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lamentingpat's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was actually a source I'm using for a history thesis. Sure, the way it's written might not be for everyone! But I'm a history major. There's another review for this book that I felt wildly misses the mark, so I want to talk more about the great way Mernissi tackles things.
Mernissi isn't trying to say that the Islamic texts are the only reason to justify women's rights generally, she's taking a look at the history of Islam and how things changed, and why there are so many contradictions in the texts. She's looking at a religion she has grown up with and is surrounded by. To understand and combat what happened then and today, she has to look at it from all sides, breaking down the details in a way that unpacks biases and falsehoods. She believes in women's rights, but again, this is an /interpretation/ of the texts given not a justification.
Highly recommend!!
Mernissi isn't trying to say that the Islamic texts are the only reason to justify women's rights generally, she's taking a look at the history of Islam and how things changed, and why there are so many contradictions in the texts. She's looking at a religion she has grown up with and is surrounded by. To understand and combat what happened then and today, she has to look at it from all sides, breaking down the details in a way that unpacks biases and falsehoods. She believes in women's rights, but again, this is an /interpretation/ of the texts given not a justification.
Highly recommend!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, War, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Slavery, and Violence
misspalah's review against another edition
4.0
“Umar's solution, imposing the hijab/curtain that hides women instead of changing attitudes and forcing "those in whose heart is a disease" to act differently, was going to overshadow Islam's dimension as a civilization, as a body of thought on the individual and his/her role in society. This body of thought made dar al-Islam (the land of Islam) at the outset a pioneering experiment in terms of individual freedom and democracy. But the hijab fell over Medina and cut short that brief burst of freedom. Paradoxically, 15 centuries later it was colonial power that would force the Muslim states to reopen the question of the rights of the individual and of women. All debates on democracy get tied up in the woman question and that piece of cloth that opponents of human rights today claim to be the very essence of Muslim identity.”
― Fatema Mernissi, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam
.
.
Honestly, I would love to put my review with one sentence which is ‘A must read for Muslims’. However, I am pretty sure many would have simply turned away from the book seeing the word ‘Feminist’ in the title. The word has been a thorn in Muslim Women’s right movement since it is negatively associated with White Feminism and The Fourth/Fifth Wave Feminism. The judgment I got for identifying as a Muslim and Feminist is such a cognitive dissonance. One side will tell me that Islam have given me all rights that women should have, and another side will tell me why I still wear hijab when it is such an oppressive symbol and attire. That being said, let me try to review the book and summarize what I have learned from the book. For your information, this is not my first book of Fatima Mernissi as I have read her other book titled ‘Woman and Islam: An historical and theological enquiry’ which was translated into Indonesian Language to ‘Wanita di dalam Islam’. Hence, I am somewhat familiar with her style. The book found much evidence in highlighting how some Hadith and Sunnah having a questionable basis and easily corrupted by those who have written it to fit their agenda. For example, when she discussed about the fallibility of memory that was also stressed by one of Prophet Muhammad’s companions that realized of how dangerous this practice was:
• For the pious Companion, the fallibility of memory was an occasion for meditating on the fragility of existence in the face of the fowing river of time, which steals not only youth, but especially memory. 'Umar Ibn Hasin, another Companion who was conscious of the treacherousness of memory, said: If wanted to, I could recite traditions about the Prophet for two days without stopping. What keeps me from doing it is that I have seen some of the Companions of the Messenger of God who heard exactly what I myself heard, who saw what! saw, and those men recounted Hadith. Those traditions are not exactly what we heard. And I am afraid of hallucinating, as they hallucinate.
.
Fatima Mernissi pointed out that Abu Hurairah whose also one of the top contributors of Hadith that illustrated how he have such a problematic equation with women and feminine term. To top it off, some of these misogynist and sexist hadith established by Abu Hurairah record of his own recalling to what Prophet Muhammad Said. There are few occasions whereby Aisyah, Prophet Muhammad’s wife reprimand him about it and has been recorded to dispute many of Abu Hurairah’s Hadith.
• A'isha disputed many of Abu Hurayra's Hadith and declared to whoever wanted to hear it: "He is not a good listener, and when he is asked a question, he gives wrong answers. 'A'isha could take the liberty of criticizing him because she had an excellent memory: "I never saw anyone who had so much knowledge about religion, poetry, and medicine as 'A'isha. Many Muslim Women are aware of many many misogynist and sexist Hadith which to further subjugate us into submission. Sometimes, the status of this hadith is not even ‘Dhoif’, some even known right away as fake hadith, yet it did not stop Men from using it. In Malaysia alone, Some of the Malay Men has been using ‘the first wife will be granted the gold umbrella’ as an excuse for them to take a second wife. The idea that Fatima Mernissi accommodates in this book is The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Progressiveness is so ahead of his time that even his closest companions find it difficult to tolerate it especially on regards of Inheritance, Slavery, Sexual Practices and Violence against towards women. It is such an odd conjunction that Prophet Muhammad granted us many rights and freedom during his time and once he passed, suddenly we were handed some ultimatum stated in some of the hadith how women can’t be a leader, most of those who resides in hell are women, women have a same level as shoes, female dog thus it can taint your ibadah and so on and so forth. Of course, most would have defended this by saying it has been authenticated by Bukhari and Muslim hence the legitimacy is intact but let us reiterate what Umar Ibn Hasin said previously.
It is important to note that if you are not a Muslim or your knowledge on Islam is very limited, this book will be difficult to read and comprehend. The discussion that Fatima Mernissi takes you on theoretical and historical context was quite detailed and were examined in-depth manner. So, to cut short, where does ‘The Veil’ fits the context of the book:
• “In the struggle between Muhammad's dream of a society in which women could move freely around the city (because the social control would be the Muslim faith that disciplines desire), and the customs of the Hypocrites who only thought of a woman as an object of envy and violence, it was this latter vision that would carry the day. The veil represents the triumph of the Hypocrites. Slaves would continue to be harassed and attacked in the streets. The female Muslim population would henceforth be divided by a hijab into two categories: free women, against whom violence is forbidden, and women slaves, toward whom ta'arrud [taking up a position along a woman's path to urge her to fornicate] is permitted. In the logic of the hijab, the law of tribal violence replaces the intellect of the believer, which the Muslim God affirms is indispensable for distinguishing good from evil.”
- At the end of the day, I have found 2 new idols after finishing this book. The first one is Fatima Mernissi, the author herself. The second one is the granddaughter of Prophet Muhamad (PBUH), Sakina Binti Husayn. The book also provides me reasons to why Quranist movement existed. I totally get it now. The fact that this book has been banned in several Muslim countries just showed that many Muslims are not ready to unpack and discuss their religion when it comes to the women as a subject matter. This would have been 5 stars read if veil discussion is not so limited.
.
Side Note : I would love to read more works from Al-Tabari - At least his interpretation is more gender neutral and inclusive.
― Fatema Mernissi, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation of Women's Rights in Islam
.
.
Honestly, I would love to put my review with one sentence which is ‘A must read for Muslims’. However, I am pretty sure many would have simply turned away from the book seeing the word ‘Feminist’ in the title. The word has been a thorn in Muslim Women’s right movement since it is negatively associated with White Feminism and The Fourth/Fifth Wave Feminism. The judgment I got for identifying as a Muslim and Feminist is such a cognitive dissonance. One side will tell me that Islam have given me all rights that women should have, and another side will tell me why I still wear hijab when it is such an oppressive symbol and attire. That being said, let me try to review the book and summarize what I have learned from the book. For your information, this is not my first book of Fatima Mernissi as I have read her other book titled ‘Woman and Islam: An historical and theological enquiry’ which was translated into Indonesian Language to ‘Wanita di dalam Islam’. Hence, I am somewhat familiar with her style. The book found much evidence in highlighting how some Hadith and Sunnah having a questionable basis and easily corrupted by those who have written it to fit their agenda. For example, when she discussed about the fallibility of memory that was also stressed by one of Prophet Muhammad’s companions that realized of how dangerous this practice was:
• For the pious Companion, the fallibility of memory was an occasion for meditating on the fragility of existence in the face of the fowing river of time, which steals not only youth, but especially memory. 'Umar Ibn Hasin, another Companion who was conscious of the treacherousness of memory, said: If wanted to, I could recite traditions about the Prophet for two days without stopping. What keeps me from doing it is that I have seen some of the Companions of the Messenger of God who heard exactly what I myself heard, who saw what! saw, and those men recounted Hadith. Those traditions are not exactly what we heard. And I am afraid of hallucinating, as they hallucinate.
.
Fatima Mernissi pointed out that Abu Hurairah whose also one of the top contributors of Hadith that illustrated how he have such a problematic equation with women and feminine term. To top it off, some of these misogynist and sexist hadith established by Abu Hurairah record of his own recalling to what Prophet Muhammad Said. There are few occasions whereby Aisyah, Prophet Muhammad’s wife reprimand him about it and has been recorded to dispute many of Abu Hurairah’s Hadith.
• A'isha disputed many of Abu Hurayra's Hadith and declared to whoever wanted to hear it: "He is not a good listener, and when he is asked a question, he gives wrong answers. 'A'isha could take the liberty of criticizing him because she had an excellent memory: "I never saw anyone who had so much knowledge about religion, poetry, and medicine as 'A'isha. Many Muslim Women are aware of many many misogynist and sexist Hadith which to further subjugate us into submission. Sometimes, the status of this hadith is not even ‘Dhoif’, some even known right away as fake hadith, yet it did not stop Men from using it. In Malaysia alone, Some of the Malay Men has been using ‘the first wife will be granted the gold umbrella’ as an excuse for them to take a second wife. The idea that Fatima Mernissi accommodates in this book is The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Progressiveness is so ahead of his time that even his closest companions find it difficult to tolerate it especially on regards of Inheritance, Slavery, Sexual Practices and Violence against towards women. It is such an odd conjunction that Prophet Muhammad granted us many rights and freedom during his time and once he passed, suddenly we were handed some ultimatum stated in some of the hadith how women can’t be a leader, most of those who resides in hell are women, women have a same level as shoes, female dog thus it can taint your ibadah and so on and so forth. Of course, most would have defended this by saying it has been authenticated by Bukhari and Muslim hence the legitimacy is intact but let us reiterate what Umar Ibn Hasin said previously.
