All-women religious organisation on the rise

Most religious organisations in Pakistan are headed and attended by men only, making it uncomfortable for women to seek religious guidance. But the emergence of a female-only organisation called Al Huda (Urdu for guidance) has given women the chance to learn more about Islam, Dr Farhat Hashmi, founder of Al Huda, told IRIN. Established in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, in 1994 and funded by donations, Al Huda runs a year-long Islamic course free of charge. Hashmi said, “I know what it is like for women to move around in this society: it is restricted, which is why I set up Al Huda. Women aren’t allowed in many mosques in the country, but [are] encouraged to stay at home to pray instead.” She added: “My father taught me how to read the Koran in Arabic and in Urdu, so I understood it and wanted to let others know too, spreading the message from God.” Students are very passionate about the organisation. Sobia Rehmdi, 23, told IRIN that despite receiving her master’s degree in English literature, she was constantly searching for something more. “It was a thirst. I kept on thinking there must be something else that I could turn to. After my master’s finished, and my younger sister joined Al Huda, I joined too,” she said. Rehmdi is just one of hundreds of Pakistan’s young women who have turned to Al Huda to find what they call “inner peace”. The organisation’s main emphasis is for women to read a commentary on the Muslim holy book, the Koran, in Urdu and English. “The Koran was written in Arabic and it’s compulsory for Muslims to read the holy book in Arabic at least once during his or her lifetime,” Remdi said. But many non-Arabic speaking Muslims read the text without knowing what it means,” she said. A typical day in an Al Huda class starts with students reciting prayers from the holy book, followed by a two-hour session of an Urdu translation of the Koran played over loudspeakers. The women transcribe the meaning of each verse, followed by a question and answer session. The pupils are dressed in white and the staff in black traditional dress, known as a burka, a strict form of Islamic clothing. Students cover their faces in front of men. According to Hashmi, wearing a burka was not a requirement, but most women opted for it when they read the translation of the Koran. “They find out that this clothing protects them from the evil eye, and women are required to cover all beauty under the teachings of Islam,” she maintained. But Al Huda is not without its critics. Shahnaz Bukhari, who heads a Pakistani NGO in Islamabad called the Progressive Women’s Association, said the organisation was “taking women back into the dark ages”. “I call them defaced women, when they have purdah [the Muslim tradition of concealment with a veil] and cover their faces,” she told IRIN. “I have performed Hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia], where women are required to wear a burka without covering their face, and I still remember there were two or three streaks of hair on my face. I was asked by the holy men to sacrifice some goats, because the hair should be covered while performing Hajj. If, while performing pilgrimage in the holy place, said to be the house of God, I don’t have to cover my face, then why should I be defaced in my country?” she asked. Describing Al Huda as “slow poisoning and slow segregation”, Bukhari said the world was stepping into the 21st century. “Are we going to go back to the stone ages where it was thought that girls were a sin to be produced, and buried the day they were born?” she asked. “We should move ahead, and moving ahead does not have to mean being westernised.” Despite criticism, Al Huda is growing fast and already has branches in eight countries worldwide, including the US and the UK. There are 1,000 students passing through their doors in each country every year. In Pakistan, the southern city of Karachi has the largest following, with 500 female students, most in their twenties. Five are foreigners who have converted to Islam. The Islamabad branch has 300 students, most in their mid-twenties. All are covered from head to toe in burkas. For the women of Al Huda this is the only way for them to find peace of mind. “Many don’t care about what they are wearing, so long as they can learn about their religion,” Hijab Iqbal, mother of three, told IRIN.