ISLAMIC AND ARAB FEMINISM AS AN ELEMENT OF WOMEN’S IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION
ISLAMIC AND ARAB FEMINISM AS AN ELEMENT OF WOMEN’S IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION

Summary/Abstract: This article investigates the development of Islamic and Arab feminism as frameworks for constructing women’s identity in the 20th and 21st centuries. It distinguishes between Islamic feminism, which operates through the reinterpretation of sacred texts such as the Qur’an and Hadith, and Arab feminism, which is more often embedded in secular, nationalist, and postcolonial discourses. It explores how Arab women writers have negotiated between religious tradition and feminist agency, producing hybrid models of identity that bridge the personal and the political. Tracing the evolution of feminist thought through four historical waves, the research highlights thematic developments such as legal rights, education, intersectionality, and digital activism. Particular attention is given to the reinterpretation of patriarchal concepts like qiwāma, the reclamation of religious authority by female scholars, and the role of literature in amplifying women’s voices. The article argues that both Islamic and Arab feminisms challenge hegemonic Western feminist narratives by offering culturally embedded alternatives rooted in lived realities and theological introspection. These feminist movements do not reject religion but instead aim to harmonize faith with gender justice, making them powerful vehicles for societal transformation. This study contributes to global feminist scholarship by presenting a nuanced, interdisciplinary approach to identity construction, one that foregrounds agency, tradition, and transformation in equal measure.

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