Muslim American Perceptions Hardly Changed – Still Facing Discrimination
As Muslim moms, dads, grandparents, family members and community members, it’s critical to arm our children with the realities of what typical Americans “perceive” us to be, who we are, what we do, and how we think.
Now, as optimistic, fun-loving, and open-minded as I am–since birth, I have often scared people because they thought I was naive to think the world is so rosey and peachy-keen. Now, I never assumed people to be as blissful (which is a good thing, mashaAllah) and ultrusitic as I, but I don’t think this world is all doom and gloom either…and remember my babies and I lived in a war zone for over a year!
So, despite 9/11 and all has occurred with Muslim hate crime, I continue to live my life optimistically only because I have no fear accept to please Allah by living by the Glorious Qur’an and striving my best to live by the Sunnah.
But,regardless how I feel, it’s my duty to protect my daughters and the number one way is with education and building our self-confidence based on the truth surrounding them.
So, when I was first exposed to the first set of research below by introduction of Ben of Mediacurve.com (comments to the CNN media request), I sat all my girls down to read and discuss each and every single slide, also linked below.
Hijabis in America are seen as Different
MediaCurves.com – What a Difference a Shawl Makes – Perceptions Differ of Woman With and Without a Shawl on her Head (January 2008)
Not surprisingly, nothing has changed a year later.
Muslims still face overwhelming amount of discrimination
Muslims Widely Seen As Facing Discrimination – Pew Forum (2010 surveyed)
- Views of Religious Similarities and Differences
- Views of Islam and Muslim
- About the Survey
- Full Report: Views of Religious Similarities and Differences
MUSLIMS WIDELY SEEN AS FACING DISCRIMINATION (PDF version -24 pgs.) - Topline questionnaire (9 pgs.)
While there’s much for details to go through in the Pew’s detailed research above, it is imperative that I also take the time to go through each and every page with my young daughters as well.
Will you arm your children with knowledge, regardless of their age?
Our girls are 6, 8 and 9 years old.
I’m eager to hear what you have to say. Please comment below.
Fox61 Morning News – Mommy Blogger Shares Back to School Tips…Not Religion
Fox61 News anchor, Rebecca Stewart’s article School Tops List Of Kids’ Worries in today’s Hartford Courant, prompted her to share her top tips to help with Back to School Jitters in today’s Mommy Minutes:
This “Mommy Minutes” segment was a perfect transition for anchor/reporter Sarah French to introduce me as a CT author and mom blogger with tips to help make the transition from the flexibility and fun or family vacations to the classroom setting a better one.
Due to the breaking news of the California wildfires, we we cut off and I wasn’t able to share the Rand McNally Boredom Breakers car game series. So, here’s our review, if you missed it earlier this week.
I really enjoyed my time with Sarah French. But, our time right before our interview was absolutely insane. We were rushing during a commercial break updating my intro, putting on microphones and trying to find the producer all while hearing people yelling 2-minute countdown…30-seconds, etc.
The Producer informed me in a rush, that I was not aloud to bring up my association to American Muslim Mom blog, although I’d be introduced as a mommy blogger. She kept stressing that I can’t discuss religion, and the title of my website alone denotes religion and the network can’t promote it.
But, I informed her that I’m not a part of any other mom blog. I even asked if they found my Empower Women Now for women entrepreneurs…but, she said no, it’s something else.
Anyways, I didn’t have the number of my publicist, to find out which blog I was supposedly “a part” of. Knowing my introductions to the products and DKCNews was from RoleMommy, I mentioned it to the producer when she was rushing by and she said ‘yes, that’s it’.
The problem (as I anticipated) happened when I sat in the studio, with lights and camera on us. Their own anchor, Sarah French, told me she’ll introduce me and give me an opportunity to talk about any thing I wanted about my mommy blog. She said to tell her where my tips can be found, etc.
I was confused yet again.
She showed me what the TelePrompter wrote as my introduction.
So, we began to rush, change and even update misprints in her notes, while looking for the producer. Then, finally we heard a staff person yell,
“she said, she can’t say anything about American Muslim Mom”.
So, in 3-2-1…I offered to go right into my 3 tips instead of having an intro [we're on the air]
- Making more family fun day trips with your kids for free,
- Playing educational car games, and
- Playing free educational online games.
