(April 1, 2010) — As the rest of the class solves math problems in teacher Charles DeVore’s sixth period class, junior Abu Saleh Imtiyaj walks to the cybrary. With advance permission from library/media teacher Susan Newcomer, he enters the quiet room and starts to pray. “I have to pray five times a day, so Mrs. Newcomer lets me come in during fifth/sixth period,” said Imtiyaj. He said that in other religions, some people would only follow some of the laws and precepts. In Islam, however, there is no in-between. Imtiyaj believes a person is either a fully practicing member or not. During the month of Ramadan all Muslims are to fast, pray and abstain from activities such as cursing. In America, Muslims make up 0.6% of the population, meaning, each year, 1,800,000 people celebrate Ramadan. This is supposed to prepare one to follow his or her faith correctly during the rest of the year. According to Imtiyaj, though, many Muslims only behave perfectly during Ramadan and then quickly lapse back to their previous behavior. He feels that this is wrong and that people should try harder during the year. Sometimes, though, Imtiyaj finds observing his religion difficult. “During Ramadan, sometimes I have to stay up until 11 or 12 p.m., which means school work keeps me up all night,” said Imtiyaj. He has also had to deal with the awkwardness of the media connecting Muslims and terrorists. “Normally, it’s not a problem at all if you don’t listen to the media,” Imtiyaj said. While not everyone is as committed to his or her religion as Imtiyaj, some don’t even practice a religion. Junior Derek Sobol has been an agnostic, one of over seven million, and growing, in America, for the last two years. “An agnostic is someone who is neither religious nor thinks that a god doesn’t exist,” said Sobol. That means he is willing to change his beliefs if he sees proof of a god or higher power. While some would consider Sobol an atheist, to him, “atheism seems as much a belief” as any religion. Sobol became an agnostic partly because he doesn’t want others’ opinions forced on him or to force his opinions on others. “I believe people in this country are trying too hard to press their beliefs on others, namely Christians,” said Sobol. He disagrees with those who are trying to ban abortion for everyone because of their religious beliefs. “People can believe what they want to believe, just not near me.”
To believe or not to believe
April 1, 2010
Leave a Comment