Faithful readers will notice, hopefully with a start, that the old me now adorns alexismcbride.com. I have relinquished the abaya and hijab, now attired in white dress and matching coat, waiting here in my Canadian closet. I guess I shall wear it on May 29, 2023, my eightieth birthday. It still fits. PHEW.
These emails shall tell the tale of the, shall we say, reversion to the former self. The emails exchanged between Computer Guru and Alexis McBride
He: Ok Alexis, front header picture has now been replaced for the British Museum one.. you have been warned..! Submarine muslim.. that’s a new one! C x
Me: Goodness. I thought this would happen after Ramadan, but it is okay. I will incorporate it into blog in a couple of days, I guess. Leave then guessing has been the motto of my entire life. Hahaha. I cannot wait to go and visit the blog and see the old me. The only problem? I look younger now than I did then and now I have to rewrite About Me. Hahaha Love to the two of you. Have a nice day Beryl, hope you got an extra dog biscuit.
That was the end of the emails – this started it all. I had emailed Computer Guru with ideas for a new format, possibly including a pod cast and some other changes, some will be revealed, others not.
Me: But in the meantime. Two weeks until the end of Ramadan and the major stuff will have to wait until then. But before, two things. I would like to substitute the photo of me looking like a Muslim for the old me. The photo taken in the British Museum. I am still going to be a Muslim but a submarine one. I am one but do not want to look like one – nor do I go near a mosque – more about that part on a future blog. If you can do it warn me ahead so I can do an explanation. I hope this is possible – I am sure it can be – oh talented guy.
Hope next part is possible as well. I would like you to take down the Stats ‘headline’ and put back up the Palestine stuff. But instead of writing Palestine – just do Free (with the Palestine flag). I do know that I wrote a different ‘entry’ to the Palestine heading before quoting the King Saud proclamation in the ‘banner’ – Is it retrievable or do I have to rewrite it?
I decided to write this short blog to explain what happened to the blog. More shall follow about the decision to become a submarine Muslim. It was actually a result of learning, in some detail, of the conditions in pre-Islamic times. I was aware, by reading the Quran of the practice of burying girl babies alive but never did I get a picture of the brutality of the situation that was widespread in Arabia before Mohammed (PBUH)
This from the Quran 16: 58-59
“And they ascribe daughters to God, glory be to Him, and for themselves (they would have) what they desire. And when a daughter is announced to one of them, his face becomes black and he is full of wrath. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that which is announced to him. Shall he keep it with disgrace or bury it (alive) in the dust? Now surely evil is what they judge.
Then again Quran 17: 31
And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We give them sustenance and yourselves (too); surely to kill them is a great wrong.
That was the status of women before the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). He arose as a leader that fundamentally and comprehensively changed the world.
Women for the very first time were valued, by Mohammed (PBUH), receiving his revelations by Allah (SWT). They are considered to be equal to men, both needed to complete a marriage, to be one under God. Both men and women were to dress modestly. But over time this has changed. Women are forced by men and, later other women, to dress in a certain ‘style’. But that ‘style’ earns them condemnation and attack in non-Muslim countries. Such was the treatment I received in Marin County, California, United States of America. The photograph that formerly graced this blog was taken in my apartment in Corte Madera. I fled to the UAE, dressing in hijab and abaya while there and in the early days of my return to Canada (also a non Muslim majority country). For many reasons, including solidarity with Iranian Muslim women, I abandoned my hijab and traditional ‘Muslim approved’ clothing, continuing to dress in a modest fashion. When in Saudi Arabia I again wore a head covering and abaya.
However, it seems to me, that the clothing that protected Muslim women in the Prophet’s time is now being used to oppress them.
Therefore, when in Canada, the world can see my white stylishly coifed hair. I just again glanced at my ‘front header’ photo. My hair was not white then. What happened? I guess I got older. Hahaha
That photo was taken on May 29, 2016. The celebration was held at the posh restaurant at the British Museum. My well earned cake and champagne shall be pictured. As well as another photo of me, looking more friendly. Not sure why the bald guy was pictured. I subsequently have learned he is a Muslim. Maybe he shaved his head for Umrah? No idea as I was not a Muslim at the time, that came later, October 20, 2020 to be exact.
Back to the topic at hand in the next blog: Arabia During the Dark Pre-Islamic Times. .
