Distant View of a Minaret: Alifa Rifaat's View of Sexism in The Arab World

I found Alifa Rifaat's view of "Sexism in the Arab World" quite interesting. She does not take a radical feminist approach to dealing with sexism through her writings. This is not to say that radical feminist or political reforms towards equality is not desirable. It just means that Alifa Rifaat's view is more balanced and contextual, given her preferences and beliefs shaped by an Islamic belief system.

I am not sure if there is a moral stand towards her view of monogamy, which doesn't seem likely but her views seem to reflect her innate needs and the choices she wants to make in her life. Speaking in sociological terms, she was denied "agenda", as she had even been disallowed to publish her work by her husband for a good number of years, before he gave her his nod again.

She is even denied an education in Fine Arts, which her translator Denys John-Davies or Denys Johnson-Davies says that her parents interpreted as her readiness for marriage. In his Translator's Foreword in the "Distant View of a Minaret and Other Stories" (affiliate), Denys makes a mention of Alifa's belief in "Quranic precept that "men are in charge of women". This puts a burden on men to behave towards women with kindness and generosity.



     style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-1656304971848829"
     data-ad-slot="2726087939">


"If a man's behaviour falls short of what is expected of him, the woman's natural acceptance of her role is likely to change to contempt and rebellion," he writes and adds, "Alifa Rifaat's revolt, therefore, is merely against certain man-made interpretations and accretions that have grown up over the years and remain unquestioned by the majority of both men and women."

In the "Distant View of a Minaret", the short story begins quite poetically with the lead character going through an intercourse and having various thoughts during simultaneously. Alifa quite poignantly brings out the dissatisfaction in the way she gets treated in her marital life and in sex. Her mind is led to her timely daily prayers and even her toenails. She relates more to her prayers (which she finds more satisfying) than to her husband, marital relationship or sex. Finally, when she finds her husband dead out of a sudden heart attack, she pours herself a cup of coffee pondering over how calm she felt at that moment.

This is one of the many short stories written by Alifa Rifaat in Arabic language. Wikipedia also compares Alifa Rifaat with another popular feminist writer Nawal El Sadaawi, whose feminist views are different from that of Alifa's, while Alifa's views do not come out of mere conformity either. I believe Alifa's views are strict choices out of love for what she naturally likes.

The reason I wrote this article is to point out how external views of the rest of the world could differ from the one who actually lives those moments, time, circumstances, ethnicity, cultures and environment. Al Jazeera also points out that "Sexism in The Arab World is not due to popular beliefs that the people more or less do not participate or hold sexist beliefs among themselves but they are sexist only by institutions.

My personal belief is also that social issues must be read from strong and sound individual perceptions with sheer empathy, instead of taking a collective statistical external understanding. There is always a huge contrast between what is seen in the external world and what is actually in the internal world i.e. one's own heart. Oftentimes, we do only the former and ignore the latter. So, I believe we should begin looking more into the internal workings of social issues than what is popularly seen from an external point of view.

My views on feminism

You know, I'd always been cynical of feminism like,'WHY FEMINISM?'. But I happened to read poems of a feminist poet and understood 'WHY FEMINISM'. Because I'd learned how women suffered in the MALE CHAUVINISTIC world. But still I'd say WHY FEMINISM? and why don't you simply liberate by doing what you want?

It's not always the vicious men who were against women. But those who are brought up with preconceived notions of FEMININITY were the major part of it. And also WOMEN who wanted to EXERCISE CONTROL AND REGULATE were part of this evil like MOTHER-IN-LAWS, MOTHERS and MOST WOMEN in general. What's needed is a little rationalism of knowing what's right and also what's ideal living.

If i were asking you,"DOES YOUR HUSBAND OR FATHER GIVE YOU FULL FREEDOM? DO THEY LET YOU GO FOR JOBS?". Most of the liberated women would say,"YES, MY HUSBAND GIVES ME ALL FREEDOM". 90% of you would say the same. And I'll ask you the 2nd question,"Is freedom given (by anybody to anyone)?".

If you have freedom, you don't need to seek permission at all. As long as it's given , it's not freedom at all. Instead, a situation where you simply share with your husband your idea of going to work and him appreciating the idea is the success of feminism.

This will bring intimacy and harmony in family relations and atmosphere. This is what we want to achieve. This is the success of feminist movements. Imagine such a liberation with the intimacy in family relations and a harmony in society among sexes.

Why not there's a 'SEXUAL SECULARISM' or SECULARISM OF SEXES' where we live in harmony along with the third gender, homosexuals etc. Women can bring this about.

But before that, first try to eliminate preconceived notions of what femininity is. Don't take someone's words for granted who says femininity is this, that etc.

I'll post more upon request. Looking for your response. Please provide me with the fuel of responses for me to have good mileage.