I once asked a close friend to define himself...
He told me, "I'm a muslim", meaning that he submitted himself to the Will Of God.
Before being an American,
Before having Egyptian descent
He's a muslim!
That's who he is, and that's how he wants to be remembered by.
Islam (Submission to Allah) is clearly the culture he wants to adhere to.
He told me, "I'm a muslim", meaning that he submitted himself to the Will Of God.
Before being an American,
Before having Egyptian descent
He's a muslim!
That's who he is, and that's how he wants to be remembered by.
Islam (Submission to Allah) is clearly the culture he wants to adhere to.
I don't completely agree with that train of thought. While I can appreciate that you're trying to say being Muslim is greater than the other details "Muslim" itself is just a name, a title. I think it's ok to say you're an Egyptian Muslim, in that order. Thinking about it logically people tend to realize their physical attributes and cultures before their religious.
ReplyDeleteI, for example, realized I was Hispanic before I knew what 'being Muslim' was. Like I said, I understand your point but, this doesn't mean that because a person answers Muslim first they are any better or significant than someone who say might respond with "Egyptian" first.
I don't think being a Muslim should be one's whole identity. For me it is part of my identity: I'm a Muslim, a woman, a student, Dutch, Egyptian etc etc...
ReplyDeleteThe other parts of our identity can also impact the way we practice Islam, making it a truly global religion. So instead of erasing all cultural attributes and seeing ourselves as only Muslim, we should see ourselves as Egyptian Muslims, American Muslims, etc, like Perplxin Texan said.
I think it depends on how you and where you grow up....I'm a Muslim first and will always be...Maybe because I am an American...I don't have any other homeland but America....and America consists of so many different cultures and ethnicities, It is nice to identify with an Islamic culture....Also society doesn't see muslims as African, European, Hispanic...they only see us as Muslims....
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that being a muslim should be one's whole identity. However, let's not downplay it's importance.
ReplyDeleteNo one should consider themselves better than anyone because they say "Egyptian" first. Allah knows what's in our hearts :)