Salaam everyone

i haven't updated in the longessst time. I hope inshallah everyone's well. I'm just on vacation relaxing after finals and all. Alhamdulillah they went well. For those of you just chilling out hope you're enjoying!

=)

Subhanallah this just touched me. Inshallah I hope it benefits us.

"Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of the standard.

I couldn't run as fast or lift as much. I didn't make the same money and I cried too often. I grew up in a man's world where I didn't belong. 

And when I couldn't be him, I wanted only to please him. I put on your make-up and wore your short skirts. I gave my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell. 

I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract, and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling.

But you lied. 

Islam tells me, I'm a swan. I'm different-it's meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, was created for something more. 

God says in the Quran: 'O mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another (not that you may despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteousÓ (Quran 49:13).

So I am honored. But it is not by my relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on a higher scale: a scale of righteousness and piety. And my purpose in life-despite what the fashion magazines say-is something more sublime than just looking good for men. 

And so God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I'm not here to please men with my body; I'm here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman's body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving-only to the man I marry. 

So to those who wish to 'liberate' me, I have only one thing to say: 

Thanks, but no thanks.

I'm not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I'm a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won't worship your beauty standards, and I don't submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher. 

With my veil I put my faith on display-rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not by my looks. So I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don't see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.

So you see, as a Muslim woman, I've been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don't answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their king."

Yasmin Mogahed received a B.S. in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently a graduate student in Journalism/Mass Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and working as a free lance writer.

Subhanallah I've been thinking about this ayat alot since we read it in class...

[Taubah 9:24] Say, "If your fathers, and your sons, and your brothers, and your wives, and your tribe, and your acquired wealth, and the trade in which you fear a loss, and the houses of your liking - if all these are dearer to you than Allah and His Noble Messenger and fighting in His way, then wait until Allah brings about His command; and Allah does not guide the rebellious."

Inna lillahi wa inna alaihi ra'jiuun.

Verily to God do we belong, and to him we will surely return.

...waves of water came upon them, how painful it must be, searching for your family members dead bodies, to recognize them after so many days and realize that they are now gone, and out of your hands. Allah (swt)'s adhab doesn't come when people expect it, in the afternoon persay, but in the hours of the morn, or at a time when slumber overtakes the people. Subhanallah! The two things which could save a land from Allah (swt)'s punishment was Rasulullah (s) living there, and a believer who does tawbah...inshallah tawbah, or astaghfar are that powerful.

I pray that inshallah the survivors can get through this with sabr and iman. For those whom allah (swt) took back, those many souls which are now with him, that Allah (swt) have mercy upon them, especially the young children.

one day we shall all have to return to our creator and account for our deeds...

"Right upto the Moment of Death you hearts are absorbed by material gain. But soon you will understand; yes, before long you will understand. Indeed if you knew the truth with certainty, you would percieve the fire of hell, you would see it with you own eyes. On the Day of Judgement you will be questioned about all your pleasures."

-Quran, Surah At-Takathur, Surah 102:1-8

Ibadah in Islam, worship to god is not only prayers, nor only saying praises but living your entire lives in accordance with his law and every action for his pleasure alone. God doesn't ask us to give up that which we need but to use what extra we have in this life in his cause, and not to acquire more in life. For this life will fade all too quickly but the hereafter; that is indeed forever. Even a smile can be charity and walking down the street can be ibadah. Subhanallah everythign we do can be ibadah. Subhanallah how easy a deen is Islam? This world is nothing but deception, and a test, and if we get caught in it, then we are decieving no one but ourselves. Just because you deny a reality doesn't make it untrue.