SIHA Journal: Women in Islam (Issue Three)

Siha Siha

Description

Women in Islam explores the complexities of gender relations in Muslim communities in the Horn of Africa and beyond, engaging critically with the social, political and cultural challenges associated with the intersection of Islam and gender. With an eclectic selection of essays, academic papers, opinion pieces and personal narratives punctuated with poetry and art, the journal seeks to spark creative and forward-looking discussions on how to effectively improve the status of women in Muslim societies. Women in Islam is published annually by SIHA, the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa. Issue Three of Women in Islam includes investigations of social issues, profiles of inspiring women, book and film reviews, poetry, and opinion pieces. The dossier on �Living With Religious Militancy� explores women�s experiences in contexts of conflict and extremism, with articles on the dilemma of female political Islamists, a gender-segregated community in Eastern Sudan, and women of Boko Haram. Other articles include stories of Sufi women, the experience of female convert to Islam, Ziba Mir-Hosseini�s quest for equality in Islamic law, and reviews of Wadjda and Timbuktu.

Sujets

• Islam

Informations

• Publié par: Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa
• Date de parution: 29 décembre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789970929061
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 36 Mo

Extrait

WO SIHA Journal / Issue No. 3, 2017

Al-Turabi and theWomen of Sudan Commîmen o Women’s Rîgs or Polîîcal Ambîîon?

Choosing Engagement over Retreat

Zîba Mîr-Hosseînî’s Ques or Equalîy wîîn Islamîc Tradîîons

Wielding Power over Women’s Bodies he Burkînî Ban în France

D O S S I E R : Living with Religious Milita ncy

M E N I N I S L A M

Women in Isam

explores e complexîîes o gender relaîons în Muslîm communîîes în e Horn o Arîca and beyond, engagîng crîîcally wî e socîal, polîîcal and culural callenges assocîaed wî e înersecîon o Islam and gender. Wî an eclecîc selecîon o essays, academîc papers, opînîon pîeces and personal narraîves puncuaed wî poery and ar, e journal seeks o spark creaîve and orward-lookîng dîscussîons on ow oefectîvey împrove te status o women în Musîm socîetîes.

Women in IsLamis pubised annuay by he Strategic Initiative or Women in te Horn o Arica (SIHA), a women’s rigts network tat works on issues o equaity and socia justice across te region.

SIHA Journa: Women in Isam (Issue One) Issue One o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, and opînîon pîeces. he teme o te dossîer, ‘Unveîîng Hîjab’, încudes a seectîon o în-dept artîces on te îjab and te practîce o veîîng. Hîgîgts încude an întroductîon to te îe and work o Amîna Wadud, a dîscussîon o mascuînîty and aterood în a Musîm context, and relectîons on wat ît means to be a ‘moderate’ Musîm today. ISBN: 9789970949663 | 100pg.

SIHA Journa: Women in Isam (Issue Two) Issue Two o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, poetry, and opînîon pîeces. he teme o te dossîer, ‘he Femae Body: A Contested Land’, ocuses on women’s bodîes, încudîng artîces on FGM, sexua arassment, and ow art can caenge repressîve socîa norms. Anoter sectîon ocuses on mascuînîty and te ways men can support women în te strugge or equaîty. Oter îgîgts încude proies o Somaî sînger and poîtîcîan Saado Aî Warsame, an anaysîs o Sudan’s dîscrîmînatory ega system, and a portraît o a Musîm socîety în Sumatra were reîgîon and matrîarca tradîtîons coexîst. ISBN: 9789970929009 | 102pg.

Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa

SIHA Journa: Women in Isam (Issue hree) Issue hree o Women în Isam încudes învestîgatîons o socîa îssues, proies o înspîrîng women, book and im revîews, poetry, and opînîon pîeces. he dossîer on ‘Lîvîng Wît Reîgîous Mîîtancy’ expores women’s experîences în contexts o conlîct and extremîsm, wît artîces on te dîemma o emae poîtîca Isamîsts, a gender-segregated communîty în Eastern Sudan, and women o Boko Haram. Oter artîces încude storîes o Sui women, te experîence o emae convert to Isam, Zîba Mîr-Hosseînî’s quest or equaîty în Isamîc aw, and revîews o Wadjda and Tîmbuktu. ISBN: 9789970949625 | 108pg.

SIHA Journa: Women in Isam (Issue Four)

he ourt îssue o Women în Isam îs ied wît crîtîca anaysîs, persona storîes, and cutura îgîgts rom te Musîm word. he teme o te dossîer îs women’s sexuaîty, one o te greatest socîa taboos: artîces în tîs sectîon uncover te compex web o obsessîon and repressîon tat surrounds emae sexuaîty în Musîm cutures. Furter artîces address socîa înjustîce and ega reorm around te word, wîe oters îgîgt înspîrîng storîes - a women’s cycîng cub în Sudan, and ow a young Somaî woman oowed er dream o becomîng a mecanîc. Wît poetry, revîews, and stunnîng artwork trougout, Women în Isam 4 îs essentîa readîng. ISBN: 9789970949649 | 104pg.

@womeninislam

@siha_journal

www.womeninislamjournal.com

2 SIHAWomen In Islam 2017

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EDITORIAL

05Three Questions To: The Artist Sara Mekki Ahmed

PEOPLE

06Choosing Engagement over Retreat Zîba Mîr-Hosseînî’s Quest or Equaîty wîtîn Isamîc Tradîtîons

08Al-Turabi and the Women of Sudan Commîtment to Women’s Rîgts or Poîtîca Ambîtîon? 12 Al-Balabel: An Iconic Sudanese Female Band Symbo o an Ambîvaent Socîety or Fractured Patrîarcy? 15The Hopes and Fears of Female Street Cleaners in Mogadishu

18Saadia Al-Salahi: A Pioneer Costume Designer from Sudan Wat Cotes Say about A Socîety

EQUALITY

20almWecinsInheritanomen’sI Between Text and Interpretation

24Unequal by Birth ‘We are Musims and Somais, Wat Did We Do to Deserve tis Crue Treatment?’

26Wadjda–AFimlRveeiw Were Riding a Bicyce is Poitica

28Banned from Playing Football Before I Was Born

31owTe,nseOvniaWM he Strugge o Living as a Co-Wie

34Recalcitrance A Poem by Eiman Adam

BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

36Wielding Power over Women’s Bodies he Burkini Ban in France

39Meeting with the Novelist Leila Aboulela Negotiating Reigious and Cass Identities across Borders

42Living in Between heExperienceoaMusimConvert

45Lived Realities of Ethiopian Domestic Workers in the Gulf Countries

48Letter To My Daughter

THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE

50Urban Space and the Production of Gender in Modern Iran

54I Almost Got Arrested for Wearing Pants

56“Al Adal” – Re-Inîbulation and the Obsession with Virginity in Sudan

60War and State Collapse in Somalia he Impications or Men and teir Mascuinity

63A Woman and a Purchased Slave Gender Biases and Stereotypes in Scoo Textbooks

PERSPECTIVES

66Feminism and Politics in Sudan

70Picking up the Pieces How Counter-Terrorism Eforts afect Musim Communities in Kenya

73SîumsWomenof A Hidden Treasure

76Being Young and Muslim in Uganda Relections rom Joweria Namuyomba

79The Trouble with Fatwas

DOSSIER: LIVING WITH RELIGIOUS MILITANCY

82Women of Political Islam and the Dialectic of Women’s Rights he Diemma o Femae Poitica Isamists

88Looking Back to Move Ahead A Poto Story on Women’s Dress in Somaia

92Coerced or Committed? Boko Haram’s Femae Suicide Bombers 94The Tragedy of Seclusion he Gender Segregated Communities o Hamaskoreib in Eastern Sudan 98Women and Islamic Militancy

102Timbuktu– A Story About Us

104Afghan Women Hit by Mental Health Crisis

106The Echo

107SIHA Publications

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SIHAWomen In Islam 2017 3

IMPRESSUM

Editor Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA)

