Week 3 Reading Reflection

      In the reading “Whats in a Name?” by Amina Wadud the writer goes into great detail in noting not only the various definitions that come with the word Islam, but also the implications that these different definitions bring to the world and Muslims personally. Wadud emphasizes a lot on the language used especially when discussing her personal relationship with Islam and as a Muslim woman. For example, she notes that in the Qur’an it states for “submission to God’s will” (pg. 23). Wadud explains that in her relationship to Islam she rejects this choice of the word “submission” because it implies that one doesn’t have a choice in the matter. Instead, Wadud says she prefers “engaged surrender” because acknowledges that the individual is making a choice, that that individual has free will, that she has free will in the matter. The change of that one word redefined who Wadud was as a Muslim woman and stayed true to her personal values as a person. I think that this personal example that Wadud shares shows how important language is and how the meanings of language can shape how one views and handles life.

Wadud also talks about how language can also be used to show some of the issues that Islam has such as gender inequality; Wadud uses Islam’s most vital piece work the Qur’an to support her claim. I think the best example that she used was when talking about what she referenced as “double talk” and used the “men are equal to women....but men have a degree over them” (pg. 24). In the reading by Fatima Merinissi’s “Introduction,” she also touches on how language is used in Islam that promotes gender inequality. One example that Merinissi’s mentions is when she discusses her research on religious texts of Islam, and one in particular was the Hadith. The specific passage that she focused on was the one that stated, “ ‘those who entrust their affairs to a woman will never know prosperity’ ” (pg 3). Merinissi does a great job in using this passage and her personal experience (the grocery store) with these words in showing how the acceptance of such bold language is hard to fight against when these words have gained authority due to their longevity of existence and the convenience in shutting women down. Through these pieces what I thought was the most important point is that language is a powerful tool that can dramatically mold the way we think, behave, and perceive ourselves, Islam being the key example of how this is so.