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Chatty, mischievous and evolving over with time. I am trying to make sense of everything around me and having loads of fun along the way! Oh, I want to be a better person along the way.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Honestly

I believe half of the problems in world would be solved if only people respected other people's beliefs.

I am a Muslim and I love practising my religion. If I had a penny for everytime people tell me 'but you don't look like a Muslim' I would be very rich by now. Which gets me wondering what exactly Muslims look like.

I have had people ask me why I am a Muslim! I have absolutely nothing against other religions. I think it's interesting the different forms of faith and communication with a Supreme Being.

My Grandma is an Anglican and her parents were too but she married a Muslim and she still remains an Anglican. To my knowledge my Grandpa never had a problem with it till his dying day. I guess I understand why when some ladies get married, they take up their husband's religion.

I understand that for unity and the children's sake, it is better to have a common religion but what I don't like is the expectation from people that because you married outside your religion, you must adopt your husband's religion even when you don't believe in it.

I know it would be difficult for me to change my religion for someone, very hard indeed. All my boyfriends have been Christians and I don't have any problems with it. I fell in love with the person not his faith. My family don't have issues either as happiness and compatibility is what matters.

I have had people inviting me to church over and over again but when I deign to ask them to come for an Islamic program, they act like you just hit them with something foul! I also remember a fasting period when a former colleague asked me why I was observing the fast and I responded that it was part of my religion and also good for the body, she looked at me with disdain and did that thing with the nose.

I have nothing against other religions and I respect other people's faith but I am not going to accept anyone speaking/acting towards me as if I were not a person simply because we don't practice the same faith. If we all treated others the way we would like to be treated, there would be peaceful co-existence.

I have this friend who was brought up a Muslim, both parents have performed the Hajj but she changed her religion and no one said anything. Her parents never hassled her, they respected her faith and the fact that she has one.

You certainly don't have to like/understand/believe in the tenets of other people's religion but respect it. If I have one more person preaching to me to convert, I might start screaming and never stop. Your religion won't take you to heaven (if you believe it exists) but it is your action and deeds that will determine whether you get to the pearly gates. Live and let live.

12 comments:

LG said...

1sttttttttttttttttttt (again:)


babe na ur own u talk o, i hv a colleague(musa) who says 'his pple ll kill him if he 'changes' his religion, he said dis openly, my problem wit is dat all his girlfriends are christians(story for anoda day)

how bodi?

NaijaScorpio said...

iLike! live and let live is my motto. Although my mom married a muslim (my father) and had to stop going to church but she didn't convert to islam, she just wasn't allowed to go to church. My granddad was the "chief" imam of the village back then and my dad's family was not tolerant of anyone being a christian. I have an Auntie who was beaten up and stripped naked in the village for going to church.

My mom eventually went back to the church and it was a big fight. My dad threatened to divorce her and stuff. I just thot it was funny cos we were Muslims in name only cos i had never been to a mosque a day in my life so i didn't understand what the fuss was about. I remember the first time i followed a househelp to an evening program in church, I got in serious trouble. I had an auntie come talk to me and warn me.

Anyway, now my dad is an atheist and we are all Christians (at least in name :)

Myne said...

Well said. I think your family is on the understanding side and wish most of us were like that. Unfortunately not so @ MAdame Sting. Hmm....when will we learn to live and let others?

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bArOquE said...

Abeg which one be SportsMemorabilia.com untop this kind matter *mpscheeew

Still on the matter: My darling, like Myne said, your family is very accepting, so your case sef dey different. I understand how you feel towards your peeps that dont respond favourably when invited to Islamic activities.

It is best we understand the times we’re living in, our parents’ days were different.

Boyfriend & girlfriend no be husband & wife. Who knows tomorrow? Love never do you something before; e fit carry you go turn Hindi, you never know.

I have dated a Muslim chic before,(met her in NYSC camp) & our religions were never a problem. Infact she had never dated a Muslim because she thought they were too rigid. Don’t ask me. She prayed & went for service when she had to, I prayed & went to church when I had to. This in no way stopped any sexual activities.

Lets stop defending when no one’s attacking, just yet, be wise.

Natural Nigerian said...

You make some good points. However, to gain a balanced picture we have to admit that not everyone's situation is the same.

I totally agree that one cannot truthfully switch religion to and fro. Faith must be borne of conviction and as such cannot be changed at will.

However, not everyone that has had to make that choice has had the same understanding and open-minded family you obviously come from.

Respect for religion is very important indeed. Nice Post.

Random One said...

lol@ Baroque's "This in no way stopped any sexual activities." U just had to add that part, huh. LOL!!

It's good that you see things the way you do and that's commendable. The world is more black and white to a lot of people.

BSNC said...

I feel you jor. After all we are all serving the same God.

Apinke said...

I get you totally. Lots of issues can be avoided if everyone respects each others faith without making anyone feel like their faith is inferior or superior.

But just like its been mostly said, you are really lucky to have that kind of family. I know lots of families who wont take it likely.
I have a friend whose dad was a xtian, her mum a muslim and when they separated she became a muslim cos of her mum. Now she is engaged to a xtian and she practices xtianity bcos of who she wants to marry "cos she loves him". thats just lame. be a xtian cos you want to not cos of somebody.

I have lots of muslim friends and we get along very well. If you are a good person, you are a good person, usually irregardless of your faith. And i say usually cos some people misinterprete their faith and do evil in the name of their faith. Its just misconception

faith is a very very vast and deep topic. Understand yours for yourself.

Me i love you either ways :)

Afronuts said...

Lol...honestly...this is a very sensitive topic.

And like LG said, this may not apply to everybody. In some societies, fellow muslims could deal with you for changing your religion.

Again honestly...if the only thing thats constant is change, then I believe your opinion might still change someday.

But I feel you on all those people treating you with disdain because you told them you're a muslim or invited them for a program. Its not a fair act at all. Who on earth are they to do that?

LusciousRon said...

Thanks everyone.

ibiluv said...

breatheeeeeeeeeeee

as for me i just ignore them

you Ibi will end up marrying a Xtian

you Ibi you no resemble muslim o

you Ibi you sure say you dey fast so?

how?when?where i communicate with my Lord?my biz....

what religion i will marry?

i will cross dat bridge when it appears in front of me....