Voice of Global Ummah
Volume 138, July 4, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editor: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

EDITORIAL NOTE:

Though below article was written by above male Editor on Dec 2007, is its message as valid today as it was few years ago ? YOU be the judge ?

MEDIA’S DESCRIPTION OF THE OPPRESSED SAUDI WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD’S “HOT BABES”:
WHO ENJOYS A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE?
A DETAILED REVIEW.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

IF A WOMEN EARNS MONEY BY SELLING HER SEXUALITY DIRECTLY THROUGH SEX IT IS PROSTITUTION, IF SHE EARNS MONEY SELLING HER SEXUALITY THROUGH ALL OTHER WAYS, IT IS ART, ENTERTAINMENT et.c.

Writer had conducted a face-to-face psychiatric evaluation on a famous celebrity who acted on a Oscar winning movie and one of writer’s client who received psychotherapy was a member of a dance group of another celebrity.

Pravda had listed more than a dozen female Hollywood celebrities who went anorexic (a clinical disorder) to become very slim. One of the reasons is to get slim in order to please and get preferred attention & support from the males. Then there are hundreds of other women who voluntarily go in for silicon breast enhancement, once again falling into the trap of fulfilling male preferences for bigger breasts. Somehow all this body modifications, clinical disorders, and substance abuse problems et.c. are all OKAY and if there ever is any opposition then the question of RIGHT TO EXERCISE ONE'S INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION is immediately put forward.

However if a Muslim female asserts her right to wear a hijab and follow Islam and attempts to shift the focus away from being a sex object, then of course, THE ABOVE RULE OF SELF DETERMINATION DOES NOT APPLY. It is mis-perceived as a sign of subjugation, oppression, exploitation and indicative of the dark ages.

Feminists rant a lot about Muslim women being oppressed, we sure need their help to millions of Muslim women worldwide, who try to pray five times a day but are ridiculed or discouraged from praying by their own husbands, who try to get their children educated at Islamic weekend schools in Quran and Islam but are discouraged by their own husbands, MUSLIM WOMEN WHO TRY TO WEAR HIJAB AND ARE PREVENTED TO DO SO BY THEIR "CONTROLLING" HUSBANDS. Last but not the least, Muslim women who try to guide their family in the Islamic path but are prevented by their husbands. As indicated earlier, the question of SELF-DETERMINATION OF A MUSLIM FEMALE IN ABOVE CONTEXT is ignored.

WE SURE WOULD WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE FEMINISTS TO EMPOWER ABOVE MUSLIM WOMEN AND NOT BE CONTINUED TO BE OPPRESSED BY THEIR HUSBANDS. As an example, we personally know of a Muslim woman who deeply resented her husband for deliberately putting the music in loud volume whenever she prayed in order to distract her attention and annoy her.

This does not include those husbands who have flatly refused to listen to their wife's request to stop their addictions with nicotine (Global Ummah's Number One addiction: SMOKING) and they care less about its secondary effects to the family, addictions to drugs, alcohol and gambling et.c which are prohibited in Islam.

COMING BACK TO THE EARLIER DISCUSSION OF SEXUALITY, IS THERE A HIDDEN SECRET HERE, IN TERMS OF ANTI-ISLAMIC RESENTMENT ? COULD IT BE BECAUSE WHEN A WOMAN STRICTLY FOLLOWS ISLAM, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR MEN TO SEXUALLY EXPLOIT WOMEN AS IT WOULD BE IF SHE IS NOT PRACTICING ISLAM? Who really is being exploited here? The female that blatantly sells her sexuality through her scantily clad dress knowing the weakness of men OR the female who prefers to be modest and has a high moral ground.

That is precisely the reason why Islam explicitly forbids exploitation of women through both of the above means (referring to the above FOOD FOR THOUGHT). It is clearly stated in the Holy Quran that “Man is weak”.

Per national Statistics, on an average in the U.S, 1.3 women are raped EVERY SINGLE MINUTE, which translates to 78 rapes each hour, 1872 rapes each day, 56,160 rapes each month and 683,280 rapes each year. One out of every three American women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. About 44% of rape victims are under age 18 and 80% are under age 30. Sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes.

THE U.S HAS THE WORLDS HIGHEST RAPE RATE OF THE COUNTRIES THAT PUBLISH SUCH STATISTICS. ONE IN FOUR COLLEGE WOMEN HAVE EITHER BEEN RAPED OR SUFFERED ATTEMPTED RAPE.

TO TOP IT ALL, ONLY SIXTEEN PERCENT OF RAPES ARE EVER REPORTED TO THE POLICE.

In Canada, one out of every 2 women has been physically or sexually assaulted at least once from the age of 16. This figure represents 51% of all Canadian women.

Given the above information, the importance of above Quranic verse becomes all the more clear. For a female to be fully clothed and modest as Islam expects, reduces the visual sexual stimulus and minimizes the activation of nerve centers of man’s basal instincts.

ARE YOU THEN SURPRISED, WHY SAUDI ARABIA HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST CRIME RATES (WHICH INCLUDES RAPE) IN THE WORLD?

Allah clearly states in the Holy Quran that He scans the deeds and actions of the people and not their appearances.

