Feminist Discourse In The Muslim Societies

Abstract

The present commentary is an attempt to trace the history of feminism in the Muslims countries and see how far the western feminist frameworks has influenced or provided impetus to the benchmarks, debates and struggles. Women rights agenda any where in the world can not be decontextualized from its history, politics, economy, customs, religion, traditions and geographical location. In the Muslim countries the discourse of women activism against the societal oppression and exploitation has been linked with colonization and state power as well as. Any Study of feminism shows that its meaning changes overtime and place and therefore, diverse nature of feminism in Muslim countries. Muslim women in pursuit of their rights have distanced themselves from many aspects of western feminism. They have faced fieree opposition within their societies. As in Muslim societies feminist agendas are considered as a challenge to Islam and Islamic culture. As elaborated in the article it is seen there is not one "Islamic" position in cultural practices and the contradictory practices are the issue not the Sharia Laws in itself. The women rights agenda are not against Islam rather un- Islamic practices in the societies such as basic rights to health, education, property rights, polygamy, marital status etc.