Salaams. Congrats on a better written article. This cancels out your rant of last week. There are many views on what constitutes a "practicing" muslim. This article clarifies what you were meaning somewhat. I have to say that I am in agreement with what you say.

Generally I and others have found that MPACUK activists are hot headed and although their message is good, they rub people up the wrong way by their confrontational nature. You should learn from this.

WS

What is to be a practicing muslims has many aspects,but those aspects are summed up in the following words.
When you see a wrong stop it with your hands,if you cannot than speak against it,if you cannot even do this then hate it in your heart,the last being the weakest of iman a muslim may have.
Since the slaughter of muslims is happening abroad we shoud speak against it and act to stop it.
Here in britain we can use our hands and tongues to stop violence and intimidation when we see it.

Assalaam alaikum and Greetings

Unfortunately, in this day and age, a "practicing Muslim" is defined by certain 'tick boxes'.

1) Appearance
2) Perceived to be doing the 5 pillars.
3) Knowing a few Quranic verses.

If you look like a "good-Muslim", which for men means a beard and traditional clothes, which for women means a hijab or jilbab, then you can tick one box of "I am a practicing Muslim".

If you are seen to go to a Mosque, never mind your intentions (whether this is for yourself or just turning up), you can also tick another box of "I am a practicing Muslim".

Add a few Quranic verses into your speech, you can also tick another box of "I am a practicing Muslim".

It seems, these tick boxes are what defines a 'practicing Muslim' today.

It is immaterial whether one lies, cheats, breaks promises, or defrauds the state, because as a 'practicising Muslim' you don't do these things. So, others are obviously lying.

If injustices are happening around you, keep turning a blind eye and pretend the world is safe or you can't make a difference, until it personnally happens to you.

How many bearded 'elders' have I seen, who enjoy certain privilages within a Mosque, have status within their communities (owing to their properties and illegally gained wealth), who have treated less-well off Muslims or Muslim reverts with contempt (and as underclass). MANY.

How many bearded 'elders' have I seen who pray, perform hajj, go on a 40-day jamaat, yet treat their wives as slaves in the houses, have not taught their children the fundamental basics of Islam (who remain illiterate, drug pushers, etc), or cheat the system pretending they are poor, while they are private landlords with houses in the UK and abroad. MANY.

How many sisters, my wife has seen in Jilbabs and hijabs, who take off their attire when not in the vacinity of their parents, or backbite, and watch indian films. Who use the most abusive language to the 'kaffirs' when things don't go their way. MANY.

It is not appearance that makes a Muslim, but what is inside your heart. As our Prophet (PBUH) stated

A more relevant quote with respect to this article is

In Saheeh Muslim, it is reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: peace be upon him) said:

“Allah does not look at your outward appearance and your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and deeds.”

If you genuinely feel for a fellow Muslim and are willing to do something about it, then that is what matters the most.

To my mind, that is the conscious of a loving and God-fearing Muslim. If you have a beard or wear a hijab on top of this, then that is a BONUS.

But a beard or Jilbab, does not define a Muslim. As one of my friends said "The beard is in Islam..but Islam is not in the beard".

The significance of this is that if one does not practice like a true Muslim by adopting the concerns of your fellow men (muslims and non-Muslims as well) like Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his Companions did, then by having a beard one is only a Muslim in appearance. All look, no substance.

That is not how Islam was embraced in the early generations.

Wasalaams

PS..Apologies to those practising Muslims who ARE making a difference.

If MPAC were to rub people up the right way they'll putting the already sleeping muslim community into a coma AND those that wake up (but don't want to) will accuse MPAC of molestation. A very hard kick up the back side is what the muslim community need.
MPAC need bigger boots.

Salamah.

This is much better explained and logical article, your message was lost in translation previously. I have no problem with what you say or your reasons for saying so, (Even though I still find the generalization somewhat uncomfortable, but of course you speak of the majority). If nothing else, I'm glad our illogical objections" to your first article has allowed you to step and better explain yourself, rather than emotional outburst. :D


Salamah.

Goalshan...


you come across like one of the pious wipes, who this article is referng to.


nothing wrong with the last article or this one. and for mpac coming across aggresive, go to a Brewlwi Mosque and say that you think that the Whabies have a point, then tell us who is aggressive.

Better still go to a Salafi Mosque and say that they are following the Kufr ideology of Saudi which is run by the Americans, and see how aggresive they can be.

wipe.

Oh I agree.....this article probably the longest is a very interesteing read.

I am sick to death of people saying mpacuk need to be polite, and more non confrontational but say they agree, who cares? its this kind of arrogant 'be a better Muslim' advice that Muslims love to shove down other Muslims throats.

