Wife-beating, discrimination, imprisonment, inferior, seclusion from society, subjugation, enslaved to men, second class citizen. Put these words together and the title ‘Islam and Women’ would probably come to the minds of many. So when this January the multi-faith organisation Faith Matters published the findings of its report that of the 100,000 British converts to Islam that live in the UK, almost two thirds were women – it would perhaps not be surprising if a chorus of “WHY?” resonated from a significant proportion of the British public.
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Some would argue that the majority of conversions are simply the result of relationships with Muslim men or young women taking the step as a fad or act of rebellion against their family or society. However, not only are these assumptions highly patronising, suggesting that these hundreds of women enter the religion blindly, unaware about what it would mean to their status and rights as a woman but they are also at odds with the facts. The Faith Matters report and previous ones, describe a significant proportion of female converts as being university educated. Kevin Brice, ofSwansea University UK
So why would British women want to enter a religion that is commonly perceived within many Western societies as the embodiment of misogyny and women’s subjugation? Well those who study the religion with unbiased minds would perhaps discover a belief that is surprisingly different to the stream of negative accusations that consistently emanate from the pages and newsreels of particular Western media outlets and the tongues of certain Western politicians. They would uncover a religion that rather than condoning forced marriages, honour killings, or genital mutilation considers them abhorrent non-Islamic traditional practices that need to be eradicated from communities alongside all forms of violence against women. A way of life that in contrast to wife-beating, woman-hating perceptions obliges men to treat women with respect and kindness always, reflected by the saying of Prophet Muhammed, “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” And a belief system that established full rights of citizenship of the woman in education, economics, the legal sphere and politics including the vote from the time of its origins 1400 years ago and hence stands at odds with the injustices meted out against women by non-Islamic autocratic regimes that currently plague the Muslim world whose rulings are shaped upon the personal whims of kings and despots rather than Islamic texts.
Why are British women turning to Islam? Well, independent study of the religion would perhaps also reveal an ideology that seeks specific values and outcomes for society that many in the British public would share but are sadly in decline within states governed by capitalism and self-interest. When asked about their views regarding the negative aspects of British culture, converts in the report pointed to the “the unrestrained consumerism”, “the lack of morality”, and “the sexual permissiveness”. Within many western societies consumed by consumerism, dominated by chasing the next best car, X-box, mobile phone, fashion trend, and home accessory, Islam can provide a higher meaning to life than pursuing meaningless materialistic lives. In an environment where many Britons are exasperated by a growing individualistic self-gratifying culture resulting in rising levels of binge-drinking, anti-social behaviour, drug abuse, risky sexual relationships, disrespect of parents and teachers, and neglect of the elderly, Islam not only prohibits such destructive behaviour but can offer values that promote a mindset of accountability for one’s actions and care, concern, respect and responsibility towards family, the community, and society.
At a time when many in the British public are at saturation point with seeing the bodies of women commercialized by the capitalist money making machine in advertising, entertainment and the sex industry, her dignity bought up by the free-market in the name of profit, Islam’s prohibition of the objectification and sexual exploitation of women can offer an alternative perspective to securing the respect of women. In an atmosphere where women constantly face pressure to embrace the ceaseless quest to achieve the body perfect ideal, the Islamic dress code for the woman often labelled oppressive can in reality liberate her from feeling policed by a template of beauty, free her from defining her self-worth according to the gaze of others, and empower her by elevating her status beyond physical appearance, focussing society’s attention to her skills and abilities and away from her body.
And while Cameron and others consistently talk about a ‘Broken Britain’ - with rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, abortions, single mothers and the meltdown of the family unit - resulting from the liberalization of sexual relations, Islam’s social laws that regulate the relationship between men and women and promote sexual modesty (often described in the West as outdated and restrictive) are viewed by many converts as more relevant than ever as a means to protect the family structure and the rights of children.
For those who try and measure individual Islamic rules against a Western liberal template, they will never match up. However, for those who examine the religion based upon the outcomes that the comprehensive application of its body of laws aspires for society, they will perhaps see what many British female converts do – a belief that holds some credible solutions to some modern day human problems.
One thing is for sure – such large numbers of well educated female converts to Islam in the West surely merits at minimum questions regarding the truth behind allegation of Islam’s mistreatment of women. Perhaps it’s time to take a deeper look at what’s really behind the veil.
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Some would argue that the majority of conversions are simply the result of relationships with Muslim men or young women taking the step as a fad or act of rebellion against their family or society. However, not only are these assumptions highly patronising, suggesting that these hundreds of women enter the religion blindly, unaware about what it would mean to their status and rights as a woman but they are also at odds with the facts. The Faith Matters report and previous ones, describe a significant proportion of female converts as being university educated. Kevin Brice, of
So why would British women want to enter a religion that is commonly perceived within many Western societies as the embodiment of misogyny and women’s subjugation? Well those who study the religion with unbiased minds would perhaps discover a belief that is surprisingly different to the stream of negative accusations that consistently emanate from the pages and newsreels of particular Western media outlets and the tongues of certain Western politicians. They would uncover a religion that rather than condoning forced marriages, honour killings, or genital mutilation considers them abhorrent non-Islamic traditional practices that need to be eradicated from communities alongside all forms of violence against women. A way of life that in contrast to wife-beating, woman-hating perceptions obliges men to treat women with respect and kindness always, reflected by the saying of Prophet Muhammed, “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” And a belief system that established full rights of citizenship of the woman in education, economics, the legal sphere and politics including the vote from the time of its origins 1400 years ago and hence stands at odds with the injustices meted out against women by non-Islamic autocratic regimes that currently plague the Muslim world whose rulings are shaped upon the personal whims of kings and despots rather than Islamic texts.
Why are British women turning to Islam? Well, independent study of the religion would perhaps also reveal an ideology that seeks specific values and outcomes for society that many in the British public would share but are sadly in decline within states governed by capitalism and self-interest. When asked about their views regarding the negative aspects of British culture, converts in the report pointed to the “the unrestrained consumerism”, “the lack of morality”, and “the sexual permissiveness”. Within many western societies consumed by consumerism, dominated by chasing the next best car, X-box, mobile phone, fashion trend, and home accessory, Islam can provide a higher meaning to life than pursuing meaningless materialistic lives. In an environment where many Britons are exasperated by a growing individualistic self-gratifying culture resulting in rising levels of binge-drinking, anti-social behaviour, drug abuse, risky sexual relationships, disrespect of parents and teachers, and neglect of the elderly, Islam not only prohibits such destructive behaviour but can offer values that promote a mindset of accountability for one’s actions and care, concern, respect and responsibility towards family, the community, and society.
At a time when many in the British public are at saturation point with seeing the bodies of women commercialized by the capitalist money making machine in advertising, entertainment and the sex industry, her dignity bought up by the free-market in the name of profit, Islam’s prohibition of the objectification and sexual exploitation of women can offer an alternative perspective to securing the respect of women. In an atmosphere where women constantly face pressure to embrace the ceaseless quest to achieve the body perfect ideal, the Islamic dress code for the woman often labelled oppressive can in reality liberate her from feeling policed by a template of beauty, free her from defining her self-worth according to the gaze of others, and empower her by elevating her status beyond physical appearance, focussing society’s attention to her skills and abilities and away from her body.
And while Cameron and others consistently talk about a ‘Broken Britain’ - with rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, abortions, single mothers and the meltdown of the family unit - resulting from the liberalization of sexual relations, Islam’s social laws that regulate the relationship between men and women and promote sexual modesty (often described in the West as outdated and restrictive) are viewed by many converts as more relevant than ever as a means to protect the family structure and the rights of children.
For those who try and measure individual Islamic rules against a Western liberal template, they will never match up. However, for those who examine the religion based upon the outcomes that the comprehensive application of its body of laws aspires for society, they will perhaps see what many British female converts do – a belief that holds some credible solutions to some modern day human problems.
One thing is for sure – such large numbers of well educated female converts to Islam in the West surely merits at minimum questions regarding the truth behind allegation of Islam’s mistreatment of women. Perhaps it’s time to take a deeper look at what’s really behind the veil.
Dr Nazreen Nawaz
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