Islam, State and Women Activism A Perception Study in Malaysia and Pakistan
Keywords:
Islam, State, Malaysia, Pakistan, Women, Feminism etc.Abstract
The Muslim women’s activists in Malaysia and Pakistan fall in two groups
namely traditionalist and reformers. The reformers believe that a fresh
exegesis of the Qur’an by Muslim women is necessary in order to motivate
social change within the framework of Islam. Traditionalists, however,
discourage the involvement of Muslim women and adhere to the classical
Islamic tradition that favors men to exercise control on the interpretation
work. This study engages in analyzing the discourses and strategies of
reformers in Pakistan and Malaysia. The study finds that in some areas
reformers are well received and in others they are criticized. There are
different factors that shape this perception, for instance, the choice of
words reformers use while doing advocacy on women’s rights and their
eligibility and expertise in interpreting the Qur’an.
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