Finding Common Ground Part 9 – From Cornwall to Cairo

This weeks FCG blogger is Rachel from ‘Cornwall to Cairo’ – I was contacted by her recently and I was intrigued by her situation, especially as some of the frustrations she is currently going through are things that I have also battled with. While she persists and tries to overcome UK Immigration laws in order to be with her husband, I have chosen not to fight that battle and to have a central base from Dubai for now. She also explains the current laws on her blog for any of you who are interested in learning more about this.  If you have had similar experiences or would like to comment, please share below in the comment section.

Rachel and her husband on their wedding day

I am not just a Muslim – Reflections of a revert

How much does our religion define who we are? Recently I have found myself in situations where I have had to compromise my personal beliefs because of religious obligations or pressure. Should we blindly follow what we are told or expected to believe, or is there an allowance for self discovery and spiritual connections?

I am a woman
I am a wife
I am a daughter
I am a career oriented person
I am going to be a mother
I like to learn about other peoples beliefs
I love my family
I have better friendships with non-Muslims than with Muslims
I get on better with men than with women. They gossip less
I relate to Asian cultures more than the one I was born in to
I don’t fit the mold
I like to wear make up
I like to straighten my hair

But I am a Muslim. How many boxes must I tick to be accepted? And does it matter?

#whatmakesamuslim

Blog of the day (well two actually)

I am a huge advocate for women’s rights, especially in traditional communities, hence why I love these two blogs – today’s blog of the day is A Regular Indian Girl but I have added another blog to today’s favourites simply because this one was recommended to me by said Regular Indian Girl and I loved it! The Wandering Story Teller and  The Regular Indian Girl address issues head on, so be prepared for modern feminism with  cultural issues thrown in. If you want to hear from well spoken, frank and interesting women then I highly recommend these two bloggers. 

Finding Common Ground Part 8 Continued….

 

Q1. As a new Muslim what is the thing you like most about your faith and what is the thing you struggle most with?

 As a new Muslim I find the learning process to be the best part of my faith. Every little thing I learn has such a positive impact on my life and how I think about things; I can’t help but smile knowing every day that I made this choice and Allah chose me to be Muslim. I’ve also found that my self-esteem has went up a great deal since my conversion and I feel proud to show people and tell people that I am Muslim.

Blog of the day – The Indian Homemaker

Yes, I know – I have posted this blog on my page before and it is also featured in my inspired section – but I really love The Indian Homemaker!

Her posts are relevant, interesting, witty and emotive. She blogs about a huge range of issues that impact the modern woman, with a particular focus on cultural/traditional issues in India.

Finding Common Ground Part 7 – Highs and Lows with an Aussie Muslimah

Today I would like to share an interview from a very interesting and honest Muslimah from Australia. She has had her ups and downs throughout the last 10 years since her conversion – from not practicing, to the converts “high”, to divorce and re-marriage.

Personally, I don’t believe there is a single revert out there who hasn’t at some point doubted their decision or faltered in some way. Thank you to the sister who shared this story; inshAllah it will remind others, both born and revert Muslims, that it is OK not to be OK with your conversion. 

Finding Common Ground Part 6 – From Iraq to Islam

A rather unusual story was sent my way when I was contacted by a revert sister named Kristin. Formerly of the US Army and a revert to Islam, she was keen to tell her story of a  Muslimah ‘out of place’.  Read her bio and learn more about her story through her interview.

I was born and raised as a Christian. When I was 21 I joined the Army, and at 23 they sent me to Iraq. It was during my deployment that I was first introduced to Islam. From the minute that I heard the Adhan over the loud speaker I was fascinated.

Finding Common Ground Part 5 – with Hannah from “Converts Confessions”

Hot on the heels of my interview with Tasnia from “Muslimah’s pockets full of sunshine blog” ,  I have another treat in store for you! Hannah from “Converts Confessions” has been kind enough to answer my questions on how she balances life as a career woman and a revert Muslimah in the USA. You can read her full bio and witty blog here . I love her posts on funny questions she has been asked about Islam- we have all been there and can definitely relate to what she writes about. Enjoy the interview!