Introduction: The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
Islam is not only a ‘religion,’ but it is considered a ‘way of life’ in my part of the world. As Yusuf Estes explains in his article “The Truth About ‘Muslims,'” “Both ‘Muslim’ and ‘Islam’ come from the same root: ‘S’, ‘L’, ‘M’ (silm) – meaning; ‘to submit in peace’; ‘surrender in obedience'” (“The Truth About ‘Muslims'”). Like many other Islamic countries worldwide, in Kuwait, being a Muslim means to ‘surrender yourself completely to Islam.’ In other words, it is not sufficient for a good Muslim to perform five prayers a day and fast during the month of Ramadan. A good Muslim needs to shape his entire life according to the teachings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him). It simply means that whatever you do as a human being should align with the teachings of Islam. You should eat in an Islamic way, dress in an Islamic way, and interact with people in an Islamic way. When a whole society works together, it becomes much easier to achieve a common goal. I found it much easier to live an ‘Islamic’ life in Kuwait than in the United States of America.
Coming from an Islamic country to a relatively secular country was a significant cultural leap for me. When I first arrived in America, airport security officials treated me differently from other people. Initially, I believed it was my misconception, but as I started to live in America, many small incidents proved that my ethnicity, religion, and home country were problematic for certain people in America. Due to my religion, I had to be very selective about my food. It was my religious obligation to eat halal foods, avoiding any food containing forbidden ingredients. It was challenging for me to eat at restaurants and canteens run by non-Muslims. On the other hand, culturally, Americans have no issue interacting with the opposite sex. In Kuwait, it is highly offensive to touch any body part of the opposite sex in public places, but in America, it was very hard to avoid a handshake with the opposite sex.
Americans and The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
In comparison to many other nations, Americans are much more tolerant and cultured people. Historically, America has been a nation of migrants. However, due to recent terrorist activities in the United States, Muslims, and especially Arab nationals, have become prime suspects. It was late at night when I first arrived at Los Angeles International Airport through a European airline. The majority of passengers were Europeans. My two friends from Kuwait and I were among many other people. However, when we arrived at the counter, one officer asked us to step aside from the passengers. According to the officers, “it was a random check.” However, I noticed that only we friends and five other Asian-looking fellow passengers had been asked to “step aside.” One of the Asian-looking men told me, “I have been living in America for the past fifteen to twenty years, but during the past few years, I am treated differently than other people.” It was a humiliating experience for me to be treated differently from other people.
During my stay in the United States, it has become evident that America is becoming more and more racist. According to a report on CNN published on November 25, 2015, by Catherine E. Schoichet, “In a new nationwide poll conducted by CNN and the Kaiser Family Foundation, roughly half of Americans — 49% — say racism is ‘a big problem’ in society today.” This problem has been a reality for me on many occasions. One incident, which I have not discussed with anyone yet, was very shocking for me. It was my fourth week in America when a Saudi friend told me that one day, as he arrived at his residence, he found an envelope on his doorstep. There was a note in that envelope. He told me, “Believe me or not, I could not read that note.” The note was highly abusive about his country and my religion. It was unbelievable for me that someone could write such abusive language about other people. Along with many other things, I was also called a “terrorist” in that note. The person who wrote that note wanted me to leave America and return to my country. Apart from that, on campus, I also met an Arab girl who was leaving America because she was being sexually harassed by some ‘goons.’ When I insisted that she tell me the real reason for leaving her education in the middle, she told me, “I have been threatened to be raped.” These incidents have come to my personal knowledge. There must have been many other such incidents. People usually do not discuss these things with others, and they try to sweep them under the rug.
Food and The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
In Kuwait or other parts of the Muslim world, eating at restaurants or food stalls is not a big issue. If the food vendor is not a Muslim, they at least know that they are supposed to sell ‘halal’ food to their customers. Defining the term ‘halal’ is tricky, especially when it comes to meat. Firstly, the animal itself should be ‘halal,’ such as a goat, sheep, chicken, ducks, and so on. The next step is to kill the animal in an Islamic or halal way. This process is well-defined by Nick Eardley in his article “What is halal meat?” on BBC News, where he explains that “The Islamic form of slaughtering animals or poultry, dhabiha, involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery, and windpipe. Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter, and all blood is drained from the carcass. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication, known as tasmiya or shahada” (“What is halal meat?”).
My American classmates usually fail to understand the true meaning of halal and take it very lightly. A Qatari friend told me about an incident in which his non-Muslim friends tricked him into eating a sandwich with some pork in it. It is unimaginable for a Muslim to eat something that is not halal. So, when his friend told him the whole story the next day, he started to cry and vomit. Within half an hour, he fell ill and had to be taken to the hospital. Halal food is not a matter of choice or ‘likes and dislikes’; it is a matter of religion. Halal food even requires being prepared in halal utensils. This means that if non-halal food has been prepared in certain utensils, it is essential to thoroughly clean them before cooking any halal food in them. Every ingredient used in halal food needs to be halal as well. For example, no spices, fat, or other ingredients can be used in halal food that comes from non-halal sources.
For the preparation of halal food, it is crucial that every stage of the food preparation should be done with care. For these reasons, it was very difficult for me to eat out at restaurants, canteens, or food stalls. There is no specific Islamic way to kill a fish in a halal way, so my friends and I used to buy raw fish and vegetables to cook at home in the early days. However, soon after, we found some Muslim butchers who killed animals in a halal and Islamic way. When I moved to other places in the U.S.A, it is still challenging for me to find a decent place to eat. Either I try to find some halal food restaurants and stores, or I prefer to eat fruits.
Gender and The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
Kuwait is an Islamic state, and like many other Islamic countries, the male and female populations have their own separate social circles. The mingling of both sexes in public places is seen as unethical, immoral, and un-Islamic. If any male and female are found touching hands at a public place in Kuwait, it would raise many eyebrows. However, in America, it is considered unethical if you avoid shaking hands with an individual of the opposite sex. America is one of the more liberal countries in the world, where both sexes have no issue mingling with each other in both public and private places. Individuals have the freedom to choose whatever they want to wear.
In Kuwait, females are expected to cover themselves completely in public places, and even a man cannot show his body parts in public. It is considered immoral for a man to show his legs above the knees in public places in Kuwait. In the United States of America, it is common for females to wear shorts in public places. Touching and even kissing between opposite sexes is not a problem in the United States of America. As Raoul Stockton explains in his report in Empire News on July 14, 2015, under the heading “State Of Florida Passes Law Which Makes Nudity Legal At All Public Beaches,” “full nudity will be legal at all public beaches – as long as you obtain a Florida State Nudity License (FSNL)” (“State Of Florida Passes Law Which Makes Nudity Legal At All Public Beaches”). This shows that exposing body parts in public places is not an issue in the United States of America. However, in Kuwait, it is deemed a highly immoral act. The stark differences between Kuwait and the United States of America on this issue are evident.
During my early days at the university, I used to arrive very early on campus. I vividly remember my reaction to what I saw in the corridor one day when I arrived earlier on campus – a boy and a girl in very close physical intimacy in the corridor. I was not prepared at all for such a view, so it was a shock for me to see a boy and a girl in such an intimate position. For my Western friends, it may not be possible to fully understand how such acts are unbearable for me as a Muslim.
Eating and The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
To eat in the Islamic way, greet and meet in an Islamic manner, and even wear clothing in an Islamic way are essential components of Muslim identity. A Muslim is a follower of the Quran and the last prophet of Islam, Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This identity should distinguish Muslims from those who do not follow Islam. Moiz Amjad emphasizes the importance of an Islamic way of life in his article “General Muslim Customs & Traditions,” stating that “In the formation of this group, the prophets of God directed their followers to conform to a particular set of customs and etiquettes, which would distinguish them as a nation of the followers of God’s prophets.” The article provides detailed information about Islamic customs, etiquettes, and traditions, including the significance of eating with the right hand, greeting and its response, blessings after a sneeze, and more.
