Islam, Women and Feminism

subject to modification fostered by social and cultural events

and changes. One area in which Islam as a religious institution

has been changed or shaped by recent social events and currents is with respect to the role of women within the family unit, the

religion itself and society at large. Feminism among Islamic women, even in highly conservative and traditional (and fundamentalist) societies such as those of Iran and Afghanistan, has been increasing as women move to obtain the vote, the right to work, to hold public office, and to acquire control of their lives, property and children (Armstrong, 2000: Walther, 1995) This brief essay will describe these social changes and their effect upon the Islamic religion and its practices and teachings with respect to the position and emergent feminism of women, focusing on Islamic feminism in its various manifestations.

Islam has traditionally proclaimed the divine pattern of

family relations as consisting of the cohabitation of men and

women, for the purpose of reproduction, under the law; the

Creator, according to the Qur'an, constituted humanity into men

and women, established mutual affection between them, and prepared them to find quiescence and love in each other (Qur'an 31:21, quoted in Faruqi & Faruqi, 1986, p. 149). Islam regards

marriage as that state of being in which men and women find

contentment and perfection; further, marri

. . .
Gulf and Yemen (Shimoni & Levine, 1982; Walther, 1995). The reform movements that centered upon women in the Middle East have had a significant impact upon society and culture, but not upon religion per se. In Turkey, however, this movement has resulted in the abolishing of the religious courts and their laws in the shari'a, and the creation of a civil code that is more liberal with respect to the treatment and status of religion (Walther, 1995). In Saudi Arabia and other extremely conservative Islamic nations, few significant reforms have been introduced in the recent past and no efforts to relate such reforms as were instituted to Muslim law to practical applications (Shimoni & Levine, 1982; Walther, 1995). All current debates regarding the correct status for women in Islam, whether focused on natural rights or political equality or personal status codes, still tend to take place within the context of Islam as a religious and social force and tradition (Armstrong, 2000; Mostyn & Hourani, 1988; Tohido, 2002). At the same time that a call for social and religious reform in the treatment and status of women has come to the forefront in many Islamic nations, a new and vigorous fundamentalism has also emerged. Islam, it ha
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Faruqi Faruqi, Iran Afghanistan, Women Islamic, Iran Renewed, Mostyn Hourani, Fatima Mernissi, Westerners Islamic, Saudi Arabia, Scripture Islam, Shimoni Levine, islamic women, mernissi 1987, kurtz 2002, tohidi 2002, armstrong 2000, middle east, faruqi faruqi 1986, faruqi faruqi, saudi arabia, walther 1995, islamic feminism, shimoni levine 1982, mostyn hourani 1988, congressional quarterly 1991, mernissi 1987 tohidi,
Approximate Word count = 2239
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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