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Islamic feminism: Is that an oxymoron?

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 Darul Ihsan University Studies
ISSN 1816-675X
Volume 3, December 2009 (P. 53-67)

‘Islamic Feminism’: Is That an Oxymoron?

*Mohammad Kaosar Ahmed

Abstract
As feminism is basically a Western phenomenon, some Muslims believe that
feminism is a European alien invention that should be rejected to be true to
Islam. This paper is an attempt to explore the history of feminism, its
manifestation in the Islamic discourse, and its intellectual appropriateness and
inappropriateness, to probe that the term ‘Islamic feminism’ is not paradoxical.

Introduction:
As a figure, feminism has multiple, changing, and disputed referents. The dominant modern
sense of feminism is an “advocacy of the rights of women (based on the theory of equality
of the sexes)”.1 For Muslim feminists, Islam contains within it the impetus to challenge
oppressive social structures in whichever form they come, including oppressive patriarchal
structures. Muslims do not need to use the label „feminist‟ because Islam is holistic in
countering all types of oppression. While it is certainly true that Islam does not single out
oppression against women as the sole form of its concern with social injustice, it is possible
to view feminism as a specialized branch of the jihad against social injustice. When we
think of the ninety-nine names of Allah, and that Allah taught Adam (as) the names of all
things, we note that names have power. Removing the name of feminism is a way of taking
power away from the concept. We have specialized names for the sciences of Islamic
scholarship (‘ulum al-hadith, usul al-fiqh, kalam, falsafah, tassawwuf etc.) none of which
appears in the Qur‟an or the vocabulary of the Prophet (pbuh). This is because the
differentiation and specialization of these sciences did not occur until around the third
Islamic century, however, the seeds for these sciences came from the Qur‟an and Sunnah.
Likewise, the seed for countering social injustice towards and oppression of women lies in
the Qur‟an and Sunnah, but that „Islamic feminism‟ is simply a specialized name for those
who work in countering female injustice.

Common Misconception about Feminism

One of the common misconceptions of feminism is that there is only one type of feminism.
In fact there are many types of feminism. Feminism can be considered as lying along a
spectrum which encompasses a wide range of differing perspectives and approaches. It can
even include those who would reject the label „feminist‟ because of the negative stereotype
it can convey who yet work in the sphere of feminism: gender equality.

* Assistant Professor & Head, Department of English Language and Literature,

International Islamic University Chittagong, Dhaka Campus, Ex-Assistant Professor and
Course Coordinator, Department of English, Darul Ihsan University, Dhaka
Another common misconception regarding feminism is that it is a Western phenomenon.
Because we are largely familiar with the work of nineteenth and twentieth century from the
Euro-centric world, this false impression becomes more inherent. Feminists themselves can
be ignorant of the work of indigenous feminists from other parts of the world, or believe
that feminism in those parts is due to the foundational activities of Western feminism which
was then adopted by non-Western feminists. While Western forms of feminism has
impacted the globe, parallel feminist movements were emerging in various centers, for
example Egyptian feminism from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries paralleled US and
UK activities although their sphere of activity and practical concern may have looked very
different.

Other remarkable misinterpretation about feminism is that feminism means male-hating or

male-bashing. While it is true that there are those feminists who situate themselves firmly
within a „misoandristic‟ worldview, this is an extreme feminist viewpoint and certainly does
not represent feminism as a whole.

Intercultural Inappropriateness of European Feminism:

The first and foremost principle would seem to be that many of the goals of feminism as
conceived in Western society are not necessarily relevant or exportable across cultural
boundaries. Feminism as a Western movement originated in England during the 18th
century and had as one of its main goals the eradication of legal disabilities imposed upon
women by English common law. These laws were especially discriminatory of married
women. They derived in part from Biblical sources (e.g., the idea of man and woman
becoming “one flesh,” and the attribution of an inferior and even evil nature to Eve and all
her female descendants) and in part from feudal customs (e.g., the importance of carrying
and supplying arms for battle and the concomitant devaluation of the female contributions
to society) . The Industrial Revolution and its need for women‟s contribution to the work
force brought strength to the feminist movement and helped its advocates gradually break
down most of those discriminatory laws. 2

Since the history and heritage of Muslim peoples have been radically different from that of
Western Europe and America, the feminism which would appeal to Muslim women and to
the society generally must be correspondingly different. Those legal rights which Western
women sought in reform of English common law were already granted to Muslim women in
the 7th century. Such a struggle therefore holds little interest for the Muslim woman. In
addition, it would be useless to try to interest Muslims in ideas or reforms that run in
diametrical opposition to those traditions which form an important part of our cultural and
religious heritage. There has been a good deal of opposition to any changes in Muslim
personal status laws since these embody and reinforce the very traditions which we have
been discussing. In other words, if feminism is to succeed in an Islamic environment, it
must be an indigenous form of feminism, rather than one conceived and nurtured in an alien
environment with different problems and different solutions and goals. 3
Different types of Islamic Feminism
Those commonly and mistakenly think of feminism as a Western idea and activity will find
the story of Tahirth, who proclaimed “you can kill me as soon as you like but you cannot
stop the emancipation of women”, a nineteenth-century Persian poet, feminist and martyr
who lived at the dawn of modern feminism, startling. The daughter of a Muslim mujtahid,
Tahirih was born in the Persian city of Qazvin and originally better known as Qurratu‟l-
‟Ayn, meaning “Solace of the Eyes”. Famous for her beauty, intelligence, poetry, allegiance
to a messianic revolutionary movement and women‟s rights activism, Tahirih‟s most
celebrated moment occurred on a fateful day in 1848 at a conference in Badasht where she
tore off her face-veil, appeared in front of a group of men, and announced that she was the
trumpet blast for the dawn of a new age signaling equality for men and women. Stunned the
fact that she had appeared in public with her face unveiled, one man slit his throat in horror.
Eventually in 1852, Tahirih was strangled to death for her cause.

