I love this time of year, things slow down and people come together. Nat King Cole crooning about chestnuts and Donnie Hathaway announcing this Christmas.
I've always been Muslim and I've always loved Christmas time. I love the snow, the decorations, house hopping and good eating and of course the post season sales.
Enjoy,
Secret Santa Saleemah
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Colin Powell and My American Faith
Suhail A. Khan
Colin Powell and My American Faith
Washington Post 10/22/08 On Faith
During the great immigration waves of 1900, a rabbi said of our melting pot, "All names are American names." How wonderfully true. So too, all faiths are American faiths. America is made up of men and women of all faiths, and all are protected by the Constitution.
Colin Powell reminded us of this important fact Sunday morning asking, "Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?"
The answer again is no, but there have been some who've suggested otherwise. In recent years, and especially since the horrifying events of 9/11, some have demonized Muslim Americans as a threat to our national security and indeed our American way of life. Some have questioned the loyalty of American Muslims calling for the barring of all American Muslims from public service and the military. And others have even proposed that, unless Muslims take a special loyalty oath, that we criminalize the practice of Islam with 20 years in prison.
We've seen this before. The same ugly things that are being said about Muslims were said about Catholics, about people of the Jewish faith, and about Mormons. And now, bigots are attacking Muslims and Islam. Like those who warned against a nefarious plot by Catholics or Jews to control American schools, banks, and the government, these racists ominously warn us of the dangers of accepting Muslims as Americans, lest we succumb to "a cultural jihad." And such anti-Muslim rhetoric has led to real violence against innocent Americans, both Muslim and those perceived to be Muslim or Arab.
We can be thankful that most Americans, such as Powell, have stood against such divisiveness, condemning such intolerance and bigotry. Indeed, these patriots are determined to avoid the racism so many others--African, Jewish, Mormon, Catholic, and Japanese--all Americans--have sadly experienced in our nation's darker moments. They, like thousands of Americans across our great land, have taken to heart the promise made by our first President, George Washington, in his 1790 letter to a Jewish congregation that Americans would give "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance."
I think it's good that America accommodates all faiths. Americans of all faiths--Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist--bring strength to America and are protected by our Constitution and included in our national fabric. The Founding Fathers excluded religious tests from the Constitution, knowing fully that one day Catholics, Jews, Muslims and atheists could conceivably secure elected office. Indeed, when the first Muslim was elected to Congress last November, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, a descendant of slaves, he swore his oath of office on the copy of the Qur'an--the Muslim scripture--that belonged to Thomas Jefferson.
Today, more than 6 million Muslim Americans are proud to live, work and serve our country. And, like their fellow Americans, they serve in uniform, both in the Armed Forces and as first responders. Arab and Muslim Americans have served their country in every war since the American Revolution, and over 6,000 serve with honor today.
Powell poignantly underscored this last fact stating, "I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards -- Purple Heart, Bronze Star -- showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."
In relating the story of a fallen soldier, Powell echoed the immortal words of another patriot who, in 1863, stated "that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." The fallen--those who perished on 9/11 and the men and women who've died serving in Afghanistan and Iraq--in the words of President Abraham Lincoln "shall not have died in vain," so long as we, regardless of race, ethnic origin, and faith or no faith at all, work together to promote our right of life and liberty for all people. And in doing so, we'll honor the memory of those, like Kareem Khan, who "gave the last full measure of devotion" so that we may all continue to live in freedom.
Suhail A. Khan is a Washington, D.C., attorney and conservative political activist.
Colin Powell and My American Faith
Washington Post 10/22/08 On Faith
During the great immigration waves of 1900, a rabbi said of our melting pot, "All names are American names." How wonderfully true. So too, all faiths are American faiths. America is made up of men and women of all faiths, and all are protected by the Constitution.
Colin Powell reminded us of this important fact Sunday morning asking, "Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?"
The answer again is no, but there have been some who've suggested otherwise. In recent years, and especially since the horrifying events of 9/11, some have demonized Muslim Americans as a threat to our national security and indeed our American way of life. Some have questioned the loyalty of American Muslims calling for the barring of all American Muslims from public service and the military. And others have even proposed that, unless Muslims take a special loyalty oath, that we criminalize the practice of Islam with 20 years in prison.
