Walking to Uni was like walking through a jungle. The underpass was flooded so I took a risk and ran across the highway. I held my abaya up by about an inch so that the branches won't tear a hole in my abaya, oblivious to the fact that anyone would even care that I was wearing jeans inside.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone jumped next to me and said, "Does Nadia wear jeans?!"
lol, there are a lot of misconceptions about hijab, abayas and what muslim women can and cannot wear. For example, I'm pretty sure she thinks I wear the hijab to sleep & shower. It must totally blow her mind that I actually don't wear the hijab 24/7.
Anyways, everyone in tutorial was complaining about cars and windows and leaks when my tutor piped up with "Perth is not prepared for any disaster. We will not survive a terrorist attack", causing some people to look my way. Great, just wonderful.
You know what though? Sometimes I feel like I've been stereotyped so many times that I actually victimize myself? Like maybe those people weren't looking at me in an accusatory way but I just felt it because it is what I have come to expect. I feel discriminated, even when in actuality, it may not have been the case.
Have you ever felt that way?
Showing posts with label Tuesday Tales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuesday Tales. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Hijab
So, said girl in previous post decided to ask me a question this afternoon while we were walking across the field towards the dissection room.
she asked what i (or i guess, in general all hijabis) thought about muslimahs who don't wear hijab. She said that if other non muslim girls are viewed as 'cheap' or 'trashy' while wearing tight, short, revealing clothing then would a muslim girl be viewed the same way if she was without hijab?
she also asked if i was forced into wearing hijab and if not, whether i knew of anyone who had been forced to wear it.
so this was my answer: no, i dont think muslim girls without hijabs are cheap or trashy. hijab is a religious duty but, i have seen girls without hijab act better than those with hijab on. no i was not forced into hijab and yes i do know of girls who had been forced into wearing it.
i know my answer could have been alot better but this was what i said at that point in time. i could also have left out the part where i mentioned hijabis acting worse than non hijabis. duh nadia, you're supposed to be painting a good picture of hijabis but yes sometimes i say things that i regret. im sorry! ):
she seemed focussed on only one thing...girls being forced to wear hijab and i felt like she wanted to dramatize the whole hijab issue so i left my answer at that.
i hate how people try to manipulate an issue and turn people against each other. noooo, i like wearing hijab! seriously, it makes me feel safe but i know she will never understand.
also, a friend commented "Wow Nadia, i love how colorful you are today" while I was wearing black abaya, black hijab and black shoes.
i <3 my friends *ehem*
she asked what i (or i guess, in general all hijabis) thought about muslimahs who don't wear hijab. She said that if other non muslim girls are viewed as 'cheap' or 'trashy' while wearing tight, short, revealing clothing then would a muslim girl be viewed the same way if she was without hijab?
she also asked if i was forced into wearing hijab and if not, whether i knew of anyone who had been forced to wear it.
so this was my answer: no, i dont think muslim girls without hijabs are cheap or trashy. hijab is a religious duty but, i have seen girls without hijab act better than those with hijab on. no i was not forced into hijab and yes i do know of girls who had been forced into wearing it.
i know my answer could have been alot better but this was what i said at that point in time. i could also have left out the part where i mentioned hijabis acting worse than non hijabis. duh nadia, you're supposed to be painting a good picture of hijabis but yes sometimes i say things that i regret. im sorry! ):
she seemed focussed on only one thing...girls being forced to wear hijab and i felt like she wanted to dramatize the whole hijab issue so i left my answer at that.
i hate how people try to manipulate an issue and turn people against each other. noooo, i like wearing hijab! seriously, it makes me feel safe but i know she will never understand.
also, a friend commented "Wow Nadia, i love how colorful you are today" while I was wearing black abaya, black hijab and black shoes.
i <3 my friends *ehem*
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
EDIT: Tuesday Tales /Reasons why I annoy myself and you (maybe)
1. I'm absent minded. No joke about it...
I search for my mobile phone in my pockets while Im talking on my mobile.
I wonder why my glasses are not fogging up when Im eating hot soup because Ive forgotten that I dont have my glasses on.
I just missed my 1pm lecture because I totally forgot there was one in the first place.
I was looking at myself in the car's mirror and wondering why the heck I couldn't see anything clearly. I demanded that my friend turn on all the lights in the car and still I couldnt see clearly. Half an hour later, friend realises that Im wearing my freaking shades. DUH
2. I am a hoarder. I hate to throw anything that looks nice even though I have absolutely no use for it. the packaging from my microwave egg boiler? I still have it. The envelope that held the book he gave me? I still have it. The leftover wrapping paper that's too small to wrap anything? I still have it.
3. I have a way of messing things up, even when I start out with good intentions.
I search for my mobile phone in my pockets while Im talking on my mobile.
I wonder why my glasses are not fogging up when Im eating hot soup because Ive forgotten that I dont have my glasses on.
