This week’s Friday Links were compiled by Eren and Samya.
Australia
Racism and sexism is creating a toxic mix for the hundreds of thousands of Muslim women living in Australia, says Dr. Mehreen Faruqi as they have become the most likely targets of those retaliating and venting their anger in the aftermath of terrorist incidents. Dr. Faruqi is advocating for Muslim women to be included in discussions on Islamophobia and social inclusion.
Canada
Canada has seen a rise in cases of racism and Islamophobia in the past few days. Several women (here, here and here) have been attacked or received hate mail. Thus, a number of community-led initiatives have appeared including the #IllRideWithYou project, BuddyUpTO and several self-defence initiatives, particularly in Ontario and Alberta.
The self-defence courses are intended to empower Muslim women, teach ways to de-escalate situations, draw in bystanders in the face of hateful attacks, and help build safer communities.
The Star says black abaayas are a “staple of Muslim fashion.”
France
‘Mustang’ is a film that offers a humanizing portrait of adolescent Muslim girls as they transition to womanhood. And it’s just the film we need right now, writes Jen Yamato.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday unanimously upheld France’s headscarf ban in a case brought by a French Muslim social worker sacked in 2000 for wearing a religious veil.
Guinea
Guinea’s President Alpha Condé has called on the chairman of the regional bloc to introduce a bill that would ban the wearing of the full Islamic veil in west Africa. Mr Condé justified his recommendation by saying that “in many of our countries, terrorists were increasingly using the full veil to carry out criminal acts against peaceful citizens”.
Iran
In previous months Iranian football player Niloufar Ardalan, missed the final of the Asian Games in September due to her husband’s refusal to let her travel. However, for a 2015 Futsal World Cup event in Guatemala this week, Iranian authorities overruled her husband’s wishes and granted Ardalan a single exit visa.
Nigeria
The Criterion, an Association of Muslim Women in Business and the Professions, has called for the immortalization of late Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf who died during the September 24 stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia during the last hajj exercise. The women group has post-humously honoured Bilkisu along with two others; Alhaja Lateefah Okunnu and Alhaja Raliat Abdlrasaz for their selflessness service to the propagation of Islam.
Saudi Arabia
An official from Sri Lanka’s Foreign Employment Bureau said a married 45-year-old woman who was working as a maid in Riyadh since 2013 was convicted of adultery by a Saudi court in August. The woman, who remains largely unnamed by the media, confessed to the charges, she has been sentenced to death by stoning. Her partner, also a Sri Lankan migrant worker, was given a lesser punishment of 100 lashes on account of being single.
Serbia
The president of the Serbian parliament, Maja Gojkovic, was criticised for wearing conservative Islamic clothing during a visit to Tehran. Advocates of women’s rights in Serbia said Gojkovic should not have donned the full-length abaya during her trip to Tehran on Monday, arguing that she had worn more conservative clothing than was necessary for diplomatic protocol in the Islamic republic.
Switzerland
Switzerland votes for burqa ban (which is likely conflated with the niqab) with £6,500 fine for Muslim women who wear it in public places. The local government of Ticino approved the referendum after the Swiss Parliament ruled that the ban did not violate the country’s federal law.
Syria
The New York Times published a profile of three Muslim women from Syria, each formerly a member of ISIS’ all-female Khansaa Brigade, the morality police. The profiles tell the story of “normal Muslim girls” gone bad and supporting ISIS’ efforts.
UK
The Independent reports that a group of British Muslim women have been filmed urging other women and children to support and join ISIS. The reporter, who filmed the videos, gained the women’s trust by attending public rallies. Then, she was eventually accused by those present of being a “spy” and banned from the meetings.
Muslim women are taking to Instagram to show that following their religious beliefs needn’t preclude style. They’re media-savvy, ultra-chic and have thousands of Instagram followers.
US
Kameelah Rasheed was forced off a plane at the Newark Liberty International Airport while trying to fly to Istanbul, Turkey, for a vacation. Rasheed was forced off the United Airlines flight after already going through regular airport security and being subjected to further questioning by customs officers.
