Landmark Islamic funeral held for sex worker in Bangladesh

Activists in Bangladesh have welcomed the first ever Islamic funeral for a sex worker, breaking a long-standing taboo in the Muslim majority nation.

Hamida Begum, who worked at one of the world's largest brothels in the village of Daulatdia, died of illness last week at the age of 65.

A number of people gathered at her grave to witness the historic moment.

Sex work is legal in Bangladesh, but Islamic leaders have previously refused to perform funeral prayers for workers.

Instead, sex workers who die are usually buried in unmarked graves, without formal prayers, or dumped in rivers. [BBC] Read more

'Counter jihadism with pluralism'

Many Muslims are misled into believing they must help Islam dominate the world, Sultan Shahin, editor of an online magazine on Islam, said earlier this week.

He was part of a panel discussion on December 21 at the Bangalore International Centre, Domlur, focused on the history of Islam, its theologies, and the concepts of Jihadism and pluralism.

The session was titled ‘Islam and modernity.’ Shahin, founder and editor of online news magazine New Age Islam, and Syed Mohammed Faisal, postdoctoral fellow at the International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru, spoke, while well-known columnist Aakar Patel moderated the discussion. Shahin said he was concerned about the “extreme resonance” of Jihadism among educated youngsters.

“Today, we are living in a very different world, we just can’t go out and conquer other territories and expect to be accepted as legitimate rulers. Through New Age Islam I am trying to evolve a new theology of peace and pluralism,” he said. [Deccan Herald] Read more

Saudi Arabia ends gender segregation in restaurants

Saudi Arabia will no longer require restaurants to have separate entrances segregated by sex, the government says.

Previously, it was mandatory to have one entrance for families and women, and another for men on their own.

The restrictions had already been quietly eased in practice, with many restaurants, cafes and other meeting places no longer enforcing segregation.

A series of sweeping social reforms in Saudi Arabia has been accompanied by an intensified crackdown on dissent.

Earlier this year, a royal decree allowed Saudi women to travel abroad without a male guardian's permission, and in 2018 the Gulf kingdom ended a decades-long ban on female drivers. [BBC] Read more

Egypt court sides with woman against unequal inheritance law

An Egyptian woman says she’s scored an important legal victory against her country’s inheritance laws, which grant female heirs half of what they grant men.

Huda Nasrallah, a Christian human rights lawyer, says a Cairo court ruled she may inherit the same share as her brothers.

That decision follows a yearlong legal battle she launched after her father’s death. Two previous judges had ruled against her, based on Islamic inheritance laws that favor male heirs.

Nasrallah told The Associated Press on Tuesday she’s “thrilled” by the verdict and hopes it will encourage other women. [The Associated Press] Read more

Koran encyclopaedia hopes to promote peace

Extremists who take passages from the Koran out of context to justify violence will be challenged by an encyclopaedia published in the UK at the weekend — the first to re-order Koranic verses into themed chapters focusing on peace and women’s rights.

The work is written in English and has been described as a remarkable achievement, designed to show why Islam is described as a peaceful religion.

The Koran is written as it was “revealed” to the Prophet Muhammad in the early 7th century. Its 114 chapters and more than 6,000 verses are not in thematic order. Readers wishing to understand Islam’s teaching on a topic may have to find references scattered throughout the Koran.

This creates the risk that verses mentioning violence can be taken out of context to claim that Islam encourages violence against non-Muslims. Scholars have said such verses issued calls to arms for Muslims to defend themselves in wars waged against them 1,400 years ago but were not meant to justify violence generally and often appear with verses urging restraint. [The Times (£)] Read more

Saudi Arabia 'planning to relax male guardianship laws'

Saudi Arabia could be planning to relax the country’s strict male guardianship laws to allow women to leave the country without needing permission from a male relative, according to reports.

Travel restrictions for women over the age of 18 are due to be lifted this year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, quoting Saudi officials familiar with the matter.

The planned changes would also lift restrictions on international travel for men under the age of 21 without the consent of designated male family members.

Potential reforms to travel rules for women were also mentioned in Saudi Arabia’s Okaz newspaper on Tuesday.

'What they did to me was so horrific': brutal silencing of a Saudi feminist

Such a move would have a radical impact on life in the conservative kingdom, where human rights organisations say the male guardianship system makes women second-class citizens.

Saudi women still need the permission of a male relative to make major life decisions, including marriage, divorce and obtaining a passport. The system also makes it difficult for women to seek help for domestic and sexual violence issues or win child custody cases. [The Guardian] Read more

Arab world turns its back on religion – and its ire on the US

The Arab world is turning its back on religion and on US relations, according to the largest public opinion survey ever carried out in the region.

