First Female Muslim Judge Takes The Bench

**rubiesand** · 04-10-2006

Let's have a little good news eh? (emphasis in the text is mine)

http://www.arabamericannews.com/news...articleid=4910

DETROIT — As the first Arab American to sit on the 3rd Circuit Court of Wayne County, Charlene Mekled Elder knows she plays an important role. Not only does she carry the weight of serious decision making, but she serves as a role model for Middle Eastern women around the globe.

Appointed to the Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, Elder embarks on a new phase in her career at the age of 36 — marked by a balanced commitment to her profession, her family, and her community. Also, she is the first Arab-American female judge in this circuit to speak Arabic fluently.

Elder's press release says she is also the first female Muslim to hold a judicial position in the country.

Judge Elder brings to the bench a solid legal background and a diverse upbringing. Wayne County has the largest concentration of Arab Americans outside the Middle East, roughly 350,000 and Michigan is home to approximately 400,000 citizens of Muslim faith.

Known to many as a high achiever, Judge Elder never opted for the easy road. At the prime age of 22, Elder set out to have a career, a marriage and children. Today, she has all three as a judge, wife to the deputy CEO of Wayne County, Azzam Elder, and mother of four children, Madina 12, Nozmi 10, Yasmine 9, and Adam 7.

When off the bench, she coaches her youngest son’s soccer team and participates in the sporting events of her other three children. She volunteers time for various notable civic organizations including but not limited to the Dearborn Rotary Club, the Girl Scouts of America and the Islamic Center of America.

“In an era where society struggles to raise good kids, and many have to choose between careers and family, or raising a family or getting an education, Judge Elder seems to have found a way to do it all,” said Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano.

“I have with no exception, ever felt so strongly about a particular person deserving a particular appointment at a particular time for particular reasons as I did for Charlene Elder. Her diverse background will enrich our bench and help other judges expand their understanding of the communities they serve and impact. Judge Elder has a deep presence about her and a peaceful serenity that obviously comes from her faith, and as a devout mother and wife she genuinely embodies all the values that we all hold so dearly,” said Chief Judge Mary Beth Kelly.Judge Elder has said that the key ingredients for a successful life are strong family support, dedication and sacrifice. “I owe so much to my entire family,” said Elder. “We all sacrifice and feel it is an obligation to support and encourage one another. Everyone helped me. My parents, in-laws, sisters in law, brothers in law, cousins, and of course my husband.”

For several years when her children were younger, Elder would do her legal work on her cases in the evening hours until 3 a.m. Judge Elder is proud to have supported others in her family who have similar success stories. “One of my sisters in-law just had her fifth child and we all helped her finish Pharmacy School last year,” she said. “Education is your salvation. Our children will have no excuse to not get educated.”

Governor Granholm believes in principled candidates who bring strength and diversity to the bench. As the first female Governor of the State of Michigan, Governor Granholm believes in actions to inspire and empower woman all around the world. The appointment of Judge Elder was an easy decision because of all the hard work and yes, it’s also nice to make history.

**HeiGou** · 04-11-2006

Originally Posted by rubiesand

Let's have a little good news eh? (emphasis in the text is mine)

DETROIT — As the first Arab American to sit on the 3rd Circuit Court of Wayne County, Charlene Mekled Elder knows she plays an important role.
>deletions<
Also, she is the first Arab-American female judge in this circuit to speak Arabic fluently.

I was going to object that there had been lots of others but then I noticed - the first Arab-American to sit on the 3rd Circuit Court of Wayne County, the first Arab-American female judge in this circuit to speak Arabic fluently.

Not such a big deal after all I guess.

Elder's press release says she is also the first female Muslim to hold a judicial position in the country.

I kind of doubt that. But some Arab Americans are doing very well indeed. Here is a list of Lebanese Americans for instance, can anyone spot the name of a female Muslim on this list? I don't even see Ralph Nader.

