MCCCD Program Description

Women in Muslim Societies

Course: WST244

First Term: 2010 Spring

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Overview of Muslim women`s religious and secular roles and rights. Relationship of the Qur`an and Hadiths` teachings on women to the interpretations of those teachings within the variegated cultural contexts of Islam.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the social and economic status of women in pre-Islamic Arabia. (I) 2. Identify sources of Islamic teaching regarding women. (II) 3. Describe the roles and rights of women in the historical expansion of Islam. (I, II) 4. Assess cultural and theological factors impacting participation of women in Islamic social institutions and rituals. (III) 5. Compare teachings and practices regarding marriage, family, and kinship in various contemporary Muslim societies. (IV, VII) 6. Evaluate the role of Muslim women in contemporary political, educational, and economic environments. (V, VI, VII) 7. Describe the development of Islamic feminisms. (III, V, VI, VII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Islam A. Role of women in pre-Islamic Arabia 1. Bedouin tribes 2. Influence of other Abrahamic traditions B. Origins, overview, and brief history of spread of Islam II. Contextualizing Islam A. Sects B. Geography C. Political Islams D. Sources of Islamic teachings regarding women 1. Women in the Qur`an and Hadiths 2. Wives of the Prophet 3. Women spiritual leaders III. Religious Participation A. Marginalization in mosque B. Ritual exemptions based on menstruation, pregnancy, responsibility to children C. Contemporary female imams D. Participation in the Hajj and lesser pilgrimage traditions E. Comparison and contrast of ideals of Islam with experiences in a variety of cultural contexts IV. Marriage, Family, and Kinship A. Islamic teachings on marriage, gender roles, reproductive health, and divorce B. Islamic teachings on modesty and impact on women`s outward appearances (clothing, ornamentation, body image, etc.) C. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as non-Muslim practice and FGM acceptance by Muslims D. Qur`anic teaching on rape E. Honor killings F. Comparison and contrast of ideals of Islam with experiences in a variety of cultural contexts V. Education A. Women`s rights to education B. Secular and religious education for Muslim women C. Comparison and contrast of ideals of Islam with experiences in a variety of cultural contexts VI. Workplace and Islamic Economics A. Islamic teachings on property and women`s rights to enterprise B. Trends for Muslim women working outside the home (cultural, historical, current, and forecasted) C. Comparison and contrast of ideals of Islam with experiences in a variety of cultural contexts VII. Political Participation A. Integration of Islam and politics B. Separation of religion and politics in non-Islamic societies C. Theories of feminism and Islam D. Influences of Islamic female academics on feminist movements E. Legal rights of women and differing cultural interpretations 1. Equality of genders in law, spirituality, and opportunity 2. Marriage and divorce 3. Economic domain and inheritance F. Comparison and contrast of ideals of Islam with experiences in a variety of cultural contexts

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 5/26/2009

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.