We Will Wear Dresses on 24 August
By Hadeel Hegazy
Source:dailynewsegypt.com
Comment: I found this article to be interesting... I see this project as an attempt to morally corrupt the Muslim women of Egypt. I am sharing it in order to inform others of the attempts of some people to morally corrupt Muslims... and more specifically Muslims in Egypt. Here is the article:
"A new Facebook campaign has been launched calling for Egyptian women
to take back their right to dress as they please: Hanlbes Fasateen, or
We Will Wear Dresses. The event is set to take place on 24 August and
encourages women to wear a dress or skirt as they go about their days
without being harassed or deemed inappropriate.
“The aim behind the campaign is urging girls to feel free to wear
what they want; it’s their basic right,” said Michael Nazeehs, one of
the campaign founders. The slogan of the campaign stems from the fact
that many women feel restricted in their attire due to prevalent sexual
harassment on the street. “We want them to say, ‘we are not afraid; we
will wear what we want,’” Nazeehs said.
It is not the first campaign the group that Nazeehs is a part of has
launched. “We have launched the No To Harassment campaign to push girls
to speak of the harassment incidents they face on daily basis, and to
spread awareness that the girl here is the victim,” he said. Another
initiative is the Understand Me and Don’t Hurt Me campaign, which calls
attention to female genital mutilation (FGM) and calls for women to
embrace feminism.
Many times the blame for sexual harassment has been squarely put on
the victim, often claiming she was dressed inappropriately, completely
disregarding the fact that many modestly and conservatively dressed
women are sexually harassed and assaulted. We Will Wear Dresses was
launched after an incident in the Delta city of Tanta where a young
woman who objected to harassment by standing in front of her harasser’s
car was run over in response. The driver was arrested, but released not
long after. This latest campaign is yet another social media initiative
launched by young Egyptians to bring attention to the terrible situation
women are facing in the country today.
The accompanying hashtag was picked by Twitter users, and hundreds of
tweets expressed support for the idea. The campaign became popular
shortly after it was launched, with 2,100 people confirming their
“attendance” of the event to date, meaning they will wear a dress or
skirt on 24 August.
We Will Wear Dresses received strong supports from Egyptian writer
and poet Fatma Naoot, who noted the changing attitude towards women’s
dress while sharing old black-and-white photos of her mother, aunt and
grandmother from the middle of the century. “Dresses used to be an icon
for elegancy and femininity at this time,” Naoot said. “People never
behaved but with polite words.”
Nazeehs said that people’s feedback was mostly positive, and said:
“the campaign was released right after Eid and it’s ongoing,” adding
that he expects it to last longer than the 24 August, since many people
are responding so favourably towards it.
The reactions on twitter discussed the background to the campaign,
and the underlying problems that women face. One of the female tweeps
said “wearing a dress in Egyptian streets nowadays is a heroic act;
Egyptian girls struggle for their personal freedom.”
The campaign has also had its detractors. “What religion and which
country’s traditions allow women to walk in streets with such outfits?”
one of its opponents asked on Twitter. 'Being free means free to take
off your clothes?' "
Link: http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/08/22/we-will-wear-dresses-on-24-august/
Showing posts with label women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women. Show all posts
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Sunday, January 31, 2010
What Women Want?
The Prophet and Women in Islam
Muhammad the Feminist
I wonder how many men and women nowadays can digest the idea of calling Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) a "feminist".
That is, a feminist in the sense of one who always stood for the rights of women. In fact, he was just that, though the term applied to the Prophet could sound a bit quaint or anachronistic.
In a cultural milieu where baby girls were buried alive and wives were treated no better than chattel, the Prophet courageously liberated them and raised their status to equal that of men.
Muslims see Muhammad as living up to his God-appointed mission as the final messenger of God, standing up like a titan towering above the barbaric influences of the time to become the spiritual leader of the whole Muslim nation in Arabia as well as everywhere else Islam reached.
"The most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman."
- Prophet Muhammad
Literally, he rose to the high standards of leadership set by his own tradition: He was humble enough to listen to the complaints of his people and always hastened to meet their needs.
To the weakest among the people, he was compassionate, and considering the condition of women in those days, he was very responsive to their thoughts, feelings, and needs. He was particularly gentle, kind, and considerate toward them.
In this respect, he was very much unlike some of his Companions.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab once said:
One day I went to the Prophet and saw him smiling. "May God make you smile forever, O Messenger of God," I said and asked why he was smiling. "I smile at those women. They were chatting in front of me before you came. When they heard your voice, they all vanished," he answered, still smiling. On hearing this answer, I raised my voice and told them, "O enemies of your own selves, you are scared of me, but you are not scared of the Messenger of God, and you do not show respect to him." On hearing that, the women said, "You [Umar] are hard-hearted and strict." (Al-Bukhari )
Twin Halves of Men
The Prophet always listened to women with consideration and compassion as he valued their views and opinions not only about affairs that specifically concerned them, but also about matters of wider significance.
