I guess I have always been a feminist, a women’s advocate, or whatever term one may choose to call it. As far as I can remember, I have always frowned upon anti-women ideas and practices attributed to Islam. I have always believed that in all of God’s Omnipotence, Mercy and Justness, Islam can never be as chauvinist as what some Muslims represent it to be.
But because I never pursued any serious attempt on Islamic studies, I contented myself with citing Qur’anic verses and Hadiths that served my purpose. However, there would always be other Qur’anic verses, Hadiths and Sharia laws to the contrary hurled back at me. This practice of Hadith and Surah ˆ hurling between Muslims of dissenting opinions is common not just in the issue of gender but in other issues like fundamentalism, interfaith dialogue, and others. And while it served each side’s intention, it created more confusion to the ordinary Muslim, much more to the non-Muslims!
Then I was accepted to a short course on Islam, Gender and Reproductive Rights in Yogyakarta, the educational center of Indonesia. I went there confident of my background on gender and reproductive rights, armed with the verses and hadiths I have compiled through the years about the topic, ready to graduate with honors, only to be confronted by the truth of my extreme ignorance!
Alhamdulillah (thanks be to Allah), before I can make a complete fool of myself, lectures on the first day included “Hermeneutics as an Approach to Gender Studies in Islam”, “Reconstruction on Islamic Thought on Gender Issues”, and “Progressive Interpretation of the Qur’an on Gender Issues”. From the titles themselves, the topics were really thought-provoking and, well, at least for me, revolutionary. What was more interesting was the fact that our speakers for these topics were males! No less than H.M. Amin Abdullah, Director of the State Islamic University of Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia and Prof. Abdullah Saeed, Head of the Arabic and Islamic Studies Program at the University of Melbourne and author of many books and publications on Islam.
Having realized how wanting my knowledge in Islam is, I came back more determined to continue my search and be very careful of talking or writing about Islam, about citing Qur’anic verses and Hadiths. In fact, I have totally refrained from doing so, except to a few close friends.
But lately, my sister have been complaining about comments being made by a school figure, supposedly an authority in Islam. Statements like, “men are superior than women”, “in hell there are more women than men”, and even in recitation, he would say, “Unahin natin ang mga lalaki dahil sila ang leader..” or something to that effect. When my sister showed him a pamphlet titled “Are Men and Women Equal Before Allah?” published by the Sisters in Islam in Malaysia, he allegedly mockingly asked “Will you believe this?” To which one of his male students added, “Di niyo lang matanggap na mas superior kaming mga lalaki sa inyo!”
When asked what is his basis, this authority accordingly answered, it is stated in the Qur’an. I have kept my silence and just advised my poor sister to keep reading so she may rebut him, if there is a need. But somehow, I cannot keep my eyes closed to the dangers such teachings are posing to our youth, especially to our young men who may grow old belittling women; their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters.
So, much as I promised to keep my silence, I realized that perhaps it would not hurt much to share the very limited knowledge I have so far gained in my equally limited search. I do not claim to be an authority in Islam, belying what others, like this teacher and the likes of him, are saying. It is my honest intention to simply raise some thoughts to ponder, some points to consider, and perhaps pose a challenge to those who, like me, would like to learn more, not just on the issue of women in Islam, but on Islam in general.
First, on the common practice of most of us, myself included, in citing Qur’anic verses to support our claims. It is indeed easy to just go to the Index of the Qur’an, find a topic, say “women”, and there you already have a list of the Verses on such topic. But, as asked by Khaled Abou El Fadl in his book “Speaking in God’s Name”, considering that the Qur’an is God’s Words, are we at liberty to interpret it? If yes, to what extent can we, as readers, decide the meaning of the text? What is the methodological process by which we go about investigating the meaning of the text?
These questions are vital because the way we look at things, read things, hear things, interpret things, really depends on our own perspectives, the point from where we stand, influenced by our own convictions, biases and prejudices. Therefore, there is always the high probability of reading and understanding the words of the Qur’an according to our pre-conceived notions and beliefs, according to our own frame of reference.
Example, the common source of men’s claim to superiority is verse 4:34, which, in Yusuf Ali’s translation reads: “Men are the protectors of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means”. A man asserting his superiority would stop at the first phrase, “Men are the protectors of women...” But a women’s advocate would go on and emphasize the condition, “because they support them from their means”, arguing that if it was God’s intention to declare man’s superiority over women in general, then why the need to qualify? The verse could have been revealed simply as “Men are protectors of women”. Period.
Second, the reading of the Holy Qur’an poses a linguistic problem especially to those of us who are not familiar with the Arab language. Looking at the same verse 4:34, Pickthall translates it as “Men are in charge of women”. Shakir’s translation reads: “Men are the maintainers of women”. Which translation one adopts really depends on from what perspective he looks at the verse. As a “feminist”, I would adopt Shakir’s translation, that men are merely maintainers of women, because of their responsibility to provide (nafaqah), and not “protectors” or “in charge” of women, because honestly, that is how I want the verse to mean! Can one sincerely say that he or she is not guilty of the same tendency?
Third, since the Holy Qur’an was revealed at a specific social and historical context, it is necessary to consider the specific occasion on which a certain verse was revealed (asbab-al-nuzul). Again, looking at verse 4:34, said verse was revealed in relation to a marital dispute. Could it not therefore be assumed that the verse was speaking of the relationship between a husband and wife, and not of men and women in general? Of the husband’s role as protector and maintainer of his wife, and not of men’s role in general as protectors and maintainers of women as a whole?
