Similarities and differences between Hindu and Muslim practices
I hope that noone misinterpreted my "answer" to Mr. Ravi before. He is a very good (Internetfriend and) friend.
I work with media, and therefore i go deep into texts, I am not religious into one main stream, but more of a "seeker",
and I am actually very interested in
what are the similar points and also totally different such between the two world religions Hinduism (which the name for thousands of different practices in India) and Islam.
I do think that Islam has to stand up to a lot of questions,
just as the New Age or any other fresh religious flow. And there are societies suffering from lack of clarity in these scriptures. So allow us to ask questions!
All (!) I wish is that there would be less bombings...I am not sure of how that will happen, but at least 2talk about things" is all we have.
I did shut my mouth for many years, and I'm sure there were people who thought this a good way, but I cannot allow myself this torture.
It ia true that in hindu society women have been killed by parents-in-Law, it's also true that hindu parents have sold their children to old men , "arranged marriages" in its most grim forms. But the same thing has been allowed in families of muslim faith.
I read a novel (don't laugh - I know she is famous and her book as well) who was brought up in a nomadic Extended family in northern Africa. The women of her clan cut her female organ to pieces and then closed her up so that she could not have a period. She almost died, and this was an old tradition, I know similar things happened and still happen to young girls.
And of course, in "Western" culture a woman who has education has to more or less prostitute herself to have a say in Male dominated Outer world. But so is feminism in at least northern Europe (probably countrieslike US too) more and more including men, who become parts of the female dilemma.
I can wear a bikini on a beach or I can cover every part of me - it all depends on the culture I am in.
I can wear a tie or a skirt, or both. This is western culture, but I'm sure muslim society has equivalences to our "Gay culture" or/and also fascination with East. Orientalism is annoying in many ways, but actually a bridge between the two worlds as I see it.
I see ethnicity being the good side of the same coin as racism. Color and exotic flavor does challenge and thrill people in the west.
I am with one leg on East side (father with Indian roots) and the other on Scandinavian ground.
I work with media, and therefore i go deep into texts, I am not religious into one main stream, but more of a "seeker",
and I am actually very interested in
what are the similar points and also totally different such between the two world religions Hinduism (which the name for thousands of different practices in India) and Islam.
I do think that Islam has to stand up to a lot of questions,
just as the New Age or any other fresh religious flow. And there are societies suffering from lack of clarity in these scriptures. So allow us to ask questions!
All (!) I wish is that there would be less bombings...I am not sure of how that will happen, but at least 2talk about things" is all we have.
I did shut my mouth for many years, and I'm sure there were people who thought this a good way, but I cannot allow myself this torture.
It ia true that in hindu society women have been killed by parents-in-Law, it's also true that hindu parents have sold their children to old men , "arranged marriages" in its most grim forms. But the same thing has been allowed in families of muslim faith.
I read a novel (don't laugh - I know she is famous and her book as well) who was brought up in a nomadic Extended family in northern Africa. The women of her clan cut her female organ to pieces and then closed her up so that she could not have a period. She almost died, and this was an old tradition, I know similar things happened and still happen to young girls.
And of course, in "Western" culture a woman who has education has to more or less prostitute herself to have a say in Male dominated Outer world. But so is feminism in at least northern Europe (probably countrieslike US too) more and more including men, who become parts of the female dilemma.
I can wear a bikini on a beach or I can cover every part of me - it all depends on the culture I am in.
I can wear a tie or a skirt, or both. This is western culture, but I'm sure muslim society has equivalences to our "Gay culture" or/and also fascination with East. Orientalism is annoying in many ways, but actually a bridge between the two worlds as I see it.
I see ethnicity being the good side of the same coin as racism. Color and exotic flavor does challenge and thrill people in the west.
I am with one leg on East side (father with Indian roots) and the other on Scandinavian ground.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Darkwinter on
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WOW, in the west we do have rights as women but most do not need to prostitute ourselves. There are laws and if a man acts up we do have the right to take him/ sometimes her to court. Sorry I am a little niave in other culturs, but what is practiced in the Hindu religion? I have but do not know of your gods. I have heard of Kali and seen her statue but what she oes I have no idea.I do know that the us is fascinated in one time of the Kama sutra.
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Permalink Reply by erika on
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Sorry, I am not the best person to ask. I have only been once to India, my relatives live in London or around Toronto. I am more Swedish than Indian, unfortunately.
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I think it is cool that you have best of both worlds, I would like to travel to India on day(as well as Africa), I love bollywood.
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Permalink Reply by Ali Afifi on
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Dear best friend Erika,
I love u my sister. I always like to mention the characteristics of Islam as a religion but I never put it in compare with other faiths or religions. I can defend it but I do not attack others.
As regard the arranged marriage. We do not have arranged marriage in Islam because Islam made it obligatory for the male and female to accept the marriage before any marriage contract written. If u hear about arranged marriage between some Muslims families, it is tradition and cultural not from Islam. Please see Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_marital_jurisprudence
Arranged marriages
An engagement may be arranged between families for their children, but Islamic requirements for a legal marriage include the requirement that both parties are able to give informed legal consent (ijab-o-qubul). A marriage without this consent or performed under coercion is considered void and may be annulled on those grounds.
It is Islamic tradition that a wedding not commence until both parties are fit for sexual relations and there is consent from both male and female.
U speak about cutting female organs and u mean female circumcision. Female circumcision is not religious order or Islamic tradition but it is cultural and historical traditions and applied in between the Ignorant Muslims and away from the authorities and now it is considered as a crime for who do it if known.
