Your Egypt

[dreamcatcher]

A british school teaching in Sudan has been charged for inciting religious hatred.

British teacher Gillian Gibbons stands accused of insulting Islam's Prophet after allowing her pupils in Sudan to name a teddy bear Muhammad. What are the rules on using the name?

The Arabic name Muhammad is now the second most popular name for baby boys in Britain, adding together its 14 different spellings in English.

Muslim families - of which there are an increasing number in the UK - often choose names which honour the Prophet or show a link to their religion in another way.

THE ANSWER
Opinion is divided
Some say Muhammad can only be given to boys, others are less strict
But is it acceptable to name a toy Muhammad? The arrest of Ms Gibbons has sparked debate in Islamic circles. As is the case in so many religious matters, the question is open to interpretation.

The issue has been a vexed one for Muslims through the ages. Some believe that the name can only be given to boys - to give it to an object is idolatry. Others say that pets and toys can bear the name.

Ibrahim Mogra, chairman of the interfaith Muslim Public Affairs Committee and an imam in Leicester, says the name should be reserved for boys. "Some of us believe we are assured of heaven if we name our children Muhammad."

But he says it's ridiculous that Ms Gibbons is being punished for a "miscalculation".


Gillian Gibbons asked her class to name the bear
"If someone clearly intends to insult and cause offence with a toy in the form of a pig, for example, and someone knowingly and intentionally names it Muhammad, we know exactly where they're going with it - the idea is to cause offence. If it's just a miscalculation, we don't need to go overboard."

Dilwar Hussain, of the Islamic Foundation, has no problem with a teddy bear called Muhammad. For some years, the Islamic Society sold a soft toy made for British Muslim children named Adam the Prayer Bear. "Adam is also the name of a Prophet."

Would it be acceptable to give a religious name to a pet? In much of the Muslim world, he says, animals are seen as functional and so are rarely given names.

Idolatry

But Adel Darwish, the political editor of The Middle East magazine, says that Muslim children - "like children everywhere" - give their pets the names of characters they liked, be it a religious figure, sports hero or pop singer.

WHO, WHAT, WHY?

A regular part of the BBC News Magazine, Who, What, Why? aims to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
"Millions of Muslim children in Muslim nations give their dolls, pets and teddies Muslim names of the Prophet and his mother, daughters and wives."

Gill Lusk, the associate editor of Africa Confidential and a specialist on Sudan, says the incident will have offended many in the country. As Sudan is a place where religion is never mocked or satirised, it's "unthinkable" that a toy or pet could be given a religious name.

"You're not supposed to give a religious name to any objects - it could be seen as idolatry."

But the majority of Sudanese people won't want to see Ms Gibbons in trouble for the naming of the teddy bear.

"People are very forgiving of foreigners, particularly Europeans. Nobody would think she was trying to offend them - they would just think she was ignorant."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7115821.stm

[moll]

Well, thank God the woman has now been freed 8)

Every time I read about her, I was thinking, OMG that could be me......middle aged western teacher, bit naive but just trying to do good :roll: and OK, maybe she should have done a bit more research..

But if that's how secure Sudanese Muslims are in their faith, that they feel furry stuffed animals are a threat to Islam, I think they've brought Islam into disrepute with their complete over-reaction and death threats.

[moll]

moll wrote:

Every time I read about her, I was thinking, OMG that could be me.......

Only I AM, of course, slimmer with a more flattering hairstyle

[dreamcatcher]

moll wrote: moll wrote:

Every time I read about her, I was thinking, OMG that could be me.......

Only I AM, of course, slimmer with a more flattering hairstyle
Moll thank God she is back in UK, she was released yesterday

[ratty]

dreamcatcher wrote: moll wrote: moll wrote:

Every time I read about her, I was thinking, OMG that could be me.......

Only I AM, of course, slimmer with a more flattering hairstyle
Moll thank God she is back in UK, she was released yesterday

i'm suprised the uk hasn't demanded an apology.

and all aid to the sudan should be stopped forthwith.

[ayisha]

Ratty your bloody avatar has freaked me out! I couldnt understand why I couldnt squash it and how it was inside my screen! :shock:

[ratty]

ayisha wrote: Ratty your bloody avatar has freaked me out! I couldnt understand why I couldnt squash it and how it was inside my screen! :shock:

:lol: hello ayisha how are you? :D

[ayisha]

Hello baba ratty :D Im good ta, hows you, mrs and baby? :wink:

[ratty]

ayisha wrote: Hello baba ratty :D Im good ta, hows you, mrs and baby? :wink:


absolutely wonderfull :D

thankyou :D

and thank you to moll too for the pm :wink: :D