Below is an article I found that shows that the war on Muslim women is raging on not only in Western countries like France but in Muslim countries as well. InshaAllah, Egypt will not go the same way that Turkey has in banning the hijab (veil). We as Muslim women must stay strong and not let the kufar tell us we must go naked in the street so they can feel safer. Terrorist will always find a way to carry out their evil plans and undressing Muslim women is not going to put a stop to it. The continual attack on any influence from Saudi Arabia is always so prevalent in these types of articles. The prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family and his companies) is from the exact place that kufar like to bash and then they say they don’t have a problem with Islam. Yeah, well I have a bridge I’d like to sell you!

CAIRO (Reuters) – Rokaya Mohamed, an elementary school teacher, would rather die than take off her face veil, or niqab, thrusting her to the forefront of a battle by government-backed clerics to limit Islamism in Egypt.

Egypt’s state-run religious establishment wants teachers like Mohamed to remove their veils in front of female students, sparking a backlash by Islamists who say women should be able to choose to cover their faces in line with their Islamic faith.

“I have put on the niqab because it is a Sunna (a tradition of the Muslim prophet Muhammad). It is something that brings me closer to religion and closer to the wives of the Prophet who used to wear it,” she said.

“I know what makes God and his prophet love me, and no sheikh is going to convince me otherwise. I would rather die than take it off, even inside class,” she added.

Egypt, the birthplace of al Qaeda’s second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri, fought a low-level Islamist insurgency in the 1990s, has faced sporadic militant attacks targeting tourists since then, and is keen to quell Islamist opposition ahead of parliamentary elections next year and a 2011 presidential vote.

The spread of the niqab, associated with the strictest interpretations of Islam, is a potent reminder to the government of the political threat posed by any Islamist resurgence emanating from the Gulf, where many young Egyptians go to work.

Controversy over the niqab flared last month after the state-appointed head of Egypt’s al-Azhar mosque asked a young student to remove her face veil during a visit to her school.

Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Mohamed Sayed Tantawi later issued a religious edict or fatwa barring women and girls from wearing the niqab in all-girl Azhari schools, saying there was no reason for girls to cover their faces amongst themselves.

An Azhari research center later backed the ruling, saying the face veil should be removed when a girl is in an all-female class with women teachers, in all-female exam rooms, and in all-female dormitories.

Egyptian state-run media have also called for women to show their faces, citing the “damaging” effects of niqab on society.

GULF INFLUENCE

While a majority of Egyptian women and girls consider it an Islamic religious obligation to cover their hair and neck with a scarf, few Muslim scholars say the full face veil is mandatory.

Yet growing numbers of Egyptian women are abandoning the simple headscarf in favor of the niqab, analysts say, reflecting the growing sway of strict Saudi-based Wahhabi ideology on an already conservative and Islamized society.

“It increased mainly because of the major influence from the Gulf. This habit is not from the heart of Egyptian society. It is imported from the Gulf,” political analyst Hala Mustafa said.

“(Extremism) has been increasing in Egyptian society for the past 30 years and therefore Egyptians are accepting more extremism and becoming more closed off,” she said.

Egypt, unlike other Muslim states Saudi Arabia and Iran, does not require women to cover their heads with a scarf. But the millions of Egyptians who have lived or worked in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia are believed to be a source for the spread of Wahhabi ideology.

Just 30 years ago, women attended Egypt’s flagship Cairo University wearing miniskirts and sleeveless tops. They strolled along the beaches of Alexandria in skimpy swimsuits at a time when society was seemingly more liberal and tolerant.

Analysts say the headscarf, or hijab, was seen as a status indicator and was prevalent among lower-income classes. Women from upper and middle classes rarely veiled at a young age and those who did usually followed fashionable interpretations of hijab. The niqab was uncommon at that time.

NIQAB MORE PREVALENT

But the niqab has become more prevalent. Women in flowing black robes are a common sight strolling through Egypt’s fanciest shopping malls and five-star hotels, as well as in shanties.

Analysts say challenging the stricter interpretations of Islam could be a long journey that requires, in particular, introducing reforms on an educational system that has allowed women in niqab to teach small children.

“These decisions have to be accompanied with ideological procedures and requires challenging the ideology so there will be moderate ideology,” Mustafa said.

Egyptian courts have a history of ruling in favor of women wearing niqab inside universities. In 2007, a court ruled that the American University in Cairo, seen as a bastion of Western liberal education in Egypt, was wrong to bar a female scholar who wears niqab from using its facilities. The court cited personal and religious freedom as grounds for its ruling.

Ordinary Egyptians on the streets of Cairo have conflicting feelings regarding the niqab. Some say it should be banned on security grounds because it can be used by criminals to disguise themselves and escape police searches.

Others hail it as the right way to fulfill religious duties or as the best way to protect women from sexual harassment, although a recent study showed veiling had little effect on harassment rates in Egypt.

“When a man cannot see a woman, then what is he going to harass her for? Nothing,” said Abu Donya, a taxi driver, whose views are shared by many Egyptians. “So imagine if all women wear niqab, things would be better,” he said.