A survey of more than 25,000 people across 10 countries and the Palestinian territories found that trust in religious leaders has plummeted in recent years.

The study, compiled by BBC News Arabic and Arab Barometer, a Princeton University-based research network, also identified a marked rise in the proportion of people describing themselves as “not religious” – from 11% in 2012-2014 to 18% this year. [The Guardian] Read more

'German Islam': Can a state-led project succeed with a new interpretation of religion?

.... While the programme was launched in 2006 by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, it was mainly initiated to promote dialogue between representatives of the German government and the country's Muslim community, it significantly transformed over the years. Even though it was originally designed as a mechanism of communication and dialogue between the German state and Muslims living in Germany, the conference added a completely new dimension to its programme: redefining Islam.

The initiative to redefine and adjust Islam to German values combined with efforts to stimulate the integration of Muslims into German society is not an entirely new idea. In early 2000's former Interior Minister Otto Schily for example, raised this issue when saying that Muslims had to be assimilated and be prepared to adopt a "European Islam". [The New Arab] Read more

I’d be wrong to stay silent about homophobia in Islam – even though I’ll get abuse for it

It is hard to be a progressive Muslim in today’s riven, regressive, fanatical and tribalised world. It just got harder. Since January, groups of parents in Birmingham – most British Muslim – have stood outside primary schools and protested against teachers who are committed to teaching children about equality and respect for all, including LGBTQ people. Hundreds of pupils have been kept out of school.

This unseemly conflict started at Parkfield Community School, judged outstanding by Ofsted and known for its broad and open learning environment. A welcoming sign outside is written in six different languages. Suddenly none of that mattered. Young mums and various agitators stood outside and railed against sex education classes which “promote” homosexuality to their innocent babes.

.... Yet talk to them about “Islamophobia” and you will hear the most passionate arguments and compelling stories about what that means and why it’s wrong. They cannot see their own double standards. Nor do they understand the impact of their iniquitous views on LGBTQ people as well as other Brits who have always stood up for migrants, refugees, racial and religious minorities.

Muslims are making enemies of friends just when we face an existential threat. The coming confrontations, they need to understand, will not be between gay people and Muslims, but decent humans and those who are set to destroy decency, mutuality and the common bonds of humanity. Which side will they be on? [inews.co.uk] Read more

Arabs and atheism: the politics of disbelief

A key point to keep in mind is that Europe’s recognition of religious freedom didn’t happen in isolation – it was the result of broader political and social changes over a long period of time. Similarly in the Middle East, the problem of freedom of belief won’t be solved quickly or in isolation. There would have to be a shift away from the prevailing social and political authoritarianism, and states would have to start disentangling their relationship with religion. It may be difficult to imagine that happening in the Arab countries, but we shouldn’t underestimate the way public discourse has opened up and challenged the status quo during the last few years. Arab governments may try to control it but modern technology makes that increasingly difficult.

There are tentative signs of change in other areas too. The new constitutions in Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq all pay some lip service to the principle of religious freedom, even if it’s not currently upheld in practice.

.... For now, these may be little more than empty words but the fact that governments see a need to utter them at all perhaps offers a ray of hope for the future. [al-bab.com] Read more

London mosque to host Shoah exhibition after Golders Green cancellation

A London mosque is to host the Yad Vashem-supported exhibition on Muslim heroes of the Holocaust after its cancellation by the Centre for Islamic Understanding in Golders Green.

The Love Your Neighbour exhibit will take place in Redbridge on 20 January, though the venue and organisers are being kept under wraps for fear of a repeat of the campaign that led to the Golders Green hub scrapping their event.

Faith Matter’s Fiyaz Mughal, who is supporting the event, said: “Thankfully, the exhibition on Muslims who saved Jews is being held in Redbridge. There is some fantastic work being done in the Borough to bring together communities. [Jewish News] Read more

Meet The Trailblazing Women Training To Be The UK's First Female Mosque Leaders

.... According to its own research, the MCB claims more than a quarter of the UK’s 1,975 mosques in Britain don’t have prayer area for women, and 28% do not offer any facilities for women.

Maysoon has a legal background, having worked in the sector for 10 years, and has a masters degree in education (she also speaks six languages). Using her experience, Maysoon is currently teaching at the Abu Bakr mosque in West Yorkshire.