Secular Feminism
Secular feminism refers to feminist movements in the Muslim world which have drawn
their inspiration from Western models which view religion as part of the „problem‟. That is,
Islam is part and parcel of the oppression that women experience in the Muslim world, and
so secular feminists will situate their calls for reform outside the religious paradigm. They
are not interested so much in reforming Islam, but in promoting a secularized version of
societal governance which allows for equality of men and women.

Historically, secular feminists in the Muslim world were largely drawn from the upper-
middle class. While secular feminists have had some success in parts of the Muslim world,
however because religion plays such an important role for the vast majority of Muslim
peoples, it is secular feminists inability to work within the religious paradigm that hinders
its progress and they are likely to fail.

Islamist feminism

This is a phrase that would not necessarily be used by its subjects, but it is important to
make a distinction between two types of Muslim feminisms. This definition is based on
Azza M. Karam‟s work in Women, Islamisms and the State: Contemporaiy Feminisms in
Egypt. From around the nineteenth century onwards, it has become possible to detect three
main approaches to Islam by Muslims. It‟s important to note that these are not isolated
trends and Muslims may hold a variety of views within and across these definitions:

(1) Traditionalism, whose proponents reject modernism and Westernism in all its forms.
They feel that classical formulations of Islamic law are the correct readings and look back
to the classical Muslim period as representing the height of Islamic civilization.
(2) Modernism, which is based on the work of Muhammad „Abduh, Rashid Rida, Syed
Ameer „Au and so on, who believed that where modern and Western innovations could be
harmonized with the ethics and principles of Islam, then these should be adopted by
Muslims. They argue that reform of traditional Islamic law is quite possible and within the
legitimate scope of Utihad..
(3) Islamism is another modern movement which rejects Westernization and yet calls for
the revival of Islamic law and practice. Specifically, an Islamist is a person who adopts a
worldview in which their (usually literalist) interpretation of Islam is considered divinely
mandated. Their approach is considered to be the „only‟ or „true‟ (infallible) interpretation
of Islam and to which all aspects of personal faith and societal structure should be
subordinated. What differentiates Islamists is that rather than arguing that Islam is divinely
mandated and accepting that the Muslim world is a diverse place full of differing opinions
and interpretations (as would modernists); an Islamist will normally consider their own
interpretation of Islam to be synonymous with Islam, and anything that challenges their
interpretation of Islam is considered unbelief.

Islamist feminists often hold the view that Islam promotes a patriarchal structure of family
and society, but which isn‟t inherently oppressive to women. The Muslim man is the head
of the household, but he should not be a tyrant in his own home. A woman‟s rightful nature,
according to Islamists, requires that her role is primarily that of home-maker and care-giver
to children. Paid work is a secondary option which must not conflict with her primary role.
Islamism is found in the revival movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Jama‟at-i
Islami and Islamist feminists include Zaynab al-Ghazali.

Muslim Feminism

There is a third category of feminism in Islam which can be labeled Muslim feminism. A
Muslim feminist is one who adopts a worldview in which Islam can be contextualized and
reinterpreted in order to promote concepts of equity and equality between men and women;
and for whom freedom of choice plays an important part in expression of faith.

A fine distinction is thus drawn between the Qur‟an and the concepts of Sunnah and Shari‟a
which is considered by Muslims to be divinely inspired and suitable for all times, cultures
and contexts, and the human fallible interpretation of these sources which can be revisited
and revised as society needs. Muslim feminists argue that Islam was born into a
misogynistic and patriarchal society of the pre-Islamic jahiliyyah. Because the Qur‟an is
situated firmly within a historical context, it naturally recognized and addressed this
patriarchal society. Thus there is in the Qur‟an a hierarchical double layer which as
interpreters we must take into consideration when applying the text to our lives and our
societies.

Firstly, the Qur‟an has an underlying ethical worldview which firmly promotes equality and
egalitarianism for all human beings. This is the most fundamental layer of human
interaction. Thus, the Qur‟an says in translation to all men and women: “verily the most
honored of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most righteous”. 4

Secondarily, the Qur‟an recognizes the pre-existing problems in society and lays down
time-bound and contextual measures to address these problems, and to allow human beings
to move towards the underlying ethical worldview. Thus the Qur‟an recognizes the problem
of slavery and provides methods for its abolition. Muslims feminists would argue, likewise,
the Qur‟an recognizes patriarchy but provides methods for its eventual abolition. Thus,
verses which appear to situate women within patriarchal structures, are temporary
contextual measures, rather than being universally prescriptive.

Distinct Features of Islamic Feminism

There are a number of social, psychological, and economic traditions which govern the
thinking of most Muslims and which are particularly affective of woman‟s status and role in
Islamic society. Understanding these can help us understand the issues which affect male
and female status and roles, and how we should react to feminist movements which seek to
improve the situation of women in any of the countries where Muslims live. 5

Firstly, the Islamic family system, that advocates an extended rather than a nuclear family
system, is one of the Islamic traditions which determines the
way in which Muslim women respond to feminist ideas. Some Muslim families are
“residentially extended” — that is, their members live communally with three or more
generations of relatives (grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and their offspring) in a single
building or compound. Even when this residential version of the extended family is not
possible or adhered to, family connections reaching far beyond the nuclear unit are evident
in strong psychological, social, economic, and even political ties. Mutual supports and
responsibilities affecting these larger consanguine groups are not just considered desirable,
but they are made legally incumbent on members of the society by Islamic law. The
Glorious Quran itself exhorts to extended family solidarity; in addition it specifies the
extent of such responsibilities and contains prescriptive measures for inheritance, support,
and other close interdependencies within the extended family. Our Islamic traditions also
prescribe a much stronger participation of the family in the contracting and preservation of
marriages. While most Western feminists would decry family participation or arranged
marriage as a negative influence because of its apparent restriction of individualistic
freedom and responsibility, as Muslims we would argue that such participation is
advantageous for both individuals and groups within the society. Not only does it ensure
marriages based on sounder principles than physical attraction and sexual infatuation, but it
provides other safeguards for successful marital continuity. Members of the family provide
diverse companionship as well as ready sources of advice and sympathy for the newly
married as they adjust to each others‟ way. One party of the marriage cannot easily pursue
an eccentric course at the expense of the spouse since such behavior would rally opposition
from the larger group. Quarrels are never so devastating to the marriage bond since other
adult family members act as mediators and provide alternative sources of companionship
and counsel following disagreements. The problems of parenting and generational
incompatibility are also alleviated, and singles clubs and dating bureaus would be
unnecessary props for social interaction. There is no need in the extended family for
children of working
parents to be unguarded, unattended, or inadequately loved and socialized because the
extended family home is never empty. There is therefore no feeling of guilt which the
working parent often feels in a nuclear or single—parent organization. Tragedy, even
divorce, is not so debilitating to either adults or children since the larger social unit absorbs
the residual numbers with much greater ease than a nuclear family organization can ever
provide. The move away from the cohesiveness which the family formerly enjoyed in
Western society, the rise of usually smaller alternative family styles, and the accompanying
rise in individualism which many feminists advocate or at least practice, are at odds with
these deep-rooted Islamic customs and traditions. If feminism in the Muslim world chooses
to espouse the Western family models, it should and would certainly be strongly challenged
by Muslim women‟s groups and by Islamic society as a whole.. 6

Secondly, the traditional support of the large and intricately interrelated family organization
is correlative to another Islamic tradition which seems to run counter to recent Western
trends and to feminist ideology. Islam and Muslim women generally advocate molding of
individual goals and interests to accord with the welfare of the larger group and its
members. Instead of holding the goals of the individual supreme, Islam instills in the
adherent a sense of his or her place within the family and of a responsibility to that group.
This is not perceived or experienced by Muslims as repression of the individual. Other
traditions which will be discussed later guarantee his or her legal personality. Feminism,
therefore, would not be espoused by Muslim women as a goal to be pursued without regard
for the relation of the female to the other members of her family. The Muslim woman
regards her goals as necessitating a balance with, or even subordination to, those of the
family group. The rampant individualism often experienced in contemporary life, that
which treats the goals of the individual in isolation from other factors, or as utterly supreme,
runs against a deep Islamic commitment to social interdependence. 7

