Qatar-based Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi yesterday criticized the practice of denying women access to mosques by Muslims in South Africa and said that he was surprised that women were not allowed to attend any of his lectures in Johannesburg during his recent visit there.

He lamented that the same tradition, which he called “un-Islamic”, exists among the Muslims of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The South African Muslims in the Johannesburg area are mainly of South Asian descenmt, and their practice of Islam often reflects practices forund among Muslims in the Indian sub-continent.

In his Friday sermon, Sheikh Qaradawi said that during his visit to South Africa, he was surprised by the “unreasonable practice” of not allowing women from entering mosques as well as by the ban to videotape his lectures in Johannesburg.

“It was my first visit to South Africa and I was impressed with its Muslim community’s commitment to Islamic rules as well as its unity, but it was the ban on women’s entry into mosques which drew my attention. I told the (community members) that this was un-Islamic and they should stop it,” he told a congregation at the Omar bin Al-Khattab mosque at Khalifa South.

“I know they did that because they follow Abu Hanifa’s school of thought but they should know that time has changed. If Abu Hanifa himself were with us today, he would have changed his mind. It is unreasonable that women could now go to universities, markets and travel, but are not allowed to enter a mosque in some countries. I noticed a similar practice by Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who follow the same school of thought.”

One of Abu Hanifa’s most famous religious edicts was that he allowed women to work as judges, he pointed out.

Al-Qaradawi, who is the chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, urged Islamic scholars to pay regular visits to Muslim minorities around the world, saying that this would enhance their link with Islam.

“I hope that Muslim philanthropists will arrange such visits so that we could help Muslim minorities,” he said, while observing that the South African Muslims were keen on being in touch with Muslims elsewhere.

During al-Qaradawi’s visit to South Africa, he met former president Nelson Mandela and gifted him some of the books he authored on Islam and the Holy Qur’an. Al-Qaradawi hailed the South African leader as the “hero of Africa”. He also gave lectures at the Muslim Judicial Council in Cape Town on duties of Muslim minorities in the world.

In Cape Town, where most Muslims trace their heritage to Indonesia, Yemen, or to indiginous communities, women were not barred from the mosques nor from the lectures.

Public Relations Officer for the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), Nabeweya Malick related that there was a strong female presence at the Cape Town’s Masjid al-Quds for al-Qaradawi’s lecture there. In answer to the debate about women attending South African mosques that was brought on by al-Qaradawi’s visit, she said: “Alhamdulilah, there is a very, very strong representation of women here. And what makes it even more beautiful is that the women are downstairs in the male section which has been separated from the men by a rope. There are also women on the second floor. I estimate the crowd are 50% male and 50% female. There is a feeling of real respect, of true brother/sisterhood of Islam.”

Malick said the women were very appreciative of the regard the sheik had shown them. Many of them had come prepared with notebooks and pens, eager to capture every word of the 84-year-old Egyptian scholar. “I could see on their faces, they value this opportunity. They also value the fact that Sheik Qardawi – someone from a foreign country – came into SA to discuss things that lie very close to the hearts of women.”

“In the Western Cape women are allowed into the mosques, they do get involved, they are allowed to feel empowered and involved in the movement of Islam.”

Sources:

Anwar Elshamy, “Scholar slams ‘un-Islamic’ practice” Gulf Times April 24, 2010

“Meeting a living legend” Gulf Times April 11, 2010

“Huge turnout for Sh Qaradhawi” Voice of the Cape