Muslim Values in the Modern World

From reading the text, there seems to be a difference between American Muslims and traditional Muslims. While I have some American friends who would consider themselves traditional Muslims, their engagement in practices such as arranged marriages are significantly different from courtship for most Americans. I find it very interesting that most women in traditional Muslim countries (Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia) are unable to experience the freedoms that women in Asian countries and America experience, such as having a job outside the home and do things that most Americans take for granted such as drive a car. After reading about the strict Islamic dress code, I wonder if this difference in dress results in fewer sexual assault crimes than America or if there is not much of a difference. I greatly appreciate the emphasis that Islam places on respecting one’s elders – something that I believe Americans could do a better job at. The prohibition of alcohol that Islam practices reminds me of the decision America made to prohibit alcohol for a time. Both stemmed from the abuse of alcohol preceding the time these rules were written. I continue to find it interesting that artificial insemination from anyone besides the husband is strictly forbidden. What happens if the husband is sterile? Is he completely unable to call a child his own in this religion – especially as adoption is also not commonly practiced or accepted in Muslim culture? Overall, I find the reasoning behind Islamic tradition to be significantly based on the circumstantial history of Muhammad and how he lived his life – specifically in regards to diet (consuming animals) and alcohol prohibition.