Islam

[Preety_India]

I will use this journal to explore Islam faith and culture. 

 

[Preety_India]

As a Hindu I've always been intrigued by Muslims and their culture. 

Also the religion of  Islam has inspired me in many ways. 

I have a special place for Muslims in my heart. I have had a few Muslim friends in college and the experience of being around them was an eye opener. 

Although I did not get to interact with many Muslims, I have certainly been influenced by their uniqueness. 

In some ways, I have always admired their sobriety and the need for social dignity. 

Something that I rarely see in other cultures and traditions. 

I see Muslims as very different people. They have a special and unique way of carrying themselves.. 

I never had the opportunity of living in a Muslim country. 

But their culture has influenced me greatly. 

I feel like a lot of aspects of Islam simply aren't highlighted enough because they are very nuanced. 

Since childhood I've been fascinated by Muslims. Their cultural aspects made its way into our predominantly Hindu culture and had a tremendous impact on the Hindu culture. 

In fact today many words that we use as a Hindu have been derived from Muslims. 

Last night I had a dream about talking to a beautiful Muslim woman and she was telling me stuff that made a lot of sense. 

Now fundamentally I consider my a Christian after conversion to Christianity in 2015, even before joining here. 

 

[Preety_India]

 

Sometimes I wondered why I never dated a Muslim. Well, dating a Muslim is a taboo in my culture and community. I can't even imagine or think about it. 

I would be looked down on or ostracized if I even discussed dating a Muslim. 

But having had Muslim friends, I have often wondered what it would be like to date a Muslim or be a part of their community. I don't think it's hard. 

I think it's totally possible to be a hindu and still be a part of a Muslim community. But I have never consciously tried. 

Most of my friends in school were Christians because I grew up in a Christian community, specifically Catholic. Andrew is Catholic. Catholicism is special to me. 

As a person so fascinated by religion and spirituality, Islam has also attracted me in many ways 

 

In my college days however I relocated to another city where most people in my college were either Hindus or Muslims. 

So I had the opportunity to meet a few. 

In my work place, most are Hindus. I rarely come across a Muslim now. 

 

[Preety_India]

People in India are very diverse.. I myself have Portuguese and Spanish ancestry. 

A lot of folks in my school also had Portuguese and French ancestry. 

A lot of people in India have Persian and Arabic ancestry. 

Up in the north people have Afghan ancestry. 

A lot of people in the middle have German and East European ancestry. 

India is very diverse as it is made up of many cultures that got assimilated into the original Hindu culture with time. 

This is because India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, the Indus Valley civilization as it was called. 

Over time because of frequent Invasion from Western Countries in Medieval times, India got exposed to the West pretty early on. India soon turned into a Mecca of different cultures and races and faiths 

 

And even after all that India didn't lose its true beauty 

The true beauty of India lies in integration.. 

There is no culture in the world or no race that didn't or couldn't get integrated into India. 

In a way India is like the America of the East. A melting pot of the East. 

It is right in the center of the map between Western and Eastern countries. It's the gateway country to the East. 

In its most prosperous days, India was the jewel of the East. Most people who came from the West were fascinated by the people, the culture and the pure natural beauty of India in terms of agricultural resources, gold and diamond mines, rich temples with great art and architectural designs. 

This fascinated the western traditions of Christianity and Islam. 

A lot of the colonists and invaders of India back in those days were Portuguese, French, Early European, Muslims and Arabs and the British. 

India was a major trade establishment center between the east and the west. 

 

[Preety_India]

However despite numerous invasions and colonization attempts by Western countries, India remained true to its foundational culture of Hinduism and continued to maintain its identity as a predominantly Hindu country. 

This does not mean that others didn't find a place. Sure they did. 

Most people of other traditions especially western both Christian and Muslim would love to be in India and go nowhere. 

Because India gives everyone a place within its own. 

Hinduism fundamentally believes that all are equal and to be loved equally. 

There is something about India that the West finds particularly irresistible. 

 

[Preety_India]

People from Africa have also admired India and Indian people. 

There is something about Indian culture that's relatable to all. 

But it's mostly the Western countries of Africa and Europe that have given their maximum attention to India because of the geographical proximity. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

A beautiful Islamic quote from the Quran

 

 

 

 

Islamic talisman 

 

Arabic amulet and medallion 

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by Preety_India