Muslim Women?

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Not taking G-d's name in vain (in Hebrew) can be extended to mean not throwing it around lightly in everyday conversation, outside of prayer and study. Not writing every letter out in any language is because it might be erased or discarded, or taken to an unclean place, which would be disrespectful.

Ramadan mubarak!! !!

I think some countries are trying to establish some kind of formal training or recognition for imams (although I don't believe it's required islamically). I agree there's a problem with some imams. Some of them don't seem to be very aware of Islamic shariah, for example, and will base their teachings on cultural traditions and superstitions from their native country and you get a lot of them saying: This is islamic, when in fact it's a cultural tradition.

This is where you get the discrepancies between arranged/acceptable and arranged/forced marriages. Some people who come from communities where there aren't necessarily high levels of literacy and education will follow cultural traditions like 'forcing' their children to marry. This kind of practice is unislamic, because people shouldn't be forced into marriage.

But you still get families that try to force their children to marry 'because of Islam', which is really annoying. And then you get non-muslims shying away from condemning such unislamic practices, because they're afraid of being politically incorrect or 'racist'.

Polygamy is permitted in Islam. Again, in certain circumstances. At the time of the Prophet Mohammed, lots of men lost their lives in wars and so polygamy was permitted so that the widows of the slain soldiers would be a able to find a husband to provide for her and her family.

Also, I forget the exact wording, but the Prophet Mohammed said something along the lines of marry more than one wife if you can treat them all equally. One interpretation of that is that polygamy is allowed. An alternative intepretation is that it's impossible to treat them equally, so it shouldn't be allowed.

In any event, what happened in Canada was wrong and unislamic. If the husband wants to take a second wife (or third or fourth) he has to tell the first wife and to obtain her permission.

Again, that's probably an example of some uneducated, possibly illiterate imam who transports cultural practices from his village in his home country, goes to Canada and then starts saying that cultural traditions are 'islamic', they're nothing of the kind, they're not religious practices, they're cultural practices.

If a muslim man wanted to take a second wife, he would have to inform and obtain his first wife's permission (or the permission of second and/or third wives) and they would have to consent in order for him to 'legally' marry a further wife under Islam.

Why would any female want to be a part of a religion that persecutes and degrades them??

That's your perception, hop, many women who were born to muslim parents and those who converted later in life don't feel that Islam, the religion itself, persecutes and degrades them.

It's arguable, however, that some muslim men (and other women) persecute and degrade them. For example you have the taliban in Afghanistan and NW Pakistan who close down girls schools and attack teachers, even though getting an education is a religious obligation on boys and girls, men and women.

A lot of what you think of as religious persecution and degredation are actually cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM). So far as I'm aware this is nowhere preached in Islam, but it is a cultural practice, particularly in parts of Africa. People like you will blame Islam for such things, not knowing that they're not required by Islam at all.

Likewise women and work. Lots of people believe that women are just supposed to get married and have children and observe 'purdah', but working is permitted. I mean, girls also need teachers, women need medical attention from nurses and doctors, young children and the female elderly need care from and so on.

Although polygamy is unthinkable to most Americans, in Muslim countries where it is practiced (fairly and according to true sharia, with the first wife's permission), many women look forward to another wife joining the family. They share housework and childcare, and provide company for each other in a culture where the husband spends a great deal of his time outside the home with his male associates, and the women mostly stay at home.

Did you ever see that US series Big Love about a mormon family where there were... three wives I think... There was the first wife... and then she couldn't have more children so the guy married a second wife (unofficially/illegally), and then took a third wife. I used to like that programme but then I moved away from the UK and I haven't seen it in the country where I live now.

I have an honest question about hijab.

I'm a Christian woman, and I believe in modest dress myself, but not to the extreme that some faiths and cultures take it. However, I support any person's right to wear whatever they want, as long as it's not indecent.

I always understood that Islam required that a woman cover herself from head to toe, and previous posts on this thread seem to bear that out.

I once saw a Muslim woman on a city bus. She was covered from head to toe, all one could see were her face, hands, and feet. All of a sudden, she started breastfeeding her child, right there in plain view of everyone! She made no attempt to cover herself, her breast was clearly visible. As someone who believes in modesty, I was shocked. I can't understand how such behavior would be permissable for someone of your faith.

Can someone explain this to me?

celtic rose

YOur story made me laugh because as you said it doesnt make any sense!! ! Maybe this woman was wearing hijab without conviction. Sometimes women wear it, because they are muslim and they've got the pressure to wear it and dont really care.

History_of psychiatry> I choose islam, and i dont feel persecutes or degrates at all. I love being a muslim. I am treated like a queen at home. My husband is a gentle man, very calm. He never beats me (because people think that muslim are beating up their wives. which is not a practice of islam!! !) When i got out, yes i do wear full hijab (all you can see are my eyes).
When i started wearing it, my husband was very surprised, he was pleased of course, because it means that ihe is the only one who is able to enjoy my beauty (LOOOOL ).
Nobody forced me to choose islam, or to wear it. And if anybody told me "you have to do it" i would have spat on their faces and ran away!! Nobody can force me to do anything... And nobody shouldnt.
If i was single, i would still wear that dress. Because it protects me. People talk to me as a woman with respect. And believe me, before i wasn t taken seriously. People didnt respect me...

Thanks for clarifying that, ghouna. I guess she was just one of those people who only follow those parts of their religion that's convenient for them.

I was raised with dual faith (pagan and Catholic) so I was taught to dress modestly and cover my head at worship. I've always had a terrible time finding professional clothes that are appropriately modest to me. I had thought about wearing clothing made for orthodox Christians, Hindi, or Muslims, but had been afraid that I would be offending their faith. It's nice to read that dressing modestly is acceptable and not offensive.

Thank you all for sharing your shopping tips. These sites are terrific.

I think you will like this website
http://www.shukronline.com/home.html

I LOVE those dresses and skirts! I am so gonna buy some of these!

I want everything too... but my wallet is empty... (there is still my husband one... mmmh there is a thougt!)

They've got some clearance, so buy now!!
I think even non muslim will like their clothes

So would it be ok for a Christian woman to wear a hijab style scarf because she wanted to cover her hair and be modest? I wouldn't want to insult anyone or cause confusion. I also want to know how to go into a Muslim owned store and just buy a scarf and ask questions about wearing it without feeling weird about it. What should I ask for?

I have seen enough women around wearing hijab that people don't seem to mind it or ask questions about it. If I put on a cape dress and a prayer bonnet (like Amish or Mennonites wear) people really seem to get curious, rude or just weird about it. I would rather wear a long skirt and scarf or a shalwar kameez because it is modest and people seem to be used to seeing it.

I love shalwar kameez.