Muslims

Enlightened Imam - a bridge builder. I wish this happened more often. People fear what they don't know or understand.

Exactly Elrel.

I admit to feeling a bit apprehensive about the visit and almost cancelled (due to being late home from work) but I am so glad I didn't.

A step towards the acceptance of difference, and of appreciation of what we have in common. Good for the WI!

I would have loved to come with you Gilly! I would also like to do similar at a synagogue. I had a lovely look around a Greek Orthodox Church years ago - that was interesting.

A few years ago, on a trip to Egypt, our guide took us into a beautiful mosque. We sat on the lovely soft carpeted floor while he told us about what it meant to him to be a Muslim. It was fascinating and in a way humbling. I have never forgotten it and it underpins my belief that there is far more that binds humanity together than divides us. Just such a shame that a vociferous few make much of differences and that gets the publicity.

And that they justify their behaviour by referring to their religion.

I think it is important that "good people" of all faiths get along. Like all walks of life there are good Muslims and bad ones, good Christians and bad ones etc. It's just a shame that the media paint a very bad picture of the Muslim religion as a whole.

We left with an open invitation to come back at any time. "Even just call in for a cuppa" said the Imam as we left.

I said I would come back on the condition that they served those delicious Samosas again.

Yes Luckygirl the Mosque manager read out some alarming headlines, all of which began with the word "Muslim" (no prizes for guessing where they came from). Imagine if the newpaper printed headlines such as "Christian man in gun attack" or "Christian gang........" etc.

What a lovely, positive post in these troubled times. Thank you so much gilly. It has cheered me up.

The minute I told DH about your postGilly he said how interesting and he would love to go. I agree with you about 'good people' getting on. I knew a Muslim lady who was working at a school I was at and she went on a course about the Muslim and Christian religions - she came back so delighted at how similar they were in many ways. Much of that is true in The Jewish religion too - although they only accept the Old Testament and consider Jesus a Prophet. Many overlapping ideas again.
Children were taught about different religions at one time but I have no idea if that is still the case.

I always feel very sad when I hear of parents refusing to allow their children to participate in visits to our local mosque - even before ISIS became a widely known term/organisation.

It's not as though the children are being taken along to be converted to Islam. It is all about learning about other religions, customs and traditions, and coming to an understanding and acceptance of the differences.

As Elred said above - people fear what they do not understand.

It is such a shame that the minority of Muslims who have turned to terrorism are tarring all Muslims with their brush.

Several times I took primary age pupils to the local RC church, Mosque and Church of Scotland.
The children were very interested in the similarities and differences. They listened to stories and observed customs like removing shoes at the door of the Mosque.
The only 'incident' I remember was one little Muslim girl being upset because granny had scared her with a description of 'the dead man on the cross'.
Liberal Mum wasn't happy when she collected the child and left to have a firm and disapproving word with granny!
A new and very beautiful mosque opened locally recently and on Open Doors Day has welcomed many visitors.

I was very surprised how similar the Christian and Muslim religions are too Welshwife.

My DGC are taught about various religions at school and have had visits to Mosques and Synagogues too. The school that they attend is a very Christian White British school so its good for them to see and learn about other faiths.

That's a really good idea gillybob, one that should be extended to other faiths and groups. We so easily believe the worst of people and are influenced by media headlines.
The Imam and members of the mosque sound like a very enlightened group of people. It's good to hear such a positive story in these troubled times.

I agree Christinefrance We hear bad things about some people who call themselves Muslims, so we assume that "they are all the same" which is, of course not true. I wonder sometimes if certain sections of the media would rather that we all didn't get along as it makes for better headlines.

The Imam and his team are very modern and forward thinking although it is a very old and long established Mosque.

I travelled twice in Pakistan the rural parts. NWFP and the area adjoining the China border. 1st time I was alone, 2nd with OH.

In these rural parts women especially single ones are respected or thought of as fair game.

In the uppermost part of the Swat valley, Malala came from that area, she went to school in Mingora, I stayed one night in a simple lodgings.

Owner said , for eating, you go there, there and nowhere else and be back before 6pm.

I Did so. He slept outside my room with a gun for my safety. All night.

The young men there, all seemed to presume I was on first names with the Queen, and I could get them a visa!

There only entertainment seemed to be raunchy Indian films with overendowed women and mammary glands. Hugely frustrated young men.

There were a trio of eastern europeans there 2 men and 1 woman, they presumed it was share and share for the pleasure on all the trio.

MyOH subsequently has visited Iran, Iraq, Syria and Morocco. He received nothing but kindness, help everywhere.

The kindness you met with at the mosque is typical of Islam.

I am reminded of Staffie dogs and some peoples antipathy to them.

My cousin in Sydney put a link on showing people at an Anzac Day parade wearing white t-shirts with Moslems for Peace printed on. Maybe they should not have gone, maybe they had a different message from the one perceived, but the venom and hate in the comments from Australia, USA and other countries against ALL Moslems was really frightening. It was so similar to the confederate US states 50 years ago.

I fear the similarities between Moslem and Christian is the reason for the conflict between the two. In a completely Christian or Moslem country there are lesser divisions. Catholic/ Protestant, Shia/Sunni. It's a power game. Divide and rule.

That was a lovely idea, and each to his own when it comes to faith, but more understanding of the underlying issues does help I am sure.

Gillybob wrote -
'I was very surprised how similar the Christian and Muslim religions are too Welshwife.'
There's also a close relationship between Judaism and the Muslim religion. Many of their laws, derived from the OT, are the same. And the spoken language. They're both semites, cousins.
Our eldest son lives in Kuwait, and has Arab/Muslim friends. When I was visiting one of them told me a lot about this, how small the difference was. And yet some of them hate eachother.
Evidently the root is in the rivalry between Ishmael and Isaac, both sons of Abraham.

Gillybob what a nice, enlightening WI programme. That we should all be invited to such.

What a positive and enlightening post gillyb, thank you.

A mosque not far from here was advertising an open day and DH and I said we would go. We forgot to make a note of the date so we missed it. We will go if they have another one.

The mosque in town held an open day a couple of months ago, but we missed it as we were visiting dgs for his birthday. I'm keeping an eye on their website in the hope that they have another one soon. DH works with several Muslim, Sikh and Buddhist colleagues. Some of whom -including DH- are all off for a bit of a bonding session over curry this evening! There's a lot of good people out there.