""I want my daughters' lives to be exciting," she would say, "very exciting and filled with one hundred percent happiness, nothing more, nothing less." ... Happiness, she would explain, was when a person felt good, light, creative, content, loving and loved, and free." (pg. 80)
This is what these women want which is happiness; for themselves and for their children (girls).
"An unhappy person felt as if there were barriers crushing her desires and the talents she had inside." (pg80)
This is what is reality for these women. They are not allowed to express who they are in public. They are not allowed to have any rights and are not allowed to do as they please. This is what the women want to get away from and be able to change. If not for them for their daughters.
Muslim Women
OH YESS!!! We are going to learn about the true beauty of women behind their veils.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Utopia
"To reach Yasmina's farm we only had to travel a few hours, but it might as well have been one of Aunt Habiba's faraway islands in the China Sea. Women on the farm did things we'd never even heard of in the city,like fishing, tree climbing, and bathing in a stream that was rushing on to the Sebou River before heading to the Atlantic Ocean. The women even started Participating in horseback riding competitions, after Tamou arrived from the North. ... oh they were wild on Yasmina's farm." (Dreams of Trespass pg. 67-72)
Yasmina's farm seems like a Utopia for these women because it is the only place that women actually are aloud to have some freedom and do things that are unheard of in other Harems. Yasmina's farm is a place that most women, especially the narrator envies. They wish that one day they can have that same freedom as these women on the farm do. When the narrator tells us that the farm is only a few hours away, she says that it should be a faraway island because it is something completely different then what they are used to.
Throughout the novel we see that these women wish for a perfect society where women and men are treated equal. Throughout the novel the mothers wish for their daughters that they will be able to go to school and get a job just like the boys do. It is something that some women in some countries still wish today. Some Arab countries are still not treating women equally with men. It's not only the Arab countries but other countries as well. America still has some inequalities between men and women but they do not show as much.
Yasmina's farm seems like a Utopia for these women because it is the only place that women actually are aloud to have some freedom and do things that are unheard of in other Harems. Yasmina's farm is a place that most women, especially the narrator envies. They wish that one day they can have that same freedom as these women on the farm do. When the narrator tells us that the farm is only a few hours away, she says that it should be a faraway island because it is something completely different then what they are used to.
Throughout the novel we see that these women wish for a perfect society where women and men are treated equal. Throughout the novel the mothers wish for their daughters that they will be able to go to school and get a job just like the boys do. It is something that some women in some countries still wish today. Some Arab countries are still not treating women equally with men. It's not only the Arab countries but other countries as well. America still has some inequalities between men and women but they do not show as much.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was the first woman Prime minister in an Islamic state.
here's a link to learn about who she was and what she did for women:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benazir_Bhutto
you could also, see her assasination on Youtube.com
just type in her name.
I thought I would show her because she is another example of a strong woman leader who was killed because people thought that if she brought change to women's lives then God will punish them. The people who think like that are brain washed in believing that they are going to be rewarded by God if they kill her and themselves.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A website on Sexual Harrassment on Muslim women and how to help them out
"Sexual Harrassment of Muslim women
Women are sexually violated and harassed in all societies. I have created this section Inshallah, to address this problem within Muslim communities in particular. Especially because Muslim women tend to be more reluctant to report such incidences, instead, letting it eat away at them.
Sexual harrassment is rampant in Non-Muslim communities as well. To see what is going on, please visit "Liberated Modern Woman?" However, I do believe that more women are able and willing to report or lodge complaints in these societies.
As a religion and way of life, Islam offers the most priviledges to the woman and her rights as a human being equal to man. There is a small minority of sleazeballs among Muslims. These men give a bad name to Islam and the majority of good Muslim men. Muslim men should be the LAST people on this earth to commit molestation and rape. God commands both women and men to lower their gaze. What is the use of women wearing the veil, besides the blessings God gives to those who follow His instructions, if some Muslim men cannot control their hands nor their libidos?
Down with Silence: Help fight against rape and molestation
The best solution to this is to expose these men and as a follow-up, educate them.
