Cairo, Lusaka, Amsterdam

New Blog

2010-03-02T14:43:00.002+02:00

I've decided to move to Word Press...

Here is the link:

Here.

See you there!

The Unity of the Qur'an

2010-02-25T22:35:00.001+02:00

We always hear that tawhid, or unity, is important in Islam. Yet we rarely see this applied to the Qur'an. Very few Muslims think of the Qur'an as a whole, rather than a compilation of verses that can be taken separately and out of context. But is this how we should look at it?

Fazlur Rahman suggests that we need to see the Qur'an as a whole to find out what God wants from us. Quoting a single verse as proof of something is not good enough. What is more important is the main message of the Qur'an - socio-economic justice - and the values the Qur'an mentions over and over again - peace, justice, kindness, compassion, sincerity, respect, and so on.

Rahman argues that we need to think beyond a single verse when we consider Islamic issues. The message of the Qur'an is a unity, not a block comprised of singular verses. We need to look at the values that underpin the Qur'an - what principles is God asking us to follow? We need to look for the VALUE behind the verse.

An example: the verse saying that women should inherit half of what men inherit. Then, it was seen as just. Today, it is not, because why should a woman only get half of what a man does? So when looked at by itself, it makes the Qur'an seem gender-biased. However, if we look at the value and message BEHIND the verse, we see a different picture: we see that God was giving women SOMETHING, at a time when she got NOTHING. God was saying a woman does have value, and does deserve an inheritance. That is the value and principle behind the verse, and according to Rahman, that is what we should be applying to our lives, not looking at that verse specifically and applying it literally.

Of course I'm sure most Muslims would disagree with him, as he is definitely a modernist and a reformist, but I think his view is very refreshing. It is an interesting question: why do we not apply tawhid to the Qur'an, when it is obviously the most important principle to God. Why do we not look at the SPIRIT of the Qur'an instead of focusing on specific verses?

Khaled abou el-Fadl once said that if we look at individual verses about women in the Qur'an, then it does seem like Islam treats women as less than men. But if we look at them together and see them as part of the Qur'an, we see that God does see them as equal and does want justice for them - because the Qur'an is about justice.

And it's so refreshing to have someone remind us of that.

Questions on the Sunnah and Hadith

2010-02-22T09:48:00.002+02:00

I'm really interested in finding out how you guys think the Sunna and Hadith fit into Islam. The Sunna are basically the practices of the Prophet and the Hadith are the written version of these. They can also include the Prophet giving his approval to someone else's action, without necessarily doing it himself.

Are we supposed to follow ALL of the Prophet's Sunna? Through the hadith we would know exactly what he did and how he lived. Does this mean we are supposed to implement this? If this is the case, as many Muslims argue, then we should grow beards, wear niqab, drink in a certain way, etc. Interestingly, these same Muslims DON'T think we should go back to riding camels or donkeys, give up all modern technology, give up healthcare, etc. So does following the Sunna mean selectively following it, or does it mean following all of it?

When it comes to hadith, how do you determine whether one is authentic (sahih) or not? Does it depend on the collection it is from? Many people say "well it's from Bukhari or Muslim so it must be right". Actually, weak hadiths were later found in the collection of Bukhari and a lot in the collection of Muslim. Also, neither of them was trying to make an exclusive collection of hadith - so there could be hadith that are sahih that were not included in their collections.

When a hadith contradicts our common sense, do we ignore it or do we ignore our common sense?

Is it a problem that the hadith were compiled by human beings, prone to error?

Can we understand the Qur'an without the hadith?

I would love to hear from all of you! My next post will be my answers.

Islamic Culture

2010-02-12T21:19:00.002+02:00

Whatever happened to the Islamic empire? When Muslims were at the forefront of science, politics, law, medicine, philosophy, and the arts?

"The decline of the Islamic civilization is a great historical wound to Muslims. For a whole millennium their civilization had dominated most parts of the world. During that time, Islamic civilization was the entity that - due to its high degree of development - was the most expansive throughout the world."

Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Ghazali - what happened? And what happened to Muslims today to make them think that music, art, thinking for yourself, and debate are haram? All of these things have made Islamic civilization great. Muslims back then did not think every single thing was wrong, or that God does not love beauty. What is wrong with jazz? What is wrong with Rembrandt? Why are these unIslamic?!

"In those earlier times, a visitor from Mars might have supposed that the human world was on the verge of becoming Muslim. He would have based this judgement partly on the strategic and political advantages of the Muslims, but partly on the vitality of their general culture."

Vitality? It's hard for me to even imagine that now! Some of the world's greatest rationalists were Muslims - today we are told by many ulama NOT to think and NOT to question - if something is so it is because God wanted it to be so.

Some of the world's best poets were Muslims. Today we are told poetry, painting, even MUSIC, is haram. Why? Where are these arguments coming from? And why have Muslims for hundreds of years enjoyed these beautiful things? Were they all wrong and are they all in hell now?

Some of the world's best scientists and doctors were Muslim. Today we have Muslim doctors saying a male doctor cannot treat a female patient. Seriously, where has professionalism and common sense gone?

To me it is just so sad that this is what Islamic "civilization" has come to: following the ulama blindly and accepting anything without thinking. There is no debate. There is no freedom of expression. And there is definitely no freedom of religion. Even the majority of Muslims in the West blindly follow each other out of social and peer pressure.

There was a time when moderate Islam was the norm. When we had reason and belief, rationality and spirituality. Today we have orthodoxy and conservatism, and if you are a Muslim and you don't agree, then you have to be prepared to constantly defend yourself.

_________________________________

Quotes from Bassam Tibi, "Islam's Predicament with Modernity"

7 Things...

2010-02-06T00:03:00.002+02:00

I was just tagged by the lovely Jasmine and Aynur :)

1. I love writing a post at night and then waking up the next morning to comments. I really enjoy hearing what everyone has to say and knowing that people actually read my blog :)

2. I love carrot cake more than anything else in the world. I have a piece sitting in the fridge right now, and I'm waiting for the perfect time to eat it :D

3. I really hope I end up back in Cairo one day, insha'Allah. I've really fallen for it, and I don't think Holland is the place for me (as beautiful as it is when it snows).

4. Sometimes it is really hard to be a Muslim. I feel pressure coming from some non-Muslims, and pressure from many Muslims. It's a constant battle to defend your views and ideals and sometimes I really doubt myself.

5. I'm scared I'll never find best friends like the ones I had in Cairo.

6. I miss my mum and my sister, and how we used to go Starbucks every weekend to just talk about nothing.

7. My maternal instincts kicked in 2 months ago when the cutest baby sat on my lap. Her name was Gaby, and she was wearing BABY UGGS. How adorable is that?! Her mum was also wearing uggs, which made it even more cute.

____________________________

I'm not sure who's already been tagged, so I tag anyone who hasn't done it yet.

(Wanted to add pics to the post but for some reason I can't :(...)

Amina Wadud on the Hijab

2010-01-31T19:47:00.000+02:00

"If you think the difference between heaven and hell is 45 inches of material, boy will you be surprised."

I've just finished reading Amina Wadud's book "Inside the Gender Jihad". I've always been very impressed with her writing - she is eloquent and writes beautifully, but also commands a lot of respect. She is very (I mean very) well-learned and is really one of the top Western Islamic intellectuals around today.

She wears hijab, so I was interested to see how she came to that decision. She is known for her hermeneutic, linguistic, and contextual analyses of the Qur'an and Sunnah, so I wanted to know what her interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah on hijab are.

She writes in the book that she does not see the hijab as an Islamic obligation. "I do not consider it a religious obligation, nor do I ascribe to it any religious significance or moral value per se. It is certainly not the penultimate denotation of modesty, as mandated by the Qur'an, "the best dress is the dress of taqwa."

"Over the past several decades, the hijab has been given disproportionate symbolic significance both within and without Muslim communities. Like a sixth pillar, we cannot discuss Islam and gender without discussing the hijab. While overloaded with multiple meanings, it is often the single marker used to determine community approval or disapproval. Although sometimes random and coincidental, it is also burdened with different levels of volition by Muslim women."

She makes a very valid point: hijab does not necessarily provide a woman with respect or protection. "Those who reduce women to their sexuality will continue to do so. In reality the hijab of coercion and the hijab of choice look the same."

"If a man respected a woman as an equal human being and not as an object of his sexual fantasies, then even a naked woman should be safe from male abuse." I think this is a great point - there is NO excuse for a man to disrespect a woman, no matter what she is wearing. And a good man will respect a woman whether she is veiled or not - the veil is not necessarily going to make a difference, and if it does, then he isn't the best of men.

"When a Serbian soldier in the rape camps can rip a two-year-old girl's body apart by raping her, it is obviously naive to assume that any amount of head-covering would have made any difference or created any real change in deep-seated male aberrations."

Wadud also discusses the fact that because she wears hijab, some women avoid her because they assume the hijab means silence and conformity. Similarly, some women assume she is more religious than non-veiled women, something she also criticizes.

Finally, she writes, "Dubbing it the sixth pillar only shows its ability to divert attention from the issue of substance regarding modesty and relations between the sexes, like unrestricted male libido. The hijab is also a significant marker for the community approval or disapproval. The paradox of my choice and devotion to wearing hijab without considering it obligatory means a significant duality of some strategic consideration for my various roles in the gender jihad."

Her arguments are interesting because she is not one of those scholars who sees the hijab as oppressive/looks at it condescendingly - she herself wears it. She is simply pointing out that she does not see it as an obligation and that many Muslim women feel an immense amount of pressure to conform to this dress code, whether they believe in it or not.

I personally find it interesting how any scholar (Wadud, abou el Fadl) who says the hijab is not an obligation gets viciously attacked to the point of ridiculousness. Why is it such a sensitive issue?
_____________________________________

What does everyone think of her arguments?

France and the Burqa...Again

2010-01-26T21:20:00.000+02:00

Read the story here.

So we all know by now that France has an issue with the niqab.

What does everyone think of this? France has given several arguments for this stance, the strongest one that it is impractical. However, to me it seems more related to Islamophobia than France actually having an issue with it. If France didn't have other issues with Muslims, then maybe their position would seem more credible. But certain incidents such as banning the hijab and burning cars seem to kind of weaken their position.

Some opinions:
Nasr Hamid abu Zeid: "This is why I believe that it would have been possible to solve the problem - if there really is a problem - in another way. This law has provoked many reactions among Muslims in French society and throughout the Islamic world. This can only lead to increased tensions in relations."

Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun: "When someone wears the headscarf in school, for instance, it is a deliberate decision to not take part in certain kinds of classes as for instance sports or biology. The headscarf is - to my mind - the triumph of ignorance. The laws of laicism, that is, the separation of state and religion is very, very important."

Egyptian filmmaker Safaa Fathy: "The French government is attempting to prevent the growing radicalization of Arab and Turkish Muslims who live in suburban areas. There, young girls of only eight years old are already forced to wear a headscarf. What we are dealing with here is a political-religious movement, which I witnessed emerge and grow in Egypt at the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s. I support the existence of a law that protects girls from the pressures brought to bear from within the Muslim community, as this concerns a community that forces women to wear the headscarf. The headscarf is a sign of a woman's membership in the Arab-Islamic community."

Her last comment is very interesting. From your experience, is there a lot of pressure on young girls to veil, from their families, communities etc?

What does everyone think about women who are nurses, doctors, etc wearing a niqab to work? Is it impractical, or does it not make a difference?

And how do you feel about France wanting to ban the niqab? Is it their right? Or is it an infringement on the rights of their Muslim citizens?

Leaving Cairo

2010-01-16T22:15:00.000+02:00

I've been in Cairo for almost two months and I have less than a week left. A huge part of me is really sad that I'll be leaving Cairo, but part of me is excited to go back to Holland and continue my life there. This trip back has really made me realize that Cairo is my home and how in love with it I am. I really don't think there's another city like it.

I've also realized how nice it is to see Islam in moderation. Yes, many Egyptians have become increasingly conservative and some increasingly fanatic over the past few decades, but there are still many Muslims here who practice Islam in a very beautiful way that seems unique to Egypt. For them Islam encompasses everything, from the way they act to the way they do business. But they see it as more of an inner journey than an outer one. The women could be veiled or bare-headed, the men could be regulars at the mosque on Fridays or not, the kids could be more "Islamicized" than "Westernized" or vice versa - what makes these people amazing is that they are kind, compassionate, respectful, happy, and content. They feel God and they know He is always there - and they still enjoy life. They go out, they have fun, they joke and laugh, they listen to music, all without a second thought as to whether they are "good" Muslims or "bad" Muslims.

I find this type of Islam absolutely beautiful. I've seen so many Muslims spend their lives worrying about every little thing they do - is music haraam? should I veil my daughter when she turns 12? can i have a dog? Are people who don't worry about those things less Muslim? Are they less faithful? What is faith in the end?

What about all those generations of Egyptians who practiced Islam in moderation - who did listen to music, who did not veil, who were not segregated from each other - were they wrong? Sheikhs back then were more liberal too - were they wrong? There is no doubt that Islam in Egypt has become much more conservative. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. But with it has come immense pressure to fit in with this type of Islam, and if you don't, you will be judged negatively.

Where are the days when it was disrespectful to call a fellow Muslim a "kaffir" - how do you know what their relationship with God is? Who are you to judge them?

It's interesting to talk to older Egyptians about religion, because many of them are confused about what's happening today. Some don't understand why a woman who doesn't veil is looked down on; others laugh when they hear that owning a dog is now "haraam". Some are angry when they hear sheikhs condemning Christians and Jews to hell. Many of them are just sad - sad that instead of there being room for a multitude of Islams, there now seems to be room for only one. And who gets to decide?

Egypt has long been influenced by Sufism, which I believe gave it such a unique and beautiful view on Islam, as well as a tolerance for different types of Islam. Insha'Allah the time will come when people realize how amazing tolerance is, and what a gift it is to have space to be yourself and to be secure and confident in your relationship with God. Because in the end, that's what matters - you and God.

Women Before Islam

2010-01-05T13:18:00.000+02:00

As someone who is interested in women & Islam, the situation of women in pre-Islamic Arabia is of special significance. There are basically two main arguments that have been made. One, made usually by Muslims, is that women before Islam were worthless, had no rights, were seen as the property of their husbands, and were usually killed right after birth. The second, made usually by non-Muslims, is that women in pre-Islamic Arabia were much more powerful and autonomous than after Islam. The second argument is quite rare and I don't hear many scholars making it, but it does exist.

One thing people tend to bring up is that Khadija, brought up before Islam, was independent and autonomous. However, to what extent can be extend this to all women of her generation and above? Aisha and Fatima, for example, were also strong-willed and independent, so could we also extend this to all women post-Islam?

Female infanticide should be one great pointer as to how women were seen before Islam. It is a well-accepted fact by most historians and scholars that there were high rates of female infanticide, and that Islam, by banning it, helped reduce the practice tremendously.

Another important point is that women before Islam were seen as part of a larger unit - the family, headed by the father. So even if they had rights regarding their husbands, we should not forget that their fathers still had tremendous say in their lives and how they lived them.

Asma Barlas writes, "A woman in 7th century Arabia could choose/dismiss a husband at will, she remained with her kin after marriage, and her children belonged to her tribe. However, by the time of Islam's advent, women may have become more dependent on men because of "baal" marriages (derived from the Old Testament) that established the husband as the overlord over his wife and the wife as his subject."

So the form of marriage had changed before Islam arrived.

She goes on: "Sexual unions were generally temporary since husbands deserted their wives for years on end and also enjoyed powers of unilateral divorce". A nomadic lifestyle prevented the strict seclusion of women but not all women enjoyed freedom of movement."

"Yet some women were able to exercise influence in public life as priestesses and prophetesses, and they could also take part in warfare by tending the sick and wounded. On the whole, however, women's social place was a function of their class or their own personalities and was not codified in law."

This is an interesting point: women of a certain class did have some freedom, but this did not apply to all women across all classes. Her point about a forceful personality is also important - I think we could apply this to Khadija, if it is true.

"In spite of some freedoms, women could not inherit property but were themselves considered property and could be inherited as part of a dead father's estate by his sons."

In conclusion, I think the reality might be somewhere in between, albeit more to the side of "women in pre-Islamic Arabia were worse off than after Islam". There is definitely a tendency on the part of some Muslims to make the Jahiliyya period (the period before Islam) sound as bad as possible, because this highlights how amazing Islam is; and this makes it difficult to know exactly what the situation then was. On the other hand, there is a tendency by same Western academics to make the period before Islam sound like paradise, thus making it seem as though Islam took rights away from women. While I don't think women were completely downtrodden before Islam, I do believe that Islam gave them more rights and a higher status. This was mainly achieved through the Qur'an recognizing women as equal to men in the realm of faith: men and women who are pious will both go to heaven. It's that simple. In the realm of political/economic rights, there is not full equality, but there are reasons for this, and it also depends on how we define equality and whether or not one takes the context the Qur'an came down to into account.

What do you all think? What is the first image that pops into your head of women in pre-Islamic Arabia? Do you think they were better or worse off?

Slavery & Polygamy

2009-12-30T22:09:00.000+02:00

About a week ago I went to a lecture by Margot Badran, a prominent Islamic scholar who teaches at Georgetown. The lecture was about the future of Islamic feminism, and she brought up a really interesting point. She pointed out that before, scholars would try and tackle polygamy in the Qur'an using linguistic tools to prove that the Qur'an was saying polygamy is not allowed. Now there has been a shift, with many scholars instead arguing that yes, the Qur'an does permit polygamy - but does that mean we should practice it?

Fazlur Rahman points out that slavery is also permitted in the Qur'an, yet most Muslims today do not accept slavery and wouldn't dream of allowing it again. He says we should be applying this same logic to polygamy: yes, it existed then, and yes, the Qur'an permitted it (after severely limiting it), but it is an outdated practice that needs to be abolished, like slavery.

Now I know many Muslims will make the argument that in certain situations polygamy benefits society: but is that the case for the majority of Muslims today? No. And what about the countless women who get abused through this system? Some men have good intentions when they take another wife - for example, if the woman is destitute. But many have bad intentions. Should we allow a system like this to continue if so many women are getting negatively affected, even if it does benefit some?

So far Tunisia is the only country to ban polygamy. Whenever the prospect of banning it is brought up in Islamic countries/communities, there is always an outcry - usually from the men. The argument is that you can't ban something that God has allowed. But then what about slavery?

What do you think of this argument? Is it convincing?
And what do you think about Tunisia banning it?

Dress Codes

2009-12-25T17:46:00.002+02:00

Do you think there is ever a legitimate reason for a man to harass a woman? Here in Cairo where women often get sexually harassed, the first question they are asked afterwards is usually "what were you wearing?" I can't tell you how much this annoys me. Why does it matter what she was wearing? Why isn't the first question "what has happened to our men for them to harass women like that?" or "did you report him" or even "are you okay"?

In my opinion, even a woman wearing a bikini or walking naked should not be blamed for getting harassed. We all have to wear long, shapeless clothing now apparently, and if we don't then we are "asking for it". I remember a cab driver in Cairo once saying that any girl who is not veiled deserves to get raped. When we have opinions like that, we're in trouble.

Why is it always the woman who gets blamed? It's always about what she was wearing or how she was walking. It's never about how so many Muslim men now think it's okay to harass women. I should think THAT would be a bigger issue. I completely agree with Asma Barlas when she writes,

"By defining women's morality and safety in terms of their own dress codes, conservatives are legitimizing the kind of pathologies that are leading men to murder unveiled women in the name of Islam. How can Muslim men, if they are living by the Qur'an's injunctions, feel free to kill or assault women; and how can we reconcile religious vigilantism with the irreducibly voluntary nature of faith and of moral responsibility in Islam?"

This is such an important question: how do Muslim men legitimize sexual harassment? By blaming the woman. But still, does that really convince them? It seems like an absurd argument to me. Also, does that give women the right to harass men who don't cover? I mean, the Qur'an enjoins modesty on BOTH genders. But I'm pretty sure if woman started killing men who didn't dress modestly we would hear a huge outcry.

A few years ago this poster came out:

It translates as "you can't stop them, but you can protect yourself." I don't even know where to start with this ridiculous message. It reminds me of that Australian sheikh who said that unveiled women are like raw meat that will inevitably attract flies.

As Muslims we should focus less on what the woman is wearing and more on the lack of morals and decency found among a growing number of Muslim men.

Asma Barlas & Believing Women in Islam

2009-12-16T14:51:00.001+02:00

Asma Barlas is one of the most prominent "Islamic feminists" today. I just began reading her book "Believing Women in Islam" and so far it is amazing! I wanted to quote the following:

"I read the Qur'an as a "believing woman", to borrow the term from the Qur'an itself. This means that I do not question its ontological status as Divine Speech or the claim that God speaks, both of which Muslims hold to be true.

"I do, however, question the legitimacy of its patriarchal readings, and I do this on the basis of a distinction in Muslim theology between what God says and what we understand God to be saying. In the latter context, I am especially interested in querying the claim, implicit in confusing the Qur'an with its patriarchal exegesis, that only males, and conservative males at that, know what God really means. It is this claim that I believe underwrites sexual oppression in Muslim societies and therefore needs to be contested."

Do you think that a general belief exists among Muslims that only men can know what God means? Do you believe this?

If not, then why have so few women interpreters existed?

Do you think people often confuse the Qur'an itself with it's tafsir/interpretation?

Moderates Vs. Puritans

2009-12-08T12:36:00.000+02:00

I recently read "The Great Theft" by Khaled Abou El-Fadl, and I have to say it is the best book I have ever read. He is amazing. Fabulous. Revolutionary. I can't believe I didn't read him before.

His main argument in the book is that puritans have stolen Islam and that moderates are losing the battle. He gives various arguments for this, all of which I agree with. The book is depressing on the one hand because it shows how Islam is slowly becoming more and more puritanical, and that less and less Muslims are thinking about inner spirituality. It's uplifting on the other hand, because there are so few moderate sheikhs out there that it's always inspirational to find one.

"It is believed by moderates that God rewards those who search for the Divine Will, even if they ultimately reach the wrong conclusions. It would make little sense for God to reward the effort if all God expects of us on most matters is blind obedience."

What do you guys think of this?

Back Home!

2009-12-07T09:47:00.001+02:00

So last week I got back to Cairo for a holiday. I was looking forward to it so much that I was sure I would be disappointed. But I've been having the time of my life! It was so nice seeing family, friends, and my cats. I missed my house, my room, my Starbucks, and my gym. All I can think about right now is that I don't want to go back to Holland.

When I left Cairo 6 months ago, I was 100% sure I would love Holland and never come back to Egypt. Egypt was frustrating to the point of it being unbearable. But once I left, I realized that there are so many good things about Egypt too. The people are warm, friendly, talkative. The adaan. The weather. The fact that I had a really nice life here. Holland is nice, but more in terms of material things. The people are very polite but not warm. It takes a while to make friends, and even then, there are strong walls between people.

I know I have to go back, but I'm dreading that day :(

I spent the last 3 days in Dahab, a small city in Sinai by the sea, with some friends. It was very relaxing and I loved it! We saw St. Katherine's, the monastery with the burning bush that is one of Egypt's main tourist attractions. Some pics:

Female Circumcision & Islam (Part 2)

2009-12-02T09:48:00.002+02:00

I started out the last post by asking whether female circumcision is Islamic. The responses I got leaned mostly towards "no". However, there were some interesting points that were brought up.

1. There are different types of FC, and some people believe that "Islamic" FC is not harmful and can actually be beneficial, whereas the types of FC practiced today are harmful.

2. The hadith seem to contradict each other and contradict reports from the time of the Prophet. What to do in a case like this, when it is not mentioned in the Qur'an?

3. The Prophet did not circumcise his daughters.

4. Where is the line between judging other cultures from our own ethnocentric point of view, and condemning human rights violations? What constitute human rights violations?

5. If something potentially harmful is advocated by the hadith and was practiced by the companions (but not mentioned in the Qur'an) should we accept it without any reservations?

Thanks to everyone that commented, I loved reading your thoughts!

Female Circumcision - is it Islamic?

2009-11-24T08:23:00.000+02:00

Around 2-3 million girls are circumcised each year, especially in Northern Africa.

The WHO distinguishes among four types of genital mutilation:

    * Type I, or "clitorectomy": Excision of the skin surrounding the clitoris with or without excision of part or all of the clitoris
    * Type II, or "excision": Removal of the entire clitoris and part or all of the labia minora
    * Type III, or "infibulation": Removal of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching together of the vaginal orifice, leaving only a small opening
    * Type IV: Various other practices, including pricking, piercing, incision and tearing of the clitoris.

One out of every three girls dies as a result of infibulation, also known as pharaonic mutilation.

Many families circumcise their daughters because they believe it to be an Islamic requirement. But is it?

The Hadith related to female circumcision (that I could find):

"When two circumcised parts unite then bathing becomes obligatory." (Sahih, Reported by Ahmad and Al-Baihaqee)

The saying of the Messenger (SAW) in the Hadith of Umm ‘Atiyyah to a female circumcision:

"When you circumcise then do not cut severely, since that is better for her and more pleasing to the husband." (Reported by Abu Dawud and Al-Baihaqee and declared Hasan by Shaikh Al-Albani).

"Circumcision is Sunnah for men, a noble action for women" (Related by Ahmad & al-Bayhaq).

Scholars who approve of these Hadith claim that they are simply recommending circumcision, not saying it is required.

At a conference in Cairo in 2006 both Sheikh Tantawi and al-Qaradawi confirmed that the practice was un-Islamic. Every doctor at the conference agreed that there is no medical justification for female circumcision. The Grand Mufti of Egypt signed the resolution condemning the practice the next day.

One argument is that God has created us and thus we do not have the right to mutilate our bodies. Another is that in Islam husband and wife are supposed to fulfill each other sexually, almost impossible for a man to do if the woman has been circumcised.

In 2007 a debate was aired on al-Arabiyya between Egyptian Al-Azhar University scholars Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mussayar and Sheikh Mahmoud Ashur.

Ashur said: “Female circumcision is a traditional custom, and not a religious act. All the hadiths dealing with female circumcision are unreliable. Moreover, the hadith cited by those who support circumcision calls to refrain from it more than it calls to perform it.”

Al-Mussayar said: "All the jurisprudents, since the advent of Islam and for 14 centuries or more, are in consensus that female circumcision is permitted by Islam. But they were divided with regard to its status in shari'a. Some said that female circumcision is required by shari'a, just like male circumcision. Some said this is the mainstream practice, while others said it is a noble act. But throughout the history of Islam, nobody has ever said that performing female circumcision is a crime. There has been a religious ruling on this for 14 centuries."

Interesting! I didn’t know about this. If this is the case, what does it mean? That as Muslims we can’t condemn the practice?
Ashur responded with: "In the days of Jahiliya [i.e. the pre-Islamic period] and in the early days of Islam, a man whose mother carried out this custom was scorned by people who called him 'you son of a clitoris cutter.' This proves that it was never part of the religion of Islam.”

Al-Mussayar responded with: “"First of all, there are reliable hadiths in Al-Bukhari and Al-Muslim which support female circumcision. The Prophet Muhammad said: 'If a circumcised woman and man have intercourse, they must undergo ablution.' Unreliable hadiths do not cancel out the reliable ones. People would curse one another by saying: 'You son of a clit woman' - the son of a non-circumcised woman. ”

So they have different versions - one says a woman who wasn’t circumcised was an embarrassment, the other says a circumcised woman was an embarrassment.

Al-Mussayar then argues: "Some sources said: 'Reduce, but do not remove.' In other words, it is neither about removing the organ, nor about leaving it. It is a trustworthy Muslim doctor who makes the decision. She decides whether the girl needs it or not. We do not obligate every girl to undergo circumcision. We say it should be left up to the doctor, and she can evaluate the case and determine whether the girl needs circumcision or not."

Ashur responds with: "If it is left up to the doctor, then it is a custom and not part of the religion."

I found this debate very interesting. If al-Mussayar is right and there are reliable hadith about this, what does it mean in terms of the campaign against FC? Do we have the right to demand that the practice ends? I did find his notion that a doctor should decide strange: like Ashur said, if it is up to the doctor, then it isn’t really Islamic. I think al-Mussayar’s point in the end is that although FC is not required, it is either recommended or allowed. This negates the argument of many Muslims (and Westerners) that FC is not an Islamic practice.

Once again a controversial issue comes down to whether or not the hadith relating to it are reliable.

What do you all think?

Feminism's Bad Rep?

2009-11-19T22:44:00.000+02:00

"I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute." Rebecca West

I have a question for anyone reading: why does feminism have such a negative reputation, especially in Islamic cirlces?

When someone says "feminism", what do you think? What is your gut reaction?

When someone says they are a feminist, what do you then think of them?

Do you think it is possible to be a feminist and be Muslim?

I have lots of opinions on this but I really want to hear what other people think, because I find it interesting that "feminism" has become such a negative thing these days, and I really want to understand why.

Ramblings about an Islamic State & Nostalgia about the Cairo of the 50s...

2009-11-13T12:19:00.000+02:00

For one of my classes, the Sociology of Religion, we had to choose an article about religious movements for the class to read, and I chose the preface of Gilles Kepel's book "Muslim Extremism in Egypt". It gives an overview of when, how and why the trend of Islamic extremism began. During the class discussion, I began thinking about whether having an Islamic state is viable.

Personally, I'm definitely against it. Who gets to interpret Islam in an Islamic state? What if they are very orthodox or fundamentalist (like the Muslim Brotherhood)? What does that mean for moderate and liberal Muslims, for non-Muslims, and for foreign policy?

Also, what do you think of Iran? Is it a success or a failure, or in between? Or is it too soon to tell? Iran after all is an Islamic state.

Then again, so is Saudi, and I would definitely call that a failure.

In terms of Egypt, I just don't see it as viable at all. The Muslim Brotherhood have so far been pretty vague about their specific plans for what to do if they get power. The only things they have explictly said is that the president will have to be a Muslim man. I wonder what will happen to the large Christian population. Will they become a protected minority, like at the time of the Prophet (pbuh), and does this conform with modern ideas of complete equality between citizens, since they will have to pay jizya (a tax for protection)? Will this status even be respected, since we all know that laws are one thing and their application another? Will they in reality be pressured to convert or leave, or suffer even more abuse and discrimination than they already do?

All of this is making me nostalgic for the Egypt of 50 years ago, when (so I've heard and read) diversity was celebrated, when Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived side by side, when Egyptians were more concerned with a balance between inner and outward forms of piety, as opposed to the modern obsession of outward signs of religiosity.

Cairo sounded like the most beautiful city back then. It still is beautiful, but it is also stressful, unbearable, and full of tension and anxiety.

I know this post is a bit all over the place, but I just wanted to get some thoughts out there...

I still don't have an internet connection at my new place, so sorry that I haven't been commenting on all your blogs/my blog as much...soon i'A!

Funny Cartoon

2009-11-11T16:06:00.000+02:00

"I Love You with Two Loves"

2009-11-09T14:38:00.000+02:00

Hey everyone! I just moved to my new apartment, so things have been pretty hectic! I love it here though, so it's all good.

Anyways, I just wanted to post this piece of writing about God, which I found beautiful. It is from Rabi'ah al-Adawiyah, one of the most famous Sufis in history. She says,

"I love You with two loves, a love of passion
And a love prompted by your worthiness of that.
As for the love of passion,
It consists in occupying myself with remembering You and no one else.
And as for the love of which You are worthy,
It consists in Your lifting the veils, so that I may see You.
However, mine is not the merit in this or that,
But Yours is the merit in this and that."

The Prophet and the Sacred Earth

2009-11-03T13:06:00.001+02:00

So, my amazingly talented friend Omnia recently started a website to try and promote environmentalism in Egypt (and we all know how Egypt needs it!). Sure she used to annoy all of us with the constant talk about "saving the earth" and "buying organic" and blah blah blah, and we all incessantly complain about it, but I'm actually very impressed with her drive, determination, and skill, especially towards this website. The site is called eco-options Egypt and you can check it out here: ecooptionsegypt.

I just wrote an article for it about the Prophet and the environment. Would love to hear what you all think! Here it is:

“And remember how He made you inheritors after the ‘Ad people and gave you habitations in the land: you build for yourselves palaces and castles in open plains, and carve out homes in mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits you have received from Allah, and refrain from evil and mischief on the Earth.”
Al-Qur’an 7:74₁

There is no doubt that the Prophet Muhammad was a man ahead of his time. He believed that men and women deserved the same value and respect; that animals should be treated kindly and not abused; that children should be loved and taken care of; and that the elderly deserved great respect and reverence.
Just as importantly, he believed in the sanctity and importance of the environment, and saw the immense power and beauty that can be found in nature. “The Prophet was a staunch advocate of environmental protection. One could say he was an “environmentalist avant la lettre”, a pioneer in the domain of conservation, sustainable development and resource management, one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and nature”₂. There is also no doubt that the Qur’an places great emphasis on the earth and nature. The earth is mentioned more than 450 times in the Qur’an₃, and God has instructed humans that we are to take care of it.

The Prophet believed that all of God’s creations are equal, and to abuse any of them is a sin. This includes abusing the environment. The Arabs at the time already knew of the importance of treating the environment well: they knew that if they abused it, they would in turn suffer. Man wasn’t trying to overpower nature, but rather understood that benefit came from working together with nature. Prophet Muhammad managed to add an extra dimension to this attitude, by focusing on how the beauty of nature is proof of God’s existence, and how every living thing deserves respect.

One well-known saying of the Prophet is the following: “When doomsday comes, if someone has a palm shoot in his hand, he should plant it”. This eloquent reminder clearly shows how important the environment is to God. Even if doomsday is upon us, we should stop and plant a tree if we are holding a shoot. Another saying goes “If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation.” This shows the Prophet’s concern towards animals. Similarly, his saying “If someone plants a tree, he will receive merit as long as the tree bears fruit” shows how beneficial taking care of our surrounding can be to us in terms of religious benefits.

During battle, the Prophet used to remind his men not to cut down any trees unnecessarily, and to limit any damage to the environment. He also admonished the killing of animals and the burning of crops. This was something new to 7th century Arabia, and even modern warfare is wholly unconcerned with environmental damages.

The concept of “dry wudu” also shows the sacred side of the earth. If one is unable to perform wudu (cleaning before prayer) due to lack of water, one can use dry dirt instead. The Prophet was alleged to have said, “The earth has been created for me as a mosque and as a means of purification.”

“The Prophet gave the necessary importance to cleanliness in the environment and he stated that it should begin with body cleanliness; that houses, streets, and public places like mosques should be kept clean; that water sources should not be polluted; that not only people, but animals should not be bothered by pollution”₄. If Egyptians followed these guidelines, we would be living in a much cleaner environment. Having clean streets, pure water sources and unpolluted air would benefit all of God’s creatures, and both God and the Prophet encouraged this.

Water in particular is given special importance in the Qur’an and Hadith. “We made from water every living thing,” (21:30). One way the Prophet saved water was by creating haram zones near water sources. Another way was by advocating careful use of water, even if there was enough of it. For example, he recommended that people do wudu no more than three times, even if near a source of water. A final way was by forbidding urination in water_2.

I will conclude with the following Hadith, cited by Bukhari, to remind us all the benefits of taking care of and cultivating the environment: “There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift [for which there is great recompense].”

Abortion in Islam

2009-10-31T19:24:00.004+02:00

I just finished reading an interesting article that gives an overview of the different Islamic viewpoints on abortion. The Qur'an details seven stages a baby goes through while in the womb: clay; a drop of sperm; sperm turns into a clot of congealed blood; then a fetus; then bones and flesh; and finally another creature (23:12-14).

In the debates about abortion, the idea of ensoulment is key: once the fetus has a soul, it can no longer be aborted (unless for therapeutic reasons, which I will talk about later). Before ensoulment, there are varying opinions as to whether the baby can be aborted: some say it is fine, some say it is allowed but reprehensible, and some say it is not allowed. The Qur'an does not give a time frame for when the soul enters the fetus, so scholars look to the hadith. However, there are conflicting hadiths: some say it happens after 40 days, some 45, some 120.

Therapeutic abortion means abortion in the case of danger to the mother. If the pregnancy will kill the mother, an abortion is allowed. However, some add other reasons as well, such as a danger to the physical/mental health of the mother; if the mother is suckling another infant and the new pregnancy may cause her milk to dry up (this was later disproved by science); and if the woman was raped.

The Malikite school has historically been the most open to abortion, claiming abortion is allowed before ensoulment, with or without a valid reason. Some scholars within the school, however, say that is is reprehensible but becomes lawful if there is a valid reason.

The Shafi'is allow abortion before 40 or 42 days, but see it as makruh, or reprehensible. Al-Ghazzali believed that even an abortion before ensoulment was taking the life of a being. However, as the fetus passes through the 7 stages mentioned in the Qur'an, the crime becomes more serious. Thus aborting the fetus after ensoulment, for example, is worse than aborting it at the time of conception.

The Hanbalis allow abortion before 40 or 120 days, and the Hanbalis, who are the strictest school when it comes to abortion, do not even allow it in the first 40 days.

Interestingly, if a woman has an abortion to save her honour (e.g. if she has been raped), then her punishment will be decreased in most countries.

Most scholars allow abortion in the case of rape or incest, but only before ensoulment.

I personally agree with the Hanafi school - abortion before ensoulment is fine, especially with a valid reason, whereas afterward it should only be allowed for therapeutic reasons. However, I would include rape/incest as a reason for therapeutic abortion, as some scholars have done. I think if a woman is pregnant because of rape or incest, she should have the right to abort. I hate the fact that many women have no choice but to marry their rapists to avoid stigma. Seriously, a woman gets raped AND also suffers after that. Sigh.

What does everyone think about these opinions? What is your opinion? Which school/scholars do you agree with?

Finally, a positive Muslim-Jewish story

2009-10-28T00:01:00.000+02:00

This story made me smile:

Virginia synagogue doubles as mosque for Ramadan

"The building is a synagogue on a tree-lined street in suburban Virginia, but for the past few weeks – during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – it has also been doubling daily as a mosque. Synagogue members suggested their building after hearing the Muslim congregation was looking to rent a place for overflow crowds."

I read it on this site.

Finally a positive story of cooperation between Muslims and Jews. After living in Cairo for 5 years, I've heard the weirdest conspiracy theories against Jews. They literally get blamed for every single problem (even though most Egyptians have never met a Jew). I think it's about time people start seeing the difference between Jews and Zionists. Anyway, this story really made me happy!

Also, a Starbucks is opening near me! YAY!

Intimate Connection to God

2009-10-24T18:46:00.004+02:00

One of my classes this semester is Religion & Spirituality in Europe. Are Europeans becoming less religious? Does the fact that fewer and fewer people go to church mean anything? How many people still believe in God? So far, we've found that actually the majority of Dutch people do believe in God, but are simply detaching themselves from religious institutions like the Church. A new type of religiosity is forming, that includes aspects of new-age spirituality for example. Religion now seems to be much more personal & private.

A comment during one class struck me. Someone mentioned that for many Dutch people (and probably other Europeans too), God is not something they think about a lot. Maybe once a while one may spend some time thinking about life, God, death, etc, but it is not a conscious every-day experience. This made me realize how it is the opposite for me, as a Muslim. A large part of my day is spent either thinking about God, or worshiping him - consciously and unconsciously.

There is, of course, prayer. But aside from that, I find that God is always on my mind, or at least somewhere in the back of my mind. Every decision I take involves thinking about what God would think, whether it was right, whether it is sunnah, etc. So in effect, God-related thoughts are often in my head.

This is truly one of my favourite things about Islam. There is a constant connection between you & God. And this connection is very beneficial for society in general. If I'm in a rush and all I want to do is push the slow-walking people in front of me but I refrain from doing so because I know it's wrong and God wouldn't be very happy about it, I'm doing something good. Of course we should all we doing these things anyway - if something is wrong I shouldn't do it, without having to use God's displeasure as another reason. But realistically, there are many small things I'm tempted to do every day (even though I know they're wrong) and I usually refrain because I know God wouldn't be happy.

This personal relationship is amazing. It strikes me as being so much better (for us humans) than a relationship with a distant deity that I only stop and think about once in a while, or during the "big moments". These small moments make up life, and by thinking of God during them, I'm ensuring that God is a constant part of my life. It also means that I'm constantly realizing things that I'm not sure of the Islamic position on, and this encourages me to find them out and thus acquire more knowledge.

"But we are nearer to him than his jugular vein." 50:16

Beautiful

2009-10-23T02:32:00.000+02:00

I just read this amazing hadith over at Marzuki's blog:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity, from sloth, from cowardice, from miserliness, decrepitude and from torment of the grave. O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof. Thou art the Protecting friend thereof, and Guardian thereof. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allah), from the soul that does not feel contented and the supplication that is not responded.”
Source: Sahih Muslim

Tears came to my eyes. Masha'Allah.

Watershed Post

2009-10-17T00:02:00.005+02:00

So this is one of those “watershed” posts that took me a while to write, and that really comes from deep down. I hope that everyone can spare some time to read it, and I would love comments, advice, criticism, and discussion. Insha’Allah. And I hope you like the new layout! It was designed by one of the most amazing people I know. Thanks AC.

I just began reading “On Being a Muslim” by Farid Esack, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Islam, particularly post-modern Islam. It is such an inspiring book! Not only did it make me get emotional several times, but it changed the way I saw this blog. I realized that more often than not, I blog about the negatives in Islam, because those are the things that occupy me the most. To me, Islam is such a perfect religion and the Qur’an is such a perfect text, that it really bothers me when people twist what is in it. But what’s the point? What am I changing or accomplishing by only writing about the negative aspects of Muslims and Islam? Wouldn’t it be better for others, and for me, to blog about the multitude of beautiful and inspirational things to be found in Islam?

Yes! So i’A from now on, there will be more positive thoughts. Of course I’ll still vent and rant every now and then (let’s face it, we Muslims are facing a lot of problems) but I also want to write about things in Islam that make me happy and inspire me.

Since this is my last post before I start “blogging-positively”, I have one final rant.

Farid Esack is definitely a feminist, and I love this the most about him. In 1997 he was appointed by President Nelson Mandela to be head of the Gender Commission in South Africa. His chapter “on being with the gendered other” is phenomenal, despite the fact that it was very hard for me to swallow. This part in particular: “How do women seeking gender justice really derive support and inspiration from a tradition whose icons are either all men or isolated women who inevitably draw their “legitimacy” from their relationship to males: wife, daughter, narrator of traditions, mother of a prophet. Is there really any place for gender justice within a theology rooted in a seemingly ahistorical and stable text such as the Qur’an, which is inescapably patriarchal?” Esack also points out that the Qur’an for the most part, appears to address men.

There are times when I wonder whether there is a “women problem” in Islam at all, or whether I am blowing it out of proportion. Most of the time, though, I know there is a huge problem, and that we need to deal with it.

“There are many sensitive women who simply cannot, with any self-respect, live alongside the idea of a God who reduces them to half of men. For them, and for the men who identify with them, it thus is very much a question of faith, and a very personal and deeply held one too.”

He managed to sum up, in one paragraph, what I have been trying to say on this blog since I started it. He also points out that we cannot go on pretending that the only injustice done to women is by Muslim men. Rather, there are also problems with the Shari’ah. “While in a few areas of life Islamic legal thinking has kept up with human progress and produced new insights, in many others, including gender justice, it hasn’t. The religious landlords among us - all male - have aborted the process set in motion by the Prophet: we have betrayed the prophetic injunction of justice and equality for all of Allah’s people.”

On women preaching in mosques (a la Amina Wadud), he quoted this Christian minister:

“I refuse to preach in a church which does not allow women to preach there. In effect, they are telling me that I am OK because of something between my legs which women do not have and, frankly, I do not think that that is enough reason for me to qualify to preach!”

The day I hear a sheikh (especially an Arab one) say this, is the day I know that we are going somewhere. Esack writes,

“We need to ask what exactly it is that we are afraid of; is it really women speaking in mosques? Is it the loss of our own faith at the hands of “modernists”, the uncertainty as to where all of these “new ideas” will lead? Is it the loss of power that we as males exercise over women? Is it the loss of authority that we as religious leaders exercise over people? Is it our own sense of masculinity that is being threatened? If it is, then is it not more rewarding to look deep into ourselves and personal histories and study this hunger for power, this desire for authority and our own deep-seated sexual insecurity?”

Another subject he wrote about was the idea that Muslims should not befriend Jews or Christians, or non-Muslims in general. He gave this touching example:

“In South Africa there are a number of Muslims who have spent various periods in prison with Nelson Mandela, who comes from a Methodist background. Can these Muslims simply ignore the Qur’anic text that says “Do not take the Jews and the Christians as your friends; they are friends unto each other” (5:51)? If they want to remain Muslims and at the same time remain true to the experience of a shared comradeship in the jails of apartheid then they have seriously to rethink many things connected to this text. What is the context of this verse within the rest of the text? What is the context of its revelation? Who were the specific Jews and Christians referred to in this verse? Under what historical circumstances was this revealed? What are the different meanings of awliya (allies)? What is the sense of this verse in the light of other such verses and how do they qualify or amplify each other? What does this verse mean in the light of the basic spirit of the Qur’an which is one of justice and compassion?"

To me, believing that we cannot interact with non-Muslims means that we are reducing our complex identities to just being “Muslim” and nothing else. What about my identity as a woman, as a student, as Egyptian, as Dutch, as Zambian, as a sister, as a daughter? Should I cut all of that out if it involves interacting with non-Muslims? My mother is not Muslim, some of my best friends are not Muslim, many of my professors are not Muslim, and about 95% of Holland is not Muslim. What does that mean for me? I’m sorry, but I cannot and will not reduce myself to such a narrow interpretation of the Qur’an, because it does not seem logical to me that God would want me to reduce my identity to being only one thing. Like Tariq Ramadan said in his debate with Hirsi, “don’t reduce me to being only a Muslim.”

The questions above that are in bold are key for me. I think if we use them to understand the Qur’an in general, then we can probably reach a better and more enlightened understanding of the text than if we just believe whatever the ulama say. The ulama have a role, but so do we. And I think those questions will especially help me tackle the gender aspects of the Qur’an, especially those regarding polygamy, “beating”, inheritance, and bearing witness.

“You should really visit our area the next time you come. You’d be delighted to know how alive Islam is there; you won’t find a single woman on our streets!” Esack’s guide in Uzbekistan.

“We are terrified of our own weakness. Most of us feel so terribly inadequate as persons that we require another species to feel superior to. It is, of course, unfashionable, at least in public, to feel superior to the Blacks, the Berbers, the Bushies, the Pathans, the Miabhais or the Kashmiris. Thank heavens, women will always be around! (If not, we’ll always have the Jews to fall back on of course.) Unable to assume responsibility for our vulnerabilities, we blame women and they end up carrying the burden of both their own fall - after being pushed by us - and our fall.

And then we say that women are the weaker sex?” Farid Esack (my new hero!)

A Few Thoughts...

2009-10-09T18:34:00.006+02:00

I'm still missing Cairo and wondering if this will ever end. Was it really arrogant of me to assume that even after I built my life there I could leave and build a new one somewhere else? Obviously it's not that easy. Family can't be replaced, who knows if I'll ever find amazing friends like I had in Cairo again, and there is no Starbucks near me. It gets really depressing at times, and at other times it's more bearable. I hope I made the right decision by coming here, and that it's just taking some time to settle in. Does anyone have any experience with this? And any advice?
I found the most amazing book today, "The Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures". I think I might spend the next few weeks locked up in my apartment reading the 6 volumes. Wow! Everything I could ever want to know in one title. The volume I borrowed today is called "Practices, Interpretations, and Representations", and each section is written by a different author. The encyclopedia is edited by Suad Joseph (whom I love) and every single prominent Islamic scholar who writes on women is in there. Yay!
A lot of people have been talking about Sheikh al-Azhar claiming that niqab is un-Islamic. Whether this is the case or not, this is yet another example of women being told what they can and can't wear. This argument has been put forward by many pro-niqab Muslims, and I agree with it. I wonder, however, whether these Muslims would also defend a woman's right to wear a mini-skirt? If a law banning mini-skirts was proposed, would these people also get upset about it, since it would also be infringing on a woman's right to choose what to wear? When one uses that argument, it should apply to all cases, not only to cases that one agrees with.
Why exactly did Obama win a Nobel? What has he done?
I was very impressed and inspired by this post. Thank God there are other Muslims who see Islam the way I do. I think I agree with every single thing he writes!
My friend Aynur blogged about this book. "Questioning the Veil" by Marnia Lazreg. I read the introduction and ordered the book right away. The veil is definitely one of the aspects of Islam & Women that I'm most interested in, and unfortunately no one has really written much about it lately. I'A this book will be amazing.
Isn't this an adorable picture? I love it!

Fazlur Rahman and his Ideas about Islam

2009-10-03T15:52:00.005+02:00

I recently finished a paper comparing Fazlur Rahman's book "Islam" to Malise Ruthven's book "Islam in the World", and I became fascinated by Rahman's writings. When I first began reading about Islam, I was really turned off by traditionalist and literalist scholars. It has taken me more than two years, but I've finally found an Islamic scholar whose work is really inspiring, and seems to embody the kind of Islam I find in the Qur'an.

"Rahman set himself free from traditional Qur'anic interpretation in his effort to render the Message accessible to his contemporaries. Rahman "lamented the loss of this resource to most Muslims for whom it is lost beneath benign neglect, taboolike reverence, or traditional commentary which focuses on the intricacies of grammatical and rhetorical points and views each verse atomistically."

"Rahman considered the Qur'an a major source of Islamic law but NOT the lawbook of Islam. There is a big difference - regarding the Qur'an as a lawbook limits its scope and application and overlooks its flexibility and its dynamism."

"Rahman's critique focuses on how the Qur'an and Hadith were misconstrued by Muslim scholars in medieval times, made into rigid and inflexible guides - for all time, as it were - and not recognized as the products of their own times and circumstances."

This is it people! This is my main belief when it comes to Islam - the context mattered! Why so few scholars/ulama/Muslims are willing to believe this baffles me.

"Rahman shows how the Qur'an and Hadith became embedded in a rigid, static system of interpretation and jurisprudence. This led to the challenge for Muslims in modern times either to turn away from those sources if they would prosper or to acquiesce to an essentially medieval worldview with an archaic, unworkable religious-legal system that thwarts progress and full participation in the modern world."

Could this be the central problem for Muslim societies today? Why are almost all Islamic countries lagging behind in science, technology, education, the arts? Why are so many Muslims being forced to choose between being modern and being a "Muslim"? Why on earth do we have some ulama actually saying TV, science, and critical thought are "haram"? Honestly, how will Islamic societies EVER regain any kind of dignity in the world of science, the arts, and literature unless we Muslims begin to be more critical? How did Muslims go from being the leaders in science and intellectualism to being the main proponents of anti-modernism? Why does modernity conflict with Islam anyway?

"Muslims have a choice between secularism or an outmoded system, unless and until they return to the Qur'an and interpret it by understanding much of its content as general moral-ethical guidance and prescription and not rigid law. The Qur'an can and must be liberated from its prison of commentary and law and applied in fresh ways and with flexible principles to new realities."

It does annoy me when non-Muslims make negative and Islamophobic judgments about Islam and Muslims. However, sometimes I ask myself whether we can really blame them completely. Not all Muslim men marry girls younger than 10, but some do. Not all Muslim women believe men are better than them, but many do. Not all Islamic scholars are against science, debate, or ijtihad - but TOO many are. Not all Muslims are fundamentalists and literalists, but the Taliban, the Wahhabis, and many others, are. For every Muslim that is genitally mutilated, for every Muslim who marries an 8-year old girl, and for every Muslim that claims all non-Muslims must be killed, we can find a sheikh, scholar or member of the ulama who endorses that view. This is a problem. And I really don't feel enough Muslims are standing up to it.

I'm tired of feeling like I have to choose between being a Muslim or being modern, or between being a Muslim and being happy. And I am definitely tired of feeling like I have to defend Islam to non-Muslims AND defend my Islam to Muslims.

"Without the believers' intellectual exertion (ijtihad) to comprehend and apply it within the often confusing and contradictory circumstances of historical process, it will languish as a prisoner of dead tradition instead of being permitted to shed its full illumination and regenerating power in the Umma and the world."

Okay rant over :D

Is It Worth It?

2009-09-30T10:54:00.004+02:00

Deciding to study Islam was a pretty easy decision for me to make when I began applying for Masters programs. I applied to programs in development, gender, sexuality, Islam, sociology - and in the end very easily chose the one about Islam. Since becoming religious, I feel like more moderate Muslims need to speak out and I wanted to be part of that. Tariq Ramadan, Reza Aslan, Leila Ahmed, Fatima Mernissi - all these authors had the guts to challenge mainstream conservative Islam that takes the Qur'an and Hadith very literally. They had the guts to say "no, we need to re-interpret Islam because we live in a different context." Something that would seem quite logical but actually offends many Muslims, who are probably worried that doing this will change the religion. Before these we had Muhammad Abduh and Al-Afghani, who also argued that Islam needs to change in order to apply to modern times. And the barrier they saw to this process was, of course, the ulama.

The history of the ulama in Islam is definitely something I would love to study. It seems to me that at some point they got very powerful and began to misuse this power. They also became very rigid and conservative, not allowing ANY form of Islam except theirs - hence they would often persecute Sufis, Shia's, liberal Muslims. I think a big point was when the doors of ijtihad were closed. I mean doesn't anyone find that troubling?! Why did that happen and WHO decided it should happen? Couldn't power have played a role in that? Al-Afghani writes:

"What does it mean that the door of ijtihad is closed? By what text was it closed? Which imam said that, after him, no Muslim should use his personal judgment to understand religion, be guided by the Qur'an and the true prophetic traditions and endeavor to widen his understanding of them and deduce, through analogy what applies to the modern sciences and the needs and requirements of the present?"

It's also interesting that Shi'as never closed the door to ijtihad. I've also read that they believe in an uncreated Qur'an, meaning that it is okay to reinterpret it according to the modern situation. This seems to me a much more progressive viewpoint than that of the Sunni ulama (and therefore most Sunnis).

Back to Al-Afghani's quote: it's funny how if a writer said something like that today, he/she would probably get attacked relentlessly, whereas Al-Afghani was one of the foremost Islamic scholars of his time. And that brings me to my point: is studying Islam and going into the field worth it? Will people listen? Or will I just get attacked and labeled an infidel, as we have seen happen countless times, especially with women scholars? It just seems to me that Islam today is dominated by conservative elements who do not want to listen to any views other than their own. Considering that I want to study gender and Islam, a topic that's already pretty controversial, is it worth even putting my view out there?

Tax on Headscarves...Yes, Really

2009-09-25T20:17:00.002+02:00

I'm sure a lot of you have heard about Geert Wilders, an infamous far-right Dutch politician who made the film "Fitna" and is responsible for a lot of anti-Islamic sentiment in Holland. He has compared the Qur'an to Mein Kampf by Hitler, and has also suggested it be banned in Holland. His latest bright idea is to introduce a tax on headscarves.

When I first heard about this my gut reaction was laughter, followed closely by shock. I mean seriously?! Tax women who wear headscarves?! His suggestion was a 1000 euro tax (!!) because he sees headscarves as something that "pollute" the streets. He also speicifed that it would ONLY apply to Muslim women who cover their hair, and not Christian women who do the same. So it's obviously blatantly discriminatory.

To make things worse, he said all money from this tax would go to women's emancipation programmes. It's pretty clear then, what he thinks the headscarf means. In the past he has pushed for an outright ban on headscarves, because he sees them as the ultimate form of oppression for women.

Some quotes from the eloquent politician:

"It is time 'to clean up our streets. This is pollution of public spaces. Let us do something about this symbol of oppression."

"We have had enough of headscarves."

"If the tax is introduced we are finally going to earn some money back from the Islam."

"The mosques, headscarves and Muslim men with beards and long dresses pollute the cityscape."

So yeah, you can see what kind of man we're dealing with here. The sad thing is that he's very popular. His party has the most support in Holland, and elections are coming up in 2012, where he's likely to win the majority of seats. If that isn't dangerous I don't know what is.

The only silver lining is that his proposal was met with ridicule and intense opposition in parliament. But what about on the Dutch street?

Eid Mubarak!

2009-09-19T23:41:00.004+02:00

Ramadan is over, and I just want to say Eid Mubarak to everyone! I feel spiritually refreshed, and hope that I continue reading Qur'an and praying as much as I can, insha'Allah. I am really going to miss Ramadan, but it'll definitely be nice to have my morning tea again :) I hope everyone has an amazing Eid!

I'll leave you with this passage that brought tears to my eyes:

"For beyond the admonitions to the faithful to create a good society by observing the Law, there is a message addressed to the whole of humanity. It is a message that proclaims the Eternal Transcendent, and man's special responsibility as guardian of this planet. It is a message which calls on men and women to show gratitude for the world's bounty, to use it wisely and distribute it equitably.

It is a message phrased in the language and imagery of a pastoral people who understood that survival depended upon submission to the natural laws governing their environment, and upon rules of hospitality demanding an even sharing of limited resources.

In a world increasingly riven by the gap between rich and poor nations, and in growing danger of environmental catastrophe, this message has an urgent relevance. It is one we ignore at our peril."

Tea!

2009-09-18T20:47:00.011+02:00

After the last two posts on Hadith and Polygamy I thought I'd lighten things up a bit :D I went shopping today and bought the cutest tea mugs & cups ever!! I LOVE them!!

I can add them to the my growing tea-things collection :D Some of my favs...

I also bought a huge red teapot that holds 10 cups of tea. Can't imagine ever drinking 10 cups of tea at one time but I know my best friend Reem and I could do it together :D She's the only other person I know who loves tea as much as I do!
I think I'm going to go have some now :)

Polygamy

2009-09-17T15:19:00.004+02:00

The concept of polygamy is something I've never been able to come to terms with. Despite the many arguments put forward for it, I just have never been comfortable with the idea that a man can marry more than one woman, whereas a woman can't. I simply can't imagine being in love with a man and having him marry another woman, or even just knowing that he could if he wanted to.

"And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course."

Many scholars have put forward the argument that it was only for that specific time and context: there had just been a war, and many women were without husbands (and therefore protection), and thus polygamy was a good solution. In today's context, however, it no longer makes any sense.

Other scholars have put forward the idea that the Qur'an is in effect disallowing polygamy because of the following verse:

"You cannot be equitable in a polygamous relationship, no matter how hard you try." (4:129)

In effect it seems to say that man cannot treat all his wives equally, and thus shouldn't try. However, another argument was put forward that says that God only meant legal and financial equality. Unsurprisingly many fundamentalist Muslims hold this view, and I never bought it until a few days ago when I read this in a book by an author I respect:

"It is clear, from both the Qur'anic rules of marriage and the Prophet's own example, that equality of treatment refers strictly to legally enforcable matters such as a woman's right to her own household."

He (Malise Ruthven) doesn't elaborate on the "Qur'anic rules of marriage" that he brings up, but he is right about the Prophet's example - the Prophet did have a favoruite, Aisha. Thus his example may mean that the Qur'an is only referring to legal and financial matters, and not emotional/sexual/other matters. Is this a widespread view? I would not be surprised if many conservative ulama hold this view, but what about other Islamic scholars, and what about Muslims in general?

This finding has gotten me all bothered about polygamy again. I just can't bring myself to be 100% okay with it, which of course makes me feel guilty since it's in the Qur'an. A big part of me thinks there must be an explanation for it, but I'm not sure what it is. I was sure about the above-mentioned argument about the Qur'an in effect saying men cannot treat 4 women equally, but if this author is right then the argument is no longer valid.

What do you think?

Hadith

2009-09-10T20:58:00.004+02:00

The issue of the Hadith interests me both on the level of being a Muslim, and on the sociological & historical level. I haven't studied the issue enough to make up my mind about it, but I do know that a lot of questionable practices in Islamic communities are rooted in the Hadith, often with no support from the Qur'an. Another point is that often I come across Hadith that contradict the general spirit and message of the Qur'an. An example of these are the sexist Hadith one finds pretty often. It seems strange to me that the Qur'an gives women so many rights, and then there are Hadith that take them away; or that the Qur'an affirms that women are conscious beings, and then there are Hadith that treat us like objects.

I guess my main question is this: what role are Hadith supposed to play in the life of a Muslim? I definitely don't think they should be on the same level at the Qur'an, since after all, they were transmitted by human beings. I also don't think we should reject all Hadith, especially since we wouldn't know how to pray if it weren't for Hadith.

But is it okay to just focus on Hadith we like, and ignore ones we don't? How do we know if they are authentic? I also have a problem with the whole authenticating thing, because: the Hadith were compiled more than 200 years after the death of the Prophet (pbuh); they were transmitted by human beings, who are bound to make mistakes; who decided whether a transmitter was "pious, honest, etc"? Furthermore, most of the transmitters and collectors of Hadith were men, who lived in a very patriarchal society (so patriarchal that God had to constantly remind them of how to treat women). So how do we know that they didn't pick and choose certain Hadith?

Another point is that the Prophet (pbuh) is said to have told people not to record his sayings (ironically we know this from a Hadith), and all four caliphs that came after him were against Hadith being recorded or collected. A final point is that the Qur'an says that it is complete. What does this mean in terms of how we see Hadith and the role they play in our lives?

I recently read two pieces on Hadith that I found interesting. One is an article called "Does the Hadith have a solid historical basis?" by Abdur Rab. The other is an excerpt from "Islam" by Fazlur Rahman, who is an amazing scholar. He writes:

"Unless the problem of the Hadith is critically, historically and constructively treated, there seems little prospect of distinguishing the essential from the purely historical."

And,

"What is necessary is to know the genesis and evolution of a given Hadith in order to reveal what function it did or was supposed to perform and whether Islamic needs do still demand such function or not."

I agree more with Rahman than Abdur Rab. I think we need to be very critical when approaching Hadith, and we also need to realize that most Hadith responded to the social context of that period, and may not make sense today.

I posted this about an hour ago, then had second thoughts and took it down, but then realized that I shouldn't censor myself. I really want to hear what everyone thinks, and if anyone has any advice.
Ooo and I also wrote a post below today, so don't forget to read that one too :D

Islamic Femininity

2009-09-10T19:48:00.003+02:00

I am currently reading "Western Muslims and the Future of Islam" by Tariq Ramadan (maybe I should just start a blog about him, haha) and I thought I'd post some interesting points:

"The issue of women is a sensitive one in almost all Western Islamic communities, and it sometimes appears that the whole question of faithfulness to Islam centers on it. Moreover, the repeated allusions and questions of our fellow-citizens, intellectuals, and the media about "women in Islam" cause a sort of psychological pressure that drives Muslims to adopt a defensive and often apologetic stance, which is not always objective."

"We are far from the ideal of equality before God, complementarity in family and social relations, and financial independence, behind which many ulama and intellectuals hide behind by quoting verses and Prophetic traditions."

"One also finds all sorts of restrictions to do with women, such as the "Islamic" prohibition against their working, having social involvements, speaking in public, and engaging in politics. And what have we not heard about the impossibility of "mixing"! One can certainly find ulama in the traditionalist and literalist schools who declare that these are Islamic teachings, but it is essential we go back to the scriptural sources to evaluate these practices, and to draw a clear distinction between customs that are culturally based and Islamic principles.

AMEN! I couldn't have said it better. And he finally labeled what I've been wondering what to call - the traditionalists and literalists (commonly known as fundamentalists in the media).

He goes on to mention how Muslim women who work at grassroots level do not judge each other re. hijab, but rather see it as a personal choice, and accept each other's choices. That sounds strange to me, since it's definitely not what I see in blog world. In fact I think the issue of hijab has very severely split Muslims into opposing camps, with a lot of bitterness, judgment, and negativity being exchanged between the 2 "sides".

Great book, I recommend it to everyone. I actually found out yesterday that Tariq Ramadan was supposed to be the person supervising my thesis, if he had ended up coming to my university (which he didn't, even though he accepted the job. Not sure what happened after that). I'm sure you guys can imagine how annoying that was for me!

By the way here are the videos of the debate I posted about earlier (there is more but it wasn't posted):

So Apparently Summer Isn't Over...

2009-09-08T22:48:00.013+02:00

After a week of rain and cold I was pretty sure summer was over, but today was really hot and sunny, so I guess it isn't. Here are some pictures of the oldest botanical garden in Holland, where my friend & I went today. It's in the city of Leiden and is amazingly beautiful.

Of course the day I end up in a botanical garden is the one day I don't have my camera with me, so these aren't the best quality since they were taken with my phone.

(The first 3 photos aren't of the garden.)

Heaven

2009-09-07T23:06:00.004+02:00

Just had carrot passion cake and a vanilla latte from Starbucks.

Hea.ven.

(Not my pics by the way. Tried to take pics with my phone cam and they didn't look as good as these haha. I had to show you how amazing the cake tasted, so I needed first-class photos :D.)

Update: why can't carrot cake be one of those negative-calorie foods, where you burn more calories than you gain when you eat them? Sigh. Imagine a world where you could eat carrot cake all day.

I Just Saw Tariq Ramadan!!!

2009-09-04T21:52:00.004+02:00

Yes! It was amazing!

I was having iftar at a friend's house yesterday (I'm making friends! Yay!) and she mentioned that Tariq Ramadan would be speaking in a debate the next day about the fact that he got fired from Erasmus University (in Rotterdam). This was a big story here for a few weeks. Ramadan worked as a visiting professor at Erasmus and also for the local Rotterdam government on issues of citizenship and immigration. Then suddenly he was fired from both positions, apparently because a show he hosts, "Islam & Life", is funded by Iran.

Ramadan then wrote a letter about the issue, click here to read.

Anyway the debate today was between Ramadan and a representative from Erasmus, and then between Ramadan and 2 politicians, one from the far right, and another who was on Ramadan's side.

Ramadan's opening statement was basically about how he knew that the reason he got fired was because of the upcoming elections. There's a lot of anti-Islam sentiment now in Holland, and so politicians know that they need to focus on this to win, and thus firing someone with a high profile like Ramadan would surely win votes.

My favourite quote was this: "I'm leaving. Goodbye. Wilders is staying. Good luck." Wilders is a far-right politician who wants to ban the Qur'an in Holland and who was responsible for making Fitna - a very negative documentary about Islam. Polls show that were elections to take place now, Wilders would win (!).

What's happening to Holland? When and how did it go from being the most open-minded, tolerant country to being one of the least? The far right politician at the debate today said so many insulting things about Islam, including that "anyone who is Muslim cannot develop to their full potential" and that Islam contradicts the "open, Western, Christian culture in Holland". He kept bringing up the fact that Muslims could not become ex-Muslims and the bad treatment homosexuals receive from Muslims (both true and both serious issues) despite Ramadan giving clear, concise rebuttals.

