Dear Mr. Sina,

I realize you are a very busy man but I would be very happy if you commented on the opinions of mine. I am a Muslim woman living in the USA . I read some of your articles and totally agree with you on many points.

I am still a Muslim but at the same time I hold rather peculiar positions on many points.

There are five pillars of Islam and six pillars of faith that cannot be modified. That's all. The rest can be negotiated and must be modernized. Islam is doomed and the fate of the Church of England awaits it. But Anglicans didn�t leave Christianity; they just brought it up-to-date. There used to be no female priests but today there are. There used to be some dogmas about wives� submission to husbands but today there are many feminists that believe in God and are Christians. Just the same is prepared for Islam and I�m sure of it. Let me comment on some points. �

1. Polygamy. Indeed polygamy is permitted in Islam. But I have got a great example. Tunisia has a constitution based on Shari�a law but polygamy is prohibited here as a crime against humanity. But I object to implementing Shari�a in any countries. Shari�a is outdated and as a matter of fact I am sure Allah understands it. Nobody is now burning witches in Great Britain but nobody said Jesus Christ doesn�t exist or anything. Islam has to be on the background and the secular laws have to be on the foreground.

2. Hijab. Hijab is not the must for Muslim women. I don�t wear hijab and have never worn it. My daughter is not wearing hijab either. Allah wanted women (as well as men) to be modest. I don�t wear bikini because it doesn�t agree with my modesty but my daughter likes skirts, tight jeans and T-shirts. But wearing these clothes doesn�t affect her modesty and doesn�t make her a prostitute. If you feel comfortable wearing hijab, it�s OK, wear it. If you think that hijab will make you modest, go ahead, wear it. I have an opinion that hijab is outdated. It should not be tolerated nowadays. If you can�t be modest without hijab, wearing hijab won�t make you any better. Hijab doesn�t protect women from rapists or other abusers. If a stranger or most likely a husband wants to rape a woman, hijab will not stop him from doing it. That is my opinion.

3. Disbelievers will not go to Heaven. Virgins in Heaven. I have nothing to say about it. Who knows? As a modern person, I don�t believe Mohammed (pbuh) knew any of these things. Human beings cannot comprehend such things and we have to just leave it alone and move on with our life on Earth.

4. Killing of disbelievers if they don�t embrace Islam. It is outdated. In the modern world such things should not be tolerated. It was the case in the 7th century but thanks to Allah we are living in the 21st century!

5. What is the problem with Islam? The problem is that people perceive religion as divine; therefore it must not be criticized. But we have to adopt the way westerners treated their religions. The example of the Church of England is a good one.

6. Killing of apostates. Again it is outdated. It should not be practiced in the 21st century.

7. Men are breadwinners, women are housewives. Men are heads of the family. I earn more than my husband. My Arab husband is a stay-at-home dad. Women should be able choose. Some want to have a career and some want to be wives and mothers. I decided to juggle these roles. Christianity also sees women as wives and mothers but I doubt that the head of the Church of England Queen Elizabeth II is an ideal wife and mother. I regard her as a strong woman. I don�t want to repeat myself but Islam has to be modernized.

Dear Ali, I appreciate your work. But I think we have to modernize Islam because I have serious doubts that you and other wonderful people can eradicate Islam completely. Modernization is something that is more likely to happen. What is going on in the Middle Eastern countries is awful. The West has to help with stopping this insanity and modernizing these countries. I am fully aware of the fact that my beliefs would be �attacked� in the Middle East and I would be stoned to death. That is why we in the West have something to do with that. We ought to do it for our sake. And I thank America for the opportunity to air my opinions freely. God bless America. I believe in Allah and hope for the afterlife. But I reject any authorities and communicate with God without imams, mullah whom I consider to be a threat to humanity. I expressed my views and hope you will reply to me.

Finally, at the time of the prophet, the principles perhaps were suitable, but is it really so now? Therefore, let's evaluate, reread. Let's pick the suitable ones. Religion is made for the benefit of humans.

P.S. Dear Ali, if you find my e-mail worth posting on the site of yours, I have to ask you not to post it with �Muslims� comments�. I feel pity for these people. Either I am not a Muslim or there are not Muslims.

Best regards,

Haifa
A Modernized Muslim

Sina's response