In a broader sense, this can be applied to any country, any minority, and more specifically, the War on Terror and our approach to it as Americans. Think about it. That is food for thought for you...please PLEASE give me your opinions! :)

The road France is headed down is going to be messy. It isn't the proper solution, and not only that, it is the road most likely to lead to more terrorism. Terrorist organizations feed of the Immigrant's anger and social displacement. These organizations will recruit more terrorists from the youths of these immigrant ghettos, and USE this issue to their advantage. They will say, Look! France is an enemy of Islam! Now they want to unveil our women! Fight for the dignity of our women! (which, by the way, the Muslim woman is extremely strong, and I think she will fight this battle herself, only with actual brains, unlike the zealous young men who really just want to fight, no matter WHAT the issue) So tons of youth will flood into the arms of these organizations, and see them as the ANSWER. And also as a way to relieve some of their anger and hatred that they don't know what to do with. This is very DANGEROUS, to say the least! The terrorists are going to prey on the vulnerability of these Immigrants, and use the fact that the Immigrant wants to come back to his culture and his religion, to their advantage. The most dangerous aspect of this, is the fact that the Immigrant does not know that much about his religion (that is why he wants to COME BACK to it) so he can be easily manipulated to believe things that are NOT ISLAM!!

And by mixing the two cultures, I am not suggesting that France suddenly have Arabic as a second national language or anything. Not that drastic. The Muslims in France are a very small minority. They would only make the smallest tiniest influence on French Culture, if any influence at all. But people need to have an identity, and without one, that is where the trouble starts. We as humans, constantly identify. I identify myself. I am a Muslimah (Muslim girl) and I am a college student. I am a wife. I am a daughter. I am....the list goes on and on. We constantly identify ourselves as well as others, and for a prosperous society to flourish, these identifications have to be positive from both sides. That means the French have to give the immigrants better Job opportunities, and better options for higher education, etc. Much like America has to give these same opportunities to minorities here, such as African Americans in the Ghettos, and Native American children on reservations....

And this is the TRUE nature of the Hijab Issue. It is not that France is trying so much to seperate Church and State, but it is trying to seperate Immigrant from his own culture, and make him adhere to French culture. I can see both sides of the situation. The French are being very ethnocentric, in my opinion, which is human nature, no doubt. But it doesn't make it right. And the real solution to this issue is for the French to allow the Immigrant to live in his society while still keeping his OWN culture. Trust me. In due time, there will not be a division between them. It is like our own great history here in America. At first, we ALL were immigrants. We didn't HAVE to assimilate into any ONE culture, because we were tons of different cultures living side by side. And yes, there WERE tensions. But without the pressure to merge with this BIGGER culture, we sort of created our own culture, which is a mixing and meshing of all those cultures combined. Which is what makes America so rich with heritage. So, if France would just let the Immigrant hold on to his culture, than in due time, there will be a melding of the two cultures, and the Immigrant will be able to move freely in French society as a Frenchman, while adding a flavor of his own to the mix. ...

So the battle lines are drawn. The French say, if you live here, you have to be like us. If you don't want to be like us, than get out! Why are you here? And the Immigrant says, I am here becuase of you! I have no choice! You first overtook my country, and now, on a lesser level, you are stripping me of my only pride, my culture. Neither side sees the other's point of view (and I somehow don't think they ever will). And the more France tries to control and regulate the situation, the more the Immigrant rebels. The Immigrant sees France more and more as an oppressor, and more and more girls take up the headscarf, in a sort of political protest of what the government is doing (because the Immigrant views this ban on hijab as a ways of controlling him, and making him give up his identity and become French)...so they see this as a struggle to preserve their dying culture....

In essence, they become more French than the French. Now the other path is taken by those children of immigrants who realize that they are losing their identity by becoming French and turning their back on their roots. They feel like they don't know who they are anymore. They are not French, but they don't identify with their North African heritage either. Here we see a great revival of Islamic identity, and in many cases, a revival of their North African identity. So much so, that they again, become "more North African than the North Africans" or "more Muslim than other Muslims"...it seems to be a pattern on either side. So they revive their roots, get more immersed in their religion, and so forth. The French see this as a threat, because they are trying to get rid of the ethnic tension issues by erasing the Immigrants true identity and making them French, instead of accepting the Immigrants culture, while still keeping their own, and allowing the two cultures to co-exist. ....

