Knifeman ordered Bristol women to take off hijabs
on Thursday, April 18, 2013
A man racially abused a Muslim woman and demanded she took off her hijab before putting a kitchen knife to her throat.
David Norris, 39, approached Farduja Jama who was with her eight-year-old son in Morton Street, Barton Hill at 9am.
Drunken Norris, who was brandishing a six-inch knife told her: "Take the hijab off. This is England, you are not allowed. Take the hijab off before I stab you."
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Muslim doctor opens Shifa Free Clinic for women
on Monday, April 15, 2013
By Jennifer Berry Hawes, Feb. 24th, 2013
“And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down.” — Quran, 2:143
Dr. Reshma Khan grew up in a Muslim family. But as a young doctor and mother, she studied her faith more deeply — and realized its strong call to charitable work.
On the one hand, selfless giving provides for society’s needs. Yet, giving in God’s name also purifies the giver’s heart.
“This is the cornerstone of the Islamic society and a constant theme in the Quranic teachings,” says Khan, an ob-gyn. “Faith should be put into action.”
So she examined her own life. How could she use her medical talents to give back beyond her paid position at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center?
“My purpose is to serve the creator, and the best way to serve the creator is through the creation,” Khan adds. “If God has given me this (talent), I need to use it for more than myself.”
She had long dreamed of opening a free gynecology clinic for women. In 2008, she began actively pursuing it and eventually took her proposal to the Islamic Circle of North America Relief USA, which provides social services, women’s shelters, programs for the hungry and other nationwide services. It also funds free clinics in other cities and agreed to help Khan.
At last, a year ago, her dream became the Shifa Free Clinic, a nonprofit in Mount Pleasant that provides a full-range of gynecology services to the uninsured and underinsured — regardless of faith.
At 42, Khan donates her time to provide the center’s medical care. Her husband, Dr. Ahsan Khan, a nuclear medicine specialist, serves on its board.
Dr. Reshma Khan (Right) talks with Angela Pearson at the beginning of her Ob/gyn visit on Thursday, February 14, 2013. Khan established a free gynecological health center with funding from the Islamic Circle of North America Relief USA. (Brad Nettles/postandcourier.com) 2/14/13
The clinic has provided nearly 300 patient visits already. Two women who otherwise might not have received medical care were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Both now are cancer-free, Khan says.
About half the patients there are unemployed. The remaining 46 percent are employed but either lack health insurance or cannot afford what their insurance plans don’t cover.
In a brilliant indigo dress, black pants, a blue hijab head scarf and running shoes, Khan greets her patients with an easy, friendly smile and warm brown eyes. Most patients come here for Pap tests, bleeding issues, pelvic pain and contraception — in other words, important and highly personal health care.
Khan has not heard of another local free clinic that offers full gynecology services including breast exams; screening mammograms; endometrial, vulvar and vaginal biopsies; pregnancy tests; contraception; and pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds.
Khan clinic runs the clinic with about 20 volunteers and companies that donate medical services.
“I have met so many beautiful people with beautiful hearts of all different faiths and ethnicities,” Khan says. “I feel so humbled to be part of this bouquet of people.”
Along with ICNA Relief funding, a $20,833 Blue Cross and Blue Shield foundation grant given to the state’s free clinics funded a large chunk of the clinic’s first year. Donations paid much of the rest.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control donates vaccines. Merck donates vaccines as well. MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center donates mammography and other services. Lab Corp’s donated laboratory services alone were valued at $239,439 last year.
Dr. Reshma Khan checks Angela Pearson’s lungs at the beginning of her ob-gyn visit on Feb. 14. Khan established a free gynecological health center with funding from the Islamic Circle of North America Relief USA.
One recent day, four typical patients awaited care. Three of the four were uninsured.
Ilian Moreno has four young children and couldn’t afford a $600 fee for a gynecological test she needed. At the Shifa Clinic, she will get it for free.
Angela Pearson recently was laid off. She had health insurance through her husband’s job, but they couldn’t afford the $150 fee not covered for a procedure.
“It would mean not paying the mortgage or not buying food,” Pearson says.
Michele McFadden works at a local hospital but doesn’t have health insurance because she is a per diem employee. Like 90 percent of patients here, she’s not Muslim — and it doesn’t matter to her that Khan is.
“Health care is pretty universal,” McFadden says. “It doesn’t matter what religion you are.”
Khan soon will be joined by Dr. Betsy Rainey, an ob-gyn who just moved to Charleston after serving with Doctors Without Borders overseas.
“These are patients who might otherwise not get treated,” Rainey says.
Embarking on the clinic’s second year, what does Khan have planned?
She’d like to increase services by 20 percent and provide free or low-cost osteoporosis screenings and colonoscopies.
Oh, and expand the clinic’s Feed the Hungry program and its back-to-school program funded by the Central Mosque of Charleston.
She grins widely. Lofty goals, she knows.
But her faith and belief in serving others made the center a reality in the first place, and she’s certain it will carry her from here.
Clinic’s upcoming hours.
Call 352-4580 for an appointment.
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
March 7: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
March 16: noon to 4 p.m.
March 21: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
March 26: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Multifaith dinner benefits Shifa clinic
Local interfaith religious leaders will speak Saturday at a “Peace Through Service” fundraising dinner for the Shifa Free Clinic for women.
Speakers will include Imam Khalid Griggs, Chairman of ICNA Council for Social Justice; the Rev. Jeremy Rutledge, senior pastor of Circular Congregational Church in Charleston; Rabbi Yossi Refson of Chabad of Charleston and the Low Country; the Rev. Peter Lanzillotta, chair of the Coastal Interfaith Community; and Shaila Shroff of the local Hindu Temple.
The event will take place 6:30-9 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 5991 Rivers Ave., North Charleston.
Tickets cost $50 for adults, $30 for those 65 and older, $20 for college students and $5 for children.
To register: www.shifa101.com or call 352-4580. The clinic is at 845 Lowcountry Blvd., Mount Pleasant.
Reach Jennifer Hawes at 937-5563 or subscribe to her at www.facebook.com/jennifer.b.hawes
Article Courtesy: Post And Courier
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The Role of Women in Western Society
on Thursday, April 11, 2013
Women have been dominated by men since the beginning of mankind. They just lived to serve and obey man. The main role of women in the society was to bear kids, take care of the house and be faithful and loyal to their husbands. . They are not given equal place as men in the society. In modern countries women are kept under total male domination, these countries including Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, and many African countries.
Women in these countries are not encouraged to obtain higher education. They are not allowed to speak freely. They are enforced to dress properly according to the will of her father or husband. Most women in these countries are not given the right to take part in some activities like work, games, business etc. They are just considered as glorified house keepers.
Until recently, in some western countries women were not allowed to get higher education and take part in many activities as well, but nowadays the situation is different. Western women have various political and lawful rights that allow them to get higher education, as well as, take part in as many activities as they want. The Western world provides complete freedom to women. Like a man, she can take part in all activities.
A great ratio of women in the west are well educated. They have higher education degrees and play a key and important role in the economic growth of their country through business and government positions. Most of the western women, like men, are usually employed and earn a lot of money during their career.
As we know, every coin has two sides. Besides its various advantages, feminism has left some harmful effects on these countries. Pregnancy before marriage and other features are some of the factors in the breakdown of families in the West. Divorce is a common word in these countries
Traditional intellectual like Carlson Carolyn and Allan Graglia believe that the change of women’s role in the western world, from being a caring mother to self identified and trained professional, has shaped a communal disaster that is carrying on to take its charge on the family. There are different points of view regarding the freedom of women in the western world. Some professional, experienced and well educated liberal women in the west are quick to endorse the importance of business and employment.
While the position of women in neo-liberal western society is well established and that of great importance, there should be some thought given to the real extent of their role in society, business and family.
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Femen protest brings condemnation from Muslim women
on Friday, April 5, 2013
"In March 2013, a 19 year-old Tunisian activist by the name of Amina posted topless photographs of herself on Femen’s Facebook page. In one photo, “my body is my own and not the source of anyone’s honor” is written on her chest. In another image, Amina is holding up her middle fingers with “fuck your morals” written on her chest."
Femen Strikes in Tunisia – the Case of Amina
Sara Salem on Tahrir-ICN
Muslim women send message to Femen - Counter-protest launched against 'Topless Jihad Day'.
Aljazeera Storify piece
Muslim Women Shockingly Not Grateful for Topless European Ladies Trying To ‘Save’ Them
By Callie Beusman on jezebel.com
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Women in Islam Respected or Oppressed
on Monday, April 1, 2013
From the start of humanity, from the time Adam and Eve were created women have been a piece of this living cycle. Adam and Eve were created from the same essence, but slowly and gradually women started to lose their position, their dignity and esteem. In many cultures, women are still seen as a second –class civilian and are underprivileged of many basic human rights, that are enjoyed by the male population. Deeply resenting this favouritism, they have championed a struggle to acquire for themselves and equal rank which to date excludes them from every aspect in the modern world. The world even after being at a height of modernization still stands on the ground of a male-dominant society.
On the other hand, Islam was the initial religion to give out women with an identity, to serve them with a status of respect and dignity, a place that was never before understood by any other religion. The teachings of Quran shed light on the way of life for both men and women alike. Women in Islam have a high status, which has always been a negative topic of discussion and debate in the other societies. Mentioning that, in the western societies, the rights and treatment given to women by Islam are still criticized; Islam was the first to allow women to get educated, to make them knowledgeable with the moving society. Because of the push-up given by this religion women have also succeeded in becoming great leaders, presidents and exceptional rulers.
A woman is to be treated as a creation of God, with the utmost respect, with rights; she should be treated well like an individual. She should be provided with options, she should be permitted to speak when it comes to her own decisions. She should be given the right to inherit from her parents and her husband. Unlike other religions, a Muslim woman can become an Iman, a leader of the communal prayer for women and also gets the right to spread her religion with proper knowledge.
With all this authority comes obligations too, women must follow the rules and regulations put forward for them, they must not step out of the limits that are created for them, because they are also for their own betterment. Women must be punctual in praying, fasting, giving charity, performing pilgrimage, doing good deeds, teaching their family, children and acquaintances with the correct knowledge, give utmost respect to the husband.
Islam till date is found to be the most considerate religions and women in Islam are definitely respected and not at all oppressed.
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Thuy Tien One of Vietnam’s Wealthiest Women
on Friday, March 29, 2013
In Asia, Vietnam is considered one of the fastest growing economies after China. In Vietnam, female entrepreneurs just own 25% of all the private enterprises. Vietnam is considered among the male dominant societies. There is only one woman among the fourteen members ruling communist politburo, but still rare women are playing a key and significant role in booming of the economy of Vietnam. One of these women is Thuy Tien.
Thuy Tien, the president of Imex Pan Pacific, is believed to be the wealthiest women in Vietnam. She is famous for purchasing branded products such as hundred of Bulgari watches, Vuitton tote bags and dresses. It is said that most of the products she purchases are from Paris. She moved towards a stunning career from a flight attendant to the president of Imex Pane Pacific in few years. A few years ago at Vietnam Airlines, she was a flight attendant. At a time, she started her career as a movie starlet and now she is the president of huge trading company in Vietnam.
‘’I run 25 personal ventures and equity firms that hand out the luxury brands’’ Thuy Tien says. She further says that her main mission is to make annual returns of US$1billion; it is all about money.
Thuy Tien was born in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam in 1970. When she was five years old, her father died just before the end of the war. Her mother was a school teacher. Thuy Tien adds that her mother was very strict. She taught us that hard working was the key to survive in this world. Thuy Tien says that it is the lesson that she never forgotten.
Thuy Tien is married to a Vietnamese; Philippines raised air line business man whom she met during him when she was a flight attendant. He is the person behind the expansion of Vietnam International Airline. His intellectual abilities proved to be helpful for his wife, but Thuy Tien insists that all the financial success she achieved was because of her efforts. She says that ‘’ I have studied each aspect of business from A to Z and I can compete with any type of business at the highest level’’.
Thuy Tien lives in her most stunning and beautiful mansion with her husband, with two children and 10 housemaids. It takes more than 40 minutes to overlook the Thuy Tien home from each aspect. It is a classical, as well as, a modern luxury mansion. A giant gate with excellent gold metalwork, perfect white exterior and Doric columns make the mansion the most attractive, unique and beautiful mansion in Vietnam. The mansion is also very attractive from inside. Most of things inside the mansion are made of gold which makes it easy to tell what items are not gold.
Her company Imex Pan Pacific is considered a fashionable agent for sumptuousness brands such as Ralph Lauren, Ferragamo, Bulgari and Rolex. She says gladly that, ‘’sales are rising every year’’. Rare women like Thuy Tien are playing a key role in booming of the economy of Vietnam.
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How Muslim Women are treated in France
on Thursday, March 28, 2013
It was a few years back when we found a lot of protests in the newspapers regarding the ban on wearing Hijab by Muslim women in France. The French President Jacques Chirac was the one who ordered the parliament in France to pass the law of Hijab banning. It was completely the right for the Muslim women to protest as Hijab is the legal right of every woman. It is one of the teachings of Islam, and thus as many people think, it is not against the freedom and liberty of Muslims. Hijab is an important part of Islam as there are orders of Hijab in the Holy Quran. Those who attacked Hijab and banned it, actually attacked Islam, so who can stay silent in such a case.
There are many people who think that wearing Hijab takes away the liberty of women. Even the French government, when it banned Hijab, said that women were being forced into Hijab by their husbands, and thus, this law gave them freedom. This was nothing but a result of lack of understanding the true Islam. Women wear Hijab as obedience to the commands of Quran, instead of doing it forced by their husband’s commandments.
Muslim Women in France were not forced to wear Hijab, they did it happily so they started protesting. A non-Muslim woman in France asked a Muslim woman, wearing hijab, what she would do if her husband allowed her to uncover her head. This non-Muslim woman thought that the Muslim woman was doing it because of her husband and she expected her to show signs of happiness. The Muslim woman instead, replied that she would divorce her husband because wearing hijab was the commandment of Islam, and it must be followed. Muslim women had to face a lot of problems wearing Hijab as they were not allowed to wear it in public places. Muslim girls would not wear Hijab in state owned schools and colleges. Similarly, Hijab-wearing women could not work in state banks and state schools or offices.
However, some people think of it positively, saying that the French government gave women freedom. They say that it is a form of freedom for everyone as there would be no religious discrimination, it allows Muslims, Jews, and Christians to look the same when working together. They said that nuns were not allowed to wear their dresses in public area either, and same went for Jews. No one was allowed to wear any religious dress to remove religious barriers. However, Hijab is something that is made compulsory on women, and it is a teaching of Islam. Islam is not just about believing spiritually, rather it is a complete code of life, and it is about practical life. It affects what you wear, what you do, and how you deal with people. Islam is a complete religion that tells you the whole conduct and behavior that you need to keep, and how you need to spend your life.
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Women In The Japanese Mosque
on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Women in Japan have been playing an increasingly important role in the Japanese Mosques. They have been quite active in helping propagate Islam to not-yet-Muslims and guide new converts in the ways unique to them. How can we, the Muslim men, help make the Japanese mosques become more women-friendly?
Most of the Japanese Muslim women converted to Islam because they had to embrace the religion before getting married with their mostly foreign-born Muslim migrant husbands.
With the passage of time, these women have become increasingly vocal in their roles in the Mosques in organizing many Islamic studies and other community and cultural activities.
Indeed, there are many aspects of the role of Muslim women in Japan. However, in this article, we will Inshallah, discuss their role with a special reference to the Mosques in the country.
- Women`s participation on the Mosque boards. Although, they are not directly a part of the board in their local mosques, they have taken on various important roles to handle many dawah and other cultural activities
- Female attendance at Friday prayers and other events related to Mosques is still limited in most of the Masajid in Japan. In fact, most of the mosques do not have a separate place for Muslim women to pray or perform other activities independently according to their own free will
- Women-only programs at Mosques. Some mosques have started organizing women-only study programs specifically targeted to the Japanese Muslim women. These events are mainly organized by relatively more knowledgable Japanese women who, in most cases, converted to Islam relatively long time ago, trained themselves via self-study programs or other similar means and, now, are ready to pass on the acquired knowledge to other aspirant women leaders in the Muslim community in the country.
- Many of the Muslim women are not trained to perform dawah and other related activities. However, they can easily organize other cultural activities quite effectively.
- A possible reason why more women are not very active in the Muslim community is that their husbands either do not encourage them to be a dynamic part of the Muslim community due to their own lack of Islamic knowledge
- Unfortunately, many women became Muslims because they had to get married to a Muslim. . So, they do not take their religion too seriously and keep on indulging in many of the activities which they had been doing before entering Islam
How can we make women better trained to serve the cause of the Muslim community in their respective locations?
- One way could be to organize tarbiyat or training programs for women specifically,
- Encourage their husbands to bring women to the masajid
- Educate their husbands about the true and vibrant role of the Muslim women in a growing Islamic society
- Make partitions or arrange separate rooms for the women to perform their activities. However, many of the mosques are too small to accommodate Muslim women separately on various occasions including Friday prayers, Saturday study programs etc.
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International Women Day
on
International women’s day is observed on every 8th of March. This is a day which is first known as international working women`s day. You can see that all countries and regions have celebrated this day according to their own culture and views. The celebrations in general are focused on appreciation, respect, love and freedom of women to take steps and actions in her own life. This day also refers to the appreciation of women in different fields like in economy, social sector and politics.
Nowadays, you can see that this day just became an occasion like the valentines day and the mother`s day and it lost its political touch. On the other hand, you can see that there are countries which follow the theme allotted by the United Nations, and they run this slogan strongly, and take measures for making people aware about the contribution of women and their rights. It is very much important to show the struggle of women to the society so that they can also feel confident, and know how important is their role in the development of a strong economic and political system in any region.
Women day was celebrated for the first time in 28 Feb 1909, in the United States of America. It was observed as a national women’s day. The reason for this day is that in year 1908, about 15000 women came on the road, and marched through New York City demanding for better pays, working for short hours and voting rights. Those women had reservations on the treatment that men carry towards them, so they came out to claim their rights.
Today, Women’s day is celebrated with the theme of the United Nations. The United Nations offered different slogan each year on which women work. The United Nations slogan for women in year 2013 is “A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End Violence against Women” So know all the NGOs and organizations that are working for the women rights have to follow this slogan and work on violence against women. They will arrange different seminars and workshops to make the society aware more about the right treatment for women.
The situation is improved as compare to earlier times but still there are lots of steps to be taken to fully ensure that women will not get any harsh treatment from the opposite sex, or even there should not be any discrimination between two women.
According to Islamic point of view, Muslim women are highly regarded and she is appointed as the queen of the house. The women in Islam are viewed as one who cannot be treated harshly unless she goes against the teachings of Islam. Islam also asked the women to stay in the house rather than going to the offices to earn money. All the responsibilities of women are given to men to whom she married.This way the Muslim women feel more protected and safe.
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How Does Islam Elevate the Status of Women
on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
My heart aches when I see people saying that Islam gives no rights to women and that it lowers their status, instead of elevating it. Such people say such things only because of lack of knowledge of Islamic history. They are not aware of the condition of Arabia before Islam and after it. Such people probably do not know a lot about Islam and give their reviews about the religion without proper information.
To talk about elevation of the status of women, we should first look at the conditions of Arabia before Islam. That was the time of ignorance when women were treated as articles of faith. Women had no rights, and they could be bought or sold. Moreover, a man could marry as many women as he wanted, and sometimes, sons inherited their father’s wives. Women were also given no right to inheritance. Apart from that, one major and very brutal practice of those ignorant people was that they used to bury their daughters alive. When a girl was born to anybody, he felt shame and buried her alive. Thus, there were no rights for women at that time, and they had to do nothing but suffer.
