“What if you’re cycling and accidently eat a fly?”
That was one of the questions I received about fasting, among others, some equally as silly. I did my best to answer them because I knew the person enough to know they were genuinely interested - “it’s nice to be able to talk about this stuff, I never really learnt about it at school and if this had been school I’d have been given detention ages ago for all these questions”.
It’s a shame that non-Muslims are so uneducated on Islam despite it dominating the media every day of the week, in some way (“TERRORISTS!”). I sometimes take it for granted that people will know more about Islam than they generally do, probably due to being surrounded by Muslims most of my life. I still remember at 16 being shocked by another 16yr old Christian not knowing Muslims believe in Abraham too.
If we’re stuck in social circles made up of only Muslims then there shouldn’t really be any surprise that non-Muslims don’t understand our beliefs – if we don’t talk to them and explain it them, then who will? And nothing teaches our faith better than forming good relationships with those different to us, because no amount of preachy shouting can achieve the same as a friendly encounter.
This is why when someone recently said to me the Quran tells us not to be friends with non-Muslims I was so offended and angered. This person, in their defence, does not hate non-muslims and wouldn’t discriminate against them but thought that being friends, to the extent of inviting each other to your homes is considered wrong “if you’re not going to teach them Islam and if there’s a risk of you falling into their ways”.
Obviously, I would love everyone to be a Muslim, but I do not believe the best way to teach Islam is to preach about it all the time. There are people who do that as a job, but for me, as a common person, this is not the way to teach Islam.
Prophet Muhammad 
lived amongst his people for 40 years before the message of Islam was sent to him. In those 40 years his tribe got to know him as being a person of truth and one with the best of characters. His actions and speech allowed his people to trust him and respect him and *know* him enough to take his words seriously. The many who did not accept his message straight away knew his speech had authority and could not be ignored. He was not a random nobody with no connection to his people just shouting his views to strangers.
As for the Quran telling us not to take non Muslims as friends, that was a warning for war situations – for us to not fall for the hypocrites who say they have our best interests at heart, who say they will fight with but then stab us in the back. And, it goes without saying, we shouldn’t be friends with people who influence us to do bad.
But this does not mean we cannot be friends with and interact normally with non Muslims. After all, Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Abu Talib was a non-Muslim all his life. He may or may not have converted on his death bed, but we know for sure that he never professed his faith in Islam beforehand. Yet, the prophet loved him dearly so much so that Abu Talib was one of his closest allies and, more importantly, a father figure. If we are not allowed to form such close relationships with non-Muslims then this relationship would never have been given as a lesson to us all.
If Muslims could not have non-Muslims come to their home, Umar (ra) would not have converted after going out with the intention of killing the prophet (saw).
"But if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." - Quran 8:61
If the character of a Muslim and words of a Muslim did not impact people so strongly then so many people would not have turned to Islam in the first place, and so many ignorant people today would not hate Islam based on the actions of the few that are amplified, today.
When I walk through my city centre there is a beautiful recitation of the Quran playing from a stall giving Islamic information, on the other hand, there is a Christian preacher shouting through a megaphone about people going to hell. I may be biased but I think even people who don’t believe in Islam wouldn’t be so angered by a beautiful recitation vs someone condemning them to hell. It’s this small difference that could make a big impact in my opinion. People don’t care about what you say unless you show you care, and you can’t show you care when you’re just shouting out at people about hell. You need to get to know people, build relationships, you need to help each other and grow together in order to be able to have a meaningful voice. And along the way you surely will be teaching them about Islam, little by little. They will ask you about Ramadan and Hajj and why Muslims don’t date. They should feel comfortable to ask you the questions that the media lies to them about, and you should be happy to answer them as a way of doing your bit of dawah, even if they become repetitive and annoying.
"Not even water?" - Non Muslim Proverb
We shouldn’t treat non Muslims as though they are beneath us, some non Muslims who have done the most awful things, in history, became Muslims in the end. I mean if someone who mutilated and tried to eat the liver of the Prophet’s murdered uncle can repent and become Muslim then we must remind ourselves that Allah has already elevated the status of people.
"And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference." - Quran: 17:70
And how can we look down on the average non-Muslim who has and never will do something as horrific as that. How can we know what their future holds? They are people just like us.
