MANUU BOOK

8/19/2019 MANUU BOOK

1/148

OLLOQUIUM PRO EEDINGS

Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim Women

The Way Forward

Organized by

Centre for Women’s Studies

Maulana Azad National Urdu University – Hyderabad

In collaboration with

National Commission for Women New Delhi

Edited by

Dr. Ameena TahseenDirector, CWS, MANUU


2/148

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0International License. To view a copy of this license, visithttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

3


3/148

C O N T E N T S

1 Acknowledgements

DR. AMEENA TAHSEEN 2 Foreword

PROF. KHWAJA M. SHAHID 3

PrefaceDR. AMEENA TAHSEEN

4 Keynote Address

PROF. AMINA KISHORE

5 Address by Guest of Honor

MS. SHAMINA SHAFIQ 6 Address by Chief Guest

MS. LALITHA KUMARAMANGALAM 7 Presidential Address

PROF. FATIMA ALI KHAN 8 Inclusion of Madrasa Girls in Mainstream

Education System -Problems & Prospects

DR. AMEENA TAHSEEN

9 Religious Fundamentalism and Muslim Women’s

Struggle for Gender Justice

DR. SHAHIDA 10 In Search of A Space: The Indian Muslim Woman

DR. GULFISHAAN HABEEB 11 Economic Empowerment of Excluded Muslim

Women through Islamic Micro Finance: A Caseof HyderabadPROF. FARIDA SIDDIQUI

4

6

8

10

16

20

24

27

46

60

52


4/148

12 Contract Marriages – A study in Hyderabad

DR. NAJAMUS SAHER 13 Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim Women –

The Way Forward.

MS. FARIDA HUSSAIN 14 Empowerment of Muslim Women in India

MS. SHABANA KESAR 15 Girl Students of Deeni Madaris and their Role in

the Mainstream Development ProcessDR. RAFAT SEEMA

16 Mainstreaming of the Indian Muslim Women – Few SuggestionsMs. DILNAZ BAIG

17 Mainstreaming of the Indian Muslim Women -

A Grass Root Level PerspectiveMS. RUBINA NAFEES FATIMA

18 Empowerment of Muslim Women Education &

Training

MS. QAMAR JAMALI, 19 Dropout of Muslim Girls – Reasons & Remedies

(A study with reference to School Education in

Hyderabad)MS. RUQIA TASKEEN

20 Evolving Role of Women in Muslim Societies

MS. KANEEZ FATIMA, 21 Role of Media in Empowerment of Muslim

Women

MS. RASIA NAYEEM HASHMI

5

93

104

97

114

121

124

127

134

139

143


5/148

Acknowledgements

It is my prime duty to place on record my sincere thanks for the

faith bestowed on me by Prof. Mohammed Miyan, Former Vice-

Chancellor, MANUU and Prof. Khwaja M. Shahid, Vice-Chancellor I/c,

MANUU, to shoulder the responsibilities of Centre for Women’s Studies,

MANUU. I acknowledge their immense support with a deep sense of

gratitude to organize the Colloquium on “Mainstreaming the Indian

Muslim Women – The Way Forward” in collaboration with theNational Commission for Women, New Delhi on 24-02-2015, as a first

activity after taking the charge of director of the Centre.

I acknowledge with appreciation the whole-hearted cooperation

and association extended by the National Commission for Women to

conduct the Colloquium. I place on record my gratitude to Hon’ble

Chairperson, NCW, Smt. Lalitha Kumaramangalam for her valuable

presence as Chief Guest of the programme, and also I am indebted to Ms.

Shamina Shafeeq, Member NCW, for her great efforts to organize the

colloquium and to grace the occasion by participating as a Guest of

Honour.

I take this opportunity to record my gratitude to Prof. Fatima

Alikhan (Former Head, Dept. of Geography, & Director, CWS, OU) for

her remarkable participation to chair the programme and enlightening the

audience with her presidential address. I am also indebted to Prof. Amina

Kishore, (Professor, Abul Kalam Azad Chair-MANUU) for her

thoughtful key note address. She has been always a source of immense

support for me. I acknowledge her support with deep sense of gratitude.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the resource

persons & paper presenters for their cooperation rendered on me.

6


6/148

Without their active participation & support it would have not been

possible to conduct the Colloquium and to bring out the papers in the

compiled form. My special thanks to

Dr. Gulfishaan Habeeb, (Associate Professor, English, DDE, MANUU)

for her great support in editing the text.

I want to thank my supporting staff for their cooperation in

organizing the programme and bringing out this proceedings.

Dr. Ameena Tahseen

Director, CWS, MANUU

7


7/148

Foreword

It is a well accepted fact that Women in general, particularly in India, are

not treated well by the society. Whether it is social status or violence or

remuneration for the services rendered or sexual harassment, the women

are at the receiving end. There have been a number of researches,

discussions and debates to address this issue. These efforts might have

contributed in some improvements, but a lot more is still desired to be

done. In a society, which is historically male dominated; it is a daunting

task to make people understand the importance of due respect and status

to women. A society cannot claim to be civilized or progressive unless it

provides a respectful, honourable and safe place to its women folk. There

is, no doubt that a number of laws and organizations are in place to work

for the welfare of women. It is, however, more important to change the

mindset of the men and also women wherever necessary.

It is very important for self-respect and redemption of the status

of women that they should be provided as good education as is provided

to men. It will be heartening to note that wherever women entered in to

any profession on the basis of their education, skills and knowledge, they

have out-performed the men. It reiterates the importance of education forwomen. The educated women will not only contribute to the knowledge

base of the society but will also economically enrich it. I very strongly

subscribe that a woman with economic and financial strength will occupy

a high position in the society which she deserves.

The crisis of values in present day societies can also be taken

care of by an educated and respected woman as a mother, sister, wife,daughter or in any other capacity. She has to be given a befitting status

independent of her relationship to the men folk.

8


8/148

I feel that Indian Muslim Women are also facing all those

challenges which are being faced by women from other socio-religious

and cultural groups. No doubt there can be certain specific issues to

Indian Muslim Women, but same will be true to the women of other

groups. The need is to tell the society to respect the women and treat

them with equality.

The Colloquium on " Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim

Women – The way forward" has aptly discussed the issues related to

women and found a way forward. I am glad that the papers received onthe topic are being printed in the form of a book. The message of the

Colloquium is required to be taken forward. This book is a right step in

the right direction. But the need is to travel much beyond the book to

enlighten the men and women of the street, houses, offices, academic

institutions etc.

(Prof. Khwaja M. Shahid)

Vice-Chancellor I/c, MANUU

9


9/148

Key Note Address

Prof. Amina KishoreMaulana Abul Kalam Azad Chair, MANUU

[email protected]

Prof Fatima Ali Khan, Mrs Kumaramangalam, Mrs Shamina Shafiq and

Dr. Amena Tahseen Congratulations. The topic and the event are both so

timely and the wording is apt.

A meaningful triangular partnership is visible today: The

academics are sitting together with the governmental agency and the field

specialists at one table. In the discussion of gender issue it is such

partnership that is efficacious and mutually facilitating. I wish the

organizers had also included a representative of the Ulema so that the

discussion of the issues pertaining to the Indian Muslimah could be

complete. (About my own last point I am going to contradict myself a

little bit but to that later.)

I shall start with two critical observations. In spite of constantly

evolving theorizing about Human Rights and gender justice, there is very

little serious Islamic gender discourse. In late 20th century historians like

Gail Minault and Barbara Metcalf had referred to the new stirrings in

Indian society to redefine the Indian Muslim Women’s image. In the first

decade of the 21st century commentaries by social critics like Zarina

Bhatty, Asghar Ali Engineer and Tahera Aftab emphasized the need for

interventions on behalf of the Indian Muslim Woman. Islamist feministgroups were seen emerging in Mumbai, Kerala etc. In spite of what

appeared like a renascence we see that no path breaking changes have

occurred. There is a stasis in the whole matter. Our analyses are the same.

