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"Ninjabis" learn to fight back in Britain

Showkat —

"Ninjabis" learn to fight back in Britain

LONDON (Reuters) - Anyone tempted to pick on a headscarf-wearing Muslim woman better hope they don't run into a Ninjabi.

Every week around 30 Muslim women, most wearing veils, gather in a community centre in east London to learn how to block, knee and punch would-be attackers or lecherous men targeting passive-looking victims.

The organisers, who named the classes after Japanese Ninja warriors and women who wear the hijab, say Muslim women are looking to fight back against unwanted advances and a rising number of anti-Muslim attacks.

"The ladies love the Ninjabi thing. It gives them a good giggle," said class instructor Dee Terry, who is not a Muslim herself.

One of the attendees, 31-year-old mother Mahmuda Mazid, said she took up the classes after a gang of youths tried to rob her teenage brother while she was with him in a local park.

"There was this sheer feeling of helplessness that I couldn't help myself or my brother... and there was absolute rage," she said. "I knew I had to do something to equip myself.

"In the classes I saw protection and self defence. That's what I needed."

The classes start with a warm-up and then the women -- no men are allowed -- practise punches, strikes using the heel of the hand, knee strikes to the groin and defences against knives and sticks. Terry also teaches the women how to deter potential attackers by looking assertive.

The loose full-length clothing favoured by Muslim women rules out high-kicking manoeuvres but does not otherwise hinder movement, says Terry.

The Hijab and the Niqab -- which covers the face and leaves only the eyes visible -- clearly identify Muslim women, increasing their chances of becoming victims of anti-Muslim hostility. But Terry says Islamic clothing itself does not make it easier to attack a woman.

"An attacker can pull your headscarf but they can also pull your hair, so Islamic clothes don't make that much of a difference," added Terry, who also teaches Judo, Jujitsu and Kickboxing.

"PERVY MEN" AND "HOODIES"

In the dilapidated area where the classes are held, Muslim women said their biggest worry was harassment from "pervy men" and the violent anti-social behaviour of teenagers from urban low-income communities, popularly called "hoodies" and "chavs".

In other areas of London, Muslim women said growing hostility towards Muslims -- commonly called Islamophobia -- since London's July 7th bombings in 2005 was a big fear.

Attacks on Muslims in London nearly quadrupled in the days after the July attacks. Figures collated by London's Metropolitan Police, and presented in a report by the Muslim Safety Forum, showed 303 attacks in July 2005, up from 82 in the previous month.

Azad Ali, chairman of the forum, said the attacks ranged from verbal abuse and vandalism of mosques to physical attacks. But because of limitations in the way attacks are reported, the real number is likely to be far higher, he added.
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"ENTER THE NINJABI"

Official figures cite London as having the largest proportion of Muslims in the UK at 3.8 percent. The Ninjabi classes are held in the Newham area of the capital, where Muslims make up 24 percent of local inhabitants.

The organisers said the classes were a response to overwhelming demand from Muslim women.

"It was a need. Women were coming and asking for self- defence classes. We had heard of increasing Islamophobia and other sorts of attacks on Muslim women," said Mizan Raja, a coordinator of Islamic Circles, the organisation running the classes.

The organisers say although similar self-defence classes are common the light-hearted approach which respects the women's faith has made the Ninjabi classes massively popular.

"We could fill a class a day. It's totally oversubscribed," said Raja.

The organisers plan to split the class according to experience, using names inspired by 1970s Hong Kong films starring martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

The beginners' level will be called "Enter the Ninjabi", the next will be "Return of the Ninjabi", then "Way of the Ninjabi". The organisers also plan to expand the Ninjabi concept.

"It's about empowering Muslim women... We could do it throughout the country," Raja added.

Comment:

Excellent initiative and in line with the Sunnah and a great way to teach Islamophobes a lesson they wont forget and will also deter Muslims men with the cultural mindset not to engage in wife beating.

Might be an idea for the sisters not to mention they have qualifications in martial arts to prospective husbands in case they frighten them away, after all husband beating is quite under reported.

So will any sisters from here be signing up to become a Ninjabi?

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28 comments

#1

MuslimSister Thu, 3 May 2007 - 18:18

That sounds way cool.

I've always wanted to learn self defence...I used to fight with my brother when I was a kid, but I dont even do that anymore.

A friend of mine - who happens to be shorter than me is so fiesty that she has it in her to jump of the back of people who mug her...just to get her purse back.

I don't have it in me naturally...but I'd def be intrested in learning self defence.

#3

Seraphim Thu, 3 May 2007 - 19:59

AdminEveryone such know basic self defence.

However I am not too hot on the term "ninjabi".

Why not? I think its quite cool...

Aslong as they dont expect to be shinobi its fine.

#4

MuslimBro Thu, 3 May 2007 - 21:39

ShowkatMight be an idea for the sisters not to mention they have qualifications in martial arts to prospective husbands in case they frighten them away, after all husband beating is quite under reported.

What's that supposed to mean. Are you saying sisters who know martial arts will be beating their husbands?

I would think that husbands would want their wife to know self defence/martial arts.

MuslimSisterA friend of mine - who happens to be shorter than me is so fiesty that she has it in her to jump of the back of people who mug her...just to get her purse back.

Lol, not a good idea, esp. if she's that short. Being heavy would be an advantage in this situation, as their weight would slow down the mugger, or even better.... squash them!

#5

Showkat Fri, 4 May 2007 - 10:04

MuslimBro

ShowkatMight be an idea for the sisters not to mention they have qualifications in martial arts to prospective husbands in case they frighten them away, after all husband beating is quite under reported.

What's that supposed to mean. Are you saying sisters who know martial arts will be beating their husbands?

I would think that husbands would want their wife to know self defence/martial arts.

MuslimSisterA friend of mine - who happens to be shorter than me is so fiesty that she has it in her to jump of the back of people who mug her...just to get her purse back.

Lol, not a good idea, esp. if she's that short. Being heavy would be an advantage in this situation, as their weight would slow down the mugger, or even better.... squash them!

relax bro, it was my attempt at humour

#7

Amal Sun, 6 May 2007 - 14:07

Im just wondering why this made the papers? :? :? Is there an assumption that a modestly dressed person would not be concerned with their health/keeping fit/self defence? Perhaps its because its called "ninjabi" hmm

The press has an obsession with hijab/niqab - it needs to realise that Islam isnt simply about wearing a piece of cloth - get over it folks, its worn out :evil:

There are quite a few places that teach martial arts/self defence (that include Muslim women instructors) - in fact, the European Champion in some martial art (sorry i forget) was a hijab wearing Muslimah a few years ago

oh and btw, im working towards my black belt - AND i wear hijab (alhamdulilah)

ps. Men should learn a thing or to about self-defence too (its a fard obligation to protect and care for your family after all 😉 ) Umar (ra) used to walk down the street casting a shadow over people - people used to walk to the other side because they feared him

#9

MuslimBro Sun, 6 May 2007 - 17:25

Everyone knows basic self defence.

For the people who know or are learning martial arts, do you think you will be able to use your skills if mugged by someone? or if someone produced a knife, would you be able to disarm them?

It's not like how they show it in the movies (eg. Karate Kid), where there's a happy ending and he takes out all the bad guys.

I read this story in the metro sometime last year. In Germany, a teenager tried to mug a pensioner, unaware that the pensioner was a professional boxer in his younger days. Guess what happened... the pensioner knocked the mugger out with one punch!

So would you say boxing is a better alternative to martial arts?

Btw how do you get a black belt, is it like a tournament where you fight against other people or is it like the educational process; the instructor says you can advance to the next stage and gives you a pass.

@Amal's last comment. I don't think people want others to be scared of them, unless you're a gangster ofcourse.

#10

Ya'qub Sun, 6 May 2007 - 23:22

I know a Malay guy who taught me some basic moves in the martial art 'Silat'. Including the BEST places to punch someone and how to kill someone if you want.

He doesn't know how to dodge bullets tho...

