Those who carry Constitution in pockets made Muslim women live without dignity, says PM Modi
New Age Islam News Bureau
5 February 2025
· Those who carry Constitution in pockets made Muslim women live without dignity, says PM Modi
· Iraq’s top court suspends new legislation that activists say undermines women’s rights
· Hijab ban issue will be discussed: Home Minister G Parameshwara
· Women Group decries debate on Sharia Court System in Southwest
· Born Muslim, Kerala's Safiya wants no religion, no caste, moves SC for a bigger cause
· Taliban raids and suspends Afghanistan’s only women’s radio station
· Silent vigil in Taunton honours Afghan women fighting for their rights
· Women players beat the odds to cut a path for ice hockey in Iran
· SHOCKING! Naked Iranian Woman Protests Regime’s Treatment of Women by Climbing onto Police Car
· Meet second Muslim woman to crack UPSC exam, got AIR…, family has 9 civil servants, including 3 IAS, 1 IPS and…
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/constitution-muslim-women-pockets-pm-modi/d/134532
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Those who carry Constitution in pockets made Muslim women live without dignity, says PM Modi
FEBRUARY 04, 2025
PM Narendra Modi
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In an apparent jibe at the opposition leaders, PM Modi said, “Those who carry Constitution in their pockets made Muslim women live without dignity, we ended Triple Talaq.”
Prime Minister Modi was speaking in the Lok Sabha in his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address on Tuesday.
Taking a jibe Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Modi said, those who live with Constitution in their pockets, forget how they pushed Muslim women into hardships.
The Triple Talaq practice was declared unconstitutional in 2017. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act of 2019 made triple talaq illegal in India. The law criminalized the practice of pronouncing talaq three times, which is a type of Islamic divorce.
Source:moneycontrol.com
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/those-who-carry-constitution-in-pockets-made-muslim-women-live-without-dignity-says-pm-modi-in-lok-sabha-12930540.html
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Iraq’s top court suspends new legislation that activists say undermines women’s rights
February 05, 2025
A picture shows a view of the Iraqi Parliament in the capital Baghdad, ahead of a confidence vote on a new government on October 27, 2022. (AFP file photo)
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BAGHDAD: Iraq’s top court suspended implementation Tuesday of three controversial bills passed last month by the country’s parliament, including a measure that activists said undermines women’s rights.
A number of members of parliament filed a complaint alleging that the voting process was illegal because all three bills — each supported by different blocs — were voted on last month together rather than each one being voted on separately. The Federal Supreme Court issued an order, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, to suspend their implementation until the case is adjudicated.
The measures include an amendment to the country’s personal status law to give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce and inheritance.
Women’s rights advocates argue that the changes undermine previous reforms that created a unified family law and established safeguards for women. Proponents of the amendments, which were advocated by primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, defend them as a means to align the law with Islamic principles and reduce Western influence on Iraqi culture.
Earlier versions of the measure were seen as potentially opening the door to child marriage since some interpretations of Islamic law allow the marriage of girls in their early teens — or as young as 9. The final version passed by the parliament states that both parties must be “adults,” without specifying the age of adulthood.
The second bill was for a general amnesty law seen as benefiting Sunni detainees. Some fear it could allow the release of people involved in public corruption and embezzlement as well as militants who committed war crimes.
The third bill aimed to return lands confiscated from the Kurds under the rule of Saddam Hussein. It is opposed by some Arab groups, saying it could lead to the displacement of Arab residents.
Source:arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2589052/middle-east
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Hijab ban issue will be discussed: Home Minister G Parameshwara
5th Feb, 2025
BENGALURU: With the SSLC and PU board exams to be held in the next few weeks, there is confusion over the hijab ban in Karnataka. Education Minister MadhuBangarappa, however, said the State government and education department authorities cannot discuss the issue as the matter is before the court.
Earlier, MadhuBangarappa had stated that they would get some clarity only after discussing the issue with Home Minister G Parameshwara. Asked by the media on Tuesday, Parameshwara said they would discuss it. “There is time for the exams, we will discuss and take a final call. We have sufficient time,” he said. SSLC and second PU exams begin in March this year.
The issue had started in 2022 when BJP was in power, when Muslim students wearing the hijab were stopped by a college principal in Udupi. When it flared up, the government constituted a committee which issued guidelines stressing uniformity among students. This was opposed by a section of people who approached the Karnataka High Court, which upheld the ban.
The case is now pending before the Supreme Court. At present, students are not allowed to wear the hijab -- if the educational institute has a uniform -- to classrooms or to write exams. While school students have to wear uniforms, in PU colleges, only certain colleges prescribe uniforms.
Source:newindianexpress.com
https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/states/karnataka/2025/Feb/05/hijab-ban-issue-will-be-discussed-home-minister-g-parameshwara
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Women Group decries debate on Sharia Court System in Southwest
by Peter Anayo
February 4, 2025
A group, Oduduwa Women Advocacy Initiatives(OWAI) has criticized the ongoing debate on the introduction of the Sharia Court system in the Southwest, particularly Oyo and Ekiti States.
Its President, EreluModupe Martins emphasized the critical importance of maintaining religious harmony in the southwest zone.
The woman leader in a statement in Akure, the Ondo State capital noted that the zone was characterized by diverse religious communities who lived in peaceful coexistence.
She said “The proponents of this Sharia Court system must exercise sensitivity and foresight,” Erelu Martins stated.
“Our states are home to a rich tapestry of cultures and beliefs, and introducing a religiously biased conflict resolution system threatens to unravel the fabric of unity that we have worked so hard to build.”
As a women’s advocacy group rooted in the Southwest, the Oduduwa Women Advocacy Initiatives recognizes the volatility of this issue and the potential for unrest that comes with it.
“We cannot afford to see our region engulfed in religious crisis,” Erelu Martins continued.
“The mere discussion of this proposal has already sparked heated debates and controversies, raising alarm about the potential chaos that could ensue if this matter is not addressed with the utmost care,” she said.
Erelu Martins underscored Nigeria’s status as a secular state, where governance should remain neutral and not favour any religious group.
According to her, “Our laws and systems must reflect our commitment to inclusivity and respect for all citizens, regardless of their faith.
“The introduction of a Sharia Court system in our states is not just a legal matter; it is a question of our identity as a nation committed to peaceful coexistence.”
She further highlighted the economic implications of such divisive proposals, drawing parallels with the ongoing challenges faced in the Southeast region due to unrest and agitation.
“The Southwest is too vital to Nigeria’s economy to be jeopardized by unnecessary conflicts,” Erelu Martins warned.
She declared: “We have seen the devastating effects of unresolved tensions in other regions, and we must act decisively to prevent such scenarios from unfolding here.”
Erelu Martins called on those advocating the Sharia Court system to “sheathe their swords” and reconsider their stance.
“This is not a battle we are prepared to fight,our people are educated, aware, and will not accept measures that threaten our peace and stability. We urge an immediate cessation of this debate for the sake of our communities and our collective future.”
Source:championnews.com.ng
https://championnews.com.ng/2025/02/04/women-group-decries-debate-on-sharia-court-system-in-southwest/
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Born Muslim, Kerala's Safiya wants no religion, no caste, moves SC for a bigger cause
February 5, 2025
Safiya PM, a 51-year-old woman from Kerala's Alappuzha, has kicked off a legal battle which has ruffled a few feathers. She moved the Supreme Court with three demands: to obtain a 'no religion, no caste' certificate; to be governed by the Indian Succession Act; and to declare a section of the Indian Succession Act which excludes Muslims as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court set her plea in motion on January 28 and sought the centre's response in four weeks.
Safiya, a social activist and the General Secretary of Ex-Muslims of Kerala, calls herself a born Muslim woman to a non-practising Muslim father in her petition. She has sought a declaration from the Supreme Court that the persons who do not want to be governed by the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, must be allowed to be governed by the secular law of the country, namely, the Indian Succession Act, 1925 both in the case of intestate and testamentary succession.She believes that the practices under Sharia law are highly discriminatory towards Muslim women, and hence, it violates the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The petition filed by Advocate Prashant Padmanabhan notes: "Being born to Muslim parents, her religion was mentioned as 'Islam' and against caste, it was written 'Muslim' in her SSLC book. She was a minor while in school and it was not her choice to record her religion as such".
Safiya wants no religion and no caste as her identity. She doesn't practise Islam as her father UA Muhammed is also a non-believer. She cites the example of Madras High Court Advocate SnehaPartibharaja, who has received such a certificate in Tamil Nadu. Sneha was born to an inter-caste couple and left the caste and religion columns blank during her academic years. She managed to get a no-caste certificate from Tirapattur tahsildar in 2019."If you are born in this country as a Muslim, you have to abide by the Muslim personal law. If you convert, you can't inherit assets. Even if you leave your religion, there is no provision to have inheritance rights. That's why I want to have a no-caste certificate and to be governed by the Indian Succession Act," says Safiya.
A divorcee, she has a daughter, 25-year-old Esha, who works as an animator, and as per Sharia law, she will be entitled to only 50 per cent of Safiya's property. "I want to give my entire property to my daughter. For that to happen, a declaration from the court is required," shesays.Safiya takes care of her brother, who is disabled, and she asserts, "What I ask for is not my remuneration to look after my brother. I need to have the right to bequeath my property as per the Indian Succession Act".
At this point, Safiya has another hurdle to cross. Muslim Personal Law has a provision by which a person can ask for a declaration from the prescribed authority that she be governed by the Sharia, even in the case of wills and legacies. However, there is no similar option for a born Muslim who has left her faith to come out of the ambit of succession law under Sharia.
Safiya says this is violative of her fundamental right to be non-religious. Even if she chooses to be governed by the Indian Succession Act, there is a section in the act which expressly excludes Muslims regarding testamentary succession. " How can such an act be called secular if it excludes Muslims?" asks Safiya. She has also challenged the constitutional validity of exclusionary clauses in the Indian Succession Act. Safiya wants such sections to be declared unconstitutional.
The court had earlier sought responses from both the union and the state government regarding her plea, however both the governments did not file responses. This time, Safiya is hopeful. "I am fully aware of the ramifications my legal battle could cause. My family stands by me in this fight," Safiya says.
Source:onmanorama.com
https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2025/02/05/safiya-pm-supreme-court-case-challenges-sharia-law.html
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Taliban raids and suspends Afghanistan’s only women’s radio station
February 5, 2025
The Taliban suspended the operation of Afghanistan’s only women’s radio station after raiding its premises on Tuesday, deepening the exclusion of women from public life and society since the group took power in 2021.
Kabul-based Radio Begum – a station run by women with content aimed at women’s education – said officers from the Taliban’s information and culture ministry restrained the station’s staff as it searched its premises in the nation’s capital.
Officers “seized computers, hard drives, files and phones from Begum staff, including Begum female journalists, and took into custody two male employees of the organization who do not hold any senior management position,” the station said in a statement on Tuesday.
The ministry later confirmed the station’s suspension, citing several alleged violations of “broadcasting policy and improper use of the station’s license,” including “the unauthorized provision of content and programming to a foreign-based television channel.”
It did not identify the foreign TV channel in question, but said it will determine the station’s future “in due course.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an independent rights group, condemned the suspension and demanded its immediate reversal.
Before Tuesday’s ban, Radio Begum broadcast six hours of lessons a day, along with health, psychology and spiritual programs to women across most of Afghanistan. The station said it provides education to Afghan girls and support to Afghan women, without being “involved in any political activity whatsoever.”
Its sister channels also offer lessons online filmed in studios thousands of miles away in Paris. The televised classes cover a wider array of subjects, providing education in a country where girls are banned from school after sixth grade.
Tightening the grip
The Taliban, a radical Islamist group not recognized by most countries around the world, has been tightening its grip on the media landscape since its takeover more than three years ago.
