7/20/2013

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 236, July 14, 2013

Editors: Mohamed & Rashida Ziauddin

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


EDITORIAL: 
 
In this E-Zine, we highlighted  President  Obama's  message on the occasion of Ramadan followed by rights of Muslim employees at the workplace during Ramadan.  We also strongly support  the Ulema of the Sunni ittehad Council's declaration  that suicide bombing is the biggest sin in Islam. As usual, we highlighted  issues pertaining to interfaith, youth and hijab.  



 (www.xeniagreekmuslimah.wordpress.com)


PART  I-a: 

Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan

As a service to our community, below is a guide on how to ensure that you are provided the opportunity to fulfill religious obligations like fasting, Salah, Jumuah, Eid, Hijab, etc.  
This information is meant to serve only as a guide to your rights as an employee; not as legal advice. In the event that legal advice is needed, please contact CAIR-FL so that we can connect you with an expert employment law attorney, who has successfully advocated on behalf of our clients, at no cost.
An important first step is to familiarize yourself with your rights as an employee, particularly on religious accommodation. To be clear, your employer's handbook is not the authority regarding workplace accommodation and often employer's handbooks do not include appropriate guidelines on religious accommodations.  Federal law is the law of the land and it protects religious freedoms in all areas of society including all places of work in the US. However, following your employer's procedures in requesting religious accommodations is often helpful.
If your requests for any religious activity including prayer and iftar breaks are not accommodated, please contact CAIR-FL's Civil Rights Department immediately so we can obtain these accommodations quickly and without retaliation, and so we can additionally ensure that your employer's policies are consistent with federal law so other Muslim employees do not experience similar issues. We can be reached via email at info@tampa.cair.com or via phone at (813) 514-1414 . We stand ready to assist. Our services are provided at zero cost to our clients. 
Did you know that according to federal law, you're entitled to your religious practices including prayer and iftar breaks, and time off for Friday and Eid prayers, as well as Hajj, regardless of your residential status in the US? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and particularly section 42 U.S.C § 2000e(j) allows an employee to take time off for "sincerely held beliefs." Each Muslim person's own 'sincerely held' belief can be different from that of another Muslim person, so there is room for accommodation for people of all religiosity levels. These accommodations include your religious actions including prayers, religious dress to be worn in the work place, schedule changes so your break fits into Maghreb time for iftar, and leave for congregational (Friday or Eid) prayers and Hajj. Title VII also strictly prohibits retaliation by employers against employees for asserting their rights to religious accommodations. 
Here are some tips on how to request a religious accommodation:
  • Do follow your employer's procedures when requesting an accommodation. Before making your request, review your employer's policy and follow any procedures stated in the employee manual that addresses when to notify your employer of the required accommodation and the proper procedure to request time off.
  • Do make clear that the reason you're requesting the accommodation is because of your religious (not "cultural") belief or practice.
  • Do keep a personal written record of when and how your request was made, and whether and how it was accommodated.
  • Do follow up verbal requests in writing to ensure a written record is kept.
  • Do contact CAIR-FL if you need help if your requests are not granted, or if you would like our office to make the request on your behalf.
Again, these are recommendations for successful religious accommodations requests. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your request, please contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414  or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. An initial denial by your employer does not mean you will not be accommodated. CAIR-FL has consistently been able to successfully obtain religious accommodations for Muslims with unwilling employers, by having employers follow federal law, which protects religious freedoms in many areas of society including the workplace. 
Be confident that you have the right to your religious actions and the experts at CAIR-FL stand ready to help.
