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This is a story to watch. From the BBC, with thanks to Samson:
Morocco has appointed 50 women as state preachers for the first time as part of the government's drive to promote a more tolerant version of Islam.The Islamic guides, called Mourchidats, will be able to give basic religious instruction in mosques.
But they will not be able to lead Friday prayers, which will remain a male preserve.
Since suicide bombers struck Casablanca in 2003, there has been a crackdown on suspected Islamic militants.
The country has also been attempting to modernise its human rights, especially for women, while not alienating conservative Muslims.
What's that, BBC? You mean to say there is tension between human rights and Islamic "conservatism"? What are you, some kind of Islamophobe?
As well as teaching in mosques, the women preachers will be able to support to people in prisons, schools and hospitals."It is a big responsibility for me to give more to our country," 26-year-old Karima Errejili told Reuters news agency at her graduation ceremony on Wednesday.
"We want to correct the image of Islam, the religion of tolerance and pity."
Here again, I wish Errejili would share her Qur'anic exegesis with the world. This kind of thing is asserted hundreds of times a day, but never established -- which of course makes this whole enterprise look like so much window dressing.
The ceremony was attended by Morocco's minister of Islamic Affairs who told the graduates to remain committed to their faith and the politics of the state."Your duty... is to prevent intrusion by foreign agents trying to violate our values and traditions," Ahmed Taoufiq is quoted by AP news agency as saying.
I thought that was his duty. But never mind. Generally, Morocco is indeed more moderate than many other Muslim countries. The reaction from "conservatives" to all this will be interesting.
Posted by Robert at May 4, 2006 7:47 AM
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It sounds to me as if they're just painting a friendly mask on the vile monster of islam. Lure them in.....then.....GOTCHA!!!!!
Posted by: freewoman![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 4, 2006 8:26 AM
"We want to correct the image of Islam, the religion of tolerance and pity."
-- from the article above
Image, image, image. Correct the "image." Make sure that the "image" of Islam is improved. Do everything for the "image." Hold conferences on the "real" meaning of "Jihad." Donate, if you are the government of Qatar, a few tens of millions to institutions in New Orleans (and be sure to include a Catholic college), to improve the "image" of Qatar and of Islam (so everyone can forget about the hosting of Al-Jazeera, the louche al-Thani familiy members, and everything else, in their mindless gratitude).
Image, image, image. Fred Dutton, John C. West, Crawford Cook, "international business consultant" Raymond Close (and who chose to make Raymond Close a "Stimson Fellow" at Yale in 2004 -- who was in charge, that year, of the Stimson Fellowships, and why?). Protect the "image" of Islam. Hold Euro-Arab "Dialogue" meetings galore, pay off everyone who is willing to be paid off (which is to say, almost everyone) and protect that image, image, image.
at May 4, 2006 9:16 AM
Betcha some of these will end up with their burqa decapitated very shortly. Those Allah-like men ain't gonna stand for women messin in their business.
Posted by: JanuaryMan at May 4, 2006 9:17 AM
"Image is Everything!"
Andre Agassi
at May 4, 2006 9:19 AM
Folks, the Morocco government is trying dress up Koran to try to earn brownie points.
Posted by: bigcatgirl13106 at May 4, 2006 9:33 AM
Women teaching others from the Quran is like Jews teaching from Mein Kampf. I don't see why the men should be too bothered by it.
Posted by: poetcomic1 at May 4, 2006 11:09 AM
The thing is that Morocco is led by a descendant of Muhammad and that the decision as to what is or is not Islam is strictly the King's own business. This will not alter the mentality of ordinary Moroccans (except for the minority that converts to Christianity) as may be seen by the way that those who leave the kingdom for France, Holland or Italy promptly become radicalized. But it may make the kingdom itself a less stifling place - and indeed, as compared to most Islamic countries, it already is.
Posted by: Paolo at May 4, 2006 11:41 AM
Islam seems to be completely about image. Burkas - we are more virtuous than thou, ostentious praying - we're holier, more devout than thou, etc etc, and then behind closed doors FGM, revolving polygyny, sex with and rape of infidels, easy divorce, muta and misyar 'marriages', domestic violence on women and children, etc etc, behind closed doors, behind those house with no windows streetside, where violence goes unseen, as it does under the burka.
Also, if 'sins' (not an islamic concept, but they seem to have borrowed it from us, and it still relates to the haram/halal,) are committed in private, allah will 'cover' them ie. hide them from the rest of the world. It's all about honour/shame, no intrinsic virtue. Public perception, nothing more. Plus, of course, there is no real virtue where it is forced.
Posted by: Silvester at May 4, 2006 2:29 PM
Also, if 'sins' (not an islamic concept, but they seem to have borrowed it from us, and it still relates to the haram/halal,)
Halal and haram having no intrinsic moral basis, of course.
Posted by: Silvester at May 4, 2006 2:40 PM
This is weird: "But never mind. Generally, Morocco is indeed more moderate than many other Muslim countries. The reaction from "conservatives" to all this will be interesting."
If moroccans are more moderate, than why are french ( or is that swedish?) moroccans such assholes?
Posted by: el greco at May 4, 2006 8:19 PM
el greco, french morrocans are assholes because the French are assholes.
It doesn't matter if it is done for image reasons or an actual attempt to change Islam, because if these women are not puppets, they will begin to change Islam...
Posted by: skald at May 4, 2006 8:28 PM
sifia,
That's what I wonder as well. One of the reasons I thought male muslims wouldn't allow females in the mosques is because they might have been worried that the women would object to all the violence being preached, etc. but I remember Mr Spencer had a post a good while ago about rapes in the Sudan where the rapists wives watched while their menfolk raped infidels/inferior muslims and sang songs to egg their men on.
Did a search but can't find the post, but I know I didn't imagine it.
It's Stockholm syndrome, the oppressed have to identify/align themselves with their oppressors to try and deflect the violence onto a third party.
Posted by: Silvester at May 4, 2006 9:27 PM
And of course, muslim women/mothers are very complicit in so-called honour killings of their own daughters.
Posted by: Silvester at May 4, 2006 9:28 PM
And of course, muslim women/mothers are very complicit in so-called honour killings of their own daughters. from Silvester
That is very true. And I wonder how many also standby out of fear. I'm sure these women have seen their men in fits of rage before, but add anger and killing and blood to the mix and I'll bet she wants no part of that fury. It probably wouldn't take but a look to off her too.
at May 4, 2006 11:56 PM
One has to wonder why women bother to take active roles in Islam and its jihad warfare. What could there be for women in Islam?
Since Islam doesn't mention reincarnation in its teachings and the 72 virgin sexslaves are reserved for the jihadist males in their afterlife, what is there for women (especially older women)? As far as I can see, nothing!
I don't get it.
Posted by: pythagoras at May 5, 2006 1:09 PM
Pythagoras, women (or indeed men) in extremely abusive situations are vulnerable.
We've all seen the strong, independent western woman who ends up with the fellow who smacks her around and we ask, "Why does she put up with that?"
There are so many reasons, but one is 'better the devil you know'. She knows she is in a bad situation, she should get out of it, but it's what she has become accustomed to. There is a sense of failure, of guilt, and a lot of fear - what if freedom is more difficult? Who will be there for her? At least she knows where her man is coming from. She can rely on certain behaviours. It takes a lot for a woman to move past a physically violent relationship.
And that's here in the west.
Consider muslim women - all their lives, they are indoctrinated from birth that they are worth less than a man. A bit more than an infidel, sure, but nowhere near a muslim man.
She is not considered trustworthy enough to make her own decisions, or speak to men who are not related in case she seduces them.
The honour of the muslim world is held between her thighs.
That is a very heavy burden to carry.
When we add to that all the evils of the infidel world that she has been brought up on, she would no doubt be terrified of it and feeling superior to it - after all, she is a muslimah. She is one of the Best People of Allah. How could the infidel world possibly offer her better than what she has?
I've tried to keep this short, as I have a tendency to rabbit on at length, but I hope that makes a bit of sense.
For all those women born into muslim slavery, I weep for your sore, bruised souls.
at May 6, 2006 7:13 AM
l.Drummond: Besides the abuse, I ownder why Muslim women bother with Islam from a theological standpoint. Because they do not appear to be eligible to go to heaven unless they are nubile virgins. Otherwise, they're SOL.
Posted by: pythagoras at May 6, 2006 1:58 PM
Where there's Life, there's Hope, Pythagoras. They have nothing else.
Look at the way the children are raised - steeped in vitriol with their native intelligence doomed to atrophy.
They have nothing in this life, so cling to the slim possibility of the next one.
I could be wrong about this, of course, but it's just how I see it.
I'm not talking about 'reverts' either, by the way; they have a whole lot of different issues, I reckon.
Posted by: L.Drummond at May 6, 2006 5:32 PM
L. Drummond: Islam is for good reason dubbed 'the death cult' and it is conceived and designed to dispense plenty of death (which it does as we all know). Centered on death, Islam offers little or no hope except death and supposedly that found in an Islamic afterlife.
But if you are a female over, say age 35, there's apparently no Islamic afterlife for you (And this on top of the hopelessness of life under Islam's tyranny). Heaven in Islam is limited to a select group of nubile virgins. ALL OTHER FEMALES NEED NOT APPLY. So I wonder truly why are these women mentioned in the above article clinging to a hope that clearly does not exist for them?
In my opinion, the reason for these and other females endorsing Islam is that, denied the right to analyze their 'religion' these women generally do not realize that Islam has ALREADY denied them an afterlife. And unless there is another Kuran we do not know about containing the existence of a women's Islamic afterlife or reincarnation (as a man or nubile young virgin) Islam's door to heaven IS largely and permanently closed as I say to the female of our species (except for the exclusive club of nubile young virgins).
Islam's single virtue (and it's a miniscule one) is that it makes people more accepting of the inevitability of death. And that's IT.
Posted by: pythagoras at May 8, 2006 3:15 PM
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