my very own khutba!

[Itrath Syed]

salaam all,

just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.

i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.

itrath

[Joyce Lionarons]

Salaam Itrath,

What a horrible experience -- I feel for you deeply. Please forge right
on ahead, explaining and explaining how equal civil rights for all can
only protect Muslims. Insha'Allah some of the Muslims from your mosque
will listen to you, and non-Muslim Canadians will hear as well. You are
doing good work. I wish I were Canadian and could vote for you!

Joyce, aka Jameelah

Post by Itrath Syed
salaam all,
just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.
i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.
itrath
_______________________________________________
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list
http://ganymede.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

[Charmi Miller]

dear sister itrath,

the person who gave that khutba did a wrong thing. the khutba should
never, in my opinion, be used for denigration or public humiliation of
anyone for any reason whatsoever. i am very, very sorry that happened
to you, within a muslim community, and within a congregation gathered
for worship.

you must try, however possible, to let go of us as much suffering as
that thoughtless person inflicted on you as you can, and realize that
you are not the only one who will suffer - that entire congregation is
suffering teachings by one who has chosen to use his position wrongly.

it is easy to be innocent to the extremes other people will go to to
cause harm in selfish ways. there are many beneficial ways for people
to express disagreement with someone else, and public humiliation, or
hate mail, are not among those ways. i hope that you are safe, and i
hope that your parents' long relationship with this community allows
those people who know what community means to come forward and offer
their support.

good works, with good intention, eventually will bring good back to you.

charmi

[Tiffany Gallaher]

Itrath,

I am so sorry that this horrible thing happened to you today. Coming from a
Christian heritage I have seen nastiness like this taking place in churches
as well. People get so wrapped up in their own comfortable views that they
don't stop to think twice about issues or value the need for honest
dialogue. For some people I think it takes the reality check of coming face
to face with something personally affecting that is outside the boundaries
of one's comfort zone to instigate real reflection and that may not happen
to everyone. I believe God blesses those it happens to.

I am proud of you and what you're doing. What you are doing is right. God
loves everyone - including those of all sexual orientations and all the
people in your mosque. Civil rights is about that. You have a lot of support
in your work, even if you can't see all of us face to face right now, we are
still all here.

Tiffany
----- Original Message -----
From: "Itrath Syed" <***@shaw.ca>
To: "pmn" <***@progressivemuslims.com>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 4:42 PM
Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] my very own khutba!

Post by Itrath Syed
salaam all,
just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.
i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.
itrath
_______________________________________________
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list
http://ganymede.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

[Afdhere Jama]

salaam, itrath,

what they are doing is horrible. please don't let them discourage you from
the community. this community is as much yours as it is theirs. the local
mosque belongs to all. and you are right, the right of one minority is not
safe as long as another's right is violated. as martin luther king, jr.,
said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. so, stay strong.

i'm sure you know as a politician of good direction you will always face
road blocks. there are many people on your side in your community, party
and outside.


Afdhere Jama
Editorial Director
HURIYAH Publications
PO BOX 423343
San Francisco, CA 94142
tel: [1] 415.517.0055
e-mail: ***@huriyahmag.com
website: http://www.huriyahmag.com

Reply-To: Muslim community debate and
Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] my very own khutba!
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 16:42:28 -0700
salaam all,
just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.
i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.
itrath
_______________________________________________
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list
http://ganymede.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

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[kas2eileen]

salaam Itrath, I am deeply shocked and hurting for you. Once again our
community shows ignorance and betrays its members. What are you going to do
besides leave the masjid? Eileen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Itrath Syed" <***@shaw.ca>
To: "pmn" <***@progressivemuslims.com>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 7:42 PM
Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] my very own khutba!

Post by Itrath Syed
salaam all,
just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.
i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.
itrath
_______________________________________________
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list
http://ganymede.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

[Dorenbeck-Werth]

Salaam Irath,

I am so sorry read about your experience.

You are so right when you say that the protection of a minority 'intimately
connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in Canada'...

The more I get invovled in HIV and Aids issues in Britain the more I get
bewildered about the amount of people who cannot or will not think further
then their nose

My thoughts and prayers tonight are for you and your parents.

Fi Amaan Allah.

Stay well, stay blessed

Rudi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Itrath Syed" <***@shaw.ca>
To: "pmn" <***@progressivemuslims.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 12:42 AM
Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] my very own khutba!

Post by Itrath Syed
salaam all,
just wanted to tell you all about my experience today at juma. as you know
i am running for election here for the ndp - a left wing social democratic
party. this riding has a large muslim community. today at juma, after
being disallowed to speak to the community as i had originally planned, i
had the experience of listening to an entire khutba dedicated to me,
explicating how the community should not support me. it seems my support
for equal civil rights in canada, which includes equal marriage legislation
that allows for same-sex marriage, puts me outside the muslim community.
i grew up in this community, my parents built this community, and today is
the last day that i will ever go to the local mosque. i can be flippant
about the complete stupidity of people who can't see that their own
protection as a minority community is intimately connected to the principle
of the protection of all people in canada. however, i must admit that i am
utterly devastated. this is excruciatingly painful and i have never in my
life felt more alone than i do today. i have been receiving hate mail and
the local muslim community paper is planning to print all of the letters
they received in the next issue. my parents are also being placed in the
middle of this and that is perhaps the worst part of it all.
itrath
_______________________________________________
ProgressiveMuslims mailing list
http://ganymede.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims