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Islam, Women and Feminism ( 22 Feb 2023, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Sadhvi Prachi Slams Swara Bhasker for Marrying A Muslim, Says She Could Be Killed Like Shraddha

New Age Islam News Bureau

22 February 2023

• Abu Dhabi Summit to Brainstorm Women’s Common Challenges

• Princess Lamia Bint Majed Reappointed Goodwill Ambassador for UN-Habitat

• Qatar to Debut at Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Golf Championship

• Loulwa, Saudi Arabia’s Most Successful Blues and Soul Singers, Shaping the Future of Saudi Arabia’s Music Scene

• Layan Jouhari Carries On Family Legacy for Al-Ittihad and Saudi Arabia

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:   https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sadhvi-swara-muslim-shraddha/d/129172

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 Sadhvi Prachi slams Swara Bhasker for marrying a Muslim, says she could be killed like Shraddha

Sadhvi Prachi slams Swara Bhasker

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by: Priya Pareek

Feb 22, 2023

New Delhi: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi slammed actress Swara Bhasker for marrying Samajwadi Party's Fahad Ahmad and said that she could meet the same fate as Shraddha Walker, who was killed by her live-in partner in Delhi.

Sadhvi Prachi said that Swara should have seen the fridge before taking the decision to marry a Muslim man. She was referring to the sensational murder case where Shraddha's body was chopped into 35 pieces and stored in a fridge before the accused disposed of the body parts in jungle.

"Probably, Swara Bhasker didn't pay attention to the news of how Shraddha's body was chopped into 35 pieces. She should have seen the fridge once before taking such a big decision. It is her personal choice. I have nothing much to say. But what happened to Shraddha can happen to Swara too," the VHP leader said.

"Swara Bhasker has always been against the Hindu religion. I was sure that she would marry someone not from the religion. This has happened now. She has married a Muslim," Sadhvi Prachi added.

Swara Bhasker's marriage sparks debate

Swara Bhasker announced her engagement with politician Fahad Ahmad on February 16, triggering a massive debate on social media with Islamic religious scholars questioning the validity of the marriage under Sharia laws. Notably, Swara has not accepted Islam.

Swara and Fahad got married under the Special Marriage Act which allows Indian nationals to get married irrespective of their faiths.

Chicago-based Islamic scholar Yasir Nadeem al Wajidi took to Twitter to say that if Swara Bhasker is not Muslim and her 'supposed' husband is Muslim, this marriage is not Islamically valid.

"Allah says do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. 2:221 If she accepts Islam only for the sake of marriage, it is not accepted by Allah," he added.

Source: Times Now News

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/sadhvi-prachi-slams-swara-bhasker-for-marrying-a-muslim-says-she-could-be-killed-like-shraddha-article-98136547

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Abu Dhabi Summit to Brainstorm Women’s Common Challenges

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak

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February 20, 2023

ABU DHABI — The International Summit of Women 2023, which will begin in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, will come out with proposals to resolve the common challenges faced by women worldwide. The two-day event will focus on the role of female leadership in establishing peace, social integration, and driving prosperity, according to the organizers.

The summit, titled the “Role of female leaders in establishing peace and social integration, and driving prosperity,” will begin with the welcoming remarks of United Arab Emirates’ Mother of Nation Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who is also chairwoman of General Women’s Union (GWU), president of Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of Family Development Foundation.

The opening speeches will be delivered by President of India Droupadi Murmu, Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the Summit and WMCC Chairman Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, and Maja Gojkovic, deputy prime minister of Serbia.

Themes of the two-day sessions include Women leaders driving climate action; sustainability, philanthropy and poverty alleviation; Lifetime achievers among women; Women leaders in education and science innovation; Women’s leadership in parliament and democracy; Women leadership in media and creative industry; Women in fine arts and cultural heritage; Women and the power of networking and women in megatrends of the world; and Women’s leadership in sports and tourism.

Delegates, including eminent stateswomen, faith leaders, entrepreneurs, social activists, cultural personalities, media figures, and scholars from more than 100 countries will attend the event. The summit is organized by the World Muslim Communities Council (WMCC) and in cooperation with GWU, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote and be elected.

Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the Summit and WMCC Chairman Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, said that the Council believes in women’s important role in building peace, promoting social integration and creating a prosperous future for future generations worldwide.

On her part, GWU Secretary General Noura Al-Suwaidi said that the UAE's hosting of the summit reflects the message and vision of the wise leadership of the UAE, that the advancement and empowerment of women is a vital priority. “We are proud of the participation of a group of prominent women leaders in the world in the event hosted by the UAE,” she added.
Source: Saudi Gazette

https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/630021/Life/Abu-Dhabi-summit-to-brainstorm-womens-common-challenges

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Princess Lamia Bint Majed Reappointed Goodwill Ambassador for UN-Habitat

Jasmine Bager

February 21, 2023

RIYADH: Princess Lamia bint Majed has been reappointed as the UN Human Settlements Program’s (UN-Habitat) Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab world.

Surrounded by the Saudi and UN flags, she signed to extend her tenure at the UN headquarters in Riyadh on Monday and reiterated her commitment to the UN-Habitat mission and to continuing the collaborative work.

She told Arab News: “I'm very pleased and honored to be renominated as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Arab region for the UN-Habitat.

“I’m very excited because habitat or housing, it’s one of the most important — and I would say crucial — things for a human to feel safe, to just have a roof over your head.

“We worked in the last couple of years with UN-Habitat in different countries. So, we worked in Syria, we worked in Sudan, Iraq, Palestine; we did thousands of units, we helped thousands of families, and this is what makes me sleep well at night.

“And what’s happening in the world now in Syria and Turkiye, we will be able to support more,” she said.

The princess pointed out that the world had changed, and needs had shifted since she took on the role, especially before and after the coronavirus pandemic.

“The need now is how to reach, how you tackle the problem, how to create awareness.

“In some areas, it’s very easy. It’s much easier than before because everyone is already used to the digital world. And sometimes it’s very hard because it’s not that easy to reach that person physically, as seen with what’s happening now in Syria and Turkiye.

“So, it’s always a challenge, but to be able to serve and to help is an honor and a pleasure. And I think it’s a learning curve for everyone.

“I hope inshallah, with this appointment, I’ll be able to help from a philanthropic perspective and with the United Nations, as well,” she added.

Princess Lamia noted the support of the Saudi government in helping with UN-Habitat’s achievements and said her goal for the upcoming term was to maintain the momentum.

She also encouraged Saudi youth to volunteer and get involved with supporting the UN-Habitat mission.

Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat, told Arab News: “Today is a historic moment for us in UN-Habitat for signing the extension of her royal highness, Princess Lamia, as our Goodwill Ambassador. And we’re very happy that she agreed to continue the work and champion the mandate of UN-Habitat.

“She’s been with us for the first three years and she’s an advocate for our work, not only in this region, but also the other parts of the region.”
Source: Arab News

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2255531/saudi-arabia

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Qatar to debut at women’s amateur Asia-Pacific golf championship

Mohamed Eltayeb

February 21, 2023

The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship will feature Women golfers Nada Mir from Qatar and Vanessa Richani from Lebanon on the greens for the first time.

Qatar’s 23-year-old gained ground in tennis for her gold medal campaign in the Pan Arab Championship last year in Tunisia.

Now, alongside her Arab colleague Richani, the two golfers will represent their countries at the Singapore Island Country Club from the March 9-12.

The premiere of the golfers has garnered applause from Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC).

“It’s wonderful to have more countries being represented in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship. It’s a sign that the game is growing and becoming more popular among women here, especially in the Arab region,” Amin voiced upon the announcement of the golfers.

“It’s great that young players from Qatar and Lebanon have qualified for the WAAP through the WAGR. I’m hoping this will motivate young ladies in the Arab region, and other countries, to try harder to improve and take advantage of this unique opportunity to develop their game,” the APGC Chairman added.

The championship featured an invite of 85 players from 22 countries from several countries including Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Australia.

Singapore will field the largest team of players, naming eight to star in the tournament.

Dubbed a tournament of several firsts, this year’s edition will feature two players from the top ten of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and 17 of the top 100.

Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament at age 14, will lead the star-studded lineup.

Last year, Ting-Hsuan Huang captured the gold title in the tournament.

Source: Doha News

https://dohanews.co/qatar-to-debut-at-womens-amateur-asia-pacific-golf-championship/

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Loulwa, Saudi Arabia’s Most Successful Blues and Soul Singers, Shaping the Future of Saudi Arabia’s Music Scene

Jordan King

19 Feb 2023

‘I want to empower other women to be who they are and do what they want to do.

‘Any time I’m on stage I get messages from young ladies, and sometimes even older women, saying thank you.’

