Experience of a Converted Hindu Woman

Experience of a Converted Hindu Woman
My Experiences and How I Find that Islam does not Oppress Women
by : Sister Noor

I came from a purely Hindu family where we were always taught to regard ourselves (i.e. women) as beings who were eventually to be married off and have children and serve the husband - whether he was kind or not. Other than this I found that there were a lot of things which really oppressed women, such as:

* If a woman was widowed, she would always have to wear a white sari (costume), eat vegetarian meals, cut her hair short, and never re-marry. The bride always had to pay the dowry (bridal money) to the husband's family. And the husband could ask for anything, irrespective of whether the bride would have difficulty giving it. * Not only that, if after marriage she was not able to pay the full dowry she would be both emotionally and physically tortured, and could end up being a victim of "kitchen death" where the husband, or both the mother-in-law and the husband try to set fire to the wife while she is cooking or is in the kitchen, and try to make it look like an accidental death. More and more of these instances are taking place. The daughter of a friend of my own father's had the same fate last year!
* In addition to all this, men in Hinduism are treated literally as among the gods. In one of the religious Hindu celebrations, unmarried girls pray for and worship an idol representing a particular god (Shira) so that they may have husbands like him. Even my own mother had asked me to do this. This made me see that the Hindu religion which is based on superstitions and things that have no manifest proof , but were merely traditions which oppressed women could not be right.

Subsequently, when I came to England to study, I thought that at least this is a country which gives equal rights to men and women, and does not oppress them. We all have the freedom to do as we like, I thought. Well, as I started to meet people and make new friends, learn about this new society, and go to all the places my friends went to in order to "socialise" (bars, dance halls, etc.). I realised that this "equality" was not so true in practice as it was in theory. Outwardly, women were seen to be given equal rights in education, work, and so forth, but in reality women were still oppressed in a different, more subtle way. When I went with my friends to those places they hung out at, I found everybody interested to talk to me and I thought that was normal. But it was only later that I realised how naïve I was, and recognised what these people were really looking for. I soon began to feel uncomfortable, as if I was not myself: I had to dress in a certain way so that people would like me, and had to talk in a certain way to please them. I soon found that I was feeling more and more uncomfortable, less and less myself, yet I could not get out. Everybody was saying they were enjoying themselves, but I don't call this enjoying.
I think women in this way of life are oppressed; they have to dress in a certain way in order to please and appear more appealing, and also talk in a certain way so people like them. During this time I had not thought about Islam, even though I had some Muslim acquaintances. But I felt I really had to do something, to find something that I would be happy and secure with, and would feel respected with. Something to believe in that is the right belief, because everybody has a belief that they live according to. If having fun by getting off with other people is someone's belief, they do this. If making money is someone's belief, they do everything to achieve this. If they believe drinking is one way to enjoy life then they do it. But I feel all this leads to nowhere; no one is truly satisfied, and the respect women are looking for is diminishing in this way.
In these days of so called "society of equal rights", you are expected to have a boyfriend (or you're weird!) and to not be a virgin. So this is a form of oppression even though some women do not realise it. When I came to Islam, it was obvious that I had finally found permanent security. A religion, a belief that was so complete and clear in every aspect of life. Many people have a misconception that Islam is an oppressive religion, where women are covered from head to toe, and are not allowed any freedom or rights. In fact, women in Islam are given more rights, and have been for the past 1400 years, compared to the only-recently rights given to non-Muslim women in some western and some other societies. But there are, even now, societies where women are still oppressed, as I mentioned earlier in relation to Hindu women.
Muslim women have the right to inheritance. They have the right to run their own trade and business. They have the full right to ownership, property, disposal over their wealth to which the husband has no right. They have the right to education, a right to refuse marriage as long as this refusal is according to reasonable and justifiable grounds. The Qur'an itself, which is the Word of God, contains many verses commanding men to be kind to their wives and stressing the rights of women. Islam gives the right set of rules, because they are NOT made by men, but made by God; hence it is a perfect religion.
Quite often Muslim women are asked why they are covered from head to toe, and are told that this is oppression - it is not. In Islam, marriage is an important part of life, the making of the society. Therefore, a woman should not go around showing herself to everybody, only for her husband. Even the man is not allowed to show certain parts of his body to none but his wife. In addition, God has commanded Muslim women to cover themselves for their modesty:

"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they could be known as such (i.e. decent and chaste) and not molested." (Qur'an 33:59) If we look around at any other society, we find that in the majority of cases women are attacked and molested because of how they are dressed. Another point I'd like to comment on is that the rules and regulation laid down in Islam by God do not apply just to women but to men also. There is no intermingling and free-running between men and women for the benefit of both. Whatever God commands is right, wholesome, pure and beneficial to mankind; there is no doubt about that. A verse in the Qur'an explains this concept clearly:

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and protect their private parts (i.e. from indecency, illegal sexual acts, etc.); that will make for greater purity for them. And God is well aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and protect their private parts (from indecency, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.); and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments . . . " (Qur'an, Surah Al-Nur 24:31) When I put on my hijab (veil), I was really happy to do it. In fact, I really want to do it. When I put on the hijab, I felt a great sense of satisfaction and happiness. Satisfied that I had obeyed God's command. And happy with the good and blessings that come with it. I have felt secure and protected. In fact people respect me more for it. I could really see the difference in behaviour towards me.
Finally, I'd like to say that I had accepted Islam not blindly, or under any compulsion. In the Qur'an itself there is a verse which says "Let there be no compulsion in religion". I accepted Islam with conviction. I have seen, been there, done that, and seen both sides of the story. I know and have experienced what the other side is like, and I know that I have done the right thing. Islam does not oppress women, but rather Islam liberates them and gives them the respect they deserve. Islam is the religion God has chosen for the whole of mankind. Those who accept it are truly liberated from the chains and shackles of mankind whose ruling and legislating necessitates nothing but the oppression of one group by another and the exploitation and oppression of one sex by the other. This is not the case of Islam which truly liberated women and gave them an individuality not given by any other authority.

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Sister Noor embraced Islam while an undergraduate studying in the
Department of Biology at the University of Essex, U. K.

Purpose of Life: The Big Questions

Dr. Brown is the author of The Eighth Scroll, described by North Carolina State SenatorLarry Shaw as, ”Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code. The Eighth Scroll is a breath-holding, white-knuckled, can’t-put-down thriller that challenges Western views of humanity, history and religion. Bar none, the best book in its class!” Dr. Brown is also the author of three scholastic books of comparative religion, MisGod’ed, God’ed, andBearing True Witness. His books and articles can be found on his websites, www.EighthScroll.com and www.LevelTruth.com, and are available for purchase through amazon.com.

- Dr. Laurence Brown, MD

PART 1 – Who made Us?

At some point in our lives, everybody asks the big questions: “Who made us,” and “Why are we here?”

So who did make us?  Most of us have been brought up more on science than religion, and to believe in the Big Bang and evolution more than God.  But which makes more sense?  And is there any reason why the theories of science and creationism cannot coexist?

The Big Bang may explain the origin of the universe, but it doesn’t explain the origin of the primordial dust cloud.  This dust cloud (which, according to the theory, drew together, compacted and then exploded) had to come from somewhere.  After all, it contained enough matter to form not just our galaxy, but the billion other galaxies in the known universe.  So where did that come form?  Who, or what, created the primordial dust cloud?

Similarly, evolution may explain the fossil record, but it falls far short of explaining the quintessential essence of human life the soul.  We all have one.  We feel its presence, we speak of its existence and at times pray for its salvation.  But only the religious can explain where it came from.  The theory of natural selection can explain many of the material aspects of living things, but it fails to explain the human soul.

Furthermore, anyone who studies the complexities of life and the universe cannot help but witness the signature of the Creator. Whether or not people recognize these signs is another matter as the old saying goes, denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.  (Get it? Denial, spelled “de Nile” … the river Ni … oh, never mind.) The point is that if we see a painting, we know there is a painter.  If we see a sculpture, we know there’s a sculptor; a pot, a potter.  So when we view creation, shouldn’t we know there’s a Creator?

The concept that the universe exploded and then developed in balanced perfection through random events and natural selection is little different from the proposal that, by dropping bombs into a junkyard, sooner or later one of them will blow everything together into a perfect Mercedes.

If there is one thing we know for certain, it is that without a controlling influence, all systems degenerate into chaos.  The theories of the Big Bang and evolution propose the exact opposite, however that chaos fostered perfection.  Would it not be more reasonable to conclude that the Big Bang and evolution were controlled events? Controlled, that is, by the Creator?

The Bedouin of Arabia tell the tale of a nomad finding an exquisite palace at an oasis in the middle of an otherwise barren desert.  When he asks how it was built, the owner tells him it was formed by the forces of nature.  The wind shaped the rocks and blew them to the edge of this oasis, and then tumbled them together into the shape of the palace.  Then it blew sand and rain into the cracks to cement them together.  Next, it blew strands of sheep’s wool together into rugs and tapestries, stray wood together into furniture, doors, windowsills and trim, and positioned them in the palace at just the right locations.  Lightning strikes melted sand into sheets of glass and blasted them into the window-frames, and smelted black sand into steel and shaped it into the fence and gate with perfect alignment and symmetry.  The process took billions of years and only happened at this one place on earth purely through coincidence.

When we finish rolling our eyes, we get the point.  Obviously, the palace was built by design, not by happenstance.  To what (or more to the point, to Whom), then, should we attribute the origin of items of infinitely greater complexity, such as our universe and ourselves?

Another argument to dismiss the concept of Creationism focuses upon what people perceive to be the imperfections of creation.  These are the “How can there be a God if such-and-such happened?”  arguments.  The issue under discussion could be anything from a natural disaster to birth defects, from genocide to grandma’s cancer.  That’s not the point.  The point is that denying God based upon what we perceive to be injustices of life presumes that a divine being would not have designed our lives to be anything other than perfect, and would have established justice on Earth.

Hmm … is there no other option?

We can just as easily propose that God did not design life on Earth to be paradise, but rather a test, the punishment or rewards of which are to be had in the next life, which is where God establishes His ultimate justice.  In support of this concept we can well ask who suffered more injustices in their worldly lives than God’s favorites, which is to say the prophets?  And who do we expect to occupy the highest stations in paradise, if not those who maintain true faith in the face of worldly adversity? So suffering in this worldly life does not necessarily translate into God’s disfavor, and a blissful worldly life does not necessarily translate into beatitude in the hereafter.

I would hope that, by this line of reasoning, we can agree upon the answer to the first “big question.”  Who made us? Can we agree that if we are creation, God is the Creator?

If we can’t agree on this point, there probably isn’t much point in continuing.  However, for those who do agree, let’s move on to “big question” number two “why are we here?” What, in other words, is the purpose of life?

