Afraid of Your Neighborhood Mosque?

Are you afraid of what happens at that mosque down the road, or the one across town? Afraid they're training terrorists? Afraid there's a madrasa* teaching kids to be violent? Afraid the imam is teaching men to abuse their wives?

Or maybe you're not afraid; maybe you're concerned because you believe that's actually going on.

But I'm fairly certain that it's not. In fact, that mosque is probably America's best line of defense against terrorism--and that's one of many reasons that a community should support their local mosques. And why, in general, Americans should support the construction of mosques for American Muslims.

Sadly, the efforts of soldiers fighting and dying overseas (and killing Muslims) foster terrorism by increasing hatred from Muslims and further radicalizing them. I say it's sad because people are dying (on both sides) and the efforts only make the situation worse. American mosques combat the radicalism among Muslims. Visit one--listen to what the preachers are saying. Mosques are open, free, just visit and see what they're teaching. What you'll hear is talk about prayer, fasting, charity, kindness to parents.

If a Muslim has been radicalized, he's probably not going to be too regular at the mosque--he won't hear at the mosque the rhetoric he wants to hear; that is, the kind which validates his radicalism, basically. Instead, he'll be told to be patient, to increase in worship, and act in service to his community. But if he does visit the mosque, then perhaps he'll find a community there who can help to guide him aright.

So don't be afraid of the local mosques. Feel free to visit them--encourage a group visit if you don't want to go alone. Take a group from your church or synagogue--or invite a Muslim you know to come speak at your Sunday school class. Open mutual dialogue at interfaith or multi-faith events--ask them what they are doing, subscribe to their newsletter if they have one. And when you see they're not up to any trouble, consider that the faith of Muslims can positively affect the community in which they live. That it can help take care of the poor, and refugees, the hungry, the homeless, the battered women and orphan children. That it can promote positive activities for youth to keep them "off the streets" and out of trouble. And that it can even help keep the country safer.

Please, visit a mosque.

*By the way, madrasa is just the Arabic word for school.

Reaching Out With Hate

An organization called "Dove World Outreach Center" is having an "International Burn a Koran Day." You don't have to guess hard to figure out which day (Sept. 11th) they picked. I won't post the links to their youtube video explaining their mission to be hateful (apparently that's how Jesus was) or their facebook page (yeah, that's professional) and I encourage you not to go looking for them (unless you intend to flag them as inappropriate BS which has no place in civilized discourse.)

But before you are outraged, just consider the irony. The name of the organization is "Dove World Outreach Center." The dove is the symbol of peace, so the name conjurs the idea that they intend to "reach out" to the entire world with peace. As Muslims constitute 20% or more of the world, they should reach out with peace to Muslims too, right?

In the video, a preacher tries to explain why real Christians should be burning the Qur'an. It's apparently because, according to him (and the organization, as it's stated on their website), "Islam is of the devil." Ponder for a moment what that means... "of the devil."

Does it mean that it originated with the devil? Is manipulated by the devil? Is a part of the devil?

If he believes that the Bible is the Word of God (which is what he calls it in the video) doesn't he consider how Muslims are not, ever, having "Burn a Bible Day?" But hey, every now and again some Muslims do something stupid, so I (for one) won't be holding this "International Burn the Koran Day" against my Christian friends and relatives. Mostly I think these folks want to just piss Muslims off and I see no reason to give them that satisfaction.

But what is it about the Qur'an which they really take issue with? The fact that the Qur'an wholly rejects the attribution of children (or partners of any kind) to Allah. And about Christians who claim it, the Qur'an says what means:

(9:30) That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?

Can you read this and say anything other than that Allah Almighty has spoken the truth? Seriously.

I also think it's funny that they decided to have this "International" day on September 11th--a day fixed in the American psyche specifically. And I would love to tell them how horribly they've distorted the teachings of their own religion (you get more bees with honey than vinegar--did nobody teach them this lesson?) but I should probably let other Christians do that.

But just a thought--who is going to think they are rightly guided if they go around burning other people's holy books? Actions speak louder than words, and their actions really say nothing of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," but rather of "hatred." And possibly sheer stupidity, but maybe that can't be helped.

Either have a laugh, or just ask these folks--if Christianity is a religion of peace, then why are you reaching out with aggression? If Christianity is a religion of truth, why can't you just explain the truth? Why do you have to hate on Muslims--what's better about the message of Islam that people accept it instead of Christianity?

Should Women Attend Mosques?

Yes. And I'll explain why.

Having lately moved to a new Muslim community, the subject of women in mosques has been giving me some thought. My recent post, A Mosque for Women Too, brought up a few of the issues on my mind, especially after reading another article discussing one facet of the problem, behavior and treatment of women in mosques, examining a cause and effect relationship. (I.e., the treatment resulting in the behavior.)

But lately it seems I have taken for granted the obvious reasons for women to be at the mosque in the first place. Or, in other words, it seems other people take for granted the need and benefit to involving women in mosques, and are oblivious to the damage resulting from their absence.

Allow me one disclaimer: I am not referring herein to societies in Muslim-majority countries, where a Muslimah is likely surrounded by other Muslims and Islamic resources. I'm more specifically discussing the situation occurring in Western non-Muslim countries, like the USA.

Inside our communities, there are basically four categories of women who I say should be attending mosques, either because they can directly benefit from attending, can provide benefit others, or might get lost in the unIslamic dunya. Moreover, the involvement that various women need might fulfill educational, social, financial, or emotional needs, but I think every woman has educational and social needs the mosque should meet.