“I just teach in the mosque, but I wanted to take it further,” she says. “I didn’t want to limit myself because I could see that the mosque needed a female voice amongst all the elderly men who run it.

“The same men who would make it quite clear with some of their comments and reactions that they felt uncomfortable with women coming to the mosque to pray as is their right.”

In August, Muslim women in Scotland launched a campaign for equal prayer space and inclusion in decision-making bodies. The Scottish Mosques for All campaign said: “It is unfortunate that many mosques fail to provide basic access for Muslim women to use the facility to pray, or the quality of the space can often be inadequate and not suitable.

“It is also unfortunate that many mosques have limited or no women present at mosque trustee or managerial level, either intentionally preventing women from taking up these roles or not sufficiently providing a welcoming atmosphere where women feel comfortable to get involved. [The Huffington Post UK] Read more

"We are a hundred years behind"

The Tunisian parliament is to consider a bill recently agreed by the cabinet that would grant equal inheritance rights to men and women – a proposal that has created a furore not only in Tunisia, but throughout the Middle East. Egyptian writer and activist Nawal El Saadawi describes the move as "positive" and believes that Egypt may finally be following in Tunisia's footsteps. Interview by Imane Mellouk.

El Saadawi: It's a very positive development and defintely something that every Arab country should adopt. There must be full equality between women and men in this Arab and Islamic world of ours. These days such equality exists in many countries, while we in the Arab world still lag far behind.

.... El Saadawi: In Tunisia, the laws are ahead of the reality for ordinary women. I've visited Tunisia several times in the past. The law is ahead of the actual status of women in society today. In situations where the political leadership is bold, like under Essebsi, and endorses progressive laws, as Bourguiba did, while the social, political, religious and cultural situation remains unchanged, we find the law to be progressive.

However, neither women nor even the government are able to apply such progressive laws in practice. We therefore need a cultural, political and intellectual renaissance to strike the monster and the merchants of religion. [Qantara.de] Read more

Focusing on the most superficial and nonsensical things

"Islam as a civilization in its current state will never, never ever, be better than the West or even the East, like Japan and South Korea. Never. You have to understand that we are animals. The reason why we are so successful as a species is not because we're very strong. We can't run that fast, we haven't got claws or massive teeth, we're not great at all those things like a tiger, or a whale, or an eagle would be great at. The only reason why we have been able to survive and thrive is because of what we have in here. Our brain. The ability to think, the ability to critique.

Now, if you are going to put laws in place in your country, in your civilization, in your religion, that stop you from thinking to your maximum capacity… You can't make fun of this, you can't question that, you can't talk about this person, you can't talk about that person. If you do, you'll be punished, sending out a very clear message to everyone else that this will not be tolerated.

Free thought, satire, speech, expression, free open inquiry will not be tolerated. If that's the kind of society that you're going to build, if that's the kind of country, or atmosphere that you're going to build in your country, then guess what, you will never ever be able to compete with people who can think freely. You will never be able to compete with them. [...][Mick Hartley] Read more

The Berlin Muslims reforming Islam, one co-ed prayer meeting at a time

German security services were recently in touch with one of Berlin’s best-known Muslim clerics. He should take their warnings seriously, they again told Abdul Adhim Kamouss. Death threats were being made against him by members of the Islamic State extremist group and they were real, the officers said.

Mr. Kamouss knows why he is being threatened but he will continue with his plans. The 41-year-old Berlin local wants to start his own mosque, where he will preach mainly in German; he also wants to establish an advisory service for Muslims, a center to combat radicalization and a Muslim scout group.

To do all this, Mr. Kamouss started a foundation called Islam in Germany. He sees himself as somebody who will bring his religion into the 21st century, encouraging his congregation to play a larger role in mainstream German culture and fighting what he calls “the rat catchers” – radicals who preach a hateful version of his religion to entice younger Muslims to do their bidding. [Handelsblatt] Read more

Why Can't I Criticize My Religion?

.... On the surface, for those who wanted to reform Islam, the only place to do so appeared to be the West. We all assumed that here in the West, it would be safe to question and criticize. Instead, so many institutions utilize a far more subtle method of silencing criticism.

.... The more you conceal or disregard constructive criticism of Islam, the harder you are making it for reforms to occur in the religion and the easier you are making it for Muslim radicals to prevail.

.... The reason I criticize the radical elements of my religion is not because I have hatred in my heart, but because I desire to protect those who have been abused and abandoned by their leaders.

