Michael, you've made some very good points.

Re. the objectification of women in the West as sex objects though, I must admit that, in these days post the advent of feminism, I'm surprised by it. However, it has to be said that, just as many Muslim women choose the head scarf, many Western women choose to portray themselves as sex objects.

Regarding your more general points about Islam, are there not some aspects of the religion itself that leave themselves open to the charge of the oppression of women? In particular I'm thinking of the Muslim laws on divorce.

Generally, it seems to be a matter of interpretation. I feel more comfortable with the more liberal interpretations of Judaism, Christianity or Islam, which take some of the more humanistic aspects of these religions and modify some others. There are serious risks in taking any of the books (Old or New Testaments or the Koran) as the literal word of God and, my God, hasn't all of humanity paid the price for this over the last couple of thousand years?