
Pakistan's
first all-female team gathers in a room at National University of Science and
Technology (NUST) in Islamabad to brainstorm design and manufacturing the
Formula car. (Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Auj - Formula Student)
------
‘Some
Fear Crashes Will Go Up In Saudi with Women at Wheel’
ST
Woman Married to A Muslim Can’t Contest Polls on Caste: Bombay HC
Malaysian
Man Ready to Face Legal Action for Marrying 11-Year-Old Girl
Woman
from Moderate Islamic Party Elected Mayor of Tunis
Pakistan's
First Women-Team Builds Formula Car to Race in International Student
Competition
Women
to Pay Less for Auto Insurance in Saudi Arabia
Thousands
of Palestinian Women Rally on Gaza-Israel Border
Saudi
Woman's Car Torched In Suspected Hate Crime
UAE
Women Start With ‘One Dream One Team’ Motto
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: http://www.newageislam.com/islam,-women-and-feminism/new-age-islam-news-bureau/the-uk-s-first-female-sharia-judge---i-am-championing-women-s-rights-/d/115729
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The
UK's First Female Sharia Judge: 'I Am Championing Women's Rights'
04/07/2018
She’s
a lone figure in a world dominated by men, but Britain’s first female Sharia
court judge isn’t daunted by the task ahead of her.
Instead,
Dr Amra Bone believes her trailblazing path will inspire other women to follow.
The former headteacher and university chaplain sits on the panel of judges at
the Sharia Council at Birmingham’s Central Mosque – one of Europe’s biggest.
Its
her job to rule on Islamic divorce hearings – a role traditionally reserved for
bearded elders who have spent their lives studying the Quran.
Not
that Dr Bone is any less qualified than her male counterparts. The 45-year-old
was invited to join the panel because of her unrivalled expertise in the
complex field of Islamic jurisprudence.
“My
specialisms include Quranic exegesis and ethics with an emphasis on Sharia and
gender,” says Dr Bone, who graduated from Birmingham University where she also
completed her MA and PhD.
“I
was born in Birmingham and attended school and college in the city.
“I’ve
always been involved in my local community and I and spent five years as a
leader at a girls youth club, particularly working with Muslim girls.
“That
got me started in championing women’s rights within my community and eventually
lead to me being appointed Sharia judge 13 years ago.”
She
soon became one of the country’s most respected Sharia judges. “As far as I
know I’m still the only female Sharia Court judge in the UK but I’m really
hopeful that will soon change,” she says.
“I’ve
generally had a good reaction from within the wider Muslim community and I can
share a lot of positive experiences with women who might want to follow my
path.”
Muslim
Arbitration Tribunals, known as Sharia courts, have existed in the United
Kingdom since 1996, when the Arbitration Act started to allow for different
religious laws to be applied in cases such as divorce.
Based
on the Quran and the Sunnah, the two main Islamic texts that deal with how
Muslims should lead their lives, Sharia covers everything from diet and hygiene
to bigger issues such as crime and relationships.
It
is estimated that there are as many as 85 Sharia courts in Britain mainly
issuing rulings in divorce hearings when the couple have had only an Islamic
marriage, rather than a legally registered civil ceremony.
Though
allowed by the Arbitration Act, the courts’ rulings are not recognised by the
UK legal system. But the scholars’ judgements carry the required moral and
cultural weight to grant a divorce before God, according to Sharia law.
Ayesha
Khan, a 42-year-old mother from Birmingham who was granted a divorce by the
Sharia Court in Birmingham, said: “If I went to an English court, my ex-husband
and wider family would not have accepted its rulings because we did not have an
English civil ceremony.
“But
no-one in my community can say anything if the decision has been made by a
Sharia court because that’s our ultimate authority.”
For
many devout Muslims in the UK there exists two parallel marriage systems, which
has grown in recent years as younger Muslims below 30 become more religious, Dr
Bone says.
She
firmly believes that Sharia courts can empower Muslim women and provide a vital
service.
“If
they have not had a registered marriage and only an Islamic one then they have
no redress if things go wrong apart from a Sharia Court. What are they supposed
to do and turn to?”
In
British Sharia courts, 90% of the petitioners are female and almost all cases
involve divorce.
According
to the Home Office, there are about 100,000 British Muslim couples who are not
legally married, since they have only undergone an Islamic wedding, or nikah,
and failed to register their marriages civilly.
Dr
Bone stresses there is no compulsion for women to use the voluntary service
offered by the councils and for any financial or custody issues, her council
automatically refers women to the civil courts.
She
added: “In Islam women are not treated as dependent, but as equal, so we treat
them equally.”