Among the women, the categories I mentioned are as follows:

1. Non-Muslim women
2. Muslim women who practice a little or none at all
3. Practicing Muslim women with some knowledge and some weaknesses in practice
4. Muslim women who are strong in knowledge and practice

1. Non-Muslim Women

Firstly, I start with non-Muslim women, and make that a category, because it is not a rare occurrence for a non-Muslim woman to visit a mosque seeking information about Islam because she is considering embracing the faith of Islam. There are other reasons non-Muslims visit mosques, like school projects and to interview Muslimahs, but perhaps the most pivotal visits are for those women who are considering embracing Islam. Because she is considering becoming a Muslim, she'll want to ask questions and make observations, so is looking for both education and social interaction with Muslim women. These integral steps help her seek more information about Islam to determine whether she is being guided to convert.

Having spoken to many women in that position, and having been there myself, I know how critical this stage is. What if the woman finds no women at the mosque to help her? What if she is turned away, or even insulted by the men who are there? Do you think she is likely to ever return?

A couple weeks ago a woman visited a local mosque around the time for Friday prayers--she didn't know where to find any women, where to go, how to dress, whom she could speak to or what to say. She found brothers who were willing only to take her number to pass on to some sister who could follow-up later. A precious opportunity could have been lost! Alhamdulillah, this woman encountered another Muslimah while she was leaving, who invited her inside to listen to the khutbah and observe the prayers, and who continued the da'wah with her from that point on. Had that not been the case, the woman might have been turned off of Islam forever, and disinterested when she finally got a phone call or email. And the only reason this woman was able to meet that Muslimah in the first place is because women were allowed to come to the mosque, and had a place (though not ideal) to listen to the khutbah and pray.

The mosque is a should be a central pillar of the community, and a key location where someone considering Islam should feel safe to visit, either to observe, meet Muslims, or have their questions answered. If the prospective convert is a woman, she will need other women to talk to, and there should be classes and social events, not to mention regular services, which women can and do attend. These are the needs of a non-Muslim woman at the mosque.

2. Non-Observant Muslimahs

In addition to being open to non-Muslims, the mosque should be a welcoming place for Muslims who are not yet knowledgeable or observant in the practice of Islam. Suppose a young Muslim woman, who has been spending her weekends going to bars and partying, takes a step to improve her spiritual condition by and deciding to forego the club, and visit the mosque instead. In her mind she is doing a righteous thing--visiting the mosque--though she might not know the expectations regarding her dress and behavior while she is there. What would be said to a young Muslim woman walking into the front door of a mosque, dressed like she is going to a party? She might find someone yelling in her face, directing her to leave immediately.

Even though she came to the mosque looking for guidance, for help from the Muslims, she was rebuked, probably insulted, and essentially kicked out. She is looking for more knowledge about Islam to get on the right path, and to make friends with Muslimahs who can help her in practicing Islam, as her old friends were steering her astray. She had two primary needs, educational and social, for which she visited the mosque, assuming it to be the natural place to fulfill these needs. And if she is turned away, where will she go? More than likely, she'll be going back to the bar without any interest in returning to the mosque, and with less guilt about her behavior, thanks to how she was treated.

3. Observant Muslimahs

The third case pertains to women who might have once been in a previous category, but who now, maashaaAllaah, are learning about Islam and practicing what they learn. They already have some Muslim friends who they can socialize with, so do they still need to go to the mosque for social interaction? They already know the basics about Islam, so do they still need to go to the mosque for education? The answer in both cases is yes, and doing so will strengthen their connection to the mosque and to the Muslim community. They should be trying to constantly improve themselves in knowledge, and develop ongoing relationships with other Muslimahs in the community, offering support when needed.

The Qur'an is not silent on the importance of seeking knowledge:

Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding. [39:9]

And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah , from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving. [35:28]

In fact, if a person is struggling with weakness in iman, a common prescription is that they should increase their knowledge, and with knowledge comes taqwa. A person cannot simply arrive at a level of knowledge and assume that it is sufficient for the rest of their lives--rather, we should all spend our lives trying to improve ourselves. Women have even fewer opportunities to go study Islam full-time than men do, but the best option for them is ongoing education through classes and halaqaat with local 'ulama--and where else should these take place but in the House of Allah, the masjid? So the mosque should serve as a school and a source for the women to learn more about Islam even as their lives are busy with other responsibilities.

As for the social aspect, these women should still try to socialize with other Muslimahs on a regular basis, learning from those better than them, and helping those who are not. In particular, it is important for these women to form a connection with the mosque to cement their connection with Islam, and to protect them against diversions. While it is possible to socialize at places other than the mosque, meeting at the mosque strengthens the bonds of the community, establishing the mosque as a pillar of the community, uniting rather than dividing it.

4. Knowledgeable & Observant Muslimahs

The last category of women are those who have been blessed with knowledge and iman. Maybe classes at the mosque have little to offer them in the way of fresh knowledge--but at least they can be a reminder. But the greater reason women in this category need to attend the mosques is in the benefits they can offer to their sisters, as a good example. They can perhaps teach or just lead with their actions, and they can offer support to other Muslimahs. In this way, a community is not left with the blind leading the blind. With her knowledge, a woman becomes responsible for helping others (by teaching, volunteering, etc.), and doing so also benefits herself, by improving her own knowledge and as she does righteous actions which will benefit her in the Hereafter.

Children and the Mosques

After talking about the immediate reasons why women should attend mosques, it's important to mention children as well. I constantly hear Muslims wondering why their "youth" are not attached to the mosque--is it any wonder when they and their mothers, the people most directly responsible for raising them, are not welcome at the mosque in the first place?

If women are not attending mosques, then it stands to reason that children won't be attending either, at any age. That is, unless or until they begin going with their father. And in that case, if women are not welcome, it's likely that sons will benefit from the mosques but any daughters will be left behind with no incentive to attend. And if a girl doesn't attend as a child, why would she start attending as an adult?

