Mariwan Halabjaee - Voice of America editorial (with book)

Interview of Mariwan Halabjaee - French subtitles

Voice of America editorial on Mariwan Halabjaee

Mariwan Halabjaee, the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan, explains Qur'an Sura 4:34

Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," is the author of the book "Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam." Mr. Halabjaee was forced to flee to Norway from Iraqi Kurdistan because the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a fatwa to kill him. In August 2006, Mr. Halabjaee was granted political asylum in Norway. In December 2007, Mr. Halabjaee was convicted in absentia in Iraqi Kurdistan for the crime of blasphemy. The University of Southern California Muslim Student Association Islamic Server provides three translations of chapter 4, verse 34 of the Qur'an as follows: "004.034 YUSUFALI: Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all). PICKTHAL: Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great. SHAKIR: Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great." Source: University of Southern California Muslim Student Association Islamic Server Other translators render the key word here, وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ, waidriboohunna: Pickthall: "and scourge them" Yusuf Ali: "(And last) beat them (lightly)" Al-Hilali/Khan: "(and last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful)" Shakir: "and beat them" Sher Ali: "and chastise them" Khalifa: "then you may (as a last alternative) beat them" Arberry: "and beat them" Rodwell: "and scourge them" Sale: "and chastise them" Asad: "then beat them" Source: Hot Air: Blogging the Qur’an * Mariwan Halabjaee (sp. Marywan / Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi)

Interview with Mariwan Halabjaee, the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan

"The Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan" convicted of blasphemy.

As reported by United Press International, Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," was was sentenced in absentia in Iraqi Kurdistan to prison for blasphemy. A court in Halabja sentenced Halabjaee to six months behind bars. The allegedly "blasphemous" book, Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam, is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in Islam and that they have no rights," said Halabjaee. "My book is based on Islamic sources such as the Holly Qur'an, Muslim and Bukhari books and many more." Halabjaee was forced to obtain political asylum in Norway after the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a "conditional" fatwa to kill him if he did not repent and apologize for writing his book. The "conditional" nature of the fatal fatwa was uncertain. Halabjaee reported that "the mullahs and scholars said if I go to them and apologize they will give me 80 lashes and then refer me to the fatwa committee to decide if I am to be beheaded. They might forgive me, they might not." Halabjaee received telephone calls saying, "Now, in 10 years or 15 years, we will kill you." Another time, Halabjaee reported, "the Islamists said once from the radio, if they found out where I was, they would blow themselves up with me." The worse thing was realizing that his wife and children were in danger. "With that book I wanted to defend women but the first thing I did was hurt my wife." As a result, Halabjaye went into hiding with his pregnant wife and three children. A dedicated website, Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam, was created to facilitate Internet distribution of the book. The book can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, compressed zip format, compressed rar format, and as jpeg graphic files for each individual page. The website Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam was founded on the belief that the best way to respond to those who try to suppress publication of an academic book is to increase publication, promotion and distribution of that book. The most efficient way to do that was on the Internet. It was also based on the belief that the only thing that should be accomplished by those who seek to suppress publication of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam was to cause it to be published to the entire world. * Mariwan Halabjaee (sp. Marywan / Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi)

New music video dedicated to "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan"

The second music video to include the entire contents of a suppressed book. Remix version of the music video for the song "Only Women Bleed" by Alice Cooper, dedicated to Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan." Mr. Halabjaee is the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam. He was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan and obtain political asylum in Norway because the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a fatwa to kill him, and the Kurdistan Regional Government refused to offer him protection or to arrest those who threatened his life. "Only Women Bleed" lyrics: "Man's got his woman to take his seed He's got the power - oh She's got the need She spends her life through pleasing up her man She feeds him dinner or anything she can She cries alone at night too often He smokes and drinks and don't come home at all Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Man makes your hair gray He's your life's mistake All you're really lookin' for is an even break He lies right at you You know you hate this game He slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain She cries alone at night too often He smokes and drinks and don't come home at all Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Black eyes all of the time Don't spend a dime Clean up this grime And you there down on your knees begging me please come Watch me bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed Only women bleed" For more information regarding Mr. Halabjaee and his book, see: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam * Mariwan Halabjaee (sp. Marywan / Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi)

Open Season - Stuck Mojo (Sex, Sharia remix )