So, the first generation Immigrant sees his children becoming a part of the society that has shunned him. He takes offence. He feels like his children were stolen away from him. He also feels a grieving of the death of his culture in his own children. He gets angry. He again blames the French. He sees how alot of the youth in his ghetto are turning to drugs and crime (another popular phenomenon in minorities) and the girls are wearing things that he would have died of shock from seeing back home. Now, two paths are taken from this. Some children rebel against their parents and their culture becuase they see how the French treated their parents, and how their parents were marked as "different" and they don't want that to happen to them. So they try their hardest to blend in with the French, and consider themselves French, so much so, that they have to turn their back on their roots in order to be accepted by their peers....

oops. In that last post, I meant "hang out"with those around him, not hand out. Sorry.

The stresses of daily life wear on him, and in times of trouble he turns to those around him. Since he is from a foreign country, he tends to hand out with others from his own country (a phenomenon which is popular anywhere that immigrants reside) Therefore, in these little immigrant ghetto communities, they unite, and speak out to each other about their misfortunes. They get angry together, and since they all have similiar stories, they begin to hate the French. Now, in comes second generation immigrants...the children of immigrants who are born in France. These children grow up in French society, and are touched by French culture. They are less knowledgable about their own families culture, and overcome with a burning desire to be French (part of which comes from the fact that they see how their parents are marked as "different" and they witness the consequenses of that) ....

The other identity is that of the Immigrant. The Immigrant moves to this host country, in the pursuit of a better life- one that he can't attain in his own, due to extreme poverty and other hardships (which are often a direct cause of what the host country did to his own country-that's the Irony in this) But once he arrives in the host country, he realizes that he can never fit in, because he is automatically percieved of in the "us vs. them"context, so he gets shafted when it comes to jobs, his landlord cheats him, his daughter is harrassed in public becuase of her scarf, etc. He sees himself as an outsider to. He is not embraced wholeheartedly by this community, so how can he feel welcome? .....

So we have two identities living side by side in French culture. One, the "native" Frenchman, who do not see the Immigrant as a part of his society becuase he does not understand, nor want to understand his culture. In the Frenchman's eyes, HIS culture is superior, so he feels disgusted that ANYONE living in France would want to continue practicing his OWN culture, which originated in another country (one which France happened to be superior over...) therefore, he attempts to make the Immigrant assimilate into French culture, becoming offended when the said Immigrant does not respond positively to this....

So then, since they (the immigrants) had no money (which is expected when you up and move to another country) they established housing in low income areas of France. This housing never improved, because for the most part, the immigrants could only attain jobs that the French didn't want (often extremely low paying ones) soooo they never left their low income housing, and instead, these areas became little immigrant ghettos. These ghettos are still around, (and growing profusely) to this day.....

Darn it! I really should save these as Drafts...they always end up getting deleted before I can post them! I wrote such a GOOD one! (sorry, I should be more humble...)
Anyways, as I was saying...so there was a wave of immigration to France from North Africa (as is common among Colonial powers...such as Indians immigrating to Great Britain) Back in their native countries, the French had often treated them like they were less of a human than the French, and racism and ethnocentrism were rampant. Once the immigrants reached French soil, not much changed. Now, the French felt not only like they were better than the immigrants in question, but they had to make sure that they didn't lose their jobs to these "outsiders"....lemme post this...hang on

It is getting closer to the day when France will enforce it's "no-hijab"ban. In case you haven't noticed, this is a subject that I feel VERY passionate about. I see turmoil in the future, for both sides. I think this is one of the stupidest decisions that France has ever EVER decided. Here's why: Although this is being put forth as a ban on ALL religious symbols, it really focuses mainly in Islam and Hijab. I do not believe that France is banning the hijab because it wants to seperate church and state. It goes MUCH deeper than that. It has to due with history, irony, and cultural assimilation. The fact that the majority of Muslims in France are from Algeria, Morocco and other North African communities is a VERY important part of this story...I am sure that you all know that France was once a colonial power, and that these countries were controlled by France at one time? Well, this has left a stigma on French society, on both sides (Muslim North African immigrants and the French in general)...hang on, lemme post this....

