The March 18 Friday prayers in New York will be led by a renowned Muslim scholar, Dr Amina Wadud who is a professor of philosophy and religious studies at a respected American university. The imam's (prayer leader) feminity is unnerving many and has started a raging debate in the Muslim community across the continent. Dr Wadud, an African American and a long time convert to Islam, is poised to become probably the first woman in the mainstream Islam, at least in modern times, to give a khutba (sermon) and lead Friday prayers, at a New York congregation to be attended by her male and female supporters.
| "What? What? A woman lead prayers? She must be killed!" |
Dr Wadud's supporters argue that there is no express prohibition in the Holy Quran or Sunnah which bars women from leading prayers. They also cite a Hadith in which Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) gave permission to Umme Warqa to lead a mixed congregation in prayers at her home.
| Doesn't matter. Since it's not required or obligatory, it must be forbidden. She must be killed. Next case. |
A Muslim group has gone one step further by declaring this episode a fight between progressive and traditional Muslims. "Unfortunately, one of the consequences of the rise of political or theocratic Islam is the curtailment of women's rights.
| Ummmm... Yeah. But political or theocratic Islam seems to have arisen sometime around 622 A.D. |
For this reason, The Free Muslims Against Terrorism congratulates Dr Amina Wadud and the progressive Muslims for their courageous leadership in challenging traditional Muslims," says Kamal Nawash, founder and president of Free Muslims Against Terrorism, a Washington-based group. The opponents of female imams do not see this controversy as a fight between traditional and progressive Islam. "Basketball or football teams are not discriminating against women for being inferior if they do not recruit women. It is simply a matter of practicality," comments a gentleman on the controversy in his Internet posting. Dr Wadud has written an internationally known book: "Quran and Woman: Re-reading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective." She caused quite a stir at a recent conference in Toronto when she said it was okay "saying no to the Quran where one disagrees with it."
| "Especially the part where it sez it's okay to kill women prayer leaders. That's gotta be a mistranslation or somethin'..." |
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