Initially presenting itself as more moderate than during its previous rule of Afghanistan in the 1990s, it even promised that women would be allowed to continue their education up to university.
But it has since cracked down instead, closing secondary schools for girls; banning women from attending university, working in most sectors and at NGOs, including the United Nations; restricting their travel without a male chaperone; and banning them from public spaces such as parks and gyms.
Last year, the Taliban closed at least 12 media outlets, both public and private, according to RSF, which ranked Afghanistan 178 out of 180 countries in its latest press freedom index.
The Islamist regime also banned the sound of women’s voices in public – including singing, reciting, or reading aloud – under a strict set of “vice and virtue” laws that made it even harder for Radio Begum to reach its female audience.
Source:edition.cnn.com
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/05/asia/afghanistan-taliban-raid-radio-begum-intl-hnk/index.html
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Silent vigil in Taunton honours Afghan women fighting for their rights
4 FEB 2025
A women’s rights group organised a silent vigil outside the Market House in Taunton, on Saturday in support of women in Afghanistan.
It was the second vigil by Women's Rights Network (WRN) - and one of several held in towns and cities around the UK including Cambridge, Bristol, Manchester, Norwich, Cardiff, Leeds, Edinburgh, Belfast, Glasgow and many more - all aimed at highlighting how women are being denied basic rights under the country's Taliban regime.
WRN Somerset and Dorset said that women and girls in Afghanistan are suffering terrible physical and emotional hardships since the Taliban regained control. The incessant oppressive edicts prohibit women from education, public life, cultural and social enrichment and continuously shrink opportunities for freedom of expression. Women are now no longer even permitted to stand by a window in case they are seen. The suppression of women's voices is a fundamental attack on human liberty.
The vigil was approached by a young woman from Afghanistan whose father had worked for the British Army. She said she was lucky to have escaped but had left behind many friends and didn’t feel she could talk to them about her college course or going out with friends because it would be too painful for them to hear about what freedoms they had lost. She became very emotional saying she would tell her friends that they had not been forgotten. The women present said it was heartbreaking to hear firsthand how these women are affected, how their future hopes and dreams have been stolen from them.
The attendees read out letters from women and girls who remain trapped in Afghanistan saying ‘The Taliban may have silenced them but we wanted to ensure their voices can still be heard.’
Further vigils are planned with the next one taking place on the 1 March.
Source:somersetlive.co.uk
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/silent-vigil-taunton-honours-afghan-9918715
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Women players beat the odds to cut a path for ice hockey in Iran
February 4, 2025
Iran may seem an unlikely setting for women’s ice hockey, but a fledgling league has seen its young players confront the country’s deeply conservative values and financial obstacles to blaze a trail for the sport.
“The first time I was given a stick, I fell in love with this sport,” said SoheilaKhosravi, a member of the Iranian women’s league, which played its inaugural round just three years ago.
Khosravi left her family home two years ago to dedicate herself fully to ice hockey in Tehran, where Iran’s only Olympic ice rink is located.
“It’s hard to live alone here, but it’s for the love of hockey,” said the 17-year-old athlete from the central province of Isfahan.
Many of the players often face difficult odds, from social pressures to logistical and financial challenges in pursuing the sport.
The players are required to wear the hijab head covering under their helmets, in keeping with the Islamic dress code mandated after the 1979 Islamic Revolution — though in recent years women in big cities have increasingly flouted the law.
But despite these challenges and its very recent inception, the women’s league has seen a stellar rise since its first round in December 2021, when four teams competed.
The Iranian women’s team claimed the title at the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Asia and Oceania Cup after defeating the Philippines in the finals, completing an unbeaten run.
The victory marked a leap forward for the sport, allowing it to emerge from the sidelines and claim a place in the country.
“Hockey is a sport that requires courage and bravery, and you see these two characteristics in Iranian women,” KavehSedghi, a former captain of the men’s national team, told AFP.
“We are the only country with more female players than male ice hockey players,” added Sedghi, who is now the president of Iran’s ice hockey association.
‘Motivated’
At the rink in Tehran, two teams battle it out for victory to the frenzied cheers of hundreds of exuberant spectators — both women and men.
The M.R team, wearing red and white, and the Pandas, in green and black jerseys, are two out of the six teams competing in the league this year.
The young women glide across the ice, skillfully manoeuvring the puck at the Iran Mall ice rink — one of only four in the country — which opened less than six years ago.
Iran’s ski federation, which oversees ice hockey, introduced a girls’ ice hockey league last August to support the newly established women’s league.
But the road to the league is not without obstacles.
“We observe hijab when we play and no, we have no restrictions,” said national team player Dorsa Rahmani.
“Our jerseys are exactly the same as men. From afar, sometimes you can’t even tell if a girl is playing or a boy,” the 19-year-old added.
Financial constraints can nonetheless be a significant hurdle as many talented athletes come from less affluent backgrounds.
“They are motivated, but the expenses are their biggest difficulty,” explained AzamSanaei, the coach of the Iranian women’s team.
According to her, a hockey stick, which may need to be replaced every two months, costs around $200 — equal to the average monthly salary in Iran.
Despite these challenges, the players remain highly motivated and show great potential, according to Sanaei.
Rahmani echoed this sentiment.
“We work hard to achieve results,” said the young player who proudly wears the national jersey.
Source:dawn.com
https://www.dawn.com/news/1889692/women-players-beat-the-odds-to-cut-a-path-for-ice-hockey-in-iran
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SHOCKING! Naked Iranian Woman Protests Regime’s Treatment of Women by Climbing onto Police Car
Feb 5, 2025
In a shocking incident, a woman climbed a car’s bonnet to mark her protest against the misbehaviour of police and the mistreatment of women in the country. The woman completely stripped herself in front of police officials. The incident took place late at night in Iran’s Mashhad city. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The woman was seen shouting at police officers and was trying to perch on the windshield. The high-voltage drama invited crowds and motorists despite the officers trying their best to remove her. One cop reached the vehicle for his assault rifle.
The passerby honked their cars in a move to back the woman. At the same time, the police officers rounded her, and reports circulated on social media revealed that the woman was protesting against the Islamic laws for women’s dress code.
Iranian authorities have not commented officially on the incident. It is observed that women in Iran are upset with the regime by bringing dress code regulations with new controversial laws.
The new proposed bill, which has yet to be passed, says that if a woman roams in an improper dress or is semi-naked or naked in public will be immediately arrested by the police.
Women in Iran have started voicing against the regime’s regulations after the death of MahasaAmini in 2022.
Source:news24online.com
https://news24online.com/world/shocking-naked-iranian-woman-protests-regimes-treatment-of-women-by-climbing-onto-police-car/463363/
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Meet second Muslim woman to crack UPSC exam, got AIR…, family has 9 civil servants, including 3 IAS, 1 IPS and…
February 5, 2025
The success story of Farah Hussain has become a guiding light for the aspirants. Her journey has inspired thousands of students. After all, Farah Hussain is the second Muslim woman to clear the UPSC exam without coaching. Moreover, her family has 3 IAS, 1 IPS, and 5 RAS officers. Want to know her All India Rank (AIR)? Well, read this story to know more…
Originally from Nawa village in Jhunjhunu, Farah Hussain grew up in a family with a strong tradition of public service within the Kayamkhani Muslim community, renowned for its legacy of administrative roles in central and northern Rajasthan. Surrounded by relatives in prominent government positions, she was inspired early on to embark on a similar journey. Her father, Ashfaq Hussain, held the position of District Collector, while her elder brother is a practicing lawyer at the Rajasthan High Court. With many other family members in esteemed roles, Farah was naturally encouraged to follow in their footsteps.
Source:india.com
https://www.india.com/education/meet-second-muslim-woman-to-crack-upsc-exam-got-air-family-has-9-civil-servants-including-3-ias-1-ips-and-she-is-farah-hussain-7592657/
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