Then came our beloved Prophet (Peace be upon Him) who is also the seal of the prophets. He brought with him the teachings of Islam. God’s message started being revealed in him, and slowly and gradually the status of women was elevated.
So how was this status elevated? The burying of the daughters was prohibited. In fact, it was considered as an act that deserved severe anger and punishment. Apart from that, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) came with a number of teachings regarding women.
We see that the Islamic teachings and laws are all similar for men and women. Where five times prayers are compulsory for men, they are also compulsory for women. Where fasting and charity are binding upon men, so they are for women, Thus; all these obligations are equally binding and the reward is also similar for both men and women.
Islam also gave women rights to inheritance and to own property. Previously women got no share from inheritance, but Islam gave them rights to inherit. Women were also given the freedom of choice for choosing a husband. Nobody can get her married to a man she does not wish to marry.
Moreover, Islam demands that women be respected. They should cover up themselves and that their beauty should not be shown to any man. Her beauty is only for her husband to see, and thus Islam made it obligatory for a woman to cover herself up when she goes out of the house. This is to make sure that no body gazes at her with bad intentions. This is also to protect her chastity. Woman are just like the jewels that are kept hidden from everybody’s eyes. This is because jewels are so beautiful that they can attract some people’s bad intentions. Same goes for women.
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Smartphone for Protection – A new use for Indian women
on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Indian women have now started using Smartphone for protecting themselves from hating acts of gang rape. With panic buttons, these smart phones act as virtual bodyguards for women. All these precautions have started being taken after the fatal attack that took place in December 2012, when a 23 old girl became a victim of the hated act, as she came in the hands of the drunken gangs, while getting home from the cinema.
After this incident, many steps were taken in India, with many protests being built up. In addition, some businessmen joined together to create a website for helping victims of these harassments. All this was done to warn the mischievous people and to show anger to the act that was done. The website created by the businessmen allows people to report such harassing incidents, and even attract instant attention with an online map to track them, in order to request help.
All these steps are great ways to make women more confident and that they should not feel embarrassed when sharing their experiences. This website is also built to help women report complaints about such incidents. This allows women to feel more in power to protect their rights. It gives women the right that they should not stay quiet anymore.
The Smartphone helps in this purpose in such a way that a mobile app is created known as SafeTrac, which can be downloaded on the phone without any charges as well as an emergency button, is made available to alert emergency contacts. This way the relatives can track their way to the victim and save her and get the mischievous people caught.
There are people who are working towards creating applications that can be used by women, to protect themselves. Future applications are being planned in this field. They all understand that women are unable to go to the police stations and report such abusing incidents. Many times they are violated even when they go to police stations to report complaints. It is time that these women be given rights and respect.
In order to prevent all such causes, the government has also taken part in preventing such crimes. The government is also aiding in the development of mobile phone apps that would help send emergency signals to relatives or the police.
No doubt, people are working to help out the women in distress, but technology still has its limitations. Many women cannot afford normal mobile phones, let alone the android phone and smart phones. Moreover, when a woman gets subjected to such a crime, she does not have enough time to take out her phone from the bag and send signals. Thus, no doubt steps are taken, but still they cannot be used completely. There are limitations to which applications can be used by women.
Since the application option cannot be suited for all, some people are also working towards designing devices that are about lipstick size that can be carried in all bags. These can be used to attract attention and send signals to get emergency help.
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Women who do not cover their hair deserve to be raped: Danish Muslim Scholar
on Saturday, March 9, 2013
Danish Muslim mufti Imam Shahid Mehdi sparked an outcry from the Unity List Party and the Danish People’s Party when he stated on television that women who leave their homes or fail to wear the hijab or burka are “asking for rape.” He went on to argue that women who walk around in what he believed to be immodest dressing were not worthy of any respect at all. The Copenhagen based cleric was accused of attempting to rape a 23-year old woman in a local park. She managed to escape and he chased her; she subsequently reported the incident to the police. Mehdi was arrested soon after by local police.
Imam Mehdi argued that the charges against him were racist in nature. When he was being interrogated by Copenhagen police, he refused to plead guilty and maintained that the accusation that he attempted to rape the alleged victim were fabricated against him because he is of Pakistani origin. Although he denied ever having to attempted raping anyone, he did not stop there. Imam Shahid Mehdi, speaking on a local television show “Talk to Gode” is reported to have said: “She disobeys her master, there are two places in the Qur’an where it was ordered to cover themselves. Women make a clean society dirty when they walk around without a Hijab. They are not entitled to respect and are not valuable as those who wear a Hijab.”
Local politicians admitted that Mehdi’s comments could incite Muslim men to rape Danish women who opt not to dress according to his interpretation of the teachings of Islam. As a jurist and Imam of the Islamic Religious Community masjid in Dortheavej, Copenhagen, Mehdi has a considerable following in Denmark, and his insinuation that women who do not cover their hair deserve to be raped could be taken seriously by many. Most striking, however, is the fact that Mehdi is serving as the Rector of a private Muslim school.
