Monday, February 04, 2008

Belajar dari Perbedaan


Ketika Katrine, seorang teman sekelas mengirimkan email dan meminta saya untuk berbicara tentang Islam dalam sebuah diskusi buku, saya bertanya dalam hati, adakah pengetahuan saya tentang Islam, agama warisan yang saya anut sejak lahir, memadai untuk mewakili keagungan Islam itu sendiri. Terutama dalam situasi dunia yang masih tidak menentu dengan sentimen agama, apalagi saya harus berbicara didepan orang-orang Amerika, di negara mereka sendiri, tidakkah ini terlalu sensitif? Tapi tanpa pikir panjang akhirnya saya sanggupi permintaannya.

Diskusi buku yang akan saya hadiri membahas sebuah best seller karangan Bruce Feiler yang berjudul Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths. Ini adalah sebuah buku yang mengisahkan perjalanan seorang pencari kebenaran, seorang yang merasa terganggu oleh konflik antar kelompok yang sama-sama menggunakan agama sebagai tamengnya. Dengan gaya bertutur yang sangat menarik, si penulis yang seorang Yahudi menemukan sosok Abraham (nabi Ibrahim as dalam Islam) sebagai sosok penyatu dalam sejarah perkembangan monotheisme, yakni Judaism, Christianity dan Islam dan membawa dia kembali ke leluhurnya di Jerusalem, kota suci dalam ketiga keyakinan ini,dimana potret kehidupan antar agama diwarnai dengan harmonisme dan sentimen pada saat yang bersamaan. Meski secara detil buku ini sangat mengganggu pemahaman saya, dan banyak hal yang saya tidak sepakat, tapi inti yang ingin disampaikan sangat bagus, bahwa lebih baik bersepakat melalui adanya kesamaan daripada berbenturan karena adanya perbedaan yang tak bisa ditemukan.

Hampir seminggu saya menenggelamkan diri diantara buku-buku tentang perbandingan agama dan sumber-sumber didunia maya, membuka Al-Qur’an untuk mencari referensi tentang nabi Ibrahim, Musa, Isa dan Muhammad, agar saya bisa lebih siap dengan pertanyaan-pertanyaan sensitif, terutama mengingat pengetahuan saya yang amat terbatas. Tapi akhirnya saya putuskan untuk “speak and act normally”, dan berusaha untuk siap memberi penjelasan sebaik-baiknya. Saya berangkat dengan membawa contoh Qur’an dalam teks Arab yang saya bawa dari Indonesia, sebuah terjemahan dalam bahasa Inggris, sajadah, dan mukena. Si Katrine memberitahu saya bahwa para anggota diskusi buku belum pernah melihat bagaimana bentuk Qur’an dan cara muslim bersembahyang.

Jangan bayangkan bahwa forum yang akan saya hadiri adalah forum akademik yang resmi. Ini “hanyalah” kelompok cinta baca beranggotakan sekitar 35 wanita, semuanya dari kalangan atas. Ini baru saya ketahui ketika saya menginjak tempat tinggal tuan rumah, yang mirip istana artis Hollywood, di daerah barat daya Austin, Texas. Rumahnya tidak terlalu besar dipinggir tebing, dengan panorama hutan dan rumah-rumah mewah sejauh mata memandang, dengan horse ranch dan anak kali (“creek” mereka menyebutnya) dibawah tebing. Satu persatu berdatangan, dengan pakaian yang “casual” tapi mewah  (mengingatkan saya pada tokoh-tokoh di opera sabun Amerika). Sekilas saya tengok blouse motif bunga, jilbab putih dan celana hitam saya yang sederhana (yang seringkali saya kenakan saat mengajar di Unesa) dan “sport shoes” yang tidak “matching”. Saya tersenyum sendiri, dan membatin, “masih untung saya tidak pakai kaos”.

Saya bertanya dalam hati, siapakah ibu-ibu ini? Dalam perkenalan, percakapan dan diskusi saya baru tahu bahwa mereka datang dari latar belakang yang berbeda-beda. Meminjam istilah Katrine, “they come from various walks of life”. Saya sempat berbincang dengan Joanne, yang punya gelar PhD in American Studies dari UT Austin, duduk disebelah istri salah satu eksekutif IBM, dan diantara orang-orang yang kenal keluarga Presiden George W. Bush secara personal. Namun jangan pula dikira mereka adalah orang-orang dengan gaya hidup yang sombong. Si Katrine yang ramah mau jauh-jauh menjemput saya di San Marcos, sekitar ½ jam dari Austin. Saya baru tahu bahwa dia adalah seorang “businesswoman” yang punya proyek besar, bersuamikan seorang eksekutif pengelola Lake Austin. Saya sempat kaget ketika diajak mampir ke kantor suaminya di pinggir Lake Austin, karena sebenarnya saya baru pada taraf berangan-angan mengunjungi tempat indah ini (pak Djoko ketua jurusan Bahasa Inggris Unesa menyarankan saya untuk datang kesini sebelum saya berangkat dulu, dan beliau sendiri menghabiskan hampir 2 tahun studi di UT Austin lebih dari 20 tahun yang lalu). Bagaimana pula dengan anggota lain? Keramahan setiap orang sudah saya rasakan setiap Katrine memperkenalkan saya dengan anggota yang hadir. Keingintahuan mereka tentang Indonesia dan saya pribadi terasa tulus, membuat saya merasa nyaman.

Singkat kata, Katrine sebagai ketua kelompok cinta baca ini membuka diskusi dan memperkenalkan bahwa saya dari Indonesia, negara dengan populasi muslim terbesar didunia (fakta yang mengagetkan semua yang hadir) dan mempersilakan para anggota untuk memulai diskusi. Apa yang terjadi ? Selama lebih dari 1 jam setiap orang membombardir saya dengan berbagai pertanyaan tentang Islam, mulai dari hal-hal mendasar, mulai dari apakah sebagai muslim, saya percaya hari kiamat, bagaimana cara muslim shalat, mengapa laki-laki dan perempuan harus sholat dalam baris terpisah, apakah Qur’an mewajibkan perempuan untuk mengenakan jilbab, bagaimana bentuk Qur’an, bagaimana berkomunikasi dengan Tuhan, apakah Islam percaya reinkarnasi, sampai dengan hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan buku bahan diskusi itu sendiri, bagaimana pandangan Islam tentang nabi Ibrahim, Musa, Jesus, bagaimana muslim yakin nabi Muhammad adalah nabi terakhir, dan tak ketinggalan masalah sensitif tentang jihad dan terorisme dalam pandangan Islam.

Satu jam terasa amat singkat untuk menjawab dan memuaskan setiap orang, dan saya berusaha menyampaikan konsep dasar Islam seperti Rukun Iman dan Rukun Islam, memberikan penjelasan apa adanya meski kadang menyinggung detil dimana terjadi perbedaan konsep dalam agama, seperti keyakinan bahwa Yesus adalah salah satu nabi terbesar dalam Islam, tapi bukanlah “the Son of God”, atau bahwa Ismail, dan bukan Ishak yang dikorbankan oleh nabi Ibrahim. Ada pula pertanyaan menggelitik, ‘kalau saya mati besok, dan saya tidak sembahyang secara Islam, apakah saya akan masuk neraka”?. Hmm, sulit juga menjelaskannya. Saya katakan bahwa dalam Islam saya meyakini bahwa tidak cukup hanya yakin bahwa tiada Tuhan selain Allah, namun juga harus diejawantahkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, tidak hanya melalui sholat atau puasa, tapi juga kualitas hubungan antar manusia. Atau katakanlah saya harus meyakini bahwa agama sayalah yang benar, dan barangkali pemeluk agama lain juga punya keyakinan sama. Namun perkara masuk surga atau neraka, itu sepenuhnya kuasa Allah, dan tak seorangpun boleh atau berhak menghakimi, bahwa sayalah yang benar dan akan masuk surga, dan kamu yang salah dan masuk neraka. Kita hanyalah manusia yang berusaha dan wajib mencari jalan kebenaran dan mengikutinya. Disitulah kita bisa merasakan kedamaian dan berharap kebahagiaan abadi sesudah mati. Seorang ibu disebelah saya menimpali, “wah, menakutkan juga kalau mati”. Sebagai manusia, wajar barangkali membayangkan kematian sebagai sesuatu yang menakutkan. Karena topik bahasan sebenarnya adalah nabi Ibrahim, saya hanya mengacu kembali ke konsep penyerahan diri sepenuhnya kepada Allah dan kesediaan untuk berkorban demi Allah sebagaimana yang diajarkan oleh nabi Ibrahim. Sebagai cucu-cucu nabi Ibrahim, seharusnyalah kita mengikuti ajarannya, setidaknya itu lebih baik daripada berdebat tentang siapa yang sebenarnya dikorbankan, apakah Ishak atau Ismail.

Akan halnya shalat lima waktu, beberapa komentar dan pertanyaan muncul, “wah, tidak bisa istirahat seharian”, “bagus sekali ajarannya untuk disiplin”, atau “bolehkah meninggalkan sholat”?, Apakah saya sendiri juga melaksanakannya? Apakah ada muslim yang tidak shalat?. Komentar yang sangat manusiawi, yang saya yakin seringkali diulas dalam ceramah-ceramah agama di tanah air. Bahkan saya sampai diminta menunjukkan contoh konkret tentang sholat beserta bacaannya, mengedarkan Qur’an kesemua orang yang hadir, dan sedikit mengulas terjemahan surat Al-Fatihah yang sempat saya baca ketika memberikan contoh sholat. Ketika saya mengenakan mukena, sempat ada yang bertanya, “apakah laki-laki juga pakai mukena”, dan kalau tidak “kenapa”?.Disini pula saya berada dalam keterharuan ketika seorang ibu yang banyak membaca “Bible” dan kebetulan mempunyai babysitter muslim mengatakan betapa dalamnya kedamaian kalbu yang bisa dicapai bila setiap orang selalu mengingat Tuhan dalam keseharian hidup kita.

Islam, jihad dan terorisme? Kenapa ada orang-orang yang melakukan bom bunuh diri dan menabrakkan pesawat ke WTC atas nama agama? Adakah Islam memang membolehkan (atau bahkan menyetujui tindakan seperti ini)? Sebuah pertanyaan yang bukan baru dan berulang-kali diulas. Tapi inilah kenyataan dalam dunia kita sekarang ini. Masih banyak orang yang tidak bisa memahaminya. Tanpa berusaha memihak, saya ingatkan mereka juga tentang perang Salib dengan dalih yang sama, dan menurut saya pribadi, jihad bukanlah berarti membunuh demi tegaknya agama. Kebetulan saya membawa buku berjudul A brief and illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam yang menyebutkan bahwa Islam mengutuk terorisme, dan para pelaku akan mendapat balasan di akhirat nanti atas tindakannya membunuh orang-orang yang tidak bersalah, karena mereka sebenarnya melanggar aturan dalam Islam itu sendiri. Saya tidak tahu apakah jawaban ini memuaskan semua pihak, namun saya tegaskan bahwa jihad berarti menyebarkan agama Islam yang bisa dilakukan melalui cara damai dan tak ada paksaan dalam agama seperti tercantum dalam surat Al-Baqarah: 254. Ini saya sampaikan ketika salah seorang menanyakan tentang adanya misi dalam Islam seperti yang dilakukan para missionaries.

Dialog cukup seru ini sebenarnya bukanlah dialog tentang teologi. Apabila pada akhirnya pembicaraan mengarah pada perbedaan konsep dalam Islam dan Kristen (sayang sekali wakil dari Judaisme berhalangan datang), semua yang hadir sudah menyadari sejak awal. Seusai diskusi buku, masih ada beberapa orang yang tinggal untuk melanjutkan dialog dan menjelaskan tentang konsep Ketuhanan dalam Kristen, serta mencari tahu apakah Qur’an juga ditulis oleh beberapa orang seperti halnya Bible. Ketika saya katakan bahwa hanya ada satu Qur’an, diturunkan oleh Allah, dan isinya tak berubah sejak 14 abad yang lalu, dalam teks bahasa Arab dan wajib dipahami maknanya menurut bahasa kita masing-masing. Dia berkomentar, “that’s interesting”.

Saya menyadari bahwa dialog yang kami lakukan ini masih belum apa-apa dibandingkan dialog antar agama, dengan melibatkan para tokoh agama, yang sering diadakan di Amerika sejak tragedi 11 September. Mereka yang hadir mengatakan bahwa kini mereka lebih memahami Islam. Bahkan salah seorang mengatakan, saya sekarang lebih tahu banyak tentang Islam daripada tentang Kristen sendiri. Apakah ini gurauan atau tidak, tapi saya menangkap ketulusan mereka dalam menerima cara hidup yang berbeda dengan  dengan antusias ingin lebih mengenal perbedaan agar lebih bisa memahaminya.

Ketika setiap orang mengucapkan terima kasih atas penjelasan saya, tidak banyak yang tahu diantara mereka bahwa sebenarnya saya justru banyak belajar dari mereka dan betapa beruntungnya saya diberi kesempatan untuk berbagi pemahaman dengan mereka. Menoleh kembali ke tanah air, saya diingatkan tentang cara hidup saya yang menganggap banyak hal sebagai hal yang lumrah, sehingga jarang betul-betul bertanya pada diri dan mencari tahu kebenaran dari sumber aslinya. Toh semua orang tahu cara orang sholat, dan tetangga yang non-muslim pun akrab dengan suara adzan dari masjid gang sebelah. Banyak hal menjadi begitu biasa sehingga saya tidak peka bahwa barangkali, ada kesenjangan yang mestinya bisa disikapi dengan dialog. Atau barangkali kita cenderung menghindari konflik yang acapkali timbul dalam dialog. Ketika adzan tidak lagi bisa terdengar dari mesjid gang sebelah, saat orang lain bertanya banyak “mengapa” tentang Islam, saya semakin tersadar bahwa saya harus betul-betul melihat kedalam sebelum bisa membuat orang lain memahami agama saya.

Saya bukanlah orang yang dikenal publik. Saya hanyalah seorang mahasiswa S-2 yang sedang berjuang menata hati dan pikiran. Barangkali saya tidaklah mewakili banyak orang di tanah air, dan bisa jadi teman-teman baru saya juga bukanlah wakil dari suara orang Amerika. Tapi paling tidak, kami belajar untuk saling mendengarkan, saling bertanya, tidak merasa benar sendiri, agar nantinya kami bisa saling memahami. Akan halnya muncul perbedaan yang tak bisa ditemukan, kami sepakat untuk tidak sepakat. Alangkah indahnya dunia bila perbedaan membuat kita semakin mengenal satu sama lain. Adakah kesimpulan saya juga Anda rasakan kebenarannya?

San Marcos, Texas, Januari 2003

12 comments:

Johana Christie said...

Good day ma'am...
After reading your experience in "Learning from Differences", there are so many questions in my mind..just like those girls who have discussed with you. As you know that I also a non-Muslim girl. Perhaps, some of those girl's questions are just the same with what I want to ask, however there are something curious about Islam...
Talking about Islam, I've never mind to share and ask my friends about their activities related with their belief like why there are so many ways of Wudhu according some Saints or I also never mind to reply their greeting in Islam way, because I just think that we are the same and every greetings has similar meaning. We just have a different religion but we still have the same belief that is we belief in GOD.
Here, My question is Why in Islam, the woman who get period is forbidden to do sholat & fasting?
Since in my belief, there is no rule in Bible forbid us to pray and fasting even if a woman is in period. That's because there is nothing that can avoid us to pray & fasting, and God never differ us whether they are a man or woman.
From this differences, make me think that in Islam women are subordinate of men just like in "Perempuan berkalung sorban" and woman can't pray and fasting just because they are not in holy condition.
Why is it so?
Thus why God predestine women to get a period if it is just make them can't pray?
That's all ma'am...
It's pleasure to share with you...=)

phOe^_^T said...

It's great. mam.....I'm a moslem,I've been trying to do my best for Islam..Only Allah deserves to judge whether we'll go to hell or heaven.Terrorism is not our holy Qur'an says,it's only a misintepretation of some people.Allah knows our heart better than even we,ourselves,do.Difference is unavoidable.It is the thing that keeps our life going on.All we need to do is to have a close relationship with ALLAH.I think it's gonna help us know for what Allah created us...What you have told to them is honestly true I think...It's wonderful....By:Syarief Hidayatullah 062154244

phOe^_^T said...

It's me Syarief mam,I used Putri's blog because I have no Blog...hehehe...I'm sorry.....Thank you

Ika Yanoewa-reesta said...

I believe that this experience was the one of unforgettable moments in your life...Being the representative of Muslim who has to give understanding to other people in different religion is very challenging and hazardous for me, moreover you were in the country which consider Islam as a "threat" at that time. However, no wonder to see that people in that book club could accept the "difference", as I know that America is a liberal and free country with open-minded citizen. The significant role here, is the speaker itself; that is you, who had sufficient preparation, and strong believe which always with you. From your story, I believe that you had given the best and wise answer for any question.
In my opinion, you don't need to worry or being disappointed of yourself . Your friend must have particular valuation of your capability which made her finally choose you as the one who was being trusted. And about your style/fashion or whatever you wear, although it is seemed quite simple, but you had made the representation of well-behaved of Muslim (we're not talking about white beauty standards here), which has well-mannered in performing. However, I realize that you or other person might not be enjoy or just relax facing with kind of great situation.
Only simple question from me...,why don't you invite another Muslim student to accompany you? Or perhaps, you're not allowed to?I don't mean to have doubt about your capability, but in my opinion if there is other person which have the same believe with us, we can share the answer or to just complete the explanation from each other.
Two thumbs up for you, mam...who had been struggle with all the conflict of living abroad (or let's say cultural shock in CCU class) around food problem, religion and the situation that you've been faced with. I may use your statement with little change from me...What is it life without differences? If the differences could be the part of our living which can make it so meaningful, then we can just sit and talk together, not consider it as a big deal..

reni-nastiti said...

hi mam,,,
I think all of your stories in this blog are very interesting. you can share with us about your experiences in Texas. after I read all of your stories, finally I choose this one because it's sound good for me as a moslem. I know that giving an explanation about our religion to others which has different religion is very difficult. but, I give two thumbs for you with all of your great answers. it is true, that we live in the same world with a lot of differences. and I think, those differences are really beautiful. beside that, in my opinion, although we have difference religion, we have the same believe that is GOD and we have the same aim, to believe our GOD for a better future. so, it is important for us to understand and to respect each other so that, only peace which is stayed in this world.
talking about hell and heaven, I think we are as a human who believe in GOD, can not give a judgment whether we go to hell or heaven in after life. only Allah SWT who can do that. beside that, I feel the same way with you, that diferences can bring us close together. I think thats all from me mam,,, I always waiting your other nice experiences... ^_^

reni-nastiti said...

hi mam,,,
I think all of your stories in this blog are very interesting. you can share with us about your experiences in Texas. after I read all of your stories, finally I choose this one because it's sound good for me as a moslem. I know that giving an explanation about our religion to others which has different religion is very difficult. but, I give two thumbs for you with all of your great answers. it is true, that we live in the same world with a lot of differences. and I think, those differences are really beautiful. beside that, in my opinion, although we have difference religion, we have the same believe that is GOD and we have the same aim, to believe our GOD for a better future. so, it is important for us to understand and to respect each other so that, only peace which is stayed in this world.
talking about hell and heaven, I think we are as a human who believe in GOD, can not give a judgment whether we go to hell or heaven in after life. only Allah SWT who can do that. beside that, I feel the same way with you, that diferences can bring us close together. I think thats all from me mam,,, I always waiting your other nice experiences... ^_^

reni-nastiti said...

hi mam,,,
I think all of your stories in this blog are very interesting. you can share with us about your experiences in Texas. after I read all of your stories, finally I choose this one because it's sound good for me as a moslem. I know that giving an explanation about our religion to others which has different religion is very difficult. but, I give two thumbs for you with all of your great answers. it is true, that we live in the same world with a lot of differences. and I think, those differences are really beautiful. beside that, in my opinion, although we have difference religion, we have the same believe that is GOD and we have the same aim, to believe our GOD for a better future. so, it is important for us to understand and to respect each other so that, only peace which is stayed in this world.
talking about hell and heaven, I think we are as a human who believe in GOD, can not give a judgment whether we go to hell or heaven in after life. only Allah SWT who can do that. beside that, I feel the same way with you, that diferences can bring us close together. I think thats all from me mam,,, I always waiting your other nice experiences... ^_^

reni-nastiti said...

hi mam,,,
I think all of your stories in this blog are very interesting. you can share with us about your experiences in Texas. after I read all of your stories, finally I choose this one because it's sound good for me as a moslem. I know that giving an explanation about our religion to others which has different religion is very difficult. but, I give two thumbs for you with all of your great answers. it is true, that we live in the same world with a lot of differences. and I think, those differences are really beautiful. beside that, in my opinion, although we have difference religion, we have the same believe that is GOD and we have the same aim, to believe our GOD for a better future. so, it is important for us to understand and to respect each other so that, only peace which is stayed in this world.
talking about hell and heaven, I think we are as a human who believe in GOD, can not give a judgment whether we go to hell or heaven in after life. only Allah SWT who can do that. beside that, I feel the same way with you, that diferences can bring us close together. I think thats all from me mam,,, I always waiting your other nice experiences... ^_^

Unknown said...

Ahmad Rofiki
062154036
CCU
First thing that I want to say here is, “how lucky I am given opportunity meeting someone like you”. You are so awesome. I wonder what more I can say. It must be nice and challenging to have experience as you have got. What lead me to admire you is, you are always able to manage everything to be the best. Once more, it’s awesome. Why, because it must be difficult to do such thing in front of such people. It automatically guides me to think that you have done something significant for your belief in life. Hoping I will face such experience someday, since it is my dream to do my best for my belief.
Relating your experience to the Proclamation 6862 of Religious Freedom Day, 1996, I may say that the religious freedom is applied there, in United States. The discussion you had had with them shows me clearly how people there open themselves to discuss with other people that have different belief. It’s not that easy to do such thing since I often see physical confrontation becomes the most chosen way to react such situation.
Through the discussion you have done with them, great ladies as the members of the book club, I can conclude that people there represented by them are tolerant to differences. In my point of view, they just know nothing about Islam previously, then consider it as an extreme religious based on the one sided information they have got. However, they did not judge it radically instead of collecting accurate information from you, the representative of great Moslem. Then, the information you had delivered in that discussion influenced them in considering Islam. In my conclusion, eventually they changed their perception toward Islam that later on they considered it as a peaceful religion. At least they know the reason of any Islam regulation. That attitude clearly shows us that they are actually opened to discuss about differences in belief. Accepting opposite people’s explanation and argument is not something impossible. The gate is actually opened. Then I remember the issue that Adon interested in to discuss in his skripsi, “perception”. Sure, it is mostly the matter of pre perception without knowing the real fact. So, in such situation we need to know the truth.
However ma’am, I am not really sure that they are the appropriate representation of American ladies, and American people there, moreover as the representation of government. I do not know exactly how life there is. But, considering the case study happens to Ibrahim Khan Abbasi, It seems difficult for Moslem student getting fair treatment from the regulation given by the University as the representation of the government. So here, may I say that the Proclamation of Religious freedom Day is not fully applied? So, how is inter religious life there truly? Will it come true for them, the people having different belief to live peacefully? I wonder..!!

Fransisca said...

Good morning ma'am...
After I read all of your experience in this blog...I think all of those experience it so interesting especially in this section about 'Learning from differences'. I agree with your statement mam that no one can judge if somebody would go to heaven or hell just because of their religion, because actually everyone who have a religion whether Islam, Christian, Hindhu, or Budha have the same believe, that they believe in GOD. And as a Christian girl, I'll try to do my best as a girl who believe in GOD. I also believe that no religion in this world teach their community about terrorism, I believe that purpose of all religion in this world are to make a close relationship between human and GOD and also to make a peace in this world. So, we should respect each other although we have different religion. Maybe I'm so lucky leave in Indonesia because in this country there are no discrimination related to religion from the government, everyone in this country allow to have and to do their religion freely.
Thats all mam and thank you...^^

Fransisca Eka A.A
062154040
English Literature'06

Anonymous said...

it's nice to read ur posting, Mam.
simply I've got d same experience to urs. a friend of mine who's called Angie is an American, she's from Pennsylvania and she teaches at Petra University. she's a kind of faithful Christian and she completely wonders about Islam.
she does not trust the common stereotype of Moslems. so, she dig up information about Islam from me, but I think that I'm not very good in giving argumentation.
she asks me why Islam allowed us to kill others and she even asks me about the sins that we are responsible for it in judgment day, cuz she believes that Jesus and her God will always forgive all human through Jesus' sacrifice.
and there are still more things she wants to know bout Islam, but I feel that she merely compares Islam to Christian.
one crucial question she's asked is about allowance of doing polygamy. she feels so pitiful to women whom are married to polygamists though the husband has been treating them justly...
Somehow I think that what u said once was true that non-moslems can even want know very simple thing which we never expect.

Anonymous said...

it's nice to read ur posting, Mam.
simply I've got d same experience to urs. a friend of mine who's called Angie is an American, she's from Pennsylvania and she teaches at Petra University. she's a kind of faithful Christian and she completely wonders about Islam.
she does not trust the common stereotype of Moslems. so, she dig up information about Islam from me, but I think that I'm not very good in giving argumentation.
she asks me why Islam allowed us to kill others and she even asks me about the sins that we are responsible for it in judgment day, cuz she believes that Jesus and her God will always forgive all human through Jesus' sacrifice.
and there are still more things she wants to know bout Islam, but I feel that she merely compares Islam to Christian.
one crucial question she's asked is about allowance of doing polygamy. she feels so pitiful to women whom are married to polygamists though the husband has been treating them justly...
Somehow I think that what u said once was true that non-moslems can even want know very simple thing which we never expect.