Comments on: Confusion over handshake issue at Irish awards

By: Catherine

Catherine — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:17:50 +0000

Interesting piece. In relation to the quoting of Sheikh Satardien, this was a breaking story and as such he was the person who was both available and prepared to talk at length. Later in the day, a second article was posted which gave a quote from another imam in Dublin. Unfortunately there was a reluctance to talk on the part of some.

By: olu banks

olu banks — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:30:48 +0000

That Ms Attoh studied in the North of Nigeria does not mean she would know what Islam says regarding such issues. If you listened to her interview on newstalk radio, she said she had shaken hands with a lot of muslim men in the past and that she was not a part of the judging panel and had no knowledge that the muslim man was meant to receive the award. She was merely a presenter.

By: Indigo Jo

Indigo Jo — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:18:22 +0000

No, I don’t think so. Especially not at a facility for African immigrants, when a large proportion of Africans are Muslims. It amounts to one group of immigrants refusing to accept the customs of another and then appealing to outsiders’ sympathies.

The point is that she claimed to have been shocked by Mr Sheikh’s attitude, when in fact she would have known about it through having studied in a Muslim area (when she could have studied much nearer home, coming as she does from the far south). And it is not just “African men”, it is African Muslims, male and female. She would have been entitled not to present the award, of course, but if he deserved the award, that should not have stopped him receiving it.

By: Safiya Outlines

Safiya Outlines — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:33:22 +0000

Salaam Alaikum,

Those films sound really interesting, iMuslim.

Funnily enough, I had to refuse to shake hands twice today. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal, I explained politely and they understood.

By: Al Shaw

Al Shaw — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:18:17 +0000

It’s an interesting summary on the issue of handshaking. Thank you for it.

Are you not, however, slightly missing the point? Claiming that the presenter would have known about the attitude of many African men on the issue of handshaking is not the same as saying that she agrees with it or is willing to accept it.

That is one of the great freedoms we can all be thankful for.

By: iMuslim

iMuslim — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:24:09 +0000

There will be a short film (3 mins) about the shaking hand issue on Ch4 some time later this year, insha’Allah. It’s part of a four-part series. The other three are about daily prayer, hijab & the beard.