Jeans, Hookah, a Bike, My Rights?
If you are a Gazan woman and you have desperately sought to garner some media attentions and international support, you’d better start by adopting then declaring one of these statements: “I’m secular”; “I’m liberal”; “I’m oppressed with no rights”; or you could simply say “sorry, Hamas, I’m wearing Jeans”; I bet you’d be pleased with the outcomes. Some did and they are now well-known “respectable” ladies. The more defiant against the society’s norms a Gazan woman becomes, the more media attentions she will get. The much more westernized the woman looks, the much more welcomed she will be. “We are coming to Gaza to liberate the oppressed women,” they keep saying; “Thank you! I’m not oppressed,” I keep insisting. Shouldn’t I be, at least, a bit appreciative of their effort that they”re coming to help, however?
Recently, I have known many young well-educated, good-for-nothing-but-gaining media-attention ladies who introduce themselves as open-minded secularists. Going against the norms, trying to look different from others, meticulously seeking every single piece of forbidden fruit in our conservative culture and long-established traditions, these so-called secular ladies are simply calling for their “legitimate” rights. They must be called “The Rebels”, for they try their best to turn every traditional custom upside down, disowning their own out-dated culture and adopting other civilized western life-styles instead. I hear them say they are denied their rightful rights to bike, to smoke and to wear Jeans in the streets. They are the oppressed. Indeed!
As Hamas-led government keeps introducing restrictive new laws including a prohibition against women smoking “shisha” in public, some women started demanding to be treated on the same footing as men. So dedicated to struggling for women’s rights, with a strong sense of responsibility towards the subjugated Gaza women and in defiance of a prohibition against female bicycle-riding, a Palestinian feminist, accompanied by other three foreign activists, took the courage to be the first woman in Gaza to bike up the Gaza coastline. She struggled. She did. She won a prestigious Human Rights Watch Grant for her standing in the face of political persecution.
Now I can bike? Now I’m a woman with my first right fulfilled? Alright, she took off her scarf. She declared she is a secularist. She wore a pair of Jeans. Victoriously, She walked the streets with a bit of confidence and a bit of defiance. Her Jeans, in contrast to the headscarves and “tent-like” dresses worn by the vast majority of women in Gaza, gave her the feeling that she finally could set a typical example of a rebellious woman who succeeded in taking her second right, then an article with its catchy title “Sorry, Hamas, I’m wearing Jeans” published about her and her courage as if she was the only one who could wear jeans in Gaza streets, as if she was the only one who could liberate herself from these tent-like dresses, making out of herself a real fighter against the regime. She’s a role model, isn’t she?
In order not to be misinterpreted, I’m not belittling their demands of wearing Jeans, smoking hookah or riding a bike; these things might be essentials that some women badly need; I’m just wondering whether these are the real rights I’m, as a female living in Gaza, deprived of, and whether they are play australian pokies online worthy to be sought. In fact, I’ve never felt I wanted to bike but I couldn’t or I wanted to smoke but poor me it’s forbidden, not in the slightest. I’ve grown up in a society where I have to pay much respect to its culture whether I like it or not. I shouldn’t be ashamed of my own culture, wishing I was born somewhere else. The internationals should also realize that they have their own culture which we highly respect and we have our own culture which they must also highly respect back. We don’t need their help to change ours and adopt theirs. They should read more about culture differences before looking down on any culture that doesn’t fit them. They are welcome to Gaza so long as they don’t have any agendas to change our “tent-like” outfits or our “backward” mentalities. As we respect the fact that they are “open-minded”, they should respect the fact that we are “close-minded”. Don’t impose your ideas and traditions on us and you’ll be respected in our home. If you insist you are better, who”s intolerant and bigoted, then?
If those young ladies are really considerate towards women and ready to fight for their deprived rights, they’d better start adopting another track. There are other rights worthy of struggle and they are at least universally acknowledged by the international law and other human rights covenants. Only for the record, Palestinian women are denied their basic human rights, freedom of movement, security and education. I don’t want to bike in my small Gaza; I want to bike in my Palestine; I need to move freely and leave Gaza for a while not only to have some fun or to get rid of the hermetic siege but also to further my education. This is a right I’m ready to die for.
Instead of breaking the social rules, they’d rather work on breaking the world’s silence towards the Israeli violations of women’s rights inside their prisons in which our women are treated violently, exposed to harassment and other cruel treatments. Instead of defying a regime by wearing jeans and smoking shisha, they’d rather defy Israel for the inhuman and harsh conditions they impose on the imprisoned pregnant women without considering the mother’s or the baby’s health. Instead of talking about women’s problems in their communities as these normal problems can be found anywhere in the world, they’d rather talk about the main reason behind women’s suffering which is the occupation. Instead of calling for trivial rights, they should call for the release of all women prisoners whose sufferings are beyond descriptions. Instead of having the courage to stand in the face of a regime, it would be more effective if they could stand in the face of the occupiers. Have a real cause to die for instead of writing a silly article telling the world you wear jeans. Instead of going against the norm, show some respect to our culture and defend it in front of any stranger. Instead of trying to look a westerner, try to look more Palestinian and be a real role model not by your jeans, not by your bike but by your real cause. Then, we”d take our hats off to you and follow your example.
well … First of all I’m proud of u my Friend ,, because u r brave & honest in every single word u have mentioned in ur article …
we should respect our culture traditions , ok yes for sure women have their rights but it should be in the limits of Islamic traditions …
okkk may be not all of us have the same minds, we are different in many things, but we have to keep in our minds there are many limits we can’t pass it or condone it…
I’m against those ppl who do the ( blind imitation) of westren ppl & called themselves ( we are open-minded ) that’s a bullshit ..
I must admit may be i’m free somehow, but el Hamdullilah i’m still respect those ppl like u Fida’a & i hope from GOD to put me & to put everyone in the right way..
keep it up sis … God Blessed U
^__^ Thanks Oiee for reading. I do appreicate.
God bless you as well.
well,, first of all , lemme say that I rly fall for the way u right and express your self ..
second, I wanna disagree with you with the severe attack you waged on the “secualr” ladies u were talking about.. I mean.. If i see that my right is to wear jeanse and smoke hookah pipe then I have to have it ! and no one shd stop me,, even if I will be acting as silly one with empty mind.. I mean.. Hamas dsnt have the right to stop me even from wearing MINI jeep and not only jeanse.. it’s my right to act, look, say and do whatever I want..
I DO agree with you that having a big dream like facing the occupation , siege and the international silnce is the main issue and not riding a bike ! I DO appreciate your big dreams,, but as i appreciate your great mentaility , i need to respect the demands of secular and EVEN communist ppl .. like.. the governmet cant stop me or force me to do wt I want..
and I RLY support those woman who are going against the stupid”morla” restricts Hamas is trying to impose.. may be coz i have witnessed CLOSELY which religion those ppl have when they detained me.. like.. b4 they go and teach ppl lessons.. let them read
“وان كنت فظا غليظ القلب لانفضو من حولك”
or
“لا اكراه في الدين”
all in all , those ppl trial to Islamize Hamas is a BULLSHIT coz Gaza was never and will never be COMMUNIST !
^ ^ well, if you consider this a severe attack so what about those who describe our Islamic outfits as “tents-like” dresses? isn’t that a severe attack, too?
I respect those secular but they should respect me as a religious girl.
I’m not defending Hamas for wt they’ve prohibited but I’m saying that they don’t have to make a big deal out of sth silly and then dedicate their life fighting for it. If the Gov. is stupid, do we have to be stupid, as well?
Plus, I don’t say that wearing jeans and smoking hookah shouldn’t be allowed; I’m not in a position to tell ppl wt’s allowed and wt’s not. Go wear Jeans without having all the lights on you while wearing your bloody jeans and go smoke without putting in your mind that you want to tease someone. Direct your anger and defiance towards the real enemy. see wt I meant?
Bless* sorry
Spotting the real cause of the disgusting festering wound will cause you so much trouble
You will be accused of being a Hamas supporter and a brain-washed by its leadership!
The sole reason for the crooked attitude of such “females” is not more gaining attention to be listed on the Western Media as heroic females who bravely oppose the leadership of the Darkness Emirate!
Well done, Fidaa (Y)
Hello Mr. Ahmed,
Oh God! Would my article be understood that I’m a Hamas supporter or sth?! I’m not and I wouldn’t hide if I was.
I’m having a clear message behind writing this. Those who call for “unwanted, needless” rights, I call upon them to call for some “wanted, needed” women rights.
Thanks for reading. I do appreciate.
My best regards,
Fidaa..
Just a little correction for what sister Abeer has written:
الآية ليست وإن كنت فظاً
الآية الصحيحة تقول: فبما رحمة من الله لنت لهم، ولو كنت فظاً غليظ القلب لانفضوا من حولك
Something else dear sister Abeer: The limit of your freedom stops when the rights of others start! You can’t do whatever you wish, if this contradicts with other people’s rights! You MUST always respect other people’s rights and the way of living a society has!
Well, this is what I meant; we must respect our community and its culture without defaming its conservative rules and restrictive customs. It’s a culture, after all. Freedom doesn’t mean you do wteve you want without paying attention to its limits. So long as you don’t hurt or defame other beliefs, you’re welcome to do whatever you want.
Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing my humble post.
