–I’ll agree to disagree.

Sobia, I’ve also experienced the same.

Being a budding social constructionist I think it is important to, at the very least, understand that one’s perspective is just that, one’s perspective, not that of all Muslim women. I have been excluded far too many times from the Muslimah discourse to be fine with someone claiming to speak for me, or someone not specifying their own position.

Isn’t this the problem we have with non-Muslim, non-POC feminists who claim to speak for all women? Do we not ask them to specify their position and clarify it is their own experience and not that of other women?

I have for a long time been stating that what I believe is what I believe, mainly because my beliefs do not match those of so-called traditional Muslims. Therefore, people like myself do not have the privilege of speaking for others. There are times when I get defensive about it when, so often, I’m told I’m wrong.

@Samira:
“Unfortunately, it seems that if a sister is more “conservative” there has to be a whole list of who/what she is excluding. Yet we do not seem to ask the same questions of people who fit into more acceptable patterns of progressive politics.”

(I will use the terms progressive and conservative with same trepidation Krista has)

My experience has been the opposite. It is usually “conservatives” who insist on excluding as they insist on only one way, whereas the “progressives” (not all but in general – I know those judgmental ones too and they are just as narrow minded and irritating and in my view don’t really understand what progressive means) are accepting of more perspectives. However, you have to understand that if “progressives” are not accepting of more conservative views then it is often because of the antagonism they face from “conservatives.” Sometimes I see this as a backlash.

But you are right – we need to question those “progressives” who are dismissive and unaccepting of other perspectives. I too have heard some ridicule those who place importance on Islam. That is not fair and is just as judgmental as those the progressives claim to dislike. Like I said, it is not progressive at all.

This is true of larger political picture as well. Conservative ideology is generally narrow, whereas liberal tends to be encompassing.

Yep!

@Phillip: Don’t want to get into a theological discussion but I don’t think most sisters who prefer monogamy believe that polygyny is haraam. I don’t. For Muslims who do think that polygyny is no longer valid, they do have a reasoning behind their thinking as well. Although from her lyrics (I could be wrong), it seemed she was attacking all women who have an issue with their husbands taking on additional wives.

I haven’t heard any of Miss Undastood’s music, so I can’t speak about her specifically… Personally, I do think that there’s something wrong if someone’s lyrics talk about who “Muslim women” are or are judgemental of certain Muslim women (ie, if she’s actually claiming to speak for or to define all Muslim women.) But if she’s speaking about her own experiences, then yeah, I don’t think she should necessarily have to always have the disclaimer of “hey, by the way, these are my experiences, and don’t reflect every single Muslim woman’s ideas.” I haven’t heard her songs to know where she falls in that distinction.

That’s a question I’ve been struggling with in a different context – just trying to figure out how to identify myself sometimes, and I tend to over analyse and think, okay, what messages am I giving if I do something, what messages am I giving if I don’t, how does this affect how other Muslimahs are seen, etc. And then every so often I stop and realise that that’s not really something I have control over, and maybe I just need to chill out and do what’s best for me, without taking on trying to represent everyone else too! Sigh.

Samira: You bring up a really important issue with your point that “Unfortunately, it seems that if a sister is more “conservative” there has to be a whole list of who/what she is excluding. Yet we do not seem to ask the same questions of people who fit into more acceptable patterns of progressive politics.”

I agree with you that we don’t always question the “progressive” images as much as we should, and certainly not as much as we question the “conservative” ones (these are both loaded terms, I don’t really like either one, but you get the idea.) I have spent time with “progressive” people who have been not only really judgemental of the really “conservative” Muslims, but even fairly dismissive of people who practise Islam in a more-or-less traditional way (praying regularly, fasting all through Ramadan, etc., and let’s not even mention what they say about women who wear hijab.) And that makes me *really* uncomfortable, but as you say, those of us who are trying to analyse Muslim representations critically don’t always call these people on their own problematic behaviour. I mean, do what you think is right, and definitely do what you need to do to fight against oppressive practices, but as long as someone else’s practice isn’t affecting you, then it’s really not your place to judge it. And that goes for anyone, regardless of where they are on the spectrum of “conservative” or “progressive” or wherever else!

You are exactly right about where she is coming from. Being raised around the Sunni orthodox community in Philly and Jersey I see these sisters as her biggest fans.

At her concerts the brothers fall back and the sisters get it poppin’ : )

Jamerican your final question is the one I’ve been contemplating over and over again. It just seems that there is too much being putting on the shoulders of individual Muslimahs especially in relation to their art and self-expression. Unfortunately, it seems that if a sister is more “conservative” there has to be a whole list of who/what she is excluding. Yet we do not seem to ask the same questions of people who fit into more acceptable patterns of progressive politics. Like Saba Mahmood says we need to question liberalism too : )

There is nothing wrong with a critique but sometimes it seems like we are looking for a dissertation on the multiplicity of the modern Muslimah rather than a hot track from a girl from BK.

A lot of the conversation often conflates art with sociology/politics without seeing the context or even the aesthetics of what is innovative about the artist.

Just my two cents : )

I also think her perspectives on relationships (men, women and power dynamics) are colored by the African-American experience. What do I mean? I’m thinking about the breakdown of the Black family (many female-headed households), the breakdown of the Black community, issues surrounding Black masculinity, etc. Imagine how some Black women (who have struggled to raise families by themselves, who have seen their men suffer under the yoke of American racism, who have worked and been the provider all of their lives) might feel when they hear that “Islam” says the man is the head of the household, the provider, the protector and maintainer of women, etc. You have to understand that African-American women didn’t always enjoy the privilege of being “taken care of” like other women.

I am not saying I personally agree with everything Miss Undastood raps about. I’m just trying to contextualize her music. Is her perspective an “exclusive” one? Maybe.

What I want to know is whether it is possible that we can have multiple voices on the Muslim experience? And if so, does everyone who speaks, writes, raps, sings etc. need to start with a disclaimer that their perspective is just one of many? Or are they obligated to mention the garden variety of perspectives out there?

Thank you for clearing that up for me.