It cannot be a mandatory requirement of Islam just because it is mentioned in the Quran
>>>>>>>>>> Yes it is. HOWEVER you have to understand the context behind it to practice it.
w. There are instructions in the Quran to kill infidels wherever you find them, which you do not follow
>>>>>>>>>> Actually this is NOT true. The "Misunderstood" verse from Chapter 9 was twisted by well known Islamophobe Like Arun Shuree and many others. Just read the first verse and five verses following the fifth verse and you will not it was describing a specific event which involved giving four months notice to a party who broke treaty (To come back and respect the peace pact they made). It talks about trying find peace and (If all else fails) go to war. When you go to war, you fight!!
Like everyone did since our civilization started. Qur'an repeatedly said if anyone want peace, offer them peace. If you find anyone who honored the peace pact, leave them alone and fight ONLY those who want to fight you.
[ Source: Al Qur'an 9:4]
This whole thing talks about CERTAIN people who broke peace treaty with Muslims and after a warning period of four months (For them to come back and honor those pledges) passes, Muslims were free to fight those people who broke their pledges to establish peace.
There is NOTHING dealing with every non-Muslims or fighting them!!!
Anyway, there are many fanatics in this world, who believe that they are constantly at war with infidels, until the entire world is under Islam, and all infidels are fair game unless they get converted en masse.
>>>>>>>>> This is a very common misunderstanding about teaching of Islam but as per teaching of Islam, we cannot force any conversion to Islam (Chapter 2:256).
We need to judge things with a proper context.
>>>>>>>>> You need to but you have not so far in this post. Please read everything in context to understand. Otherwise you will misunderstand and cling on myths about Islam ONLY. That would be very unfortunately for an educated person.
A female athlete wearing a head-to-toe covering cannot perform in all sports with her full potential. You can limit them to the winter-sports only, which will be a violation of their rights and misuse of their potentials.
>>>>>>>>>> Those who practice Islam don't get into stuff that is not permitted in Islam. Still the important thing to note that, many women don't wear Hijab and engage in sports (Like Saniya Mirza of India). Some people want to use their 'Full potential" in reflecting Islam in their lives. Some want to violate part of Islam and do other things. It is not my place to dictate them but I can only say who stayed true to teaching of Islam and who did not. Rest is their business and between them and our Maker.
The proper context would be – those restrictions were imposed at that time for the security/safety of women; nothing more than that. There is no other religiosity in this practice. Today's world is not like what it was at that time. In today's world, women can join police forces and go to war. Now, women can challenge and fight men for their rights and privileges, at least in the civilized world. This needs to be the context of our decision making. Yes, women still get into troubles with men, but - so do men also.
>>>>>>>>>> Well that is not your place to state what Islamic context would be. As I mentioned in my earlier post that, over 95% of scholars of Islam agrees on Hijab standard. This is the mainstream "Islamic understanding" to mainstream Muslims. At the same time hijab should not be forced on others. Most of my family honor hijab but some don't. And nobody pokes them with any restrictions. But once my cousins read the Qur'an by themselves and read explanations, they decided to honor Allah's commands.
About slaughtering animals in public, yes, Quran mentions about animal sacrifice; Ibrahim did it on top of a hill, if I am not mistaken. He did not do it in front of a crowded gathering. The question is how to do it. Apart from hurting the sentiment of Hindus, cow slaughtering in public is indecent and inhumane, and it creates sanitary nightmare, to say the least. Such practice in public, in many cases, is geared towards hurting the sentiment of Hindus. Yes, in some cases, they may not be aware of it. But, I doubt it - because, it is well known that Hindus do not like cow slaughtering.
>>>>>>>>> I think I said the exact thing on my last post on this topic. I AGREE. It would be nice, if we use our common sense and show some respect to our neighbors. Good relationship and mutual respect do bring such "Common sense" solutions many places in Bangladesh but that does NOT make news. It only make news when something goes wrong. Please make a note of that. Over 99% of all Hindus and Muslims get along very well in Bangladesh. Over 99% of conflicts are results of POLITICAL issues not personal. I have excellent personal and business relationships with my fellow Bangladeshis who happens to be Hindus. I treat them with respect and get the same from them.
