By AFP
First Published: October 28, 2008
CAIRO: Sunni Islam's highest authority has approved a woman's right to fight back if her husband uses violence against her, Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper reported on Monday.
The declaration by Sheikh Abdel Hamid Al-Atrash, who heads Al-Azhar University's committee for fatwas, or religious edicts, comes after similar rulings by religious leaders in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
"A wife has the legitimate right to hit her husband in order to defend herself," Atrash was quoted as saying.
"Everyone has the right to defend themselves, whether they are a man or a woman... because all human beings are equal before God," he said.
Over the last few days, Saudi Sheikh Abdel Mohsen Al-Abyakan stressed the fact that a wife should resort to "the same kind of violence" as her husband used against her, whether it be with a leather strap or a wire cable, the paper said.
Prominent Turkish Muslim preacher and writer Fethullah Gulen went one step further and ruled that a woman should return the violence with interest.
"She should give back two blows for each one received," the paper quoted him as saying.
Rights groups quoted by Amnesty International say that 35 percent of Egyptian women killed each year die as a result of domestic violence.
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I was just organizing some of my saved clips and quotes! Here are some pertinent quotes, elder's meditation, from Native American leaders:
"It is well to be good to women in the strength of our manhood because we must sit under their hands at both ends of our lives."
--He Dog, OGLALA LAKOTA
The women bring us into this life and nurture us as we grow up. When we reach our manhood, she supports us and sings the songs to help the family grow. The Elders say we must look at the woman in a sacred way. We must realize how special her powers are in brining forth life. The woman will bring balance to a man. The woman will help him see. It is said, behind every successful man is a supporting woman. Maybe we should examine how we are thinking about women. The Great Spirit says we should honor them. Are we respecting and honoring our women today?
"Mothers must protect the lives they have helped to bring into the world."
--Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders
Every child is subject to the seeds each adult plants in his/her mind. If we plant praise and "you can do it", the child will grow up with certain predictable behavior patterns. If we plant ideas that there's something wrong with you or you're good for nothing, the child will grow up with predictable behavior patterns. We need to honor and respect the mothers who protect the children and plant positive seeds for their growth.
"We must have respect and understanding for women and all female life on this Earth which bears the sacred gift of life."
--Traditional Circle of Elders. ONONDAGA
At a gathering of Native Elders we were told that many men of today had lost their ability to look at the Woman in a sacred way. They said we were only looking at Her in a physical sense and had lost the ability to look at Her sacredness. They said the Woman has a powerful position in the Unseen World. She has the special ability to bring forth life. They told us to start showing Her respect and to look upon her in a sacred manner. We must start this today.
"See how the boy is with his sister and the other ones of his home lodge and you can know how the man will be with your daughter."
--LAKOTA Proverb
Very early in our lives we form beliefs, attitudes, expectations and habits. We will live by these habits when we are older. The Elders say to watch the boy with his sister. If he is respectful and treats her good, then odds are that;s the way he will treat all women when he is older. Also, watch the young girl and how she treats her brother, for that will indicate what kind of woman she will be to her man. We need to teach our children to respect one another while they are young. The best way to teach them is to show respect ourselves.
series of funny fatwas recently, killing micky mouse, women should use one eye, nursing adults etc....
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