Nation of Islam v. Islamic Law

[texastoast]

I'm trying to learn more about the Islamic culture. I like many Muslims I know (however different they might be from this Texan). I'm thinking these people are in the U.S. because they really didn't like being over in their motherlands much.

Is there a big difference between the Nation of Islam and what ends up being "Islamic Law"? Do the laws get "interpreted" to be (what I consider) so very harsh? Is is a case of way too much literalism? I'm reading the Koran, and I can see how some of the directives in the text could be misused in the hands of power-hungry people.

Does anyone have any recommendations on websites or good books discussing this? Does anyone want to discuss?


:toast:

[jaysunb]

1. A suggestion

Discussing the Nation in this particular forum may not be a good idea because many people think they know more than they really do, and that creates distortions and disinformation.
I suggest you look around here http://www.finalcall.com/
and PM me if you'd like to address a specific area.

[madeline_con]

2. There's a Muslim forum here on DU.

Muslims are like anyone else. Whatever their country may say about state religion, some of them never go to the mosque; like people in this "Christian" nation don't go to church. :eyes:

The Nation of Islam is that nut job Farrakhan, isn't it? Don't take anything he says as "Islamic Law".

There are extremists in Islam that we hear about all the time. We have our share of so-called Christians who act just as nuts.

Different countries, and different groups within them, interpret Islam differently. Just like anywhere, some women are abused and exploited by the men in their lives, while others are respected and have rights.

Just like the Biblical law, Qur'anic law is open to interpretation, and is used as a bludgeon by some self-proclamed "true beleievers".

Hope this helps. :)

[Neil Lisst]

3. The Nation of Islam is a knock-off religion, loosely based on Islam.

But it's full of racist nonsense. It's the creation of a man who called himself Elijah Muhammed, and its primary purpose was to give blacks an alternative to the "white" religions adopted by so many blacks during or after slavery in the US.

It remains an organization primarily created to bond together blacks in America through mutual interests of racism and community control, not unlike the KKK or the American Nazi Party.

[Fredda Weinberg]

5. Unless he means the umma

The Islamic nation.

[Neil Lisst]

6. He specifically disguised them by their names. NOI is the entity.

And that's the one I described.

[TahitiNut]

7. I dare you to say that to Muhammed Ali's face.

:evilgrin: (Just kidding. Both Muhammed Ali and Malcolm X converted to mainstream Islam.)

[Neil Lisst]

9. I could get away with it now!

Man, the champ looks bad these days. I saw him in an appearance a year or so ago, and he seemed in really bad shape mentally.

He was something back in the day, though, wasn't he?

Malcolm X did follow the real Islam eventually, and I feel that was one reason he was killed, probably at Farrakhan's behest.

[jaysunb]

4. see post 2 & 3 for distortion and misinformation I mentioned

:evilfrown:

[Violet_Crumble]

8. How is telling someone to ask in the Muslim forum 'misinformation'??

n/t

[Starbucks Anarchist]

10. Ask the DUer known as PsychoDad.

He's a Muslim and seems to be quite knowledgable from what I've seen.