Pashtun women’s sports on rise

[Roshina]

Bravo to her!

Yeah, Sahar Magazine once featured her in one of the issues. I don't remember which one ... October 2009, I think. But I'd have to check. Azra, chief editor of Sahar, interviewed her and all.

[شمله ور خراساني]

no hijab?

[Palwasha]

My Mother's eldest bro didn't let her participate in a sports competition (for badminton?), that was in Pekhavar too. She said she cried for two days, but looking back she's thankful, especially for how he was protective over her.

Hijab is on the verge of extincting in Pakistan.

No it's not, they 'aint all that bad.

[Master Khan]

its not good news for me at all.

[Palwasha]

Guley do they wear Hijab

You mean Pakistani girls or the girls that do the sport? In my Mother's time, the tournaments and whatnot were girls only, if they still have this rule, then is is a fantastic way for the girls to hang out.

[Master Khan]

womens playing cricket aswell now..like bijli ghar will said, "da ball ba kam sai makhe" lol

[eyeliner]

that bijli ghar guy swears alot

[Master Khan]

that bijli ghar guy swears alot

he just being honest .

[Zarawar]

The beauty of a woman is not only in her physical features, but rather in her character, personality, and in her piety. A woman who is able to face the world with a smile and graciousness in the event of trials and struggles, and can stand tall knowing that she is working for a home in paradise, radiates a light and glow that cannot be hidden. People, both men and women, will stand before God on equal basis, and on that point, hijab and dress in general helps us to remind ourselves that we are similar before Allah except in our deeds and levels of piety.

Out of modesty and virtue a women will cover her hair with a scarf and wear modest clothing which is loose and does not describe the shape of her body, exposing only her hands and face. Different countries have different styles of hijab. And women feel beautiful wearing it knowing that she is pleasing Allah and maintaining her dignity. Additionally, she is treated in a manner where people look at her for who she is, not for what she is wearing, or how she looks. As we like to say.....

Hijab's Protection

Dear Brothers and Sisters Assalamu Alaikum

I want to INFORM you through the words of a sister, why and how hijab (Islamic code of dress) protects a woman and what are its advantages. This is not coming from me but from a WESTERN woman who was born and raised in the western culture, spent most of her life on the wild side, found a deep vacuum in her life, discovered Islam, accepted it wholeheartedly, and turned her life around completely - for the better. This sister is an Irish American, has a Ph.D., teaches in a prestigious US university, wears hijab wherever she goes - in the class rooms while teaching, in the conferences and meetings she attends. She is very proud of Islam and her hijab and in the following explains the advantages and wisdom of wearing hijab. So please read with an open mind. Those who are open to reason get the guidance and better their lives, but those who have "eyes but can't see, and ears but can't hear" will wander in the wilderness of life forever. No amount of logical reasoning will help them. However, our job as Muslims, i.e., those who surrendered to Allah, is ONLY to convey the message to the darkest corners of the world. Our job as Muslims is not to impose anything on disbelivers because as Allah says in Quran, "For you is your religion, and for them is theirs".

May Allah give guidance to all of us and enable us to follow Islam which is the manual of human life. May Allah grant us the wisdom to understand Islam and to live our lives to its fullest by following its teachings. May Allah make us realize that education is not only about getting a piece of paper called degree but education is about learning and understanding life, the world, and the etiquette of living. May Allah enable us to find solutions to all the problems we encounter in life in His great message - the message of Islam. Ameen.

O Allah, no amount of gratefullness will be enough to thank for the blessing of your message of guidance you have given us. O Allah, enable all human beings to know the message of Islam, so this world will become a cradle of peace and stability and so that the forces of darkness will be defeated from the face of the earth. May Allah be our guide in this journey of life. Ameen.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Irfan Hasan.

NOTE: The emphasis in capital letters are mine.

