Download Australian Muslim Women`s Centre for Human

Australian Muslim Women’s Centre
for Human Rights
AUSTRALIAN MUSLIM WOMEN’S CENTRE
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
• Is a traditional community welfare organisation, set up in 1991
as the Islamic Women’s Welfare Council of Victoria
• Non religious organisation to reflect the full diversity of Muslim
women, but will enter into the religious realm when Islam is
used to justify disadvantaging or treating women as less than
men
• Aims to facilitate Muslim women’s empowerment and full
participation in Australian society using a gender and social
justice approach.
• Case-work, advocacy, group work, community legal education,
parenting, leadership, capacity-building, research, personal
development
The Muslim World
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1.2 billion people. (one-fifth of humanity)
All races
Only 18% Arab
Different language, diverse customs
Islam is their religion
Muslims in Australia
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Arrived c.1650
Afghans 1800’s
Aust. Muslim population 760,000 (approx)
In Victoria est. 200,000
70 Ethnicities
>130 linguistic groups
Stereotypes unworkable
Muslims in Australia
• Australian Muslims make up about 2% of
the Australian population with 40% of
Australian Muslims born in Australia
• Around 60% were born in overseas
countries such as Lebanon, Turkey,
Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia,
Iraq, Iran, Somalia etc.
Victorian Muslims
• 50% aged under 25
• 41% born here
• 17% have little or no English
What is Islam?
• Revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) over
1400 years ago
• Arabic word Islam is derived from aslama meaning
“to submit oneself” - Muslim means “one who
submits to the will of God (Allah)”
• Islam has a strong relationship with the root of
Judaism and hence of Christianity
• Shares the knowledge of and respect for all the
prophets of the Old Testament
Basic Beliefs
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Belief in the One God.
Belief in the Angels.
Belief in God’s Revealed Books.
Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God.
Belief in the Day of Judgement
The Quran
• Quran literally means “that which is recited”
• Holy scripture of Islam - complete collection of the
revelations
• Revealed over a 23 year period
• Contains 114 chapters in classical Arabic
• Belief that the Quran is the direct word of God
The Quran
• The Quran plays a very important role in the daily
life of Muslims and is regarded as the absolute
truth.
• Although the Quran has been translated into
many languages the original language of the
Quran, Arabic, is still used for prayer and religious
ceremonies even in non-Arabic speaking
countries.
Prophethood
(Hadith and Sunna)
• Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) - chosen by Allah as
His last messenger
• Sunnah –the traditions of Islam
• Hadith – the recorded practices and teachings of
the Prophet Mohammed
• Transmitted orally and later recorded - 100 to 200
years later
Hadith and Sunna
• The history of the Prophet’s life, his behaviour,
deeds, and sayings were memorized by his
companions and passed on as oral record,
documented later and include topics on
reconciliation of disputes, education, prescriptions
for prayers, for charity, comments on male-female
relations, hospitality, etc.
Sharia
• Is commonly misunderstood as Islamic law, even by
some Muslims but Sharia may be translated as
“path” or “road” – it is not a code
• What constitutes Sharia and how it is to be applied
is a source of considerable debate
• Fiqh is what might be defined as Islamic law, in the
sense that it operates like a legal code and defines
what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour
Imams
• No hierarchy of clergy
• A religious scholar may become an Imam
• An Imam, invariably male (they are no apparent religious
reasons for this) is also the person who leads the
congregational prayer
• An Imam is not a priest and there are no ordination, no
sacraments or rites which only a religiously qualified person
can perform.
• Imams may be married and have families like any other
Muslim.
Islamic Sects
• Two major streams of Islam - Sunnis and
Shias/Shiite
• Sunni - considered to be the mainstream sect
• Shia/Shiite - labelled as diverging from
mainstream Islam
• There are many subsects in Islam
Islamic Sects
• Upon the death of the Prophet Mohammad
(PBUH) there was disagreement on who should
succeed as leader.
• The Sunnis followed Abu Bakr while the Shias
followed Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law Ali.
• These splits have expanded into social, political
and theological differences, however, the main
beliefs and principles of Islam remain the same in
both streams.
Islamic Sects
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Afghanistan is 80% Sunni
Iraq about 45-60% Sunni
Iran is 90-95% Shi’ite
Syria is 80% Sunni
Algeria about 99% Sunni
Sunnis outnumber Shi’ites in Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey,
Somalia and Sudan
• The majority of Muslims in Australia are Sunni but there
are also significant populations belong to the Shia, Alawi,
Alevi, Ismaili, Druze, Bohra and Ahmedi sects.
Five Pillars of Islam
• Witness (Tawhid) - central theme of Islam, means to bear witness to
the one and only true God (Allah) and Prophet Mohammed as His last
messenger
• Prayer (Salat) - Muslims are required to pray five times a day at set
times facing Mecca
• Almsgiving (Zakat) - obligatory religious tax - an average 2 and 1/2 % of
annual savings to help the poor and the needy
• Fasting - A Muslim over the age of puberty is required to observe the
ninth month of the lunar year, Ramadan, as a period of fasting
• Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) - All Muslims are required to make a
pilgrimage to Mecca at least once their lifetime if they are physically
and financially able to do so.
Prayers
• Muslim prayers are set rituals. Before praying
Muslims must wash their hands, arms, feet and
ankles, head and neck in running water. Then they
must cover their head, face Mecca and perform a
precise series of actions.
• Friday is the hold day for Muslims..
• A space for practicing Muslims to pray at work
What is Fasting?
• During Ramadan, Muslims should refrain from
eating, drinking, smoking and conjugal relations.
