Saturday, November 20, 2010
Take this Hijab and Love It
Muslim women, as a group, don’t lack for media attention, but to say their representation in mass media is lopsided would be an understatement: They’re the subject of political, religious, and feminist debates, but their own voices are nearly invisible in the mainstream media, in film, and in books. But the one place Muslim women–in particular, muhajabat, or wearers of the hijab–are perhaps the most ignored is in the world of fashion.
It’s not that, as many might assume, women who sport the headscarf don’t care about fashion. But it’s got to be frustrating to be a muhajabah in a world of miniskirts and booty shorts. When your religious beliefs dictate a well-covered person but the mainstream fashion magazines are more like 80% bare skin and 20% clothing, you won’t be turning to Elle for advice on, say, matching a red hijab with black pants.
But without a mainstream outlet, some muhajabat have taken media matters into their own hands–or, more specifically, their blogs. With names like Stylish Muslimah, Hijabi Couture, and Hijabulous, these online fashion forums serve a dual purpose–they explain and demystify Muslim dress codes for novice muhajabat and curious outsiders, and they cull the web for fashion that can be adapted to their needs. Hijabs High, for instance, patterns itself after seen-on-the-street fashion blog The Sartorialist, with snapshots of stylish women from Singapore to Washington, D.C., posted as inspiration. The blogger behind Stylish Muslimah (“The Muslim Vogue”) assembles youthful, on-trend outfits with precise detail and links to online outlets where all the pieces can be found. And We Love Hijab highlights fashion-forward for plunds up seasonal trends in scarves, and even offers a hijab-specific version of What Not to Wear. (Sheath dresses: yea or nay?)
Perhaps the best part of hijabblogs is the sheer sense of positivity they put forth. Hijabs High says it best: The blog, its proprietor writes, “is inspired by the stylish and dynamic global community of Muslim women who fuse their identities and pronounce their place in the world everyday through beauty and fashion. It is my hope that this blog inspires, motivates, and encourages Muslims and non-Muslims alike to revisit their perceptions of the ‘look’ of Muslim women who wear the veil and encourage us all to be a little more fabulous.”
It’s not that, as many might assume, women who sport the headscarf don’t care about fashion. But it’s got to be frustrating to be a muhajabah in a world of miniskirts and booty shorts. When your religious beliefs dictate a well-covered person but the mainstream fashion magazines are more like 80% bare skin and 20% clothing, you won’t be turning to Elle for advice on, say, matching a red hijab with black pants.
But without a mainstream outlet, some muhajabat have taken media matters into their own hands–or, more specifically, their blogs. With names like Stylish Muslimah, Hijabi Couture, and Hijabulous, these online fashion forums serve a dual purpose–they explain and demystify Muslim dress codes for novice muhajabat and curious outsiders, and they cull the web for fashion that can be adapted to their needs. Hijabs High, for instance, patterns itself after seen-on-the-street fashion blog The Sartorialist, with snapshots of stylish women from Singapore to Washington, D.C., posted as inspiration. The blogger behind Stylish Muslimah (“The Muslim Vogue”) assembles youthful, on-trend outfits with precise detail and links to online outlets where all the pieces can be found. And We Love Hijab highlights fashion-forward for plunds up seasonal trends in scarves, and even offers a hijab-specific version of What Not to Wear. (Sheath dresses: yea or nay?)
Perhaps the best part of hijabblogs is the sheer sense of positivity they put forth. Hijabs High says it best: The blog, its proprietor writes, “is inspired by the stylish and dynamic global community of Muslim women who fuse their identities and pronounce their place in the world everyday through beauty and fashion. It is my hope that this blog inspires, motivates, and encourages Muslims and non-Muslims alike to revisit their perceptions of the ‘look’ of Muslim women who wear the veil and encourage us all to be a little more fabulous.”
For Young Children
Allah loves children
who cares for others,
who do deeds of kindness
to sisters and brothers;
like lending a hand
to somebody hurt,
like smiling at him
and saying a kind word;
like happily sharing
with girls and with boys
one’s favorite things
like books and like toys;
like sending flowers to somebody ill;
a visit to him
would be nicer still.
There are many things
we can do for each other,
to make life happy
for our sister and brother
YOU WEAR IT OR NOT BUT IT IS ESSENTIAL
Ask yourself, or ask the next person who asks you that question, if a female judge walked into the courtroom wearing a tight miniskirt and low-cut blouse, would you take her seriously? Who would you respect more, a woman dressed like that or one dressed modestly? The Qur’an was revealed for all times, and though circumstances change, human nature does not. The fact is that men do like to look at women, so a woman who covers herself is more likely to be respected as a person than looked upon as a piece of meat or toy!
Muslim women wear hijab—which is more than just a head cover—because God ordered them to do so in two places in the Qur’an, and because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also ordered it. The Qur’an says in Surah 24, verses 30 – 31 what means:
*{Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them! Allah is Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and and their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or sisters sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigor, or children who know naught of women’s nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.}*
These verses tell us that our Islamic dress is not just a matter of covering the head alone, but also of covering the bosom, which is attractive to men, and of lowering the gaze and walking in a way that does not attract attention. Note that the order to lower the gaze was addressed first to men..
Also the other verse about the same point, which is verse number 59 in Surah 33:
*{O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them [when they go abroad]. That will be better, that so they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.}*
This indicates that one of the reasons for hijab is to distinguish the believing woman from the non-believing. This relates to the logic behind hijab.
Al Sayda Aisha:
Mentioned the women of Ansar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surat Al-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them. (Sunan Abu Dawud: Book 32, Number 4089) Allah knows best
Prophet(SAW) said (Frightening hadith!):
“That among the signs of the Day of Judgment is that there will be women who will be dressed but will be naked, so curse them because for they are truly cursed! And they will never ever smell the fragrance of Paradise – authentic narration.” Allah knows best
First let me start by saying, that hijab is a “must” in Islam. However, you are not forced to wear it because this comes from the heart.
A Woman said about Hijab when we were talking about it some days before:
I don’t want to wear hijab. I find it ridiculous that the comparisons are always mini skirts or hijab. I don’t wear mini skirts, I dress very modestly, but I dont want to wear hijab. If muslim men are sexually aroused, if a woman dresses modestly but not in hijab, then tell men to stay at home and women can run their lives, the country, the world, quite well thank you very much! It is ridiculous that for men’s insecurities, women have to be penalised. And I am mightily tired of these arguments that are extremely condesending towards women saying its for our protection and respect etc. Teach muslim men to respect women whatever they wear. That is a basic human courtesy. Muslim men actually do not respect women at all! Whether you wear hijab or not.
A massage or answer to that woman is below:
Let’s keep men out of this as you mentioned in your comment. You wear it not for people or because of men, but for Allah and yourself. If you respect your religion and believe in Allah you will do everything he ordered us to do. It’s not about arguing whether men look or not, but as Allah mentioned in Quran,
“Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment.”
You don’t need to wear it if you dont respect it. If you have doubt in hijab, then you will have doubt in Allah. Recharge your eman and may Allah show you the right path ameen.
we Love Hijab Muslim Women
I am a Muslim woman
Feel free to ask me why
When I walk,
I walk with dignity
When I speak
I do not lie
I am a Muslim woman
Not all of me you'll see
But what you should appreciate
Is that the choice I make is free
I'm not plagued with depression
I'm neither cheated nor abused
I don't envy other women
And I'm certainly not confused
Note, I speak perfect English
Et un petit peu de Francais aussi
I'm majoring in Linguistics
So you need not speak slowly
I run my own small business
Every cent I earn is mine
I drive my Chevy to school & work
And no, that's not a crime!
You often stare as I walk by
You don't understand my veil
But peace and power I have found
As I am equal to any male!
I am a Muslim woman
So please don't pity me
For God has guided me to truth
And now I'm finally free!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Quick Earning Ways For Students
Here are my suggestions to the emailer.
Project Payday: A few months ago, I experimented with a way to make money quick online with a program called Project Payday. I took a day and researched this project online. Seemed real people were making real money with it. Not getting rich, but making enough extra money quickly to pay some bills or other stuff. The next day I signed up with Project Payday, watched the training video’s and browsed the Forums tao get a feel as to how this program worked. In all, this process took me a few hours. The next day I followed the directions and made myself available for some “offers”. The first day, I made $30. The next day I hit it hard for about 6 hours and brought down $70 for my efforts. The following day, I worked 3 to 4 hours total and made $45. I soon found out one drawback to this program. It’s boring! No special skills are needed other than the know-how to operate your computer and use the Internet, but it is tedious work. I’m not cut out to spend hours behind a computer! Most people can make money quickly with this program, but you’ll have to put the time into it. The more time you put into it, the more money you’ll make generally. It’s not rocket science but you will have to keep track of the trials you sign up for. t’s free to sign up if you fill out an offer or you can buy directly into the program. Next you’ll need to read the promotional literature they have and watch the training video’s. They even have a guarantee that says if you follow the simple 4 step process in Method 1 and don’t make money in 24 hours, they’ll give you $100! This is the best guarantee I’ve seen online. I doubt anyone will need it though, because I found it easy to make money with Project Payday although it was boring computer work.
