It must stink to be a Muslim girl!

yes I think it is sad, I think all religions have a lot to answer for, I just still do not understand how people can believe any of them, when they are reading from a book, every religion has one, they are all different, so who wrote these books, if one is supposed to be THE book then there can only be one which makes the others just written by someone along the way so I would think they are all just books written by someone many years ago...again I think it is sad that people are letting these books and the people who think they understand the meanings of these books tell them how to live, and as far as women are concerned in some of these books it is all for the benefit of men so I feel we can safely say men wrote these books....Lilaclady steps off her soapbox...

Muslim men women and teens. I conclude, each to their own. We are all who we are and born into the families we are for a reason. Judge not and we wont be judged. I imagine if any individual born into a particular religion can always make their own choices once they reach the age of adult. Perhaps they will not choose different. I don't think it must stink to be a Muslim girl. We all are entitled to the respect that we deserve regardless of our religion and or beliefs. Perhaps she will choose a nice man from the line up. At least she gets to choose. I imagine that it would have it's challenges. Especially in the summer months when it is hot and the beach is so welcoming. I am not Muslim and I too enjoy to wear a bikini at the beach. I am free to choose who my friends are both men and women. It is scary, in a sense that a religion can be so very controlling and does take away from individuality but then look at nuns and such. Slightly different but none the less, similar. Personally, i would never of survived if I were born into a Muslim family. I am too much of a rebel, a free spirit. We must think positive for the lives of those who are not similar to us. As the old saying goes, we don't miss what we don't know.

Islam still allows room for people to be individual people... It all depends on how you look at it. Arranged marriages in the US culture appears weird, scary, and traumatizing... But the Divorce rates in arranged marriages are very low... But there are good and bad reasons of many behind that.. One good thing is Arranged marriages both families approved.. So they do not have to worry about that disapproving relatives like our cultures often fear.. Not eating many things.. is done for health and hygiene reasons.. There laws are not to much different then the Bible about what a person should and should not eat... Covering up... May be a prison to people who are uncomfortable with it.. But For many who do.. its like a security blanket.. They do not have to worry about people liking them or not liking them for their individual looks, or for Lust... The Covering up reasons in Islam is for reasons of being very modest.. and talking to men or boys.. Is also done to protect their woman.. from abusive men and boys or from danger... Althought that does not always work the way it was meant too.. She probably shows emotion and passion when she is around her own people... When you move to a new country, and see thousands of people doing things that were forbidden or different from them... They are all a little scared and frightened and intimidated.. and different cultures show passion, and emotions in slightly different ways.. When you are in a culture where your face is covered up most of the time... There is less emphasis on facial expressions.... So.. Everything is slightly different.. from culture to culture.. Now, I am a mixed beliefed person.. but I do not like to expose my skin.. To the sunshine.. that can bring on easy sunburn.... To Understand alot of reasons behind covering is not only modest.. but also look at where the religion was founded.. In an area of hot sun and sandstorms... They have alot of tricks to stay cooler than most people.. Like gently wiping yourself down with cool water then standing outside and letting the air blow through your clothes just right.. to keep cooler than those who have no clothes at all. I hope that helps shed some light on the topic. - DNatureofDTrain

Hi Sheepie, That is good of you to make friend with this girl but I think her religion is just terrible, it inhuman in this day of age to be force to marry someone you don't know, its just disgusting, but its good that you can talk to her. Tamara

I respect any type of religion. You might think it's odd that Muslim's have to follow those rules. Although they might find it odd that you don't follow rules like theirs. I think people should respect any other type of religion. Anyway, I think that when you're a little kid and your parents raised you that way, you don't think it is weird at all, because your parents told you to do so.

hmm it is hard to be a muslim girl.. in Toronto, a muslim girl was murdered by the father and her brother for wearing western dresses and want to be Canadian.... it was a big issue here..... muslims are so into their culture that even when they have moved to Canada like 20 yrs their beliefs havent changed.... but then u need to adopt to the culture of the new place where u moved.. i went to one my dad's frens fren's place who was muslim.. to drop off some of their stuffs that their friend send for them .. and gosh.. living in Canada.. the women folk wouldnt even come out to meet my dad .. we my mom and I were ushered to another room where their women folk were.. and well first thing we dint even know them.. so it was kind of awkward..... and plus my dad was in another room.. so i found it soo wierd.

