When I read titles like
A letter to Islam: we are women, not things: iLIVE
Fills me not with trepidation but as a muslim woman, my back is automatically up.
I can't take away the experience this woman has had at the hands of the men in her life, but I fail to see how her generalisations make me want to empathise with her.
In one swift article she has insulted me, my intelligence and disrespected my choice- yes my choice to remain muslim.
My friend Saaleha said it perfectly. "it's tiresome we shouldn't have to apologise all the time"
I am by no standards a feminist, islamist and detest the term moderate muslim. Yes South African Muslims are possibly the only nation of muslims that are allowed to practice freely, regardless of the sect they belong to.
But I refuse to have to explain that EVERYTIME. She disrespects me by saying: No self-respecting woman can be Muslim.
I can't fight for every muslim in the rest of the world, I can only change perceptions when I encounter them.
I respect her right to state her opinion, much the same as I have the right to negate her statements.
I will accept that people like her are scarred by their experiences but she doesn't speak for me.
I am more woman today because I am muslim. It gave me rights, taught me bounderies and allowed me to find alternate means to express myself,to be educated, to be free.
My Islam taught it to me. My Father lived it and the every other man I have met and or encountered respected it.
What the F**k just happened?
I'm actually so hesitant to post this because I know some people will want more than I am prepared to give, say or do. But I can't be silent not so much about whats happened, but what I discovered about myself in the process. The thing that happened: I usually offer my services in digital marketing for free for fundraisers and people who do community work. So when a local religious (sheigh) leader asked to meet me to discuss a project. I thought nothing of it. I've met with plenty of them to know how to conduct myself. Side Note : as someone who has recently embraced Hijab, I understand there is additional scrutiny on how I conduct myself in muslim restaurants, especially with local scholars/leaders Flag 1 : said sheigh pitched up in casual clothes and I could smell the cologne on him and could see he had recently shaved and groomed. This made me nervous because the first thing he remarked on was how pretty I was. Flag 2 : he kept asking me, how long I was prep...
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