Abstract
This paper calls for an understanding of feminism in Islam as a unique approach to feminism with potential contributions to world feminism. The paper analyzes Mariama Ba's epistolary novel So Long A Letter within the context of a feminist approach in Islam. This paper's primary focus is Ba's critique of polygamy and her celebration of female bonding in the face of male oppression. Ba explores her themes through an epistolary exchange between two intimate friends who both suffered the abuse of their polygamous husbands and highlights the contrasting reactions of the two women in regard to the mistreatment by their husbands. Within a distorted misinterpretation of religion, the analysis reflects on how Islamic teachings are exploited by some Muslim men in order to gratify and justify their base desires under the guise of a transcendent sanction.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 179-199 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Hawwa |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 18 2012 |
Keywords
- African Feminism
- African Women
- Feminism in Islam
- Muslim Women
- Senegalese Women
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gender Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Sociology and Political Science