# Read Emails – Taking Online Survey’s, etc: In my opinion, this isn’t as easy as Project Payday, but it’s real close. There are companies that receive thousands of emails every day that need to be read. Obviously the CEO or other employees can’t spend every day reading emails, so they outsource this. There are several companies where they outsource this type of work as well as other tedious, time consuming chores such as product testing, online surveys, online mystery shopping and other. Send Earnings is one such company that other companies outsource to. Consumers such as you sign up and are normally paid on a per assignment completed basis. The pay varies by what type of assignment you choose. You choose where you want to make money. Click Here to learn more or to sign up for this opportunity.
Become a Freelance Writer – Can you Write a sentence? Then you may have what it takes to make money as a Freelance Writer. You don’t have to have a degree in English either. In fact, if you can write in an easy to read manner, you have what it takes to make money writing Web content, short stories and other media. You can sell articles on Forums like DigitalPoint and SitePoint, but don’t expect to make a whole lot. Or you can sign up for a service like Freelance Home Writers. Basically this is a job board for Writers where Companies and Individuals needing Writers post their offers. You can either accept or reject them, it’s up to you.
# Make Money On Ebay - There are many ways to make money with eBay. It seems that the 2 most popular ways are either by going to Garage Sales or Estate Sales and buying stuff to resell. You can make some decent money this way. Back in 2001 I did this same thing for several months and I made around 1-1600 per month. But it was long hard work making all those auctions or driving around looking for deals at Garage sales. Another way that is becoming more and more popular is people starting their own online stores with the help of eBay. ProStores is an ebay company that offers several packages for you to start your online store. They do a lot of the work of getting set up for you. If this sounds interesting, give them a test drive. One Month Free Trial! ProStores – an eBay Company
# Become an Online Tutor – I’m not sure what this pays, but I’ve known people in the past who have worked with companies like e-Tutor, SmartThinking and Tutor.Com. Online tutoring is an in-demand service and growing all the time. If you like helping others learn, this could be just the ticket for you. You will have to set aside a certain number of hours per week, anywhere from 2 hours on up on average depending upon which service you go with.
# Give eLessons – Do you know MS Word inside and out? Can you make an Excel spreadsheet scream for mercy? Can you work magic with Quicken? Well, there are thousands of people who just want to know the basics of these programs or are looking for some updating. You can advertise on places such as Craigslist and Kijiji or even the local newspaper. You’d be surprised at the number of people just wanting to learn the basics on operating a computer and who are willing to pay someone to teach them!
# Become an Online Juror – Even Lawyers need to practice! There are places such a eJury and TrialJuries.Com that stage mock trials. The Jurors get paid anywhere from $5 to $60 depending on how complex the case is. There’s no guarantee you’ll get a case, but it has to better than cleaning up after the old folks at the Senior Citizen Center! Many colleges have access to these mock jury trials, but from what I’ve been told, they don’t pay as much as the online jury pools. Also, as with anything in life, if you slack off on the Jury, don’t expect to be called back. The more you pay attention and get involved, the more likely they’ll “keep your name around.”
Some college students show up on the first day in a bright shiny BMW convertible. Those are the ones who do not need help. For most College Students, a few extra dollars a month goes a long ways in making it easier to study for their classes. If you’re in a pinch, there’s no need to run down to the Blood Center to give blood, just turn your computer on and go to work.
Some Ways to Earn Money Online
. Offer your professional expertise in an online marketplace.These days, you can do more than just sell your old books via Amazon and your old Coach handbags via eBay—now you can sell your professional capabilities in a marketplace. No longer are you limited to looking for a permanent or contract job on Web 1.0 style job sites like Monster or CareerBuilder. The new breed of freelancing and project-oriented sites let companies needing help describe their projects. Then freelancers and small businesses offer bids or ideas or proposals from which those buyers can choose.
Elance covers everything from programming and writing to consulting and design, while RentACoder focuses on software, natch. If you’re a graphic designer, check out options like Design Outpost or LogoWorks–you don’t have to find the customers, they’ll come to you. Wannabe industry analysts might sign up for TechDirt’s Insight Community, a marketplace for ideas about technology marketing.
2. Sell photos on stock photography sites. If people regularly oooo and aaaaah over your Flickr pics, maybe you’re destined for photographic greatness or maybe just for a few extra dollars. It’s easier than ever to get your photos out in front of the public, which of course means a tremendous amount of competition, but also means it might be an convenient way for you to build up a secondary income stream. Where can you upload and market your photos? Try Fotolia, Dreamstime, Shutterstock, and Big Stock Photo.
3. Blog for pay. Despite the explosion of blogs, it’s hard to find good writers who can turn around a solidly-written post on an interesting topic quickly. GigaOM is always looking for bloggers with great content ideas and solid writing skills. How do you get noticed? Comment and link to blogging network sites. Write blog posts that are polished and not overly personal (although showing some personality is a plus).
4. Or start your own blog network. If you like the business side of things–selling advertising, hiring and managing employees, attracting investors–and have the stomach to go up against the likes of Weblogs, Inc., GigaOmniMedia, b5media, maybe you should make an entire business out of blogs. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll get a lot of time to write yourself though.
5. Provide service and support for open source software. Just because the software is free doesn’t mean you can’t make money on it–just ask Red Hat, a well-known distributor of Linux that sports a market cap of more than four billion dollars. As a solo web worker, you might not want to jump in and compete with big companies offering Linux support, but how about offering support for web content management systems like WordPress or Drupal? After getting comfortable with your own installation, you can pretty easily jump into helping other people set them up and configure them.
6. Online life coaching. Who has time to go meet a personal coach at an office? And don’t the new generation of web workers need to be met by their coaches in the same way that they work: via email, IM, and VoIP? You could, of course, go through some life coaching certification program, but on the web, reputation is more important than credentials. I bet Tony Robbins isn’t certified as a life coach–and no one can argue with his success. For an example of someone building up their profile and business online as a coach, check out Pamela Slim of Ganas Consulting and the Escape from Cubicle Nation blog.
7. Virtually assist other web workers. Freelancers and small businesses desperately need help running their businesses, but they’re not about to hire a secretary to come sit in the family room and answer phone calls. As a virtual assistant, you might do anything from making travel reservations to handling expense reimbursements to paying bills to arranging for a dog sitter. And you do it all from your own home office, interacting with your clients online and by phone. You can make $20 and up an hour doing this sort of work, depending on your expertise.
8. Build services atop Amazon Web Services. Elastic computing on AWS is so cool… and so incredibly primitive right now. Did you know that you can’t even count on your virtual hard drive on EC2 to store your data permanently? That’s why people are making money right now by offering services on top of AWS. Make it easier for people to use Amazon’s scalability web infrastructure like Enomaly has with elasticlive, a scalable web hosting platform built on AWS.
9. Write reviews for pay or perks. If you blog for any length of time on a particular topic–parenting, mobile phones, or PCs, for example–you will likely be approached to do book or product reviews. You can get free stuff this way, but are you selling your soul? Is there any such thing as a free laptop? These are decisions you’ll have to make for yourself, because no one agrees upon what ethical rules apply to bloggers. Even less do people agree on services like PayPerPost that pay you to write reviews on your blog. Check out disclosure rules closely and see whether such a gig would meet your own personal standards or not.
10. Become a virtual gold farmer. A half million Chinese now earn income by acquiring and selling World of Warcraft gold to gamers in other countries. If you’re not a young person living in China, this probably isn’t a viable option for you. But what’s intriguing about it is the opportunity to make real money working in a virtual economy. People are making real-world money in Second Life too.
Looking for more money-making ideas? Check out “10 More New Ways to Make Money Online” for some great suggestions.
Ways to Promote your Local Business for Free
Many local businesses struggle to find ways to promote themselves, get links, rank in search engines, and ultimately drive traffic to their websites. Most small businesses also have limited budgets making the task more difficult. For those businesses here are 13 ways you can promote your business online for free.
Google Local: If you don’t already have one Create an account on Google Local.
Enter your company name, address, phone number and website. Verify the
information with a postacard or telephone call. In a few weeks you will help you get a map listing for your company name or industry and town.
a
Google Coupons: Coupons are a great way to bring new customers into your business or remind old customers that you’re still around. Google has a free coupon tool that puts your coupon on relevant local searches.
Google Base: Google base is part of Google’s one box service. Google uses it to try giving the most appropriate answer from different data sources. If you are selling products you can upload feeds automatically into Google Base and often get preferential placement. You can also upload your business, or special event.
Yahoo Local: Yahoo local is a directory organized by category and geographic location. You can get a basic listing in Yahoo Local for free. People searching for your business or industry can find your listing
Get Reviews: An integral part of the Yahoo Local listings are reviews. Ask your good customers to write reviews for you on Yahoo local. Businesses with higher ratings will get preferential listings.
