A Letter to the West that Raised Me

[BlissfullyJaded]

Sorry if this was posted before..I searched but didn't see it..
Anyways, thought it was interesting..

A Letter to the West that Raised Me
by Yasmin Mogahed
(Monday June 20 2005)

Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. I am a woman—that ugly duckling among men. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of the standard.

I couldn’t run as fast or lift as much. I didn’t make the same money and I cried too often. I grew up in a man’s world where I didn’t belong.

And when I couldn’t be him, I wanted only to please him. I put on your make-up and wore your short skirts. I gave my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell.

I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract, and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling.

But you lied.

Islam tells me, I’m a swan. I’m different—it’s meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, was created for something more.

God says in the Quran: ‘O mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another (not that you may despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteous” (Quran 49:13).

So I am honored. But it is not by my relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on a higher scale: a scale of righteousness and piety. And my purpose in life—despite what the fashion magazines say—is something more sublime than just looking good for men.

And so God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I’m not here to please men with my body; I’m here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman’s body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving—only to the man I marry.

So to those who wish to ‘liberate’ me, I have only one thing to say:

Thanks, but no thanks.

I’m not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I’m a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won’t worship your beauty standards, and I don’t submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher.

With my veil I put my faith on display—rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not by my looks. So I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don’t see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.

So you see, as a Muslim woman, I’ve been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don’t answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their king.

:applaud:

[Ibn Syed]

:applaud: Jazakallah

[junna1]

Very beautiful sis, masha allah.

[Angel24]

That was very Beautiful....Masha'Allah....
:applaud: :applaud:

[S_87]

So you see, as a Muslim woman, I’ve been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don’t answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their king.

:applaud:

:salaaam:
:applaud:

jazakAllah sister. id like to print this out and give this to everyone who looks at me like im a weirdo or sympathetically etc

[Khaldun]

I havent read ur post just yet to be honest but just seeing that sis mm_ca04 posted this is good enough for me (btw dont worry I will read it soon inshAllah)

[Bittersteel]

Mash 'Allah sister.I always want to tear out my hair when they say Muslims torture women or Islam torture women.They say Islam denies women their freedom.

[Rabi'ya]

*BUMP*

just wanted to bring this wonderful story to the top of the pile again.....

mashAllah it has so much truth in it, I can really relate to it



Rabi'ya:rose:

[MetSudaisTwice]

salam
mashallah
wasalam

[Umm Yoosuf]

I havent read ur post just yet to be honest but just seeing that sis mm_ca04 posted this is good enough for me (btw dont worry I will read it soon inshAllah)

Some how that comment is just strange:aliencool Interesting that letter.

[MetSudaisTwice]

salam
nothing strange about it sis
wasalam

[Umm Yoosuf]

No? ok:rolleyes:

[nurul3eyn]

wr wb My dear brothers and sisters...here is one of Yasmim Mogahed lovely articles (when i read this article it makes me stronger,stronger and stronger i love it) ,,now who doesnt know yasmin "please raise ur hand up in the air where i can see :brother: :sister: " Most of you probably read it and if it exist in other forum i'm sure Our dear brother Zak will remove it..so do mention please if its already in one of the forums jazakallah..enjoy ur reading


By Yasmin Mogahed **
July 3, 2005

Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. I am a woman—that ugly duckling among men. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of the standard.

I couldn’t run as fast or lift as much. I didn’t make the same money and I cried too often. I grew up in a man’s world where I didn’t belong.

And when I couldn’t be him, I wanted only to please him. I put on your makeup and wore your short skirts. I gave my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell.

I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling.

But you lied.



Islam tells me I’m a swan. I’m different—it’s meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, were created for something more.

God says in the Qur’an: [O mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another (not that you may despise each other). Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteous] (Al-Hujurat 49:13).
So I am honored. But it is not by my relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on a higher scale: a scale of righteousness and piety. And my purpose in life—despite what the fashion magazines say—is something more sublime than just looking good for men.

And so God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty, and to tell the world that I’m not here to please men with my body; I’m here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman’s body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving—only to the man I marry.

So to those who wish to “liberate” me, I have only one thing to say:

Thanks, but no thanks.



I’m not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I’m a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So I won’t worship your beauty standards, and I don’t submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher.

With my veil I put my faith on display—rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not by my looks. So I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don’t see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.

So you see, as a Muslim woman, I’ve been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don’t answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to their King.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Yasmin Mogahed was born in Egypt but grew up in the United States. She received her bachelors of science in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is now completing her masters in journalism and mass communications at UW-Madison and working as a freelance writer. You can write to her at [email protected].
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[hidaayah]

sis jazakallah khairun..but isnt this the halal fun thread..
waisay i already posted that in the sisters section..
wassalam

[Uthman]

Good read.

[Israa]

Marshallah good post

[Al_Imaan]

That was nice Mash'allah

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

MashAllah, that was awesome
JazakAllah Khair for sharing

[Amadeus85]

It is indeed nice poem but i can't agree with the main attitutde shown there. According to this liryc women living in West are somehow opressed and feel like slaves. But it is not true in my opinion. And it is not true that most women try to wear modesty and fashinable clothes to atract men only.Most women that i talked with about this topic said that they try to look beautiful only for THEMSELVES and nobody else. So in my opinion claiming that western women are opressed because they wear what they want ( actually many western women wear polite and normal clothes) is false.

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

So why can't the West accept that with Muslim women? Either way, they're stuck with their hypocracy. You have to wonder why they look beautiful for themselves OUTSIDE of the house. Society deems it that you cant be beautiful unless you have the latest trend or the lastest cosmetics. Most of the people who dress nice outside look like slobs inside the house.