In Search of Islamic Feminism: One Woman's Global Journey

by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea

To most American readers, the very idea of "Islamic feminism" would seem a contradiction in terms. We are taught to think of Islam as a culture wherein social code and religious law alike force Muslim women to accept male authority, to throw themselves on their husband's funeral biers, to surrender to the veil...how could feminism survive under Islam, let alone flourish? Acclaimed Arab Studies scholar and bestselling author Elizabeth Fernea sets out to answer that question, traveling throughout Russia, Africa, and the Middle East, as well as Islamic communities in the United States, to interview Muslim women.



The questions Fernea poses to scores of women friends, colleagues, and acquaintances prompt a range of diverse and unpredictable responses, but in every country she visits, Fernea finds that Muslim women are hardly passive. Poor or rich, educated or illiterate, these women define their own needs, solve their own problems, and determine the boundaries of their own very real, very viable feminisms.



Since her first visits to the Arab World in the 1950s, Elizabeth Fernea has been an intelligent and unique voice in the documentation of cultures that are all too often misunderstood. In Search of Islamic Feminism offers a ground-breaking new interpretation of the status and vision of Muslim women that will open up a new world to its American readers, even as it challenges our own sense of what feminism means.

Genres: Feminism, Islam, Nonfiction, Religion, Middle East, Sociology, History

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Elizabeth Warnock Fernea was an influential writer, filmmaker, and anthropologist who spent much of her life in the field producing numerous ethnographies and films that capture the struggles and turmoil of African and Middle Eastern cultures. Her husband, the anthropologist Robert A. Fernea, was a large influence in her life. Fernea is commonly regarded as a pioneer for women in the field of Middle East Studies.

Reviews

[Lulu Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feminism and Islam can never go hand-in-hand, or so one would think. Islam has always been portrayed as a religion that is chauvinistic and uncompromising, static and fixed. We’ve seen and heard of honour killings, prosecution of rape victims and the uproar over the wearing of hijab.

But one lady has managed to dispel these myths as she goes in search of feminism in Islam. She has the advantage (being a woman) and contacts (her friends from her years of living in Middle East countries) to go into this elusive world so as to set the record straight.

Ms Fernea first came to the Middle East in 1956 with her social anthropologist husband, settling in a small southern Iraqi village. There, she was instantly embraced by the local women who ironically pitied her for being left alone without any family support or material possession. They taught her not only the local recipes and language but also their culture. Of this humbling experience, she said, “It made me re-evaluate my view of the world of women.” This book was written 40 years later during the course of her second visit. She had wanted to see for herself the changes being brought about by the changing governmental, social and economic structure of this modern day and age.

The biggest surprise she discovered is Iraq. At that time, circa 1996, Iraq was ruled by Saddam Hussein and was still reeling from the effects of the 1991 Gulf War. Described by the West as being an evil dictator that violated every form of human rights, surprisingly, Saddam Hussein’s Government has done the most to protect Iraqi women’s rights. In fact, Iraqi women are the most liberated of all in the Middle East. Their literacy rate is the highest at 85 per cent and they received support in maternity (6 months of fully-paid leave), childcare and healthcare. The Iraqi Women Federation boasts a membership of 1.5 million, all of whom are educated and are in organisational positions ready to carry out the political and social aims of the federation.

According to Haifa Abdul Rahman, who is the federation’s Deputy Secretary, Muslim feminists don’t agree with the concept of its Western counterparts who fights for equality and the right to individuality, which in turn will separate the women from her family. The Islamic version is more family-oriented where family members should rally around the women and children.

Most Muslim feminists believe the oppression of women is more based on culture, misinterpretation and malpractices of the teaching of the Quran. With these discoveries, Ms Fernea strongly believes an Islamic feminist is a woman with extraordinary survival skills who constructs a self according to the company she keeps and the place she lives in.

This book is a balanced account of the lives of women in the Middle East, with a central focus on Islam and feminism. As life in the Middle East changes in tandem with globalisation, the society itself must adapt to these changes. The Islamic faith is seen as a guide for the women and men with a particular emphasis on women’s place in history and Muslim women are not as passive as they’re believed to be. The women have not only become the subjects of intense debate but also active participants in that discourse. This may be an intense read but worthwhile the time spent!