MPACUK-yea UK needs to karate chop the ummah, because the ummah is pathetic.

get over the nanny role ppl. a good rant is what makes you want to mother all of a sudden.

this article is dam saddening to read. some of the paragraphs raised my blood more then a graphic picture could ever.

Kermit and Football
Who rattled your cages? You are obviously MPACUK plants. You obviously don't know how to speak in mosques. As a rule you should not directly recommend practices of the "opposing" sect in a mosque. Instead you should explain to them the source/revelation within their own teachings which leads to the "opposing" way of doing things. You bring them around to your way of thinking by explaining things via a common ground/goal.
No wonder you MPACUK guys don't have a clue how to deal with Mosques, and just rant.

The point about human rights groups having more non-Muslims than muslims - I agree completely. I do some stuff with the London Guantanamo Campaign and most of the people involved are non-muslims. Muslims on the whole just don't want to help.

its people like you that are more worried by ettiqute then anything else.

no wonder no one can work with the mosques....is a statement that lets the reader know you are in complete denial, the mosques are in terrible state, and if your not too angry about it then your exactly what this article is about. too busy perfecting your character and even more pathetic too busy trying to perfect anothers character.

you must really agree wholeheartedly with this article but not all other muslims are as special as you, they reallly do need a quick up the behind.

I think if mpac sorted its approach and listhened to the likes of you 'polite about rape' attitude then the ummah would be so deaf.

You know how does the writer know that Muslims are not doing anything to stop injustice. Most muslims that are practicing do do enough.

Islam is about worshipping Allah. Not human rights! - stop trying to make Islam a humans rights group!

"Head 40 Muzlims" and the Rest:

MPACUK and yourselves are the ones losing their temper. Kermit openly challenged me on how mosques could be tackled with respect to introducing them to "foreign" points of view. I gave a level headed procedure.

MPACUK and yourselves have lost patience with such approaches and in their zeal to meet targets they expect to ride roughshod across mainstream mosques, and are surprised when they are marginalised.

I can quite easily write books on how bad muslims, mosques and so-called leaders are doing. Muslims are "fire-fighting" in their daily trials and tribulations. If MPACUK reminded them how in a small way they could help relieve opression in foreign lands, without slagging off the mosques and the people who attend, maybe people will start listening.

We are all on the same side, but you are making the job of enemies of Islam a little easier when it appears you are spreading discord amongst the Muslim community.

Work with the mosques not against them.

Islam is a human rights group - we have just forgotten how to be a group.

The fact is that 99% of MPACUK members are ignoramuses of the highest order when it comes to understanding and implementing Islam correctly.
The majority of males don't have a beard, and if the do, they have a designer one.
And the majority of females have a hijab that belongs on the catwallk and smacks against the idea of modesty.
They have no notion of what the grassroots education is of Islam, and those that do, deride it claiming its "inactivity".
So to teach youngsters Tawheed, is considered inactivity. But if these ignorant youngsters spend their time picketing and gaining knowledge of politics, then that's defined as "activity".
Give us a break MPACKUK and close your evil institutions down.
Waste of space.

Assalam alikum,

To be honest, I find the article and comments missing the point here.

It's not about appearance or being 'practicing'. It's about having Taqwa (fear of Allah). It's about having knowledge.

Having lived in London, I've noticed that the Muslim communities don't know anything about other Muslims living in the same town. They don't mix, pakistanis mix with pakistanis, somalis with somalis, arabs with arabs etc.

Also, about the issue of converts, many Muslims take advantage of their vulnerability/loneliness. Many look to profit out of them when they look for accommodation (my experience this is). Many muslim men go out proposing to these converts thinking they're easy to get and without taking it into account their needs/background/way to life/ideas etc. Also I've met sisters who have felt 'uncomfortable' being around converts for no particular reason but with "mmm... i don't know! :( "

Also, I've noticed, a lot of Muslim orgs want "volunteers" (Islam Channel - good example). They claim the famous slogan "do it for the sake of Allah" thing. It's not for that, it's because they're stingy. It's all about volunteering, because it serves their interest.

I have personally come to a point, where I do not go out of my way anymore, to be with Mulsims, to work with Muslims, to be like them etc. I used to be like that, but not anymore - my best friend now is only Allah.

Walaikum Salam Michelle:

I'm saddened to hear your plight. It is a generic experience suffered by reverts from an indiginous European background.

A lot of muslims in the UK are from overseas and have a lot of cultural baggage which they have yet to shed.

London is not the easiest place to find a friend. Do you know of like minded muslims you can get together with.

Inshallah with your trust in Allah, through Allah you will find a good community of friends.

Assalaam alaikum

This, dear Sister, is exactly the point of the article and the shameful conduct of some so-called "practicing" Muslims.