10


10/148

Our arguments continue to border on the dismal and the stereotypes

persist.

Let me spell out the stereotypes as I perceive them. Whenever

the problem of the backwardness of Muslim Women has been analyzed it

has been seen against the backdrop of Islam. Islamist Feminists tend to

believe that the Muslim Woman’s backwardness is primarily due to the

patriarchal interpretation of the Islamic text. Once this becomes a

predetermined supposition the society outside of Islam feels free of any

responsibility whatsoever and it is decided that all problems will besolved if the corrective comes from within.

Looking at Islam and the Islamic gender statement as an obstacle

to women’s rights is a very limited perspective. Every religion has

enabling and disabling factors related to gender, class, caste and numbers

etc. The perceptions of one religionist about the other is always limited by ignorance of the inside story. The story of the marginalization of the

Indian Muslim Woman is the story of marginalization within the

marginalized groups. It is important to look into the social economic and

political factors and find solutions for the issues that trouble this doubly

marginalized group. I do not agree with the theory that the

marginalization of the Indian Muslim Woman comes exclusively fromwithin. I also do not subscribe to the view that the Muslim woman is a

voiceless victim solely of patriarchal highhandedness. It is the habit of the

Western feminist groups to perceive the Indian Muslim woman as a

creature of monolithic oppression. This view neglects to see the many

other shades and types of victimization.

Mostly the Indian Muslim Woman is represented in a one-

dimensional light, the wearer of Hijab, a bearer of many children, a slave

to husband’s vagrancy, etc. In my opinion the Indian Muslim woman

11


11/148


12/148

positive action, Beyond that, we have to chalk out a follow up plan and

implement it.

Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim woman does not simply mean

increase the numbers of women in the system and creating a visibility of

participation in public enterprises. The Indian Muslim Woman needs to

be empowered as a Woman first and then given some special attention to

her specificity of being a Muslim woman. Her difference must be

honoured and her equality must be assured on all counts. Her communityidentity should in no way be a retarding factor in any consideration. This

is necessary because there is a frightening possibility of the oft repeated

formula of “poor oppressed Muslim Woman” becoming a

psychologically accepted reality and the women may get habituated to the

self image of “passive victim”.

One sees it happening already with women in India. A woman

police officer was recently heard saying she does not like to take late

evening duties because women are not safe on the roads after dark!!

Social consciousness should change. Institutions must allow

space to women and consciously take steps to prevent over-masculinisation of the system. Aberrations should not become acceptable

as norms. We have always said the Education is a strong weapon. I'm

afraid we have let that become a mere slogan. What is important is that

education should seep into the social consciousness of both men and

women. Education should be respected for what it is. There are three

main results of education. It is a builder of personality and a provider oflivelihood. More than this, education gives us knowledge — knowledge of

the Self and of the other.

13


13/148

Institutions like MANUU should add an edge to the formal

education program and start vocational education facilities for women,

with greater care taken to encourage Muslim women with an eye to the

ground reality. Parallel education is a means of adding that necessary

edge to education. I trust that the Center for Women’s Studies and

Department of women Education can come forward for working out such

schemes. You can also run awareness programs for creating awareness

about existing Governmental schemes for women, SHGs, legal remedies,

Islamic banking etc. These are enabling and quality enhancing moves.Apart from this Social attitudinal changes are also needed.

In the last three decades or so, there has been a growth in the

number of Muslim women activist groups who are operating in various

spheres of Women’s issues. Their presence in the English language media

has been a major means of mainstreaming the issues of Muslim women.Another healthy aspect of this emergence of the Muslim woman activism

is that much of it is emerging from the grass root non-elitist sphere.

Intelligently these groups are working in the field and spreading

awareness without taking up any cudgels with the system- whether of the

institutionalized religions or the social systems.

If the partnership of institution and field activist continues I am

sure that true mainstreaming will take place. I stand by the belief that out

there are many learned Muslim men, Ulemas, and Muslim organizations

who see the need to repair the obsolete patterns of exclusivity and

indifference towards women. The woman in Islam occupies a place of

dignity. It is for the male counterparts to accord the dignity and equalityto women which the Islamic text already provides. This done, true

mainstreaming becomes possible, with governmental policies and

education filling the rest of the gaps.

14


14/148

What yet needs to be done is to hold dialogues across the gender

divides. All said and done, after 60 years of independence, after a 20

years' war against gender bias, Indian Society is reeling under the

onslaught of prurient sexuality and the licentiousness of the tongue.

Unless women mainstream themselves and take up positive leadership

this loosening of the cultural fabric of the society will not be prevented.

The modern day idiom is on a downslide.

Indifference and insensitivity towards gender-respect allows

men in high & low places to use language carelessly. Discomfited, hurt

and embarrassed, women will retire into the shell of silence. I hope some

of you will raise a voice in the course of the day about this new weapon

of silencing the women a language of abuse and indignity.

THANK YOU.

15


15/148

Address

Ms. Shamina Shafiq

Member NCW, New Delh

16


16/148

It is important to understand the reason for discussing about

mainstreaming Muslim Women and the issues affecting them. Unless we

understand the issues we cannot address the problems. When I came to

Hyderabad last time and visited the women of the Old City, many

important issues came up before us. One woman told me that her husband

had remarried and thrown her out of the house along with four children.

But when she went to a police station to book a complaint against him,

the Police Officer told her that he cannot do anything for her because this

practice is common in the Muslim community. This is the problem at thegrass root. Unless the other people of the country understand the

problems or issues related to shariah or Islamic issues or personal law

issues, how will they address the issues concerning Muslim women? The

other thing is, why are we talking about mainstreaming? We are not only

talking about the mainstreaming of Muslim women: we are talking about

Dalit women, we are talking about all marginalized sections of thesociety. As we are here in this University we thought we would be talking

about Muslim women. NCW is not only talking about the mainstreaming

Muslim women. NCW is not about the “Muslim women” or “Hindu

women” or “Sikh women” or “Christian women”: it is about Indian

women. But we also need to understand that Indian women are not just

Indian women: they are tribal women, they are Dalit women, there are somany other categories in which women are already divided and already

are living in. Therefore, their situations are different and to understand

those situations is very important. Most of us know the problems because

women’s problems are universal irrespective of whether she is living on a

mountain or whether she is living on a plain or whether she is living in a

desert, whether she is Muslim or Hindu the problems are universal. Yet because of religious identity or their geographical identities the solutions

might be different. So we have to look into solutions and that is why

perhaps to the best of my understanding we are here today. After this

17


17/148

also, the dialogue is not going to end. I request all the eminent panelists,

all the speakers and anybody for that matter in this house, if you have

solutions place them before us. I don’t find many NGOs who are working

especially towards the cause of Minority women be it Sikh women or be

it Jain women. When the Expert Committee of the Minority Women

searched for NGOs working on Jains not even a single organization came

forward which said that it had worked for the women belonging to the

Jain community. We could not found a single organization. So it not just

about one community, it is about several other communities and womenliving in those communities. We have to mainstream women living in

those communities.

There are some best practices. Can we share those practices and

save time in reinventing the wheel? When we look towards the South, we

know categorically that we are going to get some good results in terms of

best practices. In Kerala, there are organizations that are working in avery good functional manner as far the Muslim women are concerned.

We know when it comes to (the erstwhile) Andhra Pradesh, there are very

good organizations. When we talk about the South there is a lot of

seriousness. It is not just one dialogue that NCW has initiated. It is a

series of six dialogues in two months across different states. We are

trying to come out with solid recommendations and best practices whichcan then be taken on to the right platform.