"There is no them, there are only facets of us." - John Green
"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." - Quran 49:13
"Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant." - Quran 7: 199
If we don't try to try to build relationships and allow non-Muslims to get to know us there will only be more people like the middle-aged man who muttered Muslims are terrorists while walking past me, the other day.
Don’t waste your time on trolls though.
"And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversion. And if Satan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people." - Quran 6:68
Comments
In the early Muslim community, many people converted to Islam by seeing the character of the Muslims. This cannot happen without interaction.
Saying that we have to remember that even well meaning people who are not Muslims by not having the same goals and beliefs, while they can and often will be supportive, this may not always be the case. Because it is natural to want for others what you have, especially if you consider it superior.
As an example, alcohol has become a major part of non-muslim culture, and often if you do no drink, they would want you to come along with them while they drink. Such surroundings are best to be avoided and they can influence us (though we can be detrimental to ourselves without the need for any encouragement).
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
That is one of your communities’ problems. Muslims tend to live within their own community [it is both a strength and a weakness] If during your formative years you only mix with Muslims it comes as a shock when/if you go to college/work alongside non-Muslims.
As for non-Muslims not understanding the Muslims Faith you might find that non- Muslims have a better understanding of Islam then Muslims have of Christianity. It is common in mainstream schools to be taught the facts about many other religions other then Christianity, this is resulting in a lack of understanding of Christian values in what is still a Christian country. Some openly state that this [inter-faith teaching] is wrong, what appears to be happening is a total denial of any religious belief.
Quran (3:28) - This verse tells Muslims not to take those outside the faith as friends, unless it is to "guard themselves" against danger, meaning that there are times when a Muslim should appear friendly to non-Muslims, even though they should not feel that way..
Quran (3:54) - "And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers." The Arabic word used here for scheme (or plot) is makara, which literally means 'deceit'. If Allah is supremely deceitful toward unbelievers, then there is little basis for denying that Muslims are allowed to do the same.
“Dear Believers! Don’t take the Jews and the Christians as awliyaa’, they are but awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them as awliyaa’, then surely, he is one of them. Verily, God doesn’t guide the oppressors.” (Qur’an, 5:51)
The above are three of the main sources used to dissuade Muslims from being friends with non-Muslims. You have to think what was happening at the time when these sayings came about and then try to see them in context.
There are probably others, then again there are many similar passages in the Old Testament that speak in a similar manner.
But the main difference is The Old Testament is seen as both written by men and is mainly a history of the Jewish people. Yes some say it is the teachings of God, and some say it was written when the world was a much different place. As such it is perfectly permitted to try to interpret for todays society.
Whilst the Quran, is seen as the word of God given to Mohammed and as such it is inviolate and unchangeable. Were there is a different, or a conflict in a Surah, then the last Surah written is the correct interpretation.
And there lies a problem, knowing the actual order of the Surahs? The way that they are laid out in the Quran differs from when they were revealed to Mohammed.
https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Chronological_Order_of_the_Qur'an
http://qidas.co.uk/Quran/surah.htm
It is an interesting exercise to try to read the Surahs in chronological order, and if you have a good book on the life of Mohammed. It may give you a better understanding.
Then again the Old Testament is also a mix of God’s Laws? Rules given to men by? Rabbi’s or religious teachers. Plus a history of the Jewish people warts and all. As such it as been discussed, argued, followed and ignored throughout the centuries. It as been used as a weapon to force certain views onto people with either threats from Jehovah in the after-life or threats carried out on behalf of Jehovah by his representatives?
The nearest thing the Muslims have is the Hadith’s the sayings attributed to Mohammad and Sharia. These appear to be what religious Scholars, Leaders believe Mohammed thought, or meant. As such there are many different views and interpretations within the Muslim Faith.
Mohammed before he heard the word of God was a trader and traded from the Mid-east to the shores of Northern India. To all accounts had a reputation of being an honest trader. There are accounts, even when he became a Prophet he mediated on disputes between Muslims, Jews and Christians.
I don’t know which city you walked through. But I was in the city centre of Birmingham, during the Christmas Market. On looking round the stalls etc, I came to a stall, similar to the one you mention, and just around the corner was a man preaching repent before it is too late. All this was going on while a trad-jazz band was playing. The noise and smells of the market stalls and yes there was a mixture of all youngster [different faiths or none] looking round.
