The Malaysian political party with a basically Islamic bent, PAS, has called for the National Fatwa Council to declare the Sisters in Islam (SIS) as haram (forbidden) if its activities are found to be contrary to Islamic teachings and principles. As the SIS are a group of highly educated Islamic women promoting the rights of women as based on the principles of equality, justice and freedom as stated in the Quran, it would be difficult indeed to find that they are contrary to Islamic teachings.

However, doubtless PAS will try, presumably because they don’t much like freedom, equality and justice for women. One of the things the Sisters in Islam does is offer free legal advice to women (men too actually) who deal with the Syariah and civil law courts.

Here from yesterday’s newspaper, The Star, for example, is an example of the kind of man who has been deemed fit to be an officer of the religious authorities of the PAS run northern state of Kelantan.

State CID chief Asst Comm Mazlan Lazim said that in the 2.30 p.m. incident in Pasir Mas, Kelantan on Sunday, the woman – known only as Ain – was driving when her car was rammed from behind by a Proton Wira. “The man then drove off. About five minutes later, the man was back trailing the woman’s car and he rammed her again, damaging both vehicles. He then got out of his car and threatened to kill her,” said ACP Maslan. The 22-year-old woman, who had rejected the man’s offer to make her his third wife, also received a death threat.

It was apparently the third time the man had been violent towards this woman.

No wonder PAS is unhappy with the Sisters in Islam.
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And below: more on the IAEA DG election for those interested.