The Sacrifice of our Sisters

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The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/02/01 at 14:24:39
Asalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi, wa Barakatuh,

If I make it all the way through writing this without sobbing uncontrollably it will be a miracle...

I have only been a Muslim for about 4 months, and up until now, have been going to the masjid in "Western" dress (no, not dressed like a cowboy, you know what I mean...). Today, I decided I was going to the masjid in the thobe I purchased a week ago.  I have a two-car garage and my truck is always parked on the far side. So the first thing I did was to go out early and move the truck over to the NEAR side. Then when it was time to to for Jumuah, I lowered my gaze and HAULED BUTT into the garage. The whole way driving to the masjid I kept thinking, ok, just don't get into an accident, just don't get pulled over by the cops, just hope the truck doesn't break down so no one as to see me wearing this...

A while back I read something, can't remember if it was written by a brother or sister, but someone was talking about how they saw a group of Muslims at the beach, and the brothers were pumping and flexing on the beach in their Speedos while the sisters were sitting in the sand, no umbrella in full Muslim clothing, black, sweating profusely.  Who were the real Muslims here?

What's my point? After going out dressed as a true Muslim today and knowing what that feels like, JUST TO GET TO THE MASJID AND BACK, I have just the SMALLEST idea of what courage it takes for my sisters to go out, EVERY DAY, wearing hijab.  And brothers, before you starting ragging on the Muslimahs about why they don't wear hijab, make sure your checking yourSELF out in the mirror first, and I don't mean just throwing on a thobe for salat. How many of us BROTHERS go to work, or to the mall, or TO THE BEACH every day, wearing what the Prophet (saws) wore???  I am of course talking about in the West here, where you might as well be walking around wearing a space suit if you are dressed like a true Muslim.

So to my sisters I say, on Yawma Qiyamah, if Allah says to any brother who strutted around in Levi's for his life, and Allah ta'ala says to him, oh my slave, I will give you 10 rewards for such and such a deed, that brother should say, Oh my Rabb, if it be Your Will, I will keep one reward AND GIVE THE OTHER 9 TO MY SISTERS WHO WORE HIJAB AND SUFFERED FOR IT.

Today, it just so happened that we had a guest Imam from the Global Relief Foundation give the Khutbah.  I will not torture you with the many stories he told us, but I will tell you two (and I am crying already...)

The first was about a Russian commander who was searching a village (I think it was Chechnya, I was already a wreck by the time he got to this story) for Muhajideen (I might have spelled that incorrectly). So, he ordered the inhabatants of one house to come out--a father, mother and 10-year old girl. He asked the family where the son was, the suspected "rebel". When the family said they had no son, the commander grabbed the 10-year old girl, raped her in front of the family, then laid her on the ground and had a tank run her over.

The second story was about a sister, and this I believe was in Afghanistan.  Soldiers tore off her clothing and gang-raped her, then took her up in a helicopter and threw her, naked, from the helicopter into the middle of the village, for her parents, and brothers to see.

My dear sisters and brothers, I can tell you that when I got home, I took my time walking to my house, in thobe and prayer cap. I wanted my whole neighborhood to see how I was dressed.

Our sisters sacrifice so much... I can't even finish this.......

So, I ask you: brothers go easy on the sisters who are struggling with this decision regarding hijab, and better yet, make the first move and begin to dress like a Muslim yourself.  Sisters, words cannot express how much I admire you and what you go through for the sake of Allah.

And I beg you all, to visit GRF's web site - www.grf.org - and give whatever you can to help our brothers and sisters.  As the imam said, our Ummah is like one body, and when the body is sick, or it is injured, the whole body feels the pain.

Do you feel the pain my brothers and sisters? I may not have before today, but I do now...

Wassalam.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
se7en
03/02/01 at 14:32:48
amazing post, bro i'm speechless..
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
jannah
03/02/01 at 14:37:27
yeah bro that was a great post ma'shallah!! so brothers out there.. marry hijabiis aiite or ppl trying to be hijabis b/c they already know how to do jihad and will be able to put up with you :)
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Saleema
03/02/01 at 14:41:57
Assalam ualykum,

Hey, I admire you! for saying all that and expressing how you feel in such moving words.

wassalam,
Saleema and may Allah bless you.

Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
bhaloo
03/02/01 at 14:42:42
slm

Definitely, mad props to the sisters out there, they have to go through a lot.

