Female Muslim Research Articles

Digital Marketing Strategies and Consumer Behaviour: Insights into Online Purchase Intention for Halal Cosmetics in Malaysia

This study examines digital marketing strategies and consumer behaviour, focusing on online purchase intention for halal cosmetics in Malaysia as purchasing shifts from physical stores to online platforms post-COVID. It introduces a novel framework investigating the direct and indirect effects of social media engagement, halal brand awareness, and halal brand quality on online purchase intention, with attitude as a mediating factor, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). An online survey was conducted in 2024 among 268 Muslim females aged 18 to 26 (Gen Z) using 5-point Likert scale questions and convenience random sampling, with data analysed through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings reveal that social media engagement, halal brand awareness, and halal brand quality significantly influence online purchase intention, with attitude as a crucial mediator in these relationships. These results highlight the importance of fostering positive consumer attitudes through effective social media engagement, strong halal branding, and an emphasis on product quality. Future research could expand the framework to include older demographics, additional regions, and moderating factors like income level, education, and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) to provide deeper insights into online purchasing behaviours for halal cosmetics.

Redefining Leadership: The Role of Spirituality and Motherhood in Muslim Women’s Educational Leadership

This study explores the perspectives and experiences of three Muslim female headteachers in Islamic schools in England, each with over twenty years of experience, to understand how they perceive and negotiate their leadership roles. Using Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s theory of agency and structure, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted in three phases: 2010–2012, and 2018–2020. The rich longitudinal data, despite the limited sample size, provided an in-depth understanding of emerging themes around Muslim women’s leadership in British Islamic schooling. Analysis reveals that these headteachers conceptualise leadership through the Islamic principles of imāmah (spiritual leadership), qiwāmah (guardianship), and amānah (trusteeship), emphasising ethical responsibility, continuous learning, and service-oriented leadership. Their leadership within this framework is neither submissive to men’s authority nor rivalling it but acts as an autonomous agency through the Tawḥīdi (Oneness of God) theological framework and akhlāq (ethical framework), defending chosen values within the Ibādah (worship; acts of devotion to God alone) context. Motherhood is seen as intrinsic to their leadership, with nurturing, guiding, and supporting roles extending from home to school, challenging the dichotomy between private and public spheres. This paper contends that the current educational leadership models are predominantly Western, failing to capture the unique experiences and perspectives of female Muslim leaders who reject framing their perspectives within feminist parameters. Advocating a decolonised approach, centring these women’s coherent religious conceptual frameworks, the study suggests that these leaders’ practices offer a unique perspective on educational leadership, blending spiritual, ethical, and communal responsibilities, and calls for further research to explore the identified themes in broader contexts.

Zoraida and Carcayona

Studies on the representation of Muslim women in early modern Spanish literature are not numerous, and aspects of their religious identities and conversions are usually less examined. This paper focuses on the role of female Muslim characters in texts written between the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries in Spain. In these works the female protagonists convert to a new faith: One to Islam, the other to Christianity. In doing so, they cut ties with the fatherly figure in order to follow the new religion. My research attempts to answer two questions: What does the paternal house represent in regards to the faith that the daughters are rejecting? What role does Islam play in the different approach to female characters’ faith? In order to carry out my study, I analyze two texts: The first one is La leyenda de la doncella Carcayona (Legend of the Damsel Carcayçiyona) (Aragon, c. 1587), where the protagonist, Carcayçiyona, abandons paganism for Islam; the second is Miguel de Cervantes’s “The Captive’s Tale” (“Historia del cautivo”), a novella inserted in his famous Don Quixote, Part I (Madrid, 1605), where Zoraida, the daughter of a wealthy and powerful Algerian Muslim, converts from Islam to Christianity. By setting parallels among the female protagonists’ religious conversion and focusing on their voluntary estrangement from their fathers, I argue that in both texts, fathers represent the rejected faith while daughters are depicted as the carriers of the newly adopted religion, be it Islam or Christianity. More importantly, since in both cases women are formerly or newly converted Muslims, and the texts are produced in a Christian-ruled nation, this paper underscores the complexities of the encounters between Islam and Christianity in a Mediterranean setting.

American and European Muslim Female Bloggers Increase Their Preaching Efforts in Social Media

This article investigates the evolving landscape of religious agitation in the digital age, focusing specifically on the religious propaganda activities of female bloggers in the USA and Europe. In today’s society, religious discourse is increasingly being held on various social media channels, shaping a new trend in religious agitation. Muslim female bloggers are emerging as influential voices on these platforms, employing diverse preaching methods and discussing certain feminine topics aimed at Muslim women. This research employs a mix of quantitative, qualitative, and empirical methodologies to discover the peculiarities of the sermons delivered by them. An extensive analysis was performed to evaluate their rising influence, audience interaction, and how they differ from their male counterparts. Additionally, this study examines how Muslim female bloggers are transforming the face of the Islamic call in the USA and Europe by adopting a feminist approach. Importantly, our research work highlights the activities of non-hijabi Muslim bloggers who are influencing Western Muslim women in social media. We examine the religious discourse of Western female and male Muslim bloggers by juxtaposing their preaching activities. Besides, a comparison is made between the female Muslim bloggers in Western regions and the Islamic world. This article underscores the profound influence of social media on religious discourse and highlights their contributions to religious discourse in the digital age.

Pengaruh Pemahaman Materi Akhlak Berpakaian Terhadap Etika Berbusana Muslimah Pada Siswi Kelas XII Di MAN 1 Kota Bogor

This research aims to: (1) To Know and explain the level of understanding of class XII female students regarding the material on dress morals at MAN 1 Bogor City, (2) To Know and explain the level of application of Muslim dress ethics for class XII female students at MAN 1 Bogor City, (3) To know and explain the influence of understanding the material on morals of dress on the dress ethics of Muslim female in class XII at MAN 1 Bogor CityThis research uses quantitative methods with the data analysis technique used, namely simple linear regression with t-test. The number of samples in this study was 51 respondents with sample determination using random sampling techniques. The data collection technique is by distributing questionnaires. Based on the data obtained, it shows that the level of understanding of class XII female students' clothing morals is in the very high category with an average value of 69.37 and the level of clothing ethics of class XII female Muslim students is included in the high category with an average value of 62.09. The results of the research show that understanding the material on morals in clothing has a positive effect on the ethical clothing of Muslim female in class XII at MAN 1 Bogor City. This can be seen from the results of a simple analysis where the equation Y = 11.806 + 0.725X is obtained. The t-test results showed that tcount was 5,947 > ttable 1,677 with a significance of 0.000 < 0.05. So, Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. The influence of understanding clothing morals on Muslim females clothing ethics is 41.9%, while the remaining 58.1% is explained by other variables that were not studied.

Intersectional marginalisation of female Muslim tourists

Marginalisation in tourism is a prevailing social issue but gets compounded by multiple social identities. Guided by intersectionality theory, this constructivist grounded study provides an interpretive understanding of the intricate roles and influences of combined gendered and religious identities in compounding female Muslims’ marginalisation in tourism. Based on purposive and theoretical sampling, 27 interviews were conducted. This study extends the literature by finding that one situation involves single interaction between gender and religious identities, producing either gender-focused intersectional marginalisation that was amplified by Islamic cultural practices or religion-focused intersectional marginalisation that was amplified by the female gender identity, while another situation generates gender-focused and religion-focused intersectional marginalisation simultaneously. The Fijian context, a Muslim-minority and non-western setting in the Oceania-Pacific region, entailed both similarities and differences of intersectional marginalisations in comparison with global counterparts.

The Islamic Worldview and Language Proclivity: The Case of Modern Brunei

Brunei is undergoing a language transition, with younger generations favoring English over Malay, raising concerns about the potential impact on the Islamic worldview traditionally tied to Malay. This study examines the relationship between language preference and the Islamic worldview among 67 young female Bruneian Muslims, using an online survey to assess their language use, religious identity, and perspectives on Islamic and Western ideologies. Findings reveal strong alignment with Islamic beliefs on divine matters but ambivalence on contemporary social issues like gender and dating, particularly among English-preferring participants. While a weak association between English proclivity and a Western worldview was observed, it was not statistically significant. This study highlights the complexities of language and religious identity in a globalized context, emphasizing the need for further research and adaptive strategies in Islamic education to address linguistic and ideological shifts.

