Muslims Girls Can Marry At 16: Punjab and Haryana HC Upholds Minor Marriage Citing Islamic Sharia Rule
New
Age Islam News Bureau
20
June 2022
• Australia's
Fatima Payman Becomes Parliament's First Hijab-Wearing Muslim Woman
• Giant
Puppet of Syrian Girl, Amal,, Starts England Tour to Mark World Refugee Week
• Saudi
Minister Orders Woman Employee Replace Her Boss
• 'Fatima
Hossain' the Muslim Woman Fighting Islamophobia in Spain's African Enclave
• Saudi
Arabia Sets Its Sights on Hosting Women's Tennis Tour with WTA
• Nigeria:
Intels Graduates 38 Beneficiaries of Women Empowerment Scheme
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/muslims-girls-marriage-islamic-sharia-rule/d/127280
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Muslims
Girls Can Marry At 16: Punjab and Haryana HC Upholds Minor Marriage Citing
Islamic Sharia Rule
Citing
the Muslim Sharia law, a single-judge bench of the Punjab and Haryana High
Court upheld minor marriage. (Photo: Organiser)
-----
Sanjay
Sharma, Kanu Sarda
Chandigarh
June
20, 2022
While
giving protection to a Muslim couple aged 16 and 21 years from their family
members, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled on Monday that a Muslim girl
over 16 years of age is competent to enter into a contract of marriage with a
person of her choice.
The
single-judge bench of Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi passed the order on a plea by a
Pathankot-based Muslim couple who had approached the court for protection.
“Merely
because the petitioners have got married against the wishes of their family
members, they cannot possibly be deprived of their fundamental rights as
envisaged in the Constitution of India,” the bench said.
Citing
Islamic Sharia rule, Justice Bedi said the marriage of a Muslim girl is
governed by the Muslim Personal Law.
"As
per Article 195 from the book ‘Principles of Mohammedan Law’ by Sir Dinshah
Fardunji Mulla, the petitioner No. 2 (girl) being over 16 years of age is
competent to enter into a contract of marriage with a person of her choice.
Petitioner No.1 (boy) is stated to be more than 21 years of age. Thus, both the
petitioners are of marriageable age as envisaged by Muslim Personal Law,” he
said.
The
court held that it "cannot shut its eyes to the fact that the apprehension
of the petitioners needs to be addressed”. It has directed SSP Pathankot to
provide proper security to the couple and take necessary action as per law.
According
to the petitioners, their marriage was solemnized on June 8, 2022, as per
Muslim rites and ceremonies. However, their families are opposed to the union
and had allegedly threatened them for marrying without their permission.
The
petitioner couple had contended that in Muslim law, puberty and majority are
one and the same, and that there is a presumption that a person attains
majority at the age of 15 years.
Source:
India Today
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Australia's
Fatima Payman Becomes Parliament's First Hijab-Wearing Muslim Woman
New
WA Senator Fatima Payman is an Australian Muslim with cultural roots from
Afghanistan. Source: AAP / RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE
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20
June 2022
Fatima
Payman has won Western Australia's sixth and final Senate seat, becoming the
first Afghan Australian and the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman in parliament.
She
is the state's only new senator, after Labor senators Sue Lines and Glenn
Sterle were re-elected, along with Liberal senators Michaelia Cash and Dean
Smith.
The
final seat is held by Green senator Dorinda Cox, who in 2021 became the first
Indigenous woman to represent WA in the Senate.
The
new senator was jubilant on Monday after her win.
"WE
WON!!!! I'm proud to announce that I've officially been elected as a Senator
for Western Australia," she announced on Facebook.
"Thank
you everyone for your love and support! We did it!"
Ms
Payman arrived as a refugee from Afghanistan with her parents and three
siblings, before growing up in Perth's northern suburbs.
In
her early years, her father worked around the clock as a kitchen hand, a
security guard and a taxi driver. Her mother looked after the family before
starting her own small business of providing driving lessons.
Inspired
by the hard work of her parents when she was younger, Ms Payman became an
organiser for the United Workers Union and, after losing her dad to leukemia in
2018, decided she wanted to represent hard working Australians like him who strived
to make ends meet.
She
is passionate about breaking down barriers for women, young people and
culturally diverse communities.
Fellow
Labor representatives were quick to congratulate Ms Payman on Monday.
"I
am so proud that our state is sending Fatima to represent us in Canberra,"
WA MP Patrick Gorman said. "Senator-elect Payman is an Australian Muslim
with cultural roots from Afghanistan, the eldest of four children and a strong
advocate for workers."
While
fellow WA Labor Senator Ms Lines said she was "making history today".
Meanwhile
the Afghan Embassy in Australia said they were pleased to hear the news,
particularly on World Refugee Day.
"On
this #WorldRefugeeDay we are pleased to hear that Ms FatimaPayman, an Afghan
Refugee, now an Australian citizen, has made her path towards the Senate of the
@Aust_Parliament. Many congratulations, Senator FatimaPayman!"
Source:
SBS
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Giant
Puppet of Syrian Girl, Amal,, Starts England Tour to Mark World Refugee Week
June
19, 2022
LONDON:
A giant puppet designed to highlight the plight of child refugees embarked on a
tour of England on Sunday and will visit landmark destinations as part of World
Refugee Week.
Little
Amal, the giant puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl, became an
international symbol of human rights after she journeyed from the
Turkish-Syrian border to Manchester last July. Amal means “hope” in Arabic.
This
year, the 3.5m puppet began her New Steps New Friends tour in Manchester, where
she will be the special guest at the Manchester Day Parade with thousands of
children and families all celebrating in the city.
She
will visit 10 towns and cities across England to share her resilient and
hopeful message: “Don’t forget about us.”
Artistic
director Amir Nizar Zuabi said: “It is because the attention of the world is
elsewhere right now that it is more important than ever to reignite the
conversation about the refugee crisis and to change the narrative around it.
“Yes,
refugees need food and blankets, but they also need dignity and a voice. The
purpose of The Walk is to highlight the potential of the refugee, not just
their dire circumstances.
“Little
Amal is 3.5 meters tall because we want the world to grow big enough to greet
her. We want her to inspire us to think big and to act bigger,” Zuabi said.
After
participating in the Manchester Day Parade, Amal will go on to visit Bradford,
Leeds and the Liverpool docks. She will also meet communities in Birmingham,
Cheltenham and Bristol’s historic Old City and Harbour.
She
will return to the Southbank Centre in London and visit Stonehenge before
finishing her journey on the beach in Folkestone in Kent.
In
May, Amal landed in Poland, bringing aid relief packages for Ukrainian refugee
children and their families.
“The
machine of war is faceless, it’s metal grinding metal, but victims of the
battles grownups fight have names and children are often the worst victims.
That’s why Amal went to Ukraine. She’s a big girl so she can remind us there
are many Amals and many Annas and many Andriys and many Abduls,” Zuabi said.
In
September 2022, Amal will travel to New York City. She will travel through all
five boroughs, meeting artists, civic leaders, community groups and New Yorkers
of all backgrounds.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2106441/world
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Saudi
minister orders woman employee replace her boss
June
18, 2022
Ramadan
Al Sherbini
Cairo:
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdul Latif Al Sheikh has ordered a
young female employee be appointed as a media spokesperson for the ministry in
the holy city of Mecca, replacing her boss due to their educational
backgrounds, according to media reports.
A
video circulated on social media showed the minister talking to a young
employee at the media department in the ministry’s Mecca branch and asking her
about her specialization and that of her manager.
On
learning that the recently graduated employee holds a BA degree in media while
her manager studied accountancy, Al Sheikh ordered the woman head the
department while her manager be transferred to the minister’s office in the
port city of Jeddah.
The
reshuffle makes the employee, identified as Shahad Manshi, the first
spokeswoman for the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, said Saudi news portal
Sabq.
The
minister’s decision has stirred controversy. Proponents said the replacement
ensures putting the right employee in the right place while critics saw it as
hasty.
Shahad,
who graduated in 2020 with honours majoring in public relations, later defended
her picking for the post.
“I
have an experience in media coverage and writing reports for different
newspapers,” Shahad said in an interview with Rotana Khalijia TV.
She
added that she has participated in organising several events and media
campaigns.
In
recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken strides for women’s empowerment and
further engaging them in public life.
In
2018, the kingdom allowed women to drive for the first time in its history,
ending a decades-old ban on female driving.
Source:
Gulf News
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'Fatima
Hossain' the Muslim woman fighting Islamophobia in Spain's African enclave
June
20, 2022
On
the main street of Ceuta, the autonomous Spanish enclave of 85,000 people in
North Africa bordering Morocco, Fatima Hamed Hossain greets everyone who
crosses her path with a smile and a hello in Spanish and Darija, the
Moroccan-Arabic dialect.
Charismatic,
self-made and from humble beginnings, Hossain's outspokenness against a rising
far right has turned her into a national symbol for the fight against hate
speech.
Having
first entered the Ceuta political scene in 2007 as part of the Caballas
Coalition, a left-wing regionalist organisation, Hossain later left to form her
own party, the Movement for Dignity and Citizenship in Ceuta (MDyC).
Among
the many occasions when Hossain has stood up to the far right, one of the most
memorable came during a plenary session in the summer of 2020 in response to
the far-right Vox party and its hardline stance against Islam in a city that is
43 percent Muslim.
"You
can't measure how Spanish I am by my surname or how I dress," she said in
her speech. "You cannot say that Muslims, Jews or Hindus do not belong to
this society."
Hossain
was born in 1978 in Los Rosales, one of the poorest suburbs of Ceuta, along
with Hadu and El Principe, according to the Spanish Institute of Statistics
(INE). As an only child of Moroccan parents, Hossain says that politics were
never discussed at home; she just remembers seeing her father working all
hours, loading trucks, in order to provide for the family.
"I
never heard anyone talking about politics. I guess as an immigrant family, the
only focus was on getting ahead," Hossain tells Middle East Eye while
drinking Moorish tea in the main street of Ceuta.
"I
got involved in politics because many of us have grown up in forgotten and
abandoned areas," she adds, referring to the striking inequalities in
Ceuta, where 40 percent of the population live at risk of poverty and social
exclusion. "That makes you aware that there are citizens who, although
they are equal in law, are not equal in rights."
Hossain's
family was able to pay for her college through scholarships, and today she is a
lawyer specialising in human rights and gender equality, a profession she
balances with her duties as a political representative.
Insult
to Ceuta's Muslims
In
the 2015 regional elections, Hossain's MDyC won three seats in a parliament of
25, and she became the first and only Muslim woman to lead an elected political
party in Spain.
The
eruption of the far-right Vox party in 2019 as a major political force affected
the order and stability of Ceuta. MDyC lost one seat and the conservative
People's Party, which has held a majority since 2001, also lost seats to the
far right.
Anti-immigrant
and anti-Islam, the far-right, in parliament and on social media, tries to
discredit Hossain by calling her" jihad," "sharia" or
"pro-Moroccan". She says that these insults aim to portray Ceuta's
Muslim population as being foreigners in their own country, linking them with
illegal immigration. Carlos Verdejo, an MP and Vox's spokesman in Ceuta, once
tweeted a threat to deport Hossain "back to Morocco".
"We
cannot remain silent before those who come to spread hatred and insults,"
she says. "They have not only been disrespectful towards us, but towards
the entire city. We believe in democracy, and their lies must be dismantled
with facts and dialogue."
Other
examples of hateful rhetoric include the conversations leaked to the press in
January 2020. In WhatsApp and audio messages, the leaders of Vox in Ceuta asked
for "a third world war against Islam" and compared Ceuta with
Palestine by claiming that the Muslim population was "invading and
occupying" the city.
Rise
of the far right in Ceuta
Born
amid domestic tensions generated by Catalan separatism and an increase in the
number of immigrants arriving on Spanish shores from Africa in 2018, Santiago
Abascal's Vox party won its first parliamentary seats (24) in the general
election of April 2019. In the November general elections that same year, Vox
became the country's third political force when it secured 3.6 million votes
and 52 seats in the congress of deputies.
In
Ceuta, Vox also entered the political scene in 2019, deploying more hostile
rhetoric than in other parts of the country, due to the city's ethnic
composition and economic situation.