In Islam the niyat (intention) is extremely important since it is the intention that in most cases drives the behavior. If one’s intention is the ultimate & sincere submission to Allah and to follow his commandments including daily reinforcements of prayers five times a day, month long fasting each year et.c, then many of the stressors that one inadvertently takes upon him or herself could be significantly reduced.

However it is important to note that a woman MUST be given a choice to decide on her own of what she really wants without any force or coercion and this is an area that the Ummah is severely lacking and needs to significantly improve upon. In this aspect, feminists have certain good points that we should be open to emulate. WE TOTALLY REJECT FORCE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. Holy Quran clearly states that there is NO compulsion in religion. The idea of forcing or compelling people to accept or practice one’s religion is totally against the teachings of Islam. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah:

“There shall be no coercion in matters of faith. Distinct has now become the right way from (the way of) error: hence, he who rejects the powers of evil and believes in God has indeed taken hold a support most unfailing, which shall never give way; for God is all Hearing, All knowing” (2:256).

Freedom of religion is one of the foundations of Islam. Accordingly, Christian and Jews flourished and prospered in the Muslims lands throughout most of the history of Islam.

A NOTE ON WOMEN IN ISLAM:

In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her religion.

Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet (PBUH), which indicate that women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters. A Muslim woman chooses her husband and has a right to keep both her first and last name after marriage.

While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband and bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, she is welcome to work outside the home for the good of herself, family and community as long as her family obligations are met. It is imperative that the husband discard past cultural baggage and increase his role in assisting the wife within the home as the Ummah’s leader Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) helped within his own home. Unfortunately above practice of our beloved leader is the least mentioned and least practiced and has been clouded by cultural values.

We have seen enough devastation of families where the mother was absent or too preoccupied with her career.

Concerning motherhood, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Heaven lies under the feet of mother”.

This implies that the success of a society can be traced to the mothers that raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection and training received from the mother”. Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) helped establish the right of women to select their leader and publicly declare so.

In general, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with the nurturing role and men with the guardian role. Therefore women are given the right to receive financial support.

Although this does not prevent her from owning her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings including her husband.

It is obvious that at some time in the Islamic history the local cultural values slowly sneaked in and masqueraded as Islamic values and from then on to this day, it has become difficult for the Muslim women to freely exercise their Islamic rights.

Saudi women like women all over the world, have their own challenges to encounter. But one thing is clear; Islam had significantly helped the Saudi women to prevent them from being perceived as primarily sex objects.

Especially the career oriented Saudi women who continue to wear the Islamic dress, give priority to their family specially the children while at the same time climb up the ladder of their career are indeed true role models for the other half of the UMMAH – The female Muslims to follow and emulate.

Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important positions in government.

Abdurrahman Ibn Auf consulted many women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.

But as the reality on the ground indicates, the women following Islam are generally on the safe turf compared to women who earn their living selling their sexuality in a myriad of other ways.

One does not necessarily need to be a prostitute to sell their sexuality and win benefits.

At the outset let me be clear that we cannot compare apples with oranges and therefore this issue is not about comparison.

Instead it is a general review of two groups of sisters with two different moral spectrums that are distilled (exhibited in lifestyle) from the twin refineries (countries) of the same humanity (common world).

In Saudi Arabia, they do not have a Hollywood or Bollywood but they do have a class structure with the family members of the royal family including the various prince’s and princess’s at the top helm followed by other non-royal family members who are economically very powerful.

While there is no specific sexually enticing celebrity of any Saudi female to speak of in terms of the likes of Hollywood, the upper class comprising the Royal family and economically powerful Saudis have established their own niche and mark of public recognition. It is from such an elite group, that a sample of Saudi females has been highlighted in this issue.

A QUICK REVIEW FOR THE YEAR OF 2007:

As reported from www.buzz.yahoo.com, “we had a snapshot of the Hollywood celebrities: “MOTHERS OF BAD GIRLS CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION (DINA LOHAN, LYNNE SPEARS), BAD GIRLS WHO BECAME MOTHERS CAUGHT US OFF GUARD (NICOLE RICHIE, SCARY SPICE) AND MOTHERS WHO BECAME BAD GIRLS (BRITNEY SPEARS CAUGHT A LOT OF GRIEF)”.

PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOTHERAPISTS

Dr. Jenn Berman, a Los Angeles based Marriage and Family therapist and author of the book “The A to Z Guide To Raising Happy Confident Kids” told STAR that Actress Mischa Barton, 21, who was arrested for DUI (Driving under the influence) was probably just acting on impulse and not necessarily seeking attention. “Mischa is at the stage where she thinks she is invincible and nothing can harm her. A lot of young people think that way and because she is a celebrity, she probably thinks anything she does is okay”. She had starred on Fox’s teen drama “The O.C” and was not only driving under the influence of alcohol but also had possession of marijuana after Sheriff’s deputies saw her car straddling two lanes of traffic.

On Britney Spears, Dr. Jenn Berman states: “In my opinion, Britney craves the attention. She doesn’t feel alive if she goes a day without the cameras following her. It appears that Britney does not have a strong sense of self and so she gets validation elsewhere, like when the paparazzi follow her. She knows that they are fascinated by everything she does and that makes her feel good. She continues to do bizarre things to get noticed”.

