Being a Muslim in America

"30 Days", a US reality show had a show last year about a Christian coming to live in a Muslim family for 30 days.

He had to abide by three rules:
1. he must act accordingly with all Muslim traditions, from what he wears to what he eats.
2. he must study the Qur'an daily.
3. he must grow a beard.

(note that this is a 45 minute show)




It can also be seen directly at the Video Google site.

2 comments:

Snouck said...

Interesting. I also watched it on Charles Martel (the Irish Muselmanslayer). In the middle, the chap suddenly turned around without explaination. Did they go and have a chat with him? Like you are being too negative, be ashamed of yourself, racist blahblahblah the usual.

I dunno, some people say I am a bit suspicious.

Snouck

Esther said...

I posted it before watching it. Now that I have.. there were some things they said about Judaism that were completely wrong, which brings me to question their statements about Islam as well. Especially when comparing religions - both Judaism and Islam don't believe that God could have a son. This goes against Christian beliefs. The statement "we worship the same God" is therefore very misleading.

Some info I found on the Dearborn community:

Arab and Muslims came to Dearborn in three significant waves: in the early 1900s, when Ford recruited people from Yemen and other Arab countries to work in its Detroit area factories; in the late 1970s, when thousands from Lebanon -- spurred by that country's civil war and Israel's invasion of the south -- joined Dearborn's already thriving Lebanese community; and in the 1980s and 1990s, when Iraqis left their country because of Saddam Hussein's regime of terror.

It was during this latter period that al-Husainy came to Dearborn. His Karbala Islamic Education Center was once a chic nightclub that drew such stars as Frank Sinatra, but now its walls are covered with paintings of Iraqi clerics and its floors with Muslim carpets. Near the center are block after block of bakeries, restaurants and shopping centers with Arab names (like the Arabian Towncenter). Even a nearby Walgreens has a sign on its door in Arabic and English, aisle signs in Arabic and English and a special section where shoppers can buy Arabic food from the Middle East. Women wearing hijab are a common site at Dearborn's stores, where clerks use a mixture of Arabic and English to speak with customers.

(Source: Time Online)


Also:
The worship area at the Karbala Education Center is not typical; there are no separate entrances for men and women, no separate prayer room, or divisions on the carpet.

I think is it no chance that Dave was sent to a Muslim community filled with Saddam refugees.

On the other hand, the dress he was wearing (white skullcap, white robe) is that of a very devout Muslim, though it is portrayed like something any moderate Muslim would wear. Same for the 'beard' part of the show. Note that his 'host' barely has one.