This is what Loulwa, one of Saudi Arabia’s most successful blues and soul singers, told Metro.co.uk about finally being able to perform freely on stage.

Up until very recently, artists had to rely on an underground scene to play music for live audiences.

Concerts were banned in the conservative country, with authorities previously stating they could encourage the ‘mixing of sexes and open doors to evil’.

But things are changing ‘incredibly fast’, after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince announced his Vision 2030 in 2016.

The idea is to ‘open Saudi Arabia to the world’ with unprecedented reforms which included allowing women to drive for the first time ever in 2017.

The changes have also shifted everything about the music industry, with the country seeing its first-ever General Authority for Entertainment in government.

Loulwa and Jara, Saudi’s first female rapper, are two of the 10 exciting artists featured in a new docuseries called Herstory, currently airing on Arabic streaming platform Shahid.

They spoke to Metro.co.uk about how quickly their careers have transformed in what locals refer to as ‘the change’.

Loulwa, 35, was once only able to sing at underground shows hidden in someone’s house or garden in the port city of Jeddah.

At other points, she performed at cafes in compounds – private residential districts where many western immigrants choose to live.

Loulwa was one of just two women who regularly played at these events, which were dominated by men.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘Back then, you used to feel anxious and be worried you could get caught but now the change is unbelievably crazy and beautiful.

‘Women used to be worried about what their families might think because they couldn’t see anyone else making music, but now you can see so many more female artists performing and singing.’

Jara, 25, feels ‘very blessed’ to have a dad who supported her career as a rapper.

She said: ‘He would take me to all these shows and make sure I felt protected as the only female rapper there.

‘There is no other female in the industry and I think that if my dad wasn’t with me I wouldn’t have been able to reach where I am.

‘Everywhere you go, it’s just men everywhere – having my dad protect me by my side helped me focus on what I want to do and on my craft.’

Jara is still the only known woman rapping in Saudi Arabia but the music scene is changing at such a pace, she summed it up as ‘surreal’.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘If you think about how it was before and how it is now, I can’t believe this all happened in less than five years.

‘For me, or any other female in the industry, you used to feel like you were doing something wrong or that, as a woman, you shouldn’t be doing.

‘But now I feel like it’s something you do with respect, with your head held high.’

Loulwa echoed similar thoughts when she said the most important thing ‘the change’ has accomplished is that women no longer have to feel shame.

Both artists want their work to inspire other women, and young girls, to do what they love.

Jara said: ‘I want a young girl to see me rapping and feel empowered to do whatever she wants to do, whatever talent she has.’

Speaking directly to any women reading, Loulwa said: ‘What do you want to be? You want to go to space? You can do that.

‘Whatever you want to do, you can do that. They will feel powerful when they choose for themselves and not let society choose.’

She went on: ‘I’ve always believed that Saudi women are the strongest, they manage to cope with all situations and they’ve always been creative and very ambitious.

‘All they need is for people to believe in them and give them the chance to bloom.’

Saudi Arabia had its first-ever mixed-gender concert in April 2018, when the Egyptian Opera House played in the capital city of Riyadh.

In December that same year, Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji became the first female musician to perform her own concert in the country.

Now, just five years later, it is becoming much more common to see women on stage.

The co-creators of Herstory, British Hannah Berry George and Lebanese-American Ruby Malek, have seen ‘the change’ take place in just the three years they spent making the docuseries.

When they started looking for female artists to feature, they ‘could barely find any’ but have seen ‘amazing progress’ since.

Ruby said: ‘Every single one of the artists we spoke to were thinking about moving to pursue music in a different country.

‘It’s an incredibly difficult decision to choose between their career and their community and it’s not an easy thing.

‘But now it’s a whole new world. Now they want to make it from Saudi because it’s their country and their culture’.

Dina Dahboura, who commissioned Herstory as the first-ever docuseries featured on Shahid, said: ‘These female artists are in the infancy of their careers but they are part of a historic time in Saudi – in the music scene and beyond.’

Source: Metro UK

https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/19/meet-the-women-shaping-the-future-of-saudi-arabias-music-scene-18304465/

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Layan Jouhari Carries On Family Legacy for Al-Ittihad and Saudi Arabia

Paul Williams

February 21, 2023

Football clubs the world over are built on the support of their fans.

From the biggest clubs to some of the smallest, tribalism and emotional connection are passed down from grandparents to parents to children.

Stories are told, legends immortalized and cross-generational moments created, adding to the rich fabric of the game.

So it is for 22-year-old Saudi Arabian Layan Jouhari.

Born in the seaside city of Jeddah, she was raised by a family of diehard Al-Ittihad supporters loyal to a club founded almost 100 years ago with with one of the richest histories anywhere in Asia.

Jouhari’s uncle, Ghanayem Al-Harbi, played for Al-Ittihad for almost a decade during the 1960s and ’70s and went on to work as an assistant coach under Carlos Alberto Parreira with the Saudi Arabian national team when the Green Falcons won the AFC Asian Cup in 1988.

“He talks about winning the cup, and there’s a picture of him holding the cup (that) he always shows me,” she said of her uncle.

Her father, Abdulmojeeb, also represented Al-Ittihad, but in different sports, playing both volleyball and table tennis for the Jeddah club.

So it is fair to say Jouhari and her family bleed yellow and black.

“Ittihad is like blood for so many, because it started in 1927, so it’s already one of the oldest clubs in Saudi,” she told Arab News.

“From the beginning my whole heritage is Ittihad, so we’re huge fans of Ittihad.”

Jouhari, part of an emerging generation of female players, has gone one better than just wearing the famous yellow-and-black kit as a fan; she is now wearing it as an Al-Ittihad player, having been signed by her childhood club to be part of their inaugural squad for the first season of the recently completed Saudi Women’s Premier League.

Having grown up idolising players such as Moroccan midfield maestro Karim Al-Ahmadi, who played almost 100 times for Al-Ittihad across three seasons, and recent signings such as Tarek Hamed and Ahmed Hegazi, Jouhari could scarcely believe the news when she found out.

“Just talking about it, I can’t get rid of the smile on my face,” she said.

“It came so rapidly, all the changes and all the developments here for women’s football in Saudi. This was one of the huge steps that Saudi took, which is to have all the major clubs, the men’s clubs in Saudi, start a women’s team.

“When I heard that I’m going to be part of Ittihad, it was maybe the best news I’ve heard in my life. I called up my whole family one by one just to tell them the news. It was indescribable.”

She added: “Some of them, like my uncles who are older, they couldn’t believe it; they were just so curious and excited.

“They’re like, ‘when are you going to play, can we watch the matches?’ So I was like, of course, it’s all going to be open.

“Here in Jeddah we have Al-Jawhara (King Abdullah Sports City) Stadium, it’s the biggest stadium in our region, and that’s where we were playing the league games, on the reserve field.

“So they were even shocked that we’re getting that much support. It’s very exciting.”

Almost her entire family came to watch that first match, a Jeddah derby against rivals Al-Ahli, and they would have walked away happy, with the Tigers winning 3-1 to get their campaign off to the perfect start in front of a healthy crowd there to witness history.

While they could not keep pace with Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr, who clinched the inaugural championship, and Al-Hilal, at the end of their first campaign Al-Ittihad finished a respectable fourth, laying a solid foundation for the next generation of women who can look up to the likes of Jouhari and dream of one day also playing for the club they grew up supporting.

“There has been a rapid development happening the past four years. I don’t think it has happened this fast anywhere else in the world,” the 22-year-old said.

“So for me to be a part of that, it’s such a blessing. Every now and then there’s something new, a bigger project, more events, more opportunities, and all I can do now is seize the moment and work hard on myself, because I know that what I’m doing now is important for me, but also important for the future and the next generation.

“I’m rolling out the carpet for the next generation and setting the standards for Saudi football here for women, so it’s a responsibility as much as it is a blessing.”

While the season may have ended, the football will continue for Jouhari, who is also a member of the Saudi women’s national team that will this week play a series of friendlies against Indonesia.

The Indonesian team played at the most recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup and are ranked 97th in the world and 20th in Asia, making them the highest-ranked nation that Saudi Arabia has faced since their formation 12 months ago.

Whatever the result, Jouhari is optimistic for the future of the women’s game in the Kingdom.

“It’s only been a year so far for our national team,” she said. “But already we’ve see a huge change from when we started. Now we have started the RTC (regional training centers) and there are training centers all over Saudi for young girls.

“We are already seeing a lot of talented young girls appearing and I think they are going to take the stage in the next five to 10 years. I feel very optimistic about that.”

Source: Arab News

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2255411/sport

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