Before You Call Yourself A Muslim Feminist!
In the name of Allah the most Gracious, the most beneficent the most merciful.
La Hawla Wala Quwwata illaa Billaah-
There is no power nor might except with Allah.
Islam as a divine religion offers a Culture greater than that of Feminism. It is rich to the extent that Islam hasn't neglect any aspect of human social life. It is a complete way of life, based on a culture given to man by God. It guarantees success in this life and the hereafter. The basic principles of Islam are not subjected to change, hence it will remain the way of life for all people of all ages. One of my Mentors said: "Islam is dated not to be outdated". We should not understand this statement in the way of the Muslim modernist, who calls for the reinterpretation of the religious doctrine to reconcile Islamic faith with western modern values of secular democracy.
The desire to become modern or to move in the train of modernity has led so many Muslim women and men to label themselves as feminist, hence they call themselves "Muslim Feminist".To a Muslim feminist, speaking about domestic Violence, speaking about social problems like rape, sexual harassment and speaking about issues like the Girl-Child Education starts with being a feminist, this is indeed a shallow way of thinking. Feminist movement around the world tries to portray women as the only oppressed Group. Women throughout history have faced many challenges without the exception of today's society, but making it seem like women are the only oppressed group is delusional.
Many Muslim today who want to keep their Islamic identity but also couldn't drop their love for Slogans, say we are Muslim feminist, our version is that for "Equity" not Equality. We're Muslims and we're still feminist. There are no common grounds between Islam And feminism. Some will even define the combination of the two concepts as an oxymoron. What these Muslim Feminist are trying to do to this concept of feminism is what the Hausa man calls "KOSKWARIMA". Feminism since its inception has always included Equality and not equity. It has always been about equality for women in political, social and economic life.
Lets briefly examine the historical waves of the feminist movement and see whether it is about Gender equality or equity?
Charles Fourier a French Philosopher is the one credited for coining the Word "Feminism" in 1837. Although the word was not used until the end of 19th century. The earliest form of feminism(The First Wave) was concerned with equal rights for women and men: this meant equal standing as citizens in public life and, to some extent, equal legal status within the home. These ideas emerged in response to the American Revolution(1775-1783) and the French Revolution (1789-1799), both of which advocated values of liberty and equality. Feminist in France argued that the revolutions value of liberty, equality, and fraternity should apply to all, while women activists in America called for an extension of the principles of the American Declaration of Independence to women, including rights to citizenship and property.
The Second Wave was concerned about liberal, right based concerns for Equality between women and men with demands for a woman's right to determine her own identity and sexuality. These two strands of ideology were represented in the seven demands of the movement, established between 1970 and 1978. These were equal pay; equal education and equal opportunities in work; financial and legal independence; free 24-hour daycare for children; free contraception and abortion on demand; a woman's right to define her own sexuality and an end to discrimination against lesbians and freedom from violence and sexual coercion.
The third wave of feminism is credited to Rebecca Walker. In an article in Ms.Magazine, "Becoming the third wave(1992)" she wrote;
"so I write a plea to all women, especially the women of my generation: Let Thomas' confirmation serve to remind you that, as it did me, that the fight is far from over. Let this dismissal of a woman's experience move you to anger. Turn that outrage into political power. Do not vote for them unless they work for us. Do not have sex with them, do not break bread with them, do not nurture them if they don't prioritize our freedom to control our bodies and our lives. I am not a post-feminism feminist. I am the third wave".
The fourth Wave feminism which refers to the resurgence of interest of feminism that began around 2012, is associated with the use of Social Media. According to feminist scholar Prudence Chamberlain, the focus of the fourth wave is justice for women and opposition to sexual harassment and violence against women. It's essence, she writes, is "incredulity that certain attitude can still exist". According to Kira Cochrane, fourth-wave feminism is defined by technology and characterised particularly by the use of facebook, twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Tumblr, and blogs such as Feministing to challenge misogyny and further gender Equality(Wikipedia).
Now the concept of Islamic feminism.
