Souad Salah announced her intention to become the Arab world’s firs female mufti-a scholar whose fatwas, or religious opinions on Islam, are considered authoritative.
Some of the response….Politically, no government can face the people after nominating a woman as a mufti…
…public opinion would be against this….
My question
Why couldn’t a woman be a mufti?
I don’t even care most of these days male muftis. It won’t be a matter to me if the mufti is a man or woman because I don’t go with their fatawas. For those who do not know, Souad Salah would not be the first female Muftai in Islam or in Arab world. The first female Mufti and Muhidsa (A Scholar who has authority on Hadith) was the most respectable Umm-ul-Moo’maneen Hazarat Asheya Sadiqa RAA. And this might be surprising news for some of us out there that there were female Mufti and Muhadisa in Indian subcontinent too. The Queen of Bhopal, Her Highness Razia was a mufti and Muhadesa of her time. So it won’t be any surprise to me if a woman announce her self as a mufti. My all blessing and support would be with her if she wants to work for the sake of Islam, but if she is funded by the West, then she won’t be any different then those male mufties of these days
I live my life, I care my own, I speak my mind, I make minds
[This message has been edited by msaqibj (edited April 22, 1999).]
If some one wants to read more about the women scholars in Islam, I would love to refer you guys to the "Talib Hashmi" A well known author who has writen so many books about the women Scholars in Islam.
[This message has been edited by msaqibj (edited April 22, 1999).]
Dear Kashmirigirl,
One needs to start from the basics. First should come the equal social and political status of women, then equality in congregational matters (e.g., women Moazen and Women Imams), then Mufitship. If we don't have the first two, it is unrealistic to hope for the 3rd one.
Although some post Christian movements have women priests that lead congregations (e.g., Pentecostalism) Even Reformed Jewish movements are now encouraging women to become Rabis. This would have been unimaginable only a century ago, but things are changing. There is hope that Islam will learn from other movements and will open its door to gender equality.
The people who always blame Islam for inequality of gender should now wake up. I have told in my previous two posts that there always have been the Women Religious Scholars in Islam. The most Respectable, Umm-ul-Moo'maneen Hazarat Asheya Sadiqa (RAA) was the first woman Mufti and Muhadisa. So many Ashaba Ikram RAA used to go to Umm-ul-Moo'maneen Hazarat Asheya Sadiqa (RAA) to get the Fatawas.
I also mentioned even in the subcontenent, the queen of Bhopal, her highness Razia was a Mufti and Muhadesa. Islam has ever been treating the both genders equally. It could be a surprise to some one who only see the progress in Jews and Christians which are still thinking to give the gender equality, but not to me because Islam has never discriminate on the base of gender. It is either these loyal to the NON-Muslims people who make it look like that Islam has any gender discrimination or those who don't even know what is Islam and they think they are acting on Islam.
[This message has been edited by msaqibj (edited April 22, 1999).]
I would like to save my comments until I hear from brother Abdulla and MrXtreme; since, only these two know true Islam and they ENLIGHTEN us on the status of Women in Islam.
Take it away - Mr.Xtreme and Brother Abdulla.
kashmirigirl said,
My question
Why couldn’t a woman be a mufti?<
I think the question should be, "In Islam, can woman be a mufti ?" and the answer is "Yes".
Agree with deepblue.
there is nothing wrong to have a female Mufti.
Dear Abdulmalick,
If a muslim woman wants to teach religion, then i am absolutely convinced that there is nothing but blessing in that for her. Don't you know that Hazrat Muhammed's (saw) wife went into battle for the sake of Islam?
Let me correct you on a misconception you may have about me my friend. I love women. They are the most precious thing in the world to me. That is why i love muslim women even more, because they have had to do things the hard way, they can't just shed their clothes to get what they want in this world as is the case with others.
May Allah shower his blessings on these wopmen who have to go through so much hardship instead of taking the easy route.
Appointment of a Female Mufti is the best thing that can happen to Islam today! It will help elevate the STATUS of Women and Soften the image that the world has about Islam in its treatment of Women.
I can count only two countries where a Female Mufti could be possible today: Tunisia & Morrocco.
This Forum has been VOCAL in stating the Sunni intrepretation re: Non-believers:that Sunnis are the only true believers and will be rewarded with paradise -- rest of humanity are kafirs to burn in hell.
Let's hear what their intrepretation of Islam re: STATUS OF WOMEN IS?
KashmiriGirl wrote: "Why couldn't a woman be a mufti?"
Power and politics. The same reason the Catholic Church does not permit women priests. Women are a potential threat to male dominated institutions and patriarchy. Furthermore, some believe women are less "intelligent" and inept, unable to understand the divine. There is no evidence from the Qur'an to support this. The news of change is positive, its also inevitable. I'd expect more changes like this one in the future.
msaqib thanks for your comments regarding women in Islam and the role they've played in formulating our history.
Achtung ;)
Thanks deepblue, msaqbj, NYAhmedi and achtung.
In Islam there is no reason why women couldn’t be muftis…it is the cultural/political issues that prevent it from happening.
Adbulmalick
interesting point…should we as muslims push for issues and changes to help modify our image in the world?
Kashmirigirl--We, as muslims, should push for issues and changes NOT merely to modify our image in the world; More importantly - because we desperately need to address crippling issues and find solutions! But this is easier said than done! any & every solution seems to be in conflict with Fundamentalist Islam!
Regards,
Thank you for clarifying that.
Actually abdulmalick..it only seems to be in conflict with fundamentalist Islam. Much of the response to these issues is actually in reaction to western influence, colonialism, etc....not because they are unislamic.