U.S. Muslim Women Weigh Anti-Islam Firebrand

The 48-year-old brunette with a commanding voice has sparked intense interest in the West for her outspoken criticism of Islam, the world's second largest religion. While Sultan's focus on women's issues has received less attention in the West, she considers it one of her top priorities. Sultan argues that women in the Middle East are hostages to their religion and culture and believe they are less than men. The most bothersome thing, she says, is that "they are slaves, but they believe they are free." Sultan--who describes herself as simply a secular human being--says she hopes to become the "savior" of Muslim women. But few Muslim women would welcome such a rescue attempt, says Sabiha Khan, a 28-year-old Muslim woman who recently finished a five-year stint as the spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Los Angeles. Khan says that while Sultan may have captured the attention of Western media many Muslim women consider her mistaken and irrelevant to their community. "I don't believe I am less than a man," says Khan. "I am not a slave. I am a very educated Muslim woman who believes in her religion with all her heart." Millions of Muslim women feel the same way, she added. http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2816/context/archive

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