The Role of Culture in Shaping Female Characters: A Critical Analysis of Mawar Safei's Selected Short Stories from the Perspective of "Mahabbah"

Culture is an identity formed by members of a society as a reference for intellectual development and is expressed in various forms, including the literature of that society. Accordingly, this study aims to discuss the role of culture in influencing character formation portrayed in Malay literary works. Focusing on female characters, this paper explores Mawar Safei’s tendency to elevate the image of the Malay Muslim woman in her works. This inclination provides justification for the capability of female authors to portray the ideal female Malay character from their own perspective. This is an important topic to address, given previous research findings that tend to align the depiction of female Malay Muslim characters with Western thought models. These findings have sparked a paradigm of reductionism or the neglect of Malay-Islamic philosophical aspects and worldview in discussions of female characters in literary works. Thus, the current study examines the role of culture in shaping female Muslim characters using an analysis framework based on the Islamic concept of Mahabbah (divine love for Allah) to emphasise the author’s commitment to this aspect. The discussion on Malay culture based on the concept of Mahabbah is subsequently focused on three of Mawar Safei’s short stories—Gempa Pulau Perca, Antara Dua Rumah di Lereng Bukit, and Tangan Umi dan Takwil Mimpi—in the short story collection Narasi Tanah Selandia Baru dan Kisah Lainnya (2021). The analysis and findings conclude that the cultural elements used in shaping the female Muslim characters in Mawar Safei’s works reflect the intellectual depth of a female author in guiding the intellectual development of her readers.

Consequences of TV morning show consumption among female muslim millennials in Pakistan during COVID-19: Based on the stress–strain model

Consequences of TV morning show consumption among female muslim millennials in Pakistan during COVID-19: Based on the stress–strain model

Female Muslim Tourism and Familial Caretaking: Intersection of Gender and Religion

Underpinned by intersectionality theory, this study deciphered female Muslims’ tourism experiences associated with the gendered practice of familial caretaking, which was amplified by Islamic cultural practices of huqooq-ul-ibaad representing collectivist welfare; males’ qawamum role as financial maintainer socializing females into caretaker and virtue ethics of akhlaaq, reinforcing feminist care ethics. Religion influences ambivalent discourses of caretaking and tourism, involving positive and negative experiences of separateness and togetherness with family. Traditionally, familial caretaking is prioritized over tourism, while contemporary familial caretaking is executed through tourism (i.e., regular caretaking; tourism as a form of familial care). Contemporary female Muslims are empowered through tourism to focus on self-care and gender equality in caretaking, which also emphasizes alternative Islamic perspectives (e.g., Rabbatul-bait positioning as queen of the house, unlike subordination). This study unveiled cultural similarities and differences in female Muslims from a religious-minority context. Tourism stakeholders are encouraged to accommodate cultural diversities and address caretaking constraints.

Critical pedagogical engagement with Muslim geographies

In this commentary, I delve into critical pedagogical engagement with Muslim geographies and the Dīn of Islam, daring to go beyond the decolonial. I begin with an exploration of Sidaway's (2023a) discussion of ‘decolonising Muslim Geographies’ in the context of the pedagogical engagement of a female Muslim teacher of geography. I will develop an argument which will encourage critical geographers to ‘learn’ from Muslim geographies in deep and meaningful ways through the rich influential and intellectual traditions within the Dīn of Islam. My reflections will directly respond to Sidaway's call for a possible paradigm shift within the parameters of Eurocentric thinking to share Islamic epistemologies embedded in my own pedagogical approach. This will encompass rich and diverse intellectual traditions of Islam and geographical understanding of the concept of al-Mizān (balance) for the world that we all share.

A research need: exploring the experiences and behaviours of veiled Muslim female tourists in Western destinations

ABSTRACT Previous research has explored the dress code, behaviour, motivations, and experiences of Western and Asian female tourists during their visits to Western, Asian, and Islamic destinations. However, there is a paucity of research that explores the behaviour and perspectives of hijab-wearing female Muslim tourists when visiting Western destinations for tourism purposes. Furthermore, despite the fact that some studies have explored the experiences of Muslim women in Islamic destinations (i.e. Malysia and Turkey) there remains a significant research gap in examining the travel experiences and behaviours of veiled female Muslim tourists who visit Western destinations. This is surprising considering the significant market potential presented by Muslim women who travel to Western destinations and their patterns of consumption. This research note serves to encourage scholarly inquiry into the experiences, coping mechanisms, spatial and socio-contextual factors, and constraints faced by veiled Muslim female tourists in Western countries, while advocating for a comparative analysis with Asian and Western counterparts to facilitate a holistic comprehension of their travel experiences.

