We wish to commend Metro Éireann for your exposé of the events surrounding the World Refugee Day Awards (metroeireann. com, 20 June).
Your willingness to speak up in defence of those who would otherwise go unheard is noble indeed. That being said, your subsequent editorial (26 June) came as a surprise in that you seemingly vindicated the Africa Centre’s discriminatory treatment with the words, “the organisers of the World Refugee Day awards were absolutely right not to recognise the contribution that [Alinoor Ahmed] Sheikh has made” – your reasons being the reaction of Muslim leaders, and your assertion that everyone is equal before God and the law. With regard to the Muslim leaders we assume you refer to, Sheikh Shaheed Satardien is at best marginal and speaks for no one but himself.
Likewise, Imam Yahya Hussein does not speak on behalf of Muslims in Ireland. The truth, of course, is that there is no one person who fulfils this role. We do not have a clergy system and therefore no ecclesiastical hierarchy. What we do have is recourse to the Qu’ran, Sunnah and Ijma, none of which were mentioned by Satardien or Hussein.
In my letter, you will note that there is reference to both the Qu’ran and Sunnah. Concerning your second reason, while we agree that everyone is equal before God, implicit in your remark is the notion that a handshake somehow evinces this equality, which is a rather hegemonic take on the gesture.
Muslims do not shake hands with members of the opposite sex who are not permissible to them; in this way we exemplify this equality in that we do not possess or touch what is not ours. Sheikh’s actions were in accordance with his religion, and he had the common decency to notify the organisers beforehand. He was given assurances that were reneged on and resulted in his humiliation.
There is no justification for this callous treatment of an individual who has served the community, nor was there any notification that a handshake was a precondition to receiving said award. The Africa Centre’s grudging concession is an insult and in the absence of a public apology should not be accepted by Sheikh. In my letter, I pointed to the confusion that divergent practices among the Muslim populace can cause, and linked with the rather opinionated reactions of those who presume to speak for Muslims, I fully understand why you might arrive at your conclusion.
However, I do hope this response might help you reconsider your position on this complex issue.
Mujaahid Liam Egan Gorey Muslim Community
