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Muslim Voices Indiana University

Hijab in Sports: Bilqis Abdul Qaadir Visits IU with Messages of Empowerment and Spirituality for Muslim Women by Narmeen Ijaz

Posted on by IU Muslim Voices

Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir by Jamie Schwaberow | Source: npr.org

Hijab (Veil) is a term which has multiple images associated with it. For some it might bring to surface images of the ongoing protests in Iran by women to end the mandatory hijab, while for others, it might recall images of Muslim women in France fighting against the Hijab ban. Such duality of the meaning and interpretation of Hijab can be challenging to understand without indulging into the particular sociocultural and spiritual contexts which constitute its meaning. How do we then understand the meaning of Hijab then and the role it plays for Muslim Women?

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American Muslims in Politics by Zayd Esmail Memon

Posted on by IU Muslim Voices

“Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib speak at an event hosted by CAIR-Minnesota August 19, 2019 in Minneapolis. Photos by Brad Sigal. Photo credit requested for sharing. Contact me for reprinting.” by brads651 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Muslim Voices first interviewed Professor Abdulkader Sinno when President Obama was running for his first term in 2007, discussing Muslims in Western politics. Fourteen years later, I sat down for a follow up with Professor Sinno to see what has changed about the Muslim community’s position in politics. I was curious to know what effect President Obama’s policies may have had. Professor Sinno first started explaining how the American right wing treated Obama and what effect that had on the Muslim community,

“Obama was attacked as being a Muslim, by the far right. And in this country, and surveys found that even recently, well after President Obama finished his eight-year term, about 18% of the American public still believes that he was a Muslim. And which is not true, of course, because he was Christian. There’s nothing wrong with that. But the problem was, it was being used as a smear.”

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Being Muslim vs. Looking Islamic by Derya Doğan

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“Real Islam” by Khalid Albaih is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A couple summers ago, I ran into an elderly couple who had done decades of Christian missionary work in Australia. They were looking for my neighbors, who were from Turkiye. When I said that I too was from Turkiye, the wife told me “But you do not look Islamic” since I was wearing a sleeveless above the knee height dress, unlike my neighbor’s wife, who wears a hijab. It was an odd conversation. Not only did I have to correct the word “Islamic” to “Muslim,” but I also had to explain to them that different people practice their religion in different ways – including Muslims. 

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A Wayfarer in Ramadan: Experiencing the Blessed Month While Fostering Relationships with the Creator, Community, and Oneself by Mayesha Awal

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Hugs and chatter with friends I have not seen in months. Greetings and introductions to those I have not met before. Hearing the adhan[1] in-person in the masjid[2]. Grabbing a medjool date and savoring the pillowy, chewy, and cake-like texture after a long day’s fast.

I have been able to experience Ramadan alhamdulillah[3] in different cities, countries, but most importantly with a variety of communities. I never felt necessarily attached to a single community and have spent the last few Ramadans traveling around like a wayfarer.

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The Controversy of the Hijab: How Governments Use Symbols to Exercise Power by Jason Sadlowski

Posted on by IU Muslim Voices

Image Source: AA – Anadolu Agency

Why has the practice of wearing the Islamic headscarf by Muslim women become such a controversial symbol of Muslim culture?  And what about it has made governments decide it will be a major factor in how they choose to control their people? These were some of the questions that I was left with after attending a panel discussion on this issue in the Fall of 2022. This panel was put on by IU’s Muslim Voices Project and focused on the stark contrasts in hijab control policies implemented by the governments of France and Iran. Policies of the French government ban this religious practice in certain settings and discriminate against those wearing it; the Iranian government strictly requires all women to wear the hijab outside of their home. In France, hijab is viewed as a symbol of Muslim oppression and often of terrorism; in Iran it has become a tool of gender oppression which has led to protests against its mandated use. Attending this panel provided me with a more in-depth understanding of the importance of symbols in culture and religion. It also showed me two different important perspectives on this issue that has become highly politicized.

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The Change of the Indiana Muslim Community: Experiences of a Bangladeshi Immigrant Woman by Mayesha Awal

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My mother, Shamima, is a Muslim Bangladeshi immigrant who came to the United States in 1996. She came to the United States after she got married to my father who already resided in Indiana.  I asked my mother about her experiences when she first arrived in the US, especially as a Muslim:

“It was hard because I had to leave my family. I left Bangladesh alone on my first international flight. I was nervous when my husband was not present when I arrived at the airport. I didn’t speak English very well, but there was an American man who was very helpful. Even though his family had flowers and welcome signs and were waiting for him, he patiently provided coins for me to call my husband until I was able to confirm that my husband was on his way.”

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Vulnerability in the Corporate World as a Muslim Woman: Upholding Religious Values by Mayesha Awal

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Mayesha’s personal collection

Prior to starting my job, I was warned by one of my Arabic teachers about the corporate world from an Islamic standpoint. I did not completely understand what the corporate world was like, but he worked in the corporate world for decades. He spoke about being careful about gender interactions and alcohol gatherings. I am a practicing Muslim woman and Islam is an important part of my life, so I wanted to ensure that my work in the corporate world does not affect my religious practices.

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A Broken Unity by Rabia Omar

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“Namaz.1” by Meanest Indian is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

They sang songs of unity, chanted words of brotherhood, took pride in diversity, stood tall in harmony……. but once the curtain drew closed, the lights dimmed, and they turned to one another, the walls that separated them were not weakened through acceptance but rather those walls were empowered through ignorance and rejection.

They say that the ultimate power is in the hands of people. A nation can achieve true peace and flourishing when its people take charge. But what happens to a nation where people in power make certain others powerless? A question that has manifested itself over time and again throughout history and the present. The agony and mistrust that follows is first ignored and then researched upon after years go by. (more…)

Introduction to the Muslim Task Force (MTF) by Mayesha Awal

Posted on by IU Muslim Voices

Muslim Task Force (MTF) of Indiana

When I was an undergraduate student, I returned back home to Indianapolis and moved in with my mother. On April 16th, 2020, as I was scrolling through my email, I saw a call for volunteers.

I had some free time in my schedule, as I was no longer able to participate in my undergraduate activities, since I was home. It had always been my dream, growing up, to get involved with Al-Fajr. I immediately added myself to the WhatsApp group, “MTF Friends and Volunteers – WhatsApp” and reached out, noting that I have some experience in making flyers. This blog post is a synopsis of my community service with them during the earlier stages of Covid. (more…)

Belly Dance in Islamic Worlds by Meg Morley

Posted on by IU Muslim Voices

“Belly Dancer – Nile Farewell Cruise” by Templar1307, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Most of the time, when someone unfamiliar with belly dance encounters me and my research on the changing belly dance industry in Egypt, they are surprised, confused, and struggle to even formulate the question they want to ask. What they want to know is something like, “How does a culture as conservative and repressive of female sexuality as I imagine Egypt, the Middle East, and anywhere Islamic to be, produce and publicly permit something as sexy as I think belly dance is?” This query is based on some problematic assumptions about the Middle East and how it differs from “the West” in terms of culture and patriarchy. But before I begin to address that question, some background and a note on terminology.

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