You are more than welcome, sister! It is not only a comment or two, but sharing it as well on Facebook
Dear Fidaa:
Lovely to have discovered your blog, keep on writing dear, this is our strongest weapon, and pls. know I am here for any support, Sameeha is my friend, I met her this summer in Gaza too.
peace
Laila
Hello Ms. Laila,
wow! So awesome to read a comment by you! thanks for your support.
Hopefully, we could meet one day insha’Allah. Thank you!
Best regards,
Fidaa
By the way Fidaa, I had a looong exchange with the author of this article, first published in Mother Jones, explaining how reductionist her argument was. THen she wanted to meet me-we just met yesterday. She says she now regrets writing it, I explained to her-what about all the other view points of women in Gaza, who you essentially objectify by referring to them as a single homogeneous mindless group (she says it was her editor who put that sentence in about “tent-like cloaks” but still). She says she has a lot to learn. She is coming to Gaza in JUne-I will try to put her in touch with all of you for a meeting.
Fidaa, you must be lucky to have Laila read this. Maybe she can you help you post it somewhere with a much wider readership.
I’m extremely lucky to have you both read this. I appreciate your support and encouragement. I just can’t believe it as if I was daydreaming or sth! Elhamdulilah I am so much grateful.
Hello again Ms. Laila,
I’m so glad that you explained to her about women status in Gaza. Those activists and internationals, who objectify women or use some degrading terms while describing them, should come and see the naked truth with their own eyes rather than being told by “mindless” young Gazan ladies who might have different interests for showing a v. different image about the real reality. and yes please put us in touch with all those who want to really know the truth about Gaza.
Thank you so much.
i wanted to say i am surprised then i realised how mature Fidaa has grown in thinking, thought, and most importantly expressing herself so eloquently in writing.
yes, why do not those ‘ladies’ bike from Gaza to Hebron or to Jerusalem? why do not they ask to bike to the west bank if they are secular and Jerusalem means nothing to them? why do not they ask for the right to get medical care instead of crying wolf over smoking in places where smoking is banned in the west?
as for western journalist whose sole aim is to defame us, come to Gaza and you will be appalled by the number of jeansed ladies and girls. and to Gaza and see how those people are not even harassed come to Gaza and see how much progress women have achieved. come to gaza and instead of damning our traditions, pay some more attention to the vilations og human rights from the side of the occupation. Come to Gaza to help Gaza.
Fidaa, send this article to the websites who posted those articles yo mentioned and let’s see what happens.
you should be proud of this piece, your bestest one indeed.
Hello Mr. Refaat,
the aforementioned ideas in your post should be included in another article cuz you sound more convincing! I couldn’t have said it better!
Yes come to Gaza to help Gaza!
I’m so pleased by your nice words. I wasn’t actually proud of this piece when I first posted it in my blog but I AM now. I need to reread my piece to see if I can include some more ideas to make it more convincing and logical.
Thank you, sir. This comment means a lot to me. It does, indeed.
Very good sister,
I was desperately looking for women from Gaza write and refute those lies spread by attention-seekers women, who can only find them selves in attacking their societies, to gain media attention.
And for Abeer, I think you should seriously take a look again at Gaza, and see if some girls wear jeans or not! Who said Hamas banned Jeans? and who said the “hero” who challenged Hamas by wearing jeans is representing women of Gaza? or actually reflect the facts on the ground?
Fidaa described it very well in this article, it’s norms, culture, and most importantly religion. Not Hamas.
Keep up the good work sister Fidaa.
Hello Raja,
I really thank you for your insightful comment. I totally agree with you.
I appreciate your time and your reading.
Best wishes,
Fidaa
but Mr. Refaat … it will be a risk …. but wow
yes Fidaa u should post ur article on that website to face some ppl :S
btw if u need the link of this website i will give it to u ,, but surely u have it
Asmaa Al-ghoul, as i believe, has nothing sell out, that’s why she wrote her article ” I am wearing blue jeans”! as if she is the only one in Gaza who does so!.
Ashely was mistaken when she published her article and she received enough responses that made her regretful for adopting such things. Just ignore those who adopt others’ culture because they lost everything when they did so, so it would not be a good idea to talk about them as we give them something makes them victorious while they are nothing but a bunch of losers on the eyes of our people as well as the ” open-minded” too!.
I mentioned no names, trying to look a bit less personal. I’ve got nothing against any secularist. Any one has the right to publish wteve and convince ppl by whatsoever means s/he’s got.
Thanks ,Yousef, for reading and commenting.
Cheers,
Fidaa
Lovely
^ ^
Thanks for your “lovely” reply.
that is indeed amazing.
i do agree with what Mr. Refaat started his commnet with, but, unlike him, i’m not surprised at all.
i just wanted to say thank you for this piece for you expressed what we have been long waiting for someone to express. you proved that we are not voicless as many people think of us. i hope that your article will reach those who keep pressing home the fact that women in Gaza are oppressed and tyrannized by thier own people. And always remember that we are the party who holds all aces…
Hey Eman,
I guess each one of us should start writing sth in response to those ppl. Eman, yes we aren’t voiceless but you’ve got to prove in your own way that we indeed have a voice. We ARE the party who hold all aces but we need to write more and reflect much more.
Thanks, friend.
Best,
Fidaa
و يشف صدور قوم مؤمنين!
incredibly impressive
Hello Derar,
So glad to have finally seen a comment from you. It would make my soon-coming day ^ ^
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
Fidaa
Mr. Ahmed ,, my freedom stops no where ! and I exactly know wt am talking about !
about the verse.. dunno.. it’s not a big difference though :$
I don’t understand your logic. You seem to endorse subjectification of women. Sad.
^ ^ Dear Fidaa,
I wonder if your name was really “Fidaa”! Well, show some courage and tell me who you really are.
Whatever! if you don’t understand my logic, it’s not my problem then. I won’t bother explaining it to you so long as there are many who got it in the first place.
If I sound like I endorse subjectifcation of women, then I recommend you go and read the other article I was criticizing and see how women are beautifully objectified.
Thanks, anyhow.
Thanks, Fidaa.
Well, my name is Fidaa. Are you the only person in Gaza with this name? I am proud of my name and proud of my spirit of “redemption” that our name so wonderfully dignifies.
I read both the original article and your article and your defense of women’s subjugation and subjectification. Those who “got” your logic are either sycophants to you or are in denial about how they are contributing to the further demise of their fellow Gazan women.
What is important is that people are engaged in the discussion of rights and you and I may agree or disagree about which specific rights should be enumerated. For instance, I don’t particularly like it when men smoke around me and so giving this right to women isn’t at all on the top of my priority list. At the same time, I deeply respect those who are seeking to end rules that are solely imposed to limit actions or choices based upon someone’s sex/gender. It doesn’t serve you, or the author of the piece you are criticizing, or other Gazan women, when you spend so much effort fighting against someone who is willing to take the initiative to take a stand. We, as women in Gaza, are deprived of basic rights simply and solely because we are women. This is unjust and something that we should fight against.
What is sad to me is that you are obviously very intelligent and you have the capacity for incredible persuasive brilliance, but you are using it not to elevate women in Gaza (whose role in fighting the occupation is very critical), instead, you are satisfied with the status quo that is diminishing the role of Gazan women in society at an alarming pace. You are reifying the occupation by projecting the oppression of the Israelis onto Gazan women. The women in Gaza need your brilliance to help liberate us not only from the Israeli occupation, but from the occupation imposed upon us unjustly from within our society.
Dear Fidaa,
It’s my pleasure to have known you, Fidaa ^ ^ and yes we should be proud of our names.
“Those who “got” your logic are either sycophants to you or are in denial about how they are contributing to the further demise of their fellow Gazan women.”
and do you think that those ladies are contributing to the improvements of women status? and advocating their lost rights by calling for such “needless” rights?? Do they look to you that they DO help liberate “us” from any occupation and oppression? Do they really elevate women in Gaza?
“What is important is that people are engaged in the discussion of rights and you and I may agree or disagree about which specific rights should be enumerated.”
Yes right. Each one has his/her own point of view..
“The women in Gaza need your brilliance to help liberate us not only from the Israeli occupation, but from the occupation imposed upon us unjustly from within our society”
believe me I care about women as I’m one of them more than you ever imagined. I do my best to do whatever my society acquires from me to do. I don’t know why you make me sound as if I was belittling women and their rights!!
Well, thank you and I do appreciate such a smart comment by such a smart “Fidaa”
Mybe we need to use our “brilliance” altogether to do sth?
Cheers,
Fidaa
Well, I am not sure where to start with this, but maybe pointing out the fact that women can be the worst enemies of their own kind. Frankly, I am disgusted by the sentiments some women could have towards their own kind– sentiments that, if anything, solidify many men’s view of women as shallow and extremely jealous beings. I will not waster my time on this blog because it is obviously a result of a long process of brain washing that Gazan women underwent since the inception of the Islamist movement in the strip, BUT I WILL SAY ONETHING.. you BLACK POLYSTER WRAPPED WOMEN ARE NOT RELATED TO PALESTINE OR IT”S TRADITIONS, YOU ARE AN INVENTION OF OIL MONEY. MY GRAND MOTHER IS PALESTINIANS AND CONSERVATIVE AND SO ARE MY AUNTS.. THEY were PALESTINIAN DRESSES–colorful and beautiful, covers most hair but leaves the HENNA out, and the neck out ti all of the world to see how powerful they are. What is left of these women is a bunch of empty headed, psychologically disturbed, wrapped in black women. 15 years old girls whose only aim in life is to get married and abide their male counters. women who claim to by pious but who every knows have given everything but their virginity to some guy or another… I kiss good bye Laila Khalid, whose flying hair and heroism never gave up in front of this fake tide of conservatism….. I leave this website with a feeling of disgust and petty for what happened to my people.
