Muslim women’s liberation requires recognizing diverse experiences

Activists Najma Nazeer and Ishrath Nissar emphasize that Muslim women's liberation should be defined by the women themselves, rather than by outside viewpoints. They spoke at an event held by the Alternative Law Forum for Women's History Month. Nazeer and Nissar highlighted the issue with the Western feminist perspective, which often sees a woman's freedom primarily as removing the hijab. For many Muslim women, liberation can mean wearing the hijab or being free to choose whether to wear it. They argued that each woman's path to emancipation is unique and cannot be reduced to one simple idea. The speakers discussed the challenges Muslim women face, pointing out that their exclusion from many aspects of life is a result of systemic patriarchy and Islamophobia. Nazeer noted that being a Muslim woman in India often means balancing between being invisible and being overly visible. Nissar stressed that Muslim women have historically played active roles in society, yet their contributions are often overlooked. She also mentioned the intersection of caste and class and how this affects different groups of women within the community. During the discussion, they highlighted various forms of resistance, from large protests, like those at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act, to smaller, everyday acts of defiance. They argued that every step towards challenging patriarchy is a form of resistance. Political representation for Muslim women is another critical issue. Nazeer and Nissar noted that only 1-2% of political seats are held by Muslim women, many of whom come from politically connected families. They called for solidarity among different groups fighting for rights, emphasizing the need to unite rather than divide. Together, Nazeer and Nissar called for a redefinition of narratives about Muslim women, insisting that their stories reflect strength, resistance, and survival. They are determined to continue sharing their own histories.