YellowPages.com: Yellow Pages have a strong brand name and recognition, and are still used by many people today.
Press Releases: Doing something newsworthy? If you are you can always submit a press release to PRWeb or PRLeap.com. Be sure to check out their tips like 25 Action Words for Writing a Newsworthy Headline and Why Localizing a Press Release to a ZIP Code and City Matters.
Free Blog Promotion Tools: Does your company have a website or are you thinking of adding one? Websites like Technorati and mybloglog can help you gain exposure, visitors, readers, and subscribers to your blog.
Free Directory Advertising: It doesn’t get any easier than trying free advertising. Go to BOTW.org and sign up for a free 60 day advertising listing.
LinkedIn: Join LinkedIn and get connected with people you know and make connections with people you don’t through introductions. Look at the new Questions and Answers section and try and be genuinely helpful. Follow the axiom of ‘Givers Gain’ and you may generate a few leads for yourself from your goodwill.
Email Signatures: Be sure to add your URL to all of your outgoing email. Try adding your mission statement, or a catchy phrase to help people understand what you do. Change it a several times a year so people notice it again.
Syndicate Your Content and Ideas: Take advantage of article distribution Services like EZineArticles, ISnare, and IdeaMarketers to spread your message and approach. Use them to bring leads to your site by offering things like free ebooks or PDF’s that they can download after entering their contact information.
For more tips on how to promote your local business be sure to check out my complete series on local search tips, tricks and secrets or visit my local search page on Squidoo.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Adsense Tools
Adsense Script Tools
These are the tiny little programs you install on your server (blech!) or locally on your machine that help you analyze your adsense clicks, CTR and earnings. Some of them are easy, some of them are difficult, and some of them help you make pretty graphs. To be honest none of them are worth recommending. You could do just as good a job by setting up your channels properly and dumping a CSV file into excel. If someone has a specific one or wants to send me a review copy of thier software, I will look at it. DO NOT send me anything that has to be installed on a server. I run multiple websites on multiple hosting companies, so I don’t need something that requires more maintenance thank you very much.
Adsense Tracking
While not set up to be an Adsense tracking tool per se, the free log analyzer from AddFreeStats is actually pretty good. You put a small graphic tracking bug on the bottom of each of your pages and it gives you standard logging reports. You can also activate adsense tracking to find out what ads are being clicked on what pages. Combine this with an excel spreadsheet and channels and you are good to go. You can upgrade to a paid version and get an invisible tracking bug. TIP: Lock down your stats under a password, I’m fascinated how many people leave that open.
Adsense in Action
Probably one of the best things you can do to increase your adsense earnings is to go and look how other people are doing things. The adsense case studies are one place. While these are Google approved you really don’t have an idea how successful they are. So you’d be much better off finding someone you know is in the UPS Club. Jason Calacanis who runs Weblogs Inc is on a quest to make 1 Million dollars a year from Adsense. While I do give Jason a hard time sometimes, I do actually admire what he’s built, and think there are some very valuable lessons to be learned from looking at the websites owns. Darren Rowse of ProBlogger also has two sites I really like the Digital Camera Review and Camera Phone Review. Don’t be a wanker and copy exactly what they’ve done, it’s bad form. Instead look at them, learn from them, and use it as inspiration.
Adsense: Why Bloggers Don’t Get It
In doing the research for my series of Adsense articles, two common ideas kept getting repeated:
- My Adsense ads are horrible, they only pay out (insert low dollar figure here)
- My Adsense CTR is horrible, I only get a (insert extremely low CTR here)
You may post about commercial related subjects like your job, what you like to buy, or even your hobbies. However these posts are all about your life, they are no more commercially viable or attractive than say Aunt Millie’s Holiday Newsletter. Yes we all have an Aunt Millie in our family, every year she sends out a finely crafted newsletter in a coordinating envelope she ordered from paperdirect.com telling us all about her family. We learn how hard her husband works, how many activities her kids are in and how good they are at them. We also read the details of how her scrapbooking business hasn’t taken off yet, but she promises to spend more time on it right after New Years. So if you were a business owner would you want to advertise anywhere on Aunt Millie’s Newsletter? Then why would a business want to pay you top dollar to advertise on your blog? What’s that, you say your blog gets (insert a high number here) of readers per day, surely that has to be worth something? Well did you know Aunt Millie sends out over 800 copies of her holiday newsletter to 17 countries, on 4 continents? Now before you get all fired up about it, understand that I don’t have a problem with you having a personal blog or sharing it with the public. However your expectation that it has value outside of your family/friends/community, is a serious misconception.
So what exactly is a commercially viable blog? Don’t think of it as publishing a blog, think of it as publishing an online magazine. You need to start out with good content or articles about a small area or niche topic. You will need lots of content, and unless you are well known, don’t expect much to happen until you’ve written at least 100 and more likely over 200 articles. Yes you will have to devote some time and effort to publicizing and marketing it as well. Once you’ve got a significant focused reader base, that’s the time to slowly ad in the advertising. Now here’s the one that causes lots of people to freak out. BE PREPARED TO GIVE UP SOME PRIME SCREEN REAL ESTATE, IN THE CENTER, ABOVE THE FOLD, TO ADVERTISING. If you’ve worked with print media at all you will know the middle of the right hand page is the most desirable spot inside of a magazine (excluding the cover pages). I’ve sat through meetings where people have said ” … you know we need more right hand pages …”. If you want people to click on your ads, you will need put them where they can see them, above the fold in the center of the screen, in a prominent location. Yes I can almost here the keys typing for the flame comments and emails now. Before you hit that send button though, ask yourself this, are you building a space sough after by advertisers, or are you working on Aunt Millie’s Newsletter? No I don’t think your pages should be filled with ads, in fact quite the opposite, there should always be more content than advertising, ALWAYS!
Next thing, lose the fancy graphics and eye-candy from your template. Yes I know you may have paid for a fancy template, maybe you had your niece who’s a graphic artist design something for you, or you really like the way that spinning flaming platypus looks in your page header. Here’s the thing, it’s detracting from your content. Graphics should be simple, understated, and support the content, not overpower or compete with it. Now before some art student wearing a beret, corduroy jacket with elbow patches, and smoking a pipe or French cigarette, writes and calls me a Philistine, stop and think. Are you designing a commercially attractive and viable space, or are you designing an intricate macrame border for Aunt Millie’s Newsletter? Remember keep it simple and to the point.
Yes I know you feel like I just ripped off the band-aid, and now it hurts. Sorry but someone had to do it. I know some of you are still out there reading saying ‘but can’t I still have this … do we have to get rid of this … I really like that …’. Well I’m not your second grade teacher who’s going to tell you everything’s all right, that you don’t have to change a thing, and put a scooby-doo sticker on your shirt to make you feel better. If you want a blog that makes you more money than you spend at Starbucks every Tuesday, you will need to get serious about what you’re doing.
If none of this sounds incredibly fun, and really sounds pretty close to actual work, here’s the way I see it, getting an Adsense check for $5 is fun, getting an Adsense check for $500 or $5000 is work.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
How to Make Forex Trading Fun and Profitable
Most traders aim to make their Forex trading profitable. This is their biggest goal. They're willing to spend hours in front of the charts, read news item after news item, surf forums endlessly, and buy every course they can find.
Yet most traders still end up as losers. They're just unable to make a consistent profit. What's worse, they forget the real reason they tried Forex in the first place, it wasn't just to make money, it was to make money without having to make it into their regular job.
Forex has massive earning potential, well beyond what most jobs offer. However, no money in the world can buy back time so if you want your Forex experience to be fun you need to make sure you're not turning into a slave of the market. I recommend these steps:
1. Spend only a limited time on the market each and every day.
2. Don't take part in more than a single Forex forum.
3. Stop following your open trades. Use Take Profit and Stop Loss prices and let the trades play themselves out without your active supervision.
4. Don't allow yourself to be exposed to a lot of risk. Feeling like you may lose too much takes all the fun out of trading. Yes, you have to take risk but you don't need to be stupid about it. Only trade money you can afford to lose, and only risk a small part of that money on any single trade.
You may find it hard to believe but traders who don't have fun are not likely to be profitable. You want to Forex and the money you make to serve you, not the other way around. This is the whole point.
The other thing you need to do in order to make trading fun and profitable is to make sure it doesn't affect you emotionall. Trading the Forex market can prove to be quite a nerve wracking experience. Putting your money on the line, trying to see how which way the market is going, feeling the tension of a trade gone bad, seeing a profit shrink before your eyes... no wonder so many traders end up feeling stressed out and making silly emotion driven trading decision that cause them to lose money.
In order to make Forex trading both fun and profitable, you have to make sure you have full control over your emotions and that you don't allow them to influence your trading decisions. Anything other than that will be disastrous.
If you are like millions of other people in today's economy, you probably are searching for a new way to help supplement your income.
One such way is by Trading Forex for fun and profit. It stands for Foreign Exchange Trading and basically means that you are trading one nation's currency for another.