The modern movement of Islamic feminism began in the nineteenth century. The Iranian poet Tahirih was the first modern women to undertake Quranic exegesis. Born and raised in a traditional Muslim family, she would later become a prominent member of the Babi Faith, during which time she openly denounced polygamy, the wearing of the veil and other restraints put upon women. Also, An Egyptian jurist Qasim Amin, the author of the 1899 pioneering book Women's liberation (Tahrir al-Mar'a), is often described as the father of the Egyptian Feminist Movement. In his work, Amin criticized some of the practices prevalent in his society at the time, such as polygamy, the veil, and purdah, i.e. sex segregation in Islam. He condemned them as un-Islamic and contradictory to the true spirit of Islam. His work had an enormous influence on women's political movements throughout the Islamic and Arab world and is read and cited today(Wikipedia)
Today the concept of Islamic Feminism has spread widely. With slogans such as Women's liberation and Women's right, it has attracted many young Muslim Women. These Muslims try to fit themselves into feminism, what is funny is that many radical feminists don't even consider a Muslim feminist to be a feminist. In a research paper "FEMINISM AS A DOUBLE AGENT; THE AMBIGUOUS ROLE OF FEMINISM AND THE INFLUENCE OF EUROCENTRISM ON THE VIEW ON MUSLIM WOMEN" it says;
According to many secular feminists, a true feminist can never be a Muslim because the latter is considered to be the cause of all the trouble that overcomes women. In other words: religion must be completely abandoned if the women in the Middle East ever hope to be as free as Western women (Lazreg, 1988: 85).
Islam and feminism are two different worlds, that cannot be reconciled with one another. Islam calls for Equity, feminism calls for Equality in all aspects of social life. Islam upholds values of morality, while feminism calls towards values that promote immorality and individualism. This concept of feminism has done damage to many social values of our society. The radical feminist sees society as patriarchal - it is dominated and ruled by men. Radical feminists assert that society is a patriarchy in which the class of men are the oppressors of the class of women. Some even see the family as the key institution dominating women in modern societies. To any Muslim of sound intellect, he/she knows that this concept of patriarchy doesn't have space in Islam and contradictory to the teachings of Islam. With all the shameless things attributed to feminism, such making women freeze their eggs(as indicated in the article: Feminism Is Leaving A Wake Of Unhappy, Unmarried, And Childless Women In Its Path by Amanda Prestigiacomo ) Many Muslim women still find it alluring to label themselves as feminist.
Where did they borrow the idea of Equity? It is obviously from Islam. Islam calls towards equity, feminism calls towards Gender Equality. Knowing the Absurdity and dangers of Gender Equality as advocated by feminist, these Muslims while still maintaining to be "feminist" they say their version of feminism is that of Equity, not Equality(Must you do KOSKWARIMA to this concept? If you want to use the concept of Feminism, accept it is about Gender Equality). If you say your version of feminism is that of equity, tell me historically of any feminist movement or Islamic feminism movement which upheld the banner of Equity and not Equality? How are you going to reconcile with those who say it is about equality? No equity? How are you going to reconcile with those feminists who think Islam is part of the problem of women? How are you going to reconcile with those who advocate for the rights of lesbians? How are you going to reconcile with those who want to lead the Prayers? Give khutbas in Friday Mosques? And stand in the same role with men in prayers? How are you going to reconcile with those who want equal inheritance? You should understand that Feminism is a crappy concept and will welcome any crappy concept in the name of Women's liberation.
Recently a friend of mine wrote an article asking why Nigeria Muslim Feminists were silence over the victory of " Amasa Firdaus". The Nigeria feminist didn't celebrate with Amasa Firdaus. I am asking Is it not part of the core concept of the feminist movement to fight for Women's right? Why didn't you hail Amasa? Your silence on this is hypocritical. Do You only advocate for secular values? Not religious values?. You so-called Muslim Feminist need to wise up and stick to your rich Islamic culture. No ism or religion has elevated the status of women as did Islam. The status of women before Islam was degrading and oppressive.
In the book Islamic Sociology by Dr Waffie Mohammed, he mentioned that in Greco-Roman Culture, " the dying husband could leave her,(i.e his wife) by will to a friend". Among the Hindus, it was not considered appropriate for her (the wife) even to remain alive. (F.R.A sari.op.cit.vol.2.p. 230). In fact, Sati or Sutee is Hindu funeral custom where a widow immolates herself on her husband's pyre or commits suicide in another fashion shortly after her husband's death.
In the Book The Sealed Nectar it mentions that Al-Bukhari and others reported, on the authority of Aishah(RA) that there was four kinds of marriage in pre-Islamic Arabian. The first, which is similar to present-day marriage procedures, in which case a man gives his daughter or the woman under his responsibility in marriage to another man after a proposal and a dowry has been agreed on. The second the husband would send his wife after the menstruation period to cohabit with another man in order to conceive. After conception, her husband, if he desired, would have sexual intercourse with her. A third kind was that a group of less than ten men would have sexual intercourse with a woman. If she conceived and gave birth to a child, she would send for these men, and nobody could abstain. They would come together to her house, she would say; ' You know what you have done. I have given birth to a child and it is your child (pointing to one of them). The man meant would have to accept. Pre-Islam Arabs had no limited number of wives. They could marry two sisters at the same time, or even the wives of their fathers if divorced or widowed. They also had the practice of infanticide. Islam came and eradicated these practices.
Today because of this concept of feminism, women are gradually losing their uniqueness, some women don't want to marry because they have been brainwashed that the marriage institution is an avenue where women are oppressed. Feminism also helped to weaken Family ties and increase in divorce rate. In our society today, you will find a wife telling her husband bluntly "am not your Cook". Many of us grew up in a society where the predominant culture in terms of cooking was left in the hands of our mothers and they never objected to this norm, in fact, they took joy in cooking for our fathers. How about today's society?
Dr Waffie Mohammed said: The changing pattern in the labour market is making the woman a productive unit, for which she is demanding equal rights and opportunities, like her male counterpart. However, this trend is robbing the women of her sacred duties and responsibilities in the home and with the family. It is robbing society of the blessings of love and tenderness that only a mother can give to the children, and care that only a wife can give to a husband. It is making the woman another unit in the economic machine geared to increase material production. It is also using her physical body as a commercial apparatus designed to increase sales of any products. Such unfortunate trends are destroying family life, as the working parents do not have time to be with their children or with one another if they are working different shifts. And even when they may be together, the woman is tired and stressed out because of the pressures of work"
Dear Muslim Feminist especially the sisters, you don't need feminism when you have Islam. If you say your version of feminism is that of equity, Islam came with equity, so you don't need feminism. Feminism is a creation of the west, leave it for the west and stick to your rich Islamic Culture. Before you label yourself a feminist, learn about how Islam has secured the rights of both genders and compare them to that of feminism. Learn about the damaging ideas of feminism and how it has reshaped our society negatively. If you have and still not convinced that Islam "alone" can secure your rights in this 21st century, it is a clear manifestation that you have fallen prey to the snares of westernization. People have the idea that slavery has ended, Although that of iron chains and iron collars have ended, you're a clear definition of the 21st-century type of slavery called "Mental slavery", take the mind and leave the body.
La Hawla Wala Quwwata illaa Billaah-
There is no power nor might except with Allah.
Islam as a divine religion offers a Culture greater than that of Feminism. It is rich to the extent that Islam hasn't neglect any aspect of human social life. It is a complete way of life, based on a culture given to man by God. It guarantees success in this life and the hereafter. The basic principles of Islam are not subjected to change, hence it will remain the way of life for all people of all ages. One of my Mentors said: "Islam is dated not to be outdated". We should not understand this statement in the way of the Muslim modernist, who calls for the reinterpretation of the religious doctrine to reconcile Islamic faith with western modern values of secular democracy.
The desire to become modern or to move in the train of modernity has led so many Muslim women and men to label themselves as feminist, hence they call themselves "Muslim Feminist".To a Muslim feminist, speaking about domestic Violence, speaking about social problems like rape, sexual harassment and speaking about issues like the Girl-Child Education starts with being a feminist, this is indeed a shallow way of thinking. Feminist movement around the world tries to portray women as the only oppressed Group. Women throughout history have faced many challenges without the exception of today's society, but making it seem like women are the only oppressed group is delusional.
Many Muslim today who want to keep their Islamic identity but also couldn't drop their love for Slogans, say we are Muslim feminist, our version is that for "Equity" not Equality. We're Muslims and we're still feminist. There are no common grounds between Islam And feminism. Some will even define the combination of the two concepts as an oxymoron. What these Muslim Feminist are trying to do to this concept of feminism is what the Hausa man calls "KOSKWARIMA". Feminism since its inception has always included Equality and not equity. It has always been about equality for women in political, social and economic life.
Lets briefly examine the historical waves of the feminist movement and see whether it is about Gender equality or equity?
Charles Fourier a French Philosopher is the one credited for coining the Word "Feminism" in 1837. Although the word was not used until the end of 19th century. The earliest form of feminism(The First Wave) was concerned with equal rights for women and men: this meant equal standing as citizens in public life and, to some extent, equal legal status within the home. These ideas emerged in response to the American Revolution(1775-1783) and the French Revolution (1789-1799), both of which advocated values of liberty and equality. Feminist in France argued that the revolutions value of liberty, equality, and fraternity should apply to all, while women activists in America called for an extension of the principles of the American Declaration of Independence to women, including rights to citizenship and property.