.... The more you conceal or disregard constructive criticism of Islam, the harder you are making it for reforms to occur and the easier you are making it for Muslim radicals to prevail. There are currently, around the world, atrocities being committed every moment of every day in the name of Islam; your goal should not be to be politically correct or fiercely protect this religion, but to heal its wounded and offer support to those that want to eliminate the abuses. Glossing over the often unspeakable acts to which sharia can lead will only empower those individuals who have malevolent intentions, while subjugating the most vulnerable to their cruelty. [Gatestone Institute] Read more

A sobering look at Islam and human-rights discourse - A group of Muslim scholars offer a view from the Islamic tradition

MOHAMMAD FADEL, an associate law professor at the University of Toronto, is one of North America’s most thoughtful commentators on the interface between Islam, liberal democracy and Western understandings of the rule of law. He has made an elaborate case for the possibility of Muslims, including theologically conservative ones, finding a comfortable place in a diverse, noisy liberal democracy where many value systems co-exist. He draws on the ideas of John Rawls, perhaps the greatest American political philosopher of the late 20th century, to show that “public reason” can serve as a kind of common denominator between citizens with utterly different world views.

So it is sobering to find that in a newly published set of essays on Islam and the Western understanding of human rights, Mr Fadel puts more emphasis on difference than compatibility. His contribution is the sharpest of the essays, published by the Atlantic Council, an influential think-tank based in Washington, DC, under the title “The Islamic Tradition and the Human Rights Discourse”.

Mr Fadel artfully uses a Western source to show that basic concepts like freedom and happiness have one meaning for a liberal humanist and another for a theist idealist who sees the purpose of human life as devotion to God. For somebody in the latter camp, an addicted gambler is anything but free; but to the secular liberal, that way of life could simply be one way of exercising formal freedom.

Islamic thought about the family, as Mr Fadel adds, is oriented not only to the short-term happiness of individuals, and also to other perceived desirables such as “a reasonably stable household that produces a new generation of Muslims.” So Muslim thinkers could not be expected to see religiously mixed marriages in the same light as a secular libertarian would. He concludes that: [The Economist] Read more

LGBT-friendly Berlin mosque deradicalises Muslim youth

Tugay Sarac was just 15 when he first talked about traveling from Germany to Syria to fight for Islamic State.

But unlike his friends at the time, Sarac had turned to radical Islam as a way of avoiding coming to terms with his sexuality.

“I had friends who, like me, were really radical extremists and even considered going to Syria or to Palestine to fight,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a quiet corner of the prayer room of Berlin’s Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque.

Now 20, Sarac, who was born in Berlin to a Turkish family, learned from an early age that homosexuality was wrong - and un-Islamic.

“I thought being gay is bad and that through Islam, by praying to God, I could cure myself and become normal. I started praying five times a day: I just felt bad, like I was dirty or inferior somehow ... I was really ashamed of my gay thoughts.” [Reuters] Read more

Fatwa-hit scholar calls for more tolerant Islam in the UK

But instead of shrinking from the limelight, Scottish scholar Paigham Mustafa has pledged to step up his efforts to question Islamic teaching by setting up a new think tank to reverse “Muslim social self-exclusion” and ensure greater integration for the community in the UK..

Mr Mustafa as targeted by Muslims in Glasgow and had to seek police protection after he spoke out about the more restrictive practices of Islam being propagated by Mosques.

In response, he says that 15 imams issued the fatwa - or ruling - calling for other Muslims to take action against him.

He has since been threatened with beheading by extremists after he claimed fasting between dawn and sunset during the month of Ramadan is not a requirement in the Quran, and has sought the protection of the police.

.... “Muslim social self-exclusion has become a largely voluntary phenomenon within the UK. This tendency towards Muslim segregation must be reversed to reduce social tensions, youth disaffection, juvenile criminality, economic deprivation, political disillusion and community alienation,” said Mr Mustafa. [Evening Times]

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Tunisian president proposes inheritance equality for women, with exceptions

Tunisia’s president on Monday proposed giving women equal inheritance rights despite protests from thousands of people objecting to any challenge to Islamic law.

The North African Muslim country, which toppled autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, grants women more rights than other countries in the region, and since last year has allowed Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men.

But in a show how divided society remains, thousands demonstrated on Saturday in front of parliament against any changes to inheritance rules.

The current system is based on Islamic law which typically allows men to inherit double what a woman would receive.

“I propose equality inheritance to become law,” President Beji Caid Essebsi said in a speech.

But in the face of the opposition from conservatives, he left the door open for some exceptions, saying families who wished to continue the allocation based on Islamic law would be able to do so. [Arab News] Read more