Press Release
The Pious Women of Al-Sham are neither for Sale nor for Trade
(Translated)

"The Women's National Council in Egypt criticized a number of Egyptian men marrying Syrian refugee women, who fled their countries because of the situation in Syria, seeking asylum in Egypt. The council considered these marriages "exploitation of their bad circumstances." There was a controversy in Jordan prior to this regarding some men who visited Syrian Refugee Camps searching for Syrian girls to marry them... And there were reports of brokers arranging these marriages, and in some cases, arranging marriages of underage girls to geriatric men."

Attempts to distort the Syrian Revolution remain strong inside and outside Syria and take many different forms and varieties, including the spread of refugee camps in the neighbouring countries and in which the number of refugees exceeded one million people. These refugees not only suffer from poor and inhumane conditions, but also suffer from the spread of lies and rumours about them and their women, mainly the trading of girls through marrying them off in degrading conditions marred by exploitation of their ordeal and tragedy; and which some considered as an assault on values and human rights, conflicting with international conventions! The Women's National Council sent two letters to the Egyptian government demanding an end to the phenomena of Egyptian men marrying Syrian refugee women as this leads to their abuse and an abuse to the Egyptian people, increasing the number of "spinsters" in Egypt. According to the council, this action was taken in order to highlight the issue globally and put a spotlight on it in order to put pressure on the Egyptian government to take the necessary action. Hence it is clear that the aim behind this is to involve the Egyptian political situation in dealing with the Syrian affairs, even if the style used is offensive to these pious women. Instead of attacking the vulnerability of the Syrian pious women, it would have been better for them if they demanded the Egyptian government to fulfil their obligation of defending them by sending an army to protect them and their dignity! It would have also been better if they accounted the Egyptian government for failing to care for our brothers who are fleeing from death and looking for safety and security! The Lord of Glory, Allah (swt) Says in His Book:

(وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ)

"If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah. and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge." [Al-Tawbah: 6] This is indeed a rule for the Pagans, then what would be the rule for our people, women and children!

O Muslims,

Is marrying girls and providing for them security and protection a violation of their rights, whereas, leaving them for Bashar and his gang to violate their lives, dignity and security, to the extent that they fled to camps of death and displacement in the lands of Allah is considered a protection of their rights?! They claim that these marriages increase the queues of spinsters in Egypt, but weren't these queues already existent before the arrival of the refugees, due to the failed policies of the government at all levels, including the social and economic systems! They claim that these marriages are "compelling prostitution", so what about the dens of corruption prevalent in these countries, under the knowledge and consent of the regimes that are handed down by governments supporting vice under the pretext of tourism, civilization and freedom! They consider our refugee brothers guests and strangers, how can this be when they are only separated by artificial borders created by colonialism, making them strangers in their own homes and among their own families, either they were in Jordan or Egypt or Lebanon or Iraq or Turkey.

Brothers and sisters in Islam,

We are one Ummah, we belong to one Deen, our Prophet is one, our Qur'an is one, our flag is one, and our aim is one. What we lack is having one Khaleefah, who will cut the roots of whoever attacks our pious sisters and encroaches on their dignity and honour. This will not happen except in the existence of one State which will destroy the borders of Sykes and Picot, and will raise high the flag of the Prophet of Allah (saw); And this day will be very near Inshallah.

The Women Branch
in the Central Media Office
of Hizb ut Tahrir