Rights of Women in Islam and Freedom of Religion or Belief

JISRA | September 2025

In September 2025, the Peacemakers Network facilitated an Islam and FoRB Community of Practice (CoP) meeting as part of the ‘Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action’ (JISRA) project, bringing together 31 participants to discuss about the rights of women in Islam and how they relate to Freedom of Religion or Belief. This crucial discussion addressed the often-misunderstood intersection of gender rights and FoRB, topics that remain central to peacebuilding, social justice, and inclusive community development across diverse religious and cultural contexts. At a time when women’s rights and FoRB continue to face backlash and misinterpretation globally, the meeting provided an essential space for critical reflection, learning, and collective strategizing.

Professor Asma Barlas, Professor Emerita of Politics at Ithaca College, a leading scholar on liberatory Quranic hermeneutics and author of Believing Women in Islam, emphasized that it is not helpful to discuss the rights of women in Islam by simply listing the rights the Qur’an gives women in marriage, custody, divorce, inheritance and testimony. These rights need to be widely known, understood, and practiced. Reflecting on Muslim patriarchal societies, she noted that instead of witnessing these rights in practice, women and girls experience different forms of discrimination and violence which is contrary to the rights accorded to women in the Qur’an. Many of these originate from culture and tradition and are often incorrectly associated with religion.

Professor Barlas’ presentation reflected on four topics: Gender, Age of Marriage, Polygyny and Women as Sexual Properties. In her presentation she demystified these myths by reflecting on their mention in the Qur’an. She highlighted that the challenge of misinterpretation of texts to subjugate women is also experienced by other faiths and religious communities as not all believers know their sacred texts or honor their teachings. However, even if society did live by all that is good in our scriptures, the fact remains that we cannot explain women’s lives only in terms of faith. Rather, women’s well-being depends on social class, cultural beliefs, and practices that may have little to do with religion. Most of all, women’s well-being is impacted by living in patriarchal societies that are steeped in theories of male supremacy, both religious and secular. She ended by commending JISRA partners for their dedication and commitment as they continue to implement FoRB  programming in challenging contexts.

The second speaker was Ani Zonneveld, Founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) and the Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (AIM). Zonneveld focused on a curriculum she is currently developing on positive masculinity. The new workshop is co-authored and co-designed with Imam Elie Bukuru Khalfan from Burundi responding to toxic masculinity in Muslim majority and minority countries. This was a learning session as she shared the content of the workshop with JISRA Partners highlighting the key objectives of the workshop which includes:

• Understanding of Islamic teachings on shared household responsibilities;

• Exploring positive masculinity in the home; and

• Practice empathy, teamwork, and emotional intelligence in marriage.

Zonneveld noted that the lessons explored in the workshops include:

• How Islam encourages husbands and wives to share responsibilities with kindness and cooperation;

• Reflecting on the life of Prophet Muhammed and how he supported his family at home; and

• Using dialogue, stories, and activities to learn how partnership strengthens love and emotional bonds in marriage. The goal here is to inspire balanced, respectful homes built on mercy, empathy, and teamwork.

She shared that the workshop programme has been implemented in high schools in Burundi and with Taliban Imams in Afghanistan aimed at shifting mindsets grounded on the characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad.  Zonneveld reflected on the strong impact of hadiths and how it inspires to shift approach on marriage. The workshop uses Qur’an verses and hadith to reflect on family values, and how these texts reshape understanding of masculinity. Further, the workshop entails reflection exercises, and journaling prompts to allow participants to process emotions. This is followed by group work where participants reenact a scenario; questions to reflect on; what Islamic teachings apply to this situation; participants draw advise from Quran and sunnah and come up with a role-play reconciliation conversation.

Zonneveld concluded her presentation by affirming that every act of service at home is an act of worship bringing one closer to Allah and that the summary of key lessons for the workshop is that true masculinity includes humility, service and empathy.

The session ended with feedback from JISRA partners. Dr. Sumaye Hamza from Nigeria reflected on the Quran and hadith citing that the religious scriptures do not discriminate between men and women, but rather places emphasis on justice, empathy and respect. The barriers to promotion of rights of women in Islam is the misinterpretation of the Quran. She ended her reflection by noting that often communities are not able to distinguish between harmful cultural beliefs and religion. Suleiman Kafeero from Uganda and Nur Kholifa from Indonesia reiterated the above and emphasized the need to continue engaging with communities and working with religious leaders to shift narratives, reflecting on the whole Quran and not selected verses to promote the rights of women.

About the JISRA Project

The Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) is a partnership of 50 civil society organizations based in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Uganda (with supporting lobby and advocacy in Europe and the USA). This international, inter religious partnership is implementing a five-year program (2021-2025) in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to further peaceful and just societies where all enjoy Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB).

The program is coordinated by four international consortium partners: Mensen met een Missie Tearfund UK, Tearfund the Netherlands, Faith to Action Network, Search for Common Ground, and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers.

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