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Arabs..muslims?


Mahuta ♥

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Sorry guys but this is getting a bit l3kaa7zxcv8n for the general public if you know what I mean :P . If you would be so kind as to even put a short explanation of the content of your message to those of us who don't speak Arabic.

Yes, true. I apologize, I just got so into it I completely forgot about that. Alright, I'll go and translate the parts I can. :P

Thanks for the notice, and sorry again.

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Is this post only about Arab Muslims? Because there's also Arab Christians out there, a lot here in Jerusalem and south of here in Bethlehem, but the world seems to think that all Arabs are Muslims. In Egypt there are Coptics, in Syria they have the Syrian Orthodox church and here there is the Greek Orthodox as well as the Armenian Christians (some of whom are part Arab).

And if you're trying to ask people whether or not they think Arab Muslims are terrorists, then I don't think the vast majority of them are. Every religion has its extremists; radical Jews assassinated Yitzhak Rabin after he signed the Oslo Peace Accords, there's some hard line evangelicals in America, and so on. Out of all my Arab friends here, only one girl supports the ideology of suicide bombers and she's from a small, conservative Arab village. My other Arab friends think they are mentally ill.

Of course all Arab Muslims aren't the same, because there's so much variation between North Africa, the Mediterranean Arabs and the Gulf states. Lebanon is a lot more liberal than most Arab countries because of the French influence there; they are the only Arab state to hold a national beauty pageant and compete in Miss Universe. Then you have Saudi Arabia, which is very religious. And the UAE, which is more Westernized than some countries but still upholds traditional Muslim values.

As for the Arabic language, there are so many different dialects and some of them are hilarious. I don't speak Arabic fluently or understand all of it, but even I know when people are speaking Classical Arabic (they call it fus'ha here) and it sounds funny to me since no one here speaks it. No offense to people that pray using it, I can recite the main prayer and it sounds fine then.

The only sad thing is that I can't travel to any Arab countries other than Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan now, since my passport has several Israeli visas in it. So if the other Arab states would like to recognize Israel as a country anytime soon, I would be really grateful :D Especially Syria. I've heard wonderful stories about Damascus.

wow I was really impressed with your knowledge of the arab world, until i read the part saying "living in jerusalem" then I was like oh tht explains it!

in the defence of the poster, westerners don't see the difference between arabs, muslim arabs, or extremist! they think that since we're all from the same region we're on the same boat. I'm an Armenian arab if you wish, and I've been "randomly stopped for checks" in the states for being born in Amman :P

And Egypt hold a Beauty contest as well :D I don't aid the beauty contests in arab worlds, because I feel like arabs are constantly being hypocritical

as for how I feel about Arabs. they're rubbish :P

just kidding! I don't label anyone as terrorists, and am quite informed of why extremist leaders act the way they do with regards to the regligion etc. I don't like living in an Arabic country, mostly because of the hypocritical culture there (especially when it comes to men and women).

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Sorry guys but this is getting a bit l3kaa7zxcv8n for the general public if you know what I mean :P . If you would be so kind as to even put a short explanation of the content of your message to those of us who don't speak Arabic.

Ok deissi i went through them. Can you please check for any other things I should translate?

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  • 3 months later...

It seems unfair to me that muslim communities in the west are aloud to build mosques in the Western World ( Non-Islamic) but Christian communities in the middle East or Islamic countries aren't aloud to build churches.

PS : I have lived in Doha and Istambul =)

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I thought it was cool to build churches O: At least I swear I visited a giant church in Istanbul when I went :)

Anyway, I personally don't have any particular feelings toward Muslim people who're of an arab background. Probably because lots of my good friends are British Muslims and they're awesome people.

I guess my only observation is that, with the exception of the USA, all developed countries are more welcoming to multiple faiths and points of view than Arabic countries are, and I can't help but feel that although I am part of a secular society, if I went to these nations, I wouldn't be regarded as I regard them. If that makes any sense! I'm not religious, so I'm not talking about an invasion of religion or anything, I just mean generally. For instance countries like Iran where it's necessary to wear a veil as a woman, regardless of your religion.

In my society, these things are optional and everybody has a choice. In many arab countries it seems to me quite backward and traditional. The idea that religion has been enshrined in law isn't something I admire them for.

The people I've met have been lovely. Everybody is always really happy compared with everybody else for some reason xP As a group, however, and on home soil, I find that they are not inclusive to non-muslims, which is pretty unwelcoming. Just my opinion.

As for the whole 'all muslims are terrorists' thing, I think people in the US only think that because they don't know any arabic people, which is a bit of a shame. Being honest, I think there are far more fundamentalist (extreme) christians in the USA than terrorists in all of the middle east put together. Really, I do!

Edited by Sandwich
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In my society, these things are optional and everybody has a choice. In many arab countries it seems to me quite backward and traditional. The idea that religion has been enshrined in law isn't something I admire them for.

You see its the same problem im noticing, one country is used to make a general statement about the rest of the countries.

That's Iran, it's extremely different from other countries. Come to Oman, UAE or Qatar, you see a lot of people not wearing the veils nor the scarf including the citizens themselves. This is in the gulf countries (the most religious in arab countries), let alone in places like North Africa, Tunisia, Algeria and such. No one will ever tell any woman to put on a veil or even a scarf, despite the fact that Islami says we have to wear the scarf (not the veil), no one will force anyone to do so.

So in arab countries as-well, there is, more or less that choice.

The people I've met have been lovely. Everybody is always really happy compared with everybody else for some reason xP As a group, however, and on home soil, I find that they are not inclusive to non-muslims, which is pretty unwelcoming. Just my opinion.

This may be true in some countries, once again. But I think that would be as a result of what the western countries are doing in here, I mean honestly, despite the fact that I am open and stuff and okay with westerns, I do sometimes feel this grudge whenever I see what happened in Iraq and Palestine as a result of the war the western countires like the US, ENGLAND OR ISRAEL armies are having or supporting against us. You may not know what I mean, but trust me, it hurts as if someone killed your own family.

I know though that citizens have got nothing to do with it, and I understand that. But for some people, that is so hard to accept. But I see your point Alice, and not all are like that, all arab countries are quite different.

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I'll admit to not being familiar with how different arab countries operate :)

As for the whole non-inclusivity thing, I certainly appreciate where you're coming from. Reading the stories of what has been done in these places (that and the total lack of justification for the wars x___x) I feel pretty angry myself. If any of this stuff had happened to me, I actually don't know how I could not feel like getting revenge in some way because, being honest, it's more or less just a long series of atrocities against one nation.

I was actually aiming for saying that I feel the way society is set up isn't inclusive, as opposed to that I feel people have a grudge against non-muslims. I mean, stuff like this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7112929.stm

... where no allowance is being made for non-muslim ways of doing things is pretty bad. Just in terms of society being set up to accomodate a non-muslim way of existing, I guess. Obviously I now know I'm talking about a specific set of countries like Iran, the Sudan etc., as opposed to all of them :)

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It seems unfair to me that muslim communities in the west are aloud to build mosques in the Western World ( Non-Islamic) but Christian communities in the middle East or Islamic countries aren't aloud to build churches.

PS : I have lived in Doha and Istambul =)

With the exception of Saudi Arabia where nobody is allow to practice religions other than Islam, churches have been built in all other countries in the Middle East including Iran.

And I've lived in the UAE for 7 years and been around the Middle East.

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The media and rumours in the western world depict completely the wrong idea about arabs and muslims. I grew up in the middle east and they are just normal people and most of my childhood friends and best friends are arabs/ muslims and the impression that is set about them in the west is complete codswallop. Middle Eastern countries are definitely open to other religions as there is a vast range of residents of different religions and they even have churches. I have to say I enjoyed living there a lot more than here as the lifestyle was better and the people are extremely kind.

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The area in my town where I live has a lot of foreign people and is considered (and depicted in newspapers) to be violent and dangerous. Many of the foreigners are muslims, but I don't know what's cause and what's effect. Personally, I don't care about it, but I know people in this area that are reluctant to admit that they live here.

I don't know many muslims or arabs, and honestly I don't know much about the religion (I do know the history and so on, but I don't know much of the life of muslims). Media is biased, but I try not to be influenced by that and keep an open mind. I've heard (and it's probably true) that many things people associate with islam hasn't got anything to do with the religion, it's cultural. One muslim girl in my previous class was subjected to murder attempt because she had a boyfriend from the "wrong" culture, whereas a muslim girl in my class has a boyfriend and her parents are cool about that. So, it differs and hasn't got to do much with religion.

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I believe that within each group of people, there are a few that are good and there are a few that are bad.

I acknowledge that fact that the words 'good' and 'bad' are purely subjective.

To me, people are 'bad' when they cause deliberate harm to other individuals or group of individuals and feel no remorse for doing so.

Also, I believe that 'bad' people do not exist.

If people do things that harm other individuals, it is mainly due to their lack of knowledge, sphere of thought - based on the environment they have grown up in, poverty, and so on.

Recently, as most people are aware, the world's major terrorist activities have been linked to individuals who call themselves Muslims.

I see a lot of problems with this.

First off, terrorists are terrorists. They should not be linked with any religion or race.

Failing to do so has resulting is most of the world viewing Muslims are terrorists and terrorists as Muslims.

This has wrongly earned bad reputation for many individuals who just want to follow their religion, harm nobody and live a good, peaceful life.

Then comes the topic of women rights.

I do not think that any woman should be denied the right to education, the right to work, the right to be considered equal to man in the eyes of the law, the right to refuse to wear a hijab, and so on.

(It is a completely different story if a woman, herself, chooses to wear a niqab/hijab.)

It makes me extremely angry to turn on the news channel and hear about how acid was thrown on young girls' faces just because they went to school, how schools have been destroyed, how a girl who was raped was not given justice because apparently it was her fault that she was raped...

That is unacceptable and this is not a matter of religion. It is a matter of Human Rights and I believe that foreign intervention is necessary in such cases (i.e. foreign intervention that is self-less on the foreign country's part... maybe UN intervention?)

The interesting thing is that groups such as the Taliban display their actions and beliefs as beliefs of Islam - that if you do not follow what the Taliban says, you're not a good Muslim.

That is not correct.

I mean, what is this? The stone age? Arabic countries should really get over these concepts of women degradation because by doing what they are doing... they are not only harming the women by also harming themselves (think about the economical benefits if the other 50% of the country gets educated and starts working...)

Anyways, these are my opinions.

Correct me if I got my facts wrong :P

I intend no offense to anyone :)

Edited by 1-2-3
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I mean, what is this? The stone age? Arabic countries should really get over these concepts of women degradation because by doing what they are doing... they are not only harming the women by also harming themselves (think about the economical benefits if the other 50% of the country gets educated and starts working...)

Who said all arab countries are like that? Who said all arab women are degraded? who said arab women aren't educated and working just like men? I am an arab and i dont have a single family member that is not educated and is not working. I do not know any women personally who isn't educated and isn't working. I dont see why you're calling it the 'stone age' do we not have technology? ain't I female, an arab female that used technology just like any other female around the world? ain't I a female that is doing IB and is going to UNI?

Who said all women who get raped are being seen guilty in all arab countires? Who said that arab female aren't allowed to go to school? Im telling you, there is noway you can be referring to an arab country, and i have a feeling you're mixing up between islamic only countries and arab islamic countries.

The first thing Islam ever encouraged was education. I dont know how you can make such a general statement, when you see alot of arab females on IBS from all different arab countries yet you still claim that they're not allowed school.

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Who said all arab countries are like that? Who said all arab women are degraded? who said arab women aren't educated and working just like men? I am an arab and i dont have a single family member that is not educated and is not working. I do not know any women personally who isn't educated and isn't working. I dont see why you're calling it the 'stone age' do we not have technology? ain't I female, an arab female that used technology just like any other female around the world? ain't I a female that is doing IB and is going to UNI?

Who said all women who get raped are being seen guilty in all arab countires? Who said that arab female aren't allowed to go to school? Im telling you, there is noway you can be referring to an arab country, and i have a feeling you're mixing up between islamic only countries and arab islamic countries.

The first thing Islam ever encouraged was education. I dont know how you can make such a general statement, when you see alot of arab females on IBS from all different arab countries yet you still claim that they're not allowed school.

I don't know who said so but I certainly did not :) .

I said that certain individuals do so claiming that they are just following Muslim rules - which is not correct.

& This gives the world the wrong view of Muslims + Arab countries.

E.g. incidents like these have happened in Afghanistan and that leads people to wrongly believe that other Arabic countries are like that as well.

What I am saying that the incidents that do happen + the deeds of the Taliban must be stopped.

I really think you misunderstood me there.

Plus, I have a lot of friends who used to live in Saudi Arabia and thus I know quite a bit about how things run there :P

(e.g. I know that girls do go to school)

On the other hand, Saudi law says that women cannot be witnesses in courts.

That certainly doesn't sound very progressive to me.

Note (I also said): This has wrongly earned bad reputation for many individuals who just want to follow their religion, harm nobody and live a good, peaceful life.

Also, I think I worded it incorrectly. I, by no means, was referring to all Arabic countries. I was refering to Taliban policies (sorry, I feel strongly about the Taliban) and the countries they are enforced in - e.g. Afghanistan.

Edited by 1-2-3
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