Again, please feel free to contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414 for the Tampa Office or (954) 272-0490 for the Miami Office, or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff.  
Sincerely,             
Executive Director, CAIR-FL Tampa Office
- See more at: http://fl.cair.com/blog/know_your_rights_as_an_employee_in_the_workplace_this_ramadan.html#sthash.a3JW25tg.dpuf
As a service to our community, below is a guide on how to ensure that you are provided the opportunity to fulfill religious obligations like fasting, Salah, Jumuah, Eid, Hijab, etc.  
This information is meant to serve only as a guide to your rights as an employee; not as legal advice. In the event that legal advice is needed, please contact CAIR-FL so that we can connect you with an expert employment law attorney, who has successfully advocated on behalf of our clients, at no cost.
An important first step is to familiarize yourself with your rights as an employee, particularly on religious accommodation. To be clear, your employer's handbook is not the authority regarding workplace accommodation and often employer's handbooks do not include appropriate guidelines on religious accommodations.  Federal law is the law of the land and it protects religious freedoms in all areas of society including all places of work in the US. However, following your employer's procedures in requesting religious accommodations is often helpful.
If your requests for any religious activity including prayer and iftar breaks are not accommodated, please contact CAIR-FL's Civil Rights Department immediately so we can obtain these accommodations quickly and without retaliation, and so we can additionally ensure that your employer's policies are consistent with federal law so other Muslim employees do not experience similar issues. We can be reached via email at info@tampa.cair.com or via phone at (813) 514-1414 . We stand ready to assist. Our services are provided at zero cost to our clients. 
Did you know that according to federal law, you're entitled to your religious practices including prayer and iftar breaks, and time off for Friday and Eid prayers, as well as Hajj, regardless of your residential status in the US? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and particularly section 42 U.S.C § 2000e(j) allows an employee to take time off for "sincerely held beliefs." Each Muslim person's own 'sincerely held' belief can be different from that of another Muslim person, so there is room for accommodation for people of all religiosity levels. These accommodations include your religious actions including prayers, religious dress to be worn in the work place, schedule changes so your break fits into Maghreb time for iftar, and leave for congregational (Friday or Eid) prayers and Hajj. Title VII also strictly prohibits retaliation by employers against employees for asserting their rights to religious accommodations. 
Here are some tips on how to request a religious accommodation:
  • Do follow your employer's procedures when requesting an accommodation. Before making your request, review your employer's policy and follow any procedures stated in the employee manual that addresses when to notify your employer of the required accommodation and the proper procedure to request time off.
  • Do make clear that the reason you're requesting the accommodation is because of your religious (not "cultural") belief or practice.
  • Do keep a personal written record of when and how your request was made, and whether and how it was accommodated.
  • Do follow up verbal requests in writing to ensure a written record is kept.
  • Do contact CAIR-FL if you need help if your requests are not granted, or if you would like our office to make the request on your behalf.
Again, these are recommendations for successful religious accommodations requests. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your request, please contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414  or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. An initial denial by your employer does not mean you will not be accommodated. CAIR-FL has consistently been able to successfully obtain religious accommodations for Muslims with unwilling employers, by having employers follow federal law, which protects religious freedoms in many areas of society including the workplace. 
Be confident that you have the right to your religious actions and the experts at CAIR-FL stand ready to help.
Again, please feel free to contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414 for the Tampa Office or (954) 272-0490 for the Miami Office, or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff.  
Sincerely,             
Executive Director, CAIR-FL Tampa Office
- See more at: http://fl.cair.com/blog/know_your_rights_as_an_employee_in_the_workplace_this_ramadan.html#sthash.a3JW25tg.dpuf
www.whitehouse.gov
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary


July 08, 2013
With the start of the sacred month of Ramadan, Michelle and I extend our best wishes to Muslim communities here in the United States and around the world.

For the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time for thoughtful reflection, fasting and devotion.  It is also an opportunity for family and friends to come together and celebrate the principles that bind people of different faiths – a commitment to peace, justice, equality and compassion towards our fellow human beings.  These bonds are far stronger than the differences that too often drive us apart.

This month also reminds us that freedom, dignity and opportunity are the undeniable rights of all mankind.  We reflect on these universal values at a time when many citizens across the Middle East and North Africa continue to strive for these basic rights and as millions of refugees mark Ramadan far from their homes.  The United States stands with those who are working to build a world where all people can write their own future and practice their faith freely, without fear of violence.

In the United States, Ramadan is a reminder that millions of Muslim Americans enrich our nation each day—serving in our government, leading scientific breakthroughs, generating jobs and caring for our neighbors in need.  I have been honored to host an iftar dinner at the White House each of the past four years, and this year I look forward to welcoming Muslim Americans who are contributing to our country as entrepreneurs, activists and artists.

I wish Muslims across America and around the world a month blessed with the joys of family, peace and understanding.  Ramadan Kareem.


Part I-b

 

Know Your Rights as an Employee in the Workplace this Ramadan
(fl.cair.com)



As a service to our community, below is a guide on how to ensure that you are provided the opportunity to fulfill religious obligations like fasting, Salah, Jumuah, Eid, Hijab, etc. 
 
This information is meant to serve only as a guide to your rights as an employee; not as legal advice. In the event that legal advice is needed, please contact CAIR-FL so that we can connect you with an expert employment law attorney, who has successfully advocated on behalf of our clients, at no cost.

An important first step is to familiarize yourself with your rights as an employee, particularly on religious accommodation. To be clear, your employer's handbook is not the authority regarding workplace accommodation and often employer's handbooks do not include appropriate guidelines on religious accommodations.  Federal law is the law of the land and it protects religious freedoms in all areas of society including all places of work in the US. However, following your employer's procedures in requesting religious accommodations is often helpful.

If your requests for any religious activity including prayer and iftar breaks are not accommodated, please contact CAIR-FL's Civil Rights Department immediately so we can obtain these accommodations quickly and without retaliation, and so we can additionally ensure that your employer's policies are consistent with federal law so other Muslim employees do not experience similar issues. We can be reached via email at info@tampa.cair.com or via phone at (813) 514-1414 . We stand ready to assist. Our services are provided at zero cost to our clients.

Did you know that according to federal law, you're entitled to your religious practices including prayer and iftar breaks, and time off forFriday and Eid prayers, as well as Hajj, regardless of your residential status in the US? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and particularly section 42 U.S.C § 2000e(j) allows an employee to take time off for "sincerely held beliefs." Each Muslim person's own 'sincerely held' belief can be different from that of another Muslim person, so there is room for accommodation for people of all religiosity levels. These accommodations include your religious actions including prayers, religious dress to be worn in the work place, schedule changes so your break fits into Maghreb time for iftar, and leave for congregational (Friday or Eid) prayers and Hajj. Title VII also strictly prohibits retaliation by employers against employees for asserting their rights to religious accommodations.

Here are some tips on how to request a religious accommodation:
  • Do follow your employer's procedures when requesting an accommodation. Before making your request, review your employer's policy and follow any procedures stated in the employee manual that addresses when to notify your employer of the required accommodation and the proper procedure to request time off.
  • Do make clear that the reason you're requesting the accommodation is because of your religious (not "cultural") belief or practice.
  • Do keep a personal written record of when and how your request was made, and whether and how it was accommodated.
  • Do follow up verbal requests in writing to ensure a written record is kept.
  • Do contact CAIR-FL if you need help if your requests are not granted, or if you would like our office to make the request on your behalf.
Again, these are recommendations for successful religious accommodations requests. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your request, please contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414 or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. An initial denial by your employer does not mean you will not be accommodated. CAIR-FL has consistently been able to successfully obtain religious accommodations for Muslims with unwilling employers, by having employers follow federal law, which protects religious freedoms in many areas of society including the workplace. 
 
Be confident that you have the right to your religious actions and the experts at CAIR-FL stand ready to help. Again, please feel free to contact CAIR-FL at (813) 514-1414 for the Tampa Office or (954) 272-0490 for the Miami Office, or by e-mail at info@tampa.cair.com to speak with our civil rights staff. 
 
Sincerely,
Hassan Shibly, Esq.
Executive Director, CAIR-FL Tampa Office


PART II:
 
Suicide attack the biggest sin in Islam: Fatwa

Pakist­ani Taliba­n are just a group of profes­sional assass­ins, edict stated.
By Web Desk
 July 3, 2013


Edict was given in the wake of the recent killings of foreign tourists and attacks in Peshawar and Quetta. PHOTO: FILE/AFP (www.tribune.com.pk)


LAHORE: Ulema of the Sunni Ittehad Council on Saturday declared that suicide bombing is the biggest sin in Islam, Express news reported.