[Sarah Lameche · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book. The author traveled to several countries trying to see if there really are feminist Muslims. I loved being able to discover different viewpoints of being a female living in a specific country. What feminism meant to them and if they even found it relevant to their lives. Then I could put the book down and contemplate on it before moving on to the next country. Its the kind of book where you could read about one country, put the book away whilst reading something different, then go back to it.
If there was an updated version of this book I would definitely read it to see how things have (have not) progressed in those countries.
What saddens me about this book is the hijab. The main consensus throughout most of these countries is that hijab is not a feminist issue for them. These women don't care about a piece of material when all they want is to eat. Or feed the poor. Or get a Job. Their lives aren't focused on the scarf but its the west that is making the scarf such a big issue. Now this saddens me because this is still true so many years later.

I wear the scarf and it's my choice to do so. Of course I do not want any law telling me that I have to wear it or that I'm not allowed to. However why is it such an issue for other people? Why are Muslim women now getting defined by a scarf? Really is that all people can talk about? Obviously not. But there is more to Islam than hijab and terrorism. Not all Muslims wear the hijab and certainly no TRUE Muslims are terrorists.
Anyway I digress. The point is do all feminists want the same thing? Different things are not so important when put into perspective. It seems to me the women want to have rights. To be heard. Not to live hand to mouth. To have security. Is that feminism? Or is that normality.

[Katy Dickinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent thought provoking book but much in need of
editing. Unique and fascinating content is almost lost in
the thick writing. Still, well worth reading.

[Jessica]

I have been talking about this book with a lot of people, many of whom looked at the title and said "isn't that a contradiction in terms?" I usually then go into a mini-lecture on "family feminism", that is, feminism which promotes women's equal power within the family, and her public equality with men as a way to further the family. It is an intriguing viewpoint, in contrast with the usually individualist and sometimes gender-combative approached taken in Western feminism.

This was an intense read covering nine countries with sizable Muslim populations (Uzbekistan, Morocco, Kuwait, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel/Palestine, the US); globally important women working to support further women's social, legal and political rights; and dozens of detailed interviews. In nearly every nation, women identified the prime problems facing women as: education, divorce law, and inheritance law. These issues existed in terms of sharia, local meshings of traditional local family law and sharia, and fairly straight secular law. Heavy swimming, but neat information.

[Maher Battuti]

A good book that analyses the position of women in certain Muslim countries. In the chapter concerning Egypt, the author conversed with many Egyptian women, mostly activist in the social an literary fields. She also writes about Muslim women in USA.
The book was written in 1997, and does not reflect the new development of the Islamist resurgence, but it is gives a good background to build on and understand the present.

[Jaclynn (JackieReadsAlot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, a woman's personal journey....but nothing was a revelation. Well-written but characters were dry. Not one of those "I can't put it down" books.

[Zoe Wilkerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oof this book took a while for me to finish. This book is a great entry point for anyone interested in Islamic feminism because it’s basically a primer on many important writers on the subject in the Middle East. It’s added greatly to my reading list. This book was written back in the 90s so the feminism is very first wave and the author can tend towards orientalism but her heart is definitely in the right place and the breadth of female Muslim experience discussed is pretty vast across class and race lines which is great to see.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a long time interest and residence in the Arab world, Fernea sets off to find the title in Uzbekistan, Iraq, Morocco, Turkey, and other ocuntries--including the U.S. and her hometown of portland, Oregon. Written as an engaging travel narrative, the book is more concerned with persons and the personal as she meets and talks with a variety of women. Recommended, this book from 1998 is still timely and fascinating.
In addition, the glimpse back at Iraq--where women had the most freedom and equality of any Arab country--is important for us to make comparisons to the horrible, brutal mess Iraq is now.

[Silke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy to read narrative of Fernea's travels and conversations with Muslim women in a number of countries. Ultimately, she finds that the majority of Muslim women reject the western conceptualization of feminism while still fighting for equality and women's rights in a variety of ways that allows them to remain true to their Islamic beliefs.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's really chatty, so it's a very accessible book with personal stories woven into a larger pursuit of addressing Islamic feminism, particularly in Morocco.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, written by a white non-Muslim lady from America. Still, has a lot to say about the things most of us don't understand about Islam.

[BJM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to get a "snippet" from different cultures; read the chapters out of order to coincide with my interests at any particular time.

[Richelle Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't consider myself a feminist or agree with their philosophies, but this was a fascinating look at women in Islamic cultures and I'd be curious to read an "update."

[Gio ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any work from queen Elizabeth Warnock Fernea is a five stars.