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ISLAMO-PHOBIC? THINK AGAIN PART 1 By Debra Rae August 27, 2011 NewsWithViews.com Cultural Lessons from Girls of Riyadh and Kuwait Recently I read a fascinating book unlike any other. Translated into English from Arabic, the Girls of Riyadh compiles a series of emails written by a young Saudi Arabian woman who, at the time of the books release, was in Chicago pursuing an endodontic degree.[1] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn1> At the same time the authors portrayals of her peers are culturally predictable, they are likewise disarmingly surprising. Author Rajaa Alsanea cleverly applies her keen sense of humor and incredibly insightful observations to delightful tales of girlish antics. Within the context of Riyadhs societal and cultural mores, each girls story captures the imagination of readers from the Eastand the curiosity of those from the West. A Worldview Better Felt Than Telt As a woman, I am intrigued by accounts of these girls romances, coupled with their remarkable achievements in academia, not to mention their notable career aspirations. I am further moved that sincerely held religious convictions guide every aspect of their lives. Moreover, in reading these published emails, Im reminded of my own youth. You see, from 1971-1973, I taught at the American School of Kuwait and, in the summer of 1974, I tutored the Kuwaiti Head of Parliaments daughter in preparation for her freshman year of college. This young lady was on her way to the United States, and my job was to school her in colloquialisms and to increase her English vocabulary. To that end, I was invited into her life at home, at work, and at play. Coupled with Alaneas portrayals of girls of Riyadh, my experiences with girls of Kuwait demonstrate how a defined worldview shapes popular culture, education, economies, and geo-political policies enforced by leaders. For this reason, those already invested in a worldview do well to reflect upon that views reach and impact, particularly how it relates to competing or clashing ones. Unfortunately, too many among us choose instead to remain ignorant. Failing to grasp worldviews vying for supremacy in our changing times, the un- or mis- informed fall prey to winds of change that are certain to set their vessels adrift. Effective dialogue between East and West depends on knowledge. Its for this reason that I share simple, but crucial lessons Ive learned from rare glimpses into the ordinary lives of affluent young women of Islam. To these, I add accounts of extraordinary experiences of ordinary Americans when Islamic philosophy and methodology are imposed on them against their will. Not the Western Way Set apart by her uncommon background, Alsanea invites readers (both ladies and gentlemen) to join her as if she were a tour guide to a new world, one closer than what youd imagine. Her expressed task is to provide the inside scoop of conservative Islamic society as experienced by privileged young Saudi women. Escapades of the clique of girl friends she introduces demonstrate how some Muslim women are beginning to carve out their own waya reformed way, yes, but not the Western way. Alsanea makes this point very clear. Keep in mind that reform in the Muslim world means something entirely different to Muslims from what it means to infidelsi.e., non-Muslims. To Asanea and her peers, liberated womanhood rests somewhere in between contemporary Western society and sharia.[2] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn2> I repeat: Its not the Western way. Even girl friend Michelle, whose maternal family is as American as apple pie, returns home to Saudi Arabia from her visits stateside. The faith of her father beckons Michelle back to her Islamic society largely veiled from Western view. The Girls of Kuwait Also among the affluent upper class, my Kuwaiti student was confident, outspoken, and curious. Myself only twenty-five years of age, we werent much distanced in age. Though I was her teacher, she came across, in many ways, as older (certainly more aggressive) than I. Budding Women of Islam Reading Girls of Riyadh refreshed my recollections of this young ladys group of Kuwaiti girl friends, whose everyday lives were akin to those of the Riyadh girls. Though decades distanced the Saudi clique from their Kuwaiti counterparts, their experiences as Muslim women were more similar than not. First hand observation of contemporary desert life, framed by seventh-century Arabian culture, intrigued me in the 1970s, and all the more today. Whether in Riyadh or Kuwait City, a Muslim womans lot in life is defined by nonnegotiable religious restrictions. While upper class Gulf women study hard and subsequently receive advanced education degrees, they remain under the thumb of a decidedly patriarchal system. Marrying well (and successfully) tops the list of to dos for a dutiful Muslim woman. Muhammad referred to women as man toys; and hell, he warned, is replete with ungrateful women who had failed to please their husbands. If thats not enough, a mans testimony in courts of law carries the weight of two womens testimonies, and women in strict Islamic states may not drive or vote.[3] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn3> Separation of the Sexes Toward the close of my summer employment in 1974, I was invited to a traditional graduation party for my Kuwaiti student and, in a very unique way, gained access to a privileged world unknown to most. A Westerner unencumbered by limitations, as these, I eyed with great curiosity the scores of young Kuwaiti women who attended that graduation celebration to which I was invited decades earlier. Once out of the public eye, these lovely girls shed their abiyas to reveal an astonishing array of the latest European designer fashions.