May those seeds of hope you critique in your terribly written piece prosper and may your hypocrisy erode..
Hello Sam,
Cool down!
We are an invention of oil money? You cracked me up! ^ ^
They were leaving the neck out to show how powerful they are, uhu? how symbolic is this! and how defiant they were! Well, at least they looked more Palestinian than anyone else. Hats off to your strong granny with her Henna and your lovely aunts with their beautifully colorful dresses..
In short, you didn’t get my point, dear. and I feel sorry for that.
nice piece.
I’ll accept for a second that they really “fight” for equality and not for attention
but they and all Gazan women have the right to to elect or be elected or even become a president – a right that is so far not granted for hundreds of millions of women all over the world ; are they thankful ? apparently not ! did any woman with such beliefs get elected ? nope.
they are secular I get it , but still .. they live in an observant society and they must abide to it’s rules !
they must keep their senseless man-woman equality thing to a society that really needs it.
Dear Belal,
Thank God at least you got me right. We live in a society we must abide to its rules. Period!
Thank you, brO..
You have said it all.
and you’ve got it all, Rawan, I guess. ^ ^
Dear Fidaa,
I have couple of points and I want your full patience and understanding to make sure this is not just another “like, dislike” attitude and not another “hooray for your well-written piece.”
First, I do not respect that you allowed comments on your blog to directly attack (by name) the person who wrote the blog you’re critiquing.
Second, I am not here to defend anyone. I am here representing my own thoughts and arguments and I am a Gazan woman who knows very well the social fabric of Gaza and the constant violations of the rights of women under the banner of “customs and traditions” or even god and religion.
Under International Occupation Law, Gaza is still occupied (despite the disengagement or what’s so called “Tahrir”). As an occupied territory, neither the de-facto government in Gaza nor the PA in the West Bank are held accountable for what is so called “human rights” but since the de-facto government declares it is an official government then human rights are accordingly effective. In this light it is legitimate for citizens of Gaza (women and men) to claim their right.
When there is an on-going political division within the Palestinian community and a small scale fragmentation on the level of the Palestinian household then where do we start if we don’t start from within?
You call for women to claim their rights to education, health care and protection and yet you also claim that women should be silent when it comes to seeking rights to freely move about in Gaza….
It’s rare to hear of people in Gaza speaking about violations of women’s rights occurring under the PA or de-facto government. You seem to be attempting to silence or at least, malign, the rare voice in Gaza who is speaking out for the rights of women at a crucial time when women’s rights seem to be totally forgotten. It is necessary that we as Palestinians stand up to injustice and to defend the rights of men, women, and children when such rights are being denied or diminished by the Israelis, the PA, Hamas, or other entities. Your logic seems to imply it isn’t possible or wise to simultaneously critique and fight against the occupation while critiquing and fighting against the violations of the rights of women in Gaza.
I don’t understand your logic that implies that the Palestinian resistance against the occupation is somehow weakened when female activists seek to improve the plight of women by bringing attention to violations of women by their husbands, brothers, fathers, and the acquiescence of community institutions and patriarchal leaders. It would seem quite the opposite is true: fighting for human rights and women’s rights are aligned in purpose. How do we, as oppressed women (from both the occupation and from within Gazan society), fight the occupation when we lack power, social status, and support from our fellow people within Gaza? By marginalizing our voice, you are marginalizing our ability to be strong and active participants in the resistance. You are also greatly weakening the moral argument Palestinians are claiming when we criticize the violations of human rights by the Israelis, but you are willing to allow the persistence of the denial of such rights for women. How do you ask me and other women to seek a just end to the occupation without simultaneously also asking us to seek to a just end to the denial of our rights within Gaza?
What are you technically saying is that we can not call for our rights as women as long as we’re occupied. In other words, our rights as women are conditional upon the end of the occupation. While it may not be your intention, your colonial argument only bolsters the power of the occupier by granting the occupier the ability to arbitrate when women should be allowed rights. In essence, not only do you seem to support a hegemonic masculine ideal, but you also seem to support the continued suppression of women’s role in Gazan society, simply because it isn’t convenient in your paradigm of an effective resistance to the occupation.
You keep saying that you are not oppressed as a woman, other than from the occupiers, and that you don’t need help from anyone. I am happy for you! However, just because you claim not to be oppressed, doesn’t mean this represents the reality of all women in Gaza. On the contrary, oppression of women in Gaza is vast and has many faces (some covered and others not).
I though still do not understand the problem you have with access to education as you have couple of universities that provide quality higher education and you probably won’t like the Westernized Education you will get outside of the Gaza Strip.
“Instead of breaking the social rules, they’d rather work on breaking the world’s silence towards the Israeli violations of women’s rights inside their prisons in which our women are treated violently, exposed to harassment and other cruel treatments. Instead of defying a regime by wearing jeans and smoking shisha, they’d rather defy Israel for the inhuman and harsh conditions they impose on the imprisoned pregnant women without considering the mother’s or the baby’s health.”
With all due respect, Fidaa, the “social rules” you claim these women are breaking are quite new and arbitrary. Didn’t our mothers and grandmothers wear mini-skirts during the 60s and 70s? They weren’t unacceptable by society back then. Why is this important? Social norms are always changing and the dialogue about what is and is not acceptable is dynamic and not static. Questioning social norms is imperative to ensuring that our culture thrives and that we attend to the deepest questions, concerns, and inquiries of our time. While you may deem fighting for certain rights as trivial, you seem to argue for a static interpretation of social customs, somehow ignoring the clear and present danger that such an argument allows. At what point would you allow or endorse a woman to speak out and question the “social rules”? How do you define what is or is not trivial for women to be able to speak out against? It seems clear that we could agree (at least I hope) that it wouldn’t be acceptable if a culture permitted rape of women and that it would be necessary for women to fight against this. However, why isn’t it valuable for women to engage the society in dialogue about issues regarding their freedom (whether it be riding a bike, choosing to wear or not wear hijab, or desiring to smoke hookah or any other rights)?
Isn’t it “bigoted” and “intolerant” to impose on people your thoughts of what should or shouldn’t be part of dialogue from women seeking to improve the rights of their fellow women in Gaza? Who sets the standard for what an acceptable Palestinian woman can and cannot question, discuss, or protest about?
Frequently, there is misconception about modernization and westernization. I do agree with you that western doesn’t mean modern, but in the same sense, modern doesn’t always mean western. Having women wear jeans doesn’t mean they’re western. Most of the girls who wear hijab in Gaza wear jeans. It seems a farse to say that our culture can’t include and integrate ideas, technologies, and practices that are modern or from the west. For instance, you are writing about all these issues on a blog, in English, on the Internet (something created initially by the US military in “the West”). It seems to me that you are able to engage in a more expansive dialogue about these issues because you are using the Internet than if you chose to have this discussion limited to a local cafe in Gaza.
On the other hand, how do you know that those women do not actually defy Israel for their rights violations the best that they can? Why I don’t hear you say that “instead of defying their own people and imposing further restrictions on their already challenged daily life, the government would rather agree to start negotiating with the Ramallah government for a reconciliation and end of the political fragmentation that every single Palestinian (the poorest and the most elite) are suffering from? Instead of hassling vendors to take down their window mannequins why wouldn’t our two governments work together for the welfare of the people and support of local vendors to maintain a human level of livelihood? Instead of harassing people in their smallest lives details in streets and restaurants why wouldn’t they get busy releasing our female prisoners and child detainees from Israeli jails? Wouldn’t it be more effective if they could stand in the face of the occupiers instead of the face of their own people? You seem to really confuse what a government should do and what a citizen should do! Wouldn’t it more efficient if you wrote about this instead of getting credit of labelling other people’s writings as “silly”?
I am at shock of how degrading your words are of describing other different people. I have full respect for your critical thinking but I would hope you would reconsider the use of your words. I am sure there is no one on earth who’s (good for nothing) and as a blogger I will be expecting someone who would not overgeneralize and have prejudice towards a minority who, in the first place, does not have the power or the authority to be prejudice towards the mainstream.
I hope you keep on writing, and I hope you won’t be offended by my response and that you would publish as it is. This is not meant to be taken personally but only to open new discussions for all of us to learn.
Best regards
All I can say, is that you are too eloquent and reasonable to post here!!
You will be fine as long as you wear a Jilbab, don’t smoke shisha and allow a Hamas guy to tell you how to live your life… You know these men know the essence of our society better than you. At the end of the day, who cares about your brain! they are the ones with the Peepees
HA!
And you know what, Sam? What is a great anagram for Hamas: A Sham. Quite appropriate, don’t you think? With one hand they say they attempt to free Gaza from the occupiers and from the other hand they are behaving like occupiers to the women. This is bad enough, but it is sad when their propaganda becomes so effective that women (especially those who otherwise seem quite intelligent and have the capacity to be wise) use it to subjugate other women. That is the hardest part to stomach I think.
well, you don’t seem you two understand anything OR you don’t want to understand my msg. You just keep talking about Hamas and sorry I’m not here to dicuss Politics. I don’t subjugate other women and I wonder how any woman would allow anyone to subjugate her. If these women are deprived of their rights to bike, smoke and wear wtever, they can call for their rights but they don’t have to speak on our behalf. They seem to make much ado about nothing.
Dear Gazan,
I appreciate your critical and insightful comment. I’d like to discuss and clarify certain points.
Exactly as you are here to represent your own thoughts and arguments, I’m here to represent mine as well. If you’re oppressed in your own community, I’m not. If you need a helping hand, I don’t. If you think I don’t represent the reality of all women in Gaza, then you don’t, either. If you dislike the fact that I seem to be generalizing, you also seem to be generalizing when you said that “oppression of women in Gaza is vast and has many faces”
Well, I’m not eliminating all kinds of oppressions or saying that there is no injustice practiced by the community towards women. Yes women face many problems and oppressions but these problems and violations are found everywhere in the whole world. Gazan women are of no exception. Why it seems to me as if we were the only women who suffer. Those ladies seem to be focusing on tiny needless issues in their society rather than focusing on much more significant and important problems. And if you ask me to define the word “significant and important”, I’d say that I’m here expressing my own point of views. What it looks important to me might look less important to you and what it seems trivial to me might seem significant to you. It’s a matter of different perspectives and point of views.
Dear Gazan,
You’ve said what I intended to convey to my readers that it’s more significant if we start calling, for example, for the end of the political division in the area and calling for the unity of all parties and I agree with you that we’d better start from within in order to be powerful enough to fight the occupation.
I would appreciate if you didn’t put words in my moth. I didn’t claim that women should be silent when it comes to seeking rights. Everyone is free to call for whatever right he/she feels like. And how on earth was I saying that women shouldn’t call for their rights to freely move about in Gaza? I’m calling for our rights of movement. My point was that who prevents any woman to freely move in Gaza? I’ve never been prevented or stopped from going anywhere in Gaza. Those ladies seem to be claiming that they lack their freedom of movement in Gaza and this is actually untrue.
“I though still do not understand the problem you have with access to education as you have couple of universities that provide quality higher education and you probably won’t like the Westernized Education you will get outside of the Gaza Strip”
Did I say that I hate the westernized education? And in fact there is no such a thing called “westernized education”? you choose to study whatever you want and then you have the ability to judge, criticize and accept or reject the ideas you study. I’m looking forward to having my MA abroad and this doesn’t contradict with my principles and ideologies. I studied English Literature and we were introduced to many cultures and different ideologies. I don’t have any problem in studying the culture differences around the world and it would be my pleasure.
Thank you once again for your awesome reply and I do encourage such discussions and debates and remember that “diversity in opinions never led to any antipathy”
Best regards,
Fidaa
Your last paragraph is particularly strange and because of it, you risk (perhaps unintentionally) making the rest of your blog post appear, to use your words, “silly”.
So that I am clear (and so the other readers are clear). Can you define which “customs” women (including secular women) should just accept and not fight against so that they will respect these “customs” of “our culture”? I want to make sure we are on the same page so that I can understand what you mean by “customs”.
Can you give me a few examples of “customs” that women should accept as sacrosanct? It would be helpful for our dialogue to know what you believe should be “respected” and what things in our society you would approve women being able to criticize and protest.
Can a woman be religious and still be Palestinian? (I’m assuming you would say, “yes”). Can a woman be secular and still be Palestinian (I’m hoping you would say, “yes”). Can a woman be Christian and still be Palestinian (again, I’m hoping you would say, “yes”). Is a secular person less of a Palestinian than a religious women (I’m hoping you would say, “no”). Are the “customs” you discuss religious customs (from Islam) that secular women are supposed to follow or are they non-religious (secular) “customs” that secular women are supposed to follow?
Also, how would or should women “know” what rules or “customs” can or cannot be criticized (so they can avoid fighting for “trivial” rights)? And what does it mean to “try to look more Palestinian and be a real role model?” How and what do you define as “Palestinian” and “more Palestinian”? How would someone who is fighting for rights for women know whether or not she was being “Palestinian” enough?
Is there anything within Gazan society that you believe violates the rights (non “trivial rights, of course) of women and if so, have you taken the initiative to fight against these violations?
Do you support and accept the current status quo of how women are treated in Gaza by their fellow Palestinians? If not, what are you doing to improve the plight of Gazan women?
Great Questions.
Fidaa,
What about giving me your definition so I can see if we are on the same page or not?
I’m not here to sort out ppl and see who looks Palestinian and who looks less/more Palestinian. I do understand the fact that not all the Palestinians are religious and I respect all the Palestinians whether they are secular, Christians, Muslims….”
Did I mention that they should be religious in order to look Palestinian?
Dear, my article is quite straightforward. I was saying that those girls seem to look for tiny details, trying to make a great fuss. I was sayin’ why we don’t see those ladies fighting for other rights we badly need? Do all women want to bike? is that a priority? Do all women need to smoke?
Why don’t they invest their efforts to call for other needed rights? Why do they seem to be so silent towards other women rights violations and they just focus their effort on the Hamas regime? Why does Hamas seem to be their one and only enemy?!
Got me?
That’s a brilliant post.
(F)
Hello?
You haven’t responded to any comments after #20 above, I really would like to hear your thoughts and responses. Also, in addition to not responding to my comment in #22, you didn’t respond to my reply to you in #17. Hope to hear from you soon.
My best,
Fidaa
Thanks for your time.
Is that the best you have?? “you did not get my point”??? Seriously?! The sad part about this piece is that it is probably followed by many of Gaza’s recently conservative elite. I’d assume many of the ones who were colourful hijab and tight jeans and a 300 colors shirts in hope of appeasing God and guys on the street at the same time. Your facebook picture probably has a picture of a teddy bear or some other generic photo because you don’t want guys to see you. See in effect, all of your life is engineered around what men want and what they think. Thus, I don’t find it a bit surprising that being in the feeble position you are in, you will be so incredibly jealous of a minority few who don’t want to abide by these silly and irrational laws restricting humanbeing’s lives because of their genitals… and for god’s sake I am sick of having to preface everything with the occupation, can it be implied already for the sake of saving space?
Well guess what, there are women in Gaza who don’t give a shit, they want to do what they want , even if the priorities don’t seem right in your brain
and That’s fine! If you are frustrated, change the traditions and change your mentality (these things happen very quickly) instead of trying to change other Palestinians. Trust me, riding a bike on the beach against Gazan “conservative” traditions should not be what worries your little brain now.. there are so many outrageous stories that women do and are victims of in this conservative society: Try women who are killed on family honor backgrounds just because their families want their money, try the majority who get beaten, try those divorcees who don’t get money from their husbands, and those who are married off by their parents at the age of 14!
You attack Asmaa Al-ghoul for not knowing her priorities for fighting for the jeans and bike instead the occupation. Well, tell you what, throughout her career Asmaa sought to bring out all kind of stories of abuse against women. Be it on religious basis, abuse, honor crimes, or stories from the occupation. It saddens me that you don’t knowledge all of this and instead you diss her for being secular and not abiding by your laws. Well, easy shit. Life is easy for you then. Try being beaten up by police and being constantly harassed fighting for a cause and then I might attempt to listen to you.. but so far, you are failing miserably.
hmmm, let me ask you a question , if you are so concerned with these Westernized seculars whose Jeans and Sheesha, why on earth don’t you write to them using Arabic? After all they and the women of Gaza should be the target of your “noble” post– not some Western whose guilt filled for the chance of being culturally insensitive. Maybe you are attention-seeker biggot.. last I have checked Asmaa Al-ghoul writes in Arabic
The Question that you should ask is what does the ban of sheesha, school uniforms, female lawyers head covers, and lowering the marriage age to 14 indicate in regards to Hamas’ view of women?? The government have often coated its positions using the same “cultural sensitivity” argument you are using, which makes you no different than a Hamas zealot. Yes, you are right- Gaza is a very conservative society (which is filled with hypocrisy on every corner) and may be you fit in perfectly with the rest of these conservative religious bimbos in the Strip but that does not mean that everyone else have to abide by your rules. YOU ARE AN INVENTION OF OIL MONEY, DEAR. GO LOOK AT YOUR GRANDMA and MOTHER’s PICTURES WHEN SHE WAS AT YOUR AGE. 20 years ago Hijab was something old women wore after Hajj. At a time, your parents and their friends were probably able to walk down the street on a date, wearing skirts (because it is hot not because it is revealing) and WITHOUT headscarf and no body annoyed them. Now take a close look at your friends and yourself and ask why do I have to look like a packaged Christmas gift?? and why is there a mosque on every corner and where is that money coming from?
Yes. This is the best I have
Any problem?
you can bring the donkey to the water hole but you cant make it drink! So I’m terribly sorry if you couldn’t get it.
I’m not gonna drag myself down to your level by arguing you. Think of me the way you like. I DON’T CARE. I can’t discuss with feeble-minded ppl. But Remember that the truth is always very bitter. My article has everything but you’re just way too THICK!
Regards,
Fidaa
Talibanization of Gaza (From http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4696.htm):
The Islamists must not be judged by the sayings and slogans they demand [to implement] – democracy allows them to voice any slogan or call. What is more important and accurate is to judge them according to their actions on the ground.
