The Literary and Debating society of the National University of Ireland (Galway) organised a debate on Islam and Feminism.

Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri was invited to participate in this debate as an Islamic Theologian. Prior to the debate the Literart and Debating Society had arranged dinner with the Shaykh in the local Moroccon Restaurant “High Cafe”.

Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri said in his opening statement of the debate that Islam is the most misunderstood religion today. Many western people have a narrative of Islam that is established through the biased Media. This narrative is that Islam oppresses woman and woman have no rights in Islam.

Shaykh Umar said that he challenges this narrative by now mentioning the actual facts about Feminism and Woman rights in Islam. Feminism is a movement that campaigned for the rights of woman in Western Countries from the 18th century. Some of the rights that feminists campaigned for was the right to vote, right to initiate divorce, right to earn property and the right to attend university.

Islam had given these rights to woman more than 1000 years prior to the first phase of feminism in the West. The Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had laid down the foundations of Islam in which woman had the right to vote, woman had the right to choose a partner, right to initiate divorce, right to ear property and inheritance and not only did woman had the right to education in fact woman were along men obliged to acquire education.

Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri also highlighted that indeed in certain Muslim countries woman are being oppressed but this is due to culture and not religion. Any society that oppresses woman and limits the role of woman to domestic level can never be a true Islamic society.

The Shaykh gave various examples from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that woman were not confined to their homes, in fact they contributed to the society in social, political, cultural, economical and academic affairs.

The Shaykh also answered many questions from the floor on the role of woman in Islam.

On Friday 14th March 2014 it was exactly one year that the Muslim community in Newry (Northern Ireland) had established the Mosque in Newry.

To commemorate the first anniversary the Mosque committee invited the Ameer of Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre Ireland, Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri from Dublin for a lecture and to gain his advice on the running of the Mosque. Brothers and Sisters from Newry and surroundings attended this event.

The blessed event started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. The President of the Mosque Committee Dr. Muhammad Shahzad welcomed all participants and informed all about the background of the Newry Mosque.

Brother Aalim then introduced the Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri and the Shaykh then delivered a lecture on the responsibilities of Muslim in the West. This was followed by Question and Answer Session in which the audience asked many questions.

The event concluded with a special duaa and nasiha by the Shaykh

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On Thursday 13th February the second year class students of Hartstown Community School visited Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre as part of their project on World Religions. The project consisted of a visit to the Mosque. The students were welcomed by Shaykh Muhammad Umar Al-Qadri, Br Arif Rana and Br Ammad Rashid.

The Shaykh gave a 45 minutes talk on the teachings of Islam. This was followed by a half an hour question and answer session in which students asked many questions related to Islam. The students were all presented a book on Islam and Christianity which highlights the commonalities and the differences between Islam and Christianity.

The religious teacher Mr. Darren Crawley on behalf of the students thanked the Shaykh for the visit and the presentation.