Western media criticised for misrepresentation of Muslim women
By Sunil K. Vaidya, Bureau Chief
Muscat: A female member of Oman's Majlis Al Shura has lashed out at the Western media for misrepresenting the status of women in Islam.
"The Western media portrays false perceptions of Islam's treatment of women," said Raheela Al Riyami, who moderated the final session of a two-day forum yesterday on Muslim women in the contemporary world at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Lecture Hall.
"Look at our country, we have been given equal status in every sphere," she told Gulf News on the sidelines of the forum, which is being organised by the Sultan Qaboos Centre for Islamic Culture.
In her lecture titled 'Muslim women's image in the Western media,' Al Riyami spoke about the persistent attack on Islamic values.
"Muslim women in the Western media are primarily used to misrepresent Islam and Muslims," the twice-elected Al Shura member said. She believes that the Western media has wrongly labelled Muslim women as ignorant and backward.
"Many of them see Islam as an obstacle in the face of women's prosperity and progress in light of the fierce attack on Islam and Muslims after 9/11 and anti-Muslim sentiments that consequently reared their ugly head," she added.
By Sunil K. Vaidya, Bureau Chief
Muscat: A female member of Oman's Majlis Al Shura has lashed out at the Western media for misrepresenting the status of women in Islam.
"The Western media portrays false perceptions of Islam's treatment of women," said Raheela Al Riyami, who moderated the final session of a two-day forum yesterday on Muslim women in the contemporary world at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Lecture Hall.
"Look at our country, we have been given equal status in every sphere," she told Gulf News on the sidelines of the forum, which is being organised by the Sultan Qaboos Centre for Islamic Culture.
In her lecture titled 'Muslim women's image in the Western media,' Al Riyami spoke about the persistent attack on Islamic values.
"Muslim women in the Western media are primarily used to misrepresent Islam and Muslims," the twice-elected Al Shura member said. She believes that the Western media has wrongly labelled Muslim women as ignorant and backward.
"Many of them see Islam as an obstacle in the face of women's prosperity and progress in light of the fierce attack on Islam and Muslims after 9/11 and anti-Muslim sentiments that consequently reared their ugly head," she added.