Search Results for: muslim islam in the west

Outrage at the Raping Comments of an Islamic Cleric

Opposing secular, spiritual and political groups have today joined together in their outrage against the raping comments of an Australian Islamic cleric. In a Ramadan sermon, Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilaly, reportedly compared “women who wore make-up and dressed immodestly to meat that attracted cats.” The Australian, (Australia’s major national newspaper) quoted the cleric as saying, “If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it … whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered … Continue reading →

Resources for Islamic Clothing for Women

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It can be difficult to find Islamic clothing here in America. A walk into any clothing store reveals row after row of revealing, low-cut tops and skintight pants. Need a skirt? Here, take this leather mini! While those options are fine for wearing around the house, a Muslim woman can’t dress that way in public. So, what’s a conservative Muslim woman to do? Most large cities in America offer culturally diverse clothing stores. If you live near a predominantly Middle Eastern, Indian, or Pakistani area, there are likely stores or boutiques selling appropriate clothes. If there are no modest clothing … Continue reading →

Islam Online — An Important Resource for Muslims

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As a Muslim revert (convert), I often find myself with questions: “Is this halal (lawful) or haram (forbidden)?” “What is the Islamic way to handle this?” Many of today’s issues aren’t specifically referred to in Koran or Hadith. I can try my best to interpret the Holy writing in today’s terms, but I am no scholar. Scholars are not readily available in my neck of the woods, either! So, what’s a confused, but well-intentioned Muslim to do? Islam Online is the perfect resource for Muslims, new or otherwise. The website is a treasure trove of information about the religion, but … Continue reading →

Islamic Dress Code — Why Does She Dress Like That?

So many people see a Muslim woman dressed in head to toe and think, “Oppressed! He’s forcing her to dress like that.” “He” refers, of course, to her dictator of a husband. After all, no woman would shun mini skirts, tank tops, and shorts of her own free will. No thinking woman would wear long sleeves and pants in the heat of summer. If a woman is dressed like that she is obviously either brainwashed or beaten. Right? Wrong. I am an American, born and raised in a free country. Growing up, I was encouraged to wear make-up and dress … Continue reading →

Muslim Dating — Or Not!

Muslims do not (or at least, should not) date. Most people are a bit surprised when I tell them that. Then they inevitably jump to the conclusion that Muslims have arranged marriages. They picture two complete strangers meeting for the first time on their wedding day. While there are some Muslims who do have arranged marriages, that is not at all the norm. [h]Half of the Religion[/h] Muslims place a great deal of importance on marriage. In fact, marriage is considered half of the religion, meaning that all Muslims who are able to marry should get married. Once a Muslim … Continue reading →

New Face of Islam — Blogger Intro

Muslim. What image came to mind when you read that word? Did you picture an elderly Arab man with full beard and a turban? Did you think of a heavily veiled woman, walking three feet behind her tyrannical husband? Did you picture a wild-eyed young man, bombs strapped to his body? If so, you are not alone. That is how many Americans picture Muslims. [h]Who are Muslims?[/h] Would it surprise you to learn that only 20 percent of the world’s Muslims are Arabs? Muslims live on every continent in the world, in every country of the world, and in every … Continue reading →

Marriage in the News: Temporary Marriages

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There’s a brouhaha brewing overseas as many Western periodicals and newspapers detail that one of Iran’s hard-line ministers is encouraging temporary marriages. Why? Because he believes temporary marriage is one way to avoid the sin of extramarital sex. What is a Temporary Marriage? In Shiite Muslim tradition, a temporary marriage (sigheh) allows a man and a woman to be ‘married’ for any length of time based on a contract they sign. It can be as short as a few hours and as long as a few months or years. Money is exchanged, often in the form of a dowry. It’s … Continue reading →

Interview with Pervez Musharraf

In an interview on Fox News Channel’s Hannity and Colmes show, September 25, 2006, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, was asked tough questions on several issues. Asked about pardoning the man who shared nuclear secrets with Iran, Libya, and North Korea, Musharraf explained that Khan is seen as a hero to people on the streets. Despite his “mistakes,” Musharraf said Khan still brought nuclear technology to Pakistan. He felt he had no choice but to pardon the man, and described being the President of Pakistan as similar to walking a tightrope. When asked how he felt about the label “Islamic Fascist,” … Continue reading →

Marriage in Trouble? Seek Help

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We recently discussed that, although allowed, divorce is to be avoided whenever possible. Still, it is a fact of life that marriages do hit roadblocks, some big and some small. Maybe your wife spends too much money; maybe your husband spends too much time with his friends. Maybe he isn’t affectionate enough, maybe she’s too needy. Or maybe, the problems are more serious: infidelity, drug or alcohol use, mental or physical abuse. What’s a Muslim family to do? In traditional Muslim countries, the couple would sit down with the elders of the family. The husband, the wife, a representative from … Continue reading →

The Eternal Plan of Salvation

I had a discussion with a Muslim acquaintance of mine the other day. Rather, we were going back and forth on Jesus Christ, Muhammed and modern-day prophets. If you know much about Islam you know they do not believe that Jesus Christ is God, nor do they believe there have been any prophets since Muhammed. While I find that a sad state of belief, I feel the need to share the plan of salvation as Latter-day Saints understand it. Long before the world was formed, we lived with our Father in Heaven, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and all our other … Continue reading →