Islamic Toilet Part Two - Jinns and Devils Haunt Islamic Toilets

If we happen to be in an Islamic Paradise, we might be completely surprised that many Muslims still believe these Islamic voodoos. For example, if you are in a village in Bangladesh or Pakistan, you will come across with many devout Muslims who will vouch that they had seen jinns inside their primitive latrines. A few of them might even swear that the local Imam or an Islamic mendicant had been able to chase out jinns and devils from their toilets when the jinns or devils caught their women in the toilets. Note that it is usually the women (pretty ones) who fall victims to the jinns and devils residing in rural Islamic latrines.

Please do not laugh. If we were to believe the following ahadith then it is certainly true that Islamic toilets are the perennial abodes of jinns and devils.

In Sunaan Abu Dawud (1.0006) we read that toilets are frequented by jinns and devils. Sunaan ibn Majah (1.296) writes that devils visit public toilets.

Let us read in full the first hadis:

Sunaan Abu Dawud, Book 1, Number 0006:Narrated Zayd ibn Arqam:

• The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: These privies are frequented by the jinns and devils. So when anyone amongst you goes there, he should say: "I seek refuge in Allah from male and female devils."

Pray Before Entering an Islamic Toilet

Since jinns and devils visit Islamic toilets, Muhammad instructed his followers to offer prayer when entering a lavatory. We have already read a hadis on this. Here are a few more.

• Pray when answering the call of nature…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.144)
  
• When you enter a lavatory say, “O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from wicked and noxious things."…(Sahih Muslim, 3.0729)
  
• When entering a toilet, say a prayer: O’ Allah I seek refuge with you from all offensive and wicked things (evil deeds and evil spirits)…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.19)

• To screen you from jinns, when visiting toilet say Bismillah…(Sunaan Tirmidhi, 130)
  
• Do Not Hold Your Penis With Your Right Hand

Please do not be offended when you read this weird Islamic Toilet manner. In Islam, it is haram to hold your penis with your right hand when you defecate or urinate. Regarding your penis manner while in an Islamic Toilet, there are many ahadith, in all the Sahih Sitta (the six authentic) on this specification of Allah. In many of these ahadith Muhammad (that is, Allah), specified that when inside a toilet one may use his left hand to hold his penis. We may wonder about women, I am yet to find a hadis where Allah has specified that women cannot hold (OOPS! touch) their pudenda with their right hand. So we may assume that women are free to use either hand to cleanse themselves.

Here is a collection of a few interesting ahadith on Islamic manners of cleaning yourself in the toilet.

• Do not breath while drinking water; do not touch penis in lavatory and do not cleanse private parts with your right hand...(Sahih Bukhari, 1. 4.155)
  
• While urinating, do not hold penis with your right hand...(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.156)
  
• While in a toilet do not touch penis with your right hand…(Sahih Muslim, 2.0512)
  
• While urinating or defecating do not touch your penis with your right hand…(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.1.0031)
  
• When urinating do not touch your penis with your right hand…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.24, 25)
  Use left hand for private parts…(Mishkat, 1.185)
  
• Do not touch male organ with right hand…(Mishkat, 1.183)
  
• Use left hand for touching private parts…(Mishkat, 1.185)
  
  Rules on Islamic Defecation

In the Qur'an there is very little or none about Allah’s stipulation on Islamic Toilet procedures. However, some Islamic scholars believe that Allah revealed verse 9:108 in connection with the proper method of cleaning oneself after defecating. Let us read verse 9:108 from the Qur'an and a hadis from Sunaan Abu Dawud:

• 9:108. Never stand you therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein (to pray). In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allâh loves those who make themselves clean and pure (i.e. who clean their private parts with dust [i.e. to be considered as soap) and water from urine and stools, after answering the call of nature] (Tr. Hilali and Khan).

Please note that the translators have inserted their own comments. They are of the opinion that in Islamic ritual of defecating dust may be considered as soap.
Here is what a hadis says:

• Sunaan Abu Dawud, Book 1, Number 0044:Narrated Abu Hurayrah:The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The following verse was revealed in connection with the people of Quba': "In it are men who love to be purified" (ix.108). He (Abu Hurayrah) said: They used to cleanse themselves with water after easing. So the verse was revealed in connection with them.

