Muslim in America

Based on the Imam series from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/05/nyregion/05imam.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Sheik Reda Shata’s journey is quite a remarkable one, and it’s satisfying to see not only how much he has learned throughout his journey, but how much he appreciates that his opportunities have given him.

"America transformed me from a person of rigidity to flexibility, I went from a country where a sheik would speak and the people listened to one where the sheik talks and the people talk back."

It is amazing how people, biologically nearly identical, can vary so drastically in their views on the world and the way they are programmed to think. Some of us are stubborn and refuse to acknowledge the differences amongst cultures, but Mr. Shata understands that rules must be bent at times to accommodate the lifestyles of others. He realizes that the life he had back in Egypt can never be the same in America, so he has become flexible with his views and understanding of a different culture.

In this tense world filled with religious hostility and ignorance, seeing a person who can acclimate himself to a new world, all the while holding on to deeply rooted beliefs is an impressive yet sadly an endangered quality.

“A judge sentences. A doctor tries to remedy”

Unlike in many Islamic nations, Mr. Shata does not punish those who disobey or break the rules, because he realizes everyone is going to make mistakes. Instead, he carefully analyzes the situation and creates a solution rather than condemning the convicted. This is another aspect of his teachings that I find would be very helpful for many religions, not just Islam to adopt and assist in alleviating some of the negative perspectives on religion.