Dr. Ridwan Al-Sayyid: Commends the efforts of the Council in issuing and disseminating books that celebrate Islamic heritage and its moderate ideology
His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al Haddad: “Concern for Female Rights” clarifies the Islamic legal rulings concerning women, confront all harmful customs and misconceptions
Dr. Mariam Al-Zaidi: Women have received significant attention from the wise leadership in the UAE, which has been keen on empowering them in various aspects of life
Dr. Mohand Mechenene: The book “Concern for Female Rights” reviews the status of women in the Islamic nation and addresses many women’s issues, explaining their rulings according to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence
The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2024 organized a seminar titled: “Reading of the book ‘Concern for Female Rights,'” presented by Dr. Ridwan Al-Sayyid, Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Humanities, along with Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Haddad, Member of the Muslim Council of Elders, Senior Mufti, Director of the Fatwa Department in Dubai, and member of the UAE Fatwa Council, Dr. Mariam Al-Zaidi, Faculty member at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Humanities, and Dr. Mohand Mechenene, Faculty member at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Humanities. The seminar discussed women’s rights according to the principles of the Islamic religion and its jurisprudence through the reading of the book “Concern for Female Rights,” authored by Sheikh Mohammed bin Mustafa Ibn Khodja, a prominent Algerian scholar.
Dr. Ridwan Al-Sayyid expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Council in issuing and disseminating books that celebrate the ancient Islamic heritage and its enlightened moderate ideology, especially those focusing on highlighting the role, achievements, and contributions of women in various fields of life. He emphasized that these publications play a significant role in promoting noble Islamic values and spreading a culture of tolerance and respect among different members of society.
Dr. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Haddad explained that the book “Concern for Female Rights” aimed to clarify the Islamic legal rulings concerning women and emphasize their rights. It also addressed various harmful customs and misconceptions in this regard, highlighting the importance of knowledge in Islamic religion and the empowerment of women through education and enlightenment. He underscored the importance of showcasing women scholars and jurists such as Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and Fatimah al-Zahra, as well as others who played a significant and exceptional role in building Islamic civilization and enriching its thought.
Dr. Mariam Al-Zaidi expressed her appreciation for the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in supporting and empowering women, as well as reviving books that highlight women’s rights and promoting them. She stressed the importance of women’s role in society, its construction, and prosperity, expressing her delight in participating in the seminar discussing such an important book as “Concern for Female Rights,” which addresses topics such as inheritance, marriage, education, equality, and justice with comprehensiveness, depth, scientific accuracy, simplicity, and clarity. She also praised its courage in criticizing outdated customs and traditions that have restricted women, noting the significant attention women have received from the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates, which has been keen on empowering them in various aspects of life, making them essential partners and active contributors to society. She also called on the youth to emulate the author, who began writing this book at a young age, by working to leave a positive scientific imprint on various issues that concern society.
Dr. Mohand Mechenene, who studied and edited the book “Concern for Female Rights,” pointed out that it consists of newspaper articles compiled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Mustafa Ibn Khodja, which were published in 1895, which was a pioneering step at that time, addressing the status of women in the Islamic nation and addressing many women’s issues and rulings according to Islamic religion and its jurisprudence.
“Concern for Female Rights” by Sheikh Mohammed bin Mustafa Ibn Khodja, one of the prominent scholars of Algeria, is one of the latest publications of the Muslim Council of Elders in 2024. It includes two sections: the first is a study section, in which the editor introduces the author of the book, detailing his biography, academic background, scientific contributions, career path, and scholarly status. The editor then provides a brief study of the book by explaining its title, author attribution, purpose of writing, completion date, importance, sources relied upon, and description of the edition used for editing.
The investigation section contains the text of the book “Concern for Female Rights” by Ibn Khodja, which covers various topics related to women in Islamic legislation. Among the prominent issues addressed are: marriage injunction, ruling on polygamy, condition of justice in polygamy, wisdom behind the prohibition of adultery, prohibition of deception in marriage proposals, priority of marriage over optional acts of worship, psychological and social significance of marriage, women’s specialization in certain legal matters, equality between men and women in rights and duties, good treatment as a social norm, the meaning and wisdom of guardianship, the merit of righteous and obedient women, encouragement to honor and treat wives kindly, etiquette of divorce, its ruling, types, and conditions, rights of divorced women, women’s veil and the legislative wisdom behind veiling, women’s education, and the precedence of the Islamic nation in the scientific field.
The Muslim Council of Elders is participating at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair with over 220 publications in 5 different languages, including 22 new releases addressing key intellectual issues. Additionally, it is set to host a series of seminars focusing on topics such as dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, youth, peacebuilding, and the environment alongside a corner for Arabic calligraphy and several entertainment activities for children. The council’s pavilion is located in Hall 10, Pavilion 10 C17 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).