NPR looks at how religious leaders in Pakistan are misleading women about birth control and family planning:
Zakaria says being poor should in no way limit having babies. Referencing the Quran, he says, “God will provide the resources and no one will starve.”
“There are clear instructions in the Holy Quran, in which Allah says, ‘We give you food, and we will also give food to your children. Food is not your responsibility, but God’s,’ ” he says.
The mufti says the Quran also instructs that children must not be deprived of a proper upbringing. However, in Pakistan 38 percent of all children under 5 are underweight, and according to government data, malnutrition is widespread among mothers. The lack of resources in Pakistan today invites the question whether the mufti and his teachings are not consigning millions of people to misery.
The West Australian reports that Hanan Anwan’s dispute with local soccer authorities about an opposing player attempting to remove Anwan’s hijab during a game has become a larger issue about insensitivity toward Muslims:
But Football West’s insistence the appeal be heard at the Inglewood Hotel has touched off claims of insensitivity towards the religious belief of Ms Anwan, who has never been to a hotel or consumed alcohol.
“It’s turned from a red card into a completely different issue,” Ms Anwan said. “Something as simple as me just wanting to appeal against my red card so I don’t have to miss games has turned into, I don’t know what you would call it … racist issue? A discrimination issue? I don’t know.”
Mr Doutre said the decision flew in the face of international body FIFA’s programs to promote tolerance and diversity.
“I think FIFA, the (international) governing body, would be absolutely ropable about this, to find that a governing body that is representing them in WA is behaving like this.”
On Monday, Noranda club secretary Erika Blake tried to have the hearing shifted to another venue on the grounds of cultural insensitivity.
The reply from Football West general manager of competitions and operations Keith Wood said in part: “(W)e understand your point but we live in a country and society in which the consumption of alcohol is permitted and part of Australian culture.”
The Washington Post discusses Muslim women’s shopping habits in the summertime. What’s interesting about this is NewsBusters’ compare-and-contrast piece on how WaPo views “modest fashion:”
Overall, the tone of Lake’s piece was clear: Muslims can be fashionable while being modest and faithful to religious tradition, but it’s a shame that mainstream retail shops don’t carry clothing that caters to them.
By contrast, the 2006 column by then-Post fashion critic Robin Givhan derided the notion of women choosing modest swimwear, singling out the Wholesome Wear line.
Feel free to post links to news stories from this week about Muslim women in the comments!