Where? Muslim Friendly Apps facebook page.

When? 4 – 5pm CST (Open to developers all day. Be sure to set our page to ‘Posts by Page’ during the party and ‘Posts by Others’ for the the rest of the day on April 2nd)

Head over to Muslim Friendly Apps for more information about how you can get involved and what to expect from the party.

Blue Hijab Day is not exclusive to Muslims or to women, we welcome anyone who supports this cause to participate. If you don’t wear hijab, you are more than welcome to wear a scarf of another kind or a hat. If you don’t have any of those, any blue item of clothing. If you can’t do that, spread the word and promote Autism awareness in any way you can. 2012 is the 3rd Annual Blue Hijab Day, we had 4,000 attendees in 2010 and 8,000 in 2011, can we double that this year?

This year we have decided to make our theme ‘Educate Your Imam (Mosque Leader)’ about Autism and Disabilities in their Masjid (Mosque). We will provide a stock letter which can be given, sent or emailed to your local Masjid to introduce them to disability in their community and offer them tools to further educate themselves and make their Masjid open, accepting and supportive of disabled community members. The best part of this theme is that it can be done at any time, you can do it on Blue Hijab Day (April 2nd) or at any other time before or after.

We’ve chosen this theme on behalf of this family and all families who have faced discrimination in their Masjid due to a disability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rNoSAYqUy0

Please invite your friends and family! Blue Hijab Day (and our letter writing campaign) is global and you can participate in any way you feel appropriate for you.

Here is the letter we’ve drafted for you to print and mail or hand to your community leader or that you can email to local mosques or organizations. Let us know if you do and tell your friends and family to join us and do the same. Don’t forget to sign/type your name at the end where it says [YOUR NAME].

Bismillah – With the name of God,
Asalamualekom – Peace Be Upon You.

I am writing to you for an event started by Blue Hijab Day for Autism Awareness. Blue Hijab Day is April 2nd (World Autism Awareness Day) every year. This years event is called ‘Educate your Imam’ and aims to bring up the topic of disability in the mosque with religious leaders across the US and the world using a letter and email campaign.

This event was inspired by a family who were asked to leave their local mosque due to verbal repetition of the adhan (call to prayer) by a young man with Autism. The verbal repetition is a part of his form of autism and the young man was there (and able) to obey Allah and do his prayers, like everyone else. The community complained his noise was a distraction and he was asked to leave his prayer. I hope this is as shocking and reprehensible a scenario to you as it is to me. As I’m sure you are aware, the world does not stop for us to pray, many parents and indeed the Prophet himself (peace be upon him) have prayed with children making noise and climbing on them. This Prophetic tolerance is the basis of our encouragement for the inclusion and acceptance of people of all abilities in the Mosque. We are aware that education and community involvement is key in making this possible in our communities, and we need you to help lead the way.

I write to you today with respect for your position of authority in a part of our global community and with reference to the difficulty that can come with providing a place of worship and learning that welcomes and accepts everyone without discrimination. Despite this difficulty, I believe this is a necessary and overdue conversation to be had with you – our community leaders – and as a wider community.

It is deeply important that you understand the sorts of needs people will step into the mosque with and work to make the mosque and community a place for them as much as it is for anyone else. Our community needs to be thankful for the presence of those of different abilities, as well as the lessons in faith, patience and kindness to others that they can often teach us. The story of Julaybib (may Allah be pleased with him) comes to mind.

Accessibility is not just a matter of ramps, grab bars, elevators, and other physical building changes, and needs go far beyond these things. It is first and foremost a matter of the heart, mind, and attitude. The members of your mosque will follow your leadership and guidance, and that is why you are reading this now – Thank you for taking the time to do so.

What we – Blue Hijab Day – are asking of you, as a community leader:

• Reach out to your community, especially to the disabled individuals – who comprise 1 of every 20 people in our society – and find out how you can work together to make the mosque as much for them as for anyone else.
• Find out what disabilities are represented in your own community and research what that means for the life of that individual and family. Have a meeting with those families to find out what the mosque can do better and what you are doing right, actively build on that and revisit it often to be sure the community is doing everything it can.
• Contact local, national and international disability groups and find out what you can do to better accommodate and accept those across the spectrum of ability and disability. There are organizations that deal with inclusion in other faith communities, get in touch with them for ideas – this is a great interfaith opportunity. We’d be happy to help you find something local if we can, feel free to email and ask bluehijabday@gmail.com
• Make inclusion and acceptance a khutbah (sermon) topic for the Friday before Blue Hijab Day (March 26th). If you can, do so regularly. When you’re not focusing the entire talk on this subject, make it a regular comment to end the talk and reinforce your commitment to inclusion and acceptance for people of all abilities in your community

Finally I’d like to bring to your attention an article on IslamOnline.com from 2011 about disability in the Muslim community. The article is called ‘Applying the divine principle of a single ummah’ http://www.islamonline.net/eng/article/1304971164068

Thank you for your time and commitment to bettering the ummah for everyone.

Sincerely and with peace,
[YOUR NAME]
www.muslimasoasis.com/bluehijabday

Join us on Facebook and RSVP to Blue Hijab Day 2012.

So this is Blue Hijab Days new home!

We are still setting up but will post updates from past events, fliers from past events and news about future events in the blog as we get set up. We will also have lists of Informational links and a Blogroll of noteworthy Autism related websites and blogs.

In the mean time, check out our sponsors to the right ->

Welcome, and excuse the dust

-Emma