Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Economic <strong>and</strong> Social Development
Box 7.4
Who Speaks for Women in <strong>the</strong> Muslim-<strong>West</strong> Dialogue ?
Ingrid Mattson
Ingrid Mattson is Professor of <strong>Islam</strong>ic Studies <strong>and</strong> Christian-Muslim Relations <strong>and</strong> Director of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic
Chaplaincy Program at <strong>the</strong> Hartford Seminary. In 2006 she was elected President of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic Society of
North America.
Advocates of women’s rights in <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern world have important roles to play in supporting Muslim women who are
struggling for <strong>the</strong>ir rights. This support can be critical in societies where <strong>the</strong> rule of law, freedom of expression <strong>and</strong>
freedom of <strong>the</strong> press are limited or absent. <strong>West</strong>ern activists serve as translators or messengers for Muslim activists
<strong>and</strong> can lobby <strong>the</strong>ir own governments to put pressure on repressive governments where Muslim women are struggling
for <strong>the</strong>ir rights.
Problems arise, however, when <strong>West</strong>ern activists act not as “honest interpreters” for Muslim women, but ra<strong>the</strong>r reframe
<strong>the</strong> message according to <strong>the</strong>ir own beliefs <strong>and</strong> in conflict with <strong>the</strong> beliefs of <strong>the</strong> Muslim women for whom <strong>the</strong>y claim
to be advocating.
For example, when <strong>the</strong> Pakistani activist <strong>and</strong> gang-rape survivor Mukhtar Mai traveled in <strong>the</strong> United States to speak
about <strong>the</strong> violation of her human rights, she emphasized that <strong>the</strong> sources of her oppression were illiteracy, government
corruption <strong>and</strong> an ancient tribal caste system. Many of Mukhtar’s “advocates” kept framing her message as that of a
woman oppressed by <strong>Islam</strong> or that of a citizen of a Muslim country, although Mukhtar rejected this interpretation of
her situation, highlighting instead <strong>the</strong> importance of <strong>Islam</strong> as her source of spiritual strength. Indeed, she pointed to
<strong>the</strong> support of <strong>the</strong> local religious leader (mullah) as <strong>the</strong> reason why her case succeeded.
Similarly, problems arise when <strong>West</strong>ern activists insist that certain beliefs <strong>and</strong> practices that many Muslim women embrace
are inherently oppressive. It is ironic that <strong>West</strong>ern women who claim to be interested in supporting <strong>the</strong>ir Muslim sisters
are unaware of how deeply paternalistic <strong>the</strong>ir attitude is. This lack of self-awareness often arises because many women
take what <strong>the</strong>y perceive to be oppressive practices or attitudes towards o<strong>the</strong>r women personally.
A<strong>West</strong>ernwomanwhoassumesthataheadscarfisasignof<strong>the</strong>degradationofwomenfeelswithinherselfanurgent
desire to get that thing off <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r woman’s head. Until that happens, she remains offended <strong>and</strong> anxious, <strong>and</strong> often
deaf to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r woman’s own interpretation <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing of her beliefs <strong>and</strong> practices.
Conversations about women’s rights across <strong>West</strong>ern <strong>and</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic communities are often unproductive because women
in <strong>West</strong>ern countries tend to focus on oppression that <strong>the</strong>y see as gender-specific, whereas women in <strong>Islam</strong>ic communities
focus instead on different forms of oppression that <strong>the</strong>y see as more urgent – at least when <strong>the</strong>y meet with a group of
<strong>West</strong>erners.
If feminism is about embracing <strong>the</strong> full human identify of women, <strong>the</strong>n women’s rights advocates need to hear Muslim
women's full spectrum of concerns, including <strong>the</strong>ir perceptions of political, military <strong>and</strong> economic oppression.
Many <strong>West</strong>erners approach <strong>the</strong> issue of Muslim women’s rights assuming gender solidarity among women. Many Muslim
women feel that this solidarity will remain superficial until <strong>West</strong>ern women can address <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>the</strong>ir own economic
<strong>and</strong> political activities are sources of oppression for many Muslim women.