The point of this strategic trading is to trade your currency at a low price for a currency that you believe will increase value. When the trading is done for fun, a lot of money can be made simply by playing around with the ever-changing trade market.
When you start Trading Forex for fun and profit, you have to be careful that you make wise trading choices. Although you are doing the trading simply for fun, there still is a lot of money involved.
Because the market is global, the exchange rates constantly are changing. You could purchase a currency that is on its way up in the morning and by nightfall it already could have lost all its value. This is why many people trade for fun instead of as a way to earn a living. If you get too involved and invested in the trading, you risk losing your entire income.
Trading Forex for fun and profit also will be much easier on your stress levels than if you took it on full time. People who are in the business full time actually have people to help them monitor all the markets to ensure that they are making the right trading decisions. When you trade for fun, you can play around with the market. You will be happier and more pleased with yourself when you make a profit because you did it yourself. In addition, you will not have to stress yourself out as much because you do not have all your money invested.
Another reason why it is a good idea to try Trading Forex for fun and profit is because a lot of people in the Forex Business believe that beginners tend to do well in the trading. They are able to make a profit by making modest trades. This usually is the case because beginners are not exactly sure how the trade market works, so they stick with reserved trades for a while. This is a great thing to do for beginners. Because you simply are doing it for fun, you'll be able to make a profit easily.
The reason most people have loosing trades is they trade on emotions or get greedy.
Forex Fun With etoro:
Ever since eToro was featured on TechCrunch and got dugg, I've been addicted to Forex trading with eToro. Actually, I've been playing this since yesterday. :)
As TechCrunch rightly points out, eToro's friendly interface makes the boring, serious world of Forex fun. At this stage, let me just state for the record that I'm not a professional Forex trader nor do I have any prior experience with Forex trading. I do however have the (very) basic knowledge of how currencies work.
With that in mind, I skipped the introductions and dived straight into the big bad world of Forex. Out of the 4 eToro games available, the first game I tried out was the Forex marathon. Just select the currency which you think would rise above the rest and sit back and relax as they race against one another.
It was quite enjoyable to watch the Japanese sumo wrestler pitting himself against the American and European. As your selected currency rises/falls, the corresponding character will lead the pack or fall behind the rest. I'm sure many new traders will prefer this alternative representation to the standard graphs and charts as a single glance will tell you whether you made the right choice even if you're a layman.
However, Globe trader was the game that I excelled in. In Globe trader, you buy/sell currencies to make a profit. As the market fluctuates, you will hear a pinging sound, which was useful and sometimes annoying (it can be turned off).
Within an hour of risky trading, I made over $500. Unfortunately, my lucky streak came to an end and I ended up losing over $1000. This goes to show that the volatility of the Forex market is something that cannot be underestimated.
Although eToro's interface may seem very childish, it does actually provide vital details like the market spread, your current profit/loss and the ability to take profit or stop loss (profit/loss threshold). However, after my short trading experience, I wished it had more features like scheduling and the ability to carry out more consecutive trades. Nevertheless, eToro brings the much needed element of fun into the Forex trading world.
eToro runs on Windows XP and possibly Vista.
Yet most traders still end up as losers. They're just unable to make a consistent profit. What's worse, they forget the real reason they tried Forex in the first place, it wasn't just to make money, it was to make money without having to make it into their regular job.
Forex has massive earning potential, well beyond what most jobs offer. However, no money in the world can buy back time so if you want your Forex experience to be fun you need to make sure you're not turning into a slave of the market. I recommend these steps:
1. Spend only a limited time on the market each and every day.
2. Don't take part in more than a single Forex forum.
3. Stop following your open trades. Use Take Profit and Stop Loss prices and let the trades play themselves out without your active supervision.
4. Don't allow yourself to be exposed to a lot of risk. Feeling like you may lose too much takes all the fun out of trading. Yes, you have to take risk but you don't need to be stupid about it. Only trade money you can afford to lose, and only risk a small part of that money on any single trade.
You may find it hard to believe but traders who don't have fun are not likely to be profitable. You want to Forex and the money you make to serve you, not the other way around. This is the whole point.
The other thing you need to do in order to make trading fun and profitable is to make sure it doesn't affect you emotionall. Trading the Forex market can prove to be quite a nerve wracking experience. Putting your money on the line, trying to see how which way the market is going, feeling the tension of a trade gone bad, seeing a profit shrink before your eyes... no wonder so many traders end up feeling stressed out and making silly emotion driven trading decision that cause them to lose money.
In order to make Forex trading both fun and profitable, you have to make sure you have full control over your emotions and that you don't allow them to influence your trading decisions. Anything other than that will be disastrous.
If you are like millions of other people in today's economy, you probably are searching for a new way to help supplement your income.
One such way is by Trading Forex for fun and profit. It stands for Foreign Exchange Trading and basically means that you are trading one nation's currency for another.
The point of this strategic trading is to trade your currency at a low price for a currency that you believe will increase value. When the trading is done for fun, a lot of money can be made simply by playing around with the ever-changing trade market.
When you start Trading Forex for fun and profit, you have to be careful that you make wise trading choices. Although you are doing the trading simply for fun, there still is a lot of money involved.
Because the market is global, the exchange rates constantly are changing. You could purchase a currency that is on its way up in the morning and by nightfall it already could have lost all its value. This is why many people trade for fun instead of as a way to earn a living. If you get too involved and invested in the trading, you risk losing your entire income.
Trading Forex for fun and profit also will be much easier on your stress levels than if you took it on full time. People who are in the business full time actually have people to help them monitor all the markets to ensure that they are making the right trading decisions. When you trade for fun, you can play around with the market. You will be happier and more pleased with yourself when you make a profit because you did it yourself. In addition, you will not have to stress yourself out as much because you do not have all your money invested.
Another reason why it is a good idea to try Trading Forex for fun and profit is because a lot of people in the Forex Business believe that beginners tend to do well in the trading. They are able to make a profit by making modest trades. This usually is the case because beginners are not exactly sure how the trade market works, so they stick with reserved trades for a while. This is a great thing to do for beginners. Because you simply are doing it for fun, you'll be able to make a profit easily.
The reason most people have loosing trades is they trade on emotions or get greedy.
Forex Fun With etoro:
Ever since eToro was featured on TechCrunch and got dugg, I've been addicted to Forex trading with eToro. Actually, I've been playing this since yesterday. :)
As TechCrunch rightly points out, eToro's friendly interface makes the boring, serious world of Forex fun. At this stage, let me just state for the record that I'm not a professional Forex trader nor do I have any prior experience with Forex trading. I do however have the (very) basic knowledge of how currencies work.
With that in mind, I skipped the introductions and dived straight into the big bad world of Forex. Out of the 4 eToro games available, the first game I tried out was the Forex marathon. Just select the currency which you think would rise above the rest and sit back and relax as they race against one another.
It was quite enjoyable to watch the Japanese sumo wrestler pitting himself against the American and European. As your selected currency rises/falls, the corresponding character will lead the pack or fall behind the rest. I'm sure many new traders will prefer this alternative representation to the standard graphs and charts as a single glance will tell you whether you made the right choice even if you're a layman.
However, Globe trader was the game that I excelled in. In Globe trader, you buy/sell currencies to make a profit. As the market fluctuates, you will hear a pinging sound, which was useful and sometimes annoying (it can be turned off).
Within an hour of risky trading, I made over $500. Unfortunately, my lucky streak came to an end and I ended up losing over $1000. This goes to show that the volatility of the Forex market is something that cannot be underestimated.
Although eToro's interface may seem very childish, it does actually provide vital details like the market spread, your current profit/loss and the ability to take profit or stop loss (profit/loss threshold). However, after my short trading experience, I wished it had more features like scheduling and the ability to carry out more consecutive trades. Nevertheless, eToro brings the much needed element of fun into the Forex trading world.
eToro runs on Windows XP and possibly Vista.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Hijab Styles in USA These Days
Muslim headscarves might not be the most obvious garments for a high fashion makeover, but that's just what two Belgian women have given them. And now, their designs are selling from Paris to Dubai.
Noor D'Izar founders Inge Rombouts and Fatima Rafiy started the label with the idea of turning the hijab, or Muslim headscarf, into a stylish accessory -- for all women.
"I would love for two women, Muslim and non-Muslim, to look at our website and think they can both wear the scarves," Rombouts told CNN.
Rombouts is not Muslim but when Rafiy showed her these designs she instantly saw the appeal.
"[I'd] never seen anything like it, so I was a bit taken aback," she said. "I thought, 'Ooh, I like this.' I can wear it. You can wear it. Everybody can wear it. It's about draping. It's about fun. It's about fashion."
Noor D'Izar took their designs to Paris Fashion Week earlier this year where they caused quite a buzz, according to Rombouts.
"There was a lot of interest from the western world -- men and women," she said. "One man who rides a motorbike bought our leather design to wear over his helmet."