Federal

Appointed Officials
Joseph C. Ayoub, International Trade Specialist, International Trade Administration
Sandra Edwards, Department of Commerce, Middle East Trade Task Force
Irma Elder, Federal Reserve Board, Detroit Region
Samia El Badry, Department of Commerce, Census 2000 Advisory Committee
Edward Gabriel, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco
Robert George, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Janet Handel, Chair, Information Tech. Task Force, White House
Theodore Kattouf, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Juliette Kayyem, Congressional Committee on Terrorism
Mary Rose Oakar, Board member, President’s Council on Aging
Carlos Salman, Board of Directors, OPIC
Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Edna Saffy, President’s Advisory Committee, JFK Center for the Performing Arts
George Caram Steeh, U.S. District Court Judge, Eastern District of Michigan
E. Najla Tanous, Department of Commerce, Middle East Trade Task Force

Congressional/Federal Staff
John Akouri, Press Secretary and Communications Director, Representative Joe Knollenberg
Ed Ayoob, Legislative Assistant and Counselor to Senator Harry Reid
Nader Ayoub, Office of Representative Robert Brady
Peter Dagher, Scheduler, Secretary of Transportation
Kathryn Hazeem, Chief Counsel, Subcommittee on the Constitution, House Committee on the Judiciary
Rich Joseph, Special Assistant to the Secretary, Department of Labor
Chris Mansour, Administrative Assistant, Representative Dale Kildee
Daniel S. Seikaly, Associate Deputy Attorney General, Department of Justice
Kelly Sharbel, Special Assistant Legislative Affaires, Department of Defense
Dalia Trainor, Scheduler, Secretary of Commerce
Joseph Zogby, Trial Attorney, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice

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Dina Habeeb Powell, Director of Congressional Affairs, Republican National Council
Edward Rahal, Political Action Committee Director, National Republican Senatorial Committee
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Charles G. Abdelnour, San Diego City Clerk
Albert Dib, Los Angeles City Commissioner; Chairman Relocation Appeals Board
Maher Fakhouri, Small Business Commissioner
Jeannine A. Gregory, City Clerk, South Pasadena
Ross Nammar, San Jacinto City Manager
Simon Naoufal, Rialto Housing Beautification Commissioner
Ghada Saliba-Malouf, Commissioner, Human Rights Commission, San Francisco
Sal Sezma, Public Utilities Commissioner
Terry A. Thomas, Chula Vista Resource Conservation Commissioner, Chula Vista Board of Ethics
Suheil Shatara, Landmarks Preservation Board

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Albert Dib, California State Advisor, National Republican Senatorial Committee
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Colorado

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Connecticut

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William A. Hamzy, State Representative (78th District)
Michael Jarjura, State Representative (74th District)
Thomas Saadi, Danbury City Council
Dianne E. Yamin, Judge of the Court of Probate, Danbury

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Florida

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George Crady, Florida State Representative (12th District)
Richard D. Eade, Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit Court
Peter Haddad, Judge
Nelly N. Khouzam, Judge, 6th Judicial Circuit
George Shahood, Judge
A. C. Soud, Circuit Court Judge
Ginger Soud, Jacksonville City Council

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Edna Louise Saffy, Central Committee of the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee
Helen Zaborniak, Dewar City Democratic Executive Committee

Georgia

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Hani Q. Khoury, Executive Director, Mayor’s Commission for Disability Issues

Hawaii

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Illinois

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George Caleel, Board of Trustees Oak Brook Village
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Appointed Officials
Clem Balanoff, Cook County Deputy Director - Elections
Gabriel F. Fakhouri, Illinois State Senate Advisory Committee
Ray Hanania, Orland Park Civic Center Authority Member
James Maloof, Human Rights Commission of Illinois
Terry Meriden, Governor's Advisory Board on Diabetes

Political Professionals
Ray Hanania, Bipartisan Political Consultant
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Indiana

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Larry Cary Sakel, Demotte Traffic Court Judge

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George Azar, City Councilman at Large, Terre Haute
Ray Azar, Indiana Intelenet Commission, member of Vigo County Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Kaleel M. Ellis, Vigo County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Michael C. Ellis, Vigo County Chief Adult Probation Officer
Michael T. Ellis, Vigo County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Frank E. Shahadey, Vigo County Deputy Sheriff
Danny Tanoos, Superintendent of Schools, Vigo County School Corporation

Iowa

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Richard Berry, Superior Court Judge
Albert Habhab, Chief Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals

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Linda Nassif, Republican Central Committee, Delegate Advisory Board

Kentucky

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David Karem, State Senator (31st)
Dennis George, Lebanon City Council
Doughlas George, Lebanon Circuit Court Judge, 11th district
Sheilla Isaac, Circuit Judge, Fayette County

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Teresa Isaac, Executive Director, Fair Housing Council

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Eli Samaan, Jessemine County Democratic Party Chair

Louisiana

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Bobby Abrusley, Mayor, Oakdale
Elias "Bo" Ackal, State Representative
Charles Boustany, Lafayette City Coroner
Richard Ieyoub, Attorney General
Christopher C. John, U.S. Representative (42)
Suzanne Haik Terrell, Elections Commissioner

Appointed Officials
Richard Haik, Judge, U.S. District Court
Constance Koury, Louisiana Economic Development Corp.
Jay C. Zainey, Traffic Hearing Officer, Jefferson Parish

Party Leaders and Activists
Pamela Atiyeh, Louisiana Republican State Central Committee

Maine

Elected Officials
John Elias Baldacci, U.S. Representative (2)

Maryland

Appointed Officials
Laila K. Atallah, Assistant Attorney General & Principal Counsel to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
Samira Hussein, Montgomery County Multicultural Community Partnership

Massachusetts

Elected Officials
Stephen Abraham, Worcester City Council
James Gabriel, Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court
Steven P. Kfoury, Lawrence City Council
Mary S. McElroy, Weymouth Planning Board
Richard S. Thomas, Chairman, Hampden County Commission

Appointed Officials
David Constantine, Governor's Councilor
Edward G. Daher, Chief Justice, Housing Court
AbdulKader C. Hamadeh, Design Review Committee, Town of Duxbury
Joseph Lian, Jr., First Justice, Probate and Family Court, Worcester Division
Kenneth P. Nasif, Justice, Juvenile Court
James G. Peters, Justice of the Peace
Charles A. Abdella, Associate Justice, District Court
Jan Lewis Najemy, Associate Justice, Juvenile Court

Party Leaders and Activists
Helen Abdallah Donohue, Norwood Democratic Town Committee
Jamie Ann Sabino, Cambridge Ward Four Democratic Committee
Robert P. Zahka, Chairman, Dedham Republican Town Committee

Michigan

Elected Officials
E. Spencer Abraham, U.S. Senator
Alan Amen, Member, Wayne State University Board
Diane Nicola Bayeh, Trustee, Mt. Morris Township
Michael Bouchard, Sheriff, Oakland County
Dennis Denno, Communications Director, Michigan Democratic Party
Joseph J. Farah, Circuit Judge, Gennessee County
Al Hadious, Wayne City Council
Linda Saoud Hallmark, Probate Judge, Oakland County
Sally Shaheen Joseph, Supervisor, Charter Township of Flint
Karen Khalil, Judge, 17th District Court
Marianne Yared McGuire, Member, Michigan State Board of Education
James J. Rashid, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge
Henry William Saad, Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals
Nidar Samona, Southfield City Council Woman
Suzanne Sareini, Dearborn City Council
Richard Paul Sulaka, Warren City Clerk
Ted B. Wahby, Treasurer, Macomb County

Appointed Officials
Yahya Basha, Commissioner, Michigan Department of Civil Rights
Linda Saoud Hallmark, Governor's Task Force on Children's Justice
Azzam Elder, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor
Abed Hammoud, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor
Ali Jawad, Wayne County Executive Commission Advisory Board
Abdul M. Mackie, Michigan Board of Counseling
Theodore P. Mansour, Director, Government Relations, Genesee Intermediate School District
Claude Richard, Commission for the Blind
Noel Saleh, Michigan Advisory Committee to U.S. Civil Rights Commission
Suzanne Sareini, Commission on Women

Party Leaders and Activists
Ismael Ahmed, Democratic State Central Committee
Abed Hammoud, Treasurer, Dearborn Democratic Club
Mark Hanna, Chair, Royal Oak Area Democratic Club
Abdul M. Mackie, Chairman, Dearborn Republican Club
Theodore P. Mansour, Genessee County Democratic Party
John D. Nickola, Genessee County Democratic Executive Committee
Mohamed Okdie, Vice Chair, 15th Congressional District Democratic Party

Minnesota

Appointed Officials
Ismail A. Ismail, Henneping County Budgeting Taskforce, Eden Prairie, Board of Adjustments and Appeals

Party Leaders and Activists
Herb Mocol, Democratic State Central Committee; Chair, Blue Earth Democratic Party

Mississippi

Appointed Officials
Ollie Mohamed Sr., Executive Assistant to the Governor

Missouri

Elected Officials
Pat Danner, U.S. Representative (D-6)
Brian Wahby, Assistant City Treasurer, St. Louis

Party Leaders and Activists
Brian Wahby, Democratic Committeeman 7th Ward

Nebraska

Elected Officials
Robert A. Nader, Judge, 11th District Court of Appeals, Warren

Party Leaders and Activists
Victor Ajlouny, Douglas County Republican Party Central Committee, Assistant Chair

New Hampshire

Elected Officials
Benjamin C. Baroody, State Representative
Jeanne Shaheen, Governor
John E. Sununu, U.S. Representative (1st)

New Jersey

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Khalil Kasht, Prospect Park City Council
Joe Kyrillos, State Senator, (13th District)
Harold Nafash, Bergenfield City Council
Joe Palaia, State Senator, (11th District)
William M. Saydah, River Vale City Council

Appointed Officials
Morad Abou-Sabe, Senior Advisor for Middle East Affairs to New Jersey’s Secretary of Commerce and Chair of West Windsor
Affordable Housing Commission
Nizar Kahf, Commissioner, State Division on Civil Rights
Sherine El -Abd, Council on Local Mandates

Political Leaders and Activists
Sherine El -Abd, state Republican Arab American Advisory Council; president, Women’s Republican Club of Middlesex County;
Board of Governors, state Federation of Republican Women.
Souzan Soliman, Treasurer, Women’s Republican Club of Middlesex County.

New York

Elected Officials
John J. Ash, Jr., Mayor, Olean
Kevin M. Dowd, Judge, Chenango County
Edward J. Hanna, Mayor, Utica
Thomas Libous, State Senator, 51st District
Frederick J. Marshall, Erie County Legislator-Minority Leader
John L. Murad, Judge, New York State Supreme Court
Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Westchester County District Attorney
Anthony F. Shaheen, Justice, New York State Supreme Court

Appointed Officials
Nader Sayegh, Board Chairman, Yonkers Parking Authority
Didi M. Skaff, Administrative Law Judge, Dept. of Transportation
Joseph H. Hobika, Sr., Chairman, Utica Industrial Development Agency

Party Leaders and Activists
Hani AbiHabeeb, Brooklyn Republican Party
Joan Dacken, Edmund Seergy Republican Club of Brooklyn
Joseph Elhilow, Brooklyn-Verrazano Republican Club
Jennifer Faucher, New York State Public Employees Federation AFL-CIO, Region 10 PAC Chair
Jerry Kassar, Chair Brooklyn Conservative Party
Majed Samarneh, Yonkers Democratic Party Precinct Chair
Nader Sayegh, Chair of the Independent Party

Political Professionals
John J. Zogby, Pollster, Zogby International

North Carolina

Party Leaders and Activists
George Maron El -Khouri, State Democratic Party Executive Committee

Ohio

Elected Officials
Tim Ali, City Council, Middleburg Heights
Charles D. Abood, Judge, Ohio 6th District Court of Appeals
William J. Bishilany, City Council, Seven Hills
Timothy Bryan, Massillon City Council
Kristine George, Fairview Park City Council
Robert A. Nader, Judge, 11th District, Court of Appeals
Joseph Nahra, Eighth Appellate District Court of Appeals
H. Elizabeth Omar, City Council, East Cleveland
E. J. Thomas, Jr., State Representative (27th District)
Edward J. Elum, Judge, Massillon Municipal Court

Appointed Officials
Slayman N. Bedra, Ohio Parole Board Member
Bruce Coury, Assistant Law Director, City of Parusa
John S. Coury, Assistant Canton City Law Director, Chief Civil Division
Robert Coury, Chief Prosecutor, Cuyahoga County
George Sadd, Prosecutor, Cuyahoga County
Joseph T. Sadie, Commander, Cleveland Police Department
Edmond Sargas, Federal District Court Judge, Southern District of Ohio
Samuel J. Sliman, Director, Canton Ohio Civil Service Commission

Political Professionals
Jeffrey Kassouf, Media Consultant, Take 1 Studios
Mary Rose Oakar, Mary Rose Oakar and Associates

Oklahoma

Appointed Officials
Hassen A. Cara, Chamber of Commerce International Committee

Oregon

Appointed Officals
Richard L. Unis, Special Master Louis iana-Pacific Inner-Seal
National Class Action (Federal Court)

Pennsylvania

Elected Officials
Robert M. Aber, Director, Steel Valley School Board
James Albert, District Justice, Westmoreland County
Henry Bitar, President, New Kensington School Board
Betty Esper, Mayor, Homestead
Camille "Bud" George, State Representative (74th district)
Joseph M. James, Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
Tom Makowski, Luzerne County Commissioner
Gerald Solomon, Judge
Jeffrey W. Thomas, City Council, New Kensington

Appointed Officials
Joe Elias, Pennsylvania Ethnic Heritage Commission
Joseph M. James, Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
Marwan Kreidie, Member, Civil Service Commis sion
Charles Zogby, Director, Governor’s Policy Office

Rhode Island

Elected Officials
Scott D. Barr, Member, Lincoln School Committee
John Douglas Barr II, State Representative (59th district)
Daniel Issa, State Senator (35th district)
Thomas Lazieh, Central Falls City Council

Appointed Officials
James N. Allam, Chairman, Board of Canvassers and Elections, Woonsocket
Milan T. Azar, Legal Counsel, State House Labor Committee
Christine Jabour, Assistant Attorney General
George Lazieh, Special Assistant Attorney General
Thomas Lazieh, Chairman, Rhode Island Underground Storage Tank Finanicial Responsibility Fund Review Board
James L. Salome, Executive Director, Rhode Island Health and Education Building Authority, Providence
Raymond A. Thomas, Probate Judge, Town of Bristol
George Zainyeh, Office of the Secretary of State

Party Leaders
Thomas Lazieh, Chair, Central Falls Democratic Committee

South Carolina

Elected Officials
Edward Saleeby, Sr., State Senator

Tennessee

Elected Officials
James Naifeh, Speaker, State House of Representatives

Appointed Officials
Janice M. Holder, State Supreme Court Justice

Party Leaders and Activists
Juliet Harb Howell, Davidson County Republican Executive Committee

Texas

Elected Officials
Jack Abercia, Constable, Harris County
Marilyn Aboussie, Chief Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals, Austin
Dr. Hamid Kantara, League City, Council member, Precinct Chairman, and President, Galveston County Young Republicans
Phillip Kazen, Judge, 227th District Court, Bexar County
Alvin G. Khoury, Judge, 124th District Court

Appointed Officials
Suzanne Azar, Airport Board
George P. Kazen, Chief Judge, Federal District/Southern District
Helen Huey, Texas Public Finance Authority

Party Leaders and Activists
Kamal Ahmad, Democratic precinct chair
Katie Bayoud, Democratic precinct chair

Vermont

Elected Officials
William N. Aswad, State Representative

Virginia

Elected Officials
A. Victor Thomas, State Delegate

Appointed Officials
Sharifa Al Khateeb, Fairfax County School Board Curriculum Advisory Mem
Samer W. Burgan, Baily’s Corssroads Revitalization Corporation Board
Frederick T. Hadeed, State Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Najeeb Halaby, Board of Trustees, College of William & Mary
Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Rich Joseph, Fairfax County Civil Service Commission
Nidal Mahayni, Virginia State Delegate Selection Committee
Asaad Masri, Medical Foundation, University of Virginia
Houeida Saad,Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Helen Hatab Samhan, Fairfax County Human Rights Commission
Eva Sayegh Teig, Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors
Ronald Tweel, Substitute Judge