As many as 50 Ulema of the Sunni Ittehad Council in a collective edict declared that killing an innocent is the biggest sin and killing of foreign guest is the worst crime. It was also declared in the edict that attacks on Mosques, hospitals, educational institute, funerals and security forces is not Jihad.

Edict was given in the wake of the recent killings of foreign tourists and attacks in Peshawar and Quetta.

Afghan Taliban are fighting against the US occupation while Pakistani Taliban are just a group of professional assassins, edict stated.



PART III-a

INTERFAITH ISSUES:

Celebrated British Author Karen Armstrong Wins Inaugural Prize For Her Contribution To Global Interfaith Understanding

July 17th, 2013



Karen Armstrong honored the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2010 with a talk on Compassion in Palo Alto, California
 
I am so honoured to receive this prize. I am also most grateful to Dr Nayef Al-Rodhan and the British Academy for drawing attention in this way to the need for trans-cultural understanding. One of the chief tasks of our time must surely be to build a global community where people of all ethnicities and ideologies can live together in harmony and mutual respect: if we do not achieve this, it is unlikely that we will have a viable world to hand on to the next generation. Religion should be making a contribution to this endeavour but, sadly, for obvious reasons, it is often seen as part of the problem. Yet I have been enriched and enlightened by my study of other faith traditions because I am convinced that they have much of value to teach us about our predicament in our tragically polarized world.


The Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Trans-cultural Understanding, which is open to nominations from around the world, is a new award from the British Academy. It is named after International Relations scholar, Dr Nayef Al-Rodhan, who is the author of numerous works, including The Role of the Arab-Islamic World in the Rise of the West: Implications for Contemporary Trans-Cultural Relations (2012). This new prize – worth £25,000 and to be awarded annually for five years – is designed to honour outstanding work illustrating the interconnected nature of cultures and civilizations. Dr Nayef Al-Rodhan has said of this prize:

Positive trans-cultural understanding and synergy is not only morally appropriate but also necessary for the sustainable future of our globalized world. The multi-sum security nature of our connected and interdependent world makes such positive interactions an important pre-requisite for trans-cultural security, national security of all states, and the security and stability of the whole global system.”

Sir Adam Roberts, President of the British Academy, will say at the award ceremony on 4 July:

This is the British Academy’s newest and biggest prize, and we are deeply grateful to Nayef Al-Rodhan for having initiated it. Much of the Academy’s work – in a huge range of subjects from classical antiquity to modern politics and international relations – draws attention to the elements of sharing, borrowing and even theft of ideas between different civilizations. The British Academy is delighted to inaugurate this very special prize. A distinguished jury, chaired by Dame Helen Wallace, Foreign Secretary of the Academy, selected the winner. From a large and impressive field they have made a brilliant choice.”

A former Roman Catholic nun, Karen Armstrong is well known for her work on comparative religion. She has drawn attention to the commonalities of the major religions, such as their emphasis on compassion. She rose to prominence in 1993 with her book A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Her substantial body of work (translated into 45 languages) also includes:

Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths (1996).

Islam: A Short History (2000)

Buddha (2000)

The Battle for God: Fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (2000)

The Spiral Staircase: A Memoir (2004)

A Short History of Myth (2005)

The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions (2006)

Muhammad: A Prophet For Our Time (2006)

The Bible: The Biography (2007)

The Case for God: What Religion Really Means (2009)

She has been notably active in bringing together different faith communities to encourage mutual understanding of shared traditions. In 2005, at the inauguration of Alliance of Civilizations, a UN initiative sponsored by the Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey, she was appointed a member of the international High-Level Group that was asked by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to diagnose the causes of extremism and to propose measures to counter it. She is a Trustee of the British Museum and Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

