Comments on: Being Muslim in America – By J. Rafati

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:55:08 +0000

Dear reader,

Well I am sorry that I was completely misunderstood by your comment. Nowhere in your writing I got an impression that you thought of me, “you people and your women” as you called Muslims, as an inteteligent Muslim.
But allow me to correct you one more time. I am an intelligent, beautiful, sensible person. It has absolutely nothing to do with being a Muslim. As to me, you are not an ignorant catholic, or Jewish, or…, but just an ignorant person.
Read one more time what you said and then my answer to your comments. It may sink in the second time.
by the way, Have you every thought that my comments may be above your undrestanding level istead of immediately judging that i was not an inteligent person?

By: Julie P.

Julie P. — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:40:49 +0000

Jasmine, I thought you were an intelligent Muslim at first but obviously I was wrong. Your reply to my comment did not make much sense.

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:22:32 +0000

Jamine,

Thanks a lot for your story. It’s beautifully written and explains perfectly and thoroughly the most important aspects of Islam.

The biggest problem with Islam is the exact same problem that most monotheist religions have: intolerance and hatred when the religion turns to fanaticism. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have beautiful aspects and more than inspiring elements about them. When one uses them for its own morality and compassion, only good can usually come from it.

Islamic Resurgence started approximately in the 1970s, starting with the oil embargo and the Revolution in Iran. Out of it, a minority of less than 10% of Muslims started spitting horrendous messages against all non-believers. It’s such a minority but it can be a loud one and, more than everything, a very Western media friendly one, especially after 9/11….

This is, in my opinion, the saddest thing that has happened to Islam and that has fueled discrimination, out of major ignorance, against Muslims everywhere in the Western world since 9/11. The same thing could be done for every other monotheist religions if the media wished to pay attention to their respective branches of fanaticism. Unfortunately for Islam, it received that kind of negative treatment.

I hopefully believe that time will allow people to understand that, like every other religions, Islam is a high quality religion with some cons, like every other religions again, when it comes to its fanatic attitudes…

Thanks a lot for letting people know about the true image of Islam. We need more public figures like you to help people know about the real face of this religion.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:43:18 +0000

Dear Julie
I do not understand your comment about not discriminating against anyone. Your writing is full of discrimination against Muslims and blacks. I am from Iran and the last time I was in the country, I visited many cities. I saw one woman wearing a burqa. Burqas are not worn often in my country as I have experienced it. However, if you are talking about Arabic countries, yes they are worn a lot more often. The government in my country demands any woman who enters the country to cover her hair. You have to understand that not all the Muslims agree with such a rule. I find it hard to cover my hair when I am there as well, especially in the summertime. That being said, I would like to respect any country’s traditions when I visit. When I arrived to Dubai, U.A.E, I felt that the country is more accustomed to having visitors from all other parts of the world. I was more comfortable in wearing my summer dresses as usual. However, when I drove couple of hours to Abu Dhabi, I realized that the city is a lot more conservative. I dressed accordingly just to respect the people and the place I was visiting.
Many people have come to United States for the promise of freedom. If you force people to take their burqas off, what is the difference between you and the government in countries who enforces them on others who don’t want it?
By the way, I have been living in the United States for a long time. I am sad to say, that many people have little information about that part of the world and still confuse Iran and Iraq. Yet, they still continue to make uneducated comments. I don’t know what you mean by us being used to terrorists and death in our country. If you mean bombs going off everywhere, you are wrong. You are probably one of those people who confuse countries in the Middle East. In that case, I suggest you to inform yourself a bit more before making a comment. If you are talking about young people giving their lives for having freedom in the country, you must be ashamed of yourself. Just look on you tube and see what the government did to those people. These young people are giving their live to attain the freedom that is so accessible in the United States that sometimes people forget to appreciate it. There are also people such as you who are so ready to take away the freedom from others.
Have you met a black person from Sénégal? This is a country where more than 90 % of the population is Muslim. We have many Muslims who are blacks. If you feel all Muslims discriminate against blacks, you are absolutely wrong. I have never done and will discriminate against the black people not just because some are Muslims, just because I see everyone and every color equally. I do wish to say that they are people all over the world who discriminate against others because of their color, religion, or country. You are a prime example of it and I take it you are not a Muslim. You have discriminated against me just because I am a Muslim and you have placed me in the axes of evil list of yours according to your wrong perceptions.

By: Jasmine

Jasmine — Sun, 23 May 2010 18:53:19 +0000

Dear Boey

thanks for putting the time to read my blog and thanks so much for your comment.

By: Paris

Paris — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:49:01 +0000

Jazmine,

Thanks for this great informative writing about Islam!
I read the comments and I’m happy to know that there are at least few poeple that read such writings about islam with open minds, even though they are not many but it warms my heart.
I am an Iranian muslim and I love my country of origine and my religion as well as America.

By: Paris

Paris — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:32:14 +0000

Hi Julie,

I am a muslim Persian too.
Iam just writing to you to let you know that in Iran, we don’t wear Burgha, or whatever you call it.
this is not common in Iran at all, though we have to cover our head.
In my whole life I saw perhaps 10 women with that kind of cover and I think 7-8 of those were in France not Iran!
You could inform yourself before such an incorrect comment!

By: Julie P.

Julie P. — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:45:46 +0000

Jasmine, as much as I do not discriminate against anyone I have a problem with your women wearing the burqa in our country. When one visits your country, American or not, before they land in your country they are told to cover their hair and every one complies because thats your custom. BUT when they come to our country they still want to do as they do in their country, use the burqa. It is wrong and disrespectful to us. Your people even go as far as to dictate to our States as to how they want to be photographed with the burqa for their drivers license. I think thats a crock of bull. With the way terrorists target America anyone, man or women, can disguise themselves with a burqa in order to cause destruction and death. You see it in your country almost everyday. I say to you it is hard for all people who are discriminated against and I say to you as a muslim, walk in the shoes of a black person, who by the way you people readily discriminate against in their country, and see if you want to be black or muslim in America.

By: Boey

Boey — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:10:23 +0000

Have you considered adding video to your blog posts to keep the readers entertained? I just read through the post and it was quite good…thanks for sharing

By: Angela

Angela — Sat, 15 May 2010 00:22:15 +0000

Jasmine – what a beautiful story, you are such a wonderful writer. I am so glad to have heard your perspective and learned your story of your religion. Your spirituality is inspiring and it is wonderful to hear how similar all religions can be when we focus on what unites us as humans and not on the things that divide us. Thank you.