• This means that no substitute should be
introduced into the body which could be
considered as providing nourishment to the body
e.g. a nutritional injection.
• Fasting is from dawn to sunset every day of the
month of Ramadan. (2016 - 5th June starts)
Who is Exempted from
Fasting?
• Men and women who are too old and feeble to
undertake the fast
• Sick people whose health may be affected by
fasting e.g. diabetics
• Pregnant women if according to a doctor’s advice
they should refrain from fasting.
• Breast feeding mothers if their child does not
receive a sufficient quantity of milk because of the
mother’s fast.
Who is Exempted from
Fasting?
• Women in the period of menstruation and after
child birth (up to a maximum of 40 days).
• Children under the age of puberty.
• Mentally ill people who are not accountable for
their deeds.
• A travelling Muslim.
How is Ramadan
Celebrated?
• The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a feast
called Eid Ul Fitr, a day of thanksgiving and
happiness.
• In Muslim countries this is celebrated with a three
day national holiday.
• In Australian many Muslims try to take a day off
work and children a day off school.
Islam and Women
• Long history of concern for gender equality
• Verses of the Quran dealing with its fundamental
principles and requirements address both men
and women
• The Quran explicitly reproaches those who believe
that women are inferior to men and instructs men
time and time again to treat their wives well
Islam and Women
• Each country has own history and culture.
• What may be considered Islamic in one Muslim
context may be totally unheard of in another.
• Many women do not enjoy the basic rights
awarded to them by Islam
Islam and Women
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Women’s rights in Islam
Respect, dignity and good treatment
Education
Economic rights
– right to earn
– right to own property
– right to own and run a business
– right to buy, sell and lease
Parenting rights
Political rights
Marriage rights
Islam and Women
• Both men and women are prescribed to be
modest in behaviour, thought and physical
appearance, especially regarding the opposite
gender.
• The extent to which this modesty manifests in
Muslim’s style of dress depends on many factors.
Hijab
• “Hijab” literally means ‘curtain’ or ‘barrier’.
• A hijab was originally used in the home of the
prophet to protect the privacy of the female
residents from the constant stream of visitors.
• Later this ‘curtain’ was adopted as a woman’s
dress to protect women’s privacy.
• The nature, importance and specific meaning of
hijab varies for Muslim women.
Hijab
• Women only cover their head in public not in front
of immediate family.
• There are Muslim women who do not cover
themselves.
• For males after puberty the part of the body
between the navel and the knees should be
covered.
Hijab
Circumcision
• Circumcision is generally performed on boys
between the age of 7 and 12 however there
is a preference to circumcise at a much
earlier age. (3-4 months of age)
• Female circumcision is sometimes
perceived as a Muslim practice but it is not.
Marriage
• Marriage in Islam is a contract. In order to marry
all that is required is two adult Muslims to witness
the exchange of vows between bride and groom.
This can take place in a mosque or at home.
Depending on the cultural background of the
couple an Imam may be present if possible.
• A women does not take her husband’s name
when she marries but continues to use her own
surname.
Polygyny
• In Islam, monogamy is the usual form of
relationship, however, some men argue that
polygyny is also an accepted practice.
• Qurancially, a man is permitted to have up to four
wives at any one time on condition that he treat all
of them equally. The Quran later states that
equality is not possible, so it is better for men that
they not enter the practice
• A woman can insist in her marriage contract that
her husband will not practise polygyny and breaking
of this contract is grounds for the annulment of
marriage by the woman.
Food
• The Arabic word “halal” means lawful or allowed.
• Halal is everything that is not specifically noted as
being Haraam (not allowed)
• There are seven categories of food/drink that
have been prohibited
Haram Foods
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Pork and pork products
Blood
Carnivorous animals
Almost all reptiles and insects
The bodies of dead animal
Any animal that is not slaughtered according to
Islamic Law
• Wine, Ethyl Alcohol and Spirits
Halal Food
• Halal meat comes from animals that have been
slaughtered according to Islamic rites which
acknowledge Allah as the source of all life.
• Halal food means food or products that contain
NO pork, lard, bacon, ham, alcohol or any of their
by products.
Common Expressions
• Al Salamu ‘alaykum – Peace of God be upon you
(A common Muslim greeting)
• Insha-Allah – If God wills
• Ma-Sha-Allah –the expression Muslims say when
they wish to express admiration (and avoid the
evil eye).
Social Norms
• Visiting a Muslim home.
You may be expected to remove your shoes.
Muslim families may pray and eat on their floors so
for hygienic purposes they do not wear shoes in the
home.
• Hospitality is a strong Muslim custom.
If a visitor arrived, even uninvited, the host will
usually offer drink and food.
Social Norms
• Hosts may be hesitant to ask a visitor into their
home if the visitor is of the opposite gender and
they are alone.
• It may be necessary for males and females in the
household to remain in separate rooms in the
presence of non-family members.
• Inclusion around social occasions – alcohol,
venues.
• Celebration cakes – birthdays etc. (alcohol)
Greeting Customs
• Greeting customs include greeting those of the
same sex warmly.
• Physical contact with the opposite sex (except
close family) should be avoided and contact
should remain verbal.
• As an alternative one may place one’s hand on
chest as a gesture of humility or respect.
Racism
• Unfortunately racial and religious intolerance of
Muslims has become entrenched, particularly in
response to some of the high profile cases
involved Muslims and of course what is happening
overseas.
Islam in Practice
• Like any other religious community, the Muslim
community worldwide is not homogeneous
• Diverse views, practices and interpretations of Islamic
doctrines regarding every aspect of religion
• Different degrees of importance attached to religious
practice and belief