Hey World. Where are the Muslim Feminists?

I love Islam.  Sadly its community  - 'Ummah'  - is a double edged coin for many Muslim women like me. 

I find some British Muslim men utterly clueless.  Or are guilty of acting careless when they try to speak for all us UK Muslims. It is dangerous. And a repeated gesture that soon becomes a consensus.  Non-Muslims start to think they represent all of us.  When in fact - Muslims have no formal, elected representative. Yes - that includes the Muslim Council of Britain - male led for Muslim men - by Muslim men - all about Muslim men. 

The Muslim female voice within the UK Muslim community is non-existent.  And so a to-and fro- diatribe starts. A fight of the op-eds.  In the meantime - on and on it all goes.  When in fact the time has come for a radical overhaul to occur.  Time has come for Muslims to step up and be ambassadors of the faith in a discernible and positive way. To engage in more inter-faith work that allows non-Muslims to direct their positive curiosity towards. But I think they cannot and will not be able to do so until we Muslims change. 

Muslim women like me are desperate to see reform within our British Muslim community. By reforming we will allow the natural beauty of Islam to shine through.  Currently it is not and is misunderstood as it has been hijacked - not only by Isis but by the totally unnecessary dogma, rhetoric and debate on hijab. As well as the oppression of women and the utter stench of patriarchy.   

This is all in deep contrast to the many social injustices Islam addresses as well as feminism that exists.  Including evidence I will soon add to this post on why Prophet Muhammed and the Koran possibly could be the first to give birth to feminism ideology and pro-actively addressed female injustice by giving a range of financial rights irrespective of marital status.  I also mourn the invisibility of empowered Muslim women who I believe have been wiped off the face of the Islam we know today and the patriarchal message being taught to Muslims. 

Alas, reform will not come any time soon.  I know that.   Am deeply distressed by it.  And it will certainly not come at the hands of the many male educated Muslim voices who are being given a platform. How sad.  

Why? Because many Muslim women ARE utterly subjugated within the British Muslim circle at grass roots. And the media do not give them voice.  And the Muslim community, led by men (in which many women are inadvertently complicit) continue to suppress. 

Where are the Muslim female and male feminists?  The Muslim #HeForShe and #SheForShe? To say there is - is rubbish. And it is not the everyday Muslim women's fault as we have been brow beaten, gagged and dismantled from the British Muslim arena by our parents and husbands and brothers. Told to shut up. And let elders or those who 'know' better - speak for us.   

When I see a Muslim woman or man speak up - often and in my opinion -  I wonder if it is because they are deemed to fit the narrative of what a 'correct' Muslim woman or man should be like? I often see they come from highly intellectual islamic families and hijab clad - or bearded to boot.  These same folks are rarely seen publically challenging or disagreeing with the accepted consensus of UK Muslim male voices. No I do not meant that idiot Anjum Choudhury.  But the Muslim faith leaders the likes of Eric Pickles are trying to get to because often they are affiliated somehow to this key Muslim community - run by men for men.  (If you know of any - please let me know. I would love to hear more). 

So any wonder so much control and voice is given to Muslim men - although note.  When it comes to hijab or talk about Ayesha (RA), our beloved (PBUH) Prophet Muhammed's wife - many will step forward to speak up on this particular issue. Oh the irony.   

We need to take it back sisters.  By it - I mean voice. And the Islamic rights given to us.  

And we need to kick out patriarchy.  And find more #HeForShe and #SheForShe who help show the stunning and impressive side of Islam.  Not the ritual side of things - no, no, no. There is enough about that.  But all the good stuff that has been hidden away especially by Muslim men.  There are folks who work on this arena out there but these voices are never heard. So am going to help redress that.  I am also going to try and start with that mantra - 'be the change you want to see'. And to do it all through action (more to follow on the how and why).  

We also need to help our young generation minds from being the killing fields ripe for sick evil Jihadists. I mourn for every Muslim man or woman lost to this cause - who then goes to kill the spirit of humanity and indeed - of Islam.    While also denouncing the disgraceful US and UK foreign policy in the Middle East which has certainly combined to create ISIS and stain Islam  But first - in a series of posts examining my stance on Islam - why can't we Muslims be the better persons in all this? Why?