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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Thanks for the excellent critique, brother Khalif, it is appreciated.
I live in the UK and whenever I go to London, I look for a mosque and wudu (ablution) facility at prayer time. Having a mosque nearby is most helpful.
There is a mosque just 2 minutes walk from where I live. It has three large floors (prayer halls) and are almost full on Friday.
Brother GoCardinals is correct to criticize so called Islamic countries. They are going backwards and away from Islam. It's all due to corruption which is rampant in all those third world countries.
Judging by the discussions here, Muslims in the West are most likely to stick to Islam in their everyday lives than those in so-called Islamic countries. Whenever I visit my mother and siblings in such a country I can see how much they have gone away from Islam. Even the clerics there know very little about Islam described in the Qur'an. It is really worrying to see them in that state. I even had to have meetings with my own brothers there to tell them what Islam is all about and not the way they are carrying on in their lives.
Religion, among Anglo-Saxon/Celtic-descended British, has been dying off for a long time in the UK. Prior to the re-energization of Islam among minority communities in the UK, the UK had become one of the most agnostic/atheistic countries in Europe. The rate of "conversion" to Islam among Anglo-Saxon/Celtic- descended British is still quite low.
In general most in the UK are still, especially due to the inherent flaws of religions (especially Abrahamic ones), its sexism, homophobia and other problems - like the holy books of Islam and Christianity mentioning slavery without condemning slavery..... are skeptical. Once people realized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a more perfect document of how one should treat one another, and without waving the big stick of punishment from above or promising the rather suspect prize of "everlasting life", many people realized that religions were basically a guess at best, were less perfect than a clearly manmade document, and something that should at least be treated in the context of common sense.
In general, the largely agnostic UK was clearly a better place to live than every Islamic theocracy, and virtually every other Islam-dominated country that wasn't a theocracy. Does Allah prefer the British to his own believers? Or perhaps....
While churches will continue to close, Mosque openings will plateau at some point.
Religion, among Anglo-Saxon/Celtic-descended British, has been dying off for a long time in the UK.
Since when? For how long?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
Prior to the re-energization of Islam among minority communities in the UK, the UK had become one of the most agnostic/atheistic countries in Europe.
What do you mean by "re-energization of Islam" among minority communities in the UK? Was there a decline of Islam among minority communities in the UK before re-energization?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
The rate of "conversion" to Islam among Anglo-Saxon/Celtic- descended British is still quite low.
I do not have the correct figures but judging by the number of Islamic community members joining the Christian worshipers in churches compared with Anglo-Saxon/Celtic descended British joining the Muslim worshipers in mosques in Britain, conversion into Islam can only be higher.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
In general most in the UK are still, especially due to the inherent flaws of religions (especially Abrahamic ones), its sexism, homophobia and other problems - like the holy books of Islam and Christianity mentioning slavery without condemning slavery..... are skeptical.
You are using the same brush for both Christianity and Islam. There is no comparison. Islam clearly requires freeing of slaves and consequence of such requirement is elimination of slavery. There isn't even one verse in the Qur'an that commands us to enslave anyone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
Once people realized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a more perfect document of how one should treat one another, and without waving the big stick of punishment from above or promising the rather suspect prize of "everlasting life", many people realized that religions were basically a guess at best, were less perfect than a clearly manmade document, and something that should at least be treated in the context of common sense.
Nothing man-made is ever perfect as it does not last for long before it needs repair work.
As for Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is not a perfect document. It does not cater for every human's rights.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
In general, the largely agnostic UK was clearly a better place to live than every Islamic theocracy, and virtually every other Islam-dominated country that wasn't a theocracy.
I didn't come to the UK because it was a largely agnostic country. I came here to earn more money. I found the country, in those days, very much a religious country. Church bells used to ring every Sunday all over the place. It is still a Christian country with a church even inside the Houses of Parliament (where all the main laws were made and certainly will be made in future after the Brexit).
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
Does Allah prefer the British to his own believers? Or perhaps....
Perhaps Allah prefers British believers, the reason there are mosques opening and churches closing down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bg7
While churches will continue to close, Mosque openings will plateau at some point.
Churches will continue to close as long as the number of worshipers in them keep declining. Churches will begin to open again if the number of worshipers begin to rise. The same can be said about the mosques, in reverse. Mosques will keep opening as long as the number of Muslim worshipers keep rising and begin to close if the number of Muslim worshipers decline drastically.
I live in the UK and whenever I go to London, I look for a mosque and wudu (ablution) facility at prayer time. Having a mosque nearby is most helpful.
There is a mosque just 2 minutes walk from where I live. It has three large floors (prayer halls) and are almost full on Friday.
Brother GoCardinals is correct to criticize so called Islamic countries. They are going backwards and away from Islam. It's all due to corruption which is rampant in all those third world countries.
Judging by the discussions here, Muslims in the West are most likely to stick to Islam in their everyday lives than those in so-called Islamic countries. Whenever I visit my mother and siblings in such a country I can see how much they have gone away from Islam. Even the clerics there know very little about Islam described in the Qur'an. It is really worrying to see them in that state. I even had to have meetings with my own brothers there to tell them what Islam is all about and not the way they are carrying on in their lives.
How going are you to preserve your religion, if you were already divided? If brother hates brother or thinks low of him? How different are you then from another religion, that took over the world and is now in decay?
Humans, only humans..... So sad.
Have you forgotten that god forsaken wisdom of slave masters - DIVIDE ET IMPERA? And already divided and ruled over are you, instead of standing like one impenetrable faith.
Isn't it same in Islam, as it is in any Abrahamic religion - only god may judge as no human has a measure to judge with?
How going are you to preserve your religion, if you were already divided?
You can't preserve your faith by being united or divided. You preserve it by sticking to its principles, guidance and doing good deeds.
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Originally Posted by ukrkoz
If brother hates brother or thinks low of him?
No, but by highlighting the straight path to the brother if he is astray.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
How different are you then from another religion, that took over the world and is now in decay?
You are unable to differentiate between a religion and humans. Humans can be in decay by doing evil deeds but religion can't be in decay as long as its principles are preserved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
Humans, only humans..... So sad.
I am glad you said "human, only human" rather than "religion, only religion".
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
Have you forgotten that god forsaken wisdom of slave masters - DIVIDE ET IMPERA? And already divided and ruled over are you, instead of standing like one impenetrable faith.
There is nothing wrong with the faith. It is just as indestructible now as it was 1440 years ago when its adherents were less than hundred, severely persecuted and forced to leave their homes. Even three wars waged against them after their migration did not destruct their faith. Instead their faith had become stronger and more widespread. They had built their first mosque at Quba after migration; now the faith adherents are building mosques everywhere, even in London.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
Isn't it same in Islam, as it is in any Abrahamic religion - only god may judge as no human has a measure to judge with?
Final judgment is with God but there is nothing wrong in trying to guide your brother to be a righteous person by doing good deeds rather than deeds not approved by his faith.
as a male 34 white convert to islam on the subject of mosques all over the uk all I will say is wonderfull access to islam every where its a good thing as we as muslims have so much to offer
Religion, among Anglo-Saxon/Celtic-descended British, has been dying off for a long time in the UK.
It's simple ... it's called development.
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