She has received many awards and prizes. In 2008, on receiving the TED Prize, she called for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year (www.charterforcompassion.org). The Charter was written by leading activists and thinkers representing six of the major world faiths: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The Charter has now become a global movement, and is particularly active in Pakistan, the Netherlands, the Middle East and the United States. Armstrong and other activists are now creating a network of “Cities of Compassion”. She has said: “My hope is to ‘twin’ some of these cities, so that a city in the Middle East can twin with one in the USA to exchange news, and encourage email friendships and visits. In Pakistan, we are creating a network of Compassionate Schools to train the leaders of tomorrow, and in September 2012, the Islamic Society of North America endorsed the Charter, making its schools ‘Schools of Compassion’ and urging its mosques to become ‘Compassionate Mosques’.”


PART III-b

Video: Prophet Muhammad’s Compassion, according to Karen Armstrong

 Zia H. Shah MD - Twitter: @ZiahShah1






PART IV-a:

YOUTH:


Muslims gather in Hillsborough, discuss faith's effect on youth

June 29, 2013
(www.tbo.com)
By Kenneth Knight / Tribune Staff

Jenan Kurdi gives a presentation on "Muslim in the Mirror - Your Identity in the Community" on Saturday. ANDY JONES/STAFF


TAMPA - Muslims from throughout the Southeast gathered here Saturday to discuss, among other topics, challenges and opportunities faced by young Americans of Islamic faith.

The conference, the second such meeting in the past two years, was sponsored by the Islamic Society of North America and took place at the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel in eastern Hillsborough County.


A segment of the proceedings focused on self-perceptions of Muslim children and teens.

"This program was important to strengthen their identity and make them proud of who they are," said Hassan Shibly, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
of Florida.


Muslim-American young people in the United States have been bullied and otherwise assaulted for practicing their religion or simply for identifying themselves as Muslim, said Shibly, who moderated the session, "Muslim in the Mirror: Your Identity in the Community."


Shibly said he has spoken with many Muslim adolescents and teenagers about the difficulty of hearing hurtful words and dealing with violent attacks.

The aim of Saturday's workshop was to help young Muslims understand their identity and find a place in society.

"We are trying to break the false narrative expressed by anti-Muslim extremists," Shibly said after the session.

He and guest speakers Moutasem Atiya of Baltimore and Jenan Kurdi of Tampa offered the more than 30 participants - children, teens, parents and other adults - suggested ways to build character, strengthen self-esteem and be proud Muslims.

Atiya described himself as "a comic book geek" when he was a child. He said his appreciation of superheroes Batman and Superman helped him grow in his Muslim faith.

"If I didn't have Batman and Superman in my life, I would not have recognized the messenger of God," said Atiya, a father of three.

He said the fictional superheroes "live" by three principles he admires: morality, sacrifice and making the right choices.

"Clark Kent had morals; he had a defining line of morality," Atiya said. "You have to live it (life) with morality."

Kurdi, a 2002 University of South Florida graduate with a bachelor's degree in biology education and mathematics, stressed the importance of being accountable as Muslims and learning to live by God's laws.

She spoke about the gifts God left for his people: sincerity or purity of intentions, maturity of belief, seeking his help in all cases, and accepting his destiny in all matters.

"Each one of us are responsible," Kurdi said. "You just have to get up and do it. ... You have to take that first step for yourself."

The conference brought together Muslims from Southeastern states, with many of them Tampa Bay area residents.

The Islamic Society of North America's national convention will be in September in Washington D.C., said the organization's executive director, Ahmed M. Elhattab.

The annual convention has alternated between Washington and Chicago. Other cities - Elhattab mentioned Orlando and Detroit - have shown interest in hosting the event.

Shibly said he hopes the success of the Tampa conference in the past two years will enhance the area's chance of holding the national convention here.

kknight@tampatrib.com


Part IV-b

Video: CAIR-OK Hosts Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium
Jun 30, 2013
www.cair.com









Part IV-c

Activism News
Student wins right to display Palestinian flag at Texas graduation
Fidaa Elaydi
The Electronic Intifada



Malak Abdallahi at her graduation. (Photo courtesy of Malak Abdallahi)


Malak Abdallahi had to fight to be allowed carry the Palestinian flag at her graduation ceremony in Texas earlier this month.

She overcame opposition by administrators at the Fossil Ridge High School just outside Fort Worth.

Officially, the school is happy to celebrate the diverse origins of its students by displaying the flags of numerous countries during the graduation procession.

When Abdallahi decided that she wished to have her Palestinian identity recognized during this year’s ceremony, she went first to her vice-principal Buddy Read. He told her that there shouldn’t be any problem with obtaining a Palestinian flag for the event.

A few days later, the vice-principal called her into his office where he informed her that the administrators were not comfortable with her carrying the Palestinian flag. Abdallahi was shocked but did not know how to respond. “I’m not one to argue, and I didn’t want to come off aggressive, immature, or unprofessional,” she said.

Abdallahi decided at that moment that she would fight for her right to represent her homeland, but she needed some time to prepare her response.

Uncomfortable”

She asked Read for an explanation. Read informed her that there was a conflict and that she could not carry the Palestinian flag, she recounted. He explained that her commencement is a public ceremony and that the administrators did not want to make any of the attendees uncomfortable.

He was so uncomfortable and couldn’t look me in the eye,” Abdallahi said. “He offered that I could carry another flag. I told him that if he was trying to suggest Israel, then no thank you.”

After her meeting with Read, a visibly upset Abdallahi was stopped by one of her teachers who inquired about what was bothering her. She recounted the conversation that she had with Read. Her teacher encouraged her to resist the administration’s decision, to involve her parents and reminded her that she, like any other student, deserved the opportunity to carry her country’s flag.

She spoke to her older sister, who had been denied the same opportunity a few years earlier. Her sister suggested that she get in touch with local Palestinian activists who would be willing to help her fight this decision.

A few more of Abdallahi’s teachers learned of the administration’s refusal to let her carry the Palestinian flag and quickly offered their help and encouragement. Her boxing coach encouraged her to bring this issue before the head principal David Hadley.

She informed Read that she was appealing his decision to Hadley.

Asked for a comment, Read told The Electronic Intifada that the “only obstacle” to accommodating Abdallahi was a question of “how do we interpret the combination of allowing the student to represent her heritage versus what the political climate is.”

Read admitted that “my initial answer” to Abdallahi’s request was “no.” He added: “I didn’t feel strongly about it. I was simply going on my interpretation of the district rules.”

Read said that he provided advice to Abdallahi on how she could appeal against his decision. “I applauded her for her perseverance for pressing this on,” he said.

Abdallahi worked with a local Palestinian activist to draft a letter to Hadley. She tried on several occasions to make an appointment to meet with Hadley but didn’t receive one.

Finally, she emailed Hadley directly. Hadley replied that he would speak with her the next day.

I cornered him on Monday and entered his office,” she says. “I didn’t want to come off as stubborn, but I needed [the administration] to understand how important this is and that other students would make requests to carry other flags too.”

We’ll deal with it”

Abdallahi told him that US foreign policy should not define which students are permitted to participate in the flag ceremony and insisted that students from all backgrounds be entitled to equal treatment, whether they be from North Korea or an indigenous American tribal nation.

Hadley replied that the school’s administrators had met earlier that morning and discussed if the Palestinian flag should be included in the procession. Hadley told her that there was a particular individual who was especially opposed to Palestine being represented. The person’s opposition was based on the United States’ political decision not to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state.

Abdallahi told Hadley that she was being denied her right to self-expression and being targeted because of one person’s narrow-minded views.

Hadley assured her that he would make his decision based solely on the high school’s mission and eventually agreed to have Palestine represented at the ceremony. “We will buy you a flag and if someone gets upset, we’ll deal with it,” he said, according to Abdallahi. “It’s your graduation and you have a right to represent your heritage.”

Abdallahi was overjoyed. “I cried. I felt so Palestinian. You can go to Palestine or any other place and eat their food and breathe their air, but it’s not until you do something in their name that you feel that pride.”

