Chekrouni calls for Muslim Women to correct Western perception of Islam

[LalaMimi]

Nouzha Chekrouni, the minister delegate in Charge of Moroccans Resident Abroad, called Feb. 8 Muslim women to take advantage of globalisation to correct the image of Islam in the West.

As Muslim women, we must “take advantage of the instruments provided by globalisation […] by cooperating with Western women's movements, who believe in the universal principles of the dialogue of civilizations and tolerance. We should show them the values of the Islamic civilisation and correct the image of Islam in Western media and so prevent them from associating Muslim women with extremism and terrorism.”

This declaration was made in Teheran, at the International Union of Muslim Women's NGOs' conference, which was organised under the presidency of Fatima Rafsanjani, the daughter of ex-Iranian president Hachimi Rafsanjani.

Chekrouni also called for the creation of a commission made of the women representatives of all Islamic countries. This would determinate the problems Muslim women are faced with when trying to reconcile Islamic values and universal values bases on freedom, human rights, and mutual respect.

In addition, she insisted on the importance and the role of Ijtihad (rational inquiry) to reach national consensus in Morocco over the amendment of the Moudawana. She also reminded the attendees that the Moudawana reform had met strong opposition which stated that it had been built on the precepts of Islam and that it should not be changed.