The above is a statement said to me by a friend of mine who carried on to tell me that when he said that, he didn't mean me because I am "Moderate."
I personally do not know whether I should be flattered or I should be upset by such a statement.
Two of my friends were talking about the situation in Libya and how Obama had no business sending troops to help with the revolution. One guy was pro-sending the troops because as he saw it, this was a Humanitarian crisis and this is where America should be sticking their nose. The other, feels like Muslims are using this as another reason to fight...because after all...that's what we like to do.
At the time I heard this, I was hurt. Desperately trying my hardest to redeem the Muslim name, explaining that a minority should not be what labels the opposing majority. But as these explanations of how Jihad isn't necessarily a holy war or that Fox news is a bunch of idiot-wannabe journalists, I realized that I can't blame him.
Its our fault.
Let me preface this by saying I am pro every revolution that is going on in the Arab world today. I stand with the Egyptians, Syrian, Algerians, Libyans, etc. I applaud their fearlessness in standing up to their oppressive regimes, knowing that they may not live to see the end of what they started....those people at the core of these revolution are MEN and the women at their side are women who I wish to meet in Jannah one day if I am lucky enough.
Now, back to my rant. ITS OUR FAULT!
How many of us try to show our non-Muslim neighbors that what they see on TV is not the thoughts and beliefs of the majority of the Muslim community? (I am speaking to myself first). When we get cut off by some moron on the street instead of biting our tongue, we shout out a few expletives. We hold our heads down and walk. We don't smile. AND in the rare event that someone decides to "ask us a personal question" (which we know is most likely about our terrorist brothers or about that hijaab our husband forces us to wear) we get loud and defensive or wave our hand in disgust and walk off.
I can feel a wave of hate that is going to be thrown at me for saying this, but its something that has been bugging me for quite sometime now and I have stayed quiet, but I think it should be mentioned. AND since you don't really know who I am, I'll go ahead and talk :). My brothers: The Irvine 11 who have received a ton of publicity (and are facing criminal charges) for interrupting a speech being given by the Israeli Ambassador to the US. There's a few things I want to say about this:
1. I am anti-Israel. I believe that the land being occupied by the Apartheid state should be given back to its rightful owners. And there is a lot more I can say, but know I am completely against that regime.
2. I do NOT believe that criminal charges should be placed on the Irvine 11 - disrupting a speech is NOT a criminal act. No matter how many times they were asked to stop.
3. What the Irvine 11 did is NOT what the Prophet (SAW) would have done! We sometimes, in our anger and passion for what is right forget how we should handle such a situation. By all means speak out against the lies and filth being fed to people by the Apartheid State...but do it peacefully. Do it in such a way that if the Sahaba (RA) were watching you or if the prophet (SAW) was seeing your reaction you would not be ashamed.
We are living in a different era. We are the despised and hated neighbor and instead of acting like that despised neighbor, we need to act like the neighbor everyone that hates us wishes they had.
Smile at your neighbor. When they are sick ask them how they are. If you don't see them, knock on their door or leave them a note to let them know you care. Invite them to your house for Eid. Share the food you made for Iftaar with them. DON'T BE RUDE!
Showing posts with label Muslim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muslim. Show all posts
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Alhamdulilah for being homophobic!
Now, don't go grimacing at your screen and cursing me out in a million different languages. We all have our right to our own beliefs. To me it seems unnatural for people of the same gender to have romantic relations with one another and my belief is that it is a sickness and a sin (there, I said it!). I look at today's society full of sin: sex, music, drugs, killing, homosexuality, lies, deceit, and the list goes on and I can't help but think how close the end of the world is.
I clearly remember the days when when knowing a gay or lesbian person was so scarce, I remember the days when these people did whatever they could to stay in the closet - to hide their shame, I remember the days when being homophobic was okay and accepted by society. Now a days everyone is a homosexual and they are so proud of it. You have the Gay Pride Parade, TV shows like Will and Grace, even shows that have nothing to do about homosexuals have at least one homosexual in the script, its everywhere! I mean, when I was in high school it suddenly became the newest fad to come out of the closet. People that I knew that were in heterosexual relationships all of a sudden decided to flip the switch. I personally always saw it as disgusting, but looking at it from an Islamic point of view, my phobia doesn't only relate to those who engage in such a sin, but also the repercussions that those who sit and watch silently will have to face.