You said that if we stop cow slaughtering in public, we are somehow violating Muslims' rights. That's not the correct interpretation. There are proper ways of exercising our rights. As I said before, the way it is being done in that part of the world (Bangladesh) is improper, and unhealthy. Jiten Roy
>>>>>>>>>> If you read my last post again, you will see that, I have NOT said any such thing.
I said if we were to "BAN" slaughtering that would be like imposing Hindu customs on rest of the population. That would be wrong. HOWEVER I did suggest to do it in a manner that does not hurt any feeling. Our objective during that occasion is to honor an Abrahamic tradition NOT to hurt feelings of any fellow Hindus. That is NOT part of Islamic teachings.
Shalom!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 11:02 pm
Subject: Re: Fw: Re: [mukto-mona] Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab - Middle East - News - OnIslam.net
--- On Tue, 2/14/12, qar <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:
From: qar <qrahman@netscape.net>
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab - Middle East - News - OnIslam.net
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 3:57 AM
In Bangladesh our consciousness of Islamic requirement was lead by 'Tradition" not by knowledge or scriptures of Islam. So most women were unaware of it and many do not want to follow it. So you would see many women without covering her head.
I am glad that women have to choice to follow it or not follow it. That is what makes our country special to me. We don't force religion on anyone.
Shalom!
From: subimal chakrabarty <subimal@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 9:51 am
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab - Middle East - News - OnIslam.net
To: dahuk@yahoogroups.com; lutfulb2000@yahoo.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; mahdiunite@yahoogroups.com; azizbiit@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 6:52 AM
Subject: [mukto-mona] Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab - Middle East - News - OnIslam.net
Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab
Related Links:
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Re: [mukto-mona] Muslim Athletes Shine in Hijab - Middle East - News - OnIslam.net
With all due respect, you are totally wrong about Islam (Nothing new!).
Problem is those who cannot stand Muslims, "Cherry picks" one verse and twist the whole meaning from it. Let me offer you the whole deal for clarification. Please click here to read the whole chapter.
Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him).
@QRahman Said:" Covering head is mentioned in the Qur'an, so I think it is a requirement of Islam."
It cannot be a mandatory requirement of Islam just because it is mentioned in the Quran. There are many verses in the Quran that you are not following based on modern day understanding and knowledge of the customary/societal /health traditions. w. There are instructions in the Quran to kill infidels wherever you find them, which you do not folloI understand that those instructions were given during a War. Even then I cannot justify it. Just think about it – even in that war, majority of Infidels (men, women, and children) were not involved, and they are innocent. Blanket statement like this, in my view, does not appear to be justifiable in any circumstances.
Anyway, there are many fanatics in this world, who believe that they are constantly at war with infidels, until the entire world is under Islam, and all infidels are fair game unless they get converted en masse. I know they are wrong. This is just an example to show you that - mere fact that - something is mentioned in the Quran cannot make it a mandatory requirement of Islam.
We need to judge things with a proper context. A female athlete wearing a head-to-toe covering cannot perform in all sports with her full potential. You can limit them to the winter-sports only, which will be a violation of their rights and misuse of their potentials.
The proper context would be – those restrictions were imposed at that time for the security/safety of women; nothing more than that. There is no other religiosity in this practice. Today's world is not like what it was at that time. In today's world, women can join police forces and go to war. Now, women can challenge and fight men for their rights and privileges, at least in the civilized world. This needs to be the context of our decision making. Yes, women still get into troubles with men, but - so do men also.
About slaughtering animals in public, yes, Quran mentions about animal sacrifice; Ibrahim did it on top of a hill, if I am not mistaken. He did not do it in front of a crowded gathering. The question is how to do it. Apart from hurting the sentiment of Hindus, cow slaughtering in public is indecent and inhumane, and it creates sanitary nightmare, to say the least. Such practice in public, in many cases, is geared towards hurting the sentiment of Hindus. Yes, in some cases, they may not be aware of it. But, I doubt it - because, it is well known that Hindus do not like cow slaughtering.
