Islamic law: Women, don’t come to mosque unless you’re ugly

Islamic law: Women, don't come to mosque unless you're ugly
Doing some research just now on another matter, I came across this gem
in a Sharia manual: "It is offensive for an attractive or young woman
to come to the mosque to pray (O: or for her husband to permit her),
though not offensive for women who are not young or attractive when
this is unlikely to cause temptation." — 'Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of
the Traveller) F12.4 'Umdat al-Salik is a Shafi'i manual of Islamic
law endorsed by Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the most prestigious
institution in Sunni Islam, as "conforming to the practice and faith
of the orthodox Sunni community." The mind reels. Who determines
whether a woman is old or unattractive enough for it not to be
offensive for her to go to mosque? Is this the opinion of the husband,
father, and male relatives alone? And what if they decide that a
particular Muslima is sufficiently ugly to attend prayers in the
mosque, but men at the mosque differ, and believe her to be so
attractive that they take offense and contend that she should have
stayed home? Does internecine warfare ensue? Oh, the glories and
complexities of the Religion of Peace and Tolerance!
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/07/islamic-law-women-dont-come-to-mosque-unless-youre-ugly.html#_login
Israel's Arab Spring problem

By David Ignatius, Published: July 6
JERUSALEM
Whatever else that might be said about the Arab revolutions, it's
obvious that they pose a problem for Israel. But how bad, and what
should the Israeli government do to hedge its risks? I heard some
interesting — but not very encouraging — ideas on this subject from
top government officials last week.
To sum up: Most officials think that relations with the Arabs are
gradually going to get worse, perhaps for decades, before democracy
really takes root and the Arab public, perhaps, will be ready to
accept the Jewish state. The challenge for Israel is how to avoid
inflaming Arab public opinion, a newly important factor, while
protecting the country.
The trouble ahead is symbolized by the election of Mohamed Morsi, a
Muslim Brotherhood leader, as president of Egypt. His inauguration
prompted a wary message of congratulation from Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, expressing hope that ­Israeli-Egyptian relations will be
cooperative and based on mutual interest. The statement masked deep
Israeli anxieties.
Netanyahu fears an erosion of the relationship with Egypt over time
and wants to slow that process, if possible, while preparing for
potential trouble. Netanyahu is said to view these precautions as the
equivalent of putting […]

Book review – The Unravelling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 09:45:28 GMT | By IANS
Book review – The Unravelling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad
john R. Schmidt
Pan Macmillan
Rs.399
How did a nation which was founded as a homeland for South Asian
Muslims following a tolerant form of Islam, become a haven for Al
Qaeda and a rogues' gallery of domestic, jihadist and sectarian
groups? This groundbreaking history of Pakistan's involvement with
radical Islam places the blame on rulers of the country, who thought
they could use Islamic radicals to advance their foreign-policy goals
without having to pay a steep price.
But the government's plans began to unravel in the wake of 9/11, when
the rulers' support for US war on terror caused many of their jihadist
allies to turn against them. The book is a clear account of the
complex relationship between the leaders of Pakistan and jihadist
groups – and how the rulers' decisions have led their nation to the
brink of disaster and put other nations at
riskhttp://lifestyle.in.msn.com/travel/book-review-the-unravelling-pakistan-in-the-age-of-jihad
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Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:29:23 GMT | By IANS
Book Review: The Taj Conspiracy
Mughal scholar Mehrunnisa Khosa stumbles on a conspiracy to destroy
the Taj Mahal
Book: The Taj Conspiracy
Author: Manpreet Sodhi Someshwar
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Price: Rs.250
Mughal scholar Mehrunnisa Khosa stumbles on […]