Religious fundamentalism in Muslim-majority societies distorts the concept of honor as it is presented in the Quran. Patriarchal traditions found within these societies serve as the foundation for the establishment of fundamental movements that allow for discrimination and abuse of women, ostensibly under the tenants of Islam. The Quran states that “Women of purity are for men of purity” (24:26). In the Quran, the concept of purity is seen as the integrity of soul. The fundamentalist view of purity, however, is seen as a physical purity, rather than a spiritual one. Thus, through the application of religious fundamentalist ideals, the concept of honor is distorted, depriving women of their right to private and social life while allowing the concept of honor killing to become normalized.
Religious fundamentalism deprives women of their right to a private life by distorting the concept of honor presented in the Quran. In fundamentalist societies, men are in charge of honor, contradicting the Quran. Moreover, when compared to Muslim men, women are discriminated against in the realms of divorce and child custody within these fundamentalist societies. Divorce is seen as dishonorable, denying women the rights to child custody for disobedience to her husband, all based around a skewed interpretation of the concept of honor.
The adoption of a fundamentalist approach to Islam deprives women of the ability to have and maintain a social life, contradicting the norms outlined in the Quran. The religious fundamentalist perspective takes these matters to the opposite extreme, propagandizing the need for gender separation, particularly in the spheres of education and social life. Taliban policy in Afghanistan reinterpreted Islamic traditions in such a way that women were required to wear burqa’s, were prohibited from working, and were prohibited from acquiring an education (Amnesty International 1). These discriminatory practices were further supported by the fundamentalist belief that, in situations where the female no longer has her honor, the family honor can be restored only by having the woman killed by a male family member. While honor killing is supported by Sharia law, the Quran does not dictate that any punishment should be laid upon a female for the loss of virginity prior to marriage.
There are those who would state that the concept of honor is a tricky one; that there are distinct delineations present between male and female roles, and that the practices implemented within the fundamentalist Muslim societies are in place to maintain those roles. It might be argued that each of the aforementioned factors only seems like an inappropriate choice from the perspectives of those who have adopted a more literal interpretation of the Quran; however, each can be questioned in terms of ideological differences found within fundamental movements. In Muslim-majority societies where populations adhere to traditions, women are seen as homemakers, rather than being societal equals, and such a societal approach is in alignment with the fundamentalist ideals, making something that appears rational within the context of that society seem extreme when viewed from an outside perspective.
While such an argument does hold merit from a sociological perspective, in light of the shift from individual societies to a global society, the expression of ideology by religious fundamentalists contradicts not only the edicts of the Quran, but also the norms of the modern world through a violation of women’s rights. In a modernizing world, the male female divide is disappearing, making it seem as though fundamentalism becomes the reaction of those who are unable to cope with societal progress. The factors discussed in brief above are the result of a distortion of the concept of honor by Muslim religious fundamentalists. The Quran does not provide the means for discrimination against women, nor does it condone such discrimination.
- Amnesty International. “Women in Afghanistan: The back story.” Women’s rights in Afghanistan, Amnesty International, 2017, www.amnesty.org.uk/womens-rights-afghanistan-history.