It will be interesting to see how this incident affects the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in Denmark. Although most Muslims have integrated into Danish society, these comments are bound to increase the level of Islamophobia in a country that is already considerably divided over immigration policies and religion in the public space. The ultra-conservative Danish People’s Party will surely take advantage of this to further its anti-Islamic agenda. Those Muslims and non-Muslims who were peacefully and happily coexisting in Europe are the ultimate losers of the actions of Muslim extremists like Imam Shahid Mehdi and extremist political parties such as the Denmark People’s Party.
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Why are South Asian Women Obsessed with being White?
on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
We often hear this dialogue from a south Asian woman ‘I would kill someone for a whiter and fairer skin’. In South Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the road is bombarded with large billboards, banners advertising skin lightening treatments, creams, makeup and techniques. In many points, these advertisements are painted on building walls attracting people. Every time one switches on a channel there is an advertisement running on air regarding a specific skin whitening cream or medicine, which can lighten skin tones in just a matter of a few days. South Asian women are so crazy about having fair skin. They fall for these techniques and end up ruining their skin because of some reverse reaction caused by the medicine or skin creams.
South Asian women usually spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on skin treatment; all they want is the white skin. These women are so much inspired by the west and the make up the Asian makeup artist apply on their models and actress. What South Asian people don’t know is that women of the west love tanned skin, and they often have sun bath or go to salons to get a tan skin. In South Asia, it is believed that a girl with dark skin is not beautiful, and thus no one will marry her. There is a concept among women that females with dark skin are of lower middle class families, are ugly or are of the labor class. South Asian women with dark skin tones have a problem with not getting married at the specific age. South Asian men want fair wives and so the mother-in-laws emphasis on having a fair daughter in law. Many girls who are not much affording often spend their lives in mental stress regarding not getting married. Then their family stresses them even more.
Women of South Asia may not consider dark or tanned skin as beautiful, but this is to tell you those ladies from cities such as London and New York love having dark skin and they hate their pasty, pale white skin. The South Asian media usually air models with light skin and they portray such image that the girl with lighter skin has a better life. They portray that they have a rich husband. They have beautiful kids, and that all men fall over their knees and everyone wants to marry that lady with the light skin tone. Not only light skin tone, but South Asian women are also obsessed with light eye color. They usually have a huge supply of eye lenses of different colors which includes, gray, green, hazel, purple and blue.
The world is changing, and it’s time for South Asian women to change their perspective. There is a thing called black beauty. Beauty is not in color; in fact the beauty is in being slim, smart and having beautiful feature. Let’s just highlight here that South Asian women have the most beautiful face features in the world, this includes large eyes, straight nose and high cheek bones. Do you know that western women actually spend thousands of dollars over these face features surgeries?
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Women charged over racist graffiti in Woking
on Monday, January 28, 2013
Two women have been charged after graffiti was sprayed near a mosque in Woking.
The two 19-year-olds, from Woking and Addlestone, are accused of five counts of racially aggravated criminal damage and four offences of criminal damage.
It follows incidents last November when graffiti was sprayed in a shop, on a wall outside the Shah Jehan Mosque and outside residential properties.
Surrey Police said the pair were due to appear before magistrates in February.
See also "Two charged with racially aggravated criminal damage", Surrey Police news report, 25 January 2013
Via ENGAGE
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Hooded 'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes remove alcohol from drinkers and tell women to cover up as they stalk London suburb
on Saturday, January 19, 2013
That's the headline to a report in the Daily Mail. Ever eager to alert its readers to the encroaching Muslim menace, the paper claims that "a gang claiming to be Islamic vigilantes have been confronting members of the public and demanding they give up alcohol and women cover their flesh in their 'Muslim area'". This is accompanied by a video, originally posted by its creators on YouTube, in which a self-styled "Muslim patrol" harasses passers-by over their un-Islamic behaviour. According to the Mail, the events took place in Waltham Forest.
The report is taken from a piece on The Commentator website, titled "'Muslim Patrol' vigilantes attempt to control London streets", which states that the video is "likely to have come from East London, where 'Shariah zones' were set up last year". It provides a link to a 2011 report in the Mail headlined "'No porn or prostitution': Islamic extremists set up Sharia law controlled zones in British cities", which was illustrated with photographs of one of Anjem Choudary's idiot supporters putting up stickers in Waltham Forest announcing that the borough was a "Shariah controlled zone". The Commentator adds that the individuals featured in the "Muslim patrol" video "are thought to be a part of an extremist network in East London", the implication being that they are members of Choudary's group.
In reality, it is clear that the video was shot in Tower Hamlets, near to the East London Mosque (which has issued a statement condemning the actions of the "Muslim patrol" and calling on anyone with information on the individuals involved to contact the police). There have in any case never been any sharia zones "set up" in Waltham Forest or anywhere else in East London. One dickhead putting stickers on lampposts doesn't bring a "Shariah controlled zone" into existence.