One compulsory provision of Islamic toilet manner is that during defecation a Muslim must position himself in such a manner that neither his face (that is, penis or women’s vulva) nor his back (that is, buttock) should face the Qibla (Kaba). Muslims must obey this rule whether defecating in an open desert or inside a latrine in his house.

Here are a few ahadith on this:

• While defecating in the open space neither face nor turn your back towards Qibla (Kaba); instead, face the east or the west…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.146)

• While excreting or urinating do not face the Qibla…(Sahih Muslim, 2.0504)
  
• When defecating in the desert do not face Qibla nor turn your backside towards Qibla; use three sods and your right hand to cleanse your private parts…(Sunaan Tirmidhi, 128)



• While defecating do not face or show backside to Allah…(Mishkat, 1.185)Interestingly,

Muhammad, at times, had violated Allah’s rules. Here is the proof:

• Muhammad urinated by turning his face towards the Qibla…(Sunaan ibn Majah, 1.325)
  
• Muhammad defecated facing Jerusalem…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.147)
  
• Muhammad stipulated that if you wear a ring, you must remove it when going inside a toilet.

True to this funny Islamic Toilet protocol, a hadis in Sunaan Abu Dawud (1.0019) and Sunaan ibn Majah (1.3033) state that Muhammad used to remove his ring when visiting a toilet.

Another interesting hadis in Sahih Muslim (7.2942) says that a Muslim can defecate in a river. In this case there might not be any necessity to cleanse his anus, as river water will do the job. Curiously, a hadis in Sunaan Nasai (1.50, 51) says that having defecated, and having cleansed yourself, you should rub two hands on earth.
Here are a few more interesting ahadith on defecating in Islamic manner:

• After defecating do not use bones or dung; use stones to cleanse yourself…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.157)

• Use odd number of stones (minimum three) to clean your private parts...(Sahih Bukhari, 1. 4.162)

• Use three stones to clean yourself after defecating...(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.0040)



• When visiting a toilet carry three stones with you…(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.1.0040)

• After you defecate, use two clods of earth; do not use dung…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.42)

• If you defecate in a desert use three stones, no need to use water…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.44)

Rules on Islamic Urination
If we are confounded with bizarre Islamic rules on defecating, here are more rules on urinating Islamically.

• Do not urinate in stagnant water…(Sunaan ibn Majah, 1.343)
  
• Do not urinate standing; Umar did that but Muhammad reprobated him…(Sunaan Tirmidhi, 133)
  
• During night you may urinate in a vessel…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.32)
  
• At night Muhammad used to urinate on a wooden vessel...(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.0024)
  
• Do not urinate in a hole…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.34)
  
• Urinate in a soft ground…(Mishkat, 1.185)
  
• Do not urinate in a place of bath and then take bath there…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.36)
  
• Do not return salutation when you are urinating…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.37)
  
• After urinating sprinkle water on your private parts…(Sunaan Nasai, 1.136, 137)
  

As was often the case, Muhammad had violated his own rules on urination.

• Muhammad urinated standing...(Sahih Bukhari, 1. 4.226)
  
• Muhammad had urinated standing…(Sunaan ibn Majah, 1.305

Qibla compass comes handy when you are forced to defacate in an open desert or such

Islamic Bathing Rules
Here are a few interesting rules on Islamic bath (ghusl):

• Females cannot use the leftover water by males, but the males can use the leftover water by females... (Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.0081)
  
• Muhammad forbade the use of leftover water by females to be used by males... (Sunaan Abu Dawud, 1.0082)
  
• Muhammad and his wives took bath from the same vessel of water…(Sunaan ibn Majah, 1.379)

• Leprosy is caused by taking bath in water exposed to the sun…(Mishkat, 1.245)

With many thanks to Abul Kasem and the Australian Islamic Monitor

Islamic Toilet Part One - Allah promises great rewards for emulating Muhammad's habits, manners, and instructions.

(A note of caution: The contents of this article might offend some readers)

First, let us focus on a few verses of the Qur'an where Allah says a Muslim must emulate Muhammad's manners, traditions, and practices at all time.

Sunnah is my practice: Allah promises great rewards for emulating Muhammad's habits, manners, and instructions

In verses 3:132 and 4:80 Allah says that obeying Him and Muhammad (i.e., Muhammad’s examples) is mandatory. This means Muslims have no choice but to follow Muhammad's deeds, as this constitutes the obeying the commands of Allah. A similar command is echoed in verse 33:36 where Allah stipulates that provisions (rules and examples, even toilet rules) set by Allah and Muhammad is binding to all Muslims; there are no alternatives. Ibn Kathir adds more punch to Allah’s command He writes that this verse is general in meaning and applies to all matters, i.e., if Allah and His Messenger decreed a matter, no one has the right to go against that, and no one has any choice or room for personal opinion on that case.
Allah decrees in verse 33:21 that He has made Muhammad an excellent example for the believers to follow and in verse 68:4 Allah reminds the Muslims that Muhammad is the exalted (ultimate/excellent) standard of character. Ibn Abbas says that Muhammad has great character traits with which Allah has honoured him.
Allah promises great rewards for emulating Muhammad's habits, manners, and instructions. In verse 33:71 Allah declares that obeying Allah and Muhammad are the highest achievements, and in verse 3:31 Allah sets a condition that if any Muslim loves Allah then he/she must follow Muhammad, and Allah will forgive his/her sins. Verse 4:13 guarantees paradise for those who blindly obey Muhammad.
Allah prescribes sever punishment for not emulating Muhammad. In verse 47:33 Allah says that if Muslims do not obey Muhammad, then He will nullify all their good deeds. In verse 48:13 we read that Allah has prepared a blazing fire for those who reject Him and his apostle Muhammad. In verse 58:5 Allah has decreed that those who reject Allah and His messenger (Muhammad) will be reduced to dust.
Here is what Ash Shifa (p.316) writes about imitating Muhammad absolutely:
It is also known that the Companions were in the habit of imitating the actions of the Prophet, whatever they were and in every way, just as they obeyed whatever he said. They threw away their signet rings when he threw his away. They discarded their sandals when he discarded his. They used as a proof for facing Jerusalem when going to the lavatory the fact that Ibn ‘Umar saw him doing so. Others found a proof for other actions both in the category of worship and general custom by saying, “I saw the Messenger of Allah do it.”

Once we acknowledge Allah’s dicta in the above paragraphs we will understand why the Muslims follow a few weird toilet manners, though those habits were the customs of the Arab Bedouins millennia ago. In Islam, there is no date of expiry of Muhammad’s traditions and practices they are eternal.

It is also important to keep in perspective the primitive toilet facilities in Muhammad's household. The truth is: Muhammad, including his wives, used to relieve themselves in the open desert, under the open sky. The males could defecate any time of the day or night, but Muhammad's wives were restricted to answer their calls of nature only at night. Described by a few ahadith, we have a glimpse of the abject toilet facilities in Muhammad's family.

Here are a few examples:

• 
  Wives of Muhammad answered the call of nature in the open field...(Sahih Bukhari, 1.4.148, 149)



• During Hajj some of Muhammad’s companions had their penises dripping with prostrate fluid…(Sunaan Abu Dawud, 2.10.1785)



• When defecating together (two men) do not converse, do not look at each others private parts…(Sunaan ibn Majah, 1.342)



• Carry three stones while relieving yourself in desert…(Mishkat, 1.186)

To be certain, let us read in full, one hadis from Sahih Bukhari:

• Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 4, Number 148:Narrated 'Aisha:The wives of the Prophet used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Medina) to answer the call of nature at night. 'Umar used to say to the Prophet "Let your wives be veiled," but Allah's Apostle did not do so. One night Sauda bint Zam'a the wife of the Prophet went out at 'Isha' time and she was a tall lady. 'Umar addressed her and said, "I have recognized you, O Sauda." He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) may be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of "Al-Hijab" (A complete body cover excluding the eyes).

The above hadis also tells us why Muhammad imposed veils on Islamic women.

To be continued....

Saudi Imam calls for circumcision of girls.....

خطيب مسجد بالسعودية يطالب المصلين بختان البنات "حفاظا" عليهن

دبي - العربية.نت
فاجىء خطيب وإمام جامع في محافظة سعودية المصلين بمطالبتهم بضرورة ختان بناتهم حفاظا عليهن خلال خطبة الجمعة 25-4-2008.وقال خطيب الجامع الكبير في محافظة "رنية" بمنطقة مكة المكرمة إن ختان الفتيات ضروري للحفاظ عليهن من الفتن، وتطرق في خطبته إلى تفاصيل عن عمليات الختان أثارت جدلا بين المصلين بعد أداء الصلاة، بحسب تقرير أعده الصحافي رميزان السبيعي ونشرته صحيفة "الوطن" السعودية السبت 26-4-2008.ونبه الإمام في بداية خطبته بأنه قد يثير استغراب المصلين بسبب موضوع خطبته.. وتطرق إلى فوائد الختان مستشهدا بالأحاديث الشرعية والفوائد الاجتماعية من وراء الختان دون تناول جوانبه الصحية.

ورغم أن الخطيب استشهد على أقواله بجواز الختان في مصر، إلا أن ردود الفعل بين المصلين تباينت ما بين مؤيد ومستنكر للختان، بحسب الصحيفة.ويشار إلى أن عادة ختان الاناث محظور بحكم القانون في مصر لكن العادة منتشرة على نطاق واسع في البلاد باعتبارها وسيلة لصون عفتهن.وكان مفتي مصر علي جمعة قال إن ختان الاناث حرام بعد وفاة طفلة اثناء عملية ختان في الشهر يونيو/حزيران 2007 في أقوى ادانة يصدرها رجل الدين لعادة الختان. وشدد على أن "عادة الختان الضارة التي تمارس في مصر في عصرنا حرام."وأفتى جمعة بحرمة الختان بعد تقارير عن وفاة طفلة عمرها 11 عاما في محافظة المنيا جنوبي القاهرة اثناء عملية ختان أجرتها طبيبة في عيادتها الخاصة بسبب جرعة تخدير زائدة قبل اجراء العملية.ولم يحرم رجال دين بارزون ختان الاناث من قبل برغم أن شيخ الازهر محمد سيد طنطاوي قال انه عادة غير اسلامية وطالب بأن يرجع القرار في اجراء عملية الختان لطبيب موثوق به. وقال طنطاوي والبابا شنودة ان القران والانجيل لم يذكرا ختان الاناث.وينطوي الختان على قطع جزء من البظر أو قطعه كله وكذلك أجزاء أخرى من أعضاء الانثى التناسلية. ويقوم بالعملية طبيب أحيانا لكن تجريها في الغالب قابلة أو قريبة للطفلة. ومن بين الاثار الجانبية للعملية حدوث نزيف وصدمة وعجز جنسي.والختان في مصر يمارسه المسلمون والمسيحيون على السواء لكنه نادر جدا في باقي العالم العربي. والختان شائع في مصر والسودان وأثيوبيا واريتريا والصومال.وأشار تقرير لصندوق الامم لرعاية الطفولة (اليونيسف) صدر عام 2005 الى أن 97 في المئة من المصريات بين سن 15 عاما و49 عاما أجريت لهن عمليات ختان

There are over 130 million women missing some of their genital parts. It is called female genital mutilation.

To go to source click here

Tunisian family sues over girl's "phone rape"

Forensic reports confirm loss of virginity. A Tunisian court is looking into an unprecedented rape case filed by a Tunisian family against a man who allegedly "raped" their daughter over the phone during an erotic call, press reports said on Thursday.The defendant, 30, denied having ever touched the 20-year-old victim, but admitted that in one of their phone calls, while they were "totally into it," he heard her scream and say that a few drops of blood had come out of her.

