JERUSALEM — A Turkish peace activist and researcher has appealed to Muslim women in India to “choose empowerment over extremism” after reports that a woman doctor was allegedly involved in a terror module linked to a recent car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort.
Turku Avci, a Jerusalem-based researcher focusing on gender, extremism and social movements in West Asia, said she was “appalled and deeply saddened” by the case, according to a report in the UK-based outlet Milli Chronicle. In a video posted on social media, she said the involvement of a medical professional — “a woman… a doctor… someone entrusted with healing” — in an ongoing investigation was profoundly troubling.
“It shakes the conscience,” Avci said. “This is not who Muslim women are. This is not what our faith teaches. And this is not the legacy our daughters deserve.” She urged viewers not to let isolated incidents distort the global picture of Muslim women, adding, “Our daughters deserve a future shaped by strength and progress, not narratives of fear.”
Avci highlighted examples of Muslim women breaking barriers across the Middle East, citing Emirati figures such as Mozah Al Kindi and Sarah Al Hosani as symbols of modern leadership and innovation. She said women across the region are advancing in fields such as medicine, education, governance and technology, demonstrating that “faith and empowerment go hand in hand.”
She also pointed to Muslim women in Europe — educators, scientists, entrepreneurs and artists — who, she said, carry their identity with dignity while contributing to their societies “with compassion and intelligence.” True empowerment, Avci stressed, comes from “education, leadership and compassion, not radicalization or violence.”
Recalling Indian examples of Muslim women’s leadership, Avci mentioned Syeda Anwara Taimur, the former Chief Minister of Assam, as an early role model for political leadership at the highest level.
In her closing message, Avci urged Muslim women in Turkey, the Middle East, Europe and India to reject “all ideologies rooted in hate.” When a Muslim woman stands tall, she said, “her community rises with her — and the world becomes a better place.” (Source: IANS)
