- Hardcover: 513 pages
- Publisher: Prometheus Books (30 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1591027160
- ISBN-13: 978-1591027164
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 16.3 x 4.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 974,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression
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Product Description
Product Description
In a world where the strident demands of Islamic extremists capture the media's attention, the courageous protests of Muslim reformers barely receive any notice. These include a surprising number of women who are prepared to challenge institutionalized persecution, risking derision, arrest, physical harm, and even death. In this inspiring compilation of Muslim women's stories from around the world, the voices of these long-oppressed women ring loud and clear as they question ideology and culture, patriarchal and religious beliefs, and demand the social and political rights women lack in many Muslim countries. The reformers speak out with passion, humanity, and sometimes humor in these compact and often poignant biographies, bringing alive the harsh realities for women in many parts of the world. By surveying a wide range of Muslim reformers, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe and North America, Ida Lichter uncovers some significant emerging trends. For example, she notes that the majority of Muslim feminists would like to see reform contained within Islam. Many criticize their patriarchal culture for suppressing egalitarian views that they believe the Koran expresses and so they advocate a reinterpretation of the holy text. Some demand changes to discriminatory Sharia-based laws. Others campaign openly for political and educational reforms. Complete with a glossary and a list of helpful Web sites, this vibrant anthology makes use of reliable translations from original languages to demonstrate the groundswell of grassroots change that promises eventually to bring even the most conservative sectors of Islam into the twenty-first century.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiring book about Muslim women reformers and a great find.,
This review is from: Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression (Hardcover)
I was hoping for a book on this subject and here it is! Having read about Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Taslima Nasreen, I was familiar with some of the secular reformers but had not been aware of the majority who are practicing Muslims and trying to reform Islam from within by rediscovering and transmitting egalitarian texts they believe are present in the Islamic holy scripts.
This book contains a great deal of information about Muslim women reformers from around the world and is organized in such an accessible, entertaining style, that I was initially unaware of the copious notes at the end for use as a scholarly resource. The individual biographies are riveting for their poignant stories about the many intelligent, passionate and determined women activists, very different from the typecast, submissive Muslim females. Aimed at amplifying the voices of individual women reformers, the author has included many expressive, pithy quotes and clever cartoons that mock the prevalent sexual discrimination in various Muslim countries. But these cartoons have particular significance because they have been reprinted from Muslim newspapers and the cartoonists are Muslim men! Apart from the stories and cartoons, there are invaluable background sections on women's movements in a number of Muslim countries. I found the reviews of reforms in Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia particularly enlightening as they pull together a great deal of material in a concise way. The reviews also provide thoughtful analysis. For example, I wasn't aware that the women of Iran had been sorely betrayed by Khomeini after they campaigned to overthrow the Shah, and were bitterly disappointed by the reformist president Khatami, whom they voted into power in 1997 in the belief that he would advance women's rights. I could have dipped into the book to read the occasional story but I couldn't put it down - enjoyable, disturbing and heartbreaking but essentially hopeful.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews) 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Insightful Portrait of Woman's Rights,
By Amy Block Joy - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression (Hardcover)
Dr. Ida Lichter's book Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression is an extraodinary portrait of Muslim women around the globe and their courageous and chilling experiences. Writing with powerful elegance, she provides each story with a powerful and thought-provoking message. Capturing the heroic actions of each of the women profiled with an in-depth analysis of their day-to-day challenges, Dr. Lichter gives voice to their spirit with sensitivity, compassion and insight.
Take, for instance, Barakzai from Afghanistan who successfully campaigned for a seat in Parliament. Or Yanar Mohammed who cofounded the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq and has contributed to speaking up for women's rights and equality. Rania Al-Baz in Saudi Arabia worked to bring national attention to battered Saudi women after her own husband beat her unconscious following an argument. Each of the stories contained in this book provide insight into a better understanding of their world. I loved this authentic and scholarly book. Each struggle captivated, intrigued, horrified, amazed and ultimately gave me a sense of hope for equal rights for all women. Dr. Lichter humanized their struggles with frankness and dignity. This is a must read for everyone who is interested in human rights, particularly those women who risked their own lives to speak out for freedom, justice and equality. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative and highly readable,
By VioletCrush - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression (Hardcover)
When I first browsed through the book, all I saw was too much information. Just from the index I could tell that there were too many countries and too many reformers from each country. I thought it would be an overload and I would finish the book without knowledge about anything in particular.
But how wrong I was. After reading the book I can still say it has lot of information but everything is so nicely structured that I could go read it in sections without getting overwhelmed. It was definitely not an overload and I could tell how important it was to include as many reformers as possible. I would feel bad if even a single among them was excluded and I feel there was still room for more. Every countries section begins with a brief but concise history of the reformation with how the countries past and present has affected the position of the women for better or for worse. Under each country we have the information on different women reformers and the work they have done and are still doing for the betterment of women. It also lists the awards won and books written if any and the various organizations that are working towards a single goal-the betterment of women. I found Muslim Women Reformers an awesome resource on the work done by women from different Muslim countries. Although every country has it's own laws, one thing remains common-the exploitation of Muslim women in the name of Islam. The problem is combining religion and politics and hence the misinterpretation of religion to achieve the political goals. Since most of these politicians are men, they use Islam as a way to keep women out from what they consider their territory. But women are learning to interpret Islam the correct way which is helping in fighting with these fundamentalists. These are the women who are fighting for basic rights, both political and personal, and suffer tremendously for it. I am amazed by their courage and determination at the cost of their personal lives. The saddest part probably is that these women have to fight even for basic things like custody of their children, honour killings, right to decide if they want to wear a veil and right to express their opinion; and although it is a slow process, there is definitely progress in many parts of the Muslim world. I am in no situation to say how accurate or inaccurate the information in this books s but I have faith that the author has done enough research before writing the book. I also understand that there are exceptions everywhere. For me, this books definitely deserves a place on my shelf. I highly recommend it. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deserves the absolute highest recommendation,
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression (Hardcover)
Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression is a scholarly yet heart-rending anthology of portraits of Muslim women who dare to speak out against discrimination and violence perpetrated against women in Islamic communities in nations all over the globe, from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, and many more - even some Muslim communities in more western or modern nations such as France or Egypt. "Background" sections briefly summarize the severity of each nation's local religious policies where women are concerned; in extreme cases are incidents of "honor killings", where women are murdered by male relatives - allegedly for bringing dishonor to the family, but in practice often for the slightest ill rumor, or even as a cold-blooded means to steal an inheritance. The women who dare to speak out and take action in "Muslim Women Reformers" risk slander, attack, or even murder for daring to take a stand; yet even as they struggle against an entrenched, misogynist, theocratic power base, they hold out hope for a better tomorrow. Muslim Women Reformers deserves the absolute highest recommendation, and a place on both public and college library women's studies shelves.
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