ISLAM, GENDER, AND
MODERNITY
Instructor: Claire Robison
Summer 2014
WordPress site and syllabus

http://islamgendermodernity.wordpress.com/
Foundations of Islam
-
-
-
-
Began with the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 CE)
Quran, basic text of Muslims, compiled from encounter of Muhammad with the
Angel Gabriel
Muhammad viewed by Muslims as the seal of prophets, in a long line including
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus
In addition to the Quran, the hadith collections are central Islamic religious texts
The hadiths tell about Muhammad’s life, example, interactions with others, and
his advice
Muslims believe that both the words of the Quran and the hadith are incumbent
on followers
Concepts in the Islamic Worldview




One God, angels, humanity, and one creation that has a unique
relationship with the one God
The one creation will end at Judgment Day, when all souls will be sent to
either heaven or hell
Most beings have one life and can live a righteous life by following the
message of the prophets that God has sent throughout the ages,
culminating with Muhammad (6th c CE)
Focus on God’s righteousness, justice, and mercy
Five Pillars of Islam
-
Found in the Sunni “Hadith of Gabriel”
The Five Pillars are said to be the duties of all
Muslims
-
-
Profession of faith (shahada) that there is no God but God and
Muhammad is his messenger
Prayer (salat, namaz) performed five times a day
Giving of alms (zakat)
Fasting during Ramadan
Pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca at least once in life
Sunni and Shia
-
-
-
-
-
The major two groups of Muslims are those following Sunni Islam (85%) and
Shia Islam (15%)
Shia are predominantly in Iran, India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Bahrain with
minority populations elsewhere
Islamic history is often told from Sunni perspective because they are
numerically dominant
For many Muslims, prayer and pilgrimage are important, but prayer in local
languages and pilgrimage to local shrines
The same practices and hadiths are not accepted by all Muslims. This
influences how people apply Muslim tradition in their daily life
Sufism: Mystical Islamic traditions
Sufi traditions are found in both
Shia and Sunni Islam

Many Muslim communities, trace
their lineages back to Sufi
teachers, who spread mystical
forms of Islam. These have been
historically the most popular
amongst Muslim populations,
from Indonesia to India to
Morocco.
Sufi Festival, at Ajmer, India
Sufi saints are revered in tomb shrines throughout many Muslim-majority countries
Traditional Sufi Islam is being threatened today by the spread of Wahhabi Islam
Islam Today






Islam is the world’s second largest religion
According to a 2010 Pew Research Center study, Islam has
1.57 billion adherents, which is almost one fourth of the world
population
There are 49 Muslim-majority countries, and 60 countries with
populations of 1 million+ Muslims
Only about 20% of Muslims live in Arabic countries
There are more Muslims in the UK than in Lebanon and more in
China than in Syria
http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/table-muslim-population-by-country/
Geography of Islam
Muslims Around the World



From the 9th c. onward, Asia and Africa became the center of global Islamic
community, though Arabia remains the symbolic and influential center of the
Muslim community
Majority (62%) of Muslims live in South or Southeast Asia
 Indonesia (12.7%, 204 million)
 Pakistan (11%, 178 million)
 India (10.9%, 177 million)
 Bangladesh (9.2% 148 million)
However, for because of the complicated issues surrounding the oil industry
and modern geo-politics, outsized attention is given to Muslim-majority
Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries
Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan (ca. 1630s)
Early South Indian style mosque (ca. 900)
Niujie Mosque in Beijing (996 CE)
The biggest and oldest mosque in
Beijing. Its architectural style blends
both ancient Chinese palaces and
Arabian mosques.
Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei, SE Asia
Our Course



We will be focusing on Muslim women in three MENA nations:
Egypt, Morocco, and Iran
We will also have small detours to Muslim communities in other
nations – from Indonesia to the US – through film and
discussion
Issues of gender in Islamic tradition are inseparable from both
religious and political histories of Muslim-majority lands