Have you been following the news and listening to the horrors that happened in Kosova, the rape camps?  Its horrible what were done to Muslims, or what about the children of Iraq.  Have you seen the pictures of deformed babies due to radiation from weapons used by the coalition (U232 shells).  Or how about Indonesia, where there were 180 (mostly Muslims) massacared last weekend, and hundreds (maybe thousands) in recent months.  I have seen pictures from there and its so difficult to look at them, people's hands and legs cut off, bodies burned, unspeakable horrors.
NS
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/02/01 at 15:13:27
Bhaloo, I know, my home page is Islam-online.net, and it always has the latest news in the Islam world, and there are days (like today) I can barely get through the headlines without wanting to just sit on the floor with my head in my hands and cry.  What I want to know is, how, in a world where 1 out of 4 people are Muslim, can this be allowed to happen?  We all have a lot to say about Bani Israel, but I am starting to fear that we are becoming the "new" Bani Israel... We better get our act together...

I'M SO DEPRESSED!!!! :-(
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Moe
03/02/01 at 15:29:11
[slm]
Definitely, mad props to the sisters out there, they have to go through a lot. Bro's dont have to go through much. i will take you advice Jannah and when i marry i will marry a  hijabi. :)

Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
PacificBreeze
03/02/01 at 15:45:57
assalaamu alaikum wr wb,
wow, masha'allah akh daud that was beautifully written! :) awesome awesome awesome and good reminders! :)
may Allah make all of us united and strong for His cause ameen!

props not only to the muhajibaats but also to those practicing bros who also make their islamic identity clear by wearing islamic outfits on campus, at the stores, outside wherever or occaisionally in public..masha'allah..i don't know if they understand the powerful msg they send out..and the support it represents to the muhajibahs masha'allah.. :)

regarding marriage with hijabis..that was really a good pt to bring up..hearing from the sisters, it seems like alot of bros are shy about marrying a muhajibah..or afraid it's too much for their families etc..or just not interested to..

masha'allah akh daud, you're pretty spiffy! :)
wa salaamua alaikum wr wb
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Mona
03/02/01 at 16:30:39
Assalamu Alaikum,

Its astounding how horrors like these cannot get past the blind eye & deaf ear of western media...

Few weeks ago, our khateeb at the Juma' prayers mentioned that according to the latest U.N. census, the Chechen population now consists of only 5% men...they have been wiped out by Russian mass murderers...
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
BrKhalid
03/02/01 at 16:41:05
Asalaamu Alaikum ;-)

May Allah reward us all for the sacrifices we make and may Allah help our Brothers and Sisters in difficulty.

Wonderful wonderful post Br Daud
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Saleema
03/02/01 at 16:55:33
Assalam ualykum,

don't be depressed, it makes me even more depressed to know that someone is feeling depressed about the same things as me.  :(

and speaking of marrying muhajibas, when people ask my mom if they know any girls that are available for marriage, the first thing they want to know is if she wears hijab, if she does, then they don't want her for their son. and it makes me so angry! cuz me and my mom cover and they have the nerve to ask my mom such a question!

):(

wassalam,
Saleema
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
BrKhalid
03/02/01 at 17:05:51
Asalaamu Alaikum ;-)

[quote]when people ask my mom if they know any girls that are available for marriage, the first thing they want to know is if she wears hijab, if she does, then they don't want her for their son[/quote]

People dismiss a Sister because she wears Hijab???

We are living in some crazy times!
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/02/01 at 17:09:21
So I guess these mothers would rather their son marry a woman who goes out in public in nothing but her underwear?  Is it any wonder the world is in the state it is? Isn't there a hadith about the Prophet being asked about the signs of the Last Day, and it was something like when the musicians and drinkers of wine are idolised?

Seen MTV lately???

Personally (and I am going to get in a lot of trouble for this on many levels, but as Saleema pointed out, I am as honest as they come) I think the hijabiis look every exotic and mysterious-YES, YES, I KNOW I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING, GIMME A BREAK, I'VE ONLY BEEN A MUSLIM FOR 4 MONTHS AND I WAS AN ANIMAL FOR 41 YEARS!!!

And oddly enough, they all look HAPPY...

Wassalam.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
meraj
03/02/01 at 17:55:59
slm,

wow... subhanallah... br daud, like everyone else said, that was defenitely an awesome post :)

and yeah, mad props to all the sisters out there who do wear hijaab... i got tons and tons of respect for ya... and thats why a little while back i decided that if i every saw a hijaabi being harassed/bothered, i would stick up for them... as a muslim bro, i feel its part of my duty to do so... so if anyone decides to mess with a sister, then imma mess that punk up ;-D

and yeah true br daud... the ummah has to get its act straightened out like now, cause every single one of will stand in front of Allah on that Day and have to tell Him why we didnt stick up for and support our brothers and sisters.

