By Todd R. Brown, "Muslim women counter stereotypes" - Inside Bay Area - Oakland, CA, USA
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Third annual Women's Milad Shareef symposium slated for Sunday
One stereotype pinned to Islam is the second-class status of women, illustrated by burqa-clad members of the fairer sex who stick out in the post-women's-lib Western world.
Instead of oppressing women, however, the "religion of peace" historically calls for an enlightened attitude toward female followers, said spokeswoman Shagufta Ahmad of Fremont's Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center.
"Authentic Islam talks about the spiritual equality of men and women, how we're from the same soul and how we have equal potential to reach God," she said.
The group's third annual Women's Milad Shareef Conference is set for Sunday in Newark, with the goal of countering stereotypes and celebrating wives and daughters who learned directly from the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam in the 7th century.
"They were teachers, guides and mentors. They were in his company. There's a special blessing connected with those women," Shagufta said, noting they are regarded similarly to Roman Catholic saints. "The Arabic word (for saint) is 'wali,' which means friend of God."
Ahmad, a software engineer who lives in Fremont, said Milad Sharif translates to "noble birthday" and honors the birth of Muhammad. This year, the day begins at sunset Wednesday with a vigil.
Sunday's gathering is specifically for women, she said, so they can relax. "It just has a different energy when women are galvanized and organized just for them. You can feel it."
The nonprofit centers on Sufism, sometimes described by some as a mystical sect but really "the heart and soul of Islam," Shagufta said, one that focuses on inner spiritual development and avoiding sin.
The ideal is to achieve character in accordance with Ihsan, from the Arabic word hadith, meaning to make something beautiful.
Fatima Sharaaz Qadri, who chairs the women's group at the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center in Sacramento, called Sufism the "middle path" to God, in contrast with the stereotype of Muslims as extremists. The center was founded in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
"In every religion we have extremes," she said. "You cannot just combine everyone. You cannot just label them. I get a comment of 'al-Qaida' right away. We have to come up and tell people we are not like them."
About 300 women and children are expected to come to the conference from around the Bay, as well as from Yuba City, Sacramento and Fresno. Admission is free, and a complimentary dinner will be offered.
Poetry recitals will be given in Urdu, Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi and English. Sufi poet Rumi, the one most familiar to Americans, hit his 800th anniversary last year and still makes the best-seller list.
Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri of Hayward, the Fremont center's managing director, said the conference is one way to illuminate Sufi beliefs and to exchange cultural notions. For instance, pastor Floretta Kukoyi from Jesus House, San Francisco in Hayward is a planned speaker.
Ancient Sufi poets and saints, he said, "really embraced everybody to one fold" in travels that spread their religion throughout Asia, a spirit that he said informs the faith today.
"When you start working at the human level, that's where the real teaching is," he said.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
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Sunday, March 16, 2008
That's Where the Real Teaching Is
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Third annual Women's Milad Shareef symposium slated for Sunday
One stereotype pinned to Islam is the second-class status of women, illustrated by burqa-clad members of the fairer sex who stick out in the post-women's-lib Western world.
Instead of oppressing women, however, the "religion of peace" historically calls for an enlightened attitude toward female followers, said spokeswoman Shagufta Ahmad of Fremont's Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center.
"Authentic Islam talks about the spiritual equality of men and women, how we're from the same soul and how we have equal potential to reach God," she said.
The group's third annual Women's Milad Shareef Conference is set for Sunday in Newark, with the goal of countering stereotypes and celebrating wives and daughters who learned directly from the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam in the 7th century.
"They were teachers, guides and mentors. They were in his company. There's a special blessing connected with those women," Shagufta said, noting they are regarded similarly to Roman Catholic saints. "The Arabic word (for saint) is 'wali,' which means friend of God."
Ahmad, a software engineer who lives in Fremont, said Milad Sharif translates to "noble birthday" and honors the birth of Muhammad. This year, the day begins at sunset Wednesday with a vigil.
Sunday's gathering is specifically for women, she said, so they can relax. "It just has a different energy when women are galvanized and organized just for them. You can feel it."
The nonprofit centers on Sufism, sometimes described by some as a mystical sect but really "the heart and soul of Islam," Shagufta said, one that focuses on inner spiritual development and avoiding sin.
The ideal is to achieve character in accordance with Ihsan, from the Arabic word hadith, meaning to make something beautiful.
Fatima Sharaaz Qadri, who chairs the women's group at the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center in Sacramento, called Sufism the "middle path" to God, in contrast with the stereotype of Muslims as extremists. The center was founded in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
"In every religion we have extremes," she said. "You cannot just combine everyone. You cannot just label them. I get a comment of 'al-Qaida' right away. We have to come up and tell people we are not like them."
About 300 women and children are expected to come to the conference from around the Bay, as well as from Yuba City, Sacramento and Fresno. Admission is free, and a complimentary dinner will be offered.
Poetry recitals will be given in Urdu, Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi and English. Sufi poet Rumi, the one most familiar to Americans, hit his 800th anniversary last year and still makes the best-seller list.
Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri of Hayward, the Fremont center's managing director, said the conference is one way to illuminate Sufi beliefs and to exchange cultural notions. For instance, pastor Floretta Kukoyi from Jesus House, San Francisco in Hayward is a planned speaker.
Ancient Sufi poets and saints, he said, "really embraced everybody to one fold" in travels that spread their religion throughout Asia, a spirit that he said informs the faith today.
"When you start working at the human level, that's where the real teaching is," he said.
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By Todd R. Brown, "Muslim women counter stereotypes" - Inside Bay Area - Oakland, CA, USASaturday, March 15, 2008
Third annual Women's Milad Shareef symposium slated for Sunday
One stereotype pinned to Islam is the second-class status of women, illustrated by burqa-clad members of the fairer sex who stick out in the post-women's-lib Western world.
Instead of oppressing women, however, the "religion of peace" historically calls for an enlightened attitude toward female followers, said spokeswoman Shagufta Ahmad of Fremont's Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center.
"Authentic Islam talks about the spiritual equality of men and women, how we're from the same soul and how we have equal potential to reach God," she said.
The group's third annual Women's Milad Shareef Conference is set for Sunday in Newark, with the goal of countering stereotypes and celebrating wives and daughters who learned directly from the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam in the 7th century.
"They were teachers, guides and mentors. They were in his company. There's a special blessing connected with those women," Shagufta said, noting they are regarded similarly to Roman Catholic saints. "The Arabic word (for saint) is 'wali,' which means friend of God."
Ahmad, a software engineer who lives in Fremont, said Milad Sharif translates to "noble birthday" and honors the birth of Muhammad. This year, the day begins at sunset Wednesday with a vigil.
Sunday's gathering is specifically for women, she said, so they can relax. "It just has a different energy when women are galvanized and organized just for them. You can feel it."
The nonprofit centers on Sufism, sometimes described by some as a mystical sect but really "the heart and soul of Islam," Shagufta said, one that focuses on inner spiritual development and avoiding sin.
The ideal is to achieve character in accordance with Ihsan, from the Arabic word hadith, meaning to make something beautiful.
Fatima Sharaaz Qadri, who chairs the women's group at the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center in Sacramento, called Sufism the "middle path" to God, in contrast with the stereotype of Muslims as extremists. The center was founded in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
"In every religion we have extremes," she said. "You cannot just combine everyone. You cannot just label them. I get a comment of 'al-Qaida' right away. We have to come up and tell people we are not like them."
About 300 women and children are expected to come to the conference from around the Bay, as well as from Yuba City, Sacramento and Fresno. Admission is free, and a complimentary dinner will be offered.
Poetry recitals will be given in Urdu, Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi and English. Sufi poet Rumi, the one most familiar to Americans, hit his 800th anniversary last year and still makes the best-seller list.
Ayyaz Yousaf Qadri of Hayward, the Fremont center's managing director, said the conference is one way to illuminate Sufi beliefs and to exchange cultural notions. For instance, pastor Floretta Kukoyi from Jesus House, San Francisco in Hayward is a planned speaker.
Ancient Sufi poets and saints, he said, "really embraced everybody to one fold" in travels that spread their religion throughout Asia, a spirit that he said informs the faith today.
"When you start working at the human level, that's where the real teaching is," he said.
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