Muslim handshake drama leaves both sides tainted
Last Friday, the Metro Éireann website (metroeireann. com) exclusively broke the news of a Muslim asylum seeker who was stripped of a prize at the World Refugee Day awards because of his refusal to shake hands with the female presenter. Since then, almost every media outlet in Ireland has covered the controversy, based on our initial report. While some have tried to hype the incident as an anti- Muslim issue, Metro Éireann strongly believes that it is a complex and controversial matter that may have serious repercussions for the future multicultural Ireland.
Many questions have surrounded the rationale behind Alinoor Ahmed Sheikh’s decision not shake hands with a member of the opposite sex on the grounds of faith. Judging by the reaction of Muslim leaders in the country, it is not a core Muslim practice for men not to shake hands with women.
Therefore, Metro Éireann feels that since the vast majority of Muslims in Ireland would shake hands with the opposite sex, Sheikh’s decision suggests that he was raised to believe that such contact is somehow shameful, despite the fact that everyone is equal before God and the law. This is why we believe that the organisers of the World Refugee Day awards were absolutely right not to recognise the contribution that Sheikh has made as an asylum seeker volunteer with various organisations, including Amnesty International and Kerry Diocese of Youth Service. It would have been a huge insult to women had his demand been met. However, none of this is to say that he was not upfront in his dealings with the Africa Centre, the organisers of the event. In all his conversations with Metro Éireann, he maintains that he agreed with the organisers that he would not have to shake hands with the female presenter, and this has not been denied by the Africa Centre.
Even though we see nothing wrong in denying him the award because of his stance, the manner in which it was done was not becoming of the award organisers. Sheikh should have been given some respect by informing him ahead of time of the decision not to give him the prize. While Metro Éireann believes that the Africa Centre owes Alinoor Ahmed Sheikh an apology for the way it handled the situation, we do not agree that he should be given a joint award with the other nominee, as the organisers have now proposed.
Any attempt to do so would amount to promoting inequality, as well as outdated religious views. editor@metroeireann.com
