Jamiat-ul-Ulema knows it cannot push women back into burqas,

The War within Islam

Jamiat-ul-Ulema knows it cannot push women back into burqas

By Sultan Shahin

November 9, 2009

These ahadees contravene the progressive, even feminist teachings of the Koran specifically to degrade and humiliate women and uphold the pre-Islamic practices.

The Jamiat has asked Muslim men to ensure "sisters, wives and mothers wear burqa", and do not bring "disrepute to the community". Endorsing Jamiat's archaic thinking, a number of ulema told the large Muslim gathering that a woman's status in society should be "secondary and subdued". They should abstain from watching cinema or television or going to co-ed schools; restrictive Sharia practices would apply to them after the age of 10.

The Jamiat also reiterated its opposition to the government's efforts to provide millions of bonded madrasa students an option to join the mainstream of society by acquiring knowledge and skills other than that of becoming a muezzin or an Imam of a mosque. It also repeated, completely unnecessarily, its earlier fatwa against Muslims singing Vande Mataram, half a century after the issue was settled.

Clearly Jamiat's burqa is slipping and the veneer of broadmindedness is wearing off. Composite nationalism calls for adjustment on the part of all communities. Unity in diversity and not uniformity of the Sangh Parivar world-view is definitely the idea best suited for India.

http://newageislam.com/jamiat-ul-ulema-knows-it-cannot-push-women-back-into-burqas/the-war-within-islam/d/2077

Canadian Muslims must lose muzzle, condemn honour killings, Islam and Human Rights, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Human Rights

Canadian Muslims must lose muzzle, condemn honour killings

Naomi Lakritz, Calgary Herald

Published: Friday, November 21, 2008

Campbell praised the wealthy, Swiss-born religious leader's philanthropic work through his Aga Khan Development Network, which works in 29 countries, including Afghanistan.

"For decades now you have partnered with Canadians to build a new infrastructure of hope that's based on education and pluralism, on health, on creating for individuals the sense of themselves, the promise that they have and the possibility that exists in the world in which they live," Campbell said.

Canada's great strength is its diversity, said Campbell, a theme the Aga Khan built on in his brief address.

Canada not only sheltered Ismailis who escaped persecution in countries such as Uganda in the 1970s, he said, but allowed them to prosper so that some could return home, bringing Canadian values with them.

"You have given them the wherewithal to return to their countries in due course and bring back to Africa, bring back to Asia ... the pluralism, the values of Canada, the knowledge society that you have created here in Canada," the Aga Khan said.

He said he sometimes jokes that more and more Ismaili leaders around the world are Canadian.

"You don't have a colonialist history but you are colonialising the Aga Khan Development Network," he said.

One of the unique traits Canadian Ismailis bring back is an ability to promote knowledge needed to become globally competitive in a way that does not threaten traditional societies in many developing countries, he said.

http://newageislam.com/canadian-muslims-must-lose-muzzle,-condemn-honour-killings/islam-and-human-rights/d/1017