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Nurul Izzah Anwar
I READ with deep regret the statement made by a PAS leader on social media, who cynically and insultingly compared women in leadership to animals.
Even more disappointing, the statement was not retracted, and in fact, received the backing of a senior leader from the same party.
He claimed it was merely an analogy. He said it was not intended to insult.
But we all know exactly what it was. It was an attempt to belittle and degrade the dignity of women.
If this is the face of “Islamic politics” that they claim to champion, then it has become nothing more than a slogan, devoid of religious spirit and moral integrity.
Islam has never humiliated women - especially not women who shoulder leadership with trust and sacrifice.
Allah SWT declares in Surah Al-Hujurat (Verse 13): “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you.”
This verse does not distinguish between man or woman, race or lineage. Nobility in the eyes of Allah is not based on gender or background, but on piety and righteousness.
Women are not second-class beings nor symbols of weakness.
If Sayyidatina Aisyah RA could be a teacher to male companions of the Prophet, and if Queen Balqis could govern with wisdom and be immortalised in the Qur’an (Surah Al-Naml), then who are you to drag women into the animal pen in your shallow political arguments?
Islamic history has recorded more than 10,000 female hadith narrators - trusted, respected, and recognised by scholars of their time.
This fact is meticulously documented in the magnum opus Al-Muhaddithat by Sheikh Akram al-Nadwi, the result of over 20 years of in-depth research.
These women were not only conveyors of knowledge - but they were also primary references in the fields of hadith and jurisprudence.
They were not sidelined. They were not insulted. They were certainly not compared to animals. Instead, they were honoured as heirs to the Prophet’s legacy of knowledge.
Women are not newcomers to leadership. They are the continuation of a legacy deeply rooted in Islamic civilisation.
When one leader likens women to animals, and another defends it - they are not defending our religion. They are betraying its core values.
I am not personally insulted by the cynical remarks. But I am deeply saddened that such words come from a leader who claims to uphold Islam.
What kind of Islam permits the humiliation of women to be made into sarcasm or political jab?
Even worse, this behaviour legitimises a toxic political culture that mocks, belittles, and insults under the guise of “criticism”.
This is not Islamic conduct, but a misuse of religion to justify rudeness.
Let us end politics built on insults and cynicism. Let us build a civilisation grounded in knowledge, guided by facts, and led by akhlak.
Before I end, allow me to quote Surah Al-Hujurat (Verse 11) - a verse that upholds human dignity, a divine message that elevates the soul, not degrades it: “O you who believe! Let not one group of people ridicule another - they may be better than them.”
To every woman who has been mocked, sidelined, or blamed for stepping forward, I say this - your presence matters. Your leadership matters.
Do not let ignorance dim your light. Islam does not fear strong women.
Let this be a call to all: we may differ in opinions but let us not differ in manners. Differences in opinion are a hallmark of a healthy society, but the erosion of respect signals a deeper moral decay. – August 7, 2025
Nurul Izzah Anwar is the deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat