Power and Gender roles are interlinked in relation to Islam. It seems that within Islam in Afghanistan, especially under Taliban rule, men hold a great deal of power over women. In areas controlled by the Taliban women were forbidden to be educated, leave their home without a male relative, or be employed in areas other than the medical sector, as male medical personnel were not allowed to look at them. Those who appeared to disobey these laws were publicly beaten. The story of Sohaila supports this, as she was convicted of walking with a man who was not a relative, resulting in her being flogged in and received 100 lashes.
Gender roles in Afghanistan appear to have remained in its traditional Islamic state, even with the influence of the West and globalization. Islamic women are traditionally expected to care for their men and family, taking on domestic roles. Whereas men in the Islamic faith generally work and provide an income for their family, they also dictate what occurs within the family such as who his daughters and sons should marry. If the father is passed awaythe eldest son usually takes on this role. Girls can get an education, as the Taliban no longer rule, however as it is dictated in Islamic faith most stay at home and learn domestic skills. However, recently, more women wish to become contributors to the reconstruction of their country. Women are becoming more involved in work to make, such as those who have recently created day care centres, however, the conditions at these centres are primitive. The female principle, Sima Nori, is proud and enthusiastic about what they have accomplished in a short amount of time. Some who follow the Islamic faith however feel that these gender roles are just a myth created by the Western “xenophobic” media. Dr. Zieba Shorish-Shamley argues that “that the position of women in Islam in theory, that is, according to the Qur'an and Hadiths (tradition) of the Prophet, differs vastly from Islam in practice.”
Continuity within Islam seems to be more prevalent then change, throughout time the Islamic faith has kept most of its traditional ethics and morals, however the traditional role of women appears to have been altered throughout time, possibly due to the influence of Feminism, the West and globalization. The cultural heritage of the Islamic adherents appears to have been kept intact and continued throughout history. Many of the traditionally sacred and holy buildings and areas continue to be just as influential and important to today such as Mecca. Furthermore the traditional cultural heritage has been continued through the rituals practised by the Muslim people such as Ramadan, prayer and the pilgrimage or the physical and spiritual journey of travelling to Mecca. However if the current resistance to globalization relents these continuities may be adapted and modernised to suit Western ideals. Yet conclusively it is apparent that tradition plays a very important and influential role in the Islamic faith as it is a continuity and will possibly still be adhered to for many years to come.
A recent study on the evolution of Islam has shown that globalization has expanded the universal community known as the Ummah, this is a universal community which shares the Islamic faith and its implementation of its law. In the past the Islamic people experienced limitations of transport and technologies which allowed them to communicate with the Muslims separated geographically and thus rendering them unable to acknowledge the cultural and social diversity of the Ummah. However the rapid growth in technology such as television, internet, travel, books and magazines has given Muslims the ability to be aware of their cultural and social diversity. Consequently this technological development generates a greater ummah consciousness and a sense of belonging to a global community of believers. Prior to the influence of technology and globalization the knowledge of ummah was determined by ones practice of the Islamic faith and more specifically the “Five pillars” which state that one must believe solely in Allah, payment of welfare tax for the poor, performance of hajj, daily prayers and Ramadan. Globalization reinvigorated the traditional Muslim belief that Islam is not just a religion but a way of life in which in Islam is known as one religion and one culture. The booming and instantaneous communication technology brought upon by globalization has given Muslims and non-Muslims the ability to comprehend the difference in cultures not only between countries where Islam is less prominent but between Islamic areas which are geographically separated. This cross cultural experience reveals what commonalities and differences exist such as gender roles, which are more traditional in Islam, rituals and beliefs. A negative impact that has stemmed from globalization appears to be a loss of identity. Western influences appear to have influenced a realization that their traditions and culture can be affected and altered by globalization. This has created a volatile reaction among some Islamic groups who wish to maintain their traditional cultures and beliefs. From these radical Islamic movements, for example Al Qaida, who wish to maintain and influence a traditional Islamic way of life, have become distressed by the influence of western culture and ideology which has occurred due to globalization. Globalization is seen by these radical groups from the Middle East to be forcing the ideals, known as “hybrid Islam”, of other Islamic countries such as Indonesia upon them. From this globalization has created a conflict between these two types of Islamic ideologies of “hybrid Islam” and “authentic (traditional) Islam” driven by the fear of their religious continuity changing. This resistance to globalization has rapidly expanded Islamic fundamentalist movements and although the strength of these vary according to extremism of attitudes it seems that globalization will continue to be resisted by most Islamic people and countries. A current example of this resistance is the protests and anger towards Western society in Afghanistan due to recent rumours of burnings of the Qur’an, an investigation has been launched by the Afghan government displaying their isolationist attitude and disdain towards globalization. It seems that radical Islamic movements will disallow globalization to affect and alter their way of life limiting the amount of autonomous religious areas throughout the world, which will continue to mindset of it is 'us' vs 'them’ which has occurred throughout history such as in the age of Alexander and his attempt to Hellenise the East. However if an acceptance of globalization can occur in the future the “global village” will benefit greatly as a decentring will allow Islam to expand into a multi-centred religion rather than segregated “tribes” including Middle Eastern Islam, African Islam, Central Asian Islam, Southeast Asian Islam and the Islam of the Muslim minorities in the West. And possible a decrease in xenophobic ideals within Western society will result allowing social, political, economic, religious and cultural growth among the global village.
Bibliography
Author unknown (published on the 19th of January 2011), : Benefits of The Quran Recitation http://quranrecitationonline.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/49/, Accessed on the 21st of February 2012.
Author unknown ( published 18th of April 2011), Islam-isation is what Muslims need!:Isla, , http://www.quranreading.com/blog/islam-and-muslims/islam-isation-is-what-muslims-need/, Accessed on the 21st of February 2012.
-
M. Lynx-Qualey, M.L.Q, (published 16th of May 2011), Muslim-Coptic Relations: Five Books that Spell it Out, http://mideastposts.com/2011/05/16/muslim-coptic-relations-five-books-that-spell-it-out, Accessed on the 21st of February 2012.
-
Unknown, (published on the 19th of July 2010), JUMA KI NAMAZ, http://digitalhadith.com/, Accessed on the 21st of February.
-
Unknown, (published 2010), Sacred sites: Jerusalem, http://sacredsites.com/middle_east/israel/jerusalem.html, Accessed on 21st of February.
-
Unknown, (published 2008), The Islamic Calendar, http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-islamic.html, Accessed on the 21st of February.
-
Adiput, (15 December 2009), Mecca from Jabal Nur, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mecca_from_Jabal_Nur.JPG, Adiput
Nomia Iqbal, (published on the 11th of April 2011), Ban on Muslim women covering faces with veils in France, http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13032250, Accessed on the 21st of February.
Abu Ibo, (published on December 7th 2009), Islamic Symbols, , Accessed on the 21st of February.
-
Fareed Tokhi, F.T, (published on the 15th of December 2001), Afghanistan Before and After 9/11 from the Perspective of an Afghan Muslim studying near Ground Zero, http://www.nyu.edu/classes/keefer/joe/tokhi10.html, Accessed on the 27th of February 2012.
-
Dr. Zieba Shorish-Shamley, Z.S.S, (publication date unknown), Women's Position, Role, And Rights In Islam, , Afghanistan Online, Accessed on the 27th of February 2012.
Riaz Hassan, R.H (published on the 17th of April 2003) Globalization's Challenge to Islam,
, Yale Global Online, Accessed on the 27th of February 2012.
