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The Rise Of Sexual Slavery And The Islamic State Essay

Decent Essays

Sydney Smith Professor Morrison Religion 2208—Islam 12 November 2016 The Rise of Sexual Slavery and the Islamic State Over the past decade, armed conflict has escalated Iraq and Syria; subsequently, violence against women has become prevalent among members of the Islamic State. High-ranking officials have normalized the systematic enslavement of thousands of women and have revitalized the practice of sexual slavery in the region. In her essay, “Redeeming Slavery,” Kecia Ali attributes this phenomenon to the Islamic State’s attempted renewal of religious sentiments; even though she disputes claims that this practice represents a correct interpretation of Islamic beliefs, Ali argues that the widespread normalization of sexual slavery is at least portrayed by leaders as a return to the original beliefs and practices of early Muslim authorities. Jessica Stern, in her essay, “Response to Kecia Ali,” agrees with Ali that religious scholars ought not attempt to judge IS’s actions as Islamic or un-Islamic; however, she fundamentally disagrees about the nature and origin of the militant group’s practice of modern slavery. Stern instead attributes it to political expediency and practicality, emphasizing that the allure of sex serves as an important recruitment tool for the group. Though they disagree about the nature of the Islamic State’s relationship to slavery, Ali and Stern both agree that the attempt to situate IS on a rigid binary of Islamic or un-Islamic is problematic and

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