Aquila, For Stylish, Moderate Muslim Women

Reuters

















Women on top, eh? *chuckles*
I hope they are all enthusiastic about the context I am reading it with :D

Modest and Fabulous! That is the slogan of this new women's magazine, Aquila-Asia, that is being issued from Indonesia. Liana Rosnita Redwan-Beer (Singaporean), the founder and publisher of this magazine, launched the first edition just last month.

She says, We're not a magazine that preaches, we don't tell our readers what is right or wrong; but we help them live their lives to the fullest by including information about Islam in the context of modern living.

There's a fashion spread that features a heavily made-up model in tight-fitting clothes with a headscarf that still shows off a lot of her hair; another about the all-covering burqini swimsuit; an article on premarital sex and virginity, and an opinion piece on what to do if your daughter dates a non-Muslim.

From the looks of it, I'm quite drawn to it. It has a very modern, relaxed, and open feel to it. Should do good in projecting a better image of Muslim women than just being on the news because of the burqa-controversy. I would be interested in reading what they have to say. Though the article isn't really precisely giving out what side they lean on. Do they say yes to dating non-Muslim men? Is pre-marital sex not a taboo anymore? They are dealing with a whole bunch of issues, but I wonder if they aren't preaching, what exactly are they saying? Maybe they're just testing waters for now, and see what their audience is really like.

I am looking forward to this. As for now, it's thumbs up! Congratulations to your first edition.

Their facebook page here.

South Park and Muhammad, the Controversy

Fox News












South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network (if you already didn't know that :P). It's quite known for it's sarcastic humor, and there isn't a topic they haven't ripped apart, and I love them for that.

For their 200th mega episode they decided to do a mash up of all major previous hits, which of course means a mega controversial show. We all remember the Super-best-Friends episode where they combined all the important religious figures - yes, including Muhammad (p.b.u.h) - and I personally found it quite alright, nothing to get all defensive/offended over. Considering all the hoohaa over Islam recently (I wonder who's to blame *rolls-eyes*), I am not surprised that the show decided to put Muhammad in their mega-episode once again, even though it isn't a secret that you aren't supposed to be sarcastic about Islam or it's prophet, because if you do, they go all Theo-Van-Gogh on you! Not pretty eh.

So as (almost) expected (though I would've dearly hoped otherwise), the creators of the show have been warned by a radical Islamic website over the possibility of a Theo-esque destiny to them if the show is aired. It's really funny how they go to saying that it isn't a threat, but it's a very likely possibility. What is that supposed to mean? I don't expect any tolerant behavior from such nutjobs. But for the love of the rest of Muslims, please don't defame the entirety with such horrendous statements!

Anything happens anywhere in the world that goes against the liking of these radicalists, Muslim countries are painted red and non-Muslims get another kick to think of something even better to piss them off. When the Danish cartoon came out, I rememeber how the Pakistani cities were spray painted with Denmark = Hell (or a similar equation). Why?

During the time of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) there were plenty of people who ridiculed him and had a hateful attitude towards him. He didn't go out to kill them, or ask someone to go kill them. Instead he showed patience and preserverence always. And it is nothing else he asks from us. I hate receiving all those chain mails about boycotting Denmark because how would I face Allah and His prophet when I will be questioned about what I did when they made fun of Muhammad (p.b.u.h). Well I showed patience. That will be my answer.

It's insane how some Muslim go about saying how Islam brought enlightenment to Europe. Well, true. Al-Adulus (Spain) got super prosperous when the Muslims came there. They accomplished and taught a lot. And then it was all taken away when the Christians invaded, and the Muslims from Africa came along to see how their brothers were doing. These African Muslim were completely shocked at what was happening in Al-Andulus, they thought they've drifted far away from Islam, and were responsible (if not fully) for the downfall of the great empire. So as quickly Muslims brought enlightenment to Europe, with the same speed the cross-continent brethren brought a hault to it; gave away the enlightenment and took themselves back to the dark ages.

Yes, unlimited freedom of speech can cause problems, you can (most likely) end up hurting someone. But this is not a valid enough reason to kill anyone or even give death threats. If we want others to project us better, we need to make ourselves better. What we see in media about us in not all lies; there is no smoke without fire. Media is known to exaggerate and give a bollywood twist to everything (really!). South Park isn't singling us out. It has made fun of every amoeba that exists. So there is no reason to get worked up.

In another blog I read something interesting that we claim to respect and believe in all the prophets ever sent by God, and if we don't believe in any one of them, we are automatically excluded from the faith. So why is it that we don't get angered over media making fun of Jesus or Abraham? Are they not dear to us? Even the liberals are often quick to make statements like "Oh, they don't even respect their own prophet, so why should I expect them to respect mine." Say what?

Muslim Women Marrying Non-Muslim Men

It is a phenomenon that isn't so wild, or out of the blue. Around the globe, many Muslim women are choosing to marry non-Muslim men.

When you type this query into any search engine, you will find results of three categories: first, soaking in Islamic sites condemning the act, quoting various verses and ahadith. Second, concerned parents whose daughters have married a non-Muslim. Third, concerned Muslim women who have fallen in love with a non-Muslim man and are trying a way to please their God, their family, and finally themselves. What a task!

Let's talk about the first, and most important category - the Islamic websites. I have to say, I have have gone through so many such websites, and they just look like copy/paste jobs of each other. No innovation, no thought provocation, just the same thing over and over again. The three famous quotations from the Quran are Surah al-baqrah (2:221), Surah al-Ma'idah (5:5) and Surah al-Mumtahinah (60:10). I know them by heart now practically, didn't even have to look them up. Anyways. Such website quote these verses, and also talk about various scholars of who said what, and I have to say, the words seem a bit disconnected. It sounds like: because oranges are orange, and apples and red, therefore you can't eat apples. Huh?? Another worrisome thing is how these websites half-quote the verses. They explicitly mention how a Muslim woman cannot marry so and so, but miss out on the part (which usually comes before) of how the Muslim men are also not allowed to marry so and so.

There are two words that are to be taken into account here: mushrikeen and kitabi. Of the three, verse 5:5 is the only place where the word kitabi is used, where the men are allowed to marry kitabi women, meaning women from the people of the Book. Verse 2:221 talks of the mushrikeen who are not permitted to either men or women of Islam. But nowhere is there a discussion about Muslim women not permitted to marry kitabi men. So is the Quran quiet about this? What are we to interpret from this silence? It is allowed but not encouraged?

I agree women can be weak, and give in to their husbands, which in case for a Muslim women could mean loss of her religion. But does Allah really rule out any intelligence or supremacy of a women? Does He really think I am not worthy or capable of keeping my stand and taking care of my rights? Maybe He thinks I can. But also knows that not every woman would be capable of that. Perhaps that is why He is quiet. He lets me decide for myself.

If Islam is about peace and equality, it should show through and through. Mere-mortal-men and so-called scholars have no authority to dictate like tyrants over women. They are eager to call for protection of Muslim women's rights by syaing they can't marry anyone but a Muslim man. But where is their call to all Muslim men when women are being mercilessly beaten at their hands; when their marital rights are violated; when men go about practicing polygamy without keeping in mind that there are rules that must be followed before they can even think of a second of third or fourth wife; when women are held responsible for every sexual titilation a man may feel; when a 2-day old girl is killed in an honor killing. Sex is not the only ingredient a man is created with. And sex-supremacy-power are the worst combination of human traits ... in this world at least.

The worst part is when governments are involved in, and are against rights for women. They think that family life and the sanctity of the society will deteriorate if women are given so many rights. We are nothing but child-bearing, mindless creatures, created for their sexual pleasures.

Not me!

At the end, I think a Muslim woman has every right to choose a husband that she finds fit to her needs and liking. This husband can be of any color, race, cultural background, as long as he is a chaste kitabi, from the people of the book.