Since the launch of their company in 2009, orders from non-Muslims have been steadily rising. Their designs combine the practical and the stylish.
Many of the headscarves are made of T-shirt-style material and have built-in headbands. They don't require fiddly pins or elaborate wrapping, meaning they can be put on or taken off in seconds.
"I think the European women that have bought it like the practical side of it," said Rombouts. "I wear it 'cause it's just fun."
Rhemou Cheba, a Noor D'Izar customer from Antwerp, agrees.
"I don't have to spend ages in front of the mirror pinning it, I can just slide it on and it stays on," she told CNN.
Noor D'Izar operates in Belgium -- a country that has a troubled relationship with the hijab. Many schools and offices have banned the Muslim headscarf, so deciding to wear one makes a definitive statement.
"The wearing of the veil doesn't have to be controversial," said Aziz Saliha, who stocks Noor D'Izar products in her Brussels clothing store.
"The debate around the veil is much politicized and it's just clothes, so that's what we want to do, bring the headscarf back into the fashion world where it belongs," Saliha said.
Right now, only around 10 percent of orders from Noor D'Izar are from non-Muslims, but as they launch their new winter collection Rombouts and Rafiy anticipate their fan base will continue to grow. As Rombouts said, "It's not about politics. It's about fashion."
Benefits Of Hijab
Hijab for Women- Dr. Zakir Naik
HIJAAB FOR WOMEN
Question: Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?
Answer: The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijaab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijaab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam
1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust
The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:
1. Babylonian Civilization:The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.
2. Greek Civilization: Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon.
In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
3. Roman Civilization:When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans.
4. Egyptian Civilization:The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
5. Pre-Islamic Arabia:Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.
2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status.
Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.
Hijaab for men:
People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’ for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.”[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijaab for women:
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
” And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons…”[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
3. Six criteria for Hijaab.
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijaab:
1. Extent: The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijaab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.
4. Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among other things
Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.
5. Hijaab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.
6. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijaab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijaab prevents women from being molested.
7. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards?
8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.
9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijaab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijaab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?
10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapesNaturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijaab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.
HIJAAB FOR WOMEN
Question: Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?
Answer: The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijaab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijaab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam
1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust
The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:
1. Babylonian Civilization:The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.
2. Greek Civilization: Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon.
In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
3. Roman Civilization:When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans.
4. Egyptian Civilization:The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
5. Pre-Islamic Arabia:Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.
2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status.
Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.
Hijaab for men:
People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’ for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.”[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijaab for women:
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
” And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons…”[Al-Qur’an 24:31]
3. Six criteria for Hijaab.
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijaab:
1. Extent: The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijaab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.
2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them.
4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.
4. Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among other things
Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.
5. Hijaab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.
6. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijaab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijaab prevents women from being molested.
7. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards?
8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.
9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following years.
Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijaab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijaab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?
10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapesNaturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijaab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.
According to Islam women should not wear knighties and short dresses which leads to Sexual Harassment
Etymology and meaning
According to the Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, the meaning of hijab has evolved over time:
The term hijab or veil is not used in the Qur'an to refer to an article of clothing for women or men, rather it refers to a spatial curtain that divides or provides privacy. The Qur'an instructs the male believers (Muslims) to talk to wives of Prophet Muhammad behind a hijab. This hijab was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Prophet Muhammad. However, in later Muslim societies this instruction, specific to the wives of Prophet Muhammad, was generalized, leading to the segregation of the Muslim men and women. The modesty in Qur'an concerns both men's and women's gaze, gait, garments, and genitalia. The clothing for women involves khumūr over the necklines and jilbab (cloaks) in public so that they may be identified and not harmed. Guidelines for covering of the entire body except for the hands, the feet and the face, are found in texts of fiqh and hadith that are developed later.[4]
One of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari in one of his masterpieces on this subject, The Islamic Modest Dress, says:
"The fact is that the covering or its new expression, hijab, is not concerned with whether or not it is good for a woman to appear in society covered or uncovered . The point is whether or not a woman and a man's need of her should be a limitless, free association or not. Should a man have the right to satisfy his needs with every woman and in every place short of committing adultery?Islam, which looks at the spirit of the problem, answers: No. Men are only allowed to satisfy their sexual desires with their legal wives within a marital situation based upon the laws of marriage which establish a series of heavy commitments. It is forbidden for men to have any physical relations with women they are not related to by marriage."
In Indonesia, notably the nation with the largest Muslim population, and some cultures or languages influenced by it namely Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, the term jilbab is used instead with few exceptions to refer to the hijab, as opposed to its "correct" modern Arabic definition. In some cases, colloquial use of the term Jilbab may refer to any pre-Islamic female traditional head-dress.
In Islamic texts
Qur'an
The Qur'an instructs both Muslim men and women to dress in a modest way.
The clearest verse on the requirement of the hijab is surah 24:30–31, asking women to draw their khimar over their bosoms.[5][6]
Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimar over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to [...] (Qur'an 24:30-31)
In the following verse, Muslim women are asked to draw their jilbab over them (when they go out), as a measure to distinguish themselves from others, so that they are not harassed. Sura 33:59 reads:[6]
Those who harass believing men and believing women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a grievous sin. O Prophet! Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad) That is most convenient, that they may be distinguished and not be harassed. [...] (Qur'an 33:58–59)
Hadith
The Arabic word jilbab is translated as "cloak" in the following passage. Contemporary salafis insist that the jilbab (which is worn over the Kimaar and covers from the head to the toe) worn today is the same garment mentioned in the Qur'an and the hadith; other translators have chosen to use less specific terms:
* Narrated Anas ibn Malik: "I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it. Allah's Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah's Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of 'Aisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of 'Aisha's room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed." Sahih al-Bukhari, 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim, 8:3334
* Narrated Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya, Ummul Mu'minin: "When the verse 'That they should cast their outer garments over their persons' was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows hanging down over their heads by wearing outer garments." 32:4090. Abū Dawud classed this hadith as authentic.
* Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: "Aisha used to say: 'When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils (Khumur) over their necks and bosoms (juyyub)," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces.'" Sahih al-Bukhari, 6:60:282, 32:4091.
Dress code required by hijab
Traditionally, Muslims have recognized many different forms of clothing as satisfying the demands of hijab.[12] Debate focused on how much of the male or female body should be covered. Different scholars adopted different interpretations of the original texts.
Women
The four major Sunni schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali) hold that entire body of the woman, except her face and hands - though a few clerics[who?] say face, hands, and feet - is part of her awrah, that is, the parts of her body that must be covered during prayer and in public settings.[13][14]
Some Muslims[who?] recommend that women wear clothing that is not form fitting to the body: either modest forms of western clothing (long shirts and skirts), or the more traditional jilbāb, a high-necked, loose robe that covers the arms and legs. A khimār or shaylah, a scarf or cowl that covers all but the face, is also worn in many different styles. Some Salafi scholars encourage covering the face, while some follow the opinion that it is only not obligatory to cover the face and the hands but mustahab (Highly recommended). Other scholars oppose face covering, particularly in the west where the woman may draw more attention as a result. These garments are very different in cut than most of the traditional forms of ħijāb, and they are worn worldwide by Muslims.
Detailed scholarly attention has been focused on prescribing female dress. Many Muslims believe that the basic requirements are that when in the presence of someone of the opposite sex (other than a close family member - see mahram), a woman should cover her body, and walk and dress in a way which does not draw sexual attention to her. Some believers go so far as to specify exactly which areas of the body must be covered. In some cases, this is everything save the eyes but most require everything save the face and hands to be covered. In nearly all Muslim cultures, young girls are not required to wear a ħijāb. There is not a single agreed age when a woman should begin wearing a ħijāb; however, in many Muslim countries, puberty is the dividing line.
In private, and in the presence of mahrams, the rules on dress are relaxed. However, in the presence of husband, most scholars stress the importance of mutual freedom and pleasure of the husband and wife.[15]
Alternative views
Other Muslims take a relativist approach to ħijāb. They believe that the commandment to maintain modesty must be interpreted with regard to the surrounding society. What is considered modest or daring in one society may not be considered so in another. It is important, they say, for believers to wear clothing that communicates modesty and reserve in the situations in which they find themselves.[7]
Along with scriptural arguments, Leila Ahmed argues that head covering should not be compulsory in Islam because the veil predates the revelation of the Qur'an. Head-covering was introduced into Arabia long before Muhammad, primarily through Arab contacts with Syria and Iran, where the hijab was a sign of social status. After all, only a woman who need not work in the fields could afford to remain secluded and veiled.[8][9]
Ahmed argues for a more liberal approach to hijab. Among her arguments is that while some Qur'anic verses enjoin women in general to "draw their Jilbabs (overgarment or cloak) around them to be recognized as believers and so that no harm will come to them"[Qur'an 33:58–59] and "guard their private parts... and drape down khimar over their breasts [when in the presence of unrelated men]",[Qur'an 24:31] they urge modesty.
