Muslims' America - Women in Islam

There's no sensationalism in just saying, 'Oh, look at this Muslim. Look! She's going out and feeding the homeless,'" says Khadijah Rivera and Jill Mraida of Tampa. "We're not getting that message out."

Until now.

VOA's "Muslims' America" heads to Florida to find out how women are reaching out to help not only their sisters in Islam, but also their community at large as well as people of other faiths.

Piedad (http://hispanicmuslims.com/piedad/) began as a support group for Spanish-speaking converts to Islam. But the group's mission soon expanded to accommodate all Muslim women, and then the entire community, regardless of faith.

Khadijah Rivera is one of the bonding forces behind Piedad, she's not just a social activist, community worker but is also a mother. And when she's done teaching at a local school in Tampa bay, she teaches English to Burmese immigrant children.

Khadijah says, "When you are helping the needy for food, clothing or shelter, then faith, does not matter, we are all children of God".

"When you first come to Islam, you are leaving one world behind, but you're not fully comfortable in the new world yet," says Jill Mraida who is also trying to maintain balance between her faith and her obligations as a community worker and a mother.

Imran Siddiqui visits with the women of Piedad to learn about their experiences as Muslims, as mothers, and as Americans.

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Summary Text by Gary Butterworth
VOA News Urdu service
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Alot of the credit for this story goes to Sherri Day from SP Times, without her this story would not have been possible - Here is why:
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/09/Hillsborough/America_s_Muslim_popu.shtml

Islam and Allah/God

Islam's fundamental belief is the Unity of God. All other beliefs hang on this belief. Therefore the acknowledgment and 'bearing witness' of this is the key to the Muslim faith. Unless this is observed one cannot be a Muslim. A Muslim understands that Allah is the only God, and only Master, only Lord, Creator of all that exists and is the Ruler over all alone with no partner and can handle it with ease. Allah is One; He is Unique, His not like any creation, He is not the father of any one, nor He has or had any father. He is Almighty and Self-Sustaining. He is there forever, and will be there forever, Muslim believes everything that exists in the universe obeys God.

Allah: Allah is the proper name in Arabic for The One and Only God, The Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It is used by the Arab Christians and Jews for the God (Eloh-im in Hebrew; Allaha in Aramaic, the mother tongue of Jesus, pbuh). The word Allah does not have a plural or gender. Allah does not have any associate or partner, and He does not beget nor was He begotten.

http://islamandthemoslimworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/islam-and-allah.html