Women and Community: Muslim Women

WOMEN AND COMMUNITY
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Introduction
Muslim women have different experiences in life, most of which are shaped by their very community. Additionally, their support or lack of it to their religion is an aspect that greatly influences their ways of life in different measures depending on the economic, social, and culturally diversities between them. Some of the factors which play a central role in shaping the cosmological, spiritual, social, and cultural status of Islamic women include the Hadiths, the Qur’an, and the Islamic sacred texts which are Islamic traditions regarding the aphorisms and deeds of prophet Muhammad. This essay explores Anaya McMurray, and Jasmin Zine’s takes on the position of Islamic women in the community. Both Jasmin and McMurray criticize the double stands of Black Muslim women and men in society by giving their reasons behind their critics. The essay further gives the concerns of the duo regarding the impacts that the double stands have on the day-to-day livelihoods of the Muslim girls.
McMurray claims that some of the renowned names including Erykah Badu, Eve, and herself form a part of the Black Muslim women that have played a significant role in the creation of improvisation zones as well as trying to better the hip-hop generation through harmonization of Islamic faith and musical cultures (McMurray, 2008, P.76). The author further maintains that the role played by women in nurturing and promoting the hip-hop culture has for long gone unnoticed since there men counterparts and the community at large do not appreciate and talk about it. Additionally, McMurray claims that there are many factors which propagate the misrepresentation and marginalization of the ability and the experience of black Islamic women, particularly those in the music industry. Some of the aspects include but are not limited to the use of black history and mass media to suppress their unchurched voices. Secondly, society has outlined distanced roles that men and women ought to play in music and particularly in the hip-hop industry and thirdly, the popular image that portrays the position of Muslim Women. The three factors go a long way in rendering and controlling the voice and the role of Black Muslim women (McMurray, 2008, p.85).
According to McMurray (2008, P.74), the position and the role of Black Muslim women have been neglected to the extent that one cannot imagine them taking part in hip-hop music. She maintains that their involvement in music is a brave step that entails going against religious and culture boundaries which limit the role of a woman to the kitchen and taking care of children. McMurray further claims that the issues of power and representation have for long hindered Black Muslim women from exploiting what they are made of until they had to start being agents of their salvation. McMurray quotes Ingrid Monson, who maintains that Black Muslim women have devised ways of negotiating their space in the society by composing musical sounds which help to communicate their message to the community. They also emphasize the need for the Islamic religion to liberate their women ceasing to confine them in hijabs and allowing them to apply make-up if they so wish ...