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Nayzak — deserves respect... or not

Published: 2012-10-25 01:59:34 +0000 UTC; Views: 27154; Favourites: 350; Downloads: 201
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Description Assalaamu alaikum [peace be to you],

while reading the messages in my inbox, I found In Hijab-Lovers's journal the link to this tumblr article. After I read it, I thought it deserved reading from more people, so here I am sharing it with you guys/girls.

I hope it can push you to reflect a little on the consequences of being judgmental...



"I went to the mall, and a little girl called me a terrorist...

My name is Ela. I am seventeen years old. I am not Muslim, but my friend told me about her friend being discriminated against for wearing a hijab. So I decided to see the discrimination firsthand to get a better understanding of what Muslim women go through.

My friend and I pinned scarves around our heads, and then we went to the mall. Normally, vendors try to get us to buy things and ask us to sample a snack. Clerks usually ask us if we need help, tell us about sales, and smile at us. Not today. People, including vendors, clerks, and other shoppers, wouldn’t look at us. They didn’t talk to us. They acted like we didn’t exist. They didn’t want to be caught staring at us, so they didn’t look at all.

And then, in one store, a girl (who looked about four years old) asked her mom if my friend and I were terrorists. She wasn’t trying to be mean or anything. I don’t even think she could have grasped the idea of prejudice. However, her mother’s response is one I can never forgive or forget. The mother hushed her child, glared at me, and then took her daughter by the hand and led her out of the store.

All that because I put a scarf on my head. Just like that, a mother taught her little girl that being Muslim was evil. It didn’t matter that I was a nice person. All that mattered was that I looked different. That little girl may grow up and teach her children the same thing.

This experiment gave me a huge wakeup call. It lasted for only a few hours, so I can’t even begin to imagine how much prejudice Muslim girls go through every day. It reminded me of something that many people know but rarely remember: the women in hijabs are people, just like all those women out there who aren’t Muslim.

People of Tumblr, please help me spread this message. Treat Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Taoists, etc., exactly the way you want to be treated, regardless of what they’re wearing or not wearing, no exceptions. Reblog this. Tell your friends. I don’t know that the world will ever totally wipe out prejudice, but we can try, one blog at a time."

written by Ela from [link]



I hope this was beneficial.
if you like the above article and feel it can help, by all means, share it.


If I am right, it is from the God. if I am wrong, it is from myself.
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Comments: 70

syibromalisi In reply to ??? [2015-11-28 13:50:03 +0000 UTC]

Hello Marion, I am a Muslim, for us, the women are more than just a queen, especially our wives, so we have a responsibility to protect our women from something bad like social evils (especially from the bad guys), but we Muslims can't protect all Muslim women Because we have a law that a man can not touch even a single hair of a woman who is not his wife, just married couple who can touch each other. Thus, the headscarf and large clothing aims to protect a woman, at least from nosy man in the street. if the clothes do not look sexy, mn are also certainly would not want to tempt them. right ?

i'm sorry for bad english

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MarionMayMay In reply to syibromalisi [2015-12-01 05:11:37 +0000 UTC]

your English is fine, thank you for the response. I still can't look at it from your point of view, but I appreciate your attempt at explaining what this means to you. 

Peace 🤗

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milkiatte In reply to ??? [2015-05-15 08:03:05 +0000 UTC]

I'm not a Muslim, but I know that for Muslim women wearing hijab is personal choice. They don't HAVE to wear the headscarf (although it is preferable they do).  In Islam, God has instructed both men and women to be modest, and through "hijab". While hijab is commonly used to refer to the veil/headscarf, the Arabic word for it means "cover". Hijab and headscarf have been used interchangeably because of cultural reasons - in some countries, "hijab" does not refer to just the veil/headscarf but to different dressing styles. The Quran does not obligate headscarves in specific, what matters is that the women is "modest", and the headscarf is not the only way to achieve this. For example, if a Muslim woman was wearing a headscarf but is not following other Islam practices does not properly fulfill the practice of "hijab" (i.e being modest). Muslim women who wear headscarf and other garments to cover themselves do so to attain this "modesty".  Some also do it to publicly show their faith and that they are Muslim since the hijab is now strongly associated with Islam, others do it to battle the idea that many Western feminists have that hijab is "oppression" (it's not). The reason many women who wear hijab are oppressed is because of the ignorant belief that hijab = Islam = terrorists.

There are also Muslim women who choose not to wear the hijab because of their own interpretation and reasons. While most Muslim women choose to wear the veil, they will also agree that this is a personal decision. There is no punishment for not wearing the veil in Islam, and no one has the right to actively force them to wear it.

I think the reason why many people from a Western standpoint believe it is a symbol of "oppression" is because of people not understanding Islam. People generally believe that Muslim women are FORCED to wear the veil by their fathers/brothers/husbands/etc. (which is not true and is un-Islamic). It is true that some are forced to wear it, but this is more of a cultural thing than something mandated by God. Some think that wearing the headscarf is a symbol of the woman "submitting" herself to her husband. This is not true, since it is not the man's but the woman's choice to wear the headscarf.

Besides, some Muslim women have to fight for their right to wear the hijab in countries where it is illegal/ not tolerated well. If it was oppressing them, why would they fight for it? The veil isn't oppressing them, people who are against it are. Islam isn't oppressing them, Islamophobes are. 

(Sorry if I'm a bit hard to understand, English isn't my first language : P)

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MarionMayMay In reply to milkiatte [2015-12-01 05:13:36 +0000 UTC]

Your English sounds great! Thank you for the response, I appreciate it 🙂

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movedd [2015-03-01 16:57:21 +0000 UTC]

This is really cute<3 I  love it<33

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Momoiroai [2014-04-02 16:58:22 +0000 UTC]

I'm not Muslim, but I do understand what it's like to go through hell because of who you are. I'm pansexual and going through life has been a major challenge for me, my family and friends have left because of who I choose to love. It doesn't matter if I'm a good person, they choose to disown me because of who I am. And honestly it's disgusting, I won't pretend to understand what Muslims go through but what I'm getting at is this. We are who we are, just because you dress a certain way, believe in a certain god and so on, doesn't mean you're not a person. This story has really touched my heart, I'm not religious myself, but I believe that everyone should be able to worship their own god and wear what they want without being discriminated against. I can only say that standing strong is the only thing you can do.

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Rainblaze-Art In reply to Momoiroai [2015-12-24 19:15:57 +0000 UTC]

Actually,most of the muslims respect sexual orientioons and you don't have to go to hell just because of this.I'm pretty sure God is NOT mad at you just for who you love.

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krazychick10101 [2014-03-13 00:31:31 +0000 UTC]

That's sad. I've seen that in the mall before, unfortunately. It makes me said that people are so intolerant.

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Vyctorian [2014-01-13 21:58:02 +0000 UTC]

Great work.

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Fisukisuki [2013-06-18 20:50:17 +0000 UTC]

Okay... that's shocking story....

Mall in what country?

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JDLuvaSQEE [2013-04-26 06:01:00 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful, powerful, and very meaningful!

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AmuChanDC [2013-01-13 01:48:56 +0000 UTC]

HMMMPH THAT PEICE OF FABRIC DID NUTIN TO PPL >:T I started wearin the hijab in 5th grade now I'm in 7th

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MoGaHeDa [2013-01-05 19:21:09 +0000 UTC]

Thanks For That

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LC85 [2012-11-20 23:30:01 +0000 UTC]

Dude, SO not cool

Where I work there are quite a lot of Muslim people and I see a lot of women come to the campus bookstore. It never crossed my mind ONCE to ignore them just because of their hijab, NEVER. My thought was "they are customers too". Almost all the time, their hijabs have such GORGEOUS designs I have to ask where they got it from . I just hate it when they say "back home (outside the state/ outside the U.S.), that means I can't get it, lol.

But yeah, I don't understand why people have to be cruel like that. My practicing faith is Christianity, and the rules state, "Don't hate" and "Judge not, lest YOU be judged". I wish the rest of the country would understand that; don't judge an ENTIRE ethnicity based on what only a few of them do. That's just stupid....

Peace to you, sir &

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lolotime [2012-11-01 22:20:26 +0000 UTC]

nice and am gonna give it to my mother at mothers day

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Laffforever [2012-10-29 21:54:40 +0000 UTC]

exactly!

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Fifianna [2012-10-29 12:39:38 +0000 UTC]

Oh my! this is not good really! :C I wish all people could know the truth about muslims...
inshaAllah! c:
thanks for sharing us Nayzak!

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MoonBeamDust [2012-10-27 22:04:06 +0000 UTC]

People are starting to use the word terroist as an interchangable word for Muslim these days. Its really irritating because Most terroists aren't even muslim.

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althamara [2012-10-27 13:44:31 +0000 UTC]

أظن أن المشكلة ليس في حكم الناس على الحجاب ومن ترتديه ... بل المشكلة في ما يظنه الناس عن الإسلام وبأنه دين إرهابي ، لأن الحجاب فقط يدلهم على أن هذه المرأة مسلمة وبشكل أقوى من مثيلاتها المسلمات غير المحجبات ، وبهذا يحكمون عليها أنها إرهابيهم بسبب فكرتهم الخاطئة عن الإسلام وليس عن الحجاب نفسه
في كثير من الأحيان أتساءل ... هل يجب فعلاً أن لا أحكم على الشخص من خلال ما يلبسه ؟؟؟ المفروض أن تكون الإجابة هي نعم ، لكنني أؤمن أيضاً في أن طريقة تفكيرك هي التي تحدد ما ترتديه ، لأن نوعية وطريقة اللبس هي عبارة عن انعكاس للشخصية والمُعتقد
لكن بعدها أتفاجأ ببعض الشخصيات النسائية التي رأيتها في يوم من الأيام على التلفاز ترتدي ملابس فاضحة بعض الشيء ؛ أن لها شخصية قوية بتفهم واحترام وترفض الأشياء الخادشة للحياء ... لا أعلم ... هل عندها انفصام في الشخصية أم ماذا ؟؟؟
وكذلك أجد محجبات في قمّة الوقاحة وبعيدة كل البُعد عن الحياء وليس لديها مانع في مصاحبة الشباب والتصرف أمامهم بأسلوب الرخيصات ... لا أدري ... بما أن شخصيتها هكذا ... لماذا تُخفي شعرها أمامهم ؟؟؟
وكذلك الأمر ينطبق على الشباب وما يرتدونه
أنا أعلم أن مثل هذه الأمثلة ليست هي الغالب ، لكنها موجودة وليست بالقليلة ، لهذا أصبحت لا أحكم على الشخص من خلال ما يرتديه وذلك فقط لأنه ربما هو أحد الأشخاص الذين لديه فكرة خاطئة عمّا يرتديه
في النهاية ... بالنسبة لي أنا أكوّن فكرة مبدئية عن الشخص الذي أمامي من خلال ما يرتديه وليست فكرة مؤكدة ، وتبقى هذه الفكرة إلى أن أتحدث وأتعامل معه
فهل أنا على خطأ ؟

I think that the problem not on the judgment of the Hijab and who wear it; but the problem on who think about the Islam and that it is a terrorism religion
I believe that the way of thinking is effects on what wearing
But sometimes I saw some women who wear unshy clothes have a strong Respectable mind and reject gross things !!! is she two-faced ??
And also saw some opposite samples
I know that that samples are not Majority, but exists, so I don’t judge on person on what he wearing, only because he might one of that people how has the wrong idea of what he wearing
In last I Build an Initial idea about the person on what he wearing, and still that until I spoke and deal with him
Am I wrong?

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BenJomaa [2012-10-27 13:21:22 +0000 UTC]

You do lovely work

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CadburyHersheyLuv456 [2012-10-26 19:28:51 +0000 UTC]

Oh wow... I hope this gets at least five million reposts, because it sheds so much truth on what people like us deal with on a daily basis. Great work.

