Week 7 Sara Mahmood

What I found most interesting about this week’s reading was a constant reminder of the differentiation from western beliefs and eastern beliefs on the subject where women are seen as oppressed in one and being devoted to their faith on the other. Western culture is mentioned in the beginning and is seen to me a constant reevaluation of a Muslim’s beliefs. And these beliefs are interpreted much worse from a western perspective than they really are meant to be.

Aside from that, Sara Mahmood discusses how the mosque movement should be able to teach women how to structure their beliefs in day to day practices and how to maintain that stability within themselves. There is also a sense of being more independently free in regards from progressive feminists. So, there is a sense of keeping one’s beliefs and culture in check, while also having an independent lifestyle as well. Overall, the readings gave deep questioning to myself, especially coming from a westernized male perspective. My thoughts and expressions of freedom will continue to be more refined as I continue to experience different cultures. In the case of a Muslim’s freedom, they are just as free as we are. There just seems to be a loss in communication from both western and eastern perspective.