Mariam Saleh bin Laden Is the 1st Arab Woman to Swim across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia to Egypt
New
Age Islam News Bureau
18
October 2022
• Bangladesh
Disallows Bollywood Actress Nora Fatehi’s Dance to Save Dollars
• Islamic
Society of Baltimore Now Has Female Resident Scholar
• Female
Arab Music Legends Collaborate For Fifa World Cup Song
• Tehran
Billboard of Famous Women in Hijab Changed a Day After Going Up
• Worry
Grows For Iranian Woman Athlete Who Climbed Without Hijab
• Nestlé
Pakistan Leads Rural Women to Financial Empowerment
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/mariam-saleh-laden-red-sea-saudi-arabia-egypt/d/128211
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Mariam
Saleh bin Laden Is the 1st Arab Woman to Swim across the Red Sea from Saudi
Arabia to Egypt
Dr
Mariam Saleh Bin Laden [mariamsalehbinladen/Instagram]
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October
18, 2022
Saudi
swimmer and Doctor Mariam Saleh bin Laden managed to cross the Red Sea between
Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the first Arab woman to do so.
Crossing
the Red Sea was one of her dreams, she said, adding that her goal is to raise
awareness of coral reef conservation.
Saleh
managed to accomplish the task by swimming across the Strait of Tiran,
according to al-Arabiya channel.
“I
am very grateful to be the first Saudi, the first Arab and the first women to
swim from Saudi Arabia to Egypt.. I never thought I would do this swim without
a shark cage. But putting ourselves out of our comfort zones is what makes us
stronger,” she wrote on Instagram post.
“It’s
always been a dream of mine to swim from Saudi Arabia to Egypt. Today I finally
did it. I am so grateful to have been introduced to @lewis.pugh . When I heard
about his plan to swim across the Red Sea, I had to take this opportunity to
join him,” Saleh added.
Source:
Egypt Independent
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Bangladesh
Disallows Bollywood Actress Nora Fatehi’s Dance to Save Dollars
Bollywood
actress Nora Fatehi (File photo)
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Oct
17, 2022
The
Bangladesh government denied a Bollywood actor permission to perform at an
event in the capital Dhaka in a bid to save dollars as part of austerity
measures.
Nora
Fatehi, known for her work in the Indian film industry, wasn’t granted
permission “in view of the global situation and with the aim of maintaining the
foreign exchange reserves,” according to a notice issued by Bangladesh’s
ministry of cultural affairs on Monday. Fatehi was scheduled to dance and hand
out awards at an event organized by the Women Leadership Corporation.
The
ministry referred to the central bank’s restrictions on dollar payments amid
dwindling foreign exchange reserves, which slipped to $36.33 billion as of
October 12 -- enough to cover roughly four months of imports -- from $46.13
billion a year earlier.
Fatehi,
who comes from a Moroccan-Canadian family, made her debut in Hindi films in
2014, according to the IMDb website.
The
International Monetary Fund is preparing to send its first negotiation mission
to Bangladesh later this month to open talks with the government on loans the
country has sought, according to Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, deputy director of the
Asia and Pacific Department at the IMF.
The
reserves “are still at a comfortable level, but the direction has been going
down,” she said at a media briefing on Oct. 13. The IMF is discussing an
economic program that will “contain measures to stabilize the economy and to
avoid a further downturn in the economy.”
Source:
Times Of India
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Islamic
Society of Baltimore now has female resident scholar
By
Maya Lora
October
15, 2022
CATONSVILLE,
Md. — Huda Hasan can trace the confidence she has both in herself and in her
Islamic faith to time she spent in a classroom with Maryam Azam.
Azam
taught Hasan Islamic and Quran studies at the Al-Rahmah School in Windsor Mill.
Hasan, 21, and her friends found themselves looking forward to Azam’s class
every day, drawn by what Hasan called her “practical, friendly approach.”
“A
lot of youth struggle with religion, especially in this day and age. So the way
she taught us, we were able to grow in love in our religion,” Hasan said. “And
she always told us that no matter where we go, people should know that we’re
young American Muslim females in society by looking at our character and the
way we treat other people.”
Azam’s
ability to connect with her students is just one of the reasons she was
recently named the Islamic Society of Baltimore’s first female resident
scholar.
A
handful of families established the Islamic Society of Baltimore in 1969,
according to the organization’s website. The society bought an 8-acre lot, in
Windsor Mill close to Baltimore City, in 1982 to build its Sunni mosque, Masjid
Al-Rahmah. The Islamic Society of Baltimore now offers several services and
facilities, including the Ah-Rahmah School where Azam teaches middle school
during the day and high school students in an after-school program.
Lead
Resident Scholar Yaseen Shaikh said a resident scholar is another name for an
imam who lives and serves within the community.
Responsibilities
include planning and speaking at community events, addressing issues facing the
Muslim community and providing religious guidance, Azam said.
Azam
wants people to understand that while she’s certainly breaking stereotypes,
roles like hers have always been open to women in Islam.
“Our
religious legacy is basically: Women have been in this position for years, or
like in leadership positions for years,” Azam said. “People, a lot of times
they stereotype Islam with women don’t work or women don’t serve as leaders of
the community and women are oppressed.”
Azam
added that while she’s the first female scholar at the Islamic Society of
Baltimore, women in her position are “actually more common than we know,” it
just may not be as prominent in certain cultures.
“When
you learn Islam properly, you really realize that nothing is stopping you. Your
religion is not stopping you, definitely,” Azam said.
Shaikh
said the Islamic Society of Baltimore felt the need for a female resident
scholar who could “serve the needs of the wider community but also focus on the
development and nurturing of young, confident Muslim women.”
Shaikh
said the religious affairs committee, which makes recommendations for resident
scholars, picked Azam rather than launching a national search.
Azam
grew up in Montgomery County, born to parents who immigrated from Pakistan. She
completed her studies in higher Islamic education at Darul-Uloom Al-Madania in
Buffalo, New York, and started teaching at Al-Rahmah in 2014 after moving to
Baltimore; she also has a bachelor’s degree in health services management from
the University of Maryland Global Campus. The Baltimore County resident is
married and has three children in addition to her 2-year-old ragdoll cat, Munchkin.
Azam
is also the director of the Tariqah program, an after-school, coed program for
high school students who attend public school during the day. Azam said the
curriculum helps students maintain their Islamic identity while navigating high
school.
“Islam
has been miscommunicated and misconstrued,” Azam said. “One of my goals is to
help them understand that, OK, if somebody says something about Islam you don’t
just accept it. You have to explain to them that maybe you got the information
from the wrong resource, maybe you didn’t understand it. So actually helping
them understand their religion better.”
For
example, Azam said, some of her female students will express frustration with
“gender responsibilities,” pointing out things their brothers get to do that
they can’t. But Azam said under Islam, those activities are restricted for
everyone.
“A
lot of times these students that come to us from high school, it actually helps
them because they realize that a lot of things that they’re allowed to do or
not allowed to do have really nothing to do with their religion,” Azam said.
“It’s basically culture.”
Girls
in the community find Azam relatable, Shaikh said; his own daughter looks up to
Azam.
“She’d
already been teaching at the school, already serving in many different areas of
the organization without really being given the title of resident scholar, even
though she was known to be one,” Shaikh said. “Every individual that I’ve
spoken to has been really happy about having this resource in the community and
a guide in the community that they can relate to.”
Azam
has to break some barriers to be relatable. Azam chooses to wear a niqaab, a
face veil that exposes only the eyes. As a result, people have made assumptions
about her both outside and within the Muslim community, such as that she can’t
speak English or that she holds extreme views.
Despite
those stereotypes, Azam feels comfortable and confident in her niqaab, even
when teaching or speaking at community events.
“I’ve
never been at a point where I have to like, take it off in order to prove
myself or to fit in,” Maryam Azam said about wearing a niqaab.
“I’ve
never been at a point where I have to like, take it off in order to prove
myself or to fit in,” Azam said.
Hasan,
who chooses to wear a hijab, said Azam taught her and her friends that clothing
does not limit them. While the hijab is compulsory in some cultures and has
sparked unrest in places like Iran, Hasan said it isn’t forced and that girls
didn’t have to wear it to represent Islam, emphasizing instead character and
how you treat others. Those are lessons she took from Azam.
Years
later, Hasan continues to turn to Azam for spiritual guidance, saying Azam was
always a mentor in addition to being a teacher.
But
her service has gone well beyond that, Hasan said.
“She
probably doesn’t even know this,” Hasan said. “But she really has made an
impact to a lot of people that she might not even know.”
Source:
Washington Post
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Female
Arab music legends collaborate for Fifa World Cup song
October
08, 2022
The
first Fifa World Cup to be held in the Middle East will bring together a
star-studded lineup of football players in Qatar in November. While it promises
to be a great spectacle, Arab music legends will provide the soundtrack.
The
most recent song to be released as part of the official soundtrack is Light The
Sky, which follows the releases of Hayya Hayya (Better Together), Arhbo, and
The World is Yours to Take.