18


18/148

It is time to Act and as a Muslim woman, not as a member of

NCW, I feel strongly that there is a huge gap which needs to be filled. As

a responsible member of NCW, I feel it is my duty to ensure that this gap

is filled. We need to have solutions and solutions could not be restricted

only to the government but also to the civil society, to the NGOs, and to

the activists. It is now time to talk about Individual Social Responsibility.

When we are talking about CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility, I

personally advocate ISR − Individual Social Responsibility. If we just

start working in our family, our extended family, our neighbourhood interms of empowering and mentoring, we are also doing what Islam

preaches i.e. first take care of your family, then your neighbours, then

your community.

We need to take the first step. The Constitution of India has

given us equal rights. We need awareness about and access to the various

schemes and programmes. As responsible Indians, it is our duty to ensurethat all the programmes and policies of the Government of India and of

the state governments reach out to the last person in the queue. For that

we need to have collaborative effort and ensure that we do hand holding

by ourselves first and share it across so that more people are inspired.

19


19/148

Address

Smt. Lalitha Kumaramangalam

Chairperson, NCW, New Delhi.

The problems of women are similar across communities, across the

countries, across the religions and it does not make any difference

whether one is Hindu or Muslim or Christian or whether you live in India

or you live in Australia or you live in the Middle East or anywhere else.

Women have very similar problems. We have been talking about the

problems of women across communities; it’s not any religion that

marginalizes women. Across the world it is in the practice of the

religion that mistakes happen and that is a human fault. Again there are

mistakes in practices of every religion. The problem of the non-inclusion

of women is that women are not included in many aspects of life that they

should be included in whether it is education or nutrition. Indian women

don’t get the nutrition that they deserve. In India women don’t get

educated as much that they should be. In India they don’t get recognition

that they work as hard or harder than most of the men in this country

whether it is in the north-east, whether it is in the south, whether it is in

the east of India. There is no financial value put on the amount of work

that women do. Internationally the figure is that the women do about

70% of the work and they get hardly 1% of salary earned internationally.

Also they own less than 10% of property again throughout the world.

India is no different.

20


20/148

All I am saying is all women deserve equal opportunities. Men

and women can never be equal: no two human beings are equal. Some

will be better than others; some will be less than others. Again that has

nothing to do with religion or even gender. Actually what we are here for

today is to address the gender imbalance of Muslim women. Gender

imbalance exists across the world. But the point is that, when we talk

about women we automatically talk first of the problems they face. Why

don’t we talk about the talent that they have? Women are intrinsically

talented − one of the first speakers today spoke about the biology of awoman that holds her back some times. We must recognize it is that

biology that makes us mother; it is this biology that makes us so strong; it

is this biology on the basis of which life continues on this earth.

When you educate a woman or you allow a woman to come

forward and to grow according to her own opportunity etc., you don’t just

allow the woman to grow, you allow her whole family to grow. Womenare naturally inclusive: it is almost part of our genes. For us, we are the

least important people for ourselves. Perhaps this is the mistake that all

women make. We must also learn to make ourselves important. I am not

saying merely as mothers, or sisters or friends or even as educators but

also as women.

Every religion talks about values and about the same values -integrity, honesty, mutual respect, talent and to be able to tell the truth.

But unfortunately today our school system has forgotten to teach these

things to our children. Every school should have value education because

unconsciously we observe things from schools. We do not teach our boys

and girls to work together as a unit and that is a lot of damage to our

country. We have forgotten to teach our boys and girls that they mustmutually respect each other. Where there is lack of respect, there are

always problems that we face like the problem of violence against

women.21


21/148

Violence against women, unfortunately, is universal. It doesn’t

matter in what religion you are born into; it doesn’t matter across caste,

class even the economical divide. That is probably the only place where it

doesn’t make any difference if you are a rich or a poor family or a middle

class family, a women still gets bashed up and this is something you must

talk across the table.

Since we are standing in Urdu University we are talking

specially about the problems of Muslim women. But from everything I

heard, most of the problems are identical to the women that we workwith. However, there are also religious lines that are drawn in every

community. There are some solutions that have to be offered to use

specially how to include Muslim women in ICT skill, that is in

information and communication technology skill, for example. Every

woman regardless of age, now a days has a mobile phone. We can use

that for skill development. We can use that for inclusion.

There are programmes now developed by the Indian

Government which include huge programmes of skill. Employability is

very poor and unless you have economic independence or at least you are

able to stand on your own feet, it is almost impossible to be empowered.

Again it does not matter if you are a man or a woman. Even men who arenot employable are normally disempowered compared to other men from

our own country. Women are less empowered than them because women

traditionally have not left their homes to come out and look for work.

Here as the head of the commission I am supposed to address the

problems of women specially the problems of violence against women.

You know when a women is raped it doesn’t matter what religion she belongs to; she is still raped; she has to still live with that for the rest of

her life.

22


22/148

We have to come up with specific solutions for women like that,

which is also why we decided that we have to talk with the members of

the minorities communities. It’s not just Muslim women: we started with

you but I am starting to talk with Christian women also. Every woman

must have a chance to grow into her own potential.

If women are left behind, the country will lag behind. This is

what everybody must understand, but men must also be equal partners.

Historically, the women’s movements have left men out and that has

created a lot of problems today. We need to bring men on board. Both

men and women must take equal responsibility.

Instead of merely looking at our problems, the time has come

also to start looking at solutions to our problems. Every one of us has the

capacity to come up with some idea or the other which can be a solution.

That is what I want really out of this meeting. All of you who presented

papers, please send me solutions because that is what I can take forward.

Everybody more or less know women face violence; they have not been

given educational opportunities; they need social and family support etc.

How do we get that? How do we achieve that? We need solutions and

women have to be included in mainstreaming. Ultimately women should

have equal access and equal opportunity − these are the two important

points.

They must have equal access especially in education, nutrition

and finance. They have to be skilled so that they can stand on their own

feet. They should have the confidence to be able to ask for what they

think is their right. They have to have the skill to be able to put that right

to good use to transform the opportunities they have been given by

empowerment. It is all about justice to all and the best form of justice is

empowerment.

23


23/148

Presidential Address

Prof. Fatima AlikhanFormer HODDept. of Geography, OU

[email protected]

I personally congratulate the Organizers, Centre for Women’s

Studies, MANUU and National Commission for Women for conducting

this Colloquium on such an important topic.

In today's discussion a lot of points have been raised, and I hope that

the organizers would make a summary of some of the issues and

document it because these were important issues. One thing which has

been said many times is that, these issues are universal to women across

the world. But then there are also some specific issues within each

religious community. Every religion has given rights to women. Islam

there is no disputing, has given many more rights to women than to men,

but then we have to introspect as to what happened with Muslim women,

what happened that we are considered to be oppressive to our women.

Somewhere along the line these wonderful ideas that were propagated by

Islam have been subverted, hijacked, whatever you want to say. So we

need to look within the community. There are issues that need to be

addressed within the community. There are issues that need to be

addressed by civil society, there are issues that need to be addressed by

the Government.

24


24/148

In today's discussion we have solid support from National

Commission for Women, and it seems a very strong commission to work

on Women Issues. I am very happy to see that, the members of the

commission are here to listen about Muslim Women and looking for the

strategies for the upliftment of Muslim Women. We hope that something

will change.

I have one suggestion, which I have been saying constantly, it is that,

women and men really need to understand why the situation is like this. It

means that there has to be some Gender Sensitization programmes, and

this perhaps needs to be built into our School Education. I find that the

component for Social Studies has been declining. We had History and

Geography as independent subjects. Now they are one fourth of one paper

in school and within that paper Curriculum Developer or Educationist

keeps putting various things. Now I think we need to also put one

component either call it “Human Rights” which the AP Govt. has already

done and “Women’s Rights” can come under that. But we also need to

have something related to Gender Sensitization. Unless we do that most

of the women may not recognize that they are not getting a fair deal.

