Challenges facing American Muslim women by Samer Hathout
Hasan A. Yahya, Professor of Sociology
Submitted rarely find an article dealing with the balance of Muslim women in the U.S. in terms of race relations and theories of assimilation, but I wrote several articles on women in the database section, models of marriage, honor killings, polygamy and the wives and poliginy prophet to defend Islam and Muslims in a new light on the Islamic heritage as a religion and lifestyle shows. I was also in youtube recently repackaging views of the East “on Muhammad and his marriages. I found this newspaper article about my words. So I took the opportunity to enhance learning and understanding.
Muslim women often face discrimination in America spend their own Muslim community. Discrimination by Muslims primarily the result of ignorance about Islam and the importation of cultural attitudes that demean women. Islam is often interpreted in a sense, sexist and not true, the true doctrine of equality in the Quran and the model provided by the prophet Muhammad. Samer Hathout, a young sociologist Muslims who understand Islam and social theories in terms of race relations and the situation of minorities in developing countries and developed countries. I’ll let the readers here for their outstanding articles with an intelligent overview, I think, just about Islam and Muslims in general and Muslims in particular scales read. I share with him the same idea, and we are both to be heard on the same river for the need, before the assessment wrongly, the Muslim women. This item is covered as in France, a woman with a head scarf, was interviewed in the French parliament and accused the regime of the Constitution, hundreds of years has been made for men to break their heads with hats coverage. The ignorance of Muslim heritage with hijab have to do more articles understanding between cultures possible. In fact, in my book Crescentology, C standards for management theory and cultural conflicts, (2008) pointed out that I know is the main component of my theory, which follows the understanding and appreciation to compromise and then live in peace. This article (also on September 7th, 1995 thought of an international conference convened made in China), it is still relevant after the shooting of Major Nidal Hasan Malik, who believe an American Muslim Arab) I, it happened the foundation of knowledge and understanding. The article was published at: http://www.islamfortoday.com/americanmuslimwomen.htm (Hasan A. Yahya)
Article Samer Hathout
I will discuss the challenges American Muslim women. As a minority in the United States, Muslims face many challenges. First, it is ignorance of Islam. This ignorance leads to stereotypes, fear and mistrust. The actions of some Muslim extremists are assigned to all Muslims. Muslim American citizen loyalty to the United States is called into question. We are dehumanized and thus easy targets for injury. For example, bombed last April, which was the Federal Building in Oklahoma City. It is probably the most devastating attack of terrorism occurring on American soil. A few hundred people were killed and hundreds were injured. He was particularly brutal, because it is a day care center on one of the lower floors of the building. Once the report of the attack, the first suspects were Muslims. Once the building was bombed, said news reports: “Arab-looking men seen leaving the area.” Basically for the next 24 hours we have faced harassment, we were threatened, and our very lives were at risk. Muslim schools have been closed, and some Muslims were arrested and harassed, and assaulted. Until the next day, as it turned out, a white fringe minority of people who did this, we could breathe a sigh of relief that does not sort our lives in danger, and finally mourn We were able to victims of the attack that. Another danger is that American ignorance about Islam, the omnibus anti-terrorism legislation, which President Clinton has proposed that the spread of wrong targets Muslims to the extent providers of terrorism
Despite several generations in this country -. Muslims have a history in the us – we are still perceived as foreigners, we are always perceived as the people of the United States to destroy, and if we try to define us, our voices are silenced. If the majority of Muslims are the rare opportunity to explain Islam, where we are told that we, the moderate Muslims, the minority and that most Muslims are indeed violent extremists. This image of Muslims as violent extremists by the media, elected mainly negative images of Islam and Muslims perpetuated report. This image is reinforced by the deep ignorance of the average American Muslims and Islam. This ignorance, unfortunately, begins at a very early age – in schools, textbooks are biased and have a lot of false information. And, like all minorities have to do, American Muslims must fight to ensure that our civil liberties not violated. Our achievements included in the framework of American pluralism, while maintaining our identity as Muslims, are often rejected and misunderstood. We are told by some Muslims and non-Muslims that we must choose between being Muslim and American. Among Muslims – from every culture on earth, as we have seen in this conference – American culture is inherently unfair as anti-Islamic and perceived little effort is made to understand and accept the Arab Muslim culture American, and more Muslims, Asian or other African origin. Among non-Muslims, because the U.S. was founded on the basis of the separation of church and state, the presence of religious groups in the political arena is viewed with suspicion. As Muslims, we carry this burden, but we also carry the additional burden of ignorance of Islam. Our search continues to define us as American Muslims is indeed very difficult Jihad.