In the United States of America, religion is often considered a personal matter. However, in Kuwait, it is not just a personal affair but a public and collective matter. To live a life as a Muslim, support from other members of society is necessary. A proper Muslim lifestyle requires understanding and cooperation from fellow community members. For instance, Muslims need support in maintaining a distance from the opposite sex, and society needs to comprehend and respect this requirement. Muslims are obligated to consume only halal foods, so all food vendors in the society must understand the concept and importance of ‘halal’ for a Muslim.
When Muslims attempt to live their lives according to Islamic principles in America, they often face challenges. The American society may not readily accept them, leading to feelings of being outcasts and outsiders. Due to their distinct way of life, they are sometimes suspected and considered antisocial. Some politicians and public figures in the United States speak against Islam and Muslims, influencing public opinion negatively. People like Donald Trump leverage these sentiments to achieve their personal goals. Jasmina Eminic clarifies in her article “Demonization of Islam and Orientalism in Western media” that “Demonization of Islam serves the imperialistic ambitions of political elites in the West, which act on behalf of capitalist greed and multinational businesses.” Those who demonize Islam and Muslims in America and the Western world may inadvertently be undermining the interests of their own country and state.
Conclusion: The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
There is undoubtedly a rapid growth of Islam in America and other Western countries. I have personally encountered many new converts to Islam in America. Interestingly, these converts often become even more devout Muslims than those who were born into the faith. In one mosque, I had the chance to meet a Caucasian white man with a distinctive ‘ginger beard.’ He shared his story of recently converting to Islam.
He explained, “Actually, my grandfather migrated to the United States of America from Scotland. We were Catholics, and I was raised as a Catholic. Many of my uncles and aunts were Christian preachers, so I decided to preach Christianity in the United States of America. One day, while distributing tomatoes in an area as part of my preaching, I met a boy who happened to be Muslim. We exchanged a few words, and the boy asked me, ‘Have you read the Quran?’ I said, ‘No! I have not even heard of the Quran.’ He gave me a copy of the Quran with English translation, and the first part of the Quran changed my entire life. Now I am a Muslim preacher.” Stories like these are becoming increasingly common in America.
Work Cited: The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
- Estes, Yusuf. “The Truth About – “Muslims.” Islam Tomorrow. n. d. Web. 16 Apr. 2022.
- Shoichet, Catherine E. “Is Racism on the Rise? More in U.S. Say It’s a ‘big Problem,’ CNN/KFF Poll Finds.” CNN. 25 Nov. 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2022.
- Eardley, Nick. “What Is Halal Meat?” BBC News. 12 May 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2022.
- Stockton, Raoul. “State of Florida Passes Law Which Makes Nudity Legal At All Public Beaches.” Empire News. 14 July 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
- Amjad, Moiz. “General Muslim Customs & Traditions.” Understanding Islam. 18 Dec. 2000. Web. 16 Apr. 2022.
- Eminic, Jasmina. “Demonization of Islam and Orientalism in Western Media.” International Association for Political Science Students. 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 17 Apr. 2022.
Relevant Questions about The Truth About-“Muslims”: A Giant Cultural Leap
- What key cultural aspects are explored in “The Truth About ‘Muslims’: A Giant Cultural Leap,” and how does the work present these elements to the audience?
- In what ways does the resource challenge or reinforce common stereotypes or misconceptions about Muslims, and what evidence or perspectives are presented to support these points?
- How does “The Truth About ‘Muslims’: A Giant Cultural Leap” address the complexity and diversity within the Muslim community, considering the wide range of cultural practices, traditions, and beliefs across different regions and historical contexts?
