About the Author: Anwar Al-Jundi (1917–2002) was a prominent Egyptian Islamic thinker and writer known for his unwavering defense of Islamic identity against Western cultural influence.
Egyptian writer and thinker Anwar Al-Jundi, in his book “Women’s Liberation Movement in the Balance of Islam,” mentioned that the movement for the liberation of women in the Islamic world emerged under the pretense of improving women's rights, equalizing them with men. However, this movement, which originated with the support of colonial powers, aimed in reality to dismantle the family, society, and the relationship between men and women. It sought to distance women from their natural roles and inherent responsibilities, turning them into a means to fragment Islamic societies and an instrument serving their desires and whims, away from their values, culture, and religion. This movement promoted flawed concepts about equality, guardianship, gender mixing, motherhood, clothing, and work.
These misguided concepts were propagated through various media such as novels, plays, radio, and the press. Many were deceived into believing them as truths, as foreign powers recruited misleading leaders to spread these ideas, drawing their guidance from colonial, Zionist, and communist forces.
Women's Liberation Movement Impact on Islamic Societies
The most dangerous threat facing the Arab and Islamic world is the attempts by theater, cinema, and literature to undermine the chastity of women and portray marital infidelity as a part of societal norms. The experience of Western women serves as the best example of the deviations of Western civilization, where fair-minded Western scholars have affirmed that society can only be saved by eliminating the causes of deviation and rejecting its factors.
Among these factors is the widespread distribution of birth control pills without supervision, which led to the spread of adultery and made young people believe that forming a family was no longer a social necessity. Furthermore, the spread of drugs and indecent fashion contributed to the spread of immorality and increased crime rates, and some of these factors also contributed to the rise of sexual diseases among both males and females.
Furthermore, a 1927 report by the League of Nations pointed out the existence of a group of girls, particularly actresses, singers, and dancers, who would sell their bodies if asked.
The Collapse of Family and Society
Research indicated that children in the twentieth century became victims of these deviations. They were either abandoned by their mothers, left in the care of ignorant and harsh maids, or placed in daycare centers, which turned into commercial projects rather than nurturing homes. A mother’s time after work became allocated for leisure, believing it’s more important than raising children and caring for the family. The family is the core of society, and when it collapses, society as a whole falls apart.
Criticizing Feminist Movement
Professor Muhammad Farid Wajdi described this movement as a “terrible decline in public morals” and a frightening spread of the principle of celibacy, which led to the courts being filled with cases of adultery and young women running away from their families. Dr. Aisha Abdul Rahman also referred to the women's liberation movement as a “painful and tragic charade,” stating that men used women to serve them, claiming they were doing so for the sake of women themselves. Women left their natural roles to fill a void in the workforce, not to prove themselves, as some so-called educated women claim.
Dr. Alexis Carrel also pointed out that the difference between men and women is not only in their reproductive organs but also in their muscle structure. Therefore, it was a mistake for women to receive the same education as men and to be assigned similar tasks. What Carrel said confirms what the Quran mentioned 14 centuries ago: “And the male is not like the female.” (Aal-Imran: 36) Allah also said, “So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]?” (Az-Zukhruf: 18)
False Freedom
Many scholars and thinkers have revealed the harm caused to women by the feminist movement, as women misunderstood freedom, and interpreted it as the contrary. They freed themselves from morals and ethics, which they saw as constraints that needed to be broken. Under this false freedom, women neglected their duties as wives and mothers, leading to the collapse of the three foundations upon which family life and society are built.
The Impact of Foreign Colonialism
In 1894, a year after the British occupation, a book emerged in Egypt by an Egyptian lawyer loyal to Cromer and foreign influence named Marcus Fahmy, entitled “The Woman in the East,” which depicted the colonial plan demanding the achievement of five objectives: eliminating the Islamic hijab, allowing Muslim women to mix with foreign men, restricting divorce and requiring it to be conducted before a judge only, prohibiting polygamy, and allowing marriage between Muslim women and non-Muslim men.
Qasim Amin's Stance
Qasim Amin, who wrote his book “The Liberation of Women,” initially supported the liberation of women in the Western touch. However, he changed his opinion after witnessing the adverse effects of what he had advocated. In a statement published by Al-Zahir newspaper in 1906, Qasim Amin expressed regret for his advocacy, emphasizing that he realized the danger of that call after seeing the moral corruption it brought to men and women in society.
In response to the book “The Egyptians” by Duke d'Harcourt, Qasim Amin defended and praised the hijab, considering it a sign of women's perfection, and denounced taking it off, the mixing of men and women, and women's participation in public work. This was seen by Princess Nazli Fazl as an attack on her, leading to severe criticism of Qasim Amin. It was agreed that it would be better for Qasim Amin to apologize to the princess. She accepted his apology, and he began frequenting her salon and became close to her, eventually leading to the writing of his first book about women. This book caused a great stir after Qasim Amin had been one of the strongest advocates of the hijab. He quickly realized his mistake and retracted his call, pointing to the negative results it had caused upon society.
We do not know whether Qasim Amin abandoned his call, which was not purely for the sake of Allah, realizing his mistake, and was not on the path of truth, or if he changed his mind due to changing circumstances.
The Impact of Western Education
The education of Muslim girls under occupation had negative effects on their role in society. Instead of producing a good wife who manages her household and raises her children well, it taught her faulty concepts of equality and mixing. This education failed to guide girls toward their true mission in society, leading them to neglect their primary responsibilities as mothers and wives.
Islam and Women's Rights
Since the emergence of Islam, women were granted freedoms and dignity that no previous civilization or law had granted them. They have the right to own property, manage it, pursue knowledge, and work in specific fields, provided they maintain their religion, personality, dignity, and chastity. However, Western civilization sought to distort these rights, turning women into objects for pleasure.
Huda Sha'arawi's Leadership of the Feminist Movement
Huda Sha'arawi grew up in an environment loyal to colonialism. Her father, Muhammad Sultan, who initially supported the Urabi revolution, was one of the figures who collaborated with British colonialism in Egypt and was awarded medals and honors for his espionage efforts in favor of British colonialism. Huda married Ali Sha'arawi, a wealthy friend of her father and one of the three prominent figures who met with the British envoy after World War I. After Sha'arawi's death, Huda found the opportunity to rise in a new field, especially since Safia Zaghloul, daughter of Mustafa Fahmy, who ruled Egypt with an iron fist during the early stages of British colonialism and wife of Saad Zaghloul, dominated the political leadership. Huda chose the field of women, especially after she removed her niqab during the 1919 revolution.
It is clear that Huda Sha'arawi's call for women's liberation was not based on Islamic principles. Rather, she viewed Western women as her role models. She was embraced by international feminist organizations affiliated with Masonic and Zionist lodges to participate in conferences aimed at promoting women's political rights and destabilizing Islamic societies. She encouraged adornment and European fashion and spent large sums on funding educational missions to Europe, spreading obscene ideas among the youth.
Back to the Basics
European women who converted to Islam, such as Istan Rabitich, Annie Besant, and Evelyn Cobbold, called on Muslim women to preserve their mission, function, and personality and to beware of the dangers of gender mixing and indecent fashion. They also affirmed that Muslim women enjoy personal dignity and human rights that women in Europe and America have not yet achieved and urged them to seek the noble examples set by Islam for the believing, striving woman.
Muslim women must reclaim their natural role, guaranteed by Islam, and recognize the danger of Western feminist movements that seek to destroy the family and society. They should avoid imitating men and maintain their role in building the family and raising children, as Islam preserves their dignity and grants them rights that align with their nature.