It was because the Prophet gave such encouragement to women that there were well-known instances in early Muslim history of some of them freely speaking out for their rights.
Following the injunctions in the Qur'an, the Prophet gave women the right to education and freedom in matters related to marriage, divorce, and property rights.
"Women are your mothers, daughters, aunts."
- Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet described women as "the twin halves of men," which emphasized the idea that their role in society is complementary to that of men. He declared that "the most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman."
He taught his followers that it is God's commandment to treat women with gentleness and affection because, he said, "they are your mothers, daughters, aunts."
Women Are Not the Devil
One typical Western criticism of the Prophet is about his marriages. Compared to the Christian conception of Jesus as the "Son of God", Muhammad (peace be upon him) appears so down-to-earth and human.
If Christianity celebrates celibacy, Islam definitely celebrates marriage. And the final prophet, like the Old Testament prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and David, has proved through his own example that women do not defile men.
Indeed, Islamic spirituality is not weakened by the body, as it transcends far above the demands of the body. Also Islam, unlike Christianity, does not view the woman as the cause of the fall of man.
Respecting Mothers
The respect given to women as mothers is another aspect of "the Prophetic vision, in which kindness and loyalty to the mother, a rahmah (= mercy) to reciprocate the rahmah they themselves dispensed, is seen as an almost sacramental act" (Murad).
The Prophet said, "Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers" (Ahmad).
"He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes, and sweep the floor."
- Lady Aishah
Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad and asked, "O Messenger of God, which person of all the people is best entitled to kind treatment and good companionship from me?" He answered, "Your mother." The man asked, "And then?" He said, "Your mother."
The man asked again, "And after her?" He said, "Your mother." The man asked for a fourth time, "And after her?" The Prophet said, "Your father" (Al-Bukhari).
The Perfect Husband
The Prophet was a perfect model for humankind in every aspect of our life. He was the kindest husband and the most loving and caring partner to his wives.
"The best among you is the one who is best toward his wife"
- Prophet Muhammad
According to Aishah, the Prophet used to help his wives with domestic chores: "He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes, and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping."
He taught his followers: "The best among you is the one who is best toward his wife" (At-Tirmidhi).
We should remember that those were the days when women were treated like slaves and were punished for the silliest mistakes. The Prophet stopped all that and gave women the rights equal to those of men.
For instance, Islam gave a wife the right to acquire and possess wealth and keep it for herself, and she had no responsibility to share the family expenses with her husband. And the husband had no legal right to any of her belongings.
The Plight of Women
In ancient times when a man died, his widow was often denied all rights to his property and she was subjected to terrible humiliation and maltreatment.
Islam believes that the one who works for widows and orphans is like one who strives in the way of God.
In certain societies, there was a tradition of immolation of the widow on the funeral pyre of her husband. Even if she was permitted to live, she was denied the right to remarry and lead a normal life.
But the Prophet himself set the example of marrying widows and divorcees; his first wife was Khadijah, a widow 15 years senior to him. And after her death, he married only widows and divorcees with the exception of Aishah.
Islam believes that the one who works for widows and orphans is like one who strives in the way of God. And we must remember that in those primitive times, a woman who did not have the support of a man was lost and ruined.
The Prophet's mercy toward women was not surprising, because Almighty God had appointed him as a mercy for the whole of creation.
A Revolutionary Man
In the Madinah society after the emigration of Muslims from Makkah established by the Prophet, women were guaranteed personal respect, the right to education, the right to enter into legal contracts, and the political right to express their views concerning public affairs.
They were also given the right to choose a husband of their liking and to reject a marriage they did not like. At the time of marriage, a woman is entitled to a suitable present (in Arabic: mahr) from her bridegroom, and she is declared free of all domestic financial responsibilities, which are the responsibility of the husband.
The husband is not to keep his wife in a state of suspense, whether at home or abroad, for a long period of time except with her consent.
It is the duty of the husband to provide his wife and children with food, clothes, a home, and medical treatment according to his financial position and income. Muslim scholars have said that if a man does not support his wife financially, then she is entitled to get a divorce.
The Prophet said that the best charity (in Arabic: sadaqah) is that spent on one's wife: forgiveness in the case of disagreement, good manners, sweet words, a smiling face, a pleasing playfulness, and an amusing mien are but some facets of this "charity."
The Prophet said, "The world is delightful, and its greatest treasure is a good woman" (Muslim).
The husband is not to stay away from his wife or keep his wife in a state of suspense, whether at home or abroad, for a long period of time except with her consent. Unreasonably long separation on the part of the husband without prior arrangement with the wife is sufficient grounds for her to obtain divorce through a judge.
Indeed, the Prophet allowed women to engage in suitable work for earning an income like men, so long as such jobs did not infringe on their dignity. He permitted them even to participate in battles: specifically to nurse the wounded soldiers and to fight alongside men.
