Get Inspired

I really appreciate people who give back as humanitarians or just by being productive members of society. I think that giving back to others is such great charity and charity is so important in our magnificent Deen of Islam. Masha'Allah, in the Middle-East, one superb example of true inner beauty, intelligence, and philanthropic efforts is the remarkable, H.H Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser al-Missned, wife of, and consort to, the Emir of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Her Highness greatly values education and has done so much to stress the importance of having education made available to everyone.

According to her website, http://www.mozahbintnasser.qa/output/page2.asp:

"As Consort, Her Highness' roles are many and varied, and extend beyond domestic borders. She is a social activist and the driving force behind a host of innovative and ground breaking programs in Qatar, the region and the world.

A public figure with significant responsibilities, Her Highness shares the Emir's vision to make Qatar a prosperous, developed and sustainable society. She has been instrumental in setting up centers of excellence to enhance opportunities for the people of Qatar and to build the nation's resources in regard to education, science, community development, health and other areas. She is also actively involved in preserving and protecting Qatar's cultural heritage..

Her Highness' commitment to progressive education and community welfare in Qatar and her strong advocacy for closer relations between the Islamic world and the West have earned her the respect of numerous international groups. Her most recent award is the Prize of the Royal Institute for International Affairs from Chatham House, a world renowned British think tank that focuses on contemporary global affairs. Her Highness is the first Arab and the first woman to be awarded the Prize.

An international leader, Her Highness currently serves as UNESCO's Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education. In this role, she promotes literacy in the Arab world and Asia. She is also developing a proposal to put before the UN Security Council to declare schools a safe haven in regions where there is instability and conflict, and to establish an international tribunal to prosecute crimes against education.

On the 7th of October 2009, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned delivered a speech at the 35th session of UNESCO's general conference in Paris emphasizing the importance of quality education in shaping a peaceful world. Her Highness noted in her address that the right to education amounts to the right to live stressing that quality education prepares children, teenagers and young men to face life armed with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills enabling them to adapt to all the changes and pressures regardless of their causes.

Her Highness is also a member of the High Level Group of the UN Alliance of Civilizations which was established to assess the forces that contribute to extremism and recommend collective action to counter those forces. As part of this effort, she has proposed groundbreaking initiatives to create a region-wide youth employment program and to promote media literacy to counter the under-representation of Islam and Arabs. Her Highness has also proposed a youth mobilisation movement for Muslim youth to focus on West/Islam cross-cultural understanding.

In all aspects of her work, Her Highness is guided by her faith in Islam, her dedication to the Emir's vision for the future, a deep respect for traditional values, and a commitment to the highest possible standards."

To learn more about H.H. Sheikha Mozah, you should definitely visit her website. She's truly an inspiring individual and an amazing role model for young women and everyone really, to aspire to be like. In addition to all of her efforts, H.H. Sheikha Mozah has great style! She always looks very elegant and poised while remaining modest. She has landed on many best-dressed lists, and it's pretty clear why. Enjoy the pix!

'Freej' for All

How cute! According to the LA Times, the hit Emirati cartoon about four sittat living in the old city neighborhood outside of Dubai is on its way to going global! Producers are working on getting the popular show syndicated. 'Freej' showcases four unique and super traditional grandmothers living in their ever-developing surroundings while remaining true to themselves. The characters showcased are Um Saeed, the oldest of the clique who plays hostess to their coffee dates. Um Allawi is the cultured and super tech-savvy one, who can be found on her laptop most days checking out the latest trends in modern technology. Then there are the two complete opposites, Um Saloom and Um Khammas. Um Saloom is very conservative, and soft-spoken, and goes along with whatever the others are doing. Whereas, Um Khammas seizes the day and is forward-looking and defiant. She is a divorcee who has been married three times, she runs her very own business, and even has a band!

With the characters, their daily life situations and the environment they live in, the show paints a great image of the past and present brought together. It shows a glimpse of the Emirates that most people aren't familiar with and entertains with humor. Producers hope that 'Freej' will be enjoyed by audiences worldwide.
Here's a clip from the show, what do you think of it? Enjoy!


-Princess

Getting to Know You

"I think that cultural awareness is so important in societies all over the world. In order to be able to accept our differences, we must be able to understand these differences."
-Princess (Me) ;)

I remember when I was in Kindergarten, I was about five years old and it was time for lunch. I sat with one of my classmates and took out my lunch box. In it, wrapped in aluminum foil, was my sandwich of warak 3nayb (grape leaves) stuffed into a pita bread, which my Mama (Allah yrhamha) would wrap up for me quite frequently cuz it was my favorite. My classmate took one look at my sandwich and said, "EW! What is that?!" Quite frankly, I don't remember how I felt or how I reacted to her comment but I do know that I remembered thinking, "Hey, what's wrong with warak 3nayb?"

Fast-forward to about a week ago on April 23, when I was watching Oprah and she's doing an interview with one of my all-time favorite role model, Queen Rania of Jordan. The interview was amazing as usual for Queen Rania, she's so well-spoken, poised and elegant, Masha'Allah. I would have loved to share the interview with all of you, but it's not available online. You can read about it on Oprah's website: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Queen-Rania-of-Jordan/1

So, in this interview, Queen Rania promotes education and talks about her great new children's book, 'The Sandwich Swap,' where she shares a very similar story to mine, but with a twist. This book is great in promoting cultural awareness and understanding, especially starting at a young age, because this is a children's book. I think it's a must have for anyone, with younger siblings, parents, teachers and anyone really.

Check out this interview with Queen Rania on ABC, where she discusses the book's summary and concept. Enjoy!

-Princess

Home-Maid

Ok so, in the Middle-East, maids are very commonplace. Anyone from the paupers to the wealthy and everyone in between could employ them, and some people do and others don't. Having a maid is by no means some sort of status symbol. Ultimately it's a personal decision and the choice of the family looking to employ one. Everyone has a different situation though, so basing one's decision on other people's experiences may not always work.

I've heard stories of families choosing not to have a maid because they like taking care of their own house and family, they feel uncomfortable with a stranger in their home, there is no need for one, etc. etc. the list goes on and on. I've also heard of varying experiences that families have had who have chosen to employ a maid. Everything from firing the maid because the woman of the household felt her to be a threat to her marriage to having the most amazing maid that she has become part of the family!

There's this new book that's out now called "An Unsolicited Gift," by psychiatrist Dr. Dennis Friedman and it claims that boys who are raised by maids or nannies will grow up to be womanizers! The reason behind this theory is based on the idea that the child will get used to the fact that two women are taking care of him; one woman is his mother, the one he admires and respects and the other is the one who takes care of all the physical things, prepares meals, cleans the house, does the laundry and other chores. Having grown up in an environment where he has seen that it takes more than one woman to take care of him, the son, now a married adult, may seek out another woman, outside his marriage. Dr. Friedman also mentions that when a girl is raised with a nanny, a "cascade of need" is created where some females might later fill in with detrimental relationships, drugs and alcohol. Why the negativity?? Can't they fill this need with things that are fulfilling and proactive? Dr. Friedman's does, however, say that it would be "safe" to get hired help after the first year.

In Islam, cheating on a spouse is haram and forbidden. So as not to form an illicit relationship, among other reasons, a man is allowed to marry up to four wives, so long as he is able to treat all of them fairly and equally and is able to support all of them financially as well. And of course, pre-marital relationships, alcohol and drugs are all forbiddenn as well. So, I guess the most important thing to note is having a stable familial base and teaching strong moral values might be what effects a child the most.

Maid or no maid, Insha'Allah our children, brothers, sisters, cousins, all grow up to be intelligent, stable-minded, rational adults who are able to make the right decisions in life. Ameen!

Photography Through the Eyes of Saudi Arabian Women

I wanted to share this with you guys because I'm a big fan of photography. It's such a great way to express yourself and convey emotions and thoughts without using any words. It's just beautiful. Anyhow, there was an exhibition held in Saudi Arabia put together by photographer, Rania Abdelrazek. The exhibit, entitled, "Photography Through the Eyes of Saudi Arabian Women," showcased photography by 30 amateur and professional photographers, including creator, Abdelrazek; the exhibit was also a platform to debut her first book with the same title.

The photographs are quite poignant, personal and really breathtaking. Here is a peak at some of the photographs featured. BBC World did an online slideshow of some of the pictures, so if you want to see more, you can visit their website HERE

And, if you would like to read more about Rania Abdelrazek, you can visit her website HERE