Post by spaceflower on Aug 7, 2016 23:36:52 GMT
Very conservative Muslims (and very Orthodox Jews) refuse to shake hands with members of the opposite sex.
www.justaskislam.com/69/shaking-hands-with-women/
But it is custum in Sweden to shake hands when you meet someone for the first time, be it a customer or a colleage. When a Muslim man refused to shake hands with women, his female colleages felt "kränkt". (Which word would be best here: offended, outraged, wronged, derogated? It is hard for me to find the right English word with the right emotional stress)
www.ibtimes.co.uk/muslim-man-sacked-by-swedish-council-after-refusing-shake-hands-female-colleagues-1572066
So now the Muslim man feels discriminated (and "kränkt").
So what is most important, gender equality or religious freedom? I gather that it would not have been such an uproar if he hade refused to shake hands with everybody (due to bacteria phobia).
This cannot be an issue just in Sweden. The same conflicts must have occurred in UK, USA, Canada, Germany etc.
Here in Switzerland gender equality went first:
A regional authority has now ruled teachers "had the right" to demand handshakes. It said in a statement on Wednesday (25 May) that "the public interest concerning gender equality as well as integration of foreigners far outweighs that concerning the freedom of belief of students". www.ibtimes.co.uk/switzerland-muslim-pupils-face-hefty-fine-refusing-shake-hands-female-teachers-1562024
Shaking hands (and touching) members of the opposite sex when not related, is not permissible for Muslims according to the teachings of Islam.
First: It is not allowed for a believing man to put his hand in the hand of a woman who is not allowed for him (mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc.). Whoever does this has wronged himself (sinned).
There is a Hadith from Ma'qil ibn Yasar, saying; The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "It is better for you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle than to touch the hand of a woman who is not permissible to you."
First: It is not allowed for a believing man to put his hand in the hand of a woman who is not allowed for him (mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc.). Whoever does this has wronged himself (sinned).
There is a Hadith from Ma'qil ibn Yasar, saying; The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "It is better for you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle than to touch the hand of a woman who is not permissible to you."
But it is custum in Sweden to shake hands when you meet someone for the first time, be it a customer or a colleage. When a Muslim man refused to shake hands with women, his female colleages felt "kränkt". (Which word would be best here: offended, outraged, wronged, derogated? It is hard for me to find the right English word with the right emotional stress)
A Muslim man is suing a local council in Sweden after he was sacked for refusing to shake hands with female colleagues.
The man worked for Helsingborg municipal authorities in southern Sweden, and said that although it was against his religious beliefs to shake hands with female colleagues, he was happy to shake hands with male colleagues. He has been sacked under gender equality rules.---
The man, who has not been named, told Sweden's SVT: "I don't understand why someone would take exception to me greeting them with my hand on my heart.
"I am a practising, religious Muslim and I want to follow my religion. It's not just men who don't want to shake women's hands, there are also women who don't want to shake hands with men," he said.
The man worked for Helsingborg municipal authorities in southern Sweden, and said that although it was against his religious beliefs to shake hands with female colleagues, he was happy to shake hands with male colleagues. He has been sacked under gender equality rules.---
The man, who has not been named, told Sweden's SVT: "I don't understand why someone would take exception to me greeting them with my hand on my heart.
"I am a practising, religious Muslim and I want to follow my religion. It's not just men who don't want to shake women's hands, there are also women who don't want to shake hands with men," he said.
So now the Muslim man feels discriminated (and "kränkt").
So what is most important, gender equality or religious freedom? I gather that it would not have been such an uproar if he hade refused to shake hands with everybody (due to bacteria phobia).
This cannot be an issue just in Sweden. The same conflicts must have occurred in UK, USA, Canada, Germany etc.
Here in Switzerland gender equality went first:
A regional authority has now ruled teachers "had the right" to demand handshakes. It said in a statement on Wednesday (25 May) that "the public interest concerning gender equality as well as integration of foreigners far outweighs that concerning the freedom of belief of students". www.ibtimes.co.uk/switzerland-muslim-pupils-face-hefty-fine-refusing-shake-hands-female-teachers-1562024