Live Q&As

Thank you for your question.

In my opinion, the countries today that claim to be "Islamic countries" are nothing but Muslim majority societies are not following the true teachings of Islam. I think this is a consensus among most of the American Muslims and world wide scholars. There is corruption throughout their governments and people are mistreated. This is what has led to the successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and the current revolutions in Syria and Libya. 

Muslims and non-Muslims are not treated well in those countries unless they are from the elite. So, Muslim Americans are better off than other Muslims and non-Muslims living in those societies.

Further, it is a fallacy that non-Muslims living under Islamic law have to convert or die. The Quran says "There is no comulsion in religion." 3:256. People cannot be forced to accept the religion. And those who are not Muslims are not expected to follow its tenets.

The worst that has happened to American Muslims since 9/11 is the distrust that has crept among our fellow citizens. This is partly our fault for not reaching out to our neighbors and doing our job as good citizens.

My wife is standing behind us in prayer because this is how God has commanded us to pray. The men stand in the front and the women in the back or on the side. I am not a scholar and don't know exactly the reason we are told to do this but I beleive it may be due to the position of prostration.

When Islam first came to Muhammad and his people women were not allowed property rights, baby girls were buried alive because of the fact they were girls and women were treated as slaves. Islam came and the first to embrace the message of Muhammad was his wife, Khadija, who is said to be the first PERSON that will enter Heaven. Women were given rights and the Arab people were told NOT to bury their children. There aresaying of the Prophet wherein it is said that Heaven is under your mother's feet (so respect her and listen to her). 

I wholeheartedly beleve that women are treated equally under Islam.

Thank you for your question.

Islam cannot "constantly make threats when it is criticized." The people that are doing so are not spokespersons for the religion. We have to look to the history of Islam and see that whenever the Messengers of God were mocked, including Muhammad, Noah and Jonas, they responded with kind speech and treating the people better than they were treated. 

I believe that Muslims, need to realize this and learn the religion. Islam was spread much further by traders and business-people than by the sword (see how it spread to Indonesia and Malaysia).

We need to educate other Muslims on this fact and we need to be able to ignore the hate-mongers and respond with Peace. "Islam" means submission to God and most of God's attributes are peace.

Thank you for your question.

I cannot answer that question because I do not wear the headscarf and do not know if I were born a women if I would be able to do so. I pray that God give the women who wear it the strength to continue to do so.

Similar to praying 5 times a day, men not allowed to wear gold and silk, and all Muslims not allowed to consume alcohol or eat pork, women are told to cover their hair.

I personally find the headscarf to be beautiful and very happy that my wife chooses to obey the commandment from God. My daughters role model and idol is their mother. My 4 year old at times wants to wear the scarf out, but we don't let her. She wants to be like her mom and some of her mom's friends. Does that mean there are parents who don't force this on their children? Not at all, it happens and is a huge issue. Just like a Muslim has a choice to pray, the same goes for a Muslim woman to cover her hair.

Muslim women all over the world wear different styles of headscarf and some are very stylish. There are many American Muslim women who, using their entrepreneurial skills are starting clothing companies with modest clothing and scarves for women.

I hope this answers your question.

Thank you for your question and comments.

I agree with you 100%. There are many aspects of Islam in America that are not part of the religion but part of Indo-Pak, Arab, African culture. That is the beauty of Islam is that it can adapt to these cultures and those cultures can adapt to Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad dressed as his people during his time did, he did not do anything differently (from what I know of his life) except that he forbid arrogance and the showing of wealth (at that time the rich would have extra long clothing and "drag" their clothing behind them showing how wealthy they were - this act was forbidden in Islam).

Many American Muslims do not know what is culturan and what is religious. It is incumbent upon all American Muslims to learn their religion and differentiate what is cultural and what is religious.

Thank you for your question.

Obviously this question is better off being answered by a Muslim woman who covers but I will do my best.

There is no doubt that dressing modestly is relative. Today's modest dressing in America is much different than what was modest here in the 40s and 50s and what is considered modest in Holland or China.

Muslim women have been commanded by God to dress modestly and cover their hair. This is taken from the Quran and also from the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

Women can and some do, cover their hair but wear immodest clothing. This goes to defeat the purpose of wearing the scarf and becomes more cultural than religious.

Thank you for your question.

I do not believe that you should screen based on appearance. This opens pandora's box and leads to ostricizing a group of people. This happened to the Japanese Americans and continues to happen to African Americans.

One example of this not being the case is Timothy McVeigh.

I believe that we are better off with more security but it needs to be done in a just way. Lady Justice wears a blindfold for a reason.

Thank you for your question.

We (all humans) need to do a better job of understanding others beliefs. That is the only way we can coexist with one another.