With
a population of 85,000, Ceuta has historically welcomed all beliefs and
traditions due to its strategic position by the Strait of Gibraltar.
The
city has always taken pride in the harmony and coexistence between four
religions: there is a Hindu temple and a synagogue, the Islamic celebration Eid
al-Adha is a public holiday and Catholic processions are celebrated every
Easter.
But
behind the cultural and religious mix hides an unequal reality. Beyond the
clean and prosperous centre, the crowded Muslim-majority suburbs have Spain's
highest rates of unemployment (up to 30 percent, according to the INE).
"We
calculate that between 75 percent and 80 percent of the unemployed are
Muslims," says Adbelkamil Mohamed, in charge of the neighbourhood
association in El Principe, the most depressed quarter in Ceuta, with an
average income among the lowest in Spain.
Mohamed
thinks "the damage is institutional," since the conservative and
Christian-democratic People's Party had been ruling Ceuta for the past two
decades (until it lost in the April 2019 elections) "without focusing on
improving education or employment here".
The
feeling of institutional abandonment that many people have in Ceuta also
applies to the central parliament in Madrid, adds Emilio Postigo, general
secretary of the Ceuta branch of Comisiones Obreras, Spain's biggest trade
union.
"Lack
of projects and investment leave our economy at the expense of Morocco,"
says Postigo. Around €700m ($735m) a year, more than a quarter of the city's
gross domestic product, comes from the illegal trade of goods with Morocco,
according to local estimates.
In
this fertile breeding ground, the far right win votes by making promises to
build a bigger wall along the Moroccan border, deport illegal immigrants or
defend "the Spanish identity of the territory" from
"Islamisation".
Hossain's
growth and national support
Hossain's
voice and public interventions standing up for Ceuta's diversity and claiming
her own "Spanish and Muslim" identity have earned her national
recognition and support.
Proof
of that growth, from local to national politics, was reinforced when she took
part in an event last November in Valencia, alongside some of the most
progressive female politicians in Spain.
The
meeting was held to discuss feminist issues and to share common perspectives,
but the reason why it grabbed wide media attention was because of the
attendance of the minister of labour and social economy, Yolanda Diaz. Diaz is
one of the most popular figures in the leftist Spanish government, currently
preparing a platform to run for the 2023 general elections.
"We
are proud and happy to be recognised and to see ourselves alongside this
amazing woman," says Hossain, when asked about the possibility of her
entering national politics. "But our focus is in Ceuta, and in the
problems we have here."
'I
love Fatima'
These
days in the streets of Ceuta, Hossain is well known, and her reputation for
standing up to the far right is well established.
"Fatima
is highly qualified, her team always responds to our calls, and she speaks her
mind against those who want to divide us," says Piedad, 40, a Christian
who works as a cleaner and lives in the Hadu neighbourhood, an MDyC stronghold.
In
El Principe, sisters Sara, 25, and Ahlem, 27, are also enthusiastic about
Hossain.
"I
love Fatima. I love what she says and how she says it, everything. She gives
everything in each plenary session and stands up to Vox," says Sara.
"Big
traditional parties have failed here [in Ceuta], because they haven't been able
to understand the idiosyncrasies and character of this region," says an
unemployed Muslim man at a market in Hadu.
Not
everyone has good words for the MDyC leader, however. Rahma Mokhlis, 45, is the
representative of the neighbourhood association in Benzu, a small suburb in the
north of Ceuta with barely any functioning public services. She acknowledges
that Hossain is "a fighting woman who stirs consciences" and serves
as an example for many women. However, she criticises her
"individualism".
"At
a national level she portrays an image, but at the local level she shows a
different face," Mokhlis says. "She does not reach agreements, she
does not sit down with the rest of the parties to confront the right part of
the regional parliament."
For
the moment, Hossain avoids talking about next year's elections.
"There
is a lot of work to do every day, and I only hope that citizens take good note
of each other's contributions," she says. "Ceuta is and will always
be an intercultural and diverse city, even for those who want a society based
on hate and fear."
Source:
ABNA24
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Saudi
Arabia sets its sights on hosting women's tennis tour with WTA
By
Simon Briggs
18
June 2022
Saudi
Arabia is plotting to make a major push into tennis by trying to entice a
women’s tour event to their country, Telegraph Sport can reveal.
