Gender

1
Gender Religion

• Islam

2
Theocracy

• A form of government in which the divine power
  governs earthly human state through divine
  guidance. Allah via Muhammad.
• Origin Greek the rule of God
• Through religious representatives and scholars-
  clerics and institutions- mosques.

3
Muhammad and the Hijra

• Social, economic, political and religious,
  tension between the Polytheists and the Islamic
  community
• 615 CE exodus to Medina
• Umma- community
• Governed by principles from the Koran

4
Constitution of Medina

• Legal in nature
• Outlines civil duties,
• interactions with other religious groups Jews,
• and cooperative action against intruders.
• No gender specific roles or laws

5
Koran

• Man and woman same origin
• Equally at fault for eating the apple
• No temptation by the woman
• Man and woman were created to find their deepest
  meaning in relations with one another.
• The best of you is he who is best to his wife.
  Muhammad

6
Sharia

• Legal frame work based on Muslim principles of
  jurisprudence.
• Means way or path
• Addresses politics, economics, banking, business
  law, contract law, sexuality, and social issues.

7
Women In the Sharia

• Often interpreted that women can not hold
  prominent jobs.
• A man can marry a woman of the people of the
  book- Torah or Koran. A woman can only marry a
  man if he converts to Islam

8

• A woman's dress code more strict than a mans
• Traditional penalties for adultery- stoning

9
Sharia cont

• BUTNo mention of forbidding women the right to
  an education- ex Afghanistan.
• In Iran 77 of University students are women.
• Many woman professors as well

10
In the name of Islam?

• The current laws are products of the ruling elite
  and Clerics of the time.
• Ex Velayat-e-Faghih in Iran allows women to
  drive, hold jobs like police officers, government
  workers, and bank employees.
• Whereas in Saudi Arabia under the rule of the
  Saudi Monarchy woman are not afforded any of the
  rights mentioned above.

11
Progressive Changes

• Deterring the use of law to enforce religious
  beliefs and traditions.
• Former President of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, at
  St. Andrews University, Scotland.
• Optional to where veil- hijab