Many Muslims along with non-Muslims wave the banner of Human Rights but so conveniently forget the story of the People of Lut (pbuh). These Muslims often are quick to say things such as "What's the big deal?" "How does legalizing gay marriages cause such a huge effect on you? What does it matter?" And while all of the arguments may sound valid..really, how does the legalization of gay marriage affect a straight Muslim?? Well, I have news for you....it does. Not all of the people of Lut committed sins such as homosexuality, but they were still destroyed. In fact, the wife of Prophet Lut perished with the rest of his people, not because she committed these crimes, but because she didn't see anything wrong with them. Suban'Allah I see the same behavior with the Muslim community today and quite frankly is scary.
I was listening to Mohammed Al-Shareef's lecture series titled "The Perished Nations" and something he said really struck me. He mentioned that the conotation used to describe one who opposes homosexuality is very negative - Homophobic. The word homophobic suggests that this notion that is supposed to be good (ie, opposing homosexuality) is now looked at as something bad. This very same flip-flopping of good and bad it what was seen during the time of Prophet Lut.
As if it isn't bad enough to have a world that has condoned homosexuality to the point that same-sex marriages have been legalized and the media is teaming with homosexuals in an attempt to desensitize society, we now have "Muslim" groups that openly accept such behavior. Groups such as Al-Fatiha are Muslim, queer and darn proud of it (May Allah (SWT) protect us all).
I was talking to this lady I met at this cafe that I often study at. She, like many people that see me want to ask a million questions about Islam (I love it). Anyways she first asked me about me attire, then about dating in Islam, marriage in Islam and then resorted to the question "Can a Muslim person be Gay?" My answer was "A Muslim can be Gay as long as he stays in the closet, because that kind of thing is not allowed in Islam." And then I froze up, because inside of my head I was thinking all sorts of things including (why would anyone want to be gay in the first place) but I wasn't sure if the person I was speaking to was herself gay, so I left the conversation at that until she asked me what I thought about the legalization of same-sex marriage. I'm not a liar, so I told the truth starting with "No offense but..." and then continued to say "I believe it undermines the sanctity of marriage, and that marriage has always been and should always be between a man an a woman no matter what religion you follow."
Growing up I always thought that what one person does does not have an effect on the rest of society, but from history this belief has been contradicted. Society at a whole is affected by the actions of its citizens, even if it is just the actions of a handful of citizens (the rotten apple in the basket notion). Don't get me wrong, I believe that homosexuals are humans and deserve basic human rights as individuals, but the rights to legal "marriage" and what not in my belief is a right for a man with a woman and a woman with a man only.
So yes, I am homophobic...and darn proud about it!
I clearly remember the days when when knowing a gay or lesbian person was so scarce, I remember the days when these people did whatever they could to stay in the closet - to hide their shame, I remember the days when being homophobic was okay and accepted by society. Now a days everyone is a homosexual and they are so proud of it. You have the Gay Pride Parade, TV shows like Will and Grace, even shows that have nothing to do about homosexuals have at least one homosexual in the script, its everywhere! I mean, when I was in high school it suddenly became the newest fad to come out of the closet. People that I knew that were in heterosexual relationships all of a sudden decided to flip the switch. I personally always saw it as disgusting, but looking at it from an Islamic point of view, my phobia doesn't only relate to those who engage in such a sin, but also the repercussions that those who sit and watch silently will have to face.
Many Muslims along with non-Muslims wave the banner of Human Rights but so conveniently forget the story of the People of Lut (pbuh). These Muslims often are quick to say things such as "What's the big deal?" "How does legalizing gay marriages cause such a huge effect on you? What does it matter?" And while all of the arguments may sound valid..really, how does the legalization of gay marriage affect a straight Muslim?? Well, I have news for you....it does. Not all of the people of Lut committed sins such as homosexuality, but they were still destroyed. In fact, the wife of Prophet Lut perished with the rest of his people, not because she committed these crimes, but because she didn't see anything wrong with them. Suban'Allah I see the same behavior with the Muslim community today and quite frankly is scary.
I was listening to Mohammed Al-Shareef's lecture series titled "The Perished Nations" and something he said really struck me. He mentioned that the conotation used to describe one who opposes homosexuality is very negative - Homophobic. The word homophobic suggests that this notion that is supposed to be good (ie, opposing homosexuality) is now looked at as something bad. This very same flip-flopping of good and bad it what was seen during the time of Prophet Lut.
As if it isn't bad enough to have a world that has condoned homosexuality to the point that same-sex marriages have been legalized and the media is teaming with homosexuals in an attempt to desensitize society, we now have "Muslim" groups that openly accept such behavior. Groups such as Al-Fatiha are Muslim, queer and darn proud of it (May Allah (SWT) protect us all).
