"I Feel At Peace". A Standpoint Feminist Perspective of Canadian Muslim Women Studying the Qur'an

Abstract

Background: Well-being encompasses physical, mental and social aspects of life. For Canadian Muslim women, the intersection of their identity, faith and contextual factors all shapes their well-being, now more than ever at a time when we see an increase in gendered Islamophobia.

Rationale: The intersection between historical views of womanhood, modern feminist ideals and faith, especially within gender-traditional religious groups lacks critical qualitative methodologies and often includes Eurocentric perceptions of what it might mean to be a “minority” woman. The aim of this doctoral work was to better understand how Canadian Muslim women utilize their faith, grounded in the Qurʼān and Prophetic Tradition, to cope with mental health stressors, navigate their Canadian identity, as well as explore their understanding of empowerment.

Methods: We conducted 38 in-depth, virtual interviews with Muslim women formally studying the Quran at Al Huda Institute. Along with the interviews, we asked participants to bring an artifact that represents their journey of becoming a student of knowledge. Data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory and arts-informed approaches, revealing three categories: Qurʼān and Spirituality, Qurʼān and Well-being, and Qurʼān and Identity.

Results: Religious identity played a crucial role in Muslim women's wellness because it provided spiritual strength, resilience and meaning to life, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings also indicated the importance of religious learning institutes for Muslim women as third spaces, serving as sources of peer support for women of faith.

Discussion: The study findings call for a new perspective that acknowledges Qurʼānic knowledge as an empowering force to improve Muslim women’s identity and well-being, while challenging widespread Orientalist as well as Western feminist ideas which tend to marginalize Muslim women within Canadian social structures. The proposed Holistic Qurʼānic Empowerment Model supports culturally specific holistic religious education approaches which exemplifies the diverse contexts and experiences of Muslim women who self-define well-being, identity and empowerment.