All this was indeed revolutionary, considering the prevailing socio-cultural paradigms defining the Arabs of the time. So it was not surprising that so soon after the Prophet's time, the vestiges of the pre-Islamic era, traditions from pre-Islamic Arabia slowly returned and gained somewhat of a foothold among Muslims.
Consequently something of the misogyny that previously existed returned, which reminds us of the need for reaffirming the noble example of the Prophet, whose compassion to his wives, daughters, and women companions cannot be forgotten.
Read more: http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1195032747364&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam/DIELayout#ixzz0eDGhF4Oo
Muhammad the Feminist
I wonder how many men and women nowadays can digest the idea of calling Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) a "feminist".
That is, a feminist in the sense of one who always stood for the rights of women. In fact, he was just that, though the term applied to the Prophet could sound a bit quaint or anachronistic.
In a cultural milieu where baby girls were buried alive and wives were treated no better than chattel, the Prophet courageously liberated them and raised their status to equal that of men.
Muslims see Muhammad as living up to his God-appointed mission as the final messenger of God, standing up like a titan towering above the barbaric influences of the time to become the spiritual leader of the whole Muslim nation in Arabia as well as everywhere else Islam reached.
"The most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman."
- Prophet Muhammad
Literally, he rose to the high standards of leadership set by his own tradition: He was humble enough to listen to the complaints of his people and always hastened to meet their needs.
To the weakest among the people, he was compassionate, and considering the condition of women in those days, he was very responsive to their thoughts, feelings, and needs. He was particularly gentle, kind, and considerate toward them.
In this respect, he was very much unlike some of his Companions.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab once said:
One day I went to the Prophet and saw him smiling. "May God make you smile forever, O Messenger of God," I said and asked why he was smiling. "I smile at those women. They were chatting in front of me before you came. When they heard your voice, they all vanished," he answered, still smiling. On hearing this answer, I raised my voice and told them, "O enemies of your own selves, you are scared of me, but you are not scared of the Messenger of God, and you do not show respect to him." On hearing that, the women said, "You [Umar] are hard-hearted and strict." (Al-Bukhari )
Twin Halves of Men
The Prophet always listened to women with consideration and compassion as he valued their views and opinions not only about affairs that specifically concerned them, but also about matters of wider significance.
It was because the Prophet gave such encouragement to women that there were well-known instances in early Muslim history of some of them freely speaking out for their rights.
Following the injunctions in the Qur'an, the Prophet gave women the right to education and freedom in matters related to marriage, divorce, and property rights.
"Women are your mothers, daughters, aunts."
- Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet described women as "the twin halves of men," which emphasized the idea that their role in society is complementary to that of men. He declared that "the most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman."
He taught his followers that it is God's commandment to treat women with gentleness and affection because, he said, "they are your mothers, daughters, aunts."
Women Are Not the Devil
One typical Western criticism of the Prophet is about his marriages. Compared to the Christian conception of Jesus as the "Son of God", Muhammad (peace be upon him) appears so down-to-earth and human.
If Christianity celebrates celibacy, Islam definitely celebrates marriage. And the final prophet, like the Old Testament prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and David, has proved through his own example that women do not defile men.
Indeed, Islamic spirituality is not weakened by the body, as it transcends far above the demands of the body. Also Islam, unlike Christianity, does not view the woman as the cause of the fall of man.
Respecting Mothers
The respect given to women as mothers is another aspect of "the Prophetic vision, in which kindness and loyalty to the mother, a rahmah (= mercy) to reciprocate the rahmah they themselves dispensed, is seen as an almost sacramental act" (Murad).
The Prophet said, "Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers" (Ahmad).
"He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes, and sweep the floor."
- Lady Aishah
Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad and asked, "O Messenger of God, which person of all the people is best entitled to kind treatment and good companionship from me?" He answered, "Your mother." The man asked, "And then?" He said, "Your mother."
The man asked again, "And after her?" He said, "Your mother." The man asked for a fourth time, "And after her?" The Prophet said, "Your father" (Al-Bukhari).
The Perfect Husband
The Prophet was a perfect model for humankind in every aspect of our life. He was the kindest husband and the most loving and caring partner to his wives.
"The best among you is the one who is best toward his wife"
- Prophet Muhammad
According to Aishah, the Prophet used to help his wives with domestic chores: "He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes, and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping."
He taught his followers: "The best among you is the one who is best toward his wife" (At-Tirmidhi).
We should remember that those were the days when women were treated like slaves and were punished for the silliest mistakes. The Prophet stopped all that and gave women the rights equal to those of men.
For instance, Islam gave a wife the right to acquire and possess wealth and keep it for herself, and she had no responsibility to share the family expenses with her husband. And the husband had no legal right to any of her belongings.
The Plight of Women
In ancient times when a man died, his widow was often denied all rights to his property and she was subjected to terrible humiliation and maltreatment.
Islam believes that the one who works for widows and orphans is like one who strives in the way of God.
In certain societies, there was a tradition of immolation of the widow on the funeral pyre of her husband. Even if she was permitted to live, she was denied the right to remarry and lead a normal life.