However according to the vast majority of Muslims Sunni and Shia, al-Mawrid al-Qawrid Arabic dictionary, Hans-Wehr Dictionary of Arabic into English, and the exhaustive ancient Arabic dictionary Lisan al-arab (literally the tongue of the Arabs), the word "Khimar" means and was used to refer to a piece of cloth that covers the head, or headscarf today called "hijab".
Other verses do mention separation of men and women but they refer specifically to the wives of the prophet:
Abide still in your homes and make not a dazzling display like that of the former times of ignorance[Qur'an 33:32–33]
And when ye ask of them [the wives of the Prophet] anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain.[Qur'an 33:53]
According to Leila Ahmed, nowhere in the whole of the Qur'an is the term hijab applied to any woman other than the wives of Muhammad.[8][10]
According to at least two authors (Reza Aslam and Leila Ahmed), the stipulations of the hijab were originally meant only for Muhammad's wives, and were intended to maintain their inviolability. This was because Muhammad conducted all religious and civic affairs in the mosque adjacent to his home:
People were constantly coming in and out of this compound at all hours of the day. When delegations from other tribes come to speak with Prophet Muhammad, they would set up their tents for days at a time inside the open courtyard, just a few feet away from the apartments in which Prophet Muhammad's wives slept. And new emigrants who arrived in Yatrib would often stay within the mosque's walls until they could find suitable homes.[8]
According to Ahmed:
By instituting seclusion Prophet Muhammad was creating a distance between his wives and this thronging community on their doorstep.[11]
They argue that the term darabat al-hijab ("taking the veil"), was used synonymously and interchangeably with "becoming Prophet Muhammad's wife", and that during Muhammad's life, no other Muslim woman wore the hijab. Aslam suggests that Muslim women started to wear the hijab to emulate Muhammad's wives, who are revered as "Mothers of the Believers" in Islam,[8] and states "there was no tradition of veiling until around 627 C.E." in the Muslim community.[8][11]
According to the Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, the meaning of hijab has evolved over time:
The term hijab or veil is not used in the Qur'an to refer to an article of clothing for women or men, rather it refers to a spatial curtain that divides or provides privacy. The Qur'an instructs the male believers (Muslims) to talk to wives of Prophet Muhammad behind a hijab. This hijab was the responsibility of the men and not the wives of Prophet Muhammad. However, in later Muslim societies this instruction, specific to the wives of Prophet Muhammad, was generalized, leading to the segregation of the Muslim men and women. The modesty in Qur'an concerns both men's and women's gaze, gait, garments, and genitalia. The clothing for women involves khumūr over the necklines and jilbab (cloaks) in public so that they may be identified and not harmed. Guidelines for covering of the entire body except for the hands, the feet and the face, are found in texts of fiqh and hadith that are developed later.[4]
One of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari in one of his masterpieces on this subject, The Islamic Modest Dress, says:
"The fact is that the covering or its new expression, hijab, is not concerned with whether or not it is good for a woman to appear in society covered or uncovered . The point is whether or not a woman and a man's need of her should be a limitless, free association or not. Should a man have the right to satisfy his needs with every woman and in every place short of committing adultery?Islam, which looks at the spirit of the problem, answers: No. Men are only allowed to satisfy their sexual desires with their legal wives within a marital situation based upon the laws of marriage which establish a series of heavy commitments. It is forbidden for men to have any physical relations with women they are not related to by marriage."
In Indonesia, notably the nation with the largest Muslim population, and some cultures or languages influenced by it namely Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, the term jilbab is used instead with few exceptions to refer to the hijab, as opposed to its "correct" modern Arabic definition. In some cases, colloquial use of the term Jilbab may refer to any pre-Islamic female traditional head-dress.
In Islamic texts
Qur'an
The Qur'an instructs both Muslim men and women to dress in a modest way.
The clearest verse on the requirement of the hijab is surah 24:30–31, asking women to draw their khimar over their bosoms.[5][6]
Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their khimar over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to [...] (Qur'an 24:30-31)
In the following verse, Muslim women are asked to draw their jilbab over them (when they go out), as a measure to distinguish themselves from others, so that they are not harassed. Sura 33:59 reads:[6]
Those who harass believing men and believing women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a grievous sin. O Prophet! Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad) That is most convenient, that they may be distinguished and not be harassed. [...] (Qur'an 33:58–59)
Hadith
The Arabic word jilbab is translated as "cloak" in the following passage. Contemporary salafis insist that the jilbab (which is worn over the Kimaar and covers from the head to the toe) worn today is the same garment mentioned in the Qur'an and the hadith; other translators have chosen to use less specific terms:
* Narrated Anas ibn Malik: "I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubay ibn Ka'b used to ask me about it. Allah's Apostle became the bridegroom of Zaynab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet invited the people to a meal. Allah's Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah's Apostle got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of 'Aisha's room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of 'Aisha's room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed." Sahih al-Bukhari, 7:65:375, Sahih Muslim, 8:3334
* Narrated Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya, Ummul Mu'minin: "When the verse 'That they should cast their outer garments over their persons' was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows hanging down over their heads by wearing outer garments." 32:4090. Abū Dawud classed this hadith as authentic.
* Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba: "Aisha used to say: 'When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils (Khumur) over their necks and bosoms (juyyub)," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces.'" Sahih al-Bukhari, 6:60:282, 32:4091.
Dress code required by hijab
Traditionally, Muslims have recognized many different forms of clothing as satisfying the demands of hijab.[12] Debate focused on how much of the male or female body should be covered. Different scholars adopted different interpretations of the original texts.
Women
The four major Sunni schools of thought (Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali) hold that entire body of the woman, except her face and hands - though a few clerics[who?] say face, hands, and feet - is part of her awrah, that is, the parts of her body that must be covered during prayer and in public settings.[13][14]
Some Muslims[who?] recommend that women wear clothing that is not form fitting to the body: either modest forms of western clothing (long shirts and skirts), or the more traditional jilbāb, a high-necked, loose robe that covers the arms and legs. A khimār or shaylah, a scarf or cowl that covers all but the face, is also worn in many different styles. Some Salafi scholars encourage covering the face, while some follow the opinion that it is only not obligatory to cover the face and the hands but mustahab (Highly recommended). Other scholars oppose face covering, particularly in the west where the woman may draw more attention as a result. These garments are very different in cut than most of the traditional forms of ħijāb, and they are worn worldwide by Muslims.
Detailed scholarly attention has been focused on prescribing female dress. Many Muslims believe that the basic requirements are that when in the presence of someone of the opposite sex (other than a close family member - see mahram), a woman should cover her body, and walk and dress in a way which does not draw sexual attention to her. Some believers go so far as to specify exactly which areas of the body must be covered. In some cases, this is everything save the eyes but most require everything save the face and hands to be covered. In nearly all Muslim cultures, young girls are not required to wear a ħijāb. There is not a single agreed age when a woman should begin wearing a ħijāb; however, in many Muslim countries, puberty is the dividing line.
In private, and in the presence of mahrams, the rules on dress are relaxed. However, in the presence of husband, most scholars stress the importance of mutual freedom and pleasure of the husband and wife.[15]
Alternative views
Other Muslims take a relativist approach to ħijāb. They believe that the commandment to maintain modesty must be interpreted with regard to the surrounding society. What is considered modest or daring in one society may not be considered so in another. It is important, they say, for believers to wear clothing that communicates modesty and reserve in the situations in which they find themselves.[7]
Along with scriptural arguments, Leila Ahmed argues that head covering should not be compulsory in Islam because the veil predates the revelation of the Qur'an. Head-covering was introduced into Arabia long before Muhammad, primarily through Arab contacts with Syria and Iran, where the hijab was a sign of social status. After all, only a woman who need not work in the fields could afford to remain secluded and veiled.[8][9]
Ahmed argues for a more liberal approach to hijab. Among her arguments is that while some Qur'anic verses enjoin women in general to "draw their Jilbabs (overgarment or cloak) around them to be recognized as believers and so that no harm will come to them"[Qur'an 33:58–59] and "guard their private parts... and drape down khimar over their breasts [when in the presence of unrelated men]",[Qur'an 24:31] they urge modesty.
However according to the vast majority of Muslims Sunni and Shia, al-Mawrid al-Qawrid Arabic dictionary, Hans-Wehr Dictionary of Arabic into English, and the exhaustive ancient Arabic dictionary Lisan al-arab (literally the tongue of the Arabs), the word "Khimar" means and was used to refer to a piece of cloth that covers the head, or headscarf today called "hijab".
