Dr Zia H Shah, chief editor of the Muslim Times and a GP in New York, penned a blog post calling for Muslims all over the world to acknowledge the progress over the centuries, instead of treating the Koran's teachings as gospel.
He wrote: "Since September 11, 2001, I have come to abhor this article of clothing, given its association with the Taliban and it becoming a symbol of lack of human rights in the Muslim societies, compared to the Western world."
The physician, who writes about all religions and science, revealed over the years the women in his family have become more relaxed with the traditional dress they wear, as society progresses.
.... "However, insisting that the understanding of sacred text is frozen puts the most fundamental belief of religion at risk.
"When any religious person claims that a sacred text is 'dead' - in that the understanding of its meaning is fixed forever - they are directly at odds with their own idea of a living, active God.
"Each one of the Muslims, whether conservative or liberal, young or old, man or woman, actually has seen many examples in their lives that the Holy Koran is to be interpreted in the context of time, whether he or she fully realises it or acknowledges it or not." [Daily Express] Read more