Most of the women do not understand when they are being exploited. I

was also a part of a cell which looked into schools “Gender Violence”

etc, and it’s not just the students, it was the women staff of the school,

they were also exploited. So we need to have Gender Sensitization

contents into our curriculum .So that at least that terminology gets into

our system and then once somebody is given an idea they begin exploring

it themselves and then women can take it up throughout their life.

25


25/148

Exploitation of women has increased across the world, even the

most developed countries has not given a fair due to their women. UNDP

has got a Gender development index which throws up various interesting

things: the more developed countries sometimes are not but a small

country like Jamaica has empowered its women much more. So we need

to take lessons about how these countries have gone about it, and each

community has to be taught that this can be achieved.

There is going to be resistance because, whenever we talk of

equality, somebody has to give in and concede something for somebody

else to get something. There is going to be resistance at all levels but this

needs to be done.

Once again I would like to congratulate, the organizers for giving this

opportunity to discuss on issues of Muslim Women. I congratulate to all

the participants for their deliberations and discussions.

Hope this exercise may find out the way forward at every level.

26


26/148

Inclusion of Madrasa Girls in Mainstream Education

System - Problems & Prospects

Dr. Ameena Tahseen

Director,

Centre for Women’s Studies MANUU.

[email protected]

Muslims, being a minority in India, represent more than 14% of

the total population. Research carried out by the social scientists in

previous years, have proclaimed the startling Socio-Economic and

educational status of Muslims. The facts shown in those particular

researches are that Muslim community is trailing behind, as compared to

other minorities in India. Muslims are even far backward than the

scheduled caste and scheduled tribes in many aspects.1 Muslims declared

as Backward community in India .2

According to “Sachchar Committee Report”, “Muslims lie

backward at the extreme margin in all aspects of life (Socio-Economic

and educational as well). It’s been derived from the numerical

percentages regarding, educational status of Indian Muslims that, the

position is extremely deprived, whether in terms of primary level or

higher education level, compared to other ccommunities. For example,

the literacy rate among Muslims is,59.1% in 2001. It was far below the

National average with 65.1% and others with ( SRCs)70.8%. In all other

communities of India, the pass-out percentage of Matriculation is 26%(17

years or above) , whereas Muslims carry the figure with 17%.The Muslim

women education in particular, is to its acute conditions. 3 A result

executed in various reports vividly indicates the Gender Gap in

educational status of Muslims, from primary to higher education level.

27


27/148

Efforts towards the educational Development in colonial India

were initiated in the beginning of nineteenth century. But, the “Modern

education System” has been properly designed and executed after the

independence only. Many special measures adopted by the Government

of India to promote Women education. As an essence of this process,

deprived and excluded communities, backward classes, different castes,

creeds, have been indulged in the mainstream of education and

Development. Whereas, the only Muslim community, who were active

and dynamic participants in all the aspects of life at the onset ofindependence, remained deprived, and slowly reached to the extreme

margin. Particularly Women of this community have descended to lowest

pitch. Observations made by Sachchar committee are gaining attention in

this regard. According to the report, “Provisions and Expanded

opportunities for the promotion of education after Independence, could

not framed the equality between Muslims and other Communities.Difference has been much increased in terms of Birth Place and

Gender……, exclusive difference can be seen in Muslim women of urban

areas. This difference has been raised between Muslims and other

communities, as the time passed….The process of this transition started

in the decade of 1960. From 1983 to 2000, the prospect for the

completion of School education has increased in all the castes. Thisattitude has increased even in Muslims. But Muslims are still backward

than SC(s) /ST(s). An interesting fact is that, from upper primary level to

college education, Muslims perform little better than SC(s) and ST(s).

Ratio of SC/ST students completing upper primary education is 23%,

where as Muslims hold 26%. It portrays that, primary Eeducation is an

obstacle for School education. If Muslim students surpass this obstacle,educational process can be continued.”4

28


28/148

A midst this backdrop another attention grasping reality is that,

During 1960’s or 1970’s the gap increased in terms of educational status

of Muslims compare to other communities at one side, but at the other

side, trend towards establishment of Deeni Madrasas in Muslim

community, hiked very much.

Although, Madrasa education system exist in India since a long

time, but after independence Madrasas (Including Maktabs and Jamiyats)

became an important source of education for many Muslims. Therefore

we find thousands of Deeni Madrasas established in previous decades.

These Madrasas are providing educational facilities and accommodation,

especially to deprived majority of Muslim community. The fact is that, a

major part of Muslim population still prefers to educate their children in

Urdu Medium Schools or in Madrasas, mostly because of their low

Socio-economic condition. If we pay an skimming eye, Deeni Madrasas

are the prominent centers of education for economically backward

Muslim Students.5 Specifically the most preferable education for Muslim

girls is the Madrasa education.

As far as establishment of Deeni Madrasas for girls is concerned,

we can say that, numerous Deeni Madrasas have been established across

the country for education of Muslim Girls in previous decades. These

Madrasas offered various courses from basic Islamic education to higher

Islamic studies.

29


29/148

Muslim Women Education The reports on the education, published

before independence of India, revealed total different facts regarding the

educational position of the Muslim Women. Educational status of Muslim

women of that period was comparatively equivalent to other women of

India . It’s been manifested in the memorandum of progress of education

in British India (1916-1926) that, in the educational field, the percentage

of Muslims was better than other communities, even the percentage of

literate girls was not less than other girls of India. In 1937, the aggregate

of Educated Muslim girls was greater than the overall Indian Educatedgirls. Infact Muslim women of that period were admirably equivalent to

their contemporary in every field.6

But today, the image of Indian Muslim Women has changed

drastically. Either their literacy percentage or educational status. At

every level of education the enrollment of Muslim Girls is comparatively

lesser than Girls of any other community. Even we can see an identical

difference between Muslim Women and other minority women and

backward classes. 7

Educational Levels Among Social Groups

Level of Education Women Belonging to Different Social Groups

Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Jain Buddhist Other

Illiterate 59.3 60.5 32.9 38.9 6.8 44.7 70.3

Literate 5.4 9.5 7.5 3.0 2.5 10.8 6.2

Primary School

Complete

13.0 14.5 15.4 18.1 22.6 14.6 8.5

Middle School

Complete

8.3 6.1 13.1 9.8 14.3 13.2 8.8

High School Complete 7.2 5.6 14.6 16.4 23.4 8.9 4.0

Higher Secondary 6.8 3.5 16.7 13.8 30.4 7.9 2.1

Complete and above 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Source: National Family Health Survey, 1998-99, 11Ps, Mumbai.

30


30/148

As far as primary education is concerned, the percentage of Muslim

girls is not so lesser than Hindu and Christian girls. A although this

cannot be said, when rural areas are taken into consideration. In

rural areas girls are not systematically admitted in the schools, even

if admitted, they discontinued their schooling. There fore the

difference increases as compared to others.8 At middle to senior

secondary or graduation level, the percentage of Muslim girls seen

lesser then Hindu and Christian girls. It shows that, Most of the

Muslim girls even can’t pursue their school education completely to reach the higher level. This difference enhances as the level of

education increases. The percentage of Muslim Girls in higher

education is 3.56% whereas; the percentage of scheduled caste

women is 4.25%. 9 Muslim women in urban India are much worse

off than rural counterparts, not only in terms of their overall

educational status as citizens of India, but also in terms of theirrelatively poor educational status when compared to Hindu or

Christian women. This trend is all the more alarming when this

situation is compared to the advances in Muslim female education

achieved at the turn of the century. 10Although various measures

adopted for the education and development of Indian women after

independence, but the facts and figures are showing that, theaffirmative action’s does not approached properly to every

community in general and to the Muslim community in particular.

The reasons behind the deprived and marginalized status of Indian

Muslim women are Multi-Dimensional. If we analyze the factors

with different angles, the first and an important dimension which

come into picture is, the emergence of communal ideologies in thesociety or behavior at political level after independence, which

creates complete insecure atmosphere in every sphere of life for

Muslims. A kind of inferiority complex emerged in Muslim

31


31/148

community. Due to the insecure & inferior feeling Muslims started

Isolate themselves from the mainstream of Education &

Development. Specially this insecurity and inferiority, in turn

severely effects the education and development of Muslim Women.

Another important reason also to be discussed is that, we find the

attitude of Indian Muslim community towards the female gender, is

against the teaching of Islam regarding the rights and provisions

given to Muslim women at large. The Socio-Political scenario,

Cultural Fascism, customary laws, & Gender Concepts within thesociety changed the psychology of Muslim women as well. They

accept secondary position in the family and society by considering

themselves to bound and to follow the exhausting practices is

mandatory. As a result of all these factors, Muslim Women lay

dwon in the background without education, much exposure, support

and opportunities. Most of the social scientist discussed variousreasons, regarding educational backwardness of Muslim women in

rural and urban areas. No doubt, We find a little difference in Urban

areas, that the Muslim girls are moving forward for higher and

professional education, but they are very few in numbers compare

to their population in the cities. The reasons or constraints behind

this are almost the same, both in rural or urban areas. According tothe studies, the causes like conventional difficulties, on appreciation

to pursue education, absence of Urdu medium school & colleges,

residential schools or hostels for girls, especially lack of effective

teaching in Urdu medium schools etc. Other than these general

problems, the specific religious and cultural constraint also affects

the Girls education. Practice of Strict Purdah system, concept of providing only religious education instead of modern or mainstream

education, early marriages, domestic responsibilities, scarcity of

women teachers in Schools or Colleges, high poverty, lack of

32


32/148

proper scholarships and increasing number of child labours, are few

major obstacles that lie between the paths to move forward for the

higher education. 11 Identification of the problem: Indian

education system has been polarized in the long past with the

concept of Deeni Madrasa education System. Although we cannot

compare Deeni Madrasa education system with “Modern

/Mainstream education system”, but it can be proclaimed that, these

Madrasa are the prominent source of Islamic education, and ethical

training centres of the Muslim population. Establishment ofMadrasa has been more widened in the previous 20 to 30 years. The

facilities being provided by the Madrasa for the Muslim students of

economically backward families, in densely Muslim populated

areas, cannot be overlooked. Huge number of students including

boys and girls, gain vivid knowledge and information through these

Madrasa. Every year thousands of students are obtaining degreesand certificates after completion of studies in these Madrasas.

The concept of establishment of Madrasas for girls in the Muslim

community was not so popular earlier, even as the tendency reached

its peak in the last 20 to 30 years. The most prominent reasons

behind this perception could be the “SHAH BANO Muqqadma” ofthe 1980’s, which soared to discussions and movements for the

protection of sharia, and the rights of Muslim women as per sharia.

The BABRI Masjid fiasco was another turning point in making a

move towards religious fundamentalism within the Muslim

community and in the Other Indian Communities also. The incident

drastically reverted the political and social scenario for Muslimwomen. The perception of securing Muslim identity, protection of

sharia and Muslim women, blocked the majority of Muslims to the

tendency that, these Madrasas could be the secure place for them

33


33/148

and to hold the possibility of intellectual training of a Muslim

individual in Islamic perspective .This changing conditions

transformed the Muslim views and opinions to an extent that, girls

are to be admitted in these Madrasas. Therefore the tendency

increased to provide Islamic education for girls in Madrasa not only

up to primary level, but to Educate them to a higher level like,

Aalima, Fazila even up to Daktoora(Doctorate).

As such these Madrasas are catering Islamic education as well as

Modern education at least up to primary or secondary level. But the point

of discussion is, whether this kind of education system is sufficient to

enhance their life skills to live a decent or satisfactory life in India?

In the context of discussions on previous pages, the most important

point is to be focused is that, even after availing various certificates from

the Madrasas education system, thousands of students are still deprived

and Unsuccessful in booming up their socio-economic conditions in the

Indian society .They are unable to continue their education to move in a

mainstream or higher educational peaks, and to develop their skills for

compatibility with other higher / professional education system. Even

after giving sufficient years in that particular education system, the

pathetic conditions remain absolutely worrying for both men and women

in this scientific, technological and highly paced developing era.

Especially for Girls/Women it reached to a drastic position. Hence, It is

arguable that, when the Establishment of Madrasas for Girls, and the

enrolment of female students are increasing day by day, then why still

Muslim women are trailing behind on the educational and Development

fronts, compared to the other women of the Nation?

34


34/148

In the background of educational status of Muslim women in

India, and their increasing tendency towards Madrasas education system

for higher level degrees, catch the attention towards the bright dimension

where the prospects of their educational Development is vibrant and

hopeful .But at the same time the constraints, effecting their progress to

move forward in to Mainstream education, need to be addressed.

Details of Study Method:

Hyderabad is a hub of Deeni Madrasas, for both men and women.But there is no centralized Board to supervise the functions of these

Madrasas and to maintain a common curriculum equallent to the

Degrees/certificate courses of secular education. Most of the Madrasas

are unregistered. These Madrasas are providing education from primary

to higher level in Deeniyat or Islamiyat. Good number of Madrasas are

working for girls in the Hyderabad city .They are functioning on thecharity or self help basis. Out of these, very few Madrasas are availing

government aid (Aid given under SSA programme).

The Basic objective of this study is to know about the perception

of Muslim Girls,( those who are already in Madrasas education

system)towards mainstream education system, and to inquire about the

Socio – Economic and cultural constraints of these girls to move forward

for higher education.

With these objectives, few prominent Madrasas in Hyderabad were

selected for the study.These Madrasa are very active in provision of

Islamic education to Muslim Girls since several years. The Sample was

selected randomly, which includes both female teachers and students.Data was collected by structured questionnaire, and telephonic

interviews.

35


35/148

ANALYSATION & OBSERVATIONS:

Strength in these Madrasa is about 1000 to 2000, which includes

the girls enrolled for primary classes to the Ccertificate/Degree

courses.They belongs to different age groups like, from the age

of five years to more than twenty five years.

Nearly about 80% enrolled students belongs to poor socio-

economic & educational background. Their parents are either

illiterate or studied only up to primary or secondary level. They

belong to lower income group. Most of the parents are involved

in private/petty jobs or vendors and daily wagers.

Because of their Low Socio-Economic profile, they are helpless

to pay even the lesser fees of Madrasas. Therefore, the

management of these Madrasa has to manage the whole

expenses. Number of such students is very high in the Aqamath

Khana based Madrasas (Hostel Based Schools /Residential

Madrasa).Parents cannot bare the expenses of boarding or

lodging.The Management is taking care of all expenses of the

hostels as well.

There is a high rate of drop outs in this education system. The

same reasons orbit around like, social, economical and cultural

problems, which has been already discussed on the previous

pages.

Curriculum of these Madrasa (short term and long term) framed, basically on “Dars-e- Nizami” .However few other books related

to specific creeds included in the curriculum. The curriculum

has been amended to some extent. Basic English, other subjects

36


36/148

and computer proficiency also annexed with the syllabus.

Teaching of Modern subjects is carried out by the Vidya

Volunteers, appointed under SSA programme.This type of

curriculum followed only in few Madrasas.

Although such efforts are generating awareness in the girls

towards the modern/secular education, but no fruitful results are

being achieved. Basic reasons for this, the teachers who are

imparting the teaching of different Modern/secular subjects arethe part timers or contractual teachers. They have their own

problems about the working regulations and the honorarium paid

to them. They are unable to adjust themselves either with the

girls or with the system of Madrasa. Their attention is very

meager on overall educational development and evaluation of

the students’ progress, as like the process followed in Schooleducation system.

Management of Few Madrasas are sincerely motivating the

students to appear for the matriculation examination. But, very

less students participate in the examination, and the rate of

success is also not up to the mark, because of poor quality of

education for subjects other than Islamiyat.

