No offence, but why are Muslims so judgemental?
I noticed this. What are your thoughts. I know we all have our beliefs and views but why are Muslims ready to say astagfirullah and say that people aren't muslims for certain (bnot major) views? Isn't Allah the only one to judge
Describe the difference between groups like the Black Muslims and groups like the Black Panthers.?
How many times do I need to tell you that there is no term as 'Black Muslim?' There is only a term 'Member of Nation of Islam' In my opinion, they're both racistic groups. Not much difference between them except that NOI uses Islam as an excuse.
Isn't there a difference between being offended and being oppressed.?
You are absolutely correct. The frequency of the two words being equated has gotten out of hand, particularly in highly advantaged "soft" post-modern societies where slavery, prison camps, and genocide are not daily activities (which is a good thing, of course). The worst thing they may have ever experienced was someone verbally disagreeing with them or calling them names. But ask someone who has directly witnessed those experiences whether they think offense and oppression are the same, and they will say "No"! For anyone who says that they are being oppressed because they are "forced" to witness or accept another person's speech or actions, the conversation goes like this (Let A be the offender and B be the offended): A: "Is my speech or behavior preventing you from speaking or behaving freely in ways that you choose?" B: "Well, yes, because it means that I have to go somewhere else to avoid your offense." A: "Who says you have to go elsewhere?" B: "I do. My values and conscience are offended." A: "Oh, I see. So you are able to do and act in ways dictated by your conscience?" B: "Well, yes, I suppose, but you still offend me." A: "Well, I agree you are offended, but so long as you can say and do as your conscience dictates, no one is oppressing you!" Of course, oppression is not always a bad thing. Laws of state and society are forms of oppression. In a democracy, the majority can oppress a minority by making their actions or speech illegal with the consequence of arrest. I am not allowed to parade naked on my city street or get up on a church podium and denounce organized religion, even if I am a sworn nudist or atheist. Either activity will probably involve forceable arrest or removal from premises. That is oppression, and whether you think it "good or bad" oppression is up to you, case by case. I'm sure you can think of many other examples. It is more common than you think, and perhaps not always a bad thing. But offense and oppression are very different. Offense is a subjective experience, controlled in part by the person offended. Oppression involves force, and so long as someone is not using or threatening physical force against you (hate speech) or systematically destroying your activities, livelihood, or writing, you have not been oppressed.
What implications and inferences does the word "crusade" have for Muslims?
“Crusade” is an offensive word in the Muslim Middle Eastern countries. In Arabic, it carries a near-literal translation of “The Cross Campaign”.Given the holy religious nature of the Crusades and its history in the Middle East, it sounds like “Holy War against Islam and Muslims”.Crusaders committed attrocities of wiping villages, mass rapes, and indiscriminate killings. Cities populations including indigenous Christians were murdered, and the holliest Muslim places were turned to stables and pig pits.So when someone like George Bush describes a military operation as a “Crusade”, it causes an immediate resentment among Muslim populations. In fact groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq used these specific words to emphasize their stance that they are defending Islamic countries against a sneaky total war crusade. Even many of the ordinary Muslim population because of these and similar statements, strongly suspect an organized long-term destructive war against them.I like Joseph’s answer of interchanging the words “Crusade” and “Jihad” to Muslim and Christian countries respectively. Yet, Muslims believe they had the higher moral ground with the word “Jihad” untainted, since Muslim conquests were relatively more respectful and tolerant to other beliefs.These Muslims’ self-views hold in their societies because the absolute majority are not aware of the attrocities committed by the Moghuls in India or the Ottomans in the Balkans — usually describing their wars as Jihad. The lack of awareness stems from several factors such as remoteness of these areas to the core Islamic territories, the late age when they occured and their decentralized nature.
Muslims: What is your opinion on this FLDS church i.e. polygamy and young brides?
It seems to me that the problem with this is that the women were forced into most of these marriages. Like the men are using them for lustful reasons only. In islam you have to be able to provide financial and emotionally for every wife you have, and there's still a limit . These groups always end up relying on government funding . For the women it's the fantasy of a big family to love and be a part of . For the men it's about having sex with young virtuous girls. I feel terrible for these women. I don't think they should be having babies at 13 with men who could be their father. That's not right in any religion. Islam doesn't condone this. It's not just about a big age difference.
If Islam is the 'religion of peace', why do 20 majority Muslim countries consider apostasy a punishable crime, while 8 others make it a capital offense punishable by death? How can Islam be peaceful when one can't even dissent or object?
These countries have these legislations for a reason. Firstly you have to know that majority of Muslim world is not secular i.e. godless in their way of life, religion still is a matter of more than one’s life and death. Secondly Islam is peaceful to the point where everyone keeps their disbelief in Islam to themselves. There are non-Muslims in every Muslim country practicing their faith as they wish to. If they begin to openly declare disbelief in Islam and then encourage others to do so and if that open declaration is then exploited by enemies of the Muslim countries from outside through media, social media and other channels to increase this then to maintain peace Muslim governments have to follow what Allah (swt) says:(Al Quran 4:148) God does not like any evil to be mentioned openly, unless it be by him who has been wronged (thereby). And God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wassallam) explained to us those evils so we keep ourselves aware. Therefore to maintain peace they have to take actions.As for personally accepting or rejecting Islam is a every human beings right and there is no death penalty in Islam for that. Please read my answer to similar questions:What's the punishment for leaving Islam?Zaid Shaw's answer to Why is apostasy a big crime in Islam, and what is the punishment for this?
Muslims, is it haram to eat something that has been cooked in wine such as chicken marsala?
No. It's not. They're lying.
If health insurance is haram in Islam and considered gambling and I should have more faith in Allah...?
does that mean I shouldn't treat a chronic illness like Diabetes??? Really, I am quite baffled by all this! I am Muslim and I don't understand this. My insurance simply helps PAY for my medical care. It is in NO WAY a gamble, like the lottery. Should we also not have insurance on our cars or our houses also??? Please, I am NOT mocking my own faith, I am simply trying to understand this logic. I will be a horrible Muslim according to some if I keep health insurance, but personally, I think I am a fool not to. Do you know the cost of diabetes treatment? I am not diabetic because I am fat and lazy, trust me! I had no say in this, no control over it happening to me. Without insurance I would be working to pay for my meds and would have nothing left to live on.