Womens rights

This is for all the sister

I won't worship your beauty standards, and I don't submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher.

Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of the standard.

I couldn't run as fast or lift as much. I didn't make the same money and I cried too often. I grew up in a man's world where I didn't belong.

And when I couldn't be him, I wanted only to please him. I put on your make-up and wore your short skirts. I gave my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell.

I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract, and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling.

But you lied.

Islam tells me, I'm a swan. I'm different-it's meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, was created for something more.

God says in the Quran: 'O mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another (not that you may despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteous? (Quran 49:13).

So I am honored. But it is not by my relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on a higher scale: a scale of righteousness and piety. And my purpose in life-despite what the fashion magazines say-is something more sublime than just looking good for men.

And so God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I'm not here to please men with my body; I'm here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman's body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving-only to the man I marry.

So to those who wish to 'liberate' me, I have only one thing to say:

Thanks, but no thanks.

I'm not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I'm a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won't worship your beauty standards, and I don't submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher.

With my veil I put my faith on display-rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not by my looks. So I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don't see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.

So you see, as a Muslim woman, I've been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don't answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their king.

Everyone who has participated in this topic should know that you have made this topic one of the most interesting topics on the forum. Jazakumullah.

Wassalam

[Sticky]

may i have permission to paste this and send it as a 4warded e-mail for others to read. it truely is inspiring and the shocking truth!!

ameen ti site admins dua:

taqwa, ur right in what u say.

others who i may think will benefit from it??

Yeh why not,
No I'm not half that talented, I receive it via e-mail.

It is a great inspiration and very powerful words

Someone got the article off Islamic Forum! It called - This was a letter to the Culture that raised me By: Yasmin Mogahed

ofcourse, give the URL to the page too. It'll bring more visitors to the site inshaAllah.

Jazakallah Rujie for sharing it with us - it was truly great.
Just some advice for sweet 16, make the most of the blessed days of Ramadhaan - turn to Allah and ask for help. Don't feel shy to ask anything if you're still in doubt.
I feel maybe you are just worried about getting married and fufilling your rights as a woman - it's not as scary as it seems !!! Obeying your husband is not as hard as it sounds, the man that you will marry will love you - he wouldn't want to treat you like some kind of slave. And about the permissibility of marrying again doesn't mean they will it's just made jaiz if the need arises.

lol inshallah i will be able 2 learn and correct my misconceptions from every1's help and knowledge.

i have heard it to be true too. im sure sister shahly or maybe some one else can enlighten u from the islamic point of view.
however,

im happy its that way, bcos, if i had to remember to payoff my monthly bills, statements etc, (instead of the ever reliable husband of mine) i would have the balifs come down and take my belongings from the 1st time!!

also, when women have children, their memory does not seem to be as sharp as it had been yrs b4. (well i see it prevalent in women i know) ; )

Even in general things, when a woman hits a male, it's ok (it was probably required). But when a male hits a female, there is no excuse. No male can hit a woman the way he would hit a male. This itself is a gift from Allah to women that naturally, a female would not be treated like a male in cruel things.

So many females want the same rights as males, if a male asked to never work and just take care of the children and cook food at home, seriously, how long would the wife tollerate it and keep providing her hard earnt money? The husband never complains and provides as much as he can even if it means he takes less himself (The right religious practising husband that is).

The fact is, many females cannot accept who they are, they turn blind to their rights that Allah has given them and they find the so called 'equal rights' of the West to be the rights that women deserve. Ask yourself something, do you truly believe that the West understands women more than Allah سبحانه وتعالى?

This is not directed to anyone, it's just generally what bounces around in my head when I hear anyone talking about women not getting rights.