On Thursday, a forum opened up debate and discussion about Islam’s treatment of women. Organized by the Women’s Branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Students’ Association (AMSA-W), the event aimed to educate and inform both Muslims and people of other faiths about the religion, and was designed exclusively for women.

“Ignorance breeds what we see today,” said Naheed Khokhar, the main speaker at the event, referring to widespread misconceptions about Islam. She cited the recent Denmark cartoon controversy as newspapers exercising the “freedom of blasphemy,” and argued that the prophet Muhammad always stood for peace.

Sadia Rafiquddin, vice-president of AMSA-W and moderator for the event, agreed.

“Much of the misunderstanding [about Islam] arises out of ignorance and fear….Self-education and mutual dialogue is the only way to steer clear of these pitfalls.”

Although the event was geared towards women’s issues, politics in general was also a topic at hand. Salma Saad, a first-year political science student, asked if Islamic extremism may be caused by a “holding on” to one’s culture or past in a new setting. Tanya Khan, another panellist, disagreed, saying that “it’s actually the lack of holding on to one’s faith.”

Khokhar spoke of the need to return to features of Islam from the past. She also discussed Islam’s granting of “souls” to women who had previously been treated as slaves or killed at birth. “Women could attain equal spiritual rewards as men,” she said, using evidence from the Qur’an. “1,400 years ago, revolutionary rights and freedoms were stated for women [in Islamic societies]. Many societies have just recently acquired such rights.”

Predictably, the pros and cons of purdah-the Arabic term for covering oneself-were a hot topic.

“In history, we’ve always been fully clothed,” said Khan, “As society’s become more ‘civilized,’ we’ve almost become more naked.” One of two men present at the forum, Abu Zahra Rajeh asserted that men are more susceptible to sexual temptation and thus the requirement for women to dress modestly is logical.

But others in the audience weren’t convinced. Saad suggested the onus of sexual restraint placed on women took the responsibility away from men or perhaps tempted men more.

Nissi Lee noticed the gap between what she heard from Muslims themselves and what is depicted on media about Islam.

“Do you think it’s Western media’s manipulation?” she asked. But Khan had another theory.

“Really, the fault is with Muslims themselves,” she said.