The actions of the Islamic [movements] so far do not attest to any true accomplishment in terms of implementing a ‘cultural enterprise’ of any sort, or even to any [progress] in that direction. There are plenty of attempts for us to examine: Islamist movements have risen to power in [various] parts of the world, such as Iran, Afghanistan, and several autonomies in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Gaza Strip. There are [also] Islamist movements that have gained influence on lawmaking, [whether] directly (through parliament) or indirectly (by [influencing] the public and media), as seen in many Arab and Islamic states (Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, and Algeria)…
Sudan is headed towards division and schism under ‘Islamic rule,’ because the fervor to place restrictions on society surpasses [the fervor for] national unity… The theoreticians of ‘the Islamic cultural enterprise’ [in Sudan] preferred war and dividing the land [to peace and unity] – and with the claim of implementing the shari’a they are persecuting women who wear pants in Khartoum and laying the foundations for an expanding stratum of exploiters and ‘fat cats’ from among the Islamists in the private sector…
Anyone who visits the Gaza Strip can easily see that Hamas, in its stupidity, has followed the example of Islamists in several [other] places by devoting itself to secondary and marginal matters. The basest of these is the persecution of women at the expense of far more pressing and important matters. [In fact] even if [these matters] are dealt with, it still would not [justify] what they are forcing upon women, which must be opposed in any place and at any time…
The Islamization that has been forced upon the Gaza Strip – the suppression of social, cultural, and press freedoms that do not suit Hamas’s view[s] – is an egregious deed that must be opposed. It is the reenactment, under a religious guise, of the experience of [other] totalitarian regimes and dictatorships.
Under a barbaric and inhumane siege, which constitutes a crime against humanity to which all of the world powers are party, Hamas is exacerbating the people’s suffering by investigating casual meetings [between friends] and attempting to change 100-year-old habits. [Customs of] marriage, dating, and gender-mixing are a matter of social, circumstantial, and status-related conventions, in which the law should not interfere. When married or engaged couples are forced to carry marriage licenses in their pockets, out of fear that some armed [policeman] might burst in on one of their dates and inquire into [the nature of] their relationship, it is a frightening deterioration in the Palestinians’ values and lifestyle, which certainly did not exist [previously]. When a [policeman on a] motorcycle pursues a family car in which a woman is sitting beside a man whose arm is resting on the back of her seat, arrests [the family] and takes them to the police [station] – it is a stupid patrol [that is detrimental] to people’s lives. When a brother and sister are arrested on their way home at night because they do not have identification cards on them to prove ‘their legitimate relationship,’ it is expressly Taliban-like behavior.
Khaled,
thanks for this comment but I wonder what you were talkin’ about? Is “Hamas” all what you got outta my article? To make it simpler to you, I was discussing some women issues and certain rights we-as women- should be enumerating and calling for (as I think and believe). You seem to be criticizing a regime you abhor or some Taliban-like behaviors you despise and this is not my concern right now. However, I do agree with you that Hamas has recently introduced some new restrictive laws which I also keep criticizing and this is wt I mentioned in my post.
And as you said, there are many egregious deeds that must be opposed and I do agree that these are implemented under a religious guise.
Exactly as you despise those policemen on their motorcycles who keep following and suspecting ppl, I do as well. The de-facto government has implemented many stupid, silly and unjust behaviors against its own ppl and I’m not supporting or defending any of these behaviors.
Alright, you seem also to be criticizing Islam and judging a religion based on people’s bad deeds and their misunderstanding/misinterpreting all what Islam stands for. So plz you’ve got to know how not to put the blame of all these “Taliban-like” behaviors on Islam.
Regards,
Fidaa
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/03/content_12748559.htm
Since the Islamic Hamas movement has seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, and routed secular President Mahmoud Abbas security forces, Hamas has been trying to implement the Islamic law in the Gaza Strip, mainly at schools, institutions and courts by imposing the Islamic dress or Hijab on women.
The first two neighborhoods that Hamas began with, were al-Tuffah and Sheja’eya in eastern Gaza City, where girls gathered and were taught about the necessity of wearing the Hijab to conceal their bodies.
Within brief moments, al-Tuffah sports hall was packed. Middle aged women came with their young daughters to receive long robes and dresses promised by Hamas.
Safaa Shallah, a board member of the Young Muslim Association affiliated with Hamas, said that “the goal of this project is to disseminate the Islamic dress code and effectively eliminate the wanton behavior.”
She said that the project will be implemented at two stages, the first stage which started this week, would include the distribution of 600 Islamic uniforms in the two neighborhoods, adding that next week another 600 uniforms will be distributed forfree at al-Daraj neighborhood in central Gaza city.
What the hell does “Hamas” have to do with my article? Why does it seem to me that you are focusing only on one word which is “HAMAS”. I don’t care about what Hamas says. All what I care about is “my rights” as a woman. Are “wearin Jeans, ridn’ a bike and smokin Shisha” on my list of priorities when I call for my rights? I’m not discussing a regime or a religion here. I’m discussing’ those ladies behaviors who have the guts to speak on our behalf, assuming that they are advocating our rights by their “needless” defiance. I guess women need their courage and daring to call for other badly-needed rights. I was just hoping they’d direct their efforts towards sth more significant and invest their brillance to elevate women.
Well ppl,
I appreciate every single comment posted and I’d love to find much time to respond to each. I have only one day off which is Friday. I’ll be reading, commenting and answering all your questions. Pardon me for being too late.
I just give you the liberty to say whatsoever you want and post whatever you feel like. I’m so open to any criticisms. But lemme tell you sth, I’m not gonna put myself in a position I’d waste my time defending myself. I was saying that we shouldn’t be focusing on insignificant matters because this would both patronize the Palestinians and would also divert attention from the real matter which is “The Israeli Occupation!” Who cares about bikes and sheesha!!! At least these rights are not even mentioned in any international laws or human rights covenants. Let’s be smarter and more intellectual than this. Please feel free – at any time- to share with me your points of view.
Look after yourselves and see you on Friday ^ ^
Cheers,
Fidaa
My reply to post #39:
Dear Gazan,
I appreciate your critical and insightful comment. I’d like to discuss and clarify certain points.
Exactly as you are here to represent your own thoughts and arguments, I’m here to represent mine as well. If you’re oppressed in your own community, I’m not. If you need a helping hand, I don’t. If you think I don’t represent the reality of all women in Gaza, then you don’t, either. If you dislike the fact that I seem to be generalizing, you also seem to be generalizing when you said that “oppression of women in Gaza is vast and has many faces”
Well, I’m not eliminating all kinds of oppressions or saying that there is no injustice practiced by the community towards women. Yes women face many problems and oppressions but these problems and violations are found everywhere in the whole world. Gazan women are of no exception. Why it seems to me as if we were the only women who suffer. Those ladies seem to be focusing on tiny needless issues in their society rather than focusing on much more significant and important problems. And if you ask me to define the word “significant and important”, I’d say that I’m here expressing my own point of views. What it looks important to me might look less important to you and what it seems trivial to me might seem significant to you. It’s a matter of different perspectives and point of views.
Dear Gazan,
You’ve said what I intended to convey to my readers that it’s more significant if we start calling, for example, for the end of the political division in the area and calling for the unity of all parties and I agree with you that we’d better start from within in order to be powerful enough to fight the occupation.
I would appreciate if you didn’t put words in my moth. I didn’t claim that women should be silent when it comes to seeking rights. Everyone is free to call for whatever right he/she feels like. And how on earth was I saying that women shouldn’t call for their rights to freely move about in Gaza? I’m calling for our rights of movement. My point was that who prevents any woman to freely move in Gaza? I’ve never been prevented or stopped from going anywhere in Gaza. Those ladies seem to be claiming that they lack their freedom of movement in Gaza and this is actually untrue.
“I though still do not understand the problem you have with access to education as you have couple of universities that provide quality higher education and you probably won’t like the Westernized Education you will get outside of the Gaza Strip”
Did I say that I hate the westernized education? And in fact there is no such a thing called “westernized education”? you choose to study whatever you want and then you have the ability to judge, criticize and accept or reject the ideas you study. I’m looking forward to having my MA abroad and this doesn’t contradict with my principles and ideologies. I studied English Literature and we were introduced to many cultures and different ideologies. I don’t have any problem in studying the culture differences around the world and it would be my pleasure.
Thank you once again for your awesome reply and I do encourage such discussions and debates and remember that “diversity in opinions never led to any antipathy”
Best regards,
Fidaa
Fidaa,
Your recent responses were quite troubling, primarily because you aren’t really responding. You seem to be saying, that each person has his/her own point of view, but you don’t seem willing to describe how this does and should translate to wider societal mores/norms and government regulations and protection of rights.
If Gaza were ruled by Fidaa, the omniscient, then it would be fine to just say that you have your own opinion. And it would then be clear that people can just follow whatever edicts are uttered from your mouth (such as how Libya was run for four decades by Qaḏḏāfī).
However, Gaza is not run by Fidaa, and so your simple responses aren’t sufficient. If you want to engage in a dialogue and discussion about what you are stating in your blog then defending your words only by stating they are your opinion is too simplistic. Obviously, you wrote the blog and so your readers are smart enough to realize they are your words. However, you have several comments in response that are requesting clarification, understanding, and dialogue with you so that you can discuss the reasoning behind the arguments within your blog.
