In a few days (October 27-29), in Barcelona, Spain the International Congress on Islamic Feminism is planned to take place. And in a related statement on "Gender Jihad", Abdennur Prado argues in favor of a "jihad" against patriarchy in Muslim communities.
Link thanks to Latino blogger, Ulises Ali Mejias at ideant
5 comments:
Absolutely! I'm with Prado. He was responsible for getting together the first legal support of Imam Wadud's prayer. See the section on rulings in PMU's "Woman-led Prayer Initiative"
http://www.pmuna.org/archives/the_womenled_prayer_initiative/index.php
I chaired that committee when I was on the PMU Board. I've been thinking about posting my essay up on my blog at prog islam and commenting on it and the response to the prayer by Muslim feminists--especially since Roas Parks passed.
So many Muslim feminists feel we should be quietist and keep in our place and learn to love separate but equal. I don't know how to express the anger and sorry and frustration I feel when I hear Muslims say that, even Muslims of color. Women actually talk about Imam Wadud in terms that sound a lot like "uppity." God help us.
I'm all for vigorous questioning of the tradition, especially in ways to be more inclusive and empowering to women in terms of how decisions get made in various Islamic institutions (mosques, islamic centers, schools, other associations).
And having a woman led prayer was useful in the sense of being a big public event which gathered alot of attention and in response, different "mainstream" Muslim institutions (like ISNA) are more open to a discussion on the broader topic of inclusion.
But I still think that at some level Islam has a different concept of "masculine" and "feminine" than Western liberal American society and it is important to have Muslims (women and men) figure out a path towards greater gender justice in their own communities on their own terms.
And I'm not convinced that Amina Wadud's route was necessarily the best way to do that. Maybe the community needed that to light a fire under our collective butts. But still, I'm not sure that's the route to take.
Salams, it is about power and authority. That is all. Who has access and who doesn't. The fact is that women do not have access to power and authority. Men are privileged by their access. They don't want to give it up. Women buy into their lack of access.
Even if there is a different notion of gender--which is an interesting question--it does not require lack of access to the channels of authority to maintain it.
Let's put it this way. The only reason that women cannot be imams is because men might desire her as she bends over. I suggested that the woman imam leads the women from the other room and pipe it into the men as is done now for women. No response on that one. But it does kind of put things into perspective doesn't it?
On quietism, if we have to choose between Martin and Malcolm, I'm going Malcolm. I respect the Martins, but I've got to call it as I see it.
Yes and no. Yes, women should have equal decision-making power and access when it comes to "running thangs" in Muslim communities. Women's voices should be heard in Islamic center committees, school boards, when it comes to mosque finances, all of it. Sexism is a real problem that we need to work on in our communities.
Women's imamate is a very distinct (but related) question. And it goes back to a concern for orthodoxy.
I agree that some people give lame reasons for not having female imams. But sometimes people give lame reasons for having them as well.
I think we should have more respect for traditional methodology. Feel free to call scholars to task when they seem biased or their reasoning is flawed. But I wouldn't want to throw away the baby with the bathwater.
Personally, if I wanted to make up my own religion I could have been Unitarian or something and had a lot more space to define practice as an individual. But for me part of being Muslim is also believing that Islam today has a valid and authentic connection to the actual teachings of the prophet.
That tradition *should* be interrogated but I don't think it should be thrown away.
In terms of Malcolm/Martin I don't see the analogy as apt.
Like if women wanted to get "Malcolm" about being on the boards of Islamic organizations none of my reservations would apply.
Good to know about the congress. thanks.
I'm doing a little research and collecting documents on islam andw women's rights. if you come across anything that might be relevant, I would be very happy to receive it. Much thanx in advance.
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