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Showing posts with label Muslims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muslims. Show all posts
February 22, 2017
Aishah Schwartz Listed Among 217 Muslims to Follow in 2017
Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications. Contact author for all other rights, which are reserved.
December 20, 2013
August 23, 2012
MWA Celebrates Ramadan 2012 Blog Project Resounding Success
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 23, 2012 - Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA) is thrilled to announce that its 2012 MWA Celebrates Ramadan blogging campaign was a resounding success!
During Ramadan 2012, the MWA Celebrates Ramadan blog project, featuring member experiences, poetry, recipes and photos, more than doubled the amount of page views in a single month alone over the number it had accumulated throughout the previous year.
MWA Director, Aishah Schwartz, would like to express appreciation to the following MWA Celebrates Ramadan blog project contributors: Asma Zaman, Eren Cervantes-Altamirano, Farah Kinani, Isahah Janette Grant, Jennifer Infante, Jennifer Kabir, Khulood Arendse, Nancy Biddle, Rasha El Khateeb, Saba N. Taylor, Sariya Contractor and Zainab John.
Top posts included: Asma Zaman's reflections and remembrance on Ramadan, Farah Kinani's Ramadan resolution, Janette Grant's inspirational post on how to connect in Ramadan, and Jennifer Infante's favorite Iftar recipe: Mediterranean rosemary herb lemon chicken.
Special thanks is also extended to MWA Member Coordinator Isahah Janette Grant for cross-publishing several of the MWA's Ramadan blog posts at Examiner.com.
Additionally, MWA Director, Aishah Schwartz, was invited to give a brief radio interview on MWA's Ramadan Buddy 2012 Quit Smoking campaign (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKQrcT1CjqA). The Indonesian language article is available online at http://www.voaindonesia.com/content/kelompok-perempuan-mualaf-as-kampanyekan-anti-rokok-selama-ramadan/1489100.html and has been viewed nearly 2,000 times to-date.
Indonesia's leading mainstream publication, Republika, also published the VOA article at http://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/islam-mancanegara/12/08/16/m8tljw-saat-ramadhan-perempuan-mualaf-as-kampanye-antirokok.
To round-off the second annual MWA Celebrates Ramadan campaign a YouTube video (http://youtu.be/-SnD2XI7xOw) has been added to the blog providing a visualization of the Eid prayer via Egypt together with the traditional Eid Takbir as the soundtrack. A commercial photo album of the event was also published at the London-based photojournalist site, Demotix (http://www.demotix.com/news/1396581/end-ramadan-eid-ul-fitr-prayer-hurghada-marina-mosque-egypt).
"On behalf of the membership, I would like to extend Eid greetings to one-and-all, and appreciation the viewers who supported the 2012 MWA Celebrates Ramadan campaign. May the peace and blessings of Ramadan remain within us all until we meet again in 2013, insha'Allah," stated Schwartz.
Learn more about the activities of MWA members at http://mwa-online.blogspot.com or visit the MWA Press Room at http://pressroom.prlog.org/mwa-net.
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July 17, 2012
January 16, 2011
American Activist, Aishah Schwartz on Tunisia's Revolution
We must stand in solidarity with the Tunisian people, who, in choosing to rise above 23-years of repression, share a glorious victory in delivering their oppressor to Saudi Arabia; the cradle of the religion of the people he sought to stifle.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - http://prlog.org/11224676
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 16, 2011) – When 26-year-old Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi lost hope in the future and set himself on fire on December 17, no one expected it would be the undoing of the 23-year-long rule of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, 74, but the world's attention is now riveted on a revolution renewing hope for the 10.4 million beleaguered citizens of Tunisia.
"I believe as Muslims we must stand in solidarity with the Tunisian people, who, in choosing to rise above 23-years of repression, share a glorious victory in delivering their oppressor to Saudi Arabia; the cradle of the religion of the people he sought to stifle," stated American Activist, Aishah Schwartz.
