women in the qur'an: breaking stereotypes

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Women in the Qur’an: Breaking Stereotypes Amina Inloes December 2014 َ يِ لْ وَ أْ مُ هُ ضْ عَ بُ اتَ نِ مْ ؤُ مْ الَ وَ ونُ نِ مْ ؤُ مْ الَ و وُ رْ عَ مْ الِ بَ ونُ رُ مْ أَ يۚ ٍ ضْ عَ بُ اءِ نَ عَ نْ وَ هْ نَ يَ وِ ف الزَ ونُ تْ ؤُ يَ وَ ةَ الصَ ونُ يمِ قُ يَ وِ رَ كْ نُ مْ الُ هَ ولُ سَ رَ وَ اَ ونُ يعِ طُ يَ وَ اةَ كۚ َ كِ ئ َ ولُ أٌ يزِ زَ عَ ا نِ إۗ ُ اُ مُ هُ مَ حْ رَ يَ سٌ يمِ كَ حThe believers, men and women, are protectors one of another. They enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil; they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy, for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise. (9:71)

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Page 1: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Women in the Qur’an: Breaking Stereotypes

Amina InloesDecember 2014

ف وينهون عن اء بعض يأمرون بالمعرووالمؤمنون والمؤمنات بعضهم أولي

لة ويؤتون الز ورسوله المنكر ويقيمون الص ئك كاة ويطيعون الل أول

عزيز إن الل حكيم سيرحمهم الل

The believers, men and women, are protectors one of another. They enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil; they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy, for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise. (9:71)

Page 2: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

What do you think of when you think of Islam and women?

Page 3: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Women in Islam?

Page 4: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Ancient women in the Islamic tradition

• What do these stories say about the nature or ‘role’ of women?

• Are women good or bad? Intelligent or emotional? Strong or weak? Leaders or followers? Faithful or faithless?

• Are women portrayed as different from men?

• What ethical messages are being sent in their stories? (Why are they there?)

How are women portrayed in the Qur’an?

Page 5: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Eve

BiodataEra: a really long time agoPlace: perhaps around MeccaFamily status: married, apparently happily, with childrenOccupation: perhaps hunting and gathering, exploring and discovering, first hajj

Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them…when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?” They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost.” (7:19-23)

Page 6: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Wives of Nuh and LutBiodata

Era: perhaps around 2000 BCPlace: may have died around PalestineFamily status: married with severe ideological differences, with childrenOccupation: unknown

Allah sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut: they were under two of our righteous servants, but they belied them, and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: “Enter the Fire along with (others) that enter!” (66:10)

Page 7: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

BiodataEra: maybe around 2000 BCLived: around PalestineFamily status: married, child when elderly, step-childOccupation: domestic work, apparently landowner before marriage

There came Our messengers to Abraham with glad tidings…And his wife was standing, and she laughed (alternate translation: began to experience her monthly cycle). We gave her glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, of Jacob. She said: "Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!“ They said: "Dost thou wonder at Allah's decree? The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, o ye people of the house! for He is indeed worthy of all praise, full of all glory!"(11:69-73)

Sarah

Drawing of Biblical account –what is different?

Page 8: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Hajar

BiodataEra: maybe around 2000 BCLived: Arabian PeninsulaFamily status: slave, with childOccupation: survival, establishing settlement in Mecca

[Ibrahim said:] "O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks.” (14:37)

Page 9: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

ZulaykhaBiodata

Era: maybe between 1500-2000 BCLived: EgyptFamily status: married with domestic problems, no childrenOccupation: queen

But she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his self: she fastened the doors, and said: "Now come!” He said: “Allah forbid!”…And she desired him, and he would have desired her, but that he saw the evidence of his Lord…So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back: they both found her lord near the door. She said: "What is the punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife, but prison or a grievous chastisement? (12:23-25)

Page 10: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Asiya

BiodataEra: maybe between 1200-1500 BCLived: EgyptFamily status: married with severe domestic problems, adopted childOccupation: queen

And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh. Behold, she said: “O my Lord! Build for me, near to Thee, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from those that do wrong.” (66:11)

So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses: "Suckle him, but when thou fears for him, cast him into the river…” Then the people of Pharaoh picked him up…The wife of Pharaoh said: “(Here is) joy of the eye, for me and for thee: slay him not. He may be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” (28:7-9)

Page 11: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Bilqis

BiodataEra: maybe around 1000 BCLived: Queendom in Yemen, may have extended to EthiopiaFamily status:apparently unmarriedOccupation: head of state

She said: “O chiefs! here is delivered to me a letter worthy of respect…from Solomon: ‘In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful…come to me in submission (to the true Religion).’” She said: “O chiefs! advise me”…They said: “We are strong, and given to vehement war; but the command is with thee”…She said: “Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest... But I am going to send him gifts, and see”…She said: "O Lord!...I submit (in Islam), with Solomon, to the Lord of the Worlds.” (27:23-44)

Page 12: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Maryam (ع)Biodata

Era: born around 18 BCLived: PalestineFamily status: single, child through divine miracleOccupation: consecrated to temple

Graciously did her Lord accept her. He made her grow in purity and beauty…Every time (Zakariyya)…saw her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said: "From Allah, for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure.” The angels said: “O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee – chosen thee above the women of all nations. O Mary! worship Thy Lord devoutly, prostrate thyself, and bow down with those who bow down…O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary…. (3:37-43)

Page 13: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

Recap: ancient women in the Islamic tradition

• What do these stories say about the nature or ‘role’ of women?

• Are women good or bad? Intelligent or emotional? Strong or weak? Leaders or followers? Faithful or faithless?

• Are women portrayed as different from men?

• What ethical messages are being sent in their stories? (Why are they there?)

How are women portrayed in the Qur’an?

Page 14: Women in the Qur'an: Breaking Stereotypes

لك يب لكم ي ن الل كذ

يات لعلكمآ الآتتفكرون

Thus does Allah make the ayatclear for you so that you might ponder. (2:219)