Al-Salafiyya, Feminism and Reforms in Twentieth Century Arab-Islamic Society

Abstract

From an education perspective this article provides a periodised epistemological study of al-Salafiyya in the twentieth century. The first part describes the pivotal role of al-Salafiyya's Islamic nationalism in cultural integrity/diversity, engendered reforms and the consolidation of Islamic feminism and women's standpoint in official gender discourse. The second part documents the polarisation between al-Salafiyya and liberalism, and the resulting uneven progress in the endogenous articulations of gender in the Maghrib and the Mashriq alike. The third part unfolds al-Salafiyya's rebirth and the pivotal role of Islamic revivalism as a third orientation in governance, gender egalitarianism for contemporary Arab-Islamic society. It discusses women's leadership in institutionalising gendered postmodernist reforms and in restoring women agency in the sociopolitical and discursive power structures of contemporary Arab-Islamic society.