The Second Wave was concerned about liberal, right based concerns for Equality between women and men with demands for a woman's right to determine her own identity and sexuality. These two strands of ideology were represented in the seven demands of the movement, established between 1970 and 1978. These were equal pay; equal education and equal opportunities in work; financial and legal independence; free 24-hour daycare for children; free contraception and abortion on demand; a woman's right to define her own sexuality and an end to discrimination against lesbians and freedom from violence and sexual coercion.
The third wave of feminism is credited to Rebecca Walker. In an article in Ms.Magazine, "Becoming the third wave(1992)" she wrote;
"so I write a plea to all women, especially the women of my generation: Let Thomas' confirmation serve to remind you that, as it did me, that the fight is far from over. Let this dismissal of a woman's experience move you to anger. Turn that outrage into political power. Do not vote for them unless they work for us. Do not have sex with them, do not break bread with them, do not nurture them if they don't prioritize our freedom to control our bodies and our lives. I am not a post-feminism feminist. I am the third wave".
The fourth Wave feminism which refers to the resurgence of interest of feminism that began around 2012, is associated with the use of Social Media. According to feminist scholar Prudence Chamberlain, the focus of the fourth wave is justice for women and opposition to sexual harassment and violence against women. It's essence, she writes, is "incredulity that certain attitude can still exist". According to Kira Cochrane, fourth-wave feminism is defined by technology and characterised particularly by the use of facebook, twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Tumblr, and blogs such as Feministing to challenge misogyny and further gender Equality(Wikipedia).
Now the concept of Islamic feminism.
The modern movement of Islamic feminism began in the nineteenth century. The Iranian poet Tahirih was the first modern women to undertake Quranic exegesis. Born and raised in a traditional Muslim family, she would later become a prominent member of the Babi Faith, during which time she openly denounced polygamy, the wearing of the veil and other restraints put upon women. Also, An Egyptian jurist Qasim Amin, the author of the 1899 pioneering book Women's liberation (Tahrir al-Mar'a), is often described as the father of the Egyptian Feminist Movement. In his work, Amin criticized some of the practices prevalent in his society at the time, such as polygamy, the veil, and purdah, i.e. sex segregation in Islam. He condemned them as un-Islamic and contradictory to the true spirit of Islam. His work had an enormous influence on women's political movements throughout the Islamic and Arab world and is read and cited today(Wikipedia)
Today the concept of Islamic Feminism has spread widely. With slogans such as Women's liberation and Women's right, it has attracted many young Muslim Women. These Muslims try to fit themselves into feminism, what is funny is that many radical feminists don't even consider a Muslim feminist to be a feminist. In a research paper "FEMINISM AS A DOUBLE AGENT; THE AMBIGUOUS ROLE OF FEMINISM AND THE INFLUENCE OF EUROCENTRISM ON THE VIEW ON MUSLIM WOMEN" it says;
According to many secular feminists, a true feminist can never be a Muslim because the latter is considered to be the cause of all the trouble that overcomes women. In other words: religion must be completely abandoned if the women in the Middle East ever hope to be as free as Western women (Lazreg, 1988: 85).
Islam and feminism are two different worlds, that cannot be reconciled with one another. Islam calls for Equity, feminism calls for Equality in all aspects of social life. Islam upholds values of morality, while feminism calls towards values that promote immorality and individualism. This concept of feminism has done damage to many social values of our society. The radical feminist sees society as patriarchal - it is dominated and ruled by men. Radical feminists assert that society is a patriarchy in which the class of men are the oppressors of the class of women. Some even see the family as the key institution dominating women in modern societies. To any Muslim of sound intellect, he/she knows that this concept of patriarchy doesn't have space in Islam and contradictory to the teachings of Islam. With all the shameless things attributed to feminism, such making women freeze their eggs(as indicated in the article: Feminism Is Leaving A Wake Of Unhappy, Unmarried, And Childless Women In Its Path by Amanda Prestigiacomo ) Many Muslim women still find it alluring to label themselves as feminist.
