Sherin Khankan

Sherin Khankan
Born 13 October 1974
Denmark
Nationality Denmark
Religion Muslim

Sherin Khankan (born 13 October 1974) is Denmark's first woman iman who has led the foundation of a women only mosque in Copenhagen.

Life

Khankan was born in Denmark in 1974 to a Finnish mother and a Syrian father. Her father was a political refugee and an enthusiastic feminist. Khankan studied in Damascus and returned to Denmark in 2000.[1]

Khankan is an author and commentator and she founded an organisation called Critical Muslims who were interested in the link between religion and politics. In 2006 she published a "Muslim manifesto" which discussed religion and feminism and called for female imams.[2]

Khankan had led the foundation of a Maryan Mosque in Copenhagen. The mosque differs from other Danish mosques because it is led by women. Normally women would watch religious ceremonies from a balcony.[3] Similar mosques exist in the US, Canada and Germany but in Denmark this was novel.[4]

Khankan notes that Christianity, Jewish and Moslem institutions have become patriarchal, and she sees women-run mosques as a challenge to this tradition. She has had some moderate opposition but in general she says the reception has been supportive.[4] The mosque opened in February but it did not have a formal service until August 2016. Khankar sang the call to prayer and 60 women gathered above a fast food shop. Another imam Saliha Marie Fetteh took the service where she spoke on the subject of women and Islam. The new mosque has conducted several weddings. The mosque marries couples of different religions which some mosques will not allow.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Women lead Friday prayers at Denmark's first female-run mosque, Harriet Sherwood, 26 August 2016, The Guardian, Retrieved 27 November 2016
  2. ↑ Khankan (right), with Saliha Marie Fetteh and Özlem Cekic [Facebook Date of publication: 23 September 2016 ], 23 September 2016, The New Arab, Retrieved 27 November 2016
  3. ↑ Danmarks første kvindemoske slår dørene op, 10 February 2016, Politiken, Retrieved 27 November 2016
  4. 1 2 Women-led mosque opens in Denmark, 12 February 2016, The Guardian, Retrieved 27 November 2016
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