Article Added On: October 13, 2005 - over 2 years ago
Title: Manji outlines Muslim women
Author: PAUL LUNGEN
Publication: The Canadian Jewish News
Publication Date: January 01, 2005 - over 3 years ago
Faith Groups: Muslim
Themes: religion in politics

Abstract: "Had Islamic law been given legal status in Canada, some crimes would have been treated as family matters to be decided by the application of Islamic law, despite assurances that sharia

October 13, 2005

An incident years ago when she was working in television news helped set best-selling author Irshad Manji on the path to a critical evaluation of the role of women in Islam.

Just as she was working to deadline, she received a note from a senior executive referring to a news story from Nigeria about a 17-year-old girl who had been sentenced to 180 lashes for being raped. “How could her faith justify that treatment?” the note inquired.

Manji admitted her initial reaction was to get defensive about Islam, but she soon realized the question was legitimate. Lowering her defences, she committed herself to investigate the role of women in contemporary Muslim societies.

Manji’s investigation, her description of how it led to the publication of her provocative book The Trouble With Islam Today, and her opposition to proposed sharia-based arbitration in Ontario, were the subject of a fascinating talk at a lunchtime meeting of the Jewish Civil Rights Educational Foundation of Canada, held recently at the law offices of Heenan Blaikie.

Manji said she was heartened that in Ontario, the “number 1 opponent to sharia was Muslim women.” Likewise in France, Muslim women favoured the government’s ban of the hijab, a traditional Muslim head dress for women.

In neither case, she suggested, were Muslim women opposing Islam or the Qur’an, Islam’s holy book.

“They were protesting how the Qur’an will be interpreted through the cultural filter of honour,” she said.

Manji said traditional Arab tribal culture has become “enmeshed” within Islam, resulting in an erosion of the status of women and female-unfriendly interpretation of scripture.

There is “nothing inherent within Islam that women are inferior,” she stated. However, the concept of honour in Arab tribal tradition mandates that women “give up their individuality to maintain the reputation of men.”

Under the logic of “honour,” a woman’s life in not her own, but belongs to a wider group such as her family and tribe. In Saudi Arabia, for example, women have the status of possessions – like cars – and can be passed from father to husband to son. If a woman dishonours her family, she can be killed by a male relative in an “honour killing,” she said.

In Pakistan today, there are on average two honour killings a day.

Dishonouring the family could include being the victim of a rape, as was the case with the 17-year-old Nigerian girl. Despite presenting seven witnesses to prove she had been raped, she received the 180-lash sentence because her tribe’s reputation had been tarnished, Manji said.

Had Islamic law been given legal status in Canada, some crimes would have been treated as family matters to be decided by the application of Islamic law, despite assurances that sharia’s application would have to conform to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, she said.

Muslim women in Ontario know, as did those in France, that by removing the possibility of sharia adjudication, their rights would be enhanced. Within their communities, they could argue they had no choice but to comply with the prevailing civil standard. That could free them from intimidation and bullying by men for not complying with sharia laws or, in the case of France, for not wearing the hijab.

Manji, recipient of the Simon Wiesenthal Award of Valor, said opponents of these tribal traditions should expect rough treatment from the traditions’ supporters.

“You will from time to time be called racist. Get used to it,” she advised.

But, she continued, in the last 100 years, more Muslims have been imprisoned, raped and murdered by fellow Muslims than by Western imperialists. If Canadians speak out for human rights in Muslim countries, “it will help Muslims there.”

Manji said she hopes Islam will generate its own internal debate that will reduce the grip of fundamentalists. “Only within Islam today is literalism mainstream worldwide.” Muslims “accept that the Qur’an is like God 3.0 and none shall come after it.” That has led to a “superiority complex” that has emboldened extremists and inhibited moderates, she said.

“Muslims are left with the feeling that questioning jihadists out loud is like questioning the Qur’an out loud, and that is a no-no.”

Publication of her book and its availability in numerous languages, including Arabic, has prompted the creation of underground discussion clubs. She said she had established Project Ijtihad, a leadership network for young Muslims, to challenge authoritarianism, share information and restore critical thinking to Islam. More about Project Ijtihad is available at Manji’s website www.muslim-refusenik.com.

In a question period, Manji commented about Muslims’ perception of Jews.

“Muslims are taught that Jews used to be good people, but they corrupted the Torah,” while Christians’ belief in the trinity is seen as a corruption of monotheism, she said.

Muslims believe that when Jews and Christians accept Islam, they will “revert,” not convert, to the true faith, she added.