Is Islamic feminism in total contrary to Western feminism? What are Islamic feminists fighting for and can one use the term “feminism” relating to Islam? How do Iranian women act with their rights in a country which is a role model for women’s oppression in the Western world? In my work I want to answer these and other questions.
In the first part of the following work I give a general overview of Islamic feminism. I will define the term and distinct it from what is known as “Western feminism”. I introduce “three ideal types” of Islamic feminists and describe the Islamic feminist discourse and activism according to the Islamic jurisprudence and tradition.
After that I focus on the women and their feminism in Iran. Feminism has a long history in Iran and is in total contrary to Western feminism. But the aims of the Islamic feminists changed from during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Journalism and women’s magazines are a very important organ of the feminists in Iran. Both the “religious” and “secular” spheres use it to discuss women’s issues and criticise actual political decisions and social grievance. I will picture the most important magazines and the most discussed topics.
In the last part I introduce one of the latest campaigns of feminists in the Arab world. “The Uprising of Women in the Arab World” is a movement which uses Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter to inform people and criticise the on-going oppression of women after the Arab Spring and the increasing sexual harassment in Arab countries.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Islamic Feminism – A General Overview
What’s in a name?
Feminism
Islamic Feminism
Three ideal types
Emerge of Islamic feminism
Islamic Feminist discourse and activism
Tafsir
Hadiths
Fiqh
Religious professions
The mosque
Feminist Hermeneutics
Hijab and Modernity
Islamic Feminism – An Iranian Case Study
Women in Post-Revolutionary Iran
Necropolitics and the Islamist Call to Activism
Shia Scholars and Intellectuals on Islamic Feminism
On Women’s Employment
Latest Events
Journalism in post-revolutionary Iran
Women’s Magazines – An Overview
Situation of Female Journalists
Socio-political Questions in Iranian Women’s Magazines (not all)
Feminism after the Arab Spring: The uprising of women in the Arab World. Feminist activities in Social Media
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The work examines the nuances of Islamic feminism, distinguishing it from Western feminist models, and analyzes its manifestations within Iran and the broader Arab world. It investigates how activists engage with religious texts and legal frameworks to advocate for gender justice, while also exploring the roles of media and social platforms in the modern struggle for women's agency.
- The conceptual development and definition of Islamic feminism versus Western feminism.
- The utilization of journalism and women’s magazines as key platforms for feminist discourse in post-revolutionary Iran.
- The engagement of Iranian women with religious and state institutions to challenge inequality.
- The influence of modern digital campaigns, such as "The Uprising of Women in the Arab World," in the context of the post-Arab Spring landscape.
Excerpt from the Book
NECROPOLITICS AND THE ISLAMIST CALL TO ACTIVISM
Janet Afary describes that young men and women broke with the established conventions of Iranian society by joining Islamist organizations. They put all her energy into the support of the state’s political and social causes. Political Islam was for some women more than a tool of resistance against Western modernity. Afary said that it was also a way to cultivate a Shiʿi-Muslim style of modernity and freedom from the yoke of parents. Iranian women claimed that if they were equal to men in facing dead, they should be equal to them in life and receive the same benefits.
In 1978-1980 modern secular women felt betrayed by their more religious sisters who sides with Khomeini, as Afary writes. “During the revolution, Khomeini encouraged women to join the anti-shah demonstrations. After the overthrow of the regime, he enjoined them to vote for the Islamic Republic, he approved female employment with proper hijab, and he urged his female supporters to ‘enter politics’ and ‘to build this nation and educate’ its people. Later, he asked women to enlist in the Literacy Mobilization Organization (Nehzat-e Sava Amuzi or LMO), established in 1980, and in a variety of reconstruction and military projects. He applauded women’s efforts to form Islamist societies and lent his support to the new al-Zahra Theological Seminary for women in Qom. Before the revolution, certain professions, such as acting and hairdressing, were castigated as symbols of Western decadence. These two became acceptable professions so long as the women observed proper hijab. Watching television programs, including some non-Islamic ones, was also an acceptable form of entertainment, and women studying or teaching in the university were now said to be commendable.” The veil gained new shades of meaning and was no longer only a sighn of decency and propriety but also a symbol of jihad. Large posters all over the country showed veiled women carrying guns or little boys who were destined for jihad. Khomeini urged women and children to “defend their Islamic and national honor”, as Afary quotes Khomeini.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the core research questions regarding the relationship between Islamic and Western feminism, focusing on Iran and the Arab world.
Islamic Feminism – A General Overview: Defines Islamic feminism as a distinct discourse, introducing key definitions and the concept of three ideal types of activists.
Islamic Feminist discourse and activism: Analyzes how practitioners re-interpret religious texts like the Qur'an, Hadith, and Fiqh to advocate for gender equality.
Feminist Hermeneutics: Examines how feminist interpretations dismantle patriarchal structures within traditional Islamic thought.
Hijab and Modernity: Explores the symbolic role of the hijab, viewing it through the lens of identity, resistance, and modernity.
Islamic Feminism – An Iranian Case Study: Investigates the specific political and social struggles of women in post-revolutionary Iran.
Journalism in post-revolutionary Iran: Highlights the critical role of magazines as a medium for public and feminist debate.
Feminism after the Arab Spring: The uprising of women in the Arab World. Feminist activities in Social Media: Discusses the impact of digital media and the "Uprising of Women in the Arab World" campaign.
Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, noting that while Islamic and Western feminisms differ in their foundational sources, they share common goals regarding gender rights.
Keywords
Islamic Feminism, Gender Equality, Iran, Women's Magazines, Islamic Jurisprudence, Fiqh, Hijab, Arab Spring, Social Media, Human Rights, Feminism, Activism, Tafsir, Hadith, Political Participation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work examines the development of Islamic feminism, its global significance, and its specific applications and challenges within the socio-political landscapes of Iran and the Arab world.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the intersection of Islamic discourse and gender rights, the role of media in women’s activism, the specific situation of women in post-revolutionary Iran, and the rise of digital protest movements post-Arab Spring.
What is the central research aim?
The aim is to investigate whether the term "feminism" can be applied within an Islamic paradigm and to understand how activists navigate the intersection of religious tradition and the struggle for gender justice.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a qualitative approach, analyzing academic literature, religious texts, and contemporary media sources to map the discourse and activism within different Islamic contexts.
What content is discussed in the main body of the work?
The body analyzes the conceptual definitions of Islamic feminism, the re-interpretation of religious jurisprudence (Tafsir, Fiqh), the struggle for women's political participation in Iran, and the role of feminist journalism and social media activism.
Which keywords best characterize this publication?
Key terms include Islamic Feminism, Iran, Women's Rights, Fiqh, Social Media, and Arab Spring.
How do Iranian women navigate the political constraints in their country?
Iranian women often utilize magazines and Islamic scholarly interpretations to challenge discriminatory policies and argue for their rights, navigating the tension between secular modern life and the expectations of the Islamic Republic.
What role does Social Media play in contemporary Arab feminism?
Social media acts as a decentralized platform for activists to organize, share experiences, and gain international visibility for campaigns like "The Uprising of Women in the Arab World," bypassing traditional gatekeepers.
- Quote paper
- Ann Cathrin Riedel (Author), 2013, Islamic Feminism. An overview of Islamic feminism activities with a focus on the Islamic feminism in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/211932