Other verses do mention separation of men and women but they refer specifically to the wives of the prophet:
Abide still in your homes and make not a dazzling display like that of the former times of ignorance[Qur'an 33:32–33]
And when ye ask of them [the wives of the Prophet] anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain.[Qur'an 33:53]
According to Leila Ahmed, nowhere in the whole of the Qur'an is the term hijab applied to any woman other than the wives of Muhammad.[8][10]
According to at least two authors (Reza Aslam and Leila Ahmed), the stipulations of the hijab were originally meant only for Muhammad's wives, and were intended to maintain their inviolability. This was because Muhammad conducted all religious and civic affairs in the mosque adjacent to his home:
People were constantly coming in and out of this compound at all hours of the day. When delegations from other tribes come to speak with Prophet Muhammad, they would set up their tents for days at a time inside the open courtyard, just a few feet away from the apartments in which Prophet Muhammad's wives slept. And new emigrants who arrived in Yatrib would often stay within the mosque's walls until they could find suitable homes.[8]
According to Ahmed:
By instituting seclusion Prophet Muhammad was creating a distance between his wives and this thronging community on their doorstep.[11]
They argue that the term darabat al-hijab ("taking the veil"), was used synonymously and interchangeably with "becoming Prophet Muhammad's wife", and that during Muhammad's life, no other Muslim woman wore the hijab. Aslam suggests that Muslim women started to wear the hijab to emulate Muhammad's wives, who are revered as "Mothers of the Believers" in Islam,[8] and states "there was no tradition of veiling until around 627 C.E." in the Muslim community.[8][11]
Women Experience More Sexual Harassment In Work Groups With Male, Female Balance
New research suggests that women are not more likely to be sexually harassed when they are the minority or majority in a work group. Instead, researchers found that in most cases, women were sexually harassed at work when their work group had a similar proportion of males and females.
A study looking at 110 work groups from around the world found that women who work in relatively equally matched gender groups were more likely to be harassed than women who worked in predominantly male or female groups. Women in these situations were more likely to experience taunting, patronizing, and predatory behaviors.
“Some people argue that women are more likely to be harassed when there are just a few women, and other people argue that women are harassed when they are the dominant group in an occupation. But we found that actually was not the case. Most sexual harassment occurs in situations in equally mixed gender groups,” said Randy Hodson, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State University.
Hodson said the logic behind the finding is simple: sexual harassment occurs where there is more opportunity.
“There is a lot more opportunity in these groups because you have a lot of men who have contact on a regular basis with a lot of women, and that’s going to create more opportunities for sexual harassment. When women are less represented or when they are mainly working with other women, there is simply not as much opportunity,” he said.
Hodson and other researchers did a detailed analysis of book-length studies examining workplace culture from an array of industries, such as manufacturing, skilled trades, finance, and public administration. All of the books included detailed observations of worker interactions taken by researchers who were immersed into an organization for at least six months.
They then coded the information from the books to measure the type and severity of sexual harassment, ranging from the least severe (patronizing) to the most severe (predatory). The researchers only coded explicit examples of sexual harassment from the books, such as sexual advances or condescending comments made by supervisors or colleagues referring to women as delicate.
Workplaces ranging from less than 50 employees to more than 5,000 employees were included to more accurately represent the general workforce. The results were published recently in the journal Work and Occupations.
More than one third of the work groups studied did not have any incidents of sexual harassment. But when sexual harassment was observed, it was found more often in groups with a nearly equal mixture of men and women than in groups with a lone female in a predominately male environment.
“In our research, we saw example after example of situations where women were harassed most often in groups with an equal gender composition,” said Lindsey Joyce Chamberlain, co-author of the study and doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State.
While sexual harassment was most likely in equally mixed gender groups, sexual harassment was also present in groups with a wide range of female representation. Work groups that were predominantly female were protected from the most extreme forms of sexual harassment, but women in these groups were more likely to be targeted through patronizing behaviors.
The study found that the characteristics of a person’s job also influenced the likelihood and type of harassment. While increased job security was effective in combating the worst forms of sexual harassment, other factors were less effective.
Women who had more autonomy, for example, were more likely to be the victim of every type of sexual harassment. More power in some organizations led to women being taunted, but it also opened the door for sexual solicitation, threats, and forced sexual contact. This finding in particular was completely unexpected, Chamberlain said.
“We thought more power, for women especially, would protect them from certain types of harassment. But we many women that were harassed because they were in positions with power. Women who have jobs with higher autonomy may be seen as threats to men in organizations that have been traditionally been male dominated,” she said.
Compounding the issue, formal grievance procedures were also less effective in combating the less severe forms of sexual harassment. Women were well protected from predation, but company policies often left them less protected from taunting and patronizing from male coworkers.
Hodson said most organizational policies are clearly defined to protect workers from the most extreme behaviors including sexual solicitation, forced sexual contact, and threats. But many of the other, less severe forms of sexual harassment may be left out or less clearly defined, creating uncertainty among some workers on what can be considered sexual harassment.
Other co-authors of the study include Daniel Tope, assistant professor of sociology at Florida State University, and Martha Crowley, assistant professor of sociology at North Carolina State University.
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
A study looking at 110 work groups from around the world found that women who work in relatively equally matched gender groups were more likely to be harassed than women who worked in predominantly male or female groups. Women in these situations were more likely to experience taunting, patronizing, and predatory behaviors.
“Some people argue that women are more likely to be harassed when there are just a few women, and other people argue that women are harassed when they are the dominant group in an occupation. But we found that actually was not the case. Most sexual harassment occurs in situations in equally mixed gender groups,” said Randy Hodson, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State University.
Hodson said the logic behind the finding is simple: sexual harassment occurs where there is more opportunity.
“There is a lot more opportunity in these groups because you have a lot of men who have contact on a regular basis with a lot of women, and that’s going to create more opportunities for sexual harassment. When women are less represented or when they are mainly working with other women, there is simply not as much opportunity,” he said.
Hodson and other researchers did a detailed analysis of book-length studies examining workplace culture from an array of industries, such as manufacturing, skilled trades, finance, and public administration. All of the books included detailed observations of worker interactions taken by researchers who were immersed into an organization for at least six months.
They then coded the information from the books to measure the type and severity of sexual harassment, ranging from the least severe (patronizing) to the most severe (predatory). The researchers only coded explicit examples of sexual harassment from the books, such as sexual advances or condescending comments made by supervisors or colleagues referring to women as delicate.
Workplaces ranging from less than 50 employees to more than 5,000 employees were included to more accurately represent the general workforce. The results were published recently in the journal Work and Occupations.
More than one third of the work groups studied did not have any incidents of sexual harassment. But when sexual harassment was observed, it was found more often in groups with a nearly equal mixture of men and women than in groups with a lone female in a predominately male environment.
“In our research, we saw example after example of situations where women were harassed most often in groups with an equal gender composition,” said Lindsey Joyce Chamberlain, co-author of the study and doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State.
While sexual harassment was most likely in equally mixed gender groups, sexual harassment was also present in groups with a wide range of female representation. Work groups that were predominantly female were protected from the most extreme forms of sexual harassment, but women in these groups were more likely to be targeted through patronizing behaviors.
The study found that the characteristics of a person’s job also influenced the likelihood and type of harassment. While increased job security was effective in combating the worst forms of sexual harassment, other factors were less effective.
Women who had more autonomy, for example, were more likely to be the victim of every type of sexual harassment. More power in some organizations led to women being taunted, but it also opened the door for sexual solicitation, threats, and forced sexual contact. This finding in particular was completely unexpected, Chamberlain said.
“We thought more power, for women especially, would protect them from certain types of harassment. But we many women that were harassed because they were in positions with power. Women who have jobs with higher autonomy may be seen as threats to men in organizations that have been traditionally been male dominated,” she said.
Compounding the issue, formal grievance procedures were also less effective in combating the less severe forms of sexual harassment. Women were well protected from predation, but company policies often left them less protected from taunting and patronizing from male coworkers.
Hodson said most organizational policies are clearly defined to protect workers from the most extreme behaviors including sexual solicitation, forced sexual contact, and threats. But many of the other, less severe forms of sexual harassment may be left out or less clearly defined, creating uncertainty among some workers on what can be considered sexual harassment.
Other co-authors of the study include Daniel Tope, assistant professor of sociology at Florida State University, and Martha Crowley, assistant professor of sociology at North Carolina State University.
Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Crescent Earrings
A beautiful turquoise teardrop accents these sterling silver earrings hand engraved by Egyptian artisans with the Islamic expression "Al-Hamd war Rada" (Praise and Contentment). Lightweight yet substantial, and very elegant!
Each piece is individually hand made following centuries old jewelry making traditions. Differences in engraving, slight marks and imperfections are a hallmark of the individuality of this product.
Women's Travel While With A Care
Women's Travel Tips to Take to Heart
It's a fact that women need to travel with a little special care; horror stories do exist and women, taught to have a care in life in general, can toss cares to the wind on vacation (like all travelers can) and lose that finely tuned caution edge that they keep honed on their own city streets.
Avoiding Travel Theft
Thieves often perceive females as easier targets for theft than men. After all, aren't they the weaker sex? (Not!) The most obvious solution is sticking to the safer parts of town, but you'll certainly miss adventure if you do.
* Carry a light
Consider avoiding deserted streets after dark; if you can't, then carry a small, heavy flashlight in your hand. Be careful on dark streets even if you have a companion.
