This House believes that Arab women should have full equality with men
Wednesday June 01 2005
MOTION PASSED
by 86% to 14%
Speakers
Toujan Faisal
Speaking for the motion
Toujan Faisal, feminist and advocate for free speech and human rights, was the first woman to win a seat in the Jordanian parliament in 1993. During her four-year term in parliament, she was an outspoken critic both of the government and of Muslim extremists.
Faisal is also known as the most prominent dissident to be sent to prison since King Abdullah II's succession to the throne. In 2002, she wrote an open letter to King Abdullah II discussing corruption in the government, specifically regarding the business interests of Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb. The letter was published on the US-based Arab Times web site. Subsequently, Faisal was detained and convicted on charges of seditious libel by Jordan's State Security Court. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but was pardoned 40 days later by King Abdullah II after protests by civil rights groups.
Faisal is a former television and radio producer and talk show host. She has contributed to numerous publications, including Middle East Report. She has been a member of numerous civic committees and societies.
Faisal holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English language and literature from the University of Jordan.
Sheikh Jihad Brown
Speaking against the motion
Sheikh Jihad Brown is an Islamic scholar, a research associate for a prominent Abu Dhabi based research center and a consultant for various Islamic projects in the region.
He has lectured and taught at various Islamic intensive courses in the UK, USA, Canada, Yemen and Sri Lanka.
After his university studies, Brown went to Damascus, Syria, to study Islamic juristic methodology, theology and logic with renowned scholars, including Sheikh Muhammad Adib Kallas, Sheikh Muhammad Ali al-Shuqayr, Dr. Said Ramadan al-Buti and Sheikh Usama Rifai. He went on to study of Islamic juristic methodology from the Compendium of Compendiums of al-Taj al-Subki in the antique madrasahs of the Southern Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
Brown graduated from Rutgers University in the United States in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and a minor in Middle East studies. He was born in California.
Tareq Mohammed Al Suwaidan
Speaking for the motion
Tareq Mohammed Al Suwaidan is a presenter of numerous Islamic television shows on local and satellite channels. He is also a supervisor of engineering in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Oil and a professional trainer in the fields of personal development and general administration.
He has prepared and presented numerous Islamic television shows on Islamic subjects ranging from broadcasting of the Holy Quran, stories of the Prophet, notable women and Andalusian history. His shows have aired on Kuwait television, First Channel, Space Channel and MBC.
Al Suwaidan is chairman of the Gulf Innovation Company for Management and Economical Consultations, chairman of the International Creativity Company for Production, vice chairman of the Zad Investment Company in the USA and a member of the board of Abrar Investment group in Malaysia.
Al Suwaidan is also a frequent presenter of administrative courses in subjects such as leadership in the 21st century.
His previous posts include general manager of the American Creativity Academy from1997 to 2001, assistant professor at the faculty of Technological Studies in Kuwait from 1992 to 2000, professor at the Technology Institute from 1977 to 1987 and secretary general for the international association for solidarity with Kuwait from 1990 to 1991.
He is a member of the Society of American Training and Development, the Society of American Administration and the Society of American Oil Engineering.
Al Suwaidan earned his doctorate and masters of science degrees with honors in petroleum engineering, with a specialization in business administration, from Tulsa University in the United States in 1990. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1975.
Khola Hassan
Speaking against the motion
Khola Hassan, chairwoman of the executive committee women's wing of the Masjid Tawhid in London, is an author of many books and an outspoken figure on the position of women in Islam.
Ms. Hassan recently participated in an acclaimed debate about women in Islam on BBC Radio 4 with Irshad Manji and Sarah Joseph. The program received a Sony Gold Award, radio's equivalent to the Oscar, for Best Speech Program.
Since publishing her first book, 'The Crumbling Minarets of Spain', at the age of 17, Hassan has written regularly for Islamic magazines. She is currently working on a semi-autographical book aimed at the non-Muslim audience entitled 'Between London and Makkah', discussing American foreign policy, Islamic history in Europe and a general explanation of the Islamic faith.
Following the American-led war in Afghanistan, Ms. Hassan sent a letter to the British-based Independent newspaper, attacking what she perceived was anti-Islamic reporting. Her letter sparked written retaliation from the newspaper's columnists, who condemned her letter in their publication.
Ms. Hassan lectures regularly at Islamic universities, mosques and schools on various topics relating to Islam, most notably the position of women. She graduated in 1990 with honors in law and Arabic from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.
Before moving to the United Kingdom at the age of 10, Ms. Hassan lived in Kenya for nine years. She was born in Saudi Arabia.
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