Thirdly, the Islamic tradition which makes the Islamic feminist movement distinct is that it
specifies a differentiation of male and female roles and responsibilities in society. Western
Feminism has generally denied any such differentiation and has demanded a move toward a
unisex society in order to achieve equal rights for women. They advocate a “unisex
society,” in which a single set of roles and concerns are given preference and esteem by
both sexes and are pursued by all members of the society regardless of sex and age
differentials. In the case of Western feminism, the preferred goals have been those
traditionally fulfilled by the male members of society. The roles of providing financial
support, of success in career, and of decision making have been given overwhelming
respect and concern while those dealing with domestic matters, with childcare, with
aesthetic and psychological refreshment, with social interrelationships, were devalued and
even despised. Both men and women have been forced into a single mold which is perhaps
more restrictive, rigid and coercive than that which formerly assigned men to one type of
role and women to another. This is a new brand of male chauvinism with which Islamic
traditions cannot conform. Islam instead maintains that both types of roles are equally
deserving of pursuit and respect and that when accompanied by the equity demanded by the
religion, a division of labor along sex lines is generally beneficial to all members of the
society. This might be regarded by the feminist as opening the door to discrimination, but as
Muslims we regard Islamic traditions as standing clearly and unequivocally for the support
of male-female equity. In the Quran, no difference whatever is made between the sexes in
relation to God. “For men who submit [to God] and for women who submit [to God], for
believing men and believing women, for devout men and devout women, for truthful men
and truthful women, for steadfast men and steadfast women, for humble men and humble
women, for charitable men and charitable women, for men who fast and women who fast,
for men who guard their chastity and women who guard, for men who remember God much
and for women who remember - for them God has prepared forgiveness and a mighty
reward” (33:35) . “Whoever performs good deeds, whether male or female and is a believer,
We shall surely make him live a good life and We will certainly reward them for the best of
what they did” (16:97) . [2] It is only in relation to each other and society that a difference
is made - a difference of role or function. The rights and responsibilities of a woman are
equal to those of a man, but they are not necessarily identical with them. Equality and
identity are two different things, Islamic traditions maintain - the former desirable, the latter
not. Men and women should therefore be complementary to each other in a multi—function
organization rather than competitive with each other in a uni-function society. 8

The equality demanded by Islamic traditions must, however, be seen in its larger context if
it is to be understood properly. Since Muslims regard a differentiation of sexual roles to be
natural and desirable in the majority of cases, the economic responsibilities of male and
female members differ to provide a balance for the physical differences between men and
women and for the greater responsibility which women carry in the reproductive and
rearing activities so necessary to the well-being of the society. To maintain, therefore, that
the men of the family are responsible for providing economically for the women or that
women are not equally responsible, is not a dislocation or denial of sexual equity. It is
instead a duty to be fulfilled by men as compensation for another responsibility which
involves the special ability of women. Likewise the different inheritance rates for males and
females, which is so often sited as an example of discrimination against women, must not
be seen as an isolated prescription. [3] It is but one part of a comprehensive system in which
women carry no legal responsibility to support other members of the family, but in which
men are bound by law as well as custom to provide for all their female relatives. Does this
mean that Islamic traditions necessarily prescribe maintaining the status quo in the Islamic
societies that exist today? The answer is a definite “No.” Many thinking Muslims - both
men and women - would agree that their societies do not fulfill the Islamic ideals and
traditions laid down in the Quran and reinforced by the example and directives of the
Prophet Muhammad, salallahu alehi wasallam. It is reported in the Quran and from history
that women not only expressed their opinions freely in the Prophet‟s presence but also
argued and participated in serious discussions with the Prophet himself and with other
Muslim leaders of the time (58:1) . Muslim women are known to have even stood in
opposition to certain caliphs, who later accepted the sound arguments of those women. A
specific example took place during the caliphate of „Umar ibn al Khattab. [4] The Quran
reproached those who believed woman to be inferior to men (16:57—59) and repeatedly
gives expression to the need for treating men and women with equity (2:228, 231; 4:19, and
so on). Therefore, if Muslim women experience discrimination in any place or time, they do
not and should not lay the blame on Islam, but on the un—Islamic nature of their societies
and the failure of Muslims to fulfill its directives. 9

An Islamic Feminist is always concerned with the separate legal status for women which is
demanded by the Quran and the Shari‟ah. Every Muslim individual, whether male of
female, retains a separate identity from cradle to grave. This separate legal personality
prescribes for every woman the right to contract, to conduct business, to earn and possess
property independently. Marriage has no effect on her legal status, her property, her
earnings - or even on her name. If she commits any civil offense, her penalty is no less or
no more than a man‟s in a similar case (5:83; 24:2). If she is wronged or harmed, she is
entitled to compensation just like a man (4:92—93; see also Mustafa al Siba‟i 1976:38;
Darwazah n.d. :78) . The feminist demand for separate legal status for women is therefore
one that is equally espoused by Islamic traditions.

Basic Allegation against Islam by the European Feminists

The European feminist scholars truly think that the term Islamic Feminism is an oxymoron.
They firmly believe and express overtly that Islam in fact makes women inferior violating
their basic rights which ultimately turn them to be the „second sex‟. But a close academic
reading will prove that Islam has got convincing answers to all the allegations made against
it.

Gender Equity* in Islam

When dealing with the Islamic perspective of any topic, there should be a clear distinction
between the normative teachings of Islam and the diverse cultural practices among
Muslims, which may or may not be consistent with them. In identifying what is “Islamic” it
is necessary to make a distinction between the primary sources of Islam (the Qur‟an and the
Sunnah) and legal opinions of scholars on specific issues, which may vary and be
influenced by their times, circumstances, and cultures. Such opinions and verdicts do not
enjoy the infallibility accorded to the primary and revelatory sources. Furthermore,
interpretation of the primary sources should consider, among other things

a. The context of any text in the Qur‟an and the Sunnah. This includes the general context
of Islam, its teachings, its world view, and the context of the surah and section thereof.
b. The occasion of the revelation, this may shed light on its meanings.
c. The role of the Sunnah in explaining and defining the meaning of the

