What is the perspective of a non-believer in Islam?

The general concept of a "non-believer" has been widely misunderstood, particularly in the Islamic world.

The main concept here is that Islam concentrates on belief rather than cultural influences or traditional rituals. This is why nationality and background are completely irrelevant to a Muslim. Only 18% of the 1.6 billion Muslims of the world are Arabs. There is no inherit privilege to a Muslim just because they are Arab. It is merely that the Quran was revealed to an Arab prophet much like some of the previous scriptures were revealed to Hebrews. There is no "birth-right", and no preference towards one human being and another.

The only measure in Islam is faith.

Even to become a Muslim, it is merely a declaration of faith to acknowledge your belief in God, rather than to perform any special rituals.
To "submit" then, is the acknowledgement of the truth of God's existence, so you could say that the word "Muslim" is actually a descriptive noun... one who submits to the notion of the existence of God.

Further to this believe, is one's acknowledgement of the afterlife, that God created an eternal sanctuary after the trials of this life are done. Many non-believers ask why they will not be amongst those who enter this eternal sanctuary, but that question is in itself an oxymoron.
If one doesn't believe in God, that would imply he doesn't believe in the afterlife either, so why would it concern him to contemplate not entering a realm he does not believe exists in the first place?
Would it not make sense that if God created an afterlife, that at least the only requirement would be belief in His existence? Again I will emphasize that this requirement is not based on a "birth right" or an ethnicity or an attribution to one group or another, but rather the very simple concept of belief that He exists. In fact there is a Hadith that describes the requirement of this belief as "No one who has an atom’s weight of faith in his heart will enter Hell eternally". So it is a pretty simple requirement.

Moreover, just because I believe today, and you do not, does not mean that I am exempt or more "privileged" than you are in this regard. Quite the contrary.

We are still equal in the eyes of God because my last dying breath may be void of faith, and you may live your life with the eventual realization that God does indeed exist. You may grow to be much more pious than I ever was. Your belief may not even be realized by anyone. This is precisely why mankind is not entrusted as being the judges of faith, but rather the ones to be judged. It is God and God alone that has the right to determine ones true faith, especially when many could be impostors of the faith, only to pretend to believe just to receive acknowledgement from their Muslim peers.

The complexity of each and every one's personal circumstances also plays a big part in God's Mercy. A tribal African boy who has never had exposure to the teachings of the One True God, may be exempt from judgement of faith simply because the opportunity never found its way into his isolated life. A mentally disabled person also has his own circumstances, and so on...

The world is too complex for any one mere man to proclaim judgement of another man's faith, regardless of the systems we have in place to say otherwise. And for that reason alone, I can never say that you are a "kafir" and can never truly determine that you will not be of those who enter paradise to be in the company and Grace of the Almighty.

How easy is it for a Christian to become a Muslim?

The best way to describe Islam relative to Christianity is by considering their holy scriptures. With regards to the "Old Testament" and "New Testament", you can consider the Quran to be the "Last Testament".

Islam is part of the progression of Abrahamic faiths and for that it acknowledges the validity of Judaism and Christianity respectively as part of its affirmation of truth.

It is the final and lasting message of God that sealed the teachings of the Messengers that have lived amongst us throughout mankind, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Noah, and many more.

For that very reason it is quite easy for a Christian to become Muslim as part of his progression of faith.

There was once a person I heard say that they wanted to become a better Christian, and decided to become a Muslim for it.

Our love for the beloved Jesus Christ is one that can appeal to anyone coming from Christianity. We acknowledge his piety, his devotion and his sacrifice; we believe in his miraculous birth, and his ascension to heaven before his death, we believe in the miracles bestowed upon him which gave him the power to heal the leper, cure the blind, and raise Lazarus from death. We hold his mother Mary amongst the most highly regarded females in the history of mankind.

His message is consistent with that of Moses's and Abraham's, which makes sense that we regard him in the same way as those who preceded him with the same rallying cries.

Muslims believe in the Gospel of Jesus, or more precisely the word of Jesus as the message of God, which is why we do not acknowledge the validity of scriptures written by people of the faith such as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Though they may be pious saints with good intentions, their scripture can only ever provide support to a faith rather than become the backbone of the faith, much like Hadiths are accounts of the Prophet Muhammad during his lifetime by many who lived amongst him.