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Gracious1 [2012-10-26 15:10:12 +0000 UTC]

I have many Muslim friends and even non-Muslim friends who get called Terrorist or get glared at by a very angry person at least once a week.
My boyfriend and I were having lunch at a fast food restaurant. [He is Bengali.] After a few minutes, I noticed he got quiet. He texted me at the table that there were two men behind me, staring at him and frowning. They had American flag shirts on that proclaimed ' if you don't like it, leave! ' and fitted NRA hats on.
My heart fell into my gut. I was really scared. He told me that this was a normal thing for him. That he just had to finish what he was doing and leave.

It made me so sad that people that I know and love were being called 'Terrorist', 'Jihad-..B****'... so on and so forth and that they were being harassed.
I try to educate anyone who might me prejudice or just ignorant to the truth... Because, I don't want to have any children growing up with such hate.

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Gray-Rose [2012-10-25 22:45:06 +0000 UTC]

I couldn't agree more. Respect is earned and if someone has earned it justly, it doesn't matter what they wear. Clothing is a material thing. The soul is what really counts so if a person wears different clothes from you even it's clothes you wouldn't wear, look beyond it. And I say this not just to stand up for people who wear hijabs, but for everyone who's been judged for the way they dress.

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Shuckster1 [2012-10-25 20:12:27 +0000 UTC]

Thats not cool. How could someone be so narrow-minded as to think that all Muslims are terrorist, or even threatening for? Its so unforturnate that we ALL live in a world where people are judged by how they look, or their culture. You cant judge a book by its cover, but unfortunately, everyone does it... its sad, really.

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Kjerya-Copenhapen [2012-10-25 18:45:40 +0000 UTC]

I am a Pagan, and I am honestly disgusted by what happened to you. People should learn that hate towards an entire group of people only feeds more hate in return. I can't believe how ignorant some people can be - a scarf on your head makes you a monster? That's just terrible. :c I hate the way society thinks and behaves sometimes - it's disgraceful. Take care.

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mohamedfreezer [2012-10-25 17:45:34 +0000 UTC]

al slmao alykmo wa rhaom ALLAHE wa brkaoth'

MASHALLAH MASHALLHA MASHALLAH

very very very impressive as usually my big bro

thank you very very very much for the hard est work

^____________^

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TheArtisticGenius [2012-10-25 16:24:05 +0000 UTC]

A friend of mine reblogged that post on my tumblr. I immediately felt like the amount of views were showing others about the way we are treated and stuff and it went right into my favorites.

I'm happy stories like these spread around because it just teaches people the truth sometimes.

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BorisFedorov [2012-10-25 15:04:29 +0000 UTC]

Well, to me a Hijab is cool, like Orthodox Christian male priest cover their their bodies too except face and hands in a different fashion

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Hannah2070 [2012-10-25 14:44:37 +0000 UTC]

I love the artwork, particularly since they look rather similar to how I dress!

I had read the article, and it makes me so sad when people react the way that people did to her.

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princetheripper33 [2012-10-25 14:31:15 +0000 UTC]

wow, this story impressed me a lot...
i knew, that many people in the western world have prejudices against muslims, but the experiment you described really shocked me... it´s truly sad

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phicek [2012-10-25 13:36:09 +0000 UTC]

must fave this..

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HavensGoneMad [2012-10-25 13:24:07 +0000 UTC]

I wear a headscarf and I always get comments like "Why do you wear that?" "Is it some religious thing?" "Why are you hiding your hair" And I always reply "I'm not sure if deity called me to it but I know that this is a comfort to me" I had worn the headscarf before but then i stopped. Now i'm back to wearing it again and i'm happy I am.

I support the muslim woman who decide to don the hijab. More power to them!

Peace

*HavensGoneMad

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DaughterOfMaat [2012-10-25 12:37:23 +0000 UTC]

Salam..Beautiful art...

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Koleyl [2012-10-25 12:19:48 +0000 UTC]

I hate to imagine how some people react to women whom just like to wear those niqab deals.

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Himeko-Chan3 [2012-10-25 11:35:11 +0000 UTC]

It also depends on the country. In Netherlands, alhamdulilah, the non-Muslims I saw until now treat us all the same but that doesn't mean everyone does the same thing. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

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yuuri-matsumoto [2012-10-25 11:17:16 +0000 UTC]

Subhanallah... Very beautiful art....
Love Hijab~

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Alceon112 [2012-10-25 09:31:26 +0000 UTC]

These people who tease muslims...i think they never had a feeling of being a "Minority" arent they, i really wish one day, fate strucks them, they needs to go to an all muslim country and feels how to be a minority, and vice versa for the muslim(If the muslim being rude to christian in his/her own country, sends them to a christian-majority country and feels the feeling of minority) Equal for all..~!

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Torotiel [2012-10-25 08:07:21 +0000 UTC]

You forgot to add 'people that don't have any religion', because discrimination goes ALL ways when you're dealing with beliefs. But yeah, people are just afraid of different things :/

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Solum-Ipsum [2012-10-25 06:51:46 +0000 UTC]

It wasn't necessarily prejudice on the mother's side in the tumblr post.

Also, it's normal that people who hear filtered panic campaigns on politically funded news channels about followers of a religion turning rabid when they're insulted (they can't even distinguish that the only problem is the mockery of the Almighty), of course they'll be afraid.

This xenophobia can only be cured by teaching about Islamic customs and values in a friendly and peaceful way like you do.

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irrenderNarr42 [2012-10-25 06:29:51 +0000 UTC]

Well...I guess that's what happens if you give out Osama-bin-Laden paintbooks on the aniversery of 9.11.
This is not new to me, I once saw in the news a short clip about a french journalist that did the same thing as Ela did here and but on a Burkah(dunno if it's spelled correctly) and the reactions were even worse.
To me this proves that "we" did learn nothing.

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Crystal4006 [2012-10-25 04:57:50 +0000 UTC]

I'm so glad that thes girls had done this little "experiment" it makes me happy that they care and understand what Muslim girls who wear hijab are going through...once a girl told me that my head covering was a turbin and that I was a terrorist and the next day I had to go to school on 9/11

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Kinggigasmon [2012-10-25 04:14:18 +0000 UTC]

Lovely image and message!

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crazy-aika [2012-10-25 03:47:14 +0000 UTC]

For use a piece of fabric or not use it, these are the both sides of this world. really sad v.v

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Serena1000 [2012-10-25 03:17:08 +0000 UTC]

This is wrong. People should be judged by the way they act, not the way they look. (also, whenever I see a Muslim girl in a Hijab in public, I can't but help but politely stare, since I think Hijabs are beautiful )

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AynT-90 In reply to Serena1000 [2012-10-25 08:49:27 +0000 UTC]

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Serena1000 In reply to AynT-90 [2012-10-25 21:49:39 +0000 UTC]

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Kingdomkey [2012-10-25 03:00:40 +0000 UTC]

I'm not Muslim, sometimes I wear a scarf to tie my hair back out of practicality. I was walking down the street one day and there was a bunch of young boys, one of them shouted "Osama" and all sorts of silly things at me.

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theINAshow In reply to Kingdomkey [2012-10-25 08:06:15 +0000 UTC]

Just goes to show ya how we want respect for gays who are less than eighth of the population but we aren't even trying to help Muslims that make almost quarter the population!

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Kingdomkey In reply to theINAshow [2012-10-25 08:55:43 +0000 UTC]

Well I think that the problem is that we split ourselves into so many groups and factions. It shouldn't be about ones religion, ones sexuality or ones gender. We split ourselves up, alienate each other and forget the point; Equal rights are for all.

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theINAshow In reply to Kingdomkey [2012-10-25 09:29:32 +0000 UTC]

true ... oh, so true ...

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