As for the preacher saying “you will all go to hell”. Some Christians say that the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus. John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. [Quran 3:85
By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire. [Sahih Muslim]
So someone may go to hell, it just depends on??
Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the prophets.
Both have similar meanings and are good guides for people to get by with each other.
@You
http://www.economist.com/node/2281757
WHAT is Islam's greatest gift to the world? The faith of the Koran, Muslims will promptly say—along, some would add, with the Arabic language. Yet it may be that the single most pervasive legacy of Islamic civilisation is not Holy Scripture, but the rather unholy art of distilling alcohol. Not only were Arabs the first to make spirits. The great trading civilisation of Islam spread the skill across the globe, and in its lands some of the world's finest alcoholic concoctions are still made to this day.
Interesting article for you to read. Most things are fine in moderation, even religion.
I don't think Muslims are necessarily any more insular than non Muslims. Much of the spread of Islam has historically been due to interaciton between Muslims and others.
In the UK, Muslims often are often gathered in communities, almost ghetto like, but there are good reasons for this other than being insular.
First of all, being either immigrants or children of immigrants, Muslims will often be of poorer backgrounds and will purchase or rent properties in areas that are more deprived due to them being cheaper.
Secondly, once a community has been established, it is easier to obtain services for that community once it has reached critical mass - as an example, there will not be halaal butchers in areas with very few Muslims.
Finally, there is the real issue of "white flight". Many times when an individual from an ethnic minority moves into an area, the other residents will seriously consider whether it is now time for them to sell up and move elsewhere. This pushes down prices which make the homes cheaper for others from poorer backgrounds, but often only ethnic minorities will consider them due to the afore mentioned "white flight".
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
I am often surprised when I come across Christians who don't know that we believe in Prophet Isa (as) (as a prophet of God) along with other prophets and messengers too.
I consider this to be obvious and something that the Muslim community may not need to focus on much, but then you hear about people learning this for the first time.
In the same way there will be Muslims who have not come across other religions, especially in other countries where the population is mostly Muslim.
Both of these are situations where people can be taught about others - if only to teach tolerance and humanity.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
You make some good points.
Immigrants move to cheaper area, due to low incomes, plus a feeling of common values [plus safety and services] Brick lane is probably a classic example. It as been the home to migrants for centuries. Huguenots then the Jews, not to mention the Irish. Each in turn have moved into the area [for similar reasons] left their mark and then moved on.
The Brick Lane Mosque and Minority Religions in London
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/modern/1780690/
Then the problem of “white flight”.
Afro Caribbean’s were met with similar problems with problems in the 50’s & 60’s [the classic, No Blacks adverts] but they have largely been overcome. Whether, or when problems within the Muslim communities will be overcome only time will tell. Harrow as a strong Indian community, but they appear to, whilst having their own communities, have overcome most problems with locals and all live alongside each other. Not to mention there is a strong Middle-east presence, a mix of both Christian and Moslem.
8 must-see temples in London, United Kingdom
http://gadling.com/2011/12/24/8-must-see-temples-in-london-united-kingdom/
Or for the rest of the UK http://www.brandbharat.com/english/religion/hinduism/temple/united_kingdom_temple_list.html
Yet the Muslim community are still separate, with little or no mixing. It is not a colour, or a racial thing, to an outsider an Indian or a Pakistani, or a Bangladeshi look the same. It is probably more of a culture thing. Even in India Hindu and Muslim communities live apart in the main.
As you say
But tolerance is a two-way thing.
One can also say, I am surprised that most Muslims don’t appear to understand that whilst Christians can accept there have been lots of Prophets in common in Judaism, Christian and Islam. That to devout Christians Jesus is more then just a Prophet. Indeed to say this openly in some Muslim Countries could lead to a charge of blasphemy [with all its consequences] being made.
Without preaching. To Christians Jesus was the both God and Gods physical presence on earth to show mankind an example of how to live.
John 1 v1-14 and to the end of the chapter
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The above reading is read out in every Christian Church at Christmas and is one of the main pillars of the Christian faith. As such is a line that cannot be crossed.
To a devout Christian Jesus is God made man who lived with us, died for our sins, as the final sacrifice. Whilst most Christians fall short of living life a Jesus showed us, believe that on the death of our earthly bodies, our soul will return to God. We can’t earn that Grace, no one can, but we can accept it as a gift freely given.
End of Sermon; I just hope that I am as tolerant of others as Jesus is.