The first music video to include the entire contents of a suppressed book. Remix and extended version of the music video for the Stuck Mojo song "Open Season," dedicated to Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan." Mr. Halabjaee is the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam. Mr. Halabjaee was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan and obtain political asylum in Norway because the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a fatwa to kill him, and the Kurdistan Regional Government refused to offer him protection or to arrest those who threatened his life. For more information regarding Mr. Halabjaee and his book, see: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam The song "Open Season" is on the latest Stuck Mojo album, "Southern Born Killers." "Open Season" lyrics: "I speak peace when peace is spoken, But I speak war when your hate is provoking, The season is open 24-7-365, Man up yo time to ride, No need to hide behind slogans of deceit, Claiming that you're a religion of peace, We just don't believe you, We can clearly see through, The madness that you're feeding your people, Jihad the cry of your unholy war, Using the willing, the weak and poor, From birth drowning in propaganda, rhetoric and slander, All we can say is damn ya My forefathers fought and died for this here I'm stronger than your war of fear Are we clear? If you step in my hood It's understood It's open season I don't need a faith that's blind, Where death and hate bring me peace of mind, With views that are stuck deep in the seventh century, So much sand in your eyes to blind to see, The venom that you leaders preach, Is the path to your own destruction, Your own demise, You might say that I don't understand but your disgust for me is what I realize, Surprise! Your homicidal ways has got the whole world watching, Whole world scoping, So if you bring it to my home base, Best believe it, The season's open I see you, Hell yeah I see you, Motherfucker naw, I don't wanna be you, If you come to my place, I'll drop more than just some bass, Yo you'll get a taste of a, Sick motherfucker from the Dirty, I ain't worrying not a fucking bit, I'm telescoping like Hubble, Yo you in trouble, Yo on the double, I'm wild with mine, Bring that style with mine, Fuck with my family I'll end your life, Just the way it is, Just the way it be, Do you understand? No matter if you're woman or man, or child, My profile is crazy, That shit you do doesn't amaze me, I'm ready to blaze thee I don't give a damn what god you claim, I've seen the innocent that you've slain, On my streets you're just fair game, Like a pig walk to your slaughter, The heat here is so much hotter, And my views won't teeter totter or fluctuate, Step to me you just met your fate, And I'll annihilate, With the skill of a Shogun assassin, Slicing and dicing precise with a passion, In any shape form or fashion, Bring it to my home, Welcome to the danger zone, Cause your attitude's the reason, The triggers keep squeezing, The hunt is on and it's open season It's Open Season" These lyrics say the same thing as philosopher Karl Popper did in his book The Open Society and Its Enemies: "Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. In this formulation, I do not imply, for instance, that we should always suppress the utterance of intolerant philosophies; as long as we can counter them by rational argument and keep them in check by public opinion, suppression would certainly be unwise. But we should claim the right to suppress them if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols. We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant." -- Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies, Vol. I, Chapt. 7, n.4, at 265. Stuck Mojo websites: http://stuckmojo.us/ http://www.StuckMojoMedia.com http://www.myspace.com/stuckinthemojo http://www.stuckmojo.de/ http://www.dukerocks.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=2 http://www.stuckmojo.net/ * Mariwan Halabjaee (sp. Marywan / Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi)

Iraqi Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam Available in English Soon

