Abstract

Islamic feminism has emerged to counter historical patriarchal interpretations of Islamic theology and liturgy, and to reclaim womanhood, gender, and sexuality within Islam’s sacred texts. The movement has also challenged Western feminist discourses that deem religion uniquely patriarchal and oppressive for women. Despite the challenges, a number of Islamic feminists, including Amina Wadud and Fatima Mernissi, have turned to the overarching themes in the Qur’an to recover a progressive interpretation of the sacred scriptures that allows for a discussion on gender, sexuality, and LGTBQ rights. The challenges prevail as Islam, at the institutional level, remains highly patriarchal. Furthermore, the politization of Islam in the West has led to the targeting of Muslim women in non-Muslim countries through the media and policy-making. This paper aims to analyze the ways in which Islamic feminism can advocate for scriptural interpretations that challenge traditional and contemporary views on Muslim women, while initiating a discussion on LGTBQ rights within a religion whose texts have been solely interpreted through the eyes of cissexual men.