*** The Session Has Begun. Please Submit Your Questions. ***
Answer
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Name
Farukh
- United States
Profession
Question
As'salaam a'laikum,
As a Muslim woman currently in the U.S., has the wave anti-Muslim violence affected you?
Answer
Oh absolutely! The day of the attack people men surrounded my car yelling obscenities and beating on the car. An hour later when I was getting gas, another person who was getting gas became verbally abusive to me. I hear similar or worse reports from women across the US and Canada.
Name
sameera
- United States
Profession
Question
What would you tell women who have decided not to wear hijab anymore for fear of their safety. Many people, men especially, have condemned them and told them that to do so would undermine their faith, even thoguh they do not walk in theor shoes and know what it is like to be a covered woman during these turbulent times.
Answer
For the sisters I really hate to see us give up our hijabs. There are ways were we can wear hijab not as noticeable like rapping it in a turban. I do recommend that sisters not wear the jilbab. There are two reasons for that: one, it screams foreigner; two, the very design of the jilbab makes it hard to run or kick out of defense. I would recommend wearing loose fitting pants with long tops and shoes you could run in. I believe that the best thing that Muslim sisters can do is to be seen involved in charitable acts, in peace rallies in their hijab and not to hide away in fear. If the sister really feels that her life is in danger by wearing the scarf, it is permissible not to. However, she must examine her intention; is this just an excuse or is there genuine danger.
Name
Concerned Muslim American Sister
- United States
Profession
Student/Wife
Question
Asalamu Alaikum,
What can we as muslim women living in the united States be doing during this terrible time in our lives to better help muslims around the world and the innocent victims in America, besides sitting at home in fear of ignorent people attacking us for being muslim?
Answer
Alhamduli Allah! A very good question. The first thing is that we should be seen interacting in a positive way in our communities. We can get involved in the fundraising that is going on for the families of the victims. As an example, our local fire fighters gathered at a busy intersection and passed the boots around to all the cars that passed that intersection. I was there; long scarf; fireman’s boot in hand. I also volunteered with the American Red Cross and at the big peace rally this Friday, I will be walking amongst the people, gathering donations like all of the other volunteers. If you want, you can find ways to make a difference.
Name
Noora
- United States
Profession
Question
How dangerous is it for the already precarious position of Msulim women for the male leaders of our community to be telling them to stay home in order to be safe. Doesn't that just sow the seeds for a return to a time when women (all women, Muslim and otherwise) were being oppressed by men.
Answer
That is something that we have worried about. You need to understand that our husbands, our sons, are genuinely and justifiably concerned about our safety. What this demonstrates is how important it is for us to have been involved in charitable and good work within society, not just amongst Muslims. We need to try and find ways to help our male family members feel more comfortable. One thing is to follow the CAIR guidelines of never going out by your self. There is one group of women that I agree with their husbands, that they should definitely stay home, and that is the women who wear niqab. The rest of us need to still be interacting in good and positive ways.
Name
Amina
- United States
Profession
Question
As a person unfamiliar with your work, what sort of films have you made? Do you make films? do they deal with issues of discrimination?
Answer
Subhan Allah. No I do not make films. I would if I had money.
Name
Muslim Woman
- United States
Profession
Question
Asalamu Alaikum dear sister,
I am very concerned about the present situation of muslim women in America. It has been brought to my attention, as well as having witnesssed it myself, that many women in America are either removing their hijab, or wearing it in a less obvious way, out of fear of being known as a muslim, or Arab and being attacked. This is wrong and someone needs to speak out against it. Please give your thoughts and opinions on this issue.
Answer
My Dear Sister, we need to be merciful to each other. For those of us who have the courage to continue wearing our hijab in our traditional way, I say Alhamdulillah. But for those of us who are more timid of nature or in a position where they would be of greater danger, it would be better to modify it than to take it off. At this time in particular, we need to be merciful and compassionate with each other and not condemn or criticize women with the choices they make.
Name
nirmeen
- United States
Profession
Question
do you think all this rhetoric about how we should not discriminate against Muslims and Arab Americans is simply lip service from our country's leaders. Do the facts on the ground support the call to not attack Muslims.
Answer
No, I don’t think it is lip service. Over the past years, Muslims have become a political and social force that all politicians are well aware they cannot ignore. I think they have a genuine concern that attacks on American Muslims would paint an ugly picture of America for the world to see.
Name
Shamsudin
- Indonesia
Profession
Writer
Question
As salaamu alaikum, Please inform me where I may find information about your organization, its activeties and goals.
I am a U.S. Citizen currently living in Indonesia. Im trying to get as clear a picture of the reaction of the Muslims in the west to these latest events and well as an understanding of the general condition of the Muslims there. How are you? How are the Muslim people there? In my experiance events like these cause the Muslims to close ranks and cultural differences are put out of mind for a time. Has it happened? Is there anything that you see from these events that will alter the Muslim communities in the west permanantly Insha Allah?
Jazac Allahu Khair Was salaam Alaika,
Answer
‘Alakum AsSalam
We have a website called liveislam.org and an e-mail address which is iumw@liveislam.org. Yes, I have seen Muslims closing ranks and ignoring cultural differences. I am also witnessing more Muslims interacting in positive ways with the non-Muslim organizations. Alhamdulillah, we have not faced the same level of discrimination that we faced during previous incidents involving Muslims or the Middle East. This has been a wake up call for all Muslims to unite in doing good.
Name
Muslim Sister
-
Profession
Question
Asalamualaikum,
I have recently heard much information about the present situation in the United States, that link Israeal to the attacks on the United States. What can we do to bring this information out in the media? It is also very obvious that they are the only country benefiting from this horrible tragedy. We cannot be quiet about this, please shed some light on the situation, and any suggestions that you might have.
Thank You
Answer
Well my first suggestion is to first check on the authenticity of whatever information you receive. Once you have verified that the information you have is correct then you can communicate it to both governmental agencies and newspapers. You should be forewarned that they will not listen to anything that you pick up of an Islamic website. So try for governmental reports. I know there are some and circulate those around. I think there are many people, Muslim and non-Muslim, that see the only winners from this to be the Israelis. The problem is that all of the governmental rhetoric says Bin Laden and we can’t change that without information that can be substantiated.
Name
Russ
- United States
Profession
student
Question
Salam Alaikum.
I'm curious why our American Islamic organizations have not taken this terrible tragedy as an opportunity to show the American public how beautiful and peaceful our religion is? Instead our AMC and Council on American Islamic Relations has been too focused on victimhood and our perceived persecution. Let the government do that, with the law on their side, they are far better at it. Instead our organizations should be aiding the victims and helping America rebuild and unify instead of complaining about these random and condemened anti-Islamic crimes. Thanks for explaining our position in this regard!
Answer
AlhamduliAllah, CAIR has a position to fill. Their position is to fight discrimination and they are doing a good job of it. It is through their compiling of information and sharing that with the FBI that the FBI has declared a zero tolerance for religious or ethnic discrimination. The president of AMC did a very beautiful program on ABC about how to talk to your children about the attacks on New York and Washington DC. He expressed the beauty of Islam in a very wonderful way. All across the country, masjids are involved in fundraising, peace marches, and peace rallies. I agree we haven’t done enough, but we are improving.
Name
faiza
- United States
Profession
Question
In what ways can we educate the community about Islam so that they will have a correct impression and not soley depend on biased media to tell them what Islam is and isn't. Should we become involved in the PTA.
Answer
Yes we should be involved in the PTA and the garden club and the civic organizations and in just being a good neighbor. My neighbors are watching my house and checking on me constantly because they know me. We run a program at my house were we provide activities for high schools students every Friday and Saturday night. These children are not Muslims, but they come to our house. We are their friends, their advocates, and their counselors. Some of these young people started college this year and they are speaking out in defense of Muslims and educating their classmates about Islam. We should not wait for a tragedy to make our presence known within our communities.
Name
Hassan
-
Profession
Question
Please elaborate on the Hijab statement.
Answer
I myself could never give up my hijab, but I will never condemn a woman who more timid than I am. When I said before that I don’t think the jilbab is a good idea, I will stand by that. When I suggest the women wear pants, its because too many of our sisters wear tight skirts. My skirts are loose fitting and if need be, I can run. For years I have encouraged that every Muslim woman should take self-defense classes. Up until four years ago, we offered self-defense for Muslim women at the ISNA convention. They discontinued it because they thought we were teaching women to beat up their husbands when what we were trying to do was prepare women for situations like this. I am well versed in three forms of martial arts and the use of weapons. I have yet to beat up a husband. And in spite of my skill I will run before I will fight.
Name
Muslim Woman ?# 2
- United States
Profession
Question
Dear Sister,
Thank you for your answer in regards to the question about hijab. I understand that we need to be compassionate and understanding during this time, but at the same time, i believe that this tragedy is in many ways a test from God of our faith. If we submit to the ignorent people in fear, arn't we putting them in some ways above God. Isn't it Allah that we should be most afraid of, not people. The whole point of the hijab besides modesty is to be known as a muslim woman, so how can we justify removing it at a time like this?
Answer
Oh sister, I agree we do wear the hijab so that we can be known as Muslims. I do agree that I don’t want to see the sisters take off the hijab, but I also don’t want to see the sisters in jeopardy. I am proud to be easily recognized as a Muslim woman. I want to see our sisters in hijab being a part of society; being a part of the effort to show that diversity is one of the great strengths of America. I cannot take on the role of the judge for Allah is the judge. Each sister must make her own decision and we need to support each other even if we disagree with the decision that has been made. If we start condemning each other, that will only serve to destroy our unity. Sisters are in many different positions, some are in places and environments were their safety would be jeopardized by being easily identified as Muslims. For those sisters, we must be supportive. I feel very strongly about the importance of hijab and I pray that our sisters will have both the knowledge and the courage to find benefit from wearing it.
