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Your letters - posted July 3, 2006

Posted in Q & A on Jul 03, 2006

 Posted July 3, 2006

Dear friends and foes: From time to time, I post your comments without much response from me. It’s not my replies that speak volumes; it’s the dramatic differences in your views. You’re proving that Islam’s future is up for debate. Sometimes hilarious debate. My favourite statement from below: “Here you are, a self-proclaimed ‘Muslim’ turning on your own people! How do you sleep at night? Undoubtedly beside a white woman.”

“u say ur not zionist agent but most likely are getting paid by them. i dont think u have a problem with islam but [with] yourself. because of your perverted sexuality u have to die according to islam, and u cant face that. why does god hate me! well he doesnt we do. shave your hair off, id say ud look better but u still be a freak. may the curse of allah be upon you.” - anonymous

“I want to thank you in the deepest terms. I’ve studied most religions and found only mixed truth and power hungry priesthoods. For a long time I was lost in the occult. I came to your book while studying Sufism and trying to make sense of this crazy world situation. I must confess I haven’t finished reading it yet because within the first 100 pages it became clear that there was a place for me in Islam, so I converted and picked up the Quran. I’ll get back to your book after my first pass through the Quran. I was turned away from Islam when I lived in Saudi Arabia as a child. Ijtihad was the missing piece that brought me home. Come in thirst. Go in peace.” - Davi

“I’m a Muslim. I just want to say thank you for your efforts, leading me to look once more into my faith and realise that the nonsense people like you are spreading is nothing more than what God has warned us about 1400 years ago… After studying ‘liberals’ like yourself for some time (and taking the same stance), I realised that no matter how they spice up their dishes, the food is always rotten. The arguments – their entire spectrum of beliefs – carry the same faults as those of every individual who has strayed from what God’s faith ordains along the ages. They sold the Truth for their heart’s desire. I realised that if I went on as you did, to match every bit of politically correct trash with what I wanted Islam to be, then I would be fooling no other than myself. I wonder how long you have been doing that, Irshad? You will not change the world. You will not alter the Right. Have the courage to think again.” - Ahmed

“Sis Irshad, I live in Malaysia and I just finished reading your book. Congratulations. You have said clearly and loudly what needs to be said. Earlier in my life, when I first started my work, I also felt that Islam as practiced now needs reformation. It is the understanding of Islam that is wanting. People dare not question anything pertaining to this, so we are stuck to fixed ideas. Evolution and progress pass us by. Other people subjugate us. Because of this, some Muslims retaliate, but the manner may be wrong in Allah’s view. Almost every day I read of Muslims killing Muslims in Iraq and other places. How sad. At least in Malaysia, we generally see Muslims as Muslims, not as Sunni or Shia.

Maybe the path to heaven is more certain if we open ourselves to ijtihad and understand our religion better. Improve ourselves in our relationship with God and with our fellow man and woman. Then only can we stand or sit at the same level as other people. Your voice for ijtihad and reform encourages people like me, who before this dare not be so loud in their opinions.” - Azam

“Why don’t you leave us alone and convert to Christianity? Please leave us on a wrong path and continue with your true path which seems to be engulfed in confusion. Stop making money through Islam, pleasing your masters from the West. You will never be white, you are not even covered, you are a shame to Allah and His Messenger. On the Last Day all these masters of yours that you are trying to please won’t save you before ALLAH.” - Bashir

“I am a Muslim from Pakistan. I came to Canada to feel the freedom of speech, freedom of thought. I had to leave my country because of my outspoken attitude. I had to save my thought process. The Muslim world needs more people like you, and I consider myself lucky to be part of your school of thought.” - Dr. N. Saleem

“What kind of Muslim are you? In all my practicing years, I have never encountered a ‘gay Muslim.’ Do you believe in the hereafter? Do you believe that you’ll be granted entrance to paradise? If yes, why are you doing your very best to sabotage the Muslim world and all its believers?… I find it difficult to believe that people actually pay to hear your garbage. Your outrageous ideas belong on some blog page that gets no more than 43 hits in its entire lifespan. It is a stupid and sheltered person who hears you and believes you. No wonder the world is turning against Muslims. Here you are, a self-proclaimed ‘Muslim’ turning against your own people! How do you sleep at night? Undoubtedly beside a white woman.

To think that your message may be making a difference in the way people conceive the Muslim nation makes me sick to my stomach. The unjustice [sic] that you are doing is truly upsetting to any self-respecting woman, Jew, or Muslim. As far as I’m concerned, this is about publicity, celebrity, money and your fascination with hearing yourself speak. Why not use those obsessions to do good? Few women have the ability to heard globally and you are very wrongly misusing this privilege.

What makes you think your extremist opinions are representative of the Muslim nation? This is by far the most disturbing part. Has it occurred to you that most Muslim women are NOT homosexuals and are quite happy with their domestic roles in society? Therefore, you are not entitled to be their spokesperson. If there was a vote to elect you, I didn’t get my ballot.

You are trying to push your distorted views onto others but hopefully the educated will reject them, boo you off the stage and burn your blasphemous books. If you want to be gay, go ahead, just leave the Muslim world out of it.” - Shabana

The final word (for now) goes to a 28-year-old Muslim man…

“I was born and bred in Singapore. I was not particularly religious but I’ve always had the drive to learn more about this religion that I was born into. I enrolled myself (much to the pride of my parents) in a madrassa class. I began to feel dissatisfied with what I was learning. Yes, it was good to know the basics but I needed to know what’s in the heart of the religion. I know it’s frowned upon to study the religion without a ‘teacher,’ but I felt I had to learn this for myself. So, I began a journey not only of religious discovery but also self-discovery.

I was soon filled with pride about what a great religion Islam is and what a privilege that I am called a Muslim. I am proud of what Muslims have achieved in the past… I was brought to tears while watching the documentary, ‘Islam: An Empire of Faith.’ I imagined what it was like to be in the great gardens of Baghdad, or the great cities of Cordoba or Granada. I was ever so proud, that soap was first introduced by Muslims!

Then puberty hit and more self-discovery followed. I learned that I’m gay!! Horror of all horrors. Am I now condemned to Hell? I did more research and reading, hoping against all hope that someone would say I will not after all go to hell. That God IS merciful. I know for a fact that being gay does not make me a bad person. I was totally disillusioned. I felt my whole world was crumbling around me. How could a religion that I love so much not love me in return? I felt such betrayal, because despite what others may claim, I know I was born this way.

Slowly, my faith in the religion seemed to fade. But not my faith in God. I still believe in Him and all that is good came from Him. I still need God in my life. I still need to believe. I soon realised that the words used to condemn me were the words of man, not of God. Naïve as that may sound, I felt better. I have faith, at least, in MY God.

Then September 11 happened and it made me look for more answers to the question that has been plaguing me for so long: ‘What has caused this religion to be in the state it is now?’ Mind you, I am nowhere close to getting an answer. But searching for it has only reinforced my belief that religion is between me and God. I know that in Islam, like most of the other major religions, we are expected to be part of a community. This I am guilty of. I long ago decided that I will have no part in the community of Muslims. They will hurt me nor disillusion me no more.

And if, at the end of the day, when I am standing before God and He says that all I have done in my lifetime is not “enough,” then so be it. But will I have been worse than those men who claim to be martyrs for having blown themselves up and killing innocent people? Who taught them the definition of Jihad anyway?” - Abdul