News & Comment
The Obsession with Segregation of the Sexes

News:

Sweden’s music festival scene has been blighted by a string of sexual assault allegations, with a major festival cancelling over the issue. On Saturday, the country’s largest festival, Bråvalla, announced it would not be holding an event in 2018, after police said they had received reports of four rapes and 23 sexual assaults following this year's outing. (Independent)

Comment:

In response to the above problem a Swedish comedian performer came up with the following idea of setting up a female only festival that will run until  “ALL men have learned how to behave themselves?"

These assaults against women aren’t only a Swedish problem it is a global problem and we see different ways of trying to deal with it. Last year in May for example, 28 festivals in Britain saw their website go black in support with the #saferspacefestivals campaign which was set up to increase the awareness of sexual violence against women. Also other festivals e.g. Glastonbury festival, women’s only areas were set up in response to women feeling increasingly unsafe. We also see artists themselves like the American singer, Kathleen Hanna respond to this reality by insisting that front rows be reserved for woman only.

The different initiatives defend their measures arguing that “female only areas do not marginalise, women need a safe space.” Two claims that the above measures are actually a reverse sexism, they answer that this is nonsense. “Women only areas will bring solidarity and support to a setting that can be intimidating.”

Gender segregation has always been an integral part of Islamic social practice and evidences for it can be found in the Quran and the Sunnah. It is also a practice which is under heavy attack in the West and frowned upon by the biased media and politicians. Often claiming that segregation of the sexes is a practise that does not coincide with the Western life style and Western liberal values. These partial concerns raised by politicians have in the past resulted in the banning of Islamic events for the exact same principle as singer Hanna insisted on with her unofficial “girls to the front” policy.

That’s why it is important for Muslims to understand that segregation itself isn’t really the problem. It apparently only becomes a problem when it is related to Islam or the Muslims. The anti-Islamic media and politicians use these concepts to try and influence the minds of Muslims and non-Muslims negatively towards the noble concepts of Islam. By doing so they hope to reform Islam into something just as confused as their own reasoning, which is far from being consistent and who change their stances to go with the current popular sentiments.

Let’s as Muslims not fall into the trap of this negative propaganda and let’s recognize it for what it is, a battle between Haqq and Kufr. Let not a seed of doubt enter our minds when thinking about the Divine rules given to us by Allah (swt), our Rabb and only Legislator. Islam is the path that will not only lead to success in this world but also in the Hereafter.

[لَقَدْ جَاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ]

“The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters.” [10: 94]

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Yasmin Malik
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir