Muslims Create Religious Tension in Minnosota (punishment, reject, America, preach)

[Radio Frequency X]

link

What's going on? It appears that both local circumstances and activists with a big-picture agenda play a role. Take the taxi drivers. Minnesota is home to tens of thousands of Somalis, most recent immigrants. Behind the scenes, moderate local Somali leaders are engaged in a power struggle with national Muslim organizations that seek to exploit this vulnerable population. Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol but not its transportation, say Somalis who reject the taxi drivers' stance. Yet in June 2006, the Muslim American Society's (MAS) Minnesota chapter issued a "fatwa" forbidding drivers here from carrying alcohol to avoid "cooperating in sin."

Hassan Mohamud, one of the fatwa signers, praised the two top-light proposal as a national model for accommodating Islam in areas ranging from housing to the workplace. But according to Omar Jamal of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul, MAS is "trying to hijack and radicalize the Somali community for their Middle East agenda."

Should Americans who live in largely Muslim areas adhere to Muslim law? Should religious law usurp US secular law? If so, should we allow Christians to have the same influence in areas where they are the majority?

The comparison is misplaced: Omar Shahin, leader of the detained imams, has helped raise money for at least two charities later shut down for supporting terrorism. From 2000 to 2003, he headed the Islamic Center of Tucson, which terrorism expert Rita Katz described in the Washington Post as holding "basically the first cell of al Qaeda in the United States." CAIR has long been controversial for alleged terrorist ties, while the Chicago Tribune has described MAS as the American arm of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, which "preaches that religion and politics cannot be separated and that governments eventually should be Islamic."

So far, Minnesotans have said a resolute "no" to Muslim activists' agenda; in an informal Star Tribune poll, 92% of respondents blamed the imams' own behavior for their airport detention. And Target--after unsuccessful attempts to accommodate Muslim cashiers--is reassigning them to other jobs. Still, there is a sense that we've seen just the opening skirmishes. As MAC spokesman Patrick Hogan put it, "I think people are afraid there will be a chapter two."

[dogsgod]

Most strict religions learn that they have to relax their views after a time if they want to be excepted and maintain a membership. Second generations are generally more moderate than the first, though that's small consolation for the present.


PS, how did you provide the link?

[michel]

[quotelink=Radio Frequency X;780480]


Should Americans who live in largely Muslim areas adhere to Muslim law?[/quote]

No. The Muslims have chosen to live where they have; while it is accepted that we must respect other's Religions and their practices, there is no way that "guests" should impose their own culture or rules on the population of the country to which they have migrated. When in Rome.........

Originally Posted by Radio Frequency X

Should religious law usurp US secular law? If so, should we allow Christians to have the same influence in areas where they are the majority?

Of course not.

[Mujahid Mohammed]

Originally Posted by Radio Frequency X

Should Americans who live in largely Muslim areas adhere to Muslim law?

What do you mean exactly? Are we supposed to adhere to the laws of Allah. Of course if the Americans in question are muslim. You see even in Islam if this country was run under an Islamic government. The tax that the non muslims pay would allow them to not have to adhere to certain parts of sharia. Now if the law of the land says it is not permissible then it is not. If a Christian, or Jew was to be caught drinking he could not be punished Islamically. Now since this is america and consuming and transporting the alcohol is legal, that will not apply. But the muslim is still bound by the law of him not having anything to do with alcohol in any aspect unless medical. It is forbidden in Islam so in the muslims living over here the test is bigger.

It could be a bigger jihad of nafs(the struggle of desires). For it is allowed to do here. And the government will not step in and punish the muslim according to Islamic law. So even if the muslims wanted to conform to that part of sharia. it would not apply to the non muslim. For the simple reasons that one he is not muslim and two this is a secular system not religious.

Should religious law usurp US secular law?

That is something I will let the christians answer for they are the majority here.

If so, should we allow Christians to have the same influence in areas where they are the majority?

that would be hard I think for there are so many differences in terms of fiqh and aqeedah. (religious law and belief). for there are certain punishments for certain crimes and they have differences but the attitude of people have changed religiously so it may be even more difficult.

[Radio Frequency X]

I also wanted to point out, that while non-Muslims are overwhelmingly resisting the increased pressure on the community, the real battle seems to be between different factions of Muslims. I wonder how many Muslims feel that the imposition of religious law in a free, pluralist, secular society like America is flat out wrong.

[Mujahid Mohammed]

Originally Posted by Radio Frequency X

I also wanted to point out, that while non-Muslims are overwhelmingly resisting the increased pressure on the community, the real battle seems to be between different factions of Muslims. I wonder how many Muslims feel that the imposition of religious law in a free, pluralist, secular society like America is flat out wrong.

It doesn't matter what they think. There opinion is not a authority in Islam. They, myself included need to do self reflection on themselves and ask each other are they following the Quran and sunnah. Are they praying, fasting, paying zakat, giving charity, praying tahajjud, memorizing reciting quran, upholding the family ties. are they doing all the things Islam requires for the mercy of Allah.

they need to stop busying themselves about these secular issues and put religion in their life. For nothing will change. Allah says He will not change the state of a people unless the change the state of their hearts by coming back to Allah in all the forms of worship He prescibed on His Messenger and the believers which Muhammed and His companions carried out perfectly.

when we solve the problem of getting muslims more educated and practicing more aspects of their religion and stop chasing the dunya(life of this world) and seek akhirah(afterlife) then the problem will be solved. Otherwise these differences of opinion which have no authority in our religion will constantly be voiced.

why don't these media outlets go and film the best examples of our religion and the most knowledgable. it is always the issues and differences between the laymans. Why don't they go to the scholars or students of knowledge. If this would stop alot of the problem will be solved.

[Radio Frequency X]

Originally Posted by Mujahid Mohammed

why don't these media outlets go and film the best examples of our religion and the most knowledgable. it is always the issues and differences between the laymans. Why don't they go to the scholars or students of knowledge. If this would stop alot of the problem will be solved.

Because these stories are the ones that are most pressing in America. Many non-Muslims are worried about the intentions of many of our Muslim citizens, and how far they are willing to go in forcing their religion on their communities. We aren't paranoid, we've been seeing it with Christianity for years. So we know it can happen. We're just beginning to realize that now it isn't just Christianity that wants to impose itself on society, but Islam as well.

[EiNsTeiN]

Well, if muslims are living in america, then they must respect the land's laws, regardless the religion..
Obey your religion's orders, as well as respect and obey the country's laws too..

I remember and incident which occured in Saudi Arabia few years ago, when some british marin soldiers were caught drinking, the Saudi government punished them according to the Saudi laws..These soldiers complained to the Queen, but she told them if they were in a country, they must respect its laws even if they disagree with some manners one might be used to..