A woman...

This is after a quake...

I think she lost her son?

Another French postcard...it seemed to be popular to send pictures of Morrocan and Algerian women??

This is such a beautiful picture....

This is an artist rendition of an Algerian woman....

This is a haunting picture...which I like alot. It was done by a man who lived in Algeria during their independance, but I think he was British...he worked for the British Government and he was ordered to take pictures of the locals, and he ended up taking very artistic pictures of Algerian women...Ironically, there is a Gallery in France showing his pictures today, and the French used to treat the Algerians like they were lesser human beings...(generally what happens when one country rules another)

An old French Postcard...

I am really curious about what happened to this girl's house!

Some kids....

Another beautiful scarf...and I like close up shots...

a beautiful scarf....

Oh...it looks like u have to write something in order to post a picture...

Can't think of any captions...so I am going to do something different...only say them when I have something to say!

I think the picture speaks for itself....

Guess what today's country is? Algeria! One of my faves....

Even though you tie a hundred knots, the string remains one. ~Rumi

That quote is from Rabi'a the Mystic, a Sufi Sage. She is very well known. What she means by this quote is: If you want to worship God, do not do it becuase you fear hell if you don't, and do not do it because you want to reach heaven for your own pleasure...but do it solely because of your love for God, and your worship will be pure. I am not trying to get away from my Political and Religious/Current Events commentary by posting these Muslim quotes, and I am not trying to convert anyone (because that is just not what we do) but really I just want people to realize that we Muslims are a peaceful people, and violence is NOT part of our religion.

True devotion is for itself: not to desire heaven nor to fear hell.
(Rabia el-Adawia)

I leave you with a picture of a woman buying fruit. I like this picture, because the woman looks so carefree and happy, like we all should be. ;)

Some girls shopping....

Another Traditional Turkish outfit. I love it.

Traditional turkish head covering...I'd love to see people's faces if I walked out wearing this as opposed to my usual head scarf! I think I need more decoration now! Hheheheheh

An awesome picture that shows the contrast of Turkish society! One women with stylish hair and a knee length skirt....the other in full hijab.

A group of women...

Here is a group of women holding a sign with Merve Kavakci's picture. She is my idol!! In fact, as President of the MSA in my University, I have been able to contact her assistant, and she is going to come and speak about Women and Islam next spring!!!! Inshallah! We just have to pick a date. I am sooooo excited!!!!

An example of Historical Turkish Art..

Some young women walking. I LOVE this girls scarf and I wish I could have it! I also like her jacket, and her earrings. Ok, I wish I had her whole outfit!

Some women making Turkish pancakes? Yummy!

A women who likes like a shop owner?

A women with her little baby...

Some women attending a Halaqah (a sort of study group...)

Some kids...cute doll.

Turkey is the country of choice for the day. Turkey is a lovely country..home of Rumi, and many other Sufi mystics. There is a great rift in Turkey today, however, due to the hijab. There is a ban on the Hijab for women working in Government positions, and girls going to school. Many girls have been deprived of an education, due to the simple fact that they cannot show up in class unless they unveil. There have been many protests. In 1999, a bunch of school girls aged 15-18 showed up to their finals wearing hijabs. Since there is a ban on hijabs in school, they were all arrested (they were protesting, so I am sure this is the result they wanted). The shocking thing is, once arrested, they were up for the death penalty. A little extreme to say the LEAST! Their apparent crime? Trying to "overthrow the government". Luckily, after alot of commotion, their sentences were lowered, but still. This just shows that it is a very SERIOUS issue in Turkey...I would advise anyone that wants to learn more about the history of this issue, to look up more information. And look up BOTH points of view...the secularist and the Islamist. Especially please look up the story of Merve Kavakci, ex-parliament member who is now living in exile becuase she fought for what she believed in. Just like a government should NEVER tell it's citizens to wear a hijab, a government should NEVER have the right to force them to remove it.

The Lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the Lion that overcomes himself~Rumi (what it means is, you can be thought a hero for your strength in fighting, but the true hero is the one who does not fight)

And one of the wisest matra's for life:

The rain weeping and the sun burning twine together to make us grow. Keep your intelligence white-hot and your grief glistening, so your life will stay fresh. Cry easily like a little child. ~Rumi

One of my favorite Rumi quotes:

People of the world don't look at themselves, so they blame one another. ~Rumi

Such a wise sage for someone who lived a thousand years ago. :)

God turns you from one feeling to another, and teaches by means of opposites, so that you will have 2 wings to fly, not one. ~Rumi

Women talking...looks like one is giving the other advise.

Looks like a school, sort of...

women in front of a house...

Women carrying baskets...sorta stating the obvious...

Some women sweeping...with what looks like a huge sand castle behind them.

Sometimes I can't think of a caption...I am sorry. There goes my career as a photo editor...heheheh

Such a beautiful dress!!

A wise old woman who has seen the ways of the world....

So much colorful fabric...man I wish I knew how to wrap a head scarf like that!

A woman making a beautiful pot...I wish I could work a wheel like that.

Women with FOOD! mmmmmmmmm

Some women working to grind something...not sure what...but I would love to live such a simple life. I know what you're thinking, "Yeah right, once you got in that situation, you'd wish you'dve been back in your cushy life..." But seriously, humbleness and simplicity are the key to a richer and happier life, in my opinion. And money certaintly doesn't buy happiness.

Today I decided to do Mali. I found sooo many pictures, that it was hard to choose from them all!

I have mixed feelings about the fact that Iran is refusing to wrestle with Israel in the Olympics. On one side, I think that it is right to stand up against what Israel is doing by occupying Palestine, but I think that it is ridiculous to refuse to admit that Israel is a nation. I am sorry, but wake up. It is a nation whether you like it or not. No, I do not agree with how it expanded wrongfully onto my people's land, but it does exist, and we have to deal with that. The Jews have a right to have a country, too. Their government just doesn't have a right to steal land from people. I think it honorable to stand up and say that what Israel is doing is not right, but also, this is the Olympics, not some peace conference. It is just a game. And by wrestling them, what are you afraid of, losing? Like it's going to hurt our pride or something? We have no pride left...some of it has been taken by the Israeli government, and the rest we took from ourselves. If Iran would have just participated in the game, it would have shown that we are the bigger people...that we can put things behind us and just compete in a stupid Olympic game. But now, Israel has the excuse to make us look like jerks , as if we are "discriminating" against them just because they are Jewish. Oh for heaven's sake! If anything, the Jews and Muslims are closer in comparison than any other two religions. We both don't eat pork, we have the same burial traditions, and we both have a form of blessed meat (i.e. halal and kosher) soooooo really we should be like brothers. I hate it when people give me that knowing "look" when I state my opinion about Israel...like, "Oh, she's Muslim. Those people hate the Jews". Please. Give me a break. I have a friend that is Jewish. Just becuase I don't agree with Israeli policy doesn't mean I hate the Jews. But because I'm Muslim, it's supposed to be a given. Bleck! Sorry, I got a little off on a tangent. Heheh.

This is my last pic. I really love it, but I can't put into words why. It's just a nice picture. They look like strong women who can withstand alot.

I think this is the inside of someone's home, but I am not sure what they all are doing? Maybe getting together and chatting (remember, I told you this seems to be a popular thing with Muslim woman the world over...we often get together and cook and eat and gossip)...

a woman filling out some papers...

A woman with some goats. Goat meat is my favorite, and a popular staple in alot of Muslim countries, from the Middle East to Eastern Europe to Western Asia...

A soldier with some women and children

Some women at a cemetery...

a cute little boy who is carrying what looks like Army surplus food?

A woman and her babies...

Looks like such an uplifting picture...

Some girls....they look almost as if they are here in America.

Some women discussing what looks like a serious matter...

This is Bosnia. In my town, there are MANY Bosnian refugees, and I have become close with quite a few of them. These people have seen more terrible things than I care to remember. We have a few people from Srebenica, and I cannot believe that a human could withstand what they went through. I will never forget it. I can only thank God that here in America, we have been fortunate enough to not have to deal with bloody war on our own soil. I cannot imagine being crammed onto a bus and driven to your death, all the while KNOWING that was where you were going...watching people getting lined up and shot, and by sheer luck, escaping. This is just one of the stories that I have heard first hand in my life time, that I wish I didn't have to hear. This is dedicated to all the Bosnians that died, and all those who are still alive, but have to live with the terror in their memories.

Sufi Sayings:

Rumi once wrote: "Seek the essence and not the structure. The beauty of heart shall forever abide, for it is enriched with the water of life."

He also wrote: "Your power come from the power of God, not from the veins or the beating heart. The power of the saints comes from God, not from feasts and trays of provisions. They were created from the light that transcends the angel and the spirit alike."

A Sufi Poem:

Comprehend your relationship with God!
He is closer to us than our own selves.
Yet through ignorance we search for Him
Wandering from door to door.
_____________________________________________

Please, people. Keep Peace in your minds and your hearts at all times, and remember, even though we are different races, religion, and cultures, we are all ONE. We were created by God, we were all born of a mother, and we will all die. Please love each other. Good night.

OK, so I got a little out of control with the amount of pics today. But I couldn't help myself. Heheheheh I will try to tone it down..

I LOVE this picture...it makes me smile...

such a cute pic...

this woman looks like a story teller...one of the two greatest talents we Muslim women hold, regardless of culture...story telling and gossiping! ahahhhahhaha Just kidding...

some girls...

I thought this picture was cute...that little baby is sooooo chubby I just wanna squeeze his little baby cheeks. Mashallah!!

some more strong necks...

I have always been astounded by the strength of some women's necks...

Some women preparing food....I love the baskets....More colorful outfits, but it's black and white so you can't really tell...hehehehe..I have tried sooooo many times to tie my head scarf like the women from African countries. It looks so pretty. I hope that someday I find a women from Africa who can show me. I have several friends from areas of Africa, but they all wear their scarves like I do. I even bought a book about African head wraps. In case anyone wanted to know, which, I am sure, you didn't. :)

More colorful attire...oooollaaalaaaa

Looks like a dance...

Today I am focusing on Cameroon...I love this colorful fabric...

I have also decided to leave some Sufi sayings on here each day (or at least as often as I actually post something...)

The inner truth of desire is that it is a restive motion in the heart in search of God. - al-Qushari

There are those amongst you who desire this world, and there are those amongst you who desire the next. But where is he who desires God? - al-Shibli

There are my Sufi sayings for the day...I pray for peace in this world everyday that I am alive, and Inshallah, someday, somehow, we will attain it. Inshallah. By the Grace of Allah. ~Peace out

Yup, that's right...a women became President of a Muslim country before a women became President of the United States. And we all preach about "Women's Lib" and so many people think those "poor, unfortunate" Muslim women are soooooo subjugated.But somehow, alot of men must have voted her in too, becuase I don't remember Indonesia being a group of Islands full of women only. (That might boost tourism, though.) Just kidding...

A happy looking family...

Some people in a village...

Hahahahah...These are some Indonesian girls getting their groove on.I just thought it was a fun picture.

Some Muslims campaigning for peace. I love this picture...the actual word, "Islam" means Peace, and Submission to the will of God, in Arabic....

Just a cute picture...

I can't forget my food inspired picture...

Some women in prayer...

Some women in traditional Indonesian dress...

Today I have chosen Indonesia as the country....Indonesia is the country with the most Muslims worldwide. This may surprise most people, especially those that think all Muslims are Arab and that all Arabs are Muslim...only 13% of the Muslim population is Arab in the whole world! And there is a large number of Arabs that are Christian, especially in Lebanon...

