In this episode of the islamwich Podcast, Kaighla interviews Sarah Barakah, one of the head trainers at SheFighter, a women’s-only gym in Amman, Jordan.

It’s no surprise that Muslim women are more in danger in this country than at any other time. Since San Bernardino and Paris, violent attacks against Muslims has more than tripled, and most of those victims are women.

Also, let’s not blind ourselves to the reality that Muslim women suffer violent abuse at the hands of their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, and other relatives within and outside of this country, regardless of the fact that abuse is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN in Islam. Call any Muslim women’s shelter in America and the first thing they will tell you is that if you are not suffering from domestic abuse, they literally have no room for you.

SheFighter is “the 1st Self-Defense Studio for women in Jordan and the Middle East, designed to empower women both physically and physiologically through Self-Defense Training. Learning SheFigher’s Self-Defense techniques will not only give women the opportunity to defend themselves in difficult situations, but will also build up their self-esteem.”

Sarah was raised by her American revert mom and Jordanian dad in New York until she was a teen when her family decided to move to Amman to be closer to her dad’s family and culture. She quickly realized that life for women in Jordan was not a picnic, with men trailing her in the street and cat-calling, among other types of harassment. Learning martial arts gave her both the strength and confidence to defend herself and others, using a confident attitude and affirmative words before ever needing to use force (and she confirms she has never had to use her defense skills to this day).

Along with her friend and boss Lina Khalifeh, as well as several other trained and certified instructors, Sarah teaches women self-confidence, as well as ways to defend themselves using martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do, Kick-Boxing, Kung Fu, and Boxing. 

About half-way through, we mention some threats that had been made against  Laila Alawa, the Founder of  The Tempest  (formerly Coming of Faith).

Toward the end, we talk about Dana Falsetti, an expert yoga instructor and self-proclaimed Plus-Size lady. Check her out!!

If this video doesn’t rock your world and motivate you to just try, nothing will! The amazing true story of Arthur Boorman, a wheel-chair ridden veteran paratrooper who was told for 15 years he would never walk unassisted again.

Enjoy the show!

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