Spiritual Awakening: Another Pakistani Actress Zarnish Khan Quits Showbiz to Follow Islamic Path
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 February 2023
• Princess Nourah Al-Faisal: Saudi Horse Racing Cup Can Showcase Kingdom’s
Cultural Beauty
• Visually-Impaired Iranian Woman, Muneera Sadat
Hussain, On Solo World Tour Now Heading To Kashmir
• Swiss Envoy to Iran, Nadine Olivieri Lozano, Under
Fire over ‘Chador’ Dress
• Iranian Woman Expresses 'Regret' In Video Supporters
Say Was Made Under Duress
• Emirati Women in Defence Sector Share Their
Challenges, Triumphs And On Paving The Way For Others
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/spiritual-pakistani-actress-zarnish/d/129190
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Spiritual Awakening: Another Pakistani Actress Zarnish Khan Quits Showbiz to Follow Islamic Path
Zarnish Khan
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Rasti Amena
22nd February 2023
Hyderabad: In recent times, we have seen several
celebrities in the entertainment industry who have chosen to prioritize their
spiritual awakening over their successful careers. Stars like Sana Khan, Zaira
Wasim and others have made this decision to leave behind the glamour, name, and
fame of showbiz, in order to follow their religious beliefs.
Two prominent actresses in the Pakistani entertainment
industry Anum Fayyaz and Zarnish Khan are the latest to join the list. Both of
them who are well-known faces of Lollywood have decided to quit acting and
focus on their religious beliefs.
While Anum recently announced on social media that she
is quitting the showbiz industry to focus on her faith, Zarnish deleted all her
previous photos and reels from the Instagram wall after Umrah indicating her
exit from the glamorous world. Her Instagram wall now has only religious posts.
Taking to Instagram, Anum shared a text post that
read: “This is a difficult message to send since you all have been so
supportive of my media career,” the former star began. “I have decided to leave
the industry and follow more of an Islamic lifestyle and have taken steps to
have my digital presence reflect this lifestyle. I kindly ask you all to keep
me in your prayers as I go on this journey. Thank you so much for your
never-ending love and support.”
Soon after after post went viral, several stars from
the Pakistani industry lauded her decision and extended their support. Anum is
known for acting in popular Pakistani dramas, such as Ahmed Habib Ki Betiyan,
Meri Maa and Ishq Ibadat.
Zarnish, who is currently performing Umrah, shared pictures
from her religious trip. The actor took to Instagram to share her experience of
pilgrimage and how it has had a profound impact on her life. In a text story,
she expressed her gratitude to the creator for the opportunity and guidance.
Zarnish also shared how it is a life-changing experience for her.
Zarnish Khan has been a part of several hit dramas
like ‘Aye Zindagi’, ‘Susraal Mera’, ‘Sehra Main Safar’, ‘Laaj’, among others.
Source: Siasat Daily
https://www.siasat.com/two-pakistani-actresses-quit-showbiz-to-follow-islamic-path-2532367/
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Princess Nourah Al-Faisal: Saudi Horse Racing Cup Can Showcase Kingdom’s
Cultural Beauty
Princess Nourah Alfaisal/
Courtesy of the Saudi Cup
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Hussam Al Mayman
February 23, 2023
The Saudi Cup offers an unparalleled showcase of the
Kingdom’s culture, with the event’s scope “as terrifying as it is exciting,”
Princess Nourah Al-Faisal has told “The Mayman Show.”
The latest guest on the podcast serves as special
adviser to the chairman of the Saudi Jockey Club and director of the Saudi Cup.
She said: “So I was brought in the second year of the
Saudi Cup and my role was to coordinate between the equine worlds with the
racing world, the Jockey Club, with the Ministry of Culture, and to kind of
bring them together. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had wanted to use the
event as a showcase of Saudi culture. You know, the regionality, the beauty,
the colorful.”
Al-Faisal added that at the time, the world did not
associate the Kingdom with horse racing, giving an opportunity for organizers
to showcase Saudi culture internationally in a new light.
Those efforts started with a bubble event for 3,000
people during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Al-Faisal.
“You know, if you can imagine the difficulties with
just transportation, getting the horses in, and getting the people in —
understanding the testing that everybody had to go through just to kind of keep
it as safe as possible,” she added.
Al-Faisal noted two key factors that made the event a
highlight: “The first one was a Saudi horse won, which was so exciting to be
there for that. Then the second one was, and I mean, Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman was actually there.
“The fact that nobody had seen him since COVID-19 in
person and it was the first time that he had come in person, and it was just
such a wonderful feeling,” she said.
This year’s Saudi Cup marks Al-Faisal’s third year
with the event, and every year the cultural element has been expanded to make
the races bigger and better.
“The Ministry of Culture just keeps bringing it in
terms of the fashion, the designers. Last year we had 100 designers and 100
people dressed in their clothes, in their beautiful, beautiful designs,” she
said.
This year the Saudi Cup with increase the number of
fashion designers to 200. “So that’s 400 people participating just on the
fashion side alone with many other things as well. So right now as we’re
getting closer to it, it’s as terrifying as it is exciting,” Al-Faisal added.
The Saudi design industry has developed attractive
offerings for the international fashion community with events such as the Saudi
Design Festival (SDF), Al-Faisal said.
“It’s really important to have these showcases where
we’re showing what everybody can do, introducing people to each other,
introducing all these different entities to the designers and to the designs,
for example, universities, schools and projects.”
She added that the SDF is particularly good at
connecting international entities, which is important in building ties between
the domestic industry and the world.
Al-Faisal founded Adhlal, a research-based consultancy
firm, in 2018.
She created the agency to help her research,
understand and connect with the fashion community. Adhlal creates strategies
using multiple partners and stakeholders, addressing needs and providing
solutions.
Al-Faisal said that it took her about 15 years to get
the confidence to feel like she was good enough to work in jewelry design
professionally — and the support of her father, the late King Faisal, played a
big role, too.
“My dad was super supportive and getting really fed up
with me not kind of, officially kind of, coming out in that way and just having
my own brand and my own business,” she told “The Mayman Show.”
Al-Faisal completed an apprenticeship in France in
Paris’ Place Vendrome. She said: “I got to be in a workshop and see some of the
most beautiful jewelry ever made just right there in front of me being worked
on.” She commented as her journey began to start Nuun, her jewelry brand.
The special adviser said that she owes her career to
the support and belief of her Saudi father, quoting his words of inspiration:
“Hey, Nourah, go compete with them in their country.”
Source: Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2256476/saudi-arabia
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Visually-Impaired Iranian Woman, Muneera Sadat
Hussain, On Solo World Tour Now Heading To Kashmir
23rd February 2023
Jammu: On a solo world tour to raise awareness about
people with special needs, a 22-year-old visually-impaired woman from Iran is
heading for Kashmir after recently entering India from Pakistan through the
Wagah border.
Darya, who started her journey from Armenia in
December 2021, said she wants to prove and show to the world that disability is
not an obstacle in fulfilling one’s dreams.
“I believe disability is a special ability, a gift
from God and the world should explore our special ability so that we can use
our abilities in the best way for the betterment of this world,” Darya, whose
real name is Muneera Sadat Hussain, told PTI here.
Darya, as she wants to be called, is an Urdu word
which means river and its character to flowing freely. She said she lived
independently for five years in her city of Isfahan in central Iran where she
used to work as a language teacher, translator and motivational counselor.
“I was listening to a programme on the world
disability day when the idea struck my mind to do something for the people
having special needs I packed my bag, surprised by my parents with my decision
and started my solo journey from Armenia where I spent three months,” she said.
Darya said she is part of the specially-abled family
across the world so that family is always with her even though she might be
travelling solo.
“People assume that because we are specially-abled, we
need someone to help us in everything. I am trying to prove that wrong. If I
fall down, everyone worries that Oh Darya has fallen. No, it is normal. Falling
and then getting up is very normal,” she said.
She said travelling is not just about exploring new
places, but also about meeting new people and learning from their experiences.
“Everyone has a story to tell, and by listening to these stories, we can gain a
deeper understanding of the world around us.”
She hopes that her journey will inspire others to
follow their dreams, regardless of their disabilities.
She said she is anguished by the loss of human lives
in wars and other conflicts in different parts of the world. There should be no
reason for people to hate each other, and that would make this world a better
place to live in, she said.
“I have been to several countries including Iraq,
Turkey and Pakistan. I saw all these countries are safe and their people are
highly hospitable and amazingly kind,” Darya said. She said she did not have to
pay a penny from her pocket for the entire month-long stay in Pakistan as
people did not let her pay for anything.
She said her message to everyone is “never forget
humanity and kindness”.
“Let us be like a family. I am meeting people with
special needs to extend my family across the world and we will come together
and share knowledge and ideas for a better tomorrow,” she said.
“Now, I am in India after crossing the border on
February 13 and hope to receive the same hospitality as people in Pakistan
talked about the country and its people. I have found a lot of contacts and am
hopeful of finding more in India as well,” she said.
Darya said her next stop is Kashmir, her “dream
destination”. “I want to explore the life in Dal Lake, the tradition, culture
and cuisine of Kashmir and its hospitality.”
In addition to her travels, Darya is also passionate
about learning new languages, as she believes th
Source: Siasat Daily
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Swiss Envoy to Iran, Nadine Olivieri Lozano, Under
Fire over ‘Chador’ Dress
23 February, 2023
Switzerland’s ambassador to Iran on Thursday faced
accusations of betraying the women-led protest movement after she wore
all-enveloping black Islamic dress on a visit to a holy shrine alongside
clerics.
The Swiss foreign ministry has batted away the
criticism, saying Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano was appropriately dressed
in line with protocol for a visit to a holy site.
Iranian media had published images of Lozano dressed
head-to-toe in black with a full headscarf and long black garment alongside
turbaned clerics during a visit to the holy shrine city of Qom.
The visit came more than five months into protests
sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd who
had been arrested for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress code for
women.
All Iranian women have been obliged since shortly
after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to cover their heads and bodies, with the
authorities consistently refusing to give ground on the rule.
Abolishing the obligatory headscarf has been one of
the demands of the protest movement, along with the removal of the entire
Islamic theocracy ruling the country.
“Swiss ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano wears a
chador and goes to a mosque with the mullahs,” said Belgian lawmaker Darya
Safai, who has played a prominent role in rallies in Europe supporting the protest
movement.
“While millions of Iranian women are fighting for
women’s rights and knowing that thousands have been killed for it, she wears a
hijab and makes publicity for the oppressors. Disgusting!” she said on Twitter.
Actor and activist Nazanin Boniadi, who spoke in
support of the protest movement at the Munich Security Conference at the
weekend, said: “The Swiss ambassador in full conservative religious covering --
while brave Iranian women risk everything for freedom —- is exactly what you
should not do.”
Masih Alinejad, a US-based dissident who for years has
led a campaign against the obligatory hijab, said the ambassador’s dress choice
was “shameful and (a) betrayal to Iranian women.”
But the Swiss foreign ministry told AFP that “during
the visit to the religious site, the applicable dress protocol for women was
followed.”
It added: “Interfaith dialogue is of great importance
in the current context.”
Foreign women, including dignitaries, are not exempt
from Iran’s dress rules and how to wear the headscarf has long been a dilemma
for visiting VIPs.
But Boniadi said on Twitter: “If you don’t normally
wear a head covering by choice, at least avoid publicly documented displays of
doing so while Iranian women are risking everything for (the) right to choose.”
The ambassador of Switzerland is a key post as the
Swiss embassy handles the interests in Iran of the United States, which has had
no diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic since the aftermath of the
revolution.
Source: Al Arabiya
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Iranian Woman Expresses 'Regret' In Video Supporters
Say Was Made Under Duress
February 23, 2023
The female engineer whose video protesting the
mandatory hijab at the Tehran Engineers Forum went viral on social media last
week has expressed her ”regret” in a video many of her supporters allege was
made under duress.
