In the book the forgotten queens of islam, fatima mernissi uses an intersectional. Mernissi, a moroccan sociologist whose books include beyond the veil, islam and democracy and dreams of trespass, died in morocco on nov. But fatima mernissi examined fifteen centuries of islamic history and discovered that the critics were wrong. The idea of the coexistence of democracy and islam has raised controversy among writers and theorists. She starts by providing a general biography of the prophet, before he was a messenger of god, and then his journey in spreading islam. Fatima mernissi died november 30 at the age of 75 in morocco. In this nowclassic book, islamic sociologist fatima mernissi explores the ways in which progressive muslimsdefenders of democracy, feminists, and others trying to resist fundamentalismmust use the same sacred texts as muslims who. A moroccan sociologist, she writes from a feminist perspective, this time about islamic concepts of freedom, order and responsibility, and their compatibility with democracy. The forgotten queens of islam university of minnesota press. Fatema mernissi moroccan sociologist and writer britannica.
Additionally, feminist gerda lerner traces this creation of patriarchy through the continual repetition of maledominated events and rituals. Fatema mernissis most popular book is dreams of trespass. Born in fez to a middleclass family, mernissi studied at the mohammed v university in rabat and later went to paris, where she worked briefly as a journalist. Whoever says that modern arab intellectuals have not engaged in intelligent analysis and criticism of their society, its values and its politics has not read the books of fatima mernissi. Malefemale dynamics in modern muslim society in 1975, mernissi has sought to reclaim the ideological discourse on women and sexuality from the stranglehold of patriarchy. A very clear and useful discussion, providing a concise but thoroughly accessible hermeneutics of arabic and koranic terminology. Fatima mernissi, one of moroccos foremost writers in the fields of sociology and islamic feminism, has died. Beyond the veil 1985, women and islam 1991 and women and islamic memory 1996. A revised edition was published in britain in 1985 and in the us in 1987. In her article the prophet and hadith, fatima mernissi revisits the prophet mohameds sayings.
Malefemale dynami in muslim society saqi essentials series by fatima mernissi. She persuasively argues that the positive aspects and practice of islam would flourish if the people of islam were to choose their faith, rather than. As one of the best known arabmuslim feminists, mernissis influence extends beyond. Modern states, legal reforms and feminisms in muslim countries alina isac alak university of bucharest alina. A moroccan, she was born in 1940 into a middleclass home in fez, exactly. From the writing of her first book, beyond the veil. Perseus books publishing 1994 mernissi, fatima the veil and the male elite. Mernissi, the muslim concept of active female sexuality.
Muslim women are not all victims, renegades or standardbearers for religious or cultural authenticity. Fatema mernissi was a moroccan feminist writer and sociologist. Fatema mernissi really relishes academic discourse. Fatima mernissi prophet mohamed hadith islam women. This book, however, islam and democracy, is a disorganized rant. In this nowclassic book, islamic sociologist fatima mernissi explores the ways in which progressive muslimsdefenders of democracy, feminists, and others trying to resist fundamentalismmust use the same sacred texts as muslims who use them for. Section one provides an emic view by summarising mernissis central arguments. Can islam, a religion revealed in 6 th century arabia, be compatible with democracy, a product of the modern west. Mernissi is obviously one of the most important feminist writers and she has influenced other feminist muslim writers. Fatema mernissi, a moroccan sociologist who was one of the founders of islamic feminism, whose work included studies of the sexual politics of islamic scripture and a book based on her childhood. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Fatima mernissi has provides an interesting, academic and social perspective of islam and its fear of democracy. Published by user, 16 years ago in her book, islam and democracy, fatima mernissi, a moroccan author, draws back on her personal experiences, not only as a moslem but also as a woman, to explain why democracy has not caught on in the arab countries and what are the prospects for the future. Mernissis first monograph, beyond the veil, was published in 1975. In this nowclassic book, islamic sociologist fatima mernissi explores the. Regardless of what she is writing about whether it be womens rights in the arab world, the wests fear of islam, or cultural globalization the moroccan academic and essayist succeeds not only in informing people, but also getting them to think and entertaining them at the same time.
