Misconceptions of Islam

This is my second post in the wee-hours. I just came back from from a 8.30am schedule which dragged all the way till 12.30am due to my night class.

If this entry bores you, then please exit. I shall still say my piece.

Since I am going to the Middle East (ME) very soon, my class actually consists of guest lectures from reputable Singapore companies who had ventured and did quite well thus far in the ME.

A few things caught my attention. To those who had known me, yes, I seem conservative in my dressing but fortunately or unfortunately, I am much more liberal than how I dressed. So, I'm not an expert about Islam per se but let me share on these few points.

1] Despite the ME being an Islamic country due to the many muslims there & our holy grounds are somewhere there also, some people there are unfortunately not living to it. For instance, they used the term "insyallah" too extensively especially in business such that the real meaning of "If God is willing & allows us" became understood as "No".

2] There are prostitutes there. I'm not sure whether they are locals or not though.

3] Some Arabs there actually drink wine. A guest speaker today shared his experience of seeing a women in the jilbab with wine in her hands. Some of my friends say that maybe they are not a muslim in nature. Maybe she is a christian who dresses in jilbab to so called blend in with the community. There are many maybe's to this scenario. Suppose the woman is a muslim, then she has tainted the Islamic teachings & perspectives of the non-muslims. Nauzubillah....

Some friends actually asked me before: "Why is it that you must only eat from the malay stall but then a friend of mine who is also malay is buying from chinese stall eating pork?"

So what's my answer? I said, "By right, our teachings say we can't & that we must eat halal - in terms of the process of slaughtering the poultries, no pork/liquor. But some people now follow by left. They are malays in nature but not Islam or rather not practicing the teachings of Islam & for that, only they themselves can answer to god."

I don't know whether that's the right answer but that's my personal view. You can teach that person but whether they want to follow or not is another thing.

I am not saying I'm so "religious" that I've never been to these non-halal places. Due to something unexplainable here, I had a free dessert once from Cartell, unfortunately been to Fish & Co & Fish in Manhattan once. On the other hand, I am not too conservative. Unlike some people I know who are so overly concern such that they wont even eat a doughnut from a bakery handled by a chinese. Coz sometimes to me, Ignorance is bliss. But eating pork or drinking liquor is seriously out of the question.

I came to know of another story where a chinese friend of mine had a malay neighbor who keep dogs. When this friend ask his neighbor about it since my friend had knowledge that muslims are not supposed to keep a dog as a pet, you know what he said that shocked me?

"I just don't see the rationale of why the Quran say we cant keep dogs."

My only comment to those ignorant "muslims" out there: For goodness sake, we have lots of mosque, religious teachers and MUIS have been doing an excellent job in upholding the Islamic stuffs in Singapore. GO & FIND OUT FROM THESE PEOPLE!

It just pissed me sometimes. Especially on terrorism. Al-Qaeda Taleban whatever not.
And now with the latest escape from the JI leader. Because of a minority of extremists, the impression on muslims are tainted like crazy especially in the western countries.

In the first place, seriously: HOW THE HECK DID HE ESCAPE? AND WHY IS HE NOT FOUND TILL NOW? Unfortunately, I am quite upset with the progress now. If he cant be found, I wonder what will happen to Singapore anytime soon especially after reading what he attempted to do... Though I'm concern, I really don't know what I can do besides disseminating posters :)

Argghhh... I would like to end with: THE WORLD TODAY HOLDS VARIETIES OF UNCERTAINTIES. May HE protect us, insyallah.

Till then, Love!