On the other hand, if a child's mother does attend the mosque--for any reason--it offers him (or her, as I am talking about boys and girls here) an opportunity to socialize with other young Muslims, forging bonds with Muslims that will serve him as he ages. He also has the opportunity to observe how adult Muslims behave, to learn the etiquette of the mosque (more), to learn respect for the salah and the reading of Qur'an. And if children are coming to the mosque, it's likely their parents will try to have classes established for them to learn the Qur'an, Arabic, and Islamic studies with other children their age.

So with a mother attending the mosque, her children are already getting a foundation in Islam, and making a connection with the mosque that will support them throughout their lives. Because children grow up to be the men and women of our communities in years to come, we can't ignore them when they are young, unless we want them to ignore us in their maturity.

In this way, women's presence at mosques benefits not only themselves but the entire community, while their absence harms not just themselves but also the entire community. It is not sufficient, especially in Western non-Muslim societies, for women to seclude themselves from society in general, content to let others speak for them. That French people want to ban face veils, thinking that Muslim women are forced to wear them (rather than that they choose to do so) shows what can happen when Muslim women are silent and not active in their larger communities. And how can we as Muslims expect an entire nation to listen to a voice that is not heard, not even present in the mosques? If women are kept out of the mosques, kept from learning about Islam, then they are kept silent, and have no recourse against the oppression which will inevitably befall them.

Aggressive Da'wah

I don't think it's in the nature of most people, at least here in the US, to aggressively push their beliefs on others. And I think it's quite natural for someone to feel defensive in a situation where someone is being pushy in the matter of faith. At the same time, I think an effective da'ee avoids putting anyone in a defensive position, at least on a personal level. That's because if someone is defensive they have basically closed themselves off from your position, and they won't listen to your point of view.

Imagine, if you are Muslim, how you might feel if someone comes to you telling you about your own religion. Imagine someone who isn't Muslim telling you that Islam teaches this, preaches that, and you believe thus-and-such, and that this person is actually wrong. Because you don't believe whatever it is he's saying you do believe.

In fact this happens quite a lot--many people like to get up and say what Muslims believe. Usually it's in the context of trying to blame Islam for terrorism (or even to use Islam for terrorism.) It's popular to hear people who aren't Muslim saying "Muslims believe that..." and launching into an absurd rant about killing infidels or something equally ludicrous. Because this happens, as Muslims we should be easily able to understand the sentiment I am about to describe.

Imagine now a non-Muslim being told about his beliefs by a Muslim. In other words, the Muslim is telling that non-Muslim that he believes something in particular--and the Muslim might even cite the Qur'an--but that non-Muslim actually doesn't believe it. For example, I've yet to come across any Jews anywhere who say that Uzair (I guess in English it is Ezra?) is the son of God. And I don't mean to dispute the Qur'an on the issue at all--though it certainly doesn't say that all Jews espouse such a belief. And without bothering to really listen to our Jewish neighbors about their beliefs in the first place, it's kind of arrogant, I think, to try to prove what they believe when we are in fact the ones in error. It does nothing to strengthen the position of Islam or Muslims, or to further the da'wah.

I can't imagine it to be anything but rude or offensive to tell a person what he believes. Now that is just my opinion, but does anyone have reason to believe that such bullying da'wah techniques could ever be effective?

My American Wedding Dress

This weekend I took my wedding dress to a local seamstress for final alterations, cleaning, and pressing, so it will be picture perfect come Saturday. I don't feel comfortable posting picture of the dress (for obvious reasons, right?) but I don't mind describing it.

Though I and my intended are Muslim, and though he is from Pakistan, I still wish to incorporate some "American" traditions into the wedding so long as they do not violate the restrictions of Islam. That is from my understanding that it's acceptable to do so. After all, as Islam has traveled the world it has taken on the customs of each various locale--adopting those permissible customs of the people.

And many people have asked me about my wedding attire--my wedding dress. And so I will say that it is a traditional (American) white gown. Although, technically it's actually ivory. It has lace, and beading, and all sorts of beautiful details. Since it has a halter top instead of full sleeves, I intend to pair it with a matching ivory satin jacket and, when in public, a beige headscarf as well.

I didn't choose my gown to disrespect my fiance--in fact I truly hope to dress in a more Pakistani style for our walima in Pakistan. I'm looking forward to that, but since we are having the nikah here where my family is I thought it worthwhile to incorporate some of my own local traditions.

And those traditions don't really stop with the dress. Planning the wedding has been a tedious balancing act between family traditions and Islam. Many of those family customs are based in superstition, and others in a religion which I do not follow--and it is those which I will avoid inshaAllaah. But what I hope for observers to really see from the wedding here in Raleigh is that while it is fully Islamic, it isn't simultaneously foreign.

And even though my initial wish about a wedding was that it be very simple and quick has not come to fruition, what I have been planning is an inclusive affair with diverse attendees--all of whom I want present on my happy day. I've gone to (what seem to me to be) great lengths to normalize the wedding as much as possible according to American customs--especially for my family, who are not Muslim and do not understand much at all of what will transpire. So I will include some things that not every Muslim girl in my position might, and some things which might not be at all necessary. Like my American wedding dress--it shows a part of my life and though small and seemingly inconsequential, a part of who I am.

Changing Worship

Last week my dad and I went to Red Lobster for lunch. We hadn't gone out just the two of us in a while so it was (mostly) nice to have a while to talk to him. One of the things that came up right as we came home was a change in worship practices (in Christian churches.) I would've liked to pursue the topic further but I was already late to a meeting and had to rush out again right away.

At the time, he implicitly suggested that one reason he doesn't like attending church nowadays is that the worship services have changed from what he was used to. His question: God doesn't change, so why should we change the way we worship?

