Introduction:
Muslim women and their stereotype have always been the topics of discussion, particularly in Western Media. The Western media has created a dark and negative image about entire Muslim community and Muslim women. They are treated either with sympathy or suspicion. In United States and other Western countries, a certain image has been created about Muslim women. This image is certainly not positive. The Muslim women are underestimated and people do not believe in their ability to change the world. I want to put before the readers some facts about Muslim women through which I want to refute such misconceptions. That is the reason why I chose the topic. This topic will matter a lot. It will be a small effort to change the stereotype and established wrong perceptions about Muslim women. Many of us are aware that Muslim is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity. There are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. 23% of world's population is Muslim. The number is significant but this large community has been living under a pressure of stereotype for last few decades. Many books and stories were written worldwide on the lifestyle of Muslim, their beliefs, morals and the religious doctrines. In all over the world there is a certain image of Muslim males and females, deliberately created by media, books, or even Hollywood movies. The image unfortunately is not positive or good one. There are many misconceptions about the conservativeness of Muslim community. The community often faces the problem of considering them as a suspect or terrorist. They are also blamed for their male chauvinism. The stories regarding Muslim atrocity have often been manipulated by media and even the Western politics.
When we state that Western society is biased in their approach towards Muslim women and the gender inequality of Islam, it is essential to enlist what exact misinterpretations are in their minds. The researcher found out several types of stereotypes.
The first and foremost stereotype about Muslim among the American popular media is that they just consider Arab as Muslim. They seldom think the Muslim world beyond Arab. Due to stereotype from American media, the major problems Muslim women face, are the orientalism and patriarchy according to Hamdy Shirin. Both books point out two main problems Muslim women face: Orientalism While discussing the term orientalism Hamdy says that orientalism incorporate the discourses such as Western exploitation, media, misinterpretations, Western feminism and universalizing human rights. “Muslim women thus find themselves between a rock and a hard place: having to defend Islam to a world (one that includes well-intentioned but often patronizing Western feminists) that reduces their faith and culture to misogyny, while simultaneously confronting sexism from within the larger Islamic community.” (Hamdy)
The first stereotype about Muslim women is that they are meek, uneducated and further they are not aware about their rights. Aruba Mahmud in the article “Pull Tab, Open a Muslim Stereotype has narrated a story of a bomber’s wife Katherine. Mahmud explains a typical adjectives used for Katherine for being a Muslim woman. Media called her as “an oppressed, subjugated and brainwashed.” (Aruba 27) ‘Media also attributed her “transformation to being brainwashed and manipulated by her husband.’ (Aruba 27) Even the western feminists also have created the same stereotypical image in their mind about the women from third world nation, especially Muslim countries. While commenting on the feminist writing in the US Mohanty says that the feminist writing in the US is still marginalized. (Mohanty p. 64) She argues that the Western feminist writing has a political effects and implications. The Western feminists are involved in differentiating the women in developed countries and the women in third world nations. She explains how the image of average third-world women is produced in Western mind. ‘Legal, economic, religious and familial structures are treated as phenomena to be judged by western standards. It is here that ethnocentric universality comes into play. When these structures are defined as 'underdeveloped' or 'developing' and women are placed within these structures, an implicit image of the 'average third-world woman is produced.' (Mohanty p. 80)
While describing the typical gender-based stereotype of Islam, the Western people tend to show them superior to the Muslim community. As Hoodfar states, ‘The mostly man - made images of oriental Muslim women continue to be a mechanism by which western dominant cultures re - create and perpetuate beliefs about their superiority.' (Hoodfar p.5) Malala Yousufzai has dispelled the misconception by fighting against “cultural monsters” (Lughod p.784) “All I want is education, and I am afraid of no one." Yousafzai dispels stereotypes about how Muslim women are oppressed damsels in distress by not only drawing attention to other female Muslim activists such as herself, but by galvanizing others in the process. (Karimi) Her statement indicates that she wants to enjoy her natural rights. It also indicates her indomitable spirit and fearlessness. This is an answer to the Western people who thinks Muslim as meek and backward.
