Sunday, January 24, 2010

There seems to be a kind of assumption that if you are a "practicing" Muslim then you become a different person from who you were before. For Muslims on a popular level, the impression is that somehow you are transformed from some kind of lascivious, perverted, loose monkey into a saintly, glowing and pure human being. For some reason, now, you can do no wrong as a divinely guided being and if you do it is because you did not follow the heavenly ordination to the letter. For non-Muslims, the transformation is one of horror. You become some kind of brainwashed fanatic who hates women, can't understand science and hates seeing people have a good time. Your life, as they see it, is practically over.


Between these two positions I find myself constantly having to explain myself or overcome assumptions and stereotypes before anybody even asks me why I think of something the way I do or who I am. This can be so tiring, especially in relationships. All I want to do is carry out my five pillars in peace, stop trying to put me in a box with a label on it.

5 comments:

Amira said...

This is very true....on the other hand you have the opposite where you may not outwardly manifest ur religion and get labelled as an unbeliever. Especially in some Islamic countries where unless u have a scarf on ur head/ zabeeba on ur forehead then people doubt u are a muslim even

poshlemon said...

I applaud :)

Maysaloon said...

Thank you, thank you!

Rania said...

oh, attitude, i like!

Maysaloon said...

Glad you approve sit Rania. Where have you disappeared to?