Book: US Muslim Women Americanizing masaajid

There was an article last week, by Reuters that talks about Donna Gehrke-White’s book “The Face Behind the Veil” and the “Americanization” of masjids. The article describes some of the programs American Muslim women are now involved in to encourage more female participation.

“The other thing is that women are Americanizing the mosques, bringing in Brownie (scout) troops, self-help programs” — common adjuncts to other houses of worship but not often seen in places where mosques were there for prayer and nothing more, added Gehrke-White

Some of the sisters the author spoke to are amongst those striving to get an education

There is Zarinah in Arizona who wore a scarf from sixth grade on who is now a law student with boundless enthusiasm.

“Muslim women were once teachers, scholars, leaders on the battleground and naval commanders,” she tells the author. “I feel our generation and the next generation will be reclaiming that history”

Not sure what she is referring to about Naval Commanders, but as for “reclaiming history”, there is no doubt that there is nothing new about Muslim female Islamic scholarship. And we’re not just talking about a few notable exceptions, but a norm. Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooqi states in this article:

Further account of the women scholars’ contribution can be found in the works of Ibn Hajar, the author of the most important commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari. In one of his works, he provides short biographical accounts of no less than about 170 prominent women of the eighth century. Most of them were hadith scholars and under many of whom the author himself had studied. According to him, some of these women were acknowledged as the best traditionists of the period.

For example, Juwayriya bint Ahmad, studied a range of works on traditions, under scholars both male and female. She then taught at the great colleges of the time, and then offered famous lectures on various Islamic disciplines, which used to attract an audience of high reputes. Some of Ibn Hajar’s own teachers and many of his contemporaries attended her discourses. Another teacher of him was A’isha bin Abd al-Hadi (723-816). She was regarded as the finest traditionist of her time. Students from diverse backgrounds used to travel long distances ”in order to sit at her feet and study the truths of religion.”

He also notes that many of these women achieved the highest levels of scholarship male or female: 

Karima al-Marwaziyya (d. 463/1070), is one of those names that we should proudly know and remember, “who was considered the best authority on the Sahih of al-Bukhari in her own time. Abu Dharr of Herat, one of the leading scholars of the period, attached such great importance to her authority that he advised his students to study the Sahih under no one else, because of the quality of her scholarship.” Among her students were al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, a noted Islamic scholar and historian.

It is important that these programs are in the masjids and Islamic Centers because many women get disenchanted at the anti-women policies imported from overseas. This is especially hard, I can image for a Western Female Convert. But the fact is that, relative to history, the thinking that the women should remain ignorant is actually what is new.  

The conditions of the Muslim world in general, and that of Muslim women in particular, stand in sharp contrast with the Islamic vision and heritage that continued through many centuries after the Prophet. Today, Muslim women are rarely welcome in the public life and especially in the mosque, let alone being part of our pool of educators, experts and mentors. This has created serious disenchantment among the women in the Muslim world, and turned some of them into bitter opponent to religion in general and Islam in particular. The existing conditions are a clear perversion of Islamic teachings and guidance. The absence of women scholars has also caused a great imbalance in our Islamic discourse in general and Islamic law (fiqh) in particular, by leaning toward the most extremely restrictive positions, opinions and provisions for the women

So as one can see, although many media outlets thought that Morocco’s 50 women graduates  was something new, “unprecedented” or even “first of its kind”, in reality it is not. It is a return to the roots. Dr. Farooqi says in his call for a return to female scholarship:

This does require no less than a revolutionary change, but it is an Islamic must. It is like turning Islam in our lives downside up, because Islam as we understand and practice it has been turned upside down. Muslims need to coalesce together to revive this glorious tradition of women’s scholarship. Without them, our society would be fundamentally deficient and imbalanced, which will be reflected in all walks of our lives. That is why we again need women scholars back: THEY MUST BLOOM AGAIN.

Not only is this return needed in Islamic sciences, but in all fields

Link: US women Americanizing mosques, book finds

Link: Toward Women Friendly Mosques

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