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ISSN 2278-9529
Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal
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The Criterion: An International Journal in English Vol. 15, Issue-I, February 2024 ISSN: 0976-8165

The Emergence of Islamic Feminism: An Overview

Dr. Ali Mojiz Rizvi

Independent Researcher,
District Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10795699

Article History: Submitted-31/12/2023, Revised-15/02/2024, Accepted-19/02/2024, Published-29/02/2024.

Abstract:

With the emergence of feminist discourse some discrepancies arise in the manner of study,
nature of interpretation, and application of feminist theories to unearth underlying deep-rooted
structures of the patriarchal social system. This is why, many feminists or women rights activists
who belong to Islam feel the need for a different structure and pattern to interpret the prevailing
patriarchal thoughts that are hidden in the garb of interpretation of the Quran. Islamic feminists
are different from mainstream feminism, regarding its subject matter and interpretation of religious
texts. The objective of this research paper is to introduce the reader with the basic knowledge of
Islamic feminism which studies feminism within the framework of Quran.

Keywords: Feminist Theory, Gender studies, Islamic Feminism, Islamic Text and Theology,
Muslim-women, Patriarchy, Sharia, Fiqh.

Feminism as an academic discipline came into existence in the 1960s. Gradually, it evolved
into the form of a global movement that juddered the very foundations of the way the world thinks
or acts as far as the female-question is concerned. It is a critique of patriarchy as a system and
scrutinizes how patriarchy distorts the relationship between men and women. The term ‘feminism’
has originated from the Latin word ‘femina’ meaning ‘woman’ (through French ‘feminisme’).
Feminism is, in fact, a sincere effort to examine, comprehend and explain how and why femininity
or the feminine sensibility is different from masculinity or the masculine experience. Feminism
holds up the view of the site of differences that characterize the ‘feminine identity’ or ‘feminine
psyche’ or ‘femininity’ of women. It highlights the psychosomatic, social and cultural construction
of femininity vis-a-vis masculinity. Mary Wollstonecraft published one of the first feminist
treatises, A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792), in which she advocated the social and

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The Emergence of Islamic Feminism: An Overview

moral equality of the sexes. Wollstonecraft is acknowledged as the precursor of British Feminism
and her ideas formed the thoughts of the suffragists, who campaigned for the women’s vote.

Like any other subject, the development of feminism also went through from different
formative periods or waves. The first wave of feminism is the period of late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries, that came into being as a result of robust urban industrialism, liberal, and
socialist politics and its impact over the whole society. Virginia Woolf and Simone de Beauvoir
are two significant women thinkers who are directly connected to this first wave of feminism.
Simon de Beauvoir’s landmark book The Second Sex (1949) is believed to mark the transition from
first to second wave feminism. The second wave is assumed to have been inspired by Betty
Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963), where she recognizes dissatisfaction and restlessness
among contemporary women. And, Third wave feminism arises as a response to the perceived
failures and backlash against initiatives and movements created by second wave feminism during
the 1960s to 1980s, and the realization that women are of many colours, ethnicities, nationalities,
religions and from varied cultural backgrounds with their respective unique interests and concerns.
They argue that women are not a homogeneous class, so the experiences of a woman living in
India or in Africa cannot be compared with that of a white woman banker on Wall Street. Thus,
they refined feminist theory to call attention to the other crucial factors in gender identities,
namely, caste, class and religion; race, ethnicity and geography; legal rights and wage legislation.

Islamic feminism as a theory might be traced back to the 1990s, but now it is gaining wide
attention from scholars from all over the globe. On account of prevalent sexist and unjust notions,
perceptions and beliefs about womankind in the ‘interpretation’ of various Islamic texts within
different schools of theology in Islam, Muslim women scholars felt the only way to be liberated
intellectually, socially, politically and economically is to reinterpret all the sacred texts and to write
down their own literature based on the equity, fairness and justice. I stressed the word
‘interpretation’ because the act of interpretation of the sacred texts is not only a scholarly task but
also a highly political one as theorists, Raines and Maguire, write in his treatise; they assert:

