Ask a Sunni Muslim

[HannibalBarka]

Well they don't believe in the same god we do, they believe in one god but not the same god we do

I don't think that is true, I am pretty certain it wrong for Jews. Muslims believe that the God of Israel is the same as Allah. they recognise all the biblical prophets, especially Abraham, Moses and Jesus (considered, with Muhammad, "better" than the rest). You may have a case with Christians, since Trinity is not "easy" to understand for non christians, and some muslims (and I suppose Jews) may consider it "polytheistic" to belive that Jesus is God. But the "official" doctrine is that Jews and Christians are the people of the book, they worship Allah even if they don't call it that way (well they do in the Arabic world as Allah just means The God). Muslim think Jews and Christian "lost" many parts of the true teaching of Moses and Jesus, but they are still worshipping the right God.

 

[GhostWriter16]

I don't think that is true, I am pretty certain it wrong for Jews. Muslims believe that the God of Israel is the same as Allah. they recognise all the biblical prophets, especially Abraham, Moses and Jesus (considered, with Muhammad, "better" than the rest). You may have a case with Christians, since Trinity is not "easy" to understand for non christians, and some muslims (and I suppose Jews) may consider it "polytheistic" to belive that Jesus is God. But the "official" doctrine is that Jews and Christians are the people of the book, they worship Allah even if they don't call it that way (well they do in the Arabic world as Allah just means The God). Muslim think Jews and Christian "lost" many parts of the true teaching of Moses and Jesus, but they are still worshipping the right God.

Nedim was talking about Monotheists OTHER than Christians and Jews, if you'll read the context of what I asked him.

 

[HannibalBarka]

Nedim was talking about Monotheists OTHER than Christians and Jews, if you'll read the context of what I asked him.

oups, you're right, I read it again, and I've seen my mistake. thanks to you and apologies Nedim

 

[PeteAtoms]

Do you think non-Arabic white Muslims get discriminated against by Arabic Muslims? Are they viewed w/ distrust or less accepted as part of the community?

EDIT:

If you need to face Mecca when you pray, can you also face the direction 180 degrees the other way? Since the world is a sphere and all...

 

[GhostWriter16]

oups, you're right, I read it again, and I've seen my mistake. thanks to you and apologies Nedim

No problem

 

[PeteAtoms]

Do you think non-Arabic white Muslims get discriminated against by Arabic Muslims? Are they viewed w/ distrust or less accepted as part of the community?

EDIT:

If you need to face Mecca when you pray, can you also face the direction 180 degrees the other way? Since the world is a sphere and all...

And if you are on the opposite side of the world, is it better to face straight down?

 

[HannibalBarka]

Do you think non-Arabic white Muslims get discriminated against by Arabic Muslims? Are they viewed w/ distrust or less accepted as part of the community?

EDIT:

If you need to face Mecca when you pray, can you also face the direction 180 degrees the other way? Since the world is a sphere and all...

What do you mean by "non-Arabic white Muslims "? are you thinking about Turks? or a swedish convert?

 

[PeteAtoms]

What do you mean by "non-Arabic white Muslims "? are you thinking about Turks? or a swedish convert?

I didn't want to make the mistake in assuming that there are no "white" Arabs. Since race is such a weird issue in that regard. I did mean European white people

 

[NedimNapoleon]

Well I'm European (Slavic, to be specific), they're are a few Arabs that live in my community (Palestinians, Syrians...) we view them normally and they're accepted, so I assume they view us in the same way

 

[PeteAtoms]

Well I'm European (Slavic, to be specific), they're are a few Arabs that live in my community (Palestinians, Syrians...) we view them normally and they're accepted, so I assume they view us in the same way

So you wouldn't see any difficulties in doing that pilgrimage thing that is a pillar of Islam?

 

[HannibalBarka]

I didn't want to make the mistake in assuming that there are no "white" Arabs. Since race is such a weird issue in that regard. I did mean European white people

Humm, interisting question. Well first I am just guessing since I have never met a european convert or heard muslims I know talk about it. I guess their feeling would be mixed between:
1. welcoming him "a lot" because he or she woulds be seen as the best proof that "Islam is good and even better than the "west"". Seen the same way like when westerners "fled" to USSR, or Communist officials leaving to the USA.
2. be careful about him because: a. he may be faking b. may change his mind c.usual racism

 

[NedimNapoleon]

So you wouldn't see any difficulties in doing that pilgrimage thing that is a pillar of Islam?

No i wouldn't see any difficulties

 

[HannibalBarka]

So you wouldn't see any difficulties in doing that pilgrimage thing that is a pillar of Islam?

If you don't count Saudi, I tend to think that there are many more non arabic people in the pilgrimage than arabic actually (as there are many more non arab muslim than arab muslims and pilgrimage is managed by a quota system allocated to each country, except SA, according to its muslim population)