As an American Muslim woman activist, I’m letting out a resounding, “Let’s chill out!”
The Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that Great Britain should consider accommodating aspects of Islamic law (or Shari’ah law) into its civil law was not a declaration against women or liberty. Rather, he merely proposed his own solution to the ongoing processes of reconciling the integrity of a secular state with the widely-held religious beliefs of people within that state, which may include certain legal provisions. This is, by definition, complicated, and different nations have offered different solutions. While we can disagree with the Archbishop’s conclusions, by simply (and without sufficient knowledge) disparaging Islam and Islamic law, we are frankly missing the point of this larger debate.
It seems to me that people frequently conflate the genuine hardship of some Muslim women with Islam (and Islamic law) itself, hence the assumption that Shari’ah law equals oppression of women. This is unfortunate and frankly, intellectually irresponsible. Numerous factors contribute to the positive and negative conditions of Muslim women– cultural, historical, economic and political. Of course, Islam wields enormous influence at all levels, but it is drawn upon by contesting parties to both empower and oppress women.
In terms of the law particularly, we must recognize that Islamic law is not timeless, devoid of context, and without nuance. When we make these assumptions, we actually fall into the same trap as fundamentalists and affirm their ideas. While it is true that distorted religious interpretations of scripture promote damaging attitudes towards women in some societies, the understanding of Islamic law is much more complicated than this. Shari’ah law has been interpreted and re-interpreted. Traditionally, factors such as social conservatism within particular societies, the Talibanization of Islamic legal interpretation (or its narrow interpretation), the predominance of local custom over Islamic law, and the widespread feeling of embattlement amongst many Muslims, continue to hinder these interpretations.
But I ask: why can’t the most positive aspects of Shar’iah law be applied to our contemporary contexts- starting here in the West? Wouldn’t it be to finally lift up the truth of Islam, a truth that has inspired positive social change for more than fourteen hundred years? In this truth women are granted innumerable rights and responsibilities are regarded as responsible agents as social and spiritual beings and legal persons.
In 2006 I launched an initiative to empower Muslim women to fully participate in their communities and nations, and to amplify their voices at all levels of political, economic, religious, and social discourse. Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equity (WISE) will speak with a humane and equitable voice – the Islamic voice! – and it will challenge the religious legitimacy of those who use Islam to encourage negative attitudes toward women.
As a Muslim woman, living in America my faith fuels my activism. I do not work in spite of Islam but because of it.
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