You said that if we stop cow slaughtering in public, we are somehow violating Muslims' rights. That's not the correct interpretation. There are proper ways of exercising our rights. As I said before, the way it is being done in that part of the world (Bangladesh) is improper, and unhealthy. Jiten Roy
I understand hijab is not an Islamic requirement (Farida Majid)
>>>>>>>>> If you ask 100 scholars of Islam, at least 95 of them would tell you hijab is a requirement of Islam for women. Hijab is head covering and Niqab covers the face in addition to head. Most scholars of Islam do not think Niqab is mandatory requirement of Islam. However most scholars from the Gulf religion would think otherwise. Covering head is mentioned in the Qur'an, so I think it is a requirement of Islam.
-----Original Message-----
I understand hijab is not an Islamic requirement (Farida Majid), rather it is cultural and traditional as well. That a veiled girl excels in sports and games testifies to the great talent she possesses. Muneir Chowdhury stood first with first class although he took the exam while he was in jail. That also indicates that he was a brilliant student. I just want to say that nothing is more important than freedom. If hijab is an additional burden for a woman, why should she be obliged to wear it? If a woman takes it as a style or fashion, no one or no state should object to it. Veil has been a fashion for Hindu women (mainly belonging to middle- and upper-classes) for many centuries. It is gradually going away.
From: S A Hannan <sahannan@sonarbangladesh.com>
OnIslam & News Agencies
Monday, 13 February 2012 11:12
Veiled Muslim athletes have succeeded in shattering stereotypes about their religion and hijab
DOHA – Veiled female athletes in the Middle East are overcoming different challenges to excel in various sports fields and shatter western stereotypes about their hijab, culture and religion, a recent research at Northwestern University in Qatar has revealed.
"Female athletes in the Middle East face pressures that include family, religion, politics, and culture," said the research cited by Trade Arabia website.
"These issues often take place over use or nonuse of the hijab, the traditional head covering for Muslim women."
The research, "Muslim Female Athletes and the Hijab", is the result of a year-long cooperation between Northwestern sociologist Geoff Harkness and his course student Samira Islam.
It found that veiled Muslim athletes managed to excel in sports fields, overcoming a unique set of challenges with regard to the 'hijab' which is not faced by their Western counterparts.
Based on interviews with female athletes and their coaches at Education City , the study found that sports were often an empowering experience for young women.
The report is a part of ongoing research that Harkness is conducting on female sports participation in Qatar , as the country prepares to celebrate its first National Sports Day on February 14.
"There are a number of misconceptions about people from the Middle East , especially women," Harkness said.
"One benefit of this type of sociological research is that it can help reduce some of those stereotypes and paint a more accurate picture of what life is really like here."
Samira, an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, is herself a basketball player who helped in collecting outstanding data that supported the whole project.
"Because Samira was a basketball player at CMUQ, she had unique insights into the world of female athletics in Doha , and had established rapport with many of the players whom she interviewed and observed," Harkness added.
"That, along with her natural curiosity and tenacity, resulted in outstanding data that was key to the entire project."
The research was published in the latest edition of Contexts Magazine, a publication of the American Sociological Association.
Shattering Stereotypes
Seeing sports as an empowering experience, veiled Muslim athletes in the Middle East managed to shatter western stereotypes about their religion and hijab.
"Middle-Eastern women are often lumped together as representing a collective whole, but this could not be further from reality," Harkness said.
"Indeed, many nations in the region are populated by expatriate women from other parts of the Middle East, as well as countries such as India , Sudan , and Ethiopia , making the notion of monoculture preposterous."
Going through different competitions, many sports icons were celebrated as a role model for young Muslim athletes.
Those models include Fatima Al-Nabhani, an Omani tennis player and Bahraini sprinter Roqaya Al-Ghasara, who was fully covered and wearing a hijab when she ran and won at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing .
"Both women not only serve as role models for aspiring female athletes from the region, but also shatter Western stereotypes," says the report.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one's affiliations.
Physical Olympic sports such as rugby and taekwondo allow Muslim women to wear the headscarf in competition.
Yet, the football governing body FIFA has a ban on the wearing of hijab on pitch because of overly strict concerns over safety.
Hijab shined during Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 when many Muslim women athletes broke Western stereotypes, proving that donning the hijab is not an obstacle to excelling in life and sports.
During the games, half a dozen veiled Egyptians, three Iranians, an Afghan and a Yemeni were competing in sprinting, rowing, taekwondo and archery.