LLSP’s Class of 2015 continued their first week of classes with courses on the status of women in Islam, the concept of an Islamic public thought, and what it means to have agency in Islam.
Dr. al-Hibri started her course, “The Islamic Worldview: All About Eve ” by explaining that everything in this world is created in harmony and balance and that to help our societies live in due balance we have to pursue justice – a central concept in Islam that informs how Muslims should live and treat each other. Having that in mind, participants were encouraged to “think with fresh new eyes at the things they thought they knew.”
Dr. al-Hibri then discussed Iblisi arrorange and his refusal to prostrate himself to Adam because he believed he was superior to him. Dr. al- Hibri reminded the participants that believing that you are superior to another person is akin to Iblisi/ Satanic arrogance. Many of the misinterpretations and false translations that have led to essential misunderstandings of women’s status in Islam and women’s role in the family and society emanate from patriarchal arrogant mindsets which overlook the Islamic worldview and the basic principle of justice.
Later in the day, Professor Mohammad Fadel continued the conversation about a woman’s place in Islam and Islam’s place in the world with his courses, “Islam and Public Reason” and “Islam and Agency.” During his first class, Professor Fadel discussed the modern philosopher John Rawls and his concept of “Public Reason,” as it pertains to Islam. Mr. Fadel encouraged participants to contemplate what it means to have an individual reason vs. a public reason, which is a thought representative of an “aggregate body of citizens.” Participants considered what it means to be a citizen, whether public reason can be legitimate, and what distinguishes Islamic public reason.
During his second course, Mr. Fadel explored women’s agency in Islam and how this concept has evolved over time. Agency, as he describes it, is “the ability of a human to choose certain ends and then to conceive of the means that are appropriate to achieve those ends.” After elaborating on the ways in which women have historically been denied agency, both politically and legally in Islamic history, Mr. Fadel noted, “you can only perfect yourself morally by participating in public life, so to the extent that society doesn’t allow women to participate in public life, we’re preventing them from achieving self-perfection.”
At the end of his lecture, one student remarked, “today’s lecture is kind of world-opening,” while another noted, “it’s been a real pleasure to hear a male scholar speak like this on women’s right, and really empowering.”
Participants left LLSP feeling empowered enlightened after today’s courses, and can’t wait for what’s next!
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