Dr. Jenn Berman added “When you are caught in the addictive cycle like what we are seeing here, you are in a destructive world so you don’t think clearly. It seems because Britney’s feelings are buried she avoids emotions and the truth”.

Dr. Tara Fields PhD, a California based Marriage and Family therapist who appears on the My Network TV show “Decision House”, thinks the reason the pop princess Britney went shopping and avoided going to her home is because she can’t handle pain. “She chooses to avoid it by either going out like this or she allegedly turns to drinking and doing drugs”. Although there has been no mention so far about plans to check into a facility to squash her demons, both therapists (above) agree that Britney must get herself professional help if she wants to get her kids back and save her own life.

Dr. Fields adds: “My predictions and fears: Things are going to get worse if she doesn’t get herself behind safe walls. If she doesn’t get into a treatment recovery program, this could be the beginning of a tragic end”.

Besides above psychotherapist's opinions, Ben Mulroney, co-host of CTV’s “ETalk” stated: “She (Britney Spears) is not the pinnacle of sexuality that she used to be, and at this point, she’s been infamous much longer than she’s been famous”.

HIGHLIGHTS ON SAUDI FEMALE SUCCESS STORIES:

(PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BELOW SAUDI FEMALES' SHOOTING UP THE CAREER LADDER OF SUCCESS DID NOT REDUCE THEIR ATTACHMENT TO THEIR ISLAMIC IDENTITY INCLUDING WEARING HIJAB NOR THEIR CLOSE ATTACHMENT TO THEIR FAMILY)

“BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN THERE IS A WOMAN, AND BEHIND THE SUCCESSFUL SAUDI WOMEN ARE THEIR FATHERS AND HUSBANDS”.

1) PRINCESS Adelah bint Abdullah, the daughter of the Saudi King continues to be actively involved in advocating for the best interests of Saudi Women.

2) Sister. Lubna Al-Olayan is Chief Executive Officer of Olayan Financial Services. THE SAUDI BUSINESSWOMAN RANKED 97TH IN THE FORBES LIST AND THE COMPANY IS SAUDI’S MOST PROMINENT PRIVATE FAMILY BUSINESS GROUPS.

3) PRINCESS Madawi bint Mohammad ibn Abdullah Al-Saud is the Chairwoman and Managing Director of the Luthan Trading Company which opened LUTHAN SPA AND HOTEL:

“The female traveler, regardless of whether she is a business or leisure traveler, now has a haven in her honor where safety, security and comfort are the keynotes to Luthan. Services include Ayurveda Aromeopathy, Aqua Healing, Reiki, Tibetan sound bowls, sea clay, seaweed and sea algae body wraps, Balinese treatments Thai massages and a menu with a selection of over one hundred and fifty services. Fitness comprises aerobic exercise, yoga, pilates, tae bo, spinning and fit ball. Hairstyling, manicures, pedicures and a variety of other specialized beauty and body treatments are also available. Whether you want to restore your peace of mind, relax, dine or keep fit: Luthan creates a chance to create a whole new you and caters for all the senses of the female at the perfect urban retreat”.

4) Sr. Nadia K Al-Dossary, CEO and partner, Al-Sale Eastern Co. Ltd.

She capitalized on her education and market experience to now share responsibilities as the head of the largest Saudi scrap metal recovery operation. SHE IS ALSO A PROUD WIFE, AND MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG ADULTS – DINA AND KHALED. She attended high school in Switzerland and college in Saudi Arabia. She joined the staff of a blue-chip US/UK company setting up strategies for the firm in the area of sales and human resources development.

Although the position required extensive global travel and she had two young children, she STILL SHOULDERED ALL HER RESPONSIBILITIES TAKING THE CHILDREN WITH HER WHEREVER SHE WENT. “My children were toddlers, so I took them on all my trips. I had a lot of energy in those years. I just put sleep aside and spent my time between my work and my family:” “I loved my children too much to leave them at home alone”. (However not all working mothers may have such luxury from their employers).

5) AFTER THE MARRIAGE: A BUSINESS WAS BORN:

When Nihad Al Sulaimani, the 32-year-old founder and owner of www.saudifrah.com was a 24-year-old graduate of computer science, she was preparing for her wedding night and found it difficult to go from one place to another preparing for her special day. This personal experience led her to make the road shorter for young brides-to-be her age who are about to get married and collect all the details they would need in their wedding party in one website which she called www.saudiafrah.com.

In 2000, above young entrepreneur began the process of setting up her web venture with the help of her sister Nuha, who is Saudi Afrah’s public relations manager, and her friend Dina Hakeem. She is moving forward with her vision of becoming a Saudi Internet entrepreneur. Her success with the first website made her start a second website titled www.schooltalksite.com. She stated that whenever she meets with her friends who are mothers of kids, they talk about the best school which is a website that offers information about schools and people are free to write the comments they want.

AL-SULAIMANI IS ONE OF A GROWING NUMBER OF EDUCATED SAUDI WOMEN WHO ARE AS SAVVY WITH SMALL BUSINESS VENTURES AS THEY ARE WITH BEING LOVING MOMS.

