Iraqi-Kurdistan: Call for Internet Publication of Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam

UPDATE 4/3/06: See the most recent article, Iraqi-Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam published on the Internet. This is a call for the Internet publication (and eventual translation) of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Marywan (sp. Mariwan) Halabjaye (sp. Halabjayee, Halabjayi). The book concerns how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. Halabjaye's book is based on an analysis of the Qur'an as well as recognized Sunnah and Hadith. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in Islam and that they have no rights," says Halabjaye. This call for Internet publication is based on the belief that the best response to those who would suppress publication of a book is to increase publication, promotion and distribution of that book. The most efficient way to do that is on the Internet. This request is also based on the belief that it would be a powerful and timely lesson if the only thing accomplished by those who seek to suppress publication of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam is to cause it to be published to the entire world. The Islamic League of Kurdistan has issued a "conditional" fatwa to kill Halabjaye if he does not repent and apologize for writing the book. The "conditional" nature of the fatal fatwa is uncertain at best. Halabjaye reports 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." As a result, Halabjaye is in hiding with his pregnant wife and three children. This request for Internet publication is also being made, in part, because the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has not offered Halabjaye any protection, much less arrested those who have solicited his murder and made threats against his life. "The Kurdish authorities have not provided any protection from threats and fatwas," says Halabjaye, "any moment I am expecting a bullet or a hand grenade to be thrown into where I live." On the contrary, in response to the Halabjaye affair the KRG Minister of Religious Issues, Dr. Mohammad Gaznayi, told protestors that, "we will give those who attack our prophets a sentence so that they can be a lesson for everyone." Finally, the purpose of this call for Internet publication is to support Halabjaye, and to thwart those who would suppress publication of his book. As a result, this call for Internet publication is based on the assumption, and subject to the condition, that Halabjaye will agree to such publication. This request is made with respect for, and without prejudice to, Halabjaye's copyright in his book. We do not want to interfere with Halabjaye's control over his work, or to deprive him of either sales or income. Halabjaye may wish to license his book for publication on the Internet pursuant to a Creative Commons License. The decision to publish his book on the Internet is his and his alone. References: http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/1743/2/ http://thekurdistani.com/news/content/view/1749/2/ http://www.ww4report.com/node/1577 http://tinyurl.com/z4u8c http://tinyurl.com/gga4q http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=48 http://www.kurdmedia.com/articles.asp?id=11377 http://www.nawartv.com/eng_news_det.asp?Hewal=137 http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=50 http://www.newstatesman.com/200602270014 http://www.kurdistanweekly.dk/news.php?readmore=332 http://tinyurl.com/fwthb http://volokh.com/posts/1140811025.shtml http://creativecommons.org/ http://www.petitiononline.com/01021970/petition.html EDITED 3/8/06 at 10:40 p.m. to add graphic for the Petition to Defend the Life and Safety of Marywan Halabjaye.