Hi sheepie, You are a very kind human being. I am glad you are trying to befriend this girl. It must be an awful culture shock to come from a Muslim society into the Western World. I don't know why people come when they are not willing to adapt and let their children adapt. You are lucky she is allowed to talk to you at all. Your friend was raised in a certain way and if she tried to escape the consequences would be severe. She would be shunned by her whole community. Although Islam insists that women are not oppressed the facts show otherwise. Maybe some women are perfectly happy in a atate of being subservient to men others may be quiet and just endure their lot in life. They are just plodding along without passion or joy. The important thing is for you to continue to show the girl kindness and let her see that not all American girls are loudmouthed selfish brats. Show respect for some of the prohibitions such as not eating pork, practising Jewish people also have dietary restrictions such as not being allowed to eat pork and shellfish.

I don't really think anyone has it more difficult than others. If you think in terms of that then it would be difficult to be anything at all. Judging other cultures on the basis of your own would make this world unbearable. Cheers!!

A couple of people have picked up what I consider to be the key to this: the girl belongs to a very strict traditionalist family, and similar restrictions can be found in other religions just as easily as in Islam among the zealots. Moderate Muslims throughout the Muslim world have moderated (obviously) their traditional standards to reflect both modernity and the social systems in which they live. A much smaller proportion have chsoen to celebrate their traditions by clinging strictly to the fundamentals and refusing to change. But a lot of others in this discussion simply seem incapable of grasping that the girl is from a different culture, let alone religion, and modern Western standards of behaviour and independence are simply alien to them. There is no point whatsoever in judging this girl's experience from your own. Lash

I agree it must suck to be a Muslim girl. Especially if you live in America. I would be so sad if I were Muslim and lived here because the ratio of Muslims to other religions like that are very slim. I go to a university and there are actually a lot of Muslim girls. You will almost always have a couple in your classes. I haven't befriended any of them because they're always with other girls who are Muslim. I wouldn't be able to do it myself because I like being able to choose what I wear and have nice clothes on.

you know what! i will call it "It must stink to be like you" :s you're just sayin *** about a Girl who belive in herself she doesn't give a damn because now you make her famous you didnt change anything by this story you just want to earn money peff if i were the admin i would block your topic cause its hurt every muslim we respect all the religions don't be so proud Grow Up...

Why did muslim girls have to be covered? Because in Islam, girls is so precious as the pearl in the deep sea. Have you ever going to the jeweleries or the food stores? Then, which is look more precious or quality? The one that place outside without covered or the one that being placed inside the glass covered? The food that placed outside (expose to dust) or the food that covered inside the glass? Everything that have being written as a rule have its own reason why we should obey to it. Who knows the best about Microsoft? Off course its Bill gates and Co., the one who created it. We have to obey the rule made to run the Microsoft, we cant disobey it, why? because it will turn into harmless or troubleshoot our computer. It goes the same to our life.. We know nothing what the right/wrong thing is, so then we have to search for it. How do we search it? that is why we've been given thought to think. Think carefully and find the meaning of our life. There has to be.

I bet your muslim friend thinks we are all weird for showing our skin. I imagine she stands doing what she does very well since she's probably been doing it since birth. Hey and it can't be that bad if they have been doing it for generations.

Yes, it is very hard to be a Muslim girl. Basically they are raised this way because woman is supposed to give a birth to children and take care of the family. Men are made to have a life outside the house, to socialize, to earn money and sustain his family. Only a modest, quite and patient woman can stand such life: most of the time at home, without any social contacts outside it. And it is unacceptable for them to go away from the correct-way-of-living. Punishments are very heavy and hard to get through. This has made many debates all around the world and seems like it won`t stop so soon neither. There is something good and something bad in this Muslim-thing. Great if woman realizes WHY she has to do such things and listen to the given orders. If she only follows them but does not understand WHY she has to do it: then it is like a blind-walk. You should not blame them. It is just another way of HOW people live. And we have to ask these questions because it increases the level of understanding other cultures and other ways of living.

