Love seemed so easy at first, but it led to many difficulties

You are a full moon and the sun has become your slave,

And in becoming your slave it has become luminous

That is why the rays cast by your visage

Have made the sun luminous and the moon bright

I am your adherent, o beloved, and I know that you know it
For you see both the unseen, and read the unwritten

How can a caviler comprehend what there is between a lover and a beloved

A blind can especially never see hidden mysteries

Dishevel your tree and rouse Sufi to leaping and dancing

To make him shake away a thousand idols from every patch of his garment

The relief in the affairs of the zealous lies in the eyebrow of the beloved

For God’s sake, sit for a moment and loosen the knot in your brow

The angel resolved to kiss the ground in reverence to Adam

For, in your beauty he observed something above human limit

The tress fragrance of lovely ones is the lamp kindler of your eye

O LORD, let not the wind of dispersion bring grief to this group

Alas, for the pleasure of night sitting that was passed in the sleep of dawn

O heart, you know not the value of time except when you are helpless

By Fahime Fathi


The poem of Hafez Shirazi
Dr:Alaeddin Pazargadi

The Hero and Heroine of the Life

It was a vernal day. The playful wind was twisting the orange blossoms on the green and interweaved boughs of the old and proud trees. The free concert of the group of the singer robins and nightingales had enraptured the vivid plain. It seemed as if the plain and it’s beautiful nature were dancing together.

The two little girls, Emily and Virginia, had sat under one of the trees. Virginia said, “My father is a hero.” Emily asked, “What does hero means?” Virginia paused a little, posed philosophically, and replied, “You know, he is a kind of man who sacrifices all of his property and endangers himself to keep safe the other’s life or any worthy thing.” Emily listened it carefully and asked hastily “so why is your father a hero?” Virginia replied honorably “because he fought in war to protect the country and received the medal of glory” When Virginia asked her whether her father was a hero; her pink lips and gaze were motionless because she did not know what to say.

Many years passed and little Emily became a tall and attractive young girl. She was spending the moments of her youth joyfully but these happy moments did not last long. One night, suddenly, a horrible pain overwhelmed her thin body. The fear and fretfulness had filled her parents. They took her to the hospital hurriedly. She just heard some sentences and did not understand any thing anymore. They were these: “Unfortunately, both of her kidneys have stopped working. She needs two kidneys to be transplanted urgently unless she can not live any more.”

The pats of the breeze tickled her pink cheek and made her eyes open while her head was toward the window. The blue color of the vast heaven had reflected in her eyes. The pattern of the sun and the colorful rainbow on the sky were the signs to say her that she was alive but she did not know how. “Doctor, she has come out of comma,” the nurse said. She turned her eyes and saw the kind face of the doctor at first glance. The doctor smiled and said, “You seem well today.” Emily muttered, “Where are my parents?” The doctor looked at her meaningfully and said, “They are in the next room .You can see them later,” then leaved her fast. Confusion had captured her mind, “Why are they there,” “Why should I see them later.” Neither she could move to go there nor could she stand to wait. At last, she pleaded the nurse to take her to the next room.





When she entered the room, she saw the two glittering angels of her life on the bed.

She could see the reflection of rainbow on their beautiful and holy faces .At once, she recalled her little friend’s question and whispered, “Virginia, not only my father is a hero but also my mother is because each of them sacrificed one of their kidney to save my life”.

by Fahime

Hijab : The mother of pearl or The Chains of Captivity?

Most of the men seems to be allergic to this motto “Observe and respect the Islamic hijab.” When they see it on the wall, the entrance doors of shops or hear it in the religious speech or anywhere, a bitter and deplorable or mocking and scoffing smile covers their faces deliberately and consciously. Of course, the kind of these smirks depends on the kinds of men.

“The word ‘Hijab’ comes from the Arabic word ‘ hijaba’ meaning to hide from view or conceal”(www. Jannah.org).

As God has created the humans, he has designated special kinds of coverings for men and women in any religion. Hijab is not excluded to Islam religion but it has been mentioned in Bible too. Corinthians 11 (3-10) offer one example: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered, dishonoreth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn or shaven; but if it be a hame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, for as much as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.” (www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Veil.html). The majority of the men in the world have accepted this fact that Islam is the most complete religion and Quran is the best and the most comprehensive and exhaustive holy book to teach them how to live and enjoy of it. If we have enough knowledge of this religion, we will surely know that God has ordered us to obey hijab and has emphasized on it. For example, he has said "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed..." (Qur'an 33:59).

Every one believe in this principle that there are compassionately expediencies behind the divine orders, so we must trust in God .God has mentioned explicitly in Quran that Islam is not the religion of constraint and compulsion. Every man who can grasp deeply the witty reasons of God for emphasizing on hijab, accept it sincerely, not by force. The men who believe that hijab is a barrier for human and a mistaken divine order do not discern that our unique infinite mother does not offer us the hemlock glass instead of nectar glass. On the other hand, God has determined his commands according to the men’s capacity. "Our Lord and Sustainer do not condemn us if we forget or do wrong. Our Lord and Sustainer, do not put a burden on us like the burden You put on those who were before us. Our Lord and Sustainer, do not put a burden on us that we cannot endure. And blot out (our sins) and forgive us, and be gentle to us. You are the protector .So help us against the rejecters.” (surah al-Bagharat ayeh 286).

Unfortunately, the men of the contemporary society have changed into charming, animated, and wishy-washy dolls that are running, panting and wheezing in the universal competition of fashion aimlessly. At first, this contagious disease spreads among the teens and young generation who want to glitter like a diamond gem of a ring and attract the other’s attention. As the result of this natural instinct, they try to do the best in any cost.

Unfortunately, most of them get the wrong idea that the women’s, girl’s or men’s` attraction is in their external beauty. Allah does not look at our body and face but he looks at our hearrt. God has created the unique men with distinctive feature and inner beauty for moral purposes not immoral ones. One of the reasons of God’s emphasizing on hijab is preserving of the men’s personality. Disobeying of this rule does not harm God but it degrades the human’s personality, values, and society. In Islam, the women’s hijab is more advised because of their instinctive beauty, “And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31). In fact, the women and girls who have matured conceptuality and rationality know that hijab keeps them valuable and rare like a pearl in a shell. The advantage of it for them is that the men respect them as a pure, luminous, and divine blessing of knowledge and wisdom.

Security is one of the crucial issues of the men and women in the present mish-mash world. It is more essential for women rather than men .At this point, we have to return to hijab because its obeying keeps protected not only the men but also the society. Now, the women have tendency to emerge in the different social fields of society and this needs a safe society. In fact, the women themselves make it safe or dangerous. If they spend their energy for useful and social activities rather than making up and wearing cloth for hours in front of the mirror, not only they will bring success for themselves socially but make a safe society, without any jeopardy. On the other hand, they change the capricious men’s attitude to the women’s situation. Surely, hijab is one of the means that secure humans of some sins and problems. Becoming wobbly of the foundations of the family, divorce, corruption and the other thousand similar examples is the least losses of the ignorance of hijab. Our Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.) has said that on the Day of Judgment, such people would be brought forward for trail on charges of quasi-crimes in which they had a share of responsibility. They would plead that they did not commit those crimes, but then they would be told that they removed their Hijab and attracted this person, which made him indulge in those crimes. Although it is said that every one has free will to do what s\he wants, some actions injure and corrupt not only the men but also the society. In this case, they are forbidden to do freely.

Some men, specially the girls and women thinks that hijab keep them in chains and fetters like the poor salves of the pre-Islamic period.

They do not know that they are the slaves of their evil desires not holy Islamic rules. God is beautiful and loves beauty. God says that his best pious men are those who are well dressed, tidy and consider observing the rule of hygiene, oral hygiene, and mental health. Islam is the religion of modesty. Every rule of God is just a moderate suggestion not a savage command for men who have reason. Imam Jaffer Sadiq (a.s.) says, “Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion”. Also we have heard that “Every religion has a distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty”(al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Majan and in Malik`s Muwatta).

The only – I think the best- limitation of Islamic rules about clothes is that they must cover all parts of body and head properly. "Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: 'O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands." (Abu Dawood) .The clothes must be loose and long enough not to looks so shiny. The Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there would be "women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed. Women must not dress so as to appear as men”. "Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men'" (Bukhari). The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.

The God’s commands in Islam are so sweet and attractive that charm every one even the western men. God has advised every one to search in Islam and understand it deeply, and then they accept it and its rules consciously and voluntarily. The western men and women, who research into Islamic rules and meditate on it, accept it joyfully. Surprisingly, God’s command in Islam penetrate in their heart and fill it, then the standing of nothing is painful for them in this never-ending and rugged road even the boycott and the blames .

