KARAMAH: MUSLIM WOMEN LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS is a charitable, educational organization that focuses on the domestic and global issues of human rights for Muslim women. KARAMAH is founded upon the ideal that education, dialogue, and action can counter the dangerous and destructive effects of ignorance, silence, and prejudice.

Vision

A World With Dignity, Liberty, and Justice for All

Karamah envisions a world in which all human beings, regardless of their gender or other differences, enjoy their God-given right to dignity, which cannot be achieved without liberty and justice. The name Karamah is rooted in the Qur’anic verse:

“We have given dignity (karamah) to the children of Adam” (17:70).

Karamah seeks to transform the archaic conception of women’s status within some Muslim communities to reflect better the egalitarian Qur’anic worldview of gender equity and humanity. Such a conceptual transformation, along with tangible reforms and constructive discourse, will improve the treatment of women and ensure that they take an active part in governing their lives.

Mission

Karamah is a Human Rights Organization of Muslim Women Lawyers Dedicated to Promoting Dignity for All Human Beings Through Education and Legal Outreach

Karamah believes in the empowerment of Muslim women within their own spiritual and cultural contexts. In its judgment, only this approach will enable women to address and successfully eradicate the social ills in their communities. For this reason, Karamah is to develop a comprehensive, just, and thoughtful Islamic jurisprudence, which takes into account the current concerns of Muslim women worldwide. To this end, Karamah has rooted its work in the best of the classical Islamic jurisprudential tradition.

Objectives

1. To educate a new generation of Muslim women leaders at home and abroad, to be proficient in Islamic law, and to help these women develop their leadership capabilities within their own communities.
   
   
2. To assist in the development of American Muslim communities, in general, and women, in particular, through educational, legal, and community outreach.
   
   
3. To serve as a resource for the American legal system on Islamic Jurisprudential matters.
   

Karamah's 2010 Look Book (PDF)