I see the tug of war on between those with Arabphobia and those with Arab fetish is on.
Yet no one has come up with a single concrete definition of what is their religious identity.
Are they Muslims due to an Arabian prophet of god.. or simply a Prophet of god.
How far one must go to "condemn" Arabic influence in our nation ?
Where the boundaries for denouncing cultural invasion end and those for critique of the Prophet and texts are seemingly crossed...
I dont want to partake in this discussion anymore.
But leave with this..
I have had the good fortune of being able to read the Quran and memorize a part of it in Arabic.
I have had no Najdi ,Arbi or Persian teacher sitting on my head making me do this.
I was interested in exploring my religion, I read Tafseer's.. Books on Hadiath and those on the Prophet's life.
And I still would like to recite my prayers in Arabic, read the Quran in Arabic.. since No other language gives me the satisfaction of it. I read an urdu translation of it.. My urdu is not arbized or full of arabic prose.
My english isnt arbized or full of "halal" prose.
I dont consider myself or My prophet an Arab in front of god.
I do not consider the Quran an Arabic text but rather the word of god.. and to that end I will recite it in my prayers in Arabic as did My prophet 1500 years ago. His life was the epitome of all that was taught in the Quran and not Arabian rituals...
I will still read the Quran verse by verse in Arabic.. and its translation in Urdu,French,English or Japanese right next to it.
So that I know that this is what was revealed as it was some 1500 years ago and here is what it means in a language I understand.
Ill still listen to Axel Rose, Hendrix or MJ on the drive home.. and will still go to my room to offer prayers after I arrive.
I do still consider the illegitimate rulers planted by Lawrence of Arabia as one of the greatest threats not only to my nation's people and their religious identity.. but to the very reason I look at a Muslim from Indonesia and feel a bond.
but I am not forced by them to want to understand the Quran.. or Learn more about Arabic grammar and literature so that I may better understand the Quran.. I do not wish to wear an Arabic dress.. nor wish for all Arabs to love me.
My passion for the cities of Makkah and Medina does not translate to a Passion of Riyadh or Amman..
And I find it ridiculous that some people would suggest so.
I will however share a similar sense of bond as I would with an Arabian Muslim as I would one from Russia.
I am not an Arab.. I am a Pakistani and I am Muslim.. I see no confusion for me in defining that identity..because I bothered to search for it.. and not have column writers, talk show hosts.. or televangelists define it for me.
Yet no one has come up with a single concrete definition of what is their religious identity.
Are they Muslims due to an Arabian prophet of god.. or simply a Prophet of god.
How far one must go to "condemn" Arabic influence in our nation ?
Where the boundaries for denouncing cultural invasion end and those for critique of the Prophet and texts are seemingly crossed...
I dont want to partake in this discussion anymore.
But leave with this..
I have had the good fortune of being able to read the Quran and memorize a part of it in Arabic.
I have had no Najdi ,Arbi or Persian teacher sitting on my head making me do this.
I was interested in exploring my religion, I read Tafseer's.. Books on Hadiath and those on the Prophet's life.
And I still would like to recite my prayers in Arabic, read the Quran in Arabic.. since No other language gives me the satisfaction of it. I read an urdu translation of it.. My urdu is not arbized or full of arabic prose.
My english isnt arbized or full of "halal" prose.
I dont consider myself or My prophet an Arab in front of god.
I do not consider the Quran an Arabic text but rather the word of god.. and to that end I will recite it in my prayers in Arabic as did My prophet 1500 years ago. His life was the epitome of all that was taught in the Quran and not Arabian rituals...
I will still read the Quran verse by verse in Arabic.. and its translation in Urdu,French,English or Japanese right next to it.
So that I know that this is what was revealed as it was some 1500 years ago and here is what it means in a language I understand.
Ill still listen to Axel Rose, Hendrix or MJ on the drive home.. and will still go to my room to offer prayers after I arrive.
I do still consider the illegitimate rulers planted by Lawrence of Arabia as one of the greatest threats not only to my nation's people and their religious identity.. but to the very reason I look at a Muslim from Indonesia and feel a bond.
but I am not forced by them to want to understand the Quran.. or Learn more about Arabic grammar and literature so that I may better understand the Quran.. I do not wish to wear an Arabic dress.. nor wish for all Arabs to love me.
My passion for the cities of Makkah and Medina does not translate to a Passion of Riyadh or Amman..
And I find it ridiculous that some people would suggest so.
I will however share a similar sense of bond as I would with an Arabian Muslim as I would one from Russia.
I am not an Arab.. I am a Pakistani and I am Muslim.. I see no confusion for me in defining that identity..because I bothered to search for it.. and not have column writers, talk show hosts.. or televangelists define it for me.