(1) The Spiritual Aspect

According to the Qur‟an, men and women have the same spiritual human nature:

0 mankind: Reverence your Guardian Lord Who created you from a single
person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered (like
seeds) countless men and women; reverence Allah through Whom you
demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you):
for Allah ever watches over you. 10
* The term equity is used instead of the common expression „equality” which is sometimes
mistakenly understood to mean absolute equality in each and every detailed item of
comparison rather than the overall equality. Equity is used here to mean justice and overall
equality of the totality of rights and responsibilities of both genders. It does allow for the
possibility of variations in specific items within the overall balance and equality. It is
analogous to two persons possessing diverse currencies amounting, for each person to the
equivalence of US$1000. While each of the two persons may possess more of one currency
than the other, the total value still comes to US$1000 in each case. It should be added that
from an Islamic perspective, the roles of men and women are complementary and
cooperative rather than competitive.
It is He who created you from a single person and made his mate of like nature in order that
he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united she bears a light burden and carries
it about (unnoticed). When she grows heavy they both pray to Allah their Lord (saying): “If
You give us a goodly child we vow we shall (ever) be grateful.” 11

(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for
you pairs from among yourselves and pairs among cattle: by this
means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto
Him and He is the One that hears and sees (all things.) 12

Both genders are recipients of the “divine breath” since they are created with the same
human and spiritual nature (nafsin-waahidah):

But He fashioned him in due proportion and breathed into him

something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing
and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks to you give.
13

Both genders are dignified and are trustees of Allah on earth.

We have honored the children of Adam, provided them with

transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good
and pure; and conferred on them special favors above a great part
of Our Creation. 14

Behold your Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on

earth.” They said “Will you place therein one who will make
mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Your
praises and glorify Your holy (name)?” He said: “I know what you
do not.”15

According to the Qur‟an, woman is not blamed for the “fall of man.” Pregnancy and
childbirth are not seen as punishments for “eating from the forbidden tree.” On the contrary,
the Qur‟an considers them to be grounds for love and respect due to mothers. In narrating
the story of Adam and Eve, the Qur‟an frequently refers to both of them, never singling out
Eve for the blame:

O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden and enjoy (its
good things) as you [both] wish: but approach not this tree or you
[both] run into harm and transgression. Then began Satan to
whisper suggestions to them bringing openly before their minds all
their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said „Your
Lord only forbade you this tree lest you [both] should become
angels or such beings as live for ever.” And he swore to them both
that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought about
their fall: when they tasted of the tree their shame became manifest
to them and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden
over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not
 forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy
unto you?” They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own
souls: if you forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy we
shall certainly be lost” (Allah) said: “Get you [bothi down with
enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place
and your means of livelihood for a time.” He said: “Therein shall
you [both] live and therein shall you [both] die; and from it shall
you [both] be taken out (at last).” 0 you children of Adam! We
have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame as well as to
be an adornment to you but the raiment of righteousness that is the
best. Such are among the signs of Allah that they may receive
admonition! 0 you children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you in
the same manner as he got your parents out of the garden stripping
them of their raiment to expose their shame: for he and his tribe
watch you from a position where you cannot see them: We made
the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith. 16

On the question of pregnancy and childbirth, the Qur‟an states:

And We have enjoined on the person (to be good) to his/her

parents: in travail upon travail did his/her mother bear his/her and
in years twain was his/her weaning: (hear the command) “Show
gratitude to Me and to your parents: to Me is (your final) Goal. 17

We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his

mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying
of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At
length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty
years, he says, “0 my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for
Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my
parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest
approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to
Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam submissionl.” 18

Men and women have the same religious and moral duties and responsibilities. They both
face the consequences of their deeds:

And their Lord has accepted of them and answered them: “Never
will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you be it male or female:
you are members of one another. 19

If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or female and have

faith they will enter paradise and not the least injustice will be done
to them. 20

For Muslim men and women and for believing men and women,
for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and
women who are patient and constant, for men and women who
humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for
 men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and
women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who
engage much in Allah‟s praise, for them has Allah prepared
forgiveness and great reward. 21

One Day shall you see the believing men and the believing women
how their Light runs forward before them and by their right hands:
(their greeting will be): “Good news for you this Day! Gardens
beneath which flow rivers! To dwell therein for ever! This is
indeed the highest Achievement!” 22

Nowhere does the Qur‟an state that one gender is superior to the other. Some mistakenly
translate “qiwamah” or responsibility for the family as superiority. The Qur‟an makes it
clear that the sole basis for superiority of any person over another is piety and righteousness
not gender, color, or nationality:

0 mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a

female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know
each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is
(one who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full
knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). 23

The Qur‟an effectively ended the cruel pre Islamic practice of female infanticide (wa‟d):

When the female (infant) buried alive is questioned for what crime
she was killed. 24

The Qur‟an went further to rebuke the unwelcoming attitudes among some parents upon
hearing the news qf the birth of a baby girl, instead of a baby boy:

When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) a female

(child) his face darkens and he is filled with inward griefi With
shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad
news he has had! Shall he retain her on (sufferance and) contempt
or bury her in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on! 25

Parents are duty bound to support and show kindness and justice to their daughters. Prophet
Muhammad said:

„Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not
insult her, and does not favor his son over her, Allah will enter him
into Paradise.‟ 26

„Whosoever supports two daughters till they mature, he and I will

come in the day of judgment as this (and he pointed with his two
fingers held together).” 27
Education is not only a right but also a responsibility of all males and females. Prophet
Muhammad said:

“Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim (Muslim” is

used here in the generic meaning which includes both males and
females).

