{"title":"The Practice of Two Danish Female Islamic Authorities Facilitating Divorce","authors":"Jesper Petersen","doi":"10.1163/22117954-bja10037","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\nResearch on Muslim divorce practices in Europe often focuses exclusively on male Islamic authority, neglecting the role of women. This article compares the Islamic divorce practice of two female Islamic authorities with that of nineteen male Islamic authorities to demonstrate that women have important roles in relation to Islamic divorce. It also analyses how the two Danish female informants, Zaynab and Aisha, function as highly specialised volunteer social workers, referring Muslim women to shelters and guiding them through their Islamic divorce. Thus, the article points out a vacuum in the services provided by the Danish state – the lack of knowledge about conflicts relating to Islamic divorce – which makes professional social workers a less relevant option for Muslim women experiencing nikah-captivity (marital captivity within an Islamic symbolic frame of reference).","PeriodicalId":37992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Muslims in Europe","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2021-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Muslims in Europe","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1163/22117954-bja10037","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"Arts and Humanities","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Research on Muslim divorce practices in Europe often focuses exclusively on male Islamic authority, neglecting the role of women. This article compares the Islamic divorce practice of two female Islamic authorities with that of nineteen male Islamic authorities to demonstrate that women have important roles in relation to Islamic divorce. It also analyses how the two Danish female informants, Zaynab and Aisha, function as highly specialised volunteer social workers, referring Muslim women to shelters and guiding them through their Islamic divorce. Thus, the article points out a vacuum in the services provided by the Danish state – the lack of knowledge about conflicts relating to Islamic divorce – which makes professional social workers a less relevant option for Muslim women experiencing nikah-captivity (marital captivity within an Islamic symbolic frame of reference).
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Muslims in Europe is devoted to publishing articles dealing with contemporary issues on Islam and Muslims in Europe from all disciplines and across the whole region, as well as historical studies of relevance to the present. The focus is on articles offering cross-country comparisons or with significant theoretical or methodological relevance to the field. Case studies with innovative approaches or on under-explored issues, and studies of policy and policy development in the various European institutions, including the European courts, and transnational movements and social and cultural processes are also welcome. The journal also welcomes book reviews. All contributions to the journal must display a substantial use of primary-source material and must be original. The editors also encourage younger scholars to submit contributions. The Journal of Muslims in Europe has a double-blind peer review system and publishes articles in both English and French.