It is important to note that if you are not a Muslim or your knowledge on Islam is very limited, this book will be difficult to read and comprehend. The discussion that Fatima Mernissi takes you on theoretical and historical context was quite detailed and were examined in-depth manner. So, to cut short, where does ‘The Veil’ fits the context of the book:
• “In the struggle between Muhammad's dream of a society in which women could move freely around the city (because the social control would be the Muslim faith that disciplines desire), and the customs of the Hypocrites who only thought of a woman as an object of envy and violence, it was this latter vision that would carry the day. The veil represents the triumph of the Hypocrites. Slaves would continue to be harassed and attacked in the streets. The female Muslim population would henceforth be divided by a hijab into two categories: free women, against whom violence is forbidden, and women slaves, toward whom ta'arrud [taking up a position along a woman's path to urge her to fornicate] is permitted. In the logic of the hijab, the law of tribal violence replaces the intellect of the believer, which the Muslim God affirms is indispensable for distinguishing good from evil.”
- At the end of the day, I have found 2 new idols after finishing this book. The first one is Fatima Mernissi, the author herself. The second one is the granddaughter of Prophet Muhamad (PBUH), Sakina Binti Husayn. The book also provides me reasons to why Quranist movement existed. I totally get it now. The fact that this book has been banned in several Muslim countries just showed that many Muslims are not ready to unpack and discuss their religion when it comes to the women as a subject matter. This would have been 5 stars read if veil discussion is not so limited.
.
Side Note : I would love to read more works from Al-Tabari - At least his interpretation is more gender neutral and inclusive.
stennyi's review against another edition
3.0
This book reads like the Old Testament. It is a series of scriptures, stories and historical findings about the prophet and his wives that are used to argue for female equality and against the hijab. While I understand that Mernissi has to use Islam and Islamic teachings to argues for her point, I wasn't too impressed. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about Islam and its history from a feminist(-ish) perspective.
The best comparison I can make for western readers is that Mernissi's argument is the equivalent of a conservative, Christian woman using the bible to argue for female rights. There is always scriptures that can support a person's point, so while I applaud Mernissi's effort it still left me unimpressed.
I think the most important aspect to keep in mind while reading this book is what Mernissi says in her introduction. She describes the way westerners, America specifically, claim to be modern and not bogged down by religion; yet she claims that Christianity and Judaism permeates our culture (which it does). She then asserts that Islamic countries should be able to achieve the same harmony between government and religion.
The best comparison I can make for western readers is that Mernissi's argument is the equivalent of a conservative, Christian woman using the bible to argue for female rights. There is always scriptures that can support a person's point, so while I applaud Mernissi's effort it still left me unimpressed.
I think the most important aspect to keep in mind while reading this book is what Mernissi says in her introduction. She describes the way westerners, America specifically, claim to be modern and not bogged down by religion; yet she claims that Christianity and Judaism permeates our culture (which it does). She then asserts that Islamic countries should be able to achieve the same harmony between government and religion.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
5.0
Mernissi’s book is a history of Islam and the introduction of the veil. She draws upon Islamic scholar, to prove her thesis that the veil is social construct more than a religious must. Her chapter about the hiqab is game changing.
In part, her thesis is that the Prophet was too progressive for the men of the time, that what he was advocating was too much of a change upon tribal customs where men were able to dominate. What is also interesting, though Mernissi does not focus or really mention it, is the similarity between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in treatment of women.
I do wish, though I am not sure how this could have been covered in this book, that Mernissi had detailed, somewhat, the difference between the Prophet’s daughter and his wives. The wives, for the most part, seem far more progressive and are mentioned, in particular A’isha, several times over the course of the book. Why was his favorite daughter far more conservative?
Still, if you are curious about the veil or the early days of Islam, this book is highly recommended. In particular if you have read Ayann Hirsi Ali or Mona Eltahaway, you should check this book out.
antoniamorzenti's review against another edition
5.0
Sacred texts have always been manipulated, and depending on who manipulates the text and who it benefits, the new manipulated interpretation can be taken as truth. As one can imagine - this can have negative repercussions for women. I love Islam because it encourages for all Muslims to get involved in understanding the written word. It is about individual responsibility and following the word of Allah as brought to us through the Prophet (PBUH). At the center of the religion is peace, love, and justice - and this is what I will always keep in mind as I continue on this journey. Looking forward to reading more by Fatima Mernissi inshallah.