Ramadan then said that power combined with a lack of understand is very dangerous, and he was referring to this politician. He said the guy had a very simplistic view of Islam, and that he was just creating an atmosphere of fear (post 9-11 America anybody?) where Dutch people don't trust their fellow Dutch Muslims. And that the reason for all this is so they can win the next elections. Ramadan kept saying he was trying to focus on bigger issues and on the future, not just on the next election.

Why are far-right politicians so obsessed with Islam?

Is there a problem with Muslims integrating into Dutch society, or is it all hype created by the media and politicians to manipulate people into voting for conservative parties?
More importantly, do these politicians see Dutch Muslims as DUTCH or immigrants? Because looking at and treating them like immigrants will obviously make these Dutch Muslims feel like they don't belong. Ramadan mentioned getting emails from Dutch Muslims saying they no longer feel like they belong in Holland, and that they don't feel safe or welcome anymore. These are people, for the most part, who speak Dutch, have jobs, have families, and on the whole are Dutch - so why is there a problem? Of course there are some who don't integrate. But is it the majority?

Anyway it was an amazing night, and I'm so happy I got to see him! It's so sad he won't be teaching at Erasmus anymore, otherwise I could have taken his classes. He was actually offered a position at the university I will be going to, and he accepted, but then something weird happened and he ended up turning the job down. What's up with Ramadan and Holland??!

Islamophobia and the Privileging of Arab American Women

2009-09-02T14:20:00.002+02:00

Just read this interesting article by Nada Elia, called "Islamophobia and the Privileging of Arab American Women" (2006). Some of her main points (my thoughts in Italics):

- The impulse to save Muslim women from their male kin pervades various social and political movements in the US. Even in the 21st century, Western feminism retains its highly exploitative approach to other women.

This is true, I think Western feminism, while arguing for equal rights between sexes, is promoting a racist agenda. Just by assuming that Muslim women need to be "saved", they are saying something about the inability of Muslim women to help themselves.

- The confluence of church and state, with the presidential worldview today of embracing Christianity and Zionism, is a lethal mix for Arabs and Arab Americans, who are perceived as the quintessential enemy. As it predates 9/11, this rejection cannot be attributed to the trauma of the terrorist attacks, and is quite clearly based in religious intolerance, the assumption that Arabs are irrevocably "other" because they are Muslim, aliens in this Judeo-Christian culture.

This is definitely something I see in Holland now. The Muslim being seen as the "other", and as so different from the Dutch and Dutch culture.

- It must be emphasized that a desire to improve women's circumstances, here or abroad, has never characterized the Bush administration, Nevertheless, "women's liberation" proved a convinient excuse to attack countries with which the US was already intent on going to war. At the same time, the centuries-old Western fascination with the veil, now readily visible on American streets, behind the steering wheels of American SUVs, in American malls, and in American college classrooms, was jolted into renewed life.

I still remember that one of the MAIN reasons for going to war with Afghanistan seemed to be "saving the women". Don't you remember all the photos of women in burqa's all over the media, as if that gave some sort of legitimacy to what the government was about to do? All the books that suddenly came out about women escaping, women being freed, and how horrible the men in Afghanistan were. Yes, the Taliban WERE horrible. But don't use that as an excuse and a cover-up for war.

- The failure to identify racism and religious intolerance as a major social wrong in the US closely parallels mainstream Western feminism's failure to identify many Arab women's oppressors in their home countries. Thus many "progressive feminists" fail to acknowledge that Palestinian women's freedom of movement, their freedom to vote, to obtain an education and access to health care, and the basic right to have a roof over their heads in their own historic homeland, is denied to them not by Arab men, but by the Israeli occupier.

This is a good point. In Iraq - do you think it is more important for women to have security and be able to leave their house without risking getting killed; or to be able to have freedom of speech? Yes they shouldn't have to choose. But I feel that a lot of women would choose security for them and their families.

- And while the West favours Arab women writers over their male compatriots, even among female authors, those denouncing Islam are favoured over those denouncing the occupation of their country by Israeli and American troops.

Look at any bookshelf anywhere.

- They (Arab American women) find themselves, in the opening decades of the 21st century, following centuries of Arab presence in the US, still explaining the most basic aspects of their culture, still refuting egregious stereotypes, still on the defensive.

Something I've experienced here in Holland. I find that while I know about the basics of other religions, many people don't know or don't understand the basics of mine - not because the information is not out there, but because it seems to be easier to believe something controversial than something that makes sense.
And I think as a Muslim, you've probably experienced being on the defensive at one point or another - not a nice feeling.

Overall I liked the article, although she did make some big claims that she didn't back up well. This was written during Bush's reign so I wonder if things have changed under Obama?

Bits & Pieces

2009-08-29T14:39:00.017+02:00

Before I start:

A sister needs help - please donate money if you can. Read her story here. If you can't donate, then keep CoolRed and her family in your prayers. Inshallah she'll make it home.

- I really miss Cairo. I honestly never thought I would, since living there was pretty stressful, but I can't stop thinking about it. I keep remembering little things like hearing the adhaan, going to Starbucks, eating Egyptian food, and being surrounded by Muslims. At this point I feel like moving back but at the same time I know that if I do, I'm going to wish I hadn't and I'm going to regret not giving Holland a chance. It's only been 2 months, and like my best friend told me, it takes at least a year to settle down somewhere. Inshallah once I start meeting people that are like me and once my MA classes start, things will get better.

- I miss my family a lot too. It's weird coming home to a quiet empty apartment, and not having anyone to say hi to. I miss little things like going to Starbucks and doing gorcery shopping together; or just having someone to complain to about stuff. I also really miss my friends. We had so many good times, and I really hope we never lose touch. Finally, I miss my 2 cats, Sugar (white & fluffy) and Flatface (grey).

- I thought that there was no way I'd be able to gain weight during Ramadan, since I'd be fasting for 16+ hours, but now that it's started I'm starting to change my mind. The problem is 1) your metabolism slows down a lot if you don't eat for long periods; 2) you think about food the whole day and so overeat once fasting is over; and 3) it's difficult to go to the gym. Last year in Cairo iftar was around 6, so I would eat then go to the gym at 8. In Holland iftar is at 9, and my gym closes at 10. So yeah, I pretty much have to work out while fasting which is hard, because once you get home after you're pretty much dead. I go every other day for a 30 min training session and once I get home I kind of lie on the couch half-dead checking the clock obsessively. Not healthy behaviour. Since we're on the topic of gyms, I also really miss my old gym. It was the first gym I'd ever joined and I did not realize how attached I was to it till I came to Holland and kept having flashbacks of it. I used to complain about that gym all the time while I was there, but I would give anything to be able to go there again! That's a pic of it, on the left.

- I'm a bit nervous about starting my Masters. I know for sure that I want to study Islam, and that I want my future career to involve Islam, but I'm worried that I don't have enough of a theological/legal background in Islam to do well. I'm also worried about not knowing classical Arabic.

- I'm addicted to Starbucks, and it's kind of something I'm known for among my friends and family. In Cairo I was a regular at 3 different Starbucks', where they knew me, my order, and pretty much my life story. I thought Holland, being the coffee-loving country it is, would have an abundance of Starbucks'. Then I came here and found out there are only 4 - 3 of which are at the airport. Those are the closest ones to me, and they're about 30 mins away by train. Now I would gladly make that journey, and I will once Ramadan is over. Till then I'll just have to keep daydreaming about carrot cakes, vanilla lattes, and caramel frapuccinos. Sigh.

Going to a Mosque

2009-08-27T12:22:00.006+02:00

In Cairo it is not common for women to go and pray in mosques, so I've never had the chance to go and pray or attend lectures or pray Taraweeh. The only time I have prayed in a mosque was during Umrah, and I fell in love with it. It's nice to pray at home sometimes, but the experience of praying in a mosque with other Muslims is an amazing one.

I know there are a lot of mosques in The Hague, but I'm too scared to go and check them out. What do I do when I go there? Do I just go inside and pray? Or should I talk to someone there? How do I find out about events, classes, Taraweeh? I know these sound like stupid questions but I really have no idea since I've never been to a mosque before!

I've also heard about bad experiences in mosques, for example women forming cliques etc, which kind of makes me not want to go. I'm scared that everyone will be really judgmental or unfriendly, and that it'll be a negative experience.

On the other hand, I've had a really lonely Ramadan so far (eating iftar alone is not fun!) so it would be really nice to meet some Muslims. I'm starting to notice a barrier between people I've met so far and me, in that they all love to party and drink, and I don't. So maybe meeting other Muslims means I'll find a social environment that suits me better, inshallah.

What was your experience of going to a mosque for the first time? Did you go alone?
Does anyone have any advice on what I should do?

Qur'anic Wisdom

2009-08-23T22:41:00.004+02:00

I hope everyone is having a great Ramadan so far, inshallah =)

I just wanted to post a few things from the Qur'an that I came across today and loved.

Islam is a religion full of rituals. We pray 5+ times a day, we fast, we pay zakat - there are a lot of rituals involved in being a Muslim, and they do a great job of strengthening and expanding one's spirituality, as well as letting one become as close to God as possible. However, to someone who doesn't really believe, all these rituals can seem very burdensome and annoying:

"Seek help in patience and prayer, prayer that is indeed burdensome except for the devout, for those who believe they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they shall return." 2:46

People have sometimes asked me, "isn't it hard to do all those things?" And I've always replied with a firm no. It is not hard, and it is not a burden - in fact it's an honour. These rituals that take up a large part of my life are liberating, beautiful, and help me become a better person. However, to someone who may not feel God, they probably seem like a nuisance, a chore.

I remember how 2 years ago, I could never imagine giving up certain things that were part of my lifestyle. But then I began praying, and bit by bit, I lost the urge to do any of those things. From an outsider's perspective, it may look like Islam was forcing me or oppressing me in terms of lifestyle. But that wasn't how I saw it at all. I gladly gave up alcohol and partying. It didn't even matter. And it still doesn't matter. Because I'm doing it for God.

This is why religion isn't just about logic. It's also about feeling. A connection between you & God, and without that connection, a lot of things may seem harder than they actually are.

Another part I particulalry liked, as it sums up what being a good person is:

"Virtue does not demand of you to turn your faces eastwards or westwards. Virtue rather is:
He who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets;
Who dispenses money, though dear, to kinsmen, orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars and for ransom;
Who performs the prayer and pays the alms;
Who fulfils their contracts when they contract;
Who are steadfast in hardship, calamity and danger;
These are the true believers.
These are the truly pious." (2:177)

God has given us a summary of who a virtuous person is. One who prays, pays alms, honours their contracts, is steadfast in the face of difficulty. These are all inward actions - not outward ones. God does not focus on dress, as most Muslims today do. God instead focuses on being a good person on the inside. No wonder so many people were willing to convert then. Islam was being framed by God as a religion that makes one a better person - from within.

On a final note, let's all remember:

"And yet, for all you know, you may hate something - and it is good for you
For all you know, you may love something - and it is harmful to you.
God knows, and you do not know." (2:216)

Ramadan Kareem & Yay, I Got an Award!

2009-08-21T21:54:00.006+02:00

Ramadan is tomorrow for most of the world, so I'd like to say Ramadan Kareem to everyone! May it be a blessed spiritual month for all of you, inshallah =)

Stacy aka Fahiima gave me an award! Yay!

Here are the rules:
The rules of this award are:
•List five current obsessions.
•Pass the award on to five more fabulous blogs.
•On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.
•When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well.
Don't forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by leaving a comment on their blog.

5 current obsessions:

- Tariq Ramadan

I love his books, his interviews, his show, everything! His ideas are so refreshing, and it's weird to think that his father and grandfather were both pretty extreme in their ideas on Islam, whereas he turned out to be such a moderate.

- Berries

I've been eating them like everyday! They're sooo yummy

- Dance classes at the gym

Just joined a new gym here in Den Haag so it took me a while to gather up enough courage to try out the classes. Turns out they're amazing and lots of fun :)

- Masters

Can't wait to start my Masters, inshallah. I miss going to classes, debates, and writing papers (I'm pretty sure I'm going to take this back in 2 weeks).

- Being in Holland

Although it's still hard for me (being alone, etc), I do enjoy living in Holland - fresh, clean air; organization; nice people; healthy food; no sexual harassment. Holland really is a beautiful country, mashallah.

Okay, I pass this award on to:

Umm Omar
Sarah the Seeker
Aynur
Nadia
Jaz
Candice
Sarah Elizabeth
Ellen
Faith in Writing
Stephanie
Lifes Struggles

I know that's much more than 5 but I couldn't choose!
I actually want to tag everyone that reads my blog and comments, cause I'd love to hear all your answers! So if you're reading this, please comment!

Persepolis, and what it says about today's Islam

2009-08-19T19:39:00.005+03:00

I just finished watching one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen - Persepolis. It's a cartoon about how Iran has changed since the Islamic Revolution. Before, it was an open, liberal country. Yes, the Shah wasn't perfect, but neither were the Ayatollahs that came after him. After the revolution, a lot of things changed - women were forced to veil, men and women were often segregated and could not go out in public together, the "moral police" were constantly on guard, thousands of political prisoners were executed, and thousands of innocent people were thrown in jail. (This is all according to the movie.)

The story is told through the eyes of a girl who is about 10 when the Shah is overthrown. She moves to Vienna for a few years, then returns, only to find that Iran isn't really her home anymore. She finds life in Tehran impossible. She is forced to marry at 21 since she can't go out in public with the man she is in love with. She is forced to veil, to accept flawed religious rhetoric at school and university, and to constantly be afraid.

What struck me is that these changes that happened in Iran are happening all over the Islamic world. Capitals that used to be open and liberal are now becoming closed, strict, extreme even. Cairo, Beirut, Tehran. What is happening to these cultural centres?

Were the millions of Muslims who grew up in the 50s and 60s in these cities not good Muslims? Most women did not veil, there was no segregation, couples dated, people were not as judgmental - does this mean all of these people are going to hell? I don't think so, but I'm 100% sure that many Muslims of my generation would disagree and say that yes, those generations were not good Muslims.

Why does Islam (according to these countries) today mean being so strict, so afraid of doing anything? Why does it mean segregation? Why must all women veil (either due to laws or social pressure)? Why can the Qur'an not be interpreted according to time and place? Why should I be called a bad Muslim for even asking these questions?

To make matters worse, Muslims in Islamic countries are sometimes more liberal than converts/Muslims in Western countries. So many converts feel the need to Arabize when they become Muslim - take an Arab name, wear Arab-style clothing - when in fact that isn't necessary. These converts also end up adopting Arab (or North African) traditions such as strict segregation and female circumcision, thinking they are Islamic.

In Tariq Ramadan's book about the Prophet, he quotes the Prophet as having said that moderation is best. Moderation is NOT what I see when I look at many of today's Muslims. And to be honest, it worries me. Either I've got it wrong, and Islam is not what I believe it to be, or I'm right, and we just live in an age today where Islam is being interpeted in a particulalry literal and strict manner.

Ramadan also wrote of the following story: some Muslims were about to go on a journey, and the Prophet told them to not stop and pray on the way, but pray when they arrived at the village. On the way, there was an argument between the Muslims - some thought the Prophet was being metaphorical and meant that they should stop and pray but do it quickly, and some thought that he had literally meant that they should not stop and pray. When they returned, they asked the Prophet which was correct. The Prophet said both. Thus there are two ways of understanding the Prophet's sayings - by following the literal meanings, or by trying to understand the purpose of the saying, its spirit, and occasionally its figurative meaning. "Both approaches had been accepted by the Prophet, and both were therefore correct and legitimate ways of remaining faithful to the message."

I often find myself torn between 2 types of Islam - strict Islam, which I see most Muslims practicing, and a more open Islam, which I see many scholars, academics, and thinkers supporting, and which I also see when I read the Qur'an and books about the Prophet's life. Inshallah I'm on the right path.

Wife-Starving Law

2009-08-18T20:48:00.002+03:00

Yes, it exists.
Where? Afghanistan.
For what? Denying your husband sex.

"The original bill caused outrage earlier this year, forcing Afghan President Hamid Karzai to withdraw it.It allows a man to withhold food from his wife if she refuses his sexual demands; a woman must get her husband's permission to work; and fathers and grandfathers are given exclusive custody of children."

So apparently the revised version (that has now become a law) is not as bad as the original. What did the original contain then?! This:

"The original version obliged Shia women to have sex with their husbands every four days at a minimum, and it effectively condoned rape by removing the need for consent to sex within marriage."

Okay, I personally find it absolutely ridiculous that there is a minimum amount of times a woman is forced to have sex with her husband. I wonder, though, how they came up with the number 4? Did they somehow find it in the Qur'an? I also don't understand how this law only applies to Shias? If it's a law doesn't it apply to all Afgan people?

I mean, I don't really even know what to say about this. I'm starting to think the Qur'ans I've read are different than the ones these people are reading. These types of stories make me angry but they also make me really sad. So many horrible things are done in the name of Islam, and because of this we have such a negative image. Yes of course Western racism plays a part, but when someone reads a story like this what are they supposed to think? We can't expect every non-Muslim to read the Qur'an and see that this is not what God wants from us. There are Muslims who read the Qur'an and can't see that!

Read story here.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali & Tariq Ramadan

2009-08-16T19:59:00.007+03:00

Yesterday I came across a video on YouTube of a debate between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Tariq Ramadan. Ramadan is the grandson of Hassan al-Banna (founder of the Muslim Brotherhood), and he was raised in Switzerland and is a professor at Oxford University. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a Dutch MP who immigrated to Holland from Somalia and is now a prominent anti-Islam activist (I'm not going to call her an intellectual because she isn't).

Anyway the debate in the video was about Muslims in Europe. Ramadan's argument was that it was possible to be a European and to be Muslim. Hirsi didn't really have a main argument (as usual), she just kind of kept making random points. What struck me about her ideas is 1) the fact that she thinks the Qur'an was written by humans and 2) that God doesn't exist. So why exactly does she feel she can debate about Islam? If she isn't a Muslim/doesn't believe in God, then why is she even speaking from a perspective of being a believing Muslim?

Yes, she went through a lot, but maybe she should see that it's not because of ISLAM that she was circumcised etc, but because of PATRIARCHY and the MISINTERPRETATION of Islam. Which is exactly what Ramadan said: he pointed out that his only problem with her is that she essentializes Islam and puts all Muslims in one category, as opposed to saying "some Muslims do this and it's wrong".

There was a point when Ramadan was saying something and she actually started giggling like a 4-year old. In a debate. He clearly got annoyed and when he finished she was like "sorry I don't follow you", and then he told her off.

There was also a point where she said that Bin Laden was more consistent than Ramadan, which is why more Muslims these days choose to follow Bin Laden (an extremist) as opposed to Ramadan (a moderate). Obviously Ramadan was confused as to why he wasn't "consistent" and apparently what she meant was that Bin Laden's rhetoric was simpler. Yes, and? Does that mean he's right? Ugh!!

I don't understand why Hirsi is even considered an academic/scholar/intellectual. She has a BA, whereas people like Ramadan have PhDs, have written scholarly books, and have been to pretigious universities. That doesn't necessarily make him smarter but judging from this debate and from his books, as opposed to her books and the movie she co-wrote (Submission), there is a vast difference in intelligence between them.

Sadly, Hirsi obviously appeals to the Western media, who love to hear a Muslim putting down Islam. Oh well. Hopefully one day they'll realize how shallow her arguments are, and they'll start to listen to Muslims who actually 1) believe in God, 2) believe the Qur'an came from God, 3) don't giggle in debates, and 4) have a moderate IQ.

Here are the 3 videos that make up the debate:

I Need Advice

2009-08-11T21:55:00.003+03:00

So I've been living in Holland for around 5 weeks now, and so far it's been a pretty good experience. Of course it was stressful to find an apartment, buy furniture & accessories, find my way around The Hague, and just get used to being on my own. However I thought it would get better once I started meeting people and once I got used to the university I'm going to be doing my Masters at, Leiden.

I signed up for 2 introduction programs: one was for 5 days, the other for 10. The 5-day one started yesterday and it didn't really go very well. All the new students were put into groups, and I was part of a mixed Dutch/International group. The people in my group were really nice and friendly, and it was lots of fun until I realized that from 6:30 pm onwards, the program revolved around drinking and partying.

Islam isn't the only reason I don't drink alcohol: I generally didn't drink it before I became a Muslim either, because I hate the strong taste of it. I also hate partying/clubbing - I would rather go out for coffee or have a dinner party. I hate loud, smoky, atmospheres where everyone is drunk.

Because it was part of the program, I found myself in an awkward position: leave, and be the one person who left; or stay, and not enjoy myself at all. I stayed, but today I quit the program. Most students at Leiden clearly love to party, and that's just not me. People I've asked advice from so far have just said that the kinds of people who dont like to party wouldn't have signed up for this program anyway, and so I'll only get to meet them later, in classes and so on.

The problem is the other introduction thing I signed up for starts next Monday and I've already paid for it. In the morning and afternoon it consists of Dutch language, history, culture, etc, so I really want to do that. But at night it consists of pub crawls, drinks, and dinners. So yeah. Should I just not go to those? Or find a way to enjoy myself there? I just don't want to be the one awkward/weird person that always leaves and never goes to the social events you know? It's a small group of 54 people so people will obviously notice if I'm not there. Plus I would like to go out and meet new people and make friends.

Being a Muslim in a non-Muslim country is a little harder than I expected. Being the only one who doesn't drink; being the only student (it seems) who doesn't like to party; having to make sure everything I eat is halal; having to explain that I'm fasting - these are all things I took for granted in Cairo.

I really hope I'll meet people who are more like me once classes start. Maybe the kinds of people in these programs just like to party and drink. After all, they're mostly Bachelors students.

Anyway, the question is what to do about next week's program. Any advice?

Two Contradicting Stories about Islam

2009-08-11T09:46:00.005+03:00

I'm not sure how to import a video from youtube so I'm going to just post the link...if someone knows how to import please let me know!

Points from this video:

- European fertility is low so their numbers are shrinking and hence so is their culture. EU birth rate: 1.38

- In a matter of years Europe as we know it will cease to exist

- France: 1.8 kids/family; among Muslims 8.1 (!)

- In Southern France, more mosques than churches (!)