POWAH TO THA (MUSLIM ;-D ) PEOPLE!!!

man... subhanallah... i feel alive now ;-D
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
bhaloo
03/02/01 at 17:58:55
slm

[quote]mad props to all the sisters out there [/quote]

Copyright Bhaloo 2001 ? :)  No its ok, I'll let you people use my phrases.  ;)
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
PacificBreeze
03/02/01 at 20:17:33
[quote]slm,

i got tons and tons of respect for ya... and thats why a little while back i decided that if i every saw a hijaabi being harassed/bothered, i would stick up for them... as a muslim bro, i feel its part of my duty to do so... so if anyone decides to mess with a sister, then imma mess that punk up ;-D

[/quote]

duuude,
there we go, meraj! :)
that's REAL islamic spirit n brotherhood! how the muslim bros should really act like! :) i know one bro who i knew since he was a kid..said the same to me..and that's just really awesome masha'allah..b/c that's how all muslim bros should act...honor their ikhwaats, and protect them.. :) defenders of faith and muslims! :)

i was trying to look for that 'where are the USA bros' thread but to no avail..just wanted to mention though that a night ago..i had came out of night class..and my sister wasn't there to pick me up yet..so i was waiting for a long while..past 1030pm..and masha'allah out of the blue, this one bro from a distance salaamed me and asked me if i needed a ride (ofcourse i said jazakallahu khairan but it's ok sis is on the way etc)..and then asked if i'd like him to wait with me..again i declined that it was ok..since alhamdulillah i didn't feel scared or anything..but that was verrrry verrry kind and cool masha'allah for a bro to do!! :)
aghhh ok i have to leave..sorry if this sounds funny...mom's after me..can't concentrate while typing lol..going out.
ws
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
UmmZaid
03/02/01 at 20:42:46
Daud:

Don't ever get so jaded that you stop crying when you see these images or hear these stories.  

I go crazy when I hear stuff like this.  I get so angry, like why aren't we doing anything about this suffering?  Why does the media ignore it, or worse, lie about it?  I about died when I started learning the TRUTH about Palestine and the suffering of the Palestinian people.  They pay lip service to it on the news, with a story here and there about it, but they never *REALLY* tell you how... just ... subhan'Allah.  

I hated seeing Muhammad al Durra's death being replayed and replayed over and over, on every poster in every masjid and Arabic store.  Because, really, what does hanging up a picture of a 12 yr old kid's death do to remedy the injustice that caused his death?  Maybe it just makes us feel better about us not doing anything.

I had a point, but now I lost it, b/c I am upset again.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/03/01 at 10:30:15
Saraji Umm Zaid:

I know, it is so frustrating, because so many of us rant and rave about DOING SOMETHING, but why isn't anything being done? And I am certainly including myself here, sure I "donate to the cause" but if we were all true to the deen we would be quitting our jobs, leaving the comfort of our cushy western lives, and traveling to Kosovo, and Chechnya, and Palistine, and Tajikistan, and Afghanistan and Malaysia AND DOING SOMETHING!!!

I'm ashamed to even call myself a Muslim sometimes, I am so disgusted at my own weakness and lack of effort.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Zara
03/03/01 at 10:38:19
Salaams br. Daud

Your post was soo heart rending.:-(  Alhumdulillah!

May Allah subhanahu wa at'aala guide us
all along the straight path - insha'allah.

don't be depressed.

Wasalaam

Zara

Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
zakk
03/03/01 at 10:58:17
slm
I love it I love it.
And yeah ppl do reject hijabis, happened to me & other ppl many many many many times.
But then you finally get someone who is cool with it. ;)
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Kathy
03/03/01 at 20:05:56
slm

A teacher called me yesterday to tell me about a "problem" the school was having.

The public health nurse was sending a couple of healthcare workers to the Kindergartners to talk about asthma.

The school nurse was concerned because when the public healthcare workers arrived- they were hijabis.
She did not know if the kids would be able to "handle it" ( for whatever that means)

The kids had no problem and never were concerned over their lecturers scarf or appearence. The school nurse was surprised.