--------------START OF SISTER'S MESSAGE -----------------

H I J A B: MUSLIM WOMEN'S HEAD COVERING

The Quran, the Muslim's holy scripture, clearly enjoins Muslim men and women to dress and behave modestly. Muslim women are specifically instructed to cover their heads when in the presence of non-mahrem (potentially marriageable) men:

. Surah Al-Nur (the Light) (24:31) in the Quran states: "They (the believing women) should draw their head coverings over their bosoms...". . Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59) states: "O Prophet [PBUH] Tell thy wives and daughters and the believing women that they should put on their outer garments; that is most convenient in order that THEY MAY BE RECOGNIZED (as Muslims) and not be molested."
[MY COMMENT: This is an effective rebuttal to the argument some Muslim women have against wearing Hijab, that by wearing it they will be recognized and will be attacked. Allah clearly wants Muslims to be recognized in whatever community they live in. Their lives lived as Muslims will get other people interested in them and that will be a way of spreading the message of Islam. People will approach them and ask them why they dress like that, why they are different. Their curiousity will automatically draw them towards Islam. Allah is the most supreme starategist of the universe. He blessed us with the message of Islam (Islam means peace and security and told us strategies to spread the message which only benefits us and not Allah. Allah is beyond all needs.

Allah says in Quran that if the whole world gets united against a Muslim and want to harm him, they won't except if Allah wills, and if the whole world unites to benefit a Muslim, it won't except for Allah's will. Therefore security comes from Allah. Allah is the protector of believers. One should NEVER FEAR ANYONE BUT ALLAH and then all of his/her fears will be erased from the heart. Those who bow before Allah, bow to no one in the world - no one. As great poet of the east Dr. Allama Iqbal said (in Urdu) :

yeh Aik sijda jesay tu garaaN samajhta hai hazar sijdooN say daita hai aadmi ko nijat Translation: This one bow (to Allah) which is so hard for you,is the bow that saves you from thousands of other bows.
END OF MY COMMENT]
Both of the above Quranic references instruct the Muslim woman to cover herself with a large, loose overcoat (jilbab) and full head covering (khimar) so that no provocative part of her body will be visible. Her modest appearance would MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT SHE IS A CHASTE, BELIEVING WOMAN, and no one is to molest her or sexually exploit her [My Comment: This is an effective solution to the problem of sexual harassment because a Muslim woman's modest appearance is a social statement that she is not to be messed with!!].

THE BENEFITS OF HIJAB (COVERING) FOR WOMEN

. For Muslim women, COVERING THE HEAD IS NOT THE SIGN OF DEGRADATION or oppression. It is a commandment from Allah, who is not male or female, and thus, would not discriminate against women, a segment of His creation.

. Rather, HEAD-COVERING IS A SIGN OF PURITY AND DIGNITY. It highlights the Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who dress immodestly.

. The HIJAB IS A SORT OF "SCREEN" BETWEEN THE CHASTE MUSLIM WOMAN AND THE EVIL THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD. When a woman wears a hijab she is less likely to be harassed by men with lusty motives; SHE IS LESS LIKELY TO BE EXPLOITED FOR HER BEAUTY AND FEMINITY.

. The Hijab allows a woman to move about outside the confines of her home WITH HER ATTENTION ON THE TASKS SHE HAS SET OUT TO DO. The Muslim woman does not try to impress anyone but Allah when outside of her home. She is not concerned if men find her attractive, or if people are impressed because she has the latest fashions, or the newest hairstyle. She leaves her home as a SELF-CONFIDENT PART OF HUMAN RACE, not as a fashion-plate seeking stares and adoration in order to gain self-esteem.

. The hijab cuts down on competition among women. How many people in the West sacrifice financial savings and health in order to have plastic surgery - in a desperate attempt to meet up to an unrealistic standard of beauty. IN ISLAM, WOMEN ARE APPRECIATED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PIETY AND CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY. When women wear hijab one finds that the most beautiful women are not necessarily the most popular. Rather, a woman is assessed for her mind, and not just superficial physical traits.

