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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Kathy |
| 03/31/05 at 23:02:08 |
| [slm] Just got an e-mail from our local MSA. They are having an Islamic Awareness Week with a diferent speaker each night and asked me to speak. What would a bunch of college 'kids' want to know/ listen to, from a middle aged momma? [quote]As an American Muslim convert, we feel as though you will be able to help promote a better understanding of Islamic ideals to non-Muslim students, especially regarding the beauty and allure of Islam. [/quote] Please tell me what you would like to hear me speak about? |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| jannah |
| 04/01/05 at 00:27:20 |
| slm, i'll tell u the number #1 thing kids that age wanna hear about.. marriage and how to get married :P |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| jannah |
| 04/01/05 at 00:48:05 |
| wlm, my bad... thought it was for the msa crowd... for nonmuslims... talk about muslim women and their rights!!! i have an outline if ur interested... |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Caraj |
| 04/01/05 at 01:56:32 |
| Kathy, the things I had misunderstandings about that actually wow'ed me when I learned different are: 1) Allah is the arabic word for God. I thought it was some weird false god like an egyptian or other mythical god type. 2) The hijab being a modesty issues not an oppressed issue. 3) This one really wow'ed me, The beliefs in the same prophets the Christians believe in, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Noah, and that Muslims believe in Jesus virgin birth and return. 4) Jihad means struggle not war, and we all know there are all types of struggles. 5)What are actually said in prayers (the english translation) 6) Not to believe what one hears in the media, learn for yourself. It is no different than taking classes in college you'll never use, but are required for your degree and help make you a more rounded student. Learning another belief does not have to be for conversion, But ignorance breeds fear and fear breeds hatred. If one learns other beliefs the right way, one has better understanding of them. Does this make sense Kathy? I know what I mean just not sure I am putting it into words that make sense. 7) Jannah's one about womens rights in Islam. |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Fozia |
| 04/01/05 at 03:26:12 |
| [quote author=azizah link=board=madrasa;num=1112328128;start=0#4 date=04/01/05 at 01:56:32] 3) This one really wow'ed me, The beliefs in the same prophets the Christians believe in, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Noah, and that Muslims believe in Jesus virgin birth and return. [/quote] [slm] This one totally floored my staunch Catholic colleague too. She was like 'And what about Zachariah and John and......' She was in her late 20's though. Very interesting to see she wasn't the only one who found the information astounding. Wassalaam |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Caraj |
| 04/01/05 at 12:01:07 |
| Kathy, another idea I had was have a few examples of Islam and Cultural. How some things are culture and not Islamic. Example Hijab= Islam=modesty opression=culture=man made rules |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Angelic |
| 04/01/05 at 15:29:27 |
| We are living in a world these days that is in social disorder and conflict and young people are becoming more and more confused about life now and don't really understand what's happening around them and how to achieve individual growth. I would want to hear about how the world got to this place through lack of guidance and what solutions God has revealed in Islam. Young people want to know reality and how they can make a difference, what in Islam will help them do that. |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| modesty |
| 04/01/05 at 15:49:35 |
| [slm] Thinking back to what my mindset was "back in the day", strangely equating hijab with modesty did not do much for me in my early years of learning. (Ironic isn't it considering my board nic :) -- subhanallah how far we have come) What did catch my attention was equating hijab with female empowerment. Reminders that hijab is firstly about our relationship with Allah as it is one of the signs of a believing woman as mentioned in the Quran. Feminism at its best ;) |
| 04/01/05 at 15:52:36 |
| modesty |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| MIT |
| 04/03/05 at 05:07:02 |
| assalaamu alaikum If those issues listed above were what made you interested in converting then the "why i became a muslim" would be nice too. |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| sal |
| 04/04/05 at 04:14:12 |
| Most young people think Islam is against freedom and strict faith There are two things the young people do not want to give up and also think a condition to be a Moslem Tell them who want to be Moslems without HIJAB and those who want to still dance and sing let them do it. It is not a basic requirement to stop them from being Moslems or reverting Time will teach them later |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| Kathy |
| 04/04/05 at 21:21:12 |
| [slm] I thought I would take your ideas and I lumped them into a topic I called "The Allure of Islam" Keeping in mind that college kids are into marriage talk and the spiritualness of the Islamic religion that attracted me to it. After all there were two dynamics. Other than the glory of the religion, there was the factor that I was indeed attracted to Muslims in different ways... especially the men. After hanging out and dating and finding most American men were into the bar/party scene in college, it was refreshing to see family oriented drug free, alcohol free single Muslim men. So I presented this idea to the MSA secretary... and they were so not into it! They really want a kind of speech like " Why in the world did an American woman want to become a Muslim?" A feminist approach. So with this in mind... what topics should I approach? & Yes ~jannah! send me your outline! |