PART 2 – Purpose of Life

The first of the two big questions in life is, “Who made us?” We addressed that question in the previous article and (hopefully) settled upon “God” as the answer.  As we are creation, God is the Creator.

Now, let us turn to the second “big question,” which is, “Why are we here?”

Well, why are we here?  To amass fame and fortune?  To make music and babies?  To be the richest man or woman in the graveyard for, as we are jokingly told, “He who dies with the most toys wins?”

No, there must be more to life than that, so let’s think about this.  To begin with, look around you.  Unless you live in a cave, you are surrounded by things we humans have made with our own hands.  Now, why did we make those things?  The answer, of course, is that we make things to perform some specific function for us.  In short, we make things to serve us.  So by extension, why did God make us, if not to serve Him?

If we acknowledge our Creator, and that He created humankind to serve Him, the next question is, “How?  How do we serve Him?”  No doubt, this question is best answered by the One who made us.  If He created us to serve Him, then He expects us to function in a particular manner, if we are to achieve our purpose.  But how can we know what that manner is? How can we know what God expects from us?

Well, consider this: God gave us light, by which we can find our way.  Even at night, we have the moon for light and the stars for navigation.  God gave other animals guidance systems best suited for their conditions and needs.  Migrating birds can navigate, even on overcast days, by how light is polarized as it passes through the clouds.  Whales migrate by “reading” the Earth’s magnetic fields.  Salmon return from the open ocean to spawn at the exact spot of their birth by smell, if that can be imagined.  Fish sense distant movements through pressure receptors that line their bodies.  Bats and blind river dolphins “see” by sonar.  Certain marine organisms (the electric eel being a high-voltage example) generate and “read” magnetic fields, allowing them to “see” in muddy waters, or in the blackness of ocean depths.  Insects communicate by pheromones.  Plants sense sunlight and grow towards it (phototrophism); their roots sense gravity and grow into the earth (geotrophism).  In short, God has gifted every element of His creation with guidance.  Can we seriously believe he would not give us guidance on the one most important aspect of our existence, namely our raison d’etre our reason for being? That he would not give us the tools by which to achieve salvation?

And would this guidance not be .  .  .  revelation?

Think of it this way: Every product has specifications and rules.  For more complex products, whose specifications and rules are not intuitive, we rely upon owner’s manuals.  These manuals are written by the one who knows the product best, which is to say the manufacturer.  A typical owner’s manual begins with warnings about improper use and the hazardous consequences thereof, moves on to a description of how to use the product properly and the benefits to be gained thereby, and provides product specifications and a troubleshooting guide whereby we can correct product malfunctions.

Now, how is that different from revelation?

Revelation tells us what to do, what not to do and why, tells us what God expects of us, and shows us how to correct our deficiencies.  Revelation is the ultimate user’s manual, provided as guidance to the one who will use us ourselves.

In the world we know, products that meet or exceed specifications are considered successes whereas those that don’t are … hmm … let’s think about this.  Any product that fails to meet factory specifications is either repaired or, if hopeless, recycled.  In other words, destroyed.  Ouch.  Suddenly this discussion turns scary-serious.  Because in this discussion, we are the product the product of creation.

But let’s pause for a moment and consider how we interact with the various items that fill our lives.  As long as they do what we want, we’re happy with them.  But when they fail us, we get rid of them.  Some are returned to the store, some donated to charity, but eventually they all end up in the garbage, which gets … buried or burned.  Similarly, an underperforming employee gets … fired.  Now, stop for a minute and think about that word.  Where did that euphemism for the punishment due to an underperformer come from?  Hmm … the person who believes the lessons of this life translate into lessons about religion could have a field day with this.

But that doesn’t mean these analogies are invalid.  Just the opposite, we should remember that both Old and New Testaments are filled with analogies, and Jesus Christ taught using parables.

So perhaps we had better take this seriously.

No, I stand corrected.  Most definitely we should take this seriously.  Nobody ever considered the difference between heavenly delights and the tortures of hellfire a laughing matter.

PART 3 – The Need for Revelation

In the previous two parts of this series, we answered the two “big questions.”  Who made us?  God.  Why are we here?  To serve and worship Him.  A third question naturally arose: “If our Creator made us to serve and worship Him, how do we do that?” In the previous article I suggested that the only way we can serve our Creator is through obeying His mandates, as conveyed through revelation.

But many people would question my assertion: Why does mankind need revelation?  Isn’t it enough just to be good?  Isn’t it enough for each of us to worship God in our own way?

Regarding the need for revelation, I would make the following points: In the first article of this series I pointed out that life is full of injustices, but our Creator is fair and just and He establishes justice not in this life, but in the afterlife.  However, justice cannot be established without four things�a court (i.e., the Day of Judgment); a judge (i.e., the Creator); witnesses (i.e., men and women, angels, elements of creation); and a book of laws upon which to judge (i.e., revelation).  Now, how can our Creator establish justice if He did not hold humankind to certain laws during their livetimes?  It’s not possible.  In that scenario, instead of justice, God would be dealing out injustice, for He would be punishing people for transgressions they had no way of knowing were crimes.

Why else do we need revelation?  To begin with, without guidance mankind cannot even agree on social and economic issues, politics, laws, etc.  So how can we ever agree on God?  Secondly, nobody writes the user manual better than the one who made the product.  God is the Creator, we are creation, and nobody knows the overall scheme of creation better than the Creator.  Are employees allowed to design their own job descriptions, duties and compensation packages as they see fit?  Are we citizens allowed to write our own laws?  No?  Well then, why should we be allowed to write our own religions?  If history has taught us anything, it is the tragedies that result when mankind follows its caprice.  How many who have claimed to banner of free thought have designed religions that committed themselves and their followers to nightmares on Earth and damnation in the hereafter?

