Sheikha Moza, Founder Of Al-Mujadilah, Inaugurates Center And Mosque For Women Of All Ages And Backgrounds at Doha
New Age
Islam News Bureau
01 February
2024
·
Sheikha
Moza, Founder Of Al-Mujadilah, Inaugurates Center And Mosque For Women Of All
Ages And Backgrounds at Doha
·
Fatima Al-Shammari
Named Spokesperson Of General Authority For Survey And Geospatial Information
·
Experts Puzzle
Over Why Bushra Has Been Convicted
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sheikha-moza-mosque-doha-mujadilah/d/131635
------
Sheikha Moza, Founder Of Al-Mujadilah,
Inaugurates Centre And Mosque For Women Of All Ages And Backgrounds at Doha
Chairperson
of Qatar Foundation for Education, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser
-----
31 Jan 2024
Doha, Qatar: Chairperson of Qatar
Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and Founder of
Al-Mujadilah HH Sheikha Mozabint Nasser, unveiled a center and mosque that will
cater to Muslim women of all ages and backgrounds.
‘Al-Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for
Women’ was founded by Her Highness and aims to strengthen the Islamic identity
of Muslim women, foster a Muslim society where all women are engaged, their
participation and contributions acknowledged and recognized, and their concerns
and perspectives shape contemporary Muslim thought and open public discourse.
Al-Mujadilah was inaugurated at an event
which laid out to guests the vision of the center, showcased the building
facilities and introduced its purpose through a panel discussion with scholars,
instructors and members of the community. The event was attended by
dignitaries, community leaders, representatives of the Ministry of Awqaf and
academic researchers.
Speaking to attendees, Her Highness
recounted the inspiration for the center and its name, referring to the story
of Khawlabint Tha'labah (r.a.) who engaged in a dialogue with Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH). Her Highness said:
“In philosophy, it is said that the
evolution of civilization originated in dialogue. Through these verses, we have
seen how KhawlabintTha’labah, may Allah be pleased with her, argued well in
accordance with her values. Through her advocacy, she solved her problem.”
She continued: “We are not here today
simply to celebrate the architectural aesthetics of this building, rather, we
are here to shed light on the concept of justice in worship, through the
establishment of the Al-Mujadilah center and mosque. This space allows women to
develop themselves in religious and worldly affairs, and with a comprehensive
understanding of worship.
Designed to attract our young Muslim
women, so that women’s prayer rooms do not stay marginalized and isolated in a
remote corner, this space, will host programs that support and elevate women’s
education, and meet their contemporary intellectual needs to raise women’s
awareness of religious and worldly matters - personally, socially, and from the
perspective of the family.”
Inspired by the traditional role of the
mosque as the axis of society, ‘Al-Mujadilah Centre and Mosque for Women is
equipped with classrooms, a library, gathering spaces, a café, and gardens. A
community space for women, it will host activities and provide programing in
Arabic and English ranging from longer courses, workshops, sessions on Islamic
history, Islamic law, mental health and well-being and relationships to book
clubs, training programs and undertaking research.
Guest speaker Dr. Omar Abdelkafy,
Islamic scholar and preacher, remarked “Everyone among us has been formed by
the care of a woman and today with the launch of Al-Mujadilah we reinvigorate a
society after centuries of marginalizing women.”
The opening also featured a panel
discussion on the importance of creating spaces for women in reinforcing Muslim
identity. The session was hosted and moderated by Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Hadara Dr. ButhainaAbdelghani and included Minister of Education
and Higher Education HE Buthainabint Ali Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of State for
International Cooperation HE Lolwahbint Rashid Al-Khater, Dr. Omar Abdelkafy,
May Al Sayed, activist and Islamic studies researcher, and Programs and Impact
Specialist at Al-Mujadilah: Center and Mosque for Women Kholood Nooh, .
In addition to community programs and
activities, Al-Mujadilah will open avenues to Islamic learning, research and
the study of historical and contemporary Islam. Al-Mujadilah will be a hub for
research networks, capacity-building, and intellectual exchange between
scholars, practitioners, and Muslim women of all backgrounds. Research focuses
on, and supports, research projects in three main areas: (1) Islamic Texts, Law
and Ethics; (2) Muslim Women’s Lives and (3) Muslim Women’s Health and
Well-Being.
Executive Director of Al-Mujadilah and
Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui
commented “The very heart of Al-Mujadilah is that we are a center for women. We
offer a destination for Muslim women from all backgrounds and walks of life to
access a wide range of programs and activities designed to help navigate the
many complex aspects of modern life. The idea is to bring a comprehensive
number of resources under one roof with the goal of fostering a Muslim society
where all women are engaged, their participation and contributions acknowledged
and recognized, and their concerns and perspectives shape contemporary Muslim
thought and open public discourse.”
Al-Mujadilah opens its doors to the
public at a Community event on February 4 and its scheduled programs will begin
on 6 February. Women can also visit the center without registering for a
program between 10am and 8pm to enjoy the public facilities. More information
on the Center and Mosque, including a full list of programs and activities can
be found at www.almujadilah.qa.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/31/01/2024/sheikha-moza-inaugurates-center-and-mosque-for-women
-----
Fatima Al-Shammari Named Spokesperson Of
General Authority For Survey And Geospatial Information
Fatima
Al-Shammari.
------
January 31, 2024
RIYADH — The General Authority for Survey
and Geospatial Information has appointed Fatima bint Fahd Al-Shammari as
spokesperson and media advisor of the authority. She is tasked to enhance media
and communication performance in order to achieve the authority’s goals and
aspirations.
Al-Shammari has diverse working
relations and experience in the media, communication and public relations
sector, through vast experiences within the Kingdom and abroad. She has
participated in a number of Saudi and international conferences, workshops in
addition to dialogue sessions.
Al-Shammari is holder of a master’s
degree in project management and technology leadership, and a bachelor’s degree
in international business administration, both from the United States of
America. She also boasts of having many scientific contributions and theses in
the field of media and public relations.
The General Authority for Survey and
Geospatial Information works to govern, improve, supervise and monitor the
surveying and geospatial information sector in order to achieve quality and
improve performance. It targets the government and private sectors, the
academic sector and individuals, through the provision of geospatial
information.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/640086/SAUDI-ARABIA/Fatima-Al-Shammari-named-spokesperson-of-General-Authority-for-Survey-and-Geospatial-Information
----
Experts puzzle over why Bushra has been
convicted
February 01, 2024
KARACHI: Legal experts say Imran Khan
and Bushra Bibi’s lawyers have a chance on appeal in the Toshakhana case if
they can prove their right to cross-examination was sped through. They are also
unclear on the reasoning behind an accountability court awarding PTI founder
Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi a 14-year jail sentence with rigorous punishment.
On Wednesday, an accountability court in
Islamabad sentenced Imran and his wife both to 14 years in jail with rigorous
punishment in the Tohsakhana reference filed by the National Accountability
Bureau (NAB).
Speaking to The News, PILDAT President
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob says that, without having read the detailed judgment, he
cannot “understand why Bushra Bibi has been sentenced.” He adds that, per his
understanding, “apparently Bushra Bibi acted on behalf of her husband and if
there was some wrongdoing, Imran should be held to account -- but a detailed
verdict may make it clear why she has been sentenced.”
For Supreme Court advocate Basil Nabi
Malik and lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii, it is not clear why Bushra Bibi has been
added to the sentence. Barrister Ali Tahir is also surprised, saying: “There is
no sense in convicting Bushra Bibi, who was only the first lady.”
According to media reports filed at the
time, the Toshakhana reference alleged that Bushra Bibi “in connivance with
Imran Khan, violated clause-1 of the procedure by not depositing [a] gift at
Toshakhana prior to its retention.”
Responding to The News’ request for his
view on the verdict, Barrister Ali Tahir says that he is “surprised at the
verdict. Even though the full judgment is not out yet, one cannot even imagine
an accountability court to conclude a NAB case within one month. It is not
possible even in a developed legal system such as the UK or US to conclude such
a case in one month, then how can Pakistan’s frail legal system be of such capability?”
For Basil Nabi, the issue lies in the
perception of fairness or unfairness of trial. He says that, although the
detailed verdict “will provide more details as to how strong or weak the
grounds of conviction are in relation to the accused, it is safe to say that
questions regarding the fairness of the trial itself are not going away anytime
soon” Per Malik, given the controversies regarding the “ability of the accused
to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses, bring their own witnesses, as well
as the ability of their lawyers to readily represent them”, this makes “a
perfect recipe for a challenge on the touchstone of due process infringements
and the non-provision of a fair hearing, amongst other things.”
Explaining that he cannot comment on the
legal merits of the procedure “because this case was conducted in a jail where
the reportage was sparse”, Jaferii adds that he however “can say that this is a
farce which would ordinarily have at best attracted a tax irregularity notice
from the FBR. Their actions concerning the gifts are only slightly different
from what every premier before them has done and admitted to doing without even
feeling any sense of wrong.”
This is a counter-argument that has been
in play since the filing of the Toshakhana reference. Advocate Hafiz Ahsaan
Ahmed Khokhar spoke with Geo News on Wednesday about the verdict. According to
him, the problem arose “when gifts were given [to Imran as PM], but were not
deposited in the Toshakhana and then also undervalued. When the investigation
revealed all this, the counter-argument that was used was that this was done
previously as well. To date, there has been no answer over why the gifts were
undervalued the way they were.”
With the PTI legal team already having
decided to go into appeal, most lawyers agreed that this is the next step in
the case. Shortly after the verdict, lawyer Mustafa Ramday told Geo News that
Imran and his wife both have the right to appeal: “Their first forum is the
appellate stage which is the high court and if they are not satisfied with the
high court decision, they can then also go to the Supreme Court.” Explaining
that “the appeal succeeding is of course not a matter of right”, Ramday added
that the lawyers for Imran and Bushra Bibi “will have to establish a few
things. First, whether there is a legal flaw in the substantive decision.
Second, whether the fair trial procedure was not adhered to.”
Can the appeal be successful? According
to Khokhar, “If in the Islamabad High Court, they manage to prove that their right
to cross-examination was closed in haste and there were violations of Article
10A, then there is a bright chance that the judgment is reversed and the
position will go back to the right of cross-examination. But if the argument is
based on a political narrative, then it will be difficult to suspend the
judgment.”
Mehboob recalls that where Imran and
Bushra Bibi’s lawyers will have two chances to appeal the decision: the high
court and the Supreme Court, this was not the case in Nawaz Sharif’s case regarding
the Panama Papers “when the Supreme Court directly took up the case under
Article 184/4 -- without giving any chance of appeal to Nawaz.”
“The quantum of sentence does not make
any sense whatsoever” either, says Barrister Tahir who finds the 14-year sentence
to be “utterly weird” and “beyond any understanding whatsoever -- this was not
a case of manslaughter.” What exact flaws does he see in the process? Barrister
Tahir says: “For the second day in a row, the accused’s right to
cross-examination was barred and the Section 342 statement was hurriedly
recorded.”
For readers unfamiliar with it, the
Section 342 statement is an accused’s explanation to the court and is supposed
to be recorded with procedural safeguards, including giving the accused
reasonable time to ponder and come forward with an explanation.
Barrister Tahir says that since in his
view “for all practicality, no such statement has been recorded, this is a fit
case for suspension of sentence on the first date of hearing but this might not
be possible until the cut-off date, being the 8th of February 2024, unless the
appeal comes up before the high court with the same ‘supersonic speed’ with
which the accountability court decided the case.”
Mehboob sees the verdict also in its
political consequences. He thinks that it will “further demoralise Imran’s
supporters except those who are highly committed diehard Imran supporters. The
verdict will further try to drive home the point that there is no chance of him
coming out of prison any time soon and no chance for the PTI to come to power
and therefore around 40 per cent voters who generally side with the winning
horse may vote for other parties even if they like the PTI.”
Source: thenews.com.pk
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1153491-experts-puzzle-over-why-bushra-has-been-convicted
----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/sheikha-moza-mosque-doha-mujadilah/d/131635