A time to act!

Assalamu alaykaum

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The picture appeared in the pictures of the year list. It got me thinking, about all sorts... above all looking at the picture it kinda confused me as well as humoured me somewhat. Well they do say that a picture speaks a thousand words, this case is no different. Firstly the fact that a man is taking pictured of niqabis and also the stark contrast to the strangeness of the forefront and the background. It is two worlds colliding, they do not fit. This thought lead me to thinking about Islam and the west, the clash of ideologies?... hmm maybe a topic for another time, and another blog space!

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With all the focus on Muslims and the most recent debate on the niqab, I wondered what could possibly come out of such a discussion. The head of Britain's race relations watchdog, Trevor Phillips, believes that the debate 'could trigger race riots'. He warned that "this time the conflict could be much worse", comparing to previous riots such as the ones in North England 5 years ago. Not surprisingly his comments were backed by the Tories, who have been at the forefront of the beating down the Muslim bandwagon. However it is not just the politicians who are getting involved, Muslims from all parts of society are ready to condemn, command and apologise, things that we so often run to do.

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What started as a remark by Straw who asked a few women to remove their veils during his constituency surgeries, has in the word of Phillip is now becoming dangerously polarised, and "seems to have turned into something really quite ugly". Yes I agree, it has turned very ugly. But Alhamdulilah it has taken something like this to mobilise sisters with niqab, Mashallah as a result of the ugly debate we have seen, or more accurately heard, sisters coming onto the radio stations being extremely articulate when they defend their choice of wearing the niqab. They have responded not violently but articulately... now this is what I call jihad!

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They say then pen is mightier then the sword, but given the right setting, the tongue isn't too bad either!

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Now my call and the call of many is for sisters to be more active, we have no one to defend us, we cannot wait for others to fight our battles, when it is us who are in the firing line, we must stand tall, as we too shout and proclaim La illaha illala! There is no God but Allah!

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Sisters there is a time to be quiet and a time to defend, what time do you think it is now, a time to be quiet or a time to defend?

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wassalam

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Don't forget the ummah!