Archive for May, 2006
May 14, 2006 at 2:48 pm
· Filed under Gender, Life as a Muslim
You are an appropriately dressed (as according to your values) woman, walking through a neighborhood, when suddenly you hear catcalls that are obviously addressed towards you. Do you:
a) Turn around and engage in admonishing the person, educating him about the inappropriateness of his actions, thereby ensuring that you can walk through the neighborhood again without a similar incident taking place; OR
b) Ignore him, and make sure that you never walk through that neighborhood again; OR
c) Ignore him, and the next time you walk through that neighborhood, dress in even more layers of clothing, even if you would not normally do so in any other neighborhood; OR
d) Ignore him, and walk through that neighborhood again dressed exactly as you normally do?
How much should you let the actions of persons and society around you affect your actions, especially if you are engaging in behaviors that you feel are perfectly acceptable to you, value-wise?
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May 12, 2006 at 2:43 pm
· Filed under Globalization, Life as a Muslim
When meeting with and visiting individuals of another culture, how does one balance being culturally sensitive while ensuring that one is not compromising one's own values? What ultimately takes precedence: respect of others' cultural norms, or one's own values?
Quotes of relevance:
"When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do."
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May 10, 2006 at 6:42 am
· Filed under Globalization, Life as a Muslim, Social Issues
It is important to not live in a bubble, and similarly, it is important to expose oneself to the realities of the world. This is especially so because, in exposing ourselves, we can perhaps be motivated to do something where we can help the less fortunate.
In doing so, should we pay to see the misfortune of others? From another perspective, is it right to expose the lives of others for economic gain? Even if either action helps improve their lives marginally?
For a tourist, what is next step after learning of another culture, another way of life, purely for the sake of learning and then actually working hard to addressing it, changing it properly?
Articles of relevance:
Slum Tours: A Day Trip too Far?
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May 9, 2006 at 6:24 am
· Filed under Life as a Muslim, Social Issues
"When someone is very good at a given thing, what is it that actually makes him good?" Is each individual born with a particular type of talent, a particular type of skill-set? Or is it that "practice makes perfect"?
As Muslims, how do we determine which skills we are good at, and fit that in with what is needed by the community? What if what we are good at cannot be implemented, because the community is not in need of it, and thus no demand for it exists?
Further, on an unrelated note, how do we balance needing constant validation and immediate feedback in our personal and professional lives with constantly striving to do acts not for recognition, not for feeling good about oneself, but for a greater goal?
Articles of relevance:
Freakonomics: A Star is Made
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May 8, 2006 at 10:43 am
· Filed under Gender, Life as a Muslim, Relationships, Social Issues
Is chivalry dead? Noting the ever changing roles of men and women – should it be alive? What exactly is chivalry?
Is chilvary an innate impulse of a man? Should a woman's or child's life always be put ahead of a man's?
As Muslims, how do we incorporate chivalry into our lives without compromising – and diminishing - the worth of a woman to her family, to her community?
Columns of relevance:
Titanic Chivalry
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May 7, 2006 at 6:45 pm
· Filed under Life as a Muslim, Relationships
At the end of the day, we are all biased. Be it against certain persons of certain ethnic, religious, cultural, or geographical backgrounds – amongst many – we have stereotypes as nurtured by society around us. Would you want to know up-front if certain persons have a bias against you based on what you may represent? Especially if it saves you the headache of ever interacting with that person and suffering as a result?
As Muslims, we live in a day and age where there is constantly a media hype portraying us in a negative way. How much should we engage in dialogue, in communicating with others, if it means going out of our way of interacting with those that have a preconceived notion about us?
Articles of relevance:
The Nitpicking Nation
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May 5, 2006 at 10:19 am
· Filed under Life as a Muslim
Is happiness different from being content with life? How would you define happiness? How is happiness correlated with our level of faith and our satisfaction with life? If we feel blessed and thankful – does that make us happy?
What has been the happiest moment in your life? Does such a thing exist?
Are you currently happy?
Articles of relevance:
The Science of Happiness
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May 4, 2006 at 10:58 am
· Filed under Globalization, Life as a Muslim
Identity, as a concept based on affliation with a nation-state, has only developed in the past few centuries. With individuals readily moving from continent to continent, country to country, how does one answer the question "Where are you from?"
On a related note, in this day and age, we are a combination of different identities based on religion, culture, nationality, politics, economics, linguistics and a variety of interests, to name a few. If we are asked, "Who are you?," which identity should we identify with the most, which identity should we name above others? And if we do identify with one over the other – "I am Muslim" – should we be looked at in absolutes? How much prominence should other identities of our selves be given?
And who gets to judge that?
Articles of relevance:
Is there a clash of civilizations? By Robert Kagan and Amartya Sen
What Clash of Civilizations? Why religions identity isn't destiny.
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May 3, 2006 at 10:58 am
· Filed under Life as a Muslim, Relationships
Dating, as a concept, is generally looked down upon in Muslim communities. Courtship, on the other hand, does not have the same negative connotation and in many Muslim circles, is permitted, with varying rules and regulations, and as defined by the family and particular cultural background.
How different are the two? And how should one refer to the period whereby two individuals are getting to know each other for the purpose of marriage, especially if it is over a long period, where an engagement/marriage may take some time to be announced publicly? Are these two individuals "dating"? Or "courting"? Or are they simply "involved in a process"?
Can dating have a positive connotation, and courting a negative one? How should these words, these processes, fit into the life of a Muslim?
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May 3, 2006 at 7:12 am
· Filed under Life as a Muslim, Relationships, Social Issues
We work, ostensibly, to provide for ourselves and for our family. How much is too much work?
What connotes a "comfortable" lifestyle? Does affluence simply imply a greater access to leisure?
If, as a Muslim, we can have a "comfortable" lifestyle by working fewer hours than we do now, is it better to work those extra few hours to earn more, and donate monetarily to a cause? Or to give those few hours of the day – physically – to our family, our community?
Articles of relevance:
Workaholic consumerism is now a treadmill and a curse
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