Where did they borrow the idea of Equity? It is obviously from Islam. Islam calls towards equity, feminism calls towards Gender Equality. Knowing the Absurdity and dangers of Gender Equality as advocated by feminist, these Muslims while still maintaining to be "feminist" they say their version of feminism is that of Equity, not Equality(Must you do KOSKWARIMA to this concept? If you want to use the concept of Feminism, accept it is about Gender Equality). If you say your version of feminism is that of equity, tell me historically of any feminist movement or Islamic feminism movement which upheld the banner of Equity and not Equality? How are you going to reconcile with those who say it is about equality? No equity? How are you going to reconcile with those feminists who think Islam is part of the problem of women? How are you going to reconcile with those who advocate for the rights of lesbians? How are you going to reconcile with those who want to lead the Prayers? Give khutbas in Friday Mosques? And stand in the same role with men in prayers? How are you going to reconcile with those who want equal inheritance? You should understand that Feminism is a crappy concept and will welcome any crappy concept in the name of Women's liberation.
Recently a friend of mine wrote an article asking why Nigeria Muslim Feminists were silence over the victory of " Amasa Firdaus". The Nigeria feminist didn't celebrate with Amasa Firdaus. I am asking Is it not part of the core concept of the feminist movement to fight for Women's right? Why didn't you hail Amasa? Your silence on this is hypocritical. Do You only advocate for secular values? Not religious values?. You so-called Muslim Feminist need to wise up and stick to your rich Islamic culture. No ism or religion has elevated the status of women as did Islam. The status of women before Islam was degrading and oppressive.
In the book Islamic Sociology by Dr Waffie Mohammed, he mentioned that in Greco-Roman Culture, " the dying husband could leave her,(i.e his wife) by will to a friend". Among the Hindus, it was not considered appropriate for her (the wife) even to remain alive. (F.R.A sari.op.cit.vol.2.p. 230). In fact, Sati or Sutee is Hindu funeral custom where a widow immolates herself on her husband's pyre or commits suicide in another fashion shortly after her husband's death.
In the Book The Sealed Nectar it mentions that Al-Bukhari and others reported, on the authority of Aishah(RA) that there was four kinds of marriage in pre-Islamic Arabian. The first, which is similar to present-day marriage procedures, in which case a man gives his daughter or the woman under his responsibility in marriage to another man after a proposal and a dowry has been agreed on. The second the husband would send his wife after the menstruation period to cohabit with another man in order to conceive. After conception, her husband, if he desired, would have sexual intercourse with her. A third kind was that a group of less than ten men would have sexual intercourse with a woman. If she conceived and gave birth to a child, she would send for these men, and nobody could abstain. They would come together to her house, she would say; ' You know what you have done. I have given birth to a child and it is your child (pointing to one of them). The man meant would have to accept. Pre-Islam Arabs had no limited number of wives. They could marry two sisters at the same time, or even the wives of their fathers if divorced or widowed. They also had the practice of infanticide. Islam came and eradicated these practices.
Today because of this concept of feminism, women are gradually losing their uniqueness, some women don't want to marry because they have been brainwashed that the marriage institution is an avenue where women are oppressed. Feminism also helped to weaken Family ties and increase in divorce rate. In our society today, you will find a wife telling her husband bluntly "am not your Cook". Many of us grew up in a society where the predominant culture in terms of cooking was left in the hands of our mothers and they never objected to this norm, in fact, they took joy in cooking for our fathers. How about today's society?
Dr Waffie Mohammed said: The changing pattern in the labour market is making the woman a productive unit, for which she is demanding equal rights and opportunities, like her male counterpart. However, this trend is robbing the women of her sacred duties and responsibilities in the home and with the family. It is robbing society of the blessings of love and tenderness that only a mother can give to the children, and care that only a wife can give to a husband. It is making the woman another unit in the economic machine geared to increase material production. It is also using her physical body as a commercial apparatus designed to increase sales of any products. Such unfortunate trends are destroying family life, as the working parents do not have time to be with their children or with one another if they are working different shifts. And even when they may be together, the woman is tired and stressed out because of the pressures of work"
Dear Muslim Feminist especially the sisters, you don't need feminism when you have Islam. If you say your version of feminism is that of equity, Islam came with equity, so you don't need feminism. Feminism is a creation of the west, leave it for the west and stick to your rich Islamic Culture. Before you label yourself a feminist, learn about how Islam has secured the rights of both genders and compare them to that of feminism. Learn about the damaging ideas of feminism and how it has reshaped our society negatively. If you have and still not convinced that Islam "alone" can secure your rights in this 21st century, it is a clear manifestation that you have fallen prey to the snares of westernization. People have the idea that slavery has ended, Although that of iron chains and iron collars have ended, you're a clear definition of the 21st-century type of slavery called "Mental slavery", take the mind and leave the body.
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