It
is quite notable in that Light The Sky is a breathtaking collaboration amongst
four of the most well-known female vocalists in the Arab world.
Emirati
singer-songwriter Balqees, award-winning Moroccan singer-songwriter Manal,
Moroccan-Canadian sensation Nora Fatehi and Iraqi diva Rahma Riad, all
contribute their enchanting voices to the captivating tune.
Female
referees
The
song's highly energised music video also pays tribute to the first Middle
Eastern World Cup's ground-breaking choice of female referees.
In
Qatar, matches will be overseen by Stéphanie Frappart from France, Salima
Mukansanga from Rwanda, and Yoshimi Yamashita from Japan. Neuza Back from
Brazil, Karen Daz Medina from Mexico, and Kathryn Nesbitt from the United
States will serve as assistant referees.
More
releases are expected to in the sunup to the start of the tournament on
November 20.
By
fusing the universal languages of music and football, the multi-song Official
Soundtrack, driven by the Fifa Sound strategy, is uniting musicians, fans, and
players to express their passion.
Fifa
Entertainment Executive and song producer RedOne said: "Light The Sky
invites us to “shout if you're with me” and brings to life the spirit of
collective celebration of the Fifa World Cup — an energising message as we look
forward to a game-changing tournament of firsts."
“This
is an inspirational song with its roots firmly in the Middle East. It is also
fitting that the first-ever female referees at a Fifa World Cup are part of
this release that will connect with football and music lovers of all ages.”
Source:
Gulf News
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Tehran
billboard of famous women in hijab changed a day after going up
October
14, 2022
TEHRAN:
A photomontage of dozens of renowned Iranian women all observing hijab
disappeared from a Tehran billboard Friday within 24 hours of going up, after
drawing criticism amid protests over Mahsa Amini’s death.
Iran
has been gripped by a month of protests since Amini died after being arrested
by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s strict
dress code for women.
The
street violence has led to dozens of deaths, mostly of protesters but also
members of the security forces, and hundreds have been arrested.
The
original billboard appeared early Thursday on Valiasr Square, in downtown
Tehran, bearing a photomontage of an array of celebrities around the slogan
“The women of my homeland, Iran.”
Among
them were athletes, political figures and scientists such as late mathematician
Maryam Mirzakhani, early 20th century revolutionary figure Bibi Maryam
Bakhtiari and poet Parvin E’tesami.
But
on Friday morning, the photomontage was replaced by a white background,
although the new version retained the slogan.
Fars
news agency said the move came after some of those featured had asked for their
pictures to be removed, citing a “lack of coordination” with them.
Others
criticized the billboard for featuring women who had removed their headscarves
during the recent protests, it added.
Award-winning
Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya demanded her picture be removed in an
emotional video that went viral on social media.
“I
am Mahsa’s mother, I am Sarina’s mother, I am the mother of all the children
who are killed in this land, I am the mother of all Iran, not a woman in the
land of killers,” Motamed-Arya said.
She
appeared in the video without a hijab headscarf, seemingly in a vehicle as it
passed Valiasr Square.
The
billboard was raised by Owj Arts and Media Organization, known for
pro-revolutionary films and cultural production.
The
decision to remove the pictures was taken after “controversies and reactions,”
the organization said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.
The
billboard on Valiasr Square often features symbolic murals related to
religious, social and political themes.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2181126/middle-east
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Worry
grows for Iranian woman athlete who climbed without hijab
October
18, 2022
SEOUL,
South Korea: An Iranian female competitive climber left South Korea on Tuesday
after competing at an event in which she climbed without her nation’s mandatory
headscarf covering, authorities said. Farsi-language media outside of Iran
warned she may have been forced to leave early by Iranian officials and could
face arrest back home, which Tehran quickly denied.
The
decision by Elnaz Rekabi, a multiple medalist in competitions, to forgo the
headscarf, or hijab, came as protests sparked by the September 16 death in
custody of a 22-year-old woman have entered a fifth week.
Mahsa
Amini was detained by the country’s morality police over her clothing.
The
demonstrations, drawing school-age children, oil workers and others to the
street in over 100 cities, represent the most-serious challenge to Iran’s
theocracy since the mass protests surrounding its disputed 2009 presidential
election.
Rekabi
left Seoul on a Tuesday morning flight, the Iranian Embassy in South Korea
said. The BBC’s Persian service, which has extensive contacts within Iran
despite being banned from operating there, quoted an unnamed “informed source’’
who described Iranian officials as seizing both Rekabi’s mobile phone and
passport.
BBC
Persian also said she initially had been scheduled to return on Wednesday, but
her flight apparently had been moved up unexpectedly.
IranWire,
another website focusing on the country founded by Iranian-Canadian journalist
Maziar Bahari who once was detained by Iran, alleged that Rekabi would be
immediately transferred to Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison after arriving in the
country. Evin Prison was the site of a massive fire this weekend that killed at
least eight prisoners.
In
a tweet, the Iranian Embassy in Seoul denied “all the fake, false news and
disinformation’’ regarding Rekabi’s departure on Tuesday. But instead of
posting a photo of her from the Seoul competition, it posted an image of her
wearing a headscarf at a previous competition in Moscow, where she also took a
bronze medal.
Calls
to the Iranian Embassy in Seoul rang unanswered on Tuesday.
Rekabi
didn’t put on a hijab during Sunday’s final at the International Federation of
Sport Climbing’s Asia Championship, according to the Seoul-based Korea Alpine
Federation, the organizers of the event.
Women
competitors always wear hijab
Federation
officials said Rekabi wore a hijab during her initial appearances at the
one-week climbing event. She wore just a black headband when competing on
Sunday, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail” she had a white jersey with
Iran’s flag as a logo on it.
Rekabi
was a member of Iran’s 11-member delegation, which comprises of eight athletes
and three coaches, to the event, according to the federation.
Federation
officials said they were not initially aware of Rekabi competing without the
hijab but looked into the case after receiving inquires about her. They said
the event doesn’t have any rules on requiring female athletes wearing or not
wearing headscarves. However, Iranian women competing abroad under the Iranian
flag always wear the hijab.
South
Korea’s Justice Ministry refused to confirm whether the Iranian athlete is
still in South Korea or has left the country, citing privacy-related
regulations. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it has no comments on the
issue.
Rekabi,
33, has finished on the podium three times in the Asian Championships, taking
one silver and two bronze medals for her efforts.
So
far, human rights groups estimate that over 200 people have been killed in the
protests and the violent security force crackdown that followed. Iran has not
offered a death toll in weeks. Demonstrations have been seen in over 100
cities, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran. Thousands are
believed to have been arrested.
Gathering
information about the demonstrations remains difficult, however. Internet
access has been disrupted for weeks by the Iranian government. Meanwhile,
authorities have detained at least 40 journalists, according to the Committee
to Protect Journalists.
Iranian
officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly
alleged the country’s foreign enemies are behind the ongoing demonstrations,
rather than Iranians angered by Amini’s death and the country’s other woes.
Source:
Gulf News
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Nestlé
Pakistan leads rural women to financial empowerment
OCTOBER
18, 2022
Naseem
is a beneficiary of the Nestlé BISP Rural Women Sales Program, a program that
creates livelihood opportunities for deserving rural women and helps them
become financially empowered. She earns an independent income and supports her
family, but her story had challenges at every step.
Some
time back, Naseem lost her son, who was an earning member of the family, and
not only did she have to grieve the loss of a son, but this loss also came
along with additional financial challenges because of a lesser earning hand in
the family.
To
support her husband and to make ends meet, Naseem opened a small grocery shop
in her vicinity with limited products. During one of their visits to the
village, the Nestlé team visited her and offered her a loan to procure healthy
Nestlé products that she could sell to the community.
The
Nestlé BISP Rural Women Sales Program was envisioned to provide livelihood
opportunities to the poorest of the poor women, helping them become financially
independent. Not only does this program empower women but is also aligned with
Nestlé’s values of diversity for social impact and empowering women.
Under
this program, rural women are trained on the fundamentals of sales, pricing and
profit margin and are made aware of product nutritional benefits and methods of
preparation and use. After this training, they become retailers (who own and
sell at shops) or sales agents (who sell to shops as micro distributors, engage
in door-to-door selling and sell products from their homes).
Nestlé
extended PKR 2 million as revolving credit to Akhuwat Pakistan, (the largest interest-free
microfinance program) to provide microloans to sales agents who, as a result,
have opened their own shops in their villages. Till date, 200 microloans have
been given with an average of PKR 15,000 per beneficiary.
This
loan and expansion efforts resulted in an incremental income of Rs. 6000 per
month on average, which Naseem now contributes to the household. Not only has
she gained financial empowerment in the face of adversity but has also become a
symbol of hope for many other women in her community who hope to become strong
financially as well.
On
this International Day of Rural Women, it is very important to remember and
honor women like Naseem who are key agents for achieving sustainable
development and contributing significantly to the economy and communities.
Source:
Daily Times Pakistan
https://dailytimes.com.pk/1014229/nestle-pakistan-leads-rural-women-to-financial-empowerment/
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