The Islam that Empowers Women

The predominance of male-dominated interpretations of canonical texts has often caused analysts and others to proclaim the inherently dangerous relationship between religion and women.

For example, the abundance of stories (some factual and others fictional) that focus on the unequal status of Muslim women's experiences tends to reaffirm such assessments about the dangers inherent in women identifying with or practicing Islam. "Honor"-based violence against numerous Muslim women, denial of their basic human rights in the name of religious authenticity, and the extreme cases of threats to the lives of Muslim women (as so horrifically exemplified in the attack on Malala Yusufzai) validate the negative assessments of Islam's meaning for Muslim women. But such assessments focus on Muslim women as the victims of religion and often fail to appreciate the empowerment a number of these women experience precisely as a result of their faith in the unity of God (Tawhid), and the belief in Prophet Mohammad as the last messenger of God. The agency of women by virtue of their faith is often overlooked.

Topic: Moral Lectures and Aphorisms - from Glimpses of Nahjul Balagha

The course will focus on section five of the book Glimpses of Nahjul Balagha by Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari. The section discusses the recurring themes of Morality and Spirituality that occur in Nahjul Balagha. Each session will focus on a different theme and discuss the relevant passages.

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