[4] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn4> Musicians were the only men allowed, but judging from the flashy, form-enhancing attire of these voluptuous young women, one would think their sole charge was to attract and hook a man! Suffice it to say, once a girl is earmarked for marriage, she is further immersed in training to perfect the art of seduction, which, I learned, is already very well developed by her teens. Each Kuwaiti girl in attendance was lavished in jewels (no dime store imitations!). Sculpted hair and exotic make-up mirroredbut preceded and exceeded in sophisticationthe Designing Women style of Americas 1980s. What author Rajaa Alsanea characterized as her signature, shameless, crimson-red lipstick painted the lips and fashionably formed fingernails of my student and her peers. Competition and Jealousy As the evening progressed, each guest was compelled, one after another, to take the dance floor (what appeared to be a long hallway down the center of the room) and strut her stuff, as if reenacting an old fashioned cake walk. Among onlookers were moms, known humorously as capital funds and mothers of sons, who checked out each beauty for suitability as a potential bride for their sons. Assuming the posture of Paris runway models, guests took their turns while huddled onlookers chattered among themselves. To the best of her ability, each girl averted the evil eye which, if directed her way, bestowed bad luck (or so she thought). Even so, each dancers bloodline, family wealth, and status were as freely denigrated as her physical appearance. What the girls refer to as Satans evil whisperings could be downright brutale.g., Shes too fat, has a big nose and/or an ugly dress. So-and-sos prettier, etc. As with the Saudi girls, so it was with girls of Kuwait. Though highly competitive and openly critical of one another, they clearly enjoyed lifelong friendships marked by genuine affection. Shill trills (similar to wild West warrior whoops) were interjected periodically as if to say, Way to go, girl friend! These were interspersed with pep chantsi.e., a thousand blessings and peace be upon you, beloved of Allah, Muhammad! When it came my turn to take center stage at this graduation shindig, I stood to my feet, headed down the runway, and immediately felt the sting of buzzing gossip. Once my gig was up, the girls praised my beauty and grace. Of course, I recognized that these young women had surely noticed my dress wasnt a designer original, nor were my jewels museum quality. Admittedly, my dance moves were iffy; nevertheless, to my credit, I competed well in the big hair department. It was, after all, the seventies! Superstition and Fate No big surprises here: Girlish competition and jealousies are typical of all teens, especially among the affluent. However, it puzzles me that, no matter how sophisticated and educated they are, girls of Riyadh and Kuwait succumb to superstition. Ouija boards answer their questions, and personal fortunes are sought out through readings of coffee grounds and tealeaves. Even when referenced nonchalantly, as if only in fun, signs of the Zodiac weigh heavily in predicting success of soon-to-be-arranged marriages. Fate likewise drives the Eastern mind. While a resident of Kuwait, I observed that some Muslims seem to think as follows: If I live, I live; if I die, I die. Whether or not I conduct my affairs rationally, my plight in life rests solely in the hands of Fate. So be it. Predictably, the girls of Riyadh echoed this line of reasoning. Ones plight in love rests solely in the hands of Fate. So be it. At her wedding party in Riyadh, for example, the brides friends moaned, The Prophet Muhammad used to send up prayers for the unlovely ones; and now the ugly ones seem to be in demand these days, and not us. Thats just the way it is. Bummers! East is East, and West is West Perhaps more entertaining than anthropomorphically relevant, our girls of Riyadh nonetheless have much to teach us about Islamic culture and faith. I accept that todays ever expanding social media shows Eastern kids to have much in common with their Western counterparts in growing up, schooling, relating, loving, and finding their way in our increasingly complex world. Rightly so, modern Saudi women perceive themselves as catalysts for reform; but they do not look to the West for definition. Once again, I emphasize that the new way theyre pioneering is not the Western way. For us to imagine otherwise is unfounded. Privileged Saudi women appear far more interested in becoming excellent doctors, dentists, and journalists than they are in wiping Israel off the face of the Earth.[5] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn5> Im guessing that, once they come of age, these ladies would rather make love, not war. But make no mistake. Hollywood may tickle the fancies of tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings but, in the end, Islamic culture will not be overturned. Nor will the mission of Islam be thwarted. Not by these lassies anyway. The good news is that a large majority of Muslims, despite gender, distance themselves from radicalism.[6] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn6> Problem is, if only a tiny percentage of a huge population endorses Wahhabi extremism, the threat posed is monumental and mustnt be airbrushed in the name of Lets all just get along.[7] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm#_ftn7> More to follow in Part 2. Click here for part -----> 1 <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm> , 2 <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm> , Footnotes: 1. Rajaa Alsanea. Girls of Riyadh. (London: Penguin Books, 2005). 2. Sharia is the restrictive code of laws and rules that govern the life and behavior of Muslims. Based on the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, sharia references a path or way to a water hole in the desert. 3. David Wallechinsky. The10 Worst Living Dictators. Parade Magazine (February 16, 2003): 4. 4. Abiyas are black tents (modesty coverings) worn by Gulf State Muslim women while in public. Abiyas do not replace, but rather overlay street clothes (deemed appropriate only in privacy). 5. Islam and antisemitism <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_antisemitism> 6. Quran (2:191-193). 7. Without doubt Islam is the largest non-Christian religion in the world, and some fifteen percent of all of the worlds 1.3 billion Muslims sympathize with extremism. Spokesperson for the military wing of Hamas in Gaza admits: Our people love death. Furthermore, he adds, Our goal is to die for the sake of God; and if we live, we want to humiliate Jews and trample on their necks." © 2011 Debra Rae - All Rights Reserved http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm ISLAMO-PHOBIC? THINK AGAIN PART 2 By Debra Rae September 4, 2011 NewsWithViews.com Theological Lessons Learned from Girls of Riyadh and Kuwait Not long ago, I read a fascinating book unlike any other. Translated into English from Arabic, the Girls of Riyadh compiles a series of emails written by a young Saudi Arabian woman who, at the time of the books release, was pursuing an endodontic degree in the States. Probably more entertaining than anthropomorphically relevant, our girls of Riyadh have much to teach us about Islamic culture and faith.[1] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn1> Commonalities in matters of the heart provide a helpful springboard for cross-cultural dialogue, grounded in mutual empathy and respect. Accordingly, as Alsaneas stories unfold, the reader is caught up in romantic fantasies of young Saudi women. Using todays ever expanding social network, Alsanea shows Eastern kids to have much in common with their Western counterparts. And thats a good thing. Notwithstanding its a mistake for Westerners to interpret what they hear, and actions they observe, solely through the lens of Western culture. Doing so equates the Judeo-Christian worldview with Islam, but wrongly so. State Religion v. Free Exercise Thereof On many occasions, weve heard public claim that both Christianity and Islam are religions of peace. I agree. However, the peace that passes understanding, as intended in the Bible, is not the peace touted by Islamists. To the contrary, Islam speaks to the peace that comes by submitting to Allahwhether by conviction or, if need be, by force. The devout Muslims mission is to establish a global Islamic Caliphate.[2] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn2> To a Muslim, theres no clear distinction between government, society, culture, the judiciary, and religion. All huddle in singular submission to Allah and his prophet. In fact, many countries, as Saudi Arabia, endorse Islam as a State religion to be imposed on citizens. People of the Booki.e., Christians and Jewsare allowed to live, but only as second-class citizens (under whats called dhimmitude).[3] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn3> In contrast, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution prevents government from imposing any religion, or even interfering with religious expression. Never intended to silence religionists in the public arena, as some suppose, the separation principle disallows State-sanctioned religione.g., an ummah (community of all who affirm Islam). Instead, American citizens enjoy the privilege of freedom to worship (or not) as they please. Its true. Not all Westerners embrace or even understand Christian theology. But whether they know it or not, like it or not, all Americans are influenced by it. Religious freedom, rule of law, free trade, and right to private property took form among early predominantly Christian settlements of the East Coast of North Americanamely, at St. Augustine (1565), Plymouth (1620), Jamestown (1607), and Savannah (1733). Furthermore, our nations Christian legacy finds expression in the first colonial grant made to Sir Walter Raleigh (1584); the first charter of Virginia, granted by King James I (1606); subsequent Virginia charters (1609 and 1611); and various ones granted to the other colonies.[4] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn4> While author Christian J. Pintos exposé of <http://www.newswithviewsstore.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=N WVS&Product_Code=DV24&Category_Code=DVD> Secret Mysteries of Americas Beginnings paints Thomas Paine, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin in less than favorable light, God nonetheless used them to establish a nation with indisputably Christian underpinnings. Indeed, five-time Governor of Virginia Patrick Henry (1736-1799) insisted, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly, nor too often, that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."