AN ISLAMIC FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE IN THE HOLY WOMEN BY QAISRA SHAHRAZ

Abstract

This research emphasizes the utilization of the religion Islam as a means of enforcing patriarchal dominance and infringing against women’s Islamic human rights. Islam upholds gender equality in terms of human values, however certain Muslim patriarchal societies tend to interpret Islamic teachings in a way that favors men, leading to the marginalization of Muslim women. Muslim girls are raised in accordance with the male-dominated Islamic principles, and the patriarchal social structure gradually normalizes their assigned duties as they grow into adulthood. This study contends that Muslim patriarchal communities are utilizing Islamic ideologies not in their authentic form, but rather for the advancement of patriarchal values. The instruction of Islam is primarily familial, nevertheless, in Muslim patriarchal societies, particularly in South Asia, the prevailing cultural norms are predominantly patriarchal. This study centers on the narratives of Muslim women in order to get insight into the socialization of Muslim women with respect to Islamic values. This study examines The Holy Women by Qaisra Shahraz to argue the challenges of patriarchal Muslim societies in upholding the Islamic human rights of Muslim women.