A Muslim cleric has been arrested on charges of blasphemy and hate speech in Indonesia after his decision to allow women to preach and pray beside men sparked a backlash in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

  • SulaymanF@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Seems many people are misunderstanding the issue and bashing the religion. Islam allows women to be imams (leaders of congregations and prayers) but like conservative Judaism they can only lead groups of women in prayer. Mixed prayers of men and women are led by men.

        • Poplar?@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That is deceptive because the origin of the ruling is written by male jurists (living with the ideas of gender from their time, a millenia ago).

          It is opposed even when muslim men and women choose to have women lead, so the choice only matters when it conforms to the already held view.

        • oshitwaddup@lemmy.antemeridiem.xyz
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          1 year ago

          Seems strange (understatement) to block them entirely from leading mixed gender groups. Why not give them the option to lead mixed groups if they want, or if they want a women-only group they can lead that as well?

          To be clear, i’m against the sexism in the bible and any other religion as well

          • SulaymanF@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            You may want to ask the islam sublemmy for a longer explanation, but the idea is that people should focus on their prayer and not get distracted staring at the opposite gender. That’s why Muslim men and women form two groups when they pray; women don’t want men ogling as they bend over etc. You see the same in conservative and orthodox synagogues; men and women sit on different sides. It’s a practical consideration.

    • kamenoko@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Women aren’t allowed to lead men in prayer but men are allowed to lead women in prayer. I love how male Muslim apologists use their own lack of personal responsibility to justify the systematic disenfranchisement of women the same way Roman Catholics and Orthodox Jews do. It’s almost like messianic received religion is the core issue and less religious societies have less sexual and physical violence towards women.