BBC World Service Podcast: The Conversation with an entirely female perspective, Sherin Khankan, and Halima Krausen are interviewed by Kim Chakanetsa.
Sherin Khankan, calls herself a 'female imam' and set up the feminist Mariam Mosque in Copenhagen in 2016. Her interpretation of the Qu'ran in modern and feminist, she advocates the role of women in Islam as in line with the Prophet's treatment and recognition of them, and offers an alternative to the traditional patriarchal structures within the religion. Though her mosque is controversial and not recognised by many within mainstream Islam, she says she has only received threats from the Danish far-right and not from fellow Muslims.
Halima Krausen became Germany's first 'female imam' in 2013. She took over the running of the Hamburg Islamic Centre having stood in for a male imam on an informal basis for many years. She is currently focusing on her academic career at the Academy of World Religions at the University of Hamburg. She says more than anything else the role of imam is about being a counsellor.
Listen to the whole Conversation, in this episode of the BBC podcast here:
Sherin Khankan, image retrieved from https://girlsareawesome.com/culture/sherin-khankan-islamic-feminism-learning-love-different
Halima Krausen, image retrieved from https://www.blick.ch