Muslim women in America
As women in the United States, we often face discrimination based on sex. Although such discrimination is not as obvious as in other parts of the world, or they may take different forms, there is still exists in America. Women often can not reach their full potential at work or in education and the media constantly showing women as sex objects and nothing more. U.S. women’s wages still are, dollar for dollar, less the corresponding salaries of their male colleagues. Working women, to earn a living, always the primary responsibility of caring for the home and family with little domestic support of their husbands. Women in positions of influence in the United States are few and far between. Recently, we experienced some setbacks in the affirmative action and only our struggles for equality important.
American Muslim women face many additional obstacles unique. We are victims of discrimination by non-Muslims and Muslims in America. For example, a woman, the hijab, the traditional head covering, often ridiculed and are at work in the street, and the careers of many of these women may actually – they are at work against the discrimination and they are not given jobs. And are women, wearing headscarves in the United States who are obvious targets – it is obvious that they are Muslims, and therefore they bear the brunt of ignorance of Islam. They are victims of sexual harassment, and often their actual physical safety is at risk
Muslims come from different backgrounds. In America we have the Muslim immigrants, which covers a number of problems such as the face of xenophobia. In the United States in recent times there has been a growing hostility toward immigrants, and they are often confused with all the socio-economic problems that we are held accountable in front of the United States and intimidation because of it. And we have a large African-American Muslim and they face additional obstacles because, as part of a racial minority in the U.S., they faced the problems of racism, discrimination, segregation, and make the traces of slavery were. Add to that religious discrimination and sex discrimination, and these are some of the challenges faced in general.
But in addition, Muslim women are often discriminated against in their own Muslim community. Discrimination by Muslims primarily the result of ignorance about Islam and the importation of cultural attitudes that demean women. Islam is often interpreted in a sense, sexist and not true, the true doctrine of equality in the Quran and the model provided by the Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him. Quran and Hadith (teachings of Prophet Muhammad) are taken out of context and used to justify certain behaviors. Because Muslims are a minority in the United States attempts to give a positive image of Islam to describe the real situation of teaching of Islam, Muslims in America are often reluctant to address the problems of Muslim women, lest the enemy Islam is concerned may use this information against us. But the irony is that everyone knows that is not our problems, and everyone knows we’re the only people who could be treated. And unfortunately, the media are quick to inform us and others of the most serious forms of violence or discrimination that Muslim women face. And what we do in this presentation is to be hoped that some of the problems that we, an American Muslim women face and voice to give our sisters to recognize suffered unjustly in the name of Islam, the presentation created by
health powerpoint templates. ASIFA further examine the possibilities that we as Americans to try to solve these problems
Case Studies
Some of the most serious problems that Americans face are we Muslim women. Domestic violence, abuse of laws on divorce and custody, abuse of the system of polygamy and isolation and exclusion of various aspects of Muslim life. We provide a few isolated cases simply to illustrate the depth of the problems. We have women in the stories given names to call, but their identities were changed and their confidentiality is protected. The stories are easy to illustrate and animate the specific suffering of American Muslim women today shared. These are true stories that are real women who have suffered. These stories have been talks with Muslim community leaders, social workers, psychologists, lawyers, doctors, especially in Southern California put in place, but across the United States. We obtain information from a thing called a Sistersnet email network of Muslim women in the United States and other countries. But unfortunately there is no database, there is no specific information, such as frequency of each of these abuses that occur there. Further investigation of these issues is urgently needed so that we adequately address these problems. And although these cases are not considered by most American Muslim women, they are still serious problems.
