UK Culture Secretary’s ‘Medieval Burqa’ Comments Decried
New
Age Islam News Bureau
18
September 2021
• Lubna Olayan Becomes First Woman To Head A Saudi Foreign Business Council
•
Women’s Organizations Angered By Scientist’s Abuse Confession
•
Halima Aden, Famous Hijab-Wearing Model Visits Istanbul, Praises Turkish Hamam
•
Kerala CPM Lends Weight: Attempt to ‘Lure’ College Women to Extremism
•
Plea in HC Challenges Assumed Absolute Discretion Of Muslim Husband To Give
Divorce To Wife
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uk-cultural-medieval-burqa/d/125389
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UK Culture Secretary’s ‘Medieval Burqa’ Comments Decried
By
Anealla Safdar
17
Sep 2021
Britain's Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries walks
outside Downing Street in London, Britain, September 15, 2021 [Hannah
McKay/Reuters]
-----
The
United Kingdom’s new culture secretary has been accused of Islamophobia over
her views on Muslim women and description of the burqa as a “medieval” dress
code.
Nadine
Dorries, 64, was appointed to the senior government role this week as part of
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle.
Like
Johnson, she has a history of making controversial statements on a range of
issues. In 2018, when Johnson – then an MP – wrote in a now-infamous newspaper
column that the burqa is “oppressive” and the women wearing it looked like
“bank robbers” and “letter boxes”, Dorries called for a ban on the full-face
veil.
“I’m
very disappointed in Boris that he did not go further and actually use that
newspaper article to call for a complete outright ban on a dress code – a
medieval dress code – which was designed to cover up women’s beauty and their
bruises,” she told Sky News, suggesting the garment was used to hide scars of
domestic abuse.
“Women
should be allowed to choose what they wear, and many of these women are not
allowed to choose. As I have said, they are not even allowed to choose who they
marry.
“Many
of them aren’t even allowed to keep their genitals,” she added, referring to
female genital mutilation (FGM), an outlawed practice in the UK. FGM predates
Islam and Christianity, but is carried out by a minority of adherents to
several faiths.
Around
the same time, Dorries shared her views online, tweeting: “You cannot expect a
society that celebrates gay pride and embraces gay marriage to live
harmoniously when condoning the suppression of women forced to cover up,
segregate and become invisible.”
When
challenged by Twitter user Aleesha Khaliq, Dorries referred to Muslim women who
wear the burqa in Britain, saying: “They are segregated and suppressed. It’s a
medieval costume with no place in today’s liberal society. No progressive
country should tolerate it.”
Of
the about three million Muslims in Britain, it is widely understood very few
women wear the full-face veil, though there are no official statistics.
But
the garment, which is banned elsewhere in Europe, occasionally captures the
national attention, when politicians or public figures comment on it.
Khaliq,
a journalist, told Al Jazeera that Dorries’s remarks were “really
disappointing” yet unsurprising.
“We
have Boris Johnson who has made Islamophobic comments and now Dorries [as
culture secretary],” she said. “We’ve been legitimising Islamophobia from top
down for so long that it’s now normal.
“It’s
dangerous because she was actively advocating to ban the burqa. It’s worrying
that a senior government figure can dictate what a minority of women choose to
wear. Is she going to bring it up again?”
At
the time of publishing, Dorries had not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for
comment.
Fatima
Rajina, a research fellow at De Montfort University’s Stephen Lawrence Research
Centre, said her statements were “befitting of the culture within the
Conservative party and Boris Johnson, who has made similar derogatory and
Islamophobic remarks describing Muslim women”.
She
told Al Jazeera: “The very idea of a liberal society is premised on choice yet
when Muslim women actively choose to wear clothing that aligns with their
religious expressions, this choice is suddenly framed within the ‘modern’ vs
‘medieval’ binary. These concocted culture wars rely on Muslims and other
racialised people to stir up relevance by politicians who otherwise appear to
be incompetent.”
Dorries
has a record of participating in divisive debates.