It
follows the controversial £2 billion launch of the breakaway LIV golf series as
well as investments into football and Formula One as part of their
“sport-washing” ploy to normalise an unpalatable regime.
The
Saudis have been seeking a deal with the ATP Tour for at least five years but
have been repeatedly rebuffed by the men’s game.
Yet
the Women’s Tennis Association – who enjoy far less financial security than the
ATP – declined to rule out the concept when contacted by Telegraph Sport.
A
spokesperson confirmed that “We have received inquiries from Saudi Arabia as to
interest in bringing a WTA event to the region. As a global organisation, we
are always interested and appreciative of inquiries received from anywhere in
the world and we look seriously at what each opportunity may bring [but] we
have not entered into formal negotiations.”
The
WTA Tour has been sailing into strong financial headwinds ever since chief
executive Steve Simon took a moral stand on China’s apparent silencing of Peng
Shuai last year. Although admirable in principle, this knocked out one of his
central sources of funding.
When
the WTA signed a four-year deal with health provider Hologic in March,
Telegraph Sport understands that they had to request more than half the total
sum – which works out at around £16.4 million ($20m) per annum – to be paid
upfront in order to tide over cash-flow worries.
An
alternative solution is the large fee – reported to be in excess of £100m –
being offered by private-equity firm CVC for a stake in a new, jointly-run WTA
Tour, along with access to the WTA’s commercial rights.
CVC
have already invested in Formula One, rugby and cricket. In December, they
offered £491m ($600m) for a stake in a unified tennis model combining both
men’s and women’s tours.
While
not ruling out the possibility of a private-equity alliance, the ATP have thus
far declined to commit themselves. Now the WTA are seen as more likely partners
for CVC, at least in the short term, owing to their financial pressures.
Some
believe that the CVC deal could be struck over the next month or two, adding
yet another stakeholder to the already convoluted governance of this sport.
Asked
about private-equity investment, a WTA spokesperson said. “We have been in
discussions in this space and one of the discussions is with CVC. We have not
made any decisions as to what we intend or do not intend to do.”
Source:
Telegraph UK
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Nigeria:
Intels Graduates 38 Beneficiaries of Women Empowerment Scheme
20
JUNE 2022
Nigeria's
oil and gas logistics giant, INTELS Nigeria Limited, has graduated 38 women
under its Women Empowerment Project Scheme Synergy (WEPSS).
WEPSS
is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of INTELS Nigeria
Limited. It was established in 2013 to empower 5,000 community women over a
20-year period through training in fashion design and tailoring. The
beneficiaries are trained in two batches every year.
Since
inception nine years ago, more than 1,540 women drawn from various communities
across the country have benefited from the empowerment scheme.
Speaking
during the graduation ceremony of Class of 2022 Batch A at the WEPSS Training
Centre, Federal Lighter Terminal, Onne Port, Rivers State on Thursday, the
General Manager, Legal and Corporate Services of INTELS Nigeria Limited,
Amaopusenibo Mike Epelle, said the scheme was designed to uplift the economic
status of the beneficiaries.
"It
is a joyous occasion to celebrate determined trainees who have succeeded in
acquiring new skills to make a decent living. WEPSS is a special centre set up
to equip women in the community with competent tailoring skills," he said.
Also
speaking, the Manager, Government and Public Affairs of INTELS, Rex Asaikpuka,
encouraged the beneficiaries to utilise the skills imparted on them during
their training.
He
said, "I encourage you to run with the baton. It took time and resources
to facilitate this training and we have succeeded in equipping you with the
skills and start-up kit to takeoff."
The
Project Manager of WEPSS, Nancy Freeborn, commended the management of INTELS
for its commitment to the empowerment of women, promotion of Nigerian content
and support for local communities despite the present economic challenges in
the country.
She
encouraged the beneficiaries to put their skills to adequate use and build
successful careers and businesses that will generate employment opportunities
for others.
Source:
All Africa
https://allafrica.com/stories/202206200091.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/muslims-girls-marriage-islamic-sharia-rule/d/127280