This is my last picture. This picture just seems a little haunting. I don't know. I really wish I could help the women of Afghanistan, somehow. Maybe, inshallah, God will show me a way.

In stark contrast to the other children's picture, here is a very very poor couple of kids....very sad indeed.

Here are some cute Afghani kids, I am guessing attending a wedding as well?

I like this picture, becuase it shows a woman working (must be after the fall of the Taliban)...the thing I like about it is that she is working while still choosing to wear traditional dress. I am really bothered when people assume that Muslim women are being FORCED to wear head coverings or face coverings. Yes, that does unfortunately happen alot, but there are actually only 3 Muslim countries that make it a mandate to wear a head or face covering. Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan, although now women do not have to in Afghanistan since the Taliban left power for the most part. The similiarities between these countries is that they are ruled by very strict, fundemental (sp?) governments. The rest of the Muslim world deems it a woman's choice.

Looks like they are attending a wedding. Some of my close friends are Afghani, and they told me once that green is a wedding color...

Women in full Burqa...

Some women and children, from what appears to be a very Tribal region.

Today I am featuring Afghanistan. This country really touches me, especially after seeing the movie Osama. The Afghani woman is a very strong woman to endure such horrible things. May Allah curse the Taliban. They are not practicing Islam, but a very twisted form of it that they believe is right, when in fact it is not. I also have to defend the Burqa, though. Many women in Afghanistan CHOOSE to wear it, and wouldn't take it off if they could. But also Many women are FORCED to wear it against their will, which I believe is WRONG. I hope that God will bring Freedom and Happiness to the people of Afghanistan, someday. Inshallah.

Here is an Albanian Women's Group....Looks like they are discussing some weighty issues...

Some girls...

Some women with beautiful Albanian clothing...it looks traditional, but I wouldn't be sure...Either way it is lovely.

Looks like a cute family...

Looks like these people are in some need on some sort...I'm not sure what happened to them however.

A group...some with scarves, some without...

More Albanian women...looks sort of like an older picture...but I like it.

Today's images are from Albania...

I would like to say something to all Muslims, just to remind them of who we are (as Muslims)... I came across this Hadith the other day, and it made me wish that all Muslims remembered this, the very tenets of our Faith. Here is the Hadith:

Wabisah Ibn Ma'bad went to the Prophet (saw) to speak with him. The Prophet (saw) said to him, "Have you come to ask about righteousness and sin, Wabisah? Righteousness is that with which the soul is tranquil and the heart is tranquil, but sin is that which rouses suspicion in the soul and is perplexing in the breast, even if people give you a decision in it's favor." Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 842.

This is something for us to remember. Even when someone is telling us it is right, it may not be the right thing to do. The right thing is always the peaceful thing, not the violent one.

This last image is of a woman selling some yummy looking bread (I know, hahahah I had to add the food)...looks scrumptious.

This is a Yemeni Bedouin woman. Very very colorful dress. I hope that you can see the stark difference so far in what Muslim woman wear in different places, even down to the way they cover (or don't cover) their hair.

A woman with a interesting Niqab (what we call something that covers the mouth and nose region of the face)....

This woman looks upset about something. Her eyes say alot...

I think this picture is sort of sad, becuase you can tell the little girl is wearing a dress that is WAY too big for her. I wish I could send her a dress her size. Hopefully, Allah blesses her with a better life someday. Inshallah.

You really can't see much here, just a wee little peep hole where her eyes are....

Now back to Business...Today's pics are of Yemen :) You would not believe how hard it is to find pics of Yemeni Women. Whew!

Sorry there aren't any pics of my wedding, but I felt a little weird posting those here...so yeah. Here is another view of the ocean, a little more sunny

I thought this Lighthouse was pretty...it's a bit fuzzy, becuase I had to zoom as much as my zoom would go

This picture is a little weird, but I took it and I thought it was cute, so I am posting it...its a Puffin.

Pics of the Ocean!! This is where we went on our Honeymoon!

I got MARRIED!! :) Mashallah, Allhumdullilah! Everyone, please pray for me that I have a long, happy, married life. Inshallah. Subhannallah!