some clarifications from a moslem.

Submitted by Houssam (France), Mar 30, 2008 at 11:04

As far as I know, non-muslims should not be allowed to build places of worship specifically in the Arabian peninsula. However, this doesn't apply to other muslim countries and history testifies of this like in Egypt and elsewhere.

An objective person can easily know that christians and jews were able to build their places of worship in muslim land, except in the arabian peninsula as there is a clear saying of the prophet forbidding this. This clearly means that the issue is not about islam tolerating other religions. Again history proves that christians and jews were able to live freely in moslem countries. Jews were even protected by muslims in Spain while they were persecuted by christians. Again, objectivity is very much needed.

That said, if a country in the west does not allow muslims to build mosques, then this is very fine with Moslems. At least they know, in advance, that if they choose to go to those country, they cannot demand of having their places of worship. So it is all about respecting the law, whether we agree with it or not is another issue. Like now in france, moslem girls should respect the law and not wear hijab in schools. However, if they want, the law permits moslems of having their own schools where girls can wear the hijab. In case moslems do not like it, then they should return back to their countries where they can freely practice their religion. The same applies to chrisitians coming to muslim countries.

Finally, regarding the issue that the church in Qatar doesn't have a cross or bells. Well, maybe it would help to know that most mosques I have seen in the west are not allowed to have crescents nor speakers to broadcast the call to prayer. How about that for reciprocity?
I welcome any comment or clarification.

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