Women's Role in the Middle East
analytical Essay
2111 words
Discrimination lives, separation prevails, and oppression will always remain.“Why do they hate us?” writes Mona Eltahawy, a freelance Egyptian-American Journalist who writes publications about women’s issues and social welfare in the Islamic world. She talks of a short story written in the book entitled “Distant View of a Minaret” by another Egyptian writer, Alifa Rifaat. The book begins with a piece about a woman who feels nothing about her relationship with her husband. She remains unmoved, as Eltahawy would say, by intercourse with her husband as he only does the act for his own pleasure.The woman is distracted during sex and notices the simplest things around the room--a spider web hanging from the ceiling and the realization to cut her toenails as she stretches her body for her husband’s reach. She is not satisfied and has always been denied the sexual climax from her husband during these times. This way, he inevitably seizes her will to do anything. The Islamic call to prayer interrupts the moment and her husband leaves her, letting her go wash up and rejuvenate herself as it is demanded to do so in the Islamic religion. She takes a shower, gets fully dressed and goes deep into prayer. Feeling content with her worship, she feels a different sort of satisfaction and is looking forward for the next call to prayer as she looks out a balcony from her home. Her duty to her husband still remains and she virtuously makes him coffee, just the way he demands it. Taking it to their bedroom, she suddenly notices something. Her husband’s body appears to be limp in bed as if he suffered an attack. He is dead. She steers her son to fetch a doctor while she waits. She takes the coffee back to the living room and drinks it for herself. “She...
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6) "Egypt: End Sexual Violence Against Women Protestors." -Amnesty International USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. .
7) Eltahawy, Mona. "Foreign Policy Magazine." Foreign Policy. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. .
8) Rifʻat, Alīfah. "Distant View of a Minaret ." Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories. London: Heinemann Publisher, 1987. 1,2,3,4. Print.
9) "Womens Rights in the Middle East « Free Middle East Blog." Free Middle East. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. .
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how mona eltahawy, an egyptian-american journalist, writes about women's issues and social welfare in the islamic world.
- Explains that women are persecuted due to the lack of structure in the constitution of what holds respect and protection of the islamic religion, the quran.
- Analyzes how the antiquated and dated perception of the female role in society has a negative impact on women living in islamic countries.
- Explains that women in muslim societies are viewed primarily within the family and the community. they are subjected to humiliating "virginity tests" merely for speaking out.
- Explains that not a single islamic country is ranked in the world economic forum's global gender gap, putting the entire region pertaining to islam on the bottom of the planet.
- Explains that in saudi arabia, women are punished when nothing really is their fault. a female reported being gang-raped in a car but was sentenced to jail for reluctantly going into
- Explains that the sharia is the islamic code of law based on the quran.
- Explains that malala yousafzai, a school girl from pakistan, is reputably known for her actions to activate more rights to education for women in the same position.
- Analyzes how malala yousafzai's book illuminates her life and her relationship with her father, ziauddin. they support each other for the rights of education for women of islam.
- Opines that women in the middle east feel violated of their natural rights, but the laws of the qur'an were made centuries ago. the islamic region acts as its own world.
- Explains the significance of women rights in islam, which is more strict than any other region where women are persecuted against.
- Explains that dossier 14-15: islam and women's rights: a case study.
- Explains that women are inferior to men in the quran. arlandson, james malcom.
- Explains that bibars, iman, "the middle east: fighting for women's rights." trust, 21 june 2013.
- States coleman, isobel, "new middle east needs fusion of islam and feminism." women's e news.
- Explains that eggertson, lauren, and malala yousafzai's "i am mala" are reviewed in the star.
- States amnesty international usa's "egypt: end sexual violence against women protestors."
- Cites eltahawy, mona, "foreign policy magazine." foreign policy.
- Explains rifat, alfah, distant view of a minaret and other stories.
- Describes the women's rights in the middle east and how far the arab spring must go.