The Quran, however, is the word of God directly relayed to mankind by an illiterate man who would have been incapable of "making it up" due to its comprehensive explanations of all aspects of humanity including spirituality, governance and details of the world around us. Subsequently these words were written down by his companions in order to preserve the message.
It has been unaltered and uncompromised since the revelations occurred which is why we hold the authenticity of Islam with high regard.

Even the original scholars of Christianity realized that their scripture was incomplete purely based on the manuscripts they had, which is why they adopted the Old Testament to create a complete Bible. It would have made more sense to consider the "Last Testament" instead.

We do not celebrate Christmas because that is technically not part of Christianity since the birth of Christ is actually unconfirmed and the date that was chosen was more in line with the celebrations that pagans had during that time of the year.

Considering all this, a Christian would not have to forgo his faith, but rather continue it through Islam for a more complete picture of the entire message.

The "how" is the easiest part. There is no official ritual required to become Muslim because it stays true to the concept of a belief system not a cultural movement, and so one's mindset is really what counts.
All that is required is a simple proclamation of faith.

Since the next Messenger to follow Jesus in succession was the Prophet Muhammad, the proclamation would require an acknowledgement that he indeed is also a contributor to the message of God, as Jesus was.
Therefore the following statement is all that is needed to be a Muslim:

"La Ilaha Illallah, Muhammad rasululah"
"There is no Lord but God alone, and Muhammad is His Messenger"

And done... you become Muslim.

Does the Hijab perpetuate inequality between men & women?

Too many people in Western society carry a misconception about the principles of a Muslim women's head-scarf (Hijab), especially with regards to the female's status in community.

In reality, it does not in any way perpetuate inequality between men and women. In fact it does quite the opposite.

It is a personal choice made by the woman to fulfill her religious duties; and is her right alone to put it on. In no way does Islam give the right for men to enforce it upon her.

So if it is so physically restricting according to many, why does a Muslim woman choose to put it on in the first place?

The simplest answer to that question is liberation.

It is a statement that prevents the man from treating her as an object of his desires. Her beautiful features are no one's business but her husband's alone, and she chooses to flaunt her physical features only to the man that matters to her the most.

The Muslim woman liberates herself from the pressures of society which constantly tries to push her to accessorize so as to keep up with an ever-changing fashion statement in order to compare herself with such models as are found in L'Oreal, Cosmo, and Cleo. She liberates herself from the constant stress of battling body weight, body shape, and age, especially since these are naturally unavoidable. She also liberates herself from the insecurity of having her man compare her to a younger, "more attractive" female.

More importantly, it helps her remove that diseased attitude of competing with other females to "out do" herself superficially in order to get attention, especially when that attention means alienating her own friends and colleagues.

She is the true example of equality, because she demands respect and dignity from men. She forces men to actually listen to what she has to say, rather than get distracted with what she has to show.

As with all personal statements made by any modern woman in society, a Muslim women's choice should never be discriminated against.

One could argue then why a man has no such obligations in Islam. That notion couldn't be further from the truth. In fact a man's obligation is far greater than that of the woman's.

While a woman's obligation is to maintain and protect her external appearances, a man's commitment is to maintain and protect his internal thoughts.

Lets face it, if a man wore the same provocative bikini as a female, it wouldn't exactly provide the same aesthetic outcome, so his external traits aren't necessarily the matter at hand.

On the contrary, it is the man's mind that must be constantly purified. While a woman's desire in a man stems mainly from seeking one who could provide protection and security (whether physically, mentally or financially), the man seeks her beauty (physically or mentally).

This can have a negative effect if this beauty is sought out through lustful desires. Today, society understands this all too well and takes advantage of it by enticing the man to seek out these desires especially through advertisements and men's magazines.

That is why a man's obligation is to strive against his will, especially when having impure thoughts whereby Islam encourages the man to lower his gaze and steer away from scenarios that might create this unhealthy lustful environment.

This constant internal struggle is as much an obligation as a woman's obligations surrounding her external appearances, and these two separate roles between man and woman compliment each other in society. It provides a healthy environment that encourages respect, dignity and harmony in society.

Why Islam does not accept Homosexuality

The specific reasons behind why Muslims don't actually accept homosexuality can be elaborated on following on from the prevous article Islam's opinion about Homosexuality.

