It’s not easy explaining everything
A long time ago, my blog visitors were concentrated on a select group of people visiting it, in other words, Arabs. However, I started one day to speak about every day issues of a normal person living in Canada. Like psychological problems, relationship problems, friend problems, etc. Then my blog evolved from being strictly about a pissed off Arab, to a person who is not satisfied with conformed traditions and societies’ ideals.
One day I woke up, and saw that my blog is linked to non-Arabs blogs. People who are not Arabs are stumbling, digging, and advertising my site. I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what I exactly represented to the rest of the world that interested them so much. However, I had to represent the image of an Arab in a better way, which I am. I never actually described Arabs in a bad way. I just described Arabs’ actions and the way they mix religion with culture as horrible, and something that I want to abolish.
I am just one person, but people laugh at me asking how I can do all that. Many persons changed the world. Some in a positive way, and others in a negative way. I don’t think they stopped when someone asked them that question or told them they are out of their minds.
You know what else is funny, 90% of the hate mail and the comments ridiculing me are from Arabs. I don’t even have to prove that Arabs are against change and cannot accept anything else but strictly Arabic traditions. They just come flocking to my site to do that for me.
Now, to the main point, which I should have stated before, but I am not writing an essay here. Many people yesterday were wondering why I am a conservative Muslim, but I am representing rebellion. I will say this for the first and final time, I am not rebellious against Islam in any way. I am rebellious against some of the Arab cultural traditions that have no basis, but are justified by religion. My problem is that we live in such a different world now, that Arabs are not evolving much anymore. In the Arab world, there aren’t many scientists, important scientific discoveries, or being part of the new world of ideas. All Arabs care about is money and hiring foreigners to do the work for them. I don’t think I heard of a University in the Arab world that gets grants from the government and help out students in research. Most of them would rather give them money to go abroad.
Culturally, majority of Arabs have seriously made others look down upon us. People think that Arabs act this way because they are so religious. No. I don’t understand where half the traditions come from. I don’t understand why every Arab’s action is justified by religion. Do many Arabs really follow their religion? That’s my main concern and I am wondering where that red line is between culture and religion.
I know many Arabs now are going to be pissed at me, and some even wonder why I am so conservative and the Arab world is not like this anymore. I am sorry, but I find it hard to believe that Arabs have changed so drastically to the point that they are so westernized now. Yes, some things have changed, or maybe they never did and some individual’s actions are just different, and they are the only people you know very closely and think the rest are like them. There are always exceptions to the rule, but the majority is conservative.
I like being an Arab for two reasons. I speak, read and write the language of the Quran, and we have great food. Well, I don’t eat meat, but if you want great lamb dish with rice, ask an Arab. 
Anyways, back to ranting! My site is not accepted or liked by the majority of Arabs. I know that. I have seen many of the horrible comments that have been written about me by Arabs in this internet world. They are the ones that call them selves Arabs, yet they are the sneakiest, most ruthless, most gossiping people on earth. They stole my pictures, they altered them, they wrote horrible things about me, and made fun of my site constantly. And guess where I am and where they are at? I survived, they died out or are left with their clique of Arab followers.
I stood by my message of being who I am. I was never hiding behind a screen. I never went to other’s blogs to insult them or make fun of them. I never let the pride of being an Arab contaminate me by telling others that I am the purist and best thing on earth.
Did you notice how many sins I mentioned above that Arabs love to do to others? Do you really think I am happy of what Arabs have become? Do you think there is a reason to mix culture with religion? I suggest you separate the two. I did and will continue with my message.
Religion is not culture. Culture is not religion.
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You appear to be saying that you are religiously conservative, but culturally liberal/progressive, am I right?
If so, could I ask in what ways you think your are religiously conservative, and in what ways are you culturally liberal?
@Meyrick Kirby – I follow all the pillars of Islam. I know what is permissible and not. I follow all the rules. Culture, I don’t like traditions. I complain about them a lot on my blog as you have seen. Like the marriage thing, coffee, etc. All these stupid things. I just like to live life like everyone else. I have been living outside of the Arab world more 2/3 of my life so far. I don’t have a reason to live an Arabic life and follow Arabic traditions if I don’t live there!
Mona, I am an Arab, a Palestinian to be exact, and I like your blog, personally I hate some arabic traditions, I like drinking coffee
though.
Religion and culture are basically the same thing. if one is praying all the time, and then fasting, and then following the pillars, then culture kind of becomes relgion. the problem of course arose recently when foriegn cultures began showing up on the scene. so what is to be done? let others follow their cultures and traditions and you follow yours without forcing it upon people, which is of course and the sunnah of the prophet (saws); to not force it upon someone.
I gave a comment a long time ago because I was worried about your depression and lately I have been glad to see you writing about many other things. You actually have seemed to blossom over the past year which makes me happy.
@Jude – yah I agree with you. I am no longer depressed anymore really. I am actually a much happier person.
@Brian
It’s great to live by a utopian ideal of letting everyman follow their own traditions but how feasible is that idea in the tangible world? As you mentioned “foreign cultures began showing up on the scene” this obviously leads to diversification and situations where tradition and culture just do not fit within the new environment.
It’s a problematic grey area where following your own traditions/culture, as it is followed in the homelands, would endeavor to clash with the diverse settings of a multicultural society.
Segregation of ideals and cultures isn’t the key, but a little compromise might be.
Just on a side note, there is a distinction between culture and religion but it’s a very thin line that a lot of people tend to merge. Take a objective perspective of religion and realize that there are set rules. Now look at the different deviations of the set rules in different demographics. You can then see that everything else that is added to the religious practice can be deemed to be culture and not religion but merged so deeply that they seem a unified front. But it’s almost hard to separate i.e the question of what is culture in saudi arabia and what is religion?
but yea, brian you brought up some very interesting points that got me reflecting.
Well said.
Do, you will damn. Don’t you will be damned too. As long as we promote peace and loving kindness to each other. As long as we respect each other differences and yet live together in harmony under one roof in Planet Earth. An ideal World? I believe we can achieve that one step at a time. As long as we go alone that line, we cannot be too wrong.
Mona,
I actually happen to be a white American Muslim male who seems to go through alot of the same frustrations dealing with Muslims who cannot or will not distinguish between culture and religion. One of those things I find most frustrating is girls and their families who will only marry Arabs…like they are the master race or something. Anyways I like your blog…more truthful than most. Keep it up!
Well said!
I know how hard it is to express yourself and have everyone else assume that you’re speaking for everyone else of your race (or religion).
Keep on being rebellious! I love your blog just the way it is!
I admire your stance of speaking about “hush hush” subjects that others would never consider (because of saving face). I admire your strength to write about the things you have passion for and I have you on ly list of favorite blogs. Am not an Arab but a Puerto Rican American who enjoys your fiesty ways!!
I think that you express yourself very well, but because of the nature of the subject and such strong opinions people will always find fault with that. But I hope you keep writing because I think these issues are important, and they apply to many other groups than Arabs. You’re great at writing too.
An Arab with a life outside politics? We are ridiculed if we don’t obsess about the political situation. How ayb that we can talk about a movie when our brothers are dying in Gaza.
Not quite. We have a rich history, and to narrow it down to politics – or more specifically, religious-politics – is doing a dissservice to our culture.
We are Arabs. We are secular. And we invented hummus.
Sasa, the Syria News Wire.
mona ur right .. bt hey I’m a palestinian muslim girl , love ur blog , n i’m so proud of u seriously so glad to have a girl like u try to make things right ,, .. n yea there r loads of arab who mix traditions with culture,,which iz a bullshit > n yea .. most of our traditions r wrongful especially about women .. though our religion gives us all the rights > i know u no that already especially wen an arab woman cant marry a non- arab man while the opposite iz possible n so common > cuz i live among them – in dubai – > i know how things work here ..bt as u said there r always exceptions to the rulz .. i’m one of these exceptions ,,i assure u lots of arab r one of them as well .. keep goin n don look back..