If the family is a universal institution present in all societies, then our cultural specificities are under attack by Western feminist thought. This thought seeks to exploit issues related to women and the family to impose a “new universal legal framework,” under the pretense that this framework represents a shared human value. However, in reality, it reflects only Western culture, ⁽¹⁾ adopting a unilateral and biased perspective. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this research is to establish a link between Western feminism and the changes occurring within the modern family. These changes work to weaken internal bonds, undermine family cohesion, and destabilize the cognitive map regarding the importance and relevance of the family in contemporary times. This has exacerbated conflicts between its members, increased rates of disintegration, and heightened physical and emotional violence.

Among the means employed is the creation of cadres of Arab intellectual women, including writers and human rights activists, who influence the modification of family laws and enforce changes in decision-making positions and within society. This is achieved by exploiting technological means and under the guise of economic development. Western feminists have encouraged the establishment of large networks of organizations and associations, hosting international conferences, drafting global conventions, and working tirelessly to devise strategies and policies aimed at dismantling the family and destabilizing its foundations and values. ⁽²⁾

How does the intellectual framework of Western feminism affect the intellectual security of the Arab family?

To answer this question, it can be stated that the family is the primary incubator for upbringing and personality development. “A child raised within a family learns the rules of life, such as being trained to speak the truth, and is prepared according to their abilities to act well and respectfully, honor family and relatives, establish religious principles, and respect the law.” ⁽³⁾ Without coercion, such a child grows up with morals as second nature, values deeply rooted in their character, and becomes a beneficial and active member of society.

One of the main reasons for family disintegration is the isolation imposed by technological media, the absence of meaningful dialogue, and the growing forms of violence in all its manifestations. Each family member now views life based on the source from which they derive their ideas. There are practices of distortion and misleading targeting cognition directly, and unfortunately, the minds of children and adolescents are being nourished by values that are not ours in various frameworks. Due to the lack of expertise among educators and parents, children have become prey to atheism, victims of crimes and electronic deviations, and are driven to suicide, depression, and psychological fragility because cognition governs behavior.

It can also be said that Western feminist thought manifests in diverse narratives, exploiting the culture of images through computer games, animated films, stories, and series to legitimize immorality, disdain religion and values, and focus on altering terminology to change the way the world thinks about the family. This aims to gain acceptance and compliance among young generations and children and reinforce legitimacy through deceptive premises.

Abdel Wahab El-Messiri argues, protesting the lack of critical depth in Arab-Islamic studies of concepts and terminology: “We always suffice by transferring their ideas from their points of view, without posing any questions stemming from our own vision, historical experience, and humanity. Nor do we address the overarching and ultimate issues hidden within the texts we transfer and explain.” ⁽⁴⁾

Western feminism has practiced deception through the authoritative use of terminology in an overt manner. “It has easily infiltrated meanings entirely contrary to the original purpose for which the term was developed.” ⁽⁵⁾ For example, the term reproductive health essentially facilitates the practice of fornication while taking precautions to avoid pregnancy or contagious diseases. The linguistic construct is entirely innocent of this meaning, appearing instead to pertain to birth control for married women.

The Presence of Western Feminist Terminology in Shaping the Culture of the Arab Family

In this section, I attempted to categorize Western feminist terminology in a table, summarizing its main aspects. In upcoming discussions, in Allah’s will, we will delve further into analyzing these terms within their intellectual frameworks, highlighting their disparities, issues, and deriving their impacts and outcomes on the culture of the Arab family. This will help us address the central question concerning the influence of Western feminist terminology in shaping the culture of the Arab family.

Table of Western Feminist Terminology (Terms, Issues, Frameworks, Outcomes)

The Debate Between Feminism and the Authoritative Use of Terminology

Feminists seek to influence audiences by promoting numerous terms from an authoritative position. It has become necessary to uncover the connotations of these terms and clarify their reality and intellectual stance because they carry the general vision of feminist thought. We live in a terminology crisis, intellectually feeding on the culture of others. Addressing the realm of terminology means revealing the significant debate Western feminism has reached. Feminism rejects theory as a male act and focuses on producing terms as linguistic constructs and carriers of foreign ideas intended to control and influence. Feminism primarily alters terms to change the global perception of family issues.

To be continued, in Allah’s will...

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1. Sayedah Mahmoud Mohamed, The Concept of Feminist Empowerment from Western and Islamic Perspectives, Helwan University, Egypt, 1st Edition, 2021, p. 15.
2. Kamaliyah Helmy Toulon, International Conventions and Their Impact on Family Dismantling, 3rd Edition, University of Tripoli, Lebanon, 3rd Edition, 2023, p. 4.
3. Sayed Mohamed Othman, Family Stability and Its Impact on the Individual and Society, Youth Foundation, 2009, p. 18.
4. Abdel Wahab El-Messiri, The Issue of Liberation and Female-Centerality, p. 3.
5. Najiyah Al-Warimi, Excavations in Ibn Khaldun’s Discourse, Al-Batra Publishing House, 1st Edition, 2008, p. 111.

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