The teacher wasn't. She knew I had volunteered in her classroom all last fall....
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
KB
03/04/01 at 00:34:36
Salam
My mom always tells me to say a
"Allahuma aya dil Islam wal Muslimeen" which means "Oh Allah help Islam and the Muslims" whenever I get upset about what is happening to our deen or to Muslims.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
meraj
03/04/01 at 01:05:12
slm,

very true KB...

and welcome aboard :) anjoy your stay :) and please do introduce yourself in the bebzi stand ;-D
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
UmmZaid
03/04/01 at 03:28:10
Daud:

I hear you man.  There have been times when I am ready to pack up and head out to Sheshan or to Afghanistan or something.  LOL and then I remember I won't get far b/c I'm a Muslim lady with a husband and two kids.  So the way that I try to do my part is through writing, the kind that they call "consciousness raising."  

But in a way that gets tired.  I mean, I don't know how many pleas I have written about giving money to demining efforts in Afghanistan (most heavily mined country in the world... see, here I go)... and I feel like... why? I don't think that people are sufficiently moved that they are going out to donate to ICBL or the red cross / crescent...

So this past winter, a group of sisters and I have started a group, and we are dedicating ourselves to researching, writing, and then proposing action in regards to the rights of Muslim women around the world.  Sort of like a think tank, or a human rights group I suppose.  It's been going pretty well so far, one sister is involved in domestic violence work, another does reach out work with Muslimas in prison (yes, they are out there, and most of them are Muslim when they go *in*).  My sister in law knows the woman in Jordan who has been instrumental in trying to change the laws about punishing so-called "honor killers" (b/c there is no "honor" in this crime), and insha'Allah, she will get me in touch with her soon. I hope to work with her when I go to Jordan.  
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
PacificBreeze
03/04/01 at 5:55:49 PM
umm zaid:
assalaamu alaikum..
can you tell me more about this group? can others join? etc etc?
wa salaamu alaikum
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/06/01 at 08:11:17
AAwRwB,

I had an interesting discussion with a brother yesterday who was saying all our efforts are misplaced and wasted; the "jihad", the political efforts, the fundraising, etc. His stand is that, we will continue to be abused, oppressed and mistreated until we return to our deen. He says that he feels everything the Muslims are suffering right now is their own fault because we've strayed from the deen.

I am not saying I agree or disagree, just wanted to pass along his comment.

Wassalam.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
bhaloo
03/06/01 at 09:29:04
slm

Yes, I agree with that brother Daud.

Quran 13:11
For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession before and behind him: they guard him by command of Allah.   Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment there can be no turning it back nor will they find besides Him any to protect.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/06/01 at 11:21:21
Masha Allah, Arshad.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Al-Basha
03/07/01 at 01:11:44
[slm]


[quote]AAwRwB,

I had an interesting discussion with a brother yesterday who was saying all our efforts are misplaced and wasted; the "jihad", the political efforts, the fundraising, etc.
[/quote]

Well what about fundraising for Muslimeen in those countries like Palestine, and Sheeshan? I mean a lot of those families need the $$$ to get medical help etc. I don't think we should knock fundraising, I mean I know some of the techniques used to get $$$ can be outlandish but sometimes ppl need a little convincing to dip into their pockets. Our masajid here are not funded by the govt like in the "Muslim" countries, so we have to fund the Masjid otherwise we won't have a place to pray at.

Wa Allahu A3laam
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/07/01 at 08:36:47
AAwRwB,

I don't think he was really knocking funraising per se, I think his point really was, rather than us all running around yelling jihad, jihad!!! and frothing at the mouth towards our "enemies", we should be realising that everything that is happening to us has been predicted in the Quran and Sunnah, and we need to look at ourselves and how we are keeping (or not) to our deen. I don't think he was saying don't give to Islamic charities, because after all charity is enjoined on us. I think he was really saying before we all get revved up to go kill the Isreali's et. al., we should reflect on why this is happening to us.

Wassalam.

Daud
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Ikani
03/07/01 at 13:24:27
Assalamu alaikum,
I think it's time we asked all those people condemning Islam for 'trying to deprive women of their freedom' who exactly is trampling on the rights of muslim 'sisters in the hoods'?
Personally I think if guys can put on suits that cover up all the unsightly flabs and look corporate when they're out, then the hijab doing the same for ladies is just as cool.
Re: The Sacrifice of our Sisters
Daud
03/07/01 at 14:03:31
Yeah, it's pretty incredible that we'll don a suit and strangle ourselves with a "power tie" in the name of money, power and fame, but when it comes to the worship and servitude of Allah, we're like, "YOU WANT ME TO WEAR WHAT?!?!?"


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