RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION OF MUSLIM GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN BETWEEN PARTICULARISM AND UNIVERSALISM

Meltem Kulaçatan,Harry Harun Behr

doi:10.18784/analisa.v3i1.621

Abstract

The appeal of contemporary radical interpretations for young Muslim women and men poses a new challenge to Islamic theology and education. While attention has been given to the radicalization of young men, Muslim women remain marginalized within academic research. This article discusses gender-sensitive issues concerning radicalization. Based on the results of a pretest-study that inquires the success of ISIS regarding the recruiting of young women, aspects of universalism are approached, as constructions of gender, religion and education are discussed. Here, reconstructions of Islam between ideological, systematic and functional references of religion are taken into account.

Highlights

Muslim youngsters who join ISIS or other groups in their radical world- views are in the spotlight of media, public and political discourse
Why do young Muslim women and girls give up themselves to religious and ideological rigidity? Which kind of resources grounded on Islamic theology and education are at hand? How do scientists and actors have to react to this? What are the masks by which the increasing religious particularism and societal disintegration are disguised as presumably universalist postmodern Islamic thought?
This study found that one important motive why they desire to migrate to ISIS territory is to strengthen ummah; as ummah is perceived as a significant aspect of Islam and it plays to make collective identity (Pooley, 2015: 58)

Summary

Introduction

Muslim youngsters who join ISIS or other groups in their radical world- views are in the spotlight of media, public and political discourse. Significant numbers of Muslim women and girls have joined ISIS and similar radicalized groups Their motivations raise gender-related questions which need sensitive treatment both in the fields of pedagogy and theology. Still the media do not cover these religious aspects They have not yet understood the need for gender-sensitive theological expertise (Lamptey 2014) and for spiritual and religious orientation addressed to these young women and girls. Based on the results of the study, different overlapping items within the manifold typology of Muslim girls and young women can be described There are those of a somewhat Islamic origin in the cultural or geographical sense, or girls that have undergone some kind of mental and spiritual transformation in terms of religious awakening or inner conversion. Especially Muslim girls are in twofold danger since they are more likely to feel alienated to both the outer circle of society and the inner circle of their own Muslim solidarity-group

Literature review

Result and discussion

Conclusions with regard to islamic theology and education

Theological universalism