Statement Against Abuse: The Female Scholars Network

{ … قِسۡطِ َآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ}

{You who believe, uphold righteousness and bear witness to God, even if it is against yourselves…} (4:135)

We, a network of Muslim scientists, teachers and Da’iyas, are appalled by the recent criminal allegations that have come to light against a prominent Koran teacher. We are appalled and angered by this allegation and by the cases of abuse in our community’s recent history where perpetrators have faced few consequences and been held accountable.

We stand in solidarity with the victims, survivors and community members who are speaking out, seeking justice and healing. There is still much work to be done to address the cultures and behaviors that enable the abuse of vulnerable people. We promise our communities that we will take decisive action against all forms of abuse and work to create effective protections for all, especially women and children. We also promise to do our best to build communities of kindness and justice to resist and heal from the effects of abuse in all its forms.

It is the responsibility of religious leaders to address and strongly condemn all abuse – spiritual, sexual, physical, emotional and financial – especially when the perpetrator is in a position of power or influence. The reluctance of religious leaders to do so and an unacceptable societal tendency to blame victims of abuse have led to a sense of impunity among perpetrators, repeated retraumatization of survivors, and feelings of abandonment and betrayal among women. This silence and enabling must come to an end.

We will be issuing a formal statement in the coming days along with a list of resources for victims and communities, insha Allah.

Signed:

The network of female scientists

1. Ustadha Aamenah Patel, UK
2. Anse Afshan Malik, USA
3. Ustadha Aisha Hussain Rasheed, Maldives / Malaysia
4. Ustadha Alia Dada, USA
5. Ustadha Alima Ashfaq, UK
6. Ustadha Amal Abdifatah, USA
7. Ustadha Dr. Amina Darwish, USA
8. Ustadha Amina Mujela-Botic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
9. Ustadha Arzoo Ahmed, UK
10. Ustadha Dur-e-Nayyab Khan, UK/Pakistan
11. Ustadha Faduma Warsame, USA
12. Ustadha Fadwa Silmi, USA
13. Anse Fadiyah Mian, USA
14. Ustadha Fatima Patel, UK
15. Dr. Hadia Mubarak, USA
16. Ustadha Hafsah Sayeed, UK
17. Sh. Dr. Haifaa Younis, USA
18. Ustadha Hosai Mojaddidi, USA
19. Dr. Huda Waraich, Great Britain
20. Ustadha Imaan Barday, UK
21. Dr. Ingrid Mattson, USA
22. Ustadha Dr. Jinan Yousef
23. Ustadha Kaltun Karani, USA
24. Dr. Khadijah Elshayyal, Great Britain
25. VAT Lobna Mulla, USA
26. Ustadha Louma Sebai, USA
27. Dr. Mariam Sheibani, USA
28. Ustadha Marjaan Ali, USA
29. Ustadha Maryam Amir, USA
30. Ustadha Maryam Bint Khalisadar, USA
31. Sh. Muslema Purmul, USA
32. Ustadha Najiyah Maxfield, USA
33. Muftiyyah Nasima Umm Hamza, United Kingdom
34. Ustadha Noura Shamma, USA
35. Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil, Singapore/Malaysia
36. Sh. Dr. Rania Awaad, USA
37. Ustadha Rashida Esakjee, UK
38. Ustadha Reem Shaikh, USA
39. Ustadha Rehana Sea, UK
40. Ustadha Dr. Saadia Mian MD (USA)
41. Ustadha Sadia Abdul Sattar, USA
42. Ustadha Sophia Khan, USA
43. Ustadha Razia Hamidi, Canada
44. Ustadha Rumaysa Sidat, UK
45. Ustadha Romessa Mirza, USA
46. Ustadha Saira Master, UK
47. Ustadha Safiyya Dhorat, UK
48. Dr. Sameera Ahmed, USA
49. Ustadha Sarah Ahmed (USA)
50. Ustadha Sana Mohiuddin, USA
51. Ustadha Shazia Shamshad Ahmad (USA)
52. Ustadha Sheam Khan (UK)
53. Ustadha Sumaiyah Saleem, UK
54. Ustadha Suzane Derani, USA
55. Sh. Dr. Tamara Gray USA
56. Ustadha Taimiyyah Zubair, Canada
57. Umm Ayyoub, United Kingdom
58. Umm Hasan bint Salim, United Kingdom
59. Sh. Umm Jamaal ud-Din, OFF
60. Ustadha Umm Maryam, UK
61. Yusairah Batan, UK
62. Ustadha Zahida Suleman, Great Britain
63. Dr. Zainab Alwani, USA
64. Zainab bint Younus, Canada
65. Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, USA
66. Sh. Zehra Hazratji, USA

With the support of the following scientists:

1. Sh Abdullah Anik Misra (Islamic Society of Orange County, Southern California)
2. Imam Adam Jamal (Muslim Association of Puget Sound, WA, USA)
3. Imam Adeel J. Zeb, USA
4. Imam Adeyinka Mendes (Marhama Village, Houston, Texas)
5. Sh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, Great Britain
6. Ustadha Afshan Syeda, USA
7. Imam Asad Patel (Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte, NC)
8. Ustadha Asiya Shaikh, USA
9. Imam Atif Chaudhry (Rahma Center of Charlotte, NC)
10. Imam Bilal Elsakka, USA
11. Ustadha Dana Nass, USA
12. Imam Daniel Hernandez (Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley)
13. Anse Eamaan Rabbat, USA
14. Anse Emmanuelle (Eman) Manigat, Canada
15. Anse Dr. Farhana Yunus, USA
16. Ustadha Farheen Farooq, USA
17. Shaykh Hammadur Rahman Fahim, Great Britain
18. Ustadha Hazel Gomez, USA
19. Dr. Jasser Auda
20. Ustazah Khadijah Monica Dingjan, Netherlands / Malaysia
21. Anse Maha Gaafar, USA
22. Dr. Michael Dann, Tayseer Seminar
23. Anse Michelle Sekusky, USA
24. Sh Mikaeel Ahmed Smith (Dallas, Texas)
25. Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza, Great Britain
26. Dr. Ovamir Anjum, USA
27. Sh Rami Nsour, USA
28. Ustadha Roohi Tahir, USA
29. Anse Samia Uddin, USA
30. Ustadha Sakina Syeda, USA
31. Ustadha Sobia Ahmed, USA
32. Chaplain Sondos Kholaki, USA
33. Imam Suhaib Webb, USA
34. Sh Suhail Mulla, Khalil Center (Los Angeles)
35. Sh Umer Khan, Fiqh Council of North America
36. Shaykh Uthman Khan (Academic Dean, Critical Loyalty)
37. Ustadha Zeba Syeda, USA
38. Dr. Zohair Abdul-Rahman, Faith Circle Academy, Brisbane AUS

Related:

MuslimMatters official statement on Wisam Sharieff

What do I do if I find out my favorite preacher is corrupt?

A code of conduct to protect against spiritual abuse

Who can we trust?

Blurred Lines: Women, “Prominent” Sheiks, and Spiritual Abuse