Fourth, in our attempt to cite Qur’anic verses supporting ideologies we espouse, we tend to read verses individually, each verse separate, isolated and unrelated to other verses in the Qur’an. Once, in a discussion about polygamy, we were citing verse 4:3 which, accordingly, allowed such practice, “if you fear that you will not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three or four!” The verse goes on to say “If you fear that you will not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one”. To further prove that Islam actually advocates monogamy as the original and ideal state of marriage, I volunteered verse 4:129 which states “but you will never be able to deal justly between wives even if it is your ardent desire”. I was appalled when somebody stopped me, saying I should not include that because that is a totally different verse.
But should not the Holy Qur’an be read in its totality and entirety? In a book where one finds conflicting and even contradicting statements, a book which opens itself to human interpretation, is it not essential to read it as a whole, and search for the general principles and values it embodies to serve as basis for such interpretation?
There are many more elements of Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis, clarification or interpretation) such that a significant number of Muslim scholars propose the fluidity and dynamism of the meaning of the Qur’an. A fluidity which seems to suggest its openness to free interpretation. This belief is further strengthened by the existence of different schools of thought in Islam, as a result of the varied interpretations of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Personally, I have always wondered why the Muslim ummah is not institutionalized like that of the Catholic Church. It was only after realizing these dynamics that I appreciated the freedom Islam afforded its believers in practicing and living the kind of Islam they believe in. And most importantly, I think I have finally grasped one of the possible meanings behind the verse “There is no compulsion in religion”.
Perhaps this is best illustrated by a famous Hadith where the Prophet stated that every mujtahid (a person who applies original analysis and independent judgement to legal issues) is correct. If the mujtahid is correct in his or her ijtihad (the exercise of independent or original analysis on legal issues; the science of interpretation and rule-making), he or she receives two bounties, and if he or she is wrong, he or she receives one, presumably for exerting the effort to reach the correct answer. Accordingly, individual Muslims who were not mujtahids were free to select the school of jurisprudence they found most convincing and follow its guidance. Islam guaranteed for each individual the freedom of choice in such matters because ultimately, each Muslim will have to account personally to God for that individual’s own choices.
Now as mentioned earlier, there are many schools of thought in Islam: the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali, Ja’fari, Zaydi, Ibadi and Isma’ili and other extinct schools. But most famous are the first four jurisprudential schools mentioned. It is very much worthy to note a statement made by one of the most respected jurists, Abu Hanifa, “I believe that my opinions are correct but I am cognizant of the fact that my opinions may be wrong. I also believe that the opinions of my opponents are wrong, but I am cognizant of the fact that they may be correct.”
There was also a time when the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur (d. 158/775) offered to adopt al-Muwatta’ of al-Imam Malik b. Anas (d. 179/775) as the uniform law of the land. Malik refused, arguing that there were many established juristic practices in different areas of the Muslim world and there was no legitimate reason to impose legal uniformity upon the various territories. Reportedly, Malik argued that no one fuqaha (jurist) or juristic tradition may have an exclusive claim over the divine truth.
Having known that such great Muslim fuqahas uttered such words, manifesting such humility, acknowledging the rights of other Muslims to their own convictions about Islam and even refusing to have their own juristic tradition adopted as the uniform law of the land in respect of that right, it is indeed a great shame to see that some people of this generation, claiming to be Muslims, worst, feigning authority to speak in God’s Name, actually have the tenacity to impose, even to the extent of taking lives, to force their own interpretation of what is Islam.
But then again, I may not be in the position to judge them as I reiterate my ignorance on this matter. What has been presented are based merely on some readings done in such a limited period of time. I admit I still have a long, long way to go. Who knows, maybe at the end of my journey, I will end up echoing their voices. To borrow a traditional Muslim’s expression when giving opinions about Islam, Allah Knows Best.
But for now, this is my conviction and I intend to stand by it. And lest I be accused of being an insolent Muslim woman, allow me to stress that it is not my intention to claim superiority over men, God forbid! In fact I have the highest regard and respect for my father and my husband, such that in some matters, I have accepted their authority and superiority over me. I am even slowly finding myself seeking the approval of my brother in some concerns, a brother who is eleven years younger than I am. But never on the basis of their being men because they never imposed that, directly or impliedly, upon me! But because through the years, they have earned and have consistently proven that they are worthy of my respect and obedience.
And it is with much pride and thanks to Allah that I share with you, these men actually believes in the equality of men and women before Allah. My father was vigorously shaking his head at the story of my sister, saying such statements were totally wrong and uncalled for. My husband strongly supports me and believes in my advocacy such that we have come to an agreement that if there is a need for me to go out, like the one in Indonesia, he cancels his out-of-town engagements to be home with the children. The more I realize this, the more my respect for them increases. And somehow, they have returned that respect I have given them, which I would like to believe, they afforded me not on the basis of my being a woman, but because, perhaps, I have earned and deserved it.
But alas, not all Muslim men are like my father, husband and brother. There will always be some who, instead of working hard to earn a woman’s respect, just cowers behind the illusion of his inherent superiority over women. And there will be others who, perhaps out of their own weakness, fears and insecurities, are uncomfortable with and are threatened by the strength, courage and confidence of the true Muslim woman.