Nor is there a "gang" harassing the citizens of Tower Hamlets over their alcohol drinking or way of dressing. As Richard Bartholomew has pointed out, the "patrol" appears to consist of just two individuals, one of whom is holding the mobile phone with which the video is taken. There is moreover no evidence that they are connected to Choudary's minuscule band of nutters or indeed that they are part of any "extremist network" at all. Their behaviour was no doubt upsetting for the people they targeted, and hopefully they will be identified and charged with harassment, but if a couple of prats pulling a single Candid Camera type stunt constitutes a serious attempt by Islamist extremists to "control London streets" then words have lost all meaning.
This irresponsible reporting has of course had the predictable result of inflaming the far right, as it plays directly to their paranoid racist fantasies about the Islamification of Britain and the imposition of sharia law on non-Muslims. The English Defence posted a link to the Mail report on their Facebook page, provoking the usual outpouring of anti-Muslim hatred, threats of violence and calls for civil war. Not to be outdone, the EDL breakaway group Combined Ex Forces has announced that "members of CxF and other Patriots/Nationalists will be descending on London in the very near future to reclaim our streets".
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Slandering Chaste Women
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Islam, the religion of peace for all, has strict punishments for the unethical and illegal act of adultery. In the case of adultery, there must be four witnesses who testify the sin and sinners. Both offenders must then be penalized with 100 lashes. Allah Almighty clearly states that their punishment cannot be lessened out of sympathy.
“The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment.” (Holy Quran 24:2)
At the same time, Islam strictly condemns slandering chaste women of the sin. There is a clear cut punishment for such a sinner who blames, slanders, and suspects a chaste woman. The Islamic Shariah has the obligation to ensure and preserve a woman’s purity who is unjustly being libeled. Allah Almighty says,
“And those who accuse honorable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them (with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony – They indeed are evil-doers-Save those who afterward repent and make amends. (For such) lo! Allah is forgiving, merciful.” (Holy Quran 24:4-5)
Both these punishments are not just punishments, but are intended to create a society with consciousness towards what is right and what is wrong. Slandering chaste women is not a simple thing to be given no consideration. In fact, for a woman, chastity is her biggest ornament. Islam knows her feelings and values her jewels and thus gives such a severe penalty for those who are involved in the heinous crime of slandering chaste women.
There are three consecutive punishments described in the Holy Quran for those who are indulged in slandering chaste women. Islam preserves their honor and gives the physical punishment of whipping the accuser with eighty (80) lashes. This penalty is almost the same as prescribed for fornicators. The second phase of punishment is moral, as it leads to deny the testimony of accuser forever. He/she has committed such a deceitful and grievous sin of slandering chaste women and has earned nothing but Allah Almighty’s wrath. The third phase of punishment is related to religious bounds, as Allah Almighty has termed them evil doers and transgressors. These three penalties are Allah’s justice for chaste women and Allah’s wrath towards the accusers. However, the most Merciful Allah Almighty mentions that if they want to get rid of eternal wrath and earn eternal peace, they must repent and amend their sin of slandering chaste women.
Holy Prophet (PBUH) warned us from seven noxious things including slandering chaste women:
1. Associating anything with Allah,
2. Magic,
3. Killing of one whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause,
4. Consuming the property of an orphan,
5. And consuming of usury,
6. Turning back when the army advances,
7. And slandering chaste women who are believers, but unwary. (Sahih Muslim)
Life is so peaceful and comfortable if one follows the teachings of Islam in every aspect of life.
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Malala and Other Women Fighting for Justice
on Friday, January 11, 2013
The young girl, by the name of Malala, who the Taliban wanted to have dead has not only survived, but is now capable of walking. She is one of the survivors and there are not many like her who have been able to live through such vicious attacks. According to the authorities, 15-year-old Malala’s ordeal is not over yet because she will have to be readmitted to the hospital in late January for cranial reconstructive surgery. Malala left the hospital just a couple of days after the vicious gunmen attacked a van in the Pakistani Swabi District around an hour away from Islamabad. The gunmen attacked around six women and a man that worked in the children’s community center. Around five teachers were killed along with two other health care workers in the area.
There was also another attack that unfolded at the time that Malala was released from the hospital. In India there was another shocking issue in which a lady that had dreams of becoming a doctor was brutally raped by a gang of men and later died in a Singapore Hospital. Her story has not just been a big ordeal in India, but it has put the whole nation in a state of shock. The girl’s name has not been released, but it has been said that she and her father had sold their land in a rural area and moved to Delhi so that his daughter could accomplish her dreams of becoming a doctor. Now this dream is left unaccomplished and the world is left heartbroken by the chilling news.
All of these attacks on women have a connection with each other and are leading to the deaths of innocent lives. These women like the millions of women all over the world have dreams and of becoming successful teachers, doctors, or politicians some day so that they can have a brighter future. The outlook of any country is highly dependent on the people who are able to make it a better place with their talent. It is only those tough women like Malala that are able to promote women’s rights and fight for their lives. Ever since these incidences the world is beginning to recognize the value and contributions of women and girls and educate them on how they can handle difficult situations. In order to fight in difficult times it is essential that one must take a stand and be willing to make a difference. If we all work together and help create a safe society we can prevent dangerous attacks from occurring to protect the women of our society.
