No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Female genital cutting (FGC) has received much attention since the early 1980s. Decried as both a human rights violation and a barbaric example of the patriarchal subjugation of women and girls in developing nations, FGC has only recently been examined within the cultural framework in which it takes place. This thesis will focus on the Muslim communities in Egypt and Sudan who continue to engage in FGC as a required Muslim practice. Starting from the notion that FGC has a limiting effect on a woman's overall health, this thesis will use three foundational notions from Islamic medical ethics to argue against the continuation of FGC. Specifically, it will elaborate and draw on the Islamic position in favor of organ transplantation, thus further illustrating the argument against FGC. By using principles and notions from Islamic medical ethics, this thesis will argue against FGC from within Islam.

This thesis examines the dynamic interplay of the shared legal, personal, and societal commitments of mustaftis (petitioners), and muftis at Cairo's Dar Al-Iftaa, the official fatwa council, where I observed 140 fatwa sessions mostly concerning marital disputes. It focuses on the role and impact of fatwas in preserving social and gender relations in a society with increased religious tendencies and dispositions, such as the Egyptian society. The thesis demonstrates that the study of iftaa within its institutionalized and interactive channels could effectively enhance our understanding of the process of legal interpretation in general, and the power dynamics of social/gender relations in particular. Therefore, the thesis attempts to develop a model for the study of fatwas that gives consideration to petitioners, as agencies of the law; muftis, as social and religious interpreters; and the structures of the society of which fatwas are issued, as an influential, yet influenced element. The thesis demonstrates that Dar Al-Iftaa provides Egyptians with an alternative to courts for religious, marital, and social counseling. It further demonstrates how Dar Al-Iftaa aims at preserving marriages, and, by extension, the societal and gender norms. During the society preservation attempts, muftis adapted to the social patriarchal assumptions that give each married partner privileges in correspondence to their gender position in the society. Hence, I pay closer attention to women's involvement in male-dominated spaces such as religious institutions to negotiate their marital relations and to challenge the hegemonic structures of their society.

abstract: The American-led 'war on terror' affected how media outlets and some contemporary literature addressed and stereotyped Islam. One of the most common stereotypes regarded the status of women in society. The constant images of oppressed Afghani women generated a wave of negativity toward Islam. Afghani women were portrayed as passive characters during the Taliban rule awaiting liberation from the west. Defending their rights became one of the moral justifications for waging the 'war on terror' after the tragedy of 9/11. Gender politics in Afghanistan is closely tied to the regime in power. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the social and cultural transformation of society that followed also directly affected women and their identity as Muslims. Both the Soviet and the Taliban regimes envisioned a drastic transformation of women's participation in the public sphere. Each regime's gender politics oppressed Afghani women and sought to take away their agency. Some women welcomed the freedom under the Soviets, but others found the freedoms to be oppressive. The Taliban aimed to preserve men's authority over women. However, Afghani women never gave up the hope of freedom and equality. My main argument is to challenge the contemporary belief that Afghani women were passive characters in their history. This study introduces a fresh perspective on to women's role as change makers in the society. I argue that Afghani women maintained their autonomy and fought for their rights, before the rest of the world rushed to liberate them. They engaged in different forms of resistance from directly attacking the oppressors to keeping their resistance hidden. This thesis challenges the notion of Afghani women as victims in need of saving. On the contrary, they were the agents of change in their communities. On the basis of ethnographic interviews and three memoirs written by women who lived in Afghanistan during Soviet and Taliban rule. Their resistance against the oppressors is an affirmation of their courage and bravery. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Religious Studies 2017

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This thesis delves into the relationship between religion and feminism in the context of Muslim women residing in Mallorca. The study conducts a qualitative analysis to evaluate the impact of defined gender roles on their everyday experiences. We compare Islamic and secular feminist theories with the viewpoints of young women in Mallorca to determine how individuals engage with religious ideals that may contain misogynistic content. We also examine whether women are disproportionately affected by societal judgment, its impact on their sexual autonomy, and the role of marriage in reinforcing or challenging structural gender inequalities. The conclusions of this research shed light on the complex experiences of these women as they navigate their place in a society shaped by faith, culture, and evolving feminist discourse.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2007 Mar 20