Sexual misconduct in Holy Places 

The elders of the Chicago Muslim community tried to protect a Hifz (Quran memorization) school they had contributed to building for their children by not reporting the allegation a 23-year-old girl had brought against its 75-year-old founder, a graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband, the seat of the orthodox Sunni school in North India. The school that offers courses for boys and girls in religious studies was paid by Muslims from all over the country. They tried to avoid the issue and advised people not to leak it to the media. But months later when the two leading newspapers of the country, the New York Times and the Washington Post published articles giving details of the accusation, the reaction of some of the elders as well as community members appeared even more irresponsible. "It's a conspiracy against Islam and Muslims and Jewish and Christian Islamophobes have published this information to defame Islam so that the Hifz school can be closed down."
What conspiracy and what closing down?
If they had any concern to the book they refer to as their source of guidance they should have at least known that the Quran asks its believers to stand for justice even if it is against oneself.   "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do." (4:135)

The right course of action should have been the following.
1. Encourage the victim to report to law enforcement agencies.
2. The board of directors of the school should have instituted an inquiry board to look into the matter.
3. The accused should have been suspended until the completion of the inquiry.
4. All those who knew about the incident in the school and did not report it to the board of directors should have been suspended too for not reporting it.
5. Students should have been informed about this incident.
6. An orientation session for the students and the staff should have been organized to ensure that they know their rights if their dignity is violated by any staff.
7. The accused should have been restricted in his dealings with the student and staff of the school.

But what was done was different.. 
1. Instead, a private arbitration committee was formed to mediate between the victim and the alleged perpetrator
2. The recommendation was given to cover up the matter if the accused did not resume his religious activities such as giving sermons or speaking in public.
3. The family and friends encouraged the accused to return to India.
4. Stories were circulated by those close to the accused that the girl has apologized and the religious leader was gracious to forgive her.
5. The arbitrary committee arranged a meeting between the accused and the family of the victim and elicited a confession.
6. The accused promised not to give the Friday sermon or talks anywhere for two years.
7. The accused later denied the charges and retracted his statement.
8. The accused called a meeting of his advisory council and appointed his sons and grandson as in charge of various positions in schools.
9. The accused paid thousands of dollars to attorneys to defend the accused.  (Fund raised by Muslims as usual to save Islam)
Obviously, every norm of justice both secular and Islamic was violated by those who swear by Islam. They refused to empathize with the victim. Some of them believed her but tried to persuade her not to report the case to the police. They tried to act as a court and judge and arbitrator. They argued that their community would be defamed and their religious institutions would come under close scrutiny and Islam would become a target of Islamophobes once again.
They did not bother to give any respect to the victim or her family or their feelings. They did not bother to refer to the norms of justice as taught by their holy book and lived by their Prophet. They forgot the teachings of the Prophet who is reported to have told one of his companions that "even if her daughter was involved in an act of theft, he would have punished her." They did not realize that ultimately it is to God Almighty they have to respond for their deeds.
Who knows how many women, men and children have gone through or have been going through the pains of being molested by someone religious they trusted. In Southern California, the community leadership advised a religious leader accused of molesting a girl to leave the country. This leader was involved in a similar case earlier and the leadership forced the girl to withdraw the case. He is still giving religious sermons and claiming his innocence. They say that a person should not be held guilty unless proven otherwise. Well, the community leadership did not give the victim an opportunity to state her case in a court of law. They shut her up under the false assumptions that the image of Islam would be badly impacted by that,
In another state, an Imam was sent back to the country of his origin once a man filed charges against him for sexual molestation. In another incident, a widow refused to file charges against an Imam who had allegedly raped her in a mosque where she had gone to seek religious advice to raise her two daughters. The woman did not want anyone else in the community to know about it out of shame when she wanted some advice on how to deal with this trauma. These and many similar cases are out there and yet the community leadership has been persistently refusing to take appropriate actions. Rather, it is defending its action by encouraging the people not to report it to the police.
In general, there are no religiously defined policies for these situations that our community has established from its own resources. It is generally assumed that holy man are incapable of doing these acts of sexual molestation as they are men of God. Our community does not want to face the reality that Muslims too commit acts of sexual abuse. They too are vulnerable to every vice that human beings have ever indulged in. 
The religious clergy involved in these acts finds itself protected. It repeats a few verses of the Quran and a few of the statements of the Prophet in a mesmerizing manner to convince an already captive audience to hide its sins against God and crimes against humanity.
It is true that not everyone in the clergy is involved in these acts. Yet the absence of any defined policies and the despotic and dictatorial way in which most Islamic institutions are run raise doubts about the character of many. 
The community leaders must act with responsibility if they are serious in their commitment to Islam and preserving it for their future generation. The protection of children, as well as men and women, is part of the social obligation that the leadership contracts with the community once it assumes the position. It cannot act in an irresponsible or arrogant manner by protecting the accused and denying victims the rights to seek justice to her grievances and injustices inflicted upon.
There are some measures that the Chicago community, as well as the Muslim community in general, must take if it really wants to effectively handle the situation..
Steps the Chicago Community should take.
1. Ensure that the victim and her family provided full protection and access to legal help.
2. The accused should not be given any religious podium by any religious institution forever.
3. The school that the community helped build should be taken away from his family and a group of Islamic academics from Chicago should be given the responsibility to run it.
4. The matter should be left to the court.
5. Even if the accused accept his crime and apologizes, he should not be religiously rehabilitated in the community.
6 Sensitivity training should be given to the staff and students as well as board members.
7. Trained counselors should be hired to deal with this situation.
The steps Muslim Community in general should take"
1. General policy guidelines should be created to deal with these situations.
2. Employees of the Islamic institutions should be given orientation on this policy.
3. Students should be given an orientation about such policies.
4. Any violation of law should be reported to the police
5. Muslim institutions should not be considered the property of a family or ethnicity if those institutions are built by Muslim resources.
6. Rules of khalwa (privacy) should be elaborated and the community should be educated about them.
Let us hope that someone in the community listens to the cries of victims and do what is recommended and often mandated by the Quran.
 

First Women only Mosque in America

They were really upset that M. Hasna Maznavi and Sana Muttalib together with other women were set to organize the first mosque for Muslim women in America. They did not know either of them personally, but they were upset because they viewed this a Bida, an innovation. Some called it a deviation and some termed it a Western conspiracy to destroy Islam within. They all claimed to be pious and they considered themselves knowledgeable in religion and matters pertaining to the role and status of women in their faith.

