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Historically,
women in Malaysia have been active participants in social movements.
This involvement continues today as women hold leadership and
decision-making positions in business, political, and educational
sectors. Patriarchal patterns, however, are reinforced through
religious interpretations, teachings and institutions. Islam will be
the focus of this study because it is the majority religion in
Malaysia, and its practice permeates all aspects of a Muslim’s life.
Presently, men dominate the Islamic discourse that shapes religious
social norms and syariah legal policies. The absent or diminished
gender perspective of women in these processes could be detrimental
for women and families. The objective of this study is to articulate
the diversity of attitudes regarding Muslim women as leaders,
including balancing public roles with religious practice.
Participant observation and semi-structured interviews with Muslim
women who are actively pursing formal or informal Islamic education
in great-Kuala Lumpur will provide the descriptive, qualitative
data.
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