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uaeobserver · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 236

Just noticed this in the Chronicle of Higher Education......

A fatwa issued from Cairo - in conjunction with the UAE religious authorities, says that girls can decide for themselves whether or not to attend college - or even to work.

(also reported in THE NATIONAL).

007 · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 7:06 pm Post subject:

Well, the article is in this link:

http://chronicle.com/news/article/6454/muslim-women-may-defy-fathers-wishes-and-go-to-university-legal-authority-rules

The fatwa from the Mufti of Egypt was in response to a question from the Emirati authorities about a father�s right to prevent his daughter from attending a university or college. The fatwa is a nonbinding legal opinion.

So, the problem is a tribal/tradition one related to the Emaratis society, where girls are prevented from their fathers (or mothers) to attend university or to work.

According to the Mufti's fatwa, which is derived from Islamic jurisprudence:
�The harm that befalls a girl for not receiving an education is clear and known. If she abandons her college education, then she will miss a great deal of enlightenment about her religion and about everyday knowledge,� the reasoning continued. �She will have a limited awareness of the world around her as compared to � her educated counterparts in society.�

johnslat · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject:

Dear 007,
Now THAT'S a fatwa I can live with.
Regards,
John

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject:

Hey, John:

Much unlike the fatwa that was placed upon us in the mid-90's by Osama!

NCTBA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

It's a step... and if a few fathers follow it, it will be great. But, daddy will still know best and I expect that the government will not step in as yet to overrule his decisions as relates to university and working.

I don't believe that there is yet a rule that women must be allowed to finish secondary school if their family pulls them out. If someone knows of a new law in the UAE, I would be thrilled to hear about it. Both Oman and the UAE have been moving very gradually to expand women's education without seeming to usurp the power of the family patriarchs.

This Fatwa is good news...

VS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

In my experience, it was usually the brothers who were the biggest stumbling block to girls going to college/work - simply because the brothers knew their own behaviour and therefore didn't trust other young lads to behave appropriately. Confused

Often we have the brothers coming to the college to complain or speak for the family. Of course, it may be a language issue (although all HCT campuses have Emirati and other native arabic speakers on staff available to interpret if need be) where the fathers prefer to allow their sons to speak for the family, of that the fathers are busy with business etc. during school hours?

It's a starting point for discussion and consideration in any event.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Yes, the brothers were one of the biggest problems for the women students when I was there. It seemed that so many of the fathers at that time were illiterate and had allowed their educated sons to usurp their power... to the point of serious family situations. The sons might have been educated, but they were also arrogant, immature, and often violent - as the 18-25 age group can be. Hopefully as time goes on, this situation will slowly disappear.

A Fatwa giving religious backing along with the mere presence of more educated and working women should help to bring gradual change and improvement.

VS

seven seas · Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 65

Things have improved massively. How many of us saw women holding public office in the eighties ?

Women are doing things that their grandmothers could not have even imagined.

Yaaay for the fatwa!!!

anaxiforminges · Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 136 Location: UAE

As much as the notion of "fatwa" still conjures for me images of Salman Rushdie hiding in fear, I'm glad to see that the injunction is being put to progressive use.

wordsmith · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 44

I guess girls who support this fatwa and those who don't will be in my classes. Can I discuss this in class??

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I can't think of one reason why I would have discussed this in my class... you would be crossing into religion and family law... very touchy areas.

VS

trapezius · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject:

Islam gave this right to women 1,400 years ago, and these 'scholars' are giving fatwas on this now? It is not even something that requires a 'fatwa'. It is sad what some (many many, actually) Muslim men will do to their womenfolk.

wintermute2 · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:02 pm Post subject:

...different cultures and sensibilites, and different motivations...still, the Fatwa is a proclimation and an important "statement", even if it is not binding...VS is wise to caution engaging in discussion in class on this topic, however...seven seas's excitment is infectious, and there have been orders of magnitude of improvements for women, but there are miles to go before we sleep, and tears of progress to weep... (humble and abject apologies to Mr. Frost)...and the Mufti of Egypt is correct in what a woman (girl) will miss out on in terms of enlightenment...how fine a concept is opening a mind to new ideas and realizations...Fatwa on!!!

washingtonpost · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 61

The Fatwa is one thing, reality is another.

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/Mafiwasta_E.pdf

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I don't think anyone said that things were perfect, but only that they are slowly improving. And the key is education. The only way that these societies will change and advance is from the inside. As in our own culture, women didn't get rights until we demanded them - once we were educated and able to read what they were.

VS