Essay on 'Women and the Rise of Islam' by Leila Ahmed

Textual Analysis of Leila Ahmed’s “Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate”

During the Post- Classical Era, Islam was able to spread throughout

"The Discourse of the Veil" Ahmed examines Amin’s recommendations regarding women and formed part of his thesis and how/why he believed that unveiling was key to the social transformation, which is important for unraveling the significance of the debate that his book provoked (Ahmed, 145). Ahmed discusses the origins and history as an idea of the veil which informs Western colonial discourse and 20th century-Arabic debate have several implications. The first implication is the evident connection between the issue of culture of women, as well as between the cultures of other men and the oppression of women, which was created by Western discourse. The idea that improving the status of women resulting in abandoning native customs was

This research will demonstrate the concept of Quebec majority versus the ones that are considered "other" or minority, specifically Muslim women. The methodologies and surrounding utilized by the print media along with the specific scope of specific issues created polarization amongst minority and greater part gathers. This research will summon an Orientalist focal point to show how racializing talks are portrayed in a monitored subtext over and the news print to support the protection of Quebec character. The strategy that is utilized is the basic analysis of two newspaper articles that are reflected from Gazette and Lap Presse. This examination aims to identify the importance of the representations of Muslim women in the specific recorded understanding of Quebecois in their particular dialect and culture. This essay will reveal that portion of the media procedures within the Quebec context. This will exhibit that Muslim women are minimized and victimized on the premise of their race, sexual orientation and social character. Revealing that the news print media makes harming depictions of Muslim women. The end goal is to counter these negative depictions. Individuals must be instructed how to think fundamentally about the media and build up the fitting media education ways so that they can comprehend what social value are implied.

Another aspect I found interesting in this chapter was how under Islamic law men and women are still treated very differently. In the chapter it stated that in court a testimony provided by a man can be heard, but if a woman wanted to testify she would have to have another woman who could testify the same thing in order to be heard. I find it

The focus stays on predominantly Islamic societies, usually in southern Europe and Asia. One historical event included is, of course, the birth of a religion. Muhammad began to gain converts, many of them poorer members of the clans in Mecca, who agreed with his ideas of creating a society where everyone could prosper, as God would want. “Religious ideas and practices take root not because they are promoted by forceful theologians, nor because they can be shown to have a sound historical or rational basis, but because they are found in practice to give the faithful a sense of sacred transcendence” (p. 61). These people did not convert because they were forced, they converted because what Muhammad was saying things that spoke to them. They agreed with what ideas Christianity and Judaism had already taught about God, and wanted to revive the faith of the people in their area. Although Muhammad and his followers had enemies and sometimes had to use force, religious matters were not the motivation, as the Quran says “there should be no coercion in matters of faith” (p. 10). There were even Jewish and pagan people living in Medina as part of the ummah after they were forced out of Mecca. The beginning of a religion and its close-knit society is not the only historical event covered by the Short History. The Crusades in 1099 impacted Muslims greatly, as one of their holy cities was massacred. Many other events in history impacted them, as they have been around for over 1400

The majority of this book consisted of information explaining the Islamic faith and its background, although for me the part I most enjoyed was the preface. It was impressive, but also scary what Ergun and Emir went

All societies in all times and places have their black sheep, “charlatans” such as fake priests, palm readers, and others that do everything to get their words, their own beliefs across to people. They compose a special speeches, performances or write texts based on their beliefs and their great powers given to them by the divine, that are specially designed to manufacture the consent of the people. In some parts of the world, people are born with more authority over others, for instance, kings, people with political power, wealth and dominant gender. According to Craig Martin, these acts are almost always linked to locally authoritative figures, texts and symbols which help gain authority and power to those without it (117). For example, within pre-Islamic Arabia women were accepted as possessions than as human beings of their male husbands that had authority over them.

Although it has been argued that Islam spread through violence, in fact, Islam spread quickly and gained many converts because it’s technological discoveries drew people to the empire, the social and political benefits it's convers and economic advantages.

The essay I wrote about was based on the experiences of Women in Islam which is consist of a group of Muslim female students at city college of New York. The essay was mainly focused on their Muslim identities and the negative effects that comes with being a Muslim in America. The main reason why I decided to study this group of students and use them as my ethnography topic was because I am part of the group and I can relate with what they are going through for the mere fact of being a Muslim. This subculture is something I am very passionate about, because it gives me a sense of belonging and inclusion whenever I feel like the world is against my identity as a Muslim woman. In other words, I do not have to worry about being judge or

The many deserts emphasized a sense of loyalty and family which influenced the way women were treated. Mecca was a world city therefore the center of trade. It was near the Red Sea therefore ships from Byzantine traveling to India would pass by and pick up/drop off ideas/materials which included ideals and expectations regarding women. The government and religion were intertwined in Arabia. The emergence of the hadiths was a shattering movement for Muslims and a time of transition.

“In the battle for gender parity, those who stand guard at the gate posts of Muslim status quo have sometimes reacted vehemently against claims for justice.”(xviii) In this quote, Amina Wadud highlights her quest for proving the Qur’an is an ungendered text and discusses types of reactions to her book Qur’an and Women. Wadud’s book, published in 1992, redefines the way the Qur’anic text views women and is the genesis of more scholarly works and discussions on the topic of women. Wadud is the most influential woman scholar of the Qur’an in history. Her purpose is to solely look at the Qur’anic text itself and not the hadith or Islamic traditions that have evolved since it’s revelation. She is clear to state that if the equality between males

viii). She goes about supporting this claim by delving into the very detailed documentation of Islam history. She attributes misogyny in the past and present Muslim culture to the male elite. She gives many examples of how Muhammad and Islam have

“Nothing can prevent or alter what is predestined and that when a women desires something, no one can stop her.” Individuals, scholars, and groups concerned with human rights and feminism, often criticize Islam over the treatment of their women. Westerners, such as former first lady, Laura Bush, began a social political crusade in the name of “saving Muslim women” from “deliberate human cruelty.” In literature, they were depicted as stubborn, unfaithful, fragile, whose actions were based on the fear of the male figure. In everyday life, women are faced with gender based restrictions, debasement, and seclusion from men. Some of these claims are undoubtedly accurate, however, what most overlook is that these are perceptions, and renditions through western – foreign eyes. While these intentions might be from a genuine source, the etic anthropological approach, which is where and outsider studies and interprets a culture, is a biased approach. Emic, or as you guessed it, the study from within one’s culture, is also plagued with bias, as nothing is as it ever was. One must look deeper and analyze the past in multiple dimensions. What does and did a culture believe…? Suddenly, the lines of reality might just begin to blur. I will attempt to illustrate that, in piteous parts of Islam, power and responsibility is divided ways which transcend the West’s reality.

The introduction of Islam into the early Arab culture elevated the status of women. Women became warriors, contributors to education, and political leaders. Throughout Islamic history until present day, Muslim women have proved their importance within society through varying means of bringing the community together.