(Editing by Dominic Evans)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091102/lf_nm_life/us_egypt_niqab

I don’t know if I am being adversely affected by all the healthcare talk I’m listening to or if my actual experiences with my healthcare providers is making me such a cynic.  What I do know is that I am one more bad feeling away from completely dumping the Duke Healthcare System and moving over to the UNC Chapel Hill system.  I’ve just dumped my primary care provider and I will be picking up a different provider at the end of the month.  I was close to dumping my gynecologist because I did not feel that her office staff was handling my appointments properly. 

Whether or not I decide to get out of the Duke system I do know that I will no longer let healthcare providers frustrate me.  I am determined I am going to get good care if I have to shop for doctors on a regular basis.  There is no excuse for the lack of care and attention that is being passed off as primary care these days.  I encourage my friends and family to really take charge of their healthcare and don’t settle for substandard care.  I’m paying a ridiculous amount of money every month for my health insurance and then I pay my co-payments.  The doctors except me to pay for services rendered and I expected to get services that were paid for.

I found this on another blog and wanted to bring it over here because I thought it was so funny.   Enjoy!

Knowing True Islaam is having a program tomorrow on their radio program at 5:30 pm EST tomorrow (Sunday, October 4, 2009).  If you have questions about Islam, want to get those questions answered or are just curious about what Islam is then take an hour and listen to the radio show.  The speaker is a native Arabic speaker and will be translated so don’t worry that you might not understand what he is saying.  Everything will be translated and there should be time for questions at the end of the talk.   Click the link below or on the side to get to Knowing True Islaam’s radio program.

WHAT IS ISAM AND THE BENEFITS OF ITS ACCEPTANCE

Al Maun, which is a wonderful charity that helps Muslim families who have fallen on hard times, is in a competition to win money so that they can continue to give to those in need.  InshaAllah, they need to collect 2000 hits on this youtube video in order to get the money.  Please click on the link below and see the nice video they made that explains their organization.  A few minutes of your time can help many families.  The deadline is the last day of Ramadan.  May Allah accept the fast of the Muslims and accept our good deeds, Ameen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sDs3CYUpM

During a question and answers session with one of the Ulema (scholars of Islam), a questioner on AlBaseerah.org, a popular Islamic website, asked if being a medical transcriptionist was haram (forbidden). They then went on to explain to the sheikh that what a medical transcriptionists does is type files that go to insurance companies. First, this is not a correct understanding of what a medical transcriptionist does. I have an entire post on my blog that goes into exactly what an MT does so I will not rehash all of that again. I am no longer able to access this audio on the Albaseerah website and I don’t remember at this time what the answer to the person’s question was, but because the premise of the question was incorrect, the answer that was given cannot actually be applied to medical transcriptionists.

Medical transcriptions do not generally work for insurance companies, although some insurance companies employ medical transcriptionists. Most MTs work for medical care providers including private doctors’ clinic, hospitals, urgent care centers, etc.

Unfortunately, this questioner did not understand what it is that an MT does and because of that their question was flawed from the start. This is the harm of not being informed on a topic and then passing on misinformation to others including the Ulema. Medical transcriptionists do not type of files “to go to the insurance companies.” Medical transcriptionists transcribe voice dictation into written records for the purpose of creating medical history. Insha’Allah (by Allah’s permission) the next Muslim who wonders if they can lawfully work as a medical transcription they will be better informed about what it is they are looking into. If you have questions about what I do leave a comment and I will answer as soon as I am able.

I have been visiting the FIKS website for a while and thought I would post on it here.  The acronym stands for Fundamental Islaamic Knowledge and Seminary.  The brother who gives the lectures has spent some years studying Islaam by traditional means.  Al hamdulillah I have found his lectures to be very helpful.   I encourage anyone who happens by this post to check it out.   All the background information on the brother who gives the lectures Abu Taubah are located on the site as he did a series of lectures about his living and studying.  This specific set of lectures can also, I think, be found on Youtube.  They are located in New York.  I will post below what is located on their “About Us” page.   InshaAllah if you decide to utilize the website don’t forget to click on the “donate” button and support the site and the brothers who run the site. 

Check them out here -  The FIKS

ABOUT FIKS

I recently ordered from this Islamic boutique online called Love Unspoken.  I loved the quality of the clothes that I ordered and the detail that was put into them.  All the items sold are made to order.  You give your measurments for every item to be made specifically for you.  Having your clothes made to order gives you a lot of flexibility for adding length where you want or need it and for allowing extra room in the bustline, waist, hips, etc.   The owner of the boutique contacted me with shipping information in a timely manner.  I had a pleasant experience not only with the ease of ordering but with the customer service as well.  A shop like this is great for a women who has odd measurements that are difficult to fit into standard sizes. 

The products that I ordered were great quality and I will definitely be ordering more clothing from this site.  I encourage the Muslimahs to check it out.

Love Unspoken

I found a wonderful website dedicated to health and wellness run by Muslims with backgrounds in biochemistry and pharmacology.  The web site incorporates medicine from the quran and sunnah with the health, medical, and fitness issues of today.   I enjoy checking out the website and encourage you to do the same.  Even if you are not a Muslim but interested in health and wellness I think you will find many good things of interest. 

Enjoy!
HealthyMuslim