Stay Artistic

When a Muslim parent or a friend reaches out to me asking about how to speak about a sensitive topic like Sex, and gender to their kids, I humbly ask them to seek a scholar, an author scholar -to be specific- for insights.

I personally believe that an author scholar is the best category that can speak to this topic with no societal harm.

A scholar, because respectful scholars will stand as firm and steady as mountains when it comes to highlighting religious boundaries and Islamic etiquette and ethics.

And an author, because no one gets mad at authors for their opinions. People have opinions. Authors have persuasive opinions, and they are like stager hunters.

Authors are people of letters. Moving hearts is their god-gifted talent. Authors are linguistically strong and emotionally hypersensitive. A gifted author is like a stager hunter.Well versed authors will beautifully craft their words around your mind, capture your heart, then your soul will fell into their intellectual web. So, you will unwillingly reiterate their words and copy their style. You will unintentionally be illuded to think that those were initially your words, those were your thoughts, but they weren’t. 🙂

Like magic, talented authors will utter what they utter, and no matter to what degree you agree or disagree, the words will fall upon your heart like the endearing dew on leaves on a breezy morning. You will hear it and it will be OK. It will go just fine.

Through my readings , I learned that there is a significant difference between people of knowledge and transmitters of knowledge. As a transmitter of knowledge myself, I learned more about this topic from the Torah and the Bible than I learned from the Quran.

The Quranic story about People of different sexual tendencies is mentioned all over the Holy scripture and scattered. Not in one single chapter. Someone needs to be linguistically capable and act like a conscientious reader and read the Quran many times to be able to identify the story of Prophet Lot and his people properly.

The Quran referred to the people of different sexual practices as the people of Lot. 

I believe that the Quranic methodology follows a high standard approach in this regard to teach us as Muslims to use the same analogy when approaching folks we highly disagree with. The Quranic story identified Prophet’s Lot people as the People of Lot and linked their story with a highly respected holy figure.

Also, I noticed that The Quran, unlike other holy scriptures, didn’t refer in details to the ethnicity of the people of Lot or where they were located, so it will never come to someone’s mind that some people from a spicific area practice this or that.

I felt like the Quranic story imposes a unique way of how to refer to others -we disagree with- in a humane and respectful manner. You should never refer to people with where they come from, but you refer to people with their own actions. What they do, not where they are from. 

Also, the Quran indicated a verse where Prophet Lot was reaching out to his people asking them to marry his daughters.

“O my people, these are my daughters, they are purer for you. So fear Allah…” (Quran 12:78)

Let’s reflect on how Prophet Lot started his statement saying, “Oh, my people”. He didn’t distance himself when offering his advice. Like a high-mannered Prophet of God, he was humble, kind, and patient.

Prophet Lot’s way implicitely indicated that Prophet Lot was humble, patient, confident, brave, respectful, and lived in coexistence with his people as they let him preach safely amongst them and the Prophet felt confident enough to ask them to marry his daughters. You can’t reach out to a stranger and offer your daughter to marry him. This verse specifically speaks volumes of how Prophet Lot was reputable, trusted, and well respected in his community despite all differences and disagreements. He wasn’t preaching in his bubble.

And when you follow thoroughly along with the story, you will come to a conclusion that Prophet Lot only left the village when he was divinely instructed and after it became impossible for him to continue his preaching or daily life activities with evil people from this community confronting him, sieging his house and turning his wife against him.

We can simply conclude that we deal differently with people from the same group according to how each individual reaches out to us and how individuals deal with us.

Lately, sister Faisa from Global Perinatal Services reached out to me with an invitation to her study group where we brainstormed and discussed the topic.

I’m glad she was able to phrase things beautiful and firm. Beautifully firm. 

I’m glad that someone from my community, will provide education, offer services and beneficial knowledge to raise awareness while keeping the virtue of mutual respect.

Sister Faisa is the Founder of Global Perinatal Services. A nonprofit organization that provides community based doula services that will educate, respect and empower Black, refugee and immigrant women and their families during pregnancy, birth and into early parenting.

Global Perinatal Services hosts workshops. Watch Faisa’s Farole presentation here,

Feel free to check Global Prenatal Services here

https://www.globalperinatal.org/

Kudos, sister Faisa! We are so proud of you!