"I am here to try to break down barriers and walls that exist. I am here to break down the barriers that create confusion, hate, and ultimately war," said Assilmi.
Assilmi's parents are Irish and Cherokee and she became Muslim as an adult. "When I read the Koran, I saw something I had not heard before," said Assilmi. "The Koran is the ultimate guide on women's rights ever written, ever conceived."
She emphasized the gender equality stressed by the Koran, noting that the Koranic values are not always represented in the current cultural values. In particular, she addressed the misconceptions surrounding financial responsibility, motherhood, and polygamy.
"I am stubborn. No one dictates how I think, how I feel," said Assilmi. "If Islam were oppressive to women, I wouldn't be a Muslim."
The Koran is founded on the principle that men must revere their mothers, their wives, and every other woman. Procreation is a special gift given to women by Allah.
The Koran states that women should be educated and that they should have the right to vote.
Assilmi articulated that the placement of financial burden upon the men is uplifting and positive for women.
"It gives a woman a choice of what to do with her life. Any money a woman earns herself is hers," said Assilmi. "The highest profession in the world is motherhood as reckoned by Islam. I've raised 32 children."
Motherhood is what Assilmi has found most rewarding in her life. As a mother, she has been able to shape the thoughts of all her children.
"As a mother, I make determinations that affect the entire universe. It's the most important thing to me. Skip the degrees-they don't get me security of heart and soul," added Assilmi.
Men have no choice but to work because they have the responsibility of supporting the family financially.
The same principle of liberation applies to the hijab, the head scarf Muslim women must wear.
"Woman was given the right to wear the hijab. It is not a sign of oppression," said Assilmi. "It is a promise to everyone that meets me. It is a woman of dignity and trust who wears one."
But women are not the only ones who the Koran says must dress modestly. Men as well, are forbidden from wearing tight clothing and from exposing their chests.
"The hijab reminds me of who I am. It is the protection," added Assilmi. "I am a liberated woman. I am not oppressed."
The final topic addressed by Assilmi was polygamy. She said she believes that polygamy is designed to meet the needs of the women and is not beneficial to men.
"Every man gets a mother-in-law. With polygamy, every man gets four," said Assilmi. "Polygamy reduces sex outside of marriage; polygamy is sharing."
Assilmi expressed her fear that Muslims have lost knowledge of the Koran.
The cultural practices that have emerged after colonization in the Middle East are different from the Koranic practices that existed beforehand, she said.
Assilmi ended her lecture in the same way she began it.
"I end with peace. Everything I said tonight came from the creator. I have placed a burden on you to seek knowledge," concluded Assilmi.
Although students enjoyed the lecture, some expressed skepticism at the arguments of Assimli.
"It was not what I expected," said Danielle Kelsick '03. "Anyone could have said the same thing about any religion; she just chose a few examples that suggested equality for women. She did a weak job."