Related
- analytical
- explanatory
- ...areas of emphasis. In contrast, Leila Ahmed analyzes representations and mores of Muslim women in different social and religious contexts in order to draw conclusions about their effect on women’s--and men’s in relation to women’s--status, in earlier periods of Islam, as well as the further-reaching implications they have had for modern Muslim societies.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the shortcomings of leila ahmed's book, women and gender in islam: historical roots of a modern debate.
- Analyzes how the hughes chapter on middle eastern muslim women shifts from quranic doctrine regarding women to how muslim law and scholarship have interpreted it's direct admonitions to women.
- Analyzes how ahmed relies on the development and eventual permanence of muslim law to support her thesis, which is to subvert or equalize modern gender roles and gender-specific laws in muslim societies.
- Analyzes how ahmed comments on the power of suppression that the chroniclers of early islam had. ahmed's book emphasizes the moral autonomy of muslim women, even as they were deprived of legal autonomy
- Analyzes how lufti's lengthy passage on women in cairo and misr illustrates the discrepancies between law and practice, but its focus on two egyptian cities is too narrow.
- Analyzes how nikki keddie concludes that the quran was followed when it was not inconvenient for the patriarchal family to do so, but the difficulty of upholding one "true" interpretation is not addressed.
- Analyzes how the hughes text oversimplifies quranic interpretation, placing more responsibity for the disenfranchisement of muslim women than is perhaps warranted or fair. ahmed argues that "interpretation is of necessity part of every act of reading or of inscribing a text."
- Analyzes the debate over the fundamental function of the quran: should muslims give precedence to the ethical dimension of muhammad's teachings, or should they view the regulations and practices put into effect by muhammad as binding on all muslims?
- Compares the hughes text with leila ahmed's analysis of representations and mores of muslim women in different social and religious contexts.
- Cites ahmed, leila, keddie, baron, hughes, shaver, and hughes. women in world history.
1174 wordsRead More - You Cannot Forget Hell, but You Can Not Remember itanalytical essaySiegel, Ellen. "After Nineteen Years: Sabra and Shatila Remembered." Middle East Policy 8.4 (2001): 86. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Nov. 2009.
In this essay, the author
- Describes how the horror of remembering the sabra and shatila massacres is so incomprehensible that animation is used to cope with visualizing reality.
- Analyzes how waltz with bashir focuses on the difficult issue of post traumatic stress disorder and how soldiers coop with their actions during war.
- Analyzes how the conversation with boaz rein-buskila leads to the birth of waltz with bashir and the opening scene of the movie.
- Explains that waltz with bashir uses the tried-and-true method of combining interviews with depictions of the event that the documentary is covering.
- Analyzes how ronny dayag's story focuses on the experience of the small soldier during war.
- Analyzes how the namesake of the movie, frankel's dance of death, highlights insane actions that soldiers will do in a time of desperation in war.
- Analyzes how foleman's connection and inability to act against those conducting the massacres caused him to embark on the journey of waltz with bashir.
- Analyzes how foleman describes waltz with bashir as 'the hardcore documentary movie', where interviews are setup like conventional documentary interviews, in a nondescript studio, and the animation style of the scenes set during the 1982 lebanon war has changed.
- Analyzes how waltz with bashir's monochromatic approach to animation is starting to falter in covering over the horrors of war.
- Analyzes how animation in waltz with bashir elevates the emotional impact of the movie and hides horrors of war from the audience.
- Analyzes how foleman uses animation to shield the audience from the horrors of war and inject more emotion into the message of the film.
- Analyzes badt, karin, blanford, nicolas, doherty, kevin, esther, john, and fielding-smith, abigail.
- Explains halkin, hillel, and murrary's "waltz with bashir" two-step. academic search premier. web. 9 nov. 2009.
2513 wordsRead More - The Rights of Women in the Islamic Faithexplanatory essayIslam is the second largest religion in the world today. Many of us do not understand the religion Islam and women’s rights within the Islamic faith. American society has the idea that Muslim women are weak, disrespected, belittled, mistreated, and oppressed. “And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them.” (Qur’an 28:229).Contrary to common belief, Islam regards women as equal to men in many aspects and that women have a unique place in Islam. Finally, with this research I hope to end all misconceptions and misunderstandings of Muslim women rights relating to their spiritual, economic, social, political, and legal rights.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that islam is the second largest religion in the world today. many of us do not understand the religion islam and women's rights within the islamic faith.
- Explains that the five pillars are the structure or framework of a muslim life and are their testimony of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to makkah.
- Explains that the qur'an clearly defines that both men and women are of the same human spiritual nature. however, they are different physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically.
- Explains that islam considers the woman's role of a mother and wife to be holy and crucial. however, women may look for employment only in positions that are fitting to their nature and where society needs those most.
- Explains that muslim women may only work in factories and industries that are usually for women, such as nursing, teaching, medicine, social work, etc.
- Explains that muslim women must not allow their jobs to interfere with their duties and responsibilities to their husband and children. gambling houses, bars, liquor stores, etc., are dishonest, corrupt, and immoral in islam.
- Opines that many are not aware that islamic law has provided for women, the right to full financial freedom. islam allows muslim women to control and manage their own business contracts and finances.
- Explains that if a muslim woman works, whatever money she earns, that income is hers alone, which implies that women have full control of their own finances.
- Explains that islamic law decreed that women have the right to inheritance, even though men may inherit more if he is financially responsible for female relatives of his family.
- Explains the reason for marriage in islam is that men and women can be company to each other, love one another, have children, and live in peace, serenity and contentment according to the commandments of allah.
- Explains that islam is a fervent believer of marriage, and views marriage as serious. it has specific rules and regulations regarding the marriage contract.
- Explains that muslim women have the right and freedom to accept or reject their fathers or guardians choice of husband. in islam, there is no dating, falling in love, or getting to know one another.
- Explains that islamic law decreed that when a muslim woman marries, she is entitled to 'mahr' - the dowry that she receives at the time of her marriage.
- Explains that islamic law decreed that women have rights as wives, namely, the right to maintenance and living with her husband honorably. the expectation of a wife is to submit and be obedient in everything.
- Explains that before the discovery of islam, arab fathers used to get angry and upset if a daughter was born. the belief was that daughters were not much worth, could not defend the family by fighting or the carrying of weapons.
- Explains that islam requires parents to provide for their children according to their income, ensure that they provide a decent, respectful, and worthy life for them.
- Explains that islam has a special place for mothers of honor, and the rights of parents especially mothers are greater and positioned above all others except allah.
- Explains that islam promotes and urges all muslims to follow and acquire education and knowledge. the qur'an states that all women are expected and are obligated to educate themselves in both religious and social fields.
- Explains that islam has given women political rights and the quran states that men and women support each other not only socially but politically as well.
- Explains that women have legal rights in islam, allowing women to give witness. the law of qisas is the protection of the life and property of both a man and woman.
- Concludes that the qur'an states that both men and women are equal in the eyes of allah, their god. however, people are indifferent to islam and draw their own conclusions regarding the rights of women in islam.
2699 wordsRead More - Feminism: A Thematic Analysis Of Alifa Rifaat's Book Analysisanalytical essayDaniels starts the chapter by stating that men historically have had more advantages than women. Men could be writers without being judged while women were unable to do so due to their lack of education. It is because of this that men could express their opinion while women were kept shut. Literature served as an insight of the culture and society of the time period. In Arab literature specifically, women are often portrayed in the familiar cultural stereotypes. Alifa Rifaat, a Muslim feminist, took a twist on the average Arab literature and she instead wrote stories about what it means to be a woman in an orthodox Muslim society in Egypt. In Rifaat’s book, Distant View of a Minaret, she discusses themes of human rights, sex and gender roles in her stories that would allow the reader to come to their own conclusion about such rights, or lack of, regarding women, hopefully in protest of such. Rifaat’s book contains thirteen short stories in which Muslim women are faced difficulties in their arranged marriages. Throughout her stories it is made clear that in Egypt and other orthodox Muslim societies women have little to no say in economics or major decisions, as well as little to no education. Women are expected to be under the control of their husbands, or their older brother if they are single or widowed. A major theme in all of Rifaat’s short stories is the deprivation of sexual satisfaction and lack of emotional attention many of the women suffer from in their marriages in orthodox Muslim societies. This then leads to a tyranny of masculinity that make women passive and unable to fight back. Not only is it the religious rules that have oppressed women in orthodox Muslim societies but it is also the tradition in such cultures. Such rules and traditions have
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the article, "feminism", from encyclopedia of sex and gender discusses feminism in different parts of the world.
- Explains why they chose this article for their annotated bibliography because of the background information it provided about muslim feminists in the middle east.
- Analyzes how juliana daniels refers to the feminism view of female suppression in writing. rifaat's book, distant view of a minaret, discusses themes of human rights, sex and gender roles in her stories.
- Analyzes how rifaat is not like the previous feminists analyzed in the sense that she does not call for action directly, but does so in a subtle but efficient way by actually providing detailed examples of such oppressions.
- Analyzes how sherine hafez discusses the different types of feminists that may exist in society but that have the same goal of equality for women.
- Explains that although many females identify as feminists, there are still differences in ideas and beliefs regarding what should be changed and for what reasons change should take place.
1141 wordsRead More - The Novel Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawianalytical essayThe first essential means by which the writings can be connected is through the settings of both the authors and the writings presented. Some basic research of both Nawal El Saadawi and Laurie Penny will expose the underlying beliefs held by both authors, namely feminism, or essential human rights in general. The society and culture of both Britain and Egypt provide ample opportunity for one to conn...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the novel woman at point zero by nawal el saadawi and the article "with tasers and placards, the women of egypt are fighting back against sexism" by laurie penny can be connected both internally and outwardly.
- Explains that basic research of nawal el saadawi and laurie penny will expose the underlying beliefs held by both authors, namely feminism, or essential human rights.
- Explains the two main techniques that are common between the novel and article. the first technique is 's decision to provide a personal connection.
- Analyzes how the novel uses imagery to give the feeling of being free and having power, as is shown in the mob protesting.
- Analyzes how both the novel and article were intended to document the society around them and gain support for what they feel is the most favorable direction for the country.
- Describes how penny and el saadawi documented a nation that is undergoing great sexist, political, and religious struggles that in turn result in an overwhelming toleration of misogyny.
- States penny, laurie's article, "with tasers and placards, the women of egypt are fighting back against sexism."
1221 wordsRead More - Islamic Faith and Cultureanalytical essayIn recent modern times, the Islamic faith and culture has been scarred by bad publicity and criticism worldwide concerning terrorism, fanaticism, and the treatment of women. All these issues have existed in most religions throughout time, but the treatment of women is different in which most other cultures and religions have minimized the issues and Islam, under its attempts to also end it, has failed to create a society in which the treatment of women is equal to that of men. The treatment of women, beginning from the time when they are born, to the time of their marriage, to the moment of their death, has not been equal to that of men despite the actions taken to end the injustice.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how muhammad taught about equality in marriage and everyday life. he wanted women and men to treat themselves equally without being considered more or less.
- Analyzes how the islamic faith and culture has been scarred by bad publicity and criticism regarding terrorism, fanaticism, and the treatment of women.
- Analyzes how muhammad's teachings may have led to men thinking that it was right for them to mistreat women and oppress them. arabs practiced female infanticide before the writing of the qur'an.
- Explains that the killing of female children is comparable to that in other eastern cultures such as china where the governments regulations led to it.
- Opines that polygamy is a good practice because it allows men to be committed to all his wives and children.
892 wordsRead More - Ethnographic Studies Essayanalytical essayOne of the most famous contemporary ethnographic studies of women and gender within Islam is Erika Friedl’s Women of Deh Koh, in which her main concern seems to be providing he...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that ethnographic studies are often overlooked as a serious source and reviewed as literature for the mass populace.
- Analyzes erika friedl's women of deh koh, which provides an authentic and unbiased account of the lives of women in a shiite muslim village in iran.
- Analyzes how friedl spent twenty years studying humanities, and lived in deh koh for nearly five "learning to listen". freidl's sources are some twelve women within the village, one per chapter.
- Opines that friedl's women of deh koh is a great asset to gender studies because it is long-term, first-hand account in which she seems to have little or no political or personal agenda.
- Analyzes ziba mir-hosseini's ethnography, islam and gender: the religious debate in contemporary iran, based on her personal lived experience as a muslim woman.
- Analyzes how hosseini divides her ethnography into three sections based on the ideologies of the clerics and ayatollahs.
- Opines that the "modernists" possess many similar viewpoints as hosseini, mainly the argument for gender equality through islamic jurisprudence and the need to develop new arguments within these contexts to change fiqh.
- Concludes that islam and gender is a valuable addition to the field of ethnography by examining the everyday struggles, experience, and involvement of women within the islamic law.
1141 wordsRead More - The Arab Ba'ath Movement and The Rise of the Baath Party in Syriaexplanatory essayHinnebusch, Raymond. "Syria." The Middle East. Ed. Ellen Lust. 12th ed. Washington (D.C.): CQ, 2011. 675-701. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the baath party was not the sole actor in the peasant movement. it allied itself with other parties to appear attractive to more sectors of society while keeping its leftist agenda.
- Explains that civil activism and civil society thrived in the middle east despite the lack of democracy and democratic institutions in certain countries.
- Explains that the baath party took over the political arena in 1963 and was not welcomed with open arms from all sectors in society.
- Explains that antoun, richard t., and donald quataert authored syria and the baath party.
1663 wordsRead More - Another Evening At The Club By Alifa Rifaat Summaryanalytical essayIt revolves around the issues of gender oppression, sexual assault, and importance of social status. Alifa Rifaat manages to express her opinions towards these themes by writing about a typical Egyptian marriage. She puts in focus the strong influence that a patriarchal society has. She also manages to prove how important social status is in society. The uses of literally elements such as theme and irony help express this view. It shows that in a typical Egyptian society women are commonly oppressed by all males in society
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the story another evening at the club revolves around an overbearing husband and a submissive wife. the main themes are gender oppression, sexual assault, and social status.
- Analyzes how the theme of gender oppression is shown throughout the story. abboud bey and samia's father are discussing wedding arrangements.
- Analyzes how abboud slaps the young maid on the face after suspecting her as the ring thief. this shows the strong authority men have over women in their society.
- Analyzes how the theme of social status is shown when abboud tells samia to lie about her past.
- Analyzes the themes of gender oppression, sexual assault, and social status in another evening at the club.
728 wordsRead More - Women At Point Zero By Nawal El Saadawianalytical essayWomen at Point Zero is a book written by Nawal El Saadawi where she focuses on the main character Firdaus and shares her story in a way that allows reader to get an idea of the patriarchal structures of Egyptian society. Her life story shows readers the obvious discontentment women have with the way society views them, and the glorification of things that go against normal societal structures. This book does an excellent job of portraying the patriarchal society and how women are dominated by men. However, it truly reinforces the stereotype that western culture has of Middle Eastern men as being animalistic beings ravaging defenseless women and the role of Islam.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how nawal el saadawi's women at point zero portrays patriarchal society and how women are dominated by men. it reinforces the stereotype that western culture has of middle eastern men as animalistic beings ravaging defenseless women.
- Explains that nawal el saadawi is an egyptian psychiatrist, feminist and activist who has written many books on the subject of middle eastern women, and the practice of female genital cutting in the society.
- Analyzes how the novel introduces the main character firdau, and how her past shaped her to become the woman she is.
- Analyzes how faridau's story shows how domestic violence is global, and not geographically restricted. it is the story of the consequences of objectifying women.
- Analyzes how firdaus' mother circumcised her, despite egypt's outlawing the practice, but many people in rural areas still practice it, and no one gets prosecuted.
- Analyzes how firdaus is a victim of patriarchal society, which allows men to beat women and where girls are valued mainly for their reproductive qualities.
- Analyzes how fridau grew up in a poor family, where she longed for better food, but when she moved to her uncle's house she realized the importance of money.
- Analyzes how firdau's story allowed people in egypt to talk about women’s right and how her defiance against the system cost her her life.
- Analyzes how el saadawi's women at point zero makes readers question the worth of women in the world and how they are perceived by men in general.
1259 wordsRead More