| Re: What Would You be Interesed in Hearing? |
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| jannah |
| 04/05/05 at 00:42:48 |
| slm, k here's my usual women in islam outline when i'm asked to do a speech on it: Peace be unto you, Thought I'd start out with a story… wal-mart old lady 'you're free now' story. Which brings me to my topic tonight on Women's Rights in Islam and their Equality. Don't need the US government to tell us we're free. We have been for the last 1400 years. 4 aspects 1. Spiritual 2. Economic 3. Social 4. Political & Legal If have time discuss ideal versus reality. *Islam vs. Culture - diversity of Cultural Practices among Muslims. To identify what is "Islamic" go back to primary sources. The Quran, authentic traditions, body of scholarship from scholars. Spiritually - In the Quran both men and women have the same human spiritual nature, both created from Nafsin waahidah. (compare to other traditions that were still discussing if women had souls!) - Both genders inherent dignity, trustees of God on earth. - Quran does not blame woman for 'fall of man' or pregnancy and childbirth as punishments. Equally responsible for their sin in the Garden - Men and women have the same religious and moral duties and responsibilities ie prayer, fasting - 'Superiority' in Islam based upon 'piety' not gender. 'Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.' Quran 49:13 - Equality of reward for equal deeds. 'If any do deeds of righteousness, be they male or female, and have faith, they will enter paradise and not the least injustice will be done to them.' 'For them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.' Quran 33:35 - 'Women are but sisters twin halves of men' Hadith - est. human equality between genders. - Kindness care and respect towards women in general 'I commend you to be kind to women' Ras saw. Economic Rights - Women have the right to possess independent property of their own - her money her own - can buy sell, lease at will. (have traditionally kept their maiden names after marriage) - Financial security assured - father, then husband responsible, - Mahr economic protection in case of divorce and some leverage in controlling man's power of divorce. - Right of inheritance (other traditions women themselves being inherited!) maybe less than men b/c of responsibilities - Legitimacy and maintenance for their children, automatic custody of the children when they are young, child support - The right to work if they need or want it ie Umm Shifaa marketplace supervisor Caliph Omar, Khadija businesswoman - Muslim women known throughout history as benefactors, build schools, learning institutions, infrastructure, ie Zubaidah Socially - Islam ended practice of female infanticide and unwelcoming attitude of parents towards daughters. 'When the female (infant) buried alive is questioned for what crime she was killed' Quran 81:8-9 - Parents must show support and kindness and justice to their daughters - The right and duty to obtain education "Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim" hadith. - Right to refuse any marriage that does not please them - The right to obtain divorce (allowed in Islam) from their husbands, even on the grounds that they can't stand them (Mawdudi) - The right to negotiate marriage terms of their choice - Kind and considerate treatment to wives 'The best of you is the best to his family' Prophet saw - Marital disputed must resolve them in fairness and mutual consultation down to weaning of the children - Under no circumstances does the Quran encourage, allow or condone family violence or physical abuse. - Proper modesty for males and females divinely based guidelines with legitimate aims and divine wisdom, not male - imposed or socially imposed restrictions - Total seclusion of women is alien to the prophetic period. They prayed, went on pilgrimage, learning teaching, in the market place in the discussion of public issues, in the battlefield. - Note about polygyny (not the norm) already existed, Islam limited and restricted with conditions, etc. Legal and Political - Equality before the law. Justice is genderless. - Right to testify and give evidence, even be judges - Right to vote - The right to participate fully in public life and have their voices heard by those in power - choice of rulers, in public issues, in lawmaking, in administrative positions, in scholarship and teaching, even in the battlefield. - Freedom of expression - No text precludes women from any position of leadership (except prayer due to it's format) - Aisha gave verdicts and taught people. Ideal versus reality - Famous Muslim women in history 1. The history of Muslims is rich with women of great achievements in all walks of life from as early as the seventh century (B.C.) 2. It is impossible for anyone to justify any mistreatment of woman by any decree of rule embodied in the Islamic Law, nor could anyone dare to cancel, reduce, or distort the clear-cut legal rights of women given in Islamic Law. 3. Throughout history, the reputation, chastity and maternal role of Muslim women were objects of admiration by impartial observers. There has to be an end to the denial and more attention to the very real injustices that Muslim women are suffering right now. - Muslim women oppressed? Yes but not b/c of Islam. Both men and women oppressed. - Justify the injustices to women by supporting religiously flavored cultural arguments - need to go back to primary sources - Fail to see numerous positive aspects in Muslim societies, instead of painting a stereotypical picture of Muslim women - Normative teachings of Islam do give women rights and happiness, doesn't have to be same as the West. - Farewell pilgrimage talks about not taking away women's rights later on |
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