must now be addressed is the story of Mariam as follows. Mariam
Mariam met a married man named Ali. They were married for several years. During this marriage, Mariam Ali abused. His abuse was assaulted verbally and physically. Mariam was often beaten by her husband. When Mariam try to talk to their chief local Muslim community, it was made to believe that violence was her fault: if it were a better wife, Ali would not fight. She also told not to discuss her marital problems with others, and he remains married to them at all costs preserve important family. Ali and the contents of the Quran and Hadith to justify his abuse. Mariam told by their local Muslim leaders that violence is justified, it quoted the Koran and Hadith in their face, to justify it, they thought it was justified. She was raped for years. Finally, it could hold no more. She feared for her life, she left. She left her house, she left her husband to take refuge in a house of women in the region (non-Muslims) fought, and received the support they need for their new life. Ali was convicted in the U.S. courts for battery marriage. When Mariam appeared in Muslim functions, it has been avoided, the Muslim community wanted nothing to do with it. It was like a woman who left her husband to account for any reason. Ali, on the other hand, if Muslims functions, was the victim of a broken marriage considered victims of the American judicial system. He was welcomed by the Muslim community with open arms. Mariam had no support from the Muslim community. She continued to turn to non-Muslims for their support and they finally stopped attending Islamic functions.
Mariam story is unfortunately not rare in the United States. Victims of domestic violence have received little support from the Muslim community and the support they want, while well intentioned, is often disorganized and inefficient. The lives of victims of domestic violence are often in danger and their only recourse is that non-Muslims who are willing to consider this question is again – and this is also a pressing problem throughout society U.S.. We face problems of domestic violence. The story of Khadija and Fatima shows the abuse of polygamy in the Islamic system. Khadija and Fatima
Khadija Omar married under the laws of the United States and the State in which he lived and under Islamic law. Omar later took a second wife, Fatima. But Omar and Fatima could not under U.S. law to marry because he was already married to Khadija and polygamy is illegal in the United States. Sun Fatima Omar married under a – supposedly – the Islamic tradition, which is simply a marriage proposal and acceptance of this proposal in front of witnesses. Fatima, the second woman who had converted to Islam, learned of Islam, especially Omar and he convinced them they do not need to marry under the law of the United States – Islam adequately protect their rights. And all this is true in a theoretical sense, the United States, we have no framework for the application that had
Omar children of his two wives -. His first wife Khadija and his second wife, Fatima. The two failed marriages. And Omar Khadija – the first marriage – divorced. Omar refused to provide any support to Khadijah and her children by marriage. Khadija Omar but could be brought before the courts of the United States and have children and alimony. Now, Omar was under Islamic law to make these necessary things, but he refused, and as a religious minority in the U.S., do not live in an Islamic state, Khadija had no choice other than the laws of the United States States, but fortunately, was married Khadija Omar under U.S. law and could bring him to justice
Fatima, on the other side -. divorced when Fatima and Omar – was able to do this because he is not married in the eyes of U.S. courts. Thus, private rights of Omar under Islamic law – do not give him something, do not give their children anything, but he assured her, before marriage, that. Fatima and could do nothing under the laws of the United States because they are not legally married. Fatima could not get financial support of Omar, because it does not comply with the mandatory legal institution Omar to Islamic law.
and the next is the story of Iman. Although the situation is not as physically or financially serious, it is always extremely emotional harm, and it is very common. Iman
Iman is a student. She is very active in student government on campus. He has formed coalitions with other student groups and relief operations in Bosnia, Palestine, Chechnya and other causes. She is on the student senate of the university, after she is elected. She wants to organize relief efforts similar in their mosque, their local Muslim community and other mosques in the region to reach the large Muslim population. She wants pamphlets and information on the walls of his mosque article. But they can not access the men’s section. You may not distribute information to women, many of whom do not come to this mosque, because the plants are less appropriate or desirable. Iman has a brother, father or husband to men for their access to information if they must go to Muslims. Sometimes it approached the men to ask for help. Many of them ignore them and leave, but sometimes it took men to his aid, leaflets, and display that information on the walls. But it is difficult, because next time they go, they can not find the man himself, and they must have the same thing again and again to do, and she is really frustrated.
