Hera Diani, Jakarta – Liberal Muslim scholars here welcomed on Monday the news of a woman leading a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York last week. They were not convinced, however, that a woman could ever lead an Islamic prayer service here.
Islamic jurisprudence scholar and gender expert Siti Musdah Mulia said that going against mainstream ulema's beliefs that a woman must not lead a prayer service that includes men worshipers, was virtually impossible.
"Most ulema here stick to textual interpretations. Whereas there is an article in the hadith [a narrative record of the sayings and customs of Prophet Muhammad] that says there was a woman imam, at the time of Prophet Muhammad, named Ummu Waraqah who led mixed-gender prayers. At the time, the Prophet did not show any objections," said Musdah, who led the team that designed an alternative draft for an Islamic code of law.
Unfortunately, Musdah continued, the article has never been used as a reference as it was defeated by chauvinistic interpretations that only a man can become an imam.
"It is a setback in the world of Islam. Back in the period of Prophet Muhammad, the atmosphere was more open-minded and inclusive. Now people are more barbarian, calling other people [with different faiths] kafir [infidels]," Musdah said.
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Amidhan argued that based on the teachings of the Syafiiyah School – followed by the majority of Muslims in the country – women are not allowed to lead mixed-gender services. "Unless, of course, the service is attended solely by women," he said.
What woman imam Amina Wadud did last week, he said, was more of a political move regarding gender equality. "American people tend to veer toward rationality, which is fine. But religious dogma must not be violated. Feel free to discuss the matter, but I think most Muslims here will object to the idea," Amidhan asserted.
He shared the same views as Muslim figures in the Middle East, condemning Wadud's act as apostasy and as "tarnishing Islam".
A professor of Islamic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, Wadud led the Islamic prayer service before a congregation of around 100 men and women at an Anglican church.
Three mosques had refused to hold the service, and an art gallery backed out due to a bomb threat.
Conservative Middle East leaders said women's issues had been used by enemies of Islam to corrupt the community. They argued that women's bodies stir desire in men, and that prohibiting women from becoming imams is not discriminatory, but prevents men from being torn by human desire – while they are standing behind a woman while she is bowing and kneeling.
Musdah said that such a view was ridiculous, as it perceived women merely as sex objects. "Men's bodies can also stir desire... Besides, is it – at any moment of a prayer service – appropriate to think about sexual desire?" he said.
Scholar Moeslim Abdurrahman from Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Muslim organization, spoke positively about the New York event, adding there should be a total shift in Islamic perceptions here. "Back in the old days, there were very few women with strong leadership. That's why there were no women imam. But some ulema then took it be an undisputable law," he said.
Women's hopes and goals should be accommodated by Indonesian ulema, Moeslim added, because Islamic theology does not recognize gender discrimination. "Indonesian women and activists must also react and respond to this phenomena positively," he said.
Showing her support for women who aspired to be religious leaders, Musdah said they should just go ahead rather than waiting for approval. "Just do it. If we campaigned first, the approval might never come," she said.