6) A MALE CEO’s POSITIVE VIEW OF SAUDI WOMEN:

Dr. Walid Fitaihi founded the Jeddah’s prestigious 300 bed International Medical Center and is its CEO and Board Chairman. He stated that more than half of the staff is female. He says hiring women makes solid business sense because it gives him a staff on which his patients can depend.

“It is easier for me to find an intelligent, hard-working, dedicated Saudi woman than a Saudi man in the market. We have more than 50 percent women working with us. The Saudi women are successful because they have a drive to excel and to prove to themselves that they can do it – and do it better. They have excelled in the professions they have chosen. I hear they are even excelling in colleges and in schools. They’re doing much, much better than their male counterparts”.

He added “Khadija, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was basically the CEO of her own company. She employed Prophet Mohammad who is the most valuable human being who ever lived on Earth. We have many other examples of women’s contributions in every aspect of life throughout Islamic history”.

7) Sr. Elham Al-Hulaibah established Chenille Interiors Company Ltd.

She is the Director and Vice-President of the company while her husband is the President and they both took the company from a local to an international level. In 2003, they launched their website www.chenilleinteriors.com. Her knowledge in this field stems from her bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Planning from King Faisal University. This along with her husband’s Master’s degree in Business Administration from Hull University in Britain provided a balance in their business and helped in improving it, she said.

She was the first Saudi woman architect to establish a company in a society where it was still not normal for women to be seen working in the field of construction, which even amazed the foreign workers.

SR. AL-HULAIBAH SAID THAT THE REASONS BEHIND THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS: “THANKS TO ALLAH”.

Speaking about her future plans, she hopes with her husband that their company would gain more recognition and become the best in the Middle East and hopefully in the world. SHE ALSO LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING HER CHILDREN FAISAL, FAHAD AND RAGHAD SUCCESSFUL AND CREATIVE AND ABLE TO RUN THE COMPANY AFTER THEM WHEN THEY GROW UP.

8) Sr. Layla Dakkak has been Branch Manager of NEW HORIZONS LEARNING CENTERS, which has flourished in the past 25 years to become the largest independent IT training company worldwide with a global network of over 280 centers in 56 countries. They have transformed businesses and helped 25 million students attain their goals.

9) GROUP OF SAUDI WOMEN GOING TO HAIRDRESSER’S SALON BY PRIVATE PLANE:

Sr. Eiman Ashour Sibie is the owner of the NAWARA HOUSE OF FASHION. She stated that one man who lived 900 km away called her and asked about her salon’s and her family’s reputation. Once convinced, he sent 35 of his female family members on a private plane for their hairdressing needs to the salon. As a generous employer, she also sends her employees abroad to learn new techniques in spa services.

10) Saudi Entrepreneur females are always encouraged to be members of the Saudi Business and Professional Women’s Association.

THE ECONOMIC POWER OF WOMEN IN SAUDI ARABIA CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. WOMEN OWN TEN PERCENT OF REAL ESTATE AND 30 PERCENT OF BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS, 40 PERCENT OF FAMILY RUN COMPANIES. SAUDI WOMEN AS A WHOLE, OWN ESTIMATED CASH FUNDS OF SR 45 BILLION, OF WHICH 75 PERCENT IS SITTING IDLE IN BANK DEPOSITS.

Some estimates by local portfolio managers say that 60 percent of new stock investors and 40 percent of new real estate investors are women. As professional women in high-powered jobs, they have successfully managed to carve out careers as working mothers while AT THE SAME TIME MANAGING THEIR FAMILIES AND DISPELLING THE OFT-QUOTED STEREOTYPE OF SAUDI WOMEN – of a meek, compliant and oppressed section of society. Saudi Women have stood for and won elections to Chambers of Commerce in the major cities of Saudi Arabia.

ARAB WOMEN IN GENERAL:

Sr. Maha Al-Ghunaim was appointed Chairwoman and Chief Executive of Global Investment House, one of the emerging stars in Kuwaiti banking and finance with assets in excess of $6.5 billion.

Sr. Massouma Al-Mubarak is the Minister of Planning in Kuwait.

In Fujairah, UAE, four local women have been licensed to operate taxis under the Women’s Taxi project.

Haifa Al-Kaylani, Chairwoman of the ARAB INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FORUM stated:

“When women prosper, families and communities prosper. Women’s contribution to the economy helps nurture a secure, stable and peaceful society”.

Sr. Samra Al-Kuwaiz is the Managing Director of Osool Brokerage Company (women’s division)

Sr. Nabila Tunisi is Acting Manager of the Projects Dept at Saudi Aramco

Sr. Soha Aboul Farag a banker was chosen for the “INTERNATIONAL WOMEN LEADERS MENTORING PARTNERSHIP” IN THE U.S.

Sr. Jowhara Al-Angari is the Vice-President and Co-Founder of the NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN JEDDAH.

Sr. Farah Serafi an employee of the Banque Saudi Fransi Bank has been promoted to be the Manager of Corporate Relations.

