Saudi Arabia Plans To Boost Women’s Religious Empowerment: Strategy To Promote Services For Female Worshippers At Islam’s 2 Holiest Sites
New Age
Islam News Bureau
04 September 2023
·
Saudi Arabia Plans To Boost
Women’s Religious Empowerment: Strategy To Promote Services For Female
Worshippers At Islam’s 2 Holiest Sites
·
Women Hikers from Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait Complete Daunting Pacific Crest Trail
·
Afghan Women Bring Hope Through
Online Education Amid Challenges
·
France Evacuates Five Afghan Women
‘Threatened by Taliban’, Says Immigration Authority
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-religious-empowerment/d/130599
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Saudi
Arabia Plans to Boost Women’s Religious Empowerment: Strategy to Promote
Services for Female Worshippers at Islam’s 2 Holiest Sites
In
July last year, three Saudi women were among 11 new assistants appointed at the
agency in charge of the Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque. [Illustrative image]
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September
02, 2023
Ramadan
Al Sherbini, Correspondent
Cairo:
Saudi Arabia’s religious authorities are working on a strategy to further
empower women personnel to serve female visitors at the two holiest mosques and
help spread moderate Islam, a Saudi official has said.
The
strategy is being worked out by a state agency in charge of the Grand Mosque in
Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina to disseminate their moderate message
globally.
“Empowering
women in light of Islamic values is a religious, national, societal and
developmental responsibility,” chief of the Religious Affairs Presidency of the
Two Holy Mosques Abdulrahman Al Sudais said.
“Highlighting
women’s efforts and role at the two holy mosques lies in the network of
religious and awareness services provided for female worshippers and visitors,”
added the official.
Millions
of Muslims from across the globe flock to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual
Hajj pilgrimage in and around Mecca, and make Umrah or a minor pilgrimage that
can be undertaken around the year.
In July
last year, three Saudi women were among 11 new assistants appointed at the
agency in charge of the Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque.
Last
January, 34 women were, moreover, appointed to senior jobs at the General
Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques to develop services for
female pilgrims.
The step
was part of efforts aimed to empower qualified Saudi women in senior positions
geared to serve female visitors of Islam’s two holiest sites.
In
recent years, Saudi Arabia has made big strides in empowering women as part of
massive changes in the kingdom.
In 2018,
the kingdom allowed women to drive for the first time in its history, ending a
decades-old ban on female driving.
Two
female ambassadors were among 11 Saudi envoys, who took the oath of office
before King Salman bin Abdulaziz in January.
Source: gulfnews.com
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-plans-to-boost-womens-religious-empowerment-1.1693649022220
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Women
hikers from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait complete daunting Pacific Crest Trail
Haya Al-Samari and Fai Al-Omran said they felt proud and that it was a
rewarding experience. The two women began their long walk on April 1 from the
US-Mexico border passing through California, Oregon, and Washington. (Supplied)
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SALEH
FAREED
September
01, 2023
JEDDAH:
Adventurers Haya Al-Samari and Fai Al-Omran, citizens of Saudi Arabia and
Kuwait respectively, recently achieved a long-cherished dream by completing the
Pacific Crest Trail — covering a distance of around 4,270 km in 180 days.
At the
northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, they were congratulated by a
small crowd of friends and hiking enthusiasts.
The two
women began their long walk on April 1 from the US-Mexico border passing
through California, Oregon, and Washington before reaching the Canada-US border
on Aug. 19.
For the
two amateur hikers, who have lived an outdoor life skiing, hiking and mountain
biking, finishing the trail that included six mountain passes, each over 3,300
meters, was a lifelong goal.
Hiking
the trail may seem impossible to many, but Al-Samari, 33, and Al-Omran, 28,
were fueled by dreams of adventure.
Speaking
to Arab News shortly after completing the trail at the Canada-US border, the
pair said they felt proud and that it was a rewarding experience.
“A real
mixed bag of emotions. I’m still trying to process what we went through.
There’s obviously a huge sense of relief, anticipation to reunite with family
and friends, and a renewed sense of appreciation for luxuries I used to take
for granted such as clean water and a mattress,” said Al-Samari.
Al-Omran
added: “I feel content, very proud and happy of this achievement. I am glad we
made this dream come true and reached our goal. It was a long and hard journey
that took a lot of determination and willpower.”
When
asked what they wanted to do after getting home, they said meeting family and
friends, and eating all kinds of food.
Describing
the adventure, Al-Samari said: “The highs were high and the lows were low, both
literally and metaphorically speaking. The main turning point for me personally
is when I changed my mentality from trying to maximize my daily mileage to
simply enjoying each day as it comes. Also, the trails in Washington were out
of this world … from hiking between clouds to swimming in every lake.”
Al-Omran
said: “It’s hard to pick the best moments, every section had amazing days.
Overall, the trip itself was a great adventure. If I had to pick one thing, I’d
say the people. Whether they were fellow hikers, or locals in towns, or the
people who help you along the way.”
“A hike
like this gives you lots of time to think and plan what you want to do next.
Now that we’re going home it’s time to take these thoughts and ideas and turn
them into reality,” she added.
Al-Samari
plans to settle down and begin making plans for the future, but “resting is my
main concern for now and not sure what I am going to do next.”
They had
documented their trip on social media platforms, much to the delight of their
followers.
Under
the Abaya, the Saudi Arabia female empowerment platform, sponsored the two
adventurers.
Commenting
on this support, Al-Omran said: “The experience is something like we’ve never
done before. I am honored to be supported by a brand that stands for women
empowerment and pushed boundaries.”
Al-Samari
quipped: “I’ve been dreaming of doing it for 10 years. It was the perfect time
to go on this wild adventure. I’m very grateful to be working with UTA and
together paving the way too (for) many Saudi women to chase their dreams.”
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2365806/saudi-arabia
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Afghan
women bring hope through online education amid challenges
By Fidel
Rahmati
September
3, 2023
Many
creative women and girls in Afghanistan are seeking ways to bring about change
following the end of individual and social freedoms for women. They are
striving to provide online education and restore hope to girls. Their motto is:
Never surrender to the circumstances.
Robina
Azizi, a tenth-grade student and the founder of “Girls on the Path of Change,”
is concerned about the restrictions that banned girls’ freedoms in Afghanistan.
She aims to provide online education for underserved girls and motivate them to
stand against the current conditions.
“Girls
on the Path of Change,” an initiative started by the courageous 17-year-old
Robina without any organizational support about five months ago, has managed to
launch workshops, exhibitions, and motivational seminars for thousands of girls
in over five provinces of the country. The initiative is active in fields such
as photography, painting, writing, online commerce, foreign languages, poetry,
and public speaking, with the potential for expansion shortly.
In a
time when women are confined at home, Robina says: “Women must never stop and
to empower other women, they should strive, never losing their strength.”
She
consistently emphasizes standing with women more than ever, asserting that
unity among women transforms them into a force and creates knowledge within
homes become the utmost courage against ignorance.
Having
left Afghanistan due to security threats, she considers it a quasi-prison for
girls, where each passing day complicates their situation.
Zahra
Saba, a contributor to the Girls on the Path of Change initiative, spoke with
Khaama Press News Agency. She says the challenging days after girls were banned
from schools motivated her to support other girls who have experienced similar
conditions.
Living
in Kunduz province, Saba collaborates in public speaking, writing, and
conducting motivational seminars within the Girls on the Path of Change
initiative.
She
finds these supportive initiatives for girls are beneficial, as her online
activities in this initiative have nurtured hopeful aspirations for a bright
future. She strives to expand her horizons even within her small home.
Girls on
the Path of Change inspires motivation among education-deprived girls, with
some believing that “Afghanistan, having eager young girls pursuing big dreams
from a young age, will eventually reach freedom.”
Participating
girls in this educational program urge others to utilize the opportunity of
being at home and rescuing themselves from ignorance through their studies.
She
labels enduring such circumstances as her courage, stating that life’s
challenges have strengthened her, and this situation will eventually change.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-women-bring-hope-through-online-education-amid-challenges/
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France
evacuates five Afghan women ‘threatened by Taliban’, says immigration authority
04 Sep
2023
PARIS,
Sept 4 — France flew five Afghan women who had been “threatened by the Taliban”
to Paris, where they were due to arrive today, French immigration authority
chief Didier Leschi told AFP.
By
presidential order, “special attention is being paid to women who are primarily
threatened by the Taliban because they have held important positions in Afghan
society... or have close contacts with Westerners. This is the case for five
women who will arrive today,” Leschi said.
The
women include a former university director, an ex-NGO consultant, a former
television presenter, and a teacher at a secret school in Kabul.
One of
the women was accompanied by three children.
The
women had been unable to leave Afghanistan on airlifts to Western countries
when the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
They
fled to neighbouring Pakistan where they sought temporary refuge. From there,
the French authorities organised their evacuation, Leschi said.
Once
they arrive in France, they will be registered as asylum seekers and given
housing while their applications for refugee status are considered, Leschi
said.
He also
said that such evacuations were “likely to be repeated” for other Afghan women
with a similar profile. — AFP
Source: malaymail.com
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/09/04/france-evacuates-five-afghan-women-threatened-by-taliban-says-immigration-authority/88900
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-arabia-religious-empowerment/d/130599