Jihad of the Soul: Singlehood in Muslim America

Ok, a lot of you have asked what we at Niyah are up to. Well, we have a couple of things in the works:

1. After numerous requests, I'm publishing a book on the Art of Headwrapping! You'll be able to learn techniques, understand the history as well as hear first hand stories of how headwrapping is integrated into the lives of so many women and men around the world. DUE FALL 2010!

2. Niyah Good Life Foundation - we''ve completed our well project and are back to focusing on girls' education in Sierra Leone. Our goal is to eventually build a entrepreneurial school for girls.

3. Jihad of the Soul - I continue to speak on issues of Singlehood in Muslim America and have received a lot of positive feedback. In fact as an Eid gift, we're offering the ebook FREE till December 15th! Just email Zarinah at zarinah@niyah.net for your copy.

So this is a snippet of what's in the works. Thanks to each of you for your feedback and support! Let us know what you would like to see from us...we listen!

So, as I mentioned, a brother wrote me following my article on Finding a Muslim Spouse. He does not believe there are a lot of single Muslim available. In his words:

"The question remains Zarinah why did the Imams marry non-muslim women if there are tons available? It makes me question whether there are tons available. If that is the case where are they? Where is the list? Is tons a figure of speech or are there really tons? Do you know tons that are single and looking? Until I see tons it's a myth. So this is why I am going this route and from what I see unless I am wrong and I am willing to listen the Imams had to do the same thing. "

My response was that just because some Imams marry non-Muslim women doesn't make it a good practice for the community as a whole! I can name 25 single sisters in under a minute! What do you think?

In response to my "7 steps to finding a wife" article, one brother responded and suggested that there are not really a lot of single women at all. That in fact, there must be a shortage which he used the number of "Imams" who marry non-Muslim women as proof of his point. So I ask, what is your experience? Are there ar number of single women? Why do some Imams marry non-Muslim women instead of Muslims?

7 STEPS TO FINDING A MUSLIM WIFE

I’m being stalked. For the past 6 months, a brother has been catching me on Facebook and email, EVERYDAY, asking me to help him find a spouse. But I can’t. He wants to know what the problem is and I keep telling him, it’s not ME, it's not my job to find you a spouse! I mean, I feel bad but I know that this issue is larger than me and larger than this one brother.

For the past month, we've run a poll entitled, "Multiculturalism: What do you feel about inter-racial marriage?" 84% responded "Perfectly ok!" 9% responded "OK, but I wouldn't do it." and 6% responded, "Not ok for anyone - people should stay within their own backgrounds."

We know that the story of race is a complex one and this question of right or wrong marriage practices has been asked throughout our history. But most of us don't know that as recently as 1967, it was against the law to marry inter-racially. It's only been within the last few decades that inter-racial marriages have lost some of their tabooness.

Accordingly, an Huffington Post article states multiracial Americans are becoming the fastest growing group in America. Most interesting is that the largest majority of this group is under 20 years old, a key reminder of anti-mixed racial laws on the books.

With all of our fancy technology, the Facebooks (which I admit I use A LOT), the Wiis, do you ever stop and think how funny it is that regular ole face to face interaction is still what fulfills humans the most?  In one of our recent polls, "Where do you go for fun?"  57% responded "Hanging out with Friends" and 29% responded "Family Events."   [img_assist|nid=148|title=Bloom Fully!|des

Free Headwrapping Workshop & Headwrap Swap!

ANN ARBOR  - The Traverwood branch of the Ann Arbor library is hosting "The Art of the Gele: A Headwrapping workshop for women who love to be beautiful," at the library, 3333 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 on Saturday, October 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

About National Hispanic Heritage Month (from www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov)

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Last Saturday, 1.2 billion people around the world began a spiritual fast in a regime designed to cleanse the soul and purify one's actions, thoughts and words. Ramadan, the month long fast, enjoins Muslims to abstain from food, drink, sexual relations (and negative thoughts) from dawn to sunset, and to increase reading of the Quran the Muslim holy Book.  On the first day of my fast, I reflected on another set of spiritual writings, the Tao and ran across this quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer:

This month, I was featured in the WMU Alumnit Spotlight. I would like to thank Shams Khan of the WMU Alumnit Foundation for soliciting this article. I must say, it's a great write up! Here it is...

Young Alumni Spotlight

Zarinah El Amin Naeem Master of Arts, Anthropology, '08