How embarrassed are you?

[-thetruth_]

Salam

Many muslims are so embarrassed to perform their duties or to speek their own languages let alone go on with their worship in public that they are forced to change their way of life in order to look cool.
For instances people change their names and give themselves a Western name in order to look cool other dye their hair ands some like myself go for tattoos etc...and sadly no matter what they do. they are still considered the same no matter how eduacted or Blond they may look
Who really feel ashamed of their name or their culture or religion?

[GingerSnap]

Interesting topic, but personally, I'm not sure you're on the right track. I'm not a Muslim, but most of the things you mention do not seem to be things indicating that someone is denouncing or being embarassed by their religion. Hair color, tattoos, and education are personal decisions, in my mind, not being embarassed by their culture or religion. Speaking the language of the country you've moved to is simple courtesy, in my mind. I'm trying to learn French now in anticipation of my move to Morocco, and my husband is trying to teach me some really basic Arabic before i get there. (Eid Mubarek Said, everyone!) Adopting a more Western version of your name is an attempt to fit in more easily, and for some it may be a sign of shame, but I don't think you can assume that.

As for public worship, I know many people who are uncomfortable with that, period-- not just Muslims.

How does everyone else view this?

[micael]

No need to be embarrased or hide who yu are just to fit into the white british culture... they will still see you as a foriegner, so your damned if you do and damned if you dont... just let it be and get on with your life....

besides what do you achive by changing your name from mr veejay shah to mr victor shah? lol belive me, many have done this and they just make them selves look silly

i used to be painfully embarrassed when i was younger (school) i used to deny alot of things about my religion and culture!!!
it is always hard when you are in the minority, and i used to envy my English friends and their lifestyle!
but i have grown up since! and i love having the morals of a Moroccan muslima!!
In September of this year the Moroccan community took part in the town carnival, it was the first time in the 40 years that Moroccans have been in our town that this took place.
it was myself and another Moroccan that organized the float, it took alot of effort to get Moroccans to be involved, a lot would not even let their kids on the float!:roll eyes:
but we worked hard and pulled it off!
we have a huge Moroccan community in our town, apparently the second biggest outside London, but we hide well! so you can imagine this float going through the town totally decked out in all things Moroccan, kids (including English) dressed in traditional Moroccan clothing, young beautiful Moroccan girls dancing in their Moroccan dresses. the music was so loud we could be heard before we could be seen! when the float passed Moroccans that came out to watch the carnival they were so taken by it, that some of them walked along with the float clapping and dancing in the street! it was so cool!
i remember my friend saying to me when i was in the middle of organizing it all, "are you sure you want to go through the town on a Moroccan float?" "you will get 'matisha' chucked at you!"
but that same person at the end of the carnival told me she would definitely be part of it next year as did many other young Moroccans.
i felt so proud of who i was, and what we did.
oh and we won first prize for our float too.......

[micael]

good for you!!

You see its not hard is it? just be yourself and who your are.. forget what people think... but you did it in style that takes guts!!

[GingerSnap]

I think that's fantastic-- I'm just sorry that it took you so many years to get to the point where you embrace your heritage. I'm glad you have now!

[LalaMimi]

What about people who convert (say) to Islam and they become Arabesque!?! I remember being told by an American Muslim convert that I had abandoned *our* culture, for some reason or another...

There is an accent that I find annoying - it is in English spoken by Asian, Arab, Black and even Anglo White (particularly Muslim males) Muslims - they sound kinda robotic, rap-like - I really don't know where they get that accent from considering many of these people were born and educated in Britain and it does not sound like a dialect from any place here.

I am watching Mosque on ITV 1 and almost all Muslim men in this programme have this annoying way of speaking.