American Muslim Communities example essay topic

When I chose the topic of Americanization of immigrant Muslim women, I think I expected a straightforward, easy to categorize, research project. On the contrary, what I found was surprisingly different. While I think of myself as a liberal, open-minded female, this project gave me a very new perspective on myself and many of my views as well. Muslim women living in the United States are quite honestly more diverse, more complex, more structured, more contemplative, and more culturally intuitive than I could have ever imagined in my limited experience and knowledge of them. The 'Americanization' I sought to illustrate turned out to resemble something closer to a religio-cultural tug-of-war than the predicted homogeneous transformation, or adaptation, to our Western society and religious orientation. The women whose lives I read about (individually as well as in group studies) seemed without exception to be in a constant state of tension from numerous external and internal sources.

The many token examples of varying degrees of Americanization- or in some cases, resistance to this phenomenon- included, but were not limited to, wanting to uphold traditional homeland customs and practices; asserting new freedoms to take on more responsibility in religious and political arenas; working to improve traditional inadequacies of U.S. mosques to better accommodate women of faith; the dilemma of appropriate dressing for religious and professional communities; challenging traditional and current marriage practices and the difficulties associated with them; and maybe most significantly, combating the general naivet'e, or even outright discriminatory ignorance of Americans about Islam. Considering the fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world (between new births and the increasing number of conversions), and the United States is arguably the most influential and powerful country in the world, the last of these examples must, and will, be given some extra attention at the end of this paper. Finding Balance Between Islamic Tradition and U.S. Culture Although almost every source I consulted stressed the progressive nature of the Quran and its ability to adapt to changing society, I found that a main thrust of the American Muslim communities was best exemplified in a quote from Carol L. Anway, that women strive toward "being in the world but not of the world". 1 These women, particularly first generation Muslim immigrants, tend to find solace in continued rigorous practice of the more fundamentalist type of customs such as gender segregation, feminine modesty, specific gender roles and responsibilities, etc.

When confronted with the awkwardness of transplantation from Middle Eastern to American culture, the women of small Muslim communities and regions are often comforted by the feeling of solidarity generated in the sharing of communal values of their homelands. 2 The problems, however, that arise within these communities because of more orthodox belief and practice are numerous. The continued promotion of an orthodox value system seems to be the root of the thwarted prosperity of these small Muslim communities. Men, traditionally the providers, have taken the majority seat of auto factory jobs in Dearborn, MI, but are therefore at the whim of the plant (Ford Motor, in this particular case). When it moves, the whole Muslim community must move with it to ensure future employment. Women are often not allowed to work outside of the home, and in times of recession, money is scarce, and usually welfare is the only answer.

The issue of discrimination against Muslim welfare recipients by U.S. social workers is a topic that could probably take the rest of this paper, so I will limit my comments. The main point I want to stress on this issue is that the tension produced by the commitment to even this one Muslim fundamentalist practice is noteworthy. Women in these situations can be emotionally torn over the decision whether to follow their orthodox customs and struggle, or risk the possible dishonor by choosing to leave their homes without male accompaniment, to work to help provide for their families. I think the choice here is more difficult than I can imagine: the tribal solidarity and commitment to faith, or the acceptance of Western influence and loss of a big part of their only inherent identities?

This struggle to find a balance will be a recurring theme in this paper. Exposure to New Freedoms and Possibilities "American Muslims- both men and women- are a highly educated class of people, probably the most educated among the Muslims of the world". 3 While I agree with the second half of this statement from Ausaf Ali, the first half is somewhat more problematic. Although Muslims in America are required to attend school from the primary level through high school, as are all Americans, and most single immigrants of the late teens- early twenties ages come to the U.S. primarily to attain higher education at American colleges, universities and technical institutes, 4 many of the more traditional Muslim communities still do not encourage or allow women to endeavor toward higher education, or even extensive education regarding the Quran. Options for these women are very limited, and many of them never get the opportunity to explore careers opportunities, community involvement (outside of the mosque activities or the Islamic centers), political choices and affiliations, or even alternative mosque preference.

Careers can be eliminated as an option (as talked about above), women may find that they are not "allowed" to socialize with other women outside their own religion (or may personally choose not to), and more importantly, women may be denied the access to basic information about their civil rights as American citizens. At bear minimum, these women from whom this basic education of the laws in the U.S. is withheld, are denied the ability to lend their voices to the choosing of the leaders of the country in which they live, as well as the laws by which they must abide. This fundamental education is necessary for them to be able to fully function as U.S. citizens, and although some Muslim women voluntarily forego their political rights in the name of traditional Islam, those women who feel oppressed or stagnated in their current situations, may not have the necessary education to facilitate their personal, spiritual or political growth, or even protect themselves against unnecessary or illegal oppression and / or abuse. The opportunities open to educated women in the U.S. are far greater in scope than many women can imagine, or may even wish to if they are content in their religious communities, but they are opportunities for all Americans nonetheless, assuming that the door to the proper education has at least been opened. Again, the conflict between the desire of Muslim women to fulfill traditional gender roles and obligations, and the social pressure placed upon them to adjust to Western attitudes and opportunities shows itself as a quite ubiquitous dilemma. Wherever they turn, it seems, they are faced with wither disregarding their faith (in some form), or ignoring the world surrounding them.

Overcoming the Inadequacies of the Typical U.S. Mosques In accordance with the typical mosque of Islamic countries, the U.S. mosque enforces strict segregation of men and women during prayer services. A partition separating them side by side, or men in front and women in back is an uncommon "privileged" arrangement, but most commonly women are completely excluded from the main prayer area, the men and the Imam of conservative mosques, and forced to listen to prayer service though an intercom or closed-circuit television system. 5 Some mosques with limited space even require women to remain in the nursery of the mosque, without access to prayer services at all. Many feminist Muslims groups have recently tried to tackle this problem and demand better accommodations for women, however, the progress is slow, and criticisms are not taken lightly by orthodox Muslims or fundamentalists. Active protest against traditional customs is often considered un-Islamic, and women (and men) who try to change discriminatory practices can be treated badly or their families dishonored.

Many women have now found that they have the new obligation of determining which traditions are fundamental mandates of the Islamic faith, and which are more socially influenced and can feasibly be altered to provide greater satisfaction within the Western society they now inhabit. Traditional Dress vs. Western or Conservative Dressing The factors influencing the attire of Muslim women in the U.S. are far more intense and psychologically integrated than I have ever realized. When I learned that the Quran does not in fact mandate the covering of women, wearing of the hijab, I automatically fell into the thinking of the typical American feminist that asserts that the hijab is restricting and oppressive. Why would anyone want to wear such burdensome clothes if they were not absolutely required? But again, my shallow and na " ive views interfered with my overall understanding of the whole picture. I was admittedly shocked to read an account of an American Muslim convert who claimed to feel "empowered" by wearing the hijab, and added that her "body is protected" from the eyes of men.

She felt that she had more freedom in the hijab without being made to feel as if she were a sex object; this sentiment appeared numerous times in my reading. On the other hand, however, even women who felt compelled to wear the traditional dress out of respect or dignity, sometimes still felt discriminated against in the mosque because of the segregation, "I am dressed Islamic ally, so why should I sit in the back... ?" 6 Some other factors influencing the dress customs of Muslim women in America are the freedom to choose more liberal clothing, the feeling of being an outsider in non-Muslim communities, the influence of liberal feminists and their propaganda, the pressure from family and religious community, the ability (or lack thereof) to obtain and keep employment outside the religious community, the ridicule from passersby, the shame inflicted by being a woman (in more conservative Muslim communities), or even the possible influence on the ability to procure a mate for marriage. Women may want to wear this type of dressing for reasons of spirituality and modesty, but may find that it hinders many others areas of their social spheres of interaction.

Perhaps most significantly, women can be discriminated against by employers: they can be refused promotion, satisfactory hours or even employment at all. The choice is amazingly complex and difficult for all Muslim women, especially those already struggling with other aspects of Americanization. Traditional Marriage Customs vs. Legal Practices in U.S. In Islamic tradition, many marriage practices can be discriminating to women; however, in the United States, many of these customs are illegal. Polygynous marriages, for instance are not legally recognized, but some Islamic communities still recognize ritual ceremonies in certain circumstances. The second or third wives in these circumstances, however, are left without any rights to legal repercussions or compensation from the dissolution of failed marriages. 7 What struck me as most unexpected was the mention of a shallow selection pool for possible mates.

To make this concept more clear, I will give some background. Men of Islam are traditionally allowed, and sometimes even encouraged to marry non-Muslims, as long as they are "People of the Book" (Jew or Christian). Women, on the other hand, are not only discouraged, but forbidden to marry non-Muslims. These traditional endorsements or prohibitions are still carried over and widely practiced in American Muslim society today, and even though they are being contested by some, most communities disapprove of this aberration of tradition.

