No room for women imam in mosques here, says expert
No room for women imam in mosques here, says expert
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Liberal Muslim scholars here welcomed on Monday the news of a
woman leading a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York
last week.
They were not convinced, however, that a woman could ever lead
an Islamic prayer service here.
Islamic jurisprudence scholar and gender expert Siti Musdah
Mulia said that going against mainstream ulema's beliefs that a
woman must not lead a prayer service that includes men
worshipers, was virtually impossible.
"Most ulema here stick to textual interpretations. Whereas
there is an article in the hadith (a narrative record of the
sayings and customs of Prophet Muhammad) that says there was a
woman imam, at the time of Prophet Muhammad, named Ummu Waraqah
who led mixed-gender prayers. At the time, the Prophet did not
show any objections," said Musdah, who led the team that designed
an alternative draft for an Islamic code of law.
Unfortunately, Musdah continued, the article has never been
used as a reference as it was defeated by chauvinistic
interpretations that only a man can become an imam.
"It is a setback in the world of Islam. Back in the period of
Prophet Muhammad, the atmosphere was more open-minded and
inclusive. Now people are more barbarian, calling other people
(with different faiths) kafir (infidels)," Musdah said.
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Amidhan argued that
based on the teachings of the Syafiiyah School -- followed by the
majority of Muslims in the country -- women are not allowed to
lead mixed-gender services.
"Unless, of course, the service is attended solely by women,"
he said.
What woman imam Amina Wadud did last week, he said, was more
of a political move regarding gender equality.
"American people tend to veer toward rationality, which is
fine. But religious dogma must not be violated. Feel free to
discuss the matter, but I think most Muslims here will object to
the idea," Amidhan asserted.
He shared the same views as Muslim figures in the Middle East,
condemning Wadud's act as apostasy and as "tarnishing Islam".
A professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth
University, Wadud led the Islamic prayer service before a
congregation of around 100 men and women at an Anglican church.
Three mosques had refused to hold the service, and an art
gallery backed out due to a bomb threat.
Conservative Middle East leaders said women's issues had been
used by enemies of Islam to corrupt the community. They argued
that women's bodies stir desire in men, and that prohibiting
women from becoming imams is not discriminatory, but prevents men
from being torn by human desire -- while they are standing behind
a woman while she is bowing and kneeling.
Musdah said that such a view was ridiculous, as it perceived
women merely as sex objects.
"Men's bodies can also stir desire ... Besides, is it -- at
any moment of a prayer service -- appropriate to think about
sexual desire?" he said.
Scholar Moeslim Abdurrahman from Muhammadiyah, the country's
second largest Muslim organization, spoke positively about the
New York event, adding there should be a total shift in Islamic
perceptions here.
"Back in the old days, there were very few women with strong
leadership. That's why there were no women imam. But some ulema
then took it be an undisputable law," he said.
Women's hopes and goals should be accommodated by Indonesian
ulema, Moeslim added, because Islamic theology does not recognize
gender discrimination.
"Indonesian women and activists must also react and respond to
this phenomena positively," he said.
Showing her support for women who aspired to be religious
leaders, Musdah said they should just go ahead rather than
waiting for approval.
"Just do it. If we campaigned first, the approval might never
come," she said.