Schwartz added, "May Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali find in the Creator of the land into which he has sought refuge, the mercy he withheld from the citizens of Tunisia, and may Allah (swt) facilitate the country's recovery with ease, insha'Allah."
Regarding Saudi history of offering sanctuary to indisposed leaders, Schwartz continued: "As Muslims we believe Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to be Most Gracious, Most Merciful and Oft-Forgiving, insha'Allah, and, that we should wish for others what we wish for ourselves. Therefore, if, insha'Allah, even one of those indisposed leaders were to repent and turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, perhaps it will also make a difference on the Day of Judgment for the harm Saudi leadership has also oft-times brought to the religion of Islam through its own errant leadership; or, at times, lack thereof. That said, I do, however, recognize that Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been diligent in striving to bring positive change and reform throughout his reign, and we must pray that his efforts continue to be facilitated, insha'Allah.
"Muslims, Saudi or otherwise, have a moral obligation and duty to stand in correction of themselves if they fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the Day of Judgment," concluded Schwartz.
Sunday's Washington Post reported that, as the ousted Ben Ali flew into exile in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the Saudi government issued a statement seemingly designed to forestall unwelcome comparisons between the new guest and the ruling Saudi monarchy.
"The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announces that it stands fully behind the Tunisian people," it said.
A sentiment news reports indicate seems to be resonating across the Arab world and beyond, was offered by Rami Khouri of the American University of Beirut, "Tunis today may well go down in history as the Arab equivalent of the Solidarity movement in the Gdansk shipyard in Poland in 1980 that sparked wider protests that, a decade later, ultimately led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and its empire."
After toppling his predecessor, Habib Bourguiba, in November 1987, Ben Ali scrapped the former's title of "president for life", limiting the number of presidential terms to three, but later consolidated his rule by muzzling the opposition, keeping strong control of the media and armed forces and gradually re-extending the number of terms allowed to the presidency under the constitution.
Selim Ben Hassen, the Paris-based president of the Byrsa citizens movement credits Facebook for spreading word of the unrest and bolstering timid citizens to break their traditional code of silence, "The psychological barrier of fear has fallen," Ben Hassen said. "People now know it's possible to go into the streets, cry 'Freedom!' and say 'We don't want a president for life."'
RELATED:
Aishah Schwartz on the Women's Rights Movement in Saudi Arabia
Aishah Schwartz on Gaza
-----------
MWA PRESS ROOM
AISHAH SCHWARTZ BIOGRAPHY
AISHAH SCHWARTZ WRITER-ACTIVIST ON FACEBOOK-Original Profile Over 5,000 Limit New Page
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - http://prlog.org/11224676
"I believe as Muslims we must stand in solidarity with the Tunisian people, who, in choosing to rise above 23-years of repression, share a glorious victory in delivering their oppressor to Saudi Arabia; the cradle of the religion of the people he sought to stifle," stated American Activist, Aishah Schwartz.
Schwartz added, "May Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali find in the Creator of the land into which he has sought refuge, the mercy he withheld from the citizens of Tunisia, and may Allah (swt) facilitate the country's recovery with ease, insha'Allah."
Regarding Saudi history of offering sanctuary to indisposed leaders, Schwartz continued: "As Muslims we believe Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to be Most Gracious, Most Merciful and Oft-Forgiving, insha'Allah, and, that we should wish for others what we wish for ourselves. Therefore, if, insha'Allah, even one of those indisposed leaders were to repent and turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, perhaps it will also make a difference on the Day of Judgment for the harm Saudi leadership has also oft-times brought to the religion of Islam through its own errant leadership; or, at times, lack thereof. That said, I do, however, recognize that Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been diligent in striving to bring positive change and reform throughout his reign, and we must pray that his efforts continue to be facilitated, insha'Allah.
"Muslims, Saudi or otherwise, have a moral obligation and duty to stand in correction of themselves if they fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the Day of Judgment," concluded Schwartz.
