Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

altmuslim

Home
Muslim
Lessons Learned from #EmpoweredMuslimWomen

Lessons Learned from #EmpoweredMuslimWomen

Last updated on: March 6, 2014 at 9:10 pm by Guest Contributor

Lessons Learned from #EmpoweredMuslimWomen 2014-03-06T21:10:03-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

By Sabina Khan-Ibarra

Muslimah Montage and Brown Girl Magazine had the honor of recently hosting a successful “Tweet Party” with the help of Aisha Saeed, and Coming of Faith‘s Laila Alawa (soon to be a columnist at Altmuslim). #EmpoweredMuslimWomen trended on Twitter, was featured on Buzzfeed and continues to be tweeted more than 24 hours after the party started. Most of the tweets were positive. I learned a lot, and hope the people who followed the hashtag learned something, as well.

I learned the very different meanings the word “empower” based on the very different women who partook in the event. Empowered women all look, behave, dress and live very differently; this affects very much how they define “empowerment.” Well known women were not the only ones who are empowered — our mothers and grandmothers, with their own struggles, were just as empowered.

Muslim women are no longer talking about what they wear or how religious they look. They would appreciate it if everyone else would stop talking about it, too.

Women from all over the world participated and one thing was clear: it didn’t matter where the women were from, they wanted to be able to tell their own truths.

And the biggest lesson that I learned was that women empower themselves; they do not need anyone to empower them. They just need a supportive environment in which to do this.

There were people, men and women, who didn’t like the hashtag for various reasons. Some said it was redundant, that if you are a Muslim woman, you shouldn’t have to add “empowered.” But, as usual, my argument is that until this is displayed more commonly and Muslims rid themselves of the misogynistic reputation, it is imperative we qualify “Muslim women.”

Some tweets were so racist and sexist that I hardly feel the need to address them. I will say that Islam has given all humans — women and men — the same rights. Islamic history is filled with empowered women, from Asiya (RA), who stayed steadfast in her beliefs, to Khadija (RA), an older businesswoman who proposed to the Prophet, to Aisha (RA), who related many of the Ahadith of the Prophet.

Another important thing I learned was actually from a Muslim woman who was very critical of hashtag parties. She told me that she wished people would do more the just start Twitter trends. She wanted to see action.

I agree with her. I hope that people who participated in the #EmpoweredMuslimWomen Tweet Party left feeling more aware and inspired to be part of a change in a very real, practical way. Social media leads to awareness, and this awareness, I hope, will lead to more people thinking of the role of Muslim women and eventually social activism on a real, very practical level.

I hope that people who read the hashtag will help women to empower themselves. How?

By providing spaces for women to speak, to speak up, and to speak out.

By supporting women who are working on empowering themselves.

By encouraging women to own their stories and tell their narratives in whatever creative way they choose.

By not criticizing others for being different.

By creating and nurturing diverse environments so that there are no exclusions.

By amplifying the voices of those who aren’t being heard.

By joining someone who is already working with projects that help women empower themselves.

By offering a helping hand to those who need it.

By being, providing, and highlighting positive role models for young women.

By encouraging young women to voice their opinions, their concerns and to be a part of discourse and dialogue.

Most of all, by teaching our daughters that we are our own heroes and not to wait for anyone to save us (Thanks Lila Abu-Lughod).

Sabina Khan-Ibarra is the founder of Muslimah Montage. A version of this post originally appeared on her Tumblr, Iamthepoppyflower.

Commentary

#EmpoweredMuslimwomen

Previous Post

February 27, 2014

Confronting Racism among American Muslims

Next Post

March 10, 2014 Rethinking Charity with Imam Khalid Latif

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2012 Elections 30 Dayd 30 Writers (2017) 30 Days 30 Writers 30 Days 30 Writers (2015) 30 Days 30 Writers (2016) 30 Days 30 Writers (2018) 30 Days 30 Writers 2017 Ali Asadullah Ali Eteraz Alper Bilgili Arthur Richards Asides Asma Uddin Black History Month Briefings Charles Turner Commentary Cyrus McGoldrick Eman H Aly Fatimah Popal Hajj Hajj and Dhul Hijjah Hesham Hassaballa Hisham Hellyer Ibrahim Abusharif Inas Younis Irfan Yusuf Jalal Baig Junaid Afeef Laila Alawa Laila Alwala Mas'ood Cajee Muqtedar Khan Nakia Jackson Newsmakers Parvez Ahmed Podcasts Rabia Chaudry Rafia Zakaria Ramadan Reviews Safiyyah Ally Saud Inam Shahed Amanullah Svend White The Opinionated Oncologist Visions Wajahat Ali Zahed Amanullah Zahir Janmohamed Zainab Khan

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who does Paul describe as his true son in the faith?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Philemon Onesimus Timothy Titus