#11

Mr Honey's Day Out Mon, 7 May 2007 - 07:55

MuslimBroFor the people who know or are learning martial arts, do you think you will be able to use your skills if mugged by someone? or if someone produced a knife, would you be able to disarm them?

I'm sure there are times when I would resort to other tactics, run away or comply, but I would generally give it my best shot.

#13

Ya'qub Mon, 7 May 2007 - 22:59

MuslimBro

Ya'qub...the BEST places to punch someone...

We all know where that is 😂

Actually its not where you'd expect 😉 , its either right between the eyes, on the adams apple or on the chest in the middle JUST below the ribcage (I do NOT condone the use of this advice!!)

I think you're mistaking it for the best place to kick someone...

#15

malik Tue, 8 May 2007 - 13:38

Muslims are about to invade Europe, morally.

Fusion Muslim chic hits Europe's streets

By Alexandra Steigrad, 25 Apr 2007

PARIS - Clad in skinny jeans, wrap dresses and carefully sculpted headscarves, a generation of young Muslim women is making its mark on Europe's urban street culture, and influencing mainstream fashion.

The daughters of migrants to Europe from Turkey or the Maghreb, these girls say they are as conscious of style as of Islamic dress codes -- and want to fuse contemporary chic with elements of their religious and ethnic background.

"H&M and all the French stores have taken our fashion," said Mahika, a 24-year-old from Paris. She sees Muslim influences in the current trend of wearing dresses over jeans, and layering sweaters and tops.

Shopping for clothes has become simpler, she said: young Muslim women are now able to dress entirely from mainstream outlets if they choose.

Many of her peers agree, although a Hennes & Mauritz spokeswoman Muslim fashion has not specifically inspired their collections.

"I find it very easy to dress. You find all kinds of things in town. It is about combinations and it has got easier since you see the influence of our fashion in general fashion," said 20-year-old Bushra Sayed, a student from Rotterdam.

"I am a Muslim but I am also a person who is interested in fashion and I want to combine all these things," she adds.

Bushra wears a dark brown scarf wrapped tightly around her head and neck, a dark blue shirt, a figure-hugging grey tweed waistcoat and matching knee-length skirt over jeans.

Bushra's look is a world away from the black voluminous robes and long scarves worn by more traditional Muslim women, which completely hide the contours of the body.

"For me it is important to cover my body, except the hands, feet and face. And within that I can wear whatever I want, but it should not be too tight and short," she said.

"My mother, friends, and relatives are very enthusiastic and I did not have to fight at all for my own style."

MUSLIM GLOSSY

Bushra is among five women to put together MSLM, a new glossy fashion magazine in Dutch, French and English, aimed at style-conscious young Muslims offering tips, for example on new ways of covering the hair -- with baseball caps, hoods or chunky knitted scarves.

The title of the English, Dutch and French language magazine -- which the women call a "zero issue" or one-off for now -- is a play on the Dutch word for female Muslim, Moslima, and the clothing sizes medium-small-large-medium.

"An increasing group of young women is exploring the boundaries of being veiled and seductive... they compensate the veil with figure-hugging apparel, expressive make-up and higher heels," Dutch stylist Isis Vandrager told the magazine.

The women have also organized a fashion exhibition in Rotterdam alongside the magazine, displaying outfits made by Dutch designers with Islamic dress codes in mind.

One dummy in the exhibition wears a black halter-neck dress, while its back, arms and legs are concealed by a black-lace cat suit worn beneath.

"I see Muslim girls dress in very tight-fitting clothes these days so I thought 'why not make a cat suit?'," smiled Dutch designer Mada van Gaans.

Also on show are jeans by Italian clothing maker Al Quds, designed specifically for Muslims, with a baggy cut and multiple pockets, making it easier to kneel for prayer and store watches, rings or other jewellery when performing ablutions.

"It's not just Muslims who are buying our jeans now. It's a good fashion product, first of all. That means the spectrum of our audience is growing," brand manager Susanna Cavalli said in a telephone interview from Italy.

WIDER INFLUENCE?

The women behind MSLM and the show believe European Muslim street style might even one day influence women in the Middle East -- but not yet.