Sr. Nadia Baeshen founded the Khadija bint Khuwailid center in 1998 to train, qualify and empower Saudi women. Khadija bint Khuwailid, the Prophet’s wife was a businesswoman who brought prosperity in her trade to Makkah. Nasiba bint Ka’ab and Ayesha bint Abu Bakr. It was for above role models, that Baeshen named the center after Khadija, the Prophet’s wife.

Sr. Dr. Suhair H. Al-Qurashi, is the Dean of Dar Al Hekma’s College. She holds three degrees, including a Doctorate and Masters in education from Cambridge and Bachelors degree in business administration.

She is also a member of American National Association of Health Care Quality Professionals and a member of the International Society for Quality Assurance in health Care.

Sr. Hala E. Khogeer is MAHARAT’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager. The Maharat Center provides services to children with special needs including an assessment on client’s cognitive, perceptual, and academic development, tutoring services, school readiness screening, consultation services, psychological services, occupational therapy services, enrichment programs and training programs for parents, teachers and professionals.

Sr. Sultana Aloirfeza-Zahid is the founder and owner of The Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing that was started in 1993.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF HOLLYWOOD STARS:

(1) LINDSAY LOHAN:

Just days after emerging from her second stint in rehab, Lohan was charged in July with drunk driving and possessing cocaine after a high-speech Hollywood car chase with the “Mean Girls” star behind the wheel. This is what www.egotastic.com had to publish about her:

“I think at this point, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT LINDSAY LOHAN PROBABLY IS NOT THE BEST ROLE MODEL FOR TODAY’S YOUNG GIRLS. In the span of one week, she went from hooking up with Jonathan Rhys Meyers and an Olympian, to spending the night with Wilmer Valderrama. She isn’t exactly loyal to her “friends” and apparently; she can’t keep her clothes on either. We also know what she’s like when she hangs out with her friends…Drugs, drinking (in the car), smoking ….”

Lohan has been in and out of rehab all year and spent a total of 84 minutes in jail. Lindsay Lohan had begun her community service sentence as part of fulfilling her DUI sentence.

(2) NICOLE RICHIE:

The 25 year old daughter of pop singer Lionel Richie pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and was sentenced to about four days in jail and fined by a court commissioner who said she was lucky nobody was killed when she drove the wrong way on a freeway.

She was arrested after witnesses reported her black Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle headed the wrong way on a freeway in Burbank. The California Highway Patrol said they found her PARKED in the car pool lane. Richie told authorities she had smoked marijuana and taken the prescription painkiller Vicodin, a CHP officer said at the time. She was ordered to enroll in a drug and alcohol program

Superior Court Commissioner Steven Lubell also gave Richie three years of probation. He also told her “If you continue to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol and someone gets killed, you can be charged with murder, not manslaughter (because she now has two convictions, the first one in June 2003, when she was convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol). Nicole spent a total of 82 minutes in jail.

(3) PARIS HILTON:

To what extent, the public pays attention to what Hilton stated when she came out of the jail is unclear: She stated “I HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM THIS ORDEAL AND HOPE THAT OTHERS HAVE LEARNED FROM MY MISTAKES”.

In June of 2006, the millionairess Paris Hilton knowingly backed into a parked car and then sped away, in full view of the paparazzi. This is a misdemeanor punishable by upto to 6 months in jail. Paris was never charged.

In September of 2006, she was arrested for driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher. In January 2007, she pleaded no contest to those charges and was sentenced to 36 months probation, her driver’s license was suspended and she was ordered to enroll in an alcohol education program within 21 days. She never enrolled in the above program and was photographed driving her Bentley convertible just two days later.

Just one month later (on Feb 27), she was pulled over by Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies at 10:30 at night for DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR, WITHOUT HER HEADLIGHTS ON, DOWN SUNSET BLVD, WHICH IS A 35 MILES PER HOUR ZONE.

Paris had already lost her driving privileges and was later arrested for violating her probation for driving while on a suspended license.

Hilton, who has frequently been voted among Hollywood’s most despised celebrities in various online polls, wailed for her mother when she was handcuffed and escorted from the courtroom to start serving her sentence in June.

Public antipathy towards the heiress has yet to subside, especially after her appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live” soon after she was released from jail in which she said she’d never done drugs. The next day, countless blogs and websites ran photos and video of Hilton over the years doing various drugs.

TIME TO COMPENSATE BY CHARITY WORK: Hilton had planned to visit Rwanda initially in December 2007 but her trip has been postponed until next year.

(4) MINDY McCREADY:

Singer Mindy McCready broke probation when she was charged with battery and resisting arrest when she allegedly scratched her mother’s face during a fight at their home.

(5) REBECCA DE MORNAY

Actress REBECCA DE MORNAY has been charged with misdemeanor drunken driving following her arrest two months ago. She has been charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and one count of driving with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of .08.

(6) BRITNEY SPEARS:

Child Welfare investigators are looking into “multiple child abuse and neglect” claims involving Britney Spears. An attorney for the Los Angeles County Dept of Children and Family Services wrote in parts of the case file that there are concerns about the safety and welfare of the couple’s two toddlers, Sean Preston 2 and Jayden James 1, if they are left in their mother’s care”.