I don't think he knows, but that alone is a very clear argument for Islam. What bothers him, I think is that more "contemporary" services cater to a younger crowd, trying to bring them into church rather than push them away. So they use contemporary music, live bands in the worship service, instead of singing the same old tired hymns with an organ and a choir. But that's what he finds comfortable--the hymns and the choir.

But did people sing these hymns with a choir and an organ while Jesus was alive? Surely not. What about in the first millennium of Christianity? Nope! In fact, singing hymns is a fairly recent development that at best only goes back a few hundred years. That means that yes, sure enough, worship has changed. It changed language (from Aramaic, to Greek, to Latin, before ever making it into English, and it's taken many other courses as well) as has even the very "Word of God" according to Christians. It's changed in many ways over the years and will continue to change. Do you know why?

Because Christians aren't worshiping the way God told humans to worship Him. What makes a person think that God likes hymns any more than he likes rock? The proponents of contemporary worship would certainly consider that any grateful noise they make should suffice if it makes them happy and elevates their spirits. And isn't that what it's all about? Maybe, if you're Christian.

That's why it works as an argument for Islam. You see, Muslims have been worshiping the exact same way since the time of the last Prophet of Islam (Muhammad ﷺ) and that's over 1400 years! They pray the same way, they read the same book in the same language, and conduct worship services exactly the same way. Do you know why?

Because they were taught, by God, how to worship Him, and that's what they do.

Muslim Day of Prayer?

How can there be an event called a "Muslim Day of Prayer" when Muslims pray 5 times (minimum!) every single day? Even Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, is a day of congregational prayer. So what does it mean to have a "Muslim Day of Prayer?"

I saw the flyers for the event at my masjid, though I've never heard any Muslims refer to the prayer on capitol hill as a "Day of Prayer," a title I've seen only from non-Muslims. Trying to make it sound... I dunno, evil? What's evil about prayer? Or public prayer?

I don't know how the event went overall, but when I found this article in my Google Reader I was just a little confused about the legitimacy of the criticism.

Conservative Christians need to learn be taught the values that they in fact share with Muslims. Don't they know that Muslims value the same things they value? I don't say this to capitulate to non-Muslims, but just as a simple statement. What's our excuse as Muslims (and on a personal level, my own excuse) for non-Muslims being ignorant about our beliefs?

Analogy Technique

When my dad asks me question that starts with "What do you think about..." I should be on my guard. I would normally interpret such a question to mean that the questioner is seeking to learn my thoughts on a particular matter. But when it comes to my dad, apparently not. Rather, it means, "let me see if you have any good reason for not believing the same thing I do." Or something to that effect.

Since my dad met my fiance (whom he loved,) he's been a little more open to talking about Islam with me. That's great, really, since I kind of botched my best chances to give da'wah to my parents. But yet my dad, as with most of my family, is swimming so deep in propaganda he can't see which way is up. After hearing him describe how my fiance would discuss Islam, I decided to try a change in tactics when the "What do you think about..." questions come up.

And I got that chance yesterday while driving to a nearby town (about an hour away) to visit my brother and sister et al. The question was, "What do you think about people who say Muslims are trying to take over the country?"

Now, what I think is that it's a lot of inane propaganda, vitriol from neocons and zionists, largely unfounded attempts to poison the American psyche against Muslims by perpetuating a state of fear which weakens the public defense of liberty in favor of "security." But I didn't say anything like that.

What I said was that America goes through cycles of having a targeted bias against a particular group of people, and I pointed out that some years ago there was widespread fear of and hatred towards Polish, Irish, and Italian immigrants, and there was even religious tension. Many Americans feared that if Kennedy were to win the White House in the 1960 presidential election, that the Pope would have a say in the running of the American government. People were afraid that Catholics would be taking over the then-mostly Protestant nation.

In retrospect, that fear seems wholly ridiculous, and except in very tight circles, Protestants and Catholics are more or less considered to be equally Christian. Especially, that is, in light of other non-Christian faiths, like Judaism or Islam. And in fact, Jews were for a long time a very unpopular minority in America. Although I didn't mention that.

But by mentioning Kennedy and Catholics, my dad could recall from his own experience how his family was reacting to the idea of a Catholic man running for the highest office. And I think he really started to see my viewpoint, acknowledging the possibility at least that the right-wing media's targeting of Muslims might be in the same vein as similar propaganda campaigns throughout American history. Instead of seeing Muslims as a true and legitimate threat, he explored the notion that Muslims are just the modern-day victims of a smear campaign. I'm not sure he was convinced of that, but at least he seemed open to the idea. While in fact I said very little to illustrate my point, more than making a simple analogy.

My dad then compared my technique to that of my fiance, which I will take as a compliment.

Scary Scarves

What's wrong with hijab? Why is it so terrifying? In schools, courts, we see the hijab being banned, or being mocked. Hatred of it runs so deep among non-Muslims that even Muslims start to have a hard time accepting hijab.

Of course, hard feelings aren't universal. But what I want to know is why the hijab specifically seems to be such a polarizing issue--between different faiths and even between Muslims.

Just a Muslim

When I first started learning about Islam, the concept of Shi'a Islam vs. Sunni Islam was just overwhelming. I was coming to Islam from a completely different religion--Christianity--and already had a lot of different things to learn, but trying to decipher the Sunni-Shi'a split was beyond me.

I knew I wasn't Shi'a, but I didn't really know what Sunni was so I was "just a Muslim." And after spending this Eid with some recently converted Muslims, the idea of being "just a Muslim" was brought again to my mind.

For some time I have considered myself to be "Sunni," but only upon discovering what the term actually meant. Personally, my exposure to Islam (before converting) was pretty much exclusively to Sunni Islam, which is for all intents and purposes "Orthodox" Islam. That's not everyone's experience--some people come to Islam through Shi'a Muslims, and might get very confused by the different experiences between Sunni and Shi'a. Something such as the prayer, which can be confusing even if a person is only seeing one viewpoint, can be drastically complicated with exposure to Shi'a customs as well.

I don't think there's any problem with Muslims converted to Islam and saying "I'm just a Muslim" to avoid Shi'a/Sunni confusion. But I do hope that they learn that Sunni Muslims are "just Muslim" too. It might even be simpler to just say that they are only "Sunni" to clarify that they are not Shi'a, without forgetting that "Sunni" Muslims account for the immensely vast majority of Muslims worldwide.

It may be that avoiding confusion entirely isn't wholly feasible, but simplification should undoubtedly improve understanding. I'm a "Sunni" Muslim because I'm "just a Muslim" too, a follower of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and one part of the body of Muslims who also do so.

Fit Muslimah Wannabe

Did anyone see this article in the New York Times? Exercise Tailored to a Hijab. It was reprinted in the 'Life' section of the N&O on Thursday, I think. Since I don't subscribe to the N&O, I wasn't aware until someone mentioned it at my monthly Faith Club meeting. Two other members who do subscribe informed me about it (saying that there had been articles "every other day" about Muslims lately.) One even showed me the article, which you can see. It even had the same picture, with the two ladies stretching while wearing hijab.

My mom even brought a copy of the paper home for me to read (she gets copies at work sometimes.) It's an interesting article, I think--I don't see any particular bias for or against Muslims, which was kind of nice to read. Maybe someone else reading had a different impression. As yet, I'm still way behind on my Google Reader (thanks to not reading anything in Ramadan) so I haven't read what anyone else might have commented on regarding the article. Reading it myself I felt like saying "Huh. I could've told you that..." but that's just me.

Mostly the article talked about special considerations that Muslim women who cover (in hijab) have to make in order to exercise. Obesity is not a problem absent, unfortunately, from Muslim communities, but still, exercise isn't emphasized more by Muslims than any other religious group, at least here in the United States.

I have a thought that in general, society (Muslim and otherwise) views religion as dealing with their spiritual life, and fitness to be a part of their non-spiritual life. For Muslims, however, this shouldn't be the case, since we know that Islam encompasses all aspects of life (therefore, why not our health?) and because physical and spiritual aspects are frequently intertwined in a single act. Take ritual purification as an example, where the individual washes himself in such a way to promote good hygiene (physical) but yet as an essential part of a religious obligation (e.g., preparing for prayer.)

Similarly, promoting health and fitness (or failing to do so) can impact a person's spiritual life. There are, for instance, some Muslim brothers and sisters who have tremendous difficulty praying their daily obligation just because of their weight. They might be forced to sit during the qiyyam (especially during taraweeh), or have to sit during ruku' and sujood because they would not be able to lift themselves from the floor. That is an extreme case, but also consider how carrying excess weight can cause a person's bones and joints to fail at a young age, which would also require special accommodations during prayer, or at the very least make it uncomfortable, perhaps even painful to perform prayer.

And if it's painful, that makes it harder to maintain the obligation, and even harder to add in extra salawat. Now of course our deen allows accommodations to people who have medical difficulties (whether related to weight or not,) and it is a beautiful mercy from Allah. But to know that some of these problems can be avoided or at least delayed by just eating right and exercising should be an encouragement for us, from our religion.

So upon deciding to engage in a healthy lifestyle, a brother or sister must still consider religious obligations. For women, a exercise outdoors or even in a public gym open to men and women provides a problem. Exercise is easiest in light, formfitting clothing, which isn't exactly appropriate for a Muslim woman. For men, especially in exercise environments (like parks and gyms,) there might an abundance of women who are dressed in form-fitting clothes that don't cover much at all--and if they do, leave little to the imagination.

I would love to see more women's-only gyms, or gyms with accommodations for women to exercise in private. There is (was) a gym in downtown Raleigh (although the company recently went under) that had a women's-only room. I would have preferred to exercise there but it was too far from my home for it to be logistically feasible. The article in the paper mentioned a women's-only gym which it said had more Orthodox Jewish women. I think that's important because women wanting to exercise in privacy is not something unique to Islam. Women of many faiths value modesty.

I have at times seen other women in hijab at the gym. Frankly, it's not the easiest thing to do. For covering the arms and legs, it means pants and a long-sleeve shirt or a jacket. Honestly, it is cumbersome to do this. After an hour of a hard workout knit fabrics can be soaked through (for heavy sweaters,) and can feel heavy or cumbersome when doing exercises. Wearing a hijab is similarly troublesome. It's just extra fabric where sweat accumulates and prevents some heat from escaping the body. It's not comfortable, and for my own part I would prefer not to wear one, even though I do the best I can with a cotton slip-on, which is probably the best option to go with for working out. I've seen other sisters wearing extremely loose t-shirts (which can work if you're very small and can buy several sizes above what "fits"), and also wearing a sort of exercise dress. For that, the sister had a dress which was long sleeved and extended past her knees, made out of a light fabric, which she wore with some variety of track pants underneath, with a slip-on hijab. It was less form-fitting than other options. While I don't mind wearing hijab on a normal day, even outside on a warm day, wearing it while exercising is annoying, but for me it seems one of the only real options available to me right now. So I hope, truly, that a gym for women lurks somewhere in my near future--it would beat exercising in sweats, for sure.

To Be a Bridesmaid

First of all, thanks to everyone who left comments on my decision about whether to be a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding. They all definitely helped me in making my decision. I don't think the issue is simple or black-and-white. I needed to look at multiple variables and for circumstances which are likely to arise, before making a decision.

