Women and Islam
”Verily for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto
Allah, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout
men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their
word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men
and women who humble themselves [before Allah], and all men and
women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying
women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all
men and women who remember Allah unceasingly: for [all of] them has
Allah readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.” (Quran
33:35).
The controversy garnered by Islamic religion on the role of women has
been indisputable for years as several scholars uncritically analyze
such demeaning role vis-à-vis women’s (in)equality. On the issues of
gender, development and religion, Kong (2010) believes that research has
developed on the ways in which gender roles are shaped by religion and
the specific contexts of livelihood yet, rights traditionally,
culturally, politically, economically and socially deprived of women
have been advocated through religion. Whether we look at religion from
the perspective of Islam or not, many scholars have believed and
submitted that religion had been a patriarchal endeavor and men have
solidified and consolidated their claims on power within the echelon and
decision making processes in matters of religion hence, the perpetual
subjugation of women.
This is not far from the truth vis-à-vis Islam when placed within the
contextual discourses of primitive eras. Notwithstanding, it is not
without saying that there have been recorded histories of women exerting
influence through the contestations of the power of Islamic religion.
Malama A’ishatu- placed in-between patriarchal indigenous tradition and
French colonialism, fought for women’s and girl’s education in the
circular through the Islamic – Quranic – notion of the right to
knowledge for all (Raemdonck, 2015).
Historically, many women have arisen to challenge the bourgeoning view
that men ought to be the custodian of Islamic faith, and through such
agitations, a case had been made for their equality. For instance, Wadud
(2018) wrote while defaming the patriarchal grip of religious power
that;
Patriarchy is a kind of shirk (i.e. the ultimate violation of divine
unity) because it denies the equality of all Allah’s creation.
Patriarchy rests on the Satanic notion of Istikbar (thinking of oneself
as better than another). It contradicts the Qur’anic vision of the equal
and reciprocal moral relationships and responsibilities of women and
men, as laid out in Al-Ahzab 33:35. It also contradicts the vision of
the relationship between husband and wife, as reflected in Al-Room
30:21, which talks not of domination and competition but partnership,
cooperation and affection (Wadud, A. 2018. Islam Beyond
Patriarchy Through Gender Inclusive Qur’anic Analysis)
In spite of these, there is the (un)conscious flexibility introduced
therein as women are now beginning to take relatively equal prominent
roles in the religion. This is so as the religion can ‘boast’ of a woman
having led the much girded and guided Jumuah prayers over and again
(Adina, 2017). Amina Wadud led Jumuah prayers for the first time in
Capetown in 1994 (an action that presents her as the first woman to lead
Muslim prayers- Jumuah (Friday) all over the world). Such incidence was
repeated in United States in 2005 when she led a congregation of both
men and women in the same prayer (Aljazeera, 2005). Being an
African-American who became a Muslim at 20 and now a Professor Emeritus
of Islamic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and
also a visiting scholar at the Starr King School for the Ministry in
California, as well as visiting consultant on Islam and gender at the
International Centre for Islam and Pluralism in Indonesia, she set a
basis for greater women participation in the Islamic faith.
While trying to compare the gains of Islam in Africa vis-à-vis
traditional African religions and how it has brought about women
empowerment as against the roles women played in the traditional system,
Njoh and Akiwumi (2012) presented that Islam has liberated African women
in terms of marriage. They further stated that in contrast to African
indigenous religion which places no limit to the number of women a man
could marry, Islam limits the number of women that one man can marry to
four. Therefore, for the purpose of the present discussion, Islam
accorded women more rights than indigenous African culture (Njoh and
Akiwumi, 2012).
It is owed to this contemporary sense of women suzerainty ushered in by
Islam and the recent need to allow women greater participation that
major Islamic countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Turkey can
boast of having women as their presidents, prime ministers or heads of
governments at some point. To this end, the center of Islamic religion
i.e. Saudi Arabia have begun the deregulation of women participation in
public spheres by allowing women the liberty to drive, vote and
participate in other public affairs.
Theoretically, there is the irony of facts as women have been allowed
more liberty in adjudged Muslim countries to participate in public cum
political affairs than western countries (Mazrui, 2004). Therefore, it
is misleading to associate Islamic doctrines such as the aforementioned
with discrimination against women. This is so as women in Islamic
countries in juxtaposition with countries of other religions, have risen
to hold notable positions such as former prime minister of Pakistan
Benazir Bhutto (served 1988-1990 and 1993-1996), Indonesian President
Megawati Sukarnoputri (became president 2001).
Worthy of note also are the former Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller
(served 1993-1995), former Senegalese Prime Minister Mame Madior Boye
(appointed 2001), Bangladeshi Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia (served
1991–96 and 2001–06) and Sheikh Hasina Wajed (served 1996-01,
2009–present), former Iranian Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar (served
1997–2005), Malian president Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé (elected in
2011), Kosovan President Atifete Jahjaga (served 2011–16), current
President of Mauritius Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim (elected in
2015) and Current President of Singapore Halimah Yacob (elected in
2017).
All these women arose to power through conscious or unconscious
inclusiveness of females in the societal processes which was ushered in
by the age of neoliberalism.