But the Prophet himself set the example of marrying widows and divorcees; his first wife was Khadijah, a widow 15 years senior to him. And after her death, he married only widows and divorcees with the exception of Aishah.
Islam believes that the one who works for widows and orphans is like one who strives in the way of God. And we must remember that in those primitive times, a woman who did not have the support of a man was lost and ruined.
The Prophet's mercy toward women was not surprising, because Almighty God had appointed him as a mercy for the whole of creation.
A Revolutionary Man
In the Madinah society after the emigration of Muslims from Makkah established by the Prophet, women were guaranteed personal respect, the right to education, the right to enter into legal contracts, and the political right to express their views concerning public affairs.
They were also given the right to choose a husband of their liking and to reject a marriage they did not like. At the time of marriage, a woman is entitled to a suitable present (in Arabic: mahr) from her bridegroom, and she is declared free of all domestic financial responsibilities, which are the responsibility of the husband.
The husband is not to keep his wife in a state of suspense, whether at home or abroad, for a long period of time except with her consent.
It is the duty of the husband to provide his wife and children with food, clothes, a home, and medical treatment according to his financial position and income. Muslim scholars have said that if a man does not support his wife financially, then she is entitled to get a divorce.
The Prophet said that the best charity (in Arabic: sadaqah) is that spent on one's wife: forgiveness in the case of disagreement, good manners, sweet words, a smiling face, a pleasing playfulness, and an amusing mien are but some facets of this "charity."
The Prophet said, "The world is delightful, and its greatest treasure is a good woman" (Muslim).
The husband is not to stay away from his wife or keep his wife in a state of suspense, whether at home or abroad, for a long period of time except with her consent. Unreasonably long separation on the part of the husband without prior arrangement with the wife is sufficient grounds for her to obtain divorce through a judge.
Indeed, the Prophet allowed women to engage in suitable work for earning an income like men, so long as such jobs did not infringe on their dignity. He permitted them even to participate in battles: specifically to nurse the wounded soldiers and to fight alongside men.
All this was indeed revolutionary, considering the prevailing socio-cultural paradigms defining the Arabs of the time. So it was not surprising that so soon after the Prophet's time, the vestiges of the pre-Islamic era, traditions from pre-Islamic Arabia slowly returned and gained somewhat of a foothold among Muslims.
Consequently something of the misogyny that previously existed returned, which reminds us of the need for reaffirming the noble example of the Prophet, whose compassion to his wives, daughters, and women companions cannot be forgotten.
Read more: http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1195032747364&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam/DIELayout#ixzz0eDGhF4Oo
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Habib: Egyptian Regime Blocks MB Attempts to Field Women in Municipal Elections
Tuesday, March 11,2008 15:49
by Mohamed Ismail IkhwanWeb
Egyptian regime thwarts all attempts to field female candidates in the Municipal elections scheduled to be held next month, said MB deputy chairman Muhamad Habib.
The obstacles that the Muslim Brotherhood potential candidates face while submitting nomination papers aren’t restricted to men. Women also face such hurdles from the Egyptian regime that releases hollow promises of a bigger space for women political action while in practice it denies both men and women the chance to stand elections ", Habib said in statements to Ikhwanweb. He added that the Muslim Brotherhood was planning to allow a wider female participation in these elections but the regime’s inflexibility did not allow this .
Habib pointed out that the group did not set a quota for the women’s election participation under its banner. It only left this issue to local administrative offices governoratewide to define this according to capacity.
It is worth mentioning that the Muslim Brotherhood in Alexandria is the only MB office that announced plans for fielding more than ten women in the coming Municipal elections. This was announced in a press conference held by the MB in Alexandria last week. However, Osama Gado, the head of the MB administrative, told Ikhwanweb that no one of the potential female candidates, whom they announced, has managed to submit nomination papers so far, mainly due to the violations committed by government bodies against all potential candidates from both sexes. Some MB potential female candidates received even subpoenas to meet security leaders to threaten them so as to force them to abandon their nomination plans.
by Mohamed Ismail IkhwanWeb
Egyptian regime thwarts all attempts to field female candidates in the Municipal elections scheduled to be held next month, said MB deputy chairman Muhamad Habib.
The obstacles that the Muslim Brotherhood potential candidates face while submitting nomination papers aren’t restricted to men. Women also face such hurdles from the Egyptian regime that releases hollow promises of a bigger space for women political action while in practice it denies both men and women the chance to stand elections ", Habib said in statements to Ikhwanweb. He added that the Muslim Brotherhood was planning to allow a wider female participation in these elections but the regime’s inflexibility did not allow this .
Habib pointed out that the group did not set a quota for the women’s election participation under its banner. It only left this issue to local administrative offices governoratewide to define this according to capacity.
