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Some of the meanings of the African symbols sewn into quilts were kept secret. Scholars suggest that some African American women who made quilts might have been in a secret society that retained the true spiritual meanings of the symbols in their quilts. Only initiates trained in quilt-making received the spiritual meanings of the African symbols.
For Friday prayers, by custom, Muslim's congregations segregate men, women, and children into separate groups. On other days, the women and children pray at home. Men are expected to offer the five times daily prayers at the nearest mosque. Muhammad specifically allowed Muslim women to attend mosques and pray behind men.
Women, however, did not hold religious titles, but some held political power with their husbands or on their own. The historic role of women in Islam is connected to societal patriarchal ideals, rather than actual ties to the Quran. The issue of women in Islam is becoming more prevalent in modern society. [172]
Black Muslim women dressed in white garb applaud Elijah Muhammad during his annual Savior’s Day Message in Chicago, 1974. Image courtesy John White/US National Archives.
Feminist theology and Islam is also used to strengthen the spiritual connection to the women of Islam when they undergo severe trauma, to promote human rights especially those of women. [47] Fatima Mernissi 's book, The Forgotten Queens of Islam , is a crucial piece in feminist theology for Islam and how it relates to a non western state. [ 48 ]
A 2014 Pew survey showed that 23% of American Muslims were converts to Islam, including 8% who converted to Islam from historically black Protestant traditions. [83] According to The Huffington Post, "observers estimate that as many as 20,000 Americans convert to Islam annually.", most of them are women and African-Americans .
Since the mid-nineteenth century, Muslim women and men have been critical of restrictions placed on women regarding education, seclusion, veiling, polygyny, slavery, and concubinage. Modern Muslims have questioned these practices and advocated for reform. [1] There is an ongoing debate about the status of women in Islam.
"Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an is a 2002 book by Asma Barlas, published by the University of Texas Press. According to Barlas, the Qur'an does not support patriarchy and modern day Muslims were not properly interpreting the text. [ 1 ]