MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

The ‘religion of peace’, and misogyny …

Hadith, Bukhari (6:301) – “[Muhammad] said, ‘Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?’ They replied in the affirmative. He said, ‘This is the deficiency in her intelligence.’“

Hadith, Tabari Vol 9, Number 1754 – “Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves.” (Mohammed’s ‘Farewell Sermon’)

By Al Arabiya – “The recent emergence of the hardline Salafi trend in Egypt after the January 25 revolution has given way to a series of controversial fatwas that mainly focused on women, Copts, culture and democracy.

Preacher Mustafa al-Adawi issued a fatwa prohibiting Muslim women from wearing high heels because they are a source of seduction for men.

‘A woman can only wear high heels for her husband but she is not to do so outside her house,’ he said.

Another cleric, Sheikh Mahmoud Amer, had issued a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from voting for Coptic candidates or their Muslim counterparts who do not pray on regular basis.

‘It is forbidden by Islam to vote for them and whoever does that will be committing a grave sin,’ he said.

Amer and other Salafi clerics opposed the Egyptian revolution and declared that rebelling against the ruler is forbidden in Islam.

Other controversial statements were issued by prominent Salafi and parliamentary candidate Abdel Moneim al-Shahat who said that democracy is a form of apostasy and categorized the works of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz as ‘atheist literature.'” Read more.

Islamic cleric bans women from touching bananas, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini for sexual resemblance – “CAIRO: An Islamic cleric residing in Europe said that women should not be close to bananas or cucumbers, in order to avoid any ‘sexual thoughts.’ The unnamed sheikh, who was featured in an article on el-Senousa news, was quoted saying that if women wish to eat these food items, a third party, preferably a male related to them such as their a father or husband, should cut the items into small pieces and serve. He said that these fruits and vegetables ‘resemble the male penis’ and hence could arouse women or ‘make them think of sex.’ He also added carrots and zucchini to the list of forbidden foods for women.” Read more.

Egyptian shaykh says it is forbidden for women to participate in the Olympics – “Popular Egyptian Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Arifi last week called on the Saudi government to ban women from participating in the Olympic games, because it is ‘forbidden.’ Al-‘Arifi explained that women are permitted in Islam to play sports, just not when they might mingle with men, or any men might be watching. He also described it as a slippery slope which could lead to women taking off their hijabs or tightening their clothes. Al-‘Arifi also stated that ‘Prince Nawaf would not like his wife or daughter to participate, and thus he should likewise be eager to protect the reputation and virtue of his Muslim sisters.'” Read more.

Saudi Fatwa issued against women with ‘alluring eyes’, religious police to enforce – “The Council for Commanding the Good and Forbidding the Evil (the religious police) in Saudi Arabia confirmed Wednesday that it will force women cover up their eyes, especially those which ‘provoke fitna’ [problems, discord]. The media spokesman for the Council for Commanding the Good and Forbidding the Evil … said in Ha’il (north) that ‘The men of the council will intervene to compel women to cover up their eyes, especially those which provoke fitna.’ … ‘The Council will compel the owner of those eyes to cover them up,’ pointing out that the Council ‘has the right to do that.’ A Saudi citizen entered the hospital at the end of last year after suffering stab wounds in his hand and back after a fight with one of the members of the Council in the Barzan market of Ha’il, after a demand from one of the members of the Council that he cover up the eyes of his wife who was with him at the time.” Read more.

By Chana Ya’ar – “Insulting the friends of the founder of Islam earned an Australian national 500 lashes and a year in jail in Saudi Arabia last month.

Mansor Almaribe, a resident of southern Victoria state, was arrested by religious police on November 14 in Medina while participating in the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca known as the hajj. His eldest son Jamal told The Melbourne Age newspaper that Almaribe was reading and praying in a group at the time.

Family members told Australian media that Saudi officials accused the 45-year-old of insulting companions of Islam’s Prophet Muhammed; blasphemy is considered a serious offense in Saudi Arabia, which is governed under Shari’a (Islamic) law.

No information is available about exactly how or when he insulted them, or even which companions of Muhammed he allegedly had insulted.

He was convicted Tuesday and sentenced to two years in prison and 500 lashes. The court later reduced the sentence to ‘only’ one year in jail, in the presence of an Australian consular official who attended the proceedings.

The maximum number of lashes ever allowed to be used as a sentence under Jewish law during the time of the Holy Temples was 39, and that was to be delivered under the supervision of a medical doctor, in sets of three, so as to ensure the convicted person did not die as a result.

A sentence of 500 lashes is considered equivalent to a death sentence.” Read more.