Fatima mernissi 1940 also transliterated as fatema mernissi moroccan nonfiction writer, memoirist, and editor. Islam and democracy ebook by fatima mernissi 9780786731008. Beyond the veil, revised edition indiana university press. A feminist interpretation of womens rights in islam, translated by mary jo lakeland new york. Fatima mernissi 1991 simorgh, womens resource and publications centre. Click download or read online button to get islam and democracy book now. The book came after the gulf war and the rise of debate of islam and democracy, islam and the west. Fear of the modern world, fatima mernissi employs a. Mernissi, the muslim concept of active female sexuality jesse k. As scholar fatima mernissi puts it, the existing inequality does not rest on an ideological or biological theory of womens inferiority. Fatima mernissi brings a radically different background to the task of giving women a voice in doing daily battle.
There has been a surge of debate throughout the world on this issue, but no consensus. Modern states, legal reforms and feminisms in muslim. She states that the story of islam is the saga of a happy man. The true story of fatima a complete account of the fatima apparitions. Moroccan feminist fatima mernissi asserts that womyn are considered powerful by islam perhaps even dangerously so, which can easily be misinterpreted to mean that womyn need to be constrained. Womens oppression, she maintains, is due to the political manipulation of religion by powerseeking, archaic muslim male elites. Fatima argued that for political islam to accept democracy it must reconcile the competing demands of taa obedience, ray individual opinion, aql reason and khayal imagination. The name of the book islam and democracy does injustice to the plurality and richness of the muslim world.
As mernissi points out, islam has always recognized the legitimacy of female sexuality. Although her parents had a monogamous marriage, she grew up living in a harem with her mother and grandmother, who was one of her grandfathers nine. When benazir bhutto became prime minister of pakistan in 1988, many claimed that it was a blasphemous assault on islamic tradition since no muslim state, critics alleged, had ever been governed by a woman. Books by fatema mernissi author of dreams of trespass. In this nowclassic book, islamic sociologist fatima mernissi explores the ways in which progressive muslimsdefenders of democracy, feminists, and others trying. A moroccan sociologist, she writes from a feminist perspective, this time about islamic concepts of freedom, order and responsibility. Islam, sultanes oubliees forgotten queens of islam and islam et democratie islam and. Fatema mernissi, moroccan sociologist and writer born sept.
Patriarchal dominance and misinterpretation of sacred texts in islamic countries. An historical and theological enquiry, mernissi shows her anger due to the. Three main publications form the basis for this outline. Fatema mernissi has 33 books on goodreads with 24239 ratings. The missiological implications of the islamic feminism of. Although her parents had a monogamous marriage, she grew up living in. Islam and democracy by fatima mernissi basic books. Beyond the veil by fatima mernissi overdrive rakuten. It will analyse what mernissi describes as the situation for women in islam, the roots of the problem and the solution needed. Arab book world in this expanded and updated edition, with a new. Recovering the stories of fifteen islamic queens, this. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
In fact, sexuality is considered to be part of human identity in islam and there are various documented quotations made by the prophet muhammad that indicate the significance of sexual activity in the lives of both men and woman. The debate over womens rights and islam is often politicized and riddled with stereotypes. The following entry presents an overview of mernissis career through 2001. Must fundamentalism win out in the middle east, or will democracy ever be possible.
Fatima mernissi chapter 6 islam, democracy, and cosmopolitanism. Here, mernissi attempts to situate the conflict in islamic thought to the early history of the kharijites and mu. They are not foils with which to bash islam or through which sympathetic westerners can congratulate themselves on their cultural superiority. In other books too, such as her historical study the forgotten queens of islam, she wrote about the status of women. In this classic study, internationally renowned sociologist fatema mernissi argues that womens oppression is not due to islam as this religion in fact celebrates womens power. Her book beyond the veil has become standard collegereading for most people investigating the subject of womens rights in the islamic tradition. Islam and democracy download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Beyond the veil has become a classic, especially in the fields of anthropology and sociology on women in the arab world, the mediterranean area or muslim societies in general.
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