I was talking to this lady I met at this cafe that I often study at. She, like many people that see me want to ask a million questions about Islam (I love it). Anyways she first asked me about me attire, then about dating in Islam, marriage in Islam and then resorted to the question "Can a Muslim person be Gay?" My answer was "A Muslim can be Gay as long as he stays in the closet, because that kind of thing is not allowed in Islam." And then I froze up, because inside of my head I was thinking all sorts of things including (why would anyone want to be gay in the first place) but I wasn't sure if the person I was speaking to was herself gay, so I left the conversation at that until she asked me what I thought about the legalization of same-sex marriage. I'm not a liar, so I told the truth starting with "No offense but..." and then continued to say "I believe it undermines the sanctity of marriage, and that marriage has always been and should always be between a man an a woman no matter what religion you follow."
Growing up I always thought that what one person does does not have an effect on the rest of society, but from history this belief has been contradicted. Society at a whole is affected by the actions of its citizens, even if it is just the actions of a handful of citizens (the rotten apple in the basket notion). Don't get me wrong, I believe that homosexuals are humans and deserve basic human rights as individuals, but the rights to legal "marriage" and what not in my belief is a right for a man with a woman and a woman with a man only.
So yes, I am homophobic...and darn proud about it!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Aliens in America
There's this new show on the CW network called Aliens in America about Raja a Muslim foreign exchange student from Pakistan that is living with his host family in Wisconsin. The show airs on the CW network on Sunday nights at 8:30/7:30 central.
This isn't the first show that attempted to bring Muslims and their lifestyles into the Western living room in order to prove to the rest of the world that Muslims are people too. The Canadian show Little Mosque on the Prairie sought out to portray the same message.
While I don't watch T.V. for the mere reason that there is too much garbage on it (that's a topic for another entry), I find that its not such a bad idea to have a Muslim personality on the screen so long as the message being spread about Islam is the right one. It is for this reason exactly, if I had to choose between Aliens in America or Little Mosque on the Prairie I would have to whole heartedly cast my vote for the latter.
Little Mosque on the Prairie did an excellent job of portraying Muslims appropriately, making sure to keep in mind the rules of hijaab and the rules of gender relations while at the same time throwing in a little laugh out loud kind of humor. The show was not all comedy and no truth. In fact, it was the right blend of jokes and facts. The show did an amazing job of explaining the rules of gender relations and how Muslims went about courting for marriage, it explained Ramadan, it showed that women were not oppressed and that they played a huge role in the Mosque, it simply did an amazing job. While it definitely wasn't Islam 101 the TV edition, it did an adequate job.
On the other hand, the whole five minutes of Aliens in America is just enough to send me with some picket sign to protest the show in front of CW headquarters. The show is absurd! I mean, if you're gong to have someone being Muslim on a show, at least have it be an authentic representation! As my mom was flipping channels in the living room, I noticed a girl in a hijaab, so naturally I asked her to stay on that channel...two minutes into the show I wanted to take my computer and throw it at the TV screen.
The scene that I witnessed was this Muslim girl in a hijaab sitting at a table in a restaurant across from Raja (the Muslim main character), they are supposed to be on a date, a halal one - mind you - only the parents have not arrived yet. Anyways they are talking (I wasn't really listening as I was rather annoyed) and then she says "I have one western tendency..when I like someone I do this" and then leans over and kisses him!! He proceeds to say "I will have to ask you to refrain from doing that from now on, unless of course we get married...nonetheless, thank you." Astaghfirullah! Smoke was coming out of my ears. In the next scene, I wasn't really listening, but I saw, and the same Muslim hijaabi walking in the restaurant hand-in-hand with a caucasian, my guess would be non-Muslim boy.
Its a shame that Muslims are being portrayed as people with no morals. What's wrong with the idea of having a sitcom with a Muslim cast member who is on the show to humerously debunk common misconceptions about Muslims OR to humerously explain Islamic rules and practices? I am absolutely disgusted!
Astaghfirullah!
This isn't the first show that attempted to bring Muslims and their lifestyles into the Western living room in order to prove to the rest of the world that Muslims are people too. The Canadian show Little Mosque on the Prairie sought out to portray the same message.
While I don't watch T.V. for the mere reason that there is too much garbage on it (that's a topic for another entry), I find that its not such a bad idea to have a Muslim personality on the screen so long as the message being spread about Islam is the right one. It is for this reason exactly, if I had to choose between Aliens in America or Little Mosque on the Prairie I would have to whole heartedly cast my vote for the latter.
Little Mosque on the Prairie did an excellent job of portraying Muslims appropriately, making sure to keep in mind the rules of hijaab and the rules of gender relations while at the same time throwing in a little laugh out loud kind of humor. The show was not all comedy and no truth. In fact, it was the right blend of jokes and facts. The show did an amazing job of explaining the rules of gender relations and how Muslims went about courting for marriage, it explained Ramadan, it showed that women were not oppressed and that they played a huge role in the Mosque, it simply did an amazing job. While it definitely wasn't Islam 101 the TV edition, it did an adequate job.
On the other hand, the whole five minutes of Aliens in America is just enough to send me with some picket sign to protest the show in front of CW headquarters. The show is absurd! I mean, if you're gong to have someone being Muslim on a show, at least have it be an authentic representation! As my mom was flipping channels in the living room, I noticed a girl in a hijaab, so naturally I asked her to stay on that channel...two minutes into the show I wanted to take my computer and throw it at the TV screen.
The scene that I witnessed was this Muslim girl in a hijaab sitting at a table in a restaurant across from Raja (the Muslim main character), they are supposed to be on a date, a halal one - mind you - only the parents have not arrived yet. Anyways they are talking (I wasn't really listening as I was rather annoyed) and then she says "I have one western tendency..when I like someone I do this" and then leans over and kisses him!! He proceeds to say "I will have to ask you to refrain from doing that from now on, unless of course we get married...nonetheless, thank you." Astaghfirullah! Smoke was coming out of my ears. In the next scene, I wasn't really listening, but I saw, and the same Muslim hijaabi walking in the restaurant hand-in-hand with a caucasian, my guess would be non-Muslim boy.
Its a shame that Muslims are being portrayed as people with no morals. What's wrong with the idea of having a sitcom with a Muslim cast member who is on the show to humerously debunk common misconceptions about Muslims OR to humerously explain Islamic rules and practices? I am absolutely disgusted!
Astaghfirullah!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Not just a peice of cloth
I started wearing hijaab in college, it was Ramadan 1424 (2004). I don't know what came over me...I simply woke up in the morning and put on my hijaab. The mere act of wearing the hijaab was not challenging at all, and the drive to school was okay as well, but it was when I actually got to class when the difficult part began. I could just here everyone's thoughts "Homegirl woke up and decided to turn all Holy on us!" My classmates stared, and when I looked in their direction to see what that burning sensation on the side of my face was they'd quickly divert their gaze as if I wouldn't notice. I kept telling myself I didn't care, and well, I really didn't but its a bit disconcerting when EVERYONE is looking at you like you just landed from a different planet. It wasn't necessarily rude staring, I'm sure it was simply because they were curious.
At work people asked questions as to why I decided to wear the hijaab, so I made something up because I myself didn't know why I wore it, I simply woke up and put it on. There really was no particular reason as to why.
At home, my father had the same question, "why now?" it wasn't the support I was looking for. My father was more concerned for my safety in this country rather than my obedience to my Lord. However, his unhappiness at the situation somehow made me stronger, it was some sort of a rebellion, only this time I knew that I was 110% correct! I'll tell you, that was an amazing feeling!
I give a talk in one of the Religious Studies classes at my University on my experience being a Muslim woman in America. In that talk, whenever I get to the subject of my hijaab I start of by saying "I don't know why I started to wear hijaab, but I can't tell you why I continue to wear it" and then I proceed to tell them that its the best thing that has ever happened to me. You see, when I started wearing hijaab I instantly noticed the difference in the way men looked at me. Before the hijaab there were a number of occasions where men would roll down their car windows to whistle at me, walk by me and flirt with me and other immature things that men do. After the hijaab men would give this sort of nod of approval, kind of like a bow of respect, they would open doors for me, I once had a man offer to give up his seat for me. I got into a conversation with someone once, about my hijaab and Muslim women in general. What he said touched me, he told me that he had a high regard for Muslim women because we value our bodies so much so that we don't flaunt it for the whole world to see.
I believe the bad responses I get are more motivating though. In the past I've been pretty active with my MSA and have been attacked by radical Christians while sitting out at the Dawah table in the University's quad. I've been told to go back home, the funny thing is I was born here, raised here, I never left here, so where would they like me to go? I've been told that my religion treats me a second class citizen, I think its amazing how a non-Muslim man can tell a practicing Muslim woman that she is being oppressed, when non-Muslim women are walking around half-naked parading their bodies for everyone to stare at like a piece of meat...now that is oppression!