The idea of starting up a women’s mosque is creating waves in Southern California and the discussion has already begun about its relevance and usefulness. The women’s mosque of America defines its objective in the following words:

“The Women's Mosque of America seeks to uplift the Muslim community by empowering women and girls through more direct access to Islamic scholarship and leadership opportunities. The Women's Mosque of America will provide a safe space for women to feel welcome, respected, and actively engaged within the Muslim Ummah. It will complement existing mosques, offering opportunities for women to grow, learn and gain inspiration to spread throughout their respective communities.

Starting in early 2015, the Women's Mosque of America will provide women-led Friday Jumma services for women and children (including boys 12 and under) once a month in Southern California. In addition, the Women's Mosque of America plans to provide programming, events, and classes open to both men and women that will aim to increase community access to female Muslim scholars and female perspectives on Islamic knowledge and spirituality.”

But this does not convince skeptics.as they call such a move innovation and deviation. Well, if it is Bida or deviation, then it was the Prophet of Islam and the messenger of Allah, who himself introduced this some 6 years after five daily prayers were made obligatory in the 15^th year of his mission and in the second year after the construction of what is now known as Masjid Quba and Masjid Nabavi. Based on the statements of Prophet Muhammad, it can be asserted that women's mosque was the third masjid in Medina.

It is reported in Masnad Abu Dawood, a book of ahadith (statement and actions of the Prophet) included in the six most authentic books on the subject by Sunni scholars of the subject that the Prophet gave one of his companions, Umm Waraqah, the permission to stay in Medina to lead prayers for her family and domestic helpers, men included, when she had gone to him offering nursing services to Muslims in the forthcoming Battle of Badr

Umm Waraqah was a single woman and she stayed single until her death. She was very wealthy and resourceful. She was one of the scribes of the Quran as well as an avid student of the holy scripture. Her knowledge of the Quran coupled with her piety was well known to the Prophet and his companions. She never married as she devoted her life to the study of the Quran. She recited the Quran beautifully and had memorized it.

It is reported that one day she came to the Prophet seeking permission to start a mosque in her home with proper facilities to have a call to the prayer as well as regular five daily prayers for her family, friends, and other relatives. The prophet blessed her and gave her permission to lead the prayers. Thus she became the first known Imam in a mosque that she started in her home.

It is reported that Umma Waraqah continued leading the prayers during the Caliphate of the first and second Caliphs of Islam. Not many details are available about the activities carried out in her home-turned mosque. What is known is that she donated the entire property to the service of Islam.

There is no statement of the Prophet that prevents women from organizing their own mosques or leading five daily prayers or running their own religious institutions. If the prophet advised a few Muslim women to pray in the darkest corner of their homes, it was meant to advise those who had asked him based on their circumstances as this statement cannot be seen as a general principle because he is reported to have said:” don’t prevent women from coming to the masjid” even if you like them to pray at home. The presence of women in the mosque is a well-established practice of Islam. Some people suggest that if women want to come to the mosque, they should accompany their husbands. This excludes unmarried women who do not have a male member to take care of them. In fact, the divine commandment to establish mosques is applicable to both men and women as both have been advised by the Creator to establish prayer.

There is no statement of the Prophet that says that women cannot give khutbah. The prophet spelled out the rights and duties that everyone should observe while visiting mosques and they are similar for both in essence. It is sometimes suggested that women should not come to the mosque wearing perfume. However, there is a statement of the Prophet suggesting that he was extremely fond of perfume and he encouraged people to wear perfume in public places including houses of worship. This statement does not exclude women. How can one deny women from following this Sunnah of the Prophet? Those who say that fragrance wearing women would distract men from worshiping devoted perhaps lose the essence of the faith and place undue importance to the notion of male superiority. Islam is a faith not created to favor men or women and focus only on the level of Iman (faith) of either of them only. If some men are unable to control their carnal desires, then they have to work on their thoughts and actions rather than denying religious equality to others. To say that women do not have desires and feelings is defying the laws of the Creator. Moreover, we should realize that in our world today men could, also, be an equal source of temptation for men.

Early Muslims understood the religious role of women in running their own mosques and in several countries, women have set up their own mosques.

Such mosques can be found particularly in the Chinese provinces of Henan, Shanxi, and Hebel. Some countries beyond China has also had women-only mosques, but they are rare.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, HuiChinese women had begun to form their own mosques. For religious reasons, the Hui Muslim communities started to cultivate more theological learning among women. As a result, women graduates served as Imams of women's mosques.

By the 20th century, there were separate places of worship as women-only mosques in China and other places of the world, including, Uzbekistan, the Maldives, Sudan, Amsterdam, and Berlin. There were women-only mosques in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Somalia until recently, but they were closed down under the pressure of certain religious groups. There is nothing in Islam’s holy scriptures that prevent a woman from organizing mosques for women.

In fact, this is a welcome sign that Muslim women who had been marginalized in Muslim theological discourses for centuries are asserting themselves and carving a place for others who are still treated as second class citizens in none other than the house of Allah. The majority of women in the Muslim world is not allowed to visit mosques. In places, where they are allowed, there are no proper arrangements for the. In the houses of God, they are often treated worse than Rosa Park, the African American hero of the civil rights movement who refused to go to the back seat because white men and women did not blacks to occupy front rows. Unfortunately, this has been justified in the name of the Prophet and perpetuated continuously. It is a move that those Muslim men who believe in the divine wisdom in creating both men and women with dignity and equality should wholeheartedly support. Additionally, they should participate in the efforts to have a physical site owned by Muslims to serve Muslim women and others through the services led and run by women. In fact, the project should be a national project and in every state of America, there should be a women's mosque where they can produce their own scholars and speakers.
We are willing to accept the idea of a woman exclusive city, a woman exclusive university or a gym or a swimming pool or a departmental store. Why cannot we reconcile with the idea of women running their own religious institutions including mosques.

Speaking Against Terrorism is part of my Faith

In terrorists attacks innocent lives are lost without any gain for those who perpetrate these unforgiving crimes against humanity and above all against God. Laws of God dictate that every human life deserves a dignified existence and protection from all acts of violence, yet the attackers invoking the name of God seem to be determined to take innocent lives at will and show their sickening happiness at every drop of blood they shed in the name of their so called ideology.