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-uks-first-female-sharia-judge-i-am-championing-womens-rights_uk_5b3b98d7e4b09e4a8b27dd91?utm_hp_ref=uk-news
--------
‘Some
Fear Crashes Will Go Up In Saudi with Women at Wheel’
Jaikrishnan
Nair
Jul
4, 2018
KOTTAYAM:
One of the first Indian women to get a driving licence after Saudi Arabia
recently lifted a ban on women drivers says many in the Gulf country are
apprehensive that it might lead to more car crashes. But Telma Jose believes
such fears are unfounded. The Kottayam woman feels the step to allow women
drivers is empowering and gives a feeling of independence.
“These
are initial days and women have just started driving in Saudi Arabia. People
are apprehensive as they feel there will be more accidents,” said Jose.
A
46-year-old Keralite who had moved to Saudi Arabia three years ago became one
of the first few Indian women to obtain a driving licence after the Saudi
kingdom lifted its decades-old ban on women drivers.
For
Jose, driving is not just a passion but a symbol of freedom. So, when the
kingdom issued a notice to grant licence to women from June 24, Telma did not
think twice. She joined the queue for her right to drive on June 26, cleared
the test and was issued a licence by noon that day.
Telma
worked at Norfolk and Norwich university hospitals before joining King Faisal
Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh as a nursing administrator in
2015. In England, she used to drive her own car to work, PTA meetings, shopping
and for visiting her friends. So, when she came to Saudi, one of her biggest
regrets was she couldn’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle. “In Saudi I felt
tied down as I had to depend on taxi every time,” she said.
Her
British license helped her in her application as she did not have to write the
theory exam and only had to submit a medical certificate with her online
application followed by a test drive to obtain a license, which will be valid
for the next five years.
However,
Telma still cherishes driving through the streets in England. “England roads
are sa- fer when compared to India and Saudi Arabia. The drivers are
disciplined, follow traffic rules and signals. In Saudi, speeding is common and
a lot of accidents occur daily. We have to be extra careful,” said Telma, who is
on a 45-day vacation in Kerala with her family and is currently at her native
village Koratty in Kottayam.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/some-fear-crashes-will-go-up-in-saudi-with-women-at-wheel/articleshow/64848615.cms
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ST
Woman Married to A Muslim Can’t Contest Polls on Caste: Bombay HC
Vaibhav
Ganjapure
Jul
3, 2018
Nagpur:
In a jolt to Gond Scheduled Tribe (ST) woman, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high
court disallowed her from contesting the Panchayat Elections from the reserved
seat, due to her marriage with a Muslim man.
While
quashing election officer’s decision to accept her nomination, the HC ruled
that the burden was on the woman to show that even after marriage, she isn’t
following the Islam rituals, but continues to be a Gond ST.
Her
candidature is challenged by her rival Manoj Sidam, who demanded to quash
election officer’s decision to accept Shaheda Tabassum Tayar Mugal’s nomination
form to contest the Panchayat Samiti (PS) resident’s election as a ST candidate
from Kurkheda sub-division in Gadchiroli. Through counsel Ankita Shah, he
pointed out that the respondent filed nomination in her paternal name of Sharda
Deorao Uike, as the seat was reserved for ST category.
According
to the petitioner, the woman originally belonged to ST category and embraced
Islam after marriage. So, she ceased to belong to ST and ineligible to contest
the election.
“In
our view, she failed to discharge burden of following ST rituals despite
marrying in other religion. In the facts of the case and considering the
proposition laid down in the Supreme Court judgment, it’s held that the woman
is not eligible to contest election as a ST candidate,” a division bench
comprising justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Zaka Haq said.
Before
marriage, respondent was originally known as ‘Sharda Uike’ and had a
certificate from ST Certificate Scrutiny Committee in Gadchiroli division of
March 26, 2010, of being a Gond ST. After marriage with Tayar Mugal on April 9,
2010, she changed the named to ‘Shahida Tabassum’ by following prescribed
procedure and also submitted an affidavit on April 13, 2015, stating that she
had become a Muslim.
The
petitioner pointed out that she even contested for Kurkheda Nagar Panchayat
polls for members and won on November 6, 2015, from the general category. After
victory, she even waived of the benefits available to ST candidate by filing an
affidavit.
Opposing
his contentions, the woman argued that though she changed her name on
affidavit, she doesn’t lose affinity with Gond ST. “The social status of person
is determined on the basis of birth and doesn’t change on marriage,” she said.