In
2013, she voted against gay marriage, a move she later called her “biggest
regret” as an MP. She has proposed to strip abortion providers of their
counselling role, argued for the abortion time limit to be reduced and strongly
supported Brexit. She has railed against “left-wing” journalists and the BBC.
In
2017, she tweeted: “Left wing snowflakes are killing comedy, tearing down
historic statues, removing books from universities, dumbing down panto, removing
Christ from Christmas and suppressing free speech. Sadly, it must be true,
history does repeat itself. It will be music next.”
A
spokesperson for the UK’s Runnymede Trust race equality think-tank told Al
Jazeera that Dorries’s appointment carries weight, “given comments made by the
new minister in the past regarding the burqa. We regret the lack of dialogue in
addressing such comments, as we do with other similar instances from British
politicians across the political spectrum.”
“It
is important for politicians across the political spectrum to demonstrate their
commitment to racial equality. We hope the new minister of culture will address
the comments previously made, and take steps to celebrate the diversity we are
very fortunate to have in Britain.”
Source:
Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/17/uk-culture-secretarys-medieval-burqa-comments-decried
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Lubna
Olayan becomes first woman to head a Saudi foreign business council
September
17, 2021
JEDDAH:
Prominent Saudi businesswoman Lubna Olayan has become the first woman to head
up a foreign business council in the Kingdom following her approval as
president of the Saudi-Swedish Business Council by the General Authority for
Foreign Trade.
Mohammed
Batterjee and Saud Al-Suleiman were named as her deputies.
Olayan
has been a major figure in Saudi business for decades and was named as one of
the 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2005 and has featured in
the Forbes list of most powerful women many times over the years, most recently
at no. 58 in 2018.
She
became chairwoman of the Saudi British Bank in 2019 and was reappointed to a
three-year term in January 2020 following its merger with Alawwal Bank to
create the Kingdom’s third-largest lender.
Olayan
was CEO of the Olayan Financing Company, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest
conglomerates, until she stepped down in April 2019, but remains on the board.
The company, founded by her father in 1947, is a private multinational engaged
in distribution, manufacturing, services and investments.
She
thanked the members of the council for their trust in her and her two deputies
as they assumed their responsibilities, stating that she will continue to work
to improve the council’s work and activate its role in developing
inter-economic relations between the two countries.
The
36 Saudi foreign business councils operate under the supervision of the General
Authority for Foreign Trade, as well as the umbrella of the Federation of Saudi
Chambers of Commerce, with the goal of strengthening economic ties between the
Kingdom and friendly states, increasing access to foreign markets for Saudi
products, and encouraging foreign investment.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1930651/business-economy
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Women’s
organizations angered by scientist’s abuse confession
September
18 2021
Turkey’s
leading women’s associations strongly condemned scientist Celal Şengör who
confessed to abusing one of his female students at Istanbul Technical
University (İTÜ).
“She
made me so furious that I lifted Saniye’s [the student] skirt and gave a smack
on her butt,” the 66-year-old geologist said in a Zoom meeting uploaded on the
internet on Aug. 20.
The
footage was shared by thousands on social media on Sept. 16 and leading women’s
organizations asked the university board to dismiss the professor.
“She
was horrified. I saw her looking at me. I said, ‘Did your father do this to
you?’ She said, ‘No.’ Then I said, ‘Loose end, now mission complete,’” the
professor said in the footage.
One
of the women’s associations, which condemned the incident, was the Women
Solidarity of İTÜ. The association brought out a statement on Sept. 17, asking
the university board to part ways with Şengör.
“We
do not want this man, who thinks he ‘disciplines’ us and legalize abuse and
rape, in our university,” the statement said.
The
students’ union of the university also made a statement declaring their support
to the association.
Recently,
Şengör was criticized for the words he said on a live TV show, saying, “I saw a
beautiful girl in the library. She was wearing a short skirt and had nice legs.
To see her well, I went near.”
Source:
Daily News Turkey
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/womens-organizations-angered-by-scientists-abuse-confession-167935
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Halima
Aden, Famous Hijab-Wearing Model Visits Istanbul, Praises Turkish Hamam
September
18 2021
Halima
Aden, a Muslim model who became a trailblazer for modest fashion by wearing her
hijab on the catwalk and in photo shoots, has visited Istanbul as she has been
named a global brand ambassador of a Turkish firm.
Speaking
at a press conference, the Somali-American model expressed her great pleasure
being in Turkey after a three-year hiatus, while praising the traditional
Turkish bath and the “magical” atmosphere of Istanbul.
“I
love Turkish baths. Turks are very lucky to have such a culture,” she said,
noting that she goes to a Turkish bath every time she comes to Turkey.
During
her visit, the model has signed an exclusive two-year agreement with Modanisa,
known as one of the world’s largest modest fashion retailers.
She
will lend her face, name, and creativity to the firm’s marketing efforts around
the world and she will also design two new collections for the company in line
with the deal.
One
of the most famous Muslim women in the world, Aden’s new role for Modanisa
marks her return to fashion 10 months after quitting the industry to avoid
having to compromise her religious beliefs.
Her
new partnership with the Turkish company is likely to avoid many of the
challenges she faced while working with other brands.
“They
share my faith and values, and fully respect my choices as a Muslim woman. I’m
coming home,” the model said.
Since
catapulting to fame in a burkini at an American beauty pageant in 2016, Aden
has regularly modelled for the Turkish brand, from strutting down the runway at
Modanisa’s Modest Fashion Weeks in London, Istanbul and Dubai, to appearing in
multiple promo campaigns.
In
2019, she turned designer in collaboration with the Turkish company, producing
a collection of 47 headscarves that sold out in weeks.
Source:
Daily News Turkey
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Kerala
CPM lends weight: Attempt to ‘lure’ college women to extremism
by
Shaju Philip
September
18, 2021
IN
WHAT will add fire to the raging controversy over claims of “love jihad” and
“narcotic jihad” targeting the youth of Kerala, the ruling CPM has now
cautioned its cadres about attempts being made on campus of professional
colleges to “lure” educated young women to extremism.
The
CPM flagged the issue in a pamphlet distributed to speakers at meetings of its
branch and local-level committees which began on Thursday, cautioning against
Islamist extremist outfits, “support for the Taliban”, and the “trend of
communal influence” among Christians. The note said: “At professional college
campuses, there are deliberate bids to distract educated young women to
extremism and fundamentalism. The student fronts and the youth front should pay
special attention to this issue.”
As
the Congress and BJP both seized on the note to attack the CPM, party state
secretary A Vijayaraghavan defended it, saying communalism could come in many
forms. “Communalism will operate in many ways. It does not have any framework.
It will work in many disguises, at various places. Our party will fiercely
fight against communalism,’’ he said.
The
CPM note said the activities of the RSS have created insecurity among
minorities, and that Muslim extremist outfits are trying to infiltrate
community organisations and foment trouble. “It should be seriously viewed that
discussions supporting the Taliban are emerging in Kerala, contrary to the
stand adopted by a majority of the Muslim communities across the world.”
About
the Christian community, the note said, “Normally, Christians are not found
succumbing to communal thought. However, the recent trend of communal influence
among a small section of the Christians should be viewed seriously. There are
deliberate attempts to drive the Christian segment against the Muslims. It
should be addressed seriously and should be checked. Such approaches will
ultimately benefit majoritarian fundamentalism.”
With
Kerala having a long history of bloody political violence between CPM and RSS
cadres, the CPM note added: “We should realise that unnecessary political
violence would alienate the masses from the party. A stand against political
violence is necessary to bring more people to the party fold.”
On
Friday, CPM leader and state cooperation minister V N Vasavan visited Catholic
Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt, who had talked of “love jihad” and “narcotic jihad”
aimed at youth of the state, specifically non-Muslim women on campuses. The
first member of the Pinarayi Vijayan to visit the Bishop since his remarks,
Vasavan later said the controversy was a closed chapter.
“The
Bishop is an erudite person, he has in-depth knowledge of the Quran and
Bhagavad Gita. I have watched his speeches and shared dais with him. Congress
and BJP leaders visited the Bishop with ulterior motives. I came for a friendly
visit,” Vasavan said.