It is worth mentioning that the Muslim Brotherhood in Alexandria is the only MB office that announced plans for fielding more than ten women in the coming Municipal elections. This was announced in a press conference held by the MB in Alexandria last week. However, Osama Gado, the head of the MB administrative, told Ikhwanweb that no one of the potential female candidates, whom they announced, has managed to submit nomination papers so far, mainly due to the violations committed by government bodies against all potential candidates from both sexes. Some MB potential female candidates received even subpoenas to meet security leaders to threaten them so as to force them to abandon their nomination plans.
What Do Muslim Women Want?
Monday, June 1,2009 03:29
by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed
In sharp contrast to the popular image of silent submissiveness, Gallup findings on women in countries that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations hardly show that they have been conditioned to accept second-class status. Majorities of women in virtually every country we surveyed say that women deserve the same legal rights as men, to vote without influence from family members, to work at any job they are qualified for, and even to serve in the highest levels of government. In Saudi Arabia, for example, where as of this writing, women were not allowed to vote or drive, majorities of women say that women should be able to drive a car by themselves (61%), vote without influence (69%), and work at any job for which they are qualified (76%). Egyptian women, who have faced far fewer restrictions than their Saudi counterparts, speak even more strongly in favor of women"s rights, with 88% of Egyptian women saying that they should be allowed to work at any job for which they are qualified. In Egypt, as in other parts of the Muslim world, this attitude is not just a theory, as a full third of professional and technical workers in Egypt are women, on par with Turkey and South Korea.
If you want to put faces to these data, observe women such as Souad Saleh, an assertive and outspoken woman whose area of expertise is fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence. Saleh is an Islamic jurist and professor at al-Azhar University, the most prominent institution of Islamic scholarship and authority in Sunni Islam. She was the first woman dean of faculty at the institution and is a prolific writer on issues ranging from family law to women"s rights, authoring more than seven volumes on Islam and at least four in-depth research works. A regular on pan-Arab television and one of the most outspoken preachers on Islam, her message is clear: "Islam is simple and holds women in high esteem."
Celebrity preachers aren"t the only ones who defy conventional wisdom. There are also women like Salwa Riffat, an Egyptian woman now in her late 50s who earned her bachelor"s degree in aeronautical engineering from Cairo University and went on to earn her Ph.D. in civil engineering. At the same time, she managed to successfully balance raising a family and fulfilling the demands of her career. She is now a professor of engineering, teaching men and women alike. "Women of my generation were at the forefront of a new era in Egypt," she says, referring to the wave of women attending college that gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s. "Now, it"s hardly something worth noting that in Egypt, universities are filled with women, in some cases more than men, and they are excelling." The valedictorians of Cairo"s elite medical school are famously known to almost always be female.
These cases are hardly unique. Nationally representative self reported data show percentages of women in Iran (52%), Egypt (34%), Saudi Arabia (32%), and Lebanon (37%) with postsecondary educations. In the United Arab Emirates and Iran, women make up the majority of university students. However, in Muslim countries -as well as in non-Muslim countries -Gallup finds a wide range of female education with percentages of women pursuing postsecondary educations dipping as low as 8% and 13% in Morocco and Pakistan, respectively, which is comparable with 4% in Brazil, or 11% in the Czech Republic.
Based on the largest and most in-depth study of its kind, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think presents the remarkable findings of the Gallup Poll of the Muslim World, the first ever data-based analysis of the points of view of more than 90% of the global Muslim community, spanning more than 35 nations.
John L. Esposito is an Islamic studies professor at Georgetown University. Dalia Mogahed is executive director of the Center for Muslim Studies at Gallup. They co-wrote "Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think."
by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed
In sharp contrast to the popular image of silent submissiveness, Gallup findings on women in countries that are predominantly Muslim or have sizable Muslim populations hardly show that they have been conditioned to accept second-class status. Majorities of women in virtually every country we surveyed say that women deserve the same legal rights as men, to vote without influence from family members, to work at any job they are qualified for, and even to serve in the highest levels of government. In Saudi Arabia, for example, where as of this writing, women were not allowed to vote or drive, majorities of women say that women should be able to drive a car by themselves (61%), vote without influence (69%), and work at any job for which they are qualified (76%). Egyptian women, who have faced far fewer restrictions than their Saudi counterparts, speak even more strongly in favor of women"s rights, with 88% of Egyptian women saying that they should be allowed to work at any job for which they are qualified. In Egypt, as in other parts of the Muslim world, this attitude is not just a theory, as a full third of professional and technical workers in Egypt are women, on par with Turkey and South Korea.
If you want to put faces to these data, observe women such as Souad Saleh, an assertive and outspoken woman whose area of expertise is fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence. Saleh is an Islamic jurist and professor at al-Azhar University, the most prominent institution of Islamic scholarship and authority in Sunni Islam. She was the first woman dean of faculty at the institution and is a prolific writer on issues ranging from family law to women"s rights, authoring more than seven volumes on Islam and at least four in-depth research works. A regular on pan-Arab television and one of the most outspoken preachers on Islam, her message is clear: "Islam is simple and holds women in high esteem."
