Some Muslims, who insist on calling themselves “feminists”, often complain that when other Muslims criticise the values and concepts behind the Feminism, this is only the mainstream (and origin) of Feminism, “Western Feminism”, and they say this is a different feminism from “their” feminism.
This is because they have taken the word Feminism (from the West) and then amongst themselves re-defined it their way, and called it “Muslim Feminism”, which they claim doesn’t take the same values as “Western Feminism”. These “Muslim Feminists” then complain that those criticising Feminism shouldn’t generalise feminism! ( #NotAllFeminists …)
“Muslim Feminists” then claim that despite its origins, original meanings, mainstream Western understandings, large preponderance of Western scholars, activists and philosophers, that “Muslim Feminism”, as their small coterie of followers have chosen to define, doesn’t contradict Islam and therefore shouldn’t be resisted by Muslims.
Muslims hearing this then wonder what’s the point of taking a Western term, with a mainstream global following, intellectuals and activists, and pre-existing understanding, and superimposing it on Islam, when Islam is accepted by all Muslims to be self-sufficient? Indeed, wouldn’t it act only to provide confusion?
Unfortunately, when Muslims point out all these issues, “Muslim Feminists” react angrily and use defensive tactics like responding “Why are you against rights for Muslim women?!” Which is as fallacious an accusation as being told “why are you against the rights of poor people and the working class?!” just because you criticise Communism…
Furthermore, using unIslamic ideologically loaded labels, could possibly provide an entry for unIslamic ideas, as Muslims calling themselves “Feminists” then bump into the mainstream (Western) understanding, which also labels itself as Feminism (and as vastly more literature and history).
On the other side of the coin, another problem so-called “Muslim Feminists” encounter, is that in the West, Westerners don’t call Feminism as “Western Feminism”, they simply call it “Feminism”. And why not? They invented it. They defined it. And ALL schools of thought within Feminism agree with the minimal definition of the Secular liberal (and also Communist) formula that Feminism means “equal rights for women” – by which they mean gender identicality under law. However, while Islam believes that the souls of men and women have equal value in the eyes of God, Islamic law doesn’t posit identical gender roles or obligations.
The difference between Islam and mainstream Feminism become highlighted when these so-called “Muslim feminists” appear on TV, or hold talks and conferences where mainstream “Western” feminists turn up and challenge them on Islam’s contradictions with mainstream (original) Feminism. Points raised by Feminists include the idea of head of the family, inheritance, lack of identical rights, and the gender roles of women and men in families, as well as gender differences in political/military responsibilities – leading to “Muslim Feminists” being put on the spot and desperately obfuscating at best, or obsequiously placating “Western” Feminists with “reinterpretations” of Islam at worst.
In order to avoid scrutiny from Western mainstream society into the details of “Muslim Feminism”, some “Muslim Feminists” use diversion tactics, like complaining that they’re having their “definition” of “feminism” being imposed upon by “Western Feminism” advocated by “white people” and “colonialists”.
Sadly, the irony is that it is actually the “Muslim Feminists” who have been already colonialised in thought, as evidences by the fact they desperately sought to borrow Western terms and ideological labels like “Feminism” to make themselves look respectable and gain currency for themselves in the first place!
These Muslims cling with all their might to the term “feminism”, because they wish to use Western language in their causes in order to gain currency for then – regardless of whether or not these terms carry pre-existing and well known unIslamic connotations and ideological baggage!
But as everybody knows, if you use the currency of a country, you surrender to them the right to determine its value – and eventually, you end up paying for it.
As famously (allegedly) narrated of Jesus in the New Testament, when in the Holy Temple, He (SAAW) was (allegedly) asked by his opponents about whether devout Jews should pay taxes to the pagan emperor in Rome, whose Empire was occupying the lands of the Jews:
‘Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him’ [Mark 12:15-17].
An amazing response indeed, because the people had gladly accepted the coin and currency of their dominator (even in their holy Temple), but hypocritically quibbled on paying taxes to him to make themselves look good.
Falsehood belongs to humans, and anything taken from them should be returned, but to God belongs everything in the heavens and the earth – including human affairs, law, rights and duties.
Therefore in response, we must hold up the proverbial Roman denarius and ask “Muslim Feminists”:
“Who coined the term Feminism, stamped their image upon it, and originated it – which you use for currency?
They’ll sheepishly admit: “The West”
Say: “Give back to the West, what belongs to the West, and give unto God what belongs to God”
‘Do they then seek the judgement of [those in] Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith’
[QURAN, al-Maa’idah 5:49-50]
Source:
https://abdullahalandalusi.com/2018/12/05/muslim-feminism-a-legacy-and-currency-of-colonialism/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
Women's rights with out feminism:
-Ustadha Fatima Barkatulla (UK)
I care about the rights of women (and men). I also care about the responsibilities of women (and men).
Had a discussion yesterday with someone about why I choose not to use the language of feminism to discuss women's rights. Feminism is an ideology: a system of ideas and ideals. Feminism has its architects, ideologues and its own language. Words such as 'patriarchy', 'misogyny', 'toxic masculinity', etc are ideological words and are loaded.
Some Muslim women use them and add their own meanings to them, but they are part of an ideology outside of Islam.
Psychoanalyst Carl Jung said something along the lines of: "People don’t have ideas; ideas have people."
Question is: which set of ideas do you as a Muslim belong to? Which ideals? What is the source of our ideals and our values? It is Islam and the sources of Islam.
Islam has its own framework for correcting oppression, it has its own ideals regarding men and women and the best way for them to live in this world. And therefore Islam contains within it, all that we need to correct any oppression that exists within the Muslim community.
Feminism - on the other hand is a set of ideals that originated in the minds of a few human ideologues. Many of those ideologues ended up regretting/changing their minds about things they held as facts and truths. They were/are fallible and limited and frankly make mistakes.
Feminism will never be happy with the fact that God chose male prophets, that the majority of the most influential scholars of Islam were men, that the man is the head of the family, that a woman requires a Wali to get married...because it is intrinsically suspicious of men. It cannot accept that men and women are different and not the same. God doesn't come into the picture when it comes to feminism.
For the Muslim, God is everything. God is the source of our understanding regarding the rights and responsibilities of men and women.
So as my friend Zara Faris points out: Feminism is one response out of many, to the question of women's rights, just as capitalism or communism are responses to the question of the economy.
Islam is our response to the question of women's rights.
So even when we see injustice in our communities, as Muslims we need not invoke feminism and its idols to fight that injustice.
We need to invoke the Qur'an and Sunnah. We need to be knowledgeable and win arguments through correct thinking, educating and reasoning with others.
When women are prevented from mosques, we need to understand that social and cultural reasons have led to this becoming the norm in some cultures.
We tell them that Allah's messenger s.said:
"Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the Houses of Allah" (Bukhari & Muslim)
This is what the sahabiyat - the female disciples did! When Umar was trying to limit dowries a lady stood up and quoted the Quran to him - that he had no right to limit dowries...
As Muslims we rectify each other via the authority of the Qur’an and Sunnah, not via mere social pressures & attitudes dictated to us by ideologies outside of the guidance of Islam.
Issues with feminist terms like 'patriarchy': Its definition according to Oxford Dictionary: "A system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is reckoned through the male line."
By that definition Feminists would regard Islam as patriarchal.
As Muslims we do not accept the premise that 'patriarchal' or men being in charge or in positions of leadership and power is intrinsically bad. Prophets who were chosen by God as leaders and guides for humanity were men. Men are the protectors of women, guardians of women.
The Prophets came to establish the guidance of Allah and justice in society. not to remove so-called 'patriarchy' per se. Some or much of that guidance would never be accepted by feminist ideologues as being in line with feminism.