I personally, am very ignorant when it comes to the differences between Catholics, Protestants, and Baptists and in the Jewish faith reformists and Hasidic Jews.

I think we have to take it upon oursleves to read and understand for ourselves and not take the word of others (when it comes to another's faith or belief).

Many people do not know that Muslims believe in all the Prophets before them, from Adam to Jesus. We respect them all and therefore MUST respect all faiths. We are commanded to that by Islam.  Those who disrespect others' faiths are doing a disservice to all humanity.

Thank you for your question.

I think its a political tactic, similar to the Red Scare that was exploited and used over and over in this country.

Politicans and their campaign advisors know that when it comes to learning about something foreign to humans, they tend to take the others' word for it.

The "shariah takeover" is annoying because it could never happen here in the United States. All these state and local bills being introduced and thankfully defeated, are unnecessary and a waste of tax payers money. We have a separation of church and state and "shariah law" falls right into that.

Unfortunately, it was succesful in getting certain politicians elected in the mid-term elections last year and will likley be a hot platform in the upcoming elections.

I hope we realize this and can see through it.

Thank you for your question.

I've never seen the language you are referring to so I cannot respond to it.

The condeming language that I have seen from American Muslim organizations has been very direct and to the point.

Terrorist attacks are wrong and do not have a place in Islam.

Please note that just because someone says they are Muslim or shouts certain words when they are committing the cowardly act does not make them a representative of the faith.

One of the six pillars of faith in Islam is to believe in pre-desitnation and free will (Qadaa' and Qadr). Everything is pre-determined but we control our actions.

Further, the Quran says "there is no compulsion in religion."

No one can be forced to do anything. If one chooses not to abide by a certian tenet of Islam then so be it. S/he cannot be forced to do so.

Islam, does not look into people's bedrooms to see what it is they are doing and what they are not doing. That is between them and God.  Privacy is recognized in Islam and one cannot invade another's privacy to see how they are acting.

I hope this answers your question.

Thank you for your question.

I would invite you to read the comments to this article and see the distrust people have for Muslims. This is a direct result of the hijackers of the planes of 9/11 who that day hijacked our religion as well.  Their cowardly and heinous acts were an attack on America and Islam.

American Muslims do speak out against atrocities that are taking place in other countries by "Muslims". I am not sure exactly what you are referring to in Pakistan, but the treatment of women in certain parts of Pakistan and the tribalism that exists there is not part of the religion and many organizations have spoken out against these people.

There are between 1.2 and 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. We as American Muslims should not and cannot respond to every acts that is done in the name of Islam, good or bad. Unfortunately, the bad acts are those that are recognized and we should instead focus on the good ones and promote the good acts.

Islam forbids certain things and one of those things is usury. Many economists have applauded Islamic finance for this and believe that a non-usorious financial system is a win-win for all, the consumer and the banker.

I believe that if people realize that Islam is more than a religion but a comprehensive way of life then they will begin to accept its multiple facets.

I believe, a non-usorious banking system,  is best for America and will avoid the predatory lending that took place here and has led to the real estate downfall. 

Radovan Karadzic is a war-criminal. He killed innocent men, women and children. I do not see how anyone who knows of is heinous crimes against humanity could not applaud his capture regardless of whether the victims were Muslim or not.

From my reading and understanding American Muslim groups immediately issue statements condemning these cowardly and terrorist acts. The leaders of these organizations need to continue to do what they are doing.

We as people, need to do the research ourselves and see what statements are made and what are not. We have information at our fingertips and can easily verify what we are told to believe.

This is one example of how culture plays a huge role in Islam. There are 4 schools of thought in Islam and all are within the realm and followings of Islam. Dogs are allowed in Islam under one of the schools and cats are allowed in the other schools of thought, therefore it can never be said that dogs or cats are not allowed as indoor pets.

Please note that I am not a scholar by any means but this is my opinion and my understanding of what I have been told and what I have read.

From my understanding and reading the Quran, it does not.

One must realize that the verses that were revealed were revealed in a 23 year time frame (13 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina). For instance, the prohibition of alcohol was in 3 stages which spanned over years.

Verses cannot be read by themselves but must be read in context of when and why they were revealed.

There is a discussion on the meaning of the "hijab" today. This is a discussion that has been ongoing.

As Muslims, we not only look at the Quran but we also look at the sayings and the lives of the Prophet Muhammad. For instance, the Quran tells us we have to pray, but the Prophet taughts us how it is we pray.

Similarly, the Quran tells women to cover themselves in 24:31 and 33:59 and to see how they are told to cover we look to the implementation of the women of the Prophet's family. It is said they covered their hair.

Again, please note that I am not a scholar.