"There are Turkish girls here who wear these scarves which are just so out there and striking -- but they don't wear them when they go home," said Natasa Heydra, of MSLM.

In fact, the number of young women at the clothing fair of an annual conference of French Muslims in Paris shows interest in fashion trends from the Middle East and in traditional dress is still very high.

"It's both to help women dress according to Islam's rules, and also to meet a demand," said Asmaa Buhallut on the aim of the clothing show.

In France, a country which fiercely upholds its secular identity and which banned the veil in schools, there are not so many Muslim designers, she added: brands and designers from abroad use the event to reach the French Muslim public.

The array of bright colored clothing on display also gives women a source of inspiration.

"What's trendy are bright, vibrant colors, light fabrics, and in general, ensembles, mostly pants," said 18-year-old Nassima, of Tunisian origin.

Stallholder Ouslghozi Jkrom, selling traditional dresses and inexpensive veils, agreed.

"Popular styles this year have beadwork and the color is orange," she said. "Really, anything flashy."

Fashion mag targets gap in Muslim market

Rotterdam gallery curator Natasa Heydra and student Bushra Sayed are among the editorial team of glossy fashion magazine MSLM, launched in April in Rotterdam.

The title of the English, Dutch and French language magazine -- which they say is a "zero issue" or one-off for now -- is a play on the Dutch word for female Muslim, Moslima, and the clothing sizes medium-small-large-medium.

They spoke to Reuters about the target audience of the magazine -- and how they saw a gap in the market.

Q: Who is the magazine for?

Heydra: It is for Muslim girls but also for all girls. We made it because we couldn't understand why there wasn't such a publication yet.

On the streets in Holland we saw a big group of Muslim girls and they look beautiful, yet when you look at the media or magazines they only focus on the problems and the differences of these women. But there are also 16, 17, 18-year-old Dutch girls who are interested in style and trends.

Sayed: The idea of the magazine is to show that you can look fashionable and cover up at the same time, to show how street style can combine with a head scarf.

Q: How easy is it to buy clothes?

Sayed: I find it very easy to dress. You find all kinds of things in town. It is about combinations and it has got easier since you see the influence of our fashion on general fashion.

I am a Muslim but I am also a person who is interested in fashion and I want to combine all these things.

For me it is important to cover my body, except the hands, feet and face. And within that I can wear whatever I want, but it should not be too tight and short.

My mother, friends, and relatives are very enthusiastic and I did not have to fight at all for my own style.

Heydra: These girls can't live without Zara, H&M and Mango. There is a basic set of rules and within these rules it is about choice and about modesty.

#16

yashmaki Tue, 8 May 2007 - 16:32

ive already replied to this topic elsewhere so i don't wana repeat myself gets boring for me. But i don't think the term ninjabi is cool either, agree with admin.

Muslimbro it doesn't matter if someone is smaller than the person attacking, most oriental folks are short yet they're the ones excelling in and teaching us the arts. With the right skills a short person can bring down a taller one, don;t underestimate short ppl it's kinder patronising.

#17

BM Tue, 8 May 2007 - 16:55

Isn't the term "ninjabi" sort of derogatory in some ways ? :?

Hey and regarding short people......some of the toughest guys around where i am from are short :roll: !!

#18

yashmaki Tue, 8 May 2007 - 17:09

my husband' not the tallest of men but i thght he was one of the best guys i had met so i thght what the heck i'll "overlook" the height no pun intended lol.

Like FHP said i am surprised how confident and tough he acts. He doesn't seem to care about having it out with ppl bigger and taller than him if they give him trouble. But i'm always afraid for him i say please don't start with that guy look how big he is. He says so what i don't care if he's taller than me if he's giving me trouble when i;'m being polite he'll get what's coming his way..seriously scares me.

He had an altercation with someone bigger in his face,,, and yes the other man was in the wrong, he even threatened my hubby with some "gang" beating, husband said go and bring your gang i'm waiting i thght...sugar i need to call my brothers or something :? Suffice to say he never has trouble he is confident he doesn't let his height effect him i'm sure some ppl would have self esteem issues if they were short but he sure doesn't hes short tough, very charismatic, very ambitious and he never lets ppl walk over him. I actually look up to him no pun lol. So i'm slightly taller than him but i lack in many other departments i'm not confidently spoken for starters, i wish i was, nerves get the better of me.

