Anti-Hijab Fever in Kosovo

It is unfortunate that Muslim countries have adopted ridiculous viewpoints regarding the Hijab. This ban in Kosovo obviously denotes the blatant lack of education with respect to women's rights in Islam.

Not only is the school violating these students' rights to dress as modest young women, they also have placed the image and appearance of the trio of greater importance as compared to their excellent academic track record.Apparently how they dress is more important that their intellect! Astarghfirullah!

It is misleading that three brilliant students should be kicked out of school for doing nothing but abiding by their Islamic beliefs.

For a country that claims to be a Muslim country or Muslim inhabited country, the demonstration of these 2 schools contradict the practices of the religion.

Denying a student, male or female, the right to a proper education is just a passport to stupidity and ignorance. Denying a woman's right to dress modestly is passport to calamity. What has happened to this country?

May dua's be said for Fatmire Jashari, Valbona Kabashi and Mihane Veliu. May Allah guide them in times of their difficulty.

What has happened to my blog?

Something's wrong. There are no spaces between paragraphs even when I press enter.
ggrrrr....

Who is really in control?

The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said that women totally dominate men of intellect and possessors of hearts.

But ignorant men dominate women, for they are shackled by an animal ferocity.

They have no kindness, gentleness or love, since animality dominates their nature.

Love and kindness are human attributes; anger and sensuality belong to the animals.

She is the radiance of God; she is not your beloved.

- Jalal Al-Din Rumi

Despite endless messages conveyed by Allah Ta'ala through His Apostle (peace and blessings upon him), blatant sexism exists in today's modern society, regardless of culture, traditions and religion. No matter how developed a nation's mentality can be, the continuous plight of differences and disagreements between Mars and Venue persevere and often cause more disruption than the mere commotion.

There are plenty of ayahs in the Qur'an calling for men and women to work together to form a progressive ummah. Treated equally but differently, men and women are made to complement one another.

The believers, males and females, are partners of one another; they shall jointly enjoin all that is good and counsel against all that is evil. (At-Tawbah 9: 71)

But women are not identical twins of men.

Possibly, this is where all the confusion begins. There is always talk of superiority and inferiority; passivemess and submission; leadership and even possible prostration. Most of the time, statements are made out of context and with an absence of understanding.

As Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him), this is obviously a concoction of the ignorant man!

In tow of modernity and female liberation in vogue, it is hardly news that Islam comes under fire when speaking of the status of women. Due to improper conduct of Muslim men and women, media hype capitalises in a few examples of animalistic capacity, as described by Jalal al-din Rumi.

It is unfortunate that men and women who fall into this category lack the understanding of Islam and its practices.

On the flip-side though, the non-Muslim world is not spared. Female liberation and progression that boasts freedom over and above the Hijab only provides avenues for women to be stuck in a rut of living up to expectations - and in general - the expectations of men.

It ranges from clambering up and down the corporate ladder, with a huge a compromise of values for many female employees; slaving to the latest skin deep trends and fashion faux-pas; being forced to contribute to the household income on a 50-50 basis and wake up for night feeds; or even having to forgo children all together.

Who possesses who? Who controls who?

Does nakedness of human society represent power or poverty. I guess it depends on which part of the world you dwell in - and if the answer is power, it is only skin deep. After all, sexism exists in the non-Muslim world too.

Footprints in the Sand - Thanking Allah!

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

written by Mary Stevenson

Mary Stevenson could not have gotten it more correct in this beautiful passage she wrote in 1936. It depicts so vividly a conversation between a man and his creator. How man, through fitrah - the natural inclination in believing in God - wishes to speak to God.

Of course, when this wish comes true, man sees his life through all trials and tribulation expecting God to be by his side.

What we always remember are our troughs in our lives - those dips that take us into bottomless cauldrons of uncertainty. The times we feel abandoned and alone; cold and starved; hurt and betrayed.

Mostly at times like these, we pray. But as we pray, we question our Lord on His abandonment. Why would He leave me alone like this? Where is He? Why me?

In turn, when man is allowed a conversation with the Divine, he still questions his Lord on those difficult passages of his life. Where were You? Why did You leave me?

How ignorant we are to think that we would be able to walk alone during those times, let alone walk on our own two feet?

Seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him

(Al-`Ankabut 29:17).

Nerves, Anxiety & Fasting

Ramadhan at a distant glance can sometimes seem intimidating. I'm not talking about the non-Muslim who is reading about the impending Holy Muslim Months in a local daily - I'm talking about the Muslim who is about to embark on the month, fasting - refusing food, drink and marital intimacy for the duration of sunrise.

In addition to that, once the sun dips, it is not all fun and games, karaoke singing and food fests. Ramadhan is just a continuous whole month of worship, worship and more worship.

Iftar, the breaking of the fast, is followed by Maghrib prayers, a quick preparation for Tarawih prayers, usually held at the Masjid or Islamic centre, right after Isha'. Then there are those Muslims who awake in the early morning for other prayers such as Tahajjud, Hajat, Taubah. Others recite the Qur'an in the spare time. If not already awake, Muslims rise before dawn for the blessed meal that would help them through the day. Fasting begins once again.

I always thought I was the only one feeling totally unprepared for the fast. But after reading this post, I realise it is only natural. It can be intimidating to know that as a Muslim, you would engage in so much of worship 24 hours a day - for some, more than they can muster for the rest of the year.

Alhamdulillah, anxiety and nerves settle once Ramadhan arrives, and the natural inclination of surrendering to Allah and only Allah, kicks in, as if it were the day we were born.

There really is magic in Ramadhan, for those who focus on excelling in the eyes of Allah. Maybe it is all the nerves and anxiety that help build up the zeal to continuously worship God like there is no tomorrow!

Subhan'Allah!

I guess a person who is generally apathetic about religion would not enjoy Ramadhan the same way a person who was chewing off finger nails and prespiring like crazy as the month approached.

Personally it was a difficult preparation for me this year. I thought I would buckle, for several health reasons. But masha'Allah and Alhamdulillah, Allah has made it easy for me so far! He has given me the energy that I has been absent for some time now and rebuilt my self-confidence in partaking in this beautiful month - despite my nerves and ugly fingernails!

One week has passed since the first iftar, may the next four weeks be as wonderful as this one.