14.09.11

FEMINISMS- No Boundaries- Produced in particular places with context

bound issues- It is a plant which grows in its own soil.- But that does not mean that there can’t be

common issues.

ORIGIN

Qasim Amin father of Egyptian feminist movement. ‘Women’s Liberation’ 1899

Nisa ‘I’ – 1920’s Al-Ittihad al-Nisai al Misri (Egyptian feminist

union) 1923. Malak Hifni Nasif in 1909 – Al-Nisaiyat (About

Women) Unthawiyat (womanists) –Nassawiyat (re-

makers of women)

Nilufer Gole 1990’s ‘The Forbidden Modern’& Margot Badran- ‘Opening the Gates: A

Century of Arab Feminist writing’. Feminists, Islam and Nations, Exploring

Islamic Feminism etcMai Yamani 1996 ‘Feminism and Islam’.

FEMINISTS MAY BE CALLES AS….Muslim Feminists.- Believe in Islam, gender equality but also

tend to use argument outside Islam such as an international human rights agreement to counter gender inequality or secular law of the country.

- Focus on Quran rather than of Hadith and Shariah

-Islamist Feminists- Advocates for a political Islam- that Quran

mandates an Islamic govt.- Advocate women rights in public sphere but

do not challenge gender inequalities in the private sphere

Islamic Feminists (IF)- Seek full equality of women and men in

public as well as private sphere.- Some Alambardars have hijacked Islam & it

is damaging - IF call for authentic interpretation of Quran- IF want to restore original Islam- Cultural & political interpretations

damaging- Patriarchal laws have damaged the true

spirit and equality of Islam- Family laws have been damaged by alien

ideologies, distortion and intrusions.

IF want to connect theory and practice- male theorizing not helpful in every day life.

IF is based on ONENESS OF GOD TOWHEED- and not to obey “male power”.

Categories of feminist

- Economically dependent, uneducated, rural-urban group

- Middle class, urban , educated, financially secure group. It also includes academics & researchers-as pressure groups.

- Upper middle class and elite women, men whose position allows them to pursue liberation and development stances.

THEORATICAL UNDERPINNINGSLiberal Islamic Feminists:- Basically rebellious of patriarchal society- Women right for education- Equal rights in public space- Right to work- Challenge conventional authority of male, e.g.

in marriage, inheritance- Women could be head of state

Modernist & Secular Islamic Feminists;- Liberal theory from within Islam- Self-control in sexual urges instead of dress

codes and segregation.- Sometimes they compromise to situations for

as women did in Iran and Sudan .- Critique of traditional interpretation of Islam- Fundamental human rights- to develop

physical, mental and spiritual potentialities, pro-male structures are problematic and should be eliminated.

Radical Islamic Feminists:- Second and third generation are radical activists.- They are concerned about the technicalities

enshrined in legal and Islamic .- They do question male dominance but sometimes

accept patriarchal norms as genuine as veil.- Dialogue on issues such as work place, worship

place, family intermixing.- They critique male’s politicization of Quranic

interpretation and Prophetic Sunnah.

Secular Feminists :- Religion is private affair.- Religion and state should be separate- They are concerned about internal variations of

Islam-which has impact on our economic, political, cultural, subordination.

- Inherent hostility of women rights and fundamental notion of divine laws are problematic

- Human rights should be international and have no cultural boundaries

- As Muslims their position itself becomes challenging.

Conservative Islamic Feminists:- Women are equal but different.- Segregation of sexes and purdah necessary to control.- They ask for segregated education, hospitals, business

etc- Women at work place is a threat to morality and

productivity of the society- They counter the efforts of liberal feminists- The younger generation has a different stance and

they look for jobs, state generated discriminatory laws, domestic violence, marriage rights ….