#19

MuslimBro Wed, 9 May 2007 - 01:19

FHPEIsn't the term "ninjabi" sort of derogatory in some ways ? :?

Abit like burkini maybe.

Can someone please show me where I said that tall people are stronger/better or whatever than short people. All I said was that punching in the crown jewels would be better than kicking.... for a (really) short person.

#20

You Wed, 9 May 2007 - 02:38

The reason it can be deemed offensive is not because it is a twist of a word.

It is because some use the word "ninja" to mock and ridicule "Jilbab" wearers.

It is because of that context it can be deemed offensive.

#21

Ya'qub Wed, 9 May 2007 - 10:09

i don't see why 'ninjabi' is offensive just because its a twist of words.

Unless the word 'hijabi' itself is offensive, in which case it would be.

However, I've never come across anyone offended by the term hijabi, please tell me if I'm wrong so I don't upset anybody!

#22

yashmaki Wed, 9 May 2007 - 12:35

I think it's a form of ridicule for the reasons admin has already explained, everyone may not feel like that fair play to them. They may think it's a cool title. but it sounds like ninja and unless you hear a non muslim mockingly calling ur sister a ninja i doubt you'd understand the reason i take offense.

#23

Ya'qub Wed, 9 May 2007 - 12:52

Admin
It is because some use the word "ninja" to mock and ridicule "Jilbab" wearers.

hold on, do u mean Jilbab wearers or Niqab wearers?

if you mean the Niqab I can see why it is offensive

i think i'm just getting mixed up

#26

You Wed, 9 May 2007 - 22:45

malikIt is insulting to call our honourable Muslims sisters ninjas.
How would others like it if we call their girls who not wear hijab, sluts?

You do that anyway!

(I think)

yeah, niqab, not jilbab on my previous post.

#27

malik Sat, 12 May 2007 - 13:55

The tv and newspapers attacks the most our beautiful women in graceful hijab.
Yet we see that it is the kafir women that are converting the most to Islam.
God knows perfectly how to settle the score with those who hate the honourable ladies.

Why I took the hijab

Hilary Saunders used to think that Islam was a relic from the dark ages. Now she has converted. Here she tells the Guardian why

The most significant thing I have ever done was in fact incredibly simple. A little over four weeks ago, in front of two witnesses, I recited a simple declaration, the shahada. "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I bear witness that Mohammed is His messenger," I said; and from that moment, I was a Muslim.

Until the very second that I made my declaration, I wasn't entirely convinced that it was what I wanted to do. Would I wake up one day and want to change my mind? Would I feel like I had made a huge mistake? But already I feel as if my life has been transformed. I don't know how to describe it, but the moment I said those words, my heart filled with joy and love and it took about four days for me to come back down off the ceiling. I would almost describe it as "coming out", because a part of me that has been important, but always very private, is now out in the open.

The ritual of my conversion may have taken only minutes, but it was the culmination of a lifetime's quest. My parents are both agnostic - they don't believe in God, and raised me and my two sisters without any faith, so that we could make up our own minds when we were adults. As a child, I suppose I wanted to please my father, and so tried to mirror his views. But I have always been very conscious that I was looking for something, and I could never quite put my finger on what that was. In my darkest moments I have often felt like a ship adrift at sea, not knowing where to dock.

When I was at college I started investigating faith: I got interested in a philosophical system called the Work, which actually took a lot from Islam, although I didn't know it at the time. I was also investigating various new-age philosophies, practising Buddhist meditation, and reading a lot of alternative self-help books.

I have had some problematic relationships with men in the past, and after splitting up with one boyfriend I read Women Who Love Too Much, by Robin Norwood. I had read it before and had always thought it was for women who were overly attached to men who beat them up. But after this reading I thought: I am one of these women, and I want to do whatever the book suggests. It advised developing your spiritual life, learning to be more self-centred, and perhaps getting counselling. That was a significant turning point. I was also, at that stage, practising reiki, which is similarly concerned with channelling unconditional love. I was wrestling with the concept of the divine, trying to find out where I belonged spiritually. I was definitely a searcher.

