To wonder why, when Islam is such a peaceful religion, is there so much oppression of women in the Middle East?

[Joogle]

I know this may be ignorant but I would like to lear more about it. It seems there is so much oppression of women in Middle Eastern and African Muslim countries from women not being allowed out in public uncovered and domestic violence through to FGM and stoning.

Is this more to do with culture than religion?

Yes.

No, it's to do with men interpreting the Koran the way they want to.

FGM and much else not in Koran.

I realise it is not in the Koran, Islam from what I know preaches peace.

If you would like to learn about Islam, or learn about the position of women in Islam then there are plenty of more appropriate places to ask questions. YABU to post here.

If however you would like to create a thread just to have everyone throw in their pennies worth and post anti Islamic comments then YANBU at all.

MrsSnow - There are plenty of Muslim mumsnetters, it's a bit of a generalisation to think everyone is anti-Islamic.

I'm not saying that the OP has posted anti Islamic comments, I am saying if she wanted to create a thread which attracted anti Islamic comments then this is what this will turn into.

MrsSnow - I don't think it will

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the Koran is an archaic legal system which is unable to adapt or modernise, due to its simplistic set up - not requiring judges to be legally qualified, having unclear and poorly enforced court procedures, not recognising a system of judicial precedent, not being regularly modernised to take account of changes in society,. etc..

VirtualWitch - is that also the case for the Torah and the Bible?

vw the Koran isn't a legal system. It is a holy book. Are you sure you know what you are talking about?

'Peaceful' and 'oppression of women' aren't mutually exclusive ideas. You don't have to look very far back in certain christian cultures to see that. Catholic Ireland up to remarkably recently was a very male-dominated culture that was highly oppressive of women... sending single mothers and sexually active girls off to lunatic asyslums and so forth. Orthodox Jewish traditions from Eastern Europe often treat women as second-class citizens but that isn't true across all judaism. Many muslims will point out that women are treated very equally in the islamic texts with the prophet Mohammed's wife being held in very high status.. and that oppressive treatment is largely down to tradition and culture.

CogitoErgoSometimes - Yes the history of the Irish Catholic Church sending women to asylum's and abusing children in the care of the church was another example I had in mind.

I realise the Koran preaches equality and peace, which is why I ask the question I did.

Sorry should have said Sharia law which is predominately practised by followers of the Koran.

Oh dear.

LineRunner - I don't understand what you mean

Islam is what Muslims say it is. You can sit here saying that Islam is nothing like the way it's being practised 'over there', but that's meaningless isn't it. That is the way it's being practised.

It works for the same for Christianity. If anyone complains about Christian homophobia and misogyny someone pipes up with "oh but Jesus said be nice to one another". As though that had anything to do with what religion is here and now.

Anyway it's not up to the people of the UK to tell them they are doing Islam wrong is it.

Yes and why there is so much cutting off hands, and lashing rape victims

onagar - What an utterly ignorant ridiculous comment. Speaking as a Bristish Muslim I can say there is NOTHING Islamic about FGM and the opression of woman - I take you are not a Muslim and you are not from the Middle East either???

If you read the koran women are revered and cherished. It's the many and varied interpretations that are the problem.

And it's not just islam, there's been plenty of oppression of women in the western world due to christianity.

Leilaloony, that's right. you tell those ignorant forriners they are doing your religion all wrong.

I really want to say 'no one expects the Spanish Inquisition' ala Monty Python at this point.

Oh look...I just did!!!