It is a contentious terrain precisely because it continues to deeply affect people in

their daily lives. Yes, interpreting the sacred is a scholarly task but it is also a highly
political task because interpreting the sacred shapes how power is used in society.
To interpret religious tradition is to enter a conflict and to make a choice. Our

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The Criterion: An International Journal in English Vol. 15, Issue-I, February 2024 ISSN: 0976-8165

appropriation of our heritage is never neutral; it displays our intention and purpose
for its use. It is taking sides even if, or perhaps especially if it claims not to. (2)

Islamic feminists enunciate that all the issues of women subjugation stems from the act of
interpreting the sacred texts whose understanding is largely constructed by the language which is
the product of sociocultural phenomena. This is in opposition to the normally accepted versions of
various existing interpretations as of divine origin. The task of their theories, then, is to reveal the
underlying patriarchal ideologies within these texts because the interpretations of ‘Holy texts’ are
full of existing ideologies which are instrumental in continuing women’s oppression. Therefore,
the chief motif of their theories is to develop a ‘gender-just’ interpretation of Quran and Sunnah
which include women’s concerns and voices in the production of religious knowledge.

Fundamentally, Islamic feminism, according to Dr Ziba Mir- Hussaini, is not something

that negates the existence of men’s biological qualities or that attempts to put men as second-class
citizens. Rather, it tries to reclaim its long-standing dues, position, rights, liberties which were
denied to half of the humankind due to patriarchy. Therefore, according to Hussaini, it is
affirmation about women’s humanity but at the same time it is not undermining men’s humanity.
Islamic feminism refers to the works produced by groups of women and activists who are feminists
but they take their material from the sacred text of Islam, Quran. Or rather they re-examine and re-
interpret the things, happenings and events in the light of the Quran before applying their logic and
reasoning to specific concepts. Rachelle Fawcett defines it as follows:

“Islamic feminism” is not simply a feminism that is born from Muslim cultures, but
one that engages Islamic theology through the text and canonical traditions… at its
core, draws on the Quranic concept of equality of all human beings, and insists on
the application of this theology to everyday life. (web)

Therefore, their works function within the boundaries of Islamic religious framework in
the light of Sharia. Dr. Margot Badran a graduate of al-Azhar University and Oxford
University defines “Islamic feminism” thusly:

…a concise definition of Islamic feminism gleaned from the writings and work of
Muslim protagonists as a feminist discourse and practice that derives its
understanding and mandate from the Qur'an, seeking rights and justice within the

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The Emergence of Islamic Feminism: An Overview

framework of gender equality for women and men in the totality of their existence.
Islamic feminism explicates the idea of gender equality as part and parcel of the
Quranic notion of equality of all insan (human beings) and calls for the
implementation of gender equality in the state, civil institutions, and everyday life.
It rejects the notion of a public/private dichotomy (by the way, absent in early
Islamic jurisprudence, or fiqh) conceptualising a holistic umma in which Quranic
ideals are operative in all space. (qtd in Rachelle Fawcett)

However, one should not doubt their credentials to ask questions from the dominant
patriarchal authority. Like any other feminists, they also challenge, subvert, and undermine the
validity of every text which is written in the influence of patriarchy. As well as, they put under
‘erasure’ every interpretation of Quran that attempts to prove women as a second-class citizen or
a lesser human being, as most of Muslims are taught that Islam liberated women by giving them
rights not previously enjoyed. Some examples include rights of ownership, decision-making in
marriage, and right to divorce. At the same time, they also argue for the reform of traditional
jurisprudence (fiqh) to address the issues of gender-identity, gender-hierarchy and gender-role in
Islam. Therefore, they reclaim their dues together with equality and justice that is guaranteed by
the Hadith (sayings of Prophet) and Quran but denied owing to the ‘misinterpretation’ of Quran
and Hadith. The leading Islamic feminists are Leila Ahmed, Qasim Amin, Elvia Ardalani, Begum
Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain, Asma Barlas Shirin Ebadi, Farid Esack ,Soumya Naâmane Guessous -
Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah, Riffat Hassan, Hamida Javanshir, Na’eem Jeenah, Shamsunnahar
Mahmud, Irshad Manji, Fatema Mernissi, Ebrahim Moosa, Shirin Neshat, Asra Nomani, Nawal
El Saadawi, Hoda Shaarawi,Shamima Shaikh, Zilla Huma Usman, Amina Wadud , and Ziba Mir-
Hosseini. The viewpoints of these writers play a pivotal task in shifting the focal point of authority
and normativity in Islamic discourses.

