I wasn't, until rather recently, one to suggest / wonder if religion is the only way to decipher between what is moral and what is immoral. Though upon receiving inquiries as to whether I believed someone could be a moral person without religion my answer had consistently been yes, admittedly what I truly felt was …
Category: Quran
The Conception of Prophet Jesus, Son of Mary
Upon a Christian feminist expressing to me her discomfort with the idea of the Virgin Mary delivering a child without having consented to conceive or carry him, I decided to reread the corresponding verses in the Qur’an that describe the conception of Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, since there has already been an instance—the sacrifice …
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Examining Modesty
I have probably written more posts on this over-scrutinized practice than I had ever intended to write or would ever read from myself (I sincerely thank you all for tolerating them with magnificent patience.) While I usually approach the dynamics of determining what is or isn’t modest from the oppressive claims of patriarchal men (and …
The Absence of Eve
Oh hello. I just remembered I have a site. This month I’ve been having to quietly confront a lot of the tedious issues in the Islamic community regarding gender equality in everything from back entrances to whom is served first and what portions during the communal breaking of the fast at the mosque. All the …
Islamic History and the Women You Never Hear About: Women Leading Men in Prayer
"In the early days of the Muslim community, there were women who made the call to prayer, and there were also women who led the ritual prayer not only for women but also for men. In particular, Umm Waraqa bint Abdullah, who was trained by Muhummad himself, acted as the prayer leader for her whole …
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Quranic Verses and Misconceptions: Divorce and Male Privilege
A common practice before the introduction of Islam—and continuing afterward illegally despite severe restrictions by the Qur’an on the gratuities of men in pre-Islamic divorce—was for a man to perpetually divorce his wife, each time pretending to take her back and divorcing her again to coerce her either to surrender her dower for autonomy or …
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Sweater. (and modesty)
When I was very little, I attended Quranic classes at the mosque with other small children. On one occasion, I stood lined up for prayer while the instructor lectured on prayer etiquette. It was midsummer in California. The heat was almost unbearable. My hair was uncovered, but I was wearing a sweater, and I felt …
the fatal feminist 