Citing
a SC’s full bench verdict in Rajendra Shrivastava’s case, she stated when a
woman born in a SC/ST family marries to a person belonging to a forward caste,
her caste by birth doesn’t change by virtue of the marriage. “It’s laid down
that the person born as a SC/ST member has to suffer from disadvantages,
disabilities and indignities, only by virtue of belonging to a particular caste
which he/she acquires involuntarily on birth. Sufferings of such a person by
virtue of the caste aren’t wiped out by marriage with a person belonging to a
forward caste, she said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/st-woman-married-to-a-muslim-cant-contest-polls-on-caste-hc/articleshow/64841730.cms
--------
Malaysian
Man Ready to Face Legal Action for Marrying 11-Year-Old Girl
03
Jul 2018
GUA
MUSANG, Kelantan: Che Mohd Karim, who reportedly married an 11-year-old girl,
has said he is ready to face legal action.
Mohd
Karim, 41, said he had given full cooperation to the authorities involved in
the investigations into the marriage.
However,
he said he would not divorce her and was ready to wait for another five years,
when his wife reaches the age of 16, before they live together. Sixteen is the
minimum legal age for girls to marry in Malaysia.
"I
don't feel guilty because we were married with blessings from her father,” he
told reporters on Tuesday (Jul 3).
Deputy
Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail previously said that the man is being
investigated for sexual grooming.
Dr
Wan Azizah, who is also Minister of Women, Family and Community Development,
said the government views the couple as unmarried for as long as no evidence is
presented.
Kelantan
Syariah chief prosecutor Zaini Sulaiman was also reported as saying that the
rubber dealer could be charged with polygamy under the Islamic Family Law
Enactment 2002 for marrying the underage girl without the consent from the
court and permission from his two other wives.
Meanwhile,
Narathiwat Islamic religious council president Safei Cheklah said the couple
were married by a religious leader in the province.
However,
Safei said the marriage was performed without permission from the council.
Both
the girl’s parents are said to be Thai citizens.
Shafei
added that the marriage was not wrong in terms of syariah law, but constituted
an offence according to Malaysian civil law.
Despite
not staying together, Mohd Karim promised to take care of his third wife as
well as his two other wives and six children.
"Even
though my third wife is currently living with her parents, I will bear the
expenses including giving her religious education," he said.
Meanwhile,
the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) has urged the non-Muslim community not to
blame Islam for the marriage.
PAS
deputy president Tuan Ibrahim described the matter as an isolated case that
could take place in any other part of the world.
"It's
not about Islam, but individual,” he told reporters.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysian-man-ready-to-face-legal-action-for-marrying-11-year-10495572
--------
Woman
from Moderate Islamic Party Elected Mayor of Tunis
July
3, 2018
TUNIS,
Tunisia (AP) — A woman from Tunisia’s moderate Islamic party was elected on Tuesday
as mayor of the capital city, Tunis, the first time a woman holds the post.
Souad
Abderrahim, a 54-year-old pharmacist of the Ennahdha party, won the post in the
second round of voting by the municipal council. She defeated her top rival,
Kamel Idir, of the party Nida Tounes, founded by the Tunisian president.
Abderrahim,
a former lawmaker and militant for women’s rights, doesn’t wear a veil. She was
the only winner so far among a half-dozen women from the Ennahdha party who
competed for mayoral posts in the region around Tunis.
Tunisia’s
municipal elections were held May 6, but newly-elected municipal councils are
only now voting for mayors.
In
2016, Ennahdha declared that it was separating politics from religion, stepping
away from the notion of political Islam typically embodied by Islamic parties.
Abderrahim
said in an interview with The Associated Press during campaigning that cleaning
up the capital and planting trees would be her first priority.
She
also said that the female candidates put forth by her party constitute a
“message aimed at reassuring the women of my country” that advances made by
women in the North African nation would not be compromised by her party.
Tunisia
has been the most advanced among Arab nations regarding women’s rights since
gaining independence from France in 1956, with its first president Habib
Bourguiba enshrining some principles of equality of men and women in the
constitution.
Presidential
and parliamentary elections are set for 2019.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/apxwoman-from-moderate-islamic-party-elected-mayor-of-tunis/
--------
Pakistan's
First Women-Team Builds Formula Car to Race in International Student
Competition
July
03, 2018
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s first all-girl team from National University of Science and
Technology (NUST) has developed a Formula car and are all set to represent the
country in the International Formula Student competition in England this month.
“It
was a challenging job, but we completed our Formula car in just five months,”
Harim Akhtar, one of the 13 who designed and built the car, told Arab News.
She
said they submitted their plans to the Formula Student competition in December
last year for approval . “We were among the lucky applicants to get our case
approved,” she said.
Akhtar
said they not only designed the car, but built it from scratch using local
parts, including the engine, for the prototype, enabling them to keep costs
down to $4,929.
“We
made some of its parts ourselves in the university workshop,” she said, “using
lathe machines and welding some parts. It was a challenge, but we did it.”
One
of the hardest bits was persuading their parents to allow them to stay at the
university garage and workshop until late at night. “Our parents were not used
to allowing us stay out late, and sometimes it was difficult to convince them,”
she said.
Akhtar
said when they first visited auto spare parts dealers in a Rawalpindi market
some were shocked at first. “They were not used to dealing with female
customers. Some even advised us to stay at home as this job was only meant for
boys,” she said.
Formula
Student —Europe’s most established educational engineering competition — is
backed by high profile engineers and global industries. It aims to develop
innovative and enterprising young engineers from around the world and encourage
more people to start a career in engineering.
Each
year hundreds of competitors take on the challenge of producing a prototype
single-seat racing car for sprint racing or autocross. The finished vehicle is
presented to a manufacturing firm for technical evaluation.
The
NUST team’s car can go from 0-100 kilometers per hour in just 4.5 seconds and
has 90 horsepower engine.
The
team will compete against 30 other teams from around the world.
Farzana
Bari, a human rights activist and former head of the gender studies department
at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University, said manufacturing the car by an
all-female team demonstrated female empowerment in the society.
“In
our urban centers opportunities for women are expanding and it is encouraging
to see they are excelling in every field of life,” she told Arab News.
“The
NUST team is an inspiration to other women too,” she said. “This shows women
are challenging stereotypes in all fields of life.”
The
competition will take place on July 11-15 at Silverstone, the British home of
motor racing in Northamptonshire, England.
Talking
about the team’s future plans, Harim Akhtar said that they would produce a
formula car each year to improve its design and manufacture. “We hope to learn
a lot of new technical skills from the competition and will try to achieve
perfection in our next model,” she said.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1332776/lifestyle
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Women
to Pay Less for Auto Insurance in Saudi Arabia
July
02, 2018
JEDDAH:
The move to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia is expected to give impetus to
the economy in several sectors from car sales to insurance.
Despite
competitive pressure on car insurance companies to lower their prices and
credit conditions in the Saudi market, it is expected that the Saudi index will
rise 1.8 percent through wide gains in insurance, banking and petrochemicals
now that women are allowed to drive.
In
some countries, prices differ from men to women for car insurance services.
However, here are some examples of how car insurance companies will deal with
women driving.
An
insurance company in Saudi Arabia offered a 15 percent discount for women. The
offer is valid until July 24.
Samer
Mohammed, a customer services worker at the company, told Arab News: “Women’s
insurance documents will include a roadside assistance service to assist women
in the event of an emergency.
“This
service is provided as an additional service for women and it is not available
for men. If a case is complicated the employee will take the car to one of our
centers to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
Sara
Al-Moaibed, a customer service employee at another insurance firm, said there
will be no changes in prices for women. “Prices for men and women will be the
same.”
In
fact, insurance companies are also planning to hire women and plans are afoot
to develop a special section for female employees, according to sources in the
insurance sector.
Women
driving will have the greatest impact in improving and reducing traffic
accidents because of the nature of women and their keenness to follow traffic
laws and regulations.
Statistically,
women are safer drivers, which means they are also less likely to file a claim
than men. Therefore, they will generally pay less for car insurance.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1332216/saudi-arabia
--------
Thousands
of Palestinian Women Rally on Gaza-Israel Border
July
03, 2018
GAZA
CITY: Thousands of Palestinian women demonstrated Tuesday along the fence that
separates the Gaza Strip from Israel, their first mass mobilization since
protests erupted on the border three months ago.
Since
the end of March, Gazans have been demonstrating along the heavily guarded
frontier in protest at Israel’s decade-long blockade of the territory and in
support of the Palestinians’ right to return to lands they fled or were driven
from during the war surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948.
On
Tuesday, women arrived in buses from across the enclave, many accompanied by
their children, AFP correspondents said.
They
moved in groups to within 50 meters (yards) of the fence that divides the Gaza
Strip from Israeli territory, they reported.
Seventeen
people were wounded by Israeli gunfire, Gaza’s health ministry spokesman Ashraf
Al-Qodra told AFP.
“I
came to finish the march that my daughter had started,” Rim Abu Irmana said,
waving a picture of her 15-year-old daughter, Wasal, who was killed by Israeli
gunfire on May 14.
“These
demonstrations are peaceful. We are only defending our land and our rights,”
added the 43-year-old, holding the hand of her young son.
Since
the protests and clashes broke out along the Gaza border on March 30, at least
138 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire.
The
majority were involved in protests and clashes but others were seeking to breach
or damage the border fence.
No
Israelis have been killed.
The
demonstrations peaked when at least 62 Palestinians were killed as thousands
approached the border fence in protest at the US decision to move its embassy
to Israel from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem on May 14.
Israel
insists the whole of Jerusalem is its “eternal indivisible capital” but the
Palestinians claim the eastern sector, which Israel occupied in the Six-Day War
of 1967 and later annexed, as the capital of their future state.
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1332971/middle-east
--------
Saudi
Woman's Car Torched In Suspected Hate Crime
Naser
Al Wasmi
July
4, 2018
A
women’s car in Mecca was deliberately set on fire in a suspected hate crime
less than two weeks after Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on women
driving.
Police
said they are in pursuit of the arsonists, having extinguished the fire on
Tuesday morning.
Dr
Aati bin Atiya, a police spokesman in Mecca, said an investigation was under
way.
Although
not confirmed, it is widely believed that the perpetrator set fire to the car
to express disapproval with women driving in Saudi Arabia.
A
video posted on Twitter showed the car burned out and a woman, purportedly the
owner of the car, saying: "May God deal with them."
Many
Saudis took to Twitter to express support for the woman. The incident took
place in Al Sammad, a town an hour away from Mecca by car.
"If
the act was done because the owner of the car was a woman, then it is a
terrorist act, under a terrorist crime and should be dealt with
accordingly," Nayef Al Mansi, a lawyer in Jeddah, said in a tweet.
Public
sentiment within the kingdom has been of overwhelming support of the royal
decree to allow women to drive, with many citing economic development and
social liberties among the benefits.
"Every
Saudi Arabian I spoke to has been happy, we are incredibly happy for our
sisters, mothers, wives, women to be able to take this step forward," said
Ahmed Omran, a Saudi banker.
Okaz,
a daily newspaper in Saudi, interviewed the owner of the car, Salwa Sharif, who
said she was distraught after being subjected to the attack on the first day
that she drove.
Saudi
conservatives who are against the Royal Decree have expressed their discontent,
but doing so publicly would be considered criticism against the state and carry
a hefty punishment.
"God
help us, I don't know why this is the change they want, I am afraid of what
will happen,” said AK, a Saudi Uber driver who spoke to The National on
condition of anonymity.
Critics
of ending the female driving ban say it is one of many measures that have
limited the power of the kingdom's morality police under Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman.
https://www.thenational.ae/world/gcc/saudi-woman-s-car-torched-in-suspected-hate-crime-1.746988
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UAE
Women Start With ‘One Dream One Team’ Motto
July
3, 2018
Dubai.
UAE women’s team are gearing up for the ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier 2018 in
the Netherlands commencing from July 7 to 14 with the motto: “One dream, One
team.”
Skipper
Humaira Tasneem on arrival in Netherlands said: “Our number one goal is to
qualify for the ICC World T20. So our motto is ‘One dream, One team.’ If we
play as a team and go according to our plans and strategies whilst also being
tactical, then we are pretty much on target.”
UAE
along with Thailand had qualified from the Asian region to play in this
qualifier. “We want to earn the right to qualify for the World Cup and play
against teams like Australia, India and New Zealand,” she added.
UAE
team had undergone intense training under coach Murali Sockalingam, who
believes that the team has the ability to make an impact at the international
stage. “It is for the first time that the UAE team is on the world stage
against opposition like Bangladesh and the Netherlands [in the league] who
already have international experience. Playing them is the toughest challenge
but our objective is to play the World T20 in the West Indies by winning the
Qualifiers,” remarked Sockalingam, who was one of UAE consistent scorers in
domestic cricket before turning a coach.
UAE
is made up of players who have been performing consistently and have the talent
to take on the best like allrounder Esha Oza, Nisha Ali and former Sri Lanka
captain Chamani Senevirathne.
The
cold conditions in Netherlands will be a challenge for the team. Nisha had
hogged the limelight in the six matches at the Asia Qualifier with 12 wickets
that included tournament-best figures of five for seven against Thailand.
“Keeping
ourselves injury-free is very important. There have been times where we have
lost important players because of injuries. We want to make sure that we go
into the league matches with our full strength and give our absolute all in the
matches. This way we can be one of the top teams in our pool,” remarked Tasneem.
https://gulfnews.com/sport/uae/cricket/uae-women-start-with-one-dream-one-team-motto-1.2246097
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