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

Muslimah Media Watch

Home
Muslim
Religion News
Egyptian Women Hanging out in Mosques

Egyptian Women Hanging out in Mosques

Last updated on: December 8, 2011 at 11:33 pm by Muslimah Media Watch

Egyptian Women Hanging out in Mosques 2011-12-08T23:33:46-04:00 Muslimah Media Watch

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.

I came across an interesting Associated Press article a couple of days ago titled Egyptian women break new ground at the mosque by Canadian journalist Hadeel Al-Shalchi.

The article discusses how Egyptian women are beginning to not only frequent mosques more, but to use their time there to socialize, learn about Islam, and participate in community work.

All in all, it was a pretty solid article, and Al-Shalchi does a good job of discussing the ways women have increased their participation in the mosque. It isn’t a revolutionary thing they’re doing, though you get the feeling that’s what she’s telling us, but it’s interesting to note.

I particularly like how the story isn’t written in an “Oh my God, these women are doing something so incredible!” Instead, it’s written as it is: a natural progression resulting from “increasing religiosity” in Egypt, and of more women in Egypt (Muslim and non-Muslim) going ‘outside’ the home more and more to study and work.

(Although was it really necessary to say that women who used to come to the mosques/ shrines only prayed for “marriage, pregnancy [and] good grades for their children?” None of them were praying for a career or to be a better Muslim or a better person?)

Anyway, as Al-Shalchi points out:

More women want to engage in public prayer, increase their knowledge of Islam and do volunteer work in the community. Many Egyptian women already have had to balance their traditional place in the home with public roles at universities and jobs, so they tend to ask, “Why not a place in the mosque as well?”

The focus on the article is Muslim women in mosques, but Al-Shalchi does a good job of balancing the fact that it’s both a realization “that their faith allowed them to [enter mosques],” and a development in the Egyptian culture that has allowed women to visit mosques more often. Plus, she manages to make it clear that women aren’t only going to the mosques to pray, they’re going to engage more in their communities.

However, Al-Shalchi does only talk mainly about one mosque, Al-Sedeeq, one where:

Up to a 1,000 women may show up for the Quran lessons or twice-weekly religious lectures by women. On any given day, several hundred women buzz around the mosque, organizing clothing drives, cooking meals for the poor or teaching women to read. Al-Sedeeq also has medical clinics and a day care center for children of women who do volunteer work at the mosque.

And although she does point out though that this mosque is “one of the most dramatic examples of women taking a bigger role,” you may be left thinking a lot of mosques are like this, when this may not be true. A lot of other mosques, especially outside of Cairo, aren’t so welcoming of women.

Egypt is one of the most progressive nations in the Middle East on the issue of women attending mosques.

I would have perhaps liked to see a contrast with other nations here, more explaining on why Egypt is “one of the most progressive nations,” and what exactly that means—is it only in terms of available prayer space?

The only statement I had major qualms about was:

These women aren’t Western-style feminists seeking to change the faith’s teachings on women.

As if western-style feminists’ aim is to change Islam’s teachings on women, and not patriarchal interpretations of the faith.

I liked the juxtaposition of a female scholar encouraging women to stay at home and a male scholar saying women should be out and about. A nice touch to show diversity of thought, as well as the fact that supporters of women going to mosques aren’t always women and detractors aren’t always men.

Egyptian Muslim women perform Eid al-Adha prayers, or the Feast of Sacrifice in Cairo, Egypt. AP Photo/Mohamad Al Sehety

The art chosen for this story was also suitable. Pictured leftis one of the photos, women praying dressed in all colors and types of dress. Another photo (pictured below right) showed women in niqab (face veil) at a mosque, and another showed them dressed in white scarves and normal clothes studying. A good combination.

Somehow, the following day, I stumbled upon an article on Wowowow.com that quoted Al-Shalchi’s article.

The website name should give you some indication of how they tackled the article. And the fact that they titled the article Egyptian Women Take Mosques By Storm – In a Good Way.

Ignoring the fact that they slightly plagiarized Al-Shalchi’s article, they painted the fact that women were visiting mosques more as a pioneering “women’s movement.” The female scholar who Al-Shalchi quoted as saying women should stay at home is quoted again here, as a critic of the movement. The male scholar who said they should go to the mosque is conveniently left out.

The women who go to the mosques are lumped together as “housewives” who “take care of the husbands and kids.”

But don’t be mistaken. This is not necessarily a case of Egyptian women trying to break free of their religion, but rather them trying to worship and practice more publicly.

Egyptian Muslim women study Islamic lessons at Al-Azhar Mosque, the highest Islamic Sunni institution (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian Muslim women study Islamic lessons at Al-Azhar Mosque, the highest Islamic Sunni institution. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Basically, the article attempts to position the ‘movement’ as one were the housewives are consciously making a stand, making their voices heard! with critics trying to shut them up while they struggle valiantly for their rights, ‘storming’ and ‘taking on’ the mosques. No mention is made that there are many accommodating male mosque leaders who are supporters of women praying and participating in mosque activities.

Once again, it’s the poor Muslim women trying to navigate their way in a religion and society that’s intolerant. Oh, and by the way, the article adds, in case you thought this was an Egyptian problem, it’s not: a lot of Muslims try and keep women out of the mosque or *gasp* separated, “even here in the United States.”

They then go ahead and quote Asra Nomani as saying:

Intolerance toward women is like the canary in the coal mine for intolerance toward other people. When you allow sexism to go unchallenged, you allow bin Laden-type mentalities to go unchallenged. That’s why it’s so vital that the expression of Islam in the world be one that is completely affirming of women’s rights.

So how is that talking about Egyptian women participating more in their communities? Oh yeah, it isn’t. It’s just an excuse to spout platitudes about Islam’s intolerance towards women.

Previous Post

January 8, 2009

I ain't sayin' I'm a gold digger...

Next Post

January 9, 2009 Friday Links -- January 9, 2009

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advertisements Art/Theater Books/Magazines Cinema Comics/Cartoons Culture/Society Events Fashion Film Friday Links Merchandise/Commodities MMW Announcements MMW Highlights Music/Radio News Photography Politics Profile Ramadan 2012 Ramadan 2013 Ramadan 2014 Ramadan 2015 Roundtable Satire Social Media Sports Technology/Science Television Uncategorized Video Web

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 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 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

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE