Posted on 07/01/2015 1:33:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Latinos are one of the fastest growing groups in the Muslim religion. The Pew Research Center says about six percent of American Muslims are Latino. And women make up a little more than half of the new converts -- the people who have changed their religion to Islam.
On a recent Friday, men listened to their imam at Masjid Miami Gardens in Miami, Florida. This clergyman spoke about forgiveness.
On the upper level of the Gardens, the women watch through glass. They hear the imam through a monitoring system.
This is the world that Greisa Torres entered four years ago. That is when she arrived in Miami from Cuba. She says she lost her identify in the move – and found it in the Prophet Muhammad.
Ms. Torres converted to Islam while pregnant with her second son.
“It’s very hard for me because we don’t have family here, just my husband and my kids. On this day, my baby, my Mahdi Aparicio, this day he was born. That’s why I convert to Islam, because I’m scared.”
Some estimates say there are 3,000 Hispanic Muslims in the Miami area and more than 40,000 nationwide.
Stephanie Londono received a master’s degree from Florida International University. She published a study about religious conversions by Latinas, women of Hispanic ancestry.
Ms. Londono says some women turn to Islam because they reject Western values. They believe success in the West is measured by careers, education or wealth.
These women feel more at ease with the traditional expectations of women in Muslim society. They feel that what some consider less freedom in this way of life is something good or a benefit.
Ms. Londono says they like clear definitions between “halal”, meaning acceptable, and “haram”, which means unacceptable.
“So they know exactly where they stand. So the Koran happens to become this book that is almost like a guidebook, that tells you exactly how to wear, what to wear, when to wash, what to eat, how to behave, when to pray…”
Less traditional Muslim women may avoid the hijab. But Latinas are happy to wear this head covering. Ms. Londono says they purposely speak Spanish while their heads are covered to show they represent Islam.
“When the people see you with the hijab, they respect you. It’s emotion you feel because you are different.”
Being seen in public in a hijab breaks traditional images that all Arabs are Muslims and all Hispanics are Catholic.
Ms. Torres also discovered similarities in the cultures as she changed religion. For example, 4,000 Spanish language words have roots in Arabic. This is because Moors – Arabs -- occupied Spain in the Middle Ages.
Greisa Torres finds this useful. Some of what she is learning about Islam is taught in Arabic.
I’m Bob Doughty.
*This report was based on a story from VOA’s Carolyn Presutti. Jeri Watson wrote the story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
_______________________________________________________________
Words in this Story
monitor - n. a device for observing, listening, inspecting
monitoring - v. the action of observing, listening, inspecting
benefit - n. advantage or profit; something good
Koran - n. the Islamic sacred book, believed to be the word of God as given to the Prophet Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel and written down in Arabic
hijab - n. the traditional head covering of Muslim women
convert - v. changing one’s beliefs or religion
conversions - n. the act or instance of converting or the process of being converted
“Ms. Londono says some women turn to Islam because they reject Western values. They believe success in the West is measured by careers, education or wealth.”
Perhaps she could move to the middle east then to get a full dose of THEIR values.
That’s if she lives through it.
Islam for Women.
Come for the stifling burquas, stay for the genital mutilation.
I have spent a lot of time working closely with both Mexican and Puerto Rican women.
I see four deal breakers here (for starters) -
First - No alcohol.
Second - No pork.
Third - No dancing.
Fourth - (How to put this delicately?) Has anyone told them about the “circumcisions” yet?
Some people simply treat religion as a superstition.
Sheep, breeding sheep.
If she was scared, why did the family come here in the first place?
Why is a government controlled news outlet,VOA,the source for this lopsided phew poll story ?
It is heartbreaking that these women would turn their backs on the Savior to worship a pedophile. How do they ignore that? Or perhaps it’s what their converted husbands are forcing them to do?
Why is a government controlled news outlet,VOA,the source for this lopsided phew poll story ? One thing for sure through Francis the Catholics have done a terrible job of assailing its theology.
You made a good point. One the Left proficiently exploits.
http://www.muslimpopulation.com/America/ uses figures from Wikipedia so it's a plus or minus mystery. But the population of Muslims in the U.S. is listed at less than 3%.
Women.
“”“So they know exactly where they stand. So the Koran happens to become this book that is almost like a guidebook, that tells you exactly how to wear, what to wear, when to wash, what to eat, how to behave, when to pray…”
Less traditional Muslim women may avoid the hijab. But Latinas are happy to wear this head covering. Ms. Londono says they purposely speak Spanish while their heads are covered to show they represent Islam.
“When the people see you with the hijab, they respect you. It’s emotion you feel because you are different.”””
They do it for money.
What money?
Good Grief!
Quigleys observations have been proven remarkably correct. There’s a bad moon on the rise...
When I lived near the Mexican border, I heard many stories about wife-beating being prevalent there, so converting to Islam won’t be such a switch for many Mexican women.
A misguided overreaction to the liberalization of Christianity.
Don’t they like their clitoris?
“When the people see you with the hijab, they respect you. It’s emotion you feel because you are different.”
***
No, honey, they don’t; they think you are unintelligent and easily led.
The woman featured here came from communist Cuba, so I doubt she had received much training in Christian beliefs.
***
Her identify?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.