A fatwa of the Sudanese Scholar & Islamist Leader Hassan Al-Turabi
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Sudanese Scholar & Islamist Leader Hassan Al-Turabi on Al-Arabiya TV
Women Should Cover Chest, Not Face; Women Can Be Imams & Political Leaders; No Punishment Sanctioned for Drinking Alcohol at HomeHassan Al-Turabi "Some of these views were already expressed decades ago, and have appeared in books. But you still see that most of the Islamic world - in its stagnation, backwardness, and traditions - quotes without reading , except for blessings."
"The word hijab appears in the Koran. It refers to a curtain in the Prophet's room. Naturally, it was impossible for the Prophet's wife to sit there when people entered the room - Muslims who came to ask for rulings, converts to Islam who wanted to ask questions, people of the Jahiliya who wanted to visit - this is impossible, even in modern homes...
"Allah be praised, today's homes are larger, and there are halls and guest rooms, but back then there was only one room, so they used a hijab so the woman would feel comfortable and could wear whatever she liked. And if we wanted something from her, we request it from behind the hijab.
"The Koran did not refer to this thing as a hijab. This was called a khimar, and it was worn over the chest only. What they are referring to is the khimar, not the hijab. You keep hearing hijab, hijab, hijab... When these words are distorted, they mislead people."
http//memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP114306
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Salaam
Dr Turabi, unfortunately, is just trying to to catch the wagon of Islamic reform, amongst sarcasm and curses of Sudanese people, and especially Sudanese women. He was the one responsible of encouraging Numeiri in early 1980's to hang Mahmoud Muhammad Taha, in his late sixties then, for the crime of apostasy (he was not an apostate), despite appeals from all over the world to save the old man's life.
He then came riding the wagon of the military dogma who ruled Sudan in 1989 with the worst corrupt Islamic regime ever. Veil was obligatory on women, otherwise they would be fired from work or schools/universities, women were whipped for either not wearing veil, for wearing jeans (even with veil) or for simply protesting in front of the UN against the unnecessary war in the South. He introduced to the Sudan, for the first time, the concept of "virgins" awaiting those who are killed in the North/South war, and thus we heard of the "wedding of the martyr"! We also had all these punishments of severing hands for thieves (not the fat corrupted officials though), even attempted adultery!
He is an opportunist, hypocrite criminal. I was really angry when I heard what he said, remembering the suffering he put the Sudanese through for years. Now because he is kicked out of the government, he is just trying to tease the rulers.
It is a diabolic dance between two corrupt institutions The Turabi clan and the military dogma. Nothing in it for God.
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Salaam
Dr Turabi, unfortunately, is just trying to to catch the wagon of Islamic reform, amongst sarcasm and curses of Sudanese people, and especially Sudanese women. He was the one responsible of encouraging Numeiri in early 1980's to hang Mahmoud Muhammad Taha, in his late sixties then, for the crime of apostasy (he was not an apostate), despite appeals from all over the world to save the old man's life.
He then came riding the wagon of the military dogma who ruled Sudan in 1989 with the worst corrupt Islamic regime ever. Veil was obligatory on women, otherwise they would be fired from work or schools/universities, women were whipped for either not wearing veil, for wearing jeans (even with veil) or for simply protesting in front of the UN against the unnecessary war in the South. He introduced to the Sudan, for the first time, the concept of "virgins" awaiting those who are killed in the North/South war, and thus we heard of the "wedding of the martyr"! We also had all these punishments of severing hands for thieves (not the fat corrupted officials though), even attempted adultery!
He is an opportunist, hypocrite criminal. I was really angry when I heard what he said, remembering the suffering he put the Sudanese through for years. Now because he is kicked out of the government, he is just trying to tease the rulers.
It is a diabolic dance between two corrupt institutions The Turabi clan and the military dogma. Nothing in it for God.
I know what you are saying but I think at least he changed and admitted some of his mistakes. Anyways we have to take advantage of any reformist since we do not have too many of them. As a Sudanese I understand what he did but Turabi was only following Sunni Islam and how it viewed the state. Anyways I believe its a welcoming sign that an Islamist has now embraced some of the concept of Islamic reform and ditanced himself from the Qaradawi's and the Zindani's and the Muslim brotherhood who still do not want to change. Its also important to understand that Turabi has a lot influence among the Islamist circles and I think its important to support them. reform can't happen if we keep pushing reformist away because of their past, this will make many hesitate to change fearing a backlash.
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I know what you are saying but I think at least he changed and admitted some of his mistakes. Anyways we have to take advantage of any reformist since we do not have too many of them. As a Sudanese I understand what he did but Turabi was only following Sunni Islam and how it viewed the state. Anyways I believe its a welcoming sign that an Islamist has now embraced some of the concept of Islamic reform and ditanced himself from the Qaradawi's and the Zindani's and the Muslim brotherhood who still do not want to change. Its also important to understand that Turabi has a lot influence among the Islamist circles and I think its important to support them. reform can't happen if we keep pushing reformist away because of their past, this will make many hesitate to change fearing a backlash.
I understand what you mean, but I also know Turabi since before coming to power. I was once a member of Muslim Brotherhood under his leadership. What attracted me, and many other young women then, was his moderate, reformed Islam, not very much different, in spirit, from what he is advocating now. His books reflected this. He never asked us to veil, for example, and opposed those who wanted to assign a dress code for the "muslim sisters". When he came to power, he turned into a monster, afflicting Sudanese people , and women in particular, with the worst type of Islamic state ever. His hands are stained with the blood of thousands of youth whom he mislead into a false jihad with incentives of "huris" who will be there during the departure of their Soul until JD! I do not think the movement of reform needs someone you can't trust. Who knows what he would do if he is again in power?
He seems to be one of those 214 "... when they meet those who believe, they say We believe; and when they are alone with their devilish leaders they say We are with you, we were just mocking".
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I understand what you mean, but I also know Turabi since before coming to power. I was once a member of Muslim Brotherhood under his leadership. What attracted me, and many other young women then, was his moderate, reformed Islam, not very much different, in spirit, from what he is advocating now. His books reflected this. He never asked us to veil, for example, and opposed those who wanted to assign a dress code for the "muslim sisters". When he came to power, he turned into a monster, afflicting Sudanese people , and women in particular, with the worst type of Islamic state ever. His hands are stained with the blood of thousands of youth whom he mislead into a false jihad with incentives of "huris" who will be there during the departure of their Soul until JD! I do not think the movement of reform needs someone you can't trust. Who knows what he would do if he is again in power?
He seems to be one of those 214 "... when they meet those who believe, they say We believe; and when they are alone with their devilish leaders they say We are with you, we were just mocking".
I think thas because when you met him he was dealing with the Sudanese, but when he came to power he was trying to establish his credibility in the Arab world. Because of the sufi influence, Sudanese are a lot more liberal in their understanding of Islam. He also got support from the salafis in the gulf when he came to power. But even though, he at least changed. Its not about trusting him, its about using whatever we find, its not like the reformist can afford to pick and choose. Our numbers are very limited. He is a good ice breaker and yes he was very hypocritical, but believe compare to what happened in Afghanistan or Algeria, he ain't as bad as the others. The war in Sudan was going to happen regardless because the Sudanese people never really considered the Southerners as one of them yet wanted to rule over them. The conflict was happening before Turabi and continued after him.
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I understand what you mean, but I also know Turabi since before coming to power. I was once a member of Muslim Brotherhood under his leadership. What attracted me, and many other young women then, was his moderate, reformed Islam, not very much different, in spirit, from what he is advocating now. His books reflected this. He never asked us to veil, for example, and opposed those who wanted to assign a dress code for the "muslim sisters". When he came to power, he turned into a monster, afflicting Sudanese people , and women in particular, with the worst type of Islamic state ever. His hands are stained with the blood of thousands of youth whom he mislead into a false jihad with incentives of "huris" who will be there during the departure of their Soul until JD! I do not think the movement of reform needs someone you can't trust. Who knows what he would do if he is again in power?
He seems to be one of those 214 "... when they meet those who believe, they say We believe; and when they are alone with their devilish leaders they say We are with you, we were just mocking".
By the way Samia, take a look at this very interesting article
http//johnakecsouthsudan.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html