As a Muslim who believes in the absolute power and wisdom of the divine for giving His guidance to humanity, I am horrified when I read that people who confess to be Muslim by name are involved in terrorist attacks. Surly such people do not understand what it means to submit to God to attain peace.
I feel outraged when I read that the killers used the name of Allah, the sustainer of the universe, the most gracious and the most merciful for their nefarious acts. I feel enraged at their audacity to justify the killing for the injustices caused by others to their folks.

I would have felt the same rage and shame if the perpetrators were members of other religious communities. After all, sufferings of human beings cannot be divided on the basis of their religious identities and tears cannot be selectively shed only for those who belong to my faith or my ethnicity. I cannot fulfill my covenant with God if I cry only for those who are like me and turn my face the other way when the victims are Jewish, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, atheists or belonging to any other faith.

I often wonder what I as an individual must do to stop these insane criminals from committing these acts. I have no way to communicate with them. Even if I get an opportunity to speak with them, I know they would not listen to me because they have not listened to God, who demands that life must be protected from all harm. They do not realize the basics of their professed faith that says, God is the creator of all life, He is the sustainer of each and every human, He does not discriminate among people in His mercy on the basis of their faith, He does not deny nourishment even to those who reject him and He describes the taking the life one person as a crime against all humanity.

I speak against terrorism in the places of worship when I am invited to give the Friday sermons. I write extensively against terrorists and I constantly remind my fellow Muslims that we must be in the forefront of our jihad against violence and terror and stand up for peace and justice. This is commanded by God when he says in the Quran,

O You who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, God's claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort [the truth], behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do! (Quran 4:135)

I know that the people I speak with are absolutely against all forms of terrorism. I have not come across a single Muslim in my adult life who justifies violence because of the injustices perpetrated against Muslims anywhere in the world.

But, I also realize that governments and political parties and leaders use acts of terrorism to serve their political interests. They too have an agenda that is often determined by their religion, ethnicity or political goals. They may claim that they care for human life, but when it is time to act decisively they often show their blindness to the reality and demands of justice.
If we all had cared for human life and dignity, we would have not allowed millions of Jews to suffer during the second world war, millions of Muslims in Central Asia to die as a result of brutal communist policies, thousands of Bosnian men and women to be killed and raped, millions of Rwandans to be slaughter mercilessly, thousands of Darfurians to be brutalized, millions of Palestinians to live in refugees camps, and millions of people in Iraq, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places to live in miserable conditions.

We would have come together to show our determination to protect human life and human dignity. We would not have allowed hundreds of wars that have been waged during the last century in the name of ethnicity, nationalism and cultural and economic superiority. We would not have extolled the virtues of our nation to put down others. We would not have adopted a policy of economic and cultural imperialism to subjugate people.

Don't forget the fact that the rulers of Muslim counties are not absolved from this prevailing insensitivity to human dignity. In fact, their brutality can match anyone else in the world. They have killed at will anyone who appears to challenge them. They have destroyed their own people because they were afraid of losing power. They have pitched one against another to serve their own corrupt agenda.

I realize all this and often wonder what can be done to stop this menace and insanity. Speak, I will, write, I must, confront those who advocate violence, I shall and use every opportunity to challenge terrorists, I do. But in a world where leaders and parties often use their self serving agenda to define terrorism and the nature of fight against violence and terror and injustice, I am left bewildered.

I know I am not alone. Almost everyone within the Muslim community, whom I know, think the same way as I do, except those faceless and nameless, secret groups and individuals who have refused to listen to the divine call for respecting all human life. Yet, we all find ourselves incapable of stopping this insanity. There are forces that are out there that we do not know and there are groups and individuals who are constantly plotting to hurt fellow humans. There are people who are waiting to pour more fuel to add to the fire and there are countries that are keen to see wars and destruction.

The Muslim community needs partners in the fight against terror in defense of human dignity and human life. We need people who are willing to stand up for the protection of every human life regardless of its cultural, ethnic nationalistic and religious origin. There are many who say that they care for humanity as a whole. But where are they? Why do they speak only when someone like them is hurt? Where are their voices when human beings other than their own lose their dignity and life?

God describes himself as the guarantor of world peace to His creation. His guidance speaks to this clearly. But people acting on his behalf have done everything possible to destroy it. Can we Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists and everyone else come together to stand for each of us and fight the menace jointly rather than using religious or nationalistic labels to vent our anger and serve the political agenda of the power elite?

Pornography: the Latest Craze in the Muslim world

Every second some 30,000 men and women visit a porn website. 70 percent of them are males between the ages of 18 and 34. Women account for 25 percent. These visitors account for 35 percent internet downloads and they generate some 2.5 billion sex-related emails daily. Pornographic websites occupy 12 percent of the web yet they generate billions of dollars every year, some $13 billion in the US alone
Of these 30,000 visitors, the majority come from the following countries, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco, Iran, Egypt, Vietnam, Poland, and the Philippines. Six of them are Muslim majority states with 37 percent of the Muslim world population. However, Utah tops the list of the cities with the highest number of paid subscribers of the porno site users.
The statistics coming from web search engines are quite revealing and shocking. In gay sex, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Iran are among the topmost countries. In animal sex, Pakistan tops the list in pig, donkey, goat, cat, horse, monkey, snake, bear, and elephant sex categories while Saudi Arabia heads the list in fox sex.
Almost all of these Muslim countries have blocked websites promoting pornography, yet people find creating methods to log on and enjoy it now even on their smartphones. It is estimated that some 30 percent smartphone holders, use the device to take care of their lust. Imagine, the number of users in the Muslim world, if internet access becomes free and unblocked and if the internet is available to all.
Religious groups have called for a ban on pornographic sites. The existing censorship of such sites in the Muslim world proves that it would not make any significant change. It is a problem that requires serious and urgent attention if we want to avoid the damaging aftereffects of porn viewing.
Despite an overwhelming number of Muslim youth getting exposed to all sorts of pornography, there is strong resistance to sex-related education in schools and religious institutions on the part of education experts as well as religious clergy in the  Muslim world. There is not much written about this issue among Muslims. There are few clerics who are willing to tackle this issue in their Friday sermons or religious discourses. Not only in the Muslim world, but in the US and Europe, where sex education has become part of the school curriculum, Muslim institutions have been hesitant to introduce it as a subject within their moral framework.
If extraordinary measures are not taken care of immediately, the entire world would plunge into a state of affairs where sex-related deviations would become normative for all. The way to handle this situation is to develop effective educational tools to be used at home and at schools and seminaries and other institutions of learning.

At what age, a child should be exposed to this education would be a challenging question. What would be included and excluded from the discussion and discourse would be another. How would one respond to the ever-changing scenario within an ethical framework would be another challenging issue? Apparently, Muslim scholarship tends to believe that by reciting the verse of the Quran: "Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).(17:32) is not going to solve the problem. After all, there are instances that suggest that those who have memorized the Quran and often teach it to others are also among the violators of this verse. Reminding people of hadith dealing with sex-related issues alone would not convince the people to avoid porn sites. One has to focus on the causes for such a habit and address its root effectively. The religious clergy in its present intellectual capacity is unable to address the issue. We need a larger pool of experts in all aspects of life to focus on this. Such an effort would be more meaningful if it is addressed at an interfaith level as an ever religious community is involved in it. The least that can be done is to talk about the problem openly with youth who are its most frequent users.

Kill Them because they Insulted the Prophet! Did the Prophet or the Quran Say So?  No.

We love the Prophet. We try to follow him in every aspect of our lives. We adore him. We sing praises in his glory. We recite his name in every prayer that we offer. We regard him, dearest, to use. We give preference to him over our own lives.
But should we kill or insult those who insult him or who are critical of him or who ridicule him? Should we tell the world that if our sentiments are not respected, we would be at war and we would destroy or try to silence everyone who stands in our way?
If murder is the answer to every word of criticism, then no one is safe, because we all are critical of each other in a way or the other.  We all are disrespectful to each other in one way or the other.
We cannot impose our love for our Prophet, upon others. We will have to earn that respect for our Prophet through our actions patterned after his life. We cannot expect people to give him the same regard as we do. If some do we are thankful to them, but if they do not, we cannot complain.
Despite all the efforts to project a positive image of our Prophet or Islam, if some people still choose to reject him or insult him, we have to accept the right of the people to do so, because this is the right that has been given to them by the divine.
Among Muslims, especially among many of their scholars and intellectuals prevails a criticism of the United States, Europe and what they term as western thinkers and policymakers that they have double standards towards the principle of free speech. When it comes to criticism of the state of Israel, the West unanimously prefers to remain silent while when it comes to Islam, the West pursues a path of ecstasy.
This is a weak and meaningless argument. We follow a principle because we believe in its divine origin and its supremacy. Thus, we respect free speech because it is an essential right in Islam. It is a right that no government or establishment can ever take away. In the Quranic phraseology, it is considered one of the worst sins against God.
The right to dissent or have a different perspective other than the one that is popular or dominant or acceptable by Muslims is the right that is the essence of Islamic thinking. It is a right that the Prophet secured and stood for. During the endorsement proceedings of the constitution of Medina in the initial stages of the formation of a state of the newly adopted city, four Muslim tribes of Aws refused to sign the treaty. The prophet never retaliated against them and used violence to bring them in line with his ideals.
The Prophet defended the rights non-Muslims to reject him. He never retaliated against those who were his harshest critics. Many members of the early Arabian society were his worst critics. They were his sworn enemies. They hurled abuses at him. They called him different derogatory names. They even plotted to kill him. Yet he did not retaliate against them. Rather, he forgave them. What better example of forgiveness one can find them to quote his exemplary behavior after the opening of Makkah, the city that had persecuted him for 13 years. Did he ask people to slaughter the people of Makkah? No, he offered them general amnesty and embraced his critics.
Freedom should not be measured by the behavior and attitude of the West or the East. Freedom, in itself, is the essence of faith. Freedom is absolute and it cannot be sliced by special interest groups. Muslims cannot expect others to respect their freedom without defending the rights of others.
Yes, freedom means that people have a right to be critical of Islam and the Prophet. Our love for our Prophet should not prevent others from entertaining their own ideas. It would hurt us, but we cannot silence them using coercion. If we want them to show respect to our Prophet, then we should demonstrate the essential traits of the Prophet's character in our lives. Those traits are forgiveness, controlling one's anger, showing love and respect to others and defending life.
When we show these characteristics in our lives, we become true followers of the Prophet, When we respect the freedom of others to be critical of Islam and its Prophet, we show our highest commitment to him. His personality is powerful. It would not crumble under any criticism of his critics. It would shine in all situations and circumstances. It is through respecting this right of others to practice free speech, we would promote the real dignity of our prophet.

The Innocent Souls and Self-Serving Religious Clergy

Don't view the title as an indictment of religious clergy. The article refers to only those who misuse their religious authority to serve their political, sectarian or financial interests. One does not have to name them. You can discover them when you meet them. Their level of intolerance will expose them to you.

A number of young Muslims in the age group of 16 to 20s are joining ISIS ranks to fight for what they claim an Islamic state. They are putting their lives at stake and fearing no consequences they are joining the ranks of those who  call them Mujahedeen, a group that in Islamic theology is said to be blessed by the divine. They are ready to die to be known as martyrs to achieve the highest status with the Creator in the Jannah or paradise that He has created for pious and virtuous people.
But does the path to Jannah have to be strewn with the human blood and bones? Is Allah so violent that he grants Jannah or paradise only to those who kill others in his name? One of the leaders of Islamic Parties in Pakistan, perhaps, believes so. This ideology is the product of a culture that does not know how to handle opposition effectively and that seeks death for everyone opposed to the killer.

Islam does not promote it and the Prophet did not advocate that. But our youth, in the name of Allah and His messenger, are forced to take this path by clergy and religious leadership that has violated every principle of the Quran. That does not mean that every member of the religious leadership is guilty. But what it implies is that if those who claim to be religious leaders do not take up a stand, the nihilistic ideology would become widespread and cause damage to the community immensely.

Our youth are most vulnerable to this ideology.

They are told that God will be pleased if they grow an untrimmed beard visible from behind their shoulder and many blindly follow the dictates.

They are advised that God will be pleased if they wear a long dress with a turban covering their body and head and they accept it.

They are told that it is useless to read modern sciences as the religious sciences of Islam are superior and they shun the modern world, even though they use the gadgets created by the sciences they are being asked to shun.

They are told that it is useless to pursue this world and they withdraw from it.

They are told that everyone other than those who believe in their faith is profane and they accepts it.

They are told the entire world is conspiring against them and they believe it.

They are told that in order to rid the world from impurity, they may have to use violence, and some show readiness to do that.

They are reminded day in and day out that unless they establish the word of God on earth, he would not be pleased and in order to do that they have to offer their lives and they come forward to offer their lives readily.

They are told that their scholars who lived some 1000 years ago have done all that needs to be done to understand their faith, and they should simply follow them without and questioning and they heed to the advice.

They are told that the Quran is a book to be read-only in Arabic without the ability to understand its meanings and they believe in this.

They are told that even if they do not have Arabic as their language they must marvel at its linguistic beauty without understanding it and they accept it.

They are told if a Muslim changes his faith, he is a sinner and he has no right to be alive and they theologically accept it.

They are told their religion was the best religion and the best community and the rest are filthy, deviant and fodder for hellfire and they all rejoice in it.

They are told that men are superior and the purpose of the creation of women is to serve men in every possible way and they accept it.
They are told that women should not be allowed inside the places of worship and if they are there, they should be segregated so that no one could see them and they all believe in that.

They are told that one should not ever greet or pray for a non-Muslim, otherwise, they would violate their faith and they accept it.

And so on so forth.

These are the innocent souls of Islam, whose heart is as pure as a diamond and whose intentions are as sincere as the natural stream water. They have the ambition to live a decent life and they have the desire to follow a discipline in their life that is built around the guidance of a higher, neutral and objective authority and not by any man or woman. They are the Muslim youth and whatever they believe of the above, they believe in all their sincerity and honesty. They do not have nefarious designs, they do not have a criminal mind. They want to lead their lives meaningful on the basis of what they are told is true Islam.

But a clergy that is not supposed to be part of their faith and a clerical a system that is not even approved by the one who introduced them to God has somehow convinced them to believe in all that is stated above not by Allah or His messenger but leadership that has often served the rulers and the power-hungry monarchs and army generals to serve their interests. This class that justifies its existence on the authority of God and His messenger have convinced the youth and the Muslim masses that they are the gatekeepers of Islam and without their seal of approval, none can find the true essence of their religion. They have declared them the representatives of God on earth and the heirs of the messengers. Every messenger offered life in support of the ideals he stood for. Yet, most of them hide their personal lives from the people they claim to serve and then use Islam to serve their sect, faction, the school thought regardless of the consequences on others.

This class of so-called religious people who often describe itself as scholars of their faith have convinced the youth and the masses that their salvation lies in their ability to follow the gatekeepers  of Islam without developing the tools to empower them individually. This the class has convinced the youth not to think independently and connect with the divine guidance directly. If you want to join the ranks of the faithful people abandon critical thinking, and independent inquiry and follow everything that has been handed down to them in the name of religion blindly. They want blindness to overshadow a faith that came to remove darkness.

Every issue has been resolved and every question has been answered, hence there is no need to open it again reinvent the wheel and corrupt one's religion. There is no need even to question the status quo. There is no need to learn from others. There is no need to positively engage with others in making this planet a better place. Only they on the basis of their understanding of everything in the universe can guide the people. Once people do all that has been suggested to them, things will improve and they would be successful in this world and in the life hereafter.

The majority of youth and the masses have accepted this. They unable to improve a mosque or an institution they claim is inspired by Islam, yet they want to meddle in every aspect of human life on the basis of their biased and subjective understanding of Islam.

Many do exactly what they have been told, yet the situation does not improve and misery and humiliation of Muslims abate and increase. The gatekeepers of Islam tell them to have patience because Allah is putting them through trials. Generations  have passed and the trial continues with deterioration at every field.

These people have been sedated with an understanding of faith that is not supposed to be there. Yet under the mask of piety, religious garbs, and appearances, this class has continued to survive and thrive without contributing anything to the growth and development of individual or collective personality.

Islam in our times has been reduced to an ideology of isolation and alienation. It has been turned into a faith of thoughtless robots who perform a task based on the programing their manufacturer puts in their system.

A nation of 1-6 billion intelligent, dynamic and living people has been rendered useless by a class of people who hide their egos behind a beautifully created mask.

Islam was and is a call to liberate human beings from the tyranny of fellow human beings, It was and is a call to believe in those universal values given by a higher authority that sustains the entire universe and that promotes an environment of dignity, freedom, justice, and peace. It was and is supposed to provide a sense of security to each and every individual, regardless of his or her background, gender, class, faith, and race. Islam's five pillars reinforce these values. The life of the Prophet demonstrates the practicality of these values and the Jihad or struggle is primarily to protect and sustain and cherish them.

These universal values of Islam have been pushed in the background with each group of Muslims promoting its superiority over the other. Look at the issues the Muslims are engaged in their public life. Should a month begin on the basis of the observable pattern that humanity has known for millions of years or just naked eyesight the moon before a new month can be declared a new month? Should the traditions of Prophet Abraham be lived through sacrificing millions of animals annually, while over one billion people sleep hungry or should the resources be spent on sacrificing animals? Should religion be used to promote despotism or be used to change the conditions of the helpless and powerless? Should one remain focused on one's spiritual growth or should one stand for justice for all? Should one insist on the validity and legitimacy of Shia over Sunni or Hanafai or Shafai, Maliki or Hanbali over each other or should we all make an effort to find common grounds in living their faith? Should non-Muslims be terrorized to believe in the authenticity of Islam or should love and compassion be the norm? Should women be evicted from the places of worship or should proper arrangements be made to secure their dignified participation in community affairs? These and many others are the issues that the gatekeepers of Islam do not want to get resolved. They want to perpetuate the differences and prove their superiority over the other. They avoid real issues by focusing on the patterns of wudu or the perfectness of prayer or the proper donning of hijab, etc., or even the correct pronunciation of the Quran without understanding its message. This class of leadership has imposed an agenda on the community that is neither real nor complete.

Rather than making efforts to address critical issues and involve people in the process of decision making, they tend to impose their subjective will.

No one should confuse the pattern of such leaders with the genuine contribution great scholars of Islam have made. However, authentic and profound their contribution was, it was not the final word on the subject. They did not say so, but their blind followers have turned it like that. The prophet himself warned against this class of people and Allah described such people not only an enemy of people but any enemy of God also.

