As some of you know, I’ve started vlogging lately! It’s been a complete joy, and I’m thrilled about this new adventure of mine!
Here’s my latest one. I’ll probably post a script of this in a couple days as well, but captions are available (they’re originally automatic and I’ve corrected them). If I still speak too fast for you to follow, I apologize! I was trying very hard to speak more slowly in this one. But you can adjust the speed for yourself by clicking “settings” on the video, then playback speed, and change it as you need, as it’s automatically set to Normal.
The rest of the videos are available here.
In this video, I discuss sexist double standards and hypocrisies in our Muslim community, which celebrates actor Ramy of “Ramy” and thinks of him as some kind of a role model for the youth – despite the role he plays in “Ramy” – while in the same breath attacking Muslim women for doing basic things like, you know, existing and having opinions. I say rewarding men like Ramy is also related to rewarding known abusers and sexual predators like Nouman Ali Khan and Tariq Ramadan.
EDIT: In my sacred rage about the whole thing, I totes forgot to add a very important thing: the mosque named here ended up NOT inviting him because parents weren’t accepting it (legitimately so). To me, whether or not the event took place isn’t very relevant; the bigger issue is that any mosque in the universe can think this is acceptable in the first place!
Freedom from the Forbidden 
Great point. I haven’t watched the show but your points are well taken. The Muslim men’s club is extremely hypocritical and displays a clear double standard. What male Muslim scholars have still not realised is that their propagation of Islam, rooted as it is in the context of 10th century social norms and ideals, will be responsible for a mass exodus of the faithful toward agnosticism or atheism. This is because the new gen Muslims brought up with (modern?) values of human rights will see this version of Islam as outdated; sexist, patriarchal, misogynistic, parochial, unjust, exclusive, barbaric. It is ironic that this is the very description of Jahiliya that the Qur’an and the messenger (pbuh) fight against. Male Muslim scholars have long suppressed women’s voices and legitimized patriarchy through our sacred texts. It is up to our female scholars now to provide pushback. The Qur’an was after all, not just sent down for men, but for all humanity. Nowhere does it claim a male scholar is above a female scholar. What is needed is a female scholar’s league – in unity lies strength. If American Muslim women scholars can get together to put aside their doctrinal differences, this could be a huge step forward for the Muslim world – a jihad of sorts – to bring inclusion back into how religion is perceived and practiced. Are there any such organisations abroad? If not, it’s time to start one.
The issues of how Hollywood and the media treats Muslims is a whole separate debate. I don’t think we can really expect western media models run by heads with a clear (documented) bias against Muslims to tell stories any other than those which confuse Muslim identity even further. The entire narrative seems to be focused on dividing western Muslims into two camps: the reluctant fundamentalist (re: Mohsin Hamid) or a western apologist shorn of all Muslim identity and morals (for eg: Zayn Malik). The Male led Muslim world, meanwhile, debates why Muslim women must wear abayas to protect their men from fitna. This lack of awareness and intellectual activity is mind-boggling.
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