The parts of the letter of Jenn Zaghloul who has become Muslim can be a good evidence to prove this claime.”I soon came to realize that I very wrong. In fact, the hijab was the perfect outlet for women to seek liberation, respect, and ultimate freedom from sexual harassment and the liking. For years and years I would wake up extra early to style my hair according to what was 'in' at the time. I would spend over an hour caking make-up onto my face, trying to look beautiful - but never quite sure for who? Each morning I would eventually make my way out into the world - not really prepared to be judged, solely on my physical appearance, by every person I was to encounter along my path. Now that I look back at who I was then, it makes me grateful to Allah (SWT) to see how far he has brought me. For a time, I was confused and somewhat lost, as are many young women in non-Islamic nations - trying desperately to fit in to a society that dictates that beauty is naked, emaciated teenagers on a billboards selling perfume and underwear. I recently read that some of those models and actors that I once adored, practically have to kill themselves to look the way they do. From face-lifts to lipo-suction. Some even go as far as having their ribs removed so they can have tiny waists! The harder I tried to fit in, the more frustrated I became. It finally dawned on me that the images being flashed in front of me 24 hours a day could not possibly be true representations women's liberation. I was convinced that there had to be a simpler answer somewhere. It was at this point that I decided it was time to put some more thought into this whole 'hijab' issue. And I did. For 3.5 years I contemplated the thought of wearing hijab, but the fear inside of me was overwhelming. I was afraid of what my friends would say. I was afraid of what my professors and colleagues might think. I was terrified that I would be harassed at work, or even worse - fired! All of these thoughts raced through my mind, day in and day out. Each time I seriously though about doing it I would say, "But, I'm not ready yet!" A very convenient excuse I must say! I finally said to myself, "Jennifer, look at the big picture!" Now, when I say big picture, I don't mean next week, or in a few months or even 25 years down the road. I mean the akhira - the hear-after. I asked myself a very straightforward question. Who am I going to fear? These strangers who I know not or Allah? I finally convinced myself that it was time for me to take this step closer to Allah, as difficult as it may have seemed at the time. Just over a year has gone by now and I can honesty tell you that I have never felt more free or more at peace with myself and the world around me. In all fairness I will be honest and tell you that it wasn't an easy thing to do. Quite frankly, it was probably the most difficult challenge I've had to face in my life. Isn't it ironic how that works? The things that will benefit us most and that make the most sense are often those we fail to realize or have difficulty accepting. To me the hijab not only represents modesty, purity, righteousness and protection but truly is the ultimate state of respect and liberation. Alhamdou lilah, I am free!” (www. Jannah.org).

I think that the problem of those Muslims, who don’t obey hijab and mock it, is that they haven’t comprehended the real meaning of it correctly. It’s real meaning is just wearing moderately. At first, the society must consider these men’s attitude, appearance, and behaviors as a kind of abnormality not deliberate crimes or sins. It must not treat them as sinners but the ignored men who need to be guided respectfully. IN The name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. I swear by the time ,most surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good,and enjoin on each other truth ,and enjoin on each other patience. Al- Asr(The Declining Day)103:1-3

The society must give them enough opportunity and chance to comprehend Islam and its rules deeply and fall in love with God and his commands specially hijab. After that, no action is necessary because hijab Has become their best shelter and their beloved’s favorite, so they accept it from the bottom of heart. In fact, they become aware of their blunder and regret of wasting their limited time of living in this way ignorantly. The physical and violent reactions have no other result but more prevalence of disobeying. If we try to be just, we will accept that there is not much blame in the young generation to be impressed by the other’s culture because nothing remains hidden in this small global village. The insulting reaction against not observing the proper Islamic dress code, not only injure the men’s soul but also make them obstinate.

The deep comprehension of Islam and information of Islamic commands can dissolve nearly all of the problems of this critical issue. Ironically, most of the people reject hijab while they don’t know its original definition. Fairly, Islam and its command is not to be despised and criticized so ruthlessly even by the western because nothing is compulsory in this religion even it’s acceptance. It has determined it’s orders like a kind –hearted mother for the children’s expediency not to sacrifice their “Akhira” for success on the alluring mirage of “Dunya”. It cries loudly that hijab is not against the freedom but it is the real freedom. Hijab is a divine compassionate expediency to keep human’s values, personality and security, a path toward the peak of the successive mountains and a kind of mean to try to make utopia.

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 aussie

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!

( awww. Jannah.org).

By Fahime