Not really. Many of what she does is because of her Indian background. Many non-Muslim Indian girls are brought up this way and as wives and mothers, they carry on this tradition throughout their lives. Many Hindu Indian girls are not allowed to interact with boys, venture out into unknown areas alone, marriage arranged by parents are more the norm than the exception and majority of Indian middle class women have never worn a bikini, including me. The burqa covering her head to toe is typically Muslim, though in many families married Hindu women are expected to keep their head covered, specially in front of elders, male members and strangers.

i understand completely where fathima is coming from my daughter is muslim she was not born muslim but 24 years of her life she lived in the united states but she was always a good girl she never dated in high school and she waited until she got married to be with any man.then she moved to egypt and she always loved god words she studied day and night.she does not eat pork and she is completely covered all the time unless me and her are alone.i respect my daughter religion because it,s her choice to worship muslim religlion.we don,t always see eye to eye about things but i still respect her just the same.i don,t know if i could become a muslim.one thing i don,t like is how protective the husband is of there woman a woman needs room to breathe.

I have learned that Islam has allowed societal changes, at least that is what I was taught. I have never visited any countries in the East and I know some are stricter on the laws we as Muslim are to follow. I have grown up in America though and I also understand Americans are not used to these types of traditions as well. What the rest of us must understand is to some these are not restrictions, but guidelines that we must follow! It isn't viewed as a burden for some to do this! I know women who revel in the way they dress and respect themselves enough to cover up but I personally believe some traditional ways of Islam may not be suitable here in our country, or just uncomfortable for those trying to live amongst American society. I don't knock those traditions either but I wouldn't force them onto my daughter. Yes I want her to wear the hijab, and for the most part, cover 3/4ths of her body but when it becomes a distraction for her in her everyday life, I would allow some compromise. I would never want my way of life to become something she despised and as we were raised in the West, there would have to be some compromising. I would also expose her to our traditional values and practices as well though. I wasn't born into an Islamic lifestyle myself, but have been practicing Islam since I was seven and more seriously since High School (1990). I took my Shahada in 93 and maybe I am just Westernized but I feel how I feel. I don't think my faith is any more or less than any others but some of these things are dictated by location sometimes more than just for religious purpose. In India( and countries in the East), Islaam is more accepted than over here as well. If I did visit other countries, I would adhere to the law of the land as well, as would my family!

I went into Walmart yesterday to pick up some cat food and other things I needed and seen a Muslim girl coming out. Now the weather here is minus 44 below zero. She was wearing a dress and didn't look very warm. I think for once the weather here would be an acception to wear pants. I felt bad for her because she had to abide by these rules. Maybe in her mind it was normal but for my mind it's inappropriate. Have a good night

Ya you are right. One hot sunny day when I traveling in train, I saw a Muslim family. Parents and their 2 kids(A boy and a gal). The boy and gal would be just 8 years old. The boy was wearing that white cap(sorry, I don't know the term they would use to call) that Muslims will wear when they go to Mosque. And the gal was covering her hair too. I saw her mom. No one can actually say if her complexion is white or black. Totally covered. She was wearing even Sock and Gloves. I swear it was so hot. I just felt pity for those Womens who are forced because of Culture. And at the same time, not every Muslims are doing that now. I have seen another family also where they are just free in wearing their dresses. It just depends on the guys at their home. If they are so religious, then they would insist the women at home to follow these things. If not, they would give importance to Women's feelings also. It will take years to change all these and make Men and Women equal. But it has started to change. Lets hope for the best. Happy mylotting.

i don't know what are you trying to do...hunny everyone has the right to choose his/her religion...you just want to earn money by making story about the girl! i bet she has a good life now with her husband so get a life and tell us your story