The victim's lawyer, Maha al-Metebaa, told Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabs that the forensic report showed that the girl had lost her virginity recently, but was not subjected to any sexual assault. According to Metebaa, this supports the fact that the phone call was the reason.But Metebaa said this was an unprecedented case that required the court's thorough investigation and jurisprudence to reach a decision."The intercourse did take place with all its details but verbally only. The sexual act did not really happen because the physical proximity factor is not there, yet it happened because there is a direct physical impact – the loss of virginity."

From Al Arabiya News Channel

The “Radical Islam Support Test” (RIST)

These are questions to ask a Muslim who professes to oppose terrorism and radical Islam.

“Apostates”: Do you support killing them? Should leaving the faith of Islam be punishable by death?

“Beating Women”: Is beating women ever acceptable, and if not, do you reject those decrees of Islamic law that sanction the beating of women? Do you also accept stoning women to death for committing adultery?

“Calling Jews pigs and monkeys”: Do you believe that Jews are in any way sub-human and if not, do you reject Quranic interpretations that claim they are?

“Declaring holy war”: Do you support declaring war against non-Muslims to subjugate them to Islam? Do you believe that it is fair and reasonable to offer non-Muslims three options: Conversion, Paying the Jizya, or Death?

“Enslavement”: Do you support the enslavement of female war prisoners and having sex with them as concubines? If not, do you reject those interpretations in Islamic Law, for “Ma-Malkakat Aymanikum”, which justifies such actions?

“Fighting Jews”: Do you support perpetual war against Jews to exterminate them, and if not, should those Muslims who incite such war be punished?

“Gays”: Do you believe it is acceptable to kill gays, and if not, do you reject those edicts in Sharia Law which claim it is?

From Mosquewatch

Women's rights campaigners receive suspended lashing and jail sentences..

It was the latest sign of the authorities clamping down on activists demanding greater women's rights in the conservative Islamic Republic, which rejects Western accusations it is discriminating against women.
"Women's rights activists particularly object to sentences that include lashing," said Sussan Tahmasebi, who herself is appealing a partly suspended two-year prison sentence for involvement in a banned demonstration in the capital in 2006.
"These sentences are intended to embarrass and humiliate human rights activists," she told Reuters.
She said Minou Mortazi, Nasrin Afzali and Nahid Jafari were sentenced to six months in jail and 10 lashes for attending a gathering outside a Tehran court in March last year where Tahmasebi and three other activists were standing trial.
The sentences were suspended so they will only be carried out if they are found guilty of another crime within two years.
A fourth activist who attended the March event, Zeinab Payghambarzadeh, was handed a two-year suspended jail term.
The court issued its ruling on the cases of Afzali, Jafari and Payghambarzadeh a few days ago while Mortazi received her sentence about two months ago.
They were all charged with taking part in an illegal gathering and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security, disruption of public order and refusal to follow police orders, Tahmasebi added.
"They are going to appeal their sentences," Tahmasebi said. "I think they are unjust. It was a peaceful demonstration."
A judiciary spokesman had no immediate comment on the cases.
Women are legally entitled to hold most jobs in Iran, but it remains dominated by men.
Activists, backed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, say women face institutionalized discrimination that makes them "second-class citizens" when it comes to divorce, inheritance, child custody and other aspects of life.
Iranian officials reject allegations of discrimination against women. Clerics say women in Iran are protected from the sex-symbol status they have in the West and insist the Islamic state is implementing God's divine law.

With thanks to Yahoo News

A New Koran?

It's doubtful that Islam can enter the modern age anchored to Muhammad's Qur'an - the one that promotes hate and lends divine sanction to sex slaves and violence. But is reform really possible?

The organization Muslims Against Sharia is creating a new Koran with the violent verses removed. How legitimate and wise is this action? There is an effort in Turkey, for instance, to also revise Islamic texts. What real hope can these acts offer to bring Islam into the modern and democratic world?

To discuss this issue, Frontpage Symposium has assembled a distinguished panel. The following is an excerpt:

"Khalim Massoud, let’s begin with you.

Your group Muslims Against Sharia is creating a new Koran with the violent verses removed. Tell us about this effort and what you hope to achieve and how realistic you think it is.

