Muslim women reformers : inspiring voices against oppression

In a world where the strident demands of Islamic extremists capture the media's attention, the courageous protests of Muslim reformers barely receive any notice. These include a surprising number of women who are prepared to challenge institutionalized persecution, risking derision, arrest, physical harm, and even death.In this inspiring compilation of Muslim women's stories from around the world, the voices of these long-oppressed women ring loud and clear as they question ideology and culture, patriarchal and religious beliefs, and demand the social and political rights women lack in many Muslim countries. The reformers speak out with passion, humanity, and sometimes humor in these compact and often poignant biographies, bringing alive the harsh realities for women in many parts of the world. By surveying a wide range of Muslim reformers, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe and North America, author Ida Lichter uncovers some significant emerging trends. For example, she notes that the majority of Muslim feminists would like to see reform contained within Islam. Many criticize their patriarchal culture for suppressing egalitarian views that they believe the Koran expresses and so they advocate a reinterpretation of the holy text. Some demand changes to discriminatory Sharia-based laws. Others campaign openly for political and educational reforms.Complete with a glossary and a list of helpful Web sites, this vibrant anthology makes use of reliable translations from original languages to demonstrate the groundswell of grassroots change that promises eventually to bring even the most conservative sectors of Islam into the twenty-first century. This Compilation Of Muslim Women's Stories From Around The World Focuses On The Voices Of Reformers Who Battle Fiercely Against Such Barbarisms As Stonings, Acid Attacks, Gang Rapes, And Honor Killings That Go Largely Unpunished Due To Discriminatory Religious Laws And An Entrenched Patriarchal Culture. Each Chapter Provides An In-depth And Up-to-date Look At The Status Of Women In Muslim Countries, And In Compact And Often Poignant Biographies, Reformers Speak Out With Passion, Humanity, And Sometimes Humor To Expose To The Whole World The Harsh Realities Many Women Experience On A Daily Basis In Many Parts Of The Globe.--jacket. Afghanistan. Background ; Review Of Reforms ; Safia Amajan ; Shukria Barakzai ; Wazhma Frogh ; Massouda Jalal ; Malalai Joya ; Meena Keshwar Kamal And Rawa ; Manizha Naderi And Waw (afghanistan/usa) ; Suraya Parlika ; Nilofar Sakhi ; Sima Samar And Shuhada -- Algeria. Background ; Khalida Messaoudi -- Bahrain. Background ; Wajeeha Al-baharna ; Ghada Jamsheer -- Bangladesh. Background ; Taslima Nasreen -- Canada. Irshad Manji (uganda/canada) -- Egypt. Background ; Ekbar Baraka ; Nonie Darwish (egypt/usa) ; Aida Seif El-dawla ; Rabab El-saadwi ; Suzanne Mubarak And Smwipm ; Dalia Ziada -- France. Fadela Amara And Ni Putes Soumises (algeria/france) ; Samira Bellil (algeria/france) -- Indonesia. Background ; Rahima -- Iran. Background ; Review Of Reforms ; Weblogistan : The Iranian Blogosphere ; Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh And Fereshteh Ghazi ; Hana Abdi And Ronak Safarzadeh ; Nasrin Afzai ; Delaram Ali ; Noushabeh Amiri ; Parvin Azima ; Parvin Darabi ; Shirin Ebadi ; Haleh Esfandiari (iran/usa) ; Azam Kamguian (iran/uk) ; Mehrangiz Kar (iran/usa) ; Nahid Meshavarz And Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh ; Azar Majedi (iran/uk) ; Ziba Mir-hosseini (iran/uk) Azar Nafisi (iran/usa) ; Maryam Namazie (iran/uk) ; Lili Pourzand (iran/canada) ; Maryam Rahavi (iran/france) ; Shadi Sadr ; Mahsa Shekarloo ; Shahla Sherkat And Zanan Magazine ; Sussan Tahmasebi -- Iraq. Background ; Houzan Mahmoud (kurdistan) ; Yanar Mohammed -- Israel And The Palestinian Territories. Background ; Aswat ; Nissa Wa Aafaq (women And Horizons) -- Jordan. Background ; Rana Husseini -- Kuwait. Background ; Ibtibal Abd Al-aziz Al-khatib ; Nouriyah Al-subeeh ; Rola Dashti -- Lebanon. Background ; Lina Abou-habib -- Malaysia. Background ; Marina Mahathir ; Zainah Anwar And Sisters In Islam -- Morocco. Background ; Fatima Mernissi -- Nigeria. Background ; Baobab -- Pakistan. Background ; Asma Jahangir ; Mukhtaran Bibi (mukhtar Mai) ; Raheel Raza (pakistan/canada) -- Qatar. Background ; Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-missned -- Saudi Arabia. Background ; Review Of Reforms ; Maha Akeel ; Rania Al-baz ; Maha Al-hujailan ; Wajeha Al-huwaider ; Hasna Al-qunair ; Thuraya Al-shihiri ; Nadia Bakhurji ; Samar Fatany ; Lubna Hussain ; Halima Muzaffar -- Somalia. Background ; Ayaan Hirsi Ali (somalia/holland/usa) ; Hawa Aden Mohamed -- Sudan. Background ; Awatif Elageed ; Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim ; Taraji Mustafa (sudan/canada) -- Syria. Background ; Georgette Atiya ; Wafa Sultan (syria/usa) ; Syrian Women Observatory -- Tunisia. Background ; Iqbal Al-gharbi ; Munjiyah Al-sawaihi ; Raja Bin Salama ; Samia Labidi ; Fawzia Zouari -- Turkey. Background ; Nebahat Akkoç And Ka-mer ; Ka-der -- United States Of America. Mona Eltahawy ; Asra Nomani ; Amina Wadud -- Yemen. Elham Mane'a -- Male Muslim Activists. Suliman Al-salman (saudi Arabia) ; Sleiman Al-sleiman (saudi Arabia) ; Bashir Goth (somalia) ; Abul Kasem (bangladesh/australia) ; Lafif Lakhdar (tunisia) ; Salman Masalha (israel) ; Raid Qusti (saudi Arabia) -- Transnational Organizations That Support Muslim Women's Rights. Women Living Under Muslim Laws (wluml) ; Assisting Women's Participation In The Economy : Haifa Al Kaylani And Aiwf ; Against Honor Killings : International Campaign Against Honor Killings (icahk) ; Laha (for Her) ; Gay And Lesbian Rights : Al Fatiha And The Safra Project -- Appendix. Arab Human Development Report : The Plight Of Arab Women For Equality. Ida Lichter. Includes Bibliographical References. "This stirring compilation of Muslim women's stories from around the world focuses on the voices of reformers who battle fiercely against such barbarisms as stonings, acid attacks, gang rapes, and "honor killings" that go largely unpunished due to discriminatory religious laws and an entrenched patriarchal culture. Each chapter provides an in-depth and up-to-date look at the status of women in Muslim countries, and in compact and often poignant biographies, reformers speak out with passion, humanity, and sometimes humor to expose to the whole world the harsh realities many women experience on a daily basis in many parts of the globe."--Jacket Om muslimske kvinder, der risikerer arrestationer, tortur og endda døden for at opnå en retfærdig og lige behandling