Now, there was nothing religious about our pitch to be a mommy blogger who has tips to help transition kids back to school.
Nonetheless, here are some positive thoughts to share:
- I’m happy about the wonderful relationships I built with RoleMommy and DKCNews because of this opportunity.
- I liked being called a “Mommy Blogger” to show that we are educated professionals, and do have a purpose to educate and share wonderful tips and resources on and offline.
- I’m proud to be a Muslim Mom who blogs, and has newsworthy information to share beyond “promoting” any “assumed” religious message.
- Being on Fox61 News with a hijab was great! I’ve been on TV and the news many times in my previous careers (real estate, public health, and as an entrepreneur), all prior to my covering for the sake of Allah (may He be Glorified).
- By far, this is the best title and role ever: Being a Muslim Mom (my life) Blogger (my new growing passion)!
While there was a ton of confusion surrounding the minutes before the interview, I believe Sarah and I did very well in sharing our main points of back to school tips–which had nothing to do with religion in the first place.
It’s obvious that I was excited & happy to share my tips. I wasn’t even nervous–actually, it was painfully funny.
Regardless, all the chaos prior to going on the air may have been the culprit to my head bee-booping happily throughout the interview. I know I’m an animated speaker, but have I always been a head bopper, too!? Leaving today with a laugh! 
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and input. Please comment below.
Follow-up Interview Tips (with available links) available here.
CNN.com Shares Why Muslim American Teens Wear Hijab
Alhumdulilah, Praise be to Allah, a wonderful story by colleague John Blake of Turner/CNN.com was published earlier this week entitled, “Muslim Women Uncover Myths about the Hijab“. Subhanallah, Glory be to Allah, our media search for American Muslim Teens Who Wear Hijabs was successful in helping John Blake with this story since we referred Rowaida Abdelaziz to him. MashaAllah, God willed, Rowaida spoke confidently and eloquently as she shared the beauty of hijab from the perspective of a high school student in America.
Thank you John for covering this interesting story for non-Muslims and Muslims in America.
Commentary from American Muslim Mom
- We agree completely with the reported misconceptions, misunderstandings, and the mistreatment of our devout Muslim Women of all ages throughout the world, especially in America and the West.
- While there may be some debate whether the hijab is optional for Muslim women, we believe it is an obligation.
- We also agree that covering one’s head occurred prior to Prophet Muhammad’s (peace & blessings be upon him) revelation of the Qur’an. For example, our beloved and most respected Mariyam (Virgin Mother of Jesus (peace be upon him)) dressed modestly with a head cover.
- Whether the hijab originated from Islam or prior religions or cultures is irrelevant.
Regarding women and hijab, Our Holy Qur’an clearly states,
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. ( Surah An-Noor, Chapter #24, Verse #31)
It is no sin on them (the Prophet’s wives, if they appear unveiled) before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother’s sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their own (believing) women, or their (female) slaves. And (O ladies), fear (keep your duty to) Allah. Verily, Allah is Ever All-Witness over everything. (Surah Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #55)
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surah Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #59)
For a better understanding of these ayats (verses) in the Qur’an, the Tafsir (Meaning and full translational understanding) are shared at the end of this article, provided by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi at Search Truth
American Muslim Mom’s Stance on Hijab
- Please refer to the highly-acclaimed book entitled, The Hijab…Why?, by Dr: Muhammad Ismail available online for free here.
- Dr. Ismail uses authentic verses from the Qur’an and the Sunnah (actions and words) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
As an introduction to hijab, Dr. Ismail details how
1. The Hijab is an Act of Obedience to Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
2. The Hijab is an Act of Modesty
3. The Hijab is an Act of Purity
4. The Hijab Acts as a Shield and Protection
5. The Hijab is an Act of Righteousness
6. The Hijab is an Act of Belief and Faith
7. The Hijab is an Act of Bashfulness
8. The Hijab is Gheerah, which is the intrinsic, driving emotion that drives a man to safeguard women he is related to away from strangers and danger.
- We, at American Muslim Mom, feel driven by all these virtues of hijab (in Arabic it literally means “to conceal, screen, cover, and protect”) and proudly cover for the sake of Allah. One should not cover for any other reason such as pleasing one’s husband or family, following a certain culture or latest fashion. Only until one reaches a certain level of faith with pure intentions to please Allah (May He be Glorified); the act of wearing a hijab (now understood as headscarf/veil) is meaningless and by some scholars not accepted by Allah (May He be Glorified).
- Having shared this, no one at American Muslim Mom is assuming Allah’s role to judge another sister simply because she chooses to cover or not. After all, Allah is the Only Judge. However, we are obliged to Allah (May He be Glorified) to educate, when possible, to share the truth of its beauty and necessity as stated in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings be upon him).
- If anyone can relate–our Founder/Publisher, Ponn M. Sabra–is impassioned by this topic and extends her helping hand. By embracing Islam 10 years ago, it took many years to finally embrace hijab as a duty and allegiance to Allah. Being the only Muslim in her family, and determined to raise 3 Mu’minah in America who she prays will chose hijab for themselves, she empathizes greatly to all Muslimahs around the world (not just in America and the West) Young and Old! Ponn Sabra states,
“Each and every single one of us (Muslim women) have our own jihad (personal struggle (in the way of Allah to keep evil away from ourselves) with the issue of hijab. Rather than spend anymore time debating when, if and why we should or shouldn’t wear it–we should focus all our energy on empowering one another to come closer to Allah (May He be Glorified) through the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Subhanallah (Glory be to God), the blessings I receive for choosing the hijab at my prescribed time, far exceed any of my “horror” stories, which I now share for comic relief. But, because I also faced unkind, arrogant, outright judgmental treatment from “covered” sisters when I didn’t cover; all I can say is, “Allahu alam (Allah knows best). And, May Allah Guide Us All. Ameen.”
As Muslim Moms, our children have rights over us–therefore we are obligated to educate our daughters about hijab and all that it entails. With my own sins to atone for, and my daughters to inspire; my plate is full. 
My intention is to serve Allah (May He be Glorified) in my role as His humble servant and the mother to my daughters. If in my service, my personal experiences in learning, living and empowering myself and my daughters to choose hijab happen to motivate sisters to seek the truth and a renewed closeness to Our Creator, MashaAllah (God has willed this to be).
We must move away from debate within our own ummah (community of believers), and offer to motivate through education–but, most importantly–by example.
As for my response to non-Muslims regarding my choose to wear a hijab…the same applies. I can only show by example that my deen (way of life) is my choose and mine alone. If I happen to choose to worship Allah (God) in the matter that I do, and I do not inflict my beliefs nor question theirs–there shouldn’t be any problems, right!?”
We are very curious what you think! Please begin a debate dialogue with us in the comments sections below.
Tafsir/Meaning and Understanding of the above ayats (verses) about hijab/veil
[24:31] O Prophet, enjoin the Believing men to restrain their gaze31 and guard their private32 parts.33 and not to display their adornment34 except that which is displayed of itself,35 and to draw their veils over their bosoms36 and not to display their adornment except before their husbands,37 their fathers, the fathers of their husbands,38 their sons and the sons of their husbands39 (from other wives), their brothers,40 their brothers’ sons,41 their sisters’ sons,42 their female associates43 and those in their possession44 and male attendants incapable of sex desire45 and those boys who have not yet attained knowledge of sex matters concerning women;46 also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.47 O Believers, turn all together towards Allah:48 it is expected that you will attain true success.49
[33:55] There is no blame on the wives of the Prophet that they are visited in their houses by their fathers, their sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons,102 their familiar women103 and their slaves.104 (O women,) you should avoid the disobedience of Allah, for Allah observes everything.105
[33:59] O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters and the women of the believers that they should let down over their faces a part of their outer-garments;110 it is expected that they will thus be recognized and not molested.111 Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.112
American Muslim Women Hijab Fashion on Today Show 7/15/07
JAK (Jazaha Allahu Khayrun) Jamerican Muslimah for the links!
My girls and I do not agree with tight jeans, showing your curves, or
straying away from the true blessings of having hijab (covering with modesty).
It doesn’t mean to simply cover ones hair, and leave the rest of our bodies out
to “show”, it’s an honor, grace, protection, humility and much more…which CAN be
fashionable at the same time
