An Imam declared equality between the sexes impractical on Sunday.
Maulana Ata ul Mujeeb Rashid made the comment during a question and answer session at Tudor Road’s Baitul Ahad Mosque following his lecture, The Noble Example of the Prophet Muhammad.
He was responding to a question concerning Islam’s teaching on gender equality.
“The lady movements out there are fighting for equal rights,” he said. “But practically the process of equality is difficult to achieve.
“Islam gives spiritual equality to men and women but when a baby is born it is born a boy or a girl and it stays that way.”
On this basis, and the fact that sports segregates men and women in competitions such the Olympic Games, he said that he did not believe in physical equality between men and women, but did believe in spiritual equality.
His lecture had argued Muslims should follow what he said was Muhammad’s example of mercy and tolerance documented in the Qur’an.
The lecture was organised in response to growing worries over Islamic extremism in the wake of the terror attack on Charlie Hebdo journalists in Paris.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here