Revolution in the Islamic World by Women
Recently I have been frequently coming across the word REVOLUTION over and over again. Thinking hard at what sort of revolution people might be talking about, particularly in Pakistan. There are officially two sorts of enthusiasts camped on either side of the divide, one being the Islamists and the other secularists. What might be the difference between the two, truly I see none. A prime recent example of a wanna-be revolution was the lawyers movement, it started off with the country rallying to an anti-Musharraf rhetoric but ended up at achieving nothing. This sadly how all big hopeful revolutions start, people ask for a change but do not know 'what sort of change' or how they expect 'to achieve this change?'
I bring into the midst of this discussion the millions of women belonging to the Islamic world who are so different, so strong and so determined yet even unbeknowist to them, they truly represent another set of revolutionaries in their own respect. We, the women, are constantly in the struggle to keep our homes intact, keeping our husbands happy, while at the same time maintaining a commitment to our jobs, in all this midst we are committed at bringing up our children in line with the core Islamic values which we hold so dear to our hearts. Its a mystical juggling machine which our gender group have so expertly managed over many hundred years and will continue to do so in the future without fail
This raw power of women, was a fact that dawned even upon me when I toured an art exhibition about women in London, titled "Edge of Arabia", it was there did I fully comprehend the sacrifices of women and their relentless commitment to society as a whole
It was an exhibition about women - the originality, the simplicity, roots, culture, conflict, monarchy were all so eloquently portrayed by the artists on display. The representative statues depicted women in practically all scenarios found across the world, from the mere fact that women are not allowed to drive, to the strong willed ladies hidden behind the veil. the artists crafted the representations in vibrant bold, rich colors, presenting the women from the romantic beauty of an 'Alif Laila' fantasy, even to mere science of being represented by the DNA found in her hair, even an X-ray conveyed the strength of women in the term womanhood the vibrancy extended even into the power of the pen portrayed by the simple geometric patterns found in calligraphy. Thought provoking, yet completely different, no frenzy, no chaos, nor any form of provocation but a beautiful expression of self contentment and the will to break away from self to a gentle embrace by Western cultures.
I take you into the downtrodden path of Muslim women around the world. In Turkey, there has been a different sort of revolution brewing underneath the Hijab vs the Non Hijab divide. Highly westernized society challenge the traditional Islamic values, this in no way has undermined the modern Turkish Muslim women who still chooses to don a Hijab, underneath the veil she is a highly intellectual, well educated lady who feels liberated simply being herself, content with a westernized women in her mind but choosing to follow religion as a moral code of decency
In Iran, the phenomenon is the opposite, it is here that the women of Iran have the temptation to break free from the shackles of the Hijab wearing tradition, trying to adopt to a way of modern life, quite similar to our own Pakistani women, shopping malls to cosmetic surgery, fluent English combined with a strong determination to succeed against all odds. She competes in journalism, she excels in art and even in business, but at the same time she remains a devoted mother, a loving wife, upholding Islamic traditions she, though she may or may not choose to don the Abaya, maybe a westernized Islamic women at heart
This commonality between Iran and Pakistan probably takes root because both the countries have at some time been ruled by two very Western leaders, Bhutto in Pakistan and the Shah of Iran in Iran. The similarity should be well understood and even be the guiding light for the Muslim world for inspiration. We should leave the shackles of mimicking the Indian women who still remains far behind in her struggle against oppression merely due to the religious differences, separating their causes to a remarkable degree
Pakistani women are fundamentally different from the Indian women in one too many ways. The main issue of Hijab has never been an issue of contention for the Indian mother. Pakistani women have come a long way forward, she has stopped wearing a Saaree and has instead donned a very trendy and a modern shalwar kameez on occasions she even chooses to replace the traditional shalwar with jeans which has slowly become an acceptable norm within the confines of the Pakistani society, jeans generally cover the entire body and I personally think jeans is far better option than an uncomfortable georgette Shalwar.
Pakistani women easily dispense of Hijab as well, it has been an observable fact that women in Pakistan had stopped wearing a burqa around seventies and instead came out in big chadders. Chadders will most likely stay because they serve the purpose well in covering up the figure while at the same time keeping their respective brothers and fathers happy. The Pakistani women is acutely aware of her surroundings, so when a women is driving a car or visiting a shopping mall she merely keeps the dupatta dangling around her neck and feels secure, while at home it is often laying on some chair or sofa, in quick access for in case that door bell were to ring, quickly to grab the duppata and don it as a symbol of decency.
