Assalamu alaykum It is important to learn one's religion from authentic scholars and if there are no scholars available at least learn from their books. I once faced a similar situation where I had to re-evaluate the knowledge I got from "cultural Muslims" with the authentic knowledge from scholars, students of knowledge and their textual works. Don't despair by the will of Allah you will be learning much in a short time. There are a few books in English out there who cover a great range of topics and are very beneficial for the common Muslim. Beheshti Zewar by Hakimul Ummah Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (db) Contains many many masail, explanations, examples in easy language covering all the topics the common Muslim needs to know from birth till death. (Hanafi) There is a version for men (yellow cover) and a version for women (brown cover), the latter covers also a few subjects only relevant to the women back then in India. (The author died in 1943.) (Check www.azharacademy.com to buy it) The Reliance of the Traveller Although a shafi'i fiqh book it covers many important topics for the common Muslims of our days (published 1991), just ignore the parts who are relevant only to followers of the Shafi'i madhhab. The Creed of Imam Tahawi (Al-Aqidah al-Tahawiyya) The agreed upon aqidah of the Ahlu-Sunnah, very beneficial. Even pseudo-salafis agree with it. Read it online at central.mosque.com Shamaail-Tirmidhi Ahadiths with commentary/explanation by Shaikhul Hadith Zakariyya (db) Download part 1 as pdf file Download part 2 as pdf file With these four books you will insha Allah incorporate a great amount of knowledge. There is a lack of scholars upholding the truth and propagating deeni knowledge to the Muslim masses. Mustafa Kemal and his secularist followers have certainly a great share of responsibility in the current (religious) situation of the Turks as they executed many of the pious scholar of the Ottoman Khilafa. I guess so, if the practice of sunna acts is constantly decreased until only fard/wajib is left, if the decrease continues no practice ('amal) is left at all. Again, it is very important to refer to knowledgeable Muslims for your questions. Although you may not have any scholars in your direct environment you have the Internet where you can write on Sunniforum or directly at the following websites: www.askimam.org (Mufti Ebrahim Desai) www.daruliftaa.com (Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari) www.darulifta-deoband.com www.alislam.co.za (Mufti A. Hoosen Elias) etc.. You should focus on protecting/educating yourself and your family first, after that if you still have time free you can still enlarge your activities. If every Muslim would focus to protect/educate himself and his family on Islam then this ummah would rise again in short time if Allahs will. Isn't siyaset something like politics? Practicing Islam doesn't mean we have to be unfriendly to the non-Muslims (kuffar), as long as they don't fight Islam and the Muslims we will treat them well as the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) did. Nevertheless, the Muslims do not have a hidden agenda - we speak and practice the truth and we reject the unbelief of the non-Muslims openly. We don't alter or hide our religion to please the non-Muslims (kuffar), because they will never be satisfied with us until we completely leave Islam: (Surat al-Baqara, 2:120) And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah's guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:120) The red marked argument is flawed. Allah tells us that He has perfected this deen in Surat al-Maaida, 5:3: Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. If one hides the real Islam in order to invite somebody to an (altered/fake) vesion of Islam, which in fact is not Islam anymore, then what's the use of doing this? There is only one Islam, there is no "extremist" Islam nor is there a "modern" Islam or similar. Islam in itself represents the middle way and the way of life which Allah has chosen for us. If someone doesn't appreciate Islam or turns away from it because he doesn't like it then it is his own problem and not the fault of the practicing Muslim. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) is our role-model. After him we have his family and his companions and those who follow them. (May Allah be pleased with them) It is perfectly possible to be steadfast on Islam and still being friendly with those non-Muslims (kuffar) who do not fight us and Islam. Read the narrations (ahadith) about the adab and akhlaq of the Messenger of Allah in books like Shamaail Tirmidhi or Riyad as-Saliheen (by Imam Nawawi) or similar. (with commentary by a scholar) And Allah knows best. Wassalamu alaykum