Indigo Jo Blogs

Assalaamu alaikum,

I think she's very articulate and did a good job, masha'allah.. a pretty appropriate message, considering that it was a Christmas message.

I have to say, though, that hearing that Britain is the best place to practice Islam is as annoying as hearing that the U.S. is the best place to practice Islam.

Well where is the best place to practise Islam?

People have been practising islam for so long they ought to know how to do it by now.

Old Pickler, I wouldn't say that there's any one place. But certainly there are better places than the US or UK. I live in a Muslim country... Just off the top of my head: I don't get harassed for wearing hijab and/or niqab; I don't have to get CAIR to help me get a day off for the Eid or time to pray; I never have trouble finding a place to pray; aside from the prayer calendars everyone has, the prayer times are listed in the newspapers and I can hear the adhan (call to prayer) from wherever I am; I know which way to face during prayer because even hotel rooms have arrows pointing the way to Makkah; my children aren't insulted for being Muslim or Arab; I don't have any problem finding a hair salon or health club for women only; I can easily find clothes that are Islamically appropriate; I don't have to check everything in the supermarket to see if it's halal... how would it be easier for me to practice Islam in the US or UK?

just the top of my head ...i cannot think of a muslim country that has laws to protect women from domestic violence, a muslim country that has equal employment opportunities and pay for all citizens regardless of race, religion. a muslim country that pays welfare if you are made redundant from work and cannot support your family (note that welfare system came from the muslims during the khalifah, a muslim country that has a free press and welcomes opposing views and different idealogies.

All above mentioned is part of our religion and is its not practised in majority of muslim countries. So practising your religion ummabdulla isnt just restricted to incoveniences such as finding islamic clothing. The comparison is not between muslim countries and the west but countries in the west and i beleive the UK is the best and its puts to shame majority of so called muslim countries when it comes to practising islam.

Assalaamu alaikum,

Sorry, Laila, but we have all of the things that you mentioned. Men are arrested and charged if they're guilty of domestic violence. University education and technical colleges are free; in fact, the student gets a generous monthly stipend. If their grades are good enough, students (male or female, whatever their color) can study overseas at government expense. When they graduate, the government is supposed to find them a job and pays them while they're unemployed.

So like I said, I can't think of any reason why it would be easier for me to practice Islam in the UK.

and which country is this ummabdulla?

I live in Kuwait, Leila. (So now you'll probably bring up everything negative you've ever heard about Kuwait, and certainly there are negative things. But the question was where it's easier to practice Islam.)

If the comparison is among countries in the West, that's one thing, but that's not what I remember her saying.

I live in S'pore, but have been to Malaysia a number of times over the years. I've always felt that that practicing Islam in both countries is much easier here in SE Asia than in the US. (It greatly helps that the gov't of S'pore works with the Muslim community to make the practice of Islam easier here, including the incorporation of some parts of Shariah as part of the law of the land.) Given the choice of practicing Islam in SE Asia vs. the US, I'd choose SE Asia. That's a no-brainer.

No i am not going to bring up everything negative i heard from kuwait, its a small rich country with a population less than 3 million, not an example of majority of muslim countries and your sisters were considered clever enough to have the right to vote in 2005.