It is also in Pakistan that I see a mixture of a very posh looking begum knowing extremely well on how to throw away her bag, tie up her hair, take off her rings and do the chapatis while at the same time one can even come across a chadder clad Hijab wearing women after a Quran Khawani lights up a cigarette with that same comfort as if it were the daily norm. Cigarette is harmful and cannot be deemed healthy by any standard and is also not a sign of freedom nor any revolution but if one were to engage with these women you would be surprised to learn that smoking a cigarette in public is definitely some semblance of freedom. Might I suggest men to give it up as well?
In the same context Iranian women have had the urge to contest the bureacracy for the right to drive a motorbike, Oh God! little do they know its nasty ride, its adverse effects for the skin, the blazing sunshine and even the dust it is so impractical but despite the harsh conditions it is a symbolic sense of freedom which they strive to achieve in their own daily lives, likewise the Saudi women have the temptation to drive the car though it may seem whimsical but it remains a fundamental womens issue nonetheless which does apparently limit their mobility
Once I witnessed Asma Jahangir protesting during Zia's regime on the Lahore Mall, she was being severely beaten by the police. On our return home my father asked me "who was she?" I responded "a lawyer", he then asked "What does she want as I saw her being beaten by the police on the mall and what was she protesting for?" my simple response "I guess women rights". It was there my father was innocently surprised, "Darling I had only one aim in my life that my daughters to be educated, now what sort of education is this where a women are being beaten and you do not know, Why?"
That is so true of Pakistani women. We do not know exactly what Asma Jahangir stands for, what does she mean by human rights? The ironical tragedy is that Musharraf very candidly gave more rights to women but do we even choose to realize it? I dare to think not. Musharraf did set a good precedence he was not ashamed of his working mother, he was not ashamed of his wife and openly admits to have listened to her counsel and even did dearly loves his daughter. So unlike the Zardaris, Bajranis and Nawaz Sharifs of the present Pakistan. Why do the male chauvinistic leaders choose not to recognize the services of women in their lives
Pakistani women are so strong, I am so very glad I am one of them, our revolutionary change may be slow but it is steady and sure. We the Pakistani women are also not ready to take this revolutionary business to any cutting edge rivalry to challenge our fathers, brothers or even our husbands, we merely take it one step at a time. Though at times we do chisel at the tender love with our male companions for some mere whimsicle demand but choose to limit them within the confines of decency and respect.
This beautiful relationship is the love, the fathers and the brothers go to help us out for the extra mile merely to see their girl happy, safe and secure. This in my opinion is priceless, personally I would tell all Pakistani women to not barter it for anything. Nonetheless we are not afraid to stand on our own. This is the revolution and the challenges faced by the women of the Islamic Republics, it is when women will protest for their rights, they will march for themselves, be it jobs, be it divorce laws, be it against Bajranis or Zardaris, the men of Pakistan will just standby watching us in a state of shock to have taken to the streets, even the governments would not know how to stop this sea of women, to them its not a mob, not even the least bit chaotic, just girls standing up for what they believe in.
It is here that I see the power, in 1990 when Nawaz Sharif was young elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab the girls of Government Degree College Gulberg Lahore marched against Maimoonah Ansari the Principal, no lathee charge, no riots, no fathers, no brothers but yet it was successful.
The second time we witnessed a womens revolution was when four girls of FCC Lahore stood up against the Principal who was backed by Jamiat in 1993 including the male class fellows, they all were taken by surprise by this horde of women, in surprise the boys ran fast, deemed us dangerous mocking us from the far sides of the lush green gardens and all we asked the Jamiats was, "How come you being our representative, choose to sit in the office while the Principal stops us from walking into the gardens? He in had to apologize and ironically the apology did come with a tea but sadly in a very bureaucratic and indirect manner. We merely refused to be confined to our lecture halls, we refused to accept that the canteen and the lush green college gardens were off-limits to women and a luxury reserved for the male chauvinistic members of our college . After all this college is as much our as it is theirs
This slow steady womens revolution is our own personal fight its not for the sensationalization for any big-name news organization nor are we in this for any financial gains, its our struggle and then we live our lives with dignity and more importantly as equal human beings..
The revolutions from the men will simply not be realized because their revolutions remain a mere ideology and not a daily struggle for survival. Women on the other hand live the life of oppression, brutality, humilaition, tourture and even rape these survival instinct will itself culminate into a world changing womens revolution.
Well ! Women you have the power, no one is going to come and spell it out for you. Use it to better your own life. I can only hope that men in Islamic world are ready to accept this new revolutionary women, an individual who might have not changed a lot in appearance but has surely revolutionized her mind
Islamic world would find it impossible to stop this change, this revolution will be bloodless, world has yet to see the power of Muslim women of Islamic world.
17 Feb 2009
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