You can “t do the ads in the mosque on the work she does. She wants to make an announcement after Friday prayers, but they are told they can not, because it is a woman. She is always tired and she wants to make a change. forthcoming elections in this mosque, and she wants to run for the board because it is a good way to get involved and make changes is. But he said that they can not run for council because she is a woman. But she is told they can join the Women’s Committee to organize and Eid Carnival for the children and prepare Iftar (breaking fast) during Ramadan. Iman, is obviously very frustrated. She is an activist. She has work they do. So they intend to go to the mosque because they know it can do more by non-Muslim groups Human Rights at its university. As history demonstrates, Iman, American Muslim women are regularly leadership positions in mosques and Islamic centers in our excluded We are only in certain areas -. prepare lunch organized Eid celebrations and events of its kind women are not spiritual or educational roles when she is teaching other women or mothers of Islam. knowledge and expertise are not allowed to explain the Koran to the community by giving lessons in the gender segregation sharia. in most American mosques and results in unjust and unequal access to space and facilities imposed. Women are often. areas sound systems with poor or no contact at all, or according to geography, temporary child care, you’re stuck in the back room next to the bathroom, where they are made – they can not interact with the speaker and ask questions and get -.. is even if it is a great American institution Muslim women are not only excluded from positions of leadership in our communities, but even the mosques completely excluded, this exclusion is clear where we are told “you can not go to the mosque is a mosque for men, or it may be difficult, in which the means provided is insufficient and the treatment we are so horrible that no sensible woman will return. All this exclusion has no basis in the teachings of Islam. It follows the culture and tradition. and Muslim women also deal with other problems, including many are culturally or ethnically based and not confined to Islam. He has so much cultural baggage that the United States with different wave of Muslims came And some of these other problems are not peculiar to Muslims, such as: general devaluation of women – we are considered “less good” than men, as a preference for boys over girls, women. a source of pride – and shame – in the family, so we have this terrible burden of family honor, early marriage, early pregnancy often and usually end the education of women, double standards often result in unequal access to education – . higher education, particularly because women are not allowed to leave their homes or travel far to go to college
These problems, which I mentioned are just a few. from those experienced by Muslim women in America abuse vary in degree and form again, we raise these questions not because we hate Islam, not because we hate Muslims, but because we have to -. face problems – such as Muslims.. It is not enough to say that Islam is a great religion, we must prove it by our actions
It is increasingly common to see Muslims in the U.S. -. united women and men – leaving Islam in increasing numbers due to the treatment of women. You see Muslims as an offer no solutions to these problems, and they see Muslims deny that these problems exist, and unbearable after a while. As Muslims, it is our duty to oppose all forms of oppression, whatever it takes in what ways we can fight and we can not fight against the oppression, if we do not recognize that it exists.
The address Samer Hathout Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights NGO Forum, UN Fourth World Conference on Women Huairou, China September 7, 1995
Samer Hathout received: There have been at a workshop of the League of Muslim Women and Karamah provided organized his BA from UCLA in sociology and legal studies at the University of Southern California you. very active and has served in the program hail Moot Court of Honor, and received an honorable mention in the program. She also received the Miller Johnson Equal Justice Award. She made two trips with the League of Muslim Women Croatia the status of Bosnian refugees, especially women investigate war refugees, and she interned at the DePaul University International Human Rights Law Institute, where they used data on the concentration camps by the compilation Tribunal Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Samer worked as a consultant to a crisis hotline rape. She was the founding president of the League of Muslim Women, for which she is an active member right now, and Vice-President the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles. She currently works as a criminal prosecutor in Los Angeles. (3703 words) www.askdryahya. com
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