In the video published on social media on February 17,
the woman identified as Zeinab Kazemi was protesting against the nonapproval of
her qualifications for the Tehran Engineering Organization due to noncompliance
with the hijab law. She then threw her headscarf on the stage and left.
Kazemi's action was met with widespread approval on
social media with many praising her courage amid a wave of unrest sparked by
the death in September of Mahsa Amini while in custody after being detained by
police for allegedly wearing her head scarf improperly.
A day later, on February 18, a media outlet close to
the IRGC announced a legal case had been filed against Kazemi, accusing her of
"insulting the hijab."
In a video published on February 22, Kazemi expressed
her "regret" for her actions onstage and said that it happened
"as a result of psychological pressure caused by improper dealings with
engineers."
Iranian authorities have gained notoriety for forcing
several protesters to make similar "apologies" on video, prompting
many social media users to question its authenticity.
The hijab -- the head covering worn by Muslim women --
became compulsory in public for Iranian women and girls over the age of 9 after
the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Many Iranian women have flouted the rule over the
years in protest and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable
clothing.
Long-simmering tensions boiled over after the
22-year-old Amini died, with Iranians flooding streets across the country in
protest. Women and even schoolgirls have put up unprecedented shows of defiance
in the unrest, one of the biggest threats to the Islamic government since the
1979 revolution.
In response, the authorities have launched a brutal
crackdown on dissent, detaining thousands and handing down stiff sentences,
including the death penalty, to protesters. Rights groups say more than 500
people have died in the protests.
Source: RFERL
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-women-regret-video-supporters-say-duress/32285211.html
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Emirati Women In Defence Sector Share Their
Challenges, Triumphs And On Paving The Way For Others
By Ismail Sebugwaawo
23 Feb 2023
During a session at the International Defence
Exhibition (Idex) and Navy Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX) Talks titled
"Emirati Women in Defence: Seeking new paradigms of thinking”, Dr Eng
Fatma Bazargan, Director of Enabling Technologies, Requirements &
Capabilities at Raytheon Emirates ltd said one of the biggest challenges that
she has faced during her career was transitioning from the government sector
into the private sector, as the work approach and operations were very
different between the two.
“However, now that I have been working in the private
sector for years, I would strongly encourage women who are passionate about the
defence industry to consider working in the private sector as it can offer them
a unique experience and enhance their capabilities in a short time span,” she
said.
“The transition from cybersecurity to the defence
sector was also a challenge, but I learned that no matter what your educational
background or previous experience is, having the right skillsets that can be
utilised in any field is key to your success. As the defence sector is still
mostly male-dominated, it is important for women to develop their confidence
and believe in their capabilities in order to thrive and succeed in their
career,” Dr Eng Fatma added.
Hala Alzargani from the Centre for Innovation &
Security Solutions at Lockheed Martin in the UAE, said: “When I joined Lockheed
Martin, I was the first Emirati engineer in the company. I am proud that since
then I have supported the company in attracting and retaining a number of
female Emirati talents, and providing them with ongoing mentorship to ensure
that they are well-prepared to secure leading positions in the industry.”
“It’s important for women in our industry to support
each other and exchange their knowledge and experience to encourage more women
to join the industry and break stereotypes. We are witnessing a change in
dynamics as more women are now aware of the opportunities that the defence
industry can offer them, and it is our organisations’ responsibility to create
career development programs to support women in growing and succeeding in these
vital fields,” Alzargani added.
Meera Taher, Electrical Engineer at Saab, said: “Our
wise leadership provides women with ongoing support and endless opportunities
to join the defence industry and other vital fields as well. Organisations must
provide training programs for women at an early stage, to introduce them to
different career pathways and equip them with the knowledge, skills and
abilities that are required in those fields. It is essential that we take
advantage of these opportunities to achieve the impossible in a country that
paves the way for women to excel and secure leading positions across all
industries.”
Source: Khaleej Times
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