My initial response to your simplistic answers was quite strong, I must admit. As you are one who studies literature, including English literature, you are likely familiar with American author Harriet Beecher Stowe and her nineteenth century novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. After the publication of this novel, the term, “Uncle Tom” was used as a pejorative to describe a black person who behaved in a subservient manner to white people. I was thus inspired to consider the new term, “Aunt Fidaa” as a term to describe women in Gaza women who behave in a subservient manner to men and who seem content with allowing themselves and their fellow women to be marginalized in society.
Again, that was my initial impression after reading your responses and feeling frustrating for your lack of engagement in actually responding to the feedback about your blog post. I’m sure you would want to be characterized differently and so I encourage you to respond more comprehensively going forward. Otherwise, you run the risk of people discounting you as someone who can’t thoughtfully engage and discuss her own words and her own arguments. I believe you must be smart enough to more comprehensively respond to these various comments about your blog. I also hope you are open-minded enough to consider new viewpoints and let them inform your initial viewpoints. That is the best of what active dialogue can do- people can think and come to better mutual understanding based upon feedback from each other.
“I’m sure you would want to be characterized differently and so I encourage you to respond more comprehensively going forward.”
Hello Khaled,
In order not to waste your time and mine, only two points I’d like to mention. First, it’s up to me whether I’d like to respond to anyone/to be engaged in any discussion OR NOT. Don’t tell me what I should do and what I shouldn’t. Clear?
2nd, I don’t want to be characterized by anyone, especially by you, and I’m not here to be characterized or categorized. Simply I don’t care. I said what I meant and I meant what I said. Understood?
At last, you keep insisting in misunderstanding and misinterpreting the message and as I said earlier It’s not my job to clarify anything cuz everything is quite CLEAR but you are too blind to see it.
Thanks,
Fidaa
Assalamu Alaikum, Fidaa,
I am very late!
Wow!
This is an unbeatable piece of words of worth to not only Palestinians but for all the so called ”modern Muslims”!
I would love to have this article circled around here in South Africa as we have these types of attention seekers as well.
If that is the meaning of ”their” freedom than I definitely don’t want it!!!
So shallow!
I read this aloud to my mom the moment I received it, and my mom was left shaking her head in agreement to each and everything that you spoke about.
She actually said, Fidaa has a facts straight! Fidaa doesn’t suffer from an inferiority complex which most university going girls do face.
May Allah bless you for speaking out; for speaking the truth!
Those girls who are hungry for fame and attention don’t realise the way they terribly fell if not jumped headlong into the camouflaged snare that the media has set for them!
If only they know, how foolish and degrading they look to us in our ”tent-like” dresses which I am proud of wearing and which is none of the business to begin with!
I am afraid that the girl who biked up the Gaza coastal line lost her religion — Islam— in the mix of gaining her so called freedom! How Ironic!
These people should realise that ISLAM is Not an Arab CULTURE or a TRADITION, BUT a RELIGION!
How daft of them!
Let them call us what they want, as our beloved Prophet Sallallahu Alaihy Wasallam was taunted at, mocked, ridiculed, harassed and they went as far as saying the he Sallallahu Alaihy Wasallam is —God forbid— mad, so who are we?
Take it as a Sunnah if somebody laughs or mocks at you.
Let alone our Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, they don’t leave ALLAH alone!
The fact that you received such a response from readers says enough!
One day these people will learn the hardest lesson of their life when they get kicked or stabbed in their back from the same ones that they befriend and are asking for their pathetic notion of freedom!
I will just end of with one Hadeeth that sums up a MUSLIM’S Life:
”Addunya Sijnul Mu’min Wa Jannatu Kaafir.”
I stand to correction with the Arabic but the translation in Enlgish is:
”The world is a PRISON for a believer and a PARADISE for the non-believer”
We have the hereafter for us, Ameen Ya Rabb.
My beloved Gazan brothers and sisters, you are the ones who are really experiencing this Hadeeth in reality as such but be rest assured that when you will be in Paradise within Paradise like how you are here in this sick world a prison with a prison, you will be looking upon them from your tall couches laughing at them… your hardships of this world will be like nothing while enjoying the bliss of eternity!
Ya Rabb..
This life is so short, as Muslims we look forward and that also far beyond the Milky Way Galaxy right to the end of the known Universe and still beyond to a world not known to any human being in all times to come!
Fidaa, this needs a call, not only a comment, wait for my call.
May Allah protect you, my beloved sister in Islam, Ameen.
LOVE YOU more than ever!
Hanan
RSA
Wsalaam Aliekom Hanan,
I agree with every single word you wrote. Thanks for reading this to your mum. Send my warmest salams to her. I appreciate your sweet words.
Lots of love,
Fidaa..
Fidaa, based upon how RSA is characterizing you, do you believe that Gaza should be ruled only be Sharia? If that is your argument, much of the rest of what you say becomes clear. In other words, you are advancing a line of reasoning that supports a theocracy? Or do you support Gaza having secular rules that govern both religious people (of different faiths, but with Islam as the large majority) and secular people in it. Should Sharia be imposed upon everyone, including secular people and Christians? RSA’s argument is basically: hooray, Islam rocks! OK. That’s nice, I guess. But I’m not sure what her point is relative to your blog entry. I don’t think the point of your piece was arguing for Sharia, unless I somehow misinterpreted you. Did I? Was your blog post simply a post saying everyone should just follow Sharia? Hope I’m wrong because if that is all you are arguing, then I’ve wasted a lot of time responding to these comments.
Oops…I mean Hanan (not RSA).
Khaled again,
I appreciate the fact you’re being so active in my blog ^ ^ Keep paying me such wonderful visits..
Well, I am not discussing Sharia Or what kind of religion ppl should follow. I am talking about women’s rights and what rights we should enumerate and call for. I’m not in a position to ask ppl to follow Sharia or any particular religion. How the hell did you interpret that what Hanan said was that Sharia should be imposed upon everyone, including secularists and Christians? Who said so? We do respect the fact that we have Palestinians of different religious backgrounds and ideologies. We aren’t here to impose our beliefs on anyone. Plz, try to get rid of all the misconceptions and preconceptions in order to be able to get our message perfectly.
Dear Fidaa,
I will come back to you with a proper response once I find the space as I am super busy right now. I just wanted to drop a line to thank you for being so open to discussions and I could see how we actually came to agree on certain points but I can tell there is still some misunderstanding from you part to what I have said in my first post. I just want you to ADMIT to people in your blog that Asma DID NOT describe Hijab as “a tent-like dresses” so we are ethically clearing her name from this accusation that Ashly Bates has created in her poorly written article http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/12/gaza-hamas-asma-al-ghoul.
I can see why you would disagree with someone like Asmaa, whom I disagree with a lot of times, but chose to be objective and have civilised dialogues with her on our points of disagreement instead of attacking the person and without understanding where they’re coming from. Fidaa, “It is easier to make war than to make peace” as Georges Clemenceau said. People tend to always chose the easiest way for problem solving, because they seem to have “a bubble” speedy effect that ultimately doesn’t have a real long-lasting impact on people’s lives. A parent choses to “smack” their children because it works faster than choosing to have a dialogue with them that may not have immediate results. Either way, we do ALWAYS have the choice to whether we want to contribute to the problem or to the solution. I hope you will see you have the potential to be part of the solution through opening as well ALLOWING progressive dialogues to take place with “the other” be it (secular women, religious leaders, fundamentals, states or even occupation). Dismissing other people’s opinions, thoughts, and ideology doesn’t serve anyone but the current status quo of fragmentation and diminished rights to belief and self-expression.
Best regards
PS: Hanan, since you do not live in Gaza and have no idea of the situation, I am not sure you are in a position to judge to what extent this article is representative of the situation or not. I want to drag your attention to one point, check Fidaa’s other posts in her blog, and you will find that this is the only article that got a big number of comments because- in part- it is attacking a controversial activist and journalist. This comment is not to degrade Fidaa’s great efforts to express her opinion, or to praise or defend Asmaa, who doesn’t need my defence but just to voice the utter truth. Asmaa, was arrested by Hamas police along with other four women because she participated in a peaceful protest in solidarity with Egypt. They were severely humiliated in detention, mocked by the police officers and called names. Asmaa was beaten up brutally for standing up for what she believes. For standing in solidarity with Egypt in their fight for liberty from oppressors when both men and women of Gaza chose to be silent forgetting how Egyptians people stood, in solidarity with them, against their government during the Israeli War on Gaza.
Warmest Regards
Dear Gazan,
I really wanted to thank you for your eloquent responses. I do insist you keep on wearing off any misunderstanding from my part. Well, I don’t attack anyone in my post. I know Asmaa and I respect her mentality and the way she thinks. As it’s up to anyone, it’s up to her. At the same time, I must admit I can’t be objective in my personal judgments. How could I be and my writings are so personal, reflecting who I’m and what thoughts I have. I express my own opinions whether they were right or wrong; it’s a matter of different perspectives after all as I do believe there is no right/wrong opinion.
