American Islam Goes Commercial

Spirituality and shopping at US Muslim convention

www.guardian.co.uk

It started as a forum to discuss how to spread the message of Islam, but after more than 40 years the biggest Muslim gathering in North America has become a magnet for consumerism.

Around 40,000 people poured into the Islamic Society of North America's 44th annual convention in Rosemount, Illinois, over the weekend. The huge convention centre was packed with 333 stalls catering for the modern Muslim's every need, including a digital Qur'an audio player, festive Ramadan lights, a pre-packed funeral kit, halal jerky and a mobile phone application that provides daily prayer times for more than 12,000 cities worldwide.

(visit the link for the full article.)


It seems that the "evil religion of Islam" is thriving in the U.S.A.

While most of the world is focused on Islamic terrorism, Islamic consumerism is growing, offering high tech gadgets, etc. to Muslims.

Through these advents aimed at an exclusive Islamic market, could there be an underlying agenda of recruitment and/or conversion?

Where do the profits go?

What the heck is in that pre-packed funeral kit?

"What the heck is in that pre-packed funeral kit? "

A Gallon of Petrol and a match??

reply to post by Chorlton


that is not funny and so what its religion and its spreading got a problem with that i heard fastest growing religion in america

reply to post by manzoor



I see you havent got to the bit about 'humour' in your political correctness lessons yet?

Read what was written then read what I posted.Then try to work it out.



[edit on 3/9/07 by Chorlton]

Originally posted by UM_Gazz

What the heck is in that pre-packed funeral kit?

That's putting American commercialism into an old ritual!

I'd assume it contains the standard burial shroud a.k.a. the kafan and probably a whole bunch of prayer booklets for the prayers (by the attendees) that go with the burial. It's just a guess, but I'm almost 100% sure, because if I were in the US looking to make money this way, that's what I'd put in a "pre-packed funeral kit".

Edit to add:

In Malaysia the local mosques have funeral packages as well, to expedite the burial process. You pre-pay a certain amount, and when the time comes, the mosque staff will handle everything so that your loved ones can grief without having to go through the headache of making funeral arrangements. I'm not sure if this is the same in other countries, but it is possible that this "pre-packed funeral kit" includes a similar arrangement.

Edit to add another:

This part here, I'm sure it's an American invention:



Hahahaha! Speed dating with chaperones! I'm afraid Malaysia is still too conservative for that, but that's an innovation right there!

[edit on 3-9-2007 by Beachcoma]

So what, there is Catholic church MALLS in the US.

Not to mention the TV shows for "BUY MY SELF HELP RELIGIOUS BOOKS" non stop on US channels.

Pot, meet the kettle.

My religion is better than your arguments?

Originally posted by Beachcoma
Hahahaha! Speed dating with chaperones! I'm afraid Malaysia is still too conservative for that, but that's an innovation right there!

At $75 per head even! Nothing like Islam on an American budget, I wonder if they take Visa?

Thanks for the input on the funeral kit.

I guess one point that may be missed is that for so much of the Muslim world to have strong hatred for the USA, they have all of our freedoms and economy to do as they wish with here in this hated nation.

I suppose western culture mixed with Islam could make the religion more attractive to some Americans as well.

Freedom of religion, gotta love it!

JellyBeanGirl: Huh? What are you talking about? Nobody implied anything of the sort you are alluding to...

UM_Gazz: I think the hatred is more towards the foreign policies of the US Gov, not so much the nation or the people. Me personally, I try not to hate, but nowhere does it states I can't dislike.

Edit: "Reply to" button wasn't working...

[edit on 3-9-2007 by Beachcoma]

In other news Muslims pray .
How is this an important current event ?
Muslims in the US would form just another market that can be taped into by firms looking to sell the products. In fact such consumerism is also likely to be a factor in helping US society by having moderate Muslims embrace elements of US society. If these people were Christians and not Muslims no one would blink.

As for the pre-packed funeral kit it probably similar to the pre paid funeral plans I see advertised on TV all the time. In a nation a largely Christian nation it would pay for Muslims to have there funeral planned in advance to ensure that there belief system is respected.

[edit on 3-9-2007 by xpert11]