While
both the CPM and the opposition Congress had criticised the Bishop’s remarks,
the BJP had supported him, saying what he had said was a reality.
The
Catholic Bishops Conference of India laity council secretary, Advocate V C
Sebastian, welcomed the CPM’s party note, saying it “attests what Bishop
Kallarangatt had stated about extremism”.
The
Congress asked the CPM to give proof for its “serious” allegation. “The CPM
leadership should reveal whether any cases had been registered in this regard
or whether they have any data to prove their charges. The party and its
government have the moral responsibility to reveal this,” V D Satheesan said.
BJP
state president K Surendran said: “The CPM leaflet on minority and terrorism
attests what the BJP has been saying for at least a decade. Young women have
been trapped in love jihad and used for extremism. Why is the CPM not ready to
openly admit that, at least now? When Pala Bishop spoke about it too, the CPM
denied it. It shows the party’s double standards.”
It
has been the Sangh Parivar’s long-standing claim that Kerala is emerging as a
recruitment hub for terrorism.
Incidentally,
senior BJP leader and former state president C K Padmanabhan on Friday said the
Bishop’s remarks should not be taken seriously, nor should fundamentalism be
attached to a religion. “During a sermon at church, the word jihad was added. I
don’t find anything else serious regarding that statement. It is not
appropriate to foist such things on a particular religion,’’ he said.
The
Catholic Bishops Conference of India said it had warned several times about the
presence of extremist outfits on campuses. “Now, the UDF (led by the Congress)
and other parties are bound to make clear their stand on the issue after
abandoning their communal appeasement tactics.”
Source:
Indian Express
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Plea
in HC challenges assumed absolute discretion of Muslim husband to give divorce
to wife
16
September 2021
New
Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court challenging
the "assumed absolute discretion" of Muslim husband to give divorce
(talaq-ul-sunnat) to his wife at any time without any reason and without
advance notice to her.
The
plea, which alleged that the practice is "arbitrary, anti-shariat,
unconstitutional, discriminatory and barbaric", came up for hearing on
Thursday before Justice Rekha Palli who said since it is in the nature of a
public interest litigation so it be listed before the bench dealing with PILs.
The
petitioner woman, represented through advocate Bajrang Vats, has sought that
the assumed discretion of husband to give divorce to his wife at any time be
declared as arbitrary.
It
has also sought issuance of detailed step by step guidelines in the form of
checks and balances on the issue of assumed absolute discretion of the husband
to give divorce to his wife at any time without any reason.
It
has sought direction that the Muslim marriage is not just a mere contract but
it is a status.
The
plea has been filed by a 28-year-old married Muslim woman who said she was deserted
by her husband by pronouncing instant ''triple talaq'' on August 8 this year
and thereafter, she served a legal notice to her husband for restitution of
conjugal rights.
The
plea said in response to the legal notice, the man has denied pronouncement of
instant ''triple talaq'' and asked the woman to give him divorce within 15 days
from date of receipt of this notice.
The
woman said such type of discretion allegedly practiced by Muslim husband to
give divorce to wife without any reason is misuse of process.
The
lawyer, appearing in the matter explained that ''Talaq-ul-sunnat'' is a
revocable form of talaq (divorce) because in this form, the consequences of
divorce do not become final at once and there is a possibility of compromise
and reconciliation between husband and wife.
However,
by simply uttering the word ‘talaq’ three times, ends a Muslim marriage. This
instant divorce is called triple talaq and is also known as ‘talaq-e-biddat'',
the lawyer added.
The
Supreme Court had in August 2017 held that practice of triple talaq among
Muslims is illegal and unconstitutional.
Later,
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 came into being
which makes the practice of instant divorce through ''triple talaq'' among
Muslims a punishable offence.
In
her plea filed in the high court, the woman claimed that she got to know that
the man was planning to divorce her for another marriage.
The
court, while hearing the matter, said even though the woman is aggrieved by the
action of her husband, the relief sought in the petition is in the nature of
public interest litigation.
Source:
Outlook India
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https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/uk-cultural-medieval-burqa/d/125389