This week, Yemini Clerics oppose a ban on child brides, a TV show contestant slams hard line religious clerics, Canadians move closer to banning the niqab, European Muslim women are bridging cultural divides through fashion, Sisters in Islam is blasted for being “un-Islamic”, and the plight of women in Pakistan is highlighted.
In Yemen, the Associated Press reported that top Yemini Islamic clerics have declared that all supporters of a ban on child brides are apostates. The supporters of the ban were working to revive a legislation that would make it illegal for women and men under 17 to marry. According to a report by the country’s Social Affairs Ministry, more than one fourth of the country’s women marry before 15, a practice that the Post attributed largely to poverty.
On the popular Arabic version of “American Idol,” in which contestants compete in traditional Arabic poetry, the Los Angeles Times reported that Hissa Hilal, a Saudi woman, criticized harsh Muslim clerics for their hardline stances and scare tactics. Hilal’s performance was met by loud cheers from the audience and earned her a position in the show’s finals.
The Times of India reported that the niqab is becoming a growing issue in Canada, with many people seeking a ban on the full frontal covering. The controversy was triggered when Egyptian immigrant refused to remove her face veil at a Montreal college and was subsequently banned from the university. Last week the Canadian government also ordered that women must show their face to confirm their identity when applying for their medical insurance card.
Voice of America reported that European Muslims are reconciling their Muslim heritage with Western culture through fashion. Women’s bonnets and creative head coverings were highlighted.
The Star reported that The Malaysian Assembly of Mosque Youth is seeking an order from Malaysia’s High Court to prevent the rights group Sisters in Islam from using the name “Islam” in their name. According to the news source, the party seeking the order claimed that several of the Sisters in Islam statements had contradicted Islamic teachings.
The Los Angeles Times also highlighted the plight of divorced Pakistani women who often automatically lose custody of their children upon the dissolution of their marriage. According to the news source, the major challenges that these and other married women face in the country’s Peshawer region are the feudal system and government corruption.
Rabea Chaudhry is Associate Editor of Altmuslimah.
