Who I am...and am not

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu everyone!

Yes, I know, it's been like three months since I've blogged. At this point I'm hoping that my readers aren't expecting a weekly update from me. I want my posts to be interesting and insightful, and unfortunately I'm not creative or thoughtful enough to pump something out as often as I'd like. Blah. :(

Anyways, as a sociology major, I think a lot about identity issues that people have. Humans naturally like to put things in categories, and identity (or categorizing ourselves) is essential to who we are; if we didn't have them, then a huge part of our humanity would be lost. I often think about what exactly I identify as. I think it's very important to know who you are, and who you're not, so that you can have peace of mind and not be easily swayed into things that just don't fit you.

WHO I AM

-I am a Muslim. I believe in "La ilaha illa ALLAH, Muhammadur rasul ALLAH". I have a lot (and I mean a lot) of work to do in becoming the best Muslim that I can be, but for now I follow the five pillars, observe hijab, eat halal, and try to increase my Islamic knowledge, especially of the Qur'an.

-I am not a Qur'an-alone Muslim, but I believe that the Qur'an should be the first and foremost guide to my life. The hadiths and sunnah are obviously important too and should also be followed, but to me nothing trumps the Qur'an, a truly amazing Book. (Nikki from "Striving to be the Best Me" came up with a great term: "Qur'an-First Muslim").

-I am American. I do not agree with many things that the American government does, but I am extremely happy to be living here and would honestly not want to live anywhere else (except maybe Canada). And yes, to all the haters out there (on both sides), it is possible to be Muslim and American.

-I am white. My people have a long, long history of doing some awful things to people of color, which I'm definitely not proud of. I know that I have A LOT of privilege as a white person that so many other people don't have. But I can't change my skin color and ethnic heritage, so I am happy with the skin I'm in (as everyone should be), and Insha'Allah being aware of my "white privilege" will help me work to make sure that it stops being a privilege to have white skin.

-I like rude, crude, politically incorrect humor. I think fart and poop jokes are freaking hilarious. Shows like "The Boondocks" and "American Dad" are my favorites.

-I am a sociology major and a religion minor. It wasn't until college that I realized just how much I love these subjects. Insha'Allah I want to spend the rest of my life learning them.

-My favorite sociology/religion topic is the sociology of Hasidic/Haredi Jews. I have been fascinated with Judaism, especially Orthodox Judaism, for years, and I am always thirsty for more knowledge about the lives and customs of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Insha'Allah I'm going to grad school next year for a sociology Ph.D, and I am seriously considering focusing my research on the Chabad Lubavitch movement or Satmar Hasidim in Brooklyn and Kiryas Joel, New York.

-I am an extremely loyal friend, and I would, seriously, do anything (halal) for them.

WHO I AM NOT

-I am not Arab, Desi, black, or southeast Asian. I am a white American, and I am not giving up my culture, name, or anything else Islam doesn't ask me to. I am perfectly happy with who I am now, and I will not change myself to fit into a new culture because this culture is supposedly "more Islamic".

-I am NOT a piece of candy, a pearl, jewels, or any inanimate object. Women are human beings, not things, and it makes me so angry to see supposedly "Islamic" advertisements that compare women to precious jewels (or even worse, women who don't wear hijab as unwrapped candy or whores that are for sure going to hell). It's incredibly disrespectful to compare women to objects, and it goes against the whole idea that these people are trying to promote (that women should be respected).

-I am not a better Muslim because I happen to wear a khimar and jilbab. It's just something I chose to do because I believe it's what ALLAH said in the Qur'an. It does not make me more pious, more modest, or a better person. Period.

-I am not a "feminazi", but I am also not one who will let a man push me around. When I get married Insha'Allah, I will follow the Qur'anic verse that says that we are garments for one another, and I expect my husband to do the same. I will treat him with the respect he deserves, and he must give me the respect I deserve. None of this whole "you must do EVERYTHING your husband says without question even if he is hurtful or violent" nonsense. If he's a jerk, doesn't give me my rights, or is abusive, I'm outta there.

So there. :)