From: tehhhal@ioe.ac.uk (MR HANIF LADHA)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: drinking and dancing
Date: 6 Jan 93 01:46:05 GMT
Reply-To: tehhhal@ioe.ac.uk (MR HANIF LADHA)
Organization: Institute of Education, University of London
NNTP-Posting-Host: spiff.gnu.ai.mit.edu
Originator: gwydion@spiff.gnu.ai.mit.edu

In <1i5poeINNdvr@life.ai.mit.edu> ahmed@dsg.cs.tcd.ie writes:

>.....              It is forbidden for a muslim to be in a company 
>of (sitting with) other people while they are drinking intoxicants, even
>if he is drinking only pure water.     It is also forbidden for a muslim to 
>take any role of handling intoxicants; selling, manufacturing, carrying, 
>providing raw materials, ..etc.

On what basis do you claim that "It is forbidden for a muslim to be in a
company of (sitting with) other people while they are drinking
intoxicants..."?  There are many places where people consume alcohol apart
from public drinking houses, restuarants for example.  You also see people
drinking in the streets.  To be a *proper* muslim do have to avoid all such
areas.  Based on your claim a *proper* muslim living in UK or Ireland would
not have many (if any) non-muslim friends, since majority of them would
drink. Furthermore, according to you, muslims should be discouraged to have
non-muslim friends.



>2- Dancing:
>~~~~~~~~~~~
>Dancing, I mean mixed dancing, male and female, is a step towards
>adultary, through sexual stimulation. The environment of dancing, in
>general, is a mixture of: consumption of intoxicants, sexual stimulation
>through music and body movement and direct contact between male and
>female. This environment makes the distance towards adultery very short,
>and thus should not be the place for a muslim to go, but a situation to
>avoid.

Certainly some dance forms are sexually explicit.  However, there is a lot
of mixed dancing which is not sexually explicit (or implicit).  You seem to
be against all types of dancing since it involves music and body movement,
all of which according to you leads to sexual stimulation.  Does this mean
muslims cannot listen to music?  A lot of people dance because they are
enjoying the music, not necessarily for sexual excitment.

One can cite many examples which show that music and dance are sexual in
their expression.  But by making a blanket statement against dancing are
you not depriving muslims (in particular) a wonderful expression of
creativity?

>Of course when these things are forbidden to muslims by Allah, it does
>not mean it is allowed for others because they are not muslim. Islam was
>sent to all beings.

Are you content living in your present circumstances?  I am not trying to
be silly.  I am interested in knowing how you are able to function in the
society you live in.  From your email address you not exactly living in an
*Islamic* soceity. How do you resolve, for yourself, the conflicts which
undoubtedly arise between your surroundings and your belief system?

>A real muslim should not go to such situations, and he should be clear
>so as to explain exactly why he doesn't want to be in such situations and 
>he shouldn't feel shy and he should not lie by giving false execuses.

My aim is not to attack your beliefs just to propose some questions for
thought.  Looking forward to your thoughts.


Regards,

Hanif.
-- 
% Hanif A. Ladha (tehhhal@ioe.ac.uk)
% Disclaimer: My opinions are mine alone & do not reflect any organisation
%             that I may be associated with.
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam