A muslimah feminist
“You are a feminist”, he said in a tone one would use to accuse a rapist, thief or murderer. Living in my safe space of like minds had almost made me forget the term is one which every supposedly responsible Muslim should avoid like plague. His proclamation jerked me back to reality and I was forced to ask him to define feminism and that was when he shot himself in the foot. “Feminism is the ideology that supports women’s rights and gender equality” he replied and I asked where the problem is, he rattled on with faux confidence about how it is contradictory to and can’t coexist with Islam. This dogma only reinforces the claim that Islam is anti women’s rights and what’s more devastating is the fact that majority of society shares this belief.
The blind has seen and the deaf has heard the stories of women’s oppression that has become an endemic in the society. This oppression has also been perpetuated and protected by culture which even women themselves are guilty of preserving.
Is it the outrageous number of rape cases daily or the suffering the majority of women go through in the name of marriages they’ll pretend doesn’t exist? Can the monotonous amount of young girls forcibly made into brides and later mothers at tender ages instead of being empowered be ignored? Can they deny the existence of the systemic sexism against women that exists across all spaces? the rights the society refuses you because “you’re a woman”?
Are these reasons not enough for any conscious woman to fight even if it means adopting a name?
And in the cause of this fight, out of ignorance and arrogance, society will try to deter you by throwing names at you in the most derogatory manner. But I dare say the peddlers of this mischief do not care about Islam and the damage they claim feminism does to societal values, they’re only interested in silencing the movement and maintaining the status of male privilege and dominance at the extent expense of female liberation and freedom. If not, what have they done to restore sanity to the society by advancing the protection of women’s rights? You guessed right, Nothing!. They only use the “Islam can not coexist with feminism” as a manipulative tool to derail and dismiss the conversation since the adherents if the faith believe in total submission to the will of God. So by claiming it’s contradictory, the call remains in their court.
They even say “Islam has given women rights, so why feminism?” But the real question is: do THEY uphold these rights?. There are numerous organizations sponsored by Muslims to cater for child beggars, orphans, charity and other causes and Islam has also given them rights so why aren’t they condemned?. Why are they ensured instead of being left to miraculously occur just as they would women’s rights?. Any rules set to take effect unaided is bound to be disregarded as women’s rights have been for a long time. Muslim women did not just wake up overnight and become feminists because it’s a “western construct” and they want to cause “fitnah”.
The fitnah is trampling upon women in this fast growing and evolving world and expecting us to stay silent on the “altar of religion doesn’t permit it”. Some will accept, some will fight and others may leave. But because leaving can’t be our choice because of some misogynistic adherents, we have chosen to speak up and ensure were treated as equals in this society and religion.