We as Muslim are told to uphold three major aspects in our lives through our faith: Our personal spirituality, our domestic obligations within a family unit, and our society. Too often people associate religion as a practice behind closed doors, and forget that the society we live in plays a crucial role in our lifestyle. Therefore the structure of society is also important when talking about religious obligations.

Even when speaking from a non-religious perspective, one could present the same argument from the concept of natural selection which is the cause of life on earth as we know it whereby only the strongest and most suited in nature's eyes would survive the test of time. Having said that, the very same modern day enthusiasts forget that the equation of same-sex relationships puts a halt on the natural progression of mankind.

That in itself wouldn't be so much of a problem if one argues that it wouldn't be a "threat" to society, however in this day and age, we are seeing more and more statements made by self-appointed philosophers that claim that we all have homosexual tendencies that can be measured as a percentage of “how gay" we all are, claiming that ultimately we are all homosexual in one way or another and only the tendencies we choose to act upon are what differentiates us.

It is this distortion of reality that threatens the harmony of society. One who chooses his or her own sexual preference is one thing, but trying to convince society that we are all potentially gay is a corruption of this harmony.

Some gays and lesbians today also claim they had no choice in the matter, yet there is no evidence to base this argument on the physical attractions people have as infants or even as fetuses their mother's womb.

Reiterating the obligations we have towards maintaining a stable growth of humanity, many people naturally tend to think inwardly and selfishly of their own lusts and desires. The same can be said about a married man who cannot help but follow his urges to repetitively commit adultery, boldly claiming that "a man has his needs". Though that may have some truth in it, it is important to note that there is a significant distinction that separates us from the primates that base their lives purely on instinct rather than disciplined intellect. Humanity as a higher being survives based on its intellect. Our survival is bound by upholding the obligation towards fellow members of the human race which incorporates our responsibilities on a domestic and societal level.

Unless of course one thinks we should all live like animals?

We all agree to this concept; otherwise a man would not be condemned for having lusts and desires towards incest. If a grown man wants to have sexual relations with his grown daughter, although they are both in mutual consent and they both could claim that they “truly, madly, deeply love one another”, society sees this as a threat to our extended race even though it is only a corruption of the domestic structure of a family unit. The same can also be said about a mother and her son.

For the sake of argument, why then is homosexuality any different? Seeing that incest in nature's eyes actually has some form of acceptance (i.e. they could bare offspring), human society still sees the extent of the perverse nature of incest as a threat to our survival.

Lusts and desires are a dangerous concept if not disciplined responsibly. Some have gone to the extreme of mutilating their own body for the pursuit of this lust in order to change their very gender, and ultimately their own identity, only to look back and realise the grave mistake in amputating their own genital organ in pursuit of an insatiable appetite. Many have been surveyed about their deep regret in denying their birth right, and this can only lead to disaster.

What people must not forget is that the concept of homosexuality is not a "new age" phenomenon. It has been around for many centuries where there are references to the behaviour dating back to Biblical times.

So while many claim that religion fails to "adapt" to change, it has not gone without dealing with this scenario before and has been witness to entire cities that fell purely because of lusts and desires that lacked order and discipline.

More importantly, and a point that people tend to forget is that this should not encourage a violent disapproval of such behaviours (otherwise we would be in complete contradiction towards the validity of what we believe in as Muslims), but rather a tolerance of it in order for people to at least understand our perspective on it.

Although many may disagree with this opinion in Western society, that is also the beauty of humanity; the fact that there is such a diverse range of intellectual perspectives on these kinds of issues can only be healthy in challenging our core believes, or even cementing them…

A Muslim's perspective on Homosexuality

Today there are two words that are so very often confused: acceptance and tolerance.

Sometimes both are used synonymously with each other; however there is a much greater contrast between the two.

For example, if I were to say that we do not accept homosexuality, nor would we promote homosexuality, nor celebrate it, nor encourage it, that does not necessarily mean that we want to "rid the world of its abomination".

On the contrary, our religion teaches tolerance and respect for God's creatures. We also believe that we have no authority to judge someone based on their circumstances, because that is a matter purely for God to decide based on the complexity of each individual's life and their influences throughout their life.