I just missed my 1pm lecture because I totally forgot there was one in the first place.
I was looking at myself in the car's mirror and wondering why the heck I couldn't see anything clearly. I demanded that my friend turn on all the lights in the car and still I couldnt see clearly. Half an hour later, friend realises that Im wearing my freaking shades. DUH
2. I am a hoarder. I hate to throw anything that looks nice even though I have absolutely no use for it. the packaging from my microwave egg boiler? I still have it. The envelope that held the book he gave me? I still have it. The leftover wrapping paper that's too small to wrap anything? I still have it.
3. I have a way of messing things up, even when I start out with good intentions.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I love the rain but its getting too much.
So, it's been raining pretty much every single day. The bottom of my pants get soaked so I have to change every time I want to pray. Add that to the fact that I have no dryer and..well you get a whole load of dirty clothes.
BUT, my best friend is AWESOMEEEE and lets me use the dryer over there (:
Plane ride was terrible. I sat next to a hunky aussie teenager who thought that I also wanted to listen to his music at 3 in the freaking morning. I didn't get ANY sleep and the food sucked. I've been getting really paranoid lately and now I step off the plane with various aches/stabbing pains in my limbs. DVT anyone?
I havent cooked anything since I came back to Perth, been eating out practically every day ): I dont have much space in the freezer to store any food anyways. I havent even unpacked. Can you believe it? I am clearly not in the right frame of mind. I'm not ready for Uni to start yet. My best friend said "You are so confused" and I said " YES, I am not"....Brilliant ey?
Uni started formally yesterday, with a lab which is crazy. People don't have tutorials til the 2nd week of Uni and we have a 2 hour lab on the first day of the first week of Uni? My name is nowhere to be found on any of the student lists. Great, I am NON existent. The units don't appear in my student account and right now I am living on favours, asking friends to print notes for me because I dont have access to them.
I have to see the Professor later. Oh I just came back from his 8am lecture and needless to say, there will be no skipping of lectures this semester. He has Blue Squares of Death...the squares hides a student's photo and name [OMG my student ID photo ): ] and when he reveals what's hidden under the square, the student has to answer a question. Also a way in which he notes attendance.
By the way, I don't understand his accent. Seriously...
Yesterday I saw him and I scared him away. Funny but kinda sad.
BUT, my best friend is AWESOMEEEE and lets me use the dryer over there (:
Plane ride was terrible. I sat next to a hunky aussie teenager who thought that I also wanted to listen to his music at 3 in the freaking morning. I didn't get ANY sleep and the food sucked. I've been getting really paranoid lately and now I step off the plane with various aches/stabbing pains in my limbs. DVT anyone?
I havent cooked anything since I came back to Perth, been eating out practically every day ): I dont have much space in the freezer to store any food anyways. I havent even unpacked. Can you believe it? I am clearly not in the right frame of mind. I'm not ready for Uni to start yet. My best friend said "You are so confused" and I said " YES, I am not"....Brilliant ey?
Uni started formally yesterday, with a lab which is crazy. People don't have tutorials til the 2nd week of Uni and we have a 2 hour lab on the first day of the first week of Uni? My name is nowhere to be found on any of the student lists. Great, I am NON existent. The units don't appear in my student account and right now I am living on favours, asking friends to print notes for me because I dont have access to them.
I have to see the Professor later. Oh I just came back from his 8am lecture and needless to say, there will be no skipping of lectures this semester. He has Blue Squares of Death...the squares hides a student's photo and name [OMG my student ID photo ): ] and when he reveals what's hidden under the square, the student has to answer a question. Also a way in which he notes attendance.
By the way, I don't understand his accent. Seriously...
Yesterday I saw him and I scared him away. Funny but kinda sad.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday Tales
Today's Islamic lecture was on the Shari'a. The brother giving the lecture was MashaAllah, very learned and he managed to explain difficult concepts in easy terms, giving examples that we all can relate to.
Just some of the points I took down during the lecture:
The Shari'a has somehow been shown to be a system that is cruel and unfair. The western media does its very best to malign the Shari'a, and we are stupid enough to believe it. All you ever hear about in the news are women being stoned, people having their hands amputated.
They focus on the punishment, and NOT the actual purpose of the Shari'a; which is to protect the individual, the society and also the environment.
The Shari'a sanctions the use of one's own judgment. It also recognizes local law as long as there is no contradiction to the Quran or Sunnah.
The Shari'a serves to protect the vital needs of mankind. The vital needs (and some examples) are as follows:
1) Deen: Ensure that it is free of error, protect deen against hostile forces, invite others to accept deen
2) Nafs: Marriage issues
3) Akal (discretion/mind): For example, the Shari'a prohibits the consumption of alcohol as it causes one to get drunk and when you are drunk, you tend to do really stupid things as your senses are dulled, your reflexes become slower etc. Common stupid things include: driving while drunk, making out with stranger while drunk, puking in friend's car while drunk. Besides, we all know the side effects of alcohol consumption.
