Just wanted to share a good article I received via an email link:
My relationship with Islam has never been straightforward. I grew up in Soviet Uzbekistan, hearing my grandfather recite the Koran on a daily basis. Sometimes he would translate a few verses for us. I was drawn to the beauty of the prose. I sensed a strong connection and especially admired the values of social justice, equality and generosity of human spirit.
On the other hand, I was a Soviet Young Pioneer and later a Komsomol activist. Despite all my respect and love for my pious grandfather, I saw a mismatch between his words and my reality, at least in one area - there was no equality or justice to be found in Muslim families. The superiority of men over women was deeply entrenched and never questioned.
In Soviet Uzbekistan, women were emancipated in the public sphere, but that emancipation usually ended at the doorstep to their homes. Society remained deeply patriarchal and the principal roles for women were still those of wife and mother. Any aspirations of women that went beyond the "classical" female jobs of teacher and medic were discouraged.
I came to believe that gender inequality was part and parcel of Islamic teachings. As this didn't fit with my world view, I distanced myself from my religion and embraced secular feminism.
My return to Islam began four years ago when I started a blog for women in Uzbekistan. Together with a couple of girlfriends, we raised some highly contentious and even taboo issues - domestic violence, family vs. career, child abuse, divorce, virginity, sexuality. At one point, the blog was taken hostage by some Islamist men who left highly restrictive and extremely conservative views on every topic.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/28/opinion/edartyk.php?page=1Click on the link to read the full story.
Ta!
I wish Muslims, especially Muslim women, would come up with a new article to write. It's like the same article, word for word, every time. There must be a template laying around where you just change the author's name and a few details here and there. "Islam is actually progressive and feminist!" "The Prophet hated polygamy as you can see by this hadith about Fatimah, even though he had like 13 wives himself!"
When Koranic verses appear to discriminate against women, Mrs. Mulia and other Muslim feminist scholars stress the need to read the Koran within the socio-historical context of 7th century Arabia. It was not God's intent to discriminate and spread injustice, they say.
Oh ho, except for the ones about two women witnesses to one men, and smaller inheritance. Which we already know exactly how they will justify those too!
"Women didn't know business!" (Except for Khadija, who you brag was a great business woman)
"Men must support women, but women can do whatever they want to with money!" (
Except he reality doesn't work that way and today's world is radically different when it comes to family ties and the idea of men supporting female relatives who aren't their wives and children)
Topic: Reclaiming My Religion