Nation of Islam

Hobart

Hi Folks,


I have a question that has been bugging me for a little while. "People" refer to Islam and Islamic people as if they are all one and the same. i.e. A person of Islamic faith living in Ireland and the UK, would be referred to and spoken about as if they were the same as a person of the Islamic faith living in Afghanistan. I never see any allowance for the effect the culture of which the Islamic person is living in.

i.e. A Muslim person living in the Uk will be influenced by his/her environment as much as his counterpart living in Afghanistan/India etc.. Why is this? Why are you a Muslim first and a English man, Indian Man etc... second. Why are all Muslims described as Muslims first and residents of xyz secondly? Is the Islamic faith one that binds all Muslims together in some fashion to form a World Nation of Islam?

the_new_mr

Hi Hobart! Sorry for the late reply

When I first read the title of your thread, I thought you were talking about the largely false organisation "Nation of Islam" present in the US

Anyway, as for your question, I think that every Muslim considers themselves to be Muslim first and then whatever nationality second. I guess the reason for that is that being a Muslim is for eternity but being Irish/Indian etc is only for life. I mean, religion (not just Islam) gives people a purpose for life whereas your nationality is just where you were born or where your parents are from.

For sure people's environment has a large effect on their character and behaviour. There's no doubt about that. Still, anything that exists in any particular culture that is in direct conflict with Islam (such as belly dancing for example) is to be rejected. On the other hand, anything that does not directly conflict with Islam (such as food for example) gives that person their own characteristics.

In Islam (as in Christianity and Judaism), we are taught that we are all brothers and sisters in faith and that we are indeed one Muslim nation... although not a "Nation of Islam"