KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights
Aim
Educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about the just, gender equitable foundation of Islam; provide the community with Islamic jurisprudence that emphasizes gender equity and encourages intellectual growth, conflict resolution and leadership development; endorse advocacy and legal representation that promote KARAMAH's core value: that dignity is God-given.
History
KARAMAH, which means “dignity” in Arabic, was founded in 1993 by Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, a law professor and Islamic scholar at the University of Richmond. In creating KARAMAH, Dr. al-Hibri's foremost goal was to advance Muslim women's knowledge of their rights and to empower them in the march towards greater participation in their civil societies and the global community. What began in 1993 as a small group of dedicated individuals quickly grew into a vibrant and distinguished organization. Since 2003, KARAMAH has developed a set of intensive and highly-esteemed educational workshops in the U.S. and abroad.
IRD Activities
- KARAMAH Co-hosts Town Hall Meetings
Building upon KARAMAH's civil rights campaign in response to a growing trend of state legislation aimed at limiting the religious rights of Muslims in the United States, KARAMAH, along with Shoulder to Shoulder, co-hosted a civil rights town hall. The event, titled “The Role of Religious Law in America: Interfaith Perspectives on Islam, Shari'ah and the U.S.” addressed issues of civil liberties for religious groups in America and the constitutionality of anti-Shari'ah legislation from the vantage point of various American faith groups. While the panel received and answered what were often difficult questions, this town hall format allowed for lively discussion, debate, and interfaith dialogue necessary for the promotion of understanding between faith groups and collective awareness regarding the importance of constitutional protections. In collaboration with interfaith, religious, and other groups, KARAMAH hopes to continue dialogue regarding Islamic jurisprudence and its relationship to religious liberty in the U.S. by providing published scholarship on their website, as well as hosting town hall events of this nature in the future.
Main Focus Countries of Activities
Washington, DC, USA