Editorial Head Hala Alkarib

Editorial Coordinator Célia Hitzges

Editorial Team Lisa Clifford, Aisha Al-Smani, Abdulkhalig El-Sir, Johanna Seidle

Proofreaders Mansur Ali, Waleed Elnagar, Ginger Johnson, Roisin Mangan

Translators Mansur Ali, Sam Berner, Faisal Elbagir, Mohamed Elfaki, Asha M. El-Said

Contributors Eiman Adam, Hala Alkarib, Souad Alkhider, Aisha Al-Smani, Alsir Alsayed, Safia Alseddig, Obi Anyadike, Riazat Butt, Lisa Clifford, Judy El-Bushra, Mohamed Elfaki, Sara Elhassan, Abdulkhalig El-Sir, Judith Gardner, Amal Khalifa Habbani, Mina Habib, Abdifatah Hassan Ali, Célia Hitzges, Leyla Hussein, Zahia Salem Jouirou, Rebekah Kebede, Marie Ménard, Amani Mohammed El Obeid, Shirleen Njeri Njoroge, Alinor Abdi Osman, Alex Shams, Rafia Zakaria

Art Sara Mekki Ahmed, Khalid Albaih, Jason Ashwood, Niyaz Azadikhah, Hanna Barczyk, Arnold Birungi, Mohammad Esmail, Khalid Hamid, Salah Ibrahim, Hussein Mirghani, Ahmed-Naji Mahjoub, Roney Ogwang ([e-mail]), Rayah Ombaddi, Anne Paq, Galal Yousif

Design Tarek Atrissi Design

ISBN 9-789970-949625

These compilations are © copyright by their respective authors or SIHA. All editorial content and graphics may not be copied, re- used, reprinted or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the authors or SIHA. Request for permission should be directed to:

Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) SIHA Regional Office Plot 3 Katalima Bend, Naguru, Kampala P.O. Box 2793, Kampala UGANDA

[e-mail] www.sihanet.org

4 SIHAWomen In Islam 2017

EDITORIAL

DEAR READER,

Tîme ros îke an endess meody wît varîous rytms. Wen ookîng back, ît îs ard to beîeve tat sînce 2014 we ave managed to produce tree îssues o our dear journa,Women in Islam. Optîmîsm and doubt, augter and tears, bodness and ear ave marked tîs ong and caengîng journey.Women in Islam, în my opînîon, appeas to bot peope’s înteect and teîr emotîons – tat unîque combînatîon o reason and eeîngs tat makes us a, women and men, uy uman. I beîeve tîs îs wat ît takes to debate reîgîon, and wat ît represents, în our îe.

Sînce 2014, 1,500 copîes o te irst îssue o te journa ave been sod în Sudan aone and over a o te copîes o te second edîtîon are beîng dîstrîbuted across te word. hîs acîevemen, aloug sîll surprîsîng o us, îs a grea source o appîness and prîde. he enusîasm around e journal îs a reassurance a our endeavor îs no în vaîn. Women and men în Karoum, Naîrobî and Kampala are askîng eîr booksellers abou e new îssue o e journal. For us, îs îs a ellîng sîgn a we are on e rîg rack.

As 2017 îs upon us, relîgîous mîlîancy as become e cener o geopolîîcal aenîon. he voîce o reason îs beîng used by e bangîng o war drums and e souîng o dogmaîc, cauvînîs and dîcaorîal orces. In îs clîmae o ensîon, we sould no be înîmîdaed or all îno e rap o despaîr and cynîcîsm. We mus însead look a e sîgns o posîîve cange. hîs îs e îme o ig back, e îme o call or real ransormaîon.