I strongly liked your second paragraph and hopefully, I could contribute to the solution and be part of it. Only for the record, dear Gazan, I have befriended many secular cute ladies and despite the fact we look completely different, we are still friends as we DO respect our differences and celebrate our similarities. I can’t deny that we sometimes trigger heated debates over some controversial issues but after we’re done discussing these bloody issues, we return to our normal, intimate relationships.
I just wonder! How are you claiming that I’m dismissing other opinions, thoughts and ideologies? I wouldn’t have had such anti-post comments in my blog if I was doing so?!
Regarding the big number of this post’s comments, why does it sound to me that you’re so sure of the reason you mentioned? Can’t you be a bit less assertive than this? Well, I have the biggest number of comments cuz I widely circulated it among those whom I know and in return they did the same and because it’s the first time I tackled sth diff.. PLUS, seemingly some internationals needed to see our reality from a completely different angle. In addition to that, I launched my blog a couple of months ago and I’ve started writing since last may 2010 and once I’ve my own blog I posted all my previous writings altogether without caring if they were widely published or read; this is why my first posts don’t enjoy a big number of comments as the recent ones. Check I “See the whole universe” and count the comments there and you’d know what I meant. At last, I’m discussing sth that might agree and disagree with but my last articles weren’t so controversial to trigger such heated discussions as I have in here.
Dear Gazan, you have no idea about what I have done when I heard that Asmaa and some other friends of mine had been arrested and hurt!! Would you expect me to remain utterly silent? No, absolutely No! I was actually supporting them wholeheartedly. I contacted many ppl, asking ‘em to help me send my letter/msg to the bloody government who did so to my friends and acquaintances. I was going to be among ‘em but sth went wrong with me so I missed the demo. I wished I could’ve been there, though.
Gaza, I want you to understand sth that I’m not anti-Asmaa or any secular woman. I’m not working as a rival to anyone. I support justice and I call for our rights in MY OWN WAY. If Asmaa or any other girl (be it a secular, Muslim, Christian or even a Jew…) was wronged by someone, I would stand by her side, supporting and denouncing any injustice. At the same time, I do hate the fact that those ladies who have apparently strong voices are standing for anything that it’s culturally not accepted. I mean for God’s sake, even the International Law cares about each area’s culture and keeps repeating the same sentence of “…should be done in accordance with what’s culturally acknowledged”, so why the hell they fight a entire Gazan culture?! And again, I’m not saying that our culture dictates us that we shouldn’t wear jeans and we should wear a long dress instead (I myself wear jeans) but I’m saying that we shouldn’t make a big deal out of some pairs of jeans, giving the impression that jeans are banned in Gaza! Also, this Asmaa can smoke shisha at whatsoever time she badly needs without grabbing everyone attention by calling for drinking it in public because it’s culturally rejected and sounds weird and unacceptable that a girl smokes. Got me now?
Hi Fidaa,
You exactly did read my mind! I was going to zoom in the same issue, as I extremely got pissed off by “Sorry, Hamas, I’m Wearing Blue Jeans”. After i got some responses from some foreign friends that I shouldn’t attack the “defiant secularist”, even surreptitiously, (I know I was wrong i hearkened) i decided to tackle another equally important issue which is the use of language, and how some journalists tend to deform truths. I think, as bloggers, we should keep cracking down on anyone–whether local or international–and keep writing back to show the reality as it is…
Thanks alot for writing this. I’m proud of you indeed!
Here is my article…would love you to have a look
http://mondoweiss.net/2010/12/sorry-mother-jones-but-youre-piping-the-israeli-narrative-of-gaza-war.html
best,
Mohammed
Hey Mo7ammad,
So glad to have known that we’re on the same page. Yet, you shouldn’t have hearkened to anyone; don’t let anyone tell you what should be written and what shouldn’t. You’ve got to speak up your mind. I like what you tackled, tho’. So deep.. so insightful. My article along with your article refute all the claims and lies that some were trying to spread. and Yes we should keep writing, writing back and also cracking down on anyone, trying to show the truth-always.
Thanks for your reading and comment. I’m proud of you, too ^ ^
Much respect,
Fidaa
Dear Fidaa,
I am a foreigner in Gaza and I have just discovered your blog. I am great fan of Laila’s blog and I think she has some competion here |:) It’s great and really interesting. Keep up the great work! I am teaching at IUG myself. Maybe we can meet one day.
Sorry about all these mistakes… it’s late
It’s of course “a great fan” and “competition”.
No worries! Feel free. As long as the msg is clear, we overlook all the errors
Dear Mel,
Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my post. I’m also a great fan of Ms. Laila’s blog but I don’t think we’d ever compete each other; we might complement each other and it’s not a matter of competition, is it? ^ ^ She’s my teacher and I’m so honored having recently known here. Insha’Allah we’ll meet v. soon since we work in the same place. Tell me where you are and I’ll visit you..
Best wishes,
Fidaa
Strong Words ..
Really i appreciate your thought and i hope all women here think like you.
When we are search in our religion (Islam) we will find all our rights and we should be very proud that we are Muslims.
قال تعالى (ولن ترضى عنك اليهود ولا النصارى حتى تتبع ملتهم
i hope to post this post if you don’t mind.
I appreciate your reply. Thank You, Abdel Kareem.
Foremost: I respect Palestinian women and I appreciate the Palestinian women in all areas of life and I support their and i will help their future in all cases
First \ Became the subject of women an important platform in the field of research conferences and international forums, women are half of society and has tremendous potential as men, deprive the community of women’s potential waste of opportunities for comprehensive development Therefore, it is keen on such development to remove all impediments to the participation of discrimination against women in various fields, Has emerged as the role of women is evident through the platforms, studies and conferences, which called for women’s rights and recognition as an important element in life; as progress and empowerment of women in the areas of economic action is the way to development and to empower them in other aspects of political and social, may cause a change in the laws, as happened in the development of theories of teaching and education after they have contributed for women, Empowering women does not require a coup on the man, but comes through the promotion of women’s role as a key element in the development, Valenhip national man can not do it alone, whether at the political, social, therefore, the empowerment of women socially politically and economically is a prerequisite for the revival of national and comprehensive development.
second \ Emancipation of women, then, is freedom from persecution, social equality with men in rights, and decision-making in all fields and at all levels, and participation in political, economic, cultural, social and family life, this is the expression of the fact that the close linkage between the issues of Palestinian women and issues of society in the national independence and the promotion of social progress and development, social justice and democracy, an issue the responsibility of the leading intellectual of men and women alike, because the face of the essence of the current crisis, with all the manifestations of underdevelopment and dependency, ignorance, tyranny and oppression, as well as poverty and poor distribution of wealth and the absence of social justice, makes this interdependence dialectic effective between politics and the economy, or between national liberation and national on the one hand, and freedom of democratic community of procedure on the other hand, if the political factor in light of the current crisis plays an important role in the promotion of political dominance class bureaucratic individualism, the economic factor strengthens and complements that role in society in general, In the subordination of women in particular, on the basis of legislation and laws on the one hand, and on the basis of male domination of economic and historical, on the other.
third \ In order not to be driven to non-scientific analysis, we say that the first opponent of women is society and its restrictions and its poverty and dependence resulting n failure and its inability to national liberation and social, not the man’s spouse or a brother or a father … Etc., which highlights in many cases or forms of interaction as a rival in a matter of a specific community cause an initial and major, is what distinguishes between a male child from a young age for his sister, who learn or absorb bow to her brother and sex masculine generally a very early age, then the man as a species is not responsible for oppression of women in conditions of oppression, poverty and underdevelopment common to all of them, which persecution is unacceptable, of course, regardless of its motives and causes; anyway, in spite of this picture, and the multiplicity of constraints, there are hundreds of women who have contributed to their role in the process of national struggle in general and in the process of social struggle civilization in order to rid it of all the negative legacies, edit, and salvation from all social constraints and political and economic, in particular.
Finally \ Everyone must know the rights of women and to study and understand the Palestinian law and international law in women’s rights and obligations, and everyone should know that infringe on women’s freedom is to encroach on the community and threatened displacement and destruction and backwardness
Thank you very much for this great topic
** Best wishes **
A beautifully written piece indeed sister Fidaa, and so full of pills of hard facts some find hard to swallow as I’ve seen.The original article you referred to is absoultely degrading to us women in Gaza. The beach biker heroine has protrayed the women of Gaza as bird brains who have no other care but clothes..the less the better, and how to satisfy their temptations of hookah pipes and smoking as if those are what modernized and free women around the world count as accomplishments. I can honestly say that Hijab is my source of freedom and honor and that’s final. Thanks again.
A beautifully written piece indeed sister Fidaa, and so full of pills of hard facts some find hard to swallow as I’ve seen.The original article you referred to is absoultely degrading to us women in Gaza. The beach biker heroine has protrayed the women of Gaza as bird brains who have no other care but clothes..the less the better, and how to satisfy their temptations of hookah pipes and smoking as if those are what modernized and free women around the world count as accomplishments. I can honestly say that Hijab is my source of freedom and honor and that’s final. Thanks again.
I second what you said, Rana. I appreciate this
Thank you, dear.
Greetings,
Fidaa Abuassi
Very well put! And I sincerely hope that activists from around the world don’t come to Gaza to “free the women” from conservatism! Domestic abuse, yes! Save all women from that, but hijab and abayat are not abuse and it is ethnocentric for an outsider to think that. I also hope that girls in Gaza feel a need to appear more western to appeal to the outside world! I think having a strong voice (like you, ma shaa Allah) and being educated will encourage them to help you more. I promise!
