Al-Huda
Foundation, NJ U. S. A
the Message Continues ... 6/105
Newsletter for May 2010
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Muslim Women between tradition and modernity.
Asgher Ali Engineer (Mumbai, India)
Recently in a poetic recital
on TV in Saudi Arabia, a Muslim poetess Hissas Hilal burst out
against the strict control regime for women in her country. It
was the voice of protest and a very bold one at that, perhaps
unthinkable in her regimented society. It was of course in
verses of her poem. She said through a veiled face about Islamic
preachers, “who sit in the position of power”, but are
“frightening” people with their fatwas and “preying like a wolf
“ on those seeking peace.
What is equally important is
that she got loud cheers from the audience and won her a place
in the competition’s finals. It also brought her death threats.
Posted on several militant web sites. The Saudi regime
controlled by salafi ulama in religious matters; are adamant on
retaining strict control over women in the name of Islamic
traditions. Women are denied their rights and free choice
according to their conscience.
This may not be the condition
in all Islamic countries but traditional Muslim societies impose
several restrictions and still are not ready to relax. The kind
of hijab many Muslim women wear covering their faces and looking
at the world only through two eye holes remains controversial
among Muslim scholars, theologians and modern intellectuals. The
question is: what is to be done.
No one can deny the fast pace
of change in the globalised world and it is becoming
increasingly challenging to retain present controls exercised on
women in traditional societies. This controversy has been going
on ever since modernity asserted itself since 19th
century. Many reforms took place in Muslim countries and women
could win a degree of liberation.
However, the later part
of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century saw the
re-emergence of traditional Islam, particularly salafi Islam. No
society registers a linear progress and progressive measures, in
turn bring more challenges. The reasons, not to be discussed
here are both economic and political, apart from social and
cultural. This complex nature of tension between tradition and
modernity is both a challenge and an opportunity.
What is important in this
debate, which is often ignored in these debates, is that what we
practice in the name of Islam is more cultural than religious or
scriptural and also that we depend too much on tradition while
defending or opposing the restrictions applied on women. A good
example of this is a recent book published from Pakistan on “Chehre
ka parda wajib ya ghair wajib” (Face Veil – Compulsory or
Not) compiled by Prof. Khurshid Alam. It is a very scholarly
debate between two learned scholar s - one defending and the
other opposing the face veil.
However, the book depends
entirely on contradictory traditions of the Prophet (PBUH) and
his companions cited by various medieval scholars. You find in
abundance both kinds of traditions (hadith) insisting on face
veil or thinking it unnecessary and both the scholars use these
traditions to strengthen their position. This approach only
reinforces traditional cultural Islam.
We should not ignore the fact
that most of the traditions (except those on moral, ethical or
pertaining to ibadat (matters of worship) reflect Arab
culture on one hand, and medieval West Asian or Central Asian
culture, on the other. The jurists have also maintained that
Arab Adat (customs and traditions) could become part of Shari’ah
law and many Shari’ah laws incorporate the Arab ‘adat.
In the book I am referring
to, there is very little direct approach to the Qur’an or fresh
reflections on the relevant Qur’anic verses. Let Muslim jurists
and scholars realize that Arab ‘adat are far from divine and
should not necessarily form the basic structure of the Shari’ah
law. Today we must change this cultural base through direct
reflections and fresh understanding of the Qur’anic verses
relevant to women. This attempt would establish individual
dignity and freedom of choice for women. Freedom of conscience
is an important doctrine of the Qur’an and so is the individual
dignity. Qur’an is far more in harmony with human dignity and
freedom that the traditional medieval cultural practices.
This approach will. In no
way, injure the divine nature of Shari’ah laws and also would
liberate it from its traditional cultural basis incorporating
patriarchal values of Arab culture rather than the divine spirit
of the Qur’an. This would liberate Muslim women and give them
sense of dignity and freedom reducing tension between tradition
and modernity. This opportunity should not be lost causing more
agony to women and creating a dilemma of choice for them. Most
of the Muslim women want to follow their religion and also enjoy
certain benefits of modernity. The Muslim scholars and jurists
should end this agony.
courtesy:
communityonfriday.net
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