Per reports, Britney is assumed to be making $700,000 a month and since her ex-Federline is their children’s primary caretaker, the courts could grant him $58,000 a month to take care of his two sons. “Under California law, “The children must have the same lifestyle as their mother since she is considered an individual who falls under a high bracket income”:

Britney had another case of driving without a valid California driver’s license.

According to the court documents, parenting coach Lisa Hacker said that Spears “loves her children and the children are bonded” to her, but that the pop star “RARELY ENGAGED WITH THE CHILDREN IN EITHER CONVERSATION OF PLAY”.

In her report, she said the “ENVIRONMENT AT THE HOUSE RANGED FROM CHAOTIC TO ALMOST SOMBER WITH LITTLE COMMUNICATION AT ALL.”

In addition, “IT SEEMS HAT BRITNEY’S CHOICES ARE DEPENDENT MORE UPON WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO AT ANY GIVEN TIME RATHER THAN WHAT WOULD BE MORE ENJOYABLE FOR THE CHILDREN”…. Hacker added that Spears seemed to have a “LACK OF GENERAL ATTENTION AT TIMES” The parenting coach concluded “The problem is that unless Ms.Spears realizes the consequences of her behavior and the impact that it has (on) her children, nothing is going to be successful”.

Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of Britney Spear’s unplanned pregnancy at 16 is a public relations nightmare. Jamie was seen AS A ROLE MODEL TO MILLIONS BASED ON HER WHOLESOME NICKELODEON CHARACTER ON Zoey 101.

Britney’s bizarre behavior included fights with the paparazzi and her mother, custody battles, the loss of her children to her ex husband, Kevin Federline, binge drinking, car accidents, arrests et.c. Spears angrily shaved her head bald in apparent defiance of her mother as the photographers who routinely trained her every move snapped away furiously outside a Hollywood hair saloon.

TIME TO COMPENSATE BY CHARITY WORK:

Britney announced her plan to give back to society and it was not even court mandated. She has teamed up with X17 photo agency to raise money for UNICEF (United Nationals International Children’s Educational Fund). She plans to auction a signed copy of her latest CD, Blackout, on eBay.

CONCLUSION:

This article should NOT be misunderstood as a black and white issue or that one group are angels and the second groups are sinners. We all are but humans including the celebrities and everybody else and we all are likely to err. TO ERR IS BUT HUMAN. There may be very good celebrities within the Hollywood world and there may be “bad apples” within the Saudi society too. As indicated earlier, this issue was a review of TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS OF (SISTERS) WOMEN OF THE SAME HUMANITY.

The main point to be emphasized is that just because one group has all the money and freedom to do what they like, does not mean that they are going to be the happiest or would live the highest quality of life. If anything they seem to be under greater stress and coping in dysfunctional ways that are too apparent to be observed.

This issue is primarily aimed to the UMMAH for reassurance:

“PLEASE DO NOT THINK THAT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GRASS IS GREENER”.

It is true that Islam is about self-discipline and places limits on each one of us in terms of what we are recommended to do and not to do, but we have a choice and should take full responsibility for our actions. But the above is for one’s own good. Some may realize it soon while others may pay a high price and realize it later, while still others who do not have Allah’s blessings may never realize it all before it becomes too late.

AREA OF IMPROVEMENT FOR THE HOLLYWOOD SISTERS WOULD BE FIRST TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP TO DEAL WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STRESORS AND TO LEARN ALTERNATIVE COPING SKILLS RATHER TO SEEK ALCOHOL, DRUGS OR OTHER DYSFUNCTIONAL COPING MECHANISMS.

THE SAUDI SOCIETY IN GENERAL HAS SEVERAL AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT TOO. THEY NEED TO MORE CLEARLY DISTINGUISH AND DELINEATE THE CULTURAL VALUES FROM THE ISLAMIC VALUES AND CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE SAUDI WOMEN TO MOVE UP THE LADDER OF THEIR CAREER AND THEREBY INCREASE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY AT LARGE. WITHOUT QUESTION, THE BAN FOR WOMEN TO DRIVE SHOULD BE LIFTED. SAUDI WOMEN SHOULD BE GIVEN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THEIR EDUCATION, CAREER AND OTHER ASPECTS OF LIFE. SAUDI WOMEN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL FREELY OUTSIDE THEIR COUNTRY IF THEY CHOOSE TO AND THE MANDATORY REQUIREMENT TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MALE RELATIVE SHOULD BE LIFTED.

Our thanks and deep respects to the Saudi women for not advancing in their career by being used as sex objects but instead by making a delicate balance between following Islam, maintaining strong family values and still doing their best to move forward in their life and their splendid contribution to their community, nation and Ummah at large.