Party Leaders and Activists
Samer Alhashimi, Northern Virginia Business Republican Forum
Marwan Burgan, Fairfax County Democratic Committee
George Doumar, Treasurer, Fairfax County Republican Committee
Nancy Kader, Fairfax County Democratic Committee
Omar Kader, Fairfax County Democratic Committee
Terry Abdoo King, Arlington Civic Association Delegate
Mary Sahouri, president of the Great Falls Republican Women’s Club
Saba L. Shami, Fairfax County Democratic Committee

West Virginia

Elected Officials
Nick J. Rahall II, U.S. Representative (3rd)
Paul Zakaib, Jr., Circuit Court Judge, 13th Judicial Circuit

Appointed Officials
Philip Haddad, Charleston Urban Renewal Authority

Wisconsin

Elected Officials
Robert Ashmore, Alderman, Mequon

Credits go to United States Committee For A Free Lebanon.

**F.Y.** · 04-11-2006

Hi

Maybe I misunderstood your question, but there are a number of female muslims on this list. I picked them out because their names were distinctly Muslim and female. I didnt include the English sounding female names - I assumed they were of Lebenese Christian background

Saba L. Shami, Fairfax County Democratic Committee

Laila K. Atallah, Assistant Attorney General & Principal Counsel to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development

Samira Hussein, Montgomery County Multicultural Community Partnership

Sherine El -Abd, Council on Local Mandates

Houeida Saad,Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Sharifa Al Khateeb, Fairfax County School Board Curriculum Advisory Mem

Hope that answers your query.
Peace

**------** · 04-11-2006

Being a Judge is not allowed for women in Islam as it says in the Qur'an. Full Stop. Inshallah I'll get the reference when I go home I'm in college now.

**Bittersteel** · 04-11-2006

you better get it.

**------** · 04-11-2006

LOLOLOLOL Joka

**rubiesand** · 04-11-2006

Originally Posted by F.Y.

Saba L. Shami, Fairfax County Democratic Committee

Laila K. Atallah, Assistant Attorney General & Principal Counsel to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development

Samira Hussein, Montgomery County Multicultural Community Partnership

Sherine El -Abd, Council on Local Mandates

Houeida Saad,Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Virginia Advisory Member to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Sharifa Al Khateeb, Fairfax County School Board Curriculum Advisory

Masha Allah. The more the merrier! It's great to see Muslimahs active in public life.

**root** · 04-11-2006

Masha Allah. The more the merrier! It's great to see Muslimahs active in public life.

I quite agree. Do we have female christians in similar roles in Islamic countries?

**rubiesand** · 04-11-2006

Alees Samaan is the first woman to chair a parliament in the Middle East when in April 2005 chaired Bahrain's upper house of parliament, the Consultative Council. Ms Samaan is a Christian (Greek Orthodox) Bahraini and one of four women to sit in the Consultative Council.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alees_Samaan

Hanan Daoud Khalil Ashrawi (born 8 October 1946) is a Palestinian Anglican scholar who is well-known as one of the most articulate Palestinian spokespersons. In both her scholarly work as well as her political activism, she was a protege and later colleague and close friend of Edward Said. In the Palestinian legislative elections held in January 2006, she was reelected to the Palestinian Legislative Council on a national list, 'The Third Way', which won two seats out of a total of 132.
Ashrawi was born in Ramallah, then a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Her father was a founder of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Ashrawi received her Bachelor and Master's degrees in literature in the Department of English at the American University of Beirut. She obtained a Ph.D. in Medieval and Comparative Literature from the University of Virginia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanan_Ashrawi

Janet Mikhail (b. 1945) sometimes known as Janet Khouri is the mayor of Ramallah in the West Bank.

She is the first woman to hold this post. She was head teacher of the girls' school in Ramallah for 20 years, now retired. She is also a Roman Catholic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janette_Khuri

Mona Makram Ebeid Egyptian Coptic Christian Politician, and Academic.

http://www.salzburgseminar.org/2005f...S_People=75841

Masha Allah.