[MazloomYarMasud]

The beauty of a woman is not only in her physical features, but rather in her character, personality, and in her piety. A woman who is able to face the world with a smile and graciousness in the event of trials and struggles, and can stand tall knowing that she is working for a home in paradise, radiates a light and glow that cannot be hidden. People, both men and women, will stand before God on equal basis, and on that point, hijab and dress in general helps us to remind ourselves that we are similar before Allah except in our deeds and levels of piety.

Out of modesty and virtue a women will cover her hair with a scarf and wear modest clothing which is loose and does not describe the shape of her body, exposing only her hands and face. Different countries have different styles of hijab. And women feel beautiful wearing it knowing that she is pleasing Allah and maintaining her dignity. Additionally, she is treated in a manner where people look at her for who she is, not for what she is wearing, or how she looks. As we like to say.....

Hijab's Protection

Dear Brothers and Sisters Assalamu Alaikum

I want to INFORM you through the words of a sister, why and how hijab (Islamic code of dress) protects a woman and what are its advantages. This is not coming from me but from a WESTERN woman who was born and raised in the western culture, spent most of her life on the wild side, found a deep vacuum in her life, discovered Islam, accepted it wholeheartedly, and turned her life around completely - for the better. This sister is an Irish American, has a Ph.D., teaches in a prestigious US university, wears hijab wherever she goes - in the class rooms while teaching, in the conferences and meetings she attends. She is very proud of Islam and her hijab and in the following explains the advantages and wisdom of wearing hijab. So please read with an open mind. Those who are open to reason get the guidance and better their lives, but those who have "eyes but can't see, and ears but can't hear" will wander in the wilderness of life forever. No amount of logical reasoning will help them. However, our job as Muslims, i.e., those who surrendered to Allah, is ONLY to convey the message to the darkest corners of the world. Our job as Muslims is not to impose anything on disbelivers because as Allah says in Quran, "For you is your religion, and for them is theirs".

May Allah give guidance to all of us and enable us to follow Islam which is the manual of human life. May Allah grant us the wisdom to understand Islam and to live our lives to its fullest by following its teachings. May Allah make us realize that education is not only about getting a piece of paper called degree but education is about learning and understanding life, the world, and the etiquette of living. May Allah enable us to find solutions to all the problems we encounter in life in His great message - the message of Islam. Ameen.

O Allah, no amount of gratefullness will be enough to thank for the blessing of your message of guidance you have given us. O Allah, enable all human beings to know the message of Islam, so this world will become a cradle of peace and stability and so that the forces of darkness will be defeated from the face of the earth. May Allah be our guide in this journey of life. Ameen.

Wassalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Irfan Hasan.

NOTE: The emphasis in capital letters are mine.

--------------START OF SISTER'S MESSAGE -----------------

H I J A B: MUSLIM WOMEN'S HEAD COVERING

The Quran, the Muslim's holy scripture, clearly enjoins Muslim men and women to dress and behave modestly. Muslim women are specifically instructed to cover their heads when in the presence of non-mahrem (potentially marriageable) men:

. Surah Al-Nur (the Light) (24:31) in the Quran states: "They (the believing women) should draw their head coverings over their bosoms...". . Surah Al-Ahzab (33:59) states: "O Prophet [PBUH] Tell thy wives and daughters and the believing women that they should put on their outer garments; that is most convenient in order that THEY MAY BE RECOGNIZED (as Muslims) and not be molested."
[MY COMMENT: This is an effective rebuttal to the argument some Muslim women have against wearing Hijab, that by wearing it they will be recognized and will be attacked. Allah clearly wants Muslims to be recognized in whatever community they live in. Their lives lived as Muslims will get other people interested in them and that will be a way of spreading the message of Islam. People will approach them and ask them why they dress like that, why they are different. Their curiousity will automatically draw them towards Islam. Allah is the most supreme starategist of the universe. He blessed us with the message of Islam (Islam means peace and security and told us strategies to spread the message which only benefits us and not Allah. Allah is beyond all needs.

