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An Iranian dissident speaks out: Is Islam compatible with women’s rights and democracy?

Oct 26, 2016 9:01 am By Christine Douglass-Williams

The story below was sent to me by a friend, Shabnam Assadollahi, an Iranian dissident who is a fully aware activist for women’s rights and as a whole, human rights.
My first encounter with her was in her role as an Iranian language interpreter in an article I wrote entitled: “Shut Down Iran’s Embassy In Canada”:
Iranian Canadian activists Shadi Paveh and Shabnam Assadollahi have translated an interview with Hamid Mohammadi, an Iranian official working as Cultural Counselor to the Embassy in Canada; as released by Fox News, this alarming article reveals that Iran has been using its embassy in Canada to mobilize loyalists of Islamic Republic to infiltrate the Canadian Government and, some terrorism experts worry, attack the United States.
Assadollahi has revealed important intel to Canada, and she continues to face danger even in Canada from Iranian thugs who intimidate Iranian dissidents, even abroad, although Canada and other Western states should be safe havens. Such is not the case, and this should not be tolerated. The bullied today can easily become you tomorrow — not to mention the immorality of the intimidation.
No amount of politicking can fool Shabnam or intimidate her. She has stared down a regime of death and human rights violations, has been imprisoned, and has emerged with insights to warn the West, particularly those who undeservedly hold positions of trust and power but care mostly about the latter.
Assadollahi states that normative Islam is not compatible with democracy and feminism.
There needs to be an enlightenment within Islam that could advance it collectively into the 21st century; otherwise, Islam will collectively remain antiquated and barbaric, a religion that has defined itself in modern society as one marked by turf wars, bloodshed, and chaos.
iranian-regime-must-be-evicted-from-iraq
 “Is Islam compatible with Democracy and Feminism?”, by Shabnam Assadollahi, October 25, 2016:

If feminism means: “The advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men, and is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities”, why haven’t the “feminist” Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau,  condemned oppression and atrocities against women living under Islamic Law?

In Iran, under Islamic constitution women are denigrated as second class citizens.

I was in my early teens when Ayatollah Khomeini came into power and replaced Iran’s constitution with Islamic law. Overnight, all women, including elementary school girls, were forced to cover their bodies from head to toe and were ordered to only wear dark colors.

We were no longer allowed to attend school with the opposite sex. Our once-praised school curriculum was replaced by Islamic studies, including the Quran which we were so unfamiliar with.

I was robbed of my teen years by an Islamic regime that sought to force its values on the masses. My childhood memories were replaced by a reality created by a regime where we (women) were now treated as second class citizens, and even the most mundane detail of our lives was strictly controlled by the regime’s Revolutionary Guards Forces and morality police.

What we no longer had and would never have again under the Islamic Republic was freedom of speech. Those who spoke up put themselves and their families in grave danger or simply disappeared behind the walls of the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. At that time, even 12-year-old children faced the firing squad for political dissidence.

As a teenager, I did not consider that my life would be forever changed.

Imagine for a moment a mother in Iran living a quiet, uneventful life with her children. Imagine the horror of that same woman when in the early hours of the morning she comes face-to-face with the notorious Revolutionary Guards, forcing their way into her home to arrest her 16-year-old daughter. That teen was me.

There are no words to describe what life in prison was like for a teenager who had never been apart from her parents and I can tell you that there is only one experience worse that being tortured in this way: having to listen to others scream and beg, not for their lives but for their death.

I was wrongfully imprisoned at age 16 in Iran for 18 months for expressing my free speech and for questioning Islam, the religion which I was born into.

In the end, I was given an 18-month sentence. In reality, according to the Islamic law, I should have been hanged for my views. To this day I have no idea why and how my life was spared.

In Islam, politics and religion are inseparably intertwined. For this reason, apostasy in Islam is equal to treason. A notable expression in Islam says it all, “Islam is a religion and a state.” The Penal Code of The Islamic Republic of Iran Mandates Death for Converts. Article 225-1 of this code reads, “Any Muslim who clearly announces that he/she has left Islam and declares blasphemy is an Apostate.” Bukhari (52:260) reiterates the above very clearly, “The Prophet said, ‘If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.’” According to Ayatollah Khorasani, a prominent Shiite leader in Iran, “The promotion of Christianity in Iran must be stopped.” The Ayatollah’s views are directly in line with statements found in the Quran.

In countries and societies ruled by Islamic Law, women essentially have no rights and no equality. Under Islamic Law women have fewer inheritance rights compared to men and lesser status as witnesses. Women in Islamic countries ruled under Sharia Law are subject to harsh penalties for violation of modesty laws and have no choice but follow the modesty laws such as ‘dress modesty’. In Iran modesty law and activities of country’s modesty police has been handed over to Iran’s current president, Hassan Rouhani’s Ministry of the Interior.  Failure to comply with modesty laws has been subject to extreme violence from modesty police in countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Sudan.

These violations frequently result in state-sponsored violence against women (even death) in Islamic countries. As well, female foreigners travelling to Islamic countries governed by Islamic Law are advised to dress modestly (wearing the hijab, head cover and Islamic garment) and not travel unaccompanied by a man.

A prime example of such embedded inequality is exemplified in marital relations: a man is entitled to have up to four wives. A husband, in divorcing one of his wives, need only make a declaration in front of an Islamic judge without the woman’s consent or even the requirement of her presence. However, if a woman wishes to divorce her husband, his consent is required.

Men are allowed to have “temporary” marriages, a form of legal Islamic prostitution where it can even last less than half an hour – a situation allowed by some religious scholars. Temporary marriage is also known as a “pleasure marriage,” called Mutah which was established within Islam by the Muslim prophet Mohammed himself as a way to reward his jihadists for services rendered to Allah.

A minimum marriage age for girls set as young as 12 or 13 is not uncommon in Muslim-majority countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Yemen, to name a few. In Yemen and Afghanistan there are cases where eight-year-old girls died of internal injuries suffered on their wedding night.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, Nearly 14 percent of Yemeni girls married before the age of 15 and 52 percent before the age of 18.

Closer to home, in a report published by  CIJ News, “Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, a Canadian and Toronto-based Muslim scholar clarifies the Islamic Law regarding the popular practice in Muslim countries of circumcising  girls. Bilal Philips asserts that Islam prohibits female genital mutilation, but permits female circumcision, which is a “slight” cut that does not affect the ability of women to achieve sexual satisfaction.”

Muslim Canadian author, Suhail Kapoor in his book,  Balancing Life and Beyond, advocates that within the tenets of Islam, it is permissible to “lightly” strike your spouse if she exhibits serious moral misconduct. In a chapter entitled “Does Islam Allow Wife Beating?” Kapoor outlines the circumstances under which it is appropriate for a man to punish his wife using “light” slaps on the wrist with a small wooden stick.” In a statement to QMI Agency (March 12, 2013) Suhail Kapoor said the permission to reprint his book was granted by the Ottawa-Centre MPP,  Yasir Naqvi’s office. MPP Naqvi is a Pakistani born Canadian and the Ontario Liberal Government House Leader. Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

Surat An-Nisa’ (4:89) states:

“They wish that you should disbelieve as they disbelieve, and then you would be equal; therefore take not to yourselves friends of them, until they emigrate in the way of God; then, if they turn their backs, take them, and slay them wherever you find them; take not to yourselves any one of them as friend or helper.”

Other verses supporting death for apostates in the Qur’an are: 2:217, 9:73-74, 88:21, 5:54, and 9:66.

It is evident that Islam is not a race, but it is an ideology and Canadians have the full right to disagree with Islam and its prophet and against any faith group, ideology or religion which is Called Democracy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tells Canadians that Islam is compatible with Western secular societies while at the same time, ICNA Canada and a Canadian Imam contradict Prime Minister Trudeau’s statement and publicly state that  “Islam and democracy are contradictory, absolutely incompatible”.

The Government-initiated “Islamophobia” Petition e-411 sponsored by Federal Liberal Member of Parliament, Frank Baylis calls for limiting the rights of Canadians to critique Islam, is contrary to our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Canada is a multicultural society made up of many expatriates from troubled areas who came to Canada to escape tribalism, oppressive regimes and threats to their personal freedom and safety. Now in Canada, we see a government that appears to be encouraging the kind of cultural changes and the promotion of ideologies of dictatorial regimes and regimes governed by sharia law—things those who fled had hoped never to experience ever again.

As a Canadian of Iranian origin, I feel I am without a state and have lost my Canadian identity since the Trudeau Liberals have taken power and are ruling over Canada without considering the views of Canadian citizens like myself.  There is growing radical Islam in Canada, and some of the policies being considered by elected government further enables Islamist radicalism, homophobia and attack on women’s rights.

As someone who was tortured in Evin prison as a teenager by the Islamic Republic of Iran, I want assurance by the Government of Canada that my interest, security and freedoms will be protected.

As a human rights and peace activist, my desire is the same as my fellow Canadians to maintain the liberty and diverse multiculturalism that we have enjoyed. As Canadians, we love our peaceful Muslim families that also take pride in this freedom that diversity brings. However, it is also imperative to emphasize that peaceful Muslims are also under threat from radical Islam.

That being said, this is why we must keep the secular state and religion separate so no one’s religion is given preference. Our end goal is, and must remain, equal treatment for all. Equitable pluralistic human dignity and respect can only be achieved when the government acts constitutionally without bias or favouritism towards any particular religious belief system.

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Filed Under: Canada, Featured, Iran, journalistic bias, women's rights in Islam Tagged With: Iranian dissidents, Shabnam Assadollahi


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Comments

  1. Moses says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 9:10 am

    That’s the equivalent of Nazism recognizing Jewish rights it just can’t happen.

  2. john spielman says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 9:19 am

    the obvious answer is NO, islam is compatible with NOTHING that is good honorable or lovely, righteous or Godly!
    islam IS compatible with murder misogyny stealing raping lying pedophilia- all the traits that muhammed had (funny that) and is considered islam’s PERFECT MAN!!!

    • David says

      Oct 28, 2016 at 9:16 am

      Islam’s “perfect man” was the most vile and despicable PSYCOPATHIC criminal this world has ever seen.
      He makes the like of ADOLF HITLER pale in comparison.
      The entire non-muslim world can see this in an instant!
      But Satan and his Demons so control the minds of muslums world wide, that they are BAT BLIND to this simple truth.
      Goes far to prove, beyond all doubts that EVIL does exist in this world.

  3. Cretius says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 9:27 am

    Islam is a fascist totalitarian political system that includes a religion of jihad, bigotry, intolerance, sexism and barbaric cultural practises. Muslims are their own worst enemies. They even kill each other! No one has to lie about Islam. Simply bear witness to the intolerance, bigotry and hatred spread by imams online. Muslims demand respect and rights that they deny to everyone else. This makes them unfit immigrants/refugees to modern western democracies.

    Allowing such a poisonous political system/religion in is tantamount to committing national suicide.

  4. Carolyne says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 9:57 am

    Just a few years ago the American Pediatric Society (Yes, the American Pediatric Society) recommended that its doctors make this small cut on a girl’s genitals to satisfy the Muslim requirement of genital mutilation and upon the insistence of the girl’s parents. There was such an uproar about it that the Society quickly withdrew their recommendation. I suspect that it is done anyway. I guess its better than the muslim way, but still an affront to womanhood.

  5. Angemon says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 11:57 am

    Is Islam compatible with Democracy and Feminism?

    Compatible with Democracy? No. Compatible with Feminism? Well, certainly with the so-called “3rd-Wave feminism”. At least according to the “feminists” who are quick to jump in and defend, for example, the ideology, if not the individual perpetrators, behind the mass sex assaults in Cologne.

  6. davej says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 3:16 pm

    Islam has made itself reformation-proof by centuries of inbreeding and brain washing, resulting in low intellect, misogynist, superstitious, hateful believers who are kept in line by death threats. They are prisoners to their ideology and a clear threat to the rest of us. Allowing large numbers of such people into our countries to set up more indoctrination facilities and to infiltrate our Government is utter madness.

  7. abad says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 8:09 pm

    Islam strictly forbids its females from even getting an education – as if it needs to be asked that it is compatible with women’s rights.

    In a nutshell, the answer to that one is NO.

  8. Praeceptor Maximus says

    Oct 26, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    Obama keeps telling people that ISIS has hijacked Islam, that Islam is a religion of peace, blah blah blah. So, I ask: Has Iran hijacked Islam too? Has Saudi Arabia? Has Pakistan? Has any other Islamic nation that engages in barbarity against its own people? Islam has not been hijacked by ISIS. ISIS is doing precisely what Islam commands them to do. They are no different from the Ayatollahs of Iran. By accepting and praising and often glorifying this barbaric and cruel ideology, the western leaders have condemned three groups of people (the western people, those who have escaped the tyranny of Islam, and those who are still trapped under its yoke) to a state of perpetual terror. In my opinion, the western leaders are no different from the terrorists who commit acts of terror in the west. And I have to wonder how long will it take for these same leaders (or terrorists in my opinion) to accept pedophilia in the west as accepted norm provided the act is done in the name of marriage.

  9. Shahin says

    Oct 29, 2016 at 12:00 am

    Islam is Non-Compatible with Modernity, Liberty, equality, human Rights, free thinking, ….
    However is compatible with major twisted minds of Mullahs, Imams and their religious leaders and fanatic followers…

  10. Rajesha R S says

    Oct 29, 2016 at 3:46 am

    Europe underwent Enlightenment era in 15th 16th century. Asia in 19th 20th century. Arab and other Islamic countries to undergo at the last in 21st century, I hope. Only Education to Women in Islam can bring change. The teachings of prophet Mohammad are dangerous to the peaceful coexistence of different faiths.Those Muslims who are to question the faiths in Islam are executed most. Women are raped and killed. A Pakistani woman is to say how cruel are men is Islam in her country. Even Love marriage is prohibited girls burnt for love marriage. Education is prohibited for Girls. Freedom of Speech, Comments over Quran – all are prohibited. People are induced while conversion to Islam. But, only time can tell how they will be under Sharia law if Muslims are to be in majority?

    • shahin says

      Oct 30, 2016 at 12:51 am

      It is very unlikely that Islam will undergo a change, let alone an Enlightenment.

      Simply because the followers continue to believe in two core principles:
      (1) The Quran (Islamic scripture) as a word of God-IE The Doctrine cannot be criticized or questioned, and is considered as a final word and is not open to discussion and/or improvement as there is a ZERO tolerance doctrine displayed towards anyone and anything that contravenes its principles.
      (2) The immutability of the words of God and its scripture-IE Quran and its teaching as a non-changing
      Scripture.

      So how can we expect an Islamic doctrine to change, when its pride core claim is a Non-changing one!

      The Islamic doctrine does not allow for any constructive discourse that contravenes its precepts. So no hope for any flourishing intellectual conversations to Modernity.

  11. jack grandville says

    Jan 15, 2017 at 10:52 pm

    I have read the article and fail to see any possible argument for believing or living like a Muslim. In my view, it is, among other things, simply impossible to form any logical argument to the contrary. One does not need to go to quotations of this or that from the reliious side because there is nothing compatible, no matter what is discussed — to cut to the chase, Mulsims because of their religion (which they are entitled to) have no place anywhere within our borders. And, on that note, the discussion ends for me.

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