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A fatwa for women, by women: The Hindustan Times
Hyderabad, Sept 28: Dar-ul-Iftah, a collegium of muftias (women muftis or religious teachers) formed for the first time in the country in Hyderabad this week, has issued a fatwa, stating that patronising beauty parlours is un-Islamic.
Hyderabad, Sept 28: Dar-ul-Iftah, a collegium of muftias (women muftis or religious teachers) formed for the first time in the country in Hyderabad this week, has issued a fatwa, stating that patronising beauty parlours is un-Islamic.
They declared that while the Shariat permits women to wear make-up to look beautiful, it does not allow them to remove hair by waxing or bleaching and wear men's clothes or coloured contact lenses.
They issued the fatwa after a woman, Juveria Fathima, sought their “guidance” on fashion trends.
Though muftias have been around for some time, this is the first time they are sitting in judgement on women's issues, a job so far done by muftis, often accused of gender bias.
Says head muftia Nazima Aziz: “We go through queries sent by women and issue a fatwa after thoroughly studying the Shariat and Hadis.”
The muftias, armed with a reference library and a PC with Internet access, are available for consultation two hours a day. They can also be reached on www.jamiatul-mominath.com, an Urdu website what will be up soon.
Queries are trickling in. A young woman wants to know if she can cut her nails during her periods. Another wants to know if Islam permits test-tube babies.
Says Moulana Hafiz Mohammed Mastan Ali, director of Jamiat-ul-Mominat (a madrassa for girls) who’s the brain behind Dar-ul-Iftah: “Women are shy about discussing personal problems with muftis. Now they are free to discuss such things with muftias.”
But can they enforce fatwas? Replies a muftia: “We give guidance and it's up to people to implement it. This is not an Islamic country, where violation of a fatwa invites reprisals. Allah will punish them for their sins.”
Owners of Hyderabad's beauty parlours, however, seem nonchalant. They say it is unlikely to cut much ice with Muslim women who are increasingly going in for beauty enhancements, mainly to attract grooms settled abroad.
They declared that while the Shariat permits women to wear make-up to look beautiful, it does not allow them to remove hair by waxing or bleaching and wear men's clothes or coloured contact lenses.
They issued the fatwa after a woman, Juveria Fathima, sought their “guidance” on fashion trends.
Though muftias have been around for some time, this is the first time they are sitting in judgement on women's issues, a job so far done by muftis, often accused of gender bias.
Says head muftia Nazima Aziz: “We go through queries sent by women and issue a fatwa after thoroughly studying the Shariat and Hadis.”
The muftias, armed with a reference library and a PC with Internet access, are available for consultation two hours a day. They can also be reached on www.jamiatul-mominath.com, an Urdu website what will be up soon.
Queries are trickling in. A young woman wants to know if she can cut her nails during her periods. Another wants to know if Islam permits test-tube babies.
Says Moulana Hafiz Mohammed Mastan Ali, director of Jamiat-ul-Mominat (a madrassa for girls) who’s the brain behind Dar-ul-Iftah: “Women are shy about discussing personal problems with muftis. Now they are free to discuss such things with muftias.”
But can they enforce fatwas? Replies a muftia: “We give guidance and it's up to people to implement it. This is not an Islamic country, where violation of a fatwa invites reprisals. Allah will punish them for their sins.”
Owners of Hyderabad's beauty parlours, however, seem nonchalant. They say it is unlikely to cut much ice with Muslim women who are increasingly going in for beauty enhancements, mainly to attract grooms settled abroad.