Some of these I thought of myself, and others were brought to my attention through comments on my previous post. One major and upfront concern was being able to dress appropriately--a problem that the bride herself has helped to alleviate. There are many options for me to be able to meet my Islamic obligations of covering while still fitting into her bridal party, by coordinating the color if not the style of the dress.

Another concern for me was being sure of understanding from (her) family so nobody would be harassing the bride for having a muslimah in her wedding. On the other hand, the major audience objections are likely to come from my own family, and some family members who persist in their objections to my wearing hijab. But I share the opinion of the bride, that this is her day and really she should be able to do what she likes.

Some concerns that Jamilah brought up also required some thought from me. The issue of drinking is quite serious, I'm not sure if everyone realizes it, but it's quite clear that not just drinking is haraam, but even sitting at a table where alcohol is served is haraam. That's something important to consider--however, it would affect me by my presence at the reception, and not be impacted by whether I decide to be a bridesmaid. And whether I am or not, I'm sure I may still evade the situation like I do at family events--by sitting at the "kids' table." Since the reception will not be formal (though there will almost definitely be alcohol served), I think I can remove myself from that uncomfortable situation.

Another issue is pairing up at the end of the ceremony--something I didn't even think of. But I'm sure it won't be a problem. Firstly because the ceremony is not going to be especially formal, I don't think something so simple (avoiding looping arms with the groomsman) will be a problem at all. Plus, I know who the groomsmen will be, and I don't think it will be difficult to arrange.

There is also the matter of music and dancing at the reception. I hate dancing in public. However, it's something I can't even seem to avoid at Muslim weddings, where I feel uncomfortably pressured to dance in the first place. On the other hand, I've always found non-Muslims in general to be more understanding when someone refuses to dance. This said, I certainly don't intend to dance at all, but I don't think there will be any problems with it, and again it won't be impacted by whether or not I am a bridesmaid. (I.e., no special bridal party dances or anything.)

Reading the question answered on islamqa.com, the question being similar to my own situation, I think the greatest concern was that participation in a non-Muslim ceremony, specifically a Christian one. But for me I don't think this will be the case. Though the ceremony is non-Muslim, it's not specifically Christian, involves no rites or sacraments in which I must take part. It doesn't require that I invalidate my own faith in anyway, nor is there going to be an overt display of any faith at all that my presence would implicitly condone.

On the other hand, being a bridesmaid provides me with a unique opportunity to actually foster familial ties, especially with my two sisters, who are also going to be bridesmaids, and my nieces, who will be flower girls. I don't think it will require that I compromise on my faith or ideals, but is in fact a good opportunity to strengthen my relationship with my family. Whereas my refusal (to be a bridesmaid) would hurt that relationship, and my absence (from the wedding, if I didn't go) might cut me off entirely.

So ultimately (or at least so far) I have decided that yes, God willing, I will be a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding, while taking precautions to avoid situations that might compromise my faith.

Fasting Prescribed by Allah

SubhanAllah, Islam is truly a beautiful religion.

Last week I was at a meeting of an interfaith club I participate in--we meet about every three weeks. Unfortunately I was the only Muslim present, in company which can't help its inability to view me as a credible source on Islam. And due to the recent indictment and arrest of seven local Muslim brothers, the main topics were them and jihad, leaving me with a lot of explaining. I'm not convinced I did a great job, either.

But since our next meeting will fall during Ramadan, inshaaAllaah, I mentioned as much near the end of the meeting. I and the other participating Muslimah will be fasting, inshaaAllaah, and I just wanted to make them aware of that. So the idea of fasting in Ramadan received only a brief overview.

And so did the concept of fasting in the Jewish faith. And according to the Jewish woman present (the second Jewish lady who comes was also absent on this occasion), Islamic fasting isn't "real" fasting. I had to smile. It isn't she or I who decide what fasting is, because it's prescribed by Allah.

Now, there are many observant Jews who fast on occasions throughout the year, but as I understand it, there's one day when almost all Jews will fast. That's right, one day. And it's a 24-hour fast, so it's a fast for the entire day. It starts at sunset (which is the beginning of the day in both Jewish and Islamic calendars) and ends at the next sunset. But as I was informed, it's really a more than 24-hour fast because there are services that they must attend before they break their fasts.

(Mind, I'm not sure if this is representative of all Jews, just Conservative ones, her congregation, or maybe just herself. I just want to clarify as much.)

So in comparison to these 24-plus hours, our 29-30 days of fasting is, according to her, not real fasting. I can't help but smile when I say that.

Other people have their own ideas about fasting. Some people talk about "juice fasts" or "water fasts" and the like--basically they abstain from solid food and drink only liquids, like juice, or maybe only water. So they find that the way Muslims fast--because they eat food at night, or because they don't drink any water during the day--isn't real fasting.

But I say they've missed the point. Muslims don't fast to be hungry. If they did, maybe they would adopt a Jewish model and prolong the hunger (i.e., for a whole day) that comes from not eating anything. And Muslims don't fast to clear their digestive systems or lose weight. Else, they might adopt the other model, by permitting water or juice during fasting.

Muslims, on the other hand, fast for the sole reason that it was prescribed by Allah. They do it (a) because Allah commanded it, and (b) in the manner that Allah commanded it.

Maybe all that some people get out of Ramadan is being hungry. And maybe all some people get is eating less food. But as we all know, the purpose of Ramadan fasting, according to the oft-repeated ayah from the Qur'an:

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). 2:183

So we fast, in short, to become the people of taqwa, the people who have taqwa, Al-Muttaqoon. And after 3 weeks of diligent fasting, abstention from food and liquids during the time, can have a profound spiritual effect on the heart. And that's when we kick it up a notch, with even more prayer, and istighfar. Fasting does so much more on a spiritual level, towards achieving piety, than can be quantified or explained.

