Resume

Buku : Women & Gender in Islam

Penulis : Leila Ahmed
Halaman : 217-234

9 points in this chapter :

1. Disappointment in Egypt's defeat by Israel in 1967 led to a loss of faith in

President Nasser and the secular ideology and socialist programs that were
deemed unsuccessful at the time.
2. This disappointment resulted in a shift in Egypt's domestic economic policy,
with the government starting to grant concessions to the powerful and wealthy
class while stepping back from its socialist policies.
3. Islamic groups gained strength in Egypt in the 1970s. They adopted symbols
such as Muslim attire, particularly among women. This religious-political
language became a form of protest and political dissatisfaction.
4. External political interests also played a role in the development of Islam as a
political discourse and social lifestyle in Egypt. There were rumors that
countries like Saudi Arabia and Libya used their oil wealth in Egypt and other
Middle Eastern regions to increase the membership of Islamic groups and
promote the adoption of Muslim attire.
5. Egypt's open-door policy has created social and economic imbalances. While a
small group of wealthy individuals has benefited from this policy, the majority
of the Egyptian population has experienced negative impacts such as
corruption, excessive consumerism, high inflation, lack of housing, low wages,
and limited job opportunities.
6. The use of Islamic attire by women is not a preservation of tradition and the
past, but an acceptance of Western clothing with modifications to align with
the wearer's notion of propriety. The use of Islamic fashion can be seen as a
symbol of adaptation and transition to modernity.
7. Women who wear hijab and those who do not generally have a limited
understanding of the technical aspects of Islamic law and doctrine.
8. Women who wear hijab and those who do not have different views on gender
equality and women's rights, but the majority still support women's education,
employment rights, equality in public life, and equal political rights.
9. Both groups, whether they wear hijab or not, have a limited understanding of
Islamic law and doctrine.
The conclusion of the text is that the use of specific language and attire,
such as Western fashion and Islamic clothing (hijab), reflects class differences
and the urban-rural divide in society. The adoption of Western fashion and
explicit feminism is associated with the urban middle class, while the embrace
of Islam and the hijab represents a grassroots pursuit of autonomy. The
popularity of Islamic fashion and affiliation with Islam signifies a demographic
shift and the democratization of mainstream culture and traditions. Islamic
attire can be seen as a symbol of transition and adaptation to modernity rather
than a preservation of tradition. The understanding of Islam and Islamic
movements in society differs from the perception held by previous feminist
generations and critics. Women with and without hijab have different views on
gender equality and women's rights, but the majority of women with hijab still
support women's education, employment, equality in public life, and equal
political rights. There is a need for further research to understand the feminist
positions adopted by women who wear Islamic clothing and their beliefs in
equality within marriage. Both women who wear hijab and those who do not
generally have a limited understanding of the technical aspects of Islamic law
and doctrine.