Accidental ingestion of scarf/hijab pins in Muslim females of Kashmir Valley

Background: Hijab pin ingestion is common in the Kashmiri population, especially among young females. This is attributed to the tradition of wearing hijab in adolescent girls and young women. Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted to identify the incidence of hijab pin ingestion in the Muslim females of Kashmir Valley. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, Srinagar, from February 2022 to December 2023. It was a prospective study comprising 60 female patients above the age of 12 years having a history of accidental ingestion of hijab pins. History and clinical examination were followed by chest and abdominal radiographs. Data were collected and inferences were drawn. Results: The study included 60 patients presenting to the emergency with a history of accidental ingestion of pin. The majority of patients, that is, 30 (50%) were 25–35 years of age. Most patients 40 (67%) were asymptomatic at presentation with 20 (33.33%) patients presenting to the hospital within2–3 h of ingestion. Foreign body (FB) had reached the small intestine in 22 (36.67%) patients at the time of presentation. Moreover, 1 (1.67%) patient had extraluminal migration of the FB. In our study, 46 patients had a normal passage of FB through the gastrointestinal tract. Most of the patients, that is, 46 (76.67%) were managed conservatively. Only 2 (6.67%) patients needed surgical intervention. Conclusion: FB ingestion is common among the young females of Kashmir Valley. Adequate follow-up is necessary to prevent long-term complications.

Examining the moderating role of travel motivation in the process of negotiating travel constraints to travel alone of Indonesian muslim female travelers

The number of Asian female solo travelers, especially in the Muslim women travel market, has increased significantly due to the changes in social structures and women empowerment. However, Muslim women face unique travel constraints related to gender, social responsibilities, cultural norms, and religious practices, which need to be negotiated when attempting to travel alone. This constraint negotiation process of Muslim women should gain more attention in tourism literature. Thus, the study aims to examine the relationships between travel constraints, negotiation strategies, motivation, and intention to travel alone among Indonesian Muslim women. The structured survey was distributed, and 484 valid responses were collected. The data were then analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results confirm the significant effects of travel constraints on negotiation and travel intention. The moderating roles of travel motivation in the constraint negotiation model are partly supported. The finding of this paper provides insights into the perspectives and travel behavior of Indonesian Muslim women. The results may lack generalizability but offer an opportunity for future studies to further explore the relationships between the proposed constructs. Practically, providers of tourism services should create suitable offerings to meet the distinct requirements of female Muslim travelers.

Development Of Customer Requirements and Design Criteria of Hijab Via Quality Function Deployment Among Female Muslim Students in the Faculty of Management at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Development Of Customer Requirements and Design Criteria of Hijab Via Quality Function Deployment Among Female Muslim Students in the Faculty of Management at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Advancing Muslim Modest Fashion Clothing

The rise of digital marketing involves leveraging fashion influencers, like bloggers and celebrities, to expand brand reach and drive sales, more notably in the post-pandemic era. In the realm of modest fashion, young female Muslim influencers have played a significant role, tapping into a vast market and positively impacting the global economy. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the impact of these influencers on female modest fashion consumers' decisions associated with their visible Muslim identity and to understand the fashion-faith landscape through the challenges for the influencers. Driven by the theory of two-step communication flow among fashion opinion leaders and fashion consumers, this study adopted a qualitative approach and a research design underlying hermeneutic phenomenology by using semi-structured interviews with modest fashion consumers and secondary source information about influencers. The findings offer valuable insights for consumers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers to support the modest fashion trend and promote a dignified Muslim identity.

The influence of social media content on attitude, destination image and intention of female Muslim travelers to visit halal destinations: comparison between UGC and FGC

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how user-generated content (UGC) and firm-generated content (FGC) in social media affect attitudes toward halal tourism destinations, destination image and visit intentions among female Muslim (Muslimah) travelers. It also examines the role of travel habits as the moderating variable.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (TIB) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore the motivation of Muslimah travelers to visit halal destinations. The survey was completed by 284 Indonesian Muslimah respondents who had visited halal tourism destinations in Indonesia. The SEM-PLS statistical technique was used to verify the associations between variables.FindingsThis study’s findings offer valuable insights for both theoretical understanding and practical applications. They suggest that both UGC and FGC significantly predict attitudes toward halal tourism and destination image, thereby influencing the visiting intentions of Muslimah travelers. Although UGC does not directly influence visiting intentions, it does play a significant role in shaping visiting intentions through its mediating effect on attitudes toward halal tourism destinations. In addition, the results indicate that habit positively moderates the relationship between attitudes toward halal tourism and visiting intentions.Originality/valueThis research contributes uniquely and significantly in two aspects. First, it merges the TIB with the TPB to elucidate the decision-making process of Muslimah travelers when selecting halal destinations. This integration illuminates new insights into the intentions of Muslimah tourists. Second, this study examines the respective influences of UGC and FGC on the visiting intentions of Muslimah travelers to halal tourism destinations. By comparing UGC and FGC, the research provides valuable insights into the decision-making processes of Muslimah tourists. Given Indonesia’s status as home to the largest Muslim population globally, this study offers a novel perspective on the traveling behavior of Muslimahs and practical recommendations for the Indonesian tourism sector in the establishment and promotion of Muslim-friendly destinations within the country.

Resilience of Women with Dual Roles in Higher Education Institutions: A Comparative Study of Indonesian and Malaysian Female Muslim Lecturer

<p><span lang="EN-GB">This paper aims to compare the resilience of Muslim women Lecturer with dual roles in Indonesia (INa) and Malaysia (IMa). There are five indicators used, namely Wagnild and Yong indicators which are derived into 25 sub-indicators. The interview instrument is broken down from the 25 sub-indicators. This research uses a phenomenological qualitative approach. Data were obtained by interview method, offline and online. There are six Muslim women Lecturer who became informants, three from Indonesian universities, and the rest from Malaysian universities. The discussion is presented by displaying the results of data analysis from Atlas.ti in the form of WordCloude, making it easier for readers to see the comparison. The first indicator of Equanimity, in Indonesia positive thinking is more dominant, while in Malaysia reflection is more dominant. Second, Perseverance indicators, which emerged from the two countries were purpose and intention (INa), meaningfulness (IMa). Third, Self Resiliance INa is Self-Confident, and IMa is Spirit. Fourth, there are five categories whose portions are balanced, (INa) namely Helpful, Ability, Greatful, Insatiate, and Resilient. While the IMa that appears is the Meaningfulness category. Fifth, the Existential Aloneness Indicator INa consists of Indifferent and Intuitive, while IMa is Indifferent and Cheerful. The results show strategies that can be used to improve resilience, such as developing a positive mindset, finding meaning in work, and building self-confidence.</span></p>

THE DETERMINANT ANALYSIS OF SERVICE QUALITY AND GOJEK'S MATCHING ALGORITHM ON THE SATISFACTION OF MUSLIMAH CUSTOMERS IN SURABAYA

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to determine the partial influence of service quality and matching algorithm on the satisfaction of female muslim (muslimah) student customers using Gocar services in Surabaya. The research aims to investigate the effect of these two variables. The selection of a ride-hailing service catering to Muslimah-friendly preferences in Surabaya is driven by the increasing demand for such specialized services that are satisfy and safe for Muslimah. Method: Data for this research were collected through questionnaires distributed to 100 muslimah students using Gocar services in Surabaya as the research sample. Surabaya was chosen due to the high demand of this service compared to most other cities in Indonesia. The mixed-method approach involved quantitative analyses such as validity and reliability tests, classic assumption tests, t-tests, F-tests, and the coefficient of determination. Additionally, qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of customer experiences. Results: The result is both service quality and matching algorithm have a positive impact on customer satisfaction, both individually and simultaneously. However, some criticisms were identified, such as excessive interaction from drivers that made customers uncomfortable and long waiting times for pick-up due to distant driver locations. Conclusion and suggestion: Achieving customer satisfaction is crucial for any company, including Gojek, as the provider of Gocar services. To address customer satisfaction issues, Gojek should provide training on appropriate customer interactions for drivers and improve the matching algorithm to ensure closer driver-customer proximity without relying solely on Gocar instant points.

Sartorial subversion in subculture of Malaysian female Muslim punks

Punk culture, with its hallmark rebellious aesthetic, often stands in stark contrast to the modesty prescribed by Islamic traditions, particularly regarding women's attire. This article explores the sartorial practices of female Muslim punks in Malaysia, investigating the complex interplay of gender, religion, and subcultural identities within the Malaysian context. Employing an ethnographic approach, we examine how these women use dress for self-expression, empowerment, and resistance, challenging the historic oversights in punk discourse. Introducing the conceptual framework of ‘the localization of subculture’, our research provides a theoretical model for understanding how global subcultures, like punk, adapt to local contexts, leading to unique cultural expressions. Examining individual approaches to dress practices, our findings demonstrate the ability of the Malaysian punk community to deconstruct conventional norms and actively construct meanings of its own. This article invites a re-evaluation of subculture studies and advocates rethinking what we know about subcultures by considering local influences.