The chief reason behind the emergence of Islamic feminism outside the canonical feminist
discourses is that many Muslim women feel that the kind of sexism, racism, and identity crisis
they face is not adequately presented in the mainstream feminist discourse. Western feminist
discourse is restricted to question the validity of hijab or triple talaq to highlight the plight of
Muslim women. That too is with the help of lesser knowledge of Islamic theology. But, the matter-
of-fact Islam is the first religion that introduced Divorce by divine law. Some-time, one may also

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The Criterion: An International Journal in English Vol. 15, Issue-I, February 2024 ISSN: 0976-8165

feel that mainstream feminist discourse has less regard for victim Muslim women but on the hind
side they start attacking Islam for several ulterior motives. Therefore, Islamic feminists separate
themselves from the mainstream feminist discourses which are sometimes Islamophobic in its very
nature and tone. In this manner, they thwart the xenophobic and hegemonic claims against Islam
and Muslims. In this respect Nikhat Fatima Suhail says that: “to constantly blame the scriptures
for the injustices that have permeated through the ages is unfair. Knowledge and perception should
play the role of the alleviator in such contexts.” Thusly, instead of condemning the Sharia as
responsible for all women sufferings, Islamic feminists attempt to understand the underlying
patterns and sources of patriarchy which institutionalize the male dominance over female. Their
endeavor to revisit, revise, and redefine the origins of previous interpretations that act to explain
and justify male dominance become a rallying point for Muslim women scholars. A leading
Muslim women’s rights activist in UK, Shaista Gohir, writes in an open-letter:

Islam is neither rigid nor limited to narrow and conservative interpretations.

Muslims who view Islam in that manner do not represent Islam in its entirety.
Likewise, those secularists who view Islam in a reductionist manner will campaign
to limit religion to the private domain and want it eliminated from all public
discourse. However, our faith is not like a garment that can be cast aside as soon as
we leave our home. (Qtd in Frances Perraudin)

Furthermore, Islamic feminists attempt to show that besides these two (Hijab, and Talaq)
much hyped topics; there are several other important issues of Muslim women which are either
completely overlooked or hardly discussed. In recent times, questions regarding family planning,
motherhood, surrogacy, ovule donation need to be discussed for better physical and mental health
of women in Islam. Other important issues are related with family laws pertaining to marriage and
divorce that reinforce the image of relationships based on a hierarchy with the rights of the husband
superseding those of the wife and that prevent women from being in control of their lives. Besides,
gender discrimination, child marriage, teenage pregnancy, racism, uneven access to education,
unfavorable circumstances in workplaces and lack of employment equality and the absence of
political representation, are some of the burning issues which are hindering the socio-economic
advancement and progress, hence, require remedy urgently.

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The Emergence of Islamic Feminism: An Overview

Moreover, violence against women is an important issue to be raised by them. The reason
behind this is the claim by some scholars that “beating” is permissible in certain conditions, while
it is fallacious. There are also instances of abuse of certain Islamic practices that affect women
negatively, such as polygamy and temporary marriage, when applied out of context and without
abiding by Islamic restrictions. Women are also sometimes excluded from religious activities such
as attendance in the mosque, cemeteries, and tombs, and the participation in performing different
religious rituals. There is also complete failure to enable women to take the advantage of rights of
property ownership and inheritance as outlined in Sharia. For that reason, Islamic feminists reject
the kind of interpretation which sanctions the control over women’s movement and confine them
in the specified domain curtailing their freedom of choice. They delineate that Islam does not
dispossess the women rather it ensures their rights, dignity and honour, and equal status.