Ten years ago, î would no ave been possîble o denounce e absurdîy o relîgîous mîlîancy and gender înequalîîes. I consîder mysel prîvîleged o wîness ese canges and eel even luckîer o be a par o em. However, we canno aford o lower our guard as e sruggle agaîns mîlîan îdeologîes conînues. We ave o sand irm agaîns e global cauvînîsm, înjusîce and dîscourse o ared a îs growîng and beîng încreasîngly legîîmîzed. A Women în Islam, we ave repeaedly aken e posîîon a e rîse o mîlîan îdeologîes îs e oucome o decades o aîled polîîcs and, as suc, represens a collecîve burden a we sould all, Muslîms and non-Muslîms, bear and overcome.

he unîqueness o e îrd îssue o Women în Islam comes rom e ac a î îs composed o a majorîy o orîgînal arîcles, specîically wrîen or e journal. I îs suc an onor o ave wrîers apprecîae our publîcaîon and become îneresed o e poîn a ey lend eîr voîces o e journal. In îs edîîon, you wîll read abou e sruggle o women rom Mogadîsu, Mombasa and Karoum agaîns relîgîous mîlîancy and eîr deermînaîon o regaîn conrol over eîr lîves and desîny. You wîll learn abou Eîopîan domesîc workers beîng înîmîdaed and deumanîzed wen workîng în predomînanly Muslîm counrîes because o eîr skîn color and aî, and wîll see ow relîgîon becomes a symbol o enîc supremacy. hîs new edîîon also scruînîses e crucîal îssue o women’s parîcîpaîon în mîlîan Islam movemens by analysîng wy and ow women someîmes reconcîle wî îdeologîcal regîmes a subjugae em.

hîs îrd îssue o Women în Islam as been made possîble roug e collaboraîve suppor o Oxam Novîb, Sîgrîd Rausîng Trus Fund, and he Women’s Program o e Open Socîey Foundaîons. We are exremely graeul or eîr învaluable conrîbuîon o îs projec.

HALA ALKARIB Editorial Head

FEMINISM  oday sands no only or gender equalîy, bu or e ransormaîon o all socîal relaîons o power a oppress, exploî, or margînalîse persons on e basîs o gender, age, sexual orîenaîon, abîlîy, race, relîgîon, naîonalîy, locaîon, class, case, or enîcîy.

As an analyîcal ramework, emînîsm as ransormed e conceps o parîarcy (e socîal order o male rîgs and prîvîlege) and gender (e socîally consruced power relaîons beween men and women). I as creaed a range o analyîcal ools and meods or unpackîng e îdden and normalîsed power îmbalances beween men and women în varîous socîal însîuîons and srucures. Examples o îs înclude e gendered dîvîsîon o ouseold labour and producîon, and conrol o women’s sexualîy and reproducîve lîe.

As a socîal cange sraegy, emînîsm prîorîîses e empowermen o women, e ransormaîon o gender power relaîons, and e advancemen o gender equalîy. Femînîsm vîews all cange înervenîons roug a ‘gender lens’ by examînîng ow cange împacs women în parîcular. Weer e cange sraegy îs ocused on anissueeal, (e.g. educaîon, e envîronmen, uman rîgs, economîc rîgs),location (e.g. a vîllage, a provînce, a counry, a regîon), orpopulation(e.g. îndîgenous persons, workers, urban poor), emînîsm wîll examîne weer gender equalîy and women’s rîgs are beîng conscîously addressed and 1 advanced by e cange process.

1 Batliwala, Srilatha. Changing their World: Concepts and Practices of Women’s Movements. Toronto: Association for Women’s Rights in Development, 2012. https://www.awid. org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/changing_their_ world_2ed_full_eng.pdf

THREE QUESTIONS TO:

Sara Mekki Ahmed

Born to Sudanese parents in 1998, Sara Mekki Ahmed grew up in the small village of Oosterhout, Netherlands. Sara developed a passion for art at an early age and despite a prototypical Western upbringing, she retained strong links with, and curiosity for, the heritage of her parent’s home country. In this interview, Sara shares her thoughts on:

Her passion for art:

I ave îked art or as ong as I can remember, but I never reay paînted or drew a ot. In îg scoo I took art casses and tat’s wen I reay dîscovered my passîon or art. At tat tîme, I was makîng sketces a ot but ater my eacer înroduced me o paînîng, I realîsed a I lîked î a lo beer and I ave suck o a ever sînce.

Her connection with Sudan:

I ave never lîved în Sudan, bu ave vîsîed e counry many îmes wî my parens. I ind vîsîîng Sudan very împoran sînce a’s were my roos really are. I eel deeply conneced o e counry, so I really enjoy goîng ere. I înk e sîuaîon o women în Sudan needs o sîgnîicanly împrove. Sînce I grew up în a very open-mînded place, î’s very ard o see ow Sudanese socîey resrîcs women’s reedoms and aspîraîons.

Her aspirations as an artist inluenced by both the Dutch and Sudanese cuLtures:

I am currenly sudyîng law în e Neerlands and learnîng a lo abou

uman rîgs. I belîeve a every uman – men and women – sould ave e opporunîy o culîvae eîr passîon lîke I was able o do wî my arwork.

Ater compleîng my sudîes, I would lîke o use my knowledge o empower e women în Sudan o ulil eîr dreams. he SIHA Journal,Women in Islam, îs elpîng women become aware o eîr srengs, skîlls and rîgs and î îs an onour or me o be par o îs înîîaîve.

M E ASU R I NG WOM E N ‘S WOR L D is the number of countries where 57 polygamy is legal. Over 90% of 2 them are located in Africa.

2 “Legality of Polygamy,” Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Legality_of_polygamy.svg.

SIHAWomen In Islam 2017 5

PEOPLE Coosîng Engagement over Retreat Ziba Mir-Hosseini’s Quest for Equality within Islamic Traditions

Drawing by HUSSEIN MIRGHANI, Sudan

A strong eeîng o înjustîce best descrîbes Zîba Mîr-Hosseînî’s îrst encounters wît poîtîca Isam. It was te atermat o te 1979 revoutîon tat brougt te Isamîsts to power în er natîve Iran, and te scoar, actîvîst and emînîst watced wît aarm as poîtîcs and reîgîon merged and

ove, beauty, joy and peasure were a seemîngy banîsed rom pubîc space. Anyone expressîng te atter rîsked punîsment.

“Te new autorîtîes justîîed tîs poîcy în te name o Isam: It was God’s aw, te Sarîa. Tîs was my îrst encounter wît Sarîa, te core o te aît înto wîc I was born, but a vîsîon o ît tat I ad not experîenced beore and now ound unjust and rîgtenîng,” saîd Mîr-Hosseînî.

An antropoogîst wît a newy mînted Cam- brîdge doctorate, Mîr-Hosseînî ad supported te Iranîan revoutîon. But er country’s new reîgîous masters soon made er ee dîstîncty unwecome în er natîve and. “Tere was no pace or peope îke me. Not ony was I not quaîîed [în teîr eyes] to teac ‘Isamîc’ antropoogy, I was not a ‘good Musîm’,” se saîd. Because se never “uy observed te rue o îjab”, as stated by te new autorîtîes, Mîr-Hosseînî coud not înd a teacîng job. Neîter, to er dîsmay, coud se get a dîvorce wen er marrîage broke down în te eary 1980s. Women ad ony îmîted grounds on wîc tey coud appy or dîvorce, none o wîc Mîr-Hosseînî coud provîde. Se ad not însîsted on amahr(marrîage gît) – în Iran tîs îs a arge sum o money tat a man pedges to pay wenever îs wîe demands ît, oten as a negotîatîng tactîc wen se wants a dîvorce. Husbands generay agree to dîvorce rater tan pay te money. But Mîr-Hosseînî wasn’t deterred and took a bod step tat saped te rest o er îe. “My approac as aways been wen I ave a probem or crîsîs I want to earn about ît în order to înd my way out,” se saîd. “I became înterested în Isamîc aw, and I earned ît enoug to get my own dîvorce out o court.”

Ziba Mir-Hosseini is a legal anthropologist, activist and documentary filmmaker, passionately involved in debating gender equality in Islamic traditions. Her scholarly contributions highlight how discriminatory laws perpetuate injustice against women in Muslim contexts. Her approach emphasizes one crucial element in the tradition of Muslim legal thought: the distinction between Sharia (The ‘path’, found in the Quran and the Prophet’s practice) andfiqh(‘understanding’ the jurists’ efforts to deduce law from textual sources). This distinction enables Muslim men and women to see patriarchal laws not as ‘divine Sharia’, but as outdated humanfiqh. Mir-Hosseini’s work aims at bringing Islamic and human rights frameworks together in order to lay the basis for an egalitarian Muslim family law. Her documentary film “Divorce Iranian Style” (1998) won several international awards including a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award in 1999. Mir-Hosseini has published a number of academic articles and books, includingMen in Charge?Rethinking Male Authority in Muslim Legal Tradition (2015)and Control and Sexuality:The Revival of Zina Laws in Muslims Contexts(2010).

6 SIHAWomen In Islam 2017

Many women weren’t so ucky – or determîned – and ad to trow temseves at te mercy o Iran’s patrîarca court system. Tat oten dîdn’t end we. Wîe în court, Mîr-Hosseînî remembers seeîng a mîdde-aged woman dressed în a cador (arge pîece o cot tat îs wrapped around te ead and upper body) bangîng on a judge’s desk, askîng ow ît was possîbe tat se ad no say în weter er usband coud dîvorce er ater 20 years o marrîage. Mîr-Hosseînî recas te woman statîng, “Isam cannot do tat. Tîs îs not Sarîa, because ît îs not just, and Sarîa îs just.” Mîr-Hosseînî went on to produce te docu- mentary Dîvorce Iranîan Stye wît Brîtîs îmmaker Kîm Longînotto. “I ad myse been troug a ‘Dîvorce Iranîan Stye’ twîce în my îe, so ît was easy to drop te antropoogîst at and be an Iranîan woman,” se saîd, expaînîng er dîversîon înto îmmakîng.

Untî er dîvorce, Mîr-Hosseînî, toug a beîever, ad been secuar în er approac to îe, as se beîeved justîce wîtout equaîty was împossîbe. Se’d spent years în Engand were se studîed, earned Engîs at a boardîng scoo and deveoped a îeong ove o custard and îs îngers, tradîtîona Brîtîs oods. Meanwîe, er natîve country was sîppîng urter înto “an îdeoogy tat preserved unequa and unjust power reatîons în marrîage and socîety and denîed women voîce and coîce.”

“Te 1980s were a very dark era în Iran,” se saîd. “Everytîng I knew about myse, my own socîety, was peeîng away ayer by ayer. But ater te end o te war wît Iraq, tîngs started to cange, and by te mîd-1990s a crîtîque o te Isamîc state and îts gender poîcîes emerged rom wîtîn. In 1995 I began a new researc project on te constructîon o gender by te cerîca estabîsment, te custodîans o te Sarîa în Iran. As part o tat project I dîd îedwork în Qom, te centre o reîgîous earnîng în Iran. I vîsîted te maîn srîne requenty, stayîng în te women’s sectîon. One day, I was sîttîng tere îstenîng to a ecture. A srîne custodîan approaced te women and rudey tod tem to move on, assumîng tey were sîmpy oîterîng rater tan egîtîmate scoars. Most scutted away, but I reused to go.”

“I ost my temper,” se saîd. “I saîd, ‘wo are you to te me to cear o?’ I was so angry. Everyone was ookîng, because tey’d never eard a woman

soutîng. Tat was a moment wen I et I dîdn’t want to be an observer any more, merey studyîng Isamîc dîscourses on gender. I wanted to be a partîcîpant. I wanted to caîm my rîgts rom wîtîn my reîgîon, and to pay a roe în sapîng îts gender dîscourses.”

Mir-Hosseini came to believe that engaging with, rather than ignoring, Islamic legal tradition was the best way to improve the rights of Muslim women. “Religion is too important to leave to men – women must get involved,” she said

Se uses te Quran îtse to argue agaînst gender dîscrîmînatîon carrîed out în te name o Isam, and notes tat out o 6,000 verses ony sîx can be seen as non-egaîtarîan. Over tîme, owever, women’s voîces ave been margînaîsed as a cass o uema (earned men) and jurîsts emerged and began înterpretîng te Quran în a patrîarca way tat suîted teîr own needs.

Mîr-Hosseînî’s decîsîon to work wîtîn te ramework o Isamîc aw put er at odds wît many. Some reîgîous scoars were suspîcîous o er emînîsm and wat tey saw as western- înspîred tak o uman rîgts and equaîty or a. Secuar emînîsts wo see reîgîon as a probem (e.g., sometîng tat ods back women’s strugge or equaîty) were aso unconvînced tat engagement was te answer. “I come rom a socîety were îves are reguated by reîgîous-based aw,” se saîd. “Reîgîon îs împortant or women, so I’m not în a posîtîon to say I don’t want to engage wît ît.

There should be room for feminists who work within a religious framework.” Mir-Hosseini is very clear in her belief that it is absolutely possible to be both a feminist and a ‘good’ Muslim.

Mîr-Hosseînî ound support în te Maaysîan- based Sîsters In Isam (SIS) group wose members sare a sîmîar vîsîon o te reatîonsîp between Isam and equaîty. Togeter tey went on to ound Musawa (‘equaîty’ în Arabîc), a goba movement or equaîty and justîce în te Musîm amîy. “In te past I aways ad to deend bot my Musîm and emînîst îdentîtîes. SIS eped wît tat and et me be comortabe wît bot îdentîtîes and recaîm my aît. I no onger ee îke I ave to justîy my posîtîon.”

LISA CLIFFORD

Lisa Clifford is a British journalist and documentary filmmaker

SIHAWomen In Islam 2017 7

PEOPLE

Al-Turabî and te Women of Sudan Commitment to Women’s Rights or Political Ambition?

1 http://www. khbarbladi. com/theme_ vstpart-49368 2 Flogging is used as a punishment for adultery, wrongful accusation of adultery, drinking of alcohol, rape, indecent and immoral acts, and 16 other offences in the 1991 Criminal Act. 3 Abdullahi Ali Ibrahim, Manichaean Delirium, Decolonizing the Judiciary and Islamic Renewal in Sudan - 1898- 1985, (Boston: Brill, 2008), Chapter six

