Who says I can’t be a Muslim feminist?
People, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, often tell me that I can’t be both a Muslim and a feminist. At a recent book reading in Oregon, for example, a male audience member asked me, “How does that even work?”. These questions demonstrate some of the rigid misconceptions individuals have about Islam and feminism; many people think that they’re mutually exclusive categories. In fact, as a Muslim feminist, I have found them to have more in common than people realise, especially when it comes to social justice. Ethos – the fundamental spirit that guides my faith– is more important to me than edicts, ...
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Nicaragua to Pakistan: A model for revolution
A BBC anchor asked two wise Pakistani women this week if the dire situation of their country could lead to revolution. One conceded that she couldn’t tell and the other responded by reminding us that it will not bode well for the world if something drastic was to happen to Pakistan. I am not surprised that neither could see revolution on the horizon. Another notable revolutionary posted on his Facebook wall today: “The balance of forces in our society call for a protracted struggle to achieve the rule of law. Adventurism will be counter productive.” I agree with ‘protracted struggle’ part of his assertion ...
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T2F: A pursuit of the heart
I first saw Sabeen Mahmud in 2000 at the TIE-Indus seminar, their first in Pakistan at the Sheraton, Karachi. She was bubbling with enthusiasm. Dressed in trousers with short cropped hair and holding a folder in her arms she had struck me as the “yuppie” breed, a fashionable term used to define young people who were entering the work force. Ten years later, she is the president of TIE and her heart’s endeavour, The Second Floor cafe (T2F) is booming. She seats herself in the cafe’s tiny but cosy balcony for a very brief interview – a look into her heart. Sabeen’s inspiration was ...
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Sherani, a quack, nominated as head of experts?
There is a council of Islamic ideology in Pakistan that advises the government and legislative bodies on laws that are repugnant to Islam. Maulana Sherani, a rural maulvi from Baluchistan, without any academic credentials, has been appointed the chairman of the council replacing Dr Khalid Masud, a PhD from Mcgill University. Insani Huqooq Ittehad (Human rights alliance), a body consisting of 30 NGOs demanded that the decision to appoint Maulana Sherani must be repealed because it contravenes the criterion laid out for such an appointment. But the nomination of Sherani to please JUI(F), a belligerent ally, raises concerns. It is reminiscent ...
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