Sunday's Washington Post reported that, as the ousted Ben Ali flew into exile in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the Saudi government issued a statement seemingly designed to forestall unwelcome comparisons between the new guest and the ruling Saudi monarchy.
"The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announces that it stands fully behind the Tunisian people," it said.
A sentiment news reports indicate seems to be resonating across the Arab world and beyond, was offered by Rami Khouri of the American University of Beirut, "Tunis today may well go down in history as the Arab equivalent of the Solidarity movement in the Gdansk shipyard in Poland in 1980 that sparked wider protests that, a decade later, ultimately led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and its empire."
After toppling his predecessor, Habib Bourguiba, in November 1987, Ben Ali scrapped the former's title of "president for life", limiting the number of presidential terms to three, but later consolidated his rule by muzzling the opposition, keeping strong control of the media and armed forces and gradually re-extending the number of terms allowed to the presidency under the constitution.
Selim Ben Hassen, the Paris-based president of the Byrsa citizens movement credits Facebook for spreading word of the unrest and bolstering timid citizens to break their traditional code of silence, "The psychological barrier of fear has fallen," Ben Hassen said. "People now know it's possible to go into the streets, cry 'Freedom!' and say 'We don't want a president for life."'
RELATED:
Aishah Schwartz on the Women's Rights Movement in Saudi Arabia
Aishah Schwartz on Gaza
-----------
MWA PRESS ROOM
AISHAH SCHWARTZ BIOGRAPHY
AISHAH SCHWARTZ WRITER-ACTIVIST ON FACEBOOK-Original Profile Over 5,000 Limit New Page
March 19, 2010
The IslamOnline Strike as Covered by Al-Jazeera (English)
What you're getting here is only a glimpse of the story; and even insiders repeatedly professing that the media does not have all the facts are not offering the whole story. So I've been doing my own research...stay tuned to learn more!
August 11, 2008
Millions of Muslims Tune-in for Subversive Soap 'Noor' - WHY?!?
It is from the sofa in my living room that I have, three or four times now, found "Noor" (a 'soap' based on an affluent Muslim family in Turkey) next in line on satellite channel MBC4, after half-watching some other program – which is how it happens that I have developed a few thoughts on what has been described as an 'obsession' to millions of viewers - particularly, apparently, in Saudi Arabia. Anyhow, after reading a recent Washington Post article on the subject of Noor, I decided to give voice to those sentiments.
Of course, as some of you may also know, I do not, for the most part, understand Arabic, but a person doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand what is in front of their eyes…
Excerpts from Washington Post article with my comments:
COMMENT 1: Subject title - our obsession with Noor is reported on in Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080201547_2.html
The only part of this program that I can understand might be worthy of 'obsession'/emulation is the fact that it has initiated discussion of the contrasts found in the intimate relationships between the husband and wife lead characters (it's the only relationship in the series that sets out the concept of compassion) and, apparently, what other viewers find lacking in their own relationships. How sad, however, that we are not more enamored or inspired by the countless examples of the compassion found in Prophet Mohamed Salla Allahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam.
COMMENT 2: Article Title - A Subversive Soap Roils Saudi Arabia
Subversive was an excellent choice of words.
COMMENT 3: The show has become the subject of angry Friday sermons in this strict Islamic kingdom, and the country's chief cleric recently issued a fatwa calling it "decadent" and sinful to watch.
Decadent and sinful – quite frankly, I do not believe their sentiments are unjustified. Is this program indicative of 'progress'? I do not think so – from where I sit, it is nothing less short of a step backward.
COMMENT 4: "Noor" has had such a deep influence because, unlike American or Mexican soap operas broadcast here, it is about a Muslim family living in a Muslim country.
EXACTLY why I feel the way I do in comments 2 and 3 – Muslim family living in a Muslim country – seriously? I would never have guessed… I have not seen anything in the story that even remotely indicates that the characters are "Muslim".
I have not seen one incident where the story line included a single family member excusing themselves for prayer; the men leaving the home to go to the mosque; I have not seen even one female character dressed, whether it was for leisure, work, business, or at home, dressed in either jelbab, hijab, or abaya. On the contrary, the cast wardrobe consists entirely of street clothes that you would find people wearing in any other country not proclaiming itself to be "Islamic" or "Muslim".
Personally, I am saddened that this program has become an 'obsession'. Is this what we want to present/support as demonstrative of life in the Muslim world? Life according to the true teachings of Islam? Or are we just supposed to swallow it hook, line and sinker as Muslim Reality TV? Astifurallah Al-Azeem.
Sure, we are all human, and it is not to say that we don't have similar thoughts, feelings, and experiences with life choices – but why not produce a program with similarly charismatic characters, demonstrating how to make better choices? Wouldn't it be something if THAT became an obsession!
Note: In one of the more recent episodes, the soulfully blue-eyed lead male character (Turk), is shown sporting a rather large tattoo on his upper right arm – that's 'Islamic' – imitating the custom of another society vs. showing reverence for religious/Islamic teachings. Seriously? Astifurgallah Al-Azeem.
Ah, and then there was this week's stunning moment: a female lead character awakening from her abortion while her husband, who was at home babysitting and playing with the couple's daughter, runs across the "conveniently left in a place where your husband – who you want to hide something from – will find it" (duh) positive pregnancy test result, and is suddenly thrilled to learn he will have a second child – but will ultimately be devastated to learn his joy was 'premature'. So much for that marriage…
COMMENT 5: The show is also dubbed in an Arabic dialect, not classical Arabic, which makes it easier to understand and feels more intimate to viewers.
So glad the article's writer mentioned the dubbing. I have never in all my life seen a program where every single character's lines were dubbed. Seriously, it is painfully ridiculous to watch.
COMMENT 6: According to several local newspapers, Saudi men have divorced their wives after finding photos of Muhannad on their cellphones or because they found their wives too taken with the Turk with the soulful eyes.
Now THAT'S ISLAMIC…N-O-T!
As to Turk's 'soulful eyes' – geez – they're blue – so what!
And while we're, again, on the subject of Turk, a few days ago the program offered a scene during which we observe Turk dressing to out. The amount of time given to this scene, and the unabashed love the character displays for himself as he looks repeatedly in the mirror, was nauseating (not unlike the Saudi men with their headgear - as I often observed - while 'checking' it's arrangement on their heads through a reflection in a mosque window). Anyhow, all I could think was, "Dude, GET OVER YOURSELF!!!"
COMMENT 7: But clerics say the national obsession is unhealthy and detrimental to Saudi society's traditional culture. Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper quoted a prominent cleric, Abdul Mohsen al-Obeikan, as saying the show erodes Muslim values and asking satellite channels not to air it.
Quite honestly, I am wildly curious as to why the cleric(s) are even having to ASK why this program is allowed to air on satellite channels in Saudi Arabia – if there was truly an uproar about the program the government could/would block it in a nano-second.
COMMENT 8: "When young people, who have all become fascinated with this show, watch Muslims like themselves engaging in premarital relations and having children out of wedlock, that is more dangerous than if they see Westerners doing those same things…"
Which begs the question – why does Saudi Arabia – in complaining of the influence of the 'west' invite the 'west' into the homes of its citizens via satellite in the first place? Again, the government has the power to block these images/programs – and yet they don't – so what is the complaint, REALLY????
And why does the 'west' have to bear the brunt of the blame for choices made within the confines of the Kingdom in the first place? The west is the west, as is the east the east – if western influences are not welcome do not allow or invite them in – if it is felt necessary to restrict the Kingdom's people to that degree. If not – then do not complain of the guest you have invited after the welcome mat has been laid out for him.
COMMENT 9: The show's finale, after 140 episodes, will be broadcast at the end of August, right before the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Al-hamdulillah for that.
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