Islamic feminism

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A symbol of Islamic feminism, incorporating the Crescent Moon and Star of Islam into the female symbol

Islamic feminism is a form of feminism that aims for the full equality of all Muslims, regardless of sex or gender, in public and private life. Islamic feminists advocate women's rights, gender equality, and social justice grounded in an Islamic framework. Although rooted in Islam, the movement's pioneers have also utilised secular and western feminist discourses and recognise the role of Islamic feminism as part of an integrated global feminist movement^[1]. Advocates of the movement seek to highlight the deeply rooted teachings of equality in the Quran and encourage a questioning of the patriarchal interpretation of Islamic teaching through the Quran, Hadith and Sharia towards the creation of a more equal and just society.^[2]

[edit] History and rise of Islamic feminism

The movement has its roots in the late nineteenth century. Egyptian jurist Qasim Amin, the author of the 1899 pioneering book Women's Liberation (Tahrir al-Mar'a), is often described as the father of the Egyptian feminist movement. In his work, Amin criticized some of the practices prevalent in his society at the time, such as polygamy, the veil, and purdah, i.e. the segregation of the sexes. He condemned them as un-Islamic and contradictory to the true spirit of Islam. His work had an enormous influence on women's political movements throughout the Islamic and Arab world, and is read and cited today.

Less known, however, are the women who preceded Amin in their feminist critique of their societies. The women's press in Egypt started voicing such concerns since its very first issues in 1892. Egyptian, Turkish, Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese women and men had been reading European feminist magazines even a decade earlier, and discussed their relevance to the Middle East in the general press.^{[citation needed]}

Islamic feminism is defined by Islamic scholars as being more radical than secular feminism,^[3] and as being anchored within the discourse of Islam with the Qur'an as its central text.^[4]

In recent times the concept of Islamic feminism has grown further, with Islamic groups looking to garner support from as many aspects of society as possible, and educated Muslim women striving to articulate their role in society ^[5]. The history and potential success of such a movement is debatable but looking back through the Qur'an there has always been a degree of respect afforded to women with the Qur'an stressing the superiority of men, but also women's rights to honorable treatment. However, such freedoms as property rights and the respect from men are often sidelined, with little recourse being available for those that wish to protest. It has been, however, mainly upper-middle-class women that have been able to vocalise the Islamic feminist movement, as they have the economic security to violate widely held beliefs.

Another side to modern Islamic feminism is the activism of Muslim women born and brought up within Western societies. Often those born to immigrant families face racism from the host community and sexism within their own communities. Young Muslim women in France fought back against the issues facing them, ranging from endemic sexual violence to the forced wearing of the hijab, by creating Ni Putes Ni Soumises (usually translated "Neither Whores Nor Submissives"). This movement has spread to other countries.

The rise of feminism in the Islamic world has also been linked to the rise of western influence, with a political and economic attempt to align with western powers and markets promoting western ideas such as universal suffrage, equal rights and access to education.

[edit] Muslim Personal Law and Islamic feminism

See also: Sharia

One of the major areas of scholarship and campaigning for Islamic feminists in various parts of the world is Muslim Personal Law (also known as Muslim Family Law). MPL includes three main areas of law: marriage, divorce, and testation.

Muslim majority countries that have promulgated some form of MPL include Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Sudan, Senegal, Tunisia, Egypt, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Muslim minority countries that already have operating MPL regimes or are considering passing legislation on aspects of MPL include India and South Africa.

In general, Islamic feminists have objected to the MPL legislation in many of these countries, arguing that these pieces of legislation discriminate against women. Some Islamic feminists have taken the attitude that a reformed MPL which is based on the Qur'an and Sunnah, which includes substantial input from Muslim women and which does not discriminate against women is possible. Such Islamic feminists have been working on developing such women-friendly forms of MPL. Other Islamic feminists, particularly some in Muslim minority contexts which are democratic states, argue that MPL should not be reformed but should be rejected and that Muslim women should seek redress, instead, from the civil laws of those states.

For most Islamic feminists, some of the thorny issues regarding the way in which MPL has thus far been formulated include: polygyny, divorce, custody of children, maintenance and marital property. In addition, there are also more macro issues regarding the underlying assumptions of such legislation, for example, the assumption of the man as head of the household.

[edit] Sexuality

See also: Islamic sexual jurisprudence

Despite the taboo status of sex and sexuality in many Muslim societies, some Quranic scholars have argued that the Quran itself discusses these subjects openly and positively, and Islam is one of the most sexually accepting of the major world religions ^[6]. The Quran recognises humans as sexual beings, and Muhammad spoke of 'the sweetness of intercourse' ^[7].

There is debate over the interpretations of the Quranic verses that have been cited to outlaw homosexuality, principally the verse relating to the story of Lot (see Qur'an verses: 11:69-83, 29:28-35). Quranic verses appear to relate specifically to male homosexuality. Contemporary interpreters and campaigning organisations are working to reinterpret texts to allow for a wider spectrum of sexual relationships, including homosexual, bisexual, and queer, but there is much resistance from the mainstream Muslim community^[8].

[edit] Islamic Feminists, Muslim Feminists and Islamists

There are subtle yet substantial differences to be noted between the terms 'Islamic feminist', 'Muslim feminist' and those regarded as 'Islamists'. Islamic feminists ground their arguments in Islam and its teachings^[9], seek the full equality of women and men in the personal and public sphere and can include non-Muslims in the discourse and debate. Differently, Muslim feminists are people who consider themselves Muslims and feminist but who may use arguments outside Islam, for example, national secular law or international human rights agreements, to counter gender inequality. See, for example, the Ni Putes Ni Soumises (Neither Whores Nor Submissives) movement. Islamists are advocates of political Islam, the notion that the Quran and Hadith mandate an Islamic government. Some Islamists advocate women's rights in the public sphere but do not challenge gender inequality in the personal, private sphere ^[10].

