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The Role Of Women Within Islam

Decent Essays

Gender roles within Islam have been widely disputed throughout history. However, new thoughts on the role of women within Islam began to emerge with the writings of Sufi scholar Muhammad b. Ali b. Muhammad Ibn al-Arabi al-Ta’i al-Hatimi. Ibn al-Arabi’s thoughts concerning Islamic women within the 12th and 13th centuries drew much attention from the Islamic community. This attention was originally seen as heresy, and many responded with hostility as well as the denouncement of Ibn al-Arabi’s faith. However, Ibn al-Arabi was a devoted follower of Muhammad. His views upon women stem from his life experiences, and his progressive ideas have now secured his spot as a major Muslim theologian. Ibn al-Arabi was born in Spain, and he began his religious training in Seville. He was instructed by many masters as a youth, but it is notable that two of his instructors were women. However, as a pupil of Sufism, female masters were not unheard of. Sufism is the study of the mythical side of Islam, as well as the ideal forms of Islam. Sufism was meant to reestablish the recognition of unity, and to balance the harmony of nature. In fact, the prophet Muhammad’s wife, Khadija, was considered the first Sufi mystic of Islam. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ibn al-Arabi introduced new ideas regarding women, since so much of his own study was said to be shaped by women themselves. Within the Qur’an, the role of women is presented in two opposing views. In places women are looked at as a

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