Analysis manifests that, the tendency towards Modern/Secular

higher education have been generated in Madrasa girls. Due to

that, their participation in 10th Class Examination is increasing

Slowly every year.

The pass out students of Madrasas, have the opportunity to

continue higher education in “Oriental languages” (A degree

course affiliated by Osmania University) or through Distance

37


37/148

education programme. Since last few years, female students of

Deeni Madrasa are taking admissions in these courses, and their

higher education in oriental languages. But number of girls

coming forward in this manner is also very very limited.

The basic reason of this transformation pointed out by the

teacher’s in the discussion is that, the awareness towards the

importance of Mainstream education and the need of Women

Employment or acceptance of economic contribution by women

in the family, is emerging slowly in the Muslim community.

The reality come in to light regarding the employability is that,

usually Pass out girls are appointed in the same Madrasas for the

further services,where they completed their studies.But fact is

that very few get this opportunity, and few others, impart home

tuitions on a very less fee ,where they teach Quran and basic

Islamic teachings to small girls.

On the other side, the pass out girls have the opportunity to get

the Employment in those schools or colleges, where the subjects

like Arabic or Urdu languages being taught as a second

language. To get the job in these “Secular Institutions, Degrees

of modern education and Professional training stood essential.

It’s been derived through analysis that,these Madrasa students

started diverting themselves towards the different mainstream

courses and training.But the problem is that, they can pursue

their higher education only in subjects like Urdu or Arabic, not

in any other subjects of social or science Groups.

Although, Modern subjects are included in few Deeni Madrasas,

but these subjects does not stand equivalent or essential for

38


38/148

every student and at every level of courses. Even the syllabus of

Alima or Fazilah is also not stand equal to higher secondary or

graduation standard framed by State government. Because of all

these factors the proceeding of Madrasa students towards

Mainstream or Higher education becomes very limited.

It is a fact that, the Degrees of very few Deeni Madrasas of India

have the status of “Equivalent to Graduation” and these degrees

have acquittance, based upon this, the students from Madrasa,

gets admission in various colleges or universities. Still there are

many Madrasa whose degree is not considered as equivalent to

graduation. This is an important and attention seeking problem.

Madrasas of girls in Hyderabad city have the same problem,

which needs immediate attention.

The discussed Problem, can be elaborate by taking an example

of Maulana Azad National Urdu University.This University

provide a great opportunity for Urdu speaking community to

continue their Higher education through Urdu Medium.

Establishment of this University took place in 1998 by an act of

Parliament. Its Distance Mode of education completed nearly

seventeen years.Conventional education with different subjects,

have been started 10 years back (2004).Instead of this

opportunity, very few students from Madrasa background takes

admission for Higher or professional courses. They are taking

admission only in subjects like, Urdu, Persian and Arabic or

Islamic studies. Whereas the admissions in Professional courses,

social sciences, or Science Group subjects is not too impressive.

In all the above discussed courses, the inclusion of girls from

Madrasa background remains acutely low in particular. The

39


39/148

situation remains the same for any other higher educational

institutions of the country.

Although, awareness towards Modern/Mainstream education

have been generated Madrasas students, but due to the limited

opportunities, gender disparities within the family, Socio-

Economic and cultural constraints, they are unable to proceed

from, Madrasas to Mainstream educational field.

Among the selected sample of Fifty Girls, approximately 72% of

students have proclaimed their views over the urgent need and

importance of Higher education, parallel to Deeni Madrasa

education for their Socio-Economic Development, and put forth

the ambition of their inclusion in Higher education, So that they

can prove their abilities in various fields of Development.Only

28% of students, stated that, achievement of Islamic education is

enough for Duniya and Aqirath. According to them it is not for

any other purpose.

83% of students revealed that, they have adopted this particular

educational system to fulfill the ambitions of their parents, but

they want to continue Modern education too.

More than 80% of girls insisted for inclusion of Modern subjects

in curriculum from the beginning of the courses, as they want to

move forward from Madrasa to Mainstream or Higher

education.

An important fact is also revealed in this survey is that, the

percentage of Muslim women working as an Urdu or Arabic

teacher in different English and Urdu Medium schools is

40


40/148

comparatively much lower than the Muslim male teachers.In

accordance to the conversation with some of the female teachers

reveals that, lack of higher education and teacher training

effecting them to secure jobs in this institutions. Whereas Male

members easily get the opportunity to pursue their higher

education or training compare to Women. One more issue

discussed by the teachers is that, the limitations on the choice of

jobs imposed by the family members are also a big constrain to

move on in different areas of employment.

Most of the Female teachers revealed that, they face various

problems while working specially in the English Medium

Schools. Un awareness of modern technology, less knowledge of

latest techniques of teaching methods, non-proficiency in

English and computers, create a sort of inferiority complex in

them, and they feel in-competent to participate in various

activities of the institutions. They strongly recommend to

include English and different subjects along with Madrasa

syllabus at every level of study. In their views this may lead

Muslim Girls to explore new ways to achieve educational,

economical and social development along with Deeni services.

After the complete analisation, we can say that, there is a

positive change emerging in the mindset of Indian Muslims to

educate their girls to a higher level. This kind of transformation

is more visible in the mindset of young generation. They are

very ambitious to pursue their education to include themselves

in mainstream development. A tendency also arise to involve in

income generating activities for the upliftment of their families.

41


41/148

RECOMMENDATIONS:

At the outset the result of this study shows an identical change in mindset

of young generation Muslim girls. To promote this tendency, it is verynecessary to take measures at various levels. The Muslim community, the

State, the Social and religious organizations and the educated &

successful Muslim women should come forward to speed up the

transformation process regarding women education, for a better results.

To promote the attitude which is been urged in the Muslim Girls towards

importance of modern and higher education needs many more important

interventions.

It became necessary to change the traditional perception at large

towards the education and development of women in Muslim

community. Their skills and ability must be developed to meet

the challenges of the contemporary era.

Law and order must be strengthened to eradicate the communal

sensation and atmosphere so that, Muslim Girls/women get

secured atmosphere and they can pursue their education easily.

As per the constitutional rights, made on the the basis of

“Equality and Social Justice”, the Muslim Women must get all

the opportunities of education and development on par with

other women belongs to different communities.

Other than General provisions, special facilities must be

provided to Muslim women as considered them “educationally

and economically most deprived or backward community of

India” .In terms of Madrasa Girls, they are receiving very

limited facilities by the SSA Programmes. It is not enough to

promote or fulfil their desire towards Higher education or to

include them in Mainstream education system. Tutorials in

Madrasas, (where the number of students are more), should be

42


42/148

established for the bridge courses and to prepare them for other

parallel education.

Bridge Course should be designed with the combination of Open

School and Intermediate Syllabus. This bridge course can be

offered by AMU, JMI & MANUU.

Free education at Graduation and post graduation level with

skill development training, Establishment of more number ofUrdu Medium Junior and Degree colleges and free

accommodation in Girls Hostels, Free Bus services, should be

provided to Madrasa Girls by Central Government or State

Government.

Particular measures must be taken by department of women and

child welfare, National and state Commission for Women and

Ministry of Minority Affaire, for the educational Development

of Muslim Girls.

As derived from the conversations and interviews made during

the study, women reflect the lack of confidence in completion of

social and economic necessities. Therefore a continuous

personality development training, educational awareness

programmes and Orientations should be included in the Madrasa

curriculum. This kind of training and orientation activities may

be adopted or sponsored by any national or state level

organisations, corporate sectors, or social welfare institutes,

including Government agencies.

Amendment in the curriculum of these Madrasa is unavoidably

necessary. Female students strongly recommended, to include

43


43/148

the modern subjects and to adopt new teaching methods and

training of Madrasa teachers for the quality of education.

