Woman takes reins of major Muslim group

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0608300216aug30,1,4411322.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

The first female president of the largest Muslim organization in North America believes nothing in Islam prohibits her from issuing religious opinions on issues from dietary restrictions to the proper place for women in mosques.

Ingrid Mattson, a Canadian convert to Islam who was elected last week to lead the Islamic Society of North America, said women should participate fully in Muslim life, whether that means sitting next to men during mosque lectures, but not at prayers, or contributing to the rules that govern religious observance.

"I want to make sure women are fully engaged," Mattson said Tuesday. "They should sit on boards and in mosques in space equal to men so they can participate in discussions."

Not everyone was pleased with her election, which came a week before the Islamic society's annual convention that begins Friday in Rosemont. Mattson said she has received a few angry e-mails from people opposed to a woman holding the office, which has a two-year term.

[CollegeDUer]

1. That's good

A progressive, humanist Islam is generally what many Muslims are seeking and often have a hard time finding.

[soothsayer]

2. I think that's the one Mohammed (and Allah) intended. I'm pretty

sure Mohammed stressed equality between the sexes.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. Absolutely not.

Mohammed made Pat Robertson look like Julie Burchill. He stressed the inferiority of women to men, not their equality.

[CollegeDUer]

4. Not sure on that one

very swift and fast with the facts there.