Haifaa Younis – What is Feminism in Islam- I Faith and Feminism – Part 1
AI: Summary ©
The discussion on feminism and feminism is about the movement that treats men and women differently, which is a movement for equality. The speaker discusses cultural differences between men and women in Islam, including the words peace be upon him and peace be upon him, and how it is a movement for equality. They also talk about a woman who wants to be equal, but the speaker argues that it is not possible to achieve this goal. The discussion also touches on the "verages" of Islam, including peace be upon him, peace be upon him, and the verse which a woman asked the presence of peace be upon him.
AI: Summary ©
Allahumma alimna ma yanfa'una wa manfa'na
bima allamtana innaka al-sami'a wa al
-mujeebu al-du'aa.
Allahumma inni ya'udhu bika min almin la
yanfa'a wa qalbin la yakhsha'u nafsin
la tashba'u wa adwa'a inna yusma
'a.
Rabbana la tuziqqulubana ba'da idh hadaytana wahab lana
min ladunka rahma innaka anta al-wahab.
Rabbi shrah li sadri wa yassal li amri
wa ahlul uqdatan min lisani yufqahu qawli.
It's always good to be back.
It's becoming home more and more.
So alhamdulillah rabbil alameen.
May Allah keep the blessing in this place.
Ya rabbi ameen.
And increase you and give you more.
And most importantly, make you among the grateful.
If I can ask that we have the
children.
Where is...
If we can have the children in the
room.
For many reasons, but especially the topic.
And if I can ask everybody in the
back to come a little bit to the
front.
And...
Can we do that?
Jazakallahu khair.
So I was asked actually to talk about
this subject.
And we're going to talk about it also
in a different way in the morning for
the youth.
And we will talk about it definitely in
way more details tomorrow for the women from
11 to 1.
So what is faith and feminism?
And I'm going to ask you here.
I'm not going to just give you a
lecture.
And I'm going to start from feminism and
then I'm going to come to faith.
What is feminism?
I don't want you to Google or give
me the definition.
As the word comes to your mind.
And this includes the brothers also.
Because by the way, this subject is for
both.
What is feminism?
It's a very common word.
You hear it all over thrown in our
faces day and night.
What is feminism?
Who can tell me?
Please.
Okay, so realizing the potential of what woman
is and can be.
So why it's negative?
This is a very beautiful definition, positive.
But it's usually comes as most of the
time as something negative.
Am I right?
She is feminist.
And then that's a question mark after it.
Why?
Yes.
So the fact that the man, the woman
wants to be equal with the man is
a negative thing.
This question is to the brothers.
Alhamdulillah, we did just to give you the
background of this topic.
We had a woman conference two weeks ago
in California in Irvine.
And it was only for the women.
And we had 750 women attended.
And I received many requests from the brothers
but also from scholars.
And I said this is a woman place.
However, we're going to open it for live
stream.
And you are free to listen to it.
So this subject is not only for the
woman.
This subject is actually for both.
And this is, again, I'm saying to everybody.
When I travel and I especially overseas and
I meet scholars, very frequent question I get,
what do you think of feminism?
Me as a woman.
So if I ask the brothers, what is
feminism?
For you as a brother.
So you heard what the woman said.
Anyone can raise their hand and tell me.
Negative, negative.
Let's hear it.
Positive?
Alhamdulillah.
What is feminism for you?
Anybody?
No, you're not raising your hand.
That's going to be tough on you.
Yes, anyone?
No idea?
Yes, please.
Say that again.
Man and woman are equal?
Anybody has anything to add?
Anyone?
So next question.
It's going to be question and answers.
Because this subject cannot be covered in 45
minutes.
Are men and women equal?
That's the biggest question.
As Muslims, I'm not talking about outside.
Outside is a completely different story.
We as Muslims, do you as a woman,
do you as a man, a sister and
a brother, a husband and a wife, a
brother and a real sister, are we equal?
Are we the same?
There's two important questions here.
Are we the same?
Yes or no?
Are we equal?
Yes or no?
So what is feminism then?
You all answered right.
We are equal, but we are not the
same.
That's confusing for a 15 year old.
Or 13.
And even some of us.
So what is feminism?
I'm going to give you some background.
There was a lot of history.
I don't want to give you a lot
of history.
But feminism, basically, it's a movement.
Bismillah?
I didn't finish it.
I just said one word.
Where is the movement?
And where did it come from?
Unless you know the background, don't judge yet.
And then we're going to bring whatever this
movement, and then bring it to our faith,
and see.
And you have to be extremely balanced.
And not judgmental.
Don't say Islam is against feminism.
Because, please forgive me, you're wrong.
And don't tell me Islam is all feminism.
You're also wrong.
Okay?
Bismillah.
So what is feminism?
