One can hear Muslims now: "First this, next gay marriages!" "Women-led Muslim wedding sparks debate in India," by Biswajeet Banerjee for AP, August 18:
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — A Muslim marriage in northern India officiated by women has sparked an angry debate, with one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia calling it an affront to the religion.Naish Hasan, the 28-year-old bride and a women's rights activist, and Imran Ali, the 41-year-old groom, were married last week in a ceremony that is believed to be the first of its kind in India.
Muslim marriages are traditionally officiated by a man, often a local community leader. The signing of the wedding contract is also witnessed by four Muslim males, two each for the bride and groom.
But the marriage last Wednesday in the northern city of Lucknow was presided over by a woman and all the witnesses were female. The only man involved in the wedding was Ali.
Women's rights activists have greeted the marriage as a symbolic step forward for Muslim women, but the ceremony sparked a firestorm of criticism from conservative Islamic institutions, especially the Dar-ul-Uloom seminary in northern India.
The seminary is an intellectual hub for South Asian Muslims. Many of its theologians have publicly denounced terrorism but their work has nonetheless provided the intellectual underpinning for some of the most radical and violent Islamic movements in the region, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan.
An official at Dar-ul-Uloom, Ahmad Khizar Shah Masudi, called the marriage a "cruel joke on (Islamic) laws."
Another Muslim group, the Lucknow Idgah Committee, has said the marriage is invalid under Islamic law.[...]
Muslim religious leaders have for decades closely guarded the powers accorded them under the so-called personal laws and have resisted any attempts to dilute their authority.
But a small group of liberal Muslims in India have made several attempts in recent years to challenge traditional male dominance within the religion.
The seminary is an "intellectual hub" for South Asian Muslims..... intresting choice of words... funny I never thought to put muslims and intellectual together......
funny I never thought to put muslims and intellectual together......
Posted by: balticwaves at August 19, 2008 9:30 AM
Oh, it's a total oxymoron.
It's Islam itself that's the "cruel joke".
"The seminary is an intellectual hub for South Asian Muslims. Many of its theologians have publicly denounced terrorism but their work has nonetheless provided the intellectual underpinning for some of the most radical and violent Islamic movements in the region, such as the Taliban in Afghanistan."
Please read this part again :
"but their work has nonetheless provided the intellectual underpinning for some of the most radical and violent islamic movements in the region, such as the taliban in afghanistan"
This is what a "muslim intellectual" means.
Oh no! Next thing you know, muslimahs will be demanding equal rights! Is nothing sacred!?
tanstaafl,
Just wait until the homosexual community want to be married. Boy talk about the kerfuffle that'll cause. Provided they live long enough to make such demands.
Every individual who participated in this ceremony must have known they were risking death in doing so.
The local "Igdah Committee" has declared the marriage invalid. The couple are committing zinah, punishable by death. The witnesses and the officiant have mocked Islam, punishable by death. These are reformers with courage.
What should have been the joyous start of a new life together, once again under the shadow of Islamic murder.
Maybe they could have used twice the number of women - 8 witnesses - to make it at least compatible, if not compliant, with Shariah?
If she is a women's right activist, what's she doing marrying according to Mohammedan customs, as opposed to simply registering the marriage, which any Indian can do? Hasn't she read the Quran?
How ironic - Islamic law is the "official" cruel joke here - Islam is just full of ironies like this one.
Damn all those Moderate Muslims will be out on the streets again, rioting and burning the hardline Islamists in effigy for defaming the religion on peace.
A Muslim marriage in northern India officiated by women has sparked an angry debate, with one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia calling it an affront to the religion.
BIG DAMM DEAL MUSLIMS ARE ALWAYS WINING ABOUT AFFRONT TO ISLAM
Ian,
Just three days until Friday Riots, er, prayers.
kevin - next thing you know cats will be marrying dogs. Haram! Haram!
So, can someone explain how this different in principle from the Catholic Church banning women from the priesthood?