- In 2027, 1/5 Frenchmen will be Muslim. This makes him state that in 39 years, France will be an Islamic Republic (?).

- In Britain, the number of Muslims has risen from 82,000 to 2.5 million in the last 30 years

- In Holland, 50% of newborns are Muslim

- In 15 years, half of Holland's population will be Muslim

The video goes on to give a lot more questionable information. So far more than 10 million people have watched this video.

BBC made a video debunking all these claims:

Click here to watch video

Definitely worth watching the 2 videos and comparing!

Dating - Islamic Style

2009-08-08T20:50:00.005+03:00

Candice just wrote an interesting post about early marriage and how it helps in terms of preventing young Muslims from having pre-marital relationships and sex. This got me thinking: is a system where people get married without really knowing each other feasible?

Of course not every Muslim couple doesn't get to know each other before marriage - many do, especially when their families are more open and liberal. However there are still many instances where the young couple meet only a few times before tying the knot, and thus barely know each other or the family they are marrying into. To me, this seems so strange. I've never been in that situation and don't know anyone who has, so I can't really speak about whether it works or what the outcomes of these types of marriages are. I guess having grown up in Western countries it seems weird to me - but that doesn't make it bad or wrong.

At the time of the Prophet (pbuh) usually parents would arrange marriages. That makes sense since girls and boys usually married very young and so maybe couldn't make the decision for themselves. However, that isn't usually the case today, particularly since in most countries the legal age of marriage is above 16 (in Iran it's 9!). If a person wants to get married, and they are say 24, should their parents still arrange a marriage? What if they themselves meet someone they are interested in (as is bound to happen in mixed settings such as work, university etc), should they refrain from interacting until they are married? But then how do they know they are interested in each other?

What kind of dating is haram, or is dating as a whole haram, in your opinion? Would two people chatting and going out for coffee be okay as long as they don't do anything intimate? Or should they do nothing at all? (But again - how do you become interested enough in someone to want to marry them, unless you at least talk to them?)

Would love to hear your opinions!

Turkish vs. Moroccan

2009-08-05T13:02:00.008+03:00

Two of the biggest immigrant groups in Holland are the Turks and the Moroccans, so they form the bulk of the Muslim population here. Inshallah I'll start looking for a mosque to start praying at soon, and one thing I know is that there are Turkish mosques and Moroccan mosques. Coming from Cairo, I find this separation strange. From what I know, there are mosques for Muslims - from anywhere. It's weird that here you have a Moroccan mosque and a Turkish mosque. Of course that doesn't mean they only allow Moroccans/Turks in, but I'm sure it's rare to find a Moroccan in a Turkish mosque.

I guess I should try and find a Moroccan mosque, since the imam would speak Arabic. That's another thing I need to check - do the imams speak Dutch or Arabic/Turkish? If they do the sermons in Dutch, a lot of older immigrants probably won't understand it (although if you move to Holland you should definitely learn the language). On the other hand if they do it in Arabic/Turkish, a lot of the younger Muslims won't understand it, since they've grown up speaking and knowing Dutch. So I wonder how they balance that here.

There are also usually cultural centres attached to mosques, which would be very interesting to check out. I wonder if they have classes and language lessons. I've been living by myself here in the Hague for 3 days now and I'm already really lonely! I can't imagine how hard Ramadan is going to be since I'll be having iftar by myself without my family for the first time ever. I really hope to meet lots of nice Muslims here. I feel like that would motivate me to become a better Muslim and it would also just feel nice to have people who understand why you pray 5 times a day or to break the fast with.

Inshallah I'll meet people soon.

What about where you guys live? Are mosques separated by nationality? Or are they multi-cultural? What language are the sermons in? Does this mean only certain segments of the Muslims population attend?

Bridge Between 2 Worlds

2009-08-01T00:25:00.003+03:00

Have you ever had trouble explaining certain religious ideas/concepts/beliefs to people who don't share the same religion/belief system?
The other day I was trying to explain the concept of the evil eye to my mum and sister, and as I heard myself talk I wondered whether it even made sense to me. I strongly believe in the evil eye but find it so hard to explain to non-Muslims. It just ends up sounding so superstitious and backwards.
Has anyone else had an experience like this?

On a side note, I'm finally done moving so inshallah I'll have more time to blog and comment now!

10 Honest Things

2009-07-23T14:02:00.003+03:00

I'm kind of late in doing this so I can't remember who exactly tagged me (aside from lovely Nadia since she tagged me yesterday) and I also can't remember who has/hasn't done it, so I'm not sure who to tag at the end. I'll do what Candice did and tag anyone who's reading who hasn't done it yet =)

1. I have a Starbucks addiction. It's been nearly 2 weeks without any Starbucks and I can feel strong withdrawal symptoms. I miss my vanilla skimmed latte and carrot cake :(

2. I would love to write an academic book on women and Islam one day, but I'm so scared of it not doing well/no one reading it/getting criticised.

3. I want to have babies one day but I'm scared of it changing my body so much that it won't go back to the way it was before.

4. I love blogging even more than I thought I would, and I love it when other bloggers mention me in their posts - I get very giddy and excited!

5. I'm a gym rat - I love working out and going to the gym.

6. I cry whenever I see Makkah on TV/hear the Madinah/Makkah adhaans.

7. I can be very sensitive and paranoid, especially when I'm insecure about something.

8. I would love to have a few Shetland ponies as pets, just so I can hug them all the time.

9. Sometimes I feel like I can't be liberal and Muslim at the same time, which really worries me.

10. I miss more things about Cairo than I'd like to admit.

Birthday

2009-07-22T09:07:00.001+03:00

It's my birthday today! It feels weird being 21. I liked being 20 - it was such a nice, rounded-off number. I'm going to have lots of carrot cake and cupcakes inshallah =)

Nature & God's Amazing Creation

2009-07-21T16:33:00.015+03:00

I've been in Holland for over 2 weeks now, I still can't get over how beautiful everything is. There are animals everywhere, green fields, and lots of flowers. I feel like I'm constantly reminded of how amazing God's creation is. Everything is just perfect. The feeling of seeing beautiful landscapes is definitely something you don't get often in Cairo. Here are some pics of the area around my grandfather's house. I will be moving to The Hague soon inshallah, and even there you still manage to see lots of nature, which is amazing for a city.

Cows - my favourite animals after Shetland ponies

These cute little sheep are right next door to where I live

Shetland ponies - the cutest animals on earth!

Practicing Islam

2009-07-15T15:11:00.002+03:00

As I was getting ready to move to Holland a few weeks ago, I began thinking about how my relationship with God/Islam would change, or if it would change at all. Would it be more difficult to be a Muslim in a non-Muslim country? What would Dutch Muslims be like? Would I have a more distant relationship with God, or would it become closer?

Now I can see that it's neither easier nor harder. Not because Holland is the ideal place to be a Muslim, but because Egypt wasn't the easiest place to be a Muslim in either. In Egypt you get judged by other Muslims - constantly. In Holland you get judged by non-Muslims - sometimes. Which is worse? Muslims judging you, when they know it is wrong to judge and when they know that everyone has their own PRIVATE relationship with God, or non-Muslims judging you, who just haven't made the effort to understand Islam better? Hmm, I'd say option number 1.

One thing I do miss though is hearing the adhaan. I knew I'd really miss that. I think the next time I hear it I'm going to cry or something. Another thing I miss is having lots of fellow Muslims to talk to about Islam, something that makes me feel a lot closer to God.

I feel like my connection to God has gotten slightly less closer, simply because I'm not surrounded by Muslims here and because there aren't reminders everywhere, like mosques, the adhaan, or Qur'ans. However I think by reading the Qur'an more often and thinking about God more, I can make the connection even stronger, inshallah. I hope I'll be able to meet Muslims here soon, I'm sure that'll help, and it should also make Ramadan better. I remember the connection being strongest during Umrah, because your life literally changes to revolve around God. Now that was amazing, but sadly not practical in the long-term.

How do you feel - do you think it would be easier to be a Muslim in a non-Muslim country, or in a Muslim one?

Ramadan

2009-07-11T21:23:00.004+03:00

Okay so I just realized how hard Ramadan is going to be here in Holland. Right now Fajr is at 3:30 am, and Maghrib is at 10:00 pm. I checked the times for last year in Ramadan and they were 2:30 am for Fajr and 9:30 pm for Maghrib...that's 19 hours! Yeah it won't be hot and everything but still...that's a loooong time!

Last year in Cairo during Ramadan it was from 4:00 am till 6:00 pm...but then again it was really hot. I guess it's better to have a longer period that's cold than a shorter one that's hot, since thirst is a lot worse than hunger.

Inshallah it won't be too bad!

Hopefully I'll find a mosque I can go to. In Cairo most women don't go to the mosque to pray so I didn't experience it in Cairo, but I loved praying all prayers at the mosque in Madinah and Makkah, so I'm going to try do that here too.

Local Islam

2009-07-10T12:52:00.010+03:00

So I've been in Holland for a week now, and I've been talking to my family and friends here a lot about Islam in Holland and how Muslims are percieved. Right now I'm staying in a small town near the German border, with a very small population. I thought it'd be interesting to find out how Muslims who live here are seen by non-Muslim Dutch people, and wheher they integrate fully or not.

I began by asking my cousin if there were a lot of Muslims here. She said there were. Then I asked whether people accepted them or not. She said most people didn't like them but it was mostly because Muslims didn't make any effort to integrate: they didn't learn Dutch, or work, or go to Dutch schools. They also tended to form gangs. Then I asked her if she knew any Muslims personally and she said no. Hmmm!

Then I found out that the town mosque had been burnt down after 9/11...as in, on purpose. After I recovered from the shock of realizing I was in a town where a mosque had been burnt down, I asked whether they had found out who'd done it. She said they hadn't. Anyway, after that the Muslims who live here put together money to build a new mosque. I asked different people what the mosque was like and when I got back "amazing", "huge", and "out of place", I started to expect a mosque similar to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. Instead I found this:

I mean ít's nice and everything but 1) it's not huge; and 2) it's not out of place. It barely looks like classical Islamic architecture. I thought it was just another building until I saw the minarets. I'm not saying all this because I think it should look more Islamic or it should be bigger - I just find it interesting that a lot of people exaggerated its size and appearance. Someone even asked me why there needs to be a mosque in this town.

Anyway, my grandfather had pretty much the same views as my cousin: Muslims here don't try to integrate and they cause a lot of problems.

I then talked to my aunt, who had the exact opposite view. She said there weren't a lot of Muslims in this town, and that most of them were really nice people. She said every religion has good and bad people. She also said that most Muslims DO integrate and speak Dutch fluently.

Yesterday I also asked a friend of mine all these questions. She also said that most Muslims do integrate and are nice people, and that many Dutch people are just ignorant about Islam.

From my personal experiences here so far, I've noticed that most foreign-looking people tend to be speaking Dutch (in a natural Dutch accent). They dress like everyone else, talk like everyone else, and act like everyone else. The only difference is in appearance. So what are Dutch people complaining about? Why do they think that MOST Muslims don't want to integrate or "be part of society"? How did Holland go from being the most open-minded and tolerant society 10 years ago to being one of the most anti-Islamic countries in Europe? Will things get worse, or will people eventually stop panicking about Muslims and accept that Muslims are normal Dutch people who are here to stay?

Whose Fault Is It?

2009-07-04T13:05:00.002+03:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while (or commented on anyone's blogs), I just moved to another country and am still settling in! Just thought I would write a quick post about something I've been thinking about recently: Islam's image and how to react to it.

There's no doubt that Islam has a negative global image, generally. Many non-Muslims have very stereotypical views of Islam and about Muslims, such as "all Muslims are terrorists" or "all Muslim women are oppressed", etc. If you look at mainstream Western media, it's clearly biased against Muslims. Books, films, sitcoms - they usually show Muslims in a very negative way.

My question is: as Muslims, should we be trying to fix this? And what can we do? Should we just ignore this and write it off as ignorance and racism, or should we actively try to fight against it and counter these images? I guess in a way fighting against it is kind of giving it seriousness, whereas ignoring it would be like saying "it's not even worth responding to". If we think we should respond, what can we do?

For me I guess the number one thing is to set an example. When people see you acting a certain way, they'll associate it with your religion, nationality, gender, etc. So if you are a good person, people will probably see Islam as a positive normal thing. If however you are rude, arrogant etc, people may associate that with Islam. This associating thing is something we all do. Each one of us represents different things - our religion, nationality, profession - its human nature to associate people with their statuses in life.

Another thing is to interact with non-Muslims in a rational, calm, respectful way. My previous post about Gary Miller is an example of us - he approaches non-Muslims ina peaceful way and logically tries to show that Islam is the truth. Some Muslims choose to be rude, arrogant, and obnoxious, and this will never make anyone change their perception of Islam from negative/neutral to positive, let alone make them convert.

What do you think?

Miracles of the Qur'an (part 1)

2009-06-27T18:33:00.009+03:00

About a year ago, a friend gave me something to read entitled "Miracle of the Qur'an" by Gary Miller, a Muslim convert. It was absolutely amazing and so I thought I'd post parts of it on here.

"Some years ago, the story came to us in Toronto about a man who was in the merchant marine and made his living on the sea. A Muslim gave him a translation of the Qur'an to read. The merchant marine knew nothing about the history of Islam but was interested in reading the Qur'an. When he finished reading it, he brought it back to the Muslim and asked, "This Muhammed, was he a sailor?" He was impressed at how accurately the Qur'an describes a storm on a sea. When he was told, "No as a matter of fact, Muhammed lived in the desert," that was enough for him. He embraced Islam on the spot. He was so impressed with the Qur'an's description because he had been in a storm on the sea, and he knew that whoever had written that description had also been in a storm on the sea. The description of "a wave, over it a wave, over it clouds" was not what someone imagining a storm on a sea to be like would have written; rather, it was written by someone who knew what a storm on the sea was like. This is one example of how the Qur'an is not tied to a certain place and time. Certainly, the scientific ideas expressed in it also do not seem to originate from the desert fourteen centuries ago."

"Many centuries before the onset of Muhammed's Prophethood, there was a well-known theory of atomism advanced by the Greek philosopher, Democritus. He and the people who came after him assumed that matter consists of tiny, indestructible, indivisible particles called atoms. The Arabs too, used to deal in the same concept; in fact, the Arabic word dharrah commonly referred to the smallest particle known to man. Now, modern science has discovered that this smallest unit of matter (i.e., the atom, which has all of the same properties as its element) can be split into its component parts. This is a new idea, a development of the last century; yet, interestingly enough, this information had already been documented in the Qur'an which states:

" He [i.e., Allah] is aware of an atom's weight in the heavens and on the earth and even anything smaller than that..."

Undoubtedly, fourteen centuries ago that statement would have looked unusual, even to an Arab. For him, the dharrah was the smallest thing there was. Indeed, this is proof, that the Qur'an is not outdated."

"If one assumes that the Qur'an is the product of a man's mind, then one would expect it to reflect some of what was going on in the mind of the man who "composed" it. In fact, certain encyclopedias and various books clam that the Qur'an was the product of hallucinations that Muhammed underwent. If these claims are true - if it indeed originated from some psychological problems in Muhammed's mind - then evidence of this would be apparent in the Qur'an. Is there such evidence? In order to determine whether or not there is, one must first identify what things would have been going on in his mind at that time and then search for these thoughts and reflections in the Qur'an.

It is common knowledge that Muhammad had a very difficult life. All of his daughters died before him except one, and he had a wife of several years who was dear and important to him, who not only proceeded him in death at a very critical period of his life. As a matter of fact, she must have been quite a woman because when the first revelation came to him, he ran home to her afraid. Certainly, even today one would have a hard time trying to find an Arab who would tell you, "I was so afraid that I ran home to my wife." They just aren't that way. Yet Muhammed felt comfortable enough with his wife to be able to do that. That's how influential and strong woman she was. Although these examples are only a few of the subjects that would have been on Muhammed's mind, they are sufficient in intensity to prove my point. The Qur'an does not mention any of these things - not the death of his children, not the death of his beloved companion and wife, not his fear of the initial revelations, which he so beautifully shared with his wife - nothing; yet, these topics must have hurt him, bothered him, and caused him pain and grief during periods of his psychological reflections, then these subjects, as well as others, would be prevalent or at least mentioned throughout."

I love how logical Miller is - the whole piece was written in order to logically and categorically prove that the Qur'an is of divine origin and not written by man. Instead of attacking anyone who claims this, he is using pure logic (in a very POLITE manner) to show that it is impossible that the Qur'an is man-made. More Muslims should use this approach, instead of going red in the face and shouting about "infidels" and "going to hell". This is not going to convince anyone to convert to, let alone respect, Islam.

I'll be posting more soon!

Feeling vs. Logic

2009-06-23T22:16:00.006+03:00

I was just reading this lovely post by Sarah, and it got me reminiscing about the day I decided to be a Muslim. My dad's Muslim so technically I was born a Muslim, but I didn't really call myself one until the day I began praying, in April last year.

I had always tried to approach Islam (and religion in general) from a logical point of view. How do we know God exists? How do we know the Qur'an is authentic? How do we know Islam is the true religion? I used to have endless discussions (*ahem* arguments) with friends about these topics. They would always win. I realized I never had a good enough argument as to why God/Islam were not real. As many books and articles as I read about these issues, I never really found an argument that a friend couldn't refute.

It still wasn't enough though. There was a point where I realized God did exist, and Islam was real, but where I felt I wasn't ready to become a Muslim yet. Soon after this I figured out what was stopping me: a feeling. I didn't feel God or Islam. This is really hard to describe. I just suddenly knew that when I got that feeling, I would be ready to become a Muslim. I wasn't sure when I would get it, or how to speed up the process of getting it, but I just knew that it wasn't about logic anymore. I was convinced in my head. (I'm not going to say "I just needed to be convinced in my heart" cause it sounds unbearably corny and Hollywoodish. Although I did just say it. Anyway!)

Then one day I got the feeling! I woke up and realized that I wanted to start praying. This was it! I asked a friend to teach me how to pray that night. I got very emotional and started crying halfway through, which lengthened the whole process by an hour, but it was happy crying so it was all good. After that I said the shahada and went to sleep. The next morning I woke up a Muslim.

Since then I've never looked back. Nothing has been able to turn me away from Islam, simply because I now feel Islam and God in me all the time. There are many things I'm still unsure of, but they haven't made me doubt Islam itself. Logic (and the type of education I had) would have made me turn away when I found out about polygamy, beating (disciplining?) wives, and inheritance in the Qur'an. Feeling made me research it further and understand that there are different interpretations and understandings of these verses. Not once did I doubt God: it was always Muslims who I doubted, and their interpretations.

What was it like for you? Was it a logical/emotional decision to become a Muslim, or both?
Since I grew up with a Muslim parent, I was already exposed to Islam to an extent, although thankfully I was never forced or pressured to be a Muslim until I decided to be. I'm guessing it might be different for someone who wasn't exposed to Islam, for them it might be a combined logic/feeling decision. I'd love to hear everyone's experiences!

Khutbas

2009-06-20T21:19:00.001+03:00

I was recently talking to a friend of mine, and he brought up the fact that he hates going to Friday prayers these days because he feels he doesn't learn anything from them anymore. Instead of talking about Islam, imams tend to go on and on about Americans, Israel and the Jews (apparently a subject ALL Egyptians love to go on and on about, even though 99% have never met a Jew).

When I hear the khutbas sometimes, I'm pretty shocked at how aggressive they are. The imam is usually yelling at the top of his voice about how Israel has raped all Arabs and needs to be wiped off the face of the earth (to use Ahmedijinad's diplomatic phrasing). Then they move on to ALL Jewish people, without making a distinction between Jews, Israeli Jews, and the Israeli government. It's sad because in the 50s Cairo used to be very cosmopolitan: Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone got along. Jews used to call themselves Egyptians, not Jews. Then the Jews were pressured into leaving, and so they all left (leaving behind a few old ladies). Synagogues that remain in Cairo today are full of security, and I doubt they are used often.

There's also the fact that the Qur'an is NOT anti-Jewish. The Qur'an speaks about specific Jewish tribes at the time who were against the Prophet (pbuh). I don't get how this applies to all Jews at all times. Seriously! They are people of the book, and imams shouldn't be spreading hatred against them, or for that matter spreading hatred against anyone.

Anyway, I've heard complaints about khutbas several times from different people. When did imams become political experts as opposed to religious scholars? Why not discuss Islam? Or at least discuss current affairs without inciting violence and preaching hate. Like my friend said, he wants to learn something new about his religion, not get a hate-filled lecture.

I wonder whether the changing nature of khutbas has started attracting new kinds of men to the mosques. Men who want to hear these hate-filled sermons, as opposed to all kinds of men who want to hear about Islam. I know of many men (mostly older) who have stopped attending Friday prayers altogether because they can't listen to what the imams are saying.

One annoying thing must be that one goes to prayer to meditate, find peace, and connect with God. Then you hear a hate-filled khutba, and the peacefulness probably disappears. Instead of educating young Muslims and teaching them Islam, imams are filling them with hatred and violence. This can't end well.

I wonder if this is limited to Egypt, where many people have started using the mosque as a political tool? Does this happen in mosques you go to?

Note: I'm not saying all imams in all mosques in all countries do this. I am talking about imams in mosques people I know frequent. These include many mosques and many imams, which is why I decided to write a post about it.

Rumi

2009-06-17T21:48:00.005+03:00

"Many prayers are declined because of the rank odor of a corrupt heart rising through the beautiful words. Let the words be wrong, but the meaning right. That flawed utterance is dearer to God."

- Rumi

Absolutely beautiful.

It reminded me of how a lot of non-Arabic speaking Muslims seem worried about mispronouncing prayers/Arabic words. I don't think anyone should worry too much about that; the fact that you are praying and doing it for God is what matters, not whether you get the pronunciation right. Similarly, someone could pronounce all the words perfectly, but if they're a bad person I'm sure the prayer won't count for much.

This quote reminded me of how amazingly simple God has made Islam. It's so beautiful in its simplicity. That's why it really, REALLY bothers me when people try to complicate it/make it difficult/take everything to an extreme. Of course Islam has its challenges: praying 5 times a day, fasting, Hajj - these things are not easy. But they're simple! The meaning behind them is simple, the message of the Qur'an is simple, and I really think God wants us to be happy in this life, and so has given us a religion that is beautiful and that compliments our common sense and conscience. I realized everything that is seen as "Islamic" and doesn't make sense to me comes from the Hadith, not the Qur'an, which is why I don't really trust the Hadith that much.

When I think of the spiritual message of the Qur'an I get very emotional. Peace, justice, compassion, forgiveness, happiness, love - we Muslims could be the happiest and most peaceful people on earth if we listened to what the Qur'an is telling us. Mashallah for this amazing book! It really is a miracle. Think of the way God describes Himself. Think of the Prophet. Where are these qualities in Muslims today?

The Ummah

2009-06-14T21:00:00.000+03:00

While I was living in Zambia, about 4 years ago, I had begun thinking about Islam. I began talking to people about it and reading up on it, to try and get more of an idea of what it was about. About a month after that, I moved to Egypt. My quest for knowledge ground to a halt when I saw what life was like in an "Islamic" country.

I was 16 at the time, and so it was hard for me to realize that what Egyptians were practicing was something different from Islam: it was a mixture of culture, tradition, and Islam that had been mixed together for so long no one could tell them apart anymore. People were rude, people were impatient, there was rampant sexism everywhere, there was an unbelievable amount of sexual harassment, the driving was intolerable, and life in general was frustrating. At the same time, most Egyptians claimed to be very religious. They would pray, fast, pay zakat, and fulfill all other outward obligations. So I stopped thinking of becoming a practicing Muslim because to put it simply - Egypt turned me off Islam.

When I began university, things changed. I began reading, talking to other people, and exposing myself to alternative ideas of Islam. That's when I realized how far Islamic societies are from what the Qur'an states. That's when I realized that many Muslims fulfill their OUTWARD obligations (i.e. things other Muslims will see) while ignoring their inward ones, such as compassion, forgiveness, justice, etc.

I would read the Qur'an and get one image of Islam, then interact with Muslims and get another. At the time I thought it was just Egyptians who had it wrong. But now I can see that not only Arabs have warped Islam. Converts, Americans, Europeans, Africans - there are people within every group that prefers to focus on showing others how Islamic they are, rather than showing God. Similarly, there are people that like to complicate Islam and make it much harder than it needs to be, thinking this is the fastest way to get to heaven.

My question is, how happy are you with the Ummah? Do you feel like Muslims make it harder or easier for you to practice Islam the way you see fit? Do you find that your views on Islam are the same as other Muslims around you, or are they different?

(This post doesn't apply to all Egyptians of course. Just to the majority of those I have interacted with/observed).

Islamic Inheritance

2009-06-10T21:39:00.003+03:00

Islamically (i.e. according to the Qur'an), a woman is supposed to inherit half of what a man inherits. At the time the Qur'an came down, this was seen as a monumental shift: now that a woman could inherit and thus participate in the economy, she was no longer seen (could no longer be seen) as property. Thus this inheritance gave her much more power than she had previously known.

At the time, it was rare for women to work, although some women did. Khadija is a well-known example, as well as Umm Salama, one of the Prophet's wives, who sold things she had embroidered. Generally, however, I think we can say that men were the sole bread winners. So it made sense that they would inherit more than their sisters, since they would have to take care of a family.

In the 21st century, I think we can say that in most households across the globe, both men and women work (with maybe the exception of a few countries, like Saudi). I know that in Egypt it is rare to find a family where both sposes do not work, and in fact over 30% of households are female headed, i.e. only the woman works.

So my question is: does Islamic inheritance still apply? If my brother and I are both expected to contribute to raising a family, why should he inherit more than me? Yes, I know, usually the man is more responsible etc etc but from what I see, both spouses usually contribute as much as they can. So is this something that needs to change, since the context has clearly changed? I also know that a Muslim women is not obliged to spend the money she makes, whereas a man is. But seriously, how many people know of a woman who keeps her money when she knows her family needs something? Hardly any, so that argument doesn't make sense to me.

In Iran for example, women now inherit as much as man. I've always wondered why this change happened in Iran: is the culture more open, or is it because Shia's are more open to interpretation? I remember once learning of 2 different ways of seeing the Qur'an: as timeless, for all Muslims at all times in all places, and absolutely no changes should be made; or as specifically meant for 7th century Arabia, and thus certain things cannot be applied today.

Now I know a lot of Muslims will have a problem with the suggestion of "applying something differently than is specified in the Qur'an", but let's remember that the Qur'an is supposed to be timeless, and thus should fit every context. Let's also remember that the Qur'an was clearly written in order to appeal to Arabs (for example, Paradise is always described with rivers flowing, something that would appeal greatly to those living in the desert, but not necessarily to those living in marshlands). Thus certain things may have made sense to 7th century Arabs, but they may not work as well for 21st century Germans, for example. A final point is that there are things that the Qur'an did not ban, but have become taboo. Slavery is an example. The Qur'an does not make slavery illegal, but today most Muslims acknowledge that it is wrong and do not own slaves. I think it should be the same with inheritance: today most women work and thus should have access to the same resources as the men in their family.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

Only in Saudi (part 1 of many parts)

2009-06-07T20:15:00.005+03:00

Ah...Saudi. The Birthplace of Islam. The country with Makkah and Madinah. The place that claims to uphold Islamic values. The country that tries to be the beacon of light in the Muslim world. The land where shari'a rules.

...

Also the country where many ridiculously un-Islamic things happen.

I was reading this post and I still can't get over how racist this is. The post basically talks about blood money, which is how much you pay a family when you kill one of its members. We have this in Egypt too although I'm not sure how it works. I personally would never accept money and would rather the person go to jail but a lot of people don't seem to have a problem with putting a price on a life.

Anyway these are the prices in Saudi:

100,000 riyals if the victim is a Muslim man
50,000 riyals if a Muslim woman
50,000 riyals if a Christian man
25,000 riyals if a Christian woman
6,666 riyals if a Hindu man
3,333 riyals if a Hindu woman.

So. What have we learnt from this?

1. A woman is half of a man.
2. A Saudi man is worth $27,000, a Saudi woman is worth $13,000, and Hindu woman is worth $888.
3. Saudi's government is racist.
4. I can't believe how low Saudi has gone: from the birthplace of Islam to this.

Now the prices in general are pretty low. If you must put a price on someone's life at least make it high. The price for a Hindu woman is pretty shocking. Above all else though is the blatant racism of this policy. I mean seriously, if you MUST be racist at least try and HIDE it! This one policy contains sexism, racism, and religionism (I know this isn't a word). I wonder how many Saudis know about it?

Anyway. Next time you're in Saudi and you want to accidentally kill someone, look for the cheapest target!

Wow

2009-06-06T13:49:00.003+03:00

I can't believe the stupidity of this article:

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/06/obama-to-ummah-.html

Seriously? I can't believe there are Americans out there who think like this. Will post more on this article when I have time.

Update: a few "highlights" from the article:

The media can spin their subjugation and adulation a million different ways, but America did not vote for a "Muslim presidency," which is what this is.

Okay, when will people get that Obama is not a Muslim? I mean seriously, let's all move on. The article mentions that he quoted from the "Koran" three times. I don't really get why this is a problem, but apparently it is.

In his typically anti-semitic fashion, Obama came down very hard on the Jews in his speech today to the Muslim world.

This I just found funny. If anything, I think Obama made it clear that the US supports Israel OVER Palestine. Americans seem to be so used to their leaders bending over backwards to do anything for Israel that anyone who doesn't do this is labeled "anti-semitic". By the way for anyone interested in how much pressure American politicans face re. the Israel issue, "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" is an excellent book.

I think the part where he compares Israelis with white supremacists to be most enlightening. Jews suffered under Hitler...."Palestinians" suffer under occupation. His perfect pronunciation of 'Koran' and assalaamu alaykum in the Arabic way is certainly code for his Muslim bonafides. "Peace be upon them all (the prophets)".

His pronounciation of those two words wasn't "perfect", as any Arabic speaker will tell you. And I knew the comment about the three Prophets would be a problem for some Americans the second I heard Obama say it.

"In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam." Obama has promised. But what if Islam is at war with us? What if Islam attacks America again? What then?

Okay who exactly is "Islam"? How can a religion be at war with America? Oh wait, then again, the American government has declared war on abstract entities before, such as "terror".

As for all the examples the article enlightens us with, coudn't we "Muslims" come up with similar photos and happenings in the US? Of course. This is so ridiculous! I seriously didn't think people could be this stupid, and clearly there are many of them, as can be seen from the comments.

Obama's Speech in Cairo

2009-06-04T17:08:00.006+03:00

Barack Obama was in Cairo today for around 8 hours, and he gave a speech at Cairo University. I wasn't at home at the time so I couldn't watch it live, but I got messages from friends asking what I thought of the speech. Apparently everyone watched it and everyone I've spoken to since was really impressed. For the first time in a while Egyptians (and others) are excited and positive about something political. Maybe because Bush's speeches were such disasters, or maybe because we can see goodwill behind Obama's words, but he really does seem to be someone that can change things. I had my doubts when he got elected since I doubt any American president has the power to change as much as we seem to think he can. And Obama has stopped talking about torture, Guantanamo etc and is very cautious about what he says about Israel-Palestine. But still, the speech today showed that he is making some kind of effort to reach out to Muslims. Some nice moments from the speech...

How he spoke Arabic at the beginning, saying "shukran" and "salaam alaikum".

When he mentioned Al-Azhar, and how it has existed for 1000 years. He described Azhar and Cairo University as representing the harmony between tradition and progress.

America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. They overlap and share common principles: justice, progress, tolerance. There must be an effort to listen and learn from each other.

He mentioned the Qur'an and quoted from it, which of course got a lot of applause. I have to say it touched me too. He mentioned hearing the adaan when he lived in Indonesia, and the amazing accomplishments of Islamic civilization which paved the way for Europe's renaissance and enlightenment.

How interconnected the world is today; a problem in one country has repurcussions everywhere. Thus it is in everyone's best interest to help others.

Those were some of the good points he made. Of course I didn't believe the whole "we want to leave Afghanistan; we were forced to attack; etc etc" but I guess he has to say that.
Wish I had been able to see him!

Hadith

2009-06-02T22:32:00.002+03:00

I was looking through some hadith yesterday and came across one of my favourite:

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), among the sayings he related from his Lord (glorified and exalted be He) is that He said:

“Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones.” Then He explained it [by saying that] “he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.”

It was related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

(Source: http://hadithqudsi.sacredhadith.com)

I've been generally paranoid about reading hadith because I'm worried about not knowing which ones are strong (with strong chains etc) and which ones are weak. I only began practicing Islam last year and so I don't feel I've studied enough or read enough to be able to get a grip on hadith. For this reason I've only read a few collections. Many people have warned me that a lot of hadith are not real and were added later, or were not transmitted properly. I can understand this, since it was humans who transmitted hadith and thus mistakes are inevitable. It is definitely something I want to study more.

Does anyone have any good online sources for hadith? I've been trying to find an English Bukhari or Muslim collection (books) but haven't so far.
Also, what are everyone's opinion on Bukhari and Muslim? Do you accept all the hadith in their collections, or do you do further research and question each hadith before seeing it as authentic?
What are your opinions on hadith in general?

Angels and Demons

2009-05-30T21:55:00.002+03:00

So today I saw the movie Angels and Demons, which was surprisingly good considering I didn't really like the Da Vinci Code. Anyway a quote at the end of the movie really struck me: "Religion is flawed because man is flawed." This was said to Tom Hanks by a cardinal.

This of course is applicable to all religions. The minute a human interacts with someone sacred, our negative human characteristics also interact with it. The Qur'an is the perfect example. Reza Aslan once wrote that anyone looking for gender inequality in the Qur'an will find it, and anyone looking for gender equality will find it. So for the past 2000 odd years we've had old Arab men interpreting the Qur'an. I wonder what they were looking for: gender inequality or gender equality? Were they looking for a social system that would treat everyone equally, or one that would value them above others? Were they looking for a strict God that would punish more than reward or one that would be kind? Which type of God would have benefited them more?

Most Muslims don't think about these things, but I feel it is important to consider human nature, especially the nature of the imams and sheikhs who for centuries have been telling us what Islam is.

A lot of Muslims like to copy the Prophet, but they pick and choose. They copy his beard and his dress, but they don't copy his behavior. These same men beat their wives and are unkind to animals and the environment. Don't think that dressing and looking like the Prophet is enough. I think copying his behavior and his compassion towards other people is a little more important. The Prophet was known for never having beat any of his wives. How many Muslim men today do not believe in beating their wives?

An author once wrote that the difference between the way orthodox Muslims and Sufi Muslims see God. Orthodox Muslims see God as a strict father who does not love us but is responsible for us; God is also very unforgiving. Sufis see God as a kind loving father who wants us to be happy, and teaches us lessons that can be harsh; God knows we will make mistakes and forgives us. This really touched me. I feel that most Muslims today see God as distant and unloving. But is this what the Qur'an is telling us? God repeatedly says he is all-forgiving, all-compassionate. So why do we obsess about every little thing and make religion harder than it has to be? In this process we are driving many people away from Islam, and also many people away from happiness. God did not tell us NOT to enjoy life. God did not mention that the rest of humanity has to live like the Prophet and his companions, as if we still live in the desert of 7th century Arabia. Would God want us to suffer unnecessarily? There are many Muslims (too many in my opinion) that say if you aren't constantly suffering, you're not a good Muslim. Of course religion is challenging and you should constantly challenge yourself to do more. But that doesn't mean that you should always be in pain.

Anyway back to the topic of the post. Angels and Demons is a good movie, I recommend it to everyone :D.

Women and Mosques

2009-05-28T21:09:00.002+03:00

Today it seems to be accepted that women are not required to go to Friday prayer, and that in general it is better for women to pray at home. But what happened at the beginning of Islam? Did women pray alongside men at the first mosque in Madinah, in an area that was unsegregated? Did they pray all 5 prayers at the mosque, or just Friday prayers? Was the mosque more than just a place of prayer? What purpose did that first mosque serve the first Muslims?

In Imam Bukhari's Book of Friday, there is the following Hadith: "Do not forbid the mosques of Allah to the women of Allah." The Prophet somehow sensed that future generations of Muslim men would attempt to prevent women from praying at the mosque, and thus made it clear with this Hadith that women should always be allowed access to the mosque.

In her book "The Forgotten Queens of Islam", Fatima Mernissi shows how only 400 years after this Hadith, Muslim male scholars began casting doubt on whether it was necessary or even recommendable that women pray at the mosque. Ibn al-Jawzi mentions that if a woman fears disturbing men's minds, she should pray at home." What does that even mean? How would a woman disturb a man's mind? He gives the example of how if a male prays behind a row of women, his prayers are worthless. Aside from whether this is even true, shouldn't he then advise men to come on time, instead of advising women to stay home?

From this time on, many historians noted that most mosques were not frequented by many women. "We are certainly a long way from the Prophet's mosque, open to all, welcoming all those interested in Islam, including women" (Mernissi).

The female companions of the Prophet clearly did have access to the mosque. In fact Aisha's hut was connected to the mosque itself, showing how the Prophet did not feel the need to completely separate private from public, a need most modern Muslim men feel intensely. In Egypt in the early 1900s, feminists had to ask for the right to attend public prayer. How did things deteriorate to this extent for Muslim women, to the extent that we are not always granted access to the MOSQUE - a place of worship!

I will leave you with this quote by Mernissi: "The mosque was something other than a mere place of worship. It was a place where showing ignorance was permitted, where asking questions was encouraged, both activities that today are strongly prohibited."

Memories...

2009-05-27T11:03:00.004+03:00

It's been almost a week since I've been back from Umrah, and I still don't feel ready to move on. I keep remembering every little thing: walking down the street in Madinah to go to Masjid al-Nabawi; sitting in Masjid al-Haram with my prayer beads; meeting lovely Muslim women from all over the world as we wait for prayer to start; seeing the Kaabah every day; the call to prayer; the voices of the muezzins and imams.

I think what I miss the most is my whole day revolving around prayer, God, and Islam. It's such a beautiful thing when that happens. I wish I could continue doing that but I feel like it's impossible in everyday life to make prayer the centre of everything, although I have been trying. Maybe it was the atmopshere in Makkah and Madinah that makes you think of God and makes you want to be as religious as possible. I found myself constantly saying "inshallah" and "mashallah", whereas here I don't always remember to say/think these things.

I would love to be able to live in Madinah or Makkah, and be that close to the two most amazing mosques in Islam and the Kaabah. Imagine how wonderful it would be to live in the Prophet's beloved city, Madinah (not a big fan of Makkah; I would definitely choose to live in Madinah if I was given the option).

I hope these feelings pass soon because it's getting kind of depressing. Inshallah I'll be back there soon.

Books on Women & Islam

2009-05-25T20:05:00.004+03:00

This post is a list of books on women and Islam. I got interested in the subject of gender and Islam about a year ago, so I'm still finding out about good authors and books, but these are the ones I've read so far that have really impressed me and changed the way I see Islam.

Women and Gender in Islam
Leila Ahmed

This book traces the historical roots of the debate on whether Islamic socieites are inherently oppressive to women. Ahmed looks at societies from the ancient Egyptians to modern day nation states, and analyzes how Islam has been used time and again to deny women their rights.

Qur'an and Woman
Amina Wadud

I blogged about this book before. This is the first interpretive reading of the Qur'an done by a woman (funny how the first interpretation by a woman was done in 1999). "Muslim progressives have long argued that it is not the religion but patriarchal explication and implementation of the Qur'an that have kept women oppressed. For many, the way to reform is the reexamination and reinterpretation of religious texts."

Beyond the Veil
Fatima Mernissi

Mernissi argues that the Islamic view of women as active sexual beings resulted in stricter regulation and control of women's sexuality, which Muslim theorists classically regarded as a threat to civilized society. This book blew me away when I first read it, and really got me interested in the issue of women and Islam. Mernissi is a fantastic writer and every single book of hers has impacted me.

The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam
Fatima Mernissi

I just finished reading this book and it was amazing. Mernissi analyzes several Hadith that show women in a negative light, for example the one that has the Prophet saying that entrusting ones affairs to a woman will not lead to prosperity. Mernissi shows that the men that reported these Hadith were not of sound character and also that these Hadith were rejected and challenged by Aisha. Despite this, they were included in Bukhari's collection of strong Hadith and remain unchallenged until today.

The Forgotten Queens of Islam
Fatima Mernissi

I just began reading this one. Mernissi talks about how it seems impossible that a caliph could ever be a woman. She goes on to discuss various female Islamic leaders throughout history, and how society reacted to them. She begins the book by talking about Benazir Bhutto, and the outrage by Islamic fundamentalists when she was elected, since they could not imagine a woman leading a Muslim country. This book is denser than her others but looks like it'll be really interesting.

Gendering the Middle East
Deniz Kandiyoti

This is a collection of essays by different authors on the issue of gender in the Middle East, and some are related to Islam. I like books like these because you get different perspectives and debates all in one.

The Hidden Face of Eve
Nawal el Saadawi

This book deals with the kind of oppression facing women in the Arab world. What I liked about it is that she meticulously proves that this oppression has no basis in Islam, and is completely cultural. Her views are seen as "wrong" by many Muslims because she claims that the veil and polygamy and incompatible with the essence of Islam.

Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject
Saba Mahmood

Mahmood did ethnographic fieldwork on the grassroots women's piety movement in the mosques of Cairo, and this resulted in this groundbreaking study that is quoted everywhere. The topic of the Egyptian Islamic revival is explored in detail, and she focuses specifically on how women in these movements respond to patriarchy.

Sexuality in Islam
Abdelwahab Boudhiba

Arguing that sexuality enjoys a privileged status in Islam, this book aims to integrate the sexual and the religious. Boudhiba looks at the question of male supremacy in Islam, and the strict separation of the masculine and feminine. Topics include homosexuality, concubinage, mysoginy, mysticism, and eroticism.
This book has a lot of interesting ideas and a lot of shocking information. Definitely worth reading if you are interested in the subject.

The Scimitar and the Veil: Extraordinary Women of Islam
Jennifer Heath

I haven't read this book yet but I was excited about buying it. This book is the first popular history and overview of Muslim women and their accomplishments. It portrays over 50 extraordinary Muslim women, including the women who played a crucial role in Muhammad's life, as well as scholars of the Hadith, saints and mystics, queens and warriors, rebels and concubines, and outstanding poets, musicians, and storytellers.

Reading Lolita in Tehran
Azar Nafisi

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm really interested in Iran and the women's movement there, and so this book was perfect. "Azar Nafisi's luminous tale offers a fascinating portrait of the Iran-Iraq war and gives us a rare glimpse, from the inside, of women's lives in revolutionary Iran."

That's all I can think of now. Does anyone have any good books on women and Islam? I would love to find as many as I can. Hope you enjoy :)

Last Thoughts on Umrah, Makkah, and Madinah...

2009-05-22T09:57:00.003+03:00

I wrote part of this post while I was in Makkah, and part now.

Today after praying Fajr I did 4 rounds around the Kaabah. I know that during this you’re not supposed to get angry or annoyed or mad but seriously, that’s almost impossible. People are so rude! Most of the people here just push, shove, yell, and walk without looking where they’re going. Especially when going around the Kaabah, people just seem to think that it doesn’t matter if they push and interrupt other people’s prayers. I found it really hard to concentrate and say my prayers while constantly being shoved and elbowed. I can’t imagine what Hajj is like.

I feel like Muslims worry way too much about appearance. We always hear about what a Muslim should dress and look like: veil, no veil? Niqab, no niqab? What part of the body should men cover? And yet we never hear about how Muslims should act more considerately. We should cover that first, before focusing on dress. We should talk about how you shouldn’t talk on the phone while doing tawaf or sa’i; how you shouldn’t gossip while waiting for prayer to begin; how you shouldn’t sit right in front of the Kaabah while people are doing tawaf; how you should maybe look in front of you while walking to make it easier for everyone else; and about how you shouldn’t push people in front of you and be patient. When thousands of people are doing Umrah everyday, these things would definitely help.

I’m not saying that my experience was negative. On the whole it was amazing, but these things are starting to get to me now. When 10 people have pushed me and almost made me fall over, I can’t help but get angry at the 11th. Inshallah people will start being more considerate.
I was in the mosque today and one of the men that works there handed me a flyer and began saying I should cover my face, i.e. wear niqab. Of course, he couldn’t look at me while he was talking, he just kept saying how it was important. I look down at the flyer, and see that it is about ethics for women.

