Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good

I think they're referring to actual yarn and textile workers.

I think the most interesting thing about this article is the contrast between the Cultural View and the Religious View. Firstly, some of the 'cultural' view is the same sort of thing that could be applied to every trend in Middle Eastern and Arabic society specifically in the past 500 or so years. Arab society has survived Turks, Frenchmen, Mongols, more Turks, Mongols again, and Turks and is unlikely to be threatened by an increase in spinsterism, unless the broader point is that the rapid affluence of many Arab countries is threatening to destroy traditional societal bonds. In fact, it's probably this 'false' (it's a loaded word, and not one that I use lightly, and I mean no offence by its use to Eman Abdullah and the IWCF) view of cultural continuity that discourages women from following their male counterparts and marrying foreigners.

In the religious point of view, the most interesting thing is that Ahmad Al Qubasai does not have objections, or at least, hasn't voiced objections to the idea of women marrying foreigners. Possibly because many of the foreigners in question would also be Moslem. The (reverend? Imam?) scholar's statement that a woman's duty is to be married and have children seems a bit awkward to my ears, but I can both understand the basis on which he says that and appreciate that I've heard much the same from priests and rabbis.

What really bugs me is the doctor, I suppose. I have to wonder if that's his degree in psychiatry talking or his discomfort around unmarried professional women speaking, as that doesn't sound like any of the women I've ever met or had dealings with. Barring one or two. Either way, subscribing what could be ordinary aches and pains to 'psychosomatic causes' from being a spinster sounds like lazy research to me, and I wish the reporter had pressed him on that number.

Secretdubai,

Are most people in the region likely to be influenced by that kind of argument?

I remember you posting a cite from a newspaper some time ago. It was a study which said that women should not be spinsters and should marry. Do most people in the region not see much of a difference between positive information (of the type a scientific study could provide) and normative (moral, ethical) information? That a study can actually prescribe a course of action on such a controversial issue?

It's possible that much of the population of North American and Europe also does the same thing but I don't remember reading such blatant prescriptions masquerading as "something a study found".

Do most people in the region not see much of a difference between positive information (of the type a scientific study could provide) and normative (moral, ethical) information?

Good question - I honestly don't know. Generally speaking culture/"morals"/ethics trump science every time.

I think - as we see with the rise of creationism in the US - people want science to fit their beliefs/prejudices. They want to believe that blacks have lower IQs, or that women drive less well, so they will seize upon any pseudo-scientific research that appears to corroborate this view.

A woman who wants her daughter to marry would, I imagine, be quite happy to believe and repeat the Doctor's clearly fallacious information that spinsterdom leads to ill health in females. She doesn't need logic or science of her own: if a useful "authority" decrees something, then let it be so.

It's possible that much of the population of North American and Europe also does the same thing but I don't remember reading such blatant prescriptions masquerading as "something a study found".

You must not have read Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women. There's lots more where that came from, but it's the most convincing book-length work on the subject I've read that was intended for a general audience.

Asalaamu Alaikum

http://radicalmuslim.blogsome.com/2007/05/30/the-mega-mosque/

49,981 signatures have now been received on a terrible petition against the London ‘Mega mosque’ based on incorrect and inciteful information. This shows the existence of the intolerance and Islamophobia in Britain.

The mosque would provide a place of worship and show Britains tolerance and multiculturalism. It is now the duty of Muslims and evey citizen to sign the counter-petition to BUILD the ‘Mega Mosque’. Please sign at the link below, email it to your friends and promote this on your site.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/buildmosque/

Jamaal, would you be so kind enough to also post the link to the petition AGAINST the mega-mosque.

Many thanks.
And may your sisters never suffer from spinster related illnesses.

Is there a Spinster mosque anywhere?

Doesn't "spinster" sound like it should be some sort of peer-to-peer service a la napster?

Nick, why do you want the petition against. And Matthew, the answer is no.

Reading the article, I think I agree of what some of Dr Mohammad Wafeek Eid has said. What is the authors opinion?