Resources – The Muslimah

Homeschooling in California

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

I am completely behind on homeschooling news these days, but there is definitely some news in California!

“A primary purpose of the educational system is to train schoolchildren in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare.”

Patriotism? I thought the point of the educational system was to educate? And protecting the public welfare from what exactly? The possibility that a child can grow into an adult with intelligence? Come on! This is exactly why the right to homeschool should continue.

Last Chance for California Homeschooling?

The parents of these homeschooled children must be very nervous at this moment. Homeschooling is a decision that parents make because they realize that their children are worth it. I’m not saying that parents who put their children in public school don’t think their children are worth it (though there are those who neglect their kids entirely), but the problems with the public school system are very clear today. In my city alone, we have one of the lowest graduation rates in the country – right behind Detroit! Read here. Our school system sucks here. I would be crazy to ever put my child in such a place. (Sidenote: If you are a parent that may find homeschooling expensive or hard, please do more research. There are many ways available if you simply are creative and look and ask around. Don’t give up.)

More news over at the Home School Legal Defense Association & if you are a parent who is homeschooling here in the states, who hasn’t yet signed up with the HSLDA, you should really consider doing so. They are Christian but they are for all homeschoolers.

For state laws on homeschooling, please visit this link: http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

I also had to do a search on Obama and homeschooling because homeschooling is a very important issue for me, and I haven’t really been paying much attention lately to this topic. I came across this just now: Homeschoolers for Obama. I’ll be looking into this further, insha’allah.

Please pray for these parents who want to homeschool their children – even if you aren’t one that fully agrees with homeschooling for whatever personal reasons. Parents should have the right to decide how to teach their children, without the govt. butting into their lives.

A Talk on Homeschooling

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Homeschooling

11:00Home Schooling

A California appeals court ruled that parents must be certified teachers in order to home school their children. The decision has sent a chill through the nation’s growing home schooling community. We’ll look at trends in home schooling and new attempts to regulate it.

Guests

Mike Donnelly, staff attorney, Home School Legal Defense Association

Rob Reich, associate professor of political science and ethics in society, Stanford University

Gretchen Roe, home schooling parent for the past 14 years; part-time home schooling community liaison for Calvert School

Help Khalid Ali Family

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

On the evening of Monday March 31st a Somali family in Ottawa, Ontario lost their home in a fire. There were 7 children in the family, and as the mother tried to round them up to escape, the youngest became confused and ran in the opposite direction. He did not make it out of the fire, he was 2 and a half years old (named Khalid). The father was at work, checked in on his family half an hour before the fire, and came home to find his house burned to the ground.

It was an electrical fire and was not caused by any mistake on the family’s part. Everything in the house was lost!

For more information on how you can help, please visit the Khalid Ali Fund.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Insha’Allah I would like some of us in America to get together some donations of clothing for this family. I know that there are many of you out there who can help but due to income can’t afford shipping. If you are someone who can help pay for the shipping of someone in America who can’t afford to ship their items, please email me. And if you are someone reading this blog that would like to help out with clothing or other necessity items but need assistance with shipping, please email me. My email address (almost forgot) is ummlayth [at] gmail [dot] com. I can get you together with the appropriate person so that more of us are able to help insha’Allah.

May Allah bring ease and patience to this family, and may He reward them for every tear that is shed.

Update: Their community has given them all their clothing needs. Insha’Allah those who can help can continue helping in other ways. Keep praying for them.

Muslim Women & The Veil

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The veil, be it the basic headcover or the face veil, is part of the religion that Allah – Glorified and Exalted is He – has given us, via our Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Here are a few links that bring forth the basis for these acts:

Why Hijab? – Shaykh Nuh Keller

Concerning the standard explanation of the verse of hijab – Ustadha Zaynab Ansari

The Hijab between Human Thought and Sacred Law – Shaykh Muhammad Isam Eidou

Taking off the Hijab in hostile America – Shaykh Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf

Is it necessary to wear niqab? Isn’t hijab enough?

Do I have to wear the niqab?

Take note that the last two do mention that it is okay not to wear niqab, but that doesn’t negate that niqab is a part of Islam, and is obligatory according to a few schools of thought (Shaf’i & Hanbali view it obligatory, while the Ahnaf view it obligatory due to fitnah).

More on the defense of the face veil/Niqab

Part 1

Part 2

The Shafi’i stance

We don’t have to agree with everything contained but we should do our research prior to speaking about these issues without the proper knowledge. We all have different situations with our dress, and our deen, period. There are those of us who wear khimar, others who also wear niqab; there are those of us who want to but can’t due to our own personal reasons; some of us may believe in the obligation of both but may leave niqab in the west, etc. Whatever our scenario, we can still come together, encourage each other to become better human beings all around, and try to bring the best out in each other. There has always existed some type of disagreement, but not this resentment that becomes too apparent when this topic goes public online and offline.

We should stop the judging of sisters who may not be fulfilling all of the conditions of Islamic dress properly – whatever their issues may be. Instead, we should be encouraging so that each of us will pay attention to the details surrounding our worship, but not for people – for Him. Remember that we veil for Him because He has commanded it. It is this intention that makes our way of dress beautiful to ourselves. Remembering that to Allah we are to return is what will give us the patience to deal with those who mock us when we go outside looking like Muslim women

Let us be patient, merciful, and open minded about our religion. That is how we learn to be compassionate and understanding. This is how we’ll taste the closeness that we should have as a community, and learn to truly care for each other, insha’Allah.

*I closed comments because the links are there to answer questions, and the advice I wanted to give is there for each one of us that reads this. I prefer to avoid any possible problems due to this topic anymore, and only on certain occasions may I actually discuss this online.

Muslim Support Groups: An Example

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Brothers and Sisters, this is a wonderful example of what we need in our communities. Masha’Allah, some communities really have gotten together to help each other, in many amazing ways. Let us aim to form similar things, even if it is just a small group working together, with or without the support of the majority. There are so many Muslims that need that push in the right direction, that have no place to go, lack good Muslims around them, no place to find clothing and the accessories that many of us have easily available. Unfortunately, our priorities are all over the place. Sometimes we go to the Masjid looking for information and we are pushed aside as if we are not important. When Muslims are trying to change their life for the better they need alternatives. So let us give them those alternatives. We can even do so much online. Let us work together to bring support. Remember, pebbles build mountains. Let us think of ways of helping and providing a true support group via the internet. I’m in, are you?

Paradise 4-Ever