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.