Mini rant response- Article: What if Tebow were Muslim?

re: article http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/12/07/what-if-tim-tebow-were-muslim/

Good points- why is it ok to have 1/2 naked cheerleaders but not a guy who shows his faith? showing religion it makes "ppl too uncomfortable"? seriously? when the islamphobia dies down, one day inshallah, ppl of faith will still catch shit over daring to be religous. But it will always be ok to show your 'assets' in public. This reminds me of how its so hard for hijabis and other ppl of faith to just be allows to be religious without harassment- why should I change my way of praising God just because you feel its being 'pushed at you' and faith should 'be private.' As long as a person isn't dropping religious literature at your feet or spouting off about how ppl need to change to their faith, then it is private. Lets hide that some ppl are women and men since that can make ppl uncomfortable. Some things cant and shouldn't be concealed and least of all ones faith.

I will admit, as a Broncos fan I am excited about the great performance of Tim Tebow. I was at first a little affronted by his mention of Jesus at press conferences but perhaps because I'm indoctrinated to shun 'public displays of faith' Now I feel inspired to be a better Muslim as this person loves God so much that he applies his faith to every aspect of his job. Thats brave in this culture, even for an accepted religion. I feel reminded of how we need to treat this world as the distraction filled playground that it is and prepare always for heaven with strong and ever present faith. So pray on, Tebow (and winning more games always helps too)

Reflection- American Muslim= left out

I've been thinking about my identity as a Muslim lately and am annoyed and disheartened by how the general consensus seems to be that a Muslim equals a Middle Eastern person. Every website I go to and news information by Muslim writers are all geared toward non-American Muslims. I feel that I can't take pride in my faith because in some ways its not really mine- its a 'foreign' faith I'm adapting to, that's way American converts may have such a hard time with their non-Muslim families- Islam seems to be an 'other' type of thing and not American.

 I suppose that's why I choose to wear hijab in my own way, not covering my neck and ears, because I feel as though I'm conforming to a 'foreign' way of modesty and it doesn't feel authentic to myself as an American Muslim. I always admire traditional hijabis in pictures and occasionally when I see them in person but its admiration of 'wow that's so nice and cultural' and not 'she's just like me- a modest Muslim woman.' I feel my hijab style lets me embrace and be reminded of my faith without feeling its forced or an act I have to try and be comfortable with. Still I wish Islam was represented in its true sense- as a universal and non-territorial faith: its American, Pakistani, any nation.

So here's to being a Muslim and nothing but a Muslim

9/11 remembrance

The sorrow of sudden demise and horrofic final phone calls and terribly awaiting news and waking up to terrible images of destruction and of the aftermath of ignorance and erroneous assumptions , pervades

The hope of awareness of renewed faith of forgiveness and of strength of moving on to better days of keeping remembrances and of not taking life for granted, is evident

Happy 1st Birthday! SWS

I love you, son, and on your first birthday I want you to know that I am so blessed to have you and so glad that God knows best because I always questioned if I wanted children and I know God meant for you to be my little boy. I have had such fun getting to know you this past year and I can't wait to get to know you more during our lives.

 I'm so happy your daddy and I had you and he is such a great daddy for you, praise God. We're both growing as people as well as parents and you have so much to do with that, you are an inspiration to be a better person- we have to be your examples! So, I love you and you are an amazing baby, though you are super heavy to carry now and you walk so fast! I love you very much and pray that you are blessed with a great life and that we can help provide that for you, inshallah

Ramadan End Reflection

Thank God for Ramadan- I was able to take away such good from it. I was successful in fasting for 20 days (and was pretty down about not being able to complete the full 30 days.) I've learned its very hard to get back into fasting once its broken (menstruation) But I am committing myself to fasting on Fridays (at least once a month) to make up the missed days and to keep the great practice from Ramadan with me throughout the year.

So why was Ramadan great for me?
-it improved my awareness of God (taqwa)
-it really made me appreciate food and my blessings
-it made me really see how much mindless snacking I do during the day
of course theres some personal flaws that stood out like
-how impatient I become when fasting
-how quickly I resort to cursing and anger when frustrated
but I was able to reflect and change my behavior due to fasting and I know I will get better on my personal goals, inshallah!

So praise God for Ramadan and I hope I can keep it alive!

Reflection- Movie "Mooz-lum"

Being Muslim right after 9/11- it was an event that brought so much light to Islam and led to many people converting after researching what at first was an 'evil' religion, discovering the true beauty. But for many others in America and around the world, Muslims were attacked and harassed for their appearance, for being believers.

I just watched the great independent film 'Mooz-lum" with Nia Long and Danny Glover. Amazing movie that focused on a young boy whose father's determination to made him a Quran reciter and a 'proper muslim' led to family dysfunction and a secret the boy didn't feel he could communicate with anyone, one that would led him to question being Muslim.

Interesting tidbit- the hijab styles in the movie are awesome and diverse (some 'traditional' and some just a head covering ) also interesting is that the mother was hijabi but wore relaxed clothes but a head covering at home (was it to not offend Muslims showing a Muslimah character with hair flowing?)

Anyway, the film treated everything fair I feel- the Muslim father was presented on an 'evil Muslim' slant but later was humanized more and the Muslim mother was firm and stood for her beliefs and love for her son (no submissive woman here) I appreciated the different aspects of Muslim American life shown- the males who choose to be identified as Muslim, the women who stand up for their faith proudly, the young kids who struggle with being Muslim and fitting in with the dunya. In the end he stood up for others after 9/11 occurred despite his personal struggle with his identity as a Muslim.
Great article by the director about being "Muslimerican" here

Reflection:
I felt a personal connection to the story as a parent. My husband had a more secular upbringing while I was raised in a more 'religion is a part of life" childhood (attending Awaana and encouraged to turn to God in prayer, conservative attitudes about swimming and boys) and he worries about me raising our son to be too religious. He feels the Christian kids' clubs I attended were extreme. I feel the need to have religion in every part of life to build a relationship with God; my childhood relationship with God led be to Islam as an adult.

 I do worry how to strike a good balance between American living and Muslim living- watch T.V shows and movies/ be part of the consumerism on gift giving days? I pray for guidance on those matters. My plan so far- I do know I want to have home Juma's and great Eid/ Ramadan celebrations- I want my son to be aware of and proud of his faith. (one reason I gave to my mom concerning hijab- by wearing it I display a love for God and faith to my son, I show him that the principal of doing something against the popular norm even if I may not get the jobs I want) But not to the extreme of the movie where it's so forced on him that he shies away from his faith to get away from it's pressure.  So inshallah I raise him the best I can.

Why I Fast- Ramadan reflection after first week

I've been seeing a lot of articles and posts asking for the real reason behind fasting and what one has 'gotten out of it' so I have analyzed it myself

1- a test from God: God notes numerous times that the believers will be tested and fasting is a great test for those who are faithful- why else would one do it if not to gain a deeper commitment to God and strive for success as a Muslim? The temptations can be great when fasting, I know as I have failed in the past to complete a full month. When food is readily available and a variety of drinks at every turn, its easy to allow yourself to give up and give in. Faith is a test- one has to strive to adhere by God's rules for living and avoid the doubts that lead to sin. In the past I would break fast early and the thought of "God will forgive me, its not a big deal" would excuse me of my weakness. But the strong in faith are the ones who know no excuse is sufficient. I want to be strong.

2- strength comes out of hardship: I always have such admiration for athletes and one reason is that they work hard and sacrifice for a goal and when they achieve it, its such an empowering outcome and one that requires maintenance to continue being successful. I feel that way about fasting- there are times when it can be so hard to focus and function with diminished energy but the reward of God's blessings and obeying God's command keeps me motivated. Also the experience of fasting motivates me throughout the year; knowing that I set a goal and accomplished it (though in the past I haven't gone the whole month, but did do several weeks) helps me when I face other challenges.

3- extended salat: in terms of taking time out of your life for God. Much like the daily prayers, fasting for me is a time to stop all the plans we make and give it to God. I feel slowed down physically and mentally- fasting forces me to think about my faith and not waste time (or if I am wasting time, the hunger pains bring back my focus)

So with the blessings of a pretty successful week of Ramadan, I pray for additional success and to watch my patience and anger and turn to God when I am stressed or feeling down.

Alhaduliliah

Blog shout out- 30 Mosques in 30 Days

I am losing myself (and time) catching up on this amazing blog project- I can't believe I've never heard of it- though I was pregnant and baby crazy when it happened Ramadan 2010. Mashallah I have found it and its so wonderful and diverse and informative. I feel so proud to be a Muslim and want to rush to my local mosque- I feel bad now for downing it for its faults (bad sound system, crappy women's area, the fact that there is a separate and crappy women's area) but from the 30/30 blog, I appreciate that Muslims (who are the minority especially in their town) have to make do. So I will be going this Friday, inshallah.  Anyway, including links of the project since multiple photos are on different sites.

Current/ original blog
Link to the press they did, and other press links

Halal food -- locally!

I was happy to find out recently that my local Whole Foods now carries Saffron Road frozen halal certified food. I have never had halal before this summer and when I found certified beef ribs at my Costco only to find out that it was being fazed out, I bought a bunch and hoped for the best. Mashallah more companies will market to Muslims and carry items we can enjoy- inshallah halal will be as prevalent as kosher!

I found a good article about the business aspect of Whole Foods' campaign- it makes sense for them to have a Ramadan campaign because breaking fast meals can lead to big bucks. Its only online and social media most likely due to the crazy backlash from Best Buy's Eid-al-Adha flyer situation from 2009 (I remember seeing on the local news a guy who was going to boycott Best Buy just for acknowledging a Muslim holiday!)  I actually bought some Saffron meals (Lamb Saag and Chicken Marsala) at $4.00 a pop for a somewhat small amount of food but I'm more than willing to spend it if its halal- very hard to find in my town. So things are improving for American Muslims, alhamdulillah!

sidenote- just found an article with misguided Christians slamming Whole Foods for selling food that is 'in the name of an idol" because the 'Muslim God is an idol" and its 'backdoor Shariah- God forbid and forgive their ignorance.

Great short audio- "The Real Hijab" "Hijab- a shared responsibility"

http://en.wathakker.net/lib_audio/view.php?id=166

Great short lecture from Sheikh Yusuf Estes about hijab.

Highlights
 -notes that modesty is the reason everyone wears clothes so hijab is a religious extension of that and the logical reason behind it
-notes that Catholic nuns wear their habits all the time, regardless of who they are around and thus the Islamic hijab is not a burden by comparison.
Reflection
I appreciate the straightforward approach at hijab and how it is not a practice that is nonsensical or backward, but a blessed show of faith. I pray that I will keep this perspective in mind when observing hijab is more difficult on some days and when I feel the lack of support particularly strong, inshAllah

http://en.wathakker.net/lib_audio/view.php?id=561
Hijab- A Shared Responsibility

Highlights
-the men in a woman's life are responsible for guidance as a believer and will be punished for discouraging hijab
-modesty is required of men and women
-hijab is defined in great detail in the Quran to denote its significance

Reflection
I struggle with the 'shared responsibility' of hijab in my own life given my non-Islamic upbringing and my husband who is less observant than me. I pray for strength to uphold my modesty in the face of occasional outside opposition and at times frequent inner struggle- inshAllah
I

American Muslims and Discrimination- thoughts

http://64.19.142.10/msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110625-kulsoom-lifting-05.grid-6x2.jpg

Kulsoom Abdullah recently won a rules battle over the right to observe hijab during competition for her sport of weightlifting, inspiring others to hope for less discrimination toward athletic hijabis. This lead me to wonder about two points- 1) on the dedication of these hijabis to their faith  2) on why some are so resistant to making accommodations.

First, as I am personally struggling with my own definition of hijab in my life, I feel pride and inspiration at these women who refuse to 'stand down' to giving up hijab to work or 'play'. I have a job interview this week and my Christian family feels that not wearing hijab will be more beneficial to landing a job- perhaps in my military Christian town. I have already modified my own hijab to be more of a hair covering hat-style, non tight clothes, anything else goes thing so I do feel like I'm compromising. But for what? and who? If I get a job sans-hijab, then I'll struggle with 'when do I wear hijab at work?" 'how will they react?" "should I just not wear it at all anymore?" Regardless of my modifications, I don't want to fully compromise myself.

And that leads me back to the women who don't compromise- they no doubt enjoy their sports, hobbies, and earning money. But they show from their actions, these complete strangers to me and the world, that they love obeying God more then anything else. Bottom line. And God bless them because it inspires people like me to be true to God, faith, and the American freedoms I have been blessed with as a citizen. And its so ridiculous when people say American Muslims are not patriotic- this is one of the few 'western' countries that has laws protecting hijab and freedom of religion. That alone makes me patriotic, despite the actions of some businesses or individuals who demonstrate hate

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/29/muslim-discrimination-cas_n_842076.html

The second point makes me think of the 'fear of the unknown' and how Americans can be resistant to foreign practices (unless businesses benefit from them/ 'press one for espanol') and hijab is definitely something that is not common. I understand some safety concerns in some sports like maybe soccer due to strangulation concerns but most times, hijab is safe in many situations pertaining to work and play. So its interesting when I see news article commenters mention "go back home" and such when the topic is discrimination of hijab.

Tony Blair called hijab a 'mark of separation" but how, really? Each person on the street may wear something that makes them look different and unique and its accepted- miniskirts, long hair on men, crazy high heels, etc. Should all people look exactly the same with uniforms as to not offend anyone else? Additionally, religion is not a foreign 'import' (anyone can be any religion, regardless of nationality) and no one scoffs on a modestly dressed Christian is involved in an event- hijab, however, is so different from the norm and not easy to ignore that people seem to be unable to deal with it. So what is it? I try to remember how I felt when I saw hijabis prior to converting- I remember feeling curious and impressed that women would be so observant to their faith. I suppose people may fear this 'unknown' will be more prevalent in American society and point out the differences between modest and 'free' or immodest.  Like smoking a cigarette in front of a nun, perhaps others feel a silent religious-based condemnation that makes them uncomfortable. Perhaps this islamophobia will die down as the anti-Judaism had in America long ago- they're now loved everywhere or otherwise protected. And gays are starting to win their fights too, regardless of the Islamic ideologies on that, just speaking from a democratic country standpoint.  I just pray that people will not be harmed anymore due to intolerance. Inshallah.

Ramadan Goal- What's it all about?!

Ok so I am hugely excited for Ramadan this year for several reasons-

 1) this is my first Ramadan with my baby so I can draw inspiration from him to do a good job (one day inshallah he will observe it too)

2) I have never offically fasted an entire Ramadan or read the Quran the whole month since converting in 2009 so I look forward to accomplishing that goal

So with my motivation comes the realization that I need a refresher/ education on Ramadan- with no one around to ask for guidance its hard to know what to do so I will consult the internet and the other resources I have available. 

Goal- learn all I need to know about Ramandan (beyond not eating/drinking/smoking/relations)- practices, duas, ways to stay motivated by the end of this Month

Ramadan Primer

Learn the basics of Ramadan, the holiest month of the year and one of the five pillars of Islam. And visit "The Beliefnet Guide to Ramadan" to learn more about this spirtual fasting month.

	RAMADAN
When It Happens	Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, which is based on the moon. The western dates of the holiday move up about 10 days every year. In 2010, Ramadan is predicted to begin on August 11th and end on September 10th.
Significance	The Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. The month is a special time of worship, Qur'an reading, charitable acts, and individual reflection and purification.
Main Qur'anic Source	"Ramadan is the month during which the Qur'an was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein" (2:185).
What's Prohibited	Eating and drinking from dawn to sunset Sexual activity during those hours Smoking during those hours Using profane language Backbiting (speaking ill of others) is also discouraged
Why the Fast	Among many reasons, Muslims fast to heighten spirituality and practice self-restraint, as the Qur'an states, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may [learn] self-restraint" (2:183).
Who Should Fast	All Muslims who have reached puberty are required to fast. Exceptions include men and women who are too old to fast, those who are too ill, women in the advanced stages of pregnancy, and women who are menstruating.
Other Requirements	Five daily prayers must be offered for that day's fast to have meaning Reading the entire Qur'an during the month is strongly recommended The recitation of the Taraweeh prayer, or Night prayer following the 'Isha prayer, the obligatory fifth daily prayer, is strongly recommended
Important Meals	Suhur, the meal before daybreak Iftar, the meal after sunset, eaten as soon as possible after the sun sets
End of the Fast	Each day's fast is broken with water and dates before the prayers and Iftar, the evening meal.
The Night of Power	Laylat Al Qadr, or the Night of Power, occurs on the night of one of the odd days during the last ten days of Ramadan. It is widely believed to fall on the 27th day of Ramadan. This night is commemorated as the night Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur'an. The Qur'an calls this night "better than a thousand months." Muslims spend the night in prayer and devotion.
End of the Month	Muslims celebrate the end of the fast with the joyous festival of Eid Al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast. They attend special congregational prayers in the morning and greet each other with "Eid Mubarak," or "Holiday Blessings."

Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Islam/2007/01/Ramadan-Primer.aspx#ixzz1SrgOxPgU

Finally- Reality show on Muslims!

I was so surprised and happy to hear of TLC filming a show on Dearborn, MI Muslims to premiere in November- I had always argued at home about the lack of Muslims on popular TV when polygamous Mormons have a show. Of course reality TV is seldom actually portraying 'reality' so will this show matter? Will the 43% of Americans who are ignorant of Islam be more knowledgeable?

http://www.mlive.com/tv/index.ssf/2011/07/tlc_to_premiere_all-american_m.html 

Of course the much needed controversy that reality shows require will most likely be on the non-observant Muslim sister of a hijabi according to articles I've read. I worry that the human side that all observant people have, which may not be perfect 24/7, won't negatively influence perceptions of Muslims. I know when I wear hijab, traditional style or not, I always feel a pressure to behave better than normal, which is a good thing most of the time really.

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/americas/453172-reality-show-draws-images-of-us-muslims.html 

In the end, people will believe what they want, regardless of any slant placed on a reality show about America's number one group to dump on (of the moment.) So I just hope its enjoyable and I'm glad Islam will be a focus in a more positive matter for once. Mashallah

Adjustments

Having watched the movie ‘the adjustment buearu’ I can see the correlations of that movie and Islam, in life and God.  We have limited free will, which I take to mean that God has a set plan for us but we can choose to follow His plan or not. The movie suggests likewise but that when we are irresponsible with our free will, it will be taken from us and our ‘plan’ of life will be set. The paths leading to career success and love will be pre-determined. Is real life also a series of paths? Did life take me on this journey of parenthood and marriage? I worry at times if my depression or negative perception is because I should be on a different path or that I;m not satisfied with  my path chosen by Allah. I worry about unworthiness and being lost, feeling lost.

Perhaps like in the movie I need to rethink what fulfills me, tune into my triggers of happiness. Damon’s character though politics filled him but it wasn’t the case/ his love interest was willing to forgo career happiness for love. I grew up believing the college and career path would fulfill me but it hasn’t. So I need to adjust my perception, look deeper at who I am and not hold back.  I yearn to feel more free and loose but hold back so much out of fear of embarrassment and failure, of being rejected and of disappointing- God, myself, my family.  What if I lived like ‘no one was watching?’ like a famous person who didn’t fear paparazzi at every turn. What if I absorbed my faith’s teachings without the connotations of ‘bad’ and ‘rules’ but just as a guide on the path of happiness?

 I want to let go and (truly) let God

Hijab and standing strong

I read this article from a great new website I recently found and I was so moved, mashallah. It answered a question about taking off hijab and make such amazing points - on how it's not meant to be pleasing to any one but God, is part of the belief that “Islam is not a state of being but it is a process of becoming,”and that the 'rush' of being a hijabi may diminish but that the act is not small but one that helps our spiritual enlightenment. The sin of not wearing itor not being as modest is not to be focused on but rather the act of sinning period. Additionally, a commenter noted that wanting to be attractive for others may feel good at the moment but it fades and then what was the point?  


That is so powerful to me because I have lived my youth doing that- rushing to look good, be sexy, to please others and it was a high that never satisfied, it was never gratifying. Islam saved me from demeaning myself and beyond that, from looking for peace from people and finding it in God. Hijab for me is the daily part of my commitment to God and my faith, its neither a small act or the 'end all be all' (I wont explode if a hair is showing but I would feel exposed, and did when I wore an outfit that turned out to be a little revealing) but part of wanting to be the best Muslim I can be, in addition to prayers and other acts of worship


I worry with the upcoming round of job interviews about hijab and if I should take it off to get hired. But this message reminded me that the worries of this life will never be as important as my faith and standing by what is right. Hijab is what's right in my life and I pray God blesses me for it and helps me stand by it and adhere to it.


May God forgive me for the times I struggle with hijab and staying modest and bless me with wisdom and courage

Protests in arab world

This month has seen major changes in muslim countries with Tunisia and Eygpt and other small uprisings around that region. This show of human sprits being pushed and fighting back is inspiring and for some a true test from Allah. Obviously some see the opportunity of a lack of policing to loot and rob others and some use srtrong measures to protest like self immolation. I pray for those who are frustrated to turn to Allah and rely on Allah for a way to make their voice heard. This to me serves as a good example of how tough times can be a great test of your own restraint and stregnth. It also humbles me that so many contries are fighting for stablitiy and I am grateful to be in a country where I dont have to fear waking up to chaos and having my life change overnight to a overthrown government. Of course recessions and other issues abound here as well.

As a westener I see promise in these changes- many like to discredit Islam by pointing to Muslim majoirty countries and saying "these are the examples of how Islam is wrong as these countries have tyrants and corruption" These changes and the images of muslims, and partiularly women, fighting for change is proof that the government of a muslim country is not always a proper example of how Islam should be demonstrated in government

Another intersting story was the Pew report that Muslims will be a very large part of the world population in 30 years due to childbirth and some by converstion- that I'm sure is scary news to those ignoratnt of how Islam can positively impact ones life but I see it as a wonderful thing- Inshallah Muslims will soon not be the 'enemy of the moment' and we will garner respect as an influential faith