An International conference for Muslim women was held at Sharjah Women’s Club from April 15 to 19. The first of its kind convention was held under the theme Muslim women and the impact of Scientific and Cultural Globalization.
It will be under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qassimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi.
The primary objective was to develop the character of young women and equip them to maturely handle the issues considering their Ummah (nation) and the world at large. We invited young Muslim women from as far flung countries as Finland, Iceland, Bahamas and even war torn Burundi to attend the conference.
The conference provided both the time and space needed to contemplate challenges faced by the Muslim women in the present. Princess Sarah bint Abdul Mohsen, professor of Girls College at Dammam University said, Our young women are constantly being put on the defensive to justify their beliefs and ideology.
A series of seminars in which diverse subjects that affect Muslim women was discussed.
Speaking at the conference, Sheikha Jawaher urged the young women to uphold the Islamic values and warned them against following ideals that are not part of their culture. She also asked the Muslim women to educate themselves as Islam values knowledge.
We seek knowledge to progress but modernity should not come at the expense of our religion or ideals. About globalization, Sheikha Jawaher said that she encourages the opening up of nations to one another but that should not interfere with Islamic principles or the heritage.
She warned the women against following wrong ideas of freedom and beauty. Media have stereotyped some fashion models as the role model. That is a distorted image which should not be followed. Beauty, according to Sheikha Jawaher, comes from the soul and is not under a plastic surgeon’s scalpel or in make-up.
