after every single word they use...just as a new slang... :doubt:

You're from the west side, might be a think which is specific to your ends?

PS. Are you a boy or a girl?

MuslimBro wrote:

Bijou wrote:

OH MY DAYS...I just remembered something , I dont know if this trend is happening in London only or what, but theres non-muslims and even 'non religious' people saying Allahukbar and Walahi and SubhannAllah as a fashion term. They use it after every single word they use...just as a new slang... :doubt:

I have never heard non-Muslims using those words.

You're from the west side, might be a think which is specific to your ends?

PS. Are you a boy or a girl?

Possibly , it might be just in my area then. And I am a woman

Due to different beliefs?

My close group of friends are all muslims but i have non-muslim friends too and i like how my class-mates aren't all Muslims. I prefer to be with different people then the same. Yeh, i know that hasn't got anything to do with how you feel your non-muslim friends are better, i just prefer the diversity.

I like how non-muslims are more question me about my beliefs, make me really think and if i don't know, make me go and LEARN something new aswell.

Saying that, i've had debates and discussions on religious matters with my friends too and we can be inquisitive about Islam too.

Yep, simply due to different beliefs...which is quit shocking because I just never expected that kind of a reaction. I joined the Islamic society because I thought I would meet genuine Muslim girlfriends and we could have religious discussions and talk about similar things..which is hard to do with non Muslim friends.

BUT..DUN DUN DUNNN....The girls in the Islamic society at uni were very disputatious about everything and they only kept to Muslim friends, however I was much more open minded when it came to being friends with the non Muslims and things which they did not approve of, its little simple things like this which causes unnecessary arguments.
BUT not all of us have the same experience, so when you go uni (if you decide to if..you have not already been...I understand your still a teenager...) don't think you will have the same experience as me

its just harder to talk religion with non-practising muslim because, in my opinion, there's the whole: "i'm doing this thing and we're all suppose to be doing it but you arent, so now i feel bad for doing it and being "religious" so i'll stop now and wont mention it again"

and the whole "we should be doing this [eg: salaam] but we dont coz it aint cool"

or the "im muslim but just by name...i dont really know what im doing so this whole "religious talk" you're talking doesnt really apply to me"

and it also, i feel, gives quite a bad peer pressure. like, even if you wanted to be "religious" you wouldnt be coz of the weird looks and you might even be put aside [experience].

find "religious" friends keeps you in check...you dont sin as much, imo, coz of the peer pressure, but here i dont think its bad.

find religious friends? well..you gotta try and stick to your values...but maybe tone down a little on the "religious" side WITHOUT compromising!

and if you're friends are understanding, and know you and really care about you, then they might understand and see where you're coming from and try their best to help in their own ways [eg: not play music out loud when you're around coz you dont listen ot music] but usually the fact that they should be like THAT makes them kinda hate you in this weird way..., resentment...

they might also respect you for the way you're sticking to your values [not going out with your mates coz there's gona be guys there] and *MIGHT* come to your side.

the last scenario above is VERY dreamy.

final scenario: TURN TO REVIVAL AND BECOME A CYBER GEEK WITH E-COURAGE!

but i can relate to these things. :Doubt:

im kinda glad you can, it means im not just a crazy freak...

just thought i'd mention

The Prophet said:

There are seven whom Allaah will shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but be says: 'I fear Allaah', a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes shed tears.' Narrated by Abu Hurairah & collected in Saheeh al-Bukhari (english trans.) vol.1, p.356, no.629 & Saheeh Muslim (english trans.) vol.2, p.493, no.2248

so it cant be THAT easy...lets just keep trying and hope we're amongst those people alright PofS

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

I was going to say before i read your post, about how you then have to define what "religious" is, how much should your friend do to be considered "religious" etc etc. Or what if you're friends think you're extreme rather than they being "un-religious"

thats the thing. praying 5 times a day, not listening to music, not datin etc... all of that arent "being religious" its the basis of islam...

its just that friends ARENT religious..hence we get called" religious"

relativity.

the ultimate answer to everything is "the ultimate power lies with Allah (swt) - who are you to say that God cannot give someone or some thing importance or power? Are you saying that God cannot give others power?"

"Why did God send messengers amd books instead of guiding your directly?"

(or "if you had a court case, would you go to the judge directly or would you use a solicitor?" - neither of the methods would be wrong but many would prefer having the solicitor handling the case.)

The question is not what is preferred here, but what is allowed. Different people will be comfortable with different things, but it has to just be proved that they are allowed - then if people are still not comfortable using method X of getting closer to God, so be it.

The following the sunnah answer you agreed on is because that is the truth. But all the different understandings are often using different ahadith and sunnahs and interpreting them differently. For instance, asking the prophet for help - people use the ahadith of the blind man or the man in need to support their views there as the preferred methods.

If english (a simple language suject) never has a right answer but has loads of answer for hte same question.

Then im guessing ISLAM (a whole way of life from birth to death) will have more than one answers for questions.

but Islam DOES have forbidden stuff that we arent allowed to do. WE shouldnt push boundaries, especially when they are so far...let's just stick to the middle..its only for a short while anyway...