PART I - ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

(1) Celebrity downslides, Hilton Headed to Jail, BUZZ.YAHOO.COM

(2) Mischa Barton jailed for drunk driving and marijuana possession, www.newsfromrussia.com

(3) Lindsay helping Redcross, Mishca Barton’s Arrest: Was she craving attention, Experts Weigh on Brit’s Downward spiral, Family Services Investigating welfare of Britney’s Sons; Woman’s “My Space” Video of Two Year Old Smoking Results in her arrest.www.digitaljournal.com, www.news.yahoo.com, www.starmagazine

(4)2007 was year for troubled Hollywood women. www.timestranscript.canadaeast.com

(5) Rape Statistics in the US, CEASE

(6)“Key Facts”, (RAINN) Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

PART II: ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO “ARAB NEWS” FOR BELOW ARTICLES:

(a) After the Marriage, a Business was Born;
(b) Dr. Walid Fitaihi Shows the Way
(c) Luthan Spa and Hotel: By Women for Women
(d) Designing a Successful Career
(e) The Politics of Female Empowerment
(f) New Horizons: Shapers of Future Generations
(g) Women “OWN” some 1,500 Companies
(h) Banking on Ladies: Is Saudi Arabia Realizing Their True Potential
(i) Behind Every Greater Businesswomen is a Supportive Family,
(j) Khadija bint Khuwailid Center: The Starting Point,
(k) Dar Al-Hekma Dean Leads by Example,
(l) Samra Al-Kuwaiz: Good Prospects for Women Investors
(m) Maharat-a Center for Learning
(n) Have Firm Goal in Life – Nadia-Al-Dossary
(o) At Rotana, Part of Al-Kadhi’s role is to Encourage Gender Harmony
(p) Asya-Al-Ashaikh Crafts New Mold for Business.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH
Volume 137, June 27, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed and Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

“MUSLIM BROTHER REGULARLY BUT DISCRETELY PRAYS ALONG WITH OTHER MUSLIM SISTERS IN THE LADIES SECTION OF THE MASJID DURING FRIDAY PRAYERS”

DOES HE NEED TO BE TREATED OR PUNISHED ?

Sample#1: (from tribuneindia.com)

All research and advances in sciences are from Allah. In as much as the Ummah does not hesitate to tap the medical resources & treatment to get help for their medical problems and don’t confine their remedy ONLY by prayers (duaa), in the same way they should not hesitate to tap the psychological resources & treatment when they have psychological problems. Depending on the nature and severity of a psychological problem, if ignored or left untreated it could end up getting worse and will eventually return back to disrupt and haunt not only the individual in question but in some cases also the Ummah’s Islamic Order and norms such as the spotlight mentioned above.

Sample#2 (from newshopper.sulekha.com)

When confronted with complex bio-physio-psycho-social problems faced by Muslims, it is recommended that the educated Muslim Mental Health Service Professionals incorporate the most recent clinical advances and be aware of available Islamic friendly resources to offer as help.

From the below case study, some people unfortunately may respond to the below individual’s psychological problems merely by stating that “We will pray for that brother” and close the chapter on any further discussion implying that the above willingness to pray is the only intervention that they have to offer. Such a response is misleading and in essence may be a MASK or FACADE to cover up lack of knowledge to deal with the below mentioned psychological problem.

Sample# 3 (From Kashifiat.wordpress.com)

A more appropriate response to substitute above response would be something like this:

“I am sorry that I don’t have any idea or know of any resource that could help with this kind of psychological problem. Honestly, I feel uncomfortable even acknowledging that I don’t know how to help this brother in this situation. The best I can do is pray to Allah to help this brother”.

CASE IN POINT:

One Muslim brother admitted to the Muslim Psychotherapist about his wearing female Islamic clothing and doing regular Friday prayers by joining with other sisters in the Women’s section of the Islamic Center. Being slim and of medium height and generously covering his body with Islamic oriented full dress including hijab, he has escaped detection of his "male" identity thus far.

He wanted the Psychotherapist to “pray” that he “is not caught” by other Muslim sisters. The brother reported having strong Islamic values but stated that he was fighting a “jihad” within himself in terms of his compelling need to dress as a female.

To some laymen, the first thought that may come in their minds if they catch him is to beat him up real bad so that he does not repeat the above practice ever again. Such laymen generally give a hoot to any kind of clinical interventions for this brother and as far as they are concerned, he violated the personal space of their Muslim sisters in the Masjid and deserve to be punished.

In this era of 21st century, Ummah’s response should truly reflect what Islam stands for – Compassion, understanding and assisting such persons who need help in terms of Clinical and Psycho therapeutic intervention.

Historical response of anger and violence against such brother will:

(1) Not be of any help to the brother to voluntarily change such cross dressing behaviors.

(2) Instead such aggression would only help the anti-Islamic forces and biased Media reinforce their negative perception of Islam (as a religion of intolerance and violence).

(3) Further, the perpetrators of such violence and aggression against the brother may end up in jail if convicted on charges of assault and battery.

EXPLORING ABOVE ISSUES FROM A CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE:

DIAGNOSIS:

(Obtained from “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”)

Not going into details and in brief, the Muslim brother in question does meet both the diagnostic criteria A and B for Transvestic Fetishism (TF).

DSM IV: 302.3 TRANSVESTIC FETISHISM with Gender Dysphoria (persistent discomfort with gender role or identity).

There are different theories related to this psychiatric disorder, many stemming from the psychoanalytic school of thought. They suggest that childhood trauma (e.g., sexual abuse, or other significant sexual experience) or significant childhood experiences can manifest itself in such exhibitionist behavior.

The Paraphiliac focus of Transvestic Fetishism involves cross-dressing. Usually the male with TF keeps a collection of female clothes that he intermittently uses to cross-dress. Transvestic phenomena range from occasional solitary wearing of female clothes to extensive involvement in a transvestic subculture. Some males wear a single item of women’s apparel (e.g., panty or hosiery) under their masculine attire.