The books are also depicted the dark side of the Muslim culture. In “Not without My Daughter” for example, Betty Mahmoody has been biased in representing the Iranian Culture. While commenting on Mahmoody’s book Hilton says that Mahmoody has clearly admitted that the women are very sensible and deserve friendship. Hilton strongly points out that while portraying the dark picture of Iranian culture, Betty completely overlooks the fact that the government of her own country failed to help her and rescue her from Iran. On the other hand, it was Iranians, who helped her and they faced all the dangers even the threat to their lives, and smuggled her and her daughter Mahtob. (Mahamoody1987) Otherwise from US Government and Embassy, they hardly had chance to escape. Further the Iranians helped her almost free of cost, because while helping her, they were not sure that she would pay back their amount. The amount was considerable Hilton (1993) says, ‘However, in her book she capitalizes on Western anti - Iranian and anti - Islamic sentiments, and by creating illusionary correlations between her experience and the Iranian and Islamic culture, she overtly denigrates them and their culture (Hoodfar ).
Polygamy is quite prevalent in Islam. The men can marry more than one woman. He can have lot of wives. This is according to Western people is the major reason behind the miserable life of Muslim women. But while blaming the polygamy in Islam, the Western society overlooks the illegitimate offspring from extra marital affairs and being the mistress. The situation of the offspring is worse than the Muslim women according to Hoodfar. Hoodfar has attacked the Western psyche, She says, ‘while western writers of the nineteenth century wrote about the troubled situation of women in polygamous marriages and the double standard applied to men and women, they totally ignored the plight of "mistresses" in their own societies and the vast number of illegitimate children, who not only had no right to economic support, but as "bastards" were also condemned to carry the stigma of the sin of their fathers for the rest of their lives. (Hoodfar p.5)
The stereotype about the misinterpretation of Qur’an has been created out of ignorance or half knowledge or biased views about Qur’an. The Windows of Faith authors argue that an informed understanding of the Islamic texts is necessary for women to ascertain their equal rights. Islam, they point out, is based on equality of all believers before God, regardless of social distinctions such as race, class, or gender.”' While narrating her own experience, Wadud says, “The more I lived as a Muslim woman, the more equality I have discovered between women and men” but at the same time, she does not say that it is because of Islam. ‘My initial theoretical concern was to determine if the cause of women’s inequality was because of “Islam.” (Wadud, 21)
Maysam al-Faruqi argues in her chapter "Women's Self-Identity in the Qur'an and Islamic Law," uncovering the spirit of equality in Islam is not a feminist project, but the correct Islamic one. The problem of women's status in Muslim communities is not in Islam itself, but in Islamic interpretations (which al-Faruqi would argue are misinterpretations) Qur'an's clear stipulation that those who accuse chaste women of adultery and do not bring four witnesses should themselves be punished for slander, and "their testimony should not be accepted afterwards" (p. 108). (Sherine Hamdy 2001) While trying to remove the misconception from the Western mind about Muslim women, the Queen Noor, the Queen of Jordan states, ‘"Muslim women are the biggest victims of stereotypes," she says, -- “they are not the oppressed, terrorist-supporting, American haters that some people think they are.” (Carla p.B1)
The clothing or attire of the Muslim Women has been another topic of stereotype. Muslim women use veil to disclose their face and body. While describing the stereotype about veil Lughod explains, ‘It is a common popular knowledge that the ultimate sign of the oppression of Afghan women under the Taliban and the terrorists is that they were forced to wear the burqa.’ (Lughod 785) The Hijab or Burqa is interpreted by Westerns as the symbol of a constrained life and oppression the Muslim women are suffering. Some scholars think burqa as a “portable seclusion.” (Papanek, p. 190-216) Many Western people "attach some political implications to this item of clothing. To many people's minds, it represents oppression of women and powerlessness of Arab women and backwardness. . . . That's a misperception and something that needs to be corrected." (Carla p.B1) The assumption that the "veil" equals "ignorance" and "oppression" has meant that young Muslim women have to invest a considerable amount of energy in establishing themselves as thinking, rational, literate students/persons, both in their classrooms and outside. The fact is that burqa, chador or scarf can be taken as a cultural representation of Muslim women. It neither signifies the oppression nor is it a symbol of backwardness. Lughold debates on veil. She denies the relationship of burqa with oppression. For her the veil is regarded from “cultural relativism.”
