Krista

Submitted by K.H. Ahmed (United States), May 29, 2008 at 11:58

I'm sorry for not responding sooner - a little too much on my plate right now. I can only speak for the ones that I know - most Muslims that I now are either American born, from Pakistan, India, Africa and Turkey. Their beliefs on the subjects you list are quite varied - the Turks are more secular in general - I suppose, and I say this with humor, they would be like Baptists - they have tendency to pick and choose what they like - even those who attend faithfully are not as strict as others.

In general most I know are Sunni they view the other religions as God inspired, Christians and Jews as "people of the Book" with "Issa"(Jesus), "Musa"(Moses) as precursers to Muhammed. You would find surprisingly Mary mother of Jesus is quite highly venerated. The relationship between the Muslims and Hindu is a long tragic one - that I am quite sure both could come up with a Zillion grievances none of which would solve their problem nor make their religion look particularly respectable. Arguments I have seen on line between Hindu and Muslim looks like a school yard brawl - not very pretty.

Muslims like Christians believe that their relgion is divinely inspired by God - if I try to discuss Christianity with a Christian fundamentalist we will get nowhere because he takes every word written in the Bible as literal - the same is true of Muslim fundamentalists - but the vast majority of Muslims are not fundamentalist - Muslims have no Pope - no one tells each what to believe - they generally follow the teachings of the Imam of where they live - I have seen them argue and discuss many times the meanings of passages - These are not no matter who tries to tell you so a monolithic people-

Well again most of the ones I know are here - I know a few over seas but mostly here in the states - most love Americans and America - American policy that's another story - but that is politics not religion.

Israel and Jews - that is indeed difficult to describe at least from my view point. Palestine is like a great sore that festers in the Muslim world. It is not only the existence of the State of Israel, in the minds of the people of the area it is how - It is the imposition of the State upon the area - the Palestinians didn't say give us Israel - the west just kind of said here it is - There is much more historical context to that but not enough time here.

The relationship between Judaism has not always been thus - if you consider the fact that Judaism-Christianity- Islam all worship the same God the conflict between the three is almost hideous - Anyhow, today I believe that there is an undercurrent of anti-semitism among some Muslims and in all honesty fury at Israel(they are horses of a different stripe)- but the un-admited truth is that anti-semitism is still an undercurrent in the West- strong in the ex-Soviet Union and in many other parts of the world, and it is inappropriate no matter where it finds its source. However, I would take the position that anti-semitism is much more strongly rooted in the Christian tradition than the Muslim one.

Short I know but I hope I answered your questions - if not please feel free to ask for clarification. Others may read this and go off on mad rants - I can't control that - I can only speak about my knowledge of the people that I know -anyhow I hope what I have given you helps you to seek out whatever knowledge you wish.

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