4) Honour, Chastity: Protect against slander, false accusations.
5)Wealth: Ensure that everyone is earning a lawful living, prevent exploitation
What is Halal is infact something that we do naturally in our daily lives and what is Haram is infact only a small portion of human activities. What is Halal is beneficial to the individual, his society and the environment he lives in while what is Haram is the destruction of the individual, society or environment. However, again we are constantly focussing on the Haram and end up feeling as though we are leading very restricted lives. Is it human nature to focus on the negatives?
Haram activities that are commited because of ignorance, forgetfulness or under duress are not punishable by the Shari'a and the Hereafter.
What is harmful cannot be used to combat another harm. The ends don't justify the means. I can't get rid of the pests in my room by placing food in my housemate's room so that the pests will be attracted to HER room. (Lol, darn it, I was just about to do that...Nah, kidding housemate, you already got too much food in there)
If necessary, adopt the lesser of 2 evils. You are sick and you can't get clean by performing ablution. Don't just skip your prayer. Pray, even when you have not cleaned.
Shari'a allows the meeting of vital needs such as eating of pork when there is no other source of food available to sustain life. However, once halal resources are available, this allowance is removed. Similarly, muslims can buy a house using loans from banks that involve interest. However, once there is a financial source that is halal and does not involve interest then this allowance is again, removed.
Shari'a allows the relaxation of laws in several instances such as the suspension of capital punishment for theft for food by the thief who stole food to feed his starving children.
The Shari'a also laid the foundation for today's modern law system such as the jury, an impassive judge and also punishment for perjury (just to name a few).
MashaAllah, the Shari'a is complete and deals with every aspect of life.
Then today, I witnessed my friend, and now my sister, saying her Shahadah. It is something I will not forget for a really long time. 2 other sisters who also witnessed it suggested that we buy our new sister an abaya. Hurray, I think it is time for some online abaya shopping.
Just some of the points I took down during the lecture:
The Shari'a has somehow been shown to be a system that is cruel and unfair. The western media does its very best to malign the Shari'a, and we are stupid enough to believe it. All you ever hear about in the news are women being stoned, people having their hands amputated.
They focus on the punishment, and NOT the actual purpose of the Shari'a; which is to protect the individual, the society and also the environment.
The Shari'a sanctions the use of one's own judgment. It also recognizes local law as long as there is no contradiction to the Quran or Sunnah.
The Shari'a serves to protect the vital needs of mankind. The vital needs (and some examples) are as follows:
1) Deen: Ensure that it is free of error, protect deen against hostile forces, invite others to accept deen
2) Nafs: Marriage issues
3) Akal (discretion/mind): For example, the Shari'a prohibits the consumption of alcohol as it causes one to get drunk and when you are drunk, you tend to do really stupid things as your senses are dulled, your reflexes become slower etc. Common stupid things include: driving while drunk, making out with stranger while drunk, puking in friend's car while drunk. Besides, we all know the side effects of alcohol consumption.
4) Honour, Chastity: Protect against slander, false accusations.
5)Wealth: Ensure that everyone is earning a lawful living, prevent exploitation
What is Halal is infact something that we do naturally in our daily lives and what is Haram is infact only a small portion of human activities. What is Halal is beneficial to the individual, his society and the environment he lives in while what is Haram is the destruction of the individual, society or environment. However, again we are constantly focussing on the Haram and end up feeling as though we are leading very restricted lives. Is it human nature to focus on the negatives?
Haram activities that are commited because of ignorance, forgetfulness or under duress are not punishable by the Shari'a and the Hereafter.
What is harmful cannot be used to combat another harm. The ends don't justify the means. I can't get rid of the pests in my room by placing food in my housemate's room so that the pests will be attracted to HER room. (Lol, darn it, I was just about to do that...Nah, kidding housemate, you already got too much food in there)
If necessary, adopt the lesser of 2 evils. You are sick and you can't get clean by performing ablution. Don't just skip your prayer. Pray, even when you have not cleaned.
Shari'a allows the meeting of vital needs such as eating of pork when there is no other source of food available to sustain life. However, once halal resources are available, this allowance is removed. Similarly, muslims can buy a house using loans from banks that involve interest. However, once there is a financial source that is halal and does not involve interest then this allowance is again, removed.
Shari'a allows the relaxation of laws in several instances such as the suspension of capital punishment for theft for food by the thief who stole food to feed his starving children.
The Shari'a also laid the foundation for today's modern law system such as the jury, an impassive judge and also punishment for perjury (just to name a few).
MashaAllah, the Shari'a is complete and deals with every aspect of life.
Then today, I witnessed my friend, and now my sister, saying her Shahadah. It is something I will not forget for a really long time. 2 other sisters who also witnessed it suggested that we buy our new sister an abaya. Hurray, I think it is time for some online abaya shopping.
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