As the Madrasa girls have minimal access to reach to the sources

of information, therefore it is necessary to organize extension

lectures and awareness programmes on importance and need of

higher / professional education with all the available

opportunities. Such activities must be included as a part of the

curriculum.

It is a fact that, Islam does not loaded any kind of economic

burden or responsibility on Women, But provide her “right to

work”, subject to the desire, requirement and conditions.

Present scenario of livelihood in India, demands the economic

support of Muslim women in the family. As all the research

reports indicates the important reason for the deprived position

of Muslims, including educational backwardness is the result of

their low economic status.Because of poverty, most of the

Muslims prefer to give Professional / higher education to male

child only. The parents often stop the progress of girl child

education. In this context the economic contribution of Muslim

Women gains much more importance. Therefore it is the high

time for Muslim Women to move forward for the employment

or to adopt any Entrepreneurship programmes. This goal can

only be achieved when Muslim girls receive Modern and

Mainstream education along with the Islamic education.So, that

they can play a vital role for the positive and successful

transition of Muslim society.

44


44/148

References

1.

Social, Economic and Educational status of Muslim community

in India, (Sachar Committee Report) 2006, Govt of India, &

Report of the National Commission for religious & Linguistic

Minorities – 2007, Ministry of Minority Affairs. PP-155-157

2. Dr. Gopal Singh Committee – 1983 – Ministry of Home affairs.

3. Social, Economic and Educational Status of Muslim Community

in India, (Sachar Committee Report) – 2006, Govt of India. pp

52, 53.

4. Social, Economic and Educational Status of Muslim Community

in India, (Sachar Committee Report) – 2006, Govt of India. pp

60-64.

5. Zoya Hassan & Ritu Menon – 2005, “Educating Muslim Girls”-

pp 72.

6. Syeda Syedain Hameed - (2000), Voice of Voiceless “Social

Status of Muslim women in India” – National Commission for

Women – pp 24.

7. S.P. Panday, AK.Singh, Ishtiaq Ahmed – (Ed)- 2007,

Educational Empowerment of Muslim Girls – New Royal Book

Company – Lucknow, pp 56-57.



Women – pp 24.

9. Zoya Hassan (2004) – Unequal Citizen in India – A Study of

Muslim women, Oxford University Press, New Delhi.

10. Seema Khazi – (1999) – Muslim Women in India, Minorities

Rights Group international – UK. pp 26.

45


45/148



Women – pp 23-25.

Religious Fundamentalism & Muslim Women’s Struggle

for Gender Justice

Dr. ShahidaHead,

Dept. of Women Education,MANUU

[email protected]

46


46/148

There is a huge gap between Islam and Muslim community.

Especially when one looks at the status of Muslim woman, the contrast

widens further. The two authentic sources for Muslims to lead an ideal

life are the Qura’an and the Ahadees. Since the original texts are in

Arabic, which is not a language of the Muslim masses in India, there is

bound to be interpretational flaws making inroads. Again it is the men

mostly who work on these scriptures to make them comprehensible and

so the patriarchal overtures find their way in. The impact is for everybody

to see - Muslim women are the most backward of all people in India.Subjugated, oppressed, exploited, abused, hapless and most marginalized

in the name of the great religion; definitely not as envisaged by Allah. It

is often that we observe the cultural practices take religious colour and

thus the sanctity - such as denial of education, offering prayers and

listening to religious sermons in the mosques, practicing widowhood, re-

marriage, property rights, meher, right over earning, right to khula,maintenance ( nan-nafaqua), denying them the equality and equity which

are the true essential elements and the spirit of Islam, and as enshrined

in Qur’an and as was practiced by the greatest humanitarian - the Prophet

(saws). Misinterpretation, rather patriarchal interpretation of original

texts and lack of knowledge to women of the rights provided to them by

the religion are the two important contributory factors for gender violencein Muslim community. These Muslim women, the world over, seem to be

undergoing tremendous discrimination in the realm of family laws.

Particularly in India, they have been voicing their discontentment over

the strong patriarchal overtures in the structure and implementation of

family laws. Be it marriage, ‘Meher’ , Polygamy, divorce (triple talaq) or

maintenance, they all have a direct bearing on women’s lives. There isalso an escalation in the realization of the actual provisions available

under Islamic law and that, the conservative patriarchs, who have

monopolized- both the ‘private’ and the ‘public’ domains alike, for ages

47


47/148

have in fact denied them their rights as is enshrined in the holy Qura’n.

The laws have not been reformed either for the fear that this amounts to

‘interference’ with the ‘Divine’ thus making them immutable and hence

follow (Taqleed) the same strictures which were introduced fifteen

hundred years ago, or for sheer ignorance. Qura’n’s mandate of justice,

benevolence and compassion although inviolable as values, do undergo

changes in expression and application from one age to another,

(Engineer: 1999). The progressive thinkers in the community, on the

other hand, feel it necessary to make use of the provision of the ‘ Ijtehaad’ to reinterpret the law in the light of the Divine, as is necessitated by the

changing socio-cultural and political milieu. Hence, Muslim feminists are

trying to deconstruct the Muslim conceptual structures which are

products of androcentric culture and patriarchal structure of the Muslim

society during 8th and 11th century A.D.

Religion in India shapes social change and political order in

complex ways that are often misunderstood. Religion’s role in social

change is linked to particular configuration of state authority, religious

ideology, and institutions. Religion may promote democratization or

challenge liberal conception of rights and equality. It appears Islamic

revival does not necessarily repress women but empowers some of them,

granting a more public role in the religious community and providing a

platform for launching critical discussions on religion, rights and

nationhood. On the other hand, religious institutions can usurp

democratic state authority to promote their own agendas even in a

pluralist system like in India.

48


48/148

Reformist’s attention to the individual effects of religion at the grass root

level leads to better understanding of the power of religion in political

life, and it also reflects how at societal or state level, religion produces

unexpected results by restructuring political engagement with state

structures. Muslim reformists strongly feel that they have a right to

reclaim their religion, to redefine it, to participate and contribute to an

understanding of Islam - how it is codified and implemented - in ways

that take into consideration the realities and experiences of women’s lives

today. They’re strong and vocal in their expression that shariah is notimmutable; that the interpretation is biased and non-Islamic and

patriarchal.

A discernible tension points to a divide in India today. This is

between new forces of progressive Islam with their transformative

rethinking of the religion on the one hand, and long entrenched clerical

interests re-enforcing the counter-weight of popular conservative attitudes

and practices on the other. Yet there are also growing signs of a sense of

urgency on the part of the Muslim community at large to move forward.

Alleviation of poverty, elimination of illiteracy, instituting Muslim

Personal Law and the creation of standard marriage contract,

interpretation of religious sources, especially the Qura’n, and inter –

communal relation all vie for the attention of progressive Muslims, and

cutting through them are questions of gender.

There has been over the last decade or so a groundswell of

expectations among Muslim women and an increasingly focused

articulation in favour of them. Reforming Personal Laws in India is

bound to be a far more complex process. All change is a process of

reformist currents vying with conservative ones. In a communally

charged society, it becomes much more difficult for the forces of reform

to triumph. But the Muslim women are no more mute witnesses to all the

unfair practices being followed in the community in the name of religion.

49


49/148

What is to be done?

Quran does not make derogatory reference to women; she is kept always

in an exalted position, be it as a daughter, wife or a mother. Her rights

override her responsibilities. Under the prevailing situations, it is

Imperative for Indian Muslim women to reclaim their right to

religious knowledge, enter the discourse on the shariah and

challenge their historic marginalization from religious knowledge

as well as its discriminatory interpretations.

Muslim women should learn/ be taught Arabic language to be able

to understand the TEXT in its spirit.

The Muslim community should assume the onus of transforming

from within Muslim Personal Law.

