Misguided and misogynistic religiosity

As recent debates concerning dress code in the UK have shown, misguided views on women’s dress aren’t limited to imams. It seems these days a woman’s right to wear what she wishes is subject to constant comment and politicisation by attention-seeking (and usually male) politicians and leaders.

Muslim women are frequently the most visible members of their communities. They are also the ones caught between the misogyny of imams and the prejudice of allegedly conservative commentators and scribes determined to remove any form of clothing from their heads.

At the same time, the Hilali incident illustrates how difficult it is for Muslim communities to represent themselves. Muslims are not a cultural or religious monolith in Australia. They come from over 60 different countries, and many Muslim families have lived in Australia since the mid 19th century.

I recently met a Muslim from Moreeba who told me her father had migrated from Albania in the 1920’s. Established Muslim communities can be found in all urban and regional areas of Australia.

Muslims also don’t have a central priestly hierarchy. The position of Mufti is not akin to that of Archbishop or Cardinal. Muslims have neither a Pope nor a Church. The Mufti is merely someone who act like a Senior Counsel - an expert on religious law who can give expert but non-binding advice in the form of a fatwa. Contrary to what some tabloid writers might say, a fatwa is not a death sentence nor is it a binding ruling.

Sheik Hilali’s comments were apparently part of an address to 500 people at his mosque. They were not part of a formal fatwa. Yet fatwa or not, his comments would represent heterodoxy of the highest order.

There is a well-known story narrated by the Prophet Mohammed of a sex worker who returned from her shift. She went to her town well and was drawing water when she saw a dog nearby dying of thirst. She provided water to the dog before drinking herself. God showed mercy to her and ordered the angels to write her name on the list of those entering paradise.

In Sheik Hilali’s own mosque in Lakemba, I heard a visiting American imam three years ago relate this story. Sheik Nuh Keller told his audience: “I wish I could be like that prostitute and earn God’s mercy.”

Sheik Hilali will have known of this incident, which illustrates the mercy of God towards all God’s creatures, including those whom society chooses to stigmatise. While God offers mercy to a prostitute, men claiming to represent God use words that reinforce the stigma and justify sexual violence.

This year, at least five Muslim men will join a host of other prominent Australian men as ambassadors for White Ribbon Day. WRD is an initiative of UNIFEM, the United Nations agency for women, and is a day to campaign for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.

Perhaps one step Sheik Hilali could take would be to impress upon his congregation the importance of heeding the White Ribbon Day message. Perhaps he could wear a white ribbon himself.

However, he must first apologise to women and men of all persuasions. His employer should also investigate the remarks and obtain legal advice on whether there are grounds to dismiss or take other disciplinary action against him. Anything less than a complete apology would be unacceptable.