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“The General Approaches on Women in Islam” Conference on woman in Islam LONDON-9th Sep 2001 |
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By: Dr. Seyed G Safavi, LAIS, SOAS-University of |
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There are two different kinds of approaches
to the study on “Women in Islam”, which are as follows:
A.
The Theoretical Approach
B.
The Practical Approach The theoretical approach can be divided
into four different categories that are as follows:
1.
The Islamic Classical
2.
The Islamic Renewed
3.
The Feminist
4.
The Oriental
A.
The Theoretical Approach 1-The Islamic Classical In the Islamic Classical Reading on woman,
woman has been considered as the second gender and her most important duty is
giving different kinds of services to man. In this approach, woman is the
passive member of both family and society, and man has the main and central
role in both. Those following this reading, such as Azari, do not agree with
the concept of equal rights for men and women. Those following the Classical Reading
believe that woman is created for man, and her whole being, disposition,
personality and perfection is solely dependent on her union with man. They
believe in the “Gender Inequality” theory, and base their arguments on both the
naturalness of the Shari’ah law and its compatibility with the Human Nature,
and the “Natural Position” theory.
However in the New Classical Reading, attempts have been made to
introduce the “Gender Balance” theory. Yet, there is no denying the fact that in
the non-Islamic societies women are granted the fewer rights and opportunities
than men. After the Islamic Revolution in 2-“The Islamic Renewed However, so many of the Muslim scholars
such as Imam Khomeini, Dr. Shari’ati, and Ayatollah
Taleqani disagree with the Islamic Classical Reading on several
important points and introduce the Renewed Reading. They regard men and women
as “equals”. They consider both genders as inseparable parts of Mankind and
God’s creations; and no matter whether they are man or woman; Mankind is the
audience of Divine messengers. They believe that both genders should follow the
Islamic rules and that both have the potential to become real believers and
even Perfect Men and even according to Imam Khomeini, “Woman is the origin of
true happiness” (Imam Khomeini, Tebyan,
Vol. 8, P. 57, see also p.18, Tehran). Those following the “Islamic Renewed
Reading” believe that both sexes are God’s servants and the best servant of
God is the most virtuous one, no matter whether man or woman. In regard to social issues, most of them
believe in the same and equal responsibilities and opportunities. In most of
the social aspects, they say that both sexes should be given “equal”
opportunities for Job, Education, social positions and etc. “woman is equal to man;
she is free like man to choose her social activities and destiny”. (Imam Khomeini,
Tebyan, vol.8, p.83, see also pp. 66,
69, 76, 83, 85, 195, 183-184, 270). In regard to family issues, most of them
believe in the true Islamic family in which there is no “absolute power” and
“authority” for either man or woman or child but there is authority for family
as a union. This meaning that the family’s program and future should be
arranged through discussion and consultation between all family members. The Islamic Renewed Reading goes beyond the
Islamic Classical Reading in search of “new answers for new questions”. It no
longer rejects an idea merely because it has a Western basis, nor does it see
Islam as a fixed program of actions for the economic, social and political
problems. This reading argues that the human
understanding of Islam is flexible, that Islam’s tenants can be interpreted to
encourage pluralism and democracy, that Islam allows change in the face of “time”,
“place” and “experience”. Those following the Islamic Renewed 3-The Feminist “Feminism is grounded on the belief that
women are oppressed or disadvantaged by comparison with men, and that their
oppression is in some way illegitimate or unjustified. Under the umbrella of
this general characterisation, there are however, many interpretations of women
and their oppression”. (Concise Rutledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, P. 275
see also pp 278 & 280, London, 2000). The Muslim Modernists defines feminism as an
“a social movement whose agenda is the establishment of women’s human rights.
Feminism endeavours to free women from an unwanted subordination imposed on
them by andocentric societies; it recognizes that women are independent and
complete beings and puts the emphasis on the common humanity of the sexes, not
their differences.” (Mir-Hosseini,Ziba. P. 249) The Feminist Reading can be divided into the
two different kinds of Islamic Feminism and Western or Secular Feminism. Haleh
Afshar, Leila Ahmed, Riffut Hassan, Waddud Muhsin, Azizah al-Hibri, Fatima
Mirnissi, Nawal Saadawi, and Zanan Mugasin are all only a few of the feminist
authors. “Their positioning is neither uniform nor simple. Some of them have
clearly based their feminist approach on Islam, while others make a point of
distancing themselves from any Islamic association.” (Ibid. P. 5) There are “two core issues around which
feminism’s discomfort with religion is articulated. One is the claim that
religion is largely a male enterprise, and has historically granted women a
subordinate position. Two is the more recent phenomenon of the resurgence of
politico-religious movements (in 4-The Oriental
B.
The Practical Approach In the Practical Approach, we can identify
different social models among the Muslim countries, through the analysis and
categorising of their practical behaviour as the objective or concrete society,
as follows: 1. The Religious Muslim
Countries Model: Iran, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan (under the
Taliban’s rule) are placed in this category with the common idea on following
the Islamic values about women but with a wide range of differences on the
understanding of Islam, Mankind and women rights. As we have already discussed,
there are different readings of Islam on women rights in 2. The Secular Muslim
Countries Model: 3. The Secular/ Religious
Countries Model: Conclusion: There are two key elements on
misunderstandings concerning the real position of women in Islam:
A.
Theoretical
B.
Practical In the Theoretical issues, we may say “False
Theoretical Pre-assumptions” on Mankind, Society, History, Religion and
Modernity are the main reasons for misunderstandings in the Classical, Feminist
and Oriental Readings. In the Practical issues, some radical and
orthodox conservative behaviour of Taliban and However, to present an acceptable and
coherent theory on “Women in Islam”, researches should notice the following
elements: 1- Re-understanding of
religious methodology on different aspects of Islamic sciences. 2- Renew a coherent approach
to mankind, society, history, modernity and religion. 3- Equality does not mean parity
and identity of rights and duties, but it means that gender is not used as a criterion
in their determination. Gender is not the basis for perfection or defectiveness
of women or men, but to connect them. God created both sexes perfect. Their
difference is not for separating them but for connecting them. 4- Gender is a social and
human concept and does not enter the divine realm, thus it could never
have been a consideration for the divine Lawgiver Sexual markers recommended by
religion cannot be taken as proof of gender roles. 5- Some of the fiqh
theories obstruct the way to establishing equality between the sexes. A lot of
jurists and hadith specialists have sacrificed the principle of
equality in Islam to endorse a set of theories resting on assumption that is no
longer valid but still remain part of fiqh. 6- Equality is the most
important principle of the Islamic thought; and the entire rule concerning the
woman rights should be based upon the Principle of Equality. |
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6-
Barlas, Asma "Believing Women" in Islam,
University of Texas Press, 2002.
7-
Leila Ahmed,
Women and Gender in Islam: Historical
Roots of a
8-
Women in Islam
and Muslim Society: Dr. Hassan Turabi. 9- Ismail Adam Patel,
Islam: The Choice of Thinking Women, Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd. 10-
Women and the Koran: The Status of Women in Islam. Contributors: Anwar
Hekmat . Publisher: Prometheus Books. Place of Publication: 11-
Feminists, Islam, and Nation: Gender and the Making of Modern 12-
Women in Muslim Family Law. Contributors: John L. Esposito . Publisher: 13-
Women,
Religion and Culture in Iran (Royal Asiatic Society Books)
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Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. |