Music Creates Safe Spaces for Muslim Women

 Gender-based violence, abuse, and oppression are present in every society. It gives rise to injustice and unequal representation of women. However, the injustice and inequality among women differ geographically, based on their ethnic, religious, or cultural identity. Muslim women have faced double oppression due to their religious identity and gender identity. In the current times, they are challenging all the norms and restrictions that have subjugated their identity, as a woman, over the centuries. Distinct approaches have been utilized by them to raise their heads and voices. Similarly, Muslim women have employed music as a weapon to challenge the patriarchal society.

  Muslim women have broken the silence on violence, sexual abuse, discrimination, forced marriages, and all other kinds of oppression on them. Many prominent Muslim women are telling their stories of persecution through singing. In the age of mass media, their nightingale voices are heard. The women living on the peripheries get recognition for their work but at the same time, they have to face some hefty challenges to achieve this milestone. A Dutch Muslim woman, Rajae el Mouhandiz, Saudi girls, Rotana and Majed Alesa, a Syrian rapper, Mona Haydar, and the first female rapper for Afghanistan, Paradise Sorouri are the prominent figures in breaking the stereotypes. These women are singing from the peripheries to reclaim their agency and voices in the patriarchal society.
In Saudi Arabia, women are restricted to enter the public domain, come to the forefront, or stand equal with men. They are deprived of fundamental rights. The guardian system does not provide a full citizenship identity card to Saudi women. Similarly, the most viral Saudi music video, “Hawges”, unveils the rigid and oppressive Saudi system. It mocks the patriarchal setup, which muffles the voices of women and places them as subordinate and subservient beings in society. The mastermind of the music video, Majed Alesa, asks for equal rights, opportunities, and freedom. The anti-patriarchal lyrics, “May all men disappear from the earth” speaks for the silenced voices of Saudi women. The video depicts the young boy driving the car while all grown-up women sit behind, being dependent on him. The guardian system demeans the actual worth, status, and value of a Saudi woman in society. She is treated like a child who needs instructions and permission before performing any task. It is a petty and frivolous attitude to encapsulate women. It takes away the full liberty of being a complete citizen of Saudi Arabia. It is a political tactic in utilizing religion in a manipulative manner, to place women inferior in every phase of life. It makes Saudi women the possession and commodity of a ‘mahram’, a man.
Rotana, Mona, and other Muslim singers have a similar story behind their musical careers. They are breaking the stereotypes that women are not permitted to come under the limelight before non-mahram men. Also, they have pushed back in the name of religion that music is ‘haram’. Rajae el Mouhandiz finds these excuses lame and irrelevant because in her opinion Muslim men are allowed to sing, dance or compose music. She argues, that in the eyes of religion, music is ‘haram’ for both genders but the hypocrisy of Arab countries only grants full liberty to men. Mona and Rotana find the patriarchal system over-dominating and phony. These women have found their actual identity in music. Mona is a Syrian rapper who shares the stories and struggles of Muslim women through her rap songs. Music has become the identity marker for her, which defines her ability, dignity, and strength as an independent woman. In her opinion, music creates safe spaces for Muslim women that provide them with voices.
On the other hand, Afghani women are fighting for their rights but every time they are shushed by men. Afghani women are not considered complete citizens or sane human beings before patriarchy. They are deprived of basic rights. There is no space for the individual identity and gender identity of women. Rape forced marriages, and acid attacks are the fate of unconventional Afghani women, who stand against the rigid norms. The Afghani rapper, Paradise Sorouri, has become the victim of stringent abuse. She has been beaten by ten men on the street. Sorouri has faced many death and rape threats because of raising her melodious voice and speaking against the rigid patriarchal society. After all this, the morale of the young rapper has not diminished. Her rap songs open the debate on sexual abuse, violence, forced marriages, etc. She wants every Afghani woman to be heard. Therefore, she is battling against toxic masculinity.
These Muslim women were in the search of their identity which they have found in music and singing. It gives them a platform to reclaim their voices. Their silence has converted into a melody that speaks louder than oppression. The singing is through the bodies and through singing they have reclaimed themselves. They have opened avenues for their successors by providing a platform. Their voices have challenged the stereotypes that women cannot sing and will not sing in Muslim society. Yet, these stereotypes are a strategy to undermine their gender identity and subjugate their existence.