Press Release
Reply to Yassin Alfurqani the Official Spokesman of CMO Foundation On the Issue of the Dismissal of a Muslim Woman from Work for Refusing to Shake Hands with Men
(Translated)

The Cosmicus Montessori College in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, have expelled a Muslim woman, because she refused to shake hands with men, and subsequently an interview was conducted with one of the imams of a mosque called Yassin Alfurqani to get an explanation regarding the sister's action of refusal to shake hands with men and to show the Islamic view on the matter. However, this Sheikh in his answer started to use terms which were popular on the tongues of the Greek philosophers, such as using the word theological rather than Shariah sciences, and he began to speak about the differences between scholars regarding the handshake, and between those who permitted it and those who prohibited it. Then he gave his opinion saying: the Muslim woman must shake hands with men on the basis of benefit and necessity, work is necessary for women and in her interest.

Aside from the discussion of the validity of the use of the word theological to mean Shariah sciences by this Sheikh, we can confirm that the discussion of the permissible and prohibited is a fiqhi matter (jurisprudence) in the first place, and lies under Shariah rules and has no relation at all to the so-called benefit; adoption of Shariah rules is based on the strength of the Shariah evidence. As for benefit that the Sheikh spoke about, it is not a Shariah evidence and it is therefore not allowed to revoke the clear laws of Allah (swt) to pursue the fake benefit. Therefore, the acceptance of a certain rule takes place when there is a conviction that this rule is the rule of Allah (swt), which we must follow, and therefore to ignore the Shariah law with the pretext of benefit has no value in Islam. Note that what is said by some of the likes of the Sheikh benefits only the oppressors who want the behavior of Muslims to be consistent with the reality and not according to what Allah (swt) has revealed to the Prophet (saw): Where is the benefit in this? Were some Muslims keen on not losing their jobs at a time when they are losing their Deen? Is this a benefit? No it is not. As for the talk about necessity to justify the opinion of the Sheikh, we say: The Shariah alone and not the whims of human that determines what necessity is, and when it is considered, and what are its accepted terms and conditions, and the rules resulting from it, and what is permissible and what is not.

The discussion here should not be about what he called theological but must be about injustice and intolerance by the secular Western liberalism, which claims freedom for all, but at the same time violates the rights of Muslims specifically and works on its restriction. This is not the place to talk about the difference in understanding between scholars regarding the permissibility or prohibition of the handshake of women with men, but it is necessary to focus on the narrow-minded and restricted nature of Western democracy when it comes to those who do not share its views, especially Muslims, and this is a challenge that Muslims in the Netherlands must face.

We expect from the Muslim organizations, that they take care of the interests of the Muslims, but the sensed reality is that the loyalty of such organizations is far from Islam and Muslims, and therefore in such a case, we can only say to them and loudly: Do not speak on our behalf.

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir
in the Netherlands