Yes, Muslim women do have fun.
The notion that they don’t, that their faith dictates a nearly cloistered life, was a stereotype that Munazza Muhammad set out to challenge. But the Philadelphia day-care operator never dreamed it would land her atop a donkey wobbling up a Mexican mountain in the company of eight intrepid Traveling Muslimahs. By day’s end, the women — wearing lightweight, form-fitting “burkinis” that covered all but their faces, hands and feet — rappelled down a waterfall, went for joyrides on a tortuous water slide in a forest, and ziplined, four times, through the trees.
A travel club for Muslim women who want to see the world, the Muslimahs had booked an obstacle-course tour in Puerto Vallarta that turned out to be not for the timid. “There were real tears shed,” said Muhammad, 35.
But they survived the adventure and, when it was over, celebrated their accomplishment, flashing the arm-crossing Wakanda salute from the movie Black Panther.