As first reported by Kurdish Media, the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjaee (sp. Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi), "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," will be translated and published in English within the next few months. The book is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in Islam and that they have no rights," said Halabjaee. "My book is based on Islamic sources such as the Holly Qur'an, Muslim and Bukhari books and many more." As previously reported, Halabjaee was forced to flee to Sweden after the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a "conditional" fatwa to kill him if he did not repent and apologize for writing his book. The "conditional" nature of the fatal fatwa was uncertain. Halabjaee reported that "a couple of weeks ago in Halabja, the mullahs and scholars said if I go to them and apologize they will give me 80 lashes and then refer me to the fatwa committee to decide if I am to be beheaded. They might forgive me, they might not." Halabjaee received telephone calls saying, "Now, in 10 years or 15 years, we will kill you." Another time, Halabjaee reported, "the Islamists said once from the radio, if they found out where I was, they would blow themselves up with me." The worse thing was realizing that his wife and children were in danger. "With that book I wanted to defend women but the first thing I did was hurt my wife." As a result, Halabjaye went into hiding with his pregnant wife and three children. Halabjaee was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan after the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) refused to offer him any protection or to arrest those who threatened his life. "The Kurdish authorities have not provided any protection from threats and fatwas," said Halabjaee, "any moment I am expecting a bullet or a hand grenade to be thrown into where I live." In response to the Halabjaee affair, the KRG Minister of Religious Issues, Dr. Mohammad Gaznayi, told protestors that according to the law of Iraqi-Kurdistan, "defamation" or "criticizing" religion or religious figures is a crime and its punishment is severe. "We will give those who attack our prophets a sentence so that they can be a lesson for everyone," said Gaznayi. Halabjaee was in possession of a warrant for his arrest issued by the Suleimaniya police department when he fled Iraqi-Kurdistan. A dedicated website, Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam, was created to facilitate Internet distribution of the book. The book can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, compressed zip format, compressed rar format (the format originally provided by The Kurdistani), and as jpeg graphic files for each individual page. The website Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam was founded on the belief that the best way to respond to those who try to suppress publication of an academic book is to increase publication, promotion and distribution of that book. The most efficient way to do that was on the Internet. It was also based on the belief that the only thing that should be accomplished by those who seek to suppress publication of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam was to cause it to be published to the entire world. The book was originally made available online by BoPeshawa.com, along with information about efforts to aid Halabjaee. In addition, BoPeshawa.com provides contact information for the representative of Halabjaee’s campaign in the United Kingdom, Shapol Said [shapoldarya@yahoo.co.uk].

The Other Iraqi Kurdistan Flag Issues

Much has been written about the national, state, and separatist implications of the recent decision by the Kurdistan Regional Government ("KRG") not to fly the flag of Iraq, but instead to fly only the flag of the KRG. However, the religious and cultural implications, and more specifically, the implications concerning the relationship between religion and the State, may be more profound. The current flag of Iraq contains the words "Allah Akbar" (which is translated as "God is Great," "God is Greater," or "God is Greatest") in Kufic script in the center of the flag. The religious implications, and the implications regarding the relationship between religion and the State, are obvious. Less obvious, but no less significant, is the national and transnational significance. The transnational connection is clearly to Iran. While the words "Allah Akbar" are in the center of the Iraqi flag, they are repeated along the borders of the central white stripe on the flag of Iran. Only the flags of Iraq and Iran contain this particular public proclamation of the greatness of, and implied submission of the State to, the Islamic God. Two States under God. Two States submitting to the same, Islamic God. And perhaps to those who interpret His word. The use of Kufic script has obvious national and religious significance. The name "Kufic" is derived from the city of Kufa in Iraq. The city of Kufa, about 170 kilometers south of Baghdad, and 10 kilometers northeast of Najaf, is one of four Iraqi cities that are of great importance to Shiite Muslims. Indeed, Kufa continues to be an important pilgrimage site for Shiites. The use of this script on the Iraqi flag reinforces not only a uniquely Iraqi (as opposed to Kurdish) identity of those who fly it, but also one intentionally associated with a Shiite city and the predominant Shiite sect. The religious significance of refusing to fly a flag containing the words "Allah Akbar" is both obvious and profound. No longer will the proclamation that the Islamic "God is Greatest" fly over Kurdistan. No longer will the State lie, both literally and figuratively, beneath a declaration of Islamic supremacy. Moreover, the cultural and religious significance of replacing a flag declaring "Allah Akbar" with the flag of the Kuridstan Regional Government, while far less obvious, is equally important. The flag of the Kurdistan Regional Government contains at its center a uniquely Kurdish religious symbol - the 21 ray sun disk. The sun emblem has a long religious and cultural history among the Kurds, stretching into antiquity. The number 21 holds a primary importance in the native Yazdani religious tradition of the Kurds. The Yazidis, who are indigenous to Kurdistan and known for their religious tolerance, have historically been persecuted by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Certainly only Iraqi Kurdistan would place the religious symbol of the Yazidi in the center of its flag, much less use that flag to replace one that proclaims "Allah Akbar." As a result, the decision not to fly the flag of Iraq, but instead to fly only the flag of the Kurdistan Regional Government is much more than a statement of national independence. It is a statement of cultural autonomy and rejuvenation. A statement of religious tolerance and pluralism. It is, more than anything, an affirmation that Kurdistan is, and shall remain, different.

