Comments on: An Islamic love story

by: Waseem

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:29:30 +0000

This is for my Christian Jordanian fellow’s comment:
I feel sorry for you that you are full of hate, which is so against your Bible’s teachings. I have lots of Christian friends, Jordanians and Palestinians and they don’t share the same views that you have for Islam. However, all of the questions that you have regarding the laws of Jordan as compared to the laws of the US, you must direct them to the governments of these countries. The two countries are secular governments and they do not apply any religious law. If Jordan applies the Islamic law, believe me, you will know.
Now, for your question regarding my children if they have a choice to be baptized when they grew up, I can tell you this: they do have a choice, but I will make sure that they will not. Just like I will make sure that they do not become homosexuals, criminals, drug addicts, terrorists, alcoholics, etc. I am their father and it is my duty to raise them the in the way that I see fit. When they grew older, it is their choice what they do with their lives. If they stay with my teachings that will be a success to my raising methods and will really make me happy. If they do not, I will be sad.
Again, if you have anything against the laws of Jordan or the US, you must contact the government’s representative nearest to you.
Now regarding to what you agree and not agree to where my wife is going, heaven or hell, I don’t think she or anyone else cares about what you think. Allah, the one we believe who created us, knows where we will go. After all, you don’t own heaven or hell. The one, who owns them, decides who enters them.
Regarding a Muslim woman marrying a Christian man, it is forbidden in Islam. That is our religion my friend. I am surprised that you do not know of this since you were raised in Jordan?!! However, if a Christian woman wants to marry a Muslim man, she DOES NOT have to convert to Islam. I am also surprised that you do not know of this?!
My wife did not become a Muslim so she could marry me. I could write a lot in this area, but it is personal and I choose not to share it with you.
Final note, Muslim women have the freedom that Islam gives them. It is the same for the Muslim men. I, as a man in Islam can not drink alcohol. Where is the freedom in that??
Freedom my friend is not what you define; it is how you choose to live. If you choose to become an American, America has laws and you have to abide with them. For example, you can’t marry more than one wife in the state of Wisconsin. Where is the freedom in that? You can’t smoke Marlboros in the airport of Chicago, where is the freedom in that?
You can not do lots of things if you are a Muslim. These are called laws my friend, and Muslims are good law abiding people.

by: UmmFarouq

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:40:06 +0000

Hello,
Thank you so much for this series of photos and essays about your trip to our fair city, Amman. I am going to forward your URL to my family in the US; I’ve been here six years now and am still waiting on a visit from my family members.

These posts are beautiful and poignant; you really capture the essence of life here and show great respect to your son-in-law, his family, and the way of life your daughter has chosen (which is the same way of life I chose, some fourteen years ago).

We have had the pleasure of meeting Jenan through our sisters’ group and were supposed to visit her at her house yesterday but the weather has been ‘inclement.’ I am really looking forward to meeting her in person, inshaAllah. Take care.

by: Jordanian

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:36:44 +0000

I grew up as one of the minority 4% Christians in Jordan, I really hate the Arab Islamic laws. Why can’t Muslims convert to become Christians in Jordan? Why is it illegal? Why do we Christians have to convert to Islam if we wanted to get married to Muslims? Why should our children be forced to be registered as Muslims? Why is it legal in the US for a Christian to convert to Islam, but illegal in Jordan for a Muslim to convert to Christianity or any other religion for that matter? Where is the freedom that God has given us as human beings, if you are forced to believe in one religion and one religion only? Is that God’s freedom?

If these wonderful 4 children(when they grow up) did not like Islam do they have a choice to believe in something else, or to for example get baptized in a church? can they do that without being persecuted by Muslims in Jordan? Its good they are American, they have a choice to back to the US and choose to believe and think like they wish to believe and think. However, think about the millions of other Jordanian Kids who don’t have that choice. Their whole life story is written on them as soon as they are born.

This is where I don’t agree with you, it’s not about her going to heaven or hell. She had the privilege to choose to get married to a Muslim man living in Jordan. How many Muslim Jordanian women have the privilege to get married to a Christian man living in America, have you not heard of honor killing? She had a choice and she chose what’s best for her, but she had a Choice!!! most Muslim Jordanian women will never experience this ability to choose what’s right for them.

by: Amjad

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:52:54 +0000

I couldn’t have expressed your sentiment any better about what my uncle & Jenan have gone through to get where they are at today. I am often asked about women in Islam, and it’s always very difficult for me to explain… my mother was not a “slave” to my father; my grandmother raised eight children through a war as her husband struggled to make ends meat miles away… The Moslem women I have known throughout my 31 years of existence are equals at the very least to their male counterparts… but when it comes from an Arab’s mouth, it can’t be true & is biased… thank you for giving me a reference point the next time I’m asked to explain what a woman’s place is within Islam & Arab culture.

by: sean coon

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 21:26:49 +0000

thanks, terry.

by: Holly

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:40:20 +0000

This is a beautiful story that I’ve now read six times, and it has made me cry every single time. Besides being gorgeous, those children are very, very lucky.

Terry’s insights about his trip to Jordan and his Muslim daughter should really become an article for Salon or some other such venue, and if he ever gets tired of preaching to news executives, he could just start taking pictures for a living.

Stunning. Photos.

by: thedetroitchannel

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:29:25 +0000

it’s been great to watch those children’s faces warm to the camera.

thanks for the heartfelt writings, terry.