Sir, – I am the national president of the Women’s Auxiliary Organisation of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Ireland and I wish to refer to your article “Cleric says some imams in Ireland hold extremist views” (August 3rd).
I note the comments of Robert Dowds TD, who “encouraged introspection in the Ahmaddiya community regarding a deep-seated gender divide which sees men and women observe religious services separately”.
I would like to state that our female community members feel more comfortable and content in their own separate environment.
Even female guests, who are not members of the community, sometimes worry about the segregation, but afterwards they have remarked on numerous occasions that they too came to enjoy being separate and felt more liberated and independent.
Our Women Auxiliary Organisation is actively involved in the community’s overall affairs and the organisation is run by ourselves, which underlines its independence.
Some of the events organised by us include “Interfaith Programmes” to promote dialogue. We also organise “Meena Bazaars” (fun fairs) all over Ireland, in which we introduce and promote our culture to the Irish community.– Yours, etc,
TAYYABA MASHOOD,
National President,
Women’s Auxiliary
Organisation,
Ahmadiyya Muslim
Association Ireland
SOURCE: http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/ahmadiyya-muslim-community-1.2314714
Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Europe, Ireland
Right. The ‘Westerners’ should ask our ladies first, before commenting on issues of gender and hijab.
There are men from Pakistan who live in the West and wear shalwar, qameez. Ask them and they will sing praises of their dress.
I agree. Let us ask our women. The fact is ‘pardah’ is on the decrease for last many decades. I say with full confidence that not even half of our women (first generation immigrants) observe Islamic Pardah. Our next generation does so even less. I am not against the Quranic teaching of hijab. But I am against the extreme interpretations of this teaching.
Just remember that wives of the Prophet, who were asked to remain in their homes in the Holy Quran, (Al-Ahzab) participated in all civic activities. Hadhrat Ayesha watched a circus with the Holy Prophet in the yard of the mosque. Just think!! A circus in the yard of the mosque.
So the reality is running over the dogma. Pardah as described by the leaders of the religion is on the retreat.