A Letter To The Culture That Raised Me - Yasmin Mogahed's (Reclaim Your Heart)

Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of standard (men).

I couldn't run as faster lift as much. I didn't make the same money and I cried to often. I grew up in a man's world where I didn't belong.

And when I couldn't be him, I wanted to please him. I put on my make up and wore your short skirts. I gave in 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 Qur'an, "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowingly and Acquainted." (Qur'an, 49:13)

So I am honored, but it is not by 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 higher scale: a scale of righteous and piety. And my purpose in life - despite on 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 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 my looks. 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.

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 the King.

(Yasmin Mogahed's Reclaim Your Heart page 124 & 125)  

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I just can't stop myself from writing word by word in order for you to read those beautiful letter wrote by Sister Yasmin Mogahed herself. Jazakillah sister, thank you. Those words bring such an inspiration and motivation to me, and perhaps to you too insha Allah. She wrote it beautifully to describe us, Muslim women. We should be proud knowing that Allah SWT created us in such an incredible creature. Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah.

Shaheera

Reclaim Your Heart

Assalamualaikum w.b.t,
Alhamdulillah, after four months, I've got a chance to update my blog, pheeew, what a long time, isn't it ?

So, I'll update with a story about the fabulous event conducted on 15th April 2013. The event was called Reclaim Your Heart. A talk by Sis Yasmin Mogahed, one of the international speakers. You can see the trailer up there :)

It was started with a recitation of Holy Quran by Ustazah Zainab Talha. Oh by the way, the MC of the day was Sis Wardina Safiyyah. Then, there was a play by students from Sekolah Islam Adni entitled The Flowers of Gaza. They did a marvelous job even they were just cute little children. Their English were ah-may-zing. Kudos ! After that, the video entitled A Story That Has To Be Told was screened. It was about the story of people in Gaza. The people who have been visited Gaza shared their experience. Their experience which they could not and will not forget for the entire life. I really do want to go and visit Palestinians people, one day, inshaaAllahutaala, one fine day. I want to experience it myself.

After a long wait, then Sis Yasmin Mogahed's turn to deliver a talk. The participants were full of enthusiastic energy. The talk was such a motivation to all. It's awesome. Those were notes that I managed to write.

• Angels do not have choice, while us as human being (caliphs of Allah) do have choice. Never to allow arrogant to take over ourselves. It is our human nature to slip. So, we have choice to either repentance or be arrogant and blame others for the wrongdoings as what shaytan did.
• The example given was the story about Adam a.s and iblis. Look at the story of Adam. Even he did break the rules of Allah not to eat the forbidden fruit, he never blame shaytan but he turned to Allah and repentance. While vice versa to the iblis which he blame Allah for the reason he was thrown away from Jannah. 
• Our situation will not change until we change ourselves, until we acknowledge Allah & until we prostrate sincerely to Him as a true believer.
• The more you run for the creation, the more they push you away. The more you run for Allah, the more He comes closer to you.
• Allah is Al-Wadud, the source of love. If you want real love, you have to seek the One who created love. Only then, you'll find true love.
• When you put your trust in Allah and do something for the sake of Allah, Allah will return it back in the better form in this dunya and hereafter.
• Never lean on creation, you can use it but do not depends on it, for Allah is The One who controls everything.
• Know firmly that Allah will make way out for you so put all your trust in Allah.
• Sometimes, we are too focus on the gifts that Allah gave which are called as false attachment. So, Allah take it back so you can be detached from whatever things and refocused yourself and know that the true attachment you need is Allah 'Azzawajalla.
• If we want to be close to Allah during our time of hardship, we must be close to Allah during our time of ease.
• Every good deed that you do is not a gift from you to Allah, but it's a gift from Allah to you.
• When we are far from Allah, the heart becomes hard. When the heart becomes hard, the eyes become dry.
• If Allah leaves us in a blink of an eye, we collapse.
• We act. We strive. We put our effort. But remember, we have no power of the results. The results are from Allah. Work hard, but trust Him.
• Focus on Allah when ease, then it will be more easier when the hardship strikes you.

That was part of the talk. Hopefully, it helps :) 

The pass to enter the talk :)

Jazakillah khayr for your time spent to read this post. May Allah bless. 

Assalamualaikum dear readers.