And so, Abdallahi marched through the Fort Worth Convention Center on 8 June, carrying the Palestinian flag. It was a small victory but not an insignificant one.

Editor’s note: this article was originally published under an incorrect byline. It has since been corrected.

Fidaa Elaydi is a Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) activist and law student.

Sami Kishawi contributed to this report.


Part V:

Freedom in hijab
by Te-Erika Patterson
Source: huffingtonpost.com/
July 2, 2013

What does a ‘real’ woman look like? Is it in the curve of her hips or the price of her Manolo’s? Is it the way she styles her hair or the allure of her eyes peeking behind Chanel sunglasses?

Because the Western world’s expression of feminine beauty lends itself to the promotion of less clothing equating to more freedom, Muslim women and their fully covered frocks are often viewed as oppressive and diminishing.

There is a distinct difference between being pretty and beautiful yet, for two women who are devoted Muslims, their beauty has everything to do with their choice to cover themselves.

Afshan Rehman, a 25-year-old psychology student in Illinois daydreams about helping women to heal their wounds. She also enjoys playing ‘Dare’ with her friends and is not known to back down from one. One thing she wouldn’t dare do, is reveal her body to strangers, going against the custom introduced by her Muslim religion, one that she says has made all the difference in her positive self-image.

When I am out in public, I am my own person,” Rehman said. “I am truly an individual when I walk out of my home dressed in the Islamic clothing because I am not like the majority of the people who are wearing one fashion trend after another.”

The hijab, abayah, and niqab are the three pieces that usually construct the female Islamic wardrobe. The hijab is the head scarf, the abayah is a one piece long, loose clothing that covers everything from the neck to the toes and the niqab is the veil that covers your face. Rehman was introduced to traditional Islamic wear in stages. She first began wearing the hijab when she was in the fourth grade.

I had just transferred schools and was the only Muslim in the entire public school,” Rehman recalled. “I was scared at first but also proud that I would be able to represent my religion in such a way. I started wearing the abayah in sixth grade. I felt free. Just a few months after, I started to wear the niqab and it was the best decision I have ever made in my life.”

Although Rehman states she feels free behind her veil, not everyone in her life agrees with her wardrobe choice — some of her family members who are Muslim believe her way of dressing is outdated and embarrassing.

There was this one incident where I had gone out with one of my cousins, we are not very close, and she literally ignored me when we were at the mall,” Rehman remembered. “She would act like I was someone she didn’t know. It was truly sad on her part and on mine. She didn’t have the confidence to be seen with me in public, and I did not have the confidence to confront her about her actions.”

Rehman does not fault the Western world for their perception of who she is under her hijab. She believes that it is only human nature to be afraid of things that are different. “People automatically think that someone else is making us do what we are doing, therefore the idea that we are oppressed was formed,” Rehman said.

In Pakistan, a far cry from the initiators of the Western idea of beauty that has set the standard for beauty worldwide, you might find 22-year-old Saher Binte Haider’s face covered by pharmacy books as she studies to become a healthcare professional. A devoted cat lover, Haider lovingly defends her choice to wear Islamic clothing citing several benefits of wearing her veil.

The majority of Muslim women in our country are wearing it by their own choice,” Haider said. “They are not forced to do so by their fathers, brothers or husbands. It also gives me great pleasure when I think that I am not a market product who every other man enjoys looking at, remarking and discussing about my body. The only one who has a right to look at my body is the person who will be my husband and only he will have the right to get pleasure by looking at it. No one else.”

Haider chose to wear the abaya and scarf at the onset of her teenage years, inspiring her own mother to begin wearing it. “At that time, the reason to wear Islamic clothing for me was not merely to please Allah, but to stop men from staring at my body because that made me feel insecure, uncomfortable and unsafe,” Haider admitted. “I lost my confidence. Wearing my veil gave me my confidence back.”

 For the complete article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/teerika-patterson/the-winners-circle-i-am-a_b_3484321.html


THE END