Wide Angle - PBS

[Bosco 1]

A friend posted this to our Yahoo Group. It being aired tomorrow night 9 pm.

Wide Angle

Class of 2006

Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at 9 P.M.

WIDE ANGLE cameras are on location in Morocco as history is made. In May 2006, an imam academy in the city of Rabat holds a graduation ceremony. But the class of 2006 is no ordinary group of students. Side by side with the male graduates are 50 women pioneers, among the first contemporary group of women to be officially trained as religious leaders in the Arab world. Empowered to do everything that male imams do -- except lead Friday prayer in a mosque -- the women will fan out across Morocco to work as spiritual guides in mosques, schools, hospitals, and prisons, even hosting their own television and radio talk shows.

The site has a few neat features, including an interactive map that shows Islamic family law in various Muslim countries.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Are they really the first? Just last night, I went to a halaqa with an american sister who has a BA in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), and a MA in Contemporary Islamic Studies from AlQuds University, and I know of another sister who's off in Syria studying right now as well.

Well, I guess looking at it, it does say among the first. It's a positive step that we're reclaiming the positions held by women in the early muslim community. Now, if only I can kick my butt in gear and learn arabic...Shaykha Jen has a nice ring to it, doncha think?

[Bosco 1]

I think "first" in terms of this being an official sponsorship of their education through the Ministory of Islamic Affairs and government appointment of these women as murshid, rather than women as individuals making an individual choice to pursuit Islamic education.

And yes, Shaykha Jen sounds quite nice.

Rebecca

Are they really the first? Just last night, I went to a halaqa with an american sister who has a BA in Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), and a MA in Contemporary Islamic Studies from AlQuds University, and I know of another sister who's off in Syria studying right now as well.

Well, I guess looking at it, it does say among the first. It's a positive step that we're reclaiming the positions held by women in the early muslim community. Now, if only I can kick my butt in gear and learn arabic...Shaykha Jen has a nice ring to it, doncha think?

Edited July 24, 2006 by Bosco

[iceyspots 0]

Thanks for the info!

[Henia 11]

Esalaam Everyone

Interesting link you have posted Bosco...Jazak Allah kheiran for that...

Actually there may have been several female imams in time, Aishaa, wife of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) , had carried out teaching and prayers, "passing on Islamic knowledge and teaching". And from her we get most of our religion. And several hadiths report with regard to women leading congregations of women, that Aisha and Umm Salaamah lead several prayers.

And also in the Quran, females are respected as the first teachers of children and the basis of family harmony. But in the past, most Muslimm females had to stay at home, and had no opportunities to receive education or join in social life...the emergence of female imams and mosques serving only women also goes along with the trend of the times. And it is something that I totally agree with and give a thumbs up for...cos you know in even in these modern times in so called "Western" countries women are still not welcomed in the masjid...yea I am talking to you UK!!!!

And the moment we don't have leadership amongst women, just the men. I mean we do have the whole sisterhood ring... the warm and fuzzy hugs you get when you meet a new sister, you automatically become "friends" but the leadership just is'nt there... And from my own personal experience ...many women women only go to the masjid on the Eids and/or go to these Halaqa for a gossip hour. I have actuallt left my local masjid for this very reason.

There is large movement of all female masjids in China and I find this unusual feature of Islam in China very refrashing. The existence of nüsi, masjids solely for women to have the opportunity to learn the Quran, to be explained the Quran in their native language and to pray in masjid . In recent years, efforts have been made to establish similar masjids in India and Iran as well.

According to all current existing traditional schools of Islam in the Sunni and also several Shia schools, a woman cannot lead a mixed gender congregation in salaat. Some schools make exceptions for Tarawih (optional Ramadan prayers) or for a congregation of close relatives.

Some Muslims in recent years have restarted the debate, arguing that the spirit of the Quran and the letter of a disputed hadith indicate that women should be able to lead mixed congregations, and that its prohibition was a result of sexism in the medieval environment, not as a part of true essence and brillance of Islam.

The Quran, from all my reading and understanding of it does not address this issue directly

The earliest reportes I have heard of female imams was in 1995 in Johannesburg, South Africa. And I believe one of the prime movers behind this congregation was well-known South African Muslim women's rights activist Shamima Shaikh.

pEnclosing I give all female masjids a thumbs u BRAVO BRAVO !!!! And pray that more sisters will be brave enough to educate themselves for this path... and the brothers would see this as good thing, not a bad... like they would want you to see female doctor, so why not then learn from a female imam>?

That is my opion...thanks for listening...

Henia

[karotte 0]

Thanks for posting this. We'll definitely have to watch.

[Bosco 1]

Thanks so much for sharing this Henia. I have found the renewed female-lead mixed congregation prayer debate quite interesting, including the arguments on both sides. Some are also attempting to mix the congretation, with men and women praying side-by-side, which is also a highly debated issue.

I recently found a video online about Muslims in China that was very interesting but it did not talk about the female-only masjids. I am a firm believer that women need to be equally welcomed to the masjid, and this means having places for them that are warm and welcoming, which unfortunately is not always the case.

I am with you on the thumbs up

Rebecca

Esalaam Everyone

Interesting link you have posted Bosco...Jazak Allah kheiran for that...

Actually there may have been several female imams in time, Aishaa, wife of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) , had carried out teaching and prayers, "passing on Islamic knowledge and teaching". And from her we get most of our religion. And several hadiths report with regard to women leading congregations of women, that Aisha and Umm Salaamah lead several prayers.

And also in the Quran, females are respected as the first teachers of children and the basis of family harmony. But in the past, most Muslimm females had to stay at home, and had no opportunities to receive education or join in social life...the emergence of female imams and mosques serving only women also goes along with the trend of the times. And it is something that I totally agree with and give a thumbs up for...cos you know in even in these modern times in so called "Western" countries women are still not welcomed in the masjid...yea I am talking to you UK!!!!

And the moment we don't have leadership amongst women, just the men. I mean we do have the whole sisterhood ring... the warm and fuzzy hugs you get when you meet a new sister, you automatically become "friends" but the leadership just is'nt there... And from my own personal experience ...many women women only go to the masjid on the Eids and/or go to these Halaqa for a gossip hour. I have actuallt left my local masjid for this very reason.

There is large movement of all female masjids in China and I find this unusual feature of Islam in China very refrashing. The existence of nüsi, masjids solely for women to have the opportunity to learn the Quran, to be explained the Quran in their native language and to pray in masjid . In recent years, efforts have been made to establish similar masjids in India and Iran as well.

According to all current existing traditional schools of Islam in the Sunni and also several Shia schools, a woman cannot lead a mixed gender congregation in salaat. Some schools make exceptions for Tarawih (optional Ramadan prayers) or for a congregation of close relatives.

Some Muslims in recent years have restarted the debate, arguing that the spirit of the Quran and the letter of a disputed hadith indicate that women should be able to lead mixed congregations, and that its prohibition was a result of sexism in the medieval environment, not as a part of true essence and brillance of Islam.

The Quran, from all my reading and understanding of it does not address this issue directly

The earliest reportes I have heard of female imams was in 1995 in Johannesburg, South Africa. And I believe one of the prime movers behind this congregation was well-known South African Muslim women's rights activist Shamima Shaikh.

pEnclosing I give all female masjids a thumbs u BRAVO BRAVO !!!! And pray that more sisters will be brave enough to educate themselves for this path... and the brothers would see this as good thing, not a bad... like they would want you to see female doctor, so why not then learn from a female imam>?

That is my opion...thanks for listening...

Henia