Massoud: Thank you Jamie.
We don't look at it as a new Koran, but rather a reversion to the original. We base it on three premises:
* God is infallible
* God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
* The Koran contains contradictory verses
We believe that unless you are a fundamentalist Muslim, a pagan or an atheist (and there is nothing wrong with being a pagan or an atheist), you would agree with all three premises.If two verses in the Koran contradict each other, then at least one of them could not have possibly come from God because it would contradict the doctrine of God's infallibility. And because God is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the peaceful verse could come from God and the violent could not. If you are a Muslim and you follow our logic, you would agree with us. So what we are trying to achieve is to educate Muslims that the doctrine of Islamic supremacy is not divine, but rather a perversion put in the Koran by nefarious people to fit their agendas. Once we get rid of Islamic superiority doctrine, which is the cornerstone of all evil in Islam, Islam once again could become peaceful, loving, enlightened religion as we believe God has intended. "

To read the article please click FrontPage Magazine.

Will the Dhivehi women become Arab women?

If the mullahs get their way and it appears that they are succeeding, Dhivehi women will become the property of men. The following article is about the state of women in Saudi Arabia, home of Mohammed Prophet of Islam. This is what these Arab educated mullahs want to make of the Maldives..

"In Riyadh, the college day begins for female students behind a locked door that will remain that way until male guardians come to collect them. Later, in a female-run business, everyone must vacate the premises so a delivery man can drop off a package. In Jeddah, a 40-year-old divorced woman cannot board a plane without the written permission of her 23-year-old son. Elsewhere, a female doctor cannot leave the house at all as her male driver fails to turn up for work. These scenes make up the daily reality for half of the Saudi Kingdom, the only country where women legally belong to men.
After more than a decade of lobbying, the New York-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has finally been granted access to Saudi Arabia, where it has uncovered a disturbing picture of women forced to live as children, denied basic rights and confined to a suffocating dependency on men.
Wajeha al-Huwaider, a critic of Saudi's guardian laws that force women to seek male permission for almost all aspects of their lives, is one of a growing number demanding change. "Sometimes I feel like I can't do anything; I am utterly reliant on other people, completely dependent. If you are dependent on another person, you've got nothing. That is how the men like it. They don't want us to be equals."
The House of Saud, in alliance with an extremist religious establishment which enforces the most restrictive interpretation of sharia, Islamic law, has created a legal system that treats women as minors unable to exercise authority over even trivial daily matters.
The most egregious consequences of this repressive regime occasionally filter out from the Gulf Kingdom: the notorious case in Qatif of the girl who was jailed after being gang raped on a charge of consorting with a male non-relative; the schoolgirls believed to have burnt to death in Mecca as religious police would not let them leave the fiery premises without headscarves; or the happily married Fatima Azzaz from Mansour, forced to divorce her husband at the whim of her half-brothers.
Beyond these high-profile cases is a demoralising and sometimes ridiculous reality in which women cannot open bank accounts for their children, take them to the dentist or even on a field trip without the written permission of the father.
Petty humiliations are endemic. Two women who spoke to HRW said, in a report released today, that judges had refused them the right to speak in court as their voices were "shameful" – only their guardians were allowed to speak on their behalf. Saudi courts require a mu'arif (a male to identify her under the full face veil) before a woman can even attempt to testify.
"The Saudi government sacrifices human rights to maintain male control over women," said Farida Deif from HRW. "Saudi women won't make progress until the government ends the abuses that stem from these misguided policies."
The oil-rich kingdom lies at the bottom of the UN rankings on female empowerment and women make up only 4 per cent of the workforce.
The frustrations of Dr M are typical of those faced even by educated women:
"When I take my daughter to the doctor's, they ask me where my husband is, and refuse to do anything until he comes to authorise it. Even if it is something small like an ear infection."
Another woman who, despite the legal barriers, owns her own business, describes the farcical difficulties she faces: "Only women can enter my premises. If a delivery man needs to drop something off we have to exit the premises first. It is ridiculous."
Trumpeted reforms from King Abdullah have had little impact on women's lives. Too often, sex segregation results in an "apartheid" system in which facilities for women are either grossly inferior or non-existent. Women were denied the right to vote in the kingdom's first municipal elections because there were no separate voting booths for them.
Even progress that is achieved often serves to underline the fundamental problem – that of legal guardianship of men over women. In the words of one Saudi woman: "We still need to get a male guardian – husband, father or brother – to sign a form saying where we are allowed to work and when. It is like we are their property."

