Why do women choose to be Muslims?

[the_bob_delusion]

I know no one here are really ridgey didgey Muslims. But I'm just curious how women rationalize choosing Islam as a guide to life??? If you were in their shoes, how would you justify it? 

WHat does Islam provide these women that other religion can't??? Islam is the fastest growing religion even in Western countries. THere must be something attractive about it for women. 

I'm not talking about women who are indoctrinated as kids and brainwashed but women who have the option of choice later in life. 

I just want to hear logical and rational reasons why YOU THINK these women choose to become the whole hog of burkas/hijabs wearing muslims??

[darksideofthemoon]

not all muslim women are treated inferior.   treating women inferior has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the male of the species wanting control.  it happens in many cultures irrespective of religion and has done since time began.  religion is often just used as an excuse.  male domination tries to keep women under control in many ways including establishing and reinforcing female body shape issues.

why women choose to follow a religion is due to many reasons including tradition, faith, need for community.  my sister who was never religious but grew up catholic has become a very staunch christian (baptist) since marrying her husband and becoming involved with his church

Good post vampire and dot on.  There will be aspects of the Muslim religion that answers the needs for women in a way that is not answered in any other religion.

The same can be said for any religion, people 'find God' and whatever the particular group they join it is where they feel more at home than other religions.

Your problem bob is that you can only think of the women being downgraded by this religion, as we are so often told about Islam, but that is not true, it's as vampire says, a male thing ... it's the same in the Catholic religion, women are also downgraded, but we are so used to seeing it we are now blind to it.

Think about the dominanation of the Pope and all the men who rule the Catholic religion, that contraception is not allowed and women are supposed to keep on having babies no matter what... they are sinful if they practice contraception!

That is just an example, but if I was a Muslim I think I would be very wary of changing to becoming a Catholic 🙂

[darksideofthemoon]

A lot of people, both male and female, convert to Islam because of disillusionment over western society - consumerism, superficiality, and anything-goes sense of morality, etc. They like the simplicity and stability that Islam offers. They like the clear black-and-white distinctions between right and wrong. Women often like the clearly defined roles for men and women in Islam. They don't see it as oppressive but liberating. They believe Muslim women have been wrongly portrayed in the media. They like the high value Islam places on family and motherhood. They reject the stereotypical portrayals of Islam in the western press.

Some convert to Islam because they reject Christianity. The complexity of Christianity, with it's three-headed God and its fully divine human being, doesn't make sense to them. They prefer the simplicity of Islam, which to them makes much more sense. I read quite a few conversion stories where women (and men) were sick of the hypocrisy of whatever form of Christianity they were raised in.

Since this mass conversion of women to Islam often stems from disillusionment over the religion and society they were raised in, and since this is a relatively new phenomena, it is my belief (or hope anyway) that after they have been immersed in Islamic culture for a while, they will eventually begin to see the negatives of that too, and that same disillusionment that led to their embrace of Islam will lead to their eventual rejection of it.

All these people converting to Islam is mostly a post-911 phenomena. Ever since then, people have been curious about Islam, and many have converted. This is sad IMO. A terrible act of terrorism has, as it's net effect, made Islam MORE popular in the west instead of less popular. Apparently terrorism works in the long run 😞

I have to agree what what you are saying godsandmen, and I feel the same about western culture, it has become crude and greedy and I can well understand that people changing to Islam might feel it is a good answer to their concerns, but as you also say, Islam also has its faults and maybe a lot of people will end up rejecting that too.

Maybe it's time the world stood on it's own feet, saw things the way they really are and let religion go?

[i-need-a-martini]

Aside from marriage, it is relatively well documented that most people who convert to any religion do it because they are missing something in their lives. Or they have have had some kind traumatic event occur in their lives like a divorce or death. This would be the same with any person converting to Islam.

Islam just happens to be the most prominent religion at the moment. If you lived in Sydney in the late 70's-80's and were wanting to convert then you would have become a Rajneeshee cause that was the prominent religion at the time. And if you wanted something more in your life in the 60's you would have joined a commune and followed their doctrines.

To say that people choose to convert because they like one religions bible over another is too simplistic - ultimately most bibles says the same thing. It's just that most people in need choose to read OTHER religions bibles when they feel their own life is out of control. It's probably the first time they have ever read and thoroughly thought through the contents of any bible. So of course it is 'enlightening'.

I also think that there is a specific other reason why some women convert to islam as opposed to other religions - it is seen as a safe religions for women. It's a religion that excludes men from their lives. It's a religion that doesn't focus on the face and body like general society does. It's a religion that focuses on a womens nuturing role in society. There is no ambiguity between the role of a man and the role of a woman. Life seems a lot simpler particularly if your life is messy and out of control.

[the_bob_delusion]

A lot of people, both male and female, convert to Islam because of disillusionment over western society - consumerism, superficiality, and anything-goes sense of morality, etc. They like the simplicity and stability that Islam offers. They like the clear black-and-white distinctions between right and wrong. Women often like the clearly defined roles for men and women in Islam. They don't see it as oppressive but liberating. They believe Muslim women have been wrongly portrayed in the media. They like the high value Islam places on family and motherhood. They reject the stereotypical portrayals of Islam in the western press.

Some convert to Islam because they reject Christianity. The complexity of Christianity, with it's three-headed God and its fully divine human being, doesn't make sense to them. They prefer the simplicity of Islam, which to them makes much more sense. I read quite a few conversion stories where women (and men) were sick of the hypocrisy of whatever form of Christianity they were raised in.

Since this mass conversion of women to Islam often stems from disillusionment over the religion and society they were raised in, and since this is a relatively new phenomena, it is my belief (or hope anyway) that after they have been immersed in Islamic culture for a while, they will eventually begin to see the negatives of that too, and that same disillusionment that led to their embrace of Islam will lead to their eventual rejection of it.

All these people converting to Islam is mostly a post-911 phenomena. Ever since then, people have been curious about Islam, and many have converted. This is sad IMO. A terrible act of terrorism has, as it's net effect, made Islam MORE popular in the west instead of less popular. Apparently terrorism works in the long run 😞

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks Godsmend. There's a real problem when you start seeing things in black and white. You become colour blind to everything else. If people want structure in their life, then make structure in their life then but I guess it's easier to choose one where the rules are already set out. 

I did skim over the video you offered Eve. So these women looked into it and studied the religion and found out it's true(as well as points mentioned already). My question to you Eve is why doesn't the evidence of the truth claim of Islam convince you??? Are you not reasonable??? DO you think they're mistaken and your God is the true God. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, so it must be true right? THese people can't all be wrong right?

[lurker17260]

I would suggest you read "From my Sisters Lips; a unique celebration of Muslim womanhood"  by Na'ima B. Robert if you are really interested.  It is some years now since I read it, but it made quite an impact on my thinking of Islamic women.

Some snippets from some reviews:

Na’ima and these women have defied common negative stereotypes and perceptions of Muslim women by the west by showing the positive impact Islam has on their lives as intelligent modern-day women from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds brought up and living in a western society with strong western influences and values.

The Author describes her and others journey to discover islam,she talks about how her perspective in life changed and how everything is viewed differently after she embraced Islam.

Third part discusses life in practice of Islam, Jobs, relationships, sexuality, marriage, families, fashion and night life,before and after and how it impacted the muslim women personality and psychology,and motives.

The book ends by what the author believes is the ultimate gift she found by islam which is the sisterhood of muslim women,which the author believes it as the strongest bond she has found in her life.

In fact, your OP has inspired me to re-read this book and re aquaint myself with what Na'ima wrote.   See you all later 😄

[i-need-a-martini]

Bob - I don't know why you keep repeating that "islam is the fastest growing religion..." mantra.

In Australia, Hinduism has only recently overtaken Buddhism as the fastest growing religion. But Buddhism is still the largest non-Christian religion in Australia.

The only people that repeatedly say the same thing about Islamic religion are the ones who publish anti-Islamic information in order to scare and prejudice.

[icyfroth]

I know no one here are really ridgey didgey Muslims. But I'm just curious how women rationalize choosing Islam as a guide to life??? If you were in their shoes, how would you justify it? 

WHat does Islam provide these women that other religion can't??? Islam is the fastest growing religion even in Western countries. THere must be something attractive about it for women. 

I'm not talking about women who are indoctrinated as kids and brainwashed but women who have the option of choice later in life. 

I just want to hear logical and rational reasons why YOU THINK these women choose to become the whole hog of burkas/hijabs wearing muslims??

"the whole hog" is rather an unfortunate term when referring to Islam. Freudian slip?

[**meep**]

My question to you Eve is why doesn't the evidence of the truth claim of Islam convince you??? Are you not reasonable??? DO you think they're mistaken and your God is the true God. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, so it must be true right? THese people can't all be wrong right?

Bob, to me, it is not a question of who is right or wrong.  You need to understand why the are different religions.  As far as I am concerned, both Christians and Muslims believe in the same God.  Think of the two religions as different vehicles.  We are all going in the same direction.  I am not concerned about what cars other people drive, I am concerned about keeping my own vehicle well maintained so it lasts the journey.

You keep saying Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.  Is it due to birth rate or conversion?  If it is due to conversions, what are the figures?

[**meep**]

Think about the dominanation of the Pope and all the men who rule the Catholic religion, that contraception is not allowed and women are supposed to keep on having babies no matter what... they are sinful if they practice contraception!

That is just an example, but if I was a Muslim I think I would be very wary of changing to becoming a Catholic 🙂

That is another misconception (no pun intended) about Catholicism on your part  but I will leave it for another, relevant discussion.

[**meep**]

Icy :^O