Tag Archives: women rights

A Muslim woman’s choice

Posted on October 12, 2017 by nervana111

I wrote this piece for British newspaper I News “Is that your husband? He is English?” Of the millions of Egyptians in the world today, you opted to marry an Englishman?”   The Syrian passport control officer glared at me after … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Egypt, Islam, Tunisia | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Women’s March and the Selectivity of Anti-Trump Feminism

Posted on January 21, 2017 by nervana111

Women’s march in Washington Photo via Slate magazine Hundred of thousands of women in America and other countries are protesting against Donald Trump’s presidency. It is refreshing to see women from all walks of life, including many celebrities, standing up against … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Islam, Politics, Short Comments, women rights | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Sharia Courts in UK – A Minefield

Posted on November 2, 2016 by nervana111

A meeting of the Sharia Council of Britain at its east London headquarters Getty Yesterday, I spoke briefly on BBC World Service Radio about Sharia Council courts in Britain, which coincided with an inquiry started by the Home Affairs Select … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Politics, Short Comments | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Iran, chess, and the psychological bullying of non-hijabi defiant women

Posted on October 16, 2016 by nervana111

A poisonous debate has erupted since Nazi Paikidze, a 22-year-old American champion chess player, announced her decision to boycott next year’s World Chess Championship competition in Iran. A stream of articles published criticism about her decision to boycott and her … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Iran, Islam, women rights | Tagged , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Muslims, France, and the war on shorts

Posted on September 10, 2016 by nervana111

  Photo via UK’s Independent/ Getty Images In the wake of the Burkini war, a violent skirmish of altogether different proportions has surfaced in France. In the southern French city of Toulon, two women wearing shorts were verbally assaulted as … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Short Comments | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Right Not To Wear A Burkini

Posted on August 21, 2016 by nervana111

The ban on the Islamic burkini, or full-body swimsuit, on the beaches of the French Riviera has triggered heated debates and controversies. For some, it is a ban on freedom of choice; for others, the ban is a symbol of … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Egypt, Islam | Tagged , , , , , , | 126 Comments

Suheir Atassi’s swimsuit and our moral bankruptcy

Posted on July 11, 2016 by nervana111

Syria’s Suheir Atassi Millions of women around the world do this daily without attracting much attention, but recently, Suhair Atassi, a prominent, secular Syrian opposition figure was spotted wearing a swimsuit at a Turkish resort. When photos of her appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in Islam, Short Comments, Syria, women rights | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Banning the Niqab is a ban of disguised identity, not Islamic dress code

Posted on July 8, 2016 by nervana111

  Two women wearing niqab face veils (file pic) Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The canton of Ticino, an Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, has banned the Niqab, the face veil worn by some Muslims. The decision came after a referendum in 2013, … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Egypt, Islam, Saudi Arabia, women rights | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Children Should Not Wear Hijab in Egypt’s Schools

Posted on August 18, 2015 by nervana111

Early on Sunday, a report appeared in Egypt’s Youm 7 newspaper that Egypt’s Ministry of Education would ban children from wearing the Islamic headscarf  (hijab)  at school. The report was based on an interview with the Minister of Education Moheb … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary of Aak, Egypt, Short Comments | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

New Controversy Rages around the Hijab in Egypt

Posted on May 12, 2015 by nervana111

( Dr.Ali Gomaa’s comments with English subtitles) The debate around Islamic headscarves (Hijab) and an Islamic dress code for women is still raging in Egypt. Sheikh Ali Gomaa, an internationally known Islamist jurist and Egypt’s ex-Grand Mufti (top interpreter of … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Diary of Aak, Egypt, Islam | Tagged , , , , , , | 26 Comments