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Conclusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 October 2014

Firdous Azmat Siddiqui
Affiliation:
Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women's Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
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Summary

This book highlights the real efforts made by both middle-class Muslim women and marginalised women to break out of several Victorian ideas and actions on the part of their menfolk, who sought to re-create the woman as an ideal mother, an ideal daughter, and an ideal wife. These three phases were considered necessary stages in the life-cycle of women, and those women who did not fall within this parameter were considered ‘bad’ or deviant.

This book has also tried to contest the prevalent belief that Indian Muslim women were backward and deprived of all rights as per the Muslim Laws, in both their natal and marital families. During the course of my research, I came to the conclusion that Indian Muslim women were actually determined to progress in the fields of education and literacy achievement, or even in matters concerning the ownership of property, despite being victimised by traditional values and customs, much like their Hindu counterparts. Also, while it is commonly assumed that Indian Muslim women were denied several rights, the fact remains that they did exercise several rights which accrued to them through either their natal or their marital families.

Further, it is erroneous to assume that Indian Muslim women were untouched by the social reform movement in India. From the early stages of the movement, the reformists focused on the condition of women, but only within the paradigm of their patriarchal interests. These reformers might have seemed extremely progressive, especially in matters in which they had a direct interest, for example, on the subject of education. However, this was mostly because they needed educated wives! This was why it was considered necessary for women to be privy to the new education—so that they could become ‘good housewives’. This education in no way encompassed higher education, which was considered appropriate only for men.

Type
Chapter
Information
A Struggle for Identity
Muslim Women in United Provinces
, pp. 219 - 220
Publisher: Foundation Books
Print publication year: 2014

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  • Conclusion
  • Firdous Azmat Siddiqui, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women's Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
  • Book: A Struggle for Identity
  • Online publication: 05 October 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789384463106.011
Available formats
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Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Conclusion
  • Firdous Azmat Siddiqui, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women's Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
  • Book: A Struggle for Identity
  • Online publication: 05 October 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789384463106.011
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Conclusion
  • Firdous Azmat Siddiqui, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women's Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
  • Book: A Struggle for Identity
  • Online publication: 05 October 2014
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9789384463106.011
Available formats
×