Mass molestation, even rape of women in public places is a tradition originating from historic times when during wars and battles, women were identified as part of war booty. According to 62:137 Sahih Bukhari, Abu Said Al-Khudri narrates: “We got female captives in the war booty and we used to do coitus interruptus with them.”  This act was not done in private rooms all the time as this was battlefield, with a number of captors all indulging in the act together with more than one slave women. To those who consider it a part of their culture and due right, Taharrush is in fact a game which is played with certain rules.  It is ‘played’ in the manner of mass sexual harassment, or collective cruelty if we look at the Egyptian interpretation of this, of Kafir women.  This includes all those who are dressed in a non Sharia manner and may belong to any faith. In short, in a faith and a culture where women are not considered as human beings but as “property”, this game is enjoyed frequently.  This sadistic ritual comes with its own set of rules. Three different circles are formed around the woman. The innermost circle is called Mafia, and people in this circle drag the woman to a closed area, take off her clothes and takes her valuables from her so she feels completely vulnerable.  The middle circle creates a wall of protection to prevent others from interfering in order to help.  The men in this circle also engage in applause, chant slogans, tell the woman why she deserves what is happening to her. The outermost circle tries to divert attention of passersby. Some men are strategically placed to act as if they are trying to help the woman.

Taharrush is often practiced in places with large numbers of people, such as at music festivals, public performances, riots, national day celebrations and other such events. The purpose is to put women in their rightful place and minus their presence in public places.  In the recent times, this act of barbarism became known worldwide through a tragic event during the Arab Spring in Egypt during January 2013, where Amnesty International described a series of over attacks taking place, against protesters in the vicinity of Tahrir Square. The victims of these attacks said the attacks typically lasted from a few minutes to over an hour, and that the men were usually in their 20s and 30s. The victims were aged seven to 70.  This brought to the fore another incident which had taken place two years prior, when a CBS reporter, Lara Logan was separated from her crew and was sexually assaulted by a large crowd of men, 200 strong.  Lara was there with her crew and her bodyguard who was separated from her by the sheer number of aggressors present there.

In cultures where every eye is upon the women of the community, a silent nod of approval is given to those who make it their goal to bring the straying women to the rightful path.  The act is carried out en masse as the offenders find safety in numbers.  According to one humanitarian organization which observed the events on Egypt, “The game is usually played where there are mass gatherings, protests where the savages find safety and it is a true act of violence, groping, digital rape and in many case penile penetrative rape of the victim regardless their religion.”

 

Taharrush is now not only limited to Muslim countries but has spread to other melting pots of the global village.  With a large influx of migrants into Europe, along came the desire and opportunities to bring the straying Kuffar women to the rightful path by setting some examples.  A number of Taharrush incidents have been reported in the European countries, including that of a woman who was attacked by a group of Arab men in Cologne, Germany. Incidents have also been reported in Berlin, Hamburg, Bielfeld, Frankfurt,  Düsseldorf and Stuttgart. Other European countries such as Italy, Austria and Switzerland have reported similar cases.

Taharrush is not just a cultural evil, but it is proscribed by mentality which follows a certain ideology.. Had it been a cultural issue, it would have limited itself to the middle east alone, and not raised its ugly head in Afghanistan and Pakistan over the last decade.  IN 2012, when the first season of Satyamev Jayatewas aired, the issue of Taharrush was very much alive and relevant. However, because we are in the habit of othering, no one questioned the producers of the show why this issue is not talked about in the three seasons of this widely watched TV show.

Taharrush is an endemic phenomenon, a perfect remedy prescribed by Islam aimed at removing women from public spaces and confining them at home,. This is a type of attack in which men are not blamed for this act, especially in cultures like Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Even if arrests are made following public outcry, these are mostly cosmetic in nature, as the culprits are soon set free due to lack of clear evidence. These societies take cue and courage from the religion to spread evil. Many people make the mistake of creating separation between the faith and the follower.  A people who are bent on imposing the primitive life of Arab tribes from 1400 years ago as a religion should have no place in a humane society.

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