The matter of fact is that most of the evils and discriminations against women are the result
of the expansion of Islam in different parts of the world and the impact of the native culture over
it. Subsequently, male scholars across the world strived to interpret Islam according to their socio-
political milieu. But the religion of Islam and Muslims’ cultural traditions are two extremely
different things. A major drawback for practitioners is misperceiving cultural practices with
religious teachings. Therefore, the greatest task of the Islamic feminist is to separate culture and
religion; And, to undo the layers of subjective interpretations which are influenced by the culture
of particular time and space. For example, when Islam came into India, the process of Indianization
of Islam started taking place, the same is happening in the other parts of the world. Interestingly,
one may observe that in every corner of the world religious scholars are interpreting the identical
Quranic verses in totally different meaning and context. This is all because the subjective elements
arise in the middle of understanding the real meaning while interpreting the text. Therefore, these
mainstream interpretations are not neutral; or rather they are subjective and profoundly shaped by
historic and geopolitical conditions. In addition, Quranic verses are most of the time revealed in
very specific circumstances. These peculiar verses are outcomes of their times and contexts, and
need not be imposed onto different times and different contexts. That is why Islamic feminism
challenges different interpretations, rejecting them as subjective which are carrying the dominant
patriarchal ideology.

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To put it briefly, being politically and academically organized Islamic feminists fight for
the rights of ‘Muslim women’. They are reclaiming their place in Islamic discourse, firstly,
challenging the pre-established interpretations, secondly, presenting the sound debate over it; and
lastly, they substantiated their arguments from the Quran without rebuffing the basic tenets of
Islam. They are, thus, challenging the so-called ‘truths’, ‘realities’, and ‘knowledge’ of their
existence by returning to the beginning, the Quran itself. Hence, the future of Islamic feminism is
bright and challenging too. It is high time for male Islamic scholars as well, to shun the orthodox
ideas and conservative approaches to understand the ‘female-questions’ and renounce the habit of
defining the ‘roles’ for women and barricade their way to success by way of twisted logic. Now
they are required to see things in a broader context beyond the realm of subjectivity and male-
centered discourses. It is the right time for the Islamic intelligentsia that, with their theoretical
learning, to introspect and to ruminate as far as the issues of fair-sex are concerned. This is the
chief aim of feminist theorists as well. They are neither condemning the religion nor challenging
the verses of Quran. They want to regain or reclaim what has been snatched away from them in
lieu of religion presenting ‘skewed’ interpretations of verses. For them, women’s rights and
gender-roles are not something which is absolute, fixed, unquestionable, and unchallengeable.

To reiterate the main points of the argument in this research paper:

● Feminism is a critique of patriarchy as a system and scrutinizes how patriarchy

distorts the relationship between men and women that came into existence in the
1960s.
● Islamic feminism as a theory might be traced back to the 1990s. The chief motive
of their theories is to develop a ‘gender-just’ interpretation of Quran and Sunnah
which include women’s concerns and voices in the production of religious
knowledge.
● The primary reason behind the emergence of Islamic feminism outside the
canonical feminist discourses is that many Muslim women feel that the kind of
sexism, racism, and identity crisis they face is not adequately presented in the
mainstream feminist discourse.

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The Emergence of Islamic Feminism: An Overview

● The greatest task of the Islamic feminist is to separate culture and religion; And, to
undo the layers of subjective interpretations which are influenced by the culture of
particular time and space.
● They are neither condemning the religion nor challenging the verses of Quran. They
want to regain or reclaim what has been snatched away from them in lieu of religion
presenting ‘skewed’ interpretations of verses.

Endnotes:

Quran: The Holy book of Muslims composed of 114 suras (chapters); originates from Arabic word
that literally means recitation. This is the primary source for teaching Islamic faith.

Muslims: The follower of Islam, an Arabic word that means one who submits to God.

Hadith: Statements of Prophet Mohammad that have been written down and compiled: used as a
supplement to the Quran as a secondary source.

Hijab: The Hijab is a headscarf that covers the hair, neck, and sometimes a woman’s shoulders
and chest.

Sunnah: Action of Prophet Mohammad also used to supplement the Quran as a secondary source.

Fiqh: Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is the result of reasoning and deduction based on knowledge
which is constantly evolving.

Sharia: The legal practice derived from the teachings of the Quran, and the teachings of the Prophet
Muhammad or Sunnah.

Talaq: divorce

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The Criterion: An International Journal in English Vol. 15, Issue-I, February 2024 ISSN: 0976-8165

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