Malaysia to pick top young Imam as talent show enters finals

[Candide]

Sounds like a Monty Python sketch, or an Onion article.

[Ian Liew]

Even then, I think you missed the point. You're saying since women can't go, it won't matter to them.
But, even though only males can enter, thus winning a trip to Saudi Arabia, Kidd's concern is that those same men will be taught and influenced by the more extreme beliefs there and bring it back to their home land.

For some reason I seem to think that the beliefs at home are more extreme than in Saudi Arabia. I invited a friend from Iran to my son's birthday party a few days ago, and asked if she was fasting for Ramadan and she said no. She makes an effort to fast, but it's not a ritual which she holds to doggedly - "I keep my religion in my heart, and not to show people". I doubt many Malaysians would admit to not fasting during Ramadan. The Middle-Eastern people have their own culture and identity even outside Islam - my friend was happily talking about the Zoroast culture and how Islam was fairly new to her country - while a lot of Malaysians seem to take Islam as their religious, cultural and racial identity, and are totally lost without it.

[Banh Mi]

For some reason I seem to think that the beliefs at home are more extreme than in Saudi Arabia. I invited a friend from Iran to my son's birthday party a few days ago, and asked if she was fasting for Ramadan and she said no. She makes an effort to fast, but it's not a ritual which she holds to doggedly - "I keep my religion in my heart, and not to show people". I doubt many Malaysians would admit to not fasting during Ramadan. The Middle-Eastern people have their own culture and identity even outside Islam - my friend was happily talking about the Zoroast culture and how Islam was fairly new to her country - while a lot of Malaysians seem to take Islam as their religious, cultural and racial identity, and are totally lost without it.

I wouldn't know to be honest. I was just summarising Kidd's statement. As to how accurate they are, I haven't a clue.
That is a very admirable attitude for your friend to have.

[Ace High]

For some reason I seem to think that the beliefs at home are more extreme than in Saudi Arabia. I invited a friend from Iran to my son's birthday party a few days ago, and asked if she was fasting for Ramadan and she said no. She makes an effort to fast, but it's not a ritual which she holds to doggedly - "I keep my religion in my heart, and not to show people". I doubt many Malaysians would admit to not fasting during Ramadan. The Middle-Eastern people have their own culture and identity even outside Islam - my friend was happily talking about the Zoroast culture and how Islam was fairly new to her country - while a lot of Malaysians seem to take Islam as their religious, cultural and racial identity, and are totally lost without it.

Actually, there are some idiosyncrasies...

In Malaysia, some put more stress on fasting than performing the obligatory prayers...

However, in Arab, it's vice versa, they stressed on performing the obligatory prayers than fasting.

Therefore, it is quite common in Malaysia for those who didn't performed the obligatory prayers but fasting, and it is common in Arab who didn't fast but performed the obligatory prayers.

However,

O Believers! Fasting have been made obligatory upon you as were made obligatory upon those before you, so that you may become pious. [Translation of Surah Al-Baqarah, 2]

p/s : is your friend a Syiah or a Sunni?