A professor named Hussain Askari from George Washington University did a study on how well different countries follow Islamic rules. Surprisingly, countries you might not expect came out on top. New Zealand, for example, was rated the highest, followed by Luxembourg, Ireland, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, and Canada. Even though countries like Malaysia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are known for being Muslim, they didn’t score as well. Bangladesh, too, ranked lower than expected.
The study found something interesting: while Muslims are very good at following personal religious practices like praying and fasting, they struggle to apply Islamic rules to society, work, and government.
Stories from different places show this contrast. A Chinese businessperson talked about Muslim traders who sell fake products but won’t eat non-halal food. And a Japanese person who converted to Islam noticed that Westerners often act more like Muslims than people in Eastern countries where Islam is widespread.
Islam isn’t just about rituals like praying; it’s about how you live your life and treat others. The Prophet Muhammad taught that true faith isn’t just about what you do outwardly but also about being honest and fair.
Islam has two sides: the public side, where you declare your faith, and the private side, where you live according to Islamic values. If you don’t have both, you’re missing something important.
While being a good Muslim is about your personal relationship with God, it’s also about how you treat others and build a better community. As one wise person said, Islam is a great religion, but sometimes its followers don’t live up to its teachings.
The study suggests that if we want to truly follow Islam, we need to look at ourselves honestly and work together to make our communities better. It’s a journey we all can take, one step at a time.
A Journey To True Self 