And then, suddenly, I found myself going out with a Muslim guy. I hadn't set out to date a Muslim - ironically, in fact, it was the result of a drunken night out (I would describe him as a practising Muslim, but one who made mistakes along the way!). At that stage I was ignorant about Islam. I hadn't had any Muslim friends when I was growing up, and my assumptions about the faith were almost all negative. I thought it old-fashioned, a relic from the dark ages, and one that was oppressive and authoritarian with regard to women.

My sense that the religion was anti-women was one of the major sticking points. I wanted my partner to justify some of the doctrines that I saw as particularly anti-feminist. I went through all the usual western arguments, citing how the religion was about men putting women down. How come Islam permitted men to have four wives?

If I'm honest, it was talking about faith that kept us together for four years. He would try to answer my questions as best he could, and refer me to the Koran and the examples from the life of the Prophet. I started to read, and gradually my questions were answered, until I realised that a lot of my preconceptions were basically wrong. In knowing only a little - like the bare fact that a man can have four wives - I had jumped to the wrong conclusion.

One of the things I came to realise was that, in Islam, multiple marriages are not promoted, they are tolerated. Sometimes they are a necessity. But there are safeguards: before a man can take a second wife, the first wife has to agree to it and be happy, and both the wives have to be treated equally. If a man is married and for some reason his wife cannot conceive, he can take a second wife with her agreement. (On the other hand, if a woman's husband is not able to get her pregnant, then she can get a divorce.) This seems to me better than the western way, in which he might get divorced, leaving the first wife without any support. This doctrine is actually for the protection of women. It is not about men going out collecting trophies.

This was the kind of question I would raise, and on each I would get to the point where I couldn't argue any more. Why did women need the protection of men - why wasn't it possible for a woman to have several partners? A woman could not have four husbands, I realised, because it would be impossible to know who was the father of her children, and the fathers might argue over who should support the child. I realise that Islam made so much sense.

A couple of months ago, I split up with my partner, and went on holiday to Jordan. It was there that I finally decided that I wanted to convert. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but somehow the penny dropped. It is such a beautiful, amazing place to be; just watching how people interacted with each other, and the call to prayer - it really moved me. So when I came back, I enrolled on a three-day course at Central mosque in Regent's Park, north London. At the end of the three days I decided it was the right time to make my declaration.

I made a number of good friends on the course; indeed, most of the Muslims I know well are converts. More people convert into Islam than you might think - approximately 10,000 of Britain's 1.8m Muslims are white or African-Caribbean converts.One of the problems for us is that, since we haven't grown up in Muslim communities, forming relationships can be difficult. In Islam you do not date - you don't have boyfriends or girlfriends and move on after a few years. Instead, someone from your extended family, who knows you from childhood and who knows Joe Bloggs down the road from childhood, will think: those two would really get on. They help you to find the right person so that you can enjoy a happy marriage.

I can see that there are practical problems in how this might work for me. But I am hugely excited about getting married and I believe that I will find, inshallah, a nice husband. I have wrestled with the idea of whether I could share my husband with another woman - I have always thought that I was far too jealous and insecure to be able to cope with that. But one day I woke up and it dawned on me: the women who are in multiple marriages must feel so loved and cherished - by their husbands, but also by God - to be able to cope. I am aware, however, that it is possible that some marriages might be unhappy - we are fallible human beings, after all.

Since my conversion, I have chosen to abide by the Islamic code of dress and wear the hijab. The hijab is about modesty, not showing off, not trying to attract the opposite sex, and avoiding causing envy. Islam advises both sexes, not just women, to dress modestly.

I felt quite nervous about putting it on at first, wondering what people would think. But then I told myself that I had made a commitment and that this was the public sign of it. I feel a lot safer now that I am wearing it; I have more self-respect. Now I know where I belong.

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