First of all, I would like to commend the writer of the letter on Domestic Abuse for its idealistic viewpoints. (Letter entitled: Muslim Community should do more to tackle Domestic abuse issue - September issue).
The problem in society is not that these issues are being ignored; indeed, domestic abuse is the new by-word at all sorts of community conferences.
No, the problem is more towards the lack of individual efforts in doing anything about domestic abuse. Yes, there are Imams who do not know how to deal with domestic abuse, but has any training been offered to them? If you want to point a finger at anyone, point it at Asian Cultural Heritage rather than at Muslims, or, more to the point to 'human' failing, for it is not a problem that is limited to any ethnic background.
Lancashire Council of Mosques (LCM) has had representation at various meetings and seminars where domestic abuse has been the key issue discussed and have produced a paper on this subject for a domestic abuse conference hosted by the Lancashire Wide Network for Minority Ethnic Women.
In fact, LCM is represented on the Domestic Abuse Sub-group in the Blackburn and Hyndburn area, offering the Muslim viewpoint on how to proceed to tackle this worrying issue. The greatest obstacle we are facing is not, as you seem to believe, organisations and community leaders, (there are various Muslim organisations dealing specifically with this area of work), but rather the community themselves.
Several attempts have been made over the past few years to get the community together to discuss this issue, but the words 'Domestic Abuse' on the initial letters or publicity material cause people to run to the hills. These words have the same effect as a red cross on the door of a house visited by a plague.
You speak about Muslim women not speaking out for help in fear of losing their privacy, and yet you too seem to be afraid of revealing your identity. Good intentions only go a small distance if there is no one to lead the way. You also say, 'If Muslim women the world over knew their rights in Islam . . . there would be a massive revolution against men to re-assert themselves.' The only culprits of this statement are women, for this knowledge is freely available.
Might I also mention at this point that it seems as if you are taking domestic abuse as a women's rights issue, are you aware that women abusing men is on the rise, and women abusing other women in their families too. The most common form of domestic abuse is a parent striking a child, and quite often it is the mother.
It was not my intention to rile you or refute your claims, but we cannot afford to blame others for social ills.
Islam clearly states in the Qur'an and Hadith that abuse of any sort to spouse, child and animal is forbidden, chastisement should be limited to symbolism, i.e. a show of strong disapproval, and most Muslims acknowledge this fact, even if they do not act upon it.
The blame is squarely with each of us. We ourselves are responsible. Islam does not teach us to point fingers of blame, but says that if you see evil, stop it with your hands, if you can not do that, stop it with your mouth, if you cannot do even that, then think it bad in your hearts, meaning exert yourself physically to avert wrongs, if you cannot, then at least speak out against it.
The weakest form of faith is thinking something is wrong, but not having the courage to stop it. Domestic abuse is not 'their' fault; it is 'our' fault.
Cllr Salim Mulla
General Secretary
Lancashire Council of Mosques
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