So why isn’t it enough just to be good?  And why isn’t it enough for each of us to worship God in our own way?  To begin with, peoples’ definitions of “good” differ.  For some it is high morals and clean living, for others it is madness and mayhem.  Similarly, concepts of how to serve and worship our Creator differ as well.  More importantly and to the point, nobody can walk into a store or a restaurant and pay with a different currency than the merchant accepts.  So it is with religion.  If people want God to accept their servitude and worship, they have to pay in the currency God demands.  And that currency is obedience to His revelation.

Imagine raising children in a home in which you have established “house rules.” Then, one day, one of your children tells you he or she has changed the rules, and is going to do things differently.  How would you respond?  More than likely, with the words, “You can take your new rules and go to Hell!” Well, think about it.  We are God’s creation, living in His universe under His rules, and “go to Hell” is very likely what God will say to any who presume to override His laws with their own.

Sincerity becomes an issue at this point.  We should recognize that all pleasure is a gift from our Creator, and deserving of thanks.  If given a gift, who uses the gift before giving thanks?  And yet, many of us enjoy God’s gifts for a lifetime and never give thanks.  Or give it late.  The English poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, spoke of the irony of the distressed human appeal in The Cry of the Human:

And lips say “God be pitiful,”

Who ne’er said, “God be praised.”

Should we not show good manners and thank our Creator for His gifts now, and subsequently for the rest of our lives?  Don’t we owe Him that?

You answered “Yes.” You must have.  Nobody will have read this far without being in agreement, but here’s the problem: Many of you answered “Yes,” knowing full well that your heart and mind does not wholly agree with the religions of your exposure.  You agree we were created by a Creator.  You struggle to understand Him.  And you yearn to serve and worship Him in the manner He prescribes.  But you don’t know how, and you don’t know where to look for the answers.  And that, unfortunately, is not a subject that can be answered in an article.  Unfortunately, that has to be addressed in a book, or maybe even in a series of books.

The good news is that I have written these books.  I invite you to start with The Eighth Scroll.  If you’ve liked what I’ve written here, you’ll love what I’ve written there.