to go to source click here

Maldives among the worst nations in the world for persecuting Christians

"A Church of England bishop is calling on British holidaymakers to boycott sunspot favourites such as the Maldives, Bali and Turkey because of persecution of Christians.

The Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Right Rev Alan Smith, urged travellers to think twice when booking exotic holidays as a report today lists some of the top holiday destinations as among the worst countries for persecuting Christians.

In its report, the 2008 World Watch List, the charity Open Doors listed the Maldives, Egypt, Vietnam, Cuba and India as among the worst 30 persecuting nations. The countries are often favoured as places to visit for teenagers on gap-year breaks or adults seeking unusual destinations."

Jesus Christ , The sermon on the mount

From the Times Online

EGYPT: A battle over female circumcision

Islamists and conservative clerics are fighting proposed legislation in the Egyptian parliament that would criminalize female circumcision and raise the minimum age of when a girl can marry. The Islamists view the bill as an affront to Sharia law.

The legislation drafted by the government-backed National Council for Motherhood and Childhood would impose a prison sentence of as long as two years and a maximum fine of 5,000 Egyptian pounds, or about $1,000. The proposal would raise the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18. The bill has been met with a storm of anger by a number of delegates from both the majority and the Islamist opposition led by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Opponents say the new restrictions are an attempt by the government to impose a Western agenda on an Islamic society. Some clerics, in opposing the bill, state that Islamic Sharia law condones female circumcision and imposes no minimum age of marriage. "Religion does not prohibit or criminalize female circumcision," prominent Islamic scholar Mustafa al-Shaka said to the local press this week.

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Yemeni Parliament votes down bill to outlaw female genital mutilation

We keep hearing from Islamic spokesmen this practice has nothing to do with Islam -- and yet Yemen now votes down attempts to outlaw it. Jordan did the same thing a few years ago on another practice that is supposed to be solely cultural: the Parliament voted down attempts to stiffen penalties for it, on Islamic grounds. And here a Yemeni pol explains that since religious authorities haven't forbidden genital mutilation, they can't very well outlaw it.

Yemen Times - SANA’A, April-13 — Preventing female circumcision and pre-marriage medical tests evoked turmoil and disagreement among Parliament members (MPs) in last week’s session.
The session ended with a unanimous agreement to cancel the term 3, which would prevent female circumcision, and delay the discussion of pre-marriage tests.
The two terms were part of a draft written by the Safe Motherhood Law Project, and introduced by the heath committee inside Parliament.
Najeb Ghanem, the Chairman of the Health Committee in Parliament, expressed his sorrow over the way Parliament discussed the two issues.
“These two topics are very important for guaranteeing women’s rights in Yemen,” he commented in a phone call to the Yemen Times after the session.
According to Ghanem, who belongs to the Islah party, most of the MPs who disagreed with the terms represent the conservative attitudes of most Yemeni citizens. “The committee is aware of the Yemeni conservative community’s positions on these issues. So we [the committee] suggested applying the law of emphasizing pre-marriage medical tests after ten years… that is after we carry out extensive awareness campaign to educate people about the importance of such tests.”
Zid Al-Shami, an MP who suggested delaying the approval of the two terms, confirmed that such topics are “sensitive and need more awareness.”
“I suggested canceling term number three, about preventing female circumcision, for many reasons. First, the term, which was written in the draft, included inappropriate and shameful sentences. Second, female circumcision exists in few regions in Yemen, like in Hodeidah and Hadramout, so it not common practice. And finally, there is still religious debate regarding the issue, so as we have no directives by the heads of religion to forbid female circumcision, we do not have the right to ban it,” Al-Shami explained...."

