Every now and then you meet someone you instantly admire due to their attire and style but the moment you converse with them and discover their mentality, you are totally put off! This has happened to me so many times that I wonder why can't people have an appearance that matches their personality? I know people who portray themselves to be very modern and adorn themselves with the latest fashion clothes and have an English accent to their way of talking...but their vision is very narrow and they don't even know what their life is about. They think anybody who says their prayers and observes fast is out-dated and boring. They think just because they have education, whatever they think is correct. On the other hand, I have met people who look very religious due to their external Islamic get-up and vocal projection of Islam but their knowledge is limited to just a few books and they still do what others do but in a manner that they claim is Islamic. They do not practice what they preach and do not bother to figure out the true meaning of the teachings of Islam. They think just because they are carrying the banner of Islam, they have the right to denounce everybody else's belief and philosophy.
Why can't people understand that being modern is not just limited to fashion and English but it is to have a broad-minded approach towards other people and the events going on around them? Why is it that being religious is to just wear an abaaya or have a beard and not understand what our beautiful religion teaches us about humanity and equality? Islam is a religion that teaches both modernity and chasteness at the same time. It does not stop advancement of science and technology and neither does it ask for extermination of all those who behave or think differently. We have been asked to give space to others rather than impose ourselves on them. We as Muslims have not been told to live without the good things of life but have been told to do so wisely. It is not our job to kill people from other religions but it is our responsibility to set a good example for them to create a positive impression. Islam is not what the local and international media portrays...that is people waving Kalashnikovs and waging so called Jihad. It is you and me...it is every person doing his job honestly, it is every child obeying his parents, it is every mother tending to her children, it is every ruler ruling with justice, it is every man offering his prayers and above all it is the rhythm and harmony of nature. You can only see all this if you rise above all your self-imposed standards of superficial modernity or psuedo-piousness.
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