Islamic Feminism: Roots, Development and Policies
| Date | 01 November 2013 |
| Author | Zaid Eyadat |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12057 |
| Published date | 01 November 2013 |
Islamic Feminism: Roots, Development
and Policies
Zaid Eyadat
The University of Jordan
Abstract
The current and future impact of Islamic feminism within the political framework of the Arab world is profound. In
order to understand the current relevance of Islamic feminism, this article first examines the roots of feminism in the
Arab world, analyzing the fundamental differences and commonalities that Islamic feminism has with western femi-
nism. The diverse categories of Islamic feminism are then discussed, focusing on universalism within the framework of
hermeneutic Islamic discourse. Islamic feminism is then reconstructed around its methodologies. This article asserts that
the hermeneutic strain of Islamic feminism is the overarching paradigm to be employed, as it presents women’s rights
within the context of the Qur’an and women’s right to perform ijtihad (personal interpretation based on logical reason-
ing), rejecting patriarchal influences. Islamic feminism and its place within the rise of modern Islam theorizing is then
shown as a viable explanatory factor in the recent shaping of political and cultural discussions on the role of religion
in the political sphere, especially in the context of the Arab Spring.
Policy Implications
•Education is one of the major areas to which policy makers must devote their attention. There needs to be
renewed emphasis on and encouragement of the democratic transition in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
region. This re-emphasis must include a strengthening of Islamic hermeneutic feminism in the politics of the
region. This can be achieved through an education curriculum that reinforces the concepts of dialogue, equality
and tolerance, thereby liberating the thinking of conservative political parties.
•Young people and social media played a significant role in the events and momentum of the Arab Spring. As such,
policy makers must encourage and invest in these two critical factors to ensure their continued success. By promot-
ing a humanistic hermeneutic discourse, the innovative efforts and energies of young people and social media can
be developed and strengthened further.
•Higher education in particular must also be a policy focus for the promotion and further development of Islamic
feminism. Western universities as well as universities in the MENA region have the capability to advance and fur-
ther develop the theoretical and conceptual role of hermeneutic interpretations of Islam.
•Given the context of the Arab Spring, the role that women play as a catalyst for sustainable democratic develop-
ment must be recognized, promoted and developed further. Policy makers have the opportunity to redefine and
re-emphasize the critical role of women in the decision-making processes of the region.
Islamic feminism: a recent phenomenon
‘Islamic feminism’is a phrase that holds numerous conno-
tations. For some, the two words are contradictory: liberal
feminists see Islam as intrinsically steeped in inequalities.
Others see it as a beacon of hope, an expression of
enlightenment and reconciliation between religious
beliefs and egalitarianism. Another meaning is finally
emerging, placing Islamic feminism within the framework
of human rights discourse. In light of the widespread
international rhetoric featuring human rights promotion
and the recent events of the so-called Arab Spring, in
which western-influenced feminists and Islamic feminists
alike joined the masses to demand dignity, the Arab
world is finally positioned for a fresh discussion regarding
Islamic feminism and its role in Arab society, promoting
(perhaps inadvertently) human rights protection.
Islamic feminism is a relatively recent phenomenon. Its
impact began in the 1970s and 1980s alongside the ris-
ing tide of Islamic revivalism, which essentially entailed
the return to Islam as a guide for daily life as opposed to
the strict observance of secularism proposed by the Arab
states. Although rhetoric regarding women’s place in
Islam and society was discussed by women and scholars
alike, the outwardly conservative change in women’s
dress gained attention first; feminists reacted rather
harshly to the change, claiming Islam’s oppression of
women. This reaction, as will be shown throughout this
Global Policy (2013) 4:4 doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12057 ©2013 University of Durham and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global Policy Volume 4 . Issue 4 . November 2013 359
Research Article
To continue reading
Request your trial