Things that make me go HUMMMMM

Before I moved overseas I dreamed of a place that was full of Muslims and more than that full of Islam. I thought I would find people that loved Islam, prayed all prayers, didnt smoke, gave salams, and were nice. I thought I would see all men in thobes, beards and women that covered. I thought I would have all of that and find people willing to accpet me becuase I am Muslim.

OK when I woke up from that dream I found people that do not know islam so they can not follow it. Now I am not sayign ALL people are like this but the ones I have come in contact with usually fall in line with this. I found people that will break a fast with a smoke or a hubbalie bubblie pipe, I found counties that do not care for or about people that come here for Islam, I found a educational system that is in ruines, I found men that do not respect women, women that do not respect each other, angry people, mad people, people that do not give salaams, men that love boy, men that love men, and fake virgin girls.  

Again I will say not all people are this way, but I was shocked to find so many people like this. I thought this would be wonderful. I guess it still bothers me to find these places so far from when I had hoped. Most things they do are out of tradition and not Islam. I had an interview yesterday and had this woman tell me I can have the job IF i take off my clothes. I looked at her puzzled becuase this woman was Muslim. She was a local woman and proud of it. She told me wearing an abayah or covering my hair is an arab tradition. It has nothing to do with Islam. She went on to say to me That She is a proud woman and feels happy to be a strong woman that broke tradition and does not wear an abayah. She said there is no reason for me, an american woman, to dress like an arab.

I told her I am not a person that wants to dress like an arab. Far from it. I do not like wearing all black and would LOVE to have other options. I told her I have only seen black and the abayahs that do come in colors look like they are something you buy in goodwill. I would wear colors andother clothes including  african clothes and clothes from home mixed with other things, if I had the choice. I love yellows, purple and other bright colors However, I am limited in what I can buy becuase I have not left UAE in a few yrs.

I also told her I will NOT change the way I dress for any amount of money. I told her I believe I have to cover my hair, breast, and body. I do not think I can wear a pair of jean, long sleeve shirt and a scarf leave my home and be in hijab. I know there are women that do that….I have nothing against them. I believe I have to wear an outer covering. This can be an abayah. a long african wrap, one of those Jordanian outfits, a gilbob. what ever but I have to cover my body. We all have to face Allah, swt for ourselves and I for one do not want to be judged on how I was dressed. I have other sins I will have to account for. Covering now and feeling hot is much easier than being hot in hell. This is temporary and hell is forever.

I left feeling good about what I had done. This as most of you know has happened to me before So I am not shocked. I am sad. When I think I came here to wear what I want freely and have the MUslims tell me to dress like a non Muslim. When I have the NON Muslims tell me how great it is to see an american look like me but the Muslims tell me to change what I wear. This makes me sad.

I am also sad when I think of the things I see over here. I see men walking around the mall when jummah prayers are going on. There is NO reason for a man to ever miss a prayer here. There are prayer rooms in every mall. I do not understad when I see men sitting outside a mosque and the athan is going off. I just dont get it. People in the states would kill to have a chance to pray every prayer in a mosque and these people do not take advantage of it.

It sadens me to think I live in  Muslim country and the laws here go against Islam. I look at the poor labor workers here. Many of them have families, wives and children. These men, some of them, have not seen them in years. The laws here forbid them from bringing thier families here. They live here in horrible conditions. Many times they share a room with 14-20 men. They all share maybe 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. The thing they also share many times is eachother. These men that were not gay before they left home get lured into homosexual acts. I do not know why the peopel that make these laws do not think these men have the same urges arab men have.  We are created to want love and affection. We crave it. If you block the natural…..many times the unatural will happen. I am saden to see so many men holding hands, hugging, and laying on the grass with their heads in a mans lap. I get sick when i see a man hugging a man from behind like a man would do his wife. I feel sorry for them.  before I got a car I used to ride a taxi. I would hear the same stories from many of them. They had been here 20 yrs and only been home 5-10 times. They missed seeing thier kids grow up, and being with thier wives.  How can this happen when family and marriage and halal SEX is such a huge part of Islam?

 In many ways it is better to be back home. BUT i’m here for the long run. Like I said in other posts; it is not for the Islam but for the life I live. I look at what I can get and just take it. I do like the slower pace and I do like feeling free to wear what I like, other than work. I can leave my home and feel comfortable covering my body. My girls love having friends that look like them. My son, well he is just a boy taking it one day at a time…..LOL as long as he can play he is ok. Even if no other person does it “I” can pray any where I go. “I” can send my son to pray every prayer in a mosque. “i” can send my kids to take classes every day. I am using this place for the things “I” need. I take all the good and give back the rest.

so this is my rant about living here. I hope i didnt scare anyone off. I am not against living here.

OH about my other post I wanted to explain the rent thing. Here in UAE you do not pay rent monthly. Most places want a yrs rent paid upfront. a few will let you pay 6 months at a time. and even fewer will let you pay every 4 months. This is why I was talking about the rent. Having to pay a yrs rent in advance is a hardship on most people.

 

~ by livinglifeandlovinit on May 20, 2008.