I've been told that my garb is rather ancient. Granted, it may look that way to the untrained eye. I've been asked, by my professor, mind you if I would ever consider assimilating into American society. So I looked at her with this blank look and basically tell her that assimilating does not include letting go of one's beleifs. I mean, I go to school, I have a job, I drive a car, I speak English, Spanish, some Arabic, I wear jeans (under my abaya) and I speak my mind, what part of assimilation did I miss? Perhaps its the hijaab, but that's just appart of my American right to the Freedom of Religion.
I think the most amazing aspect of my hijaab is the random "Assalamualaikum" I get when I'm at the library, in my car, at the mall. What makes me happier than the adults that say salam to me is the children. After a long shift at the hospital when everything possible went wrong, I was heading out through the Emergency Room doors with tears at the verge of dropping from my eyes, I stared striaght ahead, not interested in making eye contact with anyone when I felt these tiny arms around my legs, as I looked down, there was this little boy with a huge grin on his face "Assalamualaikum!" he said and suddenly I forgot the reason for my tear-filled eyes. The other day I was Forever 21 with a friend of mine and I feel this small boy tug on my abaya, so naturally I look down, "Assalamualaikum, Kayfa Halek?" Its an amazing feeling I tell you.
I love my hijaab!
At work people asked questions as to why I decided to wear the hijaab, so I made something up because I myself didn't know why I wore it, I simply woke up and put it on. There really was no particular reason as to why.
At home, my father had the same question, "why now?" it wasn't the support I was looking for. My father was more concerned for my safety in this country rather than my obedience to my Lord. However, his unhappiness at the situation somehow made me stronger, it was some sort of a rebellion, only this time I knew that I was 110% correct! I'll tell you, that was an amazing feeling!
I give a talk in one of the Religious Studies classes at my University on my experience being a Muslim woman in America. In that talk, whenever I get to the subject of my hijaab I start of by saying "I don't know why I started to wear hijaab, but I can't tell you why I continue to wear it" and then I proceed to tell them that its the best thing that has ever happened to me. You see, when I started wearing hijaab I instantly noticed the difference in the way men looked at me. Before the hijaab there were a number of occasions where men would roll down their car windows to whistle at me, walk by me and flirt with me and other immature things that men do. After the hijaab men would give this sort of nod of approval, kind of like a bow of respect, they would open doors for me, I once had a man offer to give up his seat for me. I got into a conversation with someone once, about my hijaab and Muslim women in general. What he said touched me, he told me that he had a high regard for Muslim women because we value our bodies so much so that we don't flaunt it for the whole world to see.
I believe the bad responses I get are more motivating though. In the past I've been pretty active with my MSA and have been attacked by radical Christians while sitting out at the Dawah table in the University's quad. I've been told to go back home, the funny thing is I was born here, raised here, I never left here, so where would they like me to go? I've been told that my religion treats me a second class citizen, I think its amazing how a non-Muslim man can tell a practicing Muslim woman that she is being oppressed, when non-Muslim women are walking around half-naked parading their bodies for everyone to stare at like a piece of meat...now that is oppression!
I've been told that my garb is rather ancient. Granted, it may look that way to the untrained eye. I've been asked, by my professor, mind you if I would ever consider assimilating into American society. So I looked at her with this blank look and basically tell her that assimilating does not include letting go of one's beleifs. I mean, I go to school, I have a job, I drive a car, I speak English, Spanish, some Arabic, I wear jeans (under my abaya) and I speak my mind, what part of assimilation did I miss? Perhaps its the hijaab, but that's just appart of my American right to the Freedom of Religion.
I think the most amazing aspect of my hijaab is the random "Assalamualaikum" I get when I'm at the library, in my car, at the mall. What makes me happier than the adults that say salam to me is the children. After a long shift at the hospital when everything possible went wrong, I was heading out through the Emergency Room doors with tears at the verge of dropping from my eyes, I stared striaght ahead, not interested in making eye contact with anyone when I felt these tiny arms around my legs, as I looked down, there was this little boy with a huge grin on his face "Assalamualaikum!" he said and suddenly I forgot the reason for my tear-filled eyes. The other day I was Forever 21 with a friend of mine and I feel this small boy tug on my abaya, so naturally I look down, "Assalamualaikum, Kayfa Halek?" Its an amazing feeling I tell you.
I love my hijaab!
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