From my experience, the solution for the future of Muslim women is education and dialogue. One such educational effort is the True Islam campaign. The campaign highlights that True Islam advocates empowerment, education and equity for women.
Source/Credit: Journal - Sentinel
By Samantha Issam | April 26, 2016
As a feminist, one reason I chose Islam as a religion is because true Islam teaches gender equity and empowerment of women.
Before I converted to Islam, I, like many Americans, believed Islam was a religion that degraded women. News stories of child brides, honor killings and punishment for rape victims make it easy to interpret Islam's treatment of women as terrible if we solely rely on these monstrous anecdotes. Our newsfeeds are filled with stories about extremists who treat women as less than human, leaving room for critics such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali to state that Islam is "especially bigoted against women."
In my path toward Islam, I discovered that if all Muslim men actually practiced what Prophet Muhammad taught, they would be gentle, kind and equitable toward women. Instead, extremists are the brutes who lead to the question recently featured in The New York Times: "What is the Future of Women in Islam?"
Based on my experience, the answer is best left to the women of Islam — not the critics.
Not until I interacted directly with Muslim women did I find genuine understanding of the extent to which Islam empowers women to be educated, productive members of society. I attended an all-women's event in a mosque, where I participated in women-led workshops and seminars on Islamic knowledge.
I was impressed with the scholarly knowledge of the women but was even more surprised by the Muslim men at the event. I was struck to learn that there were dozens of men in the kitchen cooking for the hundreds of women. Since then, I've seen how Muslim men in my community extend themselves for the comfort of Muslim women, whom they respect. This is far from the Islam you see in the news.
Hirsi Ali, an activist of Somali origin and the author of "Infidel" and other books, has made the blanket statement: "I embrace Muslims. I reject everything that is Islamic law."
This is offensive to Muslims, considering her encounter of Islam was based on what she has learned from extremists, not authentic Islamic practice. If she or anyone wants to embrace Muslims sincerely, I invite them to come to my mosque, not denigrate someone's choice of faith. My community recently held a day dedicated to "Muhammad's treatment of women." Men and women who take the time to educate themselves on Islamic teachings will find countless examples of respect for mothers, wives and daughters.
Yet many still believe somehow that Muslim men have "ownership" over Muslim women. For many, this ownership is evidenced by the hijab, a veil that covers the head and chest, which is presumed to be oppressive. As I embraced Islam, I was free to choose my attire and in doing so found the hijab to be one of the most feminist characteristics of Islam. My hijab is a statement — I do not want to be valued for my body or my beauty, but for my intellect and talent.
From my experience, the solution for the future of Muslim women is education and dialogue. One such educational effort is the True Islam campaign. The campaign highlights that True Islam advocates empowerment, education and equity for women.
The crux of the problem is not Islam but extremists who distort the truth for personal gain and subject women to undeniable oppression and cruelty. While it is evident that these severe practices have nothing to do with Islam, it is important that we stand together against extremism — not the religion — to support Muslim women. Education and solidarity will lead to a better future for Muslim women and indeed for all humanity.
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Samantha Issam is a social media coordinator for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. She lives in Greenfield. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
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