* Watch the crowd
Some thieves prefer crowded areas - stay alert in places like bus stations and during street celebrations, where you're likely to be jostled -- thieves use these circumstances to grab your stuff.
Consider your undies
Muggers aren't interested in your bra. Sew pockets into it where you can keep some folded cash; if you do get mugged, you're not left helpless. A money belt works, too, but thieves know all about money belts (and would you really use one at home, or on the streets of New York or Chicago?). I also sometimes stash a couple of bigger bills in a sock after dark or anytime in some places, since I can be the world's most careless person about cash in pockets.
* Don't bring the bling
Avoid ostentatious jewelry; you could be injured if a thief yanks a bracelet from your wrist or a necklace from your throat.
* Let the bag go
Most experts say not to resist -- let your bag go and then shout for help rather than risk assault. Opening your wallet and handing over your money may be enough for the thief and you can keep your bag -- it also may make a thief think you're reaching for a weapon. Better to hand over the bag.
Consider Your Attire
Dressing well can make a thief think you have mounds of moolah in your bag. And women's dress can be a major issue in some developing countries. Remember that, until recently, Afghanistan women had to cover themselves from head to toe or risk legal repercussions. It's already pretty clear that you're a Westerner -- avoid looking like a rich Westerner to avoid creepy kinds of attention.
* Dress like a local
Learn the local dress code as soon as you arrive; buy appropriate clothing locally if neccesary. In some countries, typical American young women's attire like a shirt that shows your belly may be an offensive slap in the face to local women and an invitation for a come-on from the men. In Islamic countries, lay aside your own opinions and wear a head scarf - read more about clothing in Muslim countries.
Money Belts
Money belts are a tried and true way to hide money while traveling. I often stash cash in a buttoned or zipped cargo pants pocket, but money belts have their place, like while you're wearing a skirt; I've hidden backup bucks in a money belt that stays in my locked backpack back at the room, too. Some money belts look like belts, and some are cloth pouches worn against the skin.
BurQa TrenDs
But, anecdotally, the burka on the streets of London has become more common. Knightsbridge is home to plenty of wealthy Arab women who wear the veil in public, while in pockets of east London, some Muslim women work and travel almost unnoticed in niqabs. But does that really mean the city is becoming more “radicalised”?
Shaista Gohir, executive director of the Muslim Women's Network UK, is unconvinced: “No. The niqab, in the first place, is a minor phenomenon. Yes, Muslims are displaying their identity more overtly since 9/11 and 7/7 but they've also come under heavier political scrutiny. The veil has almost become a spiritual and physical shield.”
Gohir is one of the few Muslim women I've met who defends the right of any woman to wear what she pleases but who also admits that “the niqab is a barrier to communication, community relations and integration”.
Belgium became the first European country to outlaw the burka and French legislation now dictates that it is a criminal offence “to conceal one's face in public”.
But a report published last month by the think-tank Civitas suggests that in Britain at least, the veil should be accepted as part of a modern British way of life and be judged by practicality, not ideology. In contrast to Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, where state bans are being considered, the Civitas report (titled Women, Islam and Western Liberalism) recommends that unless the veil physically “hinders a citizen's ability to perform their public civic duties”, women alone should determine what they wear.
It's a point made repeatedly by the scores of Muslim women in London I interviewed.
At Friday prayers in the East London Mosque, dozens of women and girls from Somalian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani heritage arrive in a diverse array of Islamic dress.
A group of teenage Bengali-speaking girls, all wearing hijabs (headscarves), skinny jeans and high-street dresses, giggle in a collective huddle when I ask why they choose to wear the headscarf. “'Cos we're Muslims,” says 16-year-old Zainab Zaman, suppressing a “durr!”. “And you can tell that instantly. That's our identity, it's who we are.”
Mishal Akhtar, 23, a part-time hijab wearer who works for a fashion magazine, believes wearing a headscarf can “actually be a bit punk. In your teens, in London, it's fashionable and cool — it's another accessory. It also marks you out and makes you belong at the same time. So yes, the appeal is really obvious.”
Fatima Barktulla, 31, a cheery pregnant mother of three boys who was born and grew up in Hackney, elaborates: “I started with the hijab, but when I got married I wanted to wear the niqab … It isn't a rejection of society, or an attempt to be different. It's not a political statement either.”
Does she feel it might be perceived as such? “No woman I know who wears a niqab is doing it to make a huge point. It's a personal, spiritual conviction. And I know that the niqab is a virtuous option and it is not obligatory.”
Barktulla, an Arabic studies lecturer, says that taking up the veil simply allows her to feel closer to God. “It doesn't contradict my being British either,” she insists. “I love this country — it's my home. Mine and my husband's parents come from India but it's alien to us.
People ask whether we wouldn't be better off living in an Islamic country' but it's only because we're brown-skinned and not part of the indigenous population. What would you say to the white English convert whose family has been here for centuries? Where would they go?”
Modesty in Islam is key for both men and women. But most Islamic scholars agree that the adoption of the full-face veil among Muslim women is more to do with culture than religion. Its purpose is to diminish a woman's sexual allure.
Yet perversely, it is arguable that by wearing one a woman is defining herself as little more than a sexual object. While in Riyadh a burka would go unnoticed, in London, a veiled Muslim woman attracts attention. I ask Barktulla if she doesn't feel that wearing one here contradicts its purpose.
“It's a different type of attention though,” says Barktulla. “On a day to day basis, it's really not that problematic. I don't think people stare at me in London any more.”
Does she place any legitimacy in Angela Merkel's recent comments about the failure of multiculturalism? “If multiculturalism really is a genuine desire to allow people to express themselves in their different ways, then it works,” she says. “If the idea was to allow immigrants to have their traditions and hope their kids would be wholly assimilated, then it doesn't. I don't think that was the idea though. This is a liberal democracy.”
Amoola Ismail, a 26-year-old British- Somalian care worker whose beautifully made-up eyes are all I can see over our coffee in Aldgate, agrees: “The irony is that when people get hot and bothered about Islam and criticise it for oppressing women and forcing them to cover up, they forget that removing any woman's individual right to choose makes them oppressors too.”
Ismail believes it's not just patronising but chauvinistic for the debate on burkas to be conducted in the press and among politicians without involving the women who actually wear them. “We're not delicate little creatures,” she scoffs. “We don't need to be saved. We need to be heard if they want to take this debate seriously and stop using it as a weapon to attack Islam.”
Not everyone sees the issue as a “clash of civilisations”. “We are a new culture here,” says Dr Riffat Majeed, a GP from Watford. “We're very British Muslims. I don't identify as being Pakistani like my parents. Our generation is taking advantage of the fact that we're living in the information age. When you grow up in the West, you question everything. You want to find out who you are, where you fit in. Having doubts and getting answers to those questions is perhaps why we're more religious than the first generation.”
Majeed believes Muslim immigrants in the Sixties and Seventies, practised “a more cultural form of Islam”, whereas now their offspring are better-informed and more observant. Majeed has worn the hijab for 13 years and a jilbab (a full-length cloak) for almost the last decade, inspiring her mother to do the same. I ask if she ever feels restricted by her self-imposed uniform — whether she misses dressing up?
“It's not like you get locked away and you're like an old woman; I still dress up. We have a lot of family and social dos. Women are segregated outside of close family events so I get my hair done, have my nice outfit and jewellery on but I don't resent my choices. It hasn't limited me, it feels natural.”
Maryam El Hajbi, a 24-year-old British-Moroccan researcher working for the anti-extremism think-tank Quilliam, believes the bigger problem is “the way in which the debate has become politicised. The niqab has been taken out of context and is being used as an ideological tool, an excuse to talk about immigration, integration or the failure of multiculturalism.”
El Hajbi finds it difficult to understand the feminist position that many veiled women maintain on account of the niqab making them feel empowered, but respects their choice. “A state ban would be totally counter-productive. The only real issue is where women or girls — such as at the school in Tower Hamlets — are forced to wear it.”
The Madani School for Girls has so far refused to speak to the press about its policy — niqabs for pupils aged 11-18 are mandatory on the journey to and from school.
The headmistress, Mrs Amra Bone, tells me it might be time to set some facts straight: “First, this policy has been in place since 1991, when the school was set up,” she explains. “It's not new. Second, the uniform was already under review and subject to potential change before [the press attention]. The girls don't have to wear niqabs in school and lots of them don't put them on until they reach the school gates.”
Mrs Bone admits she doesn't personally agree with the niqab but she says the school will continue its review with staff, students, parents and its management committee and will not be pressured by headlines.
Even so, the controversy around the veil remains. A guest at a debate on religious tolerance at the Battle of Ideas conference last weekend, said the sight of women wearing them in London made her feel violently sick. Another questioned whether moral relativism and liberalism were acceptable excuses to ignore the so-called “threat [burkas] pose to civil society”.
Whether one agrees with the choice London Muslims make (when they do choose) to cover their faces or not is irrelevant; protecting the freedom to allow that choice is a basic tenet of British life.
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