[5] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn5> Even so, America allows full, free exercise of all faiths and/or convictionsor none. While the population of the United States exceeds 300 million, only three percent are Muslim; all the same, in addition to Islamic day- and weekend- schools, there are some two thousand mosques scattered across our nation.[6] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn6> In his 1791 autobiography, Benjamin Franklin "did not disapprove" of a Pennsylvania meeting place designed to accommodate preachers of all religions. "Even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, Franklin mused, he would find a pulpit at his service."[7] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn7> A Westerner viewing the Arab Spring from a Judeo-Christian perspective may presume the fight is for American-style freedom and democracy, but it isnt. Be clear. No Arabic word for democracy even exists, nor does the Arab Middle East tolerate any functioning democracy. Significantly, no Arab country boasts even a single visible church of Muslim converts to Christianity. Its simply not allowed. Nature of Allah v. YHWH-Jesus East-West perspectives regarding God himself are like oil and water. Whereas Allah (the moon god) judges arbitrarily, the God of the Bible is fully consistent in His judgments. In fact, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. While Christianity sprang from the ultimate act of love (Christs substitutionary sacrifice), Allah never once is characterized as a god of love in Quranic verse. Of his ninety-nine attributes, love is not one of them. In the Bible, Jesus is the Truth, and his words are true.[8] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn8> The tongue, we learn, is our most unruly member.[9] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn9> To follow in the Masters footsteps, the tongue must be kept under guard and fully submitted to the Holy Spirit. While one of the Ten Commandments is not to bear false witness, a Muslim may lie with impunity, if need be. Gender distinctions are likewise telling. In Christ, theres no male nor female; but in Islam, women are lesser creations.[10] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn10> To read Western perspective into Eastern tradition skews realityand dangerously so. Sharia Law v Human Rights [11] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn11> Author Rajaa Alsanea portrays girls of Riyadh as devoted to the faith in which they were raised. Praise be to Allah and may the Prophet rest in peace season their everyday speech; and many truly regret their misdeeds and plead for Allahs mercy. While I dont doubt the girls sincerity, I strongly oppose humanitarian abuses of fellow Islamiststo name two: honor killings and female mutilation. Rajaas exposé of uni-cultural, uni-ethnic, uni-religious toxicity under patriarchal oppression underscores how the Islamic worldview differs from our own. For example, after hearing about Valentines Day through satellite television channels, Saudis took interest in celebrating it. Girls favored red accessories, and attentive boys took to the streets, handing out red roses to lovely passersbyuntil, that is, the religious police intervened. To the youngsters dismay, this holiday of love was outlawed. The Februarys that followed, even before schoolgirls entered campus gates, their clothes were subject to inspection for telltale splashes of renegade red! Having lived as a young woman in Muslim society, I can relate. While touring Iran apart from the company of immediate male family members, I once was hauled in and subsequently intimidated by the morality police; and as a teacher at the American School of Kuwait, I too was subjected to rules and restrictions that were strictly applied to all students and female teachers. In such cases, male colleagues were exempt. Were Western women forced by sharia law to wear head-to-toe coverings in public, or be dragged in and interrogated by the religious police, fewer Americans would herald politically-correct inclusionism for fear of somehow appearingwell, you knowintolerant.[12] <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm#_ftn12> My challenge to the PC crowd is to wake up and smell the garlic and leeks before equating knowledge with hate and fear. Islamo-phobic? Think again. Click here for part -----> 1 <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra198.htm> , 2 <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra199.htm> , Footnotes: 1. Rajaa Alsanea. Girls of Riyadh (London: Penguin Books, 2005). 2. 3. Dr. William Wagner, How Islam Plans to Change the World (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004): 80. 4. Our Nation <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra158.htm> s Heritage: Noble or Compromised?, Part 1 5. Secret Mysteries of America's Beginnings <http://www.newswithviewsstore.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=N WVS&Product_Code=DV38&Category_Code=DVD> - Eye of the Phoenix: Secrets of the Dollar Bill. 6. Omar Khalidi. "Mosque." Contemporary American Religion (New York: Macmillan, 2000). 7. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin <http://www.earlyamerica.com/lives/franklin/chapt10/> 8. John 14:6; John 17:17 9. James 3:1-12 10. Galatians 3:28 11. Welcome to ShariaMerica <http://www.newswithviews.com/Rae/debra194.htm> 12. Today's tactical pursuit of religious commonality <http://conservativecrusader.com/articles/today-s-tactical-pursuit-of-religi ous-commonality-part-1-exclusionism-pluralism-inclusionism> . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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