The Jewish day of fasting I referred to above is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and it is preceded by 10 days during which Jews will seek repentance, and try to amend their behavior through extra acts of worship. So they might fast and perform charity, and of course ask for forgiveness. Sounds a bit like Ramadan, doesn't it? So maybe we don't fast for some 25 hours but in fact as Muslims we have a much longer period during which we are trying to amend our behavior, and seek forgiveness.

Furthermore, the month of Ramadan is divided into 3 sets of 10 nights--the first for mercy, the second for forgiveness, and the third for salvation. The fasting intensifies, and the worship intensifies. As Ramadan progresses, it's not that the fasting becomes harder--in fact, our bodies begin to adjust early on to the new schedule--but we start losing sleep as well. In fact, the loss of sleep has typically been for me the hardest part of Ramadan. And the fasting is only a reminder of the importance of worship and righteousness in Ramadan; a stepping stone towards everything else--the mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. It's not the end in itself.

And like Islam, it's a gift from Allah.

Jihad on Trial

While there has been a lot of evidence and argument about jihad and violent jihad, this case is about a conspiracy of terrorism. --US Magistrate, William Webb (link)

I agree, the case should be about a conspiracy of terrorism--that's what the charges in the indictment amount to. But for some reason, the case is actually about jihad--which is what the charges in the indictment actually say.

Why did the magistrate say that there is evidence and argument about jihad and violent jihad? Basically because the indictment and the media (don't get me started) are using these words as technical terms. That is, as if we're supposed to actually know what they mean. One local paper even reverted to calling jihad "holy war." ("A family respected in the community was arrested and charged with fomenting violence and holy war.")

Haven't they got it into their heads yet that jihad does not mean holy war? They are starting to now, apparently, as I noticed that they clarify:

And like Ali Hassan, the father of defendant Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, they longed to explain their meaning of "jihad." It is a term that has come to signify holy war, but it has many other meanings. For Muslims it literally means "struggle" and can also refer to an internal desire to improve oneself.

Jihad does not, has not, and will not ever mean "holy war." It means something else, instead, and not in addition to. It does mean struggle--that's from its literal root. Thus it literally does mean struggle.

However, that's not to mean that it's only internal and self-oriented. It can be physical, and it can be violent. So the phrase "violent jihad" is not meaningless. A while back I wrote a post on jihad, in which I described four different categories of jihad, the fourth of which was the only one using force. And that was further divided into offensive and defensive. Nobody would argue with defensive jihad (somebody attacks you, invades you etc., you can fight back) but the offensive jihad with force was an interesting case. I wrote then:

Some time after the Muslims were allowed to fight defensively to protect themselves against aggression, Allah (SWT) eventually allowed them to fight offensively. Why? To end oppression, to allow the spread of da'wah (note: to allow it, not to force islam on anyone), to prevent the torture of Muslims, and to end the oppression of people who are interested in learning about Islam but are forcefully prevented from doing so. This kind of jihad must be declared by a Muslim khalifa, and is an act carried out by an Islamic state, and not a "rag-tag" group of dissatisfied youths. And as it happens, though there are 56 Muslim countries, there is not an Islamic state with a khalifa.

So if someone could perhaps figure out who the khalifah is, where the Islamic state is, then maybe the allegations of plotting "violent jihad" would actually make sense. But since I'm pretty sure that nobody can, we should simply refer to the alleged conspiratorial plot as what it actually is: terrorism.

Conspiracy of terrorism. Just that simple. Thank you, Mr. Magistrate.

Top Question

A few days ago my fiance asked me what question I am most frequently asked about when I talk about Islam. And after answering, I thought it might make a good blog post.

Without a doubt, the number one question people ask me whether I'm in a booth, giving a presentation on Islam, or speaking about Islam in just about any capacity, is how my family took my conversion. It's rare I get away from a presentation without someone asking me about my family.

And at the same time, it's the question I am most reluctant to answer. It's probably really interesting, but on the other hand, it doesn't include the nicest things to say about my family. And out of respect to them, it doesn't seem correct to discuss in public whatever issues we might have had. The people who know me well, and who knew me several years ago, might know the extent to which my conflict with my family has upset me personally, and might also know that some of it is my own fault. So the question has a complicated answer, and one that can't be quickly glossed over in 1-2 minutes during a presentation.

I wonder how other converts feel discussing their families. And I wonder why almost every audience I speak to wants to know about my family. And also, how do other converts discuss their relationship with their families after their conversion?

Open House vs. "Bad PR"

I was waiting to see some kind of coverage in the local newspaper, the News and Observer, (N&O) about last weekend's Open House at the Islamic Center of Raleigh. But I guess the only thing related to Islam that the N&O can be bothered to write about is the arrests of some local Muslims accused of "plotting violent jihad." (As if "violent jihad" is a technical term, right?)

Many of the "articles" (which so far seem to amount more to fear-mongering propaganda than actual reporting) I've read about the recent arrests talk about the "bad PR." It's one of the more irritating claims about the incident, as if all Muslims are concerned about is their public image. What's neglected almost universally is that Raleigh Muslims preempted this "bad PR," with their Open House, which took place a few days before the arrest (and which took months of planning.)

I'm confident that any one of the over 600 attendees at the Open House would consider that visit to be far more weighty in their understanding of Islam than news reports about a few people who they've never met. In fact, the more the media tries to malign Islam (by trying to associate it with criminal behavior), the more people will investigate Islam. And some people will even become Muslim based on their investigation--after learning about Islam on their own, despite the repeated attempts of hate-mongering ideologues to paint Islam as a religion of terror.

But what is the excuse of the N&O for ignoring stories about Muslims which try to clear the fog, like the Open House? If you want to complain, please send a tasteful letter to the editor.

And let it be said of the Muslims in Raleigh that they didn't wait for "bad PR" to try to teach their neighbors Islam.

How We Pray 2

In my recent post, How We Pray 1, I talked about how the concept of salah, and some of the postures, existed before Islam. We can understand that salah, when used in the Qur'an referring to human beings (please see Definition of Salah) generally means worship. Looking at Biblical descriptions of the worship of prophets, we see them falling on their faces. But there is even more evidence in the Qur'an as to what salah looked like, or included as far as postures, in the Qur'an.

That's why this is a part 2 post, it's just further elaborating on some points I already discussed.

One thing that the Qur'an describes is praying in the House of Allah, which is the Ka'ba. This is something we can read in Surat al-Baqarah (2:125.) Surah Ale Imran describes Zakariyyah praying in a mihrab, a chamber or private room (3:39.) And Surah Sad mentions a mihrab of Dawud (38:21.) Surah Yunus describes taking houses as places of prayer for Musa and Harun in Egypt (10:87.) Surah Ale Imran includes instructions to Mary about prostrating and bowing, and it tells her to bow along with those who bow, indicating congregatoinal prayer (3:43.) Surat al-Hajj mentions standing, bowing, prostration, and circumambulation (22:26.) Also mentioned is that salah is for dhikr, rememberance of Allah, as in Surah Taha (20:14.)

I mention these references just to point out that some postures and particulars of prayer, in addition to being universal demonstrations of humility and devotion, are also part of the salah in times before Islam, one more thing which gives our daily salah special significance.

Open House Media Coverage

WRAL Web: Islamic Center of Raleigh holds open house

WRAL Video: Islamic Center holds open house in Raleigh

USA Today

News 14 Carolina (note that the text misquotes the speaker on the matter of hijab, the sister actually said hijab means covering everything except face, hands...)

(InshaaAllaah I'll update any further coverage.)

How We Pray 1

If you are not a Muslim, have you ever wondered why Muslims pray the way they do? If you are a Muslim, have you ever been asked the question?

Have you ever thought to answer by asking: Why doesn't everyone pray this way?

One thing we learned in Fiqh of Salah was the History of Salah, and it doesn't start with Islam. Anyone who has read the Bible might recognize the postures of salah being performed by Prophets and Messengers as far back as the time of Ibraheem! (as)

Muslims probably already know that Ibraheem, called Abraham in English, recognized salah, because it is mentioned in the Qur'an (14:37.) But did you know that even the Bible describes sajdah, prostration? In Genesis 17 (v. 3 and 17) it says that Abraham fell on his face. The son of Ibraheem, Isma'il (as) , also used to pray salah and enjoin it on his family. (19:54-55.)

The Qur'an also describes salah in the time of Musa and Harun (as) in Surah Yunus (10:87.) But the Bible describes some of their positions in salah as well. Exodus 34:8 describes Moses bowing his head in prayer, while Numbers 20:6 describes both Moses and Aaron falling on their faces.

From Surah al-Ma'idah (5:12) Muslims know that the Children of Israel were instructed to perform salah. But it is also mentioned in the Bible, that the people would lift their hands, bow their heads, and worship with their faces to the ground (Nehemiah 8:6); that Joshua fell on his face to worship (Joshua 5:14); that Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all of Jerusalem fell before the Lord to worship (2 Chronicles 20:18).

And what about during the time of Jesus? The Qur'an tells us that Mary was instructed to prostrate and bow (3:43), and that salah was also enjoined on her son (19:31). And what does the Bible say? First that Jesus fell on his face to pray (Matthew 26:39) but also it says that even his disciples fell on their faces out of fear of God (Matthew 17:6).

So clearly there is nothing bizarre or unfounded about the way Muslims pray today--the postures they exhibit in worship have been mentioned in previous scriptures and the Qur'an, long before the time of Muhammad (saws). The postures of the prayer universally represent humility and devotion, and are not exclusive even to Islam. So why not pray the way that Muslims pray? Although the exact manner of prayer today might be different than during the time of the Prophets, as Muslims we partake of their legacy every time we pray. It might be that we are the only nation in all of humanity to keep these rituals alive.

Religious Clothes in Oregon Schools

I'm really surprised that it took me so long to hear about this. And even now, all I can find is how Sikhs are protesting this law, but now how Muslims are--except that I am hearing about it through Muslims which means Muslims are doing something. Someone forwarded me the CAIR note about this, plus I also saw it today over at Muslimah Media watch on their Friday News Links today.

But anyway, what's past is past. Let me explain what's going on (for those of you just hearing.) The Oregon senate has passed a bill which prohibits teachers in public schools from wearing religious clothing. That can mean a Sikh's turban (which is why they are upset, naturally), but could also mean a hijab, and probably many other things. Here's the text of the bill (see Section 4):

No teacher in any public school shall wear any religious dress while engaged in the performance of duties as a teacher. A school district, education service district or public charter school does not commit an unlawful employment practice under ORS chapter 659A by reason of prohibiting a teacher from wearing religious dress while engaged in the performance of duties as a teacher.

Now, before we go up in arms, make sure you read the rest of it. The bill actually includes several provisions for religious observation, including attire, and taking time off for holidays, even time for daily prayers. So the bill is supposed to protect religious freedoms of employees. That's good. But why not teachers? That's the problem with the bill, that the religious freedoms of public school teachers are being denied here, and specifically the freedom of dress.

In a way, this is even keeping certain people out of a particular job, based on their religion. Muslims, Sikhs, even some Jews, would not be able to take jobs as public school teachers in Oregon at all because of this, which opens up another problem.

The bill now needs to be signed or vetoed by Oregon's governor. If you want to send him a letter voicing your concern over the bill, (especially if you actually live in Oregon, or nearby), you can send one via CAIR.