The National/State Commissions for Women should play a

positive interventionist role in reaching these women who are

affected by poverty, lack of knowledge of skills, and resources,

with the help of agencies who are dedicatedly working to bring

them out of the clutches of poverty, hardship and marginalization.

Programmes for their up-liftment should be framed with the

suggestions from the community/women concerned, instead of

forcing upon them what the Commission think is appropriate.

The Muslim Seminaries, Ulemas, Personal Law Board should

make concerted efforts to bring in positive reforms in Nikahnama

to safeguard the Muslim women from a life of destitution.

The Qura’nic mandate of justice, benevolence and compassion

although inviolable as values, nevertheless undergoes changes in

expression and application from one age to another. One needs to

50


50/148

exercise the option of ‘Ijtehaad’ (Consensus) for the women’s

rights as is enshrined in divine sources.

There is a need to create conducive atmosphere for the minority to

feel secure. For creating this atmosphere, the majority community

and secular political parties have to initiate the move and rise

above the politics of religion and appeasement.

51


51/148

In Search of A Space: The Indian Muslim Woman

Dr. Gulfishaan HabeebAssociate Professor of English,

DDE, MANUU,

[email protected]

The presence of the Indian Muslim Woman on the Indian soil can be

traced back to several centuries but unfortunately, the Indian MuslimWoman is still in search of a Space. If today in the year 2015, we are

talking about bringing the Indian Muslim Woman in the mainstream that

in itself speaks of the plight of the Indian Muslim Woman. It is not that

the Indian Muslim Woman is completely different. She is an Indian like

any other Indian and she is a woman like any other woman. Yet, the most

visible face of India in terms of the “Parda” or the “Burqa” or the “Hijab”

is continually rendered the most invisible. The question is not only how

to bring Indian Muslim Women into the mainstream. The question is also

how best the mainstream can allow a space to the Indian Muslim Women

so they emerge from invisibility to visibility. Indian mainstream

literature; Indian mainstream art; Indian mainstream media; Indian

mainstream advertising; Indian mainstream movies; Indian mainstream

television; Indian mainstream politics etc have all relegated the Indian

Muslim Woman to the fringes or treated her only as a stereotype.

The Voice of the Indian Muslim Woman is often curbed by the family,

the community, and the society at different levels. Nevertheless, the

Indian Muslim Woman is an integral part of the Indian society and it is

essential that her needs are addressed by the nation in the larger context

of the progress of our country. The present paper aims to throw light on

the need for a complementary relationship between the Indian Muslim

Women and Indian mainstream society for the development of the nation.

52


52/148

The two photographs showing the Panellists and the audience at a Panel

Discussion on Indian Women: Challenges and Discourse are more

evocative than my full paper can get.

The Panellists are all Hijab / Pardah observing women and so is everyone

in the audience. My point: Why is there no non-Muslim among the

women? My other point: Why is there no man? As long as we restrict the

discourse to the Muslim Women in isolation, not much can be gained. It

is important that there is a dialogue across gender and religion. Only then

the issues affecting the Muslim Women can be seen in the right perspective. As long as inclusiveness is not a part of society, no

community can make much progress.

A major hurdle that prevents the mainstreaming of the Indian Muslim

Women is the xenophobia that prevails in the mainstream society. Even

though centuries have elapsed since Muslims first set foot on the Indian

soil, a sense of xenophobia is still clearly perceptible in the Indianmainstream society. Muslims are relegated to the fringes or treated only

as a stereotype. Though the Indian society has been quick to adopt the

western dress sense, the burqa and the hijab (which characterize the

Indian Muslim women) are yet to find acceptance in society. Just as when

Indian women took to two wheelers and to jobs without giving up the

usual attire be it saree or shalwar kameez, similarly mainstream societyshould not expect Muslim women to give up their attire or their religious

identity as they make inroads into Indian mainstream society.

The prevalent xenophobia prevents justice to the Indian Muslim women

thereby preventing them from mainstreaming. The portals of justice need

to be sensitive to the needs of the Muslim women in India who suffer

from defamation, discrimination and disparaging comments. Legalawareness will go a long way in mainstreaming the Indian Muslim

women. Way back in 1889, when Cornelia Sorabji became the first

Indian woman to study law at Oxford University, she left no stone

53


53/148

unturned in her mission to offer legal service to the purdahnashin. She

even tried to convince the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court in pre-

independent India to consider having women lawyers for the purdah

observing women. (Mossman, First Women Lawyers).

The National Commission for Women Report titled Voice of the

Voiceless: Status of Muslim Women in India by Dr. Syeda Saiyidain

Hameed states: “The public hearings brought out the universality of the

problems faced by the Muslim women all over India, whether they lived

in the north or south, east or west. There was a common appealunderpinning the women’s voices, “Free us from oppression.” (21)

The oppression is from within the self, from the family, the community,

and the society at large. One of the causes for the oppression which is rife

among the Indian Muslim women is poverty. The dismal economic

condition of the Muslims in India is projected in the NCW Report with

the support of data from Indian Human Development Report (1999):[P]overty level of Muslims is higher than that of Non-Muslims...Muslim

representation in government jobs is less than 3 percent at higher levels

and not more than 6 percent at lower levels, which is substantially less

than their population ratio...Muslim households have the lowest annual

income.

Under such conditions, it is no wonder then that the worst suffers are theMuslim women who get further marginalized because of their poverty

and fail to contribute to the nation. Speaking of marginalized people,

Saksena (Faculty of Law at Allahabad University) states:

People who are marginalized have relatively little control over their lives,

and the resources available to them. This results in making them

handicapped in delving [sic] contribution to society. A vicious circle isset up whereby their lack of positive and supportive relationships means

that they are prevented from participating in local life, which in turn leads

to further isolation. (Academike)

54


54/148

It is indeed unfortunate that Muslims who constitute 13.4 per cent of

India’s population are considered to be a marginalized community in

India today because in comparison to other communities they have been

deprived of the benefits of education, employment and development. It is

worth noting that understanding the issues leading to the marginalization

of the Muslim women will effectively lead to the amelioration of their

issues.The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) started in 2007

lays down the following as one of its objectives: “To work towards

understanding and ameliorating the marginalization of Muslimcommunity and Muslim women.” (Source: Website page of BMMA)

Another area which significantly contributes to the marginalization of

Muslim women is the housing sector. Disinclination of mainstream

society to sell/rent out property to Muslims inadvertently leads to the

ghettoization of the Muslim Women preventing them from being in the

mainstream. Celebrity Muslims as also the rich and the powerful Muslimshave also encountered difficulties in finding property because of their

religion. The eating habits of the Muslims or their being Non-vegetarian

are hardly used as euphemisms any more. There is a blatant “Not for

Muslims” gradually seeping into the minds of the majority mainstream

society.

Prejudice against the Muslims works at several levels and is not merelyconfined to housing. The NCW Report observes:

It has been observed that there are social prejudices against Muslims at

various levels, which inhibit them from taking full advantage of the

available educational facilities. Such prejudices have been seeped into

textbooks in schools. This not only hardens the attitude of the children of

one community against the other, but also creates a negative impact onimpressionable minds, which is also injurious to the overall objectives of

national integration....Hence, the need to cleanse the textbooks of all such

prejudices” (p.51 Ch VII).

55


55/148

While the NCW Report refers to serious prejudices, I would like to point

two very basic issues. For every Rani Jhansi taught in schools, is Razia

Sultana also taught? For every Meena, Radha, Archana in the language

books is there Fatima, Sameena, Rehana? The exclusion politics in

syllabus formulation and the cultural insensitivity need to be replaced

with the contribution of Indian Muslim women in various fields of life.

I further wish to state that the prejudice against the Muslims is

ubiquitous. One finds it in cinema and the print and electronic media. The

Muslim is not always depicted in positive terms. It is the religiousfanaticism that is highlighted and the presentation of situation and

character is too often biased and aimed at projecting a backward and

Documents

MANUU BOOK