Question for Muslim visitors to WDW

[CathrynRose]

I don't see how these issues are unique to Muslims. There are plenty of people who do not eat pork, do not drink, and don't enjoy getting wet on rides.

Im allergic to pork...dont really care to get wet, but I do like to drink!

 

[arminnie]

I've come across Muslims praying in the paths around the castle several times. Sometimes there's a little nook, and they have used it for their prayers.

 

[ajcolorado]

Many of the stricter Muslim sects are very against belly dancing - there are reports of older belly dancers being paid by Imams to publicly renounce belly dancing and veiling / covering.

I have a friend who is Turkish and Muslim and she can belly dance - she says that most of the women in Turkey can. It is just part of the culture but not something you would do in public. It is something for your husband only.

I have an American friend who has lived in Turkey for over 20 years and she too says that most of the women can belly dance. She attributes it to something of a harem mentality ingrained in the culture since the Ottoman Empire. I don't know.

When I was in Turkey, I saw a completely covered woman walking arms linked to a woman in a mini-skirt and high heels - probably her sister or a friend. That isn't an uncommon sight in the urban areas of Turkey.

My friend lived in the states all through her undergraduate and masters degrees. She dresses conservatively but in western styles - no scarves etc. Her father owns an industrial fan manufacturing company and he wants her - not her brother - to take over the business. My friend is serious about her beliefs - if she thought God required her to "cover", she would "cover". Interestingly enough, she says, "For the right man" she would cover.

 

[DawnCt1]

It's worth noting that the WDW Resort has played host to the Saudi Royal Family on many occasions.

They can also go to Bahrain, which allows many Saudi's to belly up to the bar.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Hi, I am from the UK. I am a teacher here of 7 and 8 year old kids and Christain by religion. 85% of the kids in our school are muslim so before I am flamed or judged I know quite a lot about the religion of Islam.

Point 1: They don't have to eat pork or drink alcohol at WDW so why is this an issue.

Point 2: Noone is forcing muslim women wearing burkas or jubbahs (headscarf) to go on wet rides, entirely up to them if they get wet. Again I don't think this is an issue.

Point 3: The idol is not religious so does this matter.

Orthodox muslims are not supposed to draw portraits, takes pictures or video or watch tv, they are not supposed to see images of anyone other than God.
Thankfully this is not an issue in our school.

Bottom line and before anyone starts I am not getting at the OP, I understand their interest and concern but noone is forcing anyone to go to WDW or do anything in particular whilst there. WHat I am saying is going to WDW is a choice and if it does not agree with someone's religion they should take a holiday elsewhere.

Great post.

Not sure why any of the issues that the OP mentions should be a problem for anyone, including muslims. Going to any vacation destination is a choice, and if someone objects to something that is/isn't there, then there are plenty of other places on this planet that may be more suitable.

 

[BensMom]

And then we have this story...leads me to question whether this dress code is a choice...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070224/wl_mideast_afp/iranjusticesocial

 

[KPeveler]

BensMom - Iran is the extreme. No, women there do not have a choice. It was like Afghanistan under the Taliban. However in other countries, such as Egypt, there is more freedom.

 

[Rneighh]

In many religions there are "no choices" for women, and even for men. But the difficulty in leaving the only life they have ever known is far too difficult. In many cases, they would be leaving their family and probably never get to see them again.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

And then we have this story...leads me to question whether this dress code is a choice...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070224/wl_mideast_afp/iranjusticesocial

The question posed by the OP wa about Muslim women going to WDW - I don't suppose too many Iranian women would get the necessary visas to enter the USA!

Most people answering the comments about dress are talking about pople living in countries without the restrictions of Iran etc. Certainly most Muslim women I meet here in the UK wear what THEY want to wear not what thye're told to be thei menfolk!

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I remember on one of the hottest days of our trip last August...I saw a muslim family arriving at the MK,,The mum was head to toes in a black burqua.
I almost fainted thinking how HOT she must be....She was also pushing a double pushchair loaded with bags.
Her Dh on the other hand was dressed in shorts and a tee.

According to a couple of Muslim men from Saudi Arabia and Sudan that I used to work with, those head-to-toe coverings are usually made from very lightweight, breathable fabric and aren't as hot as we think they are (of course, some are made of heavier fabrics for winter wear). The way they described it, it's like having your own little portable tent that keeps you in the shade, and they find it much cooler to dress that way, than to dress in shorts and a tank top in the hot sun.

In fact, although these men wore western clothing to the office, they and their wives showed up in their traditional clothing for summer picnics or events outside in the heat. They were no hotter or sweatier than the rest of us.

 

[MzDiz]

Regarding belly dance, because it's a hot button of mine, I have to get this off my chest.

Most people in general in that region can dance that way. Men, women, children - it's just how they move when they dance. Traditionally, women would dance for other women to entertain themselves. Same goes for men dancing with men. The movements performed during the dance help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and ease pregnancy and childbirth. A friend of mine even went through certain motions while in labor to ease the pain.
There are many traditional reasons for "belly dancing" and many forms of the dance. Some are religious, some are spiritual, people dance to celebrate weddings, fertility, to tell a story and to pass history on to future generations. Rarely is it the oversexualized version that we see here in the west. Yes, it does exist there, but it would be like saying that the only women that dance in the US are strippers.
In my experiences with traditional dances, the amount of clothing worn would surprise most people. I've had costumes that weighed over 35 pounds when it was all thrown into a bag.
A huge part of the western misconception has to do with the Victorian era reports of the dance that were made by men who would only have been exposed to a lesser caliber of dancer and not the respectable women dancing with their families and friends in private homes and celebrations.