What annoyed me is not that he was telling me to wear the niqab. What annoyed me is that I didn’t see him telling anyone else to stop yelling, or pushing, or running around the mosque. Islamic authorities today seem to be solely focused on appearance, especially that of women. What, are we going to trick God by dressing a certain way? Is God not going to see the way we act, behave, think, and treat others?

I’m back in cairo and I miss Makkah terribly. There were so many things that I loved about being there. The fact that everyone calls you Hajji; the call to prayer coming directly into my hotel room and waking me up for fajr; the Kaabah being a 3 minute walk away; seeing Muslims from all over the world; and having my day revolve around prayer. If only life could be like this: fitting everything between prayer instead of prayer between everything. Inshallah I need to start working on this now that I am back home.

Another thing I really miss are the amazing voices of the imams and muezzins. They were absolutely amazing, and I really miss hearing them.

I really miss praying in a mosque. There aren’t any good ones near my house, unfortunately, otherwise I would at least start going to Friday prayers. I think if I had the chance to live in Makkah or Madinah for the rest of my life I’d be the happiest girl on earth.

Saudi Segregation

2009-05-20T20:58:00.003+03:00

I’d heard a lot about Saudi Arabia’s segregation in malls, ministries, and other public buildings, but wasn’t really sure whether to believe it or not since most of it came from Western media sources, which can be slightly biased, to put it nicely. Anyway, Madinah wasn’t bad at all. Of course I never saw women driving or working in any of the shops/restaurants, but that I had already expected. Makkah however, was another story.

I first noticed the segregation when I went to the Starbucks in our hotel complex and saw a sign saying “Singles”. I looked around the corner and saw another sign saying “Families”. I went into the singles section and ordered, and saw a partition between the 2 sections. As I walked around the mall, I noticed this was the case in every eating place: KFC for example has a line for women and a line for men. There is also a whole separate shopping mall for women.

To be honest, I don’t understand segregation. If we all act like mature adults, surely there is no need to put barriers between men and women in coffee shops. In a mosque, fine, I understand that some women feel more comfortable when men aren’t around, and after having lived in Cairo and gone through a lot of sexual harassment, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t want these men behind you while you pray. However, does every single public place need to be segregated? Is this deep mistrust of human nature healthy?

There are a lot of things about Saudi Arabian culture that bother me. The problem is that because Saudi Arabia has such a prominent place in the Islamic world, these cultural things get associated with Islam. Were mosques segregated at the time of the Prophet the way they are today? Would the Prophet not have allowed women the same access to prayer in front of the Kaabah or the to his tombstone? Would the Prophet have forced all women in Makkah and Madinah to veil (not during prayer or Umrah, but in general)?. These policies seem to go against the spirit of Islam. Are they Islamic or are they Saudi Arabian influences?

Back to Cairo

2009-05-18T16:29:00.004+03:00

I'm sitting in the Jeddah airport waiting for my plane to leave. Today has been a good and bad day. Good because the experience of Umrah has been amazing, and I am thankful that I got the chance to do it. Bad because I feel very sad and emotional about leaving Makkah. I've come to love it here and I wish I could spend the rest of my life praying at Masjid al-Haram and sitting by the Kaabah. My last prayer at Haram was Duhr and I couldn't stop praying. It was very emotional and before I left I went and looked at the Kaabah one last time. Inshallah I'll be back soon. It'll be difficult because I'm not married and I don't think my dad is coming again soon. I don't understand how a woman can't come to Makkah or Madinah alone until she's 45. Another one of Saudi's ridiculous rules, which I'm sure has no basis in Islam. So a woman is a mature adult when she's 45. Great. And I'm assuming a male reaches maturity at age 16. Ugghh. Anyway I'm trying to ignore all the annoying gender-related stuff that happened and focus on the good.

Someone asked me to elaborate on how Umrah changed me. I'm not sure how exactly, but I know something is different now. It's not that I didn't take Islam seriously before, but I feel like praying was something that I would do quickly before I went back to whatever I was doing. Here in Madinah and Makkah, my day revovled around prayer, and I would interrupt whatever I was doing to go and do it. I need to try and continue this in Cairo. I guess I'll have to wait till I get back to Cairo to see what exactly has changed. I feel more at peace, more calm, and definitely more happy. I've also been so inspired to become a much better Muslim, to focus on Islam as much as possible, and to study it. I'm planning on starting my MA this September inshallah, in Holland, and I'm planning on doing my dissertation on something to do with women and Islam. Umrah definitely made me even more excited about this.

I also can't wait to do Hajj now, even though I'm not ready for that yet. Learning classical Arabic is another to-do. Inshallah all these things will happen soon.

Overall the past 6 days were the best 6 days of my life, and I'm really sad that it's over now. I hope I'll be back in Makkah soon.

Makkah and Umrah

2009-05-16T14:35:00.002+03:00

My last prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque was Friday Fajr. It was really busy but I got a nice place since I went about 45 minutes before the call to prayer. Fajr is my favourite time to go to the mosque, so I like going early to pray and read Qur’an. I prayed that I would be able to do Umrah properly, and that this wouldn’t be my last prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque, inshallah.

We left Madinah at 5:30 a.m. The taxi ride took 4 hours, and so we arrived in Makkah at 9:30. At first glance Makkah is nowhere near as nice a city as Madinah. The centre with Masjid al-Haram and the Kaaba and the hotels is beautiful, but the outskirts are not very impressive. We arrived at our hotel and checked in. The hotel is absolutely amazing, Mashallah. It’s called Abraj Zamzam and I definitely recommend it to anyone staying in Makkah.

We went to pray Duhr In Masjid al-Haram. The mosque took my breath away. It’s unbelievably big and the architecture is simple yet beautiful. It was early so we did 4 rounds around the Kaabah. Seeing the Kaabah for the first time was amazing. It’s a bit smaller than I had imagined but much more striking. The cloth over it is midnight black and the gold embroidery is very elegant. I think the moment every Muslim sees the Kaabah is something they never forget.

We went back into the mosque and we had to go to the second floor because it was absolutely packed. The men’s section was basically full but my dad found a spot, and the women’s section still had a lot of space. The mosque has space for 4 million people! I think there were about 40,000-50,000 there for Duhr, because it took about 30-45 minutes for people to leave the mosque after prayer. We were worried that it would always be that crowded, but when I went to pray Asr it was much much emptier, and I found a place right at the front.

There’s something that really made me angry and I want to let it out. The mosque is segregated, but not as segregated at Masjid al-Nabawi. There are short partitions between the men and women’s section but we all enter and walk around the same areas. Outside the mosque in front of the Kaabah of course there is no segregation. However, inside the mosque, the women’s section is basically on the side-i.e. we don’t have a view of the Kaabah at all. The men’s sections are basically the ones with the best views: in the middle, and even in front of the women’s section. Seriously, what is this? Like I said before, if Saudi feels like they need to segregate everything then fine, but make it equal! I would have loved to pray facing the Kaabah. Imagine how amazing it would be to see it right there in front of you while you pray. But I couldn’t. It’s really frustrating. Also the women's prayer area is tiny compared to the men's. I feel like this is Saudi bias seeping into the way they manage Makkah and Madinah. Mashallah they do a great job but when it comes to women it gets annoying.

Right after Isha I began Umrah. I had already said the niyyah and talbiya earlier that morning, and had prayed 2 raqaats. I can't really describe how it felt doing the tawaf. It went by in a blur of reciting prayers and praying. It wasn't too busy and I managed to walk without having to concentrate, I just followed the flow. I felt choked up the whole way; like I was about to start crying. There are no specific prayers for tawaf but a book I have recommended some really beautiful ones. Mashallah it was an amazing experience. On the 7th round I didn't want to stop. I managed to touch the Kaabah once. I just held on to it for a few seconds and said a prayer. I think it's hard to describe how I felt; it's something you'd have to go through. It definitely surpassed all my expectations.

After tawaf I prayed 2 raqaats, had zamzam water, and then began sa'i. I honestly didn't think it would be hard because I'm a gym rat and I thought walking 3 km wouldn't be too bad, but it was! I think because it was at night and I haven't slept much since we got to Saudi. It took about 20 minutes and was really fulfilling.

After this, a woman cut some strands of my hair, and then I prayed 2 more raqaats, and then I was done! It was absolutely amazing, mashallah. Indescribable.

Of course there were really annoying things that happened. A guy was actually on his phone during tawaf, while another guy was closing a business deal during sa'i. A lot of men were walking around half naked because they weren't wearing their ihram properly, and of course there was pushing and shoving. But finishing Umrah was an amazing feeling, and I hope it won't be my last.

Thanks to all of you that have been posting on my blog ☺ I prayed for during Umrah and I really appreciate your support.

Photos of Makkah

2009-05-16T14:10:00.028+03:00

Our hotel

Masjid al-Haram

Safa and Marwa

Masjid al-Haram

Our hotel

Masjid al-Haram

i just finished umrah

2009-05-15T23:14:00.001+03:00

It's 11:11 pm and I just finished Umrah! I'm too tired to describe it all now, but I will definitely post tomorrow.

photos of madinah!

2009-05-15T23:00:00.015+03:00

The Prophet's Mosque

Our hotel

Prophet's Mosque

Masjid al-Qiblatayn

Prophet's Mosque

Inside the Prophet's Mosque

Inside the Prophet's Mosque (my dad took these photos, since cameras aren't allowed in the women's section)

more of madinah

2009-05-14T21:27:00.001+03:00

I just tried posting photos but the connection at the hotel is pretty slow so it didn’t work. I’ll try posting them at the hotel in Mecca, otherwise I’ll do it as soon as I’m back in Cairo.
Last evening I decided to do Rawda after the Isha prayer. I’m not sure why exactly, but it is only open to women three times a day for a short period of time: 7:00 am, 1:30 pm, and 9:30 pm. Now since there are literally thousands of women who want to see the Prophet’s tomb, this seems ridiculous. I’m not sure why it is organized like this, or why the men seem to have easier/longer access to it. My dad just went into the mosque around 2 pm and came out 10 minutes later having seen it. If you want to segregate the sexes, fine, but at least allow equal time for each. I ended up waiting from 9:00 till 10:45 before I could get anywhere near the tomb. What they do is separate the women into groups according to nationality. Egypt/Arab was the last group to go in, which is why I ended up waiting for 1.45 hours. By that time everyone was tired, angry, and frustrated, so the minute our groups was allowed to enter, people began pushing and shoving and yelling. I couldn’t get near the tomb because of the hysteria and commotion, so I prayed 2 raqaats near by and left. I really wish I’d had the chance to get close and pray right there, or at least not get pushed constantly. Like I said before, I’m not sure why it is organized like this, or why it was easier for my dad to see the tomb. I would love to find out.
It was a really emotional moment for me when it hit me that the Prophet (pbuh) was right there, and that he had prayed in that mosque, and that this was his beloved city. I think a lot of people felt close to the Prophet (pbuh) at that moment, and many were crying. I cried too, just because it really is such an amazing and overwhelming experience. We think and talk about the Prophet (pbuh) so much, so being this close to all these places is indescribable. Mashallah.
We woke up at 3 again to pray Fajr, which is such an amazing experience at Masjid al-Nabawi. I then went back to the hotel and slept a bit, before going to see the Uhud mountain, the site of the famous battle. We then went to Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Mosque with the 2 minarets) which is a really nice mosque and a beautiful green area of Madinah. Mashallah Madinah is an amazing city. I’m seriously considering moving here at some point. Imagine being able to pray at Masjid al-Nabawi anytime you wanted!
I can’t wait for tomorrow, when we leave to Mecca. I keep imagining the feeling of first seeing the Kaaba. It must be amazing. Inshallah we’ll be able to pray salaat al-Jumaah in Masjid al Haram.

madinah

2009-05-13T13:46:00.000+03:00

I'm in love. With Madinah and the Prophet's Mosque to be specific. This city is absolutely amazing. It seems like the perfect Arab city, mostly because it's nothing like Cairo. It's quiet, calm, organized, the taxis are nice, the people are friendly, and everyone's really helpful. We got here at around 8:30 Tuesday night, and checked into our hotel before walking around a bit. We saw the Prophet's Mosque from far and it looked absolutely breathtaking. You can imagine how speechless I was when I saw it up close and then when I went inside. Seriously, it is an architectural masterpiece. The size, the detail, the magnificence, and the scale all make it absolutely beautiful. When I went in I just never wanted to leave.

We woke up the next morning at 3 am Fajr which was at 4:15. I was surprised to hear the adaan go off at 3:15, since in Cairo it goes off 15 minutes before prayer time. I looked out my window and saw groups of people already making their way to the mosque, so we quickly dressed and walked the short distance. There were literally thousands of people there, of all nationalities. It really is something I'm never going to forget. So many clothing styles, languages, countries. It reminded me of the verse in the Qur'an: "we created you in tribes and nations so that you may know each other".

After Fajr we walked around some more, took photos, and had breakfast. It's hard for me to go to sleep after I've woken up so I don't think I'll be sleeping much for the next 5 days. I feel exhausted but the excitement keeps me going.

I just prayed Duhr and am about to go see the Prophet's grave. There are separate hours for men and women, and the women's hours just started. Inshallah I will get to see the mosque with 2 qiblas soon.

I met two really nice people yesterday. One was a woman in the lounge at Cairo airport, who asked me if I was doing Umrah after she saw me reading a guide on Hajj and Umrah. I said yes and she spent about 20 minutes giving me advice on what to do and what not to do. I was wearing my veil kind of loosely so she said I shouldn’t do that in Mecca because they’re really strict there, and that once her 9-year-old daughter got hit with a stick because her veil slipped(!). She also explained how to sneak a phone into the Prophet’s Mosque (by hiding it in your sock) since you’re not allowed to take phones with cameras into the mosque. She was really sweet.

The second person I met in the elevator at the hotel. She asked me where I was from and I said Egypt, to which she replied that she was from South Africa. This got me all excited and I told her I’d grown up in Zambia, which got her all excited. It really made me miss home. She gave me her room number and told me to visit her. She was so nice, and she seemed so excited to be doing Umrah.

On a concluding note, I hadn't realized how far globalization had gone till I found a Starbucks outside the Prophet's Mosque! Good for me though, since I'm a bit of an addict.

Photos soon!

today's the day!

2009-05-12T09:10:00.002+03:00

In exactly 8 hours my flight leaves to Madinah! I can't wait. I've been feeling really excited but today for some reason I'm calm. I'm worrying about all the things that Umrah entails and hoping I don't forget anything. If it's already complicated I can't imagine what Hajj will be like. On top of that you'll have millions of people.
I'm really excited about seeing so many people from so many different countries. It should be a nice experience. I keep remembering Malcolm X's quote when he went to Mecca, about how he had never thought he would see equality between people, but he saw it there. Of course I'm sure everyone there won't be perfectly well-behaved or courteous but still, the atmosphere should be unforgettable.
I'll be taking my laptop with me so I'll update as much as I can, especially with pics :).

qur'an and woman

2009-05-09T19:23:00.004+03:00

I just finished reading Amina Wadud's book, "Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective", one of the few interpretations of the Qur'an done by a female that is widely available. She made a lot of amazing points but I'll only mention a few here.

I believe the Qur'an adapts to the context of the modern woman as smoothly as it adapted to the original Muslim community fourteen centuries ago. Any interpretations which narrowly apply the Qur'anic guidelines to literal mimics of the original community do an injustice to the text. No community will ever be exactly like another. Therefore no community can be a duplicate of that original community. The Qur'an never states this as a goal. Rather, the goal has been to emulate certain key principles of human development: justice, equity, harmony, moral responsibility, spiritual awareness, and development. Where these general characteristics exist, whether in the first Muslim community or in present and future communities, the goal of the Qur'an for society has been reached.

I love the message she's giving her: to focus on general characteristics of the Qur'an (some call it the spirit of the Qur'an) instead of only obsessing about specifics. Many Muslims today focus on dressing and living like the Prophet and his family/companions. Should this be something modern Islamic communities aim for? Or should we recognize that every community is different and the Qur'an is made for this diversity?

If readers of the Qur'an have assumed in any manner that men are superior to women intellectually, spiritually, ontologically, etc.; that men are "in charge of women"; that men are natural leaders; that men should "rule" the family and get obedience from women; that women do not have to participate and contribute in order to maintain the family and society or that her participation is marginal; then those readers will interpret the Qur'an in accordance with those assumptions.

In a previous post about interpreting the Qur'an, I mentioned that each person interprets the Qur'an according to their pre-existing beliefs and world view. Thus the assumptions Wadud mentions will influence someone reading the text.

I will post more from this book soon.

umrah

2009-05-08T21:51:00.002+03:00

So this Tuesday I'll be going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah! I'm really excited about it but also kind of nervous. I've been planning it for a while and I got the visa last week and now we've booked the trip.

Being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, I feel like I need to know every single thing now. But obviously that isn't possible. I guess a lot of things you just figure out when you get there.

I wonder how I'll feel afterwards. I remember when the idea came to me a few months ago and I got really excited at the thought of seeing the Kaaba. Everytime I think of how it'll feel to actually see it I get really hyped up. I hope it's as amazing as I think it will be. Inshallah everything will go well!

interpreting the qur'an

2009-05-06T20:56:00.002+03:00

I recently bought a translation of the Qur'an by Tarif Khalidi. It is definitely the best translation I've ever read, because I feel like he focuses on translating concepts rather than word for word. Anyway, in his introduction he writes:

If we turn back to the questions posed above, we might argue that a knowledge of, say, conditions in pre-Islamic Arabia would clearly enahce contextual understanding of the Qur'an. But the very allusiveness of the text, its impersonality, its meta-historical tone, seems almost deliberately to de-emphasize context, and to address its audience or readers in a grammatical tense that I have elsewhere called 'the eternal present tense'. Yes, the Qur'an explicitly recognizes the danger of a wilfully perverted reading of the text, but if approached in a pious frame of mind, or what today we might call sympathy, interpretation must in theory be limitless, since God alone is its perfect interpreter. Thus, of all sacred texts, the Qur'an is perhaps the one that most self-consciously invites its readers to engage with it exegtically.

Relating it to my last post, I feel like every individual is bound to have their own interpretation of the Qur'an. Is this wrong? Is there one correct interpretation? I don't think so, because as Khalidi points out, that perfect interpretation is God's alone. We all read the Qur'an with certain ideas already in place, which probably explains why interpretations of it have varied to drastically. As Reza Aslan pointed out, someone looking for gender inequality in the Qur'an will find it, and likewise someone looking for gender equality will find it. Our preconcieved notions, prejudices, and stereotypes will undoubtedly reflect in our reading of the Qur'an. So should we then trust sheikhs and scholars instead of or alongside ourseleves? Aren't they human too, with their own prejudices and stereotypes? A sheikh who was brought up in a strict patriarchal society may not see gender equality in the Qur'an. If he does not believe that women and men are equal, would he interpret any verses in the Qur'an as saying that?
I feel like I do not have enough knowledge of history, arabic language, sunna, and hadith to interpret the Qur'an as well as it should be interpreted. On the other hand, I don't trust authority figures in Islam, because of how many of them have abused this power. I wonder what the solution will be?

the new islam

2009-05-04T16:47:00.002+03:00

I moved to Cairo 5 years ago, and have noticed many changes over this time. One example is the niqab: 5 years ago, I barely saw any women wearing the niqab. Today, they are everywhere. Similarly, 40 years ago there weren't many veiled women in Cairo. Now, over 70% are veiled. The whole culture has become conservative, and who and what a Muslim is is now defined very narrowly. I know this term "extremism" is problematic, since many people don't think they are being extreme, but rather that they are following the "correct" Islam. However, there is no "correct" Islam. Islam is an interpretation of a variety of sources, including the Qur'an. Thus it varies according to person. "There are as many Islams as there are Muslims." I don't remember where I heard this quote, but it really struck me.
Anyway, to go back to the topic: why has Cairo become so conservative? And I don't think this is happening only in Egypt; Muslims all over the world seem to be becoming more conservative and narrow minded. Who a Muslim is is now such a narrow definition that many Muslims no longer fit into it. Apparently unless I cover myself head to toe, stay at home, obey my husband, and as long as I do not derive pleasure from anything in life, I am not a Muslim. Is this the new Islam? It certainly appears to be, from what I see in Cairo.
I have nothing against the niqab, but I think it is wrong to see it as a way of judging whether someone is a Muslim or not. Many good Muslims do not cover, while many niqabis are not practicing Muslims. Being a Muslim is more than just about what you are wearing. Sadly, the new Islam means being judged by your outward appearance. The new Islam is about making your supposedly private relationship with God public. The new Islam is about radical, literal interpretations. The new Islam ignores the SPIRIT of the Qur'an, and focuses solely on the pratical aspects, such as prayer. Why not a balance?
Coming from a liberal background, I find it sad that Islam has become to most people a strict, uncompromising set of rules. This is not the Islam I see when I read the Qur'an.
I wonder what the reasons for this growing conservatism are? Economic problems? Loss of identity? More narrow interpretations of Islam, on a global level?

hell/heaven

2009-05-02T11:20:00.002+03:00

I was reading through some notes and I came across this quote:

“I want to pour water into hell and set paradise on fire, so that these two veils disappear and nobody shall any longer worship God out of fear of hell or hope of heaven.”

It is by a famous Sufi woman called Rabi'a.

I absolutely love this quote and just wanted to share it.

feminism vs. islam?

2009-04-29T10:42:00.003+03:00

I've been reading a few blogs and articles over the past few days, and a lot of them brought up the issue of the so-called contradiction between feminism and Islam. Is there a contradiction? Can a Muslim woman be a feminist, and can a feminist be a Muslim? I'd say yes, since I would describe myself as both.
I think one problem is the negative image feminism has in the Arab/Islamic world. People see it as a Western import that has no place in Islamic culture. It probably brings to mind images of women in short skirts burning bras or women trying to act like men. This is, of course, stereotypical. To me, feminism is simply giving women equal right. EQUAL, not the SAME. No one says that men and women should be doing the same things or playing the same roles, but they should get EQUAL value for what they do, i.e. a woman should be valued for raising children just as much as a man gets valued for being a C.E.O. (provided the woman chose to become a mother).
In this sense of the word feminism, is it really incompatible with Islam? I don't think so. As many scholars have said, the Qur'an out of the 3 holy books gives the most rights to women. The Prophet could probably be described as a feminist, considering that he was pro-women's rights and often spoke out against unnecessary cruelty against women, such as when they were beaten by their husbands. His actions alone were very progressive: he didn't beat his wives, his wives often spoke out against him publicly, and he clearly loved them, especially Aisha. Khadija in particular is a good example of the kind of man the Prophet was: she was older than him, economically independent, and she proposed to him! Can you imagine many Arab men TODAY marrying a woman like that? I definitely can't.
If anything, the Qur'an and the Prophet put forward a case for women's rights that has gradually been diminished over time, with women becoming more and more oppressed across the Islamic world. This is why I'm very interested in the idea of Islamic feminism: the idea that we can get equality for women through Islam, since Islam does advocate that women's rights are important.
It really gets to me when Muslims (especially women) get upset at feminists. Another example of women bringing their own sex down. You can be a Muslim and a feminist: there is no necessary contradiction, unless you have a radical defintion of feminism OR a radical definition of Islam, and since I have neither, I find it easy to be both.

2009-04-25T15:21:00.003+03:00

When I started this blog, I wasn't sure whether it should be a general blog about my life and thoughts, or about a specific topic. After a few posts, I realized I love posting about Islam and specifically about women and Islam. I've been a practicing Muslim since April 2008, and before then the biggest thing that stopped me from becoming a practicing Muslim is the issue of women in Islam. Of course, the bad image Islam has globally is partly a result of racism and ignorance on the part of the West, but it is also due to 1) ignorance of the majority of Muslims, and 2) misinterpretation and abuse of power by those that have the power in Islam.
Anyway, I began reading in depth about the topic, and found a lot of authors who really helped me understand the issue better. Leila Ahmed, Karen Armstrong and Fatima Mernissi especially put a lot of things into perspective regarding the veil, polygamy, divorce and the beating of women. The Qur'an itself also cleared up a lot, naturally. All of this research helped me reach the decision to begin practicing Islam.
Until today, I still have a lot of reservations and questions re. the issue of women and Islam. I am definitely a feminist and I am also definitely a Muslim, and I believe the 2 can be reconciled. However, this takes some work due to the patriarchal societies most Muslims live in. Also, the blurring between religion and culture has contributed to the suffering of many Muslim women unnecessarily.
To conclude, I believe that we can better the status of women by using Islam, the Qur'an, and the example of the Prophet. I am not so sure about the Hadith, since there are many that are responsible for negative treatment of women, and it is important to trace each Hadith back to see whether it is a strong or weak one.
So from now on the blog will mainly be about things I've read/seen/heard/thought about Islam, and probably usually they'll involve women, gender, or feminism. I think writing about these issues will help me order and clarify my own thinking on the subject, and this will help me become a better Muslim and a better feminist.

my soul is a woman

2009-04-21T08:45:00.003+02:00

I was just going through some old notes and I found the notes I'd written down while reading "My Soul is a Woman" by Annemarie Schimmel, considered one of the most important Sufi texts on women and Islam. Schimmel begins by noting that we should not compare gender and women's rights in Islam to those in Christianity or Judaism but rather by itself. I will just note a few of her interesting points:

The noun man can be used to designate any individual who earnestly strives towards God, without reference to a biological gender.

The mother motif is important in Islam: "Paradise lies beneath the feet of the mothers."

There is no conception of original sin as being passed on by biological gender. Leila Ahmed mentions this too in Women, Gender and Islam, and I read it myself in the Qur'an: God does not solely blame Eve but rather Adam and Eve.

Khadija: she proposed to him, she was older than him, she was economically independent, she consoled him after first revelation and convinced him it was divine.

The Prophet (pbuh) set examples through his numerous marriages: he married a widow, a divorcee, a slave, etc. Yet today in most Arab/Muslim countries, divorcees for example are looked down upon and shunned (divorced women that is).

"The best among you is he who treats his wife most kindly." (Prophet, pbuh).

"A male lion is a lion. Is that to say that a female lion is not a lion as well?" Turkish proverb quoted in book.

It is undeniable that in Islam much suffering has fallen to the lot of women because simle Qur'anic precepts have been interpreted more and more narrowly over the course of time. Customs lacking Qur'anic foundation have become increasingly rigid. Ridigity has taken on almost canonical charachter.

Most of the book deals with women in Sufi history and tradition, but it does give a lot of background info on women in Islam in general. Definitely worth skimming through.

leila ahmed's islam

2009-04-16T20:31:00.000+02:00

Leila Ahmed is one of my favourite feminists and authors. I initially discovered her when I became interested in women and Islam, and decided that I wanted to do my MA on that topic. She's written one of the most definitive books on the subject called "Women and Gender in Islam". I borrowed her autobiography from a friend recently ("A Border Passage") and absolutely loved what she wrote on Islam (excerpts are in italics):

Now, after a lifetime of meeting and talking with Muslims from all over the world, I find that this Islam is one of the common varieties of the religion. It is the Islam not only of women but of ordinary folk generally, as opposed to the Islam of sheikhs, ayatollahs, mullahs, and clerics. It is an Islam that may or may not place emphasis on ritual and formal religious practice but that certainly pays little or no attention to the utterances and exhortations of sheikhs or any sort of official figures. Islam as a broad ethos and ethical code and as a way of understanding and reflecting on the meaning of one's life and of human life more generally.

I completely agree with seeing Islam as not only about the ritual and formal practice (praying, fasting etc) but also about the spirit and broad message, which most Muslims these days seem to be ignoring. If you're a judgmental, malicious person, will praying 5 times a day completely make up for that?

Ahmed goes on to distinguish between aural and oral Islam, and textual Islam, saying that textual Islam has been developed by a minority of men who over the centuries have come to wield enormous power. This type of Islam is men's Islam, according to her.

The Islam that developed in this textual heritage is very like the medieval Latinate textual heritage of Christianity. It is as abstruse and obscure and as dominated by medieval and exclusively male views of the world as are those Latin texts. Imagine believing that those medieval Christian texts represent today the only true and acceptable interpretation of Christianity. But that is exactly what the sheikhs and ayatollahs propound and this is where things stand now in much of the Muslim world: most of the classic Islamic texts that still determine Muslim law in out day date from medieval times.

Aurally what remains when you listen to the Qur'an over a life-time are its most recurring themes, ideas, words, and permeating spirit: mercy, justice, peace, compassion, humanity, fairness, kindness, truthfulness, charity. And yet it is exactly those recurring themes and this permeating spirit that are for the most part left out of the medieval texts or smothered and buried under a welter of obscure "learning". One would scarcely believe, reading and hearing the laws these texts have yielded, particularly when it comes to women, that the words "justice", "fairness", "compassion", "truth" ever even occur in the Qur'an.

Again, this goes back to the point of the spirit of Islam, which tends to get ignored. The Qur'an is a very positive text, and yet centuries of male misinterpretation has left Islam with a very negative image. Personally, this negative image of Islam is what made me think twice about becoming an active Muslim. It was only when I read the Qur'an and some other texts that I realized how badly Islam has been projected by Muslims themselves.

Leila Ahmed goes on,

I am sure then, that my foremother's lack of respect for the authority of sheikhs was not coincidental. Generations of astute, thoughtful women, listening to the Qur'an, understood perfectly well its essential themes and its faith. And looking around them, they understood perfectly well, too, what a travesty man had made of it.

Women in Islam have, it can be said, even more rights than men. Why then do most sheikhs and Muslims in general treat (or at least see) women as second-class citizens? Why marriage laws that put the minimum age at 9? Why are outdated practices that need to be changed still widespread? Why are honour killings and female circumcision still attributed to Islam? We cannot deny that women in Muslim countries tend to have less rights than non-Muslim countries. However, this is not due to ISLAM. It is due to centuries of misinterpretation and centuries of misrule across the Arab and Islamic world.

To finish off, a quote from the lovely Rumi:

If a day won't come
when the monuments of institutionalized religion are in ruin
...then, my beloved,
then we are really in trouble.

back!

2009-04-15T21:15:00.002+02:00

So I haven't posted for a while because my laptop crashed last week and I finally managed to get it fixed (here in Cairo multiply all times given to you by 2). So when the technician at Tradeline told me he'd fix the laptop in 2 hours, it took 5. I ended up losing a lot of my work, which I know need to do again. It was so mind-numbingly boring the first time, don't know how I'm going to get through it this time.
Anyway. I hope this is the end of a bad luck spree I've been having. Everything seems to be going wrong and it's really getting annoying. I did some soul searching to see if this was karma for something I've done recently but I can't figure out what for.

I just finished reading 2 amazing books I recommend: The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, and Border Passage (autobiography by Leila Ahmed, one of my favourite feminist writers). I will be posting more about her soon as she's said some things about Islam that have really influenced me.

palestine

2009-04-05T12:07:00.007+02:00

Since the disastrous war on Gaza at the end of last year, I've been thinking a lot about the Palestinian situation, which is surely one of the most controversial political issues of our time. I can barely read any books/articles on the topic because they are just too painful: the bias towards Israel is pretty widespread (except in the Arab world) and I feel it's pointless to read "analyses" that don't really take the Palestinians into account (we don't even call it Palestine anymore, it's supposedly the "West Bank" and "Gaza", although in a few decades those will probably be gone too).

I guess what really confuses me is people who don't think the Palestinians have a right to be angry. Yes, the lands belonged to the Jews a long time ago, but in the 1950s, they belonged to the Palestinians (although at the time the British had colonized them). So what gave England the right to cut the country in half and give it to the Zionists? (It is important to note that the Zionists were not really that religious; they wanted Israel for political and historical reasons; NOT for religious reasons, or a "return-to-the-holy-land").

Fine. So the Palestinians lost half their country. No one in the Arab world was willing to accept that in the 50s, but in the 70s and 80s, they realized Israel was there to stay. Then the settlements began. The best land, the best water, the best everything went to these Israelis who decided they HAD to live in the Palestinian territories. The Green Line was forgotten, and the Palestinians ignored. Roadblocks, checkpoints, identity cards multiplied. Arrests, torture etc intensified. Palestinian resistance was stepped up. All for a few hundred Jewish families who decided the Israeli half wasn't good enough: they wanted ALL of Palestine.

Of course, the Palestinians haven't been angels, but it is important to look at their resistance in the context of the miserable existence they lead: they are OCCUPIED, they are second-class citizens in their OWN COUNTRY; they have to pass checkpoints to get to hospitals, to work, to school. Yes, they throw rocks. But Israel responds with state-of-the art bombs supplied by America. Yes, there are suicide-bombings. But they feel they have no other way of resisting this terible status-quo.

APARTHEID ANYONE? Can someone please tell me the difference between South Africa under Apartheid, and Palestine/Israel today? There is none.

Another thing I don't understand is the unwavering support Israel has from Americans and the American gov't. Yes, the Israeli/Jewish lobby is powerful, but powerful enough to convince millions of Americans that Palestinians do not deserve any part of Palestine? It's sickening to see the portrayal of the Palestine/Israel conflict on most American news channels/shows/newspapers. Where is all this bias from?
Then again, it was the American government that stood by the Apartheid government almost until the end.

Not that we Arabs are innocent in all of this either. Arab countries and Arabs have done almost nothing to help the Palestinian cause. It has been used as an excuse for many things, but since the 1980s it is as if the Arabs have just given up on Palestine.

I highly recommend the book "The Israeli Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy", by two Harvard professors. They got attacked relentlessly by many Americans, but the book is brilliant.

home

2009-03-30T12:50:00.003+02:00

My attachment to Zambia will always be part of me, even though it’s been years since I’ve lived there. Whenever I’m preparing for a holiday there I feel excitement and longing build up, happy that once again I’ll be “home”. This all inevitably leads to be being disappointed when I arrive in Zambia and realize that it isn’t really “home” anymore. Yes, it’s familiar: the long winding roads, the green everywhere, the houses with large backyards, thatched fences and towering trees. My dad’s hospital, the house he lives in. I know it all. But it isn’t mine anymore. Zambia doesn’t belong to me the way it did when I grew up there, when I didn’t know any other city other than Lusaka, and when I didn’t think about where I was from or what it meant. Zambia was home and it was just that simple. Why is it so complicated now? Could I ever go back and live in Zambia again? Yes, of course, and I would like to one day. But it will never feel the way it felt when I was little. It would be a different Zambia, since I inevitably would be a different me.
Someone once said that what makes you miss a place is not the physicality of the place, but the memories. To an extent that is true: I miss the gardens we always had, I miss Manda Hill, I miss the rainy season and the green everywhere. But do I miss the memories I had in these places or the places themselves? If I had all these places again, would they mean the same thing?

good muslim, bad muslim

2009-03-29T11:37:00.003+02:00

I just finished reading one of the most amazing books I've ever read: "Good Muslim, Bad Muslim" by Mahmood Mamdani. Mamdani is a professor of government and director of the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University, and i first came across him when i read his book "When Victims Become Killers", about the genocide in Rwanda.

Good Muslim Bad Muslim looks at the rise of political Islam and how this led to 9/11. He points out several times that America itself is responsible for Bin Laden and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, since it was the CIA that set up the "madrassahs" (training camps) in Pakistan that trained most of the bombers, hijackers, etc that we have today. Had the US not enabled them (with weapons, training, etc), they would not have had a venue to come together, and they would not have had the knowledge or expertise to carry out terrorist attacks on the scale of 9/11.

Another interesting argument Mamdani makes is that America, now fighting a "war on terror", actually began using terror as a weapon during the cold war, partcularly in Third World countries. Mamdani makes an interesting and chilling point when he says: "The American bombing of Iraq and Afghanistan and the al-Qaeda bombing of embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam and of the Twin Towers on 9/11: both testify that, when it comes to the contest for power, the rest of the world exists only as collateral."

Arundhati Roy once said: "Bin Laden has the special distinction of having been created by the CIA and wanted by the FBI." It is common knowledge that the US trained and supplied Bin Laden, and yet post-9/11, few Americans have re-thought their country's policies and stance. Rather, many Americans have chosen to ignore America's less-than-rosy political resume, and instead focus on the evil terrorists out there. As Mamdani says: "...President Bush moved to distinguish between "good Muslims" and "bad Muslims". From this point of view, "bad Muslims" were clearly responsible for terrorism. At the same time, the president seemed to assure Americans that "good Muslims" were anxious to clear their names and consciences of this horrible crime (9/11) and would undoubtedly support "us" in a war against "them". But this could not hide the central message of such a discourse: unless porved to be "good", every Muslim was presumed to be "bad." All Muslims were now under obligation to prove their credentials by joining in a war against "bad Muslims".

I definitely recommend this book to anybody interested in politics.

sexual harassment

2009-03-28T09:31:00.011+02:00

I mentioned before that sexual harassment is one of the worst aspects of living in Cairo. While some women can live here for years and not get harassed, more than 80% (iIm sure) do get harassed at some point or another. It's gotten so bad that it's affecting tourism, as a survey done by the Egyptian Centre for Women's Rights (ECWR) found that 98% of tourists get harassed.

Now, what does harassment mean? I don't mean a guy on the street winking, or whistling, or asking you for a number. I mean he stops whatever he's doing (including driving), to give you an "I want to kill you" glare. Don't ask me why women are supposed to respond positively to that. Then if you ever respond, they start cussing you out like there's no tomorrow. It's pretty scary.

Now most men will limit their harassment to just looking at you, which is pretty uncomfortable. Then there are those that will follow you, as has happened to me twice. One of these times was 2 nights ago when I was driving home and this guy started slowing down beside me and waving and laughing manically. As I was about to turn into my street, I took a u-turn and kept driving till I lost him, since I didn't want him to see where I live.

A more extreme story of harassment is the following, reported by the Egyptian Foundation for Refugee Rights:

Last week, a Sudanese refugee girl was sexually harassed in the street, while waiting for a taxi in the Al Haram district.

A taxi driver pulled up and verbally and physically harassed her. When she accused him of verbally and physically harassing her, he drove his car towards and hit her with the car repeatedly. She attempted to desperately defend herself, but did not have time to do so. The taxi driver then grabbed her arm and hand and began moving the taxi. She could not release herself from his grasp and was dragged through the street. She fainted.

After regaining consciousness, she discovered bystanders were able to write the number of the taxi.

I was absolutely shocked when I heard this, and I really hope they find this guy.

Sexual harassment happens all over the world, but I guess what makes Egypt different is how widespread it is: in a day I probably get harassed by 90% of the men I see, and I've heard the same from most of my friends. Why is it like this? Especially since it's an Islamic country, you'd expect the conservatism to curb this behaviour. I put it down to the way men are brought up here: parents still tend to treat their sons better than their daughters, and there is still a lot of sexism in Egypt. So these boys grow up thinking they are better than women and so why should we expect them to respect women on the street? Combine this with unemployment, frustration, general bad manners due this frustration, and I think we can arrive at some kind of explanation as to why sexual harassment is so pervasive.

As a concluding note, I want to also mention that it is usually the woman who gets blamed for being harassed. "What were you wearing/doing/saying?" is usually asked of her when she says she's been harassed. However, the ECWR survey found that 70% of women who get harassed are veiled; and 6% are munaqabat. Hmm!

pakistan mosque bombing

2009-03-27T12:57:00.004+02:00

It's a sad day when a bomb goes off inside a mosque. During Friday prayers.

Read the story here.

R.I.P. to all of those who were in the mosque praying, who probably thought it was the last place they'd get killed.

cairo

2009-03-27T12:26:00.006+02:00

while growing up in zambia, my family and i would visit cairo every year for a week or 2, and then move on to holland. i never really liked cairo that much, but i never really thought about it much either, since it was only a holiday. when we moved here, however, i formed an instant distaste for the pollution, traffic, driving, manners (or lack thereof), and sexual harassment. i have spent much of the past 5 years complaining about these things, and fantasizing about the day i leave cairo and never come back.

0n the other hand, i'm in love with cairo. i love how the city has 18 million people crowded into it, i love the nile, the pyramids, the mosques. i love the ottoman architecture, zamalek, heliopolis, and the fact that cairo has so much history to it you can almost feel it in the air. it really is a beautiful city, but unfortunately it's difficult to see that sometimes when you've been stuck in traffic for an hour, breathing in heavy pollution and being subjected to lewd comments and glares from passing men (and women).

this weird love-hate relationship is pretty common, i've found, among cairene residents. a lot of my friends complain about the city, but can't wait to get back once they leave. as i get ready to leave cairo sometime this year (inshallah), i wonder how much i'll miss it (because i know deep down that i will, no matter how strongly i deny this). i know for sure i'll miss the call to prayer, the beautiful mosques, and just the atmosphere of a city so steeped in history.

i was in heliopolis about a week ago, and as i drove past the old palaces with green gardens and overhanging trees, i realized how beautiful cairo must have been in the 1800s and early 1900s. this thought made me very emotional, and i wished i had been able to experience the cairo of then. back when the population of egypt was 20 million, not 80 million; when the idea of a modern nation-state hadn't turned the middle east upside down; when people worried less about surviving in the global capitalist economy, since it didn't yet have the far-reaching influence it has today; when the british hadn't yet taken over cairo; when life in general was easier. egypt today is struggling with an identity crisis, an economic crisis, a population crises, to cite a few, and it's a miracle that people are still moving from day to day. it's a miracle that the infrastructure of cairo that was built by muhammad ali for 2 million people still works in a city of 18 million. that although almost 50% of egytians live on less than $2 a day, mortality rates are much lower than other developing countries. that although not classified as developed, there are so many BMWs and Mercedes' on the street it's impossible to keep count. it really is a country of contradictions.

of course every country has negatives, and i think maybe in the end it comes down to memories - a lot of good memories in a country can tie you to it for a lifetime, whereas a few bad memories in a country can make you never want to go back. i have a lot of beautiful memories of cairo, and hopefully that'll make me eventually realize that the pollution, traffic, lack of organization, and sexual harassment in no way make cairo less amazing than lusaka, amsterdam, or anywhere else i might end up in the future.

a rant

2009-03-26T18:21:00.004+02:00

so one big reason i started this blog was to share some of my frustrations re. religion. my dad is muslim and so i am too technically, but i never really thought of myself as religious growing up in zambia (it was such a multicultural environment). anyway, when i moved to cairo i have to say i was completely turned off Islam. completely. what i saw shocked me: men sexually harassing women as they walk to the mosque to pray; sheikhs talking about things i (till now) have not found in the qur'an or hadith; people yelling and shouting at each other constantly; sexism; racism; driving like convicts on death row; and the list goes on. now, there are negative things to be found in every country. but what shocked me was how religious everyone proclaimed to be, and how negative they acted towards someone who wasn't "religious" enough. the point is i felt really negatively towards Islam and muslims and could never see myself being a muslim, or praying, or any of that.

fast forward to early 2008, when i suddenly got the urge to pray one morning. so i asked someone to teach me, and since then i've been praying, fasting, reading the qur'an...basically i've become a muslim.

but i still don't call myself that; and i still get pissed off at the majority of muslims that i meet here. one thing i've been thinking about lately is the growing rise in fundamentalism/extremisn here in egypt. we've gone from being one of the most liberal middle eastern countries (the 50s-70s) to one of the most fundamentalist (today). i wonder why? is it the masses of egyptians who returned from saudi arabia in the 90s full of wahhabi ideas? is it the identity crisis? is it a reaction against westernization, western imperialism (esp. post9/11) and the imagined loss of "our true culture"?

i really see it as a negative; as first of all i believe religion is PERSONAL - it doesn't matter what i wear, who i see, what i do - my religion is between me and God and has nothing to do with you. if you think i'm wrong, then rest assured God will punish me for it, no? apparently people here don't think like that, and think it's safer for them to judge me first.

i will be talking about islam and my own religious experience a lot on this blog, and would love to hear from other people.

my first post

2009-03-26T17:39:00.000+02:00

after reading hundreds of blogs over the past 2 years, i finally decided to start my own. i guess i was always worried that no one would read my blog and that since i already spend a large part of each day talking to myself, i didn't really need to start doing that online too. but then i decided that it didn't really matter, and so here i am. the name of the blog is basically a description of where i'm from: holland and egypt (biologically) and zambia (everything else). i grew up in lusaka zambia, and although i left it 5 years ago, still miss and crave it constantly. i've lived in cairo for the past 4 years, finishing my BA, and this year i am planning on moving to holland. my relationship with cairo is pretty dynamic and can be described as a love-hate relationship, but more on that later. as to whether i feel more dutch, egyptian or zambian, i still don't know, and probably will never have an answer to that question. however, if i had to describe myself as from somewhere, i would say africa without hesitation.

anyway, that's all for now
much love