: Imams in Turkey Recognize Religious Equality for Women

In a move that brings Islamic practice in Turkey more in line with its secularism, a conference of Turkish imams has agreed to sweeping reforms, including allowing women to attend funerals and read the Qur’an during their menstrual periods. These practices were frowned upon until the High Religious Affairs Board, which represents 70,000 Turkish mosques, validated them, declaring that women and men were “equal and complementary beings” within Islam. Although the decrees are not binding, the move will certainly stir debate within Islamic circles in Turkey as well as in neighboring Muslim countries. The board, however, has remained silent on the contentious issue of headscarves in Turkey, which in 1999 resulted in the stripping of citizenship of newly-elected parlimentarian Merve Kavakci for failing to take her scarf off during her oath of office.

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.