ISLAM is finding a niche in the West

By Gwen Shrift Staff Writer http://www.phillyburbs.com/intelligencerrecord/article1.asp?F_num=1508843 There are about 7 million Muslims in the United States, with about 2 million attending the nation's 1,209 mosques. An average 30 percent of those participating in activities at their mosques are converts. That he may never forget the presence of God, the devout Muslim tempers his intentions with a lyrical word in Arabic, language of the prophet Mohammed. "Inshallah"- "If God wills" - is no cheap catchphrase. It describes the whole relationship between the Muslim and Allah, the supreme being, of whom the Quran says: "To God belong the East and the West; and wherever you turn, there is the face of God. For God is omnipresent, all-knowing." Not since the Puritans has God ruled lives the way Allah still guides the Muslim. Fourteen centuries after Mohammed, Islam is still cool water in the desert to the faithful. The words of the Quran pull strongly to seekers of peace and wisdom, and all are welcome to drink at the spring. Yet to some non-Muslims, the faith can be a force that steals a person's spirit and twists it to evil. Many were outraged when a 20-year-old Islamic convert from California was found in Afghanistan earlier this year, allegedly fighting on the side of terrorists against his own country. For many, the face of an Islamic convert comes from news photos of the dazed-looking, heavily bearded and filthy John Walker Lindh, who's now known as the American Taliban. Yet Islamic converts are more likely to be blacks who get involved in mosque-sponsored interfaith discussions or programs to help the needy, according to a major study of religious groups released last year by the Hartford Seminary's Institute for Religious Research. In other words, the average Islamic convert is more Jameel Jaabir than John Walker Lindh. A profession of faith Jaabir, 28, converted to Islam three years ago, lives in Morrisville, works as a manager in a local distribution company, raises his daughter as a Muslim and is deeply involved in the Masjid As Saffat in Trenton, his house of worship,. Apart from the fact that Lindh is in a lot of trouble with the American government for allegedly joining the Taliban, his emergence didn't seem to do much for the public image of those who convert to Islam. Muslims say conversion to Islam is a matter of what's in a person's heart and mind. There is no baptism. One professes the faith and embraces the Islamic deen, or complete way of life. The most devout Islamic thinkers believe every human is born a Muslim, so entering the faith is regarded as reversion rather than conversion. Hartford Seminary researchers reported there are about 7 million Muslims in the United States, with about 2 million regularly attending the nation's 1,209 mosques. An average 30 percent of those participating in activities at their mosques are converts, according to the study, which says the average mosque has 16 conversions a year. So what is the world to make of the American Taliban? "This is a unique case where a young man who came to Islam got into a situation," says Sayyid M. Syeed, secretary-general of the Islamic Society of North America. "It became a tragedy that he became famous because he was found in Afghanistan. ... The most famous convert in America today, that is globally recognized and Americans are proud of, is Cassius Clay." Like many who convert to Islam, Clay took an Arabic name and became Muhammad Ali. Jaabir, born Corey Little, is still deciding how best to combine his birth name and his chosen name. "Some scholars believe you should keep your original last name," he says. Yet the Arabic names are evocative of a rich spiritual tradition: Jameel is one of the 99 attributes of Allah, and means one who is beautiful on the inside and acts in a beautiful manner. Jaabir means "one who consoles the aggrieved." Jaabir also is deciding on the right Arabic name for Nicole, his 9-year-old daughter. This devotion to Islamic roots runs counter to recent reports that some American citizens born with Arabic names are changing them to Western ones, often in fear of discrimination after the Sept. 11 attacks. Such Westernizing of names is a footnote in the larger story of the most recent clash between some elements of Islam and the West. Much has been made of the Islamic roots of those who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks, how copies of the Quran were found among their belongings, how they were instructed to cry "Allah Akbar!" ("God is great") as they prepared to slam jetliners into tall buildings. Mainstream Islam denounced the alleged religious motivation for the attacks, pointing out the faith is based on values such as peace and charity. But historical tensions are unlikely to end anytime soon, with enormous implications for both the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds. In his best-selling volume "What Went Wrong?" (written before Sept. 11, 2001), scholar Bernard Lewis concludes that "The worldwide exposure given to the views and actions of Osama bin Laden and his hosts the Taliban has provided a new and vivid insight into the eclipse of what was once the greatest, most advanced, and most open civilization in human history ... . "If the peoples of the Middle East continue on their present path, the suicide bomber may become a metaphor for the whole region, and there will be no escape from a downward spiral of hate and spite, rage and self-pity, poverty and oppression ... . "If they can abandon grievance and victimhood, settle their differences, and join their talents, energies, and resources in a common creative endeavor, then they can once again make the Middle East, in modern times as it was in antiquity and in the Middle Ages, a major center of civilization." In the name of Allah Muslims submit themselves to the will of God according to the Quran, which they believe was divinely revealed to Mohammed, who was born in the year 570 in what is now Saudi Arabia. Muslims consider Mohammed the last in a line of prophets that includes Abraham, Moses and Jesus, regard the Quran as the completion of all holy scriptures and believe Islam is the one true faith. Muslims do not worship Mohammed, but the faithful say or write "peace be upon him" at every mention of his name and the names of the other prophets. Mohammed is sometimes called Rasul Allah, which means "messenger of Allah." Virtually all Islamic documents, from announcements on the bulletin board at the local masjid to the opening verse of the Quran begin with the words: "Bis-millah hir-Rahman nir Rahim (In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful)." The central creed of Muslims is the belief in one God and in Mohammed's role as God's true messenger. Muslims abide by the five pillars of Islam: acknowledgement of the above-mentioned articles of faith, daily prayers, giving alms to the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan and making a pilgrimage to Mecca, birthplace of Mohammed. Besides their belief in one God and in the prophets, Muslims believe in the books revealed to the prophets who preceded Mohammed, including the Torah and the Gospel; in angels, heaven and hell, life after death and a day of judgment. Though not all Muslims are Arabs, the Quran and all Islamic prayers and religious terms are in Arabic. Muslims say the original text of the Quran has survived with no revisions or variations. Translations are regarded as explanations of the Quran's meaning, rather than the scripture itself. Memorizing all 114 chapters of the Quran is a sign of devotion. The devout Muslim's day is marked by the call to prayer, which in Islamic nations puts a stop to all other activity. "In the West, the world is still going on around you," says Rashidah Khalifa, a student at the College of New Jersey who volunteers at the Masjid As Saffat. "It's a blessing to be living in the West, but it forces you to be conscious of what you're doing." A new life Those who convert to Islam accept more than a set of beliefs. Islam governs one's conduct, dress and daily schedule. Jaabir, once preoccupied with hip-hop, now lives his life by the rhythms of faith. At prayer times, he quietly withdraws to a room apart from his usual workspace. On Fridays, the Muslim counterpart of the Christian sabbath, he leaves work and drives to the Masjid As Saffat for midday worship. He makes up his work hours later. "That's a very minute price to pay for serving Allah," he says. Like other Muslims, Jaabir is governed by Quranic teachings on proper dress and conduct. Muslims are expected to "lower their gaze and guard their modesty," which is why Muslims dress as they do. So when Jaabir's daughter, Nicole, covers her head when setting out to Sunday school at the masjid, she's not claiming second-class status but rather obedience to the will of God, according to Islamic belief. For the same reasons, Nicole's dad wears loose trousers, a shirt that reaches below the knees and a cap. Jaabir and Nicole are among the first arrivals at the Masjid As Saffat, a small brick building on a side street in central Trenton. They're here for prayers and for Nicole's Sunday school class. Soon, the masjid is crowded with worshippers and their children. While most of the women wear full Islamic garb, some of the younger girls are dressed in jeans and sweaters. Every woman follows the Quran according to her culture: Pakistani women wear printed loose cotton tunics and trousers, Eastern Europeans loose, long-sleeved, flannel dresses that reach to the ankle. Every female in the masjid, from first-graders to grandmothers, wears the head scarf known as a hijab. Classroom doors are covered with children's artwork. The crafts tell you the children who study in these rooms are named Nour, Khaleeq, Afrida, Nusheen, Leema, Fatima, Amina, Ibrahim and Usama. Everyone goes downstairs to a large room for assembly. Men and boys sit on one side, women and girls on the other. The Sunday school principal asks a little girl to read in Arabic, then discusses a lesson for the day - if you help your fellow Muslims when they're in difficulties, Allah will help you. The teacher asks the kids for examples of "difficulties." "A mother going through pregnancy," says one boy. "When you can't pay the bills," offers a little girl. Everyone recites the opening chapter of the Quran, translated here: "In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful "All praise belongs to God, Lord of all worlds, The Compassionate, the Merciful, Ruler of Judgment Day. It is You that we worship, And to You we appeal for help. Show us the straight way, The way of those You have graced, Not of those on whom is Your wrath, Nor of those who wander astray." Nicole goes upstairs and takes her place in a class of other third-graders taught by Khalifa. The teacher takes out a set of homemade flash cards, each depicting one of the 30 characters in the Arabic alphabet. Nicole eagerly calls out the names of the letters. Khalifah drills the students: "Why is this (the letter) jim (rather than the similar-looking ha or kha)?" "Because it's got a dot in the middle," says Nicole. The teacher discusses how a letter looks different according to whether it begins, connects or doesn't connect with another. She teaches them four new Arabic letters, handing out worksheets printed with examples. The children practice forming the characters, then recite chapters of the Quran, known as surahs. After a break, the class turns to Islamic history and moral concepts. Khalifa asks the children what a hypocrite is. "It's, like, a fake Muslim," says one girl. "It's someone who pretends to be something they're not," Khalifa explains. "No back-biting! No talking about people behind their backs!" Khalifa asks her students to recite 10 of the 99 attributes of Allah, all they've memorized so far - or at least some have. A few of the girls have mastered the list ("Ar-Rahim, the most merciful, Al-Mumin, guardian of faith, As-Salaam, the source of peace ...") but the lesson needs work. "Next week, we're going to have a test," Khalifa announces. "And everybody better know the 10 attributes of Allah. If you don't do well, you're going to be talking to your parents." Nicole, a student at M.R. Reiter Elementary School, loves her Arabic studies. "I'm just a couple of steps away and I'll be reading the Quran - I can't wait," she says. Likewise, her father lives for the rewards of prayer, for every reminder of Allah. "This is the right deen, this is the path I'm on," he says. "Every day, I pray for this knowledge, the understanding ... Islam is the truth. I didn't know this before." Gwen Shrift can be contacted via e-mail at gshrift@phillyburbs.com

Hinduism preaches Terrorism ?

[In Rig Veda III:34:9 Indra killed the Dasyus (dark skinned natives) and "gave protection to the Aryan color." Not only did the Aryans shamelessly , pray for booty in war but they based their militarily won supremacy on

the lightness of their skin color compared to the dark colors of the native

Dasyus. They arrogantly proclaim, "Let those who have no weapons suffer sorrow." (Rig

Veda IV:5:14.)]

"Renowned is he when conquering and when slaying:

'tis he who wins cattle in the combat.When Indra hardens his indignation all that is fixed and all that moves fear him. Indra has won all kine, all gold, all horses, - Maghavan, he who breaks forts in pieces;" --Rig Veda IV:17:10-11.

Indra is praised for killing thousands of the abject tribes of Dasas

with his arrow and taking great vengeance with "murdering weapons." (Rig

Veda IV:28:3-4) One hymn mentions sending thirty thousand Dasas "to

slumber" and another hymn sixty thousand slain. A hymn dedicated to the

weapons of war (Rig Veda VI:75) refers to a warrior "armed with mail,"

using a bow to win cattle and subdue all regions, "upstanding in the car

the skillful charioteer guides his strong horses on whithersoe'er he

will." The arrows had iron mouths and shafts "with venom smeared" that

"not one be left alive." Hymn VII:83 begins, "Looking to you and your

alliance, O ye men, armed with broad axes they went forward, fain for

spoil. Ye smote and slew his Dasa and his Aryan enemies."

Only occasionally did the authors of these hymns look to their own sins.

"Free us from sins committed by our fathers, from those wherein we have ourselves offended.

O king, loose, like a thief who feeds the cattle,as from the cord a calf, set free Vasishtha.

Not our own will betrayed us, but seduction,

thoughtlessness, Varuna! wine, dice or anger.

The old is near to lead astray the younger:

even sleep removes not all evil-doing." --Rig Veda VII:86:5-6.

A hymn to the frogs compares the repetitions of the priests around the

soma bowl to the croaking of the frogs around a pond after the rains come. (Rig Veda VII:103)

The basic belief of the prayers and sacrifices is that they will help them to gain their desires and overcome their enemies, as in Rig VedaVIII:31:15: "The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of

deities will conquer those who worship not." [VERY TOLERANT VEDIC-HINDUS??]

 Furthermore, the prayers for riches continue, and Indra is thanked for winning wealth in horses, cattle, and gold by his chariot. Agni helps to slay the many in war by the hands of the few, "preserving our wealthy patrons with thy succors, and ourselves." (Rig Veda I:31:6, 42) Indra

helped win the Aryan victory:

 "He, much invoked, hath slain Dasyus and Simyus, after his wont, and laid them low with arrows.The mighty thunderer with his fair-complexioned friends won the land, the sunlight, and the waters." --Rig Veda I:100:18.

 Control of the waters was essential for agricultural wealth. Indra is

praised for crushing the godless races and breaking down their forts.

(Rig Veda I:174) [Again, the "tolerant" & "holy" scriptures speak.]

