Z Ali 

May 29/2002

Dear Ali Sina,   

    I stumbled across your site by accident and it really made me stop in my tracks.  I must say, you sound like you are very well versed in religion and Islam and you make really good arguments.  (you must have been in debate in high school!)  Well, I am a "Muslim" born in the US and my parents are from Bangladesh.  They are about as conservative as they get.  As the days go by, I question religion and Islam in particular all the time.  You are the first person that I have seen that has challenged Islam with so much info. to back it up, it is mind-blowing.  Over the last few years, I have been struggling with the weirdness of Islam and it is something that I wish more people would open their mind to and explore.  I was raised in a muslim household, went to Sunday school, go to Eid prayers, etc.  It wasn't until college and beyond that I started to really analyze Islam for what it really is.  Lately, it has been a real big issue with me.  A couple of years ago, I married a non-muslim and my family went crazy.  She is a normal girl, kind, etc. yet my family considers her the devil himself who ruined the entire sanctity of their convoluted little world.  Well, this is a typical example of how intolerant Islam truly is.  I know of so many muslim guys who are in a mixed ethnic/religious marriage and it is nothing short of a roller coaster ride from hell!  I ask any of the so-called pious muslims to ask themselves, if Islam is so tolerant, bring home a nice white boy or girl to your house, and see what happens.  I seriously doubt they would accept them with open arms, or they would force them to convert.

One of the problems with Islam is that it is not a religion that is compatible with the 21st century.  I get so pissed off when I have some sort of discussion on the fallacies of Islam and some ignorant muslim will go on and on about stuff that happened centuries ago. There's their argument.  On things that happened so long ago and which are so poorly documented, who knows what is the truth.  Islam hasn't flourished past the 14th century.  Technology in this day and age are so far ahead and leaves most muslim counties in the Dark Ages.  I ask the readers out there......tell me one country where Islam actually works...where everyone is living in peace and harmony, by the guidelines set forth in the Quran.  NONE.  The only one that comes close is America and that is because Islam to most families is a watered down version of its true self.  Islam does not work in a modern society.  Islam has contributed so little to mankind, I wonder how so many people still embrace it.  Whether it is science, technology, music, sports, fashion, etc. they are mostly contributions from non-muslims.  Go to NASA and see how many muslims are thinking up brilliant things.  If there are any, they are ones that have been educated in a Christian or modern society.

The other huge problem in Islam is the fact that in poor nations, people have nothing to do but be poor and feel miserable and just sit around and ponder the worlds problems.  I have been to many muslim nations visiting family and friends and most are poor and have nothing to do but sit around and recite the Quran and don't have a clue what they are reading.  Then they read the paper, or watch the news, assume they know about foriegn policy, and then blame the US or Europe for all the problems in the world.  These terrorist that commit atrocities like that of 9/11, they don't have much going on in their lives. If they were business owners, making good money, contributing to the education system or society, I doubt they would blow themselves up.  Americans or most modern societies are just too cool for that.  We got things going for us.  We are too damn busy for anything else.  I know so many people in Bangladesh for example that find nothing wrong with what the terrorists did.  They feel that because their lives are so bleak, that at least they got one for the hometeam....they got the best of a rich nation that can spare lives and afford it.  Well, here in America or other civilized nations, we don't think about these things.  I am too busy wondering why the hell my cable bill is so freaking high...not about my roles as a good "muslim"  That is what the Taliban is all about.  A bunch of uneducated Mullahs who are so close minded and have read nothing further than the Quran or Hadiths.  Ask them if they have read any Hawthorne or Shakesphere.  They have no clue of what is going on in the world or the evolution of mankind outside of their little world.  And unfortunately, in countries like my parents country of  Banglasdesh, people are so backwards and have such a polluted, folktale version of religion, it just filters down and gets passed on from generation to generation.

But what is scary is the fact that the most f'd up muslims are the ones from the "Mother Land" Saudi Arabia.  My parents just came back from Hajj and let me tell you......Arabs hate Americans......period.  They treated my parents so poorly, and my parents are super religious.  They blast and badmouth America so much but embrace our technology and our oil buying capacity.  If they were so bright and if Allah was on their side, why didn't a muslim get to invent the internet??  Why arent' any of the wonderful technological advances in humanity from one of Allah's crew?  And you would think that the Saudis would be the ones who really know the religion because they speak, read and write the language.  Look at the terrorists of 9/11, all Arabic speaking.  They are not a bunch of wackos, they actually understand the true meaning of what it is to be a Muslim.  For all the people who write in and complain about this site......how many of you actually understand the Quran.  True it is written in some sort of weird poetic high Arabic, but still, those who speak Arabic have a hell of an advantage over someone who doesn't speak the language.  For those who practice Islam and don't speak Arabic.....don't you wonder what the hell you are saying when you pray or recite the Quran?  Just because it sounds divine doesn't make it right.  For all you know, it could be saying "kill, rape, slaughter, maime,!"  Well, according to you, it does so I apologize! 

Anyways, I could go on and on.  I just hope someone reads this and at least question themselves..what are they suscribing to.  If one feels that Islam is the way to go, then they should not be afraid to play devils advocate.  It will only make them stronger.  As for me, who the hell knows what is in store.  We all wonder what religion is right.....Islam, Christianity, Judaism, etc.  When it is all said and done, for all we know, we have been wasting our time trying to get bonus points for our front row seats in heaven and then we die and realize....there is nothing....it's lights out.....The sad fact is that the only way you can find out THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH is to see it first hand and be dead.  But if all you find is worms are going through your skull, well.....your're S.O.L.   Where the hell's my remote, I hear there's something good on HBO tonight! 

Z. Ali