FOR challenging the mainstream views of Islam, Muslim women’s rights group Sisters in Islam has been labelled “deviant” by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council Department (Jais).

SIS executive director Rozana Isa told The Malaysian Insight that it was a struggle to speak up and be heard when the discourse was monopolised by certain parties who did not want their views challenged.

She said politicisation of religion played a big role in hampering the organisation’s work to seek justice for women.

“Definitely, politicisation of religion has made it hard to push for reforms. A lot of people believe that family laws cannot be changed, and that change is not possible.

“But we need to remember that Islam stands for justice. When a women goes to court she expects justice, especially when the case is difficult and after the injustices and violence she has gone  through.”

Rozana said the discourse on Islam was being monopolised certain parties and as a result, women and children were suffering.

“When one person speaks against the mainstream views, her voice is not heard and she is silenced. That is part of our struggle. No one should have a monopoly over speaking about Islam.”

Last August, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed an application by SIS to challenge a 2015 fatwa by the Selangor religious authorities outlawing the group.

The work hasn’t stopped for SIS, which is hosting an international event on women’s rights in Kuala Lumpur today.

Some 200 delegates from Muslim-majority countries will attend the four-day conference, “Women Rising against Extremism”, which will be launched Marina Mahathir, a patron of the organisation.

SIS will also launch a survey report today on the realities facing Malaysian Muslim women.

The survey of 675 Muslim women was conducted in June 2018.

On the group being perceived to be “liberal” by the public, SIS programme manager, Shareen Sheriff said they were unperturbed by the label.

“It is up to them to define liberal. It is their call. For us what is important is that we are bringing people from other Muslim-majority countries to this conference and we are showing the world that laws can change, Muslim laws too,” said Shareen.

“It is possible. We have seen it done in other Muslim-majority countries.

“We are not comparing who is more Muslim here because we are all Muslims and we go to the same source, which is the Quran.” – October 15, 2019.