Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Don’t work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Randeep Ramesh and Sanjay Jha
Friday February 3, 2006
The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,1701299,00.html

Muslim women should not work with men or go shopping in areas where they could mix with strangers of the opposite sex, according to an edict issued by the influential All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which claims to represent the nation’s 140 million Muslims.

Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, the board’s general secretary, said the decision to ask Muslim women not to work in call centres and avoid any kind of job which involves interacting with men was part of a package of “social reforms we advocate”.

He said that women were also dressing in western clothes, especially in the country’s new shopping malls, and these often were “too revealing”. “Men will gaze on them if they visit the market. It is extremely essential to cover their entire body. Better such errands are left to the men in the family,” said Mr Nizamuddin.

The comments provoked anger among Muslim liberals, who say such pronouncements are an anachronism and will undermine the authority of the clergy.

Syeda Hameed, of the Muslim Women’s Forum, said that the board needed to reflect a more “sane, moderate, realistic” view of the world. “There is nothing in the Qur’an or the Sharia law about these things. In fact one of the wives of the prophet was a businesswoman. Saying these things just makes Islam end up looking anti-women, which it is not.”

The board, which is made up of leading Muslim clerics from all over India, carries considerable weight. Almost every mosque in the country takes its advice.

However opinion polls have shown that Indian Muslims, who have benefited less from the country’s wealth and development in recent years, have become increasingly preoccupied with material matters rather than spiritual ones.
According to a poll commissioned by CNN-IBN, a news network, 69% of Indian Muslim respondents chose “livelihood issues” as the most important issue facing the community. Only 4% said religion. Academics

2

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

[quote]
Syeda Hameed, of the Muslim Women's Forum, said that the board needed to reflect a more "sane, moderate, realistic" view of the world. "There is nothing in the Qur'an or the Sharia law about these things. In fact one of the wives of the prophet was a businesswoman. Saying these things just makes Islam end up looking anti-women, which it is not."
[/quote]

Then Syeda Hameed doesn't know Islam very well because yeah some of the Mothers of the Believers were bussiness women but they conducted it from behind the veil after the order for the veil had been revealed.

The Qur'aan and Sunnah are very clear on the veil and segregation, denying well established things like this is disbelief and apostasy.

A Christian can say Islam should be reformed, a Hindu can call for Islam to be reformed, a hypocrite who calls himself a Muslim can want Islam to br reformed, because all those people don't believe Islam is a true and perfect religion from Allaah Subhanahu Wa Ta'aala, they think the Prophet's (Sal Allaahu Alaihe Wassallam) made it all up and it contains faults BUT a true Muslim, somebody who really believes Islam will never say that Islam needs reforming or updating because he believes that Islam is infallible, universal and timeless like it says it is in the Qur'aan.

It is nice to see that we still have some brothers in India who are committed to our religion, it's really disheartening seeing the Gujarati community in England, there is no concept of Pardah amongst them, even the very religious types who support beards are often seen accompanied with female family members dressed more provocatively than a Hinduess, not that Pakistanis are any better, I suppose you get good and bad people in every nationality.

What weird habits have you got?
3

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

why are these imams so obsessed with what women wear? If they don't like it they can turn their head away. Remember the Sania Mirza fatwa they pulled out of their brain where the sun don't shine?

The negiligible to non-existent support that Indian muslims pay to this sort of off the wall nonsense indicates at least our muslim community understands the spirit of religion rather than dramatics

4

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Weird people. I'm sure there are more important issues they should focus on. Like you know, widespread poverty and the oh-so-light emphasis on Education. You know, we have way too many PhD's, MD's, and JD's in our muslim community. We need to produce more jamadaars for the world.

5

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

MashAllah. Hope the sisters in India understand this and abide to it.

Dear PyariC, These are important issues in the islamic world that are being shoved under the rug.

God Bless these people trying to bring some light on them.

6

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Right. The biggest problem of our Ummah. Women who don't friggin obey every command of their insecure male counterparts.

