Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Dare I ask?

Years ago I came across a site which I can't remember the name of which let people ask people of different ethnicities, races etc questions about things they had always wondered about. It was great because you got to hear from people without actually confronting real live people and offending/annoying them. So after being muslim for 19 yrs I am still wondering why muslims do the things they do. If you can answer go ahead.

1. Why do Pakistanis feel it is wrong to have more than 3 children?
2. Why is 5-6 kids the maximum that arabs will have? (in the west).
3. Why do so many muslims leave their shoes on when visiting?
4.  Why do muslims who do take off thier shoes leave their kids shoes on which are equally dirty?
5.  Why do so many muslims have no curtain in their washroom? (why wear hijab then?)
6.  Why do so many muslims have no towels to wipe their hands off in the bathroom?

That's about it if I think of more then I will add to it.

12 comments:

  1. wow -- you must know some nasty muslims! :(

    I don't know the answer to #1

    #2 - I think that 5-6 seems like A LOT out here in the west.

    #3 - never had this happen. Though once, I had someone bring a second pair of shoes (sort of house/slipper shoes).

    #4 - also never happened to me. Shoes for kids are bad anyhow...it's better for the development of their feet to be without. If I were visiting you, my kids would have their shoes off as soon as we walked in the door (and me too!)

    #5 We have no curtain in our washroom -- but we also have no window. Windows in a washroom are a deal breaker for me. When shopping for homes, a bathroom with a window was an immediate no.

    #6 - I don't know, but I hate it when that happens!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. lol it must be an Ontario muslim thing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. that website doesn't sound very PC *cough, cough* but it would make for some interesting reading...

    Here's my take:
    1. Can't answer that, I'm not Pakistani, although most Pakistani families I know have a max of 4 or 5 kids (top max). Personally I think it's no one else's business why anyone does or doesn't have kids or what number they have. Muslims can be just too darn nosey at times, especially on reproductive matters. grr.
    2. Don't ask me to figure out the Arabs LOL I've been married to one for over 25 years, so I'm allowed to say that ;-)
    3. No one is a strict as the Malaysians on removing footwear in the home... my SIL is Malaysian so I can say this too ;-)
    4. No idea, but I see it happen even in the masjid...
    5. That's just weird. My bathrooms have no windows, I would actually like a window for ventilation purps but you can be darn sure it would have a curtain. I'm ALL about the cover-up!
    6. In my house it's because a certain someone walked out absent-mindedly drying his hands on the towel... then gets riled up because there's No Towel In The Bathroom whilst I'm wondering why the heck there's a slightly damp towel on the sofa/desk/you name it. But on the rare occasions we have company coming, I make sure there are clean towels in both bathrooms. Unless I forgot, of course... o_O

    ReplyDelete
  4. lol I asked number 1 because all the Pakistanis I've ever met have never had more than 3 except this one poor woman who everyone was making fun of behind her back who had 4! (gasp) All her kids are really smart too,masha Allah. I don't know why they think this way so that is why I'm asking. Also they used to always yell at me for having a lot of kids.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Salaamu alaikum,
    Interesting questions. I have one for in-laws in Morocco (which will not be asked):

    Why are there no waste bins in bathrooms? I was baffled, and horrified I had to smuggle (somehow!?) my sanity items (ahem) to where??? my purse? their kitchen? ewww! It wasn't just their house either. Why?
    Have another Moroccan who evil about menstruation "evidence" left behind (beyond normal), and makes his daughters lives hell--won't even take them out.
    What is this taboo?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wa Alaikum Salaam

    I read in a forum once that the reason is that people use it for black magic. Yeah I know unbelievable but that's what they said.

    In Malaysia many times I couldn't find a garbage can period! It was very different from Canada and recycling doesn't exist at all.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Salam alaykom,

    Interesting questions.....LOL

    2. My mother stopped at 6...LOL coincidence? I think 6 was enough as we were all after each other and my dad was constantly traveling so she was mostly a single mum. She did a good job IMO since we all turned out normal alhamdulillah LOL, at least I think we are haha!

    3. I always take off my shoes even when ppl say "don't take off our shoes". I know in my brothers house the down stairs is all tiled so they leave shoes on but upstairs is no shoes. Personally I feel like I am rude to leave my shoes on....but once I took my shoes off when I was told not to and I went home with my socks being so filhty that now I listen LOL. So I will take my shoes off automatically unless told not to ;)

    3. I always take of Juju's shoes....sorry but that is just common sense!

    4. I don't have a curtain in my toilet but the window is frosted and a little high. Would you leave it with no curtain....now I am wondering if I should cover it....hmm?

    5. With no visitors, dh and I use our own towels but I make sure to put a fresh hand towel for visitors and bath towels for when they make wudoo.

    And at mums she never had a bin in the toilet too and it pissed us girls off LOL and she never put one....I think b/c my brothers would be nosey and have a peek....gross...LOL. I have one in my house though...can't live without it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wa Alaikum Salaam

    Hmm for number 3 it seems arabs have this rule of carpeted floor vs non-carpeted floor. Why? I think they don't know the reason for muslims taking off their shoes which is to avoid najis in the house when you pray.

    4. Go outside at night and see if you can see anything..make sure someone is standing in the bathroom of course.

    5. What's with the personal towels? In Malaysia people had their own bath towels too which makes sense I guess but they kept them in their bedrooms. Hand towels were never seen in the bathroom. I guess since its so hot they think they will just dry automatically?

    As for garbage cans we have one in the bathroom and also in the bedrooms. We expect the female members to keep their unmentionables in the bedroom garbage cans and not the bathroom ones. That's how I was raised. I don't know how muslims deal with that usually since I was raised Christian.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Salam alaykom,

    With praying and najis....we always pray on a musalah so not on dirty floor. Personally me, not shoes on carpet or tiles.....I have a kid running around plus that is what I am used to anyways.

    Inshallah will do that about the window...LOL

    We keep our towels in the bathroom. Just makes sense to me....it is annoying to remember to grab ur towel b4 showering.

    Also, ladies stuff go in the bathroom bin....why would you wanna carry that outside to your bedroom...lol.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ladies stuff..well you wouldn't want your toddler getting a hold of it in the bathroom garbage or your little kids asking questions right? Also embarrassing around boys and guests.

    ReplyDelete
  11. As salaamu alaikum,

    My in-laws are from India and I've been told that more than two children is too much so many times (we have four).

    I always take my shoes off (that's how I was raised - African American family and my dad and mom never wore shoes in the house - they are both neat freaks, lol).

    The children always take their shoes off too.

    We have towels, lol.

    No windows in the bathroom.

    Our trash bins are tiny but have lids on them so I put everything in them. If any boys or men peek it's their own faults for being nosy, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wa Alaikum Salaam

    I laughed when I read the last statement. What will you say to your kids when they ask though?

    ReplyDelete