Marriage in Islam is based on mutual peace, love, and compassion, not just the satisfaction
of man‟s needs:

And among His Signs is that He created for you mates from among
yourselves that you may well in tranquility with them and He has
put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are signs
for those who reflect. 28

(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for
you pairs from among yourselves and pairs among cattle: by this
means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto
Him and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). 29

The husband is responsible for the maintenance, protection, and overall headship of the
family (qiwamah) within the framework of consultation and kindness. The mutual
dependency and complementary of the roles of males and females does not mean
“subservience by either party to the other. Prophet Muhammad helped in household chores
in spite of his busy schedule.

The Qur‟an urges husbands to be kind and considerate to heir wives even if they do not like
them.

O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against

their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness that you may
take away part of the marital gift you have given them except
where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live
with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike
to them it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings about
though it a great deal of good. 30

Prophet Muhammad taught: “I command you to be kind to women

The best of you is the best to his family (wife) Marital disputes are to be handled privately
between the parties whenever possible, in steps (without excesses or cruelty). If disputes are
not resolved then family mediation can be resorted to.

Divorce Is seen as the last resort, which is permissible but not encouraged. Under no
circumstances does the Qur‟an encourage, allow or condone family violence or physical
abuse and cruelty. The maximum allowed in extreme cases is a gentle tap that does not even
leave a mark on the body while saving the marriage from collapsing.
Forms of marriage dissolution include mutual agreement, the husband‟s initiative, the
wife‟s initiative (if part of her marital contract, court decision on the wife‟s initiative (for a
cause), and the wife‟s initiative without a “cause” provided that she returns the marital gift
to her husband (khul‟ [divestiture]).

Priority for custody of young children (up to the age of about seven) is given to the mother.
A child later chooses between his mother and father (for custody purposes). Custody
questions are to be settled in a manner that balances the interests of both parents and well
being of the child.

As a Mother
Kindness to parents (especially mothers) is next to worship of Allah:

Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you
be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in
you life say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them but
address them in terms of honor. 31

And We have enjoined on the human (to be good) to his/her

parents: in travail upon travail did his/her mother bear him/her and
in years twain was his/her waning: (hear the command) „Show
gratitude to Me and to your parents: to Me is (your final) destiny.”
32

Mothers are accorded a special place of honor in Hadeeth too: A man came to the Prophet
Muhammad asking: 0 Messenger of Allah, who among the people is the most worthy of my
good companionship? The Prophet said, your mother. The man said then who is next: the
Prophet said, Your mother. The man further asked, Then who is next? Only then did the
Prophet say, Your father. (al Bukhari)

The Legal/Political Aspect

Both genders are entitled to equality before the law and courts of law. Justice is genderless.
Most references to testimony (witness) in the Qur‟an do not make any reference to gender.
Some references fully equate the testimony of males and female.

And for those who launch a charge against their spouses and have
(in support) no evidence but their own their solitary evidence (can
be received) if they bear witness four times (with an oath) by Allah
that they are solemnly telling the truth; And the fifth (oath) (should
be) that they solemnly invoke the curse of Allah on themselves if
they tell a life. But it would avert the punishment from the wife is
she bears witness four times (with an oath) by Allah that (her
husband) is telling a lie; And the fifth (oath) should be that she
solemnly invokes the wrath of Allah on herself is (her accuser) is
telling the truth. 33
One reference in the Qur‟an distinguishes between the witness of a male and a female. It is
useful to quote this reference and explain it in its own context and in the context of other
references to testimony in the Qur‟an.

O you who believe! When you deal with each other in transactions
involving future obligations in a fixed period of time reduce them to
writing. Let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties: let
not the scribe refuse to write as Allah has taught him so let him
write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate but let him fear his
Lord Allah and not diminish aught of what he owes. If the party
liable is mentally deficient or weak or unable himself to dictate let
his guardian dictate faithfully. And get two witnesses out of your
own men and if there are not two men then a man and two women
such as you choose for witnesses so that if one of them errs the other
can remind her. The witnesses should not refuse when they are called
on (for evidence). Disdain not to reduce to writing (your contract) for
a future period whether it be small or big: it is just in the sight of
Allah more suitable as evidence and more convenient to prevent
doubts among yourselves; but if it be a transaction which you carry
out on the spot among yourselves there is no blame on you if you
reduce it not to writing. But take witnesses whenever you make a
commercial contract; and let neither scribe nor witness suffer harm.
If you do (such harm) it would be wickedness in you. So fear Allah;
for it is Allah that teaches you. And Allah is well acquainted with all
things. 34

Islamic Feminism is not an Oxymoron:

The matching of Islam and feminism is not incongruous at all. Today people think that
women are liberated in the West and that the women‟s liberation movement began in the
20th century. Actually, the women‟s liberation movement was not begun by women but
was revealed by God to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be
uponhim), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur‟an and the Traditions of the
Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her
rights and duties. Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God in
glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam
established a woman‟s equality in her humanity with men. In the Qur‟an, in the first verse
of the chapter entitled “Women,” God says,

“0 mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a
single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread abroad a
multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in
Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs
(that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you.” 35

Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their humanity.
Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religions believe) or then men would be evil also.
Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality.
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of
her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her religion. The Qur‟an states:

“There is no compulsion in religion. Right has been made distinct from

error.” (2:256)

Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many
traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) which indicate women would pose questions directly to him
and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters. A Muslim
woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage. A Muslim woman‟s
testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar,
their evidence is conclusive.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and
female).” This includes knowledge of the Qur‟an and the Hadith as well as other
knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it
is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres
of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in
accordance with their own natural talents and interests.

While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and bearing, raising and
teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she
has the skills to work outside the home for the good of the community, she may do so as
long as her family obligations are met. Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences
between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for
men and other types for women. This in no way diminishes either‟s effort nor its benefit.
God will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work, though it may not
necessarily be the same activity.

A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is the right to vote. On any public
matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate in politics. One example, narrated in
the Qur‟an (60:12), is that Muhammad (pbuh) is told that when the believing women come
to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This established the
right of women to select their leader and publicly declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid
a woman from holding important positions in government. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf
consulted many women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.

ECONOMIC RIGHTS

The Qur‟an states: „By the creation of the male and female; Verily, (the ends) ye strive for
are diverse.‟ (92:3-4) In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be
different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where there is a division of
labor, so too in a family; each member has different responsibilities. Generally, Islam
upholds that women are entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role.
Therefore, women are given the right of financial support.

The Qur‟an states: „Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of
them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth (for the support of women).”
(4:34) This guardianship and greater financial responsibility given to men, requires that
they provide women with not only monetary support but also physical protection and kind
and respectful treatment.

The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into
legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run her own
business and no one has any claim on her earnings including her husband. The Quran states:

“And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His
gifts more freely on some of you than on others; to men is allotted
what they earn, and to women, what they earn; but ask Allah of His
bounty, for Allah bath Ilill knowledge of all things.” (4:32)

A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur‟an states:

„For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and
for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave,
whether it be little or much - an ordained share.” (4:7)

RIGHTS OF A WIFE

The Qur‟an states:

“And among His signs is that He created for you mates from
among yourselves that you may live in tranquility with them, and
He has put love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs
for people who reflect.” (30:21)
Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but
in fact, a sign from God! It is a relationship of mutual rights and
obligations based on divine guidance. God created men and women
with complimentary natures, and in the Qur‟an, He laid out a
system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the
sexes. “...They are your garments and you are their garments.”
(2:187)

Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body.
Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and
compliments the characteristics of the spouse. To foster the love and security that comes
with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife‟s rights is to receive
mahr, a gift from the husband which is part of the marriage contract and required for the
legality of the marriage.

The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is
obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend
beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The
Qur‟an states:
 “Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man
whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what
Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond
what He has given him.” (65:7)

God tells us men are guardians over women and are afforded the leadership in the family.
His responsibility for obeying God extends to guiding his family to obey God at all times.

A wife‟s rights also extend beyond material needs. She has the right to kind treatment. The
Prophet (pbuh) said: “The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of
you are those who are best to their wives.” God tells us He created mates and put love,
mercy, and tranquillity between them. Both men and women have a need for
companionship and sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfill those needs. For one
spouse to deny this satisfaction to the other, temptation exists to seek it elsewhere.

Claims of the Islamic Feminists:

1. As the written word of God, the Qur‟an is eternal, infinite, mystical and is understood in
its eternal and infinite scope by the Prophet only. All other mortals understand it according
to their human gifts. The religious experience, i.e. the experience of the Word of God,
therefore, is by definition a personal experience, whereas obeying the religious law [as
interpreted by human beings], ie. the content of fiqh, is obedience to manmade law.

2. The interpretation of Shari‟a, the content of fiqh, the rules by which Muslims have been
governed throughout the centuries, is historically determined and situated in time and place
because it has had to be understandable to each age and community‟s specific situation.

3. The original Word of God is infinite in depth and scope and hence, applicable to
innumerable circumstances and evolving conditions. Because most human societies have
been organized hierarchically and patriarchally, the interpretation of Shari‟a, just like other
religiously inspired laws, reflects this social reality. Consequently the Qur‟an and the other
scriptures as well have been interpreted by the Ulama to reflect the historical reality of their
respective socities.

4. Specific verses in the Qur‟an attest that God enjoins the Prophet not to force human
beings in religious matters. Where the Qur‟an clearly states that some social policy must be
followed, the statement is, by implication, always bound to the requirements of time and
space.

