Sister Soffie,

Thank you for the information on women in Islam. I hope we shall continue to
learn more about the different thoughts on feminism, especially by African
and Muslim women.  I think it is important to understand that knowledge is
only important if it is put in the right context.  Understanding women's
rights as human rights gives us the basis on which to start understanding
the problems of women.

Amie.



>From: Ceesay Soffie <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: FW: ADVOCACY FOR WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH SHARIA LAWS
>Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 14:54:15 -0400
>
>I hope for the opportunity to read Hamjatta's dissent on affirmative action
>and feminism this weekend.   Have a health filled weekend.
>
>Soffie
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:   Madiba Saidy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
><mailto:[mailto:[log in to unmask]]>
>-------
>
>Advocacy for Women Human Rights through Sharia Laws
>By
>
>Rahmatu H. Mohammad, Ph.D.
>[Kano, Nigeria]
>[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
>The Quran is the principle source of Islamic law, the Sharia.  It contains
>the rules by which the Muslims are governed (or should govern themselves)
>and forms basis for relationship between man and God, between individuals,
>whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as well as between man and the rest of
>creation.  The Quran is thus central to the lives of over one billion
>Muslims of the world.  Both the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet
>Mohammad
>(Peace be upon him) form the primary source of the practices of Islam.  It
>is necessary to make a clear distinction between the primary sources and
>the
>legal opinions derived from them by scholars in regards to specific issues.
>In this write -up the issue being the status of women in Islam.
>Most of the contents of the Quran concerns human rights and to a large
>extent, to free human beings from bondage of traditionalism,
>authoritarianism, (religious, political, economic, or any other),
>tribalism,
>racism, sexism, slavery, or anything else that prohibits or inhibits human
>beings from actualising the divine vision of human destiny embodied in the
>this proclamation: 'Towards Allah is thy limit' (Surah 53: An-Najim: 42).
>In the first centuries of Islam, the religious practices of women and men
>were basically identical.  Both received religious education and
>participated in daily prayers at the Mosques.  Following the Prophet's
>death, however, women's status in both religious institutions and the
>broader Islamic culture declined dramatically.  The decline is attributed
>to
>the consolidation of religious power into the hands of men which was
>supposedly necessitated by Islam's spread to areas which were more rigidly
>patriarchal than the Arabia peninsula.
>With the growth of Islam, Quranic regulations requiring women to be modest
>in public were gradually expanded leading to complete seclusion of women
>first in their father's house and then as married women.  Despite the fact
>that during recent time, few Muslim women have had the opportunity to shape
>or even gain first hand knowledge of their tradition, the egalitarian core
>of Islam remains quite explicit within the Quran.  Therefore, in spite of
>the male-dominated inputs into the practice of Islam itself, Islam's
>primary
>sacred text remains uncorrupted.
>Therefore, regarding women and Sharia, it is pertinent to state here that
>the fear of human rights activist all over the world that Sharia is
>oppressive to women is baseless.  Our advocacy should be focused on making
>sure that its implementation is carried out according to the teachings of
>our beloved Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).
>I.      Human Rights of women
>
>         The status of woman in Islam constitutes no problem. The attitude
>of
>the Quran and the early Muslims bear witness to the fact that woman is, at
>least, as vital to life as man himself, and that she is not inferior to him
>nor is she one of the lower species. Had it not been for the impact of
>foreign cultures and alien influences, this question would have never
>arisen
>among the Muslims. The status of woman was taken for granted to be equal to
>that of man. It was a matter of course, a matter of fact, and no one, then,
>considered it as a problem at all.
>         Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to
>God
>in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral
>progress.
>Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.
>         In the Quran, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women,"
>God says:
>         O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you
>from
>a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread abroad a
>multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom
>you
>claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs (that bore you).
>Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you.(Surah 4:An-Nissa: 1)
>         In order to understand what Islam has established for woman, there
>is no need to deplore her plight in the pre-Islamic era or in the modern
>world of today. Islam has given woman rights and privileges, which she has
>never enjoyed under other religious or constitutional systems. This can be
>understood when the matter is studied as a whole in a comparative manner,
>rather than partially. The rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal
>to those of a man but they are not necessarily identical with them.
>Equality
>and sameness are two quite different things. This difference is
>understandable because man and woman are not identical but they are created
>equals.
>
>         This distinction between equality and sameness is of paramount
>importance.  Equality is desirable, just, and fair; but sameness is not.
>People are not created identical but they are created equals. With this
>distinction in mind, there is no room to imagine that woman is inferior to
>man. There is no ground to assume that she is less important than he just
>because her rights are not identically the same as his. Had her status been
>identical with his, she would have been simply a duplicate of him, which
>she
>is not. The fact that Islam gives her equal rights - but not identical -
>shows that it takes her into due consideration, acknowledges her, and
>recognizes her independent personality.
>         Woman is recognized by Islam as a full and equal partner of man in
>the procreation of humankind. He is the father; she is the mother, and both
>are essential for life. Her role is as vital as his.  By this partnership
>she has an equal share in every aspect; she is entitled to equal rights;
>she
>undertakes equal responsibilities, and in her there are as many qualities
>and as much humanity as there are in her partner. To this equal partnership
>in the reproduction of human kind God says:
>         O mankind! Verily We have created you from a single (pair) of a
>male
>and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each
>other...  (Surah 49:Al-Hujurat: 13).
>         She is equal to man in bearing personal and common
>responsibilities
>and in receiving rewards for her deeds. She is acknowledged as an
>independent personality, in possession of human qualities and worthy of
>spiritual aspirations. Her human nature is neither inferior to nor deviant
>from that of man. Both are members of one another. God says:
>         'And their Lord has accepted (their prayers) and answered them
>(saying):
>         'Never will I cause to be lost the work of any of you, be he male
>or
>female; you are members, one of another... (Surah 3: Al-mran: 195).
>
>II.     Civil Rights of women
>
>
>         In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression
>based on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to
>choose her religion. The Quran states: "There is no compulsion in religion.
>Right has been made distinct from error." (Surah 2: Al-Baqarah: 256)
>         Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and
>ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which
>indicate women would pose questions directly to him and offer their
>opinions
>concerning religion, economics and social matters.  Some Hadith show
>instances when Muslim women's views on legislative matters of public
>interest were accepted as sounder judgement than those of their male
>counterparts.  A Muslim woman' s testimony is valid in legal disputes; in
>fact, on issues in which women are more familiar their evidence is
>conclusive.
>         Islam does not state these rights in a statistical form and then
>ends it there; it has taken all measures to safeguard them and put them
>into
>practice as integral articles of Faith. It never tolerates those who are
>inclined to prejudice against woman or discrimination between man and
>woman.
>Time and again, the Quran reproaches those who discriminate against women,
>and treat them as inferior to men. (Surah: 16 An-Nahl: 57-59)
>
>III.    Political Right of women
>
>
>         A right given to Muslim women by God 1,400 years ago is the right
>to
>vote.  On any public matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate
>in politics. One example, narrated in the Quran, (Surah 6: Al-Mumtahana:
>12), is that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is told that when the believing
>women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their
>oath.  This established the right of women to select their leader and
>publicly declare so.  Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important
>positions in government.  During the time of the Prophet, Islamic
>communities consulted many women before choosing their leaders.
>         Historical records show that women participated in public life
>with
>the early Muslims, especially in times of emergencies. Women used to
>accompany the Muslim armies engaged in battles to nurse the wounded,
>prepare
>supplies, serve the warriors, and so on. They were not shut behind iron
>bars
>or considered worthless creatures and deprived of souls.
>IV.     Social and Economic Rights of women
>
>
>         The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Seeking knowledge is a
>mandate for every Muslim (male and female)." This includes knowledge of the
>Quran and the Hadith as well as other knowledge. Men and women both have
>the
>capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation
>to promote good behaviour and condemn bad behaviour in all spheres of life,
>Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in
>accordance with their own natural talents and interests.
>         While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and
>bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very
>highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside
>the
>home for the good of the community, she may do so as long as her family
>obligations are met.
>         Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men
>and
>women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men
>and other types for women. This in no way diminishes either's effort nor
>its
>benefit. God will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work,
>though it may not necessarily be the same activity.
>         Concerning motherhood, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
>"Heaven
>lies under the feet of mothers." This implies that the success of a society
>can be traced to the mothers that raised it. The first and greatest
>influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and
>training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must
>be educated and conscientious in order to be a skilful parent.
>         The Quran states: "By the creation of the male and female; Verily,
>(the ends) ye strive for are diverse." (Surah 92, Al-Lail: 3-4)
>         In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be
>different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where
>there is a division of labour, so too in a family; each member has
>different
>responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with
>the
>nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role. Therefore, women are given
>the right of financial support.
>         The Quran states: "Men are the maintainers of women because Allah
>has made some of them to excel others and because they spend of their
>wealth
>(for the support of women)." (Surah: 4 An-Nissa: 34)
>         This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to
>men, requires that they provide women with not only monetary support but
>also physical protection and kind and respectful treatment.
>         The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own
>property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in
>any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim
>on her earnings including her husband. The Quran states:
>         And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His
>gifts more freely on some of you than on others; to men is allotted what
>they earn, and to women, what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty, for
>Allah hath full knowledge of all things. (Surah 4, An-Nissa: 32)
>
>Rights in marriage
>
>Islamic marriage is a contract between a male and a female; the woman has
>the right to choose her husband and could retain her father's name.
>Islamic
>marriage is an institution in which both husband and wife come together to
>form a union in which they maintain their individuality, spiritually and
>otherwise. The Quran states:
>And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves
>that you may live in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy
>between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect. (Surah: 30,
>Ar-Rum: 21)
>Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in
>fact, a sign from God! It is a relationship of mutual rights and
>obligations
>based on divine guidance. God created men and women with complimentary
>natures, and in the Quran, He laid out a system of laws to support
>harmonious interaction between the sexes. "...They are your garments and
>you
>are their garments." (Surah 2:Al-Baqarah: 187)
>Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of
>the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other,
>hides the faults, and compliments the characteristics of the spouse.
>To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have
>various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive dowry, a gift
>from the husband, which is part of the marriage contract and required for
>the legality of the marriage.
>The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have,
>her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He
>is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not
>entitled to make unreasonable demands. The Quran states:
>Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose
>resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given
>him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him.
>(Surah
>65: Al-Talaq:7)
>A wife's rights extend beyond material needs. She has the right to kind
>treatment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The most perfect
>believers
>are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to
>their
>wives".
>Duties of a Wife
>With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain
>obligations
>to their husbands. The Quran states: "The good women in the absence of
>their
>husbands guard their rights as Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded."
>(Surah 4:An-Nissa: 34)
>A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their marital privacy.
>Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonour him are not to be
>shared by the wife with a third party, just as he is expected to guard her
>honour.
>A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must safeguard his home
>and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage. She
>should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste.
>She should not allow anyone to enter the house that her husband dislikes
>nor
>incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves.
>A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her husband. There
>cannot,
>however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to God. She should
>not
>fulfil his requests if he wants her to do something unlawful. A husband
>also
>should not take advantage of his wife, but be considerate of her needs and
>happiness.
>Some aspects of the Muslim woman's life that seem to oppressive to some non
>Muslims
>Women and Inheritance
>A woman inherits from her relatives. The Quran states:
>For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women
>there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little
>or much - an ordained share. (Surah 4: An-Nissa: 7)
>Apart from recognition of woman as an independent human being acknowledged
>as equally essential for the survival of humanity, Islam has given her a
>share of inheritance. Before the advent of Islam, she was not only deprived
>of that share but was herself considered as property to be inherited by
>man.
>Out of that transferable property Islam made an heir, acknowledging the
>inherent human qualifies in woman. Whether she is a wife or mother, a
>sister
>or daughter, she receives a certain share of the deceased kin's property, a
>share that depends on her degree of relationship to the deceased and the
>number of heirs. This share is hers, and no one can take it away or
>disinherit her. Even if the deceased wishes to deprive her by making a will
>to other relations or in favour of any other cause, the Law will not allow
>him to do so. Any proprietor is permitted to make his will within the limit
>of one-third of his property, so he may not affect the rights of his heirs,
>men and women. In the case of inheritance, the question of quality and
>sameness is fully applicable. In principle, both man and woman are equally
>entitled to inherit the property of the deceased relations but the portions
>they get may vary. In some instances man receives two shares whereas woman
>gets one only. This is not a sign of giving preference or supremacy to man
>over woman, but a provision for that 'degree' of additional responsibility
>of family support given to man by law.
>Women as Witness
>In some instances of bearing witness to certain civil con-tracts, two men
>are required or one man and two women. Again, this is no indication of the
>woman being inferior to man. It is a measure of securing the rights of the
>contracting parties, because woman as a rule is not so experienced in
>practical life as man. This lack of experience may cause a loss to any
>party
>in a given contract. So the Law requires that at least two women should
>bear
>witness with one man, if a woman of the witness forgets something, the
>other
>one would remind her. Or if she makes a mistake, due to lack of experience,
>the other would help to correct her. This is a precautionary measure to
>guarantee honest transactions and proper dealings between people. In fact,
>it gives woman a role to play in civil life and helps to establish justice.
>At any rate, lack of experience in civil life does not necessarily mean
>that
>women are inferior to man in her status. Every human being lacks one thing
>or another, yet no one questions his or her human status (Surah 2: Al
>Baqarah: 282).
>Women praying behind men
>The standing of woman in prayers behind man does not indicate in any sense
>that she is inferior to him. Woman, as already mentioned, is exempt from
>attending congregational prayers, which are obligatory on man. But if she
>does attend she stands in separate lines made up of women exclusively. This
>is a regulation of discipline in prayers, and not a classification of
>importance. In men's rows the head of state stands shoulder to shoulder to
>the pauper. Men of the highest ranks in society stand in prayer side by
>side
>with other men of the lowest ranks. The order of lines in prayers is
>introduced to help every one to concentrate in his meditation. It is very
>important because Muslim prayers are not simply chanting or the sing-a-song
>type. They involve actions, motions, standing, bowing, prostration, etc. So
>if men mix with women in the same lines, it is possible that something
>disturbing or distracting may happen. The mind will become occupied by
>something alien to prayer and derailed from the clear path of mediation.
>The
>result will be a loss of the purpose of prayers, besides an offence of
>adultery committed by the eye, because the eye-by looking at forbidden
>things - can be guilty of adultery as much as the heart itself. Moreover,
>no
>Muslim man or woman is allowed during prayers to touch the body of another
>person of the opposite sex. If men and women stand side by side in prayer
>they cannot avoid touching each other. Furthermore, when a woman is praying
>in front of a man or beside him, it is very likely that any part of her
>dressed body may become uncovered after a certain motion of bowing or
>prostrating. The man's eye may happen to be looking at the uncovered part,
>with the result that she will be embarrassed and he will be exposed to
>distraction or possibly evil thoughts. So, to avoid any embarrassment and
>distraction to help concentrate on mediation and pure thoughts, to maintain
>harmony and order among worshippers, to fulfil the true purposes of
>prayers,
>Islam has ordained the organization of rows, whereby men stand in front
>lines, and women behind the children. Anyone with some knowledge of the
>nature and purpose of Muslim prayers can readily understand the wisdom of
>organizing the lines of worshippers in this manner.
>The Hijab
>The Muslim woman is always associated with the Hijab, a modest way of
>dressing by Muslim woman for dignity. It is an Islamic prescription that
>woman should beautify herself with the dress of honour, dignity, chastity,
>purity and integrity. She should refrain from all deeds and gestures that
>might stir the passions of people other than her legitimate husband or
>cause
>evil suspicion of her morality. She is warned not to display her charms or
>expose her physical attractions before strangers. The dressing, which she
>must put on, is one that can save her soul from weakness, her mind from
>indulgence, her body from lustful looks, and her personality from
>demoralization. Islam is most concerned with the integrity of woman, with
>the safeguarding of her morals and morale and with the protection of her
>character and personality (Surah 24: An-Nur: 30-31).
>Women's Liberation Through Islam
>Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the
>women's
>liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women's
>liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by God to a man
>in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him), who is
>known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Quran and the Traditions of the
>Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every Muslim woman
>derives her rights and duties.
>The rights of woman of modern times were not granted voluntarily or out of
>kindness to the female. Modern woman reached her present position by force,
>and not through natural processes, mutual consent, or Divine teachings. She
>had to force her way, and various circumstances came to her aid. Shortage
>of
>manpower during wars, pressure of economic needs and requirements of
>industrial developments forced woman to get out of her home - to work, to
>learn, to struggle for her livelihood, to appear as an equal to man, to run
>her race in the course of life side by side with him. She was forced by
>circumstances and in turn she forced herself through and acquired her new
>status. Whether all women were pleased with these circumstances being on
>their side, and whether they are happy and satisfied with the results of
>this course is a different matter. But the fact remains that whatever
>rights
>modern woman enjoys fall short of those of her Muslim counterpart.
>The status of woman in Islam is something unique, something novel, and
>something that has no similarity in any other system. Unlike other cultures
>around the world, democratic or communist, where the status of women is not
>enviable.  She has to work so hard to live, and sometimes she may be doing
>the same job that a man does but her wage is less than his. She enjoys a
>kind of liberty, which in some cases amounts to libertinism. To get to
>where
>she is nowadays, the so-called modern woman struggled hard for decades and
>centuries. To gain the right of learning and the freedom of work and
>earning, she had to offer painful sacrifices and give up many of her
>natural
>rights. To establish her status as a human being possessing a soul and
>equal
>rights with men, she paid heavily.  Yet in spite of all these costly
>sacrifices and painful struggles, she has not acquired what Islam has
>established by a Divine decree for the Muslim woman, over 14 centuries ago!
>Re-integrating women's human rights back to the communities.
>Having stated all the above, one is not under any illusion that women are
>not oppressed in our societies.  The reality is that women, regardless of
>their religious orientation, from developed or under developed countries
>are
>discriminated against for one reason or another.  The oppression is even
>more obvious when women are illiterates, and of low socio-economic status.
>In the case of Muslim women, majority of whom are found in developing
>countries, where poverty and ignorance are endemic, majority are
>illiterates.  In addition to this, the Quran is written in Arabic text in
>which it is encouraged to be read, therefore, it is easy for
>politico-religious groups who cause confusion in the society to subject
>women to manipulation, using Islam as camouflage to for their mischief.
>There is also the problem of confusing culture with religion.  For example
>if a community that is predominantly Muslims carry out a particular
>traditional practice that is seen to be oppressive and barbaric on women,
>the blame is put on Islam.  An example is the practice of female genital
>mutilation (FGM).  Campaigners against the practice in the early 1980s were
>blaming Islam of the practice, even though 85% of the Muslim world does not
>practice FGM.  However raising community awareness at the grassroots and on
>the harm done on women by the practice, as well as public enlightenment at
>international level, women's human rights activists are now dropping the
>idea that Islam is to blame for the practice.
>As with the example above, thorough education, both at grassroots and
>international levels on the issues of Sharia will bring out the benefit of
>its implementation to the light.  Through such education and public
>enlightenment, the Muslim Ummah and the general public can engage in
>informed discussions and dialogue, instead of expending energies on trivial
>issues that cause confusion and conflicts because they lack any substance
>of
>Islamic law.  In addition, incorporating aspects of women's human rights
>described above in awareness-raising and educational components of
>development interventions could be very helpful in the improvements of the
>quality of lives of women.
>This is a challenging task but one that must be taken head-on in order to
>bring about some sense of direction to women and men who have lost the
>focus
>that could guide 'All people everywhere to have same human rights which no
>one can take away from them.  This is the basis of Freedom, Justice, and
>Peace in the world' - a Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
>Sharia has always being in existence; especially with the rural people -
>who
>are in majority - they do not know any other form of legal system apart
>from
>the Sharia.  The resurfacing/revival of Sharia among the urban populace is
>the Truth in form of Light, shining to remove, lies, confusion, deceit,
>social vices and the corruptions with which we have been burdened in the
>past years.  With regards to women's issues, this is an opportunity for
>even
>the literate ones to become fully educated on the various rights as laid
>down for us by Islam.  Our prayer now should be that Allah guides those who
>have the responsibility of implementing the Sharia so that they can take
>the
>women along with them for the development of the communities for justice,
>freedom and peace for all.
>The way forward is for social scientists, legislators and rulers to avoid
>using the arguments of cultural peculiarity to justify anti-Islamic and
>non-Islamic practices, which are oppressive to women.  Quotations and
>repetitions of some long-standing juristic interpretations of Islam that
>are
>not relevant to the primary sources (Quran and Sunnah) should stop.  Muslim
>scholars should also not engage in a fragmentary and selective approach in
>seeking justification of the erroneous status quo.
>(The quotations from the Holy Quran are from the English translations of
>the
>meanings and commentary of the text by Sheikh Yusuf Ali.  References have
>also been made to articles written by other Muslim scholars who have
>thought
>it necessary to make contributions to the on-going debate on Islamic law as
>it affects women both here at home and in the West).
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----
>
>Dr. Rahmat Hassan Mohammad is the Project Co-ordinator of Foundation for
>Women's Health, Research and Development (FORWARD Nigeria). A.A.
>Maitangaran
>House, 4 Fagge ta Kudu, P.O. Box 4188, Kano Nigeria. Tel/Fax: 064 640574.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
>Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
><http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html>  You may also send
>subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
><mailto:[log in to unmask]>  if you have problems
>accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail
>address.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
>Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
>You may also send subscription requests to
>[log in to unmask]
>if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your
>full name and e-mail address.
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------