Explaining chadors and burqas to young children - Germany

@hams:
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/20...article01.shtml

Thanks for that.

Thanks MadAxe. I'lll read them later.

@MadAxeMurderer:
It's not the face of Islam, it's the face put on it by non-Muslims trying to make it look bad, and maybe to some extent by ignorant people who do things in the name of Islam, which is really a minority. All the statements I made and references are from the "majority Islamic scholar's opinion", which is an officially recognized collection of publications, and which most Muslims concede to.

How about these Quran madrassas? Lots of them are teaching just this very way of Quran, which you say is a make up by non-Muslims?

Oh dear, now you are falling into the trap that the whole world is out to get you. If Islam looks bad its not from problems within but problems outside.

The problem has been rehashed elsewhere. Extremists get noticed far more. For every extremist you need 100 moderates disagreeing with him or her to bring balance. And sadly in Islam we don't seem to have even 1 moderate for every extrmist.

That may well be understandable if there's a serious risk of being blown up for saying the wrong thing in the eyes of fanatics who are imperfect Quran scholars. But that only heightens the negative perception.

That is untrue and you know it. If I am a moderate and so is MicroX, then you already have 2.

As for the madrassas, they're not run by scholars and they don't teach the meaning behind the verses, but adhere to rote recitation. They are also the only possible means to education that many children have, even if at times misguided. Thus, it is the government's job to combat the radical madrassas by providing state education - the reality in Pakistan at least, unfortunately the government prefers to spend its money on armaments.

Well Toytown seems well populated with moderate Muslims, and devoid of fanatics, but Toytown is not the world. And the world is (marginally) more important

No shit!

Kza has addressed this topic previously as re. why moderates don't speak out, and I'd say his reasoning is rather enlightening. Can't find the link at the mo, but will look for it.

That's a problem for sure and governments should watch these "institutions" closely!

Real problem with the madrassas is that for most people in muslim countries (and even with muslims from non-muslim countries) these madrassas are the "scholars" and they present themselfs to be and it's not only kids "studying" there. The better known and famous ones have students from all over the world, who defo could get a better education or already received one. Therefore, why don't all the moderate scholars (people of science, educated by university standards) strongly oppose against these madrassas and offer muslims an alternative? If they lack the funds to advertise their offers/courses/studies/programms, I'ld most happily be willing to chuck in a few yoyos. Just looks like as if they're just not that popular, or worse, not even known at all...

I was told that moderates tend not to speak out as they often get shouted down / argued to bits by non muslims. I know Ive seen it in action.

Right now it is many people's interest to make Islam look bad:

• If you dissagree with Islam for your own competing religious reasons and your in a position of promimence
  
• If you need to make more people watch your TV "News" program you need to simplify the story to 2 sides, and come up with a way for your viewers to distinguish "us" from "them"
  
• You need a way to justify actions that in other circumstances would be illegal/immoral/unpalatable for "us"
  
• You need to explain the actions of others when the reality would be unpalatable/not easily understood e.g wearing a burqua
  

No of muslims in the world: 1,000,0000,000 - ish. No of extremists dunno- but less than the half billion you suggest. And its a lot easier to become an "extremist" when you are poor, sick, shat on, slandered and robbed blind and you believe it was done by "the other side". See Northern Ireland.

...and BTW I am certainly not a muslim! I have lived in a muslim country for 20 years tho...

Anyway I stick to my original point. Wearing a burqua does not mean you are oppressed.

Probably because there are not enough scholars around to meet the demand, and the fact that rich Muslim countries prefer to squander their funds in some other way.

@speakfreak, interesting series of points. And a big chunk of the world's oil is sitting under Muslim countries. But a lot of it is in Russia and South America, so why aren't there carefully orchestrated media campagians to make us fear and hate Russians & South Americans?

The media might amplify the knee jerk reaction for extremists "we will bomb you annd kill you unholy infidels", but it does not create it.

And where did you get the 1/2 billion from? I wasn't counting passive fanatics/moderates, I was counting vocal/visible ones.

Just pay more tax. Then schools will be better. Then kids will feel better about themselves and feel more empowered to make changes to society. Right now they don't.

Teenagers today:
If you can identify with the western society around you then you will probably just get sullen and wear black just long enough before you are sucked in/give in and learn to handle it. Before long you dream of BMW/being the next "Top Model" like your supposed to. If not borrow your dad's gun and pop back down to your old high school.

If you can't join the western society (or they wont let you in) then blame it for your problems and look for someone that promises a better way and sense of purpose.