With regards to acceptance, the similitude is like that of an atheist who does not accept Christianity, nor would they promote Christianity, nor spiritually celebrate it, nor encourage it. That would not necessarily mean that they would discriminate against a Christian. Although lately there is a wave of anti-religious rhetoric that seems to seep its way into today's society - becoming almost a fashion statement to patronise spirituality - it would be unfair for me to generalise.

The problem with today's society is that it has become taboo to disagree with one person's choice of lifestyle, almost as an attempt to silence the freedom of speech of one group over another. Rather than gays coming "out of the closet", the minority have been proverbially bullied into it. There is an undeniable attempt to assimilate today's minority in Western society rather than allowing them to integrate into society and still maintain their cultures and beliefs - these are also two words very often confused with regards to people's opportunity to give opinions.

I work in an office with many who are open and proud of their sexual preference. I work well with them in a healthy team environment and they are witness to the utmost respect I show for them. Simply because I do not agree with their choice of lifestyle does not change the professional friendship I have with them, especially since I would not get insulted when someone disagrees with the practices of Islam. It is simply a matter of opinion and choice.

Too often that choice gets forgotten in Western society, and when that suppression of opinion turns into a "frenzy", the whole meaning of acceptance and tolerance gets blurred.

Related article:
Why does Islam not accept homosexuality?

Is Abortion acceptable?

One way to look at the issues of abortion is from the following three categories: black, white, grey.

Most people would be more inclined to agree with what falls in the "white" which surrounds medical reasons, for example, a woman might die if she gives birth or a woman's life is in danger because some traditionalists are shamed by the fornication of a family member.

Other scenarios which quite easily fall in the "black" mainly revolve around the timing of the child. Most people obviously disagree with abortion in the extremely late stages of pregnancy without medical reasons.

There are many issues in the "grey" that people are mostly indifferent about or do not have enough expertise within the the field of "morality" to claim that it is right or wrong. Such examples include genetic defects in the infact from a mother's bodily abuse, supporting a child in poverty or pregnancy as a result of rape.

No one can attest to saying that "nothing" should be put it in the "black" category because that would be blindly supporting the notion of abortion without even considering that some cases may go beyond the moral high ground.
People should be just as open with regards to the possibility that if cases of abortion can be justified, there are others that cannot.

Having said that, the biggest topics that revolve around abortion are concerned with deciding on the placement of the "mistake" complex within the above categories.
This particular issue is more deeply seeded than any other issue because there is an element of proactivity that can be introduced.
With this issue, society shouldn't be trying to decide how to deal with abortion, but rather how to prevent the pregnancy from occurring in the first place.

The same can be said about the rise of deaths resulting from drink driving, and the campaigns associated with drinking responsibly and dedicated drivers who need to stay sober.

With this "mistake" complex, campaigns surrounding contraception should be improved, as well as the general decency in society with regards to promiscuity instead of selling sex as bi-products in movies, billboards and ad campaigns. People need to start remembering that a family unit is what keeps a society thriving rather than the self-absorbed animal instincts that do nothing but destroy this unity. Mistakes can be minimised with positive approaches to encouraging alternate options to one's lifestyle.

Despite these remarks, mistakes are still ultimately mistakes, and one should never judge a person until all their own sins are removed.

No one is perfect; everyone can be forgiven.

Are Athiests more intelligent than people of faith?

There are plenty of philosophers, scientists, novelists, essayists, and engineers that fall within the vast spectrum of intellectuals who would also consider themselves strong believers of some form of theological ideology.

On the other hand there are many atheists that live their lives in the blue collar industry as plumbers, painters, taxi-drivers and brick layers, and some who didn't completed their secondary or tertiary education.

These examples on their own cannot "prove" any point as to who would be more intellectual than the other, and so we cannot possibly conclude that the level on which intelligence is measured upon is based on theology or atheism.

A "man of science" fits in both categories, since science has not yet contradicted religion; only theories have. Mainstream society too frequently forgets this. Since theories are still grouped in the category of speculation, one cannot assume that a man of faith falls outside the realms of "reality", and neither can he be labelled as ignorant.

Many of the philosophical ideologies presented by atheists and in particular regarding such concepts as the big-bang theory or Darwinism, is still in fact theory. The very thought process on what "might" or "might-not" have occurred in the history of the universe is in itself a belief; and therefore one may argue that atheism ultimately is a belief system in its own rite.

Just because these concepts are popular today, doesn't necessarily provide a means to measure intelligence.