She's so Beautiful!

Book Review =)

Just last week I had posted a note regarding wearing Hijab at work, in response to someone elses post... my post was... "This is something that I have had to face too, working and living in an environment where Muslims are looked down upon. Despite all this, there is a need and a sense of urgency where we are concerned in persevering with our appearances and faiths and demanding what we are entitled to. At the end of the day we are human and we have a right to work, and a right to earn. If you feel that your position in the workplace is being undermined because of your appearance, you must take a dignified stand and fight for what you want (equal opportunities, diversity etc...). In this day and age, Muslims are under immense scrutiny and we all need to make an effort to defend our beliefs. Sayed is right, it will eventually come from Allah!... ;) InshaAllah you will find what you are looking for."

 

All of which is true!!!  Anyone of any religion or faith should stand for their beliefs and defend what is entitled to them... Anyway, so someone had seen what I had written and encouraged me to read the book, Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa AlSanea ( Thanks alot for the recommendation :) ),  on the basis that the perception people have of Muslims is due to our own behaviour and the way we reflect our religion. I didn’t have to read the book the agree what she was saying but the book most certainty played a huge role in asserting what she said and what I agreed to. 

 

The book was written in an aim to expose the lives of four young Saudi women and through this display the way in which they lead their lives, the trials and tribulations they face under the nail of oppression, simply due to the lack of free will, and constant jurisprudence; left, right and centre, all of which is a reality. I am my no means criticising Islam but I am criticising the way in which the people of Saudi are governed and more so their inability to defend themselves from outside influence. Living in Saudi means that these four women are being forced to live a life of secrecy and live by traditions which force them to inhibit what I would describe as sin. I’m trying so hard not to be judgemental here, but those women certainly chose that life for themselves, they chose to drink, chose to give themselves to men, and chose to deceive their own hearts. They didn’t have to, as the society they live in failed them and allowed for it to happen. Saudi is a country that is supposedly at the heart of Islam, meant to be so pure yet is the hub of so much wrong. After having read that the book was banned in Saudi, it was clear to me that again, Muslims cannot hide their behaviour, and we most certainly catalyse the adverse publicity from the west. 

 

I support the author and her bravery for writing what she did, and for her courage to expose the truth behind the black abayah’s (Black long traditional Arab dress) and white thobe’s (White long traditional dress for men). Albeit, there is most definitely a strong attempt to uphold cultures and traditions. I pose a question to you... What’s the use? When the people living in Saudi are finding influence from outside to fuel their secret lives. There is something terribly wrong in this particular equation, and it needs to be resolved in order to find peace with the rest of the world. Rajaa AlSanea, has opened a platform for truth and honesty, and more so an opportunity for the hub of Islamic living to be at peace with itself in terms of finding and creating a balance with tradition and modernity.

I recommend this book to all!!!

I hope that in time, we are all able to realise our faults and from that learn that we can be better people, ultimately that will mean the world will be a better place.

Much Love x

Featuring...

...Notes on Islam.

You will notice that I follow this blog. It has intrigued me and raised awareness surrounding the spirtituallity within Islam. Additionally, it directs focus on Islamic sciences. Take a look, as many of you might find the articles as interesting as I have found them. Some of you may even feel inspired. The writer of this blog, Samir has clearly devoted alot of time and effort in creating the blog with an aim to inform... He is most certaintly achieving that!! :)

Whilst reading some posts on the blog, my attention was drawn to the poetry section. http://notesonislam.blogspot.com/search/label/Islamic%20poetry ....

A poem by Shaykh Ahmad al-Alawi

Layla 

Full near I came unto where dwelleth
Layla, when I heard her call.
That voice, would I might ever hear it!
She favored me, and drew me to her,
Took me in, into her precinct,
With discourse intimate addressed me.
She sat me by her, then came closer,
Raised the cloak that hid her from me,
Made me marvel to distraction,
Bewildered me with all her beauty.
She took me and amazed me,
And hid me in her inmost self,
Until I thought that she was I,
And my life she took as ransom.
She changed me and transfigured me,
And marked me with her special sign,
Pressed me to her, put me from her,
Named me as she is named.
Having slain and crumbled me,
She steeped the fragments in her blood.
Then, after my death, she raised me:
My star shines in her firmament.
Where is my life, and where my body,
Where my willful soul? From her
The truth of these shone out to me
Secrets that had been hidden from me.
Mine eyes have never seen but her:
To naught else can they testify.
All meanings in her are comprised.
Glory be to her Creator!
Thou that beauty wouldst describe,
Here is something of her brightness
Take it from me. It is my art.
Think it not idle vanity.
My Heart lied not when it divulged
The secret of my meeting her.
If nearness unto her effaceth,
I still subsist in her substance.

Source and reference:

http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/A/alAlawiAhmad/Layla.htm

This poem is truely beautiful and encapsulates the beauty of women, love and happiness. Being a real softy, it brought tears to my eyes. It is most definately a poem filled with honour and grace. 

The blog also contains general posts on Islam... go take a look!!