According to rahyafte (the missionaries and converts website):The weight training workshop was held on Saturday at Endorphin Gym, where the women learned the basics of lifting weights from Kulsoom Abdullah, a Pakistani-American who made history as the first woman to represent Pakistan at the world weightlifting championship. Abdullah said she wanted to empower Muslim women to exercise and be strong.
“In our faith we believe our body is an amana,” she said. “A trust to be taken care of.”
“Try to do a little bit each day and try to be consistent,” she added, CBS News reported.
The self-defense workshop was held on Sunday at a local martial arts studio, where the women learned how to protect themselves from potential attackers and escape from dangerous situations. The instructor taught them some simple moves and techniques, and advised them not to engage in a fight, but to fight back enough to run away.
Saddyna Belmashkan, one of the participants, said she was grateful for the opportunity to learn these skills. She said she was concerned about the rising hatred and violence against Muslims in America, especially Muslim women who wear veils and are more visible targets.
She cited a recent incident where someone threw eggs at a crowd of Muslims marching for Palestine in Denver as an example of the hostility they face.
“I do think it’s helpful to know. Just in case,” she added.
Abdullah said she hoped that being strong would help women cope with the challenges and threats they encounter.
She said that strength would also reflect in their body language and make them less vulnerable. “You’re going to be carrying yourself differently and that body language in and of itself makes you less of a victim,” she said.
There has been an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States
Source: Agencies
