Salaam Aaapa,
I would also appreciate you not misleadingly propagating the Western stereotype of Muslim women as being weak and unable to stand up for themselves.
Salam Omahmed,
Here on these boards, it has been expressed many times that Muslim American women (and men) must have weak deen and iman and are also not really Muslims since they are "clearly" disobeying the Prophet by living in a Kafir land for something other than necessity purposes. Many times *I* have seen this. It takes a strong person to live here and live by a standard of beliefs that take you out of the muck and mire found here. I've had to do that as a Jehovah's Witness and I do that now, as a Native American Indian. The article paint a broad sweeping generalized view of the activities of approximately 307,006,550 people. Has she personally experienced all these events? No. She read about them in newspapers and on tv. How many times here have I been told to ignore what I read in the papers and on tv because its a zionist controlled, Imperialist country who's only intent is to force democracy on the world and condones the killing of babies and the elderly"? How much easier is it for a muslim to not be open hearted when they meet a non-muslim living in a kafir country because of these sweeping generalizations? What about all the soup kitchens and charity works here at home? What about the free health clinics and the interfaith councils? What about the American neighbors helping to repair the roof of a Muslim family and vise versa? Do you hear about THOSE activities here? No. No no no no no...you don't. What about all the schools imposing dress codes and behaviour standards? What about the Charter schools and alternative learning centers because parents, kafir country non-muslim parents, disapprove of the drugs and violence in inner city (high population, low income) schools? Teachers who are too tired and too apathetic from student abuse and rules teachers can't break without loosing their jobs.
The article above is equvilent to the below:
"Why would I never live in a Muslim country? I'll tell you wnhy. While the Arab world is known for its science and search for wisdom, it's schollers remain dumb and blind to the world. The backwards thinking found in the rulers who brainwash the population into believing that an illeterate sheep herder who sat in a dark cave could receive the word of God. We're supposed to believe that? I'm not saying that it didn't happen. Who knows, maybe it did. I don't know. Maybe Christ walked on water or maybe it just looked like that cause no one could see the stones just below the water line that he stepped on. Who knows, maybe he suffered from a neurological disorder that geve him very powerful hallucinations that has lead to the world being united under one God. Not such a bad thing, I'll admit. As a woman though, I wouldn't suggest you raise your eyes to read a street sign. You will be labled a prostitute and stoned on the spot. At least then she won't have to bear the thought that her daughter would be forced into having her private parts chopped off simply because men can't control their urges.............................."
What in that writting was not a fact? Was it a distortion of the truth with truth mixed in? Was Mohammad not a shepard before he became the prophet? Was anyone in the cave with him? Does not the entire world believe that Christ walked on water but were any of them looking down into the water to check for stones? Is it not in the Qur'an for women to veil their eyes and for them to be circumsized? Can a woman not be stoned for being viewed as being in a sexual relationship with a man not her husband?
All things true, but without more knowlege, more wisdom, more understanding.....all of them can be distorted by the one experiencing these events as something evil and vile.
Was it not Mohammad who said to beware of looking at a person's life through YOUR glasses and not their's? (it's times like this that I could remember everything I read). Mohammad met lots of people while working with his uncle and then on his own in the caravans. While he probably learned things that were discusting and vile, he gained so much more by watching and being open minded. Would he ever make wide sweeping statements in mixed company? I would say "NEVER".
This is a multicultural forum - it's up to each one of us to respect and not belittle the input of others, whether we agree with their views or not - this is a part of Islamic adab, or good manners.
I agree, unfortunately, there are some ayat's and hadith's that, without the surrounding information and story that are taken as literal and used to justify hurting others, even indirectly. The Arabs were given the gift of eloquence, yet some here choose not to use that gift of speech properly.
Zeba Khan has the right to express her views, and explain why she left the US and went back to her country. Perhaps a stronger rebuttal would be for you to write an article that you can post here explaining why you love the US and feel free and content to live as a Muslim woman and parent there.
"Ask and yee shall receive"...though I wrote the reverse of the article instead of explaining my views of America.
For now I leave you. Please know that I did not write this reply in anger. I apologize now for having to use Mohammad in the article but I know so little that he was the only example I could use. Inshallah, he understands. I hope everyone who reads this can understand as well.
Salam....
sister you answers are always so sweet and innocent!!!
.