The Cairo Centre for Development (CCD) has denounced the recent fatwa (Islamic legal opinion) by the Salafi preacher Sheikh Yasser Burhami that it was ” insufferable ” for young
The Cairo Centre for Development (CCD) has denounced the recent fatwa (Islamic legal opinion) by the Salafi preacher Sheikh Yasser Burhami that it was ” insufferable ” for young women to go out of their homes and travel more than 25km to attend the Faculty of Engineering. He advised women to stay away from the field of engineering since it involved hard work and mixing with men.
A declaration by the CCD said that fatwas should only be issued by the qualified accredited scholars of Dar al-Iftaa##, the official body in charge of issuing fatwas. This is not the case with Sheikh Burhami, the CCD said, whose alleged fatwa is no more than his personal viewpoint.
The declaration also said the fatwa against women studying or working as engineers is excessively revisionist, and works to sow concepts of gender inequality and discrimination and against women. It places working women in the light of selfish individuals who look for their self fulfillment while completely disregarding their duties to the families or children. This, according to the CCD, fosters conflict between men and women instead of working to integrate the efforts of both to build a thriving community.
WATANI International
29 September 2012