Meet a practicing Muslim over a hot drink and chat about their faith

The first question has produced a second in the comments: http://www.43things.com/comments/thread/1699904

So… my meet over a hot drink just ain’t happening :) . So, as a last ditch effort, I’m going to try just posting the occasional question here and just see what happens.

As said before; I imagine these will have a negative air to them, but that’s exactly my point in seeking comment; to dispel this negative impression that I’m building.

So…

I’ve read recently in an article by a Muslim theologist that the veil is not mentioned or proposed in the Qur’an but arose later as a tradition rather than an essential aspect of the religion. Thus to wear a veil is to follow Muslim tradition rather to be strictly adhering to the religion.

I’ve never read it and thus can’t claim any real knowledge here, but I’d be very interested to hear more about this if anyone can/would inform me?

Okay… I’ll give it another month and hopefully someone will take me up on it. Anybody?

I really really want to do this, but I can’t do it by myself. If anyone’s in London and can help with this; that would be great.

Basically, I find myself barraged by negative images of Islam. Balaklava-clad men waving AK-47’s outside of an embassy to protest against a cartoon associating the prophet with violence. Beheadings. Hate speech in mosques. And so on and on and on…

I know this isn’t what it’s really about. But, in my ignorance, I can feel all these images gradually gaining a tiny foothold somewhere in the back of my mind (which is proof of my ignorance). So… I’d really like someone to dispel them (because I think they’re bull, but don’t have many positive images to balance out these negative ones in my mind).

I hope this comes across as sincerely as it’s meant. I really want to talk to someone about this. Not to read an academic paper on it, or a hundred websites, but an actual person.

So… if anyone in London would like to meet over a coffee or tea or something and chat about their faith; I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks