Paris opens door to author fleeing "Islamist threats"

[Ali.]

The award-winning feminist writer Taslima Nasreen, who is under death-threat from Islamist extremists, is to be housed in an artist's studio paid for by the city of Paris, more than a decade after she was forced into exile from her native Bangladesh.

Nasreen's outspoken stance on what she calls the inherent misogyny of conservative Muslim society in Bangladesh has sparked protests, riots and warrants for her arrest as well as a cash reward for her decapitation by religious fundamentalists.

In 1994, the former doctor was accused of blasphemy over her novel Lajja (Shame), which described the life of a Hindu family persecuted in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. The book was banned for offending Muslim religious sentiments.

She was quoted by an Indian newspaper saying the Qur'an should be rewritten because it was "unfair to women" and was forced to flee Bangladesh, even though she denied the comments and said she had been referring to sharia law.

After travelling across Europe and the US, and living in exile in India, where her presence led to threats and violent protests, and more recently in Sweden, she applied for housing in Paris six weeks ago. She is expected to move in next month.

Her case had become a cause celebre in France and she was made an honorary citizen of Paris last July.

The mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, called her a freedom fighter, and said: "You have been chased out of your home because you raised your voice against the inhumanity of fanaticism. You are at home here, in this city where men are born and live free and equal."

Nasreen did not comment on the move, but she recently told the TV station France 24 that she felt safe in Paris, because she could walk in the street without bodyguards. She said her "idea" was not to criticise Islam per se but to defend women's rights and freedom. "My aim is to raise consciousness, to struggle for justice for women, so I have no alternative but to criticise Islam because Islam oppresses women. I know millions of women have been suffering because of religion, tradition, culture and customs and I feel a responsibility to do something."

She left Kolkata last year after violent protests and for several months lived in a secret safe house in Delhi, which she likened to "solitary confinement".

Source

saying the Qur'an should be rewritten because it was "unfair to women"

Lol?

[Vito]

I think instead of people chasing her and trying to lock her up or even kill her, they should of fought her back with the words of the Qua'ran and try to teach her as we do here to people who think woman have no right in Islam, no matter how hard headed she may be. Sometimes people let their emotions get the best of them and that isn't always the smartest thing to do. Now we come out as looking bad once again. We need to control ourselves

[UmmahFollower09]

I agree with what the brother said. If we kept our emotions in check and fought back with the words of the Quran and Sunnah she would have realized what she was saying was wrong and tht Islam actually promotes equality between men and women.
If we don't keep our emotions in check we always seem to be viewed or portrayed as "isalmic extremists" or "fundamentalists"

Jazakallah Khairan for this

[Whatsthepoint]

I too think it is unfair to women, it may have been fair and revolutionary to the women of the 6th century Arabia, but it is in many ways unfair to contemporary women.
Anyway, back on topic, its good the city accepted her.

[Ali.]

I too think it is unfair to women, it may have been fair and revolutionary to the women of the 6th century Arabia, but it is in many ways unfair to contemporary women.
Anyway, back on topic, its good the city accepted her.

What do you mean by 'it'? Do you mean the Qur'an?

[Whatsthepoint]

What do you mean by 'it'? Do you mean the Qur'an?

Islam, Quran and the sunnah.

[rpwelton]

I think many times women such as Ms. Nasreen are victims of cultural distortions of Islam (for instance, in Saudi Arabia, women can't drive). I don't think there is a (Muslim majority) country in the world that gives women the rights they had at the time of Muhammad SAW.

[Ali.]

Islam, Quran and the sunnah.

Can you elaborate on your answer please? Give examples, etc.

[Whatsthepoint]

I think many times women such as Ms. Nasreen are victims of cultural distortions of Islam (for instance, in Saudi Arabia, women can't drive). There is probably no (Muslim majority) country in the world that gives women the rights they had at the time of Muhammad SAW.

I agree completely.
Albania and Turkey may. They're both secular and trying to join the EU.

[Whatsthepoint]

Can you elaborate on your answer please? Give examples, etc.

There's a lot of examples, we can go one by one, though I have no doubt several Islamic sites hold the answer for each and every one of them.
Shall we go one by one?

[Ali.]

There's a lot of examples, we can go one by one, though I have no doubt several Islamic sites hold the answer for each and every one of them.
Shall we go one by one?

I just want to understand your reasoning behind what you said; do you think it is Islam that is unfair, or the way it is practised? Two separate things. If it's the former then please give two examples.

[جوري]

There's a lot of examples, we can go one by one, though I have no doubt several Islamic sites hold the answer for each and every one of them.
Shall we go one by one?

You should indeed!
let's have at it!

[Whatsthepoint]

I just want to understand your reasoning behind what you said; do you think it is Islam that is unfair, or the way it is practised? Two separate things. If it's the former then please give two examples.

Islam itself.

[Ali.]

Islam itself.

Extremely brief; I believe I politely asked you to elaborate, if possible.

[Whatsthepoint]

You should indeed!
let's have at it!

No linking to existing threads.
No changing the subject?
Deal?

[Whatsthepoint]

Extremely brief; I believe I politely asked you to elaborate, if possible.

I will, I'm waiting for Skye to agree to my terms.

[Whatsthepoint]

How about you create a new topic for why you think Islam is unfair to women, WTP?

I'm actually against debating it, since there are several threads dealing with individual cases and basically most Muslims are convinced with Muslim explanations and mots non-Muslims aren't. These things don't seem to work math way math does.

[جوري]

No linking to existing threads.
No changing the subject?
Deal?

How would you like it, my word against yours? I have absolutely no problems with that, I only source for credibility.. trust me it is more time consuming otherwise..

Go for it!

If there is one thing I despise is a non-muslim speaking on my behalf as a Muslim woman!

[Whatsthepoint]

How would you like it, my word against yours? I have absolutely no problems with that, I only source for credibility.. trust me it is more time consuming otherwise..

Go for it!

If there is one thing I despise is a non-muslim speaking on my behalf as a Muslim woman!

I'm not saying a woman can't be happy with it.

[جوري]

I'm not saying a woman can't be happy with it.

You said, 'You don't want links or outside sources' in other words everyone speaking out of their a$$.. in fact, before I search for a particular hadith or verse, I usually know exactly what I am looking for it is a matter of rummaging for numbers that others can verify.. I have a perfectly good idea what you'll allege and I know exactly how misinformed you are.. It is not a matter of a woman being happy with it or not..
Some subjects are an issue of creed.. for instance why do men have to undergo a circumcision (it is barbaric) and unnecessary (even if it were true) it is part of the covenant, somethings are done for the pleasure of God, not the pleasure of people.. It is one of those things like when you sign for a job and don't like your vacation or insurance plan... Things aren't decided on the whimsy of men this is divine law.. if you build your faith on logic, then those parts of it that seem illogical simply come with the territory until it is later manifest to man why it is so.. or until the day or recompense happens and reasons for it unraveled then!