Celebrity preachers aren"t the only ones who defy conventional wisdom. There are also women like Salwa Riffat, an Egyptian woman now in her late 50s who earned her bachelor"s degree in aeronautical engineering from Cairo University and went on to earn her Ph.D. in civil engineering. At the same time, she managed to successfully balance raising a family and fulfilling the demands of her career. She is now a professor of engineering, teaching men and women alike. "Women of my generation were at the forefront of a new era in Egypt," she says, referring to the wave of women attending college that gained momentum in the 1950s and 1960s. "Now, it"s hardly something worth noting that in Egypt, universities are filled with women, in some cases more than men, and they are excelling." The valedictorians of Cairo"s elite medical school are famously known to almost always be female.
These cases are hardly unique. Nationally representative self reported data show percentages of women in Iran (52%), Egypt (34%), Saudi Arabia (32%), and Lebanon (37%) with postsecondary educations. In the United Arab Emirates and Iran, women make up the majority of university students. However, in Muslim countries -as well as in non-Muslim countries -Gallup finds a wide range of female education with percentages of women pursuing postsecondary educations dipping as low as 8% and 13% in Morocco and Pakistan, respectively, which is comparable with 4% in Brazil, or 11% in the Czech Republic.
Based on the largest and most in-depth study of its kind, Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think presents the remarkable findings of the Gallup Poll of the Muslim World, the first ever data-based analysis of the points of view of more than 90% of the global Muslim community, spanning more than 35 nations.
John L. Esposito is an Islamic studies professor at Georgetown University. Dalia Mogahed is executive director of the Center for Muslim Studies at Gallup. They co-wrote "Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think."
Should the Burqa be Banned?
July 02, 2009
Posted by Shadi Hamid
The issue of the burqa (or the niqab) is one that I've struggled with because it forces us to choose between competing goods. It cuts to fundamental questions of the limits of tolerance and free speech. Mona Eltahawy is a courageous advocate for women's equality and I enjoy her columns a great deal, but I find her most recent piece for the New York Times somewhat perplexity. She advocates a burqa ban because the burqa violates women's rights. I agree with almost everything she says regarding the burqa, that it, in effect, "erases women from society." Agreed. As an American-Muslim, it both bothers and offends me to see women in major American cities with only their eyes showing. The niqab is an affront to the values I grew up with, but, then again, so are so many other things. I do not enjoy the right to not be offended.
Eltahawy also references Soad Saleh, an Islamic law professor who says that the burqa has "nothing to do with Islam" and is, rather, a cultural tradition. Again, I fully agree.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy said recently, "The burqa is not a religious sign, it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women. I want to say solemnly that it will not be welcome on our territory.” Again, I agree with the first sentence but I'm not sure how the second sentence follows from the first. You cannot justify a ban on something simply by saying that it is a sign of the submission of women. There have to be legal and/or constitutional grounds for implementing such a ban, and, in this case, such grounds do not appear to exist. You could presumably institute or execute laws that prevent men from forcing their wives to do things against their will, but if the burqa is something some women choose to do voluntarily then such injunctions would not be germane.
What is interesting, and rather puzzling, about Eltahawy's article is that it does not attempt to make any real argument for banning the burqa, even though is presumably the intent of her piece. The idea that we can or should ban things we don't agree with is dangerous because it can easily be applied - as it often is - in reverse situations. For example, there have been attempts in Muslim-majority countries to silence minority opinions on the exact same grounds - that a form of expression must be banned because it is an affront to a certain set of norms and values that the majority holds dear.
On such grounds, anything that hints of criticism of Islam in Muslim-majority countries, even those that are supposedly secular, can be made punishable by law. Scholars and commentators have been charged with apostasy and, in some extreme cases, forced into exile for supposedly undermining the Islamic faith (see for instance the case of Nasr Hamed Abu Zayd). The reasoning here operates in parallel to Eltahawy's: Voluntary expressions of speech or faith must be restricted because they come into conflict with societal perceptions of what is "right." It sets a dangerous precedent, then, to go down this path, whether in the name of one set of ideals or another - even if we are convinced, as may very well be, that the one set of ideals is better than the other.
That said, I am more than willing to be convinced that there are indeed reasonable legal and constitutional grounds for banning the niqab, but I have trouble seeing how those might take precedence over the higher principle and constitutionally-guaranteed right to free speech and expression.
Posted by Shadi Hamid
The issue of the burqa (or the niqab) is one that I've struggled with because it forces us to choose between competing goods. It cuts to fundamental questions of the limits of tolerance and free speech. Mona Eltahawy is a courageous advocate for women's equality and I enjoy her columns a great deal, but I find her most recent piece for the New York Times somewhat perplexity. She advocates a burqa ban because the burqa violates women's rights. I agree with almost everything she says regarding the burqa, that it, in effect, "erases women from society." Agreed. As an American-Muslim, it both bothers and offends me to see women in major American cities with only their eyes showing. The niqab is an affront to the values I grew up with, but, then again, so are so many other things. I do not enjoy the right to not be offended.
Eltahawy also references Soad Saleh, an Islamic law professor who says that the burqa has "nothing to do with Islam" and is, rather, a cultural tradition. Again, I fully agree.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy said recently, "The burqa is not a religious sign, it is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission of women. I want to say solemnly that it will not be welcome on our territory.” Again, I agree with the first sentence but I'm not sure how the second sentence follows from the first. You cannot justify a ban on something simply by saying that it is a sign of the submission of women. There have to be legal and/or constitutional grounds for implementing such a ban, and, in this case, such grounds do not appear to exist. You could presumably institute or execute laws that prevent men from forcing their wives to do things against their will, but if the burqa is something some women choose to do voluntarily then such injunctions would not be germane.
What is interesting, and rather puzzling, about Eltahawy's article is that it does not attempt to make any real argument for banning the burqa, even though is presumably the intent of her piece. The idea that we can or should ban things we don't agree with is dangerous because it can easily be applied - as it often is - in reverse situations. For example, there have been attempts in Muslim-majority countries to silence minority opinions on the exact same grounds - that a form of expression must be banned because it is an affront to a certain set of norms and values that the majority holds dear.
On such grounds, anything that hints of criticism of Islam in Muslim-majority countries, even those that are supposedly secular, can be made punishable by law. Scholars and commentators have been charged with apostasy and, in some extreme cases, forced into exile for supposedly undermining the Islamic faith (see for instance the case of Nasr Hamed Abu Zayd). The reasoning here operates in parallel to Eltahawy's: Voluntary expressions of speech or faith must be restricted because they come into conflict with societal perceptions of what is "right." It sets a dangerous precedent, then, to go down this path, whether in the name of one set of ideals or another - even if we are convinced, as may very well be, that the one set of ideals is better than the other.
That said, I am more than willing to be convinced that there are indeed reasonable legal and constitutional grounds for banning the niqab, but I have trouble seeing how those might take precedence over the higher principle and constitutionally-guaranteed right to free speech and expression.
It’s not about Niqab, it’s about credibility
Hoda Ramzy, another student, was expelled from Al-Azhar Institute in Shoubra, today, for merely wearing a niqab.
Monday, October 12,2009 19:31
by Dalia Ziada
Hoda Ramzy, another student, was expelled from Al-Azhar Institute in Shoubra, today, for merely wearing a niqab. She and her colleagues who face the same problems with the administration decided to file a complaint to President Mubarak in protest. On Facebook, a new group was launched to defend women’s right to wear the niqab at school. Their argument revolves around the fact that if you gave the right to “motabarijat” [i.e. the uncovered women] to go around freely, then you should give equal rights to covered women.
On local state-owned media and independent media channels, the controversy over niqab is endless. There is a huge verbal battle between Salafi sheikhs and Al-Azhar scholars. The latter is viewing the niqab as harmful to society, while the former believes this is the ideal dress of the Muslim woman. Both have very persuasive arguments.
I visited Alexandria couple of weeks ago. One of the most shocking scenes I saw there was the huge number of women in niqab. Some of my relatives wore it too. They are very convinced that this is how Muslim woman should look. Some of them told me that to “show more gratitude to Allah, the creator of our precious bodies, we should be covered from head to toe with three layers.” When I asked her who told her this, she said a Sheikh on Al-Nas TV (one of the most popular Salafi TV channels in Egypt).
On my latest shopping tour, about one month ago, a newly married friend of mine joined me. We had not seen each other for more than a year. She is an ordinary young woman who has always been open-minded and loving life. When she got engaged to her current husband, she wore the hijab (scarf) which most Egyptian women wear. I was surprised when I saw her shopping for Abbayas (long baggy dress). She then told me that upon the command of her husband, she will change her dress to wear the niqab. She is not convinced that the niqab is a divine order; but she “loves her husband and wants to obey him.”
It is true the number of women wearing niqab in Egypt is increasing daily. Every woman has her own reasoning for wearing it. This is not a matter of question now. We are not arguing whether it is a basic right for women to dress the way they want. This is absolute and no one can deny it. We are not even searching for the reasons or key players behind this unexpected change of Al-Azhar policy from the extreme right to the extreme left. Everybody knows that Al-Azhar played a great role in fueling religious “piety” in Egypt over the past five years. They were pushed by the state to do so as an attempt to re-attract the already religious Egyptian public who were highly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood group.
The Muslim Brotherhood represented itself as an independent voice defending moderate Islam versus the state owned voice promoting another version of Islam tailored according to the wishes of the regime. The political Islamist group succeeded in attracting a large number of supporters by emphasizing Islamic principles as the solution for Egypt’s economic and political problems.
The question, which we all should consider now is why Al-Azhar scholars are not obeyed by the public any more? The simple and direct answer to this very complicated question is because Al-Azhar lost its credibility in the eyes of Egyptians. Al-Azhar has been used as a tool in the hands of the regime to satisfy personal and elite interests at the expense of Egyptian’s religious sympathies. Under the claim of defending Islam, Al-Azhar committed some unforgivable violations against open-minded intellectuals and fighters for freedom of expression and freedom of belief. They cracked down on Bahai’s for merely calling for the right to have a national ID card and other official papers that prove them being ordinary Egyptian citizens. They also cracked down on Shiites and Sufis and distorted their image in an unacceptable way.
Yet, the most unfair and shocking violation was committed against 22-year-old blogger and student, Kareem Amer. Kareem is now serving four years in jail for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mubarak. He wrote an article criticizing Al-Azhar scholars’ pledge to Mubarak to be the “prince of believers” and how this will make us – the people/ believers – deprived from our right to hold him accountable for corruption, wrong decisions, etc. Kareem simply wrote this on his own personal blog. As a result, he was expelled from university, interrogated and sentenced to four years.
Al-Azhar now is looked upon as a state owned tool. It is no longer the independent religious institution respected worldwide. That is why the Salafis have the upper hand in the niqab battle. And that is why our society will grow more and more extreme.
Monday, October 12,2009 19:31
by Dalia Ziada
Hoda Ramzy, another student, was expelled from Al-Azhar Institute in Shoubra, today, for merely wearing a niqab. She and her colleagues who face the same problems with the administration decided to file a complaint to President Mubarak in protest. On Facebook, a new group was launched to defend women’s right to wear the niqab at school. Their argument revolves around the fact that if you gave the right to “motabarijat” [i.e. the uncovered women] to go around freely, then you should give equal rights to covered women.
On local state-owned media and independent media channels, the controversy over niqab is endless. There is a huge verbal battle between Salafi sheikhs and Al-Azhar scholars. The latter is viewing the niqab as harmful to society, while the former believes this is the ideal dress of the Muslim woman. Both have very persuasive arguments.
I visited Alexandria couple of weeks ago. One of the most shocking scenes I saw there was the huge number of women in niqab. Some of my relatives wore it too. They are very convinced that this is how Muslim woman should look. Some of them told me that to “show more gratitude to Allah, the creator of our precious bodies, we should be covered from head to toe with three layers.” When I asked her who told her this, she said a Sheikh on Al-Nas TV (one of the most popular Salafi TV channels in Egypt).
On my latest shopping tour, about one month ago, a newly married friend of mine joined me. We had not seen each other for more than a year. She is an ordinary young woman who has always been open-minded and loving life. When she got engaged to her current husband, she wore the hijab (scarf) which most Egyptian women wear. I was surprised when I saw her shopping for Abbayas (long baggy dress). She then told me that upon the command of her husband, she will change her dress to wear the niqab. She is not convinced that the niqab is a divine order; but she “loves her husband and wants to obey him.”
It is true the number of women wearing niqab in Egypt is increasing daily. Every woman has her own reasoning for wearing it. This is not a matter of question now. We are not arguing whether it is a basic right for women to dress the way they want. This is absolute and no one can deny it. We are not even searching for the reasons or key players behind this unexpected change of Al-Azhar policy from the extreme right to the extreme left. Everybody knows that Al-Azhar played a great role in fueling religious “piety” in Egypt over the past five years. They were pushed by the state to do so as an attempt to re-attract the already religious Egyptian public who were highly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood group.
The Muslim Brotherhood represented itself as an independent voice defending moderate Islam versus the state owned voice promoting another version of Islam tailored according to the wishes of the regime. The political Islamist group succeeded in attracting a large number of supporters by emphasizing Islamic principles as the solution for Egypt’s economic and political problems.
The question, which we all should consider now is why Al-Azhar scholars are not obeyed by the public any more? The simple and direct answer to this very complicated question is because Al-Azhar lost its credibility in the eyes of Egyptians. Al-Azhar has been used as a tool in the hands of the regime to satisfy personal and elite interests at the expense of Egyptian’s religious sympathies. Under the claim of defending Islam, Al-Azhar committed some unforgivable violations against open-minded intellectuals and fighters for freedom of expression and freedom of belief. They cracked down on Bahai’s for merely calling for the right to have a national ID card and other official papers that prove them being ordinary Egyptian citizens. They also cracked down on Shiites and Sufis and distorted their image in an unacceptable way.
Yet, the most unfair and shocking violation was committed against 22-year-old blogger and student, Kareem Amer. Kareem is now serving four years in jail for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mubarak. He wrote an article criticizing Al-Azhar scholars’ pledge to Mubarak to be the “prince of believers” and how this will make us – the people/ believers – deprived from our right to hold him accountable for corruption, wrong decisions, etc. Kareem simply wrote this on his own personal blog. As a result, he was expelled from university, interrogated and sentenced to four years.
Al-Azhar now is looked upon as a state owned tool. It is no longer the independent religious institution respected worldwide. That is why the Salafis have the upper hand in the niqab battle. And that is why our society will grow more and more extreme.
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