Islamic feminism
A combination of Islam and feminism has been advocated as "a feminist discourse and practice
articulated within an Islamic paradigm" by Margot Badran in
2002. Islamic feminists ground their arguments in Islam and its teachings,
seek the full equality of women and men in the personal and public sphere, and
can include non-Muslims in the discourse and debate. Islamic feminism is
defined by Islamic scholars as being more radical than secular feminism and as
being anchored within the discourse of Islam with the Quran as its central text.[4] As a "school of thought", it is said to refer to
Moroccan sociologist "Fatema Mernissi and scholars such as Amina Wadud and Leila Ahmed".
Advocates refer to the observation
that Muslim majority countries produced several female heads of state, prime ministers, and
state secretaries such as Lala Shovkat of Azerbaijan, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Mame Madior Boye of Senegal, Tansu Çiller of Turkey, Kaqusha Jashari of Kosovo, and Megawati
Sukarnoputri of Indonesia. In Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia was
elected the country's first female prime minister in 1991, and served as prime
minister until 2009, when she was replaced by Sheikh Hasina, who maintains the prime minister's office at present making
Bangladesh the country with the longest continuous female premiership
Islamic feminists
Islamic feminists interpret the religious
texts in a feminist perspective. They can be viewed as a branch of interpreters
who ground their arguments in Islam and its teachings, seek the full
equality of women and men in the personal and public sphere, and can include
non-Muslims in the discourse and debate.
Islamic feminism is defined by Islamic scholars as being more radical than secular feminism, and as being anchored within the discourse of Islam with the Quran as its central text.
During recent times, the concept of
Islamic feminism has grown further with Islamic groups looking to garner
support from many aspects of society. In addition, educated Muslim women are
striving to articulate their role in society.
According to Umm Yasmin of the Centre for
Muslim Minorities and Islam, she states that feminism is often mistaken as a
western movement, but addresses that Muslim feminists have been active since
the early nineteenth century. Muslim feminists tasks aren't to reform the
religion of Islam, but rather "promote gender equality within a secular
society". Yasmin further concludes that Muslim feminists have
"adapted" their views "in which Islam can be
contextualized" in order to advocate equality between men and women
paralleling with their faith; for Islam doesn't condone violence against women.[8] Since
the 19th century, both men and women question the legal system regarding the
Sharia Laws effect on women such as strict veiling, education, seclusion,
polygyny and concubinage. In reforming these social issues, Muslims women
started advocating for legal change, establishing schools for girls, and
opposing to veiling and polygyny. In support of Yasmin's argument, Fatema Mernissi undermines
that the ideal Muslim woman being portrayed as "silent and obedient"
has nothing to do with the message of Islam. In her view, conservative Muslim
men manipulated the religious texts of the Quran to preserve their patriarchal
system In order to prevent women from sexual liberation; thus enforcing
justification of strict veiling and limitation rights.
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