Dr. Hassan Abdaa A-Turabî, a promînent Al-Turabi and the Women’s Movement poîtîcîan, ounder o te modern Isamîst movement în Sudan, and controversîa reîgîous A-Turabî acîeved natîona promînence oow- scoar passed away în Marc 2016, eavîng îs îng te 1964 October Revoutîon wîc overtrew country în a state o decîne. By te end o te te mîîtary dîctatorsîp o Genera Abboud coonîa era, îs dream was to transorm Sudan (1958-1964). From tîs tîme, e remaîned a înto te îrst teocratîc Sunnî state rued în controversîa poîtîca and îdeoogîca îgure în accordance wît Isamîc prîncîpes bot în Sudan wose tînkîng process and retorîca wrît and în spîrît. Te mîîtary coup o June output were dîîcut to predîct, even or îs 1989 gave îm te opportunîty to împement oowers. A-Turabî was amous or obuscatîng, îs project. rater tan carîyîng, sensîtîve poîtîca and reîgîous îssues by sendîng conîctîng messages A-Turabî was born în 1932 în Kassaa, eastern and creatîng conusîon among îs îsteners. Hîs Sudan. He studîed aw at te Unîversîty o vîew on te roe o women în socîety, or exampe, Kartoum (1951-1955) and receîved îs Master’s provîdes one suc pîvota îustratîon o A- Degree rom te Unîversîty o London în 1957, Turabî’s contradîctory opînîons. oowed by a Doctorate rom te Sorbonne Unîversîty în Parîs în 1964. A-Turabî worked as A-Turabî’s vîgorous attempts to ray mass a ecturer at te Facuty o Law o te Unîversîty support or îs Isamîc project by expoîtîng o Kartoum beore resîgnîng to devote îmse tradîtîona jurîsprudence în poîtîcs, weîgted competey to poîtîcs – îrst as te Genera eavîy on te women’s movement în Sudan. Hîs Secretary o te Musîm Broterood and te posîtîon on emînîsm and gender reatîons created Isamîc Carter Front (1964-1969), ten as Head mora panîc among te country’s tradîtîona o te Isamîc Front în 1985 untî te movement communîtîes. Even toug many o A-Turabî’s dîssoved and became te ruîng party oowîng oowers assert tat îs wrîtîngs contaîn îdeas te coup d’état în June 1989. caîng or te îberatîon o women, deeper study o îs contrîbutîons reveas tat îs caîms or A-Turabî beonged to a Suî Musîm amîy. Hîs gender equaîty were ony aîmed at rayîng great-grandater was te amous Suî Seîk women’s support beînd te poîtîca ambîtîons Hamad A-Naan (1639-1704) mentîoned or îs o te Isamîst movement. mîraces în Wad Deîaa’s book 1 Tabaqat wad Deifalla ater,. Hîs Despite the symbolic presence of women in the on te oter and, worked as a Islamist movement, Al-Turabi’s project left behind Sarîa Judge durîng te eary days o some of the worst personal status laws in the te coonîa rue în Sudan, at a tîme wen te întroductîon o secuar Muslim world. cîvî aw restrîcted te jurîsdîctîon o Sarîa courts to amîy and persona status matters. Tîs dîvîsîon o te ega Te 1991 Famîy Law Act, or exampe, stîpuates system created obvîous socîa, economîc, and tat a woman cannot marry wîtout te poîtîca înequaîtîes among te workîng sta o permîssîon o a mae guardîan, mandates wîe bot departments, wît te secuar sector avored obedîence and aow cîd marrîage. Te negatîve over Sarîa. A-Turabî was deepy aected by împact o tese aws as not ony aected te tîs dîvîsîon and ater strove to îmît or aboîs women’s movement în Sudan, but aso women’s secuarîsm rom te ega system în Sudan. overa we-beîng and securîty. Tey ave aso

8 SIHAWomen In Islam 2017

Drawing by HUSSEIN MIRGHANI

dîstorted and îndered te process o socîa deveopment în te country. In today’s Sudan, 2 women are ogged on a daîy basîs and judîcîa înstîtutîons ave been converted înto toos or te everyday repressîon o Sudanese cîtîzens.

Al-Turabi: Scholar and Reformer?

3 Trîbuatîon(Ibtlaa) a key concept în A- îs Turabî’s tougt. It reers to modern events and deveopments tat pose caenges to contemporary Musîms, wo are compeed to turn to înnovatîve metods to understand and overcome te new dîemmas tey ace. Suc metods, owever, are usuay not avaîabe în tradîtîona jurîsprudence. Lackîng te means by wîc to address modern events, on te one and, and because o te ear o turmoî(fitna), on te oter, tradîtîona Musîm jurîsts (A-Turabî maîntaîns) oten coose to turn a bînd eye to tese new reaîtîes and avoîd conrontatîon.

To înd a way out o tîs dîemma, A-Turabî produced îs own jurîsprudence, te core o wîc was buît on te dîstînctîon between “reîgîon” and “reîgîosîty.” Wîe te ormer, accordîng to îm, îs eterna and constant, te ater reers to te accumuatîon o tradîtîona jurîsprudence over te centurîes. A-Turabî urter descrîbes te eterna reîgîon as ‘autentîc reîgîon’ and reîgîosîty as ‘acquîred reîgîon.’ In îs opînîon, cange îs wat constîtutes te essence o reîgîosîty, rater tan bînd appea to tradîtîona jurîsprudence wîc încudes te our tradîtîona scoos o Musîm jurîsprudence. Te tradîtîona jurîsprudence, A- Turabî urter expaîns, soud be vîewed agaînst te backdrop o past caenges.

As proessed by A-Turabî, reîgîous renewa îs tereore wat upods reîgîon and îberates ît rom te pressure o modern dîemmas (î.e. trîbuatîons). As a man-made înstîtutîon, reîgîosîty stagnates wît tîme and eventuay

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