Note that any of the above can be men or women.

[edit] Notable personalities in the Islamic feminism movement

• Leila Ahmed - Egyptian-American professor of women's studies
• Fadela Amara, French president of Ni Putes Ni Soumises (Neither Whores Nor Submissive)
• Qasim Amin - an early advocate of women's rights in Islamic society
• Margot Badran - feminist historian and women's studies scholar
• Asma Barlas - Pakistani-American professor at Ithaca College, and author of "Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an
• Samira Bellil - French Algerian activist on gang rapes, president of Ni Putes Ni Soumises (Neither Whores Nor Submissive)
• Mukhtaran Bibi - Pakistani advocate for rape prevention and women's rights
• Shirin Ebadi - Iranian lawyer and human rights activist who founded the Association for Support of Children's Rights. Also, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2003 for her efforts in promoting democracy and human rights especially for women and children.
• Farid Esack - male supporter and scholar
• Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah, Pakistan's first woman columnist and editor, first woman to speak at Al-Azhar University, and author of The Bull and the She Devil
• Roquia Sakhawat Hussain, 1880-1932, Bengali author of The Sultana's Dream, an early work of feminist science fiction; founder of schools for girls
• Na'eem Jeenah - South African scholar and activist
• Irshad Manji - Canadian journalist, author of The Trouble with Islam Today
• Fatema Mernissi - Moroccan writer
• Ebrahim Moosa - South African scholar on Islamic law, based at Duke University
• Shirin Neshat - Iranian-born American artist
• Asra Q. Nomani - Indian-American journalist and
• Nawal El Saadawi - Egyptian author
• Hoda Shaarawi - early advocate of Egyptian women's rights
• Shamima Shaikh - South African
• Amina Wadud - African American professor and author

[edit] See also

• Golden Needle Sewing School
• Women in Islam
• Women in Quran
• Sisters in Islam
• Role of women in religion
• Islamic Bill of Rights for Women in the Bedroom
• Islamic Bill of Rights for Women in the Mosque
• History of feminism

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.feminismeislamic.org/eng/index.htm
2. ^ http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2002/569/cu1.htm
3. ^ "Islamic feminism: what's in a name?" by Margot Badran, Al-Ahram, January 17–23, 2002
4. ^ "Exploring Islamic Feminism" by Margot Badran, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, November 30, 2000
5. ^ Humphreys, R. Stephen: "Between Memory and Desire - The Middle East in a Troubled Age", University of California Press, 2005
6. ^ [1]SAFRA Project Essay on Islam and Sexuality
7. ^ See the works of Asra Nomani for more details
8. ^ [2]SAFRA Project Essay on Islam and sexuality
9. ^ http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/16-31Jan04-Print-Edition/1631200425.htm
10. ^ http://www.iran-bulletin.org/women/Islamic_feminism_IB.html

[edit] Further reading

• The Noble Women Scholars of Hadeeth
• The Modern Muslimah Forum
• Women Scholars of Islam: They Must Bloom Again by Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
• IslamicFeminism.org
• What is Muslim feminism? Introduction to the history and concept of Muslim feminism.
• "Islamic Traditions and the Feminist Movement: Confrontation or Cooperation?" by Dr. Lois Lamya' al Faruqi.
• Articles by a South African Islamic feminist by Shamima Shaikh
• "Towards an Islamic Feminist Hermeneutic" by Na'eem Jeenah, Journal for Islamic Studies, Vol. 21, 2001, 36-70.
• "The National Liberation Struggle and Islamic Feminisms in South Africa" by Na'eem Jeenah, Women's Studies International Forum 29, January 2006, 27-41.
• "Islamic feminism means justice to women" interview with Prof Margot Badran, The Milli Gazette, January 16–31, 2004
• "Feminism and Islam" analysis of Feminism from a traditional Islamic perspective, Maryam Jameelah, July 13th, 2005
• "Islamisation and its Impact on Democractic Governance and Women's Rights in Islam: A Feminist Perspective" by Zainah Anwar, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, May 17, 2003
• "A Declaration of the Rights of Women in Islamic Societies", SecularIslam.com, undated
• "The Liberation of Women in the Middle East" by Azam Kamguian, undated
• Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Women, Islam, and Equality, an ebook
• Badran, Margot. "Feminists, Islam, and Nation: Gender and the Making of Modern Egypt.
• ______________ Opening the Gates: A Century of Arab Feminist Writing
• "A Gender Jihad For Islam's Future" by Asra Q. Nomani, in the Washington Post, November 6, 2005
• Divine Feminine A feminist Sufi's perspective
• Sutherland, Joan. "The ideas interview: Phyllis Chesler", The Guardian, April 4, 2006
• More to life than window dressing In this special feature, a successful Belgian-Algerian Muslim woman recounts what it was like growing up immersed in two cultures with divergent views of women. August 2006
• Ahmed, Leila. Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a modern Debate, 1992, Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-049420
• Weaver v NATFHEIn the Weaver v NATFHE race discrimination case, an Industrial Tribunal upheld a union’s decision not to assist a member of an ethnic minority, a Muslim woman, who brought a case of racial harassment against a fellow worker because he could lose his job. The Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld the Industrial Tribunal decision.