Yep, its us women that have caused you boys to be, like you know, getting 3rd rate educations if at all getting an education, and then spending the rest of your lives wondering why you really don't have that Mercedes Benz, which then subsequently leads you to flock to mosques, make a mockery of Islam, and demand your so-called unworked for "legitimate right" to inherit Earth and everything and everyone that belongs on it. Shahbash.

7

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Your attitude shows your insight in the great religion of the Prophet pbuh.
Ofcourse its the men making a mockery of islam. :) Ofcourse...

8

Re: Don’t work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

:rolleyes: People are here really supporting the cleric…:rolleyes:

This is surely clash of civilizations… lets see where this fanaticism takes us… :confused:

My Aim
9

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

^ call it fanaticism. Terrorism, Facisim whatever.

This is Islam.

10

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

So even if they are hijabis they cannot go shopping? or to work?

11

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

**Why is it that islam starts with the issue of women observing purdah as if this is the only issue at hand? and this is basically the indopak culture where islam starts and ends with the purdah issue.

if a woman is going outside with a procvocative dress ,simply shoving her into a burqa wont change her mentality or the lifestyle of her home.issues have to b addressed at a micro [home and self] level .

maybe the islamic world will b in a better state if evryone starts analysing himself/herself instead of pointing fingers.**

12

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Quickly skimmed through it and don't see much wrong with what he has said. Not that I'm a perfect Muslim or follow it all, but I don't really see him going against the Shariah much.

Perhaps someone can point out where exactly he's derailed from shariah.

some riddles
13

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

I think you may want to look into this one again - how exactly was Aisha (ra) leading a battle on a camel while in pardah? And how exactly was it that she was educating others - if you mean simply wearing the khimar, then yes, the Umm Mu'min observed that - but if you think it means the persian concept of pardah, where they didn't leave the home, then you are completely and utterly wrong. The sahabiyat and Umm Mu'min did not segregate themselves - how else could Aisha have taught so many, or Fatima addressed the community when Abu Bakr tried to denied her inheritence?

My Aim
14

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

**
i wasnt aware that wearing a veil lead to a physical disability to make conversation.oh well u learn a new thing evryday.**

15

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

So, what happens to a household only of daughters where the father passes away? Its like the Taliban wouldn't allow the women to work but they sure could beg in the streets if they don't have a provider.

To work or not to work is a personal choice for any person. Some people might need to work, others might not but its hard to make a general rule.

16

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

i agree with amana, while they're right in the pardah, i dont see why they expect segregation even after pardah is observed. as she says, there are a number of prominent Muslim women who observed pardah and interacted with men in wordly matters (fighting a war, educating, arguing in court). Similarly I think niyyat matters the most. When niyat is pure, women observing pardah perform hajj rituals over a period of days without being segregated from men. why then is something that works for an Islamic ritual (where there would be a greater need to exercise caution to ensure the purity of the ritual) not okay for earning a living or getting an education?

17

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

and speaking of the hajj - we are prohibited from covering our faces during the hajj, and stand side by side men while performing the majority of the rituals ...

paglo doesn tlike me nymore
18

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Well If proper Shariah is upheld, AND the need is there for the women to leave her home as such. Then she can.

However, the devil tempts heavily, and Shariah must be followed.

Secondly,
Hajj is a different thing. Your focus is not diverted or distracted, you're focused on the rituals at hand, and the ibaadah of Allah to even pay attention to the opposite gender.

May Allah guide us All. Ameen

19

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

Right, a female is going to go to work only to lure in all 100 male co-workers in her firm's Detroit branch into bed. I mean, who cares about the satisfaction of accomplishing cool goals, or doing something on your own independently, or having some social/political responsibility as a citizen of your land. Its all about the hot men in their business suits, and oh, what fun it is to lure them away from their wives. The hidden agenda behind every working woman's career.

20

Re: Don't work with men, Muslim clerics tell Indian women

^ Nice narrow minded thinking.