Feminism: A Path of Misguidance Disguised as Women’s Rights
By: Danyal Haqiqat Joo
Feminist advocates argue that their movement is a natural reaction to the oppression and injustice faced by women. On this basis, they label themselves as feminists. However, history presents numerous examples of ideologies that began with seemingly noble intentions, only to deviate into misguidance over time:
▪ The people of Nūḥ (علیہ السلام) initiated idolatry by erecting statues to remember pious individuals—a practice that later devolved into idol worship.
▪ Among the Arabs, idolatry began through ʿAmr ibn Luḥayy, who sought to make the Arabs equal to the “civilized” nations.
▪ False ideologies often build themselves upon a partial truth, because human nature contains both good and evil.
This is why every misguided ideology—be it feminism, communism, or capitalism—contains some elements of truth, enough to appeal to the masses.
Islam recognizes the natural differences between men and women, assigning complementary rights and responsibilities to each. Examples include:
✔ Emotional and physical differences—like sexual desire—are acknowledged in Islam, and instead of suppressing them, Islam regulates them through lawful means.
✔ Virtue and equality: Islam awards virtue based on actions, not gender, and acknowledges that some are preferred over others in specific contexts. The Qur’an says:
فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ
(Let those who wish to excel, strive in virtue.)
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ
(Do not wish for what Allah has favored some of you over others.)
When Umm Salamah (RA) questioned why men gained spiritual merit through Jihād, Allah revealed verses affirming women’s spiritual worth. But where women questioned male-specific rulings, Islam discouraged such attitudes, stating that true believers submit without hesitation to the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Feminism promotes absolute equality, which clashes with Islamic teachings that recognize natural differences. It is a slippery slope that leads to increasing deviation:
◈ Some Muslim women manipulate minor juristic disagreements to justify feminist principles.
◈ Others reject Islamic consensus and call themselves “Muslim feminists.”
◈ A few, in the name of “intellectual evolution,” renounce Islam altogether.
One of feminism’s foundational beliefs is that the world has always been male-dominated, and men have systematically exploited women. But this narrative raises disturbing questions against:
✔ The concept of Prophethood in Islam—were all male prophets part of this so-called patriarchal oppression?
✔ The male majority among Islamic scholars—was their scholarship meant to suppress women?
✔ If patriarchy was truly a deliberate system of oppression, why did the Qur’an and Sunnah not explicitly condemn it as such?
The progression of feminist thought often leads to the following:
➤ Rejection of traditional Islamic scholars
➤ Criticism of the Prophets, as done by Amina Wadud
➤ Doubts about the Qur’an, such as:
— Why is Allah referred to in masculine terms?
— Why was Ādam (AS) created before Ḥawwā?
— Why does Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, verse 34, assign leadership (qiwāmah) to men?
These contradictions gradually pull followers away from Islam, and in many cases, toward apostasy.
If someone claims to be a feminist without accepting the concept of patriarchy, then what remains of feminism’s foundation?
And if patriarchy is not considered in conflict with Islam, then how can feminist ideology accommodate the very teachings it seeks to oppose?
Those who carry “reformist” or “revisionist” mindsets feel no hesitation in rejecting classical scholarship, while practicing Muslims recognize that the ʿUlamāʾ are the inheritors of prophetic knowledge, without whom the correct understanding of Qur’an and Sunnah would be lost.
Feminism presents male authority as a conspiracy, accusing men of historically suppressing women. In reality, it is a deeply prejudiced and misleading ideology that seeks to pit women against men, and ultimately alienates them from religion itself.
By: Danyal Haqiqat Joo
❖ The Core Claim of Feminism
Feminist advocates argue that their movement is a natural reaction to the oppression and injustice faced by women. On this basis, they label themselves as feminists. However, history presents numerous examples of ideologies that began with seemingly noble intentions, only to deviate into misguidance over time:
▪ The people of Nūḥ (علیہ السلام) initiated idolatry by erecting statues to remember pious individuals—a practice that later devolved into idol worship.
▪ Among the Arabs, idolatry began through ʿAmr ibn Luḥayy, who sought to make the Arabs equal to the “civilized” nations.
▪ False ideologies often build themselves upon a partial truth, because human nature contains both good and evil.
This is why every misguided ideology—be it feminism, communism, or capitalism—contains some elements of truth, enough to appeal to the masses.
❖ Feminism and Human Nature
Islam recognizes the natural differences between men and women, assigning complementary rights and responsibilities to each. Examples include:
✔ Emotional and physical differences—like sexual desire—are acknowledged in Islam, and instead of suppressing them, Islam regulates them through lawful means.
✔ Virtue and equality: Islam awards virtue based on actions, not gender, and acknowledges that some are preferred over others in specific contexts. The Qur’an says:
فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ
(Let those who wish to excel, strive in virtue.)
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ
(Do not wish for what Allah has favored some of you over others.)
When Umm Salamah (RA) questioned why men gained spiritual merit through Jihād, Allah revealed verses affirming women’s spiritual worth. But where women questioned male-specific rulings, Islam discouraged such attitudes, stating that true believers submit without hesitation to the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
❖ The Fundamental Contradiction of Feminism
Feminism promotes absolute equality, which clashes with Islamic teachings that recognize natural differences. It is a slippery slope that leads to increasing deviation:
◈ Some Muslim women manipulate minor juristic disagreements to justify feminist principles.
◈ Others reject Islamic consensus and call themselves “Muslim feminists.”
◈ A few, in the name of “intellectual evolution,” renounce Islam altogether.
❖ The “Patriarchy” Narrative
One of feminism’s foundational beliefs is that the world has always been male-dominated, and men have systematically exploited women. But this narrative raises disturbing questions against:
✔ The concept of Prophethood in Islam—were all male prophets part of this so-called patriarchal oppression?
✔ The male majority among Islamic scholars—was their scholarship meant to suppress women?
✔ If patriarchy was truly a deliberate system of oppression, why did the Qur’an and Sunnah not explicitly condemn it as such?
❖ Feminism’s Final Destination: Apostasy and Rebellion
The progression of feminist thought often leads to the following:
➤ Rejection of traditional Islamic scholars
➤ Criticism of the Prophets, as done by Amina Wadud
➤ Doubts about the Qur’an, such as:
— Why is Allah referred to in masculine terms?
— Why was Ādam (AS) created before Ḥawwā?
— Why does Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, verse 34, assign leadership (qiwāmah) to men?
These contradictions gradually pull followers away from Islam, and in many cases, toward apostasy.
❖ Feminism and Islam: Where Do You Stand?
If someone claims to be a feminist without accepting the concept of patriarchy, then what remains of feminism’s foundation?
And if patriarchy is not considered in conflict with Islam, then how can feminist ideology accommodate the very teachings it seeks to oppose?
Those who carry “reformist” or “revisionist” mindsets feel no hesitation in rejecting classical scholarship, while practicing Muslims recognize that the ʿUlamāʾ are the inheritors of prophetic knowledge, without whom the correct understanding of Qur’an and Sunnah would be lost.
❖ Conclusion: Feminism Is a Movement Against Islam
Feminism presents male authority as a conspiracy, accusing men of historically suppressing women. In reality, it is a deeply prejudiced and misleading ideology that seeks to pit women against men, and ultimately alienates them from religion itself.