Response to Karmalised concerning Dr. Kamal Qadir and this Weblog

In an article entitled "Why is Dr. Kamal Sayyid Qadir still in jail?," Diane Warth at the weblog Karmalised said: Don't count on certain Kurdish bloggers to call for an investigation. They're too absorbed with supporting the freedom to criticise Muslims in the most offensive ways possible to be worried about the fate of Kurdish academics who refuse to tow the implicit line imposed by the ruling families of their great new democracy. If you click on the link for "Don't count on certain Kurdish bloggers," it is "deja vu all over again." The link leads you to The Is-Ought Problem weblog. This weblog. I am that "certain blogger." The charge that I have failed to criticize the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for its treatment of Dr. Kamal Sayyid Qadir is demonstrably false. Anyone who bothered to read this weblog before making such an allegation would know that. I have repeatedly criticized the KRG for its treatment of Dr. Qadir. As a result, Ms. Warth's allegation is not only false, but slanderous. I most recently criticized the KRG for its treatment of Dr. Qadir and Hawez Hawezi, a reporter for the weekly newspaper Hawlati, in an article published on March 27, 2006 entitled, "An open letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from a friend in the U.S." With regard to Mr. Hawezi, I said: On March 18, 2006, Kurdish Media reported that a political party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), arrested Hawlati correspondent Hawez Hawezi because he wrote an article critical of Kurdistan’s administration. In addition to the obvious trampling of freedom of speech, what is a political party doing arresting anyone? With regard to Dr. Dr. Kamal Qadir (aka Kamal Karim), I said: On March 26 and 27, 2006, Reuters and The New York Times reported that Dr. Kamal Qadir (aka Kamal Karim) was sentenced to one and one half years in prison for "defaming" the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masoud Barzani, in articles on a Kurdish website that accused Barzani and his Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of corruption and abuse of power. Most Americans will not be impressed by Judge Faridoun Abdullah's explanation that: "We helped him. We took into consideration that he is an academic and has served in the education field. So we sentenced him to a year and a half. Otherwise we would have sentenced him to five years." Americans will also not be reassured by the fact that Dr. Qadir was originally sentenced to thirty years in prison. Long predating Ms. Warth's article, I criticized the KRG for its treatment of Dr. Qadir in a December 19, 2005 article entitled, "Kurdistan Regional Government Endangering Freedom of Speech For Kurds in Turkey?" The entire article is devoted to Dr. Qadir's case. The article concludes: How can the Iraqi Kurdistan credibly argue that Kurds in Turkey have a right to freedom of speech when its own citizens do not have that right? How can the KRG expect Turkey to afford its Kurdish residents greater rights than the KRG gives to its own citizens? If a Kurd in Turkey is prosecuted, like Mr. Pamuk, for "denigrating Turkishness" for stating that 30,000 people have died in Turkey's Kurdish conflict, how can the KRG complain? One can only hope that Dr. Qadir's conviction is overturned on appeal. Not only for the freedom, safety and security of the citizens of Iraqi Kurdistan, but also for the freedom, safety and security of Kurds in Turkey, and elsewhere. Still earlier, on December 17, 2005, I criticized the KRG for its arrest of Dr. Qadir in an article entitled, "Will Iraqi Kurdistan Teach Turkey About Freedom of Speech?." Again, the entire article is about Dr. Qadir. As for criticizing the "ruling families" of Iraqi Kurdistan, as well as supporting Dr. Qadir, in my "Open letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from a friend in the U.S.," I specifically noted: The Spring 2006 edition of The Middle East Quarterly had an article by Michael Rubin entitled, "Dissident Watch: Kamal Sayid Qadir." The article reported that, "the Barzani family has accumulated up to US$2 billion since Masoud Barzani returned to the region from exile in 1991. After Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on Iraqi Kurdish corruption, its reporter received death threats." The article went on to note that, "foreigners visiting Erbil prisons privately report individuals incarcerated after failing to pay kickbacks to or accept ghost partnerships with Barzani family members." The article concluded: "Qadir's imprisonment came a day after President George W. Bush received Barzani in the White House, calling the Kurdish leader, 'a man of courage … a man who has stood up to a tyrant.' Such words might be better applied to Qadir." In addition, each of these articles was republished by Kurdish Media: An open letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government from a friend in the US Kurdistan Regional Government endangering freedom of speech for Kurds in North Kur