(no title)

Posted by: jkdsc89316 on: January 23, 2012

• In: Uncategorized
• Comment!

We watched “My Name Is Khan” during the first class. Although this was my second time watching the movie, I took more away from this viewing.  The main point of the movie is that Islam, especially after the September 11 attacks, is often misunderstood.  People jumped to conclusions after learning that the individuals who were responsible for the attacks were (extremist) Muslims; anyone who looked like they could be Muslim was a possible target for discrimination.  Although the movie is fictional, it gets the following points across:  after the September 11 attacks, Muslims found themselves as the possible targets of mass discrimination and in a position where they had to sometimes defend their faith.

I hadn’t learned much about Muhammad before this past week, and it’s great to finally have a base on who he was and what he represents, religiously, politically, historically, etc.  I had no previous knowledge that there were differences between the Qur’anic Muhammad and post-Qur’anic one.  I have been able to expand on the little that I did know by reading Walid A. Saleh and Uri Rubin’s essays.

This past year, there have been a series of attacks in northern Nigeria’s northern largest city, Kano, by the radical sect Boko Haram.  The group has used violent attacks, which have killed more than 100 people, to impose what it considers Islamic law in Nigeria.  It’s incidents that this that cover the home page of The New York Times’ Islam page, which I believe contributes to the people’s misunderstanding of the religion.  There are rarely stories that highlight the religion where extremists aren’t in the picture. I believe this highly contributes to what Americans think of when they think of Islam.

In response to ilovegood, I appreciate that you offered another view on Muslims marrying after college.  When I read alphabum’s comment, I was a little doubtful about all Muslims wanting to marry after college.  I have heard what you said from a few Muslim friends of mine, and I think that believing that everyone who practices the religion wants to marry after college is a huge misconception.