Female Imams in German Mosques Get a Mixed Reception - Muslim Religion Needs Reform from within : by Nihat Halici
When Amina Wadud, professor of Islamic studies at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, led a Friday prayer for Muslims of both genders in New York last year, conservative Muslims from around the world responded with outrage and religious leaders in Egypt and Saudi Arabia even spoke of an American conspiracy. Supporting Wadud's action was a violation of god's law, said grand mufti sheikh Abdelaziz al-Sheikh. After all, she is a woman. In secular Turkey, and in the mosques in Germany that are indirectly controlled by the Turkish state, female imams are already in place. As religious leaders, they preach and pray -- but only with other women.
"In the past, women sat at home, didn't go to school, have a job or earn any money," said Beyza Bilgin, a Turkish religion expert. "But according to Islam, all people should become enlightened, acquire knowledge, learn and be educated, regardless of gender. "Muslims, especially the men, don't really like to be taught by a woman, let alone led in prayer by one," said Felix Hörner, the head priest at the Catholic church in Ankara. "But the Catholics could be accused of having a similar problems." Editorial note EU-Digest: this can be seen as a positive development - Muslims have to reform their religion to adapt to todays world just like the Christians did during the Reformation.
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