It is the question whether the Western community is genuinely concerned about the oppression of Muslim women or they are just making a fuss on the issue. While arguing on the stereotype of Western psyche, Lughold states, ‘This was a selective concern about the plight of Egyptian women that focused on the veil as a sign of oppression but gave no support to women’s education’ (Lughod p. 784) Lughold strongly protest against the fake and false sympathy showed by the Western World. According to her Western society does not get into the real problems, instead, the insignificant issues such as veil are discussed. She also attacks on the way Afghan women’s matter is handled by Western world. She points out that the feminists felt good about saving Afghan women from Taliban, but the question asked by Lughod to those feminist whether they have thought anything about their rehabilitation. The seldom ask for the saving them from structural violence of global inequality, freedom from ravage of war, the basic rights of human such as good and quality food , homes for the families, and the assistance to live a decent life, a secured life. Only saving them from oppression is not enough according to Lughod.
British newspaper The Guardian published an interview in January 2002 with Dr. Suheila Siddiqi, a respected surgeon in Afghanistan. She holds the rank of lieutenant general in Afghan Medical Corporation but still she had no problem wearing chador or a scarf. (Lughod p. 786) Suheila is an epitome of the modern independent Muslim woman, who is holding one of the highest ranks. Still she likes to wear veil. It strongly indicates that wearing veil is the choice of Muslim women and it has not imposed on them by Islam.
The stereotype of Westerns about Islam is about the gender inequality suggested by Qur’an: Very few people would know the spiritual elevation Muslim women has attained. While talking about the spiritual growth of Muslim women Coles gives reference of A'ishah and Rabia. 'A'ishah; the wife of the Prophet Mohammad. After the prophet's death, A'ishah continued his cause and attained prominence.' Rabia was 'sold as a slave as a child, she grew to womanhood, refusing many marriage offers. She infused what was until then a purely ascetic Islam with a passionate, mystical quest for union with God.' (Coles Roberta)
Among many stereotypes, there is a common stereotype about the Muslim women especially the Saudi women that they lead the life in misery and hence they are not happy. Further the Americans think that they would be happy only when they start living a life like Americans. There was a mob of 500 female audience gathered together. The news is in Jiddah. The women were assembled for Spreading American message in the Muslim world. The representative from America’s side was Karen P Hughes. When she started sympathizing the women by giving them false motivation of their liberty, the women took unexpected reverse stand. When she stated that Muslim women are not happy, one audience member suddenly said, “Well, we're all pretty happy,” (Steven W. A1) she was spontaneously applauded by the other women. “we are not in any way barred from talking to the other sex” Dr. Nada Jambi, the public health professor declared.(Steven W. A1) Hughes, being a typical lady with American mindset, started connecting freedom and liberty with driving car, the women refuted her. Dr. Kamal Siddiqi, obstetrician and gynaecologist refuted Hughes by sharing her experience in America, “There is more male chauvinism in my profession in Europe and America than my country.”(Steven W. A1)
Islam is a liberal religion and it always supports gender equality. Hamdy in her article, “North American Muslim Women Voice their Concerns” points out Islam’s opinion about gender equality. She refers the book Windows of Faith. The book challenges Western mind’s way of categorizing Muslim and the term “progressive” as exclusive. Islamic sacred texts according to the writers of Window of Faith state that men and women are equal before God. They further appeal that the Muslim women should have proper understanding of their equal rights mentioned in Islam. They also point out that all believers are equal before God irrespective of their race class or gender. They also focus on the Prophet’s saying on Islam’s view to protect the rights of women. Hence it is clear that Islam is not responsible for the inferior status. Mayasam al-Faruqi argues that Islam is misinterpreted. The problem of Muslim inferior status is not in Islam but its misinterpretation. Al-Faruqi argues that the goal of Muslims is to properly understand divine guidance, and that this includes redressing incorrect understandings of the Qur'an that have been used to oppress women (Al-Faruqi p.100). Wadud also argues that Islam always supports gender equality when she states, ‘These Qur’anic values and virtues inspire persistence in the struggle and resistance to the limitations put on women’s full dignity.” (Wadud, p.15) While also views the same that the misinterpretation of Qur’an has led to the gender equality. ‘Too many claim authority and legitimacy on the basis of literal, narrow, reductionist, and static interpretation of justice, Islam, Islamic sources, and gender. (Wadud, p.15) In Qur'an, It is clearly stated that men and women are equal regardless of their genders. Wadud gives the quote from Qur'an, ‘and the rights due to women are similar to the rights against them with regards to ma'ruf [a well-known or established idea of justice] but men have a degree over them. (2:228) The debate may occur against the second part of the quote which indicates men as superior to women. But the interpretation Wadud gives is also logical and rational. She says, 'Normally I am opposed to the use of this second half of the verse without the context of the whole verse, because it is not a universal discussion but rather a particular discussion related to the institution of divorce. She agrees that Islamic laws about divorce are not based on gender equality. Wadud gives many metaphysical connotations while describing the gender relationship. She explains the metaphysical and spiritual approach of gender. She says that the whole construction of humankind is composed of its male and female pairs. (Wadud, p.32) While elaborating the Tawhidic paradigm, she says, 'The Tawhidic paradigm becomes the inspiration for removing gender stratification from all levels of social interaction: public and private, ritual and political.' In her further analysis, she quotes, 'Not only does it mean that I and thou are equal, but it also means that I and Thou are one within the oneness of Allah' (Wadud, p.32) Wakud also gives the reference of Shar 'ah where the Muslim women have given full autonomous and independent status in family (Wakud, p.41) To support the crucial role of women in the family, Wadud does not forget to mention her utmost important role as a wife who is behind the successful career of every man. To support this view she refers the statement of Terri Apter, 'Men often do get, when they marry, a partner who looks after their changing occupational needs, and put family reponsibilities first and foremost. The 'women behind the man' is the wife who takes care of everything else, so the man can concentrate on his career.' (Wakud, p. 45) Wadud wants to indicate Muslim woman's role in the family as an inspiration for men and a strong supporter of the family.
Conclusion:
On the basis of the study and discussion, it can be concluded that most of the stereotypes of Western community against Islam are based on the biased approach and without or very less knowledge of Islam. Islam is widespread religion and not limited to a certain peripheries. Hence the broad outlook is essential while judging it from gender perspectives. The religious doctrines seldom advocate injustice to humanity. So it is not the sign of a advanced society to associate certain phenomena with certain community or religion. It is not rational to propagate certain stereotypes and thus target to a certain group. Media, being a very popular as well sensible social driver, should have multi-dimensional approach in their representation. It has a very crucial role in shaping the society. Relativism is the philosophical approach, which the Western media and the society is lacking somewhere. On the contrary they are more inclined towards sensationalism. Even the scholars, feminists from developed nations also segregate the humanity on the basis of race, and ethnicity. The community is defamed and blamed with certain labels or certain characteristics. Their labels or stereotypes further have no strong foundation of empirical witnesses. It is a mass tendency to take couple of incidents and establish certain opinions based on those incidents. Since some decades, Muslim community has been in the scenario for various ill practises. Unfortunately, for these ill-practices and chaos, the Western people are defaming blaming and targeting the overall Muslim community. Many shallow and immature comments are coming from all parts of Western society. While commenting, the western society constantly tries to show their superiority and the inferiority of Muslim community, may be it the terrorism or Female oppression. Instead of spreading wrong image of a certain community, just to show the superiority of Western community is not a healthy mindset. It badly affects the healthy growth and harmony among the people from all over the world. Globalization, the term we frequently use, does not mean mere financial, economic are corporate globalization. It also means social and cultural globalization which is possible only through the tolerance and relativism among the people regardless of ethnicity, race, and religion. It is the rational and practical approach, which leads the world towards harmony.
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