Things are going to change for women in Dubai; in fact, if all goes to plan they are likely to change throughout the Emirates and the rest of the Arab world.
In October, the Grand Mufti announced that next year; the UAE would appoint, recruit and train the world’s first state-sanctioned female muftis.
Pretty groundbreaking, isn’t it?
Training for the Top
According to an article in The National Newspaper, six Emirati women are being considered for the training programme. If accepted they will begin several months of training at the beginning of 2010.
In February of this year, Dr Ahmed al Haddad issued a fatwa approving women’s role as muftis. In May, put out a call for qualified Emirati women to apply for the training programme, which includes instruction in Sharia law and legal thinking.
Women as Muftis? Bound to Cause Controversy
Beyond Dubai, in other parts of the Muslim world, ripples of criticism for the new legislation are rising to the surface.
Not too far away, Egypt’s Al Azhar University, a powerful centre of Sunni scholarship, has officially rejected any possibility of women becoming grand muftis.
Whether or not a woman can be a grand mufti is one thing, what this bold new move is trying to promote is the idea of female muftis, of women in an advisory and authoritarian role and that is if nothing else, an incredible place to start.
Dubai: Stepping Towards Equality
Dr al Haddad clarified the debate on Dubai’s new liberal legislation thus:
“The controversy over female muftis is not necessarily over this point, but about whether or not a woman should be appointed as the grand mufti of a state,” he said. “And that is not what we’re trying to do at this point.”
The move is part of a bigger picture that aims to recruit and train more Emiratis to the department, especially in the role of advising and issuing decrees on religious matters.
Did you know?…
In February 2008, the Egyptian family court appointed Amal Soliman as the first female Islamic notary sanctioned to perform marriages and divorces. Her duties were not equal to those of a mufti.