When the conduct of Muslims is such that you feel it is better to be insular, not mixing with Muslims because they have let you down and try to take advantage of you, and you feel that you only have Allah(SWT), then this brings immense shame on each of us so-called "Muslims".

What is the point of having a beard, hijab, to be seen attending Mosques to fulfil your pillars, when you have no concern over a fellow Muslim in the UK or abroad (especially a revert, who has probably lost a family, or a home as a result of the conversion).

Is Islam just a ritual where you attend Mosques and do salaat, fast, etc...and to hell with others, since they do not benefit me.

This is not the conduct of a true Muslim.

All the more reason to tackle those who keep preaching Islam as if it is only the beard, trouser length, hijab, etc.

In my books, if you are going to look like a Muslim then behave like one. Do that beard and Hijab some justice by examining who it is you are trying to emulate.

It is easy to emulate appearances. Not too easy to emulate conduct. Especially when you have certain 'elders', hot-headed youth, who are more interested in keeping the status quo and egos and resisting change, rather than listening to legitimate local, national and international concerns.

Wasalaams

poignant.

Islam came to stop barabaric acts, it came to uplift and mould CHARACTER! It stopped the evilness of burial of daughters, it gave women rights. It is more than sitting on your butt like some ignorant fool, changing..

Islam is not about human rights...

ISLAM IS A SYSTEM! GET IT!

Go back to the mosque and sit on your rear end reciting Qur'an while your brothers and sistters in Palestine suffer.

One day, you maybe jailed and it be people like YOU, who suddenly cry and say, "why have the Ummah not done anything"

BECAUSE YOU DID JACK FOR THEM! SO WHY WOULD ALLAH SWT COME TO YOUR AID. Since you saw Islam as just praying and Qur'an so then rot in prison and recite and pray.

Sick and tired of people like you. You watch as corruption happens in our communities. You sit on your butt while my sisters and bros suffer.

A day will come, when we had it, and be inprisoned like many who are in other countries and tortured and then what?


Jeesh, some don't even know the neighbours on right or seven on left because "ISLAM IS ABOUT SALAT" and that is it.

ISLAM is a system and heavy on Poilitics. You change things by battling in that arena and if you are not, you are forsaking Jihad!

Wassalaam

Can one consider oneself to be a friend of allah and yet hold his creation in such contempt.

It is like saying that I have experience of allah's creation and they are all the same i.e. not worth bothering with and so I am taking my bat and ball home as there is no good in the world.

How can you then say that you beleive in allah???

As for the artilce it is precise and to the point int erms of what a practising muslim is and is not.

The main article seems to suggest that all traditional practising muslims only go through the motions for the sake of outer appearances.

This may be true in some cases but how does the author know what intentions lie behind the actions of every 'traditional' muslim out there? To be honest, it sounds like author has had bad personal experiences with certain types of backwards muslims and is projecting that onto everybody else.

Also I disagree that muslims have to suffer to prove that they're really authentic in the practice of their faith - I think you're confusing it with struggle which is a different concept.

IS Islam practised anywhere?

It seems that there are 'Hadithites', or 'Fatwa-lovers', or 'Sheikh-worshippers', or 'Beard-fetishists', or 'Hijaab-girls', or 'Khilaafa-ists', but not many who can truly demonstrate in their own lives that 'Islam' is a peaceful religion.

Everywhere, Muslims in the West, especially the un-married ones (of both gender), are bored and sexually frustrated (for the practising ones know that even masturbation is forbidden). They are inetllecually backward, because they glance nostalgically to the madness of the Madrassah-model, where oppressed children sway back and forth(a sign of psycholigical distress), as they memorise verses quite unintelligible to them. On such soil is the Islamic world engendered.

Where is the dynamism of Islam? Everywhere we see stagnation.

If Islam doesn't set you free, then it isn't Islam you are practising!


You will have to do better than to lollop in a jilbaab, or mischievously stroke your beard on the Tube, as if to say: 'Look at me. I is a kool Muzzlim, you know!'

maybe this website just attracts the various "-ists" and those who label them, but in the real world there are plenty of normal muslims living normal lives without ever once having to menace tube passengers with the strokeability of their carefully styled beards.

Im not sure I agree with you that one can be a muslim without ever having done anything for the oppressed or sacrificing at all - can you give me any evidence of anyone in the time of the Prophet PBUH who lived like this?Or a quote where he says its ok to live like this?

Seems a pretty selfish statement to be honest.

Can you expand upon the different concepts you talk of here struggle and practicing?

so are you sexually frustrated? lol comeone leave the beard strking guy alone, it's quite theraputic..i use it for when i counsell sexually frustrated muslims ;-). (No offence to people with beard. It is a sunnah and dare I or anyone ever mickey what the Prophet (peace be upon him) had)