Thinking outside the box

Recently I recieved an email from a dear friend in Melbourne, I know this guy from uni, he's top notch. I like him because he doesn't twist and turn and play mind games etc... if he thinks something, he says it, if he doesn't like something about me, he tells me straight away. Not in a mean way mind you, but in a brotherly way. (you don't know my brother).

Anyways, so in his email he was asking me about the upcoming famsy camp (http://www.famsy.com/famsy/modules/news/article.php?storyid=131) coming up end of January. He was discussing with his friends about whether to go or not, and for some reason they were convinced, and they had him convinced that I was either a- Salafi, or b- modern salafi and that this camp will ... I don't know what they're expect from a supposed modern salafi camp.

I will take a minute here to assert that I am not salafi, OR modern salafi, I guess if I was gonna put my ass in a box, I would call myself a hanafi coz I was born one.
Also, FAMSY is not a salafi organisation, it's a student organisation that aligns itself to no theology other than following the Quran and the sunnah. We work and accept all organisations and schools of thought within the sunni muslim community in Australia and overseas, and we have done so in all our activities.

What saddens me, what pisses me off, what Diarrhea's me, is that many muslims in melbourne (I say Melbourne because I felt it alot in Melbourne) feel they have to put people in a box, they are either salafi, tablighi, sufi, or neo this, or pseudo that. it kills me.

I've always tried to define myself as being Muslim only because there already so many divisions in the Muslim community, I didn't want to contribute to it. so I had friends and connections with all groups and leaders and shaikhs, and I honestly always tried to respect them all, and I thought it worked, but ofcourse I've also always tried not to align myself to one group specifically. That's why I loved FAMSY because thier powerbase is not a school of thought or a ethnicity, but students and youth.

so yes, if you think I'm salafi, I'm not, and i'm not dissing the salaf, they're a wonderful crowd. One of the most beautifull and beloved brothers to me -Eisa- is from iisca and we get along pretty well... which reminds me I have to note him a salams on facebook.