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

With support from the following male scholars:

1. Imam Adeyinka Mendes (Marhama Village, Houston, Texas)
2. Imam Asad Patel (Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte, NC)
3. Imam Atif Chaudhry (Rahma Center of Charlotte, NC)
4. Imam Bilal Elsakka, USA
5. Dr. Michael Dann, Tayseer Seminary
6. Mufti Moinul Abu Hamza, UK
7. Sh Rami Nsour, USA
8. Imam Suhaib Webb, USA
9. Sh Suhail Mulla, Khalil Center (Los Angeles)

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