Sheikh Bashir opposes sections of the gender law, calls it a violation to the Sharia law

Hiiraan Online
Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali Religious Council opposes the recently enacted law governing the national policy on gender.

The council said they have noted many sections of the article that are not in line with Islamic Sharia.  The government had ascented the contentious sections of the article into law last month.

"When we read the gender law, we saw many articles that are not within the provision of the Islamic law. Notable among them is the law that states one has to be 18 years to be considered an adult and allowed to get married which is contrary to the Islamic Sharia." the Chairman of the Somali Religious Council, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Salaad told a press conference held in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

He also took issue with the passed law that gives he believes gives excess rights to women. "It is a recipe for rebellion against their parents and husbands; a situation that is likely to weaken the Muslim society."

Sheikh Bashir also pointed out that there was need to reject a section of the law that prohibits circumcision of women and thus criminalising the act. The law states that any parent committing the act of circumcision to their daughter will be liable to a jail term.

The cleric was also opposed to the law that states that a woman can get married without her parents consent. He also took issue with the proposed law that allows Sheikhs to marry couples without their parents approval. He said such practices do not exist anywhere in the world.

Sheikh Bashir called for support towards women in their house work,  education and health but advised them to distance themselves from politics.

-Source: Hiiraan Online.