Muslims Together : September 2017

A BIG VICTORY FOR WOMEN

File Phot0: First Female Judge in Qatar

Not only Muslims but Hindus, Christians, Jews, Sikhs and all others talk about equality of women, but many don’t practice what they preach. “What does she know” “Her place is home” and invariably her knowledge is discounted. Religions were not the culprits, it was the men who could not stand women being equal and have resorted to a whole lot of demeaning things to feel secure. Until 1919 women were considered a property even here in the United States, we have come a long way and a whole lot more to go. I have heard shameful comments like “A woman can preach in my church over my dead body.” Many conservative men and even women had a problem with Hillary Clinton being a woman president.

Prophet Muhammad released women from the bondage of men, when he declared that men and women will be treated equally by God. Her husband is not responsible for her deeds, she is, and she is free to own property, own business, marry and divorce out of her free will. It was revolutionary at that time and the world understood that 1300 years later. However, a few Muslim majority nations have gone against the very teachings of Islam. The invention of Sharia among Muslims really pushed back the egalitarianism of Islam, Sharia is bidda (invention) and we need to un-bidda it with common sense or God's laws of equality, justice, freedom and harmony.

Being an interfaith wedding officiant, I do a lot of research in matrimonial sites, women in general seem to seek approval of men, sort of pandering and usually playing the secondary role in the households. This needs a change, women need to assert and need to safeguard their rights and not be dictated against their will for common good.

A majority of people in all groups believe and practice equality - that simply means respecting the other person, her opinions and her presence.

Here are 4 items of Good news at: http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2017/09/big-victory-for-muslim-women.html

Saudi Arabia – women can drive now, and their clergy to eat crow

Saudi Arabia has finally taken the good step forward; they have announced that women are permitted to drive in their country. First of all every man and woman have the same God-given rights to be accountable to their actions, Saudi did not give the right to women, but released back what was usurped from them in the first place.

Here is the information release today, Saudi Arabia lifts ban on women's driving : Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Tuesday issued a royal decree allowing women to drive, ending its status as the only country in the world to impose such a ban. The new rules will take effect starting June 2018. This comes after years of campaigns against the ban that was seen as a violation of women's rights.

To quote Reza Aslan used for another instance, it was a Saudi practice and had nothing to do with Islam. My friends at Fox had falsely projected it as an Islamic practice which I fought with Sean Hannity as not.

The Saudi Muftis (those who issue fatwas) will fall flat on their faces; they have to eat what they spat. They had issued funny opinions on many issue. The other non-sense that needs to go is fatwas against Shias and other Muslims as no Muslim or less of a Muslim. Allah does not care what you believe, how you worship, as long as you subscribe to the idea that there is one earth, one universe and there is one “whatever” we are accountable to and take care of fellow beings and create harmony in his creation – that is what Islam in a nutshell means.

Indian Muslim Clergy fell flat on their faces

The men claiming to represent Islam in India also fell flat on their faces. They were adamant that a man has the right to pronounce the word divorce three times in a row and that would end the marriage. An evil practice that does not exist anywhere in the world, it is neither Islamic nor the Quran supports it. The men hung on to it, despite innumerable articles, some of them are at www.ShariaLaws.com.

The supreme court of India listened to Muslim women and said that practice must go. The same Ulema will fall on their face again if they do not abolish the evil practice of Halala and inheritance and child custody laws.

India’s Supreme Court wrecks the Triple Talaq traditionhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/indias-supreme-courts-wrecking-ball-wrecks-triple_us_599dac25e4b056057bddd005

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Female Genital Mutilation

The practice of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) will come to a grinding halt, but it still continues in small groups. Once again it is not an Islamic or Muslim practice as Ayan Hirsi Ali has propagated it to be. It is practiced by one small sect within the Muslim community, but largely by communities who are Christian and native traditions in Africa. FGM was legal in America until 1996.

The Doctor that was caught in Michigan in performing FGM is out on a bail of $43 Million. There is an imam in Fairfax, VA, who believes FGM was allowed in Islam, of course he is barred from practicing now. I say, the lady doctor who performed FGM and the Imam who said it is Islamic are innocent people – they problem is source of their knowledge – the secondary books in Islam which shamefully many a Muslims have elevated to the level of Quran. The solution is to establish a commission to study these secondary books and label bad ideas in them and caution the reader about it. Quran is flawless and is a book of guidance to create cohesive societies where no human has to live in fear of the other. Freedoms to live and breathe are its goals.

Articles:
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2011/11/female-genital-mutilation-among-bohra.html

Setting the record straight - http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2012/04/mutilating-facts-setting-record.html

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Muslim Woman can Marry a Non-Muslim man -Morocco declares

The problem is same with all groups of people, they don't want their daughters to marry outside their faith or even tradition - but have no problem if their sons marry women of other faiths. United States and Canada are about the only countries where you marry whoever you feel compatible with, such is our freedom. In India and other nations if you are a movie star or a rich man, no one will stop you but if you are an ordinary citizen, you will be invariably harassed and even killed. I am sure it happens in other nations, thank God America is the land of the free. You live in the pursuit of your happiness.

Now, the Kingdom of Morocco just declared that their women (Muslim) can marry a non- Muslim. This is a big official announcement in the history of Islam, even though the practice has been around. Muslims in general are resistant to the change without looking at the reasons why such ruling was “added” in the first place as Quran does not expressly prohibit a Muslim woman from marrying a non-Muslim. nearly 40% of American Muslims and Hindus marry outside their faith, and of course Christians and Jews are about 50%. A day will come, when what you believe, eat, drink or wear does not matter, what would matter is can you be happy with the individual.