Statement Against Abuse: The Female Scholars Network

{…يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّـٰمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ} 

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

We, a network of Muslim women scholars, teachers, and da’iyas, are horrified by recent criminal allegations that have come to light against a prominent Qur’an teacher. We are appalled and angered by this allegation as well as the instances of abuse in our community’s recent history where the perpetrators have faced few consequences and little accountability.

We stand in solidarity with victims, survivors, and community members as they speak out, seek justice, and heal. There is much work to be done in addressing the cultures and behaviors that enable the abuse of vulnerable people. We pledge to our communities that we will stand firmly against all forms of abuse and participate in creating effective safeguards for all, especially women and children. We also promise to do our best to build communities of goodness and justice in order to resist and repair the effects of abuse in all its forms.

It is the responsibility of religious leaders to address and strongly condemn any and all abuse – spiritual, sexual, physical, emotional, and financial – especially when the perpetrator is in a position of power or influence. A reticence on the part 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, the serial retraumatizing of survivors, and feelings of abandonment and betrayal among women. This silence and enabling must end.

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

Signed:

The Female Scholars Network

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, UK
20. Sh Ieasha Prime, USA
21. Ustadha Imaan Barday, UK
22. Dr. Ingrid Mattson, USA
23. Ustadha Dr. Jinan Yousef
24. Ustadha Kaltun Karani, USA
25. Dr Khadijah Elshayyal, UK 
26. Ust. Lobna Mulla, USA
27. Ustadha Louma Sebai, USA
28. Dr. Mariam Sheibani, USA
29. Ustadha Marjaan Ali, USA
30. Ustadha Maryam Amir, USA
31. Ustadha Maryam Bint Khalisadar, USA
32. Sh. Muslema Purmul, USA
33. Ustadha Najiyah Maxfield, USA
34. Muftiyyah Nasima Umm Hamza, UK
35. Ustadha Noura Shamma, USA
36. Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil, Singapore/Malaysia
37. Sh. Dr. Rania Awaad, USA
38. Ustadha Rashida Esakjee, UK
39. Ustadha Reem Shaikh, USA 
40. Ustadha Rehana Meer, UK
41. Ustadha Dr. Saadia Mian MD (USA)
42. Ustadha Sadia Abdul Sattar, USA
43. Ustadha Sophia Khan, USA
44. Ustadha Razia Hamidi, Canada
45. Ustadha Rumaysa Sidat, UK
46. Ustadha Romessa Mirza, USA
47. Ustadha Saira Master, UK
48. Ustadha Safiyya Dhorat, UK
49. Dr. Sameera Ahmed, USA
50. Ustadha Sarah Ahmed (USA)
51. Ustadha Sana Mohiuddin, USA
52. Ustadha Shazia Shamshad Ahmad (USA)
53. Ustadha Sheam Khan (UK)
54. Ustadha Sumaiyah Saleem, UK
55. Ustadha Suzane Derani, USA
56. Sh. Dr. Tamara Gray USA
57. Ustadha Taimiyyah Zubair, Canada
58. Umm Ayyoub, UK
59. Umm Hasan bint Salim, UK
60. Sh. Umm Jamaal ud-Din, AUS
61. Ustadha Umm Maryam, UK
62. Yusairah Batan, UK
63. Ustadha Zahida Suleman, UK
64. Dr. Zainab Alwani,  USA 
65. Zainab bint Younus, Canada
66. Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, USA
67. Sh. Zehra Hazratji, USA

With support from the following scholars:

1. Sh Abdullah Anik Misra (Islamic Society of Orange County, Southern California, USA)
2. Abdirahman Kariye (Imam of Dar Al-Farooq Center in Minnesota, USA)
3. Sh. Abd Alfatah Twakkal (Al-Ghazali Centre; London Council of Imams, Canada)
4. Imam Adam Jamal (Muslim Association of Puget Sound, WA, USA)
5. Imam Adeel J. Zeb, USA
6. Imam Adeyinka Mendes (Marhama Village, Houston, Texas)
7. Shaykh Alauddin Elbakri (Tawasaw Institute, USA)
8. Ustadha Afshan Syeda, USA
9. Imam Asad Patel (Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte, NC)
10. Ustadha Asiya Shaikh, USA
11. Imam Atif Chaudhry (Rahma Center of Charlotte, NC)
12. Imam Bilal Elsakka, USA
13. Ustadha Dana Nass, USA
14. Imam Daniel Hernandez (Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley)
15. Anse Eamaan Rabbat, USA
16. Anse Emmanuelle (Eman) Manigat, Canada
17. Anse Dr Farhana Yunus, USA
18. Ustadha Farheen Farooq, USA
19. Imam Fawad Kalsi (Calgary, Canada)
20. Shaykh Hammadur Rahman Fahim, UK
21. Ustadha Hazel Gomez, USA
22. Anse Heather Elsayed (USA0
23. Dr. Jamillah Karim, Dallas, TX
24. Dr. Jasser Auda
25. Ustazah Khadijah Monica Dingjan, The Netherlands / Malaysia
26. Anse Maha Gaafar, USA
27. Anse Marah Dahman, USA
28. Anse Marlene Poulin, USA
29. Dr. Michael Dann, Tayseer Seminary
30. Anse Michelle Sekusky, USA
31. Sh Mikaeel Ahmed Smith (Dallas, Texas) 
32. Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza, UK
33. Sh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, UK
34. Dr Norainee Kamaruddin, Malaysia
35. Dr. Ovamir Anjum, USA
36. Sh Rami Nsour, USA
37. Ustadha Roohi Tahir, USA 
38. Aalimah Sabah Memon, USA
39. Anse Samia Uddin, USA
40. Sh Samir Hussain (Fahm Education, Canada)
41. Ustadha Sakina Syeda, USA
42. Shaykha Saleha Bukhari, UK
43. Ustadha Shahidah Sharif, USA
44. Imam Shuaib Mansoori (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
45. Ustadha Sobia Ahmed, USA
46. Chaplain Sondos Kholaki, USA
47. Anse Soofia Ahmed, USA
48. Imam Suhaib Webb, USA
49. Sh Suhail Mulla, Khalil Center (Los Angeles)
50. Sh Umer Khan, Fiqh Council of North America
51. Shaykh Uthman Khan (Academic Dean, Critical Loyalty)
52. Ustadha Zeba Syeda, USA
53. Dr Zohair Abdul-Rahman, Faith Circle Academy, Brisbane AUS

Related:

MuslimMatters Official Statement On Wisam Sharieff

What Do I Do When I Find Out My Favorite Preacher Is Corrupt?

A Code of Conduct To Protect Against Spiritual Abuse

Who Can We Trust?

Blurred Lines: Women, “Celebrity” Shaykhs, and Spiritual Abuse