Embracing Islam from an American Perspective

By Amy Winslow

Objectives

• To discuss the reality versus the myth regarding women in Islam

• To illustrate the real life of a Muslim woman in America

• To help eradicate the fear of the unknown that causes divisions

• To build bridges for better understanding

Women in Islam

• The status of women in Islam is one of the most extremely misunderstood and incorrectly portrayed things in western society

• Must separate religion and culture• Example: No prohibition on driving in

Qur’an

Islam versus Culture

• In the media, we are incorrectly led to believe that Islam prefers men to women• Example: We are made to believe that a

baby boy is more happily received than a baby girl• God tells us in the Qur’an that both baby

girls and baby boys are equally a blessing• "To Allah belongs the domination of the heavens

and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female children to whomever He wills and bestows male children to whomever He wills" (42:49)

Islam versus Culture

• Myth: That women are made entirely for the pleasure of her husband

• Reality: "They are your garments and you are their garments“ (Q 2:187)• the function of garments being to protect,

cover, and adorn

Equality and Equity

• “For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise-- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward” (Qur'an 33:35)

Equality and Equity

• The rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal to those of a man but they are not necessarily identical with them.

• Women are equal to men in all acts of piety • "And their Lord answered them: Truly I will

never cause to be lost the work of any of you, Be you a male or female, you are members of one another" (3:195)

• Adam and Eve equally responsible for their own sins• by deceit he [Satan] brought them to their fall:

when they tasted the tree their shame became manifest to them (7:19:23)

Simple facts

• A woman is equal to man in the pursuit of education and knowledge • Both are enjoined to seek knowledge

• Equal right to form contracts• Equal right to enterprise and to earn money

• To own businesses• To own property• To have wealth of her own

• Have the right of security and provision• Her wealth is her own, but she has a right

over her husband’s wealth

Not identical but equitable

• Inheritance• A woman receives a certain share of her

deceased kin's property, a share which depends on her degree of relationship to the deceased and the number of heirs.

• This share is hers, and no one can take it away or disinherit her

• Amount different from that of her male relatives because she is not responsible for providing for anyone, while her male relatives must provide food, shelter, etc for her.

Not identical but equitable

• Standing in prayer• Muslim women stand behind men

• does not indicate in any sense that she is inferior to him

• helps everyone to concentrate!• If a man was standing behind a woman who was

bending over and kneeling on the ground, would be really be concentrating on his prayer or on her?

The Rights of the Wife

• The right to receive mahr, a gift from the husband which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage.

• The right to maintenance• Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is

obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing

• The right to kind treatment • "And among His signs is that He created for you mates

from among yourselves that you may live in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect." (30:21)

Polygamy

• What the media wants you to believe: all Muslim men marry 4 wives

• Reality: • Polygyny (more than one wife) in Islam is a

permission not an injunction• Islam did not introduce this concept, but

regulated and restricted it • Not to satisfy lust

• For the welfare of the widows and the orphans of the wars

• In practice, most Muslim men do not have more than one wife

• Culture versus Islam• Misused in practice

Muslims in the US

• There are approximately 6 to 7 million Muslims in the US

• Largest percentage are from South Asia at 33%

• Second largest segment are African Americans at 30%• 1,800,000 to 2,100,000

• 1.6 % are White Americans• Between 96,000 to 112,000

• 0.6 % are Hispanic/Latino• Between 36,000 to 42,000

Ethnicity %

South Asian 33

African American 30

Arab 25

Sub-Saharan African 3.4

European (Balkan) 2.1

White American 1.6

Southeast Asian 1.3

Caribbean 1.2

Turkish 1.1

Iranian 0.7

Hispanic/Latino 0.6

From http://www.cair.com/asp/populationstats.asp, Ihsan Bagby et. al, The American Mosque: A National Portrait. CAIR 2001.

American Women Embracing Islam

• Myth: American women only embrace Islam when they marry Muslim men and are forced to

• Reality:• 37 percent of American women embrace

Islam outside of marriage (Daughters of Another Path, Carol

Anway)

• There is no compulsion in religion (Q 2:256)

Why people embrace Islam

• Simplicity• No intermediaries

• That God is one and had no partners• No saints, no trinity

• Enjoins good manners • Enjoins respect for parents

• “And We have enjoined on every person to be good to his/her parents: in travail upon travail did his/her mother bear him/her and in years twain was his/her weaning: hear the command ‘Show gratitude to Me and to your parents: to Me is your final Goal.’”

• (Qur'an 31:14)

Questions I am typically asked …

• Why do you wear a scarf?• Did you convert for your husband?• What did you parents say when you

became Muslim?

Hijab – the headscarf

• Modesty• And say to the believing women that they should lower their

gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty (or ornaments) except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimar (veils) over their bosoms and not display their beauty (ornaments) except to their husbands, their fathers .... (24:31-32)

• Protection • Respected as a person for my knowledge and talents and

inner beauty, not based on physical beauty• Men have rules about clothing as well

• Their clothing must be modest and cover from naval to knee• No silk or gold

How and when I embraced Islam ...

• Learned about Islam from my best friend in an all-girl Catholic school in Houston, Texas

• Studied for 3 years• Embraced Islam 8 years before I was

married

What my parents said …

• Their biggest concerns:

• Wanted to know if I still believed in God• Wanted to know if it was “for a boy”

My life as a Muslim

• Despite the myths that are spread about Muslim women, I do drive

• I am a full time student, again• I have worked in large corporations and

hospitals• I am close to my family

Thank you for you listening.

I would be happy to answer any questions.

Contact : Amy Annette Winslow – aisha359@gmail.com