With thanks to Jihadwatch

Woman married at 10 years old, must pay to obtain divorce

A 23 year old girl, forced to marry at ten in Saudi Arabia was ordered to pay the equivalent of 16,750 euros to obtain a divorce from his husband, according to Saudi daily al-Watan.

The girl, deemed as a 'rebel' by a judge in the capital, Riyadh, was forced to marry a 67-year-old man due to her family's economic problems, in exchange for a dowry of 100,000 Saudi riyals (16,750 euros).

According to the judge, the girl does not have any grounds for divorce, but if she wants to divorce the husband, she must return the dowry given to the family 13 years ago.

The father of the girl, regrets having married her daughter so young, saying "I made a mistake by forcing my daughter to marry. If she wants to re-marry, it will be her decision who to do it with.

"The father of the 23-year-old woman also pleaded for help in order to collect the 100,000 riyal dowry that must be returned."I ask those who have the possibility to help my daughter to find the money needed to return the dowry. I cannot help her because our family does not have the economic means," concluded the father.

On Wednesday, a court in neighbouring Yemen annulled the marriage of an eight-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man.

The girl alleged her husband had beaten and raped her although under Yemeni law a groom is not allowed to have sex with his child bride until she reaches puberty.

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Indian Soap Operas Leave Muslims Hot and Bothered...

Indian soap operas with their tales of family drama and trysts among the rich and beautiful have transfixed Afghans brought up on turgid state broadcasts and under a Taliban ban on television.

But not everyone is a fan.

Conservative Muslim clerics and some politicians are outraged by the soap operas aired hour-after-hour by more than a dozen private television stations that have sprung up since the Taliban were ousted in 2001.

Branding the programs immoral and against Islamic culture, the critics have launched a campaign to press the private channels to pull the plug on the soaps.

At Friday prayers at Kabul's largest mosque, Enayatullah Balegh, an influential cleric and university teacher, told reporters he and his followers were adamant.

"We are 6,000 people in this mosque, our intention ... is to go and blow up all the TV antennas if they do not stop it," Balegh said in front of his congregation.

"God is greatest, we are ready," the congregation chanted in response.

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Pope will pray for terrorists at Ground Zero

The Pope will pray for the redemption of Islamic terrorists when he visits the site of the September 11 attacks in New York next week.

The pontiff will call for terrorists to convert to Christianity, saying: "Turn to Your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.

"God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance".

The prayer is likely to further incense the Muslim world, which has already attacked the Pope for publicly converting Magdi Allam, a journalist and one of Italy's most high-profile Muslims, at Easter.

Osama bin Laden accused the Pope of trying to provoke "a new crusade" against Islam.

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The Pope will also ask for "eternal light and peace to all who died" in the tragedy. His prayer will remember "the heroic first-responders: our firefighters, police officers, emergency service workers… along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy".

Around 3,000 people died in the attacks on the World Trade Centre, including the 19 hijackers. The prayer will also mention the victims "on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania".

The Pope will conclude: "Bring Your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth." He will then sprinkle the crater with holy water and bless the site.

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Unveiled women turn men into beasts

..."This situation is very serious in that if men see these bad women, they will turn into beasts, and then the whole of society will have to pay the consequences."
According to the Shia cleric, women who do not respect conservative Islamic dress rules are "sources of all that is bad in society."

"Respecting the chador (a long, black cloak that covers the arms and legs and is usually worn with a hijab) is the law of the state and the authorities must severely punish anyone who does not respect this law, in the same way that they punish thieves and murderers," said Elmadhoda.

He is also a member of the Council of Experts - a powerful body of 86 senior clerics which elects, supervises and can dismiss the country's supreme leader.

"A women who does not wear the entire veil is like a fire which burns anyone who comes into contact with her," said Elmalhoda.

"Our youth, even those who are educated by families who believe and respect the words of the Prophet, when they come into contact with this fire [the women who are not properly veiled] they burn and become ash," he said.

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This unveiled grandmother will turn a Muslim into this !

Islamic belief is that men have no capacity to control themselves, and have no responsibility to do so; the burden is all on women to protect men from temptation by hiding inside movable tents.

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