It came at the end of the last
century.
Not the end of the 1800s, 1900s.
This is the definition in Wikipedia.
So that's easy, you all can see it.
It's a range of social, political, ideological movement.
It's a movement.
Social.
There's no religion here, by the way.
Social, political, and ideology.
And what is the goal?
What is the goal?
Establish political, economical, personal, social equality of the
two genders.
Are you with me?
So are we equal?
In front of Allah, are we equal?
Absolutely.
So the first thing Islam, when I go
back to Islam, and I said, I don't
need this.
I don't need this.
I don't need this movement.
Islam came to me 1400 years ago, and
I'm going to quote the verse which a
woman asked the Rasul, peace be upon him.
How come when we read the Quran, the
reward goes to the men?
What about us?
And Allah revealed it.
It's in Surah Al-Ahzab.
Some of you may be familiar with it.
Verily, the Muslim, men.
Muslim, women.
Believing, men.
Believing, women.
All the description, including those who are in
always a state of dhikr.
But he in every act of worship, he
puts men and he puts women.
In general, in the Quran, when Allah does
not differentiate between the genders, that means both.
But this was revealed because a woman asked
about that.
Where is my reward?
Am I equal in the sight of Allah?
And Allah revealed it.
All the above, men and women.
So bring back the feminism.
Am I, and again, I'm not talking about
culture, both sides.
Culture is a completely different story.
And this is where the confusion is coming.
Culture treats men and women differently.
You know, the biggest question I get from
the youth, you may be a little bit
surprised.
And this was actually in a program I
did in Irvine.
I did mother and daughter program.
The masjid was packed.
There was more than 500 people.
Because the youth, they really wanted to hear
it.
And mothers wanted to see what is going
on.
So a 14 or a 15 year old,
she stood up.
And I said, what is the issue that
you face with your parents?
Right?
Your mothers are here.
Let's talk about it.
She raised her hand.
And she said, me and my brother are
treated differently in the house.
I was like, subhanallah, tell me about it.
Because sometimes our perception is wrong.
I said, how come?
She said, my parents say, and actually she
said, my mother said, I have to be
home by 9 o'clock p.m. But
my brother can be up out till 2
a.m. That's not fair.
What is the answer?
Let's hear it from you before I tell
you what I said.
This is one of the roots where women
get absorbed to feminism.
How many of you do this in their
homes?
Now I'm exposing the community.
Don't raise your hand.
Okay.
How many of you think what is wrong
with this statement?
It's okay.
I tell my son come at 2 a
.m. but my daughter needs to be home
at 9 p.m. How many of you
say that?
You're too quiet today.
I had a feeling.
Because this is a very tough, sensitive subject.
And we don't want to admit it.
But unless you admit it we will lose
these girls.
Unless we start looking at this as Muslims
and we know how to respond in 10
years those who are playing in the masjid
there's a good possibility we will lose them
because unless you understand your deen very well
and you practice it the way it pleases
Allah you can easily be pulled to the
other side.
I said to her both of you need
to be home before 10 p.m. because
they are absolutely right to be worried about
you but what they are worried about you
maybe does not apply to your brother but
there is a lot of other things applies
to your brother doesn't apply to you.
Both of you needs to be at 10
before 10 to the house.
So feminism is not exactly equality but it
is also equality.
Right?
There is a beautiful book written by Sheikh
Jamal Badawi more than 20 years ago it's
a very small book I highly recommend everybody
reads it it's in English, beautiful, easy and
he said I can't remember the title we
are equal but we are not equal we
are the same but we are not the
same but I want I want all of
us to come from this base now I'm
going to ask everybody and all of you
will answer me inshallah you will not hesitate
is Allah just?
show me your hands everybody Allah is just
we have no doubt absolutely even if what
we see is not just but that doesn't
mean it is not just it's just what
I'm seeing right now with my limited knowledge
so when Allah said the woman cannot do
that and the man can do that or
the opposite I come to this verse or
to the hadith of Rasul from the base
that it is just I'm just not seeing
it how many of you adult in this
room when you were a teenager myself included
a lot of what my parents wanted me
to do I didn't like it and it's
not fair and why I have to do
this and we did it because they are
our parents 20 years later you're telling your
children exactly what your parents told you because
now you've seen that this is right so
the first thing when you come to feminism
it's a movement for equality because there was
no equality the woman paid less than the
man the woman cannot vote did you know
that?
we're getting to the voting very soon did
you know that in this country at one
point the woman had no right to vote
yes or no?
let me ask you now let's see how
much you know about your deen does Islam
allow the woman to vote?
yes?
brothers?
anyone disagree?
what is your proof?
you cannot just throw things on Islam and
you don't have a proof you answered right
all of you what is the proof that
the woman can vote?