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OK for people to be called Muhammad, but not a teddy bear (not in Sudan anyway)

458 replies

WendyWeber · 26/11/2007 13:21

Poor woman

40 lashes???

I love the calm quote from the Muslim teacher at the school:

"I was just impressed that she got them to vote"

These are 6-7 year-olds, they chose the alternative names and they voted for Muhammad (also the name of the most popular boy in the class apparently) and most of the parents are fine with it - just one fanatic took offence from the sound of it.

OP posts:
MrsClausinJimmyChoos · 29/11/2007 23:20

Well 'tis cheaper to be debating on mumsnet than internet shopping.....have spent too much and am disproportionately excited overa craft bag I've treated myself to from John Lewis

SueBaroo · 29/11/2007 23:23

Ah, you say that now Crookshanks, and then you're shelling out for nytol to calm yerself down, and you're wishing you'd bought a ginormous load of stuff from hobbycraft to put in the craft bag too, instead of debating on MN.

SueBaroo · 29/11/2007 23:24

Actually, I've not debated on MN for weeks, so am remarkably chilled out. And I only shout at people wearing orange on Tuesdays, so I'm practically flat-lining for controversy.

fuzzywuzzy · 29/11/2007 23:24

Mt direct action against a regime for which you are not a part of is naive in the best sense and completely stupid in the extreme. Pissing off the police of a country in which you are a guest, and note expats are not ever going to be naturalised in places like saudi arabia ever, they are there because the saudi's pay a shed load of money and dont charge tax, and the quality of life is obviously good enough for these women to move over to that country of their own free will, from such civilised places as the UK.US. The women who behave like this know full well what the laws are, they have agreed to enter and work in this country and comply with the law, if they dont then well they should accept they will be punished, like any people anywhere in the world breaking whichever countries laws no matter how daft one considers the law to be.
Besides which the Saudi goverment, is being pressurised by the saudis themselves, who are pissed off with havign to pick up odds and ends for their non-driving wives and daughters and mothers everyday, enough to lobby the goverment to allow women to drive, last I heard the law was being reviewed.

Rape laws are not islamic, they have nothing to do with Islam, they are a great transgression against women in the name of Islam, and pissing off the mutawa is not going to change them, more constructive action hopefully would, working with womens programmes in those countries might be a better move (yes amazingly there are womens movements even in places as draconian as saudi).

The teddy bear thing, is atrocious, I wouldnt tihnk twice if either of my girls had named their soft toys some such, and it's wrong to say people wouldnt name their toys jesus and moses either, I bet in Americas bible belt there'd be lots of jesus' and prolly in Spain too.
The teahcer should have received written guidlines, surely if this was a school going by the british curriculum something like this should have been anticipated.
I still dont see it being wrong...

The calling a man named Mohammad by his middle name, is mostly done in countries like India and Pakistan, I think in the middle east they do tend to call a man named mohammad by his given first name. Culturally we dont call our elders, people in honoured positions ie teachers, by their names as it is seen to be disrespectful which I think may be why.

MrsClausinJimmyChoos · 29/11/2007 23:26

I am actually in the middle of a cable tank top I'm making for DS...but...if I pick that up and start....that will wake me right up!!!

I'll stick to debating....I'm going to knit a teddy bear and call it...............

Colin

SueBaroo · 29/11/2007 23:28

Now hold on just a minute, thar! I knew a sainted old man called Colin, once. I just hope this teddy will be very dapper, lady, or I shall... erm... suspect you are taking the michael and fold my arms and say 'Ok, then' in a passive-aggressive manner.

Magdelanian · 29/11/2007 23:29

There's a saying 'When in Rome do as the Romans'. That goes for our country as well as other countries.

fuzzywuzzy · 29/11/2007 23:31

magdalenian well yes exactly and pukkapatch was explaining, supporting and agreeing with just that as well.

MrsClausinJimmyChoos · 29/11/2007 23:31

I'll put him in an orange top and all

Ahh, that's better! Bit of light heartedness and proof that Muslims do have a sense of humour

Magdelanian · 29/11/2007 23:33

Should raise money for a good 'clause' to name your teddy.

SueBaroo · 29/11/2007 23:35

You can get vile and nasty little Christian fripperies with Jesus put in some fairly disrespectful places.
I can't stand it on a personal level, but some Christians (who I, being very judgemental, think lack taste as much as anything else) love it.

IsawKIMIkissingSantaClaus · 30/11/2007 06:58

DS2s best mate at school is a Muhammed, he is called that by everyone.

When he came to tea I was a bit confused about what he could and could not eat (knew pork was a no no ) so I ask his dad what was ok and what was not (posted on MN for advice too) so I say to the Dad um what would Muhammed like for tea what is allowed? Dad says with a beaming smile..........

Pizza, hold the pepperoni

MadamePlatypus · 30/11/2007 07:58

Sadly it probably wouldn't be a good idea for immigrants to harrass BNP activists, but I will happily harrass them on their behalf.

Isn't one of the problems that the issue of whether the bear could or couldn't be called Muhammed seems to be a Sudanese one rather than a Muslim issue. No amount of mixing with liberal Muslims in London would really prepare you for what to expect in Sudan.

Monkeytrousers · 30/11/2007 08:14

?Mt direct action against a regime for which you are not a part of is naive in the best sense and completely stupid in the extreme.?

Like the people who do this in Palestine against the Israeli bulldozers too? I understand what you are saying, but don?t think a special pleading can be made just because the regime you are protesting against is worse, and the risks therefore, higher!

WendyWeber · 30/11/2007 13:45

rentamob has arrived

It was said that this might happen after prayers today

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tiredemma · 30/11/2007 13:46

Now they are calling for her to be executed.

My God- are these people so out of touch with reality. They are stuck in the bloody dark ages.

susiemj · 30/11/2007 14:13

Goodness me! This is bonkers, surely? Plain and simple, no matter what your beliefs are.

WendyWeber · 30/11/2007 14:19

Yes, it's bonkers, but I fear the concept of bonkersness is lost on these people...

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ElenyaTuesday · 30/11/2007 14:35

Grief, these people seriously have nothing better to do than march around demanding a woman be executed over a teddy bear? Unbelievable.

Ozymandius · 30/11/2007 14:43

I assume those who say women who drive in Saudi should be punished because it is against the law, also think Rosa Parks fully deserved a prison sentence or even one of those lovely floggings for refusing to stand up for a white person on the bus?

susiemj · 30/11/2007 14:43

Sounds very holy to me

Kathyis6incheshigh · 30/11/2007 14:45

Good column in Times on the political background.

UnquietDad · 30/11/2007 15:03

On the news it says she is "bearing up."

Unfortunate choice of words in the circumstances. (As I was just saying to my teddies, Buddha, Vishnu and Jesus.)

ruty · 30/11/2007 15:18

'Another member of staff complained to the Ministry of Education.' He/she couldn't just have had a quiet word in the woman's ear to explain the potential cultural sensitivity could he/she?

SueBaroo · 30/11/2007 15:29

ruty, it was much more important that this western conspiracy was thwarted!

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