I just found your blog and you already brought together so many issues that fascinate me: feminism, Arab culture, Gaza, and bizarre laws created by the government.. I really don’t understand the bike thing. Is it seen as sexy to ride a bike? Or is it a safety concern like the motorcycle law?
Dear 48Refugee,
Thank you for your comment. I totally agree with every single word you mentioned. Women should get their voice heard around the globe by being themselves. As for the bike thing, because it’s not quite familiar for the people in Gaza to see a lady riding a bike; they are not accustomed to seeing this, this woman -whom I was talking about- took the initiative to be the first female in Gaza to ride a bike as though it were a big deal. She was met with much criticism so she started writing about this experience depicting Gaza in a way that shows we are objectifying women and women aren’t given their full rights. So I was saying that if you really want to stand up for women’s rights, please look for much more worthy rights to talk about. Got me, dear?
It’s my pleasure having you hear.
Wish you the best.
Greetings,
Fidaa Abuassi
hello..i love your articles..i can feel each message in my heart..thank you..you are very brave and strong..there is women empowerment!!! God bless you..
Dear Junnah,
Thanks for your reading. It’s my pleasure. God bless you, too.
i like it, i think we have many problems to be solved, one of the most thing is the ppl who talk with international they are not reflecting our real culture and our real life.
For sorry all of young educated youth are seeking for media attention and Visa to eur country
Best of luck Fidaa i think we should meet and discuss many points i you wouldn’t mind
Hello Mr. Mohammad,
It pleases me seeing a comment from you. This means a lot to me. I thank you very much for your time.
Alright, I am ready to meet up with you any time you want to discuss some issues. and No I don’t mind. It would be my pleasure. Let’s agree on a meeting. Feel free to gmail me at: fidaa.abuassi@gmail.com. Looking forward to meeting you.
Kindest Regards,
Fidaa Abuassi
Hola, I am a internationalist soon to go to volunteer in Palestine, ad this article discourages me…
I respect your culture, and I love palestine, but the fight for freedom is not only afreedom “outside” but also a freedom “inside”.
You, for example hide in your room so you don’t have to wash dishes on your own and be the waitress. Wouldn’t you like en to share house tasks so you didn’t have to hide? I guess that’s a “trivial right”…
Of course the main problem is occupation, but it has been going during 63 years… Would’t you like to improve your life in the daily things before your life is over?
I don’t see why riding a bike or winning the right to wear jeans is a bad thing? Why having more rights is a bad thing?
This was harsh on female volunteers. They give up a lot to fight for Palestinian people to be free, wheather you realize it or not.
I feel sad
Dear Laurie,
Hope this finds you in the best of your health and spirit. I’d like to thank you for reading my pieces in my blog. I am also glad to hear that you are coming soon to Palestine. However, I am so sorry that my article discourages you. There must be some kinda misunderstanding. You said you respect our culture and this is the message, dear. I was directly addressing some specific internationals whom I met in Gaza and they have this agenda of changing our culture under the pretext of helping us, liberating us and modernizing us.
As for the example you mentioned, that article I wrote about Gaza was funny. I didn’t mean it literally that I was hiding and escaping as though there was sth disgraceful to do or that I was oppressed. I am just lazy and I hate doing the washing-up or any house tasks. Traditionally, girls help their mums when they have guests and I guess this is a universally known fact. Girls help their mums. Normal, right? Also, Having lazy girls who don’t help mums is also normal.
“Of course the main problem is occupation, but it has been going during 63 years… Would’t you like to improve your life in the daily things before your life is over?”
Of course I’d like. If I want to, I should look for other important things, things that matter. and I wasn’t saying that smoking, riding a bike or winning any other right is a bad thing. NO NOT AT ALL. I meant why those girls make much ado about such things when they want to do something. They could’ve smoked without fighting cuz women in Gaza can smoke despite the fact that it’s not accepted according to the traditional norms. Also wearing jeans ain’t that big deal. I myself wear jeans and Gaza has no problem in that except those who consider Jelbab is a must for Muslim women. Come to Gaza and see how many wear Jeans freely. Why calling for a right which is already available to you.
and Don’t be sad please. Come to Gaza and you will be my guest in my room. I am now in Paris and I will be back in three weeks. If you need any help I will be there for you. Cool?
Greetings,
Fidaa Abuassi
I wonder if the extremists that killed Vic thought he was “too liberal”, “too western” and alienating typical Palestinian culture… :/
Well do you indicate that I am extremist, for I think that those girls are too liberal? What has this to do with Vik, though? Vik used to always like our culture, respect us, celebrate our traditions. He was us wholeheartedly. Vik was a role model for all the internationals. He’s a real brother and a dear friend to Gaza. Vik’s death is a LOSS for us all. Those extremists aren’t Palestinians and yet they are traitors to Palestine.
Being a Canadian and living in Canada all my life..I hope you realize that women like you are admired here because of your courage.
We do not avoid you..even though the media does. Then again we know who owns the “main stream” and that it speaks for the rich and powerful. Please remember even though we live in “first world” countries we carry people like you in our hearts as the real heroes ..not the obscene heroes manufactured by the media like Sarah Palin and Paris Hilton.
Please keep up the good work..many of wish you the best…
Dear Mr. Romani,
Thank you for writing this. It means a lot to me. I loved your words which gave me much hope.
I thank you, once again, for your sweet words.
My greetings from Gaza to Canda,
Fidaa Abuassi
It takes a lot of courage to speak the truth. Thank you sis for this article. As long as woman like you are there, it gives everyone hope that our society won’t be brain washed by secularist ideologies that has no moral value. Secularist ideologies are derived from Darwinism, or Darwinism was invented to give some strength to secularist.. one way or other the basic ideology of it: since there is no God that you have to care for, so DO THOU WILT. It drags us at the level of an animal, urges us to think like an animal and commands us to act like an animal. What does a monkey needs to be happy? You give the monkey good food (money), a good cage(home) and some partners ( premarital and extramarital relationships) and you get a happy monkey. And now there is Islam to deal with that breaks everything it stands for.
Islam urges us to spend for others, not just our selves. That we can’t do what we want as we have to face judgement for it. Islam urges us to respect woman, to give her just rights. Please note I used the word “just” but not “equal”. Since man and woman varies physically and psychologically and hence different roles in society and family. Can a father take a mother’s place? Can he give birth to a child? No! So Islam elevates the position of mother than father. Is it degrading woman? Or should the man now protest that God is not being fare?
Similarly as man and woman differ so should the customs and behaviors differ. Islam considers this difference and gives practical solutions to it. If we are to accept the western styles of clothing to get modern, would we also have to accept the high divorce rate, premarital sex, gay marriage and single parent families too as a mark of modernness? Things don’t happen by chance! Western society is feeble not by accident but by virtue of those very norms of their society.
So now when some so called activists comes in Gaza in order to “liberate” her “oppressive” woman all we would say, thank you very much, it is you who are in need of help. Gazan families despite all hardship still remains ever strong as a social institution. And because of this beautiful families that the society can still resist occupation. Indeed the heart of this families are the woman who takes care of every body without asking anything of herself. That is her greatness not her weakness. That uplifts her position, not degrades her. Of course, because of this very beauty of Muslim societies more Western woman are now accepting Islam. Are those woman brain washed by Hamas? I hope everyone commenting here knows Lauren Booth, a well known reverted Western journalist and Palestinian activist. Was she too brainwashed by Hamas that she is now wearing Islamic clothes!
I frankly believe such attempts to encourage woman to break the norms by certain medias are only another pathetic attempt to destabilize Palestine at her core. Indeed where ever Westerners went with their colonizing greed, they created a certain ultra class of society giving them their way of education (brain washing), money and many privileges, making them as Uncle Sam to whom all others would look up to. It happened with the blacks in USA, it happened in the subcontinent during the British occupation and now they are trying that with Gaza. But as long as educated persons like our sister Fidaa is here to resist, things won’t be the way they want them to be.
A note on Hamas: Hamas emerged as a resistance group. Not a group of educators of Islam. So of course I won’t give my blind support to them. For instance, as being a medical student I know Hukkah is far worse than smoking and can do more damage. So both man and woman shouldn’t take it, not because of a male dominance fanatic zeal. Those who talk about costumes, what costume should we agree upon which would be modest. That we see in the beaches of Florida!!! But many Americans indeed consider even that to be modest! See if you don’t let God be the judge, you would be lost. As He with all His wisdom knows how we would function.
I believe we all need education once in a while to make our conducts in the right perspective. But I do respect Hamas for their courage to stand up against the greatest oppressor of human history. And I do support anyone who stands up against the Zionist regime.
It was really sad to see some really ill witted comments here. But as sis Fidaa puts it, “You can bring a donkey to the well, but can’t make it drink water!” So I feel sad for you those who don’t see the bigger picture. May Allah forgive us and make our conducts better. Viva Palestine
Oh, M7md! Your comment was the best long comment I have ever read on my blog! I enjoyed reading every single word you wrote. I totally agree with you! You have no idea how much I needed such a comment to back me up in my argument back then…. I do believe it should be published along with my article. I am thinking of having a book which includes all my articles. I’ll make sure I include your comment as well. Thank you! You made my Eid.
WoW !!