The act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenseless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings and properties, the bombing and maiming of innocent men, women, and children are all forbidden and detestable acts according to Islam and the Muslims. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the vast majority have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with Muslims. If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam. -
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Permalink Reply by Alex P. Real on
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Dear Erika,
I believe inquiring is one of the few ways to override prejudice and building bridges so you should never apologise for wanting to learn! At the same time silence can be a powerful tool, it leads to reflection without the distraction of articulating words & discourse, so I guess you might also consider "silent times" as thought consolidation (?). The unsaid has a specific weight in communication, whether non-verbal, language divide, biting one's tongue, etc.
I couldn't agree more to the need of stopping terrorism, but violence is a humankind issue, and the political/ media association Islam-terrorism is pernicious to all, casting a shadow upon 1200 million believers all over the world, and leading to fear, isolation and in-communication between neighbours who may share much more than are ready to admit. This may be erroneous or too far-reaching, but I'm under the impression that equating Islam to terrorism is actually playing yihaddist/islamiyyin's game and boosts their levels of support. If non-believers, particularly westerners, display such discourse it may well be perceived as a confirmation of yihaddist discourse.
The daily understanding and practice of every faith has strong sociocultural components believers may link to religion, which, whether liked/wanted or not may evolve over time hand-in-hand with social change; and, of course, it may well happen that younger gen believes similar events never happened before their time (remember having 15?) & look for THEIR way out, thus potential easy preys. Over centuries/millenniums any faith displays pitfalls through the acts of believers, just people, whose acts we (also fallible humans) then turn into THE key aspects of such creed.
I wouldn't jot it down as "prostitution" but gender equality seems a western myth, as "multiculturalism" and "inter-culturalism". Do coexistence & Law involve empowerment, economic/ power re-distribution, & fluent dialogue? Has the notion of "mainstream" evolved? Not sure "ethnicity" is the other side to "racism", for the "exotic Other" is still an Alien, sometimes even more pernicious in terms of the "mainstream individual" believing how multicultural s/he is for having couscous or an "ethnic" mate. Some argue ethnicity is a shift from skin-based to cultural racism, in the sense that cultural boundaries appear as static and insurmountable to the imaginary, sort of ghettoizing despite well-meaning intentions & turning individuals into representatives of their entire "minority".
I'm a learner of Islam but unfortunately I'm not acquainted with the Vedic lore, though will try to drag in a well- versed friend; my ignorance leads me to the impression there might be some enriching discussion addressing the same topics from both creeds.
Best wishes,
Alex -
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alex, I really appreciate your response.
Just to clarify myself - I did not blame muslim community for the bombings, but i think there are certain people who can solve certain problems or at least talk about them.
I think i understand U, and I agree, but I just can't take on the responsibility of "playing Yihad game". And the cultural racism you talk about is yes it's true in a way. Just - it is not racism any longer when the coloured him or herself is explaining his or her color, or skin if you may, to other people. I believe it is a question of who is telling the story. Dark people are proud of their skin, of course, they should be. Just as white people enjoy being white. That is beautiful too.
Racism to me is not a certain term like "ethnicity", but when someone (A) says to someone else (B) that their ethnical background (B) does not belong to them (B). -
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Dear Erika,
I really hope I didn't provide the impression that I was personalizing/blaming you whatsoever, if that was the case please accept my apologies! I aim at pushing my own boundaries, inclusive of realising & analysing inherited/acquired prejudices within my limitations. Prejudice seems inevitable for we're born to specific circumstances, omniscience pertaining to God. Sorry to be more pessimistic than you are in terms of racism & discrimination. Who tells the story is of course paramount, but who listens & how (if they do) too; otherwise is there veritable communication? I've heard too many times excellent scholars attacked on the sole grounds of their origins as if these may invalidate intellectual brilliancy.
This varies between countries (sorry, my references about Sweden are very limited and on the positive side), but do white Europeans realise/feel they're white other than for political correctness? Or does the majority feel "mainstream nationals/citizens" and "colourless"? In my experience once you start scratching the surface this reality unfortunately tends to arise. A little bit like the well-meaning "colour/ culture doesn't matter" motto, ask such people to imagine a non-white (colour/culture/faith) husband/wife for their daughter/son and watch their first reaction. Then make the hypothetical spouse a Muslim (interfaith marriage is allowed). Actually, many people develop cultural bias awareness through this kind of silly exercises, even those who wouldn't have an issue with interfaith/cultural/racial marriage. No criticism or offence meant, just food for thought.
Best wishes,
Alex -
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Hi alex,
of course people in Sweden just think they "are" - which is, if their family is from this country many steps back, their skin colour is probably fair. The climate here is not so hot, that is probably why it is that way.
But if they have to make an "ethnical" stand, they would probably have to call themselves "white". I am "brown", I am a cross between two cultures, as I mentioned before, one stemming from hotter climate, with darker complexion. I suppose what U have, you also have the need to describe, so if color is a "stigma", then without it, you can say "there is no such thing as racism", but for a dark person it still exists.
My problem. if I let the other part "decide for me" about my colour, then I am also colorless. The more water you mix in a bowl of red water, the more pink is the water...
Of course one shouldn't be too extreme about it, I know. But part of it might be that I have excema, and my "surface" is very sensetive. not too hot, not too dry..
Thanks for the talk.
Erika. -
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