Reinterpretating patriarchy

Reinterpretating patriarchy

Damanhuri, Contributor/Jakarta

Kembang Setaman Perkawinan: Analisis Kritis Kitab 'Uqud al- Lujjayn (Miscellany of Marriage: Analysis of the 'Uqud al-Lujjayn Text) Forum Kajian Kitab Kuning (FK3) Kompas Books Publisher, April 2005 xxii + 336 pages

Abuse of and violence against women are of diverse origins. Customs, dominant ideologies and interpretations of religions, for instance, are frequently referred to as the main pillars of the advance and perpetuation of the patriarchal order, which corners women's positions.

With traditions, ideologies and religious interpretations -- often complexly interwoven -- as shelter, the disparities in relationships between women and men continue to be maintained and preserved as if they were something natural and even divine.

Consequently, even if women's existence and roles in public life are recognized, they constitute a mere complement to men, a subordinate and second-class group. On the opposite extreme, men retain their position as a superior, ideal figure and the center of women's obedience.

It is this inequality and gender bias that many circles have started questioning lately. Various activists have raised the issue of patriarchal communities and strive to make new interpretations of man-wman relationships that are emerging.

The attempt by Siti Musdah Mulia's group, recently proposing a Counter Legal Draft (CLD) of the Islamic Law Compilation (KHI), for instance, was an important part of the process toward realizing their aspirations.

Forum Kajian Kitab Kuning (FK3), headed by Sinta Nuriyah, is an institution that deals with the same concern, and along with Siti Musdah Mulia, Hussein Muhammad, Badriyah Fayumi, Zuhairi Misrawi and other activists, is enthusiastically campaigning for the creation of a society without gender bias.

While critically reviewing all religious interpretations of man-woman ties considered gender biased, it also seeks to formulate new anti-patriarchy understandings. Kembang Setaman Perkawinan: Analisis Kritis Kitab 'Uqud al-Lujjayn is one of the works resulting from the long quest.

Although nothing novel is presented in its discourse on Islamic femininism, the choice of the 'Uqud al-Lujjayn text as the core of analysis gives Kembang Setaman a special place among other books delving into the same theme.

The 'Uqud al-Lujjayn, written by Syeikh Nawawi al-Bantany (1813-1897), is an Islamic jurisprudence on the rights and obligations of husband and wife, and is most frequently used as the main source of reference in the tradition of Indonesia's Islamic boarding schools.

In fact, from the perspective of Islamic femininism, most of the text's content fully support the unequal husband-wife relationship, which concerns us all.

Through an intense study of the verses, prophetic words and deeds (hadits) used to justify the practices of "domestication" and abuse of women in 'Uqud al-Lujjayn, it has been discovered that previous analyses on the verses contain serious flaws that demand a review.

The verses that have so far been interpreted as seemingly justifying the practice of a husband beating up his wife (nusyuz), the leadership monopoly by a husband, the absence of a wife's right to property, for instance, are opposed to the basic spirit of the Koran and Hadits, which call for equality and justice.

The same is true of the hadits typicall quoted as providing the basis for a wife's obligation to totally obey the wishes of her husband. After an examination of the validity of sanad (links of those related hadits) as well as matan (substance of hadits), most of the hadits in al-Lujjayn are weak, defective and even mysterious.

Therefore, amid serious attempts at advocating women's rights, which have been denied for such a long time already -- let alone the use of religious interpretations as an excuse and argument to perpetuate this denial -- this book is worthy of appreciation.

And by agreeing with the methodology of interpretation verses in the Koran and a critical scrutiny of Hadits applied by writers of this book, we are in fact also striving to do what Muslim feminist Asma Barlas calls "unreading" a patriarchal interpretation of the Koranic verses -- that is, reading the Koran in a way that sets women free.

Through such means, the creation of an non-patriarchical society can hopefully approach reality.

The writer is pursuing a Master's degree at the Islamic College for Advanced Studies (ICAS) in Paramadina, Jakarta.