These minority of men have been encouraged partly because women have not been speaking up. You have been silent all your life. Do not feel sorry for them because any man who thinks he can violate a woman should be ready to handle the consequences.
The Islamic law of punishing extreme cases of theft and murder is basically to set an example so that others are fearful of committing the same mistakes.
We need stories and accounts...we need suggestions from sisters on how to solve this problem....a public discussion will act as a warning to erring brothers and as encouragement to sisters who have been silent.
This section will include accounts of being raped or molested. I invite sisters, young and old to send in their contributions using this form (no need to use your e-mail).
Please take note that while our target group constitutes Muslim men/perpetrators, you are welcome to submit stories of such experiences with Non-Muslims as well. The solution is the same. Inshallah, by being more vocal about it, our otherwise peaceful and loving community will be totally rid of such people.
I pray that we are on the right path and that Allah helps our cause.
What some sisters have to say....these include personal stories as well as suggestions, comments and advice.
What some brothers have to say....(It is very sad...some said that accounts of Muslims women being raped and molested by Muslims men might bring shame to Muslims....sadly, that is not what we are ashamed of...if you read what a few brothers have to say, you'll be ashamed of them instead..now we know why this problem as persisted in Muslim communities) "
Now this is what I'm talking about!! Most women who are abused, especially in Muslim societies stay quiet with what is happening to them by their husband or any other man. The problem is that if these women speak up they will be killed or tortured by society and by their husbands. We in America know that this is wrong of what the men are doing to these women but in their society the women see this as being an every day thing. They see this happening to all the women around them as they grow up. They also, see it happening to their mothers as well.
If I was ever to go to their country and speak about womens rights the people, including women, in those countries would look at me as if I was crazy. I think the reason why some countries are still treating women unfairly is because the women are not taking a stand. If these women took a stand no matter what cause and had no fear what so ever of dying then I truely do believe they can succeed. What do you think? Do you think if these women take a stand and fight until they die for what they believe is right, would they succeed?
My friend was looking through a book called "Women in Islam" and she found a quotation that would fit perfectly to describe the society in the middle east.
Here is the quote:
"The discrimination against women has little to do with Islam and more to do with custom and tradition."
This all goes back to how people view the unfair treatment of women to be related to their religion. When people look at women wearing the hijab they think that they are forced to wear it. Yes, in some countries the women are forced to wear it because the men think that they can control them. Mostly all of the Muslim women wearing the hijab are not forced though. It was their decision to wear the hijab because they followed what God has asked them to do in the Quran. I usually hear some people ask, "why do these women keep covering themselves when they are in a country that is free?" (by country I mean United States) People view these women as not being able to have a mind of their own. They basically view them as slaves. What I am going to try and do with the next three books I'm about to read, is try to show everyone that Muslim women do have a mind of their own and are just like every women in this world. The only difference is most of them are trapped because of controling men.
http://www.themodernreligion.com/women/w_harassmuslims.htm
Women are sexually violated and harassed in all societies. I have created this section Inshallah, to address this problem within Muslim communities in particular. Especially because Muslim women tend to be more reluctant to report such incidences, instead, letting it eat away at them.
Sexual harrassment is rampant in Non-Muslim communities as well. To see what is going on, please visit "Liberated Modern Woman?" However, I do believe that more women are able and willing to report or lodge complaints in these societies.
As a religion and way of life, Islam offers the most priviledges to the woman and her rights as a human being equal to man. There is a small minority of sleazeballs among Muslims. These men give a bad name to Islam and the majority of good Muslim men. Muslim men should be the LAST people on this earth to commit molestation and rape. God commands both women and men to lower their gaze. What is the use of women wearing the veil, besides the blessings God gives to those who follow His instructions, if some Muslim men cannot control their hands nor their libidos?
Down with Silence: Help fight against rape and molestation
The best solution to this is to expose these men and as a follow-up, educate them.
These minority of men have been encouraged partly because women have not been speaking up. You have been silent all your life. Do not feel sorry for them because any man who thinks he can violate a woman should be ready to handle the consequences.
The Islamic law of punishing extreme cases of theft and murder is basically to set an example so that others are fearful of committing the same mistakes.
We need stories and accounts...we need suggestions from sisters on how to solve this problem....a public discussion will act as a warning to erring brothers and as encouragement to sisters who have been silent.
This section will include accounts of being raped or molested. I invite sisters, young and old to send in their contributions using this form (no need to use your e-mail).
Please take note that while our target group constitutes Muslim men/perpetrators, you are welcome to submit stories of such experiences with Non-Muslims as well. The solution is the same. Inshallah, by being more vocal about it, our otherwise peaceful and loving community will be totally rid of such people.
I pray that we are on the right path and that Allah helps our cause.
What some sisters have to say....these include personal stories as well as suggestions, comments and advice.
What some brothers have to say....(It is very sad...some said that accounts of Muslims women being raped and molested by Muslims men might bring shame to Muslims....sadly, that is not what we are ashamed of...if you read what a few brothers have to say, you'll be ashamed of them instead..now we know why this problem as persisted in Muslim communities) "
Now this is what I'm talking about!! Most women who are abused, especially in Muslim societies stay quiet with what is happening to them by their husband or any other man. The problem is that if these women speak up they will be killed or tortured by society and by their husbands. We in America know that this is wrong of what the men are doing to these women but in their society the women see this as being an every day thing. They see this happening to all the women around them as they grow up. They also, see it happening to their mothers as well.
If I was ever to go to their country and speak about womens rights the people, including women, in those countries would look at me as if I was crazy. I think the reason why some countries are still treating women unfairly is because the women are not taking a stand. If these women took a stand no matter what cause and had no fear what so ever of dying then I truely do believe they can succeed. What do you think? Do you think if these women take a stand and fight until they die for what they believe is right, would they succeed?
My friend was looking through a book called "Women in Islam" and she found a quotation that would fit perfectly to describe the society in the middle east.
Here is the quote:
"The discrimination against women has little to do with Islam and more to do with custom and tradition."
This all goes back to how people view the unfair treatment of women to be related to their religion. When people look at women wearing the hijab they think that they are forced to wear it. Yes, in some countries the women are forced to wear it because the men think that they can control them. Mostly all of the Muslim women wearing the hijab are not forced though. It was their decision to wear the hijab because they followed what God has asked them to do in the Quran. I usually hear some people ask, "why do these women keep covering themselves when they are in a country that is free?" (by country I mean United States) People view these women as not being able to have a mind of their own. They basically view them as slaves. What I am going to try and do with the next three books I'm about to read, is try to show everyone that Muslim women do have a mind of their own and are just like every women in this world. The only difference is most of them are trapped because of controling men.
http://www.themodernreligion.com/women/w_harassmuslims.htm
AN OATH
"In 621, during the annual pilgrimage months, a group of twelve men representing both the main Arab tribes of Yathrib journeyed to Mecca and camped in a place called 'Aqabah on the outskirts of the city. As was his practice, Muhammad went out to meet people and happened upon their encampment. He greeted the men and proceeded to engage them in a conversation about religion." (EMERICK 110)
The Oath was:
"We pledge our Allegiance to the Messenger of God on the night... that we would not steal, commit fornication, kill our [unwanted female] children, nor engage in slander... (EMERICK 110)
If it wasn't for Islam female childrren would be killed. What I don't understand is, why some men are still killing women for things that they don't like or accept? When God has told them that it is a sin to kill someone. They claim that they do this all for God but are still commiting a sin over something that is foolish and pointless.
The Oath was:
"We pledge our Allegiance to the Messenger of God on the night... that we would not steal, commit fornication, kill our [unwanted female] children, nor engage in slander... (EMERICK 110)
If it wasn't for Islam female childrren would be killed. What I don't understand is, why some men are still killing women for things that they don't like or accept? When God has told them that it is a sin to kill someone. They claim that they do this all for God but are still commiting a sin over something that is foolish and pointless.
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