Allah says in Quran that if the whole world gets united against a Muslim and want to harm him, they won't except if Allah wills, and if the whole world unites to benefit a Muslim, it won't except for Allah's will. Therefore security comes from Allah. Allah is the protector of believers. One should NEVER FEAR ANYONE BUT ALLAH and then all of his/her fears will be erased from the heart. Those who bow before Allah, bow to no one in the world - no one. As great poet of the east Dr. Allama Iqbal said (in Urdu) :

yeh Aik sijda jesay tu garaaN samajhta hai hazar sijdooN say daita hai aadmi ko nijat Translation: This one bow (to Allah) which is so hard for you,is the bow that saves you from thousands of other bows.
END OF MY COMMENT]
Both of the above Quranic references instruct the Muslim woman to cover herself with a large, loose overcoat (jilbab) and full head covering (khimar) so that no provocative part of her body will be visible. Her modest appearance would MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT SHE IS A CHASTE, BELIEVING WOMAN, and no one is to molest her or sexually exploit her [My Comment: This is an effective solution to the problem of sexual harassment because a Muslim woman's modest appearance is a social statement that she is not to be messed with!!].

THE BENEFITS OF HIJAB (COVERING) FOR WOMEN

. For Muslim women, COVERING THE HEAD IS NOT THE SIGN OF DEGRADATION or oppression. It is a commandment from Allah, who is not male or female, and thus, would not discriminate against women, a segment of His creation.

. Rather, HEAD-COVERING IS A SIGN OF PURITY AND DIGNITY. It highlights the Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who dress immodestly.

. The HIJAB IS A SORT OF "SCREEN" BETWEEN THE CHASTE MUSLIM WOMAN AND THE EVIL THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD. When a woman wears a hijab she is less likely to be harassed by men with lusty motives; SHE IS LESS LIKELY TO BE EXPLOITED FOR HER BEAUTY AND FEMINITY.

. The Hijab allows a woman to move about outside the confines of her home WITH HER ATTENTION ON THE TASKS SHE HAS SET OUT TO DO. The Muslim woman does not try to impress anyone but Allah when outside of her home. She is not concerned if men find her attractive, or if people are impressed because she has the latest fashions, or the newest hairstyle. She leaves her home as a SELF-CONFIDENT PART OF HUMAN RACE, not as a fashion-plate seeking stares and adoration in order to gain self-esteem.

. The hijab cuts down on competition among women. How many people in the West sacrifice financial savings and health in order to have plastic surgery - in a desperate attempt to meet up to an unrealistic standard of beauty. IN ISLAM, WOMEN ARE APPRECIATED FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PIETY AND CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY. When women wear hijab one finds that the most beautiful women are not necessarily the most popular. Rather, a woman is assessed for her mind, and not just superficial physical traits.

Its not about Hijab

Taliban did not and do not beleive in Hijab

they beleive in Burqa

The difference is and the cause of concern is when men force women to wear hijab through violence.

Women should wear what they want unless its deemed not modest.

We do not need Desert Bedion Arab burqas dress code to be forced upon our pashtun women.

Arabs are very sensitive about their women so we should prove to them that we trust and care for our women instead of smacking their exposing feet with a sugar cane stick everywhere they go.

Kind Regards

[ayub]

^Well said.


Anyways Arab men are ugly, therefore they treat their woman like such, they know if they give a little freedom their women will run away....probably to some handsome Pakthun. Unlike arabs we have our good looks and personality...we don't and should not keep our women clad in some burqa-esque costume.

[Zarawar]

Its not about Hijab

Taliban did not and do not beleive in Hijab

they beleive in Burqa

The difference is and the cause of concern is when men force women to wear hijab through violence.

Women should wear what they want unless its deemed not modest.

We do not need Desert Bedion Arab burqas dress code to be forced upon our pashtun women.

Arabs are very sensitive about their women so we should prove to them that we trust and care for our women instead of smacking their exposing feet with a sugar cane stick everywhere they go.

Kind Regards

I was just pointing to Hijab in general, the rest is up to the woman and her mahram. Well, we cannot associate everything we see with the Taliban, true that they had a huge impact on our social system. But, these issues started prior to the Taliban emergence. Some of the Mujahideen factions and Pakistani/Arab influence brought this sanction style laws imposed on women that were under the reach of their influence, not everyone was effected by the so called norm, "if a woman doesn't cover her face, they are considered to be bad in society". Although, Pashtun culture does have something to do with it, because speaking at the moment, majority pashtuns are the ones that strictly follow this norm. But, Pashtunwali is for both men and women, and we always tend to point to the women's issue frequently. It shouldn't be the case, because just like the Pashtunwali comes with rules that doesn't go parallel with Islam in regards to women's right, there are laws and regulations for Pashtun men that doesn't agree with Islamic laws either. In other words, there are both pros and cons for both men and women in Pashtunwali. Men have their own negative consequences in Pashtunwali, and so does the women. Pashtunwali isn't sexist at all.....
One of the negative consequences that comes with Pashtunwali, in regards with men would be, male's respect and its limiting. Lets suppose you are in a Hujra with a couple of people from your peer, everyone starts joking and maybe a little PERSONAL abuse about you ( we all know the importance of "tokey" "maskharey" in pashtun hujras), you are not going to stop the majlas and tell the person off. Until that person starts talking about your woman, that might not only lead to a feud but worst in many cases. This is unfair if looked at from islamic prospective, why tolerate abuse about yourself, and shoot the person if he talks about your wife? Here, the women has the upper hand, she has more credibility, she is considered to be end of the world, "you name my woman, and I challenge you breathing after a week".

[MazloomYarMasud]

I was just pointing to Hijab in general, the rest is up to the woman and her mahram. Well, we cannot associate everything we see with the Taliban, true that they had a huge impact on our social system. But, these issues started prior to the Taliban emergence. Some of the Mujahideen factions and Pakistani/Arab influence brought this sanction style laws imposed on women that were under the reach of their influence, not everyone was effected by the so called norm, "if a woman doesn't cover her face, they are considered to be bad in society". Although, Pashtun culture does have something to do with it, because speaking at the moment, majority pashtuns are the ones that strictly follow this norm. But, Pashtunwali is for both men and women, and we always tend to point to the women's issue frequently. It shouldn't be the case, because just like the Pashtunwali comes with rules that doesn't go parallel with Islam in regards to women's right, there are laws and regulations for Pashtun men that doesn't agree with Islamic laws either. In other words, there are both pros and cons for both men and women in Pashtunwali. Men have their own negative consequences in Pashtunwali, and so does the women. Pashtunwali isn't sexist at all.....
One of the negative consequences that comes with Pashtunwali, in regards with men would be, male's respect and its limiting. Lets suppose you are in a Hujra with a couple of people from your peer, everyone starts joking and maybe a little PERSONAL abuse about you ( we all know the importance of "tokey" "maskharey" in pashtun hujras), you are not going to stop the majlas and tell the person off. Until that person starts talking about your woman, that might not only lead to a feud but worst in many cases. This is unfair if looked at from islamic prospective, why tolerate abuse about yourself, and shoot the person if he talks about your wife? Here, the women has the upper hand, she has more credibility, she is considered to be end of the world, "you name my woman, and I challenge you breathing after a week".

Pashtunwali can be reformed as the supporters are not threatened by hell fire if they do so.

You make good points as well.

The only way for Pashtun women to be respected is if we as men encourage more of their involvement so the public eyes can congradulate their contribution.

This does not mean we should follow and adapt customs of the west

we should be our own people and be independent thinkers.

Kind Regards

[Zarawar]

^
What in the world are you on about?

[spogmai shaglay]

its really nice to know Pashtun women coming up in so many fields......such activities should be encouraged.....

there is no field where women cant leave a mark....