We've seen this before. The same ugly things that are being said about Muslims were said about Catholics, about people of the Jewish faith, and about Mormons. And now, bigots are attacking Muslims and Islam. Like those who warned against a nefarious plot by Catholics or Jews to control American schools, banks, and the government, these racists ominously warn us of the dangers of accepting Muslims as Americans, lest we succumb to "a cultural jihad." And such anti-Muslim rhetoric has led to real violence against innocent Americans, both Muslim and those perceived to be Muslim or Arab.
We can be thankful that most Americans, such as Powell, have stood against such divisiveness, condemning such intolerance and bigotry. Indeed, these patriots are determined to avoid the racism so many others--African, Jewish, Mormon, Catholic, and Japanese--all Americans--have sadly experienced in our nation's darker moments. They, like thousands of Americans across our great land, have taken to heart the promise made by our first President, George Washington, in his 1790 letter to a Jewish congregation that Americans would give "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance."
I think it's good that America accommodates all faiths. Americans of all faiths--Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist--bring strength to America and are protected by our Constitution and included in our national fabric. The Founding Fathers excluded religious tests from the Constitution, knowing fully that one day Catholics, Jews, Muslims and atheists could conceivably secure elected office. Indeed, when the first Muslim was elected to Congress last November, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, a descendant of slaves, he swore his oath of office on the copy of the Qur'an--the Muslim scripture--that belonged to Thomas Jefferson.
Today, more than 6 million Muslim Americans are proud to live, work and serve our country. And, like their fellow Americans, they serve in uniform, both in the Armed Forces and as first responders. Arab and Muslim Americans have served their country in every war since the American Revolution, and over 6,000 serve with honor today.
Powell poignantly underscored this last fact stating, "I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards -- Purple Heart, Bronze Star -- showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."
In relating the story of a fallen soldier, Powell echoed the immortal words of another patriot who, in 1863, stated "that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." The fallen--those who perished on 9/11 and the men and women who've died serving in Afghanistan and Iraq--in the words of President Abraham Lincoln "shall not have died in vain," so long as we, regardless of race, ethnic origin, and faith or no faith at all, work together to promote our right of life and liberty for all people. And in doing so, we'll honor the memory of those, like Kareem Khan, who "gave the last full measure of devotion" so that we may all continue to live in freedom.
Suhail A. Khan is a Washington, D.C., attorney and conservative political activist.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
LIOL UK TOUR
Some Memorable UK Moments:
I will never forget early morning walks in Hyde Park with my “this is what a radical Muslim feminist looks like” t-shirt and noting the faces of passersby…imagining what the men displayed in the House of Commons would think about a group of American Muslim women holding court in their halls…meeting Parvin Ali, the Oprah of Leicester…eating organic scones with homemade cream and jam in Northamptonshire…waking up to the snow in the Daventry countryside on my birthday…Watching Michelle’s eyes pop out when we got “low” in the taxi cab…Sofia of the Lounge, a pub for Muslim youth…Ghulam Fatima and the school girls in Birmingham…outrage when Michelle and Sham were stopped and searched under section 44/akin to the US’s patriot act…Adeeba Malik of QED, a successful workforce development model and meeting a powerhouse group of Muslim women over the best dinner at Mumtaz…The shining faces of the women from Newcastle who drove to Leeds so we could meet them…the brother I miss judged (May Allah forgive me and reward him)… Inspired Sisters and Manchester Muslims…and Elvis in a castle. The best part was knowing that my sisters, Aroosha, Samina and Sham were there in front of me, behind me and by my side. Click here to view some of the photos from the trip.