In the tenth and last book of the Rig Veda some new themes are explored,

but the Dasyus are still condemned for being "riteless, void of sense,

inhuman, keeping alien laws," and Indra still urges the heroes to slay the enemies; his "hand is prompt to rend and burn, O hero thunder-armed: as thou with thy companions did destroy the whole of Sushna's brood."(Rig Veda X:22)

Obviously, the "myth" that the current "evils" of the Hindu system such as the caste system, etc. are all corruptions of later Hindus & all the clean values of the ancient Hindus illustrated in the Vedas were much purer, peaceful & more spiritual...........

RIGHT.....WHATEVER.

Moreover, as one can see, Hitler's view of the Aryans & choice of the swas-tika

symbol was not entirely inappropriate for his genocidic tendencies.

A Letter from a muslim girl to her christian parents

Hello Mami and Papi,

I don't know how else to approach you in order to explain my
reasoning behind my life changing decision and have you listen and
understand at the same time.

Since I can long remember I have not be a strong believer of
Christianity, there was a lot that did not make sense to me, for
example, why I have to beg for forgiveness to a priest? Why I have to
pray to saints and not straight to God, why is Jesus the SON of God,
why are their SOO many versions of the bible?

Prior to the beginning of my sophomore semester (September 2005) my
curiosity took its place and I went ahead and began doing some
research. This research of course was mild, but when Ramadan hit in
October of 2005 I observed the way my Muslim friends used to worship
Allah (God) and how they were so true to their religion, it was
beautiful...

The religion became a fascination to me, and I truly
wanted to know more. I purchased a few books in the UK and read some
pamphlets on the religion. I did not make any decisions but I
continued to read and become more familiar to Islam.

Islam began making sense to me, the idea that we pray only to Allah,
that we ask Allah for help and for forgive us, how a book (the Quran)
that was written thousands of years ago remains unchanged as of today
(there are different translations but no different versions) . Also
how a book that was written years ago managed to explain scientific
situations that was only discovered by man kind only a couple of year
ago. Or how the Quran has managed to explains how babies develop in
the womb? How would anyone thousands of years ago know this and in
such detail? Especially since scientist discovered the explanation of
these situations less that 100 years ago?? How can we explain those
wonders of the book? Also how can I deny the holy book when it has
been so clear in explaining advanced technology, how the day turns
into the night, the creation of human beings by water (as we know
scientifically to be known that we came from cells) layers of heaven
(which we describe now in scientific terms as the atmospheric
levels?). Furthermore, the beginning of the universe and the movement
of tectonic plates (there are numerous other examples of the science
behind the Quran).

What also has touched me is that Islam believes in
ALL THE PROPHETS - JESUS MOSES DAVID ABRAHAM AND MOHAMMAD (pbuh) they
all coexist in he Quran, the Quran also tells us that we must respect
ALL religions. Mami and Papi, I can not explain how many times I have
made my self clear to you of what I believed in, I could not have
given myself away anymore! Every time I spoke hours and hours on end
about Islam, and how I knew so much.

Also I began of interacting more with Muslim friends; I felt that
they would be able to give me a clear explanation of Islam.

Also
Islam played a major part in self respect, and it helped my
appreciate my self more, and realize that I should stay away from
harmful situation such as drinking, smoking, going out with people
that only meant trouble. I told you what my friends were like, they
were heading the wrong direction, and I did not want to be in that
direction and believing in Islam made it easier for me to walk away
from the powers of shayten and do better.

Also Islam was and has been
the reason for my success in school. I have placed my mind in my
studies instead of going out all the time as my old friends did, and
trust me you would not like me to be like them, because if I had been
than you would have every single reason to think I was a bad person,
that I was irresponsible and that I was a disgrace to the family.
After almost one year of studying Islam I had no doubt in my mind
that it was not the right religion.

I was prepared to become a Sunni
Muslim. In early June 2006 I attended the mosque in Westbury NY to
ask further questions about Islam and after speaking to a sister and
the imam of the mosque I knew that it was time to make the right
decision. I did shahada around 2 weeks later which is the Islamic
creed; it means to testify or to bear witness in Arabic, the
declaration of the belief. I stated in front of 80- 100 Muslims "ash
hadu anla ilaha illallah, wa ash hadu anla Mohammad roosul Allah"
which translates to "I believe in one and only God and Mohammad is
his messenger" It was such a beautiful experience. I had been
accepted into the Islam. I was welcomed by every single Muslim at the
mosque with open arms, I felt too special, it felt so right, I knew I
had made the best decision in my life, and it was something that was
going to bring positive sides of me. It is so hard to explain the
rush, and the emotional and faith satisfaction that I had at that
moment, but I knew there was something wrong, that I was not able to
celebrate my happiness with the people in my life that I loved the
most, the meant to most to me, and that was you and papi. The moment
was wonderful but not complete. I really wish you could have been as
proud of me as I was for myself.

It hurt so much to think and feel that my biggest challenge would be to openly tell you about me and
Islam, about me and my faith, about me and my happiness. I know that
you both want the best for me, you want me to be happy and you want
me to be responsible, and you want me to be independent and make the
RIGHT decisions. I have done the right decision, and I made it all
by myself, and I read about Islam all by myself, I discovered Islam
in me all by myself, IT WAS ME who made every decision from the point
were I began in the Islamic interest to the point where I am now.

I can't lie to you and tell you I had no influences because how else
would I have been influenced by wanting to know more about Islam?
Well from observing other people. How do we know as humans whether
eating a chocolate cake taste good or not? We taste it, we try others
to compare and then we make a final decision and if we like it we
continue to eat if we don't then we disregard it.

Mami and Papi, I know I might seem weak sometimes in certain
situations, and I know I display signs of vulnerability , but
converting into Islam was decided by me, its hard and it hurts to
think that all this studying, research of Islam and me converting has
been credited to someone else, but at the end of the day the only one
that knows the truth is God and it is to him that I will be standing
in front of on the day of Judgment, and it is him that knows
everything.

I believe in Islam, I believe in God, the only difference between
Christianity and Islam that I don't believe in is that Jesus is the
son of God BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HE WAS A MESSENGER OF GOD. It is
stated in the Quran that all the prophets were messengers of God,
they all came to spread the news and religion of God, but that they
all came in their own time, and that Mohammad (pbuh) was the last
messenger of God.

I know my word is hard to believe after the incidents these past two
days, but there is nothing more that I can do to prove to both of you
when it comes to the decisions that I made about Islam.

And most importantly I want you both to understand that it is
virtually impossible to explain ALL of my reasoning behind my belief
in Islam, this email is not even 1/100th of it all, I have spent
hours and hours and hours speaking to others about my feeling towards
Islam, and I wish and pray to Allah that one day I will be able to
express everything I feel about Islam with both of you.

I still remain to be the daughter that you had almost 21 years ago, it has
not changed the way I feel about you, you still are the most
important people in my life, I love you both more than anything, I
just have a different belief and its one which will bring you no
shame, it will not physically hurt you, and I will not patronize our
relationship.

I love you both very much and I only pray for the best,
Carolina Amirah DeFonseca

Questions for Hindus

Questions for Hindus

1. If scientists have proven that the world will come to an end (Day of Judgement)
what will happen to all the Vedas followers who believe they will be reborn into another life form _on this earth_ ? If there is no more life forms on this earth, what will happen to them ?

2. If the Ancient Egyptians believed that their souls will go to Heaven, and the ancient Egyptians had Scripture centuries before the Vedas, then why do vedas followers claim their scripture is the oldest and therefore reincarnation is the right way ?
3. Low caste members (untouchables) are born into certain families, for example, everyone born into the Juppy family, automatically becomes a untouch able. The woman in the Juppy family, Mrs. Juppy is the aledged door way for bad people in previous lives who did not follow the Vedas to be born through Mrs. Juppy and hence be also a untouchable like the rest of Mrs. Juppy's family members.
If Mrs. Juppy converts to Islam or Budduism which thousands are doing daily in India, what then will happen to the enterance gate for the non-Vedas followers to be reborn into?
If there are no longer any untouchables becuase of either conversion or finacial fortune, then the entire caste system would collapse (as it slowly is doing thanks to the help of humanitary workers.) then there would no longer be a earthly Hell as the Vedas followers imagine, and no longer a reward or punishment, why then are the Vedas gods not maintaining there reward and punishment systems?
Inconclusion, if there are Two doors, (door A) and (door B) the good go to (door A) and the bad go to (door B), what will happen to the bad if (door B) becomes sealed up or has disappeared ?
4. If the Vedas followers desire Unity, why is it that they enforce a system where the their own members are divided into 5 levels where certain levels are not allowed to talk to, eat with, or even Touch Other Vedas followers ?
5. How do Vedas followers claim they desire love and harmony when they think it is Absolute Justice that fellow Vedas followers includeing women and children die daily in India under the current caste system?
6. How is it a punishment to become a animal or a insect or a tree if some people can consider this to be a reward rather than a punishment ? As said before, Insects are born They Fly, they Run, They Mate and they die, is that so bad ?
For example, Ants have the about 200 times their own body weight strength, is it so bad to be that strong and Unified as ants are?
7. How is it a reward to be born into the world as children are screaming and crying and live years before having any comprehension, and then to grow old and to again loose comprehension, where is the reward to be reincarnated into that over and over?
8. Why would God show us the Many stars and galaxsies if we are only limmited to this world over and over?
Why would God Direct our Attension to Heaven if we are only limmited to earth ? Why would God make Heaven so appealing and so Majestic if we are never to leave from being born as earthly creatures over and over?
9. Would it not be a better reward to come back as a dolphin who has a higher mental capabilites than humans ?
10. What would happen if I smash up every one of the 400 different statues of Vedas gods, can those gods on earth protect themselves? What will be the worst thing that can happen to me, to be reborn as a Muslim :-) ?

What to Hindu Scholars say about Islam ?

Recently, we have seen false accusations made against Islam and Muslims in India. I would like to suggest everyone ignore these hate mongrels who will go to any length to cause dissention and animosity between Muslims and Non-Muslims. Let's look at what some well respected Indians had to say about Islam, Muslim, and their prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):
Mr. Mahatma Gandhi:
"Someone has said that Europeans in South Africa dread the advent Islam -- Islam that civilized Spain, Islam that took the torch light to Morocco and preached to the world the Gospel of brotherhood. The Europeans of South Africa dread the Advent of Islam. They may claim equality with the white races. They may well dread it, if brotherhood is a sin. If it is equality of colored races then their dread is well founded."
And in "Young India", he wrote:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
Miss. Sarojini Naidu, Poetess, in Ideals of Islam:
"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for in the mosque, when the minaret is sounded and the worshipers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and the king kneel side by side and proclaim, God alone is great." The great poetess of India continues, "I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes a man instinctively a brother. When you meet an Egyptian, an Algerian and Indian and a Turk in London, it matters not that Egypt is the motherland of one and India is the motherland of another."
Prof. Ramakrishna Rao, in "Muhammad the Prophet of Islam":
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." ... Muhammad is the "Perfect model for human life."