Muslim leader and renowned advocate for Muslim women’s rights, Tayyaba Khan, recently addressed Takapuna Methodist discussion group, the Zooming Newsies.

She said that to address the challenges of a world in trauma, all religions need to get to know each other personally and share their concerns and skills. 

One of Tayyaba’s first steps in meeting members of other faiths was to join the Methodist Mission Northern Board. In December 2024 I met her and many other Muslims through the Palestinian Solidarity Network. In addition to Tayyaba, three other PSN supporters - including atheists - have spoken to our group, the Zooming Newsies. 

Tayyaba Khan was born in Pakistan, but feels she belongs and is accepted here in Aotearoa. She left Pakistan as a one-year-old, did her primary schooling in Japan and her family came to New Zealand 33 years ago. 

In describing her background, she referred to the partition of India as “one of the bloodiest partitions in history after 200 plus years of colonisation by the Brits”. The harm done globally due to our colonial past still reverberates today and drives her engagement with the Palestine Solidarity Network. Tayyaba participates in the weekly rallies in support of the Palestinian people. 

“I too come from a colonised history. I see the implications of it on my people even now because trauma can get passed down from generation to generation.” 

Addressing trauma can “shape and transform the life of that person but also the workplace,” she says, citing an example of work she has recently undertaken for an organisation in addressing issues.

Her father was the first in her family to break the cycle of poverty. When they came here as economic migrants - refugees - he encouraged his children to learn English, and to embrace education opportunities. Tayyaba was the first in her family to go to university. 

At that time of her life, “Islam was just a backdrop. It wasn't a conscious thing for us.” 

Her Muslim identity journey began on 11 September 2001, when Muslim terrorists crashed into the twin towers in New York. 

“I was sitting in the lounge [watching the footage] and you could see the towers coming down. I was glued to the television screen. My dad had to come in and turned the TV off,” she says indignantly. “I mean, I was a young adult at that point … That's where I decided I had to make the choice of whether I wanted to be Muslim or not. It took me on a journey of exploring whether I agreed with what I was hearing on the mainstream media. I went into a deep dive and exploration into our theology.”

She became aware that women’s rights are “not part of the practice or what we see in terms of the Muslim world today. So, what's happening in Afghanistan, for example, what's happening in Iran, for example, when you look at the theology of how women should be treated.” 

The 9/11 attacks led to her forming the Young Muslim Women's Association. Then in 2017, she established Khadija Leadership Network, both supporting Muslim women and girls. Khadija was the wife of Muhammad and a leader in her own right. 

A social studies and geography teacher who participated in the Zooming Newsies presentation on 9 April said she felt privileged to have heard Tayyaba’s story. “The things she talked about are things we can learn about and gain an understanding of; it’s good to meet with people who are making change. As a Brit myself, I am apologetic about the past actions. I feel appalled about the colonialisation and imperialism and everything that went on”. 

Tayyaba sits on several committees where she talks about how to support women in Iran, who are being subjugated to oppression because of not wanting to wear the headscarf. 

She said Muslims need to ask why there should be different rules for women, including their right to a full education. Tayyaba acknowledges that being a New Zealander has also given her a huge privilege: 

“Muslim women talk to me about this a lot (because) I have the privilege to explore what Islam is and its theological understanding by not being raised in a predominantly Muslim nation. I can critically review it because I've lived grown up in a secular country. They didn't have that privilege.” 

Contact

 The Zooming Newsies is a Methodist discussion group that invites speakers from outside of MCNZ to discuss issues of relevance and importance. We meet via Zoom and welcome others to join our discussion.

Email: davidhines5708@gmail.com   Mobile 027 325 1385 

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89237489537?pwd=SjJWYzJjUjRPZGlBQmRhc1Npc2tFdz09