Feedback
Living Islam Out Loud seems like a much needed project particularly for the hundreds of Western Muslim women that are struggling to stand up to the challenges they face posed by both their own cultural communities and their wider Western communities too. There is a desperate need for change in the way our cultural communities think and work particularly with regards to the way they view women and their roles and rights. It gives me hope to see projects like this emerge and that will, Insha’Allah, have a positive impact on the future of the Muslim world all over.---Fatima
I really enjoyed your talks. I have mentioned your book to many of my friends and colleagues at work.--- Shahenaz
It was a pleasure to meet you and some of the women who contributed to the book. Living Islam Out Loud is most definitely a book that is being used for Black History Month---Robina
It was indeed a pleasure to meet and host you and the other sisters…On behalf of the Federation of Muslim Organisation in Leicester, I would like to thank you all for attending the event---Federation of Muslim Organisation Leicestershire
We hardly know how to begin to thank you for the marvelous contribution you made to the success of this year’s festival. The feedback has been tremendous and many have told us that there is now a real momentum to it. We sold more tickets than ever before and ran out of audience accommodation---Oxford Literary Festival
I have since read Living Islam Out Loud and found it compelling, moving and inspiring. It has helped me confront and dispel some of the misconceptions I held about women in Islamic culture and is truly a ground-breaking book. I wish you all the very best---Sally
Your book is good inspiration for us to do a book here in the UK about British Muslim Women!!!---Shahida
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Michelle Lawrence of Faith Matters. Michelle coordinated the LIOL tour in the United Kingdom and graciously took great care of us. Thanks to Iman and Fiyaz of Faith Matters as well for collaborating on the tour. Click here for more on Faith Matters.
I will never forget early morning walks in Hyde Park with my “this is what a radical Muslim feminist looks like” t-shirt and noting the faces of passersby…imagining what the men displayed in the House of Commons would think about a group of American Muslim women holding court in their halls…meeting Parvin Ali, the Oprah of Leicester…eating organic scones with homemade cream and jam in Northamptonshire…waking up to the snow in the Daventry countryside on my birthday…Watching Michelle’s eyes pop out when we got “low” in the taxi cab…Sofia of the Lounge, a pub for Muslim youth…Ghulam Fatima and the school girls in Birmingham…outrage when Michelle and Sham were stopped and searched under section 44/akin to the US’s patriot act…Adeeba Malik of QED, a successful workforce development model and meeting a powerhouse group of Muslim women over the best dinner at Mumtaz…The shining faces of the women from Newcastle who drove to Leeds so we could meet them…the brother I miss judged (May Allah forgive me and reward him)… Inspired Sisters and Manchester Muslims…and Elvis in a castle. The best part was knowing that my sisters, Aroosha, Samina and Sham were there in front of me, behind me and by my side. Click here to view some of the photos from the trip.
Feedback
Living Islam Out Loud seems like a much needed project particularly for the hundreds of Western Muslim women that are struggling to stand up to the challenges they face posed by both their own cultural communities and their wider Western communities too. There is a desperate need for change in the way our cultural communities think and work particularly with regards to the way they view women and their roles and rights. It gives me hope to see projects like this emerge and that will, Insha’Allah, have a positive impact on the future of the Muslim world all over.---Fatima
I really enjoyed your talks. I have mentioned your book to many of my friends and colleagues at work.--- Shahenaz
It was a pleasure to meet you and some of the women who contributed to the book. Living Islam Out Loud is most definitely a book that is being used for Black History Month---Robina
It was indeed a pleasure to meet and host you and the other sisters…On behalf of the Federation of Muslim Organisation in Leicester, I would like to thank you all for attending the event---Federation of Muslim Organisation Leicestershire
We hardly know how to begin to thank you for the marvelous contribution you made to the success of this year’s festival. The feedback has been tremendous and many have told us that there is now a real momentum to it. We sold more tickets than ever before and ran out of audience accommodation---Oxford Literary Festival
I have since read Living Islam Out Loud and found it compelling, moving and inspiring. It has helped me confront and dispel some of the misconceptions I held about women in Islamic culture and is truly a ground-breaking book. I wish you all the very best---Sally
Your book is good inspiration for us to do a book here in the UK about British Muslim Women!!!---Shahida
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Michelle Lawrence of Faith Matters. Michelle coordinated the LIOL tour in the United Kingdom and graciously took great care of us. Thanks to Iman and Fiyaz of Faith Matters as well for collaborating on the tour. Click here for more on Faith Matters.
Monday, March 24, 2008
I'm Coming Up
I bought my first ipod yesterday and I'm going to start blogging! Not sure why, but I've been resisting (old way before my time) technology. So I'm here and hope to use this forum for more truth telling.
Kudos to Khaliya Rashid for getting me on--
Love and Light,
Saleemah
Kudos to Khaliya Rashid for getting me on--
Love and Light,
Saleemah
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Welcome to Living Islam Out Loud
Thanks for dropping by! We started this blog in conjunction with our revamped public website to provide a platform for exchange of positive energy and ideas. We'll also be sharing future plans for LIOL, including current events.
More coming soon!
More coming soon!
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