It is this situation that has been taken advantage of by groups like ISIS and al Al-Qaeda and their backers to create more confusion among Muslims and lure young Muslim mind to a path of destruction. Rather than exploring the world and understanding the universe to secure a brighter future of humanity, the young Muslims have been given verbal explosions to destroy them and others. Rather than increasing knowledge and making it more beneficial for humanity, they are told to shun the world. Rather than being humble, they are told to be arrogant in believing in what they believe in.

It is a critical time for Muslims. If they continue to blindly follow the clergy, or clerics or those who describe them as religious scholars, they would not be able to come out of the depth of the abyss they are in. Every idea presented to us by anyone must be critically examined on the basis of its legitimacy and usefulness. People should be educated rather than preached. They should be empowered with the knowledge objectively of their faith and be explained properly to serve humanity as a whole, They are the most productive sector of human society. Their qualities should not be used for trivial causes to promote a sect or a faction. Rather, they should be involved in the mainstream based on one's own abilities with full integrity and commitment to those universal values that are eternal and that alone would secure the future of the world.

Can Women Visit the graves and offer funeral prayers

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
 

Justifying the practice of forbidding Muslim women from visiting graves or accompanying the funeral procession, one of the leading scholars of Islam in the previous century, Shaikh Bin Baz of Saudi Arabia, wrote the following: “Because they (women) may present a temptation to men and even to themselves, and because they have little patience and they get too upset. So by His mercy and kindness towards them, Allah forbade them to visit graves. This is also a form of kindness towards the men because if they were all to gather at the grave, this might cause fitnah. So by His mercy, Allah forbade women to visit graves.”

In simple words, women are a source of temptation and they lack patience, thus they should not be allowed in cemeteries or near graves. Nor should they accompany the funeral procession.  Are women really temptations? Do they lack patience? Does Allah say so? Did the Prophet believe in this? Or this is the way patriarchal societies have always believed in?

If women are a source of temptation so can be men. So why specify women only. If women can be impatient, so can be men, why specify women only. Both have proven through human history that they are capable of committing errors. The Qur'an says that humans have a tendency either to fall prey to evil or to practice goodness. It further explains that those who accept divine guidance, be men or women, follow the path of goodness and prevent evil taking place in any aspect of their life. Was not the purpose of faith to educate people properly in their behavioral aspects and treat each other with respect and dignity? Was not the purpose of faith to empower men and women to control their carnal desires and regulate their energy in a positive manner within a legal framework to achieve higher purposes of life? Is the purpose of faith only to preserve the faith of men that every effort should be made to ensure that they remain uncontaminated with everything that may prompt them to deviate from their path?  Should others who are accused of posing them temptations must always be quarantined? If this is the case, then why limit this analysis to graveyards only?

In a world where homosexuality is fast becoming a norm and prevalent in all societies, including those that claim to be Muslims, the temptation may come from men for men or women to women. The only thing that would prevent such a temptation is recognition of the fact that the priority has to be given to divine guidance rather than to one’s own desires. So why not prevent men from visiting the graves or have male-only gatherings? Why not prevent men from gathering for prayers in a male-only mosque? Why not stop all the female-only gatherings under the pretext that their presence may cause temptation to other women? Why not stop sending girls to all-girls' institutions?.
Such an argument does not hold any strength no matter where it comes from. If people are empowered to control their behavior, they can overcome any adversarial situation.

Moreover, this is an absurd argument that has been imposed on Allah and His messenger by scholars who view everything through the Freudian lances where everything revolves around sex and carnal desires of men. This analysis defeats the very purpose of religion as it is based on perversion. It simply says that men would never change as they would always follow their carnal desires if they find them in close proximity of a woman. Men constantly live in close proximity of women. Mothers, sisters, daughters, yet everyone treats these relations as sacred. If men are capable of respecting these relations within the confines of a family, they are capable of extending the same to others under the guidance of their faith.
In fact, such an argument belittles human beings and their capacity to overcome their own weaknesses. It repeats the age-old adage that has shaped the thinking of most men in our human history that women are seductress or a source of evil or the daughters of Shaitan (devil), an idea that the faith was introduced to demolish.

Blaming women for disrupting the iman of men goes against the instructions of the Qur'an. The Qur'an categorically explains the following in its 33^rd Chapter: “It should be well understood that there are no differences between men and women; except in certain biological conditions. In a society governed by Islamic ethics, both men and women should possess the following potentials and qualities

1.      They should totally submit to the Divine Laws;

2.      This obedience should exhibit complete conviction in them;

3.      They should utilize their developed potentialities according   to Divine guidance;

4.      They should be true to the covenant which they have made with Allah ;

5.      They should be steadfast when facing adversities, troubles or difficulties ;

6.      They should be prompt in rendering services to humanity

7.       They should be ready to sacrifice all their assets for the sake of the Divine Order;

8.         They should abstain themselves from all that the Divine Laws prohibit them to do;

9.         They should guard their chastity fully;

10.     In short, throughout their lives, at each and every step, they should act upon the Divine Laws.

11.     People with this behavior are protected from all deviations and both will get their rewards from the divine. (Qur'an, 33:35)

Such a behavior ought to be displayed in all aspects of life and in every sector of society. It should be practiced at home, in cemeteries, at the grocery store or at graves. 

The argument that temptation is the main reason for women's exclusion from visiting the gravesite is not based on any logic. Because if temptation is the main reason for isolation, then this isolation should be in every aspect of life, in grocery stores, in mosques, in public gatherings, in wedding and social gatherings, on planes, in trains and buses. The same scholars who advocate such seclusion do not get upset when women serve them food or beverages in hotels or airplanes or even in their homes where some work as their maids.

As far as the lack of patience is concerned, women have proved a higher level of patience in almost all situations. Right from giving birth to a child to accepting all adversarial conditions confidently, their patience is well established and evident. A woman is the one who decides to leave her relatives and family to live with a total stranger in matrimonial relations. She is the one who endures sufferings without compromising her dignity. And she is the one who accepts the challenge of raising the future generation of Islam through her dedication by nurturing and taking care of her children patiently.

The Hadith of the Prophet where he praised a female companion for showing exemplary behavior in the wake of the death of her son speaks volumes of her level of patience. The hadith says: “Narrated by Anas bin Mãlik: One of the sons of Abu Talha (became sick and) died and Abu Talha at that time was not at home. When his wife saw that he was dead, she prepared him (washed and shrouded him) and placed him somewhere in the house. When Abu Talha came, he asked, "How is the boy?" She said, "The child is quiet and I hope he is at peace." Abu Talha thought that she had spoken the truth. Abu Talha passed the night and in the morning took a bath and when he intended to go out, she told him that his son had died. Abu Talha offered the (morning) salãt (prayer) with the Prophet and informed him of what had happened to them. Allah's messenger said, "May Allah bless you both concerning your night." (That is, may Allah bless you with good offspring). A man from the Ansãr said, 'They (i.e., Abu Talha and his wife) had nine sons and all of them became reciters of the Qur'an (by heart)."

It was the patience of a woman that brought such endless blessings to the entire family and the community. Yet the scholars claim that she does not have the strength to endure sufferings.

Thus blaming a woman for lack of patience is also an absurd idea.

In fact, if anyone had shown an emotional outburst at the death of the dearest one, as recorded in our books of ahadith, was none other than the second Caliph, who at one point of time had refused to accept the news of the death of the Prophet. He was willing to fight everyone who had held this belief. Thus we read: “When Omar ibn al Khattab (r) heard that the Prophet had passed away, he was so distraught that he drew his sword and declared: 'Some hypocrites are pretending that the Prophet of God - may God’s peace and blessing be upon him — has died. By God, I swear that he did not die; that he has gone to join his Lord, just as other Prophets went before. Moses was absent from his people for forty nights and returned to them after they had declared him dead. By God, the Prophet of God will return just as Moses returned. Any man who dares perpetrate a false rumor such as Muhammad’s death shall have his arms and legs cut off by this hand.” People listened to Omar (r), too stupefied to believe that the man who had transformed Arabia from the backwaters of history to the forefront of the historical process, was dead. The situation was grave indeed. It was only after the speech of Abu Bakr that he calmed down.

Sometimes a few other arguments are also presented to justify the prohibition for women. It is argued that the dead can see the visitors naked in the cemetery. If this is true, then no one should visit the graveyard because seeing a naked person, whether male or female violates the principles of Islam. The burial should be done by robots with no human intervention. If the dead can see everyone naked, they why should we bury men and women in the same graveyard sometimes next to each other?

Another argument that is given to prevent women from visiting the grave is that jinn or ghosts would possess them, especially if they visit the site during their menstrual cycle. These are the beliefs of the pagans and they should not be taken seriously.

The ahadith that many scholars quote in support of their self-designed prohibition for women should be seen in the historical context. Many of them are either weak in the chain of narration or do not reach to the level of sahih. A hasan hadith is as described by al-Dhahabi, "A Hasan hadith is one which excels the Da`if (weak) but nevertheless does not reach the standard of a Sahih hadith.

While quoting these ahadith what is often ignored is the fact that they referred to a particular historical reality. Islam was introduced to a society where everyone was a pagan or non-Muslim. They were part of polytheism and followed a culture that was built around idolatry and class distinctions. They were used to cultural and tribal customs that often conflicted with many basic Islamic principles. For instance, it was a common practice on the part of the elite to hire women to wail and mourn for their dead. It was common that women would beat their chests, slapping their faces, unfurl their hair and would lie down over the grave to make their mourning visible. It was also common that women would consider it part of their social obligation to wail and cry over the graves of those known to them or their families. Thus, we read in one of the hadith that Umm Attiya asked specific permission from the Prophet to reciprocate the wailing and crying over the death, (whenever it takes place) of anyone in the family of one of her friends because she had wailed and cried when one of her family had died. The Prophet granted her permission.

This is what the hadith says: It was narrated that Umm 'Atiyyah said: "When the verse: ...pledge, that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah", "...and that they will not disobey you in Ma'râf was revealed, that included (refraining from) wailing. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, except for the family of so-and-so, they used to help me (in wailing) during the Jâhiliiah, (pre-Islamic period)  so I have to help them now. The Messenger of Allah said: 'Except for the family of so-and-so." (A/-Muwatta)

Thus, it is obvious that the Prophet was concerned with the idea of reforming a society that had no respect for genuine feelings at the time of death. He wanted to abolish the practice of hiring people to shed artificial tears over the death of the elites. He wanted to eliminate the practice of wailing and crying for the purpose of showing off. He was not opposed to the idea of mourning the dead.
He himself cried over the death of his daughters and son. He said at the death of his son, And Ibn 'Umar reported, "The Prophet said, 'The eyes shed tears and the heart grieves."

At his death men and women cried and none of his companions and wives prevented them from doing so. In fact the Prophet himself cried at the grave of his mother where he had gone with over 1,000 of his companions including his wives and other women. They witnessed the Prophet visiting the graves with his wives and other women and crying there.
Inspired by the Prophet, Syeda Ayesha visited the grave of her brother and when someone told her that the Prophet had forbidden that, her response was that the prohibition was later withdrawn and women were allowed to visit the graves.

Abdullãh bin Al Mulaikah said: "Abdur-Rahmãn bin Abu Bakr died in Al-Hubshi"111 He said: "He was carried to Makkah to be buried there. So when 'Aishah arrived, she went to the grave of 'Abdur- Rahman bin Abi Bakr and she said: "We were like two drinking companions of Jadhimah for such a long time that they would say: 'They will never part.' So when we were separated it was as if I and Mãlik due to the length of unity never spent a night together."

Then she said: "By Allah! Had I been present, you would not have been buried except where you died, and if I had attended (the burial) I would not be visiting you." In other words, the mother of the believers was acknowledging that women were allowed to visit the graves.

There is a hadith quoted by Abu Hurairah that says "Indeed the Messenger of Allah cursed the women who visit the graves." is Hasan and should be seen the context of tribal customs of the society. In fact, some scholars have suggested that this is not a general rule as the Prophet might be referring to those who were crossing the limits set by the faith. Some of the people of knowledge thought that this was before the Prophet permitted visiting the graves. Then when he permitted it, both men and women were included with the permission.

The purpose of visiting the graves is to understand the finite nature of this life and this world and to prepare oneself to face Allah. If men or women visit the graves for this purpose, it is allowed, but going to graves for purposes that promote polytheistic ideas is not allowed.

Syeda Ayesha and the wives of the Prophet spent their lives staying closer to the grave of the Prophet. The Prophet is buried in the quarter of Syeda Aisha and there is no record to suggest that she moved out of her quarter.

We read in several ahadith that Syeda Ayesha was present during the burial of the Prophet. She and other wives sprinkled the dust on the grave. They recited the Qur'an in the vicinity of the grave. They offered prayers in the vicinity of the grave.

