In The Shadows of Piety: Women and Religious Authority through Nawal El Saadawi’s ‘The Fall Of the Imam’ and Tehmina Durrani’s ‘Blasphemy’
Abstract
This article focuses on two key religious figures: Imam (In Arabic, a leader) and Pir (a Mystic spiritual guide) as presented in the fictional narratives by Nawal El Saadawi and Tehmina Durrani. Imbued with unwavering devotion to traditional principles, Imams and Pirs play pivotal roles in shaping Islamic society. Scholars from diverse disciplines are currently scrutinising their roles in the contemporary context. This study examines the lives of prominent religious figures, exposing the dual nature of their existence, an outward image of enlightenment contrasted with private tendencies towards authoritarianism and envy through the analytical lens of Islamic feminist literary criticism. Saadawi and Tehmina fearlessly confront the inherent bias entrenched in the social, cultural, and legal system and expose the manipulation of religion to privilege men, vividly depicting women as the victims in a society steeped in male-dominated religious fervour. This study employs Islamic feminist literary criticism to examine how patriarchal ideologies are reinforced through selective interpretations of sacred texts from the Quran and Hadith. Its primary objective is to investigate the mechanisms by which male religious authorities maintain gendered hierarchies and perpetuate violence against women. Both novels under study illustrate male figures punishing women for transgressions in which the men themselves are complicit, exposing the hypocrisy and human cost of patriarchal power. The analysis addresses sensitive issues such as domestic abuse justified through scripture, the authority of Imams, the practice of stoning, and the cultural influence of Pirs, revealing the real-life consequences of these power dynamics. Findings underscore the persistence of entrenched patriarchal structures within Islamic discourse and highlight the urgent need to challenge and reinterpret these frameworks to foster more inclusive and just understandings of Islam.
Keywords: Politics; Muslim; Women; religion; Marriages; Quran; Culture
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