5. The moral impulse of the Word, its eternal thrust, is toward equality for all. Because the
Qur‟an values the human person as God‟s creation, it also values the individual person‟s
right to live in equality with other persons under God. Thus, all instances of inequality are
time and space dependent.

6. These points produce a moral imperative for gender equality within Islam‟s ethical
compass. It is, therefore, morally incumbant on the political systems to promote gender
equality.

7. These positions can be substantiated by reference to the Qur‟an and sunna (actions and
sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), provided that one moves outside the traditional
epistemology of the Shari‟a. They also are directly supported by the Islamic Gnostic
tradition.

Future of Islamic Feminism

As the goals of Western feminism are not viable for Muslim women, an Islamic feminist
should pay significant attention to the following facts to ensure success.

Firstly, an Islamic Feminist must recognize that the mainstream of the women‟s movement
has viewed religion as one of the chief enemies of its progress and well-being; Muslim
women view the teachings of Islam as their best friend and supporter. The prescriptions that
are found in the Qur‟an and in the example of the Muhammad (pbuh) are regarded as the
ideal to which contemporary women wish to return. As far as Muslim women are
concerned, the source of any difficulties experienced today is not Islam and its traditions,
but certain alien ideological intrusions on our societies, ignorance, and distortion of the true
Islam, or exploitation by individuals within the society. 36

Secondly, any feminism which is to succeed in an Islamic environment must be one which
does not work chauvinistically for women‟s interest alone. Islamic traditions would dictate
that women‟s progress be achieved in tandem with the wider struggle to benefit all
members of the society. The good of the group or totality is always more crucial than the
good of any one sector of the society. In fact, the society is seen as an organic whole in
which the welfare of each member or organ is necessary for the health and well being of
every other part. Disadvantageous circumstances of women therefore should always be
countered in conjunction with attempt to alleviate those factors which adversely affect men
and other segments of the society.
Third, Islam is an ideology which influences much more than the ritual life of a people. It is
equally affective of their social, political, economic, psychological, and aesthetic life.
“Din,” which is usually regarded as an equivalent for the English term “religion,” is a
concept which includes, in addition to those ideas and practices customarily associated in
our minds with religion, a wide spectrum of practices and ideas which affect almost every
aspect of the daily life of the Muslim individual. Islam and Islamic traditions therefore are
seen today by many Muslims as the main source of cohesiveness for nurturing an identity
and stability to confront intruding alien influences and the cooperation needed to solve their
numerous contemporary problems. To fail to note this fact, or to fail to be fully appreciative
of its importance for the average Muslim - whether male or female — would be to commit
any movement advocating improvement of women‟s position in Islamic hands to certain
failure. It is only through establishing that identity and stability that self—respect can be
achieved and a healthier climate for both Muslim men and Muslim women will emerge. 37

Conclusion

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women‟s liberation
movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women‟s liberation movement was not
begun by women but was revealed by God to a man in the seventh century by the name of
Muhammad (peace be upon him), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Quran
and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every
Muslim woman derives her rights and duties. Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women
equally accountable to God in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her
moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman‟s equality in her humanity with men.
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their humanity.
Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religions believe) or then men would be evil also.
Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality.
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do
not enjoy today, even in the West. These are from God and are designed to keep balance in
society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is compensated for or explained in
another place. Islam is a complete way of life. So the idea “Islamic Feminism‟ is not
paradoxical, rather Islam gives the answers of and solution to the problems that the
feminists of the west are concerned of.

References:
1
Oxford English Learners Dictionary
2
Faruqi, Dr. Lois Lamya‟ al, Islamic traditions and the feminist movement : Confrontation or Cooperation?
http://www.jannah.org/
3
ibid
4
Sura Al-Hujurát, 49:13
5
Faruqi, Dr. Lois Lamya‟ al
6
ibid
7
ibid
8
ibid
9
ibid
10
(Qur‟an 4:1)
11
(Qur‟an 7:189)
12
(Qur‟an 42:11)
13
(Qur‟an 32:9)
14
(Qur‟an 17:70)
15
(Qur‟an 2:30)
16
(Qur‟an 7:19-27)
17
(Qur‟an 31:14)
18
(Qur‟an 46:15)
19
(Qur‟an 3:195)
20
(Qur‟an 4:124)
21
(Qur‟an 33:35)
22
(Quran 57:12)
23
(Qur‟an 49:13)
24
(Qur‟an 81: 89)
25
(Qur‟an 16:58, 59)
26
Ahmad
27
ibid
28
(Qur‟an 30:21)
29
(Qur‟an 42:11)
30
(Qur‟an 4:19)
31
(Qur‟an 17:23)
32
(Qur‟an 31:14)
33
(Qur‟an 24:69)
34
(Qur‟an 2:282)
35
(Qur‟an4:1)
36
Faruqi, Dr. Lois Lamya‟ al
37
ibid
 Citation Help:
MLA:

Ahmed, Mohammad Kaosar. "Islamic feminism: Is that an oxymoron?" Darul Ihsan

Studies 3 (2009): 53-67. Print.

APA:
Ahmed, M. K. (2009). Islamic feminism: Is that an oxymoron? Darul Ihsan Studies,
3, 53-57.

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