From Washington Post
March 8, 2013
By Samina Yasmeen
The predominance of male-dominated interpretations of canonical texts has often caused analysts and others to proclaim the inherently dangerous relationship between religion and women.
For example, the abundance of stories (some factual and others fictional) that focus on the unequal status of Muslim women’s experiences tends to reaffirm such assessments about the dangers inherent in women identifying with or practicing Islam. “Honor”-based violence against numerous Muslim women, denial of their basic human rights in the name of religious authenticity, and the extreme cases of threats to the lives of Muslim women (as so horrifically exemplified in the attack on Malala Yusufzai) validate the negative assessments of Islam’s meaning for Muslim women. But such assessments focus on Muslim women as the victims of religion and often fail to appreciate the empowerment a number of these women experience precisely as a result of their faith in the unity of God (Tawhid), and the belief in Prophet Mohammad as the last messenger of God. The agency of women by virtue of their faith is often overlooked.
Muslim history is replete with examples of women who have left their mark in religious, political or social spheres of their respective societies. They managed to do so not despite their Muslim identities but precisely because of their belief in Islam. My lovely mother, Begum Sarfraz Iqbal (1939-2003) is one of those women. Born on March 8— the International Women’s Day— she manifested all the essential characteristics of a woman determined to lead, be the agent for change, and question practices of which she did not approve. While patronizing Urdu literature in Pakistan, writing columns and books and appreciating the finer points of art and culture, she retained a hold over all those who came in contact with her. Hauntingly beautiful, with a melodious laughter and beaming honesty, she would candidly let politicians, generals and religious leaders know if and when she disagreed with their ideas and policies. Often dressed in the latest fashion outfits, it was hard to imagine that she had a strong relationship with her faith— Islam.
But she did.
