She also specialises in groundless and poorly thought-out criticism of British Muslims: in a recent article she berated Muslims for not attending the national Convention on Modern Liberty, claiming that this was because Muslims thought non-Muslims were not our equals, that we refused to fight for our own liberty because it would be side by side with non-Muslims.

She went on to say that Muslim women were not in attendance because men would be present and Muslim men were not in attendance because this was a “Western” call for unity and action and so would be considered haraam. Like I said: out of touch and poorly thought out. Further, on the same day, there was a series of events by a number of groups under the banner of “6 Billion Ways to Change the World” which was free (as opposed to the CML which cost £35) where I saw many young Muslims join in with enthusiasm, along with the long-haired hippy non-Muslims we are supposed to despise.

I’ve all but stopped reading her articles: she is simply becoming irrelevent, like those old-school women’s lib-ers who insist that if you are not a lesbian, you are not a feminist. The debates and issues have moved on and evolved, and she has not.

But what really knocked the final nail in her coffin for me was the interview she did with Nick Cohen on his book, “What’s Left?”. A potentially interesting debate in which Nick’s apostasy from the Left was to be scrutinised by an interviewer from the Right (Ian Dale) and from the Left (YAB). Alibhai-Brown shows up without having read the book in question, and rather than admit that she should have done, becomes very defensive and, when Cohen protests she should have read the book, calls tells him to stop being childish. You can cringe your way through part one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4lqSYyNOEA

ma asalaamah and take care

PS: I do agree with Tia though - no need to get personal.

Yasmin clearly states that domestic violence occurs everywhere, but what makes Saudi unique is the fact that the law and societal values collude with the perpetrators.

As Rania Al-Baz herself writes, “It is appalling to realise that a woman cannot walk down the street without men staring at her openly. For them she is nothing but a body without a mind, something that moves and does not think. Women are banned from studying law, from civil engineering and from the sacrosanct area of oil.”

As for Muslim women in the West promoting polygamy, Dr Farhat Hashmi has written articles in favour of this, “so some other sister can also benefit.”

Right? Because their husbands, fathers and brothers will beat them up if they don’t. Some right.

Yasmin AB is on the money - shariah is disgusting where women are concerned. Polygamy is promiscuity (for men only) by any other name. And what about child “marriage” (=rape)?

May Allah give you much success and strength.

MashAllah a nice deconstruction.Its looks like an article written in a hurry because deadlines were looming.

Im amazed the writer of the piece continues with the cartoon stereotype of religious hijabi women as docile, passive , silent creatures. Have you ever met a hijabi even remotely like that?

They are usually far more outspoken and vocal than sisters who dont cover !

Neither does Yasmin, she is Ismaili.

BTW, I’m impressed at how much you can read and digest while approaching the supermarketcheckout!