Feminism In Muslim Women

Violence against women is prevalent throughout the Islamic world. The Middle East is one of the many areas that continue to oppress its women. Countries such as Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia still believe in a patriarchal culture; so, many of the people living there have an extreme traditionalist perspective. Women in the Middle East face many hardships, such as polygamy, sexual and domestic violence, forced marriages, strict dress codes, and so on. The Muslim women who acknowledge this inequality and seek to balance it—identify themselves as Islamic feminists. Islamic feminism is a new generation of feminism that has surfaced during the past two decades, as women's issues became an integral part of the modern Islamic discussion. The women involved with this movement seek to challenge and change these outdated perspectives by attacking the root of the problem: the verses in the Quran—which were interpreted solely by men. It is not just the verses, it is also everyday Arabic words that have different meanings, but they also hinder the progression of women—because Muslim men think that only their definition applies. By re-analyzing the interpretations of this religious text and Arabic words, Islamic feminists believe that their perspectives on these things could change the patriarchal culture that exists in Muslim societies.

The Quran is the religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the word of God. And contrary to popular belief, the Quran never intended to reduce women to such a limited role with little to no rights. Biased interpretation of the verses in the Quran has contributed to the creation of a patriarchal society. It has played a major role on how Muslim women have been treated today and throughout history—si...

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...ties. Islamic feminists do not wish to completely rearrange the meaning of the Quran, but they demand to have their own interpretations heard and applied to Islamic laws. They do not fight against the Islamic tradition, but they fight from within it. The interpretations that frame the beliefs for these men are awfully outdated, and new interpretations must be made in order to get on board with modern perspectives. Ziba Mir-Hosseini, an Iranian anthropologist and feminist says, “Political Islam, if it is going to have a future, has to democratize, and a large part of this process involves taking into account the rise of women and minorities. This process is unfolding differently in each country because of different political structures and social conditions, but it is happening.” Hopefully in the future, this movement will grant these women the freedom they deserve.