Muslimahs in Sports: An Article

Salaam alaikum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh everyone!  Insh'Allah you're all well and in the best of health and the highest of iman.  I came across this article on Muslim women participating in athletics, specifically competing in the Olympics.  Read it HERE.

The article brought up a very interesting topic...veiled athletes vs. non-veiled athletes.  I personally think that it's a shame, though it's not very surprising, that people/the media are so focused on what women are wearing and their physical appearance rather than their athletic accomplishments.  I find it sad that clerics in Algeria called Hassiba Boulmerka "anti-Islam", and that she received death threats simply because she chose to compete in a traditional track suit (yes, it's not exactly good hijab for a woman...or even a MAN for that matter, to wear track shorts...but sheesh, that doesn't automatically mean that she's not Muslim, or that she's AGAINST Islam, subhan'Allah...although I myself wear large headscarves and abayas, I'm so sick and tired of people making assumptions like this about sisters who chose not to cover *rant*).  I also find it sad that the American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad probably gets far more questions about wearing the hijab than she does about her training regimen, etc.

On another note...I'm thrilled that at each Olympics there are increasing numbers of veiled Muslimah athletes...I really think they should serve as an inspiration for all of us Muslimahs to be active and take care of the bodies that Allah(swt) gave us.  There is a lot of cultural (notice I said CULTURAL, not religious) pressure for Muslim women not to participate in sports or an active lifestyle as it's not "modest" for us to do so.  This kind of attitude only hurts Muslim women, because it severely limits us with what we can do in order to keep our bodies healthy.  I personally do not see why there is any reason why a veiled Muslimah cannot participate in sports while still maintaining her modesty.  What do you think?

An Islamic Gay Marriage?!?

Salaam alaikum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh everyone, insh'Allah you're all in the best of health and the highest of iman. So, I came across this article yesterday, and the entire thing just seemed to be one HUGE oxymoron, and so many levels of wrong. Read it HERE and tell me what you think.


Subhan'Allah, I don't have anything against people who identify themselves as homosexual as people, but Allah(swt) has clearly stated in the Qur'an that marriage is between a male and a female, not a man and a man or a woman and a woman, and that the act of sodomy is sinful. How then can this imam marry these two men "according to sharia law," let alone condone their relationship as being halal?!? May Allah(swt) guide us all, ameen!

Interesting Article: Women and Turkish Mosques

Salaam alaikum everyone, insh'Allah you're all doing well and are in a great state of health and iman.

One of my friends on Facebook shared an interesting article about some changes that are going to be made to Turkish mosques. Read it HERE

Personally, I'm very happy that something like this is going to be done. Mosques are not only for men...but for men AND women! Unfortunately, this is something that a lot of people seem to have forgotten in our ummah, which is so sad. Not having a separate wash room for women to make wudu is just absolutely ridiculous. It's also unacceptable for men to be offered a wide, open, clean, and beautifully ornamented space in which to worship Allah(swt), yet all women get is a cramped, dirty little corner. A lot of people seem to use the excuse that it's "better for a woman to pray at home anyways" not to offer nice women's areas in mosques. However, these same people also seem to forget that the Prophet Muhammed(saws) said “Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the Mosques of Allah.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Number 0886] However, this is exactly what these people are doing by not providing an acceptable prayer space for women within the mosque!

As for taking down the barriers...personally, I like having a barrier. I know that some sisters do not, and feel that it is sexist, but I find that it helps me to concentrate, and I like the added privacy. I'm also aware that in the time of the Prophet(saws), men and women didn't have any barriers between them in the masjid. However, I have been to masjids both with and without barriers...and I always felt weird at the ones that didn't have at least a curtain separating the brothers from the sisters...mostly because certain brothers can't seem to be able to keep their eyes to themselves, may Allah(swt) guide them -_-' All the mosques that I've been to in Morocco have a barrier, but you can still hear the imam nice and clear. Usually, the women's areas in Moroccan masjids are on a balcony above the men, and have a decorative wall in front of them so that brothers below cannot see in. They have also all have had separate toilet and wudu areas, separate entrances, and they have all been clean and spacious (with the exception of a few which were a bit crowded...but it might have just been because it was Ramadan, and the mosques are always crowded during Ramadan...heck, I had to pray Eid al Adha prayer this year on the SIDEWALK outside the masjid because there were so many people attending, subhan'Allah!) Anyways, Morocco gets a thumbs up in my book for their women's areas in their mosques. Heck, a lot of them are 100 times better than some of the women's areas I've been to in AMERICAN mosques.

In short, I'm so glad Turkey has decided to make its mosques more women friendly, the way mosques should be.