I am no scholar but i have some good things to say.

Every time I talk about Islam I am flooded with adversity in such a way. Thrown at me is "Don't speak until you wear the hijab (head cover)" " What qualifications do you have" "Where do you get your Islam" "Which scholars teach you Islam""What rights do you have to talk about Islam""We don't respect women that don't wear hijab" These are some of the more polite responses I get when I attempt to spread the knowledge I gained from  studying the fundamentals of Islam.

It is true, I hold no diploma, no bachelor and no degree in Islamic studies. But does this really mean i am unqualified to discuss important relevant contemporary topics about Islam? 

Since I was 15 years old I have been studying Islam. I am now 35 years of age. That's 20 years of hard long hours of work and so I ask, is it really fair to dismiss me because I did not pay my way towards attaining accreditation? Or simply because I do not cover my hair?

In general I have never been a fan of institutionalised confined educational facilities. For me personally at times I found classrooms to have restricted my thoughts and imagination.  And I do not believe that board regconised certification is the sole precursor in which determines ones ability towards subject comprehension or skill . It would be like saying all hairdressers are brilliant at what they do because they hold a national vocational qualification. Many of us women can attest to this is just not the case. How many hairdressers have cut our hair too short, or dyed it the wrong colour, or styled it badly. This simple example can give an idea of what I am trying to say.

Of course without a recgonised qualification it would be difficult or virtually impossible to attain a career in what ever course one wishes to take. But what if like me I did not wish to be employed or paid for things I love doing and very passionate about. I do how ever have vested interest in my interests of studying Islam and talking about valuable aspects of Islam. My main intention is a sincere attempt to understanding what Allah swt wanted from his servants and to share things I have learned along the way. I do not want to be considered a scholar, I do not seek financial gain and I do not seek peoples approval or acceptance. This is proven that many of my opinions are in conflict with mainstream muslims. If I was after attention or acceptance then I would just go with the flow and follow the heard this is the easy way. But that's not how Allah swt created me so its unlikely that I change. 

As I grow and as my understanding evolves my greatest desired outcome would be if I helped anyone understand the beauty and simplicity of Islam. Lets face it as an Ummah collectively we are doing something or somethings wrong or how else could we be in such a humiliated state?

Do I really need to be a scholar or appointed by any kind of man made rulership in order to have my say? Again I do not believe this is the case. Allah swt did not choose from scholars, leaders, rulers etc to be messengers of the day. 

Lets take our beloved Prophet Mohammad PBUH for example. It is historical fact that he was illiterate. Please do not  think I am saying that I am a messenger may God forbid. But from this we can learn a lesson that Allah swt does not judge people by social status or certification/qualifications,  earned from social institutions. Rather by their intentions and desire to do good in the world. So why would we not do the same?

Our Prophet Mohammad PBUH, was a women liberator, child protector, tree huger, animal lover, war hater, justice advocator the list can go on and on. This is why Allah swt loved him to the point of granting him protection and prophet hood. If our purpose as Muslims is to worship Allah swt and gain his approval and love then we must attempt to emulate the Prophet PBUH in this road that he has paved. 

Some scholars are insisting that if we grow beards, if we cover our face, if we listen to blindly to what they have to say that this is the way to emulate the prophets and gain closeness to Allah swt. But if it were true then we would have not been so unsuccessful as an Ummah as we are today. 

  Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) said:

"...I fear for my nation the misleading Imams (rulers); and if they are afflicted with using the sword among themselves (killing each other), it will not be removed from them until the day of resurrection. The Hour will not established until a tribe of my nation follows the polytheists and groups of my nation worship Idols. There will be thirty liars in my nation, each one claiming that he is a Prophet, though I am the seal of the Prophets; No Prophet will come after me. But a group of my nation will always hold to the Truth, remaining triumphant, and cannot be harmed by their opponents until there comes the Command of Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He." [Al-Barqaani]