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| Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam |
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| Anonymous |
| 01/18/03 at 07:40:24 |
| Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam This essay is not intended to review the feminist critique of Islamic society and thought found in the writings of numerous so-called Muslim and non-Muslim feminist authors alike, since we are not concerned directly with the same philosophical issues. It seems that the feminists who have criticized various aspects of Islam or Islamic society base their positions upon a world view radically alien to the Islamic world view. Their critique typically takes a moral stance that their so-called ‘democratically rooted” worldview is the right one. There is nothing more hypocritical than that stance, for in order to achieve the conversion of people into their ideology they must wipe out all possible competing beliefs outside of their own. To any analytical eye, the means to that particular end is hardly within the confines of democracy. Unfortunately, this cancerous wave of feminism is thriving within the Ummah and is quite evident today in many writings of westernized pseudo ‘muslim” authors. A particular female author from Morocco is almost always bent on slandering Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu while exemplifying Aisha radi Allahu anha in the same breath. This is an act that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or any of his companions, male or female, would unflinchingly disapprove of or warrant a harsh punishment for. There are many writers like the one mentioned, but we cannot fail to see the fact that they all serve the same purpose and propagate the same ideology which is severely alien to the Islamic tradition of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Feminists asks for reform whether explicitly or implicitly. The reform they have in mind is of the standard modern western type. Among other things, this means that there is an abstract ideal which has never been proven to have worked or if at all possible. Meaning, feminism is an abstract ideal thought up by the kafir or by their leaders, which has to be imposed by overthrowing the old order. However, feminism is an impossibility. Even its theorists know its blunder, yet most mainstream academians will purposely ignore this fact in order to propagate it. And, one would be feeble-minded enough to believe that within feminism is the meaning of life. Feminism calls for the unity of all women, as if womanhood was a nation or a people. That in itself is a point of absurdity. For theoretical purposes, the err in the feminist theory is seen in the following example. The Bosnian women would not in a million years unite with Serbian women. Women irregardless of color or creed will risk their lives in order to save their men from harm. This ‘quest for reform” in the name of equality is no different from western imperialism that originally appeared in the east as Christian missionary activity. The white man’s burden of colonialism merely expanded in its horizons not in territory, BUT IN MIND. Salvation is no longer the advertisement for this colonial as it was in the Crusades, but instead the western understanding of science and progress. The ‘orientalist” perspective fits nicely, as many as scholars have shown, into this blatantly triumphalistic approach to non- western societies. Feminism is nothing more than a masculine impulse toward domination run wild, without guns and tanks yet still with the same catastrophic results for the world. Catastrophic, because all societies are rooted in womanhood and motherhood, for each leader, each artisan and each scholar is the fruit of his or her mother’s upbringing. Feminists claim that their goal is derived from the ‘will to do good for others, even if the others do not realize that good is being done for them.” Question is, who said they know better? Take note, that the gluttonous technological expansion with its ecological ills- its rape of the earth- environmental disasters and unlimited consumption--grew up directly out of this same ideology as feminism. Feminism in all its variants remains to be a form of hypocrisy. It is an attempt for the kafir to dominate the minds of the rest of the world in order to serve their needs in the end. It exists and serves on the same old domineering, and negatively masculine attitude. Feminism is lethal. The social engineers in the western hemisphere know all too well that the breakdown of society begins with the infiltration of the women’s minds. A society that falls prey to the belief that there is such a thing as Islamic feminism is doomed for failure because it was never a part of Rasulullah’s, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, teaching. He taught harmony and peace amongst each other as human beings, not one gender, male or female, united against another gender. It is not a part of Islam and never will be. Insha Allah. The spokes people for the feminist movement hold that in time the rest will follow, as soon as ‘their consciousness is raised.” But here we certainly cannot be blamed for asking how we can tell the difference between up and down? Once again, who says feminist ideology tells us the difference between truth and falsehood? Our standard for truth and falsehood is the Qur’an and Sunnah, not an ideology born out of the same system that feeds on people’s misery. It is precisely at this point-- in discerning the difference between up and down, right and left, backward and forward, good and evil-- that Islam has the right and even the duty to call its own intellectual authorities to witness. We are in no need of outsiders, or so-called Muslim women authors who have been clouded by the western educational system. Those of us living in the west and concerned with the issues have the duty to ask the right questions. For these are profound issues, having the most intimate bearing on what it means to be human. And that is the fundamental confer of the Islamic tradition: What is a human being? ONCE that is established, we can look at the role of women in Islam, as well as examine other aspects of Islam. |
| Re: Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam |
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| jannah |
| 01/18/03 at 09:44:52 |
| [slm] [quote] Feminism calls for the unity of all women, as if womanhood was a nation or a people. That in itself is a point of absurdity. For theoretical purposes, the err in the feminist theory is seen in the following example. The Bosnian women would not in a million years unite with Serbian women. Women irregardless of color or creed will risk their lives in order to save their men from harm. [/quote] Ok I just had to write on this. "Womanhood" is a bond. Women have alot of things in common just like a nationality or common background. We have many of the same issues, we look at things similiarly alot of times, and we have unique problems and solutions. I have no idea what that last sentence means. That women will not risk their lives for other women? that they won't risk their lives for their children? [quote] Feminism is nothing more than a masculine impulse toward domination run wild, without guns and tanks yet still with the same catastrophic results for the world.[/quote] wow. [quote]Take note, that the gluttonous technological expansion with its ecological ills- its rape of the earth- environmental disasters and unlimited consumption--grew up directly out of this same ideology as feminism.[/quote] Umm. ??? I feel like feminism is an extreme and then so is this article. I agree with the points about ppl wrongly evaluating everything through the western worldview and trying to "reform" islam when it is really ppl that need the reform, going back to Quran and Sunnah, etc but I don't know about the rest. |
| 01/18/03 at 09:45:48 |
| jannah |
| Re: Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam |
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| panjul |
| 01/20/03 at 00:32:15 |
| [slm] The social engineers in the western hemisphere know all too well that the breakdown of society begins with the infiltration of the women’s minds. ??? So the author's saying woman are so important to society that they need to be protected against feminism? Or that they are so important to society that they need to be protected from all sorts of harmful ideas/thoughts/ideologies/choices/way of life? While I am no advocate of feminism, any form of feminisim, be it radical or conservative, I certainly don't approve a lot of what was said in the article. Certainly our way of life is defined for us by God, and we should look to Him for guidance first and should not make our ideologies our religion(s). But does that mean what feminists complain or advocate is all wrong all the time? Muslim women today have many grievances, legitimate ones that is, which are not addressed by our leaders who manily happen to be the Muslim men. So many women will turn to people such as Marnasi and others like her, becaue they offer an active alternative. Half the effort that our Muslim leaders (men) put in critiquing feminists, they can put those efforts in educating Muslim women about Islam and their roles in our society. Many Muslim women that I see around me, (not all though), are nothing but short of subserviant. I have seen many women in Pakistan as well as in the US, who often cannot even wear clothes of their choice. They are not consulted in matters involving their children's lives or other family matters. The attitidue is that 'God gave men a higher degree above women in all matters.' I think that a lof of people who do realize that it's unfair that Muslim women have been suppressed in little things and well as larger ones in life; but do not take a stand and sometimes even take a stand *against* those calling for greater assertion of womens' roles in society is because they are afraid that the non-Muslims will hijack it and turn it into Islam bashing which no Muslim woman or man can bear to stand. Because we know that the answer lies in Islam and only Islam. We just have to find our way to it in a way that is not harmful to the vison of Islam or our women, the cornerstone of our society. |
| Re: Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam |
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| Aurora |
| 01/20/03 at 01:18:14 |
| [quote author=panjul link=board=library;num=1042893625;start=0#2 date=01/20/03 at 00:32:15] [slm] The social engineers in the western hemisphere know all too well that the breakdown of society begins with the infiltration of the women’s minds. ??? So the author's saying woman are so important to society that they need to be protected against feminism? Or that they are so important to society that they need to be protected from all sorts of harmful ideas/thoughts/ideologies/choices/way of life? [/quote] While I don't really like the article, its too broken up and kind of reactive - that one point you (panjul) quoted, reminded me of something Sr.Shahina Siddiqui said in one of her talks I attended last year, she was talking about colonialism and its impact on the muslim world, and she said that to go after the Chinese the colonials used opium, to go after the native americans they used alcohol, to go after the Muslims the colonials attacked the heart of islamic society, the women, the mothers, the wives, the daughters, and to illustrate that Sr.Shahina gave examples from her own life and the life of her mother who grew up in a strongly 'british' influenced Pakistan, and how that colonial influence had served to sever/divert them from Islam. I dont know if that helps you any, but seeing as it made me remember that bit from her lecture, i thought i'd share it. |
| Re: Response to the Feminist Critique of Islam |
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| panjul |
| 01/22/03 at 00:58:27 |
| [slm] I think that quote meant that encouraging Muslims women to *think* and *ask* for their rights is infiltrating their minds. |
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