In fact, the mother of the believer is reported to have said that had we known what we know now, the wives of the Prophet would have given him a funeral bath. “'Aishah used to say: 'If I had known beforehand what I know now, no one but his wives would have washed him."(Abu Dawood) This hadith also clarifies the misconception that a wife cannot see the face of her husband after his death.

One of the wives of Syed Hasan Ibn Ali pitched a tent at his gravesite as reported in the Bukhari “When Al-Hasan bin A]-Hasan bin 'Au expired, his wife pitched a tent on his grave and it remained there for one year and then was demolished.."

Crying for the dead was not prohibited. What was prohibited was excessive mourning crossing all limits.

In one of the hadith recorded in Sahih Bukhari, it is reported “Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullãh: When my father was martyred, I lifted the sheet from his face and wept and the people forbade me to do so but the Prophet did not forbid me. Then my aunt Fatima began weeping and the Prophet said, "It is all the same whether you weep or not. The angels were shading him continuously with their wings till you shifted him (from the field)." The incident took place in a graveyard where women were present and the Prophet was there as well.

The Prophet did not prevent women from visiting the graves, as is evident from this hadith. “Narrated by Anas bin Malik reported that the Prophet passed by a woman who was sitting and weeping beside a grave. He did not ask her to leave gravesite. He did not rebuke her. He did not curse her. Rather, he advised her and told her, 'Fear Allah and be patient.' " (Sahih Bukhari)

This is further collaborating by Umm 'Atiya  when she said that the Prophet discouraged us accompanying the funeral procession but not strictly. Umm Atiya is talking about a funeral procession and not about visiting the grave sites or graves.

Some scholars quote a hadith that says that the punishment in the graves increases for those whose relatives weep and wail after his or her death. This statement was challenged by the companions of the prophet. When this hadith was presented to Syeda Ayesha, she said as reported in Bukhari by Ibn 'Abbãs who said, "When 'Umar died, I told that to 'Ayesha and she said, 'May Allah be Merciful to 'Umar. By Allah, Allah's Messenger did not say that a believer is punished by the weeping (crying aloud) of his relatives. But he said, 'Allah increases the punishment of a disbeliever because of the weeping (crying aloud) of his relatives." 'Ayesha further added, "The Qur'an is sufficient for you (to clear up this point) as Allah has stated: '...No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another...'" (6:164)

Allah and the Prophet did not prevent women initially because they were weak or impatient or source of temptation. The purpose was to reform the society of the practices that had turned death into a display of pomp and status. How can the decision be based on gender when the Prophet in several ahadith emphasized the importance of visiting graves and following funeral processions? Those who say that the Prophet meant to imply that only men would receive the rewards for visiting graves are adding their interpretations influenced by a patriarchal system where everything revolved around the interests of men. Sulaiman bin Buraidah narrated from his father that the Messenger of Allah said: "I had prohibited you from visiting the graves. But Prophet Muhammad was permitted to visit the grave of his mother: so visit them, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.” (Tirmidhi)

What is prohibited is very clear. Neither men nor women should use the occasion to exhibit their physical features for the purpose of attracting others. In our times' people do not do that. People should be properly dressed. In our time in funerals, men and women are properly dressed. Their behavior should be in accordance with the ethics of Islam. The funerals in general show commitment by people to Islamic ethics. They should lower their gaze. They should remember their own death and use the occasion to remind themselves that they would return to the same place on the shoulders of someone else one day.
There is no restriction on men and women visiting the graves provided they abide by the code of Islamic dress and conduct, as can be deduced from the aforesaid Ahadith that give blanket permission to Muslims to visit the graves. However, if men or women violate Islamic morals, make loud lamentations, prostrate themselves before the graves, they both deprive them of the mercy of Allah.

The practice of denying visitation rights to women is widely prevalent in South Asia and in many Arab countries. Depending on which school of thought one belongs to, prohibition is imposed in varying degrees. In the United States, there is now a systematic campaign on the part of many imams to propagate that women cannot participate in the funeral even if it is the funeral of their sons, daughters, fathers or brothers or husband. It is un-Islamic. As stated above there is no sahih hadith that supports this claim. Those ahadith that make this claim are considered either hasan or daif by hadith scholars and are regarded invalid as they referred to an earlier situation. Even if there are sahih, they refer to a tribal culture and a society that had little respect for women. People had just come out of paganism. Many of those situations have changed. Rather than preventing women from visiting graves, the learned people should educate men and women about the rules of visiting graves.

God and His Prophet cannot be used to reduce Muslim women to second class status. This is institutionalized inequality and before we talk about discrimination against Muslims by non-Muslims, we must talk about discrimination of Muslim clergy or so-called scholars against Muslim women. This is sheer injustice and making a mockery of faith.
Syeda Ayesha and all the wives of the Prophet participated in the funeral prayers of the Prophet. They stayed around the grave. They sprinkled the dust. In fact Syeda Ayesha stayed around the grave twenty-four hours for several years. All the wives of the Prophet were in close proximity of their husband's grave. They would visit his grave daily till they left the world. Syed Hasan bin Ali's wife pitched her tent close the grave of her husband for almost one year and no one could make her remove it even though the companions of the Prophet were alive. Syeda Fatima, bint Muhammad, (PBUH) visited the grave of her father regularly.
The theology of deprivation that is being promoted in the name of Islam is a theology that is rooted in the perversion of deen by the so-called scholars. It is rooted in a sexist attitude that has been imposed upon people in the name of Islam. We cannot dismiss it as a trivial issue. It is a crime and a sin against Allah and the Prophet. Men and women have accepted it because they are not given the truth. It is not an issue of opinion that they have a different perspective and someone else has a different perspective. It is a matter of institutionalized inequality in the name of religion. This is the dividing line and the line has already been drawn.

We have to speak up for the rights of women fearlessly. We have to stand up for Islamic rights. We have to refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of this theology. Be assured, women are as honored Muslim as the so-called scholars are. If we would not speak, they would continue to impose their tribal and cultural dictates upon us and the community. We all have a stake in religion. Each one of us would be responsible individually before Allah. We have to make our choice and let it be known. It is the jihad for equality and decency.

They say women cannot come to the graveyards because they are a source of temptation. They are perverts and if they cannot think of women beyond an object of sex and as a decent human creation of Allah, then they should stop visiting the graves, not women.