Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v university in rabat and later went to paris, where she worked briefly as a journalist. Reports by eyewitnesses, experts, and companions of the prophet muhammad. And the veil challenging historical muslim women ij. Arab book world in this expanded and updated edition, with a new. The following entry presents an overview of mernissi s career through 2001. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the. Fatema mernissi 19402015 was a leading advocate for womens rights in the muslim world. In beyond the veil, fatima mernissi argues that the islamic view of women as. Mernissi s works have been translated into thirty languages.
Mernissis discourse on the veil, which has unsurprisingly been welcomed. As scholar fatima mernissi puts it, the existing inequality does not rest on an ideological or biological theory of womens inferiority, but the outcome of specific social institutions designed to restrain her power beyond xvi. Fatima barkatulla islam and the veil muslim central. Womens oppression, she maintains, is due to the political manipulation of religion by powerseeking, archaic muslim male elites. I suppose i expected a feminist look at modern muslim culture, and this book is really more a theological look at womens rights and a historical look at how various verses of the koran that are used to justify antifeminist sentiments in muslim cultures came to be included.
Beyond the veil is the result of her doctoral research. She looks back through fifteen centuries of islam and uncovers a hidden history of women who have held the reins of power, but whose lives and stories, achievements and. Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v from the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Mirror on the veil, offers a refreshing and important look at the. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society revised ed 1st midland book ed by f mernissi isbn. The christian perspective on womens status and role in islamic societies is. Jul, 2017 fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. As fatima mernissi underscores in beyond the veil, imam ghazali in his book gives a detailed description of how islam integrated the sexual instinct in the social order and places it at the service of god. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the stranglehold of patriarchy. Mernissi broke down the ethnocentric stereotypes western society had developed towards islam, especially islamic women. The fact that the veil was the sign of nobility was the reason why prostitutes were not permitted. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the stranglehold of patriarchy.
May 10, 2011 as fatima mernissi underscores in beyond the veil, imam ghazali in his book gives a detailed description of how islam integrated the sexual instinct in the social order and places it at the service of god. Beyond the veil, revised edition indiana university press. In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that. Fatima mernissi 1996 abstract this article has no associated abstract. Beyond the veil catalogue home national library of australia. The islamic veil or hijab refers to the loosefitting, plain and opaque outer garments which cover a muslim womans body. Moroccan born fatima mernissi was raised in a harem along with several other women, and was educated traditionally, studying the quran in an allgirls school.
From the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. I am grateful to the publishers for permission to reprint these materials. In 2003, she was awarded the prince of asturias award for literature along with susan sontag. Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society was published in 1975. Saudi arabias shadow looms long across the book, and the kingdom emerges as the quiet victor in the veils resurgence, its longtime project to export wahhabi islams more strict ways a global success. Sexual inequality is a prominent feature of both western and islamic societies, but the underlying concepts of female sexuality in christian and muslim traditions are very different. Beyond the veil by fatema mernissi english news portal. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic political and economic ends.
Click to read more about the veil and the male elite. If a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam fatima mernissi, mary jo lakeland on. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam by fatima mernissi. In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that womens oppression is not due to islam as this religion in fact celebrates womens power. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher. It contains a lot of brief, yet informative articles about different. In 1975, fatima mernissi s first book, beyond the veil, was published, and it was revolutionary. In remembrance of one of feminisms trailblazing scholars who challenged muslim orthodoxy. Regarded as a classic book in the united states, beyond the veil has never. It has long been stigmatized as a form of oppression or a symbol of backwardness. The forgotten queens of islam by fatima mernissi, paperback.
Elizabeth fernea, the university of texas at austin if a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into womens status and prospects in islamic society, this study should be the one chosen for its clarity, honesty, depth of knowledge and thoughtprovoking qualities. In this extraordinary book, now available in paperback, fatima mernissi shows that those selfproclaimed defenders of islamic tradition were not only misguided but wrong. Ibn kathir, a revered commentator of the quran, explains in his. Women of lower classes would often wear the veil to give the impression of a higher standing. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars historically portrayed women as active and in possession of an aggressive sexuality. It has become a classic on arabmuslimandmediterranean socioanthropologic work on women.
A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam, translated by mary jo lakeland new york. Women in relation to sex, education, and the original sin in judaism, christianity, and islam. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Beyond the veil, revised edition by fatima mernissi, 9780253204233, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Chapter 4 contains a fascinating and compelling critique of fatima. In this book, the author, who is both a feminist and a muslim, aims to shed light on the status of women in islam by examining and reassessing the literary sources as far back as 7th century islam. This website is for people of various faiths who seek to understand islam and muslims. Fatema mernissi is a professor of sociology at the university of mohammed v in rabat, morocco. Jun, 2011 but between the pages, laced into ahmeds account of the veil in history, the curious will find gems of scholarship and insight. By jackie duncan, mount vernon nazarene university. Beyond the veil is the result of her doctoral research and was first published in 1975. Fatima mernissi 1940 also transliterated as fatema mernissi moroccan nonfiction writer, memoirist, and editor.
A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam reprint by mernissi, fatima isbn. The veil and its meaning in islam and the judeochristian tradition, as well as a brief look at the islamic stance towards women. The veil and the male elite is a tricky book to rate, since i am definitely not its target audience. Chapter three, as a shorter article challenging media representations of the veil. Beyond the veil by fatima mernissi overdrive rakuten. A brief history of the veil in islam facing history and. In the first of a new series on bbc radio 4, ernie rea and his three guests. She distinguished islamic women from the homogenized group of third world women that western feminism had created. Publication date 1987 topics muslim women, women publisher bloomington. Mernissi, an internationally known moroccan sociologist, endeavors to show that discrimination against women, so common in the muslim world today, is not a fundamental tenet of islam as many.
A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam london. If you regularly visit this site and wish to show your appreciation, or if you wish to see further development of, please donate online. Its time to understand the islamic veil sojourners. Islam, muslim, women the veil is understood to be symptomatic of islams oppression of women. The veil signified a womans selfrespect and social status. Perseus books publishing 1994 mernissi, fatima the veil and the male elite.
Mernissi explains in her book that early muslim scholars portrayed women as aggressive hunters who forced men, reduced to weak hunted victims, to control women by imposing requirements such as veiling, which confined women to the private space. As she grew, mernissi distanced herself from traditional education, studying first at the sorbonne, at brandies university, where she earned her doctorate. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of. Contemporary muslim womens reveiling movement, in the american journal of islamic social sciences 17, 3, fall 2000. In fact, the quran supports the notion of gender equality. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of fatima mernissi author. Even with some historical and islamic inaccuracies for instance, many hadiths prophetic traditions quoted by mernissi have been outruled as inauthentic by contemporary islamic scholars, thus invalidating many of her arguments and theories, i found this book to be very interesting, and it sheds light though indirectly, and perhaps unintentionally on moroccan history and culture. Abstract this paper seeks to evaluate missiological approaches to muslim women in the light of the analysis of moroccan islamic feminist, fatima mernissi. It contains a lot of brief, yet informative articles about different aspects of islam. Sexual activity, used according to gods will, the desire of the flesh serves gods and the individuals interests in both.
She tries to demonstrate that there is a fundamental contradiction between islam as interpreted in official policy and equality between the sexes. Women and gender in islam historical roots of a modern debate. The reality of the muslim veil by fatima hussain issuu. While basically identical to the clothing depicted in traditional christian representations of mary peace be upon her and her son, and every nun who has sought to emulate her since, the hijab is readily singled out as sign of extremism, the supposedly inferior status of. In the shadow of islam the womens movement in iran. The site and the dilp are entirely supported by individual donors and well wishers. In this classic study, fatema mernissi argues that many muslim scholars.
Suad joseph university of california, davis mernissi attempts to demonstrate that official islam is in contradiction with equal. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society 9780253204233. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Fatema mernissi is a moroccan feminist and sociologist who is renowned for her work on womens rights within islam. But between the pages, laced into ahmeds account of the veil in history, the curious will find gems of scholarship and insight.
She critically examines the classical corpus of religiousjuristic texts, including the hadith, and reinterprets them from a feminist perspective. Malefemale dynamics in a muslim society mernissi, fatema on. This included the public life has provoked debate both within and without. If a reader were to select only one book in order to gain insight into womens. Audio lecture fatima barkatulla islam and the veil beyond belief with ernie rea with fatima barkatulla and other guests. The following entry presents an overview of mernissis career through 2001. Basic, 1991 the question of the role of women in islamic public life has provoked debate both within and without the community since the earliest days of the prophet. In remembrance of one of feminisms trailblazing scholars who challenged muslim orthodoxy by placing women at the centre of her enquiry. Convinced that the veil is a symbol of unjust male authority over women, in the veil and the male elite, moroccan feminist fatima mernissi aims to investigate the origins of the practice in the first islamic community.
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