Nicolas Sarkozy: burqa not welcome in France

See...thats why France was crossed off my list of places to go...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090622/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_sarkozy_burqa

Enlightening the Clothes-Minded

by Selena Roberts

How does she do it? In the face of triple teams, with defenders all but linking their arms like paper dolls, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is able to exploit the limited daylight she gets and average 42 points a game.

How does she do it? Passing Rebecca Lobo's 17-year-old Massachusetts high school mark of 2,710 career points is about as easy as bumping Julie Andrews off the hilltop, and yet Bilqis graciously eclipsed the legend in January on her way to becoming the first player in state history -- male or female -- to score 3,000 points.

How does she do it? For the last four seasons --beginning one year after her 43-point varsity debut as, yes, an eighth-grader -- the 5-foot-3 1/2 Bilqis has played for New Leadership Charter School in Springfield in full Muslim dress, arms and legs covered beneath her uniform, wearing a head scarf, or hijab.

Bilqis doesn't mind remarks rooted in curiosity; it's the questions out of ignorance that she meets with a confident rejection. "When some people come at me with, 'Oh, is that a tablecloth on your head?' -- it's like, really, don't," Bilqis (pronounced Bill-KEACE) said last Thursday, the day she ended her high school career with 51 of the Wildcats' 57 points in a regional Division III quarterfinals playoff loss. "If you're going to have that kind of question, don't ask me. But some people are truly honest in asking a question, like, 'Oh, I don't want to be rude, but why do you wear that?' That's the kind of question I'd rather answer."

So let's get the obvious out of the way: No, the perpetual motion point guard doesn't melt under her extra apparel. She ditched cotton a couple of years ago after discovering the blissful wicking power of Under Armour. "Saved my life," she says with a laugh. Since her freshman season Bilqis, the youngest of eight children in a bustling Muslim household in Springfield -- birthplace of basketball, site of her first Nerf hoop dunk at age three -- has not revealed a bare leg or biceps on the court. "In eighth grade, I wasn't covered," she says. "I looked like everybody else." The wardrobe transformation was by rule more than choice: Upon reaching puberty, an Islamic woman must cover herself in public, requiring Bilqis to endure the last thing next to acne an adolescent wants. The dreaded square peg.

"It really wasn't a decision. I had to," she says. "I had to get used to it, no matter how hard it was for me. I know the first few weeks in school kind of tested me."

It was still post-9/11. It was still preenlightenment. Some nights on the floor in visiting gyms, she would hear the catcalls derived from the fear of the unknown, shouted in stupidity: "Terrorist!" But slowly, the more heads she turned with her step-back threes and her sleights of hand, the more minds Bilqis opened. This wasn't grudging tolerance but joyous acceptance of an exceptional player and student. Not only does she possess a cashmere-soft touch and flinty defensive skills, but she's also on the honor roll, with an interest in premed and the stomach for the Discovery Health Channel. ("I'm good with the scalpel scenes," she says.) Bilqis has been embraced for all she is. With 1:23 to go before halftime on Feb. 17, the Wildcats' game was stopped for 10 minutes as the home crowd cheered her 3,000th point.

But such acceptance is hardly universal. It didn't go unnoticed to Bilqis last month when Shahar Peer, a Jewish tennis player from Israel, was denied a visa at the last minute for a WTA tournament in Dubai. In an instant that city, which is so Westernized it can seem like a gilded Disney of the desert, took a major step backward by entwining religion and sports.

"I really feel it shouldn't be that way," Bilqis says. "It shouldn't matter what god they believe in ... or what they do religiously during the day ... or what they have on their head. The question is, Can you play?"

Yes, she can. Bilqis is expected to become the first Islamic player in NCAA Division I history to take the basketball court in full dress when she starts her college career next fall on scholarship at Memphis. That's a long three from Springfield, far from the siblings and schoolmates who support her. "[My family] tells me, 'If you have to cry, cry and let it out,' " she says. "They say, 'Call home, talk it out.' " Bilqis has already found a little bit of home in Memphis, locating a mosque five minutes from campus. Still, she is about to enter the big time, in arenas packed with thousands instead of gyms with four-row risers. She'll be unmistakable.
That's Bilqis, in the hijab. It's the blur you see on her head fake to the basket. How does she do it? That's how.

A note about today's (12/19) khutbah

The Following is an email exchange from a sister and I regarding last weeks Jummah Khutbah. The Khatib and Sister will remain anonymous.

Salaam Khalil,

InshaAllah you are doing well. Keep me posted about the Jummu'ah location inshaAllah. After the khutbah my friend and I discussed the khutbah and I wanted to share our points with you inshaAllah:

1. Women being 'flirtatious' - we both understand the authenticated hadith of our Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) about women being described as fitna, but it is important to note the responsibility of modesty and lowering the gaze falls on both men and women. We felt that its as if women are grouped into the temptations of men when he mentioned similarly alcohol and money, etc.

2. Men having trouble with sexual desire - it is a fact that men may have a more difficult time in this area, but it is important to also address the sisters in this and all matters of struggle.

That's basically it. :) The khutbah overall was well put, mashaAllah, we were just thrown off by his comments about women and their fitna status...Allah knows best.

JazakhaAllahkhayr,



My response:

Wa Alaikum assalaam,

Alhamdulillah, all is well with me. I'm sorry to say but I missed most of the Khutbah! The one day out the year that I'm late and I miss the controversial one ;-) J/k.

So, from what you tell me, I can probably guess exactly how his khutbah went and which hadith/ayah he probably cited (or would have cited). So, I'll give you my 2 cents within a few points:

1. As Muslims, we should always see the woman in an elevated status. There are numerous hadith that honor the role of the mother and the woman. When you begin to place your women in the light of "fitnah" and take hadith out of context (which I'm almost sure he didn't give the context or else you wouldn't have been offended)...then you are straying away from the message of Islam.

2. If it were not for women (wives of the Prophet) we would not have much of the hadith that we study. Hows that for your fitnah.

3. Let's understand the definition of this word...Fitnah comes from the root word fa-ta-na which means to turn away from...and in harsher definitions it refers to oppression and torment. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And fight against them until there is no more Fitnah and all worship is devoted to God alone..." (8:39)

Looking at the context of the word within this ayah we see that the "Fitnah" was something/someone who took the Believers away from the worship of G-d. This was early in the Prophet's (saw) mission and the Muslims were being persecuted for their beliefs. The reference to fitnah here is the actual oppression they received because of their way of life.

Now can a woman take a man away from his beliefs? Sure. But as you noted it goes both ways. But let me show you how this religion uplifts the women. Isn't it part of the biblical story that Adam (RA) was tempted in the Garden of Eden by EVE? But in Islam, we don't follow this logic...shaytan went directly to Adam.

It is also very important to note, understand, and accept that God included "women" from the very, very beginning and that the woman was not the result of a man finding himself lonely. Allah tells us in the qur'an to reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate. And in this same ayah Allah commands us to reverence the wombs that bore you!

I'm sorry I could go on forever. But I would like to address one more thing. Allah says in the Qur'an (Yusuf Ali's Translation), "O ye who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them! But if ye forgive and overlook, and cover up (their faults), verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (64:14)

Don't be satisfied with the translation of the Holy Qur'an by Yusuf Ali. If I was a woman, I would have serious problems with what he translates, "O you who believe, among your wives are enemies to you." Enemies? Fa real? The Qur'an comes to elevate the whole of humanity, male and female alike. The translation of Qur'an has to be done on equal ground. You can't have language in Qur'an that (in translation) gives a hint of sexism, dualism, racism or sectarianism. So basically, "adwan" which he translates as enemies...he too harsh of a definition for our American English nor does it provide the correct understanding. In this context the "adwan" are those who are hostile...those who hinder or impede.

"There were men who embraced Islam in Makkah and wanted to migrate to Allah's Messenger . However, their wives and children refused to allow them. Later when they joined Allah's Messenger , they found that those who were with him (the Companions) have gained knowledge in the religion, so they were about to punish their wives and children. Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah..." (straight from Tafsir.com).


With all that said...Sorry for the LONG reply...I feel bad because I didn't even address your 2nd point (men and their sexual desire) but I don't want to end up rambling like I did before. Surely, Allah knows best in all of this because any knowledge is from the Mercy of our Lord. I pray Allah increases us in beneficial knowledge AND UNDERSTANDING.

I'll leave you with this... (as you said ...it is important to address the sisters in this)

"For Muslim men and women,- for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise,- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward."


Peace,
Khalil




The sister's final response:

Salaam Khalil,

MashaAllah, thanks for clarifying. May Allah bless you for all that you do for the believers (men AND women) :-) Ameen. Its so tough sometimes because if a man has trials with his attraction to women, don't fault the women, lower your gaze! Or get married! What was funny is that the way he led up to his point about women being fitnah I really thought he was going to specifically point out nonbelieving women, lol... but oh well. Allah is the best of planners.

Yeah you can post it inshaAllah, and you can add this thought I forgot to mention that we talked about. How sisters can react or protect themselves from harassment from men Muslim! and non-Muslim when observing proper (meaning modest and not merely covering) hijab. Its so annoying when you're trying to deflect and you only attract...so annoying. :)

JazakhAllahkhayr

Weekly Wisdom - 12/19

Would A Woman Throw Her Child in a Fire?

418. `Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Some prisoners were brought to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) amongst whom there was a woman who was running (searching for her child). When she saw a child among the captives, she took hold of it, pressed it against her belly and gave it a suck. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Do you think this woman would ever throw her child in fire?'' We said, "By Allah, she would never throw the child in fire.'' Thereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah is more kind to his slave than this woman is to her child".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar states that the Musnad Ismai`li has the following additional words in the narrative: "After continuous search, she finally found her baby. She took the baby and hugged him".
It is permissible to illustrate by example what one cannot make others understand by means of reason and senses, the way the Prophet (PBUH) did it in the present case. Since it was not possible to describe the immensity of Allah's Mercy, he cited the example of that woman to illustrate his point.

Muslims find ways to compete, Islamically

  

So, I'm watching the Olympics with my wife, as I do almost every night (she has really taking control of the TV), and my wife starts yelling, "Baby Look!  As Salaamu Alaikum!"  

To my amazement I see this fully covered sister competing in the 200m finals.  I know I'm a little late but I never watched the Olympics in 2004.  Apparently, Bahrain's Ruqaya Al Ghasara, was the first athlete to ever take part in an Olympics wearing a hijab.   She also won her heat in the women’s 200m sprint this year.

"Known as a Hijood - or hijab combined with a sports hood - the costume was specially designed for Al Ghasara by an Australian sports clothing company."

 Muslims have been adjusting dress to compete in sports for a while now.  At my own Muslim high school, the sisters stayed covered for both soccer and basketball, gaining national attention on ESPN. In my own family, my sisters-in-law got all of there swim suits hand made to modestly cover their bodies.  They would always get the question:

"All that material doesn't hold you back?"

And of course the answer would be in their performance: first place, and what! We all joke when NASA and speedo just recently improved the design of their Muslim swimsuit.

I'd like to give a shout out...

African American Muslim Women are a Rare Gift

and another

Tribute to Muslim Women

you want more?

Covered Girls Can Jump