Here in the United States, given this information, it is easy to see the problems that arise. Men have many more opportunities to marry outside their religion, since Christians and Jews populate a large majority of the country, and when they choose to do so, they place additional tension on the Muslim women in their communities. Because the women are not allowed typically, or are at least discouraged from marrying outside the faith, they have fewer choices for potential marriage candidates, since many men do choose to marry Jews or Christians. This, in addition to the fact that marriage is not only encouraged, but often viewed as a necessary requirement of Islam, can cause a highly stressful environment fro many Muslim women who feel pressure to get married, but have great difficulty in finding an acceptable mate. They may be rejected as "suspicious" by their religious community for remaining unmarried, feel that the only alternative to this rejection and remain a part of the beloved community is to subject themselves to less than benevolent marriage (where they marry one of "their own", but are abused emotionally or physically), or feel like they have no place at all which accepts them unconditionally. This is a very real and very dehumanizing aspect of living in a Western society for Muslim women, of which I think most Americans have little or no concept.

Coping with the General Ignorance of Americans toward Islam Most Americans, I think, assume that we are all given the same opportunities and privileges simply by living in the United States (notwithstanding individual discrepancies and reprehensible practices which are not supported by the constitution, and are subject to penalty). We are so accustomed to these privileges that we often take for granted that everyone is fully aware that not only do they exist, but that they are completely capable of taking advantage of them. To the contrary, as I have stated above, many Americans, specifically Muslim women, are not given the chance to take advantage of these privileges. I use the word "given" to stress the significance of the boundaries enforced by conservative and orthodox Islamic tradition around the Muslim community, with the purpose of deflecting extraneous Americanization. Our (non-Muslim Americans) assumption that Muslim women automatically know about their American rights is tenuous at best, and at worst abhorrent. As I stated earlier, many Muslim communities discourage women from higher education as well as in-depth studying of the Quran, employment within the community, marriage outside the faith, etc.

Many women are becoming increasingly more educated, however, and although they are often "protected" from knowing too much, as inconceivable as it may sound, they may still have willfully chosen the "subordinate" life (as we perceive it). The reaction of feminist Americans, for instance, to the traditional hijab, is one of repugnance; the subordination they assume is taking place (because they cannot imagine a willing participant in this custom) must be attacked- if not by the Muslim women themselves, then by the non-Muslim feminists- and stopped. But their ignorance of Islam is checked by the self-proclamations of many of these women that traditional attire makes them feel a sense of solidarity, respect and commitment to their faith, family and community by engaging in this practice willingly, even with the understanding that it is not required of them in scripture. The only "oppressive" aspect some of them feel comes from the pressure inflicted by the feminists who urge them to rebel against this tradition, when the root of the feelings which make them don the hijab in the first place are completely ignored or disregarded.

8 Discrimination against Muslim women who have chosen to wear the hijab in the workplace is another sign of blatant ignorance. While these women have taken a significantly difficult and stressful step to enter the workforce- considering their conservative traditions- and to accept and participate in some American cultural values and norms, they are often shunned and made to feel inadequate or incompetent. The clothing which they may proudly wear to show their heritage may make the average American suspicious or distrustful as well. Especially after events such as the attack on the World Trade Center (9-11), all Muslims have been stereotyped as terrorists, again showing ignorance. Many American Muslims were harassed and persecuted after this attack, even though they may have been equally as appalled by the villainous acts.

9 I think the majority of human being are, to a certain extent, cautious or even afraid of things they do not know, and this makes them instinctual ly reject new concepts, cultures, beliefs, and unfortunately, sometimes people. In the case of the Muslim women in America, no leniency to this tendency has been granted. We expect them to transition to our western culture, but neglect to help them find the proper tools for the facilitation of this process. We reject their heritage and refuse to respect or learn about their faith- we look at it as grossly behind the age of technology and liberation.

Quite paradoxically, this typical reaction of Americans toward Muslims looks to be terribly condescending and oppressive. My original topic, the Americanization of immigrant Muslim women, seemed to transform itself as I researched and considered possible methods of approach. What I hope I conveyed in this paper is actually how tremendously difficult adapting to western culture can be for immigrant Muslims, especially women. How have they been Americanized?

Muslim women are pulled in so many conflicting directions, it's a wonder they survive the constant pulling of modern, western influence in one direction and the tugging of conservative, traditional Muslim culture in the opposite. The struggle to balance these oppositional forces seems to be a battle that will continue for a long time to come, but the direction I see is one toward increased participation of Muslim women in American society, while preservation of heritage is maintained.

Bibliography

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