Other males with TF dress entirely as females and wear make up.

For Muslim male patients, this may include wearing traditional female Islamic dress with hijab. The degree to which the cross-dressed individual successfully appears to be a female varies, depending on mannerisms, body habitus and cross-dressing skill. The disorder typically begins with cross-dressing in childhood or early adolescence. In many cases, the cross dressing is not done in public until ADULTHOOD.

In some individuals, the motivation for cross-dressing may change over time, temporarily or permanently, with sexual arousal in response to the cross-dressing or disappearing. In such instance, the cross dressing becomes an antidote to ANXIETY or DEPRESSION or contributes to a sense of PEACE and CALM.

In others, gender dysphoria may emerge, especially under situational stress with or without symptoms of DEPRESSION. For a small number of individuals, the gender dysphoria becomes a fixed part of the clinical picture and is accompanied by the desire to dress and live permanently as a female and to seek hormonal or surgical reassignment.

Luckily, our brother has not yet reached above stage of wanting to live permanently as a female and seek hormonal or surgical sex change. Individuals with TF often seek treatment when gender dysphoria emerges.

TREATMENT:

Treatment involves PSYCHOTHERAPY that is directed to uncover and work through finding out the root cause of such behavior.

PROGNOSIS:

Prognosis is generally fair. With some patients, there may also be an underlying discomfort with gender identity, which will complicate treatment prognosis

EXPLORING THE ABOVE FROM AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE:

Part of the fitrah (the natural inclinations with which humans were created) is that men should preserve their masculinity, which Allah has created in them, and women should preserve their femininity, which Allah has created in them. Men resembling women and vice versa is something which goes against human’s innate nature (fitrah) and opens the door to multiple individual and social problems.

How prepared are the Muslim professionals in the Human Services field to accept and treat its receptive members by incorporating the gems of Hadith & Quran as part of the treatment intervention for Muslims who are (1) Gay or lesbians who have problems with their sexual identity (2) Bisexuals (3) Transvestite (4) Transsexuals / Transgendered. Their problems are compounded if they have additional problems with mental illness, substance abuse or medical problems and further aggravated if they are stigmatized by the brothers & sisters of their own faith.

Mental Health Professionals of the Global Ummah, have a great responsibility and by representing the most compassionate and peace loving religion of ISLAM, we cannot just dismiss our above brothers and sisters by saying that their place is in HELL and their life is doomed.

The Muslim Health and Human Service Professionals should increase their contacts, co-ordination and consultation with the IMAMS & ISLAMIC SCHOLARS who could be considered to be the specialists in terms of ISLAM and come up with the best possible treatment plan that has both the most advance treatment techniques as well as the gems of Islamic advice and guidance.

Coming back to the resembling of men to women and vice versa, the ruling in Shariah is that when it is stated that the person who does a particular thing is cursed, that thing is haraam.

Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) reported that Prophet Muhammad (PUH) said in two different contexts:

(1)“Allah has cursed the men who make themselves look like women and the women who make themselves look like men” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).

(2)“Allah has cursed effeminate men and masculine women”. (Reported by al-Bukhaari). The resemblance may be in the way they move, walk and speak.

The evidence that the two sexes should not resemble one another in dress is found in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (RA) “Allah has cursed men who wear the clothes of women and women who wear the clothes of men”.

THE CHALLENGE TO THE MUSLIM PSYCHOTHERAPIST:

Through the bio-psycho-social assessment, the Psychotherapist first gets detailed information regarding the patient’s history. He then tries to understand the Patient’s perspective in terms of his perception of what the main problem is and his perception of Islam. If the Patient values Islam as an important part of his life, then his strong belief in Islam could be used as one of his STRENGTHS that he has in his current situation and it could be incorporated as one of the tools used for clinical intervention.

The Psychotherapist initially accepts the Patient’s current situation and perspectives “as is” and gradually works his way up to formulate a realistic and feasible treatment plan. Then through a series of intensive psycho-therapeutic sessions, the psychotherapist works to assist the Pt to achieve the stated treatment goals by using both ISLAMIC MEANS via the treasures of Quran and Hadith as well as the latest psycho-therapeutic treatment interventions.

Let’s not forget the hadith and Quranic advice of helping the sick, which implies the “mentally sick” too.

THE END

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 136, June 20, 2010
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

COULD PARTICIPATION IN A TABLIGH JAMAAT BE A NON-CLINICAL INTERVENTION TO GET RID OF CERTAIN NEGATIVE/ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS ? SCENARIO INVOLVING A MUSLIM BROTHER’S UNHOLY TRIP TO A HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

(For reason of anonymity, the brother’s name has been changed to Ahmed).

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT KNOWN LAS VEGAS :

For most tablighi brothers, Las Vegas constitutes the biggest symbol of materialism, pomp, show and glitter in the world. In a way, it is exactly opposite to their spiritual value system. While almost all other cities become inactive during late nights, Las Vegas remains active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year at least in terms of the people playing the slot machines and gambling in the various casinos. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. Las Vegas is the most dynamic, spectacular city on earth.