These days there are numerous organizations that have been developed for the protection of women’s rights and they are doing a great job of educating the world. These societies are put together by women that want to help other women who have encountered tough times and are in need of assistance.
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Fears of Afghan Women Police
on Friday, December 21, 2012
The new era in the history of Afghanistan has been written recently with the introduction of women police at the national level. Since 2001, Afghanistan has been governed by the NATO and American forces. As we all know, the Taliban didn’t allow women to come out of their home and do a job to earn pay independently. Five years ago, when women were empowered to come join all fields of life, some women in the police department have become victims of sexual harassment by the people and by their own colleagues as well. Now, the fear is high again because the dress of women is being changed from burqa to olive green dress. Women in the police force now fear about their jobs as due to sexual harassment and discrimination, the government can be forced to ban the women police and they could lose their jobs.
The president of Afghanistan Mr. Hamid Karzai has a target of adding 5000 women police in the country until the year 2014 when NATO forces are set to leave the country. Still the ratio of women police as compared to male police is around 1.25 percent, which is quite low. Until now, 1,850 women are working for the police in Afghanistan. As we all know, Afghanistan is a male dominant society, and it will be much harder for the government to deploy more women police in the country. The positive thing, which the government of Afghanistan has done, is that they broadcast the women in police dress holding the guns on television, which is popular amongst the women in country.
When the question is asked about the future of women police after the departure of NATO troops from the country, women police are curious. They think that after the departure of NATO, the Taliban will come back and women will have to wear burqas again. It is also a fear in the minds of women that again they will be restricted to their homes and won’t be able to come out without a male partner.
Since the 2001 war with the Taliban, the women’s role has been changing vastly in society, and now they enjoy the rights of education, voting and getting jobs. Some women in the society are angry about Hamid Karzai’s decision to hold talks with the Taliban to make peace in the country as they think it will create conflict in the society as the Taliban are not ready for women to have rights.
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Parliamentary report exposes employment discrimination against Muslim women
on Saturday, December 8, 2012
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Race and Community has expressed concern regarding high levels of Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi female unemployment in its new report on the issue. The report follows a five month inquiry.
The report and inquiry was written and undertaken in partnership with the Runnymede Trust, which acts a secretariat for the group.
It argues that discrimination is present at every level of the recruitment process, and cites examples of women changing their names or removing religious dress, such as the hijab, for job interviews.
The report, accompanying short film and evidence submitted is available here.
The press release is available here.
For more information contact Vicki Butler, who wrote the report on behalf of the APPG: vicki@runnymedetrust.org / 020 7377 9222
Runnymede Trust news report, 7 December 2012
See also "Ethnic minority women face jobs crisis", Guardian, 7 December 2012
And "Women 'remove hijabs to get work' as ethnic minorities face more discrimination", Daily Telegraph, 7 December 2012.
The APPG report states: "Muslim women who wear the hijab reported discrimination and women of all three ethnic groups reported questions asked about intentions regarding marriage and children. This was often tied to assumptions based on ethnicity – for example it was assumed that Muslim women would want to stop work after having children."
The report says that Zamila Bunglawala, author of Valuing Family, Valuing Work: British Muslim Women and the Labour Market, highlighted some of her own research during the inquiry, which found that some Muslim women who removed their hijab for interviews were successful in getting a job, having worn their hijab to previous interviews and being unsuccessful.
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets also cited evidence from the Equality and Human Rights Commission which found that 1 in 5 Bangladeshi women under 35 experienced negative comments about wearing religious dress.
The report backs this up with oral evidence: "A group of Pakistani and Bangladeshi women in Oldham mentioned a number of friends and relatives who wear hijab who have found it particularly difficult to find jobs. For some of the older women, discrimination towards hijab wearers was met with a grudging acceptance, with one woman stating that she decided to stop wearing the hijab many years ago in order to help her get a job."
One of the women interviewed spoke about how a friend who is a recent first class graduate from a Russell Group university has struggled to find work and believes that her "decision to wear the hijab is restricting her from getting a job". She added that because her friend experiences a bad reception at interviews she has even considered "taking the hijab off" while looking for a job and then "putting it back on once she has found employment". The same young woman has been successful obtaining work where she has not required a face-to-face interview, such as marking exam papers.
A Pakistani woman in Oldham is quoted as saying about a friend: "From her appearance you can not tell she is a Muslim, but she has a Muslim name and when she mentions her name [to employers] that's it – they back off."
For Muslim women, convincing employers to allow time in the day for Muslim prayer was cited as a difficulty and lack of attendance at work social occasions in pubs was argued by some witnesses as being a disadvantage for future job prospects within an organisation.
The report states: "Yvonne Coghill from the NHS highlighted how not drinking alcohol and not entering pubs can limit opportunities for Muslim women, as it means they are not 'part of the mix' at work network events. This could make them be seen as outsiders and thus more vulnerable to redundancy. Whilst Coghill suggested Muslim women should consider going along to these events even if they do not drink at them, Noor Ali from Morrisons argued that Muslims should not feel as if they should enter pubs to further their career as this is not allowed under their religion. She added that it is more important to change other people's views of Muslim culture, which has been her approach."
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