Ok, I feel better now.

 

[BensMom]

According to a couple of Muslim men from Saudi Arabia and Sudan that I used to work with, those head-to-toe coverings are usually made from very lightweight, breathable fabric and aren't as hot as we think they are (of course, some are made of heavier fabrics for winter wear). The way they described it, it's like having your own little portable tent that keeps you in the shade, and they find it much cooler to dress that way, than to dress in shorts and a tank top in the hot sun.

In fact, although these men wore western clothing to the office, they and their wives showed up in their traditional clothing for summer picnics or events outside in the heat. They were no hotter or sweatier than the rest of us.

And perfect for volunteering at the Indy Show at MGM!

 

[chobie]

According to a couple of Muslim men from Saudi Arabia and Sudan that I used to work with, those head-to-toe coverings are usually made from very lightweight, breathable fabric and aren't as hot as we think they are (of course, some are made of heavier fabrics for winter wear). The way they described it, it's like having your own little portable tent that keeps you in the shade, and they find it much cooler to dress that way, than to dress in shorts and a tank top in the hot sun.

In fact, although these men wore western clothing to the office, they and their wives showed up in their traditional clothing for summer picnics or events outside in the heat. They were no hotter or sweatier than the rest of us.

That may be true for some of the Saudi women but many women have to wear much heavier, cumbersome clothes. Also women have been seriously hurt/killed when hit by cars because they could not see very well with the garb, women have had them caught in the doors of cabs getting out and have dragged through the street and been seriously injured etc.

 

[oxfordcircus]

I know I'm opening a huge can of worms here, but I used to live in a neighborhood were most people were immigrants. It was always interesting to see the clash in style between parents clinging to traditional ways of life, and their Americanized kids.

One memory I'll always have was a Muslim mom in full traditional head/toe covering, who had taken her daughter (dressed like every other kid in the part) and was helping her learn to use her Heely's!

I live across the street from a Kuwaiti family - Dad, Mom and 2 sons in their early 20's. The day I introduced myself to them, the mom was wearing a headcover though her face was exposed. One of the sons was wearing a shirt with these four letters in this order - F C K U. I thought that was an interesting snapshot.

 

[KPeveler]

Am I the only girl who would rather dress in more covering clothing? first of all, i find it cooler in wdw if i am wearing light layers, not simply have bare skin. also, i find it much more attractive....

back to the OP, i would imagine the biggest problem would be travelling and holidays... Rammadan is moving closer to summer, so soon to go to wdw on your kid's summer break would require no eating or drinking during daylight!


for those who don't know, rammadan is a muslim holiday that is one month long that requires a person to fast from sun-up tp sun-down. during the evening and overnight, a person can eat whatever they want. the muslim calendar is truly lunar, which means it is 11 days shorter than our calendar. this means a holiday does not stay in the same time of year, but moves 11 days earlier every year.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Yea, that's what my co-workers used to say. When Ramadan falls in the summer, it is very difficult, as they cannot even drink water during the day. They stay inside and outdoor workers will work through the night, rather than during the day.

I don't think I could walk around WDW in the heat of summer without water, no matter what I was wearing!

 

[Rneighh]

Are children required to fast during Ramadan? I would hope not. Does not seem very heathly to deny water and food to a child especially.

Renee

 

[KPeveler]

Renee: generally the same guidelines apply as the rules for coviering. usually its when you hit around age 13. so children can eat, although usually not what they normally do. a parent might give a child a sandwich, but not cookies and ice cream, so they understand the importance of the holiday.

and of course, (excpet in extremist countres) at least here in the US, if you have a medical condition (diabetes for example) that requires you to eat, then you can eat. you just would eat enough and not be extravagant. i.e. eat an apple to bring up blood sugar, not chocolate cake. it is one of those things that it is the thought that is most important, you are not supposed to make yourself sick...

 

[Tam1067]

Are children required to fast during Ramadan? I would hope not. Does not seem very heathly to deny water and food to a child especially.

Renee

My son's best friend is Muslim. Last year, when they were in first grade, Mohamed fasted during Ramadan. We were on a field trip (at a pumpkin patch!) and he did not eat or drink. This year (2nd grade) he also did not eat during the day for that month, which was in the fall this year. At lunchtime, he would go to the office and wait until the other kids were done eating. Then he went outside to play.

His mom told me that he wanted to try it and see how it went, and he was able to do it. She and his father both said they did not force him to fast, that the decision was his. His older sister (4th grade last year) also fasted during the day at school, though I'm not sure how old she was when she began to do that. She does not cover her hair, though their mother does. And I had lunch with the mom and her niece--who was 18 and did not cover. It really varies even within the same family.

This is not necessarily typical, though. Another Muslim girl in my son's class did not fast during Ramadan. And my older son (he's in 4th) has a Muslim boy in his class who only fasted the first day, not for the entire month. It just depends on the family.

And the other poster is right--if you are diabetic, pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition, you certainly do get to eat. The whole thing about it is it's supposed to be a decision by the person who fasts. No one is supposed to require you to do it.

Now other religions have fasting days, too. Jews fast on Yom Kippur, Catholics are supposed to fast on Good Friday, and such. These traditions are not that different if you think about it.

 

[nhrenee]

Great thread! It's been very informative. Thanks for keeping it civil everyone.