Saturday, January 9, 2016

Correcting Muslim misconceptions about Islam

1) It is haraam for women to be with non-mahrams or to be seen by them.

No, it isn't. Allah didn't create women as sex objects, nor did he create men as sexual monsters. By the way, see here for that analogy of women being compared to diamonds or pearls: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/05/please-stop-comparing-muslim-women-to.html

Also, see here for the clothing of women in Islam: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/05/trying-to-understand-womans-dress-in.html

And see here how culture views people's perceptions of Islam: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/04/does-culture-influence-our-views-on.html

And see here for what lowering the gaze actually means: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/02/what-does-it-mean-when-quran-says-to.html

 Many salafi's use the verse 33:53 to segregate women, to make sure they are hidden from men:

"O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity."

However people fail to realize that this verse is directed to the Prophet's wives. It speaks DIRECTLY TO AND ABOUT THEM. As we are about to see below, the Quran has guidelines for the Prophet's wives ONLY.

2) Women should be at home

The verse used to say this is 33:33:

"And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification."

But lets go back one verse to 33:32:

"O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah , then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech."

Once again, God in the Quran speaks to the WIVES OF THE PROPHET. 33:32 even says the wives of the Prophet Muhammed pbuh are not like other women. Other women here refers to regular Muslim women.

Some people say, even though it refers to the Prophet's wives, this verse refers to all women since the mothers of the believers are examples for all women. But then go back to verse 33:53. It forbids the Prophet's wives to re-marry. Now, according to the logic of those people, can muslim women even marry? Clearly muslim women of today are not married to the Prophet Muhammed pbuh! So that logic fails. And note that this logic is one of picking and choosing of what to follow in Islam, which is obviously haraam. 

Keep in mind many salafi websites have that logic of women needing to be at home. They're clearly screwed up and misguided. These same conservative hardline Muslims won't want their daughters or sisters to be educated by male teachers or be seen by a male doctor.


Note, if Muslim women WANT to be a housewife, then nothing wrong with that. However, throwing the "wrath of Allah" on to women who choose not to follow this path is sick, psychotic, wrong, and disgusting.

3) Islam does not allow women to work. They must be housewives

No where in the Quran or Sunnah does it say women must be a housewife who cooks or cleans. These are roles that manifest based on culture on mutual understanding.


3) Democracy is shirk, biddah, and haraam

A salafi claim. Islam mentions no formal ways of governing. Which is why throughout Islamic history we have had different types of government.

4) Democratic laws are man made and against Allah's laws/democracy is shirk

No. The Quran and Sunnah mention have only a FEW LEGAL PARTS, while the rest is related to spirituality and stories. 90% of the laws made and passed in western countries are not against Islamic law. 


In my province, all autistic children are by law required to have people trained in such fields to watch over their development. In the next province over, all pet owners must register their pet with local vet clinics and are required to bring in their pets at least once a year for a regular check up. Does Islam specifically mention this? No.

One of the problems Muslim countries have is that they try to politicize everything that is in the Quran. In other words, they try to find an Islamic answer for everything, and this becomes problematic. They go beyond the legal aspects, and try to politicize family affairs, relations with non-muslims, relations with women, and so on. What is spiritual is meant to stay spiritual, what is contextual (meant for specific times and places (i.e. slavery)) is meant to remain in that time period. See what I'm saying?

5) Sex segregation is fardh (mandatory) in Islam

See point 1.

Here are some fatwas on how separating the genders is not a requirement in Islam:
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=9388&LangID=2
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=4844&text=segregation
http://en.islamtoday.net/node/1239
http://askthescholar.com/question-details.aspx?qstID=9356

Some videos by Dr Shabir Ally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxvp48KJEg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPBE9uhRCDU

6) Women get half the inheritance

Firstly, I have written about how muslim women today are independent. See here: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/02/what-does-it-mean-when-quran-says-men.html
http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/02/what-does-it-mean-when-quran-says-men_10.html

Muslim women today are just as much important breadwinners as men. It is not the duty of women to stay at home, and cook and clean. Neither the Quran nor Sunnah directly mention gender roles for women. Gender roles manifest themselves according to time and place.

See this link that says women can get equal inheritance: http://www.mwlusa.org/topics/rights/inheritance.html

7) Women cannot travel alone

See this:
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=6826&text=women
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=3019&text=women
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=6128&text=women
http://askthescholar.com/question-details.aspx?qstID=28463

8) Wives are to obey their husbands

Comes from verse 4:34. It however refers to obedience to Allah. See the following: 
http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_251_300/does_the_quran_allow_beating_of.htm
http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/02/what-does-allah-mean-by-rebellious.html

9) Muslim men are allowed to marry more than one wife

See here: http://mymuslimthoughts.blogspot.ca/2015/02/why-are-people-so-misguided-on-polygamy.html





 


Friday, January 8, 2016

Should we be surprised a hundred Arab men sexually assaulted so many German women?

Sexual assault and harassment are a part of many muslim cultures unfortunately.  Because of poor laws and poor law enforcement, such crimes are basically legal.

You know that saying from salafi muslims that women should stay at home to avoid being raped? Yeah, stay at home in countries like Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Saudi, because women who arent burka covered housewives are seen as inviting inapropriate touching and lewd comments.

On top of that, many muslim men love lusting at the white women in hollywood movies and in pornography. So what happens when they immigrate to western countries? Yeah.

An example is Sweden. It has taken in hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants from countries where women are consistently violated. At first I didn't believe the rape statistics because they often came from right wing anti muslim sources. But then I came across articles from neutral and liberal websites, and I know how women are viewed in many muslim countries after visiting, interviewing people, seeing news articles from MUSLIM COUNTRIES, and seeing human rights reports. Its no longer the "media" like how many muslims use the excuse. Its real. And people do it while still claiming to be muslim.

A few months ago it was in the news that some men were kicked out of a nightclub for sexually harassing women in Germany. The articles mentioned the men using the word "whore". Which type of people frequently use that word towards women? Oh and by the way it was mentioned they were Syrian immigrants.

Update: On January 12, according to the local (swedish news), 50 Afghans were arrested for sexually assaulting teen girls at a music festival.



Thursday, January 7, 2016

We need to STOP controlling Muslim women!!!

I honestly wonder how many Hollywood and pornographic films certain Muslims watch. Because they don't seem to trust their own daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, or female cousins to be independent, out of the fear they might become the actresses in Hollywood or pornographic films ("whores of the west" (they're words)).

Muslim societies see women as 1) a sex object who cannot show herself and cannot appear in public without wearing Arabian clothes 2) Incapable and dependent: they need to be "protected" and policed because they lack the qualities to be on their own and be independent.

We NEED to see women as equal, we CANNOT put any restrictions on them. Muslim women should be allowed to make their OWN decisions, and live their OWN lives according to their wishes. More importantly, we CANNOT see them as being weak in their deen. We CANNOT make them feel as if they're being criminals in the eyes of Allah. Several patriarchal muslim countries have the view women will become prostitutes, sluts, or have boyfriends if they aren't burka covered housewives, or if they don't have close male relatives with them when they go out. Because like I have said many times, culture influences peoples views on Islam. So contradicting culture or the ulema from that culture does NOT MEAN they're misguided.

We need to stop judging, stop being suspicious, and stop being paranoid of muslim women if we see them with a man who isn't related to her (or maybe he is). We also cannot spy on them to see if they do things that confirm our suspicions or paranoia. Many men and women have co-workers, colleagues, teachers/professors, patients, and doctors whom are of the opposite sex. It only becomes haraam when dating, flirting, or engaging in fornication arises.

I should add, flirting means engaging in types of talk that will lead to dating or fornication. Just because a laugh is shared, or acts of kindness, that doesn't count as flirting. I say this because muslim communities are engaging in massive paranoia about what flirting actually is.

We need to STOP targeting Muslim women. Muslim societies should STOP seeing women as baby making machines who should be hidden from public. Muslim societies should STOP expecting that from women. Many Muslim women don't cover their hair. Which unfortunately makes them prone to abuse and attacks.

"I think she has boyfriends", "I don't think she does her namaaz (prayers)", "I don't think she fasts during Ramadan", "She's trying so hard to be westernized". These rumors start spreading like wild fire in muslim communities and countries.

How come we don't see Hindus, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, or atheists target and harass women like how many muslim communities do???? How come females from other religions are getting bullied like how many muslim women have to go through??? How come men from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Atheism aren't going after their women like rabid dogs, which is so prevalent in Muslim societies??

AND even if muslim women are engaging in fornication (I mean if they openly say it, or you actually witnessed it (seeing the penis in the vagina- I have to be specific because like I said before, anything is fornication/adultery nowadays according to backwards Muslims)), drinking alcohol, having boyfriends (I mean actually dating, and NOT what I mentioned in the third paragraph), and wearing revealing clothes (I don't mean showing her hair, I mean actually revealing and tight clothing that will get her kicked out of school), then it is between her and ALLAH, not between her and the vulgar language you are about the spew. By the way, all that activity is FAR MORE COMMON among Muslim males, but no one is going to target them.